28: Package

I awake still smiling like a blithering idiot. Finnick and I have not moved positions all night but I find that my arm has ended up draping over his chest. Although it must be mid morning Finnick is still fast asleep. He'd sleep until the Earth exploded if he was allowed to. Mags or myself usually have to wake him ourselves but even then he takes an eternity to get out of bed.

I carefully un-attach myself from him and slip out of bed, still fully clothed in what I wore yesterday. I rub my eyes and stretch, arching my back and straining my arms. The last time I didn't properly give myself time to wake up I fell down the stairs and caused Finnick to nearly die laughing. I wander into the bathroom and begin cleaning my teeth and running a comb through my haphazard hair before running downstairs to see Mags. I turn into the kitchen and shiver slightly from the coolness of the tiles on my bare feet. Mags is leant over the cooker, stirring up another of her amazing recipes. I lean carefully over her shoulder and see her placing salmon into what will soon be an omelette.

"Good morning, Mags!" I say chirpily, sitting on a stool around her counter.

"Morning dear!" she replies, stirring the omelette round. "Good sleep?"

"Great sleep!" I grin. Mags turns her frying pan over onto the plate and swivels her head round.

"I bet you did," she says smugly. I blush and look down, biting my lip. Mags knows. Is she angry with me? Mags places my plate gently in front of me and places a finger under my chin, tilting it up. I look worriedly into her eyes and her serious expression.

"Thank you," she says, breaking into a smile. I narrow my eyes in confusion at her words. Mags laughs and lets my chin go. "For finally kissing the boy, the tension between the two of you was unbearable, I was about to jam your faces together myself!" she chuckles. I can't help but laugh with her. We had turned so obvious that even Mags could no longer deal with us. I begin to eat the omelette, still laughing.

"We were that bad?" I ask. Mags has returned back to the cooker to make Finnick's breakfast and I see her nod.

"That bad," she says, a grin in her voice.

"Oh no," I say, my voice a mixture of a laugh, smile and groan as I place my hands between my head. Mags chuckles by the stove as she cracks a countless number of eggs into the pan. Well at least it's happened now, I just don't know what will happen from now, and that worries me. I finish the omelette and stand up, beginning to wash up my plate and cutlery.

"Leave it dear," Mags insists. "You go wake Finnick up, this'll be long done by the time he gets his sorry self down here!"

"That's true," I agree. "I'll be back by tonight," I tell her, skipping from the kitchen. I hear Mags laugh as I round the corner. I skip up the stairs and quietly enter the bedroom. Finnick is still fast asleep, limbs sprawled out and easily covering the space of the double bed. I go round to the side where he is closer to me and lean over so I'm right next to him.

"You know," I whisper loudly into his ear. "I'm beginning to question who the real Sleeping Beauty is."

Finnick heavily opens his eyes and I smile at how filled with sleep they are, the emerald shade of his irises cloudy yet still so bright. He grins and laughs slightly, flicking a stray curl from his forehead.

"Seeing as it's your name I made up for you," he challenges, moving his head to mine. "You," he says, pecking my nose. I scrunch it in fake disgust and smile, moving away and throwing the blanket off him and opening the curtain, letting the low winter sun blaze into the room.

"Get up, you," I say, laughing as Finnick groans and covers his eyes with his hands, shielding them from the light. "Mags is slaving away down there getting your breakfast ready!"

"Breakfast?!" he says excitedly, uncovering his face and sitting up slightly.

"Yes, breakfast," I giggle. "Get up or you'll miss it!" I scold lightly.

Finnick rolls his eyes and I imitate him. It's like looking after a child when he first wakes up. I can smell the scent of the food wafting through the open door and apparently Finnick can too, because his eyes suddenly open wider and his back straightens.

"Ok, ok!" he surrenders. "I'm getting up!" he insists as I give him a warning look. I nod, satisfied, as he actually stands up. He yawns heavily and I lean against the wardrobe and cross my eyes stubbornly. I look around happily so he knows I'm not going and he can't go back to sleep. He probably would, Mags or me would give in and bring the food to him. Tomorrow I might just jump on him and haul him downstairs. He sighs exasperatedly and trudges into the bathroom. I hear him yawn exaggeratedly several times and smile to myself. He comes out after a few minutes. His hair is still messy but not bedraggled and he looks more awake.

"Get changed, I'll wait out in the hall," I instruct him. He nods and I grin smugly now that he's following what I say. I wander into the hall and wait for him to come out, running my hands along the floral pattern of the wallpaper. He exits slowly a short while later in fresh clothing. It dawns on me that I only have a small amount of clothing here that Mags picked up when I needed a dress for the last part of the Victory Tour. I'm going to have to go home sooner or later.

"Annie?" Finnick asks as my eyes distance as I begin to slip into my own world. I instantly pull myself back to reality at his voice and look enquiringly at him. He grins mischievously and I eye him warily. "Race you!" he shouts, bolting for the stairs just as I did yesterday. I laugh and chase after him and we clamber down the stairs clumsily and loudly. I try several times to duck under his arms but he can sense me there and blocks my path. Once we get to the downstairs corridor I manage to squeeze in line with him as we turn into the kitchen.

"I won!" Finnick declares, jumping up onto Mags' countertop.

"You did not!" I say. Mags hits Finnick's leg and he laughs, sliding off the counter and falling onto a stool instead.

"Well whoever won, you woke half the District up while doing it!" Mags tuts. We both laugh and I take some cutlery from the drawer, placing it in front of Finnick before taking the stool next to him.

"Thank you, my darling Mags!" Finnick says as she places his plate by him, attempting to buy her affection back. Mags rolls her eyes and laughs, turning to clean up all the cooking utensils.

"Strange that Annie got you up so quickly," she starts. "I wonder how she persuaded you?" she adds knowingly. I smile and look down at the marble and Finnick laughs.

"She threatened me, actually," Finnick says.

"I never!" I gasp, turning to look at him. He snorts and goes to lean back, nearly sending the stool flying towards the floor. My shriek of shock from the expectation of a broken neck turns to one of hysteric laughter as he falls back forwards. I cover my face with my hands and laugh hysterically at him, shoulders heaving.

"Ok, she didn't actually threaten me," Finnick rephrases, over the shock of nearly falling off the stool.

"It would've worked," Mags says, turning from her cleaning. "If she threatened you with either no breakfast or kisses he'd be up like a shot!"

Finnick laughs again and I smile sheepishly.

"I can't believe my two little Victors are finally together!" Mags beams. She's never going to let this go, is she?


Mags has just got back from the market and has bought two bags of fruit favoured dragee sweets from the confectionary stall. She places them on top of the piano that Finnick and I are sat at, sharing the stool as I play and he watches. I look up at them and lift my hands off the keys.

"Thank you Mags!" both me and Finnick say simultaneously.

"You're both welcome," she smiles. "Carry on playing Annie, I'm just going to do some gardening." We both nod and she leaves the room. Mags will garden in any condition, even in the freezing January air. I go to start playing something else when Mags turns back into the room.

"I forgot, this came for you this morning!" Mags says, placing a small wrapped package in front of me. I look curiously at it and take it in my hands, sizing up its weight.

"Open it," Finnick says. I nod and undo the top, taking out a piece of paper and unfolding it. I faintly recognise the writing as I read through it.

Dear Annie,

Have a fabulous Birthday, darling! I look forward to meeting you again in the summer!

~Chiara.

"It's from Chiara," I smile, looking at Finnick. His eyes widen and he grins at me.

"What has she got you?" he asks, amused. I peer cautiously into the package and turn it over. A small, pearlescent violet bottle falls on to my hand. Through the translucent glass I can see liquid.

"Perfume," we both say together, my voice pleasant and Finnick's full of dread. The women in the Capitol reek of it.

"It's ok I'll-" I start, going to place it on the floor.

"No, open it, it's ok," Finnick says quietly. I look at him and see he means it, his face is determined. I nod and go to pull the lid off to spray it. Suddenly the sound of the telephone rings through the house.

"I'll get it," I say, hopping up and moving quickly to near the front door. The carpet is soft underneath my feet as I go to fetch the phone. I wrap my hands around the white, plastic receiver and hold it to my ear.

"Hello?" I ask. My heart drops and starts beating rapidly when I hear his voice.

"Ah, Miss Cresta, I'm glad I got hold of you. I called your own phone but you never answered." President Snow says smoothly.

"No, I'm round Mags'," I stammer.

"Clearly," Snow says. "I heard it was you Birthday yesterday, am I correct?"

"Yes," I say quietly.

"Well I hope you enjoyed yourself," he says lightly. "I called to wish you a happy Birthday, and to advise you," He says. He doesn't wish me a Happy Birthday, he wishes I was dead. Fear pulses through every inch of my being as he speaks.

"Warn me about what?" I ask apprehensively.

"Just because you're in the Capitol it does not mean the Capitol does not know what you're doing," Snow says darkly.

"What do you mean?" This is scaring me now.

"I mean that you and Mr Odair are two Victors, not two lovers." He tells me. I slowly start hyperventilating and sense Finnick coming up to me. He gently takes the receiver from my trembling hand and places it against his ear, pulling me closer to him.

"Hello?" he says firmly. His face darkens and he scowls at Snow's voice. How does he know? Are there tabs, cameras, spies?

"Yeah, good luck with that." Finnick seethes, slamming the receiver back on its hook.

"How does he know?" I ask shakily.

"Snow knows everything, for all we know there are muttation cats in the Victors Village looking through the windows, or Jabberjays sitting in Mags' garden," Finnick sighs. It's true, some of the mutts the Capitol comes up with, even the furniture could be watching us.

"What will he do?"

Finnick pauses for a while, softly stroking the back of my head.

"I don't know," he says softly.

When do we ever know?


A/n-

Finally! We're back! I'm so sorry guys, this Christmas and New Year have been so hectic! I had no idea how busy I'd be! But we've got another chapter, phew! Hope you all had a lovely holiday, roll on 2014!

-G :)