Of course, no musical would be without some romantic duet. In the Hunger Games, we’re all aware that the main relationship is between Katniss and Peeta. Sure Peeta might be deeply in love with Katniss since he was a young boy. This to the point that when he and Katniss are tributes in the Hunger Games, he figures that he stands no chance of winning because there’s no way he’d be able to kill her. So he might as well do what he can so she can survive. Yet, while Katniss certainly does have feelings for him, she’s most likely not aware of it for a good chunk of the series. This is probably because Katniss swore never to marry or have a family and for two very good reasons. First, she doesn’t want to be a parent on Reaping Day, which is self-explanatory. Because if your kid is reaped there’s a 23 to 1 chance that they won’t come back and you’ll have to see them violently die on national television. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Second, when Katniss was 11, her coal miner dad died in an explosion which caused her mom to break down completely that she had to grow up quickly and provide for her family. And it’s because of this, she believes love is a weakness that she’s so reluctant to admit she’s falling in love with Peeta. Even when the two of them start sleeping together during the Victory Tour and Quell training. She also believes that she doesn’t deserve him.

A good song I thought would be a duet for them would be “This Night” by Billy Joel from his Innocent Man album. It’s one of those love songs which is lovely but not very cheesy to the point of annoyance. Besides, it pertains to two people falling for each other even though they decided not to get incredibly serious for fear that they’d screw everything up. In the Hunger Games version, I had it set with the two of them on the beach during the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire which ends with the two sharing a kiss and him telling her that she’s his whole life. And it really seems to them that this might be the last time they’d be together like this.

 

“This Night” (Hunger Games Edition)

Sung by Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen

 

Peeta Mellark:

Didn’t you say

That you weren’t going for romance

Didn’t we promise

We would only be friends

 

And so we played on

With our charade of a romance

I started breaking my promises

Right there and then

 

Didn’t we swear

There would be no complications

Didn’t you want

Someone you’ve known long time before

 

Now that you’re here

It’s not the same situation

Suddenly I don’t remember the rules anymore

 

This night is mine

It’s only you and I

Tomorrow

Is a long time away

This night can last forever

 

Katniss Everdeen:

I’ve been around

Someone like me should know better

Falling in love

Would be the worst thing I could do

 

Didn’t I say

I didn’t want to be like my mother

After my father died you wouldn’t know

What I’ve been through

 

How many nights

Have I been lonely without you

I tell myself

How much I really don’t care

 

How many nights

Have I been thinking about you

Wanting to hold you

But knowing you would not be there

 

This night

You’re mine

It’s only you and I

I’ll tell you

To forget yesterday

This night we are together

 

Both:

This night

Is mine

It’s only you and I

Tomorrow

Is such a long time away

This night can last forever

 

Tomorrow

Is such a long time away

This night can last forever