"THOSE WEREN'T MY TERMS." Aella whispered harshly, dipping her chin, while clutching the plastic cup of water in her hand. Rage flowed from every inch of her body. It had been a long while since she'd been so thoroughly wound up. Her companions had almost forgotten what it looked like when she reached her boiling point.

Her fingers itched to feel something sharp against them. She missed the sharp edge of a blade, missed the way it hurt when her skin split under the pressure. For years that had been her coping mechanism... pain. Physical, metaphorical, mental. It didn't matter what. Pain sated her anger, nothing else. All she had around her was a plastic cup and her finger nails.

At that thought her hands fisted into balls. She dug her nails into her palms as hard as she could while closing her eyes as the pain seared through her body.

"Aella." Clio hissed deeply, pulling her back to the surface, "Stop talking before you get yourself into trouble."

"I don't care." She snapped lowly. Their conversation was still contained between she, Clio, Finnick and Daniel around the dining table but the rage that rolled of the woman's shoulders was very much evident. People passed with caution. Some didn't dare look over, "Let her hear me. Maybe then she'll rethink her words."

"You can't threaten a president, Aella." Daniel warned her, forking whatever beige food was on his plate.

Slamming the cup on the table she locked eyes with him and growled, "Watch me."

The sound of the cup hitting the table echoed through the cafeteria though it wasn't loud enough to divert everyone's attention to her. Those on the surrounding tables peered over with curious eyes. Many looked away immediately when they saw the cold fury dancing in her icy blue irises.

"Alright, Ella," Finnick intervened dismissively. He picked up her cup after the water sloshed on the table, moved it away and leaned in, "It's just a negotiation."

Aella turned her head to the man who kept her level headed. Finnick saw the wild anger swimming in her eyes and he kept his face hard as stone. Aella wasn't one that was easily pacified. Usually it took the same level of fire to put her out.

"I didn't agree to a negotiation." She whispered harshly as she leaned toward him, "It's not fair, Finnick—"

"I didn't say it was." He interrupted her, "But right now your hands are tied," She scoffed bitterly and he shook his head, "Aella, you might think you can fix this but we're guests here. You need to remind yourself of that. They didn't have to rescue us after the Games but they did."

Aella's jaw set harshly, "I refuse to let her manipulate me into slaving away for her like he did."

Clio slipped her nimble fingers over Aella's shoulder and pulled back gently. Her eyes were soft and caring like they always were and she shook her head gently, "She's not trying to manipulate you, Aella." She reassured her, "It's okay."

"It's not okay!" Aella snapped loudly. Eyes turned to them again and this time she noticed them. She released a heavy breath and ran her fingers through her shorter hair before repeating in a quieter tone, "It's not okay."

"You can let your guard down here, Aella." Clio informed her, "They won't hurt you."

Claustrophobia hit Aella like a tidal wave and a heavy weight sat on her shoulders. She shrugged Clio's hand from her shoulder and sat back. Crowded. No air. Could she breathe? Yes. It just wasn't as clear as before. How long had it been different? She'd never noticed the difference in the air underground compared to what it was like overground. She'd never had to fight for it underground though. That's why it was suddenly different to her.. harder than usual.

Clio shuffled back ever so slightly. Aella's eyes fluttered shut and she said, "It's not about getting hurt."

"No?" Finnick questioned her, genuinely curious.

"No." Aella responded after a calming breath, "It's about Coin using Johanna, Peeta and Annie against Katniss and I. She's dangling their rescue over our heads like a carrot on a stick and I won't stand for it."

"That's not what she's doing—"

"That's exactly what she's doing." Aella responded firmly, "I just seem to be the only one who can see it. She's exactly like Snow." She whispered dangerously, eyes glued to the table.

Clio stiffened in her seat and shook her head, "Aella you can't say that. She's harbouring us all. If it weren't for her allowing us to come here we'd all be dead."

Aella shook her head in disagreement, "She's doing it to look good. She's using us to be the noble President. She said it herself, if we fail she'll leave them there to rot. I'm telling you.." She shook her head, "She's just like him...nothing more than a poisonous snake."

Finnick began to shake his head, "I don't think—"

She moved to stand up and Finnick trailed off. Instead he reached out to her hand. A quick swipe saw that she avoided it and stepped back, "I just..." A deep breath, "I need some air, or something. This place is driving me crazy."

"Okay." Finnick nodded in understanding. The cabin fever had kicked in and the enclosed walls had amplified everything. District Thirteen was—in some ways—like a prison. They were used to freedom, or at least being able to walk outside and breathe in the fresh air. Now all they had was four walls and dim lighting everywhere they went. It was claustrophobic to even the most level headed people.

Finnick moved to follow her as she turned her back on the group but she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, "Don't follow me, Finnick," She said tightly, "I need time alone."

They watched as she left, silent and unsure. Finnick shook his head and dragged his hand through his overgrown hair. His mind cast back to how Aella had gripped to the stands at the nape of his neck that very morning in their bed. She'd smiled at him in the most mischievous way. It had made his heart burn in all the right ways. How the tables had turned. Now all he felt was deep stress.

A part of him just wanted Coin and Heavensbee to leave them be. They'd done their part—or at least most of it. The only thing they'd failed in was ensuing Peeta made it out but they'd ran round that circle over and over again. Finnick had lost count over how many times he'd told Aella that it wasn't her fault but now... He couldn't help but wonder if this was a punishment maybe? Was Heavensbee coercing Aella into all of this because she had let Peeta slip through her fingers? He just didn't know.

It was unlikely. Aella had said they seemed pretty desperate to have her on board. Like they knew Katniss wouldn't be able to hold it on her own. Maybe it was her constant rebellion against Snow during the run up to the Games that had caused Heavensbee to select her.

Aella had been caught on camera preventing Peacekeepers from burning down a school in District Five after the Victory Tour. She'd plucked a rose from her chariot during the parade and crumpled it in her hand before tossing it on the ground for Snow to see. She refused to follow instruction in her individual assessment and whatever she had showcased had caused enough chaos for Snow to personally award her a score of twelve purely to target her. She stood on a stage in front of the entire Capitol, before Panem, and told them indirectly that Snow was the one who had her family executed.

She'd done it all in front of Heavensbee. He'd been the one watching her like a hawk—watching them all. Maybe he had just seen a potential in her that no one else had been able to see. He'd gotten the full picture. Not them.

Finnick didn't think he would set her up for failure. No, he thought he'd picked her to prevent their failure.

Aella was a woman of the people. She'd lived in among and influenced Panem much longer than Katniss had. She had the opportunity to turn them down but she'd agreed. He just had to accept that.

• • •

Aella didn't expect her schedule to have anything on it when it was printed on to her arm three days later. It had been the same routine day in, day out but that day she found herself with a meeting about the rebellion.

Finnick had been eased into field training. He'd flown through combat and was sailing through using weapons. Aella just couldn't understand why they hadn't initiated her into it. While he'd been there she'd been left alone in her apartment, spending most of her day with Clio to keep herself entertained. It mainly consisted of her pacing the floor of Clio's apartment for hours, overthinking why they'd put him into training.

Were Coin and Heavensbee planning on sending him to the front lines but leaving her behind to pacify the cameras? She hoped not. She wouldn't allow it, ever. For as long as she and Finnick lived she refused to let him out of her sight without knowing where he was going. That feeling was very much mutual. They'd experienced what it was like to lose one another in the Games. They didn't plan on going through it ever again.

The night after her outburst in the dining hall—after Coin had all but announced in front of the whole District if she had Katniss failed Johanna, Peeta and Annie were as good as dead—she'd returned to she and Finnick's apartment late, mind still preoccupied. It had taken Finnick a lot of carefully worded questions and answers to try and make her see that Coin wasn't using them.

Even then, she wouldn't accept what he was saying and she'd pushed herself to the very edge of the bed and gone to sleep. It had been their first fight of sorts. Finnick had guided her through the nights she woke up in a sweat from a nightmare, of the nights she screamed and couldn't breathe. He'd held her whilst she'd cried and he'd also held her when they were both completely sated and in a love-filled haze.

Staring at her back as she fell asleep, not in his arms, had been hard. He didn't sleep that night and he knew Aella had tossed and turned all night. He didn't want to ever go bed in the middle of a fight ever again but when he'd woken up the next morning and she'd brushed it under the carpet as if it hadn't even happened... he didn't like that either. Even if they'd slipped back into their usual dynamic with ease.

So while Finnick was up on the eighth floor training, Aella found herself sitting at the very top, being escorted through to a meeting room. It looked to be the same as the one she'd met Coin and Heavensbee those days ago but it wasn't. The dull grey colours and monotone furniture made everything look the same in District Thirteen. It was like being colour blind, Aella thought, but worse.

"Aella Barnes?" A man called to her in greeting as she was led to a stop before a closed door.

She dragged her eyes over his frame quickly. He was dark skinned and taller than her. His brown eyes danced over her frame like hers did him and she noted his neat moustache. Aside from that he was clean shaven and well put together. His uniform was different to her jumpsuit and he wore a black heavy duty jacket with black trousers and heavy combat boots.

They met each others gaze and Aella nodded silently, her jaw shut tight.

"Colonel Boggs. District Thirteen's Head of Security." He introduced himself.

"Pleasure." Aella responded stoically with a stif nod.

The man opposite her did the same and he gestured to the closed door behind him, "This way, please."

He allowed her to step in first before he followed and Aella looked around the meeting room. Her lips pressed together before she said, "Didn't realise I was late to the party."

Beetee cracked an amused smile from his place at the table and it made Aella feel at slightly less uneasy. Katniss occupied the seat closest to her and she noticed the only free one was at the end of the table next to the Mockingjay.

"Please, Aella, take a seat." Coin instructed her with a hand wave and a polite smile but Aella merely glanced at her.

Boggs took his seat next to Gale as Aella sat down next to Katniss. The younger woman merely glanced at Aella blankly for a few seconds before her lips curved ever so slightly into a small smile. Aella retuned the gesture lightly but neither smile met the eyes of either girl. Not like they expected it to.

"What did I miss?" Aella asked, turning to the room. Effie Trinket sat next to Heavensbee who was on the left of Coin. Gale was seated next to Coin with Boggs next to him and opposite herself was a rather glum looking Haymitch.

The lights were down and the screen in front of them was on, a video waiting to be played. Aella glanced at it fleetingly before looking at the room.

"Katniss shot her first propo for the rebellion this morning. We're here to review it." Heavensbee said to her.

Her brows furrowed into a frown, "Propo?"

"A series of propaganda," Beetee explained for her, "to prove to the Capitol that we are alive and fighting. Instilling hope in the rebellion."

With a dull expression on her face, Aella turned to Katniss and gave her a thumbs up, "Good for you." She said sarcastically.

Katniss merely rolled her eyes.

"Lets see what we're working with, shall we?" Coin asked of them all, a signal to stop talking before the video started to play on the screen. Aella swivelled in her chair, leaning into it fully and looking at the screen.

Around them, loud stirring music played. A score that signified success. A camera panned around Katniss as she stood on a platform, hundreds of artificially inserted rebels surrounded her. In the far distance of the background black clouds of smoke rose into the air as the sun set. Katniss rose from one knee, holding a flag into the air with one had and her bow with the other.

"People of Panem, we fight, we dare, we end this hunger for justice!"

The artificial rebels cheered loudly in agreement with her words as a dozen fighter jets zipped overhead and just as quickly as it started, it ended.

Aella could barely hold herself together as she clapped slowly, a fit of incredulous laughter escaping from her lips. Everyone in the room watched her behaviour silently. They all thought what she did, no one just dared say it aloud.

After a moment she blew out a deep breath and pretended to wipe a tear from her eye, "Is that it?" The silence that followed told her they were all just as flummoxed as her, "Oh this is gold." She mused before looking at Heavensbee, "Now I know why you needed me. The Mockingjay can't act. No offence." A quick glance at Katniss.

The young woman shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Er, Madam President, indulge me for a moment, if you would." Haymitch spoke from opposite Aella. He pushed himself out of his seat and stood in front of the screen, crawling out from the darkened corners. Aella folded her arms over her chest as she looked him up and down. She'd seen Haymitch in some states before but never once had he looked so bad. Sobriety clearly was not his friend.

"Let's everybody think of one incident where Katniss Everdeen genuinely moved you." He said, "Not where you were jealous of her hairstyle, or her dress went up in flames, or she made a halfway decent shot with an arrow... and not when Peeta made you like her. No. I'd like you all to think of one moment where she made you feel something real."

Effie was first to put her hand up and Aella swivelled in her chair to look at her. She'd gotten very creative with how she styled District Thirteen's uniform—much like Clio. Her brows were bleached, or shaven off, Aella couldn't quite tell in the dim light but her natural eyes shone through. She wore a styled turban on her head, twisted into a knot at the front. Aella assumed she didn't have much hair underneath it—unlike Clio.

As much as Clio loved her wigs and dressing up everyday she took good care of her natural hair. Aella had only ever seen it a handful of times. The first couple when she was a tribute in her original Games, a few times when Clio had visited her in her home back in Five and most recently when she woke up in the hospital in Thirteen but it was a nice look for her. Aella would never have had her down as the blonde type but the woman suited it. Her dark lashes and brows were natural also, much to her surprise. But Effie didn't have much.

"Oh, when she volunteered for her sister at the Reaping."

"Excellent example." Haymitch said, turning to the screen behind him and erasing the files, "Okay. Now, I hope that wasn't important...Er, okay. Volunteer for sister." He said, writing it on the board, "Good. What else?"

"Oh!" Effie said again, hand in the air, "When she sang that song for little Rue."

"Oh, yeah. Who didn't get choked up at that?" Haymitch said before turning to add, "You know, I like you better, Effie, without all that makeup."

The woman smiled and quipped almost flirtatiously, "Well, I like you better sober."

Aella turned her head and met Katniss' gaze silently, her brow raised and arms crossed. Katniss merely shrugged her shoulders, just as lost as she was.

"When she chose Rue as an ally, as well." Beetee spoke up.

"Yes." Effie agreed.

"Now, what do all these have in common?" Haymitch asked.

"No one told her what to do." Gale responded.

Beetee nodded, "Unscripted, yes. So maybe we should just leave her alone."

"I think that's our best bet." Aella agreed, leaning back in her seat. She swivelled in her chair, eyes dancing over her companions before they lingered on Katniss, "Maybe then you'll get something authentic. Not that robot performance we just watched."

"And wash her face." Boggs said, "She's still a girl. You made her look thirty five."

"The opportunities for spontaneity are obviously lacking below ground. So what you're suggesting is we... toss her into combat?" Heavensbee asked.

Aella straightened in her chair at that. Her hand slapped against the table as a grin spread across her lips. Excitement bubbled within her at just the mention of seeing daylight. Eyes danced to her as she said, "That is a brilliant idea."

Coin shook her head, dimming Aella's sparkle, "I can't sanction putting an untrained civilian in battle just for effect. This is not the Capitol."

"That is exactly what I'm suggesting. Put her and Aella in the field." Haymitch responded.

"No, we can't protect them." Coin argued.

"It has to come from her." Haymitch responded, That's what people respond to. You want a symbol for the revolution? She cannot be coached into it. Trust me, I know."

"He's right you know." Aella said. All eyes fell to her as she arched her brow, "You want us to basically head this rebellion between us. How can we do that if we can't see what's going on? Being holed up underground is doing us no good." She resonated, "You can't instil hope through a video like you can in person, trust me. People take to instruction better in person...and we're not untrained," She said shaking her head, "we're Victors of the Hunger Games for god sake. Victors. Do you know what that entails? It's not just luck. We're practically trained killers. Perhaps even better than whatever army you've got going on."

Heavensbee agreed with a nod of his head and turned to President Coin for her opinion.

"Maybe there's someplace that's less dangerous?" Gale suggested.

"District Eight." Beetee replied, "They reported heavy bombing last week. There are no military targets left."

Aella smiled—a genuine, bright, smile—and she leaned back in her seat, "I hear District Eight is nice this time of year."

Coin, however, shook her head and looked at Heavensbee, "We can't guarantee their safety—"

"You'll never be able to guarantee my safety." Katniss interrupted her, "I wanna go."

Aella rose her hand into the air and waved at Coin mockingly, "As do I."

The woman's eyes flickered between she and Katniss, something like disapproval present in her features. It didn't bother Aella one bit. She knew what she wanted. She wasn't going to stop until her feet touched the ground of District Eight.

"And if you're killed?" Coin eventually asked.

"Make sure you get it on camera." Katniss replied bluntly.

Aella smiled and dropped her head back against her chair, chuckling to herself. She slapped the table lightly and looked to them all again. She nodded her head as their eyes fell to her but her eyes focused on Katniss. The two women shared a knowing smile, one that sealed their deal on this rebellion. They would fight. They would go down swinging until they either won or they died but they would fight for this rebellion and they would never give up.

"For a better life." Aella said quietly, still holding Katniss' gaze.

The younger woman nodded in agreement and said, "For a better life."

They shook on it and it became a promise neither woman would break no matter the circumstances or cost. A promise that would forever bind Aella Barnes and Katniss Everdeen until they emerged as Victors of this game or it claimed their lives.

• • •

Aella dropped the towel in her hands into the shoot in their bathroom and paused in the doorway, her breath hitching in her throat. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the sight of Finnick Odair lounging in bed with sheets draped across his body, arm folded behind his head and his eyes on her.

A small shiver ran down her spine as she watched him. His eyes lowered before slowly lifting up, up, up. As if he were drinking the sight of her in standing in a pair of pyjama shorts and a three-quarter sleeve tee that was actually his—it was just that big on her it was a three-quarter length.

She felt her body sing in delight when his eyes darkened though she was sure her own had done the same. Seeing him so... him. It was everything she'd ever wanted and more.

Not that long ago this had been her dream she thought would never become a reality. Now she was able to live it, seeing him lying in their bed completely shirtless with only a sheet covering his legs. She wasn't sure why she was still standing in the doorway when that view alone made her core burn and her toes curl.

She tossed her damp curls over her shoulder and walked across the small apartment to their bed. He'd only left her in the bathroom a few minutes ago after their shower together and she thought he had sated her but he really, really hadn't. That, or when it came to him, she was insatiable.

Aella ran her tongue across her bottom lip lightly when she reached the foot of the bed. Finnick watched her in complete silence, barely even breathing as she crawled on to the bottom of their bed and toward him. Each placement of her hands, of her knees was strategic. She draped herself over him, body pressed against his as she set her arms on his chest and looked into his eyes.

His fingers grazed across her thighs and drew mindless patterns higher and higher up to her hips. His hands dipped under her shirt, callused thumbs running over her smooth skin, as he gripped her hips and watched her.

Aella's eyes ran across his face. She looked at every little detail as if it were her first time looking at him. She saw the small white scar that adorned his cheekbone that he'd acquired in his original Games. She looked down, traced the column of his throat before looking at his muscular chest. Her eyes wandered until she saw the white scar across his left pectoral and her brows furrowed into a soft frown.

She couldn't say she'd ever noticed it before unlike the one on his cheekbone. She hadn't had much chance to see his naked chest and the times she had they'd been too focused on other acts, per se. Her fingers grazed the scar tissue lightly. It must've been around five inches long. For whatever reason she couldn't recall where he'd gotten it from. It was too old for him to have sustained it in the Quell which only left one other option.

"How did you get this?" Her voice was soft and quiet. Nothing louder than a whisper in the silence of their apartment. She continued to run her fingers over it and he watched her.

"Close combat." He murmured, fingers still moving in light circles on her hip, "I was tired and he was twice my size."

She hummed, "Preaching to the choir." She said to him, lifting her eyes to meet his while her lip curved into a soft, knowing, smile, "You killed him though?"

His hand tightened against her hip for a brief moment. It wasn't hard enough to hurt. Just hard enough for her to know that the memory of it pained him. That recalling killing innocent people in order to survive still made him feel guilty.

"He was District One," he breathed after a moment of pause. Aella watched silently as his throat bobbed and met her gaze again, "he killed my District partner."

"I didn't realise you allied with her." Aella responded softly. She didn't actually know much about his Games—not his version of events anyway. They'd never had the opportunity to talk about it very much. All she knew was what she'd seen and what she'd been told about.

Finnick shook his head, "I didn't." He replied, "I didn't take any allies, or rather, no one wanted me."

Aella chuckled softly under her breath, "I know the feeling."

He held her gaze for a minute, eyes dancing in sympathy that she returned. Going into the Games with no allies was a terrifying experience, one she remembered all too well.

"She allied with the Careers thinking it was genuine but the second things got tense they beat her, strung her up and left her there to die," Finnick said, "I found her barely alive. She managed to tell me who had done it to her and then begged me to end it for her."

Aella saw the pain in his face, felt the guilt that danced through his eyes. It was agonising seeing him feel such pain and knowing she couldn't take it away from him. She reached out gently and cupped his cheek supportively, running her thumb over his cheekbone, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

He smiled at her in thanks though it wasn't happy by any means. He turned his head into her palm and kissed her soft calluses once, twice, three times, before bringing his hand up and resting it against her own.

"We were the final two." Finnick said to her, "I managed to trap him with a net I'd made out of vines but he cut free. We got into a fight, caught me with a dagger I didn't see."

Aella nodded and shifted her body gently to press her lips against the thin scar. It was feather light and fleeting and she looked back at Finnick again, setting her chin atop his chest, "Thank you for telling me." She said sincerely.

He ran his fingers through her damp hair and nodded. Sharing stories from the Games was always hard and it always would be. Anyone could watch it on television but it wasn't the same as them actually living it. The stories were often completely different. The version of events, the way they were truly feeling in the moment...

Finnick might've seen Aella's Games but he didn't know what she'd been through in the arena. The Gamemakers only showcased so much and it was usually the killing and dying. It wasn't often they showed what the tributes did aside from the killing and the dying. The outside world didn't see much of the alliances that were formed, of the rare bonds that were made.

Like she had no idea what he'd done to win, he didn't know what she'd been through inside that arena.

"Nyle and Evan planned to ally with you, you know?" He told her softly. Her eyes lit in surprise, brows pulling into a soft frown and when she opened her mouth to question him he said, "I didn't tell Nyle what you had been through. I didn't tell anyone. He came to me after your training days had finished and asked if I could arrange an alliance with you both. He saw something in you, Ella. Something he wanted to protect."

Aella stared at his chest as memories of her time in the arena hit her at full speed. She could hear Nyle's words as if he was standing right beside her speaking them. Her frown lightened as she said, "He told me I reminded him of his sister. We were the same age, apparently."

Finnick nodded. He knew how Aella and Nyle's story ended, knew how much it had torn her apart. He didn't believe in much, but he believed that both Nyle and Evan were with Aella when she fought that final battle. That they gave her the strength to keep going even when she'd lost use of one arm, even when she was a breath away from death. He believed that together, they had forged a part of Aella's iron will and determination to keep fighting.

It still hurt knowing that Aella had been forced to endure watching Nyle's unfortunate end but he had known all along that his tribute had been more than willing to sacrifice himself for her so she could win and return home to her family. He hadn't even known her but his words had been that he would've wanted someone to do the same should it have been his sister.

It made him sad that he never got to actually thank Nyle for everything he'd done for her in their Games.

So Finnick looped his arms around her waist lightly, his fingers running lightly over her ribs, and he kissed her lovingly. Aella's breath hitched in the same way it did every single time he kissed her and he smiled against her lips. She shifted atop his body, crawling further up his body until he dropped his head back against his pillow. Their lips grazed and he kissed her once, twice, gently before she pressed her forehead against his.

Their breath mixed as she threaded her fingers into his hair and he said, "Sometimes I can't believe this is real."

Aella pressed her lips to his fleetingly and whispered against them, "Neither can I," another kiss, "but I count myself lucky every day that it is."

Finnick grinned, looking into her cobalt blue eyes—eyes that reminded him so much of the sea back home, "I love you."

She nodded, a small smile stretching across her lips, "I love you more."

He chuckled and shook his head, "Impossible."

Before she could respond he captured her bottom lip in his and kissed her again. He swept his tongue across her lip and she opened her mouth for him with a breathy moan. Heat gathered in her body, centring in her core and she ran her hand down his chest feeling him flex under her touch.

Their kiss deepened and Aella swiped her tongue over his, her hand reaching lower and slipping under the sheet he'd draped across his legs. She found the waistband of his shorts and slipped her hand under, only the material of his boxers between her hand and his skin.

Finnick gripped her waist as he tensed when she palmed him, squeezing gently. His toes curled as pleasure sky-rocketed through him and in one swift motion he flipped them. His knee pressed between her thighs as he held himself up on one elbow, continuing to kiss her savagely. His hand trailed over her body and she arched her back into his touch feeling his hand journey down her navel and to her shorts.

A breathy moan slipped past her lips as and she said into his mouth, "Finnick."

He smirked knowingly, pushing her shorts down her legs before pressing himself against her fully. The sound of her pleasured groan, the feel of her fingers gripping his hair tightly in response pushed him into grinding against her again.

"Stop.." she breathed, "teasing me."

Finnick did no such thing and she grabbed his hand herself, guiding him to the waistband of her pants. He slipped his fingers under the band and ran his fingers lightly over her. She pressed her whole body into his, feeling as if she was on fire and she continued to pull and tug at his hair until her pants and his boxers were on the floor and they were one again.

He teased her throughout, moving slow and taking his time loving and worshiping every inch of her body. He pressed his lips to every scar she had while bringing her to the edge over and over again and only when they were sweaty and breathing heavily did they part.

They fell asleep tangled together feeling whole and knowing nothing could ever change that.

• • •

A/N; Next update Friday!