The Victor

7

That night, I steal a blanket from Finnick's bed and sleep on the sofa. He protests for a while but I refuse to budge.So he turns out the lights and I lie down on the soft, plushy couch, curling up. After my long day and little sleep, the idea of rest is comforting. My eyes close quickly and soon my breathing evens out to a plateau.I wake up thrashing around, suffocated by the blanket wrapped around me. My breathing is so loud I can barely hear anything else. Nightmares swim in the darkness. It's only when my breath quiets that I become aware of a groaning from upstairs.I climb the stairs warily, emerging into the dark bedroom. The outline of Finnick's bed is apparent. He tosses from side to side, mumbling emitting from his mouth. The mumbling changes to shouts, and I climb onto the bed."Finnick, it's just a nightmare, wake up." I shake his arm, and suddenly he whirls on me, his eyes flying open, meeting mine as his arm presses down on my throat."Finnick, it's me." I choke out as my airway slowly compresses. My fingers find his arm and I pinch as hard as I can.I think the pain wakes him completely because he suddenly jerks back like he's just realized where he is. He releases me and I cough as my throat sears with pain, but at least I can breathe.His bare chest heaves and I huddle into a ball against the headboard, shivering."Piper, Piper, I'm so sorry, I didn't know who you were." He mumbles, and I try to stop my muscles from knotting in fear."I'm fine." I say softly, and I reach out for him, because the night is full of terrors and I don't want to be alone. He just falls into me, uncontrollably, the way no one else can understand. All you need is the comfort of another warm body, not for love, just to chase everything away."It happens sometimes." Finnick says as his hands clutch my arms, his eyes staring blankly at mine. "I think I'm still there, in the nightmare, and I can't control it. I didn't want you to see that.""It'll go away, just give it time." I say soothingly, rubbing my hands over his in circles, endless rotations."The Games never end, Piper, that's why the nightmares keep going. We never get the chance to forget." Finnick shakes his head, and I know he's right, we never have a chance to move on because every year, every party, we relive the horror."We never have a chance to go home." I say."Stay with me." He asks, and I nod, falling into the bed, still shivering. He faces me and I try to read his expression but I can't. It's like staring into a vortex.(Finnick's POV)I watch Piper's eyes flick over my face like she's studying every inch in the near darkness. My pulse is still scarily fast but I feel it slowing as I look at her."What was it?" She asks, and I swear if anyone else had asked me I wouldn't have told them, but it's her and she's one of the only friends I've got and certainly the one I can depend on the most."I was in my Games." I say. "It was all jungle and fog, simply swimming in deadly predators. I was running. I never ran in my Games, I never had to. I hated turning my back to the enemy. I hate running."Piper's eyes are like gray pools, just absorbing every word, and so the words keep spilling out. I tell her everything, every detail of my Games, leaving no gory detail out. It was one of the shortest Games, only five days, but in five days twenty-four tributes died. I killed more than almost any other competitor. The final battle haunts me sometimes. It was against a girl from District One, I tell her. She was a bloodthirsty animal, she loved killing. She nearly managed to stab me through the eye. I make a joke about ruining my good looks and Piper smiles a little. When I finish my story, she just looks at me."I'm sorry." She says softly."We all relive the Games in our dreams." I say, and she nods."Finnick? Tell me a different story, a good one with a happy ending."I smile and begin talking again. Beginning here helps my mind calm down. I focus on her listening intently, a small smile on her lips, and strands of hair falling in front of her face. Her eyes are half-closed.When I finish my story, I realize she's fallen asleep, breathing gently out her nose. I smile and pull the blankets over her shoulders."Thanks, Pipes." I say softly before I close my own eyes.(Piper's POV)I walk up with Finnick's arm pinned underneath me. We're both completely splayed out over the bed haphazardly. I looked at his face. He's never looked so young.Awkwardly, I detangle myself and slip into the bathroom. My hair sticks out at strange angles but for once I don't have half-moons under my eyes. I attempt to pat down my hair before locking the door and stepping into the shower.The hot water pounds methodically into my back. As I massage shampoo into my scalp, I hear a thump and the sounds of movement. Finnick must be awake.When I get out, changing back into my pajamas, Finnick's downstairs cooking. Seeing the familiar sight of him makes me realize just how comfortable I've gotten here, and just how long it's been."I need to go home." I say quietly, and he looks at me. I think I see a flicker of disappointment before he smiles."I knew you would." He replies. "Haymitch is quite the protective type.""I don't want to, but he needs me." I try to shrug. "He's probably broken half the windows in his house by now, and –"And I need to make sure Peeta's okay."And…" Finnick trails off, as if he knows I'm not telling him something. But do I trust him enough to tell him my greatest secret? After last night, him recounting his Games, him telling me about Mags, I know he trusts me."When I told you…I had no one I could lose back home, no one President Snow could use against me, I lied." I say, slowly at first but unable to stop. "I lied because I have to protect him.""Him?" Finnick's tone is different but I can't decipher it. I become more frantic, trying to find words to describe how dear Peeta is to me."He's only fourteen. I met him when I was eight. He's like a little brother to me. I can't lose him. I only visit him once a month, and only for a few minutes. It was selfish to risk him against President Snow, but I couldn't –""Piper, calm down." Finnick crosses the divide between us and suddenly I'm pressed against his chest, struggling to breath."I understand." He says softly as my pulse slows. "It wasn't selfish. President Snow won't find him. It'll be okay." He releases me. "Go home. Be with your family. I'm sure they miss you. And I'll see you soon anyway."Something about his certainty clues me in that he isn't talking about another visit. "Why?" I ask."The Victor's Ball." Finnick reads the confusion on my face. "Before the reaping each year, all the victors are invited to a celebration of the start of the Games."His words bring me snapping back to reality. I can't stay here a minute longer."I need to go." I say, moving to the front door."Pipes," Finnick says, and I stop with my hand on the doorknob, "I don't want you getting hurt. Just…be careful."I open the door and step through it. Once there, I look back. "Finnick?" He meets my eyes and I smile. "It was nice forgetting the world with you."