The Other Slip

Chapter 4

-"Katniss, I know you aren't going to enjoy this but you need to make some allies." Peeta looks me in the eyes while saying this. I avoid his gaze and push his hand off of my shoulder.

-"I know. Stop acting like Haymitch, I get enough scolding from him, I don't need you to scold me too."

-"If I'm acting like him it's because he's right. I'm your mentor this year, so you listen to me this time." I turn around and step into the elevator, which had just opened for our floor. I see Haymitch a few meters away, expecting me to hold the door open for him. Instead I just push the elevator button for the training center and let the door slide before he gets a chance to come in. I know I'll get an earful about this later on, but I really don't want to deal with Haymitch right now. I'm tired of this ally talk. Although, I must admit, being alone in the arena with Haymitch seems just as unbearable. It's a lose-lose situation either way, but I'll never admit to Haymitch it's probably best to have allies. The elevator opens into the training center and I see that barely anyone is there. The careers are all here, as I expected. Other than them, I see only the tributes from district 3, Johanna Mason, who I unfortunately met on the elevator yesterday, and the district 5 tribute puking on the floor. So much for making friends. I decide to walk to the district 3 tributes, Beetee and Wiress as I remember Haymitch talking to them. They look quite pleased when they see me approaching them. I help them with their fire and they show me a force field blocking us from the gamemakers. 'I wonder how that happened' I think, rolling my eyes. As I walk away from them, I see Haymitch entering the training center.

-"Nice of you to wait for me." he says.

-"You'll be happy to know I'm making an effort to get some allies." I respond, and walk away before he can say anything else. After having Mags show me some fish hooks, I show her how to shoot. Well, I walk into the simulation while she watches me through the glass. I shoot the multiple pixelated figures easily, and I'm startled as I hear clapping from the other side of the glass.

-"What could you have done for over half of the tributes to submit a request to be your ally?" Peeta says, hovering by my side from behind the couch.

-"I just shot some arrows, it's not a big deal." I respond, not looking directly at him.

-"It is a big deal if Brutus wants you."

-"Well I don't want Brutus. I want Beetee and Wiress. And Mags."

Haymitch spits out his drink laughing.

-"Katniss come on, cooperate with us a little bit." Peeta says, while Haymitch guffaws in the background.

-"Well if she wants Mags she'll get Finnick too." Haymitch says after he stops laughing. Finnick was one of the last people I would want as an ally.

-"No. I don't want Finnick as an ally." I say, remembering when he pretended to hang himself during training.

-"Katniss..." Peeta says, clearly exasperated with my behavior. I stand up and walk to my room, I don't want to argue with them. Just a few minutes later, I hear a quiet knock on my door.

-"Katniss?" Peeta asks, after a few seconds of silence. After I still don't respond, he gently opens the door to find me lying on my bed.

-"Katniss I know you hate this." He starts. I still don't say anything so he continues. "But Haymitch is right. You need allies. And I think Finnick would be a very good ally. You would get Mags too, I know you want her as an ally." I stay still and don't say a thing. Peeta sighs. "I know you're stubborn Katniss but the least you could do is say something." Just as he's about to leave my room, I speak up.

-"Peeta, I...I know you're right. Don't tell Haymitch I said this, but I know we need allies. My options, however, are not the best." I laugh awkwardly near the end of my sentence.

-"I've spoken to Finnick before. He's a nice person, really. Not at all what the Capitol presents him as." Peeta tries to persuade me.

-"There's no point in trying to convince me Peeta. I have no choice." I say, a small smile appearing on my face for no apparent reason.

-"I can't believe I'm going to have to be in front of a screen watching you, not being able to protect you." Peeta mumbles, but not trying to hide his words from me.

-"I would rather you be safe here." I respond, looking at his deep blue eyes.

-"I wouldn't." He says, still not looking back at me.

-"Well there's nothing you can do about it now." I keep looking at him, my voice steady. After a few seconds of him not saying a word, I lift his chin up and press my lips to his. The kiss only lasts a few seconds, but it's different, because it's honest.

-"Please stay with me tonight." I say, acting as if what I just did is completely normal.

-"Uh yeah," he says, a bit stunned. "Always."