Broken Toys - Johanna Mason x fem reader

Chapter 25 - Ending The Vicious Circle

"How are they going to perceive us now that the time of the Hunger Games is finally over?", I thought aloud. 

"Doesn't matter. We'll push through it and stay ourselves either way", Johanna grinned. "Right, playboy?", she playfully hit Finnick with her elbow.

"What do you mean? I'm naturally awesome", he put on his Capitol act making us laugh. 

Honestly this was a part of the Games I did not want to lose. The other victors, the people I got close to because the Games had existed. My life would be completely different, if my name had not been drawn four years ago. How different my perception of life would have been. Finnick would have been a narcissistic playboy to me, Annie a mentally unstable woman and Johanna just aggressive and selfish. Katniss would have only been the mockingjay. Haymitch a crazy alcoholic. But I was glad that I had gotten to know them. Nothing was worth losing Rue, but at least I had gotten other precious people I did not want to lose now. New people I desperately wanted to protect, to laugh and cry with, to spend my life with. 

"Why are you smiling like that?", Finnick teased me. 

I took Johanna's hand, while placing my hand on Finnick's shoulder. "I just noticed that I did not just lose a lot during the last years."

The next months were a mess. Paylor, the leader of district 8, became the temporary president as everyone trusted her to make wise decisions after the revolution. Plutarch was the Secretary of Communication now and the rebuilding of the country had begun. It was planned to establish a republic government for Panem in the near future, when things had calmed down a bit. 

In the meantime Johanna and I had moved to her old victor house in district 7, while my family had moved back to our house in district 11. That I wanted to stay with Johanna was out of question, but moving to 11 had not been an option. I could not take the memories of Rue hovering at every place in district 11. 

Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch had returned to district 12 as well. Plutarch had defended Katniss and managed to prevent her execution as well as the one of Effie Trinket. 

Annie had told me that Katniss' mum was working at a new hospital in district 4 now. Annie, the proud mum of her newborn son Max. Finnick and Annie had chosen to call him that in memorial of their fallen mentor Mags. 

So all in all we should be glad. I had fulfilled my promise to create a safe country for my younger siblings and we were no longer trapped inside the vicious circle of the Hunger Games. At least that was what I would have like to believe, because for us victors the Games would never fully vanish. The memories were still vivid and I was reminded of that almost every night. 

Now that I had fulfilled my task I had much more time to grieve and process my past than I wanted. In the beginning it had really broken me. Nightmares, whenever I had closed my eyes. Waking up to remember that they were not dreams but memories. 

Johanna had gotten used to my breakdowns and knew how to handle them now. That had been a long journey too. 

But all in all I was grateful. Grateful for the people that were enriching my life now. Grateful that I did not have to fear for the safety of my loved ones anymore, especially when I made a mistake. Grateful that I could see my friends, whenever I wanted because the trains were public now.

"Come on! Stop wasting time!", Johanna complained, already waiting for me at the front door. She was always taking her axe with her, which no one minded here in 7. 

"Yeah, calm down. I'm here", I replied with mock annoyance. 

"Did you just tell me to calm down?", she fake glared at me before grinning and placing her arm around my waist.