『 𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 』𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Last Day?

TRIGGER WARNING: BLOOD, VIOLENCE, GRUESOME SCENES, AND DEATH.

------------------------------------------------------

Every cell in your body wants you to dig into the stew and cram it, handful by handful into your mouth. But Peeta's voice stops you. "We better take it slow on that stew. The first night on the train, the rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then."

"You're right. I feel like I could inhale the whole thing!" You say regretfully. But you don't. You and Peeta are quite sensible. You each have a roll, half an apple, and an egg-size serving of stew and rice. You make yourself eat the stew in tiny spoonfuls — they even sent you silverware and plates — savoring each bite. When you finish, you stare longingly at the dish. "I want more."

"Me, too. Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving," Peeta says.

"Agreed," you say. "It's going to be a long hour."

"Maybe not that long," says Peeta. "What was that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me ... no competition ... best thing that ever happened to you ..." A grin tugs at the corners of his mouth as he teases you.

"I don't remember that last part," you say, hoping it's too dim in here for the cameras to pick up your blush.

"Oh, that's right. That's what I was thinking," he says. "Scoot over, I'm freezing."

You make room for him in the sleeping bag. You both lean back against the cave wall, your head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around you. You can feel Haymitch nudging you to keep up the act. "So, since we were five, you never even noticed any other girls?" you ask him.

"No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a lasting impression but you," he says.

"I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a girl from the Seam," you say.

"Hardly. But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from the Victor's Village," he says.

That's right. If you and Peeta win, you'll each get a house in the part of town reserved for Hunger Games' victors. Long ago, when the Games began, the Capitol had built a dozen fine houses in each district. Of course, in 12 only one is occupied. Most of the others have never been lived in at all.

A disturbing thought hits you and you cringe. "But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!"

"Ah, that'll be nice," says Peeta, tightening his arms around you. "You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games tales."

"I told you, he hates me!" You say, but you can't help laughing at the image of Haymitch becoming your new buddy.

"Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you," says Peeta.

"He's never sober!" You protest. You look up at Peeta as he continues, his brown doe eyes gleaming slightly, his blonde hair covering his forehead.

"That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire," says Peeta, his white teeth flashing as he grins. "On the other hand, Haymitch ... well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you."

You chuckle and shake your head, "I thought you said I was his favorite," you say.

"He hates me more," says Peeta. "I don't think people in general are his sort of thing."