"NO PROBLEM, LOVER BOY.."

--¤☆¤--

"He's looking at you." Finnick comments, looking over my shoulder.

"Let him." I said, attempting to copy the knot on the screen.

Since my little encounter with Peeta, him and Katniss have been staring at me more often during training. They might have thought they were slick, but they weren't. I had no problem with them staring at me, seeing as how I spent the last ten and a half years in the spotlight. With all kinds of looks; awe, lust, envy, pride. I got used to having eyes on me really young.

"Well, I don't like it." He said, pouting at me.

"Why are you jealous, Finn?" I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Scoffing at me, I could feel the jealousy practically oozing out of the dirty blonde. He couldn't lie to me. He was terrible at it. Raising my eyebrow, Finnick gave me a blank look as if that were enough to convince me otherwise. Yep, he's totally jealous. But, I only had eyes for him. Peeta was cute, but in a dorky kind of way. I wouldn't never pursue him. He wasn't my type.

"Really? So you don't mind if I go talk to Peeta. He is kinda cute. A fresh face. In need of some older experience." I said, teasing him.

"Nope! Not happening. He has a fiancée, and you have me." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist to stop me from leaving.

"I'm only teasing, Finn." I said, smiling at his protective manner.

"You better be, you're mine." He huffs, glaring over my shoulder.

Turning my head to face him, I crossed my arms and watched him smile at me, a guilty one like the kind a child would do. This was going to be too fun and I would be an idiot, if I didn't take advantage of this opportunity. Smirking as an idea comes to my head, I lean my back against the table, my task of knot tying forgotten.

"I'm yours? So I'm property now, Mr.Odair? I'm not a person? Just your property?" I said, smirking as he fumbled over his words.

"I⎯um, No⎯No, I know what your doing, don't⎯don't do that!" He says, as his face flushes in embarrassment.

Smiling at his flustered face, I almost giggled at the fact that the infamous Finnick Odair; the Capitol's biggest flirt was getting flustered so easily. Oh if the gossip articles heard about this, they would go absolutely crazy. I could see the headline now, 'Capitol Darling, Finnick Odair; Blushing like an idiot!'  A true scandal. The absolute horror!

"Don't do what?" I said, looking at him innocently.

"You know what." He says, looking down at me.

"Nope, no idea. Do tell me Mr.Odair, I would like to know what it is that I did." I say, poking his cheek.

Swatting my hand away from his face, he gives me a lazy grin as I stare at him, a lazy grin on my face. God, I wish that I could freeze this moment. It was just me and him. The Games weren't happening. Snow couldn't reach us. It was just me and him. Taking a closer look at his face, I could see small freckles covering his face, little sunspots as Mags called them. They wouldn't be that noticeable unless you really looked at his face.

"Turn the tables on me." He whispers, holding me close.

"You did that yourself, seaweed brain." I said, calling him by his nickname.

Wiping my nose with the blanket, my knife was still clutched tightly in my right hand. I didn't want to let it go just yet. I felt too vulnerable without it. Walking out to the edge of the roof's railing, I could see the faint sounds of whimpering and sniffling. Perhaps, I was just hearing things? Sitting on the far right side, I frown at the sight of Capitol lights, from white to flashing rainbows.

Hearing another sniffle, I turn my head to see the 'infamous' Finnick Odair crying hysterically into the sleeve of his sweater. How long had he been here? What was wrong with him? Should I do anything? Biting my lip nervously, I debated with myself on whether or not I should talk to him. What if he's mean? Clearing my throat, I shift uncomfortably in my seat, trying not to make this any more awkward than it already was.

"Um⎯Hi? I'm Athena Grey. What's your name?" I asked the crying boy, even though I knew who he was already.

"Fin⎯Finnick Odair." He stuttered out, wiping away his tears.

"That's a nice name. But, I'm gonna call you seaweed brain." I said, as the boy gave me a look of confusion.

"Why?" He asks, tilting his head to the side.

Staring into his eyes, it hits me like a truck, I had bumped into him before. At the Victory Party. He was that cute boy. Lowering my eyes, I curl up into the blanket enjoying the warm, so comforting and gentle. All I needed was a cup of hot cocoa or tea. Glancing back at Finnick, I found him already staring at me, a look of understanding on his face. I didn't want him to look at me like I was broken. I wasn't broken. I wasn't.

"Why? Cause we are friends, duh. So tell me, which do you prefer, Kelp-head or Fish boy?" I said, as the boy gave me the tiniest of smiles.

It was the kind of smile you give to someone when you're trying to show that you were okay, when you actually weren't. Feeling my face flush at his small smile, I smiled back at him, happy to see him not crying. Wiping his cheeks with his sleeve, he holds a hand out for me to shake, a peace offering.

Staring at it blankly, my mind immediately goes back to the Reaping, where Ares did the same thing. But he betrayed me. I shouldn't. But a part of me knew, deep deep down, that this would be the start of something amazing. It had to.

Hitting his chest softly at the memory, he smiles and looks down at me, giving me a soft look. Grabbing onto my hand, his thumb rubs gentle circles on the palm of my hand, making my stomach flutter at the action. Craning my neck up to look at him, he was nine inches taller than me, and he never let me live it down. I remember the time where I was too inches taller than me. Those were the days.

"Seaweed brain? You're one to talk, sweet cheeks." He said, making me scrunch my nose in disgust at the nickname.

"Not that nickname, anything but sweet cheeks." I said, playing with his messy hair.

"Okay then, Wise Girl." He says playfully, fiddling with the bottom of my shirt.

"Wise Girl, huh? I like it." I say, smiling at the nickname.

"Good, so how are you?" He says, in a much more serious voice; all playfulness from before gone.

"I'm fine, Kelp-head. Why what's wrong? You know something I should be worried about?" I ask, looking at him in concern.

"Nothing. It's just worried that I'm⎯I'm worried about the games." He replies, looking at me sadly.

"Aren't we all." I said, frowning at the realization that the games start in three days.

"Promise me that if we can't find each other in the Cornucopia that you'll look for me once you're out of harm's way. Only look for me when you're safe." He said, holding out his pinkie finger.

To others this would be a childish way of promising something, it was in a way, but to me and Finnick it was as serious as it could get. We never broke our pinky promises, no matter what life threw at us we never broke them and we intended to keep it that way. I promised that I would never break them. I remember clearly the day when we made our first ever pinky promise to each other.

It was around midnight, I had just come back from a⎯er, client's house. I was on the brink of tears when I exited the elevator. My heels had been discarded somewhere in the apartment, when I started to bawl my eyes out. Completely unbeknownst to me that Finnick was here. It wasn't until I opened my bedroom door and turned on the light that I noticed him sitting on the edge of my bed, a look of concern on his face.

"Fuckin' chirst Finnick! What the hell are you doing here?" I whisper, nearly screaming at the sight of him.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came here to see you. But I found an empty bed and when I asked Pixie where you were, she brushed me off. So you wanna tell me why you're crying?" He asks, running a hand through his messy hair.

"It's nothing. Really. Just promise me that you won't tell anyone about this Finn." I whispered, as he got up from the bed.

"What? Why would I do that? You're crying your eyes out! You smell like men's cologne! Your hair and dress is a mess! Why would I promise to not tell anyone?" He asks, his voice getting more angry with each word.

"Finn, please. Please, just promise me." I whisper, holding out my pinky finger as more tears start to cloud my eyes.

"Athena. Please, please, just tell me what's going on. I'm worried. I want to help. " He whispers, his warm breath hitting my face.

Looking up at him, I stared at his sea green eyes full of anger and hurt. I had done this to him. I made him angry. I should have been more careful. Blinking away a stray tear, I noticed just how close we actually were. Our chest's were just centimeters from touching and our faces were dangerously close. If I leaned in a little closer to him, my lips would be brushing against his.

"I can't, not right now. You have to believe me, Finn. I want to tell you, but I can't. Just promise me. Promise me that you won't tell anyone, please Finn." I beg, as some tears fell down my face.

"I⎯I promise." He whispers back, linking our fingers together.

Snapping out of my little daze, I smiled at the blonde boy in front of me before holding out my own pinkie finger for him to take. Which only made his smile brighten even more than before. Getting that familiar fluttering in my gut, his smile reminded me of the sun. So bright and warm. It was something I looked forward to everyday.

"Only if you do the same." I said, linking our pinkie fingers together.

"Of course, Wise girl." He said, smiling at me.

"Good. Now enough of this sappy bullshit, what's your plan for the individual evaluations?" I asked, making him smirk at me slightly.

"Give them my dashing smile, then throw some tridents around." He said, acting serious.

"I hope that they don't cream their pants." I said, poking fun at his well known reputation.

"Egh, don't say that." He said, rubbing his warm fingers on my bare back.

"What cream in their pants? Does that make you grossed out, fishie?" I said, teasing him.

"Extremely." He said, with a sour expression.

"Well that's payback for ruffling the feathers of the 'girl on fire'. I don't need her ruining your pretty face." I said, making him groan.

"It was simple teasing. No real harm done, darling." He said, brushing off the topic.

"Besides the fact that you made her not like you." I pointed out.

"Well, maybe I don't care if she doesn't like me." He counters, pressing his head on my shoulder.

"Liar. Deep down you care, you're just too stubborn to admit it." I said, wrapping my arms around him.

"Maybe. But you're more stubborn than me, and that's a fact." He said, his voice muffled by my shoulder. 

"Yeah? Well I know that you are the most clingy guy in all of Panem, and that's a fact." I said, smiling as he let out a breathy chuckle.

"You say clingy, I say super affectionate." He remarks, pressing a small kiss to my shoulder.

"Really now? I'm supposed to be learning how to tie life saving knots, but the great Finnick Odair won't let me because he wants to be held." I said, as he let out a small hum of acknowledgment.

+++++

And I am done with the chapter! This was a nice fluffy moment between the two! I hope you liked it, cause I sure did like writing it!

Stay safe out there guys! I hope you all are doing okay emotionally and physically in quarantine! I love you all!

I hope that you are enjoying the book so far! A quick reminder to comment below about the story of what you think so far!

P.S. Want to know more about Athena's origins? Check out, 'FRAGILE GIRL'.