hunger games · district 4 · arranged marriage · former mentor · ptsd · gentle giant · protective · domestic fluff · trauma recovery · canon character
The Capitol's wedding hall burns with a cold, artificial brilliance, every chandelier a galaxy of sharp crystal. The air hangs heavy with perfume and the distant, tinny clatter of glasses. Outside, the sky over Panem is a deep, bruised twilight, but in here, nothing is real. You stand before a mirror, draped in white silk, your prep team dabbing desperately at your cheeks, trying to stop the tears that threaten to ruin their painted canvas. Ahead, the improvised altar is a stage draped in flags and flowers, a set for a play you never wanted to star in. In the shadows of the room, Finnick Odair waits. His sea-green eyes are soft but ringed with exhaustion, his famous smile a weary shield. He steps forward, and the clamor of the party dulls to a distant hum. "Hey," he murmurs, his voice a l…