a space between } Finnick Odair

Chapter 3 ~natures lullaby~

We eat dinner with Mags after we finish the necklace for Finnick. Ren couldn't wait to show Mags. "It's beautiful girls. Finnick will love it.", she smiles kindly at both of us.

We leave after helping her clean up before I put Ren to bed.

"Promise you won't give the necklace to bubby til morning?", she asks with a pout on her face. I kiss her forehead and comb a few fly aways back. "I promise." She smiles.

"Can you sing?"

The word sing knocks me in the chest my heart dropping. The last time i heard that word was from Dariel as he was dying right in front of me.

I hesitate before nodding. I can't sing the same one I sung to Dariel. Another song comes to mind. One I barely remember hearing my mother sing.

"Blue bird sits outside my window Calling to the sky Baby's chirpin', Mama's coming To sing her lullaby The wind is blowing, the leaves are glowing As the trees reach toward the sky Shadows dancing on a sunlit stage And the clouds are passing me by The sun lights my way As it falls down from the sky It reminds me that love will find me In nature's lullaby"

I can't remember all of it , but it does the trick. Ren's eyes shut gently as her sun-kissed face begins to relax.

I smile softly at her before making my way to the living room. I grab a book and make myself a cup of coffee. The clock only reads 8:00 Finnick should be home in a few hours, but after swimming in the ocean all day I don't think I'd be able to stay awake without the drink.

A few hours pass my coffee well gone. I'm almost finished with the book when I hear the door shut. I snap my glance upwards. I don't see anything.

I hear quick footsteps from upstairs. I place the bookmark in the book before going up to see who the foot steps are coming from. My heart beats out of my chest fearing it's a burglar or something.

I open the door to Ren's room to check on her she's sound asleep nothing in her room has been touched or moved. No signs of foot prints on her floor either.

Light shines from under the bathroom door. I hear the shower turn on. Even over the shower I hear familiar sobs coming from the room.

I knock lightly on the door. "Finnick?" No response minus the sobs and the sound of running water. I try the knob to see if it's unlocked. It's not. I take a Bobby pin from my hair and begin to pick at the lock until the door opens.

I'm startled by the sight. The rooms completely steamed up with a sobbing Finnick sitting beside the shower with only a pair of boxers on.

I feel the water of the shower and jerk my hand back immediately. The water is insanely hot. I turn off the shower then get down in the floor with Finnick.

I notice scratch marks on his back and bruises all over him. His skin is blood red almost as if he was trying to scratch the scratches off. "Finnick.", I say softly my hand hovering over his shoulder afraid to touch him in case I scare him.

"You shouldn't be in here.", he chokes out. "I know. But I am and I'm not leaving." He leans over to me allowing me to wrap my arm around his shoulders.

"What happened?", I ask motioning to the scratch marks and bruises all over him. He shakes his head. "I can't tell you. You'll hate me." "Finnick I wouldn't hate you for anything you know that. I love you."

I place a kiss on his head instantly smelling flower perfume. I should be mad, but in all honesty I feel like he didn't have any say about this.

"When a victor is considered desirable when they turn 16 Snow sells their bodies to paying people of the capital. Prostitution. If you refuse he kills someone you love. I refused the first time and he killed my parents. He threatened to kill Ren if I refused again. I didn't want to take that risk again. So I did as he asked. And still do. Now that you're a victor he has another thing over my head. He won't kill you but he'll make you do the same things as me. You've been through enough. I can't let him do that to you. So I made a deal to allow more customers if it means keeping you and Ren safe."

My heart drops at his confession. He does this for me too? "You can hate me if you want. You can go back home if you want. You don't have to see me again. But I'll still make the deal with Snow."

"Finnick the last thing I'm doing is leaving. This is my home. It's the closet thing I'll ever have to one. That building across the street will never be a home to me. I'll never leave you. I love you."

His breathing still rapid but his sobs stop. "I love you too Pigeon." "Let's get this capital scent off you."

I'm shocked after all of this he allows me to help him get it all off. I scrub his head with his shampoo. Anything that doesn't reek of flowers and can remind him of home.

I put my coconut body wash on a cloth and gently wash his back. "You have to be more rough with it. It gets it all off." "That will only make it hurt worse Finn. Gentle will have the same effect."

I let him finish up as i go downstairs and grab a cup of ice for his bruises. When i come back he's dressed in a pair of pajama pants his hair still wet. The scratches on his back faded and no longer red. Bruises are still visible.

"Sit down here. This will help the bruising.", I say. He does and I place the ice cube gently against one of the bruises. He winces. "I'm sorry.", I cringe at his wince but continue to help him.

After that we lay down in bed snuggling close to each other. "Thank you Daph.", he mumbles softly nearly drifting off to sleep. I kiss in between his eyes knowing it makes him even sleepier. I know he's asleep when soft snores escape him. I fall asleep shortly after. Making the first full night of sleep either of us have had in forever.

Authors note- andddddd boom. Bomb dropped. The way I'm writing this and watching the lion the witch and the wardrobe is hilarious. Alright the the next chapter has brief sa so that's just a trigger warning