"Hey, there you are," Seneca greeted Taiya as she exited the doorway and walked back into the party.
"Hmm? Oh hey," she greeted nervously, looking everywhere but at his face.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine," she nodded, slowly looking up to meet his eyes. As she did, she caught sight of Finnick staring at her from across the party. Her eyes immediately left Seneca as she stared back.
Seneca followed her line of sight and frowned when he looked at Finnick. "Do you want to go hang out with your friend for a bit?" he asked.
"Oh, no," she laughed as she looked back at Seneca. "No. I want to hang out with you," she smiled. "Come on, show me some fancy Capitol drinks. I've only had champagne since I've been here." She hesitantly took hold of his hand and began walking over to the drinks table. As she looked back at him she noticed him smiling widely. "Ok," she said letting go of his hand and holding onto his upper arm. "What would you recommend?"
"Well," Seneca said confidently as he stepped forward. "I think you've got to try a fruity drink. It's sweet. Like you," he joked.
Taiya let out a scoffing laugh. "Cheesy. I like it," she nodded and he handed her a drink.
"It's berry flavoured," he told her.
"Oh, I love berries! Mags, she's a previous victor in 4, she has this beautiful garden of fruit and she's got some berry plants and oh my goodness they're phenomenal."
"Fresh berries always are," he agreed as she tried her drink. "Like it?"
"Love it!" she nodded. "Wow, we need these in 4! They'd be a hit. Everyone would be drunk all the time," she laughed.
Taiya's eyes flicked around the room and she nervously tried to seek out Tyler.
As she looked around she felt an arm loop through hers and she jumped and looked over to see the victor from 1, Cashmere smirking at Seneca.
"Mind if we borrow the newest victor?" She asked in a sultry voice.
Seneca looked at Taiya who nodded gently to him. Seneca dipped his head politely in acknowledgement before turning and walking back to the drinks table.
Spinning around, Cashmere walked her over to her brother who was waiting in the corner, dragging Taiya along with her.
"Urgh I thought that Crane boy wouldn't ever leave you alone," Cashmere groaned. "He jumped on you as soon as you came out of the door. You're welcome for the save by the way."
"He was ok," Taiya said nervously rubbing her arm.
"Oh please. Capitol people are never nice. Not unless they want something. You'll find out soon enough," she muttered bitterly.
Taiya immediately tensed up. So they were involved with Snow as well. Not even the victors from the glorified District 1 were spared.
"Dammit," Gloss groaned as he noticed her body language. "He got to you early."
"Pardon?" Taiya asked confused.
"You were meeting with him just then weren't you? That's why you were inside," Gloss guessed.
"I already knew about it," Taiya muttered. "Finnick told me."
"That kid needs to keep his mouth shut before he gets in more trouble," Gloss shook his head disapprovingly as he swallowed the rest of his drink.
"I don't have to do… that."
Gloss and Cashmere both looked over at Taiya in confusion.
"You don't?" Gloss asked and Taiya shook her head.
"But they love you here?" Cashmere asked in confusion. "You'd been the golden treasure, he could make a fortune off you."
"Unless he gave you a different job," Gloss realised. "There's no way he would let you off with nothing."
Taiya looked over in Seneca's direction, who had by now rejoined his brother.
"Oh…" Cashmere realised. "The Crane boy bought you for himself."
"No," Taiya answered quickly. "No. He doesn't know anything."
Gloss' eyes widened as he realised Snow's intentions. "Cunning," he muttered. He turned to Cashmere to explain. "The Crane boy has a crush on Taiya, that much is blindingly obvious. If he can get the boy emotionally invested in a relationship with Taiya…"
"Genius," Cashmere gasped. "He's up and coming. He'll be the head game maker one day. Snow wants to use you to manipulate him right? Implant ideas in his head before he starts thinking for himself. It'll be easier to get your hooks in him now, you know, before he starts thinking with his brain and not other things."
Taiya's eyebrows shot up at Cashmere's assertion.
"Don't worry," she smiled. "You'll relax about all of that. It comes with the job."
"Great," Taiya replied sarcastically. "Might've been easier to not leave the arena," she muttered to herself.
"Here comes your babysitter," Cashmere mocked. Taiya turned around to see Buck walking up to her.
"Hey, have you seen Tyler?" She asked him as he stopped awkwardly in front of the group.
"He's busy," Buck responded, nodding to the victor siblings before ushering Taiya away.
"Busy with what?" Taiya asked as she raced to keep up with him
"Busy with negotiating when your's and Finnick's next Capitol trip will be," he whispered, making Taiya freeze. "Exactly, it's not exactly a party kind of conversation. So let's just introduce you to a few more Capitol aristocrats and we can discuss further when we're back home and there are fewer ears around."
Taiya immediately slipped back into her Capitol persona, slapped on a smile and followed after Buck to greet more people.
"Hey," Finnick whispered, opening the door to Taiya's room on the train. "Are you awake?"
"Yeah, come here," she huffed, pulling back the edge of the covers so he could come and get in the bed with her. Finnick quietly entered the room and came to lie down next to her.
Taiya sucked in a deep breath as she rolled closer to him, laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arm around him.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, moving his arms to hold her.
"I think I'm ok," she whispered. "And you?"
"I think I'm ok," he echoed.
Taiya and Finnick lay there in silence. Letting the question they both knew he wanted to ask, but was too afraid to, hang awkwardly in the air.
"I don't have to do it," she whispered eventually. He didn't respond, but she felt his head lift as he looked down at her. "He's not making me do it." He instantly tightened his hold on her as he let out a breath of relief.
"He wants something else," he realised.
"Nothing I can't handle. I have to be his puppet. Help him manipulate Seneca Crane."
"How?"
"I have to make him love me. A public-facing relationship. And then I'll whisper Snow's words in his ear. It's unbelievable. Seneca's going to be head game maker one day and Snow is already guaranteeing his control over the games. There's nothing he can't touch. He's everywhere."
Finnick stayed silent as he listened to her before he spoke up. "This. He can't touch this. Us. You and me."
"He already has," Taiya moaned.
"If he had you wouldn't have let me in here tonight. We can't be ourselves in front of the public. But as soon as it's just you and me. Like right now. When we're back in District 4 and sitting on the docks enjoying the sunrise. Now that he can't touch. He'll never touch that. There's nothing he could say or do or threaten that would ever tear me away from you. I promise. As long as you'll have me, I'll be there. As a friend, or anything else. It'll be me and you."
"Don't make promises," Taiya whispered.
"I will. I intend on keeping it," he assured.
Taiya looked up at him to see he was still watching her. Slowly she lifted up a hand and laid it to rest on his cheek. Finnick closed his eyes at the action as he allowed a wave of calm to wash over him.
Her eyes locked onto his lips and she slowly raised her head to go to kiss him, but just before she could connect their lips, she changed her mind and rolled over, turning to face away from him.
He didn't push. Didn't give any indication that he knew what she was about to do. He just gently ran his hand over her hair, leant in to kiss the back of her head, before rolling over to face the opposite wall as they both fell asleep facing away from one another.
"So Cashmere and Gloss were nice to you huh?" Tyler asked as he sipped their coffee. "That's not fair, the wonder twins were never nice to me, how about you Buck?" he asked the older gentlemen who was sitting down at the opposite end of the table.
"Nope, never," Buck agreed as he turned the page of his book.
"It's ok, you're fresh meat, they'll probably get sick of you by next year," Tyler shrugged.
Taiya snorted. "Yeah, thanks for that. I mean, who knows, maybe they don't like you because you can be a bit of a surly grump?" she joked. Buck immediately snorted, almost choking on his drink as Tyler looked at her flabbergasted.
"Excuse you!" he laughed. "I'm a what?"
Taiya waved her hand in the air. "Oh nothing," she smiled.
"Well look who's getting bold," Tyler smiled. "I should throw you in the ocean more often, it's clearly therapeutic."
"Don't throw her in the ocean," Buck chided, only half listening to their banter.
"Oh yeah?" Taiya ignored Buck. "Next time you try that you're coming right in with me. You trained me, remember? I know all your moves."
"Oh, do you now?" Tyler challenged, throwing a grape across the table so it hit her square in the middle of her head, making her gasp.
"Did you just throw a grape at me?" she demanded.
"Throw a grape? Who? Me?" Tyler asked. "Why yes I did," he smiled proudly.
"Oh, now it's on," Taiya laughed, picking up her orange peel and flinging it across the table at him.
"Don't throw food," Buck lectured again, still paying more attention to his book rather than them. "Children," he muttered when they chose to ignore him.
"Hey, have either of you seen Tai…" Finnick asked as he burst into the dining carriage. "Oh hey there you are," he smiled as he saw her.
"Finnick my boy!" Tyler tapped the table. "Come, sit, eat, before there's no food left."
Taiya scowled at him and picked up the closest bread roll and getting in one last shot before their food fight officially ended.
"What was going on here?" Finnick asked, taking a seat next to Taiya only to feel a squelching. He stood back up to see he had sat on a pile of grapes that had landed on the chair.
Taiya and Tyler looked up at each other guiltily before bursting into laughter.
"I am surrounded by children," Buck scowled. "Mornings should not be this enjoyable," he mumbled bitterly as he made his way into the next carriage.
"Buck needs a coffee in the morning," Taiya sniggered.
"Buck needs an adrenaline shot in the morning," Tyler nodded.
"Coffee with adrenaline mixed in?" Taiya suggested.
"Bingo," Tyler agreed, clicking his fingers.
"How many coffees have you two had?" Finnick asked, looking in between the two of them in confusion.
"We're just high on life my dear Finn," she giggled.
"She's had two," Tyler confessed.
"Dude!" Taiya scowled. "You are such a nark."
"What's the worst he can do to you? Scold you?" Tyler snorted.
"Clearly you've never been victim to an Odair scolding. Once I threw out a fishing line too close to him and I had to hear about it for a month."
"You nearly hit me!" Finnick gasped.
"Hush," she silenced him with a giggle, placing a finger on his lips.
"You two going to the full moon party on the beach next week?" Tyler asked. "It could be fun?"
"You're not going, are you? You're way too old," Taiya commented.
Tyler glared at her. "Well I was thinking about it, but I guess I'm not anymore."
"Sorry," Taiya apologised, trying to hide her smile. "I don't know, do you want to go?" she asked Finnick.
"I mean… yeah, I want to go," Finnick nodded. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to though, you haven't been to one since before the games."
"Let's go," Taiya agreed. "They're always fun. Us two can go," she smiled, gently tapping his hand.
"Just you and me?" he asked.
"Oh! Kenna can come with us! And Annie! And Shark, he's probably old enough to come now. It can be a whole group thing it'll be fun."
"Oh," Finnick coughed. "Yeah, group thing, it'll be fun."
"It'll be healthy," Taiya nodded, before taking hold of his hand. "A sense of normalcy."