A/N: This just gave me a really nice feeling to write. It was so much lighter than most of what I write, so I liked the change, and for once the dialogue isn't too bad. Does anyone know how to spell dialogue? Because I'm having severe difficulty with it right now! Please tell me! Just so you know: usually I can spell quite well. Today just isn't my day.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.

14. Happiness

It's a Thursday and you're standing at attention and wondering what the Commander's going to tell you, why exactly he's got everyone lined up right now, and he announces the news and all of the other soldiers plus you break into smiles. Big, skull-splitting grins that no one can seem to erase, even when you walk past all those white bags holding the poor souls who didn't make it this far.

Then you get to board that train and say good-bye to everyone else as they get off before you do, until it's just you and a boy facing away.

"You're from 5, too?" you ask, wondering if you know him.

"Yeah," he says, turning. "Aren't you Lithua Capalli? Your parents run the laundry business, right?"

"Uh-huh," you say with a smile. "How about you? I don't think I've seen you before."

"Well, you wouldn't," he says. "I didn't really do too much. Just tried to stay alive."

"What about your family?"

"Gone." You try to say sorry but he waves it away. "My parents died when I was six, in that big explosion that took out half the town." You know he sees the flash of recognition in your eyes. "My little sister went off to the Games a few years back. Her name was Kikai."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm just wondering what I'll do now."

"You don't have a place to stay, I guess."

"Nope, but that's nothing new. I haven't had a home for maybe eight years. The problem is that people will notice now." He makes a face as he says this, like he wishes he could go starve in peace.

You hesitate before offering, because you don't even know his name, but this is the right thing to do. "You could stay with my family. We've got room."

"It's okay, you don't have to do that. I'll get by."

"But I wouldn't feel right, knowing that—"

"Trust me. I like it better this way." The train screeches to a stop and you both stand and disembark, and nobody's at the depot. You can hear them, though, going about life as usual. They probably haven't heard the news yet.

"You're sure?" It's not easy to let him go, knowing he's got nothing.

"Absolutely." He turns, you turn, and you're almost out of sight – you've almost forgotten about him – when he calls you back. "Hey, Lithua!"

"Yeah?"

"Will I see you around?"

"Probably." He keeps walking and this time it's you who yells after him. "What's your name?"

He looks back. "Till." For a moment, you stand there, far apart yet so close, and then he raises his hand in a mock salute. "I'll be off, Soldier Capalli." And he's gone.

"Lithua! Lithua!" You look around and see your little brother, running up the road, his face dirty but stretching into a wide smile. Behind him are your parents, running as well. And no one could miss the happiness that pervades their eyes.