Alright Guys, to whoever's reading, this chapter and the following one will have trigger warnings posted. I recommend skipping to Chapter 38. If you are worried about losing plot, you can message me on my board. 

I thank you so much for your support and appreciate any comments, questions or opinions. 

As I have stated previously, I am a believer that this world is dark and there are people in it that are affected by the darkness. I choose to share these stories with you and while I will continue write it, I will also state that I believe that broken and hurt people can heal. They can find love and they can find happiness. A person is not defined by their past, but their willingness to face it bravely and push through. 

Never more than now, I wish you the best. Take care of yourself. Reflect on yourself. Know your limits. Stay safe! ~CANGEL

*** While not particularly triggering, we are entering grey areas of consent and child sexual acts. To be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, I do not condone this behavior or approve of it. Know your triggers and take care of yourself.***

***

The Capitol

Finnick Odair

      Finnick could barely keep his body in his body in his seat, let alone keep a carefree expression on his face as he watched Scarlet struggling against the tree, a set of much larger hands wrapped around her throat, slowly squeezing the life out of her. Bleeding, freezing, and suffocating, he watched as her lips turned blue and her face turned purple

     He was sure that she was going to die.

     He couldn't help her. He was just as helpless as he had been last year, unable to do a damn thing to change the course of the events inside the Arena. Scarlet wasn't his tribute, and she wasn't his responsibility, but once again, he had failed to anticipate the change in the Arena.

     Scarlet had been set. She had made herself a decent shelter, set traps, managed to get a fire started, warm, clean water, cooked food, and she had found herself a fucking wolf to use as a weapon on top of her arsenal—though Finnick had anticipated her being punished for using the wolf to her advantage. He knew for a fact it hadn't been 'gifted' to her and therefore it was an advantage that the Capitol and the Gamemaker's wouldn't anticipate.

     Then the District 3 male had attacked her. And Scarlet had managed to fend him off and kill him, but not before getting injured herself. Before she could recover the next wave was on top of her.

     On one screen he watched Scarlet barely making it from the icy waters and on the other he watched as a girl was being chased by an unexpected alliance of three. The alliance between the males of Districts 5, 6, and 8 had thrilled the Capitol and sent a buzz of unexpected joy through the citizens.

      It wasn't often that alliances formed outside of the Careers, and when they did, especially ones as strong as the three males, it always caused a stir. Finnick could feel that buzz energizing the air as they hunted the girl he recognized as one of Haymitch's tributes. District 12.

     They funneled the girl along the river, unknowingly to the girl that Flax had circled around her and was waiting for her to reach him. Unknowingly to them all, Scarlet was trapped in the middle of their sick game.

     Scarlet hadn't hesitated though, and Flax had stupidly assumed that Scarlet was another little mouse like the one they had been chasing. She had killed the one by the river and wounded the one with the throwing blades and while her wolf was finishing Derrick off, Scarlet had taken on Flax.

     Finnick watched from the Capitol as she ripped the blade from her own body and stabbed it through Flax's eye. Finnick felt his spine curve as tension left his body at the same time hers dropped to the floor. She sucked in the oxygen she desperately needed, and her face returned to its normal pale complexion—though the blue around her lips stayed reminding everyone that though she had survived, she was not out of harm's way.

     The dip in the river alone would make it nearly impossible to survive let alone the wound that was bleeding profusely at her waist.

     A hand rested on his thigh and Finnick flinched at the contact. He looked over at the woman he'd forgotten had been sitting next to him. Shit.

     "You seem awfully interested in the girl." Finnick looked toward the small couch across from him. The woman's husband raised a brow at him, his eyes mocking as he raised the tip of the glass flute to Finnick. "You're still not worried about her little challenge, are you?"

     Finnick forced out a laugh that shredded his insides just a little bit. Of course, they thought he'd be worried about his reputation. Not the life of a twelve-year-old tribute fighting to hang onto her young life.

     He leaned back against the couch, his arm stretched out along the edge of it. His fingers toyed with the ends of the woman's long hair.

     "I don't know that I'm worried..." Finnick said finally, purposefully letting his voice trail off as his fingers pulled a strand of her hair, just a touch too hard, causing her head to jerk back. A small hitch in her breathing told him all he needed to know. She liked his teasing roughness. As did her hand, that skimmed further up along the inside of his thigh. All the while, her husband watched them carefully from the couch opposite of them. This was the game that they enjoyed playing. His wife getting teased by another, all the while, her husband watched carefully from a distance, before making his final approach. Finnick was simply a tool that they enjoyed using to play it.

     His eyes skated toward the screen. Finnick made sure to keep his emotions under wrap as his heart rate sped up at the split view lighting up the screen. One half showed Scarlet now fighting for her life once more, this time against a much larger black wolf—seriously, what the fuck was up with the wolves? — And the other half showed Crimson and the two remaining Careers following the fresh tracks of what Finnick assumed was his wolf. She had to get out of there.

     Finnick looked back at the man, forcing his eyes from the screen even as panic filled every crevasse of his body, his brain demanding that he turn his attention back to the screen and not miss such a critical moment. But that would not help anyone. And Finnick was determined to try to help. If Scarlet managed to survive—and there was a small part of him that refused to think that the strong girl he'd seen outside of the Arena dying despite nearly all the odds placed against her—he would help her.

     Gaius Heavensbee was a thirty-year-old wealthy Capitol Elite. The son of a wealthy Capitol Elite, who was the son of another wealthy Capitol Elite who helped establish and form the Nation of Panem. And like most—relatively—young Capitol Elites that had been raised in such opulence, Gaius was eager to prove himself and flaunt his wealth, making him easy to manipulate and perfect for what Finnick had in mind.

     "But I think she stands a good chance."

     Gaius let out a loud, booming laugh and pointed to the view screens. "You're joking, right?" He slapped his knee, growing more obnoxious by the second. "Maybe that's why your tributes die so soon."

     Finnick felt his lips twitch, anger swirled around in his stomach, and maybe he pulled Alysum's hair just a touch harder than he should have, but he quickly recovered, letting the sharp barb slide.

     He could defend himself, or he could help Scarlet. But he knew he couldn't do both.

     "Hey, I'm still learning." Finnick admitted with a forced laugh. They both watch the screen for a bit as Scarlet waded further into the river practically dragging her injured wolf along with her in order to escape the black wolf and the Career Pack. It didn't look good for her, but Finnick didn't think that the river would kill her. They watched for a few minutes more as Crimson and Urban threw their spears just barely missing their intended target and as Scarlet made it up onto the block of ice with her wolf, Finnick turned back toward Gaius. "But if you're so sure about her fate, how about we make a little bet of our own?"

     In his eyes, Finnick saw the spark of interest.

     Maybe he didn't have to sit helplessly along the sidelines, doing nothing as the tributes inside the Arena fought for their lives. Maybe Finnick could help someone.

     "She won't make it past morning." Gaius said, dismissing the tribute without a second thought. But Finnick knew that he still had Gaius looking at the hook. Finnick just needed to place the right bate in front of him and luckily for himself, Finnick knew exactly what would attract a man like Gaius.

     The man before him was wealthy and proud with a beautiful wife on his arm and had a fondness for voyeurism.

     Finnick didn't want a wife anytime soon, but if he did have one, he would never share her with anyone. If he married, it would be to someone he loved and who loved him. After growing up watching and seeing the love his parents had for each other every day, he knew what marriage represented. He believed in the vows spoken that bound two people together forever. He believed in the promises of loyalty and fidelity and a life of commitment and affection.

     And if he couldn't half that, then he would rather not get married at all.

     So, to say that he didn't remotely understand Gaius' particular interest or the satisfaction he got after seeing someone else fuck his wife was an understatement, but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to use it to get what he wanted from the man.

     Finnick leaned closer to Alysum. He played with the string hanging from the little decorative hood around the woman's neck, letting the end of it brush the tops of her rapidly rising and falling breasts. He locked eyes with Gaius, who watched them raptly with hawklike eyes, his legs spread and Finnick saw the bulge from his swelling cock.

     "If she lives to morning, let's send her a little gift of encouragement." Finnick tossed out casually, never ceasing in his toying's of Alysum, or his watchful gaze of Gaius.

     Gaius' lips turned upward. "That's sure to be costly for me. What would I get out of this?" Finnick knew that Gaius knew what Finnick was offering, but he wanted to draw out the game and he wanted Finnick to earn his agreement.

     Fine.

     Finnick could play. He turned his head slightly, letting his lips brush against Alysum's throat, chuckling lightly. "What would you get out of it?" He repeated with just the barest touch of mockery and disbelief.

      And while he didn't answer his question directly, Finnick allowed his actions to speak for him.

      As Alysum's hand brushed his chest, he didn't allow himself to feel disgust, embarrassment, or revulsion at his very public actions that may or may not be being broadcasted throughout all of Panem as he shifted his hand to her thigh.

     It wouldn't be the first time, but he hated it all the same. It was that type of publicity that had wrecked his image in his father and brother's eyes, and it was that type of publicity that hurt him the most. It affected his every action in his daily life and there was no pretending it didn't exist.

     But now, Finnick pushed the thought of lurking camera's away and focused on his task.

     Pleasing them to help her.

     Finnick could help her. He could finally, just maybe, do something to help someone.

     It's not like doing something like this would hurt him. It wasn't exactly a hardship seeing as Alysum was a beautiful woman who knew what she was doing and what she wanted.

     And as far as Capitol women went, her eccentric tastes seemed limited to her and her husband's bedroom activities. Her makeup was demure and her clothes, expensive and soft, loose and fluttery and barely covering her rounded breasts and narrow waist.

      Alysum was beautiful—absolutely stunning and her voice—while heavily accented and as posh sounding as anyone who'd grown up in the Capitol, was quiet and as demure as her makeup. She was a generous lover in bed and Gaius never wanted more than a good show. All they seemed to want was a good show and a good time.

     Finnick slipped his hand between her thighs, making sure to give Gaius just a taste of what he wanted. A clear view of Finnick's fingers against Alysum's slick heat.

     And just before he pressed his fingers inside, he paused. Meeting Gaius' dilated pupils and flushed face, Finnick tugged on the ends of her hair, pulling her head back so that the column of her throat protruded. He allowed his teeth to graze against the soft skin of Alysum's neck, pulling at her flesh in a way that would be sure to leave a mark.

     "So," he said, letting her flesh fall through his teeth, the reddened skin on display. "Do wehave a bet?"

-----------------

So, I posted the trigger warning because, to me, this scene made me feel a little icky to write. Finnick is 16 (Age of consent in Panem--not in my brain). And even in our society, I'm genuinely not sure if it's acceptable--though it is illegal. 

So many people around me seem to think that boys should be having sex so young and because they're boys--anything related to sex with a woman could never be wrong. But that's simply not true. 

Finnick, like many new Victors, think that as a mentor, they have the secrets and will be able to get one of their tributes home each year. They think that if they succeeded, then of course, they could help others succeed. This is now Finnick's 2nd year failing, and he is struggling under the weight of that failure. He is desperate to make a difference, to help someone. He is desperate to save someone.

Finnick is SMART. I feel like it's overlooked, a LOT because to Panem--to the Capitol--he's just a pretty face rocking a hot body, and I'll be honest, I definitely have a tendency to go straight to his gold skin and pearly white teeth, but he is SMART. 

He's not AS analytical as Scarlet or as strategic as Crimson. But he is very intuitive. He knows how to read people and how to respond to get them to do what he wants. I really hope we'll see him take advantage of that skill. 

Finnick is kindhearted and loyal. He wants to desperately save people and hates feeling powerless. If he has a flaw, it is that he has a pretty low value for himself and will do anything to save those he finds worthy-or loves, including things that he knows will hurt himself. 

And FYI, I really hope this couple goes to HELL too. Kinks and voyeurism are completely good. I am not trying to shame anyone's wants, needs, or desires. As long as it is sober, safe, and consensual with clear expectations. You do you, my friends. But this is different, because Finnick is just a kid, and there is a clear power imbalance, and he cannot consent to two adults. 

Take care of yourself and stay safe! ~CANGEL