Summary : Peeta finds himself launched in the Hunger Games. This year, the gamemakers have something interesting in mind : duos can win. Peeta has the hope he will be in the same team as Katniss, but Cato happens to be his teammate.

Warning : Peeta/Cato slash, so if you don't like M/M, don't read. Rated T, maybe M for a few chapters, but not sure yet.

I do not own anything.

Peeta's P.O.V

My universe will never be the same

Chapter 1 : The sun goes down

"Peeta, just get ready already." my brother Lethe says as I get out of my room.
Yes, I have to get ready. Today is the day of the reaping, and everyone has to come. I'm afraid.
Who isn't, though ? My name is in the bowl five times. It's only five, yes, but that's enough to get me reaped.
I get dressed, then I follow my brothers to the front of the justice building, where the Reaping is taking place.
The place is full of Peacekeepers. They scare me. They always have.
Soon after we arrive, Effie Trinket, the escort lady from the Capitol appears on the stage. I have nothing against her, but she seems so happy about leading two of us to our deaths, it sickens me. Because that's what the games are about, right ?
She replaced her green wig from last year with a pink one. She looks like cotton candy. She's scary, and ridiculous at the same time, which is rare but not in the Capitol. They are all ridiculous and ugly, they are all like her. But they have the power. We don't.
"Welcome, welcome !" she starts. "Happy Hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor !"
There she goes. She starts her usual useless and hypocritical speech, like it was some kind of honor honor for us to fight to the death in an arena for the Capitols entertainment.
"Ladies first." she says. She is so excited it's almost disgusting.
She takes one of the pieces of papers out of the bowl. I can tell everyone is stressed.
"Primrose Everdeen !" she announces.
I know her. She's a healer. Her father died a while ago... It's awful, she's only twelve, how can they expect her to fight ? But then, I remember that this is the Games, nothing is fair.
Soon, the Peacekeepers find her and lead her on the stage.
"Prim !" Katniss yells in a desperate tone.
Katniss is a hunter and Primrose's sister. I gave her some bread once, she looked so starving...
I can't look at her. I know that if I do, I will crush myself up. I care so much about Katniss to see her family destroyed. Her father, then her little sister. But then she squeals :
"I volunteer !" I look at her now. Did she just say that ? "I volunteer as tribute." she confirms.
What ? Everyone is in shock, even me. People never volunteered in District 12.
"Oh, that's so brave of you !" Effie congratulates. "Come on stage, come ! Don't be afraid !"
Katniss slowly gets up on stage. "So, what's your name ?"
"Katniss Everdeen."
As they talk, I sigh. Every year, it's the same. Families broken, just for the Capitol's pleasure. Katniss' volunteering won't change a thing : her mother will only end up with one daughter. I don't know how Katniss could survive this...
"And now, the boys !" she puts her hand in the bowl and takes a sheet. "Peeta Mellark !"
No, no, it can't be. I must have heard wrong, it can't be me. Everyone around me starts looking at me with what could be called disgust and they move away from me.
Silently, I look up to Effie, who is waiting on stage with a huge smile.
" Come !"
I find myself slowly walking towards the stage. Everyone is looking at me. I realize I'm really calm, but how ? I feel like I'm gonna die.
"Congratulations on your reaping ! Hold hands !" Effie says, still so excited.
I slowly turn my head to see Katniss. She and I silently hold hands.

OoO

My brothers, my father and even my mother come to see me in the justice building. Lethe pulls me into a hug. I think that it's okay to let my expressions go now. I'm not on tv anymore. So I start sobbing against Lethe's shoulder. He pats me on the back. Lethe has always been there for me. Cahier, our older brother, bites his lip. He hasn't been there for me for all of my childhood, considering he is my elder by 7 years and we don't have as much in common than Lethe and me.
Cahier takes me into his arms. His warm embrace comforts me. Even after all these years, he's here.
Quickly, my father puts his hand on my shoulder. "Be strong, Peet'. You can win this."
I dry a tear on my cheek. "No.. YOU, be strong. For every one. Please."
My mother only gives me a look. I know she's mad. She always is.
Before I can even think any more about her, Lethe takes my hand and puts something in it before closing my fingers against it. "Win this, Peeta. Please."
"You have to go now" a peacekeeper says.
My family gets out of the room. I can't believe it was the last time I will ever them.
I open my hand. Lethe gave me his necklace. The jewel is a celtic cross. I know what it represents, because Lethe told me once. It symbolizes the body, the mind, and the earth. I think I know why he gave it to me. More than just a gift and a symbol of him, it's a way for him to tell me : "Little brother, do what you have to do to win, but I beg you, do what you can to keep being yourself. Don't let them change you."
So I hold the necklace tight and close my eyes. I make that promise to myself and to my brother : I will stay the same, even if I look different on screen.

OoO

The journey to the Capitol is a nightmare. Our mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, isn't helpful at all, even if I try to make him talk.
Katniss isn't very talkative either, I don't know why but she just won't talk.
The only good thing is the food. I thought that working in a bakery gave me the privilege of knowing a lot of food, but reluctantly, I realize that the Capitol's is a lot better. Hot chocolate is particularly good. That's all I drink. Katniss won't touch a thing though, just some bread and jam.
At night, in my room, I watch the reapings in the other Districts.
I know that the tributes from the careers Districts are the most dangerous, so I think to myself that I will pay attention to Districts 1, 2 and 4.
The two District 1 tributes seem... I don't know, stupid ? Mostly the girl, though. Why is she even smiling when her name is called ? The boy, Marvel, looks like a tosser. But maybe they're only acting, maybe they're playing their strategy even from the start. I must not underestimate them.
As I think about it, I realize the other tributes must have seen my reaping, just like I'm watching theirs. I feel a chill down my neck. It's not comforting at all.
I take the remote and switch of District 1.
Wow, I'm amazed by how beautiful District 2 is. The mountains look amazing. I even see a river. Back in District 12, the only river we have is in the forest, according to the peacekeepers. I've never seen it. It's beautiful. I surprise myself wanting to go there, once at least.
There, the District 2 girl looks so young and innocent! It is so weird that she actually volunteered. She goes by the name of Clove.
The boy volunteered too. He seems... tall. He walks towards the sage. He looks confident, like everyone knows that he's going to win. His name is Cato. This is what I feared. The careers. I'm dead, I know it. Cato scares me... I feel like he's a monster.
The District 3 tributes don't seem any more dangerous than they should. Not more than the careers. Same, I'm surprised that the District 4 tributes look so weak and young. I sigh, I'm relieved. There are only 4 careers this year.
I watch the next ones. No one seems really impressive, except the boy from 11, Thresh. He scares me too.
Then, it's Katniss and me. I realize that my determination as I walk towards the stage and the lack of expression of my face – no sadness, no happiness – can only be turned at my advantage. On screen, I appear to be a lot more confident and muscular than what I thought. It reassures me a little. Maybe the other tributes fear me, as I fear the careers.
Maybe I actually stand a chance.
For the first time since my reaping, I start thinking that I could win.

Hello guys !

I have 2 other chapters already written, I'm only waiting for your reviews to see when I need to post it. As soon as I can I guess. I happen to have a big part of the plot in mind though.

Also for the ones that read my other fanfics, especially 'A different kind of Hunger', let me tell you that I'm gonna finish the story soon.

Feel free to look at my profile to read 'Another kind of Hunger' and 'Our cabin in the woods', if you want :)

xx

AC