author's note: hi everyone! i'm stars4redvines and i'm the one bringing you the crackship of peeta x rachel. it is an original pairing (doubt anyone would be as crazy as me.) it's a multi-chapter story and it's set in catching fire of the hunger games. rachel is the same age as peeta. (which i think is seventeen...) also rachel isn't a vegan. it's just too awkward with this story-line.

i will update as much as i can but i will be writing other stories, so i may not update as much as i want. i am not great at writing characters as they would act in their respective fandoms, so i apologize for the oocness of these characters. i hope you enjoy the first chapter of maybe that will kinda make the pain go away.

warning: spoilers for the hunger games. there will be cursing and death. but i think you were expecting that... and yes. i'm writing an angsty peeta. i was shocked too.

disclaimer: i do not own the worlds of glee or the hunger games. i also do not own any characters associated with these fandoms. i do not even own the laptop i'm using to write this story… oh well. :p


She had run. Left. Gone with Him and their families. Left him on his own (He had stopped talking to his family after the Victor comment his mother had made).

Whenever he wasn't training with Haymitch for the Quarter Quell (because he had nothing and no-one to live for), he was sleeping. Except then he would wake up after a dream involving Her. Or Him. Or the Games. And it would happen every night and then he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.

Effie didn't help his mood, tittering on and on about nothing. Stupid bitch, couldn't she see he didn't want to talk about mahogany or his feelings or Her? Guess she didn't. Haymitch was worse. Wouldn't give him any alcohol. Greedy bastard.


On the morning of the Reaping he automatically let Portia and his team dress him up to make him pretty for the public. He sat beside Haymitch and an empty chair and avoided looking at anyone who attempted to catch his eye or give him a sympathetic look. Haymitch reeked of alcohol... White wine to be specific.

He ignored the mayor and Effie attempting to be cheerful towards the miserable crowd. "And now for the male Tribute." Effie chirped, "Haym-"

"I volunteer," he declared.

Everything was silent as she waved him up to the front of the stage. No-one protested. They all knew better after what happened in District 11.

'Which was your entire fault,' a vicious voice (which sounded like Her funnily enough) whispered in his mind. He didn't deny it. He never could deny Her anything.

Then Effie dipped her hand into another glass bowl with only one slip of paper in it. "And for the female Tribute...", Effie announced. 'She's not here' he thought bitterly, 'She won't have to go through it again. Won't have any new nightmares. So why are you even botheri-' And then Effie interrupted his thoughts with the name that would change him forever and for the better, "Rachel Berry!"

He watched as a small girl around his age walked forward and he noticed everything. He noticed how she wasn't surprised to be called or was just a very good actress (He learnt later it was a mixture of both). He noticed how she briefly gripped hands with a Latina girl and a boy with over-gelled hair on her way up.

He especially noticed how she looked that day. How her red dress complimented her tan skin, how long her legs looked, how her nose fitted her face perfectly, how her brunette hair fell down her back like a waterfall, how her brown eyes (That reminded him so much of chocolate) sparkled and how she was so alike (And yet at the same time was completely different) from Her.

And then she was standing in front of him and when they shook hands... Peeta felt a spark for the first time in so long and remembered how to live.


Peeta hadn't said a word to her as they were herded onto the train and were not left the option of saying goodbye. When they had reached the train, she had vanished into her room (A different room to Hers.) This one was right beside his. He didn't mind.

She didn't come to dinner and thinking she may feel hungry, he carried a tray full of Capitol goodies to her door. Placing the tray on the floor, he nervously wiped his hands on his trousers and knocked. A muffled "Come in!" could be heard throughout the hallway.

He picked up the tray and shuffled in. When he placed the tray on the table and looked up at her, she was staring at him warily. "Why?" she asked simply looking between him and the tray.

"I thought you might be hungry," Peeta answered staring at her. She was holding a guitar and looking over at the tray with a distrustful look.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing at the mugs of hot chocolate. "It's hot chocolate," and at her blank look, he elaborated, "It's melted chocolate in a liquid form. Here, try some."

He handed her a mug after she had put down the guitar and she took a cautious sip. Her eyes widened and she looked at him with surprise, "It's delicious!"

"I know," he laughed as she began greedily drinking from the mug.

After they had eaten everything left on the tray, Rachel was playing simple chords on her guitar. "Who taught you how to play?" he asked watching as her fingers caressed the guitar strings.

"My father taught me before he died," she answered quietly.

He look at her in sympathy, "Would you play me a song?" He knew better than anyone not to give condolences when that wasn't what people wanted to hear.

She gave him a searching look and then nodded, "Alright." She then started playing the guitar and started singing in the most... Beautiful voice he had ever heard (Her voice was nothing compared to this one):

We'll do it all,

Everything,

On our own.

We don't need,

Anything,

Or anyone.

If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me,

And just forget the world?

I don't quite know,

How to say,

How I feel.

Those three words,

I've said too much,

They're not enough.

If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me,

And just forget the world?

Forget what we're told,

Before we get too old,

Show me a garden,

That's bursting into life.

Let's waste time,

Chasing cars,

Around our heads.

I need your grace,

To remind me,

To find my own.

If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me,

And just forget the world?

Forget what we're told,

Before we get too old,

Show me a garden,

That's bursting into life.

All that I am,

All that I ever was,

Is here in your perfect eyes,

They're all I can see.

I don't know where,

Confused about how as well,

Just know that these things,

Will never change for us at all.

If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me,

And just forget the world?

If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me,

And just forget the world?

As she finished she blinked away tears and put down her guitar, she whispered, "I think it's time to go to sleep now." And with that Peeta said good night and headed to his own room, with a million questions in his head.


As the Reaping was shown on the small television in District 13, Katniss and Prim spun around to face their mother with the same question on their lips, "Who is she?"

Their mother sighed and then lifted her head to meet Katniss's eyes. "She's your cousin." With that simple answer pandemonium broke out with Katniss and Prim shouting out questions and accusations at their mother, who closed her eyes and said, "Be quiet and I'll tell you everything."


author's note: if anyone would be interested in betaing this story or any of my other stories, i would be eternally grateful. please pm me and i will get back to you as soon as possible. please review, constructive criticism is welcome but flames are not. virtual cookies for every review! thanks for reading. i'll update as soon as possible.

songs used:

chasing cars - snow patrol

-stars4redvines