there's one thing about games,
once you're a player, there's no
way out. you're trapped.
-
in which the youngest victor in history comes back to compete in the quarter quell, coming out of a decades worth of hiding.
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"CAN YOU STOP LOOKING AT ME?" I hissed at Finnick, who was sitting with Peeta and Riff, eating fish they had caught. Katniss was helping me get my new body suit on, and I felt kind of vulnerable sitting in front of everyone and getting dressed. Even with my back turned away, and with the huge sports bra they let us wear under the suit, I felt exposed. Finnick continued to stare a little longer and then turned around.
I was sitting on a rock, walking with my hurt thigh and rib was still a bit hard.
Katniss walked behind me to zip me up after she got my arms in the sleeves. She began speaking, "Thanks— For saving him."
"As I said," I gulped, bringing my hand up to the scratch on my cheek I don't even remember getting during the monkey fight, "No body's killing him but me."
Katniss knew I was joking. I turned around on the rock to face her as she finished zipping me up, "I like you, Katniss."
She looked at me in confusion as I gave her an awkward smile, "Why the sudden change of opinion?"
"I never actually hated you," I shook my head, "I think I just envied you."
"Envy?"
"You and Peeta won together," I gulped, shaking my head, "I had to kill Alexie... And it isn't your fault— But I still felt angry at you for it."
She nodded and turned around, "You want some fish?"
I nodded, swinging my arm around her shoulder as she slowly lifted me up. She used her strength to drag me onto the floor between her and Finnick. Katniss immediately grabbed a fish and devoured it.
Finnick grabbed one of the halves of a fish he caught and gave it to me. I grabbed it and gently ripped it vertically so I could suck the insides of the fish out to avoid the skin. Finnick was doing the same. Riffian was eating oysters and cracking them open with a stick... And then sucking the insides out. Peeta opened a clam as well and immediately smiled as he saw what was in it... A shiny black pearl. He grabbed it and handed it to Katniss, "For you."
"Thank you," she gratefully smiled a little, taking it.
"Finnick gave me a raw fish— And Peeta gave you a shiny pearl from a live oyster," I chuckled, swallowing the fish in my mouth, "Nice to know chivalry isn't dead."
Katniss scoffed, which I returned with a little smile as I continued shoving my face into the fish, "The fish I gave doesn't compare to the kiss you gave me, huh?"
My face went red as I sharply turned my head to face him. Him, Riff, and Peeta chuckled, making me snap my heads at them too, "I thought I was gonna die, Finnick, shut up."
"That was not a goodbye kiss," he chuckled, "That was a smooch."
"A smooch? You sound like a 5 year old," I shook my head, hating the redness that was coming to my cheeks.
