Chapter 9
We reluctantly pull our clothes back on and then turn to each other with smiles. I reach out to tuck a strand of hair behind Katniss' ear.
"What do we tell the crew?" I ask.
"I'm not hiding this from them," Katniss says. "They've only just gotten over the last lie I told them."
I let out a sigh of relief. I'm finding it difficult to keep up the lies I am telling and am glad that this is one less thing I will have to hide. Katniss reaches up on her toes so that our noses brush together.
"I really like you. It feels good to finally admit that out loud," she says.
I grin as I put my hand on her neck to bring her closer to me.
"I like hearing it," I reply. "You are the most remarkable person I have ever met."
Katniss smiles softly at me and our lips meet in a slow kiss. Kissing her has already become my new favourite thing. We both sigh happily as we pull away and leave the room.
Haymitch grins at us as we leave.
"I take it you were just practising your wrestling moves," he says with a knowing grin.
I expect Katniss to be defensive about what we just did but she rolls her shoulders back and stands tall. Many of the other members of the crew are grinning at us too, showing us they heard exactly what we did in there. Katniss turns to address them all.
"I promised that I wouldn't lie to you again. So yes, Peeta and I are now sleeping together. You will see him stay in my quarters but he won't get any special treatment because of this. Any questions?" she asks.
Most of the crew shake their heads but keep grinning at us. Katniss nods her head, satisfied.
"Good. Now you can all get back to work," she says.
The crew nod their heads and get back to their jobs. Darius gives me a cheeky wink as he walks past and Katniss moves back to the top deck where Jay swoops down to join her again. Haymitch gives me another grin.
"Congratulations, boy. You must have been good. The captain is walking a little bit funny," he says.
I elbow him in the side and some rum dribbles down his chin as he brings the bottle to his lips.
"I thought you were trying to warn me off her," I say.
Haymitch wipes the rum off his chin and then shrugs his shoulder.
"That's when I thought she would break your heart. I've been secretly rooting for you," he says.
I smile and Haymitch tips his bottle to me before wandering away. I strain my neck up to catch sight of Katniss. My heart thuds in my chest as strands of her hair catch in the wind.
Madge retires to her quarters later that afternoon and I take her a plate of food once I have fed the rest of the crew. I enter with a grin but Madge doesn't return it. She looks at me carefully and I frown as I place the plate in front of her.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
Madge sighs as she looks me straight in the eye.
"You've told me a lot of crazy things since I've been put on this ship. This crew didn't want to kill everyone on The Victory. This crew are good people. That someone in the navy is trying to take it down. And I was beginning to believe you but now I think your thoughts are being ruled by lust," she says.
I shake my head furiously as I crouch down in front of her. I place my hand on top of hers.
"My feelings for Katniss have not swayed my judgement," I say passionately.
"But can't you see how ridiculous this is? You are sharing a bed with the woman you were sent on this ship to destroy. I thought you were smarter than that," Madge says.
"I've spent this whole time trying to distance myself from her but I always find myself being drawn back to her. I know it is messed up but I have fallen in love with her. I've finally realised what Thresh was talking about when he talked about Rue," I say.
Madge shakes her head at me so I carry on.
"My first thought in the morning is about when I am going to see her next. I spend so much of my time thinking of things I can say to her and our conversations are the best part of my day. My stomach goes in knots every time I see her. Have you ever felt that way?" I ask.
Madge softens and gives me a shake of the head.
"No," she admits. There is then a long pause. "She might make you happy now but have you thought about what is going to happen when this is all over? You can't go back to the navy and still be with her."
I hang my head as I nod in agreement.
"I haven't allowed myself to think about that," I admit.
Madge smiles at me sympathetically but I refuse to let thoughts of the future spoil a good day.
Over the next few days Katniss and I sneak as many moments as possible together. We don't flaunt our relationship in front of the crew but Katniss spends more time in the galley and I burn something more than once as I press her against the wall and kiss her senseless. At night I don't hide the fact I visit her quarters and we leave each other sweaty and breathless before we talk late into the night.
The crew tease us a lot but it's all good natured and I get the feeling most of them are happy for us. I was most worried about Gale but he has been distracted by the presence of Madge. She comes out occasionally to stretch her legs and Gale's eyes don't leave her as she does so.
I grin at him as I fold and coil rope in my hand.
"You could be more subtle with your staring," I say.
Gale snaps his gaze away from Madge and turns to me.
"I'm not staring at anything," he says.
"Of course not. But she is very beautiful," I reply.
Gale sighs as he picks up some rope.
"Her skin is so pale and soft. And her hair is the colour of gold," he admits.
"She's smart too. I'm sure all the men in Port Capitol are battling for her hand," I reply.
Gale nods his head.
"I know my place but there aren't many pretty things to look at on this ship," he says.
I smile.
"I don't blame you for staring. You're not the only one," I reply.
Gale nods his head before turning to look at what I am doing in my hands.
"What are you making?" he asks.
I hold up my half-finished masterpiece.
"I'm making Katniss a flower out of rope. Like you said, there aren't many pretty things on this boat," I reply.
Gale rolls his eyes.
"I didn't think you were a romantic," he says.
I grin widely.
"I can help you make one for Madge if you want," I tease.
Gale thumps me in the arm and I chuckle as we both get back to our tasks.
I take the rope flower to Katniss later that day. She looks up from the maps as I enter and gives me a tender smile. I stride over to her quickly and bend down to give her a kiss. Katniss smiles into it as she reaches up to cup my cheek.
"I brought you flowers," I say as we pull back.
Katniss raises her eyebrows in surprise and I smile widely as I present the bouquet of rope flowers. Katniss laughs as she takes them off me and then brings them to her nose to pretend to smell them.
"What a lovely surprise. They will really brighten up the room," she jokes.
We share a smile and Katniss finds a goblet to put my creations in. Jay hops over to it and begins pecking it with his beak. Once Katniss comes back, I pull her back to my chest and wrap my arms around her middle. Katniss smiles as she puts her hands over mine and I place a kiss on her ear. We both look down at the maps in front of us.
"Have you ever been to Seam Island before?" she asks.
"Never. That's where you were born?" I ask.
Katniss nods her head.
"I haven't been back in so long. I'm scared it will have changed," she says.
"Sometimes change is good," I reply. "Admit that The Mockingjay has been better since I've joined."
I nuzzle my nose in her neck and Katniss laughs.
"I think you are becoming arrogant," she replies.
I smile as I place a kiss on her neck.
"I'm just looking forward to meeting Arthur the dolphin," I reply.
Katniss laughs before twisting round to look at me.
"I want you to meet my family when we get to Seam. Will you come?" she asks.
"Always," I reply.
Katniss gives me a relieved smile.
"But won't your mother be mad at me for not asking her permission to court you?" I say jokingly.
"My mother has not been the same since my father died. She probably won't say one word to you. It's Prim you need to worry about," Katniss says.
I smile as I place a kiss on her nose.
"I better be convincing then," I say.
Katniss smiles at me before tipping her head up and kissing me on the lips.
Seam Island comes into sight on the horizon two days later and I get a mixture of excitement and nerves about meeting Katniss' family. I know they mean a lot to her and am desperate to impress them.
On the morning that we drop anchor, I enter the galley to find a small wooden carving placed on the table. I pick it up and realise that it is a delicate carving of a mockingjay. The little bird is in mid-flight and holds an arrow in its mouth. I smile when I notice the note underneath it.
I thought I would make you a bird that you wouldn't be scared of.
Katniss
My smile only gets wider and I quickly tuck the little bird in my pocket. I'm sometimes scared that Katniss doesn't have the same depth of feeling for me as I do for her but gestures like this that show me how she feels. It gives me the confidence I need to go and meet her family.
Seam Island is a tiny bit of land. The dock is not big enough for us to anchor so we dock in a small bay and row to the island. Gale surprisingly offers to stay on board to look after the ship and keep an eye on Madge. A couple other members of the crew stay with him and Katniss promises to send his family to visit him.
I'm a little shocked just how poor Seam is once we reach land. Dozens of half-naked children run the streets, picking through the bins to find things to eat. Most of the houses look like they have been put up in a rush and all seem to slant sideways a little. A three-legged dog hops along the street and we walk past a man slumped against a wall. He is too weak to even swot away the flies from his face.
Katniss and the crew bring with them some sacks of gold from The Mockingjay and we are soon surrounded by children and adults, all grappling for a share of the treasure. Katniss demands order and soon the residents of Seam fall into line. I stand with The Mockingjay crew as we hand out gold that will help feed these people.
"Has it always been like this in Seam?" I ask Katniss as I hand a little girl with no teeth a small gold coin.
Katniss nods her head grimly.
"Now you can see why so many people here turn to piracy," she says.
"At least we are doing something to help them now," I reply.
Katniss smiles at me as we carry out our task. I suddenly feel bad for how I have ignored the poverty in the Caribbean. In Port Capitol everyone is so focused on making themselves richer. We don't stop to think about the people we step over in the streets.
The young children run and dance about the street with their new gold and many of the adults go straight to the market to buy food for their families. The crew begin to filter away and Johanna goes off to visit Finnick's grandmother to let her know what is happening. Katniss spends a few moments talking and laughing with some of the residents and it's clear how much she is respected here. Her kind heart makes me fall in love with her even more.
The sacks are all now empty and Haymitch comes up to me and lets out a loud burp. We both look in the direction of Katniss.
"You've gone gooey eyed again," Haymitch says. "She does have some flaws you know."
I laugh as I turn to face him.
"Have you never been in love, Haymitch?" I ask.
The old man grows solemn and even removes the bottle of rum from his lips.
"Why do you think I drink so much?" he replies.
I furrow my brow in confusion and want to ask him more questions but Katniss has finished her conversations and comes over to us.
"At least everyone will eat tonight," she says. Haymitch and I nod our heads. "Let's go and see my mother and Prim."
We both nod our heads again and Katniss leads the way to her family's house.
The Everdeen family home is a small cottage tucked at the edge of a hidden cove. The sand surrounding it is silky soft and I catch a glimpse of a dolphin jumping in the waves. Jay flies off to join it. Katniss practically runs up the wooden steps of the house in the rush to meet her family. A slender blonde girl meets us at the door and shares a warm embrace with Katniss.
"I've missed you, Little Duck," Katniss says as they hold each other tight.
Prim beams into Katniss' shoulder.
"Only you still call me that," Prim replies.
Katniss laughs as they pull apart and then she reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind her sister's ear. Haymitch pushes his way into the house and collapses onto a chair but I hang back, waiting to be invited in. An older blonde woman appears from another door and surveys the scene quietly. Prim then catches sight of me over Katniss' shoulder.
"Katniss," she says. "There is a strange man in our house."
Katniss steps back and turns to give me a warm smile but Prim looks at me warily.
"He's not a stranger. Peeta has been working as our cook for the last couple of months. He makes the best rat stew," Katniss replies.
Prim frowns as she looks me up and down.
"You didn't mention him in any of your letters," Prim says.
"That's because she was too busy denying her feelings for him. But she's not denying them now, not if her moans at night are anything to go by," Haymitch replies.
Prim's eyebrows shoot up and she snaps her gaze back to Katniss.
"Are you sleeping with him? I thought you never did that with a member of your crew," Prim says.
I step forward and slide my hand into Katniss'.
"It's lovely to meet you finally, Prim. Katniss talks about you so much. I've been looking forward to meeting you," I say.
Prim turns to me but still looks wary.
"I think your sister is the most amazing person," I add.
Katniss smiles up at me tenderly and I give her hand a little squeeze. Prim shakes her head.
"Forgive me," Prim says. "You may be perfectly nice but I don't know you yet. You need to convince me that you are good enough for my sister."
"I wouldn't expect you to want anything less," I reply.
Prim nods her head and seems satisfied for now. Katniss reaches up to place a soft kiss on my lips. Haymitch grins.
"Now that's out the way can we open the good rum?" he asks.
We laugh and some of the tension disappears. Katniss' mother goes into the kitchen to get some food and Katniss and I take a seat next to each other. Prim watches me the whole time we do so.
Prim carries on doing this as Katniss catches up with her family. Her mother doesn't say much and the sadness over her husband's death is clear in her eyes. However Prim and Haymitch make up for it as they exchange amusing stories. I chip in whenever I can but feel like every one of my answers are scrutinised by Prim. I don't feel like I properly relax during the conversation.
Later I offer to help Katniss' mother clean up and as I am about to go back through I overhear Katniss and Prim talking.
"I'm just surprised, Katniss. You have never brought a man back here before. And what do we really know about him? He doesn't talk a lot about his life before he came on board The Mockingjay and you've admitted yourself that more things have gone wrong recently. Is his appearance really just a coincidence?" Prim says.
"He's done a lot to show me we can trust him. Don't you trust my judgement?" Katniss replies.
"Normally I would but I've never seen you look at a man like that. I just hope your love for him isn't clouding your judgement," Prim replies.
"I'm not in love with him," Katniss says.
Prim scoffs.
"You don't look at someone like that if you don't love them. I just don't want you to get hurt," she says.
"Peeta wouldn't hurt me," Katniss replies.
"I hope you're right," Prim says.
The conversation changes and I feel guilty after hearing Prim speak. Katniss sounded so sure of her trust in me but I have been lying to her from the moment I met her. Prim is the first person to question my presence on The Mockingjay and I can't be mad at her for thinking that. Madge's words from a few days ago echo in my head. What will happen when everything is all over? Maybe, no matter what I do, I will end up hurting Katniss.
Haymitch disappears in the afternoon and when he comes back he has a bunch of tropical flowers in his hands. Katniss and Prim immediately go quiet when they see them.
"Are you going up to Templesmith's peak?" Katniss asks.
Haymitch nods his head.
"I need to see them," he replies.
I furrow my brows but everyone else nods their heads in understanding.
"Do you want some company?" Prim asks.
Haymitch nods his head again.
"I think they would like that," he replies.
Prim and Katniss give him a sad smile and then get up to move. We all leave the house soon after.
Haymitch leads the way as we trek through the forest up to the top of a cliff. It sounded like we are going to visit someone so I am expecting a house when we reach the cliff edge. But instead there is only a small smooth stone. Haymitch drops to his knees in front of the stone and leans down to kiss it. He then leaves the flowers in front of it. Katniss and her family stand solemnly behind Haymitch. I take a step closer and catch a glimpse of what is written on the stone.
Maysilee Abernathy
Georgie Abernathy
Sleep peacefully, my loves
My heart sinks when I realise what this means. Haymitch smiles sadly before he starts speaking.
"I hope you two are still alright up there. Georgie, I hope there are lots of toads for you to find. But don't hide them in your mother's bed. You know how scared she is of them," he starts.
He carries on talking to his wife and son as if they were still alive, telling them all about his adventures and asking them to look out for each other. My heart gets heavier the longer I listen.
"I never realised he was married," I whisper to Katniss.
Katniss turns to me with a sad look.
"Maysilee was mother's best friend. That's how Haymitch met her. Georgie and I used to play together when we were small children. But scarlet fever took him at seven years and Maysilee drowned in a fishing accident two months later. It broke him," Katniss replies.
"That's why he drinks so much," I say, finally understanding his comment from earlier.
"Yes," Katniss confirms. "We tried once to hide all the rum from him but he ended up trashing his quarters looking for some. It's the only way he knows how to cope."
I nod my head and realise just how much loss there has been among The Mockingjay crew.
Once Haymitch has finished talking he places another kiss on the stone and gets up to hug Katniss' mother. They both cry silently for the people they have lost.
I walk beside Haymitch on the way back down and I notice he doesn't have a bottle of rum in his hand for the first time since I've met him.
"You never talk about them," I say.
"There's no joy living in the past," Haymitch replies.
I nod my head in understanding. I've come to care for Haymitch these last few months and I hurt for him and the grief he carries around with him.
As I walk back I realise that I can't follow Snow's orders. I now have enough information to really hurt this crew. One message to Snow and navy ships would be here quickly, taking all those The Mockingjay crew hold dear. But I can't do that to them. Not when I feel their joy and pain as acutely as they do.
In that moment my mind is made up. Even if the person sending these notes isn't in the navy, I won't be able to go back. I won't be able to fight against my friends.
Everyone is quiet when we get back to the house and Haymitch disappears into a room to grieve. Katniss' mother still doesn't say much as she serves dinner and soon everyone is getting ready for bed. Katniss' mother hands me some sheets.
"I expect any unmarried man to sleep out here," she says.
I blush as I take the sheets off her and Prim smirks. Katniss rolls her eyes before coming to place a kiss on the lips.
"I'll see you in the morning," she says with a smile.
"Sleep well," I reply.
I kiss her quickly again before she turns and leaves. I watch her go with a content smile and find Prim staring at me. She nods her head to bid me goodnight and the turns to follow her sister.
I am woken when it is still dark by a soft kiss on my lips. I groggily open my eyes and am met by Katniss' silver stare gleaming down at me. She has crawled on top of me and smiles at me mischievously.
"Get up, sleepy head. We're going swimming," she says.
I wipe the sleep out my eyes before grabbing her waist and kissing her deeply.
"I think I need more of your kisses to wake me up," I reply.
Katniss smiles into my kiss but then pushes me back.
"No more kisses just now. I want to get a swim before the sun comes up. You might even meet Arthur," she says.
I laugh and she clambers off me and then sticks out a hand to help me up. I eagerly accept it as I let her pull me to the beach.
As soon as we hit the sand Katniss drops my hand and sprints for the ocean. We both strip out our under garments and I run a little further behind, taking a moment to marvel at how the moonlight bounces off Katniss' smooth and tan skin.
I watch her plunge into the sea and then emerge above water a little further out. She stands to face me with a playful grin. She places her hands on her hips and her perky breasts are on full show.
"Are you coming?" she calls.
I lick my lips at the sight of her and she flicks her gaze down to my cock which has already begun twitching at the sight of her naked form. I don't waste a moment longer before I crash into the sea.
I dive underneath the waves and swim until I reach Katniss' legs. I pick them up and wrap them around my waist as I jump out the water. Katniss lets out a little shriek and wobbles slightly before she wraps her arms around my shoulders to steady herself. I tip my forehead up and press it against hers.
"We should do more swimming naked," I state.
One of my hands slides up her body and cups a breast in my hand. Katniss gasps as she pushes her groin into me and her fingers tangle with the curls on my neck.
"Maybe Finnick has a point with this whole naked thing," she agrees.
I smile before she reaches down and kisses me languidly. My hands move round to cup her buttocks and give them a firm squeeze. We both moan as we press together.
We kiss for what seems like hours, exploring every crevice of each other's mouth and my cock starts to swell. Katniss begins to instinctively rub against me and I'm so close to taking her right here in the ocean. But just as we shift into position we hear a clicking sound and something gently bumps Katniss' side.
Katniss laughs as she lets go of me and slides down my body. Goose flesh immediately appears due to the loss of her warmth and I curse my throbbing cock. But Katniss doesn't see my frustration as she is too busy stroking the smooth skin of a dolphin. The dolphin tips its head out the water and continues to make its clicking noises as Katniss splashes it with water.
"Peeta, meet Arthur," Katniss says.
I smile as I reach a hand out to stroke its head. Arthur clicks in delight.
"He likes you," Katniss says.
"You think?" I reply.
Katniss nods her head just as Arthur ducks his head under the water and blows bubbles at us. I laugh and Katniss looks at me with a smile.
"Have you ever swum with a dolphin before?" she asks.
"Never. Though I was once stuck on a boat with a shark circling around it," I reply.
"I promise Arthur is a lot friendlier," Katniss says.
I nod my head and she moves my hand so that it grips Arthur's fin.
"Just hold on tight and let Arthur take you where he wants," Katniss says.
I do as she says and Katniss encourages me to lift my legs off the sea bed. She smiles at Arthur before bending down to give him a kiss and patting his back.
"Off you go, boy," she says.
Arthur makes a clicking noise and I get a better grip on his fin. Soon he is darting in the water, carrying me with him.
The sea sprays into my face and at first I think I will slip off but Arthur seems to sense this and doesn't go too fast. He takes me further towards the moonlight and as soon as I relax, I feel like I'm flying. I let out a laugh and a whoop as we skim across the water.
By the time Arthur brings me back the sun is just peeking out the horizon and Katniss grins broadly. I let go of Arthur's fin and pat his back before going to wrap my arms around Katniss.
"Arthur is amazing. One of the best experiences of my life," I say enthusiastically.
Katniss laughs as her hand strokes the front of my chest.
"When you said there was only one woman that caught your attention I didn't realise that I had to worry about animals swaying your affections," she says.
I grin as I press my head against hers.
"Arthur did let me pet him," I joke.
Katniss laughs again but I stop it as I swoop down for a kiss. Arthur makes a clicking noise before ducking under the water and swimming away. We continue to kiss and Katniss' hand dips underneath the water and finds my cock. She strokes the underside until I become fully erect and I press closer to her, hoping to finish what we started earlier. But suddenly Katniss snatches her hand away and instead sends a massive wave of water in my face. I blink and splutter for several seconds as she laughs and dives underneath the water.
The sky begins to turn orange and I survey the area to find her. I spot her a few meters away and she smiles and waves in my direction. There is a challenging look in her eye and I immediately dart over to try and catch her.
We play this game of cat and mouse for a moment. Katniss always allows me to get close but just as I reach out for her she slips through my grasp. She laughs as the sun slowly rises in the sky and I manage to chase her towards the shore. She begins crawling out the water and onto the sand. I use this as my opportunity to pounce. I leap forward, grabbing her waist and pulling her underneath me. She tries to squirm but doesn't try too hard as I pin her to the ground.
"You're harder to catch than a bar of soup," I say, leaning down.
Katniss stops squirming and smiles as she reaches up to cup my cheek.
"I'm a pirate. I like the chase," she replies.
I grin before bending down and meeting her eager lips. The waves lap over our feet and legs and the early morning light makes Katniss' skin glow. Her hands roam my back, coming up to tangle in my wet hair and I savour the taste of salt on her skin. My mouth finds the sweet spot on the corner of her neck and Katniss moans as her legs drop wider for me. I nestle my cock between them and gently begin to rub against her clit. She gasps as she grabs my hand and puts it on her breast. My thumb circles her nipple before tweaking it hard and Katniss gently bites down on my shoulder.
I groan and my cock throbs painfully against Katniss' thigh. She reaches down to gently stroke it and I curse at the sensations that course through my body. She then moves my tip to stimulate her clit. I push up on my arms so I can watch her pleasure herself with my dick. I don't think there is a better sight than her writhing underneath me. She gasps and moans and I soon become mesmerised. But my arms soon become weak and begin to shake. She must feel how hot my cock is in her hand and I bend down to kiss her fiercely. She kisses me back with equal force as she slips me into her body.
We moan together as we begin to rock together in the sand. The waves lap against our bodies in time with our thrusts and the sunrise bathes our bodies in light meaning we can see every expression that crosses the other's face. I move in and out. In and out. In and out until Katniss grasps my arse and clenches her walls around my cock. My balls feel heavy with cum but I desperately want to hold on until she has gone over the edge. Her walls continue to tighten around me and with one last purposeful thrust she explodes around me. As soon as she does so I wrench myself from her body and spurt cum all over the sand.
I'm left panting on my hands and knees and Katniss crawls over to me to place a kiss on my bare shoulder. I turn to pull her into my arms and give her a soft kiss on her lips.
"That's one way to see a sunrise," I say.
Katniss laughs as she snuggles into my side.
"I hope that was better than the dolphin ride," she says.
I smile and place a kiss on her head and we sit in the waves as we watch the remainder of the sunrise. Once the sun is high in the sky, Katniss moves away and gets up.
"Come on. If we're up this early, we might as well catch some oysters for later," she says.
I nod my head as she offers her hand to help me up and we walk hand in hand to find our dinner.
We manage to gather a bucket of oysters and bring them back to the Everdeen household. Katniss and I both try to wash the sand off our bodies before we get changed but it got into crevices in my body I didn't even know I had.
Katniss shifts about uncomfortably as we prise the oyster shells open.
"I think I even have sand in my crotch," she says.
I laugh but as I pry open an oyster shell I find something in it. It's a small dark pearl, a little disformed, but still beautiful nevertheless. I smile as I hand it to Katniss.
"For you," I say.
Katniss smiles at me fondly as she takes it off me.
"Thank you," she replies.
She then leans forward to place a sweet kiss on my lips. However, we are interrupted by the sound of Prim coughing. We pull back reluctantly and Katniss turns to face her sister.
"Good morning, Prim. Did you sleep well?" she asks.
Prim turns to look at me.
"I got woken early this morning by some people frolicking on the beach," she says.
I look down embarrassed but want to sort things out with Prim. I eventually bring my head back up to look at her.
"I know you are wary about me. But that's because you don't know me. You just need to ask me what you need to know. Ask me anything and I will answer," I say.
Prim studies me for a moment, trying to work out if I'm serious.
"You don't have to do that, Peeta," Katniss says.
"I want your sister to like me," I reply with a grin.
Katniss sighs in defeat and Prim nods her head in agreement.
"Alright," she says, pulling up a seat so she is opposite me. "I'll start of easy. What is your favourite colour?"
I think back to this morning and how the early morning sun looked against Katniss' skin. I smile as I answer.
"Orange. Like the sunrise," I say, making sure I catch Katniss' eye.
We share a smile and Prim rolls her eyes but this doesn't stop her with her questions.
"How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
"How long have you lived in the Caribbean?"
"Where did I learn to cook?"
"Would I rather fight one horse sized duck or a hundred duck sized horses?"
Her questions are exhausting but I'm grateful that none of her questions require me to lie. Katniss looks like she is nodding off as we get to the end of the questions.
"Last question. Why do you love my sister?" she asks.
I'm a little embarrassed Prim used the word love in front of Katniss. I haven't said that word to her even though I know that's what I feel for her. The timing hasn't felt right yet. But I don't let the use of the word deter me and I take a deep breath before answering.
"There is not one big thing I love about her. It's all the little things that make her special. The way she makes sure to speak to every member of her crew at least once a day. And the way she lets everyone have their opinion heard. I love that she can be fierce yet just and is as smart as any man I have ever met. I love that her singing voice makes the birds stop to listen and that she always wears her hair in a braid. But most of all I love the fact that when she loves, she loves fiercely and protectively. I know she would die for those she loves," I say passionately.
I glance over at Katniss and she smiles at me softly. Prim turns to survey the both of us. After a moment she sighs and turns back to me.
"You've passed," she concedes.
I raise my eyebrows in surprised.
"Really?" I ask.
Prim nods her head.
"You understand my sister and love her for it. That's all I want," she says.
I grin widely and lean forward to throw my arms around her in a hug.
"Thank you," I reply.
Prims smiles at me as we pull away but we are interrupted by Johanna frantically knocking on the door. Katniss turns to her with a frown.
"What's wrong?" she asks.
"A fishing boat has just come from the nearest navy port. It said that the navy are celebrating finding the location of Cornucopia," Johanna says.
Katniss immediately jumps to her feet and rushes over to Johanna. Johanna shows her a piece of paper from the navy port that details the navy's success. Katniss shakes her head in disbelief.
"How could they have possibly found it? It's not anywhere near any of their shipping routes," Katniss says.
"I bet it was Marvel. He never did get over us ousting him from the ship for stealing the plunder for himself," Johanna says bitterly.
"This is a fucking nightmare! What else can go wrong?" she exclaims.
I stay quiet, feeling extremely guilty for being the one that told the navy about the co-ordinates of Cornucopia. I wish I could go back in time and change it.
"We need to get off Seam Island. If they've found Cornucopia it's only a matter of time before they find here," Katniss says.
She then turns to Prim. She pulls the younger girl in her arms.
"You and mother need to use the gold coins to get off this island. It might not be safe for you here," Katniss says.
"And what about you? Is anywhere safe for you now?" Prim asks.
"I don't know, Prim. But I need you to be safe," she says.
Prim nods her head and Katniss leans forward to place a kiss on her forehead. When she pulls back she looks at me and Johanna.
"We need to send someone to Cornucopia to check if this is true. It's too dangerous for The Mockingjay and the crew to be seen anywhere near it," she says.
"I think I know someone with a small boat we can trust," Johanna says.
"Good. Find them and pay them generously. I need to round up the rest of the crew," Katniss says.
Johanna nods her head and then dashes out the door. Katniss gathers our belongings while I go and wake Haymitch. After a hurried goodbye we head back to The Mockingjay.
The crew is uneasy as we get back on board and Katniss turns to confront them all.
"I know this is a shock to you all and is the latest in a long line of disasters. I can no longer guarantee your safety on this ship. I understand if anyone doesn't want to get back on board," she says.
There are lots of murmurings and people look between each other but no one steps to walk away.
"We're family," Darius announces. "You can't just abandon family."
Many nod their heads in agreement and Johanna raises her sword.
"To family!" she declares.
Tears begin to gather in the corner of Katniss' eyes as everyone raises their swords together and shouts:
"To family!"
A/N: So Peeta has seemingly made his choice now and wants to stick with The Mockingjay. But you just know they aren't going to be happy when they find out he sent the co-ordinates to the navy.
As always, thanks to everyone who reads and supports this story
