Breathe in, Breathe out • F Odair² •

VI

"It's really hard to keep secrets in this family."

•∘♔∘•

It must have been hours before the storm dissipated into light rain, but it was a while until Athena or Finnick noticed it, far too wrapped up in each other. When they did notice it, they recognized it as a sign to return to the rest of the world. It was Finnick's place that they both went to after, Finnick's bed that they fell into before long, mouths soon meeting again and hands touching anywhere they could reach until they were pulling away to gasp for breath. They couldn't help giggling a little, more than a little giddy, as they looked at each other, collapsing side-by-side onto the bed, tangled together and drifting off to sleep.

When Athena woke up and opened her eyes, she immediately had to squint at the sunlight from the window that hit her eyes. Clearly, the storm had passed fully now. It took her several moments to remember that she was in Finnick's bedroom and why, and an uncontrollable smile spread across her face at the memories. She looked up at Finnick to find him still asleep, reaching up to take his face in her hand, just softly enough so that she wouldn't wake him up, tracing the bones of his face delicately with her fingers.

She was lying half on top of him, one of her legs between his and resting her head on his chest. He had an arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him. She could hear his heartbeat like this, the steady, even sound of it. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest from the deep, slow breaths he took, in, then out. When his heart rate quickened just slightly, she knew at once he was awake. Sea-green eyes fluttered open, and she shifted her position so that she was hovering over him.

A smile spread across his face as soon as he saw her. "So, that was real?"

"It was," Athena nodded, smiling back at him; just as quickly, though, it was gone as worry coursed through her. What if he had changed his mind about this? What if, now that the night had passed and he had the opportunity to think a little more rationally, he decided she wasn't worth the trouble this would bring? "Do you regret it?"

"Well," Finnick said slowly, tracing shapes along her back, "you're in my bed right now, and I don't want you to leave any time soon, so you tell me." He took her face in his hands, saying, "I meant what I said, Athena. Every word of it. I love you. I've been in love with you for years, and I'm always going to feel this way about you. I don't know how much time I've got, but I know that I don't want to spend it away from you. Not if I can help it."

Relief and something she recognised as joy bubbled through her, smiling as she said, "I love you too. And I want to stay with you too."

And Finnick was smiling up at her again, a soft, genuine smile with a little relief there. It was a smile she saw very rarely on Finnick. He leaned down and kissed her quickly, once, twice, before lingering on the third kiss. She smiled into the kiss, laughing as he flipped them around so that he was on top of her.

"Wait a minute," he said abruptly, pulling away suddenly. "When we were doing the practice interview and you were talking about that special somebody... was that about me?"

Athena gave him a look. "You're really talking about that right now?"

"It's a valid question!"

She sighed, but admitted, "I may or may not have gotten some serious inspiration from you."

He grinned broadly, the sort of dimpled smile that made her heart lift in her chest. "I'm the most beautiful man you've ever seen in your life?"

"You're the worst," Athena groaned.

"Then why have you drawn me so many times?" Finnick said with a cheeky smile. "By the way, I kind of want to see those drawings."