A moment trickled by in which Violet waited to see if memory served and Peeta’s surname was in fact Mellark. It seemed to be, given that when the surname left her lips, he simpered, replying in an impossibly bright, sunny voice. So sunny that a flame sparked in her chest, basking her insides in a soft, soothing warmth. His presence had caused that, had given her a small semblance of peace in a cruel, dark world. Such a semblance was just as good as it was rare, which was one of the many reasons why it was a shame that he could die within the arena.
“Yeah, I won last year, but don’t . . . don’t try to be like I was. You have to figure out what works best for you, even if that means running or hiding instead of fighting. Though, no matter the strategy, trying to survive makes you brave in my book,” she commented, the mentor within her temporarily taking over. The advice, though seemingly obvious, was solid, because even though she had fought tooth and nail, not every victor had. The morphlings from Six, for example, had hidden and waited out the rest of their competitors. She opened her mouth to say as such, only to fall silent when Haymitch and a stony-faced girl arrived.
The golden-haired man looked worse for wear, given that he had long delved into his cups, trying to drown his sorrows, to forget all of the pain that the Games dredged up each year. Violet could not relate to his primary method of coping, but she could understand it. The pain had to be handled, after all, lest it devour him whole.
“Wish I could say the same to you, Haymitch,” she remarked when he declared that she looked well. A step toward him was taken, allowing her to gently touch his shoulder, then, “How much have you had to drink? You’ll sober up a bit, yeah?” A beat passed in which he could answer, then, “It was lovely meeting you two, but I'd best be getting back to my tributes. Do tell Cinna and Portia I said hello, and try not to be too afraid of the flames. They’re synthetic. Won’t burn your skin but they’ll make you look pretty damn hot.”