chapter fifty-three
AFTER ALL OF THE DRAMA OF THE PAST WEEKS, Octavia and Finnick hadn't had time to visit Alena, who they were sure was dead years ago. It was surprising and relieving to find her alive.
"It took you nine years to propose? You idiot!" She certainly hadn't lost her banter. The redhead was thrilled to be free. Though, at times, she couldn't handle the stress. That said, it was important for all of her visitors to tread lightly with what they said to her.
"Yeah, I have to agree with you," Octavia gives a cheeky smile as Finnick playfully scoffs.
"It was a long time coming, alright? I had to wait for the right moment," he defends himself.
"The right moment was after I caught you trying to lie to me?" Octavia questions, quirking an eyebrow. Alena's eyes widened slightly at her friends' words.
"Okay, you know what—" Finnick is cut off,
"When is the wedding?" Alena asks with a big smile on her face. She looks between the couple, anticipating a response.
Finnick's dumbfounded expression combined with Octavia's wide eyes makes Alena's face drop slightly.
"You don't know?" She questions, voice slightly raised but with a playful tone.
"Things have been. . ." Octavia's voice trails off, looking to Finnick.
"Complicated," he finishes.
"Well, you have to have a wedding! You can have it here!" She gleefully exclaims.
"I don't have a dress, or anything, really," Octavia says awkwardly.
"Actually, um," Finnick's voice is low, "there is a dress for you."
"What?" Octavia's brows knit in confusion.
"After we did the show with Caesar, I had Cinna design one for you," he admits, crimson creeping to his cheeks.
Octavia's heart swirls at his confidence to have a wedding dress made for her.
"And it's here?"
He nods, confirming her question. Finnick chews the inside of his cheek, waiting for her to say something.
Octavia looks from Finnick to Alena, and back to Finnick.
"Will you marry me?" She asks him with a happy glow on her face. He jokingly gasps.
"I asked you first!"
Octavia can't help but laugh.
"Let's get married."
───
The dress was stunning, as was everything Cinna had ever designed. This dress, however, exceeded anything Octavia could've dreamt up.
Seeder gently places the veil on her head. She was the only one Octavia wanted to help her get ready, much to Effie's dismay.
As she looks at herself in the mirror, she considers all the people who should be here with her, celebrating her love.
Augustus. . . Thresh. . . Rhea. . . Consus. . . Chaff. . .
The list is never-ending.
"You look beautiful, Octavia," Seeder says, gently stroking the woman's cheek. Tears dance in the corners of Seeder's eyes as she looks at Octavia.
"Please don't cry, Seeder," Octavia begs, placing her hand overtop of the woman's.
"I'm just. . . so happy for you."
And Octavia knows that she means it.
"They would all be so proud of you," Seeder says, reading Octavia's mind. Octavia nods with a sad smile.
A knock on the door lets them know that it's time.
Octavia breathes in deeply, looking at Seeder who was practically beaming.
As they enter the large room, everyone stands to see her, but Octavia's eyes can only see one thing—Finnick.
He looked perfect, as he always does, as he did the day she met him. Tears spring to his eyes as he takes in her appearance.
As she reaches him, Finnick takes her hands into his. He could do nothing but smile, he was speechless.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony."
Oddly, Octavia can hear Effie Trinket's sniffling from the third row. It doesn't distract her from Finnick's flawless smile, though.
"Do you, Finnick Odair, take this woman, Octavia Cirillo, to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"
Finnick responds, voice shaking ever so slightly.
"I do."
"And do you, Octavia Cirillo, take this man, Finnick Odair to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
Octavia's heartbeat pounds in her ears. Fulfillment was something she never saw for herself, living in the world she lived in.
But now, here, with him, she was truly and wholly fulfilled.
"I, Finnick Odair, take you, Octavia Cirillo," his voice falls over her ears like the crashing waves in Four, gorgeously calming every fear, every worry, and every doubt she'd ever had.
"To be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
A tear slips down his cheek as his smile widens, looking at Octavia as if she was the only person on the planet.
And to him, she is.
"I, Octavia Cirillo," she inhales deeply, "take you Finnick Odair, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
She doesn't even hear the man behind them tell Finnick to kiss her, she's too overcome with emotion. Finnick places his lips gently to hers, letting their love flow between them and confirming them husband and wife.
The crowd is cheering, but all Octavia can focus on is Finnick's soft voice as he pulls away from her.
"I love you."
───
Later, Octavia and Finnick had managed to sneak away to their room. In a perfect world, he'd be carrying her over the threshold of their home in Four. But this wasn't that world anymore, so they'd make perfect with what they had.
He gently lifted her off of the floor, letting his hands support her as they kissed. Her arms wrapped around his neck perfectly, keeping him close.
Their kisses weren't greedy, not even necessarily lustful. Their kisses were careful. Their kisses were gentle. Their kisses were. . . loving.
As they stumbled into the painfully small bed, his hands undid the zipper of her dress as she unbuttoned his shirt and threw his tie to the floor.
The white dress fell away from her body, exposing her to him.
Finnick made sure to kiss every bit of skin on Octavia's body. He was slow, careful not to miss a single centimeter. Octavia was breathless.
"Finnick," she gasps, "please."
The sound of his lips against her skin drove her mad. The feeling of his hands felt like the burn of a thousand fires.
When he finally made his way back up to her, she was desperate.
"You're so beautiful, Octavia," he whispers. His deep voice only made her stomach stir.
She lifted her head just enough to reconnect their lips.
Every second was passionate. It was overwhelmingly intimate. Just when Octavia thought there was no possible way for her to love him more, every fraction of time melted her into him, letting him absorb her energy, her heart, and her soul.
She was his.
And he was hers.
As they both reach their climax, their lips connect again for the perfect flutter of butterflies through their stomachs as the overwhelming sensation floods through their bodies.
Breathless, Finnick lies beside Octavia. She turns to face him, lying on her side. Their skin brushes against each other, the warmth of their bodies consuming the other.
"I love you," she breathes, eyes pouring into his with love and admiration.
"I love you too," he replies, bringing his hand to her face gently, "You know, if we were in Four, we'd have had to do this whole, ridiculous dance that they'd always do at weddings. Both of our families, Mags, Chaff. . ." his voice trails off, looking at her to ensure that he wasn't making her upset, "they'd all be there, doing that awful dance," he chuckles slightly, making her smile.
"They're all dancing somewhere," she says sweetly, "I just hope they weren't looking down on us a few minutes ago. . ." she wrinkles her nose.
Finnick bursts out laughing.
"God, let's hope not," his voice filled with amusement brings warmth to her cheeks.
Octavia beams, enjoying every second of his laughter.
"I love you so much," she whispers with a small smile. Finnick kisses her head before responding.
"I love you, Mrs. Odair."
Octavia laughs at his words. He leans in to kiss her.
"Let's hope they aren't watching right now. . ." he whispers to her before moving to hover over her.
She laughs out loud before moving to kiss him.
END OF CHAPTER
a/n
super cute wedding chapter!!!! finally!!!!
obviously they're going to have a happy ending...
right?
RIGHT??????
thanks for reading! <3