#mockingjay could not have been a better ending

[frogyourbog]

definitely did not just spend the last three days rapidly digesting all of the hunger games novels and end up sprawled out on my bed at almost 4 in the morning crying because goddamn

[nomattertheoceans]

Never mind me, I am once again dealing with my conflicting feelings surrounding Mrs Everdeen.

[mrs-kmikaelson]

Our Song and Dance³

Pairing: Finnick Odair x reader Summary: You'd grown used to dancing the same dance over and over again, the victor's dance, but then you start dancing with Finnick Odair and you feel things you never thought you'd feel. So you let yourself enjoy the dance, even though you knew that every song inevitably came to an end. Warnings: long, exploitation of minors, mentions of forced prostitution, suicidal thoughts, implied torture, violence, complicated relationships, complex mental health issues, and i involve finnick more in everything Words: 8.1K

Masterlist | Part 4

a/n: switching it up, so this part is from finnick's pov. it's basically mockingjay one, then i'll do one more part for mockingjay 2. ly guys!

Finnick Odair was not sure that love existed. Or, at least he wasn’t. He could barely remember what his parents looked like, let alone if they loved each other. But he had Mags; she proved to him that love existed because he loved her. It was the falling in love that he was unsure about.

And then he met Annie Cresta and it was like he suddenly understood. Yes, this was what the poets were talking about. This was love. 

But they couldn’t be together.

He was being sold off all the time, taking countless visits to the Capitol. He couldn’t endanger her like that, let her get involved in the fucked up world he lived in. So he didn’t. He loved her from afar, knowing they’d never really be together.

He thought it’d end there, but then one night, he saw you. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was all his own will, but he walked up to you. He’d seen you at these events before, back home, and on TV, but standing there so close to you, it was like it was just hitting him how beautiful you were.

You were a victor, too. But he realized just how alike you were when he watched as you left a hotel room, in the same state as him. After that, it was you who took a chance on him until he almost looked forward to coming to the Capitol, just to see you.

You weren’t Annie. You didn’t remind him of what poets had written. No, he couldn’t describe you or what you meant to him in just words. What he grew to feel for you over time wasn’t akin to anything he’d ever read. This was so much more than that.

He loved Annie, he always would, but being with you made him realize what it was like to be in love.

But he never told you this, never said any of it out loud out of fear that he’d lose you.

Now he lost you, anyway.

The doors to his hospital room opened. He knew it was Katniss, but he didn’t say anything, staring right at the ground in front of him.

If he looked hard enough, he could see your face.

“Finnick.”

He looked up from his feet, but still didn’t look at her. He already knew what she looked like, and it wasn’t much better than him.

She was mad at him. She’d barely spoken to him since they got to 13, but he knew that she couldn’t have been much more mad at him than he already was at himself.

His voice was quiet when he spoke. “I wanted to go back for them—for Peeta, and Johanna, and Y/N… but I- I couldn’t move.” He twiddled his fingers with the rope in his hands, wishing it was your hand he was holding, but he wasn’t. You weren’t there. He left you.

He finally looked up at Katniss. She looked both emotionless and so emotional at the same time, lifeless but alive. “I- I love her, y’know?” He looked back down at the knot he was tying, sniffling involuntarily.

He was trying to keep it together, but without you, that was like trying to fix a broken glass without any glue. 

You were the glue that held him together.

And now the Capitol had you.

The words left his lips without much thought. “I wish she was dead.” He chose to stare at a spot on the ground instead of looking at Katniss’ reaction. His chest tightened. “I wish they were all dead and we were, too.”

If they had died, then at least they wouldn’t have been going through this, having to live but feeling so dead, anyway.

Katniss was silent until he eventually heard her leave the room.

There were words she didn’t say that still floated around the room, agreement that she didn’t voice. She was just as broken as him, holding on for dear life. He hoped that she’d keep holding on.

He had to have hope. He had to have hope that he’d see you again, that this wasn’t all for nothing, that they could build a better world that you could both live in. He needed to hope.

That hope was the only thing that kept him holding on, too.

He was in the cafeteria, sitting next to Katniss and Annie when it happened. The fanfare started playing, Caesar Flickerman’s face coming to the screen. He scoffed, tuning out and looking back down at the food on his plate, swishing it around. Recently, it had been hard for him to work up an appetite.

He looked back up when Katniss grabbed his hand, hers trembling. He soon realized why.

It was Peeta, on the Capitol TV.

Katniss got up, walking to the TV and standing right in front of it, shocked. He would’ve gotten up and followed her, tried to console her, but it was as if he was paralyzed.

Peeta was on the TV.

And you were nowhere in sight.

He heard the conversation that had everyone on the edge of their seat through muffled ears. Peeta didn’t look exactly like himself, but he still looked like the golden boy Panem fell in love with. It was so obvious that the Capitol was using him, playing him like a puppet, but what confused him was that they were using him and not the much more powerful weapon they had in their arsenal.

You were the Princess of Panem. Plutarch and Coin knew that; that’s why they wanted you. Katniss could light a fire, but if they also had you, then together you could cause an explosion. If the Capitol wanted to sway public opinion, why wouldn’t they just use you, someone who the people trusted and adored?

Suddenly, his stomach fell.

If they weren’t using you, then it was because you weren’t in a condition to be shown to the public.

He felt a hand on his, turning his head to see it was Annie, looking at him with a sympathetic expression. As if she could hear his thoughts, the smallest of sad smiles grew on her lips.  “It’s gonna be okay, Finnick,” she whispered. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

How the tables had turned. Now it was her assuring him.

In that moment, he understood Annie like never before.

Because he wasn’t so sure she was right.

After Peeta’s interview, Finnick didn’t leave his room much. He’d lie in bed and stare up at the ceiling, pretending that you were there with him. He could withstand the silence if he had you by his side.

But now, the silence was deafening.

Sometimes, he didn’t hear a thing. Other times, your voice would fill the gaps, memories of you flashing before his eyes like a movie. Sometimes, they weren’t memories at all. Sometimes, he imagined a different life for you where you were both happy, in love.

And, sometimes, he imagined what they could’ve been doing to you in the Capitol.

Whenever these awake-nightmares got too vivid, he’d find Katniss and sit with her, knowing she must have been going through the same thing. It was what you would’ve done, what you did with him and Johanna.

You wouldn’t have wanted them to suffer alone.

The next time he was around everyone else, it was per Coin’s request. She announced to them all that Katniss agreed to be The Mockingjay and that, in return, she’d look for an opportunity to extract you, the victors that had been taken.

Katniss moved next to him. “Finnick, I made the deal for Y/N, too.”

It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Hope—this was hope.

“Good,” he said. For the first time since he left the arena, he smiled. “That’s good, Katniss.” A small chuckle left him.

Maybe he’d get a chance to make those dreams of his a reality.

With a newfound ardour, Finnick threw himself back into the ring instead of avoiding the fight like he had been, sitting in on meetings and doing whatever he could to make this work. He would see you again; he’d make sure of it. 

He went with the propo team to 8, watching as the Girl on Fire did exactly what they’d all been waiting for her to do. He wasn’t the only one that was hopeful—so were people in the districts, the people in 13.

They played her propo at the next assembly. The crowd cheered, but as he stood with The Mockingjay herself on the sidelines, she didn’t look so cheerful. Finnick understood this, he understood it well, but he couldn’t afford to think like that with your life hanging in the balance.

She shouldn’t have to either, he thought.

He leaned closer to her, quizzing, “You don’t like hearing a fight song at a funeral, huh?” She looked up at him almost in the same way she did when he made that joke in the arena. At the memory of your response, a small smile arose on his face. “The more people on our side, the closer we are to Peeta and Y/N,” he reminded her.

She nodded, muttering, “Yeah,” and then turning back to the crowd. She didn’t look so convinced, but he left it there, knowing she was coping with this in her own way.

If Katniss loved Peeta even half as much as he loved you, then he’d let her do whatever she felt comfortable with.

But at the end of the day, it was love that kept them both going.

The next time Peeta was on TV, it was a wake up call for everyone. He didn’t look so refined anymore, so clean. There were bags under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept or eaten in days.

If this was what Peeta looked like and they still had him on TV, then what about you? 

A bile rose in his throat. He ran to the nearest trash can and threw up whatever they served that morning for breakfast, your face flashing underneath his eyelids. You weren’t smiling like in the dreams he had, but screaming.

He knew you weren’t dead, that the Capitol wouldn’t kill you, but when he pictured your face, you didn’t look so alive.

Oh, he wished he could’ve made you smile more. But in the world you lived in, sometimes it was too hard to even do that.

That’s why we’re doing this, he reminded himself. We’re trying to build a better world. But there were no words that Coin could say to shake the guilt he felt, guilt for leaving you, guilt for being the reason this happened to you. There was no band-aid he could put over this wound, no pills that could kill this pain.

But he had to push through it, and he couldn’t do that by sitting in his room by himself; every time he closed his eyes, he saw you. So he went to Katniss’ room, finding her in a position so similar to his own.

That was the man she loved on TV, even if she hadn’t come to terms with her feelings. She must have been just as guilty as him, if not more so. Finnick could remember a time when he rejected his feelings for you, too, scared of caring for somebody, scared of this happening.

He went through the Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell, being sold when he was only sixteen, but falling in love with you was the scariest thing he’d ever experienced.

If that’s how Katniss felt, then he didn’t want her to be alone, not when she reminded him so much of you.

So he sat next to her in silence, letting all of the words he wanted to say hang in the air, hoping that she heard them. They sat there wordlessly until Gale came in, telling them it was time to go, that they were going to 12.

It was only when he was about to leave that he finally spoke, deciding that these were words he had to make sure that she heard, words that he needed to hear, too.

“We’re gonna get them back, Katniss.” 

She looked at him, forming somewhat of a smile and nodding. After staring at her for a few seconds, he left the room, going to get ready.

She didn’t know it, but the entire hovercraft ride on the way to 12, he repeated those same exact words to himself over and over again.

We’re gonna get them back.

While nothing could really ease Finnick’s worries, seeing the people fight back certainly helped. The revolution was picking up traction. The videos they shot in 12 had moved people so much that they were willing to put themselves at risk, just out of hope for a better Panem.

If they could do that, then he could, too.

He wondered if you knew about any of this, if you were even aware of what was happening or if the Capitol was just keeping you in the dark. Did you know? Did you hear Katniss sing?

Did it remind you of him the same way it reminded him of you?

He had so many questions, and so little answers.

Rebels in district 5 bombed a hydroelectric dam, cutting power in the Capitol. Not long after, Peeta Mellark was back on TV, talking about it. He no longer even looked like himself. He didn’t look like a victor, but like someone who had lost.

But Finnick supposed that was what a victor was.

Beetee managed to get through the Capitol’s firewall, cutting Peeta off with Katniss’ propo. They watched as tears filled his eyes on screen.

That was the first time he looked like himself.

Are you, are you comin’ to the tree?

He faltered. “Katniss?”

Finnick watched as Katniss got closer to the screen, shaking her head. She saw it, too. She saw the man that went into that arena with them.

But then, like a victor would, his mask went back up so quickly. 

“The attack on the dam was a callous and inhuman act of destruction-”

Where a dead man called out for his love to flee.

Peeta inhaled shakily, his lips so slightly quivering. “Think about it,” he said. “How will this end? What will be left?” Finnick walked closer to the screen, like he was caught in a trance. Peeta’s previously calm façade had broken and was replaced with someone who looked stricken by panic. “No one can survive this. No one is safe now. Not here in the Capitol.” He shook his head. “Not in any of the districts.” 

He stopped, looking right into the camera as if he was staring into Katniss’ eyes. He may not have known it, but he was.

“They’re coming, Katniss. They’re gonna kill everyone.” They heard quick footsteps behind the camera as Peeta rushed to get his words out. “And in district 13 you’ll be dead by morning-”

Then the camera cut out.

Finnick didn’t know what to say, glancing over at Katniss to see her cupping her mouth in shock.

Haymitch was much more calm. With Katniss spinning out, he had to be. “He’s warning us. That was a warning.” Behind him, Boggs said something in agreement.

Katniss looked to have gotten over her shock, frantically turning and fretting, “We have to get him out before they kill him.” She was ignored.

What about you? he wondered. Where did this leave you? But right now, what they needed to worry about was where it left them.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t have anything to come home to.

“It’s time for an air raid drill.” Seconds after Coin spoke, an alarm went off. Everyone that’d been fixed to their spot in the room was up, like they’d been preparing for this for a lifetime, and from what he heard, they had been.

Katniss went running, searching for her sister while he went looking for Annie and Mags, grabbing them and descending down the stairwell as soon as he saw them. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his mind blank, just as it was in the arena.

If he let his thoughts take control, then he’d lose it, and he couldn’t do that right now. He couldn’t slip up right now with what was at stake.

It was your life on the line.

He couldn’t lose you.

But a part of him knew that, the second you were in Snow’s hands, the you that he knew was lost forever.

Down in the bunker, Finnick sat on the bottom bunk with Mags off resting by herself while Annie had fallen asleep at the top. Sometimes, with her episodes, it was easy to forget that she was a victor, too, that she had danced the same dance you had. But she was, and she was dancing like never before.

He could tell that she had been trying hard to keep it together, but with all of the panic and the noise, it was hard. She fell asleep easily. 

Although the bunker was pretty quiet, his thoughts were still so loud. The last time he saw you played out in his head. He could still taste your lips on his, still feel your soft skin, still see your beautiful eyes.

I’ll see you at midnight?

Yeah, I’ll see you at midnight.

But he didn’t. He never saw you again. He would’ve never let you go if he’d known then what’d happen. He would’ve held you longer, kissed you longer. He would’ve told you he loved you.

If he’d known this’d happen, he would’ve told you long before The Games. The truth was, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly when he fell in love with you. It had always been Annie for him, and you were just there.

But that was exactly it. You were there. You were always there. 

Maybe he started falling for you after the first time you slept together. Maybe it was after your fifth time mentoring together. Maybe it was after the time he had a nightmare and you let him hold you. Maybe it was after you smiled, and really smiled, for the first time since you decided to start pretending to be a couple. He couldn’t be sure, but somewhere along the way, you became so much more to him than just Y/N Y/L/N, Princess of Panem and victor of the 67th Hunger Games.

You became the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

He just wished he could’ve told you that.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when someone walked up to him. “Hey.” He looked up, seeing Katniss. She looked beat, her voice quiet. “Can I sit?”

He nodded, moving over so she could sit next to him. She had her family down here, that’s why he hadn’t gone over to her, but he understood why she was coming to him. After going through what they went through, it was easier to be around people who went through the same thing, who were going through the same thing.

Like she was reading his mind, she asked, “Are you thinking about her?”

There wasn’t any need for further explanation. Truthfully, he answered, “Yeah,” looking down at the ground. Every moment he had that wasn’t dedicated to this revolution was spent thinking about you.

After a second, she spoke up again. “Snow’s using her to punish you. He’s taunting us with them.” She scoffed a little. “I didn’t understand that until just now watching that stupid cat.”

She was right. This wasn’t just about propaganda. This was about Snow’s little puppets misbehaving.

So now he was showing them that, even in 13, he still owned them. He still owned Finnick. He still owned Katniss. He still owned Johanna. He still owned Peeta. And he still owned you.

He was using you against him because he knew how much you meant to him, the same way he knew how much Peeta meant to Katniss, even if she didn’t see that herself.

Finnick sighed, debating on whether or not he should say what he was thinking or keep it to himself before deciding that he had held enough in, that holding his thoughts in had never done him any good. So he turned to Katniss and started, “I- Y/N and I, we hadn’t met until after she won her Games. We weren’t really friends, at first, but rumours start fast in the Capitol, especially when ‘royalty’ is involved.” He humourlessly chuckled. “People were saying that we were dating, and so she- she thought the best thing for us to do was to let them believe it, let them have their love story. The alternative, two people coping together- that was a lot darker than what the Capitol could handle.”

She tilted her head, furrowing her brows. He watched as she put it all together. “Wait, are you saying that…”

He nodded. “Yes. It was fake. Our love story was just that: a story.” Surprise was painted all over her face.

“But… you told me that you love her.”

A ghost of a smile came to his face. “I do. I love her. It wasn’t like that at first, but over time, I fell for her, Katniss.” He saw a look pass over her face: understanding. What he was describing wasn’t just you and him; it was her and Peeta. “Y/N and I, we learned how to play the game. If anyone could spot a fake relationship, it was us. After your first Games, we thought your whole romance was an act. We expected you to continue that strategy. But it wasn’t until Peeta’s heart stopped and he nearly died that… I knew I’d misjudged you. You love him.”

Katniss looked away, like what he was saying was something she’d never even considered. It was so clear to everyone that she loved him, everyone but herself.

“I’m not saying in what way,” he added, understanding her feelings so well because he’d right where she was. “Maybe you don’t even know yourself. But anyone paying attention can see it.” He maintained his stare, even as she looked away.

With the life they lived, you didn’t want to give yourself to love, to admit that to yourself, to allow yourself to be vulnerable. But you could only hide a love so strong for so long.

She swallowed, gaze still aimed at the floor. “How do you live with it?”

You’re asking the wrong person, he thought, but that wasn’t an acceptable answer. That wasn’t the answer she was looking for. Right now, Katniss was lost; he needed to point her in the right direction.

Even if he still had trouble doing that for himself.

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words to say. “I drag myself outta nightmares and there’s no relief in waking up,” he confessed. “But I- sometimes, when I’m awake, I let myself dream about her.” Finally, she looked over to him. “I dream that, one day, when this is all over, we’re living in a better world, happy.” The corners of his lips quirked up at the thought. “It’s hope, Katniss. That’s how I live with it.”

Katniss eyes were dull, red, tired, but even in the darkness of the bunker, he was able to see a tiny spark light up in her eyes.

Hope.

They’d fallen asleep in the bunker along with everyone else until Finnick woke up to Boggs shaking him, telling him that they had to go. Coin wanted Katniss to get in front of the camera, tell Panem that they were still standing after the attack.

But, as soon as they stepped outside, he watched her fall apart.

Roses.

A rose?

They’re a Capitol favourite.

You hated roses. Looking at them himself, he couldn’t even blame Katniss. He felt sick, too.

She couldn’t do it. She was almost hysterical, so of course Boggs let her go. They couldn’t put her on TV when she was like this. But they also didn’t have time to wait.

With Katniss gone, Haymitch and Boggs pulled him aside to a briefing room, getting started on a new plan.

“Okay, what are we doing?”

They gave each other a look, much like the look Plutarch and Haymitch traded right after the Quell, like they knew something he didn’t, like they were getting ready for him to explode.

“Finnick, the dam that went down in district 5 cut power in most of the Capitol,” Haymitch started. “Their defences are down—Beetee’s gonna be able to get in now.”

His brows furrowed. He already knew that. 

Sensing his confusion, Boggs cut in, “We’ve gotten word that the victors are in the Tribute Centre.”

Suddenly, it was like his heart stopped.

You were coming home.

He echoed his thoughts. “You’re going to get them?”

“Yes, I’ll be leading the mission-”

“Well, I’m coming.” Again, they both shared a look, like they were expecting him to say that, and why wouldn’t they? You were his girlfriend; of course, he wanted to be there to save you. 

“Finnick-”

He cut Boggs off a second time, repeating himself, “I am coming with you.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”

He scoffed. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Finnick-”

“If you’re going to get Y/N, then I’m coming with you-”

“You are too valuable to this revolution for them to let you go,” Haymitch said, but Finnick really couldn’t give a damn about whatever reason they threw at him. You were all he could think about.

“I’m not just gonna sit here and do nothing while they’re being rescued,” he retaliated. For over a month, sitting around and doing nothing was practically all he’d been doing, fantasizing about you, unknowing of when he’d see you again or if he’d ever see you again, trying to imagine what you could’ve been going through.

He couldn’t just stand by while you were in a live or die situation.

If you died- no, he cut his thoughts off, refusing to finish the sentence.

You couldn’t die.

Haymitch sighed, glancing away before looking back at him. His eyes were always hard, but at that moment, Finnick saw flashes of sympathy. “You won’t be doing nothing.”

His eyes slightly narrowed. “What do you mean?”

The two shared another look before he told him, “Katniss can’t record right now. But you can.”

Another scoff left his lips, an incredulous look on his face as his voice was laced with sarcasm. “You want me to film a propo while you save Y/N?”

Haymitch didn’t respond right away, just staring at him like he was trying to properly articulate his words. The way he was looking at him unnerved him, like whatever he was gonna say could shatter him into a million pieces.

“Not a propo, Finnick,” he finally said, hesitation evident in his tone. “It’s a lot more than that.”

And, as Haymitch explained to him what they wanted him to do, Finnick learned just how much more that was.

Finnick Odair. That was a name synonymous with royalty, luxury, desire. Before he even met you, that was the name he’d built for himself—or, rather, the name that was thrusted into his arms.

A sex symbol.

When you won your Games, he could remember listening to the Capitol chatter. Stunning, refined, intelligent: a princess. You both already had so much in common, both from the same district, both so young when you won, but suddenly, as he watched you leave that hotel room that night in the Capitol, he realized that you had much more in common than he thought.

You were one and the same.

Those nights you spent together in the Capitol, out in the cold, you were silent. And then, even as you spoke to big Capitol fishes and gave speeches, you were still silent then, too, never speaking out about the injustices you’d been faced with.

Now, Finnick stood outside in the darkness, cold, but this time, you weren’t next to him. You weren’t next to him, and that was because Snow took you.

So he wasn’t going to stay silent anymore.

You deserved better than that.

He glanced around, almost as if he was trying to tell if his surroundings were real, if he was really doing this. 

He looked back when Cressida called his name, a careful look on her face. “Yeah,” he said, conveying he was okay without saying it, even if he really wasn’t. 

She didn’t look very convinced, but she still responded, “Okay.” She paused. “Take your time. Just remember to keep talking and don’t stop.”

He lightly nodded, looking up in front of him, seeing his breath in the air. For a moment, he was silent, but that moment didn’t last long. 

He had been silent for far too long already.

“This is Finnick Odair. Winner of the 65th Hunger Games,” he introduced himself, even though he knew that anyone watching must have recognized him right away. “And I’m coming to you from district 13, alive and well. We’ve survived an assault from the Capitol,” he recited. “But I’m not here to give you recent news.”

What he was going to tell them was much more than news about this rebellion. What he would reveal was about a war that’d started long before this rebellion ever did.

“I come with something much more valuable.”

I haven’t dealt in anything as common as money in years.

Well, then how do people pay for the pleasure of your company?

“The truth. The truth about being a victor, about being royalty.” Bitterness seeped through his tone. “Not the myths about a life of luxury. Not the lie about glory for your homeland.” He looked straight at the camera. “You can survive the arena. But the moment you leave, you’re a slave.”

We will never be free, Y/N.

He took in a breath before he spoke his next words, knowing that they held power stronger than a weapon. He may as well have been pointing the gun at his own head. But if he had to get burned to burn down the Capitol, then he would do it. He would do it a thousand times over.

And so would you.

“President Snow used to sell me. Or my body, at least. I wasn’t the only one.” Your face flashed in his mind. “If a victor is considered desirable, the President gives them as a reward or allows people to buy them. If you refuse, he kills someone you love.” Johanna.

It’s not fair. He killed her family. She said no, and he killed her family.

I know. It’s not fair, I know.

It was never fair. No riches or glory could ever be enough to compensate for that.

“To make themselves feel better, my patrons would make presents of money or jewelry. But I found a much more valuable form of payment.” The corners of his lips upturned slightly to form a small, humourless smile. “Secrets.”

The secrets he knew had the power to rip apart the Capitol’s so called “peace” at the seams. For him, for Katniss, for Johanna, for Peeta, for Annie, for you—this peace had fallen apart ages ago.

Katniss was forced to become the voice of thousands when she could barely do that for herself. Johanna turned to rage. Peeta turned to charm. Annie lost her mind. And you… what about you? 

It was about time that this peace was destroyed. It was about time that people understood exactly what victors really lost. And that Panem’s monsters weren’t hiding under the bed.

They were sitting on thrones.

“See, I know all the depravity, the deceit, and the cruelty of the Capitol’s pampered elite. But the biggest secrets are about our good President, Coriolanus Snow.” The biggest monster of them all. “Such a young man when he rose to power. Such a clever one to keep it. How, you may ask, did he do it?” He paused, looking right at the camera as if he was looking right into Snow’s eyes.

He hoped he was watching.

He hoped he was watching as they burned the Capitol to the ground.

“One word.” He lit the match. “Poison.” And then he dropped it.

“He stopped every mutiny before it even started. There are so many mysterious deaths to adversaries. Even to allies who were threats.” He could remember being at one of those dinners, watching a man fall onto his plate, his life over so quickly.

Once you were on the playing board, it didn’t matter how powerful you were. To Snow, you were all just pawns that he could knock off the board easily.

Not anymore.

“Snow would drink from the same cup to deflect suspicion. But… antidotes don’t always work, which is why he wears roses that reek of perfume. Help cover the scent of blood from sores in his mouth that will never heal.”

When Finnick learned this, he could remember the feeling he had, the satisfaction in knowing that a man who had spilled so much blood was bleeding himself. It was karmic.

How ironic was that?

“But he can’t hide the scent of who he really is,” he continued, remembering Cressida’s words. Don’t stop. “He kills without mercy. He rules with deception and fear. His weapon of choice is the only thing suited to such a man. Poison.” He scoffed. 

“The perfect weapon for a snake.”

Moments after Finnick’s last words, they were off the air. Cressida’s hand went to her ear, a dark look passing over her face. The Capitol air defence system’s coming back online, she said, and she didn’t get to say much else before he went running inside.

Much like every other day he’d spent in 13, your face came to his mind, but this time was different. This time, they went in to save you.

What if they couldn’t?

No, they had to bring you back- they had to.

He ran and ran until he got to ops, seeing Katniss crying in Haymitch’s arms. As soon as she saw him, she latched onto him and he reciprocated her hug tightly. He had to hold on. He had to.

He wouldn’t survive the fall if he let go.

He knows, he knows they’re in the Tribute Centre, she cried, and then for the second time that day, his heart stopped. He knew. Snow knew about the rescue mission.

His ears rang, eyes going blurry. And then things got a little blurry after that, too. Eventually, he ended up back in his room by himself. He didn’t know how he got there, but he did. All he could hear was your voices in his head.

No, you are coming home-

Finni-

We are both coming come. We are both coming home, Y/N, I swear.

He was supposed to protect you. He promised. He promised you that you would both make it home. But now where were you? You weren’t with him.

You never came home.

At one point, Annie came in, trying to be of some consolation, but she ended up leaving, unable to get through to him. He couldn’t hear her over your conversations that replayed in his head on a loop.

I told you. I’m not letting you die.

A tear raced down his cheek. He knew that you were maybe still alive, that you still had a chance, but that didn’t matter. It was never supposed to get to this point. He was never supposed to let it get to this point, a point where you could be dead.

He was supposed to bring you home.

Yeah, I’ll see you at midnight.

The doors suddenly slid open and Katniss walked in, breaking him out of his spell. He wiped the tears that’d fallen, clearing his throat. “Is there any news?”

Solemnly, she shook her head. “No.” He sighed as she sat down next to him, a big exhale leaving her lips, too. Both of them had passed the point of exhaustion, but it wasn’t like they could rest. Finnick wasn’t sure that he could sleep if he tried.

With this song playing so loudly, how could he?

Katniss was dancing the same dance as him, fighting the same battles. The man she loved was out there, too. She must have been just as scared as him.

They sat in silence for a while until she broke it, her voice raspy and just above a whisper. “Finnick?”

He turned to see her looking down at the ground. “Yeah?”

“I-” she stammered. It was only when she looked up at him that he saw the look in her eyes and knew why she was so nervous.

He shook his head. “It’s fine-”

She scoffed. “No, it’s not- it’s not fine-”

“Katniss-”

She cut him off. “I’m sorry.” Her words made him swallow. He knew she was going to speak them, but for some reason, hearing them was so different, surreal. She exhaled again, maintaining eye contact. “I am sorry.”

Finnick looked away. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate her apology, but he felt uncomfortable, looking into her eyes and just seeing the pure sorrow, pity. No, Katniss hadn’t been through exactly what he had, but at that moment, looking into her eyes was like looking into a mirror.

He couldn’t handle that right now, not when he stood at the top of the tallest mountain in the world and had such a long way to fall, everything to lose. 

He nodded, accepting her apology without words. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know, she didn’t know him back then. She hadn’t been a victor long enough to know yet. If anything, he was glad that she didn’t get to know their world, that she wasn’t sucked up by the same darkness that took you and him.

He was glad that her and Peeta got time in the sun, even if it was only for a little while.

“Y/N…” At the sound of your name, he turned back to her, seeing her brows furrow, eyes glazed over. “When I met her, she said something to me.” Realization flashed across her face as she looked up. “Was- was she-”

He cut her off, “Yeah. Yeah, she was.” When he blinked, he saw you walking out of that hotel room, the look on your face. He’d never forget the way you looked at him that night.

May the odds be ever in your favour, darling.

“There were more,” he admitted. “Any victor that the Capitol found desirable was taken. Annie only couldn’t because of her madness. Johanna-” a humourless chuckle left his lips. “Johanna refused, and her entire family paid the price.” He look back to Katniss to see that her mouth had fallen open, a look of horror on her face. “You and Peeta were spared because you were together. Hell, that’s the reason Y/N and I got together, to escape all this. And now look where we are.”

With you on the verge of dying and Finnick on the verge of losing everything.

You. You were his everything.

And you didn’t even know it.

“I never told her, Katniss.” He was breathless, like the wind had been knocked out of him. He’d realized this before, knew that he made a mistake, but now it was like he was realizing that he may never get the chance to correct it. “I- I never told her I loved her.”

I’m your girlfriend now?

Oh, come on, Y/N. You can’t be serious right now.

I am so serious right now.

You had no idea. You had no idea that you were the reason he kept living, that you were the reason he kept going, even when it hurt so badly. He’d walk through Hell if he could get to Heaven and be with you.

But what if you never knew that?

What if you died without knowing how he felt about you?

Katniss grabbed onto his hand. He looked to see tears welling in her eyes. “You will,” she whispered. “Hope, Finnick. You need to have hope.”

“Hope,” he echoed. Just like how he saw your face, he was able to see a future just as easily. It was so clear. That better world that Coin went on about, the better world that they were fighting for… it was just within their grasp. He nodded, managing to form somewhat of a smile. “Hope.”

He needed that, now more than ever. If he ever wanted to make it to that better world, to live in it with you, then he had to have hope—hope for the both of you.

Katniss didn’t say much after that; neither did he. Both of them were reflecting on their own, still trying to process all the turmoil that the day had caused. He spent his time thinking of you, imagining that better world.

In a better world, you and Finnick would’ve never been sold. You would’ve met, and he would’ve gotten the chance to fall in love with you the right way. He wouldn’t have been so scared to tell you. You would’ve given back to the community, not taken kids to their deaths.

You would’ve been so happy together.

But that wasn’t the world you lived in.

In the world you lived in, you and Finnick were sold at ages far too young. First, you sold your souls by winning The Games, and then your bodies were sold to people who had no business touching you.

In the world you lived in, you were only brought together because of tragedy. You only dated to try and save yourselves from a much greater evil, not because you loved each other.

In the world you lived in, Finnick fell in love with you. But he couldn’t tell you that, not when his biggest fear became losing you.

But in the world you lived in, he lost you, anyway.

So he had to have hope that a better world was possible- he had to. Not having that was another blow he wasn’t sure he could take.

When imagining your better world turned into reminiscing over all that’d happened to you both, he cut his thoughts off. He couldn’t let himself stop and break down now, not when he was so close to the finish line, so close to you.

So he pulled rope from his pocket, tying the same knots over and over again, a habit he’d picked up at a young age. Focusing on the knots was able to take his mind off everything, allowing white noise to play instead of this song.

He didn’t want to hear it without you.

He did this until he lost track of time. It was only when the doors slid open again that he was broken out of his trance. Katniss perked up right away. It was Haymitch behind the door, looking as enthusiastic as Finnick had ever seen him. “They’re back.”

She gasped, getting up and running right away, but it was as if Finnick was cemented to his spot. They’re back. 

You were back.

Just like that, he was shaken out of his shock, standing and quickly catching up with them.

They ran until they were in the medical area. As soon as they got there, he saw Johanna, ripping an IV out of her arm. Her hair was gone, shaven off, bruises all over her pale, pale face.

“Johanna,” Katniss muttered, but Finnick’s attention was elsewhere, eyes darting around the room, searching for you, heart racing.

And then he saw you.

His eyes went wide. “Y/N!” Without waiting another second, he ran to you. After over a month, here you were, right in front of him.

But it wasn’t so simple.

You flinched as his hands went to touch you, making him retract them right away. Your eyes didn’t look in his direction once.

Like you were scared of him.

At the thought, his heart clenched. It was only then that he noticed you were shaking, even as you were covered in blankets.

Your body was littered with cuts and bruises. You were pale, too, so clearly malnourished and sleep deprived. But it was your eyes that really got him. Your beautiful eyes no longer looked so lively. They looked empty.

You looked like a ghost.

“Y/N?” His voice cracked simultaneously with his heart. Why weren’t you looking at him? “Y/N-”

He was cut off. “Mr. Odair.” He turned to see a doctor standing on the other side of your bed, a hesitant look on her face and a look in her eyes that made a shiver go up spine. “Could I speak to you for a moment?”

He glanced back to you, seeing that you still weren’t looking at him. Your gaze was fixed on a spot on your bed. You hadn’t looked up once, even as the doctor spoke. Confused, he nodded, letting the woman pull him to the side, out of earshot from you.

But even as the doctor started speaking, he couldn’t get your eyes out of his mind.

That look in your eye was somehow worse than any of his nightmares combined.

“Mr. Odair, Ms. Y/L/N’s condition is… it’s quite complex,” she cautioned. He furrowed his brows, his worry increasing.

“What do you mean- is she okay-”

“No, I meant- physically, I’m not seeing much to be worried about. Of course, she could be better- much better, but this is what we were expecting.” She paused, glancing at you. “Mentally- I’m not even sure where to begin.”

He glanced back at you, too, to see that you were still staring at that same spot on your bed. He let the doctor’s words register in his brain. You weren’t okay.

“We’ve informed psych, but for now, you’re just gonna need to give her time.” Time.

He let out a breath, feeling his eyes getting wet as what she was saying really soaked in. “You’re telling me to leave.” Just as he got you back.

“Mr. Odair-”

“You’re telling me to leave.”

“Finnick.” She cut him off with a strong call of his name. “Your girlfriend’s mental state right now is unstable. She’s in shock; she’s not herself right now. It is going to take some time to get her out of this state, and it’s going to be hard for you to see her in it. In the meantime, the best thing you can do for her is take some time to collect your thoughts.”

She was telling him to go off and think. Did she know that’s all he’d been doing for hours, thinking and throwing himself into the worst possible scenarios, only to realize that one of them had become a reality?

But he didn’t tell her this, instead looking back at you. You were lifeless. When he looked back at the doctor, there was a pleading expression on her face. He didn’t want to leave you, but she made it sound like the best possible thing to do for you. So he did.

But the truth was, he just couldn’t bear to watch you when you were like that.

You were the love of his life. It was like his heart started beating again when he saw you there, alive, but then it dulled once he really looked at you.

You didn’t look like the girl he fell in love with, the girl that went into that arena, or the girl he said goodbye to. It only took a month, and now you looked like a completely different person, like you had seen things no man had ever seen.

In his haze, Finnick made it back to his room, but he didn’t make it to the bed, collapsing onto the floor, bringing his knees up to his chest as his mind spun.

You were alive. He thought that, when he finally saw you again, all of his worries would be erased, that everything would be okay again, that the world would go back to being in colour instead of this black and white that he’d been stuck in with Katniss.

But nothing seemed more colourful.

Nothing seemed better.

You were here. You were back, Y/N Y/L/N, the same woman he loved, the same woman he’d dreamt about for weeks. You were alive. 

But, oh, he should’ve known it couldn’t have been that easy.

Your heart was beating, your eyes were open, and you were there… but that didn’t mean you were alive.

I told you. I’m not letting you die.

Little did Finnick know, you were already dead. 

Taglist: @avoxrising @mxacegrey @littleshadow17 @lovelyteenagebeard @nasyanastya @catastrxblues @zodiyack @zulpix-blog @mushroomelephant @muggies @lantsovheiress @hobiebrowns-wife @notplutos @faeriepigeons

[calisources]

𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐃   𝐎𝐅   𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒   𝐀𝐍𝐃   𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒   𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.   all   sentences   have   been   taken   from   the   hunger   games:   the   ballad   of   songbirds   and   snakes   book   and   some   from   the   movie   trailers.   might   include   spoilers   for   the   movie   and   book.   change   pronouns   and   locations   and   names   as   you   see   fit.

“Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.”

“Being from the Capitol doesn’t give you that right. Nothing does.”

“Well, as they said, it's not over until the mockingjay sings.”

“People aren’t so bad, really, It’s what the world does to them.”

“That is the thing with giving your heart. You never wait for someone to ask. You hold it out and hope they want it.”

“Snow lands on top.”

“I think there’s a natural goodness built into human beings. You know when you’ve stepped across the line into evil, and it’s your life’s challenge to try and stay on the right side of that line.”

“Before need, before love, came trust.”

“And try not to look down on people who had to choose between death and disgrace.”

“What are lies but attempts to conceal some sort of weakness?”

“The strain of being a full-fledged adult every day had grown tiresome.”

“You can blame it on the circumstances, the environment, but you made the choices you made, no one else.”

“Wars are won by heads not hearts.”

“There is a point to everything or nothing at all, depending on your worldview.”

“You're mine and I'm yours. It's written in the stars.”

“But better off sad than dead.”

“What young brains lack in experience they sometimes make up for in idealism. Nothing seems impossible to them.”

“I think it’s more important than love. I mean, I love all kinds of things I don’t trust.”

“I’m planning to build a whole new beautiful life here. One where, in my own small way, I can make the world a better place.”

“If the war’s impossible to end, then we have to control it indefinitely. Just as we do now.”

“What was there to aspire to once wealth, fame, and power had been eliminated? Was the goal of survival further survival and nothing more?”

“They were both after all, still children whose lives were dictated by powers above them.”

“Star-crossed lovers meeting their fate.”

“I’m bad news, all right.”

“The ability to control things. Yes, that was what he’d loved best of all.”

“What happened in the arena? That’s humanity undressed. The tributes. And you, too.”

How quickly civilization disappears. All your fine manners, education, family background, everything you pride yourself on, stripped away in the blink of an eye, revealing everything you actually are.”

“A boy with a club who beats another boy to death. That’s mankind in its natural state”

“Please, Coriolanus, I would never forget the favor.”

“Who are human beings? Because who we are determines the type of governing we need.”

“What sort of agreement is necessary if we’re to live in peace? What sort of social contract is required for survival?”

“It’s just the kind of story that catches fire.”

“And last but least, District Twelve girl . . . she belongs to Coriolanus Snow.”

“Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.”

“If history teaches you anything, it’s how to make the unwilling comply.”

“You know what I won’t miss? People. Except for a handful. They’re mostly awful, if you think about it.”

“And to erase me, they must erase the Games.”

“Why did these people think that all they needed to start a rebellion was anger?”

“And if even the most innocent among us turn into killers in the Hunger Games, what does that say? That our essential nature is violent.”

“It's the things we love most, that destroy us.”

“We all did things we’re not proud of.”

“What are the Hunger Games for?”

"If you want to protect people, then it's essential to accept what human beings are and what it takes to control them."

“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."

“If the cause wasn’t honorable, how could it be an honor to participate in it?”

“He’s a Capitol boy and clearly I got the cake with the cream, ’cause nobody else’s mentor even bothered to show up to welcome them.”

“To dine with her suggests that you consider her your equal. But she isn’t.”

“The endless dance with hunger had defined his life.”

"In nature, things that are prey, that are weak, are marked"

"The world is not kind to those who don't fit in"

"We all wear masquerades in this Capitol"

, "There's a price for everything, Lucy. Sometimes you pay it willingly, sometimes it's taken from you,"

"Freedom is not given, it is taken"

“I’m not convinced that we are all as inherently violent as you say, but it takes very little to bring the beast to the surface, at least under the cover of darkness.”

[magics-neptunes-things]

Mockingjay - Part 6

Hello world!

So this is the new chapter for Mockingjay :)

Unlike what I said before, the Games are starting in this one, I was a little bit tired of them being in the Capitol and wanted a little more action!

I hope you will like this chapter and enjoy it. Please let me know what you think about it ♥

TW : Fight, weapon, blood, death. It's the Hunger Games, after all.

Also! I made a map that you can find at the end of the chapter, if you want to see what I imagined :)

Please don't make fun of it, it took me one all night to do it.

Chapter before

Saying goodbye to Lucy last night was something horrible for Ona. She was glad to find no one in the living room when she came back to their quarter. She then took a shower and went to bed. She didn’t realize that she was crying until she heard someone knock on the door.

Ona was scared to see Tony, but it was only Alexia. The blonde hasn’t asked anything, she just asked Ona if she needed her. Ona needed her, but the brunette didn’t know how. Alexia took care of everything though, giving her one of the gummies to help her sleep and cuddling her all night long.

Breakfast and everything else felt really strange this morning. It was strange to realize that it’s their last meal together, the last time Ona smiles at Leila’s jokes or the last time she changes into her bedroom.

Only today she realizes that Jana might have slept in the same bed.

Ona was taken away by two Peacekeepers from her quarter and it’s Alexia from her team who comes with her. For Tony, it was another man of the team, who Ona doesn’t really like. Ona says goodbye to Leila too, hugging her tightly and thanking her for the way she dressed her.

Just before going inside the Arena, her clothes were checked by people probably working for the Capitol. Ona is a little bit out of it to be honest. Those people could do what they want with her, she won’t say anything. But on the other hand, she knows that Alexia is here to keep an eye on her.

“She has the right to have it. The President said it was okay.”

Ona raises her head when she hears Alexia’s voice, just to realize that the woman in front of her was looking at her pendant with suspicion. But the woman finally nods and takes her hands away from Ona.

“I’ll give you time to say goodbye. May the odds be ever in your favor, Ona.”

“Thanks” Ona mumbles back.

She takes a big breath when the door is closed, turning to face Alexia. For the first time since she knows her, Alexia seems a little bit lost in her feelings. Or at least she’s not as good as she was until now to hide it. She looks sad, her eyes a little watery.

“Come here” Alexia says.

Without hesitation, Ona takes two steps to be in the blonde’s arms. It’s sad to say that she had two of her best encounters just before fighting for her life. But at least she was in good company.

“You can do it, Ona” Alexia whispers, still holding Ona in her arms. “You are clever, you are smart, you are strong. Just don’t take unnecessary risks and don’t fight if you don’t need to. Try to survive and don’t forget everything you had learn about survival”

Ona nods in Alexia’s arms and jumps when she hears a robotic voice resound in the room.

“Games start in 2 minutes.”

Alexia let go of Ona, just to gently take her face in her hands.

“I am honored to have been your Mentor”

“Thank you” Ona smiles back this time. “I couldn’t have asked for a better one. I really hope you will be happy for the rest of your life, with Olga too.”

“Thank you. If we have a girl one day, I’ll call her Ona.”

Ona doesn’t know what to answer, so she just takes Alexia in her arms one last time and kisses her cheek.

“Games start in 1 minute. Please go inside the tube.”

“I’m going to miss you” Alexia says, helping Ona to get inside the tube. “Trust your guts, okay?”

Ona nods once more, biting her lips.

“I’m scared” she whispers.

“You would be stupid not to be”

“Games start in 30 seconds.”

Alexia arranges Ona’s hair and outfit, briefly squeezing her in her arms before backing away from the tube. Ona feels like her heart will explode soon.

“Big breaths,” Alexia says softly. “I trust and believe in you. And I’m already proud of you, no matter what. Just like your family and friends.”

“Games start in 15 seconds.”

“Thank you. Thanks for everything. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Then the door of the tube closes itself and Ona feels the ground where she’s standing starting to move. It finally goes up and she looks at Alexia as long as she can. It’s black for some seconds before a bright light dazzles her.

After she blinks her eyes, Ona takes a moment to look around her. There is a red digit count above their heads, counting from 30 to 0. All the tributes are positioned to form a circle, just like the other years. Next to her is Tony, his gaze right in front of him. Ona knows he will try to take supplies or a weapon. She won’t try this, even if it’s tempting.

Ona’s eyes stop a moment on Lucy’s frame, a little more on her left. She never had seen Lucy with a face concentrated like this. Her jaw is tense, just like her body, ready to jump from her platform. She’s not looking at anything but her goal in front of her. Ona turns her gaze, looking for an escape.

She doesn’t know where they are on the map, but she decides to run as fast as possible in the forest behind her. The view seems clear in front of her, meaning she will have trouble hiding. Ona wants to stick with her plan, hiding at day, moving at night.

Reassured by her plan, she stands a little straighter on her platform and gets ready for the ten last seconds before the beginning.

When the shot sounds, it is an incredible cacophony. Screams, shouts and other noises Ona doesn’t know what they are. She hears several shots of cannon too, meaning some of them are already dead. Feeling her heart go down, Ona remembers that it may be Lucy.

But she keeps running, zigzagging through the trees with agility. After some minutes, she’s only able to hear her respiration and she decides to slow down a little. The forest is dark and dense, she’s not used to this kind of environment. Just like they decided with Alexia, Ona looks for a good tree to climb. She finally chooses one oak who has enough branches for her to do that.

She manages to reach the top pretty easily, offering herself a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. There are only trees around her, but it seems to her that she recognizes the shape of buildings in the background. Which would be a first, but at least it’s something she knows.

Ona freezes suddenly when she hears someone running below her. Silently she descends a little bit to try to see who it is. It’s a boy she never had talked to, from the six. He’s pretty young too, but Ona realizes very soon that he’s chased by other people.

He doesn’t stand a chance when they surround him, and Ona closes her eyes just before a new shot of canon. Some minutes later, they are gone.

It’s strange to look at that boy and she’s ashamed of the thought that she still can have a look at what is inside his bag. But he won’t need it now, unlike Ona. She hesitates for several more minutes before going down her tree. She doesn’t look at the bag for now, she just takes it and looks for another tree to climb.

In her quest she goes closer to the city but decides not to go inside for now. It’s still the day and it might have more people coming. Instead, she sits on a branch of the big tree she just climbed.

Then she opens the bags, looking at what is inside. She finds a gourd, rope, metal bowl and small knife. Which is pretty great, to be honest. She wasn’t expecting that much. She won’t be able to defend herself with that knife, but she could cut fruits or small wood pieces if she finds some.

When the night starts to fall, Ona is still sitting on her tree. It’s a little bit boring to be honest, but she doesn’t really have a choice. She hasn’t counted how many shots of cannon were heard, but when the sky is dark, there is this famous music. And then the pictures of the dead people are shown.

She feels sad when she sees that Anna hasn’t made it, her picture white in the dark sky. But Lucy is still alive and that is what matters to Ona. It looks like all the careers tributes are still alive too, just like Tony and Teagan.

Just like she asked herself if she should walk to the city now, Ona hears someone walking near her. She frowns and tries to look without being seen, but she’s just able to see a frame going back to where they started several hours before. Ona decides to use the rope to attach herself to the branch and not fall if it ever falls asleep.

Which seems to be a good idea, because Ona ends up dozing for several hours into the night. She jumps when she wakes up, looking around her just to remember where she is.

Ona waits until dawn to go down from her tree. She even finds a little river to put some water inside her gourd and wash her face and hands. The forest is a little scary in the dark like this to be honest and she’s relieved when she sees the buildings drawn in the sky. It’s something that feels familiar to her. She grew up in this kind of view and it almost feels comforting.

The city looks like an old, abandoned city and she wonders if and how many tributes are hidden in there. For her, it’s the most perfect and secure spot. She feels a little too exposed to her taste, even if the sun isn’t really there for now. The city contains a lot of buildings with at least six floors, what looks like a nuclear factory, some small houses and several warehouses. Everything seems grey and concrete.

Ona chooses a building a little outside the centre that allows her to see the horizon and eventual tributes coming. She doesn’t want to fight, but she knows she will have to at some point.

The door of the building seems heavy to push, and she decides not to enter by it, scared to make too much noise and attract attention on her. Bypassing the building, she eventually found another door and pushes it slowly. The silence is almost overmelting here.

Silently walking through the different floors, Ona finds no one. The building has six floors with two flats on each floor. The last stairs lead to the roof, but Ona decides not to go there for now. She’s certain that no one came here before her. She finds different things, like a lighter (who is working) and a hoodie who feels hotter than the dress provided by the Capitol.

She decides not to wear it inside though, where it’s colder than inside the building. Sighing softly, Ona sits on a mattress on the floor, hugging her knees. She misses Lucy’s warmth. She just misses Lucy. But she’s not sure that the feeling is reciprocating. Ona remembers Lucy's concentrated face perfectly, the way she hasn’t even looked her way.

Sighing softly, Ona presses her forehead against her knees. She doesn’t want to be here, why was she the one chosen for the Games? Why hasn’t she met Lucy somewhere else? Why does Life give her something so strong and beautiful just for some days before taking it back? She wishes that Lucy could hug her right now, she never felt so alone in her life.

Her breath is hot like her tears when she hears a little “bip” coming from somewhere next to her. It makes her jump, and she quickly looks around to try to find it. It’s when she spots it, a little metal box with a parachute. Ona frowns before taking it, she knows what it is. It’s something given by the Sponsors. She forgot that point.

With shaky hands, she opens the box and looks at what’s inside. And she feels her heart jump. It’s dry meat, bread and chocolate, something she can eat later if she wants, but something that will give her the energy she needs. And something that definitely will help her to fight hunger.

There is a little message inside too.

“Keep going, Onita. You are stronger than you think. Love, A.”

She knows it’s Alexia. Smiling softly, she wipes a tear on her cheek and carefully folds the paper in the inside pocket of her bag.  The small paper warms her heart up. She realises at this point that she doesn’t have any weapons and starts to freak out a little bit. She has nothing to fight if someone finds her.

The sun is shining when she realises that she falls asleep again. She needs two seconds to understand what has woken her up and jumps on her feet when she hears several voices coming from inside the building. She’s screwed. She can’t go out of the building because she’s on the last floor and she’s pretty sure that she will die if she tries to go out of the windows.

Ona can’t count how many there are, and she doesn’t recognize any voice until…

“There is another floor.”

It’s Lilith’s voice.

Which means she is here with maybe five other people. Lucy told her that all the career’s districts planned to stick together. She doesn’t stand any chances. Ona is really panicking and looking for a good hiding place. But the rooms are empty, if it is not for a shelf or mattress that is lying on the floor.

Ona finally hides behind the open door and the wall inside what she imagines is the bedroom, putting her hand on her mouth to hide her breathing. She’s so stressed that she’s shaking, and her heart is pounding. She can hear it in her ears.

“I’m going to see the roof” a male voice says.

Ona can hear the footsteps from the boy resonate from the other side of the wall where she is. Another footstep is going in the flat next door, but she can hear someone walking on the same flat that she is.

Ona freezes when she hears the person entering the room. She can’t see who it is. She’s not moving at this point but she’s not breathing either. But she jumps when the person suddenly comes in front of her.

It’s Lucy.

Lucy looks at her right in her eyes, her gaze hard and dark. It makes Ona shivers, Lucy never looked at her like that. Lucy’s eyes were always tender and full of teasing when she looked at her.

But, after several seconds, she slowly raises a finger on her lips to tell Ona not to make any noise. A fraction of seconds later, she’s gone.

“There’s no one here” she says several seconds later, her voice now coming from between the two flats.

She seems irritated, as if someone made her lose her time.

“I was sure I saw someone coming here” another female voice mumbles.

“It’s the last building” Declan points out. “We should go back across the river.”

There is a whisper of general approval and footsteps going down the stairs.

“I hate her” Lucy grumbles. “She’s the first one I’ll kill after we separate from them.”

“Just wait for several hours please” Declan laughs.

Their voices indicate that they are going down too. Ona still hasn’t made any moves, too scared to be spotted by someone else. As their voices are fading away, Ona realises that Lucy just saved her life. Maybe she’s not the only one missing the other, after all?

Ona waits a long moment before going out of the room. Her hands are still shaking, and she treats herself with a little bit of water. She takes deep big breaths too, closing her eyes several seconds to recompose herself. She probably never has been so scared in her life.

Maybe she will be safer in the woods after all. Golden hour is here when she leaves the building, choosing to pass from inside the city this time. During her time in the building, she realises that she was next to the end of the map, the force fields being sometimes visible, especially when they are showing pictures of dead tributes.

The night is almost here when she’s finally inside the woods again. She took the time to grab some fruits that she identified as goji berries. She started climbing a tree when she heard someone running.

From her point of view, she’s able to see the boy from the 5, chasing Teagan. It makes Ona’s blood boil. She knows it’s the rule of the Games, but Teagan is only twelve and that guy might be seventeen.

Teagan is almost fifty metres ahead of him though, her smaller frame making the run in this dark forest easier. Ona doesn’t hesitate to go down a few metres, positioning herself just at the right place to catch Teagan when he reaches his height. The adrenaline helps her to lift him without problem on the tree where it is.

“Up, up, up!” she whispers-orders him, pushing him to go faster.

Teagan hurries to obey and finally the boy from the 5 passes the tree without seeing them, much to Ona’s relief. The girl sighs of relief, but still makes Teagan go higher on the tree.

When they reach a branch strong enough to support both of their weight, Ona finally makes Teagan sit on it.

“Thank you” Teagan says finally, when he has enough breath to talk again.

“Anytime” Ona answers easily.

She looks at the boy attentively. He has a big wound on his cheek which might be hurtful. But other than that, he seems pretty good.

“Are you okay?” Ona asks anyway.

The boy nods and they exchange some news. They stop talking when they hear the boy from the 5 coming back, apparently looking for Teagan. From that moment they whisper more than talk but Ona manages to learn what happened to Teagan anyway.

He was with the girl from his district when they were attacked by the two tributes from the 5. His teammate made him run and she fought the two others alone. It seems like she killed the girl before being killed herself, at least it’s what Ona and Teagan deduce when they see that both of them are dead.

It makes Teagan sad and Ona comforts him, feeling once again relieved to see that Lucy is still alive. Still like Tony and the other career’s district.

Ona shares a piece of chocolate and some fruits with Teagan, before securing him with her on the branch. They decide to take turns to sleep, Teagan starting because he almost hasn’t slept since the beginning of the Games.

It’s strange for Ona to realise it, but it’s relieving to have someone to look after. Teagan is sweet and she appreciates his company. Her fingers go for Jana’s pendant under her clothes, stroking it softly. Jana was sweet and innocent too. Maybe that’s why she wants to protect Teagan, even if Jana was older than him.

She learned at some point during training that he has a little brother and a little sister.  She can’t imagine his parents’ pain about him being here. Suddenly, Lucy’s point not to have children is a little bit clearer for her. She understands why it might be selfish in her opinion to have children.

Ona then thinks about her parents and her brother, wondering if they are watching the Games or if they are sleeping. She knows there are cameras everywhere on the map, but they can only show one thing at a time.

After the heath from her bedroom in the Capitol and the good meal, she feels cold and a little hungry, even if she ate bread and fruits earlier. But she decides to ignore her angry stomach, to look at the stars over their heads.

They are hidden thanks to the foliage of the tree, but she still can watch it. She remembers the nights when Lucy talks to her about the stars, the constellations and the whispers exchanged between them at this point. Ona could name a lot of constellations now, mentally listing them in her head.

“I miss you… So much.” Ona whispers, hoping that if Lucy survives, she will be able to see that moment.

And, of course, that she understands that those words were for her. Because she misses everything about her, and she misses the possible future they could have had together. But it seems to be really far away now.

Little did she know that Lucy is looking at the same stars, at the same time. Lucy is thinking about the same things, and how much she misses Ona too. But she sadly doesn’t have a choice. It makes her desperate, but she doesn’t have the choice.

Next Chapter

The Map.

[thesweetnessofspring]

"You love me. Real or not real?"

Thank you to you beautiful polygots who responded to my post yesterday about the meaning/connotation of the word "love" at the end of Mockingjay in the non-English language you speak. Here is a compiled list of what tumblr shared:

German: "just directly translated from love to liebe ("du liebst mich?"), but that carries a romantic connotation here because Germans are more particular in differentiating between lieben/love and mögen/like. if it had been platonic or ambiguous, peeta would've asked "du magst mich?"" -- @caesarflickermans

Spanish: "Love is Amar, conjugated to amas...

-"Me amas ¿Real o no real?" Y yo respondo: -Real

In Spanish, we can say “te quiero”which means I like you. But when you say “te amo” it comes from the soul & when you say ámame it means love me or desire me. So when he asked her, do you love me? He’s also asking do you desire me?" @mega-aulover

Serbian: "the "you love me real not real" is "волиш ли ме. истина или неистина" which is pretty much a direct translation of the original sentence → волиш = love." @sanjarka

Greek: "In Greek, the word αγάπη is a direct transaction. However, it could have also been translated to έρωτας. Έρωτας is more of the first love, where you romanticise anything about the person (like eyelashes, a totally random example). Αγάπη can also be used for family members or in general platonic love. Έρωτας is always about extreme romantic love. Sometimes we even call s*x έρωτα. In general, the words are similar but for me the word they used means deeper, actual love." @fantasy-nerdddd

Italian: "In Italian I think it was “mi ami?”. The verb “Amare” basically has a romantic connotation and is used especially for deeper connections. You could use “ti amo” with your parents/children/siblings or even with a really dear friend, but in general to say “ti amo” to someone you’re in a relationship with is a really important thing." @laurasblogs-stuff

Portuguese: the ''you love me real or not real'' is romantic yes @everdares (go read the rest of their tags for some translation fun lol)

All I can say is, the translators understood the assignment better than the filmmakers.

[hrrystylesbookclub]

okay, i finally saw tbosas and here are my thoughts

1. i personally think it would have benefited from being split into two movies, one in the capitol, one in twelve

2. i feel like sejanus wasn’t fleshed out as well as he could have been. i absolutely adore him but in the movie he came across as more reckless as opposed to filled with righteous fury, and his death wasn’t as painful as i was expecting (let’s be honest i wanted to fall to my knees sobbing at his death and instead i was just ‘ahhh noooo ☹️’)

3. ma deserved to be better featured in the movie + she would have helped flesh sejanus out (also to show snow’s relationship with the plinths in general would have really hammered in HOW evil he is)

4. i wish we had been able to spend more time in 12, seen snows HATRED for mockingjays spelt out clearer and spent more time with the covey and see how close they all are and how much they genuinely did trust snow

5. changing the ending of the games with everyone dying from the snakes was a little disappointing but i did laugh when the students started chanting “get her out!” (also when dr gaul said she didn’t care if there wasn’t a victor vs snow demanding there has to be a victor, which 64 years later comes to bite him in the ass was MWUH chefs kiss)

6. critiques aside, every single actor was PHENOMENAL. not a single weak or subpar performance in sight, even characters without any/much dialogue were incredible and scene stealers (shoutout to irene böhm as lamina)

7. the sets and costumes were EVERYTHING, almost everything was exactly how i pictured and if it wasn’t plucked straight from my brain it was even better than i could have imagined

8. rachel zegler and tom blyth please marry me please

9. the part where marcus comes over and tells lucy gray that she can run and get out KILLED me, oh i could just feel my heart shatter in my chest

10. OH MY GOD lucky flickerman being an absolute scene stealer, what an ICON, i laughed at everything he said

okay that’s all i can think of at this moment. overall i did love it but i do find myself being all “the book was better 🤓” but very rarely do movies come close to being as good, and as far as adaptations go i loved it and could make peace with most of their changes

[onlybeeewrites]

Until The Mockingjay Sings

Requested: no but I love Sejanus and angst and this made me sad

Warnings; major character death, hurt no comfort

Pairing: Sejanus x gn!reader, platonic Lucy Gray x Readers (y’all are besties)

Italicized = flashback

Word count: 1.6 k

You remember the last few hours that you had spent with the sweet Sejanus Plinth so clearly. It was a few days ago, you both had finished dancing at the Hob to the beautiful songs of the Covey. The two of you had been dancing, laughing and singing. It was a beautiful. You swear everything was so perfect.

Then he had walked you home, pressing a kiss to your cheek before leaving for the night. The small kiss from the sweet boy left butterflies in your stomach. Enough to make you smile from cheek to cheek, the redness on your face never ending. It was enough to have your father questioning his intensions, but it was all teasing.

He knew how much you cared for the young peacekeeper. As the bakers of the District, they sometimes (often) came into the bakery for breads, sweets if they could.

That’s how you met Sejanus Plinth.

Poor, sweet, foolish Sejanus Plinth.

How could things have ended so poorly? So quickly? Your mind couldn’t comprehend.

You stood with Lucy Gray in the crowd of people, near the front as you watched you who recognized as Spruce and what you had heard to be his sister. be brought up, about to be strung up on the big old tree. The two of them looked defiant, while also being horrifically beaten. Dried blood and bruises covered their faces and exposed skin. Dirt littered and stained their clothes and hair, and yet they still held their heads high. Honorable. But what had they done?

As Coriolanus’ eyes scanned the crowd, he spotted the familiar head of dark curls that belonged to his beloved Lucy Gray. Though next to her was you, Sejanus’ beloved Y/N. His heart pounded seeing your pained and confused face. You truly had no idea what Sejanus had done….maybe it was better that way anyway. Had you known you would have been up there beside Sejanus. And that would have been such a waste. He agreed that you were good, too good and too kind. Often too much for your own good. But then again, you and Sejanus had that in common. And his mind went back to the moment everything had started to gone wrong.

“You can’t show that you know or saw anything anything, Sejanus. You need to pull yourself together. If we’re all caught…they might suspect Y/N too. And you want to keep them safe right?” Coriolanus’ had asked Sejanus. And Sejanus’ dark eyes had widened at the mention of your name.

No. No, no, no, no. You couldn’t be wrapped up in this. You didn’t know anything about the rebels, or the plan of escape, the weapons, his meetings with Billy Taupe and Spruce. Would you really get caught in the middle of it all if himself and the others were caught? You had no knowledge of anything. You wouldn’t. Your life in Twelve wasn’t all sunshine, but it was better than many.

You had expressed this to him too. That you did what you could for the District. Handing out free bread to those who were starving. Often you have the Covey expired pastries and sweets when you could. You were kind. Genuinely so kind and almost too kind for your own good.

It was ironic for Sejanus to think so, but it was true. You were a good person. One of the few he had met in a long time. And he had sworn to himself and you to keep you safe. He was just about to pull you aside and ask for you to come with him. Away from the districts, to travel up North away from it all. That was until Coryo shot Mayfair. And then Spruce shot Billy Taupe. And it was all going wrong.

Sejanus quickly shook his head, looking at his friend in tears, “no….no they have nothing to do with this Coryo, you know that…” he whimpered with a desperate shake of his head. He failed onto keep from the violence. But he would always make sure you were safe.

Coriolanus nodded, keeping his hands firm on his friend’s face. “I know they don’t, Sejanus. I know. But in order to keep them safe and out of this, you need to pull yourself together. You need to collect yourself and walk back out there like nothing happened. We’re the only lose ends left right?” He asked, and Sejanus nodded again, taking a shaky breath. “Hey…we’re brothers, remember? Brothers...and I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe,”

How that would change so quickly. Coriolanus remained at the front stage of the hanging tree, his gun firmly in his hand while hearing his friend beg for him. Him. Coriolanus Snow. Sejanus Plinth’s best friend. His murderer. And Sejanus didn’t even know. You didn’t even know.

“Please…please coryo…..Coryo…” his voice repeated as he was dragged to his spot, the noise fitting around his neck as the head peacekeeper replayed the recording of the Jabber Jay. You looked on horrified next to Lucy Gray, looking around in shock.

“No….whats Sejanus doing here? He hasn’t done anything. There’s been a mistake,” you say rather in disbelief and frazzled as you watched your boyfriend struggle against the pace keepers before being brought up on stage. You listened in horror as the recording

“No….no there’s been a mistake!” You shout, all eyes moving towards your figure. Lucy Gray’s eyes widened, shaking her head. “Y/N, stop it..” she warned quietly, anxiously.

But you didn’t hear her as the crowd parted to show you. Senjsnus’ eyes widened through the tears. He didn’t expect you to be here. With all his fear he felt, what really made his blood run cold was seeing you. The panic on your face, the disbelief. He never got to tell you everything. The plan to run away together. He wanted to make sure he had everything planned out to the second to make sure it was perfect.

Sejanus wanted to tell you about the life you both could have together. A family. Away from the districts. Away from the Capital. And away from the Games.

"Y/N..." Sejanus gasped, jerking in the restraints, only to earn a warning from the peacekeeper. You weren't supposed to be here. He was scared, but he did not want you to see what was about to happen.

"Sejanus! There's been a mistake! Please!' You called out, the stinging in the back of your eyes as some of the peacekeepers moved. Lucy Gray had seen this. Lil...the girl about to be hung now had done this exact same thing when her lover had been hung. Quickly, Lucy Gray moved forward and quickly pulled you back.

"Y/N, you need to stop or else you'll be up there next," She whispered harshly as you fought her for a moment. How could you remain quiet?

"No....no...no...Y/n! Ma!" Sejanus's voice rang out before there was a sickening crack of several necks as the floor below the three people gave out.

You stared in horror through your tears as the body of the love of your life twitched and swung back and forth by rope that killed hundreds already. You felt like the whole world stopped. Your blood ran cold, and it was like someone had sucked everything from you. The warmth, the love, the hope. Everything that Sejanus had given you, the light and hope for a new and better life, was taken from you within seconds. Who could do such a thing? Sejanus didn't have enemies. None that you could think of at least. But at the moment you couldn't think as you tried to come to terms with what just has happened.

"Oh my god...Sejanus..." You sobbed, feeling your legs give out from beneath you. Lucy Gray was quick to drop down beside you, wrapping her arms comfortingly. Though Sejanus' voice continued to ring out in the air.

The Mockingjays all flew around the crowd and trees, repeating his last words, "Y/N! Ma!"

His voice was scared, desperate for the ones he had loved most. A District boy turned Capital turned rebel. you stared as the ground in horror, tears streaming down your face as your body shook with sobs and shock. Lucy Gray was gently rubbing your back but you couldn't feel it. You couldn't feel anything. Just numb.

So Lucy Gray allowed you to remain like that, sobbing until there was no tears left. Your eyes and face red and puffy, a blank and lost look in your eye. By the time you even got to your feet, a majority of the crowd had left.

"No...don't look," Lucy Gray had gently ordered, keeping your gaze down from the sight of the tree. You were shaking, and nothing like the best friend she had known. She wrapped a supportive arm around you before leading you out of the area without another look behind you both.

Coriolanus felt his own stomach churn as he had heard he snap of his former classmate, his squad member swung behind him, and watched as you had fallen to your knees in pure anguish. As the look in your eyes turned from hopeful and light to a blank and pained look. All for Sejanus. Maybe he had more of an influence than Coriolanus originally had thought. The same boy who had gotten himself into more trouble than he was worth.

The very same boy he had met on the playground when they were eight, the same boy who had given him the gum drops, the one who Coriolanus had almost died for in the arena, the reason he had to kill.

But then he had to remind himself that it was not his fault. He had to report Sejanus, he was trouble, a rebel. Sejanus had been ruining everything with his guilt and urge to help others. But that was all over now. Sejanus was no more.

Poor Sejanus.

Poor sweet, foolish, dead Sejanus.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Never Hijacked!Peeta Fics Masterlist (2)

Part 1 / 

Created: April 25th, 2024

Checked:---

Always-LiterallyEverlarksChild (ao3) Summary: In the Quarter Quell arena, Katniss realizes she loves Peeta. When a non-hijacked Peeta is rescued from the Capitol, they get to be together and stuff.

And hands intertwine (bodies fit together)-snails_n_brokenbones (ao3) Summary: Hopefully he'll let her in, let her break down their walls brick by brick, together as limbs blend into one under the harsh hospital light. She wants him in a way she's never wanted before. She needs him in a way that feels so familiar and yet so foreign. She needs him. She loves him. Tragically and beautifully, she's in love with Peeta Mellark and she can't escape it.

Check Mark Kiss-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3)

Summary: A thick, red, angry line, splayed right in the middle of Peeta’s chest. It stands out vividly against his pale skin and blonde chest hair and I can’t look away from it now. “What’s this?” He looks at the wall behind my head for a long moment before nodding. “That’s from a whip.” He meets my gaze again before casting his eyes low. “I don’t remember what I did to earn it.” / Katniss learns more about what they did to Peeta in the Capitol and sets out to try and make him better. Non - Hijacked Peeta AU. Sequel to Haunted Heart.

found the place to rest my head-loveleee (ao3)

Summary: I can tell the moment he sees me through the glass wall; his eyes widen and he sits up straighter. He stands just as I burst through the door. And then I’m in his arms. And then I break down. [Mockingjay AU, Peeta is rescued from the Capitol unharmed. Follow up to "hold me, hold me (never let me go)".]

Haunted Heart-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3) Summary: “One of the doctors steps away to grab something off the cart beside the bed and Peeta’s blue eyes — the bluest, tenderest and most haunted gaze I’ve ever seen — take me in for the first time. For the first time since that last night in the Quell. And I can’t hold myself back any longer.” / Based on the prompt : “i’d love one of everlark’s reunion in mockingjay if peeta hadn’t been hijacked (OR of their reunion if katniss had been captured instead, but still not hijacked).”

Not Going Anywhere-sweetlovegone (ao3)

Summary: "Before I can really register the events of the past minute, I feel those strong steady arms that guarded me from the nightmares wrap around me and hold me as tight as possible." Oneshot. Mockingjay Reunion if Peeta hadn't been hijacked.

Say That Again-FreshlyCutGrass (ao3) Summary: “Hey, Kat,” Peeta croaked. His voice was thick and achy, like he had a sore throat. Haymitch’s hand darted down my back to keep me from toppling over, keeping me steady as I shook. “Say that again,” I whispered, blinking rapidly as I took in the sight of him. ------------- Peeta is not hijacked when he is rescued from the Capitol and brought to District 13. Katniss advocated for him faster. The reunion we all wanted, including Katniss.

The Both of Us-LemonLuvGirl (ao3)

Summary: An alternate ending to Catching Fire in which both Peeta and Katniss are rescued from the arena during the Quarter Quell. Our lips collide with gentle urgency, two half conscious minds struggling in the murky waters between sleeping and waking, layered with a need for comfort and something more. We kiss until he pulls back, panting, angling his hips away from mine. I know what he’s trying to avoid. He doesn’t want to scare me. But the thought of his body reacting to me isn’t nearly as scary as the idea that we almost never got to have this.

Together-THGEncyclopedia (ao3) Summary: My take on how things could have gone differently had both Katniss and Peeta been rescued from the Quell. The two will conquer the Capitol and unravel the secrecy of District 13 as a couple, and will together be the faces of the revolution. This can definitely be called a "fix-it" FanFiction, even though I love how the series ended originally. It will switch POVs between Katniss and Peeta, but not in any established pattern.

You Put Your Arms Around Me and I'm Home-mrsbonniemellark (ao3)

Summary: What would happen if Peeta hadn't been hijacked and Katniss and Peeta were allowed a private reunion?

[floppymixtape]

tlou x tgh au where katniss is ellie and haymitch is joel because i am loosing it ^_^ more thoughts under the separator

SO. ok. I think the story of tlou would have to change drastically for it to make sense with thg character but here are a few ideas about where things would go.

Katniss looses Prim when she is a lot younger. Gale finds this mall just outside of the quarantine zone and they all go together. Which leads to Prim and Katniss getting bit.

Gale ends up killing Prim and promises to do the same for Katniss and to take care of her mother. Time goes on and Katniss doesn't turn but she can't get over the image of Gale killing her sister, she can't stop blaming him.

So the fireflies (which i think could be called mockingjays in this au) find the two of them and take them. Gale becomes a firefly rebel and Katniss follows the Ellie storyline of having to be taken across country.

Tess is probably Effie. LISTEN I KNOW. i know they are NOTHING alike. but Tess is the person that Joel has been working with the longest after his daughter died, and they have this weird romantic tension and guilt to them that just fits Haymitch and Effie. So what i think is that Effie is closer to the higher ups of the fedra and gets Haymitch jobs to complete for money/things. She doesn't usually go with him, but when she knows it's missions that Haymitch cannot go through alone she does her best to help. Which is how she ends up completing the role of Tess. By urging Haymitch to take Katniss.

I debated also having Peeta be dragged around with Haymitch, but i think he is much better suited to live in jackson and meet Katniss and Haymitch there. (Who is tommy? i have no idea honestly. Maybe another victor?) Peeta is a jackson boy to me.

aaaaand that's all the thoughts for right now!

[cwritesforfun]

Finnick Odair x Fem!Reader: love as sweet as sugarcubes PART TWO

Finnick just wants you home. He misses you and he loves you. You are in the Capitol with Johanna, Peeta, and Enobaria.

Read PART ONE HERE for context!!!

BTW ~ this is set during Hunger Games Mockingjay ~

Y/N's POV

I have no idea how long I have been in the Capitol being poked and prodded by metal instruments of pure torture, but it feels like forever. They've also been injecting me with tracker jacker venom and I hate the hallucinations. So far, my new plan is working. And by plan, I mean act stupid. Johanna hides a snicker back every time I crack my mouth open. I'm glad she seems to sort of enjoy this. I'm just trying to stay alive and keep my brain intact.

As I lie there in the hospital bed, a few Peacekeepers walk into the room. One props up my chair and asks, "Name?" I answer, "Y/N L/N." One of the Peacekeepers asks, "Who is the President of the Capitol?" I answer "Your Mom." I hear Johanna crack up laughing. Glad I could make her day. It's rare to hear a genuine laugh from her or anything good. I mainly hear her screaming or trying to silently cry. One of the Peacekeepers asks, "Who is the President of the Capitol?" I answer, "You guys are no fun. It's Coriolanus Snow." They ask, "Good. Now wasn't that simpler to just say the right answer." I reply, "Yes it really was." God, I hate them. One of the Peacekeepers asks, "And how do you know Katniss?" I answer, "I met her at the games during the training. It was the first time I spoke to her." I'm not telling them much more than that. I answer the questions they know the answers to and not anymore. One of the Peacekeepers asks, "And are you positive about this statement?" I answer "Are you asking if I remember my life correctly? I know I'm right." One of the Peacekeepers asks "Uh huh. We don't believe you. Your heart rate went up significantly when you answered that question. Boys, give her another injection." I feel the venom run through my veins and I feel myself lean back. My eyes close a little and I find myself remembering more memories.

...

I then regain consciousness and I notice that the Peacekeepers are gone. Johanna says, "Y/N, you know you're playing with fire when you snap at them and play dumb." I reply, "You do the same thing. Neither of us is doing better than the other. It's fine. I'm fine. We're trapped anyways. No one will come." Peeta says, "I like to think that they will." Johanna replies, "That's because you are an optimistic person." Peeta asks, "How did Finnick tell you he loved you, Y/N? Was it cute?" Johanna scoffs and asks, "Are you asking her to put you to bed with a bedtime story?" Peeta answers, "Yes." I exclaim, "Alright I can share that." Johanna says, "Yay a love story for bedtime!" I laugh and tell the story.

I notice Peeta asleep by the end and I smile. Good at least he fell asleep and the story time worked. I hope he can get back to Katniss.

Johanna exclaims, "I wish I was more like Peeta and I was hopeful." I reply, "Me too. With everything going on, I have become more doubtful and anxious about our futures. The venom is hurting and the hallucinations are only getting worse. I just don't think anyone will rescue us or I will ever see Finnick again alive." She replies, "No don't say that. Finnick said in the games, you were the only thing keeping him sane. He told me about his dream life with you by the water with kids and pets. Don't give up on that. At least you have someone." I reply, "I'm sure there's someone out there for you too." She laughs and says, "That's the funniest thing you've said all day."

2 weeks later ...

I lay there partially unconscious from all the tracker jacker venom and I notice the power go out. I ask, "What is this about?" Johanna answers, "No idea. I'm too filled with tracker jacker venom to stay awake any longer, so I fall back asleep.

When I wake up, I'm in a different hospital room and someone is cuddling me. I blink a few times and realize it's Finnick. He looks pretty healthy, but he has bags under his eyes, so I guess he hasn't been sleeping well. I'm confused about how I got here and where I am. Everything about my brain is fuzzy. I also have a cast on. I'm very confused. I nudge Finnick slightly and he wakes up. He looks into my eyes, smiles, and says, "Y/N! You're awake! Baby Oh how I've missed you! I probably should be more careful and quiet. Sorry, that was rude of me." He pulls me into a gentle kiss and we kiss. I missed him so much.

I ask, "Where are we?" He answers, "District 13, but you don't have to worry about that. You're safe. I'm safe. We are together and we can spend our future together." I reply, "Johanna told me that you told her that you had a future for us all planned out with kids and pets." He smiles softly and says, "Yeah... I see a real future with you and you make me so happy. I want to marry you one day and grow old with you and our kids and pets. I would've loved to live on the water with you, so we could swim all the time. But, I guess the underground is good for now and we can pick up new hobbies. Also, when I really propose, pretend you never heard this conversation, okay?" I reply, "Ok, but only because I love you so much." He smiles, kisses me on the cheek, and says. "I really love you so much. I missed you a lot too." I reply, "I missed you too. You look like you couldn't sleep without me, but I'm here now and I hope you can rest easier. I should tell you that they injected me with tracker jacker venom causing me to hallucinate. Sometimes I will have nightmares and I want you to know in case I freak out at night." He replies, "I will be here right beside you the whole time." I yawn and say, "Ok, I'm gonna go back to sleep. You can get closer if you want. I won't break." He kisses me on the forehead and then says, "I just don't want to hurt you. The doctor said you are extremely malnourished with lots of tracker jacker venom inside and a broken arm and he said you might have a concussion." I reply, "Ok... um... then just stay close, love." He nods and wraps his arms around me gently. I feel safer than I've felt in awhile.

And they all lived happily ever after... no but seriously, I could write a part three if you want... or not... hehehehehe

[crybyemissamericanpie]

Gn!Actor!Reader talking about Josh Hutcherson through the years(2012-2023)

tell me if you guys wanna see more of these :)

Gn!Actor!Reader talking about Josh Hutcherson through the years(2012-2023)

TW:none

2012 - The Hunger Games Era

"So, y/n, you've been working with such talented people, who's the one who you really grew close to"The interviewer asks with a smile as he shifts in his seat a bit

Y/n chukles a bit at the question"It was probably with Josh Hutcherson we just kinda got each other instantly"They say with a small smile

"Any memorable moments behind the scenes with him?"He asks

"Oh,there was a time when they-the team-ere filming scenes when me and Josh weren't in so they let us go into the bakery,that is actually a bakery and make something" They say with a smile, the memories flooding back

"Well how tasty were the goods?"He asks with a small smile

"Let's just say, we're better actors than bakers" they say with a small laugh

2013 - Catching Fire

"Well people love you and Josh,so what do you think about further movies together?"The interviewer asks with smile as she fixes her own hair a bit

"There will definitely be more movies together, and I don't know why people cast us together all the time"Y/n explains, with a small smile while furrowing her brows

"It's the dynamic between the two of you"She says with a smile

"Maybe!"

2014 - Escobar: Paradise Lost

"Another film with Josh in one year,how was it? What happened off screens"She asks

"Well.. Not a lot actually"They say with a small chukle"uhm,he basically tutored me in Spanish all the time behind the screens,so there were no 'omg we did this!' Behind the scenes but it was fun"They say

2018 - Future Man

"You and Josh have both directed and acted in the show,correct?"the interviewer asks, fixing his glasses

"Correct" They say,giving a small nod

"Its a very humorous movie with many... interesting scenes, how did those came to mind?"He asks

Y/n chukles knowing what kind of scenes he meant"while we were writing the plot and the script one of us would go like 'wouldn't this be funny' and the other one would say ''thats hilarious' and then we wrote it in"They explain with a small smirk"it was interesting,let's just say that!"

2018 - The Disaster Artist

"How did you and Josh prepare for that role, since both of you had to play a very different character pairing it to other movies?"She asks, looking between y/n and Josh

"We did Method acting,actually"Josh says, as his gaze moves to y/,a smile creeping on his face

"Yeah, we attempted to make our worst movie, ever" They says with a smile"but it ended up pretty good"

2023 - Mockingjay Part 2

"Back to the 'Hunger Games' franchise with 'Mockingjay Part 2.' How does it feel knowing that you were apart of such a famous and beautiful trilogy with such amazing actors?"

"It's bittersweet, but I can't complain.I made many friends in the way,Jen,Josh,Sam and I could go all day" They say, with a smile

"Could you even say that it's the best cast you ever had"He asks with a small smile as he raises his eyebrow

"I could and I would say that,everyday when I go to bed I wish that when I wake up I will be back in 2012 in the filming set, but you know all good things must come to an end eventually"

[thewriterlyowl]

Random but at the end of Mockingjay when Katniss says she needs "the bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction", and that "only Peeta can give [her] that", she's specifically talking about Peeta as opposed to Other Guy.

Because, fun fact: rue, (evening) primrose, and dandelions are all yellow flowers. All three of the characters associated with them are explicitly linked with hope throughout the series.

Peeta is the obvious one. He's the one who gives her the bread at the beginning that not only physically feeds her in the moment, which in turn inspires her to remember that she is capable of survival, but its probably the first act of kindness remembers since her father has died. The book specifically shows how everyone has abandoned them and there's nowhere to turn. Nobody gives her hope until Peeta does, both as at the beginning of and the end of the story. In addition to making a good salad, dandelions are considered pioneer plants because after a land has been destroyed in some way they're the first ones to colonise it. Just like when Peeta comes back to 12 to help rebuild it.

Then, there's Prim. Prim frequently reminds Katniss that there's beauty in the world. She's the reason Katniss fights throughout the first Games, and you can see that she makes Katniss softer. In CF, she specifically mentions that Prim is one of the reasons she's supposed to keep fighting, because she wants a better world for her. And then in MJ, she feels that hope reignited when Prim says they're training her to be a doctor when she says "this is the sort of future a rebellion could bring". She wants Prim to be reborn into a different world where these things can happen, and she wants to fight to make that world a reality. Yes, evening primrose wilts quite quickly after it blooms (iirc), but it also blooms several times a year, so Katniss will always be reminded of her sister.

My personal favourite, however, is Rue. In the arena, Rue reminds Katniss of Prim, which brings out her protective nature, but also of herself, which is one of the reasons they relate to each other. Both are older sisters who are protective of their siblings. Katniss says it's a bad idea to ally with Rue but she does it anyway for these reasons. But I think the reason Rue represents hope for Katniss is because of how she protects her in the arena. She warns her about the tracker-jackers and draws the poison out of her body. When Peeta describes the Games, he says that the world around you and the people in it become your final reality. Katniss - and anyone else, for that matter - would not have expected a singular act of kindness from the moment they entered the Games. They know the time for kindness is over. I know Snow must have been screaming, crying and throwing up during the 74th because between Katniss volunteering, Peeta protecting her, then Rue protecting her, then Katniss singing to her, and then Peeta and Katniss protecting each other and refusing to live without the other, the rebellion was already starting. Rue could have left her to die, and didn't, which Katniss acknowledges. Instead, she saved her life and lost her own. This is the act of goodness that spurs her on in the Games, and together with Prim, in CF when she considers running away. In sleep, she sees Rue reborn in the same world as Prim, safe in dreams where nothing can hurt her. Dancing in the meadow. Katniss helps create that world for her children, where they play in a field of yellow flowers, likely including Rue. And while the meaning of the name Rue is significant because Katniss regrets not saving her, it's likely significant for Snow and the Gamemakers as well, who likely regret her entering the Games in the first place; the plant (not the flower; the Everlark babies are safe!) Rue is poisonous to the touch, and as soon as Rue enters the Games, it's the beginning of the end of Snow's Games. Rue poisoned the Games with hope! And helped make the Mockingjay.

So anyway, I do think Peeta gives Katniss the most hope for rebirth. They are in love, after all. But Rue and Prim definitely gave her that bright yellow, too.

(Apologies to Katniss because buttercups are also yellow 😂)

[fantasy-nerdddd]

Coin could have made Katniss mad at Snow with less likelyhood of being exposed and without killing Prim

I was rereading Mockingjay - for the 27th time - and I had a thought. Prim's death was stupid. Coin sent a 13 year old into battle, as an untrained medic, and then dropped Gale's bomb on top of her. But that creates a huge problem. Two, to be exact.

First and foremost, why was Prim into battle? She didn't have the title of soldier. I bet she wanted to go, to keep an eye on her sister possibly or just helping out with her skills. But, it shouldn't be allowed. And District 13 is known for following the strict rules. So, that would have raised suspicion on its own.

Second, although less vital, the attack was their signature. Gale made this bomb, the concept at least. And while the Capitol could have a similar weapon, Coin certainly did. And Katniss could have known. When she learned about the weapon, she was in Special Defences right after she got released from the hospital because her choking bruises were getting better. And Coin had to have been keeping an eye on her. Especially considering how controlling she is. And she obviously knew Beetee and Gale where also there working on bombs, because it must have been in their program. Nevertheless, even out of Special Defences, Gale is supposedly Katniss' bestie. She should have known not to use a weapon of his, because there was a big chance Katniss knew about it.

If someone knew all of the above, they could have guessed that the bomb was from 13, Haymitch definitely would have. I think the fandom underestimates how much he understands what's going on. Coin, should not have killed Prim, because it could expose her intentions before she could get a grasp in control, as it did in the end. So, I can think of one way to turn Katniss against Snow.

When I said Prim wouldn't be killed, it doesn't mean no one else would. We just need to find a good enough substitute. But there isn't a big variety, if we are honest. She needed to find someone Katniss cared about, that was in the Capitol or would be reasonable to send in the Capitol, and could die because they were at the wrong place, in the wrong time.

In Mockingjay, I can't find the exact place it's said, Katniss thinks to herself "Except my mum, Prim and Gale, who else loves me unconditionally? In my case, I think it's none". Other than the criminal offence that she thinks Gale actually loves her, we need to take into account that this is said a short while after Peeta, Johanna and Annie return to 13 and Katniss and Peeta have their wholesome reunion. So, she was referring to him. And she cares. So we are adding him to the list of people Katniss cares about. Haymitch is added too, because she asked for his and only his comfort in Chapter 11, right after the bombing of District 13.

Alright, so our list consists of: Prim, Mrs Everdeen, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch. We already got Prim out of the way, and Mrs Everdeen would be a nurse too, so it would take two bombs to take her out, one to lure her into danger, and the other to blow her up. That's Gale's idea, so we cannot use her. Gale was captured by the Capitol for a bit, and even if he wasn't he is too loyal to Coin. Coin would have killed her only influence on Katniss. I am not convinced Haymitch wouldn't play it safe and hide in the shadows while drinking. And if he did, which to be fair, he would, and if we had a movie of him in the Capitol it'd be named "Finding Liquor", he would stay in a house waiting for the liquor to run out. Coin would have to bomb a entire city, but Katniss might have died in the process.

In my opinion, Peeta was the best sacrifice that could be made. He was already in the Capitol, he shouldn't be but he was. Whether he was there to kill Katniss, or a more unpopular opinion, to make Katniss kill him in fear of her life, that doesn't matter. She had already defamed herself by putting a mentally unstable Peeta in the battlefield, so she doesn't have to make it worse by sending a 13 y/o. And he was just running around ready to cause a distraction (completely irrelevant, but that his first thought was "Oh, let me go behind you so that if Katniss needs saving I can risk my life so she won't get captured" is so cute). He was just an accident away from blowing up.

But, I hear you asking, how could Coin know that Peeta meant this much to Katniss? Omg, do we have to get through this again? Finnick, chapter 11: "After your first Games, I thought the whole romance was an act on your part. We all expected you'd continue that strategy. But it wasn't until Peeta hit the forcefield and nearly died that I - that I knew I'd misjudged you. That you do love him. I'm not saying in what way. Maybe you don't know yourself. But anyone paying attention could see how much you care about him". Anyone. And if that isn't enough for you, Katniss, chapter 3: "When the war is over, if we've won, Peeta will be pardoned." *Dead silence for a while* "No form of punishment will be inflicted. The same goes for the other captured tributes, Johanna and Enobaria.". She basically said to her face "I care about him".

And I hear you saying "How would they know where he is?". Oh shit, that's a very good question. But how did they know where Prim is? How did they know that Katniss would see what happened? Or that they weren't hitting Katniss herself? Or that it was worth doing all of this, and Squad 451 wasn't dead in the sewers and eaten by the mutts? That's what I propose: Beetee found a way to hack the Capitol cameras. Plutarch was working next to Snow, he knew where the pods were. Beetee made the Capitol's TV system, that's why it took them so long to break into. But it's not unlikely either of them knew a way to hack the cameras. Or Plutarch just had people working for him that had access to the cameras.

And you know the best part? Katniss wouldn't need to see it either. If they had access to the cameras, they could just replay a video of the hovercraft dropping a bomb on Peeta. And it would break her. Just as much as it would with Prim. And Snow might have not convinced her that it was Coin. Because Coin wouldn't have sent a 13 y/o to battle, suspicious enough. And the attack wouldn't have Gale's signature. Just a hovercraft that dropped a bomb. And Snow's main argument still stands: Why wouldn't he have left with that hovercraft? But it might have been someone else's from the Capitol. Or that he knew he was doomed, that soldiers were coming from all sides, and hovercrafts were flying over his head. So he killed him, not as a last resort, but out of spite. So that Snow would have his own "If I burn, you burn with me!" moment with Katniss.

And either way, the chances of Coin being exposed would never be zero. But that's the closest I can get them to zero. And also: Peeta was basically a traitor. And I bet Coin wouldn't want to keep her promise with Katniss, to not inflict punishment if the rebels won. So his death would mean that she killed two birds with one stone.

And, in regards to literacy and symbolism, which plays a huge part in the series, his death would be as powerful as Prim's. Prim, was the person she saved from certain death, only to result in an uprising and, after some time, her death. Peeta was the person she refused to kill. Not because she was in love, not yet at least, but because she cared. Peeta was the reason this started, with the star crossed lovers strategy that got them closer, and the berries she pulled out so they both survive. They were the final two tributes of the hunger games, refusing to kill each other. And the 76th Hunger Games, as well as the Quell, were the desperate tries of the Capitol to get them to kill each other. And they refused. Again and again and again. The two tributes remaining, that were allies their whole games, can't be both Victors. They were in a rematch. And with the bomb, it's like getting out the mutts, the desparate option to kill a tribute when the final two refused to kill each other. And, just like how it was supposed to go at first, Peeta died and she lived. Like the Capitol wanted it to go. "Our lives belong to Snow and our deaths do to".

I need a fanfic with this concept. Hell, I might write one myself. Can you add anything? Either to strengthen the idea or to go against it?

Edit: Well know the fanfic is a WIP. Figures.

[deweyduck]

hey what’s your opinion of rise of red?

THANK YOU FOR ASKING COMPLETELY UNPROMPTED I HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY

spoilers under the cut

first of all i need to make it clear i liked the movie my biggest issue is just with the ending. it didn't feel like a descendants movie but i liked the characters and the plot wasn't as convoluted as it could have been and if you just ignore the things that don't make sense with the descendants canon it's fun and cute and harmless (nothing ever makes sense in descendants canon anyway).

my issue with the ending is that there wasn't one. it felt like a whole entire act was missing. they just go back to the future and everything is fine and the movie ends. any other movie would have had them go back either nothing changed but red understands her mother better now from seeing her past or they changed everything and that turns out to be a bad thing and they have to go back and make sure the prank was pulled and started a chain of events that lead them to where they were. i also feel like it sends a bad message that if you have nice parents everything is fine which kind of negates the message of the original movies.

BUT i have theories as to why it had such a rushed ending. i think they did film a lot more for the movie but it was rewritten and reshot either due to run time constraints OR because they're gonna use what they shot in something else like another movie or a show and they cut it up so they could make more money. lots of things point to this for me.

we didn't see crowncoming or the prank which were made out to be major plot points and then just dropped

they announced the character zellie with the official casting announcement posts and made it seem like she was an important character when in the movie she literally just stands in the background and laughs. she could have just been any extra. the actress who played her replied to a comment on her instagram asking if she had more scenes that were cut with the eyes emoji. also in the credits she's listed as meadow instead of zellie for some reason as if they were trying to make me forget zellie existed (i didn't)

the original announcement for the movie (when it was still called the pocketwatch) mentioned the fact that ben and mal were having a baby and yet there was no baby

chloe/malia's wig was constantly changing as if they had to go back and shoot more things and they didn't have the same wig or stylists anymore.

the song shuffle of love seems like it should have been used in a big dance number at the crowncoming but instead we just got one small scene with bridget dancing to it alone in her room

there was no proper finale song which is something that is such a staple to the descendants franchise

other movies get cut in half (deathly hallows, breaking dawn, mockingjay) but they never make it seem like everything is wrapped up at the end of the first part. and those examples always knew they were going to be 2 movies when they were written and filmed and not a last minute decision.

they could have hinted at everything not being all right in the end in some way but they didn't other than the "you didn't think this was the end of the story" line.

like i said i did like the movie but i was left so unsatisfied with the ending that that's all i'm ever gonna associate with it.

[mollywog]

Trick or treat!

Your choice! 👻

Hello Nonny! Welcome in! Have some candy

🍫🍬🍭

And as a treat…

A quick alternate POV to Rommate!

He pulls the last tray of rolls out of the oven before checking the clock: 5am. Peeta’s no stranger to early morning baking, all those years growing up in the bakery, but not like this. He’s been up for nearly twenty four hours at this point and stress baking for the last eight.

He turns off the oven and slumps against the counter, wondering how he’d gotten here.

The week started out well enough. Great actually. He’d woken up on the couch Sunday morning to a face full of hair. Somewhere in the middle of their movie marathon he’d fallen asleep and so had his roommate who was snoring softly sprawled across his chest. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. He used to wake her or carry her to her room, but then one night she’d protested the move, burrowing deeper into his shirt and it had felt so impossibly good to be wanted by her, if only as a pillow, that he’d given in and fallen asleep too. It hadn’t been awkward the next day, so he’d stopped attempting to move her at all after that.

He’d been enamored with Katniss Everdeen since he was a kid, but it hadn’t been until just this past year that they’d ever really spoken. A job opportunity had brought him back to Panem and his friend, Johanna, who had just bought a house, had said her old roommate was desperate for a new one. He’d been surprised to discover Katniss was said roommate, even more surprised to find she had no objections to the arrangement. And just like that, he was a boy again with a massive crush on Katniss Everdeen. At least this time they were actually speaking.

He’d been seeing someone before the move, but in the end the long distance relationship hadn’t lasted a month and he wasn’t all that disappointed.

Since then, he’d been biding his time. He thought he knew Katniss well enough to anticipate her reaction to a declaration; Any sudden movement could spook her. So he’d determined to play the long game. They already lived together, spend most of their spare time together, even slept together most nights, though strictly in the literal sense of the word: there was no reason to pressure or rush her… he only hoped it didn't take five, ten, or fifteen years.

So on Sunday morning when he’d shifted his weight to look down at her face, free of it’s usual scowl, and she’d clutched his shirt possessively, whispering his name, he thought maybe, just maybe, it might be more than the lazy utterance of a sleep addled mind.

But the mood seemed to sour as the week progressed. He wondered if Finnick had said something to her like he’d been threatening, because when they got back from trivia on Tuesday Katniss had gone straight to her room and had been cagey ever since. He decided against asking directly, instead pretending all was fine while he considered how to best dispose of Finnick’s body after he murdered the traitor.

But his own concerns fell to the wayside yesterday when she’d called off work; she never did that.

He’d been so eager to discuss his idea for Katniss’s birthday when he and Prim had made plans to meet earlier in the week, but as they discussed Mockingjay Pines’ cabin registration, all he could think of was getting back to check on Katniss - sick and alone.

He beelined home after a brief stop at the store for sick day essentials, only to return to an empty apartment…

Maybe she ran out to get supplies on her own? He started preparing dinner for two.

An hour later the chicken noodle soup was ready, but still no Katniss. He was beginning to worry. How sick had she been? Maybe she went to urgent care?

No. She would have let him know if she was that ill.

Maybe she ended up feeling better and had met up with their friends? But when Johanna texted to heckle him to come out, she had ordered him to drag Katniss along too…

If it was any other week he’d just text and ask what she was up to, but her silence and absence felt intentional. Time dragged until he couldn’t stand another second and he fired off a text: Roommates can ask when to expect the other home, right?

He immediately regretted it.

He couldn’t help but reread the message back in his mother’s tone, laced with passive aggression and guilt.

Worse still was her one-word response and the purple crescent moon alerting him that ‘Katniss has notifications silenced’

She wasn’t at the hospital, or with their friends, or with Prim… it must be a date. A date that apparently was going well if she wouldn’t be home tonight. He racked his brain for who it might be. Maybe her childhood friend who always had a hard on for her was in town, or maybe the red haired bouncer who was constantly flirting, or worse still; someone new she’d never mentioned and he’d never seen coming.

Suddenly his silent pining strategy felt pathetic. He should have let her know how he feels. Surely the rejection would be better than things left unsaid. But now it was too late.

He didn’t know what to do so he decided to do what he did know and because he was thinking of Katniss, he baked all her favorites: cheese buns, apple tarts, breakfast rolls with orange glaze.

It keeps his hand occupied, though nothing can keep his mind from racing. But now at 5 am he’s run out of ingredients and energy, so he drags himself to bed. His head has just hit the pillow when he hears the key in the lock. Her tread is silent but he can imagine her trek through the apartment to her room across the hall, but the familiar creak of the door is his, not hers. He turns to find her standing in the doorway and when he lifts the covers in invitation, there is no hesitation: She crawls into bed beside him. She tucks herself into his chest and his arms wrap around her instinctively as he realizes she’s still in yesterday’s pajamas. So maybe she hadn’t been out on a date after all. Maybe it wasn’t too late.

He breathes a sigh of relief, but just as the world seems to be righting itself again, Katniss throws him for one final loop when she mumbles into his neck, “I’m so glad you didn’t sleep with my sister.”

On Ao3