not all monsters do monstrous things... masterlist
okie dokie here it is! for my anon who asked for an easier way to navigate my hunger games fic, here is a little masterlist of all the chapters I've written so far. if you want to be tagged specifically let me know and I'll add you on here so that each time I had a chapter, you'll know ;)
in grade 12 we were reading romeo and juliet and we were at the romantic-ass balcony scene and this hot girl in the class volunteered to read julietās parts and i put up my hand to volunteer for another part and the teacher goesĀ āoh do you want to be the nurse, amanda?ā and i was likeĀ āno i wanna be romeoā and the hot girl swiveled around in her seat to give me a Lookā¢
she and i later ended up making out at a bunch of parties in university lmfao
I too got a girlfriend over this play. In grade 10, I was reading the balcony scene to study with two other people (one guy and one beautiful girl) and I insisted point blank I had to read as romeo, because he had the most lines and Iām a dramatic little shit.
So the other two in my group are used to my antics by now. Weāre all friends, so the pair of them decide that the one guy in our group gets to be the nurse. Now, my Juliet and I have been friends for a couple months by this point, so I decide to be a little more dramatic.
We put Juliet on a spinny chair, and pump it up as tall as it goes, and my baby, closeted lesbian ass crouches on the floor, ready to be as melodramatic as possible. Like, Iām about to do a rendition that makes William himself walk into the class and tell me to take it back a notch or twelve.
And then I look up.
And holy shit.
There she is, Juliet, haloed in the worst fluorescent light known to mortals across the globe. Light just streaming down around her, that weird off-green colour that it always is. And sheās the most beautiful girl Iāve ever seen. My little gay soul is barely holding on as the words barely leave my lips, breathlessly. āBut softā¦ what light from yonder window breaks?ā
And Juliet was the sun. Romeo was not exaggerating that line at all.
Juliet and I have also been together for more than 4 years now. Sheās every bit as spectacular as she was when I was a lovestruck teenage Romeo, kneeling on the yellowed linoleum floor of second block english.
Ā Ā Summary of Series: Delly Cartwright lost her best friend, Peeta, to the games. Now, the one that took him seems to have a soft spot for her.
Ā Ā Summary of Chapter: Back in the Arena, Delly thinks about what Asher said to her while her mind is also wondering how to navigate things with Cato.Ā
Ā Ā Warning: Angst, fluff?Ā
Ā Ā Authorās Note: Alright, itās been a minute. Itās been a weird couple of months; every time I sat down to write something, it would be the only time I had to myself and would just fall asleep but Iām here with another chapter. This is still one of the first things that Iāve written in a while that I feel happy doing, even if itās just for me which is kinda wild. So, even though itās not getting a lot of attention, Iām happy to see it through. If you are reading it and think I should add something in, feel free to send me your thoughts! As always, Iām crediting Ophelia Tateās They Caught Fire, for story inspiration. Stay Golden, loves!
Ā Ā not all monsters masterlist
Ā Ā masterlist
Ā Ā masterlist part ii
Ā Ā the other masterlist
xx
Dellyās P.O.V
Ā Ā Dellyās mind raced as her conversation with Asher ran through her mind, knowing that Panem heard it too; she could only hope that they didnāt read what she read. This place, these Games, werenāt for people like you and Asher - soft people with soft hearts - but then again, isnāt that how everyone starts out? Soft?
Ā Ā āYouāre gonna get your face stuck like that if you donāt ease upā Johanna teased and you looked up with your eyebrows still pulled together, lines crinkling your forehead
Ā Ā āSorry,ā you laughed lightly, āI justā¦ Asher isā¦ heās not acting like himselfā
Ā Ā āHow so?ā she asked
Ā Ā āYou canāt tell?āĀ
Ā Ā āIāve known the two of you for all of 5 minutes,ā she joked, a smile clear on her face before she turned to the fire, āhe seems like the same kid. Scared, unsure, sticking to his sister like glueā¦ā
Ā Ā āBut thatās just it!ā you exclaimed, āthatās the thing,ā you repeated, quieter this time, āheās scared, of course, who wouldnāt be, but heāsā¦ trying to get rid of meā
Ā Ā āGet rid of you?ā she said, raising an eyebrow in disagreement, āyeah, I donāt see that. I mean heās literally right beside youā
Ā Ā āCan you do something for me?ā you changed the subject, Johanna nodded softly, ācan you find a way to get him out of here?ā
Ā Ā āIāā she stammered, putting her hands out to distance herself
Ā Ā āI donāt know how,ā you added, you were sure it was impossible, ābut there has to be a way. My parents canāt lose their babyā
Ā Ā āThatās not how the Games work,ā Johanna scoffed, āI mean, Beeteeāā
Ā Ā āCan I,ā Cato interrupted Johanna, who seemed to be more than happy to let him take over, āsorry, can I borrow Delly for a second?ā
Ā Ā āNo, no. Donāt be sorry,ā Johanna chuckled, ābe my guest. Just donāt do anything you donāt want on camera.ā Her wink made you roll your eyes but not before your cheeks went rosy pink. Cato took your hand, guiding you away from the group that sat around the fire, the warm glow fading into the distance
Ā Ā āHey,ā Cato said to you softly, like it had been ages since heād talked to you and wanted to ease into it, āhow are you doing?ā You raised your eyebrows before letting out a gentle giggle
Ā Ā āIām fine, Cato,ā you smiled, āhow are you?ā
Ā Ā āI just..ā he scoffed, holding your hand in his as he searched the air for the right words, āyou and Asher seemed like you were having a pretty intense talk and I wanted to make sure everything was okayā
Ā Ā āThank you,ā you said, āheāsā¦ I think this is all finally getting to him. I never thought Iād hear him say the things he said. That he felt like he was giving me awayā
Ā Ā āWhat does that mean?ā he chuckled and you just shrugged
Ā Ā āCato,ā you sighed, āIām scared heās giving up. That he doesnāt think the plan will work or that our kiss changes things somehowā
Ā Ā āI mean, it changes things with us, in here, but not with you twoā
Ā Ā āI think itās more about it changing the plan,ā you admitted, āI think he thinks that Iāll have to leave him behindā
Ā Ā āDelly, he knows youād never do thatā
Ā Ā āYou shouldāve heard him though,ā you said, dropping your hand from his so you could rub your forehead, āhe said if something happens, let it happen to him. That I should be the one to make it out of here, not him. I canāt let that happen. I donāt want anything to happen to him, it caāā
Ā Ā āHey, hey,ā Cato brought you close to his chest to comfort you, his arms wrapped tightly around you, as if he was trying to hide the tears that fell from your eyes. āShh, shh, itās okay,ā he said softly, doing his best to calm your nerves, āI wonāt let anything happen to him, I promise. Okay? You donāt have to worry about anything; well, at least not about that.ā You chuckled as you cleaned the tears off your face, finally getting a chance to look at Cato in the moonlight again. The moments that youād had with him, authentically, have been so few that you wanted to bring one back but, if you were being honest, you didnāt know how. The kiss came after days of tension, of charged space between the two of you, of keeping a secret that was only a secret to the Audience. Now that it was out there, you didnāt know how to make a move. Even at his home in District 2, he always initiated things but itās different in the Arena. Neither of you wanted to put on a show but neither of you knew the right way to express yourselves - was there a way?
Ā Ā āIā¦ā you tried to say something but a noise in the distance caught your attention, āwhat was that?ā you said shakily
Ā Ā āI donāt know,ā Beetee replied, still a few feet away from you and Cato, āwhat time is it?ā
Ā Ā āNot time for anything newā Finnick answered hesitantly, āit canāt beā
Ā Ā āSomeone must be here,ā Johanna said roughly, turning to Finnick, āGloss?ā
Ā Ā āMaybe,ā he shrugged, āis he all thatās left now?ā
Ā Ā āCashmere,ā Asher added, āsheās still out there. Itās the two of them and the six of usā
Ā Ā āI donāt see anything,ā you said, moving closer to the group, Cato keeping his body in front of yours
Ā Ā āPut out the fire,ā Beetee said. It was only embers to begin with, just something to keep everyone warm, but it seemed that was enough for them to know exactly where to look. Finnick and Johanna threw sand on the fire before meeting the group where they were - everyone back to back to catch every angle. You still couldnāt see anything, and the rustling of the trees was gone, if it was ever really there. āStay close,ā Beetee continued, ājust because we donāt see them, doesnāt mean they canāt see us.ā Nobody moved, nobody spoke, for what felt like a lifetime, until there was a small noise in the trees; a wind moving through to prepare for the next terror of the hour.
Ā Ā āThere,ā Johanna whispered, nodding toward the trees, āI saw something over that wayā
Ā Ā āWhat was it?ā Finnick asked
Ā Ā āWho was it?ā Cato added
Ā Ā āI donāt know,ā she quietly snapped, āI saw the trees move. I thought Iād give a heads up so you could get your little sword out and finally use itā
Ā Ā āIāve used it,ā Cato huffed, ājust focus, Johanna.ā You still couldnāt see anything and you werenāt sure what was coming next. You looked over at Asher, who was hyper focused on the area that he had in front of him and in his own little world - he wouldnāt have turned to you if you shouted his name. āThere,ā you heard Cato say under his breath but he only seemed to say it to himself
Ā Ā āCato?ā you said quietly, leaning in to him but he pushed you out of the way harshly and you fell to the ground; you were shocked for a second until you realized that Cato was getting you out of the way of Glossā sword before throwing his own. There was a tenseness in the air as Gloss stumbled out of the trees with Catoās blade deep in his chest, you couldnāt bring yourself to stand up; in disbelief, in hesitation, in a strange act of self-defence, you werenāt really sure, but you just stayed on the ground, motionless. Cashmere ran onto the beach as Gloss fell to the ground and there was a burst of panic before Johanna eventually rushed Cashmere, pushing Asher out of the way, with the axe that Gloss had been carrying. Johanna grunted as she battled District 1ās Female Victor, the axe plunging into Cashmereās side as she fell to the ground and you shuffled backward on the ground so her body wouldnāt land on yours.
Ā Ā āDelly, get up,ā Beetee said, as Cashmereās body laid next to you, her vacant eyes facing you now, āget up!ā You finally followed his instruction and got to your feet, looking around and realizing both the District 1 siblings were gone; now lifeless bodies that once were fiercely determined to succeed. You ran to Beetee and the rest of the group as the Gamemakers sent in the hovercraft to pick up Gloss and Cashmere. You watched as a claw came down, wrapped the two in separate baskets and brought them into the hovercraft; you couldnāt remember actually being this close to the hovercraft when it was picking someone up, it was different then you thought it would be. It almost felt gentle for the Capitol. You were brought back to the Arena when you suddenly became very aware that there was no villain left. It was just five people youād come to feel safe around, with one person youād do anything to survive with and one that you couldnāt live without. As the gongs went off for Cashmere and Gloss, you couldnāt but think, with only the six of you left, would someone go against the unspoken alliance? Who would be the first to turn?
xx
Asherās P.O.V
Ā Ā As the group continued walking along the beach, you kept an eye out for any changes that might have happened. You couldnāt be the only one thinking about it - that someone still had to survive to get back home, especially if Beeteeās plan didnāt work. You watched Finnick and Johanna lead the group, Delly and Cato not too far behind them, while you and Beetee trailed at the back. There was a small moment between your sister and the tall, blonde Victor, that you wondered if you were the only one to notice - they hadnāt done much since their kiss on the beach, you werenāt sure why but when you caught Delly looking up at Cato and him looking back at her, there was a quiet peace between them. Their peace made you feel at peace and hopeful for what might happen with them.Ā
Ā Ā There seemed to be a feeling of safety for a moment, allowing Finnick to make some joke in Dellyās direction and she said something that made the three others around her laugh before she looked back to find you. You smiled and nodded at her, she reluctantly turned back to Johanna and Finnick but you were happy that she was getting along with everyone; you were taken out of the carefree feeling when a bell tolled - a new hour, 8pm from how Delly had been counting, which wasā¦
Ā Ā āThe Heat Spike?ā you asked yourselfĀ
Ā Ā āI donāt think so. It was the Sirenās,ā Beetee said, looking in the direction youād all just left, āthe one that drew us all in.ā You nodded as you remembered Wiress walking across the beach, and the feeling as you followed her before falling into the sand. You could tell by the look on Beeteeās face that he was remembering Wiressā last moments. āThese tricks,ā Beetee continued, bringing your attention back to him, ātheyāre wearing us down. The Games have always been this way. If the Tributes donāt kill you, the Arena willā¦ā
Ā Ā āDoesnāt that mean the Gamemakers are killing us?ā Asher questioned
Ā Ā āShh,ā Beetee mockingly held a finger in front of his lips, ādonāt let them hear you say that.ā It was clear what he was really saying. The Capitol, the Gamemakers, Snow, they were the ones killing Tributes, but they couldnāt get their hands dirty; blood didnāt come out so easily. Saying it out loud though, might be the death of you entirely whether you survived or not. The Siren Song trap didnāt stop at a barrier when youād gotten trapped the first time, so you were cautious of everything around you
Ā Ā āI think itās getting louderā¦ā you said, trying your best not to whisper so you werenāt mistaken for the Arenaās whispers ādonāt you?ā
Ā Ā āI canāt tellā Beetee replied
Ā Ā āAsher?ā Delly called as she ran to find you
Ā Ā āIām here,ā you answered, ādonāt worryā
Ā Ā āIāll always worry,ā she smiled before pulling you in for a hug, āthatās what Iām here for.ā You hugged her back tightly as you realized her worry was real; not that it wouldnāt be butā āDid you hear anything? See anything?ā your thoughts were cut off by Dellyās questions
Ā Ā āNo, just the bellā Beetee said
Ā Ā āI thought I heard something but it seemed far away,ā you said, ābut I didnāt see anythingā
Ā Ā āWhat exactly would we see?ā Finnick asked Delly. You shrugged as he scanned the group and Delly hesitated, scanning her mind about what might be out there
Ā Ā āI donāt really knowā¦ā she finally said
Ā Ā āThereās nobody else left, Cartwright,ā Johanna sneered, āthereās nothing else to see. This āterrorā was all soundā
Ā Ā āBut it did bring us somewhere,ā you countered, āwhen I followed it last time, I wound up being dragged into the groundā
Ā Ā āWell, not this time,ā Johanna said. She seemed annoyed when a second ago, she was laughing with the others, but it didnāt take long for her to soften her tone as she explained herself. āI know last time it drifted past the barrier that we all thought existed but it doesn't seem like thatās the case this time.ā After being silent throughout the group's questions and arguments, Cato finally spoke up
Ā Ā āWe should get going if weāre going to make it to the tree in timeā he said and the group nodded, turning back to the original direction but making sure they kept an eye on the sun for the right direction. You went back to listening to the conversations ahead of you - Finnick teasing Johanna, Johanna throwing quips of her own, Delly and Cato laughing lightly - and this time you felt so far away. Maybe the trick was still tricking you, making you think everyone was leaving you behind.
Ā Ā āWhatās going on in your head?ā Beetee said, surprising you enough that you gasped and let out a small laugh
Ā Ā āNothing,ā you replied, ājust listening to themā
Ā Ā āYou know, theyāre scared too,ā he said. Maybe to ease your mind, or because he knew that it was something that could be on your mind, āthatās what getting close to people in here will do. Getting close to anyone, anywhere, really. The thought of losing them, by your own hand or someone elseās, is one youād rather not have.ā You could understand what he meant. You never had the kind of relationships back home that you did in here, you were always Dellyās brother. Yes, you had friends of your own but people knew you because of her first and foremost. At the same time, you knew Delly had always felt like she was on the outside. Between the three of you, Peeta was the centre; he made friends so easily and he brought Delly in, and you were allowed in because of Delly. Back home, Delly really only had Peeta and you, and when Peeta died, it was just the two of you. It was different here though. Maybe it was because of the interviews, maybe it was because of her story with Cato, but everyone flocked to her in here; she was important to them.
Ā Ā āYouāre gone again,ā Beetee laughed, your thoughts clearly taking over your face, āwhat are you thinking now?ā
Ā Ā āNothing really,ā you said, ājust about what you said. I get it. You all know - knew - each other in one way or another. Iāve known you for what? A week? And I donāt know what losing someone in the Arena, to the Games, looks like or feels likeā
Ā Ā āYou havenāt lost your sister though,ā he said, almost as a question, but he must have been seeing the concern on your face, āsheās right thereā
Ā Ā āItās justā¦ā you said, searching for the right words, āIām finally seeing her go back to the Delly from home. And I think they are, tooā
Ā Ā āMeaningā¦ā Beetee pushed gently
Ā Ā āThey appreciate her,ā you replied, gesturing in front of you, āyou appreciate her. I appreciate her but Iāve always appreciated her. It just seems like she has her light back, and they appreciate her lightā¦ā You hoped you didnāt sound cheesy but you could see Beetee smiling at you and you knew he thought it was cheesy
Ā Ā āWe do see her light,ā he admitted, āI think Caesar and Cinna made sure of thatā
Ā Ā āYou know what I mean though?ā you added, āshe was always that smiling girl. One of the few in District 12 that was lucky enough to be able to wear anything other than grey. That made her bright. Light. If it wasnāt for Peeta, people wouldnāt have recognized her as anything other than the girl in the yellow dress.ā Beetee didnāt have anything to add and you didnāt mind; it felt like enough to you. You were happy that your sister was finally herself again. You watched as Cato moved as close to her as possible, finally taking her hand in his, and it hit you. Sheās meant to get out of here, you thought to yourself, and youāre going to make sure she does.
xx
Dellyās P.O.V
Ā Ā You were doing your best to keep an eye on your brother but with him trailing behind with Beetee, your attention was easily stolen by Johanna and Finnick teasing each other.Ā
Ā Ā āEverything okay?ā Cato asked
Ā Ā āYeah,ā you said, ājust worried about Asherā
Ā Ā āHeās with Beetee,ā he scoffed playfully, ānothing is going to happen to himā
Ā Ā āNot right now,ā you said, ānot this very moment. But what about whatever the next trap or trick or terror is in store?ā
Ā Ā āWhatās gonna make you not worry about him?ā he asked, taking your hand in his. This was the first romantic thing either of you had done since the kiss and it made you feel a bit more calm
Ā Ā āI wonāt stop worrying until heās home,ā you said through a grimaced smile, ālook, I know, I know that thatās a terrible answer. But Iām his big sister. I canāt worry about anything else.ā
Ā Ā āYou have all this to worry about,ā he said, gesturing to the Arena with a forced smile, āif that makes a difference?ā
Ā Ā āCato,ā you said calmly, āitās only us left.ā You took a deep breath before looking back at Asher and Beetee - you didnāt know why everyone had turned out to be so nice but, āweāre not all supposed to be here,ā your thoughts came out of your mouth unintentionally but they were true.
Ā Ā āI know,ā he replied, looking down at your hands before bringing them to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of your hand, ābut we are here. Isnāt that a good thing?ā
Ā Ā āIs it?ā you questioned, āsomeone has to come out alive. You know that better than anyone. Someone in this group is going to be that personā¦ā
Ā Ā āMaybe,ā he returned, āmaybe notā
Ā Ā āLetās go, keep walking,ā Finnick scoffed as he noticed you and Cato were stopped
Ā Ā āLook,ā Cato said as the two of you continued, āI donāt really know what happens next but I promise I wonāt let anything happen to you. Either of youā
Ā Ā āCato, please,ā you sighed, ācan you just.. do something for me?ā
Ā Ā āAnything,ā he said with a smile, āwhat do you want?ā
Ā Ā āIf it comes to it, and I know Iāve said it before, but if it comes to it,ā you said quietly, trying to hide the trembling that was starting, āleave me behindā
Ā Ā āWhat?ā he said shocked, his eyes opened wide as he stared at you. He was locked on you but he still managed to walk unfazed by everything in front of him, as if he knew exactly how to avoid it. It wasnāt until you spoke again that he finally faltered, bumping into Finnick as your last request left your lips.
Ā Ā āPlease,ā you said, eyes brimming with tears now, āsave him.āĀ
honestly i think the gally trade being handled so wholesomely, respectfully and with such open and apparent love and consideration on all sides, on this the ten-year anniversary date of the pk subban trade, has like. healed something in me that went back together crooked after it got smashed a decade ago. feels like we as habs fans never get to say goodbye on such good terms as this, where everyone gets what they need and they want and nobody is angry or hurt (or catastrophically injured) about it. we loved him. he loved us. the team grew up and grew out of having space to fit him in, despite the love. and everyone acted like grown-ups about it and found the best amicable solution for all sides! never thought i'd see the day man. never thought i'd see the day. š„¹
shoutout to slow growers, late bloomers, people whose plans got derailed by circumstances beyond their control or their own choices, people who never had a plan to begin with, people who have had to start over when theyre too old to feel like theyre supposed to be where they are, people who cant pretend theyre built for the environment theyre in, and everyone who's not living the life they thought they would. im proud of you for making it this far and i hope you keep going until youre happy ā”
thinking aboutĀ āyou havenāt met all the people who will love youā and like!!! you also havenāt found all the things that will make you happy!!!! there will always be new authors and musicians and artists whose work you will one day discover and love!!!! there will always be new hobbies and skills for you to learn and feel fulfilled by!!! there will always be new things around the corner that will bring sudden and unexpected happiness!!!!!!!!!!!
Canada. The first thing I remember being anime was Inuyasha. But I saw the comment of Sailor Moon and if theyāre counting that, then yes: Sailor Moon would be first
