[IC] Beyond a Fire's Embers

[Genkai]

The night had gone as well as it could have but with Prim, it still somehow was even better than that.

He was ready to lay down and get some rest. Training would pick back up in the morning as usual. They had all had a break thanks to the previous day being a half day and today being a day off. He was eager to get back to work and sharpen his skills with the sword and do some more sparring with the others. Not only was he hoping to get better but he also wanted to see what sort of styles they used and how he could possibly counter it when it really mattered.

They stepped inside, well technically Prim had pulled him in but he didn't care, happy to follow where she went. Before he could say anything else like comment on the fashions of the others, Primrose had pulled him into a kiss which surprised him. He liked her surprises though. They were always worth it. He grinned lightly and put a hand on her hips as she pulled away to thank him, which she didn't have to. He could also thank her for her company but again, he didn't have to thank her either. Things between them were mutual and very much understood. He didn't need to thank her for being around him, as they both wanted to be around each other anyway, both were very happy together and it seemed more simple than trying to say the right thing.

Prim also said that he made everything perfect which made him blush slightly.

Not as much as Prim though.

"I'm glad." Gale replied to her. He leaned in and gave her another kiss, this time is lasted a bit longer. When the doors opened, he pulled away and walked out with her into the living room. He looked around, not sure if the others had gone to bed. He figured they had or were off talking on the roof perhaps. He turned to Prim and decided to walk with her to her room at least since their rooms were the closest together. "Tomorrow I can't wait to see Jemma, one of the new tributes from district three or four, she was looking pretty drunk." He commented with a quiet laugh. He was sure the smart tributes hadn't lost their heads but some may have. "I'm ready to get back to it though." He admitted and glanced down for a moment, knowing this wasn't the best topic to end on.

"You may not be in such a nice dress but you'll still look cute to me." He offered her, looking up, wearing his usual boyish smile.

[mmidnight]

Once the doors of the elevator parted and revealed their suite, it finally felt like the night had come to an end. Prim couldn't say that the Ball had been consistently impressive, and she was still worried about what would happen to Johanna, and thinking of the truth that the older woman had spoken. The Games were closing in on them and tomorrow, they would have to go back to training, preparing to fight for their lives. The brightest spot of the night had been every moment that she spent with Gale, and she was thankful that he was there with her because he was a constant reminder of home, and all of the good things that the future could hold. Prim really did love him, and even if she couldn't say it yet—wouldn't until they were safe—she hoped that Gale knew how she felt about him. It wasn't every day that she wanted to plan a future.

“She'll probably be taking it easy like some of the others” Prim laughed. Many of the tributes had overdone it that night, but Prim couldn't really blame them when so many drinks had been passed around and shoved into their hands by creepy people like Daviod or Sindy. She hoped that no one had managed to get caught up with those two. Mostly, she was just happy that she hadn't done anything to make District 12 look bad and she hoped that she and Gale mingling had helped Peeta, even in a small way.

The Penthouse was quiet, and Prim assumed that Katniss and Haymitch were either asleep or still downstairs. She didn't think that anything was going on, or that they were more than just friends, but that was only because Prim couldn't manage to think about her sister and the older man as having anything more than a platonic relationship. She let Gale walk her back to her room, although she wasn't ready to end the night all together. Even if there was training in the morning, Prim had gotten used to falling asleep with Gale and she hoped that wouldn't have to change anytime soon.

“Are you sure?” she asked, smiling as she opened her door and lead him inside. “Are you still going to think I'm cute when we're in the arena and I'm dirty?” She would have thought that Gale would be cute like that, and she had seen him come in from a morning of hunting covered in mud and wearing a tired smile; he looked best when he was in his own element. “But speaking of the dress,” she said turning her back to him, “will you unzip me?” She moved her hair out of the way, exposing the zipper in the back. There was no way she would have been able to get it on her own.

[Genkai]

The walk back to their part of the suite hadn't taken long at all. It had been a good night for most and Gale had hoped Haymitch and Katniss had been as productive as they had, in regards to making connections with the potential sponsors and fans. He hadn't gotten great vibes from many of them but there had been a few who he was sure they could count on. He was sure Peeta would be able to make things work. They still had the interviews to look forward to as well as their final performance in front of the gamemasters and high profile sponsors. They entered her room and he didn't give it much thought since a habit between them had been developing already, their closeness becoming more natural.

"Of course, don't be silly Prim." He didn't care about outfits or make up any of that.

Prim looked great in anything and he didn't think appearances even mattered, at least they didn't to him but he hoped she didn't get hung up on her hair or something when they were in the area. His previous comment wasn't meant to be taken seriously but he was sure Prim wasn't the kind of girl who would put her safety behind brushing her hair or something. He brushed the topic off when she brought up the idea of her dress and asked him to unzip it for her. He coughed slightly and bit down on his lower lip. It made sense, the zipper was hard to reach but it made him a bit nervous, and then some.

"Sure..." Gale said nervously as he forced his mind not to wander. Prim was a beautiful girl and very attractive. And after the wonderful date they had, he didn't want to ruin it by letting his hormones get in the way or make things awkward. It was just a zipper though. He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder and then used the other to grab the small piece of metal and pulled it down her back until it reached her lower back. His eyes followed it before he quickly looked away and stepped back. "There you go." He said and moved off to the side. This was the wrong time and the wrong place to be thinking about Prim in that way.

"I guess this is good night...?" He asked her, figuring she'd need to get changed and get in bed. He would head back to his own room unless she offered for him to stay. He enjoyed falling asleep with her in his arms and then waking up with her there but he also knew their night together had been great and she may want some space to collect her own thoughts from the evening. Gale was ready to get out of his own clothes too. The tie was annoying and he hoped he wouldn't have to wear one ever again. That was a perk of living in District 12, the dress code was much more lax and comfortable than what the Capitol had to offered.

Of course Prim looked good in one of her dresses back home or the golden one she had on right now.

So he had to give some thanks to the Capitol for making such a dress that matched her shining personality. Surely the others at the Ball had noticed her and considered her to be a good tribute to help.

[mmidnight]

It was hard to be overly concerned with appearance back home. District 12 didn't have much of anything, and the last thoughts on anyone's mind was their hair, or their clothes, or the dirt on their face. It was true that Prim now had it much better thanks to Katniss, but the blonde girl wasn't going to think twice about how she looked once the Games actually got started. There would be no comforts in the arena, which was an advantage over the more pampered, flashy Districts like 1 and 4, whose tributes always looked their best. She hoped that Gale knew she had only been joking, teasing him a little. Very briefly, she wondered if he had only started to notice her after the Capitol had cleaned her up.

Logic said that Gale wasn't that shallow, and Prim reminded herself that he had been paying more attention to her for months before they ended up in their current state. After all, he had made her that token and she had looked the same as she always had when he gave it to her. Sometimes, it was hard for her not to be insecure because she wasn't used to so much attention from a boy that she actually cared for. Prim knew that she shouldn't think about it much more, and banished the thoughts from her mind when Gale set his hand on her shoulder after agreeing to help with her dress.

The request had been innocent enough, and there was no way that Prim could have possibly reached the zipper on her own. She shivered slightly as the cool air in the room hit her bare back, and then clutched the front of the dress to chest before turning around. “You can stay,” she said, “unless you want to sleep in your own bed?” Which was fine with Prim, she didn't need Gale to be around her all the time, but she had gotten used to falling asleep and waking up with him. It was nice, a source of comfort when things got to be too much, or she thought about the uncertainty of the future for far too long.

“I'm just going to change,” she said, and moved over to the dresser. She selected something quickly, a pair of shorts and a tank top, which was just enough for the warm blankets that the Capitol had provided. After, the blonde dashed out of the room to the bathroom to change, and wash her make up off. She was a little sad to see it go since the stylists had worked so hard on it, but Prim didn't want to deal with trying to scrub it off in the morning before training.

After getting dressed and cleaned up, Prim came back into the room with her dress folded over her arm. The gold frock was too pretty to just dump on the floor, so she grabbed a hanger from the rack in the wardrobe and hung it up, sure that the Avoxes would come by and do something with it. Obviously, it wasn't something to keep.

[Genkai]

The small girl headed off to change and gale leaned back against the wall, not sure what he should do.

He wanted to stay but he also wondered if Prim needed her space, wanted to have a night that was just hers and not one she felt the need to share with someone. The boy rubbed his face with his hand while the other was slipped into his pocket. He decided he would stay with Prim, that he'd rather have not regret the time they didn't spend together. And if Prim was ever mad or needed space, she would tell him. The last thing he wanted was for another petty squabble to get between them the way one had back home. Gale pushed himself off the wall and looked around. Though Prim had quickly gotten her clothes and slipped into the bathroom, something told him that make up wouldn't be coming off as readily.

"I'm gonna get changed too, be right back." He called out to her, not wanting to have her believe he had just abandoned her without much to say. Turning, he headed for the door and headed for his room. Thankfully he didn't have to scrub his face or worry about his hair. Gale entered his room and quickly slipped off his tie and tossed his blazer on the dresser. He then undid the buttons of his dress shirt and discarded that as well. Gale grabbed a plain white tee shirt and slipped it on before he slipped off his shoes and slacks and lastly, his socks. He then pulled on a pair of grey long cotton pants and moved into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. As he looked in the mirror, he thought about the people he had met with and how they'd be mere spectators to what was about to unfold.

Gale felt sick.

But he didn't feel alone.

Setting his washcloth aside, he turned and walked out of the gleaming room, the lights dimming when his presence was no longer detected. Gale grabbed a book figuring if he needed to, and had time, he could do some reading before bed. Of course ideally he could just sit and talk with Prim or find something else that required less discussion. He smiled slightly and then just tossed the book back on his bed. Part of him knew he should be reading more like Haymitch. He had been doing some but not as much as to give him any sort of feeling of readiness or reassurance. Preparing for the Games was tricky and he figured he'd have time during lunch to read up on the various techniques for surviving dessert storms or freezing conditions.

For now, he was happier focusing on Prim. Walking out of his room, he retraced his steps and knocked on Prim's door before it slid open. He spotted Prim hanging up the dress while he had just cast his own clothes aside without much consideration. Of course a dress was different than a suit and he waited until she was done before he approached her. "Even though we may have looked pretty good tonight, I feel much better in these kinds of clothes." He felt more like himself and it made him less anxious, like he didn't have to compare the haves and have nots. Gale grabbed her hand and walked over and sat on the front edge of the bed. "I can't imagine how some people back home would look in such elaborate costumes..." He smiled a little and glanced down at their hands. "Well I can, and it's pretty funny." Gale smiled more and shook his head. It was hard not to think of 12 but it was thanks to home that he felt more prepared than some.

Hopefully Prim saw her home's advantages as well.

[mmidnight]

It was hard to think that this was the last happy night she would have before the games. Prim had enjoyed her time with Gale, but the Games just on the horizon and Johanna's scene that reminded them that they were just pawns in Snow's sick game, it had been hard to focus on any of the good. The Games were going to bring about so much change no matter what the result of Peeta's plan was, and Prim was worried about failing. The conditions in Panem were only going to get worse if their escape attempt was foiled, and Prim didn't want to think of what would become of herself and her friends if they were captured. Not many people believed in her, but the blonde girl wanted to do everything she could to protect her loved ones, to make sure that they made it out alive no matter what. As for herself, she would try to make it to the end.

Sighing softly as she hung up the dress, Prim turned around to see Gale had come back into the room. He looked much more like himself, more relaxed now that he was out of the suit the stylists had chosen for him. His presence calmed her uncertain anxiety, and Prim couldn't help but smile when she looked at him. “Me too,” she agreed, also happy to be out of the dress and those large high heels and back into something simple. These were the clothes that she felt best in anyway, able to relax in a breathable cotton as opposed to a bejeweled gown that probably cost more than her old house in the Seam.

“I don't think they would have liked the ball much,” she said after sitting down with Gale. Most people in 12 had a mistrust of the Capitol, and Prim didn't blame them. While they may have been tempted by the food, she doubted that many of the people back home would have reacted positively to many of the citizens who had been at the extravagant party. “And I can definitely see a fight or two happening...” she trailed off with a laugh which soon turned into a brief yawn. It was getting late, and there was training in the morning. Prim couldn't say that she was looking forward to it, but she did want to keep her mind occupied, lest she continue to think of everything that may or may not go wrong.

“We should probably turn in,” Prim said, although she really didn't want to yet. Extra time with Gale would be valuable once they were finally in the arena and Prim didn't want to skimp on anything. Leaning in, she gave his cheek a kiss before getting up and turning down the covers on the bed. After, she got in and scooted over, making room for Gale next to her. She didn't care who found out about them anymore, whether it be an Avox or Effie, Prim just wanted to be with Gale and not come to regret anything if, or rather, when her time came.

[Genkai]

Though the day had been fairly uneventful, the night itself had been filled with stress and it could tire someone out. Though for Gale, he had enjoyed himself for the most part, even so, he knew it was getting late and their past two days had been pretty easy compared to when they first started training. Tomorrow would be a rude awakening for some people and Gale didn't want to slack off because they didn't get enough sleep. Prim was right but he still hated to waste time sleeping when he could be talking with Prim, any time was better than none at all. And he had a feeling time in the Games wouldn't be so peaceful.

Or lovely.

The girl kissed him on the cheek and began to get ready for bed which meant actually getting into it. He got up and watched her get comfortable before he moved over and got in beside her. He was sure training tomorrow would be very interesting. There would be younger tributes who were ready to get started and the older ones might be a bit more sluggish. He hadn't seen much of Haymitch but he hoped the man had steered away from any liquor. Sure, the guy had stayed clean so far but Gale wasn't too sure. He knew Haymitch loved to drown in booze and he figured being back in the Capitol around old friends might make him lose focus.

Either way, he just hoped both he and Katniss were well rested for the morning too. Gale slipped under the covers and stretched a little, turning in both rotational directions. He was ready to get back to training, get back to focus on what really mattered. Peeta could handle the stupid chatter with possible sponsors. What mattered to Gale was surviving and Peeta could only play so much of a role in it. Gale had to make sure he could swing his sword and not choke up when it came down to killing. You could practice physically but mentally was a whole other story and Gale knew he might need to talk to Katniss or Haymitch about what it would be like to actually kill someone. And not just anyone, people they had been around, getting to know. It unsettled him him.

Gale smiled to Prim, not wanting to ruin the end of their night with his fretting.

"When this is all over, we'll have to try for date number two." He said lightly.

[mmidnight]

Slowly, his breathing began to return to normal and Haymitch had barely recovered when Katniss made a joke. He laughed softly, thinking it was slightly absurd because just about anything she wore could have easily caused that reaction. Regardless, he smiled as he watched her, still grinning as she kissed him before getting up. “Where are you going?” he asked, pulling himself up into a sitting position as Katniss wobbled around on her ridiculously tall heels. She still looked fantastic, and he couldn't help the way his eyes were drawn to her, or how badly he wanted her to come back to bed. He hoped that she would stay with him, as sappy a thought as it was.

One day, Haymitch hoped that things could be different for them. Now that the night had brought them that much closer, the need for Peeta's plan to be a success became that much more apparent, not only for the sanity of everyone involved, but also for a better Panem. There was a part of Haymitch that still wanted to run away from it all, to take Katniss with him and see if they could jump the fence in the garden downstairs. It was irresponsible, wishful thinking that had the possibility of bringing everything to a grinding halt. Matters of the heart had no place in the Games, and Haymitch needed to keep that in mind.

Across the Penthouse, Prim was currently cuddled up with Gale, feeling as safe as she possibly could while in the Capitol. Whenever she started to have doubts about everything, or worried too much, Gale managed to calm her down with just a single look and a gentle touch. She didn't know how to accurately express how grateful she was for him, and telling him at such an inopportune time would have ruined the mood. There weren't many days left before the Games, and Prim really couldn't help the anxiety that was threatening to overtake her.

“Date number two,” she repeated, smiling softly as she thought of the future. “What would we do?” If they were back home, Prim knew that she would have been happy to do anything with Gale as long as they were together. After what they were about to endure, a quiet walk and nice conversation would probably do the both of them some good and Prim couldn't think of anything better than wasting a warm afternoon with the man she loved. Everything that was coming had to work out, because Prim didn't think she could handle losing Gale after only having him for such a short time.

It wasn't long after Katniss had returned to bed that Haymitch fell asleep. He held her close throughout the night, content and satisfied, so happy in fact that he didn't have a single nightmare. It was maddening that they hadn't realized their feelings for one another sooner, before everything had gotten complicated, and before President Snow had fabricated this vendetta against Katniss and everyone that she cared about. He wanted to take her away from this place, away from the horrors of the Capitol and protect her because she deserved that much after the hand that life had dealt her.

When morning finally rolled around, Haymitch was slow to wake up. He was still tired from the night before and the last thing he wanted to do was rush out of bed and head downstairs for training. “Morning,” he said, lips pressed to the back of Katniss's neck. He didn't know if she was ready for more training, or if any of the other tributes were feeling up to it. Haymitch had seen a large handful of them the night before and they had that classic drunken look in their eyes. Nothing was worse than nursing a hangover while trying to beat the weapons simulator and scare the other tributes into thinking you weren't an easy target.

“We have to get up. Breakfast,” he mumbled, doing his best to wake himself up. If Haymitch had it his way, he wouldn't have moved for the rest of the day, or week.

Sleep had come easily for Prim that night, and she awoke very rested and momentarily happy before she realized where she was. Waking up in the Capitol wasn't something that she hoped to ever get used to, but it was becoming more familiar by the day. Stretching, the blonde girl turned onto her side and looked over at Gale, seeing that he was still asleep. She reached over and brushed her fingers against his cheek, saying his name, “you have to wake up,” she whispered and gave him a little nudge. Breakfast would be served soon, and then they would have more training. It was a good distraction if Prim didn't think that she would have to use her knives on another human being soon. At the very least, she was improving and that was something to motivate her.

[Genkai]

"I would like to clean myself up a little bit." She replied to Haymitch's question. Her voice was light and filled with unusual cheer and laughter but she was just interested that her minor field trip into the bathroom was cause for concern. She didn't mind at all. Him worrying about her, in this instance, wasn't bad at all. She slipped into the bathroom and pulled her long heels off and set them aside. She washed her face and brushed her teeth and paused to look at herself in the mirror. Unlike most females who grew up in the vastly rich Capitol, she didn't spend hours looking at herself. That just wasn't her. That wasn't anyone back home, maybe Prim but still, no one cared much about outward appearances. They had more important things to worry about like getting fed and feeding those important to you.

When Katniss came out of the bathroom, she snagged Haymitch's black dress shirt and slipped it over her. Then she got back into bed with him and had no issues getting as close as she liked, compared to their first night together where neither of them dared do anything more than hold hands briefly. It wasn't long before they both drifted off to sleep and Katniss was beyond happy about everything. In the morning she could worry about the target on her back, that some Tributes may group together to take her and the others out, that Snow was planning something horrible. But all of that could wait. It needed to wait, actually. She curled up on her side and pulled one of Haymitch's arms tightly around her stomach, enjoying the comforting warmth he provided.

Her dreams had been very vivid and bright.

Filled with sunlight and flowers and many of the things her sister probably dreamed about. When she heard Haymitch greet the morning and then press his lips against the back of her neck, she found reality coming back into focus. "Mmmm. Morning." She laid there and looked out the window and then slowly squirmed until she had turned around to face him. "Breakfast is not what I really want." She smiled at him. She moved to thread her fingers through his hair before she remembered that she needed to actually be in her own room to get dressed. If Prim or Effie wanted to see her and she wasn't there, that would be a big problem. "Damn...I need to go too." She huffed, her smile falling as she pushed herself up and pulled his shirt around her. She didn't know what time it was but she couldn't dwaddle. "I'll see you at breakfast." She smiled and leaned back down to kiss him softly and then got to her feet and grabbed her dress and panties and then thought about the shoes.

No time.

Then she remembered that she may not get a chance to kiss Haymitch for a while and she knew she could make time for one more. She bent down and moved to rest a hand against the side of his face and kissed him deeply, hoping to communicate enough longing and affection and need until she pulled back for air. "Okay." She nodded and carefully headed out of his room and scurried back to her own and quickly took a shower and got dressed.

At Prim's question about what their second date would be, he had to consider it for a few moments. He wasn't the greatest romantic but he liked to think he could try and do something great for a great girl like Prim. "Well..." He started to say. "I think I would want to cook you something." He wasn't great but he knew how to grill. "Or maybe we could both put a picnic together." He reconsidered.

He really did enjoy her cooking and he figured if he was left to handle it all, it might not be very good.

Gale shook his head. "I think we could find a nice spot and just enjoy the day." He said. It was a pretty simple concept but he liked the idea of them just getting away from everything and everyone and being on their own in nature. He was sure the Games would bring forth some dark images of whatever the arena was but he was hopeful that the nature itself, far away from the dark Capitol, would still be enough to not provide tranquility and not conjure up memories of worse days that were behind them. If they could focus on the future in the distance, they would be alright. He just hoped Katniss and Haymitch were alright and he wished he could say or do something to give them reassurance since they both deserved to know and have hope too.

"Anyway we'll see. We'll see." He told her and kissed her forehead softly before the both of them settled down to get some shut eye. He closed his eyes and soon found himself already drifting away. He breathed in, able to smell Prim's scent which only ensured that his dreams were wonderful, laced with fragments of the night and of the promised future together. He had a short lived dream with Prim and him dressed up and having a picnic together on some tall hill which overlooked everywhere. The places were far away but very enticing for the boy. He pointed to them and somehow seemed to know what and where they were. He and Prim had drinks and shared sweet treats and soon decided to just walk around the wilderness that stretched out before them. It was all harmless though, he had no reason to feel fearful or anxious.

Feeling someone shake him a little and say his name, he let out a tired grunt of displeasure.

"Huh?" He pried his eyes open and saw Prim was trying to wake him up. It was morning already? He groaned and tugged the blankets over him more tightly. He didn't want to get up. His dreams had been so lovely and now they had to get back to work. Gale finally pushed himself up and remembered he was in Prim's room and couldn't have the luxury of lazing around. "You're right." He said groggily and smiled at her. "Breakfast sounds good to me." Gale admitted and got out of bed and stretched. By now it was of no surprise that with Prim, he always felt like he got enough sleep. Even so, their past few days had been slow and as such, the habit of being lazy was slowly forming but that had to be stopped now. Now they had to get back to work. "See you." Gale said softly and bent down to kiss her head before he hurried out to get dressed, shaking off his sleep and quickly feeling ready for the day, even if some of their comrades weren't.

Katniss got dressed in her usual training attire and headed out to see Effie and Peeta just sitting down. "Morning." She smiled to them and jogged up the stairs and slipped into a seat. In a few minutes, Gale joined them, looking about as happy as she did. "Morning Gale." She greeted brightly as she served herself some fruit salad and then began to butter some whole wheat toast, her plate already filled with ham and eggs.

"Good morning." Gale said and sat across from her, first taking a drink of orange juice. "I hardly saw you last night." He said to her as he looked out to see if Prim was coming out yet.

"Yeah, Haymitch and I uh were staying out of trouble...unlike Johanna." Katniss grinned, looking rather radiant and glanced down at her plate as she began to eat a halved strawberry.

Gale knew he couldn't tip her off and that even defending Johanna may be out of character for him. Before he could try to say something about it, Prim and Haymitch joined them. "Hey." He greeted them, hoping to change the topic from Johanna to the night they all had. "Did you guys sleep well?" He asked as he pulled the seat next to him out for Prim while he passed Peeta the basket of muffins with his other hand.

[mmidnight]

After he had won the Games, mornings used to disappoint Haymitch. He spent so many nights getting black out drunk, wasted to the point of immobilization, and before he passed out, Haymitch often hoped that he wouldn't wake up. With each new morning that dawned on him, he became even more angry, more resentful of the fact that he was alive, and that Maysilee hadn't been able to come home with him. It was finally different for him now, he was happy to wake up and happy to find Katniss in his arms. She was a reason to look toward the future with optimism and hope that one day, being together could become a regular thing. After all of their suffering, the Capitol owed them that much and if Snow wasn't willing to give it, they would simply have to take it.

“Who needs breakfast?” Haymitch asked rhetorically, smiling as her fingers found his way into his hair. He held her close to him, his body in a place that was close to falling asleep again, but Katniss spoke, apparently remembering that they weren't supposed to be with one another. At this point, Haymitch didn't think that it mattered all that much when the Games were so close, but he didn't want or need the lecture from Effie, and he also didn't want to be around when Peeta found out about what was going on. He wasn't sure if the Baker still had feelings for Katniss, all Haymitch knew was that he was crushed when the two had come home, and were forced to continue to pretend for the Victory tour.

After Katniss pulled away from him and collected her things, Haymitch returned her kiss. “See you soon,” he said, and watched as she left the room. That was definitely something that he needed in his life on a regular basis, and it was just more motivation to get through the games. For the next few minutes, Haymitch laid in bed and continued to wake up. He stretched out, rolled his shoulders and cracked the ever-present kink in his neck before finally throwing the blankets back and getting to his feet. He needed a shower before he did anything else, even if he was just going to train.

It was quickly decided by Prim that the cutest thing she had ever seen was Gale waking up. As he groaned and complained, the blonde girl thought back to their conversation from the night before, about what they could possibly do on their second date. All of his suggestions had sounded perfect to her, and Prim looked forward to the day where she could have a picnic with Gale and waste hours in the sun, just talking and being together. A smile crossed her lips as he finally did agree to get up, “see you,” she replied before he left to get ready for the day. Prim had some things to take care of herself and soon, she too was out of bed and on her way to the bathroom.

Since there was training to be done, Prim didn't take as long as she would have liked in the shower. She quickly washed her hair and body, making sure to scrub away the last of the make up on her face from the Ball. After, she got out and put on her training uniform and made a half-hearted attempt to braid her own hair. She didn't want to bother Katniss with the task, figuring that her sister had better things to do than waste hours doing her hair just for training when a ponytail would have sufficed just fine. Prim was feeling fresh and ready to go, and she tried to keep a positive outlook about the day as she headed out into the dining room to join everyone else from breakfast.

When she got there, Haymitch had just entered the room too and the both of them said their good mornings before sitting down. Prim took a bowl of oatmeal and a dish of fruit, not wanting to eat too much before working out, and she had indulged quite a bit on the food at the Ball the previous night—she wanted to keep it light.

“I slept fine,” Haymitch answered Gale, not letting on that he had spent the night with Katniss. He wasn't acting any different than he normally would have, even though he was quite pleased with himself, the events of the night and how the situation had turned out. “Meet any freaks at the Ball last night?” he followed up, deciding to be conversational as he bit into a thick piece of bacon.

At the head of the table, Effie huffed, obviously offended. “That's not a nice word,” she chided. “I'm sure Haymitch meant people, Gale. Did you meet anyone nice?” The pink-haired woman looked around the table, proposing the question to all of the tributes.

“Oh,” Haymitch said dramatically. “I'm sorry. Did you meet any freaky people?”

Prim swallowed a drink of berry juice and set the glass down. “Gale has a boyfriend,” she answered both Effie and Haymitch with a laugh. “There was a man who probably would have given his entire fortune just for a kiss on the cheek.” She was only teasing him a little, but it had been the funniest thing that happened last night.

“Aw,” Haymitch smirked, “how sweet. When's the wedding?”

For people who were about to fight to the death just to go home, the group was awfully cheery. Haymitch had to wonder if something had happened between Gale and Prim that night, but he quickly put it out of his mind and instead gave Katniss a soft nudge under the table, just because he could.

[Genkai]

Prim gave a gentle agreement that they could focus on trapping come the afternoon training, which Katniss was fine with. While her sister was becoming a good little cook, it still amazed Katniss that she struggled with setting up traps which like cooking, required skillful fingers and patience. Of course everyone had their weaknesses and Prim wasn't the only one who had to work on making sure they were well rounded. But for now, Katniss was plenty happy with the chance to have some one on one time with Prim that would be productive, as well as emotionally meaningful. Though Prim then went on to mention how lackluster her survival skills were, which cause Katniss to shake her head, not a fan of that defeatist attitude. "Don't say that, if you say it, you'll start believing it and then it'll come true." She told Prim firmly. "You need to go in with confidence and a clear mind, most people die because they don't believe they can win." She said. Then Prim mentioned that they would see their mother again, and that Prim could cook for them. As much as Katniss enjoyed the food at the Capitol, she did prefer the food back home. You could catch things and cook them without any frills or nonsense. Katniss enjoyed the fact that there was no wastefulness in District 12, everything they harvested or hunted or foraged, was used. Back home, the people knew the value of life and effort. But in the dazzling city, Katniss knew that most people didn't know what effort truly was and that their food was a blessing. But the Capitol thrived on excess and outward appearances, it made Katniss sick. The food at the table was wonderful but it didn't give her the same energy and comfort that a squirrel back home could. And of course when Prim learned more cooking, their hallow house began to fill up with comforting scents and sounds. Katniss hoped she'd be able to go back without regret. If she could save her friends and somehow go back...it would be nearly a dream. "Right, I'm sure we'll be back for autumn and you can bake some of those pies again." Katniss commented, trying not to fall into the trap of lingering in the void of fantasy and reality. The rest of the lunch was spent with lively talk about Finnick and the other tributes. Katniss and Prim then headed down to go back to training, ready to get to work. The food settled in her stomach, almost tricking the brunette into thinking it was time for a lazy cat nap but that was typical when you ate a tasty meal at the Capitol. She did her best to push away the need to take it easy and headed for the station where they could make traps together. Thankfully there were only two others. Due to the massive size of the tributes this year, there had to be double the stations to accommodate the crowd. "I can show you a few kinds of traps, there are basic ones for animals but...then if you want water or...to trap someone...you do things a bit differently." She began as she crouched down and picked up the tools they could practice with: Twigs, vines, rocks, leaves and plenty of other natural items. Gale felt no guilt for bringing up Katniss. Why should he? Katniss and Prim were very important to him and he needed to make Haymitch aware of the fact that Katniss would be focused on saving everyone. He had attempted once before but it hadn't gone over well. He felt a need to try until Haymitch got the message that he played just as an important role as Gale and Prim did. Matters were made worse by the fact that Haymitch and Katniss didn't know about the plan. Haymitch, unsurprisingly, wasn't too happy with what Gale had to say. Still, Gale sat there and gave the man a hard look as he shot out sarcastic remarks and rumbles of disdain before he excused himself. Gale glanced around the room and saw Finnick and Johanna watching from the other side. It wasn't long before they approached him as he got up and began to clear the table. "You're poking a rather grumpy bear with a rather sharp stick." Finnick smiled as he helped Gale clear the table. Johanna just watched and folded her arms. She mentioned that Gale had some guts trying to square off against Haymitch but Gale could only shake his head. He wasn't trying to piss the guy off, but try and talk to him about what mattered to them both. But Haymitch was even more guarded than Katniss which was making his task of looking out for her, even more difficult. "You need him to like you, not want to put an ax in your back and call it an accident." Finnick said. "He wouldn't do that." Gale said but then paused to really consider it. The dark haired male found himself frowning as he followed the others over to dispose of their trays and trash. He could still get the strong sense that Haymitch was a bit ticked off so Gale decided to train with Finnick for a while. The boys headed off to the simulation area. There were two others but only one was in use. It was being used by three careers who were having a bit too much fun, from Gale's point of view. Ignoring them, Gale followed the blond into the room. It was decided they would stick to hand to hand combat for now. The rooms may be see through but they gave those inside privacy as they were soundproof and indestructible. They were still being watched so they couldn't have a conversation that lasted too long, or it might raise suspicion. Even so, they were able to talk for a minute about Peeta and how the plan might be coming along. Finnick said Beetee knew more about it than him and that he wasn't too worried. Gale had to just accept that and focus on training. Their plan would be useless if he couldn't make it a week and make sure Katniss and Haymitch were also still alive. After thirty minutes, both boys grabbed their weapon of choice and got back to work.

[mmidnight]

The last thing that Prim wanted to do was personally win the Hunger Games. She didn't hold anything against Katniss for what had happened in the arena, but the blonde girl didn't think she would be able to handle the feelings that came with taking the life of someone else—even if she had been forced to. Prim wasn't naive enough to think that her hands would remain clean when the time came, and with the promise of Peeta's plan actually working, Prim would defend herself and the people she cared about most. It was going to change her; it would change everyone and everything and Prim knew that life wasn't ever going to be the same if she lived through the upcoming bloodbath. These last few quiet moments with Katniss were special to her because Prim knew they would be the last happy memories she had with her sister for quite a long time. “You can help me pick the berries,” Prim smiled, speaking of the pies. District 12 may not have had much, but it was a truly beautiful place to be when the seasons changed. Prim hoped that she would bake pies again, that she could cook with an easy mind, that she would live to even see her home once more. Mortality was a very difficult thing to think about, and Prim did her best to put her mind on happier things and enjoy her lunch with Katniss. The rest of their break was spent talking about the other tributes, their skills, how each one may fair when the Games got underway—so much for trying to focus on anything else. Regardless, Prim was happy to head back down to training with Katniss, and extend the time she got to spend with the older girl. On top of the sentimental value, Prim was going to learn something new and the lesson Katniss taught her made the blonde girl wish that she had let Katniss show her things years ago. For very obvious reasons, Prim hadn't thought that knowing how to set or disguise a trap was an essential life skill. After about a half hour of practicing at the station, Prim had successfully made her first trap. It wasn't very good, and it didn't look all that functional, but the point was that she had tried. “So, they just step here and...,” she said and tossed a small rock toward the trigger. The mechanism snapped quickly upward and a vine that should have tightened around an ankle or a haunch hung rather limply in the air between Prim and Katniss. “I think anyone could get out of that,” the blonde observed. “Tighter next time,” interjected the woman who was running the station. “Tighter, and you'll have an easy kill.” Prim frowned and looked away, her eyes settling back on Katniss. “Show me something else,” she asked of the dark-haired girl as she pushed down her discomfort. From the corner of her eye, she could see Gale and Finnick working with one of the simulators and Haymitch wasn't far off, doing much of the same thing. The older man seemed angry and a little tense. Prim crouched down with Katniss to learn the latest trap, but her curiosity got the better of her. “What's up with Haymitch?” Across the training floor, Haymitch was working out his anger for Gale on dozens of simulated enemies. The former Victor was happy to throw his ax through their heads and pretend that Gale was on the receiving end of his attack. It was almost impossible for him to understand that the younger man had only been trying to help and that perhaps his constant checking and re-checking was only due to his own worries. Haymitch knew that he was fine, that when they got into the arena, he would be able to perform and he doubted that his presence would be a distraction for Katniss. His biggest concern had been Prim, but she had started to prove herself, and Haymitch didn't think that Katniss would ever drop everything she was doing to come to his defense should he get into a tight space during the Games. At least, he hoped that she wouldn't. The simulation ended and Haymitch had managed to easily hit every target that had come his way. He was proud of himself, and stepped down from the platform feeling much better. With less tension in his muscles, Haymitch made his way over to grab himself a cup of water. On his way, he saw Katniss and Prim at one of the trapping stations, and he smiled to himself. Johanna had fallen into step beside him when he was halfway to the cooler, and he gave the woman an acknowledging glance. “You have to stop being so hard on him,” the dark-haired woman said, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall behind the cooler. “He's only trying to keep his friends safe.” Although Johanna failed to specify exactly who she was talking about, the older man already knew. Haymitch grunted, unmoved by her speech. “If you're trying to get in his pants, this isn't the way to impress him.” The blond man tossed back the rest of the cold water in his cup and then went to refill it. “If he wanted to keep anyone safe, he should have stayed the hell home.”

[Genkai]

It pained Katniss to consider the fact that she wouldn't be able to help Prim in the arena. Things would be different. It would be a situation where you always had to be thinking ahead, thinking about everything and everyone around you, in a constant fight for your life. Sleep and relaxation would be next to impossible. Sleep would come if they were lucky and traveled in a group. Relaxation on the other hand, was dangerous and meant that you were letting your guard down. Of course there were rare times in the Games when you may find peace and quiet but that didn't necessarily equate to relaxation. Showing Prim the sorts of traps she had developed herself, as well as learned with Gale from their years in the wilderness, were coming in handy. And it may have been easier to teach Prim because they were sisters and knew how to best explain and show things. Gale had told her how he had tried once or twice but how it didn't work out. For Katniss though, Prim wasn't a bad student though in Katniss' own mind, she may have not been the best teacher herself. But overall, considering their sisterly bond, it made things easier for both of them which did let them relax a little and enjoy the time together, not just the educational life saving value. "Good." Katniss said as Prim triggered her trap. The woman with them mentioned that a subtle change would ensure a better kill and Katniss could tell Prim just wanted to do something else. Prim would need to confront her wall eventually and Katniss didn't want to push her to hard or too far but at the same time, in the Games, hesitation to kill would just give someone else time to do the same thing to you. It was tricky and Katniss gave her sister a nod. "Alright." She decided a different trap, one that would help gather water, if that was even possible given the future state of the arena. When Prim mentioned Haymitch, she looked over to where he was and shrugged. "I dunno." She glanced back down at the items she was using to construct her trap. She used a series of leaves and some stocks to act as a gathering system for water. "You need to use whatever you can to collect water but even then, you need a fire to boil it, just to be safe." She warned her sister, staying focused as best she could. If she stayed busy, it would take the luxury of worrying away. "I know one year, the water was acid or something, that it burned and wasn't safe." She said, trying to remember if Haymitch had told her something like that or if she had watched it one of one the many recordings. "You need to ba careful but still aware of your surroundings. Caution doesn't mean being slow or relaxed, it means being active and preparing for whatever you can think of." Gale knew his approach with Haymitch had not gone well at all and he wondered if he should try approaching Peeta or Katniss because right now, he didn't feel like he could count on Haymitch. And if he tried to talk to Prim about this issue, he didn't think it would help matters much. Gale was trying to keep things balanced and fair for everyone but that was a troublesome task and he'd rather be able to count on Haymitch, rather than question him or the actions of Katniss. The less drama everyone was involved with, the better, but Gale knew Katniss and he knew her rash actions would be a risk. He wanted Haymitch to help manage that if possible, but right now Gale wasn't sure if he could put faith in a man who wouldn't even have a conversation about what was really going on, what was really important. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing workouts with Finnich. He could sometimes feel Johanna or Beetee watching him briefly but he also knew they were being monitored by officials. Gale was hoping he could find a way to communicate better with Haymitch but part of Gale thought that maybe the older man just refused to connect, even on the level that Katniss and Prim needed to be kept safe. Gale knew playing these kinds of dangerous games would be hard but he knew there was a plan put in place to help get everyone out. The plan needed to succeed. And that meant making peace with Haymitch, somehow. As training wrapped up, he said goodbye to Finnick and waved to the others with a tired smile before he headed off to the elevator with a group of others, mostly fresh faces who was struggling not to become overwhelmed by the daunting task set out before them. He made small talk with a few but made sure to keep thing light and impersonal. Their days were numbered and Gale would try his hardest to make sure his own and the others in the alliance, weren't numbered. When he got to their floor, he saw Effie and Peeta talking closely and for a moment, he wondered if it was about the plan and the night before's information gathering. "Hey." He greeted them. Effie spun around in her light aquamarine high heels with feathers and gems. "Oh Gale, we didn't hear you come up. I thought for a second you could have been-" "Haymitch, yeah I'm not." Gale grinned a little. "I'm gonna go take a shower." He said and headed off. "The celebrations will start in thirty minutes so be quick!" Effie called to him and turned back to Peeta who had already resigned to her scheme of sorts. The blond baker could sense things were circulating between his four Tributes and he hoped they weren't mucking things up. He took a seat on the couch and soon Katniss and Prim came up together, talking about him it seemed because when they stepped out, they smiled and quieted down. "Welcome back you two." Effie greeted. "I suppose Haymitch is taking his time getting back." She said, trying not to make a fuss. Katniss patted Prim on the shoulder and headed off to her own room. She and Prim had been talking about Peeta, but it was good things, saying how great of a guy he was and such. Back in his room, Gale had already hopped in the shower and was washing himself off, trying not to get into his own head too much. He thought a third attempt might be suicidal but he wanted to try one more time before going to Katniss about his concerns. Gale dragged his nails through his hair, trying to think of something less troubling and pictured him and Prim together at the Ball. That was fun, she looked so pretty. He then found himself needing to take a bit longer in the shower than planned but when he got out, he was at least in a bit of a better mood. He got dressed in a pair of black slacks that seemed waterproof somehow. Then he pulled on a grey tank top and headed out of his room to see Peeta still on the touch reading. This time, the table where they all ate was filled with three times as many trays of food and drink and dessert. He felt his mouth water and he sat down beside Peeta. "I guess she is serious about a party." He joked as he saw Effie putting up the last of the decorations. There were balloons and streams and even some weird light thing that flashed different mood lighting tones across the living room. The elevator opened and their stylists arrived. Gale had to wager that anyone else wouldn't be allowed to come up to their floor, even for a birthday party. "She means well." Peeta considered. "Says you, you're not the one who has to watch their figure." Gale nudged him. Peeta returned the nudge playfully and before the boys could get into some kind of girly banter, Katniss came out and sat on the other side of Peeta and rested her arm on the back of the couch. "Behave you two." She warned with a grin as she glanced around and smiled at Cinna. They had some catching up to, that's for sure. Her hair was down and wavy, she had on a black tee shirt and a pair of grey shorts. For her, the mood was pretty good and there was no way she was going to complain about a party. Any good time that could be had now, she wanted to take full advantage of. "Thank you." She said and watched the adults pour themselves a drink. "This night is all about you." Gale said to Peeta. "You deserve it." Katniss added as she got up to get a drink, likely a nonalcoholic one though. Peeta moved to get up but she stopped him. "What can I get you?" She asked him. Maybe she felt a little bad about finding happiness where she did, that it wasn't with Peeta. But he was moving on that helped them both. Still, she did care about him and even though she didn't know about the plan, she did feel like she owed him a lot. Haymitch may have helped her from the outside of the arena, but Peeta kept her sane, kept her alive and she'd never forget that. He deserved happiness, not to be back in the Capitol with the of them. "Sparkling juice?" "Coming right up." She nodded and headed up to the dining table with Gale, who still couldn't figure out why Katniss was appearing more open and easy going, than her usual closed off self. For now, he didn't mind the change and got him and Prim a drink while Katniss headed back down to give their mentor his own drink.

[mmidnight]

Simply judging from the look on Katniss's face, Prim knew that her older sister must have thought she was trying to make excuses again. Her unwillingness to acknowledge the people she may have to kill was far from the repeat of not wanting to train when they had all first come to the Capitol. The blonde didn't understand why not thinking about it was looked at as unwillingness, or rather, weakness. All Prim wanted to do was prolong the sane moments, the times where her life wasn't mottled with fear and tragedy, where she could still enjoy doing something with Katniss, or talking to Gale, or sharing cooking tips with Peeta. Good memories were going to be what got her, personally, through the games, the remembrance of better times, and the hope that there would be more of the same in the future. “There was that year that it was poison, too,” Prim remarked, recalling that both tributes from 12 had died after collecting rainwater in a rather arid arena. The blonde heeded the older girl's words, however, making sure to pay attention to how the trap was laid out. Soon, she practiced her own, but also wondered what to make of Katniss not knowing what was going on with Haymitch. The two had been so close lately, and Prim hoped that there wasn't more animosity between them. Their fights never were pretty. For once, Katniss wasn't the person that Haymitch was angry with. After his talked with Johanna, Haymitch was irritated all over again, and he couldn't find it in himself to let things go and possibly just ask Gale what his problem was. If there was one thing that Haymitch hated, it was being blamed for things that weren't his fault. If the plan was go to belly up in the arena, it wouldn't be because of him, and Gale needed to understand that. Unfortunately, Haymitch couldn't think of a way to get his point across without decking the younger man in the face. Training continued on this way for him, where Haymitch would think to stop and say something to his fellow tribute, and then decide against it. Regardless, he got in some more good target practice, and even made a few attempts at the obstacle course. If he could show his younger competitors that he wasn't old, feeble and down for the count, it would make 12 look like even more of a threat. Most careers liked to save the real threats for last anyway, something about the thrill of the hunt. That night, Haymitch was one of the last tributes to leave the training floor. Katniss, Prim and Gale had already gone back upstairs, and Haymitch caught an elevator by himself. He was thankful for the solitude, needing a moment alone to clear his head before he entered the suite. Vaguely, he recalled Effie putting together a birthday party for Peeta, and of course, he thought that it was incredibly out of place and inappropriate. The last thing a new mentor needed was to have his head clouded with booze and good times when his real job was just about to be starting. You're late. That was the first thing that Haymitch heard when he stepped off of the lift, and he sighed at the grating sound of Effie's voice. “Do you want me to live or sing happy birthday?” he asked rhetorically, already on his way to his room. “Can't have it both ways.” Although, he did give Peeta a pat on the shoulder as he passed, as if to show him that he didn't think he was completely pointless. All Haymitch really wanted to do that night was relax. His muscles were sore, and he was tired from a long day, but he owed it to Peeta to remain on and try to have a good time. It was nights like this where he craved a drink, just one to settle his mind, to make everything less sharp and easier to deal with. He supposed, bitterly, after stepping out fresh and clean from a shower, that he would have to settle for sparkling juice. It was not something that the former Victor was looking forward to. Regardless, he dressed himself and headed back out into the living space to join the others. The dining table was covered in all sorts of treats from high-piled mounds of sugar to savory appetizers and everything was meticulously arranged. It was nice to know that Effie still found a way to be useful after all of her escorting was finished. Pouring himself a glass of water, Haymitch plucked a slice of green fruit from a dish and popped it into his mouth. “Can I talk to you?” Haymitch asked, noticing that Katniss had come to fetch a drink for either herself or someone else. Over in the living room, Peeta looked relaxed, if not a little bored. “Happy birthday, Peeta,” Prim smiled, finally joining the party. The blonde felt bad that she didn't have a gift for him. If they had been at home, she would have made him something, probably edible that he would have enjoyed. For now, all she had was well wishes. Taking a seat on the couch next to Gale, Prim smiled a hello at him. She was wearing a black tank top and skinny pants of the same color, her hair was down and around her shoulders, still a bit damp from her shower. “I saw you with Finnick today,” Prim mentioned. She hadn't gotten much of a chance to see Gale that afternoon, but she suspected that it would change now that they had a chance to breathe. “You two make a good team.”