Percy Jackson the Tribute (Percy Jackson Hunger Games crossover)

Katniss

Percy sighed in relief as he walked down the street with his stuff and Prim. He had shoved his mom's entire closet into his backpack while Prim wasn't looking, and he was surprisingly looking forward to interacting with other human beings again. 

As they passed people on the street, he felt the familiar stirring in his heart as he looked at their hopeless faces. He realized guiltily that many of them had been through much more than he had, and lost more than just a mother that they knew loved them. He began pulling out dresses from his backpack and handing them to mothers standing with their kids, mostly homeless. Because of his frequent trips out here with his mother, he knew most of them by name. He would whisper the same words to them every time: "I didn't need this dress anymore and thought you could get something out of it. I don't care if it's food money or a Sunday dress, but I hope it helps!"

A lot of them seemed to relax when he passed them and gave them a dress, and Percy realized that they might have been worried when he didn't come out for a few days. He knew that he was the only source of food for some of them, and felt instantly guilty that he had let them go so long without.

It took a really long time to get to the Everdeens' house. When they were finally at the door, Percy looked sideways at Prim. 

"So," he said, shifting his backpack even though he didn't need to, "I've never been on that route to your house." She had taken him through almost the entire Seam, and he hadn't even noticed; he'd been too distracted. Prim just grinned.

"Yeah, well you should try it more often," she said happily. Even though she hadn't meant it that way, it felt like a slap in the face. He should have been there for them. A really soft slap, because she was Prim, and she sounded so happy.

"Alright, fine, maybe I will," Percy fake huffed. Prim rolled her eyes and giggled. She opened the door.

"Prim? Is that you, finally? That took a while, I was starting to get worried," Katniss said, walking into the living room. "Oh. Hey, Percy. How are you?" The question was casual, but also sensitive.

"I'm good as I can be, I suppose," he said, not wanting to worry her. "Did you not trust me to take care of Prim?" he joked.

"Well... normally yes. I would trust regular Percy with Prim for three hours. But sad, despondent, depressed, starving Percy? I just don't know," she said with the bare hint of a grin.

Percy shrugged. "Whatever," he said absently. He wondered if she knew that Prim had asked him to live with them. He opened his mouth to ask when --

"Holy -- what?! What even is that bow?!" Katniss suddenly said, rushing forward and snatching it out of his hands. She ran her hands along the length of the six-foot bow wonderingly. "Where did you get this?" she demanded.

"I have no idea," Percy laughed. "My mom --" he swallowed, "my mom has this chest that she told me to open when she was gone, and this was in it."

Katniss looked like she was going to have a conniption, but she gave the bow back.

He smirked at her and she blushed. Percy was very confused, but he wasn't going to let her know that. "Hey, it's okay. Maybe I'll let you shoot it next time you go into the woods. How much you wanna bet that Gale can't pull it back?" he joked.

Katniss laughed. "Oh, stop," she said. "I go hunting with Gale all the time, he is very good."

"Yeah, he's good, but not as good as you," Percy said. "Or me, for that matter."

Katniss looked him over, startled. "How would you know that? I haven't seen you while hunting once."

"Why thank you," he replied with a satisfied smile on his face. "I've seen you."

She rolled her eyes. "So, what's up with your coat? Normal people take their coats off when they come inside," she said, obviously trying to change the subject. Percy was amused, but understandably alarmed at where it was heading. He shrugged. 

"I didn't feel like it," he said, trying to sound casual. She looked at him suspiciously. So, maybe not so casual. 

Katniss P.O.V.

"Why would you not feel like it?" Katniss asked, feeling slightly suspicious. Slightly suspicious, but mostly relieved that she was now in control of the conversation. 

Percy shrugged again, looking even more defensive. Now she was really curious. "Come on, Percy, it's the middle of the summer. Why were you even wearing it in the first place?" she pressed.

He grinned slightly, relaxing. "Same reason you where your shirt; to cover up what we don't want other people to see. I mean, unless you do want to..." He started unbuttoning his coat slowly, never breaking eye contact, still with that slight smirk on his face. She felt her face heat, and she shook her head.

"Never mind, you can wear your stupid coat," she said, getting up and walking to her room. She closed the door before she lost control and attacked him. Or... did something else. 

"Ugh, why am I so stupid?" she muttered to herself, laying on her bed. "Why are you wearing a coat, Percy? For Conversation Starting 101, contact Katniss Everdeen."  She groaned before collapsing on her bed and covering her face with a pillow.

Percy P.O.V.

Percy let out a breath as Katniss closed the door to her room. That had been close. He felt a little bad for embarrassing her, and it was a little risky, but it was way better than trying to explain why he was wearing a full suit of half-plate armor and covered with weapons in her house. 

If she hadn't fallen for it, he would have been so screwed.

Faintly, he heard her muttering to herself. "Why are you wearing a coat, Percy? For Conversation Starting 101, contact Katniss Everdeen," she said, and he covered a laugh with his hand.

Keeping his hearing a secret was entertaining, but it was starting to feel petty. He hoped it was actually useful someday, or else he might feel bad for eavesdropping. He sighed as he realized how many secrets he had to keep. His water powers were obvious, but not that hard, but now he had super hearing, super-backpack, armor, and weapons. He absently wondered if it would be worth it to let Mrs. Everdeen find out just to see the look on her face, but decided that... Probably not. Probably.