"I keep wishing I could think of a way to…to show the Capitol they don't own me."

[notbadcakeboss]

WHO: Peeta Mellark
WHERE: The Fountain, Around the Village
WHEN: 5/6
OPEN TO: All
WARNINGS: Mentions of the arena, death, etc.

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The Fountain (Closed to Finnick)

It had been chaos in the arena. The world seemed to explode in a burst of light as everything fell around them, while all he could think of was finding Katniss. He'd run from Finnick's side when the lightening hit and the arena seemed to shatter. He could hardly hear his voice over the ruckus, but he knew he was screaming for Katniss.

Suddenly, everything around him changed. Water filled his lungs as struggled to reach the surface. Had the arena shifted? Had a tidal wave hit them? His body was like a rock, sinking towards the bottom. His useless efforts to kick did nothing but splash the water around him. Someone might hear, another tribute? Would they even bother trying to kill him if managed to make it to the surface. At the moment, the water was doing the work for them.

He struggled, coughing only to have more water fill his mouth. It wasn't going to be long before another canon sounded and another tribute fell.

The Village

It was a bit to take in, more than arenas. There had been days to prepare for that, to let the idea of death to roll over him. This, this had come out of nowhere. Suddenly he was pulled from the Quarter Quell's arena and thrown into the fountain, forced to adapt to a village he didn't know and prepare for dangers he couldn't predict. Were the other tributes here going to try to kill him? Could he trust them long enough to find food?

Everyone walked around normal, unafraid and confident. No one carried weapons like a life line. Instead, they smiled at him as if he were home. It left him dizzy, as if he was suffering from a fever that made the ground spin under him. So many thoughts and so many questions overwhelmed him. Finally, he collapsed on the steps of a bungalow, unconcerned about who it belonged to or what might lurk inside. Instead, he leaned his head against the railing and let out a deep sigh.

If someone was watching, they'd see his weakness, but there was no saying if there would be sponsors. Let them look at him and know he was separated from Katniss, out of his element and worried for her, as well as their allies. He could at least find some humor, smiling softly to him. "Let the 76th Hunger Games begin."

Comments

[notbadcakeboss]

It stings to hear her ask him that. Whether she told him he thought she was a mutt or not, it seemed impossible to him that he would ever try to hurt her. She had always been first for him, first in survival and first in his heart. He'd take an arrow from her before he'd raise a blade to her.

"I won't, Katniss." His tone was insistent, refusing to accept whatever future she knew. "I swear I won't. We're in this together."

They would always be in it together.