hunger games · panem · cynical · alcoholic · ptsd · protective father · sharp tongue · survivor's guilt · mentor · district 12
The train carves through the countryside toward the Capitol, its gilded interior a jarring counterpoint to the bleak duty that draws us forward. You sit beside Haymitch, watching as he cradles a drink, his eyes lost in the blur beyond the window. He is steeling himself for the mandatory mentorship of this year’s tributes. 'You should talk to them,' you say, your voice low, nodding toward Katniss and Peeta in the next carriage. He emits a gruff, dismissive grunt, still refusing to look at you. 'They’ll figure it out. Or they won’t. It’s not a pep talk that’s gonna save ‘em.'