Suzanne Collins owns the characters!

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Chapter 14

Falvius, Venia, and Octivia keep bursting into tears. I find myself constantly comforting them. Since I'm the one being prepared for slaughter I find this quite annoying. The second Cinna steps into the room I snap.

"If you cry I'll kill you here and now." But he merely smiles.

"Had a damp morning?"

"You could wring me out."

"Don't worry I always put my emotions into my work. That way I can only hurt myself."

As I'm slipping the black outfit on, Cinna carefully slides his hand to my stomach and whispers in my ear, "Who?"

What is he talking about? The baby, he means the baby. He means the baby! I figure it out.

"Peeta.." I whisper closing my eyes.

"The president will think you're lying. The majority won't. Keep it that way." He advises.

I look at myself in the mirror before I leave and smile. Cinna can always brighten my mood.

"How did you do this?" I ask amazed.

"Portia and I spent a lot of time watching fire." He says smiling slightly. "Let's turn it off to save your power pack." For lunch I pretty much are three bowls of chocolate only. It was really good though.

"Neither you and Peeta smile. Don't do anything stare straight ahead. Got it?"

"Yes, finally something I'm good at."

I walk to the chariots and Peeta isn't here yet. Sadly neither is Haymitch or any of 12's stylists. I look around and observe everyone. I don't personally know anyone so I decide to stay put. I stroke my horse for a little while. I hope no one notices me. It doesn't work.

The crunching is at my ear before I even know he's behind me, and when I turn my head, Finnick Odair's famous sea green eyes are only inches from mine. He pops a sugar cube in his mouth and leans against my horse.

"Hello Katniss," he say, as if we've known each other for years, when we've never met before.

"Hello Finnick," I say just as casually, although I'm feeling uncomfortable in his closeness, especially since he's got so much bare skin exposed.

"Want a sugar cube?" He says offering his hand, which is piled high.

"They're supposed to be for the horses, but who cares. They've got years to eat sugar whereas you and I . . .well, if we see something sweet we better grab it quick.

Finnick Odair is something of a living legend in Panem. Since he won his Hunger Games when he was only fourteen, he's still one of the younger victors. Being from District 4, he was a career, so the odds were already in his favor, but what no trainer could claim to have given him was his extraordinary beauty. Tall, athletic, with golden brown skin and bronze colored hair and those incredible eyes. While other tributes that year were hard-pressed to get a handful of grain or some matches for a gift, Finnick never wanted for anything, not food or medicine or weapons. It took about a week for his competitors to realize that he was the one to kill, but it was to late. He was already a good fighter with the spears and knives he had found in the Cornucopia.

When he revived a silver parachute with a trident- which may be the most expensive gift I've ever seen given in the arena- it was all over. District 4's industry is fishing. He'd been on boats all his life. The trident was a longer deadly extension of his arm. He wove a net out of some kind of vine he found, used it to entangle his enemies so he could spear them with his trident, and within a matter of days the crown was his.

The citizens of the Capitol have been drooling over him ever since.

Because of his youth, they couldn't really touch him for the first year or two. But ever since he turned sixteen, he's spent his time at the Games being dogged by those desperately in love with him. No one retains his favor for long. He can go through four or five in his annual visit. Old or young, lovely or plain, rich or very rich, he'll keep them company and take their extravagant gifts, but he never stays. And once he's gone he never comes back.

I can't argue that Finnick isn't one of the most stunning, sensuous people on the planet. But I can honestly say he's never been attractive to me. I prefer Peeta so much more.

"No thanks," I say to the sugar. "I'd love to borrow your outfit sometime, though."

He's draped in a golden net that's strategically knotted at his groin so that he can't technically be called naked, but is about as close as you can get. I'm sure his stylist think the more of Finnick the audience sees, the better.

"You're absolutely terrifying me in that getup. What happened to the pretty little-girl dresses?" He asks. He wets his lips ever so slightly with his tongue.

"I outgrew them," I say. Literally.

Finnick takes the collar of my outfit and runs it between his fingers. "It's to bad about this Quell thing. You could have made out like a bandit in the Captiol. Jewels, money, anything you wanted."

"I'm very content with what I have. What do you spend your money on anyway, Finnick?" I say.

"Oh, I haven't dealt in anything as common as money for years," says Finnick.

"Then how do women pay for the pleasure of your company?" I ask.

"With secrets," he says softly. He tips his head in so his lips are almost in contact with mine. I push him away immediately. Though I can't exactly push him far. He weighs to much.

"What about you, girl on fire? I'm sure you have some secrets worth my time." He says smirking.

For some stupid reason, I blush. "Yes, but none of them concern you." I smart back. He smiles. "You can allow it to concern me." His eyes flicker off to the side.

"Peeta is coming. Goodbye Mrs. Mellark." He says, emphasizing Mellark like he's laughing at me. He tosses another sugar cube in his mouth and saunters off.

Peeta is beside me, dressed in an outfit identical to mine. He grabs my hand and I holdfast.

"What did Finnick Odair want?" He asks curiously. I put my lips close to Peeta's and drop my eyelids in imitation of Finnick.

"He offered me a sugar cube and wanted to know all my secrets," I say in my best seductive voice. Peeta laughs.

"Ugh. Should I try to kill him in the arena for you or where you fine with it?" "I pushed him away. Don't try to kill him though he's lethal." I warn.

"Do you think we'd have ended up like this if only one of us had won?" He asks, glancing around at the other victors.

"Just another part of the freak show?"

"Sure. Especially you," I say.

"Oh. And why especially me?" He says with a smile.

"Because you have a weakness for beautiful things and I don't," I say with an air of superiority.

"They would lure you into your Capitol ways and you'd be lost entirely."

"Having an eye for beauty isn't the same as a weakness," Peeta points out.

"Except possibly when it come to you." I smile a small girlish grin that I thought I would never be able to make. The music begins and I see the wide doors opening for the first chariot, hear the roar of the crowd.

"Go time I guess."

We climb into the chariot. "Hold still," I say and straighten his crown.

"Portia says we are to be very above it all. And I'm supposed to stand in front of you."

"Why?" I ask confused.

"To look like I'm guarding you." He responds rolling his eyes. He steps in front of me, only slightly though.

"Where are they?" "I don't know." He responds. "Maybe we better go ahead and switch ourselves on." We do, and as we begin to glow, I can see people pointing at us and chattering, and I know once again, we will be the talk of the opening ceremonies. I stare at him trying to catch a glimpse of his face and remember how last year I actually wanted to kill him. How the tables have turned.

"Are okay?" He asks worried pushing my hair out of my eyes. "I'm fine." I say giving him a convincing smile. The first chariot goes through the doors and I grab Peeta's hand. "I am about to go to sleep. I can not wait till we can go to bed." I complain. Peeta rolls his eyes.

"You have to eat dinner first." He reminds me. Oh my the Capitol delicacies!

"You look beautiful." Peeta lies.

"I don't and you know it." I state. "You look perfect." By now he's turned around towards me. I just raise my eyebrow. Our chariot starts rolling and Peeta turns back around, facing forward. I state straight ahead. Above notice of the people yelling and pointing and Peeta and I. Despite the whole 'stare-straight-ahead' thing I can't help but see us on the screen.

We look breathtaking. The way we are portrayed. It doesn't make me look weak like I'm hiding. Standing tall and the 'stare ahead' thing help me look like I'm being brave. Besides people saw me from last year. "You can't take a compliment can you?" Peeta asks. I'm kind of in the middle of something.. But I say, "Well in my defense I was telling the truth."

He sneaks a quick glance at me. "Take the compliment. Say thank you." I huff. We stop in city circle. And Snow starts his lame every year, speech. "Thank you, Peeta."

"You are welcome. Not hard was it?" He asks.

"No, I guess not." I say spitefully. I look up and notice Snow watching me. I automatically take a step to hide behind Peeta. The horse starts walking again and we continue forward. I step off the chariot first, then Peeta. I notice the other victors all talking together. I notice Haymitch talking to Chaff and Seeder and pointing at us. Well at least I can talk with Peeta. Then Haymitch and 11 start walking towards us.

"Time to meet people.." I mutter to Peeta.

"Katniss and Peeta this is Chaff and this is Seeder." Chaff kisses me on the lips. Eww! I'm married! I back up into Peeta who is laughing. He wraps his arms around my waist protectively. Seeder looks scared and keeps glancing at Peeta and I but she still shakes our hands.

By now the peacekeepers are ordering everyone into the elevators. Haymitch grabs ahold of my hair loosely (which I should punch him over) and Peeta grabs my hand weaving through the crowd and into the elevator. Right before we all go into the elevator Johanna Mason, District 7, gets in the elevator as well.

"You two look amazing. I wish I had Cinna." She says facing the doors putting her hair down. "I'm District 7, lumber, trees. I'd love to bury my axe in my stylist's face." She takes her jewelry off. Johanna is dressed as a tree. Which isn't the worst costume I've seen, but it seems pointless to remind her that.

"So, what do you think? Now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?" Really?

"I don't think the whole world wants to sleep with me.." I say dumbstruck. She turns around. "I wasn't talking to you." She says sassily.

"Oh, okay." I say rolling my eyes. "Wanna unzip?" She asks Peeta. My face starts to burn. I'll kill him in his sleep if he says yes. I'll kill her for saying that much. I stare at Peeta with a curious look.

"No thanks." He responds raising our hands.

"I will." Haymitch responds smugly. I roll my eyes and look up at Peeta shyly. I mouth "Thanks." Johanna is now completely bare. Nothing on and I'm about to drag Peeta out of the elevator on whatever floor we are on. I'm not even going to see if he's looking I don't want to know. I try to stare at the city behind us.

The elevator dings as we stop on the 7th floor. "Thanks. Let's do it again sometime!"

"Thank you." Says Haymitch. He looks at us. "Johanna Mason, District 7." "I really don't care." I state. Haymitch chuckles and Peeta rolls his eyes. The elevator dings again except this time it is on floor twelve. I walk off the elevator and accidentally run into Effie. Anyone but Effie. Effie will ramble a bunch of stuff about manners to me.

"I am so sorry Effie. I didn't see you there." I exclaim.

"It is okay Katniss." Hold the horse, did she just tell me bumping into her was okay? Effie Trinket queen of manners? I stare at her for a second.

"What is something wrong?" She asks and moves her wig nervously.

Something wrong? No everything is a perfect land of lollipops and rainbows. I raise my eyebrows. I try to walk past her, but she catches my arm.

"I did not mean it like that Katniss. I meant is something wrong with my attire because you were staring." She says softly. What is up with her she's acting nice? Not all 'I think I'm going to annoy Katniss today'.

"No nothing is wrong with your attire Effie." I walk off to my bedroom pulling Peeta behind me. Before I get to far I notice Darius. No! All the times I say around the Hob whiling he teased me and he ends up here?

Thanks for reading!!

~K.D. Howell 😃😘😘!