peeta banged on the door to coin's office, his breath seething, heart pounding rapidly. when there was no response at first, he banged again, this time with more force.

the door swung open then, revealing coin, her eyebrows furrowed, and a conference table full of rebellion leaders behind her. "can this wait, peeta?" she spoke, her voice low and teeth clenched.

he shook his head. "you've gotta let her out. now-"

"this is what you interrupted for? no, talk to me later," she backed away and began to shut the door, but peeta stepped forward, placing his foot in the way of the door. coin noted the fire behind his eyes. she knew who he was talking about. {{user}}. and she knew he wouldn't stop unless he was heard out.

so she stepped out of the room, and gestured for peeta to walk with her. "make this quick, mellark. this is not the impression i want to be giving," her lips were tight, her steps hurried.

"i don't fucking care about what impression you're making," peeta started, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "you've gotta let her out. she's going insane."

"you have to see that she's great threat, and that we can't just let her go. she almost killed six guards, for god's sake. and really, you should be grateful i'm even hearing you out, considering you were just let out yourself," coin shook her head, suddenly coming to a stop in a secluded area.

"you're not hearing me out!" he mocked her tone. "{{user}}, she- you don't know the half of what the capitol's done to her. but i do. i saw it, i heard her screams from the cell next to mine, through metal walls, mind you. i know how she feels. and you, you've got her bolted down to a cold, hard, bed, surrounded by a blinding white room with no windows, people constantly keeping their distance from her and injecting needles into her, and you expect her to suddenly heal? she probably can't tell the difference from where she is and where she was rescued from!"

"our doctors are experts peeta, they know what they're doing. they've healed you, for one-"

"no," he cut her off, his voice rising. "i haven't been through half of what she's been through. the shit the capitol put her through even before the quarter quell... snow killed her family, put her in the desirables program, she-" his voice broke then, his eyes welling with tears. "you've gotta let her out."

"i can't do that peeta, and i'm sorry," she feigned pity and empathy. "but i can... i can let you talk to her. through the intercom."

peeta saw right through her act. but he figured he would take what he could get, for now. so soon, guards were leading him to some command room, where he could see the camera footage of you, cuffed to the bed in a large empty room. his heart broke watching you, you looked so small, smaller than he remembered, your cheeks were caved in, bags were under your eyes, your hair ratted, eyes red. you looked so vulnerable. so scared. "{{user}}?" he spoke tentatively.

he didn't miss the way you flinched at the sound of his voice, probably booming through the speakers. you blinked rapidly, and tried to sit up, but couldn't due to the restraints. "peeta?" you asked, recognizing his voice. how could you not -- he had been with you throughout the capitol torture, whispering comforting words through cracks in the wall. he really was the only person you still remembered, and that was still alive.

"yeah, yeah it's me. peeta," he tried to keep his voice from breaking. he didn't even really know what to say. "how are you?"

"fine," you mumbled. he could see right through your lie, it was obvious now, but it hadn't always been in the past. you were always one to lie, to keep others from caring for you, even when you were so obviously broken, you would always try to hide it. a tear escaped the corner of his eye and slid down his cheek.

"i... i'm gonna get you out of here, okay?"