Peeta laid on a rock, staring at the light penetrating through the turbulent waters up above. Here on the outcropping near the chasm few fish and other mer swam here he could be alone with his thoughts.
Today had been a particularly bad day, and his mom in particular was suffering another of her moods, so it was the perfect excuse to be out of the house. He laid on his back eyes closed and saw the rippling of the light through his eyelids when suddenly it went black.
He opened them with a start to see a ship up above, it was particularly large and he was startled since it was unusual to see ships of this kind around here so he decided to swim up to the surface to snoop; because let's face it living in the ocean is nice and all but some distractions were needed.
His head barely breaking the surface he was greeted by the sight of the enormous ship, seeing it below was nothing compared to actually seeing it from above with it's huge sails and mast rippling proudly in the wind.
He could also make out hints of loud conversations "...Well then get to it already!" He heard a deep voice shout.
"Whaddya think I'm havin a tea party or sumthin.." The agitated reply went on but he couldn't hear the rest. Besides he wanted to actually see a human not just hear them and he couldn't from the side so he swam around towards the back where there happened to be a balcony with a human overlooking the sea.
Peeta made sure to stay hidden but he wanted to get so much closer. This human was very beautiful, with short blonde hair and he looked so big and muscular he strained and fought with himself but this was all he could make out from the surface of the ocean without getting closer and endangering himself. The human's gaze was so focused on the horizon; he looked like a dream against the sunset.
"...CATO!" Yelled a gruff voice snapping the blonde, who was obviously named Cato, out of his focus. "WE NEED YOU UP HERE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME TROUBLE."
Dammit. Peeta swore as he watched the handsome man, now named Cato, make his way back into the ship. He wanted more time to watch him and study his face and commit it to memory. But since it was too late for that he decided to remember the ship so he could come back to watch him later. Besides now this human had a name. Cato.
~xXx~
"Peeta!" His mother's sharp voice disrupted his thoughts and pulling him out of his daydreams of Cato.
"Get your head out of the surface and focus! I swear you never listen! Have heard a word of what I've been saying?!" She screeched at him.
"..No.. sorry" He replied pointing his head down at the table. He often found this placate his mother.
"Well as I was saying there are stronger currents because of the weather above which could affect..."
He had no idea what his mother was talking about, his mind was set on the surface as he pictured Cato again, thinking about the wind blowing through his hair, the way he moved, the shadows on his face. He'd been up there three times now just to watch him and he couldn't stop it just felt so-
"PEETA" His mother screeched at him again.
"Oh!" He said making it clear he wasn't paying attention, causing his brothers to snicker earning them a glare from his mother.
"Now would you like to tell us all what's so interesting that you can't seem to focus? Hmm?"
"Oh. Umm." He fidgeted, moving his tail nervously, and wringing his hands.
"Can't you tell mom?" Interrupted one of his brothers. "The look on Peet's face, he's obviously in love."
This made his face burn which only proved his brother's point. "I'm not in love with anyone" He protested weakly.
"In love? With who?! Not that awful Cartwright girl I hope." Sneered his mother.
"Mom! Don't say that about Delly she's nice."
"She could give barnacles a run for their money in the ugly department."
Although his mother was right about Delly's less than superior physical traits he was fed up with his mother and couldn't stand to hear her talk this way about one of his closest and only friends. "I'm going to bed, don't insult any more of my friends" He replied getting up abruptly.
"Aww come on Peet tell us about your giiirlfriend" Chorused his brothers.
"Goodnight."
~xXx~
God, he loved his brothers but they could be less nosey with his mother around, and his mother she was a whole other category entirely but still, she used to be better up until his father had died about a year ago. Ever since then she had been unbearable and rude he understood how hard it was to deal with, he still missed his father, but some nights it was hard to forgive her.
As he stared at the surface he noticed the darker shadow of Cato's ship up above, but... it was moving really erratically. Something seemed wrong. Then there was a flash of lightning up above and he could see the ship shudder.
Something was wrong.
He made sure his brothers and mother were asleep and quietly swam out.
~xXx~
The waters were chaotic and it was almost impossible to get near the ship because of how they were moving.
When he finally made it to the surface the world seemed like it was ending.
The sky was dark with a storm and the winds whipped around him throwing his wet hair in his face. A loud thunderclap shocked him back into looking at the ship. There was screaming and the sails and parts of the ship were covered in fire. Humans were screaming and throwing smaller ships overboard and jumping off.
"Don't abandon the ship you idiots! We can save it! The cargo's too valuable to lose-" A strong gust of wind knocked the man over and this was quickly followed by a lightning bolt which struck the mast.
"Gods above" Said one of the escaping sailors and Peeta agreed shaking his head with him, but wait where was-
"CATO!" Screamed a woman in one of the boats. "Where is he?!" She frantically tried to get up only to be pulled back down by another man.
"You'll capsize us fool! Get down I'm sure the captain's okay!"
Right as he was saying this the mast snapped in half and fell smashing the boat like a piece of driftwood.
"CATO" Screamed the same woman trying to throw herself out of the boat.
"IT'S TOO LATE FOR HIM-"
NO! Peeta screamed in his head along with the woman. He swam furiously around the boat looking for him.
And he saw him. Just as the boat was going down.
~xXx~
Fuck fuck fuck fuck. He was going to die rescuing a human and then his brothers would laugh and his mother would dance on his grave.
The water was throwing him around and debris from the boat was everywhere. He finally found Cato and his heart almost stopped for a moment when he saw him, he ooked so still and his head was bleeding. He swam up behind him securing him arms wrapped around his chest.
God he's so big and even in the water he's heavy. He moved his tail viciously and propelled them towards the surface.
As they breached the surface he felt Cato cough and sputter which was a good sign but he was clearly in no state to swim himself to safety.
He watched as most of the ship went down sinking beneath the waves, but fortunately there was plenty of wreckage around and he found a huge piece of wood which he heaved Cato's still lifeless body onto.
Where is everyone else? All the escaping boats from earlier were gone so he couldn't just leave Cato here in hopes that someone would find him.
So he did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed the back of the wreckage with Cato and started pushing.
~xXx~
It was sunrise when they finally made it to shore and Cato was still unconscious. Peeta grabbed his body and wriggled both of them to the shore away from the surf so he couldn't possibly drown.
Hrrff! Peeta finally dropped him and collapsed on top of Cato exhausted. They had never been closer and Peeta suddenly found himself staring intently at his face.
There were so many things he would have never noticed from far away that he now observed; like the cleft in his chin, or the way his eyebrows furrowed. He realized Cato's shirt was ripped open and he could feel his hand on his pectoral and felt the steady rise and fall of his chest. Cato's skin was shining with droplets of water and it was so smooth and firm-
He sat up quickly and realized he was feeling up a human right now.
A human.
A human that could wake up at any second and discover him oh god oh gods. He heaved himself off Cato and was starting to make his struggle towards shore when suddenly.
He felt a hand. Around his wrist. He was awake.
Fuck.
A/N: Okay first chapter of my first story on here ever, done. Whew that was tough. Anyways leave reviews tell me what I'm doing right or wrong, your hopes, dreams, etc. I'll probably get a second chapter up soon and then start doing once a week chapters. See ya! :)