Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Trilogy is property of Suzanne Collins. This is a parody fanwork by fans for fans. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.

The Ten Unwritten Rules of Being a Hunger Games Victor

By Fanfic Allergy

Rule Five:

Peeta apparently noticed my shiver and reached out one hand to squeeze mine. I squeezed it back quickly then pulled away. I couldn't pretend not to notice the hurt in his eyes. I knew he still cared about me. And me, well, I liked him as what, I wasn't sure. He was a friend but that didn't seem to be quite enough. But I wasn't ready to acknowledge him as anything more. Not yet, not ever. I gave Peeta a small smile. One that I hoped conveyed that I cared about him, but didn't send any wrong impressions.

I must have picked the right one since he smiled back at me before turning to Haymitch. "We'll be careful."

"You'd better be," our mentor responded, taking another swig from his bottle. "I don't fancy getting you through the arena only to have you make some colossal mistake that gets you both killed."

"Why would they kill the both of us?" I asked.

Haymitch just shook his finger at me. "Nuh-uh! No going out of order on the rules."

"So killing both of us is a rule?" Peeta looked as confused as I felt.

"Yep." Haymitch didn't offer any more.

"And you're not going to tell us why?"

Haymitch took a drink. "If you ain't smart enough to figure out it out now, then you deserve to wait until I decide to tell you."

"And that's going to help us survive how?" Peeta demanded.

I sighed. I put my hand on Peeta's arm and shook my head. I knew Haymitch was going to be stubborn and we weren't going to get any answers from him that he wasn't willing to give. Besides, I had an idea of why one of us making a mistake would get us both killed. We came out of the arena together, the Capitol saw us as a single unit. They'd kill both of us so the other wouldn't do something even more stupid. Like start a rebellion.

Peeta looked like he wanted to argue with Haymitch more but instead he asked, "So what's the next rule?"

"Glad to see you calmed down, boy," Haymitch said with a smirk. "Rule Number Five: Don't ask how another mentor gets sponsors unless you really want to know. And trust me, you don't."

"That's it?" Peeta exclaimed. "That's a rule."

"It is."

"I don't see why this is so important. I thought the sponsors picked which tributes they liked the best from the parade and the interview along with performance in the arena."

Haymitch laughed, it wasn't derisive or mocking, but a full out belly laugh. "Kid, if you think that you're more naive than I thought. Those things are important, sure. And they're about the only thing a tribute can do. But mentors, we have other... options."

"Options?" I asked. I wasn't sure I wanted to know but I couldn't keep myself from asking.

"You ever wonder why Districts One, Two, and Four have such well equipped tributes?"

"Because they cheat? They train up even though they're not supposed to, and then they take over the cornucopia." I answered.

Haymitch shook his head. "That's tribute's ability and alliances, I'm talking about later. When the food runs out and the alliance has shattered. Those three districts always seem to get last minute sponsors' gifts. Last year Cato got food after you destroyed the supplies, Princess. In previous years, it's been weapons or armor and one year it was even a map. That's the power of the mentor. Cato was a bullying brute. Not too many people liked him. I bet his own mentor, Lyme, didn't like him. But she got him sponsors and she worked like hell to do it too."

"What'd she do?" Peeta wanted to know.

"Don't you want to follow the rule?" Haymitch responded mockingly.

"I think we need to know why it is a rule," Peeta responded.

I agreed. Unless we knew why we shouldn't ask, we would always have the question on the tips of our tongues.

"She went to one of her old standbys, a man who likes to see strong women made weak. Promised him a night where he could do whatever he wanted with her. Are you getting the picture?"

I was. I looked over at Peeta and from the greenish tinge to his skin I knew he understood now too. I now understood why Rule Five existed.

And I really wish I didn't.

AN:

Lyme is a real District Two victor she is mentioned in Mockingjay and I didn't think that Brutus or Enobaria would be mentors year after year. She's also pretty much an unknown. The only thing that is known is that she has a memorable face. Just the kind of thing that would attract some of the more depraved members of the Capitol. She's also one of the leaders of the Rebellion for District Two, which is a another reason why I think she would be willing to turn against the capitol when so many of Two didn't and so I decided to use that here.

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