You Asked For This - Finnick Odair

The Train

"The moon knows we're in love."
— Unknown

...

Mags, Finnick, Reef, Coral, and Ambrosia all sat around the lunch table in the train. Cora wasn't poor by any means, her family was actually rather wealthy (especially thanks to Ocean, who was very responsible at handling all their money), but the train and everything in it were possibly the most grandiose things she'd ever laid her eyes on.

"Well, isn't this exciting! What an angle! Twins!" Ambrosia was twittering excitedly. She just couldn't get over the drama of the situation.

Coral had been periodically glancing between Reef and Finnick, but said nothing. She was seated next to Mags for moral support.

She wondered if Finnick knew. If their conversation from a little under a year ago finally made sense the moment she volunteered. She wasn't quite sure she wanted him to know. But, also, she wanted him to know more than anything.

"We should talk about your strategy. I know it's a rough situation, but I'd rather have one of you make it out than both of you die. And to make that happen, we need a strategy." Finnick got straight to the point.

He genuinely liked Reef, always had. And, though he wasn't quite sure where he stood with Coral, he didn't want her to die. In a better world, he wouldn't have to lose either of them.

But this wasn't a better world. This was a world where children were punished for the actions of long-dead adults.

"Coral, it looked like you were going for my confident act from last year. I can help you with that."

Cora just nodded.

"Reef, you have the confidence, but I think you'd do great as the comedian. Make them laugh and they'll want to keep you around."

"Thanks," Reef gave the boy a smile.

This wasn't the playful, teasing Finnick that Cora had grown so used to. He was traumatized and he was desperate. In the years to come, the confident, flirty act of his would assimilate into his personality and he would resemble the boy he used to be. But he would never be that boy again, no matter how hard he tried.

"Eat," Mags signed. "Not too much, but you need your strength."

Coral and Reef ate in silence. Ambrosia, now that the conversation was over, began twittering on about how wonderful this was.

...

"Why did you volunteer for Ocean?" Coral whispered in the dark.

The beds on the train were king-sized. Because at worst, they both die in a few weeks and, at best, one of them dies in a few weeks, they decided to spend as much time as they had left together. And so, Cora laid face up in a king-sized bed, next to the pillow barrier in between her and her brother.

"Would you rather he be here right now?"

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

Reef sighed, he was a boy who liked to have fun. The kind of person to see the sparks of light in suffocating darkness. But there was no fun route to take here.

"The family needs Ocean. He's responsible. He's a good older brother. He's what's kept us all alive for so long. And, I'm not saying I'm a bad brother or that I'm worthless. But, in the grand scheme of things, jokes aren't going to keep us alive. Goofing off isn't going to keep us alive. I'm more of a luxury than a necessity."

"You were never unnecessary."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. But it's what you felt."

"Why did you volunteer?" Reef asked, changing the focus to Coral.

"I'm not allowed to say... I'm sorry."

A few minutes of silence passed.

"Lyra. You said there were no strings attached. But that was a lie."

"I couldn't just let him kill her."

Reef fell asleep shortly after that. Coral couldn't.

...

After about half an hour more of trying to fall asleep, Cora got up to travel the train. Maybe she'd just tire herself out. She reached a window in the lounge cart of the train. From it, she could see the stars and crescent moon.

"Can't sleep?" Finnick.

"Could you?"

He let out a sigh of amusement. "No."

He walked up behind her, also looking up at the night sky. "Did you know that Lyra was named after the constellation?"

Did he know? Or was he making small-talk? He hadn't talked to her hardly at all for a year, but circumstances had changed.

"I think I knew it, but never really made the connection. It's fitting, though."

"It is." He was beside her now.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Finnick asked softly.

Cora's silence was a confirmation.

"I think I knew it, but never really made the connection until Lyra went in to say goodbye to you."

More silence from Cora. What could she say?

"'Finnick, I need you to trust that I did the right thing.' A life for a life... Why did you do it?"

"I couldn't just let them kill her," she answered softly, repeating the same answer she gave her brother.

It was silent for a moment.

"I thought you hated me," he chuckled a bit.

"So did I."

"And yet, you gave me hope to come home. You saved my sister. And all you get in return is more pain. Nightmares." Before she could question how he knew about the nightmares, he explained. "You spent some nights at Mags' house. I was usually up to hear the screams."

Cora nodded and Finnick continued. "Volunteering for the games. And now, even if you do win, you lose Reef. Why would you do all of this?"

"I don't know."

"Do you regret it?"

"...No."

The two would stand at the window for about an hour, not touching, not saying a word, until they both got tired enough to finally head off to bed. A simple "Goodnight," would send them on their way.