Heart of Gold • Finnick Odair

-28-

ROSALIE POV

Things changed after the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Everything was tense.

Katniss and Peeta now had a big act to continue.

I miss Rue. I check on her family often, as promised.

Finnick and I had more clients than ever. After two victors won, some important friends of Snow started to question his ability to control the districts. This meant me and Finnick were forced to take action. To please his untrusting friends. And also to take attention from the star-crossed lovers.

Things seem to have changed between Finnick and I too. Over the years we became closer as friends but in the past year, he's become a lot more... flirty. Not in his Capitol appearance way but in an honest, real way.

Everything changed one day, one week before the quarter quell spin off would be announced, a few months before the Quarter Quell would take place, when we were both in the Capitol at the same time.

I had come back from an event with a client to find Finnick stood leaning against the wall.

He pushed himself off when he saw me, "hey Rosie."

"Hey Finn, what's up?" I asked sceptically, not sure what to think of the boy who seemed to have been waiting for my arrival.

His eyes glance down to my neck where my necklace lies before raising to my face again. A necklace Finnick gave me as a gift. It had a silver chain with a silver charm at the end. It was an infinity symbol but the symbol had intricate details to outline that it was a rope knotted and tied into an infinity shape.

I never took it off, it reminded me of Finnick meaning every time my fingers traced the jewellery I felt safe.

"It's been a long night. You wanna come in for a drink?" his tired sea-green eyes meet mine.

"You have no idea how much I need a drink," I joke.

He opens his door and I follow him in, making my way straight to his couch as he gets two glasses and a bottle of whatever alcohol he could find.

"Thanks," I take the glass filled halfway with a brown liquid. Finnick takes a seat next to me with a distracted look on his face. "Talk. What's on your mind?"

He sighed but shook his head slightly.

"Odair," I say in a mock serious tone with underlying concern. "Come on, you trust me don't you?"

He looks at me, "with my life."

"So...?"

"I can't stop thinking about this years games. Quarter Quell. Anything could happen. I have a bad feeling."

"Me too," I admit. "We need a distraction." I down my drink before standing and playing some music.

I stand in front of Finnick with my hand stretched out towards him, "what are you doing?"

I roll my eyes but reply anyway, "dance with me?"

He tries to suppress the grin forming on his face but fails the moment he places his hand in mine.

We dance to the upbeat song and Finnick spins me before bringing me back into his chest as we laugh.

The song fades and changes to a slower one. Finnick places his arms around my waist and I raise mine to hang loosely around his neck. His hands tightened on my hips as my fingers grazed his neck.

Our laughter silenced once the music had changed, a soft smile left on my face.

Just now did I realise how close we were. I could feel Finnick's breathe on my face.

He glances at my lips, a look in his eyes I can't quite read.

"What are you doing?" my voice is quiet, a whisper.

When he replied, his voice was husky, "I have no idea."

I feel his breath against my lips, almost grazing my own, as he waits for permission. I close the small distance between us.

My hands moved from around his neck so one was in his hair and the other rests on his shoulder to keep my balance. I feel his hand tighten around my waist as another cups my face.

I pull away, burying my head in his muscular chest to hide my smile. He bends his head down slightly and whispers in my ear, "tell me what you want."

I look up to see his face to see a soft, genuine smile in place, "I want you."

He wasted no time in placing his lips back on mine and before either of us know it, my legs are wrapped round his waist as he carries me to the bed without breaking the kiss.

And for the first time in a long time I felt truly and utterly happy.