Though his response was thrilled or warm, she was still happy that he didn't mind her sticking around. She considered her actions following the first night may be cause for concern but at this point, she would do her best to be less weird and more happy with whatever time she had with those she cared about. She got in bed with him and gave him a curious look in regards to his distance but she tried not to take it personally. If they had crossed the line, she would have surely given him a hard time about being shy but for now, she didn't have a right to do that so she just got comfortable, happy to be around him at least. It was rather nice being around him without having the issue of nightmares loom over her head. In this instance, she felt pretty good that he accepted her company without needing a reason to stick around. Somehow during the night of stress-less sleep, she and Haymitch closed the gap.

Katniss woke up during the wee hours of the morning to find herself curled up against Haymitch, his arms wrapped around her securely. She was half asleep but still managed to smile before she drifted back to sleep. The arm closest to her was tucked under her chin while the other was resting against one of Haymitch's arms. A few hours later, she found herself waking a bit easier. She yawned and turned around to see Haymitch. He had been asleep she could have enjoyed the view a bit longer but instead, she got to see him more awake than sleepy. Either way, she was pretty happy with her rest and that she got to be so close to Haymitch. "Morning." She smiled and moved a hand to get some of her hair out of the way. Things were quiet and she felt no need rush off and get ready when they had the rare luxury of being able to lounge around and think about something besides the Hunger Games.

Being so close to Prim was more than comforting, it felt right. Gale was happy to kept her close to him and it was made possible by the admission of their feelings, or rather their display. He knew he'd need to find the proper time and words to go along with his actions but right now he trusted that she did feel the same way and that this was some joke the two sisters devised. It didn't sound like them. Maybe he was conjuring weird obscure reasons because to finally have Prim and to be able to hold and show affection was something he never thought actually possible. At the end of the night though, he was able to come to terms that Primrose actually cared a lot for him and that it wasn't in the sort of way you would cherish a sibling or friend, that their feelings could become romantic and feel as perfect as he hoped.

His dreams had been cheerful which is something he hadn't been able to say in quite some time. he accredited it to Prim and her staying by his side. When he woke up, he noticed prim was still in the clutches of drowsiness. She looked so cute that Gale couldn't resist reaching over with the arm which wasn't cradling her, and help brush some of the hair behind her ear. "Morning Prim." He said. Even now he was still smiling and he was certain that as he slept, that his expression had also remained unchanged. This revelation made him more determined to make sure the plan worked and that he didn't lose anyone, especially not Primrose. He kissed the top of her head and allowed him a few more minutes to figure out they were both in his room. Could someone come in and make a fuss? Surely but he would rather deal with that than miss Prim. It was a sappy though but he didn't mind being sappy around her.

It was rather helpful that there weren't as many awkward feeling between her and Haymitch in the morning. In her mind, they were both skittering along the line between friends and something more and she hoped she wasn't fooling herself into thinking that he could possibly see her as a woman and not some girl who needed to be rescued or protected. There were things she wanted to say, things she wanted to do, like kiss him for instance. But she relented and only allowed her to grab his hand and squeeze it before she got out of bed to get ready for the day. She wanted to thank him or tell him she'd see him later but none of that sounded right in her head so she just smiled and headed off to her room, which was thankfully pretty close to his own contrary to what they liked to believe last night. For the rest of the morning and afternoon, things were pretty low key and mellow. Katniss spent what time she had reading and when it came time to train after lunch, she was ready to get back to work.

Gale could hear people roaming around and knew it was time they got on with their day, even if it meant trying to focus on something else. At least he hoped their focus would be much stronger now. He knew his would be. He watched Prim go before he got ready for the day. He lifted weights and ate with the others when they sat down to have a mixture of breakfast and lunch. He went down to training, still in a great mood. As the afternoon morphed into evening, Gale found himself looking forward to dinner. The training with his sword and survival skills hadn't really worn him out but he was just looking forward to spending some time with Prim because he finally felt like he could act without over-thinking things and getting nervous. It was like a weight had been lifted from his chest, shoulders and heart and he was so fortunate to find some silver lining in the hell known as the Capitol.

As dinner was getting set up, Gale was already sitting down at the table, not sure where Prim and Katniss had gone off to. They had enough time to clean up and get ready for dinner. The day had been a slow one but it still had been productive. The four Tributes hadn't had much time to chat despite the day being so relaxing so Gale was sure they'd get to check in with one another over dinner. Effie had a nice drink and Peeta took his usual seat at the other end across from her. "Tomorrow is the Ball, there's no training tomorrow but things will pick up bright and early Saturday morning." Effie smile to Gale. "Portia will be dressing both you and Haymitch and she's very excited." She gushed, reaching out to touch his arm. "You're going to have a wonderful time." Haymitch then made his appearance and Effie miled to him, as they were almost all gathered.

He thought about Prim of course and he nodded slightly. "I think I will." He was more relaxed now that he could ask her to dance and it wouldn't be weird or risk either of their feelings. Gale had a feeling though, that if Effie or Haymitch or even Peeta found out about him and Prim's budding relationship, they wouldn't be pleased with the opportunity for new drama or complications. He wouldn't say anything to them but he wasn't going to purposefully hide his feelings for Prim. Not anymore. "I'm just glad I know how to dance." The boy laughed a little, wondering what some guys did if the girl had to do the leading.

Katniss was in Prim's room, not sure what her sister wanted to tell her but she was pretty hungry after dealing with the simulator all afternoon. Prim seemed happier than usual, almost like she was glowing and Katniss wondered if this had something to do with Gale.

There was a certain kind of stillness in the room that morning, a sense of calm that came from having Katniss in his bed. He wasn't used to just sleeping with a woman, holding her and not trying to do anything else, but Katniss was so different from the other women he had been with, and they were still toeing the line about where they stood with one another. It wouldn't have been appropriate to try anything, and Haymitch would have felt guilty as hell. Waking up that morning, he still sort of did, even though he was happy to have Katniss in his arms and neither of them were pulling away. It occurred to the older man that something was going to have to be done about the feelings he had for her, either a confession was in order or Haymitch would have to get rid of them somehow.

“Morning,” he said quietly, a shadow of a smile on his lips. When she spoke, Haymitch knew that he couldn't simply get rid of his feelings, or ignore them. The moment seemed perfect, a lazy morning, nowhere to be, he could have told her. He should have, but there was a long moment of silence between them and Katniss squeezed his hand before she got out of bed and left the room. Haymitch sighed and watched her go, wishing that she would have stayed a little longer.

At first, Prim hadn't believed Gale when he said that he slept better with her there, but the proof was all over his face the next morning. Gale looked rested, even sort of cheerful and Prim couldn't help but smile as she woke up all the way. “Good morning,” she smiled, not wanting to move yet. They had all morning to lay there and pretend the Games weren't happening, just the two of them procrastinating on training. Besides that, she was warm and Prim was happy, she didn't want to get up and be reminded that they were still far from home and that they would have to compete against each other for their lives.

Soon, Prim could hear people moving around and she knew that they had to get up. She left Gale's room and got dressed for the day, taking it slow until she had a late breakfast with the others before training. It was more of the same thing from the previous days, knife skills, defensive and offensive combat moves, but Prim made sure to get the most out of it. With Peeta's plan still in her mind, she wanted to be as prepared as she possibly could. The others obviously felt the same way, as she saw Gale, Finnick and Johanna working hard, and both Haymitch and Katniss continued to prove that they weren't to be messed with. It was comforting to see such hard work and Prim knew that the group and its alliance would be okay when it came time for the Games. Seven days was a long time, but they were prepared, and they had each other.
The rest of the day went on without a hitch. The tributes broke for lunch, which Prim found to be uneventful and then went back for more training. Her muscles were definitely starting to feel sore, and she toyed with the idea of another bath that night. At the very least, there would be no training the next day. As Effie had explained it, no one wanted to mingle with sweaty tributes at a social event. Once again, they would all be polished and primped, and stuffed into clothes that weren't their style, but it didn't matter because they looked good. Prim couldn't say that she was looking forward to it, but she did want to dance with Gale—that was promising.

At the end of the day, training had finally concluded and Haymitch was ready to get out of the uniform. Once the four of them were back upstairs in the penthouse, the blonde man went to take a quick shower. He was less sore than he had been in previous days, but there was still a little bit of achey tenderness running through his shoulders. The hot tub that he'd once thought of as flashy and unnecessary was looking better and better, and Haymitch thought he might take a dip after dinner, just to relax and unwind.
When he came into the dining room, he noticed that Katniss and Prim weren't there, but Gale and Effie were. For the last month, every time Haymitch had looked at Gale, Prim wasn't far behind and although he wanted to give them both a lecture about what silly crushes could mean for the arena, it would have been terribly hypocritical of him. For once, Haymitch kept his mouth shut and took a seat at the table. He snagged a glass of water, tired of the sweetness of juice that he wasn't able to enhance with liquor.

“You can dance?” Haymitch asked, one eyebrow raised. He was surprised, Gale didn't look like a guy who was too light on his feet.

“Can't you?” Effie asked, more than likely ready to offer lessons if he said no.

Haymitch could dance, he just didn't like to and thought it was rather pointless. Still, it was a good skill to have and women liked that sort of thing for some reason. “Course I can,” he nodded to the escort.

Back in her room, Prim had come out of the bathroom after a quick shower of her own. She was dressed in something comfortable and toweling off her hair, happy to see that Katniss was still sitting on her bed. Earlier in the day, Prim had mentioned needing to talk to the older girl about something, and although Gale hadn't said not to say anything, Prim still wanted her sister's approval about the situation. It would have been hard for her to keep two secrets from Katniss, and keeping her out of the plan was already difficult. She prepared herself and finally turned to the older girl, tossing the damp towel onto a chair.

“Are you going to be mad at me?” she asked, but then quickly shook her head. Katniss wouldn't be mad, maybe a little shocked, but not mad. The blonde waved her hands, “last night, I was talking to Gale and...” she paused, unable to keep the smile off of her face, “we kissed.” It was such a silly thing to be talking about when they were about to go into the arena, and love was likely to get a tribute killed, but Prim couldn't help what happened. Prim looked to Katniss, trying to read her, but her sister's face had always been a difficult one.

“What? Yes I can dance.” Gale defended himself. His mother taught him. Of course when Katniss was offered the same lesson she just took off, saying it was stupid and that she had better things to do which was a shame. He would have enjoyed dancing with her. But that was years ago now and he was looking forward to dancing with Prim now. Personally, Gale was surprised Haymitch could dance but then again, he supposed the man probably had more opportunities for the activity but he didn’t question it. He didn’t need any lessons from Effie, nor was it something he’d be interested in even if he needed them. Effie was nice but he didn’t need her help. “Thanks for the offer Effie.” He smiled a little.

Looking to Prim, where Katniss remained sitting, she did her best to be patient and supportive, the way any sister was expected to act. Prim fiddled with her words but then finally, and thankfully, came out with the big secret. She and Gale kissed? Katniss wasn’t sure how to react. She saw Gale as a brother and well Prim was her sister and she had told Gale to do what he wanted last night, she just didn’t think Prim and him would have done anything so soon. “...uh wow, that’s...great Prim.” She was torn, really torn. She was of course happy for her sister to experience something so wonderful but at the same time, she was a bit deflated that she thought something similar could have happened between her and Haymitch.

This wasn’t about her though.

It was about Prim and she finally smiled, knowing it meant a lot to the blond. “I’m really happy for you.” She said sincerely. If she didn’t picture it, she would be okay. She stopped twitching and got up to hug her sister. Gale was a really good guy and she knew they cared about one another. She just felt guilty for putting them in the Games. “If he does anything inappropriate, you just say the word,” She pulled away and looked to her. Katniss wanted to protect her sister from any possible form of heartbreak or sorrow. Katniss was once again picturing the two cuddling and kissing and she quickly stepped back. She didn’t need any visual details. Prim was still a baby in her eyes but she knew the girl was becoming a woman.

Oh now she wanted to cry.

“Oh Prim, if you need to talk about anything, you can approach me.” She found emotions swinging back into a loveable sisterly/motherly figure. “Sure I’m not..really...er…” Experienced but she still wanted to be the person Prim could go to. “I love you and I love Gale, if you two make each other happy...I will try not to make too many gagging noises if you guys keep the PDA to a minimum.” She laughed a little and kissed the top of her sister’s head. It was a very bittersweet moment for Katniss. Prim was growing up and it made Katniss so happy but at the same time it made her sad and reminiscence for the old days of innocence. Prim had to hold onto hers longer that Katniss had.

Katniss had killed people, had to take care of her family and Pri was so lucky to not be hindered by the struggle. Even with the Games fast approaching, she hoped Prim and Gale could keep each other safe. And hold onto as much innocence as possible. If those two could get out alive and have some future together, it might all be worth. “Come, let’s eat. Your boyfriend’s waiting.” She teased and ruffled the top of Prim’s hair before she headed out. She was honestly happy for Prim but she had her reservations about Gale now that something had actually happened. On the inside, she was panicking a bit. She knew kissing could escalate and with hormones and boys, she was now beginning to panic a lot.

“Hey Katniss.” Gale greeted and she threw him a very hellish look. He looked to Prim and quickly guessed she had told Katniss. Gale wanted to get up and leave. Though he knew Katniss was okay with it, he was sure she was still uneasy about the whole thing. He muttered something under his breath and Katniss sat down as Prim also sat down.

“Prim looks nice, doesn’t she?” Katniss spoke up, deciding to have some fun with her best friend. Gale nodded nervously and quickly started to eat. Katniss smirked and started to eat too. “So what were you guys talking about?” She asked and looked to Haymitch next to her.

“The Ball tomorrow night.” Effie smiled.

“Do we have to go?” Katniss asked for the twelfth time.

“Yes.” Effie said firmly. “You’ll mingle and maybe get a handsome fellow to dance with you. There will be special VIPs from the public who have been given special admittance.” She explained. They were fans who had won tickets to the Ball or had donated to the event itself. Katniss squirmed and took a drink of the fizzling soda. The only person she wanted to dance with was Haymitch but she didn’t see that very likely since neither of them were very social to begin with. She would prefer to just sneak off and people watch from a safe perch where people weren’t watching her.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Gale said and turned to Prim. He had a reason to want to go now. He could see her in something fancy and of course it meant he could fawn all over her and it wouldn’t be too suspicious. He was sure Prim would attract attention but he was hoping that he’d be able to be a bit selfish and keep Prim mostly to himself. He could dance and he was pretty sure Prim knew how to too. There would be lights and everything else too. He was sure it would take their minds off the carnage that was sure to unfold. He also knew Peeta would also be lingering, trying to talk to the others before the opportunity slipped through his fingers.

Their plan would work and he and Prim could actually have a future together. He felt Katniss kick him in the shin and he held back any sign of pain. Had he been staring at Prim for too long? Probably. He went back to eating, rubbing his shin under the table. “So I guess we’ll get to sleep in again tomorrow. I had such a great sleep.” He commented. He wondered if he might be enjoying Prim’s company again but he also figured it might be risky. Katniss might be keeping a closer eye on them now if she knew about them. He understood her worries, they were amusing, but he hoped he could gain her trust sooner, rather than later. He knew Katniss did trust him but he was with her sister now and things were expected to be different.

Until very recently, Prim thought that Gale belonged to Katniss. There was a part of her that still thought that the two would be a perfect couple, even if they both insisted that they were just good friends. No one could deny that they made a great team, or that they had so much in common that sometimes they didn't even need to talk in order to understand one another. That was why Prim had been so shocked when Gale started to pay more attention to her, when he had sought to comfort her, or held her hand the first they had been in the Capitol. It was something of a secret that Prim still felt the cold chill of her sister's shadow, and sought to step out from behind her every now and then, but Gale saw her when no one else had and that was special to Prim. She hoped that Katniss could understand that, and that she wouldn't be mad, or upset, or anything other than happy for the single bright spot in the darkness that was becoming their lives.

At first, Katniss's words felt stiff, and Prim fidgeted with her hair, wondering if she had made a mistake. Then, Katniss was hugging her, and the reaction felt genuine. Prim smiled and hugged her sister back, happy to have someone to share the news with. “He's not going to do anything,” Prim laughed softly, shaking her head. She wasn't ready to do more than kiss, or hold hands, but she knew that Katniss was simply looking out for her, playing the motherly role that she had taken out without a second thought when they were kids. In a way, Prim was ready for her to give it up, feeling that she was old enough to take care of herself and their mother was a little more present than she had been in years past. Katniss didn't have to be so responsible anymore.

With the games coming up, Prim didn't think it would be all that appropriate to inundate her sister with gossip about her and Gale, and she was sure that Katniss didn't want to hear every last detail anyway. Most of what happened the night before still didn't seem real and Prim got the feeling that it wasn't going to until they were out of the games, away from the Capitol and safe back home. There would be time to think about it later, though, but it was soon dinner time and Prim left her room with Katniss to join the others in the dining room.

Dinner had just barely gotten underway by the time Prim and Katniss had sat down. Haymitch gave both of them acknowledging glances, and wondered where they had gone off to. He was glad that the two of them were spending time together again, and that they had made up. Haymitch knew how important Prim was to Katniss, and he knew that their alliance would be strong with the two girls getting along. Although he noticed that something was a little different, and Katniss seemed to be in a playful mood, which was odd for her, considering who she was. Haymitch raised an eyebrow and went back to his dinner, unsure of what to make of the sudden change. There were bigger, more pressing things to think about anyway, such as why the Quarter Quell ball was mandatory.

“It's bullshit,” Haymitch retorted to Effie's endless gushing over the celebration. There were always VIP citizens who paid disgusting amounts of money in order to attend the event, to get up close and personal with the tributes before they died. The Capitol had many secrets, a lot of practices that Haymitch had looked the other way on, but he didn't want to see Katniss or Prim, or even Gale get caught up in any of that. They were too young, even if they were adults deemed old enough to die for entertainment.

Effie frowned, “language!”

Haymitch ignored her. He looked over to the other three tributes, “don't let anyone take you anywhere tomorrow. Especially any of those very important guests.” The former Victor knew first hand what happened to tributes, he had watched it with both Johanna and Finnick and a few other winners turned mentors over the years. The Capitol was much more sinister than anyone in Panem had been lead to believe.

Again, Effie frowned. “Stop scaring them, Haymitch, they'll be fine.” She looked to the others at the table, “you're all going to have a lovely time! And Peeta and I will be there as well. There's no need to be afraid.”

Whether there was or wasn't a threat, Prim didn't intend on leaving with anyone she didn't know, although she had to wonder what Haymitch meant with his warning. Like Katniss, Prim would have preferred to skip the event entirely, not sure of what it was supposed to accomplish. There was also the matter of the plan and Prim wanted to make sure that Peeta would have enough time to talk with Plutarch and fill in the remaining details for the rest of then. Then, there was Gale and Prim couldn't deny that she wanted to see him dressed up again, and she hoped there would be a chance for them to dance together, even if it would make Katniss uncomfortable.

When Gale changed the subject, Prim couldn't help but smile, she had slept wonderfully too. “Too bad we have to pick back up with the routine on Saturday,” she laughed softly and then continued to eat. For a moment, she wondered if she and Gale could spend another night together, but it didn't seem like the wises choice now that Katniss knew that something was going on. It was probably best not to risk it.

“I'd rather be training than getting dressed up and standing around all night,” Haymitch commented. Although, he too had slept well and there was a part of him that hoped Katniss would want to stay with him again. He had the silly thought that she could just stay in his room until the Games started, and they could both rest easy with the other close by. He smiled as he looked at her, but didn't let his eyes linger for too long.

Katniss glanced to Haymitch when he balked at the idea of special VIP guests mingling with the Tributes. She wasn't sure what the big deal was or why it might be unsettling or dangerous. Not much rattled Haymitch so it was a red flag if he discouraged certain things at the Ball. The Capitol itself was iffy but Katniss wondered what other horrible things they did behind closed doors. She didn't feel like finding out and just went back to her meal. Gale was certain Katniss wouldn't go off with anyone weird, if anything, she'd probably snap their neck if she felt threatening. As for him and Prim, he was sure they wouldn't run into anyone questionable but even so, he'd be sure to keep his eyes peeled for anyone unfamiliar. He was also pretty confident that he and Prim wouldn't be too far apart during the whole Ball. Surely others would want to dance with them but he didn't think he'd be interested in anyone else but Prim but should she wish to dance with someone else, he didn't mind stepping back and making sure things were alright.

When Haymitch mentioned he'd rather train than strand around, she glanced to him. He shared her same idea, couldn't they be using their time better than pretending to enjoy some extravagant party? Katniss noticed him smiling but he then went back to his plate. For some reason she found herself smiling as she went back to her food too. Gale glanced at them both and wondered if something was going on between them. Though Gale didn't know Haymitch well, he at least knew the guy wasn't the type to smile, let alone at Katniss, of all people. And then Katniss smile and looked off. Something was going on but Gale didn't need to ponder on that enigma. Instead, he turned back to the flower next to him, also wishing he could spend another night with her. "Tomorrow we get a chance to relax, rest, do whatever we want. And if you'd rather train, that's also possible." He considered.

"Oh Peeta, I have some wonderful, exciting and fantastic plans for your birthday on Saturday!" Effie interjected. Katniss glanced to him. She was right, Peeta was going to be 19 soon. She was glad to see him celebrating another year alive. She wondered what she could try and get him. She could make him something if they were back home but now she just felt guilty about not knowing what he wanted or could enjoy. "We can't invite other Tributes to our floor, that's not allowed." She commented. "But I am sure we can meet down in the lobby for some cocktails and hors d'oeuvres." Effie smiled. Then she reconsidered they wouldn't enjoy that as much. Though there wasn't a real drinking age restriction in Panem but she knew other drinks would need to be offered. "We have plenty to be happy for." She insisted, not wanting them to get too down or lost inside their own heads. Effie knew things would get even harder as the Games neared and she wanted everyone to remember they were strong and capable of surviving and using Peeta's plan to get out.

Peeta smiled and waved a hand. "You don't have to go to any trouble, Effie." He said but then recalled her idea might give him more time with the others without it looking too suspicious. "But thank you." He nodded. Unlike Katniss, Gale didn't consider the idea of trying to find or get something for Peeta. He and Peeta were friends at best and though they got along fine, the two hadn't really bonded that much. Their connection was Katniss and that was awkward enough. So Gale didn't feel compelled to get him something but he would be able to at least wish him an honest wish for good health. As dinner was winding down, the dessert cart made its way around the long table. Gale snagged himself an ice cream sandwich which he had never had before while Katniss grabbed a trio of chocolate covered strawberries. Gale took a small bite from his and was sure they had some time before people would retreat to their own rooms.

Even so, he felt like spending some time with Prim. He finished what he could since the ice cream sandwich was proving to be a sticky mess. He got up and turned around to where a small sink was. Getting the mess off of him, he turned around and looked to Prim. "Wanna go walk around for a bit?" He asked and could feel Katniss looking at him. He didn't care. Well he did but he wasn't going to make a big deal about it. He would let her throw crap his way until she got tired of it. He knew Katniss well enough that she'd get tired after a while and leave them be. She had a right as a sister to be protective but he and Prim were pretty responsible. Gale pulled out Prim's chair for her and headed down the stairs as they headed off to walk around the rest of the floor. "She'll relax, just give her time." Gale smiled as he looked to Prim, hoping she wasn't reconsidering them now that she told her sister. He put his arm around her shoulders, closing the small gap between them. He had also been wondering if it was okay for him and Prim to share a bed again. It had been nice but he didn't want Katniss pacing by the door with a butter knife. But he couldn't take her actions into consideration forever.

"Maybe i can sneak into your room tonight." He muttered and realized how weird that may have sounded. "Shit, I sound like a pervert...sorry." He laughed and pressed his lips against the top of her head.

Meanwhile, Katniss had stopped watching Gale and Prim when they headed off to another part of the floor. She went back to her chocolate fruit and finished sucking in the last strawberry. She really didn't mind them together but it just gave her feelings of dread and worry and she didn't want to think about them. She got up and before she could go, Peeta excused himself. He headed down the stairs and headed tot he elevator. She gave him a look, not sure where he had to be at this hour. Katniss placed a hand on Haymitch's shoulder and pushed in her chair with the other with a sigh. The Avoxes came to clean up the dishes left by the others and the girl headed down the stairs and considered lounging in the living room but then headed back to her own room, a place she hadn't spent much time in during the past 24 hours. She wondered if she could just go back to Haymitch's room and bug him some more. With any luck he might not know where his own room was.

She turned on the tv to some channel that was airing some soap opera and then moved over to the balcony and stepped outside. She reached forward and squinted, Beetee had taught her about force-fields and she was sure there was around them, probably preventing people from jumping from their rooms.

Few things sounded worse than the mandatory ball for the Quarter Quell, but inviting the other tributes to a party for Peeta's birthday sounded worse. Haymitch wasn't the sentimental type, but even he was more open to having something small in their suite for the new mentor as opposed to dragging him downstairs and forcing him to hang around people he either didn't know, or didn't like. Sometimes, Effie tried too hard to make the Capitol feel like a home, and while those rare glimpses of her nurturing personality were mostly appreciated, Haymitch thought that she was making a big mistake. There were too many things distracting everyone as it was, and on top of the pressing matters of the games, Peeta had bigger things to worry about than turning nineteen.

Dinner had soon come to an end, and dessert was being served. Haymitch took one of the ornate fruit gelee and watched as Prim and Gale went off on their own. Something was definitely going on there, and again, Haymitch looked to Katniss. He knew that she was probably having a hard time with it, having taken care of Prim all her life, but Haymitch thought it was a good thing. She needed to let go a bit and move onto a different kind of relationship with her sister. After all, the two women would be forced to interact differently when the Games came into the picture, and it was best that Katniss get used to it beforehand. Quietly, he finished off his dessert and soon, he was the only one left at the table now that Peeta too had run off somewhere just before Katniss had.

It was starting to get late, but there was no need to rush to bed since there was no training in the morning. Haymitch wasn't tired yet, and he didn't feel as though much had been accomplished that day. As the Avoxes started coming around, the former Victor got up from his seat and wandered back toward his room, thinking he could read or possibly find something on the television. Slow nights made him miss the drink, and liquor had always been something to do when nothing else was going on. During any other year, Haymitch would have been out with the other mentors, having a drink, sharing stories, ignoring the wrong-doings of the Capitol for as long as everything was free. Sometimes, he was ashamed of his past.

Before Haymitch had reached his room, he came to Katniss's door and decided to knock, just to see what she was up to. When he got no response, he took it upon himself to enter anyway, since Katniss had done the same to him many times both there at the Capitol and back home in 12. When he walked in, he saw her out on the balcony, and walked out to join her. There was a light breeze in the air, and the temperature had started to warm with the approaching summer. “Nice night,” he said, leaning with his hands on the railing. He looked over to Katniss, thinking she looked strangely delicate in the soft light.

The Penthouse was large and there always seemed to be something new to look at. Although the many paintings and potted plants weren't things that Prim would have wanted in her own house, they made for excellent conversational pieces, nice distractions from thinking about the Games, or the ball that would take place the following evening. Of course, when Gale was around, Prim didn't need too many other distractions and she was happy to keep spending time with him. There was a part of her that had been worried about how he would take Katniss knowing, and she hadn't wanted him to be upset with her. Thankfully, he was as sweet as always.

When Gale suggested that he sneak into her room, Prim couldn't help but laugh. He was so clumsy with his words sometimes and she found it rather endearing. “Don't let Katniss know,” she teased him lightly. Although, Prim was slightly worried about what Katniss would say or do if she found out, especially after the comments she had made earlier. Prim knew that she could take care of herself, and that Gale was respectful, but Katniss was so overly protective sometimes and this sudden change in dynamic was new for everyone. It was obvious that the older girl would need time to adjust.

Sticking close by Gale, the two continued to explore the Penthouse. “Did we see this one yet?” she asked, tilting her head toward a painting on the wall. This one happened to a sunset over a city that looked similar to the view of the Capitol. There was nothing special about the painting, but the colors were beautiful and striking even in the semi-darkness. “I wonder if all the suites look the same.”

The sky was glittering like the lake on the outskirts of District 12. Katniss still wasn’t fond of water but she could still admire the beauty of it, even if she didn’t trust it much. Katniss let out another sigh and rested her head on the railing, using her arms as a pillow. Much to her relief, she wasn’t thinking about Gale and her sister, or even the Games. She was just letting her mind empty and wander to what the other districts might be up to. She wondered how Rue’s family were and if they were still looking down and expecting their young girl to be helping out. That agony was part of the reason why she didn’t enjoy allies or getting to know other Tributes.

In the end, she knew they would die or she would die and that kind of pain, that kind of loss was something she didn’t like spreading. Still, she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind so she could just focus on nothing. When she was with one of the other tributes, they had mentioned meditation but she brushed their advice off since it sounded stupid. But now that she was alone, she decided to try it out. It wasn’t easy. As her mind thought back to the city and how it was so different from home, and how she never thoughts she’d have to visit it again unless she was mentoring, she heard the door slid open. She lifted her head, turned and saw Haymitch let himself in.

She’d be lying if she told herself she wasn’t happy to see him. Haymitch walked over to her and commented on the night. Katniss found for once, words fail her. The girl looked back out, still in awe of how much of a contrast the city was to every other district she had visited. It was horrible. “Yeah maybe if the city wasn’t filled with such vapid creatures.” She muttered after having time to think about it. Katniss turned to him and leaned her side against the glass wall, her arm resting against the outside of the rail. “Tomorrow is going to be a waste of time.” She said, admiring the light from the room wash across his face. “At least I won’t be suffering alone.” Katniss smiled to him.

“I mean at least you and I can stand around and make fun of everyone else dancing.” Of course if Haymitch did ask her to dance, there was no chance she’d say ‘no’ to him. The idea caused Katniss to blush as she once again tried to empty her mind and just enjoy this moment.

Gale didn’t mind that Prim told Katniss, he would have liked some notice so that he could talk to her but he knew it was Prim’s call. They were sisters and it was big news. Gale was just happy that Katniss hadn’t done anything too drastic. He figured since she knew him so well, she wasn’t as upset if he were a stranger. But Prim and Katniss both had good heads on their shoulders and could judge people well enough. As he wandered around with Prim, he found himself not thinking so much about the older Everdeen sibling, but the younger one by his side. It felt right and it was something he wanted to hold onto for as long as possible.

When Prim just laughed at him and advised that Katniss not find out, he flinched at the thought. “O-oh no. She might not like that.” But what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt either one of them. Gale knew both sisters were important to one another. He didn’t want to get in the middle of that and make either feel weird or possibly threatened. “Still, it would be nice to spend the night together at least once before the Games…” He said in a more serious tone. If the four them somehow got separated or couldn’t meet up right away, he might not sure if he’d be able to sleep until he knew Prim and the others were safe. And as he said before, with Prim, he had a great rest.

He rubbed his neck with his other hand as they came to a painting bathed in a sunset. It was sort of the like the Capitol and he frowned, trying to think. “Hmm...I don’t think so.” He knew he had seen it, probably out of the corner of his eye. “It’s nice, a bit boring but I mean, it’s nice.” He hadn’t seen enough art nor cared enough to consider himself a critic or anything. “I think Effie said ours was special but something tells me she’s just trying to make us feel better.” Somehow. Gale looked around and didn’t see anyone around. No Peeta or Effie or Haymitch or even Katniss. He wondered how much privacy they were going to get now that Katniss knew about them, and if they couldn’t really be too close around the others, for obvious reasons.

While Prim looked at the painting, he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander back to her. She was so pretty, just studying that paining. He moved forward and slipped his right arm around her, using his left one to brace himself gently against the wall behind her, over her head. He leaned down and kissed her softly, his actions having been casual and not at all forceful. “I don’t know how many more times we’ll get to that.” He smiled after he broke the soft kiss.

Slowly, Haymitch drummed his fingers against the polished, metal railing. He fixed his eyes on the sky and counted a few stars, surprised to see them when the glow of the Capitol was practically blinding. Had they been anywhere else, Haymitch would have called it a perfect night instead of just a nice one, but he was glad to be there with Katniss. He noticed that she seemed a little off, more down and perturbed than usual and the former Victor could only speculate that it had something to do with the rapidly approaching ball. That sort of event wasn't Katniss's style, and Haymitch remembered how hard it had been to enjoy himself the first time around when he thought that he would soon be dying. Haymitch was really starting to feel guilty about keeping secrets from Katniss, especially when she looked so beaten.

As she complained, Haymitch couldn't help but chuckle. Katniss may have hated everything about the ball, but at least she still had it in her to make fun of it. He paused briefly and looked at her as a thought occurred to him. “You can't dance, can you?” he asked, smirking. Katniss was good at just about everything that had to do with hunting or survival, but her social skills were severely lacking. After all, Haymitch had once compared her personality to a dead slug. “That's why you don't want to go tomorrow,” he continued, laughing again. “Aside from the obvious, I mean. But you don't want to do dance.”

It made sense. Everyone else in the suite could dance, even Gale and Katniss was going to be the awkward kid in the nice dress standing by the punch bowl with a frown on her face. Haymitch laughed again at the image in his head and pushed himself away from the railing. He was standing upright and continued to look at her. “Stand up,” he said, holding out his hand. He had that same wild look in his eye from when he had taught Prim how to defend herself. Despite his reputation for not wanting to help, it certainly was satisfying most of the time.

“I'll teach you. Right here.” There was no music, but that hardly mattered to him. The night was perfect for this sort of stupidly sappy thing, and Haymitch rarely had the opportunity to teach someone as stubborn as Katniss something entirely new.

With any luck, there would be a lot of nights to spend together after they were free of the Games. Prim was really counting on Peeta's plan to save everyone, and she wanted to leave the Capitol and move on with her life. She wanted Katniss to be happy, and Haymitch to be less tense, and she wanted so much for Gale and herself. It was slightly selfish in a way, to be worrying about him so much when there were so many bigger things to think of. Gale made her mind slow down, though, and Prim was thankful for the relief that he brought. “I think we'll be able to,” she told him, also looking forward to another night together in the future.

The painting on the wall wasn't very interesting, and Prim had to agree with Gale. Effie's heart was in the right place, but Prim was certain that all of the suites looked similar, and that no district was special in the eyes of the Capitol. In a way, that knowledge was comforting and Prim was happy to know that no one would have expected anything big from their district. Even with Katniss there, Prim thought that Snow and his officials looked at 12 as if it were still the pathetic and underfed District that it had always been. Prim was determined to stay alive and hide in plain sight until they were able to prove everyone wrong.

Whatever thoughts of rebellion Prim may have had were soon long gone as she found herself pressed between the wall and Gale. Her eyes had fluttered close and the blonde wore a cat-like grin as his lips left hers, speaking now of their limited time. She wanted to tell him that there was no number to put on it, that they had all of the time in the world, but that would have been a lie when the future was so uncertain. “Me either,” she said quietly, as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck before kissing him again. “When everything is over, we won't have to wonder...”

“What?” Katniss looked to him, not sure why it mattered if she could or couldn’t dance. “W-what does that have to do with anything?” She huffed. “Don’t be stupid, it doesn’t matter.” She said, getting flustered. The last thing she wanted to do was look like an idiot in front of Haymitch. “Dancing is stupid…” Katniss cleared her throat and looked off at the skyline which had several interesting and odd looking buildings. It was better than listening to him laugh at her inadequate dancing skills, which to her weren’t a big deal. It’s not like anyone would want to dance with her anyway. And the only person she might put up with was the laughing moron in front of her. Even if it was a bit at her expense, she couldn’t help but enjoy his laugh. “Okay okay shut up, stop laughing at me.” She protested, not enjoying the moment so much anymore. SHe was a bit dubious when it came to picturing him dance but that was because he didn’t seem very graceful.

Thankfully he finally settled down and moved in front of her. “You’re joking right?” The girl rolled her eyes at him. He had lost his mind, as far as she was concerned. “You want to teach me to dance…?” Katniss pushed herself away from the safety of the rail and stepped closer to him, intrigued by his challenge of sorts. “I’ll humor you if you’ll stop laughing at me.” She said, not willing to admit that she wouldn’t mind if her taught her something, especially how to dance. “It’s a useless skill and a waste of our time.” She grumbled as she finally took hold of his offered hand. If she didn’t know any better though, she could have sworn there was a small hint of romanticism about their situation. A misty skyline, low lights, two people on a balcony dancing...but of course the idea of romance often escaped her for many reasons. And Haymitch? He was about as romantic as she was, at least that’s what she figured.

Day dreams didn’t count for anything.

Part of Katniss wondered if this was some practical joke and if it was, it was a very weird one. But for now, she decided to play along and hopefully it didn’t start some petty fight between the two of them. Though in her mind, Haymitch looked good regardless of mood. Pensive, amused, concerned or even upset. The more Katniss thought about it though, he hadn’t been able to teach her much. When they were training for a month, they didn’t need to teach one another much except small things with survival but it might be interesting to actually listen to Haymitch with the intention of understanding, rather than tuning him out like she would, say a year ago. “I do prefer you over Effie.” She considered. In truth, she preferred him over pretty much everyone she knew. She swallowed, trying to keep her emotions in check. Now wasn’t the time to get nervous. “Just...be nice.” She gave him a slight helpless pout on purpose since it didn’t suit her at all, which she was sure would amuse him.

For Gale, he knew it was better if they stayed in the present.

That wasn’t an easy thing to do but he was going to try to keep everyone in good spirits. He knew the plan would work if they all remembered that hope was real and not some sort of imaginary concept beyond their reach. Prim didn’t flinch or seem uncomfortable thanks to his actions which made him more relaxed. The boy was in no way trying to assume certain things, he just wanted to be close to her and enjoy the privacy which they had for the time being. He sighed against her lips and her own arms curled around his neck, ensuring that he kept close to her. That was just fine with him. It seemed his own relentless optimist was rubbing off on Primrose who agreed that when it was all over, they wouldn’t need to wonder about their time together.

The idea of her and him going back to District 12 together made him pretty happy, filled him with a familiar sort of warmth. His forehead rested against her gently as he just focused on both of their breathing. He couldn’t imagine what the Games held for any of them. The setting and situation were out of their hands all they could do was struggle to stay alive until Peeta came to get them out of the bloodbath. He would do anything to keep Katniss and Prim and Haymitch safe. If he could save anyone else, that would be great but he was pretty focused on keeping the main people safe, especially the one in front of him. “I can’t wait to see tomorrow night.” He said, pushing his thoughts away from the Games. They didn’t belong there, not yet.

“I get the first dance I hope.” Gale smiled to her and pushed himself back and caught her hand in his as he headed off towards his room, figuring Effie or Katniss might be around and stumble across them. When they got to his room, he let her in first before he walked in after her and walked over to sit with her on the bed, still hoping he wasn’t acting too weird. This was as new to her as it was to him. He just wanted spend time with her, no pressure at all. He glanced around the room. “I wonder why we don’t get any freaky paintings.” He commented with a grin and laid back, slipping a hand behind his head. Like Katniss, he found the Ball pointless but at least now he had Prim to be his date. He then sat up and wondered if he should make if offical, at least between them. “I haven’t...actually asked…” He felt a bit stupid but didn’t care. “I mean, will you be my date?” He grinned at Prim.

Judging by Katniss's reaction, the assumption that Haymitch made had been correct—Katniss couldn't dance. It was almost funny to watch her struggle with such a simple concept, and it seemed a little silly that she was afraid of something that was so natural, something that people all across Panem did every day, but then again, Katniss wasn't most people. Part of Haymitch understood her reservations, but being able to dance would make the ball go a lot smoother, and could potentially make Peeta's job as mentor much easier when he could sell Katniss as soft and cooperative, rather than feisty and stubborn, and that would mean more sponsors and more gifts in the arena. It really was a win-win situation and Haymitch was determined to teach Katniss a few basic steps, or possibly coax out a hidden talent.

“I'm not joking,” he said, breaking the news to her that she wasn't being pranked. “Come on already, I don't have all night.” He may have sounded impatient and grumpy, but beneath his perpetual frown and constant sarcasm, Haymitch was having a little bit of fun. On the plus side, he got to hold Katniss again, something he had been missing since their first night together in the Capitol. Being this sappy wasn't the norm for him, and he supposed that Katniss wasn't the only one who was out of their element.

The line between potential romance and a petty fight was a thin one, and Haymitch knew that this had the potential to go very wrong, very fast. When she took his hand, Haymitch was a little less worried about facing Katniss's wrath for pushing too hard. “You'd be crazy not to,” he smirked after she had mentioned Effie. Although, Haymitch was sure that Effie knew far more dance moves than he did and if anyone wanted to learn something, her and her wig collection would have been the perfect person to seek out.

Keeping hold of Katniss's hand, Haymitch placed his free hand on her waist and pulled her closer. “Stop complaining and let me lead,” he said before he began to show her how to move. It was a simple waltz, something that had been practiced for centuries. He started off slow, letting Katniss get used to the movement and taking care not to get in his own way, which would have resulted his toes being stepped on. “Your mom never taught you to dance?” he asked, not thinking that the girl he used to know had checked out after the death of Katniss's father. He continued to move her around the balcony, and only had to reposition her hands and feet a few times before she started to get the hang of it.

The dance was a little clumsy, but it had a certain charm to it and Haymitch found himself pulling her closer. There may not have been any music for them to move along to, but the night was calm enough that it wasn't necessary, and the woman in his arms was all the entertainment that Haymitch needed. “I don't know what you were so afraid of,” he mentioned, a bit cheeky and proud that he had taught Katniss something new. Sometimes she wasn't as stubborn as she made herself out to be.

The stakes for the games seemed higher than ever now that Prim had found love. Before all of this, before Gale had kissed her, the blonde had been worried about what could happen, who she could lose, but now there was a promise of something more on the horizon. Her life was no longer blindly hoping that she and Katniss made it out of the arena alive, now there was Gale to think about, a real life outside of the Capitol and Prim wanted so badly for it become a reality. She closed her eyes when she felt Gale's forehead touch hers, and let the moment pass over them. It was important to believe that the Capitol would be a distant memory one day.

There was no need to get caught up in thinking about what the Games may bring, because it could have been anything. Instead, Prim wanted to spend her time with Gale, and she couldn't help smiling when he mentioned the ball again. It was going to be a waste of time, she knew that, but it was sort of exciting. “I'm not going to look like myself,” she told him with a slight shake of her head. “It's going to be just like the parade...except with dancing.” Together, they walked back to his room and Prim entered first before going over to his bed and lying down across it on her back. “We can dance,” she confirmed, smiling up at Gale before he too laid down.

It was risky to want to stay with him for another night, but Prim reasoned to herself that it wasn't that late yet, and they had all day to sleep tomorrow before the ball. “We have the hologram wall,” she pointed out, glancing over to it. The image was currently off, but Prim supposed that the nearly life-like scenes were better than any of the weird paintings that decorated the suite. She glanced back to Gale when he spoke again, asking her to be his date for tomorrow night. “Yes,” she grinned, a bit giddy, “of course.” She gave his leg a nudge with her foot, surprised that he was being so sweet. “Pick me up at seven by the elevator,” she added, teasing him just a little. It was cute that Gale had asked, and Prim was more excited than she should have been over a mandatory ball, but going with Gale would make it ten times better than it would have been otherwise.

If there was a time she'd welcome his peculiar sense of humor, it would be now in the hopes that he was pulling her leg but much to her frustration, he was sincere with his claim to want to teach her to dance. "Oh like you have anywhere else to be." Katniss retorted when he mentioned she ought to hurry up. His hand held onto hers and his other moved to her waist. Katniss glanced down for a moment and looked to Haymitch, holding her tongue for the time being. The situation was one she had never found herself in so she knew she could only say so much before it was clearly bullshit and she thought it would be better for them both if she just gave in and let him do as he liked. Of course the record would show, Katniss Everdeen didn't back down for just anyone. "We must be pretty bored if this is what our evenings have boiled down to." She couldn't help but mutter. Did she mind that she was spending time with Haymitch? Not at all. And did she mind that he happened to pull her a bit closer? Nope, not at all.

Haymitch then told her to pretty much shut up and let him lead. As much as she wanted to insist she could lead, she knew it would be pointless since she couldn't dance. So again, she had to let him take control of the situation. Having felt really out of her element, she was thankful he stopped goofing around, which allowed her to concentrate on what was going on. The girl moved where and when he prompted her to with only needing some adjusting as they went. When she finally got comfortable with the movements and pattern, she was finally able to actually look at Haymitch and enjoy being with him in such a funny situation. Would she admit she was enjoying herself, even a little? Perhaps. But being with Haymitch did give her some comfort and assurance. "No," She shook her head when he asked about her mother. "She offered Prim but I think I had somewhere else to be." She gave him a small smirk.

That memory was a bit fuzzy to Katniss so she couldn't give it too much consideration. The two of them had moved a bit closer together, their gap pretty minimal now. Katniss had her other hand resting on his upper arm comfortably with she still had her other clasped with his own. Haymitch made a comment about her not needing to so afraid. "I'm not-I wasn't." She protested. "I guess it isn't so bad, dancing with you." She shrugged. "I'm not sure how useful this will be in a life or death situation, maybe I can distract a tribute with my terrible dancing." She joked a little and then pushed that wall of bullshit aside, as it was too easy to put up when she was getting nervous. And Haymitch definitely made her nervous. "Thanks." Katniss smiled to him and slipped her arm from his to around his shoulder, keeping them close. Sure, the night wasn't very cool but that didn't stop her from enjoying the warmth he had. If anyone had come in, she wouldn't have even noticed since she was too focused on studying Haymitch's face, specially those eyes of his.

No one would look like themselves, that was the point. They were all meant to get dressed up and pretend to be from the Capitol for appearance's sake. It was pointless but they had to play along. Everyone attending the Ball would be either drinking, dancing or do something else. Gale remembered Haymitch's warning and wondered what it meant. His expression when he mentioned it too, hadn't been that reassuring. Gale was certain the Capitol was dark and seedy but of course he had no idea that Victors and other possible Tributes were rented out like books to people who wanted them in certain settings and situations. if he heard the stories and secrets that Finnick had to tell, he would surely hate the notion of the Ball even more. It might be a means to let others take a closer look at what they could have for their own sick pleasures and whims. But since gale didn't know about any of that, he wasn't as worried as he ought to be.

Prim replied and said she'd be his date. He nudged her leg back the same way she had done to him playfully. He grinned and laid back down where he was beside Prim, the two of them just laying down casually. He looked back over at the wall opposite them where the hologram would be, if he had turned it on. "Sounds like a plan. m'lady." He laughed a little. It was refreshing to be able to laugh and joke with Prim. Sure, he did those things with Katniss but when he was with Prim, it just felt better. It wasn't easy to explain but the boy was certain he loved Prim, which was why he was so happy to be around her, talking about the most stupid things like dancing at the Ball, or about trying to save the lives of those they loved, who didn't deserve to be in danger. What the capitol was doing was wrong and it had to be stopped. With any luck at all, the plan would work and everyone would have a brighter future far away from the Capitol.

What that was, had of course yet to be decided but if he had Prim with him, his future would already be pretty bright. He then got up and grabbed the remote and laid back down with Prim as he began to fiddle with the settings. He settle upon a green field and a starry sky with a detailed picture of the many stars and different colored galaxies. It looked so unreal to Gale and he rolled over on his stomach so he could look at it better. The hologram's grass were blowing in the wind and it made Gale wonder about what life could be like without being pinned down by the ruthless Capitol. "I'd love to see that for myself, to not be tied down like a prisoner." He muttered and looked to Prim. Everything looked and felt so real and now, possible. "I can image us living somewhere like that." He knew District 12 was their home but he couldn't help but consider somewhere else, somewhere no one had yet been before.

Although he may not have had anywhere else to be, Haymitch also didn't want to be anywhere else. As ridiculous as it was to be out on a balcony in the Capitol, dancing with a girl who was much too young for him, to no music, the older man was enjoying himself quite a bit. He didn't actually want to admit that to Katniss, of course, his own ego susceptible to a quick bruising. There was also a certain level of risk involved and Haymitch was still nervous about crossing the lines they had laid down earlier in the week, even if he was starting to wonder if Katniss felt the same way as he did. The situation was a delicate one, and tenderness had never been something that Haymitch was very good at. At his age, it was too late to start practicing.

Their dancing had brought them much closer together, and Haymitch didn't mind the closeness even if the night was already warm. “Oh, you're too kind, sweetheart,” he chuckled at her admission. He didn't think dancing with her was so bad, either. “Do I really have to explain why this is useful?” he asked rhetorically. “People are going to see you tomorrow and if you're more approachable, more...normal, they'll want to sponsor you. There's no telling what you might need in the Games and a sponsor remembering something nice about you could be the difference between life and death.” Haymitch didn't really want to discuss the Games, or a strategy for it, but it was so woven into their lives that the topic was hard to escape.

As Katniss wrapped her arm around his neck, Haymitch instinctively pulled her closer, eliminating what little space had been previously keeping them apart. He had been denying the urge to kiss her for days, and Haymitch knew that he should pull away, leave for his own room and forget it, but that was difficult when Katniss was right there and looking at him so intently. Silencing the nagging thoughts in his head, Haymitch leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a surprisingly soft kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled away from her warm lips and stayed quiet, bracing himself for a punch and the guilt of a ruined friendship.

Even if Prim had never been in love before, or even had an official boyfriend, she knew that she loved Gale. It was different from how she felt about her sister, or her mother, or the few friends that she trusted; Gale was so much more. With what they were currently involved in and about to go into, Prim didn't think that she wanted to hear or say those three special words until everyone was absolutely safe. It seemed wrong to be so happy, to be in love, when much of the country was suffering and oppressed. The blonde needed that to change before she ever tried to make a life with Gale a reality.

After Gale turned the hologram on, Prim turned her head to look. The image was beautiful, almost realistic enough to fool her into thinking that she was somewhere else. She smiled faintly as Gale mentioned living somewhere like that one day. Prim had never thought of leaving District 12, it was the only home she had ever known but the scenery on the wall looked tempting and the blonde wondered if she and Gale could find their own slice of paradise just like that one day. So many futures were riding on Peeta's plan, and Prim was starting to understand just how desperate the situation was becoming. She wanted to help and Panem needed change.

“I can too,” she said, turning back to look at him. “I keep thinking of how things could be once we go home. I'm probably getting ahead of myself,” Prim laughed and shook her head before turning on her side to face Gale. She wasn't foolish enough to think that Peeta's plan would instantly free them from the Capitol's reach, Prim knew that everything was going to change and that it would be worse before it was ever better, but at least people would try—at least they could start thinking about a free world where the Games didn't exist and no one was starving.

In her mind, she didn’t think seeming weak or as he phrased it, approachable, would help with sponsors. In her mind, they wanted a good show and if she was a fearless competitor, then they’d have to sponsor her, regardless of a pretty dress and fancy footwork. But she didn’t want to tell Haymitch that because the subject was growing old and she would rather talk about anything else or nothing at all when it came to her time with Haymitch. For all she knew, this would be one of the last times they would get to spend together. You never know what the Games would do, it could split them up or any of them could die from some ambush or sneaky alliance formed by those terrible careers.

By now neither of them were doing any real dancing, both just standing like carefully constructed statues. She pressed her lips together, not sure why the silence suddenly felt so heavy. Katniss wasn’t used to such close physical contact and considering it was Haymitch, her brain was having enough difficulty keeping focused and not letting her imagination get the better of her. Only there, would she actually be able to say and do the things she thought about when she thought no one was paying attention to her. He was now staring right back at her and she wasn’t sure what to say anymore. The tone had changed from light to something else entirely and Katniss was wondering if she should just push him away before she did something stupid.

Instead Haymitch was the one who did something. He leaned down and pressed her lips to hers and then pulled away after what felt like not nearly long enough for her taste. Her face turned a light shade of pink and words failed her. At first, Katniss wondered if she had just imagined that because there was no way he would ever do that, surely? Staying perfectly still, she watched him, still wondering if that happened or if her imagination had suddenly gotten much better. As both of them kept quiet, she realized her heart was beating much faster than usual and it dawned on her that the kiss had to be real if it stunned her this much, since usually her mind didn’t just stop and wait for everything to catch up.

Oh. Oh! Her face turned even brighter and she wanted to smack herself, starting to finally understand that he kissed her. He actually kissed her! A million swear words were running through her head since she felt very stupid now. She kept both arms around his neck and decided she would need to double check, just to be sure. Katniss pulled him down to her while she moved to stand on her toes so they could share another kiss. Her fingers brushed against his hair as she closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them, she wouldn’t be back in bed or something. No, she was very certain about her feelings and she needed to make sure he was too. She kissed him with a bit more pressure and need before she stepped back on her feet, keeping her arms around his neck.

“Looks like...we found a better way to shut each other up.” She opened her eyes and smiled, trying to ignore her nerves. Katniss really hoped she didn’t look as starstruck as she felt because she did not want him holding it over her head. There were some thoughts rattling in her head though, regarding the sincerity of how he felt, because Katniss didn’t want to be some charity or fling because of the Hunger Games but for now, that didn’t matter. Katniss wanted to revel in the safety surrounding her, stay in his arms for as long as possible. Her experience with kissing was limited to people she didn't really share such a strong bond with but she was quite willing to let Haymitch take the lead there as he had done before.

"I've wanted to do that for...a while." She admitted anxiously.

A future with Prim was very possible and something he did look forward to if his mind did find itself trapped in a dark corner. A bright future was able to keep him sane and centered, able to banish those moments of weakness and depression. And with the Games approaching with each passing second, Gale needed to believe that the plan would work and that no matter what happened, they would get out together, alive. Though he knew Prim and Katniss loved their home, and it was home to him too, Gale wanted to see what else the world had to offer.

He wanted to see what the world looked like without it being tainted by the Capitol's hands.

Gale knew neither of them wanted to mention what might happen to things after the plan was executed. It was very possible something bad could happen to all of them. The plan may not work, they might get trapped in the arena or kidnapped. And their home? That might not be standing when everything was all said and done. But Gale still had to believe that Peeta knew what he was doing and made some sort of arrangements for people to be safe, just in case. He knew, deep down he was probably fooling himself but with the rumors going around about riots and unrest, Gale had a feeling a lot of bad things were to come and they couldn't be selfish at a time like this, with just their home being taken into consideration.

Prim turned over on his side to face her and he smiled. There was so much at stake but so much to gain. One of them being actual freedom. It was hard to keep thinking about things going on around them, when the big picture was so bright and blinding. He was glad Prim was with him, that he wasn't alone with some other tribute from their district. Having her with him made things so much better, better than she'd ever know. He moved a little to rest on his side too, so that he was fully facing her. "Once everything happens, we'll be able to see other districts and other places beyond that." He smiled, trying to stay positive.

Katniss and Peeta and Haymitch had the veil lifted from over their eyes. They saw and now they knew what kind of importance a big change could mean to the people of Panem. And he and Prim were also getting to understand that big picture where they might fit into it. Gale closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about when he'd tromp around the wilds and feel so free, without eyes watching him or without consequences of wandering around. Well, there were consequences and the act of that was to become an Avox. But that didn't matter. The past no longer mattered if the future was going to change soon.

"You know, I'm really glad it's you and me." He said and opened his eyes to look at Prim. He figured he could enlighten her on what he had been thinking about. "Not just because I...of how I feel about you." Gale didn't think his declaration of love would be interjected very well. He didn't want all of his new happy memories to be in the Capitol. When he told Prim he loved her, they would be free and he wouldn't have to worry about looking back and seeing her among the darkness. "I mean, this plan is counting on all of us and I know I can trust you and Peeta and well, I don't think I could handle your sister myself." He laughed a little. "We'll get out of here though, we won't have to look back." Gale said. Maybe they would need to return but at that point? It might be different.

Fierceness and sheer brutality would only take a tribute so far. The perfect example of that was Finnick Odair, the most sponsored tribute in the history of the Games simply because he had been so damn charming. The ball may have been a sham, a way for the richest Capitol citizens to get up close and personal to the play-things they would soon watch die, but being nice and going along with the charade was important too. Haymitch didn't know how else to stress that to Katniss, and this was the second year in a row that she failed to understand the concept of approachability, and why it was so important. With Peeta as mentor, Haymitch wouldn't be behind the scenes to handle any hiccups that could arise, he wouldn't be able to convince people to help her out of a bad situation and while Haymitch trusted the baker to a point, Peeta lacked that experience needed to extend a life.

Sometimes, Haymitch wished he would have taken his own advice, because what he had just done could have very well gotten him killed. He didn't want Katniss to think that this was a joke, or that he was just messing with her because he thought he could. As much as he didn't want these feelings for her to be real, they were and not taking a chance on them seemed like a waste of time when the Games were coming so quickly. Even though there was a plan, it wasn't fool proof and seven days was a long time to survive in an arena full of killers, but if it worked and if they made it out alive, Haymitch wanted a life with her. He wanted to be happy.

Time seemed to stand still in the moments after Haymitch had pulled away from Katniss's lips. At first, her expression was neutral, looking as if she was unsure of what happened, but her cheeks soon glowed a pinkish hue and he was soon being pulled down for another kiss. Now, it was his turn to not understand because this wasn't the reaction that he had first anticipated. Katniss was rough, and she had always looked so uncomfortable when she was kissing Peeta, but there was an unexpected desire and passion in her kiss, and Haymitch couldn't get enough.

They had already wasted so much time, and now Haymitch had something else to feel guilty about. Although, he smirked as Katniss spoke, having to agree that it was one to way to keep the other quiet. “How long is a while?” he asked, curious about her admission. With one hand, he reached up to cup her face, his thumb stroking softly along her cheekbone.

When Katniss had come back from her Victory Tour with Peeta, Prim had asked what everything had been like, how the other districts had looked, but Katniss hadn't mentioned anything beautiful. There was only poverty and struggle around Panem and it was hard to think about a world that had more to offer than murder disguised as entertainment and the violent oppression of citizens who already had so little. Of course, Gale was so positive that Prim started to think he could be right, and that after all was said and done, and they had emerged on the other side of the flames, the two of them could see the country together, and have a new life. Sometimes, she really didn't know how he managed to stay so optimistic when everything around them was falling apart.

She watched as Gale got comfortable and turned toward her once more. At first, she didn't understand his meaning, not sure why he was glad to be in the games with her and not just Katniss. If anything, Gale should have been happy to have the older girl by his side, as Katniss had proven herself to be endlessly useful time and time again. After all, the two of them were hunting parents, people who had worked together every season for almost ten years, and Gale should have felt comfortable handling Katniss.

Prim's face reflected her confusion as she laid next to Gale on the bed. “Since when are you afraid of my sister?” she asked, laughing softly because it just seemed so absurd. She shifted her position slightly and rested her head on her arm, but her free hand reached for his. “I get what you mean, though,” the blonde went on, nodding as she laced their fingers together, “about me and you being here. I think we make a good team.” They had done well together the year before and Prim always felt a little more confident with herself when Gale was around. He was good for her, a positive presence in her life and in her heart.

Though the message was still slow to make its way to her head, she had at least accepted she was popular among the citizens of the Capitol. She also had to remember that she and Peeta's image had been pretty well received. And from what she had been told, people loved the affection she had for Primrose and Run last year. She figured she could tone it down a little bit but she just didn't like being weak or vulnerable. If she had to though, in order to get more sponsors, she would try and actually listen to Haymitch and Peeta this time. It wouldn't be easy but she would try because she was finding more and more reasons to make sure everyone around her was safe and that meant getting sponsors and possibly giving into the idea of allies, which she was still wary of.

Hell must be pretty frozen over by now. Pigs were surely flying. And Katniss really couldn't care less because she was enjoying the moment too much to want to worry about the Games or anything else. In the back of her head, she was laughing and saying 'finally' though she couldn't help but wonder if she should have done something sooner herself. That was of little help to the situation so she brushed that notion away and licked her lips. This situation was definitely better than Peeta, mostly due to the fact she had real feelings for Haymitch and wasn't being bossed around. Haymitch asked how long 'a while' was and Katniss laughed slightly, not sure if she could pinpoint when everything sort of clicked. Well, she could but she knew her feelings had been growing before then.

So it wasn't easy giving him an exact time and date that she realized some of her issues with him had been in regards to how she was beginning to feel about him. He put a hand to the side of her face. "Not easy to pinpoint." She smiled, feeling his thumb brushing against her skin softly. Finally there was an actual sliver lining to being pulled back into the Games. Her sister and best friend were in danger and so was her mentor/someone she loved. And she wanted to save all of them but this moment finally gave back some of the pain it had been draining from her since the details of the Quarter Quell had been announced. She was actually help and actually felt loved in a way she couldn't get from Gale or Prim or her mother and it felt really really good.

And maybe this act of genuine affection would allow Katniss to embody a more approachable sort of figure while giving hope to all the people of Panem while still striking fear into those like President Snow. Slowly, Katniss removed her arms from around Haymitch and used her now free hand to rest atop his. "Let's go back inside." She said and laced her fingers with his as she stepped back and pulled him back into the room with her. "And if you think I'm letting you go back to your room, that's seriously not happening." Katniss joked, though she was serious in the sense that she wanted his company tonight, well preferably every night. but this one especially for obvious reasons. She got into bed and waited for Haymitch to join her, when he did, she quickly curled up against him, no longer needing to be cautious or uncertain. She slipped an arm around him, feeling pretty pleased with herself. "So now I guess I have to dance with someone tomorrow night. Thanks." She laughed sarcastically.

He had meant if he had to keep Katniss in the dark, it would be hard to do on his own. It was a bit selfish to think that way but Gale, like Prim, didn't like to keep such things from Katniss who did deserve to know what was going on. If Prim hadn't been selected, he would be struggling more. He'd probably also be thinking and worrying about Prim back home with his family. He'd surely be trying to relate to the other female Tribute while trying to figure out how to keep Prim and Haymitch in check by himself. And trusting someone new would be an issue as well. He wasn't happy Prim was dragged into the mess but he was glad to have her with him because he knew he could count on her to protect people and to now save people.

"Heh well I'd be afraid of her if you weren't here to help keep the plan in check." He pointed out to Prim. It was a hard thing to keep to himself and he was happy that Prim was around. He was happy he volunteered. He wouldn't regret it, he couldn't regret it. He couldn't go down that path, not now. It would make matters so much worse if he did. Gale smiled at Prim as she laced their fingers together. "We do." He was assured already that he and Katniss were a good team too. He figured he may need to see what he could do with Haymitch so that if they had to fight together, they would be good. He had seen her make strides with her own self improvement and Gale was hopeful that the Games wouldn't damage her too much, so she could continue to grow.

The nightmares that Katniss and Haymitch suffered from were horrible. Katniss barely talked about them to anyone but he knew that they were surely a dark representation of all the things and people that had tried to take her down. Gale knew even Peeta had those bad dreams and he was sure that he and Prim would come of the Games with their own share of demons and mental scars. He just hoped he could be there for her and that she'd be there for him and that whatever happened, they could overcome and keep living, rather than getting stuck in the past. "We should get some sleep." He said softly, pulling his hand away from hers as he sat up on the bed.

The next day would be a lazy one but he wanted to get up and do some weight lifting and reading. The majority of the day would be spent getting ready for the Ball he feared. He didn't like dressing up, like Katniss. He was hopeful that Portia would go a little easy on him. And what could help get him through it all was the progress that could be made. And he'd get to see Prim and Katniss get dressed up again. He got into bed and pulled the sheets up and when Prim followed suit, he tucked them both in. This nightly routine was becoming favorable to sleeping alone. He was already getting used to it and hoped there would be more nights like this with Prim before the Hunger Games. "Good night." He sighed and kissed her softly on the lips. He was already used to doing that so he hoped he was careful at the Ball. But he'd rather worry about that than dodging arrows and knives in the arena.

Love was always difficult to pinpoint. It was slow-growing, a period that either happened naturally over time, and Haymitch had to agree with Katniss's statement. He himself wasn't exactly sure of when he had fallen for her, and he was sure that he had felt it before he realized those feelings of fondness were something more than platonic. When it was all said and done, the older man was just happy that the scales had tipped in his favor, and that Katniss shared his feelings. Things could have gone horribly wrong for him, but Haymitch was currently very content to have his cake and eat it too. There was hope for them, for everyone and even if Katniss didn't—couldn't—know about the plan yet, Haymitch knew that they would make it out of the arena and that no harm would come to the Girl On Fire for as long as he was around.

The transition from friends to something more had been shockingly easy, and Haymitch hardly thought anything of it when Katniss climbed into his bed. She had spent a few nights with him already and the blond man had grown accustomed to having her so close to him. They had been much more affectionate since the Reaping, and although that was something that Haymitch had picked up on in himself, he should have taken it as a sign from Katniss as well. It was hard to think that he had doubted her feelings, or been afraid that his own would have been rejected.

“You don't have to, but it's probably a good idea,” he said, his arms now securely around her thin frame after getting comfortable. Haymitch wanted to dance with Katniss at the ball, and not just because it was going to help her appeal to sponsors, but because he wanted to be close to her. There weren't going to be many happy moments between now and the start of the Games, and they had already wasted enough time ignoring their feelings for one another—there were lost moments to be accounted for, and Haymitch intended to soak up what he could. Starting now, hoarding moments included falling asleep with Katniss and no longer caring what Avox saw in the morning.

Once Gale explained, Prim understood his qualms and she was happy to know that her being there helped to ease his worries. While she had no previous experience in lying to her sister, Prim had kept a few things a secret over the course of their relationship, and it had definitely been difficult not to spill her guts the first chance she got. The plan was bigger than her crush on Gale, or skipping out of school early one afternoon just because it was a beautiful day and being cooped up inside would have been some kind of crime. The blonde wanted the plan to go as smoothly as it possibly could, and Prim knew that she could keep her mouth shut when so much would depend on Katniss not knowing anything. Peeta was right, Snow and the other officials would be suspicious of the dark-haired girl; Prim and Gale were the next best bet.

“You don't have to do it on your own,” Prim assured him with a soft smile. Being there for Gale was important, and Prim knew that he was doing the same thing for her. As the hour got later, Prim didn't object to spending another night in Gale's room, even if it was risky now that Katniss knew about the two of them. The lithe blonde climbed under the covers beside Gale without a second thought and went through the routine of getting situated in his arms before returning his kiss. “Goodnight,” she replied and closed her eyes for another night of easy, undisturbed sleep.

The next day was an easy one, lazy and long with frequent naps and many periods of lying around on couches with books or aimlessly flipping through the many channels on the Capitol-provided televisions. There was endless coverage of the upcoming Games, highlight reels of past winners, gossip about new and old Victors, and of course, speculation about the Ball. It truly was a big deal among the citizens and everyone who was anyone would be there to bask in the glow of the tributes, and rub elbows with the elite of the Capitol. President Snow would be there as well, keeping an eye on Katniss and anyone that she was close with, which meant there much at stake, and a lot to lose if the night didn't go smoothly. Haymitch couldn't say that he was worried about it, and had no problem acting normally. Although, that might have had something to do with not knowing the extent of Peeta's plan. He didn't know it yet, but it was best that he too was kept in the dark.

The sun was just beginning to set when the stylists showed up, armed with cases of make up and racks of clothing, all of their brightly colored faces were smiling, clearly eager to get started. Haymitch had never enjoyed the process of getting made up or made over for anything, but he did his best not to complain too much. The stylists went about trimming his hair, scrubbing his face, making him look more alive and well and they even managed to file a few of his nails before the former Victor finally protested. He wasn't a girl, and no one was going to be looking that closely at the men anyway—not him, at least. Finnick and Gale were bound to get more attention, along with the new Careers who were like fresh meat to hungry lions at these parties. Haymitch only hoped that his fellow tributes from 12 would take his warning from the night before to heart.

When the stylists had finally finished working their magic, Haymitch was dressed and ready to go. He was surprised to see that his outfit was rather understated this time around, and the black-on-black was a welcomed change to the suit he had worn to the last ball. The thing had been so flashy and cheap, covered in coal dust and a few rhinestones that were supposed to simulate diamonds. “This is good,” he said with an approving smile to the prep team. The fitted jacket looked nice on him, and the shiny cufflinks were a nice touch that brightened up everything else and Haymitch was actually happy with the design as he walked out into the common area of the suite. The girls weren't ready yet, which was typical, but Gale and Peeta both were and they looked nice as well.

“Should we go?” he asked, looking to Peeta, only to hear the rushed clicking of high heels coming around the corner. Effie entered the room, awash in lilac and looking more grand than ever. For once, even Haymitch thought she looked okay. He was ready to see Katniss, though, and had made a point to tell her that in bed that morning, long before the stylists had shown up. Whatever Cinna had in store for her was sure to be beautiful. “Well?” he asked, feeling that they needed to get downstairs.

“Yes, yes!” Effie answered, having heard his question before arriving in the room. “Go! Ladies are always fashionably late!”

The escort shooed the men off toward the elevator, and Haymitch was a bit annoyed that he wouldn't get to see Katniss before everyone would be looking at her. He held back any kind of disappointment and made conversation with Peeta and Gale on the way down. There was a Capitol official waiting for them, ready to take them off to the location of the ball.

Upstairs, Portia had just put the finishing touches on Prim's outfit, something that she wasn't allowed to see until the very end. Much like Haymitch, Prim didn't put up a fuss to most of the things that prep team did to her, but her one request was that her hair be left down. She remembered that Gale liked it that way, and Prim wanted him to think that she was beautiful. According to the stylists, that hadn't been in the plan but a compromise was made and a simple style was agreed upon by all of them. Toward the end of the process, Prim was anxious to see herself in the mirror and was curious to see how such tall shoes would work with such a long dress. How was she supposed to walk?

“Are you ready?” Portia asked, smiling as Prim was helped to her feet. She was quite a bit taller than before, and hoped that she wouldn't trip and fall on her face at some point during the night. The blonde nodded at the question though and stood in front of the full-length mirror before the surface was revealed.

What was reflected back at her wasn't what Prim expected. The night before she told Gale that whatever the stylists did her, she wouldn't look like herself, but she had been wrong. Prim furrowed her brow at her own reflection, hardly able to believe that the girl in the mirror was her. She looked different than she had during the parade, less cartoonish and more sophisticated; it was hard to believe that Portia and her team had taken the scrawny, almost plain-looking girl from the poorest District and turned her into something worth looking at.

“Well?” Portia prompted, still grinning.

“Wow,” as all Prim could say. Her blue eyes were still admiring the gold dress and the pretty accessories, but she soon turned to Portia and gave her a hug. “Thank you. I...” She was speechless, “just thank you.”

The heels were difficult to walk in, but Prim was getting the hang of it as she exited her room and went out to the common area where Effie was waiting. Katniss must not have been ready yet. Effie's reaction to her appearance was a high-pitched squeal and Prim couldn't help but laugh and hug the woman back as she was hugged and complimented. It was all very surreal.

Soon, Katniss had come out to join them and Prim's jaw dropped. “You look amazing,” she said, having never seen her sister so cleaned up and polished before. “You're gorgeous,” she gave Katniss a hug before the three women stepped into the elevator.

Thanks to the company of Haymitch and the astonishing progress of their own relationship, Katniss slept better than usual. But by this point, she knew his presence was rather beneficial. And now armed with the knowledge that he shared the same feelings for her, she felt even more happy than usual that night. Katniss rested her head in the crook of his shoulder and fell asleep quickly and soundly. Without needing to worry about a line to tip toe around, she could relax much easier around Haymitch without thinking she was getting too close or intruding somehow. Katniss wasn't the only one getting to curl up with someone they loved. Gale knew he and Prim could come out of this much stronger for themselves, each other and those around them. Once Prim was settled, he closed his eyes and turned off the lights in the room so they could get a full night's rest, even though come dawn, nothing would really be asked of any of them. And with any luck, he and Prim would get to spend time together without Katniss prowling around like a territorial shark.

When morning arrived, said dark haired girl was not so eager to actually get up and be a productive member of society. Firstly, the society she was in was pretty terrible but secondly, she was too comfortable being wrapped in Haymitch's cozy arms. She felt spoiled and privileged that she got a chance to see him sleepy. It was a bit like when he got drunk but much cuter and more fun to tease. And now that he didn't drink anymore, she was amused to get to see a rare side of the usual stoic mentor. Before either got out of bed, Haymitch did mention that he was looking forward to seeing her tonight which caused her to grin and call him a pervert before she headed off to get dressed. Meanwhile, Gale and prim had a similar lazy start to the day. The more he woke up to the beautiful blond, the more accustomed he became to spending nights with her which would be problematic but he didn't really care.

Gale pressed his lips to her forehead and soon the pair separated to get ready. Gale spent the morning lifting weights and then took a shower. In the afternoon he settled in the living room with some books while the others roamed around, napping, chatting and sometimes looking to the tv which they had kept on most of the day in the living room which was covering several topics while leading up to the coverage of the Ball. Gale kept glancing at Prim, trying to picture what she might be wearing. He thought of something teal or perhaps grey or maybe even pink but he knew whatever it was, he would love it, just as he loved her. The group had a late lunch together which was laid back, a continuing theme throughout the day. He and Katniss spoke now and then but it seemed everyone was just content to laze about without bringing up the stress of the Games or drama or the Ball itself. When the stylists and their crew arrived, Gale and Haymitch were quarantined off to another part of the floor so Gale just gave them wave before he was dragged away.

Fancy attire wasn't something he bothered with. Even if he had the chance to dress better like Peeta, he still wouldn't. There was no point or use to it but for tonight, he did want to look good for Prim and represent their district. He was quickly dolled up like Haymitch and the end result was a handsome looking young man. He had on a deep blue suit and a sea-foam colored tie. His undershirt was a simple white and he on black polished shoes which matched his belt. His look was modern and polished. His hair was trimmed slightly but not slicked back because it was decided it made him look like some cheesy con-man. Gale buttoned one button on his blazer and looked to Haymitch who had just finished getting ready. Peeta was done too and had on something less fancy than either of them but it was likely due to his role of mentor wasn't meant to draw attention to himself. This night wasn't about him and Peeta was hopeful that he'd be able to get done what needed to be done.

"Yes, I have a feeling this could take a while." He smiled at Haymitch. Effie showed up looking extravagant as ever, which didn't surprise Gale all at but being a gentleman, he complimented her anyway, even if she looked a bit like a flower and less of an actual person. He didn't see why she needed or even liked to hide herself behind piles of make-up and clothing. Effie was a good person and should have more pride in her own beauty but tonight wasn't about of that so he just said something simple and the trio of men were off to the Ball. Gale was getting anxious, wondering what Prim looked like. The three made light chat about the food they might serve and what the girls might look like. When they got to the lobby, someone was there to take them away and Gale pocketed a hand, hoping that the night would go smoothly. When they arrived, they were taken to a large room. There was an area for outside dancing and dining.

The room was decorated with reds, golds and silvers. There was plenty of space for doing anything and there was already a crowd of people dancing or off to the side eating. There were people outside under a large tapestry which was held up by large black and gold marble pillars. Everything oozed lavishness and Gale was feeling pretty out of place. He noticed Johanna in a leather dress, it had a short cut and she seemed to be chatting with someone. When he looked to his right, Peeta was no longer there and he assumed he was already off to check on the others. Gale then looked to his left and saw Haymitch still lingering near the entrance, the pair clearly not wanting to go too far without their unspoken dates. Gale wasn't sure what Katniss and Haymitch were up to but he had noticed them more casual around each other during the morning and afternoon. It was curious but he was just glad they weren't fighting. He had no clue that their fighting could be something like pent up sexual frustration or something.

Back in the suite, Cinna took Katniss aside since Portia could handle Prim. Cinna had help get Haymitch ready as he oversaw the selected attire. He was sure that he and Katniss would great together. Katniss was seated as he began to work on her hair first. "So any news with you and Haymitch?" Cinna asked as they got started. Katniss blushed and kept her lips pressed together. "I'll assume something did happen, well I'm happy for you both...you've both been through so much and if you two are happy, then I approve." He laughed as he finished with her hair which was up and had a wavy strand hanging down. Her brown hair had been curled and tucked carefully up in several small buns and a black mockingjay pin was settled off to the side of her updo, opposite of the dangling bang. She had on minimal make-up since she insisted she wanted to stay recognizable. Once that she happy with her silver smokey eyes and black mascara, he slipped her into her dress. Katniss was happy to not deal with eye liner as it just reminded her of Johanna.

The stylist stepped back and began to slip on her shoes while she looked at herself in the half mirror. Cinna saw she was speechless which he took as a good thing from her. Speechless Katniss was far different than one holding her tongue. He was done and finished the look with a black pearl and silver bracelet on each of her wrists. He took her hand and helped her to her feet and spun her around slowly so he could admire her as well as his hard work. "I don't know what to say." Katniss laughed a little. She felt different but she still felt like herself, even if she was showing more skin than she was prepared for. It was still tasteful and classy while having a mature sort of sex appeal. Her dress was black with a slit off centered which went from her lower thigh to the floor. Thanks to that, you could see her silver shoes which wrapped around her lower calves, showing off her slim form and curves. Her dress had small details of silver flourish and the one strap helped keep the attention on her as a whole, rather than just bits of her while also giving her an interesting back design. He ushered her out of the room and Katniss looked up to see her sister dressed up.

"Not really, not like you." Katniss smiled sheepishly and nervously wrapped a finger around her strand of hair. "You look fantastic...all grown up." Katniss gushed.

"Hey, no crying, or I'll have to redo the make-up." Cinna warned and Katniss let out a mix of a laugh and cry. She hurried over to Prim and hugged her gently, not wanting to ruin anything.

"You look wonderful the dress is perfect for you. Gale is going to...well...he might faint." Katniss joked and looked at Prim up and down, starting to realize her sister may be younger but she was still a woman and a beautiful one at that. "Come on, the boys are waiting and we don't want anyone getting to them before us." She said and grabbed Prim's hand as the ladies headed down to the Ball via the glass elevator. Katniss found herself getting nervous and almost wondered if she should just duck out and pretend to be sick but that wasn't possible when an official was there to escort them across the building to where the party was being held. Having let go of Prim's hand by now, Katniss decided to let Prim go off and enjoy her time with Gale, so she could enjoy some time with Haymitch. When they arrived, many of the guests turned to see the girls as they were one of the stragglers. Katniss didn't really enjoy the eyes on her but she knew she had to play along. She spotted President Snow off at the large stage and podium which was made of polished black and gold marble. He eyed her and Prim before he resumed chatting with those with him. Her expression darkened but before she could do anything, the boys approached them.

"Wow." Gale said. "You two look amazing, beyond amazing." Gale said and unpocketed his hand and glanced to Katniss. She looked so grown up but then again, so did Prim. He looked at her up and down a few times, trying to take it all in. Her hair looked great, her make-up was good, her dress was lovely, Gale was pretty damn happy at the moment and didn't waste any time grabbing her hand and heading off to the side where they could get something to eat and converse without so many onlookers. "You know this wouldn't look nearly as good on anyone else." He grinned at Prim as he still held her hand in his. The Ball may be stupid but he was thankful he was there. As far as he was concerned, she lit up the entire room when she walked in and he was glad he got to be her date. "Thankfully tonight we get to have some fun." He said, sure that not many people would think twice about him and Primrose dancing and getting close. They were in the same district and people probably didn't mind them sticking together. Either way, he wasn't letting her out of his sight because he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Watching Prim and Gale head off, Katniss realized she had been too nervous to even say he looked too, which he did. Snow was around and Katniss knew he was making a statement when their eyes met. She would make him pay for just looking at Prim, let alone involving her in a fight that wasn't hers. But when she turned her attention to Haymitch, that anxiety evaporated. He looked pretty damn handsome and she had a feeling Cinna was part of that ploy. "You clean up pretty nicely." Katniss smiled slightly as she tried not to fidget too much. The only upside to any of this was that she got to see Haymitch and get close without anyone thinking much of it. And that's all she really wanted. The dark and grey suited him well and actually managed to show off his form, unlike his usual suits. She leaned over so she could say more discreetly, now that she was feeling a bit more bold, "Not sure how I'm going to dance with you and keep my hands where they should be." She grinned a bit.

Even though she hadn't been all that excited for the ball, seeing everyone dressed up and looking their best made it hard for Prim not to be the least bit giddy about the event. She had never been to something so formal or fancy before, and even though there would be a lot going on with Peeta's plan, Prim still wanted to have a good time. This was one of the few remaining moments that the tributes had before they had to start thinking about the Games again, and Prim wanted to enjoy her night with Gale and forget where they were for a while. The blonde girl wanted to dance and look at all of the dresses, and maybe experience a few new things that the Capitol had to offer. Prim knew that the enemy had anything but her best interests at heart, but she also knew that the Capitol couldn't do anything to anyone outside of the arena. They would all be safe, and everything would be okay.

As the three women took the elevator down to the lobby, Prim continued to hold Katniss's hand. She couldn't believe that her sister looked so grown up and so different. It was rare that Prim ever saw Katniss in a dress, let alone one as dramatic as the one she was wearing, but Prim was sure that all eyes would be on Katniss for all the right reasons this time.

Once they left the elevator, there was an official from the Capitol who took them over to where the ball was being held. The space was lavish, decorated with the finest of everything, and draped in rich colors of red, gold and silver. It was gorgeous, and there were already people there having a good time. Many Capitol citizens, assumed VIP guests, were dancing and most of the other tributes had already come down. Although they were all supposed to fight one another to the death in a week, Prim thought everyone looked amazing. Had she been paying more attention, she would have noticed the way President Snow was looking at her, or how angry Katniss had gotten about it. However, she did notice Johanna was already there in a leather dress and Prim wondered when the scene would come.

Johanna was suddenly less important as Prim and Katniss met up with Gale and Haymitch. They both looked fantastic, but Gale was much more appealing and Prim couldn't keep her eyes off of him. He looked better than he had at the parade, much more relaxed and the blue suit seemed to fit her personality better than the shiny one he had worn at the beginning of the week. Before she had much of a chance to say anything, Gale was already leading her away, and Prim followed, getting used to the height of her shoes. “I don't know about that,” she said, blushing slightly as she smoothed her hands over her gold dress. Prim still thought she had no shape and part of her wondered what exactly Gale liked about her.

“You look amazing, though,” she smiled and gave his sea-foam tie a playful tug. Prim didn't think it was a big deal for her to be around Gale that night, and most tributes from the same district were expected to stick together. Then again, Prim was beginning not to care what other people though of her, or her relationship with Gale. “Dance with me?” she asked, looking up at him hopefully.

The first ball that Haymitch had been forced to attend hadn't been anything like this one. He was glad to see the change to something more sophisticated, but he supposed the times had to change with the trends. Haymitch was just glad to see a lack of tacky decorations and annoyingly loud music. At this level, he could actually hear what Katniss was saying, although he was a bit distracted by her dress. He had never seen her look so good before. While he had always acknowledged that she was a pretty girl, the dress she had on made her so much more than that, and Haymitch was suddenly very glad that he had taken the chance and kissed her the night before.

“I like to think so,” Haymitch smirked now that Prim and Gale had gone off together. He was happy to have some time alone with Katniss, even if they couldn't act like a couple—or whatever they currently were. President Snow was going to be keeping an eye on the both of them, and Haymitch didn't want to give the old man too many reasons to see them as a threat. Regardless, Haymitch wanted to focus all of his attention on Katniss, which wouldn't be hard since she was the most stunning girl in the room. “But you look beautiful,” he said, his usually hardened exterior softening slightly. She really was stunning.

Of course, as dolled up as she was, Katniss was still herself and Haymitch was glad to see that a fancy dress and some curls couldn't change her. When she leaned over and spoke to him, Haymitch chuckled, surprised by her boldness. “That's my line,” he said and gave a quick look around before stealing a quick kiss from her lips. It was risky, but so was her dress and Haymitch really couldn't say that he cared much anymore. There was a plan in place and they were going to be danger regardless of what happened that night.

Despite all of the festivities, Haymitch still didn't see the ball as necessary or fun. He hoped that he wouldn't have to stand around for too long before he could slip out and go back upstairs for the night. With any luck, Katniss would be just as bored as he was and want to come with him. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked, attempting to be respectful, his hand found its way to the small of Katniss's back.

Again, he couldn't figure out why Prim was doubting herself. She looked amazing and she was amazing. Period. "Thanks." He smiled to her. He wasn't really comfortable in the tie but at least Prim liked it. He smoothed out the tie and smirked at the smaller woman in front of him. Her heels made her about his height which gave him a nice view of her eyes. When she mentioned dancing, he perked up. He could dance, unlike someone he knew, He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, having brought it to his lips like a proper gentleman would. "I would be quite honored, Primrose Everdeen." He smiled and then lead them out to where there were others dancing. Gale spotted some people he knew from training but there were also those who didn't look very familiar or that trustworthy. He quickly looked back to Prim, no longer worrying about anyone else around them. Right now he had Prim and that was what mattered to him.

Haymitch's lack of modesty amused her. Of course she liked that about him. When he said she looked beautiful she believed him, his words causing her to smile and relax easier. She didn't feel like herself but she knew Cinna had put work into her outfit and had insured that she didn't feel like she was standing in somebody else's skin. No, she didn't feel that way, but she just felt like she was looking at everything from an outside perspective. But with Haymitch around, Katniss would be able to actually deal with the moments happening around them and not feel like she was losing herself. Giving him a sly smirk when he said that was his line, she found his lips soon on hers for a brief moment. "I'm sorry, should I take it back?" She cocked her head to the side, pretending to be feel sorry.

Gale slipped his hand with Prim's, holding hers up gently while his right hand was placed on her waist. It felt a bit stiff and impersonal but he figured as they danced, that could change. You never know. He began to lead her according to the music which was slow but not in any sort of somber mood. He made sure to be mindful of her dress and heels. The boy smiled at her, she was glowing. Her eyes and smile and cheeks; everything about her was just perfect to him. He stepped back and removed his hand from her hips while he spun her around with their hands. He then pulled her back to him, this time their bodies much closer, his hand returning to her waist, keeping a more comfortable grip on her. "This is weird...us dancing with everyone in the Capitol." He still couldn't get over the oddity of it. As he said before though, "All we can do is try and enjoy the little things." He said, which somehow included a Ball before the Games.

As they stood around and surveyed everyone, Katniss could see Johanna lurking around. There was something off about her but Katniss couldn't figure out what. "A drink?" Katniss glanced to Haymitch, surprised by his offer. His hand had moved to her lower back and she glanced to him. She didn't mind and moved a little closer to him. "Sure, why not?" Maybe there would be something she could enjoy. Katniss headed off with Haymitch to see what they had to offer. Alcoholic or not, she wanted to try and mingle for a little bit. Of course if Haymitch wanted to duck out at some point, she'd follow his lead. The Ball was fancy but nothing about it caught her eye, with the exception of the man by her side. He found a suitable drink for himself and she picked out something light pink and bubbly. She sniffed it but couldn't figure out its contents. Oh well. "Cheers." She said and rose her glass before she took a drink.

It reminded her of strawberries and blackberries. She brushed the bit of hair out of her eyes and glanced to Haymitch. She was pretty sure she wouldn't want to have too much of whatever it was. Something told her that it was those kind of drinks that made people do very stupid things. She turned and saw Gale and Prim together and she grinned, feeling a warmth settling inside in her chest. She was sure it was from the drink in her hand but also because she got to see her sister grow up and handle the situation so well. Katniss was proud, albeit a bit anxious. :"I can't believe they'd go to all this trouble for one night." She muttered and shook her head. That only made her think about the effort they made for the Games and she didn't want to think about that. Katniss leaned over and brushed her hand against his arm before she hooked her arm with his, not sure why it would draw attention to them. "Let's walk around, maybe check outside?" She suggested as she took another sip from her flute.

One of the downsides about dancing in the center of everything was that Gale didn't think they could get as close as he had like. Could he kiss her? Probably not at the moment. The Ball was meant to celebrate everyone coming together, or something but Gale just wanted to be with Prim so he was happy. He got to hold her and look at her and admire her beauty. It wasn't his fault if he wanted to pull her into a kiss but in front of everyone? That was different and complicated. He saw out of the corner of his eyes Effie commenting on Johanna's attire before the woman in leather moved off. Gale figured they might have mentioned something about the plan. He licked his lips and leaned in, "I think Johanna is about to start something." He said and twirled her around slowly so she could take a look. He hadn't need Peeta but that may have been a good thing. Peeta probably knew where Plutarch was. A wave of relief washed over him as he pulled Prim close to him as the song ended, both his hands now settled on her hips. "Let's get out of the way." He said softly and guided her off to one of the many areas where the food and drinks were before he handed her a small glass plate, snagging one for himself.

The dance floor was slightly crowded, but Prim didn't really mind when she was there with Gale. It was as though the two of them were in their own world, separate from the Capitol and its tricks, and set apart from the lavish festivities of the ball. Katniss's sentiment earlier in the week had been correct—Prim did look at Gale as if he was the only person in the room. Her blue eyes had taken on a softer look as his hand found hers and her waist, while her own hand settled easily onto Gale's broad shoulder, the moment was perfect, even if the circumstances were still questionable. “It doesn't feel weird to me,” she said, shaking her head slightly. The concept was, but Prim was happy to be dancing with the man she loved, even if they were there by the Capitol's design.

The two swayed easily to the delicate music, and Prim actually giggled as Gale spun her. She hadn't been expecting that move, and she had to resist the urge to kiss him once they were dancing face to face one more. It wasn't a good idea to reveal their relationship at the ball, or at any time if she were to be perfectly honest. The tributes who were there with them all wanted to go home just as badly as the next person, and love was an easy thing to use against someone else in the arena. Above all else, even if Peeta's plan failed, Prim wanted Gale to be safe—she wanted him to go home and live a happy and full life. Unconsciously, she pressed herself a bit closer to him as they danced.

On the other side of the hall, Haymitch was also surveying the party-goers. He could see Johanna and he noticed that she seemed to be acting a little different, but the older man attributed that to the copious amounts of alcohol that were being passed around by the Avoxes who were serving as waitresses and waiters that evening. After Katniss agreed to get a drink with him, Haymitch took his focus off of Johanna and returned it to Katniss. With her by his side, it was easier for him to stay sober that night and it wouldn't have made any sense for him to start drinking again when the Games were so close and he had made such astounding progress. This was only one night, and Haymitch didn't want to ruin it by turning into the drunken mess he once was.

Once Katniss had gotten her drink, and Haymitch got a sparkling water, he clinked his glass against hers. “Cheers,” he smirked and took a drink. As they stood there, he followed her eyes over to Prim and Gale, who seemed to be having a great time together. Haymitch was still proud of himself for being the first to discover that they were a match for one another. “Why can't you believe it?” he asked, chuckling as he took another drink. “They're always this way. It's to show everyone else how much better they are than the districts.” He took another look around and found that President Snow was still distracted with his company, not paying specific attention to anyone else.

Again, his concentration was broken by Katniss, something he didn't mind very much. Going outside and getting away from the calamity of the ball was infinitely more appealing than standing around at the bar and being tempted with liquor. He lead the way outside to a quiet spot in the garden full of different colored flowers and all kinds of plants. It was another beautiful night, pleasantly warm with the moon overhead and surrounded by stars. “We're going to have to go back in at some point,” he mentioned, although he wasn't in any hurry and settled for putting his arm around her shoulders.

Back inside, the song was starting to come to an end, but Gale had altered Prim to something going on with Johanna. As he spun her around, Prim saw that Johanna was moving and she assumed the same thing that Gale had—this was the start of Peeta's plan and she too wanted to be out of the way. It was best that no one suspect them of anything, especially not Snow. “Good idea,” Prim smiled, wanting to end their dance with a kiss, but she resisted. There would be plenty of time for that after the ball.

After leaving the dance floor, Prim followed Gale over to an area where food and drinks were being served. Prim wasn't all that hungry, but she took a few of the offered foods and one of the fluted drinks that were being passed around. The liquid inside was a pale pink and very fizzy, it tickled her nose when she took a drink, and the flavor of it was sharp and sweet at the same time. The blonde girl had never had a drop of alcohol before, and one drink was sure to be enough for her. The ball was the perfect place to try new things, but Prim had no desire to go overboard. “This isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be,” she said as she lead Gale over to one of the tables. “Are you having fun?” She wanted Gale to enjoy himself, even if he didn't want to be there.