Love at Sea (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 23

In the District 13 kitchen, Peeta was attempting to teach Taiya the art of making shortbread. He'd patiently demonstrated the correct technique for rolling out the pastry, but she just didn't seem to get it.

"No. You have to do it like this," Peeta reiterated, showing her the motion again. "No. No, Taiya. Not like that," he mumbled to himself, trying to suppress the urge to take over.

Taiya seemed to be rolling the dough in every direction except the right one.

Peeta frowned, trying to guide her one more time. "What are you doing? Taiya the pin is on an angle, it's going to be uneven. Just... here, I'll show you," he gently took the rolling pin from her and began rolling out the dough with practised precision.

Taiya, sensing Peeta's frustration, turned to Tyler, who was sitting in the corner, and winked.

Tyler just rolled his eyes, thoroughly amused. "She's messing with you, Peeta," he informed the perplexed boy who turned to Taiya with wide eyes.

"Taiya," Peeta sighed, a mix of exasperation and amusement in his voice.

"Yes, bread boy?" she replied with an innocent smile, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Try again," Peeta insisted, handing her the rolling pin back. Taiya let out a sigh and reluctantly took it from him. "Do you cook much back home?" Peeta inquired, attempting to engage her in conversation as they continued their shortbread mission.

Taiya tensed her jaw angrily, a shadow crossing her features. "No, Finnick did," she grumbled, frustration evident in her voice. "Stupid Finnick."

Finnick had been gone for two days already, and Taiya had expected to feel sadness at some point. However, all she felt was anger. The absence of her husband left her with a void she didn't want to acknowledge, so she covered it up with rage. She hadn't even called him like they'd agreed. She didn't want to speak to him right now.

Peeta, sensing her mood, chose his words carefully. "I'm sure he'll be back soon," he offered, hoping to provide some comfort.

Taiya scoffed, her agitation not easily assuaged. "It's not about that. It's about him leaving in the first place. It's about him not telling me he was leaving until the last second," she turned her gaze to Tyler. "I mean did you guys expect me to believe he found out he'd be leaving the same day he told me? No," she turned back to the dough. "He kept it from me."

Peeta exchanged a glance with Tyler. Tyler had asked if he could try and distract Taiya, and Tyler had even bargained with Plutarch to have Peeta's guards stationed just outside the kitchen rather than in there with him. That had taken a lot of work. No one was all that keen on leaving Peeta and Taiya in a room filled with knives with minimum supervision.

"How did 12 look when you visited with Katniss?" he asked quietly. He'd been wanting to ask her this for a long time, but he was always too scared to ask.

"I didn't see much of it," Taiya admitted quietly. "We landed just outside your houses in victors village. I'm sorry Peeta."

His whole family had been lost in the bombings of 12.

"Ow!" Peeta jumped.

"What?" Taiya asked.

"You rolled my finger," he shook his hand in the air, trying to push the pain away.

"Oh," Taiya looked down at the rolling pun accusingly. "Sorry about that."

"Watch where you roll that thing Taiya," he joked. "You're a menace to society."

"And don't you forget it," she pointed the rolling pin at him as they giggled together.

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