A/N: I wrote this for the one year anniversary of Mockingjay...and am just now getting it up. Sad, I know. Basically, a bit of an add on to the end of Mockingjay. A summary of how her and Peeta fell in love I guess.
Real
When he asked her, "Do you love me? Real or not real?" it wasn't hard for Katniss to give him an answer. These past few years have changed her.
Before the games, she knew what she wanted. No marriage. No kids. She would just die alone and take care of her Mother and Prim. There were no complications. Other than the Hawthorns, who were basically family, and her real family, she needed no one.
Then her sister's name got drawn in the 74th annual Hunger Games reaping. That's when everything changed. She volunteered for her 12 year old sister. Then, without really meaning to, she became an actual contender. Out of strategy, she became a part of the 'star crossed lovers of district 12'. She got to know Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread. She started to find hidden feelings for her best friend. Everything was changing.
She eventually found herself in a love triangle. She was confused and lost. The simple life style she was trying to live couldn't be found. For a while, she thought that maybe she was in love with Gale. She thought that she could never love Peeta. The only reason he was brought into her life was because of the horrible games and the capitol.
Then, she found herself in the 75th annual Hunger Games, better known for the 3rd Quarter Quell. She was already planning on her death.
Then, more and more lies were being told. They said she was pregnant with Peeta's child, they already were married. But she was fine with the lies this time.
During the Quell, things were different. When she thought Peeta died, it nearly broke her heart. Then when he basically told her to live and be with Gale it was like a dam broke inside of her and all of the feelings she'd been hiding came flowing out into the kiss. Things had changed at that second.
Then Peeta got taken by the capitol. She got taken by the rebels in thirteen. If she was still confused about her feeling, she wasn't anymore. She knew she couldn't live without Peeta. That trying to fix her relationship with Gale would be hard. Because they were different now than they were before the games.
Then Peeta got hijacked. Peeta hated her. She wanted to just give up. But she didn't. And she couldn't. Every day, she could see more and more of the real Peeta.
The war continued. Lives were lost. Boggs, Finnick, Prim...
Prim's was the hardest. Knowing Gale might've been the one to kill her made it harder.
Then the war was over. Peeta, Katniss, Haymitch and others returned to twelve. Slowly but surely things were going back to normal.
As time went on, Katniss and Peeta became closer again. They helped each other get through nightmares. His attacks were becoming fewer and fewer.
Eventually, she realized it was him she loved the whole time. That he was the one who gave her heart a home. He was the dandelion in the spring. He was the one who could always see the good in life, who could give her hope. He was her bright spot on a rainy day.
So it was an easy choice to tell him, "Real."
A/N: So review?
Oh, like many others, I wasn't too happy with her not naming Katniss and Peeta's kids. I've always like Rye of the boy. I know a lot of people use that too. I can just see it on a mini little Peeta though! For the girl, I've always thought it should sound close to Dandelion for some reason. The only thing that sounds some what close is Danella though. Atleast it's pretty!
*Thanks to fanficreader21 and Gizzygirl for reviewing!*