"His hair is funny," Prim said.
"What? I thought you wanted your hair like that, little duck," Katniss said, tickling her sister's side.
The post interview would be starting soon and then it would be over until next year. She had five more years of eligibility and Gale had three. Three years until it's Prim standing with all the other kids, waiting to see if it's her name. Sighing in relief when it's not her as she watches a kid she might know get on a train to their death. That's what Katniss thought when Peeta left, that she would never see him again. Because he saved her, she thought she owed it to him to give some advice. Not being able to make herself face him; she had sent Gale. Gale had not been happy, but he agreed. And look, Peeta survived but not because of her or her advice, it was all Peeta. She wondered what made him tick. They really only knew each other from afar.
What would he be like when he got back? She really didn't know anything about him besides what she had seen in the games and him throwing the bread to her. Katniss had no idea why she was obsessing about this, she had bigger things to think of. Now that the games were over, she would get back to hunting. For the first time in twenty years they would have Parcel day. Once a month they would get a package with food. For the first time in twenty years, there wouldn't be so many children and elderly dying of starvation.
"It's coming on," Prim said giggling.
For the past ten minutes Caesar had been dancing around, talking to audience members, working them up into a state. His hair was a neon yellow that reminded her of a nightmare she had one time.
Sure enough, Peeta walked on to the stage, she noticed he was still so thin. He also seemed to be walking slow.
"He looks so little," her mother said.
It had been extremely odd, ever since Peeta lived through the first night, her mother seemed to come out of her fog little by little. The question was why?
"You knew his dad right?"
"That's right."
"Does he look like him when he was younger?"
Her mother smiled gently. "Yes and no. He's got his dad's smile. He was a beautiful baby."
"You saw him while he was a baby?"
Her mother hesitated. "It isn't my place."
"What?" Curiosity was killing her but before her mother could say anything else, she heard Peeta speaking.
"It wasn't easy," Peeta said to Caesar, she had missed what the man asked.
"I bet it wasn't. You were the youngest in the arena, did that discourage you?"
Peeta smiled, it was charming and boyish, not something to expect for someone who just days ago watched a girl blown to pieces while he almost died too.
"Well, I don't think anyone goes in there not a little discouraged," Peeta said brightly. He almost seemed like he meant the smile, his eyes were a little dazed looking.
"I'm so sure. Now, tell me about your district partner. Were you surprised at her accident, stepping off the pedestal before time?"
Katniss snorted; they always try to spin the suicides. Prim cuddled into her side more, not liking the talks about death. Her mom seemed to zone out again. At least they had her for a little while, it was happening more. Maybe she might start acting like a mother again.
"She didn't fall, she jumped," Peeta said meaningful, his eyes no longer dazed. There was a gasp through the crowd and the camera panned away from Peeta and solely on Caesar. The way Peeta spoke was challenging, that was not good. Anyone from any of the districts knew what it was but you always had to keep the people in the Capital smiling. Katniss wondered if he would pay for that.
The next morning, she found out what Snow thought of it. Gale stopped her as she ducked under the fence with her kills. She had a squirrel and knew that Peeta's dad might like it before Peeta and the cameras came.
"I wouldn't go into town today," Gale said, his voice strangely dark.
"Why what's going on?"
Gale grabbed her wrist and pulled her back under the fence and into the woods. They walked pretty far out she thought. Whatever was going on in town was bad.
She pulled her wrist back making Gale let her go. That was no small feat because he was a lot bigger than her. Even though she was able to feed her family she couldn't catch a lot. it would be suspicious if her family looked healthy while everyone else looked on death's door. So she was still so thin she could probably slip through the bars surrounding the mine.
"Would you stop pulling me around and just tell me?" she demanded.
"Peacekeepers are searching houses and businesses in Town, they're paying special attention to the bakery. I would give going into Town a miss until we're required for the homecoming."
"What are they searching for?"
"My guess anything, they can charge Peeta's family for, they didn't like his interview last night. It could be worse, my mom said they killed Haymitch's family because of something he did. Just be careful and just stick to the Hob awhile.
She nodded not knowing what to think. Maybe she should just put the boy with the bread completely out of her mind. After all the games were over, he wouldn't be returning to school. She just had her family to take care of, next year she'll be fourteen for the games, her name will be in more.
"Gale?"
"Yeah, Catnip?" he said, trying to make her smile.
"Are you going to take the tesserae next year?"
"Kind of have to, I have to feed the kids and mom. Wish I knew we'd have a victor this year, I wouldn't have done it. Too late now. I've got to get back, don't go into Town."
She nodded and he left. She would have to sell to Greasy Sae, not much money but she would trade which was just as good almost.
Last night after the Post-interview he knew he made a mistake. He knew it as soon as he heard the gasp from the audience. He was just being truthful, she deserved that much. As he got ready for the train back home, he decided to go to the roof. That was when he heard Haymitch tell Finnick that Snow had his father and oldest brother arrested for having illegal goods. Not wanting to be caught he ran back to the suite and hid in his room until it was time to go.
Haymitch wasn't talking to him, and it made him nervous. Just every once and a while he would glare at him. As they waited inside the train to leave, several Capital guards and peacekeepers entered the train. President Snow behind them, a small boy at his side crying. Before Snow said anything he could hear a woman sobbing and trying to push through the peacekeepers.
"Give him back, he's innocent. He's done nothing, he's just a baby."
The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it until the woman made it to the front. It was Effie Trinket. She looked so different than she usually did. She was in what looked like bed clothes and her hair was in rollers. There was also no makeup on her. It was odd seeing her this way but the thing that really got him was the tears running down her face.
The little boy tried to run to her but one of the guards held him to Snow's side.
"President Snow," Haymitch said, nodding his head in respect that Peeta knew he didn't have for the man. But then again Haymitch had been playing the long game with Snow before he was even born.
"Sorry to disrupt your departure, I just needed to return something that belongs to you," Snow said as the guard roughly picked the small boy up and shoved him into Haymitch's arms. The boy kicked and screamed, still trying to get to Effie.
"I don't understand," Haymitch genuinely sounded confused but it might be the alcohol he had already drank that morning.
"Ms. Trinket, do you want to explain or shall I?" Snow said, his eyes narrowed on Peeta. He had a funny feeling that whatever was happening right now was his fault, Effie's glare at him pretty much confirmed it.
"He's ours, Haymitch. From the night we spent together. This is your son," she finished with a sob.
"Ms. Trinket really did think she could hide a victor's child from us. She forgot every child born Capital or District is DNA tested. It helps keep inbreeding from happening. Though there have been some of that." Peeta didn't know what inbreeding meant but he didn't think it was good.
"We knew about him the day he was born. I've been very generous over the last six years but now it's time for him to spend time with his father. After another six years it will be time for him to enter the Reaping himself, he his district after all."
"NO!" Effie cried out.
Haymitch's eyes turned ice and he gripped the screaming boy. The man didn't say anything even when Snow and his people started to leave the train.
"YOU BETTER TAKE CARE OF HIM!" Effie screamed as they pushed her off the train.
Peeta went straight to his temporary room. There was no way he was staying in the room with Haymitch. The man looked like he could kill and Peeta knew he was very much capable of it.
"Make him stop crying," he told the server.
She looked at him like he was crazy but he was a victor and she couldn't say anything like that to him. The woman bent down, her face level with the crying boy.
"Hey, honey, do you want something to eat?" The boy didn't pay her any mind. "Do you want toys to play with?"
"You have toys on this train?" Haymitch asked. These trains were just for this, then he remembered seeing some of the younger tributes smiling and playing with them. Their life ending in a violent end days after playing with dolls. The toys she wanted the boy to play with were toys that dead children played with.
"No," he said, harsher than he planned. She went back to get his drink and put it in front of him. Without a thought, he downed it. The woman left, leaving him with the crying boy beside him. Twenty-one years of not giving a damn about anyone, watching child after child die, he didn't know what to do.
"What's your name?" a familiar, young voice gently asked, a little while later. The crying had stopped but the boy hadn't said anything to Haymitch. They were both acting like the other didn't exist.
Haymitch stopped and looked over to where the boy had been. Now he was on his knees on the couch staring at Peeta with huge eyes.
"You're Peeta, you won. You're the victor," the boy said, his voice full of admiration.
"I was a victor too but he guessed that doesn't matter," Haymitch thought bitterly.
"Yeah, I guess I am. It hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm just Peeta Mellark from District 12."
"My mommy said she knew you'd win."
"His mommy was a damn liar," Haymitch thought to himself. They both thought the boy would be dead in seconds after the games started.
"Wow, did you think I would too?" Peeta asked, smiling at the boy.
The fucking kid was a natural with the boy, maybe because he was a kid too. Only seven years between the two.
"I'm sorry, I didn't, don't be mad," the boy said, his teeth digging into his bottom lip.
"That's okay, I didn't think I'd win either. What's your name? You know mine."
"My name is Ivo; I don't want to be here; I want my mommy."
Peeta looked at Haymitch but had nothing to say. He didn't know he had a kid, he didn't ask for a kid and he sure as hell didn't want a kid. He was at best a semi functional alcoholic on a good day, on a bad day…which was most, he couldn't even care for himself. This was all the stupid kid's fault, he had thought his actions wouldn't hurt anyone. Haymitch had warned Peeta, but he didn't take it seriously. That one remark was dangerous and he knew it had already started a spark that no one could put out.
"You're here because that idiot couldn't keep his mouth shut. That's the reason you were tore away from your mother," Haymitch jumped up and left the dining car, grabbing a bottle on his way out. He would leave the newest Victor to take care of the mess he made by himself.