The Arsonist (Finnick Odair/OC)

9

(Age 16, 67th Annual Hunger Games- The Victory Tour) 

I'm dealing and after just under six months I'm honestly fine.

Do I wake up screaming my lungs out everynight? yes.

Am I crazy? no. 

Apart from routine nightmares, I like to think I'm completely sane and adjusting nicely. Do I hear the screams of the children I burned alive everytime I fall asleep? sure do. Do I think about it twenty-four-seven? nope. Therefore I'm fine, really I am.

I huffed. "Slendor, for the last time I'm fine".

Slendor was currently lying on my couch with his feet up on the coffee table like he owned the place. "Well Beautiful, my non exsitent beauty sleep begs to differ".

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not even that bad."

He huffed. "No, you know what would be really bad? Waking up screaming your lungs out everynight making me think I'm back in those fucking GAMES!".

I cringed. 

He causally shrugged as if he hadn't just screamed at me. "All I'm saying is that there's nothing wrong with a little bit of help every so often. Wouldn't you like to pick up your brother from school? or not have a meltdown everytime you see a kid in a uniform?"

I took a deep calming breath and glared at him. "I thought we agreed we wern't going to say the s-word".

He smirked at me. "We wouldn't have to talk on eggshells if you'd bloody talk to someone besides me. No use having a hermit victor in District Ten".

I scoffed. "I talk to people!, I think the real hermit is you. Don't you only have one friend who's a depressed alcholic that won't visit you since you tried to quote 'dry him out!?!". I rolled my eyes and huffed while knocking his feet off my table. "Lord knows, its why you never leave my house".

He rolled his eyes back at me. "I'm friends with all the other victors thank you. We all share a profound bond because we're all secret psychopaths". 

He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. "How comforting. Now I know I'll sleep easy tonight knowing that you're just next door".

He chuckled. "Better get used to it kid, you're one of us now. Actually your worse, you're a pyromaniac".

I glared at my ceiling in frustionation, only to momentarily freakout at the word ceiling in my head. Fuck. I tried to recompose myself to stop staring at it, but it was hard. What if someones in there... listening and plotting to set me alight because of all the bad things I've done.

I subconciously heard Slendor sigh, but it was drowned out. I couldn't tear my eyes away. "That was too harsh wasn't it kid?!?...Shit. Sometimes, er-I damn it! sorry I-I'm not used to being around new victors. I forget what it's like to adjust."

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. I turned my head to face him with a slight smile on my face. "Don't worry about it Slendor. Like I said, I'm fine".

He snorted. "Sure are. This victory tours gonna be...intresting to say the least."

Somedays I just wanted to kill him. "Godamn it Slendor! I said I'm not that bad, stop making it seem like I'm going to freeze on the stage or something. I'm not crazy."

He held his hands up in defence. "Never said you were. But all victors after their games go a little...anyways, most tend to stay that way. I'm just trying to figure out where you're at kid."

I sighed. "Well that's nice, really it is. But like I said I'm fi-"

"Fine. Yeah, yeah". He waved me off.