stillplaying | 13th Game [video]

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13th Game [video]

[There's a bashful look on her face when she opens the journal. It's been a whole day now, a whole day since she returned from her kidnapping. Since she had discovered Prim had arrived in her absence, since she had gotten to once again spend the whole day and night in the company of her sister. It had been amazing. A dream that she had never thought possible. Prim was dead and yet... yet, for whatever reason, she had been brought here.

Perhaps she should have alerted those outside of her household that she had returned. But all she had wanted for that one day was to spend it alongside Prim. To tell her everything that had happened in the months - year - following her death. To tell her about Commander Paylor and the new government of Panem. To tell her of all those she had met here, of Peeta and Richard, Teddy and Sokka and Zevran and Rapunzel. It had been the wee hours of the night by the time she had gone to bed.

But sometime in the mid-morning, she remembers promises she had made. To the man who had helped her in learning how to get her voice back. To the boy who was now suffering from a death penalty of his own. She had promised them both a song. And it seems now like such a small price to pay to gaining not one, but two, important parts of her life back.

She ducks her head for a second, fingers playing with the buttons and beads on the handmade necklace Sokka made her. And then she clears her throat and begins to sing with a voice that, as Peeta once claimed, would silence the birds:]

As I look at the valleys down below
They are green just as far as I can see
As my memories return, oh how my heart did yearn
For you and the days that used to be
High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be

Well, I wonder if you ever think of me
Or has time erased your memory
As I listen to the breeze whisper gently through the trees
I wonder if you ever think of me

High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be
High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be

High on a mountain top
Thinking about the days that used to be
And I wonder if you ever think of me

[When she's done singing, she smiles sheepishly and shrugs.] I promised a song to a few people. I hope you enjoyed it.

[She opens her mouth a second later to say something more. And then she pauses and, for once, actually takes the time to construct a filter. To make certain that Prim cannot see what follows. Because even though Katniss' own birthday is only a few days away, she's not thinking of that day very much. It pales in comparison to a much more important day approaching at the end of the month.]

Does anyone have much experience throwing birthday parties? My sister - Prim - she's here now. And her birthday's in a few weeks. We could never afford a proper celebration growing up. I'd like to give her that. Give her everything that she couldn't have back home. [She frowns for a moment, brow wrinkling in thought.] I also need to build an addition to my house. Where'd I go about getting the material for that?

[ooc: for those interested in what the song might sound like. though this isn't exactly how i picture katniss' voice. nor does she have musical accompaniment in this post.]

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[She hadn't even thought to close the door when she had begun to sing. Her room didn't quite feel like her own any more. She couldn't bring herself to be that selfish, to force Prim on the couch. She'd first take it herself rather than make any of her house mates move.

But she does still, for a moment, almost regret the decision. An audience on the journal - through the camera - was one thing. But in person? She blushes a little and ducks her head, but not before offing him a pleased smile.]

Really?

Would I lie to you, lass?

[ he leans on the door-frame. for the most part, he hadn't been home much since katniss had returned. the reasoning is two-fold: he wants to give the sisters time and space to reunite, and he was itching to get out and about after a few days of purposefully sticking close to home. he hadn't dared stray far when it was only he and effie and prim in the house. ]

Aye. Just about the loveliest.

[No. She doubts Richard would ever lie to her. He's been honest with her from the start. Treated her with a sort of respect and compassion that she doubted she deserved. He wouldn't start now. Especially over something so trivial as her voice.

Which means that maybe Peeta hadn't been so biased. Or Richard has grown equally so.

Either way, she smiles him. A smile filled with pride and just enough bashfulness not to seem too arrogant.]

Thank you. [A pause.] I'm glad you got to listen.

An' I'm glad I got to hear. [ and see her smile. and meet her sister, who is such a sweet wee thing.

though, on that topic: ] There's a pheasant in the kitchen. I've yet to pluck it, but I will soon. I procured some carrots in town.

[ normally katniss did much of the hunting and they rarely depended on the shops for side-dishes, but with prim in the house sharpe had wanted to give the two plenty of time to catch-up. as such, he'd seamlessly taken over main hunting duties. and he bent the cardinal rule about the shops for the sake of the whole household having something a little nearer a feast. ]

[How many times has she already thanked Richard for everything he did since Prim's arrival? For taking care of Prim for her, settling her in and making certain no harm came to her sister. She doesn't think she's thanked him enough yet. She's starting to wonder if she can ever thank him enough. Because she can't possibly imagine a scenario in which Prim arrived with no one to greet her.

And that, she thinks, is exactly what would have happened if Richard hadn't been there.

At the mention of pheasant, she scrambles up from the bed, abandoning the journal on the sheets. She smiles a little sheepishly. She should have been out hunting this morning. Not spending the morning chatting with Prim.]

I'm sorry. I should have gone out this morning to hunt. [It had been her cardinal role back home. Provider of the household. She didn't know how else to act.] ...I can cook it though. Do you have a favorite way?

[ and how many times has he brushed off her gratitude? always with the same excuse: it's an officer's right and privilege to offer shelter to those who need it, love. if anything, it helped him feel just a little more useful and human -- something he'd been sorely missing since ganondorf was defeated and had disappeared. sharpe hadn't before realized how far he'd fallen.

gently: ] Katniss. Darlin'? No apologies. I don't mind a bit of a hunt. Keeps me in practice, eh? Besides, you and the young Miss Everdeen weren't to be interrupted. [ and as for the cooking: ] Maybe let's drop the bird in the oven for a few hours. Or whatever it is one does to cook it through.

[She couldn't cling to her sister forever. No matter how much she might want to, Prim had to be free to live her own life. Even here in Luceti. But the village wasn't all that big. And Clove had been right a while back. Enough people knew her, liked her for some unfathomable reason, that they'd look out for her sister.

She had to return to what passed to normal life here at some point.]

I can do that. I think I might still have some herbs we can rub it down with. [Another thing she had to do aside from the hunting: reestablish her old foraging grounds now that the weather was nice again.] I don't mind.

...We can toss the carrots in the same pan. That works well enough, eh? [ he wonders if he should have procured something green, as well. others 'round here were always banging on about eating green things.

he dares to cross into her room just long enough to offer a hand. to help her back to her feet, though neither thought she needed it. it was simply an act of courtesy. ]

[The herbs were green enough, in Katniss' opinion. And the carrots were vegetable enough. If Effie complained, she'd just have to deal with it. Life was actually going her way for once. The odds had suddenly shifted to her favor. She had a household to take care of. A sister to spoil. And even a not boyfriend to spend time with.

How could it get any better?

With a smile, she accepted his hand and stood from the bed. Then, impulsively, she gave him a quick hug.] Do we still have the onions I found from before the shift?

There are one or two knockin' about, provided our painted lady hasn't squirrelled'em away for some nefarious purpose.

[ he slings an arm around her shoulders. companionable. kin-like. how blessed he is to have a place he belongs, though he wonders how long that'll last with a shortage of beds. he'd have to talk to katniss about that -- soon. but not yet.

with an arm tucked thusly 'round her shoulder, sharpe's able to touch the button-necklace with a curious thumb. with clumsy guile as they walked from the room: ] Where'd you get these pretty things, eh?

[That earned another smile from her as she leans into the arm around her shoulder. Painted lady. It's a good description for Effie Trinket. A very good description. So long as Effie never hears it herself that is. She can't imagine ever hearing the end of it if Effie knew half the things said behind her back.

When his fingers brush by the necklace, she finds herself blushing just a little. She reaches up to touch one of the buttons with her hand. They were just friends, she and Sokka. Friends that kissed and touched and did things she knew friends didn't do, but friends nonetheless. Still, Peeta had been the only boy to ever give her any kind of jewelry before.]

Sokka made it. Do you know him? Works in the blacksmith's shop?

I know him. [ and he could guess the necklace had come from him, or else the lad had traded his buttons onwards. as luck would have it, the warmer weather has prompted sharpe to stop wearing his green jacket indoors. his missing buttons would hardly be missed. ] He makes my ammunition an' sharpens my sword. Didn't realize you knew him, lass.

[ after all, neither of them were the sort to pry into each other's personal lives. ]

Edited 2013-05-08 16:39 (UTC)

[Even with the recent change in demeanor, Katniss had remained relatively quiet when it came to her personal life. It was silly, perhaps. Richard had been there for her when no one else had. He had listen to her sorrows and offered his own advice and comfort. She should be able to tell him anything.

But she had spent too much of her life quiet and reserved. Even with Gale, who had been her closest friend for years, she had been reluctant to admit too much of a personal nature.

She nodded in response and grinned again.] We hunt together. And fish sometimes, too.

That so, eh?

[ he releases her from his light hold once proceeding to the kitchen becomes too awkward to do in tandem; instead, he gestures lightly for her to head on ahead of him. courteous again. ] And how often is sometimes?

[ if he pries now, it's only because he wants to gently tease the girl. sharpe's been around enough blocks to make assumptions about why a young lad and a young lass start spending plenty of time together, and it isn't so long ago that he'd encouraged her to find someone with whom she could spend plenty of time. all things considered, and from what sharpe currently knew, sokka did not seem like the worst choice available. ]

[She stopped in her approach to the refrigerator, eyes going wide as she turned to look back at Richard. Had he figured it out? Had Effie said something to him? Did he know then?

It hadn't exactly been as if they were hiding the recent turn in their friendship. Kissing in Seventh Heaven, and then in the smithy. Having sex for the first time in the forest. She even purposely kept that contraceptive tea she had obtained from the clinic in plain sight - if just to further irritate the woman who had moved herself into Katniss' home. There wasn't anything to be embarrassed about. Both Richard and Zevran had encouraged her to move on.

And yet? Yet, she couldn't help but blush a deep red at the question. But then, that was how it had always been when it came to this topic. To anything relating to nudity or intimacy.]

It, um. [She scratched at her head for a moment.] We still hunt. And fish. But it had been fun to tease Effie with this. And then...

[She shrugged and looked sheepish. Looked up at him, searching for some kind of approval in the words she was going to say next.] He doesn't love me and I don't love him. We're just friends that... do things. And I like it that way.

[ he turns his back to her, but only so he could busy himself plucking the poultry. and so he could hide his quiet smile. ]

Nothin' wrong with that, so long as he's good to you.

[There was a clear look of relief that crossed her features as she opened the fridge and rummaged around for the onion. Nothing wrong with that. Even if she had been told that before, that it was okay to seek comfort in another boy, she still had had her doubts. Because it was different now that she was actually doing so.

Moving on from her relationship with Peeta. She'd never stop loving him. And she had swore that she wouldn't fall in love again. But that didn't mean she couldn't have fun, right?]

He is. I think? [She stumbled a little over her words, truly giving it thought for the first time. He was only the second boy she had ever been with.] How would I know?

[ pluck. pluck pluck. ]

If he respects you. Does right by you. Don't hurt you, like. [ sharpe doesn't suspect sokka to be the hitting type, but he'd seen enough wife beaters in his own ranks to consider the possibility. by far and large, luceti is a far more civilized place than home -- but he always fears that the real darkness is only lurking out of sight. ]

[She straightened up, the onions clutched against her chest, and closed the refrigerator door behind her. She dumped them on the counter before walking over to the sink and frowning when the cutting board wasn't where she had left it the night before.

This whole cleaning thing every single day was starting to get a bit annoying. She reached up to search the cabinets before finally coming away successful.]

Damn it, Effie. [It's muttered under her breath as she carried the board, vegetables, and knife closer to Richard and the bird.] He hasn't done anything wrong by me. It's been... fun. A lot more fun than I thought it'd be.

Good. [ although the nuts and bolts of her interactions with the lad are not something he needs to get into, he's pleased enough to learn that she's having fun with it. there's no sin, he knows, in two people having fun together.

and yet: ] Heaven help him if he does, lass, but...if so? You can tell me. I'm 'ere for you. No matter what.

[ her and the younger everdeen, now. someones for whom he could play a quiet sentinel. ]

[She had begun to peel the carrots as he had talked. But the moment she hears him say that, tell her that he's there for her no matter what, she has to place the peeler back on the cutting board. Not since Peeta's departure, really, has she had that. Not since her father's passing has she had it said and meant in any kind of parental way.

Her mother hadn't been there for her. Not in the same way her father had been all her life. She had had no one to take care of her. No one but herself.

Did he know what those words meant to her?

Food abandoned, she crossed the kitchen to hug him tightly around his side.] Thank you.

[ oh, child. he ruffles his fingers through whatever stray bits of hair were available, gently chucking a thumb under her chin. ] Nah. Thank you, lass. It's a lot less lonely havin' someone to look after, even when she does half the lookin' after herself.

[She hadn't had much choice in a long time. No one to look after since Prim died, since Peeta and Rue left Luceti. No one to look after, let alone someone to look after her. He was right. It was a lot less lonely this way.

When he placed his thumb under her chin, she smiled and looked up at him.]

It is. It's even kind of nice to look after Effie sometime. Just - don't tell her I said that, okay?

...That bloody harridan? She's worse than a drill sergeant. An' I'd know, having been one years ago.

[She started to laugh, hugging herself as she did. Effie as a drill sergeant, as one of the strict soldiers from District 13. It was absolutely impossible to imagine. Hilarious.]

She'd never last in a position like that.

[ action -- of course it's alright. ]

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