UNDERDOG | FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 19

We made it back to the beach just as the cannon went off and we saw the morphling being carried away.

Finnick gave katniss her arrows back and I was able to find someone's suit on the beach where we had healed ourselves from the fog.

I think the suit might have been Peeta's or Finnicks due to its size, but I'm sure they won't mind. One of the sleeves is already falling off so take one of my knives and cut the rest of it.

I wrap it around the moss and my bleeding head securely and tie it in the back.

I walk back over to the group, Katniss was cleaning her arrows in the ocean. Peeta and Finnick were sitting on the beach, talking quietly.

I decide this is as good a time as any to retap a nearby tree to get some water. I'm sure everyone is getting thirsty by now.

I take my awl and slam it into a wide, healthy looking tree nearby.

I chip away at the bark until I'm deep enough to stick the spile into. I wiggle it around until water flows out. I wash my scabbed over hands and the part of my face that wasn't wrapped. After I'm done I cup my hands and take a few sips of the warm water.

I call the others over to my tree and we all take turns drinking, washing our itchy spots, and fill a few shells to bring back to the beach with us.

Katniss takes out the spile and we all walk back to the warm sand.

"Why don't you three get some rest? I'll watch for a while." Katniss volunteers.

"I haven't had watch yet. I'll do it." I reply instead.

"No, I can do it. I don't think I could sleep anyway." Finnick says.

I glare at him, "You really need to rest. It's been at least two days that I know of since you've gotten more than a hour of sleep."

"I promise, I'll wake you if I get tired." He smirked, "You need to stop worrying about me so much, Delia." He answered.

"Well I don't want to get in between a lovers quarrel. I'm going to bed." Peeta said, giving a kiss to Katniss and laying down on the sand.

"We're not..." I started, but stopped when I noticed Peeta wasn't listening anyway. "Fine," I said turning back to Finnick. "but please do wake me, I'm next on watch."

"Yes ma'am." He said. He bent down to hug me goodnight. "I want to kiss you again." He whispered in my ear.

I pulled away and smiled at him, "Patience is a virtue, dear Finnick."

He glared playfully at me, "I'm working on it."

"Goodnight." I said, padding over to a spot on the sand and laying down.

The next morning I awoke to rustling above me. I flew up and drew my sword. I pointed my weapon at Finnick who was tying a grass mat to a overhanging limb.

I breathed a sigh of relief and dropped my sword.

"You scared the daylight out of me." I said lowly.

Finnick laughed quietly, "Sorry Delia. I didn't mean to." He apologized.

"How long did it take you to do this?" I ask just noticing the hanging canopy and several bowls, two of them filled with water.

"Not long, I was about to go catch some food. Want to join me? It'll be like old times." He asked hopefully.

"Hmm... let me think about it." I joked, tapping my fingers to my cheek. "Hard question, but I guess I'll go."

"Wel I don't know if I want you to come now. You didn't answer quick enough." He smirked.

"Well, then I'll stay." I smiled.

"Alright, you changed my mind. You can come with." He said, wrapping his trident free arm around my waist and picking me up. He ran towards the water, me giggling all the way.

"Put me down Finn!" I laughed, trying my best to be quiet.

He laughed before setting me on the ground. "I found a shellfish on the rocks earlier, they're safe to eat. Why don't you see if you can find a few on that rock and I'll go right there." He said pointing to a rock a few feet over.

"Sure." I replied, Finnick walked away and I bent down to search the side of the rock. I finally found an oyster clinging to the bottom side of the rock. I set it on my purple belt which I laid on the ground.

Now that I was still, I noticed how itchy I really was. I had unconsciously scratched a few on my arms but other wise I was fighting the urge to itch fairly well. I decided the best way to combat the need to scratch was to distract myself so I focused on finding oysters.

I search all the nearby rocks and drift wood until I have twelve shellfish laying on the fabric. I look to see how many Finn has and I see he only has a few, maybe five or six.

"Not much luck?" I ask after I collect the belt and carry it over to him.

"Not as much as you I see." He replied, wiping the sand off of his hands and standing up.

"Well, I must have had a better spot." I add.

"This should be enough for now." He says.

We make our way back to the others, where we empty our finds into a bowl. Katniss is awake and looking at us groggily.

Finnick sat down and immediately started eating the shellfish. I started counting the rest of them in the bowl.

"We have fifteen in here plus the one Finn is eating, that makes sixteen. That means we each get four." I said, grabbing my first one and cracking it open with a rock that Finnick found.

"They're better fresh." Finnick informed Katniss who was looking at our catch with skepticism.

"You know, if you scratch you'll bring infection." Finnick said cheekily to Katniss. She had big welps on her face and arms where she had scratched during the night. She had blood smeared on her cheeks and hands where they had bled.

She went to wash it off in the sea, cursing Haymitch on the way back.

As soon as she said it a silver parachute lands in her hand. "About time." We can hear her say.