The Career (Finnick Odair/OC)

10

(Age 23, The 75th Hunger Games- Quarter Quell )

It took him a long time to calm me down. Finnick had instantly told Peeta and Katniss to go in the water for a bit. Allot of resting his forehead on mine, breathing exercises and kissing my forehead like Gloss did the night before the games. He did all that until I was composed. 

He hadn't really said anything but it was the way he sat and endured the pain with me. Shared the burden of seeing something so horrible at age eighteen. I was the first to break the silence. "It's just in that water...all I could think about was where did it go. Did it sink, float or swim about with us? And S-Sparks let go". I don't think he'd know who that is or if he understood everything a hundred percent. But it showed I, like all the other victors was forever haunted by my games. And that wave was literally washing up old memories. "Sometimes if I close my eyes real tight, I think I can feel his fingers brush mine. But when I reach out for him he's not there. I'm not in that water beacuse I'm waking up in my room screaming".

Another kiss to my temple. This one lingered but I let it. I don't know why I was letting him be so touchy feely. Maybe because I'd never had someone just hold me and it felt good being in Finnick's arms. I felt his head rest on mine. "He was kind. I know he killed in the games. But I think if people got to know him they'd like him. We didn't know any better it's just what we're taught".

Finnick's head rose from mine and he looked at me encouragingly. Suddenly allot more intrested in listening to my words over being pyhsical. "What'd you mean?"

I sighed while staring out at the water. "In my district like all districts we're Isolated from everyone else. But they don't..." I felt like I should stop. That my District and Snow wouldn't appreaciate it. Words like this could cause uprisings in District One...maybe even Two. I suddenly scoffed. "Forget it, it doesn't matter anyway".

Finnick's eyes never left my face. "It matters to me."

I shook my head and looked up at the sky. "I t-think I'm going to go get some water".

I stood up, out of his embrace but he was beside me instantly. His face was conerned and troubled. "I'll come with you then".

I found my my eyes trailing down to our joint hands. Would he eventually be ripped away from me like Sparks was? I shouldn't get too attached to Finnick...not in a deathly arena. I dropped his hand. "It's fine".

We stayed mostly on the beach just figuring out the best ways to get food and what not. Taking turns of watching eachother sleep. I still hadn't been a guard yet which highlighted that everyone except Finnick doesn't trust me.  

Suddenly Katniss loaded an arrow making my grip on my machete intensify. She inhaled beside me. "Someones here".

We all hid more so in the tree line ready for anything. I could tell the intruders wern't the careers so even I wasn't safe. I heard Finnick mutter "...Johanna?"

Instantly Finnick was running over to them, trident raised "Johanna!"

I closed my eyes and sighed in frustration. So I was right. He is allies with Johanna Mason. Johanna who hates me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

...but where did that leave me? Would she kill me? Would he let her?....

Haymitch watnted me. And Finnick wanted Katniss and to keep Katniss he'd need me because of Haymicth?

Yeah, even in my head that didn't add up. 

Katniss and Peeta, like me hadn't moved an inch. We stayed hidden and stared at Johanna Mason embracing Finnick happily. Both Katniss and I watched with matching weary faces while Peeta shrugged. "Guess we have more allies".