Fire is Raging On (A Hunger Games Fanfic) [#Wattys 2016]

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Haymitch's POV

My eyes are closed as my head is leaning back against the couch. Effie is sitting next to me with her feet tucked up underneath her and her body nuzzled against my side. I move my left arm to wrap it around her and pull her closer. The TV suspended on the wall plays quietly the Capitol news of the night. I'm not really watching, but thinking about everything of the past few days.

Gale. He's a tough one at that. He's being stubborn and hard-headed. I could tell the moment his name was read he was going to be difficult, but I didn't expect him to be this difficult. I thought having Katniss and Peeta talk to him about our plan would help, but it seemed to do little for him. He just dismissed that the plan would work. He's acting somewhat like Peeta did during their Games. An act of true love, I'm sure, is what I'm sure both Peeta and Gale are going for, but we don't need any martyrs for love.

Maybe I should have approached this the same way with Katniss and Peeta. I didn't tell them what was going on, they figured it out in real time and it worked. Maybe that's what I need to do again. Keep them both in the dark about what's really going on. If they know too much Snow might catch on. I should probably let it play out on its own.

This first part won't be near as complicated as Katniss and Peeta being District Twelve's star-crossed lovers because that happened in real time. Gale and Madge will actually be star-crossed lovers because they have been in a relationship before they were subjected to Snow's torture to Panem. This will rile up the Districts again, particular the gossip clamoring Capitol. It should be easier this time because people shouldn't be able to see through the schrade because it isn't one this time.

Plop! Papers spill across my lap and onto the floor. Effie moves away from me in surprise. I turn around to glance behind me and find Gale's retreating form leaving the room in a hurry.

"Might want to get some sleep before the skills testing tomorrow!" I call out, only to be answered with a door slamming shut.

"Don't antagonize him, Haymitch," Effie chides, reaching down to collect the papers that have spilled across the floor. "What are these anyways?" She asks, reading them over briefly.

"Think of them as notes," I say taking the papers from her hand and begin putting them back in District order.

"What kind of notes?" Effie asks, relaxing back on the couch.

"I asked Gale and Madge, although this looks like just Gale did these. I suppose this is what I get for asking when Madge was asleep and for waking Gale up. But I asked Gale to take notes on the other Tributes. Things to know about them, descriptions, personalities, things that could help us in the arena. It looks like he did a half-ass job at the start, but slowly digressed into not caring at all and just putting random words on the page by the end of it."

Really, he wasn't doing that bad in the beginning Districts. I mean it could have been better with a little bit more of an opinion section rather than his very bleak answer, but it wasn't horrible as it could have been. As I reached the papers holding the information on the Tributes from District 7 and beyond, it turns into absolute shit. It seems like he doesn't want allies; well, I'm going to give him allies. I gave Katniss and Peeta allies when they were hesitant and it worked, and I'm damn sure going to give Gale and Madge allies as well.

Gale's POV

I toss and turn all night; I can't seem to get very much sleep. It seems as soon as I start to fall asleep, I jolt awake. And if I do actually manage to fall asleep and not jolt awake a few seconds later, I'll wake no more than a hour later. I turn to look at the clock situated on the bedside table. 5:46 AM. I have to be up and ready for the skills testing at 8:00.