Allies (Katniss Everdeen & Finnick Odair)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After the parade, Peeta and I walk towards the elevators where we meet Haymitch and some of his friends from District 11, Chaff and Seeder.

"You were very good out there you two." Says Haymitch.

"Thanks," both Peeta and I say.

"Now, this are Seeder," he says as he nods towards a dark skinned woman who smiles at us, "and this is Chaff." And before I can react, Chaff moves forward and presses his lips against mine. I'm startled for a second before I step back with a confused expression, but Chaff just laughs, and so does everyone else. I turn around and notice that some other tributes saw that as well and are laughing, except Finnick, who catches my eye and I notice he's frowning slightly.

We reach our Living Quarters, I go directly to my room and take a shower. When I get out it's dinner time, so I meet Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna and Portia in the dining room. We engage small conversation but nothing that really requires my attention so I begin to think about what happened earlier. Why didn't Finnick laugh like everyone else? Doesn't he see everything as a joke?

"Katniss?" says Peeta.

"Sorry, what?" I say, snapping out of my thoughts.

Peeta smiles. "Haymitch says that tomorrow during training we should consider making allies. Maybe looking at their abilities or something. What do you think?"

I look at Haymitch. "So, who do you think we should ally with?" I ask even though Peeta already agreed to be just me and him in the arena.

"Well, you know Seeder and Chaff," he says with a chuckle. I roll my eyes. "Sorry sweetheart, anyway, Johanna Mason is really good with the axe."

"Johanna doesn't seem trustworthy." I tell him, "I'll turn around and next thing I know I'll have an axe stuck in my back."

Peeta laughs. "I don't think so," says Haymitch.

"Anyone else?" I ask. "Any of the Careers?"

"If you think Johanna doesn't seem trustworthy, look at it this way: Cashmere, Gloss, Brutus or Enobaria won't even wait for you to turn around to stuck an axe on you."

"What about Finnick Odair?" asks Peeta, and I feel myself flush slightly.

"He's a good choice. He might think of himself and Mags most of the time, but he's unlikely to betray you." Says Haymitch putting his empty plate aside.

"Well, I guess we'll see tomorrow right?" says Peeta looking at me.

"Yeah, I guess." I say.

When we're done eating I go back to my room and Peeta comes in with me. "Do you have any previous prefrences?" he asks.

"Not really." I say as we lie down. "I'm still thinking about having allies at all."

"I think Finnick might be a good ally."

"Can we talk about it tomorrow?" I say, "I'm kind of tired."

"Yeah, sure." He says, and we both fall asleep.

The next morning Peeta and I go together to the Training Center to find that only a few tributes are there.

Peeta suggests that we split up and try to socialize with the other tributes to see if we'd like them as allies. Peeta goes straight to where Brutus is throwing spears and I turn around to see my options. Cashmere and Gloss have their own way of throwing knives perfectly so I decide to keep looking. Johanna is swinging an axe viciously and I'm afraid that if I try to approach her, I won't make it out in one piece. Enobaria is training with a sword but she looks too focused on it so I decide to go and make a fire with Wiress and Beetee.

After teaching Beetee how to make a proper fire, Wiress whispers something about a force field and points to where the game makers are. I realize that she's right and I see a strange sort of glass-like effect  in one of the corners.

"There's always a flaw in the system," says Beete, and I know that by that, he means that the force field should be completely invisible, which it isn't.

I decide to have a little time for myself and go to a station to tie some ropes. I have a little trouble managing to tie and suddenly I feel two strong arms wrap around me from behind and grab the rope from my hands. I move out of his grip and he laughs.

"Sorry if I scared you." Says Finnick.

"You didn't. I just don't enjoy people invading my personal space." I say.

"Really? So why can Chaff do it and not me?" he says, still focused on tying the knot I couldn't do.

"He caught me off guard."

"So did I. And you didn't move away as fast from him."

I glare at him. "So, you think I enjoyed that?"

"I didn't say that, I just pointed out something. You don't have to get all defensive." He says smiling at me.

"Yeah well, I didn't. Why didn't you laugh like everyone else?"

"I didn't enjoy it either." He says and I feel my whole face go bright red. Before I can say anything he hands me over a perfectly tied rope. "Here. So, Girl on Fire, I have a deal for you. I've heard you're really good with the bow and arrow, and I, obviously am amazing with the trident." He says with a cocky smile.

"Modest."

"Always." He says winking at me. "So, I was thinking that you could give me an hour of bow and arrow a day, in exchange for an hour of trident. Or just an hour of my company, your choice."

I smile. "I think I would enjoy an hour of trident more." I say.

"As you wish." He says and motions me to follow him.

Finnick really is amazing with the trident. He moves like it's an extension of his arm and not a separate weapon. He teaches me the basic moves and attacks, and also a few ways to block threats. In between all that, Finnick keeps making jokes and flirting with me which inevitably makes me laugh, and I begin to think that maybe an hour of just his company wouldn't be so bad.

Before we realize it, the trident hour is over and bow and arrow is next. I teach Finnick how aim, the right position to do it and eventually we do some shooting. Finnick is not bad but he misses a few times.

When the hour is over and it's time to eat, Finnick comes over again. "Hey Katniss, I was wondering, maybe we should make our deal a daily thing. What do you think? I'm pretty sure I'll be as good as you when we're done and you'll be average." He says giving me a dimpled smile.

I laugh. "I seriously doubt that but, sure."

"Great" he says, and he walks away.

I find myself staring after him with a smile on my face. Peeta comes over and all of us tributes eat in a big table together.  

After lunch I keep moving between tributes and sit down with Mags to make fish hooks. I lift my head and realize that Finnick is watching us, and he smiles at me. I smile slightly at him before I go grab a bow and arrow to train a little by myself.

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I know I'm a horrible person for not udating and I'm sorry!!!!!!! but I'm back now, free of writer's block :D anyway, Happy New Year, hope you had great holidays!!

Hopefully you're liking the development of the story :3

Please share, vote and/or coment. Thank you, means a lot!!

Ally xx