tushanshu | 01 rolled in

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[ a haggard looking young man sits on a bed, his hands wringing together over and over again as he speaks. There's a hollowness to his stare, and he takes a little longer than most between his sentences, thoughtfully ]

I was working...on having responsibilities again. I baked bread starting at four in the morning until noon. At noon I fed the geese. Depending on the day, I might have free time after that, but by dinner I helped Katniss cook and I would dead-head the flowers in the garden.

The schedule...helped.

[ his hands spasm erratically for a moment, then still as Peeta clenches his jaw ]

And now I'm here. [ he offers a tight smile ] And that means I'm not feeding geese and the garden's not going anywhere anytime soon. Not to mention there's a possible deer overpopulation problem in District Twelve.

[ he sighs ]

So there go my responsibilities. And schedule. I guess this serves as a fair warning for you all.

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I'm not fighting anything. [ his tone is deathly serious ] Not again. I won't play.

None of us want to fight anything. We just want to find a way to get back home.

They'll try to make you. Last time...[ he shakes his head ] Last time they destroyed home. To make sure that we would.

[Pepper purses her lips in a pert sort of frown.]

You've been here before?

No.

Back in Panem.

That's where you're from?

Yeah. Me and some of the others here. It sounds similar to where a lot of the other people come from, just...[ full of torture and child killing] different.

[Well Peeta, that's an apt description of every world from every other world's perspective. Clearly you're the brain trust of this group from your home.]

Some are more similar then others.

[She glances to the side for a moment, remembering that there is another her in another world working for another Tony who's a real jackass.

When she thinks about how old this boy is and what he said about his world, it makes her wince. Her thoughts fall to Johanna and the way she acted when they met. From the conversation that was tracked on the network it's clear that she and this boy are friends. What he's telling her explains a lot about her actions and mindset.]

They made you fight in your world? Why?

[Pepper really can't understand why anyone would make young people fight.]

Control. It was a way to keep the people of the districts in line.

[ a dark snort ]

To remind us that the last time we rebelled, we lost.

[ his hands twitch, just a little ]

After that, they made me fight because they wanted her out of the picture.

That's disgusting.

[She hadn't even realized she'd said it till it came out. Pepper would have been a horrible spy really.]

They made you fight?

[Seriously Peeta, you are making Pepper just want to give you a hug and never let you go back to your world again.]

[ he nods ]

Starting when we're twelve, our names are entered into a lottery until we're eighteen. Every year a boy and a girl are picked from each district to fight until there's only one left out of the twenty four.

[ his hands rub together]

Then we won. And the Capitol made us go back, to fight the other Victors they picked. That time, I didn't make it out of the arena.

[Pepper's normally controlled face shows just how horrible that thought is to her. They take children and force them to fight and kill each other for no reason at all.]

I ... don't think that's what these people are planning on doing.

[She won't let them do that. She doesn't know how she would stop it, but she'd try, and she knows there are a hell of a lot of people in this place who would too.]

[Any professional demeanor from Pepper has stopped. This boy doesn't need a PA talking to him, he needs a person. Someone who cares about him; and after what Pepper just heard she certainly does care about Peeta. In fact, she's worried like hell that he's going to be sent back to that horrible place.]

Look, I'm not going to hurt you, and I won't let anyone hurt you. Not here while I can stop it. My name's Pepper, Pepper Potts. What's your name?

[ he nods ] No, I don't think so either. We ended the Games before we arrived. I...don't think anyone will be in a hurry to start them again. [ except for people like Coin. But her impromptu assassination should be enough to deter such notions ]

[ he gives a soft, sad smile ]

Thank you, Ms Potts. But I'm afraid I'm more worried about hurting you.

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<small.[She looks confused about that.]</small>

Why would you hurt me?

<small>[Did she look like someone back in his world?]

I wish I had a reason for you, but I don't.

I just. Lose myself sometimes, and the people around me suffer for it.

[ he looks at the ground ]

The Capitol...used me, after they grabbed me out of the arena. It hasn't worn off yet.

[That frown deepens.]

Used you? How?

[She's wondering if she or anyone she knows could help.]

...have you ever heard of hijacking?

Yes.

[Of course she's thinking of hijacking a car or a plane or something like that. Not hijacking a person.]

[ he nods, as if that explains everything ]

[Give her a minute.]

Wait, they hijacked you?

[ his fingers lace together tightly ]

Yes.

I'm still not sure for how long, though. I think they estimated six months last I heard.

I ...

[Pepper mentally runs through a list of people she knows that might be able to help. The list is small seeing as she doesn't know much about a lot of people. Then her thoughts fall on Natalie. She wonders if the other woman would know coping mechanisms or a way of helping him. After all, even if she was a plant her resume really was impressive and varied.]

I might know someone who can help. I'd have to talk to them though.

[ for the first time since arriving here, Peeta looks close to hopeful ]

I would appreciate that.

Anyone...anyone would be great.

[Pepper nods.]

If the person I'm thinking of can't help I'll find another way to help you. I promise.

[And Pepper is the sort of person who keeps her promises. She plans on doing whatever it takes to help the boy. Even if she doesn't know his name.]

<3

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You know you want to trust the ginger Peeta

but he has ISSUES D:

No man, he has subscriptions.

FFFFFT A+

Thank you~ 1/2

2/2 Because Peeta just broke her brain.

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Just wait Peeta, after IM3 they can swap torture stories.

Yay! Worst camping trips ever!!!

At least hers would be from an observer's perspective .... is that better or worse?

it depends, can she play acoustical guitar?

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