"Ladies and gentlemen. Your master of ceremonies... Caesar Flickerman!" The man smiled and stood up and thanked the audience profusely for their applause and excitement.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. To the 74th Annual Hunger Games! Now in about five minutes, they are all going to be out here. All of the Tributes that you heard about. Are you excited?!" He asked getting the people to cheer loudly and proud. "Let me hear it!" He laughed.

"Amazing," Cinna said as he looked the girl over.

She had a skin-toned mesh dress with embellished red rose petals and gold sparkles to simulate fire. The top was red silk matching the skirt which was wrapped around her waist and flowing out. He had put orangey-red sequins on her shoulder to match the delicate touch of orange and gold to her eyelids. Her hair was curled and put into a big loose bun on her head with bits of curly hair left out to frame her face.

"It looks beautiful Cinna."

"You do to sweetheart," Cinna told her. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"I don't know how I'm going to make those people like me."

"Just be yourself. You made me like you. And I'll be there the whole time, so just pretend you're talking to me. Okay?"

"Okay." She let out a breath and followed him out of the room but parted ways so she could get in line for the stage.

There were screens showing the interviews but Ivy paid them no mind. All they ever talked about was how prepared they were and how strong they were. She saw Peeta and looked him over seeing him in a nice sleek black suit with red accents on the cuffs, neck, and around the ankles. In the neck area, there were sequins like hers to simulate the flames.

"Looking good Peeta." She smiled at the boy.

He looked up at her and smiled. "You look..." he gulped. "You look stunning Ivy."

Ivy blushed and smiled again. "Thank you, Peeta."

She got in line and fidgeted nervously waiting. She watched for a bit but when Glimmer had walked out in her basically see through dress she had to look away. She couldn't see some of the tributes ahead of her and definitely didn't expect to see that. She closed her eyes and thought of the things to say and eventually, it was her turn.

The man escorted her up the stairs and let her go as she walked on stage with butterflies in her stomach.

"From District 12... You know her as the girl on fire! Where we know her as the lovely Ivy Aurora!"

She walked out hearing the loud cheers. Ivy noticed he was rocking his signature blue hair and suit when she shook the man's hand and greeted him as she sat down. "Hi."

"That was quite an entrance that you've made at the Tribute's parade the other day."

"Thanks to my stylist of course," she said. "Cinna is the best." She laughed nervously.

"Do you want to tell us about it?"

"Well, I was just hoping that my partner and I wouldn't burn to death and we'd make a good impression." She admitted.

The crowd laughed and clapped but she just looked at them stunned not expecting them to laugh.

"When you came out of that chariot, I have to say my heart stopped." He looked back at the audience. "Did any of you experience this as well?" They clapped and he looked back at Ivy. "My heart stopped."

She waited for the audience to stop clapping and joked, "So did mine."

Caesar and the crowd laughed before he asked, "Now tell me bout the flames. Were they real?"

"Yes. In a way." She looked out at the audience and eventually found Cinna. He nodded the go-ahead and she looked back at Caesar. "I'm actually wearing them today. Would you like to see it?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Is it safe?" He asked jokingly with a laugh.

"Yes." She laughed. "Completely."

"What do you think folks?" He asked them and they cheered loudly and whistled. "I think that's a yes!"

She stood up and spun and the red part of her dress flared out with orange fire. She spun at least 8 times and the crowd cheered as she stopped and dizzily sat down.

"Careful." Caesar laughed and helped her sit down. "That was really something. That was something. Thank you for that. I have one more question for you. It's about your last name. It's a very familiar name Aurora."

"Yes. My brother Atlas was in the games a few years ago. Lasted a while too. Father and I miss him. But we were very proud."

"Yes, I remember Atlas. One of my favorites. I'm sure he'd love to see you now. Now your father.. did he come to say goodbye to you?"

"Yes of course. He believes Atlas will be looking after me."

The crowd awed at the touching sentiment.

"And what did you say to him, in the end?"

"I told him that I would try to win. Win for him and for Atlas."

"Of course you did. And try you will. Ladies and gentlemen, from District 12, Ivy Aurora!" He stood up and raised her hand. "The girl on fire!"

After Ivy bowed and as she walked off and the man escorted her back down to Effie and Haymitch. The man took Peeta up and Ivy gave him a thumbs up.

"You did it, darling. That was incredible." Effie complimented the girl.

"Thank you." She smiled as Effie walked with her till she got to Haymitch.

"Nice job sweetheart."

"Thank you."

"Nice dress too." He looked at her beautifully made dress then at Effie's deep purple dress and whispered, "Not yours."

"Please welcome, Peeta Mellark!" Caesar said catching the group's attention. "Peeta, welcome. How are you finding the Capitol? Don't say with a map." The man laughed.

"Uh, it's uh.. different. It's very different than back home."

"Different? In what way? Give us an example."

"Uh okay, well the showers here are weird." Peeta nodded.

"Showers?" Caesar asked not expecting that answer.

"Yes."

"We have different showers," Caesar noted to the crowd.

"I have a question for you Caesar." He leaned in closer. "Do I smell like roses to you?"

"Um..."

"Take a whiff." Peeta motioned the man to come closer and smell.

"Uh alright." He leaned in to smell the boy.

"Do- do I smell like it?" Caesar asked.

Peeta leaned in and the crowd gasped and some laughed.

"You definitely smell better than I do." He noted.

"Well, I lived here longer," Caesar said with a smile.

"That makes sense." Peeta agreed with a laugh.

Caesar laughed as well and got situated back in his seat. "Okay, So Peeta... tell me. Is there a special girl back home?"

"No, not really." He shook his head.

"No?" He asked shocked. "I don't believe it for a second. Look at that face. Handsome man like you. Peeta. Tell me."

"Well, there's this one girl that I had had a crush on forever. But I don't think she ever really felt the same."

The crowd awed and Caesar frowned sadly.

Backstage Ivy wondered who Peeta was talking about. Once she stopped being friends with people and stuck to herself she never really paid attention to anyone or anything other than school and taking after her mom.

"Well... I'll tell you what Peeta." He pointed at the boy. "You go out there and you win this thing. And when you get home, she'll have to go out with you." He looked at the crowd. "Right folks?" He laughed.

"Thanks but I uh.. I don't think winnings gonna help me at all." He shook his head sadly.

"And why not?"

Peeta took a long moment to build up his courage before blurting it out for all of Panem to hear, "Because she came here with me."

Ivy gasped and covered her mouth. She didn't even register that Haymitch and Effie were right next to her when she heard it. She was shocked and didn't know quite what to feel.

"Well, I guess you're right. It won't help you." Caesar frowned. "Tell me is she the reason you volunteered?"

"Yeah. She is." Peeta agreed. "I was so shocked she was reaped that the words escaped out my mouth before I could even think. I just knew I wanted to protect her in any way I could."

"Well that's sweet." He looked to the crowd. "Ain't that sweet?" The crowd cheered and Caesar looked back at the young boy. "And I wish you all the best of luck." Caesar shook his hand.

"Thank you."

"Peeta Mellark!" They stood up and the crowd cheered again. "District 12! The boy on fire!"

Ivy waited for Peeta and once he came backstaged she rushed toward him. "What the heck was that Peeta?" She asked confused. "Why would you say that? Why would you say you have a crush on me??"

"Stop it," Effie told her.

Haymitch cut in and told Ivy, "He did you a favor."

"Well, now I look weak." Ivy groaned.

"He made you look desirable. Which can't hurt sweetheart."

"He's right Ivy," Cinna told her. "It's not weak so much as that you are wanted by people."

"Of course, I'm right." Haymitch gloated.

"Now I can sell the star-cross lovers from District 12." He told them. "People will eat it up."

"If you think it'll help then fine. But I wish I would have been told I'd be playing in a love story."

"It's a television show and being in love with that boy will most likely help you in getting sponsors."

"I get it." She told Haymitch. She realized now that's what Haymitvh had pulled Peeta aside for early in the day. She just didn't like being left out and having to find out with everyone else. "As long as you think it'll help."

"Manners," Effie hissed at Ivy. Ivy rolled her eyes and Portia headed off with Peeta and the rest followed.

••

Ivy stared at her glass window as she paced up and down not able to sleep. Eventually, she got hungry and went to the kitchen to find some leftover strawberries. She grabbed the bowl and saw Peeta sitting in the living room staring out the window.

"You too?" Ivy asked.

"Oh, hey." He glanced at her.

"Can't sleep either?"

"No, of course not." Peet shook his head.

"I'm sorry I bombarded you after. I just didn't know Haymitch planned that with you."

"You know I meant that as a compliment."

"I know." She smiled offering him some strawberries. He smiled back and grabbed some as she sat down with him.

They listened as people cheered in a stadium nearby.

"Well, they're certainly happy," Ivy noted.

"Yeah... I just hope they don't change me." Peeta admitted.

"How would they change you?" She asked biting a strawberry.

"I don't know. Turn me into something I'm not. I just don't wanna be another piece in their game, you know?"

"You mean you won't kill anyone?"

"No." He shook his head. "No. I'm sure I would, just like anybody else when the time came but... I just keep wishing I could think of a way to show them that they don't own me." Ivy stared at him intently listening and seeing where he came from because she agreed. While she knew she'd be taking or at least trying to take people down in the arena she didn't want the Capitol to mess with her, to make her someone else.

She nodded looking back out at the Capitol.

"You know, if I'm gonna die, I wanna still be me. Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah. I agree. But it won't be easy in a death game."

Peeta sighed before saying, "Guess, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight Ivy Aurora." He smiled at her.

"Goodnight Peeta Mellark." She smiled back as he left to go to his room.

Love my babies <3