Lovers of District 12
Summary: One-shot series about Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen; includes snippets of books one, two and possibly three. My inner fangirl demanded it. Katniss/Peeta
Book: Catching Fire
WARNING: lots of spoilers in all chapters. For any who have not read the books (since the movies have not caught up just yet), be warned.
The drabbles will be disjointed, with no real plot line, chronological order, updating schedule or other bothersome things. Everything will feature Peeta and Katniss in some way or another, though a few chapters will be about different characters too. This one features Finnick Odair, the handsome boy wonder from District 4.
First Shot
The Joke
Peeta stirs, hearing Katniss call for him. After the monkey attack, he'd been trying to keep awake, but fatigue had gotten the better of him. He'd tried to hide it, but that encounter with the force field had left him very weak.
He opens his eyes, looking for the love of his life and finding two green, strange things leaning over him. A scream erupts involuntarily and he presses closer to the ground just as those above him burst out laughing.
Katniss and Finnick back up, both grinning madly and clutching their aching sides. Covered in medicine as they are, they look like two human sized algae. Peeta blushes and glares, unused to being the butt of the joke when he realizes something.
Finnick reaches out to grab Katniss' shaking shoulder, using her to steady himself as he's laughing too hard to keep his balance. And Katniss? She's giving sweet, rolling peals of merriment, wrapping an arm around Finnick to ground him and help him stay standing.
Despite their time together, this is the first time Peeta has ever seen her really laugh; laugh to the point she needs to wipe away the tears that surge helplessly.
It causes just a bit of dark, insidious jealousy that Finnick is the one who managed to make it happen, but when Katniss disengages from the handsome ex-victor and reaches for him with a beatific smile that quite enhances her features, Peeta couldn't care less.
The Games, his imminent demise to protect Katniss, President Snow, the uprisings, the hushed voices proclaiming it to be time for the rebellion… none of it mattered. He is here with her, she is smiling for him and their hands meet as she gives him an easy hand up. He's loved this woman since he was but a boy and he couldn't help burning the memory of the sun rising at her back as she grins up at him.
"I love you," he wants to say, blushing lightly and returning her smile ever so sweetly, dimpling becomingly. "I love you, I love you, I love you…" he's desperate to tell her, but doesn't for the fear of her running away.
From the way Katniss colors slightly and lowers her gaze, he knows she understood his unspoken mantra. Then her eyes, such lovely gray eyes, come back up and her lips quirk enticingly. His heart skips two beats as, turning, she calls him over her shoulder, beckoning him to follow. He stares at her back for a moment then hurries after her, almost tripping over with his prosthetic leg.
Anywhere. I would follow you anywhere you wanted me to.
Finnick glances between them as Katniss explains the medicine they had been sent via parachute, assessing Peeta's tell-tale blush and Katniss' instant retreat into "lecture mode" rather than face her husband directly. He breaks into a smug, satisfied smirk.
Ah, young love…
The End
Words: 482 (I'm keeping count out of habit, but there's no real limits here.)
Dear Finnick, he was my favorite. Such a handsome, radiant and trustworthy boy. Poor thing, enslaved by the greedy, evil thirst of the President. Sometimes I hated Snow, sometimes I was moderately fond of him.
For the most part, I loathed him.