And just like that, all of Annie’s worries, the deep, meaningless thoughts that loomed throughout her mind, the emptiness, the fractures, all disappeared. Arms that Annie knew well locked onto her waist, pulling her towards a muscular, but lean body. One that was well loved. Kept under Annie’s protection. “Finn.” Annie breathed, glancing upwards for a moment, the emptiness that had previously been clouding her emerald colored eyes disappearing in complete as they met Finnick’s wide ones. For a moment, a barely there smile made its way over Annie’s full lips. Finnick was the only one who could understand Annie, really. When she had come back from her games, everyone had stared at Annie as if she were bound to break soon enough. They kept their distance, were careful about what they said, never told the truth. But Finnick had still been there. Treating her as he had before. Loving her as he had before. Perhaps even more so. “What are you doing out here?” Annie murmured gently, leaning into his body so that her head and its tangled mass of dark hair could rest gently against his chest, where she could hear his heart. Annie liked to know that Finnick was still with her. That he wasn’t going to disappear through her fingertips, like so many others had. “I didn’t know…when you were going to see me. I mean…” Annie trailed off, leaning further into Finnick and wrapping her arms around him. “I knew you were coming back. I just—…I didn’t know.” Annie shrugged gently, before glancing upwards, and pressing a gentle kiss to the base of Finnick’s throat. Annie was difficult to understand, most of the time, with her jumbled words, soft and sometimes illegible. But somehow, she got through to Finnick. The only person she wanted to get through to, really.
There it was. That nickname that Finnick had only grown used to Annie using. Some of his Capitol patrons had adopted the name, taking it and making it feel dirty. Completely dirty, and in that way he hated it. Finnick shook his head as Annie spoke, tilting her head up to press a small kiss to her lips. He wasn’t in the mood to hide it, but then again everyone in four did seem to know about them. “I just got off the train.” He muttered quietly, tilting her head again to capture her lips in a soft, yet longing kiss. There was something guilty about it, that he had to keep his life in the Capitol hidden from her. It didn’t seem right to tell her what they made him do, and why he did it. The only reason why he’d started to sell his self was because of her. She deserved to be happy, she deserved to be safe. Snow wouldn’t allow it, allow their relationship to be more than just friends to the eyes of the Capitol. Finnick was his prized possession, the toy that he could twist and play with until he broke. Finnick pulled her tightly against him, shaking the thoughts out of his mind, before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t come see you any sooner. I just needed some time to myself to think about things” He did. It was the chance to just think about the things that had gone on. Annie had been the one for him for quite some time. Ever since that moment in the school yard, Finnick had been interested in her. The strange child, the mad girl who everyone hated, and when it came to the games, Christ. Everything had changed for Finnick on the train there. He realised then and there, that he was in love. No Capitol girl could compare to the person that stood in his arms, and this right now, felt completely right. He moved a hand to rub over a fresh mark on his shoulder before sighing “Shall we go back into town?”
