Author's Note
I do not own The Hunger Games.
District Eight
Nadine Stitcher, 16
"Let us know for the next time, yeah?" slurred a brunette boy as he stumbled from the house.
Nadine smiled. They all had to answer to her here, if they wanted another party.
"I hope you had a good time!" she shouted as the last of the attendees left.
Once they were gone, it was just her and her girls.
"Ugh. Those boys were such losers," grumbled Alexis.
Nadine laughed. "Right?"
But they came and they fawned over her in exchange for the alcohol. That was what she needed the most.
"One of them threw up all over the bathroom. We're not inviting him again," said Minnie.
Nadine wrinkled her nose. "Ew."
But they'd still have to clean it up. She needed to keep getting jobs to keep the parties going. And if the mom went to her parents to complain…
Caroline dug through her bag. "I've a couple of hits left if you want any."
"Once we're done clearing up." Nadine grinned. "It'll be our reward."
It took them nearly two hours to clean up the mess from the party. Caroline, of course, did nothing to help, instead helping herself to the last of the beer. By the time they finished, there was light outside. The mom would be back soon from her night shift.
Caroline dug a handful of packets from her bag. "One each?"
Nadine took hers and stuffed it in her pocket. "For later. You three best get out of here."
"See around," said Alexis, opening the door for herself and Caroline.
Minnie stayed longer, folding her arms across her chest. "You need any more help?"
"Nah. I'm just gonna go talk to the brats and wait for the parents to get home. Won't be much longer now."
"Well, see you around."
Nadine saw her off and then headed upstairs to the cramped upper bedrooms. She'd locked the two boys in, remembering them being a hassle during the last party she had here. When she unlocked the door, she found the younger still asleep, but the older one was awake, watching her with fear on his face.
"Right." Nadine shook the younger one awake. He sat up with a cry and launched himself at his brother. "Listen up, you two. You remember the deal from last time?"
The older boy nodded.
Nadine dug her fingers into his arm. "Don't you dare breathe a word of this to anyone. You hear me? If you do, I will know. I will find you. And I will make you regret it."
The boys nodded, tears pouring down their faces.
Nadine smiled. "Good."
Downstairs, the front door opened.
"Oh, that'll be your mommy!" She gathered the two up. "Shall we tell her about the awful dream you had?"
The older one whimpered and shook his head. Nadine patted him on the head. "Good boy. Now get back to bed."
They both climbed into one bed, but she wasn't going to fight them, and headed downstairs to meet their mom.
"How were they?" she asked.
"Oh, they've been perfect. Slept all night. I think they're a bit upset now, they were disturbed by the neighbours."
"Ugh. Those men are jerks. Ignore them. How much do I owe you?"
Five minutes later, Nadine was setting out into the District richer for her night and party. She'd not go home though. Minnie should let her change for school at hers.
District Seven
Adrianna Orita, 17
Adrianna Orita had never quite accustomed to the quiet of District Seven when she woke. It had been just under two years now and still it gave her a start to wake to birdsong and quiet chatter instead of the bustling bang-bang-bang of men leaving to work.
At the end of the street, there was a small group of men protesting. Again. There had been a lot of that recently. She couldn't remember it being like that last year.
Adrianna sighed and changed into her training clothes before heading down to the basement.
Octavian was down there, practising with a spear. He kept his attention on his training as she crept up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He yelled and swung the spear at her. She ducked under it, hurling herself to the floor and springing to her feet again on his other side. "That the best you can do?"
"You surprised me," he retorted, swinging the spear at her again. This time she caught it on one arm, redirecting it away from her and spinning round behind him. He righted himself with quick ease and soon turned on her once more. The two of them danced around each other, a familiar game with memorised steps, until at last Octavian lurched forward, jammed the spear shaft under her knees and sent her sprawling to the floor.
"Three two," he said, quoting the score for the week.
Adrianna leapt to her feet again. "Swords then."
An hour later, when they were finished sparring, they emerged from the basement to wash and change into clean clothes. She undressed and waited for Octavian to finish in the bathroom.
He yelled and hit something. "There's no hot water again!"
"Hang on, I'll take a look." Snatching a jacket to cover herself, Adrianna climbed up to the roof where the water system was kept. This had become an almost daily routine since the day they moved to district Seven. She lifted the lid from the system and found once again the two halves of the heating elements had come disconnected. Adrianna turned the system off and set about reconnecting them. Again. Damn, if she'd had a coin for every time she'd done this.
There was a call from below.
"Water out again?"
Adrianna peered over the roof and found her two closest friends in the street. "Yeah! Let yourselves in, but mind. Ashlar's still in bed."
She slotted the heating elements back together and switched the system back on. It spluttered to life. She kicked it. The spluttering turned to a happy hum.
Iris and Poppy met her in the hall. She bounded down the stairs. Iris blushed and turned away. "Adrianna."
"What?"
"Fasten your jacket up, please."
Adrianna glanced down at herself. "Oh. Sorry."
Poppy grumbled. "I don't see why you don't just use cold water. Most other people in the District do."
"I know, but Dad and Ashlar like having hot." She led them through to the kitchen. "You want something to eat?"
Iris replied 'please,' while Poppy shook her head. Adrianna buttered them some bread and settled at the table. "What are they protesting out there this time?"
"A bunch of Capitolites and Peacekeepers arrived this morning and three quarters of the food in the district's being diverted this-a way," Poppy replied. "Hence why neither of us have eaten since yesterday morning."
Adrianna pushed the plate towards her, stood, and fetched a bowl of fruit.
Poppy scowled. "I don't need your pity."
"It's not pity. It's because you're my friends and I want you to eat something."
A door opened upstairs and Octavian shouted down. "I'm out!"
She turned towards the door. "Right, thanks!" Snatching a handful of grapes from the bowl, she moved towards the hall. "Look, Dad'll just buy more in, and half of that stuff'll go to waste. I'll go get changed and then we'll take some out to your families. What about your mum and Leilani; have they eaten?"
Poppy shook her head wordlessly.
"Right, you better think what'll be best for them. I won't be long."
Darting from the kitchen, she ran back upstairs, grabbed her fresh clothes and let herself into the bathroom. The shower ran hot until she was half done, when it cut out suddenly.
Adrianna swore and rinsed the remaining bubbles off with cold water before pulling her clothes on. Today she had chosen a patched blue dress that had once belonged to Iris's younger sister and a faded yellow jacket. Adrianna could remember the trainers at the academy constantly shouting at her "You can't fight in a dress!" and yet she could move so much more freely in them. Plus, out here in the heat of Seven, they were a lot cooler and more practical.
Octavian had joined her friends in the kitchen, where Poppy had given into temptation and taken a chunk of bread.
"Thanks," she mumbled through a mouthful. Adrianna nodded.
"What do you think you'll need?"
Poppy shrugged. "Anything's better than nothing."
Adrianna dug through their cupboards. Her eyes fell on the leftover salted beef they had eaten for tea two days ago, which had been stored under a glass dish, a trick she learnt from Iris. "Octavian, do you think we'll eat this?"
He shrugged.
"Right, well we'll take this then. And more bread, and cheese, and potatoes."
"A, you really don't have to give us food."
Octavian laughed and dropped into the chair Adrianna had earlier vacated. "Can't say I agree with my sister on her actions, but I agree we'll never eat all this before dad buys in more."
Adrianna packed the food on the side into a canvas bag and slung it over her shoulder. "See you in a bit Octavian."
There were more peacekeepers than usual in the street. Adrianna picked out her dad in his commander's uniform. She called a cheery hello to him. He said nothing. Couldn't speak with civilians on duty. Not unless he was interrogating them or beating them to a pulp of course.
She did wonder about that sometimes. Mostly she tried not to be where her dad was on duty, but she wondered whether he acted like some of the other peacekeepers she saw. Rationally she knew she even knew some of them under their helmets, but they were kinda scary when they were beating the shit out of a guy for mouthing off to them.
It took them half an hour to make their way out of the town and into the orchards. Adrianna had been surprised to learn just how enormous District Seven truly was. It was huge. There were in fact six main settlements, with hers being the central one, and the others scattered out over the district.
Poppy's mum, Ivy, worked in the Eastern sector of the orchards. Her four year old daughter, Leilani, was wandering about at her heels. She squealed when she saw them and ran to greet them. Poppy hefted her off the ground.
"You two are going to be late for your shift."
"We're hurrying mama; we just came by to bring you something." Poppy reached into the canvas bag and withdrew four chunks of bread and two hunks of cheese, which she slipped into her mum's private bag. "For lunch."
"Where did you get that?"
"It's a present," Adrianna replied, and left quickly before the woman tried to give it back. People here were reluctant to accept help or anything, especially from her. No one wanted to 'in debt' themselves to some outsider.
Iris stashed the rest of the food in her locker as they changed for the fields. Adrianna watched the contours of her body, her curves and thin limbs, as she dressed in the coarse blue overalls for the orchards.
The three of them left hurriedly before the foreman caught them dallying there in the locker room.
Author's Note
And here, as you can see, we are really breaking out of canon with Adrianna and her friends and family.
So, headcanons for why this is in this universe:
After a twelve year period of service, peacekeepers can be 'granted' permission to take a wife and have children as a reward for good service to the nation. Not all peacekeepers are granted it, and not all choose to do so. This was because of a decline in population that started sometime around the fortieth Games and continued until the change was brought in sometime around the sixtieth Games. The Capitol sees it as advantageous as theoretically the children would be more loyal to them because of their parents.
In addition, some very slight movement was opened up between the Districts to try and keep the populations balanced. This is very heavily monitored, and mostly occurs between the richer Districts (1, 2, and 5. Adults are very, very occasionally allowed to move to the Capitol, but only if they prove to have a skill the Capitol is in need of.
If anyone wants to play with either of these universe changes, feel free, but message me with the character idea first. I'm going to be far more selective with these types of characters, as they're uncommon, and unlikely to be reaped due to the rigged reapings.
Submission Update
(This can also be found on my profile page)
There are now 10 slots remaining (4 reserved). So if you are thinking of submitting, get that character in quick or pm me for a reservation. I'm most interested in getting submissions for the slots that don't have any (especially the D4F, D7F, and D11M), but you can still submit to open slots that have submissions, it won't work against you in this story.
Submissions by District
District One:
Female: [closed]
Male: [closed]
District Two:
Female: [closed]
Male: 0
District Three:
Female: 0
Male: 1
District Four:
Female: 0
Male: [closed]
District Five:
Female: 1
Male: 0
District Six:
Female: [closed]
Male: 0
District Seven:
Female: 0
Male: 0 [1 Reserved]
District Eight:
Female: 1
Male: 0
District Nine:
Female: 1 [1 Reserved] [closed unless you hold the reservation]
Male: 0
District Ten:
Female: 1
Male: [closed]
District Eleven:
Female: 1
Male: 0
District Twelve:
Female: [closed]
Male: 1
Submissions by age:
12: 1
13: 2
14: 2
15: 3
16: 4
17: 4
18: 2
I have enough:
Careers.
Angry girlies.
Stand-offish boys.
Pranksters/tricksters.
I could do with:
18 year-olds.
Boys.
The D7F and the D11M.
-'Rebel' kids. I have surprisingly few of these. Remember, these don't have to be directly rebels themselves (and probably won't be, at their age). They might have a relative who is, or a friend or acquaintance, or even regularly visit a business owned by a rebel sympathiser.
-'Rigged' kids. I have a couple of these, but remember, a kid doesn't have to be a rebel to be rigged in. They could be a target for other reasons, for example: criminals, trouble-stirrers, or even just happened to annoy the wrong person. Be creative!
Villains (remember these reapings are rigged, you could absolutely send in a villain tribute)