☆°.˙ ▍𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐘𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘 

⎰𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧⎱

          𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇. Loving, caring, and protective were one of the many words he could use. However, one word that he knew would always came to her mind was, not enough. She truly believed she wasn't enough and whatever she did could've be done better.

          His aunt truly believed that she was able to hide her true feelings from Ben, not realizing that the young boy could hear her cry herself to sleep almost every night. He could hear her soft whispers of why she had to feel the pain everyday and the broken, faraway look in her eyes as if she was remembering something from years ago. 

          What Ben couldn't wrap his head around was the fact Fleur expected him to want his dad to be with him and not her. First of all, as much he misses both of his parents, he didn't know them other than from Fleur's stories that always ended with her trying not to cry. Secondly, Fleur's a big part of his life and Ben couldn't even dream to think how he would've changed if Fleur hadn't raised him.

          He remembered her decision not to go to most of the gatherings in the Capitol and when a five year old Ben questioned her decision in confusion, she smiled sadly before kissing his forehead and whispering the words, I'll explain when you're older. 

          He recalled the fury in her eyes when she got a call late in the night a couple days later, only to hear a sobbing explanation on the other side. The way her fists balled and her nails dug into her palms made Ben slightly shocked as Fleur had never gotten that mad before. The soft, comforting words that she whispered in an attempt to calm the person down had worked like her words always did.

          "Who was that?" Ben had questioned Fleur once she had put the phone down.

          "A friend?" Fleur had replied as she hesitated with the word, as if unsure where they stood.

          Ben also remembered, a week after the late night phone call, multiple knocks on the door of their home were heard. Ben had looked up at Fleur with wide and curious eyes as she glanced at the door in suspicion. She had walked over to the door and opened the door, only to be shocked at the realization that the person on the door wasn't who she was expecting. 

          "Finnick." Fleur had whispered softly as she furrowed her brows in confusion. 

          "Fleur, I know I should'nt have come here. I'm sorry." Finnick apologized. "I just. . . I didn't want to go home. I can leave." 

          "It's alright. I don't mind." Fleur replied softly as she looked at the younger man's figure. She hadn't met him until a couple a couple weeks ago but had watched his Games. She grabbed his wrist softly, which still gained a wince from the Victor, and pulled him into the house

          Ben could've sworn as he peeked a glance to see who was their visitor, Cecelia had almost fainted from shock at the sight of Fleur interacting with another Victor who wasn't from District Eight.

          "Who is that?" Ben questioned as he tilted his head and glanced at Finnick with nothing but a purely curious expression. 

          "Ben, this is Finnick." Fleur replied as Ben gave Finnick a grin. 

          Ben got off of his chair before skipping out the door to the house on the other side of the gravel. Fleur watched him with a fond smile before turning to face Finnick, who shifted awkwardly. 

          "Are you okay?" Fleur questioned the blonde with a slightly worried expression.

          "Yeah. . . yeah, I am." Finnick stuttered, not expecting the question. 

          "No, you aren't." Fleur replied with a shake of her head. "Are you hurt?" 

          Finnick pressed his lips together as if he was trying to come up with an answer, only for Fleur to sigh. She knew the silence was an answer enough. 

          "Where?" Fleur asked as she rummaged through the drawers.

          Finnick opened and closed his mouth, attempting to come up with an answer only for Fleur to turn to look at him with an unimpressed look and she rose her brow. Finnick crumpled under her questioning gaze as he sat down on the chair and tentatively took off of his shirt. Fleur sucked in a breath at the sight of the black and blue bruises and purple skin. 

          Finnick  winced as Fleur's fingers barely skimmed his back. Fleur grabbed a towel before wrapping it around an frozen pack that she had no use for before putting it against Finnick's back. 

          "Why did you come here? I don't mind, but I'm confused." Fleur whispered.

         "I don't really have anyone back home but Mags, and the last thing I'd want to do is face her like this." Finnick replied just as softly.

          Fleur nodded slowly. "Well, if you feel comfortable here, then come. You need someone you can trust to help you." She stated. 

.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

          "Why did you want me to come here, Finnick?" Fleur questioned with a tone of disgust as a frown appeared on her lips.

          "Didn't you mentor this year? Did you consider Johanna Mason a threat?" Finnick questioned, not answering Fleur's question at the moment.

          "Yeah, I mentored and no I didn't. She got a six, same as me. The only difference was that she was faking, I wasn't." Fleur replied. 

          "So, let's go meet the girl. I need to meet the person who killed both of my tributes." Finnick stated as he grabbed Fleur's arm and pulled her in the direction that Johanna Mason was standing in, looking more angry and pissed off than anything. 

          The seventeen year old Victor looked at Finnick and Fleur in distaste when Finnick gave her a charming smile. 

          "What do you two want?" Johanna questioned as if she had something better to do before glancing down at their entwined hands. "Are you guys together or something?"

          Fleur coughed in surprise before glancing around to make sure no heard the younger girl's statement, knowing very well that rumors spread like wildfire in the Capitol. Finnick, on the other hand, turned slightly pink at the question before shaking his head and reluctantly removing his hand from Fleur's, causing the woman to unconsciously frown in disappointment. 

          "Well then, why do the two of the youngest Victors in history want to talk to me? One of whom doesn't go on camera and the other who's entire life is on camera." Johanna asked with a raised brow. 

          "Well, you know how to hurt someone with words. But you'll have to choose what to do as well." Finnick replied before letting out a laugh and leaning close to Johanna before his voice dropped down to a whisper. "Actually, Snow will choose for you. Fleur was lucky, me on the other hand, not so much."

          "Well, he already did." Johanna replied with a mirthless smile. "I guess you can say I lost everything due to my decision."

          Both Fleur and Finnick exchanged looks of shock before turning to face Johanna who was watching them in confusion. 

          "You said no? Didn't he tell you who you would've lost?" Finnick questioned in surprise. 

          "No, he said I would regret my decision though." Johanna replied before her eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that?"

          "Because he told me exactly who I would lose if I refused." Finnick replied as Fleur put a comforting arm on his shoulder.

          "That makes slightly more sense about your whole persona, but are you guys sure you aren't in love or something?" Johanna questioned as she looked at both Fleur and Finnick with questioning gazes. 

          "Yes, we're pretty sure." Fleur replied. 

I really wanted to do this chapter for a while. . . so yay! 

^ Johanna when Finnick and Fleur denied their feelings for each other.