Panic on Your Own Time
A Twizardck production
I do not own "The Hunger Games" trilogy. Suzanne Collins does.
Birthday Update Fest – Number 7
Here is another behind the scenes Hunger Games oneshot (drabble) because people asked! Here is a bit of Peeta before the interview for the 75th annual Hunger Games… And by the way everyone, thanks for making "One Minute" my most favorited oneshot ever!
If I was anyone else I'd be worrying about myself, my own person at this moment. But no, I was standing stock-still in front of my mirror, knuckles white from clutching the end table, and not thinking about my own life at all. All that was going through my head was her name. I had to keep her alive. We'd been lucky last time, but a chance like that would not appear again.
So all that mattered to me was that I must find a way to give her a handicap – make the audience feel for her more than the rest of the tributes. So that no matter what happened, she would stay alive. Because if she died, I'd die with her. So what was the point of worrying for myself?
It wouldn't be long before they would come to get me and I'd have to put on a charade in front of the camera of being calm and cool and collected. I had to say something. Had to find something that would save her…
And all of a sudden it was there. I knew exactly what to say. And she probably wouldn't like it, but the hell with that, she would deal with it.
I stared at myself – at my blonde hair and innocent face – in something quite like disgust. It would be better for her if I did die, wouldn't it? So much better for her. She could go off with him and be happy because he was so much better for her, wasn't he? And my job was just to make sure she survived long enough to do so.
I stepped away from the mirror and tried to gather myself together. Now wasn't the time I had to panic. It officially belonged to someone else. To her. Hell, all of my time belonged to her. I'd give it all if it meant I could protect her that much more.
Walking out the door, I managed a smile when I saw them all waiting for me. Calm, cool, collected, that was me, that was Peeta Mellark. And it was time to put on a show.
And may the odds be ever in her favor.