As promised tonight is a multichap upload kinda night! Here is more of my favorite couple of the whole series :)
We leave the stables fourth. The chariots before us receive a respectable amount of applause, but it's nothing like when we emerge. The crow whistles and cheers at our intricate costumes. I try to remember everything that Finnick told me, flipping my flippers while blowing kisses. This just adds more fuel to the fire. I try to wink, but decide that I probably look more like I'm having a seizure so I stop that. Playing with my hair feels silly, but the crowd likes that too. Finnick knows what he's doing…but is it enough to get me sponsors?
By now we are right in front of president snow's mansion. He last few chariots pull up and the crowd falls silent as he delivers a sickening and long winded speech. Afer about twenty minutes we are free to go.
Finnick and Mags are waiting when the chariot reaches the training building. He helps me down and pats me on the back.
"Good work out there Cresta."
I blush a little when I say "Thanks Odair."
Mags is encouraging Caleb. I feel sort of bad that I didn't pay any attention to what he was doing out there. I was just so focused on not making a complete fool of myself.
As we walk to the elevator that will take us to the fourth floor I confide my worries in Finnick. "So…I didn't make a complete ass of myself?" I ask hopefully.
"Not at all."
"Good. I really had no clue what I was doing out there, but the crowd seemed to like it so I just kept giving them more of it." I shrug.
"Well it was great," he says with what sounds almost like bitterness, "the capitol loves you."
"Gee, great. You know I've always strived to impress them." He snickers as we step out onto our floor.
"Get some sleep Cresta."
When I wake up the first thing I notice is my training gear that has already been set out for me. It consists of a nice blue top and soft black pants with a pair of sturdy shoes. I dress hastily and head out to the main room for breakfast. Finnick is the only other person already awake. I sit down at the table across from him and grab a strip of bacon. It's a luxury to be eating something other than fish.
"How's you sleep?" he asks conversationally.
"As well as could be expected, thanks. You?"
"The same…so are you ready for today?"
"I guess so."
"Well, you're a small girl so the other tributes are going to be trying to intimidate you," he says.
"I wouldn't have thought." I reply.
"You really are a sarcastic one. Aren't you?"
"I do my best."
"Okay, well anyway, it's up to you whether or not you join the careers."
I don't even give his proposition a thought before responding with a resounding "no".
"I couldn't even imagine teaming up with those brutes."
"Just as well," he tells me, "they probably won't want you."
"Thanks!"
"I'm just saying…" He holds up his hands in defense. "I mean if the arena's full of water then you'll be golden."
"What about water?" Mags asks as she enters, followed by Caleb.
"Oh, nothing. Just giving Miss Cresta here some tips."
Finnick was right. The careers try to intimidate me right away, but I ignore them. I spend some time at the edible plants station and a couple of hours throwing daggers. We aren't working together but Caleb seems to follow me everywhere. We sit together at lunch at a table with the tributes from districts seven, eight, and ten. We don't talk.
The second half of the passes in a similar fashion. I practice throwing a trident, but I'm really no good at that and Caleb is only a little bit better. I show off a little at the knots station receiving praise from the instructor there. What can I say? I need a little break from all of the things that I can't so.
After we are released we head back up to our apartment. Finnick pulls me off to the corner of the room and asks me how things went.
"About as good as they could have." I tell him.
"And that means…"
"I was great at knot tying, mediocre at identifying poisonous plants and throwing knives, and abysmal at using a trident."
"So what are you going to show the game makers?" he asks.
"I don't know. It's not like there's a way for me to demonstrate my backstroke. I guess I'll tie some knots, throw some knives. Maybe I can manage to scrape a five." I say.
"Okay, well you need to pick something to work on over the next two days to show them." He places his pland over mine and gives it a squeeze. "You can do this Annie."
The next day I focus on knife throwing. I stand in front of the dummies all day chucking knives at them. I can hit the target but I'm still a few inches shy of the center. Finnick tells me over dinner that it's still good. After dinner he takes me out to his bedroom terrace. Yet again one of the few unmonitored areas.
"I think that I've decided what to do," I tell him. He nods for me to continue. "I'm going to tie slash weave a knife belt and stick the throwing knives in it, then I'll go over to the dummies and give it a whirl."
"A sound plan…do you think you could those knives on a person?" He asks.
"I don't know, probably not, but they could be useful to get food." The end of my sentence floats up like a question.
"Sure they will Annie." He called me Annie, not Cresta. Annie. And it makes my stomach knot up and my heart race with butterflies. How can I be attracted to him? Especially right now.
"I just don't think I could kill someone," I say forcing down tears, "I don't want to die knowing that I've done that." I can't keep them in anymore; a single tear trickles down my cheek, followed by a stream of tears and tiny sobs. Finnick slides an arm around my shoulders and pulls me in to his chest.
"You are not going to die Annie. Do you hear me? I am going to do whatever it takes to get you back." He runs his hand over my hair and I allow myself to relax against him, my head on his chest, breathing in his scent.
FPOV-
I cup her head in my hand and rub her back soothingly. I probably shouldn't be doing this, but I've never been one to play by the book. Well fuck it, if I'm going to hell, I might as well do it properly. I kiss the top of her head inhaling her scent of sea-spray and lilies.
"Do you remember the first time that we met?" I ask her. I need to distract, take her away from this dark place. She nods. "You told me that I was nothing special. Do you remember that?" She laughs through her tears which are already starting to subside.
"Yes," she says, "and you said thank you."
"It was refreshing to hear." I say.
"Maybe," she mumbles, "but it isn't true."
"What was that?" I didn't quite catch all of what she had said.
"You are special," she says simply. She looks and her lips are just a few inches away from mine and the gods help me if I'm not going to kiss her here and now. I feel ashamed of it. Kissing her with this mouth that kissed at least five people yesterday alone and another three today, but god I want it. And it isn't just her purity…it's her. I lean in a little more.
The door to the terrace opens with a crack and we jump apart. Thank god that it's just Mags. She raises her eyebrows at me, but doesn't ask.
In my dream the night air is warm and sticky. Annie is standing knee deep in the ocean in a spray of salt-water and sea-foam. I recognize the beach, the one behind my house. Her hair is whipping around her delicate shoulders in the wind that barely cools the hot summer air. The air presses her long white nightgown against her body, revealing every curve. Her green eyes are wide, but not with fear. She offers me her hand and I step forward to take it…and shoot up straight in my bed. Someone is pounding on my door, most likely Mags. "Finnick get up!" Yep, definitely Mags.
"Coming," I call.
I'm not looking forward to my day-I'm seeing four clients-but I get up anyway and join Mags, Annie, and Caleb for breakfast. Caleb tells me about his improvement with the trident and I smile indulgently at him. Annie, of course, asks about what I'm looking at which happens to me my first clients file. It's a woman named Cleo, aged 28, with a foot fetish. Reall, a foot fetish? I snap the file shut and give her a half-hearted smile.
"Nothing."
"I've decided on a new form of compensation." I inform Cleo as I lay in her bed after her two hours of allotted time.
"Oh really?"
"Really. I don't want money."
"Oh, no. Of course not. Everyone knows you deal in secrets."
"No, not secrets either. I want to support Annie Cresta, the female tribute from my district, in the upcoming games." I tell her.
"Now Finnick, are you really so fond of her?" She asks and I realize that I have to be careful about this. I don't want word getting to Snow that I'm attached to Annie.
"I know her grandfather very well," I explain. "She's the only family he has and he's a rather sickly old man with a kind heart. I promised him that I would do my best to bring her back to him." I make my words as sentimental as possible and it seems to work because Clea is patting her abnormally large eyes.
"Well if that's it…oh Finnick of course she has my support." I cringe when she says my name but muster a smile and a charming thank-you before I head out the door. It's time to move on to the next one.
By dinner time I have four more people that have pledged to support Annie in the games. If I have to rent my body out, at least I can use it to help her. I don't try to talk to Annie after dinner. I feel too dirty from my day. Instead I just tell her to get some sleep and I jump in the shower to scrub myself raw.
Today brings judgment day. The tributes will be showing their skills to the game makers in hopes of a good score with which to earn sponsors. I'm hopeful that Annie can get a seven or eight. She's a tough one.
I only have three clients scheduled for the day and throughout each of my appointments all I can think about is how Annie is doing. I hope that she isn't worrying too much, then I hope that she does well in her session with the game makers, and by the time I finally see her and the others sitting in front of the television screen to watch the revealing of the scores I'm wracked with nerves myself.
"I'm sure you guys did great," I announce as I hop over the back of the couch next to Annie. She giggles. God I love her laugh. Mags gives me a warning look.
On the screen Ceaser Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith are already giving out scores. I took he time to shower after my last client so I'm a bit late and a bit wet.
"And the female tribute for district three, Lenna Spockles, with a seven," Claudius anonces, "and now for district four." We all take in a deep breath. "Caled Holdings receives a six."
"A six! Not bad, you can work with that." I try to be encouraging, but it's really not that good.
"And Annie Cresta with an unexpected, but delightful score of nine!" Ceaser exclaims. Annie gasps in shock.
"A nine?" She asks.
"A nine," I confirm. "Now little miss score of nine, you need to get to sleep. We have a full day of training tomorrow."
She heads off for bed and is followed by Caleb. I'm about to follow suit when Mags stops me and pulls me out onto the balcony of my room to talk.
"Finnick, I don't know what's going on with you and Annie Cresta, but if you do something to compromise her-" She cuts off when I hold up a hand to stop her.
"Mags I know. I know that it's bad. It isn't right, etc…but Mags…I think I love her." I can't believe that I've said it out loud. Oh, well, no taking it back now. "I think that I've loved her for years without realizing it."
"Oh Finnick." Her eyes are so sad that it hurts. "Why Finnick? Why her? Are you sure?"
"I don't know Mags. There's just something about her…I know that that's a lame answer, but she really is just something special."
"She is a rare girl." Mags says gently.
"I can't let her die Mags. I can't!" I'm almost hyperventilating now. Mags rests a hand on my shoulder.
"I see why now Finnick, and I promise to do all in my power to help bring her back." I feel bad hearing her make that promise because I know that it means she will put all her efforts toward Annie and not Caleb. It isn't fair to him…but she has to come home. "But, dearest, you have to prepare yourself for the worst."
"There can't be a worst. She has to make it back. There is no other option."
Muahahaha and so they are getting attached! There will be more mags soon for all of you, who like me, absolutely adore her.
p.s. if you notice any inconsistencies with the books (other than the obvious ones like Finnick not dying) please let me know. It has been a few months since i last read them. Also i apologize for any grammatical or spelling whoopsies. I don't have a beta or pre-reader so i do my best.
XOXO,
Batty