A Dangerous Game (A Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

5. Tick Tock Goes the Clock

5. Tick Tock Goes the Clock

The cloth fell from my eyes, exposing an art gallery in front of me. So this is what the basement was used for!

I couldn’t hold in my awe. My eyes darted from one canvas to the next.

There were all sorts of pictures: one of a primrose bush, one of the forests, some images I knew to be from some Hunger Games. There was one painting that I knew instantly: Peeta had painted a picture of Rue, the girl from District 11 Katniss had allied with before she was speared by the male tribute of District 1. Katniss had put flowers around little Rue, giving her a proper farewell. I remembered that the Capitol hadn’t showed Katniss’s entire farewell to Rue, because her act was one of rebellion.

Her farewell to Rue had sparked the beginning of many actions that led to the second rebellion.

“You did all these?” I whispered as I got closer to the one of Rue.

“I don’t see why you’re surprised. You know I paint,” he said.

“I’ve never really seen anything like this.” I refrained myself from touching the painting, I didn’t want to ruin the art. “The details, the coloring, everything is perfect.”

“I do more than frost cakes, you know,” he chuckled.

“I would say so,” I complimented him. I turned to him, seeing him grin at me. It was obvious he liked how happy I looked. “So…why did you want me to help you, and what with?”

“Well, actually, I was hoping I could do a painting or two of you.” He went bright red in the face. Peeta was actually embarrassed about asking this of me? I’m Katniss, remember? Think about how Katniss would react: definitely not how you would.

“I’ll make a bargain with you: I’ll let you paint a few of me if you teach me how to paint really good like this.” I folded my arms over my chest, eyes locked onto Peeta. His skills were amazing; this looked like something that took a while to do. It could be hard, but hey, it could be something to help ease the stress I knew I’d be feeling over the long week I would be staying here with Peeta.

“You seriously want to learn how to paint?” His tone was surprised.

“Yeah,” I said a little too happily. Playing Katniss’s personality and incorporating it into me wasn’t working out well so far.

“I didn’t think you wanted to learn.”

“It might help me feel better, given everything that’s happened.” I tried to be as vague as possible and tell the truth.

“I can understand that. Well, let me paint at least a picture of you first.”

“Have any ideas in mind?”

“Actually, I was going to leave it up to you to choose.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t sure what I wanted Peeta to paint of me. “Where would you prefer the setting to be? I can try outside.”

“Outside is…different,” Peeta considered. “But doable.”

“What do we need to bring up from here?”

“A canvas, an easel, a few paint brushes and of course, paint.”

We took all the lighter stuff up first. I carried out the canvas while Peeta grabbed the easel. We managed to get everything outside and put together.

“Okay, did you think of anything?” he asked me. I had forgotten all about it. I was too busy helping him move stuff outside I didn’t give much thought to it.