The water crashed against the 48 pedestals almost rhythmically, hitting the metal every five seconds and splashing onto the top. Clearly, an extra spark from the game makers- make the pedestals nice and slippery, cause the balance to disrupted. On second thought, maybe it wasn't a plan from the game makers: maybe it was courtesy of President Snow himself. At the very thought of the man, Haymitch Abernathy's lips curled up into a displeased snarl before he let his gray eyes roam around the circle of his fellow victors, some part of the special alliance formed to keep one special girl alive, others clear enemies. Having been a mentor for years (though taking that job not at all seriously considering tributes from twelve were typically the first ones to be killed off) Haymitch had watched many of these victors play in the arena, and again many of them he had watched before being reaped for the games himself. He had made special note to study the specialties that each victor had, wanting to make sure that he wouldn't be caught off guard when protecting Katniss. He had briefed her on the other victors as well, making sure that she knew who to worry about and who would not be a threat.

Thinking of Katniss caused his dark hues to flicker over to her, taking in the sight of the girl that- for some odd reason- set him on edge, though not in a bad way. Something about her made things...almost barable, and being her mentor had brought an ounce of life into the man who had spent the majority of his life since winning his games locked up in his home, drinking away all of his sorrows and fears. A crazy old drunkard, not at all a mentor to be taken seriously. That was what everyone thought of him, and it was a stereotype that he proudly played into. Why wouldn't he? He had nothing else to care for, and getting attached to any of the tributes he would mentor would only bring him that much more pain.

Haymitch had already lost his family, having had them ripped from him and callously murdered by the one and only President Snow shortly after he won his games. It had been a punishment- punishment for using the force field around the arena as a means of survival, punishment for humiliating the capitol in front of each of the twelve districts. Watching two children from his district being so violently killed each year, it was just another reminder of how much control Snow and the capitol held over the entirety of Panem. It was as if he were being forced to watch his family be murdered over and over again. 

When the 74th Hunger Games had rolled around, Haymitch had once again pledged not to create a bond with the two tributes from District Twelve, however he had slipped up and begun to care for them, both of them, but particularly Katniss Everdeen. The capitol proclaimed Girl on Fire was so reserved, so independent yet fiercely protect over those she cared for. She was hardly what anyone could call a 'people person' and she wasn't someone who made herself easily liked. In her, however, the typically drunk mentor had seen himself. Their personalities were so similar, usually causing them to clash and be at each other's throats for one reason or another. He assumed that their similarities were what helped Haymitch bond with her, even if in the beginning he had little hope that she would come out alive. When she had proved him wrong and, not only won the games but also managed to keep her fellow tribute alive as well, his keenness on her grew. He managed to make a friend out of her and Peeta. 

So when the Quarter Quell rolled around and it was announced that one male and one female victor from each district would enter the arena, Haymitch had sworn to himself that he would enter the arena with Katniss. Sworn to himself that, if Peeta's name was drawn he would volunteer, if only to be able to be in the arena with her and protect her- not that she needed it.

Surely enough Peeta's name had been the one to be drawn and, without a moment's hesitation, Haymitch had volunteered. For a moment he wondered if his eagerness to be a tribute would potentially cause issues. But how could it? No one but Haymitch knew about his fondness for Katniss, not even her. And it was a fondness that he was pretty positive the girl did not return. Little did he know, President Snow was aware, and it was him that had created the idea for the Quarter Quell. His objective? To disprove the so-called romance between the girl on fire and the baker's son. Even worse now, shortly before the victors were placed in the arena it had been announced that Katniss was carrying the child of Peeta Mellark. Clearly Snow was hoping that, in the various life-threatening situations the two would be in, that some sort of slip up would occur. A slip-up that would be broadcasted to each of the twelve districts and show that Katniss Everdeen was nothing more than a fraud. 

Haymitch blinked as the countdown came to a close, bringing his eyes up to meet Katniss's, he dove into the water and made pace through the waves before pulling himself up onto the cornucopia, scrambling to grab not only knives for himself but the bow and various sheaths of arrows for Katniss.