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theaawalker · 5 months

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I Promise [Finnick Odair x Reader]

Pairing: Finnick Odair x Reader Song Inspo: About You Now by Miranda Cosgrove Word Count: 829 Series: 1 | 2 | ? Summary: a day of fishing brings reminiscence for you and Finnick. District 4 never felt like home, but you've always had each other. Finnick has his soul mark, as do you, but that doesn't change anything. You know he'll find someone better, but nothing is promised in District 4. Warnings: none Masterlist: see fandoms (pc-friendly)

You loved fishing with Finnick. He was so good at it and you were very impressed. You also didn’t mind diving into the water as deep as you could to catch his eye.

It was like any other day, Finnick would cast out the nets and spear what he could and you would dive in to retrieve the nets. You had been doing this since you were kids and this was the first time Finnick wasn’t wearing a shirt. So let’s just say you were a little more distracted than usual.

As he pulled back his trident you watched his back muscles and noticed something. On his shoulder was a seashell tattoo. But this wasn’t any ordinary tattoo. It was a soul mark.

You looked down at your wrist and pulled your shell bracelets off to reveal a seashell soul mark identical to Finnick’s. He was your soul mate.

“What’s wrong?” He called to you. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” You said shaking your head. “I didn’t know you had a soul mark”

He looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. Do you have one?” You shook your head and he shrugged. “It’s too bad, I haven’t found her yet”

“Yeah, what a shame.” You sighed and turned to the setting sun. “Listen, we have to finish up.” You said, running and diving into the water.

You loved Finnick, but he deserved better. He was amazing and you were, well, you. He didn’t know you were his soul mate and it’s very possible for a soul mark to disappear when circumstances change. There had to be someone better to be his soul mate and that is what you would hold out for.

As you swam to the surface you were met by Finnick’s sea blue eyes staring back at you. His hands wrapped around your waist and pulled you close.

“My little fish was underwater for a very long time. Are you ok?” He asked concerned.

“Yeah” You nodded pushing yourself away from him. “I have to go” You said swimming to shore.

After the next few months despite your best efforts you fell more and more in love with Finnick everyday. You tried to stay away from him but it was almost impossible. Oddly enough you thought that maybe Finnick was in love with you too.

You were fishing one day again when Finnick spoke up. “You know I don’t think this soul mate stuff is true. I mean how can a mark on my body that matches someone else mean I love them. What if I already love someone else”

You couldn’t tell if you were upset or relieved so you nodded. “Well I don’t have to worry about it”

“I just wish I wasn’t carrying this on my back” He paused. “Get it?”

“Ha, ha” You said splashing him with water.

“Oh, you want to do that do you?” He said charging at you and knocking you backwards and into the water with him on top of you and your back against the sandy bottom.

When you both came to the surface you laughed but Finnick’s face turned serious.

“Are you nervous for the reaping next week?” He asked, breaking the happy moment.

“I don’t know.” You said shrugging. “I always wonder what are the odds.”

He nodded and looked off into the distance. “Yeah... I suppose.”

“Come on.” You said pulling him up. “It’s almost dark”

The next week went by and Finnick seemed distant. He was really worried about the reaping. You weren’t sure if he was right to be, but today would be the day to find out.

You dressed in your best blue dress and braided your hair back in a single fishtail braid. Sadly, you couldn’t meet up with Finnick before, but you would see him after. You hoped.

After you were all lined up in the square that’s when your nerves finally hit. You fidgeted with your dress and tried to crane your neck to catch a glimpse of Finnick. To your despair he was nowhere to be found.

As they drew the girl’s name you breathed a sign of relief when it wasn’t you. When they got to the boys you crossed your fingers it wasn’t Finnick.

“For the boys!" The woman called out. “Finnick Odair!”

“No...” You whispered. You watched in horror as Finnick walked up to the stage. “No!” You said running up after him the guards in quick pursuit. You grabbed his hand and gave him a hug. That was all you had time for before the guards were tearing you apart.

Finnick still had your arm and through all the grabbing and pulling your sleeve pulled up revealing your soul mark. Finnick saw it immediately. “I knew it was you. Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked desperately.

“I’m sorry.” You said as you were finally pulled away.

“I will come back to you!” He yelled as he was dragged into the justice building. “I promise!”

• ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ • ♧ •

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libertyybellls · 4 months

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OUT ON THE SEA WE’D BE FORGIVEN !

pairing; finnick odair x victor!reader

summary; you have had everything drained from you- but there is one thing the capitol cannot take from you and it's the love you and finnick share.

contains; ANGST, parent death, death, descriptions of death, grief, sadness, comfort, murder, forced prostitution, TW president snow being president snow. no happy ending womp womp.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩

your world was spinning, your mind was fuzzy, your stomach was doing flips. you'd been in the same position- curled up in the corner of your living room in the victor's village.

your eyes could no longer water- you couldn't remember how long it had been since president snow and the peace keeps had left your home. you couldn't move- you think you remembered that the sun had risen and fallen while you sat in the same spot.

your door bursts open. had you locked it? had you even stood up once?

"mags told me the peacekeepers were here? snow was here?" finnicks frantic, he's horrified, he grabs your hands- stopping them from fiddling with each other. you didn't even realize you were doing so.

you hadn't even looked at him, more so trying to render what had happened yourself- explain it was the least of your concern.

finnick places a hand on your shoulder now, he's desperate- eyes almost begging yours to face him. “y/n. peacekeepers, snow, what happened. are you ok?”

you look at him when he says your name, it is then that your heart starts racing. your parents are gone. you will never see them again. they're gone and they still couldn't protect you in the end. you're still so young.

you are a failure. you deserve what's coming at this point. you must have expected this.

you blink and you can see snows face, his manipulative, evil, face. you can hear his words. you can feel your heart drop all over again.

you swore he was feigning a threat the night of your victory tour- how he told you how desirable you were, how the capitol citizens swooned over you during your initial interviews. so innocent, so pretty.

where would this innocence get you now? when you denied his suggestions, when you told him you wouldn't sell yourself. did you really think you would have the upper hand? that you gained this right because your survived? because you killed so many people merely for a game to the upper class?

you knew he'd threatened you. he'd even said it himself- there would be repercussions. you're so careless. he'd told you their blood was on your hands. your mothers blood was on your hands. your father was buried due to your shortcomings.

and now, all of the bloodshed- for nothing. when snow had mentioned finnick- briefly before he left. you almost cried, almost.

this time you knew he wasn't lying. and you couldn't let him take everything from you. you'd agreed to the thievery of your innocence, your dignity.

you were now a doll for the capitol- theirs for the taking. they could have you when they wanted. all you'd have now was finnick. "they killed my parents finnick,”

your voice was low, the words were foreign to you. "they killed my parents and now their threatening to kill you.”

he didn't need to ask who, or for what. he'd known since the moment you came out of your games alive. why didn't he warn you? would it have helped?

he was scared himself. scared that if he told you your probabilities of getting sold that they would come true. some part of him thought that if he had that dirty reality away it would cease to exist.

he pulled your head into his chest, still in the floor. "it's not your fault princess. this is not your fault.”

you shook your head and pulled away from him. “this is my fault finnick. i did this to them."

"you didn't know-" his own heart was breaking.

"i knew!" your voice was getting louder by the second. “i knew and i thought i was- that i was better than that. that i could escape it." your words were broken up, voice unsteady, cheeks now damp with tears.

“this is what he does, sweetheart. this isn't your fault. he wants you to think it is but it's not.” his hands were on your face wiping away your tears. "snow wants you to blame yourself- to think you've ruined it all for nothing. but you haven't.” he wants to tell you it will all be okay, that it gets better- but how would he know? you are now two sides of the same coin.

you want to be better, to believe him, but you don't know how to try.

hopefully 2024 will bring happier blurbs from me but for now this is all i got. last post of the year!! love u all thank u for the love and i hope u all have a blessed new year! mwah😇

as always, reqs r OPENNN! use em!!!

#finnick angst #finnick fanfic #finnick fluff #finnick imagine #finnick odair #finnick odair fluff #finnick odair smut #finnick odair x reader #finnick oneshot #finnick smut

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granddaughterofdemeter · 3 days

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Granddaughter of Demeter

Im Tali, uh I like writing and love it if people send me requests ❤️

daughter of persephone, kinda scared of my stepdad, Nico is an ok stepbrother, other kids of persephone, u relate or is it just me? 😭

You can request anything if you want me to write something.

the fandoms I write for are:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard [when I'm done reading at least the first book]

The Hunger Games [ finnick is so fine]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Maze Runner [same w/ MC, I'll get there tho]

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue [LUC IS SO HOT UGHH]

Brooklyn nine-nine [1-4 bc I only have netflix not peacock]

Red Queen series

The Secret History [i'm only on pg 200 cut me some slack]

Characters that I write for are:

PJO:

Percy Jackson

Annabeth Chase

Grover Underwood

Leo Valdez

Luke Castellan

Clarisse La Rue

Nico Di Angelo

Will Solace

Jason Grace

Piper Mclean

Frank Zhang

Hazel Levesque

Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano

Rachel Elizabeth Dare

+ the Gods

MCGOA:

soon

THG:

Finnick Odair

Gale Hawthorne

Peeta Mellark

Katniss Everdeen

Johanna Mason

Haymitch Abernathy

Effie Trinket

THG:TBOSAS:

Coriolanus Snow

Lucy Gray Baird

Sejanus Plinth

Clemensia Dovecote

Tigris Snow

Livia Cardew

Treech

Maude Ivory

TMR:

soon

ILOALR

Luc

Addie La Rue

Henry ( i like Luc more so id be a bit biased tho)

B99

Jake Peralta

Amy Santiago

Rosa Diaz

Charles Boyle

Gina Linetti

Raymond Holt [platonic]

Terry Jeffords [platonic]

Adrian Pimento

Red Queen

Maven Calore

Mare Barrow

Shade Barrow

Gisa Barrow

Kilorn Warden

Evangeline Samos

Ptolemy Samos

Cal Calore [same as Henry in lnvisible life of addie la rue]

The Secret History

Richard Papen

Henry Winters

Camilla Macaulay

Charles Macaulay

Francis Abernathy

Bunny Corcoran [i would date him ngl]

I do have some prompts listed below

-Prompt 1: [I deserve better, but I want you]

-Prompt 2: [ I love seeing you in love..." "Does that mean you love me?" "..."]

-Prompt 3: [" Sure, I may only like you because you look like him." "But?" "But what?" " I'll change your perspective on that."]

-more coming 🔜

NO SMUT IM HORRIBLE AT IT [for now.....]

angst is appreciated

step siblings are iffy

no non con or abuse

no domestic violence

I love AUs

i can do female, male, and/or gender neutral reader [any gender basically]

Banners are made by ->->->->->-> @cafekitsune

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avoxrising · 5 months

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Ahh ok I just saw TBOSAS! Thread about my thoughts (Spoiler warning!)

I’ll be editing this post as I think of more things

ps sorry for any errors, I am using voice to text on my phone

Please add yours in the comments!

Hot Takes:

- I am so glad that they decided to keep Lucy Gray’s ending a mystery like how it was in the books. I think it was emphasized even more as a mystery in the movie as she sings a song about her being a mystery a few scenes beforehand, and Dean Highbottom even echoes that what happened to her was a mystery when talking with Coriolanus. I truly do believe that Snow lived the rest of his life wondering if he had actually killed Lucy Gray, and fighting with the demons inside of him regarding all the deaths he had caused (not that he had regret or remorse except for maybe killing Sejanus). I don’t think anyone ever found out what really happened to her.

- The best parts of the entire movie was the scenes where Lucy Gray is singing. Someone literally needs to remove that man’s whiny voice from the audiobook and replace it with Rachel‘s voice, singing the actual songs, because I cannot listen to any other rendition of any of those songs after that, and the audiobook did an extreme injustice to Lucy Gray.

- I really didn’t like the way that the first third of the movie was put together. They did it in three parts just like how the book did, but the first part felt really disjointed for me and felt very non authentic to the rest of the series compared to the other two parts.

- My biggest issue with the whole movie was the fact that they changed a lot of small details that were in the book and it felt really unnecessary to change the very small things. For example, in the book, Arachne dies because she is feeding her tribute at the zoo, and the tribute grabbed a hold of the knife from her and slits her throat. In the movie, however Arachne is taunting, her tribute with a glass bottle, and the tribute grabs the bottle, breaks it in half, and stabs the broken neck of the bottle through Arachne’s neck. Also, you don’t see that moment of hesitation from Coriolanus. He immediately runs over to her and starts trying to help.

- My girl Clemensia deserved more screen time

- I’m glad Arachne died, her character was really annoying

- I’m not sure if they were trying to make Lucky Flickerman funny or not but he wasn’t

Theories/Easter Eggs:

- I’m pretty sure they didn’t mention this in the book but in the movie Granma’am tells Coryo that his father was killed by a rebel trap in the woods by district 12. This further connects Coriolanus Snow to that area of Panem and his deep rooted hatred for rebels.

- Lucy Gray mentions to Coriolanus right before she leaves the cabin in that scene that she’s not made of sugar and my mind immediately went to Finnick and I think that could also be why Snow hates him

- Lucky’s reference to Caesar when he’s canceling his restaurant reservation and mentions the high chair!

- I don’t know if anyone got a better look at this, but in the reaping day scene with Dean Highbottom, he is walking down the aisle of the room in the Academy and you can see a plaque in the back with the name Heavensbee on it and it seems like it might say Founder of Panem or something like that. I couldn’t exactly read it because the dean was standing in the way, but I thought that was really interesting.

- I really do think in the beginning of the book/movie that Coryo is trying to do whatever he can to keep the Snow family name and status high in the capital however, I don’t think he truly realizes what he’s capable of until he is thrown into the arena and kills Bobbin from eight. You can literally see a physical shift in him on screen after that point and when he comes home to Tigress and explains how powerful he feels, you can really see a similar look in his eyes that you do in the original trilogy. He was really a psychopath from the beginning, he just didn’t realize it until he was in the arena himself, and understood “true human nature” (it’s not human nature to be a psychopath. Please get some therapy.)

Notable Things Changed/Cut Out:

- OK so it’s completely understandable that they would have to cut out a lot of things from the book as the movie was only two hours and 45 minutes long whereas the audiobook is 16 hours long but let me tell you they cut out a ton

- As we knew going in, they removed all the scenes with the neighbor who he got the guitar from and his little shop thing that he had so that was expected but they also removed a ton throughout the entire movie.

- They completely removed all of the funerals of the mentors who were killed, and did not even mention the deaths of the twins. In fact, a lot of the attack in the arena, and the aftermath was kind of glossed over.

- Arachne’s death (see above)

- The district 3 tributes’ usage of the drones as weapons (removed)

- Jessup’s rabies death scene was toned down a ton. It only took one water bottle to kill him in the movie, whereas in the book, I remember reading that a ton of water was thrown his way.

- Took out all of Clemie after snake scene.

- No mention of the erasure of the games. If you hadn’t read the books and just saw the movie you would probably be wondering why Haymitch never mentioned another Victor from 12 because the movie doesn’t explain anything about how the capital wants these games to be forgotten.

- I haven’t read the book in like six months but I swear in the book the tributes got rabies from rats at the zoo but in the movie they say they got it from bats on the train and I just like that’s a really weird detail to change if that was changed

- I really was not expecting for Lucy Gray to yell “kiss my ass” with that much enthusiasm/aggression at the reaping

Things the Movie did Really Well:

- Make you hate Snow

- I honestly feel like the movie did a way better job of giving you a look into Snow and how evil he is compared to the book. I think it helped that on screen you could see his body language and how he acted around people without hearing his own internal monologue like we get in the book. He is a very unreliable narrator.

- Tigress! I am such a Tigress Stan. She could see exactly the path Coryo was headed down, and you could literally see her heart breaking as she watches him become more and more like his father, who she says, was a man full of hate.

- The “career pack”~ now I know it’s not technically a career pack because none of those tributes trained, but seeing Coral and her alliance in the arena, when we know based on the books that alliances were super uncommon in the games before then, was really interesting to see. It makes me wonder even more about Mags’s games and how alliances played a part in that.

Overall Thoughts:

- I cannot in good conscience ship Snowbaird after watching that movie. The movie does a way better job than the book showing Coryo’s decent into madness and I could do a whole other post on this but holy shit he is an evil man. It’s not like we’re getting a glimpse into the good version of Coriolanus before he was corrupted, this man was corrupted already. We get to literally see scenes of him poisoning and killing people in this movie and got some people still think that shipping him with Lucy is a good idea/cute. I hope that girl ran off into the woods and lived her best life because she deserve way better.

- The movie was honestly way less graphic than I thought it was going to be. It is rated PG-13, but I felt like they toned down a ton of the injuries and graphic scenes the book described. I would say The Hunger Games movie was much more graphic than this one was. If you’re not a fan of gore, I would say the only part do you have to worry about is in the arena, they do show the effects of rabies and a few injuries/deaths, but there’s overall not a ton of blood. They do show the hangings of people in District 12, but they don’t dwell on it too much. Even Arachne’s death is super quick compared to how it was explained in the books and really not his bloody as Suzanne wrote it.

Overall I give it a 6.5 out of 10 which is much lower than I thought I would be giving it however, I feel like this may be my least favorite hunger games movie. I don’t think any movie in the world will ever beat catching fire or maybe even the first hunger games but I even felt like Mockingjay in some aspects was done a lot better than this film. The casting, however, was spot on and the cast did such an amazing job.

I will still probably go watch it again this weekend, and I definitely recommend going and watching it, just know that there will be things that you will appreciate a lot more from the books and that doesn’t make the movie bad. I just feel like in comparison to the other movies they did the books a lot more justice than this one did to it’s book.

#hunger games #tbosas #sejanus plinth #sejanus deserved better #coryo snow #snowbaird #lucy gray baird #lucky flickerman #clemie #dr gaul

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forevermmore · 1 year

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i finished rereading mockingjay a while ago and while i truly believe they did a wonderful job bringing the story to screen, i also know in my heart there is no way they could’ve portrayed just how dense the last few chapters of the book are. the way she slowly gives in to the insanity that had been growing inside her since the end of the first games — to the point of dreaming about floating in a sea the color of finnick’s eyes while her loved ones fly above her as birds, with prim desperately trying to keep her afloat and katniss having to force her to let go. ‘dead, but not allowed to die’. the one person who she sacrificed herself for in the beginning and so many times over, dead right in front of her, without any chance of being protected or even saved. the guilt and grief for every single life lost that makes her go speechless for months. her fear of being used again, because even those who rescued her from the capitol saw her as another piece in their games in the end. katniss endured so much until she had no strength left to even want to survive. i cried for approximately 3 hours but it’s ok now (it’s really not she deserved so much better

#thg #the hunger games #katniss everdeen #my comfort character who never had any comfort <3

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thehungergamesrenaissance · 3 years

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The Hunger Games Renaissance. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part. 2 (2015), dir. Francis Lawrence

2 hour of walking, 15 minutes of pure sadness and tears. (Letterboxd Reviews) [Inspo]

#thg #thgedit #the hunger games #mjpt2 #mockingjay #mockingjay part 2 #oh my HEART everything i cry to this movie #katniss everdeen #jennifer lawrence #josh hutcherson #peeta mellark #everlark #sam claflin #finnick odair #FINNICK DESERVED BETTER OK #moviegif #filmtv #letterboxd #letterboxd reviews

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seasonsofeverlark · 2 years

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Midnight Kiss

Author: @alwayseverlark

Prompt: Everlark having low-key holidays due to recent hospitalization (preferably not anything too serious causing it) of one of them, bonus if the recovering party tries to rally but the other has to convince them to come home early bc they actually should have stayed in bed. any rating, modern setting, established relationship preferred. (this was me a few years ago except there was no one to tell my dumb ass not to go nye bowling and i had just had surgery and it was a MISTAKE) [submitted by @timeladyzelie]

Rating: T

Author’s Note: Thanks as always to @jhsgf82 ! you’re the best!! _____________

Katniss: How are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot?

Peeta: Hey there, beautiful!

Peeta: It’s going a bit better; the painkillers are strong.

Katniss: I shouldn’t have brought you to that slope; it was a black diamond. It’s my fault.

Katniss: Are you sure you don’t want me to come to your house and stay with you?

Peeta: You don’t deserve to be stuck here just because your clumsy boyfriend fell…

Katniss: Don’t say that!

Peeta: No worries. I’m fine, see?

Peeta: **inserts picture**

Peeta: You don’t have to worry. I’ll watch a movie and go to sleep. The pills are making me feel dizzy and sleepy. I wouldn’t be great company tonight.

Katniss: I’d rather be with you, Peeta, even if you’re sleeping.

Peeta: No, It’s fine. Besides, you know how my mom is 😒 She wouldn’t let you near my room.

Katniss: Ok 😞 I’m going to miss you though.

Peeta: I want you to have fun. Go and celebrate with the girls

Katniss: And boys. Finnick and Gale will be there also.

Peeta: Oh.

Peeta: I thought Gale was going back to Chicago.

Katniss: He was, but when we spoke earlier he changed his mind and said he could stay a couple of days more. Spend more time with family.

****

“Yes. I’m sure that’s why he’s staying,” I mutter to myself, getting a bad feeling as I look over the chat where my oblivious girlfriend has broken the news.

Katniss and Gale haven’t been dating for a while now, nearly 8 months, but the thing is, Katniss and I have only been dating a few weeks. And I know for a fact, Katniss was the one who broke up with him, but Gale tried to get back with her over the last six months.

The news is definitely making me anxious.

****

Katniss: Peeta…

Katniss: I’m really going to miss you tonight.

****

My heart skips a bit when I read Katniss’ text. It’s maybe the most affectionate and clear written indication of her feelings for me.

****

Peeta: I am going to miss you more, sweetheart.

Katniss: I will call you at midnight x

****

Sixty minutes later, I am still looking at the conversation. It isn’t fair.

This was supposed to be the beginning of, hopefully, more years together to come. It was a promise. I had my speech planned, not too sappy or long, because I didn’t want to scare Katniss, but enough to imply my devotion and willingness to stay with her as long as she’d have me.

And now she’ll be spending that moment with the guy I’ve been jealous of my whole life (except for the last few weeks).

“Hell no!” I exclaim to myself. I just have a broken leg, although the doctor said rest was highly recommended, in order to avoid a surgery.

I won’t be able to drive to Delly’s place, so I need a ride, and my middle brother, Rye, owes me a big favor. It’s time for him to pay back.

Sixty minutes later, we are on our way to the New Year’s party…and Rye isn’t happy.

“I can’t believe you’re going to make me spend tonight with Mom and Dad,” Rye grunts.

“Not only that, but you have to be the only one going into my room to check on me,” I advise Rye.

“I know, Peeta; you’ve already ‘briefed me,’” he mocks. “But remember, after 1 am, I’m done. If you aren’t in your room by then, I am out. I am not missing Glimmer’s party.”

“By that time, Mom and Dad should be passed out from drinking champagne, ” I remind him. “I just want to kiss Katniss at the new year. ”

“You are a goner, man.”

“Yes, I am in love with her.” I sigh.

“Wow, don’t tell Katniss that, or she’ll run away! Wasn’t that the reason she broke up with Hawthorne?” He warns me with a concerned look. Katniss has always been unapproachable, a bit intimidating.

“Yes, it was,” I say, avoiding his gaze and looking intensely at my hands and nails.

Gale had wanted Katniss to go to the University of Chicago, she wanted to stay closer to home with Prim. That initiated a long discussion where Gale told her he wasn’t as important as Prim, and Katniss agreed. She told me she realized then that she “loved” Gale, just not as much as she should.

“So, take it easy, bro” Rye says, ruffling my hair and winking, an unusually tender gesture for him.

When I arrive at the party it’s full of people, and soon I realize it’s going to be more difficult to find Katniss than I anticipated.

With my cast and my crutches, trying to navigate my way through the party attendees is a nightmare, and every bump of my leg makes me see stars. Then I see two things that stop me dead in the middle of the crowd:

One, I see Gale Hawthorne making out with Madge Undersee in a corner. Huh! It’s safe to say I didn’t see that coming.

Second, my girlfriend looks radiant. She’s laughing at something Jo’s saying; she’s carefree and looks happy and is enjoying the time with her friends. She then looks down at her phone and caresses the screen with her fingers, I guess over the picture on her screen of Prim, Katniss, and myself on her porch steps.

My phone beeps with a new text.

****

Katniss: I’m thinking about you…

Peeta: Aw! Are you?

****

I answer quickly wearing the dumbest smile ever as I see her reaction when she sees my text.

****

Katniss: I certainly am.

Peeta: And I am certain that you look beautiful tonight..

Katniss: You’re such a flirt.

Katniss: You don’t even know what I’m wearing tonight.

Peeta: I could ask you for a picture, or I could try to guess.

Katniss: Ok, challenge accepted.

Peeta: What if I win?

****

She snorts and shakes her head. I can see herself blushing while biting her lower lip.

Katniss: If you guess what I’m wearing I’ll allow you to take off that piece of clothing, Mellark.

I raise my eyebrows, disbelieving what I’m reading. It would be the understatement of the year to say I’m eager to win this game.

****

Peeta: If I had to guess, I’d say your hair is in your signature braid and you’re wearing a deep green sweater with a boat neckline falling off one of your shoulders.

****

She gasps, and I push this charade a little bit, enjoying her reaction.

****

Peeta: Specifically falling off your right shoulder…

Her head shoots up, and she starts to scan the room until her gaze finds me. She walks towards me with a happy smile. I’m so entranced looking at her surprised face that I don’t realize a very big drunk boy is heading my direction until he crashes into me. I lose my balance, not used to the crutches and my cast, but before I fall to the ground, she catches me, helping me avoid a very painful situation for my battered leg.

“Hi,” she says, her body fully pressed against mine and her hands on my waist to help me regain balance.

“Thanks for saving my leg,” I say

“What are you doing here?” she asks, and I detect a bit of reproach in her voice.

“I missed you,” I say.

“Peeta, the doctor said you should move as little as possible if you don’t want to risk a surgery…”

But I interrupt her and nudge my nose against her hair, inhaling Katniss’s scent. “Don’t be angry with me. I just wanted to kiss you at midnight, for the new year.“

I can feel her relaxing in my arms. “I want to be with you also for the countdown, Peeta, but this isn’t safe for you. Everyone is going to get crazy, jumping and celebrating, and I want you to be healthy…please.”

She’s right; she’s totally right, but before I go, I need to do something. I grab her by the neck and kiss her deeply, hoping her taste on my lips will last until the new year. When she moves to break the kiss, I groan.

“I don’t want to go yet,” I complain, kissing her again.

“Well,” she says playfully, “you have to go… but I’m going with you.“

“No way, Katniss. I want you to enjoy the party.“

“Yes, but I want to be with you. I’ve been thinking about you the whole night, Peeta, and you know me well enough to know I’m not a party girl. I only agreed because you told me about your mum…but I guess you managed to get a cover,” she cleverly deduces.

“Rye.” I laugh, and she laughs with me.

“Ok, then let’s go. I’m driving us.”

Once we’re back at my home (thank God for the bakery rear door), both of us safely tucked in my bed, watching a movie and eating some popcorn that Rye has snuck into my room, l feel Katniss press her forehead into my temple. I ask, "So now that you’ve got me back in my bed, what are you going to do with me?"

I turn into her and look into those big grey eyes I adore. She smiles and answers before kissing me, “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt. Happy New Year, Peeta.”

I can only smile and kiss her back, but she stops me and climbs onto my lap, being careful not to touch my injured leg, and she says, “It’s time for your payment of our bet.”

#everlark #everlark fanfiction #winter #winter 2021 #alwayseverlark #submission #prompt

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kriscme · 4 years

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One Life To Live

Thanks as always to Ronja for allowing me to write fanfic of her Hunger Games fanfic “The Chance You Didn’t Take”. You can find it on AO3 and Fanfiction.

Chapter 30 Haymitch alternates swigs of white liquor with large bites of pizza out of a takeaway box. I’ve mistimed my visit again, catching the last five minutes of “One Life to Live.” “What’s Celia doing in a therapy support group?” I ask as the credits roll. Haymitch clicks the off button on the remote and the screen goes black. “Sex addiction,” he tells me, taking another gulp from his bottle. “She can’t keep her knickers on after what Lance did to her.” “What did Lance do?” The last time I watched this silly show, she and Lance were having a threesome with the gardener. “Made her like sex too much. And then Anton. And Cecil. And 11’s wrestling team. They’re blaming psychological issues or some such rubbish. Fear of emotional intimacy is one theory. Or could be she’s just a slut.” “And what about Blake? Is he married to Ginger yet?” “He would’ve been but the baby came a few weeks early and now he wants nothing to do with her.” I wait for more but Haymitch just helps himself to another slice of pizza. “Why?”

He quirks an eyebrow at me. “Two people with fair skin usually have a fair skinned baby.” “Oh.” The guy from the punk band, and the real father of Ginger’s baby, is very dark. I rather wish I had seen that episode when Ginger’s baby popped out. The look on Blake’s face must have been priceless. “Well, anyway, I didn’t come here to talk about “One Life to Live.” I wanted to ask you about Cressida.” “What about her?” “Do you think she can be trusted?” Haymitch shoots me an incredulous look and laughs. “What do you think? She works for Plutarch, doesn’t she?” I was afraid he’d say that. My worry must show in my face. “Why do you ask? You haven’t done something stupid, have you?” When I don’t answer, he snorts and takes another drink. “That’s why no one let you make the plans.” This gets my back up. “Like you did such a good job of it. If you’d involved Peeta and me in your so-called plans, we’d have known not to let ourselves be separated from each other in the first place. And then he wouldn’t have been captured, and he wouldn’t now – “ “Yeah, yeah, alright,” he says, raising a hand. “We’ve been over this before and I’m not in the mood to have my face gouged again. It’s bad enough that I had to go through it again with Peeta.” Johanna told me that Peeta got mad at Haymitch when those memories came back. Preoccupied as I often am with my own guilt over Peeta, I sometimes forget that Haymitch is carrying his share of it too and my anger subsides. Besides, my bitten down fingernails could barely impact a mosquito bite. I should make time to visit the salon to have those fake things put on again. “How is Peeta?” I ask. “Have you talked to him?” A week has passed since Peeta and I last spoke. I’d called around the following day to thank him for the cake but he wasn’t home so I made do with a note under his door. I haven’t seen him leave or return home from the bakery although I know from Johanna that he’s working regular hours. The only visible evidence I have that he’s still in the Village is that the primrose bushes have been pruned recently. Not through all our ups and downs has Peeta neglected the bushes. Obviously, he did it when I wasn’t around to see it. He seems to be avoiding me and I don’t know why. I can’t think of anything I’ve done to upset him. Before he answers, Haymitch takes a moment to toss the empty pizza box in the general vicinity of a pile of discarded food containers by the window. Even from this distance, I can see a trail of ants making their way down the wall possibly in anticipation of yet another feast. In less than an hour they’ll be swarming over the box, picking over the remnants and transporting them back to their nest. Perhaps this is Haymitch’s idea of cleaning. Have the ants do it. “Saw him the day before yesterday. Had dinner after watching the tape. Johanna cooked. I wish she’d let Peeta do it. He’s a much better cook, but she insisted. She fusses over him like a mother hen and I think it’s starting to get on his nerves. But he’s fine, all things considered. Just very down. Stares into space when he thinks no one’s looking. But no flashbacks or signs of serious depression. Keeping busy and sticking to a routine has helped.” I let this sink in. My initial reaction is to feel hurt that I wasn’t invited to have dinner with them. It’s irrational,of course. I’m the one who distanced myself. And I was busy this weekend anyway. But I do miss it. All of us together. “He’s keeping up with the tapes, then?” “Yeah, although it’s going over old territory if you ask me. Mostly it’s promotional footage, Capitol parties, various interviews.” That could explain why I haven’t seen him. Maybe it’s Cressida and media attention he wants to avoid. The camera crew are everywhere. I even saw one of them filming the Village, for no particular reason that I could make out, and paying extra attention to Peeta’s house and mine. Haymitch drains the last of his bottle and reaches for another beside his chair and gives the top a twist. “He showed interest in one of them. The start of the Victory Tour – when you came running out of your house to push him into the snow.” “Ha ha.” I say caustically, giving Haymitch’s joke the response it deserves. I think back to that day. Making the most of my remaining hours of freedom: in the woods checking the snare lines; a change of clothes at my old house in the Seam; a visit to Hazelle; and lastly, calling in on Haymitch. I’d promised to wake him an hour before the cameras came. It seemed that he’d also asked Peeta, because he showed up at the same time. To say it was chilly between us is putting it mildly. Peeta barely looked at me. When I got home President Snow was waiting for me with his threats. Convince the districts, convince me that Peeta and I were madly in love, or Gale was dead, with others to follow. There was no way to warn Peeta, but I was sure he’d perform well anyway. And he did. Our first kiss in months and no one could have guessed that he was acting – not even me if I hadn’t known better. I ask “Did he remember it?” “Parts of it. The cameras, falling in the snow, some of what we discussed before Effie and the prep teams arrived.” “You and Peeta?” I feel a flash of resentment that they had had this discussion without me, but then remember that I walked out soon after Peeta got there. Haymitch probably wanted to talk to us both. “What about?” “That he needed to change his attitude. Reminded him that the romance was his idea. That you kept him alive and would’ve died with him, rather than take the victory for yourself. How imperative it was to keep up the act or people would die.”

It fits. On the train journey to 11, Peeta apologised to me, acknowledged my actions had kept us alive, and that we should try being friends.

“That’s what he remembered,” continues Haymitch. “What he forgot was what I said about you being in a different place than him. That he had this crush long before the Games even started, whereas for you the romance was a strategy that the two of us cooked up. And from where I was sitting, I saw a boy who was head-over-heels and a girl who was getting there. That all she needed was time and patience but if he continued to sulk – “ A conversation between Haymitch and me just before Peeta and I reunited on stage after winning the Games. About convincing everyone that the trick with the berries was motivated by love. “Did you tell Peeta this?” “Don’t have to. He’s already there.” “But you think I’m not?” So that’s what Haymitch meant. He knew before I did. Finnick too. I interrupt. “What did he say?” “That he wished he had known. That’s all.” Haymitch gazes thoughtfully down at his bottle. “It occurred to me that maybe, if this memory was distorted or erased – “ “He’d believe I hadn’t loved him but it was important for us to be friends,” I say, finishing the thought for him. There’s some logic to it. I can imagine the half-memory sticking up like a tree root waiting to trip Peeta up. And then skewing every memory, and every thought he’s had about me since. “It’s a wild guess, but not impossible. And it’s not like there’s any other ideas. I should run it past Aurelius. See what he thinks.” “Do it,” I say. “At the very least, it can’t hurt.” The more information Dr Aurelius has the better he can help Peeta. It won’t help me though. Peeta wouldn’t be mourning the loss of Lace if he didn’t love her. Or make him love me. Haymitch nods, takes a drink from his bottle, and then goes back to contemplating its depths as if somehow the answers can be found there. I take this as a signal that the conversation is over and start to rise from the couch when his voice freezes me in place. “So, what’s the stupid thing you’ve done that’s made you worry about Cressida?” I hoped he’d forgotten about that. Because the “stupid thing” is something I definitely can’t confide in Haymitch about. “I haven’t done anything,” I say, scowling at him. “It’s just that I wanted your advice on whether I should be on my guard. She tried to involve me in the interviews with Marcus. Like I’d be standing well to the side and then she’d ask me a question, and then the cameras would swing over to me. She says she won’t use it but after what happened to Johanna . . .” “If that’s all there is, you’ll be OK. Even if they do use it and the public wants more, there’s nothing either Cressida or Plutarch can do about it. No one could say you deliberately set out to draw attention to yourself. You were just doing a job. That’s where Johanna went wrong. She was trying to attract publicity. And there’s no scandal attached to you and Marcus either – that’s another way they can get around it. They’ll say they’re reporting on him and you’re merely collateral damage. So, unless you get caught with your pants down, you haven’t a thing to worry about.” Haymitch regards me with amusement. “Or have you? Been caught with your pants down, that is?” “Of course not!” I splutter indignantly. My face burns and it must surely be a bright shade of red. “I’d never – “ “Calm down, sweetheart. It was only a joke,” he says, shaking his head. And then to show how funny he thinks he is; he breaks out laughing. I judge it to be a good time to leave. I wander around the Village for a little while. I want to talk to Johanna. She’d understand. But Peeta might come to the door and then how to get Johanna alone without being rude. At home, Marcus has his own worry and I don’t want to add to it by talking about it. Eventually, I take refuge in my favourite thinking spot; my front porch. And I then I try as hard as I can to reassure myself that I’m worrying over nothing but without much success. How could we have been so careless? I hadn’t seen much of Cressida during the week. She’d been busy working on a separate feature on 12’s recovery from the war. She even visited the school. Mr Matson obligingly gave her a tour and allowed the cameras into the classrooms. Max made sure to get his face on camera, of course. When I saw them heading in the direction of my classroom, I locked the door and pulled down the blind. “Shh,” I said to the kids, “let’s pretend we’re not here.” They thought it was a great game. For the new national park, she wanted to interview Marcus in a series of locations similar to what she did of Gale and me when we returned to bombed-out 12 for some unscripted interviews. In this case, we’d be following the new trails Marcus had surveyed ending with the lake. But, because it was unlikely that we would get back before nightfall, it was decided to camp at the lake overnight and return to town the next day. I was hesitant to go. I knew it was in my best interests to stay as far from the cameras as possible. But Marcus said it didn’t feel right for me not to be there since I had played such a large part in it. And because Marcus and I don’t have much time left together and Cressida had assured me that the attention would be on Marcus anyway, I allowed myself to be persuaded. Marcus led the way. Our first stop was at the top of a ridge which Marcus has designated for a lookout. It was a welcome relief to drop my heavy pack to the ground after the long climb and have a long cool drink while Cressida conducted the interview. The blackberry bushes were heavy with fruit and I positioned myself in front of them. From there I was away from the cameras but could still watch and gorge myself on berries at the same time. “Katniss, close by is the very spot where I interviewed you and your hunting partner, Gale Hawthorne, as part of a feature we did on District 12 not long after it was destroyed by enemy bombs. I got the impression that these woods are very special to you. What are your feelings about it becoming a national park?” Suddenly all eyes and two camera lenses were on me. I tried to hide by retreating backwards but was met by a wall of prickles from the blackberry bushes. Cressida waited expectantly. “Ah, well, you know, times change. I guess from a personal standpoint it’s a big adjustment, but if it ensures that the woods will be protected it’s all worthwhile.” Cressida nodded and turned back to Marcus to continue her questions. Messalina, her assistant, scribbled something in her notebook. From there it was easy walking along the ridge and my mind wandered to other times I’d come this way - with my father, by myself, with Gale, and most recently with Marcus. Before long many feet will trace these same steps and I was overcome by sadness that my beloved woods would no longer be mine. Even with just these five people, it feels like a violation. The woods have been my sanctuary. Would I ever find another? “A coin for your thoughts.” Startled, my head jerked towards the sound. Cressida was beside me. Last time I looked; she had been walking up front with Marcus. She must have hung back and waited for me. I didn’t really know what to make of Cressida. In 13, I had admired her calmness under pressure and the pride she took in her work. It reminded me of Cinna and I thought that if she and I were in the arena together, I would pick her as an ally. But that was before Prim was killed. I can’t be sure, but I suspect she informed Plutarch of our whereabouts that day. If Snow was telling the truth that Plutarch was behind the bombing that killed Prim, then that makes her complicit in some way. Maybe not intentionally, but she played a part in much the same way as Gale did. At the very least it proved to me that Cressida’s loyalty isn’t to me, but to Plutarch and the story she’s chasing. And then there’s Johanna. Was it really an accident that Plutarch got hold of that interview? “I was just thinking of how things have changed,” I answered. There, honest but not too revealing. Nothing that Cressida could take much from. I was wrong. “Since we last came this way?” she asked, looking down at the ground. “This must be very difficult for you, more or less following the same route we did for the interviews that day – dredging up memories of times and people lost.” She hesitated for a moment, as if pondering the wisdom of her next words. “I’m sorry if my relationship with Gale has added to that in any way. I – “ “It doesn’t,” I interjected before she could say more. “Gale and I weren’t meant to be together. I’m happy for you both. Truly.” Her face cleared. “That’s what Gale said. But I wondered . . .” I said nothing because there was nothing to say. I was a little miffed that Gale had dismissed me so easily. I thought he should at least have some regret for what could have been. I was glad that I hadn’t wasted my time fretting over him. “Peeta, then?” “Huh?” The question took me by surprise. “I wasn’t actually thinking about him.” “It would be understandable if you were. I know I can’t help thinking of that time and of our purpose here. Do you remember the appeal you made to him from where his parents’ bakery once stood? If I were asked to choose one propo above the rest, that would be it. The carnage, the desolation, the utterly incomprehensible loss of life was encapsulated in that short piece.” “Yeah, I guess.” Personally, I thought they were all awful but perhaps Cressida takes a film maker’s view of things and she judges the artistic merit. “They still speak of you in the Districts, you know. You and Peeta. You haven’t been forgotten.” I shrugged in response. How could we be forgotten when some of our fellow victors have pursued a life in the public gaze? Our very absence would give rise to speculation – rather like those shows you sometimes see on TV “where are they now?” At least we’re spared media attention. That’s something to be grateful for. Cressida went on. “Your love story struck a chord with the public consciousness that shows no sign of abating. It represents so many things to people. How love and hope endure. Rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. It – “ “Does it?” I asked, cutting her off. “Well, if they want to keep on believing in that nonsense, I can’t stop them. I need to take a toilet break. Excuse me.” Ignoring Cressida’s shocked expression I left her to go in search of a tree. Why did she have to tell me that? It’s everything that Peeta’s love would have meant to me too. And I’m so tired of people and their expectations. Peeta and I represent nothing. Nothing! Except maybe that nothing lasts and hope is a stupid illusion for stupid people. I went through the motions of relieving myself although I didn’t really need to, but it gave me time to calm myself before I rejoined the others. When we stopped for lunch, I made sure to sit next to Pollux. We exchanged smiles but that was the end of any kind of conversation. An avox, Pollux can’t talk and that suited me just fine. Marcus sent a smile my way and then went back to talking to Cressida. Messalina was occupied with her notebook. The remaining member of our party, Remus, was making adjustments to his insect shell – the name I gave the camera equipment that wraps around the bodies of the camera crew. I disliked Remus on sight with his small shifting eyes that seem to take in everything. He was the one I saw filming the Village. It was late afternoon when we arrived at the lake but there was still sufficient light for Cressida to do her interview. I overheard her tell Pollux and Remus she’d like some additional film of the lake the following morning but otherwise we were done. I would’ve liked to have taken a walk with Marcus around the lake but we were supposed to appear as if our relationship was strictly a working one. He didn’t want the same thing that happened with Johanna to happen to us. So, when we gathered around the campfire that night for supper, we sat opposite each other. And when we retired for the night in the concrete house our sleeping mats were as far apart as we could make them. Not that there was any chance of us getting close – not with Cressida and Messalina there too. Pollux and Remus shared a tent just outside the house. One of them snored like a chainsaw which Messalina complained about incessantly. I don’t know who kept me awake the longest – Messalina or the snorer. When the first thin rays of sunlight fell across the concrete house, Cressida and Messalina were dead to the world. Marcus was already up, dressed and putting on his boots. He put his finger to his lips and pointed to the door. I nodded and wiggled out of my sleeping bag. It took only a minute to find my trousers, shirt and boots and join him outside. It was my favorite time of the day: the sun just peeking over the horizon; birds caroling the new day; the air so fresh and clean. The tent was zipped shut; loud snores rumbled from within. Carefully, we walked past until we were out of earshot. “Why don’t I search for firewood while you fetch water from the spring?” said Marcus. “Ok,” I replied, intrigued. There were logs stacked behind the house and we had brought water in with us. Nevertheless, I took a couple of empty water bottles and started out for the spring. It was familiar to us both as Marcus had noted it as a feature on one of the walking tracks and I had long used it as a water source. It was only about six minutes’ walk away; five, if you don’t count the short stop behind a rhododendron bush to attend to nature. The spring gushes from the side of a foothill into a brook that feeds into the lake. It’s the sweetest water imaginable and I helped myself to a long cool draught. And then I waited . . . and waited. I was about to give up when I caught a glimpse of his khaki shirt through the underbrush.

“What’s this about? Aren’t we supposed – “ I began. His answer was to pull me hard against him and capture my lips in a kiss. It took me by surprise after everything he had said about the importance of maintaining appearances. But after that first shock, I took fire and answered him in kind, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing into him, straining to get closer. His belt buckle dug painfully into my ribs. It had to go. While I struggled with it, he reached beneath my shirt with one hand to fondle my breast. My feet started to lose traction and I realized he was pushing me backwards and upwards until I was elevated slightly, my back against a large oak, my feet resting precariously on a root flare. The belt taken care of, I started on the button and zipper on his trousers. He did the same with mine, pulling down trousers and underwear in one swift motion. And then we were both free, his hardness nudging between my legs. “I’m sorry, I can’t – “I panted. My feet were shackled by my clothes and I was unable to spread my legs wide enough to allow him entry. Frantically, a boot was unlaced, tossed aside and a trouser leg pulled down over my foot. Unhampered now, I hooked a leg around his waist and with one smooth powerful thrust he was all the way inside, one hand on my breast, the other braced against the tree, his mouth covering mine. It felt so, so good. I could have stayed impaled against that tree forever. That is, until he started pounding his hips into me. The rough bark of the oak stabbed into my lower back with each thrust. It was lucky my shirt tail covered my naked behind or splinters might have been a problem too. Marcus enjoyed himself though. I could tell from his breathing that he was close. But then it happened. A loud snap. It was unmistakable. We both heard it. Even Marcus, occupied as he was. Our heads spun trying to locate the source of the sound. But there was nothing to see; only trees and low bushes. “It was probably just a falling branch,” said Marcus. He didn’t sound confident. “Yeah, probably,” I agreed, even though a falling branch would also have made a crashing sound as it hit the ground. Neither of us were at ease and the moment was lost. Marcus slipped out of me and we put our clothes back in order. I retrieved the full water bottles and headed back to camp. Marcus returned separately with the bundle of firewood he’d collected before he joined me at the spring. Our fellow campers were as we had left them. Cressida, laid out like a starfish on her back. Messalina, huddled under her sleeping bag. The tent still zippered up, the snorer still snoring. But by the lake, in full insect shell, was Remus with his camera trained on an ibis feeding in the shallows in the early light. On my approach, he gave a small wave before he returned to his work. But on his face, was a small, but undeniable smirk.

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oddbeautied-blog · 7 years

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sighs ,, when will somebody make a finnick blog to match my annie blog

#/ tRULY ! ALL I WANT ! IS A FINNICK FOR MY ANNIE #/ we could have matching urls. i could hook u up w a theme too #/ i'm Sad i love my kids who deserved better #/ sam claflin was the perfect finnick imo bUT that fc isn't needed if not wanted ok i am wILLING TO COMPROMISE #/ s ighs sjdshkfhks #tbd.

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littleevilisa · 5 years

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Dr. Hot Buns outtake #2 - The Secret

I have nothing to say for myself.

This outtake is not much Everlark focused, there’ no actual Peeta in it, but it introduces some things that will be important in the next chapter, and the following ones. I don’t know when those will be posted, though.

Anyway, watch out for some light swearing and allusion to sex. But nothing explicit.

This is not betaed, so all mistakes are mine.

I'm about to sit on the couch, a well deserved glass of red wine in hand, wearing only my underwear and a shirt Peeta forgot here a couple of month ago, when there's a knock at my front door.

I stop halfway through the living room, trying to figure out who could it be, especially at this time in the evening.

The only person that comes to my mind is Peeta. The other people that would come visit me live in other states, or at least would call me before showing up.

It's strange, though. Peeta hasn't come to my place in a while. Lately, unless we spend the night at his apartment, we don't see each other that much outside of work. Since we returned from Panem, he's been really busy helping with Dr. Cresta's latest research while she's still on maternity leave, and he's been pulling many all nighters this past month. When he's not in the lab or the O.R., he's too tired to do much else than have a quiet meal, cuddle a little, and sleep. Tonight he was supposed to be at the hospital, too. Oh well, perhaps he changed idea and decided to come and see me.

A sly smile spreads over my face, already anticipating the good sex – 'cause, you know, he kinda owns me that by now – I'm about to get, or at least the good food Peeta could be bringing.

At the door, just to be extra sure, I take a look through the peephole, and all my enthusiasm dies instantly.

I leave my glass on the coffee table, and run to my bedroom to get some pants on. Then I begrudgingly go open the door.

“What took you so long, Everdeen?”

“How the fuck do you know where I live?” I ask back.

Johanna Mason blatantly ignores me, pushes me aside, and enters.

I don't have the mental strength to protest, so I just sigh and close the door.

“So?” I ask again, crossing my arms. “What are you doing here?”

Johanna takes off her coat and sits on the couch, ogling the glass of wine on the coffee table as if pondering if she could have it, then shrugs. “I don't know” she says. “Madge texted me your address and told me to get here ASAP. I just finished my shift. Hasn't she told you anything?”

I fish my cellphone out of the bag I left next to the front door when I got home from work and look for any message from Madge. Not a thing.

“She must've forgotten” Johanna infers as I show her my phone.

This is definitely not what I wanted to do tonight. After a very tiring day at the hospital, I just wanted to shower and relax. Now, apparently, I will have to host a girl night, which I'm very much opposed to. I mean, Madge is a good friend of mine, and I tolerate Johanna alright. But I really don't wanna listen to any drama, that's not my thing.

I walk to the coffee table and grab the glass, halving its content in a long gulp. I hope it will help ease the headache that I'm sure is about to come.

All the while, Johanna has been looking at me, her head tilted to the side and a puzzled expression on her face. She points her finger at me. “Is that a man shirt you're wearing?”

I panic. I don't know why I do, but I do.

Why would anyone ask such a question? Why is she? Is she suspecting something? Has she figured out anything? I mean, it's a simple, light blue shirt, exactly like many others. But Peeta always wears such nice clothes, who knows, maybe she's seen him wearing it before?

Ok. Ok. Katniss, calm down. No need for spiraling. It's just a simple question, give her an excuse.

I finish the wine to buy myself more time to come up with something.

“It's my father's” I lie. “I bought it for him, but it's the wrong size. I lost the receipt and couldn't change it, so I'm using it”.

For some reason, I don't think Johanna is convinced.

I don't have to think of something else, thankfully. There's another knock at the front door.

Madge marches inside as soon as I open the door. It's almost like no one needs permission to come inside my place.

Madge immediately starts walking back and forth in the living room. “Thanks for coming here” she says.

“I live here”.

She ignores me. “I know that maybe you had better things to do tonight, but this is really important and I need to tell someone and you guys are the only people that can understand what's going on”.

“Yeah... Why does this thing nave to be at my place?” I ask.

“Because Johanna was working and I was home. Your place is in the middle” she says matter-of-factly. Then she stops walking and looks at me with a confused expression. “Is that a man shirt?”

I almost throw my hands in the air. What is this sudden interest in what I'm wearing?

“She says it's her father's” Johanna says. I detect a note of skepticism in her voice.

Madge doesn't look that much interested in it anymore, and dismisses the whole shirt thing with a flick of her hand.

“Whatever. Never mind. The thing I have to tell you...” Madge stars pulling at her woolen scarf and hat, as if only now realizing that she's still wearing them. She gets frustrated when the scarf almost strangles her. She leaves it on place, resorting to just unzip her windbreaker. “I don't know how it happened. I mean, I know how it happened. I don't know how it happened”.

“Princess!” Johanna interrupts her. “Cut the rambling. Spit it out”.

Madge sighs. “I...” She throws her head back and grunts. “I...” She looks at the floor, her hands on her hips. After some more stalling, she spits it out. “I'm pregnant”.

I fall sitting on the couch armrest, the glass almost slips out of my grasp.

“Shit!” Johanna lets out after a moment of silence.

Madge starts whining, a sound I've never heard from her before.

“Does Thresh know?” Johanna asks her.

Madge decided to give Thresh Montgomery a chance around Christmas time, after months of him obviously pining after her and blatantly flirting with her. It was so clear, even I realized it before Madge. And I usually don't register this kind of things.

“He doesn't. But...” Madge lowers her voice in a barely audible whisper. “He's not the father”.

“What?” Johanna sounds surprised. I guess she never expected the very silent and collected Madge Undersee to see more than one man at a time. Hell, I certainly didn't.

“We didn't ever have sex, yet” Madge confesses.

“Why not?” I think Johanna is confused by the fact she wouldn't 'tap that fine ass', as she once so elegantly put it referring to Thresh.

“I have a three dates policy, and we only went on two” Madge sighs. “At this point, I doubt there will ever be a third”.

“Then, who's it?” I ask. I don't know if I want to know it, though.

“You promise not to judge me?” Madge bites her bottom lip. She's never looked this conflicted before.

Johanna and I share a look. She nods for the both of us.

Madge scrunches up her face, as if in shame. “Seneca Crane”.

“What!?” I shout.

“Ew!” Johanna must feel as disgusted as me at the mere thought of the sleazy, bearded pervert putting his hands on our friend.

“You guys promised you wouldn't judge me!” Madge shouts back.

“But... But...” Johanna stammers. “Ew! How on earth did that happen?”

“I don't know! It was right after Thanksgiving. I was still pretty mad because of the Senator – you know how irritating the Senator can be, I told you. And Crane was... I don't know... charming, I guess. I just wanted to do something that would piss my father off. So I did him”.

Madge comes and sits between Johanna and me.

“What do you want to do?” I ask her.

“I don't know” she says. “I don't think I want to... get rid of... I always wanted children. I just never expected it to happen this way. Especially not with Crane! But...” she puts her head in her hands and starts silently weeping. “I don't know”.

I instinctively put my arm around her shoulders as Johanna embrace her by the waist.

We stay like this for who knows how long, shushing Madge and cradling her between us, trying to give her all the strength we can muster.

Suddenly, Johanna sniggers. She puts her head on Madge's shoulder. “Wanna know something nice?” she asks her. “This will definitely piss the Senator off”.

Madge snorts and wipes away some tears with her windbreaker sleeves. Finally, some of the concern seems to be lifted from Madge's face, leaving its place to a little, pretty smile.

Johanna sits back on the couch and sighs. “I guess that, since you just shared with us such an important news, perhaps I should tell you guys something, too. A secret for a secret, as they say.” She plays with the hem of her skirt and look at us from under her thick lashes.

“You're pregnant, too?” I blurt out. Please, one pregnant friend at a time is more than I can handle.

“What? No! Babies are not for me, thank you”. She look at Madge. “No offense”.

“None taken”.

“I'm not supposed to tell anyone. I shouldn't even know this” Johanna continues. “Finnick told me because, of course, he cannot keep his big mouth shut. The Chief and other doctors are working to buy the hospital, to bypass the board”.

What the hell?! “How?” I ask.

“Snow wants to eliminate the intern program. He's of the opinion that PMH is getting a bad reputation for some of the interns we got during the years. We are losing money somehow, and since he is the one investing the biggest amount on us, he'd like to see it spent for a better purpose. Like that super dope machine you guys from General were craving for lately”.

I'm speechless. Madge, Peeta and I just became fellows, but if Snow has it his way who knows if we will still have our jobs. I don't understand why he would close the intern program. Thanks to it, we had the chance to learn from some of the best surgeons of the country. I would never take away from anyone the possibility to be in the same O.R. as Dr. Abernathy, to see him do his magic on a heart.

“Can he do that?” Madge asks as she cleans her runny nose on the back of her hand. Gross.

Johanna shrugs. “He can, unfortunately. As the major investor, he's also the member of the board with the most importance. He can decide how his money get spent, and he can very easily convince the other board members to do whatever he pleases. You know the man, he's capable of far worst”.

She's right. I still remember Brutus Willis, the previous Chief of Trauma. During our second year as interns, he dared speak up against the board's decision – or, should I say, Snow's decision – to cut the funds for PMH Trauma Center. Dr. Odair told Johanna, who obviously told us, that since then Dr. Willis still hasn't found a job in the States. He had to go back to the army, to a war zone in the Middle East. We don't know which one. Apparently, Dr. Odair's net of information isn't vast enough.

“Couldn't we get rid of Snow without buying out the hospital?” Madge asks.

“Not really” Johanna says. “If he takes his money away, there's no way to know which investors will stay, and which will follow him. That's why the Chief and Abernathy were trying to persuade Alma Coin to take Snow's place as major investor. It would help reassuring the other investors the hospital won't cost them more than expected”.

I don't personally know Alma Coin. I do know she's an up-and-coming entrepreneur with interests in many fields, from healthcare to military defense, though. I don't particularly like her, to be completely honest. But if she can somehow help keep up the intern program, I will learn to respect her.

“It's not over, yet” Johanna says as she deciphers the relief on our faces. Of fucking course. “She agreed almost immediately. Because of that, neither the Chief or Abernathy trusted her completely, it felt too easy, and they we're right not to. Turns out she's of the same mind as Snow. Plus, she wants to cut the hospital's staff by 25 per cent. Which means that all new fellows and residents will be fired, as well as nurses, security guards, janitors... you name it.”

“That bitch!” Madge has shifted from confused and sad to outright furious.

“No need to bring out the big words, Princess”. Johanna pats her on the back with a smirk. “That's where the buying out part comes into play. Abernathy has Miss Trinket working on a deal with the Taylor Heart Center. I've heard that he knows Edna Taylor from back in the days. If the Taylors agree, they will take both Snow's and Coin's places as investors, but will leave all executive decisions to the newly formed board. Which will consist in only doctors from PMH.”

Oh, my God. This is huge! Finally the hospital will be able to direct money where it's needed, and won't always have to consider the profit over the adequate treatment of our patients, let alone of the whole staff. Not to mentions that, maybe, I would be able to meet the Taylors!

The name Taylor is quite famous in the world of Cardiothoracic surgery. In the early '80s, after getting himself a huge fame of one of the greatest, most innovative mind in the field, Aaron Taylor founded the first Taylor Heart Center here, in D.C. Soon, two more followed, one in New York City and one in Miami. Today, the Taylor Heart Centers are among the most renowned private clinics of the country. They don't need investors to stay afloat. They are their own investor.

Johanna continues. “It's not completely certain, yet. First, the Taylors want more doctors on board with the investment. They can't buy the hospital all by themselves. So far, aside from the Chief and Abernathy, they got Lyme, Paylor, and Aurelius. And Finnick and Annie, of course”.

Madge curses between her teeth. “If only I had my own money instead of my father's, I would have helped, too” she says.

Johanna and I both nod in agreement.

“I heard Peeta was thinking of joining the rebel doctors”.

This last piece of information from Johanna catches me unprepared. How is he supposed to be of any help in this situation? Yeah, he has a pretty great apartment in the city, and once he confessed to me that he didn't have a student loan to pay back, but I don't think he has that much more money. I mean, why would he even have all that money in the first place? “With which money?” I ask Johanna.

She shrugs.

We all fall silent for a while, most likely all contemplating the big news that were reveled tonight.

The rumors circulating around the hospital of a possible mutiny turned out to be true, and even more juicy than we could possibly think. The Taylors! Buying PMH! And Madge is pregnant with Seneca Crane's baby.

As this particular thought crosses my mind, I feel the need to ingest more alcohol. I bring the glass to my mouth, and realize that it's empty only when the much desired liquid doesn't hit my lips.

Perhaps I should get myself another glass of wine. Should I offer it to the girls, too? Well, Madge probably won't be drinking wine. But Johanna would accept it gladly. If I give a glass to Johanna but not to Madge, would she be offended that I didn't even think to ask her? And if I ask her, would she be offended that I assumed she would drink while pregnant? Nah, I shouldn't give wine to neither. I should take a glass for myself, though.

“So.” Johanna's voice interrupts the wine-related stream of thought in my head. I turn my head to look at my friends, their faces do not promise anything good. “We have shared our secrets with you, Everdeen. Do you have something to share with us, too?”

What the fuck are they talking about? Are they talking about what I think they're talking about? Do they already know what they're asking and they're trying to get it out of me with some kind of trick? Or a guilt trip? Ah! Jokes on them! I don't feel guilty about anything at all. I won't tell them a thing about Peeta Mellark!

I shake my head, trying to play it off nonchalantly.

Madge and Johanna share an unconvinced look. “Are you sure, Katniss?” Madge insists. “Nothing at all?”

“Nope.” I decide it's time to get myself more wine. I get up and head towards the kitchen. “Do you guy want anything to drink?”

I won't tell them a single thing.

#Dr. Hot Buns MD #Dr. Hot Buns MD outtake 2 #outtakes #things I write #it has been 84 years #not really #but it might as well have been #a year and a half without writing anything down #it really took its toll on me #I don't know how to word anymore #anyway sorry it took me so long to come back at writing #everlark #everlark fanfiction

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