Finnick's POV
It was hard to watch her go through all of this alone. To see her eyes which became dull and hollow every time she walked through the door after another appointment. And worse of all, there was nothing I could do to stop it. Haymitch was right. Is winning really worth it if you're just going to have to go through this amount of pain and torture? Sure, you don't get to die. But to have the fate of your family rest on your shoulders and to have to do everything Snow wanted? Some would choose death over this. I knew it took a toll on Katniss, but what surprised me was how she handled everything. She didn't let Snow extinguish her flame. Sure we both had our break downs, and God knows how long we both showered, trying to scrub off the feeling of filth and being dirty off from our bodies, and how the shower conviniently drowned the sound of our racked sobs, which thankfully, she didn't hide from me. I don't think I could handle having her put up those walls again. It's better than we're both open now. She knew she had to do whatever Snow wanted to keep her sister and family alive. And she was determined to do it. She never fails to amaze me. I sigh helplessly, looking at Katniss who was sitting by the window of the apartment, in nothing but my white button up shirt and a pair of panties.
"Like what you see?" She says flirtatiously, throwing a grin off of her shoulder.
"You bet." I chuckle, sitting behind her and hugging her from behind. I inhale the sweet scent of lavender from her conditioner and kiss her temple. "I love you." I whisper into her ear, causing her to giggle.
"I love you too." She sighs, leaning back into my embrace.
"I'm sorry you have to go through all this. I never wanted this to happen to you." I feel her stiffen in my embrace as soon as I said it. "I never wanted you to have to sleep with anyone except for me." I say possessively, squeezing her petite form between my arms.
"You and I both know that I don't sleep with them willingly. There is nothing pleasurable about it." She says coldly, her eyes trained at the view outside the windows showing the streets and buildings of the Capitol. "Besides, there is nothing you could've done to prevent this Finn. It was inevitable. I've already had my breakdowns but there is nothing to cry about anymore. I need to protect my family. So do you. There's nothing we can do but do our part and pray to God that Snow turns up dead soon enough. Only then will we be free."
I raise my brows sink my chin further onto her shoulder. Only Katniss would accept her fate this quickly. Then again she's handled worse. She's always put the needs of her family first. "Only then will we be free." I repeated, looking at her, gobsmacked. Haymitch was right. She definitely is our Mockingjay.
Katniss' POV
"Finnick someones at the door." I hear someone ringing the doorbell at the door urgently, as I wait for Finnick to answer.
"Fishbrains! Good to see you still alive!" I hear someone shout. Johanna. I get out of bed and go towards the living room to see Johanna, her hair cut just above her shoulder and a smirk plastered onto her face as she takes in my clothing. Oh shit, I forgot I was still in Finnick's shirt. "Well, I hope I didn't interrupt anything." She says, chuckling when my cheeks redden.
"Why come in Jo, why don't you?" Finnick mutters sarcastically, bringing Jo's suitcase into the apartment.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, fixing my hair to look at least half-decent.
"I'm bored. There's nothing to do at 7. And Fishbrains over here left District 4. So I just thought I'd visit Panem's favourite couple in the Capitol!" She guffaws, sinking onto the couch, grabbing a Capitol magazine. "I see they're still guessing whether or not you're together or not." She says, showing a picture of me talking to Gloss from the event at La Bijou Hotel a few weeks ago.
"Yes, well a relationship wouldn't be the nicest thing in our line of work now is it?" Finnick says, as he sits on the couch in front of Johanna. "Besides, what the Capitol doesn't know won't hurt them." He chuckles, pulling me onto his lap.
"Ugh, you both make me sick." She groans, rolling her eyes. Good old Johanna. Still cynical as ever. She reminds me so much of Haymitch. "Which is why, I thought to bring some company!" She exclaims, as the doorbell rings again. She bolts to the door and opens it to reveal Cashmere and Gloss with bottles of alcohol. "Now it's a party!" She yells, grabbing a bottle from Gloss. I hear Finnick groan from behind me, and I giggle kissing him on the cheek.
"Come on, it'll be fun. We could use some fun after all we've been through. Besides we both don't have appointments today." I pout, causing him to roll his eyes and nod.
"Fine."
"Fishbrains stop pouting and join the party!" She says, pulling me off of Finnick's lap and giving him a bottle, which he takes a swig from.
"Hey Hell Kat. Long time no see?" Gloss says, hugging me.
"Do not call me that." I scowl, slaping his arm.
"Jeez, okay okay! You sure are fiesty after being cooped up here for so long." Gloss says, raising his hands up in surrender. "How's she doing with all of this?" I hear Gloss say over to Finnick, who's watching me intensely.
"As well as you'd expect. It's not like we have a choice in that matter." He shrugs, winking at me from his seat.
"It gets better. Trust me." Cashmere says encouragingly, giving me soft smile which I return.
"I'm fine. It's Johanna we should be worried about." I say, pointing at Johanna who was dancing on top of the dining table without her top. "What's she dancing to? There isn't even music." I furrow my brows, looking at Johanna who was almost done with her bottle and muttering to herself.
"This, Girl on Fire, is what happens when you say no to Snow." Gloss says, grabbing Johanna by her waist and putting her down on the ground. "Jo's whole family was killed when she told him she didn't want to be a prostitute. And now, well she can do whatever she wants, but at that price? I don't think anything's worth losing the people you love." He says, looking at Jo who was grabbing another bottle from Finnick.
"It's the anniversary of her family's death." Cashmere whispers to me. I can't even imagine what I'd be like if something were to happen to Prim, Finnick, Gale, mother, Hazelle, Rory, Vick or little Posy. I shudder at the thought and sit next to Finn, who was smiling sadly at me as if he knew what was going on.
"Never leave me. I don't think I could cope with that." I whisper, nuzzling his neck and inhaling his sea-scented smell which seemed to calm me down. I hear him chuckle and kiss my head.
"Never."
—
Johanna, Gloss and Cashmere decided to stay the night at the apartment, with Johanna and Cashmere in the guest bedroom and Gloss sprawled out on the couch. It was depressing watching Johanna down bottle after bottle of alcohol, in an attempt to forget. I turn my body to face Finnick who was already looking at me.
"Couldn't sleep?" I ask, looking at the eyebags under his eyes.
"Nightmares." I nod, understanding the feeling.
"Well, it's already noon, so you and I have appointments soon." I say, kissing his nose and getting up. "I'll wake up Cashmere and Johanna. I think Cashmere might have a few appointments tonight too."
"I'll get Gloss." He groans, getting out of bed in all his glory.
"Um, Finnick? You might want to put on some pants before doing that. Just so Gloss doesn't have a heart attack." I giggle, looking at his body. The Finnick Odair in my bed. Who would've thought. I used to hate the guy and now I'm his bed buddy. I throw him some pants and go to the guest bed room, where Cashmere was already in the bathroom and Johanna was still sprawled out in bed. "Jo? Jo, wake up. It's already noon." I say softly, nudging her. She groans, swatting my hand away from her shoulders making me sigh. No use waking her up. It's not like she has any appointments I guess. Just as I was about to leave the room, I hear Cashmere yell my name.
"Hey Katniss? Can I borrow a dress and some make up? I have an appointment at 3."
"Yeah sure, I'll bring some dresses and my make up here. Give me a minute." I shout out to her, going back to my room and grabbing 5 dresses and all of my make up before dumping them onto the bed besides Johanna. I go back to the living room and see Finnick and Gloss talking in hushed tones by the kitchen. "Is everything alright? What are you guys talking about?" I ask them, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.
"Oh it's nothing. We're just talking about a client of ours." Gloss says quickly, excusing himself to use the bathroom to take a shower.
"Come on, we better take a shower too if we're not going to be late." I nod and take Finnick's hand and take him to the shower in our room, to wash each other and then transform ourselfs back into The Finnick Odair and The Girl on Fire of the Capitol.
"I finish at 7, so I'll meet you back here right after that. Cashmere and Gloss are coming back as well to watch the Quarter Quell announcement tonight." Finnick says, while he buttons his navy blue dress shirt, after we shower.
"Yeah, sure. I'll be here when you get back. I only have 2 today." I sigh, putting the last touch ups of my make up. "And then, we'll watch the announcement together." I force a smile, knowing very well that it won't reach my eyes.
"Okay, I'll see you tonight then. I love you." He says hurriedly. I smile and peck his lips before he's gone through the door and I'm left by myself in my room. It's just 2 dates today Katniss. You can do this. I sigh and grab some jewellery, and walk out the door to face the day.
—
The day went slowly, and I received a diamond bracelet and a pearl necklace from my dates. I was driven back to my apartment by the limousine that Snow arranged for me to take every time I had an appointment, and I was just glad to be back home as soon as I arrived.
"Hey Kat, how's it going?" I look up and see Gloss, Johanna and Cashmere in the living room, looking at me from their seats.
"The usual." I sigh, kicking my heels of from my sore feet and dragging them towards one of the couches, before slumping next to Cashmere. "You look like hell." I point out, raising my eyebrow at her.
"Yeah, well I had 4 today. I was going to take a shower but Gloss said I should wait till after the announcement." She mutters, glaring at her brother who sat across from us. "Where's Finnick? I thought he should be here by now."
"I think he'll be here in a minute. He said he'd be here in time for the announcement." I say, looking at the clock. 6.59 PM. Finn should be here soon.
"Kat? You home?" I hear Finnick's voice from the door.
"Yeah, we're in here." I say, making room for Finnick on the couch next to me. "You're just in time for the announcement, as I turn up the volume on the TV as the symbol of Panem appeared on the screen.
"Hey there beautiful. I missed you today." Finnick whispers into my ear, kissing me sweetly on the lips.
"I missed you too." I say, smiling softly at Finnick.
"Shh. Shut up!" Johanna hisses, throwing a pillow at our heads. "It's starting!"
Snow comes on stage and smiles at the camera as the anthem dies down in the background. "Ladies and gentlemen, greetings from the Capitol. As you all know, this year's Hunger Games is fast approaching. This year marks the 75th Hunger games, and as written in the charter of the games, that in every 25 years there will be a Quarter Quell. To add more excitement as well as refresh everyone's memory of those who have fallen in the uprising against the Capitol so many years ago. Each Quarter Quell therefore is different from the normal Hunger Games that we have, to remind everyone that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the capitol.. Therefore, it is with excitement that I announce the significance of the 3rd Quarter Quell that will take place 2 months from now, in which the tributes will be chosen differently from the previous games. In this Quarter Quell 1 tribute will be chosen from the existing pool of victors, and the other will be chosen from the children of the opposite sex." Existing pool of victors?
"NO! Nooooo!" I hear Johanna scream from beside me and I lay still, not able to move a muscle. Cashmere cries from beside me, with Gloss hugging her and rubbing circles on her back to soothe her. And I feel Finnick's breath hitch as he squeezes me tightly, but still I can't move. The only thought crossing my mind, District 12 has only 2 victors. Theres a 50% chance I'll be picked.