Once everyone from the Capitol leaves District 4 it's finally safe to see Annie again. When I enter her house the next morning I find her asleep on the couch. She must be having a rare good dream because her lips are curled up in a slight smile.
I place a blanket over her and sit down at the end of the couch where her head barely reaches. I decide to just wait for her to wake up and turn the tv on which is showing, no surprise, more clips of Katniss and Peeta. I know that they're the victors but people seem borderline obsessed with them.
I'm watching a rerun of their final interview when I feel Annie stir next to me. She sits up and stretches while making a sound that sounds like a whale's mating call. I laugh in amusement and that's when Annie notices me.
"Finn!" She jumps across the couch and wraps her arms around my neck.
"Hey Annie," I greet. I nuzzle her nose a bit before leaving a quick kiss on her lips.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"Duh, I missed you," I say. That should've been obvious.
Annie smiles and leaves a peck on my cheek. "Well I missed you, too. There were no problems this time."
I nod with a relieved expression. Thank god. Annie seemed fine at the banquet and might have even enjoyed herself a little. She notices the television which is showing more footage from the tour. Apparently Katniss and Peeta are now in District 8.
"Aren't they cute?" Annie asks with a lazy grin.
Cute? All I see is them making out and holding hands like they always do. "I guess so," I answer unsurely. They're cute if you enjoy over the top PDA.
"I'm happy they found love from their situation. They're sort of like us," Annie muses.
I stare at Annie in bewilderment. Katniss and Peeta aren't in love and they're definitely not like the two of us. What Annie and I have is real and true, not that act they're putting up.
I shake my head. "They're not in love. Well Peeta obviously is. I feel bad for him. She can never match what he feels for her."
Annie looks at the screen with a pensive expression. She's quiet for a while, and I call her name but she doesn't answer. I just lean back against the couch playing with Annie's fingers while I wait for her to come back.
"No I think she loves him. She just doesn't know it yet," Annie says still staring blankly at the tv.
The sound of the front door opening causes her to snap from her reverie and we both turn to see who it is.
"Mags!" Annie exclaims before standing up to give her a hug.
"Good morning," Mags greets happily.
"Nice to see you again Finnick."
"Hey Mags!" I say. I wrap my arm around her and Annie's shoulders. "Now I'm finally reunited with my two ladies."
"Oh Finnick it's only eight and you're already cracking jokes," Mags teases.
I wink flirtatiously. "You know me."
Mags hits me up the side of the head. I pout at her as she and Annie laugh and begin making breakfast.
***
Life is good again, but I don't know for how much longer. Tensions are rising and they're rising quickly. The stunt Katniss pulled in the arena didn't go unmissed by the districts and they definitely didn't see it as an act of love. They saw it as an act of defiance which is what it was in all its entirety.
I know that Snow is doing his best to cover up the revolts sprouting up in the districts but news has a way of getting around among the victors. Johanna definitely has a lot to say. She calls me a lot to tell me the latest news. None of us are worried about our calls being listened to. We're not indulging any secret information or anything Snow doesn't already know. Plus he already hates us.
So far every district is protesting against the Capitol one way or another. Eleven, Five, Three, and Seven are where the most unrest is at the moment. Even here in Four, which is considered one the luckier districts, the tension is becoming palpable.
It's only a matter of time before the situation gets out of hand, and I'm worried about what will happen once it does. There's a good chance we'll be collateral damage especially since the rebels are trying to recruit me to their cause. I just have too much to lose to get involved with something so farfetched.
"Annie, let me carry them," I tell her. We're coming back from the market and she keeps on insisting on carrying the large bag of food.
"I can handle it," Annie says for the hundredth time, but I still won't give up. I try to snatch it from her but she moves it from my reach.
"Not today, Odair," she says with a sly grin.
I groan dramatically. "Come on, Annie, you can't be carrying the biggest bag. It makes me look bad."
"That's fine. I think your ego could use a little deflating." Annie nudges me playfully with her hip.
I pretend to look affronted for a moment before I smirk at her. "Impossible with these stunning looks." I strike a flirtatious pose with the bag of groceries, causing Annie to burst out laughing.
She opens her front door and I follow her inside. We put the groceries away before we enter the living room. I lightly push Annie on to the couch and she falls down on her back. Then I kneel over her and leave a lingering kiss on her lips. I can feel her smile against my own.
"Well someone is being forward today," she jokes. I try to lean down for another kiss, but Annie turns away. She pretends to play hard to get but I know she likes me chasing her.
Annie is laughing. Finally I get another kiss in and sit up in satisfaction. Annie sits up too, her cheeks slightly flushed.
I poke her cheek and she slaps my hand away. "Stop that."
I smirk at her. "You're blushing," I joke.
Annie rolls her eyes and gets up hastily from the couch. "Help me finish this hammock and rug before Dad comes back from his fishing trip with Luke."
"Fine," I agree.
Annie wanted to surprise her dad just for fun with a hammock and new rug since he was always complaining how ugly the one that came with the house was. I was in charge of the hammock since the rug took artistic ability which apparently I lacked.
Annie and I work and talk with the tv on as background noise. Our hands are tying the knots methodically. It's kind of soothing and I get why Annie preoccupied herself with making that hammock for me while I was gone. Tying the knots, I slowly forget about my problems.
However an odd snapping sound brings me from my thoughts. It sounds strangely familiar. It's something I've heard before but not a lot of. Soon the chilling noise is coupled with pained grunts, and I finally look up.
My eyes widen at the scene. The happy images of Katniss and Peeta are now replaced by a more gruesome one. I recognize the place as District 12 from my tour years ago except that it looks completely different. There are all sorts of horrifying contraptions and a young man is currently tethered to one as the head Peacekeeper whips him repeatedly. It must be a new group of Peacekeepers since Twelve was remarkably lax when I visited.
The man gets whipped again and falls unconscious. He gets hit again and again, and Annie yelps, tears coming to her eyes. I immediately get up to turn the television off but someone suddenly darts in front of the man with her arms outstretched protectively.
"No!" she yells. I can't believe she had the guts to do that. It's pretty stupid actually. She can't stop the Peacekeeper.
The whip catches her in the face and she falls down hard on the ground. I hesitate, and my mouth opens in shock when the girl turns around with blood running down her cheek. It's Katniss. Now the stupidity doesn't really shock me, but maybe she could get away with it.
"Stop it!" She shouts again.
The Peacekeeper just regards her with disapproval. His mouth is pressed in a tight line. He waits for Katniss to move. He obviously doesn't recognize her because he raises his hand to send the whip in her direction again. She still doesn't move and I have to admire her determination.
However before Katniss can get hit again, Haymitch jumps in front. He looks at her face before reprimanding the Peacekeeper. It's finally then that he recognizes Katniss as this year's victor. Then Peeta come up, completing the little reunion of District Twelve victors making a small stand to the Capitol, right on national television. I'm sure Snow will love that.
Suddenly the connection gets cut off and is replaced by the seal of Capitol. It's too late though. Anyone watching tv would have seen what happened. It's only going to add fuel to the rebellion.
I look back and Annie is crying silently. I hug her and shush her saying everything is okay.
"It's terrible," Annie whimpers. There aren't a lot of whippings in Four so she's probably never seem them. Plus Annie has always been sensitive to things like that.
"I know, but we're okay," I tell Annie. I rub comforting circles in her back. "They'll be okay. They saved that man and they're victors."
Annie nods but she doesn't talk much for the rest of the day. She's totally zoned out during dinner and ends up going to bed early. I decide to sleepover that night just to make sure she's okay.
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling as I replay what I saw. Now more than ever people will be looking to Katniss to lead them. The thing is I don't think she can. She can't handle it. Katniss is young. She doesn't know how to be a leader. She's too compulsive and that behavior only gets people hurt. I don't know what the people are thinking wanting to make her their leader.
I want the rebellion to be true more than anything. If I thought we actually stood a chance then I would join in a heartbeat. I haven't forgotten about Plutarch's offer. I think about it every day. I'm convinced I made the right choice turning him down. He probably can't be trusted but there's a small part of me wishing I hadn't.
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Hey! This is sort of a filler chapter, but I hope you liked it anyway. I just needed something to help transition into what's happening in the next chapter. I think you have an idea of what's going to happen next so watch out for that...