Reputation (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 16

     The victors are called up one by one and with each one, the butterflies in Atlas' stomach get even more restless. She watches as Gloss and Cashmere go on stage and vaguely hears their pandering words. Atlas had never been a big fan of the siblings and their fake personas. Of course, Atlas did a lot of acting for the Capitol but the sibling acted that way even in the comfort of just the other victors. She it isn't even suprised when Gloss chokes back some tears. Although her face remained suspicciously dry. But even with Atlas' distaste for the brother and sister, she felt some type of solidarity with them at that moment. Every victor was trying to get the games cancelled. Every victor had their own plan and tactic to manipulate those of the capitol. Atlas was sure Beetee would come up with some logical reason as to why they couldn't go on, Johanna would, of course, most likely be angry, the siblings were displaying their emotional connection to the citizens. But even with her extensive knowledge of the people around her, Atlas had no idea what Finnick would do. Of course, he would probably do as he does best and flirt with the viewers for a bit before winking and sauntering off stage with the eyes of every woman locked intently on his retreating form. Even as he stood up on that stage, every eye would still be locked onto the Capitols favorite man.

     But instead, Finnick seemed far away. As Atlas stood beside him, even his usual cassanova facade had crumbled. Atlas knew it would be back the second he stepped on stage but in the moment, his walls were down. The charm in his gaze had drowned in the calm ocean of his eyes just as Atlas had done many times. His hands hands laid limp, the usual tenseness from many years of weilding a trident and weilding the threat of a punch had seemingly melted under the very sun that had kissed his skin. He seemed almost peaceful. But Atlas knew better. The ocean in his eyes hadnt calmed but instead turned into a raging storm, the charm giving way to unrest. His hands laid limp, not from peace but from dabilitating fear. The sun that had kissed his skin was not a sun at all but instead an artificially bright light used to see where the fake tan on his skin was to be placed. It was winter after all. Even the sun hid.

     "You know whats strange?" Atlas asks, eyes locked on Gloss and Cashmere on the tv in front of them. Crocodile tears leak from their eyes. She can see Finnick turn his head out of the corner of her eye. The life seems to return to his body as he moves his arms across his chest. Atlas lets out a deep breath.

     "What?" Finnick asks, voice laced with nothing but curiosity.

     Atlas keeps staring at the tv, Mars' shaking hand making its way into her peripheral. The man was riddled with anxiety. Atlas, too emotionally drained to help, chalks it up to stage fright.  Atlas blinks a few times before responding to Finnick, her own body suprisingly calm, "Even under the threat of death, this is the most alive I've ever felt." 

     Finnick seems to ponder that for a second before letting out a hearty laugh. Atlas tears her eyes away from the tv to look at her companion beside her, an incredioulous smile making its way onto her face, "What could you possibly be laughing at?"

     Finnicks laugh dies down and hes left with a smile on his face that makes Atlas' stomach take a tumble, "She's back."

     "What does that mean?" Atlas raises an eyebrow at his words.

     "She's back, The girl who had fire in her veins is back to actually fight," Finnick explains, his eyes locked onto Atlas', "No offense, sweetheart, but you were kind of in a pity party even before you were reaped."

      Atlas doesn't even try to tell him it was because she had realised she was infatuated with someone who could have never love her back. Instead she lets him talk. She could listen to him talk forever. If the world was fair she could stay in this moment forever. Finnick talking happily and simply letting his voice grace Atlas' ears, the melodic tone entrancing her. But of course the universe isn't fair and Atlas' eyelids droop as Enobraria is called up. 

     "I missed you."

      Atlas wants to throw up. Whether from the oncoming interview or the butterflies in her stomach, she had no clue.

      "I think I missed myself too."

      She did. She thinks. It is kind of hard to miss something that you didnt even notice had changed. Maybe, in the months preceding the reaping she had been distant but that was just because she was trying to avoid getting to involved with Finnick. They had been spending a lot of time together and that time was getting a bit too real for Atlas. It was something that made her happy and everything that made her happy was inevibitably going to be taken by Snow. Almost as if he was a child throwing  a tantrum. He couldn't have happiness so he must make everyone around him as misrebale as he is.

     But that wasn't the point. The point was that Atlas had stopped seeing Finnick between "appointments". She had thought it would quell the fire roaring in her stomach everytiime she was near him but of course, distance only makes the heart grow fonder. Even then she could not risk spending time with him. She was convinced it would cause the infatuation to go away. But now here she was, in consistent proximity with him and honestly her heart had never been so fufilled. Maybe it had something to do with the possibility of them both making it out of that arena alive. There was an escape and maybe after the games they could be together. They could be happy. Be peaceful.

     As she stares into the eyes of the man beside her, she realizes something.

Oh my god, she's in love with Finnick Odair.

A/N

Combined the movie and the book for this scene since I really liked how it played out in the movie but I was also using the book for reference. So if its a bit jumbled that's why lol. The actual interview chapter will also probably be pretty jumbled. Sue me.

Schools in so updated will probably be less often, so sorry :(

- Sunny 🌞