Apprehensive Love ¤ Finnick Odair

thirteen; unappealing character

CHAPTER THIRTEEN, UNAPPEALING CHARACTER

"Hello, Good Evening and  a big welcome to all in Panem. I'm Caeser Flickerman and whoever you are, whatever is you're doing. If you're working, put down your work. If you're having dinner, stop having dinner. Because you are going to want to witness this tonight. There has been rampant speculation about what really happened in the Quarter Quell. And here to shed a little light on the subject for us are two very special guests, Peeta Mellark and Ella White."

Katniss dropped her utensils, glancing at Gale who was just as confused as she was, the girl stood up, her eyes finding Peeta's from the screen. He seemed nervous, eyes darting from side to side, something Katniss had caught on to it, something she knew he did often in the situation. 

However, Ella was more quiet and subtle, her hands were fiddling with each other on her lap but on her face, no emotions were evident on her face but even the heavy makeup wasn't covering up her bruises and cuts or her dead eyes. She tried to smile but it showed the physical pain she was getting by lifting even the corners of her mouth. 

"Okay, you two, a lot of people feel as though they are left in the dark."  Caeser Flickerman, prompted, his eyes eager but at that moment Ella realized how fake his whole character seemed to be. The President, looked at her deeply, Ella gulping as she decided to speak. 

"Understandably so, everything has been kept quiet." Ella's voice was raspy, something Katniss found strange along with the fact that she kept glancing at someone behind the camera, her eyes were angry but scared, something she didn't see in the arena. 

Finnick hadn't been paying attention to anything around him, not even when Caeser had called out Ella's name, but the sound of her voice, however different it seemed to be, even if he would never find something. it was a bit of the same, his head finally popped up, dropping everything he was doing and finding his way to the main screen as another male stood. 

The boy looked familiar, his dark hair stood out and so did his physique, the muscles on his back stiffened as he walked at the same pace of Finnick. Finnick narrowed his eyes, looking at the back of the person, calling his name out in hopes that it would be who he thought it was. "Logan?"

Logan White turned around at the sound of his name, his heart hammered against his chest at the sound of his sister's heart, he hadn't seen her in what seemed to be ages but only a few weeks but so much had changed it felt longer. He wanted to listen to her, to see her properly, to get her out of her nightmares, something he had been aware of. 

"Finnick." Logan stated, trying to give him a smile as the said boy pulled him into a brotherly hug. "She's gonna be okay."

Finnick pursed his lips nodding as the two made their way closer to the TV. 

"...First off, you have to understand that when you're in the games, you only get one wish, it's very costly." 

"It costs your life." 

Ella interjected. "It costs more than your life" 

"How do you mean? How does it cost more than your life? What's more than your life." Caeser questioned, the glitter on his suit was distracting. 

"Your sanity." Ella answered, quietly.

"To murder innocent people that costs everything you are, like Ella said, it costs you you're sanity. So you hold onto that one wish and that night my wish was to save Katniss. I should've just run off with her earlier in the day like she wanted." Peeta knew how to bluff, Ella noticed, he was playing calm and collected since everything revolved around Katniss, they were threatening her too. 

"But you didn't. Why? Were you caught up in Beetee's plan?" Caeser asked. 

Peeta shakes his head, glancing at Ella briefly. "No, I was caught up trying to play allies.And then the lightning hit and the whole force field around the arena just blew out."  

"Yes, Peeta but Katniss is the one who blew it out." Caeser retaliated. 

"No, she, Katniss didn't know what she was doing. Nobody knew there was a bigger plan beyond it, nobody would have wanted to be a part of it." Ella lied through her gritted teeth, trying her best to sound certain with the Peacekeepers and the President's burning stare. 

"I understand, Ella but some people do find it suspicious, it seems as though she and Finnick were part of a rebel plan." Caeser suggested, his hands up in surrender. 

Finnick paid close attention to the girl, his watered eyes trying to find hers and connect with it like it always would. He blew out air, noticing the evidence of her pain driving him mad. 

Ella blubbered like a fish, tears lining her eyes. "No, Fin- Finnick would never betray me like that." 

"You're love for him is strong, huh, Ella?" Caeser asked, trying to be empathetic.

"Yes, it's too strong to comprehend, he's my safe place." Ella answered truthfully. 

Logan let out a huff, noticing a decent amount of weight that was no longer there. He glanced at Finnick, the two's emotions replicated. 

"And I was gonna ask you about the unrest but I think you might be too upset for that." Caeser said now directing his points to the boy. Ella looked to see President Snow who whispered something to the Peacekeeper, the latter nodding and motioning for Ella to get up, a menacing glare on his face.

Ella gulped, turning to brifly glance at Peeta, her breathing going erratic. She mumbled an excuse me, standing up, a sad look coming over Peeta but nothing he could to stop it. The Peacekeeper, harshly tugged her, telling her to move faster.

Anyone would have missed it but Finnick didn't, he narrowed his eyes at the fear in her's. Knowing very well that she didn't want to do whatever they were making her do. He was confused, but he trusted her completely, he looked at Logan hoping he had seen it too.

"Did you see that?" Finnick questioned, looking at Logan.

The boy looked at him confused, the sadness on his expression not leaving. "See what?"

"Someone pulled her, aggressively, she probably didn't want to be there. They're forcing them to do it." Finnick rushed, grabbing Logan's sleeve and pulling him towards the lift, already making his way to speak to Heavensbee.

He was gonna get her back one way or another.

*****

AN//

Hey and welcome back :)
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, it's short I know but I wanted to get something up asap.

I have my first set of exams next week so I'm mainly focused on that, trying to get good grades so I can stay motivated to study. I have a Sociology exam very soon and you can say I'm a little nervous. So if there is a delay in an update know that, that's probably the reason.