He meant everything to her. Three years later and she'd still do anything to keep him safe, sacrifice everything to protect him- even if that meant keeping him at an arm's length.
She was the one person who truly knew him. The one person he'd choos...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
— — —
Kai bit the inside of his cheek, a sense of urgency entering his system. He had every reason to worry, but that didn't make him feel any better. Neither did Johanna, despite her having already told him that everything would be fine.
"You really think he's ready for this?" He asked, meeting Haymitch's gaze.
"He's gotta be." Haymitch responded, bringing his hand up to adjust his beanie. "He knows who he is and you—in part—are to thank for that."
Kai shook his head, gripping the steel countertop. "No. No, I didn't do anything. Peeta knows who he is, he just needed to be reminded."
"Which you helped him with." Johanna voiced.
Kai locked onto her light eyes and let out a breath. Maybe she was right.
Haymitch shifted his attention from the oh so fearless girl to the Winterton boy. Something about the way she was potently staring up at him made a shred of curiosity prick in his chest. He didn't know Kai as well as his sister just yet, but he knew Johanna. And he knew exactly why the two of them were acting the way they were.
Them? That was the thing he'd least expected.
Either side of his mouth curled up in a grin, causing Johanna to lift her chin. "I'm sorry. Is something funny to you?"
Kai turned to him, brow raised.
"No. Not at all." He remarked, burying his suspicions and exhaling. "Look, what you did for him helped. He needed a friend to remind him that who he was was still there, just beneath everything they'd done to him. And Coin thinks that bringing him and having the people see him on our side will gather..." He waved his hand around in the air for emphasis. "Morale or something. I don't make the rules, however damn stupid they may be. All I know is that Peeta is the least of their worries right now."
"Besides, do you really think Peia or Sawyer or— hell, Gale, will let him hurt Katniss? No. It's not happening." Johanna pointed out.
"I know that. I just don't see why they had to blindside everyone. It's bullshit." Kai continued, lightly throwing his hand up. "I don't like Coin. I don't trust her."
"Well, it's a good thing we don't have to like her." Haymitch agreed, taking a step closer. "But she's on our side. For now, it's all we got. And we have to trust in that."
Kai slowly nodded his head, a gradual conformity to his movements. "Okay. I can do that."
Haymitch considered the boy, arms folded across his chest. "How're you two doing?"
Johanna's straight expression turned humorous. "After our luxurious stay in the Capitol? Oh, well, Haymitch, it was wonderful. We had parties and—"
"And could use a drink or two." Kai interjected, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the counter. "Coin sure knows how to run things here though."
