Doe In The Meadow | Peeta Mellark

nineteen

"Cassian, right?" I asked the man seated across from me, who looked completely unnerved. He looked over and nodded. His fingers scratched at the side of the couch as his knee bounced rapidly and I decided against trying to converse with him, because I had a feeling he wouldn't say much. Morphling was a hard narcotic, so the withdrawal was probably not a very fun experience.

"Alright, you two, we're almost to the Capitol." Mayneck came bursting in with Tallie following behind.

"Did they announce the District 12 tributes yet?" I asked, standing to my feet. Mayneck nodded. "And?"

"Katniss and Peeta, what do you expect?" Mayneck snapped, turning from me.

"Peeta actually volunteered as tribute." Tallie spoke up, taking a sip of champagne out of the crystal.

"He did what?" I asked. "What the hell was he thinking?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head.

"He was probably thinking of you." Mayneck scoffed. I grew confused as to why he was being such a hard ass right now, but decided to not make a scene for once. "Now focus! You may have lucked out last year, but you really think the gamemakers are going to let something like that happen again? You've got to prepare. All of these tributes have won and when I mean won, I don't mean by making two kills and then threatening their own life with some berries." He scolded me. "That means you too, morphling, hiding until everyone is dead, isn't going to help in this case." I looked to Cassian, who just stared at us with a blank expression. Mayneck looked back to me now. "You'll need to help him. You'll also need to make more allies than just your boyfriend. Allies are key to this one, and these victors have known each other for years, so don't be surprised if they're a little off putting." He explained as we began to walk off the train and into the new and improved tribute center. We continued on, through the hall.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A voice caused me to jump a little as I walked in my gown down the side hall, with Cassian at my side. I turned to see a once familiar face and couldn't contain my smile.

"Oh my god, Finnick!" I shouted, running over to him and jumping into his arms as he spun me around a little and set me back down. "Jesus, it's been what, three years since I saw you last?" I asked, still not being able to contain my smile.

"I think so, shrimp." He smirked.

"Nice fit." I joked, looking down to his half naked body. He laughed a little and poked at the antlers on my head.

"Not much room to criticize, Capitol Doe." He mocked. "Anyways, how have you been? I mean, besides all this bullshit." He asked as we walked to through the door where all the other tributes stood with their chariots.

"Hanging in there. It's been rough, but I'm managing as well as I'm able." I looked around and noticed Peeta standing talking with a tribute. His eyes looked to me and then his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"That first year is hard, I know." He draped his arm around my shoulder. "Nightmares?" He asked, causing my eyes to snap back to him. "It's okay, I get them too." He whispered into my head. "How's your mother?" He smirked, knowing exactly how she was.

"She's my mother, that's for sure. My father on the other hand is definitely not who I thought he was." I sighed.

"Oh, you mean the man who let a whole city starve under his watch isn't a good guy?" He smirked referring to my fathers previous job which clearly didn't end too well, and I rolled my eyes. "Look, I know you've got Peeta or whatever, but just know, you always have an ally in me."

"I sure as hell hope so, we've known each other since I was like, six." I smiled, hugging him one more time and letting him go off towards Katniss. Peeta then made his way to me and we stood across from each other, in an awkward and slightly familiar way. "What the hell were you thinking?" I finally asked. "Volunteering? Seriously?"

"When I saw you get drawn, I knew I had to." He muttered under his breath. We stood silently and then I reached forward and punched his shoulder.

"You idiot!" I shouted in a whisper. Instead of taking the blow, he grasped onto my wrist and pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around my body. "I'm not going to kill you." I told him, knowingly, as he let out a little laugh.

"Line up!" A peacekeeper shouted and we pulled apart. Peeta walked over to his chariot and I to mine. Cassian waited on board and I climbed up, adjusting the antlers placed atop my head. The chariots began and before I knew it, we were outside with thousands of people cheering for us. Wind blew through my hair and this all felt too familiar.

When we reached the podium where Snow stood, Katniss and Peeta became engulfed in flames. I smirked knowing that probably ticked Snow off pretty well. The chariots circled the end, and then made their way back up the isle and out of view. Once mine halted to a stop, I jumped off and found my way to the elevator that Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch had just entered. As the door began to close, I hopped in real quick. "Hello." I smiled, cheerfully to them. Before they could say anything back, the elevator doors opened once more and I turned around to look at who they had been staring at, to see another female tribute in my view. I backed up and stood myself next to Peeta.

"You guys look amazing." She mocked. I crossed my arms, sensing her somewhat hostile tone. She now turned around with her back to us and went on about how her stylist was an idiot and hating her look, as if we even cared, all while throwing all her jewelry off. "So, what do you think, now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?" She asked, and I couldn't quite figure out who she was speaking to as she turned to the three of us.

"I don't really think the whole world wants to sleep with me," Katniss began but was cut off quickly by the girl.

"I wasn't talking to you." She cocked her head back and looked to Peeta, turning her back to him. "Unzip?" She asked lifting up her hair. I looked to him, almost as if to say don't you dare, but watched as he dared. Katniss even was irritated and the girl turned to us, completely stripping down, revealing her entire nude body.

"Fucking seriously?" I snapped and her eyes shot to me.

"Problem?" She smirked, cocking her head to the side.

"Arizona," Haymitch tried to stop me.

"Shut up." I snapped at him. "Have you no respect for yourself? Or dignity? Or even, I don't know, class?" I grew a little louder. "I mean to just get naked-!" I tried to continue but Peeta latched onto me and the elevator dinged.

"Thanks. Let's do it again sometime." She smirked and winked at me, then pranced out of the elevator. I attempted to follow but Peeta wouldn't let go of my arm and the doors closed once more.

"Johanna Mason, District 7." Haymitch smirked.