Author's note: So...I've actually had this ready for uploading since last week, but I couldn't find the time to do so :(
Just a quick warning: the following oneshot contains high levels of fluff.
Disclaimer: I still do not own The Hunger Games.
Under the starry night
The night is cool in the rebuilding ruins of District Twelve. Not a single soul is in sight, until one takes a closer look at the cluster of buildings known as the Victors' Village. On the roof of one of these buildings, a young couple lies nestled in one another's arms.
They are silent as the girl rests her head on the boy's chest. He holds her close, as though she would otherwise slip away. She alone understands that sentiment, for it is out of the exact same fear that she always places her head where she can hear the steady and reassuring beating of his heart. After everything they had been through, their fears are not unfounded.
She had lost him time and again, had once heard silence where his heart should have been beating. He had had his memories tampered with, and had nearly killed the girl he loves under the influence of those false memories. And so it has become their nightly ritual to hold each other in one another's arms and remind each other that their nightmares are a thing of the past. People see them and comment on how sweet they look together, but nobody really sees what is underneath those carefully maintained facades—two broken souls that have lost almost everything, clinging to the only thing that still remains from the ashes of the past, struggling to heal.
A cold gust of wind sweeps across the rooftop, causing the girl to shiver and huddle closer to the warmth of the young man lying next to her. The slight movement does not go unnoticed. "Are you cold?" he asks gently. "Maybe we should go back inside."
Without lifting her head, she gives it an imperceptible shake. "No, I don't want to move yet," she says.
"If we stay out here all night, you're going to catch your death of cold," he teases with a chuckle.
"I'm fine, Peeta," she reassures him.
Peeta gives a sigh torn between amusement and exasperation. "Have I ever mentioned that you're a terrible liar?"
"Fine. I'm about to get pneumonia. Will that do?" she retorts sardonically.
"Hmm...we should definitely be heading back inside then," he says with mock severity.
She swats him, scowling. "Can't we just stay a little longer?"
"Alright, Katniss. Just a little longer," he concedes, keeping his arm wrapped around her protectively.
They lie like this for another peaceful moment, until Katniss breaks the silence. "Don't you think the stars look beautiful tonight?" she asks, pointing to the night canvas littered with tiny, flickering sparks.
Peeta grins. "Ah, but they have always been beautiful. You just haven't been paying attention."
"What? And you've been paying attention to them all the time?" counters Katniss, indignation coloring her voice.
"Not really," Peeta admits. "They're hardly as beautiful when compared to you."
A blush creeps its way up Katniss' cheeks and she smiles slightly, thankful that they weren't talking face to face. A lifetime ago, his words might have made her uncomfortable, guilty even. But not anymore.
She feels his lips lightly brush her hair at the crown of her head. "I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it for ever," he murmurs against her hair. Her breath catches, and she tenses for a brief moment as a strong wave of déjà vu washes over her being, causing her to bolt up to a sitting position.
"Katniss?" His hand rests on her shoulder tentatively.
"You said that to me before the Quell. Real or not real?" she asks, turning to look him right in the eyes.
His brilliant blue eyes stare back at her with intensity as he answers, "Real. We were on the roof of the Training Centre…and you said that you'd allow it."
"You remember!" she exclaims softly, surprising even herself when she throws her arms around him.
His eyes widen briefly, startled by her sudden display of affection. It doesn't take long, however, for him to return the gesture. "I said I remember everything about you," he says. "I still do, even if sometimes I still don't know what is real."
She pulls back a little, just enough so that she could hold his gaze. "You have to. Remember what is real, that is."
"Of course," he replies, smiling. "Dr. Aurelius said it would only be a matter of time, especially if I'm with you."
Her blush returns, and she ducks her head to hide it. Deftly, he catches her chin and tilts it back up so that they are once again holding eye contact. "You look so...mesmerizing when you do that," he breathes.
Their faces are barely an inch apart, and Katniss finds herself immobilized with anticipation. Her breathing is ragged; her heart is beating so erratically and loudly against her ribcage that she briefly wonders if Peeta could hear it. Her thoughts come to a standstill, however, when he finally leans forward to brush his lips ever so lightly against hers.
And it sets her on fire-that rare and familiar spark of desire that stirs inside her chest, spreading outward and thawing her entire being. In that instant, she realizes two things: one, she had never known exactly how fast her heart was capable of racing; and two, she could never get enough now, no matter how many times they had kissed in the past. Without conscious effort, her hands become tangled in his hair, desperately pulling him closer. As though emboldened by her response, his arms go around her waist, pulling her onto his lap.
There is something different about this kiss, she feels it. But to pinpoint the difference is impossible, for all her mind can conjure up is how good it feels, and how she never wants it to stop. It comes as a surprise to her when he draws away, and a soft whine of protest actually escapes her lips before it dawns on her that she's straddling Peeta's lap.
Blushing furiously, she tries to disentangle herself from him, but his strong hands on her waist prevent her from making her escape.
"Wait," he gasps huskily, still trying to catch his breath. "I need to ask you something."
"What is it?" The annoyance born of embarrassment in her voice is marred by her heavy breathing.
"You love me. Real or not real?" he whispers, cupping her face with his hand.
His question takes her aback slightly. Surely the kiss they had just shared would have clearly conveyed what she felt for him? Surely after everything they had been through, he would have realized that her choice could only be him? But one look into his serious cerulean eyes is all it takes to remind her that she had never once openly confessed her feelings for him. And she could hardly blame him for not picking up on her hints; it was already difficult enough for him to sort through his own memories. So without further hesitation, she smiles, finally giving the answer that she had owed him for so long, "Real."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Peeta says softly, moving to kiss her lightly on the tip of her nose. Katniss, feeling oddly bold, tilts her head upward slightly, causing him to miss his intended target. Their lips meet, sending an electrifying rush between them. Peeta almost pulls back in surprise, but the thought that Katniss had initiated the kiss freezes him in place. He closes his eyes, almost smiling as he revels in the sensation of her soft lips pressed lightly against his. Unlike the previous passion that blazed like wildfire, he finds that this has the controlled and soothing feel of steady embers. Even as they part, he keeps his eyelids shut, resting his forehead against hers. A soft chuckle escapes his lips.
At that, Katniss pulls away, looking at him curiously. "What's so funny?"
"I didn't know you liked kissing me so much," he comments as a sly glint lights up in his eyes. Katniss scowls in reply, causing him to grin.
"Fine," she huffs and turns away. "See if I'll kiss you again."
"Come on, Katniss. You know I was just teasing you," he says, suppressing laughter as he wraps his arms around her. She doesn't relent, but he knows that he has been forgiven when she doesn't push away. Leaning closer so that his breath lightly tickles her ear, he whispers, "And I know you're not really mad at me."
Giving a small harrumph, and silently cursing herself for being an open book, Katniss allows herself to lean back and rests her head on Peeta's shoulder. Pulling her closer, Peeta leans his head against hers. Neither catches sight of the soft smile spreading across the other's lips.
The couple watches the night sky in uneventful silence, until a solitary shining star that is slowly blazing across the sky catches their attention.
"Look!" exclaims Katniss, following the trail of light with her finger.
At her childlike enthusiasm, Peeta laughs. "You act like you've never seen a shooting star before."
"Well, this is the first time I've actually seen one," she says, crossing her arms defensively.
"Make a wish then, Katniss," he says with a smile.
She stares at him inquiringly. "Why?"
"I'll tell you later," he promises. Pointing to the sky, where the star is disappearing into the horizon, and adds, "Make a wish, quick, before it's gone."
And so Katniss shuts her eyelids, clasping her hands together as she silently conveys her heart's desire to the falling star. Peeta, on the other hand, turns his gaze from the stars to the young woman next to him, noting the quiet smile that crosses her features. He commits every minute detail to memory, making a mental note to paint it all out at the first opportunity.
Reopening her eyes, Katniss turns to find her favorite crystal blue eyes focused intently on her. "Peeta? What was that about?"
His eyes take on a faraway look, recalling a distant fond memory. "My father told me that there's this old belief: if you make a wish when you see a shooting star, your wish will come true."
"Really?"
"Well, the wish I once made did come true," he says mysteriously.
"What wish?" she asks, tilting her head to one side as she looks at him with curiosity. To her surprise, Peeta actually blushes slightly.
"You," he replies.
"Me?"
"Yeah…I wished that someday we could be together, and here you are." His hand reaches to caress her cheek, which is rapidly turning a shade of crimson. "What about you? What did you wish for?"
Katniss averts her gaze, feeling her face somehow impossibly grow warmer. Her fingers subconsciously twirl her braid. "I wished…that we could spend the rest of our lives together like this."
"You know, I don't think that's a very good wish," Peeta says with a playful grin.
Katniss glances at him, surprised. "Why? I thought you'd like that."
Peeta shrugs. "I do…except that it's not long enough."
"How much longer could you possibly want?" asks Katniss with a shy laugh.
"Mmm...I was thinking perhaps like somewhere along the lines of forever?" he answers nonchalantly.
"I think it sounds perfect." She smiles, leaning into his arms again.
Author's note: Yep. Fluff, because I just can't live without it. I'm just so addicted to Katniss/Peeta fluff :p
And have you heard Taylor Swift's 'Safe and Sound' for The Hunger Games movie soundtrack? Well, if you haven't, you have to go and listen! It's just so awesome! :D The Hunger Games + Taylor Swift = 3
Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers! Don't forget to review! (: