It's Wednesday so you all know what that means! ANOTHER CHAPTER. Yay. Very happy with the amount of reviews I have just for the first two chapters. Of course, I would love more but I'm fine with a small crowd too! Everything gets explained along the way and it's all confusing but I hope everyone keeps enjoying it.

Abysslullaby: Thank you! I'm trying to put a different twist on every character and do my own thing. I think it's working out pretty well. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Of course I'll keep updating, haha. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Imagine03: Glad to see you back! Oh, Peeta's struggle will be expressed a lot because it's confusing. It was enjoyable and a bit confusing writing but very fun. Cato isn't in this chapter very much but don't worry, the next chapter has more of him. Thanks for reviewing!

xiwowangyi: A part in the movie actually gave me the idea of making Peeta struggle with Katniss in this way. After her score comes in, the eleven, how Josh Hutcherson portrays Peeta's expression there, his emotions. He looks shocked and jealous and not that happy. That's what gave me the inspiration. Thanks for reviewing!

Enjoy.

Chapter Three.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Haymitch yells the instant he comes from his room. Katniss isn't anywhere to be seen and he wonders if she's in her room. Haymitch is furious, as he expected. He had calmed himself down enough to realize what he did and how he reacted wasn't right. The guilt he's getting use too has returned but hundred times worse. He yelled at Katniss, showed how envious and bitter he was. That wasn't how he was suppose to act with someone he loved. But a small part of him was telling him he reacted perfectly and it was okay. He tries to ignore that part as Haymitch grabs his upper arm in a painful grip and drags him to the living room. He's shoved into the couch and Haymitch sits in the chair opposite, staring him down. "What the hell were you thinking?" he repeats more slowly.

"I wasn't." Peeta replies, holding Haymitch's gaze.

Haymitch glowers at him. "Do you understand what you've just done?" he says and when Peeta shakes his head, he continues. "You just pushed her away. Good luck getting her to play the star-crossed lovers act now. I'm letting you take care of it and if you haven't taken care of it by the interview time which is tonight... well, good luck." he stands up and leaves. Peeta knows if he could, he would dramatically slam the elevator doors shut.

Haymitch is right. He just pushed Katniss away. He just fucked up the chance of protecting the girl he loved. A love he was questioning more and more. But it was there before, a fire in his body, consuming him. The Girl on Fire made him feel like he was on fire. Slowly, he stands up. Two Avoxs had rushed into his room to clean up his mess and he walks up to Katniss' door. He knows she'll probably punch him the second she sees him. After all, he mocked her, he told her off. He knocks on the door and stiffens up as he waits for it to open. It does and Katniss stands there, her hair around her shoulders, looking as beautiful as ever. She stares at Peeta and Peeta's waiting for something, anything. What he doesn't expect is to be wrapped in her arms. She's hugging him tightly around the neck and he slowly lifts his own arms up, embracing her. The silence is deafening and he should be happy he isn't being beaten. But all he can feel is confusion.

"I thought you were going to punch me," he finally whispers.

Katniss lets him go, stepping back. "Why would I?" she asks.

"I... I yelled at you. I was mean-"

"You were right." she cuts him off and shakes her head. "You're right. You aren't weak. And you could win." she steps back into her room, grabbing the door. She gives him a smile. "I'm not mad... may the odds be ever in your favor."

Before Peeta could react, she closes the door. He stands there, staring dumbly at the door. What had just happened? She just told him he wasn't weak and he could win... was she saying no alliance could be form between them? As he turns away from the door, he wonders what he should do. Fight on his own and forget Katniss and the Careers? No, he couldn't forget Katniss. Even though he was confused about his feelings for her, he wouldn't go against protecting her. And that meant he still had to make an alliance with the Careers. He enters the living room and sits back down on the couch. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. He isn't sure who he is and he isn't sure how he feels about Katniss. About what he should do. He takes a deep breath and decides to stick with the plan. Tonight, he would tell the whole world that he was in-love with the Girl on Fire.

...

Haymitch was still angry at him but after Peeta explained what happened with Katniss, he calmed down and told Peeta, maybe he still has a chance. He swallows as the line creeps up for the interviews. He feels the same as he always does in these things; sick-feeling, needing someone to hold onto. But Katniss would surely elbow him in the face if he went for her hand. Instead, he stares at the floor, until he hears Cato going up on stage. His head jerks up, as his eyes lock on the TV they can watch. Even in the suit, Cato still looks menacing, still big, and still ready to kill. But also so very handsome, it nearly hurts. His blonde hair is short and done up, his blue eyes popping against the darker blue of the suit. He was dressed well; the suit hugged his shoulders just right but not too tight, just hinting at what he had underneath, hinting that he had the body of a fighter, a warrior, a sex god under there. He doesn't smile but does that grin Peeta's all too familiar with and he feels something stirring in him as he stares at Cato on the screen.

He realizes, with a jolt, it's arousal again. Why? Why is it when he looks at Cato, this killing machine that wants to slice him to bits, he feels a heat growing in the pit of his stomach? He doesn't feel it with Katniss and frankly, it's scaring him. Scaring him more than Cato with a sword in his hand. He doesn't want to linger on these feelings but if they keep happening, he'll have to question them. He listens to Cato's interview and he isn't surprised it goes by so smoothly. Just simple questions, any girlfriends, what he liked most about the Capitol. Every question, Cato answered with no problem and with that grin on his face. For some reason, the crowd loved him and Peeta wonders how they loved a killer grin like that. But then, he wonders, why does he get that heat in the pit of his stomach when he looks at Cato? Maybe he has that affect on everybody. The other interviews he doesn't pay as much attention too. He's busy trying to get Cato from his mind.

What is it about the Career that's stuck in his head? He was very good-looking but that's all he had going for him. He was a killer and he was determined to kill Peeta. So why is Peeta feeling this attraction to him that he doesn't even understand? He's not gay... right? It use to be a trending thing in Panem. But once the population started dropping, they had to go back to the old-fashion way. Some men still do it and since it was once a thing everyone was wanting to do, it's not looked down upon. Maybe by some people but they never speak out, considering the amount of people that are okay with it. He even recalls overhearing someone being gay in 12 but he never paid that much attention to gossip, thinking it was pointless. He can't be gay though. He was in-love with Katniss. A girl. But... his feelings had been changing lately and Cato had been growing increasingly attractive. He shakes his head. No, no. He isn't gay and he certainly isn't attracted to Cato, of all the men to be attracted too. That stirring and heat, that arousal, he convinces himself that's how Cato gets people in; with his looks and charms. And then he slices their head off. Peeta had to remember that. Cato wants to kill him and would given the chance. Peeta has to keep that at the front of his mind when the Career comes into thought. He isn't gay and he isn't going to fall for Cato's tricks.

Katniss does an amazing job up on stage, he thinks. He regrets the thoughts of her being too closed up. She won the crowd over tonight, if she hadn't already when they first saw her on fire. And then, it's his turn. His nerves are everywhere as he walks on stage but Peeta knows he can lie his way through anything. He acts like he's calm, collected, no nerves showing at all. A joke to start out and the crowd seems to love it. And then, the bomb shell. He knows the whole world is leaning in as he utters his next words as to why winning won't help in his case, "Because she came here with me."

The collective gasp and then silence is what he expected. No cheers, no murmurs, no whispers, just silence. Caesar speaks, telling him that's too bad and it's over. He's so glad it's over. He felt like he might have fallen out of his chair from nerves and worry. He stiffly walks off stage and back towards their temporary home. He's surprised when he finds himself slammed up against the wall, Katniss' arm nearly choking him. He didn't expect her to react so harshly. He can easily throw her off but instead, he just stares into her angry eyes with wide ones of his own. Haymitch gets her off and yells at her and Peeta feels relief. He isn't even sure what Katniss and Haymitch are yelling, he just feels happy that she's being yelled at. He just admitted to loving her and now he's happy she's being scolded like a child. He disgusts himself sometimes. He's being whisked away by Portia and he goes willingly, not wanting to look at Katniss anymore. Not wanting to look at Haymitch or Cinna or even Portia. He just wants to be back home, where everything made sense. Where he wasn't having strange feelings and where he wasn't questioning his love for Katniss.

Portia leads him into his room and gets his clothes before she leaves. He stands there in his underwear, feeling more lost than ever. He still convinces himself his feelings for Cato are just because Cato does that, he charms with his looks and then goes for the kill with his hate. He doesn't know what to tell himself about his love for Katniss. His negative feelings for her grows stronger and he feels his love for her growing weaker every day. It's the Games, he blames. They're changing him and he wishes they weren't. But he knows they are and he hates them more so for it. He wants to throw a fit, to throw the new, shiny vase they put in here again but what would that solve? Nothing. Nothing at all. Instead, he crawls under the covers of the bed, snuggles down deeply into them, and stares at the wall. The vase is on that wall and he stares at the new, yellow flowers. The color of Cato's hair. Quickly, he rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling. He doesn't want to think about Cato. The Games were tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would make an alliance with the Careers. And by making that alliance, he would protect Katniss Everdeen, the girl he was suppose to be in-love with, the Girl on Fire.

...

Peeta can't get to sleep. He knows he needs it, the "big day" as Effie keeps saying is tomorrow. But he just can't. So instead, he gets up and goes into the living room. He sits on the window sill and stares at the people down below, partying loudly, celebrating the deaths that would be made tomorrow. He lays his forehead against the glass, his breath fogging it as he takes a deep breath. Tomorrow, he could die. He was going to approach the Careers, ask for a spot. He knows what he's going to say to them, knows what he's going to offer them. He wonders if it'll work. He wonders if he'll get those feelings with Cato. No. He won't. Cato would try sucking him in, would try and gain his trust only to stab him in the back. Peeta was going to do that to Cato, not the other way around. Katniss appears then, surprising him. She apologizes, which surprises him more. He's confused as to why she sits with him and they begin to speak, but at the same time, he's a bit relieved for it. He has to talk to somebody about how he feels, about how he feels like he's changing and he really, really doesn't want too. "I just don't want them to change me," he says softly, watching everyone down below.

"How will they change you?" Katniss asks.

He wants to snap at her. How could she ask how? They're turning everyone into something they aren't; murderers, killers. Besides the Careers, of course. They'll enjoy the bloodbath. He doesn't snap though. That's one thing they've changed about him. His temper has become much shorter. Or maybe he's tired of dealing with Katniss. See, he shouldn't think like that about someone he loves. "I don't know," he whispers truthfully, "Turn me into something I'm not. I just don't want to be another piece in their game, you know?"

"You mean you won't kill anyone?" she asks.

Peeta lets out a small breath. He swears, everything goes over Katniss' head. He tries to not be rude, to not snap and tell her to just go to bed. "No... I mean, I'm sure I would just like anyone else when the time came," he's trying his best to be nice and he thinks he's doing a decent job. "But I just keep wishing I could think of way to show them that they don't own me. If I'm going to die, I wanna still be me. Does that make any sense?" he knows it makes perfect sense, he just wants to see if she gets it. Wants to see if she would go to the lengths he would to remain a baker instead of something the Capitol forced him to become.

"Yeah... I just can't afford to think like that. I have my sister..." she trails off.

His heart goes out to her. "Yeah, I know." he says and he knows he means it. Katniss would go to any lengths to win, even stab him in the back. Would he be okay with that? Dying for her if they were the only two left? Selfishly, he isn't so sure. He doesn't want to die but Katniss has more to go back too; a sister that loves her. His family, he knows they care but how much? His mother even told him to his face she thought he wasn't going to come back. Katniss... her sister begged her to win. He couldn't take that way from Katniss, he couldn't, no matter how he feels about her. Their eyes meet and Peeta suddenly wants to go to bed instead of sitting out here with Katniss, thinking of tomorrow and his oncoming death. He slowly gets up, giving her a smile that even he can feel is fake. He's tired of faking things and Katniss gives a fake one back; she must be tired of faking too. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow." he whispers, trying to not think about what tomorrow would hold but that's all that's in his head, bouncing around and taunting him.

"See you tomorrow," she replies softly and he nods before walking away. Tomorrow, he might die. Tomorrow, he might make an alliance with the Careers and have to come face-to-face with his confusing feelings for Cato. Sometime in the future, he knows for sure, he'll have to kill.

...

This felt shorter than usual... oh well. The next chapter, the Games start! Ohh, it's going to be fun. I really liked this chapter, for some reason... anyway, hope everyone liked it. Love all my followers and reviewers and anyone who views this story. Please review and tell me what you thought, it literally makes my day. Onto the Question of the Chapter!

What type of image would you try and portray during your interview? Would you be ruthless like Cato, funny like Peeta, or just be honest like Katniss?

Thank you again, guys, love you! Until next time. Much Love, LW.