Fathoming the Depths:
Chapter 1
Summary: Haymitch's journey as he begins to understand the when you really don't like something, you can always change it. Starting from The Hunger Games. Rated T.
Disclaimer: I do not, and will not ever own any part of the Hunger Games. I am not that creative, I'm simply using Ms. Collin's characters for the evening.
One last thing. Right now, it is summer, and summer means spending time doing crazy things, that often take up the whole day, and then leave you extremely tired at the end. Therefore, I will not be updating this often, maybe once a week, maybe a little bit more.
Later, school will start, and I will be quite busy with classes, meaning that I will still be quite busy. Either way, sorry.
Finally, some peace and quiet. Ever since Haymitch had left District 12 for the capital, everything had been moving at too fast a pace for the drunk to keep up with. He was looking forward to a good nap.
There was a tapping on the door.
Haymitch groaned and rolled over.
Dear god, why did he ever agree to not drink while these forsaken tributes were still alive. Sure, the girl could clearly fight, and the boy was not completely hopeless, but neither Katniss nor Peeta would ever make it out of these games alive, and he knew it.
If only Effie had not been so insistent that he give them a chance. But he loved her, and if that's what Little Miss Manners wanted, he would consent, if only for one year.
The problem with giving these kids a chance, was that he had to get to know them, at least to some extent, first. Getting to know people you knew were going to die was never an easy thing. He didn't know how Effie had managed it all these years. She had always been the one who did all the work, but some years, even she knew that the crop of tributes was hopeless. Those were the years they got drunk together.
Haymitch had just reached the capital, and he was now in the room he occupied every year during the games.
He got out of bed, and answered the door.
There stood Peeta, the baker's son, and the soon to be sacrifice. What a stupid thing to sacrifice for, a bunch of over-wigged hooligans, led by a freaky albino lion, who goes by the name of Snow.
"What do you what?" Haymitch demanded, not even attempting to be polite. Effie my try to murder him later, but he would ward her off. Either that or she would get bored.
Peeta sighed, "Listen, you really are our lifeline when it comes to these games, and whether you like it or not, we really do need your help." He paused for a moment, "Please let me in."
Well this was a first. Never before in all of Haymitch's long years being a mentor had a tribute ever actually come to him for help. If this was what the next several days were going to be like, he was going to seriously change his habits. Reluctantly, he rolled his eyes, and let the stubborn boy in the room.
Peeta made himself at home at once, and sat down on the unmade bed. This infuriated the drunk more than ever, but he managed to contain himself, thinking that he would make Effie proud, something that very rarely happened these days.
"What do you want to know?" Haymitch gruffly asked, still annoyed at the disturbance, but also secretly curious whatever the boy thought he would get out of asking his supposed mentor for help.
"You told us to stay alive on the train," said Peeta slowly, as if speaking to a small child, "We want to know how to stay alive." Dear god, this kid was going to drive me insane. However, I did have one question.
"We?" Katniss had not exactly struck Haymitch as a "we" kind of person. She was clearly the stronger of the two, and also the more headstrong. Suddenly, he realized something. This was his Hunger Games, all over again. Haymitch was Katniss, and Peeta was Mayslee. He didn't like that; He really did not like that. And the thing that made it all the worse was that Haymitch was banned from drinking. A man can get through anything with good strong liquor.
"Well," Peeta said, bringing Haymitch away from his thoughts, "Actually I would like to know how to stay alive, so I can keep Katniss around for longer."
He stared at Peeta. He wants his competition to win?
"You want her to win?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I know she can, and even you should know he district 12 needs a victor, badly."
Of course he was right, but it still didn't quite add up to why he would want this girl from the Seam to win. Haymitch raised his eyebrows in question, Inviting Peeta to elaborate.
"It's because I'm in love with her."
That was when Haymitch knew what was going to happen. This was just too much like the 50th Hunger Games, the one where he had competed in. The boy in love with the girl, and the girl never knowing. The only difference was that the girls in these Games was far too outspoken, and the boy seemed that way a bit too.
And that was when Haymitch knew what else was going to happen, and there was no doubt in his mind that he was correct. There was going to be a rebellion, and this time, he was going to be part of it.
Well, that's the first chapter. I really hope you all liked it, and if you didn't, whatever, to be honest, I shouldn't be on fanfiction anyway.
By the way, if I don't get any reviews, then I probably won't bother continuing with the story. I think we both know that it is really not all the difficult to click that one little button, and write just a few easy words.
Thanks for reading!