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𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 : 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘣
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katniss walked out onto the stage in the beautiful white dress cinna designed. her 'wedding dress'."when she's done with it, i wanna wear it." hattie admired. "sure, honey." haymitch agreed.

"katniss everdeen, you look fabulous. doesn't she? my, my ! whoo, whoo, whoo. now, katniss, this is a very big and very emotional night for all of us. wouldn't you say?" caesar put the microphone in front of katniss' face. the mentors impatiently waited for her answer. "don't go crying on me now, caesar." haymitch let out a sigh of relief, and hattie pumped her fist. "yes !"

"i can't make any promises. you know me." caesar laughed. "you know i wouldn't believe you, even if you did." she chuckled. "i love her ! the girl on fire is so cheeky... but katniss, on a more serious note. i think we're all here a little disappointed, more than a little disappointed, that a certain wedding did not take place. aren't we, folks?" "i'm not." hattie commented. "preach." haymitch sighed. they fist bumped.

"alas. but i am correct in assuming that this is the gown that you would have worn on that day, yes or no?" "yes. president snow thought everyone would want to see it." "well, president snow, as usual, was right. was he not folks? i love it ! i love it ! don't you love it, folks?" the audience cheered for the girl. "it's incredible. it's so gorgeous. will you do us the honor? please? please? please?"

the two watched as she twirled around, and as she continued, the fire burned away the white dress to reveal... a black dress with wings. "it's got feathers. it's like a bird." caesar stammered. hattie looked back at effie, "is this supposed to happen?" the woman just simply shrugged, and hattie turned back to the TV. "now i can't wear it." "it's like a.." "like a mockingjay." katniss told him. "your stylist has certainly outdone himself this time, hasn't he? what theatricality ! cinna ! take a bow !"

just then, peeta walked out, buttoning the last button on his blazer. "oh, don't you look dapper." hattie teased. "shut up. the collar is itching me." he said, pulling his fingers around the inside of the long collar. "beauty is pain, pretty lady." haymitch told peeta, and the blonde gave the older man a look.

"okay, well, i'm gonna go shine." peeta finally sighed. "you got it." "go rock it." the mentor's encouragements laid over each others. "whatever it takes." he said, sparing a glance at hattie. she nodded. the mentors looked back at the hologram to see peeta coming out just a couple moments later.

"but, peeta, the wedding, the marriage, never to be?" caesar asked the boy. "well, actually, we got married. in secret." the crowd gasped at the blonde. hattie looked to haymitch. "did they?" "they would've told me. plus, we've been so busy, they barely have a moment to themselves." "a secret wedding? all right. do tell." "we.. we want our love to be eternal." "of course." caesar agreed. "that sounded.." "so fake." the man and girl chorused together.

"you know, katniss and i, we've been luckier than most. and i wouldn't have any regrets at all... if it weren't... if.." "if it weren't for what? what?" "..if it weren't for the baby." hattie gasped with the audience, probably louder than all of them combined. "that... that sly bastard !" "all right. this is news ! let's find out more." the audience started to stand up and shout indistinct calls. "whatever it takes." hattie mumbled. "you made the kid do that." haymitch said. hattie's jaw dropped, turning to him and pointing back to the TV, "i didn't tell him to say that katniss was pregnant ! they barely sleep in the same bed !"

"calm down. this is news to all of us." haymitch did a cheering gesture to the screen with his glass, and for a moment, peeta looked into the camera, as if he was looking hattie in the eyes. he stayed like that for a second more, before turning away. caesar whispered something to peeta, and he nodded, walking up the stairs to the rest of the victors.

hattie sighed, bringing her hands away from her hair. "well, i would call that successful."

« « « » » »

hattie, haymitch, and effie all walked in. "that baby bomb was a stroke of genius." haymitch said. "genius is an understatement." hattie corrected, "unfortunately, the games are still on. sorry, guys." "this is goodbye. for now." haymitch told them. hattie started to tear up. she didn't want this to be the last time.

"presents for the boys." effie handed the boys black boxes. "what is this?" "your token. remember? hair for me. pin for katniss. rings for hattie. gold bangle for you." hattie hadn't even realized that she was right until that moment, and glanced down at her 3 rings, 4 now, from what effie had given her. "and for peeta, the medallion that we talked about." peeta took it, and looked up at her. "thank you, effie." "we're a team. aren't we?" effie said, voice breaking. they all nodded. "and i'm so proud of my victors. so proud." she hugged them both. "you're so... well, you both deserved so much better." "thank you, effie." katniss thanked. "i am truly sorry." effie apologized, before starting to sob and rush away.

haymitch looked at the two. "thank you, haymitch. for everything." peeta said, hugging the man. haymitch looked at katniss. "any last advice?" "stay alive." he started to back away, but katniss reached out, "haymitch, wait." they hugged, and hattie heard something whispered indistinctly. finally, he caressed her face, before walking away.

hattie was left with the two.

she looked from peeta, to katniss. "i... i can't express how grateful i am that you guys let me have a relationship with both of you. i get that it's hard, especially with someone like me, who you immediately distrust, but.. thanks.. for not killing me." peeta and katniss both chuckled. "i... i really hope this isn't the last time we say goodbye. i wouldn't be able to live with myself. i hope the machete training was enough. i hope—" katniss suddenly wrapped hattie in a hug.

it caught both girls by surprise, but they didn't seem to mind. hattie hugged her back. "it was. thank you for being patient with me when i wasn't patient with myself." katniss murmured into the curly-haired girl's ear. "you can always rely on me for that." she whispered back. they backed away, but held each other by the arms as they lightly shook one another and nodded with small smiles. hattie looked at peeta, and a sad smile adorned her face.

peeta wordlessly walked to her, pulling her into a comforting hug. that's when hattie started to cry. she didn't sob, but she definitely had tears rolling down her cheeks. he pulled his face away from her shoulder, and walked her over to where they were out of earshot from katniss. "thank you, hattie. for everything." "thank you." she said, wiping her tears. he had helped her. then, he looked at her with a serious look.

"listen. i want you to have this..." he reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. he placed it in her hand, "read it only when i die." "peeta—" "please, hattie. please. i'm begging of you. if anything bad happens or if i die, read it. it will have everything you need to know." "need to know—?" hattie's face showed an expression of pure confusion. "please." peeta said. she looked up at him, and finally nodded. he closed her hand over the envelope, and placed his hand atop of hers. "but, here, please, take this." she reached down and pulled a beautiful golden ring off her right ring finger and grabbed his hand, pushing it onto his left ring finger. on the ring, it had purple jewels encrusted, and it reflected light in every direction. effie's present. "if anyone asks, it's your wedding ring." she smiled. he grinned and looked down at his hand. "looks like we're married." she shrugged, "looks like we are. you're not getting rid of me so soon." "i wouldn't dream of it. never lose your spark."

hattie was about to start ugly crying, but realized she needed to be strong for him. for both of the tributes. "i won't. you never lose yours." "i couldn't if i tried." he smiled at her assuringly, and she sighed, looking at his face one last time. his smile, his eyes, his hair. she threw her arms over him, and his arms embraced her waist. "don't be so selfless." she whispered to him. "but wouldn't that be like losing my spark?" he responded. she could feel the smirk in her shoulder. "touché."

when they walked back to the girl, katniss and her hugged one last time, "take care of him. for me." she mumbled. katniss nodded into hattie's shoulder. hattie then took off one of her other rings, a silver one. it had an emerald on the top. "this is your wedding ring, if anyone asks." hattie put both of her hands on katniss' face. "go kick ass. remember who the real enemy is. it's not any of those people in the arena." she tucked katniss' hairs behind her ears, before turning away and walking away as fast she could, without looking back.

it was the hardest thing she had ever had to do.

a / n :
huh? HUH? this was a really emotional chapter for me to write, mostly because i had to make half of it up and make it 10 times more depressing than it ever had to be, but it ADDS TO THE ✨SPICE✨ OF THE PLOT. ANYWAY, VOTE, COMMENT ! I LOVE YOU ! TAKE CARE IF YOURSELF.
xoxo,
mel 💋