kill for your love - the hunger games

(024) peeta mellark, justice hale

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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act two. 

(chapter twenty-four, peeta mellark, justice hale)

training centre, 75 ADD.

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AT TEN O'CLOCK, JUNIPER and Brent entered the elevator to go to the gymnasium for training. It was a short ride, something the two were grateful for since an awkward tension filled them up, but the Hale woman was not focused on that. 

Instead, she was focused on what Plutarch had spoken to her about only a few hours ago. Protect Katniss Everdeen and she'll be broken out of the arena. And then the rebellion begins. Simple enough. But she also thought about what she had decided. She was just going to keep the girl alive, she wasn't going to maintain any friendships with her or her man. She still despised the pair, no matter what scheme was going on. 

And that was why she didn't make an effort to go over to the couple and introduce herself. She didn't need to anyway. Everyone knew who Juniper Hale was and so, she kept to herself as she left Brent Higgins behind, heading to the sword section.

And suddenly, as she stared at the silver blades, everything about the rebellion and keeping Katniss Everdeen alive disappeared as she watched the swords glimmer under the light, practically begging Juniper to hold them. It had been so long since she had held one and her palms had been itching for it ever since and so, once the Hale woman had decided on one, swinging it around, she let out a discreet sigh. It had been so long since she had used a sword. 

"Are you just going to stand there or what?" The instructor for the sword section stepped forward and he was completely covered in protective gear. 

Juniper rolled her head around as she followed the instructor to the area where she would practice, which was essentially parkour with steps that went higher randomly. And so, swinging her sword around as the instructor picked up a bayonet, Juniper and the man began to play a game of chase on the pedestals, chasing the other with the sword and bayonet high up. 

And as the sounds of the blade hitting the metal echoed around the gymnasium, Juniper felt herself be flooded with the familiarity of it all. She could finally feel her blood flowing freely, feel the adrenaline course through her veins. And even as she managed to catch up to the instructor, kicking his feet out from underneath him, she wasn't out of breath. She yearned for more. 

"Remind me to not get between you and your sword."

Juniper smiled softly at the sound of Cashmere's voice and turned around to see the classically beautiful woman walk over to her, her blonde hair flowing as much as it could in its ponytail. There was a sheet of sweat on her forehead and her palms were red from gripping knives, but her eyes still shone. And it was enough to bring a small smile to Juniper's lips. 

She didn't know Cashmere on a personal level. There was no friendship, no relationship, no knowledge of who they truly were underneath the personas they put on for the Capitol, but still, there was a sense of comfort and understanding. 

"The same goes for you and your knives," Juniper said as she put the sword back where she got it, heading over to the Victor from One. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, you know how it is, training—"