Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, I'm sorry for the delay, I thought I had posted this chapter last week.
Haymitch
Sometimes people forget that Peeta is a Victor.
Citizens of 13 think he's crazy, or broken. I don't think anyone outside of Command even knows that he's a Victor. Very few people there have spoken to Peeta at all.
President Coin didn't like Peeta the moment she met that broken boy, and Plutarch seems to have forgotten that he's the same silver tongued victor that he always was. People from 12 like to think of the gentle baker. They like to forget that he survived going head to head with the best of them. They like to forget that his specialty was hand to hand combat. Well, Gale's just gotten a reminder. Kid deserved it anyway, running his mouth off like that.
It only took a few moments for Boggs and I to break up the skirmish, but both boys got some good punches in. Between Gale's eye swelling, and Peeta's bloody lip, I can't help but wish that Peeta could have kept himself out of trouble. They've made no secret of their disappointment with Peeta in District 13, and now he's attacked their golden boy. On the bright side, he's still got some fight left in him. I've been worried about the ghost he's become.
I grab the bag I saw Peeta bring over earlier, and as I climb the hovercraft ramp, I hear Plutarch asking Cressida if they got footage of the fight. I guess some things never change.
Peeta's vibrating with energy, and as soon as I come into view he blurts "Hey Haymitch, mind if I sit in the cockpit?" His uniform is dirty, but still in good shape, and his lip looks like it will be alright, but his eyes are bright with excitement. It's a nice change from the mopey boy he's been lately. The cockpit's probably a good place for him right now, so I wave him toward the door. I'm not sure if that scuffle was enough for the boys to make peace. It doesn't matter who she loves until we get her back, and we need to get her back, soon.
I nod at Boggs as he takes the seat across from me, Gale next to him, eyes fiery. Boggs raises an eyebrow at me, and I just say, "cockpit." He nods his head, obviously relieved. Gale is still bristling, and the hovercraft's not big enough to handle the two of them fighting.
There's something about being back in District 12; it makes me think of Katniss, of the 46 kids I couldn't get out of the arena, Maysilee, my family, my girl, and just how much I want to drink. I searched my house, but there wasn't a drop of liquor anywhere. I'm ashamed to say that I searched Katniss' as well, but I got all of it last time we were here. I happened to find a few empty bottles, filling them with water in hopes that I might reconstitute any residue that dried inside. Plus, there's something comforting about the familiar clank of bottles in my pocket.
By the time I stop my musing, Gale and Boggs are muttering furiously to each other. They quit talking when they feel my gaze on them, so I uncap a bottle, and take a big swig. It doesn't take long for them muttering to resume. I try to ignore them, but then I make out a rather terse Gale say, "Do you think I wanted to say those things? Do you think I really wanted all of Panem to know how I feel? Honestly, the Katniss I knew was so stubborn, there's a good chance she wouldn't pick either of us. Do you think I want the entire country to be witness to that rejection? And she hates surprises, this will make her feel embarrassed." His eyes are glowing with a rage that couldn't be manufactured, but Boggs whispers seem to calm him, at least a little. Gale's next words almost startle me out of my charade. "Peeta's a little soft, but he's a really a good guy. Even I couldn't help but like him. I didn't want to add to his pain..." Just then, his eyes flick up at me, and remembering himself, he drops his voice back to a whisper.
I heard his speech. If not for Katniss, and not as a jab toward Peeta, why would he say those things?