in which girl and boy are forced into their almost certain death. in order to live, they know one of them must die.
this is their story.
peeta mellark x julia arlock (oc)
(planning to update every 5-7 days!)
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the boy with the bread
after what feels like an eternity of my prep team circling me to correct any imperfections they see, i find myself alone, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my stylist. i wrap my robe tighter around me, wincing as the fabric brushes against my skin, which has yet to heal from being rubbed raw for the last hour. any trace of district twelve has been cleansed from me. even the most persistent grime has been removed from under my fingernails, leaving nothing but neatly buffed nails painted with a shiny, clear substance.
the cheery attitude of my team has left with them, leaving only uneasiness and dread. i try to imagine what outfits julia and i will be paraded around in tonight, conjuring only flashes of revealing gray clothing and headlamps. honestly, i'll take anything over the outfit from a few years ago. on the off chance i do survive these games, i'll kill myself if i have to come home after everyone in panem has seen me completely naked and covered in coal dust.
the door creaks open and in walks a woman wearing a platinum blonde wig with striking bangs. her makeup is heavy and dramatic, similar to what i've seen capitol women wear on tv; eyelids covered in a dark brown color, cheeks flushed a deep plum shade, and lips painted a blue so dark it almost looks black. she smiles, brown eyes warm. she walks over and sits in the chair across from me.
"hello, peeta," she says, her voice soft. "my name is portia. it's a pleasure to meet you." she holds out her hand and i see that her nails are painted the same color as her lips. after a brisk handshake, she stands. "would you mind just stepping back on the platform, darling?"
i oblige, dropping the robe when she tells me to and (i'm sure) flushing deeply as she walks circles around me. she hums under her breath as she does and finally, after a few painful moments, she allows me to cover myself up and join her at the table. "we're very excited for this year's parade," she says, pressing a button next to her. "cinna and i have been working with the idea of this costume for months."
"cinna?" i ask. she smiles and lets out a small laugh.
"sorry. my partner. he's the stylist for the other district twelve tribute." i nod, startling as the tabletop splits open, revealing a steaming lunch underneath. my mouth starts to water as i stare at the array before me. slices of pork sit next to a tureen of what looks like gravy, accompanied by mashed potatoes, green beans swimming in melted butter, and a basket filled with white rolls. to drink, i see two glasses filled with a clear, bubbly beverage. i wait for portia to help herself before loading my plate with everything.
as we eat, portia continues on, "we've been trying to figure out how to do something different for you two this year. we want you to stand out." i stop chewing for a moment, feeling my mouth go numb as i picture what that could entail. "so we tried to think. we've obviously seen mining outfits before and we've seen a take on coal. but there's one aspect of your district that's been overlooked."
