Haymitch had been helpful, there was no denying that in Gale's mind but even so, Haymitch was still somewhat of an outsider and Gale simply wanted to make sure trust was formed between everyone. Gale, Prim, Peeta and Katniss were close already but Haymitch had only been recently introduced into everyone's lives as a prominent figure. Gale was happy to drop the subject though and Prim was a fantastic distraction from all the stress going on around them. She really was quite special and he hoped that the Games didn't take that away from him, or from her. They had changed Katniss and everyone else and he hoped that there was light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to Peeta and the others, it was more likely that they could get out alive and hopefully well.

She wasn't about to censor herself, that wasn't her thing. Katniss knew her answer was not what he wanted to hear. She knew she needed to look out for herself, first and foremost. But it wasn't easy when you had so many loved ones around you, in the same Hell as you. Effie was somewhat welcomed since Katniss wasn't certain whether or not the conversation would go in circles or just crash and burn. The girl was surprised when Haymitch grabbed her arm and kept her close but he clearly had a bit more to say on the matter. Haymitch then told Katniss he loved her but that she couldn't play the hero again. Her neck nearly snapped when she looked at him, turning her head rather quickly to figure out what he had said to her, as well as what he had meant.

Before she could worry or think too much, Effie steered everyone towards the cake. Katniss couldn't meet Haymitch's gaze and simply refused to acknowledge the rapid beating of her heart. Sure, they had done things that had proven love but saying it was something else. Saying it made it real and it put everything back into clumsy perspective. She did love Haymitch, she couldn't deny that. But right now she had to put that and everything else aside, as much as she felt the room spinning around and around. The cake was a fun treat and though Katniss didn't want to eat much more at the moment, she could tell everyone, not just Peeta, needed this distraction from everything dangerous around them. She noticed Gale and Prim happy and even Haymitch was socializing, it was almost like a dream for Katniss.

During the leisurely party, Gale had enjoyed the cake as well as the company. More people had arrived but he was still careful to say only the right thing, just in case any of them were somehow commissioned spies acting on Snow's behalf. He couldn't let his guard down, not even now. He soon departed and went back to his room for some much needed alone time. He was finally able to sit down and breathe without being watched by someone. It was easy to get swept up in paranoia but he was trying to keep his head above water and not drown or get overwhelmed. Soon it would all be over. He was about to get up and take a shower when Prim appeared in his doorway. "It was interesting...I think it was a good thought on Effie's behalf, Peeta seemed to enjoy himself." He told Prim.

Peeta was risking so much, for what he was doing for everyone. Gale knew that the party may have been a little odd but it still should have helped get everyone's minds away from the dangers around them. Effie may be a little high strung and be concerned with the stupidest of trivialities but Gale knew she was also an alley and probably needed to let some energy out with the party. "I was just going to shower." He told her and got up from where he was been sitting, at the end of the bed facing the tv. He gestured for her to sit down and make herself comfortable. He knew he didn't have to ask her, that she was already going to stay the night with him, but he couldn't help but want to say it anyway because it warmed his heart, a warmth which couldn't compare to the sun back home. "I'll be right out, then we can go to bed." He told her and headed into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

For Katniss, the party had gone alright. Hearing Haymitch say he loved her did make things a bit more skewed however. The girl spent most of the time walking around and pretending to make light jokes with Effie's friends and everyone else. She kept an eye on her sister as well as Haymitch but not much happened. Some light games were played and soon the evening appeared to be wrapping up. Gale had already retreated to his room and Prim seemed to have just done the same. Haymitch had escaped earlier and Peeta seemed to be a little groggy. "Night." Katniss waved and headed back toward her own room. She got changed and doubled back out to Haymitch's door and let herself in, not being one to bother with the politeness of knocking. "Hey." She greeted and walked in.

Her mind and chest were tightly wound and it wasn't easy discerning between what she knew she had to do and what she wanted to do but Katniss knew she did love Haymitch and he loved her and it was incredibly cheesy and hard to think straight. And maybe hopefully things would become that much more clear. Right now she didn't want to think about who would make it out alive and why. Right now she just wanted to enjoy what time she with Haymitch and Prim and Gale. "I don't like being the hero, it's what got us here. I want to be someone who survives and Prim and Gale are survivers too." They just didn't know it yet. "Like you." Katniss said as she walked over and sat down on the side of his bed. She wan't fond of mushy speeches or anything like that but right now, it was better than arguing or making pointless plans.

By the time Gale came out, he was in fresh clothes and trying to dry his hair in the white towel. He tossed it into the hamper which then folded itself back into the walls of the room, where all dirty clothes and towels were disposed to be cleaned and later returned in the night automatically. The Capitol was a frighteningly secretive place. He had on a black tank top and a pair of dark blue cotton pants. "I guess all that's left to do is the presentation, get the scores and have the interview." He told Prim as he moved over and climbed into bed next to her. "After that..." Gale trailed off and put his arm around Prim. "After that, we're going to be fine." He said. And he actually believed his words. The plan was risky but he did have faith in not just his own ability but Peeta's, Prim's and Katniss's. And if they trusted Haymitch, he could try to do the same too.

The following morning wasn't much, very minimal training in the morning but after lunch, the Tributes were told there wouldn't be anything else to do except to present themselves to the Gamemakers in the afternoon and that evening, the scores would be given after dinner on the tv, broadcast everywhere around the country. Gale wasn't nervous at all, he was almost excited to show his skills. As Peeta came down, along with the other mentors, he began to speak to the four of them. Though Katniss and Haymitch didn't really need the speech or advice. Katniss looked a little sly s Gale hoped she didn't do anything too offensive, though she had told him what she did last year, he had grounds for concern. "Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, you will go last, just relax and prove why you're a force to be reckoned with." Peeta told them. Rather than go for downplaying skills, it was pointless by now. Prim and Gale needed to preform on the same level as their District counterparts or else they'd be targeted even more.

"Got it." Katniss smirked and Peeta gave her a worried glanced. "What? It's not like I'm going to try killing anyone up there. I'm harmless." Katniss insisted.

"Right, well...good luck and Effie wanted me to tell you to smile."

"I bet she did." Katniss said.

"Thanks." Gale said to Peeta as they were ushered into the waiting room away from the cafeteria. He sat down with the others and one by one, everyone was called up by name and district. After about an hour, it was finally dwindling down. No one really said anything and by the time his name was called, no one else but their district remained. He got up and headed over to the proctor who guided him into the other room where all the training equipment once were. Now only minimal things were out for everyone upon their request. Gale spotted his sword and the dummy he had asked for. He picked it up and did a few slices through the air before he advanced on the dummies. Gale made some flexible aims and cut off the dummy's head, legs and arms. He then did the same to two other targets and then finally spun around and threw it at a target several feet away, landing his weapon in the dummy's chest.

After Gale, Prim was called, followed by Haymitch and lastly Katniss.

When finished, the candidate told to go up to their suite and have dinner and wait for the results. Katniss was the last one show up. By that point, dinner had been laid out and everyone had been sitting in the living room, discussing what they had done. "How'd it go?" Gale stood up and asked Katniss. Gale had just finished telling the others about his swordsmanship. Peeta had also been notified of their displays but his expession changed when he saw Katniss. Effie didn't look pleased either. "...What did you do?" He asked.

"I may have done something, you know, with my hands." Katniss shrugged and walked over to them.

Only a minute ago, had a phone call been taken by Peeta in his room regarding District 12's final display of skill. Peeta wasn't surprised, just bothered. But what was done was done. "She built a structure, got a dummy and wrote Seneca Crane on it and then hung it from the structure with a rope around his head, she then show three arrows into his head, saying one was from her, Peeta and Snow." Peeta said. Clearly Katniss was making a statement that only select people would have heard about last year. "She certainly used her full 15 minutes..." 

"I'm not going to apologize, they're to blame too." Katniss said.

"Do you really think doing that is going to help you get sponsors?" Peeta asked tiredly.

"Do you think she'll get a high score or...?" Gale started to ask. Then Effie headed down the stairs and into the living room. "Is dinner ready?" He asked, hoping to change the subject. Over dinner, they could hopefully talk more about what everyone did. He was hopeful that Prim's demonstration had gone better that Katniss' and that his own score wouldn't be too bad. Part of him was also pretty interested into those like Finnick and Johanna and even some of the careers. They sat down and the avoxes began to serve them a nice meal of steak and fries as well as  a hearty salad with plenty of greens and additions like carrots or strawberries or chunky bits of toasted garlic bread. "So what dd you do, Prim?" He asked, fairly certain her actions wouldn't have been as controversial as her older sister's.

Sitting next to Haymitch, Katniss knew he was probably against her actions but her score didn't matter anymore. Whatever she got, people knew what she was capable of. The other tributes knew she was a threat and knew what her weaknesses were. The Gamemakers weren't stupid and wouldn't mark her down for what she did because her display of rope tying skills, archery and distance from which she shoot the arrows as well as accuracy, still amounted to something dangerous that deserved a high score. Even if that didn't happen, she'd still have sponsors, as would Prim and the others. It was pointless to get worked up over something stupid and she wasn't, she was trying to have a little fun. "How about you?" She said quietly to Haymitch, more in regards to what he did, but it could also be taken in the context of how he thought about her actions.