DOUBLE UPDATE!

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Forty-Six; Temptation

As Ficen smirked when Stephanie grimaced, Stephanie knew then that her suspicions had been correct. Ficen was doing it all on purpose.

"It's too tight," Stephanie said through gritted teeth.

"Really?" Ficen drawled making no move to adjust the metal digging into Stephanie's throat. "Does it feel like you're being strangled?" Ficen inquired lightly.

"Ficen get it off," Stephanie snarled.

Ficen smirked as her nimble fingers loosened the intricate clasp at the back of Stephanie's neck.

"Stay still, I need to get this right. I had to design something to cover up those ugly bruises on your neck," Ficen snapped.

"Make-up usually suffices," Stephanie shot back, locking eyes for a moment with Ficen in the mirror she was sat before.

Ficen smirked again, "yes, it usually does," she agreed.

Stephanie decided to ignore Ficen then as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

The necklace was a gunmetal grey in colour that sheened when the light caught it. It was an intricately designed and shaped filigree pattern that ended in sharp spikes rather than the usual rounded edges. It started just below her chin before ending at her collarbones in stretching points that dripped diamonds.

Stephanie hated it already, and she had only had it on a few minutes. It limited her movement and made her neck fell like it was trapped in some metal contraption that would tighten at any moment. Stephanie tried to push away that last thought as her mind raced with nightmares she had had, concerning a great mechanical dog that would snap her neck in its steel jaws.

Stephanie readjusted her grip on the front of her shirt, as she held it up. Ficen had undone the first four buttons at least and shoved the material from her shoulders, so she could better see what the necklace would look like with the dress. Well, Ficen hadn't really explained it at all, but that was what Stephanie assumed Ficen had near ripped the shirt from her back for.

"Stand up," Ficen instructed.

Stephanie rolled her eyes, "it's a bloody necklace. It won't look any different when I'm standing," she grumbled.

All the same though Stephanie got to her feet begrudgingly, clasping her shirt tighter to herself, as Ficen remained stubbornly glaring at her darkly.

Ficen reached past her to unzip a long plastic covering then that was hanging up on a rail.

Stephanie scowled when she saw it; her dress for this evening.

Stephanie was convinced, that if Ficen wasn't doing it on purpose, then the stylist clearly forgot who she was designing the dresses for when she made them. For once again the thing looked so narrow, Stephanie doubted Ficen would be able to squeeze herself into it.

It was sleeveless and the bodice dipped down sharply for a very daring neckline which would mean Stephanie would be self-conscious the entire night. It was the palest blush pink in colour decorated by dove-grey lace patterns. A thin band of silver ribbon tied around the waist and Stephanie saw gratefully that the dress tapered off and didn't end in a huge train for her to trip over. Stephanie refused to look to the ground though, for she knew if she even caught a glimpse of the heels Ficen was going to make her wear, she would run from the room.

Ficen took the dress out, running her eyes over it appreciatively before with a scowl she pressed it up against Stephanie.

Stephanie puffed out her cheeks bored, as Ficen stared at her reflection in the mirror. The only thing Stephanie could discern when she looked in the mirror was; she wasn't going to be able to eat at the party, or sit, or possibly breathe with how tight the dress would be.

Ficen made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat after a few endless minutes though, and snatched the dress away from Stephanie, as though Stephanie's mere touch contaminated it. Ficen reverently replaced it to its covering while Stephanie fiddled with the necklace trying to find the clasp.

Ficen scowled, slapping her hands away when she noticed, before removing the collar necklace.

Stephanie inhaled a deep breath, relishing the ability to breathe without feeling metal spikes digging into her neck.

She moved her hands to the front of her shirt readying to redo the few buttons Ficen had undone, when her hands stilled.

She ran her fingers gingerly over the bruises stark against her pale skin as she eyed them in the mirror, becoming lost in thought as Stephanie slowly retook her seat in front of the mirror.

Stephanie didn't notice when Ficen slipped from the room to return the dress and necklace to their places.

She was however aware when she suddenly saw Haymitch standing at the open door, silhouetted by the light from the hall behind him.

Stephanie smiled softly as she met Haymitch's keen grey gaze in the mirror.

"Do you need to get your measurements taken as well?" Stephanie asked lightly, raising a brow teasingly.

Haymitch chuckled as he came further into the room, closing the door and Stephanie turned around to face him.

He stopped a definitive metre away from her though, digging his hands into his pockets as he smirked wryly.

"Ellen said I was needed here," he replied.

Stephanie rolled her eyes at the same time as Haymitch shook his head minutely, recognising Electra's ploy for what it was.

"She's determined we should get back together," Stephanie said as she stood from the chair.

Haymitch's eyes darkened suddenly as he visibly swallowed and Stephanie glanced down. A flush rose to her cheeks as she saw her shirt, the first four buttons lying open and hanging off her shoulders.

She sensed more than anything when Haymitch appeared before her, that metre of distance between them swiftly eradicated. Burning heat licked across her skin as she raised her eyes slowly to him.

Stephanie held his gaze as she deliberately moved her hands away from holding up the material, her cheeks glowing red.

The shirt slipped further down her arms, pooling around her waist and Haymitch's gaze was like a spark of electricity racing across her skin.

His hand shot out suddenly as he grasped a handful of the green material of her shirt that was bunched at her waist. And within a second he had yanked her forward, completely eliminating the slightest inch between them.

Stephanie's breath hitched audibly as she gave a small yelp until she found herself pressed flush against Haymitch. His hot breaths touched her quivering lips as his eyes locked with hers.

"Keep dressing like this and Ellen might just get her wish," Haymitch muttered huskily, as he released the green material he had clenched between his fingers.

Stephanie felt a very real sense of disappointment as Haymitch pulled her shirt up, back across her shoulders. His fingers made swift work of the buttons and Stephanie tried her best not to shiver as with each button Haymitch brushed her skin.

She didn't know if he was doing it on purpose or not because he seemed completely unaffected compared to how Stephanie had utterly melted into a quivering mess.

Haymitch took a deliberate few steps back and Stephanie swallowed convulsively trying to gather some composure as she smoothed, slightly shaking hands over her wrinkled shirt front.

Damn bloody Ellen for deliberately sending Haymitch down here! Stephanie cursed inwardly, as her thoughts shifted to the blue-haired woman.

Stephanie chewed her inner cheek contemplatively as she looked to Haymitch.

Electra cared about Haymitch. She seemed to want Stephanie and Haymitch to get back together. Yet at the same time Electra had urged Stephanie to use Seneca's love to her advantage. Stephanie now considered that Electra had only said that Seneca would force her in an attempt to frighten Stephanie. Hoping that by frightening Stephanie, it would make Stephanie take the proffered advice and manipulate Seneca's love. And all so Stephanie would get Seneca to release Electra from a debt?

"Haymitch do you trust Ellen?" Stephanie blurted out suddenly.

Haymitch blinked as the last of the heat left his gaze at the sudden change in topic.

"Yes," he answered after a moment, "mostly."

Stephanie sketched a brow and Haymitch sighed, running a hand through his hair as he averted his gaze.

"She's not as self-centred or as selfish as she would have you believe, nor is she always as strong as wants to appear," he explained.

Stephanie sighed lightly, "she's a very confusing person to hold a conversation with," Stephanie remarked drolly.

Haymitch snorted in amusement as he grinned in agreement, "she deliberately does it," he confided. "But don't pay attention to it, usually somewhere beneath all the riddles she's spewing out there's truth amongst the lies."

Stephanie chewed on her bottom lip. She guessed she also trusted Electra…mostly.

Electra was just extremely confounding, what with her contradictory statements, her insistence that she was a selfish person and her insistence on speaking usually in riddles and anecdotes.

Yet Stephanie could tell that Electra did care for Haymitch and she didn't need Electra's self-proclaimed skill of reading voices to be able to tell that.

"Was I right to tell Ellen everything?" Stephanie asked finally.

It was the last thing she wanted to know before she would cease trying to understand Electra.

She had suspected partially herself, before Haymitch had said it, that Electra deliberately made herself confusing and impossible to get a grasp on in an attempt to distance herself from everyone. Stephanie would conjecture that it was a coping mechanism; for if no one got close enough then it wouldn't hurt so much when you lost them. So Stephanie would respect Electra's wishes to remain distant and misunderstood and a complete riddle-spinner if that was what the blue-haired woman wanted.

But she had to know first of all if she could still confide in Electra.

Haymitch didn't need to think about his answer this time. He nodded straight away, "definitely." Stephanie sighed in relief, as she nodded minutely as well.

Perhaps Electra was trustworthy afterall, Stephanie considered ruefully. Then she smirked thinking how in so short a space of time seemingly her range of emotions and opinions towards the blue-haired woman had swung from one end of the spectrum to the other.

She had fervently hated Electra and thought her a selfish liar once and there was even a time when Stephanie was immensely grateful to Electra for being able to confide in her and thought her the most trustworthy person given both Haymitch and Seneca trusted her.

Just then the door opened and Stephanie smirked as the very blue-haired woman they had been speaking about casually ambled into the room, glancing about the place appraisingly.

The small dressing room was really just that. There was a rail of clothes, a compact dressing table with a few long mirrors and other stationary storage cabinets that contained make-up and other props.

Electra shut the door tightly before turning to Haymitch and Stephanie, her eyes narrowing.

"Whatever you two were discussing I hope it wasn't too incriminating," Electra warned ominously.

Stephanie and Haymitch glanced at one another before looking to Electra prompting.

"As I was nearing here I saw Ficen loitering outside the door. I can't say for sure, but it seems very likely she was eavesdropping." Electra explained grimly, "she scattered when she seen me coming of course, or else I would have given her what for alright!"

Haymitch's expression darkened at Electra's news and Stephanie didn't manage to completely conceal the shudder of disgust that raced up her spine at the thought that Ficen had possibly been spying on her and Haymitch.

"I hope she wasn't eavesdropping the entire time," Stephanie muttered.

Electra's expression brightened considerably then as she smirked lasciviously, "and why would that be?"

Stephanie tried to fix Electra with a cool deadpan look.

"Get your head out of the gutter Ellen," Haymitch muttered, because Stephanie wasn't being very convincing blushing scarlet as she was.

Electra shrugged unconcernedly though a smirk still toyed at her lips. "And you two are still…"

"Not together," Stephanie stated resolutely looking at Electra.

Electra's smirk lessened then as she rolled her eyes. "Fine then," she relented, "is there a point in confronting Ficen for her big ears?"

"Not really," Stephanie mused aloud. The news of Ficen eavesdropping on them, while angering didn't particularly trouble nor surprise Stephanie. This was Ficen afterall. And running a cursory mind over what Stephanie and Haymitch had said, there was little that was particularly damaging. They had spoken about trusting Electra but Ficen already hated Electra so she was hardly going to take notice of that.

"Well let's get back up to the penthouse anyway then, so we might enjoy a little privacy," Electra suggested and Haymitch and Stephanie readily agreed.