"Come on Katniss, it is almost over." Peeta reassured her, squeezing her hand in his and offering her a smile.
They were both stuck in a party they didn't want to be at, in clothes they didn't want to wear and playing the lovers act still.
Snow just needed to give them the crown of the victor and they could go home, home... All she wanted was to go home and see her sister, Prim, the person she volunteered for and fought for.
"Come on children, big smiles." Effie still tried to say but all Katniss could offer to play along was a small smile tho it could be played off as bashful... Tho who'd believe it? Not herself that is for sure.
"Sweetheart! You've made it." Heymitch mocked her. "You look lovely in that dress."
"And you don't look drunk." She shot back. "How long will this be?"
"Well you just met Plutarch, there is far more people you should meet, you need to save face love birds, this is your life now, you need to placate the waves you started with your double suicide pact."
"Anyone who I shouldn't meet?" She asked, knowing the question was useless anyway but having a little fondness for Heymitch that was born in the arena with what he did for her and how he helped her come back out.... She'll never admit it.
"Actually, yes." He surprised her with those words. "If you ever spot a woman in dark clothes, a suit, never approach, that's for your own good, both of you but mostly you Katniss."
"Why?" Peeta asked, Effie having Waltzed off to mingle into the crowd of colors.
"Just... Don't." Heymitch drank his glass of wine as if it was a shot of liquor. "Well sweetheart, I'll be going, try to not kill anyone."
Damn that word... Kill... It made her feel sick too the stomach, still seeing the glassy looks, the blood splatter, the screams.... Fuck, the screams...
Katniss didn't want to be here but she could do this for Heymitch this once, he saved her, so she'll behave and be nice this once.
"Try this." Peeta handed her a glass but she denied it.
"I need to go to the bathroom, I'll find you soon." She hesitated but kissed his cheek, keeping up the lie they created.
"Alright, I'll wait here." He smiled, cheeks a dusty pink, he can't be thinking this is real can he? She'll need to tell him later that this is all a lie.
And she didn't go too the bathroom, she just needed away from a moment.
But as Katniss' luck goes, she had none of it.
Stepping out on a little balcony for fresh air, part of the party was outside sure, but all smelt too sweet, too fake, too plastic there, at least here it was the 'realer' air... She can't wait to get home where the air is filled with coal dust and dirt, this game behind her.
"A greeting would be appreciated." A judgmental voice said too her left.
Katniss had not seen she had barged into an area already occupying someone.
The woman looked like she was completely out of her element, she didn't fit into the lavish and extravagant decor of this party, leaning on the railing with her arms crossed.
Her black hair was a combed back mess with long strands hanging down back her face, her green eyes sporting heavy eyebags and the cigarette in her mouth not helping the aesthetic of her being out of place.
Even her outfit couldn't be seen as a fit in, black leather boots that looked tough enough to squish anything too dust, slim black pants with ashes from the cigarette rubbed into them carelessly and a few holes on the thighs probably caused by still burning ashes falling on them, a loosely tucked in also black dress short with the sleeves ugly bunched up at her elbows instead of neatly folded up and also leather gloves, the only touch of color being the pendant on the necklace.
"I'm sorry if I bothered, I didn't see you." Katniss said, not sounding like she meant it as the woman stood. "I jus--" With a harsher wave of the gloved hand, Katniss was shut up.
"Yeah yeah, I know what you are doing here." The pointed look made her nervous, cold sweat on her skin as the out of place woman scanned her up and down with a gaze as she stepped over, grabbing a piece of her outfit without asking Katniss if she could, rolling the fabric between her finger and then looking back at her face.
And then rudely blowing a cloud of smoke in her face.
Katniss backed away coughing, abandoning the forced niceness.
"What's that for?"
"Oh trust me, I could do much worst." And the way that was said she almost believed it, but well, Katniss and listening to warnings? A dream.
"I wi--" Katniss didn't know what she would have done to retaliate because she never got the chance.
Her head bounced off the stone pillar holding the arch up too this balcony but that was the least of her worries.
"You will what?" The other woman asked as Katniss felt the firm grip on her throat press her into the stone, that was not a simple glove she felt because a simple glove doesn't have sharp ends poking her skin and promising to slice her too cubes if she as much as breathed.
She gulped, feeling the palm squeeze hard on the sides, still letting her breathe but she doubted it would be for long.
"Hasn't Heymitch told you to stay clear from me Everdeen?" She asked, sounding disappointed in the mentioned mentor. "Or maybe he did but you are just stupid enough to not listen?"
Katniss had listened but she never expected the person she should avoid to look this much of an outlier, she was looking for an elegant and sophisticated Capitol citizen, not this.
"You know what I wish I could just do?" She tilted her head too the side, taking the butt of the smoke out of her mouth and crushing it out in her hand. "Just squeeze." She felt the grip tighten that little bit. "I could bleed you dry before anyone, peacekeepers or mentors, could stop me and even then, they'd watch and let me." It hurt so much.
"Hey!" She couldn't believe Peeta kept coming too her rescue.
The woman holding her glared a little before pulling her hand away in a jerk.
"Your prince charming has arrived." She pocketed her hands. "Relax lover boy, we were just talking." She said too Peeta, ignoring his raised hands, still ready to fight for Katniss if needed. "Right Everdeen?"
Katniss was sitting down, feeling her neck in shock before nodding, not wanting to get in trouble, this woman felt confident enough to do all this and there were actually no one that came forth to stop her even with all the guards Katniss saw no matter where she looked, it terrified her, it was as if she was fighting for her life again which was the case.
The woman shoulder checked Peeta who stumbled as she walked away, he glared at her back as she slipped back into the crowd before hurrying over.
"We should find Heymitch, we need to patch those up." He carefully helped her up.
Katniss looked into the reflection on the windows, those sharp ends having cut into the skin, leaving red cuts but not deep enough for the blood to flow out, just to pearl at the surface.
"Stay here, I'll get him."
And when Heymitch and Effie got there, Effie fussed over her, saying things she never heard her say and what didn't fit her Capitol upbringing, the marks ended up hidden under a lace neckerchief Effie had on her.
Heymitch didn't seem surprised, Katniss always got in trouble, even if she didn't want it.
"I take it that you ran into her."
"Who was that woman?" Peeta asked annoyed. "And why can she left free? She almost seriously hurt Katniss!"
"Trust my boy, she could have done way worst, that's why I told you to avoid her. She has a grudge and I don't know if even Snow will be able to make her drop it."
"But who is she? We did nothing too her."
"Are you sure? Out of everyone, you two caused her the greatest pain imaginable."
"How?" Katniss said, voice slightly croaked before she cleared her throat.
"How? Katniss, why did you volunteer?"
"To save her little sister Prim, everyone knows that." Peeta answered for her, still not getting where this was going.
"Well here I present you Athena Hadley." Heymitch waved to where he thought she might be in the crowd.
Nothing more was said but the understanding was there.
And Katniss did know then and there, she did get away with nothing, even if the cuts burnt under the lace, she got away with so little.