Broken Wings

Chapter 12

"And why especially me?"

"Because you have a weakness for pretty things, and I don't".

"Having an eye for beauty isn't a weakness, except maybe when it comes to you."

Our conversation from the Quarter Quell chariots replays in my head. Comments of an undying love used to make me feel uneasy. Our situation was so forced I didn't know what to think, I still don't really, but now I'm curious. I have to push to thought aside because Peeta is practically dragging me everywhere, trying to not leave me behind but still be able to explore everything. "You know it would be a lot simpler if we put our stuff down somewhere, then go look." I say with a bit of a guffaw. I think he realises how childish he looks because he put on a face like he is above it all, and this would be convincing if his eyes weren't jumping from place to place with a glistening of excitement. His attempt makes me laugh a little, and that makes him blush just slightly.

"Fine, were should we set up?"

"Over this way, I think the blackberry bushes should have some fruit on them."

He gestures me forward and we set up. I was going to suggest we can go exploring now, but Peeta is still trying to look mature and starts pulling out lunch. I give him a knowing look as he hands me some bread and the goats cheese.

"What?" he says cluelessly, though he is still smiling.

"I can see right through you, you know." I say with an air of superiority, making him roll his eyes.

"Oh yeah, then what do you see? Someone making something to eat, using nothing but a hunting knife?"

"No, I see someone trying to hide the fact that he has already stolen something like 5 strawberries," he instantly puts his strawberries back in the bag. "And, though failing dismally, that they are really struggling to stay here instead of look at every point in the area. Just waiting for me to say 'okay let's go'" By this time he won't even look me in the eye and speaks quietly, "well, can we?"

I decide to have a little fun and just purely say "No". his head shoots up and he looks at me with an expression that both pleads and exposes my childishness. He catches himself and we both laugh. "Okay, I've waited long enough and I'm hot from the hike. Take me swimming." He says getting up and taking off his shoes.

"Alright fine." And I start to take off my shirt revelling the costume underneath, but when I start to bring down my pants, I realise I have a problem. My costume has long sleeves which is why I chose it, this way I can hide the scars on my arm. It doesn't have legs however, meaning I will be totally exposed. I know Peeta doesn't mind the scar on my lip, and he probably doesn't care in the slightest how many scars are on my legs, but I do. I am extremely self-continuous, and I just get the feeling that the scars on my legs are enough to make someone run for the hills. To put it simply, I look like a hideous fire mutt. It will hurt like crazy by the end of the first swim, but I'm just going to go in with my cacky pants still on. Any rashes I'll sort out with that cream Octavia gave me for my burned skin, on the day she trimmed the burnt bits off my hair, which astoundingly hardly got touched. I start to walk into the water when a voice calls from behind me.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? We still have to walk home, and those wet pants will rub your skin off." I huff in turn around, Peeta knows I don't want to expose my legs, but he is persistent.

"I'm fine, and if I were you, I wouldn't push it because I'm the one who is here to stop you from drowning." He pulls his face into a squint for a bit, so I'm about to elaborate, when a grin of recognition crosses his face. He turns and heads for the rock ledge at a steady pace, "What are you doing?" I say jogging to catch up to him bare foot.

"Well, if you don't care that the pants will take your skin off, maybe you'll care if I raise a protest." He nears the edge and I put two and two together. "No, Peeta don't!" he looks me dead in the eye.

"take them off."

"NO."

"Okay then, bye." He starts to jump, "WAIT!" I scream, I even rip them off in attempt to stop him, but its to late. He is over the edge into the deep end with the only swimming experience being waist high. I look into the water, but I only see the bubbles from where he jumped, and I leap off in search of him. I search frantically in the water with my hands, but I can't find him anywhere. "Peeta, please!" I'm starting to choke up and my heart is going a mile a minute, when I hear something above me. I'm scared its Snow for a second, laughing at my loss in the end even after my fight. It takes me reminding myself that he is dead to look up. The image that comes into focus is a wet Peeta holding my pants in one hand and his stomach with the other, bent over gasping for air as a result of his laughter. He wipes tears from his eyes and says, or tries to say, "I win." then continues going. While he is recovering himself, I get out the water, rid my face of both the lakes water and my own, and charge for Peeta. He doesn't realise until it's too late to fight back and we both fall of the ledge. My rage is palpable as I hold him underwater, not drowning him exactly but making him freakout. He kicks me way causing me to swallow water, I fight back and soon enough we are in a brawl. We kick, drag and hold, he gets the upper hand when he puts his fingers in my ribs and slips behind me pulling me to shore.

I'm still fuming with the stunt he pulled, and I let him know that with the glare I'm sending in his direction. "Alright! I'm sorry. Happy now?" I look away from him with a huff, and he just laughs. We are both out of breath sitting in the sun as it warms my skin, I love the feeling as it spreads warmth from my toes and slowly up my thighs. That when I realise that I still don't have my pants on. I scan the water for them and when I see them, I leap forward. Unfortunately, Peeta has also made the connection and he goes for them as well. I don't know exactly when he learnt to swim, but it was between the Quell and now. I however learnt when I was 5 in this every lake, so I overtake him with little difficulty. I'm just about to grab my pants when Peeta grabs my foot both pulling me back and him forward. I give up. If he wants my pants that badly he can keep them, but then I'm staying in the water because that way my legs are still hidden. Peeta being on shore looks back at me in the water and shakes his head, hangs my pants up in a tree to dry and comes back to me. We move harmoniously through the water and enjoy the cool in the hot sun. after while of floating on our backs he breaks the silence.