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Just keep your eyes peeled. And run the other way. It doesn't seem interested in pursuit.
Chouji has never gone hungry. He is the heir to a fairly well-off clan, always more prone to overindulgence than deprivation. The intensity of his appreciation of food is due entirely to a mix of his clan's philosophy and techniques his own disposition. So while he values food highly, has more use for it than most, he would not understand Prim's view of it. Not through experience, at least.
"I haven't been here long enough to shrug things off yet, but that's what I've heard too. This is only the second time since I arrived." Unless you count the draft, but Chouji doesn't. That wasn't strange or incomprehensible. He was at war, like he was at war at home. The rules had shifted, and he didn't have the luxury of fighting for his own people and homeland, but Chouji still wanted to protect whoever he could here.
"You're newer than I am, then? How are you holding up?"
"I haven't been here long enough to shrug things off yet, but that's what I've heard too. This is only the second time since I arrived." Unless you count the draft, but Chouji doesn't. That wasn't strange or incomprehensible. He was at war, like he was at war at home. The rules had shifted, and he didn't have the luxury of fighting for his own people and homeland, but Chouji still wanted to protect whoever he could here.
"You're newer than I am, then? How are you holding up?"
Maybe someday they'll talk about food and their views on it. For now, though, Prim looks to what Chouji said to her, and asked.
"I've only been here since May first. I'm not sure if that's newer or not, but...that's how long it's been. I think it's newer, since the wings were my first thing." Her first event, she means. She's curious about the other one, and about all the ones to come before it, really. What has Katniss lived through? "What was your first?"
"I've only been here since May first. I'm not sure if that's newer or not, but...that's how long it's been. I think it's newer, since the wings were my first thing." Her first event, she means. She's curious about the other one, and about all the ones to come before it, really. What has Katniss lived through? "What was your first?"
She'd loved Peeta. Prim had never thought to hear Katniss admit that, but...she'd always thought it would be something that would happen. Back then, when they'd been trying to hijack him back. When Katniss had been so wrecked over him, to Prim's eyes. She'd always liked Peeta, because he'd done so much for Katniss, trying to protect her - how could she not like him? And there was a part of her that was happy he'd been here, to protect Katniss, to love her.
But he wasn't here any longer. And Prim knew what that must have done - what it must still be doing - to Katniss.
She squeezed Katniss' hand again, examining her sister's face closely, concern and care written clear across her own expression. "...Oh, Katniss."
But he wasn't here any longer. And Prim knew what that must have done - what it must still be doing - to Katniss.
She squeezed Katniss' hand again, examining her sister's face closely, concern and care written clear across her own expression. "...Oh, Katniss."
Prim didn't know the half of it. How Katniss conned Clove into killing her, a desperate attempt to either return to Panem or to forget. But it hadn't worked and instead, instead she had been left without her song. And without Peeta. Only the haunting memories of the mural on her bedroom walls, the paintings he had done.
Especially the painting he had done of her. Effie had tried to hang it up once. And she had freaked out, been so completely unable to cope with seeing it. Herself through Peeta's eyes. She knew that he had loved her. But it had been something else entirely to see it reflected in paint.
She swallowed hard, not meeting Prim's eyes or reacting to the squeezing of her hand. If she did, she might break. And she had come so far not to break. Instead, she stared straight ahead, expression grim and stony.
"It was real, Prim. What was between us? It was real."
Especially the painting he had done of her. Effie had tried to hang it up once. And she had freaked out, been so completely unable to cope with seeing it. Herself through Peeta's eyes. She knew that he had loved her. But it had been something else entirely to see it reflected in paint.
She swallowed hard, not meeting Prim's eyes or reacting to the squeezing of her hand. If she did, she might break. And she had come so far not to break. Instead, she stared straight ahead, expression grim and stony.
"It was real, Prim. What was between us? It was real."
"I got here in mid-March. The first one... I wasn't really affected, but it was sort of like everyone was suddenly characters in a really badly written movie or book. They were all acting strange, and none of it made any sense."
Chouji is curious too. His teammates have been here so long without him, after all. He knows that even if they did give him a briefing and let him know what to watch out for, they've glossed over the worst of whatever they've gone through here. They don't want him to worry about them, of course, but that's part of being a team: concern for teammates, wanting to help them, care for them. That feeling is even stronger than usual right now.
Chouji is curious too. His teammates have been here so long without him, after all. He knows that even if they did give him a briefing and let him know what to watch out for, they've glossed over the worst of whatever they've gone through here. They don't want him to worry about them, of course, but that's part of being a team: concern for teammates, wanting to help them, care for them. That feeling is even stronger than usual right now.
"That sounds...well, weird. I know people are acting differently now, but..." Prim shrugs. It at least makes some sense: something about a new spirit. And it doesn't seem like a badly written book or anything. "I wonder if every experiment like this changes how people act...?"
Obviously people would act differently if something surprising happened, but...this was changing people's natures.
Obviously people would act differently if something surprising happened, but...this was changing people's natures.
"I know." It was a reassurance that Prim was listening, that she was watching. That she could see that it was real from her sister's voice, her expression. She didn't know everything, wouldn't until and unless Katniss spoke about it, or other people did, but...
For Katniss to say she was with someone, to Prim, in the sanctity of the bedroom with no cameras watching or people listening in?
It had to be real.
"And if you ever want to tell me about it..." She'd listen.
But she wouldn't make Katniss tell her.
For Katniss to say she was with someone, to Prim, in the sanctity of the bedroom with no cameras watching or people listening in?
It had to be real.
"And if you ever want to tell me about it..." She'd listen.
But she wouldn't make Katniss tell her.
It's so rare to find people with common sense these days.
She wanted to tell Prim so much. She wanted to tell her sister about that shift that had happened where she and Peeta had been childhood sweethearts, married and without a care in the world. No District 12, no Hunger Games, no hijackings, no death. She wanted to tell her about the mission Peeta went on and how damn worried she had been for his life, even though it had been utterly mundane. And how that had made her realize just how much she wanted him, even loved him. The way she had ruined the bakery trying to keep it running while he was gone. How she had tackled him to the ground in anger when he returned, only to wind up kissing him with more hunger than she had ever felt.
There was so, so much she wanted to share with her sister. Katniss didn't know how long Prim would be here, how long she'd have to tell her all of this. But the loss still seemed too raw, even with Sokka to help act as balm to the wound.
"I do..." Katniss took a deep breath. "Later?"
There was so, so much she wanted to share with her sister. Katniss didn't know how long Prim would be here, how long she'd have to tell her all of this. But the loss still seemed too raw, even with Sokka to help act as balm to the wound.
"I do..." Katniss took a deep breath. "Later?"
"I'm not sure. I don't remember whether the guide went into more specifics, but we could check. A lot of them probably do, but I bet there's some that do other things." What other things, Chouji doesn't actually know. "There could be physical changes instead of behavior sometimes."
He isn't that fond of this aspect himself, but at least... "I don't think this one has changed the way I act too much. What about you?"
He takes a few bites of his lunch while he waits for Prim to answer. Food, as always, is a pleasant distraction from worrying. When Prim eats, Chouji is careful to watch for her reaction, hoping that she likes the meal.
He isn't that fond of this aspect himself, but at least... "I don't think this one has changed the way I act too much. What about you?"
He takes a few bites of his lunch while he waits for Prim to answer. Food, as always, is a pleasant distraction from worrying. When Prim eats, Chouji is careful to watch for her reaction, hoping that she likes the meal.
Prim nodded, though it was a bit awkward lying down, and she wrinkled her nose up because of it. It felt silly.
"Of course. We can talk about whatever you want whenever you want. We have time."
At least, they had time here. And Prim was trying to make the most of that, and trying to hold onto that. Because it was truly a miracle, when all was said and done.
"Of course. We can talk about whatever you want whenever you want. We have time."
At least, they had time here. And Prim was trying to make the most of that, and trying to hold onto that. Because it was truly a miracle, when all was said and done.
Prim's taking a bite of her stew when the question comes, but she takes the time to chew and swallow before answering, rather than getting flustered. She's a bit cautious just in case it's too hot, but she clearly likes the flavor. A+, Chouji.
"I don't think I've changed much, either. I guess...if anything, I'm worried about people even more than usual, but...I haven't wanted to do anything I wouldn't normally want to do, if that makes sense."
"I don't think I've changed much, either. I guess...if anything, I'm worried about people even more than usual, but...I haven't wanted to do anything I wouldn't normally want to do, if that makes sense."
You haven't seen most people in this town, then.
[Prim was about as new as Anya was. But maybe the other woman just had more time to observe, given she didn't exactly have a nice family unit to ease into.]
Learn, adapt. It's what they do here, apparently.
Learn, adapt. It's what they do here, apparently.
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