#(and pan haymitch really)

[hungergameshyperfixation]

One middle school thing I thought was a little weird but still did/occasionally do are these 😬

[l5byrinth]

new romantics

“the best people in life are free.”

pairing: finnick x fem!reader, platonic!johanna x fem!reader, literally everyone else just platonic

summary: celebrating the anniversary of getting rid of the hunger games with your found family with a surprise for them in store as well.

requested

a/n: i wrote this like rn which is almost 1 am and i’m not mad about how it has turned out. i should probably edit this but wanted to finish at least one of the requests by today!! also anon i kind of changed it by making johanna someone like sister for reader just so more people feel included when reading <333 hope you like this anon and tbh it’s really bad but i hope you enjoy!!

WITH a wide smile on your face, you jokingly scolded your little child and Peeta for running around the living room. You were busy chatting up with your closest friends Katniss and Johanna, while the rest of your friends were all having a conversation of their own. You were glad the others got distracted by the two, because they were just questioning the fact you passed on a glass of wine. “Sorry,” Your little toddler pouted their underlip forward, your heart melting at the sight.

You motioned for the kid to come and sit on your lap, “That’s okay, sweetie. Now, show aunt Johanna and aunt Katniss your teeth.”

The little child bared their teeth for Johanna and Katniss to examine. Your kid had recently lost two of their teeth, and saying the little one was proud was an understatement. “Wow, you’re all grown up now.” Johanna commented, making the small child smile even wider. Katniss questioned, grabbing the young one’s hands, “What’d you do with the lost teeth?”

Your kid hopped off your lap, “Made money with it, duh.” And the youngster sprinted off to Peeta, who was already waiting for him.

Laughter filled the room, and even Katniss - who was a hard one to crack - couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. Finnick, who was previously busy in the kitchen preparing one of his favourite meals, entered the sitting room. His gaze fell upon you and, just like every time he looked at you, it was like he fell in love all over again.

When you noticed him on the other side of the room, you excused yourself to your friends before making your way over to your husband. You draped your arms over his shoulders as he rested his hands on your waist, “How’s everything going in the kitchen, love?” He smiled and leaned in closer, letting his nose brush against yours, “It’s going just fine.”

“Ugh, get a room you two!” Haymitch, who was playing with your child together with Peeta, yelled out of nowhere. You rested your forehead on Finnick’s chest while chuckling. He pulled you in closer while he did the same. “Let’s go to the kitchen.” Finnick offered, putting some distance between the two of you to look at you. He grabbed your hand, before leading you to there.

The stove was filled with different kinds of pans and pots, and judging on the kitchen counter covered by many ingredients, you could tell Finnick really was trying his best. “I need you to taste, darling,” Finnick said while grabbing a wooden spoon. He dipped it into one of the pots and blew on it a few times. He sipped on it a little himself, just to make sure it wasn’t too hot, before offering you.

Your eyes widened when you tasted it and Finnick’s face fell, “Oh, no, don’t tell me I’ve ruined it.”

“I’m so sorry, Finn.” You apologised while pulling a faux soured face. With his hands covering his face, he shook his head in disbelief, “I knew it! I should’ve…”

He stopped when you removed his hands, letting him see the smile on your face. “I was just kidding, Finn, that was amazing.” You assured with a giggle. “Oh, you! Darling, if it weren’t for you being so damn adorable…” He pulled you in closer as you couldn’t hold in your giggles. When your laughter died down, he left a kiss on your forehead, before resting his against yours. “We’ll tell them, right?”

You nodded in response, forgetting about the entire world in your lover’s arms. Just like you did since the moment you met him.

A call of your name by Johanna brought you back to reality. “Where are you?” She continued in a sing-songy tone while entering the kitchen. She stopped when she saw the two of you and a smile tugged at her lips as she said, “Oh, hey lovebirds.”

“Hey, Jo.” Finnick and you said in unison while you faced her.” She walked over and grabbed your hand, “I’m going to steal my wife from you real quick, Finnick.”

Finnick responded, pulling away from you with furrowed eyebrows, “Sure…” You let go of Finnick and followed her out of the kitchen as Finnick yelled, “Wait, you mean my wife!” You and Johanna laughed while linking your arms, “Nope. Mine!”

“You wish!” You heard Finnick faintly before you entered the dining room.

The two of you started talking as you set the table, a lot of memories being recalled. “Oh my god, I remember how terrified I was of you when we first met!” Johanna’s mouth fell agape by your exclaim, and she jokingly responded, “Ouch!”

You playfully nudged her side with your elbow, “You were scarily intimidating, Jo! How could I not be?”

“You know what, I’m actually glad I gave that impression. Exactly what I was going for.” Your best friend spoke, setting the last plate on the table.

“I can’t believe that we have come so far.” You still remember the hard times as clear as day. The hunger games, the rebellion, the war. But you got through it together with all the people who had become such a huge part of your life along the way. Like Johanna, who was basically like a sister to you. “Done!” Johanna said, as she just finished putting all the cutlery in place.

“What’s wrong?” She questioned when she noticed you had fallen silent. “Just grateful,” You started with quivering lips, “You’re like a sister to me and I couldn’t imagine a life without you-”

Johanna walked over to you and pulled you in for a tight, but comforting hug. Something only Johanna could do. She pulled away as she said, “Now, stop being so sentimental. I don’t want to cry in front of you.”

You chuckled at her comment, wiping away the tears that had escaped bay. “Let’s call everyone to the table now, shall we?”

With the dining room filled with the people you loved with your entire body and soul, you couldn’t wish for anything else. Everyone had taken a seat, admiring the food that lay upon them. Most of the food was cooked by Finnick, who was sitting beside you and holding your hand tightly. Your little child was sitting on the other side of you, talking to you about everything and nothing.

You smiled at your child’s story, and when it finished, your eyes found Finnick’s. You knew exactly what his eyes were telling you. Both you and Finnick stood up and the room quieted down. He wrapped an arm around your waist to pull you in closer as you spoke., “It has been quite some time since the day we finally got some peace in our lives.”

“And sitting here, with the family I found during the hard times, there is no place I’d rather be.” You continued, everyone listening attentively and some nodded at your words. “So since we’re celebrating the anniversary of the day we finally got rid of the games, there was something Finnick and I wanted to announce as well.”

Everyone waited in anticipation, wondering what was going on as you and Finnick shared a look. He nodded encouragingly with a soft smile.

“We’re having another baby!” You announced as Finnick held up the photos of the echo you had made a week ago. The whole room erupted in joy and excitement. Johanna was the first to get up from her seat and run over to embrace you, followed shortly by Katniss. Finnick was being congratulated by Peeta and Haymitch, as Katniss told you, “I knew it! You were so obvious, you know?”

However, before you could respond, your small child stood on your chair, “Daddy told me not to tell anyone!”

“Yes, and you didn’t, baby. You did such a good job.” With the brightest smile on your face you kissed your little one’s forehead.

“We can’t wait to welcome our little baby to the family.” Finnick said to everyone, to which they nodded their head to. Everyone sat back down on their chairs as soon as they all had congratulated you. You and Finnick sat down as well, relieved that you didn’t have to keep this from your loved ones any longer. “You’ve got to name your little one Effie if it’s a girl.” Effie commented, grabbing ahold of Haymitch’s hand with as she looked at you with a smile.

“Or Peeta if it’s a boy!” Peeta exclaimed.

“No, no, no! You should definitely name him Haymitch.”

“In your dreams.” Katniss said, rolling her eyes at the man.

A soft chuckle escaped your lips and you turned your head to face your husband, who was already looking at you with a lovesick smile.

[thefuseoftemptation]

you were telling us that there was no way finnick could be hated but what if the r hated him

Oh. Oh.

finnick odair x fem!reader/ finnick odair x tribute!reader

warning(s): cussing, the reader is like a year or so younger than finnick but never is the age put, the use of y/n (I don’t use it and try not to but bc of the type of request, it’s there), talks of loss, it's somewhat in order of the film but not really. lmk if there are more! NOT PROOFREAD.

a/n: none.

—

“Who’s left?”

“Uh, it's just Chaff and-”

“Y/N.”

Finnick hadn’t let Peeta finished before he was announcing your name. Their heads turned at his voice, Peeta nodding his head as if to back it up.

The former’s trident was pushed into the sand, using it as leverage to pull himself from the lower position he had been in from looking over their shoulders. “I’ll get Y/N.” It was stated, Finnick telling them- no room left to put in their words. But at the sentence, Johanna seemed to think otherwise– knowing why they were even said to begin with. 

The low chuckle followed by the shake of her head as if to dismiss the whole thing proved that much.

“There's no way.” And that only furthered it.

Her head was held up with her eyes narrowed in on Finnick, saying it with her chest out. While she knew her friend, she also knew you. There was no way Finnick would be coming out of that the same way he went in, if even at all. He was skilled, Johanna knew that much, but so were you. And put in the fact that you had something against him- a reason to come after him- made it all more necessary for her reaction.

“You doubting me?” Finnick asked, lips stretching up and tilting his head as he looked to the other tribute.

Johanna shook her head again, turning around as she tried to think through what he was getting himself into.

“It’s not the time, you know how she is. If you wanna go and put yourself on the line, by all means.” Her arms spread as she spoke, not even gonna try to be the voice of reason if this was how he was gonna take it. 

The others only looked between them, unsure of why these things were being said.

It wasn’t till later on that Katniss spoke up, all of them dispersed as they settled for the evening, Finnick in her line of sight as she asked the question that’d been on her mind since earlier.

“Who is she?” Her head turned to Johanna, who then looked over at Katniss, only to turn away and go back to what she had been doing. “I mean, to him. Who is she to him?” Katniss repeated, rewording herself when she got no response back after the first one.

“They were friends,” there was a rest before Johanna went on. “At least that’s how it was up until he returned.” Her head nodded towards Finnick, referring to his time in the arena. “You know how it is….” The girl sighed upon her words. Or lack of them. It was something that katniss couldn't grasp onto. How what was?

“But I thought Y/N wasn’t reaped until a few years after?” Katniss remembered what Haymitch said about you. While you were a little older than she had been when she won, it was still subsequent to Finnick’s. It’s only when Johanna mentioned who the other tribute was that Finnick was reaped with that she started to put it together. 

“Not Y/N- her sister.”

Katniss’ eyes panned back over to where Finnick was, though still listening intently to what Johanna was saying. Now seeing why they had been going back and forth earlier. “What do you think happened? Only one of us comes out, it’s always been like that. Only one victor. Well, at least that’s how it was.” She said, her last sentence referring to the year before. When Katniss had been known.

“So, if Finnick won, where do you think that left the others, huh?” Johanna pressed, her words slipping into the thoughts of the tribute beside her.

“Ever since then, he’s been the only thing on her mind. And that's not said like it’s thought of.”

Johanna got up, wiping the sand off her as she looked over to Finnick, shaking her head as she watched him. “She’s out to get him, and he knows that. But I question just how much he knows the extent she’ll go through in order to make sure it happens. Because Y/N won’t rest until she sees his face plastered in the sky” Johanna gestures up with the tip of her chin, “and he can’t rest because he knows she’s still out there waiting for him. He just refuses to show it." She rolls her eyes, before lifting her ax and swinging it over her shoulder.

"He's thinks he knows her, seeing as their from the same district and that they were friends. But that's just it! They were." Katniss watched the girl in front of her tilt her head back, swiveling it to the side.

"Well, he does, doesn't he? That's gotta give him the upper hand. He knows her- knows how she'll be in here." Johanna tutted at her assumption. A far stretch from the truth. Not even close to grazing the tip of the surface when it came to what was underneath you. And there were a lot of layers.

"You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying. That was years ago, Katniss." You were a whole other person now.

"You should've seen her in the arena..." Johanna thought out loudly, her words becoming one with the wind that was slightly there, remembering seeing parts of how you were. She remembered watching you.

Let's just say at the time, the tribute wasn't looking to be on the receiving end if it ever came down to it.

Yet here she was; and she was still gonna keep to her words. She was all about tracking down the other tributes but you? Absolutely not. She doesn’t know what was worse. Letting you come to them or them going to you, either way, that canon was gonna go off when it happened.

"It's easy for her. In every sense— that girl he grew up with is no longer there. He just doesn't see it yet." Her eyes casted down, shaking her head again. "Their minds are set."

And with that she left, calling to the one they were just speaking of.

—

Finnick's eyes panned over the area.

“What is it?” Katniss questioned as she stared at the back of him, his head turning at every angle to make sure it was nothing. Even if it was far from it.

Finnick shook his head before continuing, “let’s just go.”

Johanna gave the girl a look before following in Finnick's steps.

He knew you were out there somewhere, knew you were close by— and although Finnick could handle himself and was aware of what you were capable of, he wasn’t sure he liked knowing any of it. And that's what kept him up, because the thing about you was, it was you. He knew you. Just not presently speaking.

Johanna had been right. While he wasn't there to hear what she had said about you and him, it'd all been true.

He knew you. But that was then. This was now. In here, he was just like everyone else to you. And if it came to it, with the two of you face to face, he'd do what he knew how.

He still remembers the look on your face when he returned from the games, even at that age, he knew what it meant. What it stood for. There was no going back for you guys.

It was the last he spoke to you and the last he saw of you. And despite it all, his view of you never changed.

That girl he grew up with is no longer there. He just doesn't see it yet.

It was sometime during their walk that Johanna matched his steps. “You know you’ll have to kill her.”

There was nothing said from either of them, another moment passing before Finnick spoke, agreeing with her words. It wasn’t just him you were after. If you were coming for him then you were coming for all of them.

“I know.” Not at all wanting it to come to that, but knowing it would.

—

It was sudden.

Beetee had been wiring the tree, as Finnick and Peeta stood by, when they heard something. The latter had tried making way to where he heard the noise- only for Finnick to step in.

“I’ll go, you stay here.” There was no room for the other boy to speak before Finnick was taking off into the direction. His trident in hand as he left.

He'd had been so in his head, thinking about if the girls were at the beach yet, that he hadn’t even thought about the one he had been trying to be aware of.

He had heard you before he saw you.

The two of you taking a fall when you tackled him- no time for him to properly react. It was something that he should’ve looked out for, something previous tributes never did because they thought you weren’t capable seeing how you looked.

Your appearance always threw people off, it’s what gave you the upper hand, because those innocent features were just that. There was nothing behind your eyes because there was nothing left.

Though to Finnick, it was anything but that.

He groaned at the feeling of it all until he had to push it aside when he saw you quickly recover. He was on his feet in seconds because that’s all it took for you. His eyes scanning for his trident and barely being able to use it as a block when your weapon came down at him.

“Y/N.”

He said it as if it were to get through to you, but he knew with the look held in your eyes that any further words he spoke would go on deaf ears.

You were pushing down, and despite his size compared to yours, Finnick somehow felt smaller. Your strength and rage unmatched as you had one thing on your mind and one thing only. You took the opportunity of his lowered and cornered position to send a swift knee to him- his body toppling slightly as you pulled your spear back to swing it around your shoulders and back over to him.

Finnick heard himself groaning again when he felt the swipe. The side of his face grazed.

“Y/N, stop.” You were standing above him, going to swing again when he moved, avoiding it.

“What happened to manners, huh?”

That only seemed to get rise out of you as you went harder. You were quick, he had to give you that.

Finnick knew he shouldn’t be trying to get through to you- but he was. And the more you guys fought, the closer he was to going through with what Johanna said. He had told himself he would, told himself he could do it but the time is here and he’s holding it off.

“You’re my friend.” He breathed, feeling the effects of going at it for as long as you guys had.

“So was she.”

It’d been the first time you spoke, the first time he heard your voice in years. He couldn’t stop himself from thinking about how it still sounded the same. Older but the same.

You had swung again, rolling yourself onto your knees so you could get a better angle at striking him from below. Which only had you trying again and again when he kept avoiding them. It wasn’t till you dropped your weapon that he really was on the line, unsure of your intentions. He should’ve known what was going to come next. Your leg sweeping him off his own as yours swung under them.

Finnick fell on his back, wincing, and turning to the side so he could stare up at you. He knew Johanna would tell him something only after she threw her axe your way.

you’ll have to kill her

No matter how much Finnick heard it, or how much he was told, it still wasn’t what he wanted. And you seemed to pick up on it when he hadn’t gotten to his feet. It’s why you took the advantage of it, picking up your weapon. As he did too.

It had just been them left.

She’d been running towards him, ready and knowing.

“I’m sorry.”

They were the last words he said to her, to himself, before his trident launched.

—

[waywardangel-wilds]

Prompt Suggestion by @triassictriserratops:

Peeta sees Katniss in a baking apron for the first time and loses his SHIT. 13 year old Peeta is screaming inside him. He has to, like, sit in the walk-in for a bit. Do some breathing exercises. This is BEFORE "so after" so the pining is still PEAK.

"Okay, so I think we still need to do something about the sign, so ignore the logo." Peeta was saying as he unlocked the door. "But other than that, I think this is it. I think I'm happy about the colors."

Katniss smiled at him but didn't say anything, following him into the newly built bakery. His nervous energy took up physical space, like an additional person standing with them in the room. He watched her head towards the front windows, smiling at him with that heart-stopping gaze when she caught his eye.

"It's perfect," she reassured him.

"You really think so?" He scrubbed a hand against his curls. "Because you can tell me, we have time to fix any issues."

She shook her head. "Where do you want me?"

His mind briefly jumped into the gutter before he pushed the thought away, "Uh-- here's fine. The paint is right there." He pointed towards the other side of the room. "Oh! I got you something." He turned, jogging towards the kitchen doors. "So you don't mess up your clothes!"

"Oh, that's okay-" she started, but he'd already returned with an apron in hand. She took it, looking at him with an indulgent light in her eye.

"So what are we doing, boss?" she asked.

"I was thinking we could do the strip of color all along the bottom; the rest we paint white." He bent over to pick up a paint can while Katniss wound up her braid into a bun. "What d'you think?"

"It's your bakery, Peeta."

He looked up at her, a sincere look to him. "But- I mean, it's kind of ours... right?" He yanked at the lid of the paint can a little too roughly with his flathead.

"Um, yeah." Katniss fumbled with her apron strings, and her face suddenly became very warm. "Yeah. Ha. Um, so, is it Mellark's and Everdeen now? Or Mellark's and co.? I don't think your sign is big enough for either."

"Whichever, if you want, I'll make it work." He replied.

Katniss giggled a little strangely. She wasn't the type to giggle. She cleared her throat. "Uh, no, I'm just joking."

"Oh, okay." Peeta poured some of the paint out onto the pan. "Well, it's our bakery, you helped me build it, so." He shrugged. "Free bread for you."

Katniss smiled down at the back of his head. "Even the Danishes?"

"Especially the Danishes." Peeta looked back up at her with a cheeky smile. His eyes rolled downwards, settling somewhere along her waist. "I mean, uh, who else gives me free berries? It's only fair."

Katniss bent at the waist to pick up a paintbrush and Peeta audibly gulped. "If you say so."

"Mmhmm," Peeta said mindlessly, so very grateful Katniss had those stretchy pants. So eternally happy she was wearing them. So worried about the state of his own pants. "Um, would you give me a minute? I think I left something in the kitchen."

Katniss looked at him over her shoulder, her paintbrush dripping blue paint onto the floor. "Okay."

Peeta leaped to his feet, and in four quick strides, he was in the kitchen, leaning against the cool door on the still non-operational walk-in fridge. Deep breaths.

He felt insane. He hadn't been this horny for Katniss since he was thirteen. But lately, everything she did, anything she said, it just got him going. He was back to furiously rubbing one out in the bathroom like he used to when they had gym together in eighth grade. She probably thought he had constant diarrhea or something equally disgusting.

But, God, she was so beautiful. How was he supposed to just behave when she was standing there with that apron tied tight around her waist? Her hair, up in a bun, so he could look down her shirt? Wearing yoga pants so he could see her perfect ass?

He put his face to his hands, lightly slapping himself to calm down. Haymitch, dead puppies, Haymitch, dead puppies. He repeated his non-sexy thoughts mantra to himself, trying to get the image of Katniss's full lips out of his head. She would look so good kneeling in front of him with his--

DEAD PUPPIES!

"Peeta?" Katniss pushed the kitchen door open and looked at him with concern. "Are you okay? Episode?"

The guilt was crazy. He shook his head, "I'm okay."

"You're clearly not." She stepped forward, one of her hands settling on his shoulder, and the other pushing his away from his face. "Hey, what's going on?"

He shook his head. Thank god she hadn't noticed the tent in his pants. "I'm fine. So fine!" his voice sounded strained, even to himself.

Katniss's dark eyebrows came together. She wasn't buying it. Had he mentioned that he loved it when she frowned at him? He had a recurring fantasy of Katniss in a tight skirt suit, frowning at him from a tall desk, and telling him he'd have to do extra credit for his terrible math homework.

"If you say so," she conceded, taking a step away from him. When he didn't start following her, she looked back at him again. "Come. now."

Oh fuck. She was so damn clueless.

[artdivadej]

Survivors Remorse (XX)

Part one | Part 11+

2 Days Later

Peeta sat on his bunk, twisting the new snell knot Finnick showed him down in the bunkers, when Haymitch came to get him. He needed something to do while the others were on the rescue mission.

“They’re back”

“Is she-?”

“She’s with them. Just waking up. They’d been gassed before pick up so it's wearing off. You can see her now”

Peeta had never moved so fast in his life as he flew towards the hospital wing, fingers clasped tightly around the pearl that he’d had attached to a necklace in his pocket. He felt jealousy whip through him when he heard Annie’s loud, joyous cry.

“Finnick!”

She looked a little smaller than he’d seen her on the tribute selection from the Quarter Quell, but she didn’t look like she’d undergone any kind of physical torture. When his eyes landed on Johanna he could see she’d not been as lucky. They’d shaved her head, not needing to parade her in front of cameras, and she was heavily bruised everywhere the hospital gown didn’t cover. Clearl,y they’d been starving the both of you, but it hadn’t made Johanna lose any of her fire as she tore the needles from her arm and snarled for food. Haymitch pointed the way to the room they had you separated in.

“Hey loverboy, I need to talk to you!”

“Not now” Peeta growled, slipping into the room to see you sitting on the bed, facing away from the door.

Your hair lay against your exposed spinal cord, the hospital gown drowning your tiny body. There were lashes and deep multi-hued bruises littering your back on almost every inch his eyes could take in. As he took in your entire visage, Peeta had to remind himself, this was not one of his nightmares where you’d fade away as soon as he reached out to touch you. No, this time you were really here. The nurse left the room quickly, when seeing Peeta and Haymitch enter the room. When Peeta calls your name, you raise your head quickly in a jerk reaction and slowly turn to look over your shoulder, watching him walk around the bed to stand in front of you.

“Love...it’s really you”, he breathed, reaching out slowly to cup your cheek, wondering why you wouldn’t speak.

Without any warning, you snarl and lunge for Peeta’s throat, blunt nails clawing up his chest as you snap your jaws towards his trachea. Haymitch calls your name again but you don’t listen, continuing to try and rip out Peeta’s throat, nails digging into the sides to try to keep him still. Peeta’s eyes are wide as he struggles to keep your mouth from meeting its goal, his hands on your shoulders keeping you at bay, barely. You’d managed to topple the three of you to the ground as you wrestled to get at his throat. To be so malnourished, you were still strong and he had a feeling, fueled by something other than adrenaline. Your dilated, marble pupils as you snarled and chomped at him, a clear indicator. This was what Johanna was trying to warn him of. They’d done something to your mind and both he and Haymitch were losing the war of pulling you away from his throat.

It wasn’t until Boggs had knocked you upside the head, knocking you unconscious in the process, with a metal pan did you finally loosen your grip on his throat. You slumped against his chest, Peeta wheezing as he looked around at the other two men and the 3 nurses flying into the room now that you were unconscious.

What the hell was happening!?

He didn’t care that you just tried to kill him, he gathered you in his arms and held on tight, despite the nurses attempting to pry you out if his arms. Haymitch huffed irritably, yanking a morphine needle from one and shoving them backwards out the room as he handed it over to Boggs.

“Give the boy a damn minute! She’s asleep, you can poke and prod her later!”, he snarled at them.

Boggs slid the needle into your neck and slid to a corner away from the two of you, allowing Peeta to weep with joy as he rocked you in his arms. He didn’t care what they did to your mind. He would fall for you a million times over and brave any storm to make it back to you. Whatever this was, he would weather the storm with you.

“We protect each other”, he choked through his sore throat, brushing your hair from your face, lying a kiss to your forehead. "I've got you. From now on, let me protect you love"

“Peeta...we’re gonna have to-”

“I know. I know. Just, please.....let me have right now”, he pleaded, arms tightening around you, as he looked up at Haymitch with tears spilling over his cheeks.

Haymitch hadn’t seen Peeta look so much like a child since the day they’d met. He gave a small nod and sank to the floor with him, wrapping his arms around the both of you and squeezing tightly.

“We’ll fix this. I swear”

Excerpt from Chapter 20-Burned Bread available on Wattpad at Maddinkart

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Teen and Up Rated Fics Masterlist (33)

Part 1-Part 24 / Part 25 / Part 26 / Part 27 / Part 28 / Part 29 / Part 30 / Part 31 / Part 32 /

Created: March 14th, 2024

Last Checked:���-

Abernathy, TX-Gamemakers (ao3) Summary: Effie's betting on the charm of rustic Abernathy, Texas to make her new bed and breakfast a success. She can't deny that proving Haymitch wrong is really part of the appeal. Or, how Mike's Hard Lemonade, posies, and a claw foot tub might just have saved her life.

we’ll prove ‘em wrong again-Abagail_Snow (ao3) Summary: Peeta’s on his last leg as captain of the Panem Football Club. Based on Ted Lasso. When There are Clouds in the Sky-Abagail_Snow (ao3) Summary: Peeta returns from the Gulf War a changed man, and only Katniss can reach him. When You Go Through The Valley-dracoisalooker76 (ao3) Summary: Peeta Mellark is seventeen and dying from terminal cancer. With the help of his best friends, Finnick and Johanna, he has made a list of everything he wants to do before he dies. Topping the list of desires is falling in love. Modern Day AU. *Based off the novel 'Before I Die' by Jenny Downham Wide Awake-Ally147 (ao3) Summary: "The sight of her now, bopping around in their kitchen, darting between steaming pots and pans in just his shirt and a simple pair of cotton panties is better than any other remedy for a long day. In the space between blinks, he’s more alive, more awake than ever." Wilderness Log-Alliswell (ao3) Summary: What if they had run off into the wilderness before the Quarter Quell? Where would the go? Would they get on each other’s nerves, or travel in harmony? Willow Grace-Broken_everlark (ao3) Summary: This is based off of the song Zoe Jane by straind. (It belongs to them not me) Witch Maidens-Alliswell (ao3) Summary: Halloween-y One Shot, Based on a visual prompt on tumblr by @everlarkprompts’ #octoberlark Prompts: Witches Dancing around a bonefire in their nightgowns. Yes, Primrose, There is a Santa Claus-Dracoisalooker76 (ao3) Summary: On Christmas, Haymitch reminisces about his first holiday season with the girls. Do Not Go Gentle Universe. Scenes from pre-DNGG and post-Two. You're Just You-DustWriter (ff.net) Summary: She's too infatuated to speak to him and he'd never notice her anyway...right? A light n' fluffy present day AU about the most important night in high school.

[periwinckles]

The Train Back to twelve - Chapter 18

(This is mainly a Thelly fic but I know some of you only want to read the Everlark bits. That is why I'm uploading the everlark chapters simultaneously to another work as well, to those of you that want to be saved from the Thelly drama. Enjoy.)

Week 10 - Katniss

When I wake up, the bed is empty beside me, and I sit up with a jolt. I'm always scared when I wake up and I don't see him right away, but the noise coming from the kitchen is enough reassurance.

He can't help himself from getting up early, and he beats me to it most of the time, but I'm still terrified every single time I wake up and he's not there. Of course I don't tell him this. He has enough burdens to carry and baking for the district is one of the few things that keeps him going.

When I reach the kitchen, I lean into one of the cabinets and silently observe him. He has his back turned to me, several loaves of bread already set aside on the counter, and several more inside the oven. He's still working on something, but it's not bread. I know his kneading movements by heart and that's not what he's doing right now.

The oven dings and when he opens it the familiar scent makes my mouth water.

"You made cheese buns?"

He's startled by my voice but quickly turns to a smile.

"Good morning! Did you sleep well?"

When I reach the counter I notice he has a tray set up, with a handful of berries I collected yesterday and some scrambled eggs sprinkled with rosemary. The plate is decorated with mustard flowers that he must have foraged close to Haymitch's backyard.

"The flowers are edible, I double checked your father's book. I know how particular you are with frivolous things." He tells me with a shy glance. Old Peeta would have smirked at this, maybe even given me a flirty wink. I need him to be back at his old self and sometimes I dare myself to believe he has. I told Dr Aurelius this the last time I talked to him and all he asked me was “Does it really matter if he never goes back to his old self? Are you going back to your old self?”

I guess not. But we still have this. Peeta making me cheese buns, like he used to.

"Is this for me? " I ask, but the answer is so obvious he doesn't bother to say it.

He finishes pouring the batter he was working with into a pan and placing it inside the oven.

"Is that a cake?" I ask curious as I try to catch a glimpse at the oven door.

"Yeah. Hum. Thom and Delly are coming for dinner tonight and I thought… Do you remember how last week he said he never tasted a birthday cake? I thought about making one for dessert today."

I smile at his thoughtfulness, and I am sure Delly will be delighted at his attempts to make Thom feel welcomed. This is just another thing that is so like old Peeta that it makes me hope again.

"So we're having birthday cake on a regular Friday?"

"That's the point of surviving isn't it? Enjoying life?" He asks me and we stay silent for a while. There are so many people who will never taste life again but I suppose he is right. That’s what surviving is all about isn’t it? Living?

"That cake is huge, I don't think the four of us can eat all of that." I tell him as he carefully places the cheese buns on the breakfast tray.

"Haymitch is coming too, he's been dying to have a chess match with Thom. And I thought they could take all the leftover cake back for the kids in camp. "

Peeta picks up the breakfast tray and then looks around unsure of himself.

"Well, you're out of bed now, so I guess the tray is useless…huh… do you want to…" He gestures to the kitchen table but an idea pops into my mind. He tried to do something special for me today and I don't want it to go to waste.

"Why don't we eat outside on the porch? It's nice today, and we'll get a bit of early morning sunlight."

The smile he gives me is so heartwarming that it's almost like I made him breakfast myself.

Peeta's house is the last one in Victor's village, and being on a high point means we get a full view of the forest. We watch it come to life as we savor each bite of our food.

"What day is it today?" I ask him. "I thought it was Thursday."

"It is." He tells me, popping a blueberry in his mouth.

That's strange, Delly and Thom usually come on Fridays. I ask him about it but he shrugs his shoulders in confusion as well.

"I don't know, I guess something must have come up and they can't make it tomorrow."

The wind picks up a bit, but other than that it's a beautiful spring day. Wildflowers are beginning to bloom everywhere. These were my mom’s favorite days as I would be able to gather most of her medicinal plants around this time of year.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day? From the looks of it you already baked everything you needed to."

He looks at me with a smile and nods.

"Yeah, I was up early and I thought I might as well get that out of the way. I have to help for a bit, at the construction site this afternoon. Thom wants my help to draw some changes on the capitol’s blueprints for the buildings. Other than that, I'm free. "

Peeta has been back for more than a month now. We have breakfast and dinner together and we spend the nights together in the same bed, sometimes clinging to each other like the other’s arms was the only thing keeping us tethered to the world. But we never spend time together during the day.

"Do you want to come to the woods with me?" I ask him before I back down.

"For real?"

"Yeah, I don't have to hunt today, yesterday's spoil was big enough. I might still catch something for Sae, but you won't be a bother. We can bring the memory book and work on it for a bit, in the forest."

Read the rest on AO3

The train back to twelve

or

What would I do without you? (selected Everlark scenes from The train back to twelve)

[subsiist]

"Since when have you ever been passive?" It's said in jest, though. In reality, as harsh as the mentor could be - a mirror to Katniss, not just Seam in eyes and hair and skin, but in teeth and anger, too - he could be passive at times. Hadn't Peeta and Katniss had to fight for him to start fighting? Hadn't he laid down without much of anything in him once Peeta had gone to him with a plan to die?

Still, it's not the first word that would come to mind when he considered the older man and he doubts it would be anyone. However, Drill Sergeant doesn't really seem to fit, either.

Mentor, though. That always has.

And the proof of that is no more apparent than in this moment. Because Haymitch easily diffuses Peeta's anger with a simple no, a legitimate explanation. It makes him feel guilty almost immediately and he swallows hard, looks down at his feet - one real, one fake - like it's second nature. Keep your head down when you screw up and maybe she won't notice. Rye's advice, so many years ago.

"No one's comin', Haymitch," he says instead, trying not to feel sorry for himself. He's alive, isn't he? It's more than he'd thought he'd be a few weeks ago.

He doesn't glance up to see where his pots and pans are, doesn't glance up to even take a look at what Haymitch is doing. In fact, there's part of him that wishes he'd just be left alone again and another part that is desperately screaming please don't go! Haymitch doesn't; he just puts on soup.

"Yeah, I like it." Finally his eyes leave his feet and he's almost surprised at how at ease the mentor is moving around his kitchen. He wonders if Haymitch's is the same. "You'll tell 'er thanks for me?" He licks his lips, remembers his manners. "Please?"

" yeah, ya lookin' forward to it ? drill sergeant haymitch isn't all that it's cracked up to be. if ya thought passive me was a pill, you're not gonna find him to be any hoot. trust me, " he offers with a chuckle. he's opening up the container of soup as he suddenly he feels a red hot gaze shoot him.

the reality is if katniss came in with thatenergy, he'd likely give the same back. eyes look too similar, work to similar, just like the rest of the copying they do of each other. " no, " he remarks with a shrug. " just assumed ya got people comin'. all those townies, they might think i was holding 'em and 'ya hostage if i was here. "

loneliness hasn't gotten to haymitch in a solid twenty years, once he'd come to start accepting the reality. people think they do him some favor for being around now. he hates the pity truly. he'd rather hole up than someone check in because they feel like they have to, like he's some moronic eight year incapable of taking care of oneself. ( don't look at his habits, he's still alive as much as he wishes he wasn't ! )

he starts rummaging through the cabinets. after the first three, he finds a clean one sitting pretty. he brings it to the shove and lights it, letting the pot get warmed.

" ya like potato soup ? sae even threw in some meat when she heard it was for you, " haymitch readily tells him. it smells delicious. he dumps about half of the container into the pot. boy's gotta eat. ( and it looks like maybe haymitch might be staying too. )

[alwaysmypearl]

drabble prompt: “listen, i love you, but really?”

hi anon! thanks so much for the prompt! You gave me so many ideas with this one. I think I got a little carried away- but I hope it fulfills what you’re looking for!

Buckle up for some post mockingjay married Everlark goodness

Oh, and happy late halloween ;)

Katniss POV

It is late October in a peaceful District 12, as I make my way home from the woods to Peeta and I’s house. Though I’ve always loved the warmth of spring, I have grown fond of autumn. The air is crisp and smells fresh, the leaves are changing, and though the air is not warm- the people seem warmer.

Peeta adores autumn. He’s always loved the cooler air, and he is always trying out new recipes. He usually bakes with cinnamon, since it’s one of his family’s go-to spices, but I’m beginning to think he bathes in cinnamon now. And then drizzles it all over our house.

Though my husband is supposed to be running the bakery, I hear the clanging of pots and pans and off-tune humming from the kitchen as I approach our front door. After knocking the dirt from my boots and removing them, I step inside.

Instead of seeing Peeta, I see pumpkins. Hordes of them. They are in our entry way, in the living room, and they cover the dining room table.

What is he up to?

“Uh...Peeta?”

“Oh! You’re back! I’m in the kitchen, love.”

I meander my way through the pumpkin maze Peeta seems to have built, and see him at the far kitchen counter. His back is to me, and he is cutting through the top of yet another pumpkin with a very large knife.

“Okay, I think I’m missing something, Mellark.”

Peeta puts down the knife, wipes his hands on his apron, and faces me with a lopsided grin.

“So I may have gotten carried away. Not only me- Effie too.”

“Of course Effie had a hand in this.” I grumble. I adore our former escort, but I do not enjoy her habits of excess.

“Just listen to the whole story, it will make sense.”

I lean against the counter with my arms crossed to listen.

“So, you know all of those books Effie sends me?” I nod. “Well, there were a few books about the Old World, you know, before Panem. Turns out, they had a holiday called Halloween. I’m not totally sure what the point was, the book didn’t really explain, but anyway- It’s kind of like Harvest Festival. A celebration of fall. Except there are a lot of sweets. And everyone dresses up in costumes.”

“Like Capitol people?” I interject.

“Mm-not really. Mostly characters from books and television. And kids go door to door in their District and get treats from their neighbors! They all share-“

“Where do the pumpkins come in, Peeta?”

“Oh yeah! They decorate their houses and they used pumpkins to do it sometimes! They would carve faces in the fruit and then put a light in them, they were called jack-o-lanterns. So I got inspired. I realized that we didn’t really have a Harvest Festival anymore, and I just wanted to spread some joy to people. Haymitch might even help me plan the festival, but first I wanted to deliver a jack-o-lantern to everyone.”

Typical Peeta. Giving people hope. Spreading warmth to the people in our District.

“So I’m guessing you told this to Effie and-“

“Yeah, she sent a few more than I needed. But that just means everyone gets more than one.”

He picks at the curls at the nape of his neck nervously, waiting for my response.

“Peeta Mellark, listen, I love you, but really?”

“We have the money and the time. Why not use it for something fun? If anyone deserves a little frivolous fun, it’s 12.”

I groan and rub my face with both hands. He has a point. He always does.

“I know, I’m a little crazy aren’t I?”

I cross the kitchen with a shy smile on my face. I lean against him and rest both hands on his chest, and his arms encircle me as I stare up at him.

“You are a little crazy. But hey, I married you anyway didn’t I?”

He chuckles and pecks my lips. “Thank God you did, or else who would help me with all of these pumpkins?”

“Oh no, I married you for the bread, not the carving.”

“I was already planning to make every pumpkin treat you could imagine. My wife doesn’t like waste, you know. I’m not throwing out anything.” I raise my eyebrows.

“Every treat I could imagine, hm?”

“You name it, I’ll make it. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cupcakes, roasted seeds, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies- I bet i could make pumpkin jam even.”

“Pumpkin jam? Now you’ve gone too far.” I start to pull out of his embrace, but he holds me tightly against his chest, vibrating with laughter.

“Okay, okay, no jam, just please help me. You’re good with a knife.”

“First treats and now compliments to butter me up? I see how it is, Mellark.”

“I have a lot of methods for getting you to give in. You’ve gotten softer over the years, Katniss.” He lightly tickles my sides, and I struggle to swat him away.

When the tickling stops. I roll my eyes. Now he has resorted to the “puppy eyes” method- which just means he pouts out his lip in a certain way, and stares down at me with the softest baby blues he can muster. It’s so adorable it makes me want to squeeze him. And kiss that pouty lip. And strangle him.

“Fine. But you owe me. And you have to carve the face, mine aren’t going to look right, I’m sure of it.”

“You’ll get every pumpkin treat that exists- I promise. Maybe even some other favors if you’re lucky.”

[lemonluvgirl]

Everlark Caught in the Act Drabble

“What the ACTUAL F*CK do you two think you are doing naked on MY DESK?” Haymitch bellows loud enough to practically shake the rafters in the old newspaper room. 

“Oh God!” Peeta shouts in surprise when he sees his boss, who was supposed to be gone for the weekend, standing in the doorway red faced and shaking with fury. 

“Haymitch?!” Katniss squeaks in what might be the smallest and highest way her usually smokey and rich voice has ever sounded, as she tries to tug her skirt down to cover her naked lower half. But Peeta scrambling to get off of her while trying to pull up his own pants makes the movement difficult. 

Haymitch averts his eyes quickly to allow them to make themselves presentable, even though he’s fuming about the completely indecent, not to mention improper things they were doing on top of his desk a few minutes ago. Effie would have a conniption fit is she ever heard about what her two ‘precious babies’ were getting up to in the office late at night after the rest of the newsroom staff had gone home.

“Mellark you better pull your pants up boy. Because you got a lot of explaining to do!” Haymitch threatened in a dangerously low and angry voice.  

“Before you decide to murder me, let me explain.”(#1) Peeta pleaded as he pulled his pants up and winced while trying to cage his still very prominent erection. 

“Whatever the explanation is, it better be good so I don’t fire your ass right this second!” Haymitch countered with an angry sneer. 

“Oh, stuff it Haymtich! You knew it was our one year anniversary and you forced Peeta to work through it anyway! He’s been stuck in the office all weekend long! And the week before that you sent him on location to Syria! Fucking Syria!!!!” Katniss shouted, her hands on her hips and her grey eyes glinting like sharpened steel as she stared Haymitch down. 

Haymitch stared right back at her. Was she right? Had he been working Goldilocks too hard? 

Haymitch scoffed. Rolled his eyes and shook his head. Even if that were true the kid could have put in for time off. He didn’t have to use his boss’ desk to act out a porno with his wife and relieve his pent up sexual frustrations. 

“And before you start trying to blame Peeta, the sex was my idea! He didn’t even know I was coming over tonight. I didn’t even really plan it. I just wanted to bring him some home cooked dinner for our anniversary, but one thing led to another, and we haven’t really....in a while....and damn it! You weren’t suppose to show up right in the middle!” Katniss says in what might be the longest she’s ever spoken continually in Haymitch’s presence. 

The room is silent for a full minute after her little speech and Haymitch is quietly contemplative for once. 

He looks over at Peeta’s desk and sees a bunch of empty tupper ware containers, and half a bottle of cheap wine uncorked among the chaos. It looks like sweetheart’s story pans out. 

Well shit. The poor lovebirds just wanted some alone time. Haymitch thought to himself. 

Peeta rubbed a hand wearily down his face in embarrassment and fatigue, breaking the silence first. 

“Well, this is awkward.” (24) He said to no one in particular. Peeta was about 10 shades too red to be classified as his natural ruddy hue. Katniss meanwhile was doing her best not to look at either of them. 

“No shit.” Haymitch replied in a biting tone, before he shook his head and tried again. 

“Alright, look I don’t really want to fire you, Peeta. But its not my job to remember about your anniversary. You didn’t say a thing about it to me. So maybe next time just put in for some PTO instead of desecrating the office we all have to work in.” Haymitch adds in a gruff manner. 

“Yes, definitely! I promise it won’t happen again Haymitch. And I’ll get right back to work!” Peeta replied, extremely relieved to hear he wasn’t being let go. 

But Katniss shot daggers at her husband when he said he was ready to get right back to work. Not that Peeta noticed in his exuberance. 

“No. NO. I think it’d be best if you two went on home. The article can wait until Monday.” Haymitch told them with a long suffering sigh. Effie had been on his case to treat his staff more humanely. And he figured this was a good a time as any to start. 

“Oh, wow boss. Thanks. We’d really appreciate that.” Peeta replied with a huge smile. Haymitch simply grimaced in return. Whatever got them and their young love hormones far away from his office. 

Now relief was evident on both of their faces. And Kantiss even shot him a silent look of gratitude as they packed up their things. 

Peeta babbled his eternal gratitude and promised to work extra hard on Monday to complete his article. Haymitch just waved him off and motioned for him to get started out the door.

“Thanks Haymitch.” Katniss said quietly before moving past his desk to head out. 

“Leave the bottle, Sweetheart. I think I’m gonna need a drink.” (20). Haymitch instructed and Katniss simply nodded as the half drunk wine bottle was deposited on the edge of his desk with a resounding thunk. 

“No problem. I have a feeling I’m gonna need to keep my wits about me for the rest of the night anyway.” She said with a sly smile as she slipped out the door and followed he husband who could be heard telling her to ‘hurry’ from outside in the hall. 

Haymitch swore under his breath but he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face afterwards. If anyone deserved a night off uninterrupted love it was those two crazy kids. 

.

.

.

Inspired by the drabble prompt list:  https://katesdibiasky.tumblr.com/post/679581866140057600/drabble-prompt-list 

[jlalafics]

"The Long Weekend"-Part One

Happy belated birthday @keelaree!

Hope you enjoy this first part. Thank you for being such a wonderful part of my writing life, and an even better friend. Can't wait till we can reunite in SF, so we can tea time together and eat soup dumplings.

Love you!

Summary: Two assistants who barely tolerate each other. One snowy cabin. One very long weekend.

Oh, and one bed.

-----

“I’m making the turn now, Haymitch,” Peeta told his boss as he navigated the icy road. “Should have everything prepped and ready by the time you and Effie arrive.”

“Thanks,” Haymitch replied over the speakerphone. “I should tell you that I did ask for someone to help you out. Someone who knows Effie better than I do sometimes—”

Peeta slowed his car as he spotted the cozy cabin in front of him. However, he grimaced seeing the red Jeep already parked on its side.

“You didn’t.”

“Peeta, Katniss knows Effie very well,” his boss said calmly. “Just like you know me. I know that you two don’t get along—”

“Understatement of the year,” Peeta replied as he parked roughly.

“This is important. I’m proposing to Effie and I want it to be perfect,” Haymitch explained. “Katniss knows all the foods she likes to eat, and how to decorate the place to make it comfortable yet romantic. Effie and I are finishing up our meeting with Mr. Snow then we’ll be making our way up to the cabin for the holiday weekend. I’ll call you when we’re on our way so you and Katniss can take off—that is if you haven’t murdered one another by then.”

“I’m only doing this because I’m your assistant,” he called out.

“You could at least like me!” Haymitch joked. “I pay you an obscene amount for an assistant.”

“Katniss probably gets paid more.”

“Well, she picks up tampons for Effie without being asked so probably.”

“Everything will be ready by the time you get here,” Peeta promised. “And I’m doing this because I like and respect you.”

“Thank you, Peeta. Call you soon.”

++++++

Peeta Mellark sighed as he stepped out of his car, bags in hand. The snowy wind picked up and he wrapped his parka tighter around himself before rushing up to the porch. It was getting worse up here, and he hoped that the soon-to-be engaged couple would make it safely.

Getting out the key that Haymitch lent him, Peeta unlocked the door and quickly stepped in to keep the cold air from entering with him.

“Oh, you’re finally here.” Katniss Everdeen sailed into the room, placing a charcuterie board on the coffee table in the center of the sitting room. “I thought you died or something.”

Peeta gave her a wry smile, placing the bags on the floor before shaking off his parka and hanging it on the hook by the door.

“Thought or hoped?” He searched his bag before pulling out the champagne that Haymitch asked along with the two glasses. Going to the table, Peeta placed them on the table before going back to the bag for the champagne bucket. “Is there ice?”

“The fridge has an ice machine,” Katniss informed him tersely, nodding her head towards the left. “I’ve already gotten their dinner started.”

“Not surprised.” Peeta walked into the kitchen, heading to the stainless-steel fridge. “You’re so anal that you’ve probably carved those little radish flowers for garnish.”

“They’re in the fridge so they’ll be fresh.”

Peeta wasn’t sure why they didn’t get along.

For one, Katniss was admittedly attractive with her long dark, and almond-shaped grey eyes. The first time he saw his stomach had definitely done a little flip. She had been walking alongside Effie, notebook in hand, wearing a fitted black dress with a peter pan collar and paying scant attention to anything else around her.

She literally knocked him to the ground.

Katniss had apologized, holding out her hand to help him up.

And Peeta had fucking tingled at her touch.

Over the next few days as he learned the ropes of being Haymitch Abernathy’s assistant, Peeta noticed her across the hall. Effie Trinket’s office was directly adjacent to his boss’ and Katniss’ desk was in the same spot as his.

She kept her head down, never acknowledging him, so wrapped up in her work or answering her phone.

So, Peeta asked around.

“She’s an ice queen,” Cato, who was in Marketing, informed him. “Never wants to hang out with anyone or even join in during happy hour. It’s important here to form relationships with everyone. Panem Industries is all about workplace harmony and Katniss embodies none of that.”

“Yeah, she’s snooty, too,” Clove from IT added. “I once asked her something about her family and she replied that it was none of my business. Like I was just trying to get to know her!”

“Wow. I guess if Katniss is that much of a head case, then I shouldn’t bother to ask her for help,” he told the two.

After that, during any interaction, she treated him indifferently…cold even. Peeta couldn’t help but be disappointed that Cato and Clove’s words were true.

And that was the end of his fascination with Katniss Everdeen.

“You want to get out here and help me or was the ice machine too hard for you to maneuver?” Katniss suddenly called out.

Peeta quickly filled the bucket and stepped out.

Katniss was bent over the couch, arranging the pillows, and he felt a heat rush through his skin.

There was also the slight twinge in his crotch at seeing a firm apple-bottom in tight ski pants.

It seemed that Katniss Everdeen had a bigger effect on him than he realized.

++++++

Peeta Mellark had a huge effect on her.

Katniss struggled to keep the heat off her cheeks as she fixed the pillows that she bought for the cabin. Effie loved those cheesy sayings, so she went on Etsy and ordered custom-made pillows with her favorite quotes.

No one should spend so much time arranging pillows, but Katniss could feel his stare on her. It made her nervous…and tingly.

However, these feelings didn’t belong—especially in a work situation and she needed this job.

Taking a breath, Katniss turned…to find Peeta right behind her.

He jumped back, startled by her abrupt movements.

Whoa—was he checking her out?

“Why were you so close?” she blurted out.

“Sorry. It looked like you were confused about how pillows worked,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “You were there for a millennium.”

“Funny.” She sighed at the amusement in his gorgeous blue eyes—stop it!—and steeled her expression. “Do you think you could help me set up this romantic dinner for our bosses instead of standing there like an ass-licker?”

“You mean asshole.”

“I stand by my words,” Katniss replied and was surprised when he chuckled, his eyes crinkling as he did. She couldn’t help but let her mouth rise. “The table is in that closet next to the door. I got some table linens from a vintage shop that Effie likes last week.”

“Wow, you’re really on top of it,” Peeta remarked, going to the closet. “How do you have time for a life?”

She didn’t.

As in, Katniss didn’t have a life.

She had work, she had a home, but a social life was non-existent. Katniss knew what everyone said about her; that she was cold and distant, never wanting to be part of the team. It never bothered her because she did have her reasons.

So, she was surprised at how hurt she was when she heard Peeta call her a headcase.

Katniss hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, only passing the breakroom to get to the copy machine. However, she stopped at the mention of her name.

Cato’s words were no surprise, though he failed to mention that her iciness was due to him inappropriately putting his arm around her and telling her that they should get to know each other on a personal level. Katniss also didn’t trust Clove for shit; she was the office gossip.

It hit hard to know that the one person who had made her tingle was so easily influenced by two douchebags.

Katniss had decided, then and there, that if Peeta didn’t see past her exterior, then he must be like the rest of them.

“I’m very organized,” she replied. It came out harder than she intended. “I have to be.”

Peeta had already set up the table in front of the fireplace.

“Well, it’s in your favor,” he told her. “You’re a good assistant.”

Katniss looked up in surprise. “You think I’m a good assistant?”

Peeta snorted. “Like you didn’t know it—where are the tablecloths?”

She handed him a beautiful fuchsia tablecloth followed by a cream lace one.

“Fuchsia first then layer it with the lace,” she told him. “I always hope I am. Effie is a great boss and she’s so supportive about work-and-homelife balance. I want to make sure this is all perfect for her.”

Katniss helped Peeta straighten the cloth, smoothing it down and making sure that there were no wrinkles. They settled into a light conversation about working with their respective bosses while setting the rest of the table. While Peeta worked on the place settings, he told her about how he admired Haymitch’s down-to-earth attitude despite being one of the most successful people in the company.

She arranged the florals in the center of the table while telling him how she had worked two jobs prior to getting this one.

“I was a waitress and housekeeper before this,” she revealed. “I was working a crazy lunch rush when I met Effie. We got to talking because she noticed how I met her coffee exactly the way she liked it despite my ragged expression—her words not mine. Effie kept on coming in, and a month after we met, she offered me the assistant job. Said she like my gumption.”

“That’s really cool,” Peeta said. He set down one of the forks he was cleaning and met her eyes. “You know, this is the first time we’ve really talked. I kind of believed you thought of me as your enemy.”

“I thought the same thing.” Katniss placed a folded napkin on the plate in front of her. “You called me a head case.”

His blue eyes widened, shocked at her words. Slowly, she could see in his eyes, the memory of his words.

“I didn’t know you heard that,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean it and I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine!” Katniss stood up abruptly. The pain of his words churned in her stomach. “I know that everyone talks about me. In my defense, Cato was completely inappropriate when we first met. I thought acting like a bitch would stave him off. Clove has no filter—”

Peeta’s brows furrowed at her sudden coldness.

“I realize that now—one year later…is that why you completely ignore me? Why you act like the sight of me makes you sick?”

“I do not!” Katniss cried out into the room. “You avoid me at all costs!”

“Because the one time that I attempted to ask you a question—you brushed me aside!” he shouted. “If you had bothered to talk to me, I wouldn’t have believed what people said in the first place—” Peeta’s phone rang, and he quickly picked up, seeing his boss’ face on his screen. “Haymitch? You on your way? What? No, I haven’t looked outside—”

Katniss rushed to one of the front windows, pulling back the curtain.

White everywhere.

She couldn’t even see her car and it was bright fucking red!

“They’re not coming.”

Turning, Katniss found Peeta putting his phone in his pocket as he approached.

“The snowstorm came unexpectedly, and the roads are blocked. They’re staying at Effie’s to wait it out while we…are stuck here until it passes.”

++++++

The good thing was that the house was fully equipped. Food was stocked in the fridge since the couple had planned to stay for the long weekend. Both he and Katniss had even brought Haymitch and Effie’s luggage so there had clothing.

“Well, dinner must be ready,” Katniss informed him with a sigh. “If you want to get more comfortable, you can probably change to something of Haymitch’s. I have a call to make before my phone dies and then I’ll pull the food out of the oven.”

Peeta nodded numbly, grabbing Haymitch's duffle and going to the opposite open door where the bedroom was. He tossed the bag on the bed—

The one bed.

Turning, he rushed out of the room to look for his female counterpart. “Katniss!” He found the sitting room empty and headed into the kitchen.

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” she spoke quietly into the phone. “Just be nice to Johanna, okay? I’ll be home soon.” Her voice sounded completely different, light and happy—even affectionate. “I love you, too. Good night.”

He knocked on the archway and she turned to him.

“We have a problem,” he told her. “There’s only one bed.”

“And the couch is really just a loveseat,” Katniss mused as she pulled the food—steak with roasted asparagus and potatoes. Her expression was pained, and she blew out a breath. “I don’t really want to think about this right now. Why don’t we just eat?”

Peeta quickly nodded in agreement, rushing to the sitting room, and grabbing their plates.

“Why don’t you let me set this up?” he told her, seeing how frazzled she seemed. “Have a seat. Open the champagne—”

Katniss laughed and the sound of her lightened the load on his chest.

“You trying to get me drunk, Mellark?”

Peeta smirked. “If it makes you like me, then yes.”

“Fine, fine…” Katniss sauntered off towards the doorway. She stopped at the archway and their eyes met. Her gaze was nervous, but he could see the warmth in her greys. “You’re not my enemy, Peeta. And…I like you more than you think.”

Katniss disappeared, but not before he spied the blush on her cheeks.

Peeta felt another twinge. This time—in his chest.

++++++

Instead of sitting at the table, Katniss grabbed Effie’s luggage, a classic Louis Vuitton that cost more than her old Jeep, and brought it to the bedroom.

The one bedroom. With the one bed.

A sudden image of herself spooned contentedly against Peeta in that very bed rose in her mind—

“Stop tripping off him!” she chided herself.

Distractedly, Katniss opened the bag, sorting for something remotely comfortable in her boss’ luggage. However, it looked like Effie was expecting some sort of kinky weekend. The only sleepwear she had was a tiny red number that Katniss would probably bust out of; Effie was a tiny but fierce woman.

Maybe she could borrow something from Haymitch’s pile—

“Katniss?”

“I’m coming!” she called out before stuffing Effie’s lingerie back into the back.

Walking back into the room, Katniss saw that Peeta had already placed the plates on the table. He stood waiting for her, looking obnoxiously handsome as he had the day they met.

That first time, she had knocked him to the ground so caught up in following with Effie’s rapid pace. When Katniss held out her hand to him, she was caught up in the open smile he gave her. Then it was the gold waves along his forehead, which Katniss desperately wanted to brush back and the blue of his eyes—they had a tinge of grey in them.

For a moment, she was just a girl, and he was just a boy. Peeta didn’t know anything about the rumors of her iciness or how someone like her, with no college degree, managed to get a position like hers.

In that moment, Katniss was pure.

“You alright?” Peeta asked, interrupting her moment down memory lane.

“Yes.” She let him help her into her seat. “I was just thinking about something.”

“Was it the one bed thing?” he joked. “I’m fine with sleeping on the floor—”

Katniss held her hand up. “Let’s be grownups. It’s a big bed and we can put a pillow between us.”

“Very to the point,” Peeta replied, holding up his champagne glass. “To being grown-ups.”

“To being grown-ups.” She clinked her glass to his and took a full gulp. The liquid bubbled through her, making her laugh. “Wow, that’s some good shit.”

Peeta guffawed. “We’re going to have some fun.”

END OF PART ONE

[panemposts]

Chapters 1-3: The Hunger Games Again

My own thoughts as I read through the first three chapters:

Heart:

Bread and Dandelion- both represent Peeta. They are the two things Katniss associates with him. While we find out later the roots of his affection for her, it is in these first few chapters that we, as the reader, have a chance to peek inside Katniss’s psyche to see what she really thinks. Even if she doesn’t know it at this point.

But, to Katniss, both Bread and Dandelion represent life. Peeta represents life to Katniss, and as the series progresses, we see how this all pans out.

Mind:

This is probably the 8th time I’ve read through the books. While nothing “new” jumped out at me, there was much that was reinforced to me. Little details we as a fandom sometimes lose because of our focus. Details like, other people going out of the district for hunting and gathering apples; how smart Haymitch is, even though as a first time reader we may not recognize it; how someone (who it is we don’t know) is charged with writing each of the names that go into the Reaping bowl. We think, “Why not just use a computer? Surely they still had that technology?” (and they must have). But the names being handwritten- that makes them “special”. I think it’s another way for the Capitol to try to bill the Games as something to bring the whole country together. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to represent their District? Good old fashioned fun, right? Right…

Soul:

While Mr. Mellark giving her a glimpse of compassion for Prim opens Katniss’s eyes to the feelings that those in the District might have for her family, I think it’s Madge’s intensity that hits home for me this time. So much has been speculated about what Madge knew or didn’t know. Suzanne Collins, in her wisdom, didn’t tell us. But knowing that her aim was to show the casualties of war, I’d like to think that Madge’s character is more than just a secondary one. I want to think that she knew things the average citizen didn’t, and the death of her own aunt in the Games led her to be a tad bit more rebellious than we might want to know. As the books progress, we find out more about Peeta and his feelings about everything. This hint of Madge that we’re given? I think it shows that rebellion isn’t just something Gale yells about in the woods. I think it’s something spoken of behind closed doors at all levels in District 12.

[frick6101719]

Hi please write me a naughty Everlark headcanon ok bye

Anon I did not know it was naughty Everlark hours but you are RIGHT it is that time!

I don't actually know if there is general fandom consensus about this particular detail, but I see Everlark moving toward their first time in an almost-circular kind of way. I think after everything they've been through, despite being very into each other (beach scene beach scene beach scene) they're going to be going sloooow, as much as possible. I think it takes them a while to kiss, after Katniss sees him planting flowers that day, because even though they both want it so badly they're trying to be careful with each other. Katniss wants to be sensitive about Peeta's hijacking, and not make assumptions about what he wants or how he would feel if she did surprise him with a kiss, and Peeta likewise doesn't want to assume that Katniss is ready for their relationship to go like that just yet.

That first kiss though... it sets the ball a-rolling.

I think their interest in moving slowly sometimes means more to them than other times. I mean sometimes Peeta leaves Katniss's house after dinner with just a sweet and tender kiss goodbye, like they've agreed to. Other times, despite their plans to take it slow, they find themselves moving from the threshold to the couch at breakneck speed, and someone is making very not-PG sounds that they really hope Haymitch can't hear because the front door is still wide open.

Sometimes they just do some gardening together behind their homes, chatting about plants and whether it would be a good idea for Peeta to get some chickens. Other times he takes his shirt off because it's too hot, and well Katniss didn't know that was an option but she's hot too so why not? And the garden hose comes out and it's playful but also it's really not and as they stand just inside the side door, stripping off their soaked and muddy clothes, "accidentally" brushing arms and standing in each other's space... well, who really knows who starts it? And fuck if kissing while nearly naked and laughing doesn't feel better than anything they could have dreamt.

After that it's just finding more poorly-constructed excuses to take their clothes off around each other. They're moving slow though damn it so they won't take it all off (not most of the time, anyway...) and they won't get naked into a bed together (at least, they won't until they do...) but it's still a long time and many nights spent touching and kissing and exploring and getting closer and closer to sex before they're ready.

Furthermore, because of this slow build these two are the reigning champions of tightrope-walking the fine line between "too cute" and "sexy as fuck". Bath time together? Yeah sure that can be intimate but it can be casual why not? They can be tooth-rotting-ly adorable one moment, Peeta bopping Katniss on the nose with a suds-soaked finger, and the next moment those fingers are up to something far more nefarious but the love-struck and kind of dorky look on their faces hasn't changed. Katniss might swing by the bakery one evening when she's returning from the woods, offering her help cleaning the oven and washing all the pans while they talk about their days, and then wind up pressed up against the wall with her legs wrapped around Peeta's waist, not entirely sure how they got there. She's still telling Peeta about the wildflowers taking bloom on the hillside, while his mouth is leaving marks down the side of her neck.

(They're very glad for this skill when their kiddos come along and time alone together is at an all-time scarcity. Being able to turn an innocent situation into a sexy one is pretty much a parenting super-power)

[mega-aulover]

Fall Obsession

This is for @seasonsofeverlark​ , based off of this POST  @mandelion82​ asked for a take on this and I said I had an idea for the Fall. 

I could see Effie completely obsessed with the fall and the holidays...and Poor Haymitch well...he has to put up with her little obsession. 

Special thanks to @jroseley​ for betaing this drabble. I hope you enjoy.

Rated G

“Are you excited for FALL,” Effie shouted in a sing-song voice across the yard at Peeta.

“Fu-” Haymitch began saying then looked at the swear jar, sitting on the coffee table. “-udge.” He amended. He gripped his cold beer in his hands. 

“Yeah!” Peeta shouted back.

He forgot yesterday was the first day of September, and it was around this time something funny happened to Effie. She became crazed for Pumpkins, sweaters, dying leaves, and anything breathed of holiday. It was when his tranquil life turned upside down. 

It wouldn’t be that bad if not for the fact that the boy loved the fall as well. They were pumpkin crazed. He didn’t understand it, but he loved her and he had to put up with her fall obsession.

“Haymie dear,” Effie called to him. He walked out of the house and toward the shed.

“Crap,” Haymitch grumbled.

“Where are the pumpkins?” She asked her arms full of pumpkins. “Did you throw away my pumpkins?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Effie we have a dozen on the shelf along with other crap.”

Her eyes widened. “There are never enough decorations!”

Haymitch sighed, this was just the beginning. The next day he found her in the closet pulling out the trunk with their winter clothing. She wore a scarf, hat and gloves,  “Oh look at these sweaters,” she squealed. 

Haymtich looked down at his long shorts and t-shirt. “Effie, it’s 96 degrees outside.”

“Haymitch I do not need this negativity in my life.” She got up and went deeper into the closet. “All of these t-shirts need to be dashed away!”

“BUT IT'S HOT ENOUGH TO FRY AN EGG ON THE SIDEWALK!”

Effie turned around and said, “Zip it!”

Haymitch sighed and walked away. That night he turned around in bed and found her on the laptop with an orange glow-in-dark pen writing on a pumpkin shaped notepad. “Oh these mini bales of hay are darling we must add to the cart!”

“Effie it’s three in the morning, could you give it a rest.”

“You clearly do not understand, fall will make everything better. Ohhh I wonder if the pumpkin patches are open.”

“Ahhhdddgghh..” he moaned. 

The next day he was in his man cave when Sweetheart showed up.

“I swear Haymitch I am going to kill him.” 

He handed Katnss a beer. “Sit down Sweetheart.”

She flopped herself on the recliner and propped her feet up. She scowled into her beer, right before saying, “Peeta’s gone on a pumpkin-spice baking spree.”

“Effie's in town right now, looking like a damned pumpkin patch, harassing poor Tom about organizing a hay ride.”

“But it’s hotter than Greasy Sae’s frying pan!”

“I know,” Haymitch said glad for the central air. He shrugged, “But we bought into this when well, we agreed to enter into a relationship with them.”

Katniss sighed. “She really looks like a pumpkin patch?”

“She’s got a gourd on her head as we speak.”

Katniss chuckled.

“Be grateful the boy only bakes.” 

“But if he could just make one thing today that wasn't pumpkin flavored it’ll help my sanity.”

“It goes with the territory, Sweetheart.”

Katniss finished her beer.

“Here,” he handed her half of his tuna sandwich. The girl had tears in her eyes, as she ate it. 

“Thanks I needed that.”

“Same time tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Katniss nodded before leaving. 

The next week he was trailing Effie as she searched for the perfect gourds and wreath. He held in his hands bags that contained sweaters, boots, coats, fall looking pillows, orange bedspreads, and in her hand she held a pumpkin spiced hot beverage. He passed by the ice cream shop and went in not even following her. It was blazing hot today and he needed the cool treat.

“Haymitch, what are you doing?” Effie found him paying for his smoothie. She had a glittering witch's hat and with black cat’s nestled in the gold and orange ribbon. “There are cinnamon scented pine cones that need to be sourced out.”

Haymitch didn’t even bother answering her. He quietly picked up the bags and continued following her out of the store; this wasn’t over yet. 

The following day he was mending the geese pen when Effie rolled up in their car and started removing boxes of things she collected at the train station. 

“Isn’t it all wonderful,” Effie chirped.

“Effie,” he said as his brain calculated the cost of everything.

“It’s okay, it was all 40% off.” She smiled and said. “Now if you could help me get all of these things inside I will begin the transformation!’

Haymitch rolled his eyes. He hated pumpkins but for Effie he was willing to anything because that’s what the holidays were about, family and they were a family.

[ellanainthetardis]

hello! if you’re not tired of hc questions, can I ask what your default hc is for modern hayffie AUs? Obviously I know you’ve written a few (which are all amazing) but what’s your general take on how a modern AU would pan out/who they are? And do you think there’s any most-mj book!verse equivalent for their relationship in a modern AU? Or do you base it mostly on games time style hayffie :)

It really depends of what kind of au you’re writing and where you need your characters to be at mentally. For me, in my opinion, there are different « phases » of Haymitch and Effie both regarding their relationship and separately so the trick is to make sure your modern au reflects that and to be consistent about where your start and where you’re going?

Let’s say you take a pre 74 thg Haymitch, in a modern au, he’s going to have to be a alcoholic, probably either unemployed or not really trying to be good at his job, likely wealthy enough not to have to worry and with a traumatic past. My default hc fo modern au is military for Haymitch, the kind of special ops that fucks someone reaaaal good but that might leave you financially well enough because of risk pays. But if you go for a post MJ Haymitch then you can play around, you can have him either have his drinking under control/sobriety (if you go for movie canon) and be less closed to relationships etc. Usually if I go for that Haymitch in modern, I still have him with a traumatic military past and I still have him struggling with his sobriety but in a more low key way. Usually that also means he somehow adopted the girls at some point because I 100% believe in any universe Haymitch will get his ass off the sofa and take himself in hand if he is responsible or feels responsible for someone else. He’s a provider. I think it’s also kind of why he got so low pre 74th. He was alone and with no one to depend on him which mean in his own view he had no use.

For Effie you can have the pre escort/young escort version where is clueless, a bit naive, and maybe very eager to have fun. Or you can have the around 74th version where she is a lot less clueless but very good at pretending to be, not quite happy with her life but stuck where she is... or you can have the post mj book version and have her survive a traumatic experience... Mostly when it comes to a modern Effie, I think the default hc for me is that her family is wealthy and that she doesn’t get along with them. Often she’s famous or used to be famous. But she s always cheerful and optimistic as much as possible.

I think I tend to base them on games hayffie mostly in modern au but I did write some that could correspond to post mj... Well the President au definitely has a post mj Haymitch even if Effie is more games time... The Runaway Bride had a post mj hayffie... To some extent I’m thinking Fire & Ice had a bit of both... though to be fair my fav Effie is maaaybe post mj book version so I maybe tend to write her more... I don’t know.

I think overall it might be easier for them to get together in a modern au because even though there has to be some difficulties aside from their own natural stubbornness and stupidity, there is no obviously no great moral objection like in canon since the Capitol/district dynamic doesn’t apply... so all things consider they can probably get to the 75th/mj phase quicker.

[miaouerie]

whumptober 2020 ------ day 25. blurred vision/ringing ears

@whumptober2020​ Rebelcaptain Hunger Games AU: Cassian is Jyn’s mentor in the 70th Hunger Games. After being crowned victor at fifteen years old, Cassian is all-too-familiar with what it takes to bring a tribute home, and what becoming a victor really means.

content warnings: graphic descriptions of minor character death, references to forced prostitution

previous: day 1 / 2  / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15  / 16  / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24

Candela is the first to get killed; her escape to the tree line was hampered by the uphill climb to get out of the rocky ditch that the 67th Hunger Games’ Cornucopia is in. The male Career tribute from District 1 kills her with a sledgehammer to the throat. Cassian watches her head snap all the way to the right, the neck bent at an unnatural angle, and her body hits the ground, motionless; it was a clean break to the neck.

Garrick made it a while longer on his own, but chose not to heed Cassian’s repeatedly stressed advice to skip over supplies—those could always be sent later—and made his escape route include a wide arc towards a backpack and a sleeping bag. Those extra seconds put him in the scope of a pair of Careers, who run him down easily and then kill him with their knives.

Both of his tributes dead in the first five minutes of the 67th Hunger Games. How could this happen?

He had weighed their odds carefully. District 5 fell squarely in between the Career districts and the poorer districts when it came to anticipating the Games. The district itself was well off enough that tesserae wasn’t necessary for the majority of households, which meant that the extent of the Games in the populace’s mind was a hope and a prayer for their children to not be chosen on Reaping Day. No Games training was offered for the glory of volunteering because no glory was seen in the practice—District 5 had the lowest volunteer rate out of all the districts—and so it wasn’t a surprise that Cassian’s first year of mentoring began with two unremarkable tributes: Candela Invers, a fifteen-year-old girl, and Garrick Thule, a sixteen-year-old boy.

Garrick was the son of a power plant supervisor and had hardly an inkling for survival; he didn’t go to the fire-starting station or the edible plants station, or any of the other stations for basic survival skills that Cassian urged him to. A lot of his time during the three allotted training days was spent away from the other tributes, hiding his fear behind an indifferent look; unsurprisingly, he scored only a 3 in the evaluation. Candela on the other hand had been game enough to ask for Cassian's advice in the training room and went over strategies with him for acing her interview; just last night on Caesar Flickerman’s show she had made a favorable impression on the audience, especially after Caesar brought up the 7 that she scored in the Gamemakers’ evaluations. Cassian could work with that; if she could survive on her own for the first three days, he could hopefully start talking her up to potential sponsors. He wasn’t going to bet on whether or not Garrick could survive that long on his own, but in the end it didn’t even matter because now both of his tributes are dead.

He can’t take his eyes off the carnage of the bloodbath, projected on the main screen of the mentors’ observation deck. It takes several long minutes before he yanks off his headset; the only sounds the mics were picking up is the ambient noise of children killing other children. But it’s too late; the sounds won’t leave his ears; it coalesces into screaming that he knows isn’t real, but it sounds more and more similar to Teak’s—

He pushes himself away from the console and tries to stand up, but has to lean his weight against it when his legs threaten to give out from underneath him. The room is starting to spin in a way that has everything to do with the roar of blood and screams in his ears, how lightheaded he feels, and… shit. He needs to sit back down.

Then there’s a hand on his shoulder, pushing him firmly but gently back down onto his chair. “Both of yours bit the dust? First time’s rough; it doesn’t get any easier.”

The sole victor and mentor of District 12, Haymitch Abernathy, is holding out a bottle of liquor to him. Still breathing heavily, Cassian shakes his head no; they both look back to the broadcast on the main screen. The camera is panning a bird’s-eye view over the action at the Cornucopia, before cutting over to where the two Careers from District 1 who killed Garrick are cutting down another tribute. The tally on the screen reads nine dead, fifteen tributes still in play.  The Career pack hasn’t yet started to hunt for tributes who escaped to the trees, which means it’s still likely a death or three will be added to the projected death count at the end of the day. But as far as where Cassian is concerned, his first stint as a mentor in the Hunger Games is over.

Cassian thinks about reaching for the proffered bottle, but decides against it. Haymitch is an alcoholic, foul-smelling and drunk more often than not. Jeron always told his son to stay away from him, but Jeron isn’t here anymore. His heartbeat feels like it stops as it does each time the realization washes over him anew—your father’s dead, while you didn’t kill him you might as well have—but after that split second of grief he’s able to breathe again.

“C’mon. Let’s get some fresh air, you look like you could use it.” The look that Haymitch is giving him is half-pointed, half-pitying; Cassian gets up to go with him.

-

Cassian has never been to the top floor of the Tower; he didn’t even know that such a place existed. The tinkling of the windchimes drowns out the ringing in his ears, until he can blink up at the noonday sun without his vision doubling over.

“It’s a shame about your old man,” Haymitch says to him. “Power explosion, right?”

The younger victor can’t trust himself to speak, so he nods.

“Took out Irga too? Seems a little convenient to me.”

Cassian wants to say, I know the truth, I read it myself. But he doesn’t; what comes out instead is, “Yeah, that’s why I’m mentoring alone. Apparently I’m not very good at it.”

The look that Haymitch gives him has a flash of disappointment, but then it disappears as the older victor takes a swig of his booze and grunts. “Look, it doesn’t matter if you’re a good mentor or not, whether your tributes die or not. The Capitol gets their twisted entertainment regardless.”

“So we should just let them die?”

The older victor snorts. “I’m surprised you think it’s worth letting them live. You of all people should know being a victor doesn’t mean you won.”

Well, he can’t say anything to that. They look up to see an Avox approaching; apparently, to hand Cassian a powder blue envelope.

Cassian turns the envelope over in his hands but doesn’t break the seal yet. What happened to attractive and desirable victors was an open secret but the confirmation that Haymitch knew still stings; it made him wonder just how many of the other victors had known, if any of them talked to his father about it.  

Haymitch juts his chin out at the envelope. “Snow’s had his claws in you for a long time hasn’t he, kid? I’m not surprised if District 5 got taken out because our dear president thinks you shouldn’t be spending your precious time in the Capitol mentoring.”

But no; Jeron couldn’t have known, Cassian was too good of a liar. But his self-loathing wrestles briefly with the fear that maybe Jeron knew after all, even before his disastrous Decem year.

But no, he couldn’t have. He would have done something about it sooner, he wouldn’t have let Snow turn his son into a whore. Right?

But he knows it wouldn't have changed anything, let alone the fatal outcome. There was no other way to impel Cassian into a mentoring position, not when Snow wanted him to solicit for a more lucrative purpose. Jeron couldn’t have known that Snow would kill his mentoring partner to devastate his son in retaliation; while Lila was allowed to live and he wouldn't have had Cassian killed, there wasn’t a way a victor could act without consequence.

Cassian opens the envelope, looks at the three lines: a name, a place, a time. He thinks about the system that drove his dad to believe that suicide was the only option, that forced him to play into the Capitol’s hand to save his son, then made him realize that in the end he couldn’t protect him at all.