Whatever it Takes

XVI

"Finnick!"

He stopped in his tracks, his breathing almost following suit. Even under the black paste that covered his skin, his expression was easily perceived, Cordelia trying to overcome every single urging twitch in her muscles that told her to run into his arms. Wasn't much of fight that her body put up but, somehow it was enough.

"Cordelia?" Katniss called out.

"Long time no see," Cordelia smiled faintly as she focused on the young brunette, Johanna's voice rasping out a low explanation to Finnick of what the last day had presented them with, "you guys look like fucking fish."

The trio's faces and arms were lathered in the dark paste, the scabs underneath making their skin look like a set of scales.

Katniss stifled a laugh, and Peeta just about fell over as he roared, making Cordelia's grin brighten.

"You should have some," Finnick cut in, his eyebrows raised with concern as he looked her over, he handed a metal tube to Peeta. It was so hard to look at any of them and simultaneously keep her laughter at bay, "it's medicine. Can you finish my back?"

Peeta nodded, inspecting the bare spots where the acid from the fog had torn into Finnick's suit and irritated his skin.

"What happened," He asked suddenly, Cordelia's face flatening in concern, "did you get scratched by one of the monkeys?"

Monkeys? Maybe it's okay that she had missed out on that bit.

"No," Finnick's eyebrows contorted with confusion as he sent Cordelia a silly look, "just the fog, I think."

"There's scratches here too." Peeta insisted.

Her eyes widened instantly, the memory of their last night alone together hitting her like a train. That would've been her doing. Finnick too came to the realization, his face reddening instantly as he stammered for a response.

"You fell a couple times, even just when we were running," Cordelia covered smoothly, "probably scratched yourself on something on the ground."

"Yeah, probably," He agreed, fighting the sudden urge to smirk, "you really should have some."

Cordelia nodded teasingly, "I'll rinse of first, we could all use that."

Throughout their entire reunion, Wiress kept repeating her words, the loop beginning to become insufferable.

"What's wrong with her?" Katniss's head tilted as she stared at the older woman, who still had quite a bit of stumble in her step.

"Nuts is in shock." Johanna slighted, her eyes narrowing in agitation as she followed the girl's gaze.

The mentioning of her nickname drew her into Johanna, her frail hands shaking her shoulders, her phrase coming quicker, more urgent. Like she had to make her understand. But, Johanna wasn't in the mood for understanding whatever Wiress was trying to get through her head, she wasn't even sure she could bear hearing it one more time.

"Get off of me!"

Now she was sure she couldn't, some sort of anger snapping within her as she threw Wiress to the ground with a dangerous look in her eye.

"Hey, lay off her!" Katniss demanded loudly, ripping Johanna's grip away from the woman who was now balled up and rocking back and forth on the ground.

"I got them out for you!" Johanna howled.

The two yelled incoherently as they pushed each other back and forth violently, until finally Finnick stepped in, throwing the older girl over his shoulder, stomping into the crashing waves, and tossing her into the water.