Just Do It
The following night, Jeanetty pulled a food laden trolley to Peeta's door. She knocked lightly and waited. "Who is it?" She knocked again and Peeta threw the door open. "Look, I don't-oh! Jeanetty."
"I'm sorry for not answering, but a whisper doesn't penetrate doors very well." She let herself in with the trolley.
"I'm not really-"
"Too bad," she cut him off. "The next 48 hours, you are my Tribute. Which means you do as I tell you." She put a fork in his hand and sat him on his bed. "That includes eating, sleeping, working out, waking up, and whatever else I think is necessary."
"Why? I'm not going to win!" She placed a plate of food in front of him and made him stab it with a fork. "I have no chance! The Gamemakers gave me an 8. They gave Katniss an 11! She can do it! You should be helping her!"
She arranged her food next to his. "Haymitch received a 7." He looked up surprised. "I got a 6." His eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "The evaluation numbers are a baseline for the Sponsors and statisticians. And that number changes when your in the Games, based on how long you live, how many others are dead, who you ally with. For outlying Districts it also matters on who you kill." He remained silent as he stared into his food. "A number shouldn't rule your life. That's why we are going down at 8 to work on things your having problems with. We'll also talk about possible stratagies."
"You really think I can win this?" He looked at her with a small spark of hope in his eyes.
She sighed. "She's 'the Girl on Fire'. You're 'the Baker's Boy', no one special. I'm going to put a few ideas to you tomorrow on how to get to the final five hours of the Games. If you follow one them, I have no doubt that you would have a definite chance to win."
Peeta smiled and began to eat with gusto.
The next night, after final training, the occupants of the floor and District 12 dressed up in the finest formalwear Cinna had conjured. The Tributes stood in a line with the rest, the Mentors, Effie, and Cinna stood off to the side watching the interviews. When Katniss finished hers, they all gathered off stage to watch Peeta.
"Nice job, sweetheart," Haymitch complimented. "Nice dress, too." He looked to Effie. "Not yours." As everyone's attention turned to Peeta's interview, he walked behind Jeanetty and whispered into her ear. "You look rather pretty this year, too."
"Are you saying I don't normaly?" She made certain the others weren't looking as she tilted her body softly into his.
"You always do. And tonight, I'm taking you dancing."
She looked at him surprised. "In public? What about...?"
"Relax. We'll wait till everyone's out for the night. I'll bring the usual music."
"Tributes don't normally sleep the night before."
"Who are they going to tell?"
"Well, if one of them wins, anyone."
"Why would they?"
"Your drunken ass said something stupid and/or I pissed them off with the truth." He sighed. "It's true."
"Let's not worry about it. Dance with me tonight."
She sighed exasperatedly but nodded and they turned their attention to the screen. Peeta leaned back from Ceasar. "You definitely smell better than I do."
"Well, I've lived here longer."
"That makes sense." the crowed laughed at the exchange.
"So, what did you tell him about the interview?"
Jeanetty shrugged. "To be himself. Answer questions honestly. Show emotion, but not enough to appear weak. Not to answer questions about his strategy."
"Usual Q and A type shit."
"Yeah."
On stage Ceasar was speaking. "Peeta, tell me."
"Well, there... There is this one girl that I've had a crush on forever." Jeanetty's brow furrowed in confusion. "But I don't think she actually recognized me until the Reaping."
"Not that honest Peeta!" Jeanetty grew concerned.
"We..," Ceasar continued. "I'll tell you what, Peeta. You go out there and you win this thing, and when you get home, she'll have to go out with you. Right folks?"
The crowed cheered. "Thanks, but I don't think winning's gonna help me at all."
"And why not?"
Peeta took a deep breath. "Because she came here with me."
"Well, that's bad luck."
"Yeah, it is."
"And I wish you all the best of luck." Ceasar continued on to end the interviews.
Katniss waited until they had reached the safety of the District 12 apartments before she lashed out at Peeta. "What the hell was that?" She pushed him against the wall hard. "You don't talk to me, and then you say you have a crush on me? You want to train alone? Is that how you want to play?"
Haymitch roughly pulled her away. "Stop it! Stop it!"
"Let's start right now!"
"Hey!" Haymitch got her to still as Jeanetty gently pulled away from the wall. "He did you a favor."
"He made me look weak."
"He made you look desireable, which in your case, can't hurt, sweetheart."
"He's right, Katniss," Cinna said to help calm her further.
"Of course he's right," Jeanetty interrupted as she rubbed Peeta's back. "Now we can sell the star-crossed lovers from District 12..."
"We are not star-crossed lovers," Katniss yelled at her.
"It's a television show!" Haymitch snapped at the younger woman. "And being in love with that boy might just get you Sponsors, which could save your damn life." He sighed to calm himself.
"Okay. Why don't you get out of here," Jeanetty said to Peeta, rubbing his shoulder.
"Maybe we can deliver you both in one piece tomorrow." Haymitch began to escort his fellow Mentor upstairs.
"Manners!" Effie snapped at Katniss as she followed the pair in an attempt to get her to behave.
Katniss and Peeta headed back to their rooms after reconciling late that night. As they passed the living room they heard a clinking sound and a low hum. "What's that?" Peeta peeked around the corner before drawing back sharply. "Haymitch and Jeanetty."
"So?" Katniss looked at him confused.
He peeked back around the corner kneeling down to the floor. "Dancing."
Katniss looked around the corner above his head. Sure enough their two Mentors were dancing togeather. Haymitch held Jeanetty's waist in his left arm, a glass of whiskey in his right. Her left hand helped support support the glass between them whilst her right was wrapped around his back, her head on his shoulder, his atop hers.
"Interesting year," Haymitch said as she pulled the glass to her lips.
"Definitely did not guess the star-crossed lovers." She spoke aloud, her alto voice washing over the hidden pair, surprising them as they realized the humming had been coming from their silent Mentor.
"I think she found it a bit of a surprise as well." He spun her around once. "Sing for me?"
She laughed, surprising the Tributes further. "Sing? I've been talking in secret for 20 years, and you want me to sing? I'm even humming for you."
"You've always had the most beautiful voice."
She smiled and sighed playfully.
'Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin,
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in,
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove.'
Haymitch joined her in singing the last lines.
'Dance me to the end of love,
Dance me to the end of love.'
They laughed affectionately as they each took another sip of the whiskey. He smiled down at her. "I love you, Jeanetty."
"I love you, Haymitch."
"Let's get to bed, my dear. We've a long day tomorrow."
She sighed and finished their drink. "That we do."
The Tributes quickly ran back to their own rooms as the Mentors walked back to their shared room at a leisurely pace.
A/n: Shit,I'mlate,sorry! Hi! I don't even know if this song would exist in this post-apocolyptic like world, but I also don't care. Muah-haha-haha!