"When'd you get here?" Peeta asked when he found Zoya in the bakery, hugging her tightly.

"Not too long ago, I visited Katniss first." she said back, hands pressing into his shoulders as they hugged. Neither wanted to let go. It had been months since they'd seen each other last, both seemingly changing as the days passed without the other. How long would it be until they could hug again? Until they didn't have to write secret letters that never got to truly express what they'd been feeling to the other. "Your recipe was terrible, by the way. I can't make strawberry tarts."

They'd pulled back after that, a cheeky grin across his face. "You probably forgot something."

"Too much salt, I think." Zoya grinned. She liked that they stood on the same height, it was easy for her to see him completely. With Finnick, looking up was difficult to see the exact look in his eye, specifically the one they'd both hold on their way home from the capital together. With Peeta, he was right there, just right infront of her were she couldn't see every change and every flash of emotion in his eyes.

"I was just pulled some bread out." Peeta pulled her by the arm. The bakery wasn't loud, it was rather quiet. Zoya thought about all the terrible stories Katniss had told her about Peeta mother, and how she should stay alert.

"Is no one here?" Zoya spoke, passing through the door toward the large, clearly new, stoves.

"Only my father, he doesn't talk much though." Peeta spoke, hinting at why it had been so quiet. The ovens smelt of bread, not burnt, but crisp, while the rest of the bakery smelt of vanilla and sugar. Peeta stood infront of a wooden table, the loaf of bread laid on top with edible, possible other bakery designed, flowers baked along the top.

"You did it all by yourself?" Zoya smiled, pressing into his side. Peeta nodded, leaning onto her some as the side of his head pressed into hers.

"For Haymitch." Peeta said honestly, the warmth of the loaf still radiating off of it. "Before the interview."

Zoya turned to him. "Do you think you're prepared?"

"No." Peeta said honestly. "Katniss and I haven't said so much as three words to each other since the train."

Zoya hated that they weren't close. After her games, all she wanted was to be around people that went through the same thing she had. Even now, she literally lived with Roz and saw Finnick at least once a week. Zoya knew their situation was so much different, so much more painful and complicated. But deep down, she knew the other would heal better with the other close.

"You're gonna do great." Zoya promised Peeta, pushing through his team that were doing last minute touch ups to him.

"You've said that fifty times. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Peeta gave her a half grin, letting her brush off his shoulders and pop a mint into his mouth. Her fingers brushed his lips when she retreated her hand before taking a nod of confirmation. "Capital ready?"

"About as capital ready as you'll ever be." Zoya grinned, grabbing his face to press a kiss to his forehead before he was rushed toward the door.

"Kid knows how to work em." Haymitch spoke, a wine bottle in hand. They'd both pretty much taken over Peetas house, his family all becoming annoyed with everyone and escaping to the bakery. It was cozy, certain areas. Zoya could imagine he'd curl up on the nice couch, a tea with no sugar, probably a few paints or a good book even. She did the same, pulling herself onto his couch and looking out the window.

"I know." Zoya said honestly, watching him walk toward Katniss, who was wearing her fakest smile. When they hugged, the ice took them down to the ground. The camera had ate it up though, zooming in and watching Katniss put a kiss on him. Zoya found it smart, natural, almost arrogant. Just as a teenager in love truly would be.

Just as she would be under any other circumstances.

"Wanna watch?" Haymitch asked, nodding toward the projector.

"No." Zoya said honestly, accepting the bottle of wine from him as she took a sip. "I'm good here."

"How's Roz?" Haymitch asked her, taking a seat next to her as they watched the interview captured from outside.

"She's better." Zoya nodded her head.

"She's better?" Haymitch repeated her words.

"She isn't seeing things anymore." they made eye contact as she spoke. "She's doing better."

Roz's game truly messed with her head, worse then all of them combined. She'd won three years ago and hadn't stopped seeing things until about three months ago. She'd scream out randomly, coward away and swearing someone had been there. The world saw her as unstable, as if they weren't the reason she was like this in the first place. She couldn't leave the house, Zoya being the one with her for the past year and a half now. She got better with someone there, someone reminding her that she was not alone and that she was not as insane as everyone made her out to be.

"You can't go on the tour with us?" Peeta asked that night, still at Haymitch's house. The man let Zoya have one of his spare bedrooms for the night, Peeta had lingered around long after he had passed out on the couch.

"It'll only draw too much attention from Snow." Zoya shook her head, throwing a few of the pillows off the bed and yanking the blankets back. "When you come to Five, I'll be able to see you guys though. It won't look so out of place."

Peeta stayed in her doorway, eyes widened slightly when he saw her put a knife under her pillow. Haymitch did the same thing, and it was clear they both had for the same reasons. Her eyes found his. "It just makes me feel safer."

"I understand." he shook his head. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. Ever."

A small, yet sad, smile went across her face. "You guys are gonna do great. The Capitol, they love you."

"They love you too." Peeta pointed out knowingly. "Enough to let you come on tour with us."

"It won't look good." Zoya argued slightly, the dim lamp making her dark eyes have a glisten of auburn to them. She still had that chilling, almost terrifying radiance to her. Peeta found Zoya ridiculously scary the first time he met her, never feeling so intimidated in his life. But that's what she wanted everyone to feel, let them know that the games did change her but not in the way they actually did. She wanted them to see that it put up walls, turned her into someone as tough as they came. She didn't want them to know she cried herself to sleep most nights, how she woke up with nightmares, the fact that she had to sleep with a knife to make herself feel better.

"When will we be in Five?" Peeta asked her. "If we leave tomorrow."

"Five days at the most." Zoya nodded, sitting down on the bed. It was clear no one had ever stayed in here, the bed cold and lonely. "Then i'll meet you both at the capitol when it's over, for the party."

"You get to come to that?" Peeta asked her with a faint smile.

"I do." she nodded her head. "You might not recognize me."

"Uh-oh." he pulled a comical look.

Zoya grinned. "Just look for either a lot of leather or a lot of glitter. That's what they dress me in usually."

"I like it." Peeta cracked her a grin, looking out the window at his own house. "You'll see me before you have to leave?"

"Of course." she promised him. "Then again in five days."

"Then the capitol." Peeta walked closer toward her. "I'm seeing you more in the next two weeks then I have in the past six months."

The sad truth.

"It'll roll over one day." she promised him, looking up as he stood infront of her now from where she sat.

"The capitol or us?" he asked. Did she mean the capitol would over time forget about Katniss and Peeta and him and Zoya could see each other more often without a scandal and rumors spreading? Or did she mean the both of them would simply let the other go when it got old having to wait on the other for months at a time for just one day together?

When Zoya didn't say anything, he knew she meant the second option.

Peeta leaned down to kiss the crown of her head. "Goodnight, Zoya."

Her hand didn't leave his until he was completely out of reach, leaving her in the cold and lonely room.

•

kylie speaks

district 8 is gonna riot
soon and someone better
have a "let zoya and peeta
be endgame" sign.