i hate this part [nyte]

She usually didn’t wake up this early on the day of the reaping.

Now that she was victor, she knew she never had to worry about anything like that again, except now that her sister and the rest of her family would have to go through the process.

Annie hoped that none of their names would be called, but of course, Annie would not be that lucky. It just always happened that way if she was being honest with herself.

She pressed her lips together as the warm water had hit her skin. Usually she would opt for a swim in the ocean, but she had to focus. She had plans for today, and soon enough, she would be whisked away to the capitol for ripred knows what. It made it hard, if she was being honest. Because that meant she was going to have to spend time away from her family, and in this weird time of Snow being dead and rebels being detained, Annie knew that the victors should be worried. Who knows what they were going to do to their families, especially when a quell was on the horizon.  

She scrubbed her body from head to toe, and then directed the avoxes that had come to help her get her family ready to leave out clean items for Axel and Trish to wear. They had stayed the night here, she knew that much, even though she knew well that her father wanted Trish home that night. Annie always had the right response for her father. 

”Go fuck yourself.” and then she would hang up the phone.

To how he even acquired a phone was still a little perplexing to her, but it was probably because he used her name as clout. That was always how it worked didn’t it? People would do anything for a victor’s family after all. Annie tried to let it go, but letting it go was not something she was good at. She still held grudges, but that was because she was human. She had feelings, even if she didn’t want to admit it. When it came to her father though, all bets were off. She hated him. She hated him so much more than anyone could imagine, but she never talked about it openly, because that was her pain, that she had to deal with. Her trauma that she could do whatever she wanted with. No one could tell her she was wrong, and in that, was the power she needed to push past what happened to her. 

She used it more often then she wanted to admit.

---

She moved through the house quickly, trying to set a small table for Beck and herself. It was a tacit thought, but she thought a breakfast would be a good idea for the two of them could have. They could talk about whatever they needed in order to prepare for his first games. She would always remind him that this was not her first rodeo, and that she was here for him no matter what. She was just happy to have someone come back after all the work that she did put in. She was not mad at Ridley from stealing that from her in the beginning, mostly because she would have not related to Bell one bit. She was too bloodthirsty, proved way too many times that she did not share the same ideology, and yet was still so close to coming home.

But Ridley proved to be stronger, and no matter how many times people tried to connect the dots, and claim that Bette and Annie and Ridley and Bell shared similarities, there was always a clear difference. Annie did not take joy in taking Bette’s life. It was a means to an end. That’s why she proclaimed her apology for the world to hear. 

Even if they didn’t accept it at the end.

---

The avoxes had prepared dishes that varied from fish to eggs to even a light salad. Annie had asked them to not go all out, seeing as they would expect her to eat on the train as well. Just something light to at least get the digestion going. The spread did look neat spread out over the dining room table that had been decorated to look ornate and rather regal looking. Another thing that Annie didn’t realize she had a skill for. She would have helped with the cooking, but she knew that the Avoxes would push her out of the kitchen if she did so. They always found ways to tell her that it was their job to serve them, even if she didn’t want them too.

If this had been any other day though, they would have not been here, so might as well take advantage.

Annie pressed her lips together as she set down the final plate, trying to make sure the table looked just right for them, one of the avoxes took a bottle of champagne out of Annie’s stash and presented it to her, and for once, she simply told them to leave it on the table. She did not crack it open right away, because she did not feel the need to drink right now. This was going to be Beck’s first reaping as a victor after all. 

It was best to keep a level head that was free of deterrents, but if Beck wanted to indulge, Annie could take the lead. She had already done that the moment Leon got her through her first games. She sent one of the avoxes to slip a note under Leon’s door, just in case if he wanted to join them. It was only right, and fair. However, she was very clear with her message last night to Beck. She wanted him to be here.

She wanted to be here for him.

She heard a knock at the door.

”Come in!” Annie said, probably loud enough for Trish and Axel to hear her, but she didn’t care if she was being honest. If they wanted to join her at this point as well, then she would have been fine with that. There was more than enough food for all of them. If not, they would at least have a good breakfast to eat before they went off to their could be demise. 

”Welcome Beck. Have a seat. Lets chat…” Annie said as she pulled out his seat and smiled. ”I want to see how you are feeling?” she never had a nonchalant way of doing things. Annie had always been to the point, and maybe that was to her detriment.

Just as much as it was to her gain.