hard to grow up | [frankel]
Jan 11, 2022 15:55:46 GMT -5
Post by pearl mcclain d4 [ryan] on Jan 11, 2022 15:55:46 GMT -5
Annie hasn’t been normal in quite a long time. She can barely remember the last time that she had enjoyed a dinner even. To be quite honest, she was quite over the life that she had “won” for herself, but she knew that this was just a phase. It was all about acceptance at this point, and trying to embrace the reality that Annie was never going to be truly be herself. She just had to build a life around being okay with that. She wasn’t ever going to be alone in that part of her life, because she was not the only victor walking around the capitol, but she was one of the more unique ones.
She didn’t even like Lysander that much, but they did share a small commonality in their quell twists.
But right now, she was watching the start of a new games from the balcony of the victors venue. She was always told that the most elite had been in attendance and the fact that they consider her to be one of them too still makes her sick.
Nixie did the right thing and got out of the bloodbath, but Arc? He didn’t make it, and Annie had been mentally distraught. However, she knew that if she acted out in this moment, she was going to cause too much commotion. She had never lost a family member in the games until right now. She wouldn’t even know how to explain this to Addison or Angel.
But then she watched as more tributes died in front of their eyes. Annie had been used to it at this point, 18 different tributes, most of them not making it out except for Beck. Nothing new. However, that probably would be different for Flynn Garner. Annie watched as both the district six tributes had perished right before their eyes.
Annie knew that neither of them wanted to be here.
It had been a couple weeks since the bloodbath, Annie made it a point to only have games updates fed through her from Beck or Trish. She let Beck handle any publicity that was needed for Nixie, making sure that everyone knew that Annie was just tending to something personal. The last update told Annie that people were looking for Flynn Garner so they could interview him about his first crushing loss as a victor, and Annie knew exactly who to talk to in order to get them to go away.
Grieving was not something that should be celebrated.
Annie had made sure that he was comfortable at her mansion. She was always told that four had the most spacious houses in victor village, and Annie had a feeling that was because Glamour Kinkade spent a good amount of time here. Leon was always a couple doors down, and sometimes Annie would go over just to catch up. Now that he has two victors to take up the responsibilities, Annie would say that he effectively went into retirement.
The beach had always been a second home to Annie, and while today, it was a little muggy, the sound of Arc’s dog was welcoming and very much needed. Angel had been in the house, and he always made it a point to bring over Arc’s dog when he could. Everything had been rocky, which is why Annie hadn’t even shared the news about Addison and Angel’s parents being alive. She didn’t know how to even go about that when they just lost their little brother.
They weren’t as important as Flynn was right now.
Annie had walked out onto the beach in a pair of faded blue jean shorts and cardigan with a bathing suit under it. Flynn had been sitting amongst the bank, taking a stick and drawing figures in the sand. He was still shaken up, and Annie did not blame him. To be that young and to have to deal with all the bullshit that came with being a victor? Annie had seen it before and she was quite frankly, perplexed by it. However, she did not make the rules of the Hunger Games, and she just wanted to make sure that Flynn was supported in whatever he needed.
”As I said, you can stay here as long as you want Flynn.” Annie sat down next to him, realizing that he probably needed more support than just generalized conversation. ”I have more rooms in this place then I even know what to do with them.” Annie nudged him lightly before grabbing a rock and tossing it amongst the water, watching it skim and bounce up and down. A talent that she had forgotten she still had.
She didn’t want to ask. ”How are you feeling? Is there anything you wanted to do today?” Annie had to make sure that she was at least trying to take his mind off the mess that had been the games. She knew what it meant to him this time around. At least, she thought that she did. It was quite clear that Annie had been through this so many times that she was pretty numb to the pain of losing tributes. But she was new to losing someone close. She had been lucky that Trish had been spared or Axel. Arc was important, they all were.
She would still choose to never understand the machinations of the capitol.