to win - haymitch abernathy

³² '𝐼 𝑔𝓊𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒...'

As Rosemary turned around, a tiny sliver of relief crept into her body. She couldn't quite decipher whether it was Haymitch's mere presence or the nonchalant ease with which he carried himself midst the whirlwind of her emotions that provided that minuscule comfort. For a brief, fleeting moment, her unanswered letters faded into insignificance because he was there, standing just meters away from her.

"Nice speech out there, really felt it in here," Haymitch quipped, his hand lightly tapping his chest, a trace of amusement dancing in his eyes as he struggled to suppress a chuckle. Rosemary stared at him, her expression blank, her thoughts momentarily lost in the depths of his piercing blue gaze. "Hello, Rosemary."

"Hey, Haymitch," she replied, her voice diminishing to a near whisper. It was as if their souls connected, two pieces fitting together in a world where souls were too often torn apart.

"It's good to see you, Haymitch," Quartz interjected, breaking the growing tension between the two. Rosemary fidgeted with her fingers, eager to evade the conversation that was inevitably about to unfold.

In an attempt to distract herself, Rosemary turned away, her ears tuning out the impending dialogue, and her gaze shifting to Porter, who offered a supportive presence in her moment of internal turmoil.

"You don't really have to speak to him," Porter reassured Rosemary, offering a lifeline to avoid the conversation with Haymitch.

"Yeah, okay," Rosemary replied, turning to observe Haymitch and Quartz engaged in their discussion. She couldn't help but find Haymitch strangely captivating—his enigmatic presence, unlike anything she had encountered back in District 5. Quartz, on the other hand, was a familiar face, a constant in her life.

Haymitch donned unusually fine clothing for the occasion, a coat that hung snugly across his broad shoulders. Its gray fabric suggested wool or perhaps colored suede. Though his shirt remained hidden beneath the coat, his black pants looked newly bought, a testament to his departure from the Capitol's extravagant lifestyle.

"So, how's District 5?" Haymitch suddenly inquired, his voice now closer as he drew nearer to Rosemary. Her gaze locked onto him, realizing that he had been watching her, waiting for her response.

"Quiet, most days," Rosemary replied, her voice soft but steady. Haymitch nodded, offering her a small smile.

"It's been a while since I was in District 5," he remarked, his eyes meeting hers with a touch of something unreadable. "Maybe I'll visit one day, if I'm welcome?"

Rosemary couldn't ignore the irony of his words. He was well aware of the letters she had sent him, unanswered and unacknowledged. Yet here he stood, asking if he would be welcome in her district, his audacity laid bare for all to see.

Of course, he would always be welcome in District 5. Rosemary couldn't quite pinpoint the exact nature of their relationship, but maybe they were friends, she mused.

"If you want to," Rosemary replied, surprising both Porter and Calliope with her straightforward response. Quartz, meanwhile, raised his eyebrows, a knowing smile playing on his lips, as if he held some secret they were not privy to.

"Well then, I'll be there when you come back from your tour," Haymitch affirmed, and Rosemary nodded, trying to suppress the grin that threatened to break through. She wasn't entirely certain if he was being sincere, but for that fleeting moment, she allowed herself a sliver of happiness.

"We have to go, or else we'll miss the train to District 11," Calliope suddenly interjected, her hands clutching together in front of her with urgency.

"Well then, it was nice meeting you again, Haymitch," Quartz chimed in as he began to stumble away, leaving Rose to ponder his unexpected behavior. She had believed he had quit drinking, but apparently, some habits die hard.