I didn't hear exactly what the tributes were saying to their families, but you didn't need to hear the words to capture the joy of the moment.
Primrose held up a sign that read 'The saved welcome home their saviors'. Those words were in what looked like a boy's handwriting, and judging by the circumstances, that boy was probably Rory. Apparently, Primrose and Rory being together was such a recent development it was news even to their big-sibling District Twelve tributes.
After the tributes saw their families again, a touching private moment, the group of four would have a grand entrance with the public of District Thirteen. Primrose rode on Gale's shoulders, imitated by Rory and Posy and Cato and Lustre.
Apparently in this district Glimmer was the most popular of the four tributes and Posy the favorite of the tributes' relatives.
There weren't many small children or pregnant women in the crowd, so the presence of youth in general must've been rather uplifting, let alone these particular youths.
Another woman who exuded authority spoke to the crowd. She must be the one in charge here. President Alma Coin, I was soon told. "Welcome to District Thirteen, and welcome to the beginning of the end of the Capitol's rule," she said.
"Why did you abandon the other twelve districts to Snow and his ilk?" Gale blurted out, a question similar to what I had asked Lyme.
She apparently wasn't used to that kind of attitude and snapped back with "We barely escaped with our own lives, let alone strength to escalate the fight. It takes a long time to set up these plans, boy." She wasn't perfect, but I don't see how anyone could be as bad as Snow, and working with her was our best chance to deal with Snow once and for all.
The whole country was about to get another dose of Gale being angry, a mental wake-up call the country needed like the way a physically drowsy person craved caffeine. I wasn't surprised that Beetee the victor, a genius even by District Three standards, could break into the Capitol communications network.
"I understand that many of you were overjoyed at the announcement. The Capitol wasn't just going to let one couple win, they were still going to make one die. Killing 22 instead of 23 is not my idea of mercy! I had never believed the Capitol propaganda, but at least Cato Adams finally saw through it."
"I sometimes wasn't sure if I'd make it out alive," he said, showing some of his physical wounds to the cameras. "So I was surprised to escape with Katniss and doubly surprised to escape with Cato and Glimmer as well. You think other districts are the enemy, as the Games are designed to do, but the Capitol is the real enemy."
The District Thirteen fortress had included some of Panem's nuclear weapons; they had used their part of the stockpile to get the Capitol to pretend to leave them alone, and vice versa.
There was an orderly routine here that I could really get used to as I learned what it was. Each morning we had a schedule which they made clear for us with a temporary tattoo. It made sense how bathing was scheduled for the evenings to wash it off. That made sense anyway. It was one less thing to do while rushing in the mornings, and you could wash off the mess you got on you during the day and go to bed clean.
Finnick and I were in a meeting room with District Thirteen officials, having made it there after breakfast but before this year's four stars. As one of the Gamemakers, Plutarch Heavensbee had been the highest-ranking rebel plant in the Capitol. He had been invaluable in using his position to secure our escape, and he probably had all sorts of inside information to use later in this rebellion.
Once Glimmer, Cato, Katniss and Gale arrived, Plutarch introduced us to them with "Meet the other two-victor couple".
Glimmer cheerfully spoke up first with "Lucky Annie!" Someone gets it. I'm liking her more and more.
Gale angrily countered "Some couple – Finnick's bedded practically every woman in the Capitol". He was many who had believed the public image of my Finn.
I had to defend the Finn I knew. "They have Finnick only in name – no true touch, glance or desire. Oh, so you were unaware of Snow's secret side business? The bastard pimps out attractive victors and threatens their loved ones to ensure compliance. I'm Finnick's true love, but that's not good enough for Snow!" This outburst and my stare off into the distance was typical for who I was both before and after the damage of the arena.
"I feel so sorry for him. After all, I chose dear Catnip over vapid pretty girls. Finnick wasn't allowed to make that choice until now." He caught himself and added "All of these ladies are both very attractive and very intelligent." Gale gets it too, excellent. 'Catnip' must be his cute nickname for her, a mispronunciation of 'Katniss'.
Cato had once believed many of the Capitol's falsehoods, including the lies about Finnick. "I had thought that was one of the best things to look forward to about being a Victor, rather than one of the worst to fear," he confided to the two of us. "Even before that news, I had only just learned how happy I could be with the same woman."
Finnick and I wouldn't exactly have a joint wedding with one of this year's couples – we'd be sharing the date with all four of them. Katniss and Gale wanted to get married officially. Cato had realized how much sense it made for all concerned for him to make a wife out of Glimmer.
I wouldn't have minded just signing the marriage certificate and being done with it; Katniss felt the same way. However, finally getting to have him, we didn't care at all if it was big and fancy instead. On the other hand, Glimmer was going for the big fancy wedding she had always wanted. Coin and Heavensbee were also arguing about how fancy it would be, Coin being used to the simple life of her district, Heavensbee accustomed to the anything but plain lifestyle of the Capitol. Both of them wanted to stick to their routine, and I understood that.
Heavensbee eventually won the argument with his boss by saying "Charge it to the propaganda budget". That made it clear that our special day would have a meaning beyond the six of us and our families. Publicizing the ceremony would help the rebellion, so we all understood. The country would see how happy we were outside of the Capitol's control, which would help inspire them to lose their own chains. The audience reaction to this year's last four is what had changed things. Finnick had gotten even more popular ever since his victory. Even I must have a fan or two, and I'd have more through Finnick. Would people be hurt by what had happened to my Finn or simply take it as an interesting curiosity detached from the real lives of the people involved?
Katniss still wanted to keep things simple. "Weddings are so much simpler in Twelve; we already had that in the arena and I wouldn't mind continuing in that direction."
"True enough, my Catnip, but I hate the Capitol almost as much as I love you," Gale said to agree with both his wife (wife-to-be?) and the rebel mastermind.
What date would we be sharing, though? "How about August 26th?" Heavensbee suggested.
"That's Lustre's birthday – I want to keep that her big day, not mine," Glimmer disagreed. That was so sweet of her. That reminded me of something from Gale's welcome home conversation – one of his siblings had recently had a birthday. Missing that must've been one of the Capitol's minor indignities amidst all the major ones.
Finnick and I already having rings was fortunate since Coin didn't want to budget much for those either. Cato was annoyed about this, probably for the sake of his bride wanting things as fancy as possible. "You want some gold? I got some gold right here! Make the rings out of this if you have to!" he said, slamming down an actual coin in front of President Coin.
This piqued my obsessive interest, and I looked at the monetary object itself – a 56 ADD District Two aureus, a token very much like his father's. While I was intrigued by this, Gale got annoyed by the casual display of wealth. I wouldn't have thought of that, but it made sense now that he mentioned it. And he sure had a way of mentioning things! "One of those things could feed my family for nearly a month!"
"Our rings made out of my token for the Games where we met," Cato said to explain what I had already figured out from studying a peculiar aspect of Games history. Considering all the things exciting to me and boring to everyone else, some of them were bound to come up in conversation sometimes.
Glimmer was clearly having fun with her ideas. "How about engraving the date, the person's name, and that of their spouse? My father's a metalworker in the jewelry shops back home. He can surely take care of it. Lustre is a promising young artist; I'm sure she can come up with some nice lettering." Nobody disliked this plan enough to suggest something else.
The rebel agents from the Capitol knew how to make a show out of things, and at least they were using their powers for good. Katniss' stylist Cinna was one of them. We had all seen his brilliance since the entrance parade, and I was quite happy to visualize myself in a wedding gown of his. The three grooms would be wearing the fancier version of the District Thirteen uniform as a sign of the war that was now brewing.
Katniss would soon be joining them in those muted colors instead of the vivid ones Cinna came up with. I was no soldier, being one of those victors to out-survive rather than out-fight the other tributes. Glimmer was a fighter, but not a soldier, if her shooting ability or lack thereof was any indication. There was also the issue of what Cato had shot into her. That baby-to-be had partially sparked this rebellion, and if Glimmer lost it, that spark could be partially extinguished.
I still could barely believe that Finnick and I were about to fulfill our years-long hope of marrying each other. How many more dreams of how many other residents of Panem were yet to realized this year?
The ceremony could combine the wedding rituals of all four of our districts. Mags had brought plenty of saltwater for the newlyweds to paint each others' lips with. Katniss and Gale would be glad to teach us that thing with the bread.
Lyme's affinity for chocolate went far beyond a stash in her emergency evacuation gear. She cared nothing for cooking, but still had some ideas for those who did, and so our wedding cakes would be rather chocolaty.
Everyone ate well here, but pretty much the same as each other except for variations due to medical reasons. It was also pretty much the same each day. That said a lot about life here. I suppose even I could get tired of the familiarity.
District Thirteen was safe rather than in danger from the Capitol, but its people were nevertheless uplifted by this year's wave of fresh air, and would be especially glad to celebrate along with us.
Katniss and Gale said they'd regularly gone hunting in the woods outside District Twelve. From this I realized several things. No wonder their relatives had thought of going there to wait for us. Since they were used to doing dangerous for the sake of their families, it must've come naturally to do so on Reaping Day. District Thirteen had a similar-looking forest, and they probably wanted as much of a reminder of home as they could get.
Coin let them out, though she came up with as many rules as usual. Rory and Cato could go with them, and the four of them came back with a herd of big critters. Apparently they had a big taste, as I learned at dinner that evening. The stew went down fine, but I coughed up the plain piece as subtly as I could.
Lotus and Hook would be our ringbearers, and would explain the story of those heirloom pieces. They eventually decided to duet on it. We figured Glimmer's father and sister were the ones to practice it in front of.
"Several past victors married," Including Cecelia who was around here somewhere "but there was only one two-victor couple before these three pairs – Olive and Popeye from our district fifty years ago. They are no longer with us, but they knew about Annie and Finnick, and willed their rings to them for when this moment could finally come."
Then the Shinesmith jewelers took a close look at the pieces themselves. Lustre was particularly interested in the etching, simple geometric patterns, but analogous to the lettering she had contributed to the four new rings. Sunstone admired platinum itself. "Harder than iron, but much prettier and easier to work." Then he switched to the story. "My profession may well hinge on creating sentimental value; it seems you captured some which already existed."
It would be a highlight of his career to make the rings for his first daughter and her husband. It was a heck of a way for his second daughter to begin her artistic and working life.
I went to the medical bay after that. Katniss was also there, and one of the techs got her a small bottle off a small shelf. "You might just want this," the medic announced.
"What is it?" Catnip asked.
"Birth control shot. Your mother might mix up something from the woods, and that's better than nothing, but this is the good stuff, kind of like morphling instead of snowcoat as a painkiller. There's a certain someone who used this stuff regularly, stopped, and is pregnant now."
"Glimmer? Well, those shots must be effective if they kept that whore from getting knocked up until now," Katniss joked. She had said she hadn't even kissed a boy until Gale, so Glimmer's promiscuity must've seemed especially odd to her. She gladly took the needle in her upper arm, the pinprick oh so much less than many other things she had to deal with. I just as enthusiastically turned one down.
My dress was the color of the sea. The sleeve lace included my district number. All in all, the thing was beautiful. I couldn't wait for Lotus to put it on me ... or for Finnick to take it off of me, I thought deviously. I would've casually slipped a hand beneath my waistband if I wasn't in public. Glimmer nearly did something similar anyway.
As the big day started, I overheard Cato chatting with Gale, specifically that Cato's and Katniss' birthdays were both May 8th.
"Would make for a kickass birthday party," Cato suggested.
"If we live to see it," Gale gravely granted.
Finnick was right behind us and cheerfully countered "Well, I'm December 3rd and Annie is November 11th. Sorry if that spoils the fun".
As I came out of the dressing room with Lotus, we looked at the people we were sharing this day with. Finnick was wearing his uniform with a trident, Cato with his sword and Gale with a knife. The other brides' gowns had essentially the same design as mine, but with Katniss in forest green and Glimmer in the District One colors of purple and pink. Primrose was in a plain white buttoned blouse and Rory in a similar boy's shirt. That was probably what passed for fancy clothes by District Twelve standards, and even that was less plain than the typical District Thirteen apparel. We all looked beautiful, not so much because of what we looked like, but what we were here to do.
Cato's mother Teresa was there to give us the signal to enter the auditorium. She had a final bit of advice for her son. "Remember that you're still alive because a man listened when his woman told him to do something". Katniss and Gale both applauded this reminder of Katniss' order for Gale not to fire on Cato.
"Yes, mother, giving me instructions is Glimmer's job now, and I rather like what she tells me to do," Cato answered sarcastically. Glimmer winked, recognizing the dirty joke in that. Glimmer's instructions must be more like 'eat my pussy' instead of 'eat your vegetables'.
Teresa went ahead of us to announce "They're almost ready".
Beetee was in charge of broadcasting this too, and said simply "We just went live".
Finnick and I got to lead, front and center. The other couples respected that we had had to wait the longest. They were behind us, Katniss and Gale to the left and Glimmer and Cato to the right. I still had my father to walk with me, and so did Glimmer, but Katniss didn't, so her mother stood with those two men.
"We all know how excited she is to be with you. Live up to it," Sunstone Shinesmith told his very-soon-to-be son-in-law.
Katniss' mother spoke publically, though. "We are lucky to be at a wedding instead of at funerals. I haven't seen men look at their women like that since my Jacob. May you all have many decades of feeling like that. Gale, welcome to the family officially."
As we started walking, Haymitch started waving. The country saw him somewhat resembling sober, but he was nevertheless with his drinking buddies Jack of Five and Chaff of Eleven. To the country they shared good times, but we victors knew they shared sorrows. We had some good times to share with them today though.
Mags – it was a happy relief for her to see this, let alone us! Cashmere was in the audience, jubilant over the crowning accomplishment with a favorite tribute. Brutus was behind us with his elite mentoree Cato. He was more reserved. I sometimes thought I was too logical to be emotional, whereas he found himself too tough, but I still understood. I recognized several other victors sitting in the crowd. Lyme, Wiress, Emerald, Cecelia, Gloss and Johanna, oh my!
Gale made another one of his loud pointed announcements. "Three of the attendants are our fellow victors. The other three are victors in a way, since they'll never face the reaping again."
Lotus and Hook unclenched their fists to show off the rings and begin to tell the story about them. I took Olive's ring from Lotus and slipped it on, and Finnick followed with transferring Popeye's band from Hook's hand to his own. Everybody cheered, but none more loudly than Cecelia, not even her husband and their three daughters. Lustre showed off her handiwork to the cameras right before her sister put it on. Cato also took his own, but Primrose and Rory ringed their older siblings in unison.
Each district's traditional vows would be combined, except for the practical and unromantic words of Two. "Gentlemen, will you be the husbands these lovely ladies deserve?" said Sunstone Shinesmith. Three 'we will's, but my Finn's may as well have been the only one to my ears.
It was the brides' turn to belt out those magic words when Teresa Anthony prompted "Ladies, will you be the wives these gallant gentlemen deserve?"
"Will you serve faithfully as the captains of each others' hearts?" my father Theon Cresta and Finn's mother Lily Odair said for all six of us to answer. I did, but my tears started and weren't about to stop.
Ingrid Everdeen and Hazelle Hawthorne finished with "Will you honor and cherish the ones you've chosen, throughout all the highs and lows this life presents you with?"
We all rushed to sign the paperwork Coin thrust in front of us. Finnick and I got to do that first too. Mentors were often the legal witnesses for married victors, since relatives couldn't do it, and it was Mags and Hook that made us official. The pen dropped from my hand as the gaze shifted from the paper to Finnick. I almost couldn't believe it had really happened. Kissing Finnick for the first time as my husband, I looked out of the corner of my eye. Primrose and Rory's lips were definitely touching. Glimmer and Cato's tongues were definitely touching.
My home district's traditions were particularly prominent at the end. Previously married couples, our parents included, joined us at the front of the hall. The not-so-newly weds led off the District Four wedding song. Captain of My Heart compared the union to a long sea voyage. Katniss almost involuntarily picked up the chorus, as people listening to a song are likely to do. I had no idea until now that she could sing so beautifully. When the song ended, all six of our mothers handed us small vials of water. Finnick and I brushed it onto each others' lips and the other four followed. Glimmer ran her mouth before Cato did something else with it. "That saltwater stings, but nothing assaults my lips quite like your kisses", she said loudly, and Cato gladly gave her another demonstration. Well, they were as happy as Finn and I were, they just expressed it differently.
Now all six of us would make little speeches in an orderly manner, ladies and lower districts first as usual.
Glimmer practically squealed, "I first thought I simply had my latest piece of eye candy. I'm so glad I was wrong! Now we're going to be a family! I hadn't thought about our future because I didn't think we had one. Cashmere, Brutus, Haymitch, what a brilliant idea!" They all drew tremendous applause. Brutus remained standing and Cashmere and Haymitch rose from the victors section.
Cato didn't yell, though, at least not by his standards. "This woman was the first to crack my shell. One of my fellow District Two tough guys is here with us today, and he of all people would understand how difficult that is". Cato paused for his specific recognition to be acknowledged. "That reaping footage was of the prettiest young woman I've ever seen. When we met, embraced and kissed, it couldn't have felt more natural. I see it in her eyes. It's over - I'm a goner. I never knew about sweet love, and never had one like her before; now it's two as one. This won't be a walk in the park, but I can't be afraid of the dark. I shall always cherish the attentions of one so beautiful. Love of my life, I'm pledged to you – I'll honor and stay forever true to you, my Glimmer Rose." He must've gotten tired of saying dirty things in front of her parents, though if Lustre was indeed like Glimmer, she would be just as happy about the salaciousness.
I was almost catatonic with joy as I got out "I'm so glad this day finally came! Finnick saved me – before either of us faced the arena, while I was in the arena, and afterwards. He cares for and understands me like no one else. Look at what he turned down because he'd rather have me. That's for real."
Finnick relished finally telling more of our story to the public of Panem. "I'll never forget when I first met her – can you believe that someone from District Four didn't know how to swim? I first felt the magic as I began to teach her that and she began to teach me how to move past the horrors of my arena. I will never forgive Snow for torturing us because I balked at his vile business. I just know he rigged the 70th Reaping and turned this lovely girl into 'crazy Cresta'. But at least I had taught my beautiful little fishy how to swim back to me," he said beautifully.
Katniss also got personal. I of all people understood that could be difficult. "I had never thought about love until a few weeks ago, but it felt so natural with a friend so close. Then he wanted us to be married even for what little time we thought we had left together. That's when I realized for sure he was the one forever. We were on a battlefield and he still took the time to kiss me good morning – ain't that somethin'? Now I get why so many girls are such romantics. Also, as usual, Cinna's handiwork was brilliant. May there be a reason for this dress to be used again - I do hope Prim and Rory's relationship grows up with them. It seems it didn't take her as long to find what I've found." They were still holding hands and turned to face each other to kiss on the lips again. Katniss was as happy for Primrose's minor celebration as Primrose was for Katniss' major one.
Gale was short and sweet, which I appreciated. As wonderful as this was for us, I did want to get to the reception by now. "May 'the rest of our lives' truly mean something. The Announcement was the happiest moment of my life – so far. I only wish it didn't take the arena to make us realize how great we are for each other."
We pushed through the thick crowd on our way to the dining hall. "Mrs. Hawthorne?" Chaff said to Katniss, while looking quite full of himself. Since she hadn't changed her name, the District Eleven drunk found it funny to address her as if she did.
"Nope, still Ms. Everdeen," Katniss countered.
He stopped joking around because he had something important to say. "Anyway, most everybody from District Eleven was extremely touched by your love for our little flower. More importantly, it touched off a major riot in Zone B. The bouquet seen 'round the country. That milestone in the rebellion was just before Cato ran his mouth."
One of the cakes was a blue fish for Finn and the beautiful fishy who was now his wife. Glimmer and Cato had a gray cube, and Katniss and Gale's cake was a green tree. Lustre had done the decoration in the same font as her lettering on the other four rings, just much larger and much tastier. The District Twelve cake had drawings of all the Everdeens and Hawthornes.
Glimmer was handed her machete. It looked really clean, and it had to be, since someone had needed to clean blood off of it. Using is as a tool to help celebrate these happiest of times would go a long way towards mentally cleansing it. She wrapped her hands around the handle and Cato put his on top of hers. They pushed down into the cake; soft sepia sponge and silver sugar sunk to meet the blade. "It's my wedding so I'll have dessert first if I damn well please," Cato joked at his mother. And eat something besides vegetables, I was reminded.
Finn fed me and I fed him. When the ringbearers followed, Rory observed that it tasted like Lyme's candy. At this point Posy and Victor started the public stampede.
Dinner was more of the meat stew probably because the hunters had left them with more than enough material for it.
"We'll show the footage and discuss the reactions later," Plutarch announced. Finnick lifted me up while Cato began carrying Glimmer and Katniss continued to walk alongside Gale. We headed towards our new married compartments, in a hallway next to each other. We wanted to finally be left alone, but we'd take some pictures for the media crew to work with. I suppose the pictures would go well with the footage of Katniss and Gale in the arena, because now we were all going to do that thing with the bread.
"It's important to the tradition that the couple makes the fire themselves," Gale recited as he held his knife. Katniss did just that while Gale cut the bread. After she was done, she passed the fire stuff to Glimmer, and I got it from the new Mrs. Adams after she was done with it. The grooms lit the fires as Gale continued to recite, saying "May we always burn passionately for each other". We started crunching on the crispy bread as Gale finished with "And now six have become three". I guess it usually went 'And now two have become one'. I could tell it was as important to them as the water and such was to us. I knew that from how the Games had went, but I didn't really know it until doing it myself.
I liked when things went according to plan. I loved when the public declaration of my love went as intended. Now we weren't even public to our fellow couples, as Finnick carried me into the room.
The uniform, being so practical, easily came off Finnick. My gown was a different story. We wouldn't dare tear something of such importance to us, a symbol of something that was years too long in coming. Fortunately, Finnick took helping me undress as an excuse to massage me all over and press his body up against mine.
The time had finally come for the union of our flesh years after that of our minds. So Finnick in only his underclothes with a growing bulge underneath wasn't distracting – it was exactly what we were supposed to be focusing on. "You're magical – you can make my penis get bigger by making your clothes disappear," he joked. I thought that was cute, and I giggled accordingly, but I thought to myself that most women would have that effect. As if he read my mind, he added. "After all those women I had to fuck, I finally get to make love to you."
I laid down on the bed and spread my legs, for I knew that much. Women who knew that they were doing were glad to do more, and men who were worth it were happy about that. However, Finnick was the expert here, the one good thing about his years in the prison everyone else had thought was a paradise. In the past, we had already licked each others' privates, not to mention do other fun things with our bodies. So now that we could finally bring our sexy parts together, we went right to that. He pushed into me as slowly as he could, to savor the feeling that we finally got to experience. As much as I had anticipated him inside me, I had worried about it, but my body knew just how to stretch for his.
I felt his seed pour into me, and I hoped it did grow into something – after all, for us, waiting too long to be together included waiting too long to have a baby together. Also, the part of my body and mind that was pleasantly addled with orgasms right now realized there were all sorts of wonderful things he could do with his penis if he didn't want to get me pregnant or I already was pregnant.
I could very much go to sleep by myself of course, but I savored the sensation of Finnick wrapping me in the blankets. We went peacefully into this particular sunset after the sunrise of a new era for us personally and the country as a whole.
I was not to sleep through the whole night. Glimmer was still as trapped in the throes of pleasure as I has been, and even less shy about admitting it to everyone with compartments along the same hallway. I don't know how my Finn could sleep through this racket.
I imagined just what exactly Cato was doing to bring about those moans, very pleasant thoughts indeed. That led to further wonderful thoughts, devious thoughts even. I wanted to walk down the hall and join them.
I figured Cato and Glimmer would like the idea – after all, they were the most sexually adventurous people we knew. I didn't tell Finnick, not only because he was asleep, but because it might have reminded him of the sexual perversion he had been exposed to in the Capitol. But I hoped making me happy would've made the idea sound good. Unfortunately he couldn't yet make Glimmer so happy even if he wanted to – she was 17 and my Finn was well above 20. Yet Cato was 18, making him young enough for Glimmer but old enough for me.
I wondered what it would be like to not only have Finnick like I had last night and would for the rest of our lives, but be fucked by two of the most handsome men in the country, maybe even at the same time. I bet Cato would be similarly enthralled by the thought of having not one but two beautiful women. If Finnick insisted I was beautiful even when women like Glimmer existed, Cato might too. At the mere thought, the mere possibility, of both young men inside me, I almost involuntarily started filling my vagina with something besides a penis. I fingered myself good at the mere thought of being the meat in a luscious man sandwich, however unrealistic that thought may be.
I had trouble developing emotional bonds, Finnick being one of the very few outside my family. I was reminded how pleasant an exception that was as I gazed at the wonderful form of the wonderful person lying next to me. I could be as sexual as any woman, as Finn's charms oh so gladly reminded me. Maybe a physical connection could help build an emotional one, as had apparently happened with Glimmer and Cato themselves. Finn and I, though, would've been of one mind before of one body even without the heartbreaking delay of the Capitol's meddling.
I did eventually make it back to sleep, the soothing rhythm of a resting Finnick calming me after the agitating chaos of a very awake Glimmer finally quieted. When we were stirring in the morning, the only thought in his mind was taking his wake-up rod over to his beautiful bride's pond. He climbed back on me as agilely as he swam, a physical wonder in and of itself, but nothing compared to how he sunk that rod into the depths of me. No doubt I was fully awake as I floated and splashed back up against him. He thrusted down at the exact same moment as I pushed up, and our bodies were swallowed by the sea together, just as they should be. Finnick kissed me on the forehead and said "To the only fish in my sea."
A/N
So Miss Cresta's story ends, but Mrs. Odair's is only just beginning.