AFTERGLOW // finnick odair

two

The Finnick Odair effect.

A summery breeze to start the day suggested that yesterday might as well just be a figment of their imagination.

That didn't change the fact that Alivia laid under the rain for hours. She'd be lucky if she didn't catch a cold. Not even with a hot shower she managed to wash away the shivery feeling in her body, she suspected it had nothing to do with the rain.

The still slippery pavement made her trip towards Mags' house. Alivia hoped to see her before the day started so they could finally talk but Finnick greeted her with a charming smile and a "Good morning."

"Good morning. I came to get Mags."

"Oh, she already left. Early morning, apparently. But she asked me to walk you to the center. Shall we?"

Alivia stuttered as Finnick started closing the door behind him. "You don't have to."

"Please, my pleasure."

They walked in awkward silence. Or at least it was awkward for Alivia, even when the streets were noisy enough to drown the need of conversation. Finnick walked casually, receiving flirty looks from the girls passing around and the only thing he had to do was smile.

Alivia knew the effect of Finnick's presence by heart. Far too well.

She was barely fifteen when she walked through Mags' training center. And in the middle of everything, there he was. Young, handsome and way out of everybody's league. He stood with such confidence and he charmed everyone at every room he took a step into. It was only a matter of time before she fell head over heels for the young man.

With time, she learned to interact with Finnick regularly. Not really friends, friend-ly acquaintances if one must get technical.

She tried to avoid every situation that involved being alone with Finnick. That way she could keep their relationship reduced to barely nothing. Functional and safe. It's better this way, she tried to remind herself every once in a while.

They made it to the center and hadn't even stepped inside when the kids started lining up to give Finnick a proper welcome. They all looked up to him, he was everything they hoped to be. Alivia snuck inside, completely ignored by the children. She risked a glance at the scene. It may come as a surprise to most but Finnick was great with kids.

"Good morning," she greeted Mags who was also enjoying the view.

Mags looked at her with a big smile, brushing off a strand of hair out of her face. It really felt like the day before never happened.

"Alright, alright," Finnick chanted. "Who wants to go for a swim?"

They wasted no time since they didn't get to swim everyday, even when the sea was right in front of them. Safety was above everything and that meant they had to wait for Finnick. The only one skilled enough to deal with twenty children in the water.

Alivia knew she had to follow to make sure the kids warmed up properly and to make sure they hadn't eaten anything for the past hour. That had given them terrible results so far and seeing a kid throw up was not how she wanted to start the day.

After that, she went to get the equipment ready for the training after, of course knowing Finnick they would probably finish until lunch hour. Mags would be busy dealing with things like lunch itself and preparing the training for the day so she was on her own.

There was not really anything else Alivia could offer besides that. She had no deeper knowledge, no wisdom or advice to tell the children.

It absolutely tore her apart when a little boy came up to her about a year ago. Barely ten years old, not even within the age limit and already thinking of volunteering. He was in the same situation she once was and the games were the only way he thought of helping his family. He was looking for advice but how do you lie to a children like that. She cried herself to sleep that night and many nights afterwards.