Rose

Capitol life

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Finnick held me as I cried. The familiar feel of his hands brushing through my hair comforted me.

"What really happened when the cameras turned off Tia?" His voice was gentle and soothing but his words made me shake.

I shook my head and cried harder into his chest.

"Okay. Do you want to change now?" Finnick pulled away from me and I looked down in embarrassment, not wanted him so see just how unstable I was.

"Yes." I said, walking to my dresser and grabbing some underwear and the silk pyjamas laid out for me.

I locked myself in my bathroom as I changed, leaving the dress on the white tiles once I left.

Finnick was waiting at the door for me.

"Sleep in my bed tonight, it's gotta be more comfortable than a bathtub." He said.

I walked toward him, brining the almost empty bottle of white liquor I had grabbed from the bathroom. I chugged the rest and threw the empty bottle on the bed.

"You've gotta stop doing that." Finnick said as he led me into his room.

"It makes them go away." I said plainly.

He looked at me with a strange face.
"Makes who go away?"

"All of them. All of the children I killed. Everytime I blink they're there, but not when I can't even think." The words slur out of my mouth before I register what I'm saying.

Finnick sighs.
"You didn't kill them, it was more like self-defence. They would've killed you if you didn't."

"I smashed my only friends head in with a rock. The only person who has ever reached out to me without being forced into it, and I killed her. Everytime I look in the mirror I'm drenched in her blood." My voice was barely a whisper as I faced Finnick in the middle of his room. "I'm so sorry. I know how much she meant to you and I'm so sorry. I should've just let her kill me." The tears were falling from my face again and Finnicks brow knitted.

"I, loved Annie, she was like my sister. But I can't blame her death on you. You didn't create the games that executed her." He gently wiped the tears from my face.

"Still, I'm sorry for your loss."

"I'm sorry for yours."

We stood, staring into each others eyes for eternity.

Until Finnick cleared his throat and moved to the bed.

"You should probably get some sleep. Big day tomorrow." He said as he slipped under the covers.

"Yeah. District 12. I've never been there before but I've heard the woods in my games were based off the ones outside the fence of district 12." I laid beside him.

"You'll see it in the morning Tia, but now you should sleep."

His hand found mine under the cover and held it, so gently I almost couldn't tell it was there. But I could. Slowly, my eyelids got heavy and I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Tiara's voice had once again woken me, but I wasn't grumpy this time.

Mostly due to the large arms that were wrapped around my waist.

My sleep had been void of any nightmares and for the first time in forever, I felt okay.

"Finnick." I pushed Finnicks shoulder gently as I spoke.

"Mmm what." He mumbled.

"It's time to wake up." I replied, waiting for him to let me out of his arms. Instead he pulled me closer towards him and nuzzled his face into my neck.