The wedding was only a few days away and District Thirteen had descended into manic chaos to get the final preparations finished in time. In all the mayhem, Dahlia barely had a chance to see Finnick as they were each kept busy with endless questions and last-minute decisions. They both hated the constant pestering, wishing they could just spend their days wrapped up in each other's arms. But every time they got a moment alone, someone would come along to interrupt and drag one of them away to assist in the planning.

Eventually, when the night before the big day arrived and everyone tried to separate the bride from the groom, Dahlia and Finnick refused. They shut the door before anyone could protest and hid away in their own little home, away from all the havoc and uproar outside. They didn't care about the superstition of bad luck. They'd had enough bad luck in their lives to last them a lifetime. But as long as they were together, that was all the luck they needed.

For the first time in what felt like years, Dahlia and Finnick were finally at peace in the embrace of the person they loved most. They had immediately snuggled up on the bed, giddy grins resting permanently on their lips. Neither felt the need to fill the silence, each content to just relax in their presence. This was their paradise. This was their home.

"I've missed you." Finnick murmured lowly into her ear as he nuzzled his nose against her hair. "Wish we could just stay like this forever."

Dahlia chuckled at Finnick's childish whining, shifting her body to rest fully on his as she propped her chin on his chest. "Well, I wish tomorrow would come quicker," She mumbled lovingly, her eyes full of adoration as she stared at him. "Because I can't wait to marry you, Finn."

If Finnick's eyes could shine any brighter, they would surely surpass the radiance of the sun. For when he stared at Dahlia, he could only see his entire world staring back. And the realisation that in just a few hours they would be officially tied together for eternity brought him more joy and contentment than all the sparkling jewels of the Capitol.

"You are all I have ever wanted and needed." Finnick sighed affectionately, brushing Dahlia's hair out of her face and cupping her cheek with an infatuated grin. "How did I get lucky enough to have you in my life?"

"I think I'm the lucky one here." Dahlia softly protested, her expression falling slightly as she recalled all they had gone through to get to this point. And more importantly, all she had done. "I still feel guilty that I am experiencing such happiness when I have robbed so many others of their own. I can't help but think you deserve better than someone with my history."

Finnick listened intently to Dahlia's words, gently capturing her hand in his own and tracing his thumb over her smooth skin. The guilt that came with the horror of killing was inevitable. Each Victor had felt it at some point in their lives. There was no escaping it, the remorse would catch up eventually. But it did not mean that they didn't deserve to find love and happiness. And no one deserved that more than Dahlia and Finnick.

With a squeeze of her hand, Finnick replied earnestly, "I am okay with your history, and you should be too... Because it made you who you are. And I happen to be in love with who you are, little flower."

Dahlia gazed tenderly at the man who had saved her from the brink of self-destruction and restored her trust in herself. He made her feel alive and wanted, everything she never believed she could be. He was an angel who had stared her demons in the eye and vowed to silence them forever with the power of love. And he succeeded. Yet he couldn't see how remarkable he truly was. A humble man with a heart of gold.

"You really are heaven-sent, Odair." Dahlia mumbled before leaning forward to softly place her lips on his. No matter how many times they kissed, each one always felt like the first. The magic between them would never be dulled, an eternal spark burning within them which was flared every time they touched. They were each other's driving force, their guiding light.

As her hands instantly moved to cradle either side of his face, Finnick wrapped his arms tightly around Dahlia's body. Then in one swift move he switched their positions, leaving Dahlia trapped underneath his body while Finnick pressed down above her. A soft gasp of surprise left Dahlia's lips at the sudden change, making Finnick pull away with a smug smirk.

"I must say I'm rather enjoying this view." He remarked teasingly, grinning down at her with a mischievous look in his eye. His fingers danced dangerously close to the hem of the shirt she was wearing, snaking along the exposed skin of her waist and hips.

Despite her cheeks burning with colour, Dahlia still managed to maintain a nonchalant expression and playfully retorted, "Hands off things that aren't yours, Mr Odair." Then it was Dahlia's turn to smirk in satisfaction as Finnick's smug smile was wiped away. "You'll have to keep those to yourself until tomorrow."

Finnick's face fell in mock disappointment, an exaggerated pout tugging at his lips. His eyes bored into hers in a pleading manner, but Dahlia stared back with unwavering stubbornness. Until finally, Finnick relented with a dramatic sigh and muttered, "Until tomorrow." Though his expression appeared to show disappointment, Dahlia could tell that he was practically buzzing with excitement for the next day. He was desperate to finally be able to call her his and he was willing to do anything to achieve that goal. Even if that meant keeping his hands to himself for one night. "Why can I never say no to you?"

Dahlia grinned in triumph, winking cheekily at Finnick as she proclaimed, "Happy wife, happy life!"

A motto that Finnick would henceforth live by.

"Speaking of a happy wife," Finnick mumbled, shifting to lie next to Dahlia as he steered the conversation more towards their upcoming nuptials. "Annie and Katniss cornered me after you got back from District Twelve. Mainly to tease me about how beautiful you looked in your dress and reminding me that I would have to wait to find out more details." Dahlia couldn't help but giggle at the childishness of the two girls, making Finnick roll his eyes in feigned exasperation. "But they also told me about your mother's tradition."

"They did?" Dahlia asked, sitting up slightly in surprise while Finnick nodded in confirmation. She hadn't expected Annie and Katniss to heed her words so closely that they would rush to tell her future husband. It warmed her heart to know that they cared just as much about her vision for the wedding as Coin and Plutarch did for their own desires. "I just-- I don't need much from my old district in the ceremony. You're my home, I don't need anything else but... I would like to honour my family by respecting our traditions."

"This is our wedding, Lia. You never need to ask for permission or justify what you want. We can do whatever we like." Finnick reminded her firmly, ensuring she remembered that Coin and Plutarch couldn't control everything about their big day. To further demonstrate his support on the matter, Finnick slipped from the bed to collect the gift he had prepared for Dahlia. He folded his hands behind his back as he returned to her side, hiding the item out of sight. "So, I thought I would give you your 'something blue'." Dahlia immediately perked up, eagerly shuffling closer to Finnick as he sank down next to her. But still, he kept the object concealed behind him. "Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Dahlia's shoulders deflated in irritation, immaturely grumbling, "Do I have to?" At Finnick's pointed but amused look, Dahlia sighed in defeat and did as she was asked. "You're lucky I love you."

Chuckling at her complaints, Finnick gently grasped her outstretched hand and slid the object carefully onto her wrist. "I love you too, my little flower." He murmured fondly, bringing her hand up to his lips and placing a delicate kiss on the top. "Open your eyes."

Following Finnick's instruction, Dahlia's eyes flickered open and darted down to the gift on her wrist. There she found an intricately woven bracelet, made from a twine of the most beautiful shade of blue. It was reminiscent of the bracelet Finnick had created for her many years ago. The one she had killed a man over. The one that had once kept her grounded to reality. The one that had once been her most treasured possession.

"I said I'd make you another one. Had to keep my promise." Finnick explained softly, watching Dahlia's eyes glaze over with emotion. "I'm just sorry that it's a little late, but... It's made from the rope that kept me sane while we were apart. It was my lifeline when I couldn't go to you. And now that I have you back, I have no need for it. You are the only thing I need to keep me fighting."

As tears of both sorrow and joy slid down her cheeks, Dahlia launched herself into Finnick's arms and held onto him tightly. For a moment, she feared that he would slip through her fingers like sand, because there was no way an angel such as him could exist in real life. Yet there he was. Real as day, and embracing her with unwavering passion. Her salvation, her home.

"It's beautiful, Finn." She whispered into his ear, feeling the excitement for tomorrow rush through her body like a tidal wave. "I can't wait to marry you."