paradisa | Second Drink

[Haymitch has finally decided that maybe, maybe, Peeta isn't crazy and they really are living in a magical castle with people from other worlds. Maybe. Of course, that doesn't mean he's not on his guard. Even if this is what people say, it doesn't mean Snow or any of his Capitol stooges couldn't show up and ruin everything. Given what Finnick told him about the future...well. Better to be safe than sorry.

And Haymitch was prepared to keep those kids safe rather than sorry at any cost.

And so, he's sitting in the Lux, occasionally glancing at the drink of whiskey he can't have until someone hands it to him, flicking through his journal pages. Eventually, he deigns to talk]

Okay. So let's say I'm more willing to buy this magical castle idea. I want to know more about it. What makes it tick. Some of you have been here for years, apparently, you must have learned something in all that time.

I'm sitting in the Lux, if you'd like to play sharetime. We can have a drink, learn a thing or two. It'll be fun.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Haymitch makes an annoyed sound, before waving a hand through his drink pointedly. Come on, Gale. Do something useful]

That's the impression I'm getting. They keep saying they only hit dead ends, but that doesn't make sense. Everything will leave some sort of lead.

[he nods, a little too focused on the problem at hand to notice the ghost booze]

Even if the tracks run out, the animal's got to go somewhere. [almost reflexively, he looks up, as though looking for a full snare]

[No Gale, he wants booze, don't ignore him]

I'm just waiting for them to close whatever trap they have on us. Hell, maybe they'll just leave us here to rot.

That's what it's looking like, to me. I've been talking to a girl who's been helping me learn a little about things, but it's not enough.

[he'll ignore you until he's good and ready. .... which, honestly, is right about now. he glances at Haymitch's drink]

Seems to me you'd have that emptied by now.

I don't think anything will be enough in learning to understand this place.

[Haymitch sighs, waving his hand through the glass again] That's my 'loss'. I need someone to hand it to me for me to be able to drink it.

I haven't figured mine out, yet. ... I keep waiting for something to not work when I need it to. Like my aim, or ... or a snare ... I haven't tried setting a snare yet. That'd better not be it.

[he picks up the glass and holds it out] Here. Just be glad I didn't make you say 'please'.

Seems to take whatever matters most to you. I'm surprised you still remember the girl. What about your family? Do you remember them?

[He takes the drink from Gale, tipping the liquor back] How generous you are.

I do, yeah. My mom, Rory, Vick, Posy ... Katniss, her mom, Prim, the Hob, Sae ... [he shakes his head] I remember all of District 12.

[he says it almost bitterly. he knows that even when he goes back, now - if he ever does - that's all he'll have. the memories. even if there IS anything left amid the ashes, it won't be the same. it wasn't even the same before the firebombs came, not after the Peacekeepers came in droves and started all but turning their District into a war zone. he rolls his shoulders, slowly, feeling the fresh scars stretch across his back, and contemplates the ghosts of the burns Ino healed from his hands.]

Must be the hunting thing, then.

[He catches that, and his expression drops. He'd heard it, of course, over the communications, but knowing it was true...well, it was a lot harder to stomach. His tone is a little less snarky and harsh. After all, it was his home, too]

Does Katniss know about District 12 yet?

[He's guessing no. She's not screamed about it yet, and it's not like her to withhold on some amo when she has it]

No, and I'm not going to tell her. ... She has enough to deal with here, without knowing. Even if I do know her mother and Prim are safe.

Good. She really doesn't need anything more to push her over the edge. Same with Peeta. [Pause] Good thing you got 'em out.

[That might have been something like praise or possibly even gratitude. Haymitch doesn't let the moment stay, however, because something horrible has dawned on him]

...Hey. Has she mentioned Prim once to you? Since being here?

[he's still processing the fact that as things go, that was actually a compliment, when Haymitch asks. he frowns]

No, she -- she didn't even ask me how she was.

[Haymitch lets out frustrated sigh, glaring at the table]

This damn place. It really does take what's most important. Why didn't I see this sooner?

[Another thing to piss Katniss off with, oh joy]

... Maybe you could, you were just seeing it twice.

[Sorry, Gale, don't mind Haymitch while he has some inner angst, staring at his glass. Knowing what will happen to Peeta, having THIS happen to Katniss. People really have to stop screwing with the memories of his kids]

She's really not going to like this.

What's happened to her lately for her to like? And "not dying" doesn't count.

I doubt anything good has happened to her since before Prim was pulled out of the Reaping ball.

She came back from the Games alive. ... [from the way he says it, though, Gale's not even sure that's a good thing, the way everything ended up]

[Haymitch gives a derisive snort]

Coming out of the Games alive is glamorised. Trust me, it's not as fun as the Capitol makes it out to be.

Oh, I don't know, I always thought spending the rest of my life as a drunk sounded like a lot of fun.

Come join me. I'm having the best of fun over here. Can't you tell?

[His expression is not a fun one]

I don't know if I could handle that much excitement, to be honest.

Better sticking with the traps and woods.

Second Drink

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