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.
"If that's what you want Elliot."
"Of course it is. Do you think I would settle for someone who has never mentored before?" Elliot scoffed. "He has no idea what he's doing."
The silence that followed was loud. It was true, that Finnick had never mentored before, but he had a pretty good idea of what he could do to get his tribute to win. And since Elliot expressed no interest in working under him, it had all worked out. Finnick could spend all his time and all his effort helping Cordelia. Mags would be mainly focused on Elliot, but Finnick was sure she would make sure Cordelia had all she needed.
Without knowing it, Elliot had given Finnick exactly what he wanted, complete focus on Delia.
...
˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙
...
"I won't be far. Just one carriage down."
"I know Finnick."
"If you need me just call out, I'll hear you. Or ask an Avox, they'll grab me straight away." Cordelia grabbed his hand and squeezed. He almost melted.
"Finn, please- It's ok. I'm just going to shower and change. I'll come find you as soon as I'm done." He felt himself relax as he let a breath out, he hadn't even noticed he'd been holding one in. Cordelia had a small smile on her face and Finnick could still see the redness surrounding them from her crying session earlier. With their hands still connected Cordelia raised them up to rest on her heart. "I'm alright, I promise."
Finnick smiled softly back at her, copying her movements and resting their conjoined hands on his heart. However, he took it one step further when he raised them higher to kiss her hand. "After."
And with that, Cordelia slipped into her room and disappeared. Was there the option of waiting right there outside her door for her to finish? Yes. Was he going to? Probably not. Finnick trusted that Cordelia would find him if she needed him, and as tempting as it was to sit in the hallway he had to talk to Mags. His lack of knowledge and skill was clear. At this moment, he was inexperienced. It would be clear to the Capitol and the rest of the Districts when Cordelia would be out there. He didn't know how to look for sponsors, or how to gain their loyalty to his tribute. That wasn't even including the fact that because of his win last year, District Four had a big target on them. No one wanted to sponsor some of the biggest targets. The games hadn't even started, not officially. Cordelia and Elliot had only been seen at their reapings. Which meant she hadn't had a chance to properly win them over. Elliot would have some interest seeing as he was a volunteer. Despite the Career District title, Four didn't have volunteers.
Last year Mags would be either in the lounge carriage or in her room. Finnick didn't tend to intrude in her personal space, but if she wasn't in the lounge he might have to. There was a limited amount of time before Cordelia was out and looking for him. Finnick estimated they would have slightly longer than usual, there was a lot for her to process and her time alone in the shower would give that to her. Crossing his fingers, Finnick entered the lounge. Letting out a sigh of relief he walked over to Mags and sat down.
The woman was sitting quietly, sipping tea. "I wondered how long it would take you to find me." She sipped again. "So, Finnick, what would you like to know?"
"Sponsors. I know that Cordelia will be able to pull in sponsors but how do I keep them?" These were going to be important. Sponsors could make or break your game. The arena may be about physicality and smarts. But in the Capitol, it was all about winning people over. Personality was everything. He'd managed to use all of those things to his advantage. But he had Mags working the Capitol sponsors and even Cordelia, who pulled off the impossible, securing him the most expensive sponsor gift. Something that won him the game. Mags gave him a sad smile.
"They're powerful people Finnick. They have power and influence. Those kinds of people like to be around other kinds of people." Finnick was confused.
"And?"
"Most sponsors go through Snow." She explained. "He has a pull over them, sways their opinions." Realisation set in. After ignoring Snow, and blatantly declining Snow's offer, he would now have to work in Snow's domain. In Snow's empire. After working so hard to keep Cordelia out of it. Keep her safe and protected, but now she'd been reaped. She was now exactly where he didn't want her to be.
Had he played into Snow's hand? Mags had warned him about Snow, and the extent the man would go to in order to get his way. His parents had paid the price once. Finnick had done everything in his power to stop the same thing happening to Cordelia. But now... Was it his fault that Delia was in this situation? Forced into the exact position he found himself in last year. He felt his heart stop. His stomach dropped.
"Finnick, sweetie?" Mags reached her hand out to touch his face. The back of her hand rests against his forehead. "You've gone pale, is everything alright?" No. Everything was not alright. He might've just condemned the love of his life to death. Snow may not have killed her directly, but maybe he wouldn't have to. The games might do that for him. Finnick could feel a sweat coming on.
He could feel his hands beginning to shake. Was this crazy idea actually making sense? The worst part is it did. "Mags, I think it's my fault Cordelia was reaped."
"What do you mean?" When he didn't respond Mags tried again. "Finnick?"
"Do you remember my birthday? The letter from the Capitol." Mags nodded slowly. "The job Snow gave me, you know I declined and my parents were killed." Again, Mads nodded. "The letter, it threatened Delia." Finnick took a deep breath in. "I did everything I could to keep her safe." His voice broke. "It didn't matter. It didn't matter Mags!" His eyes welled with tears.
"Oh, Finnick-"
"It's my fault, it's all my fault... Delia is in the worst possible position to win- Snow did this, he set it all up, and I've played right into his hand." His words came out rushed, thoughts forming sentences that just came straight out; without a filter. "How could I let my guard down? Why did I think I'd won?" Finnick was hyperventilating at this point. This was completely against his carefully constructed Capitol persona, but right now he needed to let this out. Get it off his chest and out of his mind. Mags put her tea down and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. This broke his dam. Tears fell down his cheeks and he hastily moved to brush them away. This panic attack he might be able to explain away as nerves due to his first year of mentoring, but tears? He wouldn't be able to explain them away as easily. Fortunately, no one else came in.
They sat in their embrace for a while. Finnick soaked up the comfort Mags offered and Mags sat quietly, assumedly trying to think of words to say. Really there was nothing she could say. The evidence Finnick gave was enough. Snow was a terrible man. He knew it, and so did Mags. After his birthday he'd confided in Mags about the letter. Finnick didn't know who else to turn there was no way he was burdening Cordelia with it, and his parents didn't have a clear view of the Capitol, they never assumed anything was going on behind the scenes, only the games. Mags had listened, and she'd understood. In fact, the letter was kept in Mags's house to store it. Finnick had caught his mother looking for it more than once.
When he'd asked her to keep an extra vigilant eye on Cordelia, she had done just that. Which was comforting on the rare occasion Finnick wasn't with her.
"I hate that man." Finnick sniffled, calming slightly. "I hate that man so much." The amount of venom in his words was enough to rival those stupid Capitol-created Tracker-Jackers. He pulled away from Mags and she smiled at him softly. "He's going to do everything he can to prevent her from winning, I know he will. This arena will be designed against her. I can feel it."
"Well then, I suppose we will just have to prepare her for anything."