If we burn } Finnick Odair

Chapter 8 ~a new deal~

Lunch arrives Finnick and I begin to walk to the cafeteria.

"What does district 13 usually eat for lunch?" "Slice of bread, water, and stew. Trust me on the stews though There's one you might like." "Really? what is it?" "I'm not gonna tell you it's a surprise." "Can you at least tell me the options of stews?" "No because you're gonna know which one I'm talking about and it'll ruin the surprise." I groan in jokingly annoyance. Finnick seems to be enjoying my misery considering he just laughs.

"I'll get your food you go sit." I listen to him sitting in the same spot I did at breakfast beside Mags. "Where's your food?" She signs. "Finnick's surprising me so I'm being forced to sit over here." She lets out a soft laugh. Finnick comes back with my food sitting some stew in front of me.

"Try it." He smiles. I do. "Oh my gosh is this Fish and Beet stew?" I ask. Finnick laughs. "Yep!" This used to be my favorite kind of stew when I was younger. I actually eat roughly everything but the bread. It's a little stale.

After lunch Finnick Mags and I start walking to visit Johanna again like we promised. Mags hasn't seen her since before the games. We get there as she's eating. Finnick translates sign language for Johanna since she doesn't know as much as Finnick and I do.

My stomach rumbles and I feel really sweaty. My mouth feels like it's filling up with saliva. I know this feeling all too well. I try and focus on my breathing not hearing anything going on around me. I'm okay I'm okay. I try and close my eyes but it makes it worse because every time I close my eyes I imagine the capital. "Jo did they give you a bucket?" I ask feeling even more sweaty. "Pigeon what's wrong?" I shake my head trying to dismiss everyone else just wanting to know about the bucket. "Yeah it's over there." She says. "Daphne."

I take the bucket and walk outside of the room for a minute. I know I wont make it to a toilet so all I can do is hope that nobody sees me throwing my guts up out here. Finnick opens the door after me. I'm desperately trying to gather up all my hair to hold it back when I feel his hand on my back. "Hey hey. what's going on?" "I'm gonna throw up." I choke out. "Finnick I don't wanna throw up I don't wanna throw up." Finnick wraps me in his arms sitting against the wall. He pushes the bucket out of the way with his foot leaning me back on his chest.

"It's okay you're okay." "What's wrong with me Finnick." My voice breaks. "You're just psyching yourself out. You're okay." I don't know where my fear of throwing up came from. I've never liked throwing up but it wouldn't have been the first time it's happened. I don't want to do it now. Finnick kisses my head. "I got you. It's okay."

I feel the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach go away and I'm not sweating so much anymore. I move a little in Finnick's arms so he knows I'm feeling a little better. "Do you want to try to see Johanna again?" I nod. "After can we just go back to our corridor for a while?" "Of course. You still want dinner right?" "Yeah I need to gain the weight but I'm scared what if I get this feeling again?" "Then I'll be right here to walk you through it. You're not alone Pigeon." I smile gratefully at him. I love him so much.

We walk back in. "Are you okay?" Mags signs. I nod. "Here's your bucket." I say. "Did you clean it?" "I didn't end up needing it."

"We'll come back tomorrow morning if that's okay." Finnick says after a while. "Yeah that's fine." "I'll stay a while longer." Finnick and I leave Mags with Johanna and head back to our compartment.

We lay back down in the bed.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Finnick looks at me. "No, not at all why do you say that?" "Finn look at me. I had a whole manic episode cause I thought I was going to throw up. I used to not do that." "Daphne you just came back from hell. You walked through it alone. You had the courage to talk to Peeta. The same Peeta who's been hijacked by the capital to kill us. So what it made you a little nervous cause you thought you were going to throw up. I don't even like to throw up."