Hey everyone! This chapter is something I struggled to get through, evident as it's less than 1000 words. But it's a connector, and it needed to be done, so I tried to do as best I could! I'm currently rereading Mockingjay, and every time I read something about Finnick I nearly burst into tears - and I'm only about a hundred pages in. I can't wait to get to that part of my story, but you're going to have to bare with me - it make take a while!

Hope you all enjoy this:)

Between the noise you hear
And the sound you like
Are we just sinking in an ocean of faces?

All The Right Moves; OneRepublic

Finnick's POV

I watched as two teenagers hesitantly closed the heavy door. They seemed to be around Annalaese's age, and I briefly wondered if I would see either of them next year. The girl, nervously twirling a jet-black strand of hair, was obviously holding in tears.

"When you frown you bring everyone down," I smiled, pulling back my shoulders and putting on my best grin. "So put a smile on those pretty lips, little lady."

The pair looked at me, the boy narrowing his eyes and the girl flitting her own from the door to me, blood rising to her cheeks. She was pretty, if not a bit tall and lanky. Her friend was much more attractive, with her long soft hair and big eyes. No matter, I'm sure a gaze from the impeccable Finnick Odair will cheer her up.

I nearly bit through my cheek trying to stifle a dark laugh.

The guy, almost reaching my height, ran a hand through his slicked back dark hair, flexing his large bicep. I wasn't an expert in body language, but I knew when someone was attempting to intimidate me. I almost scoffed, but I settled for a single eyebrow raise.

After another minute of silence he approached me, his eyes dangerously determined. I pushed myself off the wall, meeting him halfway.

A finger jammed into my chest. "Look here, Odair, that girl needs to come home. And you better do everything in your power to get her out of there."

I stood my ground, staring down at his eyes curiously, my one eyebrow still resting above the other. A little protective for a friend.

The girl pulled at his elbow and begged him to leave me alone, eyeing me as if I would strike out like a venomous snake. "C'mon, Carp, let's just go."

"Surprisingly I'm not just a pretty face," I called after him, waving goodbye with just a tinge of sarcasm.

In reality, I admired he cared about the girl. It was cute, their puppy love. Nonetheless, venom had leaked into my voice as they departed.

Out next came who I suspected to be her mother and father, being roughly escorted out by the Peacekeepers. I straightened my back to a ridiculous degree, squaring my shoulders. When our head Peacekeeper, Lione Kronos, passed, I drew my hand up and saluted him with my middle and index finger. Lione growled and picked up his pace, his eyes seemingly showing disgust at my very existence.

As he turned his back my index finger retracted and I left the finger there, hanging.

"You'd think with all the time you spend in the Capitol, they would have taught you some manners, Finnick Odair."

I turned to find Annalaese looking at me with amusement, her arms crossed, shaking her head in mock disappointment. Despite the red rims around her eyes, she managed a disbelieving smile and a sparkle in her green spheres.

She charmed a half-smile onto my face and my head cocked characteristically.

"It takes a lot to tame me," I winked "but maybe the right woman would help..." I trailed off, bringing my body closer to hers. She backed up, but I kept going, and soon her back was to the wall. It was a narrow corridor, so it had taken almost no time for me to cover the space between us. It took even less time for her laughter to ring through my ears.

"Again with the manners," She sighed, giggles still coursing through her words. "You would've thought you would have at least absorbed something through osmosis." She slid by me without so much as a brush of chests, and spun around to face me once she escaped the confines of my sculpted body.

Osmosis? Alright, she's got some brains, I'll give her that. Another thing to tell Mags.

"No matter, you teach me a few things and I'll teach you a few more." She smiled and laughed at her own dark humor. "Now if I'm correct, you have to take me to the train. Get moving, mentor." Her bright teeth flashed once again, genuine and innocent, if not a hint sad. She turned on her toes and began to walk down the hallway, her fingertips trailing the walls.

I shoved my hands in my pocket, disbelieving. She goes from numb to this? She'll be a real twist in the Games. I shrugged, following her down the hall. Well, some crazy sponsor is bound to love her.

If only Finnick knew.