sciencesaggressively | [insert diamond pun here]

[insert diamond pun here]

He has no idea what he's doing.

He's standing in the middle of this store, hands stuffed in the pockets of his leather jacket, and nobody's offered to help him yet probably because he looks awfully shady. He feels kind of shady, actually; he keeps glancing over his shoulder to make sure nobody he knows is around, which is a tough task when he's in a busy shopping mall but maybe the hustle and bustle of the weekend crowd will make it that much easier for him to blend in without getting caught in this shop. He keeps telling himself he's only here because he's curious, he has no intention of actually buying anything, he's just here to browse and get an idea of what he should look for in the future.

Then there's that really big, much louder part of him that's laughing at that bullshit because he's almost definitely going to walk out of this place with a shiny new engagement ring, assuming he finds one that's right. Yeah, he's going to do it. He's going to propose because even though it had been on his birthday that he'd really admitted to himself that Kate's the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with, he's pretty sure he's known longer than that. They've been together for only a few months but he's never been more sure about anything in his life--well, it might be on level with how much he'd wanted to join the PPDC and work with kaiju guts but whatever, whatever, that's business and this is personal.

That's why he doesn't want anyone to see him here, he doesn't want any of his friends or her friends or anyone to try to talk him out of this--not that they could--when he doesn't even have a single doubt himself, not even a doubt of her saying yes. Even if he does walk out of here with a ring, it's not like he's going to propose right away anyway; but he'd really like to be prepared. Just in case.

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Finnick's first thought is to leave. Despite the his confident and charismatic Capitol personality, he's really not the type to just go up and start conversing with someone unless it somehow works in his favour. Still, the guy looks more than a little lost, and with a slight sigh, he heads inside, pretending to look at some earrings in one of the display cabinets (as if his loved one is here, and not far away and perhaps forever out of his grasp.) "I take it you're not shopping for yourself?" He asks nonchalantly.

"Nah, dude, I'm totally looking for one for me," he replies, offering a friendly smile. He points at a particularly gaudy ring, one that looks like it could have come out of one of those bubble gum machines except with an exceptionally more expensive price tag with how giant the rock. It's not really about the money, he brings in a solid paycheck from the lab anyway; but he doesn't think something like that would really suit Kate, and he wants to pick something that is distinctly her.

He glances back up at the guy, hoping he doesn't look or sound too clueless to even be in this store because he knows he wants to get a ring, he just doesn't know how to even begin going about finding the right one. "I decided to propose to my girlfriend," he explains, and it's difficult not to smile because it's the first time he's saying the words out loud and they do sound pretty nice. "I've just, y'know, never even really thought about this kind of thing before. I guess I'm kind of out of my element."

"I'll bet," Finnick says, first, because who the hell isn't out of their element in Darrow, and who the hell isn't out of their element in love. The only thing he's sure of is that he loves Annie, but that doesn't make the technicalities that come with it any less confusing. Still, he wishes he were buying a ring for her. He looks over the rings, thoughtful, before he speaks next. "These are all a bit... generic, though."

Newt nods in agreement, brightening at the fact that this guy is thinking what he's thinking. "I totally agree, dude, regular diamonds are so boring." He gestures for his new shopping buddy to follow him to a different case, sweeping his hand over the glass at the rows of rings with different colored gemstones. "I'm thinking one of these. They're special, y'know, unique, just like her. I want her to have something she can actually feel like she can show off, something that you don't see on someone's ring finger every day."

He pauses, realizing that he's unloading an awful lot on a stranger and figures that he should at least introduce himself before offering up his romantic life story. "I'm Newt, by the way."

"Finnick," Finnick offers back, a little taken aback by his enthusiasm but it's nothing compared to the eccentric personalities he's encountered in the Capitol. He looks down at the rings, nods affirmatively. Better. "These are good. More natural. You could pick her favourite colour or... whichever colour reminds you of her."

It'd be sea-green for Annie, this much he knows. None of these quite fit that, though.

Finally, someone with a name as unique as his own. Newt would totally get into like, a brotherhood of names kind of thing with Finnick right now, but it's going to have to wait because right, looking at rings to give to the love of his life, etc, etc. His eyes land on the row of blue, sapphires and blue diamonds that come in all sorts of different cuts and settings, and he shakes his head with a dramatic sigh.

"How is this a thing people do?" he wonders aloud. "Walk into a ring shop and go, 'yup, that's it, that's the ring,' y'know?" Even as he says it, he spots one--14k white gold, blue diamond center stone, complete with a circle and two rows of accent diamonds. He points at it, eyes wide as he looks up at Finnick. "Holy shit, dude, that's it. That's the ring!"

Finnick can't help but huff out a laugh, something rare when it's not in mocking, and moves over to look at the ring. He's worn the best the Capitol has to offer, but that doesn't mean he has any clue when it comes to fashion. It's nice, though. Impressive. Hard to tell never haven't met the girl, but if the guy really deserves her, well, he'd know. "Yeah?"

He nods, beaming down at the ring. He's not sure if it's supposed to be that quick and okay, now he's second-guessing himself because what if it's really not supposed to be that quick? He scratches the back of his head and glances at Finnick with worry in his eyes. "Or maybe not? What if I'm jumping the gun, what if I'm supposed to like, shop around? I mean, it's not like it's going on my finger, what if she hates it? There are so many what-ifs, and I hate what-ifs, dude, I'm a scientist, I deal in-- Okay, so I deal in what-ifs but that's not even the point, the point is..."

He trails off, frowning because he's not really sure what his point is here, he's rambling without purpose--which isn't unusual, but he's excessively nervous, which is. This uncharted territory, even more so than when he'd had his encounter with the kaijus because at least up until that point, he'd been studying the goddamn things for the better part of ten years. "I've lost my train of thought. Too many shiny things in my line of sight."

"You're over-thinking it," Finnick says, somehow absolutely sure of that fact. It's understandable, of course, because marriage is nothing to be taken lightly, but if there's one thing he's sure of in this fucked up world it's the woman who he loves so dearly. And the ring, he thinks, should be the same. Instinctive. "I doubt you feel a need to shop around for wives. If you think that's the one... that's the one. Go with it."

He's come a long way from the tribute-turned-Victor-turned-tribute, bitter about the love others, like Katniss and Peeta, were allowed to share while he was kept away from her. Maybe it was 13, maybe it's Darrow, but he doesn't mind letting others be happy so much anymore.

He snorts at that, taking a breath because Finnick's providing a pretty solid voice of reason that he hadn't realized he was going to need before walking in here. "Point taken." He pauses, letting his gaze wander back to the ring and he tilts his head, smiling a little as he admired it. "We've been together for about four months, and I know it might sound like okay, wow, four months, slow your roll, cowboy. I know that. But it's not even an impulsive thing, seriously, it's not. You know what I mean?"

He tries to get the attention one of the shop attendants so he can get the ring out of the case, but he's waved off for the time being in favor of some other customer. "What's a guy gotta do to marry his girlfriend around here?" he asks loud enough for her to hear, rolling his eyes.

Finnick does know what he means. Truth be told, he didn't fall for Annie quite instantly, but maybe that speaks for his hesitance to love more than how much he loves her now. It's the guy's decision, anyway, and it's not like there's any point waiting it out if they're going to spend an eternity together.

He glances across at the salesperson, resisting the urge to speak out, wondering if something about the situation makes the attendants think Newt's not a serious customer. Clearing his throat, he asks, "You two met here, then?"

Newt's ridiculously close to just hopping over the counter and breaking the case open himself but it's helpful that he's got someone around to engage him in conservation. He shoots his best stern look--which doesn't look very stern or threatening or mean or any of those things at all--at the attendants again before turning his attention back to Finnick.

"Yeah, I did. You know the train station, where they have that whole stupid envelope thing? She used to work there." He smiles fondly at the memory of meeting her for the first time, how easily they'd clicked even after the first few minutes of talking to each other. "She was like, fully cursing out one of the envelopes, it was great. But uh, we had coffee. Then we had a date. Then we had more dates and now I'm here. She just gets me, y'know? Better than anyone ever has and that's... Well, that's really something. How about you? You seeing anyone, hearing wedding bells?"

He remembers the train station all too well, the surrealism of an envelope that contained the keys to a new life he'd never even asked for. It's nice, then, that Newt has fonder memories of it all, since the whole day didn't rate to highly on Finnick's list of pleasant memories. He shakes his head at the question, not knowing how to answer that quite yet. He's wanted to marry Annie for quite some time, completely sure of his devotion to her, but she's not here. She's far away. Again. And he's failed her once more by letting himself leave her. "Not quite."

For a moment, Newt thinks Finnick hasn't heard the question because he gets quiet for a moment, looks like he's thinking about something he'd maybe rather not think about. Newt knows that look because he's seen it on himself; he catches his reflection sometimes, in shop windows or car mirrors, while walking down the street, thinking of home and reminding himself that missing it is a waste because unless he's magically able to figure out the mystery of Darrow, there's no going back. And it's not like he'd even want to go back at this point, at least not by himself. He has too much to lose now, too much he's not willing to give up to go back to his world.

But then Finnick speaks, and it piques Newt's interest because, unsurprisingly, it sounds like he's not the only one who misses things from home. "Your person's not here?" he asks softly, not wanting to cross any lines.

"She's not," Finnick clarifies, nodding, not wanting to be rude but also feeling like he doesn't need to indulge Newt in too many details. He's protective of Annie in that sense. Though the Capitol always wanted to know of whether he'd found The One, he knew it was risky to let them in. It was easier being the promiscuous Victor they thought he was, entertaining a string of Capitol lovers year in and year out. "But I'm told she's safe. Where I'm from."

The fact that Finnick has to be told that his girlfriend is safe is enough for Newt to be willing to let it go. He's curious as hell, of course, he always is; but it doesn't sound like there's much in the way of a super happy story there, and it feels a little too close to home to want to hear it right now. He doesn't know what to say, wonders if he should say he's sorry to hear that or if he should just say nothing at all and neither option sounds particularly good.

"Well. As long as she's safe." That's what he lands on, and it's totally lame but it's also sincere. He's in a position now that he can understand what it might feel like to lose someone he loves. The idea of losing Kate in any capacity is terrifying, like he'd be losing a limb because that is how major a part in his life she's become. "I didn't leave much behind at home. Well, I mean, other than my entire life. But it's weird, I got here the day after this huge chapter in my life was coming to an end, y'know? Funny how it happened that way."

"Seems like some people are better off here," Finnick muses, and thinks of Peeta, of Prim. He and Katniss are different, he knows. Their best skill is killing and it's not all that marketable outside of an arena. Well, and he has other skills, but isn't about to use them for leverage in Darrow. Or ever again. That much he's sure of. But where he's better off he doesn't know. Sometimes he really thinks he should have just died in the arena. It would have been easier on Annie after all. "A second chance."

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