dear_mun | Eternally grouchy test-drive

[There's a slight quirk of her lips. Amused. How long has it been since she's last seen Haymitch?

Good to know some things don't change.]

You deserve the warning.

Don't tell me you're going soft now, sweetheart.

[ Though he's silently hoping that she too is finished with games. ]

[She shakes her head. If only she could go soft. If only she was finished with any and all games. What she would give to just be left alone in District Twelve.] Can't.

[ He sniffs, disappointed. ]

Yeah. I know.

[ To resolve the soured mood, he searches around in his jacket for his faithful flask. ]

I assume there's at least someone around to save your neck from time to time?

[The moment she sees the flask, she frowns. Rolls her eyes. She really shouldn't expect any better from him. But isn't it important to at least stay sober right now? Given the threat of future games looming?

But it's Haymitch. It's to be expected.]

Peeta's there. [She doesn't look happy about it.] Rue, too.

[ He sees that eye roll, Katniss, and it does nothing but encourage not one generous swig, but two. After a moment, he nods. ]

And I'm sure you've left a bad impression or two along the way with any others.

[Not for lack of trying, anyway. But people seem to like her for some reason. At least, they don't necessarily leave her alone.

She doesn't understand it. Why anyone would remotely want to be around her for any length of time. She wouldn't.]

Probably.

[But there's still a hint of a grin. Mockingjays are good at that.]

Thatta girl.

[ He raises the drink to her as a belated toast. ]

Still got the charm of a dead slug.

[As if to support his statement, the toast is met with a scowl. It's like the Quarter Quell all over again. Haymitch drinking when he shouldn't. But this time, Peeta won't be here to take his place if he's put in a game. It doesn't work like that, she's learned. Not with these kind of games.

The only person you can rely on is yourself.

Maybe if he were someone else, she wouldn't care as much. But it's Haymitch. Her mentor. Who came back with her to District Twelve when her own mother couldn't. She can't let him be dragged into a game unwittingly.]

You need to stop that.

[ Her efforts, while noble, go mostly overlooked. If it's too late as she has already said, then this should really only be the beginning of any drinking. ]

Can't.

[ He's not exactly shy about impersonating her tone. ]

[If she had her bow with her right now, that flask would be gone. Shot to the floor, liquid spilling everywhere. It'd be satisfying, too. Something she's wanted to do since the first time she saw him drinking instead of coaching.

Mimicking her definitely doesn't make her any more tolerant.]

You should. [Because she's saying all this for your own good.] Especially if you get stuck in a game. These Gamemakers... they're worse than the ones in the Capitol.

[ He holds the flask in his lap, upright and uncapped as if on standby. If it's a break that she's calling for, he has enough respect for her to forgo a few minutes.

Keeping a protective hand over the flask to prevent any spills surely isn't hurting anything either. ]

Relax. I don't plan to go easy.

[Neither had she. But then she discovered Rue would be there. Small, trusting Rue who she couldn't even protect in the arena. How could she argue then? When the girl from District Eleven so badly needed someone to protect her.

At least Haymitch won't have to contend with that kind of guilt.]

What are you going to do?

[ What he does best: drive people away. Hope that, for once, someone might have the sense to let him be. He may not have a fighting chance, but rolling over has never been an option. ]

Same thing that I always tell the two of you. Stay alive.

[ He sighs. ]

I like to think that has at least sunk into your thick head by now.

[Oh, it has. It's the only thing she's at all good at, isn't it? Surviving. Staying alive. Even when she didn't want to. Wanted the nightlock pill, wanted to starve to death - it's a chance she never got.

Surviving. It's how Gale said she'd pick between him and Peeta. It's how she's lived her whole life.

And because of that, his words are met with a scowl. He should know. He should know that out of all his lessons, that's the only one she ever really took to heart.]

[ If he needed any true confirmation, her sour expression would satisfy that need just fine. Fortunately he has no doubts as, time after time, she always proves her merit whether she likes it or not.

That earns something of a smirk. ]

And how's the boy doing?

[ In one piece, it sounds like, but Peeta deserves more of an assessment than that. Besides, if he's going to get an honest answer out of anyone, it would be the girl that never quite mastered the art of keeping her opinions to herself. ]

[Matters are confusing with Peeta. They always are. But in this case, it's not because of the hijacking. Not because he's stupidly sacrificing his life for her.

He's from a different time. From before even ever setting foot in that second arena. The sour look changes to one of frustration. How is she even supposed to explain that?

But one thing's clear:] Adjusting better than me.

That's news. [ He replies dryly and takes a deep drink from the flask as if to make up for time lost. Katniss certainly is the survival and driving force behind the duo, but Peeta brings another kind of conviction-- a selfless focus and quick wit that can really win people over. As many have said before, it's hard not to like him.

With his own input added to the mixture, they're still one hell of a team, star-crossed-lovers bit or not. ]

What do they have you doing now?

[You asked, Haymitch. Her glower all but says those words aloud. He asked and she answered the best she could. She's not the wordsmith, the orator, that Peeta is. It's never been as easy to translate her thoughts into words spoken aloud. Especially on topics she'd rather not speak about at all. Even to Haymitch. Especially to Haymitch.

The angry look doesn't fade from her expression at the question. She might not like being stuck in another game, trapped and manipulated by a new set of Gamemakers, but most of the time, she can convince herself that it's not so bad. Because Rue's there. Little Rue, who is alive and thriving in Luceti. Where else would she get to see that? It makes most days bearable. But not now. Not when the Gamemakers are enjoying one of their small little games. Games she's grown to hate almost as much as the Capitol's. Because in these games, she's not even aware she's playing until after they're done.]

They've hijacked us. They've taken our memories and replaced them with new ones. It's not torture. Not like... [A pause and she gestures. He should know, remember. It's his fault Peeta had gotten captured by Snow. He was supposed to keep him safe.] ...not like the Capitol. Peeta. You wake up one morning and you think it's all normal. That your life has always been like this.

[She shakes her head.] They really are just as bad.

[ooc: I have Katniss at

luceti. The Peeta that just tagged you is also there, and we have Rue and Clove as well. It's a well paced game (albeit journal based instead of community) and rather lax on activity. I've been there for about three months now and have gotten some amazing CR out of it. Anyway! Apps sadly don't open until July, but there is a dressing room community called

trainingwings if you are interested and want to give it a shot! Peeta's mun and I have both been really wanting a Haymitch, and we'd absolutely love to have you. And if you know anyone else who might be interested, the more the merrier! Anyway, yeah. If you're interested, check it out. And if you have any questions, totally PM me or whatnot. I don't mind. And now, I'll stop sounding like an ATP ad. XD]

[ Contrary to whatever she may still believe, it was not an easy choice to make. Choice, in fact, remains a very generous term that he barely entertains. He scratches his face thoughtfully, retracing some markings from their original confrontation on the matter.

Her distress is understandable. In his own experience, it's the mental hardships that are the worst. There's no amount of training that can prepare someone to somehow cope with that mysterious feeling in their gut that something is not quite right. Fear. Panic. Both are terribly human emotions that seem to bring out the worst in others, intentional or not. ]

Well. Aren't they clever.

[ He spits over his teeth. He could go on, offer a hint of an angle or ask for a further assessment, but something unspoken between them holds him to silence. ]

ooc: This looks exciting! And castmates...kfmgkdfm; yes. It's a bit of a wait, but that really gives me time to check things out and keep testing the waters with this guy.

/keyboard smashing of joy!

[What is there, really, to be said? He's seen it. Seen it with Peeta. Except there's no intensity, no strangeness to these memories. They're crystal clear. As concrete as her actual memories. No game of real or not real can be played with these hijacks. Not until after the game is done. And then you know immediately. You know immediately how much of a lie the past few days have been.

But it's similar enough. He gets the gist. Hijacking is hijacking. It doesn't matter how. And it doesn't matter by whom. The end result is the same. Regardless, she'll survive it. She always does, doesn't she? It's what she does. What other choice does she have?

A shrug.]

They're Gamemakers. [The word is spat.] Of course they think they're clever.

[ooc: The castmates are excellent. Reserves tend to open two weeks prior to the 1st, and mods are generally very quick on the turn around with apps. But yesss, check out

trainingwings! And seriously, any questions? Just ask!

/really really wants an awesome Haymitch!]

Eternally grouchy test-drive

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I just have to say, your Katniss is fabulous.

Aww, thank you! I'm really enjoying your Haymitch!

Ah, thank you!

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...are you looking for a game by any chance?

I would love to put him somewhere!

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