Secrets of the Sea | Finnick Odair

- chapter 17 -

FINNICK

This wasn't supposed to happen. This was never supposed to happen. Cordelia was supposed to age out of the reapings and let him take care of her with the funds he received each month. She would avoid the trauma the games left you with and they would grow old together. Maybe even start a family.

And yet, Cordelia was here, crying in his arms. There was no avoiding the games, and the path to the other side was filled with nightmares. Nightmares that took over your life. He would know, he had experience. "Delia..." Finnick started softly, what should he say? What could he? What's done was done, this was reality. This was her reality, that alone made it his reality, and he couldn't just leave her. It may be his first year mentoring but Cordelia's life was on the line. Whether she knew it or not, she would need to rely on him, he was her lifeline. He pushed her head under his, feeling her rest against the space between his shoulder and his chest. Letting his head rest on hers, he continued. "I'm going to get you out of there." Finnick kissed her red curls, her beautiful red curls, "I promise."

...

˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙

...

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. Finnick sat beside Mags, opposite Cordelia. Beside her was Elliot and Elora sat at the head of the table. Elora would almost be talking to herself about the other reapings if it wasn't for Cordelia's polite replies. Finnick was going through any and every game plan in his head. So far every option had scared him to death or pissed him off, the constant glances from Elliot in his direction weren't helping either. It was a harsh reminder that he actually had two tributes, and despite wanting to put all his efforts towards Cordelia, it would be a bad look to be ignoring one of his tributes. Even if that tribute was sizing him up as though he was the competition. It took a lot to not glare in return.

"Well." Elora stood from the table. "I'll be retiring now, I suppose you can begin mentoring," She looked at Mags and himself, "How exciting!" With a few long strides, only the District Four residents remained.

"So Odair, ready to coach us to victory?" Three sets of eyes shot to Elliot, staring at him, Cordelia with her mouth slightly agape, Mags with widened eyes. Finnick was unimpressed, he let his eyebrow raise and let out a sigh. This was going to be a long mentorship.

"Are you actually going to listen to anything I say? Or would my time be wasted on you?" Despite the two people he trusted most in the world being there, in the room with him, he had to put his Capitol persona up. It had worked so well for him last time, and if he was going to get Cordelia out of there alive he would need it again. Not to mention all the Capitolites on the train. Elora may have gone to her room, but there was no telling if she'd come out to discuss some kind of plan to get tributes liked by sponsors. Finnick had first-hand experience with that last year.

That wasn't even including the peacekeepers that were around here somewhere, plus the Avoxs' who roamed around silently. He had to take every precaution. Even Elliot was untrustworthy, there was no telling if he would turn around and out Finnick to the Capitol as some scared little boy. It would surely boost Elliot's rating.

"Nope. I doubt you would be helpful to me at all." Well, that was a surprise. "I wouldn't trust you could make me a Victor. No. I want Mags to be my mentor. My only mentor. She mentored you, and you won. Seems like the obvious choice." That was less of a surprise.

"I suppose we could work out something like that," Mags chimed in, "What do you think Cordelia?"

Cordelia looked around the room, first at Elliot who smirked in victory like he'd already won somehow. Then at Mags, who smiled sweetly, and finally at Finnick. Finnick nodded his head subtly. He would explain why this worked out in her favour later when they were back in the privacy of one of their personal rooms.