Office hours [all day Tuesday]

[sith_happened]

Anakin had spent yesterday at Jan's third birthday party.

Today he was working on an extensive list of how Juliet's party (in June, so he had a finely honed sense of perspective here) would be better in every way.

He wondered how much it would cost to buy a circus...

The door was open.

[OOC: Up early for great SP and time zone justice issues]

Comments

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"Forever," Katniss said softly. "The country loves us. As long as I'm a lovesick girl who couldn't bring herself to kill her boyfriend, the Capitol can use me. And Peeta. And our relationship, and eventual marriage, and the children we'll be forced to have."

[sith_happened]

"I'm sorry," Anakin said sincerely. "At least here you have a break from all of the pretense? And perhaps his absence will make you appreciate Peeta more when you see him again."

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"It's sincere, for Peeta," she told him, shaking her head. "As much as this might be a respite for me, as soon as I go back, I have to convince everyone that my love's as genuine as his. And I don't mean to bog you down with the trivialities of a sixteen year-old's love life, but if I'm not convincing enough, they'll kill me. And my sister. And my mother. And Peeta." And Gale.

[sith_happened]

His lips quirked up. "I don't mind hearing of it. It's more tactical than gushing." He paused. "Which might be part of the problem."

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

Katniss sighed. "That's what Haymitch always says," she said, shaking her head. "That I'm not emotional enough. That it doesn't seem real. 'Convince me, sweetheart,'" she drawled in an approximation of her trainer. "He's our mentor."

[sith_happened]

"He sounds delightful," Anakin said dryly. "Have you ever convinced him?"

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"Once, I think." Katniss thought back to the cave, and the food that had arrived by parachute. "He sent us food in the arena when I was convincing enough, I think. But he spends most of his time drunk."

[sith_happened]

"So his judgment isn't always reliable," Anakin said. "He was withholding food until you acted in a way he found proper?"

No wonder the girl couldn't find a genuine emotion. It would feel like mating in captivity.

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"It's very expensive to send things to tributes," Katniss said, shaking her head. "We're expected to find things ourselves in the arena. He wasn't withholding so much as...waiting for a performance he could show our bettors."

[sith_happened]

Anakin didn't look entirely convinced. "So it's not enough to survive," he said. "You also had to perform."

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"The Hunger Games are the most-watched event in Panem. Children get the days off from school to observe," Katniss said dully. "Athletes in this world are prescribed to be entertaining and beautiful, aren't they?"

[sith_happened]

"But not because someone will kill their families if they aren't," Anakin replied. "That makes a large difference."

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"Normal tributes don't get that privilege," Katniss said. "Just me, because of a handful of berries."

[sith_happened]

"Are you certain of that?" Anakin asked softly.

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"Reasonably sure," she said, considering it. "I've never heard of the president visiting District Twelve before. And there were about a hundred and fifty tributes before Peeta and me."

[sith_happened]

"Were there other champions beside your current mentor from your district?" Anakin asked.

[thegirl-onfire.livejournal.com]

"...no," Katniss admitted. "Haymitch was the only victor from District Twelve until Peeta and me."

[sith_happened]

"Perhaps there was just precedence you don't know about," Anakin replied. "Everything isn't capture on camera to show the nation, is it?"