A/N: In writing it, I felt like the ending of the last chapter "landed" well, but also that it could read as the conclusion of the tale, which it's not. How to solve that, without an author's note explaining it? Why, two updates in one day, of course!
(No, this isn't going to be a habit… but I have pushed over the part of the story that was the most problematic for me, and I hope updates will come more quickly in the future). Now, on with the show!
OK. Maybe not yet. I just wanted to add a quick "thank you" to everyone who has reviewed or added this story to their alerts & favorites - it's so nice to know that people are reading and enjoying it! And the kind words do serve as excellent motivation when the going gets tough. So, thank you, all.
(And now, really - it's story-time!)
There hadn't been much to say after that.
The two men, finally in agreement about their intentions, headed back into the hallway to invite the women to complete their strategy session. They found only Portia there, slumping against an overstuffed velvet chair and fighting to stay awake. Effie, she informed them, had left over an hour ago, trailing a litany of complaints - the rudeness at excluding her from the strategy session and their lack of consideration with regards to her need for beauty sleep being only two of many - behind her.
The three considered reconvening without her - Effie had her uses, but strategy wasn't one of them - until Haymitch, too, found his eyes growing heavy.
"Cinna, this is no good," he finally said, after too many sentences had been cut short by mammoth yawns. "Tomorrow, I'll just tell the two of them to focus on basic survival skills - fires, plants, knots. We're too bushed to decide more than that now. We can hammer the rest out after breakfast, OK?" Next to him, Portia nodded in agreement. And, after a deep sigh, Cinna nodded, too.
"Oh, wait," Cinna said. "They should be...friendly...with each other while training." The other two stared at the young man dumbly. Tributes, except the Careers, historically flew solo during the pre-Games process. To have two being outright friendly with one another was unheard of. And unlikely. The kids would never be able to get past the idea that they were slated to kill each other within the week.
And Cinna stared back. "Earlier, we'd discussed positioning Katniss as being 'fiercely protective.' I'd like to start now."
"She can only appear protective if Peeta seems vulnerable," Portia objected. "You're planning to use my tribute as a crutch."
"More like an accessory," Haymitch mumbled, amusing only himself and earning glares from both stylists before they ignored him entirely.
"Peeta's already made himself seem vulnerable," Cinna pointed out. "He was crying as they boarded the tribute train, for goodness' sake. It's entirely possible he's got some sort of strategy already in place."
"Or maybe he was a 16-year-old boy who'd just said what was probably a final goodbye to his family!" Portia exclaimed. "We're his team. We're in his corner. We can't penalize him for showing emotions just because it fits with the other tribute's narrative."
The two stylists glared at each other, before Portia turned away.
"Haymitch?" she asked.
Which is how it was supposed to be. The stylists and escorts provided perspective on strategy, but the ultimate decision was the mentor's. His.
Not for the first time, Haymitch found himself wondering how districts with more competitive tributes decided who might live and who would certainly die. Portia was right - the kid didn't need any help appearing vulnerable. But if they wanted to make the girl into anything at all, they needed to take every chance they could get.
Not that appearing to be friendly would necessarily make either of them appear to be weak. Or that standing side by side at a training station was a final strategy by any stretch of the imagination. But it was the start of a path, of a way of thinking, which would ultimately prioritize the needs of the girl over those of the boy.
So he spared a moment to give Number 47 a silent apology - none of the previous tributes had ever volunteered to clean up his vomit - before announcing his decision: "The tributes train together."