Calm as the Ocean <Finnick Odair>

A Date with Destiny?

The morning light shines on my face, warming my skin. My eyes snap open in surprise but soften when I realize I'm safe in Finnick's arms. I try to get up but am forced to stay in place. Finnick's muscular arms are locked around my waist tightly with no plans of letting go. I struggle, getting claustrophobic from the tight space.

I push gently on his arms, trying to unlock them desperately. I remember my terrible experience of close quarter combat in the Games, the slashing, the dodging, the killing, the finale. Everything about it makes me nauseous. I squirm under Finnick's amazing strength, wiggling around to find an exit.

I finally use my last resort. The terrible, selfish last resort. I gently shake Finnick's sleeping body to wake him.

"Finnick?" I say, trying to wake him.

"Hm?" He mumbles quietly, barley awake.

His hair is sticking up everywhere as he struggles to look around. He has bags under his eyes, making him look more tired than he probably is. He breathes deep, squinting at me in confusion.

"Sorry. Can I please get up?" I ask quietly.

He looks at his arms and back to my face, thinking slowly. He loosens the grip on his arms gradually and closes his eyes again. I smile at him before getting up and wobbly walking to the bathroom. I brush up, making myself look presentable, and throw on some skin tight running clothes.

I pull my hair up into a high ponytail, apply light makeup, and give myself a bright smile in the mirror before heading out of the deluxe bathroom. I walk over to the couch where Finnick lays with his eyes halfway open. He is laying on his back and staring at the ceiling absent-mindedly.

"Good morning." I say to him, getting his attention.

"Good morning. Going for a run?" He asks, noticing my outfit.

"Yeah, I was just going to tell you." I say with a smile.

"Can I come with you?" He asks, catching me off guard.

"Um, of course. But why?" I ask with a small giggle.

"I just want to be you for a day." He says like a child.

"Ok, just hurry up and get ready." I say, watching him rush into the bathroom.

I sit down on the comfortable couch and wait patiently for Finnick to finish washing up. With a guy like Finnick, it might take a while. So I settle myself down on the couch, ready to wait. Much to my surprise, the bathroom door opens five minutes later with a half dressed Finnick stumbling out,

His board shorts are on but he fumbles with his shirt, struggling to tell the back from the front. He finally puts it on the correct way, regaining his composure. I meet him at the door and begin to tie my running shoes tightly. He does the same. I walk outside and breathe in the fresh morning air, determining my pace and route for the run. Finnick stands beside me after he laces up his shoes.

"Ready to go?" He asks.

I turn to him, dead serious, and look him in the eye with a determined attitude.

"Let's do this." I say.

He chuckles at my response and I take off, one foot after the other. Finnick jogs right next to me, keeping up the pace. We run in unity, step to step, breath to breath, mind to mind, heart to heart. We are connected at the moment. It feels as if we are one. But we aren't. We are two different people, Finnick and Alyssa. He can't go through my pain and I can't go through his. That's the way it is and that's the way it'll be.

My next step falters a bit as I think those sad thoughts. My food slides on the slick gravel beneath me but I regain my balance quickly, not wanting anyone to see my stumble. Luckily, Finnick doesn't notice. Even if he did, he didn't show it, keeping his eyes forward and his head straight.