You Asked For This - Finnick Odair

Does Life Really Go On?

"From the Sun to the Moon and distant, faint galaxies... In every set of stars, I see you constantly."
— Unknown

...

A little girl with strawberry blonde hair runs through shallow water. The meeting of the ocean and the sand. The water sparkles and shines, splashing as she kicks it up. The girl is laughing and the sun is high in the sky.

"Cora!" her twin brother shouts, happily. "Cora, look at me," he says, covering one eye with a seashell and seaweed. "I'm a pirate!"

"I'm a pirate!"

The world glitches. Her twin is no longer a little boy, but a teenager with a sword sticking out of his chest.

"...Cora?"

Coral Newport woke up screaming.

"Nononononono," she whispered. "It's not real, it's not real..."

"Are you sure?"

"You're not real," Cora told Reef. He was standing in the corner of the dark room, smirking.

He walked up to her bed.

"Then, why am I here?"

"You're not." She glared at him, fear in her eyes. "You're not," she repeated herself.

"Cora?" Whose voice was that?

There was a knock and then the door opened, slowly. And Finnick walked inside. Finnick always made sure to knock, which, even in her confused state, Cora appreciated. The last time someone neglected to knock, her brother died.

In all the drama of her nightmare and Reef, she had forgotten where she was. She was in an apartment in the Capitol.

Apparently, the citizens had adored her singing. She was now an entertainer for the Capitol. Finnick always accompanied her. Snow had insisted on it, seeing how much the Capitol citizens liked to ogle him.

"Cora, are you okay?" The bronze boy asked.

She looked at the empty space where Reef had once been. She looked back at Finnick and nodded.

But he could see the light reflecting off of the tear stains on her cheeks. He sat down on the side of her bed. "Cora–"

"I'm fine, Finnick." The girl snapped. She said it more so for herself than for him as Reef's face flashed before her eyes once more. "Let's just... get ready for the party tonight. Okay?"

The fifteen-year-old boy sighed. "Okay."

...

"You could try having fun. There's no need for you to always be so severe," Klavien advised in his emotionless way as he put the finishing touches on her outfit for tonight's show.

Coral glared at him. "Yes, there is."

"No, there isn't. You went through something terrible. But you're not in that arena anymore. So, stop acting like it."

Coral was taken-aback. "You don't get to talk to me like that. You don't know what it's like."

"No, Coral, I don't know what it's like. And I shouldn't get to talk to you like this. But, I am. Because I'm the only one who will. Shape up, Newport. Or you, and everyone you love, will never stop being miserable."

Cora was silent after that.

"Finished. Try it on. The show starts in one hour." Klavien handed her the dress.

It was made of gold netting and seashells. The dress was as modest as Klavien could make it, but it cut off at about mid-thigh and the neckline was a harsh v-neck.

Snow insisted upon it and the crimson-eyed man couldn't bring himself to tell the girl why. In time, he would explain the horrors that the President was preparing her and Finnick for. But, not now. They were still so young.

The dress looked beautiful on Cora, even if it was too showy for a fifteen-year-old girl. Her long hair was done in a sort of mermaid-esque updo.

Finnick was dressed like a sailor. Brown pants with ripped hemming and a loose white shirt that showed off his chest. He had gold netting that acted as a belt and made him match Cora.

...

"What's the setlist for tonight?" The boy asked. Smiling as he matched her pace. They were walking backstage.

"Just a few love songs," the girl sighed. Snow promised that, eventually, she could start writing and performing her own songs. If he approved of them.

"Ah, not excited?"

"Am I ever?"

The boy let out an amused scoff. "No, I guess not."

When they arrived backstage, the two stood in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry," Cora blurted. She'd been feeling guilty about snapping at him that morning. And even more guilty after what Klavien said.

Finnick looked confused, blinking his eyes and shaking his head a little. "For what?"

The strawberry blonde took a breath. "For snapping at you earlier. You were just trying to help."

He smiled. "Apology accepted. Ready for the show?"

"I always am," she sighed, smiling back.