A/N: Enjoy the chapter and prepare to learn more about one of our best OC's.

Prim found him sitting up on his bed still wide awake. "Measel, I need to talk to someone."

"Oh! Okay come in then." He said shrugging. She gave a weak smile and sat down next to him. "So, what's on your mind?" He asked turning to her.

She told him what she overheard.

"That's so sad." He said. Prim nodded looking down. "It has you more worried?"

"Exactly."

"Well, don't worry about it so much."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of course I am." He said.

"Then why shouldn't I be."

"You are getting out."

"Even if that's true. We just found that's not the only problem."

"I know." He sighed.

"So why shouldn't I?"

"I don't know," he said. Prim just sighed. "I wish I could be of more help."

"It's not your fault. There's nothing that could be done."

"I know, but we can try and get you out."

"Right." Prim sighed. "And try not to anger the Capitol in the process."

"I will promise." He said.

"Hopefully it will work."

"I think it will." He took her hand gently.

"Thank you, Measel. That does help."

"I am here if you need me."

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Okay, well maybe sleep will help?" He said.

"Easier said than done."

"I know, but Katniss will be there soon."

"Didn't help me very much last night. It helped her though."

"Maybe it will this time, I don't know what else can help you sleep."

"If only Buttercup could be here." Prim sighed.

"Sorry, you could not bring him."

"It of course makes sense why I couldn't."

"It does, but still."

"I guess that's it though."

"Well, is there something I can do for you?" He asked.

"Maybe I could try sleeping here? Help us both."

"Well, I suppose you could." He said blushing.

"Just sleeping." She added.

"I know that," he said nodding.

"Just making sure."

"Of course you go change and I will too," he said.

She nodded and got up heading back to her room. She went over and found comfy pajamas. When she was about to leave Katniss had come in. "Prim, you're still up?" She asked.

"More nightmares," Prim lied not wanting to admit she eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Oh! I see, so where were you going?"

"I was hoping Measel could help." She answered truthfully this time.

"Oh, you were going to see him then?"

"Yeah."

"Did you want me to come along?"

"I would prefer not."

"Oh, I see..." She said awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry."

"It's fine." Katniss said a bit too quickly.

"Doesn't sound that way."

"No really, it's fine." She said.

"Katniss, I know you better than that."

"Prim, I'll be okay," she said.

"If you're sure."

"I am. Go ahead and go," she said.

"Well... alright... thank you, Katniss."

"No problem, Prim." She said.

"Not just for this. For everything."

"Well no trouble, Prim."

Before she left Prim pulled Katniss into a hug. "I love you Katniss," she said.

"I love you, too, Prim."

She let go and headed to Measel's room. "Well, I got half busted."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She explained what just happened with Katniss.

"Wow that is awkward."

"Very." Prim sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's my own fault."

"If you want to go to her..." Measel said trailing off.

"I don't know honestly."

"Well, I say do what you think is best," he said.

"If I knew I wouldn't have this problem."

"True, I suppose." He sighed.

"I think I want to stay here though. It just seems unfair to Katniss."

"Well, you could try staying here and see how you feel after a while."

"Okay."

"That way you give both a chance."

"Okay, I will." He smiled and offered her a place in the bed. She returned the smile laying down there. He covered her up and lay down beside her. "Thank you, Measel."

"No problem it's my pleasure." He said wanting to hug her, but not wanting to push it. She did for him though. He held her there, feeling content. "This is nice." She said.

"Yeah, it is." He said smiling.

"I wish I had known before all this."

"What do you mean?" He asked looking at her.

"About you liking me before we wound up here."

"I never had the courage to tell you. Never thought I had a chance anyway."

"That's pretty much the same reason with me."

"What?" He asked.

"We went over this."

"Right, sorry long day." He said.

"I know." Prim sighed snuggling against him.

"I am sorry though, Prim." He said.

"Don't worry about it."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You know… if we're going to be going with the star-crossed lovers angle we're going to have to kiss in the arena."

"Well yeah I guess we are," he said.

"So, I think it might be a good idea to do so before hand since no matter what, first kisses are bound to be awkward."

"Yeah, they are. Did you want to now?" He asked.

"Yes I would." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. Once they did there was no question in her mind as far as he was concerned. She smiled into the kiss and so did he.

Just being the first kiss it wasn't long before they separated. "That was nice." She said.

"I thought so, too." He smiled.

"We really should have done this sooner." She said.

"Yeah but it was better than never."

"Yeah it is." She said snuggling against him again.

They eventually fell asleep like that. Katniss poked her head in a while later to check on them. She smiled a little seeing that glad that at least for now Prim seemed happy.

'I wish I could send Madge a picture,' she thought. She left not wanting to wake them. Staying like that they had both slept through the night.

Prim woke up first the next morning. She looked a Measel who still had his arms around her. "Measel, come on, wake up." She said gently. He shifted l slightly but didn't wake up. "Come on Measel wake up." She said shaking him a little.

He eventually did wake up. "Hey Prim." He said smiling.

"Hey Measel."

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Yeah, actually."

"That's great." He said.

"We need to get ready for training though."

"Right up and adem then." They separated and Prim headed back to her own room.

Prim walked across to her room actually smiling a little. "That was perfect." She whispered.

"What was that?" Katniss asked walking by on her way to the dining room.

"Nothing."

"Uh huh...alright." She said.

Prim went into her room before Katniss could ask any more. "Why does she have to hear so well?" Prim muttered to herself.

"Ears of a hunter." Katniss said through the door.

Prim blushed and ran to her bathroom. 'You'd think I would know better,' Prim thought this time. Setting the shower to how she liked she climbed in.

So she was showered and dried in almost no time. She found her training clothes out and waiting for her. They were black mid-length athletic pants with a green shirt and black tennis shoes. She shrugged and got dressed. Once dressed she headed out.

Measel came out of his room in white athletic pants and a dark red shirt. "Hey Prim, you look good."

"You too," She said taking his hand.

"You nervous." He asked.

"Yeah I am. Are you?"

"Of course I am."

"We'll get through this."

"Yeah, let's just go get some breakfast." He nodded and they headed out together.

They got to the dining room finding everyone else already there. "Ah there they are." Cinna said.

"Yeah, sorry for the wait." Prim said sitting down.

"It's alright I hope you rested well."

"We did actually, straight through the night."

"Not many can do that here." Haymitch said.

"Figured as much."

"So how did you manage it?"

"We slept together… just sleeping."

"Is that so?" He asked smirking.

"Well, and kissed but we didn't do… that."

"Aw," Effie said.

"We're only thirteen and fourteen."

"Well odd things happen when it's a life and death situation."

"Are you guys trying to get us to do that?" Prim asked a little disturbed.

"Of course not, but I have seen it happen in this situation before is all." Haymitch said.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah seriously. Some get overwhelmed and that ends up being how they calm down."

"…I have nothing to say to that."

"Surprising huh?"

"Yeah, it is. At least I know Katniss didn't."

"Not a chance." Katniss said.

"Yeah, you wouldn't do that with anyone in any situation."

"Well, certainly not Peeta."

"No one would want to do that with Peeta."

"I thought you liked Peeta as a friend?" Katniss asked.

"Kind of but 'as a friend' is the key part."

"True, but still I never heard you complain about him."

Prim shrugged and asked, "Why bother?"

"It would have helped me break things off."

"Sorry then."

"Well, it does not matter now." Cinna said.

"Right." She sighed getting some food. They all ate while discussing strategy.

It was soon time to head down though. "Remember try to make allies."

"We'll try," Prim promised.

"Good," Haymitch said.

"Should we go right now?"

"Yes you should."

"I'll take you down." Effie said getting up.

"I don't think you should Effie."

"Why not, I always do."

"You do? I thought that was just last year?" Katniss asked.

"No, I always do."

"Huh, odd but okay."

"I agree with Haymitch though."

"About leaving now?"

"That you should just go on your own."

"Really?" Effie asked wanting to be sure. They both nodded. "Good luck then," Effie said sitting back down.

"Thank you." Prim said, and she and Measel headed to the elevator. They pressed the bottom button and waited as they headed down. "Think she's there yet?" Prim asked.

"Maybe," Measel said. "Just get ready as if she is."

"I am ready."

"If you really were you probably wouldn't have asked."

"Okay, so I am worried."

"Just try to calm down a little."

"I am trying." Measel just sighed watching the numbers descend a little glad they're from 12. "We'll be okay." He said.

"I hope you're right."

"I do too." He admitted. They rest of the way down was taken in silence.

When they arrived she was there and so was her partner. Her partner was just look around the center with that blank look on his face. 'Odd guy' Measel thought. He couldn't help but wonder though. He was so different from any other Career he's ever seen. So different from his sister even. 'Do I try and talk to him?' He decided to wait until training actually started.

So, he waited and looked around the room. Soon it was time though. "Attention!" Atala called. They all turned and she explained all the stations and the rules. "Questions?" No one had any. "Good dismissed."

They all set off Cady almost instantly scaling the climbing wall and just sitting up there and her partner heading to knives. Measel headed towards him. The boy didn't seem to notice him as he took four knives in one hand hitting the heads or chests of four different human shaped targets perfectly. Measel swallowed then cleared his throat. He jumped slightly and fell back a step as if somehow afraid of him. "Hi, I'm sorry did not mean to scare you."

"Um… okay?"

"I wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"These games."

"Not really much to say about them."

"I know but I was hoping we could."

"You seem different than any other Career I've seen." Measel noted.

"And that's bad?"

"No, it's just curious."

"Well, why?" He asked.

"Because it makes me wonder just that. Mostly you just seem to lack any self-confidence," Measel said, looking at the targets he had hit then his face.

"I am not perfect. So, I don't deserve to."

"That doesn't mean anything. You really think your sister was? Or Cady and her brother?"

"Yes! All of them are." He said glaring a little.

"No one is. They just say they are because they're arrogant."

"She never said that! None of them did!"

"Then what makes you say that?" Measel said, trying to keep calm despite being yelled at.

"Because they were and are." He said.

"No one is." Measel repeated.

"You don't know them."

"Alright, if Cato and Clove were perfect, why didn't they win? Or at least one of them?"

"I don't know." He muttered.

"I won't even try to say they weren't skilled because they were both extremely. Heck, you sister was the only tribute to get honestly close to killing Katniss and she did it TWICE. They just weren't perfect."

"You have no way of knowing them." He said.

"You just admitted yourself."

"No, I admitted they lost." He said.

"But you couldn't explain why."

"What do you want!?" He asked.

"I want to know what's wrong with you." Measel said, accidently in pretty much the worst wording he could have used.

"Nothing, I'm just not perfect."

"Exactly, no one's perfect." Measel said and looked at the knives in the target before adding, "You are amazing though. Even better than your sister if you ask me."

"Impossible," He muttered.

"Well, that's my opinion from what I have seen."

"Well, thank you?" He asked.

"You're welcome. I have never seen anyone do that."

"Well, I train a lot."

"Then why put yourself down?"

"Not perfect." He repeated.

"Why are you so obsessed with being perfect?"

"I have to be or no one will love me anyway."

"Who told you that?" Measel asked shocked.

"My parents all the time."

"That's terrible." He stated it finally making sense.

"No it's the truth." He said. Measel had nothing to say realizing that nothing he could would make a difference. "Are we done?" The boy asked.

"Yes." Measel sighed and headed off.

'Well that was enlightening.' He thought. 'That poor kid.' He looked back and Kawino who was back to throwing knives the same way. 'Maybe they are not all bad.' He looked over and Prim wondering if he should talk to her about it.

She was headed towards the bow and arrows. He went over to her, "Prim, we need to talk."

"Okay, while we shoot."

"Okay," he said, grabbing a bow himself.

"So what's up?" She asked drawing an arrow.

"It's about the Career Tributes."

"Learn something we can use?"

"Well, yes and no, look, I don't think there as bad as we think."

"What!?" She asked. The shock of such a notion distracted her enough to accidently let the string go not only causing the arrow to hit one of the steel bars above her having already been off aim anyways but the string slapped her forearm. She gritted her teeth through the pain of the not wanting to look weaker to the other tributes then that shot already did and hissed through her still gritted teeth, "Surely you must be joking."

"No, Prim, I'm not. I was talking to the boy from 2 and he has had a pretty rough life."

"He's from 2; they're just the Capitol's lapdogs and don't even know what suffering is."

"I think you're wrong about that here, Prim."

"I doubt that. He's just trying to get inside you head and you're letting him."

"No, it's really not like that."

"You don't know that. Anything he said was obviously a lie."

"No, you just want to believe it is trust me you did not hear him."

"He was being incredibly loud actually and I don't need to. I won't fall for it and neither should you."

"Maybe you're wrong."

"Maybe you're wrong. Which seems more damaging?"

"I'm not sure."

"You can't be serious." She sighed getting another arrow and shooting it still terribly but not as bad.

"I am serious." He said.

"It would be way worse if we bought into it and I turned out to be a lie then if we didn't believe it and it turned out to be the truth."

"Sure, I suppose." Measel said.

"Just please drop this."

"Fine," He muttered.

"Thank you." She sighed shooting again though she knew she is certainly not Katniss.

"I have never shot these before." He said.

"Well, give it a shot." He shrugged picking up one of the bows and an arrow and taking aim. He released the arrow and it hit almost perfect, not Katniss good but certainly great for his first try. "That's an impressive shot." She said.

"Thank you," he said, though shocked that he had.

"Try again." He grabbed another arrow nocking it into place. He fired and it hit again. "You're a natural."

"I'm okay." He said.

"I know for a fact Katniss wasn't that good her first time," Prim stated quietly.

"No way." He said.

"Yes way, though that is just what dad said since I was one at the time."

"Well, that's good to know."

"Yeah, she's had lots of practice," she said still keeping quite.

"Well, I wish I had more time."

"Yeah, but it's definitely something."

"Should I try to get a bow too?"

"Would probably be a good idea and would cover long and mid-range."

"Alright, we can do that."

"Want to stay here I take it then?"

"Well, I do to get some practice."

"Would be best. I should probably move on somewhere else though."

"Remember stay away from specialty weapons."

"I will, and medical plants, too."

He nodded "Good luck."

"You too." He nodded getting another arrow ready.

Nothing much else happened until training was over for the day. They were greeted at the door by Katniss. "Hey Katniss," they both said.

"Hey, how was training?" She asked.

"Good, Measel's apparently great with a bow." Prim said, dropping the thing with the Careers. "I mean, not dad or you good but amazing for the first time."

"Is that so?" Katniss asked looking at him.

"Well, yeah, I was honestly really surprised."

"That's good though."

"I know. Would be more likely to find a bow than a scythe and provides range."

"Yes, but both would be amazing."

"There's something I want to talk to you alone about though."

"Oh, okay, Prim, we'll be right back."

"Okay." Prim sighed figuring what this is about.

Katniss lead Measel down the hall then turned to face him. "It about the Careers." He said right away. "I don't think they're as bad as we thought."

"Why?" She asked.

"I spoke with the boy from 2 and he's really been through a lot."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

He explained their conversation.

"Oh, that is interesting."

"Prim wouldn't believe it."

"Well, I can't blame her but I think it's a possibility."

"Really?" He asked a little surprised.

"Yeah, really, believe me; I have learned not to judge by appearance."

"That's not really the same though."

"I know that. Keep an eye on him."

"I will. I'm honestly worried about him though."

"You are?"

"Yeah, I mean, something's clearly be going on."

"You really think so."

"Yeah, I think they were abusing him."

"That's a big accusation."

"He said that they told him all the time that no one would ever love him unless he was perfect. What do you call that?"

"Th...that's surprising."

"Very." Measel sighed.

"Well, maybe I could talk to his mentor."

"That might help."

"Alright, I will see what I can do."

"Thank you, Katniss."

"No problem. Now go see Prim." Measel nodded and left.

Katniss sighed this games just kept getting more complex. She couldn't help but wonder if he was right though. 'It can't hurt to talk to the mentor.'

The next morning Measel and Prim got back to the training floor. Things were going about the same ad then Measel needed to use the bathroom. Needless to say, he was more than a little surprised when he found the boy from 2 on the sink with a knife swiped from the station pressed against his wrist.

A/N: Cliffhanger ending we know we're evil! If you want to learn more about Kawino see our other HG fics on Better a Freak Than a Fake's profile!