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The interviews were the most terrifying part. They were suppose to feel comforting, for you to have the chance to be treated amazingly, get the capitols reactions to you. Zoya knew what this was like though, she'd already experienced it once and didn't need to feel it again. But, just as before, she ended up right back out here, sat infront of Caesar Flickerman yet again.
But one thing had been different this time.
"Zoya, i'm having a hard time telling if you're happy to see me or not." Caesar spoke, staring at her motionless face, sat in a flickering dress. "Why don't you tell me what you're thinking? I'm sure you've got thoughts on the victors before you?"
Finnicks words to Anne were moving, moving the way the siblings from one wished they'd been. By the time came for her, she felt like she was floating, like she wasn't actually in her body. Zoya took a breath. "I think you'd be scared if you knew what I was thinking, Caesar."
"Uh oh, drama with you and a fellow victor?" he teased, making the crowd laugh.
Zoya looked toward the crowd, meeting his eye again. "The last thing i'd ever expected was the come back to the games."
"I can imagine it was hard leaving Rosalind behind." he sympathized with her, nodding sadly, as if he actually cared.
"It was." Zoya said back, she had a slow, terrifying blink in her eye. "Almost as hard as le- Never mind."
"No, no." he leaned in curiously to get her words, nodding. "Go on, dear. You can tell us anything you'd like."
Zoya swallowed, and all she could hope was that what she was about to say without get her killed before the Games ever began.
"Leaving Roz was almost as hard as leaving behind my son." Zoya spoke, and a million questions flooded through the crowd. Zoya and Peeta knew that the only way to ever promise their own lives was to bring up the life of a child. It was sick, that you weren't valued until someone who was just younger then you had to be what kept you safe.
"Son? Zo-" Caesar began, the yells from the crowd distracting. "Obviously, we all are shocked by this news. You've adopted a child?"
"No, I had a child. In secret, that is." Zoya nodded her head with a tiny smile, making herself start to cry. "I didn't want to hide him, but I just wanted to guarantee he'd be safe for the time being."
"Wha- We are so shocked." Caesar held her leg as she fake sobbed right infront of him. "When was this son born?"
"Three months ago." Zoya rubbed her face as she snuffled loudly. "It's why I haven't come around the Capitol, my home. It's why I haven't visited all of you much, my family."
The crowd awwwd at her words, moved by being part of her family.
"And now i'll never get to share my little Archer with all of you." Zoya cried as she shook her head. "He'll never know me, his mother. He will grow and have to watch my death over and over, already struggling without my care."
