That Fine Line

Chapter 23 - At Death's Door

As I fell to the ground, I watched Peeta run towards the now unarmed Career, probably finishing him off. I didn't dare pay too much attention to the metal rod that protruded from my stomach all the way from my back and through my spine. The pain was unbearable, but I could feel it fading away, as the endorphins began to flow through my body.

"Y/N!" Finnick fell to his knees at my side, his eyes scanning the spear that had gone right through me. Perhaps my vision was shaky, but he appeared to be trembling as his eyes traveled along from my twitching lower half to my face.

"Wh-why did you do that?" he exclaimed, almost angrily. He must have been so confused. An hour ago, I'd tried to kill him, and here I was now, half-paralyzed and on death's door from saving his life.

I love you. The simplest yet most accurate explanation. I felt a tear trickle from my eye. It was almost pathetic, really. Giving my life for a man who chose someone else over me. A man who didn't even love me back. The desperation was humiliating, but for some reason, I didn't feel an ounce of regret.

Finnick shook his head, as if he were in some sort of denial. "You shouldn't have done that, Y/N. It's not fair. I ruined your life once already, I cannot be the reason for your death too. You had no reason to do that. You hate me." His voice began to crack as his body racked with sobs.

Weakly, I raised a hand, gently entwining my fingers in his bronze locks as his tears dripped onto my face. "I do hate you. But I also love you, Finnick. People say it's a fine line, and I think I crossed it." I smiled remorsefully at those glistening ocean eyes of his, as if I'd made some silly mistake and was trying to appeal to him for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so sorry." His dark bronze lashes pushed more tears out, concealing his lovely eyes that i wanted to see so much right now.

"Will you just be honest with me? I'm on my death bed, and I won't tell a soul." I tugged lightly on his neck to signal for him to lower his head for me. Drawing myself up with the last bit of energy I had, I brought my lips to his ear. 

"Do you love me?" I whispered softly.

Pulling back to look at me, there was no need for a verbal answer. Just that bright, passion-filled pair of blue-green gradient eyes, that shone like emeralds beneath shimmering tears.

What a sight for sore eyes. This is a nice way to die.

"Kiss me one last time, Finnick. It doesn't matter if you don't choose me. As long as there's some part of you that loves me and will love me for the rest of eternity. So go on and live your life. I don't care what you do. All I need is for you to think of me someday and remember that you'd loved me once."

The euphoric taste of his lips was the last thing I felt before slipping into the abyss of the unknown.