Against All Odds (Finnick Odair love story) (1)

Chapter 35

Btw Kara is inspired by the actress Hermione Corfield. She's literally the perfect Karaline.

I wake trembling in a half lit room. Not quite knowing were I am. My eyes adjusting to the large room around me. My body thick with sweat I breathe in and out deeply. I'm in my bed in my new house. My body freezes this is real. It's actually my house. My own house that I can do whatever I want in.
The sun is up and shining through the windows. I look at the little clock next to my bed and see it's 7:30 in the morning. I stand up my feet touching the cold floor. I walk into my connected bathroom taken aback by how clean everything is. The bathroom has a grand big bathtub. And a completely see through glass shower like at the Capitol just not as fancy.
I find a pile of folded clothes obviously left by Valentine.
There is a v neck navy blue body suit but cut into shorts. Buttoned up the front and clinched at the waist. I shower quickly scrubbing my body hard. I towel dry my hair before throwing it into a high bun on the top of my head.
I drop a folded article of clothing I recognize it as the black sweat shirt finnick let me wear and sleep in the other night.
I dress quickly before throwing Finnick's sweater over my head making my way through the quiet house. I open my front door not bothering with shoes. The only ones in my house are the heels and I'm not feeling like wearing them again. I make my way towards Mags' house. I walk slowly ignoring the warm gravel on my feet. I knock softly or Mags door. Getting a call for me to come in. I slowly step into the house almost identical to mine. It's warmer the walls painted darker tones. All the furniture is dark brown or grey. It's cozy and it suits mags perfectly. I hear music playing softly from somewhere in the house.
I close the door stepping hesitantly towards the kitchen. I'm not surprised when I see Mags in a night gown stirring some kind of batter in a bowl.
"Good morning Karaline." Mags says her eyes shining brightly.
"Morning Mags. How did you sleep?" I ask sitting next on the stool in-front of the island.
"Not to well I had a bad dream last night." Mags tells me.
I look up at her in surprise.
"You have bad dreams too?" I ask her.
"All the victors have nightmares Karaline." A deep voice says from behind me. I jump almost falling off my chair.
"Morning Finnick." I say looking over my shoulder.
"Morning Kara." He greets grinning at me tugging the hood of my/his sweater.
"I didn't mean to scare you." He tells me.
"You're a liar." Mags sings rolling her eyes.
"Your hurting my feeling Mags." He warns faking a hurt look.
"He meant to." She tells me pouring the batter into the pan.
"You got tired of practicing didn't you?" She asks Finnick already knowing the answer.
"Practicing what?" I ask them.
"I'm teaching him how to play the piano. He has absolutely no patience." Mags tells me throwing a loving look at Finnick.
I didn't even realized the soft music had stopped.
"I could teach you too if you'd like. Something tells me you would be better at it than Finnick." She tells me kindly sending a joking look at Finnick.
"You are breaking my heart this morning. You hear me Mags Flanagan you are just the biggest heart breaker aren't you?" He tells her joking back.
She hums shrugging.
"I'm sorry what was that? My hearing aid was off." She says pointing to her ears.
"You don't have a hearing aid." He reminds her rolling his eyes fondly.
"A fair warning Mags literally makes the best breakfast ever." He mutters to me. I realize how casually dressed he is. A white muscle shirt and some draw string sweat pants with no shoes. This look suits him. It looks more natural.
"I don't doubt it. Your pancakes look and smell delicious." I say feeling happier than when I woke up.
"What are your plans for today?" Finnick asks me leaning against the counter next to Mags drinking his coffee.
"I was thinking about finding furniture for my house it's far too empty. Maybe get a few gallons of paint." I tell them.
"We can always order some furniture online. The Capitol doesn't care if we buy things online as long as it's reasonable." He tells me seeing my confused look.
"Mags I'm sorry do you need any help?" I ask realizing I hadn't offered to help.
"No Darling, you are my guest. I invited you. Relax and enjoy yourself." She tells me taking the now ready pancake and add it to the stack.
"I was also thinking about going for a swim later if that's okay." I tell them.
"You don't need to ask our permission just maybe let us know so we can keep an eye out for you." Mags suggests
"Of course." I reply shifting in my chair. Before turning my attention back to Finnick.
"Where is Val?" I ask them looking towards Finnick.
"He already ate he's next door using my phone to speak to Raphael." Finnick tells me.
"Raphael is his boyfriend right?" I ask curiously.
"That's the very one." Finnick says.
"Oh and Kara your clothes got in late last night. It's at my house. We can bring the boxes over to your house after we eat breakfast." Finnick offers.
I nod smiling at him before Mags serves me a single pancake. While finnick goes into her refrigerator and gets a bowl of mixed fruit for me and pours what I'm assuming is orange juice into a cup for me.
"Can we eat on the deck this morning? It's very beautiful outside." Finnick asks Mags as she plates her own and Finnick's pancakes.
"Of course Fin." She says beckoning us towards the door. We all make our way to the deck. All the decks are identical with lounge chairs and a table with an umbrella . There are steps to enter the small green yard mags has turned into a garden full of plants. There is a flight of stairs all the way down to the beach it's massive in size and private fenced off like the rest of victors village with tall brick walls. There are even small docks for each victor. I realize Finnick and I'm assuming Franklin both have pretty decent sized boats.
"Are the victors houses from all the districts this nice?" I wonder aloud as we sit to eat.
"Not really it depends on the district their wealth and the culture. We are very ocean based district so our houses are on the ocean front. District one and two pride themselves with the amount of victors they have so they are wealthy enough to creat small mansions for their victors." Mags answers eating a bite of her pancake.
"Like district 3 is very technology based so their houses are very modern." Finnick adds. I nod in understanding.
The sun feels so good warming my skin. I eat half my pancake and my bowl of fruit. I lean back in my seat taking in the warmth while they talk about when Finnick is going back to work.
"You work?" I ask him getting a laugh from him.
"Always the tone of surprise." He jokes smirking.
"I word in one of the fishing crews down at the docks. My father was friends with the captain. He understands sometimes I need to go to the Capitol for business and lets me run the crew when I'm in." Finnick tells me chewing his food.
"Sorry if it's hard for me to imagine a pretty boy like you being a fisherman." I joke getting a laugh from Mags.
"I figured you would be scared of breaking a nail." I add drinking some of the orange juice taking the sweater off laying it across my lap.
"It's very sweet you think I'm pretty Kara." Finnick teases my face warming up.
"My brother and I pretty much grew up on my fathers boat as a child." Fin tells me.
"I always wanted to go on a boat but my father never allowed me. He told me that women had no place on a boat much less working one." I say aloud my eyes closed soaking in the sunshine.
"He has no idea what he's talking about then. On the crew I work for there are several women they all are the best workers and are stronger than me." Finnick tells me in a matter of fact tone.
"Really?" I say holding back a smile.
"They are the sweetest ladies ever...terrible flirts." He says making Mags giggle softly.
"Everyone flirts with you Finnick." She states.
"I can't help that I'm irresistible." Finnick smirks his eyes doing the smolder that takes every woman in Panem's breath away.
"Right, If you believe that Finnick." I say looking at him. His sea green eyes piercing while his golden hair wild shining in the sunlight.
"I know so." He smirks.
"Mhmmm." I hum unconvinced closing my eyes again.
"I've missed the sun while I was gone." I mutter out loud.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Mags asks me softly.
"It was just so cold and miserable. It was like the opposite of home." I tell them.
"Not even the worst winter could compare to that hell." I whisper breathing out.
"You won't ever have to go through that again Karaline." Mags promises me.
"I would go through it again and a million of more times for everyone I love to be okay." I tell them we sit there in a comfortable silence.
"Well ladies, I'm going to clean this up."Finnick offers picking up all of our plates after a while.
Mags and I both thank him as he leaves us on the deck.
"How are you dealing?" Mags asks me straightforward.
"I'm not. I'm trying to forget it all. Alexander.... all of the people I killed. I don't want to remember any of it." I tell her.
"I'm still scared." I tell her.
"What are you scared of?" She asks me softly. Making me shake my head.
"We can't help you if we don't know what you are afraid of." She insists.
"I don't like being touched or crowded rooms. I don't like loud noises. I'm afraid of men. Women are easier to be around. Men scare me. Being near them. Being looked at by men." I explain tears falling down my cheeks.
"Every time a male gets close to me all I can see and feel is him Mags." I admit my cheeks burning in shame.
"That's a normal reaction considering what you went through. We may have never been hurt that way. But we know what it's like to be scared. Even fearless Finnick Odair." She tells me comfortingly.
"You both have done so much for me. Thank you Mags." I say tears running down my face and neck.
"Don't ever thank a person for doing the right thing. It's our job as your friends and surrogate family to help you. We are just doing our jobs." Mags tells me patting my hands softly. I have never felt so much love for anyone in the whole world like I felt for Mags Flanagan and Finnick Odair in that moment.