So, here's how it is.
In the Quarter Quell the twist was only one victor was to be reaped and the one reaped was Katniss. Just Katniss, Peeta wasn't there.
Finnick Odair wasn't reaped.
There was no rebellion. Katniss finished the Games fair and square and the Capitol left her alone.
Standard disclaimers apply. Here we go.
And, no, I haven't read Mockingjay yet okay? :)
I wake up with a headache. I don't remember screaming or thrashing, I just come to. Another nightmare. I'm sure of it. I don't remember exactly what I dreamt of but I'm absolutely positive that it was something terrible.
I get up, not even bothering to slip into my house slippers which my mother advised me to wear. I wander the hallways of my house and eventually find myself downstairs. I expect the house to be pitch black; everyone's already asleep. My mother, Prim. I walk to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of chocolate milk which was a concoction made by Peeta, of course. I see light coming from the living room as I walk around some more. I decide to see what it is and surprise myself to see Peeta on the couch watching a rerun of the Games on our TV. He turns around and is shocked to see me.
Why? This is my house right?
"Your mother let me in." He explains. I shrug.
It's not really a big deal finding Peeta in my house in the middle of the night. I actually felt a sense of relief when I saw him. I walk over to him, stand beside the sofa and absent-mindedly drink my milk as I looked at the TV screen. They were showing the Sixty Fifth Hunger Games. Finnick Odair was the victor that year, Effie had told me.
"I heard you screaming." He says to me.
"Huh?" I said dully as his words slowly registered into my sleepy brain,
"Oh yeah." I say and take another sip of my milk.
"Bad dream?" He asks as if he doesn't all ready know.
I nod my sleepy head like a sleepy 5-year-old-girl as I yawn. I see a smile escape Peeta's lips.
"What?" I ask more crankily than I intended as I set down my glass on the end table.
I look at Peeta and his welcoming arms. I take the invitation and sit next to him as I let him put his arm around me. I lay my head on his shoulder, it felt natural to do that. Something about Peeta's arms just calms me down, I feel so foolishly safe when he envelopes me in them.
"Why didn't you come?" I ask him in a hushed voice.
When I had bad dreams I always expected to wake up in Peeta's arms, I don't know why but it just felt good. It made me feel secure.
"Sorry." He says apologetically.
Somehow, I wanted more of an answer than that.
I tilt my head and try to kiss his cheek but I end up kissing him somewhere between his jawline and the lower part of his cheek. I felt him place his lips on my forehead almost immediately after I kissed his 'cheek'. I never knew why but I actually enjoyed these moments with Peeta. These moments made my heart race, it made me forget all the emotional turmoil I've been through and am going through.
I smile of calmness and happiness makes its way to my lips. I put my feet up on the couch and snuggle closer to Peeta.
"Why are you watching this?" I say with that permanent hatred in my voice. I look at the TV screen and see a tribute take a spear straight through his heart. I remember Rue... I turn my head, burying my head on Peeta's chest. He lets out a small laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" I ask again with irritation,
"Wasn't funny when you were the one there." I say.
"Sorry. I just..." He stops, trying to look for better words.
"You need to forget it Katniss." He says to me.
"Easy for you to say. You weren't there two times in a row. You didn't see people killed. Twice." I sit straight, putting a distance between Peeta and me. I honestly don't understand him right now. Isn't the last thing he wants is to relive the games?
"Well, it's over and President Snow is gone." He reminds me.
Oh yeah.
After the 'Victor Games' people, specially people from the Capitol, were so drenched in sorrow that they managed to take out the President and replace him. Nobody knew how but one day it just flashed in out TV screens, that there was a new president; President Claw.
That name annoyed me on so many levels.
"But the Games aren't." I say.
Yes, there is a new president and I heard from Cinna that he's kinder than President Snow. But that doesn't mean that the Games will stop. The Dark Days still happened and the Capitol was still the Capitol.
I sit there trying to decide of I should be happy or disappointed.
"Why is this so easy for you?" I ask him, totally consumed by wonder.
"It's not." He says. That pain would've been expertly hidden from the eyes of anybody else but not from mine. I know Peeta too much to be blind to that kind of thing,
"I'm good with words remember?" He smiles, trying to humor me.
This is Peeta. He was sort of a martyr. He was like Cinna in this, he'd much rather hurt himself than hurt others. That plus his whole undying love for me thing.
"Hn." I smile. No words come out, I was too deep in thought.
I feel like his eyes are on me until I look up at his face to confirm my thoughts. I was right. My eyes meet his. I hold his gaze and he holds mine.
"How come your lashes never tangle?" I look at his blonde eyelashes.
He laughs at my weird question. I let a little laugh out too.
I yawn but I'm not really tired. Well, I guess I am but being with Peeta... I wanted to stay forever.
"I'm just glad that everything's over." Peeta says with genuine relief.
"Me too." I say. No one could be happier about the fact that everything was over more than me. Nope, nobody.
"I bet you are." He says with a smile that somehow manages to comfort me.
"Peeta, promise you'll stay." I suddenly say. I don't know where that came from. It just popped out.
He scoffs as if what I said was a joke.
"Even if you leave." He says. And I know he's referring to Gale.
I frown a little but smile again, for Peeta's sake.
"You know how I feel Katniss." He adds to comfort me.
Yes. I do know how he feels. And he all ready knows how I feel.
"You do too." I say.
He smiles but his eyes look down. The expression on his face was far from what he was really thinking. I knew it.
"So, Peeta Mellark. I really, really do love you." I smile and throw my arms around his neck again.
"Hahaha. And Katniss Everdeen, I really, really, really do love you too." He laughs as he plants a kiss on my forehead. I smile and for a moment I feel completely at peace.
"I wish I could forget." I say, referring to the Games. I honestly do.
"Stop thinking about it then." He says. Right again, Peeta.
"You are good with words." I say enviously. I've always had a part of me that wished for that gift. Caus no matter what I say, the words always come out angry and tangled. While Peeta, he could say exactly the opposite of what he feels.
I suddenly feel the presence of his left arm wrapped around me, protecting me.
"Why don't you sleep again?" Peeta asks me.
"Let the sun rise. I 'wanna stay right here." I say possessively like someone's just 'gonna come and take Peeta away from me. I wrap my arms tight around him.
A second later I feel myself being lifted gently then the next thing I know, I'm sitting on Peeta's lap. I forgot how he has that stocky build.
He looks at me with a smile on his lips and contentment in his eyes. I smile too with the same feeling as him. Suddenly, a shock of electricity runs through my body and I feel my body get hot.
I throw my arms over Peeta's shoulder and around his neck as he looks at me with a melting gaze. He leans in and rests his forehead against mine. We're so close to each other that I can feel his hot breath against my skin.
"Katniss." He whispers my name with a feeling I can't even describe. It was ecstasy. He said those words like he was high from drugs.
I say nothing as I take in the sweetness from his words, and as if I was programmed, my lips suddenly press against his. And he responds of course. There was no lust in the kiss whatsoever, it was pure love. Pure sweetness. It was indescribable. Magical even. And best of all, I knew in myself that it was absolutely real.
We finally break away to catch our breath. And he smiles as he quietly gasps for air. I could tell that he was feeling absolute bliss right now. I was too. This is the realest kiss we've had. Ever. Ever.
I smile as well as I finally catch my breath.
He leans in again as he presses his lips against mine. I entertain the gesture with full pleasure. Weirdly, I was too happy to think straight right now. All doubts disappeared in my mind at that moment. I was finally able to place Gale in that place in my heart where he was my best friend. Just my best friend. I finally, finally, make up my mind.
As we break away for air again I kiss him on the cheek and hug him, never wanting to let go.
"Don't let go. Ever." I say as I feel my skinny arms wrap around him tighter.
"You know I never will." He says in happiness as he wraps his arms around me too.
The sky starts turning purple now, the sun is rising but I'm not letting go. Never.
So there we sit. Hugging each other like this is the last time we'll see each other.
I love Peeta.
And he loves me.