THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

25 ~ the dinner party

"Do I have devil horns and fire in my eyes?"

"Well, I am trying to make it as accurate as possible."

Carolina threw a grape at Finnick, causing him to laugh. She went to grab his journal from his hands to catch a glimpse of the picture of her he was drawing, but the man was too quick. Before she could reach him, he stood up and lifted it high into the air just out of her reach.

"Let me see," Carolina laughed. 

She tried to pull his arm down to reach the drawing, but Finnick was not budging.

"I'm almost done," Finnick leaned down to peck Carolina on the lips before pushing her away gently. "Now, stay still. I can't draw you if you keep moving."

"Fine," Carolina relented.

It had been six months since Carolina and Finnick had decided to give their feelings for each other a chance. Each morning since, they had secretly met along the coast of District 4, far away from people and cameras.

That morning, Carolina swam to the beach they always met on and found Finnick waiting for her with a picnic blanket set up with seaweed bread and an assortment of fresh fruits already laid out. They talked about whatever came to mind or just sat there in each other's presence when the conversation dimmed. Finnick always brought his journal, insisting on drawing the beautiful scenery.

"I never get your eyes right," Finnick focused on the paper, furrowing his brows. "They're expressive. So much so that it's impossible to capture everything they say."

Carolina's face turned red. 

"Are you flirting with me right now, Finnick Odair? Is that what that was?"

"I have been flirting with you since the day we met, Carolina Seymour," Finnick looked up from his drawing to smile at her. "You're just too dumb to notice."

His words made Carolina giggle. She leaned across the picnic blanket to catch a glimpse of Finnick's drawing, and he let her.

It was beautiful. Every recent picture she had of herself came from the Capitol, and those only showed her with fake emotions. Her smiles were forced, and her eyes had no trace of real happiness.

Finnick's drawing looked real. She looked happy, and there was nothing unnatural about it.

"I- Finnick this is amazing," Carolina studied the drawing carefully.

"Thank you."

It was the first time Carolina had ever seen Finnick look shy. She leaned in and pecked him on the lips. 

"Can I have it?"

"You want my drawing?" Finnick asked. He looked down at his journal before ripping out the page. Just as he was about to hand her the drawing, he paused. "What would Cyrus think?"

"Well lucky for me, he leaves tonight after Fletch's dinner party," Carolina shrugged. "You can give it to me when you come over after."

"Oh, so I'm coming to your house tonight?" A goofy smile stretched across his face and he started wiggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain," Carolina laughed, throwing a grape in his direction. "You know Fletch arranged for someone to spend the night at my place every night until the Victory Tour to help me with Charlie."

"Right, but we can still—" Finnick stopped when Carolina threw another grape. "Lina, stop wasting the grapes."

"I have to go," Carolina stood up and started walking to the water. Finnick followed. "Cyrus is going to be wondering where I am."