𝐍𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐁𝐘𝐄𝐒 [𝐎𝐍𝐄] — 𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐍
summary: when Katniss gets sick and doesn't show any signs of getting better, you fear the worst and have to do whatever you can to make sure she does.
warning/s: mentions of dying + usual warnings that come with writing for the hunger games.
author's note: thanks to everyone who voted on my first lil poll yesterday haha, here’s the katniss one that won! there’s 2 parts and it was written after i just reread all the hunger games books and became hyperfixated on katniss again lmao
i’ll post the jackie taylor yellowjackets one after this for anyone who voted that too :)
two / masterlist / wattpad
I tightened the woolly scarf around my neck, hoping it would do something to keep the cold, bitter air out despite its flimsiness. Winter in District 12 could be unforgiving, but by the look of things from the front window, it hadn't snowed anymore last night.
"I'm leaving, mum!" I called from the front door, grabbing my school bag.
"Have a nice day, hon!" she called back from the kitchen.
When I left my house, the first thing I stepped foot in was grey slush, and I wasn't sure if that was worse than a blizzard at this point. Nonetheless, I sucked it up and headed over to my best friend Katniss' house, not far from my own in the poor, ragged part of the district, the Seam.
We always met at her place before school since it was on the way and we could walk in together, but when I arrived, her little sister, Primrose, answered and looked worried.
"Hey, darling, what's up?" I asked, accepting the hug she gave me as I stepped inside.
"It's Katniss," she muttered. "She won't get out of bed."
Trying not to show my concern, I said, "I'll go check on her. You finish getting ready so we're not late, yeah?"
She nodded and I watched her go into the kitchen to finish her breakfast with her mum, the older woman offering a small smile when she saw me. I returned it before letting myself into the other room of their house, the bedroom that all three of them shared. Inside, Katniss was still in her bed, under the covers and blocking out the light. Whether she was awake, I wasn't sure, but this was certainly unlike her.
"Katniss?" I called, shaking her body slightly. "We're gonna be late, you've gotta get up."
She groaned slightly, not appreciating my interruption, and then seemed to realise what was happening as she rolled over, eyes squinted with confusion.
"Huh? What are you doing?" she mumbled, rubbing her face, and her voice was raspier than usual.
"It's time for school," I said knowingly, before frowning when I saw her cover her eyes with her hand. "Why are you still in bed? Prim has been trying to wake you."
"What...? I don't..." She stopped, before attempting to sit upright, but she squeezed her eyes shut and steadied herself on the bed.
"Hey," I said, much more concerned now, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "You're not okay. Is it your head?"
She clutched her forehead, breathing out slowly. "I don't know. It hurts, it– god, it's bright in here."
I frowned, taking in her pained expression and connecting all the dots. "You're sick. You should stay home today. Get better."
As if I'd accused her of murder, Katniss shook her head and pulled the duvet off her with determination. "I'm not. I'm fine, I–" But just on cue, a throaty cough rattled her.
"I can stay home if you want," I offered, already pulling the duvet back on her. "Help you."
The last thing I wanted was to leave her alone whilst she was ill. Technically her mother would be here, but she wasn't the most attentive since she'd lost her husband, so it was essentially like leaving Katniss alone.
"No, you don't need to," Katniss gave in with a sigh.
"I don't mind," I offered, resting a hand on hers. "I can–"
"It's one day," she assured me, before clearing her throat. "I'll be okay. Go. Please. Or you'll be late."
I sighed disapprovingly before nodding, knowing one day of rest would hopefully prove to be useful. I leaned forward to hug her, about to wish her well, but she shoved me back quickly.
"Don't or you'll get sick," she argued tiredly, making me rub my chest where she shoved me.
"Ow," I said with annoyance, before rolling my eyes and standing up. "Very well. Lay down at least."
Thankfully, she obeyed which was how I knew she must've really felt rundown. Pulling the duvet to her shoulders, I tucked her in before wishing her well and leaving the room. After letting her mum know what was wrong and to keep an eye on her, Prim and I left the house together.
"She's okay, right?" the twelve-year-old asked me as we trudged through the muddy snow.
"Oh yeah, of course," I reassured her with a smile. "It's nothing. Just that time of year."
This seemed to work, as Prim sighed with relief before smiling too. But deep down, a small part of me was a little worried. Firstly, Katniss never got sick, ever. And secondly, whereas a cold might not take some people out, it could be the difference between life and death in a place where it was freezing and had no electricity. I only hoped she'd be able to sleep it off and recover soon.
All day I was thinking of Katniss, unable to focus much at school. When the final bell rang and we were finally let out, I was relieved, only wanting to check on her and hopefully see some improvement. Our friend, Gale, accompanied Prim and I back home, since he lived in the Seam also, and we all went to the Everdeens to see if Katniss was okay.
When we reached their house, we saw Mrs Everdeen helping someone out as part of her job as a healer, so decided not to interrupt and instead headed straight for Katniss. When we walked in, Prim ran to her bedside whilst Gale and I took in the scene. Katniss was still under her covers, as if she'd not moved all day.
"Hey, Catnip," Gale said, hoping to lighten the mood and stir her awake, if she was even asleep.
An annoyed moan was the only response we got, so I settled by her bedside and pulled the duvet down carefully, revealing her face. Her eyes were closed, scrunched with discomfort, but she was sweating. I felt her forehead, surprised at how hot she was, and my worry was increasing.
"How is she?" Prim asked from behind me.
I cleared my throat, pulling my hand back. "Er, warm. But it could be nothing."
Clearly I wasn't the best liar, since she pushed me out the way and felt her sister's forehead before frowning immediately.
"That's not nothing," she exclaimed, before going for the door. "I'm getting mum."
I sighed, but knew it was for the best. When her and her mum returned, the four of us attempted to coax Katniss awake properly. She was reluctant, but finally opened her eyes when I closed the curtains, blocking out the light that was bothering her.
"You're burning, Katniss," I told her gently, taking her hand. Her mum rested a cold cloth on her forehead, moving her hair from her face, and I looked back to her tired eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm just tired," she said dismissively, yawning. "A little cold."
I exchanged nervous glances with Gale, who was as concerned for her as I was.
"You need to listen to your mum and sister," I told her. "They're gonna help you feel better, okay?"
"I'm fine, I just need to rest," she tried to assure me, but she wasn't very convincing.
"Katniss, please," I said quietly, and she looked to me with dark eyes, softening. "Just listen to them."
She nodded, giving in, and I offered her a small smile before looking to her mum for the next step.
"You should both go home," she said to Gale and I. "You can visit tomorrow."
I nodded, not keen to leave Katniss' side but knowing the best care she could be in was her family's. Gale and I said our goodbyes before walking home.
It was supposed to get better after that, Katniss was supposed to get better. But none of it did. She was still bedridden when I visited her after school the next day, though a little more awake than yesterday and itching to get up and leave.
"My legs work fine," she told me with frustration. "Why can't I just get up and push on?"
"Because you're weak, idiot," I told her, giving her a disapproving look. "You've still got a fever, too."
She frowned petulantly, staring off at the wall instead of me. I sighed, resting a hand on hers, and thankfully she didn't pull away.
"Your mum is taking good care of you," I reminded her. "You're gonna be okay, but you need to rest."
"You shouldn't visit me meanwhile," she said after a moment, finally looking at me. "What if I'm contagious?"
I tried not to smile, the thought of not visiting her sounding insane. "I'll live, Katniss."
She exhaled weakly, not bothering to argue. I swallowed hard, taking in her expression. Circles were becoming deeper under her eyes, showing her struggle to sleep properly, and she was still glistening in a thin layer of sweat. Even now, her hand was hot beneath mine, and it terrified me. But I tried not to think of the worst, instead manifesting positive thoughts the best I could.
Enough positivity to make Katniss puke, that was the goal.
Unfortunately, it only got worse from there on out. It was getting colder the deeper we got into winter, which wasn't helping, and Katniss was missing more and more days off school. And then we finally finished school for the year, and Katniss was still unwell.
Unlike that second visit, she wasn't fighting her weakness anymore, unable to play it tough when her migraines were ruining her. Her fever would break, then return, then break again. I didn't understand what was wrong and I'd never been so scared in my life. Gale and her family felt the same, but her mum was surprisingly consistent with her care, doing everything she could to make her daughter better.
But we all knew what nobody would admit – Katniss needed real medicine, none of this herbal stuff.
One day, I was visiting Katniss, going over more and more now that school was done, but she wasn't always awake when I visited. Thankfully she was today, and when I walked in, her head turned to the door to see who it was. When she saw it was me, she shook her head, unimpressed.
"You shouldn't be here," she said as she always did, and I rolled my eyes playfully.
Ignoring her, I took a seat at the edge of her bed, aware of her eyes following my every move.
"Prim," she began, but I answered before she needed to finish.
"She's at Gale's," I reassured her, making her sigh with relief.
Having Prim seeing her like this always worried her, but I was making sure that the younger Everdeen wasn't always around. Of course, she was stubborn like her sister and sometimes insisted. Today though, she was content spending the day with Gale's siblings.
I looked down at Katniss, noticing how much weight she'd lost these past few weeks. She was already skinny, a consequence of living in District 12, but this was sickly, haunting. I'd never seen her so rundown before and I was seriously terrified that if we didn't get her real medicine soon, she could die. Nobody had a cold or flu or whatever it was for this damn long. She was struggling to eat properly, to stand at all, and she looked like hell. I couldn't just watch her deteriorate like this. Not my best friend. Not the girl I cared way too much for.
"Stop it," she said, an accidental whisper. "Stop looking at me like that."
"I'm not doing anything," I defended, embarrassed I'd been caught.
She knew me too well though. "I'll be okay. In fact–" She paused, and then suddenly attempted to sit upright, but her arms were too weak to hold her up and she slipped right back down. The tears were quick to pool in her eyes, a matching scowl on her face, at her incompetence.
"It's okay," I said sympathetically, taking her hand in between mine.
She squeezed it tight, like a lifeline, but avoided my eyes. A tear slipped from hers, and I pretended not to see it for her sake.
"I need to hunt," she said with a hoarse voice, no doubt holding in her emotion.
"Gale has it under control," I said, only imagining all she'd been worrying herself with whilst stuck here. She was the sole provider for her family, and with her out of action, the responsibilities were piling up.
"He has his own family to worry about," she snapped, before catching herself, instantly feeling bad. Quieter, she said, "It's not enough."
She wasn't wrong, of course, but I would never let her know that. Gale barely found enough to feed his own family, especially during winter, and he was sparing what little he could to keep Prim and her mum afloat. I did the same with what scraps I got, but I was no hunter and couldn't offer extra game like he could.
"We're sorting it," I said confidently. "Your mum and Prim are okay, aren't they?"
She finally met my eyes, hers glassy and exhausted. "For how long?"
It was much harder to lie to her when she was looking right at me, so I cleared my throat and forced a small smile. "All the more reason to get better, right?"
She pursed her lips, looking away again. It was quiet as she laid there, me holding her hand and keeping her company. I knew how horrible it could be when you were sick and alone, so I made sure not leave her side, as her eyes began to flicker close, struggling to fight the tiredness. I moved closer, pushing the hair from her eyes and raking my hands through her roots, knowing she liked the feeling but would never admit it. I was proven right when she let out a deep breath, squeezing my hand in approval, and I smiled softly at how cute she could be when she didn't even know it.
Only when she was out of it did I feel my tears blur my vision, unable to pretend that I was okay. She wasn't looking any better, and I couldn't just watch her like this, unable to do a thing.
I leaned forward, kissing her forehead, and closed my eyes briefly, praying to whatever God was out there that she'd be okay.
Everyone had their special something, a skill they had perfected or a hobby they could get lost in. Mine? I hadn't discovered it yet. I suppose I was doing pretty well in school, so taking tests could count, though it was a shit skill to have, impractical. But hunting, that was Katniss' and Gale's thing. No, definitely not mine.
They'd taken me out once, letting me join them on their weekly escapade. Gale found it hilarious that I moved too loudly, scaring away the prey, or that I stepped in my own trap, getting my foot stuck in the rope. I let him enjoy himself at my expense, knowing it was inevitable. Katniss however, despite the small smile that would ghost her lips at something stupid I'd do, was adamant on helping me. She took it too seriously, showing me how to use her prized bow and how to sneak around better. I'd like to say it worked, that I learnt something, but it didn't. It was safe to say they never took me again.
So, when I found myself in the forbidden woods outside the District 12 fence, with Katniss' bow in hand, I felt like a foreigner. I wasn't familiar with these woods, especially not in winter when it was a completely different ballgame to what I'd 'practiced' in last summer. Katniss' bow was too big for me, and no matter how hard I tried to take her familiar hunting routes, my approach always scared away the prey.
I was out there for two hours, certain my fingers would fall off from the cold, but I refused to give up. I couldn't return empty handed. Gale hadn't been successful last week, and family responsibilities had kept him from hunting today like he usually did. So, I took it upon myself to do it, especially because Prim was so hungry, her little face shrinking the longer Katniss was bedridden. I couldn't let her down, any of them, so I pushed on.
But every arrow I let fly missed its target, and every squirrel I approached scampered off. The sun, hidden behind thick clouds, was setting and it was getting dark out, even though the afternoon was barely over. I had to go home, but I had nothing to show for it. I couldn't even pick any edible plants because everything was frozen. I was a failure.
I couldn't catch a thing; the one job I had, to keep Prim fed, was failing; Katniss was dying and I couldn't do a thing to change any of it.
Tears streamed down my face, hot against the cold of my cheeks, and I collapsed in the snow, unbothered by it melting into the cotton of my trousers. It didn't matter anymore.
She wasn't getting better. Every day I visited her, she looked worse for wear. If it wasn't her fevers, it was her migraines. And if it wasn't her migraines, it was her throat. I was losing her day by day and I felt powerless. I couldn't even shoot a fucking squirrel to help. Nothing was working.
I was going to lose her.
Admittedly, I wallowed in self-pity for a little longer, appreciating having somewhere private to let it all out. It was hard playing it positive and tough all the time, for Prim's and Katniss' sake, when the truth was I was scared shitless. Living in a world without my best friend, the girl I so deeply loved to the point that she'd laugh if she ever found out, was terrifying. I didn't even want to envision it.
It was dark by the time I returned to the Everdeens home. I would have much preferred to go straight home, but I couldn't not update them on my false promise.
"Y/N!" Prim exclaimed when she opened the door, before tugging me in instantly.
"Hey," I said, forcing a smile, and I was glad the redness from the cold disguised my red eyes from crying.
"You're freezing," she realised, before calling for her mum. "You were gone for ages! Come, sit in front of the fire."
I pulled back as she attempted to drag me to the fire, and then her mum appeared and noticed the same thing Prim did.
"Y/N, you need to warm up–"
"I will, at my house," I promised her. "I just came to tell you that I– that–" I paused, afraid of the shakiness of my voice. Swallowing thickly, I said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't– I'm not–"
Fuck, why was this so hard?
"I'm gonna figure it out," I changed my words, nodding confidently. "I'll get some food. I'm sorry. I–"
Prim suddenly hugged me, arms wrapping around my torso and squeezing so tightly that I could have snapped in half from how frozen I was. But I appreciated it nonetheless and returned the gesture, letting out a shaky breath.
"Don't do it again," her mum said gently, resting a hand on my cheek before hugging me too.
I blinked back my tears as I let myself relax in their comfort.
I couldn't just stand by and do nothing anymore, and there was only one thing that I knew I could do. None of us could ever afford the medicine Katniss needed from the doctor in town, unless we traded something valuable, like food.
If I used my tesserae, adding my name another time into the potential tributes for District 12, I would receive a year's supply of oil and grain. Participants could only apply once for themselves, and once for any of their family members if they were between the ages of 12 and 18. I'd used mine for this year, but I could still use it on behalf of my parents. They never wanted me to, but this was an emergency and they didn't need to know.
So, on behalf of them, I used my tesserae and traded that two years' supply of oil and grain with the doctor in exchange for the medicine that would make Katniss better. After describing all her symptoms, he explained how it was some complex form of a cold, rare but deadly. I was lucky I'd got to him in time.
Gale didn't approve of my plan when I told him, trying to talk me out of it. Just like Katniss, he cared about whether I used my tesserae without needing to. I could see it was killing him to watch me do it anyway, wanting to do it himself if he could, but he'd already used all his family's tesserae for the year. It was the first thing he did every time it was available, having no choice since he had a big family.
After I collected the medicine from the doctor, I was quick to return to Katniss' house, giving a rushed explanation to her mum about the medicine and what the doctor said about administering it and how it would save her life.
"Y/N, how did you get this?" she asked once I finished to catch my breath.
"It doesn't matter," I said to her. "But it'll help. We can give her the first dose now."
"Y/N–”
"Mrs Everdeen, please," I pleaded, and she must have seen the desperation in my expression because she nodded slowly and went to make Katniss some tea with the medicine in it. It was a syrup of some sort, so the mint tea should have made it a bit more palatable.
Eventually we both went to Katniss' room, where Prim was sat beside her, holding her hand and chatting quietly. When she spotted us both, she perked up and smiled a little.
"Hey, Prim," I said, returning her smile and joining her side. "How's the patient?"
"She's got a headache," Prim answered, and I looked to Katniss who had a wet towel pressed to her eyes, both cooling her down and also blocking out the light.
"Y/N?" Katniss whispered, though unmoving.
"Yours truly," I said playfully, needing to disguise the permanent concern that was in my voice. "We brought you some tea, Katniss."
She groaned quietly. "I don't want it."
Her mum glanced at me, unsure how to proceed, so I took the mug from her hand and placed it on the bedside table.
"It'll help," I promised her, before gently pulling her duvet down. "Can you sit up for me, please?"
She sighed but thankfully obeyed, allowing me to help her sit upright. She leaned against the bed frame and let me remove the towel from her eyes. I smiled when I saw her blue eyes, though they were fatigued as they had been since she'd gotten sick. Not for long, hopefully.
"Drink up," I encouraged, offering her the mug.
She silently accepted it, blowing on the tea before taking the first sip. Her face scrunched up with disgust. "What is that?"
"New herbal remedy," her mum answered before I could struggle to.
Katniss wasn't impressed, but managed to drink the whole thing, probably because she knew I'd let her go to sleep if she did. After laying back down, I pulled the duvet back over her and pushed her hair behind her ear, smiling reassuringly.
"You should feel better with that," I told her with certainty.
She didn't reply, eyes avoiding mine, something I'd noticed she'd been doing for a while now. It was like she knew she wasn't getting better and was scared to admit the truth, but this was different. This would finally work.
Prim and I stayed by her side until she fell asleep, and that was when I told her about the medicine. The pure joy and relief on her face was enough to let me know I'd made the right decision, and she hugged me so tightly that I almost lost my breath.
"I told you she'd be okay," I said with a small smile, accepting her hug. "And so will you."
"Thank you," she muttered into my shoulder.
I squeezed her gently before we stayed there, sat side by side. She didn't want to leave Katniss' side, and neither did I, but it was getting late and, at some point, Prim had dozed off on my shoulder. Only after I had tucked her into her mum's bed did Mrs Everdeen politely kick me out, forcing me to get some rest of my own at home. For once, I didn't argue it, my exhaustion catching up to me. Plus, I could sleep well knowing Katniss would already be doing a lot better tonight.
As soon as I woke up and remembered the medicine the next morning, I headed straight to the Everdeens place, hoping to see some sort of improvement with Katniss. So you can imagine my surprise when I walked into her room and saw her sat upright in bed, eating an actual breakfast on a tray.
"Katniss!" I said with disbelief, before rushing to hug her. "You're eating!"
She returned my hug and I pulled up a chair beside her bed, studying her curiously. She'd looked like she'd had a better sleep than she usually did, and she was actually holding up her own weight which was an achievement in itself. The medication was working!
The sight of her looking a lot healthier and actually improving from her poor condition brought tears to my eyes, but I willed them away. She'd hate to see me crying over her, but I genuinely couldn't believe it.
"I'm not stupid," she said with a raspy voice, eyes narrowed my way.
I furrowed my brows. "What?"
She frowned. "You think I don't know that you gave me actual medicine last night? There's no other explanation for why I'm feeling better. And I know it's not because of a damn herbal remedy. I was doomed, Y/N. So, what the hell did you do?"
"So you do feel better?"
"Y/N!"
I sighed as she raised her voice. "Okay, look, I'm sorry for lying to you, but you wouldn't have taken it if I'd told you."
"Damn right I wouldn't have!" she snapped, glaring at me. "We can't afford that! Which brings me to my next question. How the hell did you get it?"
I shook my head, looking down at her breakfast tray. "It's not your concern."
"Y/N, I swear to God I'll–"
"What?" I cut her off, meeting her hard stare with my own. "You'll what?"
Her eyes flickered between mine before softening. "Y/N. Please."
I could have given in so easily, just from a simple glance, but I refused to let her bait me. I ignored her instead, shaking my head and returning my gaze to her breakfast tray.
"You traded something," she guessed, back to her irritated self. When I didn't answer, she said, "What? What did you trade?"
Again, I said nothing, neither confirming nor denying, but she wasn't having it.
"Goddamn it, Y/N!" she shouted, but her voice was still weak so it was more of a broken yell. "You can't just sit there in silence whilst I–"
"Stop it!" I raised my voice too, glaring at her.
"What the hell were you thinking?!"
I frowned, eyes pooling with tears. "I was thinking that I couldn't just sit here and watch and not do anything! I was thinking that I was terrified that you would die! That you were getting worse and worse every day, and that I would lose you, Katniss!"
Her eyes were glassy as they met mine. "How many times?"
I scoffed, looking away. "Katniss, not now."
I expected her to yell again, but she said in a quiet voice, "Please. How many times is your name in there?"
I clenched my jaw, crossing my arms over my chest stubbornly. But when I glanced at her, she was watching me like a little girl who'd just lost her puppy, and I couldn't not respond.
"Not a lot," I tried to sugar coat it. "Only twelve times." At this, she released a sharp breath. "I traded two years of food with the doctor. It was enough to get the medicine."
She pushed the tray off her lap before pulling her knees to her chest, hiding her face between them. She was shaking her head and I knew she was crying, the sniffling giving it away. Feeling insanely bad, I sat on the bed beside her and pulled her in for a side hug the best I could.
"It's okay," I told her, rubbing her arm. "I chose to do it, Katniss. And I'd do it again, over and over, if it means you'll be okay."
She shook her head. "You shouldn't have," she said with a muffled voice, her head still tucked between her legs.
"You shouldn't have got sick," I tried to joke, but she only looked up at me with red eyes and quivering lips. I lost my smile, admitting, "I wasn't going to lose you. You don't get it."
I love you, I wanted to add, but I couldn't.
"Neither do you," she mumbled, before shoving me off her childishly.
I didn't get to question her because she pulled the tray back onto her lap and tried to finish off the remainder of stale bread in her plate. I returned to my seat next to her bed, watching as she sulked, ate and gave me the temporary silent treatment. I didn't care too much, as long as she was eating.
Once she finished, I took the tray and put it to the side momentarily, flashing her a supportive smile.
"You finished every last bit," I pointed out. "I'm proud of you."
She rolled her eyes, but that only made me smile more because it meant she had the effort to be annoyed at me, which was something she hadn't had for a while now.
"Did you have your morning dose of medicine?" I asked reluctantly, but needing to know.
She nodded, crossing her arms. "My mum gave it me earlier."
I relaxed. "Good."
Before I could say anything else, the door to the bedroom opened and Prim ran in, a bright smile on her face. Despite Katniss' annoyance with me, she couldn't resist returning her sister's smile, accepting her onto the bed and hugging her.
"You already look so much better," Prim was saying with amazement. "I was so scared."
"Well, there's no need to be," Katniss reassured her. "You didn't struggle too much without me, right?"
Prim shook her head. "Gale and Y/N have been helping. Y/N wouldn't leave. Mum had to kick her out a lot."
I facepalmed, feeling my cheeks heat up with embarrassment. It only deepened when Katniss glanced my way with an unreadable expression.
"Yeah, she has a tendency to not listen," she said, making me roll my eyes.
"She saved you," Prim said to her.
Katniss licked her lips. "I know."
I felt awkward, definitely not wanting the credit, I just wanted her to be okay. But then Prim changed the subject, catching Katniss up on all she'd missed, so I was able to sit back and witness it all, chiming in whenever Prim needed.
For once, Katniss was able to listen and actually hold a conversation. It was heartwarming to see, and if this was what she was like after one dose, I couldn't wait until she'd had the full thing.
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