Stay with me? [Finnick Odair]

82

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Chapter eighty two
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I wake up the next morning with a very subtle, but also very annoying, pain encasing my ribs. Although, it can't distract me from the absolute joy of waking up next to Finnick in bed and knowing that he will forever be mine. My husband. I have woken up before him, so I just lie beside him, my fingers curling a tuft of curly blonde hair around themselves and a smile tugging at my lips.

I'm not sure how to describe exactly how happy I feel, it's kind of like every piece of the puzzle has finally fallen into place.

When I press my lips against his forehead, his eyes flutter open and he looks up at me; his lips curling upwards as he snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me closer to him. "Good morning, beautiful," he speaks, his voice husky and low, and my stomach fills with butterflies as my smile widens.

"Good morning yourself, handsome."

We share another long kiss before I pull myself out of bed. As soon as I pull the blanket off of my body, Finnick whines. "Why can't you stay in bed with me?" He asks, leaning across the bed to rest his head on my shoulder as I cover my body back up with my underwear.

"Because, Fin, I have to go back to the hospital so the doctors can keep an eye on me," I explain, pulling on some clean clothes, I turn back to him and smile as he sits up in the bed and extends his arms towards me; signifying he wants to cuddle. I roll my eyes playfully, moving towards him, I lean down and plant a kiss on his lips. "You have to go back to your schedule, anyway, you know Coin will get mad at you if you blow it off again just to be with me."

"But I want to spend the day with you," he whines, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me down onto his lap, he then decides to nuzzle his head into my neck and plant gentle kisses across my skin. I giggle at him, finally giving in and holding him against me; his lips peck at my neck as we both sit in a comfortable silence.

After a minute or two, I pull myself away from him despite wanting to just curl up in bed with him and stay there forever. "I have to go," I state, frowning when I see him pouting up at me. "No, Fin, don't make me feel bad for leaving you," I sigh, moving my face down to his and kissing his cheek. "You can come visit me later, okay?" He just hums in response, his hand gripping mine, and I give him an assuring smile. "I love you."

He takes a minute to reply, not wanting to say it back with the thought that I won't leave until he says it — which he's right about — but when he sees me pout towards him he sighs and finally gives in. "I love you, too," he mumbles, pressing his lips against mine, I give him another goodbye before heading out the door and walking through the compound to the hospital.

However, heading to the hospital, I pass Command and I overhear Katniss talking to Coin and Plutarch.

"But I have to go."

"Why?"

There's a pause, I look around the corner into the office and I see Coin and Plutarch watching Katniss carefully. "Because of Twelve. Because they destroyed my district."

The president thinks for a moment, hand pressed to her chin, and eventually she nods. "Well, you have three weeks. It's not long, but you can begin training. If the Assignment Board deems you fit, possibly your case will be reviewed."

This is when I step into view, I look around at the group and my brows furrow. "What's going on?" I ask slowly, suspicious of what they're talking about, and the three look towards me.

"Katniss is training to go to the Capitol, which means you'll have to go too, so you'll be starting training as well," Coin explains and I just stare at her, unsure of how to feel of this latest news. "You go in three weeks."

I look over to Katniss, it's obvious she's itching to go for whatever reason, and it's clear she can't do this without her right hand woman, so I nod my head and look back to Coin. "Alright," I answer. "I'll do it."

When Katniss and I return to the hospital, I'm immediately swarmed by my doctors and they take tests to see how my ribs are healing. They're not totally healed, obviously, but last night seems to have pushed them back a little bit. Though, to be honest, I don't regret it one bit.

Dancing around so much last night was really what I needed to blow off steam.

With the thought of starting training the next morning, I start to regret my decision when I realise that they won't hold back if they're trying to train us up to be soldiers in three weeks. But I'm ready to put the work in for Katniss. She needs me there, I know she does, and even if she's perfectly fine on her own I'll go even if it's just for moral support.

I tell Finnick about my decision on the night that he visits, he tells me that he doesn't want me going, but I just argue that I can't let Katniss do this on her own. Even if she's got a whole team of experienced soldiers with her, she needs me to fight by her side. So, at the end of the night, when I'm about to drift off to sleep, he holds my hand and presses his lips onto my forehead before whispering to me that he is going to the Capitol as well to make sure I make it out alive.

I think he aimed for me not to hear him, but I definitely do and now I can't stop worrying about him.

What if something goes wrong? What if he sacrifices himself to save my life?

I know I won't be able to live without him.