Ocean Eyes - Finnick Odair

Thirty-Five

The doctors of District Thirteen were unimpressed, to say the least when they learned that Marissa had snuck out of her room to see Peeta after specifically being told she was not allowed to but, after observing the positive effects this secret visit had on both Peeta and Marissa, they were a little more open to the idea. Marissa even convinced them to find Peeta some sort of painting supplies. The painting supplies help Peeta a lot, it's one of the only things other than Marissa that calms him.

"How's this?" Marissa asks him as she adds a finishing stroke to the poorly painted yellow flower on her canvas. She's sitting on the floor of Peeta's room with Finnick beside her. Peeta looks at the canvas for a moment, studying it.

"It's better than last time," he says simply.

"I think it's perfect," Finnick says. He sloppily kisses her cheek and she giggles, leaning into him. "You're much better than I am."

"I know," Marissa grins. She leans over his lap, paintbrush in hand, and paints a small smiley face on the side of Finnick's canvas which holds a painting of what can only be described as a blob. "What is this supposed to be?"

"It's you," Finnick tells her. He holds the painting up next to her face. "What do you think, Peeta?"

"I think you forgot to paint on her eyes," he remarks, snickering.

"I don't look that ugly," Marissa turns her nose up at the painting after learning that it is supposed to be her and Finnick smirks.

"I think it's uncanny."

"You're a bully," Marissa rolls her eyes, turning her back to him now as he laughs. He places his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to turn back around and he's about to assure her that he's only joking when the door to Peeta's room opens. One of the doctors walk in and they all know that Marissa and Finnick are going to be asked to leave so that Peeta can receive more treatment. Marissa's shoulders visibly slump and Peeta doesn't look any happier so Finnick forces a smile on his lips and turns to him.

"Don't worry, Peeta. We'll come and see you again later," he says, helping Marissa to her feet. "We promise."

Marissa gives Peeta a quick hug and kiss on the forehead before returning to Finnick's side, interlacing their fingers and following him out of the room.

"He looks better," Marissa says quietly and Finnick agrees. They return to Marissa's room now and she slouches on her bed in a sulk which makes Finnick chuckle a little.

"Mira and Mags are going to come and stay with you for a bit in a minute. I have to do something for President Coin," Finnick tells her and she frowns.

"Can't I come with you?"

"Sweetheart-"

"I'm feeling much better now! Really! I can help-"

"Marissa, I know you're feeling better but they're not going to let you help until you're really ready so just focus on getting better," Finnick tells her. His tone is stern but Marissa knows he means it nicely.

"Fine," she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not fair. I don't want you to leave me."

"I'm not leaving. I'll be back as soon as I can and then we can go on that walk we talked about," Finnick says and she sighs but reluctantly nods in agreement. "The doctors were talking about Annie and Johanna visiting Peeta with us at some point. They think it will be good for him to see the people he was in the Capitol with."

"He'll really like Annie. He didn't get to speak to her properly when we were in the Capitol because ... well..."

"Yeah, I know," Finnick says. "You don't have to talk about it."

"Okay..."

Finnick leaves soon after, promising that he'll be back and reassuring her that nobody's going to hurt him when she begged him to stay with her. Mira, Mags and Marissa all sit together. Mira makes jokes and talks to Marissa about her duties in District Thirteen and Mags sneaks them hard-boiled sweets, every so often. Mira tells Marissa that the only thing Mags brought with her when they were taken from Four were her jars of hard boiled sweets which makes the older sister laugh.

"I missed your sweets when I was in the Capitol," Marissa says when Mags hands her a lemon flavoured one. "They're one of my favourite things."

"That and chocolate," Mira snorts. "You like chocolate as much as Finnick likes sugar cubes."

"Excuse me, my like for chocolate is not unhealthy unlike Finnick's obsession for sugar cubes."

"Marissa, the only reason people don't know about your chocolate obsession is because, unlike Finnick, you don't go around offering them to everyone," Mira points out and Marissa rolls her eyes at her younger sister.

"Whatever," Marissa grumbles, turning her attention to Mags and pinching another sweet from the older woman. The two sisters continue to bicker playfully amongst themselves as Mags watched with a disapproving stare and occasionally handed them more sweets until Mira's comunicuff buzzes and she stands up.

"What is it?"

"Finnick wants you to meet him for your walk," Mira says, holding her hand out to her older sister.

"I thought he was going to come and get me?" Marissa frowns, not taking her sister's hand. "Why isn't he?"

"He got held up during his duties so he said it will be easier for you to meet him," Mira explains, although her eyes dart suspiciously over to Mags which leaves Marissa feeling anxious. "I'll take you there."

"Okay," Marissa finally agrees, taking Mira's hand and using it to pull herself up. Mags parts from the both of them when they leave the hospital room and Mira leads a still slightly unstable Marissa through District Thirteen. Marissa has never actually seen District Thirteen beyond the hospital wing and she thinks it is mind-numbingly grey although anything is an improvement from the white of the hospital. The whole structure is made up of metal and concrete and Marissa wants to go home to her blue house in District Four more than ever. "I don't like it here. It's miserable."

"You'll get used to it," Mira says as she leads her through the maze of metal. "We'll get to go home soon anyway. I really think we'll be able to overthrow the Capitol."

"I hope so," Marissa says quietly, glancing around the barren corridors of the underground District. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

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