Hello everyone,

This is my first fanfic ever, so I would really like some input be it good or bad. So without further ado here is Float Like a Mockingjay, Sting Like a Tracker Jacker

I do not own the Hunger Games, which is by Suzanne Collins

Peeta POV

Present Day: Philadelphia, PA

Right now I'm living the high life. I just defeated my latest opponent after a grueling 10 round match by landing my signature Tracker Jacker Punch on the guy, earning another KO. With this latest win, I'm one step closer to receiving a shot for the World Heavyweight Title. After the fight I can't just help, but reminisce on how I got here while being swallowed by my team and the media.

Years Ago

I was raised in your typical suburban town; my parents owned a bakery which I worked at since I could walk. I have two older brothers, which I get along with pretty well. Overall we seemed like your typical suburban family, but underneath it all my mother was a raging alcoholic.

My mother was known to have a terrible temper when she was drunk, which she took out on my brothers and I (mainly me). My dad knew about the abuse, but he chopped it up to being about her alcoholism and how she doesn't mean to do it. At first I was angry at him, but I couldn't stay mad at him for long since I knew my dad loved my mom despite her faults. Mostly every day I went to school with bruises and with the bruises came the constant teasing from others, which I mostly ignored. My brothers and I ended up using sports like baseball, football, and wrestling as an outlet for our pent up anger from our mother and others. At first it worked relatively well until the incident

Flashback

It was one of the worst days of my life. First, I found out my longtime girlfriend, Glimmer, was cheating on me. Then my counselor notified me that I was failing math, which I attributed to working long hours at the bakery, and with a failing grade I wouldn't be able to try out for the wrestling team this year. To top it off the same bullies were relentlessly teasing me about two black eyes my mother gave me a day ago. Today my temper finally reached it breaking point causing me to throw a punch at one of my long time bullies. I managed to knock the guy out, but then I was jumped by his friends. His friends thought they would easily overwhelm me, but years of pent up anger and sports played against them. I ended up knocking out few more guys until someone from the school's faculty broke up the fight. While most of my bullies left either knocked out or bruised up, I managed to leave with fewer bruises I receive from my mother and a slap on the wrist from my principal. After the fight, I finally realized what I've done which repulsed me since I never really condoned violence, but I couldn't ignore the release I felt after landing my first punch. Out of all my years playing sports that fight allowed me to relieve the most amount of anger, giving me a sense of peace I never felt before. So with that one fight, fighting became my go to way to release my pent up anger

End Flashback

I ended up getting into a lot of trouble for my near constant fighting, so my dad decided to sign me up for boxing at our local gym. At first I was hesitant about the boxing, but it became no different to street fighting for me. I was quickly excelling in boxing by winning multiple trophies and medals at tournaments, around this time my mother started beating me less which I attributed to my rising success as a boxer. I wasn't boxing professionally yet until a middle aged man came up to me when I was sparring at the gym, I was 21 at the time. The guy asked me if I wanted to box professionally which I immediately responded with a "Hell Yeah!"

The guy, Haymitch Abernathy, ended up being an old Golden Gloves winner and semi-professional boxer until his alcoholism took over. Now Haymitch wanted to use me as some sort of comeback, which I didn't really mind since Haymitch was a pretty good trainer despite being a drunk. My relationship with Haymitch was pretty rocky in the beginning, but in time it grew to become a great mentorship and friendship. Haymitch also introduced me to my now manager/ best friend Finnick Odair. Finnick was a good looking guy with a silver tongue to match and after managing a few other fighters he pretty much knew the business. Finnick managed to book me more professional and headlining fights which brought on a few endorsements. Soon I was gaining notoriety allowing me to indulge in the life as a famous person. It ended up being not what it cracked up to be, so I kind of felt lonely despite being surrounded by people, but being known as the rising star in the boxing world was enough to keep me feeling content and proud.

Present Day

The people around me were finally dispersing allowing me to talk to the lead reporter of the fight. I gave my usual praises and thanks until the reporter moved on to my opponent; this finally gave me opportunity to absorb and observe the excitement and pandemonium that was going on around me, which I love to do after every fight. Then my gaze landed upon the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She was wearing her dark brown hair in a practical braid, and by the looks of it she was a reporter. Since the cute, black pencil skirt with the tucked in white blouse outfit she was wearing also had a press badge hung around her slender neck resting between her breasts. I continue to gawk at her until she finally met my gaze with her beautiful grey eyes and gave me a shy smile. I immediately gave her my best charming smile despite being pretty bruised up, which was awarded with a deep blush from her. Now I know I have to meet the girl with the braid.

To be Continued

I plan to make into a multi-chapter fic depending on your guys' response, so I would like some guidance especially from a female perspective since I'm planning on using Katniss's POV in later chapters and with some of the smut, I would even consider a co-author. Also I will like some help on the setting which will mainly be in Pennsylvania since I have had never really traveled that much, and beta-tester wouldn't kill be either. So if your interested PM.

Thanks for reading and I hope to continue