Finnick leaves in the next weeks to train his new recruits for the games. Cori forgives me right around the time my father begins sleeping at work. The games are beginning.
Seta's notices my mood blacken and for the 100th time, begs me to run away with her. I refuse, sure that Cori will find us in hours. I am not free and I will not risk her life.
I don't admit to Seta or myself the exact extent to which I miss Finnick. Three weeks after he leaves, a part of me doubts he was real. I miss our talks in the garden, or the easy way he insults and compliments me in one breath. None of these aspects slip Seta's notice. We are sitting in my rooms, the night before the tributes and mentors return when she begins to tease me of my pending excitement. I fiddle with a frayed edge of the blanket on my lap. Seta pushes, insisting that I'm mooning over O'Dair.
"You're ridiculous, we're just friends!" She smiles in that mischievous way of hers and Says, "Alright. Prove it."
The proof starts with attending a party and evolves into this moment, pushed up against a palace column, with rave dust clinging to my skin and a boy's hands lingering over my hips. We are strangers, meeting two hours prior. Seta is gone somewhere down the hall, searching for food with a boy of green hair. And I am here, wrapped in the arms of a black-haired boy with green eyes. He tastes of peppermint and my body is on fire from his touch. It has been so long since I have been touched. Cori sent the first boy I loved away and I have not taken another lover since.
The boy makes a pleasant noise in the back of his throat, encouraging me, just as cold air meets my face and he is ripped away.
"Get off!" the boy calls out., swinging The arm gripping his leather jacket is attached to an incredulous Finnick O'Dair.
I am happy to see him and confused why he choses this moment to say hello. "Finnick, what are you doing?"
He glances between me and the boy and I see heat in his eyes, "What are you doing!?"
"You told me you didn't have a boyfriend," the dark haired boy accuses.
"I don't!"
He shakes himself free of the hold and dusts off his jacket. The purple juice I drank earlier makes me bold and dizzy.
"Finnick, it's great to see you, but can we talk later?"
"No, we cant." He looks toward the black-haired boy, "beat it, kid."
The boy rolls his eyes and despite my pleas to stay walks back out the entrance we'd came.
"What the hell was that!?"
"Are you insane, Viva? taking a lover, in the palace!"
"What, are you the only one allowed to sleep with half of Panem?"
Something flashes across his face and I'm sure he's hurt. I don't care because the purple liquid is telling me I am right.
"You don't know what you're talking about," he insists."
"And neither do you! You think I've never taken a lover? Cori will never let me marry or publically announce a relationship, he could care less about who I take to my bed."
"Unless he's a victor, right? You refuse to even let us be seen talking in public let alone-"
"What are you talking about?!"
"Snow would never let you take a victor to you're bed."
"Well, I don't really see the point to that, as there are no victors lining up for the position."
Finnick's eyes turn into a challenge. His chin lifts and he smiles that devilish smile he's perfected so well.
"What if I am."
"What is you're what?" I feel something fearful inside me as my mind begins to catch up with his thought.
"I'm buying my ticket." He takes a step forward, "I'm lining up." Another step, " I'm waiting for you."
One part of me is frozen solid with fear and shock. How had this night started with my insistence I didn't feel this way about him. For a moment, I am sure this is a dream. A dream or not, I raise my hand a trace a finger across his jaw. He shivers at my touch and I smile, not entirely sure I care if this is real.
In the next instant, I am leaning forward, each hand on his chest, pushing him back against the same pillar where I was just with another. Our lips find each other and a spark begins, deep in my stomach.
Finnick and I spend the rest of the night wrapped in each other's arms, letting the spark heat and grow and build. I am part of him and he is every part of me. We feel and explore and let ourselves feel freer than we have in quite some time. Eventually, the flame grows so hot that it burns us both up, engulfs us into happiness, and we fall asleep sated
