A sharp gasp rang through the air, Finnick shot up in bed, clutching his chest. The maimed bodies of the last tributes still tormented his nightmares as he glanced frantically around the room.
Calming his breath, he hauled himself out of the overly large bed and walked silently through the train. He grabbed a glass and turned on the tap, the long sip he took did nothing to calm his erratic heartbeat.
Surviving the games and dealing with the aftermath was one thing that plagued his dreams turning them into nightmares. After the last games, those tributes lived rent-free in his mind. Almost re-living the games all over again.
Finnick wasn't sure if he would be able to lose another two tributes. Despite being the Capitol's Golden Boy, he didn't feel so golden. He felt like a murderer in more ways than one, sending children off to their deaths every year ever since his games. This year, he was determined to get one out alive. I'll deal with the aftermath myself, he told himself not knowing what would come from that burden.
On the train, the first thing he noticed about the two tributes was, well, Marina. She was strikingly beautiful, with her dark brunette hair that was so sunbleached, and her hazel eyes that looked like honey, as well as her golden skin.
She looked like her soul belonged to the sea.
And most of all, she looked confident and tough. Oh and Finnick knew she was too, never once did he see her cry at school. She was kinda hard to miss, it's surprising how many people in District Four didn't have dark hair like her. The only sign of fear she held was her shaking hands and the blood that seemed to follow.
She quite literally bleeds fame.
Deciding he wasn't going to get any more sleep, he made his way to the last train car. He stopped before getting to the door, seeing a familiar head of hair huddled on the couch. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her dark honey eyes focused on the stars. taking a deep breath he stopped at the door "Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
Finnick clutched the glass of water as the girl snapped her head in his direction, obviously frightened by his presence. She sighed in relief after seeing the familiar blonde and not their escort Pearl, she really wasn't looking forward to a scolding for being up this late.
"I should be asking you the same thing," she responded, eyeing Finnick cautiously as he took a seat next to her. His eyes were puffy and dark purple circles presented themselves under his eyes, Marina thought he looked handsome like this, like a normal person, not some marionette forged by the Capitol.
"I know it won't make a difference," he said lowly, "But you should try getting as much sleep as you can before the games, this week will be very tiring and overwhelming for everyone." he couldn't help but notice the way the moon glinted off her eyes. Her hair was messy and her sweater provided by the Capitol hung loosely on her small figure. Finnick thought she looked breathtaking.
Marina didn't respond and went back to looking out the window, her hands had stopped trembling, and he noticed. He wondered if she had already given up, already made peace with death. Finnick hoped she didn't give up, he hoped she would never give up. He wanted her to survive.
"Since it looks like you're ignoring me about getting sleep, shall we go over survival skills?"
She turned back to the blonde that accompanied her, "I guess, thank you." her chin rested on her knees as she waited for him to respond.
He took a deep breath, leaning forward and placing his glass on the table in front of them. Marina noticed his deep red fingertips, which looked to be blistering. One of the only things that would do that is tying ropes too much, her father used to get blisters on his fingers from tying as well.
"Okay first off, water. Water is the most important thing..." The blonde started to ramble on about food and making sure it wasn't poisonous. "Also stay away from berries, you never know what effects they could have. Try to get a bag from the cornucopia, then get out of there as quickly as you can."
"Alright so, water, bag, and avoid berries." Marina listed off his advice, "Anything else I should know?" she asked curiously.
"As much as you'll want to, staying hidden is a death sentence in itself. The game makers will get bored, and force you out." he rolled up his sleeve only to show her a dark-colored patch of skin from some type of burn.
Marina's eyes flashed in recognition, and Finnick's stomach churned at the thought of her burning up in flames. She didn't deserve this, no one did. "They'll send things like mutts, waves, fires, really anything that could kill you. They'll try to force the tributes together to make it more exciting."
"Exciting." she scoffed, a dark look adorning her features, "That's sick." Marina dug her nail back into her palm, hoping to calm the raging storm that was brewing in her mind.
Finnick had no way of calming the girl, he knew what she was feeling, he had lived through it. He knew of the Games and what they consisted of. Slowly, the boy reached out and enveloped her tiny hand in his own, stopping her from continuing to rip her flesh apart, "I can't say anything to make you feel better." he uttered, running his thumb softly over hers "Unless you want me to lie to you."
Marina's breath hitched in her throat. She didn't pull her hand away, the tribute let his touch comfort her in ways she knew others couldn't. Breathing the same air as they did, it let her know she wasn't alone in this "I don't like liars."
"Then let's make a promise," His eye rose to meet hers. Something deeper shone within them. If Finnick could see it himself he would label it as fear, sadness, maybe desperation. He didn't know why but he couldn't seem to put up his Capitol mask around her. "Neither of us will lie to each other, we'll always be honest.".
"I don't know if I'll be alive long enough to uphold my end of the deal." She replied monotonously, not daring to break eye contact with the victor who was trying to ease her unsettled mind.
His grip on her hand tightened in the slightest, squeezing it three times, "You're going to survive, Marina. I'll make sure of it."
"How can you be so sure?" She asked, as she took her head out from her knees and laid it to rest on the couch, sleep was slowly overcoming her, she had a sleepy look on her face her eyelids drooping slightly.
"Because I believe in you." He replied simply, leaning his head back to rest on the soft cushions. He still hadn't let go of her hand and he didn't know why. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to be alone, or maybe it was because he didn't want to be alone.
