Dushe-Dushe ¬ Peeta Mellark x Reader

scaling branches

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LAVA WAS WAITING at the foot of your bed as you woke. you jumped, pulling the bedsheets to your chest in fright. you gripped them tightly as you spat. "what the hell? who does that?"

"where were you last night?" she asked, eyebrow raised inquisitively.

"what makes you think i wasn't snug in my bed, dreaming of your gruesome death?" you retorted mockingly.

Lava scoffed and rolled her eyes. "i heard you walk in at an ungodly hour."

"maybe i went to take a shit the way nature intended?"

"quit it. or i'll tell Frieda," she folded her arms, staring at you threateningly.

"Frieda won't care," Frieda, you "mentor", would most likely not rise for hours to come, thanks to her drunken night with Haymitch.

Lava tutted. "whatever. get ready, we're going to train early,"

you huffed, sliding out of bed. all your limbs felt heavy, exhausted from the late night. "why?" you grumbled. you looked out the window. "the suns not even up! what time is it, you maniac?"

"it's time for you to get your ass in gear! we might not be in this together, but it has to look like it- right? that's what you said?" Lava snapped. "we're going to make a good impression on sponsors by looking dedicated. the Careers are already there i imagine,"

"how would you know?"

Lava began leaving. "they told me."

"trust you to make friends with the asshats," you let out a curt laugh.

"shut up." Lava didn't turn to face you. "i'll drag you to that arena kicking and screaming if i have to,"

you sighed as she slammed the door shut. you put your head in your hand, scrubbing the sleep from your eyes.

you opened the chest of drawers sat in the corner of the room, digging through your training clothes. hidden at the bottom was the painting Peeta had created of you. you smiled and re-hid it, getting ready.

Lava was waiting at the door, tapping her foot impatiently. "what took you so long?"

"i had to mentally prepare myself,"

"for what?"

"looking at your face," you winked and opened the door, opening it for Lava with a smirk.

she let out a disgruntled huff and pushed past, shooting you a glare. "i can't wait to kill you,"

"i can't wait to watch you try,"

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indeed, the Careers were already powering on with their training, sweat bearing on their forehead as they perfected their skills.

Frieda had told you not to show of you special talents, to save them for later, so you steered clear of the axes and hatchets.

there was a climbing area. though it had been a while since you'd scaled the old elm, you still had the strength in your arms to climb swiftly.

you were nowhere as good as the district 7's, who were so agile they could scale as fast as they could run.

you reached the top of the climbing apparatus, and peered down at all you could survey.

there were more tributes now, probably most of them bar a few. you could see Peeta and Katniss. Katniss was in line for knife throwing, whilst Peeta climbed up a net adjacent to you.

     you were about to greet him when he fell. the Careers began laughing; Lava amongst them.

     you jumped down, landing in a lunge. you glared at the Careers. Katniss joined you as you helped Peeta up. "what's their deal," you muttered.

     "hey, Peeta," Katniss said, looking beyond you. "throw that metal thing over there,"

     "what?" Peeta asked.

     "why?" you added.

     Peeta shook his head as he realised. "no. Haymitch said not to show our skills,"

      Frieda had said the same thing. "who cares what he said, Katniss has a point,"

     "those Careers are looking at you like you're a meal," she continued. "throw it."

     Peeta gave in. you stood by Katniss and watched as he effortlessly picked up a large metal weight.

     he swung it over his head, releasing it. it flew, and crashed into a rack of spears. your brows raised in surprise. the Careers seemed to share the expression.

     you grinned. "were you a friend back in 12?" you glanced at Katniss.

     she shook her head. "i don't think we ever spoke before the Reaping..." she folded her arms. "he seems to have taken to you, with last night and everything," there was a little glint in her eye.

     you pressed your lips together in a forced smile as you recounted the farewell that had taken place. "yeah, you're both a lot better than the other 13," you chuckled.

     "she ditched you for the Careers?"

     "we don't exactly have the best history," you nodded. you grimaced. "i kinda dislocated her shoulder..."

     Katniss stared in concern.

     you raised your hands in defence. "oh, don't worry, i do stuff like that a lot when i'm drunk,"

      "and that makes it any better?"

     you shrugged, a genuine smile peeling across your face. "i'd say so,"

    Katniss looked at Lava again. "i do understand why you'd dislocate her shoulder, she seems a little..."

     "insufferable?" you finished. "yeah. glad i'm not the only one thinking that,"

     Katniss offered you a rare smile. a smile you took as an olive branch. an alliance.

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