Hunger Games Headcanon (plus Some Minor SOTR Spoilers)

Hunger Games Headcanon (plus some minor SOTR spoilers)

I like to imagine in a somewhat better scenario that posts the 74th Hunger Games, when Katniss and Peeta come home, that Haymitch was forced to sober up significantly (at least for him, still drunk but not as often) because he realized these two kids in victors village did not know how to take care of themselves and he was forced to be somewhat of a guardian more often. Especially since any issues the two have, they just show up at Haymitch's house and it's gotten to a point where he just expects it. It's like post rebellion except it happens way earlier.

It's just come to his attention that Peeta lives alone because his family sucks so Haymitch just often finds Peeta in his kitchen baking and while he questioned it at first (Kid, what the fuck are you doing in my house?!?! Peeta: cookies :) ), eventually was like fuck it, and didn't bother trying to kick the kid out (and he got fresh pastries so sue him it's nice). He used to grunt or snort when Peeta would just start talking but it just came to a point where Haymitch was genuinely giving him advice and kicking him to sleep on the couch or go to bed (whether that be Haymitch guest room or Peeta's own house was determined purely on chance and it was usually Haymitch's guest room).

So great, now he has a kid to look after who's semi-moved in. It's somewhat easy, with Peeta, who is much more willing to share and talk. This doesn't stop the bad days when he sees Peeta shut down and barely talk, and Haymitch has to try and give his own talks and random quips about nothing to try and get Peeta out of his head. Haymitch hasn't held long conversations in such a long time. It's difficult, but it's progress, and seeing the kid function again takes some stress off of Haymitch's shoulders that he didn't know he had.

At least Katniss has her mom, or at least Haymitch thinks so. Because not a month later this feral, hissy teenager who reminds Haymitch of Johanna (and himself but he doesn't want to admit it) comes along and starts giving Haymitch some dead animals. (Haymitch: what are you, a fucking cat? Katniss: Take the damn rabbit Haymitch you drunk bastard).

And the same shit starts all over again except Katniss is way more closed off and guarded and moody in Haymitch's opinion but she's also hurting and Haymitch understands that. She has a tendency to walk around and find herself in the woods, sometimes sleeping in the trees, and Haymitch won't know until Peeta mentions that he hasn't seen Katniss go home yet and so now Haymitch is walking in the woods he hasn't been to since Burdock last took him, looking for Katniss and finding her curled to the side of a nice maple tree (that Burdock once showed him how to get syrup from in late winter, the both of them enjoying some fruit with it and selling it off). Haymitch doesn't say this of course, but he comes and picks her up and takes her back home, drops her in his guest bed, and goes to drink more because facing his childhood memories is tough and this girl several rooms down from him encompasses everything he ever cherished.

So now his days are spent playing reluctant babysitter (not that he calls himself this). Talking down nightmares and dragging (his) kids to go to bed and making sure they eat. He has to start locking his alcohol now so Katniss doesn't touch it. He finds his house much cleaner than it was before, mostly due to Peeta, but Haymitch stops leaving his shit around because it's depressing to see a kid take care of his clothes like a maid. He can often find Katniss or Peeta or both somewhere in his house doing random shit, or leaving notes.

Having the kids around him helps him fix himself up reluctantly, he eats better, and takes a bit more care of himself or else he gets nagged on. It's whatever, better to just take the damn shower instead of listening to Katniss yell at him for 10 minutes straight (He only knew one girl in this district before who could nag so much).

There are a lot of bad days, days filled with screaming, drunken messes, and knives being held. Some days they'll go a whole week without speaking to another. But they migrate back because it's just what happens when you only have two other people who understand you. But he will ask Peeta about what he's baking and his drawing. And eventually, Katniss will force Haymitch to go along with her on hikes in the forest and Haymitch will point at plants and feign ignorance, asking about them until Katniss gives him looks but starts talking about every one of them with a faraway look in her eye and the same excited tone Haymitch knew she got from Burdock when he pulled Haymitch into following him. Haymitch thinks he's got Katniss and Peeta figured out enough.

Everything is working out, not great, but they're living, and isn't that great for them?

Until the 75th games are called, and Haymitch sees what's happening. He thought it would be over, that Snow would be done. Of course not, and Haymitch shouldn't have left his fucking guard down for one minute.

He has both (his) kids asking that he protect the other (and it pains him that he can't, he fucking can't and Snow knows this, the fucking bastard). Haymitch can only do the one thing he knows best, and takes a swing from the bottle.