thingsthatshine | Open Post

Auggie and Katniss know better than most how the world is full of monsters with friendly faces. They deal with those monsters every day. Lately, Auggie has been trying to figure out which of those friendly faces were actually monsters and which only appeared to be, which ones were monsters that he could trust. Most of the time the secret meetings that he goes to are easy to slip away to. After all, he and Katniss still live in different districts and she has to be in the Capital often. She really only gets to visit after those Capital trips on her way back to District 12.

She's here in District 4 for a few days after such a trip to the Capital and Auggie has arranged for them to go out on the boat, as they usually do when she's here. This time is different in that there's a little island with a secluded beach that he wants to show her. It's also different because he's going to tell her about the rebellion, his part in it and invite her to join them. They're getting ready to move and they could use the Mockingjay to help out. More importantly, this might be the chance they've been waiting for to finally live a normal life together.

Once Auggie docks the boat and the take the little jetski into the island, he parks it as well and with Katniss' help, set up a little camp site. They'll probably go sleep back on the boat--it's just more comfortable--but it'll be nice to sit out here on the beach with the fire. Once Katniss has the fire blazing brightly, Auggie pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"I've missed this," he tells her. He's missed her, but he's particularly missed having her in his arms. He always does when she's gone.

Her side trips to District 4 are always the highlight of her visits to the Capitol. No matter what else happens while she's in the Capitol, she has this. She has the knowledge that when all is done and over with, she'll have time with Auggie that no one - not even Snow - can take from her. If the President has caught on to their tryst, he hasn't said a word. In some ways, he's only benefited from this. Having Auggie to lose makes Katniss all the more cooperative. President Snow gets a beautiful, young, and compliant Victor to parade around, do with what he will. In return, she gets this.

Time spent on his boat isn't unusual. She loves those trips. When she and Auggie are alone on the yacht, there's absolutely no one else in their world. She can be who she is without fear of consequence. She can be a girl in love and forget about every indecency she's had to go through. They rarely leave the boat during that time, too wrapped up in each other - and too concerned with getting caught. Katniss never complains. She values every second she gets with Auggie.

As she snuggles closer to him, she decides that she can get used to this. The fire is warm and inviting. Auggie even more so. She tilts her head up, placing a kiss on his jaw. "I've missed you," she answers, kissing him again. Every kiss and every touch makes the Capitol seem further away. "It was too long this time."

Auggie lives for those visits from Katniss. The rest of his life seems dull in comparison and he's reminded of how bleak things were before he'd fallen in love with her. He's very aware that their relationship gives Snow another hold on him, on Katniss and that's exactly what he wants to talk to Katniss about, at least in part. Yes, it's about so much more than them, but it's also all about them.

The boat has always been Auggie's favorite spot. Spending time there with Katniss has only made it more special to him. One of these days, he hopes their world is bigger than his boat. He wants more with her. He wants a full, whole life with Katniss rather than moments stolen.

He closes his eyes, basking in that kiss, in her touch, in the feel of her body against his. "It's always too long," he tells her, "but I agree." He takes a deep breath, holding it a moment before exhaling. "I actually want to talk to you about something that could change that, that could give us more time together."

Of course, it could all backfire on them. He knows that, but he thinks it could be worth it.

He's not the only one who lives for these visits. She comes alive when she's around him. Life is no longer dull and depressing. It might give Snow a new advantage to use against them both but she needs this. She thinks Auggie probably needs this, too. Everything is real when she's with him. It makes everything Snow has her do worth it. So long as she gets Auggie, she can survive it all.

The one thing she won't let herself do is dream of that better world. A full, whole life with Auggie is the greatest gift she can imagine. Living not as his secret girlfriend but his wife. Having his children. But that's an impossibility. Something that will never happen.

"What are you talking about?" Katniss asks with a frown. Although she stays curled up in his lap, she pulls her head away far enough to look more closely at him. "You know Snow won't allow it."

That's exactly why he's investing in this rebellion. He wants this to be their life, not stolen moments when Snow allows it.

Lately, that's all Auggie can seem to do: dream of a better world, work for a better world. He's been spending so much time helping with the rebellion, plotting their next move and trying to decide exactly the right point to bring the Mockingjay in. More importantly, he's spent time trying to decide exactly how and when to bring the woman he loves into this. He knows that Katniss could reject the idea of a rebellion and if she does, everything he wants changes because at the end of the day, rebellion or no, all he really wants is her.

"No. He won't. That's why we need to overthrow him. A rebellion, Katniss. That's what I'm talking about. A group of people that want to get Snow out of power. They want to end the Games, end the Victor racket. If they're successful, if we help them be successful, we could have a life together without any secrets or stolen moments. Just this. All the time."

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August Anderson

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