Intricate Strokes, Delicate Precision


Option B


By: KaKaVegeGurl


Author's Note:

Hell of a time getting this chapter out. I apologize. And I blame it on lack of comfert. But the situation is resolved.

Once it was, I wrote both this chapter and the 13th of B. Prepare yerselves. It's going to hurt, I promise. And I can't even blame it on Gaga this time...

This chapter is safe, though, readers beware of 13. I guess that makes sense in an ironic way.

Alright, on with my AN. As most of you know, the options will be coming to a close fer ISDP. Soon I will be preparing an author's note to explain exactly what happens next, so expect that some time in the future.

Probably after the Chapters for 13. Ugh, writing B13 hurt so bad.

Umm, what else?

Still on the ginormo Glee hiatus. Yaaay. Ugh. I been playing Mass Effect 3, and clearing through Season 2 of Warehouse 13. That's about it.

Alright, I'll leave you guys to it, thank you lot fer reading, please continue on and enjoy! May the odds be ever in yer favor!

~KaKaVegeGurl (A)


Review Response:

Time to give the anonymous some love...

K (Chapter 46): "Alright, noted. ^^."

HG Reader aka HG Love (Chapter 46): "That's alright, I knew it was you. In response to yer review: It's nice to have readers that take the time to explain EXACTLY what they want. You'll get something like this in Option 1, but that will be up on my website, since Prim won out. But yer right, Peeta can't just jump back in at all, that's not healthy. He needs to have something else in his life first, I think. In 1, I promise you'll see Katniss struggle fer him, that'll happen. You have my werd. Fer the Prim option, she's not even fourteen yet, let alone 'old enough'. So you can see where the other readers conflicts have been. But in order fer that to happen, time would pass. So there's no need to worry about that option. Tho, if Peeta got with Prim, I can't imagine Katniss getting him back. We'll see how that all werks out tho. There will be the awesome love triangle thing, fer sure. Thanks fer the awesome pov and the lovely reviews! Sorry I haven't been responding to these lately. _ I would normally respond asap, but the anonymous stuff gets confusing. But I DO eventually get around to all of them. I also took notes of the songs you suggested, thanks fer that!"

Anonymousaurus (Chapter 46): "Epic name, first of all. XP I'm glad you voted fer Prim, it makes sense, doesn't it? I think it's fair to say that she's clearly grown some stronger feelings fer him since the beginning. She was DEFINITELY hinting to herself, of course. And she is a very bright girl. Option C is going to be amusing with them two. ^^ HG Love did suggest an age change, but I don't want to do something so severely ret-conned. So time will pass. I wish I were the kinda writer to really manipulate things like age changing, but I can't manage to justify that in my head. Nice to see that the readers are reading each others reviews, lol. I always wonder if you guys are aware of each other. Because I sure am. ^^ I was, at one point, with a man that was double my age. So I, personally, don't have issues with it. But trust me, time will pass so that it's reasonable enough. There'll be some 'go chase after boys yer own age' and 'I'm like your brother' moments fer sure. Aww, new, creative, aww. Thank you. I'm going to try my best to make it as natural and reasonable as possible, you can be sure of that. Thank you fer having such adamant faith in me. ^^ And Katniss will definitely be back to cause a rift, I think it'll be interesting to see that struggle happening. And you say Velociraptor? Hmm? That's my fave Dinosaur. ^^ Thanks fer the lovely, long review! I hope I beat you in length!"

Romance Reader (Chapter 46): "I'm right there with you! Prim & Peeta! What is that? Preeta? Peetrim? I won't be changing her age, but time will have passed, I promise. It won't pass QUICKLY, you'll get to see obvious development. But it will be amusing nonetheless. I love the way yer looking at it. Take the two most positive, powerful characters in HG and smash them together, should be interesting. I'd like to see a girl chase after Peeta fer once. It's getting tiring to have him constantly needing Katniss. He needs to move on in C. The time line will differ, so if you want, I can have kisses in the snow, that sounds adorkable. ^^ Readers are going to see a lot of what Katniss has been through tho. That might help clear out their opinions on her. And I'm glad to see yer reading Option A as well! Thanks fer the awesome reviews!"

Blank (Chapter 46): "Pahahahahaha, I know. I'm evil. I'm sorry. ^^; But yer vote has been noted, I promise."

Abbey (Chapter 46): "Option 2 won out, so the version with him waiting fer Katniss will be up on my site soon after."

Abbey (Chapter 48): "Yer review confused the hell out of me because of the lack of punctuation and presence of odd typos. Let me see if I got this right. You: 'Ok, what's going on at the end of all your options? Peeta is thought to be dead now... except for option C. Which, by the way, shouldn't even be a question that he needs to be with Katniss. But I guess the people who voted don't really have common sense. He has loved her since he was five, he can't just stop 12 years after loving her...It makes no sense. But hopefully your not going in the direction option A, B, and D seem to be going. Love your writing!' is that right? So in response, if I understand you, why do you think in all the options Peeta is thought to be dead? He's clearly alive in D... A, Katniss never assumes he's dead, she just doesn't know where he is. And in B, she thinks he's dead, but we all know he's alive. Yer vote fer Katniss was counted, but Prim still won out. Have you not been reading C? After everything she's put him through, you think it's right fer him to still pander after her? Meh, oh well, the option fer Katniss and him to stay together will be available to read on my site when it happens. So look there. And what do you mean that C will hopefully 'not go in the direction of A, B, and D?' He's still WITH her in all of those. I'm confused. Thanks fer the review and yer input tho!"

Chrissy (Chapter 46): "Prim, noted. Katniss and Gale BOTH will be coming back in C at some point. And my website is easy enough to remember. Www . KaKaVegeGurl . Com Easy? Yeah, I thought so. ^^"

Chrissy (Chapter 48): "I just love seeing yer reviews! There's nothing better than readers that keep coming back fer more! I thought it was weird, first of all, that there were Peacekeepers in the house at ALL. So I just manipulated it and it werked fer me. Glad you liked my idea of how things went down. Go Peeta! ^^"

Madi (Chapter 46): "Noted! It will be up on my website tho, since Prim won. ^^;"

A Reader (Chapter 46): "Aww, thank you so much! Have fun reading the entire thing so far? It must be insane to read all of that, there's a lot at this point. P&P has won out C. So thanks fer voting! I would've had them kiss, but I figured I'd let the readers pick first, plus she's still kinda WAY young. There will definitely be some awesome Katniss/Prim moments, fer sure. ^^"

OMFG I really need to remember to respond more often. LOL. If I don't, things like THAT happen. O.O


Side Notes:

It comes down to this:

I wouldn't exist,

Without you, it ain't worth the grind.

I'd fight for one kiss,

On a night like this.

I've got to confess:

Sometimes I'm a mess,

And sometimes I step out of line.

Like this old tattoo,

I ain't shiny or new.

With you by my side nothing matters.

I can save the world,

Since the night your love saved me.

Maybe I can't save the world.

But as long as you believe,

Our love is even stronger,

Than god hoped it could be.

Baby, all it takes is,

Just a little faith in me.


Chapter 12 - His Avox


It doesn't look good.

I'll admit, it looks pretty bad from here. But it's not like I stuffed the vent in hopes that I, myself, would make it out of alive. I did it knowing that it would better Katniss's chances. That doesn't mean that I'm just going to lie down and die though.

The muttation closest to me curls up to attack and I wait until it's sprung up on it's hind legs before I charge him, grabbing his lower body and throwing him back into the wall.

It howls in pain, upper claws scratching at me and I yank away before he can inflict anymore damage.

The other muttations have begun to fill the room and I look around them. What ever I do now, I have to do it fast, it needs to get all of their attention, and, more than anything else, it needs to draw them away from this room.

I'm out of options so I do the only thing I can. I fling myself through the muttations still clawing the entrance, surprising them as I run past, shoving my way between them using my arms to guard the rest of my body from further damage. I feel little tears along my side and legs though and quickly turn back once I break through them to shoot the three closest to me now before clearing down the tunnel way, the muttations rushing quickly after me.

I don't bother to look back as they start activating pod after pod in my wake and I'm lucky as hell not to step on one myself.

Just behind me, a pod unleashes a flurry of arrows onto the muttations and I look back for once, watching an entire row of them collapse to the ground in boneless heaps.

The only thing I have to follow now is my feet and I make my way from the cobbled pavement of pastel orange and pinks, through a small hallway that leads up into a large engineering room.

Muttations have slowed behind me and I'm able to finally take a breath and look around, reaching for the only way out of the enclosed area, a large red ladder, and I begin climbing upwards.

Out onto the streets, I make my way through a small back alley and then take into the first house to my left.

It's a quiet, warm apartment with the lights on in the living room and a tempting smell of... of all things, bread, coming from the kitchen.

Which means that someone is still living here, and I've just entered their house.

"Rista, if that's you," A voice says from the front of the house, "I swear I'll cut your legs off for not leaving already, I–"

He stops in the hallway, odd magenta colored eyes going wide and hand moving to his mouth when he sees me, "Peeta Mellark," He gasps in surprise, "What happened to your arms?"

"Quiet," I say, holding my hand up to my mouth in request that he keep his voice down.

He's probably half a head shorter than me, hair a hot chocolate brown, short to his head except the front that lifts up in a sweeping move. His clothes reveal that he's got little to no muscle mass because of the tight dress shirt and black vest with matching pants and large, high black boots that cling to his thin, young frame. Overdressed for someone staying at home.

Suddenly he smiles warmly and nods, resting his hands on his waist, "I guess someone should've expected the group would end up in their household, I mean, it's not like I haven't been watching you on the news."

I nod, slightly concerned because he sounds nice, but I don't know what kind of Capitol crazy he is, as sensible as Cinna or Portia? Or clueless as Effie? As sinister as Snow?

"I'm Titus," He offers, bowing slightly, "Where's... Katniss? Where's your group?"

"We got separated," I mumble, still sort of nervous and curious. He seems relatively harmless so far.

The oven in the kitchen beeps and he grins, "One moment, please."

It surprises me, watching him walk over to the stove and open it with the soft pink mitts, that he bakes for himself. I've been under the impression that the Capitol people don't do much at home and that they're served by Avoxes or something of the like.

"Neece, darling, you're hungry now?" He asks loudly, not talking to me, clearly, and looks past the kitchen.

So he's not home alone?

Another man walks in from the living room, dark, happy eyes and tanned skin. He's thicker, taller than Titus with broad shoulders and I see him nod, not bothering to open his mouth.

Because he can't speak.

"That's your Avox?" I ask, watching the exchange, slowly catching on.

"Please," Titus says, smiling and waving a hand, "I'm his Capitol brat," He laughs and pulls out the two warm loafs of bread and offers them to the Avox, who nods happily.

"You're hungry too, Peeta, I imagine?"

My stomach growls despite myself as he turns and smiles wide.

"I think you are," He laughs, "Neece, darling, can you prepare the food this one time while I take our guest up and get him settled in?"

The Avox nods and stirs a pot on top of the stove.

"Dinner will be done in about ten minutes," Titus says and takes my arm, "Come with me."

"Uh, first I need to know–"

"Please," Titus says, "Don't embarrass me by asking, Peeta. I was close to Portia," and then his voice lightens and he looks down as he begins walking me through the house, "Best friends, actually."

Best friends? That's promising.

"You were best friends with my stylist?"

Titus nods enthusiastically, "Oh yes, and I'll do what I can to keep you safe here. So let me get you something to wear, and a towel, and you can shower. Then you can eat. Agreed?"

I agree and walk down the hall with him and up stairs, following him into a side bedroom.

"You just sit down in here and I'll go get–is that blood?"

I look at his hand, where there's... Blood, clearly. Just on the tips of his fingers, from him brushing them over my back when he sat me down.

He looks behind me and gasps again, "You're wounded."

"Muttations," I explain, "It's really–"

"You go shower, it's down at the end of the hall, feel free to lock the door if you're more comfortable with that," He says, walking me out into the hallway, he opens another door and pulls out a red towel, handing it over to me before he continues, "I'll get the medical kit and see about those clothes. Alright?"

I watch him rush down the stairs before I walk into the bathroom.

This is more simple than the other ones I've seen in the capitol, with the forty some-odd knobs to choose from.


"You were saying, about muttations?" Titus takes a seat behind me and cracks open the plastic case in his hands.

I nod, watching the water drip from my hair, "We were down in the sewer tunnels, got blocked in a room by them and I forced Katniss and the rest of the group to go on without me, so that I could stop the muttations from following, it's... It's a long story, Titus."

"That's alright, you don't need to explain. But you keep doing that and you're going to get yourself killed, darling," He says as I feel him begin rubbing something over the cuts on my back, "What about your arms though?"

"I got blown up."

Titus doesn't say anymore after that, cleaning and bandaging my back in silence. I can almost hear his surprise, even though he doesn't say anything.

He finishes, patting my shoulder and standing up, "I'll go see how food is doing, you can get dressed, come down whenever you're ready."

"Titus," I start and he turns to look at me, "Thank you."

He nods, leaves the room without saying anything, and I grab up the shirt, pulling it on before I sit down to get dressed the rest of the way.

When I come downstairs, I'm shocked by what I see immediately across the room. On the large wall of the living room, hung and framed is one of my very own paintings. Of Portia.

I even remember selling this one.

It's difficult to stop the watering of my eyes as I move forward to run my fingers over the painting, to stare up at my old stylist. And to know that she's gone forever.

"Don't, don't," I hear Titus chuckle from the kitchen, "He'll be down here any moment."

I turn from the painting and follow the hallway back out to the kitchen when Titus tisks and there's a soft smack.

"You can't leave me alone for a second, come on now, stop."

I walk around the corner and get sight of exactly what he's talking about. His Avox, his Avox, leaning over him, kissing his neck.

They're gay. Together.

I try not to be surprised, to not have my eyes nearly bug out when I see them, but Titus sees me and nearly shoves Neece away.

"I told you, see?" He breathes, his pale cheeks blushing pink as he moves away from the counter.

The Avox turns back, smiling and motioning behind me, I turn, following his eyes across the hall to see the dining room's been set up for three people at the table.

Titus rushes past, grabbing my arm for a moment in reassurance, "I'm sorry, I told him not to."

"I heard," I smile and he blushes even more, glaring back at his Avox.

Neece shrugs innocently and walks in the room as well, Titus taking out his seat in offering as the Avox sits down in it.

He's with his Avox.

I can't imagine what the people of the Capitol would think, it's startling to see, to even imagine how it happened, but I stare at the two as Titus starts to move to his own chair before Neece grabs his arm and pulls him back into a soft peck.

Titus, glaring playfully at him before taking his own seat.

"Peeta," He offers.

I sit down as well and stare at the two of them as Titus starts sorting the food out. Titus, who's the owner of the home, and Neece, who sits there patiently. And now I have to ask.

"You two are together?"

It might be inappropriate, but I'm too curious to let it pass.

Titus stops, raising a brow at Neece, who holds out a hand, offering him to explain. It's a hilarious offering, considering he couldn't himself anyways. But Titus just raises his brow even more and responds, "Alright, I'll do it."

He sits down once our plates are prepared and we begin to eat. He chews slowly, taking the time to explain.

"I guess you're right to speculate," He says, sipping on his drink, "I can't name another person that's with their Avox. Then again, I've never asked."

"The Capitol wouldn't allow it, would they?"

Titus shakes his head, "Definitely not. Not many people can afford an Avox, honestly. But I'm an actor–"

"Acting is a profession?"

Titus's eyes widen and he looks at me in surprise, "Acting? Of course it is," He looks at Neece, who just shrugs, "In movies, right? You know?"

When I shake my head again, he shrugs.

"Well, it's like an art. Painting, or singing, gown designing, stylist, photographer. I act. And therefore, I can afford an Avox."

"And how did you two...?"

Titus smiles, chewing slowly and looking at Neece, "Just lucky, I guess."

Neece made a motion and Titus rolled his eyes.

"Alright, fate, not luck," He turns back to me, "We've been together for four years now. And out of that time only two other people knew. I bet you can guess both of them."

"Portia?" I suggested and he nodded, there was no one else I could think of so I offered, "Cinna?"

He nodded again.

"And... What if the Capitol found out?"

Titus shrugged, "They'd probably kill me. And Neece. But I'd rather die than lie about my love, so that would end there. They probably already know, honestly. But I'm too famous, too known, there's not much they can do unless I announce it to the public. And why would I do that?"

"Brave," I say and he blushes.

"Not really, probably stupid," Titus remarks and Neece gives him a look, "Foolish. But if I'm a fool, then that is what I am."

I nod, watching the two, "And now you're keeping a known fugitive in your home, taking care of him and feeding him."

"It's what Portia would've done," Titus says, finishing his food and pushing his plate forward, "I'll do what I can for you, Peeta. However long you need to stay, anything you need after. We'll do what we can for you."

"I don't want to put you two in danger. You're already in enough without me," Titus smiles and nods, "But a nights sleep or two would be good."


They give me Neece's room to stay in, since it's normally not used anyways, and I use the next few days to collect myself, to rest and gather back up.

During then, I learn that Neece was originally from District 7, he even knew Johanna. Ironically, the reason he became an Avox was because after winning his games he refused to go along with Snow's terms. He lost his entire family. Three little sisters, his mother and father, before he went completely crazy, took out a few Peacekeepers, including their own head Peacekeeper in 7, before they took him in and cut out his tongue.

I also sat and watched some of these 'movies' that Titus was in, and quickly learned what he meant by 'actor'.

Each day, they looked over my wounds and changed the bandages for me. I can't imagine two more happy people in the world, they're right up there with Annie and Finnick.

An Avox, and a, as Titus said, 'Capitol brat'.

The Peacekeepers of the Capitol came in twice, both of which times I spent hidden in the vents, listening to them check through everything, and shove around Neece.

The weirder part of it all was hearing Titus pretend to not care, to know that he was over the Avox, to scold him. Acting in movies must pay off there. He could've convinced me if I hadn't seen their home life directly after each invasion.

On the last day, I was preparing myself, loading my gun and putting on the cleaned armor, thanks to Titus himself.

I sat there, lacing up my boots when he walked in and looked me over.

"You can't go out there just like that."

"You have a plan?" I ask, looking up and being surprised when I see that he's already holding something in his arms.

The first object is a warm hat to cover the obvious sandy blond locks. Titus then motions to a slim, gray jacket he's holding before he pulls it on me, over my armor. It reaches down just past my finger tip length and successfully hides away anything that would alert Peacekeepers of my uniform underneath.

Neece hands something over to him and I watch Titus's dark pink eyes flicker across my body before he says: "It's quite cold out there," and wraps a fluffy black scarf around my neck to hide my face mostly from view.

"But you match and they can't question that," He looks skeptically at me before offering: "If you need to get the jacket off fast, throw your arms behind you and pull the back bottom hem, alright? Otherwise you'll have a hell of a time, I know so."

He smiles thoughtfully and turns me around once, "You don't even look like Peeta anymore."

"That's the idea, right?"

"Right," And then he walks me downstairs, "Be careful out there."

I turn back to Neece and Titus, offering my hand up to each in turn, "Thanks for helping me. I hope that soon enough, we'll meet again. And under better terms."

Titus squeezes my hand before I open the door and walk out into the chill of the snow.


Ending Notes:

I REALLY hope you guys are ready fer 13 of B. /sob

Gosh, I really hope you all are.

DO REVIEW! I will love you ferever. ^^ Hope you enjoyed this calm before the storm.

~KaKaVegeGurl