I hope you die in that arena. The words seemed cruel even in Finnick's own mind, yet the thought had lingered from the moment he was entrusted with this child's life, vulnerable and soft like a baby bird he was forced to push out the nest so that they could fly. His newest tribute to train, so like him. The relief that came down upon him when the child was announced as Victor had overtook him, and it was a strange sense of unknown instinct that had pushed him to force his way into the hovercraft to greet them. He knew he'd probably be punished for it, but any thought of that was pushed from his mind when they fall into his arms, his grip equally tight, grasping, desperate, making sure they were truly in his arms.

Finnick heard a choked 'Dad' escape the tribute, and he was well aware that the Capitol was recording and watching everything. In any other moment he'd be strategizing his every action, how'd the Captiol people would react, how he could best make this situation work for him and the new Victor. But all parts of his mind was occupied by the replay of what the child just said. Dad. Dad, they viewed him as a dad. And how else could he react but to hold the child, no....his child tighter?

"It's ok..I'm here sweetheart." He knew well that this was foolish. Claiming them as his child would only bring more trouble to both of them; an extra leash on himself, and an extra incentive on them for those in the Captol who were already drooling over the new young Victor, ready to consume. No, the games didn't end in the Arena. Not for people like them. He could lie and say they would be spared but well...Like father like child. Those thoughts still whispered in his ear, that it would've been kinder for them to die in the arena, then to live a life that followed his footsteps.

But for now, he'd just hold them closer, let their tears soak his shirt, heart to heart, beating as one. He could strategize and worry later, right now he just wanted to hold his child. His sweet, damned baby. "I'm here for you."