to win - haymitch abernathy

⁶⁵ 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒹𝑒

"You look stunning," Porter said with a smirk, approaching Rosemary. The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable, and Rosemary couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Oh, you just stop it," Rosemary replied, glancing down at her dress. It clung to her figure in shimmering silver, a color synonymous with the tributes from District 5. A glittery silver headpiece adorned her head, much to her disdain. It felt heavy and itchy, a constant reminder of the Capitol's extravagant and sometimes absurd fashion sense. She couldn't shake the feeling of looking ridiculous, a sentiment she thought she had left behind in the past.

"It's not that bad," Porter insisted, attempting to sound convincing.

"You are just saying that because you're not the one wearing it," Quartz chimed in, adjusting his own headpiece in an attempt to make it more comfortable.

"Oh my," a voice exclaimed from nearby, and Rosemary turned to see Celeste. She gasped when she laid eyes on Quartz in his glittering outfit. "Oh, no, what are you wearing?" she asked, her disapproval evident. Quartz began to explain, but Celeste quickly hushed him.

"I'm not letting you wear that orb," Celeste hurriedly moved toward Rosemary, removing her headpiece. The instant relief was palpable.

"We always wear this," Rosemary protested, aware of the potential consequences of not adhering to Capitol traditions.

"It's a Quarter Quell," Celeste stated firmly, also removing the headpiece from Quartz. Holding both pieces in her hands, she shivered visibly. Without thinking twice, she threw them behind her, leaving them discarded on the floor.

She gave them a smile, her eyes twinkling. "Good luck," Celeste wished them before walking off with Porter. Rosemary stepped onto the carriage and extended her hand to Quartz.

"Thank you," he said, accepting her hand. His knees didn't cooperate as they used to, and when he finally made it onto the carriage, his back cracked slightly. Rosemary looked at him with concern in her eyes, worried about the toll the years had taken on him.

"You okay?" Rosemary asked, her concern evident in her voice as she looked at Quartz. He nodded, determination in his eyes.

"Let's get this over with," Quartz said, giving Rosemary one last reassuring smile before turning his attention forward. Rosemary, taking a deep breath, followed suit. As the carriage began to move, she couldn't help but steal a glance to her right, and her heart skipped a beat when she caught sight of Effie's extravagant hair. Opening her eyes wider and turning around, she spotted Haymitch engrossed in conversation with a dark-skinned man she recognized as Cinna, who had become rather famous in the Capitol.

Just as Haymitch turned around and locked eyes with Rosemary, the carriage set into motion, and the familiar anthem of the Capitol resonated through the air. The crowd erupted in cheers, the anticipation palpable as they welcomed this year's tributes – a spectacle that would inevitably end in tragedy, leaving only one survivor.

Rosemary estimated that at least a hundred thousand people lined the streets, eager to catch a glimpse of the tributes and participate in the annual celebration before the inevitable bloodshed. Uncertain if she was anyone's favorite, Rosemary realized that she was older compared to the younger tributes. Her thoughts swirled as the carriage progressed, and her face, alongside Quartz's, was displayed on the two borders, offering the Capitol a close-up view of the tributes from District 5.

Attempting to smile for the camera, Rosemary's expression twisted into a crooked grin. The scar on her face made each smile appear slightly uneven, and the tiny wrinkles around her eyes hinted at the passage of time. She had mixed feelings about these signs of aging – a reminder that life was fleeting, and the moments they lived through would become memories, hopefully fading as new experiences took their place.