Ocean Eyes - Finnick Odair

Twenty

During the lightning storm, the group gather underneath the identical tree in the blood rain sector. They eat their picnic of seared rat meat and roasted nuts, guzzling down the water Johanna collected earlier. Katniss climbs to the top of the canopy during their meal to observe the lightning strikes per Beetee's request.

"I don't think I could ever climb that high," Marissa says, staring up at the tree Katniss has disappeared up.

Finnick places his hand on her shoulder, and she focuses on him now instead of the tree. "Let's not try to, either. I don't think our plan to take out the careers would work if you fell out a tree and broke your neck."

"I wouldn't break my neck," Marissa huffs shortly.

"You definitely would," Johanna snorts.

"Well, you're from District Seven! Why aren't you climbing the trees?"

"Because Beetee didn't ask me," Johanna says. "And I've always been better and cutting them down."

"Katniss has been climbing trees for years," Peeta adds. Marissa smiles at him.

"There aren't many trees in District Four. Just palm trees and you can't really climb them," Marissa replies.

Katniss climbs down now, informing Beetee of her findings and, the man seems content enough with the information she relays.

After this, they decide to head down to the ten o'clock beach, leaving the one o'clock zone before the blood rain begins to pour. Beetee leaves the group to their own devices now, fiddling with the coil of wire. The first thing they do is take turns to have naps in the shady edge of the trees, Finnick and Marissa share theirs together, wrapped up in each other's arms as they snooze.

By late afternoon, everybody is wide awake and Finnick suggests they have a feast as it may be their last chance to have seafood during the Games. Finnick and Marissa teach the others how to fish with Finnick's tridents, how to collect shellfish and, how to dive for oysters.

Johanna keeps watch as they clean and layout the seafood. Peeta prises open an oyster, but Marissa takes no notice of him until he laughs. "Hey, look at this!"

He holds up a glistening pearl, about the size of a pea. "You know, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls," he says earnestly to Finnick.

"No, it doesn't," Finnick says dismissively. Katniss cracks up at this and Marissa struggles to hide her grin, not wanting to make Peeta feel silly.

Peeta, however, ignores them and washes the pearl off.

"It looks like the ones on my bracelet," Marissa says, pulling up her sleeve to show them the bracelet from her sisters. "It's my sister's bracelet, actually."

Peeta compliments the pearl bracelet around her wrist, and she thanks him, pulling her sleeve down but leaving the chain exposed.

Peeta gifts the pearl to Katniss, and she thanks him, closing her fist around it. Peeta looks disheartened, his blue eyes focusing solely on Katniss. "The locket didn't work, did it? Katniss?"

"It worked," is all she says.

"But not the way I wanted it to."

Peeta does not look up from the oysters after that, not even when Marissa tries to start up a conversation with him. She eventually gives up, leaving the boy to his own thoughts.

He finally looks up again when a parachute lands at their feet bearing twenty-four more rolls from District Three and a pot of spicy red sauce. Finnick counts each roll of bread and confirms the amount.