Querencia | Finnick Odair

Chapter XIII

We go over a smaller hill and then we are there.

"It's magical", I say and remove the heels that are hurting my feet.

"It is, isn't it? It's my favourite place", Finnick reveals.

"Oh I completely understand", I explain as the wind rustles through my hair and my dress. I lift it up to my thighs and move into the water. I can hear Silas and Keaton cry out in my mind, but the smell of salt, the wind and the atmosphere empty my worried and filled mind and I splash through the waves, unaware of Finnick, but when I spin in the water, laughing as waves hit my legs I catch a glimpse of him watching me. Then he grins, removes his shirt and jumps into the waves next to me, seemingly not caring about his pants getting wet. I mean why should he, he doesn't have a stylist who will whine about stuff like that for an hour.

But after some time he still isn't back. "Come on fishboy. Don't tease me!", I call and in the same instance someone tackles me from behind and I fall into the waves.

"Finnick!", I exclaim as he laughs. "What? You called me fishboy"

"Yes and my stylist will call me something way worse when he sees me", I explain.

"Oh relax. He's not going to kill you. Besides now you can swim and enjoy the water."

"Yes, because I can swim, because I have such a big bathtub at home you stupidass."

Finnick mimics hurt. "That hit me hard little T. Really did"

Now it is my turn to laugh. "I can teach you if you'd like", Finnick offers.

"Sure, but only until it's dark, then I have a victory tour to finish."

"Your dress might be a little heavy, even though there isn't that much fabric", Finnick smirks and I decide to play along. "If you wanted me to undress you could have just asked fishboy", I grin and Finnick looks just a little taken aback. "Now open the zipper will you?", I question and turn. He already saw me in a bikini, so why not in underwear, no big difference there. Finnick does as asked and I march back to the beach, the now heavy fabric in my arms and hang it over some branches.

"So how do you swim?", I ask as Finnick stares at me. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No. You just lay on your belly and move your arms like this. The legs make the same motion, just not at the exact same time. Let's just try it."

So I try, and fail miserably, greatly amusing Finnick. "Let me hold you up and then try again", he suggests.

I nod and I lower myself back into the water, Finnicks hand on my stomach causing goosebumps all over my skin. And I try again. "Not at the same time shortcake", he corrects me and I do as he says, feeling a little better about it this time.

"Very good. Don't forget to turn your hands outward. You are pushing the water away. And keep the tension in your body"

As if I had problems with the tension in my body, it was rigid the second he touched me. But it works, and one finger at the time, Finnick stops supporting me and I swim. Not fast and not very well, but I swim. I laugh, just to get water into my mouth.

"You did it!", Finnick exclaims happily and I grin. We swim around some more and I even dive a little. Some time later both of us walk back onto the beach. My dress is still wet and I sigh. "God Keaton is going to kill me...", I mumble but then an even more shocking fact hits me. "There are going to be cameras! Oh God! I can't stand there in my underwear or a wet dress! This was so stupid!", I call out and I see the moment of realization on Finnicks face. "Well shit...I...we could stop by my place and you can get something of mine. I would offer to get something from Annie, but she is way smaller than you, so you will have to do with my clothes''

I shrug. "As long as I am dressed I will be fine. At least until Keaton gets me into his claws."

He hands me his blue button down shirt to put on and I gladly accept, because being in the water or at the beach in underwear is something else as walking through the streets in underwear. I grab the dress and my shoes and follow Finnick through the dunes.

It is only a short walk to District 4s victors village and we only pass a few people.

Finnicks house looks similar to mine, just that opposite to the yellowish colour mine is, his is blue, fitting into the whole maritime atmosphere of District 4. I stand in the middle of the living room in a soaked shirt and semi hair. Miraculously my make-up is mostly intact, except for the lipstick, which I am not sad about. Finnick comes down the stairs and hands me a towel as well as some shorts, a belt and a simple black shirt.

This time I am a bit more self conscious about undressing, since this a very different setting and Finnicks' eyes don't leave mine, but when I look down and pull off the shirt he grabs it and disappears upstairs once again, leaving me enough time to dry off the me and my underwear and put on the clothes he gave me. My hair is mostly dry now and I do my best to fix my hair, when Finnick returns and gives me a soft smile. "Let's get you back to the train. You can blame it all on me when your mentors scold you"

"Well since it is actually your fault that I am this mess...", I say and Finnicks' smile doesn't fade when he steps closer. "A beautiful mess"

I have to tilt my head a little since he is a little bit taller than I am, which is not my fault, since I am not that short, he is just that tall.

"Aren't we all?", I mumble and after gazing into each other's eyes just a little too long I step back. "If you would be so kind and lead the way to my place of death?", I try to break the tension and Finnick nods. "Sure thing shortcake", and with that the awkwardness disappears. "I am not that short", I protest and put my heels on, with them I am the same height as him, "See?"

"Keep telling yourself that. Shortcake."

We keep teasing each other all the way back to the train, where cameras immediately focus on us and especially me. Which is no surprise. I can already imagine Caesar questioning me about it in the final stop of the tour.