Hi! :)
First of all, thank you for opening this. I decided to write this one-shot after I finished Mockingjay, since I felt like I needed a bit more of that story, before letting it go. I really hope you'll like this, because I enjoyed writing it. It's my first story in the Hunger Games archive, so I hope it's okay for a first.
If you liked it, tell me if you think I should write more of these Hunger Games one-shots. :)
Enjoy&Review!
Real or not real?
Katniss
It was a late summer afternoon. Haymitch had taken the kids back to his house, without telling us why, so the two of us had decided to go to the Meadow. And now, here we are, lying in the grass, side by side.
I picked up a yellow dandelion. Peeta smiled at the sight of it, and took it between his fingers. While he did that, I took a moment to look at his face. How much he had changed in just a few years was quite fascinating. He had started growing a beard, though Haymitch kept forcing him to shave it off. His voice was a lot deeper, and his eyes more determined.
Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes as I remembered the state he was in when he was captured back in the capitol. Sigh. Here they come. They spilled out of my eyes, and ran down my cheeks. I smiled as Peeta brushed them away gently with his thumb.
"No." He murmered. "You're not allowed to cry, remember?" Peeta said it so gently, that I had to smile. After all these problems with the Mockingjay were behind us, he had forbidden me to cry. He said that I could only cry happy tears, not sad ones.
"We're happy now, Katniss. You're not allowed to cry." He'd always say when I'm in a particularly bad state. But, I knew that he had memories, too. He still got flashbacks from whatever they did to him in the Capitol, and then, to calm him down, and to cheer him up, we'd play a game of 'Real or not real'.
And, that's exactly what he wanted us to play right now.
"But that's supposed to help you. And now, I'm the one crying. It won't help." I argued. I knew that he meant the best for me, like he always does, but every game meant more memories from the time he went crazy.
Peeta smiled, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Come on. Please. I'll ask the questions, and you answer me."
I couldn't resist his smile, or his beautiful blue eyes. So, I gave in. "Okay." I whispered.
He gave me a triumphant smile. "Thanks." He murmured. "Ok. You're favourite colour is green. Real or not real?"
"Real." I manage to let out. He smiles.
"And mine is orange. Real or not real?"
"Orange like the sunset." I smile at the thought of how many sunsets we have shared together. "Real."
Peeta continues. "We have two beautiful children. Real or not real?"
Two beautiful children. Yes. Piper and Macon. The dancing girl with the beautiful dark hair, and blue eyes, and the artistic boy with the blond curls and grey eyes. The kids of the Seam, they're called. Everyone's so fund of them. "Real." My voice cracks. More tears come. But Peeta wipes them away again.
His voice is a whisper now, as he lays next to me, his hand in mine. He looks at me, and I know that he's debating on whether or not to say something. Eventually, he gulps, and lets it out. "Gale killed your sister. Real or not real?"
Peeta hugs me then, before I start choking and sobbing again. I wish I could be mad at him, but it's an awful good question. "Real." I finally say. I feel Peeta's arms even tighter around me. Maybe it's bad to accuse Gale of killing my sister, but it was his weapon. And I just can't afford to forgive him. After all, I don't have anyone else to blame
"Probably." Peeta nods, his arms still tight around me, protecting me from everything. I love how his body heat warms me up. I can feel his heart beating, and I remember that awful moment when it once stopped, back in the Quarter Quell arena. That thought triggers more tears.
"What were you thinking about? Why did you start crying again?" Peeta whispers. I'm in his lap now, and he's rocky me gently.
"I thought…I thought of that time when I thought you would die." That's all I manage to say before I choke on my sobs.
Peeta stays silent for a moment. "But I didn't. And I'm here with you, and I always will be. Real or not real?"
Looking up at him, my heart warms at the thought that I'm in the arms of the greatest person alive, and that he cares about me, just like I care about him. I lean towards him and kiss him, and that pleasurable sensation curses through my body, warming me up, and freeing me from any negative thoughts. "Real."
Ok, so that's it for this one-shot. I really hope you all liked it. Tell me in the reviews if you did, guys. Please. Thanks in advance. :)
Take care. Thanks a bunch. I love you all!
#EverlarkForever