finnick odair relished in the fleeting moments he was allowed to reside back in district four; his home by the sea. after winning the 65th annual hunger games, his life had transformed into a structured prison of televised interviews, victory tours, and the yearly mentoring of other poor, young souls from district four who were selected as the fresh meat for the yearly games. year after year.

but when he stepped foot back on the sand under his thatch sandals and felt the ocean breeze in his coppery blond hair, all the stress of the life of a victor would melt away like wax on a candle held to the sun. despite the continued enslavement of the district under the guise of the capitol, he was selfishly allowed more privileges than the rest due to being golden boy of the capitol. he tended to deny these however, living among the people he had grown up with like nothing had changed. subjectively, he also enjoyed being able to see you.

"cheer up, darling. no one's looking." finnick murmured with a cheeky but characteristic smirk, his dimples on full show to you under the mellow graze of the afternoon sunlight. the both of you had found some semblance of solitude on the expanses of the coast side, settled on a palm reed mat that mags had made as a gift. for what, you had no idea.

his skilled fingers had been weaving a shell pendant idly while he'd been engrossing you in conversation, his eyes focused on you the entire time as if his motions were embedded in memory. he was an effortless charmer, you had to give him that. "hold still." he teased, leaning forward casually to place the necklace with the little shell around your neck, his calloused fingers grazing your collar.

"see? no peacekeepers here, it's just me. or, perhaps that could be considered worse." that godforsaken grin danced across his lips as he made the quip. he even smelled like sugar and the sea.