BOMBSHELL - Finnick Odair

4

Ember

Sweaty bodies pushed up against me and I stumbled, trying to make my way off the dance floor and towards some fresh air.

The Capitol's citizens have desperately tried to catch my attention by asking for a dance, stopping to talk about the games, or offering me gifts. Aero scolded me beforehand on how rude it was to refuse any of it.

So instead of hiding away all night, I played my part. I smiled when I really wanted to cry out at talk of the arena, I giggled as my many dance partners spun me around and tried not to gag when their hands explored places other than my waist.

I finally escaped the sea of colorful people and walked over to a less populated corner in an attempt to catch my breath.

My eyelids fluttered close and I took deep breaths, in and out, to calm myself down from the overwhelming atmosphere. "Here," a familiar voice said.

I opened my eyes to the sight of a drunken Haymitch, extending a glass out towards me. I crinkled my nose at the sight of it.

"Oh come on, princess," he huffed. "Self medicate, would you? Maybe then you'd be easier to like."

I rolled my eyes, but snatched the drink from his grasp. "Ha-Ha. You know you love me already," I argued with a playful smile. I tipped the glass back and tried to hold a gag back from the taste.

"Starting with the hard stuff are we?"

A cough escaped my lips at both the sight of Finnick and the taste of whiskey on my tongue. He wore a button down top that had less buttons clasped than a pair of jeans.

God. I threw the rest of the drink back.

Finnick tipped his head in Haymitch's direction and said, "Mitch," in acknowledgement.

"Peacock," Haymitch mumbled back, just loud enough for us to hear. Finnick smiled, not the least bit offended from his words.

He turned his attention towards me now. "I realized how rude it was that I hadn't asked you for a dance yet."

I shook my head, "You missed your turn. I'm all danced out now." Before I could turn around to walk away, he took a step closer.

"I'm sure the Capitol tabloids are just itching for another sight of us together, 'Em." Finnick said with that annoying smirk on his face.

Haymitch raised an eyebrow at the nickname before walking away and mumbling something about tension.

I pushed the strap of my dress that fell down to my shoulder up higher and gave him a pointed look. "Maybe after you buy me another one of these," I said as I waved the empty glass around.

He raised a brow, "You need better friends than Haymitch and Felix." But Finnick wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked us over to the bar.

"You know any?" I asked, taking a seat on the leather barstool. He shrugged and sat on the stool next to mine, "I might know one."

I couldn't fight the smile from my face at our playful banter.

Click* Click* Click*

We both whipped our heads in the direction of a cameraman taking pictures of our exchange. My smile slowly faded. Finnick, wanting to put on a show, wrapped his arm back around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.

I leaned into him and whispered into his ear, "What is this? A game to you?"

He laughed like I said something funny and whispered back into mine, "This is the furthest thing from it."

Finnick pulled away, leaving me a little speechless. "Two over here, please!" He yelled with a wave of his hand at the bartender.

The purple haired bartender nodded with a smile and fluttered her eyelashes at him, causing me to scowl at her very obvious flirting.

She leaned over to place both drinks down on the countertop, her flesh exposed and filling out of her top. "For you, Fin."

I slid both drinks closer to us. "It's Finnick," I said, annoyed.

The bartender stood up straighter, "Um-yes of course! It's a pleasure to meet you Ember!"

"Mhm," I replied, sipping on one of the pretty drinks she made for us. She quickly scrambled away to attend to another customer.

I felt Finnick's gaze on the side of my face, so I turned around to give him a questioning look, "What?"

He tried to hold back a smile, but was failing miserably. "Oh nothing, it's nothing."

"Whatever," I grumbled and took a bigger sip.

Our interaction was then interrupted by a tall and colorful Capitol woman who placed her hand on Finnick's arm. I narrowed my eyes at her long fingernails that were gripping onto him.

"Finny," she whined. "When are we going to get out of here?'

My lips parted in surprise, but I tried not to let too much emotion show. He tensed at the sudden touch before quickly covering it up.

But I noticed.

He grabbed her hand in both of his and tugged her in closer. My heart stung at the familiar gesture. "Soon, love."

Her red lips jutted out in a pout. "Please hurry," she said and placed a kiss on his cheek, leaving a stain in its place.

Finnick froze at the contact and let his shoulders sag as she walked away. I cleared my throat awkwardly.

Suddenly remembering my presence, he sat up straighter and turned the barstool to face mine again. "Sorry."

My lips went into a thin line. "You shouldn't be."

He grabbed his glass and threw all of the drink back. "Save me a dance for next time," he said as he straightened his coat and stood up to leave.

"Wait!"

He paused in his stride, looking back at me. I grabbed the napkin off of the counter and got to my feet.

I reached up and held his stubbly cheek in my hand. Using the wrinkled napkin, I lightly wiped away at the red lipstick on his tan skin until it was gone. "There," I whispered.

His eyes searched mine almost like he was looking for something. "Thank you," he whispered back.

I blinked, noticing our close proximity. "You better get going," I said and took a step back. He nodded his head.

"Yeah, you're right," he said. "Until next time."

I watched his retreating figure all the way across the room and even as he disappeared through the double doors.

I stared on, almost in a trance, before a voice broke me out of it.

"Didn't take you as the type to be into Fish," Haymitch said, placing another drink in between my hands.

I chugged the bottle, ignoring Aero's warning of coming off as a drunkard.

"Me either."