𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆| Peeta Mellark

²¹.- 𝐢'𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮

After the attack, they ended up on the beach to cool off. Katniss was with Joanna, Finnick in the water, and Zoya had planted herself at the end of the sand. She inhaled, her hands seemed to be molded to her ears now. She tried to remind herself that she could remove them, but the habit kept coming back. Her chest and body hurt from that horrible sob that builds up when you get badly hurt by someone's words. Peeta had walked over, Zoya jumped suddenly when he placed a hand on her back. "Woah. Woah. It's just me."

Zoya softened up. "Sorry."

"It's okay." he held his hand down to help her up. "Beetee has a plan."

Zoya nodded, trailing close after as they huddled together. The glasses man looked at the younger tributes. "Where do the Careers feel safest? The jungle?"

"The jungles a nightmare." Joanna corrected him.

"Probably here in the beach." Peeta pointed out with a nod.

"Then why are they not here?" he stared at him.

"Because we are. We claimed it." Joanna said back, almost annoyed with the dumb questions.

"And if we left, they would come." Beetee stared knowingly.

"Or stay hidden in the tree line." Finnick pointed out.

"They're strong and lethal, but not always smart." Zoya pointed out, her arms crossed.

"Which in just over four hours will be soaked with water from the 10:00 wave." he pointed out at Finnicks words. "And what happens at midnight?"

"Lightning strikes that tree." Katniss stared at him.

"Here's what I propose. We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree. That should draw them back to the beach." Beetee pointed toward the tree, then brought his attention back to the group. "Prior to midnight we then run this wire from the tree to the water. Anyone in the water or on the damp sand will be electrocuted.

Peeta touched the damp sand, looking toward a emotionless Zoya, holding the sand out. She felt it gently, meeting his eyes with a little nod. It was different seeing her so not herself. Obviously, they had expected it to come. This was the Hunger Games. Yet, it didn't make it any less weirder or uncomfortable. Joanna spoke. "How do we know the wire isn't going to burn up?"

"Because I invented it." Beetee said back causally.

Zoya gave a single nod with a sarcastic point of her finger. "Because he invented it."

Finnick and Joanna shared a look, Zoya felt left out, but assumed they didn't think her state was the best to consider right now. "Well, it's better then hunting them down."

"Yeah, why not?" Katniss agreed, but her tone was off, looking at Peeta and Zoya. "If it fails, no harm done anyway, right?"

"All right, I say we try it." Peeta nodded, looking to Zoya. "Z? Your input?"

Zoya exhaled, shaking her head. "Yeah, okay. Sure."

"So, what can we do to help?" Finnick asked, leaning on the branch.

"Keep me alive for the next six hours. That would be extremely helpful." Beetee nodded his head.

The sun was setting, Zoya was back on the shore, the water splashing up on her knees every now and then. Peeta came to join her. "Thirsty?"

He held a clam shell with water, Zoya accepted it with a small smile. "Wanna sit with me?"

Peeta took the spot next to her, looking at the gold pin in her hair. "Is that from Haymitch?"

Zoya nodded. "He had it delivered to me right before the games."

Peeta pulled a golden locket from around his neck. "I got one too. It's a symbol of a team."

Zoya gave a tiny smile. "I didn't know that."

She reached over, grasping it around his neck, popping it open. "Nothings in here."

"Not yet." he answered. "I wasn't sure what to put."

Zoya nodded her head. "Did you talk to Katniss?"

"Do you believe that there's only gonna be one of us alive at the end of this?" Peeta asked, there was a faint sadness in his eye.

Zoya frowned in guilt. "I do. I think that what happened last year shocked so many people, they aren't gonna let it happen again."

Peeta exhaled, looking at the water. "It didn't really sink in until right now. You know?"

Zoya disagreed, because it had weighed on her the entire time. "I regret so much."

Peeta looked over at her with a blink. "Regret what?"

"Regret all the hiding and having to pretend." she stared at him, her eyes were soft, as was her tone. "I mean, if i'm gonna die, and I will, I don't wanna go knowing I didn't do all the things I have wanted to."

Peeta turned to her more. "I guess all that pretending ended up not being worth it in the end."

"Maybe that was part of the plan." she shook  her head with a blink. "Let us suffer in our wants and desires, then dangle the painful reality of regret right infront of us. Laughing at us, almost. Just a gentle reminder that we aren't in control of our lives anymore."

Peeta stared over at her. "You believe we aren't in control?"

"I know we aren't." she swallowed, looking his way. "If you're the last one standing-"

"Zoya." he tried to stop her.

"If I die, and you live, I want you to paint something for me. Something that you can hang up to remind you of me. Not to make you sad, or to mock you, but something to remember me by. The happy times, the less painful ones." she nodded, looking at him with a gentle smile. "And, when you're time comes around, i'll crawl home to you."

Peeta blinked, staring at her. He didn't want to think about life without Zoya. This was their plan, always had been. He'd marry Katniss, play the part, and one day they would end up together. That was always the plan, that's all that had gotten him through this. And now he'd have to face the possible pain of never reaching that day? Let alone, not even get to play the friendship card anymore.

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Zoya pressed into him more, her hands held his face as Peeta kissed her harder. Their first kiss, and likely their last, despite dreaming of a life time. If she was gonna die, if he was gonna die, if they were gonna die, they wanted to die knowing they had this one thing. Die knowing that they loved each other just as much as they never said out loud, not have to be hidden and scared of what was to come.

Together. They just wanted one thing together before the end came.

•

kylie speaks

ABOUT TIMEEEEEE
THE CAPITOL WILL
NEVER BE ABLE TO
CONTROL THIER LOVE
I SWEAR!