"I'm really hungry!" Wiress gasped as she filled up her plate at dinner. She began eating a dinner roll as she sat down. Terrance joined her with a plate of food in each hand. Eustacia sat down and told the attendant what she wanted.
"Well, you're doing a bit more than sitting at a desk working equations all day, Wiress." Terrance quipped. Wiress blushed.
"Engineers do more than just work equations!" Wiress yelped. "Sometimes we go out to the worksites and check on stuff." She looked at Beetee. "We went to Factory Six my last day of I-Squared and walked around the whole thing."
"How long was your internship there?" Terrance asked.
"One semester." Beetee replied. He smiled at Wiress who insitinctively reached out and wrapped her hand around Beetee's across the table.
"What do you need, Wiress?" Eustacia asked. Both she and Terrance stared at Wiress and Beetee's linked hands.
"Um – Salt please." Wiress said blushing furiously. She jerked her hand back a second before Beetee handed her the salt shaker. "Thanks." She put a tiny amount on her potatoes and then put it back. She ignored the questioning eyes of Terrance and Eustacia as she ate. Terrance filled the awkward silence by slurping his spaghetti noodles as loudly as he could.
"Really." Eustacia huffed staring at Terrance who was continuing to eat as loudly as he could.
"Yes, Eustacia, the Capital food is really good!" Terrance quipped. Everyone laughed, but they couldn't quite get rid of the awkwardness that had settled around the table. "Especially after lifting weights and doing hand to hand combat in the afternoon!"
"Oh good." Beetee said. "That's a good start to training, son."
"Thanks." Terrance said. "Any pointers for tomorrow?"
"Continue with combat training and traps. Have you and Wiress discussed strategy? Are you working together?" Terrance and Wiress looked at each other.
"Isn't that what Three usually does?" Wiress asked.
"Yeah, Wiress, I would totally work with you for a glorious few hours." Terrance quipped. He looked at Beetee and gulped at the glare he was getting from his mentor. "Sorry sir – I –" Terrance gulped. "I shouldn't joke about that." Wiress bit her lip and looked at Beetee who was glaring at Terrance.
"Beetee – he was just joking." Wiress stammered. "I think Terrance would make a nice partner." The anger washed from Beetee's face, but the sadness didn't. "We will do our best. I promise." Her eyes locked onto his and said what she couldn't verbalize. I will do my best for the man I love.
"I know I can't laugh away the Games." Terrance said. "My sister went in with her head held high and she promised in her interview that she wouldn't let the Games break her. I am doing the exact same thing." He finished his food and stood up. "Dessert anyone?"
"The pudding looks good." Wiress said thinking about her protein intake. "Beetee?"
"I'm not hungry." Beetee said sullenly.
"Are you sure?" She asked worriedly. She was itching to hold his hand across the table and whisper comforting loving words to him, but she knew she couldn't with everyone else present. Beetee sighed. "Beetee?" She whispered gently.
"I want you and Terrance to talk strategy for a good hour." Beetee said before leaving the table. "Eustacia, we need to talk sponsorship."
"Oh - I have a party in two hours – can it wait until tomorrow? I'll have a better picture –"
"No! Hurry up with your damn makeup and then come into my study. I want to know where my tributes stand. Tonight!" Beetee said angrily pushing his chair back and stomping down the hallway.
Terrance let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "What's with Beetee?" Wiress shrugged. "Wiress, you know." Wiress looked down at her plate and tears came to her eyes. "What's going on with you and Beetee?" Terrance asked. "We should get that cleared up before we get into strategy."
"I – he's – he was my internship supervisor last semester." Wiress began.
"We know." Terrance said. "And?" Wiress shrugged and stirred her pudding. "Hey, Wiress," Terrance said after a pause. "I'm not an engineer ok, but I know you plus Beetee equals something going on." he chuckled. "My sister had a boyfriend, ok? And she acted just like you. Is Beetee your boyfriend?" Wiress nodded. "District partner secret." He held his hand out. She shook it and felt something wet against her palm.
"TERRANCE!" She yelped as ice-cream dripped from her fingers. Terrance burst out laughing.
"YES! I outsmarted an ACADEMY girl!" He cheered. "You were so distracted you were totally oblivious to me slapping ice-cream all over my hand in plain sight! Ok – First, you off in la-la 'I'm thinking about my boyfriend' is totally not going to work, ok? I need your brains. You're the engineer."
"Ok." Wiress said smiling. "I – I could use your strength."
"Brains plus muscles."
"You're – you're not just muscles." Wiress said. "You're – you're really nice."
"Thanks." Terrance said. "Ok, so, what are you doing in training tomorrow?"
"More traps. And more survival. And weapons if I have time. Beetee helped me go over the vector diagrams that I drew when I was observing the other tributes." Wiress said.
"Wow. I haven't drawn a vector diagram since Manufacturing Physics aka factory worker physics." Terrance laughed. "Only an engineer would think about physics durng training." Wiress giggled a bit. They chatted at the table while nibbling on desserts. True to his word, Beetee came back. Terrance suddenly felt awkward as if he was the third wheel. He reminded himself that he sort of was. Even though it was awkward knowing that his district partner and his mentor were in some sort of romantic relationship, he was pleased that it wasn't cutting into the help both he and Wiress were getting for the Games.
A/N: Yes, the district partner finding out about Team Nerds is also adapted from "Breathe" I'm sure in real life, it would be more angsty, but I am not as good as NutsandVolts with writing angst.