AS SOON AS THEY WERE IN THE ELEVATOR THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TO THEIR FLOOR, BELLE LET OUT ALL THE THINGS SHE HAD BEEN DREADING TO YELL AT FINNICK.
"I thought I knew you," she snapped at him as soon as the doors closed. He looked at her, shrugging. "What on Earth is your problem?"
"I don't understand your statement." Being cute was not going to help his situation. "Belle..."
"What was Johanna talking about? And all those trips to the Capitol? The cold facade that you've put on for the past few years. We're about to die, Finnick."
"We're not going to die," he began, but she cut him off.
"Well, we are certainly not going to make it. We might be few of the youngest tributes but we aren't bright new. Johanna, the twins, oh, and let's never forget the dreadful Mr. and Mrs. Killer Berries, who, by the way, are already planning what is the most painful way they are going to kill you." She looked away. "The star-crossed lovers of District 12. Their relationship might be fake as these eyelashes I have on, but at least they seem to share everything."
"I was trying to save you."
"What? Save me? Why would you think I need saving?"
Finnick is a calmed person, someone that doesn't get upset easily. He knows how to keep himself restrained, tolerate whatever comes into his plate with grace and attractiveness, with confidence and elegance. But Belle was the only one that could make him feel like he was seven years old again.
So, after she said that, Finnick lost his patience. "Because I know what's best for you!"
"Oh really!?"
"I've known you my entire life. I've taught you everything I know. Everything you know is because of me!"
"Don't flatter yourself, Finnick!"
"Eight years ago, when Yoleere read your name I almost had a stroke right there. I was sixteen years old, I had already survived the worst things anyone could possibly experience, also beginning to suffer through a whole new other thing, and... and now my best friend in the whole world was going to suffer them too. You can't blame me from trying to protect you from this."
"I already lived the games, Finnick! I suffered through them! Everyday after them was nightmare after nightmare, cry after cry, and where were you!? Where were you when I finally came home to find my father's grave?"
Finnick shook his head. "That's not fair, Belle."
"Where were you, Finnick!? Wasn't it your responsibility to protect me!? Your "best friend in the whole world"? After you finished your duties as my mentor, where were you!?"
"Belle..."
"How do you even dare to say that you hid things from me to protect me when, for the past eight years the only thing you've done was protect yourself?"
Finnick was speechless. So many things he had to say to her. About what happened after he turned sixteen, after the things Snow did to him, and the things he had to do so Belle would be okay.
"There are so many things you don't know, Belle, and I know you are upset. I know I've been hiding things, but I'm done with that. I'm gonna tell you everything."
"I don't want to know," she whispered. "I really don't want to know. I just.. let's get through the night and train in the morning so we can kill each other in that arena."
Finnick looked away. "You are joking right? We are a team."
She shrugged. "Are we, Finn, or is that a lie as well? A lie to protect me? What? You don't think I can survive without you? I've survived without you the past eight years, thank you for your concern."
"It's me, Belle." She was now confused. "I'm the one that can't live without you." He looked right at her eyes. "You are my weakness."
Belle was speechless, but her pride was stronger than any feeling she could have for Finnick, good or bad. Or at least that's what she thought. "If you can't live without me, Finnick, if that's true... then you suck at showing it."
"I'm miserable now, and I can't imagine what I would be if you are gone, so please, just... trust me. Trust me and I... I will try to even make up for all the times I've failed you lately. Please, trust me."
Belle didn't think she had any other choice. The way Finnick was looking at her right at that second was a drug stronger than anything in existence. Her feet melted to the touch of his hand on the skin of her arm, and she felt weak, able to surrender herself to his arms. Desire and lust could be seen behind her honey colored eyes as she was staring into the sea that were his, and at that right moment the only thing she wanted to do, that she was close to do, was kiss him until the fear that was traumatizing her went away.
But that's when the elevator door opened, making Finnick and Belle turn to look at Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss standing there. Finnick and Belle moved aside so that the three of them could walk in, the elevator closing behind Haymitch.
"You forgot to press the button," Finnick whispered to her ear.
"I noticed," she whispered back before clearing her throat, deciding to talk to the new members inside the elevator. "Haymitch. Long time no see."
She met Haymitch at a party at the Capitol few years ago. He was drunk, she was bored. He made her night far more interesting that day. They talked for hours, and, even if he was drunk to the tip of his toes, he was more intelligent than anyone she'd had ever met.
"Yes, Belle. Beautiful as always, I see." She smiled. "You never needed glitter and jewelry to stand out in a crowd, something not many can brag."
"Watch it, Haymitch," Finnick reprended him in form of a joke, making the two men and Belle chuckle. Katniss and Peeta remained quiet. "We all know Belle is incredibly beautiful." He patted Peeta on the back. "We are lucky men, aren't we?"
"I can bet on that," Peeta said in a low tone. Katniss looked at his fiancé. "I'm very lucky."
"You make an adorable couple," Belle said to the two of them.
"Not as much as you two," Katniss complimented them, to everyone's surprise.
Belle smiled, and the sudden thought of Katniss shooting at arrow right through Finnick's throat came to her mind, because she looked as she wanted to do so. "We would've loved to be in your wedding. What a shame."
"Belle," Finnick muttered to her ear, reprehensibly, but the elevator doors opened before she had to apologize or anything.
Johanna was standing there, right at Finnick and Belle's floor. The two walked outside and Johanna walked in, and as Belle and Finnick were about to walk away, Katniss came up with her snarky reply.
"Your wedding would have been wonderful as well. Sorry that Finnick never proposed. What a shame."
Peeta and Haymitch quickly turned to look at her as Johanna held her laughter, the elevator doors closing before Belle or Finnick could say anything.
Belle turned to look at Finnick. "Definitely an ally."
─────❀◦❀◦❀─────
The training center was new, remodeled, everything was more technological and fancier. They sure spent a lot of money on people they want dead just for fun.
Finnick and Belle walked inside, with their fingers interlocked, looking around the place. Both her and Finnick had come up with a plan to get Peeta and Katniss as allies, and they were going to follow it step by step.
The first person she approached as soon as she walked in was Peeta. He was in his corner, away from Katniss, his little babysitter, with a brush and some paint. He was so focused it was almost torture distracting him.
"What you painting?" She asked and he quickly looked up, gulping. "That looks like a tree."
"Camouflage."
"Of course," she whispered. "You did it last time. I remember." He nodded as she sat next to him on the floor. "It's a rare talent. I like rare things."
"Do you have a rare talent yourself?"
She gave him a tiny, mocking smirk before quickly standing up, pointing at him to follow her. He followed her right behind. They arrived at a table with different rocks, from all sorts of types, and also some wood. Peeta was confused.
"It's called knapping," she explained as she started hitting the edge of one of the large rocks with another small one. "I learned it back in my district from my dad, and I was so good at it, I used to do fishhooks for all the fishermen. After a while, I learned how to shape rocks..." She grabbed a piece of wood, smoothing the edges until it was ready. She showed it to Peeta. "Into anything."
It was an arrowhead.
"Woah," he whispered. "It's perfect."
"Thanks," she said with a tiny smirk. "Just between us. I was the one that taught Finnick how to do make all of his hooks and stuff. He won't admit it."
"It's impressive. Not a rare talent. It's helpful in the arena."
Belle shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. I still need to improve my dagger technique. The come very hard on the edges and I need to make them thinner. They aren't comfortable for throwing if they aren't thin enough."
Peeta seemed to understand. "It makes sense. With what sorts of rocks can you do this?"
"Any sort. Why? What do you have in mind?"
"Well... there are a lot of weird things in the arena. Who says there aren't some weird types of thin rocks there are well."
For the first time, Belle saw what Katniss, a harsh and tough girl, could see in someone like Peeta. In that training room there were no victors, only killers. But Peeta... he was the only true victor of the Hunger Games. He was the only one that could be crowned for his heart rather than his killer instinct. And sometimes Belle aimed to be around those types of people. They bring hope.
He reminded her of Ax, her brother.
Belle gives him a smirk. "You got a lot of hope, Peeta, don't you?"
"Honestly... lately I've been running out of some."
"Right," she mumbled. "Well, I couldn't expect less from a man who was going to be married." Peeta looked away while Belle directed her eyes towards Katniss, who was chatting with Finnick. Peeta looked at them as well. "You guys make a wonderful couple."
Peeta looked at her. "You and Finnick do as well. What a shame you never got a chance."
Belle's eyes opened a bit as she arched her eyebrows, surprised and impressed. "Woah, Peeta. Never saw it coming from you." She gave him the arrowhead as a present before beginning to walk away, not before stopping by his side, right next to him, and whisper. "Good luck with the misses."
And then she left. Finnick joined her halfway through, both arriving to the ring together side by side.
"What did you and Katniss talked about?" Belle asked as she put on some straps around her knuckles, Finnick doing the same.
"I taught her the best knot to know at the arena." He turned to look at her. "You and bread boy?"
"Not much. Rare talents, that's all."
The both stood in front of each other, taking their places.
"They are a team," Finnick said as Belle hit first, hun avoiding it. "We have to keep them together."
"Are they a real team or is it for show only?"
"Not sure."
Finnick moved to the side as Belle high kicked, allowing him to grab her leg and make her spin on the air, immediately falling on the mat. Belle groaned in pain, while every tribute in the center turned to look at both of them.
Belle placed her back against the floor, looking at the illuminated ceiling until Finnick filled her entire view. He was smiling, mockingly of course, practically teasing her. He was amused by the whole situation. Her? Not so much.
"You've always been good at running, but I'm better at fighting."
Belle looked at Finnick's legs before placing hers in between them, opening them up like a scissor and making Finnick fall on his back, allowing her to sit down with his legs on top of hers. She was quick to grab them, prevent the guy from trying any sudden movement.
"Nice try, jerk," she mocked him while twisting his leg, making Finnick groan in pain.
But she wasn't going to stop until...
Finnick hit the ring three times, practically running out of air. "I'm done, I'm done!"
Belle let him go and proceeded to stand up, offering him a hand. Finnick, panting, grabbed it and impulses himself up, standing now right in front of her.
"Good one," he complimented her. "But I stand with what I say."
"You wouldn't be a good mentor if you didn't," she said back before they both walked away from the ring, still holding hands. Neither of them had noticed it, as if it was normal or something common. "Hey Finn."
"Yeah?"
She looked up, a tiny smile on her face as she did. "If it ever comes down to the two of us—"
"Belle... Don't even think about that."
"But if it does..." She looked around, noticing that everyone was focused on watching Katniss train rather than they're conversation. "If it does... I'll go down."
"I won't let you."
"You have to. I can't... Just promise me."
Finnick as well saw that everyone was distracted, and hurried to push down Belle behind a wall so nobody at all could see them. The training center was the only place protected from cameras, right? And the gamemakers up there in the balcony were more focused on Katniss than they'll ever be with them two. Yet, still, they hid somewhere nobody could even look at them.
"Belle," he said, whispering. He wasn't going to let anybody hear what he had to said so they wouldn't use it against him. "I don't have anyone else I care in my life right now. Just you. You have your brother and your mom, I have no one but you. If anyone ever finds out about that... I have no idea what can happen. I need to keep you safe, okay?"
Belle thought, right at that second, that Finnick had never been so vulnerable in his life.
And trusting him again was no problem.