Welcome to the 2nd Annual Hunger Games

[peeta_bread]

[Peeta is in the kitchen, cracking eggs and measuring flour. But something’s on his mind, and he feels he must do something to clear his conscience.]

Filtered to anyone encountered on arrival
Thank you, for helping me out. I can’t deny that I killed someone, and I’ll live with that for the rest of my life, but you should know the whole story before you judge, if I didn’t already tell you.

I'm from a nation called Panem. In that nation, there is the Capitol, and there were 13 districts. The districts rebelled, but they lost, so the Capitol blew the 13th sky high as a show of power. Ever since then, they've held the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a competition of sorts. Two tributes from each district, a boy and a girl aged between 12 and 18, are selected to take part in the Games. I was one of those tributes.

It's a televised event in which children are forced to kill each other, or be killed. The last one standing wins.

I once said I didn't want the Games to change me, to become a piece of their Games. But they have changed me. It may not count for anything, but I killed that person to save the girl I love.

You can think what you want, but I thought you should know. I would appreciate it if you didn’t go around telling people, though. Obviously, it’s kind of a sensitive area with me. Thanks.
/Filter

 
[There’s a break in between the first filter and the second one in which he cooks for a while, clanging things around as he works. The following filter is thrown out there just in case.]


Filtered to Katniss Everdeen
Are you here?
/Filter

 
[If one were to enter the kitchen right now, they would find it a complete mess. Bread is EVERYWHERE. But don’t try to eat it; it will either be half-done or burnt. A completely frustrated Peeta is taking it out on cakes. Egg shells are scattered across the counters, flour is lightly dusting the surface, a bit of icing lies on the floor. On one counter is a completed cake, all decorated and pretty. It looks something like this: http://www.cabaretsquidoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/985494702_3d5bd9f4cf.jpg . In the middle of the table is a larger, four tier cake. It’s white, a blank canvas, except the small pink rose Peeta just sculpted out of fondant. Peeta himself is covered in flour. It looks like he’s been here for hours.]

I made some cake, if anyone would like some? I’m in the kitchen. Sorry about the mess.

[He pauses, then adds:]

Also, if anyone has a birthday or a wedding coming up… or if you just want a cake, I’d be happy to make you one.

[ooc: Oh so open, in person or over the journals. Also, I apologize for my slowness on the lj tags. If you wanna answer this, but want to play out the arrival more, you can leave a placeholder? :3 ]

Comments

[peeta_bread]

...Really? Uh, thanks. [His tone is a tad skeptical, but happy. Really, Dairine was one of the people he thought hadn't judged him. He'd probably open up to her and a few others.]

Okay, sounds good! [And he'll wait for her in the kitchen, making more fondant flowers for the big cake.]

Shall there be backtagging btw?

[wizard_redfive]

No problem.

[Soon, Dairine walks into the room. And immediately stares.]

Woah. You weren't kidding about the mess.

On LJ? Sure! Sorry I was so slow

[peeta_bread]

[He laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head self-conciously.]

Heh, yeah. Sorry about that. But there's space at the table!

[He hurries over to the cabinets and takes out two plates, two forks, and a knife.]

Is fine. I've been slow lately too.

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine walks over to the table, avoiding bread as she goes, and sits down. She gives the cake an appreciative look.]

Nice. What flavor is it?

[peeta_bread]

It's just white cake.

[He sets the plates on the table and slices a piece off for her, and then him.]

Hope it's good!

[wizard_redfive]

Thanks.

[Dairine smiles. Then using the fork, she stabs off a piece of cake, and takes a bite.]

[peeta_bread]

[Peeta cuts a bit off and pops it in his mouth happily. He looks up, waiting for Dairine's reaction.]

[wizard_redfive]

[After a moment, she gives him a thumbs up and takes another bite. Looks like the cake is Dairine approved.]

[peeta_bread]

[Now he'll just be sneakily edging his fork near her plate in an attempt to steal some of her cake.]

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine sees what he's up to and slides her plate closer to herself. Her cake.]

[peeta_bread]

[He laughs and keeps his fork to himself. He hums happily as he takes another bite of his cake.]

How long have you been here?

[wizard_redfive]

Since November.

[peeta_bread]

Do you like it so far?

[wizard_redfive]

[She snorts.]

Not really.

[peeta_bread]

Has the castle been messing with you a lot?

[wizard_redfive]

Yeah, but no more than anyone else around here. […She thinks.]

[peeta_bread]

I was hoping maybe this place would be a reprieve, but it's just another game. We're the pawns. And I hate it.

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine eats a bit more of the cake as she listens.]

I tend to think of it as both. The castle can be a break from the things we have to deal with a home. For some of us more than others. [She gives him a meaningful look.] But it’s hard to enjoy it when the place keeps toying with us every chance it gets.

[She frowns and stabs a cake piece with more force than necessary.]

Being pawns doesn't mean we have to play willingly.

[peeta_bread]

[Peeta looks up at her, determination in his eyes.]

Right. I'm not just going to give up.

I'm so late ahhh ;_;

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine looks back with an equally determined look and a grin.]

That's the spirit! Now, how about seconds.

[Yes she wants more cake.]

no worries!

[peeta_bread]

[He laughs, cutting her another slice and putting it on her plate.]

I forgot how sweet cake is. I think I'll pass on another, personally.

:)

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine will take the second slice gladly. She's a growing girl after all! (Well, not growing right now. Thanks for nothing, Paradisa.)]

Suit yourself. [It's his cake.]

[peeta_bread]

[He picks up the fondant and begins sculpting it into more flowers for the other cake.]

I don't usually get to eat any of the cake I make, so I'm not used to how sweet it is. I bet they have way sweeter stuff in the Capitol, though.

[wizard_redfive]

Really? Do you sell them then?

[Dairine isn't commenting on the Capitol bit. Half of it is because she's already guessed that that's where most of the power and money is, so of course they would have more delicacies available. The other half… well, it's almost guaranteed to piss her off, and Dairine doesn't really want Peeta to see that side of her.]

[peeta_bread]

Yeah! My dad's a baker, you know, so we have a bakery where we sell everything. My dad...

[He gives a little laugh.]

My dad, he used to slip my and my brothers cookies and my mom would get so mad.

"Those are for the customers, not for them!"

She wouldn't talk to us for hours, but she always forgave us.