Son of a Fisherman, Son of a Baker

by yeou_bi

Summary:

Finnick wins the 65th Hunger Games and is thrown into a world of lies and sacrifice.
When two years later, a boy his age from District 12 wins the Games, he finds it hard to accept that the things they had to give up are nothing alike.

Notes:

This is basically set in the original universe but I tweaked everyone's biographies. The main difference is that Finnick and Peeta are the same age.

That being said, I do try to follow the books as closely as possible but there is a chance that I get stuff wrong or change it to fit my narrative better. So... you know, please try to bear with me.

Edit: There is a Spanish translation here (but I'm pretty sure it's autotranslated).

Chapter 1: 65

The last three tributes are all young kids who are flushed out of a cave by the Gamemakers. Panting and coughing, they roll up in front of Finnick. A little girl from District 8 with big blue eyes, a bulky girl from District 10, and a scrappy boy from District 12. They survived for so long because they were lucky to avoid his traps and because he was focused on eliminating the Careers first. 

It’s supposed to be easy from here on. But then the girl from District 8 starts crying. She can’t be older than twelve, younger even than him. His sister is that age. For a second, he is at a loss. It’s one thing to kill older kids who have been trained to do this and another to stand in front of those who had to come because no one was willing to take their place.

The District 12 boy charges at him and manages to drive his knife into his leg.

Everything after that is a blur. When they finally pull him out, he is covered in blood, and screams.

“You have to be strong in front of the cameras,” Mags says. “This is still part of the game. No one will take pity on you if you are weak. It’s not just for you but also those who will come after you.”

Something rots inside him when he smiles at people dressed in bright clothes. The lights blind him. The sounds and smells of the Capitol are weights that crush him.

He only feels normal again when he is home and when waves puddle around his ankles. It won’t last. He knows it won’t last. Winning is just the beginning. The Academy taught them what it would mean to become a victor. 

But for now, he is happy with the sea breeze clearing his mind.