Hey y'all! How's everyone doing? I'm really sorry this chapter's so late. I was literally fighting with it and myself the entire time I was writing. I don't know what it is but I just felt like my original outline wanted to go one way, my mind wanted to go another, and then my hands wrote completely different from my outline and my mind. So...yeah. That's my only excuse. Please enjoy this chapter in which Day 1 of training commences and we get more talky talky character development and still no action or Hunger Games.

Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work.

Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y'all.

Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC's that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies.

Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Chapter 11: Temper the Steel in the Subtle Flame

XXXXXX

Sunlight gently filters through the partially open curtains. The sounds of bird song and the rustling of trees fill the room.

Val burrows deeper into the blankets, a pillow held in his arms. Katniss, a warm weight against his back, tightens her arms around his waist. His brow twitches slightly in irritation when her cold feet brush against his own, but he makes no move to dislodge her. The last time he tried to remove her from her self-proclaimed "big spoon" role, she wouldn't stop tossing actual spoons at him for a week. She even managed to hit him during class at school even though they were both in different years and thus different buildings on opposite sides of the schoolyard.

In Val's mind, he's dreaming that he's back home in 12. It's a beautiful morning but he and Katniss are both too comfortable under their nice sheets that are only ever taken out when the temperature starts to drop. However, he knows they only have a few more minutes before Prim barges in after having woken up too damn early to milk her goat thus he had to use a pillow as her little spoon replacement to Val's big spoon. Then she'll pounce on them, not caring where her elbows and knees landed, and loudly proclaim that they better get up or she'll shake 'em off the bed.

Unfortunately, the fantasy is broken when three loud knocks echo through the room. Val and Katniss both jerk up, still sleep addled and heavily disgruntled at having been woken from their dreams. They simultaneously turn their heads to the door where a way too energetic Effie watches them with a much too creepy grin on her face.

"Oh! You two are so cute sleeping together like that! Sibling bonds truly are the deepest bonds, right after lovers of course. Now chop, chop! It's time to get up and start your first day of training!"

On that definitely not creepy note, Effie walks away with the door still wide open. As the siblings try to shake the sleep off, Val thinks back to the events of last night after they had made their exit from the Parade Hall.

The elevator opens with a soft ding, revealing the most extravagant living quarters Val and Katniss have ever seen. It put the luxury on the train to shame as the sitting room they were walking into was easily ten times more fancy and needlessly expensive as the one on the train. From the hanging chandeliers made of diamonds of all sizes to the plush couches of leather and fabric to even the steel lamps and sleek white coffee table, this floor was truly the peak of luxury Capitol living.

Katniss rolls her eyes. "They're definitely trying to butter us up with all this expensive shit, make sure we live our last few days out in the lap of luxury," she morbidly jokes.

"Welcome to the penthouse," Haymitch proclaims with arms head out dramatically like the host of a Capitol talk show, "The most expensive and luxurious living quarters for tributes. Because we are of District 12, we always get the top, so get comfortable and enjoy this while you can cause you ain't ever gonna see anything like it again."

Val crosses his arms with a frown. "How the hell is any of this comfortable? If anything, I feel even more uncomfortable. Should we really be staying here?" he asks no one in particular. "I'm almost afraid to touch anything cause it'll break or something."

"You break anything, you sure as hell ain't gonna be able to afford to fix it. I highly doubt you'll even be able to buy a piece of thread from one of those throw pillows," Haymitch warns but his voice drips heavily with sarcasm.

"What the fuck is a throw pillow?" Katniss asks.

Haymitch walks over to the couch and grabs one of the small pillows that sit in front of larger pillows. He holds up the small purple silk and gold thread pillow that wouldn't even be able to fit under a small child's head. It's design is obviously more for decoration rather than practical use.

"That's a throw pillow?" Katniss asks, incredulously, "That wouldn't even be able to fit under Prim or even Posy's head."

"Oh but they add such a nice aesthetic to the black suede finishing on this couch don't you think?" Effie asks, completely serious.

Both tributes and mentor deadpan at the air-headed escort. She tilts her head back in confusion.

Haymitch sighs. "You know what, just go get some sleep. You did a good job tonight, took a good first step in the right direction," he compliments before his expression turns serious, "But by doing so, you've both painted a large target on yourselves. You both need to be more cautious and tread very, very carefully."

Val and Katniss both nod, tightlipped and grim as the images of Kai's death glare and finger cutting across his neck come to mind.

"Good," Haymitch nods. "Now go to bed. I'll talk to ya both more tomorrow morning but for now, I really gotta lay down. My head hurts."

He turns away and walks down a hallway to their left. "Why the hell am I even trying to stay sober again? I really want a fucking drink," he mumbles while massaging his temple.

Val blinks in surprise. "Wow. Do you think he's okay? He's never really been sober for this long right?"

"I think this is the longest he's ever been sober in the past 24 years combined," Katniss responds, bewildered as well.

The two stand there awkwardly as Effie follows Haymitch's lead, waving goodnight before cheerfully humming as she walks off to the hallway on their right.

"I guess we should go to bed now?" Val suggests.

"I guess so..." Katniss responds with a shrug.

They continue to stand there, not knowing whether they should split up and head down different halls or do something else.

"Hey, can I stay in your room?" Katniss asks, breaking the awkward silence after a few moments.

"Sure."

Then the siblings march off to the hallway on their left where they enter the room labeled with Val's name. After exploring the room and adjacent bathroom, they each take turns trying the way too advanced shower while fiddling around with a remote that can apparently change the windows to show and play audio of different environments.

They both decide to change it to the forest setting despite the ensuing heartache and quickly change into the sleeping garments offered in the dresser. Both slip under the covers to cuddle together like they would back home with a large pillow substituting for Prim. It's not a perfect set up and the soft mattress, squishy pillow, and silk sheets prevent them from feeling truly comfortable enough to sleep. Eventually, the events of the day crash down on them enough for them to finally fall asleep.

"I guess I'll head to my room and get ready?" Katniss says, hesitantly. She clearly doesn't want to face the challenges of today but they both know there's no other choice.

Val grunts in affirmation as he rolls off the bed and onto the floor with a soft thud. He yawns as he stretches out like a cat on the soft carpeting. Katniss snickers in amusem as she gets off the bed.

"I'll see you at breakfast then," she says as she walks to the door.

Val voices his acknowledgment while slowly rising from the floor as Katniss closes the door behind her. With another jaw cracking yawn, he slowly pads over to the attached bathroom. He stretches out his arms again as he stares blearily at the sink with its too many knobs and no labels or signs to indicate what each one does.

He rubs at his eyes while blindly reaching for a knob near the middle to the right that he thinks is for cold water. Unfortunately, it was not. A spray of rose scented perfume is released in his face making him shout out in surprise. He guards his face from the spray with one hand while frantically using the other to turn the knob off. The spray stops as he coughs, waving the perfume away and rapidly blinking as his eyes sting from the sudden assault.

Once the perfume finally disperses, Val cautiously turns the knob just to the right of the perfume knob. Luckily, cold water rushes out of the facet and he gratefully splashes his face to wash the perfume off but not after glaring at the offending knob for a solid minute.

After toweling off the water with the softest towel he will probably ever get to use, Val steps out of the bathroom and heads straight for the dresser. Opening the drawers, he decides on a dark blue button up shirt and a pair of black slacks which were sadly, the only of a few non-extravagant options provided. He slowly buttons up the shirt, closing his eyes as he takes in the sounds of the forest scenery that was still displayed on the windows.

It washes over him to the point where he can almost smell the fresh dirt and crisp air of the District 12 forests. For the second time that morning, he can almost believe it's all just been a bad dream and that he's still back home, hunting as he always would in the morning like this.

However, the illusion is once again broken not by the obnoxious knocking of Effie but by a surge of anger that wells up inside him. First it's anger from being forced into a situation like this even though he knows he voluntarily chose to enter it. Then it becomes anger from the fact that the Reaping had occurred the way it did that it would force him to step in and protect his sister. Then for the briefest moment, it becomes anger at the fact that he has to protect his sister, that he couldn't have just let Katniss and Peeta go, let the chips fall where they may, continue on with his life like he'd planned to when he realized he actually could live to be 18. Then the anger quickly switches to the guilt that he had lived. That he had survived a tragedy that took his family and even though his dad made him promise to live and survive, deep down in the darkest corner of his heart, he still wished he had died with his family that day. If he had, then maybe none of this would've happened. Maybe Katniss wouldn't have been reaped and maybe the Everdeen's would've still been the loving (whole) family they had been before he arrived.

Then just as quickly, the anger and guilt turned to shame. Shame that he would waste his family's sacrifice by wishing he had died with them. Shame that he blamed the Everdeen patriarch for giving him another chance and shame for blaming Katniss and Peeta for something that was beyond their control.

Val slaps his hands over his cheeks. "No. Now is not the time for anger or shame," he states as he shakes the heavy and unnecessary thoughts out of his head. He quickly grabs the remote to switch off the scenery display and leaves without a second glance. It's the first day of the three day training period and he needs to get his head into the game if he's going to be able to save his stubborn sister from herself.

XXXXXX

As Val steps into the dining area, he pauses when he sees a red-headed girl standing nearby where Effie sat at the dining table. The girl wears a long red dress with red slippers and red makeup on her face. Her eyes are downcast and she doesn't speak, her lips pressed into a thin line as if to hold her tongue. Which she wouldn't have he realized. Because she's an avox, a traitor or deserter who was caught and then sentenced to a life of servitude after having their tongue cut out so as to not speak of any of secrets they may know.

The girl looks up and a flicker of recognition crosses her eyes when she sees him. He startles because he too recognizes her. She was part of a duo that was fleeing through the forest from a Capitol patrol while he and Gale were out hunting. He distinctly remembered how Gale had pulled him under some nearby brush so as to not get caught as well. How a harpoon was shot and had killed the boy before a net dropped on the girl and dragged her and the boy's dead body up to the sky.

Gale held him back when he saw the girl look straight at them and reach out for help. He knew that Gale knew he would've tried to and then they both would've gotten caught as well considering it was still technically illegal to be out in the woods no matter how lax the District 12 Peacekeepers were. He remembered how guilty he felt at not being able to help but also how relieved he was that Katniss had decided to stay with Prim earlier that day.

The girl drops her gaze back to the floor. Val wants to say something but he can't. No one is ever supposed to talk to an avox unless it's to give an order and they're especially not supposed to let anyone know they know one. So Val swallows the words he wishes he could say and goes to join everyone at the table.

Katniss and Haymitch both watch him with calculated looks. They clearly saw how rattled he was about the avox but both wisely chose not to say anything. Effie didn't even notice at all as she continued to prattle on about some fashion trends that had started because of their performance last night that Val could give zero shits about and clearly the same could be said of everyone else at the table.

Breakfast is quiet or as quiet as it can be with Effie's nonsensical chatter filtering through the air as background noise that one cannot hope to turn off and can only wait for the battery to run out. Val chews his way through a bowl of fresh fruit and some slices of bread with jam spread over. Katniss munches away at some bacon, eggs, and potatoes, occasionally washing it down with freshly squeezed orange juice. Haymitch just sips some pomegranate juice as he glares at a tray of alcohol sitting nearby as if it's mere existence is an attack on his person.

Eventually, Haymitch notices how the siblings have almost finished eating and sets his juice down with a loud clink. The sound draws everyone's attention to him and even gets Effie to stop her yammering.

"Effie," Haymitch says to draw her attention to him, "Do be a dear and go on ahead to the lounges. Get a head start on buttering up those sponsors while I give my best mentor speech."

Effie's pink eyebrows rise high into her puffed up cotton candy pink hair. Her light purple lips are shaped in a perfect circle as she gapes in shock at the fact that Haymitch is finally taking his mentorship duties seriously.

He groans in annoyance. "Well don't just stand there woman. Go. Shoo. Be a useful cream puff for once," he says flippantly as he flaps a hand at her to get a move on.

Effie huffs indignantly at him but nonetheless follows his suggestion. She stands up all prim and proper while gesturing at the red-haired avox to take her dishes away.

"I'll see you darlings later tonight," she says as she walks over to air kiss Katniss and Val's cheeks. "Have fun at training! And may the odds-"

"Be ever in their favor. Yeah, yeah, we get it. Just go already," Haymitch bites out.

Effie puffs up at that but refuses to start a confrontation as it would be unseemly of her. She lifts her nose up into the air and walks out of the penthouse like a runway model. Once the sound of the front door closing is heard, Haymitch returns his attention to the siblings who sit there looking at him apprehensively due to the serious expression on his face.

"Alright kiddos, it's the first day of training period and we're gonna need a game plan," he says as he leans back in his chair. "Let's start off with something basic. What are your skills, your talents? Any strengths I need to know about? Weaknesses? Don't be shy and tell me everything cause if you wanna have the best chance at surviving, you need to be straight with me. No lies and no sugar coating."

The siblings nod solemnly in agreement. Val's mind races a mile a minute as he tries to work out how he's going to be able to promote himself but boost his sister up more so that it'll be clear that she's the more valuable tribute to save.

Much to his surprise, Katniss is the first to speak.

"Well we're both hunters, skilled with bows and knives, as you well know," Katniss begins with a smirk. Haymitch merely grunts in response.

"And we're also handy when it comes to identifying plant life, especially herbs used for healing cause our mom runs an apothecary and our little sister always makes sure we're up to date with our knowledge."

Val nods along, glad that she's at least not trying to boost only one person up because they came into this as a team, they might as well continue as a team. Though, he will have to find the opportunity to pull Haymitch aside for a chat to increase her odds of survival.

"But my brother is the better survivalist. He managed to live out in the forest by himself for a good six months."

And he spoke too soon. Val can only stare wide-eyed as Katniss starts going off on all of his achievements and talents, no longer including her own.

"He learned how to use a bow all on his own after only watching our dad teach me a single lesson. He even memorized the entire book of herbs and edible plants we had in no time at all which of course, helped him to survive in the months before the winter we adopted him," Katniss proudly boasted. Haymitch nods along, thoughtfully.

Well this won't do. Val has to stop this before it goes too far.

"That may be true, but I'm not the one who was the first to start shooting every prey with a clean shot through the eye. That was you after only a month of formal training from dad," Val points out to counter her boasting with his own. "And let's not forget that time you managed to track, scare, and kill a bear three years ago in the fall. The entire Seam ate better in that one week than that entire year."

Katniss scowls something fierce at him. She crosses her arms, her entire posture confrontational. "What do you think you're doing?" she asks.

Val matches her scowl and crossed arms with his own scowl and crossed arms. "What am I doing? What are you doing?" he asks, annoyed and on the verge of pissed off. "Why are you trying to say I'm better than you cause I'm clearly not."

"So I can't talk about how much better my big brother is at everything? Because you are. Hell, you're even better at talking and all that emotion crap than I ever could be. You and Prim literally had to shove me at Peeta because I sure as hell would've never done anything about that. Just stewed in my anger and jadedness for the rest of my life," she says, tone dripping with cynicism.

"No, you wouldn't have because you are the most determined and passionate person I've ever known in my life and trust me, I know a lot of determined and passionate people," Val counters, mind traveling back to the citizens of District 2 he'd known once upon a time. "You carry a fire in you that no one can ever look away from and when you add Peeta to the mix, you guys are like the sun. That's why life got so much brighter when you together finally got together."

"Well if I'm the fire and together with Peeta, we're the sun, then you are like the sky. All-encompassing and willing to take in everyone under your wing. Accepting who they are and helping them to become a better person. Because let's be real here, if you hadn't come into our lives, none of us would be striving to become the better person you believe we can be."

At that, Val is unable to counter her words. Because he's speechless. He never thought of his actions before and they now race through his head. How he would always try to spare portions of their hunts for the citizens of the Seam who need it the most. How he always tried to talk with the downtrodden in an attempt to lift their spirits, so that they can fight to live another day, to live and see a brighter future that they themselves have to make.

He didn't think he was trying to get people to be better versions of themselves. He just wanted them to learn to live again. Because he learned the hard way that life was too short to be giving into the oppression of the Capitol like it was the only way to live.

Katniss smiles bitterly at his silence. She turns to Haymitch with a serious expression that held an undertone of fond exasperation. "He really has no idea," she says, "The effect he can have."

After that, a heavy silence descends in the room. Katniss crosses her arms and turns her head to the side, glaring at a wall. Val watches her with a lost expression, clearly at a loss for the first time in a long while. Haymitch sighs and palms at his face when it's clear that Katniss is done talking and Val is still too speechless to say anything more. He'd really like a drink but first, he's gotta fix this mess before the game plan that was still half-formed in his mind exploded fantastically in his face.

"Alright, alright. Enough of the pissing contest, you're both pretty," he says, voice dripping with sarcasm that has Katniss snorting and Val trying to hide a small smile that formed on his face. Ha! He's still got it even after all those years being a drunk asshat. But now's not the time for jokes, it's time to get down to business.

"From what I hear, you both have a lot of talents when it comes to hunting and basic survival. That's good for when you're in the arena, but terrible when you're training," he says as the siblings simultaneously tilt their heads in confusion. "The next three days are vital not in what skills you can learn, but for the information you can gather on your fellow tributes. I still highly recommend that you learn new skills like I don't know, camouflage, making a fire, hell, while don't you try learning how to fight with a spear or an axe. But you need to limit yourself and steer clear of any and all stations that show your extensive knowledge and capabilities. Understand?"

They nod, expressions solemn. Haymitch nods back.

"Good. And while you're doing all that, you need to pay attention to each tribute. What skills do they excel at, which ones are they working on or trying to improve. Have they started making alliances? Or are they just lone wolfing it? Also, I don't think I have to tell you but make sure you steer clear of the Careers right? Right. Keep an eye on them and never, never engage no matter what they do, am I clear?"

He directs the clear warning in Katniss' direction who points to herself while trying to look all innocent and doe-like. "Alright you can go now and don't forget, united front, all the time every time all through the day capiche?" he says as he rolls his eyes and waves them off. Katniss and Val voice their agreements and take the cue to get up from their seats.

Katniss heads towards the door first and as she passes by, Haymitch mutters, "See if I ever try to help you guys again." She sticks her tongue out in his directions and exits through the door. Val slowly follows until he's walking near the avox who's now standing nearby the door with a tray of water.

"I'm sorry for not being able to help that day," he whispers softly, "I'm so sorry that I condemned you to a life of silence and servitude because of my inaction. And I'm so, so sorry for not being of any help even now."

The avox is visibly surprised at his apology. Her eyes grow wet and become glassy. For a second, Val thinks she's going to burst into tears. Instead she shakes her head and gives him a small smile as if she's saying she's forgiven him for what happened back then. But all that does is just make him feel more guilty, a heavy weight settling in his stomach. He nods in response and exits the penthouse.

XXXXXX

Val laughs when Katniss jumps in surprise beside him. "What? Can't handle the heat once it's real? Thought you were the girl on fire, lil sis?"

Katniss scowls at him as he laughs. "Oh that's cute. That's really cute," she snaps as she glares at the pile of twigs on the ground of the station they were at. It's currently smoking but still no fire. She tries again for a spark or at least something other than a frankly pathetic amount of smoke coming from the pile. She fails again and growls at the twigs like it personally offended her by not catching fire.

Val quickly intervenes, trying to stem his laughter as he pulls her away from the station. "Come on, let's got try a different station. And hey, chances are we won't even have to worry about fire in the arena, like that one arena that flooded or the other that was just a desert."

"Yeah I guess," she responds, tone reluctant as she lets Val drag her to another station with some trees and rocks. They both pointedly ignore the looks that all the other tributes in the room give as they walk up to the table in the middle of the station where there are a bunch of bowls full of various materials in it. It seems that the station is for camouflage.

They listen to the assigned trainer point out the materials in each bowl - leaves, mud, gravel, bark, sand, water, etc - that can be used to allow them to blend into the environment around them. After a brief introduction to the tools they can use or make, the trainer leaves them to go help the two tributes from 8 who had just arrived. Savannah and Lee, while both trying to put up the same united front as Katniss and Val, were definitely trying to hide what they were doing from the other. Savannah has her back turned to Lee as she examines the different examples of brush covering while Lee discreetly paints an arm with red mud, using some bowls as cover.

Katniss and Val take note of their interactions as the two huddle closer together, painting each other's arms with grey and dark brown mud to imitate the bark of one of the display tress.

"Guess not everyone can have the same unity as us," Katniss whispers to him as she paints a long strip of dark mud down his forearm.

Val rolls his eyes. "Well not everyone grew up with each other or are siblings like we are." He chances a glance at the two from 8. "But I'll give them points for effort. It's a hell of a lot better than what the rest of the tributes are doing."

The two turn their heads to look over their shoulders at the rest of the tributes.

The tributes from 1, 2, and 3 are all gathered around the weapons rack trying to look all intimidating on the other side of the training center. Kai and Marvel are rough housing with each other as they toss spears at dummies while Glimmer practically drools at their bulging biceps. Noah tries to get involved albeit reluctantly and Amber tries to make small talk with a very uninterested Clove who's lazily throwing knives at a lone target already full of them.

Azora, Tamora, Sienna, and Demetria seem to have struck up a tentative alliance given how the four girls were working together in the spear work station, trying to find ways to one up the other.

Dean, Jason, Wallace, and Timmer seem to have done the same as they spar against each other and shout insults while trying to inflict injuries at the sword work station.

Three of the younger tributes, Sebastian, Craigh, and Susan, find solace and comfort with one another, standing close together as a trainer teaches them different trapping methods.

Thresh is pumping heavy weights in a corner as he keeps a close eye on his fellow tribute, Rue, as she climbs nets and jumps across ropes like a squirrel on a tree.

Finch is the only tribute actually lone wolfing it as she speeds through a floral identification simulator with a single-minded focus.

The siblings turn back to face each other, a silent agreement to speak of their observations later passes between them. They both turn back to their arms that definitely do not look anything like tree bark but could pass for a mud slide if they ever came across one.

"Well it looks like we're not going to be winning art awards anytime soon," Val says, attempting to joke with his teasing tone that kind of falls flat.

Katniss still appreciates the effort though. "Yeah. Peeta would be so much better at this crap cause he can actually paint, or at least something close to it. Remember all those amazing decorations he's done for the cakes and cookies? It always makes me sad when I have to eat them cause they look too good to just disappear into my stomach," she says with a fond smile.

"He's definitely an artist when it comes to those deserts. You can barely draw a stick figure and I've got two left hands!" Val jokes as he holds up his hands with his right hand turned so the thumb points the same direction as the left hand.

Katniss gasps dramatically, expression mockingly offended. "How dare you! I'll have you know that my stick figures are the best stick figures that have ever been drawn in the history of stick figures."

"Whatever you say sis. That one art class we had to take in school begs to differ," he says with an indifferent shrug that turns into a laugh when Katniss starts smacking his arm with her muddied brush. The other tributes all stare again at their blatant display of sibling bonding.

Val slaps the brush away as he grabs a towel to wipe the mud off his arm and shirt. He tilts his head in the direction of the water and foraging stations. "You up for a refresher? Maybe we'll even learn something new? Who knows."

Katniss nods and follows his example in cleaning her arm off. "Definitely. We've been kinda spoiled by the meadow's lake in my opinion. All we gotta do is boil and we're all set."

Val barks out a laugh as the siblings finish cleaning up. They head off to the water and foraging stations, the stares of the other tributes weighing heavily on their shoulders as they try to keep up their playful banter.

XXXXXX

The mess hall is a cacophony of sounds from the movement of dishes, cutlery, and tributes. Not much talking is happening though. The only source of those sounds are from the Careers as they laugh and shout and are just generally being loud and rowdy as if the amount of noise they make correlates to their intimidation factor.

All the other tributes with tentative alliances sit far apart from each other, even at separate tables if they're able to do.

Finch somehow manages to keep a wide radius of distance between herself and the rest.

The two from 8 sit at the same table but on opposite sides and corners.

Sebastian, Susan, and Craigh all sit at the same table but do not engage in any small talk, following the example of their older fellow tributes. However, the expressions on their young faces and constant fidgeting show they'd rather be doing otherwise.

Thresh and Rue are the only ones beside Val and Katniss who sit at the same table within close proximity. Rue is happily chattering at Thresh who indulges her by listening with a gentle expression on his face.

Val has to physically move his gaze away from the sight of Rue's bright smile and Thresh's indulgent one before he does something utterly embarrassing like burst into tears. Instead he focuses his attention on his sister who's barely eating her food, just pushing around a piece of meat across the metal tray.

"So..." he starts, dragging out the word in order to draw her attention back to him. "I guess the only tributes we really have to worry about are the Careers yeah? Especially the guys with all their testosterone."

Katniss snorts, her expression amused though her eyes convey how grateful she is for the distraction. "Yeah, sure. But I think our real threat is fox face."

"Who?" he asks, brow furrowed in confusion.

"The girl who's been all lone wolf since the beginning? I didn't even think it was possibly to isolate yourself like that but guess it shows what I know," she responds with a shrug.

Val pulls a face at Katniss, unamused by her nickname for the tribute. "Her name is Finch."

Now Katniss is pulling a face at him. "What the fuck? You actually remember her name?"

"Uh, yeah? Cause she's a human being with a name and she deserves to be treated as such."

At that Katniss fondly rolls her eyes at him. "Same old Val. Always trying to get to know everyone, remember everyone's name, and get into everyone's business," she teases, "You're always trying to be everyone's friend but really it's just the easiest way to stick your nose into everyone's business."

"Oh please, if I wasn't good at reading people and their emotions then you never would've had a chance with Peeta," he retorts with no real heat behind his words, "You would've just hated the poor boy for all eternity instead of indulging in whatever sickening couple stuff you do whenever I'm not around."

"Um, excuse you. You were not good at reading people back then at all. It was only cause Peeta was a little kid who was so love struck that even Prim noticed," she huffs back.

Val smiles. Gotcha. "Oh! So you are admitting to the fact that you are completely incapable of reading even the emotions of an 8 year old kid who might as well have been wearing a glowing neon saying "I love Katniss Everdeen" then?"

Katniss tsks at that. He laughs as she pouts at having been caught by another mind game. "Well at least I managed to make the first move as soon as I realized I liked him in return. How long did it take you and Gale to get your heads out of your asses," she shoots back. Then she pauses as if to sift through memories. "Oh right! It took 5 years and a Reaping," she deadpans before smirking, "How does it feel to be out relationshipped by a 12 year old?"

Val scowls at that and Katniss laughs in response. "Doesn't feel so good to be on the other end does it?"

He rolls his eyes and just starts shoveling food into his mouth, entirely done with the conversation as she continues to snicker at him. Then her expression turns serious and he swallows the food in his mouth before he has to have another serious conversation cause like, seriously? It's what, the fourth or fifth one he's had in two days? He doesn't know how many more of these he can take before he actually starts to sob uncontrollably.

"You know the risks right? Treating the other tributes like they're human beings when you know they'll try to kill when they get the chance," she says, her tone dead serious.

"Well yeah, only cause they're trying to survive. Just like us. That's part of what makes us human."

Katniss raises a skeptical eyebrow to that. "Wasn't it you who told me that everyone who enters the arena ends up losing at least part of or all of their humanity in order to survive? That they throw something precious away because that could mean the difference between living to see the next day or dying in a ditch like a dog?"

Val sighs because he had said something to that effect but..."That still doesn't mean they weren't human beings. Yes, they may have thrown something away and allowed themselves to act on baser impulses to survive but that doesn't mean they're animals. They're people, hell they're kids and teens, just like us, who were placed in an impossible situation for entertainment and propaganda. The least I can do is allow them some dignity in return."

She huffs and crosses her arms. "Whatever, it's your funeral. I just hope your risk is worth it."

"It'll have to be," he says with another sigh as the two siblings look around the mess hall, giving all the tributes another glance.

All the Careers' enthusiasm, except Kai's, seems more strained and fake, like they're putting on a brave face or a show.

The other teen tributes seemed pressed down by an invisible weight, shoulders slumped and expressions hopeless.

The three kid tributes seem as if they're trying to keep the entire situation from fully settling in, otherwise, they might start crying right then and there.

Thresh looks more resigned than stoic and Rue's happy chatter has a desperate undertone to it.

Finch seems to be the only one with any positive emotion. Determination shining brightly in her eyes.

Now his appetite is completely gone. Val gathers his tray and utensils before getting up. Katniss follows his example and the two go to drop their trays off before leaving the mess hall. The stares once again burning into their turned backs.

So…yeah. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and weren't as dissatisfied by it as I was and that it wasn't as talky talky for you either. I'm still trying to get into a grove with my literature writing and trying to not let the screenwriting bleed in cause you know in screenwriting it's more words than action and with literature it's more details for EVERYTHING.

So…yeah. Man, I've been saying that a lot. But yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a comment because its validation and I will gladly and shamelessly ask for it cause it makes me all warm and fuzzy. To the next chapter!