THG fic: "Spin Control" [18/24]

[trovia]

Title: Spin Control
Pairings: Finnick/Haymitch, Kat/Peeta
Characters: Finnick, Haymitch, Chaff, Peeta, Gale, Kat; plus appearances by Mags, Johanna, Caesar Flickerman, President Snow, Effie, Claudius Templesmith, Beetee, Prim, Thresh, Rue, District Twelve ensemble and various OC
Rating: adult
Warnings: forced prostitution & non-con; people dealing

Comments

[roguedemon]

He sounded hesitant and concerned when he said, “So how about… how about if three spoonfuls of sugar is okay and four isn’t anymore, you stick with three and don’t run yourself into the ground the next day. That alright?”

“Okay,” Finnick agreed in a quiet voice, hanging his head and admitting defeat.

Haymitch paused.

“You know that if there’s anything you need to get out, anything you need to talk about…”

“Okay,” Finnick whispered and Haymitch reached out, muttering, “C’mere” with a lost sigh and drawing him close, hand cupping the back of his neck. “You know you’re not doing anything wrong, right? That’s not what I’m saying.”

Finnick buried his face in the crook of Haymitch’s neck.

I loved this part, my heart grew three sizes again ( and yes, that's a Grinch reference. ;)). Just the way Haymitch tells him that he isn't doing anything wrong, implicitly saying that he emphasizes with the struggle going on in Finnick's head -- that's so important. And the way he comforts him, which leads Finnick to realize that it feels good, and try to give some of that comfort back to Haymitch at the end of the chapter. I can't think of two people who need a hug more than these guys.

Regarding the comparison between Ralda and Finnick, while eating disorders can develop for very different reasons and serve very different purposes, depending on the individual, the end result can be the same. People with ED can just lose their ability to eat normally. I've read of people ending up afraid of food, afraid of feeling fed and healthy, feeling like they personally are not allowed to eat....obviously it varies, but the end result is just not being able to stop killing themselves. So Haymitch has that right.

I see Finnick's problems as developing very gradually, and really jumping to a whole new level when he came to 12. He's feeling more overwhelmed than ever, he's isolated, he's in unfamiliar surroundings...and the food tastes all wrong. As you point out during the fic, he's used to lighter, spicier foods and then he ends up stuck eating meat and potatoes instead of fish and rice (for instance). And then he really does love sweet things and as his stress level goes through the roof he craves sugar more which set up the whole exercise bulimia loop in a big way. So yeah, I am sure that right now bland foods feel a lot safer to him. Hopefully with Haymitch's help he will be able to pull back from that when his stress level isn't as high. I'm glad he has Haymitch to feed him cake once in a while. :)

I just have this image of Finnick stuck in that awful costume (or lack thereof) for the QQ parade and being like, "FUCk my life" and grabbing a handful of sugar. :)

[trovia]

I ended up commenting on the Ralda thing above, for some reason, so the rest here:

The moment when Haymitch says to Finnick that he isn't doing anything wrong was so important to me. It would be so very easy for Finnick to use this whole eating issue as a basis for beating himself up all over again, and while Haymitch still isn't privy to a lot of issues Finnick has, at this point, he already knows that Finnick tends to do that. I just love him to pieces for having the ability to say that.

I see Finnick's problems as developing very gradually, and really jumping to a whole new level when he came to 12. He's feeling more overwhelmed than ever, he's isolated, he's in unfamiliar surroundings...and the food tastes all wrong. As you point out during the fic, he's used to lighter, spicier foods and then he ends up stuck eating meat and potatoes instead of fish and rice (for instance).

Yes, to everything you said here. I've occasionally talked to people who wrote in their comments that they'd never considered Finnick might have an eating disorder. I tend to answer that it's not a thing I consider for Finnick in canon either. My mind doesn't immediately jump there just because he likes sugar. (although it's suspicious - he's a rape victim, he's scrutinized a lot for his looks, he's still really muscular although he hasn't got a reason to work out anymore, and he overdoses on sugar on not one, but two occasions in canon. It would certainly make sense for a writer to go there) But I think it's an issue on his scale of potential issues that he might developed because of his personality, and the situation of this fic just brings that out. It's a good thing in a way. New issues mean that something is in motion, he isn't stuck in one place.

And then he really does love sweet things and as his stress level goes through the roof he craves sugar more which set up the whole exercise bulimia loop in a big way. So yeah, I am sure that right now bland foods feel a lot safer to him.

Yeah. I think there's also a quality of, "There has to be something wrong with getting a thing that I like / I don't deserve to feel that good about food." Fortunately, this issue is still in the beginning stages. He's still at a point where he can get things back under control fairly easily as long as he has a strong enough motivation (which would be that he's scaring Haymitch, mostly) and somebody who supports him. It's also still a thing that's coming and going, depending on his stress levels. Like Haymitch says, one day he won't be able to stop. But currently he still can.

I just have this image of Finnick stuck in that awful costume (or lack thereof) for the QQ parade and being like, "FUCk my life" and grabbing a handful of sugar. :)

I love that image. It is now officially what happened, in my head. :D