Oneshot, AU, I don't really know where this idea came from - probably when Peeta gets to act like a badass, and lays the law down in Catching Fire, that Katniss and Haymitch need to get their acts together. But, I feel like this isn't a huge stretch, and if Peeta wasn't getting mind-fucked by the Capitol, he might've reacted to Katniss'...active participation like this. Also, I have a deep love for Haymitch. Let me know what you think, reviews, good, bad, and ugly, all make my day.
M, because Peeta drops the F word.
Suzanne Collins, again, gets the credit. Because she writes some awesome books.
The End of the Beginning
"Where do you think you're going?"
Her back tensed; she should've heard him come into the room, usually he stomps around like an elephant. Figures this is the one time he would tread quietly.
She felt indignant, that he should make her feel like she was being caught doing something naughty. She wasn't a child after all.
"Don't play stupid Peeta, you know perfectly well I have every right-"
He slammed his hand against the table, so hard it actually startled her.
"No."
"What do you mean 'no'. You aren't my father, you aren't in charge of me. So get out of the way."
"Oh yes, please Katniss, by all means go and get yourself shot, blown up, guillotined. Any of the above, or perhaps all three sound appealing to you?"
"Don't be dramatic." She deadpanned.
"And don't be an idiot. You're the most wanted person in Panem, you think it's a good idea to go walking around, shooting arrows at the Capitol? Does that seem like a good survival strategy?"
"There are more important things than surviving, Peeta. It doesn't matter if we all live, because what are we living for? For the Capitol to send our kids to butcher each other for sport? To spend the rest of forever in fear? Sometimes people have to be sacrificed. That's a risk I am willing to take, and it's my choice to take it."
Peeta's face looked unmoved. "Stop spewing Mockingjay at me. I'm not another District rebel you need to woo. I know what's at stake, and you know we aren't short on man power. This rebellion you're so ready to die for; well you're the symbol for it Katniss. You're what everyone is rallying around. And I don't think that will be quite the same over a corpse."
"At least Plutarch would be happy. She might even crack a smile."
"This isn't a fucking joke."
"No. It's a war."
He looked at her, measuring with his eyes. Before she had even blinked he threw her over his shoulder, carrying her down the stairs, into a room she didn't even know existed.
It was set up similarly to the ones in District 13; sterile, underground, two sets of bunks lining one wall.
As she raised her elbow to deal a blow to Peeta's shoulder, he threw her onto a bunk bed.
Katniss sputtered with anger, explicatives rolling out from under her breath.
"Easy sweetheart, you haven't even been here a minute." She looked up to see Haymitch peering down at her from the top bunk. His breath reeked of alcohol, and she heard something sloshing in his other hand.
"Enjoy." Peeta said, turning out of the room.
The door shut with a resounding clank.
"Turns out we're going to be rooming together. I drew the short straw and get to watch you. Again."
Katniss got up, without addressing his last remark, and tried the door. Shaking it, slamming her shoulder against it, even throwing a plate.
"That one was yours." Haymitch commented dryly as it smashed to the floor, not even denting the door. "And I would stop bothering, that's some premium alloy metal, you're never getting through it."
She sat down huffily on the bed. "When Gale finds out…"
Haymitch laughed, took a drink, and burped. "Who do you think stocked the place up with dried meat?" He gestured to the supply closest she hadn't noticed earlier.
So even Gale had betrayed her. She had expected this type of stunt from Peeta. But Gale…Gale understood how she wanted to fight, needed to fight, to help. Or so she had thought. But now it was over for her, she was going to be kept here for the fighting. Everything she had worked for...well for her, this revolution was ending.
She banged her head against the wall, and much to her annoyance, Haymitch laughed.
"Go to hell." She told him.
"Been there for a while now, sweetheart."