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lythea-creation · 2 years

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Broken Toys - Johanna Mason x fem reader (chapter 3)

Chapter 1

Previous Chapter

word count: 2.376

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The victory tour was even worse than I had imagined it, although it was exciting to get a glimpse at all districts.

I had to face the families of the fallen tributes, which was especially horrible in district 10 and 2. The death stares had literally killed something inside of me for a moment. I had to tell myself that it was not my fault. That it had been self-defense and that I had not wanted to kill anyone.

I read out my cards and tried to ignore my inner state.

Fortunately I had not been close to any of the deceased tributes. That would have made matters worse for me now. It would have hurt even more, though the pain and guilt seemed to suffocate me already.

At the party at the Capitol I had to dance a lot with many different people. That was not a problem but rather the fact that everyone wanted me to eat all of the various dishes which was impossible.

At least I thought it was until they presented me a liquid that would make me throw up. So I would be able to eat more. Disgust filled me at that thought.

My parents had died out of starvation. Countless people in district 11 and most probably other districts died every year out of starvation, while the citizens of the Capitol emptied their stomachs with a liquid to eat more than they are physically able to.

The rage threatened to overpower me.

For once I was relieved to hear Snow. He started to hold a speech saving me from my miserable situation.

Quickly I moved away from the liquid.

In the end everything worked out as well as it could possibly have.

On the train ride back to district 11 I realized something though. In a few months a new challenge awaited me. I would become a mentor for a child of district 11.

Once you entered this train, you would never leave it again.

Half a year later I was standing on the stage of district 11 as the reaping was taking place. The only thing calming me was the fact that my siblings were too young to participate yet.

“The tributes of district 11 for the 73rd Hunger Games are Callie Starl and Zet Hubar!”

Both of them were fifteen years old. Thanks to the additional rations during the last year due to my victory they did not look as malnourished as the usual tributes of our district. But one year of proper nutrition could not erase fourteen years of struggling out of starvation.

Seeder, Chaff and I set off toward the train.

This year Seeder would coach me to become a mentor, but next year I would be on my own. The new victors always replaced the old ones as a mentor of the same gender.

“Remember what we talked about. You have to try your hardest to help, but you don't have control”, Seeder reminded me.

We had met many times since my 'victory' and she had become very precious to me.

I nodded taking in her words, although I knew it sounded easier than it was. I doubted that I would be able to draw the line between my task and my personal feelings.

When Callie and Zet joined us they looked horrified. No surprise, considering that we were probably sending them off to die soon.

Seeder and Chaff explained everything that would happen in the next few days while I halfheartedly listened.

“We are going to die anyway”, Zet mumbled.

“That's exactly what I said”, I remembered.

“But you aren't like us! I'm neither good at survival skills nor at fighting. I have always worked at the vegetable patches. So I never climbed up a tree. Unlike most of our district, I don't know a lot about herbs because no one ever taught me. And I might be athletic and well-build for someone from district 11, but I can never keep up with the careers. I'm just average. You can't win the games without special talents”, Zet ranted.

Silence erupted for a moment as no words could change anything. He was right. I had only won my Games because I had been lucky. It had been under ideal circumstances. Their chance was low.

“You are right”, I agreed.

Everyone looked at me, shocked.

“Your chances to win are slim and most probably you are going to die.”

“(f/n)!”, Seeder interrupted me.

But I shook my head and continued: “It's the cruel truth and they both have to face it. If they aren't willing to use everything they have got and to fight on the prize of their lives, their chances aren't slim but non-existent. To win the Games you have to risk your life … and to do that you have to consider dying without accepting it. Only then you will be able to keep going in a life threatening situation.”

Zet let out a frustrated sound and left.

Callie had quietly listened to everything I had said. She seemed to be shy. I could see in her eyes that she had not given up yet. “I'm good at creating slings and other traps”, Callie stated quietly. “And at hiding”, she added.

I smiled at her. “That's a great starting point.”

I advised her for hours and got to know her better. Actually she was not shy but just needed some time to get to know the other person. As soon as we started she got pretty talkative.

Later on I decided to check on Zet and apologize to him because he had not shown up at dinner. “Come in”, he replied to my knocking.

“Zet. I'm sorry if I offended or upset you.”

He shook his head.

I took a seat next to him on the coach.

“No. You were only honest. Actually I'm thankful for that. I hate false hopes. But I needed some time to process the situation”, he explained.

“I see. This is my first year as a mentor. It feels like my Games happened just a few days ago and I know exactly how horrible it feels to go into the arena with low chances to win. I was lucky. That's what saved me.”

“I don't know what to concentrate on during my training or which strategy to use.”

“Do you want to ally with Callie or act on your own?”

“I don't know. In the end we will be opponents anyway. I don't think I could kill someone I really know.”

“Then you should consider talking to Chaff and strategize together with him, while I work with Callie. I already started advising her. So ...”

“No, it's alright. I'm the one who ran away. Now I have to deal with it.”

“Nice attitude”, I complimented him with a grin.

I got up and added: “Don't forget to eat as much as you can. It'll help you in the arena.”

Then I left and joined Seeder. “Where is Chaff?”, I wondered.

Callie had excused herself already to go to bed. I could understand that she wanted to be alone now. She was strong for talking about strategies immediately.

“Off to bed. You did great today! I don't even know what I'm here for.”

“Oh, thanks. I'm used to advising and teaching my younger siblings and I want to help Callie and Zet as much as possible. Otherwise I would never forgive myself. It already hurts to remind myself that at least one of them is going to die soon.”

“That's something that will never get easier. But I think that's good, because it motivates you to give your best as a mentor”, Seeder noted.

“Maybe you're right. I guess I will go to bed now, too.”

Seeder smiled sadly at me as I disappeared in my room.

I threw myself onto the soft bed and held my necklace in my hand.

Rue had been really sad when I had had to leave again. At first for the victory tour and now for the next Hunger Games.

I would never be free. A pawn of the Capitol for the rest of my life.

Suddenly the exhaustion overwhelmed me and I did not bother to change my clothes.

I awoke startled, out of breath, full of sweat. The nightmares had also bothered me during my victory tour. At home Rue was sleeping beside me which calmed me down and mostly kept my nightmares away. But now I was on my own. Lots of restless nights awaited me and I was already sick of it, just thinking about it.

I took a shower and found new clothes inside the wardrobe. Unbelievable that I was inside a train. Before moving to the victor's village, I had not even had a bed, let alone running water.

I decided to get myself a cup of tea.

When I left my room I met Zet and sent him a soft smile. “Not able to sleep?”, I asked him.

He shook his head.

“Do you also want a cup of tea?”

“That'd be nice.”

I boiled some water and put the teabags inside the cups.

“Why are you up so early? You don't seem like an early bird”, he proclaimed.

“I have six younger siblings. I'm not used to sleeping on my own”, I brushed it off while pouring the hot water into the cups and placing one in front of Zet.

We talked about life in district 11 and I told him about the victor's village to distract us from the upcoming games.

Two hours later the others joined us.

All of us were coming along well now and I hated it. It was nothing but torture. Getting close to people you were going to lose soon. How had Chaff and Seeder endured that for so long? I understood the always drunk mentor of district 12 way better now.

Soon we arrived at the Capitol.

When the tributes started their training, it was time for us mentors to win over some sponsors. Though we could not do a lot until our tribute's scores were announced. They were essential for sponsoring.

I saw other mentors trying to persuade the sponsors to support their tributes.

Finnick Odair was definitely popular under the female sponsors. And the fact that the tributes of district 4 were usually well-built and part of the careers made his job easier.

No one wanted to sponsor some kids of district 11. No matter what I tried, I always got the same response: Let's see which score they will get first.

I sighed in frustration as I let myself fall onto an ornate but uncomfortable bench outside the room.

Suddenly someone sat down beside me. “Not successful, I guess.”

“Not at all”, I stated annoyed before looking at the person.

I had seen her before. She had won the Games before mine.

“Johanna Mason. District 7”, she greeted me with a grin.

“(f/n) (l/n). District 11.”

“Oh, I know you. I saw your Games. You outsmarted the careers”, she noted laughing. “And that jump from the tree to kill the boy from 2 was pretty badass”, she added.

The way she said it I almost felt proud. This was all so sick that I could not help but laugh.

“Woah, you are weird”, Johanna noted.

“Thanks”, I replied casually. “I guess, we have to get back inside”, I noticed demotivated.

“They are all fake and only care about their rich selves”, Johanna declared disgusted.

I burst out laughing. “And we try to persuade them to bet on the lives of a children.”

Johanna tried suppressing her amusement but soon joined my laughter. Being a victor and losing your mind were two parts of a set.

“Dammit! Stop that nonsense!”, Johanna chuckled while playfully hitting my arm. At least I felt better now, less lonely.

“They aren't the only actors”, I alluded. “I don't think you are a crybaby nor a brutal murderer.”

She grinned at that. “So you did watch my Games. But why are you so sure about it? I could always be acting as well as you.”

Our eyes were locked as she tried to figure me out.

I stayed silent for a moment, increasing the tension. “Intuition.”

Johanna nearly choked on her laugh. “Seriously?!”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Then how do you decide?”

“I don't decide”, she clarified. “There are people I come along with and people I can't stand.” “That's intuition!”, I elucidated.

“Oh. Guess you're right”, she noticed shrugging it off.

“Hey, Johanna! What are you doing out here for so long?”, a male voice interrupted us.

“Can't believe they let you go, Odair”, Johanna replied seductively.

“Oh. You checked out the newbie”, he concluded looking at me.

“Yeah, kind of”, she responded casually.

Finnick leaned down in front of me, our faces barely apart. “Any secrets to share?”, he wondered with an alluring expression that made me blush.

His eyes were fascinating. Somehow it felt like he was a lot deeper than he appeared to be.

After a while he pulled back blushing slightly himself.

Shit! I had stared into his eyes pretty long.

Johanna was obviously amused by that. “She totally beat you. Seems like your charm doesn't work on her”, Johanna teased Finnick.

It had just been on accident. Usually I was not that confident or outgoing, though I loved teasing people.

“So, you are different, huh?”, Finnick wondered completely ignoring Johanna's words.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Wouldn't say that. But you don't have to pull the same shit for me as you do for the Capitol girls. I'm not that cheap.”

Finnick smiled. He was handsome. I had to give him that. “Why do you think I'm acting?”, he questioned.

“Intuition”, Johanna exclaimed.

“Yeah. And two other reasons. The first is your eyes. And the second is that no one would voluntarily flirt with those dyed chicken like that. Have to go and find some sponsors now”, I declared and walked off.

Next Chapter

#the hunger games #johanna mason x fem reader #lgbtqia +#capitol #finnick odair #rue #coriolanus snow #victory tour #angst #73rd hunger games #tributes #mentor

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fly-sky-high-09 · 10 months

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Weeewaahwoowhummm (slight tmi bellow with more Teo stuff, it's past 5:30am and I am sweating from my warm room while cooling off)

After few days, it seems like I can tell Teo has been urinating on his own just fine now. He use to do small but multiple rounds but now he's really going and hopefully no struggle!

The slightly bad news is that, at first, he was reluctant to even enter the bathroom with the litter box inside but as soon as we changed the litter it was no issue. Strange how that works, he might have sceneted how his old pee was now astrange with a new diet or something? Because the litter was just about fresh even then, I changes it and washed the box right before he got this issue going on

Anyway, he is doing better now, still shying from the bathroom due to probably traumatic experience of me "wrangling" him to open and close the catheter while peeing in pain but he has to get use to it being safe again

So he did started entering the bathroom more bravely and he does use his litter... To poop in it. But when it comes to peeing, as good as he got with it, he's either missing the box or pissing right next to it. I can't teally tail him to see, especially since he absolutely dislikes having me around close to the bathroom after all that catheter mess and connecting me letting him pee on the bathroom floor while he's yelling in pain when pushing the urine out

Traumatized boy... :( I hope he will trust me again with time but even if he doesn't it's ok, understandable, have a nice day

What's important is that his urine is much clearer now and he has no issues peeing. The only obstacle seems to be the bathroom lol but I don't want to bother him about correction on where to pee just yet. I'm just really glad that he can ;w;

The luck in bad luck is that the blockage happened earlier while his struvite crystals were still not as dangerous of a level but still making an issue so this quick shift in diet seems to be doing wonders!

It's pricy food because it's medical but the good bit is that he's not demanding more than what we give him for various parts of the day when he usually eats. With his old food, he always seemed to yell for more and eat more until he felt full. I don't really understand the whole nutrition value with cat food but I'll assume the old bad food wasn't as helpful as I thought... Which is a shame, I wish I knew it sooner.

The worst bit is that when ever I was looking up locally sold brands of cat food everyone claimed different shit about different brands! And I complained about this to the vet and she rolled her eyes like "trust me, I know" then explained to me that majority of the brands here commercializating so much are usually the not good ones but also that they can't be fully blamed as proper cat diet is not something that can be packed with what they usually need.

Cats both feed and hydrate on kills originally and unlike with dogs, they still retain that need for their physiology to maintain itself, they aren't bred out of it so technically no cat food will be able to replace that. She said it's one of the main reasons why cats suffer with crystals and stones so much that it's potentially lethal: cats lacking hydrating from killed food and drinking water instead, as well as oats filled mixes to make them full instead nutritioned like real meat

Realistically, making your own food for cats it the best option but it's not something everyone can do or afford (<- she didn't say that but I assume since I noticed a lot of folks in yt videos with cats actually do make their own cat food for their cats resembling fresh meat and such)

Anyway, Teo is on anti-struvite food for the rest of his life. Which is great, since now I'm sure he both loves this food and is keeping him healthier than before! Reading the ingredients inside it's a decent mix of various poultry meat and oils, fish and such. Frankly it smells tasty! No oats!

He has to go for an ultrasound soonish to check back on the amount of crystals inside him

As for me, I still have some heart palpitations and nervous stomach every now and again during the day :') the stress got me really good this time around I am a little concerned but also know this happened before and will probably stop once things get fully back to normal and I stop over worrying (I am anxious snail I can't help myself)

Which, idk how long will last because august is so soon and mom was still suppose to check in for the pace maker implant... If her doctor would actually call her back for a check up and process results to the committee before then... But it's been two months so.... Idk wtf is going on :I she still has hospital surgery consultations scheduled for august so... I guess we'll see?? Sigh

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study-with-reine234 · 3 years

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SWR4-Health2: Sleeping is your POWAH!

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." -Benjamin Franklin.

Sleep is one of the most essential tools of our body. We feel energized, relaxed and prepared for a new day when we are well rested. It is also discouraged to sleep for too long, and to stay up late at night. I'm guilty of staying up late, especially when I got so engrossed with talking with my friends that I don't notice the time anymore. But with my online classes starting, I need to change this habit of staying up late or I'll get into serious trouble with my health.

According to dictionaries, sleep is "a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended." Why is sleep important and what role does it play in the body?

I have read articles that discuss lots about benefits of sleep, but I'll only share a few points by linking it to personal experience.

Sleep improves productivity and concentration.According to Healthline, sleep is vital for our brain to work well and it increases our focus, cognition, work performance and productivity.I remember a time when I stayed up late for a Google Slides presentation for a certain subject. I only had two hours of sleep, and let's just say I didn't feel good after. I can't help but be confused with my fellows who can stay up late and not feel anything bad.

Sleep reduces your stress.Sleep "helps your mind and body relax and recover from your day." (Stibich, 2021) I admit to being cranky and irritated when I don't get my sleep. I highly advise to getting sleep early. If you struggle to sleep like me, I'll give you my own tips on how to get your sleeping hours in line.

Sleep repairs the body.According to Stibich, this period is when our bodies are working with fixing our damaged cells caused by UV rays, stress, and other exposure that will cause harm to our body. Lots of studies show that appearance is directly proportional to the amount of sleep you get.

But now, the question is: How do we get sleep, especially if we all are used to sleeping later?

Let us all note that lack of sleep imposes harm to our body. Our bodies function well if we are well rested.

To get the right amount of sleep, here is what I do:

NO SOCIAL MEDIA minutes or hours before sleep.I am still working on this aspect. Frankly, whatever I advise or explain here is an irony to what I actually do, and I feel guilty. But, on the brighter side, I do my best to work on this tip.

Calming Music.Since I have trouble sleeping because of social media, I look for calming music or classical music that will induce sleep to me. I recommend listening to 3-hour compilations of classical music; it doesn't only promote sleep, it also makes you feel like you are living in some European era. (Is it just me? Let me know in the comments!)

Read a book.If you own a lot of books and haven't read what's stocked up in your shelf, take this piece of advice. Read something boring; it will bore you and make you sleep, or, read only a few chapters (I recommend taking 2-3 chapters a time), then rest.

Now that we've get this over with, start getting your proper rest, and get that productive soul on!

Here are some of the articles I read:

Aswell, S. (2020, August 28). 6 Ways to Maximize Your Beauty Sleep for #WokeUpLikeThis Skin. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/beauty-sleep#Embrace-healthy-sleep-as-a-way-to-healthy-skin

Leech, M. J. S. (2020, February 25). 10 Reasons Why Good Sleep Is Important. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#2.-Good-sleepers-tend-to-eat-fewer-calories

NHS website. (2021, August 12). Why lack of sleep is bad for your health. Nhs.Uk. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-lack-of-sleep-is-bad-for-your-health/

Stibich, M. P. D. (2021, July 20). 10 Top Health Benefits of Sleep. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/top-health-benefits-of-a-good-nights-sleep-2223766

#study tips #study inspiration #studyspo #study hard #studyspiration #studyinspo #study space #student #study blog #home & lifestyle #studywithrei

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