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❝𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕚𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤...❞

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𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 :: 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈,, 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔,, 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒚

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THE CAPITOL
THE TRAINING CENTRE

SAFFRON IS STANDING by the station with the spears once again. Just as she's gotten her spear in line with the target, someone wraps an arm around her shoulders, making her jump.

"How's my little sister doing?" They ask, ruffling her hair. Finnick. Of course it was, she should've known at this point.

Saffron huffs and pushes Finnick back, though it's not that effective, "What the hell?! I told you to stop doing that!"

This... routine, as one could call it, started the year before, during the 74th Hunger Games. Saffron absolutely hated it but Finnick and Pierre always found it hilarious.

It was the first day of the games and Saffron's first and only year of mentoring. Finnick snuck up on her while she was talking with Pierre and almost gave her a heart attack.

After it happened for the third time, Saffron would study the look on Finnick's face in hopes of being able to distinguish when he was about to pounce. But that annoying little son of a bitch can put on quite the poker face. One that Saffron can never see through, no matter how hard she tries. It pisses her off to no end.

Finnick would catch the poor girl off guard every single time. And judging by the amused look on Pierre's face each time it happened, he was clearly in on it. Pierre was always unpredictable and chaotic but when him and Finnick are together, people literally run away and hide from them. There's no guessing what those two will do when they're together.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyways where's Pierre? I was thinking we could train together." Finnick asks, looking around for his partner in crime.

"Um," Saffron scans the room and spots Pierre with Elise, "Over there." Honestly, Saffron was glad that Pierre was occupied with someone else. If he and Finnick were to train together, they'd probably end up dead after ten minutes and take everyone else in the training centre with them.

Finnick sucks in a breath, his face filled with disappointment, "Aw damn, he's busy. Alright well I guess it's just me and you then, Saffy."

"Okay, we are not making that name a thing."

Finnick chuckles in response, playfully tapping the back of Saffron's head, "Come on."

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This was the last place Elise wants to be although she can't help but enjoy herself as she teaches Pierre how to use a crossbow.

Pierre was been given the most simple instructions to follow and yet he's still managed to wreck everything around him. He fires another arrow and it skims past the trainer's face, nicking her ear.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry." Pierre exclaims, raising his hands up in defense as the trainer, Azealia, glares at him, "It was an accident, I swear."

When Azealia finally looks away from the pair, Pierre leans over and whispers to Elise, "She's so bitchy, she had it coming. She thinks she's all high and mighty, someone had to do something."

Elise laughs at Pierre's remark, "I think I know what's making your aim so, um, wild." She reaches over, helping him adjust his grip on the weapon while she explains to him.

Julius watches Elise and Pierre interact from the corner of the room. His jaw clenches, his grip on his spear tightening. He feels a hint more than just jealousy as he watches Elise talking and laughing with Pierre.

Before he even registers what he's doing, Julius reacts in an act of blind rage. He raises his spear and throws it at them. It lands perfectly in between the startled Elise and Pierre, making them both jump back.

It even gets the other tributes' attention as they stop what they're doing to look at the scene Julius caused. For a minute, it's silent throughout the whole centre until the others go back to their training.

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Sichou is once again practicing her archery but she keeps looking over at Johanna, who's currently sparring with one of the trainers. The night before, Sichou and Johanna had been hanging out on the roof of the tribute centre and, well, you can probably guess what happened there.

But Sichou doesn't have much time to dwell on the past as a voice calls her back to reality.

"I saw you shoot yesterday. You're really good."

Sichou looks over her shoulder and is met with Elise, "Thanks." She mumbles as she turns her focus back to the targets infront of her.

"Uh, would you mind if.. could I train with you?" Elise asks, gesturing to the crossbow in her hand.

"Oh um," The question's clearly caught Sichou off guard, it was the last thing she was expecting anyone to ask her, "Sure."

Elise smiles at Sichou, walking up to stand next to her. Elise is the first to start. She takes her aim and fires, the arrow hitting the target square in the middle.

"Not bad." Sichou says before she begins shooting at the targets herself. The girls proceed to train side by side for the next hour or two, it brings them a sort of comfort.

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Chase watches Catlin as she throws dagger after dagger at the holograms, concentrated grunts escaping from her lips while she does so. He glances at her every few seconds, awkwardly standing beside her.

Catlin huffs, throws one last dagger then she turns to Chase, "What? What is it? Why do you keep looking at me?"

Chase tilts his head in confusion, "Um, I thought you wanted to train with me."

"Yeah, I did. And I am." Catlin says, throwing another dagger.

"Then, why am I just watching you throw these?" Chase asks.

"No one's stopping you from joining in." Catlin's patience with Chase is wearing thin by the minute, "Go on! Take one! They're right in front of you. Jesus."

Chase slowly grabs a dagger, eyeing Catlin with great curiosity. For someone who wanted to train with him, she sure was being aggresive. Chase tries to mimic Catlin's movement as he throws the dagger. It wasn't a bad attempt but it wasn't anywhere near to Catlin's standards.

"Seriously? That is the best you can do?" Catlin scoffs, her eyebrow raised at him.

Chase sighs, "Why are you training with me? You don't seem to like me very much."

"Finnick told me to," Catlin mutters after staying quiet for a few beats, "And besides, I need allies."

Chase nods and makes another attempt at throwing a dagger.

"That wasn't as terrible. And Chase, just go talk to Everdeen."

Chase freezes in his tracks, his cheeks flushing as he looks at Catlin with surprise, "Um, what?"

"Everyone here knows you like her. Honestly just go talk to her because you're killing us all at this point. Like it's actually painful to watch you pine over her." Catlin has to suppress a laugh at Chase's expression, "Have you talked to Mellark yet?"

"Peeta? Uh, no. Why?"

"You two are in the same boat right now." When Chase only gets more puzzled, Catlin continues, "He's been looking at that Delphine girl like she's the most amazing being to exist in all of Panem. His eyes follow her around like some lost puppy. Look at him right now."

Catlin points over at Peeta. He lifts up the heaviest medicine ball of the bunch and throws it then he looks back to see if Saffron was watching.

"You're both hopeless at this. You'd get on great."

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a/n ::
hii! i really enjoyed writing this one, i think it's my favourite chapter so far! i don't really have much to say tbh, just the usual about if you spot any mistakes. also if there's anything in particular you'd like to see happen next chapter (the interviews)

you can request here ::

xx, izzy

ocs mentioned {in order} ::

saffron delphine {xrosegoldqnx}

pierre rubenstein {-greyhearts}

elise blake {vantaecious}

julius bardin {Izzy246girl}

sichou wong {Izzy246girl}

chase heart {Biggirl568}

catlin maxford {Biggirl568}