PL: Finnick Odair

[fallaces_sunt]

Spike Velikan had planned things carefully, with all the cunningness contained within him. He'd watched his new Person and her Roommate, observed their movements, and plotted his escape. Seizing his chance, he'd grabbed his favourite squeaky toy and made a DARING ESCAPE!!!!

Which is why there is currently a small dog running around the hallways on Deck 7. A small dog boasting long golden hair, scales down his spine, a long hairless tail (currently wagging in excitement), a pair of red-and-white stripped antennae and an elegant horn. And, most important of all, a purple dinosaur in his mouth, which currently squeaks in time to his footfalls.

Spike Velikan thinks this is the best idea ever.









Natasha, meanwhile, is also out in the hallways, calling for him. She is far less impressed with her dog's cleverness than he is.

Comments

[fishermansweater]

"So far, the evidence would support that. There are more people here from my world, too."

Not all victors, but almost all. And they'd been reaped, all of them who are here: Finnick, Annie, Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Haymitch. Finnick, Katniss, and Peeta had been reaped once and volunteered once. Annie and Haymitch had been reaped twice. Prim, the once. All three of them saved, once, by someone volunteering for them.

In truth, he's already done precisely what she's asking about, when Annie arrived. He'd soothed her, talked to her, assured her that it was going to be all right, though Annie hadn't been about to offer violence.

She had been frightened and confused and high on morphling, though.

"I'd know them," he says. "I've known the rest of them for years." Except Katniss and Peeta, but they're already here.

"Whether I'd be able to talk them down or not..." He shrugs, and for an excuse not to look at her a moment, looks down at the dog in her arms, apparently entirely contented now it has the toy back.

"Most of them don't like me enough to trust my word."

[fallaces_sunt]

Velikan watches Finnick back, around gnawing his squeaky toy. Slow gnawing now, though: the puppy is starting to radiate tired. Escaping has been a lot of excitement for an animal who isn't that old.

"Ah," Natasha says in the tones of one who is really saying damn. "Well, worth a shot. I think we'd all prefer people not to get hurt just because someone's having a freak-out."

She sighs then.

"Well. I should be getting back to my place before Velikan falls asleep on me."

[fishermansweater]

"I'll do what I can."

He says it quietly, but he's sincere and that's there, in his voice, for someone who's listening. He knows victors. They've been most of the people he's known and socialized with for years. He knows how dangerous they are when they're frightened or threatened. They didn't all survive by killing, but most of them did, and even those who didn't ... they're still uneasy.

"That includes the victors."

Whatever people might think of them, there aren't many victors who won because they enjoy killing. Not even Finnick, though he'll kill when it's needed, kill for his own protection.

He nods, giving her a slyly teasing smile.

"I guess having to wake him up to put him to bed would be counterproductive."

[fallaces_sunt]

"I was including them." It's said mildly, no hint of defensiveness. She knows the attackers in situations aren't always thought of, but she also knows very well how much people in the grips of panic might do things that they might not otherwise.

Natasha's expression turns into a crooked little smirk. "Just a little," she says. "So, I'll be seeing you around, Finnick."

[fishermansweater]

The public in Panem tend not to see the victors' damage. They see Finnick's beauty and popularity without what it does to him ever time he goes to the Capitol. They see the drugs, the drink, the things the victors turn to so they can chase some of the nightmares and fears and memories away, but they don't see why.

They don't hear the screams in the night the way he and Annie do.

And here, in this situation, they'd see the violence without thinking of the reason for the snap reactions.

Natasha, he thinks, gets it. So he nods, and he looks at the dog again, letting his smile grow a little in response to Natasha's.

"Kind of hard to avoid someone in a place like this," he points out easily.

Avoiding each other isn't the point, and if he sees Natasha again, he won't avoid her. Or her dog.

[fallaces_sunt]

"Hard, but not impossible. Just a challenge." She sounds amused, though it's more directed internally than at him.

She inclines her head in farewell, and walks back down the hallway the way she came. Her back is to him - it has to be - but she doesn't walk away faster. Call it a pointed act of social trust.

Because, yes.

She gets it.