I couldn't resist anymore.
Why am I even resisting?
It left me wondering as I thought of the gemstone around my neck. I hadn't shared with the others about the God of Wisdom, hoping to do so later today or this week. It amazed me that I was worthy of carrying such a piece of power, and I wondered what it all meant.
So far, Jax, Finnick, and I had stones. I wasn't so sure with Brianne because that prism crystal Finnick had witnessed during the confrontation with her on the mountain had faded away.
None of us had seen it with her, so it very well could have been temporary, but who knew. As for Connor, he hadn't shown any hints of such a thing. He was far more honest on most occasions and would tell us if something popped up, like the gemstone, but I couldn't blame him due to the fiasco with his dad and the emotional overload he dealt with a few days ago.
Maybe if I brought it up, we'd speak about it.
Until then, the goal was to relax and prepare for what was to come. There would be times for physical training, but this break was surely there to help us emotionally and mentally recover.
We deserve the break. No one can say otherwise.
A yawn left me as I finally decided to open my eyes. The dancing hues of the flames in the fireplace proved to be the culprit of the flowing warmth coming my way.
It was becoming tempting to fall back asleep once more as I stared at the flames and took in the scattered game cards we'd been using to appease our slight impatience in waiting for the others.
Feeling the stiffness on the right side I'd been sleeping on, I decided to turn over and stretch before attempting to get off the floor. I surely had to be tired to have fallen asleep on the fluffy rug.
Turning over, I immediately froze as Finnick's face was mere centimeters from mine. I hadn't even taken into consideration the heat coming from behind me, and this was my surprise - or reward.
I should have sat up or maybe inched back to give his sleeping figure space, but all I could do was stare at his peaceful expression as he breathed slowly in and out. He looked in such a state of tranquility while the soft glow of the flames from the fireplace only made him look more immaculate in my line of vision.
I appreciated the way his pink strands had hints of teal and white that I hadn't really noticed. It was mere fragments, but it left my imagination soaring at the idea of Finnick having two-toned strands.
His hair was growing far faster than I think we all realized, and I could already recall the past when he cut it super short before revealing that his mother was dead from cancer. Even reminiscing about the heavy past Finnick had dealt with throughout our years at Witchling only proved how damn strong he was.
Everyone always underestimated him, and even we sometimes did without realizing it. He didn't just have potential. He could be a force in vast areas if he was determined. Last semester I barely had to help him with anything, only one or two questions here and there when I came home late from practice.
I was sure he would have asked Brianne, if anything, seeing how close they had gotten last semester, but he'd really grown beyond the limitations placed on him, even with the heartaches that wished to silence his strive towards graduation.
While I continued to get lost in my thoughts, I reached out to gently move a few strands from his face. I hadn't been this close to Finnick's face to see how smooth his skin was.
Or how soft his lips are.
I had to bite my own as if it were an automatic response of control, my desire to suddenly kiss him growing by the minute.
Compared to before, I was going to beat myself up for my hesitation. I was trying to slowly adapt to this, to slowly be okay with the idea of kissing Finnick when I wished.
I'd give myself props for making progress with Brianne. Maybe that engraved fear of being seen was still trying to lift its ugly head in our blossoming relationship, but I'd continued to fight it.
It may take twenty-one days to create a habit, but I'd make sure to break it with continuous effort. I'd trained myself enough now in so many