Peeta x Reader

Chapter 2: The Reaping

Song: "Me & My Dog" by boygenius

Y/Ns POV

There is a loud knock at my bedroom door and I can hear a soft voice calling my name.

"Come in," I say groggily.

"Good morning, Y/N." Will says, smiling. He knows this is not a good morning. He of all people should know how much I've been dreading this day.

I've gotten along fine and unselected every year since my twelfth birthday, but my brother was my age when he was chosen to enter the arena. I start shaking.

Will holds me. "Y/N, shh." He's trying to calm me down as best he can, but he starts crying as well. "I can't lose you. Not after I already lost Mom and Dad."

"You'll still have Haymitch." I say, laughing through the sobs. Haymitch Abernathy was the last victor District 12 had in the Games before my brother. He is our only neighbor and was Will's mentor in his Games. He is also a raging alcoholic.

"Of course I'll have Haymitch. But I'm being serious. Whatever happens today, I'm going to do my best to keep you safe."

He's right. If my name is chosen, he will be my mentor. If my name is not chosen, I'll live alone here while he goes off to the Capitol with the unlucky tributes. Maybe I could stay with Haymitch. Or Peeta.

"I'll be alright, Will. I can shoot." I say. It's true. I've always been keen with a bow and arrow. When we lived in the Seam, I would hunt game to sell in the Hob, and I always got a clean shot. One time I tried taking Peeta with me but he is incredibly loud and distracting. The only thing I caught that day was one fish, which I speared from the pond after Peeta felt it "tickling" him.

Suddenly, all I can think of is Peeta. His name is in the Reaping too. Of course it is. It always is. But I've never worried about him like this before. How will he survive if he gets chosen? He's not very resourceful, he can't hunt, he gets frightened easily by small fish. How could he take on 23 people all set on killing him?

Will grabs my hand and leads me downstairs where he already has breakfast ready. We eat quickly and dress, not wanting to be late for the Reaping. I want to get there early to talk with Peeta before. To say goodbye. Just in case.

When we step outside, the district has been filled with two growing clumps of people. The men and women from District 12. Children and families of children dreading what awaits them. Hoping their names are not drawn, and they are not thrown into battle. I go to sign in and they prick my finger, leaving a drop of blood on a sheet of paper next to my full name. I catch a glimpse of Peeta in the crowd and try to run towards him, but I am blocked by a peacekeeper and ushered to my side of the field.

Once everything gets settled, there is a booming voice coming from a giant screen in the middle of the square. I look up and see President Snow, his dark face sitting in a luxury chair. Giving us the history of Panem and the Hunger Games and the Dark Days. Exactly what we heard yesterday. I wish I could do something to drown it out. My heart is racing faster than ever now and my anxiety almost takes over me when I hear the anthem, signifying the end.

As the video ends I notice a very tall woman clapping on the stage. She has been standing there the whole time, but now her outfit sticks out to me. It is a high contrast from the dark, old clothes we all wear in District 12. She has a hot pink dress on with giant balloon sleeves almost as big as her head, which I notice is a blinding white. Her light pink hair is poofed out wildly and accessorized with a giant flower, right in the middle of her head the same color as her dress. Obviously she is from the Capitol. From what I've seen from past Games, there are people even more odd than her living in the Capitol. She opens her mouth and a very high pitched accented voice speaks.

"Oh, I just love that video!" she says, grinning hugely. "My name is Effie Trinket, and welcome to the 74th annual Hunger Games!"

I look to my left and see Will standing next to Peeta, whispering. Peeta looks up, laughing but still incredibly frightened. I'm glad Will can be consoling to Peeta now, he needs it more than me.

"Let's just get right to it then," Effie gets so close to the mic. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" she throws her hands up in celebration and claps, but no one copies.

"Alright then. Ladies first."

I can feel everyone near me tense up and stop breathing. Everyone is completely silent. Effie shuffles around in the bowl to pick out a name for the girls. Peeta calls out my name but his held back by Will and a Peacekeeper. I want nothing more right now to run to him. To be in his arms and out of District 12. And suddenly, his proposition of running away seems less insane now. Effie grabs a paper and spends an eternity walking back to the microphone. She unravels the paper and sighs loudly.

"Your female tribute, Y/N L/N." Effie smiles wide and looks around for me.

I can't move. I can't walk up to the stage. I am frozen in my spot out of shock and fear. Jane, a girl from school, touches my shoulder and makes eye contact with me, appearing to be crying.

"Y/N..." she starts but then hugs me. I've never really spoken to Jane before but she has always been kind to me. Now I can see she's seen me as a friend. I can't hug back, my arms are still glued to my sides and eventually four large Peacekeepers drag me to the stage, barricading my sides, front, and back so no one can touch me or even see my face. I guess this is a good thing because I'm having trouble keeping it together. I look to my right and see my pale face being projected onto a large screen, for all of Panem to see. I know that I have to appear strong so I try not making eye contact with anyone. Especially Peeta.

"So, Y/N! It seems we have a sister! Your older brother William L/N was the victor of the 70th Games, correct?" Effie turns to me and holds out the microphone. It takes everything in me to reply.

"Yes." is all I can say. I finally get the courage to look at the faces in the crowd. My eyes immediately go to Will and Peeta, who are also trying to keep it together. Peeta is crying now and I recognize again how doomed he would be if he became a tribute. As if planned, as I think this my biggest nightmare becomes reality.

"Peeta Mellark." As I've been caught up thinking, Effie has already gone over to the other bowl and fished through to find the last name I wanted her to call. Will ushers him to the stage as he is taken over by the same shock I was. He stands next to me, not making eye contact. I'm glad he avoided my gaze because I would just have broken down as well. Effie tells us to join hands as she announces,

"Ladies and gentlemen, your District 12 tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor."

No one applauds. Peacekeepers grab the shoulders of me, Will, and Peeta to usher us to a back room in the Justice Building. We are separated and told to wait in these room and our families will come for final goodbyes. Will and I are put together and Peeta is shoved into a room, all alone. I wonder who will come and see us, we have no family but each other. Peeta lives with both his parents and his brothers though, and to my and Wills surprise, Mr. Mellark enters the room.

"Y/N," he says solemnly, "I'm so sorry." He gives sympathetic looks at me and Will. He was close with our parents and must know how hard this is for us. "These are for you. Both of you." He hands me a box of beautifully decorated cookies, but they were obviously done by him. Nothing could be more recognizable than Peetas art.

"Thank you." Me and Will say as Will takes the box. I jump up and hug Peetas father, not knowing what else to do. I guess he is the closest thing to a father we have. A Peacekeeper enters the room and says time's up. Will tries to protest but Peetas father is grabbed and shoved out of the room. I turn to Will.

"What am I going to do?" I say, choking up. Will puts on a serious face and looks me dead in the eyes and says simply,

"Stay alive."