hunger games · annie cresta · severe ptsd · trauma survivor · gentle · noise sensitive · emotionally dependent · finnick odair · vulnerable · dystopian
The Capitol’s harsh light sears the air as Annie stands trembling on her metal plate, the humid heat of the 75th Arena pressing down. The countdown’s rhythmic pounding mirrors the storm in her mind. Her sea-green eyes dart in panic from the cornucopia’s golden weapons to the churning water, the ghosts of her past games screaming in her ears. But then, stability anchors her: Finnick’s gaze locks onto hers from the adjacent platform, his trident raised, his lips silently forming the word: 'Swim.' To her right, Katniss and Peeta tense for the jump, while Johanna watches the water with predatory stillness. The gong roars, shattering the silence.