Disclaimer: Hunger Games does not in any way belong to me, it's the property of Suzanne Collins, etc.

Written for Starvation Forum's September prompt, 'Longing'.

Finnick/Annie, modern day AU sort of thing, this is. Also, mentions of Gale/Johanna, just because.

completion

Ever since he can remember, Finnick's dreams have been of the ocean, the water stretching endlessly away from an isolated island. He chases other kids, and they chase him, and sometimes there is a silver trident in his hands, or a golden horn on the beach. Usually the kids are different, but there is always a dark-haired girl that he chases.

He never catches her, or wakes up just as he reaches her, familiar (yet unfamiliar) laughter echoing in his ears.

Finnick thinks that he would like to meet her; he wants to be her friend. But he doesn't even know what her face looks like, much less her name.

(Even if he feels like he does - like it's a half-forgotten word sitting at the tip of his tongue just waiting to be uttered. He doesn't doubt the fact that she exists, somewhere.)

The Odair family used to live by the ocean, but when he was four, they packed up and moved inland, to the big city. Finnick doesn't mind it, but he misses the ocean, no matter what his older brother says about him not even being able to remember it because he was so little. His dreams are more than vivid enough to fill any gaps in his memory, anyway.

So Finnick grows up in the city, transfers to a high school that everyone just calls 'the Capitol'. There, he meets a snarky, jaded girl named Johanna. Spending time with her fills that empty space in his chest a little bit, but it's still not quite right - something's still missing.

Before he really notices, Finnick and Johanna are best friends. In their senior year, Johanna spends her time constantly trying to set him up with other guys after he claims he doesn't find any of the girls in school attractive.

(Well, and that one disastrous kiss they shared that one time, but it was so awkward that neither of them ever brings it up again.)

It takes him a while to set her straight and tell her that, no, he doesn't find Mr. Abernathy the sarcastic science teacher 'hot' and it's gross anyway because Mr. Abernathy is like twenty years older than them, even if he does have a good sense of humour.

And then Finnick has to endure several months of her arranging for him and another guy from school to just 'happen' to be in the same coffee shop at the same time, and oh look at the time, Johanna has places to be, later Finnick!

The devious smirk she always sends him over her shoulder always gives her away, though.

Finnick gets his revenge though, sort of. He stands her up at the movie theatre and bribes Gale Hawthorne to go instead. See how she likes it, right?

(Except the next day Gale and Johanna are an item, so it didn't work out quite as planned.)

At least she's too busy with her new boyfriend to waste her time trying to set him up with other boys. Never mind that Finnick told her he doesn't even like boys like that. Johanna can be quite stubborn when she sets her mind to it. And maybe Finnick didn't try as hard as he could to get Johanna to stop - because her antics were actually entertaining, and distracting enough for him to sometimes forget about the ache in his chest.

Finnick graduates, but he doesn't have any idea about what he wants to do. Spending his days on the beach, fishing, sounds about right, but that's hardly practical. His parents want him to become a lawyer. Johanna jokingly suggests that he should get a career in acting - because he'd be a star onscreen and in the public eye.

Yeah, right.

Finnick gets a degree in journalism, goes on to report on the war in some distant country. Being on the battlefield feels right, but not quite perfect. He comes to crave the sour taste of adrenaline at the back of his throat, the tense and unsafe feeling of being on the frontlines. He wonders if it would be different he was the one shooting and getting shot at, not the observer, but his sense of self-preservation overcomes his desire to find out.

Well, the war ends, more or less. Finnick wins a Pulitzer prize for his work, but his next assignments just feels all wrong so he takes a leave of absence.

World-weary at all of twenty-four, Finnick packs up his things and goes on a road trip.

He ends up back in his old coastal town, on the east coast. The kindly old woman he vaguely remembers was his neighbour - just call me Mags, dear, she tells him when he runs into her at the local supermarket - lets him stay with her. And that's pretty cool, even if it's a little weird, because, well, the last time he saw her was about twenty years ago.

But it still feels... not right, exactly, but better. Even better than being in the warzone. Being next to the ocean is soothing rather than exhilarating, but Finnick likes the change of pace. He starts doing odd jobs around town, fishing with Mags on the weekend.

And then Mags has a stroke. Finnick rushes her to the hospital the next town over and spends several nerve-wracking hours in the sterile hospital waiting room.

(He doesn't like hospitals, has an instinctive distrust of men in those too-clean white coats and the musty, disinfectant smell of the buildings somehow makes him think of being trapped underground.)

He sits next to Mags' bedside until the old woman wakes up. Her voice is slurred, her usually sharp tongue softened and betrayed by age. Finnick doesn't like it, but at least her room overlooks the ocean.

The nurse who comes in to check on them gives Finnick a reassuring smile, but it falters as she continues to stare at him.

Finnick's breath catches in his chest, the ache in his chest returning full force. As he got older it started to fade, as did his strange dreams but-

But this is her, the girl of his dreams. (Literally.)

"Um, sorry," the girl says, regaining her poise with a small cough. "I'm Annie Cresta, a nurse here at District Four. Are you Mrs. Wade's grandson?"

Finnick blinks, because this is definitely her voice, never mind that he has only heard her laugh (and only in his dreams). "Uh, yes," he stammers, feeling his cheeks heating with embarrassment. Is this how the girls who tried to ask him out felt when he rejected them? "I mean, no, I'm not her grandson. But I'm a family friend," he rushes to clarify. "Finnick Odair." He stands and holds out a hand for Annie Cresta to shake.

She smiles at him, more sincerely this time. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Odair," she says gravely, shaking his hands. Her hands are soft and delicate and Finnick is suddenly hit with the desire to protect her, even though that's ridiculous because there's nothing to protect Annie from.

"Call me Finnick," he insists.

"Finnick," Annie repeats, and he thrills to hear his name on her tongue.

They talk some more, about Mags' condition and care and things like that. Somehow, Finnick manages to get her number and address. It's all a bit of a blur though - he's too happy and it feels too right for him to really pay attention.

They go out for coffee (a lot), after Mags gets released, and the old woman insists that Annie should come over for dinner one day. Mags catches the fish and Finnick cooks them and Annie watches contentedly. It feels perfect, like Finnick is among his family, right where he belongs.

(When he thinks about it, it's a little strange that he never felt like this around his real family.)

They're lying on the beach, beneath a bright red and white umbrella, when Annie turns to him and confesses, "I felt like I'd seen you before, when I saw you in the hospital."

Finnick freezes for a moment as he looks at her. "Really?" he murmurs, a goofy grin on his face that he can't get rid of.

Annie sits up, her long black hair cascading over her shoulder and obscuring her face. "Really," she answers, her sea-green eyes never leaving his face.

He sits up, leaning closer. "I did too," he confesses earnestly. "Like, all my life I was just... longing for something - or someone - and when I saw you I just felt... Right. Fulfilled." He looks away, a bit embarrassed. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean," Annie confirms, leaning her head against his shoulder and gazing up at him with affection. Finnick can't look away - she's the most beautiful person he's ever seen. "So, Finnick Odair... Do you want to kiss me or not?" she adds.

His breath catches, eyes widening. Of course he does- He has since he met her but he was never sure if she felt the same or if she just wanted to be friends, or- He nods once, dazed.

Annie grins mischievously. "Such a gentleman," she teases gently, one hand cupping the back of his neck. "This is me giving you permission, you know." She presses her lips to his and it's perfect.

Finnick closes his eyes, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer. The ache of longing in his chest is nothing more than a dim memory now, the magnitude of it obvious only now that it is gone.

A/N: Well, what do you know. Something fluffy and happy! Well, it is an AU. :D Could just be me, but I find it almost impossible to imagine happy endings in canon!Panem. (That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.)

Feedback is much loved. :)