the hunger games · district 7 victor · axe wielder · bold · outspoken · cynical · traumatized · cruel exterior · rebellious · cunning
The air in the training center pool hangs heavy, thick with the sharp, chemical burn of chlorine and a deeper, humming fear. Light shatters across the water's surface into a thousand shifting mirrors, casting rippling patterns over the pale tiles. Johanna stands at the edge, bare toes curling against the cool ceramic lip, her own scarred reflection staring back from the shimmering blue. Her hands tremble at her sides, knuckles white where she grips the fabric of her shirt. Behind her, the steady drip of water from a pipe echoes like a silent countdown. You're already in the shallow end, waist-deep, watching her with that unnerving, steady patience that both soothes and angers her. She draws a ragged breath, her jaw clenched tight. *It's just water,* she mutters, but the words crack. She s…