This is an outtake that could sort of act as an epilogue, which I wrote for Prompts in Panem's Seven Deadly Sin Challenge. It's inspired by this old episode of General Hospital from the early 90's (back when the show was full of awesome spies) and based on the sin wrath. Keep an eye on promptsinpanem on tumblr this week for all the amazing submissions!

Katniss glanced up anxiously at the steaming mug placed on the table before her. The small cafe was bustling with conversation by the patrons around her, but Katniss sat next to vacant chairs, her nose buried in a book, and eyes only peering periodically over the edge.

The bell over the door rang, and the sound of heavy footsteps approached her, pausing at the edge of the table.

"Is this for me?" Finnick asked, nodding towards the extra mug on the table. He shrugged off his jacket and scarf and draped them over the back of his chair.

"Yes," she said, a bit too eagerly. She set aside her book to reach for a bowl– filled to the brim with sugar cubes, which she placed before him.

His eyes lingered on the dish for a moment before he pinched a cube between two fingers and popped it into his mouth. Then he sat in the chair across from her and dropped three more into his coffee.

"It's awfully early," he said, his green eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Must be important."

Her gaze fell to the table and she found her fingers curling into the collar of her sweater to lift it over her burning cheeks. The bell above the door chimed again, and Katniss nearly jumped from her seat.

"We have a situation," she said with some hesitation.

Finnick swirled a spoon through the murky liquid and tapped it against the lip of his mug with a melodic clink. He was just about to speak when he paused, shifting his weight to rest his elbows against the table and cup his hands over his mouth. Abruptly he sat back in his chair again.

"Where's Agent Mellark?" he said, his tone carrying more implication than Katniss cared for. "Weren't you two on assignment last night?"

Katniss's tongue felt like sandpaper. "We were..." she said, hoping the remainder of her explanation would flow as eloquently as she had plotted it in her mind. "You see..." She cleared her throat. What was she was going to say again?

The blush in her cheeks quickly rounded the edges of her ears, leaving her even more flustered. "What happened was..." She frowned, her eyes unable to focus on anything but the incomplete water ring scarring the table beside her own cup of coffee.

Resigned that once again words were not her strong suit, Katniss retrieved the brass key from her pocket, sliding it wordlessly to her partner.

"What's this?"

"The situation," she said. "You need to get Agent Mellark. He's kind of tied up." With that, she took a hearty sip from her coffee cup, even though it was far too hot to drink.

Finnick narrowed his eyes, his posture straightening in his chair. "What? What happened? You left him there? Is he hurt? Captured?"

"No, he's still there," she said uneasily. "At least I think he is." She fidgeted with her book on the table, flipping the cover open and closed. "I'm sure he's fine. He just needs a little assistance."

Finnick crunched on another sugar cube and eased back against his chair. "And you can't do it yourself?"

She bowed her head. "I'm sort of the one who put him there."

Finnick took a sip from his coffee to mask his chuckle, but he couldn't hide the amusement that danced in his eyes.

"Again?" he said. Katniss kicked his shin beneath the table. "Handcuffs? Rope? Leather?"

"Is that important?"

"If you want me to get him out it is."

"Stockings," she mumbled.

"This sounds like a real good night," he barked between his laughter, slamming his hand against the table. "What do you need me for?"

She leaned closer to lower her voice. "You're going to untie him," she said through clenched teeth.

"No." He shook his head adamantly. "I'm not getting in the middle of your lovers quarrel."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not like that."

"Oh it isn't? What is it like?"

She sighed, then sat back in her chair to distract herself with her coffee. "I'm sure he's gotten out all by himself," she reasoned. "You know how awful my knots are."

"If that's the case, Everdeen, why don't you go and check on him yourself?"

He extended the key to her and it dangled in the space between them.

"I can't." She shook her head. "What do you think he'll do to me once I set him free?"

"I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy it," Finnick said with a wink.

Katniss glared at him for a long moment before reluctantly swiping the key from his grasp. Draining the rest of her mug, she pushed her chair from the table and stood dramatically, slipping the check beneath Finnick's cup on the way out.

The elevator dinged on the 30th floor and the polished brass doors glided open. Katniss held her breath the entire time, dragging her feet through the extravagant, plush carpet that lined the hallway. She paused at room 307 and pressed her ear against the heavy door. It was silent.

Down the hall, a door opened and shut loudly, bringing Katniss to attention. An older man emerged, straightening his tie as he passed, and he nodded politely at her. She forced a curt smile, her eyes following him cautiously until the elevator returned to collect him.

Alone again, Katniss fished through her pocket for a small lens, which she pressed against the peephole to reverse the fish eye perspective. The room was dark except for the light that seeped through the drawn curtains. A table was overturned with its contents scattered across the floor, just as it was left the night before. And when she angled the lens just right, she could make out the outline of a socked foot tapping restlessly against the wall.

A smile crept across her lips at the sight. She slipped the key into the lock and twisted it silently before pushing the door open.

"Rise and shine, sweetheart," she said, crossing the room to draw back the curtains roughly.

Peeta groaned, shutting his eyes tightly and turning his head away to shield the intruding light.

"Took you long enough." He stretched, arching his back as far as the restraint would allow. Katniss found her eyes lingering on his bare chest and abdomen as each muscle tightened and contracted with his movement. "Couldn't tempt someone else to finish your dirty work?"

"Despite my best efforts," she said, pushing open another set of heavy curtains on the other side of the room.

"Can you loosen these at least." He waved his hands helplessly against the column he was tied to. "I lost feeling in them hours ago."

She grimaced. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"So is enticing the wrath of Katniss Everdeen," he grunted. "As I'm continuously learning."

"You shouldn't have said what you said."

He leveled her with a heart stopping gaze. "I'm not taking it back."

Katniss set her jaw, her feet frozen in their place beside the window. She felt her knees buckling and her heart was beating impossibly fast, leaving her too dizzy to stand. She shook away the thoughts and took a deep breath to regain some semblance of composure.

"Here," she said, approaching him carefully and hooking her hands beneath one of his arms. "It'll be better for your circulation if you stand."

He struggled to his feet, rotating his shoulders to position himself more comfortably. Now that they were on level footing, he towered over her slightly, and he dipped his head so that their eyes were in line.

"I love you," he said, his voice still husky from sleep.

Her breath hitched in her throat. "Stop saying that."

"I love you," he said again, touching his forehead to hers.

She felt dizzy again and took a step back.

"What's your angle," she demanded. "What are you trying to trick me into this time?"

"Nothing," he said. "Besides you returning the sentiment with undying love and affection, but I'm not holding my breath over the prospect." He let out a tired sigh, so sincere she was almost fooled into believing him. "I couldn't pretend anymore, as fun as this game has been."

"I'm not letting you go until you have a full psych evaluation," Katniss said, moving to the counter where she had dropped her bag so that she could retrieve her phone.

"Come on Katniss. You care about me too. It's real. I know it is."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're really off your game, aren't you?" She cocked her head to the side to examine him better. "Were you getting enough oxygen to your brain in that position?"

"What about the Capitol?" he argued. "What was that? I was a goner out there and you refused to leave me behind."

She balked. They were on reconnaissance in the President's mansion and Peeta's clumsy feet has triggered one of the security pods. The trigger that disengaged the pod was jammed, so Katniss had to trip the magnetic lock by shorting the cage with a steel arrow, all while the guard mutts were quickly closing in.

"You're one of our best agents, I couldn't leave you behind," she reasoned. "Besides, I would have done it for anyone."

"You kissed me after."

Her throat went dry and she couldn't look at him anymore, her eyes instead focusing on her feet.

When she had finally freed him from the pod, adrenaline was still pumping through her veins. She had clung to him so tightly in search of relief, but could only find it when she pushed her lips to his.

"It was part of the act. I didn't want to blow our cover."

"And last night?" he said, arching an eyebrow. "Who were you trying to convince then?"

No one was watching last night, in fact they weren't even really on assignment. Peeta had asked her to dinner and she had reluctantly accepted, even though she wasn't reluctant at all. Her attraction to Peeta was something that she no longer tried to deny, at least not to herself, which was why when Finnick caught her leaving the agency with him the night before, she had told him it was for a mission.

Instead they had gone to dinner, and when Peeta mentioned he had a room upstairs, she was the one to suggest joining him. Everything had been going great until he decided to bring up his feelings. She'd tied off the stocking she had him wrapped up in and left the room without a word.

She figured a few hours in solitude to stew over the implications of his confession would be enough for him to regain his sanity. She was wrong.

"Peeta," she warned.

"I love you," he told her again.

Love wasn't that easy.

The job they were in was too dangerous to let feelings get involved. Katniss had already seen too many close calls where Peeta was concerned. Looking after herself was hard enough in this business without having to worry about Peeta's safety too. It was a danger to everyone in the Mockingjay initiative.

But she couldn't stop herself, no matter how hard she tried. She needed Peeta, couldn't fathom the thought of losing him. He had become a part of her life that she refused to part with. Even if she couldn't admit that she loved him, there was a connection she felt that couldn't be ignored, despite her best efforts.

She let her shoulders fall, resigned, and moved to untie the stockings wrapped around his wrists. "Fine," she said.

With the last piece of nylon unwoven, Peeta flexed his hands until the color returned to normal. He turned to her, a tentative smile lifting the corner of his mouth. "You...?" he prompted.

"I'll allow it," she said.

"That's all?" He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing the soft skin.

"Don't push your luck," she warned.

He kissed her, guiding her effortlessly down the hell where the bed sat, unslept on. He lifted her onto the mattress, his body quickly covering hers. "I think the odds are already in my favor," he said, before his lips touched hers.