Don't Drown | Finnick x OC

Parade

Tribute Parade

My makeup artist, or at least one of them, stood next to me. She was coating another lair of shimmery powder on my body as I stood next to our chariot. I watched Finnick with a close eye as he talked with Katniss. We were far away, but I could tell he was in his 'Romeo mode'.

At least that's what I called it. It was the attitude he seemed to put forward when he wanted to intimidate, as well as charm. He taught me to do it too, but I almost never felt comfortable. Especially not towards fellow tributes, I could maybe make an exception for those from the Capital.

My senses perked up as my makeup artist left and her retreating footsteps combined with another set. Much heavier, slower cadence, lack of grace... Peeta?

"Want to tell me what they're talking about?" The footsteps came to a halt next to me. I was correct. Peeta stood there, radiating a boyish charm, in a charcoal gray jacket.

"Your guess is as good as mine, isn't that your fiancé?" I respond, my voice cool.

"Isn't that your best friend?" He quips back.

I chuckle.

"Touché." I decided to change the subject. "So, is that going to light on fire?" I gesture to his clothing and vaguely register Cinna, their stylist, behind him.

"Ha! Odds are yes. How about you, are you not cold?"

He had a point. I wore a clamshell bra, with a net-like fabric across my body, just barely forming a close enough knit across my hips and pooling into a tail-like skirt around me.. oh yeah, it was quite scandalous. Not as much as Finnick's, but it wasn't hard to tell what angle they were trying to spin.

I laughed.

"Oh this is nothing, you should see Fin's."

Peeta really was quite sweet. I could tell from the cameras, but you never know how much is for show and how much is real. He seemed to care, and it was immensely refreshing.

"Looks like your fiancé's free again." I nodded to Katniss, who Finnick was walking away from.

He smiled, a genuine smile, and turned back towards me.

"Nice to meet you."

Okay, it's official. I liked him. The Capital hadn't managed to squash him yet.

"Peeta." I heard Fin acknowledged, sugar cube still in his mouth.

"Finnick."

He finally made his way back to me and held out his hand. It held a sugar cube.

"Last one." He announced.

I reached for it. He pulled back.

"You've had at least ten!" I whined.

"Okay fair... you can have it." He started. "If you can reach it."

His hand shot up and was well above a level I could manage. Bastard, he did this on purpose. I was tall but I wasn't that tall.

I began to prep my stance for a jump before the defining shrill of Emily Plink entered my ears.

"Enough, you two! Finnick, concede the sugar and get on the chariot." Her voice held an air of maternal finality we dared not defy, even as I popped the cube in my mouth. "Honestly, it's like I'm shepherding children sometimes."

With a huff, she walked off and we immediately burst out laughing. That caught some attention. Most tributes, especially The Careers near us were above such antics, or so they believed themselves to be. Unfortunately the silence just made us laugh harder.

We stepped onto our chariot and, once he finally caught his breath, Finnick asked a question.

"So, Peeta, did you get anything off him?"

"I wasn't interrogating him, Fin."

"I know you. You're way too observant not to have gotten anything."

"Nothing I didn't guess already. He's charming, and clearly very good with the media. Like you." I added.

Both of us could maneuver cameras just fine, we'd certainly had enough practice, but with Fin it just seemed natural. Our chariot started to move; I grabbed the side.

"Although, speaking of observations, don't think I didn't notice your little talk with Katniss." I quipped

He smirked, "Do you think they'll keep up the lovey- dovey crap for this?"

"I don't think it's crap for him." I responded.

"Bull." He whispered under his breath, but I caught it.

"Hey. I don't like 'Romeo Robot'." I turned to look at him. We were almost to the entrance but I didn't care. "I know you, more than anyone else. Stop with the cynical act."

"You're right, I'm sorry. He's just hard to turn on and off." He hesitated, but smiled again. "What do you call yourself? Juliet?" 

"Maybe I don't need a persona. I'm really quite charming, you know." I winked

He barked a laugh. 

"Well whatever her name is, she had better emerge. We're here."

I groaned, but he had a point, we were about to pass the threshold onto the parade route.

Almost of its own accord, my body relaxed: my shoulders rolled back and a poised smile found its way to my face.