A/N: I was inspired to write a fanfic of Finnick and Annie by LRoseC and frombluetored. And cuz one my favourite cute couples are Finnick and Annie.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games because if I did I would have probably killed off Snow a lot earlier.


CHAPTER 1- reaping day

This is it. Today is the day the day where innocent children are reaped and placed in a game. This game is no child's play. This is a game where innocent children fight just to stay alive till the very end. Some tributes fight for their own entertainment, some tributes fight to survive and then there are the tributes who cower. They don't fight, all they do is ide and if another tribute finds them, they don't even put up a fight.

And what do the victors get in the end, you ask? Yes, they might get all the fame, money and whatever their heart desires but winning the games will not only bring them all the luxuries, they will be put in to an even more dangerous game. A game where the president of Panem, President Snow, makes you do whatever he wants. If they go against him, he would bring them down so hard that they will never even think about saying no to him ever again.

The worst thing about this is that they can't do anything.


I slowly came to my senses and realised that my little brother was curled up against my side. I sat up slowly, making sure little Dylan didn't wake up. I crept up to my door and turned the knob and walked towards my older brother's room.

I slid into his room and glanced at his sleeping body. I strode over to his bed and gently shook him and in response all I got was a grunt. I giggle quietly and suddenly I was pulled down on to the bed, landing awkwardly on Eric.

"What's got you all giggly this morning Miss Cresta?" he asked me with his eyes closed but his face held a grin.

"I don't know, Eric. I guess I'm just nervous today because of the…" I left the sentence hanging as we both knew why I was nervous today.

His grin abruptly merged into a frown and he snapped his eyes open. His eyes held a glint of determination. "Annie, the odds of you getting being reaped for The Games is very slim and the chances of someone volunteering is very high so stop worrying."

"I can't help it Eric! It doesn't matter if the chances are small or huge, there is still a chance of me being chosen." By the end of that, I was sobbing hysterically. Eric quickly gathered me up in to his arm and stroked my hair gently as he uttered soothing words to me. But nothing could stop me from crying my heart out.

Images flash behind my eyes. Me getting reaped along with someone else. Me stabbing some poor young girl's heart out with an extremely sharp knife. Then licking the blood of the knife like some animal. I come back to reality and saw a pair of brown eyes filled with worry peering down at me.

This always happens when The Reaping gets closer. I would start imaging the worst things that could happen to me like getting reaped, dying or even worse; turning in to some monster, a killing machine.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, princess." He reassures me.

"How can you be so sure?" I timidly asked, staring at him with my wild eyes.

"I just am."


I quickly put on a light blue dress and brushed my hair. I looked in the mirror hoping to see a girl who looks healthy and ready to play in The Games if she were to be chosen. But instead all I saw was a girl with sea green eyes hiding behind her long curly hair as it was some sort of shield. I could see her slight frame shaking in fear along with her lips quivering, threatening to let out a sob.

I looked away, ashamed of how weak I looked.

"Oh Annie Pannie don't cry." I peered down at my little brother. He doesn't get it. He doesn't understand The Hunger Games. And why should he anyway. He's only five and his nights shouldn't be riddled with nightmares like mine about him going to the Hunger Games. Heck, he doesn't even know what the word death means!

I sit down on my bead and cover my face with my hands. I peeked through the gaps between my fingers and saw Dylan making funny faces to make me laugh. And it did work. Dylan always cheered me up with his adorable face whenever I was upset.

I wipe away my tears and crouched to his level. "See, you look prettier when you don't cry." I laugh at his cuteness and stood up.

"Come on we have to go now." I tell him.

"Annie, you never told me what The Games are and you never let me watch them either." I glanced down at my little my brother and said, "I'll tell you when you're ready Dylan."

"Are we going to the place where people are chosen to play in the games?" Dylan asks me while we climb down the stairs.

"Yes we are Dylan." I answer with a sigh.

"What are th-"I interrupt him, "No more questions Dylan. I told you I will tell you everything about the games when you are older." Dylan, like any other five year old, stomped his foot in frustration and walked out the door. I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes along with the familiar sting up my nose.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see my brother staring at me.

"He doesn't understand, Annie and he will someday so stop crying, you don't look nice when you cry." Eric said to me while wiping the tears of my face. He put his arm around my shoulder and guided me out of our house. Outside, Dylan was waiting for us and looked at us when we came out the house. Guilt covered his angry expression when he saw my red rimmed eyes and he came up to me and hugged me.

I hugged him back.

"Oh Annie Pannie, I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry." Dylan's words were muffled by my dress but I could still make out each word.

"It's okay, Dylan." I tell him.

The walk to the square was quick and quiet. On the way I thought about my parents. They died during one of the strongest storms in decades about four years ago when I was only twelve. My dad thought he should take my mum out in the sea as a treat for their anniversary. He took mum out for a private boat ride but they forget there was a huge storm brewing right around the corner and the next thing you know is that they drowned during the storm.

Ever since then Eric had to take responsibility of me and Dylan at the mere age of sixteen. Dylan doesn't remember anything about our parents as he was only one year old when they died. But I could remember every memory with my parents ever since I was toddler and that just made me wanting them back even more.

When we reach the square we split off but not before we said goodbye to each other.

Since I was the only one eligible to take part in the game I went off to my allotted area which was the sixteen year old girls. Some girls were chatting excitedly about The Games while others like me wait nervously for the square to fill up with people. I start play with a piece of my waist long black hair while I look out for anyone I recognise in the crowd.

All of a sudden there was high pitch noise ringing across the square. Every one turns their attention towards the District 4 escort, Osminda Berrytrey. Her hair was died a bright green along with some bright red highlights framing her triangular face. Diamonds were encrusted all along her arms. Her dress was even more flamboyant than last year. Luminous yellow puffy dress in a shape of a humongous cupcake. Black strips run down her dress making her look like a bumble bee. I giggled at the image of Osminda flying around with a huge pointy sting sticking out of her bum.

"Welcome to the seventieth annual Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour!" Osminda's nasally voice rung throughout the crowd, heavy with the Capitol accent.

They show the video of the Dark Days and then the Uprising and I tried to keep attention towards the screen but I could feel someone's stare on me. I turned and gaze locks on the Famous Finnick Odair's green eyes. Quickly, I averted my eyes away from him and kept my eyes fixed on the screen. I could slowly feel a blush rising against my neck and cheeks. I glanced at him one more time and see him chuckling at… I'm guessing me. Mags, another victor, whacks Finnick on the head for being disrespectful during the video.

"Ladies first!" Osminda squealed in excitement and dove her hand in to the bowl and pick out a name.

Please don't let it be me. Please, oh please! I'll be my best if don't get ch-

"Annie Cresta."

The name rung out through the audience and I thought I heard it wrong. Abruptly, some girl push out of the roped area and I painfully fell on the ground. Everyone's gaze locks on to me and I slowly got off the ground. I stumbled across the stretch of land and up the stairs. Osminda helps me up the stairs and I take my place on the stage.

"Annie!" Eric shouted and l found him fighting to get free off the peacekeepers.

I shake my head at him and mouthed stop to him. He stops moving and cradles Dylan against him. I could see the confusion clearly from all the way over here in Dylan's eyes.

"Well, wasn't that interesting. Let's move on to the boys now shall we." She moved over to the boys bowl and dipped her hand in to the bowl and pulled out a name slip.

She walked over towards the mic, her heels clicking painfully loud in the silence.

"Adrian Meyer." A ferocious looking male stepped out in to the clearing and with a dark grin on his face. His body was packed with muscles which strained under his shirt. He made his way up to the stage with long eager strides and took his place beside me.

"Representing District Four in the seventieth Hunger Games are Annie Cresta and Adrian Meyer!" Osminda tells us to shake hands and we do. His huge tanned calloused hands covered my tiny pale hands and squeezed them painfully. Everyone was clapping around us but I could still make out what Adrian said to me.

I'm going to crush you.