โwhy donโt you explain it me,ย then? ย tell it to me like iโm ten again,ย tell me โbout this curse and maybe weโll find a way to break or reverse it,โ ย he softly pleads,ย hot tears licking at his lower lashes,ย clouding his vision. ย he didnโt cry on the reaping day,ย didnโt cry in front of president snow at the heavensbee mansion,ย but now that theyโre alone in the dark,ย he can feel himself slowly crumbling to dust,ย carefully crafted facade falling to pieces. ย โjust talk to me.โ ย he ends up closing his eyes and burying his face in her auburn curls,ย hiding his fears. ย he wants to be strong,ย give his girl a sense of stability in these uncertain times,ย make her believe heโs got it all under control to keep her from worrying even more,ย but deep down his stomachโs roiling. ย a storm of emotions brewing and he doesnโt know how to stop it. ย it must be part of her culture,ย he thinks,ย this belief in curses and spells and superstition in general,ย which is one more reason why he wants to be respectful and not say anything harsh or judgmental. ย โletโs say youโre right about this,โ ย he sighs,ย abandoning his own narrative to better understand where sheโs coming from, ย โdonโt curses have to be cast? ย like spells? ย who could ever wish this on you?โ ย is she just meant to die young? ย is that the curse? ย a shiver races down his spine,ย a fresh wave of tears spilling over his cheeks. ย he doesnโt know how,ย but he wonโt let that happen. ย
feeling lenore doveโs slender arms coil around his neck,ย haymitch breathes a sigh of relief and brings her closer,ย squeezing her smaller body,ย his hands rubbing her back,ย smoothing her hair. ย he melts into her,ย like wax too near to a flame,ย body molding so that they fit together like two puzzle pieces. ย โif you freeze up,ย iโll carry you. ย weโre a team. ย youโre the love of my life,ย iโll take care of you,โ ย he says quietly,ย as though it was so simple and he could just scoop her up into his arms and bring her to safety. ย the kiss to his cheekbone sets his skin on fire,ย his chest tightening even more painfully. ย hand cradling the back of her head,ย he returns the sweet act of affection and kisses the shell of her ear. ย โholdinโ me back? ย right,ย โcause if it wasnโt for you,ย iโd be choppinโ off heads left and right,ย โcourse i wouldโฆโ ย he sighs,ย shaking his head and trying to show her how ridiculous her claim is. ย frowning as he pulls back,ย hands framing her face, ย โwhy do you say that?โ ย he has his own reasons to believe the games will most likely be rigged,ย they already have been rigged and thatโs why sheโs here,ย but then something else crosses his mind and although it sounds ridiculous,ย he hears himself asking, ย โhow does he know so much about you?โ ย snow. ย but he refuses to say the name,ย the hairs on the back of his neck standing up at the mere recollection of that disgusting,ย blood-curdling encounter. ย heโs the president of panem and sheโs just a district girl,ย it sounds ridiculous but bet i know a thing or two about your doveโฆ ย how? ย why?
