I can still do this

bonus 1

Haymitch

On one hand, it's good that Katniss is getting all cozy with Muscles the Career. She's possibly the worst actress in the world, so in order to sell this love thing, she's gonna need to at least like him a little. But on the other hand, nobody's going to take advantage of her while she's like this, not even if she wants him to. I won't let it happen.

Protective of me? Yeah, maybe, but also just common sense. The Careers are brutal - I know them better than most, understand them, as much as that disgusts me. I used to think she understood them, too, but then she developed that weird weakness for him.

Whatever. I'll never pretend to understand women.

She's not "women", though, and I can't even convince myself of that. She's a girl that's somehow weaseled her way into my good graces, a girl with more natural talent and goodness than anyone else I know. She's smart, manipulative - reminds me of me. So I have to care about this. Damn it.

I know how she works, so I know how smug she'll get if I ever admit it. It's a lot easier to act like a jerk. Being an ass has always come naturally to me, anyways, so I'm just pretty damn lucky that it's so useful.

That's what I was doing with the whole thing where I reminded her what he did to her. Sure, I said it like a jerk, but it's a great way to bring up a very important fact: she's becoming friends with her former sworn enemy. That's not going to make her return home any easier.

It'll help his image throughout all the districts, being the choice of the most desirable girl in the country. But she's done enough to save him - saved his life, for one. She does all this shit for other people, and still managed to win. I guess she learned how to balance compassion and ruthlessness the way I never could. It's impressive, to be sure, but she's by no means perfect. That's why I'm here.

Lucky for him, he seems to be genuine. So I've decided I'm gonna cut him some slack. He can be part of our team for now, for as long as he's good for her. And I'm starting to think that's gonna be a more long-term stint than I initially expected, judging by the way he's looking at her.

It hits me in the middle of talking to the two of them where exactly I've seen that look on his face before, and I have to stop talking. I manage to finish the sentence so she doesn't notice anything. Because if she does notice that I'm caught so off-guard, she'll make me explain, or worse, figure it out for herself. And she can't know what I realized.

She can't know that this blonde boy standing next to her is looking at her the exact same way that the previous one did.

-xXx-

Cato

I can tell she checks out halfway through the ceremony. Her eyes get kind of glassy, and she doesn't respond when I take her hand in the chariot. I almost think I should do something about it, but Haymitch takes care of her first. He grabs her and leads her away and I follow, since we're going to the same place. I want to try and help her, but the two of them are already in a world of their own. They're wrapped around each other, and they're talking to in low voices.

There's a nervous moment where I'm trying to decide if I should push past them and hit the button for my floor, and then I decide not to bother. I can press it after they get out, and I really shouldn't bother them; I can tell from how they're standing, practically nose-to-nose, staring at each other.

And the things Haymitch is saying. I can't help but eavesdrop. "You saved his life. You tried to save that little girl. You volunteered for your sister, and you sacrificed your won victory to save Peeta. Is that all true?"

She's nodding, but I can't believe what he's saying. All the facts may be true, but the way he's saying it makes it sound like she had no ulterior motive. Like she did all of those things just because it was the right thing to do. Even for her, that's really stupid. That can't all be true. But she's nodding. And Haymitch talks again.