#katniss chose her happy ending

[lemonluvgirl]

Anybody who says Katniss was bullied into marriage and having children either, A.) Doesn't know Katniss Everdeen, and therefore did NOT read the books, or B.) They have completely misinterpreted the entire message of The Hunger Games series and are incapable of seeing the bigger picture.

Which is that Katniss never wanted to be anything more than free. She just wanted to take care of her family and live her life freely. All these people harping on her for getting married and having babies forget that Katniss made her vow not to marry as a reaction to her father's death and her mother's abandonment.

That decision and almost all of her subsequent decisions in the books up until the end of Mockingjay regarding love and marriage revolve around fear.

The message of the Hunger Games when it comes to love is not that there is nothing to fear about falling in love or getting attached to people. All through the series its proved time and again that love and emotional attachment is costly. Because everytime Katniss allows herself to get close to someone they get hurt.

But what Katniss learns is that love and caring for others cannot be avoided completely. It's part of the human experience that cannot be denied unless you want to end up like President Snow, emotionally dead inside, caring only about yourself and what people can do for you. And avoiding/running away from human connection is often just as painful as losing it. And it is detrimental to people.

Katniss loses her sister in the war and almost loses herself because feels she failed at protecting the people she cared for. Everyone from Prim, to Rue, to Cinna, Squad 451, Finnick, and Peeta. She is barely alive and barely hanging onto her sanity after the war.

The thing that brings her back to life is Peeta moving back to District 12. His return is the sign that she can rebuild her life after losing nearly everything.

Because Peeta too, lost nearly everything including his own mind. But he fought hard to reclaim his memories and his mental health. He helps Katniss recover from the mental and emotional toll the war and everything that came before.

Because at the foundation of their relationship is their enduring promise to keep each other alive, to protect each other, and it goes so much deeper than romance or sex and whatnot.

They've been through hell and back many times and know each other inside out. When they fall back in love it's not because they feel pressured, but because they finally feel free to do so. It's just them and Haymitch in the Victors village and they know they don't have to put on an act for him, or anyone really.

Their relationship is finally allowed to take it's natural course, which Katniss clearly states was inevitable.

This would have happened anyway people.

And when she decides to have children she is afraid at first. From personal experience I can tell you it's terrifying, the idea of bringing new life into the world. It's a feeling of responsibility that never gets easier or ever really goes away. But the joy of allowing yourself to love and be loved in return is incomparable.

Not every heroine needs to get married and have babies, I will admit. But for Katniss it closes out her character arc perfectly.

She fights so hard, and loses so much, but ultimately rebuilds and faces her deepest fears. She doesn't let her loses define her. She believes her life can be good again. And then she makes it good again. One day at a time.

Which is a lesson to all of us about the endurance of the human spirit and about how female characters are allowed to find happiness and contentment in whatever form they chose. Flower dresses and chubby newborns and all.

[targaryenluvs]

Idk if you are taking requests currently, but if you are…

Could you write a similar fic to our little dove, where Coriolanus doesn’t kill Lucy. I would’ve loved to see more of them arguing over who gets to spend time with the reader, and all three of them spending time together.

Or maybe a different ending where Lucy takes reader to pick up katniss with her. And whilst Coriolanus is in the cabin lucy convinces reader to run away with her… but Coriolanus finds both of them and takes them to the Capitol with him.

OUR LITTLE DOVE,, ALT ENDING

pairings: dark!lucy gray x fem!reader, dark!coriolanus snow x fem!reader, coriolanus snow x lucy gray

summary: you reunite with your dear songbird after the games, but it seems the capitol has followed her home, and taken an interest in the two of you. but it seems lucy gray is willing to share you with a certain peacekeeper, even if you aren’t.

a/n: here’s for all who wanted a different ending! the full fic is here ( our little dove )this is just a detour for everyone who wasn’t happy with the ending! DONT READ IF YOU HAVENT READ THE FULL FIC!!!

the trek back to town had you dying. it usually didn’t take so long but with coriolanus’s arm practically glued to you, the sun beating down on your trio and your dress sticking to you? fainting seemed very fun right now.

the entire routine was rushed, food stashed, no goodbyes to your family nor friends, just lucy and coriolanus wanting you on the train asap. they’d sprung their plan of going back to the captiol on you quite abruptly once you reached town but at this point you had no hope in your body of escaping them. so you obliged and followed like a lost puppy.

being in the capitol was worse.

you were completely and utterly alone. coriolanus was busy running the country, lucy was always working and you always seemed to be stuck on your windowsill. staring out onto the streets as the world passed you by. stuck in a prison of marble and luxury.

at first you had to endure lucy and coriolanus’s never ending arguing, always over you. when you still had an inkling of freedom. “are you kidding me? you chose what she wore yesterday lucy. will you just back the fuck off?” lucy’s jaw was dropped open, “excuse me? she was my-” coriolanus’s head tilted back as he dragged his hands over his face, “oh my god how many times are you going to use that? who the hell got her here huh? who provides for all of us? sure as hell not you. now don’t make this any harder. she’s wearing the red dress.” you sat there the whole time, just waiting for someone to notice you.

it always led back to you. but apparently kidnapping you and uprooting your life wasn’t enough since after time the duo fed off of eachother, delusions enlarging. seemingly everyone was out to get you, be with you, but you were theirs. coriolanus wasn’t president long enough yet to go around killing people without raising suspicion and alert towards him and as much as people did respect him, he couldn’t exactly go around killing everyone who looked at you and lucy even if he wished to. so he settled for the next best thing. keeping you away from them, out of reach.

and here you ended up, alone.

you had everything you’d ever dreamed of yet it all meant nothing. you were a shell of your old self and the two of them knew it. but all they cared was that you were with them. whisperings of the president having two lovers were imminent, lucy gray the victor, and the other. the unknown. and you weren’t sure if they’d ever know you. if anyone knew who you were, what you looked like let alone your name. even the staff of your prison did what was necessary, nothing more nor less. food, water, changed bedsheets and drawn baths was all the interaction you had with people that weren’t corio nor lucy.

you wanted to die, anything was better than living the same day over and over. the little flickers of hope came in the form of broken promises whispered during the dark nights, barely heard over the heaving breaths originating from yourself and the other two. promises of people, of the sun and temporary escape from here. but you’d learnt not to believe them.

“sweetheart, it’s not good for you to sit there all day. come, eat.” coriolanus asked demanded from the doorway of your library. the book at your feet long forgotten. coriolanus led you to the dining room where lucy was already eating. “there you are baby. somethin’ wrong?” lucy’s eyebrows were creasing as she took you in, empty eyes, emotionless face, slumped shoulders. you were nothing like the girl from twelve.

y/n l/n. sweetheart to almost everyone. a smile on her face as she went about her day. opening up to people and allowing others to lean on her. making sure her friends were okay when she noticed the slightest shift in feelings. always the lover. the carer.

but the girl who stood in front of her was so different and it broke her heart.

but she knew if she wanted to repair you she’d have to let you go. and as the three of you cuddled together in bed, your soft breaths lulling coriolanus and herself to sleep, she knew it was worth it, as long as you were here.

how selfish! she thought, but at the end of the day.

you’re our little dove.

[onlymollygibson]

The og Hunger Games book gives this sense of, "Just because you have the things I've longed for my whole life, doesn't mean you're in a good situation." The Seam kids see the Merchant kids and think, "their lives are so much better than ours, they must be happy." And throughout the book, you (and Katniss) realize that life is difficult for the merchants too. And while went to bed hungry, she never went to be afraid of either of her parents. It's am important coming of age lesson.

Meanwhile Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells us that just because a character has problems, doesn't mean they're going to make the right choices. Having a hard life isnt a moral examption. If anything, the tragedy of bosas is that Coriolanus had the chance to see the district people as people and learn compassion and treat them well, but instead he doubled down on all the crimes of the capitol. He was given every opportunity to learn and yet he chose wrong in the end.

[panlight]

I.e. Bella not suffering any consequences: what I find even more annoying is that Meyer makes such a big stink about the books being about choice but only BELLA gets any big choices. Every other member of the Cullens was forcefully turned, either entirely against their will (Carlisle, Jasper) or to save their life (Alice, Edward, Emmett, Esme, Rose). Every shifter is forcefully turned due to the vampires; not even Jacob chose it in the end and actively fought against it. Imprinting is forced. Don't get me started on Leah. And even if Nessie wants Jacob in her life, the book heavily implies that she wouldn't have a choice either way. Also, she has to stay with her family because she'll never look old enough, isn't as invulnerable, etc. Literally only Bella has any choice over life-changing decisions (even Edward claims that he never had a choice in loving Bella). Bella chooses Edward (actively endangering herself and others), chooses to be a vampire (supposedly an evil, immoral life endangering others), chooses to give birth to Nessie (possibly an inhuman killing machine while endangering herself and others), and so on. And instead of ANY consequences AT ALL for what appear to be TERRIBLE choices (based on every single book except the back half of BD), she's ALSO the only one who gets pretty much everything she ever wanted while everyone else has to live with whatever crumbs of happiness they can eke out. It's infuriating if you care about anyone AT ALL other than Bella.

Totally agree! It's always been amusing to me that SM says the books are about choice. The apple being offered on the cover presents a choice: do you take it or not? Do you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Do you take the apple from the old woman who might be a witch or evil queen in disguise? And the original name of the book was "Forks;" obviously for the setting but also for the idea of forks in the road: which path you will choose?

But Bella's the only one with any real choices here. She actually has a lot more agency than a lot of people give her credit for. SHE chose to move to Forks. SHE chose to pursue a relationship with Edward. SHE chose the reckless actions in New Moon. SHE chose to ask Edward to sit out the fight. SHE chose to become a vampire. SHE chose to keep the pregnancy. She certainly suffers hardships, but they almost all come from choices SHE made for herself.

And the negative effects of those choices are temporary or unimportant to her specifically. Her scars from James are healed in the transformation; Emily's face is still scarred. The toll her pregnancy took on her body is erased in the transformation, but Esme is still 'rounded and soft' from her pregnancy, and Alice is 'thin in the extreme' from her malnourishment. Bella doesn't even burn for the full three days, only two! There's even a line where Edward literally says something like, "Renesmee's eyes are exactly your color, so that wasn't lost after all." She gets to keep Jacob literally forever (he has no choice) and she gets to keep Charlie when no one else got to keep their human families in their lives. Irina dies, but Bella doesn't know her so it doesn't matter.

I fully understand the main character is the main character for a reason; because they're special, because their journey is unique, etc. But this is also the reason I tend to find main characters annoying. This is not a Bella problem or an SM problem but a me problem. I feel similarly about Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen as I do about Bella Swan. I like ensembles; I like when there are lots of narrators, or when there's no obvious 'main' character. And if there is a main character, dollars to donuts they aren't my favorite; I will 100% always sympathize more with the secondary characters and find them more interesting.

Bella gets to choose what she wants for her life and it all works out for her. Good for her! Genuinely! But it's a glaring contrast to the stories of virtually all the supporting characters and, to me at least, less interesting. Forever disappointed Bella being a newborn was such a non-event. I was looking forward to it for three and a half books and she just basically carries on her life like nothing has changed. Meh. The supporting characters not having many choices and making the best of things is personally more interesting to me.

[blackpatrxnum]

(too many) thoughts and headcanons on life post mockingjay for hayffie and everlark

- it's just pure fluff with some hurt/comfort thrown in there, whoopsie -

Haymitch becoming Katniss' caretaker is so beautiful, I truly see him keeping sober after the war - maybe he bingedrank once back at twelve because the old demons are hard to chase away, but the next day when he sees Katniss depressed he realises he is far more useful sober. He had to take care of her, he still had a purpose. He is slowly helping her get better, maybe accompanying her to the woods for the first few times. He's just there

And even though Peeta goes back home, moves in with her, loves her, keeps the nightmares at bay... Haymitch keeps coming back, keeps making dinner for them, keeps going on walks, teasing, fussing a bit (it seems like he's learnt a lot from effie)

One time, when Peeta and Katniss both have influenza, Haymitch goes full doctor/dad mode - and for the first time, a highly feverish Katniss calls him dad. I'd see Haymitch stopping whatever he was doing for a sec and fight back at smile and then giving Katniss a kiss on her forehead and telling her a less charged version of stay alive.

Eventually, I think that Effie would come to 12. She'd move into Haymitch's house and at first, that feat would bring Katniss and Haymitch even closer. Effie was everywhere, she nagged and she prodded, she got on his nerves. So Haymitch sometimes runs away to Katniss' house, he took solace in the other's kindred spirit. They'd have a laugh, she'd let him bitch about her. She liked Effie but she didn't know her well enough yet. I think in these instances Peeta would be either at the Bakery or he just knew to let them have their time, he saw what they were to each other, how important they were for the other's well being.

But then, during the last months leading up to Prim's death anniversary, right around the time Katniss starts closing in on herself, getting broodier - moodier. Haymitch and Effie's relationship changes, after months of living together, learning their tricks and ticks; they fall in love, properly, absolutely. Haymitch gets lost on the high of the honeymoon stage. It also serves as a bit of a coping mechanism to keep the nightmares and horror from the war at bay.

It's not that he ignores Katniss, or Peeta for that matter. He's just... less aware, looks at everything with rose coloured glasses. After a long time, they are fine, content. The past is past.

Katniss feels like Effie is EVERYWHERE. She's the only one out of the three victors that isn't as happy with her presence. Effie loves Katniss, she considers Katniss as hers but Katniss isn't there... yet. (I feel like this would steem from her own relationship with her biological parents' - her dad left, he couldn't help it, he died but he always took care of her and her family, he taught her how to survive / SEE THE PARALLELISM WITH HAYMITCH TELLING KATNISS TO STAY ALIVE / but her mum... she abandoned her, from a young age, Katniss had to make do, she put bread on the table, she protected Aster and Prim, and her mom at the end, once again, CHOSE to leave her behind)

So yeah, Katniss is naturally wary of Effie, pair that with her Capitol self and it could be a recipe for disaster. At some point, they'd have a row - she says stuff that hurts Effie to her core - and Haymitch hates that. He tries to mediate but he gets "scalded". Katniss starts to avoid them, him. She gets worse. The demons are louder than ever.

And Haymitch two weeks into it, finally has to take matters into his own hands. They fight like they've never done before. Katniss yelling "You're not my dad" stops them in their tracks, 'cause at some point Haymitch really forgot. He just thought they didn't do the mushy shit and say it, there was no need for more acknowledgement after that feverish night. She was his to protect, she was his to care for, she was his to love.

It'd hurt him more than he'd let on.

They'd sulk, for a bit. Haymitch would storm out, but he'd also be the one to patch them up. I think they'd talk. It would go well, even though they're not such open books. They'd compromise. They'd acknowledge in the open air what they meant for the other. They'd move on. I think this would be the point when they start working on the Tributes book; because Katniss needs to do something with all the grief inside her. The woods and the happy family was not cutting it anymore.

And the four of them would sometimes get better, other times' they'd get worse. But they're always there for each other, like proper family. After sometime Katniss would leave behind the flight/fight mode. And yeah, life goes on.

I see her relationship with Effie getting better, to the point that sometimes she goes to her instead of Haymitch for stuff. Because she knows she won't leave. She learns to accept her flaws, she learns to love her happier and more optimistic demeanor. Effie also lets Katniss see, finally, the other side to her - the more human, vulnerable side that only Haymitch was privy to. Peeta's always seen through the cracks tho, so it doesn't surprise him as much. Peeta does know he's hers. Katniss learns to see herself as hers too.

And Peeta's and Katniss' wedding comes. They're forced to make a bigger spectacle than what they wanted to. Mama Effie and Papa Haymitch come to the rescue and fight to get them as much privacy as they can. Effie plans the whole thing to their liking.

I think she'd insist on adding a bit of Capitol tradition to it: the bride and the groom spending the night before the wedding apart. At first Effie would spend the night at Peeta's and Katniss' house, to keep him company in case he has an episode. And Katniss would go to Hayffie's. But Peeta makes a funny comment "It's not like you and Effie are getting married too, there's no need to make you suffer through the night alone" and Haymitch...just gets this little twinkle in his eyes. They accept with the promise that if Peeta has any troubles he'd come to them. So Katniss is the one that spends the night at Hayffie's.

They'd have a mostly quiet night in, Effie has more outward nerves than anyone else. The next day, Effie wakes Katniss up with her "big big day". But in a flurry she's gone to Peeta's, to make sure he gets dressed and is right on schedule. It also gives Katniss and Haymitch a bit of space to sneak out to the comfort of the woods for a bit. They make sure to come back before Effie catches them. She comes back to help Katniss get ready, she's teary eyed. Haymitch too, when he sees Katniss coming down the stairs. She looks soft, beautiful.

Effie leaves with Peeta, 10 minutes before them. Haymitch is in charge of getting Katniss to the justice building, that's when she asks him to give her away. And he does. The whole thing is perfect.

After an evening of partying, they bid their farewells. And go to have their private toasting. Peeta and Katniss want this part to be just theirs.

It's winter so at Effie's and Haymitch's the fire is roaring too. And she gets... curious; she's never been privy to that part of twelve customs so Haymitch takes the hands on approach and shows her how it's done. Effie understands what he's doing halfway through, Haymitch can see the recognition in her eyes. The slight stopping, the widening and surprise in her gaze. But she lets him go on, doesn't stop him even when he leaves enough space for her to make a run for it during the last part. He says wife, she says husband and she kisses him with all her fervor. All the love she has for him, all the love she's kept from him during their time as escort and victor.

She still makes him promise they'll have a proper party after a year.

They don't tell the kids what they've done tho. That ceremony is only theirs too.

[rollerskate2theface]

Katniss reads as a character that is so entranced by romance because of all the love she has seen, especially between her parents, but just cannot comprehend herself in a romantic relationship.

She knows who she should logically be with and why she would be compatible with them but most of this is for the benefit of making the other happy. She knows that Gale and her make a perfect team and that Gale is in love with her so it would make sense that he was who she chose to live the rest of her life loving. She also knows that Peeta is who she feels the most comfortable, most safe, with and that he is in love with her so them ending up together would make sense. But she still insists that this is all a hypothetical and not really a priority for her.

In other words Katniss Everdeen is so aromantic in my eyes. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[fyreflys]

What's your headcanon for Katniss and Peeta's children?

How old was Katniss when give birth to their daughter?

How many years apart between them in age?

Your headcanon for their name?

Who gets the singing and art skill from their parent?

Bonus question : please give recs of your fav everlark post-Mockingjay fanfic.

Thank you :)

@curiousthg

OH BOI BABAY. This has been sitting in my inbox for a while & I’m finally getting to it.

I have a LOT to say about the toast babies. Katniss and Peeta have them when they are 24 or 26 (not 25- don’t ask me why, I don’t know). Their names are Willow and Rowan (or Rye, which I Think Suzanne said somewhere that was the official name for their son. I like both).

Willow is born first. Willow as in a willow tree, (Also from the story of the Willow that Katniss’s dad tells her-unless I’m totally just making that up) which often are seen as a symbol of new life, regrowth, overcoming hardships, and sometimes for peace. I think all of these qualities exhibit important aspects of Katniss and Peeta’s story.

She has long blond curls, her father’s freckles, her mother’s eyes and smile, and she constantly reminds Katniss of Prim. She’ll make facial expressions, or say or do things that remind Katniss so much of Prim, and it will make her miss her sister, but also make her happy that her sister is clearly living on through her daughter. She inherits Peeta’s drawing/artistic abilities, but she’s also really good at gardening and knowing plants/herbs and stuff (she’s definitely a future doctor). She’s just as stubborn and hard headed as her parents, and when she puts her mind to something she GETS THAT SHIT DONE! She’s also a massive sweetheart and VERY charming, just like her daddy. She’s also a decent singer, but she doesn’t like to do it often.

Rowan is born 1.5-2.5 years after Willow. I like this name for a LOT of reasons, and that’s why I chose it as their first son’s name in my Everlark fic. Rowan trees are in the Rosaceae family (aka, the ROSE family- kind of a tribute to Prim), and are in a lot of Celtic/norse/British isles religions. It often stands for protection (usually against supernatural forces in many religions), and were often planted around burial sites to protect the dead. They are also very hardy trees that can grow just about anywhere. Also, Rowan trees have berries…(thinking of their first games, & the berries…) listen I could go ON and ON and ON about the many mythological stories connected to Rowan trees but I will leave it at that. (There’s even some thoughts about them predicting the amount of snow there will be in the winter, or how bountiful the rye harvests will be)

Rowan has dark hair and olive skin like his mother, and his father’s blue eyes and smile and freckles. He loves to bake with his father, but he also has his mother’s ability with the bow and he’s good at hunting. He has a very witty/sarcastic sense of humor (he spends a lot of time with Haymitch), but a very kind heart. He can sing just as good as his mother, and he reminds Katniss a lot of her father. He also reminds Peeta of his brothers, in the way he smiles and his competitive nature.

POST MOCKINGJAY FIC RECS:

Swan Upon Leda [my fic on AO3, 74k words & ongoing, explicit] — the fic where Everlark aren’t together yet, Katniss is pregnant during the Quarter Quell, Peeta isn’t supposed to know but then figures it out, Peeta never gets taken by the Capital and hijacked, and they try to live their “happily ever after”

The Unrecorded Hours [by hollycomb on fanfic.net, 24k words, explicit] — Peeta is certain Katniss doesn't actually want him. And she’s enraged by the fact that she does. They’re both horny as hell but too stubborn and dealing with too much trauma to figure it out properly. Until they finally do. (Seriously such a good fic I literally almost cried at the ending it’s fucking perfect & so well done)

Sun is Gonna Shine [by monroeslittle on fanfic.net, 12k words, explicit] — Despite Katniss’s reluctance, they have a baby. (And it’s gorgeous & Haymitch made me sob)

[acourtofthought]

The Hunger Games Parallels

Katniss and Peeta were forced into a situationship. - Elucien mating bond

The second they won the games she started ignoring him. - Elucien after the war

They were still at odds going into their second games. - Elucien in SF

She kissed Gale right before. - Elain with Az

By the end of the series, Katniss and Peeta were married with children. - Looking forward to filling in Elucien's portion here.

The above is why I hate the argument that because Elain currently looks as if she's not interested in Lucien, that can't change.

During the first games it appeared Katniss might have feelings for Peeta. Initially she wasn't sure whether he was the enemy, whether he could be trusted, but she still expressed concern over his well being (just like Elain with Lucien "you betrayed us" which turned into making sure Lucien wasn't hurt after the war).

But Katniss completely backtracked on that in book 2. She claimed anything they shared in the games was an act, it was only to stay alive. Parallel to that Elain's softening towards Lucien in ACOWAR completely regressed in the novella. Suddenly she wants nothing to do with a male or a mate. Both Katniss and Elain (though different in their personalities) pushed away "the good guy" because of circumstance. They were convinced their feelings couldn't possibly be real, they refused to believe that they were anything more than a manipulation brought about by something they were forced into. Katniss went on to share a kiss with Gale, confusing her feelings about everything even more. Enter Solstice and E/riel stage left. Katniss had history with Gale, he was someone she CHOSE to spend her time with even as she CHOSE to push Peeta away. But eventually the way Katniss viewed her circumstances changed, what she wanted changed and she and Peeta (the boy who had always longed for her, who was willing to sacrifice his own life so that she might live and be happy) ended up together. It's incredible how many stories, popular stories, exist like this yet some still hold fast to the idea that because Elain doesn't currently appear to want Lucien that means they're definitely not happening. I know of many more stories where the above is the norm compared to stories where a rejected bond ends in a HEA for anyone.

[lesbianlarks]

I have to admit I find a lot of Peeta takes to be a bit boring and reductive. “He was such a good boy” “he was waiting so patiently for her all along” “he never pressured her for anything” because I feel like it oversimplifies Peeta’s dynamism and agency in the text and also ignores some of the more interesting things SC was illustrating through that relationship.

I don’t believe that Peeta’s feelings for Katniss originally come from a healthy place. I’m not saying he’s gross or terrible or that I don’t empathize with him, just that he’s not entirely well. Because of his trauma or a combination of factors, his sense of self is tied to someone he doesn’t really know. His romantic fantasies about her are so intense that he actually creates/contributes to creating a reality where she must play along with them. Whether or not you think it was necessary to save her life, the fact remains that he chose that story for them, not her, and she has to live with it. Then he falls for his own con.

When he pulls away from her after the first games, I think it has more to do with his shame and self-reproach than anger at Katniss, but that anger is real enough that the capitol can use it as part of his torture. In the end, he has to unlearn and completely relearn how to love her outside of his projections of her — both negative and positive. Projections which started when they were only five years old. He literally has to figure out what is real outside of his own head.

Of course, it’s terrible for them both, but I think it’s part of what makes it’s actually possible for them to become life partners. Not that Peeta had to get hijacked, but that he was eventually going to need to challenge his projections either way, which is a pretty relatable thing. It’s an essential challenge point of any first-love or young-love relationship — why most of them don’t last. And that’s why Katniss x Peeta feels earned to me as a long term relationship, as a happy-ish ending. Not because he was just waiting patiently and perfectly all along, but because he actually did the work.

[kahlanmars]

BAD FEELING part. 32

MASTERLIST

32. Epilogue

SIX MONTHS LATER

«If we are late, I swear to Panem…» You murmur, because Haymitch has to put on a shirt and to stop kissing you.

«What are you going to do? Tell me.» He challenges, and he is right because you won’t do anything. The sight of your man is alluring, especially when he can’t keep his hands off of you.

«We have to celebrate baby Finn.» You pout, trying hard not to laugh because he looks like a teenager.

You are in Four, all of you, even Katniss who had a special permit for Finn’s celebration, and you are overjoyed. You really missed your friends, and you spent most of the holiday gossiping with Perla and Lora and, well, the other part kissing and smooching with your non boyfriend.

You won’t see him for a whole week, because you are going away with Effie and Portia at the end of the holiday. It’s time for your internship to begin, now you are healthy enough and you feel stronger than before. You spent two months in bed, revered and served and you enjoyed it when you stopped being in pain (You will deny it, but maybe you could have stayed up a week before. Or two. But you didn’t have to cook or clean and when the sex strike was revoked, well, it was like a paradise. A holiday. And he never questioned why you were able to help the reconstruction in the district and not him at your home.) 

Haymitch took the change well, if “Well” means trying to take you to bed every five minutes and kissing you in front of everybody, which is huge for him. You are not going to complain about the sudden affection. 

You know he would have preferred having you behaving like a despotic queen from your bed but at home, instead of your usual self in Capitol City, even if he won’t tell you. But once a week he can see you and after the internship you will return. 

«Only Finnick could call his son “Finn”. Egomaniac.» 

You snort but you are fast to use his distraction to wear your blue dress before he decides to rip it out. Finn is an adorable baby, always with a smile on his face and Finnick is so happy he glows. Both him and Annie are so tired they have to stop the conversation and enjoy five minutes of nap sometimes, but when they watch the baby, the look on their faces tells you it’s worth it.

«Annie chose it. And stop the charade, you are happy for him. He is another of your children. That makes you a grandpa!»

The shock on his face is definitely worth the joke, but when he attacks you, he knows you’re ticklish way too much, you squeal and laugh. 

«Say that again.» He dares you, pushing you onto the mattress with his weight. The temperature in the room changes quickly, in a moment his strong hands are wandering around the zip of your dress and you suspect you are going to be late after all. You normally hate to be late but you are going to be in Capitol City tomorrow morning, so you want to indulge yourself a little.

«You are the hottest grandpa in town.» You taunt him, your voice lower and seductive now, and you eagerly accept his kisses and the hand that goes under your dress. It’s been almost a year now, and yet you are still crushing hard on this man. You love him, of course, but you are also in love. You prepare yourself for hours to be beautiful for him, you cook his favourite meals for special occasions, and you love when he reads to you with his deep voice. You even love when he feeds the geese, calling the animals with the names of the people you really know. The most quiet one is Peeta. 

«If I’m a grandpa, Gorgeous, you are a grandma.» He whispers against your ear before kissing your lobe. 

«Oh no, I’m the sexy young girl who seduced you, don’t you remember?»

«WE ARE GOING WITH OR WITHOUT YOU.» Perla shouts from the other room. She is not a patient person, and since you are in her house you have to follow her rules. And maybe you are not the easiest hosts ever. You always sneak out to make out and you giggle in dark corners.

«We are coming!» You answer her, and you threaten Haymitch with a finger on his face. «Don’t even try to sneak away.»

He snorts. «I would never. I love a party for someone who doesn’t even know how to poop.»

You wrinkle your nose. «You disgusting, disgusting man.»

He presses a rumorous kiss on your ear just to spite you. «And yet you love me anyway.»

The party looks like something that a family would do. Jellyfishes made on paper decorate the room, and sparkly fishes are printed on the windows. You are cutting the bread for everyone - the dreadful sea bread from district four - humming a song from Twelve, while Effie and Portia are fussing over Finn who sits on Annie, Peeta and Haymitch are playing chess, and Lora, Perla, Katniss and the others are on the couch, chatting. Mags is on a rocking chair, half sleeping, half listening.

The only people who are at home are Marjorie and Ivy, and Holly. Holly and Marjorie are closer than ever, especially since she is with Ivy now. Holly loves children and Ivy is a treasure of a child, you too spent a lot of time with her, telling her stories and fairytales. 

Katniss is doing better, you think. She speaks with Prim everyday on the phone, she refuses to talk with her mother - her mother never calls her, tho - and she is in your house on a daily basis with an excuse or the other, looking for Haymitch. You wanted to tell her it’s not a problem if she wants to see his adoptive father, but he stopped you, claiming she would stop showing up because she would have been too embarrassed. 

Peeta returns to the district today after six months in the Capitol hospital, and he will be with Katniss for the first time. He is not stable yet, but the doctors say he is ready for the next step.

As for Haymitch, he is really trying to stay sober. You threw out all the alcohol in the house - actually you sell the closed bottles, because why not - and you asked Finnick not to buy it for the party. He is learning how to live without booze, and sometimes it’s so hard, but your man is strong.

It’s a miracle you are all in District Four. After Coin was killed by Katniss and you were shot, the girl risked her life. District Thirteen didn’t want to let her go. Haymitch and Plutarch fought to keep her alive, and Coin was replaced as president by Command Paylor, the leader of the rebel forces In District Eight. You quite like her, she is not a fame or power hungry person, she wants what is right. She decided to pardon Katniss for her action, she voted against the new Hunger Games and she destroyed the arenas. She built memorials, and now she claims Capitol City is a new city with her. You don’t know if you believe her, but she is helping the districts as well with the reconstruction, so she is surely better than Snow and Coin, and for now that’s enough.

«Tomorrow we will go shopping, darling girl.» Effie announces. That’s another thing you have to clear up, because you don’t have any money and you have no intention of using Haymitch’s. You are thrilled you’re going to be in Effie’s home, first because you are really curious about her house, and second because you are going to live with your friend. You would really miss Effie.

«She doesn’t need clothes, isn’t she there to make clothes?» He asks, more to engage a banter with his friend than anything else.

«She needs to mingle. A perfect fashion choice will make it easier.» You have three dresses. Two for every day and one for special occasions, that in the District were weddings, funerals or the Hunger Games. You also have a pair of trousers, a nightgown and a coat, and it’s more than most in Twelve. 

«Maybe I can wait for the first month?» You taint. After the first month you will have a salary, and after a part for Holly, you could spend the rest to “mingle”.

«I have an announcement.» Lora says, so proud. It’s so good to see Lora happy, in the mess that is the war you forget that she is nineteen. This girl with big wide eyes is the youngest among you.

«Tell us!» Perla encourages her, and maybe she needs it because she rarely speaks in the group. She is witty and funny but nobody knows it, except for Chaff who was her mentor and a little bit of a father figure, like Haymitch for Katniss.

«I’m moving to Capitol City too. I don’t know what to do, but I want to travel, and I don’t want to stay in my district, so…» She declares, torturing her fingers. She is nervous, but you are so happy.

«So we'll be together!» You finish for her and you go to hug her. «But where are you staying? In a hotel?»

«Well, I have some news too…» Perla stands up, and Cinna becomes crimson. «I’m moving to Capitol too… because we are moving together.»

«Us three! Again!» You hug them in a group hug. The trio is together again, and now for the first time it’s not for a suicidal mission or a killing machine television game. That counts as progress.

«Yeah, well, I still have my family house here, but… yeah.» You feel calmer already, you are not alone in a new city. Effie and Portia are beyond generous, but they are home there. Perla and Lora can feel what you feel, it’s a new adventure for them as well.

«For six months, right?» Haymitch asks you, hugging you from behind. 

«Six months.» You promise. 

«You are long gone, my friend.» Chaff intervenes. «This one ruined you.»

You tend to forget Chaff is there, and you feel mean because he is one of Haymitch’s best friends.

«He is not ruined!» Annie protests, «He is in love.» 

And now you know your man would want to scoff, but if it’s Annie who talks he is gentle, like with Lora. 

«Isn’t that the same thing?» The eleven victor adds. 

«Shut up.» He murmurs before kissing you again because he refuses to be embarrassed.

«Hey, do you want to go for a walk?» Haymitch asks you while you are putting on your coats, after the party ends. You think Finn liked your present, an enormous stuffed animal (a dolphin) you sewed yourself. You needed to spend time while you were in bed, and it was worth it when the kid saw it. 

You are not that happy to leave. Maybe District Twelve is nowhere to be great, but you miss your home. And it will be rare from now on to be all together, and even if you like what you are going to do, and you are overjoyed Perla and Lora will be with you, you will live in Effie’s house so you will be with her, but this is good. This, a family dinner with everybody. Finnick and Annie are living their dream with baby Finn (and they love it, they are born to be parents and you bet you are celebrating the birth of another baby soon), you want to be there for them. For Finn too, you are ready to be a cool aunt. You want your mommy near you, and she took the fact that you’ll live with Effie Trinket very badly. She feels threatened by her presence, like she is another parent or something, but for you Effie is more like an older sister.

And Haymitch… you are not ready to see him once a week, maybe twice a month sometimes. You are so used to always being in his arms, to talk to him about everything and now you have to talk to him through the phone. No kisses. No hugs. No cuddles even if he claims that “he doesn’t cuddle”. No “Come to bed, sweetheart” and you will read side by side until one of you begins to kiss the other’s neck. 

But it’s your dream, you will become a good tailor, you will learn so much from Portia and you will return to Twelve. 

«A romantic walk? With you?» You repeat in disbelief because he is not the romantic type at all. He is the one who refused to light candles - because you are not sixteen - at your first proper date in the house - because he doesn’t date. At the first mention that if he doesn’t date then you could date other people, he stated that you were his. And then he cooked your favourite meal for dinner.

«Does it have to be romantic? Can’t it be just a walk?» He complains and his voice is rough and annoyed, but he squeezes your hand tight. 

«Well it’s a walk with your girl and there’s the ocean so…» And the sight of Four is really stunning. The ocean is so peaceful you almost don’t miss the meadow, but after the shark in the Games you don’t like to be in open water. Doctor Aurelius claims you need to overcome your fear, but then again Doctor Aurelius didn’t see a mutt white shark in front of her and you need time.

«If you don’t want to, we can just go back at Perla's.» This is not his usual answer, it’s rough even for him.

«No, no, let’s go.» You wince. «Are you nervous?»

«Perfectly fine.» He lies. That liar. He can’t say that he is sad because you move to Capitol City.

«Not thrilled that I go?» You try. 

«You can go, babe, I bought you the ticket.» Babe. He uses the term “Babe” or “Babygirl” when something is wrong. You don’t like them and he knows it. 

«I know I can go, thank you for the permit.» You jump into his arms. «But you can be sad too. I’m sad. Are you sad?»

«…Maybe.» He admits.

«Good. That means you love me. And that also means that every weekend will be precious.» You whisper against his lips. «And I will sew a lot of lingeries…»

The annoyed glimpse in his eyes is replaced by pure lust.

«Don’t put so much effort on them, I’ll rip them out every time.» He closes the space between your lips in a passionate kiss that definitely doesn’t belong in a street, it would be better in a bed. You can’t help it if he flirts like that.

«Walk.» You remind him, licking your lips.

«Walk.» He agrees. 

«If Katniss needs me, or Peeta, or my mother, please call me.» Or if you need me, you want to say, but you know he wouldn’t appreciate it. You are a little anxious about the alcohol stuff and the survival guilt.

«No one will need you, Sweetheart.» He kisses your hair «Go and have fun.»

«I’ll try.» You promise. You are a little worried about your mother, and… you are scared, of course.

«Is Effie okay with the visits? I don’t want her thrilling voice to wake me up in the morning every week.»

«I think so, yeah. We can stay in a motel sometimes, or with Perla and Cinna.»

«Yeah, no. Not Perla.» 

You almost burst into laughter at his tone. When you were in a coma, Perla was the one friend who stayed with you the most with Lora. Haymitch and Holly were arguing about everything, she said, and while Lora has a sweet temper and a great patience, Perla is hot blooded and frequently snapped.

«You don’t like my friends!?» You try to sound accusing. 

«I don’t mind Lora. Perla on the other hand…» His expression says everything.

«Oh c’mon. She is great.»

«You just say that because she has blue eyes.» 

«That’s not true. She also has great boobs.» You see his glare, «What? It’s true.» It is true. Perla is stunning. Sparkling blue eyes, legs for days and you are not blind, you can see her cleavage. You are in love with Haymitch but you are still bisexual, it’s not your fault you have eyes.

«That’s it, I’m going to lock you up in the highest tower.» He shakes his head. 

«Oh, with a dragon to guard me?» 

«No, you would manage to turn it into a pet in a week.»

«I don’t know, it would be fun to be a damsel in distress…» You trace patterns on his chest with your fingers. «And you are so hot as an evil king.»

His eyes darken and he takes you in his arms to kiss you again. «If we keep doing this, we will go back now.»

«No, I want my romantic walk. No more flirting with you.»

«It’s not a romantic walk. It’s a walk. Go to Perla if you want your romantic walk.» Yes, she is the right person for a romantic anything. You are sure she prepared the “Moving to Capitol” thing for weeks before talking about it with Cinna.

«You are not jealous at all, congrats! You know I only want my man.» You indulge on his lips again, taking his arm close to you. «Plus, she has a boyfriend.» 

«He is far too old to be called “boyfriend”.» You chuckle at his displeasure for the word. He fixed on this thing. You secretly call him your boyfriend with the girls, but when he hears that he grunts. 

«And what is she supposed to call him?» You laugh. 

«I don’t know, partner?»

«Do I need to call you “Partner” too?» 

«’Was hoping “Husband”.» 

What?

You turn around and he is handing you a little red box. Not on his knee, of course, and his expression is kinda annoyed, like he really doesn’t like to be in this situation.

This situation, asking you to marry him. A marriage. A wedding. A wedding and a toasting. And a life with him, forever, and nobody could say anything. 

«Oh my…» Daisy Abernathy. Daisy Pinecone Abernathy. It suits you, you think, maybe you can sign your dresses as DPA, or Daisy A. Pinecone, and the kids in the district will call you Mrs. Abernathy. 

You, a married woman. With Haymitch. You can only imagine it. Haymitch is not the kind of guy who asks you to marry him, you are speechless. 

You put your hands on your mouth and you are completely speechless. He opens the red little box and inside there is a ring. 

Well, of course there is a ring, but it’s the most beautiful ring you’ve ever seen. It’s very simple, but it is made of gold and there’s even a little diamond on it. You have no idea where it comes from, there are no diamonds in the district. Well of course there are in the mines, but not on rings.

«Doesn’t need to be tomorrow.» He clarifies. «Or a Capitol thing. We go, we sign, we do a toasting and that’s it.»

«You are crazy.» You only manage to say.

«That’s the smart thing to do, you know if one of us is sick the other can take a decision and you could have my money if I die, things like that.» 

You try hard not to laugh. «You propose and then you talk about dying? Right now?»  

«Usually people say yes or now.» He is sounding a little nervous, and you remember you didn’t actually say anything. 

«Yes! Yes of course, yes!» You jump into his arms and give him a deep passionate kiss. The world stops turning just for a moment.

«Daisy Abernathy.» He whispers against your lips. «Sounds good, mh?»

«Daisy Pinecone Abernathy.»

Yes. Daisy Pinecone Abernathy.

Your name.

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

THIS IS THE ENDDDDD. I'm so saaad and happyyy we got to finishhhh.

I want to ask you, would you like a sequel? I think I'll do it, but if you are not interested I can post it only on AO3.

SO SO SOOOOO LAST CHAPTER.

taglist: @crimsonincursive

[stromuprisahat]

I just read the last chapter of the Grish trilogy and the ending is so sad. And painful. It doesn't feel like Alina's happy. She seems broken.

People defend this ending by comparing it with Katniss' ending. But it's not the same thing, is it?

Katniss' ending feels bittersweet yet still hopeful. That things will get better. That she's happy in spite of her suffering. I didn't see that with Alina's ending

Alina's happy ending is like Babydoll's in Sucker Punch, if she ended up lobotomized, but in care of Blue Jones, who isn't interested in selling her body, but shaming her for any move that doesn't meet his expectations.

No, I don't buy Malyen's a changed man now.

And even if he were- Alina can never even speak about what she lost. He hated her powers and didn't understand them, he hated the Darkling being even mentioned- how could he begin to grasp the connection she shared with Darkles? She's alone among people, who ridicule her, surrounded by damaged children she's never been fit to care about in the first place.

Endnote:

Another hysterically ironic parallel is neither of the girls are truly the main character. When Babydoll consciously chose to sacrifice herself to help another girl to freedom, Alina got butchered to become Blade Boy's perfect helpless mattress.

[realmermaid333]

What's your headcanon for Katniss and Peeta's children?

How old was Katniss when give birth to their daughter?

How many years apart between them in age?

Your headcanon for their name?

Who gets the singing and art skill from their parent?

Bonus question : please give recs of your fav everlark post-Mockingjay fanfic.

Thank you :)

@curiousthg

This has been in my inbox for a long time and I am just now remembering to answer/having the energy to haha. I LOVE receiving asks i am just sometimes bad at remembering to answer them <3

I headcanon that they are carefree little rascals who love singing, painting, swimming, playing imaginary games, and going outside. They are raised in a loving environment, and I think they are really lovely, sweet kids who have been taught resilience and emotional intelligence from Katniss and Peeta. Who I know would make wonderful parents, though I think they'd both sometimes worry that they were messing up somehow.

Katniss would get advice from her mom because before her dad died there was a point where her parents were stable, happy, and had very good parenting methods. I think this would be a way Katniss would get closer with her mom. I also think that Haymitch would be a grandpa/uncle figure to the kids, and would grow to really like spending time with them and watching them.

If Katniss is around 18 by the end of mockingjay, then she'd be 33/34 when she had her daughter cause it was 15 years later that they chose to have a kid.

I'd say the kids are 5 years apart because I once read the epilogue is 20 years in the future? Not sure if that is confirmed, but it is what I headcanon. So their daughter would be 5, and their son would be a baby as Katniss was holding him in a blanket at the end (in my imagination at least).

For their names I have different headcanons than a lot of the fandom. I don't like the commonly used names for the toast babies. Well, I like the girl's name but not the boy's personally.

I imagine they are named Willow and River. I love the name Willow and it's connection to the song Katniss sung to Rue and Prim, and I like how River sounds. I like to imagine that maybe Katniss found a river out in the woods when she was pregnant with him, and would sit by it with Peeta. I think they'd name their kids meaningful names based on experiences and songs.

I also think that Katniss and Peeta would maybe take the Everdeen last name instead of the Mellark one. Katniss had a strong connection to her family and she was very close with them, Peeta was even close with her family too. I think Peeta would maybe go with Peeta Everdeen because it was so important to Katniss to keep her last name going, and I think Peeta would maybe enjoy being disconnected from the last name that he had while he was experiencing so much pain, neglect, and abuse. The last name that those abusing him also had. Even though I'm sure he'd still have complex, conflicting thoughts and feelings about his family.

However, I am also into the idea that they both chose a new last name for their future. Only I don't know what that last name would be as I have not thought too hard about it yet.

I think both of the children like singing and painting, but I like to think that their son really stuck with singing and music, and their daughter advanced in painting. I think they both learned quite a few different art related activities to keep them occupied.

Bonus: I unfortunately have yet to read a lot of post-mockingjay fics though I really want to soon! but I do know some of my lovely mutuals who write a lot of hunger games fanfic. @thesweetnessofspring and @mollywog ! <3

[take-it-on-the-run]

Echoes

Lucy Gray Baird x Coriolanus Snow

How could Snow know that a song written for him would come back to haunt him, all these years later?

Word Count: 1.5k

Tags: ANGST, no happy ending here folks, big spoilers for TBOSAS and The Hunger Games, time skips (back and forth), Lucy Gray gets the last laugh

Characters: Lucy Gray Baird, Coriolanus Snow, Katniss Everdeen

Read it on AO3!

A/N: This is a mish-mash of the book and the movie, and also my first attempt at fan fiction ever. I wrote a large chunk of this in the bathroom at Thanksgiving because I saw TBOSAS the night before and couldn't get it out of my head. I hope you enjoy, and any constructive criticism is always welcome! Also, I hate editing on my phone :)

Coriolanus Snow Masterlist | The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Masterlist | Main Page Masterlist

The first time he’d ever heard the song, he was in a meadow, far from the prying eyes of the Capitol. Away from the television screens that broadcast his lover being thrust into the Games in a vain attempt at entertainment. The Games his life was bound to, forever.

The Games that, in a twist of fate, his lover had won purely through her charm and wit. The only weapon she wielded was his mother’s compact he’d given her in secret, filled with rat poison, which was returned when it was found on her person after the game. He was sure that if he hadn’t given her that compact and told her to hide under the arena, she’d have been dead before nightfall. She was a performer, after all.

She was there, Lucy Gray, sitting alone, idly strumming at her guitar. Once the Capitol released her back to District 12, she reunited with the Covey, her family, her one true reason that she needed to win in the arena.

At the time, he wanted to let himself think he was the reason she wanted to win, but deep down he knew her heart always laid with her misshapen family.

He slowly approached her, taking in the lyrics to the soft song she was singing. She sang so softly that if she sang any quieter, her words would be lost to the wind.

Are you

Are you

Coming to the tree?

He strolled further towards her, eyes scanning the empty landscape until they landed on the tree she was sitting under. Its branches were dry and could barely be called brown, and Lucy Gray was using a large chunk of it as a makeshift chair.

Where they strung up a man

They say murdered three

The lyrics to the song made him stop for a moment. Of all the things she chose to sing about, why would such a beautiful girl sing such a dark story?

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight

In the hanging tree

The second time he’d heard the song, he was in a forest, reeling at the pain from a trap his lover had set for him. Rain forced them to pause their journey of running from Panem, seeking shelter in a cabin among the trees. He didn’t know if his lover knew about the weapons stored beneath the floorboards, but as soon as he laid his hands on them, she must’ve thought his choice was already made.

She all but ran from the cabin, making an excuse to get food that she earlier deemed wasn’t ripe enough to eat. He knew that she was running from him, from the silver-tongued Capitol-raised son who was almost killed by her charms.

Almost.

He ran after her, gun in hand, looking to see where she’d run to. A rough trail turned into forest floor, trees suddenly the only thing he could see. He cautiously took more steps before his mother’s orange shawl he’d given her, crumpled in a small pile, came into view. Another piece of his mother given to her, being returned.

He bent down to pick up the shawl, snatching it off the ground when he felt a sudden pain shoot from his forearm. Stifling a scream from his lips, he frantically looked down, the source of his pain hanging from him.

An orange, black, and white banded snake was sunk into his skin. He ripped its fangs out from his arm with a grunt, the culprit slithering away into the grass before he could crush it with his boot.

He called out and asked the trees whether or not the snake was poisonous.

If she was trying to kill him, after everything he’d done for her.

There was a flash of bright color among the dark trees he was sure was Lucy Gray, and he fired. Without a thought, without remorse, and without a trace of the man he promised her he’d be.

He paused when he heard a grunt, a small part of him hoping he’d missed.

A larger part of him hoping he hadn’t.

He stalked through the trees, expecting to see her bleeding into the earth, but was met with her gold hoop earring, dangling with long pearls. He tucked it in his pocket, next to his compass and his mother’s compact.

He spoke again to the empty wood, saying this was enough, for her to stop.

The reply taunted him in his lover’s voice, dripping from the beaks of the dozens of jabberjays that started to circle above him.

Are you

Are you

Coming to the tree?

He craned his neck up to see his tormentors, ricocheting the voice of the girl he was running away with.

Where the dead man called out

For his love to flee

The voice of the girl that was now running from him.

He raised the gun that was slack in his arms, pressing the trigger and firing at the birds. He spun on his heel, desperate to stop hearing her voice colliding off the walls in his mind.

He fired frantically, screaming at the birds to shut up, but none of them seemed to hear his pleas or fall from the sky.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight

In the hanging tree

The third time he’d heard the song, his heart stopped, only for a moment. He was a decrepit old man now, his chin sporting a white beard that matched his hair, sitting at the head of the Capitol.

He faced a television screen that was broadcasting a large band of rebels, walking to the District 5 dam with explosives.

The attack was an act of treason against the Capitol, plain and simple. Giving the rebels a small glimmer of hope at rising against Panem’s government, all led by a seventeen-year-old girl.

The victor, the girl on fire, the Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen; she went by many names, all of which made him want to crush her like the pest she was.

Even more when he learned she twisted a song written for him by a lover he wished he could forget.

Are you

Are you

Coming to the tree?

He diverted his eyes from the screen, lightly pounding his fist to his chest as he covered his surprise with a cough.

Where I told you to run

So we’d both be free

He blinked, and suddenly he was back in the meadow, watching Lucy Gray play from afar. Her soft voice floating through the gentle silence of the wind blowing against an open field.

Back in the forest, hunting her down and being taunted by jabberjays as the song cut through the dense forest that still visited him in his dreams.

He dug his blunt nails into his palm, standing up and walking over to a window that overlooked a courtyard. Other people in the room were glued to the television, gunfire mixing with the voices of the rebels.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight

In the hanging tree

The final time he heard the song, he was standing at a post, center attention to every eye that had invaded the Capitol. Alma Coin stood on a platform behind him, and the dearest Mockingjay stood with an arrow trained at his head.

His eyes met hers, cold and void of the emotion they held when they met. Her lips were held in a thin line, the drawstring of her bow taut against her nose.

Are you

Are you

Coming to the tree?

He raked his eyes across the crowd, and he swore for a moment he saw her. Lucy Gray, young and bright as the day he’d met her. He knew his mind was tricking itself, some rendition of his life flashing before his eyes, but he still sucked in his bloody breath at the hope of seeing her again.

He’d always been honest to the girl on fire, and for that, he hoped she’d give him a swift death; but instead, she moved her aim above him, letting the arrow fly and killing Alma Coin.

He jaw went slack, the metallic taste of his blood sliding over his tongue. She lowered her weapon as the crowd behind engulfed her form, surging at him as he closed his eyes tight.

A peaceful death wasn’t in the cards for him after all.

Wear a necklace of rope

Side by side with me

Regret didn’t surge through his veins for the countless lives he’d taken, the people he’d enslaved, or the Games; it was for the man he chose to be. Taking the guns from the floorboards of that cabin, hunting her like she was a bird with its wings broken, and swallowing her memory like a snake in the grass.

He didn’t deserve regret. He deserved a fiery endless hell that would barely serve his actions justice.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight

In the hanging tree

As brutal hands clawed at his skin, tearing his soul from his body, he brought his mind back to the memories he didn’t deserve to have. With her, his lover, Lucy Gray. The girl that was lost to the trees, erased from history in a hope that the all-powerful President Snow would always land on top.

[petruchio]

I love love love your Finnick/Annie series!! I was reading the last chapter wondering how you could end it and it was so well done.

I’m kinda wondering on what your thoughts are on what happens to Annie after? Cause you touched on the idea of the capitol kind of exaggerating the whole “mad girl” persona for her so it would be so eye opening to find out that (pre-mockingjay of course) she wasn’t as crazy as everyone thought and they kept up that persona to keep her away from the capitol. But I could also see where as worse things were happening, especially when you get to the hunger games and catching fire, that would be tough and kind of lead to a downfall there? And then she would eventually get to how we meet her in the series.

Hopefully this makes sense! Basically I’m just fathoming the connection between what you wrote and the series we know and love. I just think Annie is such an interesting character that isn’t talked about a lot other than the fact that Finnick loved her.

yeah good question!! and ahhhh im so happy you liked it!! 🤍

i kind of think two things — so first, in terms of playing up the mad girl persona, i absolutely subscribe to that belief lol. in my story what i kind of alluded to is that i think finnick plays a role in playing up the mad girl thing to protect/save her from going through what he went through. and it works obviously which is why peeta buys into it in catching fire.

and then second, i really combed over the books for any annie moments and i think it’s significant that we actually only meet her AFTER she’s rescued from the capitol. so like, we truly meet her at her absolute lowest, and EVEN SO the only thing katniss says is that she’s, like, kind of odd and laughs in strange places in conversations. so all that is to say my interpretation is that she’s not actually all that “mad” — she’s traumatized of course but when we do finally actually meet her she’s dealing w the horror of whatever happened in the capitol, so i imagined a pre-capitol annie as being even less “mad” than her couple of lines in the books.

so i guess thats a long winded way of saying i kind of wrote it (and imagine it) to be both that they play up the mad girl persona to protect her from getting the finnick/johanna/haymitch treatment and ALSO that whatever happens to her in the capitol sends her into an even worse place that gives us the person we meet in mockingjay.

but that’s just me!!!! and ofc that’s also kind of specific to the one story i chose to tell — i can imagine a thousand other backstories and other paths for her. i think that’s why i found this to be such an interesting story to write, bc her and finnick have much less clearly defined stories as opposed to katniss and peeta, so there was a lot more to play around with and invent there.

thanks again for your sweet words <3333 im so happy you liked the story and thanks so much for reading!!

[black-quartz-sphinx-judge-my-vow]

Just finished part 2 A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

I kind of want to stop reading.

Lucy won, Snow gets shit canned, that’s a happy ending to me.

Really don’t want to witness what I assume will be the spiritual or literal death of Lucy Grey.

But gotta say thus far, what an incredible book. Honestly loving it, I think it adds such richness to the world. Part of the reason I love it, is because it’s extremely fucked up. We see how the acts of rebellion or defiance from the main characters gets twisted to suit the system. Lucy Grey performing, her dress. The better part of the next century are shaped by her defiance and spirit. Now tributes will be forced to sing and dance and act like these horrible games are exciting. It’s a horrible perversion, and great commentary on capitalism. Anything that rises against the system will eventually be commodified and incorporated in the structure.

Even just the train that brings them in, feeding the tributes, Snow’s distaste for the train, the zoo, the starvation gets transformed into luxury cars, and feasts, and suites. He addresses the symptoms, the things that make him queasy, not the whole horrible system.

That’s great writing, that’s why he’s not a hero. We get to see where he gets the dynamic of never lying with Katniss he steals it from his own abuser. The doctor.

Also just great insight into how fucked Panem is politically. It just seems to be run by goons. Their military service last an insane 20 years, and is a punishment, for debtors and criminals. It’s probably so long because no one wants to be in it. Fucking kids from some prep school are running the show at a national event. It’s fucked! Whenever someone in class questions the system they just get brushed off. One was told their objection to the question was irrelevant and for another they were just told to assume an incorrect premise was true. They just use thought canceling instructions whenever challenged.

Snow himself can’t even conceive that a government could have the backing of it’s people. When he writes his paper he naturally assumes people will break the law, and then turn against the government. So facism is their only course. When of course the obvious answer is to just have a government that shares a consensus with it’s people. Their assumption that they’ll always be at war with the districts is insane and wrong. By the time Katniss comes around the war could have been a distant memory regulated to the few living old guards. Prosperity could have come to the whole continent. Institutions and barriers could have been torn down, and wounds would have begun to heal, have healed by the time she’s a woman. But these people chose to keep themselves and the districts traumatized and scared for 75 years.

It’s also good to see the children who are awake enough to know the hunger games are evil. Outcasts now but perhaps they build the groundswell that will eventually lead to the revolution.

The book also does a good job with snow. We can see how he eventually becomes the fuck head he becomes, but we can also imagine all the off ramps he has to escape on. He’s a sociopath everyone thinks their dealing with the real him, but he’s gaming out every interaction to his benefit. All his actions seem noble enough from the outside, but we know his thoughts, we know why he does what he does, and it’s because he’s an animal.

So far it has been stellar.

[alvodra]

I just finished rereading the Hunger Games series and I just have to compare it to J.K. Rowbitch's work.

Harry Potter ends with them having married and being parents to give them a "happy ending". To make them normal. They were children during the war, they never thought about having children, there's no benefit to the story except to be "the end". It doesn't fit the rest of the story. It's simply expected that they have children.

Katniss on the other hand never wanted children. She knew she couldn't put life into this deathworld. Her having children means she gains a faith into humanity that she never had before. Finding love is not a meaningless ending but just another metaphor that they won and that she ultimately chose peace. Peeta was when she chose peace. Her children mean that she believes in peace. It's never about having a family. It's a symbol that there is a future. I wish I could describe it better.