He slams the door behind them, then shoves the chair beneath the knob. It won't keep anyone out for long, but it's a warning system. Then he sits her on the bed, hands firm on her shoulders. Stay there, as he goes to grab towels and dampen them in the sink.]
[She hasn't decided if it's comforting or worrying yet, the way he guides her around. She's glad that he knows what to do—she'd probably just be a mess on her bathroom floor right now otherwise—but it's a bit scary, the way he barks orders at her, bars the fucking door like that thing might come back...]
I'm okay.
[She's not, clearly, but her point is that he hasn't failed her.
Her jacket is easy enough to shrug off, but after that, it gets tricky. By the time he comes back, she's down to her underwear save for her shirt, which she's struggling to navigate over her burnt shoulder. She's still very determined not to cry, but it's tough to stop the tears from welling up anyway.]
[If he notices the tears, he doesn't say anything. Just takes the shirt's edge, easing it up over her shoulder, her head, pulling it off and putting it on the floor nearby.]
This'll sting a bit.
[It's a quiet warning, and he gives her time to digest it before pressing the wet edge of the towel to some of those burns.]
This'll draw the heat out. I want you to sit in a cool bath before we sleep tonight.
[He's kneeling before her, his head bowed as he focuses on his work. Silent, but then:]
[It does sting, but not as much as undressing did, and fuck if it doesn't take the edge off.
But then, Katy-Kat— Her eyes snap up at him. Did he hear that in one of her memories? Fuck, if Reilly and Jonesy could see her now. She misses them, stupid as they are, and she's still shaken from seeing Dary on screen...
Wayne would be proud of her. If Haymitch is, Wayne would be too, and he will be—once she gets home, and if he believes her, and—she might not see any of them ever again. Getting home is not a guarantee, it never was. She could die here. She could die in a couple of days, or it could be Haymitch, and then what the fuck would she do? For as much as she's insisted he's not responsible for her, having to face this place without him just... doesn't sound possible.
Katy-Kat, and god, he says it so automatically, and that's the tipping point. She sucks in a hard breath, clinging to the hope that she'll be able to hold it together, but bottling never works. In the next moment she's reaching for him, arms wrapping around his neck even though it hurts like hell to stretch like that, to drop herself onto the carpet with her leg still on fire.
But she's kept her composure through it all and this is the price of that, her sobbing into his shoulder and clinging to him fiercely. It's been building for weeks, really.]
He'd expected something like this, honestly. It better feel real soon, he'd told her, and sure, she's not stupid, she'd seen the corpses and the trials, but maybe it hadn't mattered. It's not like she was all that attached to those who died.
But now it's real, cuz now it got close to her. When had it happened to him? Sometime on the train. His mentor had come in to talk to him, and he'd stared at her in numb horror. It feels so long ago, but oh, he remembers the way he'd shook. He'd thrown up afterwards, and that had been nothing compared to being shoved through training, interviews . . .
But it didn't compare to that initial bloodbath. Nothing woke him up better than that.
His arm wraps around her, his other hand smoothing lightly over the curve of her head, tugging her into him, feeling his shirt grow damp as she sobs.]
Shh, shh--
[It's a little rough, but he won't pull back, not til she's ready.]
[It helps more than she expects it to, the way he holds her. She can't remember the last time she's broken down like this, let alone in front of someone. She's a person who prefers to get her emotions out on her own time, in her own way, and no amount of comfort in this moment can make this horrible dread go away. He can't promise her they'll make it out of here alive. If the demon comes for either of them, he won't be able to do shit about it. Even self defense would condemn him.
These things are true, yes, but he holds her still while she crumples against him, and it's grounding. This place is horrific, but in this moment, they're safe. It's late, and the rest of the ship is likely asleep by now, and no one's getting through that door, including those things from the gym. That part is done now. Things will be shit again in the morning, but tonight, it's done with.
She stops crying—mostly, that is—but stays pressed against him.]
I'm sorry. It was a fucking stupid idea to go in there. I'm—shit, are you okay?
[She does pull back now, just enough to look at him. She'd been so wrapped up with her own shit that she hadn't really been paying attention to him. Whoops.]
[He's bleeding, actually, staining his trousers and the wound aching in time to his heartbeat, but it isn't so bad. He'll patch it up and it'll be fine, it's clotted already, stuck to the fabric. It's gonna hurt like a bitch when he peels off his trousers, but whatever.]
[She quiet for a long moment, teeth worrying at her lip as she tries to decide whether or not he's telling the truth. But then she nods, easing herself back to where she was sitting. With that little outburst out of the way, the pain seeps back into focus. Throwing herself at him like that came with a price.]
It's not that bad, right?
[Her fingers move to the clawmarks at her throat.]
I'd be real surprised if it scars. We'll clean em, wrap em up . . . you take it easy this week, they oughta heal pretty well by next Saturday.
[He definitely is going to regret this, he definitely should clean this and take care of it now, but nonetheless he climbs into bed after her, urging her to lie back and rest a little.]
[She nods, pulling her hand back and following him into bed. It's far from comfortable given the state of her burns, but god, the rest of her body aches, too. It's nice to have something soft under her, if nothing else, and she brings the towel to let it lie against her arm, where the burns are the worst. There, that's not so bad.]
...I gotta say, I'll be a little disappointed if they don't scar. Just a little bit, you know? That'd be badass. I'd have something to show for all this.
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm saying we're not that lucky.
[She hesitates on the question, though. They probably should take this to Nathan sooner rather than later—what if it's something dangerous? But, god, she doesn't want to move for anything, in part because of the burns but also just because she's not ready to leave again tonight. They could get Nathan to come here, but he'd fuss over her, and she doesn't want him seeing her all teary and in pain.
She shakes her head, setting aside the necklace before nosing against his shoulder.]
[They can wait one more day. That's the one thing this shitty ship has over the Games: at least he knows when it's safe to rest and when he has to be on high alert. He shifts again, settling down more, his fingers dragging over her stomach gently.]
I'll get you another washcloth in a minute. But tell me if you get cold, all right? I don't think you'll get a fever, but.
[He says it with a soft sigh. He wants badly to drink-- god, does he ever-- but not tonight. Not when she's still rattled, even if she's teasing now. Not when she might need him. Haymitch drags his fingers lightly against her stomach, tracing out a meaningless pattern.]
I'll be awake tonight. You try and get some sleep for a bit.
[He's careful, and it's amazing what a cool towel can do to ease the pain, so she scoots in happily. Another perk of the towel: Her hand is cold when she snakes it up under his shirt to press her knuckles against his stomach.]
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timeasmymeasure
tuesday night; week 3
Date: 2019-11-01 05:45 am (UTC)He slams the door behind them, then shoves the chair beneath the knob. It won't keep anyone out for long, but it's a warning system. Then he sits her on the bed, hands firm on her shoulders. Stay there, as he goes to grab towels and dampen them in the sink.]
Clothes off.
[Let's take care of those burns first.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 06:17 am (UTC)I'm okay.
[She's not, clearly, but her point is that he hasn't failed her.
Her jacket is easy enough to shrug off, but after that, it gets tricky. By the time he comes back, she's down to her underwear save for her shirt, which she's struggling to navigate over her burnt shoulder. She's still very determined not to cry, but it's tough to stop the tears from welling up anyway.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 06:23 am (UTC)This'll sting a bit.
[It's a quiet warning, and he gives her time to digest it before pressing the wet edge of the towel to some of those burns.]
This'll draw the heat out. I want you to sit in a cool bath before we sleep tonight.
[He's kneeling before her, his head bowed as he focuses on his work. Silent, but then:]
You did good, Katy-Kat.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 06:45 am (UTC)But then, Katy-Kat— Her eyes snap up at him. Did he hear that in one of her memories? Fuck, if Reilly and Jonesy could see her now. She misses them, stupid as they are, and she's still shaken from seeing Dary on screen...
Wayne would be proud of her. If Haymitch is, Wayne would be too, and he will be—once she gets home, and if he believes her, and—she might not see any of them ever again. Getting home is not a guarantee, it never was. She could die here. She could die in a couple of days, or it could be Haymitch, and then what the fuck would she do? For as much as she's insisted he's not responsible for her, having to face this place without him just... doesn't sound possible.
Katy-Kat, and god, he says it so automatically, and that's the tipping point. She sucks in a hard breath, clinging to the hope that she'll be able to hold it together, but bottling never works. In the next moment she's reaching for him, arms wrapping around his neck even though it hurts like hell to stretch like that, to drop herself onto the carpet with her leg still on fire.
But she's kept her composure through it all and this is the price of that, her sobbing into his shoulder and clinging to him fiercely. It's been building for weeks, really.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 06:55 am (UTC)He'd expected something like this, honestly. It better feel real soon, he'd told her, and sure, she's not stupid, she'd seen the corpses and the trials, but maybe it hadn't mattered. It's not like she was all that attached to those who died.
But now it's real, cuz now it got close to her. When had it happened to him? Sometime on the train. His mentor had come in to talk to him, and he'd stared at her in numb horror. It feels so long ago, but oh, he remembers the way he'd shook. He'd thrown up afterwards, and that had been nothing compared to being shoved through training, interviews . . .
But it didn't compare to that initial bloodbath. Nothing woke him up better than that.
His arm wraps around her, his other hand smoothing lightly over the curve of her head, tugging her into him, feeling his shirt grow damp as she sobs.]
Shh, shh--
[It's a little rough, but he won't pull back, not til she's ready.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 07:24 am (UTC)These things are true, yes, but he holds her still while she crumples against him, and it's grounding. This place is horrific, but in this moment, they're safe. It's late, and the rest of the ship is likely asleep by now, and no one's getting through that door, including those things from the gym. That part is done now. Things will be shit again in the morning, but tonight, it's done with.
She stops crying—mostly, that is—but stays pressed against him.]
I'm sorry. It was a fucking stupid idea to go in there. I'm—shit, are you okay?
[She does pull back now, just enough to look at him. She'd been so wrapped up with her own shit that she hadn't really been paying attention to him. Whoops.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-01 07:29 am (UTC)[He's bleeding, actually, staining his trousers and the wound aching in time to his heartbeat, but it isn't so bad. He'll patch it up and it'll be fine, it's clotted already, stuck to the fabric. It's gonna hurt like a bitch when he peels off his trousers, but whatever.]
C'mon. Up on the bed, okay?
no subject
Date: 2019-11-05 09:48 am (UTC)It's not that bad, right?
[Her fingers move to the clawmarks at her throat.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-05 09:18 pm (UTC)[It's gently scolding.]
I'd be real surprised if it scars. We'll clean em, wrap em up . . . you take it easy this week, they oughta heal pretty well by next Saturday.
[He definitely is going to regret this, he definitely should clean this and take care of it now, but nonetheless he climbs into bed after her, urging her to lie back and rest a little.]
Coulda been a lot worse. You'll be okay.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-08 06:48 am (UTC)...I gotta say, I'll be a little disappointed if they don't scar. Just a little bit, you know? That'd be badass. I'd have something to show for all this.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-08 07:01 am (UTC)[It's a joke. He brushes his fingers carefully over her uninjured arm, a soothing motion.]
You're plenty badass on your own, Miss.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-08 07:44 am (UTC)There's worse fates. You're plenty hot, too.
[She noses against his shoulder and reaches for his hand, settling in.]
...What do you think that necklace is for?
no subject
Date: 2019-11-08 07:52 am (UTC)Can't be anything too useful. I doubt they'd give us much.
[. . .]
You keep it. Maybe it's something protective.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-14 05:27 am (UTC)I'd call that a reach, good buddy. We ought to ask Nathan about it.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-14 05:53 am (UTC)[And they haven't even reached furry week, RIP these two.]
You wanna do it now?
no subject
Date: 2019-11-14 06:29 am (UTC)I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm saying we're not that lucky.
[She hesitates on the question, though. They probably should take this to Nathan sooner rather than later—what if it's something dangerous? But, god, she doesn't want to move for anything, in part because of the burns but also just because she's not ready to leave again tonight. They could get Nathan to come here, but he'd fuss over her, and she doesn't want him seeing her all teary and in pain.
She shakes her head, setting aside the necklace before nosing against his shoulder.]
Tomorrow.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-14 06:45 am (UTC)[They can wait one more day. That's the one thing this shitty ship has over the Games: at least he knows when it's safe to rest and when he has to be on high alert. He shifts again, settling down more, his fingers dragging over her stomach gently.]
I'll get you another washcloth in a minute. But tell me if you get cold, all right? I don't think you'll get a fever, but.
Try and get a lot of sleep tonight. And--
[He grimaces very slightly.]
One drink tonight. No more than that.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-14 08:46 am (UTC)Is that a rule for you or for me?
[She's tempted to tell him that she's fine, he doesn't need to stay sober for her sake, but... Taking it easy for a night won't kill him.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-15 03:07 am (UTC)[He says it with a soft sigh. He wants badly to drink-- god, does he ever-- but not tonight. Not when she's still rattled, even if she's teasing now. Not when she might need him. Haymitch drags his fingers lightly against her stomach, tracing out a meaningless pattern.]
I'll be awake tonight. You try and get some sleep for a bit.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-15 03:21 am (UTC)[He's got to be just as exhausted as she is. She absently reaches for him, her fingers catching in his shirt.]
no subject
Date: 2019-11-15 03:33 am (UTC)Go to sleep, I said.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-15 04:23 am (UTC)[He's careful, and it's amazing what a cool towel can do to ease the pain, so she scoots in happily. Another perk of the towel: Her hand is cold when she snakes it up under his shirt to press her knuckles against his stomach.]
Don't fuck with me.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-15 04:39 am (UTC)[He isn't sitting up, though, so. Probably progress.]
Good night, Katy.