Significant Other: A Finniss Story

The Gift

"Gale!" Katniss smiled, coming into view with Finnick around the corner.

Gale looked up from hugging Prim, releasing the petite blonde as she moved on to hug Rory. He glanced briefly at Finnick before resting his gaze on his friend, a smile slowly coming to his lips as he held his arms out.

"Catnip," he greeted happily, and she slipped away from Finnick to hug him.

Katniss wrapped her arms around her friend's stout frame, inhaling his scent. It reminded her of the woods, of pine cones and tree bark, and all the happy memories they'd had together over the years. It felt good to see him again.

A cough interrupted their embrace.

They broke apart and looked at Finnick, who was staring expectantly at Katniss.

Katniss blinked, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, um...Gale, you remember Finnick, right?"

Her friend smiled, holding out a hand. "Oh, of course," he replied, shaking her fake boyfriend's hand.

"You mean you're still with this guy?" he asked jokingly, pointing at him and looking at her.

Katniss chuckled and stared at the floor, though her partner hardly found it funny.

"Yes, she is," Finnick grinned, releasing his hand. "But you shoulda seen all the other guys - if I hadn't jumped at the chance she would've been whisked away by the baker boy! Haha!"

He laughed and slinked an arm around her waist, and Gale chuckled warily, not sure how exactly he was supposed to take it.

"Other guys?" he echoed, looking at Katniss.

She smiled shakily, laughing it off. "Oh, he's just joking. I don't have a ton of guys after me."

"Tell that to Peeta," Finnick chimed, and she elbowed him in the gut.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment before Effie incidentally swooped in and saved them.

"Katniss! Finnick, Gale! We're opening preseeeents!"

They began migrating to the living room, and Katniss silently thanked God for her colorful, perky aunt.

~*~

Despite that hiccup, things proceeded to go well.

Katniss and Finnick resumed their positions on the couch and Prim, Rory, Vick, and Posy dug into their presents as Gale handed out gifts and everyone else watched. This went on for nearly an hour - both Gale and Katniss' moms went big on Christmas - and after the younger ones had opened everything and were busy playing with their new things, Gale started handing out the grown-up gifts.

"Alright, this one's for you, Effie," Gale said, stepping over his little sister and mountains of wrapping paper to hand the woman a small bag with pink tissue paper sticking out of it.

He went back to sift through more gifts and Effie opened the bag, pulling out an expensive sparkling pink necklace.

She gasped. "Haymitch! Did you get this for me?"

The man in question nodded from his place on the recliner, raising his bottle. "Guilty as charged."

Effie put the necklace on, fingering the hot pink jewel in the middle of the silver chain. "Oh, I feel so terrible that you spent your money on this..."

Haymitch took a swig of his bottle, choking on it as he began to laugh uncontrollably. "Don't be. I got it from your purse! Hahahahaha!"

Effie reached over and slapped his knee as he continued to laugh.

She looked to everyone else in the room. "Oh, he's terrible..." she chided, and everyone laughed.

Katniss' smile faded as Finnick chuckled beside her, the vibrations in his chest rumbling through her entire right side, and she suddenly realized that she was practically leaning on him as they sat on the couch.

She was too close. When did she get so close?

Swallowing, she discreetly sat up and moved away, putting some space between them. Luckily, no one else noticed her discomfort through their laughter.

Except Finnick, that is.

The bronze-blond leaned away from the armrest, looking at her with slight concern.

"You okay?" he asked lowly, and she looked at him.

"O-oh, uh...yeah," she said, nodding and giving him a little smile.

He opened his mouth to say something more, but was cut off as a present was handed to Katniss.

"This one's for you, Catnip," Gale said, an expectant look in his eyes.

Katniss took the gift, turning it this way and that to see who it was from.

"...You got this for me?" she asked, looking up at him.

He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Yeah...I saw it and thought of you, so..."

"Gale!" she chastised. "You know I didn't want anyone spending any money on me this year! And, I didn't even get you anything-"

He waved her off. "Just open the present, Catnip. It's fine."

Sighing in frustration, she looked back down at the brightly wrapped box in her lap before finally deciding to follow her friend's advice. Nimble fingers working their magic, she unwrapped her gift and took off the lid, revealing the item he had bought her.

She sharply inhaled, holding it up. "Gale, it's..."

"Too much?" he finished, preparing for her polite rejection.

"...Perfect," she said, admiring his gift.

It was a little thing, just a small necklace with a carved opal stone on a thin silver chain, but to her, it was just what she'd said; perfect.

She reached down to her friend, who was standing on his knees, and hugged him thankfully.

"Thank you, Gale," she said, meaning every word.

"It was nothing," he mumbled into her shoulder.

They embraced for a long moment before drawing away, and as Gale moved to go back to the other gifts, Katniss' mother's voice filled the room.

"So, what'd you get Katniss, Finnick?" she asked, smiling.

Both of the people mentioned froze, unsure of how to give an answer when there was none.

Thankfully on Finnick's part, the hesitation lasted for only a second.

"...A necklace," he answered, and Gale's shoulders tensed.

"A necklace?" Mrs. Everdeen echoed.

He patted Katniss' thigh. "Yep. A necklace. Went down to Tiffany's and picked it up yesterday morning."

Katniss looked warningly at him.

"Wow," her mother said, impressed. "That sounds expensive."

He chuckled. "Oh, it was...but, she's worth it."

He sighed lovingly at his faux girlfriend, and all the women in the room 'awwed', cooing affectionately.

"What about you, Katniss? What did you get Finnick?" Hazelle asked, gossip mode enabled.

Katniss swallowed. "Uh...I haven't given it to him yet."

It was the truth. $600 didn't just come out of nowhere.

"Ohhh, I see..." Gale's mother smiled wryly.

An incredible heat flooded up the back of her neck, embarrassed as all get out at the inappropriate insinuation.

Haymitch laughed. "You really did yourself in there, sweetheart! Haha!"

Finnick chuckled.

Katniss glared.