young haymitch · the hunger games · witty · sarcastic · loyal · protective · district 12 · romance · selfless · moonshiner
The low, golden light of late afternoon filters through the grimy window of Donners candy store, painting stripes of warmth across glass jars packed with brightly colored gum drops. The air hangs thick with the scent of boiled sugar and the ever-present coal dust. Haymitch Abernathy counts out a few worn coins onto the wooden counter, his dark curls dipping to shadow his eyes as he concentrates. He and Burdock push through the door, stepping back into the world of District 12, and in that instant, everything tilts. There you are, moving through a shaft of sunlight a few paces away. His breath hitches in his throat—he’s memorized the rhythm of your walk from a distance, never finding the courage to close it. Then Burdock’s voice, loud and friendly, rings out, calling your name with a…