Peeta Mellark had been in love with Katniss Everdeen for 4 years now. He had even admitted to having a crush on her in an interview before they were sent into the Hunger Games. Her reaction revoked the possibility of them ever being anything more than friends. She had shattered his heart in more ways than she could imagine.
He however made her believe that they could remain good friends. Now that they were in the Hunger Games, he hoped that he could prove to her how much he actually cared for her.
Katniss Everdeen, was taken aback when her little sister had been picked to represent district 12. She volunteered as a tribute to take Primrose's place in the Hunger Games. She was determined to return home to her mother and sister, even if that meant killing her equals.
She had promised her sister that they wouldn't pick her, and yet they did and now she had to fight for her survival. Her partner Peeta wasn't as determined to win. His mother didn't treat him properly. The only thing he had to return back to, was his father. Katniss felt bad about the fact that Peeta thought that she had a chance of winning, while he didn't.
Now that they were a team, they had to help each other.
Katniss returned to the cave they found with four dead squirrels to feast on. "I hope you like burnt squirrels." She chuckled. Peeta just smiled and nodded yes. After they ate, Katniss laid down to get some rest.
"Katniss, are you awake?." Peeta whispered, not wanting to scare her. She turned around to look at him. "Yeah. What's on your mind?." She asked him. "What if... What if we die here? I can't help but think that we might never leave this ratchet place." He said. "Peeta, you have to try to stay positive. Its the only thing we have left. You just have to think about one good reason as to why you want to win." She answered.
"If I won, then that would mean that my reason for winning would be gone forever." He said while feeling his eyes fill up with tears at the thought of losing her forever, even if she would never feel the same about him.
She tilted her head towards her right, trying to avoid eye contact with him. "Peeta...". "I know...I know. Trust me I know." Even though he knew she would respond negatively, he had some hope left, but now he lost it completely.
The next morning Peeta got up way earlier than Katniss, attempting to avoid her even though it was inevitable. He went to lake near by and filled up, both his and Katniss' flask. By the time he went back to the cave, Katniss was awake.
"I got you some water. Are you hungry? I can hunt." Peeta suggested. "Thank you for the water. And sure, I'd like something to eat." She smiled and her stomach grumbled. He grabbed the biggest rocks around the cave. He took off his jacket and laid the rocks on it, and left the cave to hunt.
After an hour he returned with two squirrels and a bird. "This is all I could find." He said laying the squirrels and bird on the ground. "Its great. I'll set a fire." Katniss said smiling at him, with her pleasant eyes. He half smiled back bitterly.
He was broken, and couldn't care less if he died right then and there. "Well, I have to go." He said turning towards the exit. "Where are you going?." She asked concerned while rising to her feet. "Do you care?." He snapped back at her.
"That's not fair Peeta. You know that I care about you as my friend." "Yeah, well that's not good enough. I'm going to find what's left of district 1, and 5. If I'm lucky enough you'll have one less friend sooner rather than later." He yelled and left the cave.
She was startled at how mean and mad he was. After snapping back to reality, she chased after him. "No!." She shouted out to him. "I won't let you die!." She continued. "Either way one of us has to die. We both know that I would never hurt you. So you'd have to kill me." He yelled back stopping still in his tracks.
"What you're doing now, trying to get killed is hurting me!." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. He felt his heart break for the hundredth time. Seeing her cry was unbearable. "Don't cry." His voice soft and soothing as he walked towards her. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs while cupping her face in his hands.
"I can't lose you too." She sniffed. "You won't." He assured her. He kissed her cheek feeling her heart beat slow down from racing. "Am I interrupting?." A cold sarcastic voice Cato was standing armed and ready for the thrill of the kill.
Katniss and Peeta took fighting positions. "So, who wants to go first? That's right! You don't get a say." He finished lunging for Katniss, and grabbing her. "Let her go, or I swear to god." Peeta threatened. "Swear what? If I don't kill her, you're gonna have to. There can only be one victor remember?."
The venom in the other boy's voice voice pained Peeta. He knew that Cato was right. Sooner or later Katniss would have to kill him, because he'd never hurt her. That is, if Cato didn't slay both of them. Katniss struggled under the man's strong arms, trying to get free of his hold on her.
"Just...Just kill me instead of her." Peeta begged. The boy laughed at the fact that Peeta was desperately and madly in love with this girl. Peeta's eyes became teary again, because his worst nightmare , something that he would never wish upon his worst enemy was about to happen to him. He was about to lose everything.
The boy from district 5 tightened his arm around Katniss' neck, slightly choking her. His action made her even more desperate for air. Peeta started walking towards them slowly. "Come any closer and I will make her suffer even more until she dies." Peeta growled like a lion.
Katniss knew that she was about to die. But she wasn't just gonna die, she was gonna break the promise she had made Primrose before she was taken. Peeta lunged towards Cato. He released his grip on Katniss, falling backwards to the ground. Peeta grabbed his shirt and kept smashing his head to the ground. The last tribute from district 5's skull cracked.
Peeta left the boy's body and ran to Katniss who was startled. "Are you okay? You're safe now." He reassured her, while pulling her into his arms. She had never been this close to certain death. He pulled her away to look at her face. That was when she realized that this one boy, had risked his life for her, that he'd rather die than let anything bad happen to her.
He had become the person he swore he'd never be for her . She shut him down time and time again, and yet there he was saving her from death. An announcement came on; "Attention tributes, the rule that only one tribute can be victorious has been suspended. Two people can win if the originate from the same district. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor." Katniss and Peeta looked at each other. They both leaned forward closing the gap between their lips.
Katniss had never kissed a boy on the lips before. She loved the fact that Peeta was her first. Peeta loved every second of kissing Katniss. Her tender lips against his was overwhelming like a dream come true. Peeta got up, and carried Katniss bridal style back to the cave.
He laid her on some jackets that they used as pillows and beds and started attacking her lips. He slowly started kissing down her neck, when he reached her chest. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel pressured to do this." He asked. His voice barely audible. "Peeta, there is a chance that one or both of us doesn't go home. Its the only chance we'll get." Katniss had never kissed a boy, let alone have him make love to her. He nodded, and kissed her lips one more time before he moved on to making love to her.
A few hours later, Katniss awoke after they made love, only to find Peeta holding her as close to him as possible. He ran his hand through her braided hair. "The only one left is Marvel from district 1." Peeta stated. "We should end this. Find him, and kill him. Either way his partner is dead, he can't win." Katniss replied. "Yeah, and then we can finally go home and live our lives like normal people." Peeta said as if it was a dream that they just couldn't reach. "Peeta?." "Yeah Katniss?."
"Do you want to still be with me if we make it outta here alive?." Katniss asked curiously. Peeta smiled widely. "Katniss, I've wanted to be with you, since your hand shot up, when our teacher asked if anyone knew the Valley Song."
Katniss chuckled. She had completely forgotten about that. "That was so long ago, you geek." She said jokingly. "It was 4 years ago." Peeta said skeptically. "I can't believe you remember that." Katniss said looking up at Peeta. "Well I can't believe you forgot that." Peeta smiled down at Katness. They kissed once again, before getting dressed and prepared to kill Marvel. Katniss got her bow and arrows, while Peeta grabbed heavy rocks.
They found a tent a few miles away and a burning fire. "He must be inside." Peeta stated. "I'm gonna go check inside." Added Peeta. "Be careful Peeta." Katniss said worriedly. He nodded and headed towards the tent.
When he entered the tent, he found spears and pikes stashed away, under some clothes. He looked around but there was no sign of Marvel. Peeta noticed that there were blood stains on the ground. Peeta figured that the blood was fresh, and might lead them to Marvel. He went back to Katniss and told her what he found.
"Maybe someone already killed him." Katniss suggested. "We would have heard the cannon though right?." Peeta said, trying to put the pieces of what happenend together. "I don't know, I guess we should keep looking." She replied. They exchanged a tense look and took off. They found more blood towards the center of the island.
Marvel's lifeless body lay there, still on top of a pool of blood. Katniss gasped and hugged Peeta tightly. "I guess that's it then." Peeta said sounding releved. "We won." Katniss stated with a sigh.
A second announcemet went on; "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen! The star crossed lovers from district 12!. Congratulations." Katniss looked at Peeta and kissed him. The shuttle would be there shortly to escort them home.