Finnick had been gone from District 4 for two days. He had told Taiya he was gone to the Capitol to inspect the Tribute Centre, to make sure he was comfortable with the facilities before he had to mentor for his first year and Mags had been staying with her to keep her company. On the second night of him being away, Taiya woke up to yelling. She rolled over to see it was 2 am and groaned. Who would be making such a ruckus at this hour of the morning?
"I couldn't do it Mags! I couldn't do it!" Finnick yelled. Recognising Finnick's voice, Taiya quickly sprung up in bed and crept out onto the landing. As she got outside her room, she caught a glimpse of Finnick crying and pacing in the foyer downstairs. "What have I done Mags? What have I done?" he asked as he pulled at his hair.
The older lady tried to get a hold of him but he just kept pulling away. "You need to calm down," she instructed. "You'll wake Taiya."
"No!" Finnick cried. "She can't know, you can't tell her. Please Mags don't tell Taiya."
What was Finnick keeping from her? They didn't keep secrets from each other. That wasn't their relationship. They always told each other the truth. That was their policy. She quickly ducked down so that she was out of sight and could eavesdrop without being noticed. She didn't want to spy, but curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to know what Finnick was keeping from her.
"Why don't you talk to her?" Mags suggested. "Tell her what's going on."
"No, I can't. She'd never understand. She'd hate me."
"Don't be silly," Mags comforted as she brushed the hair out of Finnick's eyes. "She'd never hate you. She'd understand Finnick. You'd feel better for talking to her."
"But I love her Mags."
"I love her too," Mags agreed with him.
"No. No, Mags. I'm in love with her," Finnick said quietly and Taiya's eyes widened as she listened. "It's always been her Mags, and I can't, I can't… do what he wants me to do when I know she's back here waiting for me to come home."
"I think you need to talk to her," Mags suggested and he just shook his head.
"What's going to happen Mags? I refused. I couldn't go through with it. He's going to do something. He's going to hurt me again. He knows how to hurt me. He'll hurt HER!"
"Finnick you need to breathe," Mags coached. "Tyler promised you he'd watch out for her and he has. Everyone in this village has been watching out for her. She's not alone Finnick, she'll be safe."
Finnick wiped his tears and stood up. "I'm going to check on her," he said hugging Mags lightly.
"She's just sleeping she's ok."
"I know," he nodded. "But I just want to check."
Taiya, who had been sitting on the ground dumbfounded, quickly snapped into action and crawled as quickly as she could back to her room, shutting the door softly and throwing herself onto her bed and pretending to be asleep. A few moments later, the door to her room slowly creaked open and Finnick quietly walked in. As soon as he saw the rise and fall of her chest he let out a sigh of relief and left to go to his room.
Taiya flung up in bed a few hours later to the sound of screaming. It wasn't an unusual sound in their house. Finnick was having another nightmare. Taiya quickly jumped out of bed and ran out of her room, bumping into Mags who had also come to help. "I've got it, it's ok," Taiya assured as she opened Finnick's door. Mags nodded sadly and retreated back to her room.
"TAIYA!" Finnick screamed and Taiya whipped her head around to look at him, he'd never screamed out for her before. "Leave her alone!" he yelled as he thrashed around on his bed.
Taiya ran over to the side of the bed and knelt down beside him as she gently tried to shake him awake. "Finn, Finn wake up," she pleaded.
"Ah!" Finnick yelped as he jerked awake. "Taiya?" he asked as he looked down at her and she nodded. "You're ok?"
"I'm fine, I promise. Are you?" she asked in concern.
"I am now," he sniffled as he pulled her in for a hug, holding her head against his shoulder. "Don't leave me," he begged.
"I would never," Taiya smiled before she stood up to go back to her room.
"No, no, please," he stuttered as he grabbed her hand. "Stay?"
Taiya looked him up and down, he had dark circles under his eyes, he clearly hadn't slept in days. She couldn't leave him in this state, "move over," she said softly, shoving his side.
"Thank you," he breathed as he made room for her under the covers. Taiya slid in carefully, lying with her back to him. Finnick flung an arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest and she sucked in a breath. "Your heart's racing," he muttered sleepily.
"Yeah," Taiya mumbled nervously. "You scared me." All she could focus on was the feeling of his breath hitting the back of her neck. She didn't know what to think or how to feel.
Taiya woke up in the morning and looked to the side to see Finnick still asleep and quickly sat up in shock. After what she'd overheard last night she couldn't stay in bed without discussing his feelings, so she got up and left the room.
"Taiya?" Mags asked as she walked out of Finnick's room.
"Morning," she smiled nervously. "He needed me to stay, it was a really bad nightmare," she explained.
Mags nodded, completely understanding how debilitating the nightmares could be. "Will you two be alright?" she asked. "Do you need me to stay here longer?"
Taiya shook her head and pulled Mags in for a hug. "You deserve to sleep in your own bed Mags, we'll be ok. We've got each other."
Mags pulled away and held Taiya's face gently, "I saw you last night. You heard. Talk to him please?" she asked. "He needs someone to talk to. You both are hurting and you have this uncertainty with each other looming over your heads. I see how you both look at each other, you need to talk about it.
"It's hard. I just always thought that boys would be what would bring my mom and me together. We had a rocky relationship and I just always thought that when I got to an age where I became interested in boys she'd be there to talk to. I don't know if that was just a fantasy or whatever but I feel like every step I take towards Finnick is a step away from my mom. Is that crazy?"
"It's not crazy," Mags smiled. "I know you and your mom had your issues but all she ever wanted was for you to be happy. Don't punish yourself to protect someone who's no longer here. It doesn't help anyone."
Taiya sighed, "I know you're right, as usual."
"With age comes wisdom. I'm going to head home, you two let me know if you need anything."
"I'll walk you out," Taiya said, walking down the stairs and letting Mags out of the house.
Taiya was in the kitchen making lunch later in the day when she heard Finnick come storming down the stairs. "Taiya?" he called as he ran into the living room.
"In here!" she yelled out to him and he came running into the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw her.
"Oh thank god," he huffed.
"You ok?" she asked.
"Yeah, I just panicked when I didn't find you in your room."
"It's the middle of the day Finnick," she laughed. "You've been asleep for ages."
"I was tired," he shrugged as he took a seat on the opposite side of the bench to her.
"Busy time in the Capitol?" she asked, trying to get some information out of him.
"Not as busy as some would have liked," he answered vaguely. "What have you been up to today?"
"Not a lot. Tyler came around with some fish for us. He's been here an awful lot," she said as she studied his face. She knew Finnick had tasked him with looking after her and she wanted to know why.
"Oh really?" Finnick asked as he poured some salt onto his hand, not giving anything away.
"Yeah. I'm about to head to the beach, want to come?" she asked and he froze.
"You can't go."
"Why not?" she frowned.
"It's not safe," he said urgently.
"Finn I go to the beach like every day, it's fine," she said as she went to leave the kitchen.
"No, no," he ran around to block her path. "You have to stay here."
"Why?" she huffed, crossing her arms.
"I can look out for you here."
"I don't need you to look out for me."
"You're not safe out there."
"I can take care of myself Finnick," she argued, pushing past him. "Besides, I won't be alone. There's 6 of us. Theo, Kenna and Annie are going. My cousin Shark and his friend are going. Why don't you come? They're your friends too Finnick."
"They're not my friends," he mumbled.
"I can't be your only friend Finn. You used to be friends with Theo at least."
"They don't understand me now. You do."
"Finnick you can't isolate yourself from society. It's not healthy. Come," she said taking his hand. "I want you to come."
He shook his head sorrowfully, "I can't. I can't care about them. It's not safe."
"Are you sure you're ok? You're acting weird," she asked as she placed her hand on his forehead to test his temperature. "You don't feel feverish, maybe you should lie down though?"
"I'm not sick," he groaned as the doorbell rang.
"Coming!" Taiya called out before looking at Finnick, "you're not coming?" she asked and he just shook his head. "Ok, well I'll be back later. Maybe you can make dinner with the fish Tyler bought or something?" she suggested. "See you," she waved before she turned and ran out of the house, leaving a stressed Finnick standing in the hallway.
"I'm the queen of the ocean!" Taiya yelled as Theo lifted her out of the water on his shoulders. "Bow down peasants!" she called out to the rest of her friends who were splashing below her.
"Right, that's it," Theo laughed. "You're going back in," he said before he dropped her off his shoulders and into the water as she giggled. "You're short again," he smiled when she remerged from the water.
"Shut up," she laughed as she splashed him with water.
"Couldn't convince him to come huh?" Theo asked in reference to Finnick.
"Nope," she groaned. "He's a shut-in now," she shrugged. "He's keeping a secret from me."
"Finnick? Finnick never lies to you."
"I don't think he's really lied. I just think he's conveniently not telling me the truth," she eye-rolled. As she and Theo were talking, she felt hands grip around her ankles and tug. She let out a scream as she was plunged underwater. She opened her eyes underwater to see her cousin Shark had been the one to pull her under. He smiled and gave her a wave which she returned while shaking her head at him. She could feel frantic splashing in the water that was getting closer to them and she turned around to look when she felt arms wrap around her and pull her up out of the water.
Taiya coughed as her head resurfaced. "Are you ok? Are you hurt? What happened? Can you breathe? Talk to me!"
"Finnick?" she asked confusedly as her eyes focussed and she saw Finnick checking her over for injuries. "Finnick, what the hell," she snapped as she shoved him off her. "What are you doing?"
"You were attacked, I heard you scream" he gasped, his eyes still wide in panic.
"I wasn't attacked you idiot!" she yelled. "Shark pulled me under," she said, pointing to her cousin who was standing nervously behind her. "What are you even doing here? You refused to come. Oh my god," she realised. "Did you follow us down here to spy on us?"
"What, no," he tried to cover.
"You were spying on me! You heard me yell and you came running. That means you were spying on me from where? Behind the rocks? Why would you do that! Why would you refuse to come but follow me here anyway?"
Finnick walked up to her and grabbed her elbow and turned her so they had a degree of privacy and weren't yelling at each other in front of an audience, "I didn't mean to spy on you. That wasn't my intention," he said quietly. "I was sitting at home and just so many things were running through my head. I panicked. I'm sorry."
"Go home Finnick, please," she pleaded. "Just go home. I'll be back after dinner."
"Please come with me?" he asked.
"No," she snapped. "Just go Finnick," she said tearfully as she turned away from him and walked back to her group of friends.
"You ok?" Theo asked.
Taiya nodded as she watched Finnick retreat from the water. "Can I come to yours for dinner tonight? I think Finnick and I need some space."
"Sure," he nodded eagerly. "Of course. Mom will be glad to have you over," he smiled.
"Is Finnick ok?" Annie asked.
"He's fine," Taiya assured the younger girl. "Living together in a house for 5 months we were bound to argue eventually," she smiled. "He's just a bit tense at the moment, we'll sort it out later."
"You sure you'll be ok?" Theo asked as he dropped her off at her house later that night.
"Yeah, we'll be fine. He's tense, I'm tense. I think we need an argument just to get back to normal. Tell your mom thank you for dinner again."
"You already told her that," Theo smiled at her.
"I know, but I appreciate it anyway. I know it was last minute. Good night Theo," she said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.
"Night Tay," he smiled as she opened the door and walked inside to see Finnick waiting for her at the top of the stairs.
"I really don't want to argue tonight," she groaned as she made her way up the stairs, stepping around him.
"I want to talk Taiya. I don't want to go to bed mad," he reasoned.
"Don't go to bed mad?" she snorted. "We're not a couple Finnick, who cares if we go to bed mad."
"Right," he stuttered.
"Look," Taiya sighed as she turned around to face him. "I don't want to be mean but I'm just not in the mood ok? Can we finish this tomorrow?"
"So you were with Theo for dinner?" Finnick asked.
"Yes, and he walked me home. What of it?"
"You spend a lot of time with him lately."
"Argh," Taiya groaned, pulling her hair in anger. "I spend all my time with you, seaweed brain! 80% of my time is spent in this house with you. And even if I did spend a lot of time with Theo, what's it to you? What, are you jealous?" she mocked.
"Yes I am!" he snapped and they both froze. Finnick closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath, "I am," he said more confidently. "I've been jealous of him since we were 8. You'd always kiss him on the cheek and hold his hand, give him hugs, let him pick you up and I could never do any of that. You'd always push me away. That hurt me Taiya. It really hurt me."
"I only did that because whenever you would do those things it would make me feel something!" she hissed and his eyes widened.
Finnick took a few steps towards her and asked, "what did it make you feel?"
"I'm not talking about this, I'm going to bed," Taiya glared as she turned around to go to her room. But Finnick reached out and grabbed her elbow, spinning her back towards him. He looked at her quickly in the eyes before he leaned forward and kissed her. Taiya froze for a moment, not knowing how to respond. As soon as she registered what was happening, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Feeling her positive response, Finnick wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him as his lips moved against hers. After a minute Finnick pulled away slightly and looked in her eyes before leaning forward to quickly peck her lips again.
"Wow," he breathed and she giggled. "I've been wanting to do that for years," he whispered as he moved his hands from her waist, up to her cheeks.
"Same here," she breathed.
"I had no idea," he laughed.
Taiya swallowed as she pulled away from him slightly, brushing her hair behind her ears. She smiled at him, her cheeks bright red and muttered, "goodnight," and quickly pressed her lips to his one last time, before she turned and walked to her room, leaving him standing in the hall touching his lips. As soon as Taiya shut her door, she placed her fingers to her lips and slid down the door to the ground as she smiled to herself.
twinia1: I'll be very interested to know your thoughts on this new chapter! Let me know. I've got two storylines as to whether or not Finnick can protect her or not. I'm leaning more towards an idea that I feel is a good compromise that I haven't really seen in a fic before so I guess you'll have to wait and see haha ;)
HungerGamesFan36: Aw thank you that's so sweet! Means a lot