𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐊 ... 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗸

𝐭𝐰𝐨

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𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮
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"i want you guys to forget everything you think you know about the games."

haymitch poured himself a glass of alcohol, and hattie reached for it with a small smile. he swiftly slapped her hand away. "last year was child's play." he spared hattie an apologetic glance, then continued. "this year, you're dealing with all experienced killers." "all right. what does that mean for us?" peeta asked. "that means you're gonna have to have some allies. luckily, i got some people here who owe me a favor if it comes to it." hattie said, sliding in the chair across from katniss.

"okay, i think that if.." peeta started, but haymitch looked at him, "whoop. you're not the problem." he pointed at katniss, and she looked up at him with a huff, "no." "look, you're starting at a disadvantage, most of these people have been friends for years. hattie has been friends with some of these people for years." haymitch sat down at the head of the table as hattie took a sip of a mysterious lemon-lime fizzy drink. "that just puts us higher on their kill list." katniss rebutted. "do it your own way, but we know these people. you go in alone, their first move is gonna be to hunt you down. both of you." haymitch told her.

"katniss, come on." peeta nudged at her. she hesitated, "how could any of us even trust each other?" "it's not about trust. it's about staying alive." hattie gave them both a serious look.

soon, hattie and haymitch stood in front of the TV, introducing the tributes. "cashmere and gloss." hattie said. "brother and sister. district 1. they won back-to-back games. capitol favorites. lots of sponsors. they will be lethal. and the other half of the career pack, brutus and enobaria." "what's with her teeth?" katniss asked. "she had them filed into fangs so she could.. how do i say this right? so she could rip people's throats out." hattie nodded. "she's committed, i'll give her that." peeta commented, and the curly-haired girl pointed to him with a closed-mouth chuckle.

"wiress and bee." haymitch announced. "not fighters, but absolutely and gob-smackingly brilliant." hattie told. "and weird. real tech-savvy. he won his games by electrocuting 6 tributes at once." haymitch said. "ouch." hattie hissed. "the morphlings." "oh ! they're actual masters of camoflage. basically, they won their games by hiding until everyone else was dead. self-medicating ever since, which i applaud. not too much of a threat." she shrugged.

the TV switched to an image of finnick odair, a boy hattie knew well. "finnick odair, right?" katniss said. haymitch looked to hattie, and she nodded, "yeah, correct. he won his games at 14. youngest ever. extremely humble. and hunky." "you're kidding." katniss deadpanned to the other girl. "of course, i'm kidding. he's a total peacock, a preener. but he's a capitol darling. they love him around these parts, and i get it. i've met him multiple times, and a sweetheart when you get to know him. charming, smart, and very skilled at combat. learned some of my skills from him. he's especially talented in water, surprised?" peeta leaned forward, towards hattie. "what about weaknesses?" "one. mags. she volunteered for annie. mags was his mentor and basically raised him. if he's trying to protect her in any way, it exposes him."

hattie looked to haymitch, "oh, shit, annie got tributed?" "yeah." he nodded. "why?" peeta asked. "no, because apparently they had this, like, love thing going on. i dunno if it still is. he mentored her, so..." she shrugged. "a guy like that has to know she's not gonna make it. i bet when it really comes down to it, he won't protect her." katniss suggested. "well, katniss, i just hope when she goes, she goes, she goes quickly. she's actually a wonderful lady." haymitch admitted. "she won the 11th ever games. love her." hattie said. katniss looked over to the girl once again, "why are you even here? it's not like you want to help us. you're just here to spy for your daddy."