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( act i. district nine )

...marketplace

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— FALLON SHOVED HER HANDS
into her pockets, feeling the wind breeze through her dark locks. The girl was sat on a bench, the sound of people walking filling her ears due to the marketplace being packed. The teen glanced up to see a mother holding her daughters hand whilst pointing to some baked breads on display.

The young girls eyes lit up before beginning to plead for some to buy. Fallon watched the mother give her child a warm look with a soft smile adorning her lips. The brunette ripped her eyes away from the two, a sinking feeling in her chest created which didn't help with the girls mood at all.

Fallon breathed softly, her eyes closing as she gathered her thoughts. To the people passing by she looked like any calm teen simply resting on the teen, but that couldn't further from the truth.

Fallon was a single moment away from finally losing it, her calm demeanor only up to hide the chaos erupting beneath it.

The victor felt someone slide into the place beside her but she simply kept her eyes closed. Silence fell over the air and Fallon relished in it, before the voice at her side spoke, "Do you always meditate at a marketplace?"

Fallon's eyes peeled open at the familiar voice before turning her head to meet a familiar pair of blue eyes. It was the boy from Twelve she'd seen over a week ago.

The girl quirked up a brow with her eyes narrowed slightly, "What are you doing back here?" Peeta jerked his head towards the marketplace, "Same as last time." Fallon stayed silent, her gaze going to the sight ahead of her. A long moment fell over the two who were seated and a question nagged at the teenage girls mind.

"Why are you still here?" Her question slipped out, head tipped slightly so she could see his face. Peeta blinked at her, thinking for a moment of what he'd been asked. The question left him stumped in all honesty, he didn't know why he'd sit down beside her... he just did. Especially since he had limited time in the district before the peacekeepers would come to escort him.

Peeta watched her stoic expression remain the same but he could see the smallest glimmer of curiosity shining in her honey eyes. The blonde boy shrugged softly, "I don't know."

Fallon furrowed her brows together before carefully repeating, "You don't know?"

The Mellark boy nodded in confirmation once more, "I just saw you sitting here and I thought, why not join you?" The seventeen year old blinked, going silent once more and Peeta had taken that as a sign that he should go.

He'd stood from the bench, turning around to make his way back to the train before Fallon's voice called out behind him, "It was Peeta, right?"

His footsteps faltered, turning around to face the seated girl once more, "You remembered." The brunette watched his carefully, "I don't have shit memory you know." Fallon thought about it for a moment before signaling to the spot Peeta was just sitting in.

The blonde couldn't help the small smile that played on his lips before taking his place beside her once more. Peeta glanced around, taking in the way district Nine was much greener than Twelve, "It's livelier here than what I'm used to."

Fallon didn't need to ask to know what the sixteen year old was referring to, "What's Twelve like?"

Peeta spared the brunette a glance before speaking, "Grey, dull, everyone in there is starving." Fallon blank expression faltered slightly, her hard eyes crumbling, "While everyone in the Capitol thrives on their high horse."

Peeta glanced down at his lap where his folded hands rested, "Pretty shitty."

Fallon tipped her head to the side to watch the blonde, "What do you do in Twelve?" The boy immediately met her honey eyes before responding, "My family owns a bakery so I help around."

The girls lips parted slightly in realization, "That explains the flour." she softly muttered to which she received a nod from him.

Peeta hummed softly, glancing at the girl to see a different look on her face, "You're nothing like what they show on TV." Fallon's hard exterior returned in a blink of an eye, jaw clenching at the reminder, "Don't believe everything you see on a screen."

"Do they make you act like that?" Peeta carefully questioned, curious but not at wanting to cross a line. Fallon swallowed thickly before beginning to glance around, "I need to head back home."

The blonde nodded in understanding, watching the girl stand before locking eyes with him. Fallon couldn't understand how he had such a kind demeanor to himself, it certainly made the guard she always held up stutter around him. It looked like he wanted to make a friend and once long ago, Fallon would've happily indulged in hour long conversations and would've befriended him quickly.

But that part of herself faded all too quickly after the games. She almost never spoke to anyone she didn't already know, she didn't see the need to. Yet, there was Peeta, showing her kindness and willingly talking to her no matter how rude she'd been the first time they met.

Could making one friend hurt that much?

Fallon had turned to make her way home when the blonde had called out, "See you in two weeks?" Peeta's unsure voice reached her ears. So he had to come every two weeks for supplies it seemed.

Fallon stopped walking, the only indication that she'd heard him and for a short moment Peeta took that as a negative response. Although, that all faded away when her voice chirped up, "If you're lucky."

Peeta smiled, watching the girl inch further and further from his line of sight. Honestly, he was just glad he maybe could have someone he could call a friend.

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FALLON ARRIVED back home, beginning to shrug off her jacket before turning to Kou passed out on the couch with the TV playing.

The teen shook her head slightly, the illusion of a smile ghosting over her lips. The brunette moved to grab the blanket draped over the armchair before delicately tossing it over her brothers sleeping figure.

Fallon reached for the remote to shut the TV off before touring to head back into the kitchen when footsteps descending from the stairs treated her ears.

Fallon raised her shoulders up, her entire body tense with her features set into a distant expression.

Jia glanced to see her youngest son resting on the couch before going over to the kitchen where her daughter was washing the dishes.

The mother placed her dirty dishes on the counter with a loud clutter, not bothering to acknowledge Fallon whom she hadn't seen in around two days. The woman simply grabbed her house keys before disappearing out the door.

Fallon slouched slightly, a sigh spilling from her lips before clearing her throat. The brunette took her mothers dishes to wash when the door clicked open, but she knew it wasn't her mom.

Evren shut the door behind him, his eyes relaxing the second they landed on the teen. "I was beginning to worry."

Fallon huffed slightly, "I wasn't gone for that long." Her mentor quirked up a brow, "I haven't seen you since this morning and even Kou began asking for you, kid."

Fallon licked her lips, stilling her movements under the cold water that ran, "I just needed to be alone."

"I get that, believe me I do. But that didn't stop Kou from worrying and I had to physically restrain him from running off to search for you."

Fallon blinked, turning her head to rest her eyes on her little brother. The last thing she wanted was to cause him to stress and worry— much less over herself.

She had to pull it together. If not for herself then for him.

Fallon's chest heaved noticeably, "I'm trying." Evren frowned slightly, letting go of his arms that were crossed over his chest, "I know, Fal. I know."

Fallon turned the faucet off, her cold hands gripping the edge of the sink, "Why am I like this?"

Evren furrowed his brows, not entirely sure what his victor was referring to. The teen turned to face her mentor, "What happened to me?"

That was the question she so desperately wanted answered. Over a year ago, Fallon wouldn't recognize her current self. It was a thought that always picked at her mind.

She wanted to go back to how she was, when she was more open, kind, understanding, gentle, and everything but dangerous.

Evren took a step closer, "What's wrong, Fallon?" He knew something must've had to have happened for the girl to be bringing that up. She never once acknowledged how much she'd changed— she always refused to.

Fallon dropped her gaze to her fumbling hands, her mind going back to a certain blonde who she couldn't seem to shake out of her thoughts.

The girl purses her lips, "Nothing..." she trailed off, rather embarrassed to bring it up with the male before her.

Solace quirked up a brow at her, "Okay, you can lie much better than that so now I gotta know."

Fallon grumbled under her breath, "There was just this guy from district Twelve I met like two weeks ago and he needed some directions."

Confusion struck through his dark eyes at the mention of district Twelve but held his tongue from asking to allow her to continue.

"I was so guarded and for what? Someone who was asking for flour?" Fallon ran a hand over her face, feeling foolish as she attempted to word her thoughts.

Though Evren knew what she was trying to say, "You're frustrated because the way you used to interact with people isn't the same anymore."

Fallon's shoulders slouched almost unnoticeably, "Yeah, precisely."

Evren thought for a moment, his eyes going distant with thoughts roaming his head, "You learn to deal with the change, Fallon. You can't compare yourself to how you used to be because if you do you'll stay in the past."

Evren watched the teen let out a soft sigh before he continued, "You gotta move forward, kiddo."

Fallon inhaled and exhaled, recollecting herself before shoving down her growing emotions. He was right. The brunette raised her eyes to meet her mentors, "Thanks."

Evren gave her a small smile, "I'm always here, Fal." He turned back to look at Kou's sleeping figure before setting his back onto the girl, "Go up and get some sleep. I'll take Kou up to his room."

Fallon pursed her lips, "You sure? I could help."

Evren shook his head at her, "No, I need you to go rest."

The Mintz girl looked reluctant but seeing the glint in Evren's eyes had her beginning to go up the stairs.

"Goodnight, Evren."

"Night, kid."

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           — AUTHORS NOTE,
Evren being the father the mintz siblings never had