When The Canary Sings

Kindness is a Fickle Thing

Third Person Point of View:

*

Becca's kindness had paid off, for there were angels watching over the girl in the heavens.

All Capitol activities, parties, were shut down due to a storm moving in. Giving her, and all the other victors a much needed break.

Becca had woken up at noon, with enough energy to conquer the world. The redhead sprawled out on the floor, scribbling in a notebook. Haymitch watched her from the kitchen as he mixed whiskey with his black coffee. She was quietly humming to herself, pretending like the night before didn't even happen.

Oh, how Becca loved to do that. Bottle every emotion up, pretend like everything awful that has happened to her never even happened. If she just ignores it, it'll eventually go away, right?

Haymitch cast his eyes down for a second, and when he looked up again, the girl was gone.

"Have you seen Milky?"

Haymitch whips around, confused as to how the kid had crept up on him like that. "Jeez, kid," he says, turning around to see her swaddled in his suit coat that swallows her whole and staring at him through her eyelashes. Her big, doe eyes peering up at him. "No, kid, I haven't." The girl just huffs and walks away, looking under everything that isn't nailed down for that damn snake.

Suddenly, the door opens and in walks an exhausted Finnick Odair.

"Have you seen Milky?" Becca calls, and Finnick shakes his head tiredly. Back to searching. Finnick walks to Haymitch.

"Do you have any extra clothes? I had fucking five last night, and I just left the last one." Finnick mumbled under his breath so the child searching for her snake wouldn't overhear. He was breaking, his tear stained cheeks and glinting eyes sparkled. Haymitch sighed, set his coffee down and disappeared into his room, only to bring out a big shirt and a pair of pants.

Finnick quickly got changed and helped in the search for milky.

"We found him!" Becca's loud and cheerful voice echoed through the room, the rain had just started outside, quietly tapping on the window. "Haymitch! Haymitch! We found him!" She cheered, holding the snake and skipping around the room.

How was she holding it together?

She was determined to forget.

She let the snake curl around her neck and shoulders as she laid back on the floor, continuing to scribble in her book. Finnick collapsed on the couch, falling asleep instantly.

Then, the door opened again. This time it was a stumbling Cashmere, tears in her eyes and glitter coating her body. She asked for clothes, Haymitch gladly handed them over. She changed, and sat right next to Finnick.

Then came Gloss, and Johanna.

Chaff came in, except he had his own clothes and was looking for a strong drink.

Maria and Carlos from District Ten came in.

Haymitch keeps track of all their appointments in his head. Finnick had five, Cashmere had five, Gloss had six. Johanna had three, Chaff had three, and Haymitch had two.

Within an hour, the couch was packed, full of sleeping victors. Becca silently scribbled, and Haymitch's coffee was cold.

"Why are they so tired?" Becca whispered to Haymitch as he walked into the living room. A crack of thunder echoed through the sky, causing everyone in the room to flinch. Haymithc wasn't going to tell the little redhead.