Last Time in Damaged, Broken, and Unhinged:

I let out a deep breath and sag against the walls of Haymitch's house, emotionally drained.

"He's mean," Aven says.

I scoop my brother up and give him a hug. "Yes, he is mean." I pause, a little smile tickling the corners of my mouth. "But he didn't say no."

oOo

Damaged, Broken, and Unhinged
by RoseFyre & FanficAllergy

oOo

Chapter Sixteen: Blood, Sweat, & Respect

oOo

"Blood, sweat, & respect. First two you give, last one you earn."
― The Rock

oOo

I still haven't heard anything from Haymitch by the time Monday rolls around. He's had two days to think; that's enough. If I give him too much more of a lead, he's liable to run away entirely. I need to press my advantage while I can.

I spend the morning ignoring the teacher and rehearsing what I'm going to say to Haymitch. Nothing sounds right. So I make up my mind to ask Delly and Thom what they think during lunch.

When I get to the lunchroom, I note that our usual spot has multiplied by two. Nata and Peeta are there, Nata looking decidedly uncomfortable while, from the set of Peeta's shoulders and the lack of bread balls in front of him, he's much more relaxed.

I slide up, taking my usual seat next to Thom.

"Katniss!" Delly greets as soon as she sees me. "I was wondering if you were going to appear! Look who's joined us!" She holds out her hands to Nata as if she's some kind of present. And if I didn't know Delly as well as I do now, I would think that she meant it that way.

Instead, I take the greeting for what it really is: a subtle warning to play nice. Delly doesn't need to worry; I might not like the Merchant girl, but I have no plans to antagonize her. "Nice to see you, Nata," I greet. "We've missed you," I say, turning to Peeta. "Lunch isn't quite the same without you." Peeta ate with us when Nata was out sick, but I don't know if she knows that.

"I've missed you guys too." Then he flinches, as if realizing that he'd said the wrong thing. Plus, it's a lie. For all I know, he's flinching because he lied to his girlfriend. "I'm glad Nata suggested we have lunch with you today." He's clearly trying to diffuse the situation.

Part of me is amused, but another part of me wants to help. I just don't know how.

I must not be the only one, because Delly pipes in with, "Oh I'm so glad that you did too! So, how is everybody's essay coming along? I swear I am getting absolutely stuck on-"

I let out a loud groan. "There she goes again, talking about that essay. It's essay this and essay that all day long!"

"Hasn't changed, huh?" Peeta says with a wink and a grin, letting Delly know that he's just teasing.

"Nope."

"Well fine," Delly huffs, playing along. "I can tell that I'm the only one who's actually interested in getting an all-access pass to the Capitol. When I win the prize, I'll just forget to bring you back any souvenirs."

"Now Dels," Thom says, wrapping an arm around her, "I want to make it incredibly clear that I, your boyfriend, am not the one giving you grief over this essay."

"Thank you." Then her eyes narrow and a hint of a sly smile appears. "So, Thom, how's your essay going?"

I can't help it. I snort. "Thom? Write an essay? Are you out of your mind? You'll be lucky if he just turns in something that says 'I do this because the Capitol made me' however many times it takes to get to a thousand words."

"You know," Thom says, putting a hand to his chin and stroking the stubble there, "that's a really good idea. Thanks, Katniss."

"Dang it." I lean over to Peeta. "I knew I shouldn't have told him my strategy."

"That's what you get, Katniss. Now you'll have to find something else to do. Like actually write the essay." Peeta's tone is teasing, and he taps my shoulder in a friendly manner.

I snort. "When am I going to have time to write an essay? I barely have enough time as it is, what with trying to find a job and all."

"Job? Not just an apprenticeship?" Delly says, sitting upright. "What happened with Darius?"

Thom leans over and whispers in her ear loud enough for us to hear, "You aren't supposed to know about Darius."

"Oh, whatever!" She waves him off. "Haven't you figured out by now that I know everything?"

"It's okay," I say, remembering Delly's revelation about her older brother's blood father. "I don't mind. Besides, I told Darius no."

"Good for you!" Delly chirps.

"Are you sure that's a smart idea?" Thom asks in the same instant.

"Probably not," I answer Thom, "but I think it's for the best."

The worry on Thom's face doesn't disappear, but I know he's remembering what I told him about Donaldson, because he nods slowly and doesn't object any more in front of the group. Unfortunately, I sense a long talking to later. I'm half looking forward to it.

"So where are you trying to get a job?" Delly wants to know.

"I've tried a bunch of places." I tick them off on my fingers. "Sae's, Ripper, a bunch of places in the Hob, but they're all family owned businesses. I also tried in town, like the butcher's and the greengrocer's. When that didn't work, I tried looking for an apprenticeship, but...no luck."

Delly and Thom nod, remembering what I told them last week.

"I even asked Cray if he knew anyone who was looking for a housekeeper. But an actual housekeeper, not a housekeeper with benefits. Unfortunately, the only people he knew of were Peacekeepers, and well…" I trail off, not feeling the need to answer. Everyone here knows how I feel about Peacekeepers.

"Are you really all that surprised?" Thom asks.

"Kind of. I would've thought that Cray would've known if the Capitol people needed housekeepers." People like the mine engineers, or the clerks that work in the Justice Building like the tesserae clerk or the marriage registrar or the housing authority. There's lots of Capitol people in Twelve, I'm sure some of them need someone to cook or clean for them.

"They don't, but they do," Delly answers before Thom can say anything. "We get a couple of them in at the shop. Broken heels, missing bejeweled bows, things like that. Apparently the Capitol people get the first year Peacekeepers as their servants. Supposedly to teach them their place or something like that. The Fledges, that's what they're called, I've talked to seemed pretty nice, but frustrated I think is the right word."

"Where do they even live?" Thom asks.

"You know those sort of fancy houses behind the barracks on the Peacekeeper base?"

"Yeah," he says with a nod. "I assumed the, you know, Peacekeeper bigwigs lived there. Or when all those Capitol people show up for the Victory Tour."

"Well, you're part right. That's definitely where everybody stays for the tour. But all of the Peacekeeper bigwigs live in town. Remember Cray?"

Thom grimaces, his eyes darting to me apologetically. "Oh yeah. Right. Duh."

"At least now I know not to bother trying," I say, still a little disappointed that what I thought was a good option isn't even on the table. "I'm hoping Haymitch will come through."

"Haymitch?" The group stares at me.

"Who in their right mind would hope for Haymitch?" Thom asks, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "The guy's a drunk."

"I know. Have you seen his house?"

"No. I make it a point not to go to Victor's Village."

Crap! I forgot about Thom's sister. The one who died before I even met him. I wince a little internally at my mistake.

"That place is creepy," Delly agrees, not noticing my gaffe. "All those empty houses? Why, it's like living in a ghost town." She shivers.

I can't let Thom's feelings or Delly's fears keep me from my goal. "Well, Haymitch has money, and Haymitch needs someone to take care of it. I volunteer as tribute."

"Katniss!" Delly says, scandalized. "I can't believe you said that! You're so bad!" She gives my arm a little nudge.

"What? Someone's got to clean up that mess. I might as well get paid for it. Do you really want our lone Victor to pop off because he's gone and fallen on a discarded liquor bottle?"

"Couldn't do any harm," Thom says. "Not like he could do any worse."

"The man's got a point," Peeta agrees.

"Well maybe, just maybe, if he had somebody taking care of him, and taking care of his house, he might be in good enough shape to actually, I don't know, get sponsors. And unless you guys can come up with anything better, I don't want to hear it." I point to everybody in the group and suddenly realize Nata's been here the whole time. I got so wrapped up in the banter between the four of us that I forgot she even existed.

From the look on her face, she knows she's been forgotten. Her eyes flick to Peeta and their pale blue turns to ice.

I feel sorry for my friend when she gets him alone later.

To hopefully smooth things over so that Peeta doesn't get yelled at too much, I turn to the rest of the group and ask, "What's everyone doing this weekend?"

There's a bunch of shrugs.

"It's Monday," Delly says as if it explains their lack of plans.

In a way, it does. We don't plan ahead much before our last Reaping. There doesn't seem to be a point when in an instant your name could come out of that bowl and all of your plans melt away like ice in the sun. "So I was thinking, after I bug Haymitch into giving me a job tonight, that this weekend we should collect maple syrup. I saw at least twenty sugar maples in the Victor's Village on my way to Haymitch's house. Knowing the Capitol, there's probably more. And I bet they've never been tapped."

"Won't we get into trouble?" Delly asks, biting her lip.

"I don't see how we could. They're inside the fence, and you said it, Delly. It's not like anyone's living in those houses except for Haymitch, and he's got apple and pear trees."

"Still…"

"I'd like to go," Nata pipes up. "Assuming I'm invited."

I didn't really mean to include her, but I did bring it up in front of her. "Of course you are. And we'll split the syrup equally among everybody who helps." In the back of my mind, I'm counting Prim in as well, as long as we can find someone to watch Aven.

"So what do we need?" Thom wants to know.

A slow grin spreads across my face. "I thought you'd never ask."

oOo

As promised, I make the long trek to Haymitch's house after school. Aven's with me, partially because I want to keep Hazelle off the scent, but mostly because, for some reason, I consider the little boy a good luck charm. Like the only reason I got somewhere with Haymitch on Friday was because I had my baby brother with me.

I can hear Haymitch moving around as soon as I step onto the porch. The sound of clinking glass and swearing is unmistakable.

I knock on the door, and for the first time since I've been coming here, he opens it without me having to knock again. He's holding an open bottle of liquor, but he doesn't look fully drunk. On his way for sure, but not there yet.

"You again."

"Yup." I restrain my brother from pounding on the door frame.

Haymitch takes a pull from the bottle in his hand. "Thought I was rid of you."

"Nope. You haven't given me an answer yet."

"Yeah I did." Another pull followed by a belch. "I said I'd think about it."

"And?"

"I'm still thinkin'."

Letting go of Aven's hand, I cross my arms and look at him.

Aven mimics my stance.

Haymitch looks down at him, raising an eyebrow. "What're you lookin' at, pipsqueak?"

"You stink." Aven sniffs, making a disgusted face.

Haymitch pulls his shirt away from his chest and sniffs. "You're right."

My arms still crossed, I look at Haymitch like he's Aven's age and refusing to put on his coat. "I bet you haven't taken a bath in weeks."

"You're right too."

"It's because your bathtub's filled with alcohol bottles, isn't it?"

He shrugs. "Maybe. Might be filled with clothes. Or some other junk."

"The point is you can't take a bath in it."

Gesturing with the liquor bottle, he says, "Got more than one bathroom."

"And how many of their tubs are filled with stuff?"

"I'd have to check. Wait one mo-" He starts to turn.

My hand shoots out to bar the door from closing. "Oh no you don't. You're not getting away that easy."

"Yeah!" Aven says, tugging on Haymitch's pants. "No runnin' away!"

"What're you gonna do, little Career? You gonna catch me?" There's a warmth in Haymitch's voice that surprises me. I'm not used to the gruff Victor being gentle like he is with my brother.

"Yup."

"You gonna kill me?"

Aven shakes his head. "Nuh uh. I'm too little. I'll've Katniss do it."

Haymitch eyes me with some interest. "You will, huh? Think you can take me?"

"In your condition? I know I can." I'm not even boasting. The man's leaning against the doorjamb like it's the only reason why he's staying vertical. I can smell the white liquor on his breath and emanating from his pores, and the bottle he's holding is only a quarter full, if that. It wouldn't be much of a fight. "So what's your answer?"

"'Bout what?"

"You paying me to be your housekeeper." He's like a child. A stubborn, recalcitrant child. Thankfully, I've got experience with those in spades thanks to Aven and Prim.

His eyes narrow. "You're just going to keep bugging me until I say yes, aren't you?"

"If you're smart enough to figure that out, then you're smart enough to know what the answer you should be giving me is," I tell him, not willing to acknowledge that if he told me no, I'd be stuck.

"Fine." He takes a swig. "You've convinced me. You're hired." He leans forward, his fetid breath blowing into my face. "Are you happy now?"

There's something in the way he says it that has me immediately on edge. "What are you expecting from your housekeeper?" If he says sex, I'm walking.

"How the fuck should I know?" He waves the bottle and I have to duck so he doesn't accidentally hit me. "You're the one who wanted the job. I dunno, do whatever housekeepers do! Cook, clean, laundry. If you want to make me real happy, you could buy me a bottle of white liquor every day and that'd be it!"

That doesn't sound too bad. "I'd need money for that. Money not coming out of my salary."

"Whatever."

"Speaking of salary, I want twenty five coin a week." It's a starting bid. I don't expect him to accept; after all, that's more than they pay in the mines. Mines pay a hundred a month. This is a hundred coin a year more. That should be enough for a nest egg.

"Done," he says with a belch.

I struggle not to blink; I expected him to bargain me down. Crap! I should've asked for more! "Do you mind if I bring my brother?"

Haymitch glances back at the broken bottles strewn across his floor. "This ain't any place for a kid."

"He can help me clean," I say, pushing my advantage. "Or… run errands. Or… do other things. He's a good kid."

"So long as he doesn't get between me and my drink and he lets me sleep, I don't care."

"Speaking of sleep, you don't expect me…" I trail off, trying to figure out a way to ask him if he expects me to have sex with him.

Haymitch peers at me. "Are you askin' if I wanna have sex with you?"

I nod.

"Oh hell no. You don't have any of the things I like in a woman."

"Good. You don't have anything I like in a man." Peeta's face swims into view. I push it away. I don't have time for this right now.

"Good." Haymitch scratches at his armpit. "So I guess we have an accord. You're gonna clean my house, cook my meals, take my wash to the laundry - I don't expect you to do it yourself - and do my shopping," he fishes around in several of his pockets before he finds what he's looking for in the back pocket of his pants. "Here." He hands me a plastic card. "You're responsible for taking care of my Victor's rations. Spend it however you want."

I stare at the plastic card. I've never seen anything like it before. I don't even know how to use it, but I'll figure it out. If worse comes to worst, I can always ask Darius or Cray. "I can buy whatever I want with this?" I ask, hoping he'll explain how to use the card.

"Didn't I just say that?" He pauses. "Just don't buy people or anything that smells of lilacs." He doesn't offer any reasons.

The thought of purchasing animals, even if they're ultimately Haymitch's, pops into mind. But I'm not done bargaining. "I get your leftovers."

"Girl. You can have whatever you want. It's not like I been spending my money. Could buy the whole district with what I've got stocked away. Just don't buy any people. Or lilacs."

I don't know why he hates lilacs so much, but I'll remember that. "I won't. Then we have an agreement. I'll be your housekeeper."

"Great! You can start immediately."

oOo

AN:
Written: 8/1/18
Revised: 9/4/18

Hi all! So despite all of the help she got from other people *cough* Peeta *cough* we really wanted Katniss to save herself. She's capable. Strong. And above all, resourceful. The books showed that she didn't need anyone to help her, but that she was stronger when she accepted help. We wanted the same to be true here.

It's important that we acknowledge the internalized misogyny that is rampant in a lot of YA and other Fiction books. Men can save women, but only if the woman wants to be saved. It's not up to the man to decide for the woman what's best for her. That's paternalistic and it's incredibly damaging.

Suzanne Collins did an amazing job of creating a world where there was a lot more gender equity - both good and bad. The two villains were male and female - Snow and Coin. Both men and women were prostitutes - Finnick and the women/girls who went to Cray. The Victors are both men and women. The words Mr. and Mrs. are never used (you can check!). Men and women are military commanders - Boggs and Paylor. They're soldiers. They're healers. We wanted to continue in that tradition and to do it, we had to have Katniss save herself.

She saved herself in the short-term by going to Cray.

Peeta saved her in the short-term with the tesserae.

Darius saved her in the short-term with Donaldson.

Katniss needed to save herself with a more permanent solution.

But as you can see, the story isn't done yet. In fact, we haven't reached the halfway point according to our outline.

We'll hope you stick with us.

You can get more information about our original writing here:

Website: RoseLarkPublishing

Let us know what you think! Your reviews inspire us to write more. This is especially true with fic. Since we don't get paid for this. ^_^ To those who do review, you're the reason we haven't abandoned our fics. We love you.

Until next time! Thanks for reading!