Katniss gets company from Gale while she's hunting before she has to leave on hers and Hak's victory tour. On their way back they come across some turkeys and Katniss is excited at having the opportunity to catch one for her family but when she releases her arrow she gets a vision of killing Marvel like she did in the Hunger Games and starts to hyperventilate, panicking until Gale manages to calm her down after a bit.
"Are you coming to the trainstation?" She asks Gale when they stop at an abandoned house on their way to the victors' village.
"I think you've got enough people waiting there to say goodbye." Gale replies.
"Only few I actually care about." She says.
"It might be easier if I didn't." Gale tells her.
"It's only a few weeks." She says.
"A lot can happen in a few weeks." Gale tells her, looking around if somebody's listening in on them.
"Do we have to do this again? Gale, it was an act and I get that you don't like Hak, but he is a good person." Katniss tells him.
"Who kills people." Gale counters.
"I killed people." Katniss shoots back, defending her fellow victor.
"Yeah but there is a difference." Gale tells her.
"We both did what we had to survive. If I didn't I'd be dead. And you know he could've just sold me out if he wanted to or tried to force me to be his lover, but he let me off the hook, despite the fact that he actually has feelings for me." Katniss says.
Gale kisses her, catching her by surprise.
"I had to do that, at least once. To let you know Hak isn't the only one with feelings for you." Gale tells her and then walks away. Katniss stands frozen in place for a moment, caught of guard by his confession before she continues her way to her new home in the victor's village, where she is greeted by her sisters' cat growling at her when she first enters through the gates.
"Haymitch!" Katniss shouts, knocking on the door belonging to her drunken mentor.
Getting no reply she enters the home and wakes him by splashing water on his head in his drunken sleep. Once getting woken with the water Haymitch shoots up screaming and starts to slash around him with a knife.
"What are you doing?" He asks her angrily.
"Camera's are going to be here in an hour." Katniss tells him.
"Hey, you beat me to it huh?" Hak asks, entering through the kitchen, a plate with meat in his hand.
"You want some food too Catnip?" Hak asks her, sitting down at Haymitch's table while he puts the food in front of the man.
"No, I ate at the mall but thank you." She replies, sounding a little forced after he uses his nickname for her.
"Alright." Hak replies and fetches Katniss's mentor a glass with booze.
"Ugh, you kids have some warming up to do before the camera's show up." Haymitch tells them.
"Which is in an hour so take a bath Haymitch." Katniss tells her mentor.
"I thought I just did." Haymitch replies, looking after her as she leaves his house.
"Come on she's doing the best she can given the circumstances." Hak tells him.
"You know, for the love of god I don't understand how she deserves you." Haymitch tells him, getting up grumpily.
"Love is mysterious, who are we to question it." Hak tells him with a small, though sad chuckle as he looks after where Katniss disappeared.
"Hey Haymitch, where did you put the clothes I was send anyways?" Hak asks the blonde man he's been staying with for the last 3 months.
"Did you have a good walk dear?" Katniss' mother greets her nervously when Katniss appears in the door.
"Walk? I was just…" Katniss says until Prim interrupts her, saying "We have visitors."
"Mrs. Everdeen, this way please." A guard from the capitol tells her, leading her to a study where President Snow is waiting for her.
"Presidents Snow, what an honor." Katniss says seeing the man who watches a recording of her last actions in the Hunger Games.
"Dear, I think we can make this so much simpler if we agree not to lie to each other don't you think?" He offers her.
"Yes, that would indeed save time." She agrees.
"Sit down please." He says, taking a seat across from her.
"I have a problem Mrs. Everdeen." He tells her, shutting off the recording.
"A problem that came the moment you revealed those poison berries. If the Game Master had any brains at all he would have blown you to bits then and there. But here you are and I think you can guess where he is." Snow tells her.
"Yes, I think so." Katniss agrees, feeling as tense as she can be.
"After that fiasco there was nothing left to do other than let you play out your little scenario and you were very good. Impressive, you convinced the people of the capitol but unfortunately not everyone in the districts fell for it and in several of them people viewed your move with the berries as an act of defiance. And if a girl from district 12 no less can defy the capitol, what is to stop them from doing the same? What is left to prevent an uprising? And then it's just time until the whole system collapses." Snow tells her.
"It must be a frail system if it can be brought down by a few berries." Katniss says.
"It is indeed, but not in the way you imagine it." Snow warns her.
"What should I imagine?" She asks.
"You should imagine thousands upon thousands of your people dead. Your district reduced to ashes. Imagine it gone, as though it never existed like district 13." Snow warns her.
"You fought very hard in the Games Mrs. Everdeen, but they were games. Do you want a real war?" He asks.
"No." She quickly replies.
"Good, neither would I." He tells her.
"Did your mother make this?" Snow asks her, holding up a turkey leg.
"Hak." She informs him.
"Oh, what a courageous boy. But at what point did he realize the depth of your indifference towards him?" Snow asks.
"I'm not indifferent." Katniss tells him.
"Don't lie!" He says.
"Why don't you just kill me now?" Katniss asks him.
"I don't want to kill you. I want us to be friends but for that to happen… When you and Hak are on tour you need to smile, you need to be grateful but above all you need to be madly enough in love to be prepared to end it all, you understand?" He asks her.
"Yes." Katniss replies.
"Say it." He requests.
"I'll convince them." She says.
"No, convince me." Snow tells her.
"For you Mrs. Everdeen. Do, convince me for the sake of your loved ones." Snow tells her, handing her a white rose and plays a recording of Gale kissing her but it's been altered to a point where she's wearing a wedding dress and he's in a tux. After his visit with Katniss he leaves her house and stops by at Haymitch's where he plays him the same message, warning him about Katniss's intentions.
A couple minutes after the President left Effie, Cinna and 2 other stylists arrive.
They then help Katniss prepare for her appearance on TV.
Welcome, welcome. Last years Hunger Games brought us the greatest love story of our time. Two young people against all odds chose to die, rather than to lose each other. As a nation we shared their agony. But we had so little time to revel in their joy. And on that note, let's go to district 12 where our stars live! There she is Katniss Everdeen. The girl on fire!" Cesar announces, hosting his show in the capitol while some robots are filming Katniss in the victors' village.
"And there he is Hak, the Thunderbeast." Cesar says when Hak steps out of Haymitch's house. The two walk over to each other and Katniss pretends to slip in the snow, falling into Hak's arms.
"Oh oh, trouble in paradise. I hope she's alright." Cesar says but Katniss instead of answering pulls herself up by Hak's shoulders and catches him in a deep kiss.
"Uhm. Anyone at home? Should we come back later?" Cesar asks them when the kiss continue on for a while.
"Sorry Cesar." Katniss apologies, releasing Hak and standing next to him, leaning herself against his shoulder.
"That's alright, it's your day. So how's it going?" Cesar asks.
"Good." Hak says with a nod.
"That's it? Just good? Don't keep us on our seats' edges. Hak give us some detail." Cesar tells him.
"Cesar, a man of world like you should know that a gentleman never kisses and tells." Hak replies with a small smile.
"Oh you, thanks to the generosity of the Capitol we've never been closer." Katniss says into the cameras with a wide smile.
"One jump away to be exact." Hak says.
"Ah, hahaha, your jumps maybe. Fantastic, we'll be checking in with you throughout the victory tour." Cesar tells them and the cameras shut off.
"That was nice acting." Katniss compliments him.
"I don't have to act." He tells her with a almost unnoticeable smile and then goes back to Haymitch's house.
"OK people we're on a schedule, the train awaits." Effie tells her team and the camera crew while Katniss stands in the middle of victors village, looking after Hak with guilt.
"Now the schedule is a bit bah, but 12 days, 12 districts. We go around each district, greet your fans and then wrap it up at the capitol." Effie tells Haymitch, Cinna, Katniss and Hak while they are in the food cart having lunch.
"All you need to do is give a few speeches, wave to the crowds and enjoy the time in the spotlights. Enjoy it, you've earned it." Effie tells them.
"What did you say?" Katniss asks disbelieving.
"I said you should enjoy it, you've earned it." Effie replies, taking a seat.
"By killing people." Katniss says looking at Effie with contempt.
Katniss then leaves the table and goes to the very back of the train, watching the scenery they're passing on the train.
"I'm really not in a mood for a lecture Haymitch, I'll apologize to her later." Katniss says, still looking out of the big windows.
"I must've spend too much time living with him if I start to smell like booze." Hak tells her, trying to lighten the mood.
"You don't have to apologize to anybody. I should apologize to you. I've been trying to convince you of my feelings for you and I only complicated it, I should've tried to be your friend again instead." Ha k tells her, sitting down across from her with a sigh.
"I've never been good at friends." Katniss tells him, showing her insecurity.
"It does help when you know the person. I don't really know what's been going on in your life for the last 4 years. I only know what I saw in the woods." He tells her.
"There isn't much to know." She tells him.
"Catnip, look the way this friend things work is you have to open up to the person. Tell them the deep stuff."
"Like what?" She asks doubtful.
"Like what is your favorite color?" He asks.
"Oh, you've stepped over the line." She says jokingly.
"Haha, what is it?" He asks, looking at her until she faces him.
"Green." She answers after a moment of hesitation.
"What's yours?" She asks.
"Blue." Hak tells her.
"Like haymitch's booze?" Katniss asks with a smirk.
"No, like the sky on a calm, cloudless day." Hak tells her.
They then pass into a tunnel and Katniss looks out of the window with surprise when a red mocking jay is drawn on the tunnels' walls in the same way her pin looks.
"Did you see that?" She asks.
"What?" He asks and looks outside, but they already passed the wall they went through and instead see a dozen peacekeeper cars driving alongside the train.
On the way to the podium where they have to hold their speeches Effie hands them a card with the speech they should hold as a sign of victor and a short ulugy for who passed from that district and since 11 is the first one they go to that means Rue.
When the two step outside they see a huge banner with Rue on it with her family standing under it.
"Thank you." Hak says into the microphone after they were announced.
"We're honored to be here today and to be with the family of the fallen tribute." Hak reads from the card and then puts them away.
"Rue fought with both honor and dignity and I can assure the family that she did not suffer." Hak tells them.
"Killer!" A woman screams from the crowd and throws a rock at him.
A few people follow her example and Hak takes the projectiles without showing any signs that it bothers him.
"Rue helped me protect who is the world to me and for that I want to thank her and to pay our condolences to her family." Hak continues during the hail of rocks, with the peacekeepers marching into the crowd to arrest the offending people.
Katniss who is a to Hak's right, one step behind him looks at the scene with shock, shocked that Hak takes the treatment as he does.
She doesn't see one Rock flying towards her and flinches only in the last second, thinking it'll it her but Hak catches it and throws it at the offending party, making him fall to the floor with a small trail of blood running down his head.
"I think I said all I wanted to say." Hak says, stepping away, waiting for Katniss, who is again looking at Rue's face on the display and takes the microphone.
"I just wanted to say that I did know Rue, she was my friend. I see her in the flowers that grow by my house. I hear her when the mocking jays sing. She was too young. Too gentle, I'm sorry." Katniss says, causing an old man to raise his hand in a tree finger salute, whistling the mocking jay tune with the crowd following his example. The peacekeepers, who had by that point finished removing the troublemakers from Hak's speech take out their batons and march into the crowd, taking the old man who whistled and execute him on the podium while Hak and Katniss are being led, or in Katniss case dragged away.
Once the peacekeepers shoot the man Katniss freaks out completely and tries to storm out of the building they brought them to, only for Hak to strongly embrace her, not letting her go.
"Both of you, come with me!" Haymitch tells them, making Hak follow him with Katniss.
"You two had a simple task." Haymitch tells them disappointed.
"I didn't want for anyone to get killed, he has to know that." Katniss says in tears, shocked at what happened.
"Who has to know what?" Haymitch asks confused.
"Snow, he came to see me telling me to stop a rebellion. He says that people don't believe our love story." Katniss explains to Hak and Haymitch.
"So he wants you to make people believe it." Haymitch says.
"You could've told me." Hak says, looking at her hurt that she left him in the dark.
"I didn't know what to do. He threatened to kill my family." She replies.
"What about them? Who protects them? Katniss, what were you thinking?" Haymitch interferes, pointing out a window.
"I was thinking about Rue. Haymitch please, just help us make it through this trip." Katniss begs him.
"This trip? Girl wake up, this trip doesn't end. You never get off this train. You two are mentors now. Every year they are going to drag you out and talk about your romance, every year your private life becomes theirs. From now on you are supposed to be a distraction so people forget what real problems are." Haymitch tells her.
"So what do we do?" Hak asks him.
"You're going to smile. You're going to read the cards that Effie gives you and you're going to live happily ever after. Can you do that?" Haymitch tells them, making Katniss nod at him speechlessly.
"Come here." Her mentor tells her, hugging her.
An hour later the group is back on the train which continues to the next district.
"Hak, I wanted to see if you're alright." Katniss says, walking into his compartment, right across from hers and sees him look at himself in the mirror, removing some bits of rock which managed to pierce into his skin.
"Katniss." He says surprised and tries to hide his wounds from her.
"Hak. Sit down." She orders him, going to his bathroom where she collects a pot with hot water and a towel.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asks him, sitting down on a chair next to his bed while she places the equipment on his small table.
"It's nothing." He says.
"It's not nothing. You are hurt. Why did you even take all that? I know you could've dodged all of it." She asks him.
"It felt like I deserved it." Hak replies, looking at his hands lost in thought.
"Because you took Rue's life?" Katniss asks.
"No, actually that is the one death I don't feel responsible for." Hak tells her.
"But I killed the female contester from 4 years ago as well. The woman who started the riot, she was her mother I think.
"You were a 12-year-old boy. Even now we're just following the Capitols rules, trying to survive." Katniss tells him, running the in water dipped cloth over his back to wash away the dried smears of blood.
"Thank you." Hak says gratefully while Katniss tenderly removes the few shards of rock which embedded itself into his skin.
"There, all done." She tells him, throwing the last piece into the bowl along with the towel.
"How are you after what happened today?" He asks her, putting on his shirt.
"I'm OK I think, still shook up by what they did to that old man. And I'm worried about my sister and my mom." She tells him.
"They'll be alright." Hak tells her.
"Right, Gale is with them." Katniss says, remembering making the boy promise to look after her family.
"Right, Gale." Hak says saddened.
"What?" She asks picking up on the tone.
"Look I know I'm opening a can of worms with this, but why didn't you tell me that you two…" Hak asks.
"We what?" Katniss questions.
"You kissed. Snow showed me a bizzarro picture of you two kissing in wedding attire, I know that part is fake, but I recognized the background, meaning you did kiss." Hak says.
"Hak…" She says surprised.
"You know what, just forget I mentioned it. I know now what's at stake for you. I'll do my best to make everyone believe what Snow wants them to." Hak tells her, leaving his room, heading for the food wagon where Haymitch is already drinking.
"Mind if I join you?" Hak asks, slumping down next to the blonde man.
"What happened to you? You look like you're a kicked puppy." Haymitch asks him surprised, since this is the first time Hak asked for a drink, despite living with him for 3 months.
"Can I have a drink or not?" Hak asks with a sigh and then gets handed a glass with booze.
"Thanks." He accepts it, downing it in one go.
"So, want to tell me what happened? Before it bites us in the ass in the next district." Haymitch asks.
"I shouldn't tell you." Hak says after contemplating wether to talk to him or not.
"So I'll ask Katniss then." Haymitch says with a sigh.
"She doesn't have to tell you either, just let her know that. It's her personal business." Hak replies, reaching for another swig of booze before he decides to leave it be.
"Man those two are nothing but trouble." Haymitch sighs and downs his glass.
Later that night Haymitch asks Katniss what was going on and she fills him in.
"So you're in love with Gale, no wonder the kid needed a drink." Haymitch says.
"What? No, Gale just kissed me out of nowhere." Katniss says.
"Well isn't that great news? Tell the kid and he'll be ecstatic." Haymitch suggests.
"That's exactly why I can`t tell him that I don't have feelings for Gale." Katniss says.
"You lost me there." Haymitch tells her annoyed.
"If I tell him that I don't see Gale that way, that would mean that I do love him instead." Katniss says.
"So?" Haymitch asks confused.
"I don't know if I do love him yet and it wouldn't be fair to let him believe otherwise when he already risks everything by pretending." She explains.
"Ugh, I need a drink." Haymitch groans and leaves her compartment, going back to his booze.
The two then continue on their tour, trying to convince the people of Panem of their love for one another. After the first four districts Katniss's nightmares have become more vivid and she wakes up screaming that night.
"Katniss?" Hak says worried for her, entering her compartment with his trophy-glaive at the ready.
"It was just a dream, I'm sorry." She apologizes, trying to catch her breath.
"It's OK. I get them too." Hak tells her and moves to leave.
"Hak. Will you stay with me?" She requests, looking at him hopefully.
"Yeah, I'm here. Whenever you need me." He tells her, climbing up to her bed, lying down next to her with her head on his shoulder.
The two continue this sleeping arrangement for the rest of their tour with Katniss having peaceful sleeps for the first time since their victory.
When they reach the last district on their tour the crowd is still riled up, worrying the group about what Snow will do.
"Snow is watching us. If he wants you to pacify the districts I promise you he's not happy. Instead of being in love you two sound as if you're reciting from a drilling manual." Haymitch tells them.
"Effie writes them." Hak says.
"Tell that to president Snow when you see him two days from now." Haymitch shoots back.
"We're open to suggestions." Hak says.
"We could get married." Katniss says.
"That's not helping." Haymitch tells her, thinking she is joking.
"I'm serious. If like you said we're going to be on this train forever it'll happen eventually." Katniss replies.
"It does make a statement, I'll give you that." Haymitch says amused.
"Sure, go ahead." Hak tells them, leaving their wagon and goes to his room where he collects his weapon. After he got it he goes onto the trains roof and goes through Katas with his glaive, hoping they'll calm him down.
"Kid." Haymitch says guiltily as he watches him leave their compartment.
"What?" Katniss asks, thinking he means her.
"Nothing. We should do it. I'm sure Cesar will be excited." Haymitch tells her.
Two two then look to the other wagon where they hear Effie berating someone and see Hak standing ontop of their train, training with his weapon of choice.
"What is he doing? He'll kill himself." Katniss asks shocked.
"Leave him be, just be glad he doesn't like liquor." Haymitch tells her, taking a big gulp from his glass.
"The presidential palace. The party of the year. Eyes bright, chins up and smile. I was talking to the both of you. Now breathe it all in children, this is all for you." Effie tells the two champions as they approach the huge mansion which is decorated.
Effie then leads the two through the crowd which applauds for them and greats a few guests herself.
Hak, who was forced to wear a tux enters the main hall with Katniss in a beautiful evening dress on his arm.
"Here try these." A couple offers Hak some food at the party.
"Thanks, I'm full." He tells them.
"Take this." The man then offers him a drink.
"No thanks, I remember those from last year." He replies feigning a laugh.
"How about a dance?" He asks Katniss, leading her to the dancefloor, where they start to dance to the music until Effie interrupts them.
"Katniss, Hak. This is Plutarch Heavensbee. The next Head Game Maker." Effie says introducing them to the man.
"May I." Plutarch asks Hak, pointing at Katniss and takes his place in the dance.
"So how'd you like the party?" Plutarch asks her.
"it's a little overwhelming." She replies.
"If you abandon your good judgement it still can be fun." He tells her.
"So are you having fun?" Katniss asks him.
"I'm head Game Maker. Having fun is my job, although head Game Maker has never been the safest of jobs, case and point Seneca Crane." He answers.
"Then why are you here?" Katniss asks.
"Same reason as you, I volunteered." He says.
"Why?" She questions.
"Ambition. And a chance to make the games mean something." He explains.
"The games don't mean anything. They're just meant to scare us." Katniss tells him.
"Well, maybe it was you who inspired me to come back." He says.
The president then makes his appearance and they split up so Katniss can rejoin Hak's side.
"Tonight, on this the last day of our tour I want to welcome our two victors. Two young people, who embody our ideals of strict and valor. And I personally want to congratulate them on the announcement of their engagement. Your love has inspired us and I know it will go on inspiring us every day for as long as you may live." Snow says, raising his glass.
After the tour finished the districts are still rioting and Snow considers killing Katniss but the head Game Maker suggests a different method. They should take away everything from the districts people, show public flogging and executions on the one hand and on the other hand they'll show everything about Katniss's glamorous wedding.
After they arrive back in district 12 Katniss makes her way to Gale to tell him that she is grateful for his friendship but doesn't feel the same way as he.
While they're talking they see a convoy of peacekeepers drive by them into their town.
Once they arrive in town the peacekeepers start to put up a pillar for flogging and loot the people's homes.
Gale sees the commander attacking an old lady and knocks him off of her. He is the first one taken to the pillar for the flogging.
Hak and Haymitch make their way to the town square after they heard a shot go off.
Katniss treats someone's wound when she hears a commotion coming from the square and arrives only to see the commander whipping at Gale.
"No, no. Stop." She says running over and moving between the two, only for the commander to punch her across the face.
"Katniss, just go." Gale tells her but she instead stands before Gale, shielding him.
"Move." The commander orders her. When Katniss doesn't flinch he takes out his gun, aiming at her. Hak and Haymitch arrive and Hak immediately storms forward, slicing the gun in half, holding his glaive at the commanders neck, taking him as hostage with the other peacekeepers aiming their guns at him.
"Hey, hey hey. Everyone calm down. Nobody has to get hurt." Haymitch yells.
"Commander you're new here. Trust me I'm trying to help you. You recognize them? Katniss Everdeen and Hak, darlings of the capitol?" Haymitch asks.
"She interfered with a peacekeeper and he attacked me." The commander says.
"I never said she was smart and he's just a wild beast, still trapped in the Hunger Games. After his second time there." Haymitch apologizes for them while Hak, who released the commander when Haymitch arrived looks at him like he's pray, intimidating the man while he has his glaive standing at his side, shielding Katniss.
"Look are you sure Snow wants three dead victors here and a whole platoon of peacekeepers? Cause that's what you're looking at. If you continue to threaten her, he might snap and kill everyone civilians, peacekeepers. Heck even the children aren't safe from that beast." Haymitch tells her Commander, playing Hak of as a bloodthirsty monster.
"If you tell your men to stand down, he will behave, won't you?" Haymitch asks Hak, winking at him.
Hak only nods while putting his glaive away.
"OK, but next time It's the firing squad. Now, clear the square!" The commander orders them and then informs the citizens that they are under curfew and everyone out at dark will get shot on sight while they are clearing up the square.
Katniss, Haymitch and Hak then bring Gale over to Katniss's house, or more exactly Hak brings him over, carrying him over his shoulders.
"It's Gale." Katniss tells her family when the three arrive. They clear the table and Hak puts Gale down on it as gently as he can.
"Your eye doesn't need stitches." Prim tells her sister, examining her.
"He needs a snowcone." Katniss's mother says, inspecting the wounded teen.
"It was peacekeepers, well they weren't exactly peaceful." Haymitch explains.
"Hak, get the snow. I'll grind the herbs." Prim tells Hak, who then leaves to fetch snow from outside.
Katniss's mother disinfects the wound with alcohol and Gale starts to scream in pain.
"What's that, it's hurting him." Katniss asks concerned.
"He needs morphine." Her mother says and Prim gives him a shot of it after her mother told her how much to use.
The family then treats Gale to the best of their abilities, given what little medical resources they have and he is resting on the table with herbs and snow on his wounds, which get covered with a cloth to keep them in place and reduce infection.
That night Katniss is watching over Gale, who she thinks is still knocked out. Looking at his relaxed face she leans over and kisses him, causing him to show he's awake when he looks at her.
Unknown to the two Hak arrived at the house the same time and was looking through the window to make sure he doesn't wake anyone.
"Hey Katniss, I thought you didn't like me." Gale greets her.
"I don't, I just had to check." She tells him.
At that point Hak leaves, going to let of steam in the woods instead of coming in.
The next morning Haymitch comes over.
"Hey, have you seen our glaive-wielder? He went to go check on you and I haven't seen him since." Haymitch asks Katniss, waking her.
"No, I didn't see him." Katniss replies.
"Can you stay with him while I get more snow?" She asks, grabbing her coat and go outside to fetch the snow. While she's outside Prim goes outside to help her. She tells her sister that Katniss should do what she feels is right and that both she and their mother stand behind her 100% and don't need protection.
|a week later|
Hak stayed in his late fathers' hut for the week, not showing himself to anyone.
That day the president is holding a speech about the upcoming Hunger Games and informs everyone that since it's a quarter quell they are having one tribute of every districts' champions pool drafted, meaning both Katniss and Haymitch will have to go to the 75th Hunger Games.
After seeing this Hak immediately leaves the woods, heading straight for Katniss's mentor, asking him if he can think of any way to safe Katniss from this, but Haymitch doesn't have any idea on how to safe them from their fate.
After hearing the announcement Katniss flees into the woods, crying by herself and fearing what is about to come. When she sees a masked person wander through the woods, thinking she's just imagining it she remembers that Hak might have to be a tribute as well, so she leaves heading for Haymitch's house. When she enters around evening, she sees Haymitch sitting on a chair, drowning himself in a bottle.
"Oh, there she is. You finally did the math huh? So you've come to ask me to sway people in 11?" Haymitch asks her.
"I'm here to drink." Katniss tells him, taking a swig from his bottle.
"What does it say, that Hak was here 4 hours ago begging me to think of something to save your life and you only show up now?" Haymitch asks her.
"It means we have to stop him from being drafted." Katniss tells him.
"You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve that boy." Haymitch tells her disappointed.
"Come on, no one decent ever wins the games." Katniss shoots back.
"No one ever wins the game, there are only surivors." Haymitch reminds her.
"We have to do whatever it takes to safe him." Katniss says.
"Good luck with that. He already told me he'll volunteer and there shouldn't be a problem, since everyone in his district hates him." Haymitch tells her.
"Is he upstairs? Maybe I can talk him out of it." Katniss asks, looking up his stairs.
"Girl, he hasn't stayed here since that day on the square. And good luck talking him out of it, you're the only reason he does anything nowadays, since you're the only one left who at least was supposed to care about him, which is doubtful if you haven't noticed his absence in over a week." Haymitch tells her.
"Why would he leave then?" Katniss asks confused.
"I don't know but since he went over to check on things when your miner boyfriend was at your place I'd figure it has something to do with that." Haymitch tells her, taking another swig.
At the mention of Gale Katniss figures out that he could've seen her kiss him again.
"Oh, hit the nail on the head did I? What was it this time? Were the two of you screwing each other? Must've been something serious to send our fearless friend running."
The next day both Katniss and Haymitch are being led to the townsquare where Effie drafts their names, after which they immediately get brought onto the train.
When they get on the train they see Hak already waiting for them.
"What took you guys so long? There were only two to chose from afterall." Hak asks them laughing bitterly.
"How are you here?" Katniss asks him, feeling relief wash over her at seeing her friend from the 11th district and gives him a hug, which he barely replies.
"I pulled some strings and since Snow wants me dead as well, they were happy to accept, because otherwise one of the other 2 male victors could've been chosen, my condition was this." Hak explains, pointing at the seats on the train for them to join him.
"Okay, first things first, I've had a thought. Katniss has her gold Mockinjay pin, I have my hair. I'm going to give you two boys something gold." Effie tells the three.
"Don't I already have my glaive?" Hak asks, pulling out the weapon from behind his seat.
"No, you won't, not in the arena." Effie protests.
"Alright, do your worst." Hak tells her holding his arms up in surrender.
"Why is that we all nee something gold?" Haymitch inquires.
"As a token, to show the others we're a team." Effie explains starting to tear up.
|In the new training center|
"I want you guys to forget everything you think you know about the games." Haymitch tells Hak and Katniss.
"Last year was childs play. This year we're all dealing with experienced killers." Haymitch tells them.
"That means what?" Hak asks him somewhat bored, since he knows at least some of the other victors.
"That means we'll need allies." Haymitch informs them, looking at Katniss in particular.
"No." Katniss replies disapproving.
"Look, most of these people know each other, they've been friends for years. If we have to we'll do it your way but if we go in alone their first move will be to hunt us down all three of us." Haymitch tells them.
"How can anyone even trust one another in the arena?" Katniss questions doubtfully.
"It's not about trust but about staying alive. It's actually really simple, everyone brings something to the table to help the group survive.
Haymitch then gives them a rundown of who their competition will be.
"Alright, nice slideshow. I'm gonna head down a level and try not to get killed by my fellow district champion." Hak tells them, waving goodbye as he makes his way to the elevator.
"Hak! Wait. I need to talk to you." Katniss tells him, trying to stop him.
"Tomorrow. I still need to appear on the 11th chariot. After that, I'm all yours." Hak tells her, ruffling his hair annoyed.
|The next day|
Katniss is already at the chariot waiting for Haymitch.
"Katniss. Do you want a sugarcube?" Finnick, the champion from the 4th district offers.
"No thanks, but I would like to borrow that outfit someday." She tells him, seeing him dressed in a tarzan-like costume.
"You look pretty terrifying in that get up, what happened to those dresses?" Finnick asks.
"Finnick, mind leaving my fiancée alone or do you want me to show you exactly how I beat your record for youngest winner?" Hak asks the man, arriving in a get up which shocks Katniss slightly, since he's wearing his usual blue robe, his glaive and has his animal mask on his face, which has been painted to look even more fierce.
"Sorry, I was just being polite." Finnick says excusing himself.
"You look good Katniss." Hak tells her, looking at her dress.
"Thanks, wait did he just call me Katniss?" Katniss asks Haymitch who just arrived and walked past Hak, patting his back.
"Yes. That is your name." Haymitch tells her, looking at the younger girl with confusion.
"The ceremony then starts with Cinna wishing her good luck, handing her a button to press which will light their clothes on fire.
The chariots all ride down a long road until they land in a big circle in front of the presidents' podium.
Just before they reach the circle part Hak, stretches his arm out of his chariot and starts to spin his glaive at high speeds, making it hum dangerously while lightning crackles around the spinning weapon of death. When his chariot makes the turn he throws the weapon into the floor, making a bolt of lightning hit the entry point, scorching the ground and making the crowd cheer loudly, even more so when at the same moment Katniss lights hers and Haymitch's clothes on fire.
After everyone gets of their chariots Katniss insists they wait for Hak, who makes his way over to the two with not the woman from his district but the contester from the 7th district.
"You guys look amazing." Johanna says, seeing the black get ups from the two 12th district contestants.
"Thank you." Katniss says and the group steps into the elevator.
"My stylist is such an idiot, district 7. Lumber, trees. Ugh, I'd just love to put my axe in her face." Johanna says, taking off her accessories.
"You haven't changed much have you?" Hak asks her, having met her at some events when he first won the 70th Games.
"No, why should I? I am delightful. Can you unzip?" Johanna replies, offering the back of her dress to Hak.
"Sure." Hak replies, opening the back of her dress for her with Katniss looking at him incredulously.
Johanna then starts to strip until she's in her birthday suit with Hak, only looking her in the face with a bored expression, knowing her ticks.
"Thanks, let's do it again sometime." Johanna tells them leaving the elevator on her floor with the dress remaining in the elevator.
"And you know her?" Katniss asks, looking at Hak disapprovingly.
"We met when I won the 70th Hunger Games. If you can see past her attitude problem she is actually a skilled fighter." Hak replies.
"Sure." Katniss says unconvinced.
"Whatever, let's get in our training suits and head to the training area." Haymitch tells them.
"But Hak and I still need to talk." Katniss says trying to stop Haymitch from rushing them on, feeling how tense her relationship with Hak is at the moment, fearing he may leave them for another team.
"Figure out your relationship problems on your own time tonight. Right now we need to make impressions." Haymitch tells them.
A couple of minutes later the three enter the training area.
"Remember today is about making alliances." Haymitch reminds them.
Katniss walks through the training areas, watching the first two districts fighters train their weapon skills already and she makes her way over to the two from district three.
While Katniss leaves to befriend the science team Haymitch approaches Finnick to recruit him to their band while Hak gets send to talk to Johanna by Haymitch.
"Soo, long time no see huh?" Hak asks Johanna.
"If you don't count a couple minutes ago, sure." She replies, throwing him a training dagger while she uses a training axe.
"Nah, I think we saw a little too much of you." Hak replies.
"Oh, trouble with your girlfriend? Oh excuse me. Fiancée?" Johanna asks him.
"Something like that." Hak replies, looking at Katniss, who coincidentially also looks at him but quickly turns back to the district 3 tribute she was talking to.
"Sorry, maybe you should shag one out. That helped back when I had a boyfriend before the Games." Johanna suggests.
"I'll take it into consideration." Hak laughs. The two then get ready to spar.
Johanna dashes at him quickly, swinging at him full force, at a low angle. Hak simply blocks the attack with his small wooden dagger, surprising Johanna who gets a hungry grin and starts to wildly attack Hak, who easily blocks her attacks.
"So, you know blondie asked me and my girl to see if we can sway some people on our side, you interested?" Hak asks Johanna casually while blocking her strikes.
"Fuck you." She yells frustrated.
"Now that's not nice." Hak says, going on offense and ducking under her last swing, wrapping his arms around her from behind so he has her in a restraining hold with his dagger at her throat.
"Is being nice a requirement for being on Team birdy-slut?" Johanna asks, trying to push his buttons.
"You'd be wise to apologize in the next 3 seconds." Hak tells her, holding her up with one hand, choking her.
"Hah, I like you. Sure, I'm sorry. I just had to see for myself if your guys' story is true about being madly in love." Johana tells him with him releasing his hold on her after she apologized.
"You'd better not try that again." He warns her.
"Noted. And sure, I'm on board." Johanna says.
"That's actually not my decision. I was only supposed to see who'd bite." Hak informs her, walking off the platform and making his way over to Katniss, who shows the old lady from the 4th district how to use a bow, by blazing through a bow shooting course.
Once she's done Hak says "Nice work. Let me show those guys again, in case they missed something." Entering the combat simulation with a glaive while most of the tributes watch from outside.
Hak then quickly breezes through the course, not taking one step from his spot.
That evening after the training session Haymitch arrives in their apartment.
"Good news. At least half the tributes want to be on your team. You have your pick of the litter." Haymitch tells her.
"I want Wiress and Beady." Katniss tells him.
"OK, good who else?" Haymitch questions.
"Mags." Katniss tells them, meaning the old woman who showed her how to make a fishing hook, making Haymitch look away with disbelieve while Hak watches this from the sidelines, already having known Katniss would pick her.
"OK fine, then nobody." Katniss tells Haymitch.
"I'll tell them you're still making up your mind." Haymitch replies, leaving to inform them.
"OK, I'll head to sleep now." Hak says, already at his rooms door and closing it.
"Hak." Katniss says, getting up from the couch and following him to his room.
"Hak. We still need to talk." Katniss says, sliding open the door.
"Why? What is there to talk about?" Hak asks the hurt evident in his voice.
"I figured out why you left Haymitch's house." She says.
"Good, then case closed. You don't have to pretend in front of me anymore." He says, lying down on the oversized bed, looking at the ceiling.
"No case is not closed." She tells him, making her way over to him, sitting down against his headrest on the other half of the bed.
"What do you want Katniss?" Hak asks exhausted.
"I want you to listen to what I have to say or you'll have to look me in the eye and tell me that you don't love me anymore." She tells him.
Hak looks at her briefly and then turns to his side, his back facing her.
"What is it then?" He asks her.
"Hak, look at me. The kiss with Gale was a mistake. I was scared I was going to lose him and after Haymitch described you as a monster I was confused. Before we went on that trip every time I saw you I was back in the Games. During the trip I saw that the reason for that was because I didn't talk to you, I only saw you and ran away. That was incredibly stupid and horrible of me and I can live with you hating me for thinking of you like that but I want you to know that there is only one man I love and that is you." Katniss tells him.
"And how should I know if this is real or just preparation for the games?" Hak asks her.
"You will just have to believe in me." She tells him, leaving his room.
"Ugh, just when I think I might get used to being just friends she comes and drops this bomb on me." Hak grunts after she's gone. After a couple more minutes of straightening out his head he leaves his room and struts right into hers where she is changing into her pjs.
"Hak." She says surprised, not having heard him come in because she was also deep in thought, having figured she might be too late with her confession.
"Katniss, I can't promise you that I have forgiven you completely jet, seeing you kiss Gale hurt since you didn't even consider being with me for 3 months. But I cannot deny that I am madly, head over heels in love with you." Hak tells her, making his way over to her while her back is turned to him due to her being topless.
He takes off his shirt and drapes it over her much smaller form, making the girl turn around with tears in her eyes.
"Let me hear you say my name." Katniss tells him, looking deep into her eyes.
"Catnip." He says lovingly, causing her to throw herself against his chest, hugging him tightly.
"You have no idea how much I missed hearing that for the last weeks." She tells him.
"I thought you hated that name." He chuckles, hugging her back.
"Not when you say it." She tells him and throws her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss.
"Glad to see you finally gotten to your senses Katniss and bagged him. Keep it down though you two, some people want to sleep now." Haymitch tells them before entering his room, having seen the teens hug and kiss through the open door.
Hak quickly goes over to the door, shutting it. He then makes his way over to her bed, lying down next to her with both bursting out in quiet laughter.
"That was soo awkward." Katniss says giggling.
"You're telling me? I live with him." Hak reminds her.
"Say Hak, before… You and Johanna?" Katniss asks him, looking at him shyly.
"Catnip, there is no one else for me other than you. I actually almost killed her when she called you birdie-slut to see if we love each other.
"I really don't like her." Katniss says annoyed.
"Why? Cause she stripped in front of us? Are you jealous?" Hak asks, poking Katniss's side.
"Yes I am, so what are you going to do about it?" She asks with a smirk.
"Does this help?" Hak asks, kissing her gently.
"Not yet." Katniss replies.
"How about this?" Hak asks, sitting up with her in his lap and kiss and bite at her neck while he holds her tight.
"Maybe." Katniss says with a laugh in between gasps.
When Hak lets his hand slide down to her entrance however she stops him, saying "I'm not ready yet Hak and I don't want my first time to be anywhere near the capitol." She informs him.
"OK, let's get some sleep then." Hak says agreeing and lies down next to her with her curling into his side, resting her head over his heart.
"You know something I forgot to tell you." Katniss says after the lights are turned off.
"What?" He asks curious.
"The first time I was able to sleep without nightmares was when we slept like this in the train." She tells him, hugging him.
"That was when I realized that it's not you what makes me remember the Hunger Games and scares me but it's being apart from you." She says, making him smile and kiss her on top of her head.
AN: pls follow and review ^^