Living Lies ✜ Hunger Games x Reader

Only Remembering Dreams

(A/N: Some explanations towards the end of this y'all, so yes, it is still a bit Inceptiony up here. But that's a great movie, right? 

Also, as a bit of a guide, italics are memories/flashbacks, and every thing in italic bold is a quote from the last six or seven chapters that pertains to the flashback it comes before. I apologize for the time skips. There are a lot, but they're necessary. 

And finally, there's a bit of a TW in this chapter. Mentions of anxiety and PTSD. This is a pretty long chapter. 

*****

"Did he do it?"

Haymitch hesitates, peeking around the door to your large room before closing the heavy thing. After you found out about the new Quarter Quell theme and you were pronounced physically fit enough to move out of the hospital wing, Alma Coin presented you with a plain but spacious room. As if she thought it would make up for her ignorance, she was wrong, but the room was nice enough for you—you are still not yet allowed to walk the halls of District 13 alone. While they may see you physically fit, evidently, they do not believe the same for your mind, and insisted on you having an escort. More like babysitter, you thought to yourself in annoyance.

"We think he might have," Haymitch confirms once the door is closed, you close you eyes in relief. For the first time in weeks, you think you might smile. Drink something other than plain water and hopefully eat something other than District 13 slop to celebrate winning your uphill battle.

"That's great," you finally, and sincerely, reply. "Am I allowed to know what it is?"

Over the weeks, you had learned through painful and repetitive correction that just because you were the Martyr, the Girl on Fire, and the Victor didn't mean you had access to know everything. Most doors shut in your face, and even though you knew you could threaten the District all you wanted, you owed them a life debt, and wouldn't get very far in such a venture.

"Plutarch knows that many people are distraught over how unfair Reaping Prim again would be, seeing as you 'gave your life' to save her. He thinks that may be a good thread to pull on. If he can promote this rule enough that the people of Panem agree to withdraw Prim from the Reaping, it will work."

"How do we know it will?"

"We figure that all we have to do is plant the seed," Haymitch explains. "If Plutarch's new rule brings enough light to the matter, people might advocate for it just so Prim doesn't," Haymitch hesitates. "Die."

"What's the rule?"

"In the event of a volunteer dying in the Games, they must be replaced with another volunteer to substitute for the original tribute that was Reaped."

"So Prim's name will be drawn again, but somebody will have to take her place?" you muse.

"Precisely. 'Volunteer' is a loose term. The rule defaults to part two, which states that the replacement tribute must be the same age as the tribute that died. Prim's doesn't qualify either way. It narrows the pool down quite a bit. If there are no volunteers, it will draw one name from among the eligible tributes."

With that, your blood runs cold. There's always a catch to some good thing that happens to you. You know exactly who will volunteer for Prim. She's your age, brave, good with a bow, and Prim is her sister.

You laugh humorlessly. "I don't think we'll have to worry about not having a volunteer."

***