Chapter Text
The 59th games had new additions as well as all the old ones. Burdock sat on the worn sofa in his seam house. He was only watching the games at Astrid's request, one of her old merchant friends' little brother was reaped and she’d been exhausted from her days of caring for Katniss. Who, like any newborn, was only content with crying or feeding.
Right now he was watching the broadcast of the ‘half-way show’ where Caesar reviews all of the audience's favorite deaths.
“In seventh place for almost ten years running…Haymitch Abernathy! He’s a favorite alright! Look at how he ran- guts out and all! Do you think we can get something quite like this again? I sure hope so! Next in sixth place…”
The replay of Haymitch just gets worse every year as it refreshes the look of wild-eyed fear in his eyes of a hunted animal… but somehow every year Burdock can see something different in his eyes… somehow each year he can see a look of acceptance rather than fear of his death which matches more up to what Wellie had told them.
-Flashback 50 A.D-
The outside of the justice building was crowded as the mandatory viewing commenced. Children were sobbing, the Donners having already witnessed their daughters' death clung to Merrilee shaking while their minds were immobilised by their grief. The Abernathys were shaking just the same, Sid was clinging to his mother with all the strength his small hands could muster. Burdocks and Blair's family as well as Hattie stood right next to them in support, Clerk Carmine and Tam Amber were close too. Lenore Dove was standing just outside the square to see the screen escorted by peace keepers.
The screen is displaying Silka with a malicious expression of victory as she uncovers Wellie's hiding spot and Wellie’s dart has missed her.
“You shouldn't have done that-” she says, raising her axe.
Gasps and cries of alarm start from the crowd, Willimae turns Sid’s head away.
Silka swings.
“Oh no” Astried whispers beside Burdock, gripping his hand in horror.
CLANG!
Silkas’s axe is blocked by another.
Haymitch is blocking her with a furious expression on his face.
Willimae lets out a choked cry.
“What are you doing?” Haymitch’s voice comes out in something between a snarl and a hiss.
“She attacked me!” Silka snaps at him. “She has to go! Look at her! I’m doing her a favor! And you…you have to go! It's the only way I can go back home!”
“You think you’re people would want you back home? After killing a child?” Haymitch wears an expression akin to rage and disbelief, now he has drawn her away from Wellie still axe to axe “we all have people! You think yours would ever be able to forget that? I know mine wouldn't."
The crowd reacts again in mummers in agreement. Willimae holds a hand over her heart and the other on Sid's head.
In retaliation Silka growls “I’ll tell them how it was, when I get home.”
She unlocks her axe from the hold Haymitch had it in.
“Fuck” Blair mutters beside Burdock, he’s gone deathly pale as they know whats about to unfold.
Burdocks starts to shake even with Astrid still gripping his hand; it provides no comfort.
“Oh, you’re not going home, Silka,” Haymitch snarls.
Someone in the crowd whistles another cries out a ‘you tell her boy’ others grips one anothers hand. Burdock notes Lenore Dove only fixated on the screen.
The camera follows an escaping Wellie for a brief moment who with tiny strength has vanished from sight.
Silka steadies her axe with a tighter grip and announces “I will be the one to honor the capitol!”
Haymitch's expression turns darker.
They start to go at it axe to axe.
“Come on Hay.” Burdock mutters but he starts to worry because in truth someone like Silka has the skills to outmatch him. The two other careers Haymitch killed had the element of part surprise but also much less skilled. Burdock has seen Silka kill other tributes, Haymitch has not.
Silka’s first stroke comes straight down at Haymitch's head, as if to cleave his body into two equal parts. He just manages to block it. His counter-attack clips Silka’s leg, drawing blood. A flicker of surprise crosses her face. Not expecting Haymitch to get through her defences.
Clerk Carmine places a hand on Burdock's shoulder as if to steady him for the inevitable. The only thing Burdock can think is ‘he made it this far, why can’t he win?’ but deep in his bones he knows someone as self-sacrificing would never Win- Not with Wellie.
“My goodness, look at that axe work! Now this is interesting, who will do better? the one trained with an axe or the one who works with one hm?”
Caesar's commentary makes him want to hurl.
Haymitch and Silka continue to rain blows on each other and some begin to connect in barbaric and bloody ways. Their ax heads lock, they grapple, and Silka knees Haymitch so hard he looks as though he sees stars. He dodge an attack that buries Silka's ax into a tree trunk in the nick of time, and as she struggles to free it, Haymitch’s blade bites into the flesh near her hip.
“Oooo tough luck Silka!”
Burdock, Blair and Astrid stand hands interlinked wincing at every move much like Willimae.
A few moves later, Silka spins toward Haymitch and slices his thigh.
A Cry of alarm sounds from the crowd, willimae loudest of all.
As their weapons entangle, Haymitch bashes her in the face with the handle, knocking out a couple teeth.
A sound of almost a cheer from the crowd.
Silka suddenly wields the ax over her head in an intricate looping pattern, Haymitch startled, as if trying to figure out what she's doing. The blade comes down unexpectedly, and before Haymitch has time to recoil, she opens a gash across his gut. His intestines start to seep out of his body from the opening.
Horrified cries erupt from the crowd, a sob came from Willimae and Burdock could only stare mouth agape as he felt a sick feeling settle in his chest.
“Well know Mr. Abernathy did say he had guts! Guess he really was right!”
On screen Haymitch is gasping. Silka strikes again, knocking the ax from his grip.
“No,no,no,no” Burdock is chanting these words,helpless and immobile he wants to help Haymitch but he’s miles away and about to be slaughtered.
Haymitch finds the damage…he knows it’s bad. His eyes dart around clearly recognizing Wellie has escaped and goes to flee.
“Get out of there Hay!” It’s Blair shouting knowing it does nothing.
Silka traps Haymitch in a headlock as he turns.
Another cry comes from the crowd.
Haymitch's face starts to turn red as Silka starts to choke him slowly to death.
Burdock starts letting the tears escape.
Suddenly, possessed by a shot of adrenaline Haymitch yanks his knife from his belt and drives it straight into Silka’s eye. She shrieks. Haymitch runs.
Cheers and hoots erupted from the crowd. A small amount of relief fills Burdock that's clearly echoed around… there's hope. Can Haymitch really escape? Could a knife to the eye be enough to kill Silka.
Haymitch runs, clutching both hands on his side, he zigzags through the woods. Silka is not far behind.
“Looks as if Silka is taking the bait but to where? Does the rascal have a trick up his sleeve?”
Doubt creeps into Burdock, how can Haymitch escape? He has no weapon? What’s his goal in escaping her?
Haymitch has run and now turned to face his opponent.
He's back to where he was before Maysilee died. Why was he back here? And outside the arena of all places? Then it hits him this is Haymitchs place, he’s chosen his resting place in a final ‘fuck you’ to the capitol he’s not dying in the area they created where its function was for just that.
Silka stumbles out of the hedge and without hesitation, she raises the ax and lets it fly.
“NO” Willimae lets out a shriek of horror as the axe flies towards her son.
Burdock lets out and gasp and a cry in one, echoed by Blair. Lenore Dove cries out for Haymitch.
Haymitch’s knees give way and he collapses into the dirt as the ax whistles over his head into the canyon.
More cries from the crowd.
Silka stands there, her hand against her gushing eye socket. Her good eye squints at Haymitch. But… the camera focuses in on Haymithcs face with a ‘ I know something you don’t’ look.
Willimae has stilled gazing up at the screen.
The axe returns, Silka only has a split second to the confused before it lodges itself into her head.
“Holy shit!” Blair starlets.
Haymitch flops to one side now on his back in agony clutching his side. Silka is refusing to die.
Burdock and Blair look at each other, they share the same thought ‘he’s coming home’.
Wellie appears at the hedge corner, crawling in her state to Haymitch.
The spark of hope is snatched out from under him. Burdock, like the rest of the district, has forgotten about wellie.
She stumbles but makes it to Haymitch's side.
“Hay?” Her voice is so small.
“Wellie?You okay?” Haymitch focuses on her.
“Hay-Haymitch you’re-” Wellie chokes on her words looking at Haymitch's injury.
Haymitch cuts her off “- It’s okay Wellie, I’ll be fine.”
No you won’t you daft idiot, Burdock thinks as tears start to pour down his face as Blair sobs beside him. It's time to say goodbye.
"Don't," she whispered, she’s begging him not to leave.
Haymitch almost smiled.
"That's helpful."
Even in his final moments he’s still Haymitch,the capitol hasn't taken that from him.
Wellie wipes her eyes furiously, she turns determined to not let Haymitch go.
“There has to be something i-i can do.” her voice quakes.
“There isn’t”
“Yes there is!” Wellie's small voice echoes around the arena.
Haymitch simply smiles in return.
Then there's an odd moment as if the screen glitches because Haymitch is suddenly mid-sentance and looking more deathly pale than before- the gamemakers have cut something out, Burdock knows it. The capitol can’t help but keep robbing them of what's theirs. But the cutting skills are poor.
"...don't let them tell you who you are."
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Haymitch—"
"Listen."
His breathing hitched painfully. He forced himself onward.
"The Capitol's gonna try."
Blood touched the corner of his mouth.
"They'll dress you up.Tell you what to say.Tell you who to smile at."
Wellie was crying openly now. Haymitch squeezed her wrist weakly.
"But that's not them owning you."
His voice softened.
"You hear me?"
A nod. Small.Broken.
Haymitch continued.
"You're not a victor first. You’re Wellie. You’re a newcomer.”
Haymitch splutters blood.
The Peacekeepers look terrified, ones on a radio, they know the aftermath is going to be massive. But the district is too mesmerised by Haymitch's bravery, the capitols failure.
"Don't become whatever they want."
Haymitch managed the faintest smile.
"You're too stubborn for that anyway."
A watery laugh escaped her unexpectedly.Half sob,half laugh comes from Welllie
"There she is."
Willimae is sobbing a river of her own tears but she has never looked so proud.
Haymitch takes off his flitstriker and holds it to Wellie. She nods.
Lenore Dove is swaying on her feet and she looks woozy upon seeing it.
“Can you tell her….”
Lenore Dove stands straight trying to catch his words.
“...actually don’t tell her anything, she knows.”
Lenore Dove lets out a wounded sound crossed with a snort.
It’s clear he’s struggling to breath as he holds Wellie's small frail hand.
“Go home Wellie, s-see your family.”
Wellie nods furiously, she’s making it her mission.
Blood pours down his lips, his hand that was pressing against his gash loosens. His eyes travel away from wellie to the real sky.
Blair seizes Burdock's arm with both hands- his mouth gaping trying to form words but only strangled sounds of horror come from him as Haymitch body gives in to death. Burdock feels his body go rigid, he can hear his heart beat, he can feel Blair's grip, he can smell the coal lingering in the air- He’s never felt so alive watching Haymitch die.
Haymitch focuses on the sky, the sun shines around from a cloud, he’s bathed in sunlight.
His body stills and never moves again.
Haymitch dies happy under the real sky.
—
A despair descended upon the square when the cannon fires.
Willimae falls to the ground- a scream of inhumane pain, burdock never thought was possible, ripped itself from her throat. The McCoys rushed to comfort her and to Burdock's surprise it was Clerk Carmine who held on to a screaming and wailing Sid who didn't understand why he couldn't get his brother back because his Brother had told him ‘it will be okay’, but where was he now to prove that?
Lenore Dove was in hysterics, the peacekeepers let her go early, she’d been quite in the base since Haymitch had passed. The songbird was silenced.
When Wellie was interviewed they shortened and cut out most of Haymitch's last words, but the whole district had heard them. Burdock carried them, Lenore Dove and Blair and eventually Sid too.
Lenore Dove came back to herself months after Haymitch's wooden box returned home when Wellie came for the victory tour and snuck to visit the Abernathy house where they all were and she got the flintstriker back.
Willimae continued on just as she did when Haymitch's Pa died. When old enough Sid got a job and he is the splitting image of Haymitch, a bootlegger with Hattie too, so Haymitch’s hopes of an above ground job for Sid might still be in the cards for him. Lenore Dove and Burdock helped them out when they could. Sid would always come to the lake with Burdock and Blair when times got rough. Burdock couldn't teach him to hunt, not after Sid was able to watch Haymitch’s games again ( he snuck a tape) and saw how friendly the bunnies were to Haymitch during his games. Not to mention how Sid had stepped in front of a peacekeepers gun in more than one occasion defending just about anyone and has gotten whipped more than once, he still looks on the sunny side of life but Haymitch’s death hid that sun for a while,- he’s a protector at heart and grows overly attached to anything that shows a sliver of likeness towards him and has the same head of curly mop of hair Haymitch had.
It drives his Ma and Lenore Dove crazy.
-
But now Burdock could understand Willimae’s reaction, because her first baby was dead.