Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, or Mockingjay. I'm not going to repeat this every chapter, this goes for anything posted under this title. I'm merely playing with Suzanne Collins' characters.
Katniss POV
I slowly begin to open my eyes. Looking around I can see that Prim curled up with my mother at some point during the night. I can't blame her. It's her first reaping today. I remember my first reaping, it's a terrifying thing, and it really doesn't get easier as the years continue. Of course, Prim's name is only in once, I'd never allow her to take out tesserae and add her name in more times. Some may call me a hypocrite because I do it, but I will not allow Prim to be in any more danger. I don't have a choice though. Same reason I don't bring Prim to the woods with me, I can't risk her being caught. Not that she could handle it anyway; she's too kind and caring for the woods. I thought the same thing about Peeta the first time I took him out there too. I won't lie, at the time I was hoping he'd never want to go back out there, turns out he's not half bad with a knife and he can skin an animal almost as well as me and better than Gale. Gale hates that. Gale and I are basically masters with a bow and arrow, Peeta never really picked it up. We only have two bows anyway.
I get up and dressed, throwing on my father's hunting jacket last, and head to the bakery to meet up with my unlikely best friend then head to the woods for one more haul before the reaping. I get to the bakery back door, even with Peeta and I's friendship his mother is too much for me to handle. Rye's the one to open the door for me.
"Well, if it's not my favorite little sister. What brings you here bright and early? Let me guess, you just had to see my sweet face before you went to the reaping."
"You got it Rye. I just couldn't help myself." I tell him giving him the biggest eye roll I can muster at the moment. Rye Mellark is really something else. He's the biggest jokester I know and is never in a bad mood. He's ridiculously loyal though. He sees Prim and I as his little sisters. Wheat, the oldest Mellark is the same way. That's why when a boy pulled Prim's hair so hard in the middle of the square one day and she fell down, the boy had about two seconds before Wheat, Rye, Peeta, Gale and I were all over him. It was quite a sight. Seam and merchant don't really mix often in this district and to see the famous Mellark boys go after another merchant to defend a seam girl, well, the town talked for days. You could probably say our friendship is something legendary in 12. You basically never see me, Peeta, or Gale without the other two and more likely than not Rye is tagging along and then sometimes Wheat is there too. Peeta and I are also together the most because we're the same age so we're the same year in school. Gale and Rye are two years older than us and Wheat is two years older than them, turning 20 this past year. Prim is like all of their little sister. Gale's brother and Prim are close too but Gale's siblings don't usually hang out with us.
"I knew it. Hey, where's lil bit? She doing okay this morning?" Of course he's worried about Prim. We all are.
"She's still fast asleep and I hope she stays that way for a while. What about you? Last year, you excited?"
"As great as not being in the bowl will be you know I won't rest easy until Peeta, Prim, and you are all out." This is probably one of the nicest things Rye has ever said to me.
"Thanks Rye. Alright big brother, where's Peeta?" I see a blonde head around the corner but by the height I can tell its Wheat.
"I can see you you know."
"Of course you can" Wheat starts "why would I even try to sneak up on the great huntress of District 12?"
"You're full of it Wheat. Seriously, I've got to get out there so I can feed Prim and my mother, where's Peeta?"
"I'm here, I'm here!" And there's my favorite blonde of the bunch.
"Come on slow poke, we need to get out there. You know how patient Gale is and today is usually worse."
"I'm not looking forward to hearing his ranting either. Let's get out of here. Wheat and Rye I'll be home later. Oh wait the bread. Dad gave me a loaf for the squirrel from last night and then another one because today is well, today." Peeta grabs the loaves and we head to the woods.
We laugh and joke the whole way there. It's an odd sight to see on reaping day but it's just not possible to be in a bad mood around Peeta. He's too good. Plus, for the past two years my heart has started to beat a little faster around him. I know what this means, I may not be a normal girl, but I'm still a girl non-the-less. Prim figured it out when it was first starting and has been nagging me to tell him how I feel but I won't. First off because it absolutely terrifies me. I see what love did to my mother. And the second reason, and the stronger of the two is that there is no way that Peeta would ever feel that way about me. He's always around me which means that I see the looks girls are always giving him. He could have any girl in this district without a problem. I don't really have any girl friends because of this. I may only have feelings for Peeta but it's not like I don't know that all three brothers and Gale are extremely handsome. You'd have to be blind not to see it. I once had a girl ask me how I managed to keep myself surrounded by gorgeous guys all the time. She was tentatively dating Wheat at the time. She tried implying that I was sleeping with them for them to keep hanging out with "seam trash" like me. Needless to say eventually Wheat found out what she said to me and the relationship was over immediately. It was three years ago but the girl still gives me dirty looks when she sees me in town. Losing a shot with one of the bakers sons is a good enough reason for a grudge in this town. The only female friend I've managed to keep is Madge and we're nowhere near as close as I am with my boys. I honestly think she has a crush on Gale and I think he may even like her too but with her not only being a merchant, but the major's daughter and Gale being seam it's a little complicated.
We've made it to the fence and duck under to meet Gale at our rock.
"Hey Catnip. Pete." Gale can't seem to call us by our real names. Peeta's name is just because he knows it gets under his skin, my name has more of a story. When I first met Gale and he asked my name I barely even whispered it so he thought I had said Catnip and it was just worse when a lynx started following me around the woods. It really stuck after that.
"Gale." Peeta and I say in unison. Peeta pulls out the loaves of bread and I pull some cheese Prim left for us out of my pocket.
"Look what Prim left for us." We always try to eat before we go in for a long hunt.
"Thank you Prim" Gale starts, "we'll have a real feast. Oh, I almost forgot Happy Hunger Games" and I know what's coming next. We've done this every reaping since I turned 12. He switches his voice to imitate Effie Trinket, our district escort, "And may the odds-"he throws the berry high in the air for me to catch.
"-be ever in your favor." I finish in the same voice. You'd think with me being a girl I'd be better at it but Gale has me beat. The three of us share a laugh, because that's better than being scared and those are the only two options. I look at my two best friends and I can only hope we'll be sitting right here again tomorrow morning. Gale and I could be sibling we look so much alike. Peeta is the odd ball when it's just us three. His blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin contrast Gale and I's brown hair, grey eyes, and olive skin. Prim matches Peeta though, I look like my father.
Gale slices the bread and the three of us settle in with our bread and cheese, one of them on either side of me. It's no secret that they originally disliked each other. They were only originally friends because of me. They eventually hashed out whatever their problem was though, not that they ever told me, thankfully and while their not as close to each other as they are with me they're still friends.
"How many times is your name in today?" I ask Gale quietly.
"42." He answers simply. Peeta says quite for this part of the discussion. It's no secret that he's no in as much danger as Gale and I are. Gale even more than me. Peeta has never had to put his name in extra times like we have. It's not Peeta's fault of course and I don't hold it over him, Gale used to but doesn't anymore, Peeta had no control over being born in town any more than we did over being born in the seam. That's not to say that Gale doesn't still hold it over everyone other than the Mellark boys. Baby steps really.
"You?" He asks.
"22."
"We could do it you know. Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. We'd make it." Gale tells me. This isn't the first time he's brought this up.
"Gale, you know we can't. There's too many of us. Not to mention they'd find us." Peeta shifts uncomfortably. I'm sure he's wondering if we'd bring him with us. It's crazy to even think about though.
"Maybe not. If we didn't have so many kids that is." It's true though. Between Vick, Rory, Posy, and Prim we'd never make it. Plus my mother would be a pain. I can feel Peeta rubbing my back now, knowing this is starting to get to me.
"I'm never having kids" I say, maybe a little more bitter than I meant to. Peeta's hand pauses briefly then continues his circles.
"I might, if I didn't live here." Gale states plainly.
"But you do live here" I say getting a little frustrated. This is crazy. More mouths to feed? More children to feed to the Capital? Not happening. "Let's just hunt and stop talking complete madness. You want kids, I'm sure you'll find someone to have your kids, until then let's focus on feeding the kids we have now." And with that I get up and start our snare line. Peeta and Gale share a look and then get up to follow me. Peeta used to be way too loud in the woods. His footsteps were too heavy. Gale eventually taught him how to be more quite about it. Rye and Wheat never decided to try and come to the woods, they were too scared. It's one of the few things I can hold over Rye's head.
We do well enough. Our snares had done well, I took down a few animals along with Gale, we found a whole bag of greens and Peeta found an entire gallon of strawberries. We start the trek out of the woods and to the Hob. This is the one thing Peeta doesn't do with us, trade. One reason is that he doesn't need to and his mother beat him the one time that he did join us, the other is that there are a few people who give us horrible deals if Peeta is around because he's from town, as if Gale and I somehow get a share of his wealth. They couldn't be more wrong. So while Gale and I head to the Hob Peeta heads back to the bakery after giving me a long hug and telling Gale bye. We enter the black market and make our rounds. We trade with Greasy Sae, and while we don't get the best deals with her we try to keep on good terms with her. She's the only one who will always buy wild dog. We don't shot wild dogs on purpose, but if we get attacked we don't hesitate. She jokes about calling it beef once it's in the soup. Not that any of the seam people would turn their nose at it, but there are Peacekeepers that come here who can afford to be a bit pickier.
From the Hob we head to the mayor's house with our strawberries. He likes them, gives a good price, and I wouldn't mind seeing Madge before the reaping. She's another one I don't really have to worry about too much. She doesn't have to enter extra times either.
"Pretty dress" Gale tells Madge when she answers the door. I have to hide my smile. It is a pretty white dress, but Gale doesn't know that. He's just trying to pay her a compliment. No one else would be able to tell, they'd think he was being sarcastic, but I know Gale well. He just doesn't know how else to be. Madge being Madge thanks him, but surprises even me when she throws back at him, "Well, if I end up going to the Capital I want to look nice don't I?"
"Yeah, you're not going to the Capital. I had more slips my first year than you have now." And with that Gale starts to walk away. Like I said baby steps. I look at Madge who looks a little surprised. I roll my eyes to show her he's just being Gale then wish her luck, she returns it and then I'm off after Gale. We don't say anything while we walk to the seam. It's a great contrast from when I walked this same way earlier with Peeta, but Peeta and Gale has always been different. When we get closer to our homes we divide what we have left.
"See you in the square," I tell him.
"Wear something pretty," he jokes with no humor.
When I get home I can see that Prim and my mother have already gotten ready. Prim is wearing what I wore to my first reaping. It doesn't exactly fit her, but my mother has made it work using a few pins here and there. I smile at them and then walk to the bathroom to take a bath myself. I scrub the woods off of me, as well as the coal dust that settles over everything in our district.
I see a blue dress from my mother merchant days waiting for me when I exit the bath.
"Are you sure?" I ask her. Our relationship hasn't been the same since my father died. After she went into a cationic state leaving me and Prim to stave as well as leaving me to raise Prim at the age of 11. I did it of course, but it wasn't easy.
"Of course. Let's put your hair up too." She replies. I let her.
"You look beautiful" Prim tells me.
"Not as beautiful as you Little Duck, but you better tuck in that tail." I tell her while I tuck the back of her shirt it where it came out. She quacks at me and it's ridiculously cute. I look up and see that it's now time to head to the square.
When we get to the square it's easy to see that they've cleaned it up just for today. It's almost a waste; everyone knows we're the poorest district. For once the square is also silent. There is none of the noise that they're usually is, kids playing and teenagers laughing, adults catching up on town news and gossip. There none of that, only the sounds of everyone filing in. I start looking for Peeta, Gale, and Rye when we get there. I spot the two blondes up ahead and we walk a little faster and catch up with them. Peeta gives me a quick smile and Rye grabs my hand and squeezes it then they both give Prim a hug. Rye seems to debate something and them hugs me too. We don't usually hug, honestly Peeta and Prim are the only people I hg regularly but I get that he's nervous right now. I spot Gale but it's time to line up. I meet up with all the girls in my age group. We all nod at each other and then focus on the stage where our fate will soon be decided. I turn and find Gale and Rye standing next to each other I give them both a nod and then find Peeta. He smiles at me and I do my best to return it.
There are three chairs on the stage, one for the mayor, one for our only living Victor, Haymitch Abernathy, and one for our district escort, Effie Trinket. She's also the one who will lead most of the reaping and will be the one who actually pulls the names out of the two huge glass bowls that sit on either side of the stage. Effie has a pink wig on her head this year, with an ugly spring green suit. It honestly doesn't even match.
At exactly two the mayor begins his speech that he gives every year. It's the same word for word. All about the Dark Days and rebuilding and about the Hunger Games. He calls Haymitch's name and he comes out, beyond drunk, and stumbles into his chair. Next up is the always excited Effie Trinket.
"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor,' she starts. I flash a quick smile at Gale, remembering our tradition. She tells us how honored she is to be here and we all know she's lying through her teeth. She wants a better district. No doubt. Then it's time for her to pull names.
"Ladies first." I have the 5 seconds that it takes her to reach the bowl to worry about myself and very briefly Prim. She doesn't call my name, but how I wish she would have. Oh I really, really wish she would have called my name, because instead of calling me she called the one person I love more than anyone in this world. She called Primrose Everdeen. I can't look anywhere but at Prim. I know that my mother faintly screamed. I know that Wheat has no doubt made his way to her to help keep her together. I know that Rye and Gale have shared a look or rage, and I know that Peeta's eyes are solely on me. I don't have to look away to see these things because I know them all so well, but I do have to watch Prim because this is not okay. She's too gentle, too kind. She'll never survive, and there's no way I'm letting Prim die. Not when all I've done for years is try to keep her alive.
My feet are moving before I even realize that they are. Not Prim, anyone but Prim. By the time she gets to the aisle I'm behind her.
"Prim!" I shout and start towards her. I can see Peacekeepers heading towards me so I speed up. It takes me only seconds to sweep her behind me. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Again, I know everyone's reaction without looking at them, relief that Prim's not going in and sadness realizing that I am, I also know that none of them, not even Prim is surprised that I'm doing this. Effie proves she's from the Capital by murmuring about protocols and looking at the mayor. He waves her off and tells me to come up. When I start to move my foot Prim stats screaming, and I mean screaming with everything she's got. Yelling no over and over again, she has to realize that the only way for me not to go is for her to and that's going to happen over my dead body. Pun not intended. We know in District 12 that this is a death sentence. I want to cry thinking of never seeing my family again, both the blood one and the one made up of me and my boys, but now is not the time. I can hear Prim's screams all the way to the stage, mainly because the rest of the square is silent. Volunteers don't happen in outlying districts and I'm certainly District 12's first ever.
The mayor looks at me with a pained expression. We may not really know each other, but I am his daughter's only friend and he knows as well as I do that I'm not coming back. I take my place on the stage but I can't bring myself to look at anyone I know. I'll cry if I do, that I know for sure. I barely hear Effie ask me my name but I do manage to respond. She says something about not letting Prim have all the honor and it's all I can do to keep my face straight, let alone keep my hand from making contact with her face. I want her to hurry and pull the boy name so I can get off this damn stage and get everyone's eyes off me, but at the same time I'm dreading it. Two things today has taught me is that the odds are not in my favor and that no one is safe. Where I was really only worried about Gale, now I'm worried for Peeta and Rye too. I can't imagine going into the Games with any of the three of them, it would be the hardest thing I'd ever have to do, and that is saying something. During my inner musings it seems that Effie has picked her name because she's now walking towards me and the microphone. I watch her unfold the paper because it's easier than looking in the crowd where I know at least six pairs of eyes are trying to make contact with me. She reads the name and I can't do anything to help the strangled whimper that leaves my throat. Out of every boy in the district she had to choose him. Honestly, anyone would have been better than him. The crowd is now murmuring because everyone in our district knows of our friendship; everyone makes jokes about how we never do anything apart so it's almost funny that Peeta Mellark's name was called to be my district partner. But like I said, it's only almost.
Author's Note: This is going to be somewhat canon and is going to go through Mockingjay. I want to look at this story if Katniss and Peeta went through this as more of a team. Katniss will still be Katniss but will be more open to Peeta. I'm excited about this and I hope you are too.
-the2ndstarsister
