𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙡, 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙊𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙧

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 28: 𝒜 𝐵𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝓈𝓈

Another mission. Another betrayal to the Capitol. Another chance her brother will be killed. 

        The girl who she had to kill this time was a 19 year old who spoke a little too much on Capitol secrets. It was her first mission since she let go of the previous family, and she let her go. Her nights no longer were filled with sleep. Rather, she found herself in a cycle of waking up when nightmares were too much for her to tolerate, and when she was able to rip her arms free of the sleep paralysis demon that lurks in the corner of her room where her brother was beaten up. 

        Her brother begs her to sleep during the day, yet she can't do anything but keep awake as the thought of her brother dying from the Capitol's hands keeps her up. Along that, knowing she is in no way helping her case by relying on individuals to keep themselves hidden is far worse.  

        It's been three months since the 67th Hunger Games, when she realizes that today is visiting day. Today is the day that victors are allowed to visit each other to "bond" for when the next games roll around. She plans to just stay in her district, having no doubt that one person will be there. 

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·..·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·..·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.

She is sitting in the stranded meadow of District 6. There are beautiful flowers and a tree providing a shadow to keep her cool on the hot, summer day. Raven is waiting for her one and only friend to arrive in approximately 2 minutes. Despite the slight excitement she feels in her chest, she also can't help but feel as if everything around her is draining. The once vivid colors of the meadow are now dull shades. Her drowsy eyes refuse to let any of the beauty in- almost as if she is undeserving of seeing such a thing. 

        After hearing footsteps, she doesn't flinch. Not because she knows it's Finnick, but because she doesn't mind if it is someone coming to kill her. When she doesn't hear his welcome, she finally looks up to see him approaching her. He sits down next to her, just sitting there. He seems to be distraught. His eye bags are deeper than she remembers. His hair is flatter, and he isn't radiating his natural charm. 

        To her surprise, Raven finally feels something other than stress for the first time in a while: concern. "What's wrong?" She turns her body to face Finnick, and makes eye contact with him. "Something is... different," she points out. 

         Finnick turns to face him, and for the first time, is extremely sarcastic. "You think?" He remarks. Raven doesn't feel offended, moving slightly closer to him. "I'm sorry," he quickly says, putting his face in his hands. "I'm just..." He sighs, at a loss for words. "I can't comprehend a thing, right now. I mean, I look TERRIBLE, first of all. My two best friends are dead. Snow is becoming more demanding. And, nothing makes sense anymore." He sniffles, opening his mouth to say more, but all that comes out is- "Can you just hug me?" He desperately asks, clearly in need of comfort. 

         Raven immediately wraps her arms around him, needing this herself. She's refused to let her brother comfort her for months, feeling as if any contact between them will only hurt him more. "You don't look terrible. Your eyes really stand out." She almost screams when she realizes what she just said. But she realizes that the color of Finnick's eyes are the only thing that don't seem dull. 

        Finnick raises his head high again, his signature smirk back on. "I don't look terrible? So according to you, I look good?" He teases with his cat's grin. 

        Raven's blush deepens, and she turns her face around, hiding it. "I- I didn't mean it like that. I'm just... comforting you?" She hesitantly adds at the end, not sure what else to say. Finnick gently pries her hands away from her face, laughing at how red she was. 

        "And here I thought you were the only girl who didn't fall head over heels for me!" 

        Raven groans. "Shut up! I'm not head over heels for you, you preener!" She sighs in exasperation, laying back on the meadow, slightly laughing herself. For the first time in months, she feels an endorphin rush. Suddenly, she stands up, having the most wonderful idea ever. "I have some weapons in my backyard. I bet I'm better than you." 

        "Impossible," he says, standing up quickly. Before he can say anything, Raven begins running in the direction of her house, laughing in sweet relief as she rushes into her backyard, waving hi to her brother on the way. 

Sorry for the wait everyone! I reallllly wanted to write a wholesome chapter cause I was in a happy mood and I thought Raven and Finnick needed some bonding + happiness lolololol. 

Pls lmk ur thoughts <3333 

Some clarifications: 

Raven is 13 at this point

Finnick is 15 

They are only developing feelings as of now cause I want Raven to be older before they do romantic stuff yk but it's there dw 😭