Love at Sea (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 22

The fluorescent lights overhead flickered as Finnick and Taiya strolled through the hallway of District 13.

"So  you really have the whole day free?" Taiya asked, her eyes sparkling  with excitement as she toyed with his fingers that were entwined with  hers.

"Sure do. I mean I have one meeting, but that's half an hour  tops," Finnick replied with a grin, having begged Plutarch for the day  off. They were shipping out to the Capitol tomorrow, a fact that Taiya  was blissfully unaware of.

"Good," she nodded. "I've been getting jealous of your training group," she joked.

"I'm all yours," Finnick laughed, a subtle playfulness in his voice.

"Mm,"  Taiya purred, turning to face him with a flirtatious smile as she  tugged him a bit closer. "Well, we already knew that," she teased,  making Finnick's heart skip a beat.

Finnick chuckled, enjoying the  flirtatious banter that effortlessly flowed between them. "True, true,"  he nodded. "But today, I really am all yours. No training," he pecked  her lips. "No interruptions," he kissed her again.

"Well I like  the sound of that," she bit her lip and ran a hand through his hair.  "It's a good thing you're not going; they would have had to cut your  hair," she twirled a finger through her favourite curl. "I wouldn't have  liked that," she shook her head. "This little curl right here," she  tugged it lightly. "Is the reason I married you."

"Not for my devilishly good looks and sparkling personality?" he winked.

"A happy benefit," she shrugged. "I'm here for the curl though. HEY!" she yelled, jerking forward.

"What?" Finnick frowned, not knowing what had made her yell.

Taiya's  hand raised to the back of her head, and she slowly turned around to  face Gloss. She looked down at the floor to see a muffin lying there.

"Did you throw a muffin at my head?"

"Yeah," Gloss nodded.

"Why?"

"Beetee wants you down in the weapons room."

Finnick's  eyes widened. Gloss didn't know Finnick was leaving. He didn't care  enough to ask, he'd only heard what Taiya had told him. But Beetee knew.  And Beetee was very strongly against keeping it from Taiya.

"Tell Beetee it's a bad time," Finnick shook his head.

Taiya  just shot him a smile, which made him feel even worse. "Yeah if you're  heading back down tell him I'll catch up with him another time," she  wrapped an arm around Finnick's waist. "We're spending the whole day  together. Do you know what he wanted?"

"Meh," Gloss shrugged.  "Apparently he has some wizz-bang fancy knives he designed for you. He  was telling me about them but I wasn't really listening. I think one  explodes or something."

"I have fancy knives!" Taiya gasped  excitedly, but then she felt Finnick's fingers flex on her side. "Maybe  another day, let him know for me would you?"

"I'm not a messenger," Gloss frowned.

"Yes. You are," she winked. "7-second warning before we kiss," she warned Gloss, slowly raising her head up to meet Finnick's.

"I hate you both," Gloss grumbled, quickly retreating before he had to witness that sight again.

As soon as he was out of sight, Taiya pulled away with a giggle.

"Hey, no teasing," Finnick pulled her back so he could kiss her.

"Oh my apologies," she immediately kissed him back.