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" Head up high, your hands should never be off your lap. And posture, very important. Strength and femininity. " Effie reminds you as Cinna finishes up your eyeshadow.
" Thank you, Effie. Y/n, you can open your eyes now. " Cinna smiles, stepping back to admire his work as you open your eyes. Immediately your gaze falls upon your reflection in the mirror for the first time, not quite believing that the person looking back is you.
You are absolutely stunned by your own reflection: arms stenciled, hair woven in a lovely braid down one shoulder, make-up subtle and elegant. And a jeweled dress, accented with tongues of fire.
Not pretty. Not beautiful. Radiant as the sun.
" You look breathtaking, Y/n, " Effie breathes with a bright smile on her face.
Cinna is beaming and his team squeals with delight. You still haven't spoken, just too floored.
" Give us a moment alright?" Cinna requests. Effie shrugs unhappily but follows the rest of the team as they exit the room nonetheless, leaving just you and Cinna alone together.
" I look like..." You finally speak, your voice soft and unbelieving.
" Like the girl you were meant to be. Let me see a twirl. " Cinna instructs, gesturing with his finger for you to spin.
You twirl around, the fabric flowing along fluidly - a small flicker at the bottom of the dress almost going unnoticed by you. You have honestly never felt this beautiful before in your life.
" Oh Y/n..." Cinna sighs softly causing you to blush. " I hope the sponsors really see you tonight. Like this. The real you. "
" Haymitch says I'm sullen and hostile." You tell him with a small frown.
" You are - around Haymitch." His words assure you. " Forget him tonight. Once those cameras are on, try to pretend you're talking to a best friend back home. Do you have someone like that? "
You nod, " Yeah. Her name's Katniss. But she hates all this."
" She loves you, though. Doesn't she?" Cinna asks.
" I think so, I dunno." You answer. You hope she loves you - because honestly, you're not sure if you could have made it this far without her.
" Well, when you see me sitting in that audience, pretend I'm her. Can you do that?" Cinna questions and you nod your head with a soft smile.
" Listen, I lied to you the other day - about the reason I asked for District 12. It was you, Y/n. What you did for your friend, how brave you were. Tonight requires ... a different kind of bravery, okay? " His words register in your mind and he smiles reassuringly. " Let them love you out there. It might just save you. "
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You join the other tributes, each made-over, backstage at an amphitheatre. Peeta, who's in a black suit with flame accents, nods to you. No one else acknowledges you at all - except for Rue, in a gossamer gown with wings, who offers you a nervous smile.
" You look nice." You mouth to her and notice the blush that creeps onto her cheeks.
Suddenly, " Thank you, and welcome to the show!I hope you've brought your appetitefor fun, because tonight I go one-on-one with the Tributes for the 74thHunger Games! And here they are!" Caesar Flickerman – his face painted white; his hair, lips, and eyelids powder blue – announces.
YOU ARE READING
『 𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 』𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫
FantasyFrom a female perspective! You are technically taking Katniss' place in the hunger games. Please bear with me, this is going to take a while! This is a Female! Reader x Peeta Mellark, but it won't be the entire focus of the story so that's why it s...
