I know this is a mess waiting to happen but I really want some good Prim and Rory fics, if you have any let me know
Anyway
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Primrose Everdeen swayed lightly, in a sense of complete bliss. The sunlight had seared a hole in the clouds and made a silken ring over her patch of flowers she was currently floating among.
The weightlessness in her face, in her feet, was one of the magic of childhood. Despite the jutting pain of an empty stomach, the chill in her toes seeping through her scuffed boots, she was not weighted down in her own wonderland of newborn blossoms.
She scooped down to gently tug the stem of one of the flowers, one of silky pink glory, with petals that trembled with the softest puffs of her breath. She smiled, inhaling it's soft beauty and felt around the crown of golden gossamer that was braided in a ring around her head. Finding an patch without an adornment of flora, she gently wove the flower, face open to the world, into her plait crown.
She had no other luxury to use to enhance the angelic beauty she possessed, but today was important. Today Katniss would be returning from her woodland adventures with Gale early, to pump a bath, scrub the filth off her face and loosen the moss from her signature braid. Today, Katniss would actually wear a dress, she'd scrape the worst of the hair from her legs and allow Prim to do whatever pleased her young self with her hair. Yes today was a very special day.
The occasion? The mayor's daughter was to be married. Not only had Prim managed to slip into her good graces through her charm and gifting of Lady's milk when her father's mistress fell ill, but the mayor's daughter was in the favor of two special Capitol ladies, who were delighted with her engagement and demanded to plan the reception and cover the expenses. Cover the expenses. Unheard of. Marriage was no elaborate event in District 12, with the lack of pretty much everything but hunger and too many connections and therefore too many mouths to feed with a large party. But Graclyn, the daughter, was to have a party of the century in their little District and promised to feed all who were invited.
So Prim was on cloud 9 when she was personally invited and informed of the food, music and dancing. She had never seen anything like it.
She chose a sky blue bloom next, and then another pink. She was just floating with anticipation.
Little did the young girl know, she was being watched.
Rory Hawthorne has been on his way towards the fence to wait on Gale so he could get some help with the comb and grease. But he happened across a golden haired nymph and now he was dumbly staring at her through a prickly shrub.
As always, she was glorious. His little preteen heart bounced with joy as he watched her drift among the blossoms, an expression of peace and happiness spilling over her porcelain cheeks and doll lips. Her golden locks were braided around her head and she was tucking flowers into them. His mouth dried as she twirled, her already too tight and short day dress fluttering out and exposed her milky thighs. She was just the most incredible girl of all of the Seam. She was dancing with herself, carefully avoiding crushing any baby blossoms under a worn boot. She had a melody of her own in her head, the melody that fluttered through her skin, over her face, down her arms and down to her dainty feet. She was a picture of ethereal innocence to Rory.
An incarnation of light in a coal tarnished world.
She paused her light footed skips and twirls long enough to pull a wild strawberry out from under the brush, a leftover from the last growing season. It was no good to eat but she opted to break off the end and stain her perfectly shaped lips for the celebration. Rory was entranced.
She began her dancing again, swirling the blossoms up to dance with her. Strands of sunlight fell from the woven crown around her face but it only added to the airy appearance of her. Prim glowed in the light, basking in it's warmth.
Rory swallowed. She was too perfect, too pure for such a destructive world as the one they lived in. He watched a soft, perfectly formed blossom tumble from her arrangement and get pressed into the ground underfoot. Unnoticed but ruined and gone. He feared she would suffer the same fate.
Prim was not worrying about her ultimate demise and destruction as a blossom in a world of acidic thorns. She was cambreing with the clouds, turning with the tides in the oceans she'd never seen, swaying with the sunset.
Neither of the young souls noticed their largest providers approaching. Rory had made it out lucky, with Katniss having opted to walk towards him, with him out of sight, rather then up behind him. She found Prim in her daze and paused long enough to enjoy seeing the joy and relaxation in Prim's features. Rory, was not, however, lucky in the sense that Gale had chosen to take the other path and came up behind Rory, saw the scene ahead of him and grabbed Rory by the scruff, dragging him upward.
Katniss had pulled Prim back down to earth by then, pulling a soft blue ribbon she'd traded three rabbits for, a silken luxury for her sister to enjoy at the wedding reception today. Gale approached, dragging Rory by the collar. Prim was too enraptured in her newest prize to notice either of them. Katniss was pleased that her work had paid off in the happiness it brought Prim.
"Alright Catnip, Rory and I are going to go get cleaned up, we will be back in an hour or so."
Katniss eyed the odd pair with amusement but said nothing and headed for the washtub.
Prim glided after her, while Rory strained his neck back to watch her disappear into the house after her sister.
—
Katniss patted her now somewhat hairless legs dry. Prim had lain out an old olive green dress she'd dug up in Hazelle Hawthorne's box of belongings, one too snug around the top for her body after three boys and carrying a fourth child now and was glad to be freed of the garment, another memory of her late husband was woven into much of the material of her old things.
She pulled it over head, discouraged by the exposure of the v between her breasts. It sucked tight around the top, cut low and fluttered around her legs. It was nothing of a Capitol frock but it was still too nice for Katniss to feel comfortable in. She was glad Gale and Rory were accompanying her and Prim. A dress like this could attract unwanted attention.
Prim slipped into the room quietly, not quietly enough for her hunter sister not to pick up on her, but smooth and small as she always was. She wore a dress of thin grey, brought lively with the bright wrap of sky blue around her waist, tied in a small bow at the back. Katniss had chosen the length correctly. She looked like a little fairy, glowing against the grey, with a halo of her golden locks and it's decoration of fresh blossoms. Katniss soaked up the sight, embracing her sister snugly and using sweet words to express the beauty she was seeing. Prim was just glad to have Katniss with her, safe and not running through the dangerous woodlands around them.
Prim twisted two front bits of Katniss' hair back, leaving most of the messy waves loose and left it at that. They brought out the soft leather soled slippers they used only on rare occasion. Prim's own were too tight to even fit half of her foot in so she got Katniss' set, a fair fit. Katniss took her mother's, seeing as she wouldn't be leaving the house. They were far to large but Katniss pushed scraps of fabric from the curtains into the toes to snug them properly.
It was then that Gale rapped on the door, slipping in with Rory waiting outside. He wore a fitted blue button down, no doubt a remainder of his own father and his cleanest pair of dark work pants. He drank in Katniss' suddenly feminine appearance, taking her hand and speaking softly to her. Katniss was vaguely confused but paid it no mind, only thanked him, returned the compliments and pulled Prim along with her with her free hand.
When Primrose stepped out from the door into the chill, Rory's mouth dropped open. She was every bit as much as the goddess he'd spied on earlier but more. Her developing figure was draped and cinched in soft grey, with blue popping from her eyes and waist. She wore soft slippers and the heat of the fire inside had brought a fresh rosiness to her cheeks.
Gale rolled his eyes and pushed his younger brother's jaw back upward as he walked along, keeping close to Katniss, a new protectiveness with bringing two clean, well dressed females out into such a slum as the Seam. They crossed outward into the Merchant's Section, where a large tent had been raised to host the party. They walked alongside many others, and Katniss and Gale both breathed sighs of relief in the fact that their clothing matched the style and formality of the others.
They entered the tent and Prim's heart burst in joy.
Loops of flower garland swelled everywhere, light glowed from strange bulbs, musicians flaring out with lively music. The setup pulsated with the beat and the fragrance of both flowers and food chocked the air. Gale whistled slightly and gripped Katniss by the waist. She did nothing to fight him, only leaned against him, already uncomfortable and overwhelmed. They were all whisked down to a table, clattering with more food for each individual then they saw in a week. Rory hid two bread rolls in his large pockets, prepared to sneak them home for his brother and mother.
Katniss and Gale watched amused as Prim sponged up everything. It was more then she could have every dreamt of. Perhaps it was nothing in the Capitol, but to a small, Seam raised girl, this was the most incredible event she'd ever attended.
The food melted easily into their stomachs, everyone around them forced as much down as they could get down. The sudden change in diet likely wouldn't settle correctly later but the richness, the unheard of flavor, the promise of a full stomach pushed aside all worries.
Katniss grinned as Prim discovered things including sweet cream, large quantities of butter, and her personal favorite, cake. Prim allowed wonder, amazement and peace to spread over her seamless features, barely hearing the Capitol women giving their speech while everyone ate.
The frenzy slowed to a stop and the champagne was passed out. Katniss snagged the entire bottle, pinning it between her legs under the fancy table cloth and eyeing Rory and Prim who were very intrigued by both the carbonated fizz and the idea of being included in such an adult activity as toasting and drinking. Before the toast even started, Katniss swallowed her glass, refilling it quickly with her taken bottle. She would need the alcohol if she was going to handle the over excitement the cluttered the tent.
The toasting was quick and the kids sipped their glasses. Gale laughed as Rory winced at the flavor and Prim raised her brows in surprise at the bubbles that stung her tongue and gathered warmly in her belly. She quickly downed the rest and accepted a refill from a passing server. The music roared up again and the group gathered around the open space soon filled with all sorts of strange dance moves but Prim was quick to join, with the confidence of adrenaline and champagne. Katniss and Gale opted to sway on the perimeter together, keeping an eye on their siblings.
Prim's hair fluttered looser and a few blossoms flew out but she was in her own world. A full belly, music, a new sash, she had everything she could ever want.
Rory awkwardly stood watching his sun beam twirl and swish around the crowd.
The youngest Mellark boy, who was much bolder then his elder brother, while they were both interested in the Everdeen girls, approached Prim. He tapped her shoulder lightly, offered his hand and off they went. Waltzing, swaying, they were a messy partnership but they were in fits of happiness. Graham had the girl he was very much interested in in his arms, she glowed, giggled and met his eyes while they tripped over each other.
Prim was overjoyed to have a dance partner that wasn't flowers, one that was respectful, clean and smelled of yeast and honey.
The pair swiveled around the other people on the floor, their movements becoming more natural, more matched up. They fit small snippets of conversation in between heavy breaths and twirls.
Prim discovered this boy lived in the merchant's section, with his family and they ran the bakery. That would explain the scent of bread.
Graham already knew who Prim was, where she was from, because his older brother, who was sulking over his glass opposite Gale and Katniss, was very much invested in Prim's wild older sister.
He smiled as Prim spun back into him, the fragrance of her flower woven hair overtaking his senses. He smiled at the doe eyes that peered at him through blonde lashes and lips that parted with her panting.
Rory glared holes in his back, frustrated with not being quick enough to snap up Prim. He ducked out of the tent and went to settle outside.
Gale, while obsessed with his hunting partner who was swaying against his chest, had been keeping an eye on Rory as always and had some concerns with Rory having snuck away from the celebrations into the night.
He pulled Katniss back.
"Rory just went to sulk outside, I'll be back in a moment."
Katniss, distressed from the sudden lack of warmth and contact calmly replied with "I'll come with you."
Gale threw a thumb over his shoulder towards the dance floor.
"Keep an eye on Prim."
Katniss turned to watch her baby sister shimmering alongside one of the merchant children, a boy around Prim's age. They danced, laughed and enjoyed the glory of such an event.
Katniss had a sneaking suspicion that this had something to do with Rory's sudden exodus.
She grinned on as she watched two young souls, just young enough to avoid reaping as they ignored the poverty and sullen darkness of their daily lives and focused on the task at hand.
She wished she could live in the moment as well as they could.
The music slowed and Gale returned with Rory, who was still sulking but had agreed to stay within eyesight.
The party was coming to a close but the pari continued to dance until the music stopped entirely, the attenders clapped and the bride and groom were sent off back into their new home.
Graham bowed dramatically in Capitol fashion to elicit a laugh from her and he kissed the top of her hand softly before he walked away to his still glaring brother.
Prim beamed and fluttered over to Gale and Katniss.
The pair were joined at the hip again and welcomed her into the shelter of their arms.
They exited the tent with Rory tailing them.
Prim's hair was almost entirely released from it's updo and she glistened with sweat but she had an ear to ear grin and a full belly.
Katniss held her close. "Did you enjoy it little duck?" She joked.
Prim laughed and nodded, the rosy swell in her cheeks spreading down her neck.
Gale rubbed her back. "So who was the boy Prim?"
Prim shook her head. "One of the baker's boys, Graham."
The elder pair picked up on the fact that that was all she wished to speak of it and moved the topic to the food, to the dress of Graclyn.
Rory scuffed the toe of Gale's old dress shoes behind the trio. He had no ability to compete with a boy who had access to a supply of food.
They approached the Everdeen household, Gale stole a kiss to Katniss' cheek and Katniss laughed, pulling Prim behind the door with her.
Prim stuck her head back out and squeaked a "Bye Rory!" out with a blown kiss.
Rory chocked as the door shut.
Maybe he had a chance after all.
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Yeah that was no bueno. Review please!