#katniss they could never make me hate u

[literallymikewheeler]

if katniss everdeen has a million fans, i am one.

if katniss everdeen has 5 fans, i am one.

if katniss everdeen has 1 fan, that fan is me.

if katniss everdeen has 0 fans, i am dead.

if the world is against katniss everdeen, i am against the world.

[zoesmp4]

hiiii i’ll throw my other hat in the ring and give you a thg req!!

angst to comfort fic because why not

but like reader is from district 7 and won the 73rd games, and much like lucy gray, used their wits and charm to win the games. and GOD FORBID SNOWS PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT HIM they end up in the same room with finnick during the ring, and they grow closer and end up making a bond and falling in love

fast forward to the sewer, and reader sees finnick struggling with the mutts as katniss tries to usher them out of the sewer as reader is screaming and fighting to get back to him and eventually runs straight into the pile, almost dying

anyway they wake up losing an arm, but with finnick asleep at her side 🩶🩶

LOVE U BAEEEE

YOU’RE OKAY “look at me, you’re okay.” finnick odair x fem!reader

tags: blood, swearing, htc, violence, use of y/n

a/n: hii pooksters, i have retuned from the dead w/ my first thg fic!! req from my bae gracie, i changed up the losing the arm part because i didn’t really know if i could write it well, so im super sorry for that :( i don’t know how i feel ab this one, but i hope you enjoy!!

god, how you hated the hunger games. you weren’t expecting to be back, but here you were. 

when you had won the 73rd hunger games, you thought that was the end. you thought you could just return to your district, and forget all about the mortifying experience. 

but you were wrong. so wrong. all of that work, all of the trauma? useless. all of your efforts just didn’t matter. your charm and cleverness played a huge role in helping you to win the games. you thought you were smart, but you werent. you were stupid to think the capitol would leave you alone.

they would never ever leave you alone. they couldn’t give you a fucking break. here they were, trying to kill you, again.

them being them, they tried to make it different this time. they decided to make everyone room with tributes from different districts. 

you knew they wanted to cause stuff between everyone. but you weren’t gonna let them get what they want. you told yourself you were just gonna have to deal with whoever you got. 

to your luck, you were paired up with the “golden boy.” finnick odair, in the flesh. hooray. 

you thought it would suck. back in the hunger games once again, and rooming with this guy? it seemed like hell. that was until you started to get to know him better.

finnick was surprisingly sweet. really sweet. he was also funny. and you couldn’t deny it, he was really attractive. “what are you looking at?” you said, noticing how his gaze was directed towards your lips.

“nothing, your smile is just really pretty.” he replied. you felt your cheeks start to heat up. “what, cat got your tongue?” he taunted, a smirk forming on his face. “you wish. goodnight finnick.” you said, trying to hide the fact that you were flustered. 

little did you know, you and him would form quite a complex relationship.

“you win.” he said, while you two were perched in front of a tree, the leaves rustling with every slight movement. both of your partners had died by now. it was just katniss, peeta, you, and him in a truce. 

you brought your head up and looked at him. you two locked eyes before you opened your mouth to speak, “huh?” what was he talking about? “you win.” “i win what?” 

“my heart.” 

that’s all it took. that’s all it took for you to realize how much you really liked him. you can guess what happened after that. that’s right, you and finnick started dating during the games. 

from that moment on, you two swore to never let anything happen to the other. you both cared about each other too much to let that happen.

so when you were all fighting for your fucking life in that stupid tunnel, you were just trying to get back to finnick. katniss was trying her hardest to get you out, but you weren’t leaving until you knew finnick was okay. 

“y/n, you need to go now!” she yelled, holding you back, trying to help finnick herself. she prioritized everyone over herself, which was something you admired about her. but you needed to get him. 

“FINNICK!” you screamed, your voice echoing throughout the tunnel as you finally escaped from her grasp. you ran toward the pile of mutts, plunging your knife into one. “you shouldn’t be here!” finnick yelled, his voice strained with worry.

you ignored his pleading, continuing to fight with all your strength. as you clashed with the horrid creatures in the dimly lit tunnel, you felt fear and adrenaline pump into you. you thought it was going okay, until you felt a tug at your ankle.

“Y/N!” is all you heard before you were pulled down into the water by a mutt. you tried to fight back, but it was no use. suddenly, you felt sharp teeth sink into your stomach. 

it was a type of pain you hadn’t experienced in a long, long time. in a matter of seconds, finnick was at your side, fighting off the mutt which leaned on top of you. he was livid. 

you clutched your side, breathing heavily as a mixture of water and blood dripped down your body. finnick quickly took you into his arms, and eyed your protruding wound. he then reached out his hands to cradle your face. 

“you’re gonna be fine baby, i promise won’t let anything happen to you. jus- just stay awake.” he said, trying to keep his voice from trembling as he tried his best to hurry to the ladder where everyone else was, you still engulfed in his arms. 

“i-i can’t. i don’t think m’ gonna make it.” you struggle to get out, tears starting to stream down your face. he wasn’t gonna let this happen. “hey, look at me.” he said, trying to reassure you that you were going to be alright.

“look at me, you’re okay.” 

that was all you could remember. everything else was a blur after that. you can remember faint yelling, but you can’t quite decipher what was being said. 

you woke up beside finnick. he had his arm wrapped around your body, and your faces were inches apart. your wound was all patched up, but it was still painful. hey, look on the bright side though. finnick had kept his promise. he made sure things got better. 

you were okay. 

[hrtsdevils]

you’re no prize either. | jh86

summary actress!reader instagram au.. she’s a star!!! miss lucy gray baird herself. she dated jack. the fans know it. they hate on each other!

pairings jack hughes x ex!reader

a/n i’m obsessed with tbosas and idk where else to perpetuate my obsession fc is rachel zegler!! my love!

november 27, 2023

yourusername

liked by tomblyth, colecaufield, ryleighwhite_, and 653,289 others

yourusername oh the love i have for this cast, this movie, and lucy gray baird. my life has changed so much, and for the better!! i’ve met so many new people and learned so many new lessons ❤️

shoutout to queen suzanne for creating the loml lucy gray ☺️ and shoutout to everybody for making tbosas possible! i love you all

ps i sang the ballad of lucy gray baird with real experiences in mind.. iykyk;)

tagged nyrangers

view all 23879 comments

ryleighwhite_ YOURE SO CUTE AND SO PERFECT AND I MISS U ❤️❤️ (so does daws)

yourusername @/ryleighwhite_ I MISS U GUYS?!!! i’ll see u soon! next rags game?

ryleighwhite_ @/yourusername YES!! as long as u wear devils gear ☺️

user292 mercers the opp 💀

tomblyth so much fun working with you, mockingjay ❤️❤️

yourusername @/tomblyth youre my bff. I LOVE YOU.

user54 HER AND TOM ARE EVERYTHINGGGGG!!! never thought a man could make me like peepaw snow

colecaufield congrats!! it was a great movie:)

yourusername @/colecaufield COLEE thank you so much i tried very hard!!!

colecaufield @/yourusername you’re so awesome

trevorzegras @/colecaufield wrong team

yourusername @/trevorzegras sorry jack’s boyfriend

user45 I LAUGHEDDDDDD she ate him up

user76 @/user45 ate what?? the crumbs 💀

lhughes_06 good job y/n

user76 not her leaving jack for knock off draco malfoy like 💀💀

user32 @/user76 you’re so weird they aren’t even dating lmao

user76 @/user32 okay well she still flopped!! glad lucy bird died

user59 @/user76 i love jack and her but she is not a flop… she has the #1 movie in the world rn and what does jack have???

user76 @/user59 his sexyness!

yourbff UR SO GOOD AND INSANE AND TALENTED AND MOMMY

yourbff I LOVE SEXY INDEPENDENT WOMEN!

yourusername @/yourbff sexy indepdnent women love you

yourusername @/yourusername indipejdent

yourusername @/yourusername independent!

user86 no one’s gonna talk abt her going to the rangers game i’m deadddd she’s obsessed

user09 queen lucy gray baird future oscar winner

november 27, 2023

jackhughes

liked by trevorzegras, user76, lhughes_06 and 157,902 others

jackhughes workin hard or hardly workin?

i like katniss evergreen better anyways 🏹🏹

tagged colecaufield

view all 4936 comments

user35 this bitch has never watched a hunger games movie in his life

user59 jacquelyn… what is that caption… delete this rn!

user76 @/user59 it’s him eating lucy bird up

user59 @/user76 ur sm like jack!! you can’t spell these names right

colecaufield why are u associating me with your perpetual hate

trevorzegras @/colecaufield WRONG. TEAM.

_alexturcotte @/trevorzegras jack cant even spell everdeen right im not on his team rn either

jackhughes @/colecaufield @/_alexturcotte you guys are cruel

colecaufield @/jackhughes you’re cruel

_alexturcotte @/jackhughes LEARN TO SPELL!!!! put some respect on katniss’ name

lhughes_06 why?????

jackhughes @/lhughes_06 what did i do

lhughes_06 @/jackhughes you’re so dumb

user45 she was my fave wag.. whyd he fumble!!!!!

user34 @/user45 goodbye y/n! we hardly knew you 🙁

nicohischier I loved Y/n in TBOSAS

colecaufield @/nicohischier real of you nico

user09 i wanna know what happened between them LMAO

_quinnhughes i thought u liked the movie? u said u watched it when it came out lol

jackhughes @/_quinnhughes BRO

yourusername @/jackhughes aw jack how heartwarming!

jackhughes @/yourusername you’re horrible.

yourusername @/jackhughes well you’re no prize either 😉

[mariademetal]

౨ৎ⋆ ˚｡⋆ competition itadori yuuji / fem!reader ©mariademetal 2024

cw ... yuuji calls reader babe, everyone is a little stupid, idk what else, lmk if i should add anything note ... this was actually sooooo much fun to write, i luv yuuji so much and this idea came to me like a vision from jesus himself, i hope u all enjoy too (❁´◡`❁) word count ... 1.1k

You've always liked Jennifer Lawrence.

You liked the Hunger Games growing up, but never bothered to read the books. When you turned a little older, you liked Silver Linings too. Maybe you didn't like her as much as some of your peers, maybe you never dressed up as Katniss for Halloween, but you certainly never hated her. She's pretty, she's a good actress, and although you wouldn't necessarily call yourself her fan, you can see why, hypothetically, someone might. You've always liked Jennifer Lawrence.

You've always liked Yuuji, too. He's always been a good friend to you, but now that your relationship with him is blossoming into something bigger, more important than friendship, you can't quite jump over the hurdle that is Jennifer Lawrence. Despite the fact that you have, as a matter of fact, always liked her, you feel nothing but mild discomfort and irritation as you make unrequited eye contact with the poster of her hung on Yuuji's wall.

What else are you meant to look at?

At first, it was easy enough to ignore her. Whenever you came to Yuuji's room you'd make a point to sit on his bed, back against the wall, safe from any unwanted eye contact with Jennifer's boobs. But the talking stage is weird like that— if Yuuji's already sitting on his bed, you certainly can't, and then you're forced back into a standstill, an ugly competition with a poster that cannot fight back.

So, the two of you start hanging out in your dorm. You would be lying if you said you hadn't considered getting some sweat mag poster of some ludicrously built American actor yourself, just to see Yuuji's reaction. You, thankfully, came to your senses and acknowledged that Yuuji would more likely ask to take it to hang on his own wall than ask you to take it down for the sake of his ego before you spent any money on your silly idea.

Unfortunately, when Nobara leaves her window open after a particularly humid day and finds that she's invited a mildew infestation into her dorm, she asks to shack up with you until her new room is set up, and thus you and Yuuji are forced back to his room.

Still, it was easy enough to ignore Jennifer. She was an unwelcome, near-overbearing presence in your relationship with Yuuji, but it wasn't like he mentioned her in your conversations, nor did he ever compare the two of you— it was just that stupid poster hanging above his bed and the knowledge that he has called her his type, whatever that really means. So, it was survivable.

And there are so many other things you adore about Yuuji, too— like how he gives you his jacket when he feels even a draft, or how he takes pictures of things he knows you'll think are cute or pretty, or how he lets you prop your legs over his thighs whenever you watch movies together. You like what you have with him— you don't like that fucking Jennifer Lawrence poster. Unfortunately for you, they seem like a package deal.

It was easy enough to ignore Jennifer— emphasis on was. You could ignore Jennifer as long as he never mentioned her to you. For a long time, he didn't— no one's ever called Yuuji a genius, but he's always had the good sense to avoid the topic of a certain blonde actress with you. He had a spotless track record, apart from the existence of the poster itself— he was doing so well that you started to think you really could live with Jennifer— then, he had the bright idea of asking you on a date to see her new movie.

The two of you were walking together when he asked— the sun was setting, he'd just bought you a drink from the vending machine, your shoulders were touching— then, he just had to ask that wretched question. You don't think you've recoiled from another person's touch so fast before in your life. You also don't think you'll ever forget the look on his face after you replied to his question with, "Are you fucking with me?"

He asked if that meant the answer was no. (Again, no one ever called Yuuji a genius.)

So, after that display, why are you here, in his room, making the same awkward eye contact with Jennifer Lawrence's cold, dead, photographed eyes that you've been avoiding so fervently these past couple of months? Because you're making your final stand against Jennifer. She's got to go if Yuuji wants your relationship to go anywhere. You refuse to look at her bikini any longer than you've already been forced to.

That said, you can't exactly make your final stand against Jennifer until Yuuji is back from... wherever he is, so you are, unfortunately, stuck looking at Jennifer Lawrence's bikini for even longer than you've already been forced to.

It's only when Yuuji does come back that you realize how weird of a position he's caught you in— just standing in the middle of his room, bag discarded on the floor next to you, staring at his damn poster like you're admiring a piece of art in a gallery.

He looks excited, at first, to see you, then excitement turns into confusion, probably at the fact that you're just... standing there, then concern. "What're you doin', babe?"

"We need to talk," is the first thing that comes out of your mouth, deathly serious.

Yuuji gulps. Literally gulps. "About what?"

"Jennifer."

You can see the relief painting his face when he realizes that you are not, as a matter of fact, breaking up with him. "What about Jennifer?"

"She needs to leave," You emphasize the last word in a way that makes your request sound less like a request and more like a plead. "I feel like the other woman."

"Okay, don't be dramatic—"

"Don't call me dramatic!"

"I'm sorry!"

Yuuji purses his lips and brings his hand to the back of his head, as if he's weighing to pros and cons to standing his ground and keeping the poster. Just when you think you've finally won, that the cons outweigh the pros, he says, "Aren't relationships about compromise?"

"Yuuji, I swear—"

"See the movie with me, and I'll take the poster down."

"Deal."

Maybe you should've thought about it longer. Maybe you should've weighed the pros and cons of this date, too— then, you see Yuuji sulking, watching from the corner of his room as you gleefully climb onto his bed to peel off the tape that attaches the poster to his wall, and it makes it all worth it.

You kiss him on the way out, and the goofy smile on his face tells you he feels the same way.

It'd better be a good movie.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

any completed everlark workplace au? please 🥺 and thank you!

Hello Anon!

Below is a masterlist for co-worker aus! I've added this topic to a list for future masterlists! Hopefully these are new to you-happy reading!

After Hours-SoThere (ao3) Summary: An unexpected late-night text from her co-worker makes Katniss reflect on her relationships and reassess her definition of happiness. Everlark Modern AU Brighter Than Angels-sohypothetically (ff) Summary: Katniss Everdeen has a quiet life as a Phys. Ed. teacher. She volunteers to chaperone Fairfield Junior High's ninth grade trip to Washington D.C. and ends up finding an unexpected ally in Home Ec. teacher Peeta Mellark. Will sparks fly between the pair? An Everlark A/U But You Wear It so Well-Abagail_Snow (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen has never been a fan of Peeta Mellark, but when she’s called into work on her day off, she gets to know him better than she ever imagined through an “innocent” game of Truth or Dare? Modern Day Don't Talk To Me-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen hates people. Well, that’s not exactly true, but she doesn’t exactly like them either. They’re too…human or whatever. Too many acquaintances. The last thing she wants to do is get close to any of them, especially after the events of the past few months. She’s barely holding it together as it is, and introducing people or, even worse, friends could tip her right over the edge. She values her sanity. That’s probably why the new, sweet, disgustingly optimistic, overly friendly hire at the coffee shop where Katniss works irritates her so much. He’s just so nauseatingly earnest. It makes her want to punch him in the face. Employee Training-Abagail_Snow (ao3) Summary: During orientation for a new job, Katniss learns to lighten up with another new hire. F.M.K.-c_r_roberts (ao3) Summary: A modern AU one shot in which Peeta and Katniss are co-workers. Until an after-work happy hour and a silly little game changes that dynamic. Holidate Me-JHsgf82 (ao3) Summary: Lonely hearts Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark attend the office holiday party together as each other’s holidate. How will the night come to a close? Holiday Havoc Ensues-katnissdoesnotfollowback (ao3) Summary: Johanna and Finnick despise the holiday parties that their boss throws. This year, they've decided to throw a holiday party worthy of their coworkers. There will be music, dancing, games, creative insults, rebellion, food, and even a gift exchange. Hopefully there won't be any murder or arrests, but you never know what's going to happen when you pack this many victors into one house… Indulgence-SavvyLark (ao3) Summary: Katniss is dating healthnut Gale and has adapted to his g-free, plant based ways. Unfortunately, her co-worker, carb loving Peeta has reminded her what she's been missing, and she's so hungry for him --er his food. Learn Your Song-ashyblondwaves (ao3) Summary: Modern Day AU: Katniss Everdeen had spent the last three years working at the only electronics and office supply store in District 12, and it was time once again to prepare for Christmas. The rapid changes always brought new sights, new sounds, and this year it brought Peeta Mellark — the new seasonal hire.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to shoot me an ask!

[camloveswriting]

⎯ mentor

warnings: mentions of death (not explicit)

pairing: katniss everdeen x fem!reader

desc: you previously won the hunger games and now you're a mentor for district 12. you used to be best friends with katniss, until you were picked to participate in the games.

wc: 2095

note: i wrote this a while ago so pls lmk if u see any mistakes!

Y/N woke up to Haymitch shaking her awake. She was aware that she couldn’t breathe, but she didn’t know why. Then it hit her. She’d had a nightmare. Nightmares were fairly normal for her, especially in the days before the Reaping.

“Y/N, breathe. In, 1, 2, 3. Out, 1, 2, 3.” Haymitch spoke in a quiet voice that was only ever reserved for her.

“I’m fine, Haymitch. It was just a dream.”

“Are you sure? This is the third night in a row.”

“No, I’m fine,” she protested weakly.

Haymitch sighed but let the young girl walk past him to her bathroom. She rinsed her face off with water in a desperate attempt to fully wake herself up. She could still feel her heart pounding, but it was getting slower.

"I'm heading back to my house to get ready," Haymitch yelled.

"Okay,"

Knowing that Haymitch would most likely be late, she turned to her closet. She’d already picked out her dress the night before, so she simply slipped it on before settling on a nice pair of sandals. They were originally Effie’s, their District’s escort, but she’d given them to Y/N when she mentioned she only had one pair of shoes.

Y/N was fine with that, but Effie was distraught at the idea. Therefore, Y/N had new shoes.

She then applied her new perfume, also a gift from Effie. (That lady had a serious problem!) It smelt like spring flowers, perfect for the weather that day.

After deciding against any makeup, she headed downstairs to grab something for breakfast before the Reaping. Haymitch had gone back to his house, hopefully, to get ready and not go back to bed. He had a problem with that.

She stuck two slices of bread into the toaster and grabbed a plate while they cooked. She then grabbed the jam out of the fridge before applying it generously to the two slices of toast.

After she finished eating, Y/N grabbed her bracelet from the counter and slipped it onto her wrist. It was from Katniss, nearly 3 years ago. She still wore it every time she went out.

The girl left the house, making a quick run to Haymitch’s house so they could walk together.

It was a short trip to the Justice Hall, something Y/N despised. She hated living so close to that place, but it was non-negotiable.

She ran into Prim on the way there, who was seperated from the rest of her family. She must've already checked in. Even though she and Katniss weren’t friends any longer, Prim still loved her. She waved before attempting to follow Haymitch up to the part of the stage they needed to be on. Keyword: Attempting.

One thing about Y/N was she was not above shoving a child, which was something she was currently doing. Though Haymitch’s reputation with 12 was down the drain, Y/N’s was not. They loved her. A bit too much, in her opinion, but what could she do about it?

The kids stared at her in awe, even the ones older than her. They seemed to not be able to form a coherent sentence without passing out, which made Y/N want to laugh.

“Excuse me,” she said, still trying to push her way through the kids to get to the stage. “I need through.”

She finally made her way through the children before standing at Haymitch’s side. He was sending her a look that she did not appreciate, and she knew he would laugh at her if she didn’t say something.

“Shut up.”

He laughed anyway.

“It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks,” the Mayor started.

Y/N didn’t really have an opinion of him, they’d never gotten the chance to talk.

He reads off the list of past District 12 victors, though Y/N and Haymitch were the only two alive.

The crowd applauded them, but Haymitch got confused and tried to give Effie the biggest hug Y/N had ever seen. She barely managed to fend him off.

“Haymitch,” Y/N hissed.

She grabbed his arm and tugged him back over to her, holding him upright so he didn’t fall off the stage again. Yes, it’s happened before.

The mayor looked distressed, probably because all of that was being televised. District 12 was always the laughingstock of Panem anyway, so Y/N didn’t know why he even cared.

“I’d like to invite Y/N L/N to the mic for a quick word about the Games.”

Y/N looked up, shocked. He’d never asked her to do that before, why now?

She walked up anyway, after making sure that Haymitch was okay with Effie.

“Um, hello?” she said, cringing when the mic screamed in protest.

“Thank you all for coming. This is a very important time of the year. I wish you all good luck and a happy Hunger Games.” she finished, silently willing Effie to take over. She thought she’d done pretty well for not being prepared.

The crowd had clapped much louder than they did for the mayor, Y/N noticed. It’s what he deserved for making her say something with no warning.

Effie walked past her, squeezing her arm as she did so.

“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!”

She mentions what an honor it was to be there, though Y/N knew she was lying. She had complained about 12 many times in the few years Y/N had known her.

“Ladies first!” she all but yelled into the mic as she crossed the stage to the girls’ names. She reached in and dug her hand deep into the ball, pulling out a slip of paper. The crowd drew in a collective breath. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“Primrose Everdeen!”

Y/N let out a loud gasp, feeling Effie and Haymitch look in her direction, worry etched onto their faces. There was no way Prim was called, there were way too many slips for that. Some kids had hundreds, Prim only had one!

“Prim!” Katniss yelled from across the square.

No, Katniss, please, was all Y/N could think.

“Prim!” she yelled again.

The crowd parted for her much easier than they had done for Y/N. She reached her sister only seconds before she could mount the steps. With one sweep of an arm, she pushed Prim behind her.

“I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!”

Y/N stared in horror as her old best friend signed her life away in seconds. And there was nothing she could do about it.

“Lovely! But I believe there’s a small matter of introducing the Reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we, umm,” she trailed off, unsure of herself.

“Let her go,” Y/N said in a stony voice as she tried not to cry in front of the whole District.

Prim, on the other hand, was hysterical. “No, Katniss! No! You can’t go!”

“Prim, let go,” Katniss said quite harshly, probably trying not to cry as well.

“Let go!”

Gale came up behind them and pulled Prim off Katniss’ back. He whispered something to her that Y/N couldn’t make out, not that she cared very much. She’d never liked Gale. He seemed like the type of guy to guilt-trip Katniss into dating him.

As she walked up the stairs, she nodded at Y/N in thanks for helping her.

“Well, bravo!” Effie gushed. “That’s the spirit of the Games! What’s your name?”

“Katniss Everdeen,” she gulped.

“I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don’t want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on everybody! Let’s give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!”

It stayed silent. Y/N raised an eyebrow in surprise. Nobody had ever blatantly ignored the Capitol like that. Then something unexpected happened. Slowly, the members of the crowd touched the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and held it out for Katniss.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N did the same. She was aware she could get killed for that, but she couldn’t bring herself to care that much.

Haymitch took a step away from Y/N, startling her in the process. He was about to do something stupid, she just knew it.

“Look at her. Look at this one! Lots of… spunk!” he said triumphantly. “More than you! More than you!” he shouted, pointing at the camera.

He’d only made it about four feet away from Y/N, so she darted forward and caught his arm right before he tried to plummet off the stage and knock himself unconscious.

“Come on, Haymitch,” she said, trying to pull the heavy man back up for the last few minutes of the Reaping.

After a few moments of struggle, she succeeded. She pulled him back to their original area on the right side of the stage and held onto his waist. She held on tight enough that he wouldn’t be able to get away again and embarrass himself for the second time in one Reaping.

“Sorry,” she announced to the crowd, who had turned silent at the show in front of them.

“What an exciting day!” Effie droned, trying to take the attention of Y/N and Haymitch. “But more excitement to come! It’s time to choose our boy tribute!”

She walked over to the other bowl and slipped her hand inside. She grabbed the first slip she felt, pulling it out and walking back to the podium.

“Peeta Mellark!”

Y/N had only ever heard of the boy in passing, but she’d never interacted with him before. She still felt sorry, though. He was only a child.

The boy steadily climbed onto the stage and took his place next to Effie and Katniss. Effie asked for volunteers, but nobody stepped forward.

The crowd waited in bated silence for the mayor to finish his speech so they could go home. He read the Treaty of Treason, as he did every year.

The moment the anthem ended, Katniss and Peeta were taken into custody. Y/N followed behind them, as she was needed, too. The tributes were led to their rooms while Y/N circled back to talk to Prim.

When she arrived back at the square, Haymitch was nowhere to be seen. She spotted Prim and her mother, though, so she started heading their way. She knew she probably shouldn’t have, but her legs kept walking.

“Prim,” she said, her voice wavering slightly. She’d grown a lot from the last time Y/N had talked to her. She looked older now, more mature.

“Y/N! I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“I know, I’m sorry about that.”

Prim replied by wrapping her arms around the taller girl and nearly squeezing the life out of her.

“I missed you,” she whispered into Y/N’s shoulder.

“Me too,”

Prim reluctantly pulled away so Y/N could speak to Ms. Everdeen.

“Y/N-”

“I’m going to do everything I can to keep her alive. I promise.” Y/N interrupted, needing to convince herself as well.

“I know.”

Prim tugged on her mom’s sleeve, alerting her that it was time to say goodbye to Katniss.

Y/N watched as they walked away, already thinking of everything she could do to support Katniss and get her out alive.

[mirixmoya]

hello friends welcome to GRADING TORTURED POET SOCIETY SONGS BASED ON HOW EASILY I COULD TURN THEM INTO A HAYFFIE FIC (PART TWO) i hope u enjoy.

(you can find PART ONE here, for anyone interested!)

i. the black dog: 8/10. excellent directly-post-war hayffie song. captures a moment when they haven't quite re-connected yet, but they're both dying without eachother. "my longings stay unspoken, and i may never open up the way i did for you" "six weeks of breathing clean air, i still miss the smoke" is all very them. a really effective illustration of how the world feels like a different place in heartbreak, it's desolate and aching, which is all very very hayffie.

ii. imgonnagetyouback: 9/10. this song is bananas crazy, but so is effie. so it fits. it reeks of the turbulent, on-again-off-again, boundaryless, situationship parts of hayffie. once again, i think this could be a VERY good directly-post-war vibe. "i can tell when somebody still wants me" "you'll find that you were never not mine" "even if it's handcuffed, i'm leaving here with you" are all crazy thought processes which i can 100% imagine effie having.

iii. the albatross: 7/10. i know everyone is really stuck on this being a lucy gray / katniss / snow parallel song, but i see the hayffie vision! i think it would be a good song to juxtapose all of effie's relationships with capitol men against her relationship with haymitch. how is she made to behave by love? how does her fame + position loom over her relationships? effie is mythologized by the men in her life, almost made unreal by their perceptions of her, and it's haymitch who makes her real again. if any of that makes sense.

iv. chloe or sam or sophia or marcus: 8/10. EVERYONE HEAR ME OUT ON THIS ONE, but i have this vision of really angsty post-canon hayffie where they try to make a proper relationship work, they really do, but they just... can't. but there is an ache to this failure. a regret. they thought that they would always be able to come back to this, to eachother, but they discover that life is actually a series of closed doors. things change over time. they're forced to grieve this past version of their relationship that they simply don't have access to anymore. "you turned me into an idea of sorts, you needed me but you needed drugs (ALCOHOL) more" "could it be enough to just float in your orbit?" "if you want to break my cold, cold heart, say you loved me" ... yeah, the angst potential is endless.

v: how did it end?: 7/10. ONCE AGAIN, excellent bones for an angsty post-canon 'well, it didn't work out' hayffie vibe. good general thg imagery with "lost the game of chance, what are the chances?" + "the empathetic hunger descends" etc etc. "we were blind to unforeseen circumstances" very very them.

vi: so high school: 5/10. i feel like i could twist it to be hayffie if i tried really hard. like maybe a post-canon movie-verse traumaless fluff vibe where everything just falls into place. "no one's ever had me, not like you" is a very good line for hayffie tho.

vii: i hate it here: 8/10. excellent potential for a pre-canon / during-canon hayffie where effie uses their relationship as her refuge from the rest of the world, it's the only place she can truly be herself. the precocious child stuff, the debutant stuff, "i'm lonely but i'm good, i'm bitter but i swear i'm fine", all feels veryyy effie. this song would also be a good framework for effie being incapable of articulating her relationship with haymitch to other people, the magic of it is lost on them, it comes out clunky and awkward. but SHE knows it's real.

viii: thanK you aIMee: 2/10. not a hayffie song. but i feel like i could make it about effie & The Other Escorts if i really tried.

ix: i look in people's windows: 6/10. listen, this album is just an post-canon hayffie gold mine. "i had died the tiniest death" (the war) "i'm afflicted by the not knowing" (her relationship with haymitch) "what if your eyes looked up and met mine, one more time" (they can try again, can't they?). the anxious, almost neurotic ruminating is very effie to me.

x. the prophecy: 10/10. THE HAYFFIE SONG! if you saw the twitter edit before it got taken down, you KNOW. "don't want money, just someone who wants my company" "i'm so afraid i've sealed by fate" ... devastating. i think the illusions to prophecy & fate & this lack of control all play into her role in The Games really well. the idea that she's being punished for her sins by this lack of love. so much of effie is controlled and precise, i think the fact that this one thing (her relationship with haymitch) is sooo out of her control would drive her insane. perhaps insane enough to beg on her knees...

xi. cassandra: 4/10. not really hayffie focused, but good potential for one of my more politically focused fics. maybe the year of the 75th, leading right up to the rebellion. cinna & portia strike me as very cassandra-coded.

xii. peter: 1/10. not hayffie. maybe seneca & effie relationship study, but def not hayffie.

xiii. the bolter: 10/10. PERFECT EFFIE SONG! NO NOTES! SHE IS THE BOLTER! a precocious child with a "quite bewitching face" who is "splendidly selfish, charmingly helpless"??? welcome back effie trinket! the chorus is very hayffie to me. i'm thinking pre-canon early affair vibes. we get all the fun contrast between her relationship with haymitch and her relationship with the capitol "trophy hunters". the bridge could not be more effie if it tried, "hearts are hers for the breaking, there's an escape in escaping". she falls through the ice (the war) but don't worry folks, she comes out alive!

xiv. robin: 0/10. i genuinely have no idea what i could do with this song. sorry.

xv. the manuscript: 3/10. potential for post-canon living-happily-ever-after hayffie but with effie reflecting on her past relationships with capitol men. there's lots of illusions to grooming and the imprint that age-gap relationships leave behind that i think could really work.

[boabel]

any thoughts of sheaf you’d kindly share with me?

(you made me obsess over her🖕🏻)

OMG??? thought this day would never come.... IVE CONVERTED ANOTHER SHEAF FAN???

thank u sm!!!

okok so im going to share my hcs and how they came to me, whether they're based in canon or i js thought it fit with her.

home life

"a limber little girl from district nine did a back handspring after she recieved a bread roll" tbosas p.96

i treasure this quote so much because it's like the only sheaf-specific quote in the whole book. i usually base sheaf's home life on the fact that she is able to do gymnastics and, more specifically, perform for others. another quote, though it isn't directly about sheaf, also intrigued me.

"lucy gray and coriolanus resumed their picnic seats and watched the show. 'we're a regular circus troupe, we are,' she said as she picked bits of meat off her bone." tbosas p.97

though this quote is from lucy gray, it reflects on not only her but the previously mentioned sheaf and treech who were performing. we know that lucy gray is actually a performer because of the covey, and it is a popular fan-theory that treech has some involvement in theatre (thank u hannah for blessing us w this 🙏), so it isn't far-fetched to imagine sheaf has some experience performing too?

i personally see her as an orphan who is around seventeen years old. i hc this specific age just because it makes more sense for her backstory and she could easily look like a little girl whilst being much older due to malnourishment. she grew up very poor in an orphanage after her parents were shot by peacekeepers for rebel-involvement. district nine, to me, is a very musical and performance based district. sheaf, along with some other of the orphanage kids form a performance troupe (somebody singing, someone playing an instrument and someone performing). sheaf, in this instance is the performer. i think she'd be able to do things like walk on a tightrope and swing from ropes as well. she's extremely flexible and fast which would have aided her in the games if she got to compete.

personality

i have alot of posts analysing how i see sheaf's personality. i find it difficult to explain how i see her sometimes, but to me she's just a much more curious version of katniss everdeen. she's cynical, she's perceptive, she's determined and she's always scheming. she's a kind heart under a tough exterior. she fights nonstop for what is right, and believes the system of hate doesn't need to be changed, it needs to be destroyed. she's also a massive hater irrelated to katniss but yk. she would definitely be open about her hatred of the capitol, and would not be compliant with androcles during their interview. i have a post linking her to katniss here, which elaborates how sheaf's upbringing influenced her to be the way she is.

relationships

i haven't mentioned sheaf's relationships much on this blog, but i do touch on her past relationship with a fellow orphan, pip thistle, in my panlo and sheaf fic, linked here.

i believe sheaf has intense trust issues, specifically toward adults. she mainly distrusts people because of how they treat the orphans in nine. orphans get sent to the games over and over on purpose, because they won't be missed as much. sheaf hates this idea, and actively fights against it, until it's too late.

pip thistle, another orphan who sheaf loves more than anything, gets sent to the games and dies. sheaf becomes distraught and starts being more and more rebellious back home, which eventually results in her getting reaped. she doesn't do it on purpose per-se, but uses it as an opportunity to try as hard as she can to avenge the love of her life. she never gets the chance. she dies before getting into the arena. she fought so vigorously, performing for people that she hates, just to die before she even gets to try and fight. she dies in what she thinks is in vein, and hates herself for it.

i also think sheaf and panlo have a close relationship, though they only knew eachother from afar before the reaping. they vow to stay together during the games, and though sheaf doesn't trust him at first, they end up becoming very close. sheaf only blames herself even more for panlo's death, since he dies before she does of his injuries.

misc

here are some misc headcanons from both me and the amazing @persephoneprice on sheaf's character!!

[coryosbaby]

ok i’m just gonna say you can completely ignore this i just needed somewhere to get my thoughts out. also idk if you’ve actually seen tbosas or just write for the characters rn but if you haven’t seen it then don’t read this lol. so first of all im now gonna go through and read ALL of the coryo stuff i didn’t before bc i hadn’t seen the movie and i felt weird but i’ve seen it now so yeah. but wowwww. the movie was actually so amazing idk how you felt abt it but im still in shock and it ended like half an hour ago, it was incredible. the way coryo’s character and moral judgement shifts throughout and its shown by his hair too which i think is amazing. i could go onnnn abt the easter eggs and links to the other movies but i wont, instead ill just say my jaw DROPPED when he killed high bottom at the end and with RAT POISONING??? im losing my mind rn but all my friends are asleep and i just needed somewhere to get it out 😭😭

NO BC THIS IS SO REAL . I’m ranting about this, spoilers ahead for the movie & book btw 💔

I hadn’t read the book when I watched tbosas but I saw a few snippets and saw how Coryo was thinking the whole time, but when I was watching it I was like ??? Ain’t no way they must’ve changed his character but NO bro like he’s a whole manipulator 😭 and the way the end of the movie shifts into his pov and shows his true paranoia/pov. So we’ll never rly know what Lucy Gray actually thought (though she prob did wanna get tf outta there n I don’t blame her)

and I js wanna say rn. I see a lot of Sejanus in Johanna. Like katniss too, obviously, but Johanna is definitely another form of his rage.

Like don’t even get me STARTED on Sejanus, there was sm going on in his and Coryo’s friendship or wtv tf that was. Like in the books Coryo is INSANELY jealous of Sejanus ?? But the way they were friends since they were KIDS bro 😭😭 and coryo js thought they’d send him home bc he’s capital. like I can’t. It’s literally so sad. Tbh, in the movies it seems like Coryo sees more of Sejanus in the whole rebellion in the later hunger games than Lucy. Cs Lucy was never a rebel rly? And he only rly cried & felt remorse during Sejanus’ death?? Like it’s HIM that really haunts him, on top of Lucy’s songs. But I think she enrages him while Sej makes him feel guilty

Also the way they make fun of Sejanus for calling his mother “ma” and it’s the last thing he says :(( and he realizes that Coryo betrayed him right before that .

THE WAY THAT CORYO LITERALLY TAKES OVER SEJANUS’ PLACE IN HIS FAMILY. LIKE MOVES IN W HIS FAMILY, CALLS HIS MOTHER “MA”. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK ILL NEVER GET OVER THAT

OMFG. And the way Coryo’s dad died in the woods by a rebel. And then he kills Lucy in the woods 😨😨 the way that once u think about it he def knew what he was doing the whole time, like he probably planned 90% of that out beside a little bit of stuff.

And how Dean highbottom, esp in the books, didn’t even WANT the hunger games to be a thing. Like you think ur gonna hate him bc he’s the creator of the hunger games before watching but dr Gaul is actually the worst one 😭

Also the way Coryo’s roses change ? Like he uses red ones when he’s young, but later when he’s old he uses white ones— and to me this seems like symbolism for him “cleansing” himself of Lucy gray (while also keeping roses bc they reminded him of his mother).

[evansbby]

I have a writing assignment due tomorrow and instead of doing it I'm watching someone react to catching fire

man I fucking love this movie and I know we've talked about it before but PEETAS JUST SO FUCIING GOOD

like.

gale: I'm a jealous bitch cause you kissed peeta in the games where you would have died why don't u like me pls love me

peeta: hey I've been unfair to you and I'm sorry, I know what you did during the games was to keep us alive, it's not fair to be angry at you, let's be friends

like. Peeta the king of apologies

I've officially spent an hour watching someone watch a movie I've already watched instead of doing my work. also, 1989 Taylor's version comes out tonight and I am VERY excited about it at the expense of said assignment.

also. Loki episode 4 comes out tonight. Slay. I fucking love Loki and I love Tom Hiddleston (ik this is a Chris evans/his characters blog but u know what it's Loki I can't NOT mention him)

YES YES YES

I love the hunger games sm 🥺🥺 I reread it all the time and it makes me cry every single time bc it’s so good and yet so unfair and what happens to Peeta is so unfair and just the whole thing is so……. Harrowingly realistic depiction of war and ptsd and propaganda and just… I wish I could kiss Suzanne Collins’ mind!!!

The way she wrote the best male character ever (Peeta, like the perfect example of a man written by a woman for women) and also the most evil male character ever (Snow, especially in ABOSAS, like the way she almost makes you root for him yet quietly hints at his selfish, possessive and shallow tendencies throughout is so INSANELY good, oh my god I cannot wait for this movie to come out!!! I loved the book so much especially the final third which takes place in district 12🥺 and those final ten pages are INSANE they left me feeling sick and empty and heartbroken omg)

ANYWAYS BACK TO PEETA! Ugh listen I totally get you bc Peeta in CF is so hot and perfect and cute and just!!!! Gale could NEVER compare!! Peeta actually took a step back and stopped being angry with her, apologised, gave her space and protected her 🥺🥺 also i love procrastinating and watching people react to stuff on YouTube like all the girlies do this!!! There’s this guy I watch on YouTube who does movie commentaries (basically reactions) and his name is Dylan and I wish he reacted to THG movies but he doesn’t react to things if you give him the suggestion to react to it djdjdjsj

ANYWAYS yes bestie I agree with everything you said, Gale is a pussy ass bitch and the thing is most people hate him bc he dropped the bomb that killed prim but honestly the parts that made me hate him were how controlling and weirdo he was and how he was always pressuring katniss to be with him and kissing her when there was a literal war going on like PLEASE let her live!!!

Anyways bestie I don’t really watch Loki the show but I like the character from the movies!!!! And I used to read fics about him lol

[ssa-montgomery]

hey i have a request. so yk in hunger games how peta was tortured/brainwashed into hating katniss. i was thinking the reader was taken instead of daryl and negan tortured her and made her think daryl was the one hurting her. (daryl and her have been together since the farm) like maybe they were in a dark room and she couldn’t see idk but she thought the person torturing her was daryl. she gets back to alexandria and she’s scared of daryl like he tries to hug her and she freaks out like bad and tried to get away from him. and he’s like really upset like crying emo because he loves her and he would never hurt her. so he tried to talk to her and she was lying in bed and she like moves to the conner trying to get away from him bc she’s scared and he shows her like a picture of them cuddling/kissing BEING IN LOVE and she takes it and he says like “i would never hurt ya sunshine. not ever” and he’s like crying and she finally like realizes he’s bbg and would never hurt her and she starts crying and apologizing bonus points if you add negan coming to visit when she’s still scared of daryl and daryl punches him and like yells “WHAT THE HELL DID U DO TO HER” and negan like teases him and pisses him off. i really liked this idea and i needed someone to write it and you’re like one of the best writers on here so i was hoping you could write it and like make it kinda long and detailed LOVE U

Hi Anon! I really appreciate you trusting me with this request and sending it in and thank you so much for your kind words about my writing <3

Unfortunately, I won't be taking on this request, my inspiration is running a little thin right now and I don't have the time with work to take on a bigger/darker project right now. I really do hope you can find someone that will bring this idea to life for you :)

[literallymikewheeler]

i want peeta to drop his lash routine rn bc if his lashes are so good that katniss will literally talk abt them for a whole PARAGRAPH then i wanna hop on that train

[thisloveforyourmom]

review of acotar: solid 4/10, read it all and DNF'd the second book because i got off the plane and had better things to do LMAO. it's not very good but its also not so hilariously awful or off the wall that it becomes entertaining in its badness.

feyre as a main character is really not very inspired. everything before her going to fairy land is basically katniss everdeen with sisters who suck more - hunting in the woods, starving, one useless parent one dead parent, sibling who won't/can't help them survive, etc etc etc. and her name isn't pronounce 'fairy' but come on. she doesn't really shine until very late in the book, but she's a mildly interesting POV so whatever 5/10 for her.

tamlin is a complete nothing burger of a love interest. there's literally nothing about him and feyre's interactions that is at all compelling. at one point he goes feral and bites her and it's supposed to be all erotic and i don't know who that scene is for, considering if you want a dark romance this aint your book and tamlin never does anything like that again. all of feyre's attraction to him is explained by that bullshit romance authors sometimes do where it's like "and i didn't know why....but i wanted to see him again" girl i don't know why either

the entire setup for the curse is so. contrived. like wdym it's a lengthy and complicated curse but feyre JUST SO HAPPENS to have met every single weird requirement EXCEPT.....she doesn't do the last thing needed to break the curse! and even by her own admission she didn't know why!

the worldbuilding is...a Problem. the high fae aren't fairies they're elves. idgaf. they can lie no problem, they can touch iron, eating their food is totally safe, time passes the same way in the fairy land, etc etc etc. there are seven courts because SJM wanted to bring up the whole seven is a magic number, but she does that by making them autumn, winter, spring, summer, day, night, and...dawn? why not twilight? twilight applies to dawn and dusk, why have we just totally punted the dusk court into oblivion? the main villain does that whole "i said i'd free your love, but i didnt say WHEN!! i'll free him LATER!! he can be freed by DYING!! -evil laugh-" thing except we already established she CAN JUST LIE, so there's no reason to play word games

rhysand and lucien are by far the most compelling people feyre talks to. i think SJM is good at writing enemies-to-lovers because it forces her to actually give them scenes where they find common ground and have meaningful interactions to overcome their hatred.

i do appreciate how she takes the risk of actually getting into some dark stuff in the end of acotar and the beginning of the second book - i thought feyre wasn't going to go through with that, but then she did, and it actually eats her up from the inside out instead of just becoming a woe-is-me-pity-party situation, so props for that. i also don't think many authors would have been willing to toss out the whole LI of the first book, but she committed to that too, so good on u SJM taking risks.

THAT SAID she did him dirty. i would have liked it better if feyre and tamlin truly just became incompatible after their trauma and were forced to admit that loving each other wasn't enough, but it seems like they're full sending tamlin being some kind of villain, which i really hate. in general i think his and feyre's relationship should have been done better - i could absolutely see feyre not loving him, but feeling as though she SHOULD love him because of what he did for her, which solves the whole 'i didnt say i love you' thing AND gives her a reason to go save him and then break up with him as well. overall he is just. really a nothing character until the second book.

acotar as a whole feels like the drudgery SJM had to get through before she could write the second book. it really picks up there. but not enough for me to keep reading lmao see yall

[endlessnightlock]

Fluff dialogue prompts: 17!

"There's an animal in your sweater, isn't there."

40 Fluff Dialogue Prompts

Previous drabbles here and here. 

This is a little series, Everlark through the years. In-Panem a/u.

9th Grade

"You shouldn't be here, girl," Rooba whispered harshly to Katniss the moment she ducked into the butcher shop. Her strong fingers dug into Katniss’s arm, emphasizing her fear. "You can't be seen in town with those kills. Ain’t you heard?”

Katniss' heart sank; there were supplies she desperately needed to trade in town for. 

A few months back, her family lost their main source of income when her father's leg was crushed in the mines. He was lucky to be alive but hadn't recovered enough to return to work or even slip under the fence to hunt or gather with Katniss like he used to. She was having a hard time out there on her own. It was winter, making catches more difficult.

A lot of responsibility was riding on Katniss' shoulders. If Rooba-who had the easiest time disguising game meat as something else and selling it-was afraid to trade with her, that was bad news. "What's happened?" she asked.

Rooba dropped her voice and ushered Katniss into the back room of her shop, glancing furtively over her shoulder for a moment before speaking right into her ear. "The new head Peacekeeper, Thread. He's cracking down on smaller offenses, making an example of folks. Poaching is high on his list, in fact he whipped that Hawthorne boy this morning."

Katniss stopped in her tracks. "You mean Gale?" she asked softly.

Gale Hawthorne was her second cousin, and while they weren't really close, they hunted together sometimes. Her stomach churned at the thought of him subjected to the whip. 

Rooba nodded solemnly. "Left him in bad shape, the 'Keepers did."

Sick welled up in her throat. Katniss forced it down again so she could speak. "Did they take him to my mother?" She asked, clearing her throat. She wasn't sure why she bothered, it was a given everyone in the Seam was treated by her mother.

Rooba nodded. In a protective gesture, she reached for the game bag Katniss wore across her body, pulling it over her head and pressing it into her hands with a warning. "You'd better get rid of the animals or hide them real good. I’d hate to see the same happen to you. Be careful out there.”

KPKPKPKPKP

Katniss made her way across town, her arms folded over her stomach to disguise her bag. Instead of stopping by the bakery like she always did, she rushed past. Peeta, however, noticed her slight frame and long braid and went outside, running after her.

"Not going to stop and see me?" he called. She stopped, wide-eyed, and he caught up with her.

Something was off with Katniss, he recognized it immediately. She was fidgety and frowning, and he wasn't sure what the problem was. Peeta had been friends with her forever, but she was a mystery sometimes. Katniss was a lot like a clam you had to gently pry open to get anything out.

Behind him, Peeta picked up the cadence of the Peacekeeper's boots hitting the stone-paved streets as they made a sweep through town. While he didn’t relish seeing them, Katniss was visibly shaken. She moved closer to Peeta, shrinking in front of him, trying to hide behind his chest and shoulders.

Despite never having held her that way, he pulled her into a tight embrace. He knew he couldn't protect Katniss from anything if the Peacekeepers were after her, but he sure as hell would try.

She trembled in his arms, leading Peeta to run a comforting hand down her back and over her braid. “It’s alright,” he reassured her, wishing there was more he could do to soothe her. 

Moments later the Peacekeeper’s cadence against the stone road disappeared, and when she relaxed in his arms, Peeta released her.

“What was that all about?” he asked. Katniss backed away some, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to rub the tears away so she wouldn’t have to acknowledge them. Still sucking in air, she patted the front of her sweater at her midsection. 

Peeta recognized the game-bag shaped lump beneath her clothes, something he hadn’t registered while holding her. Katniss seemed unable to speak at the moment, so he pondered the situation for a moment, filling in the blanks himself.

“There’s an animal in your sweater, isn’t there?” he asked, voice low in case anyone was around to overhear their conversation. If the situation wasn’t so serious, it would have been funny.

Katniss let out a hard breath, nodding. “Several, actually. I need to get rid of them. Gale, I ah, he was-”

“I heard he was whipped,” Peeta filled in so she didn’t have to explain further.

She turned wide grey eyes on him, and his chest ached with the fear he saw in her. “I don’t think I can risk walking home with them.”

Peeta gestured toward the bakery. There was actually something he could do to help her. “My mother isn’t here. Dad will trade you-he was going to see Rooba this afternoon anyway, said he wanted to make hand pies to sell the miners on their way to work.”

Katniss bit her lip. Surprising Peeta, she threw her arms around his neck and leaned into him. She wasn’t typically demonstrative with anyone but Prim. But they’d also never stood in each other’s embrace the way they had moments ago. Peeta was warm all over from her touch. He had to clear his throat.

“Thank you,” Katniss whispered, “I owe you one.”

[hutchhitched]

Don’t Talk To Me

Written by: @hutchhitched

Prompt 76: Modern a/u Katniss is getting over the loss of her sister (you decide how) when she meets Peeta. She’s closed off but he finds a way in. Maybe she works for him? Him for her? Maybe she cries herself to sleep on his bread scented shoulder? (Please yes I need that) [submitted by @endlessnightlock]

Ratings/Warnings: T

A/N: Y’all... It’s finally here. This is story number nine from the nine prompts I claimed for the 2020 @everlarkficexchange and then lost the will to write during the early months of the pandemic. I wasn’t sure I’d get here, but it’s happened. This is not the story I intended to write when I took the prompt, but sometimes the muse takes control, and I simply follow. Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy. Huge thanks to @javistg for understanding the delays and @endlessnightlock for being supportive of my plot change.

Katniss Everdeen hates people. Well, that’s not exactly true, but she doesn’t exactly like them either. They’re too…human or whatever. Too many acquaintances. The last thing she wants to do is get close to any of them, especially after the events of the past few months. She’s barely holding it together as it is, and introducing people or, even worse, friends could tip her right over the edge. She values her sanity.

 That’s probably why the new, sweet, disgustingly optimistic, overly friendly hire at the coffee shop where Katniss works irritates her so much. He’s just so nauseatingly earnest. It makes her want to punch him in the face.

 “How’s my favorite barista today?” he asks when she joins him behind the counter while still tying her apron. She mumbles noncommittally, but he doesn’t seem at all deterred. “I like that sweater.”

 “Peeta,” she says as she attempts to maintain control of her temper. He looks at her with such eagerness, she wilts under his obvious enthusiasm. “I’m just… It’s not a good day. Can we not?”

 His face falls, and she almost relents. She doesn’t know what it is that’s convinced him she’s someone he needs to befriend, but she simply has no interest. She doesn’t want more entanglements. They hurt too much.

 “Sorry,” he whispers and turns away. She swallows a twinge of guilt for hurting his feelings, but she doesn’t yield. Instead, she pivots to the espresso machine and starts making coffee. They work together silently, their only conversation about drink orders. They move around each other easily with no uncomfortable bumping or banging elbows or shoulders. He’s a good worker, at least, and he knows how to take a hint.

 “See you tomorrow,” Peeta says softly as his shift ends, and she flashes a brief smile. She doesn’t want to be rude, but come on. He doesn’t have to be friends with everybody.

 It continues like that for months, him fruitlessly friendly and her taciturn and distant. He continues to pursue a friendship, never pushing or prodding, simply being there and consistently showing kind. It’s exhausting.

 “How do you manage to stay so sickeningly upbeat?” she asks finally after several days of wanting to scream. He wears her down. She’d tell him to stop, but she’s starting to think she might like his optimism a little bit.

 He pauses for a second to glance at her before returning his attention to slipping sleeves onto the cup he’s holding. He calls out the order and smiles at the customer before answering. “What’s the other option? Being miserable?”

 “Well, I’m pretty good at it.”

 “I don’t think that’s true,” he argues softly. “I think you’ve had a rough time, and you’re grieving and healing. No one begrudges you that.”

 She gapes at him for a few seconds before snapping back to attention. The last thing she needs is to break down in front of everyone. Somehow, she thought he didn’t know anything. It’s disconcerting to realize her grief is on public display when she’s worked so hard to tuck it away. She reels, and he presses his lips together in frustration.

 “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.”

 “It’s… You’re fine.” She swallows hard and shakes her head. “I’m taking my break.”

 His wounded expression slices through her as she flees.

 ****

 Another couple of weeks pass before Katniss finds herself alone with Peeta again. They’re scheduled to close on a slow night, and everyone else has gone home when he locks the door behind the last customer and she turns off the light and secures the window for the drive through window.

 “Alone at last,” she jokes and is struck by his wry grin.

 “You don’t have to do that.”

 “Lock up? I think I do.”

 He catches her gaze and refuses to let it drop. “Pretend to be happy you’re here with me.”

 “I—”

 “I’m sorry,” he insists. “I thought maybe if I could talk to you and stop being so, you know, wounded that maybe we could take a shot at being friends. I didn’t mean to upset you, Katniss. That’s the last thing I’d ever want to do.”

 She doesn’t answer for several beats. He squirms a little and drops his eyes to study twisting hands and twitching feet. She’s going to regret this. She knows she will. Still, there’s something sweet and shy and kind that she yearns for when the rest of the world is so hard and cold. Maybe it’s weakness or something else equally awful she should expunge from her personality, but she can’t let him spiral this way. Maybe it’ll stop hers, too.

 “We could, uh, try that.”

 It comes out garbled and stunted, but the change in his countenance makes her glad she took the step. A thousand emotions flit over his handsome face, but a grin splits his lips so wide that his teeth flash white. She holds up her hands to head him off, but he steadies himself. With eyes twinkling, he chuckles.

 “I saw the fear there for a second. I’ll control myself before I start asking the deep stuff.”

 “The deep stuff?” she asks, still gun-shy.

 “Yeah, like it’s crazy that I’d voluntarily cover a shift for you if you called in sick, but I don’t know your favorite color.”

 “It’s green.”

 “Mine’s orange.”

 “Like those chairs?” she laughs and nods at the overly bright upholstery on the furniture. Apparently someone in corporate thought pumpkin spice wasn’t just their most popular fall drink; it was also where customers could put their butts as they sipped caffeine-laden drinks.

 “Softer,” he answers, his voice a breathy whisper. “Like the sunset.”

 Her eyes drift shut. He’s put a spell on the space with his words, and she wants to stay there for a moment. When he’s not being overeager, Peeta Mellark is charming as hell. Lord, help her.

 “Can I tell you a secret? It’s really important.”

 She tenses, but when she opens her eyes, she finds that he’s moved closer to her and propped his hip against the counter. He looks so young and hopeful there’s no way she can be scared of him.

 “If you must,” she sniffs and smiles to soften her response.

 “Lean in close. It’s a big one.” She does so slowly, and he waits patiently until she’s close enough that he can whisper, “Don’t tell our boss, but I’m a tea guy. Two lumps of sugar. I don’t even like coffee.”

 Her eyes widen for a split second, and then she bursts into laughter. Tears gather in her eyes as she shakes. “That’s not a big one!”

 “Coffee is life, Katniss. A known tea drinker would be cast out among the wolves. I’ll just stay incognito. I’m trusting you with my life here.”

 “And what if I spill it?”

 “Spill the tea?” He winks as she gasps for air. Just as quickly, he wipes his expression from his face and assumes mock sobriety. Somberly, he picks up the broom and starts to sweep. “Well, then, I guess you’ll have one fewer opponent to beat out for employee of the month.”

 The whole idea that Katniss, surly and grumpy as she is, could ever win a customer service award is so preposterous she can’t keep from giggling. By the time the café is clean, she’s a million times lighter. When they head separate ways after locking up, she watches him as he strides down the street. Before he turns the corner, he tosses a look over his shoulder and waves. She doesn’t even have to think about it. She waves back.

 ****

 They become friends, and it upends her life. Katniss isn’t used to having people around. Not since her sister passed away and left her all alone in the world. Katniss had gotten used to being an orphan, but when her sister was killed in a car crash, the loneliness and despair overwhelmed her. With Peeta around, she doesn’t feel quite so isolated anymore.

 They take short walks on shared breaks, and he leans down to pick dandelions from between the sidewalk cracks before handing them to her with a bashful grin. He shields her from overly aggressive customers during busy periods at the café, and, after several weeks, he manages to convince her that spending time together outside of work isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

 “Friends do tend to see each other in social settings,” he teases, and Katniss finally relents.

 They go to movies and basketball games and art exhibits and archery competitions and all sorts of other things she had no idea she’d enjoy until Peeta suggested the activity. Sometimes, they do mundane things like grocery shopping together. She finds she likes trying new things as long as there’s someone with her and they can debrief about what was good and bad afterward. He convinces her to try one of those art classes with BYOB wine and a pre-chosen image to paint, and she gasps when his own creation takes on a life of its own while hers seems like a bad paint with water replica. He teaches her to cook bread and cookies and cinnamon rolls, and she shares her heirloom lamb stew recipe with him. They’re comfortable together. He never pushes, never makes her feel like he needs anything more than simple friendship.

 Until, that is, the anniversary of her sister’s death.

 She should have taken off work. She knows that, but the café is short-handed. Besides, she needs the money. It’s rainy and muggy and awful when she leaves the house, and the subway is packed much more than usual. She’s jostled and pushed and touched inappropriately (although, that was likely unintentional with how closely pressed together the passengers are in the train car), so that by the time she gets to work, she’s irritable, grumpy, and a ten seconds from losing it.

 It’s possible it’s the weather or the alignment of the stars or an almost full-moon or the changing of the seasons. It could be that other people are suffering from trauma and loss and depression, as well. Or it could be that Katniss just has really bad luck.

 “This drink is wrong.”

 The harsh complaint is snapped at her by an unpleasant looking man with white hair and a beard. He looks at her like she’s something rotten on the underside of his shoe when he shoves the cup toward her and sloshes some of the hot liquid on her outstretched hand. She hisses at the burn and immediately turns to the sink to run cold water over her skin before it blisters.

 “Don’t turn your back on me! Fix my coffee.”

 Katniss tenses, her guard up, but she refuses to move. His actions burned her, and she’s following not only methods of self-preservation but also the company’s safe work policies. Injuries are to be treated immediately on the job. She’s doing that.

 He continues yelling, attracting the attention of patrons and staff. Peeta finishes with the order he’s taking and quickly intervenes, coming to her rescue whether she wants him to or not. She’s not sure which is accurate.

 “Can I help you, sir? My name is Peeta, and I’m—”

 The man squints at Peeta and raises a shaking hand toward me. He’s livid, and Peeta takes a half-step back at the fury that’s suddenly directed his way. The situation escalates. It’s not pretty. The police are called, and customers are shaken. That’s nothing compared to the way Katniss quakes inside her own skin. She’s barely holding it together when their manager intercedes.

 “Get her out of here,” Haymitch barks at Peeta before turning to the customer. The coffee cup he’s thrown at her rolls on the floor in a puddle of liquid. The name scrawled on the outside is Snow. It’s ironic. Katniss has always hated winter.

 They make it to the back before she crumbles, and Peeta lets go of her hand to help her sit down on a stack of crates. He settles next to her and pulls her into a loose embrace—tight enough so that she knows he’s there but loose so she doesn’t feel trapped. It’s the perfect way to comfort her. He’s perfect, and she’s a mess.

 The tears flow, and she’s too broken to bother to wipe them away. Shoulders shake and sobs tear from her throat in gulping heaves. At one point, she moans her dead sister’s name. It’s a mournful wail that washes over her and makes her hurt even worse. He pats her back and toys with the tip of her braid. It’s an unlikely source of solace, and it causes her to turn into him and press her face to his shoulder.

 He smells like bread, she realizes in a random flash of clarity. She’s lamenting her sister, but that scent claws at her senses and registers in the olfactory section of her brain. How odd, she thinks before a fresh wave of grief shakes her torso.

 “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he whispers. “I’m so sorry. I’m here. Take as long as you need. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

 She’s not, though. She’s not all right, and she knows he understands that. He’s working with a limited vocabulary as he tries to help her. That’s what people say when they’re faced with a weeping friend. She’s done it herself. His tone of voice and gentle touch more than prove his compassion for her pain.

 She doesn’t know how long they sit there, but it’s long enough that her tears have soaked his shoulder. A sharp cough invades their little bubble, and they both glance up to see Haymitch in the doorway.

 “Clock out,” he orders in that gruff way of his. “We’ve got you both covered. Take her home, boy.” Peeta nods at the nickname without protest. It would be offensive if it meant anything other than their boss can’t remember anyone’s names, although that’s bad enough.

 Peeta hails a cab and gives her address. He escorts her to her door and unlocks it for her before guiding her inside and seating her on the couch. When he moves away, she grabs at his hand and pulls him down next to her. His arms envelop her again, and she presses her face into his neck and allows the tears to streak down her cheeks while she hiccups. She hates being vulnerable, but she trusts him. They’ve grown close over the past few months.

 Finally, she runs dry. Her sobs subside, and her body stills. He doesn’t shift, doesn’t attempt to pull away. Instead, he simply waits and gives her the space for what she needs. It’s a beautiful thing to grieve with someone who allows it to occur instead of hindering the process. She’s not okay. She won’t be for a long time, but she’s survived today. For now, that’s enough.

 “Thank you,” she mumbles against his shoulder. When he doesn’t answer, she glances up at him through wet lashes and finds him looking at her with compassion in his piercing blue eyes. She could fall into them if she’d let herself. When he lifts his hand to brush flyaway wisps of hair from her forehead, she thinks maybe she should.

 Time freezes. There’s a pulse between them that shakes the world. They’re drawn together, and she doesn’t second guess it or pull away from him. Instead, she closes her eyes and meets his mouth with hers. It’s gentle, just a sweet brush of lips, but it tastes like a reawakening, like the snow melting away and the earth coming back to life in spring.

 It’s scary. It’s terrifying. It’s also right. After the events of the past year, she deserves a new beginning.

[miwtual]

15 and 19 for the book asks!

15. recommend and review a book.

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid!

when i tell u i have GENUINELY never felt more connected to a book than i did reading tshoeh,,,, KNSDLMF i read this book in less than 3 days because i genuinely could NOT put it down, which is a very rare thing that happens for me (i usually take forever reading books,, it literally took me a year to finish six of crows LMAO) but the characters are all so compelling and complex and theres so many emotions i felt while reading it and when i finished it i literally had to just lay down because i was so messed up about it. its so good. i genuinely have an evelyn hugo url saved because of how much i love her ok i am a changed woman after reading this book

19. most disliked popular books?

oh boy give me a second KJNDLFK an honorable mention is the hunger games series by suzanne collins, not because i dislike the books or characters or their stories (i love them, actually), but because just,, i didnt like the pacing, and ive tried to read them many times but i just never seem to be able to get past when katniss first enters the games. the pacing just feels off and it makes it hard for me personally to read :/

however other than that i really only have one "popular" book that really fits into this category, and that's divergent by veronica roth

i have. SO much to say about this book, but i'll try to not add personal anecdotes about it that just made this a more excruciating book to read. its just so plainly a hunger games rip-off that tried to ride the hype of what hunger games did, but with a lifeless protagonist who just feels like she only exists to do the plot of this book and literally nothing else. every other character is also just a crash dummy with a hair and the plot falls flat when u realize its just the hunger games but way less smart. i hate this book. i also had to annotate every single page of this nearly 500 page nightmare and its just the cherry on top of this roller coaster of hate

book asks: send me a number!