Fic idea: Spy x Family Hunger Games AU
This has probably been suggested before but I don't personally know of any posts or fics! So here we go...
Yor as Katniss, volunteering as tribute on behalf of her little brother. Just assume that this is allowed in the Hunger Games rules, since in canon each district must send one boy and one girl. Yor has always been strong and capable since she's been fending for herself for several years, hunting in the woods and proficient with knives. She is mentored by the only other Victor in her district, a somber old man named Matthew McMahon.
Loid as Finnick. I know Katniss x Finnick is a rare pair but hear me out... Finnick in the Hunger Games canon is presented as a pretentious playboy when in reality he's a thoroughly broken individual who was forced to whore himself out to the Capital's elite, and is secretly working for the resistance. He's also a well-trained killer. He is nicknamed Twilight for how he made most of his kills during that time of day, sneaking up on his opponents.
Loid made a name for himself as a Victor in a previous year, and watches Yor Briar's performance in the current Games with interest. Yor is extremely strong and fast, but she's also compassionate, avoiding confrontation if possible, and when she has to kill, she kills quickly and mercifully. She is captured on screen crying after each kill. She soon becomes a favorite of the crowd.
Her weapon of choice is a set of golden stilettos.
Her pinnacle moment in the Games is when she faces down the last remaining tribute and confesses that she would allow them to kill her if she could, but she must return home to care for her brother. Yuri's her whole world. She promises to send some of her victory earnings to the other tribute’s family. This cements her controversial place in the hearts of all viewers. How can someone so deadly and beautiful have such little regard for her own life, being willing to die for a stranger if not for her brother?
She then speaks her iconic line, apologizing for what she must do. And that it is an honor to take their life. She kills her opponent while tears stream down her face.
She is crowned Victor and is soon nicknamed Thorn Princess for her choice of weapons. She's just grateful to return home to Yuri and wishes she could live a life of obscurity, but that's no longer possible. Along with personal riches comes constant surveillance from the SSS, ordered by President Donovan Desmond. Yor's selflessness and compassion have subverted the purpose of the Games and given more fuel to the fire of the resistance movement. Tributes are not supposed to be compassionate toward each other and be willing to die for strangers. Civil unrest is simmering in several districts because of Thorn Princess' actions.
On her Victory tour, she meets other Victors including the famed Twilight. She's immediately wary and flustered by him, having heard of his womanizing reputation. He puts on the usual charming front but when they are alone for a moment, he turns serious and says something cryptic about how she's sparked a fire. She also meets several other key people in the resistance although she doesn't know it at the time -- Nightfall, Franky (probably from the gizmo district lol), Gympie, maybe even Hemlock.
Not long after she returns home, she receives a visit from Twilight in disguise. Turns out it's another skillset he's honed so he can travel between districts and pass messages, sometimes infiltrate political circles. He's there to recruit her to the resistance. She protests that she doesn't want to cause trouble and she can't lie to save her life. He says she just has to be their poster girl. Be exactly the compassionate girl everyone saw at the Games. Yor is fearful but eventually agrees after Loid tells her a bit more about his true self behind his public image, and the cause he fights for. She decides to trust him.
Fast forward to the Quarter Quell. She meets many of the Victors again and is forced to fight some of them, but quickly becomes allies with Twilight and the other resistance members. Martha Marriott could be Mags. Franky blows up the arena like in canon and they escape to District 13.
Now I would hate to make Handler a villain but she could be Alma Coin, the leader of the resistance. Let’s just make her a hero instead.
Maybe Shopkeeper is Heavensbee, the head Gamemaker from Catching Fire?
A surprise ally could come in the form of Melinda Desmond, the estranged wife of the President. She could secretly funnel money and intel to the resistance. And personally have great admiration for Yor.
Importantly, Twilight will not die a horrible death in a sewer like Finnick lol. But there could be a bunch of parallels to the sewers of Shellbury! He could also be captured and tortured like Peeta was, be weaponized against Yor, and have a long painful path to recovery.
Dunno if I’d have the heart to kill off Yuri at the end either. But surely some of the heroes would die as part of the cost of victory, or else it wouldn’t be a true Hunger Games AU.
I also have no idea where Anya would fit in. It might be one of those fics where Anya doesn’t exist. If she were there, her mind reading ability would make things interesting but in terms of plot I’m not sure what role she’d play as such a young child. Maybe she’s the stand-in for Annie, who was Finnick’s secret lover, but in this story she would be Twilight’s secret adopted daughter. Twilight ultimately fights for Anya’s future. For a world where children like her don’t have to cry.
Idea is free to take as always. I rambled long on this one.