A/N: I do not own the Hunger Games. Submitted for Everlark Week II Day 1 on Tumblr Thanks qtoyourbond (mellarks-hotbuns) for her beta assistance
Katniss Everdeen's father died when she was just 4 years old, leaving her family with very little means to survive and forcing her mother to relocate her family to a small and poor suburb of Dallas, Texas in an attempt to make ends meet. Katniss quickly learned if she wanted something, she would have to take it.
With hopes that one day, her and her family wouldn't have to struggle in order to survive, Katniss took her schooling very seriously and was the first one in her family to graduate. Unfortunately, with the fall of the economy at the end of World War I, nothing could be done to improve their lifestyle.
Katniss began waitressing but the restaurant she worked at fell victim to the Great Depression and had to close down.
It was during this time when she was working for her neighbor Madge, who'd had a broken arm, that she met Peeta Mellark.
Immediately, she was taken by him with his beautiful blue eyes and curly blonde hair. He was quite charming and Katniss laughed easily around him. Anyone could tell Peeta was equally smitten with her. They would cast salacious looks at one another from across the room. Their lingering kisses suggested they weren't aware of the presence of the others in the room.
Over the next few weeks they were inseparable, holding hands, talking, laughing, one never far behind the other.
Peeta admitted to Katniss that he too came from a poor family. Peeta had been taught by his brother Rye to take what he wanted. He also confessed to her that he was wanted for burglary. Having a similar background, Katniss understood. Still, she was utterly devastated by his incarceration. Katniss visited Peeta every day and every night she struggled with sleep, missing the warmth of his arms.
Despite being smart and beautiful, Katniss wasn't able to find new employment and she didn't want to wait 2 years for Peeta to be released. Peeta explained to Katniss that he knew a way to get out but he would need a gun. Katniss brought one with her on her visit the next day, slipping the gun to him carefully underneath the table.
Peeta was grateful for Katniss' love and his freedom but he worried for her safety. Some days he wondered if it would be best to just let his heart break and leave her but then he'd remember how it was like missing a limb just to be separated by a cell.
He suggested it to her once but she just smiled and shook her head. "You're willing to be taken down together?" he asked.
"Together," she agreed.
Peeta's freedom was short lived and he was sent back to jail in Ohio where he stayed for 2 years. Katniss wasn't able to visit him as often this time since she was staying with her mother in Dallas, Texas. They still exchanged letters though. Peeta tried to convince Katniss to move on telling her she deserved better and that if she stayed, she would never be free. Katniss was stubborn and once again replied telling Peeta he was stuck with her.
When Peeta was finally released, they spent the night wrapped in eachother's arms, their lips melded together. Katniss let the fire coursing through her body consume her as Peeta buried himself in her.
Not much changed in the nights that followed over the next two weeks. Still struggling to survive on a day to day basis, they decided to meet Finnick and took off in a stolen car.
Katniss joined Peeta and Finnick on a bank robbery for the first time and although she stayed in the car, she was the one captured and spent two months in jail. Finnick and Peeta robbed a general store during this time. It was meant to be a quick and easy robbery but the store owner called their bluff, fighting back and Peeta was forced to shoot him.
When Katniss was released, Peeta for the third and final time gave Katniss the option to walk away. Peeta wouldn't allow himself to go back to prison and if Katniss stayed she was sure to greet death soon. With the Great Depression hanging over their heads, they were bound to die either way. Katniss chose once again to stay with Peeta.
Katniss and Peeta continued on the run, robbing banks with Peeta killing those that stood in their way. They took advantage of the knowledge that the police could not pursue a criminal across state borders. Peeta would steal a new car frequently and change the license plates even more frequently. This aided them in their escapes along with Peeta's ability to navigate the back roads, which he learned from studying maps.
After some time Peeta and Katniss were joined by Cato Jones, someone Peeta knew from his childhood. Cato convinced Peeta to let him come along, despite being only 16. After another police officer is killed, the trio met Peeta's brother Rye and his new wife Delly in an apartment in Missouri. They spent two weeks living a somewhat normal life chatting, laughing and playing cards.
Katniss pulled Peeta into their bedroom one night planning to make good use of the bed. Peeta didn't hesitate when Katniss pulled his head down and crashed her lips into his. Katniss unbuttoned Peeta's shirt as his arms slid around her waist deepening the kiss. Peeta slid his tongue across her lower lip begging for entry. Katniss opened her mouth and sucked on his tongue before pushing back with hers as he unbuttoned her dress. Peeta pushed her dress off her shoulders, his hands following the fabric down her back, pulling her body flush with his so she could feel his erection when he reached her ass. She moaned breaking their kiss for the first time and trailed kisses up his jawline towards his ear where she lightly nibbled the flesh underneath it. Peeta lifted up her body and carried her to the bed where he layed her down kissing her deeply. He pulled back, kneeling on the bed, her body perfectly centered between him and gazed at her perfect form. Slowly, he trailed firm, wet kisses down her neck to her chest where he lightly kissed her nipple before tracing it with his tongue, making the circles bigger each time until he reached the edge of the ariola before taking as much of her breast into his mouth at once while he palmed her other breast. When he pulled back he blew gently, causing her nipple to pucker and sending a chill all the way to her core. He repeated the movements on her other nipple, massaging her ribs with his hands before continuing his oral massage down her stomach. When he reached he center he blew a hot breath just over her clit as his hands kneaded her hips. She let out a small whimper but he did not give in just yet. He sat back on his knees, grabbing her foot, placing a small kiss on her instep and dragged his teeth up her leg from ankle to knee before exploring each inch of her thigh with his tongue. Once again he duplicated the movements on her other leg before reaching her center where he pressed a soft kiss to her clit. Slowly, he ran his tongue along her slit, back and forth, increasing the pressure with each pass. He slipped one finger inside her massaging her walls until he found the spot that made her cry out. He removed his finger and entered again with two as he continued his assault. Katniss was no longer in control of her moans and her hips bucked up to him on their own accord. Peeta splayed his hand out across her stomach in an attempt to hold her still. No longer able to contain her need, Katniss reached down, grabbing a handful of Peeta's curls, bringing his head up to hers where she captured his mouth with her own. Katniss could taste herself on Peeta's tongue and it only increased her desire. Finally, Peeta pressed his cock into her, thrusting slowly as she dragged her nails down his back. They swallowed each other's moans and whispered confessions of love as they slowly climbed to euphoria. When Peeta could feel Katniss wound tight, he slipped a hand between them rubbing her clit until she screamed out his name. Peeta followed soon after grunting Katniss' name into her hair.
Their bliss was short lived when the police came snooping around the apartment under suspicion of illegal gin brewing. Delly, who had been raised by a preacher and only made the trip in hopes of convincing Peeta to turn himself in, was terrified that the police would take them all and she ran out frantically screaming. Her actions forced the gang to flee, leaving one policeman dead and another wounded. Katniss was very angry at Delly. They may have never been found out if it weren't for Delly's overreaction to the officer's arrival.
All the protection Peeta had hoped he was giving Katniss by keeping her from personally committing murder was naught when the police found the camera. Rye had used to take pictures of the gang and developed the photos. The papers released a picture of Katniss holding a gun in which they named her the cigar smoking moll of the Mellark gang. There were a few pictures of Katniss and Peeta each posing with a gun and another of Peeta holding Katniss in her arms, along with a poem Katniss wrote. These findings coupled with their escape made the gang more popular thus increasing the bounty on their heads.
They were forced to steal cars and change license plates more frequently now just barely able to keep out of the laws reach.
The Mellark gang did still make frequent trips to Dallas, TX to visit their families which the police were not aware of. Katniss couldn't stand to be away from her mother and Prim for very long. Peeta happily obliged. She had agreed to stay with him after all. If this was all she wanted, then she could have it.
It was on their way out of Texas that it happened.
Peeta wasn't aware of the construction being done at the end of the bridge they were driving on. He didn't have time to stop the car by the time he saw the dead end and he drove it over the edge of the bridge. The car rolled down the embankment, catching fire when it reached the bottom and pinned Katniss beneath it. Peeta, Rye and Cato were unable to lift the car off of her. Peeta was sure this was it. This was how the life he had dragged her into would kill her. Katniss looked up to Peeta and said "Stay with me"
"Always," Peeta said. Cato went to find help and came back with two local farmers. The five of them were able to free Katniss. They made their way back to Prim's where Peeta, Delly and Prim nursed Katniss and her leg the best they could. Katniss did pull through but her leg would never be the same again.
Having enough information about the Mellark gang, the law finally began to catch up with them. Rye was hit badly and knew he wouldn't make it. Peeta he hesitated not wanting to leave his brother but Rye hugged him tight, instructing Peeta to save his girl. Peeta promised he would and left with Katniss and Cato to save himself knowing there was no hope for his brother. Delly stayed with Rye till the end. The police caught her a few days later, still next to Rye, who was already dead.
The remaining trio of the Mellark gang managed to make a few more robberies. They were a little more careful as even local citizens could recognize them now. They lived in their car to avoid the townspeople.
Cato Jones was captured and told the police everything he could in hopes that the law would go easy on them. He informed the police about Katniss and Peeta's frequent home visits to see their families.
This knowledge would seal their fate.
The police set up an ambush near their families homes. Katniss and Peeta drove straight into the trap. It wasn't till they stopped the car, that they realized they were finally greeting their death. There was no time for last 'I love you's or 'goodbyes'. No time to share one last kiss or even grab their guns. Before their lives could even begin to flash before their eyes, their bodies, along with the Ford V-8 they were driving was filled with bullets.