#well he's discussing Katniss when she's not around

[zenkor123]

From October 4th, after Gale tells him Peeta knows what pains Katniss but Is lying to himself.

WIP undergoing rework(specifically Peeta's manner of speaking)

"The only time she ‘loved’ me was when either I or the crapitol were forcing me on her, he confessed his infatuation forcing her to love him for food, her heart was always yours Gale it's why he gave Katniss the locket as some pathetic  type of apology, I know the limitations of restraining orders but words cannot describe how much I hate what the runt did to her, I'm sorry” 

I notice a brief puase until Peeta takes a deep breath and begins spilling words out:

“Annie, I don't get it, I was unfairly jealous of her, 13 should be the peak of her life, she has Gale, her family is safe, most of the  people who she knew growing up are alive. She as Mockingjay can fight snow. Yeah I did horrible things to her, she had to do certain stuff after her father died, she survived 2 arenas, but there are people far worse off than her. Like me for example. After my return, only 13 really cared about a doomed mad mutt slowly clawing his way to something resembling sanity. But we all know that she isn't in the bathroom to pee, sighs there's a brokenness to her, she's numb and is as quiet as an avox.

Annie sighs: “The heart works in mysterious ways” 

Tong says to Peeta: “Finnick injured himself rather than be seperated, if she cared about you she never would have left you in that state, fuck her”

“But Tong, the time she did visit I called her a piece of work and said she was small and ugly”

Tong responds: “would that bother Finnick, if Leeg went through what you did I would never abandon her ever. shallow teenage relationships  and actual connections are not the same thing”

“Maybe your right,if I had a love for real and she was hijacked I don't think I could handle the hurt, I would need to be institutionalized. They showed me footage of how I was, it's pretty brutal, If she really was my lover I wouldn’t want to be near me” ” Peeta says. 

“No not real Peeta, do you think this is easy for Finnick, it would hurt but most would never cower. It's not you, I think she'll get over whatever is bothering her" Tong replies

"Have I told you I really love your morphling bottles" Leeg said to Peeta

"Thanks!" Peeta says smiling

"I must say, in your second games, the Mockingjay really had us fooled during the beach"

"I'm confused about that as well"

"My 2 credits: it's called the hunger Games, for a reason though only she knows"

"She's only 17 and she's already gone through hell and back she's just so young. And when she's back she has to be the Mockingjay, If I was her lover she would probably handle the pain of a mutt lover, like a 17 year old" Peeta says.

"In D13 she would constitute an adult, now your infantalizing her, in D12 as you know she hunted for food. But if she isn't mature enough to be by your side when you need her the most

But I don't need her! It's my recovery not hers!

Tong ignores the interruption

Then she was never mature enough to have a lover. Let's compare her to you,

Me?

"Yeah, you suffer from constant episodes, yet you still have the strength to fight through them, despite surviving the capitol you still haven't given up. If someone was hurt I have no doubt you would run to the persons aid. Delly said you were making progress you were no physical or emotional threat to her yet she discarded you no longer had any use to her.

"You think to highly of me are you flattering me, I don't think I could handle a hijacked Lover honestly. This sounds like one of my jackered rants. She was only practical becuase she had to survive, it's District 12, but she feels strongly, she did all this to feed her family and keep Gale alive. She's not naturally a cold manipulator as your portraying, Its something she was forced into just like everyone in District 12. "

Its hard for someone from D13 to imagine, the bater and competition for the daily meal, but do you have any hard proof that she ever had a lover?

"Maybe Gale but no"

Tong says "yeah when did you do anything normal together, without a gun to your head?"

Peeta just nods.

“None that I know for sure, in the arena we had to play up that star crossed lovers strategy and get those sponsors, am I right? Peeta says

“in my opinion yes, acting in love is not the same thing as real love unless your the capitol."

Leeg speaks up "you are perfectly in the right for being mad at Delly for pulling the rug from under you and at Katniss for not doing one thing to help, she could have answered all your questions and don't give me the emotions excuse that just means she wasn't willing to put any effort into you. But that bitch lost her chance, if she cared about you she would feel something when Coin challenged her but that bitch can't feel anything. Why the fuck does she deserve to be the Mockingjay?"

"She doesn't strike me as that much of an actor, but being fed lines by me, or Haymitch and having a gun to your head does wonders for your acting skills. And even before I imposed this, she had to let's just say um perform for supper. That's why I believe she fell for Gale, she didn't need him and their relationship was one of willing equals"

Hmm

"The one good thing about this sickening act is that she isn't as hurt by my mutation as she otherwise would be. I would be a full scale psychological torture device if it was real, as if kneeding her larynx isn't bad enough."

"There's lots of lies in the games, it must be so confusing for you" Tong says

Peeta responds

"That's becuase that's what Panem is, it's a giant twisted game. And even if I was able to ask Katniss which are lies and truth, she probably doesn't even know. When I was verbally assaulting her about if she loved me or not she said "That's what everyone says" now I gave her grief over this but I think that's her honest answer the full details are something she wouldn't want to discuss in public or she felt ashamed over her confusion."

Tong laughs : "from what your describing I don't want to know it makes me feel sick".

"I was hijacked to feel mad, then I felt a longing at times for it to be real, but now I just cringe when I rewatch the lovey dovey part of the games. So much fucking implications, lies and subtext. I'm glad I don't have to touch it anymore."

Leeg says "Never forget that your supposed lover and wife left you to fend for yourself. That's why children in 13 call her catpiss"

Tong laughs.

"I don't think I'm the same person, it's probably a good thing that I'm not, I don't see why she would want to help me. I'm talking about Katniss's Perspective if she was my lover, objectively she doesn't have to do anything"

Leeg "your compassion is why she never will deserve you,we're all talking about her moral backbone which she has none"

Peeta says "ugh, Im glad she can't hear us but even if I was her lover at one point, there's nothing I can do to help her. There are simply some things that I will never know. In all likelihood we weren't lovers but if Gale was mutated I don't think she would behave differently but who knows? So anyway, how's the military sector den going?"

[paintedpeeta]

I’m obsessed with needy Peeta, he finally feels safe enough to just pull Katniss to him all the time. Bakery isn’t open, he’s going to keep her in bed all day. Tiring day at the bakery, he’s walking in the house right to embracing her. Katniss being scowly but cute, he needs kisses.

i can’t tell who would be more cuddly when they’re in a real relationship because we have peeta on one hand who has loved this girl for so long and wanted nothing more than it to be real, and we have katniss who expresses multiple times throughout the series how much comfort and safety she takes from his physical touch. granted that we probably spend a lot more time discussing katniss being cuddly just because we’re privy to her inner monologue, but peeta getting a chance to be needy and clingy is also top tier.

there are days she plans to get up early to go into the woods, and he wraps his arms around her waist and kisses all over her face and begs her to stay home until she’s laughing and giving in. she really doesn’t need much persuading, but she lets him think she does all the same.

they’re not big on pda because they have the luxury of keeping their romance private post-war, but he’s still always touching her in some way, like a comforting hand in her pocket or arm around her waist, especially in larger crowds where she’s less comfortable. at the bakery when she helps him out and there’s no customers around, he’ll come up behind her and give her the biggest hug just because he can.

haymitch thinks they’re insufferably touchy in their home, and when they have him over for dinner he fake gags his way through the evening because peeta rubs her back while they’re cooking together and holds her hand across the table while they eat. him and buttercup take turns staring into the nonexistent camera like they’re on the office.

and as for him needing kisses… you know damn well katniss ‘he’ll probably be kissing me, anyway’ ‘a cool kiss from the giver himself’ ‘his arms are there to comfort me and eventually his lips’ everdeen is going to give ‘em to him! those two will take any excuse to smooch (and good for them!)

[cabotwife]

Hi!! Loving all the Johanna fics you’ve been putting out! I was wondering if you could write Johanna mason x fem!reader where the reader gets caught in the jabberjay section of the quarter quell with Katniss and Finnick and hears Johanna’s cries. Afterwards they meet Johanna on the beach after the blood rain and reader is super distressed and thinks what she’s seeing is a trick.

(I know they are already with Johanna at this point but just for the sake of this they meet Johanna, Beetee, and Wires when they come out of the blood rain after the jabberjays.)

Thanks :)

hey! sorry this took so long, i have been struggling with writers block so bad recently 💔

This Love

Johanna Mason x Fem!Odair!Reader

warnings: very poorly written, rushed, probably ooc Katniss and Johanna, not proofread

word count: 1475

a/n: sorry if it's poorly written and soo late, i had an idea but no clue how to put it into words:(

a/n pt2: i tried posting this last night but i fell asleep, thinking i posted it and didn't realize it wasn't posted until i went to start another request..

--

your breathing is heavy as you trek across the sand of the beach. the sun is beating down on you and you’re covered in scrapes and cuts from the mutt attack.

while your brother and the District 12 tributes are talking to each other some distance behind you, you find yourself lost in your thoughts as you wander along the beach.

suddenly, a scream pierces through the air, causing you to jump and spin around to see if the others had heard it. however, they appear to be oblivious to the sound and continue their discussion.

you take in a shaky breath, but then the scream echoes again, and this time you recognize the voice.

"Johanna?" you gasp, staring wide-eyed into the dense jungle. "JOHANNA?!" you scream as you run towards it, pushing aside hanging leaves and jumping over tree roots.

"Y/N!" you hear Finnick call after you, but you can't bring yourself to care, not when your Johanna needs you.

you run with all your might until you reach a small clearing. the cries for help seem to echo around you, making your head spin. "Johanna?!" you call out, your voice loud, strained, and filled with raw emotions. "where are you?"

the cries for help blend into agonizing screams that send shivers down your spine.

tears begin to well up in your eyes as you frantically spin around, desperately searching for the source of the sound. "Johanna! Johanna, please!" you cry out. "where are you?!"

suddenly, a black bird swoops down near your head, calling out, "help! y/n!" your head jerks towards it, eyes widening as you notice the swarm of birds circling above you.

"no," you whisper, watching in horror as the bird continues to dive all around you.

in a panic, you turn on your heel and sprint back in the direction you came from. through the foliage of the trees, you can see the others, including Finnick, waving their arms and shouting, but their words are seemingly drowned out by the chaos.

you race towards your brother, the birds relentlessly chasing and circling you. all you can hear is Finnick and Johanna's desperate cries for help. tears stream down your cheeks as you finally reach your brother, only to be separated by an invisible wall.

"Finnick!" you cry out, pounding your fists against the barrier. "Finnick, help!" your voice trembles with pain, and you struggle to articulate your words as the birds continue their relentless assault.

overwhelmed, you sink to the ground, curling your hands around your head as you hide your face and cover your ears. leaning against the force field, you sob uncontrollably, feeling the weight of the situation.

after what feels like an eternity, the birds eventually fly away, and the force field dissipates.

your group rushes towards you, and Finnick immediately pulls you into a tight embrace, cupping your cheeks as you gaze at him with a distant expression.

“it’s okay, y/n/n, it was just jabberjays.” he murmurs, gently brushing your bangs away from your sweaty forehead.

you stay silent as he fusses over you, with Katniss crouched beside you, her hand soothingly placed on your back, and Peeta standing next to her.

"i'm okay," you eventually mutter, pushing away from the hands on you and standing up.

Finnick frowns at you, but before he can say anything, Katniss speaks up, "we should go back to the beach, where it's safe," she says softly, speaking cautiously, as if you were a child.

you say nothing as you make your way back to the sand of the beach, feeling relieved to be out of the jungle once again.

you settle yourself on the sand near the water's edge, with Katniss sitting beside you and Peeta staying close to her side. Finnick stands behind all of you, taking in his surroundings.

suddenly, you hear your brother suck in a sharp breath, "Johanna!" he shouts before sprinting down the beach. you flinch at the sound of the name, your head snapping up as you watch your brother run.

"Finnick!" you hear a voice calls back, a voice whose screams have been forcefully etched into your mind for the past hour.

Katniss turns to look at you as she stands, extending her hand towards you, "you coming?" she asks, her voice low and comforting.

you eventually nod, gripping her hand and allowing her to help you up.

the three of you follow behind Finnick, making your way towards the other three. as you look at Johanna, you notice how she is covered in blood, and suddenly nothing else matters. your thoughts consume you once again, 'Johanna needed you and you couldn't help her. she's hurt and it's all your fault.' your mind races as you continue to stare at the blood soaked brunette.

Katniss notices your distant look, and she takes your hand in hers, dipping her head and turning to meet your gaze as you still fixate on the other girl.

Johanna looks over Finnick's shoulder, locking eyes with you. her brows furrow in confusion at the look on your face. "y/n?" she calls out, her voice filled with concern, while she starts making her way toward you. your eyes widen in response to hearing your name escape her lips, and you find yourself staring back at her like a deer in headlights.

Finnick places his hand on her shoulder, causing her head to snap towards him. "what's going on with her?" she inquires, pulling away from the bronze-haired boy.

"there was an incident," he explains, "with jabberjays. she, uh.. she got lured into the jungle by jabberjays that were mimicking you."

"me?" Johanna breathes, glancing over at you. her expression changes as she watches Katniss squeeze your hand, speaking to you gently.

"yeah, she hasn't said much since we got her out.. she was in there for a while," Finnick mumbles. "you should talk to her, let her know that you're okay and stuff."

"looks like she has Katniss for that," Johanna grumbles, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Finnick raises an eyebrow at the brunette. “go talk to her, i’ll take Katniss and the others down the beach further.”

Johanna lets out a deep sigh, nodding in agreement. Finnick pats her on the shoulder before motioning for Katniss and Peeta to join them. Peeta rushes over to your brother like an eager puppy being called by his master. meanwhile, Katniss slowly makes her way over, providing you with a few more words of reassurance before finally joining the group.

"hey," Johanna says as she approaches you. you continue to stare at her in silence, which seems to make her slightly uncomfortable. "hey," she gently cups your jaw, redirecting your attention from her bloodied shoulders to her eyes. "talk to me," she mumbles as she holds eye contact with you.

"i'm sorry i couldn't help you," you finally manage to say after a period of silence. tears well up in your eyes again as your lower lip quivers. "i'm sorry," you repeat.

Johanna's eyebrows furrow with confusion. "hey, what? don't be sorry. why’re you apologizing?"

"i couldn't help you," you mumble. "i- i couldn't find you. it was so loud. i'm sorry." tears stream down your cheeks as you speak, your voice coming out raspy but soft.

"y/n, listen to me, you did absolutely nothing wrong," she assures you, her voice filled with sincerity. "what you heard wasn't me, it was just a trick. it wasn't me." her other hand gently comes up to cup your other cheek, holding your face tenderly as she gazes into your eyes.

you swallow hard, holding unwavering eye contact with her. "i-" your words are abruptly cut off as Johanna ducks down and presses her soft lips against yours.

"i’m safe," she whispers, her lips barely grazing against yours. "i’m safe." she reaffirms her words with another kiss, deepening the connection between the both of you.

you instinctively wrap your arms around her neck, your fingers intertwining in her hair as you return the kiss.

you reluctantly break the kiss upon hearing your brother's wolf whistle. Johanna rolls her eyes playfully at him, turning in your embrace to give him an exaggerated middle finger. "fuck you, fish boy!" she exclaims, a grin on her face.

your brother dramatically gasps, his hand clutching his chest in mock offense. "wow! you call me fish boy after sucking face with my sister?"

your cheeks flush with color at his choice of words, but Johanna simply scoffs at him before turning her attention back to you, that same teasing grin still present on her face. she firmly grasps your waist before pulling you into another kiss, more passionate than the last. your fingers gently thread through her hair as you savor the moment.

[onlyrains]

𝓹𝓲𝓽𝔂 party 2 | 𝓵𝓱𝓼

a/n: a quick update bc im still too caught up on my thesis #prayforme

it's not really related to the part 1 ig just full about relationship with heeseung | wc: 1,8k-ish

!!! part 1 !!!

just like a fallen leaves that the wind blows away easily, the breath you take mindlessly, and the boiling ramen soup that evaporates under its cup quickly. the memory of your first party is now long gone since six of your brother's friends come to your house almost everyday.

you don't even bother questioning what matter your brother had on that day. they said that it was just about dissenting opinions and you easily buy it.

it's been two weeks since the tragedy, and today you can confidently declare that jake is no longer the only one you know among them. you have heeseung now. of course, he isn't the most friendly, but you notice he is the most attentive and reliable, sometimes even more than your brother, jay. the rest of them are basically your acquaintances now, but something is surely different between you and heeseung.

he's still quietly annoying, secretly irritating, and overall not so different from your brother. yet the tension is still unchanged since he took you home that day. it's so obvious like you have never practically left alone with him in the same room together. well, sometimes it's light and playful, but sometimes it's just too thick until you start doubting your self control. but the point is, the tension is always there. making it a trio out of you two–if that makes sense.

ealier today, your brother had promise to pick you up after your archery club meetings. but he suddenly has more urgent thing to do, so it just slipped your mouth, "can i ask heeseung?"

jay's head turned to you in a split millisecond. "why him? what's going on?"

"nothing. you promised to take me to the vinyl store you know,"

"you can ask mom?"

"you really think she's gonna take me there?"

he sighed. "fine. i'll talk to him."

just like that and the boy is already waiting for you in his regular fit denim jacket. with his chunky motorbike, obviously.

"had fun, katniss everdeen?" his smug smirk welcomed you. you roll your eyes, trying to ignore his smirk that somehow look flirty to you. "yes, rubeus hagrid."

he scoffs. "really? from all the characters in the world?"

"what? you're tall and ride a bike."

he nods before putting on his helmet, a smirk still evident on his mouth. "hagrid it is."

after he puts on your half face helmet, you jump behind him. "let's go."

contradicting your words, he got off his bike and looked at you in disbelief. "how can you go archery in a skirt?" his voice muffled by the helmet.

"i didn't. we're just discussing some—”

again he cuts you as he took his clothes out of the bag for you to wear. a black knit sweater fall on your nearly exposed thighs. "tie it around."

"is it 2014 or—"

"wear it or we aren't going anywhere."

you grunt silently and let the knit sleeve wrapped around your waist to cover your thighs safely. feel satisfied, heeseung back on his seat, "hold on tightly. it's so windy."

you happily obey as you did the last time he rode you home. he didn't complain tho, as if it didn't bother him nor throw him into another dimension.

as he said earlier, it's windy so it's even harder to concentrate on the road when the wind keeps blowing up his sweater on your thighs. well, he blamed it on the wind rather than his bike or you.

on the other hand, you are just enjoying his warm back, not wanting to move your head before you arrive, let alone caring about your exposed skin. even the helmet's bulkiness doesn't stop you from leaning in so shamelessly.

your thumb still absentmindedly caressing his toned stomach when he takes turn to the last turn before the vinyl store you've been thinking about all day.

you hop off the bike so cheerfully and hand him his helmet to untie his sweater from your waist and wear it on top of your shirt then run into the store. at this point, heeseung didn't even look like a brother, but more like a driver? or even a bodyguard your parents paid for their reckless daughter.

you are holding you targeted LP when heeseung arrives beside you. "oh, it was released today?" he asks.

you nod excitedly. "yes!" you almost jump on your feet.

"should i pick this or this one?" you take the deluxe version on your right hand.

"it's black and white." heeseung takes the deluxe version and read the song list on its back.

"yeah, not so match my collection."

"but it has more songs."

"exactly!" you sigh confusedly.

as usual, there are only a few visitors in the store that you are really thankful for because that means you don't need to rush your purchase.

"so? let's decide."

you exhale heavily after thinking for a while. "fine, this one." you pointing at the deluxe version on his hand. he chuckles seeing your frustrated face. "i swear you'll regret it if you don't get the completed version."

"i know." you murmur and turn around to go to the cashier.

"nah, maybe i'll just look for the vintage." a familiar voice from the entrance resonate in your eardrums as goosebumps creep through your skin.

you turn your head to heeseung. "fuck." you mumble in despair.

you pull him to the nearest corner and let him towering over you in order to shield you from the most person you avoid on earth. why is he here anyway?

you hold your LP tightly in your hand while the other mindlessly grip on heeseung shirt beneath his jacket. your breathing slowly becomes irregular as anxiety takes over your body. you keep peeking through heeseung's body that you don't realize his gaze is no longer confused but rather unreadable.

his one arm resting on the shelf next to your face. his head tilts down to look you with the most confusing expression with a slightly open mouth.

"what?" you ask casually to cover your now double anxious state. he doesn't reply but you can see his jaw tightening.

"she got me a new turntable, bro. she's crazy."

"that's what i meant a lucky bastard, bro, what the fuck?"

you bite your inner lip. "help me, please? that was my ex–ew, no, not even my ex. and he's the least person i want to meet in the world."

"why?" he asks in a low tone, making you shiver.

"it's long story–well, he cheated on me, basically–but i don't care anymore, i just don't want to face him."

his face leans closer. "still can't move on?" he asks again. half teasing, half confirming.

you scoff, a little distracted by his scent. "w-what? no! why wo–fuck,"

you saw him in the hallway, just a few meters from you.

"what do you want me to do?" in contrast to you, heeseung still sounds so relax. you feel your head spinning just from the thought of probability of him saying something if he sees you there.

"anything as long as he can't see me," you meet his sharp eyes. "...please?" your legs begin to fidget in place.

"you sure just for him not to see you?"

you frown at him. is he reading your mind?

he brushes his finger on your cheek carefully. he knows exactly what you want him to do, he's just not sure if he can actually do it. he doesn't know if his body allows it.

"david bowie is on the back shelf, i guess."

"shit, heeseung, he's here!"

"relax, ma'am. you got me."

you tiptoe on your toes and reach for his shoulder. "c'mon, heeseung," you plead.

he runs his hands on your hips and slightly tilts his head to the side.

"oh my god, be more convincing!" you squeeze the hem of his jacket.

"you want me to do this?" he whispers angrily as his nose touches yours.

you went silent for a few seconds. him, the bastard you are avoiding is surely now at heeseung's back and is looking at you two. disgusted, maybe. but he's not moving at all.

beside that, you have never been this close with heeseung. his thumbs still caressing your cheek and you unconsciously lean in to his touch. his ragged breath fanning your lips as his eyes burning through your lips. you decide to exhanging gaze with his hazzy one. he looks so resigned and helpless which you know there's no way he can take an action from now.

"ay, it's on the back shelf, bro, c'mon, leave 'em alone."

"wait."

"fuck it, hee. i'm sorry," you grab his nape and press your lips into his. you don't move an inch, just let it brush for a moment until the bastard goes to the next hallway.

finally, you pull away and exhale the breath you didn't know you were holding. but heeseung is faster. he holds your back and pulls you back to him so impossibly close then put his lips back to yours.

he kisses you slowly yet so demanding, like he means it on every movement he does. his hands roaming from your back to your side then rests in your waist. his knit sweater makes you even warmer despite the heat that radiates from your body.

"i'm not gonna bring regret to my house, y/n." he whispers between his kisses, sending a shiver down your spine, then starts to kiss you deeper.

giving up on his touch, you wrapped your arms around his neck and brushing his nape lightly. the bastard you were avoiding has now disappeared in your memory as you try so hard to keep up with his absurd yet addicting tempo. you lightly pull his hair everytime he bites your lower lip.

an unwanted whine just slips out of your mouth as his lips trailing around your jaw then back to your lips. you squirm in your place noticing your body pressed between his body and the wooden shelf behind you before pulling away.

"you don't know what you're doing to me, do you?" he asks, panting.

you stare at him blankly. honestly, you do, sometimes.

"been trying to do that since forever," he admits. you chuckle. "don't be so dramatic, we're just started talking two weeks ago."

he still stare at you, not blinking. "so long since your smile always does it for me."

you stay silent.

"i don't know what you're exactly do but please stop what you're doing to me." he says, frustrated. "don't want your brother to go feral again, do you?"

you gulp hardly. "but i don't do anything." you decide to return his stare and bite your lip. "and heeseung, i'm afraid i can't control myself after this," you admit.

his jaw tightens, again. your words and the way you said it have his body become stiff and chest rumbling.

noticing his rigidness, you tiptoe and kiss his cheek before finally running to the cashier, making the boy grunts under his breath. "god, she's impossible."

taglist [open]: @llvrhee

[mollywog]

Oooh tell me how what you find interesting about the “I don’t know how you survived this long” line from Peeta. Now that I think about it’s so interesting to me that Peeta thinks lying is a necessity for surviving, and actually says a lot about how he was raised?

Ooo thank you for the ask @mage-chocolate!!

"You're such a bad liar, Katniss. I don't know how you've survived this long." He begins to mimic me. "I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You're a little cooler though. Of course, I'm not going." He shakes his head. "Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin," he says.

Three different levels here: Living in Panem in general, surviving the Games, Peeta’s home life (this is more HC stuff)

In Panem

You’d expect Katniss would need to be a good liar with all her illegal activities, but fortunately she’s recognized this and has found other ways to stay out of trouble:

When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the Capitol. Eventually I understood this would only lead us to more trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts. Do my work quietly in school. Make only polite small talk in the public mar-ket. Discuss little more than trades in the Hob, which is the black market where I make most of my money. Even at home, where I am less pleasant, I avoid discussing tricky topics. Like the reaping, or food shortages, or the Hunger Games. Prim might begin to repeat my words and then where would we be?

Not to mention, she says the peacekeepers are among her best customers (don’t execute bite the hand that feeds.)

In the games

Let me start with a kudos to @cutpaperbleedswater for their point from this ask

The idea of putting on a facade and pretending to be something for the sake of strategy is everywhere- from Katniss slipping her mask of indifference on and not crying as soon as she volunteers to her interview prep struggles:

"All right, enough," he says. "We've got to find another angle. Not only are you hostile, I don't know anything about you. I've asked you fifty questions and still have no sense of your life, your family, what you care about. They want to know about you, Katniss."

"But I don't want them to! They're already taking my future! They can't have the things that mattered to me in the past!" I say.

"Then lie! Make something up!" says Haymitch.

"I'm not good at lying," I say.

"Well, you better learn fast. You've got about as much charm as a dead slug," says Haymitch.

…

By the end of the session, I am no one at all. Haymitch started drinking somewhere around witty, and a nasty edge has crept into his voice. "I give up, sweetheart. Just answer the questions and try not to let the audience see how openly you despise them."

I’m also thinking about Katniss hiding her tears over Thresh’s death because it won’t play well for sponsors.

In Peeta’s home life

We know Peeta’s mother physically and verbally assaults him at least once in the past and it’s suggested it wasn’t a one-off occurrence.

So moving into the stuff of HCs: I imagine that Mrs. Mellark is sort of unpredictable - that she can be loving and charming (Peeta’s charm comes from somewhere and Mr. Mellark is often described as quiet), but she can also turn on a dime. And as a result the family walks on egg shells and Peeta, from a young age becomes accurately perceptive of moods (and then by extension others’), and learns to anticipate reactions and lie convincingly - skills he applies beyond just his home life.

[nebulablakemurphy]

Moves & Countermoves (Part 13)

Summary: No one ever wins the games, even fourteen years later, Y/N is still playing. Trigger warning: discussions of trauma surrounding ‘desirable victors’ and mentions of sex.

Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve

The tribute parade is a glimmer of hope after a losing streak. Capitol citizens screaming and chanting for Katniss as the chariots are drawn out for display. Even the elites are vying to sponsor the star crossed lovers, who saved their mentors and the sweet little baby in Y/N’s womb.

There is no waving or smiling this year, at Cinna’s request.

“Way to make friends out there, you two.” Haymitch waves over Peeta and Katniss once they dismount the carriage.

“Well, we learned from the best,” Katniss shoots back.

“I want to introduce you to some special friends of mine, this is Chaff and Seeder.”

Seeder smiles in acknowledgment.

While Chaff closes the distance between them, giving Katniss a kiss on each cheek; then pulling away in a fit of laughter.

She is caught off guard, dismay painted across her features.

“He’s very friendly.” Haymitch chuckles, clapping his friend once on the back. “But don’t invite him over, he’ll drink up all your liquor.”

Y/N approaches with Cashmere and Gloss in tow, as if Finnick introducing himself with the sugar cube, before the parade, hadn’t been enough.

“There she is,” Chaff opens his arms, “come here.”

Y/N smiles, slinking around the side to greet him, for what might be the last time.

“It’s good to see you, baby.” He tells her, in earnest. For a minute there, I thought you were coming in with us.

“Good to see you.” She pulls away, giving Seeder a quick hug. Tears welling up in her eyes, without permission.

The older woman taps her chin, when they break apart. “Don’t you cry.”

“We wanted to come introduce ourselves,” Cashmere explains. “I’m Cashmere, this is my brother, Gloss.”

“We’ve heard nothing but good things.” Peeta says, truthfully.

“Pleasure,” Gloss grins, extending a hand to Peeta, allowing his sister to mirror the gesture with Katniss. Moving in perfect synchronization, like a well oiled machine.

“And to thank you,” Cashmere squeezes Katniss’ hand.

“For what?” Katniss wonders.

“Saving my friend.”

You love her too. The realization sits heavy in Katniss’ chest.

“Alright, let’s go get some of that makeup off you.” Haymitch spares Katniss from farther floundering.

They move into the elevator, just the victors of district twelve, until a hand slips in to stop the doors from closing.

Johanna she struts in with a heavy sigh, pressing the button for the seventh floor. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you,” Katniss responds, under her breath.

“My stylist is an idiot.” Johanna tosses her bracelets to the ground. “District seven, lumber…I’d love to bury my axe in her face.” She shuffles closer to Peeta, moving her, long, red, ponytail over her shoulder. “Unzip?”

“Sure.” Peeta stammers, earning him a death glare from Katniss.

Johanna does not look away as she strips down to nothing, without preamble.

Katniss’ mouth is slightly ajar, Peeta’s lips set in a nervous smile.

“Not in front of the children,” Y/N gasps, rushing to hold a hand over both sets of eyes.

“Come on, you know you like this.” Johanna chirps, playfully.

“I remember when mine used to sit up like that.” Y/N cranes her neck to meet Johanna’s gaze, “enjoy it.”

“Cry me a river, you’re a walking wet dream.” Johanna rolls her eyes.

Haymitch is strangely silent, enjoying their banter.

Whether they are fighting or flirting, Katniss cannot tell. In any event, she’s glad when the elevator dings on the seventh floor.

“That was fun, let’s do it again sometime.” Johanna grins, quite pleased with herself as she exits.

“Johanna Mason, district seven.”

————————————————————————

“Explain to me exactly how this is going to work.” Y/N whispers, beneath the spray of the water.

Whoever is tasked with monitoring the audio from their room, in the tribute center, must think they have the highest libidos in Panem. Though they are here to exchange information, they are also in the shower, nude, at very close proximity.

“Plutarch has access to the trackers, he can override the information.” Haymitch allows his eyes to close, at the feel of familiar fingers in his hair. “Cannon goes off while the tribute is still alive. They are extracted by the crane, from the hovercraft, same as always. One by one. Ideally, Katniss and Peeta near the end, Snow will want to see their bodies for himself. By the time he realizes what’s happened, everybody is safe, underground, in thirteen.”

“What about twelve? First thing he’ll do is retaliate.”

“We have open lines of communication, we’ll be able to warn them.”

Y/N nods, in understanding. His lips are on hers then and they are no longer pretending.

————————————————————————

Keeping this secret from Katniss and Peeta is easier than Y/N anticipated. They assume she is distancing herself out of self preservation, reverting to the calculated woman they’d met on the train last year. Neither of them blame her.

They score twelves during individual assessment, painting even larger targets on their backs. And tonight, the last night before the games, they are prepping for their interviews with Caesar.

Katniss is almost certain that the master of ceremonies will ask about her volunteering. She does not regret it, even now, she would do it again in a heartbeat. No one deserves a happy ending more than you. Katniss hates that she is being laced back into Y/N’s wedding dress.

“I think you’re going to be happy with the alterations.” Cinna fluffs up the layers of fabric.

Haymitch downs his drink, drowning the vision of his sweet girl in the dress; squeezing his fingers when it hurt too much. The way she shook like a leaf beneath him, “it’s just you and me.” She is still after that, steady; allowing him to bring her pleasure she has never known.

Crying when it is finished, because he locked himself in the bathroom to vomit. Sick over what he had done to keep her safe, while she thought he was disgusted by something she’d done.

Apologizing profusely when he returns. “Haymitch, I- I was just nervous. Not because of you…I’m sorry it wasn’t, I’m sorry you didn’t like it. I’ll do better next time.”

His heart seizes, thrumming to an unbearable ache. “It’s nothing you did. Please never think that I-” Haymitch stumbles over the words. Evidence of his ‘enjoyment’ is mixed with her blood on the sheets, rolling forth a fresh wave of nausea. “Like you said, it’s not because of you. It’s everything else.” Snow and the cameras and-

Y/N knows how much he’s already given up, the deals he made for her. “I still want it to be real someday.”

Their marriage, their love story.

“You tell me when it’s real, and I’ll ask you to marry me again.” No more rushing, no more bullshit.

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Haymitch swears. I��m getting you out of here. No matter how long it takes, I’m getting you out.

They are no longer in that room, trapped beneath the mechanical whirl of the cameras. They are here, with Y/N’s arms around his waist, one hand resting over his heart. Holding him where it hurts, because she understands him better at thirty than she could at nineteen. This dress is a prison, he hopes the girl on fire lights it up.

“These victors are angry, Katniss. They’ll say anything to try and stop the games, I suggest you do the same.”

When it is her turn to be interviewed, the audience is enamored at the sight.

“Welcome, Katniss Everdeen!” Caesar is humming with excitement. “Look at you, absolutely stunning.”

“Don’t go crying on me now, Caesar.” Katniss retorts.

“Oh, you know I can’t help it.”

“You know I wouldn’t believe you even if you did.”

“Ah ha ha, the girl on fire, so cheeky. I love it. Now, Katniss…on a more serious note, we’re all here a little disappointed, well more than a little, that a certain wedding will not be taking place.” Caesar laments, sharing his sorrow with the nation. “But here you are, in Y/N’s dress, the dress you would have worn. How do you think she feels, seeing you on stage tonight?”

“I hope that…” Katniss exhales. “I hope that she’s proud of me.” She searches beyond the blinding stage lights for Y/N, finding her in the sea of faces. She looks at Katniss the same way she always has, with love, sadness; something more. Perhaps it is pride.

“Awww.”

“I know she is,” Caesar nods. “It has been so beautiful to watch your story, to see this family you found. How you volunteered, first for your little sister and then to save your mentor. You are incredible. Would you do us the honor?”

The twirling.

Katniss finds Cinna, beside Y/N and Haymitch, catching his eye. He gives the go ahead and she begins to turn. The skirt of her dress igniting into flames, leaving a black and gray design in its wake. As fire reaches the top, it has transformed completely. Feathers at her shoulders spread with her arms. Wings.

The crowd rises from their seats, her mentors and stylist among them. Cinna has an arm around Y/N’s shoulder, “for both of you.”

“Thank you,” she leans into him.

“It’s like….it’s like a-a bird! Like a-” Caesar racks his brain.

“Like a mockingjay,” Katniss finishes for him.

“Your stylist has certainly outdone himself. Cinna, take a bow.” Caesar turns the camera’s focus to the audience.

Cinna kisses his hand and holds it up, sending all his love to Katniss. When the applause has died down, she joins the other tributes, on the risers near the back of the stage.

Peeta is last, in a pristine white suit, designed to match his wife-to-be.

“So, Peeta, the wedding.” Caesar gets right down to business. “The marriage, never to be.”

“Actually, we got married. In secret.” Peeta says, captivating the crowd to a stunned silence.

“A secret wedding? Tell us more.”

“We want our love to be eternal, Katniss and I. We’ve been luckier than most and I wouldn’t have any regrets at all if-” Peeta breaks off. “If it weren’t…”

“If it weren’t for what, Peeta?” Caesar is all but holding his breath. “What?”

“If it weren’t for the baby.”

Once again viewers are out of their seats.

“Baby!?!”

“Tell us more.”

“Well we knew that Y/N would be too far along and we all agreed that Katniss would have a better chance.” Peeta explains.

“Stop the games!” The cry heard around the Capitol, is resurgent and in full force. The victors of district twelve have not one baby at stake, but two.

“Alright now, this is news to all of us.” Caesar reminds the audience.

Their outrage echoes off the walls. “Stop the games!”

“We’re going to find out what we do about this.” Caesars attempts to stop the riot. He leans in to Peeta, asking him to go stand with the others. “It’s a great night.”

Peeta trots up the stairs to Katniss, embracing when they meet.

“Oh, my heart.” The woman behind Y/N leans over the seat. “That’s why you tried to stop her from volunteering. Because of the baby.”

Y/N nods, sniffling for effect. “I just can’t stop thinking about the babies.”

“Don’t worry, President Snow is a good man. He’ll get this figured out.” She rubs at her back.

The victors joining hands only serves to further rally the crowd. Together they watch as the lights cut off. Leaving them all in darkness.

————————————————————————

The deliberation is long, or Snow makes it out to be. Y/N, Haymitch and Effie wait, impatiently, on the bench with the other mentors. It was a good show, with a response better than they could’ve asked for. But in the end, the games are still on.

This is more or less the outcome Peeta and Katniss were expecting. Somehow that doesn’t make it any easier to deliver the news.

Haymitch has to hand it to Peeta, “baby bomb was a stroke of genius. Unfortunately, the games are still on.”

The room is still.

“This is goodbye for now.”

“Presents,” Effie reminds them, their tokens. “Bracelets for you two.”

Y/N opens her box, revealing a slightly thinner version of the bangle her husband’s been gifted.

“And for Peeta, the medallion we talked about.”

“Thank you, Effie.” Peeta hugs her, in parting.

This year is different. Mentors will not be seeing tributes to the hovercraft, only stylists. Presumably for the districts that only had two victors to begin with.

“Thank you, Y/N.” The boy finds her next and she squishes him to her properly.

“You’re welcome,” she sighs. Stay safe.

When it is Katniss’ turn to say goodbye, the girl on fire is struck by the realization that she cannot. Instead she buries her face in the woman’s shoulder.

“You can do this, Katniss.” Y/N passes a hand over her hair, “I believe in you.”

Katniss nods, “thank you.”

The five of them remain together for a while. Katniss and Peeta splinter off first, sending them all in different directions. Effie to her room, Y/N and Haymitch to opposite floors of the tribute center.

Y/N reaches the last level before ground. Cashmere is waiting, wringing her hands. “We almost did it,” stopped the games.

“This isn’t over yet,” Y/N reminds her. “I have something for you.”

Cashmere sighs, the rebel plan is a wild one and there’s no guarantee it will work in time.

Y/N turns over the gold bangle, “Katniss knows it’s mine. As long as she sees it, she’ll honor the alliance.”

“I’ll do what I can to keep her alive…the boy too.” Cashmere assures her.

“Keep you alive too, while you’re at it.” Please.

The blonde gives her a sad smile, “you know me.”

Part 14

Series Taglist: @praline357 @flowercrowns-goodvibes @justheretoparty420 @avocadotoastwithegg @treehouse-mouse @emo-markie @spilled-mi1k @magical-spit @greaser9902 @jessicamellarky @yourebuckingkiddingme @smuha2004 @sendhelplease @ninimackbrews @wittiestrain184 @r1dd1kulus @erenluvr69 @helpimhyperfixating @jackierose902109

[on-my-vigilante-sht]

Capitol Punishment III

Haymitch x Reader

Summary: The Capitol continues to torture it’s victors no matter how long ago they won through punishment, exploitation, and worst of all; their relationships.

A story in which Haymitch’s lover is a plaything for the Capitol.

Warnings: Canon level violence, rape (though never explicit), alcohol, murder, systemic poverty, exploitation, rebellion (?), more reliance on movie than book, suicidal thoughts

Word Count: 3.0K

Part II | Masterlist | Part IV

You, Cinna, and Effie were all eagerly sat on the couch in the living room of the penthouse waiting for Katniss and Peeta to return from their individual session with the game makers. You were discussing game outfits with Cinna when Effie suddenly interrupted you. “Y/N where is Haymitch?” she demanded.

“Calm down,” you began, “he’s down in the training area waiting for them.”

Before Effie could huff anymore the elevator dinged and out stepped the tributes and Haymitch. Haymitch made a beeline for the bar again as Katniss and Peeta approached the couch. “So how’d it go?” you asked.

“Katniss shot an arrow at them,” Peeta jumped in to answer.

“Peeta!” Katniss scolded.

“Katniss!” Effie shrieked. “Why would you do such a thing?”

As Haymitch rounded the couch, drink in hand, he gave Katniss an emphatic thumbs up. You were glad to she a smile tug at her lips, probably the first since she’s gotten here. “Calm down,” Haymitch told Effie as he sat next to you, throwing an arm over your shoulder.

“Calm down? This reflects badly on all of us!” she huffed.

Haymitch just ignored her. “Tell Y/N what you said,” he laughed.

Katniss chuckled, looking down at her hands. “Thank you for your consideration.”

Haymitch laughed again, repeating the line as Caesar Flickerman appeared on the screen, rattling off numbers until he got to District 12. “From District 12: Peeta Mellark. 8.” Everyone erupted into excited gasps until they were quelled by Caesar’s voice. “Katniss Everdeen. An 11.”

Had you not gotten so good at keeping your face blank, your jaw would’ve dropped. An 11? That was practically unheard of. “I thought they hated me,” Katniss said in disbelief.

“They must’ve liked your guts,” Haymitch answered.

“And your accuracy,” you added.

Cinna then stood up, glass raised. “To Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire!”

~

You and Haymitch were stood with the other victors and tributes who had already gone, huddled around the screens displaying the tributes’ interviews. You watched intently, the career districts dazzling the audience as always. As for the poorer districts they were all clearly very uncomfortable, boring the audience. You had been a lot like them. You were very uncomfortable with the skin tight, almost sheer dress you had been put in and you gave short, quiet answers to Caesar’s questions.

You watched as Katniss entered the stage looking dazed, tension clawing at your throat. “She’s gonna pass out,” you commented to Haymitch who had a hand rested on your hip.

“She’ll be fine. She’s the girl on fire, people will eat it up.” You only nodded, eyes still locked on the screen as Caesar welcomed her to the stage.

Caesar made a comment, waiting for a reply but all he got was a “What?” from Katniss.

“I think someone’s a little shy,” he laughed gently. “I said that was quite and entrance that you've made at the Tribute's parade the other day. Do you want to tell us about it?”

“Well, I was just hoping that I wouldn't burned to death.”

The crowd erupted into laughter, meanwhile Katniss still looked like she was going to throw up. “When you came out of that chariot, I have to say… My heart stopped. Did any of you experience this as well?” he asked the crowd which let out an applause. “My heart stopped.”

“So did mine,” Katniss breathed, earning another laugh.

“They love her,” you said in awe.

“Yeah they’re liking the vulnerability and the girl on fire thing,” Haymitch said, taking a swig from his drink.

“Now tell me bout the flames. Were they real?” Caesar asked.

“Yes,” Katniss answered with a slight smile. “In fact I'm wearing them today. Would you like to see?”

You clutched Haymitch’s blazer as the crowd began cheering.

“Wait wait wait. Is it safe?” Caesar asked. Katniss smiled and nodded, standing up. She faced the audience before spinning around, flames erupting from the bottom of her gown. “Woah woah woah! Steady!” Caesar called as Katniss’s spins slowed. He helped her sit back down, giving her a second to gather herself. “Katniss, that was something. That was something. Thank you for that. I have one more question for you. It's about your sister,” he paused for a second taking her hand. “We were all very moved, I think when, you volunteered for her at the reaping. Does she come to say goodbye to you?”

“Yes,” Katniss’ voice echoed across the now silent audience. You could see everyone looking incredibly sympathetic towards her.

“And what did you say to her in the end?”

“I told her that I would try to win. That I will try to win for her.” The crowd ‘awed.’

“Of course you did. And try you will,” Caesar said solemnly before take her hand and standing up. Back to him normal, excited presenter self he yelled, “Ladies and gentlemen, from District 12, Katniss Everdeen, The Girl On Fire!”

“They ate that up,” Haymitch celebrated, jostling you a bit. “Sponsors will be clamoring to help her.”

Katniss then walked in, spotting you and Haymitch just as Peeta was entering the stage. “Nice job, sweetheart,” Haymitch complimented. “And nice dress.”

“Thanks,” she muttered before turning her attention to the screen.

Peeta was sat on the chair next to Caesar, looking very comfortable with the spotlight. “How are you finding the Capitol? Don't say with a map,” Caesar said with a laugh.

“Uh, it's uh… different. It's very different,” Peeta said with a suave smile.

“Different? In what way? Give us an example.”

“Uh okay, well the showers here are weird.” The crowd laughed.

“Showers?”

“Yes.”

“We have different showers,” Caesar told the audience.

“I have a question for you Caesar,” Peeta leaned up a little. “Do I smell like roses to you?” he asked very seriously even.

“Um…” Even Caesar, a seasoned professional, seemed surprised by the question.

“Do I?” He seemed especially surprised when Peeta leaned closer, gesturing Caesar to smell him. “Do I?”

“Yeah,” Caesar agreed. “Do I smell like it?” The audience once again roared with laughter as Peeta smelled the host.

“You definitely smell better than I do,” Peeta said, leaning back.

“Well I’ve lived here longer.”

“That makes sense.”

None of the other tributes’ interviews held a candle to Peeta’s. The Capitol was eating up his charming banter and they had adored Katniss’ awkwardness coupled with her image as the girl on fire. You glanced around the room, finding the career tributes sending side eyes to Katniss. Some were trading their glares between Katniss and her district partner on the screen.

You were brought from your thoughts by Caesar’s next question. “So Peeta tell me… is there a special girl back home?”

Peeta chucked bashfully. “No, not really.”

“No? I don't believe it for a second. Look at that face. Handsome man like you, Peeta. Tell me.”

Peeta licked his lips, the only sign of nervousness tonight. “Well, there a… there's this one girl that I had a crush on forever. But I don't think she actually recognize me until the reaping.”

“Well… I'll tell you what Peeta. You go out there and you win this thing. And when you get home, she'll have to go out with you. Right folks?” The crowed cheered.

“Thanks but I uh… I don't think winnings gonna help me at all.” Peeta was picking at the arm of his chair, not making eye contact. “Because she came here with me.” All three of you froze, both you and Haymitch slowly turning to look at Katniss. She had a look of shock that slowly morphed into anger.

The crowd broke out into sounds of sympathy and shouts of support.

“Well, that's bad luck,” Caesar said, surprised again for the second time this interview.

“Yeah. It is.”

“And I wish you all the best of luck.”

~

You, Haymitch, and Katniss headed towards the elevators, Katniss still silently fuming. Once you pressed the button, Peeta rounded the corner to meet you. Katniss made a beeline for him, pushing him over into a table, knocking over a vase which broke. “What the hell was that?” she demanded.

“Stop it!” Haymitch yelled, standing between them.

“He made me look weak,” she seethed.

“He just did you a favor,” Haymitch countered. “He made you look desirable. Which in your case can’t hurt sweetheart.” Ice rushed through your veins as you realized what Peeta just did to Katniss should she be the one to come out of the games.

You stepped over broken glass, towards Peeta. “C’mon,” you said, gesturing to help him up. He reached up towards you but stopped when he saw blood coming from hi palm. “It’s okay,” you dismissed his concerns about getting you dirty, “we’ll get that bandaged up.”

He took one of your hands with his non-injured one, allowing him to stand up. “We’ll go to the infirmary. See you up there?” Haymitch nodded, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead before facing the elevator once more.

You led Peeta down the hall, finding the training room and the infirmary just off of it. “Hello?” you called, expecting someone to be there. You got no reply.

“I don’t think anyone’s here,” Peeta said, still applying pressure to his palm.

“Yea, me too. Why don’t you sit down, I’ll find some gauze and bandages,” you requested, guiding him towards a chair. You then went into one of the back rooms, finding all the supplies you’d need. You grabbed them, walking back out towards Peeta. “Let me see,” you tugged on his hand, squatting down. “So, was that thing about Katniss real?” you asked, dabbing blood away from the wound.

“Yeah,” he said bluntly, seeming to have nothing else to lose. “I used to watch her walk by to school every day.”

“Well, sorry she kind of rejected you,” you laughed. Fortunately he did too.

“Yeah, definitely one of the harsher rejections.”

“Well if it’s any consolation, the sponsors absolutely loved you.”

“Hey, what’s your deal with sponsors?” Peeta asked. You froze, trying not to show it. “I mean you change whenever sponsors are mentioned.”

You huffed. No point in keeping this kid in the dark. “Because the sponsors who saved my life feel… entitled to me. And it’s become this situation where people pay Snow, and in return they get me for the night.”

“Oh…” Peeta said. “I’m sor-”

“Don’t be,” you cut him off. “It’s the price I pay for getting to love Haymitch. If not for him, I’d be long gone by now.”

“Do the people know about you and Haymitch?”

“No, Snow wants me to seem available. Even if we were allowed to be a couple publicly I doubt it’d change much. The Capitol loves to take things from the districts. I suppose my… predicament is also Haymitch’s punishment.”

“Can I ask— and I don’t mean to be rude—” you laughed internally at that. You were pretty sure this kid didn’t have a rude bone in his body. “Why are you with Haymitch? He’s like 15 years older than you and an alcoholic.”

You chuckled a little at the ridiculousness of it. Many others who knew about your relationship had asked you the same. “Because he was there for me my entire games. Even after he was beaten down by the Capitol and cynical about the world, he was there for me, meanwhile I had absolutely no one else. I won my games out of spite… Haymitch has become my only reason to live.” Peeta sat speechless, not sure what to say. “C’mon,” you said, taping down his bandage, “let’s get you to bed.”

You headed upstairs, making small talk as if you hadn’t just poured out your heart to this kid. You made your way into Haymitch’s room where he was laying on the bed, watching a holographic television. “Hey, how’s the kid?”

“He’ll be fine, just sucks he has to go into the arena with a cut open hand,” you said, lying down next to Haymitch. He rolled closer to you, pulling down the neckline of your dress a little, revealing bruises you didn’t cover up with makeup. Your presence had been requested by a Capitol man not long after Katniss’ 11 was announced. As he was using your body he demanded to know how Katniss scored an 11 and when you refused to tell him, he got violent until a couple avoxes that had been in the room had to pry him off of you.

“They’re getting more violent,” Haymitch noted, an edge of anger in his voice. “Y/N this is getting really dangerous.”

“There’s nothing either of us can do about it,” you sighed. “I’m doing this until I’m no longer desirable.”

“You’ll always be desirable to me,” Haymitch murmured, pressing his lips to yours. He rolled more so he was on top of you, sliding his hands down your body.

You placed a firm hand on his chest, pressing against him. Taking the hint Haymitch pulled away from you. “Not right now, I want to wash him off me first.”

“Yeah, of course. Take as much time as you need,” he said, pressing a peck to your lips before getting off of you.

~

The next morning both you and Haymitch walked Peeta to his tube, Katniss having decided to go with Cinna, the two of them becoming close over the past couple days.

“Remember, run away from the Cornucopia, nothing in there is worth getting killed in the first two minutes,” you advised. “If you join an alliance leave early, remember no one in there is your friend. Only one person comes out.”

Peeta nodded nervously, standing in front of the platform.

“I really do, sincerely hope I get to see you again,” you said, pulling him into a hug.

As you stepped back, Haymitch reached forward, taking Peeta’s hand, shaking it. “We’re going to try our best to help you in there.”

You watched nervously with the other victors as the time counted down. “3… 2… 1.” The tributes ran to the cornucopia. You watched as Peeta ran off into the woods along with two others. As for Katniss she ran towards the cornucopia, stopping only a couple feet in. She looked around, trying to figure out what to do as you internally cursed her for not having a plan.

Fortunately all the career tributes who had weapons were too distracted, slaughtering the others tributes who also went for supplies. Which gave Katniss enough time to decide to grab a backpack further away from the cornucopia than the weapons. She was suddenly knocked to the ground by another fleeing tribute before he was taken down by the girl from District 2 with the knives. She flung another one at Katniss which would’ve hit her in the chest had she not used the backpack as a shield. Taking the knife out of the backpack, she ran for the trees. Fortunately the girl with the knives lost interest in Katniss.

By the time the bloodbath was over there were 11 dead children, and you needed a drink. Seemingly reading your mind, Finnick appeared with a whiskey. “Sorry about your tribute,” you muttered into the drink.

Finnick shrugged sadly. “He was only 12. Didn’t have much of a chance anyways. Just sad that no one volunteered for him.”

“Yeah,” you agreed softly.

“I see your human torches are still alive. Congratulations.”

You chuckled. “Yeah well only one listened to me. Katniss got lucky the other careers didn’t target her as soon as that timer went off.” You looked over at Cashmere, Gloss, Brutus, and Enobaria who were observing their tributes as they officially formed their alliance. Every other tribute had either fled or laid dead, leaving them in control of all the weapons and supplies.

Suddenly, Peeta and the boy from District 3 came out of the woods, hands raised high in surrender. “No Peeta,” you whispered under your breath as Beetee came over to you.

“They’ve formed an alliance,” he commented.

“Yeah one that’ll get them killed as soon as they eliminate their biggest threat: Katniss.”

“I think Byte will prove to be a bit more useful to the careers than yours,” Beetee said in a slightly excited way. “No offense.”

“None taken,” you muttered. It wasn’t uncommon for victors to take pride in their tributes, especially the ones that had a shot at winning. No one wanted to watch the child they had just trained for a week get slaughtered.

“Sorry about your tribute Finnick,” Beetee said. Finnick only hummed a response.

You all watched as Peeta and Byte acquired the careers’ trust. With Byte saying he could rig the explosives to protect their supplies. And Peeta promising that he could help find Katniss. Finnick sucked air through his teeth. “Cold blooded. Say you’re in love with the girl from your district only to create an alliance to hunt her down.”

“Unless he’s slitting all their throats in their sleep, they’re going to kill him the first chance they get,” you said.

Suddenly peacekeepers entered the room, making a beeline for you and Finnick. Seeing the threat, Haymitch was immediately by your side, wrapping a protective arm around your waist.

“Finnick Odair,” you silently breathed a sigh of relief, “your presence is requested.” Finnick huffed, used to the drill, before handing you his drink and begrudgingly heading off with them.

“Glad it wasn’t you. I don’t think your body could handle it,” Haymitch muttered against your hair in relief, referring to the wounded state you had been returning to him in.

Part II | Masterlist | Part IV

[tomlivingspace]

Your brains so fucking large and I also think it’s awesome seeing ur takes on peeniss. There’s such a lack of just even headcanon discussions on how fucked Katniss and peetas entire relationship up until the very end of the story was created and dragged along.

I enjoy thinking of happy ending stuff, But Also, getting to talk about how their shared trauma doesn’t make them purely perfect for each other and how it leaves more room for hidden resentment and hatred and guilt is so so discussion worthy. Especially for katniss and especially when ur applying that dynamic to ivypool (i am insane for both) thank u for this meal

[floodgates opened] LITERALLY LITERALLY LITERALLY like first and foremost even BEFORE mockingjay peeta falls in love with katniss before knowing ANYTHING about her, and when she acts in a way that doesnt fit in with how he imagined her, he gets frustrated. in general he seems to have a very low opinion of her (im drawing them as cats so its relevant to this blog). he throws the shit his mother said in her face as if she had any control over it . she gets drunk ONE TIME and he focuses his criticism on her instead of HAYMITCH

he agrees to be friends with her and then he says that shit like "yeah i have nightmares but theyre just about losing you............ i feel better when i see you when i wake up......................" and katniss is like "i know he doesnt mean to make me feel bad" BUT ITS LIKE. WELL IF HES SO WELL SPOKEN THEN LIKE I THINK HE DOES????? I THINK HE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW IT COMES ACROSS WHEN HE SAYS SHIT LIKE THAT

and then AFTER mockingjay. first and foremost his personal trauma is being brainwashed into essentially dehumanizing her and believing that she was genetically engineered to torture him. so even in recovery for that shit, like. theres no way his nightmares don't heavily feature katniss as the antagonizing force. AND VICE VERSA. BECAUSE HE LITERALLY TRIES TO KILL HER TWICE. like i cannot wrap my head around how they would get together when katniss much flinch every time he reaches towards her like its fucking crazy to me. not to mention that the awful shit he said to her is so personal and so clearly shit katniss thought about herself .

none of this is to say katniss is perfect like she obv doesnt give half a shit about peeta 9 times out of 10 but idk. anyway. tl;dr:

but yeah katniss and ivypool are like. so similar in so many ways its very fun to apply my thoughts about one onto the other.

[mswyrr]

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes makes the main series of The Hunger Games hit better because it's bookended by these two young people at the birth and death of the Games. Coriolanus choosing to become part of this thing, keep it alive when it was waning in power, and make it the effective tool of media/social control it became and Katniss choosing to use her one arrow, her one shot, to end the Games and Coin rather than take personal revenge on Snow.

Both young people are, in their own ways, ordinary. Collins never leaned into the super special YA lead trope. But Katniss is a young person whose inner compass points north and her inner "no" is so strong and that (at the right moment) enables the death of the Games and the whole social order they embodied and reflected. And Coriolanus is someone who (at another key moment) chooses to harden his heart and take the easy path and walking that comfortable path over decades is the mundane seed of evil.

I think it's important that both young people are living in wartime and influence the direction of things in a postwar moment, when where things will go is up in the air. I'm sure tons of other folks had similar choices to make--perhaps people who were even more exceptional in certain ways--but they weren't standing at just the right tipping point and Katniss and Coriolanus were.

As Katniss puts it when Coin invites her and the other surviving Victors to vote for a new Games using the Capitol's children:

Was it like this then? Seventy-five years or so ago? Did a group of people sit around and cast their votes on initiating the Hunger Games? Was there dissent? Did someone make a case for mercy that was beaten down by the calls for the deaths of the districts’ children? The scent of Snow’s rose curls up into my nose, down into my throat, squeezing it tight with despair. All those people I loved, dead, and we are discussing the next Hunger Games in an attempt to avoid wasting life. Nothing has changed. Nothing will ever change now. (315)

And that's why Katniss kills Coin rather than Snow at the end. His 75 year old world is gone. A new world is coming to birth (like it was when he was Katniss' age) and she knows that it must not be the world Coin wants. She doesn't know a lot, but she knows that and acts on it.

The timeline of the books isn't of Panem's government in general, but of the Games itself, and it is bookended by these two young people and their choices, to bring it alive or to shoot it dead. Which is why Collins told the story that she told in Ballad - it's not about Haymitch's games or whatever else people want, because that's not the origin story of this thing that Katniss ends, it's not the other bookend of the story, it doesn't reinforce or enhance Katniss' story the same way. Coriolanus' story does.

All of this is why a "born evil" interpretation of him or saying he and Lucy Gray didn't actually love each other compromises the themes of the series IMO. Coriolanus and Katniss have to have real choices made as people who could have chosen another path, and that means he has to have an actual conscience he chose to sear and numb and Katniss has to be someone capable of walking a crueler path, which is why the commonalities she has with Gale and that side of her needs to be clear as well.

They're both kids who are ordinary in some ways and exceptional in others, but not superpowered, they're human. And they both have ordinary human capacities for good and evil. And they both fall in star-crossed love. But then they choose very different things. And so it goes. Coriolanus helps bring a monster to life; Katniss slays it.

Ballad makes the main series ending even better:

I love the two of them looking across time, across these different deciding moments, at each other, and Katniss making her choice.

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

ooooh are you writing bonus content for 9000 rpm too?? is there a third toastbaby for them? is it toastbaby boy??? and is he conceived during car sex???? like Raven and Amelia????? 👀

This turned out a lot longer than I had planned, Anon. So I am breaking it up into 2 parts. Here is part 1. I'll add a link to this post for part 2 once I get that finished.

RATED E: for explicit sexual content, explicit language. Also breeding kink. :D

****

“We should have another,” Katniss says to him late one night, long after both girls have gone to bed. They’re sprawled on their sheets. Limbs overlapping and the covers shoved to the floor. Peeta’s still actively sweating and catching his breath. He only just came a minute ago. Or maybe he’s just been so dazed with the euphoria that it was actually fifteen minutes ago, because he can already feel himself getting stiff again when Katniss says that.

So it’s going to be one of those nights, he thinks with a wide grin.

“Lemme catch my breath first, then you can do whatever you want to me,” he teases.

“No,” Katniss says and rolls over towards him. 

She flops one arm over his chest and pulls herself closer, until she can wrap her leg around his and wriggle against his thigh. Her knee brushes against his balls. He’s definitely getting aroused again already. Especially when she smirks at him and swipes at the corner of his mouth with her thumb. 

“Not sure if this is you or me,” she murmurs and he grabs her hand, sucking diligently on her thumb until she whimpers and the flavors make sense to him. He came first, and when he does that, he loves going down on her, tasting their combined flavor until she’s come hard enough to satisfy him. That’s usually a long, messy endeavor, involving edging her several times. And obviously he didn’t lick his lips enough after he finished with her.

“My favorite. It’s both of us,” he tells her, and the blush on her cheeks at his words only arouses him more. She leans into him, her eyes turning a molten shade of silver he’s long since learned means that they’re about to fuck.

“I mean, yes, obviously I want another round. If you’re up for it,” she says with a slight quirk to her lips, eyes dipping to his groin for a moment before her expression sobers. “But really, I meant, we should have another baby.”

“What?” he asks and lifts his head to look at her. She bites her lip and shrugs, almost embarrassed, but there’s a warm gleam in her gray eyes. “Oh come on now, don’t tease me like that. We both know it makes you horny as hell when I braid the girls’ hair for bedtime.”

He still remembers the first time he discovered that particular turn on of hers several years ago, when they still had only Raven. They hadn’t even made it to the bed that night. Not really. Katniss had straddled his face while he laid on the floor, his hands gripping her ass while she smothered him and he feasted on her. She had gripped the comforter on their bed and bit her lip to try and stifle her moans. When she came, she yanked the bedclothes down on top of them in a cascade. Peeta had nearly ripped some of them so that he could uncover their bodies enough to get both of them onto the edge of the mattress and his cock inside her still quivering pussy. That night was actually the first time they’d seriously discussed having a second child.

“Well… yeah. In fairness to me, you are one very sexy Daddy,” Katniss admits her own kink, her blush deepening slightly, her fingertips absently tracing around his nipple and driving him to distraction. He snatches up her hand again and kisses her fingertips, enjoying the way she shivers and sighs when he does that. Another of her turn ons. He’s not playing fair anymore, and he knows it. Because this conversation has him fully aroused and he’s already got in mind what he wants to do to his wife to get her to shatter around him again. And it involves her braid this time.

But he needs to clear up one thing first.

“So that’s all this is,” he murmurs reassuringly, ignoring the twinge of longing in his chest. “Especially since Raven doesn’t let us braid her hair like that very often anymore.”

“I can’t believe she’s going to be a teenager next year,” Katniss groans but she’s smiling at the growing independence they’ve seen in their daughter.

“Me either. But... Tomorrow, it won’t sound like such a good idea to have another baby,” Peeta murmurs.

“I don’t think so,” she argues. He brings his hand up to rest on her shoulder, to caress her skin as she explains that she’s been thinking about this for a while, not just tonight. That she’s in a great spot in her career to take another break.

“You just won a Victor’s Cup title. Most would argue that you should be aiming for a repeat,” he reminds her and she shrugs. “A good crew chief would urge you to keep pushing and go for a repeat.”

“But a good husband would tell me to follow my heart, to pursue what I want, and to not push too hard if I’m worried about burning out,” she counters.

“Are you worried about burning out?” he asks and Katniss scowls at him. Peeta’s unable to hide his smile. “Didn’t think so. Are we having this conversation as driver and crew chief, or as husband and wife?”

“We’re having it as Katniss and Peeta,” she says and rises up to kiss him on the lips. But then her lips turn down a little. “Unless… you really don’t want another one?”

Peeta sucks in his breath and holds it in, almost afraid to admit to her how desperately he wants another baby with her. They’ve had this moment of passionate sex and vague baby talk before. And it’s fizzled before. He shrugs, attempting to brush it off, keep his hopes in check. “I mean, I’ve thought about it here and there.”

“Okay. Then you should really think about it now,” she says, her face softening with a smile and her hand drifting lower down his body. She bites her lip as her eyes brighten again. “In the meantime…”

And he does think about it. At that moment, yes, absolutely. Because the truth is, he’s long since known that he gets incredibly aroused and then a little crazed in bed at just the thought of getting Katniss pregnant. So this entire conversation is like intense foreplay to him.

And she certainly isn’t complaining several minutes later, when he’s got her on her knees, quietly begging him to let her come while he wildly takes her from behind. When he has her braid twisted around his right hand and tugs ever so lightly to arch her back into it a tiny bit more.

“Fuck. There. Right there. Peeta, please,” she whimpers. He splays his fingers on her shoulder blades, holding her down on the mattress. Right where he wants her, the pressure keeping her hair wrapped around his hand as his thrusts pick up the pace just a little.

“Right here? This how you need my cock?” he asks.

“Uh-huh,” she moans and his left hand clenches on her ass, probably leaving bruises, but she’s close. So close. He can hear it in her hiccoughing moans as she tries to keep quiet, and see it in the way she’s gripping the sheets in front of her. Feel it in the way she pushes back to meet his thrusts, their skin colliding in loud, deliciously slick popping sounds. His hand on her ass maintains the right angle for them. He feels it in the slickness of her pussy and then in the fluttering right before the first tight squeeze and her desperately wild moans.

And then he can’t stop his own release. It burns through him in a flash, so intense he closes his eyes and watches the flames behind his eyelids as he slams into her a few more times, pumping his cum as deep as he can. 

And wishing she weren’t taking birth control. Desperately wanting to see her belly round and stretched with a baby again. His baby. He shudders and keeps thrusting until he can’t take it anymore. Until his cock is so sensitive that he’ll go mad with a second more of stimulation. Then he thrusts deep enough to lift Katniss’s knees off the bed for a second and stays that deep as his arms give out and he lays on top of her.

In the aftermath, Katniss takes his hand in hers and lifts her hips the tiniest amount. “Touch me. I wasn’t done yet,” she whispers and Peeta lets her guide his hand to her clit. His fingers slip and slide through the mess of their sex, but it doesn’t take long before Katniss is writhing beneath him and then coming again. And Peeta thrusts his fingers into her, filling her and fulfilling his futile need to feel her pussy all wet with his cum. Dreaming of a baby.

And then for days after, Peeta doesn’t stop thinking about it.

Over the next few weeks, he can’t get the idea out of his head, as he works long hours to hire new teammates to replace those that retired or moved on to higher ranking jobs, buoyed by their involvement with Katniss’s championship winning team. When he’s supposed to be listening to the designers and mechanics as they brief him on the cars and layouts they’re planning for the upcoming season so he can provide his feedback.

He thinks about it so often that they almost get caught having sex on his desk once. Even though they agreed long ago that they shouldn’t fuck at work. But Katniss had been damn near insistent until Peeta had gotten inside her, and then she’d been all pliant and whimpering and begging him to make her come. Begging him to come with her.

And at night, when they’re at home, Peeta feels like a man possessed. Insatiable. Not that Katniss is complaining about that either. She actually encourages him. Whispering in his ears that she wants him to shove her on the bed and fuck her. Whispering wishes that he would fill her up with his cum becomes her primary seduction technique. Perhaps because it’s working so well.

Once racing season starts again, Katniss brings in a third place finish right out of the gate, and Peeta thinks about it even more. Practically all the time. When he’s spending time with Amelia and Raven. When he’s fixing his truck or Katniss’s or even Aunt Laverne’s. When they’re in the kitchen, preparing or cleaning up from meals. 

Once, Peeta even finds himself thinking about it when they’re out for a bowling night with the girls and he makes a stop in the bathroom. There’s a dad with his son, reminding him to wash his hands afterwards, and Peeta gets so distracted by the thought of Katniss pregnant with another baby, of himself getting to raise another baby with her, that he doesn’t even realize he’s finished taking a leak until the dad leaves with his kid.

Peeta’s caught baby fever, without a doubt in his mind, but he’s still not convinced that Katniss truly wants another one.

Because where he thinks about it the most, is the only place she seems to think about it at all. Which is in bed, and she knows he’s got a bit of a thing for that kind of dirty talk. She knows from when they were trying for Amelia that just the idea of getting her pregnant gets him off. Hard.

He thinks about it as they fuck and make love and she whispers to him while he’s balls deep inside of her, encouraging him to fuck her harder, to come inside her. She whispers, telling him to think about how he could be giving her another baby right then. But then, after he’s spent and gasping for air, drained of his cum, she doesn’t mention it again. And he’s inevitably left thinking about it for days after, wondering if she meant it, or if she’s just playing on his kink to make the sex hot as fuck.

Even if she doesn’t bring it up during sex, the thought is on his mind every time he slides his cock inside of Katniss and watches her arch her back, her lips parting on that soft moan of hers as her eyes go hazy with need and her fingernails dig into his skin wherever she’s touching him. 

When she turns in one stellar finish after another on the race track, Peeta starts to lose track of how many times their post race celebrations involve the two of them jammed into some small space with their fire suits around their ankles and Peeta with a hand over her mouth to muffle her moans while he aggressively pistons his cock in her dripping wet pussy. He’s thinking about it even then, of course, when he knows that what turned her on has nothing to do with the possibility of another baby. 

Every time she holds him down and tells him he’s not allowed to come yet while she uses his body and his cock for her pleasure, riding him until she orgasms once, twice… until she tells him he can come, he’s thinking about it the whole time. And he can’t stop thinking about it whenever he’s moving above her, inside her, drinking down her breathy moans and desperately trying to get her there before he snaps.

They could be making a baby right now, he thinks as they make love, if he’d managed to stop thinking about it and tell her what he wants without fearing that she’s already changed her mind. The thought drives him wild every time.

They could be making a baby, he thinks as he thrusts into her and she cries out his name right before she orgasms, tipping him over the edge with her and sending him spiraling through his own release. If only he’d get over his fears and say the words.

That could’ve been their baby, he thinks as he pulls out of her while he’s still coming, just to watch his cum pooling between her glistening labia, shifting as her walls still quiver in aftershocks.

And once, when she rides him so beautifully that he actually comes before her, Katniss holds his wrists down over his head and sits on his face, demanding that he make her come with his mouth, Peeta almost turns away from her. Even though he fucking loves doing what she’s demanded, part of his mind rebels that time. Because that could be their baby. His cum slowly dripping from her lips onto his could be their baby and he wants one more so badly. In the end, though, the temptation of their mingled taste, the need to make Katniss orgasm is too much for him.

It’s the morning after one of those nights, when they fucked twice and made love once in between, and every time he came, Peeta was wishing he’d already said something because maybe that could’ve been their baby. He’s making the bed and staring at her as she walks through their room to the bathroom. Katniss sets her coffee on the counter. There’s a dark bruise on her neck from where he sucked and nipped at her last night while he was on top of her, inside of her, and she’d wrapped her legs and arms so tight around him, he could barely move. But she’d still cried out his name and left claw marks down his back when she came.

He watches her as she plucks the plastic case with her birth control pills from the drawer.

“Wait,” he says and she turns to him with a questioning look. “I want another.”

Peeta holds his breath, waiting for a few seconds and worried that he’s waited too long. Her smile is slow, but beautiful. 

“You want another? How much do you want another?” she asks him.

And the bed stays unmade a little longer, the pills left on the counter as they fuck fast and hard, trying to finish before their daughters wake up, Peeta whispering to her his pent up thoughts of the past few months. Ordering her to take every last inch of his cock.

And even though he knows it’s too soon, he still whispers to her that he’s going to fill her with so much of his cum that they’ll have another baby in no time at all. And four thrusts later, with her still writhing and whimpering in her own release, Peeta slams into her and comes with a strangled moan, his body screaming with the bliss of finally, finally maybe being able to fill her womb with their baby again.

[kaylee68]

Still on my Hunger games grind, so can we talk about the relationships I legit never see discussed?

I’m talking about the other victors and their relationships with each other. Like from the way they interact and what we hear about them in catching fire they are all clearly friendly, or as a bare minimum, tolerable with each other.

And although they seem to stick with making friends primarily within their own circle we have evidence that they do establish personal connections with each other’s outside of their district.

People like Haymitch and Chaff or Finnick and Johanna. Honestly it makes sense since the victors all have shared trauma and can understand what they’re all going through, but I need to know how and when this begins?!?!?

Like in Catching Fire Katniss clearly doesn’t like them, at least at the beginning, and of course it makes sense since she doesn’t know them and never gets the chance too because of the quarter quell, but knowing what they’ve all gone through I honestly felt so upset when her and Peeta were making fun of them.

Still, I wonder what their relationships with the victors would have been like had the quarter quell had been different. I don’t think Katniss and Peeta would have trauma bonded with them in quite the same way as other victors had, but I’m so sad they never got to see the other victors behind the persona the Captiol crafted for them.

Also speaking of newer tributes relationships with other victors, what I really want to see is Finnicks relationship with them. I mean he was the youngest presumably for a good few years since the way I’ve always seen it is 18/17 year olds win the most often for obvious reasons and every couple of years you might get a 16 year old with 15 year olds being extremely rare.

But like if they’re used to 16, 17 and 18 year olds who age into adults only a few years after their games then what was it like having a full on child running around the Capital with them for like 3 years?!?

Like okay maybe I’m reaching, but I feel like in mockingjay Finnick had a really close relationship with Beetee and Haymitch. I don’t want to say it was parental, but since they were both quite a bit older than Finnick when he won his games I think it would’ve been them, as well as Mags who kinda showed Finnick how to be a Victor and maybe even helped protect him since the Captiol was being so, well…Captiol.

Honestly the idea of the older victors all helping to mentor the younger ones on how to be victors is so sad but in like a bittersweet kind of way.

And Beetee making Finnick the trident to distract him from Annie while Haymitch tried to convince him not to do the propo has my whole heart.

If you couldn’t tell by this post the victors and their respective endings make me so sad.

[thesweetnessofspring]

Between the time the books Catching Fire and Mockingjay were released, it was a pretty common topic of discussion wondering what one word Peeta said to Katniss after she asked him to stay with her. "Always" was a very popular answer people gave, though I remember at the time just revolting at the idea because "always" had been tainted by Severus Snape and his creepy obsession with Lily Potter.

But the thing was...none of the other suggestions seemed to work (I even wrote this scene from Peeta's POV and used "course" as in "of course" but even that...didn't land quite right). Yet it honestly took me years to accept "always" as Peeta's response to this question because Harry Potter fans consistently linked it to Snape and even got tattoos of it. At the time it felt like THG and Peeta would never be able to compete with HP's popularity. But I've come around and seen that "always" is the only response Peeta could have given and to separate it from Snape.

How can Peeta say it to Katniss, even while she'd just before claimed to have chosen Gale, and have it come off sweet and caring but it's creepy for Severus Snape to say about Lily, who had chosen James?

There's the obvious fact that Snape called Lily a slur and joined an organization set on killing people like her while Peeta's never did anything like that toward Katniss while he was in his right mind, but it's not just that. And it's not that Snape's descriptions are less than flattering while Peeta comes across as handsome and charming. And it's not even that Lily didn't choose Snape while Katniss did choose Peeta.

It's that Peeta's devotion to Katniss is unconditional, while Snape's were conditional up until Lily's death when at that point she became Snape's memory rather than someone who could act and speak for herself. Really, Severus, where was "always" when you called her a slur, when you were serving Voldemort, when you were groveling to Dumbledore to save Lily but let James and Harry die, when you were abusing children as a teacher? Is that really "always"?

Whereas Peeta, well, first when he was hurt about Katniss not being sure of her feelings toward him and acted wounded, he properly apologized for it and then never did it again. He knew Katniss would want to bring Gale if they ran away and never guilted her about it. He came in to defend Gale when he was whipped. He saved Katniss when Peacekeepers came to question her. He got them ready for the Quell and protected her with the baby bomb. He was willing to give up his life so she could have the life he assumed she wanted (or would eventually want) with Gale, Prim, and her mother. And in the Capitol as a prisoner, he made what deals he could to protect her and fought through his hijacking to warn her about the plans to bomb 13 and endured more torture because of what he did.

Of course, then the hijacking happens. He tries to kill her. He insults her. We can see how Peeta was hurt and confused and resentful of Katniss's treatment of him, even what she admitted to and not just what the Capitol put in his head. It seems like "always" could actually have an end.

But that's the thing. It doesn't. In the middle of war during a battle when his fight response was compelling him to act and kill on his conditioning, not only did he resist his hijacking, he came back to Katniss when she reached out and asked him to stay with her. He reaffirmed his promise. Always.

And he follows that up by continuing to protect her during the rest of the war, when she almost took her nightlock pill, and as soon as he was released from his treatment went to comfort her and help her heal from her sister's death. And as we see from the epilogue, he did stay with her, from the nightmares and bad days to the difficult pregnancies and the days in between. He stayed with her: the real Katniss, not a ghost or fantasized ideal.

And that's why Peeta could only respond with always. And that's why always belongs to Peeta Mellark. Because he actually meant it.

[paintedpeeta]

now, many of us, have at length discussed Peeta “born to be a little shit, forced to be a prisoner of war” Mellark coming into his own after the war, and I would like to hear your take on it but ALSO have we been sleeping on “two can play at the game” Katniss being just as immature when Peeta is pulling his stupid boy behavior? … basically, your headcanons upon the topic “Let Katniss and Peeta Be Normal Teenagers 2024”

this instantly made me think of the part in catching fire where katniss and finnick smear their faces in ointment just to spook peeta… like, if she’s able to be a little silly in the middle of a death match then she definitely goofs off when they’re safe and living a soft life together.

I think katniss’ sense of humour is often overlooked (which is fair enough because there’s a lot going on) but that girl was roasting career tributes names and giving us bangers such as “I suppose the apples ate the cheese” like 💀

but anyway, I agree that she definitely gives as good as she gets. peeta plays on her weaknesses by teasing her and being crude because he knows it makes her flustered, but katniss knows exactly how to deal with him too (think back to the ointment thing, where she uses a soft sing-song voice to call his name and wake him up). she’ll have him on the ropes, distracting him in the kitchen by acting all flirtatious and letting him think he’s about to get some and then THWACK. face full of whipped cream.

also I personally headcanon that peeta is a very neat and orderly person (to a certain extent… the room he uses as a studio for his painting is a wreck at all times) and he’s very specific about the way things should be done. purely in the name of being a pain in the ass, katniss will wrongly pair up socks when its her turn doing the laundry and leave her boots where she kicks them off at the door rather than lining them up the way he does.

just general cat behavior as well. she’ll plop herself down on his lap, to hell with the fact he’s reading the newspaper. yeah she’ll come padding into the room to bug him while he paints and yeah she will knock things off of the desk.

not exactly catlike, but a couple of times she tries to switch around his mug of tea and his mug of paint water. it fails every time because, y’know, he has a nose and all but hey. a girl can dream.

plus a plethora of other things she does just for the love of the game. the game of being a pest, that is. she’ll flick water and suds at him while they wash the dishes together, or shut the hot water off for just a second while he’s in the shower, or bite his finger when he tries to let her taste a new recipe.

when they’re not ribbing each other, they’re teaming up to terrorise poor haymitch. he’s so done with them but he would also never admit how much he likes seeing them so happy and actually getting to act young, even if it does mean being rudely awakened on weekends by the sound of laughter coming from their open windows as peeta crashes around after her because she slipped an ice cube down his shirt and then dashed.

[endlessnightlock]

I began a story for the This Would Have Happened Anyway Challenge but didn't get it done in time to submit it. So I wrote a little more, and maybe you would call this a drabble? I don't know. I'm posting it here because it's a drop of water in my personal writing desert.

In Panem, canon-divergent. Everlark married instead of Quarter Quell Reaping.

"Are you coming downstairs soon?" 

Katniss is standing outside our bedroom door, watching me, her hand pressed to the frame, half in, half out. I was startled at her voice, unaware of her presence, and she smiled at the reaction. We've only been married and living together for a few weeks, and it's reassuring she knows me so well. It makes me feel better about our situation. 

I wasn't startled because it was Katniss there, catching me off guard—it was a knee-jerk reaction. I tend to get lost inside my head and zone out, and after years of Mother's insults (are you stupid? Why didn't you answer me?) slung my way like daggers, defense is my natural response. 

Licking her lips, she shrugs. "Your brother is here."

Ah. Now I know precisely why Katniss sought me out. At the ridiculous wedding reception thrown for us by President Snow, Rye pulled me aside to tell me he was planning to come by once we had a few days to settle in. Bring over some of my things from the bakery and a few things our parents want me to have now that I am a married man. Or a forcibly wed, frightened seventeen-year-old. You know, whichever way you choose to look at it. I digress. Katniss and I didn't choose this route. But I love her; she cares for me, and we're keeping our families safe. 

Back to Rye. He and I discussed it moments before our families left to catch the train back to Twelve—because even a victor's relations are limited on time they're allowed outside the District. This conversation was weeks ago, and I forgot about it. The memory lapse isn't like me, but I think it can be forgiven, considering how difficult it is to breathe under President Snow's intense scrutiny. I don't know how we'll spend the rest of our lives under his thumb. Who knows. Maybe we won't live long enough to find out. 

"Oh. Okay," I say. My eyes flit from Katniss's profile to the sketchbook in my lap. I feel like I need to collect my thoughts before seeing my brother. "Would you tell him I'll be down in a few minutes?" I venture. It's more a question than an answer.

She frowns. That's her answer: a firm no, Peeta. I won't hang out alone with your brother while you keep drawing. "Do you want me to send him up?" she suggests—more of a threat than a question.

"No, just give me a minute," I say, carefully closing up and laying my sketchbook on the side table before sliding off the mattress. I don't want to be cornered by my brother in our bedroom. Rye's itching to badger me with questions I sure as hell don't have any answers to.

She groans, and I laugh under my breath. If we were close enough, she'd pinch my side or smack my arm for finding humor in her misery. My family is standoffish with Katniss, and her response is in kind. "I'll wait for you," she says. 

Of course, she will. I'm like a security blanket for her.

"Well, don't just stand there gawking at me from the doorway," I say, bending over and grabbing yesterday's pants off the floor. I should have been up and around hours ago, but last night was horrible, and it took forever to fall asleep. 

"Fine," she says, stepping inside the room and pulling the door mostly shut behind her, keeping her eyes averted until I buckle my pants over my undershorts and put on a clean shirt. I raise my eyebrows in amusement. 

We're still dancing around each other. Not used to these close quarters. Sharing the same bedroom, sleeping in the same bed. Dressing in front of each other. Maybe I should make an effort to cover up more. I don't know. Being in my underclothes doesn't bother her when we go to bed. We curl around each other, seeking solace in each other's arms, keeping the darkness at bay. It's not the blackness of the night but rather those dark thoughts invading our minds like wind in the trees. Unpredictable, tangible.

"You don't have to look away. I don't mind if you see me," I remind her.

"Yeah, yeah. We've had this conversation before." 

That makes me smile.

"Are you going to yammer on or go into the bathroom and brush your teeth?"

Playfully, I cup my hands in front of my mouth and blow air into them. "Hmmm. Maybe I should leave them be. My morning breath might be enough to keep Rye from showing up here unannounced."

Katniss rolls her eyes. "I doubt that. Boys are gross."

She's not wrong. I've smelled much worse than Rye's bad breath living at home with my family. When we were still in wrestling, he'd pin me to the floor, squat over my head, and fart in my face. I shudder at the memory.

"What?" she asks.

I wave her question off. "Believe me. You don't want to know. You could go ahead and head downstairs—I'll only be a minute, I promise."

"Uh, no. I'll wait for you."

[thedelicatearcher]

i hc that katniss and peeta move out of their home in victors village and build their own cozy little home

it had never occurred to me, but yes!! i agree!!

their house in the victors' village is filled with memories, living there suffocates them with sadness and melancholy. being some of the few ‘lucky ones’ who could return to their district and continue their lives after the rebellion burns them with guilt. katniss especially feels like she's living with the ghost of prim, haunted by her old stuff. every day, she stumbles upon another one of prim’s belongings - a comb, or her old and worn out teddy bear- and finds herself crumbling on the floor, unable to let go of the immense sadness weighing on her.

after months of merely existing in automatic mode, peeta finally suggests they move out. katniss doesn’t take it well at first. how could she abandon her old home? how could she leave behind the memories of her life? what would prim say? but deep down, she knows she needs to distance herself from this place. living in that house only fuels the pain scorching her soul. after (not) a lot of convincing and some heartfelt discussions, katniss agrees, and they decide to start from zero and build their own home. it is what prim would've wanted her to do.

they choose a place not very far from the woods, as they love going to the previously-hidden lake, but also not very far from the other houses. katniss’ first condition was that she wanted to live near haymitch so he could visit them often, accompanying each other in their new lives.

peeta spends the first months doing the hard, physically demanding work, building the walls and installing the windows, while katniss dedicates her time to less physically demanding but still labor-intensive activities, such as installing the floor. katniss offered to be the one who painted the house, while peeta installed the plumbing, but he insisted that they do it together, bonding and laughing as katniss painted his face with lavender-colored paint and started a paint war. 

at night, when they lay on the mattress on the floor of their almost-empty house, the conversations slowly change from the horrendous aftermath of the war to plans of their future filled with hope. now all they could talk about was whether they need more than one bedroom, what color the kitchen is going to be, and whether haymitch would appreciate it if they invited him to spend some time and bake every weekend.

after their home is done, peeta's first action is to plant some primroses in the garden. they occasionally host dinners for friends that are around. haymitch is always there, and gets in an extremely good mood whenever effie joins, trying to act nonchalantly, but acting was never a talent of his. johanna is also a frequent visitor, staying for long periods of time and spending her days teasing and annoying them. annie visits with her son less than she would have wanted, but she knows if she ever decided to move to twelve, she would be around people who love her. none of the guests ever leaves without a dessert made by the couple.

[get-hamilton-on-your-side]

I've been seeing posts like these going around lately, and I don't want to start Discourse™️, but I do think it's an interesting conversation to be had.

OP mentions that this is a sentiment occurring in younger viewers, and I think there are lots of reasons for this response. I'm in my early twenties, and growing up, romance was pretty much guaranteed for any book/movie/TV series with a YA audience, even if it wasn't specifically in the romance genre. There were largely popular romance series, of course, (Twilight, The Selection, etc.), but romance was also integral to several series NOT centered around romance. The Series Which Shall Not Be Named ends in a hetero utopia, where basically every member of the original crew grows up, marries each other, and all have kids. Almost every main character of Rick Riordan's series experiences a committed romantic relationship, with the exception of Reyna, (although she's mostly a side character throughout HoO) and Meg (who is a god, and an actual child). The Hunger Games has fewer romantic pairings, but the marketing for those movies were very dedicated to the "love triangle" narrative between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale.

The dedication to establishing romantic relationships does appear somewhat differently for male/masculine and female/feminine coded characters well. For example, I've seen multiple series have a sort of "7th wheel syndrome" where one member of a friend group is made fun of and/or left out in some way because they're the only one not in a relationship. Shows like The Big Bang Theory majorly have this problem, where every character's main goal in life is to fall in love and have a family. In TBBT, Raj has major dating troubles and actually ends up settling for an arranged marriage because his friends are all married and he doesn't want to end up alone. Riordan's HoO series, once again, paints Leo as a tragic figure for being the only single person on the Argo II, but his self worth is finally in tact by the end of the series when he saves the day and gets the girl. Fez in That 70s Show is regularly made fun of for his inability to get a girl. It's not lost on me that many of the male characters in these situations are POC.

While male characters are set up with a last-minute shoehorned romance, female characters (particularly white women) are often given a love interest planned from the beginning. I love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles but I was kind of dumbfounded by the end because every one of the 8 major characters ends the series in a committed relationship. Every single Disney princess up until 2012 had a prince (although, this has since changed---the only princess post-2012 with a prince is Anna).

And then, of course, you have the plethora of sitcoms that end with every character (or at least every main character) happily in a relationship. New Girl, Parks and Rec, Friends, The Office, The Good Place, Ghosts (US). Even shows like Phineas and Ferb assure the audience that the couples stay together when they're grown up. Almost every Marvel and DC superhero has a love interest, and most action heroes have a girl to save.

Don't get me wrong, I think many of the romances in the media I've talked about so far are good, well-written, and well-established. But based on the previous track-record of shoehorned romances, that is a concern I have about shows like Stranger Things (I won't talk much about The Bear because I haven't seen that show). Stranger Things has highlighted friendship as a major theme in the show, but as the characters have grown older, they've explored various romantic relationships as well. Many people online have already discussed how they fear relationships will be shoehorned in at the end of Season 5, since it is the final season. Ships like stancy, where it's clear that they wouldn't really work well together. I agree with Maya Hawke's sentiment about delving deeper into her friendships. It has been established that she has a crush on Vickie, but we've barely seen them together, and in a show that has to balance SO many different characters, I'm not sure it would serve the show well to put Robin in a romantic relationship. (There is, of course, another conversation to be had about how minority characters are presented in romantic relationships in media. Lesbian relationships are less commonly found in media and they can be really important to some viewers. My agreeing with Hawke is just my 2 cents as an ace lesbian. Other users have also mentioned that when it comes to The Bear, it can be harmful to perpetuate that a Black woman character shouldn't be in a relationship with the main white guy. I haven't seen the show and I myself am not Black, so I won't weigh in on that aspect, but it is another thing to consider in this conversation).

With romance so prevalent in media, it makes sense that our generation is taking a steep turn in the other direction. We've been shown all our lives that romance and sex trumps friendship in importance, but that's not how many of us actually live. Younger people are having sex less. I'm 22 and I'd say half of my friends are not currently in a romantic relationship, and many of them aren't looking for one. I know plenty of adults as well who are happily single, not looking for any more romance in their lives. Even the way people are experiencing romantic and sexual relationships is vastly different from what is shown on TV as there are more openly queer individuals, queer platonic relationships, and polyamory is becoming more prevalent.

I'm not an expert by any means, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. This is all based on my own observation and there is still a lot of media out there that don't have romance as a focal point, media like The Lord of the Rings, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Letterkenny, Bob's Burgers, Reservation Dogs, What We Do in the Shadows, Derry Girls. Shows like Doctor Who have characters in romantic relationships, but the romance is never placed above friendship with the Doctor. The amount of romance in a piece of media also relies on the genre it's in. I've mainly been discussing comedies, science fiction, and action, but other media such as horror, for example, treats romance and sexuality differently.

Still, showing romance, sex, and innuendo in media isn't counterculture, as is suggested by that second Twitter post. It's almost everywhere you look (and lots of kid shows/movies even include those kinds of jokes, as is shown by the amount of videos I've seen titled "I Didn't Get This Joke as a Kid.") I know we're on the internet so people don't care if they hurt other people's feelings, but acting like people who want a little less romance are immature or stupid can be hurtful. There's room for all different types of relationships.

TL;DR, I think a lot of people are just tired of media treating romance and sex as the most important relationship you can have with a person. We're not saying no media should have romance or sexuality or innuendo in it. It's just that as media diversifies, I think it's important to diversify the types of relationships highlighted as well. There's room for romance, sex, and friendship in media, and I don't think people should judge others for wanting positive representation of friendship.