Hello, kind readers! I'm so sorry it's been so long! Enjoy!

***

My face is burning. It feels like all the molecules in my pores are shriveling up and dying. Venia, a capitol woman who is helping make me presentable, is smearing a paste on my face, wiping it off, and then putting more on. She must've done this about twenty times now. When I asked about it, Flavius, another member of my prep team, told me that this torture device will keep the hair on my face from growing while I'm in the arena.

Flavius is snipping away at my hair. They have just come from tending to Katniss, who will be meeting with her stylist right about now. Apparently, my stylist, Portia, doesn't have any intrest in seeing me until the prep team is finished with me. I hate what they're doing to me, because I was fine with how I looked before, but I kept my bargain with Haymitch and didn't object, even when Octavia, the final member of the prep team, was buffing and filing my nails. They decide that I'm presentable, and run out of the room to fetch Portia. I wasn't given a robe to wear, so I'm suck sitting on the table, stark-naked.

She's very attractive. I'm surprised. Many of the capitol people are altered and wildly tattooed, but not Portia. She's a brunette with dark brown eyes and pale skin. She wears mascara and grey eyeliner, but that's all. Suddenly, I wish I had a robe.

"Hello, Peeta. I'm Portia, your stylist. Will you please stand up for me?" She asks in a pretty voice that reminds me of a wind chime. I hesitate, but obey. She walks slow circles around me and looks me up and down. She hands me the robe that is folded over her arm, "Here. Put this on." She sits, and I follow suit. "I'm new this year, so you haven't seen any of mine or Katniss' stylist, Cinna's, designs, so I'm going to ask you to trust me on this one."

"Okay." I say tentitavly. In the past, there have been outrageous costumes for all of the districts, but every year, District Twelve always gets stuck with the worst. None of the stylists really know what to do when they're given the task of outfitting the District that deals with coal, so we almost always end up in skimpy miner's outfits. One year the District Twelve tributes were naked all except for a layer of coal dust.

***

A few hours later, Portia is helping me into my costume for the opening ceremonies. I am in a simple black unitard, wearing a cape and a headpiece. Portia walks over to me, "Okay, so Peeta, your costume is going to signify burning coal. Your head piece and cape will be lit on fire. Now, don't worry, it's only a synthetic fire, so there's no chance of it burning anyone or anything." I nod my head. I don't know what else to do. I don't like the idea. What if something goes wrong, and Katniss or I go up in flames?

"Alright. Cinna will come and light your capes when the ceremony begins." I grit my teeth, because just thinking about it irks me. I see Katniss and walk over to her. Cinna and Portia direct our body positions and move away to get a look from farther back.

We clamber onto the carriage. We are in what appers to be a stable, on a carriage led by four black horses. "What do you think?" Katniss whispers, "About the fire?"

"I'll rip off your cape if you rip off mine," I say, my teeth still gritted.

"Deal," She agrees. "I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said, but I don't think he considered this angle."

I glance around, trying to spot him. When I don't, I say, "Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?"

She grins and says, "With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame."

I burst out laughing, and she follows suit. We stop once we hear the opening music and see Cinna coming towards us. He climbs up. I squeeze my eyes shut. I am expecting to go up in flames, but I feel none of the flame's heat, only a tickling sensation. Cinna sighs in relief, "It works," He says. He puts a hand under Katniss' chin, and says, "Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!"

I look at Katniss and am taken aback by how beautiful she looks. Her cape and headpiece are both glowing brightly. She looks magical. The synthetic fire's light hits her face in all the right places, and her hair, braided down her back, seems to glow. "What's he saying?" She asks me, nodding towards Cinna. He makes a gesture saying for us to hold hands.

"I think he said for us to hold hands," I say. I grab her right hand, and look to Cinna for confirmation. He nods and gives us the thumbs up and then, we exit the stable, and enter the Capitol.

We are met by a wave of shock followed by cheers of approval. Katniss and I seem to be leaving a trail of fire in our wake. Katniss clutches my hand and waves to the crowd. I follow suit. Katniss continues to wave and blow kisses. She's being more charming than I've ever seen her. Everyone loves her. I suddenly realize that I really don't want to be here. And not the normal, like you'd expect from a person in my situation, but an I'd-do-absolutly-anything-to-get-out-of-here-right-now-and-if-I-don't-I-think-I-may-pass-out type of thing. I squeeze Katniss' hand for dear life, and bear it. I focus on watching Katniss. She's a natural at this.

I love the feel of her hand in mine, and I pray that some miracle will happen, and this will happen again. Who knows? Maybe she loves me, too, but is too shy to tell me. Just like I am. I don't want to ever let go.

We get back to the stable and Cinna and Portia put out our capes and headdresses with some kind of spray from a can. Katniss lets go of my hand, and I realize that it has cramped. I rub it to get some feeling back into it, and turn to her, "Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there."

"It didn't show. I'm sure no one noticed," she replies.

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often. They suit you." I smile at her in a way that I hope dosn't come off as big headed or needy. I want to tell her how I feel, but for now, I just have to settle with subtle, or not-so-subtle, compliments.

To my surprise, she kisses me on the cheek.

I make my way back to my room in a daze and fall asleep with a smile on my face.

Thank you four hundred seventy-three Draco malfoys!

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Thanks an extra 679 Draco Malfoys to MoonNRoses for reviewing three times! And MoonNRoses, please update soon! It's a really great story!