If We Burn (The Hunger Games x Reader)

Chapter 1

District 12, the worst, most undeniably miserable place to live in Panem. Until last year at least. Now it's frequented by reports and capitol visitors waiting for an opportunity to see the two most famous people in Panem - Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. In last year's games, they defied all odds and became the first co-victors in the history of the Hunger Games. Because of the publicity, district 12 got some upgrades - they couldn't have this place looking rundown and disgusting as usual, not when it was now a hot destination.

To you, district 12 was the same, although a little cleaned up, they never actually fixed what was wrong with the place. You were just as poor, just as hungry and just as neglected. Except there was a little luck left in your life, your best friend won the Hunger Games.

Katniss, the only girl in the world that you actually talked to, the only one in the whole world who actually understood you - because you were the same. You used to hunt with her in the woods, would walk with her to school, would walk Prim to town to get some fabric for a new dress together. When she left you figured you would never see her again, except she won. But her desperation to survive with Peeta set things in motion that could not be undone and would start something you were not ready for - something the whole of Panem was not ready for.

- - - - -

You strode into the victors subdivision where Katniss's fancy new house was. You walked right up to the door, knocked once and entered. "Anyone home?" you called into the large house.

Immediately Prim ran up to you and wrapped you in a hug, "I missed you."

You chuckled and returned her embrace, "I saw you yesterday," you replied with a smile. You and Prim grew close while Katniss was in the games. You had taken care of her family, made sure they were fed and made sure Prim went to school everyday. But now that she was back, you didn't want to overstay your welcome, so you kept your distance most of the time.

"Where's your sister?" you asked.

"In her room," Prim said, "I think she's dreading this victory tour."

You nodded to Prim and walked through the house to Katniss's door. Every year the winning tribute parades around the districts in a final victory lap to the capitol. Katniss was not the type to revel in her victory, so it was likely she was trying to find some way to get out of it.

You opened it without a knock and saw Katniss sitting on the floor staring at the wall. "Hey," you said, sitting cross legged next to her.

"Hey," she replied.

"Prim said you were mopping in here," you teased.

Katniss cracked a small smile. "Come on," you said, standing up and offering a hand, "let's go for a walk."

Katniss reluctantly took it and followed you out of the house. You walked in silence through town and the meadow outside the main square until ducking underneath the fence and heading into the woods.

You sat down on a rock by one of the streams, "okay, talk to me."

Katniss chuckled, "I just don't want to go relive the games, I killed people, I survived, now I want to forget."

"And going on this tour with Peeta has nothing to do with you wanted to skip?" you asked.

She shoved your arm, "I won't apologize for saving him, but I'm not in love with him either."

"I know." you responded, "but if being in love with him saved you both, they won't allow you to not be."

"President Snow made that very clear," she replied, "if I don't convince everyone we are in love, he will kill everyone."

You nodded. She had told you every detail of his visit a few days ago. You knew in your heart Katniss didn't want a war against the capitol, but she was defiant.

"So convince them," you replied, "it's that or everyone you care about dies. Look I know it sucks, but in the world we live in, some things just have to be done."

She nodded, "I know, I should have just died in the games, at least everyone would be safe."

You shook your head, "then everyone, everything you fought for would be for nothing."

"You sound like Gale," she replied.

"He's right Katniss," you answered, "you might not have meant to, but your choice meant something to people. At the very least it meant something to Prim."

Katniss looked at you knowingly, "it all comes back to Prim."

"Doesn't everything?" you asked, "you didn't see her while you were gone. She was glued to that TV, she never gave up hope that you would survive, even when the rest of us did."

She placed a hand on your shoulder, "I'll never be able to thank you enough for taking care of them."

You shrugged, "once mom and dad died, it got lonely. It was never a bother."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you when you needed me," she said.

You shrugged again, "it's alright, once they got sick, it was hard to care for them. Their death was more of a relief."

Katniss looked at you seriously. "I'm not proud of it, but they were more mouths to feed, I couldn't support them alone. It's terrible, but it's the way the world works."

"I don't know how we live like this," she whispered.

You leaned your head on her shoulder in a comforting gesture, "we find something that makes life worth living," you replied.

She leaned into you, "are we sure there are such things?"

You chuckled, "no, I'm not sure there is."