𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨

☇ 𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

"AS YOU KNOW, THE TRIBUTES WERE RATED ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TWELVE AFTER THREE DAYS OF CAREFUL EVALUATION." THE GROUP WATCHED CAESAR ON THE TV. Cedar sat in between his sister and Peeta, their individual stylists sat around them. The names seemed to soar by, noticeable scores such as a ten from Cato and the rest of the Careers getting around that score but never higher. Cedar's jaw untensed as they got past district two, not paying much attention to any of the other scores as they all seemed to score mid-way sixes or sevens. "Now, our final district." The group sat up simultaneously, Katniss feeling her brother pat her knee briefly. She smiled, watching Peeta's face appear on screen. "From District Twelve. Peeta Mellark. A score of... eight." Peeta's stylist gasped, Cedar immediately applauding for the boy as he smiled. "Peeta! Excellent!" His stylist cheered, Peeta feeling Cedar shake his shoulder lightly.

"We can work with that." Effie assured with a kind smile, Cinna humming. "Good job." He praised, Peeta's smile widening. "And finally, from District Twelve. Katniss Everdeen. With a score of..." Everyone stayed silent, Caesar himself seeming to drag it out. She looked at his face, the man looking as if he didn't believe it. She got a low score-

"Eleven."

The TV disappeared, Peeta's smile faltering lightly as people stood up, their reaction greater for Katniss as she didn't initially register her own score. "Yes!" Effie cheered, Peeta watching Cedar shake Katniss's shoulder warmly. "Congratulations." He spoke warmly, Katniss grinning widely as Haymitch smiled. "Congratulations." Peeta replied, Katniss looking past her brother to see Peeta's expression. "I thought they hated me." She told her brother, Haymitch leaning forward. "They must have liked your guts." He nodded, Cinna raising his drink. "To Katniss Everdeen, The Girl on Fire!" He cheered, clinking glasses with Effie as everyone laughed lightly. Peeta glanced around awkwardly, meeting eyes with Cedar. The man seemed to read him like a book, nodding at him with his fist raised. Peeta smiled lightly, fist bumping his mentor as Cedar hummed. "You did well, Peeta." He praised, Katniss watching the two briefly.

☇

"WHY DO YOU THINK WE HAVE A WINNER, SENECA?" PRESIDENT SNOW ASKED THE MAN, THE TWO AWKWARDLY SAT UPON A BENCH IN ONE OF SNOW'S GARDENS OUTSIDE HIS MANSION. "What do you mean?" He asked nervously, Snow looking to him. "I mean, why do we have a winner?" His voice grew firm, Seneca staring at the man blankly. "I mean, if we just wanted to intimidate the districts, why not round up twenty four of them and execute them all at once? Be a lot faster." Realising Seneca had no answer, Snow took the honour. "Hope." He spoke simply, Seneca repeating the word, emitting a nod from the man before him. "Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear." He looked down to his rose, carefully cutting off the leaves. "A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it's contained." Seneca allowed the silence for a brief moment before humming.

"So..." He seemed to inquire, Snow sighing. He was brought here due to the evaluation score of Katniss Everdeen, the advice not being so clear.

"So contain it."

☇

"HAYMITCH, YOU SHOULD JOIN US," KATNISS LOOKED TO HAYMITCH, NO ONE ELSE SURROUNDING HIM AS HE SAT DOWN. "We're having your favourite." Effie smiled, her and the stylists eating their food. "Lovely." Haymitch smiled, Katniss swallowing her own food. "Where's Peeta and Cedar?" She asked, Haymitch filling up his plate. "They are in his room." He answered, Katniss' brows scrunching in confusion. "Now, listen, tomorrow's the last day. And they let us work with our own Tributes right before The Games, so you and I will be going down at 9:00." Haymitch ignored her glance, the girl not letting it go. "What about them?" She asked, Effie glancing over awkwardly as Haymitch sighed. "Peeta says he wants to be trained on his own from now on." He told her, watching Katniss' face fall. "What?" She asked, everyone silent. "This kind of thing does happen at this point. There's only one winner, right?" Haymitch informed, smiling at the girl as she glanced back towards the corridor where Peeta and Cedar would be as Effie decided to break the antagonising silence.