The hovercraft touches down right outside the Capitol, in a little area that the rebels have had secured for weeks. Finnick picks out a tent, while I grab our rations. Two sleeping bags, plenty of food and water, and two pillows. I carry it all to the tent, where Finnick lays everything out. We decide to eat some of the bread and cheese we've been rationed for dinner tonight, so we toast it slightly over a small fire before eating inside the tent.
"Do you like fish?" Finnick suddenly asks.
"I love fish," I reply. "Do you like electrical fires?"
"No, why?"
"Oh, I just thought we were asking questions with obvious answers," I grin, and he laughs, nudging me playfully.
"Oh, my lovely Asphodel. What am I going to do with you?" he says, throwing an arm around my shoulders.
"You could kiss me."
"Now, I like that idea."
He lifts me onto his lap, his lips brushing mine. He smiles slightly before fully pressing his lips to mine and-
"Guys, we-" Gale says, opening the flap to our tent, but abruptly cutting himself off. "Well then."
I break the kiss as we both look at Gale, annoyed.
"We put out your fire. Boggs highly suggests we all go to sleep," is all he says before quickly leaving.
Finnick sighs, burying his face in the crook of my neck. He mumbles a few incoherent words before we get to work preparing for bed. He unzips one of the sleeping bags, connecting it to the second and zipping it back up.
"There," he says proudly. "Now, I can still hold you."
I smile at him, amazed how he can still find joy in the simplest of things. He insists I get in first, so I'm not as close to the entrance of the tent. I do as he says, snuggling up to him once he's sealed himself next to me. The sleeping bag is warm, but Finnick's arms are warmer. And safer.
"Goodnight, my beautiful, homicidal, knife-wielding love of my life," he whispers into my ear, making me let out a breathy laugh.
"Goodnight, Finn" I mumble, already half asleep.
•••••
I wake up peacefully, the sun lightly streaming into the tent and sea green eyes gazing at me. I move closer to Finnick, burying my face in his muscular chest. I try to say something, but my throat burns. Not in an I-need-water way, but in an if-I-talk-my-throat-will-bleed kind of way. I try to say even a single sound, but nothing comes out.
So now we're back to square one, apparently, I think defeatedly.
"What's wrong, baby?" Finnick asks worriedly, pushing some of my hair away from my eyes.
I can't talk, I sign. I angrily stare at the ground, but my wonderful boyfriend gently tilts my chin up so I'm looking straight into his eyes.
"I don't love you for your voice," he tells me. "I love you for your heart. I fell for your eyes, but your heart captured mine. You could never say another word, and I'd only continue to love you more and more. I've heard you say my name.
"I've heard you say you love me. I'm ecstatic just because of that. That was more than I could ever ask for, Asphodel. I love you, and I always will-no matter what."
He softly kisses my lips, then my forehead. He braids a few strands of my hair, then helps me to my feet. We grabs our weapons before leaving the tent.
"Cressida," Finnick says, catching the tattooed woman's attention. "How long will we be here?"
"Just under a week," she replies. He smiles, and she returns it, like they share some amazing secret. Finnick looks at me, and his smile widens.
"Good. Thank you, Cressida," Finnick nods.
"No problem, Odair."
What does everybody else know that I don't? I sign, only slightly irritated. My brother would tell me I don't need to know everything, but I can't help wanting to know more.
"I'll tell you as soon as the war's over," he promises me. "Because I know you'll want to know so badly that you'll be too stubborn to let yourself die."
I won't die, I promise him. It's you I'm worried about.
"Why's that?"
Because I know you'd do anything to protect me.
"Yeah, I would," he agrees thoughtfully.
If you die, I'll kill you, I threaten.
"But I'd already be-"
I cut him off by grabbing his collar and kissing him. I refuse to let him even think about dying. If he died, I'd stay alive just long enough to kill Snow. Then, I'd kill myself.
I pull away breathlessly, staring intensely at him. His cheeks are flushed and he looks at me with a huge smile.
"Well, I never thought that would happen," he chuckles breathlessly. I smile softly, subconsciously reaching up and brushing the hair from his eyes. "Come on, I want to show you something."
