#And I think you could argue that it started with Peeta

[motherofmabari]

President Snow told Katniss to make the Districts believe the berries were an act of love, not of rebellion.

I think what he failed to understand is they were one and the same.

[effieotto]

since this lovely lady blocked me, i’ll have to work with a screenshot (i could have not mentioned her at all, but like i said before, when i want to direct something to an specific person and not a pattern behavior, i mention their names. And since i can’t mention their names, that’s the only way i have)

“Only cared about Katniss and Peeta when she thought they would help her get there” Did she?

Effie was described as taking care of them since the second they stepped into the trem. She made sure Katniss was comfortable and well settled, as well as informed by their schedule, which we know that wasn’t part of her job. As soon as they reached the Capitol, Effie again assumes a position that wasn’t required from her, and starts sweet-talking sponsors and using her connections to work around the situation Haymitch had created during the reaping, so Katniss and Peeta would get better chances of getting sponsorships —which, as we all know, was no guarantee that they would even have a chance to win the Games. A sponsor was just the way to make sure their time inside the Arena would be easier, and Effie was aiming to that. And she did it all before knowing how promising Katniss and Peeta were. Actually, for all she knew, Katniss was going to be a disaster. She was reckless and dangerous and Effie had seen how those actions were extremely risky for them all.

But fine, you wanna argue that she was only treating them nicely (cause you can’t argue that she wasn’t treating them nicely) because she saw in them the potential to move up for a better District? Okay, so let’s talk about Effie in Sunrise on the Reaping.

Since her first appearance, Haymitch describes her as a nice person. She is kind, she is compromised and she does her absolute best to make sure they’re all comfortable and well treated. You can’t say she was doing it out of anything but kindness —since she made sure that she was not taking credit for none of the things she helped in the Quell. She wanted to be in the shadow— they were not advantageous to her

“That women wanted to work in the middle of child murder” Did she? Can you guarantee that?

In both the scenarios where Effie got involved in the Games, either from being dragged as their “not quite stylist” by Drusilla or becoming Twelve’s Escort, we can’t say she had any saying on the matter. Drusilla had tagged her along with the team with not much of an invitation and Plutarch said (very clearly) that he’d pitched her —not specifying how active she was on this decision. So, based solely on the books and not in the things you took out of your mind, there is no way for us to know how much she wanted to be there

“was rude and looked down on district people unless they were advantageous to her”

I could bring here many scenes to prove that Effie never, in four books, treated her tributes as they were not deserved of comfort and affection, but i don’t think we have enough space for that. She might have her disturbing ideas (that were carved into her scowl since birth from a very powerful and constant propaganda that was designed to make her believe District people were worthless) and she was wrong in state that District people were savages. No one is arguing with that. But she voicing her believes and her treating them as they were worth less than her is two completely different things. And this isn’t true:

Here, i said i wouldn’t bring scenes after scenes to prove my point, but i will bring this one. Effie is helping her sister to “beautify” the tributes (which was pretty much everything that guaranteed them enough money to result in Haymitch not starving to death in the Games), but instead of demanding and forcing her way, she asked Maysilee’s opinion on the matter. Unlike Drusilla, who treated them as animals and didn’t give a shit to what they felt or had to say, Effie respected her enough as a person to grant Maysilee the right to share her opinion and influence her job as equally capable —you can’t say this shows how she “looked down at them”, cause she did not.

•

But if you want to use Suzanne Collins to support your argument, here is what she said about Effie:

“You can see her clinging to good manners for reassurance of humanity's decency. But in terms of the Hunger Games, Effie being assigned as their escort was a lucky break for District 12. She might be ridiculous, but she's not malicious.”

In conclusion, although you have all the right to dislike and not support the character (which is fine, not everyone can handle a morally gray character), let’s not distort the things we got from the books just to justify our hate, shall we? Effie Trinket has always being a character which main purpose was to highlight that, despite being very supportive of an oppressive system, and having a direct impact into child murder (willingly or not), she always did it with kindness and humanity. She was controversial and problematic, but she was not intentionally rude, or malicious. She was a kind person —maybe not in the convencional way you want, but she was. There is nothing you can do to say otherwise, without going against the narrative, the books or Suzanne Collins

[hamliet]

Coriolanus Snow: The Hanged Man

I still have yet to read Sunrise on the Reaping (hopefully this week). Instead, I'm going to fulfill my promise in this answer and write about Coriolanus Snow, because The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is, in my opinion, the most ambitious and successful narratively of The Hunger Games novels, and I constantly see people reducing the narrative from its tremendous nuance and complexity to a simple moral tale of "you can't fix him, silly girl" and/or "manic pixie dream girls aren't real."

Thinking Snow was a narcissist or born bad from birth misses the entire point of the novel. Thinking that he didn't really love Lucy Gray also misses the point. The point is that he did love Lucy Gray, and he still turned into a narcissistic villain because he has the freedom to make his own choices, and he makes all the wrong ones.

Sorry, Suzanne Collins likes love stories. She's going to keep writing love stories, because the love subplots play integral roles in the themes of both prequels and the main trilogy of The Hunger Games. They're part of the thematic point of each story, and while I do think you can make an argument that Gale's entanglement with Katniss is weaker than Katniss and Peeta, Lenore and Haymitch, and yes, even Lucy Gray and Coriolanus, you can't really argue that the romance is a "distraction" from the main themes and actually have a good understanding of the novels. Love is not extraneous to these books; it holds them together.

So, yes. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a love story. It just doesn't end happily ever after. See, Eren and Mikasa in Shingeki no Kyojin, or Catherine and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Not all love stories end well! Not all tragedies are romantic tragedies like Titanic or Romeo and Juliet! Sometimes love doesn't have so clear a role in saving the day--but it could have, and that itself is the tragedy.

Sejanus: Wounded Sons Bearing Sins of the Father

Yes, Coriolanus is self-focused and self-centered. He is constantly thinking of how certain aspects can benefit himself, how he can restore his family's name and honor, how he can end up on top. He clearly feels the tear between a mother who died in childbirth and a father who had high expectations, but whom Coryo can barely remember.

However, I'd argue that as portrayed in the novel until the last quarter of the story, Coryo's self-centeredness is not a sign of narcissism so much as it is a realistic portrayal of a traumatized child.

You see, children are by nature egocentric, and Collins portrays this well in her books. They don't understand that the world is greater than what exists in their mind, and grow to understand it more. Coryo is stuck in one place (the Capitol), starved, loses both his parents, and understandably, doesn't really see outside of his own perspective until he meets Lucy Gray.

This marks his chance to open his mind. Coryo actually gets an Empathy 101 course from the story: he rides in the filthy car with the tributes, gets dumped unceremoniously into the zoo, and then gets sent into the arena. The story repeatedly challenges him to open up his mind, and he starts to do so, only to fold back in on himself at the end.

But what if I told you that Coryo is at least on equal standing in terms of self-centeredness and only thinking about how he feels with another significant character (who also is working through trauma and the burdens placed by a father). Yes, I'm talking about Sejanus Plinth.

But wait, Sejanus wanted to stop the Hunger Games!

Yes, he did. He went about it in the most immature way that ultimately just harmed everyone around him. Marcus, whom Sejanus didn't fully empathize with. His own parents and Coriolanus, who almost got killed when he's forced into the arena to save him. Coriolanus kills Bobbin doing so, and is traumatized by it. The girl locked up. Sejanus doesn't think his plans through.

He's not a bad person. His goals are noble, righteous even. But he, like every young activist ever, doesn't fully comprehend the effect his actions have on others, doesn't comprehend that good intentions don't justify the means, and that a righteous cause doesn't mean innocents can't get hurt through it. And while it sounds like I'm being harsh on Sejanus, these ideas are all thoroughly explored in the main trilogy, so I'm guessing Collins was very aware of this and Sejanus is intentionally a parallel to Coriolanus.

Actually, Sejanus isn't just a parallel. He symbolizes a part of Coryo, the heart to his wisdom. If they'd combined forces, they could have changed the world.

I'd also argue that people who think Coriolanus never cared about Sejanus are misreading to the same level as people who think Katniss never really cared about Peeta. They aren't reliable narrators. Coriolanus looks at him with a certain disdain, yes. But that's because he's uncomfortable looking at his child self, being vulnerable, traumatized, humiliated, and poor. Yet Coryo warns him over and over again when he doesn't have to.

But that's wanting control!

Well, yes. Where do you think pathological needs for control come from? Often, it originally starts as genuine concern from a traumatized person who has had very little control in their lives and has no idea how to express it as concern.

Sejanus is also, in Jungian terms, Coriolanus's inner child. Sejanus is constantly focused on his childhood and outspoken about it, while Coryo is actually the same way but not outspoken about it. He represents the trauma of war, the difficulty relating to parents (even though Sejanus has parents, and Coryo does not), the desperation to both grow up and find one's own identity, stand up for what you believe in, and to please the parents who gave you life.

So when Coryo eventually turns Sejanus in, he in essence dooms himself, though he naively doesn't think this will happen. He--rather childishly--assumes that Sejanus will just be in trouble but that his daddy can bail him out. After all, that's what's always happened before. His parents are powerful. He even writes to Sejanus's parents asking them to help.

Except, at some point your parents can't save you. I do read Coryo's trauma after Sejanus's hanging as genuine--he vomits and clearly feels guilt. He wanted a parent to rescue him, but none can.

Even as Sejanus dies, he cries "Ma, Ma, Ma!" for his mother. The tragedy is that by killing Sejanus, narratively, Coryo ensures that he will never allow this wounded child within himself to grow up. The loss of his parents will never heal.

Coryo ending up being essentially "adopted" by Sejanus's parents who completely miss his role in their son's death symbolizes him not growing up, because he cannot ever be really honest with them. He's not integrating with Sejanus and becoming more himself; he's lost his identity. He gets parents, but they're a lie, and he'll never experience the love and comfort of parents that he's craved.

He also then carries out his father's legacy of the Hunger Games, trying to please a ghost rather than real people around him. He chooses the dead, not the living.

Dr. Gaul and Casca Highbottom: Fear

Fear is the opposite of love.

This idea is Biblical and also pretty much embodied by the philosophy of Dr. Gaul, the woman Coriolanus hates, is absolutely terrified of, but becomes just like. It's no coincidence that Lucy Gray and Dr. Gaul are constantly pitted as opposites in Coriolanus's mind, because they represent his two potential paths in life.

Dean Highbottom traced the silver rose on the compact with a finger. “So, what did she say when you told her you were leaving?” “Dr. Gaul?” Snow asked. “Your little songbird,” the dean said. “When you left Twelve. Was she sad to see you go?”

Dr. Gaul is actually a manipulative abuser. She isolates Coriolanus from his friends by strategically alienating him from Clemensia. She sends him into the arena to save Sejanus, reinforcing to him that she has total control over his life. She, like Highbottom, knows the truth of his family situation and exploits it.

She thrives on chaos and cruelty, using the fear of her students, and Coriolanus's particular fear of her, to create a bond and further her own malicious aims.

The irony is that Coriolanus is capable of cruelty and manipulation. We know this not just from the original trilogy, but from his whole persona in the story. Dr. Volumnia Gaul is Coriolanus's Jungian shadow, the part of ourselves we try to repress and deny.

However, the only way to healthily handle the shadow is to accept it. Coriolanus instead murders it and thus it consumes him. In the end, Coriolanus becomes most like the person he fears most: Dr. Gaul. It's a tragically childish way of protecting oneself.

You see, I said murders because Dr. Gaul isn't his only shadow. The other shadows are present in Casca Highbottom and in Coriolanus's own father, whose shadow Coriolanus is constantly trying to live up to.

He doesn't understand Highbottom's hatred of him, which is a projection of his inability to understand his father's loss as a child. He tries and tries to embody whom he thinks his father would like him to become, and he tries and tries to win Highbottom over. When Highbottom comments about Arachne's funeral being over the top, Coryo assumes he's actually trying to bond with him, and admits he felt the same way--a lowering of the guard. Instead, Highbottom informs him that he's just like his father, using that one moment of vulnerability to tell Coriolanus he's a bad person.

“My condolences on the loss of your friend,” the dean said. “And on your student. It’s a difficult day for all of us. But the procession was very moving,” Coriolanus replied. “Did you think so? I found it excessive and in poor taste,” said Dean Highbottom. Taken by surprise, Coriolanus let out a short laugh before he recovered and tried to look shocked. The dean dropped his gaze to Coriolanus’s blue rosebud. “It’s amazing, how little things change. After all the killing. After all the agonized promises to remember the cost. After all of that, I can’t distinguish the bud from the blossom.” He gave the rose a tap with his forefinger...

The irony is that Highbottom ends up creating a tragedy of his own. In assuming Coriolanus is just like his father, he helps shape Coriolanus into becoming exactly just like his father. He reinforces to Coriolanus that he can't trust others. When Coriolanus murders Highbottom via his addiction (something he can't be free from), he allows his shadow to consume him.

Our assumptions about people shape who they become. This is at the core of the novel's themes, but it's also countered by Lucy Gray and her internal freedom.

Lucy Gray: Performance and Freedom

If Sejanus is Coryo's inner child and Highbottom/Dr. Gaul are his shadows, then Lucy Gray is his anima, in Jungian terms. Anima literally means "soul," and Lucy Gray does symbolize his soul (symbolism isn't literal--she was her own person, and that's part of Coriolanus's downfall: that he can't accept that).

Lucy Gray starts off the series as a child singing as she's dragged away to die, and in her Coryo sees himself. Him greeting her with a rose is a symbol of him acting like his own mother (as the roses are associated with her--the powder tin, etc), and him entering the truck and then being unceremoniously dumped into the zoo is not only a chance to empathize with Lucy Gray (which he actually does), but to see his own circumstances from a new perspective.

Being a "Snow" isn't a gift even if it seems like it is. It's a prison, and more than that, it's a zoo. People gawk at him because of his name, but in reality he's starving and desperate to survive even after the war. Him being locked in there and then seeing what Lucy Gray endures at the zoo is him being given the chance to look at his own circumstances as a child locked away in the Capitol and starving.

Coriolanus sitting and eating with Lucy Gray as an equal is a sign of maturity, and so is his determination to sneak her food and keep her alive. Yes, it's a bit egocentric in a childish sense, but he's literally a teenager.

While Coriolanus will later lose himself to the fear that Lucy Gray is just performing in her relationship with him because it would save her life (and I've read some interpretations agreeing with this, which I don't think the book supports at all), the irony is that Coriolanus Snow is performing too. Every action he takes he thinks about how it will appear--and that's not just with Lucy Gray and his role as a mentor in the Hunger Games. He's stuck performing too.

Both Lucy Gray and Coriolanus are both performers, and more than that, they have to play the role the Capitol gives them. The Capitol says Lucy Gray is District 12 and has to die for that, but Lucy Gray is actually Covey and never participated in the war. Coriolanus is a Snow and that commands respect and expectations, yet his family is actually still starving and on the verge of eviction. Neither neatly fit in the roles the Capitol declares they are based on heritage and setting, but they have to endure the expectations and burdens of those roles nonetheless.

However, Lucy Gray finds freedom in performing her songs and culture. Performing doesn't equate to fake, and once you strip the layers of someone, you can trust them even in their performances.

Coriolanus also faces a way to use his background and performance to help, and he does use it to save Lucy Gray in the arena. He also has multiple options of which Snow he wants to become: his mother. Tigris. Grandmama. Or, his father, the one he actually thinks about the least until the end.

It's Lucy Gray's free spirit, the way she turns her prisons and performances into art, that draws Coriolanus in. Yes, when he kisses her at first he does think of her in a jealous, possessive way. Given his background and given that he's a teenager, that's not abnormal. He's been trapped in one city his whole life.

So when Coriolanus is sent to District 12, he symbolically has the chance for freedom, too. He could choose to open his mind in the districts, to freedom. He has a chance.

Sadly, he hangs, lies to, and then shoots his chance.

The Hanging Tree

So, anima has four stages.

Eve (mother)

Helen (romantic interest)

Mary (religious devotion)

Sophia (wisdom, guide to the inner life)

In the beginning of Coriolanus's relationship with Lucy Gray, he associates her with his mother (the rose, the compact). He even gives her his mother's scarf (yes, there's some Oedipal imagery). Highbottom even calls it out:

“Your pretty, vapid mother, who’d somehow convinced herself that your father would give her freedom and love. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as they say.” “She wasn’t” was all Coriolanus managed. Vapid, he meant. “Only her youth excused her, and, really, she seemed fated to be a child forever. Just the opposite of your girl, Lucy Gray. Sixteen going on thirty-five."

Then he goes on to see her as someone he's pursuing romantically... and then he loses himself when given the chance to explore the religious devotion (so never approaches a wisdom phase).

See, as Coriolanus and Lucy meet up to flee, this happens:

“It’d be nice, in my new life, not to have to kill anyone else.” “I’m with you there. Three seems enough for one lifetime. And certainly enough for one summer." ... “Can you get this out?” He held out his hand, wiggling the compromised fingernail, hoping to distract her. “Let me see.” She examined his splinter. “So, Bobbin, Mayfair . . . who’s the third?” His mind raced for a plausible explanation. Could he have been involved in a freak accident? A training death? He was cleaning a weapon, and it went off by mistake? He decided it was best to make a joke of it. “Myself. I killed the old me so I could come with you.” She plucked the splinter free. “There. Well, I hope old you doesn’t haunt new you. We’ve already got enough ghosts between us.” The moment passed, but it had killed the conversation.”

Lucy Gray offers him the chance to confess. To trust her with the worst parts of himself. To truly be free.

And he lies, and in the end she removes the splinter like a mother removing one from a child, not as a person forgiving and setting another free.

The moment Coriolanus killed his future as a healthy, healing adult, was when he didn't take responsibility for Sejanus, when he says he killed himself. The irony is that this sentence itself kills Coriolanus''s development. It kills Lucy Gray's ability to trust him.

Coriolanus then embodies the lyrics of "The Hanging Tree."

They strung up a man They say who murdered three

He murdered three, and has strung himself up.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree? Where I told you to run So we'd both be free

He's fleeing with Lucy Gray, aiming to be free together.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope/hope Side by side with me

In the books, it's "rope;" the films turned it to "hope," and Collins would have known about this by the time of writing this book. Hence, the scarf Coriolanus gave Lucy Gray that she leaves for him to find, and that this is the section of the song the mockingjays sing when he's hunting for Lucy Gray in the ending.

They are both hanged men, and him more so than her. Yes, Lucy Gray is never able to leave the arena, still afraid that everyone is trying to kill her, but she still has a sense of self. And Coriolanus, being part of the Capitol, is partly to blame for this.

Worse, Coryo lost his sense of self. He sees a snake and assumes she's trying to kill him, but it wasn't venomous, and the reader pointedly never knows whether it was deliberate or not.

Because Coriolanus cannot control Lucy Gray. She has herself, and she's chosen to be free. He can shoot up her sanctuary and make the rest of the world pay for his own mistakes, but he can never control her.

In the end, Coriolanus becomes both his parents. His better nature, his chance to grow and have freedom and love, his chance to live a new life, dies at the very moment he could have given birth to it. And he becomes a cruel, calculating war criminal.

And in the end, The Hunger Games as a series reinforces its main theme: hurting children forced to hurt children because the adults around them had petty conflicts.

[shinynewmemories]

The exchange between Peeta and Gale in Tigris's basement used to be my least favorite scene in the entire book. I hated how it made Katniss out to be a heartless drone whose only motivation is survival. But I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I'm now convinced I grossly misinterpreted the purpose of the passage the first times I read it. I don't think it's about Gale revealing some sage wisdom about Katniss; I think it's a revelation about how far gone Katniss and Gale's relationship truly is, and how little he understands the way she loves. AND it's about how much better Peeta understands Katniss, even in his half-hijacked state. Let me break it apart a tad to explain what I mean:

“She loves you, you know,” says Peeta. “She as good as told me after they whipped you.”

Peeta is correct on both counts. Katniss DOES love Gale, and in CF, she internally refers back to the whipping as the moment she "chose" Gale over Peeta. Peeta knew it then, and he knows it now.

“Don’t believe it,” Gale answers. “The way she kissed you in the Quarter Quell... well, she never kissed me like that.”

Correct, but it's interesting that Gale refers to THAT moment on the beach as proof that Katniss loves Peeta. Because on one hand, that WAS the first time she felt and displayed sexual desire for anyone. But on the other hand, I would argue that there was lots more evidence for Katniss's love for Peeta; "anyone paying attention" could see it. So why does Gale point to the one time things got hot and heavy between them?

“It was just part of the show,” Peeta tells him, although there’s an edge of doubt in his voice.

Incorrect, but I'll give him half credit for the "edge of doubt" in his voice.

“No, you won her over. Gave up everything for her. Maybe that’s the only way to convince her you love her.” 

Here's where Gale starts talking kinda crazy. Since when has the issue been convincing KATNISS that HE (or Peeta) loved HER? Since the end of book 1, there has never been the slightest doubt in Katniss's mind that Peeta loved her. And she's never doubted Gale's love, although she admits it caught her off guard. Does Gale actually think that if Katniss could just SEE how much he loves her, she'd have no choice but to marry him? Or does he think Katniss is holding back because he hasn't "given up everything" for her? Either way, he paints Katniss as a fundamentally untrusting and self-centered person.

Also, he implies that Katniss needs to be "won over", that she needs to be PERSUADED to love either of them... Yikes. It's like he actually believes Katniss doesn't have the emotional capabilities of falling in love all on her own.

There’s a long pause. “I should have volunteered to take your place in the first Games. Protected her then.”

Incorrect! Over to Peeta for an explanation of why that would have been a Colossally Stupid idea:

“You couldn’t,” says Peeta. “She’d never have forgiven you. You had to take care of her family. They matter more to her than her life.”

DING DING DING DING! I just picture Peeta making a ????????no??? face as Gale says he should have volunteered for him. Like?? Can you IMAGINE? Book 1 Katniss would have been screaming at Gale like "you absolute IDIOT. WHY would you throw your life and the lives of your and/or my family away. And for WHAT? MORON."

But I get it. Gale is saying this out of desperation. Because he can't say "I wish you had died in those games" (although perhaps that is how he's felt once or twice). And to be fair, if Peeta had never been in those games with Katniss, things between them now would be very... different. (shhhhh Gale doesn't have to know about the whole "this would've happened anyway" thing)

“Well, it won’t be an issue much longer. I think it’s unlikely all three of us will be alive at the end of the war. And if we are, I guess it’s Katniss’s problem. Who to choose.” Gale yawns. “We should get some sleep.”

Correct, nothing to object to here.

“Yeah.” I hear Peeta’s handcuffs slide down the support as he settles in. “I wonder how she’ll make up her mind.”

Even though Peeta is more in sync with Katniss, he doesn't presume to know how her romantic side works. Gotta respect that.

“Oh, that I do know.” I can just catch Gale’s last words through the layer of fur. “Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can’t survive without.”

So I ask: if Gale is shown throughout this exchange to be mostly wrong about Katniss's motivations, desires, and possibly her whole personality, why would we believe he's correct about this?? I think the only conclusion is that he's NOT.

I'll end by adding Katniss's opinion about Gale's assertion:

It’s a horrible thing for Gale to say, for Peeta not to refute. Especially when every emotion I have has been taken and exploited by the Capitol or the rebels.

Katniss is DEEPLY hurt by what Gale said. And I no longer believe it's because it's the truth about HER. I think it's because it's the truth about how Gale sees her, and he sees her in a very hurtful (albeit incorrect) way.

[ashyblondwaves]

I Would Have Died For You

Katniss can’t say what’s broken, only that it is. But Peeta’s still there, and sometimes, that’s enough.

-----------------------

The room is dark except for the hearth; the quiet is almost maddening. It’s the kind of quiet that only comes after something breaks. This time, it was only a quick headline. Another name we knew, another reminder of what we survived and who didn’t. No one says a word about it, and they don’t have to. The silence speaks for itself.

I sit on the floor, my knees drawn to my chest, nails digging into the skin. My blanket is abandoned somewhere behind me. The fire’s almost out, there’s nothing left but the occasional snap of a stubborn ember. It’s not cold, not really. I can feel the heat of the embers on my face, but I’ve been shivering since the sun went down.

The stairs creak behind me. His steps are soft. Far softer than they used to be. Every step used to come with noise, but now, it’s like he’s learned how to walk around ghosts.

“Katniss?” Peeta’s voice is low and careful. Not tiptoeing, not anymore. Just... steadiness.

I don’t turn around. I can’t. My throat is full of something heavy, and if I open my mouth, it might escape. I’m afraid I’ll start sobbing or screaming or maybe laughing in a way that isn’t quite right.

Even so, he waits.

Then, when I don’t speak, he crosses the room and sits a few feet away, just close enough to feel, but far enough to leave me space. His presence settles around me like a blanket I didn’t ask for and didn’t realize I needed.

“I would have died for you,” I finally murmur. The words fall out. I didn’t mean to say them, but they’re true. And I’m tired of choking on the truth.

Peeta doesn’t flinch. He just looks at the dying embers like it has all the answers. 

“I know that now,” he says.

“No. I mean it,” I say, shaking my head. “I wanted to in the arena, in the Capitol, everywhere. It was always easier to think about dying than… than surviving.”

My voice breaks on the last part, and I hate it. I hate that even now, after everything, I still can’t say what I mean without it sounding like a mess.

Peeta shifts, but he doesn’t reach for me yet. He never does unless I ask.

“But you did survive,” he says, quietly. “You’re still here.”

“Yeah.” I huff a humorless laugh. “That’s the problem.”

He doesn’t argue. And though he never tells me not to feel what I’m feeling, sometimes I wish he would for my own sanity. Instead, he just lets it live in the space between us.

“I don’t know how to be what you deserve,” I whisper. “You give and give and I… I can’t even remember how to hold someone without feeling like I’m going to break them.”

Finally, he moves closer. Knees to knees. Still not touching me, but it feels like he’s wrapped around me anyway. Not in the way I used to feel guilty about. In the way I’ve started to trust and depend on.

“You don’t have to be anything but here,” he says. “I didn’t survive so you could love me the right way. I survived so I could love you, even when you don’t know how to let it in.”

Something sharp and soft twists inside my chest.

I look at him, and for the first time tonight, I see him. His eyes are tired, and there’s a smudge of flour still on his sleeve from whatever he’d been doing before he realized I wasn’t in the kitchen with him anymore. He never stops trying. Not even when I give him every reason to.

“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice wrecked. “I want to be better. I just... don’t know how.”

He reaches for my hand, slow, like he’s afraid I’ll pull away, but I don’t. Our fingers meet, and it’s like breathing for the first time in days.

“We’ll figure it out,” he murmurs. “Together.”

He holds my hand, and it’s filled with promise. It’s not a fix, it’s not a cure. It’s just something to hold on to when the wind picks up again.

The embers are all but out, and I realize I’m shivering from cold now. I shift closer to him, my knees brushing his, and let my head fall against his shoulder. It doesn’t feel dramatic. It feels necessary.

Peeta doesn’t say anything, he just leans into me gently. I can feel his warmth, his heartbeat, his whole steady presence.

I don’t cry. I thought I might, but I don’t. The ache is too deep for tears. It’s old, buried, and half-fossilized. Grief for everything we lost. Guilt for everything survived. An ache for everything I still can’t give him.

But he’s here anyway. He always is.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m holding on by a thread,” I whisper. “Like if I let go, I’ll disappear.”

Peeta’s arm wraps around my back, hand splayed between my shoulder blades.

“Then I’ll hold on for both of us,” he says into my hair.

I close my eyes.

That should make me feel weak, but it doesn’t. Not with him. With him, it feels like choosing to stay alive. Again. And again. And again.

We sit there in silence for a while. The kind that says everything words can’t reach. 

“Come to bed?” He eventually asks. 

“I won’t sleep,” I say without hesitation. 

“That’s okay. Just be near me,” he replies, his thumb caressing the side of my face before He stands and reaches for my hand again. I take it and let him pull me to my feet.

Upstairs, the bed is crisp and clean from when I made it hours ago. It feels more like a lifetime. A lifetime since I read the headline and the world suddenly closed in. But as I slip in, the sheets still smell like him. Like bread and pine and something warm that I can only describe as Peeta. Peeta slides under the covers behind me. I let him pull me close, chest to chest, and I don’t have to brace myself for the act of intimacy. I don’t even flinch. I crave it tonight.

I let myself breathe him in. Let myself feel it as Peeta traces lazy circles on my back with his fingers. 

“You don’t have to know how to love me,” he says. “You just have to let me love you until you remember how.”

And it’s not a declaration. It’s not even a reassurance. It’s a lifeline.

I press my forehead to his collarbone and whisper, “Okay.”

And for the first time in days, maybe even weeks, I believe that maybe surviving doesn’t always have to feel like punishment.

[foreverlqrk]

I feel like something no one talks about is how little Peeta valued his life throughout all three of the books

In the first book when he gets reaped. He is so focused on saving Katniss’s life that he had no thoughts to save himself. He was willing to take on Cato and risk loosing his life when he very much could have ran to save himself. Just so that Katniss could live. Later when he and Katniss team up he is determined to not let Katniss risk her life for him. Bc he can’t stand the thought of her dead and him alive. Then after it’s announced that only one victor can win. He without a second thought. Takes a knife and tries to k1ll himself. And Katniss has to shoot it out of his hand. Then he tries to undo his tourniquet to he can bleed to death. And Katniss is trying to tie it back up into order to save Peeta from himself.

In catching fire when it’s announced that the victors will be forced to go back into the arena. The first thing that Peeta thinks of and wants is to go back into the arena to save Katniss. And in the meantime, ending his life. He was legit begging to Haymitch to let him die in the arena to save Katniss, and Haymitch himself. Showing how little he Cared for himself. And don’t get me started with the scene on the beach now I feel like everyone thinks of this scene as a cute Everlark moment (don’t get me wrong it definitely is) but also Peeta says in this scene that “no one needs me” like imagine a 17 year old boy with the constant thought in his head that no one needs him and he should just die to save the person he loves. Like it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see how little he cares abt his own life

And don’t even get me started on mockingjay. During that one scene where he was able to fight the brainwashing, does he fight to escape and fight for his own life. Nope. He warns Katniss and district 13 abt the bombing. Not caring what letting go of this information does to him. Which we know in the books was a very brutal punishment for Peeta. Again showing how he cared more for others than himself. during the time where Katniss was plotting to kill president snow where Peeta was forced to tag along. Even though he wasn’t fully recovered. Does he hate on Katniss when he doesn’t go all mutt. No instead he hates on himself. He begs the group multiple times that he is just a mutt and they need to kill him. He believes that he would be better off dead and him being alive would slow the group down. I’ll remind you all that HE WAS 17 AND WAS CONSTANTLY WISHING HE WAS DEAD. He also was actively h4rming himself when he was digging his hands into the cuffs which in the end risked him getting blood poisoning. and during the stay with me always scene. Peeta is screaming at the group to leave him and that he is a mutt and nothing else. It’s Katniss who saves him from himself when she asked him to stay with her. And when Peeta says always. It gives us the impression that maybe Peeta can find something to live for after all. Katniss was able to show Peeta all throughout this book series that his life was worth it. So yeah I will never stop arguing that everlark is the best couple to ever exist.

So overall is honestly so heartbreaking to see how Peeta valued his life so little throughout these books. Caring about everyone else before himself. Again this mindset could have come from his mother who after years of telling Peeta that he was useless (she called Peeta a useless creature🥺) this could have had major affects on him (I hate Mrs. Mellark with a burning passion)

Im so glad that Peeta got the ending he deserved and found a reason to live.y BBY truly deserved the world 🥺

[queuestarter]

daybreak

(johanna mason x reader)

cw: none- just two girls in love

link to the request → grumpy x sunshine during training for the quarter quell

open to submissions/asks

You watch from across the room as Johanna strips off her training uniform and begins to rub oil all over herself. You shake your head in amusement and refocus on the conversion you’re having with your district mate and close friend, Beetee.

“I wonder what the reason they put the forcefield up this year is,” he comments offhandedly while observing a piece of wood as he attempts to figure out how to start a fire. You sit opposite him, not having much luck either.

You didn’t win your first games by fighting or learning survival skills. You won by appealing to the audience.

“Maybe someone attacked them. Or maybe one of the Gamemakers fell over the balcony,” you giggle, throwing down your two sticks as Katniss walks over to you.

You’ve never met her, but of course you know all about her. Who doesn’t at this point?

“Hello,” you friendlily greet her. She stands over you and Beetee awkwardly. “Do you know how to make a fire with two sticks? We’re awful at it.”

She sits down at the station with you. “Yeah, but I haven’t done it in a while. Let me see…” she grabs some sticks and begins to rub them together.

For the next ten minutes that you three spend at the station, a friendly rapport grows. You talk about many things, like the forcefield, productivity in your districts, and a few other topics. Eventually, she starts asking if you’re going to join any alliances.

“I think so,” you say hopefully. “I know me and Beetee are going to stick together. Johanna, too.” 

“Johanna?” Katniss asks, raising her eyebrows.

You smile, finding your girl across the room. She’s arguing about something with Finnick, shoving his shoulder and getting shoved back in response. 

“Yeah, she’s great. She’s just really, really great.” You can feel a blush growing on your cheeks which you hide behind your hands.

“I didn’t feel that way when I met her.” You furrow your eyebrows at Katniss.

“Oh. While I’m going to go see if I can try to make a lure with Mags. Beetee, want to join?” You want to be nice considering she doesn’t know about your relationship with Johanna and your girlfriend does come off as rude sometimes.

“Oh, yes. That could be very helpful,” he comments, getting up from his seat. “Thank you for helping us, Katniss. Maybe we would keep up that trend in the arena?”

Katniss nods, getting up as well. “I should see what Peeta is doing.”

You don’t talk to Katniss again until the next day of training. 

You’re sparring with one of the trainers, having decided that it might actually be important this time around to work on your physical skills rather than just relying on your brains and public appeal. 

When you finish the spar and are bent over trying to catch your breath, you feel a hand cup your ass. You let out a gasp of surprise.

“Johanna!” You shriek as you return to an upright position. Ignoring the shocked gazes of the people around you, you wrap your arms around her neck and pull her in for a quick kiss. “You can’t just scare me like that when I have a deadly weapon in my hands!”

She looks beautiful with her signature smirk on her face. “I just wanted to let you know how good you were doing. And let everyone know that you’re mine.”

You giggle uncontrollably, holding onto her for a few more seconds. With one final kiss to her smiling lips that end up more on her teeth than anything, you back away from the sparring station to allow other people to enter, namely Finnick and Katniss. Katniss has a look of disbelief on her face.

You say a quick ‘hello’ to them before Beetee is calling your name from across the room. “Can you identify the metal that comprises this beam? It seems to be steel but the density is all wrong.”

As you walk across the room to help out Beetee, you can hear Johanna talk to the two others, none of them being too quiet. 

“What a woman,” she says, causing you to smile once more.

“You two are…? Her?” Katniss practically hisses.

“Why not?” Finnick teases. “Johanna needs something good in her life.”

“Shut up!” You turn your eyes back towards your girlfriend just in time to see her try to knock Finnick over. 

This is what it means to be in love

-

[liberalk1tsch]

This is a bizarre request, if I couldn’t get it out of my head.

Could you write a slight canon divergent one shot/drabble about Prim finding out how Gale has been treating Katniss, and slapping him across the face? I just think it would be really funny. And I love the relationship between Katniss and Prim

ok this request made me giggle ngl but i kinda fw how it turned out?? idk lol, hope you enjoy, anon!

setting: hospital wing in 13, post-bombing of d2

Your Sister Was Right

“Hey, Baby Everdeen, got anymore of that morphling for me?” asks Johanna, her laughs dissolving into words as she strolls out of my sister’s hospital room and down the hall to my nurses’ station. 

I smile at her ruefully. I don’t need to check her chart to know she’s jonesing for drugs she won’t get. “You know you’ve got another six hours till your next dose.”

She sighs dramatically. “Feels like forever.”

“How’s she doing?” I ask, nodding in the direction of Katniss. It was always hard caring for her, but especially now. Whenever I walk in, she puts up her typical front of pretending she’s okay for my sake, even when I know she’s hurting. Problem is, she won’t let anyone else in to see her pain either, save for maybe Haymitch.

Not even Gale’s been able to get much out of her, though I can’t say that doesn’t make sense. She can’t talk to him about Peeta, and that’s the thing that really torments her.

Finnick was the only one she came close to opening up to, but he’s . . . busy. The poor guy deserves some happiness with his soon-to-be wife.

Which leaves Johanna.

“She’s definitely been better,” says the girl from District 7. “Don’t think seeing your cousin is helping, though.”

“What do you mean?”

Johanna smiles pitifully at me. “Oh, my sweet summer child — he’s pretty, but he’s not good for her. Anyone with eyes can see it.”

I give her a confused look.

 She leans over the counter, like she’s telling me a secret. “Haven’t you seen it? The way she’s been slowly withdrawing from their relationship?” She leans back, putting a hand on her hip and speaking at normal volume again. “Personally, I’m Team Choking over Team Bombing A Mountain, but that’s just me.”

I have seen it, actually. Not just recently, but since those first Games. My older sister who left on that train never came home. Gale, for all his kindness to our family, still doesn’t see that.

At this rate, I’m not sure he ever will.

Once upon a time, I used to think it’d be cute if they got together. We’re all practically family anyways. But it wasn’t until I saw the way she looked at Peeta that I knew the poor guy never stood a chance. When her and Gale don’t talk, there’s only plain relief on her face. When her and Peeta weren’t talking, I would constantly catch her staring down the road at Peeta’s house, only breathing a sigh of relief as she watched the warm glow of his fire start up night by night, signifying that he was alive. That he was all right.

She’d deny it if anyone asked, but I know she’d started setting aside a squirrel to drop off at the bakery on days when Gale was in the mines and she knew Peeta would be in Victor’s Village. She wouldn’t take anything in return, and she’d always make sure the Hawthornes got the money for the “traded” game, but I helped Mother balance Katniss’ monthly winnings; it was hard to ignore the missing money — always the precise price of small game, and always on weekdays. It doesn’t help her case that I spotted her arguing with Otho Mellark when I stopped by the sweet shop after school one day, insisting he accept her offering.

Peeta would stop me in the street too, ask me how she was doing. Clearly hurt, clearly still licking whatever wounds they inflicted upon each other, but still caring for my sister in a way Gale never has.

I’m not stupid — I can see Gale has feelings for her. Have known about it probably longer than she has. I just don’t think his intentions are as pure, or as mindful of my sister as Peeta’s are.

“What’s he saying to her?” I ask Johanna.

She shrugs. “See for yourself.”

So I do.

I move down to the supply station a few yards away from the door to her room, pretending to take inventory, leaving me just within earshot of their conversation.

“Katniss, what difference is there, really, between crushing our enemy in a mine or blowing them out of the sky with one of Beetee’s arrows? The result is the same.”

“I don’t know. We were under attack in Eight, for one thing. The hospital was under attack.”

“Yes, and those hoverplanes came from District Two. So, by taking them out, we prevented further attacks.”

“But that kind of thinking . . . you could turn it into an argument for killing anyone at any time. You could justify sending kids into the Hunger Games to prevent the districts from getting out of line.”

“I don’t buy that.”

“I do. It must be those trips to the arena.”

I’ve never been an angry person.

I tend to see the best in people, even when they don’t necessarily deserve it, because you never know what someone has going on in their personal lives behind the scenes. 

But as I stand at the supply cart outside of my sister’s room, I can feel my fingers curling into fist, crumpling up a stray syringe wrapper in my hands as they begin to tremble with rage.

It was one thing to push his feelings onto Katniss (even if he does have notoriously bad timing with everything and is incredibly disrespectful towards Peeta). She can handle that herself. Sort of. Ish.

But condemning thousands of people to the same fate as our fathers, and then trying to justify it by comparing an offensive attack to defending the injured and ill is too far.

I saw the footage they used in the propo. Had to look away when the mountain collapsed, burying who knows how many people.

Plutarch tells me it’s just the way of war, that I’ll understand when I’m older.

But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to understand what could bring someone to do that to another person, let alone thousands of them. And now finding out that it’s Gale’s idea?

I want him away from my sister.

A small part of me tries to justify it. He stresses her, which is neither good for her mental nor physical healing. As an apprentice healer, I can very easily make the argument that it’s what’s best for her health. 

But if I’m honest with myself, I want him gone because I’ve lost faith in him. I used to look up to him as an older brother of sorts, but more and more often I find myself questioning if I even really know the guy.

He’s turning out to be very far from the person I thought he was.

I’m about to go march in there myself and tell him as much, when he’s suddenly there, closing the door behind him as he leaves.

“Hey, Prim,” he says by way of greeting. 

I’ve never been a violent person either. 

But although Gale is six years my senior and has a good foot and a half on me, for some reason, I find myself reaching up and smacking him across the face.

We stare at each other in stunned silence for a moment. My palm stings terribly, and Gale has a red imprint on his cheek from where I struck him.

“What was that for?” he asks, holding his hand to his cheek. He seems more shocked than angry with me.

Honestly? I’m not entirely sure. Lots of things, I suppose. For treating Katniss as if she owes him something. For never respecting her feelings for Peeta and his role in her life. For giving the citizens of District 2 a miner’s fate.

But Katniss especially. 

But in spite of what she’ll tell people, she’s the nicer one between the two of us. She’ll rebel against authority no problem, but when it comes to the people she loves, she’s a big softie. She freezes. She hates confrontation and struggles to stand up for herself because she’s so scared of losing anyone else. 

I know she loves Gale, same as I do — he’s family. But it’s possible to love someone and hold them accountable for how they treat you. Our relationship with Mother proves that.

I can’t imagine the slap was particularly painful for him, and I’m somewhat horrified by my own actions, but I can’t help the underlying feeling of satisfaction too.

“That was for Katniss. And Peeta. And the people of Two,” I finally say.

He sighs. “Prim, you wouldn’t ��”

“Understand?” I ask. “No, you’re right, I wouldn’t. Because I don’t care if we are in a rebellion, I could never do what you did.” He opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off a second time. “But that’s not the point. My point is that she needs space and you need to give that to her. None of this is easy for anyone, and you’re making an already difficult time in her life that much harder. We aren’t on the brink of starvation in Twelve anymore. She doesn’t need you for survival. She just needs you to be her friend, and you haven’t been doing a very good job at that.” I look down at the cart, my temporary bravado suddenly gone, and with it my ability to look Gale in the eye. “Anyways, I’ve gotta go get some butterflies for this cart, it looks like it’s running low. I’ll see you at dinner,” I mumble, darting past him and scurrying off to the locked supply room.

I press my back against a wall and slide down to the floor, sighing out loud.

My mother will be furious when she finds out. Gale’s been good to us. I know that. She won’t let me forget it. But he’s been awful to Katniss as of late, and I can’t keep sitting around and watching her grow more and more upset, especially now that Peeta’s back.

Peeta.

Poor Peeta.

Poor Katniss. To be continuously badgered by Gale when Peeta’s only three halls down in a padded, locked room, nearly twisted beyond recognition by Snow’s torture.

It’s a good thing she’s not the only Everdeen sister who can put up a fight.

[thelittlestladylikesthis]

The Pink Rose, part 5

Part Five- July 7th, 74 ADD

Pairing: Haymitch Abernathy x reader 

Word count: 2,119

Warnings: heterosexual relationship, light smut, fluff, reference to violence, arguing

It had been three days since [Y/n] and Haymitch had accompanied their tributes to the Capitol. Three days since Haymitch’s bad first impression had potentially revealed what the tributes were capable of. [Y/n] sat staring at her plate of eggs, toast, and bacon. She had a notebook and pen for notes as she listened to Haymitch explain the importance of the training days and knowing what their skills are. 

As in most things, Katniss was conservative about her skills. Peeta emphasized how good of a shot she was with a bow and arrow. Katniss responds by mentioning Peeta could throw hundred pound bags of flour and that he knows how to wrestle. 

“What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?” Peeta said with a grimace.

Katniss shot back with an angry tone, “There’s always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you’ll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I’m dead!” 

“But you won’t! You’ll be living up in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking off people with arrows. You know what my mother said to me when she came to say good-bye, as if to cheer me up, she says maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner. Then I realized, she didn’t mean me, she meant you!” Peeta shouted.

“Oh, she meant you,” Katniss dismissed.

“She said, ‘She’s a survivor, that one.’She is,” Peeta said quietly.

The room stood still. [Y/n] felt her heart drop and an instant dislike of Mrs. Mellark. Who in Panem tells their own child they’re going to die after being selected in a reaping. The farewell opportunity is a time to wish for their safety and build them up. That bitch tore him down- she berated her son for someone else’s daughter.

After Peeta and Katniss calm down, Haymitch hesitantly restarts the conversation and insists that they spend their training days learning a new skill and under no circumstances showing the other tributes what they’re capable of- to save that for the Gamemakers.

“One last thing. In public, I want you by each other’s side every minute,” says Haymitch. The two teens start to object before Haymitch makes everyone jump by slamming his hand on the table, “Every minute! It’s not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training.”

The two of them left the room and the sound of Katniss’ bedroom slamming echoed through their quarters.

“You’re not doing yourself any favors in her eyes,” [Y/n] said.

“I’m not here to be her friend, I don’t even want to be a mentor. But since she threw a knife and you’re more invested in what you see, I’m willing to play along,” Haymitch explained., “What are you doing?”

[Y/n] looked at him out the side of her eye and saw he was referring to her notes, “I’m writing what I know. I’m trying to see what I can confidently say or twist for the sponsors. But I need to be careful,”

“Careful? I think you mean ruthless,”

“No. Careful. The deepest pockets always want something in return. I also need to remember who I have dirt on,”

“You sound like Finnick Odair,”

“Not necessarily a bad thing in this scenario. He’s good at getting sponsors and since we’re good friends, it might be entertaining to see who we can snag this year,” [Y/n] smirked.

Haymitch chuckled in unison. The idea of pulling a fast one on some of the other tributes was an entertaining thought. He didn’t realize how fast time had gone until Peeta and Katniss emerged from their rooms, ready to go find Effie.

Once they were truly alone, Haymitch rose from his chair to stand behind [Y/n]’s chair, “You should really loosen up Sweetheart,” Haymitch whispers as he starts to rub [Y/n]’s neck and shoulders. As excitable as having beloved tributes is, it is almost more stressful than having tributes who fly under the radar. [Y/n] gave a quiet moan of pleasure as Haymitch somehow gave an excellent shoulder massage. His strong, rough fingers ran up and down the stiff muscles in her shoulders, attempting to break up the solid tension that had built there. Suddenly, Haymitch’s hands slowly made their way over her shoulders and over the front of her dress. In the same instant, his lips rest just under her jawbone. He began to kiss her neck with enthusiasm; lightly sucking the skin and running the tip of his tongue over the same spot. [Y/n] felt a shiver run through her body. The heat where he kissed her neck resonated through her torso and went down between her legs. The burn increased as his hands cupped her breasts and found their way under the fabric.

Haymitch whispered against her skin, “It’s been a while since we tried this,”

[Y/n] responded with soft chuckle, “It’s been less than three days,”

“Less than three days too long,” he whispered as hands massaged her breasts.

[Y/n] reached around and ran her fingers into his curls. Her back began to arch as Haymitch circled her nipples with his thumb. His lips left her skin and he trailed his nose up until she felt his warm breath on her ear, “I wanna take you on this table,” he growled. [Y/n] melted at the sound of his lowered voice.

“This better not become a regular occurrence!” a familiar voice trilled prompting [Y/n] and Haymitch to immediately separate. Effie quickly walked across the room muttering quietly, “You’d think they own the place!”

[Y/n] stood up and placed one hand on Haymitch’s chest, “She’s right, we really should be more careful,” 

“We still have an hour to be careful,” Haymitch said as he scooped her up.

“Haymitch!” [Y/n] squealed as he quickly headed towards his bedroom.

“At least be quiet!” Effie yelled from the other room.

*     *     *

After six days in the Capitol, six days of [Y/n] schmoozing sponsors, mediating conversations between Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta, and having a few short interviews with Caesar Flickerman, came private session day. The day where Katniss and Peeta show what they can do. The sessions started after lunch, but Katniss and Peeta would go last since they were from District 12. [Y/n] remembered how infuriating that was. If you were from 12, it was likely that the Gamemakers had indulged themselves on food and drink by the time it was your turn. They were either drunk, tired, or passed out after watching over 20 other demonstrations. 

Effie and Haymitch were engaged in a conversation about the sponsors they’d already gained when Cinna and Portia got off the elevator. It was almost dinner time and they’d want to be hearing about how the sessions went. After about 20 minutes, Peeta got off the elevator and walked to his room to change clothes. Roughly 15 minutes later, Katniss burst out of the elevator and nearly sprinted to her room. Effie, Haymitch, and Portia call after her from the sitting room, but she doesn’t stop. Peeta was in the hall when she passed him, “Hey, was she crying?” he asked with concern. [Y/n] and Effie tried to get Katniss to open the door, but she just yelled for them to go away.

Effie tried again at dinner time and this time returned with Katniss. Katniss avoided eye contact with everyone, including Cinna and  [Y/n]. After a few minutes of small talk, the Avoxes bring dinner to the table and Haymitch starts:

“Okay, enough small talk, just how bad were you today?” [Y/n] rolled her eyes and gave him a look of utter disbelief. 

Before Katniss could respond, Peeta said, ““I don’t know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So, I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go.”

“Figures,” scoffed [Y/n].

Cinna shook his head in disappointment, “If they’re going to send them all into the same arena, they could at least afford the same attention instead of acting like that,”

“And you, sweetheart?” asked Haymitch.

Katniss’ eyes remained on her empty plate, “I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers,” the room silenced immediately.

“You what?” Effie yelled angrily, face draped in uncharacteristic horror. 

“I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It’s like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just ... I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig’s mouth!” Katniss said with a matter of fact tone of defiance.

“Are you crazy?” Effie almost yelled and saw Haymitch looking at her with a smirk, “I don’t think we’re going to find this funny if-”

“If what?” Haymitch interjected, “If they decide to punish someone?” he gestured to Katniss and Peeta with one hand and himself and [Y/n] with the other, “I think they already have, loosen your corset, have a drink,”

Cinna turned back to Katniss and carefully asked, “And what did they say?”

“Nothing. Or I don’t know. I walked out after that,” she responded

“Without being dismissed?” [Y/n] probed

“I dismissed myself,”

“Are you crazy?!” Effie trilled.

Haymitch ripped off a hunk of meat from his pork chop and leaned over to take a bite before stopping and chuckling,”What were their faces like?”

[Y/n] could see the twitch of a smile on the edges of Katniss’ mouth, “Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them. One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch.”

Everyone but Effie burst into a fit laughter. Haymitch even looked as if he were going to cry. [Y/n] had not had a laugh that good in a long while.

Effie looked as if she were trying to avoid smiling, “Well, it serves them right. It’s their job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from District Twelve is no excuse to ignore you, that’s what I think,”

“I’ll get a very bad score,” the smile slowly fell from Katniss’ face.

“Scores only matter if they’re very good, no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones,” Portia chipped in.

“For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy all the time,” [Y/n] said with a reassuring smile.

[Y/n] turned her attempt at motherly reassurance to Peeta as he followed her with, “I hope that’s how people interpret the four I’ll probably get… if that,”

After dinner, the group settles in the sitting room to watch the scores be announced on television. A photo of the tribute appears on the screen and after they’ve been introduced, their score appears below them. The Career Tributes all score between 8 and 10. Most others score around 5. [Y/n] reminds Peeta and Katniss that this is normal. Then remembers most District 12 tributes generally score 4-6 and hopes that Katniss and Peeta don’t remember that.

Twenty-two tributes go across the screen when they finally see Peeta. The group celebrates while Peeta comes to terms with his score of 8. Katniss remained stoic in her seat, radiating anxiety before her number flashes underneath her picture:

“Eleven!” Effie squeals.

Cinna and Portia cheer and congratulate her. [Y/n] and Haymitch excitedly give each other a hug and then join the congratulations.

Katniss is still in disbelief, “There must be a mistake. How ... how could that happen?”

“I guess they liked your guts,” Haymitch said. 

“They’ve got a show to put on. They need some players with heat.” [Y/n] added.

“Katniss, the girl who was on fire,” says Cinna, “Oh, wait until you see your interview

dress.” 

“More flames?” Katniss asked 

“Of a sort,” he chuckled mischievously.

The group wrapped up the congratulations, discussed their schedules for tomorrow, and headed off to their rooms. 

Back in his room and uncharacteristically brushing his teeth before bed, Haymitch felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He looked down and recognized the carefully manicured hands of [Y/n]. 

“Hey there, sweetheart,”

[Y/n] nuzzled her forehead between his shoulder blades, “Do you think they can do it?”

“Well I know you don’t mean ‘can they both win’. So, do what?”

“Work together. Can one of them overcome this?”

“I guess we’ll see. There’s something there in both of them,”

Masterlist

[dorsvenabili1777]

Katniss isn’t the main character and that’s what makes the hunger games great

I know that this has probably been said before but after I reread the hunger games (after not reading them for about 7 years) the biggest thing that stuck out to me is the fact that in the end Katniss is not what you expect. I remember her as the rebel, the mockingjay, the one that brought down the Capital and President Snow. But then I read the books again and I realised how wrong I was.

Katniss has consistently been put into situations that completely destroy her. First she and Peeta are used by the capital, before, during and after the games as ‘the Star-crossed lovers from District 12’. A new thing, perfect for the entertainment of the Capital citizens. Forced to act and pretend to be exactly that. Victors mostly get to choose who they are and what their life will be to some degree after the games. But with Katniss she has to be with Peeta, there is no other option.

Then she is used as the Mockingjay for the rebels in District 13. They save her from the arena (you could argue that they kidnapped her as she didn’t know or consent to it) basically on the condition that they could use her as their mascot, the fake leader of the rebellion, the outward facing leadership, while the real ones hide behind her.

It isn’t till the third book that you truly see the effects all this trauma has had on her. You see it partly in the first half of the second book but it isn’t until she is away from the capital and the Districts that she basically falls apart. And in the end when she tries to get to Snow in the capital, she fails, killing most of her team in the process. She never even reached him.

The way you are supposed to think of Katniss is this inspiring leader who brought down the fall of the Capital and the games. But actually she is a young traumatised girl who was only trying to protect her family.

Anyway, my point that I am trying to make is that yes Katniss is the main character of the books but she is not the main character of the world she exists in, she is not in charge of the rebellion. She was the straw that broke the camels back, she was not in charge of anything but did inspire. That is what makes these such great books, Suzan has chosen to tell a different perspective on rebellion, one that’s about more than fighting, one that’s about how and why people rebel in the first place. By choosing Katniss she is able to add in themes about the entertainment industry and society, things that the reader can more easily understand and relate to compared the the world that the story exists in.

I think that the reason why I thought of Katniss as what I said at the start is because what she inspired, what the hunger games inspired, that whole Dystopian genre became about the leaders of the rebellion. The Hunger games focuses on a casualty of that rebellion. It focuses on the effects that can have on a young girl.

After all, Katniss is only 16-17/18, she is in no position to be in charge of a rebellion. Her skills are perfect to help her survive the games but not to win a war. So why is it that the dystopian genre became so obsessed with preteens being the leaders of a rebellion when they are the least qualified?

[emhahee]

Hi hi,

So like I have a question around your Hayffie headcanon’s. Because if I remember correctly you ship them? If not please ignore this.

Two questions actually

1: When do you think they went from arguing (derogatory) to bickering (affectionate)

2: What do you think happened after the war with them Book Verse v Movie Verse. (I only differentiate because a lot of people have different interpretations because of what happened with Effie book v movie)

I think the progression of Haymitch and Effie’s relationship from genuinely not being able to stand each other to making bedroom eyes at each other was a lot more gradual than what we saw as an audience. Like as readers, we only saw the last three years of the development of their relationship when they had YEARS of lore before that that we never saw. I’m sure when they first met, they were both a lot younger and Effie may not have even been an escort at that point. My guess is that they met when she was just working with the stylists, still learning the ropes, probably caught up in being a regular capitol young adult person, which probably hugely impacted their initial impressions of each other when they started having to mentor together, especially considering haymitch’s demeanor. That’s not to say Haymitch didn’t call her “sweetheart” in his Appalachian drawl just to see if he could make her blush through her makeup. Because he would, and she did. But also, for years and years before katniss and Peeta, Haymitch and Effie experienced the losses of their tributes as one. Katniss observed that each of them have different ways of coping with having to send two children to their imminent death year after year: Haymitch uses alcohol, and Effie lives in a hazy cloud of ignorance about what the games even really are, wrapping herself in the glamour and excitement leading up to the games and presumably tuning most of the event itself out. I think over the years, Haymitch and Effie certainly developed a mutual empathy for each other in this regard, because you can’t really blame someone for how they cope with unimaginable loss and suffering. But I think there was a shift in their dynamic around the time of katniss and Peetas first games, not only when they experienced the hope of having victors for the first time, but simultaneously becoming wrapped up in a rebellion. Effie was one of few constants in haymitch’s life and it is my personal belief that their feelings had been stirring for a long time but probably really took off on the victory tour. I’m sure there were nights where effie had a few too many and started sloppily confessing her feelings for Haymitch and the attendants on the train just looked the other way because it would NOT be a good look in the face of unrest and uprising to have a capitol employee fraternizing with a district citizen. But in that regard it was also 🎊forbidden🎊 which makes it so much better in my opinion. But I don’t think Haymitch would really have been able to admit his own feelings for Effie until learning she had been taken by the capitol, much like katniss wasn’t really able to know she loved peeta until he had been taken, too. And like I legitimately cannot imagine the torment Haymitch must have been experiencing at knowing someone who, on the surface, had such an innocent perception of the world being tortured for her association with him and his colleagues. I think Haymitch got home to 12 after the war, fairly soon after got a phone call, and, remembering his phone lines had been reconnected, knew exactly who was waiting on the other end of the line. And from then on it was game over. Or whatever. At least that’s how it is in my head.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Teen and Up Rated Fics Masterlist (73)

Part 1- Part 65 / Part 66 / Part 67 / Part 68 / Part 69 / Part 70 / Part 71 / Part 72 /

Created: July 5th, 2024

Last Checked:—-

Last Minute Christmas Shopping-Norberts_Mom (ao3) Summary: Best friends Katniss and Peeta brave the stores on Christmas Eve to find an elusive gift. Learn to fly-purple_cube (ao3) Summary: As a reminder to the rebels that even the bond of blood cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, male and female tributes will be reaped from the family lines of existing victors. Catching Fire AU. Love at Second Sight-Norberts_Mom (ao3) Summary: Katniss is mistaken for the fiancée of a coma patient and just goes with it. Make It Work-populardarling (ao3) Summary: He could never know her full identity; could never hear all her stories and rants about her personal life. If this date turned into anything more than a simple night out, their relationship would start on a huge lie. But she wanted him, she argued. So much was going wrong in her life that would it really be a bad thing to be a little selfish and go out on a date with him? Katniss is a witch trying to give up her magic when she meets a human that makes things a little bit difficult. Everlark meets Bewitched Manners of Sex Ed-populardarling (ao3) Summary: Effie Trinket decides to give Katniss and Peeta the Sex Talk. Katniss/Peeta, Effie/Haymitch More of a relapse-purple_cube (ao3) Summary: "The world may call it a second chance, but when I came back it was more of a relapse...I will come back to life, but only for you." Poisoning Pigeons-AtelierLili (MilkyStarComet) (ao3) Summary: "Could have done us all a favour and put her on stage first," I grunt, glaring at him as he hands me my drink back. "Your wailing could land you a cozy job in the gallows. Heard Snow's been trying to find new ways to torture people. I could even put in a good word for you." The bard laughs, "I think so too. But my girl is stage shy so I do what I can to make her comfortable." A bard and a hunter walk into a tavern. The lute is in need of tuning. roses love sunshine, violets love dew-adsofraser (ao3) Summary: Peeta is rescued along with Katniss from the Quarter Quell arena. They are able to grow together miles underground in District 13 as war in the districts rages on. Shadows and Granite-nonemoreblack (ao3) Summary: They meet under a full moon and he's not entirely sure she's real. He figures it's worth the risk to find out. Shadows Weeping-reclusiveflame (ao3) Summary: On the 10th anniversary of the Everdeen’s deaths, Katniss is alone and crying. With Prim being out of town, this day is more unbearable than past. The last person she expects to be there for her is her ex. Peeta Mellark.

[everlarkism]

You voted, I delivered! Just a small drabble of Katniss getting injured while hunting and Peeta takes care of her. Short and sweet, I apologize for my rusty writing, it’s been a while.

Katniss returned home with a few scrapes on her hands and a limp after a hunting session. Usually she had an animal with her, but not this time. She was on a trail with a lot of tree roots that were above ground, took one wrong step and tripped. Once inside, the bow was hung up on a rack and the quiver of arrows were resting against the wall.

“I’m home.” She exclaimed, walking into the living room and leaned into the doorway. Peeta was folding a page in his book and getting up to greet her.

He furrowed her brows, noticing Katniss had no game with her. “No luck?”

She sighs, shaking her head,”I fell. I could always go back out later.”

“Are you alright?” His voice is full of worry as he gently takes her hands into his own, but pulls away as he sees her wince. Katniss turned them over, revealing the small scrapes on them.

Already, the boy was heading to the bathroom for the first aid kit. “No way you’re going back out there, Katniss.”

“But-“

“No.”

Katniss sighs, carefully making her way over to the sofa and sitting down. Why did she even bother to argue? This girl could have a bruise, and Peeta would be worried like this - but that’s the thing she liked about him, he always cared for her. He just never wanted to see her hurt in any way possible.

He returned to the living room and crouched down, placing the first aid kit on the floor. “Do you think you fractured your ankle?” He asks, starting to remove her boot and sock.

“Peeta, I swear I’m fine.”

Her ankle was swollen and not bent at an odd angle, so it must’ve been a sprain - nothing more. He still ended up wrapping it with an elastic bandage so it could reduce the swelling at least. Once the foot injury was dealt with, he sat on the cushion next to Katniss and asked to see her hands. She laid them flat, palm upwards so he could examine. There ended up being splinters, which he carefully took out with a pair of tweezers and disinfected the scrapes then bandaged them up too.

“Didn't know you were a doctor and a baker.” Katniss teased, a smile forming on her face. “But thank you, Peeta.”

“Learned from the best.” He replied, packing away the equipment,”We take care of each other… It’s just what we do.”

“So, doc… What do you suggest now?”

“To rest.” Peeta gestures to her bandaged ankle,”You’re not hunting until that is healed, I’m afraid.”

“Are you saying you’re going to be the one to hunt?” She jokes.

“I’d never dare to take the Girl on Fire’s place.” He shook his head with a chuckle,”Now let’s get you to bed, hm?” Peeta stood and carefully picked Katniss up in his arms, bridal style.

[waywardangel-wilds]

hey, i love your writing!!! i wanted to see you write something about k&p complimenting each other's looks. like, katniss still has it since peeta said she's not "particularly pretty" and he has to reassure that he thinks she is the most beautiful woman alive etc thanks S2

Ask and you shall receive (I don't know where this came from):

I pulled the sweater on, running my fingers over my head to tame the static flyway's. I felt the distinct pressure of attention on the back of my skull, and with a smirk, I glanced over my shoulder.

"You're being such a creep right now."

"Am I?" Peeta replied from the other side of the closet. He didn't even pretend not to be staring at me. He just smiled shamelessly, standing there in his socks, boxers, and nightshirt, watching me as if he didn't see me every day. "You just look really pretty."

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the full-length mirror. "Okay," I said, braiding my hair with practiced ease. "If you say so."

"I do say so," he replied amusedly, going about the business of getting dressed for the day. I rolled my eyes, forgetting about the conversation as I assembled my list of tasks for the day. With my braid tied off, I started digging around the closet for my bag. I'd need something to carry the shopping back home with.

"Why do you always do that though?" Peeta asked, but my mind wasn't present, so he had to speak up again. "Katniss? Did you hear me?"

"Hm?" Aha, there it was. Why did I always have to throw it on the floor? "Did you say something?"

"I just asked you why you always roll your eyes when I say you look nice."

"I didn't roll my eyes," I refuted, wondering if we were going to end up having an argument over something.

"You know what I mean, you just always blow it off." he clarified, coming around to my side so he could smile in my direction. Okay not an argument then? "You look nice."

"Thanks," I said with a reluctant tone, rolling my eyes.

"See!" Peeta pointed at me. "Why do you do that?"

I gave him an unimpressed look. "Seriously? Can we just go?"

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged; sounding put out.

I sighed, "are you mad at me?"

"What? No," Peeta laughed. "Why would I be mad?"

"Then why are you trying to have a fight?" I was exasperated. "It's like you're looking for something to be mad about."

"I'm not mad!" Peeta insisted with another laugh, he looked very confused. "I was just asking."

I crossed my arms, "You're being serious?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Oh," I looked down sheepishly, feeling my cheeks warm with an embarrassed flush. "I don't know."

Peeta shook his head, he looked bewildered. "This is silly, let's just go."

"I just-- I don't know, I guess I don't buy it is all." I admitted with a shrug, turning towards the exit with embarrassment. Peeta stared at me with an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"You asked!" I tugged at the hem of my sweater. I felt twitchy and weird, like a fish out of water. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"I'm looking at you because you're not making sense," He ducked down to make an incredulous face at me. "Why are you hiding right now?"

"Ugh," I scoffed, pushing him away. "I'm leaving."

"Wait! I'm supposed to be driving you!"

"I'll just walk." I sneered over my shoulder. Well, we were arguing now. I strode across our bedroom and out onto the staircase, Peeta hot on my heels.

"So, what you're saying is that someway, somehow, you, Katniss Everdeen, the prettiest girl to ever come out of District Twelve, think you're not extremely hot?"

I shot him a look over my shoulder, not even bothering to acknowledge that insane statement. I headed for the foyer.

"If you're coming with me, I'm going to need you to shut up."

"One, hurtful." Peeta commented flippantly, lowering my hand when I gave him the finger. "Secondly, I'm just being honest."

I made a face and turned away to pull on my coat, "sure you are."

"Why would I lie?" Peeta asked as he shut the door behind us.

"Hey guys!" Peeta and I waved in reply to our next door neighbor. "I borrowed the wheelbarrow, if you don't mind?"

"That's fine!" I called back, Peeta flashed a thumbs up. I hopped down the stairs and went to yank on the door to Peeta's truck.

"Ah, ah, ah, I have the keys." Peeta waved them above my head. I tried to snatch them, but he just raised his arm higher. "Tell me why you're pissed all of a sudden."

"I'm not the one that's mad!" I insisted.

"And yet you're yelling at me, yikes." Peeta snickered, his free hand palm out to fend me off when I smacked him. "Okay, okay, you're not mad."

"I'm not." I agreed sullenly, crossing my arms. I sighed, realizing he really wasn't going to let it go. "Fine, if you want to know that badly, I know I'm not particularly pretty, or nice, or tall because someone told me."

"Why does that sound so familiar?" Peeta frowned, the realization slowly dawning on him. "Oh, oh no Katniss."

"Yeah ."

"You're being unfair," He frowned at me, going around me to put his key in the door. "You know that," he said, sliding into the drivers side.

I was taken aback, "so you're not going to apologize?"

Peeta leaned an elbow against the open window, "are you actually mad about that or are you using it as an excuse? Because if you really hadn't forgiven me for that you would have said something I'm guessing... six years ago."

I scoffed, rounding the car to climb into the passanger side. "Drive."

"Ouch, seems like I forgot how to do that." He leaned back on his seat dramatically. "I guess we just have to wait until my girlfriend starts being nice to me again."

I tried to glare at him but it was hard to keep the angry thing going when he was so clearly trying not to laugh. I groaned.

"Fine, I don't know. I'm just," I made a face moving my hands around to try to get the message across. "You know?"

"I really don't." He crossed his arms leaning towards me over the gear shift. "You seriously think you're ugly?"

"I," I briefly struggled to string a sentence together. "I guess? Just look at me. I could accept average, I think, on a good day."

He raised his eyebrows, "Wow."

"That's all you're going to say to me?"

"Wow, you're blind." He leaned closer to me, invading my personal space. "Blind."

"Can we go now," I gently pushed him away. "Please? I-just. I think Wendel is staring."

Peeta glanced out of the windshield, making a face as he put his key in the ignition. "Damn, I miss when we were the hermits of the District. Those were the days."

"Everyone thought we were deranged," I said dryly.

"But the privacy couldn't be beat." He turned to look out the rear as he pulled away from the house. Victor's Village hadn't originally been built with the intention of holding a car, let alone Peeta's massive truck, so he had to park in the yard and drive past the fancy wrought iron gate.

"We're not letting this go, just so you know." He said after he got the car on the road. "I'm just trying to keep all the neighbor kids alive."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Good thing I can talk for the both of us," he waved at an approaching figure. "Hi Mrs. McAlister! Lovely weather we're having. I'd love to stay and chat, but Katniss and I have to get going. Oh! Okay!" He laughed at Mrs. McAlister's usual joke. "Okay, see you!"

"You could roll the window up, you know." I said bitterly for no reason.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that because I'm a very nice man." Peeta retorted. "And because we're in the middle of a self-image issue."

"Ugh, you sound like my mother." I cringed thinking about her new 'therapy is the way' approach to life.

"Wha-" Peeta glanced at me with his mouth open, shaking with laughter. "Oh, by the odds, I try to tell you you're beautiful and you tell me I'm a middle aged woman. Where's the love? The poetry? You used to think I was the coolest thing that ever happened to you."

"I never thought that, you're delusional." I accepted the searching hand he placed on my lap, intertwining our fingers. "But thank you for saying that."

"I'm not just saying it, though." He leaned forward to look for an opening before he pulled onto the main road. "I'm being so deadly serious, Katniss. I think you're beautiful because you are."

"Peeta-"

"You have these eyes," he interrupted. "They're so intense. Like smoke. Sometimes, when you look at me it feels like.. God, it feels like fire. Like I'm going to die if I can't be near you."

I slammed my mouth shut, suddenly very interested in his new line of thought.

"You know, for a long time there I thought you couldn't get more beautiful than you already were. You were so serious back then, always frowning, like you were thinking about the hard stuff all the time. But then your smile. Katniss, I love your smile." He smiled at me then, before turning back to the road. "You have these funny uneven teeth, and on anyone else they'd look out of place, but on you? They're perfect."

"You like my buck teeth?"

"I love your little rabbit teeth," he said with a laugh. "And your hair? You have no idea how obsessed I am with you hair. I used to wait for you to fall asleep so I could smell it. It made me feel like a creep."

I laughed, "I knew about the hair."

"And you haven't left me? Wow, you must really like me."

"Just a bit," I agreed leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"Oh, I'm not done. I could write poetry about the curve of your nose. And your hands, even your lips. And we haven't even gotten to the dirty stuff yet. I think I actually did write something about how much I love your boobs once. It's in an old sketchbook somewhere."

I laughed, "I love you, dummy."

"Love you too." He honked. "Hey! Are you blind? Get outta the road!"

[kit-kat-katie]

At dusk, the nightmares and monsters start to play

A/N: two fics (barely) in a month??? haven't done this since September (god it's been a long three months, thank you all for bearing with me through the end of the year). hope everyone has had a good holiday season and is looking forward to the new year! (there's gonna be more action in the next part, this is the set up dw 🫶)

as a future heads-up, most of the chapters will be smaller in size so I can have the time to complete one a month while I'm working on school work. I'm aiming for 1.5-2k words a chapter, but there may be more depending on what I have due at that time.

TW: medical trauma, trauma in general, sad vibes, reader has a knee injury

Pairing: Finnick x GN! Reader (romantic)

Summary: You pay Katniss a visit in the infirmary, only to find that she's more remorseful than revenge-filled, which is a good sign for your other knee. Afterwards, you seek your room and find a comforting memory there, along with Finnick.

(<- Previous Part | Next Part -> | Series Masterlist)

Nightmares.

That was something you had grown to live with, as a victor of the Hunger Games. Your mentors had your back when it came to the nightmares, at first - all you saw when you went to sleep were the dead tributes that you had killed or seen killed. Why were you the one to live, out of all of them?

You were hesitate to approach Katniss after she had a bad nightmare and ran off - she was probably one of the last people that wanted to see you. The last time she saw you, she put an arrow into your knee that gave you the cane and limp that you’re known for in District 13.

Although you tried to tell Haymitch it wasn’t a good idea, he insisted.

“What harm could it cause you to see her?” Haymitch asks before his eyes land on your cane. “…that doesn’t count, Sunny.”

“You’re lucky I still like both of you after that happened.” You vaguely gesture to your knee before grabbing your cane and standing up. “I’ll go find her when she needs me.”

You were sure that Katniss didn’t trust you, but you were positive that she trusted the nurses around you even less. You couldn’t blame her - you were the exact same way. President Snow had insisted that his victors were in the best shape possible, so you had to go to routine doctor’s visits. The prodding and poking was enough to drive anyone nuts, but the vague memory of needles and surgeries sends a shudder down your back as you quicken your pace.

It’s better if she kills me than some poor nurse or doctor.

~

Once you approach the hospital ward, you slowly make your way to Katniss’s room. You peak inside her room to see her sitting up in bed with a younger girl brushing her hair.

You lightly knock, as to not startle the two girls, before making your way into the room.

“Sorry about your knee.” Katniss grumbles as you collapse into a nearby chair and let out an exhausted sigh.

“It’s okay. I probably would’ve done a lot worse in your scenario.” You shrug before leaning your cane against the hospital bed.

“It’s not okay-“ She tries to argue, but you aren’t having any of it.

“What’s done is done, and I have to live with the consequences. You should save your care for a much more worthy cause.” You see her fidgeting with the pearl that Peeta gave her. “We’ll get him back, I promise.”

“They won’t want to.”

“Does it matter what they want? You have more power than you think, Katniss.” The girl behind Katniss starts to look familiar as your eyes glance between the two girls. “You’re Primrose Everdeen, right?”

The girl doesn’t say anything until Katniss lightly bumps her shoulder.

“I am.” She quietly answers while continuing to brush Katniss’s hair.

The three of you linger in the room with contemplative silence before a man comes to bring Katniss to President Coin and Plutarch.

Primrose sets the hairbrush aside as you fetch your cane from the side of the bed.

“Those are nurse scrubs, right?” You ask as you grab the bed’s railing in order to get onto your feet.

“I’m trying to help out, as much as I can.” She answers before starting to make the hospital bed.

“If you’re anything like your sister, you’ll be a great nurse.” You offer her a warm smile that she quickly replicates.

Perhaps the future isn’t as messed up as I thought it was.

~

You return to the living quarters side of District 13, only to be bombarded by a few small children. The younger kids always ran up to you when they hear the click click click of your cane hitting the floor, as you often had squirreled away treats or extra bits of food from meals. You were willing to share, so you offered them a few small candies that you had snatched from the front desk of the hospital ward.

“Don’t give yourselves a stomach ache,” You warn them with a wagging finger, “otherwise, you’ll end up back there.”

The kids promise to be careful before running off, and you continue your journey back to your room. You had been discharged from the hospital ward, after your strong insistence that you were fine, which you were, but you had to have daily check-ups to make sure that your knee was alright.

You had the appointments in the morning - it wasn’t like you were getting any sleep, anyways - but your progress continued to be positive. You weren’t going to be in fighting shape for a long time, and you might limp for the rest of your life, but the cane may get to be retired in another week or two.

Your bed can’t be found soon enough, and when you do find it, you set your cane on the ground before laying down on the bed. 

You had given so much effort into your capital duties - being a “model citizen”, doing exactly as President Snow asked - but you had never been as tired as you were now. The simple act of movement left you exhausted, the injury be damned, and all you wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep.

You couldn’t. Although you weren’t physically strong, your determination to keep going kept you mentally well. You had to be strong, you had to be sunny, for the District 12 children, for Katniss, and for Finnick.

Finnick had a rough adjustment to life in District 13, due to the absence of Mags and Annie as well as your injury. Despite being drugged up, once he heard that you were going under for surgery, he knocked out two guards and nearly stabbed a third with a pair of scissors before Haymitch pulled him off of the guard. Finnick had stayed by your side for days after he had been discharged and you were recovering. 

He didn’t leave your side after you were discharged from the hospital wing. He was the one who helped you back onto your feet and he encouraged you to keep going, even when you felt like giving up. 

Finnick was quiet when you weren’t around, however. He would lock himself in his room for hours, only coming out to talk with Haymitch or to get the next meal. He was never like that with you - his smile was never so bright as he carefully embraced you. The two of you would talk for hours about anything and everything - it reminded you of your days back in the Victor’s Village in District 4.

Cooking for four was a learned habit of yours - you didn’t want Mags to have to cook or eat alone, Annie struggled to take care of herself, and Finnick was so busy that he didn’t often have the time to have good meals. 

You quickly distributed the food into four different containers. Two went straight into your refrigerator - Finnick would be home late on a flight from the Capitol, so you wanted to have dinner with him. You sealed up the other two meals, placed them into a small satchel, and began your trip to Mags’ house.

She warmly welcomed you in before putting a kettle on. You handed her the meal, which she took with a gracious smile. Mags grabbed two forks out of her silverware drawer, and you took one of them before joining her in the dining room.

You couldn’t stay long, as you had another meal to deliver, but you did enjoy a nice glass of tea and a few bites of food. With Mags waving you off, you ventured across the way to Annie’s home.

You softly knock on the door, as to not startle her, before the door slams open. Annie appears while rapidly wiping the tears off of her face. She tries to speak, but you shake her head before handing her the food.

“Don’t worry about getting the container back, I have plenty.” You gently reassure her as she nods before shakily closing the door.

With a soft breath, you go back to your own house to enjoy a bit of well-earned peace and quiet. A couple hours go by before someone knocks on your door.

You open the door, only to see Finnick standing there, all dressed up in Capital wear. Despite everything he’s wearing, he still is your charming, very attractive mentor.

“Are you in the mood for company?” He asks with an irresistible smile.

“You’re lucky I made extras, pretty boy.” You tease before letting him in.

“Sunny?”

You sit up at the sound of his voice, albeit slowly so you don’t injury yourself.

“Finnick!” You break out of your thoughts to greet him as you gesture for him to sit next to you on your bed.

“Are you alright?” His eyebrows scrunch as he inspects you for injuries before gently sitting next to you.

His hand finds yours, and your fingers intertwine as you softly kiss his cheek.

“I’m good, I promise. Haymitch wanted me to see Katniss in the hospital ward.”

“She didn’t have a bow and arrow this time, right?” A teasing smile rests on his face as you lightly shove him away.

“Very funny, Finnick.” You roll your eyes before looking over at him. “How are you doing?”

“Better now that I’m with you, honey.” He leans in to kiss you, and you indulge him in one kiss before locking eyes with him.

He lies to you about how he feels at times. You know it’s because he doesn’t want you to worry, but you end up worrying more because of it. This time, you only see merriment and a twinkle of mischief in his eyes as he looks at you.

That’s Finnick being Finnick.

“Isn’t it almost meal time?” You ask before grabbing your cane.

“It’s getting close, but we should get going if we want to make it there on time.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” You poke Finnick with the bottom of your cane as he happily laughs.

You rest your head on his shoulder as you enjoy this moment of tranquility and happiness. You don’t know what tomorrow’s going to look like, but you can only hope that it’ll be just as good, if not better, than today.

tagging ->  @yokolesbianism , @avoxrising, @honethatty12, @sweetybuzz25, @catvader101, @sollum, @emerald-valkyrie, @randomgurl2326, @caitsymichelle13, @bcbci, @iris1587 (send a request or comment on this fic to be added to the taglist!)

[xetlynn]

The Hunger Games- The Protector: Chapter Three, The Interview

(Peeta Mellark x Reader)

[two] [three] [four]

"Throw the metal thing over there." I nudge Peeta. He gives me a dirty look.

"What? No. Haymitch said we're not supposed to show our skills." He argues with me, I roll my eyes.

"Those guys are looking at you like you're a meal, throw it." I ignore what he said about Haymitch. The blond glances over to the guys, defeated he does as I say.

I see the Careers grow impressed and I walk away with a tiny smirk. If anything Peeta can ally up with them, make it far in the Games.

I walk away, going to the spears. I probably shouldn't but I need to see what I'm possibly working with. I picked it up. It was hefty, obviously better than anything I've ever had hunting with Gale and Katniss.

I swing it around, stabbing the air. It wasn't something I wanted to work with. I placed it back moving along to the other weapons. The knives were nice, easy to throw. I'll have to make sure I get a few in the Game.

I bite the inside of my cheek, walking around, observing the others and how they fight.

Districts 1 and 2 being slight show offs. Not surprising though.

I spot Peeta in the camouflage station, raising a brow as I walk over to him. "Hi." I speak up. "Hey." He mutters, doing some final touches.

"How did you do that?" I ask him, admiring the work. "I uhh, I used to decorate cakes down at the bakery. I'll show you." He goes next to the tree, showing how similar it is. "See?"

"Wow, that's amazing." I compliment him. "Yeah, thanks. Hey, I think you have a shadow." He directs my focus over to the little girl from 11, who I found out is named Rue. She hides behind a pillar.

I give her a small wave. I don't know how anyone could kill her. The thought brings me back to the whole point of why we're here. My chest tightens.

"Tomorrow they'll bring you in one by one and evaluate you. This is important because higher ratings will mean sponsors. This is the time to show them everything. There'll be a bow, make sure you use it-"

"Haymitch, I told you I'm not the best with a bow." I stop him, he sighs and looks at me. "Peeta said otherwise yesterday, just try, sweetheart." He then continues on with what he was talking about as I slump down.

"Peeta, you make sure to show your strength. They'll start with District 1 so the two of you will go last. I don't know how else to put this. Make sure they remember you." He instructs us. The two of us look at each other then back to our mentor. Nodding to let him know we understand.

We've now been waiting in the Training Center for our evaluation. It's been a while and while each person goes in I wonder what they showed them.

How will I compete against any of them? Would I even want a high score? If I get a high score that means that the rest of the districts are going to target me as being lethal.

Wanting to get me first. But if I get too low that shows me as weak, they might want to get my kill over with but that also means I can act weak and they won't know my true strengths. Less sponsors as well. I need the sponsors though. I'll just listen to Haymitch...

"[Name] Everdeen." The caller announces my name and my breathing hitches in my throat.

Immediately I feel like I'm going to throw up as I stand up. "Hey, [Name]. You got this. Shoot straight." He encourages me, I nod my head as I enter the room where the Gamemakers have been. I observe them, they're obviously bored.

I grab a bow and arrow.

"[Name] Everdeen. District 12." I announce myself, getting into position. I pull the arrow back then release but I miss the center.

I hear the Gamemakers laugh, turning away from me. I grab another arrow hitting the center then another that hits the other one, splitting it right in the middle.

When I faced the men above me nobody was paying attention. I breathe heavily, the adrenaline in my body coming out. I notice the roast pig on their table. An apple in its mouth.

I think about Katniss. How she taught me to aim for the squirrel's eyes. How she told me I was getting better and better.

How I knew if she was in my spot she would because sometimes she makes reckless decisions. But it's okay because I was there to protect her. If I do this though, who would be there to protect me?

"Hey, hey, who ordered this pig?" Seneca Crane questions the other men as they begin to crowd it and I knew this is the one chance I had to do something reckless.

Without giving much thought I quickly pulled the arrow back and shot the apple. The Gamemakers stare at me in shock.

I take a bow, "thank you for your consideration." I place the bow and arrows back. Leaving the room.

Oh god, why did I actually do it? How stupid am I? My family could get hurt. Prim, Katniss, Zayden. Oh god, oh god.

I ran to a trash can as the adrenaline left my body and so did the food I ate this morning.

"Hey, what happened?" A voice asks me after I finish throwing up. I lean my arms against the sides.

"Haymitch?" I mutter out. "It's me. Why are you throwing up." He helps me stand up correctly. "I did something so stupid." I hide my face in my hands. We begin to walk away so no one can hear what I did.

I explain how I missed the first shot and when I did the second and third they weren't paying attention, I got mad so I shot the apple. He was quiet the whole time I spoke. But when I was done he began to laugh. I furrowed my brows. "What's funny about that? They could hurt my family." I exclaim.

"[Name], they would've told you that. They let you walk out. That's nice shooting." He nudges me and I roll my eyes. "I can't believe I missed the first one." I frowned.

"Are you crazy?" Effie yells at me, pacing back and forth. "I just got mad." I mumble. "Mad? You realize that your actions reflect badly on all of us. Not just you." She tells me but Cinna steps in. "They just want a good show. It's fine." He assures her.

"How about it's just bad manners, Cinna! How about that?" Effie huffs. Haymitch walks downstairs to meet where we all are.

"Well, finally! I hope you noticed we have a serious situation." She seems glad the blond is there, not knowing we already talked about this and it seems he wants to feed in her frustration, acting as if he wasn't there to console me earlier.

"Nice shooting, sweetheart. What did they do when you shot the apple?" He smirks, joining me on the couch. "They looked pretty startled." I tell them.

"Oh? Now, what did you say, "thanks for...?" He laughs. "Your consideration." I joined him.

"Genius! Genius." He claps his hands and then points at me.

"I don't think we're gonna find this funny if the Gamemakers decide to take it out..." Effie's sentence quiets down.

"On who? On her? On him? I think they already have. Loosen your corset, have a drink. I would have given anything to see it." Haymitch tells her in all seriousness.

The television turns on, cutting off our conversation. Caesar Flickerman pops up on the screen.

"As you know the Tributes were rated on a scale of 1 to 12 after three days of careful evaluation. The Gamemakers would like to acknowledge... From district 1, Marvel with a score of 9. Cato with a score of 10, Clove with a score of 10." And so on and so on. The only one I really paid attention to is Rue, she got a pretty high score for her age, it being 7. Then it gets to 12.

"From District 12, Peeta Mellark with a score of 8." Caesar's voice says.

"Peeta!" Effie says excitedly.

"Bravo." Haymitch nods his head to the blond.

"That's great Peeta." I tell him.

"And finally," I sit up straighter. "From district 12, [Name] Everdeen, with a score of... 11." My jaw drops.

"[Name]!" Portia, Peeta's stylist exclaims.

"Outstanding." Cinna says. Effie lets out a whoops.

"Congratulations." Peeta smiles and I thank him.

"I thought they hated me." I let out a breath I didn't think I was holding.

"They must have liked your guts."

"To [Name], the protector from district 12!" Cinna pulls me into his arms.

That's the nickname I got from the Capitol and Caesar Flickman. Being a protector of my cousins. Also showing clips of me in the Training Center when I did small things for Peeta. A little excessive but if it helps me get sponsors.

"She's staring at all my jewels. She cannot take her eyes off them. Frankly it was rude." Portia was complaining about some lady, it was getting annoying listening to these people's problems while in my district we're struggling to even live. These people complain about how a color is out of place somewhere.

"Oh, Haymitch. You should join us. We're having some of your favorite dinner." Effie waves over the drunk man, I tilt my head to the side. Wondering why Effie knows that.

"Oh, lovely." Haymitch hums, joining us at the table. "Where's Peeta?" I ask.

"He's in his room. Now listen. Tomorrow's the last day. And they let us work our own tributes right before the Games so you and I will be going down at 9." He explains to me.

"What about Peeta?" I question, not understanding why we're talking without him.

"He says he wants to be trained on his own from now on." He tells me, I felt my heart sink a little bit. Separate? It was just getting easier knowing I had him by my side.

At least making it a little farther in the games. Maybe even survive off of each other. Even though at the end it would be inevitable to fight we could've let nature take its course. I don't know.

That's dumb to even think. He's probably right about making it separate. Not having us depend on each other and get too emotionally attached to die at the end.

"I don't understand... I mean I do. Only one winner in the end." I try to force out a smile.

"We should have chocolate covered strawberries." Effie switches the subject once the atmosphere gets too serious. I was a little grateful.

"Oh my, yes." Portia claps. "Please." Cinna digs in as well. I sit there silently, thinking about Peeta. I shouldn't have been so nice these past few days.

"Thank you! Thank you! Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome to the 74th annual Hunger Games! Now in 5 minutes, they're all going to be out here. All of the Tributes that you've heard about. Are you excited? Let me hear it!" Caesar Flickerman announces and I look up to Cinna with wide eyes.

"Amazing." He says in a hushed voice, admiring his work. "I don't feel amazing." I hold myself.

"Don't you know how beautiful you look?" He asks with a smile.

"I mean I am sure I am because of you. But I just have this feeling that no one is going to like me, what if I mess up? Say the wrong thing?" I begin to panic, holding my chest now.

"You made me like you. You're a natural with people." He attempts to assure me but I shake my head.

"Out there I have to... try..." I slump my shoulders. I'm just glad I'm the last district because I'm not ready to go out there.

"[Name], you don't have to try as hard as you think. I'll be there the whole time. Pretend that you're talking to me, okay?" He places a hand on my shoulder. I think about it before nodding my head. "Okay."

I glanced in the mirror in front of me, I wore gold makeup, red blush that would make you think I was sunburnt.

My dress was black with gold shimmers around the neckline and then at the bottom. If I twirled it the bottom would ignite in flames. It was beautiful.

"From District 12, you know her as the Protector, and girl on fire! Well, we know her as the lovely [Name] Everdeen!" Caesar shouts and I walk across the stage, it was larger than I thought it was going to be.

I waved to the crowd, forcing a large grin on my face. Thinking about happy moments back home to make it more genuine.

"Welcome! Welcome. Well, that was quite an entrance you made the other day." He says and I nod my head.

"I know it was very electrifying. Feeling everyone's excitement about our outfits." I try not to seem like I was out of breath due to my anxiety. "And being on fire I mean, I was worried somehow due the adrenaline I wasn't feeling the burn." I chuckle as he seems to force out this laugh kind of surprising me.

"When you came out of that chariot, I have to say my heart stopped. Did  any of you experience this as well? My heart stopped." He asks the crowd who agree with him. "So did mine."

"Now, tell me about the flames. Were they real?" He switches to the next question. I look over to Cinna who nods his head.

"Yes, I'm wearing them today. Would you like to see?" I ask. "Wait, wait, wait. Is it safe?" He nervously laughs. "Of course."

"What do you think, folks?" The crowd screams in response.

"Ha ha ha, I think that's a yes!" The both of us stand up, his off to the side. I go away from the chairs and begin to twirl around, the flames coming out. I hear the crowd cheer so I start to slow down but in heels it's a little difficult. Caesar helps me balance.

"Woah, steady! Lovely, thank you. That was really something. Thank you for that." He says as we sit back down.

"I have one more question for you. It's about your cousins. You seem to have some protector energy. We were all very moved. I think, when you volunteered for her at the Reaping. Did they come say goodbye to you?" He asks, my chest tightens thinking about them. I take a breath before speaking.

"Yes, they did."

"They did, and what did you say to them in the end?" He quizzes, I look to Cinna again. I didn't want to tell him something so personal and vulnerable but with Cinna. I can so I need to focus on him.

"I told them that I would try to win. That I will give my all to come back home to them." I say .

"Of course you did. And try you will. Ladies and gentlemen, from District 12, [Name] Everdeen, The Protector!" I wave them goodbye, hurriedly but in the same slowly leaving the stage.

"You did it, darling. That was incredible." Effie pulls me towards her. "Thank you." I give a polite smile.

"Nice job, sweetheart." Haymitch tells me. "Thank you." I repeat. "Nice dress, too." He then whispers to Effie. "Not yours."

"Please welcome, Peeta Mellark! Peeta, welcome. How are you finding the Capitol? Don't say "with a map." Caesar laughs.

"It's different. Very different from back home." Peeta answers. "Different? In what way? Give us an example." The host questions, looking very interested. "Uh okay, well, the showers here are weird."

"The showers?" He's surprised by the boy's answer. "Yes."

"Do we have different showers?" Caesar asks, looking at the crowd who are shocked as well. "I have a question for you, Caesar. Do I smell like roses to you? Take a whiff." Peeta scoots closer to Caesar who's hesitant. "Um, alright?"

"Hmm... yes. Do I smell like it?" I fold my arms, feeling a little cold as I listen to this. Watching on one of the screens.

"You definitely smell better than I do." The crowd's laughs make me a little self conscious about my interview now. Feeling like I bombed it. "Well, I've lived here longer." Caesar points out. "That makes sense."

"Very funny. So, Peeta tell me. Is there a special girl back home?" He grows serious asking this question as if it was very important to him.

"No. No, not really." Peeta shakes his head. "No? I don't believe it for a second. Look at that face. Handsome man like you. Peeta... tell me." Caesar denies what he's been told, so shocked about it. I step a bit closer to the screen.

"Well, there is this one girl that I've had a crush on forever now." He says, the crowd all "awes"

"But I don't think she actually recognized me until the Reaping."

"Well, I'll tell you what, Peeta. You go out there and you win this thing, and when you get home, she'll have to go out with you." Caesar advises him.

"Thanks, but, I don't think winnings gonna help me at all." The three stylists behind me feel for him as I just stare at the screen. "Why not?"

"Because she came here with me." Peeta says and I feel like my world just got dizzy. How... How could he say that? Use that in something like this? I look back to Haymitch who has his hands up defensively.

"Well, that's bad luck." Caesar frowns. "Yeah it is." Peeta agrees. "And I wish you all the best of luck." Caesar tells him.

Peeta thanks him, he leaves the stage and I go up to him.

"What the hell, Peeta? Why lie and put me into it!?" I pin him against the wall.

"You say you want to train alone, I understand that but then you drag me into some love story that's not even real!? What if I had feelings for you as well? Huh? You put it out there during our last days! And not even to my face!" I angrily shout in his face.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Haymitch pulls me away from him. "No! I want to know!" I scream.

"He did you a favor." Haymitch tells me and I huff. "He did something stupid. I don't care if it helps. I should've known beforehand if that's the play we're using." I glare at my mentor who sighs.

"It helps that you didn't know. You could've slipped up. You seem to be very anxious even under all that pride. He made you look desirable, sweetheart." He explained to me but I just scoffed.

"He's right, [Name]." Cinna jumps into the conversation.

"Of course I'm right. Now I can sell the star crossed lovers from District 12." Haymitch smirks. "We are not star crossed lovers." I argue.

"It's a television show! And being in love with that boy might just get you sponsors, which could save your damn life. Ok. Why don't you get out of here. Maybe I can deliver you both in one piece tomorrow." Haymitch points out of here. Peeta already left with his stylist. I shake my head in disbelief.

"Manners." I hear Effie whisper as I walk away.

Masterlist

P.M. ML

Taglist: if you want to be added lmk!