Moves and Countermoves
Chapter 6: The Training Center: The Penthouse Apartment
Wednesday 1st July
The Capitol.
No wonder Euphemia Coin has no other children, her mate is the same gender as her, no children would come from that.
Hannah frowned at the elevator wall, then she frowned at her father, before frowning back at the wall. Her grip still tight on the elevator's rail from when it lurched upward on its first assent. The motion of moving up was still making her stomach feel funny, but with all these new sensations she had been experiencing over the last few days, Hannah was getting used to this and no longer concerned that she would in fact throw up.
"What's wrong with you?" Haymitch.
Hannah looked back at him uncertainly. "Why is my mother's mate a female?" And she is shocked that she had so easily said 'mother' and not Euphemia Coin.
At first she thought her question had made him angry again, but then he lets out a short laugh and snort. "You'll have to ask her that yourself"
"Is it-", the elevator suddenly stops, and Hannah's grip tightens on the rail as she looks up to her father for confirmation. Like a true District 12 citizen, she knew all about elevator failures, it didn't matter that this one was all white and sparkly.
The elevator made a ding noise and the doors opened.
~xXx~
Despite being shown a virtual tour in Euphemia Coin's lessons, seeing the Penthouse Apartment in person is overwhelming. It is called a penthouse because it is at the very top of the building, something Euphemia Coin said was quite a privilege, as it is the envy of all the other escorts. The enclosure however is too bright, the colours too confusing, and the smell ... too sweet; it burns Hannah's nostrils and makes her want to throw up. But she decides to take everything in her stride and follows her father.
As she follows him - he seems to be following the loud noise of lots of voices talking - the layout is identical to what was on the video Euphemia Coin had shown her in her lessons back on the train. Odd shapes, bizarre patterns that are jumbled all together to make what is supposed to be furniture.
They walk into an open room, 'the living and dining room combined', which has 'spectacular views of the city'. Hannah's eyes momentarily linger on the zebra pattern seating before focussing her attention on the source of the noise, the humongous screen in the middle of the room that is showing her on the chariot, encompassed by the flames.
And she looks magnificent.
So fierce and dangerous, in control and unafraid.
In the background the bright colours and odd angles of Capitols wave their arms like it will make them get closer to her. They shout her name to try and get her attention, some of them even look on the verge of crying they are so desperate. Her stylists have already made her look like the Third Quarter Quell Victor, and these Capitols have fallen it.
A fire burns inside of Hannah, and she herself feels the burning tears threaten to fall. Back in her forest, never, even in Hannah's most wonderful fantasies would she think that she could look like that in her movies. Euphemia Coin was right, stylists were very important. Her father was right, Euphemia Coin knew how to make people love her. And although Hannah knew it before, she believes it now, more than ever, that she will be the Victor of the Third Quarter Quell.
The screen changes and it shows her movies on half of the screen, the other half shows a man and a woman wearing a similar costume also on a chariot. Unlike Hannah however, their faces are not hidden and she recognises them as the Hunter Woman and the Bread Man. The two soft Victors whom Haymitch refuses to answer her questions about; even Euphemia Coin avoids answering.
Suddenly the screen goes black and Hannah watches in dismay as the screen starts to disappear into the ceiling.
"Everything is always fucking on", Haymitch mumbles.
Hannah jumps as her father claps his hands twice loudly, everything around her starting to get darker as the lights get less bright.
"Fire on", her father commands, and just like that, a fire emerges against the same wall the screen had been against.
The heat feels real on Hannah's skin and so she walks closer towards it to see if it is in fact real. Because it couldn't be, not so quickly.
Her father's large hand however stops her smaller one and he puts his in instead. "You never know", he mutters, but then lifts her up and brings her hand into it to. "See it's not real the flames. The heat you feel is blowing from these vents".
Hannah is enthralled by her hand playing in the flames without burning her.
It's - what was the word - magic, and Hannah gets a rush of excitement, the first time this trip that the butterflies in her belly are of... joy.
It immediately disappears however when she feels a foreign shadow hovering near her.
It's a man, or maybe a woman with short hair, considering her breast apparent bumps in the sort of dress she wears. She silently hands her father a drink.
"Thank-you", her father says, setting Hannah back down.
The woman nods, her eyes move to Hannah and then she hides back into the darkness. Silent, like a snake. But Hannah can just make out her shape. There is something curious and odd about her, more so than the other attendants that were on the train.
Hannah watches her for what must be a good minute to see if she will make even the smallest movement, but she doesn't. She stands straight, like a tree, with no branches or leaves.
When Hannah gets bored of trying to catch the attendant out and turns her attention back to her father, he is slouched on the settee and most of his drink has gone.
Slouching, Euphemia Coin says, is impolite.
Haymitch empties the remaining contents of his glass down his throat before putting his feet up on the table, his head falls back behind the settee and he lets out a long, loud, sigh.
'Back straight, feet firmly on the floor and hands neatly in your lap is the only way to sit when in company'.
Hannah wants to ask him about the strange snake woman but Euphemia Coin and he were both very clear not to ask questions whilst in the living room or dining room because they now had cameras that showed 'live feeds' to the audiences watching all over Panem. On the roof, or in the safety of their bedrooms, she can ask questions. It was something new, something that both Euphemia Coin and her father were very angry about, as were other escorts and victors, 'they're doing it to increase ratings but it's a complete impediment on our privacy', that's what Euphemia Coin had said.
Hannah sits delicately next to him on the settee and folds her hands on her lap, making sure her feet are perfectly aligned on the floor and her back is straight. When she is sure she has that correct, she starts to look around the room, but out the corner of her eyes, sees her father's head start to resurface.
He frowns at her.
She smiles back politely.
"You look like a clown", he says seriously, and then laughs like it's the funniest thing he has ever heard.
Hannah's face starts to heat up, embarrassed.
Her father continues laughing until there are tears in his eyes, and then his head falls back again. "Sorry, Sweetheart. Im sorry. Let's get this shit off of your face". He gets up and leaves the room. She doesn't think she is supposed to follow him, not that she wants to after him laughing at how she looked.
He returns with his glass full of a clear liquid, and sits back next to her. Putting the glass on the table, he takes off her mask, and it is a relief. He then turns her head and she can feel him start pulling out the intricate plait - that she is not so happy about. But he is much more gentle than when he was brushing her hair. He spends what feels like forever doing this, the pile of pins on the table getting larger and larger; he actually has to stand up at one point too.
"There", he says, turning her face to face him again. He then gets his pocketknife from his jacket and opens one of the smaller blades. She watches slightly nervous as he grabs one of the plaits that has fallen in her lap and brings the blade to it. But all he does is break the tie. He proceeds to do that with the other seven. He then starts to unravel the plaits. Hannah decides to help him because it does feel a lot better with her hair down, she had no idea how much the intricate hair style was hurting her head. When everything is all undone, her father puts his hand in her scalp and ruffles it. "That feels better doesn't it?" he asks.
And she nods, smiling, because it does.
"Now, let's get that crap off your face". He gets some sought of paper from a box on the table and dips it into the liquid in his glass, it goes soft and he starts rubbing it on her face. At first it feels nice, soft and refreshing, but then she can feel bits stick to her face.
"It's like fucking glue. Why did they have to put this shit on your beautiful face?" He stops his actions to smile at her.
She smiles back shyly. "You think I'm beautiful?"
"You're the most beautifulest in all of Panem", he says getting up and walking over to where all the bottles are. "Just as soon as I get all this from off of your face".
He returns with a bottle full of a clear liquid, like water, but when he opens it, it smells like one of his bottles. He pours some into the glass. 'Landon Lauis Imperial Liquors. Jumping Juniper Gin. Thrice Distilled'. He takes another soft paper and dips it the liquid, this time it stings on her face, and she winces slightly.
"It's working", her father smiles at her, so she decides to endure the discomfort.
"There", he says after some time, "now you're starting to look more like my daughter", he smiles. His eyes start to water as he stares at her longer.
"Papa", she says.
"Yes, Sweetheart".
"You're the most beautifulest in all of Panem", she says, before throwing her arms around him in a hug. She needed a hug from her Papa. Despite the fact that in her movies she looked in control, dangerous and fierce up on the chariot; the truth was, she didn't like how she felt up there all by herself. She felt, nervous. Ill, sort of. Unsure of herself and alone. Seeing the crowd of Capitols all screaming her name, waving their arms like they were possessed, in all their thousands was somewhat scary.
"What on earth have you done to her face?" Euphemia Coin's screeching voice pierces through the room.
Euphemia Coin and Pig Boy stand in the middle of the room. She had forgotten about him. How had they not heard them enter? Euphemia Coin is still holding his hand.
"Finally", her father says, slouching the both of them back into the settee and putting his feet back on the table one by one. "What took you so long?" He closes his eyes as if he is not interested, but Hannah can hear the interest and the clear dangerous voice in his question.
Euphemia Coin's eyes narrow on him. "Hannah", Euphemia Coin calls her instead, her father's voice clearly not worrying her; she drops the boy's hand and holds it out to her instead. "Come here", and she grabs Hannah's hand in hers, pulling her out of her father's lap, and walks them both away before Hannah can even blink.
~xXx~
Euphemia Coin leads her out of the living and dining room and towards a long corridor with lots of doors, she slows down as they approach the first door. The grip Euphemia Coin has on her hand suddenly becomes less tight, and more soft. More what Hannah has come to associate as what is her.
"That is the room Haymitch usually sleeps in", she points to the other door on the left, her voice, low and sweet again. "Tributes usually sleep the other side of the penthouse, but I think I'll ask them to re-prepare one of the other Victors room for you instead. Seeing as you are not just any tribute", her other hand strokes Hannah's face softly. "What has that man done to your face?" She says, leaning back, her face frowning, but then she smiles a little. "Honestly", she says, opening the door. Euphemia Coin always takes a long time to say the word, 'honestly', and she usually always says it after her father has said something. She gently pulls Hannah through the room and the first thing Hannah registers is how it smells just like Euphemia Coin. Like some sort of flower maybe, only a lot stronger, maybe a million of them.
"It is a wonder how you survived so long in his care. You look like a strawberry. Completely rash, childish and incompetent", Euphemia Coin continues as Hannah assess the room. A bedroom. This must be Euphemia Coin's bedroom. It looks sort of like the bedroom she and Haymitch shared on the train. "Now, take a seat, Hannah".
Hannah pulls her hand out of Euphemia Coin's grip, stepping away from her.
Her actions visibly shock the woman.
Euphemia Coin may be good at helping to make people like her, but noone says bad things about her papa in front of her. "My papa is the bestest person in all of Panem", Hannah frowns at her.
"I know that Hannah", Euphemia Coin recovers, putting a big smile on her face. "I know that more than anyone", her high pitched Capitol voice returning. Euphemia Coin bends slightly to look Hannah in the eye. "It was only a joke. No need to get so defensive and serious", and she taps her nose before guiding her onto the chair in front of the most humongous mirror Hannah has ever seen in her life.
"Now, let us get this war paint off of you, shall we?" She sings, tilting Hannah's head up so high it almost hurts her jaw and before she knows it there is another wet paper on her face. This one is scented and stings, but not as much as as the one her father used, and Euphemia Coin is a lot more gentle with her brushing and eventually her grip on her chin gets more gentle too.
"All finished", Euphemia Coin says, after only a little while, but she doesn't let go of Hannah's face and they end up staring into each others faces. Hannah hadn't realised it before, but Euphemia Coin looks almost human today. She concentrates on the butterflies stuck in her eyelashes. So intricate and delicate and pretty.
Hannah suddenly gets the urge for thanking Euphemia Coin for helping her look so magnificent in her movies, but she also can't bring herself to say the words to her. Then she thinks she could ask her why her mate is a female, but then again, she couldn't. Maybe she could ask her about the snake woman? They did tell her she could ask questions in the bedrooms.
"I almost forgot", Euphemia Coin says, breaking their stare. "I have something for you", picking up her white bag, she opens it and Hannah goes on her tip toes so she can peer inside. Slowly, the head of the same stuffed rabbit her father kicked emerges from inside the bag, before it's nose taps lightly on hers.
Hannah looks up at Euphemia Coin in wonder. How had she known?
"Thank-you", Hannah says, and she finds she really does mean it.
"You are very welcome", Euphemia Coin replies, releasing the stuffed rabbit to Hannah.
Hannah hugs it affectionately before looking up to stare back up at the woman. Although Euphemia Coin is the Angel of Death, it is not so hard to say 'thank-you' to her...?
"Now, let us all sit on my bed" She says somewhat breathy, breaking Hannah's wonder. "Mr. Rabbit too, and we will make a start on brushing out your hair, shall we?" She continues, moving Hannah to sit on the bed. Hannah obeys, whilst checking the rabbit's anatomy to see why Euphemia Coin called it a Mr. But there is no genitalia there at all.
"What shall we call your little friend?" Euphemia Coin asks after she sits next to Hannah and starts gently brushing her hair.
"I thought you already named him, Mr. Rabbit?" Hannah turns to look at her, and is surprised to see that Euphemia Coin is shaking all over. The hair brush mid air falls on to the woman's lap.
"You can change it if you like", Euphemia Coin breathes out heavily.
"I like Mr. Rabbit", Hannah says, frowning curiously at her. Is she cold? Hannah wouldn't say it was cold at all in this room. Or maybe she's sick, or on the verge of dying.
"I am sure you could think of something more inventive and imaginative, but if you like it", Euphemia Coin smiles, rubbing her hands on her legs, before gently turning Hannah so her back is facing her again.
She can feel her start to brush her hair again. Very gently.
Hannah frowns at the rabbit, trying to think of another name she could give it. "What other more inventive and imaginative name could I give it?"
"Oh, I don't know. How about we call him Mr. Rabbit until we think of one?"
Hannah nods.
Euphemia Coin moves Hannah's head slightly as she starts to brush another section of hair. "Does he remind you of Silver?" She asks.
Hannah is surprised Euphemia Coin remembers her rabbit's name. She doubts Haymitch does and he's actually met it.
Hannah nods, and her heart starts to feel heavy and sad as she thinks of Silver and Buffo slowly starting to starve to death is their cages. She wonders if they will eat their limbs to try and stay alive longer?
"They will be fine, Hannah", Euphemia Coin says, her voice sounding less breathy now. "I promise".
Hannah rolls her eyes, knowing Euphemia Coin can't see her do this, because it's impossible for them to survive that long.
"Maybe I could call it Snow?" Hannah suggests, because he is white like snow, and he is a Capitol, and he represents the Hunger Games.
Euphemia Coin pauses her brushing. "If you like, Hannah", she says, before continuing brushing her hair.
Hannah decided she did. The name suited. Snow would be her good luck charm, and he would want her to win, just like President Snow himself.
~xXx~
Euphemia Coin is still brushing her hair when the bedroom door bangs open causing them both to jump. But it's only her father. Hannah instinctively clutches her rabbit closer to her.
"A knock would suffice, Haymitch".
"I've got the boy all washed and dressed ready for dinner and you're still brushing the girl's hair".
"Hannah. Not girl".
"Hannah", her father pauses what he's doing and looks at them. "I know my daughter's name".
"What is it?" Hannah asks intrigued by what her father was doing with the very small, black, object he had placed and now fiddling with on the table. A small blue light was now coming from it.
"It's a device that stops frequencies that allow people to listen to what we say or watch what we do".
"But I thought you said it was only in the living room and dining room they did that?" Hannah.
"Well, we can never be too careful", her father says. "Got them from Beetee earlier on, there is one in every bedroom now". Hannah can tell by the tone of his voice, that his last sentence was directed to Euphemia Coin.
Her father watches them for a while from where he is standing. He looks calculating and Hannah snuggles her rabbit even closer, watching as he moves to sit the other side of her. He pulls out a green apple from his pocket and hands it to her. Hannah accepts the food happily, remembering how nice they tasted on the train. It's as she takes the first bite that she realises in her greed, she has lost her rabbit to her father, who is analysing it in his hands.
"Hello, we meet again", he says, before tapping the rabbits nose with hers and placing it safely back on her lap. He ruffles the back of Hannah's hair - making Euphemia Coin tut - before kissing Hannah's forehead.
"What took you so long?" He asks her over Hannah's head, and Hannah just knows they are going to start a conversation that involves them forgetting she is also in the room.
"Damage control", is all Euphemia Coin answers.
Her father surprises her by falling back on the bed and taking her with him. He cuddles her close to him.
"Well, as you will not let me get her ready, will you please watch Hannah whilst I change and get ready for dinner".
"She'll be doing that for the next two hours", her father whispers to her and Hannah moves her head into the crook of his neck.
Her father starts to play with her hair. "Hannah wants to know why your mate is a female, Coin".
"Is that so?" She answers, and out of the corner of her eye, Hannah can see Euphemia Coin has turned to look at her.
Hannah hides her face in her father's neck, all of sudden embarrassed by her earlier question. She had asked her father, not asked her. Her father had no business asking her questions to other people, and glared into her father's neck.
"I said she would have to ask you herself, because it beats the hell out of me", her father's voice rumbles underneath her.
Beats the hell out of me? Hannah tries to understand what those strings of words mean.
"It is quite simple, Hannah", Euphemia Coin says in her Capitol voice. "I love her, and here in the Capitol, we do not judge people for who they love".
"Unless they're dirty district dogs". Hannah can feel her father start to sit up and she grips on, not wanting to loose his contact yet. "Especially their children. Put them in the arena and have them fight till their death. Isn't that right, Sweetheart?"
He's walked them over to where Euphemia Coin stands. And in front of them are all of Euphemia Coin's clothes, all packed and hanging neatly in a wardrobe that seems to have magically appeared out of the wall. There's probably enough to clothe all the women in District 12! Hannah summarises, making an inventory as her eyes inspect the wardrobe up and down. Well, maybe not all, but there is definitely a lot. All the shoes too! Maybe a hundred! Every colour imaginable. Colours that Hannah has never even seen. And hair...? Red hair, pink hair, purple, orange hair, black hair, white hair, blue hair. And those are just the ones in front, there is a whole row behind. All resting on faceless pretend heads.
"Luckily for us, Hannah", and she refocusses her attention at the sound of her name, not really having listened before because she knew her father's words were directed to Euphemia Coin. That, and she knew she most likely would not understand the phraseology of what he was saying. "This one has a soft spot for dirty district dogs like you and me".
"Don't call her that!" Euphemia Coin suddenly whips around, her face upset, her eyes watery. She can tell by the way her father's grips loosens and steps back slightly, he hadn't expected her outburst either. "Don't you dare call her that! Don't call yourself that!"
His grip on Hannah tightens. "But don't worry, Hannah", he smiles, but it's not a real one and his eyes never leave Euphemia Coin. "Like your mother always says to her tributes, the most wonderful things about this opportunity to partake in the games, is that even though you're here, and even though it's just for a little while, you get to enjoy all of this!" He then walks them away from Euphemia Coin. Before he closes the door, Hannah looks over her shoulder to see Euphemia Coin wiping her tears off her face. Hannah feels just slightly sad for her.
~xXx~
"What is a mockingjay?"
Her question makes her father flinch. They are both lying on his bed, she is ready for bed in one of Haymitch's t-shirts, but he is still dressed in his Capitol clothes. He is reading one of his books to her, and it is interesting, but she frequently interrupts him with all these questions she has bubbling inside her.
Dinner had ended quickly for them both, Haymitch had gotten angry when the male stylist had mentioned 'mockingjay'. Her father had said no mockingjays, but Cinna had insisted that it might help, to which her father had erupted like a volcano, almost turning the table over and shocking everyone.
'She is not a symbol! She is my daughter!"
Haymitch had looked positively angry, that quickly turned to anguish, and he had picked her up out of her chair and brought them both into his room. They had been there since. Hannah was still hungry, but not hungry hungry. She could eat, and Euphemia Coin had said there were still two courses to come and that Hannah needed to pace herself and not eat too much or she would get sick. Hannah didn't think she would ever get sick from eating too much food.
"Well you know what a mockingbird is right?"
Hannah nods, she knows what a mockingbird is, they had some in District 12.
"Have you heard of a jabberjay?"
Hannah shakes her head no. She is pretty certain she has not read them in one of his books.
"Well a jabberjay is a Capitol creation. They're mutant and can listen in and record peoples' conversations. In the Dark Days the Capitol created them so that they could could spy on the rebels. It worked for a while, but then the rebels caught on and started feeding them lies. So the Capitols deemed them useless and released them into the wild. But what they didn't expect to happen - jabberjays are solely male you see - and what they didn't expect to happen is, when they were released into the wild, they would actually be able to mate with the female mockingbirds. And that is how you have a mockingjay. You don't really see them in District 12 though. There are lots apparently in District 11".
"And can they also eavesdrop and record conversations", because that would be so amazing to have one as a pet.
Haymitch shakes his head no, "and there are no jabberjays left either, but their offspring, the mockingjays are able to mimic human tones and tunes. If you sing a song to a mockingjay, they are able to repeat it".
Hannah smiles, because that was still slightly amazing.
"You know, in many ways you're a mockingjay", he smiles at her. "But here a mockingjay is very controversial. Something that will most likely go against you and lessen your odds. And we don't want that do we?"
Hannah shakes her head, no.
"We want you back in District 12 with me".
Hannah nods.
"So no mockingjays, right?"
Hannah nods.
"Good", he says, kissing her forehead.
"Shouldn't you be going somewhere?" Euphemia Coin's voice again pierces the room, interrupting them again, and Hannah keeps herself hidden behind her father.
"There is such a thing as knocking you know, Coin?" He says, maintaining eye contact with Hannah.
"It's getting late, Haymitch. Dinner was over hours ago, Portia and Cinna have both left. The bars and parties will be in full swing".
He rolls his eyes and Hannah chuckles. But then he turns his body towards Euphemia Coin. Hannah decides to hide herself in his back because Euphemia Coin has probably come to take her away from her father again.
"You're not dressed", Haymitch.
"That's because I'm not going anywhere. That's what was decided after you left. New mother and all. Of sorts".
"And the mockingjay?"
"No mockingjays. I was very firm".
"You're not going out but I am?" And Hannah's heart falls. She doesn't want Haymitch to leave her alone again. "How convenient".
Euphemia Coin is so mean and demanding, always ordering her father around, and telling him what to do. It's like she's his keeper and he can't decide anything without her approval.
"Chaff has already called to say he's leaving soon. He says he'll meet you on his floor".
"Don't go", Hannah whispers into her father's back, so Euphemia Coin can't hear.
"Haymitch", Euphemia Coin's voice falters, which piques Hannah's interest as to what has got her sounding so distressed and she peaks a look.
But it's not Euphemia Coin standing there. It's someone else. Another attendent maybe. Not an Avox obviously, because she can speak.
"I know", Haymitch sighs, "this is how we play the game". He gets up quickly, and Hannah tries to scramble after him, but it's too late, he is already up and near the bedroom door.
The woman, stops him, digging her claws into his arm.
Hannah watches confused. Is it Euphemia Coin...?
She rushes up to the two adults.
It is her, but what happened to her hair? What happened to her face? She looks almost District. Hannah scowls at her.
"Be careful. Don't come back too late", she lectures her father.
"I wouldn't be playing my part well if I didn't would I, Coin?" He says the words as if he is really trying not to loose his temper and explode like he did earlier.
"Well, you have something to come back to now", Euphemia Coin says, pushing her head against his.
Her words and actions seem to soften him, and he pushes his head against hers too, as if they are trying to make each other one.
"We still need to have that chat", he whispers.
Euphemia Coin kisses his lips lightly. She then looks down at Hannah, who startles, because she assumed she didn't know she was there.
"Papa's going out. Tell Papa goodbye and that you will see him first thing in the morning, and we will finish getting you ready for bed shall we, Sweetheart?"
Hannah thought she was already ready for bed. Her eyes make contact with her father's and she can see a storm brewing in him. She doesn't know if he's angry or what...?
"Come on Hannah", Euphemia Coin says taking her hand. "I saved some food for you. Let us get some food and then bed", pulling her away from Haymitch's side. "No mistakes, Mitch", she hears her whisper.
As they are about to enter Euphemia Coin's bedroom, Hannah turns and waves goodbye to her father.
~xXx~
Euphemia Coin is brushing Hannah's hair again. It was the fifth time it had been brushed today, Hannah counted. She plays with Snow on the table in front of the mirror while she waits.
"See how we are the same, Hannah?" Euphemia Coin says.
Hannah glances up, makes eye contact with Euphemia Coin, before going back to playing with her stuffed rabbit.
She had stolen looks at her throughout the 'picnic like midnight feast' Euphemia Coin had laid out for them on a blanket on her bed. She looked better, she guessed, without all that paint on. Definitely younger. But every time she glanced at her hair, Hannah could feel her cheeks burning because it was the same white colour as her own.
No, she couldn't see any similarities.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hannah sees Euphemia Coin put down the hair brush.
Finally.
Hannah stares at herself in the mirror. Ignoring Euphemia Coin's humming and whatever she is doing on the bed behind her.
Hannah's hair is usually very curly, like Haymitch's, but Euphemia Coin has brushed it so much that it is basically straight. Hannah doesn't like the idea of this woman trying to erase parts of her father from her. But isn't that what her father had always warned? Isn't that what he had re-warned on the train. That she would want to take her away from her father and keep her in the Capitol?
Never.
Hannah would never allow that to happen.
Never would she allow herself to be kept by the Angel of Death. This arrangement is only temporary. So that this woman can help her win her games, and so that Haymitch doesn't end up dead like her Sae.
The movement of Euphemia Coin's arms catches Hannah's attention. She is putting some sort of salve on parts of her body, but it is not until she puts the salve on her cheek and her chest, that she realises she's putting them on the cuts Hannah gave her earlier. She had noticed them earlier of course, but she had decided to ignore them and not feel guilty about it.
Euphemia Coin's eyes raise to Hannah, and Hannah quickly looks away.
"Do you have any cuts Hannah?"
Hannah shakes her head no.
"Are you sure?"
Hannah nods her head yes. Didn't she look before? When she had taken off Haymitch's top from her body and dressed her in the pyjamas she was wearing now. She had stood in front of Euphemia Coin in just her panties as the woman's eyes inspected her body from top to bottom, back to front. Hannah hadn't liked it. She felt too exposed and vulnerable, but there was food laid on the bed for her waiting to be eaten, and she felt putting on the special clothes was a pre-requisite.
"Come here, let me plait your hair, and then it's bed time".
Hannah gets up with her rabbit and walks over, liking the idea of both. Liking the idea of being free from Euphemia Coin.
She tries to continue avoiding Euphemia Coin's gaze but as she goes to sit next to her, Hannah sees that those cuts on her chest have already disappeared! Before Hannah can even stop herself, she touches the woman's skin to see if they have truly gone. But her touch, although soft, burns Hannah and she quickly turns away, sitting on both hands. Her face feeling hot in her embarrassment, in her... slip up.
When Euphemia Coin starts plaiting her hair, Hannah breathes a sigh of relief.
"You do not have to be afraid to touch me", Euphemia Coin says, and Hannah feels like running out the room, her face going impossibly hot. "I am your mother".
And Hannah's heart starts hammering hard in her chest.
Mother.
It's the first time Hannah has heard that name come out of Euphemia Coin's mouth.
Hannah's hands suddenly feel wet, but it's not like Hannah can really run anywhere when the woman has a grip of her hair.
She doesn't know why her body is feeling like this.
It doesn't mean anything.
It doesn't change anything.
"It is sad that you are afraid. It makes me very sad", she continues.
And Hannah's body starts to regain control again. She doesn't care if her actions make this woman sad.
"The countless hours I cradled you when you were a small baby. You grew from my body, my body accommodated you, the pain I went through birthing you. But you were worth it. Until I had to give you up to your father, all you drank was the milk my body made for you. Sometimes I thought I was going to keel over you took so much. You were born very early and weren't very big, we both weren't, but it seemed like you were making up for lost time. The little weight I put on during the pregnancy just slid right off me in a matter of weeks. I fed you until the very last second. Your father had to basically pull you off my breast and drag me from Sae's little wooden house and back on the train. So you should never be afraid of touching me Hannah, because I am yours and you are mine. We belong to each other".
~xXx~
'We belong to each other'.
When Euphemia Coin had asked whether Hannah wanted to stay in her room and she had said no, she thought that Euphemia Coin would force her to stay, but she had just smiled through her visible disappointment and escorted Hannah to her own bedroom. The woman's words however echoed in Hannah's thoughts for a long time afterwards. Like a loop she couldn't get them out of her head. Over and over. And Hannah didn't understand why. Her words meant nothing to her. She had left the rabbit in Euphemia Coin's room to prove that point too. But she had obviously eventually managed to fall asleep, because the loud disruption outside her room had woken her up.
She had been listening for a while now. It had started out sort of loud and only got louder, and now it is literally outside her door. It is Haymitch and Euphemia Coin arguing. Haymitch's voice is very loud, Euphemia Coin is trying to whisper but her whisper is only slightly quieter than her father's voice.
"Haymitch", Euphemia Coin voice snaps loudly as Hannah's bedroom door opens, a very dim light following him in.
Her father says some words she can't make out.
"Fine, you've seen she's in here, now go into your own room. She needs her sleep, she has a big day tomorrow. She does not need you waking her up. Haymitch".
Hannah can hear more incoherent noises from her father and the sound of heavy shuffling that can only be his footfalls.
She then hears quick light footfalls.
"I'm just checking she's OK".
"She's OK. She's sleeping. As someone who knows, all you're end up doing is either falling on her or vomiting all over her... Where are you going... Haymitch?!"
Hannah feels the weight of her father's hand on her back and then the most nauseating smell of ... something bad. She can't help but cough.
"You are waking her up. Go to your own room immediately".
"I'm just going to sit and guard her".
"Haymitch. Sweetheart, you can't. You both need to sleep. In separate beds. You need to be on top form tomorrow too. We all do. It's the only way we're going to win the games".
"Effie. I love you", her father says and Hannah's heart stops.
"I love you too. You know I do. But now its time to sleep in your own bed".
"Tha-thank-you"
Euphemia Coin sighs loudly. "For what?"
"For keeping her. Hannah. Not listening to me. I told you to cut her out of you, and you didn't, so thank-you".
"Haymitch, I...". Euphemia Coin sounds like she's crying.
"No matter what I've said to you in the past, and no matter what I will say to you in the future, these next few weeks especially. I need you... I need you to know that. I love Hannah so much. So fucking much".
"I know you do".
Hannah's heart is hammering in her chest, and for a long while that is all she can hear. It beats loudly in her eardrums. What is this? What is this feeling? Such an odd overwhelming sensation. She doesn't even notice them leave the room.
AN: So this was supposed to be a really short like 2k chapter but ended up being the longest one. The chapter and the relationships got away with me again, like usual. I thought it was important though. So mushy at the end though - that wasn't intended, but thats what was wrote. Hope you enjoyed it. Until next update!
