promise me forever- finnick odair x reader

the reaping

your shaky hands struggle, tying your hair back into braided crown. you hear a knock on the door, making you jump. 

"i'll get it." you murmur as you stumble to the door. you open it to see finnick standing in front of you, gently leaning on the post. she gives you a half smile. 

"hey." you fall into her arms, wrapping yourself firmly around her torso. she lightly chuckles. "good to see you too." you pull away after a minute or so, gesturing for her to enter. she trots in. your hair is a mess, flopping everywhere. it's hardly brushed. finnick sighs as she forces you to sit, running your brush softly through your hair. 

"why'd you cut your hair if you love brushing mine?" you scoff. finnick flips back her short blonde hair. 

"because." she whispers lightly in your ear, softly kissing your cheek. you flush. you and finnick... you're friends. friends. nothing more. you must remind yourself this every ten seconds when being with her. she is a god. magnificent. you could get lost in her eyes that only soften for you. her steady and warm touch ignites something... inhuman in you. she's perfect. absolutely perfect. but, you'll be okay admiring from the safe friend zone you're boxed in. 

"s-so..." you say, trying for conversation. "are you excited?" you can hear her lips part and form a smile as she pulls back a strand of hair and begins braiding it. 

"ecstatic." she responds. "did you sleep alright?" you debate lying to her so she won't worry, but she'll see right through you. she always does. 

"not really. another nightmare." her voice softens and she sighs. 

"what happened?" 

"same as always." she turns you around so you look at her dead in the eye. 

"you won't be a tribute. i promise." 

"y-you're not," 

"if they call you, i'll volunteer. i swear i will." 

"but if they-"

"they won't call me. and even if they do..." her head falls, soft strands of hair hanging in her face. "promise me you won't volunteer." she says, raising her head. 

"n-no. finnick-" 

"i took extra terrasse this year, y/n. a lot of it." 

"w- what?" you throw your arms into the air. "you lied to me! you promised you wouldn't take any!" 

"you were starving! you never accept the fish so i had to get creative." you get up to leave. "please. let's not fight." you turn to her. 

"you could get called, you know. how many times?" she looks down. "how many times, finnick?" your voice harshens.  

"it should be added an extra..." she pauses to bite her lower lip. "thirty seven times." you rub your face, tears filling your eyes. "i'm sorry." finnick chokes out. "i'm really sorry." your expression softens. what am i doing? you think. salty tears begin to stream down her face. she leans her forehead to your abdomen as she begins to sob. 

"it's okay..." you murmur, brushing her short hair with your hands. "it's okay." 

"please... just... promise me you won't. you won't volunteer." you shush her, which only results in more hysteria. "please!" she begs you.

"i promise. i promise i won't volunteer." eventually, she stops crying and begins to distract herself by doing your hair into a dutch braid. after a while, your mother comes out of her room, telling you that it's time to leave. 

"come on, fin." you take her hand as you walk out the door, heading into an abyss of uncertainty and fear. as always, they prick your hand to identify you as you're ushered into confined places, forced to accept whatever follows. finnick's grip tightens. she looks to you. 

"happy hunger games."

"and may the odds be ever in your favor." you whisper back with a smile. mireya portendorfer steps onto the stage, her long, pastel, multi-colored wig dancing behind her. she looks ridiculous as always, wearing a brightly colored pantsuit with decorative white puff balls all over her.

"ladies and gentlemen," she begins, in her squeaky capital voice, "welcome to the 65th annual hunger games!" on que, the television behind her turns on. there lies president snow.

"families torn apart. women, men, and children slaughtered." finnick turns to you and frowns.

"because that isn't happening anymore." she scoffs. 

"from the treaty of the treason, in penace for their uprising each district shall offer up a male and female between the ages of twelve and eighteen at a public reaping." you turn to finnick, observing her bright, sea green eyes and her hair frolicking in the wind. "these tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the capital. then, transferred to a public arena where they will fight to the death until a lone victor remains." finnick's grip tightens. "henceforth and forevermore, this pageant shall be known as the hunger games." the projector shuts off. 

"now, ladies and gentlemen," mireya purrs, "let's see our tributes for this year!" she gives her widest smile, showing her teeth which are embedded with jewels. "ladies first!" she prances over to the bowl of names, excited to see who's lives will be taken from them this year. she digs to the bottom of the bowl and takes out a name. 

"you okay?" finnick asks you. 

"of course." you say with a sigh. mireya walks back over to the microphone, unraveling the name. 

"finnick odair!"