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"What did you do? Right about now?" Peeta asked the second Zoya rushed into the opening room. She wore a peacekeeper outfit to disguise herself, pulling the helmet off. Today was the day, the morning he'd enter the games. Snow had it order for Zoya to only bring her district five tributes to their respectable facilities, that's when she put a peacekeeper in a choke hold and took his uniform to get here.
"I jumped off the side of the building." Zoya said honestly as Peeta stared at her, "There's a forcefield down there, doesn't let you."
"Is that suppose to comfort me?" Peeta took a deep breath, pacing slightly.
"Don't show them you're scared." Zoya wrapped her arms around him tightly, his head digging into her neck as they stood for a moment, "You're not scared, you're not."
Maybe she was attempting to convince herself more then she was him.
"I don't wanna go in there." Peeta whispered to her, holding on to her tightly, "I don't wanna kill people."
"I know." Zoya whispered back, her hand pressed to the back of his head as they continued to hug. That's when Zoya knew Peeta was too good of a person to make it out of this alive, she just didn't want to admit it out loud. No, she couldn't bare to say it out loud. He didn't want to kill in an arena filled with people who did, he was gentle and sweet when the tributes around him were cruel and violent. She wanted him to win, she did, but how could he with a heart like this, "Just don't end up like Titus from District Six a few years ago."
"Was that the guy that ate the tributes he killed?" Peeta asked, and he had to laugh slightly when she nodded, "I promise, I won't."
They pulled away when the small speaker heard, "Thirty seconds."
"You're gonna be okay." Zoya smiled, she wouldn't let her tears fall but the way her eyes watered said enough, "You are, you're gonna be okay."
Peeta nodded, but it was clear he didn't believe it either, "Don't watch if I die."
Zoya nodded with a exhale, "Try not to."
"I will." he agreed.
Twenty seconds.
"I have to get in there." he looked toward the glass tube, meeting her eye again, "Thank you."
"Well, it's not the roomiest elevator." Zoya joked slightly, one tear left her eye.
"For believing in me." Peeta went along with his words from before, "Thank you."
Ten seconds.
He hugged her again, tightly because they both knew it would be the last time. Zoya leaned back, pressing a kiss to his forehead due to their similar heights, "Make sure to run."
Peeta nodded, letting her go and stepping into the glass tube. It shut immediately, his eyes widened from the other side. Zoya rose her hand, her tattoo painted hand, pressing her palm to the glass while he did the same from his side. As the tube began to move upwards, the ceiling opening, Peeta got one last look at Zoya before he was put in the middle of a deadly arena.
