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kahlanmars · 5 months

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PAPER RINGS part. 9

Helloooo! THANK YOU for all the likes!!! BTW here and on AO3 they suggested Ana de Armas for Daisy and I honestly love her.

MASTERLIST

9. Deep waters

The bad feeling doesn’t lose you for the trip. You walk and you take a bus, you get lost two times but finally you find Lavinia’s apartment. You hope she won’t think you are crazy, but Lora is nineteen. Technically an adult, but Katniss is just a year younger and she needs a legal tutor. And the way she talked to you at the party is not… is not Lora. Lora is kind, gentle, and she is always an optimist. If she changed so much in such a brief time it is all your fault, you and Perla should have listened to her more.

You ring the bell, but nobody answers you. So you ring again, you are not exactly a patient person. You are well aware you look crazy, flying around in your red shirt and black jeans, an outfit so not you, but you had other problems this morning and you thought you were going just to Perla’s home.

Instead you are running around the streets of Capitol City. Fine streets of Capitol City, too fine to not feel a little overwhelmed.

«Lavinia? Do you remember me? I’m Daisy. I was looking for Lora.» You yell. Holly would be horrified by your manners - one day she scolded you because you said “Thank you” badly, it wasn’t that you didn’t say “Thank you”, you said it badly, that how your mother is, and probably Effie too, but you need to know where she is.

It’s effective nonetheless, because she hears you now. Or she heard you before but now she doesn’t want you to embarrass her.

Effective either way.

«She is not here.»

She finally opens the door. Lavinia is always beautiful, but she looks ready to go out even if it’s just four p.m.. She wears a beautiful long blue gown that looks like a butterfly. It has diamonds on the corset and long lighter blue sleeves. It’s exquisite, and you are quite jealous you don’t have one like this, but she looks… vintage, maybe. Definitely before the revolution. It gives you the ick, like nothing you lived ever happened. Then again you see how Effie looks at her older dresses, how much she wants to try them on, and there is nothing bad about it.

She doesn’t let you in. Like she has a big secret or something.

«Didn’t she move in?» You ask her. Your makeup must be smudged now and maybe you look a little scary. Good. You suddenly remember she must have seen you on television last year. She saw you surviving a shark, the caves, she saw you saving Lora from the sagittaria and she definitely saw you killing Clark.

«Well, no. We thought about it, but then in the morning she stormed out.»

She sounds like she has no idea what happened, but the girl you know doesn’t behave like that and Lavinia is a mediocre actress. But the point still stands, a nineteen year old girl is missing.

«Stormed out? Oh, please, let me in. I’m worried.» She has to feel the urge in your voice, doesn’t she? She is Capitol but she has a heart too, the way she moves, like she is not interested at all in Lora, makes your blood boil.

«I’m sorry, I’m busy.»

She is busy. Busy.

You force the door. You are heavier than her and definitely more pissed. The look on her face tells you she is scared of you, but now you don’t care anymore that her blonde hair is shiny or her face is perfect or her legs are endless, you don’t care she is more than you, her apartment is big and rich. You look around a little, her apartment is huge, bigger than Effie’s and still full of trinkets. It doesn’t look very lived, though. It looks like a magazine that wants to sell you a house, not a home. The couch is cream, the walls are white, everything is clean and spotless, but it’s not natural for a home to be so immaculate. You don’t even remember the last time your house, old or new, has been so stainless. Probably never.

She still has a housekeeper. She is still rich.

«She is your friend too, you don’t want to know where she is?!» You are raising your voice, but right now you are very proud of yourself because you are not jumping her throat.

«Listen, we are not friends, we go out sometimes, that’s not a friendship.»

You clearly remember the two of them going out together for months. And now that piece of garbage tells you she is not her friend, probably because she is district, or not wealthy enough for her.

«Where is she?!» You are growing angrier and angrier every minute you spend with Lavinia. Breath, Daisy, breath.

You don’t breathe really well because the next thing you do is take her arm in a very strong grip.

«I don’t know where your friend is! Let me go!» Her voice is squeaky. I could break her arm, she is so slim she can’t be strong, I can outstrong her easily. But I don’t need to do this, I can’t let my rage win. I never killed because I wanted to, I always did it to protect someone and this wouldn’t protect Lora.

You let her go. She looks scared but she stays in her place.

«What are these?» On the sofa there are pictures. Pictures of you and Finnick. You are crying and he is consoling you, everything is innocent but you have to admit that from some angolations it looks like you two are kissing. Studied angolations, and there are a lot of those. Pictures with you and Effie, with you and Perla, Perla and Finnick, Finnick and Effie. It’s like someone, her, was trying to catch something. The victors in the Capitol with sparkly dresses in a famous club. Like you are wasting your victory and you are becoming what you fought for so long.

«What?» You ask. It’s not like you trusted her, but this is traumatising anyway.

«If you don’t leave my house I’ll call the police.» She is more dignified now, but you don’t really need the police. You are charged for a murder, you are a rebel, and people don’t like you anymore after the pass-pro.

«Did you take these?» You ask her, in a really angry tone. You can’t believe she saw you crying and the first thing she thought was “Oh, I’m going to make a lot of money with her tears!”. Little bastard.

«Daisy, please.» Her voice is so calm, you don’t think she understands the urgency of the situation.

«Did you take these pictures of me and Finnick?» You yell, and you throw her over a wall. She is so thin it’s not even difficult, even if you were ready to play tough. Finally her eyes are terrified.

You would like some recognition for being a Hunger Games survival.

«Where is Lora?» You repeat, getting annoyed and tired of it.

«S-she found the photos and she started screaming…»

«Of course she started screaming! You took these pictures, it is all your fault.» You let her go. You are not a monster, you don’t want her scared all the time, you just want to find your friend.

«Come on darling, you were a tribute and you were entwined with Finnick Odair. You know how it works.»

She is so cocky now that she is far away from you, but when you take a step close to her she shuts up. Good. She is hitting your nerves.

«You are a model. Did you have to?» You can’t imagine she doesn’t have money. She is out clubbing every night.

She has the audacity to light a cigarette. You want to make her eat this damn cigarette.

«Someone was going to get these photos. I just took the chance. Don’t cheat on your boyfriend and this won’t happen.»

«I wasn’t chea- it’s not important now, okay? I just need to know what happened with Lora. She is young, and she doesn’t know the city as well as you. If she is alone, maybe she got lost.»

«She is an adult! She stayed alive during the games.» She doesn’t dare talk about the games like it’s a casual thing someone could run into. You were there because her people put you there. Lora was robbed of her life because of them. Now you understand the hatred Haymitch has towards Capitol citizens, they will never understand.

«If you know where she is… Think, please.» Although for her it must be hard.

«I mentioned something to her earlier.» She knew something, you were sure of it!

«What? What did you mention?»

«Oh, if she went there she would be very immature.»

«She is nineteen! She has every right to be immature!» You put a finger on your temple, trying not to strangle her. «Lavinia, I’m this close to hitting you and I’m really sensing that the only person who is trying not to hurt you it’s me, the person who is going to do it so please, just tell me and then shut up!»

«Capitol moved your arena into the city. They don’t know what to do with it, they tried to use it but they can’t, and they just put it there. I told Lora…»

The arena. You feel a shiver on your back. You don’t want to go to the arena, you don’t want to put a hand on it again. The most horrible experience of your life has been there. You would prefer to return to district Thirteen, but not the arena.

«Fuck, fuck, fuck.»

«She stormed out! She felt responsible or something. She said that she was my friend and I took the pictures, so…»

«And you let her go.» You accuse her. Of course she felt responsible, she probably got into a fight with Perla too, she said those words towards me and she probably thought Lavinia was her only friend left, and then she felt betrayed. That’s a mess, a raging mess.

«It was the dawn, I was wasted, she was wasted, it’s a miracle I remember it.»

You easily take the cigarette out of her hand - thanks to the exercises with Haymitch in the gym - and you watch her closely.

«You hope I’ll find her soon.»

You are frightened. Lora is alone and this is your fault too. Perla was busy with her job and with Cinna, and you too, but you knew she was fragile and she deserved more attention. She was alone, without her family, and Capitol City can be tricky. In no time you go from being happy for a new adventure to remain home because you are ashamed of who you are. You feel guilty because you don’t have the right clothes, less money than them, the right body type and because you are district. The revolution happened but they still think they are better than you, and Lora is District Eleven like you are District Twelve, the poorest districts. You have Effie that reminds you of your worth, but she is alone.

It wasn’t hard to find the arena. It’s abandoned in a suburb area, you just had to take a bus to get here. It’s quite famous, if you don’t live in a bubble sewing and consoling your friends. You are positive Haymitch and Finnick knew that, but they tried to shield you.

You are not ready to come back to the arena. Even if you can see it’s all staged, it’s abandoned and there are no cameras, you don’t want to go there. You want Haymitch, you want Effie, you even want your mother who is in District Twelve and she definitely can’t come rescue you now. You start to shiver. You can’t. There is any public phone or shop nearby, so you can’t even warn anyone.

But Lora is in there, a voice tells you. Lora is scared and alone and maybe even in danger, because the place is wonky and unstable. And there are caves.

Dear heavens, you hope she is not hiding in the caves.

You trespass because there is no real security.

It all seems… fake. The caves are not real, and with light you see the exit. You hope there are no more poisonous plants, but you dare walking fast and you scream your friend’s name.

You finally find her and she is a mess. She has been crying, her mascara is on her cheek. And she is near the Cornucopia, water between her and you.

Oh God, oh God.

They couldn’t leave a shark in still water, right? Sharks die this way. They removed the shark. They definitely removed the shark.

Unless… How do you remove a shark? After a revolution, with no funds and no money, and you don’t imagine Capitol City being big on animal facilities. They used mutts for years without questioning any ethical issue. You suddenly remember the first hours in the arena, it hits you like a bus.

You run as much as you can to the caves, often falling, and suddenly from the ice emerges a giant black shark.

A shark.

You are going to be killed by a shark. There is no way you can run away from a huge shark, with a big mouth and big teeth.

You calm yourself down.

«Lora?»

She lifts her eyes up. She is in a dress, and she is soaked wet, she is going to catch a cold. And the Cornucopia is full of weapons, if they didn’t take them, they are rusting now and they are dangerous.

«Lora, now please… remain calm. I’ll be here.» You really, really, really don’t want to go into the water.

«Don’t come any closer!» She yells. She is shivering, you can see it and you feel so guilty and worried it’s choking you. You failed her, you failed Lora and now you feel helpless and powerless, you don’t know what to do. You damn yourself because you didn’t wait for Perla, she always knows exactly what to do. But you remember the time she almost died because of the sagittaria.

Lora still has the plants in her hands, and you take them from her to toss it on the ground.

«Are you okay? Did you eat something?» You ask her frantically, watching her and touching her face in suspect of something weird on her body.

She looks shocked, maybe she was friends with the other tribute, but she shakes her head. «No, I was about to but… no.»

You almost faint in relief. «Dear Heavens, girl. You scared me to death.»

«That should be easy.»

No, now it’s not time to joke around. What was she doing here? You hope she didn’t want to do something terrible. You hope it was just a crisis and she wanted to be alone. You hope, but that is not enough.

«I didn’t want to do it, Daisy. It broke.»

It broke. They must have taken the cornucopia closer, and she walked there but then the little platform started moving to the centre, and she got trapped. Just like her situation in Capitol City.

«That’s a relief but now you have to take my hand.» Maybe she can come to you, because you don’t really think you are able to swim. You have never swam again after the shark.

«I can’t.» She is stuck, paralysed, she can’t walk. You get it.

The only opportunity you have is the bracelet that’s never out of your hand. Maybe Haymitch does not have the beeping thing anymore and he doesn’t know where you are, but there is the possibility that he kept it, your paranoid boyfriend. You adore that he is paranoid, it comes handy. You press the little daisy charm and you hope for the best, because that is the only chance.

«No, no you can.» You try to convince her but she shakes her head vigorously.

«I just wanted somewhere calm.» She explains.

«And you had to pick a place with water?!» No, you have to calm yourself down, you can’t scream at her. You have to pretend you are in a class with kids. You were a teacher for a brief piece of time, you should be able to do it. At least, to do it.

If you fall you are over, everything is over. But no, you have to fall, you have to swim to save her. You can freak out later.

«Everything is falling apart.» She whispers, but you catch it.

«No, Lora, don’t say that.»

«But it’s true! I don’t have a job, I don’t have a house, I don’t have someone who loves me!» That is not true. She managed to win even Effie over. She is adorable, everybody likes her. The only reason Chaff doesn’t want her in his house is because he has a severe problem with alcohol and he doesn’t want to be a danger for her.

«You have plenty of people who love you! You have me, you have Perla.»

«Chaff can’t take care of me. My mother and father are gone, and so are my brothers. I’m alone, Daisy, and I thought maybe Capitol could distract me but I feel so alone…»

She is alone. As you are, as Perla is, as everybody is in this city, but she is a little more alone because her parents died in the war and she is a kid who never had a chance to say goodbye.

«We can stay together, you can stay at my place!»

«You don’t really want me!»

You have no idea how to, but this can work. Haymitch likes Lora, you will go back to Twelve after the campaign and you think she will be fine in Twelve.

«Yes I want you! And you are scaring me.»

«I should be able to take care of myself but nothing is right. Nothing is right, nothing I do is right…»

«You survived! That is a pretty big thing and you are so young, you are barely twenty! Lora, you need to slow down. Give yourself time to understand what you want. You don’t have a job yet, and so what? You are a kid. Slow down, you are doing fine.» She is marvellous, that is the truth.

«Am I?» She watches you for the first time.

«Yes. You survived, you are a survivor. And I love you. Perla loves you. Chaff loves you, baby we all love you.» Believe me, believe me, please believe me.

«But the pictures in the magazines are my fault.»

«Nothing happened! Haymitch and Annie didn’t believe any of it, nothing is ruined. Stay there, I’m coming.»

Every step you take in the water, much lower than in the games, you think the shark is going to catch you. It will bite you. It will murder. It’s over, it’s over, it’s over, that’s it, that is how you are going to die, all you can think about is their giant teeth.

And then you take her hand and you take Lora in your arms to lift her up, suddenly you are back in the land.

«Okay, it’s okay, we can stay here for a while. Just a while, until my legs begin to work again.» You murmur to her ears, and you lull her. «Everything is going to be okay.»

You two are both in shock, and when Haymitch walks towards you he finds you rocking with Lora, silent, in that damn arena.

Your fiancé is perfect. He deals with Lora, he takes her to bed and he leaves you alone for a while, to let you decompress.

When Haymitch finds you, hours later, you are shivering in the bathtub. Your hand is white and you feel like ice, the water is very cold. All you can think about is that you hate water. You could have fallen, maybe a shark was there. You can’t help but fix your thoughts on the giant teeth, the bite it could give.

«Sweetheart, what are you doing?» He takes your hand, and he gives you a look when he finds out it’s glacial. He kisses it. You hate to worry him, especially after a discussion. He has been great, he took care of Lora like she was Katniss and he let you deal with your emotions.

«Where is Lora?» You ask, lifting your head up to see him. He watches you with worry in his green eyes.

«She is sleeping, I made her hot tea and everything, don’t worry about the little one. I’ll check on her in a hour or two, but now she is exhausted. You, on the other hand.» He gets up to take a towel, «Are freezing. You are going to catch a cold, what are you doing in the bathtub?»

«Doctor Aurelius said to do this when I’m scared of water…»

It's not working the way it should be, you can still hear the water in the caves, you still have a foot in the Arena. The last Arena.

It's funny, you didn't think about it almost at all in District Thirteen. The war was on and you had to fight, to protect the ones you loved and to survive.

After the war ended the nightmares began again, and most of them were, and still are, about water.

«Yeah, maybe with hot water. I’m lifting you up, okay? Is that okay?» He wants to be sure because one time you had a crisis. You were spiralling and he touched you, you didn't realise it was him, you were so scared.

«Okay.» You whisper, and you close your eyes against his chest. He wraps you in a towel and keeps you in his arms, going straight to the bedroom. You are soaking his shirt, but he doesn’t seem to notice or he simply doesn’t care.

«Let’s put you to bed, Princess.» He tucks you under the sheets and he comes with you. You are immediately glued to his side, and you cry silent tears while he is petting you and playing with your hair.

«Thank you so much. I’m sorry.»

«You are sorry you just saved a life? Daisy, come on.» He is not big on cuddling, not without some heat, but he is just being flawless.

«But you have to take care of everyone.»

«Not everyone, just you. And I like that.» He lifts your chin up. «I like taking care of my wife.»

«I was just so scared of losing her.»

«You won’t.» He tights his embrace. «You won’t lose her.» Like I lost Maysilee. That’s the silent end. The girl he allied with, the original owner of the mockingjay pin, the little kid who died during the games, attacked by pink birds. Haymitch, at sixteen, stayed with her holding her hand until she died and then he won.

«I like taking care of you too.» You swear. You are not the only one who is bad sometimes, he still has an addiction, even if he doesn't touch alcohol anymore. He trembles and he occasionally throws up because he can't take it anymore. He is grumpy for days or he doesn't go out of his room.

His ways are just different than yours.

You two stay silent for a while, but you can’t sleep. Everytime you close your eyes you only see horrible scenes, the shark who tries to kill you or Lora, Lora scared and alone, Perla during one of the crises, Effie who cries on the couch, Haymitch who tries and fails to stay sober.

Everyone you love is full of problems. The Games screwed up your people.

«Do you believe in a God?» You whisper in his ear, because you know he is not sleeping either.

«Sweetheart…»

District Twelve does not ask questions about it. People there are just too busy to notice, or they wouldn’t like the answer. They knew something in the old days, you barely remember your grandmother singing an old, old song about a religion, a goddess or someone like that. “Salve Regina mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo et spes nostra salve.” She sang it with her heart, but she memorised the words, not the meaning. Your mother tried to sing it to you but you were too little and she had other things in her mind.

But you keep thinking about Lora and the way she could have died in that damn arena. Having her in another life is a consoling thought.

«I nearly lost Lora today.» You put your head on his shoulders, crying. He pats and kisses your hair. «If there is a God, maybe I could see my parents in the afterlife. Maybe we are not so alone.»

He sighs. «You wouldn't like my opinions. But I do hope there is an afterlife, I hope my parents and brother are okay, I hope they are happy. And I hope we will be together even there.»

«So, you don't believe a God exists.»

«I don't know, but if there is someone they have to explain a lot of things. If God exists he has let innocent children get slaughtered for years, women dying in childbirth, not to mention the war… he is either not powerful enough or just plain evil.» He kisses your hair, «I don’t know if there is an afterlife or not, if it’s related to a God or even if there is a God, but I don’t trust it. I believe in you. I believe in my children. We have each other.»

You snuggle your nose against his cheek. «I believe in you too.»

«My beautiful, beautiful woman.» He bites your lips. «I don’t know if God exists, but I must have done something good in my life to have you.»

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strwbi-laces · 10 months

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Prongsfoot tattoos!!

Look what you lot did @achilleslikespeas @plecotusauritus @samdaydreams

Random sleepover in the middle of summer when they’re both 16. They’d talked about it but neither of them planned it to happen tonight til James pulls out a tattoo needle and some ink. They sneak downstairs to find where Effie hides her tequilla, saying they need it to sterilise the needle but most of its gone by the time they set up.

Sirius goes first, pulling her top up and lying down. They chose matching sun and star tattoos, easy ones to start with. She says she wants it on her ribs but James worries that’ll hurt so she starts with really gentle pricks til Sirius swats her and says to do it properly.

James can’t get the angle right with Sirius’ tits in the way so she holds it up and out of the way. Whenever Sirius squeezes her eyes shut cause it hurts, James rubs her thumb over her nipple and whispers “It’s alright, don’t be a baby.” Sirius continues to be a baby.

For James’ turn, she wants it on her sternum so Sirius decides the best way to do this is to straddle her. She’s not gentle at all. She bends over so her face is an inch away from James’ chest and every so often Sirius looks up at her through her eyelashes and James just stares cause Sirius never put her top back on and she looks really hot holding a needle.

James tries to pretend it doesn’t hurt but the needle is too big and scary and she flinches every time it comes near. Sirius distracts her by running her ice cold hands down James’ sides and up her abs. James is paying too much attention to the fact that Sirius’ hand is on her side boob to look at the needle.

Both the tattoos end up with lines that are patchy and jagged but they keep them like that even after they’re old enough to go to a proper parlour.

(This ran away from me a bit)

#mm I should call her #when in doubt i default to tattoos #the inherent eroticism of tattooing each other #lesbian prongsfoot #prongsfoot #james potter #sirius black

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seeingivy · 5 months

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I don’t know if you care for the hunger games at all BUTTT with the new movie out I’ve been thinking

Hange would have totally played Katniss early in her career and I think Sasha would have been a good Lucy Gray from the new movie :)) I’m also thinking gojo for young Coriolanus just cause of the blonde hair and blue eyes lol

OH AND yn would’ve defffff sang “can’t catch me now” by Olivia Rodrigo from the soundtrack of the new movie

omg ANON THE HUNGER GAMES WAS MY ROMAN EMPIRE. I had to put a read break cuz I rambled

two unsolicited ronnie stories to prove it:

when I was in seventh grade, I bought a mockingjay necklace from hot topic and wore it to school. but I went to private school and wasn't allowed to wear necklaces like that. and when my teacher asked me why I wore it, I looked at her straight in the face and said that "I was the mockingjay"

I used to be in orchestra when I was in middle school and there was one year where we got to vote on the song we played. so naturally, I stood up and I was like guys...there's this really underground song idk its called the hanging tree. and it litearlly won but then I took it ten steps farther and made us all do the whistle together and the little salute when we finished because naturally, I am dramatic. I am unfortunately never beating the weird kid allegations

that being said, THERE'S SO MANY GOOD HUNGER GAMES FANCASTS. this was the one I had in mind (but I love yours too!!) + it's the one fancast I chose to include in my ACTUAL fic (towards the end chapters, so we'll see this one come back)

original trilogy

yuuji as peeta mellark, duh. our beautiful boy with the bread

y/n as katniss

gale you are a lame, sack of bones. so obviously floch.

ceasar flickerman is CONNIE SPRINGER YUP

levi as haymitch

hange as effie, obviously

finnick is jean

mikasa is annie (they are soulmates everywhere I fear)

annie is johanna mason and I think that bertholdt would be a really good betee

erwin plutarch heavansbee that one wrote itself

gojo is seneca crane 😭, heavy on that one scene where hes like everyone loves an underdog 😃 and president snow is like no.

nobara is playing the extras that are part of effie's prep team or just someone in the capital you will not catch her being one of the tributes

YELENA SCARY BITCH IS PRESIDENT COIN

ballad of songbirds and snakes

utahime as lucy gray baird

young gojo as president snow (the entire press is utahime saying she vomitted after she kissed gojo as a joke and people think its real)

suguru as sejanus :((((((

shoko as tigris snow (says having to be nice to gojo during the scenes was her personal hell)

alternate (from the fic)

this is the one i'm including in the fic!

y/n and yuuji, true to the original, play katniss and peeta

(megumi and eren are the most supportive boyfriends to boyfriend)

gabi plays lucy gray baird

gabi gets to write eyes open for the original trilogy

y/n writes you can't catch me now for the ballad

they are mother and daughter your honor (can you tell im so excited to unleash my gabi yn dynamic in the next chapter)

#asks!#method acting #oh I love to fancast #connie as caesar flickerman #and gojo and suguru as coryo and sejanus #OH IT KILLS ME #AND GOJO AS SENECA CRANE MAKES ME CACKLE IDK #levihan as haymitch effie too like guys

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uncloseted · 9 months

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Did effy really love freddie or was she just obsessed?

I think Effy loved Freddie very much. He isn’t anything like her- he's not manipulative or cunning, and he doesn't want anything from her except to love her and understand her. I think that for Effy, that's something that feels big and profound and scary, which is why she tries so hard to get those feelings to go away. If she was obsessed, I think she could handle that. But being in love is terrifying for her.

#effy stonem #skins #effy #skins uk #freffy #freddie x effy #effy x freddie #freddie mcclair

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rc-appreciationweeks · 2 years

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This Halloween, you better bring your reading glasses, because it's time to whack out word crimes that bring out the absolute worst (affectionate) in the great universe of Romance Club.

To help out, we've compiled an eclectic spread of writing resources for your convenience - and please, if you have additional suggestions for your fellow writer, let us know in the comments!

Spooky Writing Prompts - by @daydreaming-effy

Halloween Fluff Prompts - by @asparklerwhowrites

Halloween-themed Dialogue Prompts - by @palettes-and-prompts

30 Whumpy Dialogue Prompts - by @wildfaewhump

Lists of Prompts I and II grouped by mood - by @linwritesif

Monster x Monster Hunter Prompts - by @deity-prompts

A Sense of Horror (inspiration) - by @whump-queen

Monstrous May 2021 Write-Up (inspiration - please note: occasionally suggestive) - by Johannes T. Evans

9 Tricks For Writing Suspense Fiction (inspiration) - by Simon Wood on Writer's Digest

What Even Is Suspense (inspiration - not a promotion at all, just a few good points if you're unsure how to ramp up the scaries) - through Masterclass.com

#romance club #rchalloweekend #rc appreciation weeks #writing resources

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hayffiebird · 11 days

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Taste of Strawberries, chap. 43 (part one)

Hayffie Post-Mockingjay Multi-chapter, Rated M

Four years have passed since the end of the war when Effie returns in to Haymitch’s life once again. An old friendship is renewed. Will it lead to something more?

Meanwhile Panem has entered a new era. The rebellion’s over, the borders are open but in the shadows, anger and mistrust are smoldering. Something that will affect Haymitch and Effie’s life in a way they never saw coming.

Author's note: Some pretty awful stuff going on in this chapter so: TRIGGER WARNING, just to be safe.

Chapter 43

Between a rock and a hard place (part one)

The party was over.

Haymitch carried the last of the sticky cake-smeared plates over the threshold. Kicked his shoes off with a heavy heart.

Outside, the wind rustled through the branches and balloons. Made them sway. Dance.

It was almost time to get the children ready for bed.

He could see them before his mind’s eye. Back in the living room. With their auntie June and auntie Annabel. The two ladies doing their best to keep up appearances. Pretend like everything was fine. Normal.

He entered the kitchen. Effie didn’t even look his way. Her hands were wrist-deep in water and suds and the pony tail bobbed with each violent stroke of the dish brush.

She’d hardly said two words to him all night. Not since the hipflask incident. Small wonder. If he was smart, he best keep his mouth shut too. Go upstairs. Get the twins’ jammies out. Live to see another day.

Instead, he set the dirty dishes on an empty spot near the sink. There was already a neat stack of dripping plates and mugs and cutlery waiting and he pulled the wash towel off its peg.

Drying one of the sippy cups in slow, precise motions he glanced her way. Each time hoping she’d look back. Or at least throw him a vicious comment. God knew he deserved it!

She didn’t. For several minutes they just stood there. Shoulder to shoulder. Just inches apart. Inches that might as well be miles.

“Eff”, he finally said, voice soft.

She ignored the olive branch, lips pressed to non-existence.

The cloth turned damp in Haymitch’s hands. White fabric sewn with a vegetable pattern. Carrots and lettuce and pea pods. Sae would call it a tea towel. He drew a silent breath. Gathered his courage. Started over.

“Effs, don’t you think you’re just … overreacting … a little bit? I mean, it’s not like he drank from it.”

Not a sound in the room. Nothing but the splatter of water. The clinks and clanks of submerged kitchenware.

”He didn’t get wasted. He didn’t even taste it”, Haymitch went on. “Even if he knew how to work his two thumbs I always cork that hipflask up, good and tight. He was never in any danger.”

He wet his lips. Set the dry plate down. Reached for another.

“I shouldn’t have brought it to the party. You were right about that. It was wrong, I know. But I didn’t put it in my pocket to … Effs, it was just old habit! Not a scheme, I swear! I didn’t drink. Not one drop! And just listen to them out there.”

He gestured toward the twins’ giggles in the other room. “Kids are fine, princess. They’re OK. They aren’t even old enough to understand, or remember, what happened here today. Yeah, it was scary but … if you really think about it, it was no harm, no foul.”

Effie didn’t reply. Nothing. Nothing but the growing red spots on her cheeks. Crestfallen, Haymitch put the plate down. The tea towel.

“Sweetheart”, he said. “Please. Listen to me. I will never … never let my drinking hurt our children. OK.” He touched her shoulder. ”I’d die before that happens.”

Her reaction was instantaneous.

His touch, those words. Might as well be a branding iron. A steel poker. The kind he used back home to shovel coal over in the fire place.

Red, hot, flame-heated metal shoved into her flesh. That’s how hard she flinched. The plate slumped to the bottom of the sink and he staggered back a step when she pushed him out of the way.

“Eff?” She was already at the door. “Effs, wait a minute! Hang on!”

She didn’t listen. Didn’t stop. He followed her into the hallway, just in time to see her put the final shoe on.

“Effs, what’re …?” She flew out the door. Didn’t even stop to close it. “Where’re you going?”

Rain – like cold, hard needles – penetrated Haymitch’s skin when he hurried after her, down the front steps and into the garden.

Effie was already far ahead. Past the remnants of their little birthday scene. Past the edges of the garden, leaving the house further and further behind.

He couldn’t keep up with her. Not after years of abusing his body with alcohol.

“Eff!” He clutched the stitch in his side. Panted as he followed her into the two ladies’ orchard. The meadow beyond. “Effie!”

A bright yellow flash. Followed by a clap of thunder. Low at first, almost indecisive, then exploding overhead. As if the bedrock itself had come alive, moving and grinding together.

“Not so fast, Eff! Please!”

And that’s when he heard her sobbing. Wild, jagged cries that she made no effort to try and hide. She stumbled on her feet, nearly fell and the pink silk hair ribbon which had untangled more and more during the chase, floated onto the ground.

Haymitch slowed just long enough to get it. Grab it, along with a fistful of grass.

“Please, come back!”

“Leave me alone!” Her shriek echoed, travelled across the orchards. The meadows. The steel gray body of water. “Go away! Get away!”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart! I’m so sorry!”

“Leave me be!”

Her voice cracked and she staggered. Staggered and slowed. Slowed to a stop.

Haymitch had but a second to relish in the relief; in the fact that she wasn’t running anymore.

When,

“Ugh!” She clutched both hands to her forehead. Moaned. Unsteady on her feet, like a tree in a storm.

“Effie? Effie!” he shouted when she sank to her knees.

He was by her side in a heartbeat. Knelt to the ground, cradled her in his arms.

“What’s the matter, Eff?” The wet grass soaked through to his knees. “You hurt? What’s wrong?”

“I … I don’t know.” Her frightened blue eyes came visible for a fraction of a moment. “It’s like … ahh! Aahh!!”

Eyes squeezed shut, she clutched her head tighter. Body rigid and stiff in his arms, her mouth fell open and a cry of pure agony spilt over her lips. A cry growing louder. Louder, until he couldn’t breathe. Horrid screams he’d never heard from her before. Not even when she gave birth.

The stuff of nightmares. Like they’d both been thrown inside an arena where he’d hunted her down, overpowered her and wielding a knife.

Cutting bits and pieces out of her.

#hayffie #haymitch x effie #effie trinket #haymitch abernathy #the hunger games renaissance #my fanfiction #post-mockingjay #district 11

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thehungergamesbreakdown · 11 months

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How Effie Shows There's Hope For The Capitol

The Capitol is separated from the districts both by its mountains but also by its culture. They dress strangely, modify their bodies, talk in a strange accent, and have a desensitization towards the violence of the Hunger Games. To the Capitol people, it's really all just a game where the fun of it all covers the brutality of the Games. Most Capitol people don't see the tributes as People until they're crowned Victor. More on this later.

In "Catching Fire", the lavishness of the Capitol is shown at the end of the Victory Tour. Katniss and Peeta attend massive parties in the Capitol, with the last one being in President Snow's mansion. There are tables upon tables of food and Katniss and Peeta are stuffed to the brim, unable to eat another bite. Katniss's prep team approach them and ask why they're not eating and this scene transpires.

"“I have been, but I can't hold another bite,” I say. They all laugh as if that's the silliest thing they've ever heard.

“No one lets that stop them!” says Flavius. They lead us over to a table that holds tiny stemmed wineglasses filled with clear liquid. “Drink this!”

Peeta picks one up to take a sip and they lose it.

“Not here!” shrieks Octavia.

“You have to do it in there,” says Venia, pointing to doors that lead to the toilets. “Or you'll get it all over the floor!”

Peeta looks at the glass again and puts it together. “You mean this will make me puke?”

My prep team laughs hysterically. “Of course, so you can keep eating,” says Octavia. “I've been in there twice already. Everyone does it, or else how would you have any fun at a feast?”

I'm speechless, staring at the pretty little glasses and all they imply. Peeta sets his back on the table with such precision you'd think it might detonate. “Come on, Katniss, let's dance.” (Collins, 38 - 39).

By this point, Katniss had commented she'd come to think of the Capitol people as pets or children. People simply didn't know any better, but this shocked her back to Reality. “You go along, thinking you can deal with it, thinking maybe they're not so bad, and then you—”, (Collins, 39) Peeta said.

But just because the Capitol people have been fed a laced diet of The Games Are Necessary for their Survival and That It's All Okay, doesn't mean they are incapable of breaking out of this mindset. For this, I want to examine Effie Trinket.

Effie Trinket is fascinating. First off, the movie did a wonderful job with her costumes, seriously they're amazing. In the movies, they used the wonderful actress Elizabeth Banks to really develop her character. We first meet Effie during the Reaping, she's the escort for the tributes and is the one who actually draws the names. She's described as "Effie Trinket, District 12's escort, fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin, pinkish hair, and spring green suit." (Collins 17 - 18).

Effie is this light bubbly character who is insistent on keeping a schedule. In previous years, she hasn't gotten attached to her escortees but this year is different with Katniss and Peeta, where she sticks with them the entire way. It's Effie who warns the two that Haymitch will be their survival, and she stays with their training, the interview, and the scoring, even though she doesn't have to. In the arena, Katniss assumed that it was Effie working alongside Haymitch to talk up sponsorship for her.

Effie can be seen floundering with her idealogy in "Catching Fire" with the announcement of the Quarter Quell. She seems horrified that Both Katniss and Peeta are going back into the arena and thinks it's unfair even though she is at first scared to voice this. I chalk this up to the fact that Effie had allowed herself to get attached to Katniss and Peeta. These were her two Victors who would have their wonderful happy lives and get married and she would get to see them forever - she didn't have to worry about losing them. Then suddenly she is forced to confront the fact she will be losing both. Remember what I said earlier? Capitol people only get attached to their Victors. There were a lot of distressed Capitol citizens when the Quarter Quell was announced with even some screaming for the games to be canceled.

Not only was there Effie but there was also Plutarch and the Props crew who all gave up their cushy lives for the Cause they believed was worth sacrificing their comforts for, they have no tragic backstory - they realized something was wrong and began to work against the system. While the people of the Capitol seem beyond hope, this is proven wrong by these characters.

This is our currently last planned post for this series. This was all actually a final research paper on analyzing The Hunger Games. I hoped you enjoyed and I might return to make more posts in the future.

#the hunger games #the hunger games breakdown #the capitol #effie trinket #katniss prep team

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incorrecthungergamesquotes · 2 years

Conversation

Mags: What did you wanna be when you were little?

Effie: A scary mermaid that lures sailors to their death.

Mags: Okay, side note, I'm gonna file papers to adopt you as my child, so keep an eye out for that.

#source: parks and rec #incorrect quotes #mags #effie trinket

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prongsiess · 1 year

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James Fleamont "The Sun" Potter, Gryffindor quidditch captain, Head Boy and Marauder extraordinaire is TERRIFIED of birds.

Pov: little James being around 4 years old seeing their family owl Pevensie (yes James’ favourite story as a kid was The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, what about it?) swoop by near the dining room window and shuffles over excitedly to open up it up for him. So, little James climbs on the kitchen chair, opens the window and decides to get all up and personal in Pevensie’s face like he does with Aslan, the Potters’ golden retriever (I know we all know felines and canines aren’t related species, but James was 2 years old and saw a golden fluff ball, yelled Aslan at it and clapped happily, what were Effie and Monty to do, deny the baby of that? Absolutely not.). He tries to ruffle Pevensie’s feathers and shakes his head from side to side like he would with Aslan’s ears, but Pevensie is having none of it (it’s a long flight from Hogwarts to Godric’s Hollow, okay?) and nips at James’ fingers a little more violently than needed, swoops ungraciously into the dining room, hitting James in the face with his wings and grazing James’ shoulder with his talons as he does so. Little baby James, now scared shitless of the owl, develops a mistrust for birds, which is only solidified when he goes over to Peter’s with his mum and the Pettigrew’s chickens decide that James is a perfect victim for a chicken V.S. toddler race across the yard. That was the final straw for James to decide that birds were evil and scary and to never approach them again. He’s mostly successful in doing so; avoiding owls when they visit their windowsill, having Peter accompany him around the yard when the chickens were loose and pushing Marlene towards anything that was winged and feathered so that she can deal with them instead. That is, until he gets to Hogwarts. James, who had not been in close confines with birds since the age of 4, wakes up on Septembre second and rushes down to the Great Hall to meet Marlene for breakfast, but isn’t ready for what awaits him. He walks into the Great Hall just as the Prophet the morning mail is being delivered, stumbling upon the sight of hundreds of owls flocking down towards the tables. He turns on his heels, runs back to Gryffindor tower, tries to run up to see Marlene in her dorm since she hadn’t made it down to breakfast yet, and promptly slides right back down (it was a that specific moment that James used his first ever swear word, and does not regret calling the castle he grew to call home "a tactless cunt with shit priorities"). And so, 11 year old James Potter sits at the bottom of the girls’ staircase until Marlene walks down 15 minutes later, sobbing and shaking because "Marlene there was so many of them and I thought I was gonna DIE”. He quickly learns to avoid the Great Hall around mail time, but slips up around Halloween and promptly gets swarmed by multiple owls flying towards him and the Gryffindor table. So, he does the only logical thing in his 11 year old brain could think of: drops under the table dragging Peter, who was sitting to his left, along with him, and screeching to Marlene to scare them off. And so, that is how the rest of their friends find out he’s scared of birds and they never quite let him live him down, but collectively decide to protect this poor soul, the literal human embodiment of the sun and all things happy, from his greatest fear: the morning mail (as Sirius likes to put it), or rather, winged demons with beaks of death (as James whines least 7 times a day).

Also, totally don’t imagine the Slytherin Skittles finding out when James is in 6th year because Reg sent him a sweet letter by owl and James ran away crying when the bird nipped his shoulder. Don’t also imagine Reg asking Sirius why and he just shrugs and tells him James is afraid of the mail, or has he would say "winged demons with beaks of death”. Certainly don’t imagine Barty bribing as many students as possible to send James letters for the rest of the year, having him being perpetually surrounded by his worst nightmare. And definitely don’t imagine Barty and Evan snickering like imbeciles when James flinches at every sudden movement during meal times until Reg and James become official and Reg threatens to conjure salamanders in his bed if he doesn’t stop. Do imagine Barty going ghostly pale and calling it all off before the day’s lessons could even start.

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crossbackpoke-check · 4 months

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15 questions + 15 friends (tagged by my beloveds @whitenikes & @acheronist 🥰💕 thank you thank you!!)

1. Are you named after anyone?

technically yes… i’m named after a character in a book but my mom has never been able to remember what book 🫡

2. When was the last time you cried?

i don’t usually log frequent crier miles but i definitely cried in december (??) watching the music video for “amelia” for a variety of reasons

3. Do you have kids?

nope! i do refer to my students as my kids sometimes on accident and have freaked out more than one person by saying “my kids” lmao

4. What sports do you play/have played?

currently i play rugby, although i grew up playing a lot of sports—i did volleyball, basketball, track, and danced competitively (which is probably the sport i miss the most)

5. Do you use sarcasm?

me? using sarcasm? never :) here i usually don’t because it doesn’t come across the same over text and irl it’s usually just with people i’m comfortable with and know will get it

6. What is the first thing you notice about someone?

oooo outfit maybe? voice? context dependent for sure

7. What’s your eye color?

legally, hazel. illegally, whatever color the nearest person to me says that they are at the time

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

happy endings :)

9. Any talents?

(insert the quinn hughes 😬 on the bench reaction meme please i’m trying ok!!)

i can bake pretty decently! athletic if that’s a talent? i would love to learn how to do more artsy things (got a crochet kit & paint with watercolor sometimes)

10. Where were you born?

michigan 🧤<- not a mitten but i’d show you where i’m from on it if i could

11. What are your hobbies?

reading, although i never have as much time to read as i want to (send me book recs please)… i count sports as a hobby and i just got a really pretty new puzzle! also, obviously, hockey.

12. Do you have any pets?

yes!!! i have a canary and a society finch (orville and duncan), a hypo corn snake (apollo! he has hearts on his head!), and two cats (john watson and effie). in the future i’d love to have a dog again, since i just lost him this past summer

13. How tall are you?

moritz seider (5’3”)

14. Favorite subject in school?

real hot girls speak german 💅 it’s either that or biology but i feel like that’s little bit of a cop out

15. Dream job?

re: the cop out above, dream job is working as a veterinarian for a zoo! so it makes sense i love biology lol

tagging @songsandswords @kj-op @hiding-from-reality-56 @catboy-mahura and anyone else who’d like to and hasn’t done it already!!

#liv in the replies #i don’t always do tag games because i am Shy but i am going to Make An Effort y’all i promise #assorted random comments:#the amount of googling i have done to try and figure out what book i was named after so i could read it… it’s a curse #you can have it in the tags because i didn’t want to put it in text but i am a SAP i will cry about/to medias a lot easier than my life #and generally i really only cry when i’m hormonal l m a o wish it weren’t so #i am a great lakes girlie now & forever midwest kids are doing alright. can’t imagine living somewhere w/o lakes although the ocean’d be ok #i did however make it a goal to read a book every day that i was on break and we did that!!! my other goal did not get accomplished #(finish a fic) because i was like oh i’ll have so much time!!! and then bam i worked like. 40h weeks lmao. every time :))))#hopefully today i’ll write though if i get everything figured out for [redacted] and i keep forgetting i still have tomorrow too #the most important part about my pets is that orville & duncan (birds) are questionably gay for each other :) &are EXACTLY like their names #me vs my anxiety that i am Bothering People when i tag them: FIGHT #please know if i didn’t tag you but you would’ve done this i love you with my entire heart i just got scared i would be bothering you 💕#but also like. tell me so i can tag you next time without fear because i love learning about my mutuals 🥺 y’all are the coolest #tag game

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kahlanmars · 11 months

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BAD FEELING part. 5

HI. This is part 5, I really love this story. Perla in my mind is Alexandra Daddario and Lora is Alisha Boe, but of course you can imagine them as who you want them to be!

As always, english is my second language. Comment if you want me happy!

MASTERLIST

5. Protection

When you wake up it’s the middle of the night and Haymitch is still in your bed, you wrapped in his arms, his face buried in your neck. You don’t dare to move, not just because you are scared he could wake up angry at the enemy but also because the sensation of his lips on your skin is creating butterflies in your stomach.

You get that you are younger and naivé, but in these weeks you knew another side of Haymitch, the strategic, genius side. He is cunning, clever, he is brilliant. You never would’ve thought this situation could make you want him more.

And gosh, his grip is strong, and he is handsome.

«I have to go to my room.» He mumbles, half-sleeping. His breath is pure liquor, and you must be so screwed for finding it attractive.

«I’m more comfortable than your room.» You point out and you indulge yourself stroking his blonde hair. «Am I so insufferable you don’t want to stay with me?» You joke, and since you are awake you move yourself a little, causing a friction with his body. Accidentally, of course. He grunts, you take that as a win.

«You always talk that much in the morning?»

«It’s night.» You can sense he rolls his eyes even if they are closed. He chuckles, but even if his hand is now on your tight and his lips still on your neck, his mind begins to work.

«We took a risk. I could have hurt you, even killed you- you are no match to me. I usually don’t wake up that peacefully.»

«Maybe because you sleep alone.» You open your eyes facing him. His proximity makes you blush, but in a good way. «You helped me. I didn’t have nightmares.»

«I’m glad sweetheart, but this is the last time.» He warns you.

«I like when you call me “Sweetheart”.» You let it slip from your thoughts. «You always called me Daisy in the district.»

«You worked for me in the district.» He gets up, not very firm on his legs - you have no idea if it is because of the liquor or the sleeping, but before he goes away he gives you a little kiss on the cheek. «See you in the morning, sweetheart.»

You are actually happy when you wake up again, alone in your room. You decide not to think about your imminent death but to focus on the training. This is now or never: if you know something you have to use it now.

You choose a pair of trousers and a simple t-shirt and you go ahead to have breakfast with your team when you recall two voices. Haymitch and Effie are arguing in the dining room. You know you should leave or appear, but this might be vital, so you eavesdrop.

«You two left the party without us last night.» Effie murmurs, clearly not amused. You didn’t think she would’ve cared, she was in her own element.

«She was tired.» He explains in a dry way. She was having a panic attack, but it’s not an escort’s business.

«You know, people wanted to talk to her. People wanted her.» What the hell does she mean? Who wanted you? The game-makers?

«Before the games?» He sounds shocked.

«They are older, this year.» She sighs. Not a good start.

«Effie you can’t possibly say-»

Even if you weren’t spying on them it would have been hard not to hear Effie’s squeaking voice right now. «It’s for her! They will lose interest in her if they can’t have her.»

«Or they’ll be intrigued.»

«Do you dare to bet on that? Because you are risking Daisy’s life.»

«I’m not selling her, it’s out of discussion.» Selling you. This is what Chaff said to you when you were at the party. People are going to buy you? Is this not an old scary story about Capitol City? Is it true?

«She is not yours!» Her voice cracks. «We’ve had an idea for Katniss and Peeta but I don’t know how we could, how… this year…» She begins to cry.

«There, there, Effs.» He must be comforting her, because you can’t hear her anymore. «We will find a way.»

«Find a way for what?» You go out from your hiding place, tears in your eyes.

«Nothing important, darling girl.» Effie tries to dismiss it, but you've had enough of this stuff, them not telling you anything like you were a little girl. You are an adult, twenty-four years old, you had a job before the reaping, a life. They cannot keep you in the dark to protect you.

«You are crying.» You sound harsh. «Stop lying to me. I have heard you.»

«I don’t know what you think you heard but…» Haymitch begins, but you stop him.

«You.» You face him, stepping closer, and this time you are angry. «You told me to stay close to you during the party, that you could protect me.»

«I will protect you!» He yells back at you, but you don’t care.

«From who? From Chaff? From the Capitol, from Snow? From the Games? Because I now know that my worst chance is to become a fucking exchange price and my best chance is to die!»

They are speechless. You calm down a little, heavy-breathing because of the screams, then you take a puff cream on the table and you watch them deadly serious. «Now that I know everything, I will be very grateful if in the future you two decide to tell me the next torture Panem decides for me, since I am a fucking adult.»

«Daisy-» Effie tries, but you are in no mood for a lecture.

«I’ll be at the training.»

The first day of training is a nightmare. The other tributes have more skills, especially the careers, and you don’t know anything other than herbs and a bit of medical training. Watching the wall filled with tools, you can see skates, little rocket launchers, blades, any sort of things. Well at least you know how to skate, you chuckle.

You have to focus on what you can do. You are strong, at least Haymitch told you so. You are still a bit upset that he didn't tell you the truth, but he succeeded with Katniss and Peeta so you better listen to him. You try to lift a big metal ball, and you slowly manage to do it.

«That’s impressive!»

You turn around, and there’s a brunette girl standing next to you. The first thing you notice about her are the eyes, she has big bright ocean eyes. She is beautiful, you suddenly remember her from the videos of the reapings.

«I’m Perla.» She greets you with a kind smile. «District 4.»

To be fair she doesn’t look lethal like the other careers or particularly close to them. «Daisy, District 12.»

«I know, my mentor told me about you, you met him at the parade, right?» Yeah, her mentor must be Finnick Odair, you connect the dots. «He likes you, he proposed an alliance.»

«My mentor didn’t mention it.»

«I said I wanted to meet you first, but after that? I want you on my team. I'm very good at swimming, you know, and with blades. And I’ve talked with the girl from District 11, she could be in the alliance too- she’s very good with fishnets, her name is Lora.»

I don't want to kill this girl, you think immediately. She is bright, nice, and you think you could become friends. So maybe an alliance is what you need, it's rare that allies kill each other. You watch Lora, she seems like a nice girl too, her heart-shaped face is so similar to the girl Katniss made a deal with last year, little Rue. Maybe it’s her cousin or older sibling. Definitely younger than you.

You desperately want to go out with these girls, become a group of friends and think this is all a nightmare. But this is your reality now.

«Deal.»

«Deal? Great!» you are surprised by Perla’s reaction. You definitely don't want to kill this girl.

You go back to the penthouse for dinner. Your body is sore and you are very tired, and you don't have the strength for a lecture or a discussion. And you think if you see Clark you'd lost it, so you decide to eat in your room.

After a while you hear a knock on the door.

«It's open.»

Effie Trinket comes into your room. You feel guilty about this morning, Effie was actually trying to help you the best she could.

«Darling girl…»

«I’m so sorry.» You get up and come to hug her. «We just thought, I don’t even know, that is new for us too. We are used to kids, and for years before Katniss and Peeta I was alone dealing with them because Haymitch didn’t even want to try. You two are adults and it’s… I thought it would be easier, but I knew you, and he cares for you, we wanted to protect you.»

«I get it.» You place a hand on her shoulder. «But please, explain what the President wants from me.»

She deeply exhales before starting talking, her face is so serious under all that makeup. «When a Victor is considered beautiful or desiderable, President Snow gives them as a reward, or he sells them. It happens to victors, or to… people in the system.» Her voice cracks, and you instantly know why.

«Effie.» You breathe out and hug her tighter.

«It happened a long time ago.» She reassures you with a smile, but that doesn’t change anything. «If you don’t want to do something, he has some ways to make sure you’ll do that.»

«Or he kills your family.» Your thoughts go to your mentor, the way the Abernathys died in a fire after his win and his girlfriend soon after.

«When they told me he wanted you to be a reward before the games I panicked, Haymitch would have gotten himself killed and you… I didn’t want your mother involved in this, I didn’t want you to find out so soon.»

She is clearly in pain right now, and you feel so close to her. You wipe out a tear from her cheek.

«You tried to protect everybody and I am so grateful. You are a special woman, Effie Trinket, I don’t think we realise it when you do something like this but you do it all the time. You try and try to make everything easier. I am sorry for today, and I am grateful we are friends.»

And if in your room there are cameras, and you are mostly certain there are, Effie Trinket just became a target.

There is still a person you have to make amends to. After staying a while with Effie, you grab a bottle from the kitchen and knock on your mentor’s door.

He opens it, clearly inebriated but still in control.

«I came bearing gifts.» You try, handing the bottle to him.

When you close the door behind you, you notice that the situation is serious. There are a lot, a lot of bottles on the floor and several pieces of glass, the bed is not made and the air is unbreathable.

«What the hell?» You watch him, shocked. He shrugs like it’s the most normal thing he can do.

«I’ve had a bad day.»

«All this in one day?!»

You grab all the bottles on the floor to throw them away and open the window, with a concerned look on your face. You can’t die because you have to babysit him.

«You are still angry.» He notices, barely standing. You guide him through the bed, although you should probably change it before someone could lie down in it, it smells like liquor. To be fair he smells like liquor too.

«This is a different kind of anger.» This is you being worried. You know he is unstable, screwed up and brilliant, and you get why he became like that, but he is forty-one. He can’t go on like this forever.

«You are hot when you are angry.» He comments, and you can’t help but to blush and giggle a little. If he gets to be irresponsible, you get to be superficial. You like being called hot by the man you have a crush on.

«Uh, I like you better when you are drunk. Oh- shit.» Throwing away the pieces of glasses you cut yourself. «Shit, I’m sorry.» You stained the bed with blood. Fuck fuck fuck. It hurts like hell.

You get up to clean yourself and the sheets, but he stops you. «I don’t think I have a towel.»

«It’s ok, we can use paper.»

«Come here.» He put his lips on your finger, sucking it. You try to act nonchalantly about it, even if you look each other in the eyes for a moment, and in that moment you can swear he wants you too. He watches you like he wants to eat you, like you are his prey. «Still hurts?»

«No.» You whisper, and he sits on the bed again. You follow him. «I wanted to talk about breakfast.»

«I figured.»

«Effie told me everything.» You quietly begin the speech you prepared. «I don’t want to be left in the dark of what happens anymore. I’m capable of taking care of myself.»

«That’s my job.» He argues.

«And you are terrific at it. But I needed to know that. What if Snow does something to Holly? To you? I needed to know that. We have to work as a team. Will you promise me you won’t keep me in the dark anymore?»

«Ok.» He murmurs.

You take his hand. You will die in a week, do what you want to do and stop being a coward!, you force yourself to think.

«And Effie said something wrong.» Your voice sounds more like a screech and less of a, well, voice.

«Mh?»

«Effie said something wrong.» You repeat, «This morning she said “She is not yours”.» You take the courage to look at him in his blue eyes. «She is wrong. Haymitch.» Cheesy? Definitely. You didn’t think about this part of the speech.

He snorts. Not kinda the reaction you expected. «Nonsense.»

You feel the embarrassment through your body and if only you had a shovel right now you would bury yourself. «It’s ok you don’t have to, you know, return the feeling it’s just that I’m condemned to certain death so…»

«You don’t have to.» He stops you.

«I don’t have to… what?»

«You just found out about Snow and everything and you think you have to do some shit to survive, but not with me.»

You are shocked and a little offended by his implications. «Fuck off, Abernathy.» You say with a loud voice.

«Uh?» He seems confused, maybe because he is wasted but that doesn’t give him a free pass.

«Fuck off!» You echo. «You think it was easy for me to admit that I have feelings for you? I like you but I know you are an asshole.»

«Geez, thanks.»

«No problem.» You cross your arms around your chest and you suddenly want to leave. Leave and cry at the rejection in your bed like a normal 24 years old and not a Hunger Games’s tribute.

He stops you, grabbing your arm to push you against the closed door. You are dangerously close right now.

«Don’t grab me.» You mouth to him.

«I can do whatever I want if you are mine, can’t I?» He licks his lips. Gosh, how is he irritating and attractive at the same time? There is something in the way he does certain things.

«That’s not how it works.»

«So you say you have feelings for… this?» He observes the room with an unsure look on his face.

«This is not your best form but, yes. Can you stop making me repeat this? It’s humiliating.» You beg, but he only smiles.

«So that is why you wanted me to sleep with you.» Your face flushes red. «You know I’m a big fat mess.»

«I can confirm it.» You worked for him, you know all his dark sides.

«Mostly drunk, older than you, so… are you fucked in the head?»

Very classy. «Possibly.» You breathe, «But I’m sent to die in a week and I’ve wanted you for a year, so…»

«So you really are insane.» His hand caresses your hips, his lips come down to kiss your neck. «You know I should say no, tell you that you could have so much better.» He goes low, to kiss your collarbones. «But I’m a selfish man.»

«Please be selfish.» You agree with an almost desperate tone.

He crushes your lips with yours in a passionate kiss, almost violent. You were right, it feels like heaven, even if he tastes like burning liquor. And woods, he tastes like wood and forests and tobacco, it’s inebriating. His arms grab you so easily and you hook your hips to his chest.

«Dear heavens, you feel so good.» He mumbles as he throws you on the bed, falling on top of you.

«I’m not sleeping in this bed.» You declare, and he giggles.

«I don’t intend to let you sleep even for a moment tonight.»

#haymitch abernathy #haymitch imagine #fanfiction #haymitch x fem!reader #haymitch abernathy x reader #haymitch abernathy x you #the hunger games #haymitch x reader #bad feeling #woody harrelson

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