DUSK ~Peeta Mellark~

Be Careful

Well Tigris was a strange one. She was nice but strange. I guess she took her name a little too literally. She that cat like whiskers and tiger stripes were tattooed along her face and neck. And around the stripes her skin was orange.

She seemed to like the thought of snow dying so i like her but she's definitely an odd one. But aren't we all? She also let us stay in her bunker, so you have to like someone like that, right?

So, there we were sitting in a bunker. Pollux was crying, Gale needed stitches, and Peeta and I hadn't spoken a word to each other which meant i was left to my thoughts. I wasn't even sure what i was thinking about. There was so much on my mind.

We have almost died too many times to count, my brother and sister have no idea where i am and to be honest i didn't even know where they were. Hopefully in 13 but you never know what Coin could do to you and your family next.

"I made it up." Katniss interrupted my thoughts. "All of it. There is no special mission from Coin. There's only my plan. Everyone that's dead is dead because of me. I lied." "We know. We all knew." "The soldiers from 13?" "They did too. Do you really believe that Jackson thought you had orders from Coin? She trusted Boggs and he clearly wanted you to go on."

"I never meant for this to happen. I failed I... I killed them. I'm sorry Pollux. I'm so sorry." It really wasn't Katniss' fault. But what could i say to help her realize that? She was stubborn. Too stubborn for me to convince.

"Glimmer, Marvel, Clove, Wiress, Rue." Peeta lists the people lost in the games. "What do all those deaths mean? They mean that our lives were never ours. There was no real life because we didn't have any choice. Our lives belong to Snow and our deaths do too. But if you kill him Katniss... If you end all of this, all those deaths, they mean something. Cinna, Boggs, Castor, Jackson. They chose this. They chose you."

-

I sat next to Finnick on a mattress that Tigris gave us. I played with the pearl in my hand. This wasn't much of a stressful situation but i was still thinking hard. Peeta and Gale were the only ones awake other than Finnick and I. They were talking about something, but I couldn't hear them. Which meant it was the perfect time to think.

But something always interrupts my thinking. Bombs went off outside. "Mortar shells. It's not ours." Gale stood up. "Peacekeepers must be shellin' the rebels outside the city." "That's not outside the city."

Gale went upstairs to see what time it was. When he came back, he told us the sun was coming up. I ignored anything else he said and put the pearl back in my pocket just as the anthem played on a tv i didn't even know was down there.

Snow's face appeared. "To all capitol citizens more than half a mile outside the City Circle, I am announcing a mandatory evacuation. Come to the mansion. I am promising you shelter and sanctuary. All refugees come to my home. And there you will be provided with food, medicine, safety for your children, and you will have my solemn oath to protect you until my dying breath."

"Wish he'd hurry up with that last part." Cressida said. I laughed at her comment. "Our enemy is not like us. They do not share our values. They have never known our comfort and our sophistication. And they despise us for it. Make no mistake. They are not coming to liberate us. They are coming to destroy our way of life. They are coming to bury us."

"Is he still in his mansion?" Katniss asked as Snow disappeared. "Peeta?" "Yeah. I recognize the room." "Where is that?" "About five blocks away. We're right here. Off the avenues. Mansion's here." "What about the pods?"

"They'll probably deactivate the pods around here for the residents' safety." "That could work. I could get close enough." "Every peacekeeper's gonna be waiting." "Next to our faces on every billboard." "Snow's offering shelter to all the refugees."

-

Cressida asked Tigris to get us disguises. Apparently i was going with Katniss and Gale. So, while Tigris was getting our clothes i took the opportunity to talk with Peeta.

I sat next to him on the floor. I hadn't really thought this through much but i had to try to talk to him. "Hey." Was all i could mutter out. Already i was questioning my life choices. "Hey." He replied looking down at the floor.

"Listen I'm sorry. I wasn't really thinking." "It's ok. I know you were just trying to get me to calm down." It felt good to know he wasn't mad. Finnick came from upstairs. "You have to get going Kora." I nodded and stood up.

Peeta stood too and we went upstairs where Katniss and Gale were waiting and saying goodbye to everyone. Tigris gave me a coat and Finnick handed me his trident. It was retractable so i could hide it in my coat.

I gave Finnick a hug and said goodbye before turning to Peeta. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pearl. I held it out to him, and he hesitated before taking it. He put it in his pocket before pulling me into a hug.

"Be careful." He said quietly. I nodded and let go of him. Tigris opened the door for Katniss, Gale, and I and i followed behind Katniss as we walked out. Before the door shut i got one last glimpse of Peeta. He had a soft smile on his face. It made me smile as well.

A/N: I think it's pretty obvious that I am nowhere near close to a romance writer but I'm trying. We thank you for reading and as always we hope you enjoyed!