𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫

THIRTEEN

xiii. Rooftop

Aurora's mind wondered as she stood in the elevator, feeling her body rise higher and higher. Tonight was it, the last night she had before her potential death. Or worse, Finnick's death. She knew for sure, she'd protect him at all costs, but she wasn't sure if he knew. She and Finnick had been together for as long as they could remember. Since childhood, the time when their minds were so underdeveloped, so innocent. She found herself missing those times desperately. She'd give anything to go back in time, just once, to feel the safety, the peace she felt before. Before the games, before the death of her family, before everything was ruined.

It was crazy to her. How when they were children the only thing they'd worry about was their parents getting angry with them, or when it was too cold outside to play with Finnick. But now, she was worried for her own life, afraid that at any moment Snow would force her to do something she dreaded ever doing. God knows Finnick had gone through that one too many times.

Soon enough, a ding brought her from her thoughts. The doors of the elevator opened to reveal Finnick, leaning on the edge of the building, staring off at the bright lights of the Capitol. He was fiddling with something in his hand, Aurora could see that. She knew what it was, without needing to see exactly what was in his hand.

She stepped out of the elevator, stopping only a few feet behind him. She let out a sigh, notifying him of her presence. He glanced back to see her stood there, briefly, before his focus went back to the knot in his fingers.

"Ace told me you were up here," Aurora spoke up. He didn't respond. "I spoke with Haymitch."

She walked up to the edge to stand close beside him. Her eyes got caught by the city lights and the sights of Capitol CItizens walking on the sidewalks. They were so calm, collected, safe. Meanwhile, Aurora and the rest of the tributes were saying their final goodbyes before the games.

"So did I," Finnick finally said. "Got this gem from him." He showed Aurora his wrist to show a golden bracelet, something that looks like it came from ancient Greece.

"For tomorrow?" she asked as her eyes finally connected with his own. He held a somber smile, drastically different from the charming smirk that always graced his face.

"Yeah," he answered, bringing his hand back to the knot. Aurora looked at him with concern in her eyes. The only time he ever had the knot with him was when he wasn't feeling the greatest when the anxiety took over. She knew it was because of the games, they were all terrified of what was to come the next day.

There was a calming silence, the only noises that were heard were their slow breaths and steady heartbeats. Just his presence, as well as the cool breeze that brushed over her skin, felt therapeutic, as if she were back at home, listening to the waves crashing onto the shore. He reminded her of home. He brought her mind away from everything wrong with their world, their shitty, small world.