Flames to Embers

29- Tribute Parade

this is why we can't have nice things^^^

Mags and I got off the elevator at the ground floor of the tribute center, where our chariots were waiting for the opening ceremonies to begin. I was regretting the loss of Adonia and Titania more than ever, since my new stylist had dressed me in the very outfit Adonia and I had joked about for years. I never imagined anyone would actually make it for me, but there I was wearing nothing but a net, strategically knotted to cover any parts of my body that should be hidden on camera. The more Finnick the sponsors saw, the better. My eyes scanned over my fellow tributes. They all looked ridiculous. Children dressed up in costumes for the parade was silly, but grown adults, mostly middle-aged with several more in the latter years of their lives, their bodies dilapidated beyond repair due to drugs, alcohol, and other coping mechanisms... they looked awful. The opening ceremonies would be a joke this year. My eyes landed on Katniss, petting the horse attached to her chariot while her twin was off talking to Cinna. I picked up a handful of sugar cubes, remembering our first meeting, nine years ago, and strolled up to my wife.

I crunched down loudly on the sugar cube, my mouth close to her ear. "Hello Katniss," I said, allowing the seductive purr I used in the Capitol to coat the syllables in her name.

"Finnick Odair," She acknowledged, not turning around, and continuing to stroke the horse.

"Did you want a sugar cube?" I asked her. "They're supposed to be for the horses, but who cares about them, right? They've got years left to eat sugar, whereas you and I... If we see something sweet-" Katniss turned around finally, and her eyes widened at our proximity. "We better grab it." I finished, my voice dropping.

"Not right now," She answered, her voice barely a whisper. "But I would love to borrow your outfit sometime."

I laughed softly. "You look pretty terrifying in that get-up. What happened to all those pretty little girl dresses?" I took a lock of her dark, curly hair in my hands and twirled it around my fingers.

"I outgrew them," She said, her breath tickling my face.

"You certainly did," I smirked, my voice barely audible, even for my own ears. Our lips were merely a hair's width apart.

It was Katniss who closed the short distance between us, Her soft pink lips caressing my own. My hands went around her hips, drawing her closer and closer and closer. Katniss cupped my cheek with one hand and held onto the nape of my neck with the other, her fingers playing with the soft, short hairs.

I had been apart from my wife for two weeks, and it felt like a lifetime. After five months together, I wasn't sure I would be able to deal with her sudden absence, especially since I had to put up with suitor after suitor in the Capitol, committing a sin I thought I would be done with once I proposed to Katniss on national television, but I had been wrong.

I heard someone clear their throat behind us. "Excuse me, Mr. Odair, Miss Everdeen. Direct physical contact between tributes is prohibited before-"

I didn't pull away from my wife. I didn't even open my eyes. I flipped the peacekeeper off over my shoulder.

"Mr. Odair, I will have to ask you to remove yourself from your fellow tribute." The peacekeeper tried again

I briefly broke off the kiss to hiss out: "Piss off!"

"Mr. Odair, this is against proper conduct."

I finally turned to face the peacekeeper, who stood uncomfortably close to us. I was sick and tired of Capitol men trying to tell me what and what not to do with my own wife. I was going to die in a few days. Why couldn't I do what I wanted? "Whatever." I muttered finally, turning back to Katniss, the regret in her eyes mirroring my own. I wanted to talk to her in private. To hold her and love her. Instead, I simply kissed her hand. "I'll see you tonight, Love."