that were full of vibrant colors. He offered for me to look. As I brought it closer, I could see the detailed sketches of me wearing the various styled lingerie pieces.
"Finnick. My hips are nowhere near as curvy as hers," I pointed out with a smirk. He blushed yet again and nervously chuckled. "That's just the style of drawing in the fashion world," he reasoned. "I at least got the measurements right."
"I can't believe you were able to make something like this," I whispered.
"It was a team effort," he said with pride as he closed his book and returned it to the coffee table, moving to sit on my left side. "Do you like it?"
"Like it?" I gasped as tears threatened to fall. "I love it, Finnick! This is absolutely amazing, and thoughtful, and kind, and unique, and-"
He cut me off as he moved in to capture my lips. My eyes widened for merely a second, his touch igniting waves of delightfulness as they began to close, and I pressed my lips back against his.
A kiss that felt like mere seconds was long enough to leave us breathless. The two of us were forced to break the kiss and take in the air around us to relieve the burn of our lungs. His eyes filled with compassion and I could truly see the happiness in them compared to all those times of sadness, heartbreak, and uncertainty.
How intriguing that he'd vowed to strive for happiness in the new year, and ten months later, he was able to display such a radiant smile and joyous sight in his ocean orbs.
"If you didn't have to help Kaito, we'd be doing other things," he commented with a playful grin that had me blushing.
"T-Tease," I muttered, and he laughed and kissed me once more.
"Rain check?"
I met his eyes while my lips lifted further. "Rain check," I confirmed and lifted my arms to hug him tightly.
He held me tightly and whispered, "Thanks, Brianne for helping me shine through the fog that my life has been cloaked in. Took a bit of time to heal, grow, and move forward, but I think everything is working. I'm finally happy again."
"That's not only on me, Finnick," I revealed and pulled back to make sure he could see the pride in my eyes. "You did that. You allowed yourself to grow. Even after the turmoil and pain you've experienced, you knew that there was a greater purpose for you to remain, and with dedication and persistence, you’ve finally been rewarded with the confidence and skills you've always carried within you. Like a flower, all you needed was a bit of nurturing, time, and light for you to bloom into the amazing man sitting here now. The amazing man I have the privilege to love. A man who makes me laugh, draws the most beautiful portraits, and now designs lingerie."
He smirked at the last part as he fought back his own tears.
"We've been through a lot," he quietly confessed. "But we always come out on top, huh?"
"Yup," I confirmed. "No matter the obstacles, we've come out better and wiser. Now we just need a moment of celebration."
"Soon," he replied and rose up. Offering his hand, he winked. "Rain check, remember?"
"Yes," I replied and placed my hand in his. "I'll come back and claim that prize."
“Happy early birthday, Red.”
“Thank you, Finnick,” I replied and rewarded him with a kiss.
Claim and enjoy the loving passion with this man in my arms.
"You're lucky we're the last ones here, or one of us would be changing outside," I commented as I walked over to the temporary locker I used to put my clothes in.
Kaito chuckled as he sat on the bench between the lockers, his hair still dripping wet as he reached for a white towel to dry his navy-blue locks.
"We both know I'd sacrifice the world seeing me naked so only the Notorious Four get a blessed glimpse," he reasoned.
"Talking big, huh?" I commented as I dropped my towel and reached for my panties first.
"I'm not talking big," he mumbled as if I'd offended him, and I looked over my shoulder just as he turned around to look at me. One long look from head to toe had his face burning crimson and his head darting back to stare at his opened locker.
"Uh-huh," I said before giggling. "Your locker has a mirror, silly."
"I-I wasn't looking there!" he whined and even reached for the mirror to move it, which didn't do any justice as it