Hurricane • F. Odair

six » rope burn

A L T H E A

Her painting skill was the only activity involving small details that wasn't messed up due to her shaking. Rope tying, however? Absolute crap. Althea's hands fumbled with the material and she wondered how Finnick had grasped the talent so easily. The thought of her golden haired boy brought a brief, small smile to her face.
"Thinking about me?" Finnick's voice suddenly in her ear caused her to jump lightly.
"What, are we telepathic now?" She snapped, trying to remember which knot she was attempting.
"No." He smiled. A literal golden ray of sunshine. "You had that cute smile on your face."
She frowned on instinct, wiping off the said smile. "Well, you made me mess up my knot."
He eyed the rope in her hands with pursed lips. She knew the look well. He was trying not to laugh. Althea gasped, smacking his arm. "Hey! I'm trying, okay? That's all that matters."
His warm chuckle filled her ears and heart. If Finnick had to be described in one word, it would be warmth. The man was never cold, for one. His skin was warm, his laugh was warm, and his smile was not only warm, it was hot. She giggled internally at herself.
She did not just call her best friend hot.
Of course not, she was just explaining the warmth of his smile... right?
"If you're not going to help me, I'll find Mags. She likes me better than you do anyways." She snatched the rope from his view, fiddling with the material until it unraveled from the mess of a knot she had created.
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that," he mumbled into her ear. Althea was quick to keep her expression cool, but she had absolutely no control over the red that colored her cheeks. He smirked, picking up his own rope. She had forgotten how much more he flirted in person compared to their letters over the years. "Come on, I'll teach you."
She watched as he expertly, but slowly enough for her to watch, wove the knots. He explained the basics. Occasionally adjusting her fingers and giving pointers, he was a pretty good teacher. It didn't surprise her at all, especially given the fact that he taught her a few skills with spear fishing. His patience and knack for teaching would help him be a good father some day.
Althea's heart dropped to her stomach.
Her eyes wandered the facility. Peeta, Johanna, Katniss, Thatcher, and even her own self in the reflective mirror of glass beside them.
None of them would ever become parents.
She didn't know who was going to win, but she refused to. A world without Finnick Odair was one that she would never wish to be apart of. Gazing at him, she found him already looking at her.
"Where did you go, angelfish?" he asked, softly taking the rope from her hands.
A small smile spread across her lips. "I still don't know why you call me that," she muttered.
"That's okay. You don't need to. However, you do need to know how to make a decent knot."
Althea gasped again. "How dare you not only insult my knots once, but twice?" She snatched her rope back from his calloused hands. "You're lucky that I'm still friends with you!"
Thatcher sat down on her other side rather suddenly, "I think Johanna is going to cut Brutus' head off," he started, glimpsing at the rope in the woman's hand with a smirk.
"Is that what we are?" Finnick's question was barely even a whisper of breath escaping his lips, but Althea's heart thudded like the hooves of the chariot horses. Thatcher made no notion of hearing what the blonde man said.
"I hope she knows that there's a line," the woman responded to her district partner, shaking fingers tightening on her rope.
"Yeah, but I think she'll cut their heads off, too," he said frankly. He picked up a piece of rope himself, slipping his legs into a crisscrossed position. "Alright, rope master. Teach me your ways."
Finnick laughed, leaning forward to teach Thatcher a basic knot. In her own stomach, a knot formed itself as she watched two people she cared deeply about prepare to survive a fate they were supposed to be spared from.
Althea left to her feet, startling the men beside her. Johanna was hacking away at a dummy and the brunette felt an undying urge to do the same.
"Johanna!" Althea called as she approached. Johanna's choppy bangs clung to her forehead with sweat, but her fierce expression softened in minuscule increments.
"Earthquake," the ax wielding woman greeted. Althea rolled her eyes. Johanna had come up with the nickname when she observed Althea's shaking hands for the first time.
"That stopped being funny the second time you said it," Althea scolded teasingly. She didn't mind the nickname at all. But even if she did, there was little she could do to get Johanna-the-most-bull-headed-woman-to-ever-grace-the-world-Mason to stop using it.
"Whatever," Johanna huffed. "Need a refresher on the ol' axes here?"
Althea smirked lightly. "Yes, ma'am."
A snort came loudly out of Johanna. "Don't ma'am me, Hawkforge."
The woman's smirk grew. "Yes, sir."
Johanna eyebrows shot up on her forehead. "I reckon it would be an awful sort of accident if this ax were to slip from my hand and accidentally land embedded in your face."
"Aww shucks, Jo," Althea whined, grabbing an ax from the weapons display. "You wouldn't let me be ugly at my funeral, would you, sir?"
Johanna pointed at her with an ax. "I will if you keep calling me sir. Although, I'll admit I'd make a hot man."
Althea chuckled under her breath. Cashmere and Gloss had taken a break and were observing the women without discreetness.
"Keep your wrist loose, but keep your hand controlled," Johanna began, also noticing the duo from District One. Althea did as she was told, feeling the weight of the handle and blade in her hand. It was balanced differently than a knife or sword.
But she knew the feeling well.
"Got it?" Johanna asked. An excited spark decorated her hazel eyes, signaling her mischief.
"Can you check my grip?" Althea asked as if she was helpless. Johanna came forward, adjusting her thumb minutely. The woman from District Seven whispered quickly and quietly.
"Let's give them a show."

A/N: hey loves! how are we feeling? thoughts? let me know what you're thinking and what you'd like to see! love you guys so much!