Finnick Odair (youngestvictor) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-09-23 00:32:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, annie cresta, finnick odair |
Who: Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta
What: Finnick comes over to check on Annie
When: Backdated: Beginning of September. A Few Days after the Grounder Sickness
Where: Annie's Apartment
Rating/Warnings: Family Friendly
Status: Complete!
Annie getting sick had been one of the most terrifying experiences of Finnick’s life. One moment she had seemed perfectly fine then they were in the hospital. He had my been allowed back with her at first because he wasn’t family so he’d waited in the waiting room until he was finally permitted to see her and be assured that she was alright. After that he’d stayed in her hospital room until they’d had to kick him out. He had been so worried that something would happen as soon as he left and he didn’t know what he’d do if that happened.
Once Annie was finally released from the hospital, he’d given her some time to recover at home before calling her to see if he could come over and see her. Despite having gone back to the hospital at least once after the first time, he needed to see for himself that she was alright at home. He’d stopped and gotten flowers as well as Annie’s favorite from Mellarky's then headed over to her apartment.
If there was a place Annie didn’t like, it was the hospital. Okay, and basements. But hospitals definitely ranked up there in places she would really prefer not having to go to, not that many people who would go there voluntarily if they didn’t work there. Still, being in the hospital had made her agitated, on top of the whole being sick and bleeding from the eyes, and then coughing up blood and overall weakness.
So being out and back in her own home? Definitely better. Between the general resting and regaining of her strength and then cleaning she needed to get done, Annie was relieved for the fact she’d been able to take a few days off of work to get everything settled. Having been out getting groceries, Annie blinked as she noticed Finnick in the hallway from her peripheral vision as she’d been struggling with her key.
“Finnick? Hi.” Well this was a pleasant surprise.
Finnick had been about to knock on the door when he heard Annie’s voice and turned his head to see her coming down the hall, “Hey.” A smile spread across his lips as she got close and he took a moment to take in her appearance, noting that she looked much better than the last time he’d seen her at the hospital, “You look good. Can I help you with those?” He gestured towards the bags that she was carrying.
While Annie could have handled the bags (she’d gotten them back from the store after all), she also figured that she didn’t need to pretend to have everything under control. That was one of the things she most liked about being around Finnick, there was no need for preamble or pretense and trying to prove she could handle everything on her own. Yes, she was honest, but there was always that concern about appearing weak or the like. But that concern wasn’t there.
“If you don’t mind?” Because really. Juggling bags and keys was a headache.
Finnick knew that Annie could take care of herself and could likely handle the bags on her own, but he was nothing if not chivalrous. “I don’t mind at all,” Smiling, he took the bags in his free hand and waited for her to unlock the door, “How’re you feeling?” Seeing Annie sick like she’d been had scared Finnick much like her capture in the dreams had. The only difference was that her getting sick hadn’t affected his mental state the same way her abduction had. Although, he’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t found himself knotting and unknotting any length of rope he could get his hands on the last few days.
It was the fact that Finnick knew she could take care of herself that made her less likely to feel a need to prove anything and that it wasn’t awkward or anything like that. Besides, it really was easier to open the door if she wasn’t juggling grocery bags. Letting Finnick in once the door was unlocked, Annie flipped the lightswitch on. “Definitely better.” She wasn’t as drained anymore, even after getting over it, being in the hospital was a draining experience and so it had taken a few days to recover just from that.
“That’s fantastic to hear. I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” Once they were inside, Finnick placed the bags on the counter then turned towards Annie and held the flowers out to her, “And these are for you.” He’d also had flowers sent to her in the hospital, “And I grabbed some things from Mellarky’s too.”
While Annie knew how Finnick had reacted in the dreams to her being kidnapped, she figured it wouldn’t have been that bad here. After all, they weren’t as tied to one another here. In theory. They had the dream connection, they had the connection they forged here. But it didn’t necessarily register to her that perhaps a similar reaction might have happened. Looking up from putting things away, Annie smiled brightly at the flowers and the comment on getting something from the bakery. “You didn’t have to, but thank you.”
Finnick had met Annie before he’d started dreaming. Before he knew that they would be connected and even then he’d thought she was cute. Sure, he hadn’t thought, at the time, that he’d ever see her again, but as luck would have it, he did. And everything had only intensified the more he saw her and then started dreaming about her so it only made sense to him that he would have reacted the way he had when she’d gotten sick. Unlike other girls he’d liked or dated in the past, Finnick didn’t want to rush Annie. She had been through so much that he wanted her to be comfortable and could only hope that she felt a little of the way he felt, “Well, I figured the ones I sent you at the hospital were probably all wilted plus the nurses probably threw them out, so I wanted to bring you new ones.” He smiled at her, “And who can resist anything from Peeta’s?”
The dreams were peculiar like that. People could meet even before they started dreaming and connect and then suddenly you dream and it suddenly makes all the sense. For Annie it was complicated because she’d already dreamt it all by the time she had met Finnick and so had needed to see if the feelings were legitimate or if it was just the bleedover from the dreams. “Yeah, they do tend to wilt. And well, Peeta’s bakery is definitely the best one in the area in my opinion.” Everyone spoke about Baxter’s, but for Annie, it was always going to be Peeta’s bakery.
“You have a vase I can put them in?” Finnick asked, glancing around the kitchen in an attempt to find one, “And do you need any help putting the groceries away?” It was only right to offer even if he didn’t really know where anything went, “Has Peeta told you that I’m planning on getting him a special engraved broom so that he was shoo away the teenagers?” He cast a bright smile in Annie’s direction as he recalled the conversation with Peeta.
“Um….” Biting her lower lip for a moment, Annie went to the cupboard. “No actual vase, but a glass should work.” They had to make do with what they had after all. It wasn’t like Annie got flowers all the time. She’d tried her hand at keeping plants for a time, but that had failed. “I think you just want to play house.” Smirking some, she shook her head. “I have it covered though, thank you.”
Then she just laughed some at the comment. “No, Peeta did not mention that to me. I want to see this broom when you get it, though.”
“A glass will work.” He took the glass from her, smirking, “I haven’t played house since I was seven and my next door neighbor always made me be the daddy. That stopped the time I accidently made the baby’s head come off.” He didn’t think that was exactly what she meant, but he thought she’d get a kick out of that story.
Filling the glass, he arranged the flowers then set them on the table before turning back towards her and watched as she continue to put the groceries away, “Oh, I’ll keep you updated on it for sure. Gotta find the perfect broom.”
Definitely not what she had in mind but he had asked if she needed help to put groceries away, it seemed fitting. Still she did laugh at the comment even if there had been some small pang at the mention of pretending to be the dad given how the dreams turned out. But that was irrelevant because the story itself was actually amusing. “I think that was a wise decision. Baby decapitation is not a good look.”
It wasn’t too hard to put the groceries away. Everything was more or less packed in a way that there wasn’t too much back and forth and so once that was done, she nodded. “Good. Because broom choosing is super important.”
“Next thing I know the boy up the street is the new dad.” Finnick leaned against the counter as she finished putting the groceries away and nodded, “Very important. Perhaps you’ll have to come with me so that I don’t get the wrong one.” He smirked, liking the idea of spending a day shopping with Annie even if it was for something as simple as a broom. And to some it would be a simple and mundane thing, but it was the reason behind it that made it different.
“How fickle.” Then again, seven year olds. What could one expect from them? And a while ago now. Still, teasing Finnick about the whole incident was still rather amusing to Annie, and that was something they all needed. Between Orange County, dreams of Panem and then the whole sick thing, brevity and light heartedness was always a welcome change. “I think I might have to. I mean, you decapitated a fake baby. Who knows what would happen with a broom.”
Finnick laughed, nodding, “Right. I shouldn’t be left alone while broom shopping. God knows what I could do. It could be a catastrophe without you there.” He was glad that Annie had taken him up on his offer, “I’ll let you know when I plan to go. Make sure we pick out the very best broom for Peeta.”
“It’s important that you know that.” The comment was said with mock seriousness. Because really. Broom shopping. Admittedly, broom shopping in Orange County, so who knew what might happen. It could turn into Fantasia with the mobile mops who then lost control and created chaos. “But that sounds like a plan, I look forward to it."