None of the Hunger Games had ever been entertaining, but Haymitch clearly remembered the year that everyone had froze to death. In a way, the slow and agonizingly cold deaths had been a turning point toward more brutality and a hunger from the Capitol citizens to be more entertained than they were the year before. Even if Katniss had died the way she was supposed to and not made President Snow and the Gamemakers look like fools, Haymitch suspected that this Quarter Quell would have still be shockingly cruel. Doubling the number of tributes had been unheard of before the first one, but the outrage over that hadn't changed a single thing. They had a chance now, a way to make things better and Haymitch wanted to help Katniss accomplish that any way she could.

For now, though, when it was just the two of them, it was easy for him to look at her as just a person. Katniss seemed so small when he was next to her, frail and confused about where to go from there and it was hard for Haymitch to think that a revolution was sitting on her shoulders. He just had to come with a viable plan, a way to help her that was simple enough to work. If he could just talk to Peeta about, or get to a few of the other tributes during training, something would come together. Looking at Katniss, though, Haymitch felt his heart ache with the thought of letting her down, of letting her die.

She would be Maysilee all over again if he failed to act.

“You don't have to thank me,” Haymitch said, shaking his head. Although he knew that he wouldn't have stayed this close for just anyone, and maybe Katniss knew that. The air had suddenly gotten serious again and he didn't know if there was a way to lighten it. He was getting tired and moved down beside her on his back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Effie would have just braided your hair and told you you're too pretty for nightmares,” or at least, that's what he assumed. Katniss was too pretty for that, though and Effie would have been right. “Who knows, it might've helped.” 

Unfortunately, Prim did know what she was talking about. She wouldn't have expected Gale to understand what it was like being overlooked when he had always stood out on his own. He was just like Katniss in that respect, always talked about and always useful. Prim had never held hands with a boy until just a few hours earlier, and she had never been asked out on a date or even considered by anyone back home. Some days, it was like she was invisible and that was part of the reason she liked Gale so much. He was someone who finally saw her and wanted to stick around. It was bittersweet that none of it really mattered and even if Gale did feel something for her, she would be dead in a few weeks time. Sometimes, life was incredibly unfair.

“I'd go with you,” Prim said, butterflies in her stomach over his words. “Someone has to clean the cave, right? I've seen the way you just leave your stuff everywhere.” Again, that was something he and Katniss had in common and even after they had moved into the Victor's Village, Katniss had still found a way to leave her hunting gear all over the house.

When Gale suggested that they go to sleep, Prim thought she had done or said something wrong, but she didn't want to dwell on it. If Gale was going to stay with her, Prim didn't think that he was upset. The blonde relaxed more and yawned as her eyes started to feel heavy once more. “Sweet dreams,” she whispered to Gale and laid her head back down on his chest where the soft beating of his heart lulled her to sleep. During the night, she would stay close to him, legs tangled with his as she slept peacefully for the first time since leaving home.

The night had flown by in what felt like seconds when a ray of sun began to shine directly in Haymitch's face. The beam was coming through the window and as the former Victor turned tribute began to wake up, he quickly realized that he wasn't in his own room. He had slept so soundly that he forgot about falling asleep with Katniss, the much younger girl who was currently wrapped around him. Her dark hair was fanned out over her shoulder, and she wore an expression that looked completely serene and undisturbed. It was strange to think that just a few hours before she had been screaming, calling out in her sleep with tears streaming down her face and now, she was perfectly normal. Haymitch smiled softly as he looked at her, just happy that she had found some temporary peace. 

After Haymitch was fully awake, he knew that he had to leave. He was still conflicted from the night before and didn't want anyone, especially Effie or Peeta to catch him in Katniss's bed. The situation has the unfortunate potential to look really horrible, and Haymitch didn't need any extra drama in his life when he was already worried about how and when he was going to die. Slowly, he moved away from Katniss, making sure not to wake her as he got out of bed. He covered her back up, hoping to let her sleep a little more before a long day of training began. 

As Haymitch began to leave the room, Katniss's door slid open and he was face to face with an Avox. Even though they lacked a tongue and were unable to speak, their eyes were often very insightful and the look on his this one's face only confirmed Haymitch's worst fear. He knew what the Avox girl thought, and while he wanted to explain that nothing had happened, that he hadn't taken advantage of anyone and that he had only wanted to make sure Katniss was okay, there really was no use. Angrily, he stepped past the girl in the doorway and crossed the hall back to his own room. Training would start soon and Haymitch had wanted to have a clear head going back into it, but that wasn't going to happen. When it came to surviving, anxiety was a dangerous thing.

Once he was back in his room, Haymitch saw a Capitol issued training outfit laid out on his freshly made bed. The attire was mostly back with red and silver accents on the sides, but the detail that stuck out the most was the district number on the back. It closely resembled a target and he thought that was morbidly appropriate considering the competition. Breathing a sigh, the blond man tossed the clothes aside and went for a quick shower, hoping that the hot water would wash off the shame he felt for staying with Katniss.

After getting dressed, Haymitch walked out into the dining room where Effie and Peeta already were. “Where is everyone?” he asked, taking a seat at the table. Breakfast had already been laid out, but Haymitch started with a glass of juice. He wished it had something a little extra to calm his nerves.

“Getting up,” Effie answered brightly. “I've sent the servants to wake them.” 

Haymitch didn't want to see that same Avox and he was worried that Katniss was going to hate him for staying, even though she had asked him to. He wished he could go back to the year before, when Katniss had just been another angry tribute, and he could still have a drink to cope with whatever was bothering him. Back then, the most he had to worry about was how soon his tributes were going to die, and the nightmares that came with the inevitability of facing their families. Presently, this was a little too much.