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Description
The lights went out and there were the sounds of people screaming, or alarmed shrieks which were followed up by a manical laughter. I gritted my teeth as the world around me shook. I pressed myself into my bunk, trying not to imagine the ceiling falling in on me in the dark.

"Paisley?" Finnick's voice was quiet, and as soon as the my name left his lips, there was a hum and dim lights started to flicker on. I could barely see Finnick, but it was enough for me to crawl out of my bunk and sit next to him.

"I'm okay," I whispered, still shaking.

"Not what you're used to?" He was smiling slightly. I knew he was trying to comfort me, but I honestly didn't care. I cared more about his welfare than mine at this point; he meant more to Panem that I did.

"No. You?"

He shrugged. "You'd be surprised what you'd find in the Games."

"Can we... Can we not talk about the Games?" I shivered a bit. "I can hardly imagine what I'd find in there. And I don't want to know."

I shook my head, gripping my knees to keep my hands from shaking. We sat in silence until Coin's voice came on the announcements. The volume of her voice matched the flicker of the lights.

"Apparently, Peeta Mellark's information was sound and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. Sensors indicate the first missile was not nuclear, but very powerful. We expect more will follow. For the duration of the attack, citizens are to stay in their assigned areas unless otherwise notified."

Right after, through the door, I saw a person walk out of the bunker. I couldn't see who it was, and it didn't matter much. It seemed Finnick and I had time to ourselves and I turned to him.

"So why did you try to 'get me some'?" I held my fingers out for air quotes.

He glanced at me, working his fingers on that string again.

"I don't know, honestly. I guess I missed my old shenanigans. I don't normally get into them anymore, what with all the war and stuff. I just saw you and you stuck in my head. You were just another person trying to live in this damned place. You seemed nice, so I thought I'd mess around with you. It's the Finnick's way of getting friends."

"Nice third-person, there." I smiled a bit and looked out of the bunker for a few minutes before I sighed. "But you didn't think I'd actually hurt Gale."

"Do you have a personal vendetta against him, or what?" he suddenly asked. Even in the dark, I could see his green eyes as they twinkled in amusement.

"Sort of. I just hate how good looking he is."

"Well, that's just great. I'm probably going to get stabbed in a few minutes."

I snickered. "Not exactly, Finnick. I just don't like Gale. He's... too... gah. I can't even explain it, he's so annoying." Finnick started laughing and I jokingly punched his shoulder. "It felt good to kick his butt, though. All this talk about he's so great. I mean, you don't spend all day in classes with girls who don't shut up about him. 'Gale this' and 'Gale that'. He's like some... sex magnet, or something."

Finnick rose an eyebrow. "Really? I doubt Gale knows he's that famous. He's actually not a bad guy. He just wants to see the Capitol destroyed."

"Don't we all?" I groaned a bit and ran my hand through my hair.

"Hey, how did you get your hair like that?"

I glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's just so... red. Did you Capitolize it?"

I paused for a moment, just looking at him. "Genetics. I've never been to the Capitol, nor do I have any need or want to." He nodded, poking my hair. "If you tie knots in it, I will stab you."

He snickered.

It was three days of this. All boring, long, drawn out days. But, in the meantime, Katniss found a way to amuse everyone. Buttercup, the cat Prim saved, was chasing a beam of light the flashlight gave off. It amused a lot of people in the bunker, but not me. Bombs hit, I ignored it. I would give anything to be above ground right now. It never bothered me before, on regular days, but now we were so far underground, I felt as if I were going to suffocate. A few nights, Finnick had to wake me up because I would start to freak out in my dreams. Last thing everyone needed was screaming in a such an enclosed area.

It was bed time, the lights dimmed to save power. Safety lights went up and I found I just couldn't sleep that night. "I'm going out to walk around," I whispered to Finnick. He nodded, not able to get any sleep himself. I walked out of our room into the main hall before I was suddenly slammed into a wall, a strong pair of hands squeezing my shoulders painfully.

"Are you from the Capitol?"

I let out a surprised gasp and tried to get away, but the hands held me. I had to squint to see the person in front of me, but I couldn't make out who it was. I just knew it was male.

"Are you?" The voice was angrier as it hit me against the wall again.

"Let me go!" I whispered, trying to get away before I recognized the voice—Gale.

I sighed and looked up at him, now seeing his face and I frowned deeply. "Let me go," I said, calmer.

His eyebrows just furrowed more. "Answer." I sincerely hated how blunt he could be.

"No. My hair is genetic. Now let me go before you bruise me."

His fingers loosened, but he didn't let go completely. I was still pinned to the wall and I very much didn't like this. It only added to the claustrophobia.

"Look, Gale, I'm from District 6. Which is why I could pin you down. My parents were medics. I love anatomy, alright? If you're going to go all psycho-murderer and kill me, please have the decency to do it after we get out of this bunker."

He let go of me, but I stayed away from the wall as he started to pace. "I don't understand."

"Understand what?" I crossed my arms over my chest, resisting the urge to rub my shoulders.

"Why you keep avoiding me. And overall hurting me in training."

The sound of Gale complaining made me laugh. He was most definitely not the type to do that. I was sure sleep deprivation had gotten to him. "Because I was pretty sure you were going to be rude and I was going to be forced into kicking you there again. And it's training."

"Most girls can't even get over the fact I'm their partner."

"Shocker." I narrowed my eyes, frowning angrily. "I, for one, don't give two shits how adorable you are. I'm personally sick and tired of girls swooning over you."

He sighed and leaned against a wall. "And you're so mean. It's hurtful."

"I'm a redhead. You piss me off, I'm bound to get on you. At any rate, you deserved it. I tried to be nice and help you up."

"And I tried to be nice and apologize."

So he was trying to apologize when he sat at my table. I sighed and rubbed my temples. I knew for certain I was going to get absolutely no sleep tonight. My heart was racing and my head throbbed painfully, especially the spot where Gale sacked me.

"Well, sorry about that. If you play nice, I'll play nice. Deal?"

Gale stayed quiet for a few moments. "Deal."

I was somewhat surprised he agreed. But I kept that inside and just nodded to him. "Good night, Gale."

He didn't respond as I walked past him and back into the room. Finnick just sat there, staring off into space. "Where's the string?" I noticed his hands were oddly empty and string-free.

"You mean rope?" He glanced at me, his eyes looking troubled. "Katniss came while you were gone. She's having problems, so I gave her mine."

I nodded and moved up to my bunk.

"Paisley."

I looked over at Finnick, who was staring at me intently before he broke into a grin. "Someone got some."

I snorted. "You heard Gale and me?"

"Rather, saw. It looked like was kissing you."

I couldn't suppress the fit of laughter that rolled over me. "Honestly? He bruised my shoulders and demanded to know if I was from the Capitol or not. Then we made amends, I guess."

He pursed his lips. "I see, I see. Well, now you can sit at our table." He cheered up, his eyebrows raising.

"I don't know, Finnick..."

"It's so boring, Paisley. I mean... Katniss is quiet, Gale is quiet, and I have no one to talk to... Anyway, I need some sleep tonight. I've got to stand next to Katniss as she gives her speech about the bombing." I nodded and lay down, closing my eyes.

But sleep never came.

Description
The lights went out and there were the sounds of people screaming, or alarmed shrieks which were followed up by a manical laughter. I gritted my teeth as the world around me shook. I pressed myself into my bunk, trying not to imagine the ceiling falling in on me in the dark.

"Paisley?" Finnick's voice was quiet, and as soon as the my name left his lips, there was a hum and dim lights started to flicker on. I could barely see Finnick, but it was enough for me to crawl out of my bunk and sit next to him.

"I'm okay," I whispered, still shaking.

"Not what you're used to?" He was smiling slightly. I knew he was trying to comfort me, but I honestly didn't care. I cared more about his welfare than mine at this point; he meant more to Panem that I did.

"No. You?"

He shrugged. "You'd be surprised what you'd find in the Games."

"Can we... Can we not talk about the Games?" I shivered a bit. "I can hardly imagine what I'd find in there. And I don't want to know."

I shook my head, gripping my knees to keep my hands from shaking. We sat in silence until Coin's voice came on the announcements. The volume of her voice matched the flicker of the lights.

"Apparently, Peeta Mellark's information was sound and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. Sensors indicate the first missile was not nuclear, but very powerful. We expect more will follow. For the duration of the attack, citizens are to stay in their assigned areas unless otherwise notified."

Right after, through the door, I saw a person walk out of the bunker. I couldn't see who it was, and it didn't matter much. It seemed Finnick and I had time to ourselves and I turned to him.

"So why did you try to 'get me some'?" I held my fingers out for air quotes.

He glanced at me, working his fingers on that string again.

"I don't know, honestly. I guess I missed my old shenanigans. I don't normally get into them anymore, what with all the war and stuff. I just saw you and you stuck in my head. You were just another person trying to live in this damned place. You seemed nice, so I thought I'd mess around with you. It's the Finnick's way of getting friends."

"Nice third-person, there." I smiled a bit and looked out of the bunker for a few minutes before I sighed. "But you didn't think I'd actually hurt Gale."

"Do you have a personal vendetta against him, or what?" he suddenly asked. Even in the dark, I could see his green eyes as they twinkled in amusement.

"Sort of. I just hate how good looking he is."

"Well, that's just great. I'm probably going to get stabbed in a few minutes."

I snickered. "Not exactly, Finnick. I just don't like Gale. He's... too... gah. I can't even explain it, he's so annoying." Finnick started laughing and I jokingly punched his shoulder. "It felt good to kick his butt, though. All this talk about he's so great. I mean, you don't spend all day in classes with girls who don't shut up about him. 'Gale this' and 'Gale that'. He's like some... sex magnet, or something."

Finnick rose an eyebrow. "Really? I doubt Gale knows he's that famous. He's actually not a bad guy. He just wants to see the Capitol destroyed."

"Don't we all?" I groaned a bit and ran my hand through my hair.

"Hey, how did you get your hair like that?"

I glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's just so... red. Did you Capitolize it?"

I paused for a moment, just looking at him. "Genetics. I've never been to the Capitol, nor do I have any need or want to." He nodded, poking my hair. "If you tie knots in it, I will stab you."

He snickered.

It was three days of this. All boring, long, drawn out days. But, in the meantime, Katniss found a way to amuse everyone. Buttercup, the cat Prim saved, was chasing a beam of light the flashlight gave off. It amused a lot of people in the bunker, but not me. Bombs hit, I ignored it. I would give anything to be above ground right now. It never bothered me before, on regular days, but now we were so far underground, I felt as if I were going to suffocate. A few nights, Finnick had to wake me up because I would start to freak out in my dreams. Last thing everyone needed was screaming in a such an enclosed area.

It was bed time, the lights dimmed to save power. Safety lights went up and I found I just couldn't sleep that night. "I'm going out to walk around," I whispered to Finnick. He nodded, not able to get any sleep himself. I walked out of our room into the main hall before I was suddenly slammed into a wall, a strong pair of hands squeezing my shoulders painfully.

"Are you from the Capitol?"

I let out a surprised gasp and tried to get away, but the hands held me. I had to squint to see the person in front of me, but I couldn't make out who it was. I just knew it was male.

"Are you?" The voice was angrier as it hit me against the wall again.

"Let me go!" I whispered, trying to get away before I recognized the voice—Gale.

I sighed and looked up at him, now seeing his face and I frowned deeply. "Let me go," I said, calmer.

His eyebrows just furrowed more. "Answer." I sincerely hated how blunt he could be.

"No. My hair is genetic. Now let me go before you bruise me."

His fingers loosened, but he didn't let go completely. I was still pinned to the wall and I very much didn't like this. It only added to the claustrophobia.

"Look, Gale, I'm from District 6. Which is why I could pin you down. My parents were medics. I love anatomy, alright? If you're going to go all psycho-murderer and kill me, please have the decency to do it after we get out of this bunker."

He let go of me, but I stayed away from the wall as he started to pace. "I don't understand."

"Understand what?" I crossed my arms over my chest, resisting the urge to rub my shoulders.

"Why you keep avoiding me. And overall hurting me in training."

The sound of Gale complaining made me laugh. He was most definitely not the type to do that. I was sure sleep deprivation had gotten to him. "Because I was pretty sure you were going to be rude and I was going to be forced into kicking you there again. And it's training."

"Most girls can't even get over the fact I'm their partner."

"Shocker." I narrowed my eyes, frowning angrily. "I, for one, don't give two shits how adorable you are. I'm personally sick and tired of girls swooning over you."

He sighed and leaned against a wall. "And you're so mean. It's hurtful."

"I'm a redhead. You piss me off, I'm bound to get on you. At any rate, you deserved it. I tried to be nice and help you up."

"And I tried to be nice and apologize."

So he was trying to apologize when he sat at my table. I sighed and rubbed my temples. I knew for certain I was going to get absolutely no sleep tonight. My heart was racing and my head throbbed painfully, especially the spot where Gale sacked me.

"Well, sorry about that. If you play nice, I'll play nice. Deal?"

Gale stayed quiet for a few moments. "Deal."

I was somewhat surprised he agreed. But I kept that inside and just nodded to him. "Good night, Gale."

He didn't respond as I walked past him and back into the room. Finnick just sat there, staring off into space. "Where's the string?" I noticed his hands were oddly empty and string-free.

"You mean rope?" He glanced at me, his eyes looking troubled. "Katniss came while you were gone. She's having problems, so I gave her mine."

I nodded and moved up to my bunk.

"Paisley."

I looked over at Finnick, who was staring at me intently before he broke into a grin. "Someone got some."

I snorted. "You heard Gale and me?"

"Rather, saw. It looked like was kissing you."

I couldn't suppress the fit of laughter that rolled over me. "Honestly? He bruised my shoulders and demanded to know if I was from the Capitol or not. Then we made amends, I guess."

He pursed his lips. "I see, I see. Well, now you can sit at our table." He cheered up, his eyebrows raising.

"I don't know, Finnick..."

"It's so boring, Paisley. I mean... Katniss is quiet, Gale is quiet, and I have no one to talk to... Anyway, I need some sleep tonight. I've got to stand next to Katniss as she gives her speech about the bombing." I nodded and lay down, closing my eyes.

But sleep never came.