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hungergamesheadcanons · 5 months

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Rockin Around The Christmas Tree

*Set in an alternate universe where Katniss and Peeta were in the 73rd Hunger Games, and thus got to experience Christmas with the Victors. Not canon at all, just silly fluff.*

Katniss didn't want to be here.

Christmas wasn't a big thing in District 12 - at least, not for those in the Seam. They had the period from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day out of the mines, spending time with family, and if they had the means a family would try and save what food they could so that everyone could go to sleep with full stomachs on Christmas, but that was the extent of it. But even though it wasn't a big deal in 12, she'd prefer to be there than here.

As it was, herself and Peeta were stuck in some upscale bar, Katniss holding a glass of vibrant pink liquid that was practically thrust upon her and Peeta holding a bright yellow drink that smelt so strongly of lemon his eyes were watering. Neither had purchased these drinks - they hadn't been able to say no.

They were starting to learn that about the Capitol. There was no saying no to these guys, Haymitch had told them what had happened when he did. He had told them that they were lucky about their angle, the whole 'star-crossed lovers' thing - that they were more attractive together than separate.

Katniss didn't want to know what that meant.

She took a sip of the drink in her hand, resisting the urge to spit it out. It was too sweet, a sickly strawberry flavour that clung to her tongue and coated her mouth in a horrible sort of sugary film. Either it was the taste or watching the Capitol man place a hand on the small of Finnick Odair's back, slipping too low to be casual but too high to be noticed that caused her to want to spit it out. She watched Odair's sultry smile falter a little bit, before resuming it's place on his face even as his eyes seemed to dull a little. Johanna Mason seemed to stare daggers at the Capitol man from across the room, knuckles white around the stem of her glass. It was almost appropriate that her drink was blood red, and Katniss watched as she expertly manoeuvred through the crowd and pulled Odair away with a quick murmur in his ear.

Mason was skilled at making herself the bad guy instead of Odair, as the Capitol's golden boy made what sounded like sincere apologies, even though Katniss could make out the emotions in his eyes from a mile away. The sheer amount of 'please get me out of here' radiating from them was almost overwhelming. Mason led him out of the room, leaving those behind to mumble angrily about her abducting their plaything despite the fact they'd never confront her.

That was another thing she had been forced to confront about the Capitol, she mused, taking another sip of her drink as Peeta was drawn into a conversation with a Capitol lady. That the Victors weren't who they were told they were.

She hadn't met anyone well enough yet to consider them friendly - well, besides Haymitch - but she had time to observe how they interacted before she was due to mentor her first tributes. Odair in particular was rarely around, Haymitch telling her that he had a lot of clients (and if that meant what Katniss thought it meant, she would genuinely be sick). She had thought him to be a degenerate, chasing sex with everyone and everything that moved. That was what the districts said about Odair, but she was starting to see otherwise. Sure, he was flirty, a little inappropriate, and made awkward propositions sometimes, but little flickers in his demeanour made her realise that it was his persona - the mask he was forced to develop to survive in the Capitol. Like her and Peeta with the star-crossed lovers, or Haymitch's lovable drunkard persona.

Mason was another Victor with a mask too, the mask of the unflappable killer. She trailed Odair when he was around almost like a protective older sister, even though she was two years younger than him. When he seemed to falter, or someone was getting a little too handsy, she'd step in scowling and pull him off to god knows where. He always seemed so much smaller than Mason in those moments, even though Katniss knew that were the two of them to fight, Odair would come on top in brute strength alone.

A familiar boozy scent met her nostrils, and both she and Peeta turned to see Haymitch behind them. The Capitol lady who had been talking to Peeta had long since disappeared, leaving the two lovers nursing their not-so-pleasant drinks.

"Hate to break up your love-fest," he drawled, smirking a little as the two of them flushed. They had forgotten to be entranced with each other, and they guiltily made eye contact before looking back at Haymitch.

"Sorry," Peeta grinned sheepishly, "It's... overwhelming. The loudness... We've never been anywhere like it."

Thank God for Peeta's quick mind - any Capitol bugs listening in would be able to attribute their awkwardness to the new situation, not the 'star-crossed lovers' having relationship problems.

"Honestly that's fair enough." Haymitch's voice was surprisingly clear, and Katniss was suspicious. "What's to say we get out of here? I'm getting tired of this place and technically I can't let you two go wandering on your own yet."

Translation: I want to tell you or show you something, but don't want the people around you to know about it yet.

"Sure," Katniss found herself agreeing, gratefully leaving her glass behind and standing up. She wobbled a little in the big heels she'd been forced into, before regaining her balance. "I could do with some fresh air anyway. It's stifling in here."

And so they left, wandering around a building Katniss couldn't remember the name of for a couple of minutes before leaving and crossing the street to the hotel. When they entered the lift, she watched Haymitch press the penthouse button, and they started to ascend.

"Y'know," he suddenly started, "Christmas time is the one day a year Snow allows most of the Victors to have a clear schedule. No buyers."

"Oh really?" Peeta asked, while Katniss struggled over the word buyers.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, "So Mags - the older lady from District 4 - started this little... I dunno, tradition? It's tradition if it's 9 years? Anyway, the Victors get together for a sort of Christmas do. Think it started because she felt bad for Finnick to be honest - at least with the others they were all of age before they..." He trailed off, fingers flexing for a bottle that wasn't there before he continued. "Either way we do a little Christmas thing but it's a secret. Should anyone else find out and try to intervene, I can't imagine anyone would be impressed."

They didn't have time for more questions, as the lift doors opened to pure chaos.

"Goddamnit Odair, give me the star!" Mason was yelling, standing on her tiptoes as Odair held an elegant golden star high above his head. Unlike what he was wearing earlier - barely anything, a red sash tied around his waist with furry white lining, a red fishnet top and Santa hat - he was covered head to toe, a soft white jumper, blue jeans and comfortable slippers. The only hint of Christmas was a ridiculous Christmas hat - some sort of dancing turkey, and his sultry smile was completely gone, replaced by a wide dimpled grin as he laughed hysterically.

Mason had also ditched her tight purple dress, opting for black leggings and a loose green t-shirt. She was barefoot, manicured nails grasping for the star that Odair just kept moving slightly out of reach.

Katniss found herself being shepherded toward a soft blue couch, sinking gratefully into the cushions as she took off those godforsaken heels. A low chuckle could be heard, and she turned to see the old woman from District 4 - Mags, she recalled - smiling amicably at her. Katniss couldn't quite make out what the woman was saying, but from the way a cup of hot chocolate was thrust into her hands she could tell they were on the same page. Katniss thanked her gratefully, taking a swing of the warm drink as she observed.

There were a couple of other Victors there that she recognised, she mused as Peeta plopped down beside her. Haymitch was in the corner talking to a couple of victors from eleven, Chaff and Seeder if she remembered their names correctly. Obviously Odair and Mason were still play-fighting over the star, and two Victors were sat at a large table, having a hushed conversation.

"I recognise them," Peeta murmured to her, and it took everything in her not to jump as his arm wound around her waist. "Beetee and Wiress, District 3 I believe? Very smart, probably worth getting to know them."

"Can't hurt," She murmured back, sipping her drink again, "Probably better than getting to know Odair an-"

"ACK! JOHANNA!"

All heads in the room whirled to see Finnick bent in half, one of Johanna's manicured hands buried in his underarm as he cackled manically. She herself had a wicked grin on her face, practically pushing him in the wall.

"Give me the star, Odair! It has to go on the goddamn tree!"

"I WAHAS - AAAAA! MAGS! MAGS SHE'S BULLYING MEEEE!!!"

"Get him Johanna, get him!" Cheered a District 1 victor - Cashmere? Katniss vaguely recalled. Her brother, Gloss, seemed to just be laughing at the chaos in front of him, a bottle of beer snug in his hands.

In the madness, no one noticed Haymitch stepping over the squabbling kids - for that was what they were really, just kids chasing their childhood that was stolen from them - to pick up the fallen star as Johanna abandoned her quest in favour of tickling Finnick to tears. He presented it to the two newest Victors, gesturing at the tree impatiently.

"Go on then, sweetheart."

And so, the first time Katniss put the star on the Christmas tree, she had Peeta's arms on her waist, lifting her up to the top of the tree, and plenty of laughter and joking behind her.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

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