Dead Man's Gambit / Haymitch Abernathy

08. You tremble at this sound

ACT I, CHAPTER EIGHT
❛ you tremble at this sound ❜
content: gaslighting/manipulation, sexual content/innuendo.

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     Mentally, Renfri is too exhausted to entertain Lex's attempt at a final, pre-Games pep talk. But strategically, Renfri must entertain it to keep up the illusion of commitment. So, for the last time, she and Lex embark on their own to find a quiet place to chat.

To lower their chances of being seen, Renfri suggests the rooftop terrace. They take the elevator up still dressed in their Interview costumes. Renfri tosses herself into a wicker chair, watching Lex. He wanders the railing with a clueless smile, hands in his pockets.

Lex carries himself remarkably lightly, considering this will be the last time he ever visits this sweet-smelling terrace. Considering he just sowed doubt in Bloom and Jasper's trust, potentially spoiling Renfri's plans. He takes everything so unseriously. He cannot even see the way she stares at him now. He doesn't know that he'll soon fade out of the Capitol's minds. That he's just a pawn. A joke.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Renfri prompts after another minute of Lex's aimless wandering. It's all she can do to keep the malice from her voice.

Lex turns to Renfri, as if just remembering she's there. "Well, how about the Interviews? Julius Flickerman really laid it on thick with you, didn't he?"

"The Interviews were grand, yes," she lies smoothly. "It's only . . . now my mind's so preoccupied with tomorrow."

At this, he approaches, sits down in the wicker chair beside her, and takes her hand.

"Don't be preoccupied. I'm not," Lex grins. "Just think, we're only a few hours away from proving our worth in true battle! We've trained almost every day of our lives for this moment! We'll finally get to see what we're capable of. Isn't that amazing?"

She blinks at him. With what I'm capable of, he might want to reconsider his desire to see it.

"I suppose it is rather incredible, being here," she says because he expects her to say something similar. "And being beside you, of course."

"Yes, there is that." He hesitates, glancing at their interlocked hands. "I meant what I said in my interview, you know. About being loyal to you until the end. Ever since Blanchet chose you as my district partner, you . . . you haven't left my mind."

Truly? Renfri muses. I hope you really are this stupid.

She squeezes his hand, leans toward him. "I think about you, too. This time in the Capitol has opened my eyes to you. These last few days . . . I hardly think of anything else." Except of ways I'll kill you.

"So, you agree?" he asks, leaning in too. He sounds breathless; a trick? "We'll be with each other until the very end?"

"Yes. Until the very—"

He kisses her hard, slow. She forces herself to inch closer to him, to kiss back. But a minute longer and she has to pull away, for his hands have traveled a little too low down her back. His cheeks are flushed as he looks deeply into her eyes.

"You all right?"

"Yes, it's just . . ." She glances over her shoulder at the building across the street. "Paparazzi are never far."

"You're still worried about that?" He tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "We're officially 'a thing' in their eyes. There's no need to hide it any more. But, if you wanna go somewhere more private . . .?" His eyes gleam with mischief.