"If you don't stand for something, you might fall for anything."
Haymitch Abernathy | 42
Alcoholic
Victor of the Second Quarter Quell
Mentor to the Boy with Bread
&
the Girl on Fire
"If you don't stand for something, you might fall for anything."
Haymitch Abernathy | 42
Alcoholic
Victor of the Second Quarter Quell
Mentor to the Boy with Bread
&
the Girl on Fire
Sitting in the musty old Capitol building room, he noted that a lot of the things in there were much, much nicer than what was outside of the building. The chair he sat on had velvet— /velvet/! He’d never felt something so soft in his entire life. Everything in the room was nice to some extent. He knew though, that it was nothing compared to the ridiculous Capitol.
The door opened, and his girlfriend came in. “I had to convince Ol’ Graphite that I was your girlfriend,” Iris smiled softly, gently closing the door behind her.
Haymitch immediately got out of his chair and tightly wrapped his arms around her. They were silent for a few seconds, but they both knew they didn’t have much time together.
Haymitch brushed his lips against her forehead and spoke softly.
“I guess the odds weren’t in my favour after all.”
“You can do this, Haymitch. I know you can.”
“I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna win for you. And for Caeleb. And for my mom.”
“I know you will. Here, take this,” she gave him her leather bracelet, the one she had made when she was only three. He knew how much it meant to her, and it meant a whole lot more to him now that she gave it to him to take with him to the Games. Haymitch knew it was an unspoken promise that he was to come back home and give it back.
Iris stood on the tip of her toes and kissed Haymitch on the lips. He kissed her back, and it was rough, but loving at the same time.
“I love you, Haymitch.”
“I love you too.”
Then she was pulled out of the room, leaving Haymitch with the lingering feel of her lips on his. Next came his mother and his brother. They would be his last visitors before he had to leave.
“Guess we won’t be celebrating, huh?” He said as his mother buried her face in his chest, bawling.
“Come on, it’s not that bad. I’ll be home before you know it.” Whether it was in a box or not, he wasn’t too sure himself.
“Y-you- you weren’t- s-supposed to—”
He stroked the back of her head and waved his brother towards him, giving him a half hug. “Shhh. I know, mom. I know. I’ll make it home, though. I’m gonna make it. I’m gonna win this for you guys. Okay? I promise.”
His mother pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “That’s a l-lofty promise, H-Haymitch.”
“Yeah, well, it’s one I intend to keep.”
Haymitch knelt so he could be eye level with Caeleb. He ruffled his hair and smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna be fine. We’re all gonna be fine, yeah?”
His little brother wiped some snot away from his nose that had been gathering and sniffed. “Y-yeah..”
Haymitch chuckled and wiped his brother’s nose for him with his own sleeve, when suddenly he felt his small arms around him.
“D-don’t die, Haymitch. Don’t. Please. Stay alive.”
“You know, that’s the best advice I’ve ever gotten?” He smiled again and kissed his forehead.
“I won’t die, Caeleb. You take care of mom for me, y’hear? I’ll be back before you know it.”
He stood again and turned towards his mother. “Before you know it. I won’t let you down.”
Tears were brimming at his mother’s eyes again and she threw her arms around his neck. “My boy. My eldest. My Haymitch. I love you so, so very much. Never forget that. We’ll be watching every second. We’re rooting for you, sweetheart.”
The door opened and began to pull Caeleb and their mother out. One last kiss on the cheek. One last kiss on the forehead. One last touch. One last look. One last word.
“Rooting for you!”
“I love you, mom! And Caeleb, I love you too!”
“We love y—”
The door slammed shut.
“—ou!” He heard from behind the door.
The room was silent again. Haymitch was alone… Again. He slumped back into the chair until two Peacekeepers came to collect him and shove him in a car— something else that was only ever luxury in District Twelve. The car drove all four of the Tributes to the train. And only two were actually listening to the Escort, hoping that something would be able to help them in their Games. However, when the Tributes got to the train, Haymitch and Maysilee Donner found that nothing Metro said was useful.
Once on the train….. It was a one way trip to the Capitol for most. It was only the start of many to come for one.
Haymitch woke up to the sound of birds chirping. He turned his head to the side, watching as a chest rose and fell, rose and fell. Caeleb was still sleeping soundly, as he should be, while their mother was quietly knitting by the fire. She must have sensed his waking up, for she turned her head towards the room where toe brothers lay and attempted a smile. Haymitch quietly got out of his bed and snuck out of the room sitting on the floor in front of his mom.
submission by http://paper-dreams-are-made-of-these.tumblr.com
7.) Is there one event or happening your character would like to erase from their past? Why?
1.) Describe your character’s relationship with their mother or their father, or both. Was it good? Bad? Were they spoiled rotten, ignored? Do they still get along now, or no?
Haymitch Abernathy. Drunk. Emotionless. Broken. Hated by plenty. Rebelled against the Capitol. Mentor to the Girl on Fire and the Boy with Bread.
Effie Trinket. Capitol citizen. Liked by everyone but District 12. Escort to District 12. Pink. Energetic. Encouraging. Beautiful. Over all perfect.
Never in a million years would Haymitch have thought that he would fall in love with someone like Effie Trinket, much less someone from the Capitol in general. Before the 74th Annual Hunger Games, he would have thought that this kind of love would be impossible.
After he won the Hunger Games, after Snow killed everyone he loved, he refused to love anyone ever again. He refused to even get close to anyone. Even someone he had to work with for the rest of his career as a mentor. He refused to get close to the tributes; he refused to get close to Effie. But the last Hunger Games made it clear that he would eventually have to. He would have to get close to Effie in order to save those kids. And the closer he got…. The more he realized that it was impossible not to have someone. And he began to fall for her.
Now, after already falling for the ‘Princess of the Capitol’, he liked to think of her, he was just plain in love. It took him a while to get it in his head; the feelings he felt, he was not used to. There were, of course, problems that had risen in his head before choosing that falling in love with her was what he wanted.
Problems such as his drinking. Such as public appearance and problems such as Snow. Haymitch knew Snow hated him. And he hated Snow. He was simply afraid that he would take everything away from him again, or that someone else would try and steal her away from him. He didn’t want that.
As for his drinking, of course it might be a problem. But he couldn’t sleep without drinking. Unless he took a sleeping pill, but if he went through withdrawals…. His behavior went off the charts. He went mad. Effie hadn’t seen him go mad and he’d rather keep it that way. He turned into a monster and he didn’t need her seeing that. He didn’t need anyone seeing that.
Haymitch Abernathy. Drunk. Tired. Mentor to the Girl on Fire and the Boy with Bread. Rebelled against the Capitol. Lost everything. Swore he would love again due to impossibility of it all. In love.
