Knives Don't Bruise - Haymitch's Story

prologue

I stand in the kitchen, sun beaming in from the window as my cup of coffee steams on the counter. I turn to check the cabinet for my last bottle of liquor. As I pop the lid open with my knife my front door slams open. The bottle nearly slips out of my hand and in my surprise I barely manage to catch it, losing only the little that splashed on my fingers.

"I know you want me to quit but you of all people know what i'm like cold turkey. Plus i'm so old my heart practically runs on this stuff now, I might die if i quit." I say with a slyly but the brown haired girl in front of me is not the one I expected to be slamming things.

unable to hide my surprise, I let out a grunt of disbelief and raise an eyebrow.

Pearl slams herself down at the dining room table and refuses to make eye contact. I stand afraid to move, The young girl was definitely more like her father but something about the current fire in her step reminds me of someone else I know well.

"Are ya just here to disrupt my morning or do you need some guidance from good ole grandpa?" I say to ease the tension in the room and thankfully it works.

Her hands go up in the air and slam back down on the table, shaking it and my coffee. "They treat me like a child!"

"probably because you are one," I correct her. I'm beginning to smile now and lift my coffee to my mouth to hide my teeth.

"You too? ugh im so ready to leave this place." She says, pushing her newly short brown hair over her eyes and plopping her head down.

"I'm guessing you cut it without asking?" I ask, pouring liquor into my cup.

"why do I have to ask? It's my hair you know!" Pearl was fuming now, and staring me down, "she acts like I cut her hair or something, it's not my fault hers is turning grey!"

"woah, woah, kid. It's an honor to age. You can be upset with your mother without disrespecting her." I say stearnly and sit across from her, her head laid flat and  her arm draped limply off the table.

As i sit there quite impressed I defused the bomb. she asks me something that my old ears don't quite pick up. "what?" I say turning to my left so she can repeat herself.

"Can I ask you something?" she says staring at the pollen floating past the window, she pauses for a beat, "Can you tell me about what happened to you?"

I take a drink, and sigh. I have to take a second to clear my throat before I respond. "Like my games?"

"Yeah," she responds, looking at me directly now. "I know you must have some messed up story like my mother and father." She said lifting her head on to her hands, her angered expression was now relaxed. "they tell me about it but never any specifics, I know they're doing it to spare me but,"

"you're not a child?" I smirk and tap my hands on the table, bargaining how upset Katniss would be if I told her daughter the whole story. I mean the girl asked and I was never told not to but something told me I would get a stern talking to if she found out.

"soooo..." Pearl coos out hopefully.

"sure kid, but don't tell your parents." i say smirking and thinking where I want to start my story.

"Really?" she blurts out and sits straight in her chair bringing her knees up to her chest and peering over them. Her excitement hard to miss, I can't help but regret saying yes.

I start speaking, "well when I got into the games I-"

"No." pearl says, "start before you got to the games."

It felt like my heart went into my throat and I coughed pushing down the water in my eyes, "if that's what you want."