Liberosis - The Hunger Games

50

Katniss, paused before nodding in agreement, "You know, I never congratulated you on your engagement, to whoever it is that you're marrying," she said, nodding at the ring on my finger, "If you don't mind me asking, how did it happen?"

I had never pegged Katniss to be the kind of girl to get swept up in romantic stories, but at that moment I realised that she wasn't. To her, these games were just that- a game. She was playing the right cards, comradery and friendship between districts got sponsors, if she wanted to play the game- so could I. "I'd always wanted a District Four wedding," I began with a bright smile, "In my home, we have this tradition of dancing on the shoreline with our feet in the water, the bottom of our clothes getting wet as we kick and splash and spin around in the twilight. It's beautiful- but in my line of work- weddings are rare. No one wants to marry a monster," I said my face falling as Katniss analysed my expression with sympathy.

"I think that's why it was so unexpected for me; I'd been so swept up in my own fear and insecurity I hadn't even anticipated it. We went for a walk to our special place in the district, it's a tricky spot to get to, but so worth it. It overlooks the entire coast, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks is so loud it drowns out anything in my mind. I'd been so lost watching the horizon I hadn't even noticed him get down on one knee," I explained, letting out a laugh at the memory. Finnick and Peeta's heads snapped around at the noise and I twirled the engagement ring around on my finger, even from the distance I could see my fiancé wink at me jokingly. "I was so excited, I don't think I even said yes, I just tackled him to the ground and hugged him so tight I nearly strangled him," I finished.

"It sounds perfect," Katniss acknowledged, cleaning off the last of her arrows the two of us walked back towards the shore.

"It was, we were," I smiled fondly, "We may not have been able to dance together at our wedding, but what we did have I will forever cherish. He was the best thing that ever happened to me- you know the feeling?"

"Yeah," Katniss said in an unsteady voice, her eyes trailing over to where Peeta and Finnick were messing around on the beach. She took in his every movement with adoration in her eyes and my lips twisted up into a knowing smile "I know the feeling,"

Their marriage may have been a lie, but a look like that could not be manufactured.

"Took you long enough," Finnick taunted jokingly as we reached the two of them. I rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder with feigned irritation. Even with the light-heartedness in his tone, I could tell that he was utterly destroyed after what happened to Atlas, worse was the fact he was blaming himself. Katniss peered into the vacant clearing and the two of us were stunned to see that the corpses of the mutts had disappeared, "We don't know where they went, the vines shifted and they were gone," He explained.

My eyes narrowed in confusion at the man's words, and I moved forward in an attempt to investigate. Finnick's hand locked around my wrist as I did so, preventing me from moving forward any further, his lips brushing my earlobe as he did so, "Stay with me, love," He uttered and I turned to look into his eyes, taking in the anxiety he was trying to hide. We had grown progressively more tired, the four of us deciding to set up camp on the beach. It was safer that way, by marking the area as our territory we were stopping the Careers from going toe to toe with us in the jungle.

"Why don't you three get some rest, I'll watch for a while," Katniss offered, however, Finnick shook his head, sinking onto the ground and scooping up a handful of damp sand to toy with.

"No Katniss," He refused, not looking the girl in the eye, "I'd rather," Taking in my pleading expression, Katniss nodded in understanding, curling up beside Peeta. The sleeping boy subconsciously draped an arm protectively around her waist, causing my eyes to light up. Even in his sleep, the boy cares for her.