A little later than promised - sorry!
TRIPLE UPDATE!
Chapter One-Hundred-and-Seventy-Seven; Time Alone
"If she isn't careful, Isa will soon reach a decibel that even dogs would struggle to hear her at," Electra remarked drily.
Stephanie wearily massaged her temples, exchanging a sympathetic look with Frenkin across the table, as another of Isa's long wails shattered the air.
"A-And it's so, so, so…unfair!" Isa cried bitterly, her inconsolable mood in direct contrast to her latest sunny outfit and wig combo.
Haymitch was drinking generously. Electra was drinking generously. Stephanie was seriously moments away from considering joining them, even though it was still technically only breakfast. Her extra strenuous training at the crack of dawn had already made her body feel like it had been through a wringer, and she had already put herself through an emotional wringer concerning her guilt and love over Haymitch and the burgeoning feelings she was having for his worst enemy, Seneca Crane. It all meant Stephanie was in no mood for Isa's relentless bawling. And despite recently experiencing the horrors of a genuine hangover, she was seriously considering drinking alcohol again just to escape Isa's maudlin crying.
"It d-did it o-on purpose!" Isa suddenly accused, tears still sparkling on her cheeks as she glared balefully at the rain-battered windows.
"Isa, it's the bloody weather!" Stephanie exclaimed exasperated. "I'm sure the rain didn't just decide to fall with the single purpose of ruining your day."
Isa switched her glare to Stephanie. "Oh yea?!" Isa shot back unconvinced. "Then why did it only rain the exact day I-I bought this b-brand n-new pretty outfittt!" Isa trailed off into deafening wails for a few endless moments as everyone else cringed.
Stephanie rolled her eyes and Haymitch looked like he was going to bloody through Isa out in the rain from their third storey window in the next moment if she didn't shut up. The escort calmed down enough to give Stephanie a firm, little nod as though she had proven her point beyond any doubt that it had simply rained today to ruin things for Isa and wearing her new outfit.
Stephanie sighed resignedly, resisting the urge to whack her head of the table and hopefully find unconsciousness in her bowl of cereal.
"And the event and everything had to be cancelled!" Isa added bitterly, sniffling noisily as she dabbed at her tear-pearled eyes. "The event that I had bought this exact outfit for!"
"Well they could hardly host an event by the seaside with a bloody storm on," Stephanie muttered, under her breath. Despite everything, Stephanie had been marginally disappointed when she heard what the event for today had been. Some sort of party or event that was to take place by the seaside. It had stirred something like excitement and childlike wonder in Stephanie as she thought of the sea she had only ever seen pictures of. She had been less impressed when Electra had pointed out the cruel reasoning behind the event choice shrewdly.
"What kids would absolutely be thrilled at the idea of a day by the seaside; the one place that reminds them so much of their home?" Electra had asked sardonically.
"District 4?" Stephanie had answered hesitantly. "Slena and Vir."
Electra had smirked ruefully. "And what tributes due to their recent behaviour, do you suppose would most certainly not be allowed to attend today's event if it had of went ahead?" Electra had continued humourlessly.
Stephanie had swallowed tightly, shaking her head. "District 4. Slena and Vir," she had answered bitterly.
Stephanie remembered Seneca and even Isa and Bright telling her how Capitolites learnt about the districts; for their own perverse amusement or just curiosity, Stephanie didn't know. But what it did make them most adept at; especially the Gamemakers: It meant they knew exactly how to hurt tributes not just physically, but emotionally, in the places that couldn't be seen. They could twist the hearts of tributes, squeezing out every teardrop of blood, as the tributes pined hopelessly for the homes they had left behind.
The day by the seaside had been an unprecedented event; not previously scheduled, accounting for how the weather had taken the events' organisers by surprise. It had been just an added torture for District 4, for Slena and Vir to know and hear how their fellow tributes had gone to the seaside while they had been locked away. Their fellow tributes who could never understand how much that one day would have meant to Slena and Vir to be able to be near a place that reminded them so poignantly of home in District 4.
"You know Isa I think you're right!" Electra suddenly piped up with firm conviction. "The weather clearly did conspire against you today!"
Isa raised her head, cries tapering off, as she looked to Electra with gullible awe in her luminous green eyes. "You really think so too?" Isa breathed.
"Ellen, I don't know what kind of strange mood you're in today but I will throw you out in the rain with Waterworks over there," Haymitch warned, jerking a thumb in Isa's direction just as the beginnings of an impish smirk toyed at Electra's lips.
"Haymitch pet!" Isa exclaimed, squeaking indignantly, "You wouldn't throw me…throw me out in that nasty rain, now would you pet?"
Stephanie thought Haymitch looked like he would just about throw Isa in front of a train at that moment, never mind out in the rain.
"Come on Frenkin, want to get a cupcake?" Stephanie offered, already eagerly standing from the table. Frenkin smiled gratefully as he began to get up from his seat.
"Stephanie!" Isa squawked. "I am having an emotional crisis and you're just going to eat cupcakes!"
Stephanie stared wide-eyed at Isa for a moment. Her bloody emotional crisis! Stephanie raged internally. If that little airhead could experience even one minuscule of the emotional turmoil I'm going through right now, I think her mind would explode!
"Maybe we should do a rain dance," Electra conjectured airily.
And just when it seemed a very own mini-personal storm was going to erupt in the District 3 penthouse, the ping of the lift arriving, sounded distinctively clear down the hall.
Stephanie groaned inwardly when she heard the recognisable high gaggle of voices of her stylists; Bright and Lashes' rising most distinctively. Though on the plus side Isa did immediately rush from the room to go in search of a more sympathetic audience of her plight in her fellow Capitolites.
"If there is no event for me to go to, then why are they here?" Stephanie hissed exasperatedly. She felt a modicum of calm infiltrate her utter vexation when she felt Frenkin slip his small hand into hers, standing stalwartly beside her. Her own little supporting aide. Stephanie squeezed his hand back gratefully.
Before anyone could offer an explanation for Stephanie though a dreaded word had erupted from the high babble of voices still stalled in the halls. Stephanie shuddered.
"Clothes!" Bright had exclaimed enthusiastically. Even Frenkin grimaced sympathetically.
"Oh Stephanie pet, come here! You're never going to guess – oh, it's simply beautiful!" Isa called lovingly. Stephanie frowned in almost bafflement. Isa's childish temper from mere minutes ago had utterly evaporated and there was only that bright usual giddiness in her voice again.
"And Storm Isa has passed," Electra said with a mock salute, grinning.
"Oh Stephanie pet!" Isa called in a sing-song voice, making her way down the hall once more to physically fetch Stephanie herself.
"Tiny Tim, I'd recommend going to the fridge now and getting a huge pile of cupcakes. Because if those stylists catch you they're likely to rope you in as well for some clothes fitting," Electra advised sagely, only half-joking. Frenkin looked up at Stephanie and giving him a fond nudge she watched as her little blonde-haired, pseudo-brother darted off.
Haymitch moved swiftly then. "Sweetheart, you can deal with Isa, can't you?" he asked, cool breath tinged with the bitter bite of alcohol. Stephanie realised immediately Haymitch was practically asking to leave at that moment.
Stephanie frowned angrily at herself for feeling an instinctual sting of hurt that Haymitch would so willingly leave her. She pushed back the thoughts, stomped them down furiously and gave herself a severe upbraiding. Haymitch had always been there when she needed him, and right now all he was asking was to not have to listen to Isa babble on endlessly in that annoyingly high pitched voice of hers, for mind-numbing hours about clothes.
Stephanie realised that it wasn't just her that had been put through an emotional wringer recently, resulting in shortened patience and thin tempers when it came to dealing with oblivious, little fools like Isa. Haymitch was hurting too. He was still steadily carrying his building, burning hatred for Seneca and still desperately trying not to feel that same stab of hurt and betrayal everytime he looked at Stephanie, and heard her words echo in his head with painful clarity.
I have feelings for Seneca Crane…Haymitch was finding it was taking far more alcohol than he ever would have imagined to try and drown those words out. He was just simply frustrated and angry at the world at that moment for dealing him the crap hand it always seemed to. Finding a woman to love who loved him back…having to watch as he slowly lost her to the man who he hated and had spent his whole life taking everything from Haymitch.
Stephanie wished then more than ever that she could just erase her feelings for Seneca from the picture altogether. Liking the Gamemaker, being attracted to him, falling in love with him – whatever the hell it was she felt for Seneca Crane…it was hurting too damn much.
Stephanie smirked ruefully instead, trying not to let her emotions show on her face as she nodded. "Course I can deal with Isa," she added confidently, "You better escape now."
Haymitch offered her a slanted smirk, making to pass her gratefully as Electra looked on knowingly. Stephanie's hand shot out at the last moment though as she caught the crook of Haymitch's elbow. He turned and looked at her. Stephanie managed a poor imitation of a smile.
"Try not to drink so much either sweetheart, because I'll have no sympathy for you like you did me this morning if you have a hangover," Stephanie said, trying to keep her voice light, as she eyed the bottle of strong liquor Haymitch was clutching fiercely in his right hand.
Haymitch's smirk was more genuine this time as he saw the loving concern battling with the clear reprimand in Stephanie's eyes. He knew she hated it when he drank himself into stupors; she worried about him when he was like this. And the last thing Haymitch wanted to do was put more tears in those eyes he loved so well. But at that minute Haymitch needed a drink desperately. A proper binging where he could let every thought; inconsequential or otherwise and every feeling; bitter, jealous, angry, hurt or the whole damn spectrum out in blissful, oblivious drunkenness. Stephanie could see that clearly. She wished it could be different, but knew that right then it couldn't be. And the kindest thing she could do would be to let Haymitch work through it himself.
Haymitch leaned in to press a fond kiss to her hair. A small gasp left Stephanie's lips as her eyes instinctively closed at the warm, familiar contact. She felt her heart give a painful thump, felt her hands instinctively reach forward to envelop Haymitch's familiar form in her arms. She wanted nothing more than to step up close to Haymitch then, feel the warmth of his hands moulding against her hips, his bottle of alcohol forgotten as she kissed away every last dark thought haunting him at that moment. Put everything back to right. But she couldn't. Because she had put everything to wrong when she had kissed Seneca and found she was falling in love with him.
The moment passed. Haymitch stepped back and away, passing out of the room just as Isa stepped in. Stephanie stood as strong as her tightening ribcage would allow her to. She had to stand on her own two feet now. It would be cruel, selfish and wrong of her to lean on Haymitch when he desperately needed someone to lean on himself at that moment.
Isa tottered over to Stephanie, tears utterly forgotten, already babbling on about some new outfit that had arrived for Stephanie that morning down at her styling studio. Stephanie was barely paying attention, much to Isa's displeasure.
Stephanie looked meaningfully towards Electra, eyes flickering over to the doorway Haymitch had disappeared through moments before. She wanted Electra to follow Haymitch. Stephanie couldn't be with Haymitch then, she couldn't help him, she would only make things worse. But she didn't want Haymitch to be alone then either.
"Stephanie pet, you aren't listening to me!" Isa complained and Stephanie resisted the urge to growl something entirely inappropriate at the escort, to the general effect of a suggestion where Isa could shove her new outfit.
Stephanie's gaze was on Electra again, silently pleading and urging. The blue-haired woman stood tall, but as she approached Stephanie, she was already minutely shaking her head in the negative to Stephanie's silent plead.
"Isa, why don't you get Stephanie's new outfit set up in her room to try on and she'll be there in a few minutes," Electra instructed authoritatively, already nudging Isa away.
Isa glared indignantly at the former Victor, before wagging a clawed finger at her in stern reproach. "Electra pet, I simply must say Stephanie pet is picking up some very bad manners from you. I would appreciate it if you would stop teaching her to be so rude!" And then Isa turned snootily, to stalk from the room.
Stephanie was immensely relieved when she heard her gaggle of stylists disappear down the halls towards her bedroom.
"Ellen, please," Stephanie pleaded immediately, seizing Electra's hands, "He doesn't deserve to be alone now."
"Stephanie there's times when you say you want to be alone and you're talking crap, and then there are times when you really need to be alone. And right now, Haymitch really needs to be alone. He doesn't need or want me or anyone else hovering over him while he works all this out for himself."
Stephanie swallowed thickly. She hated feeling helpless like this. It wasn't a particularly new feeling given she was a tribute for the Hunger Games. But it was suddenly ten times worse. Haymitch was the man she loved. And yet she couldn't help him, not in the slightest. Because it was she that was hurting him.
"I wish he would stay in his room at least, so I know he's safe," Stephanie murmured, running a worried hand across her brow.
Electra smirked ruefully. "Stay in his room, where you and he have no doubt spent nights that he couldn't help but think about if he was sitting drinking in it?"
Stephanie sighed. She had practically damn well chased Haymitch from the penthouse as well now!
"Hey – remember? I told you. Haymitch is smart. Even when he is nearly comatose drunk, the man somehow manages to take care of himself," Electra said wryly and Stephanie tried to haul in a deep breath. Because she had absolutely no damn right to turn into an emotional wreck seeing what she was doing to Haymitch. Haymitch deserved everything; every scrap of sympathy and compassion and love out there.
"You better get down that hall – Isa is in a right stroppy mood this morning," Electra said, smirking as she jerked her head in the direction of the bedrooms.
Just then Stephanie heard the small scuffle and she turned to see Frenkin peeking his head into the dining room to check and see if the stylists were gone.
"Coast is clear, Tiny Tim!" Electra called cheerfully and Stephanie managed a wry chuckle.
Frenkin smiled timidly before he bounded happily over to them. His little expression sobered quickly when he noticed the ever so familiar tears shining in Stephanie's eyes though. He slipped his hand wordlessly into hers.
"I brought you a cupcake," Frenkin said, holding up one of the ostentatious treats that were Electra's favourite snacks. "In case you get hungry when trying on your new outfit," he added impishly.
Stephanie smiled gratefully, taking the cupcake from Frenkin.
"Thanks Frenkin," Stephanie said genuinely, giving his hand still clasped in hers another grateful squeeze.
She looked at Electra again, smiling bitterly and Electra returned it.
"Go on and see what Isa and her lot are going on about now," Electra prompted her. "Me and Tiny Tim are going to wait here, inventing compliments so that Isa can't have another stormy fit if we're not enthusiastic enough about your latest outfit."
Stephanie nodded at Electra and slipping her hand from Frenkin's, she made her reluctant way to her bedroom.
As she passed through the main room, Stephanie looked out the long wall of windows, with the endless sheets of rain falling against them. And she could just make out a blurry figure, walking fast away from the tributes' building on the pavement below, with their head bent down.
Haymitch…