The Capital may seem generous with the books and tools provided to all the tributes but Katniss knew they didn't care about preparing them for the Games, that they only wanted a good show as Gale had said. She knew pretending to be in love with Peeta had made for a very good show but it cost her so much, and Peeta too. She wondered what sort of tricks needed to happen this time to ensure Prim and the others got out alive. If she could make a deal with President Snow, she would but she had a feeling they were beyond that. Katniss let out a sigh as she thought about how life could have been for everyone if she had just died when she was supposed to. Peeta would still have lost his leg but he would have been safe and so would the others. Heck, maybe even Gale and Prim would be together like a normal couple, and Peeta would bake and provide for the district. And Haymitch? He would drink but he'd be safe from harm too. 

But now she was back in the trap and waiting for the steel cage to snap shut.

Using her pointer to pull the other books out to get a better look at their contents, she looked up when the door opened. The first book she had looked at wasn't with the others in their organized arrangements, but was set aside on the bed. Haymitch looked rather relaxed which was a better sight than seeing him in a drunken haze. "My room isn't very interesting." She told him flatly. His was interesting because he was in it. She glanced to where his eyes were, at the book about knots on the bed. She quickly grabbed it and put it back where she found it, still not having mastered the habit of being tidy like Prim. Katniss didn't say anything in regards to his reading selection and simple stayed where she was until he kicked her out. There were things she could talk to him about like her sister, Gale, Johanna but she didn't want to. If their time was truly limited to only a few weeks, she didn't want to waste time. Words as well as actions had to be selected carefully.

"Not much." Katniss replied when he moved to sit down, tapping his knuckles against her knee, She rubbed her neck, not sure what Gale or her sister were up to. if she kept thinking about them and the loss they might suffer, she knew she'd be unable to hold a decent conversation with the guy next to her. She did want a distraction from all that and Haymitch served as one hell of a distraction. "I was thinking about home." Katniss said which wasn't an exact lie since it was partly true. "Hunting season should be starting and no one is there to help make sure families aren't going hungry." She said, dropping her hand to rest on her lap. She and Gale would often hunt animals and trade or sell them to Peacekeepers or other residents who needed the meat or pelts. Katniss moved and rested her head on his shoulder. Still, she couldn't deny that being where she was at the moment, wasn't so bad either. "But with you and Gale and Prim here, it sorta feels like home."

Despite her hard guarded exterior, Katniss Everdeen did enjoy helping others and taking care of them.

She didn't like to admit that she cared but she did care, a lot. It was a weakness she preferred not to have, nor even admit to having. She wanted to save everyone she could during the Games. She didn't like killing people like they were animals. She hunted for food, to keep other's alive but in her mind, the blood on her hands wouldn't wash off and never would because those deaths were meaningless and continued to haunt her. She didn't want anyone to die or anyone to kill. She certainly didn't want to leave her family or friends when there was so much she hadn't done with her life. All she had been doing was fighting to survive and in the end, that wouldn't be enough. She had never really lived and that's what was eating at her. "If something happens to me, please look after them." Katniss said quietly. There was little chance for her to have a happy ending, to love someone without it being a joke. "Please look after yourself too, I know I won't be there to...give you a hard time or tell you to stop drinking but please don't start, you're a much more tolerable person." She smiled a little. "And don't cut your hair either." Katniss added with a small grin as she moved an arm around his arm, just wanting to be close to him since she knew she might not get many more chances/

Katniss knew he'd upset with her somber tone but she didn't care. There was no plan to get them out alive and if there was, it was meant for Gale and Prim, hopefully Haymitch too. She didn't deserve a plan but Haymitch did. "Before any of that has to happen, I know we're gonna do great in the Games." She shrugged, trying to assure him she hadn't given up. Which she hadn't, she just was slowly accepting as he once told them, her imminent death. "With any luck we can find a cozy cave or tree and make a nice hideout together and wait it out." She smiled a bit. Of course she was assuming the four of them wouldn't get split up. But then again, if it was just her and Haymitch, she wouldn't mind going into hiding with him. If Snow wanted entertainment, she wasn't going to give it to him. Gale and Prim were proving their own skills so she had less to worry about when it came to them. "I'm tired of people killing and dying." And she didn't want to see anyone she loved hurt. That included Haymitch Abernathy. "We do make a good team." She considered, still purposely unclear if she meant the four of them or just her and Haymitch. She'd take care of him, just like she knew he'd take care of her. "They'd be stupid to try taking either of us out." She smirked.

Gale was still laying at the foot of the bed, his arms outstretched.

There were so many reasons to have a heavy heart as well as a heavy mind.

The man focused on calming himself down. He needed to slow things down if he was going to try and get any sleep. the thing was, he wasn't even tired. With the talk he had with Katniss still spinning around in his head, he wondered if he'd need to rely on other medication to help him go to sleep. One thing he was thankful for though was the late training in the afternoon. Gale knew that even if he got to bed late, he could sleep in late and things would be able to balance themselves out. The view of the trees was still on the wall parallel to him but they were no longer keeping him grounded. He began to consider going to the small work out room they had on their floor. Maybe he could do some jogging or punching or weightlifting in order to get his mind and body on the same page. The feeling of anxiety was one Gale didn't welcome very often. he was the sort of guy who enjoyed having a cool demeanor and mindset.

Yet all he could think about was what Katniss had said. Could Prim have feelings for him too? Since he was typically so straight-forward, Gale was finding it hard to figure out what sort of signs or signals Prim might have sent him. The way she looked at him? He did like the way she looked at him but was that really different? Gale wished he had paid more attention to those his age back home. He had two friends who had girlfriends but Gale didn't think much of it because he was always with Katniss or his family. He wasn't even sure if he knew the first thing about courting someone. And Prim was special, as anyone who knew her, knew. Gale wondered if he was good enough for her. He wasn't socially aware of things, obviously. And they were both about to compete in a dangerous game where he was sure they'd see bad things which might change him. Even so, Gale found himself still determined to be the sort of man Primrose could look up to and rely on. He wanted to be there for her, by her side for however long that may be.

Breaking away from muddled thoughts of romance and strained hope, he heard a soft knock and the door slid open to reveal the object of his happiness and torment. He let out a sigh of contentment and pushed himself up. "I'm awake, Prim." He told her, sure sleep wouldn't be easy to come by. "Sure." He nodded and gestured for her to join him. He'd love to talk to her for hours or just be around her. He thought back to their first night together which felt like years ago. They were looking out at the view and then later, they ended up falling asleep together. That night was something he found himself falling back to because it reminded him of how he could feel and how the Games couldn't nor shouldn't get the better of any of them. "What's on your mind?" He asked Prim who began to speak up in regards to the plan Peeta had began to outline for them. There was hope there and gale knew they couldn't forget about it. If they couldn't tell anyone, they could at least tell each other and remind them what could happen and how they could all get out alive. She took a seat and he moved an arm around her shoulders, his hand rubbing her bare arm slightly to hopefully provide some reassurance.

For a few moments, he was quiet but that didn't mean he had cold feet or reservations about the plan itself. Soon he smiled to her. "I think it could work and I'd love to go home." He told her. Home might not be the same but he knew if they could all go home together, then they would be alright. He silently added that he'd like to go home with her but once again he found himself too shy to actually say something meaningful. Should he tell her or not? If their plan worked then he could tell her when it felt right, not out of pressure to make their time together count. But then again, if the plan went horribly wrong, he didn't want to blurt out his feelings as some sort of fire or tidal wave threatened to kill them in the next ten seconds. This was a lot for him to consider and he knew why Katniss just told him to be careful because there were so many things to consider.

"I have faith in Peeta." Gale told her. "Just like I have faith in Haymitch and Katniss and you." He continued. "You and I will be home in a few weeks, we'll be able to pick flowers and bake pies and go back to the way things were." Of course if their plan did work, things would never be the same. If they broke out, wouldn't District 12 be the last place that they should go to? He was worried about his family, as well as Ms. Everdeen. "But anywhere with you, would feel like home." He told her lightly. Gale hoped he could sooth any demons running rampant through her mind but he also didn't want to feed her lies because their relationship was better than that. "It'll be tough but I know we can do it if we stick together." Gale said. "We're getting better every day and I am sure Peeta will do what's best for everyone." He said and looked to her, wishing he had better things to say. "We just need to look forward to the little things while keeping the bigger picture in mind." He said, rubbing her arm again. "we can't lose track of the present after all." He reminded her.