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Playlist for this FF:
Florence and the Machine „You got the love"
Train „Marry me"
David Gray „Shine"
Glen Hansard „Falling slowly"
Peeta's hand was slowly wandering over her lower back. He knew exactly the point on her skin when she would begin to wince. He loved how she smiled when he was tickling her.
She always tried to become angry about his little banters, but when she opened her eyes and see the fine laugh lines beside his eyes she couldn't resist.
"Don't be so childish, Mellark," she whispered, biting on her lower lip and trying to hide her upcoming smile.
"Everdeen, you're the one who's childish! Just show how much you love it when I touch you!" He was grinning and sliding down next to her in the bed. "With my soft hands..." Peeta's finger was running over her backbone.
"You have baker hands! Too many scars!" Katniss was raising one eyebrow but the choked smile was becoming more and more clear.
"Yeah, baker hands. They know how to knead unique material!"
Katniss laughed gently and bent her neck to him. "What about baker lips," she whispered in his ear. "There are many myths about that!"
Peeta and Katniss were turning to each other, so that they were lying face to face on their sides. "Okay, then tell me one!" Peeta slowly laid his lips on hers. "Nah, I don't need to tell you... I'll show you!" He kissed her lips softly while she was closing her eyes. "Don't fall asleep, look into my eyes," he whispered.
"That is totally unromantic," Katniss answered in a low tone, but opened her eyes. He moved on with soft kisses, still looking at her. Katniss's hand was begining to move over his chest.
It wasn't like what she had imagined a kiss with open eyes would be. It was like she was seeing what he felt when he kissed her.
In moments like this she forgot that they were in the Capitol. It was not the capitol which they had known when they were young.
The mighty Capitol with the cruel desire to see young people fight each other to death had changed into a ghost city with big buildings after the war.
Many people were needed to build new cities in the old districts and were recruited to help the building workers.
Districts, one more thing that didn't exist anymore. Many were destroyed by the bombs, others were plundered by troops of homeless.
Haymitch was one of them. He couldn't bear the idea of living in the Capitol, even though all tributes been offered a home for themselves and their families there. But Haymitch didn't want to live at the place which had destroyed his life years ago. When the war was over he hit the road and headed for District 12, like Finnick and Annie for District 4.
Peeta and Katniss came to a different decision. They stayed with Cinna and Prim in the Capitol.
The fact that Katniss's mother was no longer in her life, that she'd risked everything to protect the ones that she loved, that she'd done what Katniss should have done – Katniss couldn't think about that without starting to cry.
How could she go back to a place where everything reminds her of her mother and the time she had with her?
Peeta saw how Katniss's thoughts were flying away and stopped to kiss her. He didn't need to say anything. He just pulled her in his warm embrace. Peeta knows how it feels to lose someone. His whole family was dead. Katniss and Prim were now everything he had.
Prim, the fragile little girl who had lost her innocence in this war. She'd had to grow up too quickly. But in some silent moments, when the three of them were lying together in bed, Prim's head on Katniss's belly and Katniss's hand softly stroking Prim's hair, then Peeta could see how small she still was inside. She became the sensitive primrose, and Katniss the shelter who wants to protect her. When Peeta looked at Prim's sad eyes all he wanted to do was to tell her that everything will be all right. But how could he? So he imagined giving all the cakes he ever baked to Prim. The ones that she loved to look at in the window of his parents' bakery, when they were living in District 12. The ones with the colourful frosting. He decided that the day would come when he would bake them for his girls.
Peeta could feel how Katniss softly began to giggle. He narrowed his eyes on her face.
"You know what," she said. "I'm a selfish bitch! All I could think of is the meadow. I miss running through the trees. I miss hunting..."
"And you miss Gale," Peeta whispered gently. "You could call him." Peeta looked around in their big bedroom. Just in this room they had two phones. "Gale is a soldier. Every soldier has his own phone."
Katniss was shaking her head. "He has an important job to do."
"Yeah, like everyone in this fucking war!"
Katniss smiled up into his eyes. "I like it when you curse!"
Peeta raised on eyebrow. "Because I don' t do it that often?" She rolled over on Peeta's stomach and kissed his chin.
"Yeah, because you're such a good, good boy!" Her lips slid down his neck and onto his chest. She opened her lips just a little and let the tip of her tongue slip through them.
"Miss Everdeen, what are you doing?" Katniss grinned a little.
"You' re asking? Be an good example for yourself and shut up!" Peeta laughed and let his fingers run through her hair. Then he just nodded shortly. "Like I say, a good, good boy!" Katniss lips glided cautiously downwards and placed kisses around Peeta's bellybottom. He felt her warm breath on his skin. Careful, he looked down and watched her soft lips moving over his body. Everywhere she left a small trail of goose flesh.
All these things were totally new to him. Before the games, there were some nice girls at school who wanted to meet him. But he had always "important things" to do, like cleaning the bakery. These girls were always smiling when he was close to them. They tried to show only their good characteristics and that excessively. The more they tried, the less he was interested. And during all these years there was the girl with the bread in his mind. More skinny than Prim today. Katniss. But charity was not the reason he couldn't forget her.
He wished their second encounter had been in a different way and not like the way it was. Though she would be now with Gale and not with him.
He didn't realize that Katniss had stopped with her kisses, even when it was a pleasure for him.
"Now your soul is miles away," she said quietly and tried to smile.
"My soul is always with you!" He gripped her hands and pulled her up on his body. "Some day, when we will back in District 12, will you show me your meadow?" He looked into her eyes and tries to figure out what she was thinking. "You don't have to... I mean, I'm just curious..." He stumbled over his words.
"Yeah, I think you will like the meadow. And Peeta? It's not my meadow!" Katniss laid her fingertips on his cheeks.
"Sorry, Gale's and your meadow." Katniss let out a laugh.
"It's not mine or Gale's meadow. Besides, he's with Johanna, you know. So there's no reason for jealousy."
Peeta's face became serious. "And when he wasn't with her? I would have a reason for jealousy, because you were with him?"
Katniss raised her eyebrows in surprise. "No, I wouldn't. I'm here with you, because I want to be."
She paused for a moment. "We aren't in the games any more, Peeta. Here there are no cameras. No Haymitch telling us how to act, so that the Capitol is satisfied and we get more food or medicine. Look around you! We're alone. The only reason why I'm here is because I want to be! It's not the fact that our parents are dead. Not that we're the only ones who're left behind. It's just because... Marry me, Peeta!"
Katniss looked hard at Peeta, whose eyes widened and then narrowed."Don't say something like that just to calm me down or keep me quiet!"
Slowly, and in a clear, assured tone, Katniss repeated her words. "Marry me, Peeta. Because you want me to be your wife and I want you to be my man. We both have some kind of mental disorder. Maybe we need years to get our minds straight, to fuck without being afraid of hurting each other, to sleep without horrible nightmares. Maybe some decades for the last example... But you know what? You're the only one I can imagine on my side to share both good and bad things!"
Peeta watched Katniss during her little speech and kept track of how her eyes filled with tears. Just after a split second he realized that he also saw himself in her eyes. "That was a proposal," Katniss finished and quickly wiped her tears away with one hand. Peeta laid his hands softly on Katniss's face.
Without answering her, he stood up and went across the room. He grabbed something from a plate and went back to her. He knelt down in front of her slowly. "I don't know if this counts..." He held up a slice of bread from the loaf they'd had for breakfast this morning. "Maybe we can set the bed on fire. We're not where we should be for this moment, but District 12 is always in our hearts, isn't it?" Peeta took her hand and placed a kiss on her ring finger. Katniss smiled under some tears which ran down her cheeks.
"The toasting," she whispered, amazed by the fact that Peeta, who wasn't from the Seam, remembered the story about the wedding ritual. "We have no fireplace and I would also like to have your fresh bread..." Katniss took a deep breath and looked down at Peeta. Just now she recognized his tremor. "Peeta, your leg. Get up!" She let herself glide from the bed in front of him to help him up. "You don't have to stay this way on your knee."
Peeta got up a little and let himself fall back on his bottom. Carefully, he straightened his legs. His leg prosthesis made it hard for him to bend his knee.
"You took away the option of asking you to marry me so at least I have to kneel down in front of you!" He cocked his head and smiled at her. "Please come closer." Katniss crawled next to him, where Peeta put his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. "I will hold you every night when a nightmare bothers you. Days, years, decades." His tone become lower. "And I will have sex with you all night long, with only you in my mind!" When he laid his lips on hers she felt everything he ever felt for her. All the love, all the passion. It felt like home. He felt like her home. "I will be your man." This time Katniss didn't think about her smile. She didn't hide it, even when it seemed to look lovestruck and overjoyed. And Peeta loved Katniss's lovestoned and overjoyed smile, more than he could ever love another smile. Katniss wasn't like the girls back then in District 12. She was always special.
"Katniss?" Prim's soft voice sounded low through their bedroom door. "Peeta, are you awake?" She opened the door with caution, wary of bothering them in their sleep. She looked at them inquiringly when she realized they were a) not asleep and b) sitting on the floor like a ball of wool, arms and legs knotted. In Peeta's hand there was a slice of bread and Katniss's eyes were red like she'd just cried. "There is an explanation, right?" Just a second later, Prim blushed, realizing that both of them were only wearing underwear. "Oh, I...I'm sorry!" She wanted to turn on her heel, when Katniss stopped her.
"I asked Peeta if he would marry me." Prim turned back slowly. The growing smile on her face showed how happy she was for them. She bounced through the door and let herself fall in front of them. With both arms she pulled Peeta and Katniss close to herself and hugged them synchronously. "I'm so happy for you! I love you both!"
There she was again. The little girl with the red cheeks, fevered like someone had offered her a bag with cakes. "When, where, how?" She looked curiously at Katniss, who only shook her head.
"I don't want to do this for the public. No more cameras!" Prim's eyes grow in disbelief.
"Katniss, you got to have a wedding picture! Okay, you want no audience. But what about Cinna?" Cinna, how could Katniss forget him? Because of the kisses and the proposal and Peeta's answer, she has to admit that. She knows how happy it would make Cinna to create her real wedding dress. Not the one for the Capitol or for the people who watched the interviews with Caesar Flickerman. For her. And she saw in Prim's eyes how much she would enjoy a little celebration.
"You're right, Prim! But then...then I want to say yes where we all come from. At our home. In District 12!" Prim raised her eyebrows, while Peeta just smiled at Katniss and nodded softly. He knew what Katniss was thinking about. Not any place, it should be THE place. The one he asked to see, when they go back to 12. Katniss knew that they couldn't go all the way to District 12 on foot, like Haymitch did it.
She would have to ask Plutarch for a hovercraft.
Plutarch Heavensbee, the new president of Panem, till all the districts were rebuilt and the government could make elections, looked smilingly at Katniss when she was sitting in his office. There was no hint of surprise in his eyes.
"When Peeta ran into the force field and his heart stopped... the look on your face, that was more than just a show for the audience. It was like we were watching your heart break. Haymitch was sure that the day would come, assuming you both survived, that this would happen!"
Katniss rolled with her eyes. Yes, Haymitch the prophet. "Okay, and what did he say about an hovercraft? I'm sure he foresaw that, too." Plutarch looked at her for a moment, smirking. She hoped that his inner Gamemaker soul wouldn't come to the surface.
"You know that District 12 isn't like you remember it. The soldiers are in the process of rebuilding it, but it takes time."
"We need no luxury. We never had it. It doesn't matter what it looks like, it's our home."
Plutarch gasped. "I will miss your bullheadness, Katniss Everdeen! You've got to pack your clothes." He smiled softly. "Tomorrow morning there will be a hovercraft waiting for you on the roof of the city hall. Seven o' clock, don't be late!"
Katniss nodded shortly, but couldn't hold herself back. She jumped out of her chair, leaned over the table between them, and hugged Plutarch. "Thank you," she whispered and left the room with a few, fast steps.
Time flew until the evening, when they packed the few things they called their own. Katniss sank in an anxious dream and noted subconsciously how Peeta laid his arms around her to calm her down.
They took their breakfast in silence early the next morning, before they went on their way to the city hall. Cinna was waiting for them in front of the buildung and smiled when he saw them. His imprisonment while they were in the Quarter Quell, had left a mark on him, mostly on his soul. But he was still the calm, smiling Cinna she had known before the last Games. He kissed her cheek and put an arm around her shoulders. "You will be an amazing bride!"
Katniss laughed and shook her head. "No fancy dresses! Just something..."
Cinna laid a finger on Katniss's lips. "Just something simple and natural, like you. And by the way, I can't wait to see my new home!"
"You'll stay?" Katniss's eyes widened in surprise.
"I never fit into the Capitol. It's time for a change of scene!" He stroked her hair softly. "So, if you don't mind, I'll be your new neighbour!"
They climbed into the hovercraft and stowed their luggage under their seats. In just a few hours they would be in District 12.
Katniss was gazing outside the window, when they flew over District 12. It was grey, like it had always been. But she saw how many houses and even the town hall square had been destroyed by the bombs. 12 was a ruin.
She couldn't believe it when she saw that the Victor's Village was undamaged. The houses looked like nothing had happened within spitting distance.
"Weird," Peeta whispered and took Katniss's hand. They landed where once the Hob had been. Nothing was left of the black market where Katniss had made her underhand dealings.
They dropped out on the dusty ground and Katniss turned around to look at everything.
"I didn't expect that Haymitch would be our greeting committee."
Peeta grinned. "He would have to leave the house. Very unlikely!"
"Right, that'd mean he was sober!" Katniss and Peeta were facing each other and began to laugh.
"Where did you want to go first?" Peeta asked her. "To your old house?" She nodded carefully and took Prim by her hand.
They walked across the path, what once was the street to their home. Beside the road was nothing but hulks; several walls, stones and lumber from doors and windows. Their house, or what was left of it, was at the end of the road. Only the remains of their fireplace still stood.
Katniss settled down in the midst of what once was their kitchen. Too many feelings and thoughts assailed her.
A familiar sound came from behind a detached stone wall. Prim turned quickly around to see how Buttercup approached them. His coat was dirty and in places burned. Prim let out a laugh of surprise, and the cat headed straight to her. "You're a survivalist, Buttercup!" She lifted the cat up and let him cuddle up in her arms. Peeta was looking disbelievingly at Buttercup, while he was almost sleeping in Prim's arms, purring in a pleased way.
"He'd survive everything just to be with you!" Katniss was smiling at her sister, even though she'd tried to drown the cat years ago. For Prim, Buttercup was a piece of home. Peeta sat down behind Katniss and kissed her neck softly.
"Do you want to rebuild your old house?"
Katniss turned around to him and shook her head. "This is a new start. Also, I think it's better to live close to Haymitch. You never know what can happen when he's drunk!" She stood up from the ground and took Peeta's hand. "Let's go to our new home! I'm sure there's much work to do!"
Until far into the night they cleaned up the house. Everywhere was dust and mud. The house had enough rooms that Cinna and Prim got their own. Peeta and Katniss took one together. After they had a simple soup for late dinner, they went to bed. Peeta had made their bed and wrapped Katniss softly in their blankets.
"I'm so glad that you're here!" She grabbed him by his arms and pulled him to her.
"Katniss, would you come with me tomorrow? I just want to see if everything is destroyed. Maybe I can save something from the bakery or my room...That's unlikely, hmm?"
Katniss slapped her hand to her forehead. "Peeta, I'm so sorry...Again the selfish bitch! I hadn't even thought that you'd want to see your home as well. Forgive me!" She took his head in her hands and kissed his lips.
"You'd seen the town hall square. Everything was destroyed. I'm sure everything around it was, too." Peeta tried to smile. He caressed her cheek. "You look tired. Try to sleep and don't forget, I'm here." Katniss leaned against Peeta's chest and closed her eyes. They had much to do before they could say their official yes to each other.
The next few days passed by quickly. Cinna was working on his sketchbook and was drawing several wedding dresses for Katniss. Prim constructed a little herbage bed while Buttercup watched her. Peeta baked a growing stock of breads, cakes and crackers and when the evenning sun sank into the horizon, he was sitting on the steps in front of the house and putting his memories down on paper.
Haymitch had noticed that his old neighbours had become again his new neighbours. Armed with a good wine, of which Plutarch had sent them a full crate for the wedding, Katniss sat with him on his small porch. "So, you'll become Peeta Mellark's real wife." Haymitch wasn't as drunk as usual. "Am I invited or are you afraid that I'll drink up your whole inventory of alcohol?"
Katniss smirked. "We haven't that much, Haymitch! You need to come! Maybe we'll get Effie to come, too!"
Haymitch rolled his eyes. "She'd get culture shock!" He looked for a while at Katniss. "When did you forgive me?" he asked.
"I think I had to admit that we wouldn't be here without you..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still angry, because you didn't tell me so many things, but, like I said, Peeta and me are here. And Prim and Cinna... and you. I'm thankful for that!"
Haymitch let out a little smile. "I will mark that in my calendar and will remind you of that, when you get angry with me again!"
"Peeta." Katniss whispered his name so softly in his ear that his smile grew even though he wasn't yet awake.
"Have you had a nightmare?" He rolled on his back and looked at her with small eyes.
"No." Peeta realized that it was still dark outside and he took a look at their alarm clock. "Let's get up!"
Peeta turned his gaze to Katniss. "Now?"
She grinned at him and leaned over him. "Yes, now!" She kissed his chin gently and jumped out of the bed. With some surprise, he realized that Katniss was fully clothed. She grabbed her bag and headed silently to the kitchen. When Peeta followed her she packed a loaf of bread and two bottles of blackcurrant juice into her bag. He could also see a rolled up woolen blanket.
Together they left the house quietly. When they walked down the street, Peeta became sensible of where they were going. The wire fence, which held the people back from the meadow, didn't exist any more. There was just a simple wooden fence, which they could climb easily. When they left the district behind, everything around them changed. The sound, the smell, the light. It wasn't like the meadow in their first Games. It was peaceful. The birds in the trees gradually awakened and began to sing their songs. The wind blew through the leaves, which made a soft rustling sound. Peeta saw how some rabbits and squirrels made their way into the meadow and when the sun rose, bees and butterflies were flying through the air.
They walked several hours, without saying a word. When they arrived the lake, Katniss turned, smiling, to Peeta. Quickly she spread the blanket on the meadow ground and helped Peeta to sit down. She began to massage Peeta's thigh and handed him a bottle of the juice.
Fascinated, Peeta looked around him. "I never knew that something so beautiful was all the time directly beside District 12!"
"My father showed me this place." She glided behind Peeta and entwined her legs around him.
"You have to go and hunt." Peeta turned his head to Katniss. "I'll wait here. I know I'm too loud. Go and get us some meat!"
"Later," Katniss whispered and laid her lips on his. She crawled around him and sat down on his lap. Her hands slid over his waist and lightly under his sweater. Her fingertips ran over his skin and Peeta put his arms around her. He pulled her closer to him, so that their bodies were touching each other. Rhythmically, their chests went up and down. Katniss tucked Peeta's sweater up and pulled it over his head. For just a moment Peeta looked into her eyes and did it then in the same way with her blouse. Bit by bit, they took off their clothes. Their naked bodies swayed softly to one another, while their hands ran over every inch of skin. Their moaning rang in the air like the song of a mockingbird and was lost in the light breeze of spring. This time, there was no fear. In every motion was the passion which had laid under their insecurity and angst.
They returned home with a bag full of wild raspberries and two rabbits. Holding hands, they entered the house in the afternoon. Peeta had the idea of asking Prim for some herbs, so that he could bake a spicy bread. Katniss would prepare the rabbits and with some raspberry sauce they would enjoy an opulent dinner.
Peeta and Katniss stopped in the door frame when they saw that they had visitors. Johanna Mason was leaning over Cinna's shoulder, who sat again over his sketchbook. Gale was sitting on their couch, watching Johanna with a light smile. When Peeta and Katniss came into the room he turned his gaze to them and stood up.
"Gale!" Katniss eyes grew in surprise.
"I thought I had to be here when you get married." He smiled shyly and walked toward her. "Plutarch told me when I came to the Capitol for something like a short holiday. I hope you don't mind that I brought Johanna, too."
Katniss shook her head softly. "Of course not. It's good to see you." She looked at him for a moment, took a step forward and hugged him.
"You were in the meadow. I smell it." He let his hand run over her back. "I'm so sorry that I left without really talking to you."
"Gale, all I want is for you to find your luck. And it looks like that's happened."
Johanna turned to Katniss and gave her a pat on the back. "When you call it luck to live with an insane woman." She grinned widely and gave Gale a short loving glance.
"I'm one. I know what it feels like and at this point in life I'd say it's luck," Katniss replied to her.
Johanna took a look at Peeta, who had begun to mash the ingredients for the bread. "Hey, Peeta, tell me how I can help you!" Johanna walked over to him and gave Gale and Katniss the chance to talk calmly to each other. It was different than in their old hunting days, but they had the chance to say the things to each other which they'd held back when Gale left the Capitol. She didn't want or need his agreement for being with Peeta, but she wanted him to know that he would be always her best friend. The one she could trust and lean on. And like her, Gale wanted Katniss to know that he was happy for her. And also for Peeta. The future wouldn't be easy for any of them, but it was a different future than they'd expected some years ago.
Katniss arranged the couch for Gale and Johanna so that they didn't have to stay in the visitors' house, which was built for the workers and soldiers. When the house became silent and Katniss was lying with Peeta in bed, she turned to him and ran her fingers through his golden hair.
"Are you all right?" She smiled and wrapped the tips of his hair around her finger.
"Everything is all right. And you?" Peeta leaned over to her and clasped his hand around her neck.
"Cinna showed me the dress this evenning... He's finished it, with some night work. Do you want to see it?"
"It is alluring. But wasn't there this old custom which said it isn't allowed to see the bride in her dress before the wedding?"
Katniss began to grin. "Are you that old- fashioned? That custom's hundred of years old. Our fathers and mothers hadn't even a wedding dress or a suit!"
Peeta sat up in the bed. "Okay, I get it. Let's get it on. Show me your dress!"
Katniss checked Peeta's eyes to see if he were sure, then got out of bed and opened the old wardrober, which they used for the few clothes they had. "But...then there is no surprise for you any more..." She leaned on the board and looked down.
"Okay, then I'll show you something, too. So we both know something and aren't surprised anymore. I think we've had enough surprises for a lifetime." Peeta closed his eyes. Carefully, Katniss took the dress out of the wardrobe. Cinna had used some simple cream-colored cotton. Only on the bosom was there some delicate embroidery. The skirt was long and wide, like the ends of the sleeves. She got out of her clothes and put on her wedding dress.
"I'm ready. You can open your eyes now..." Her hands were twiddling in nervousness while she watched him. Peeta also got out of bed. When he was standing in front of her, he took her hands. Katniss felt something cool on her ring finger and looked down to see a silver ring.
"You look so amazing and beautiful!" Peeta kissed her forehead softly and pulled her to him.
"Where and how did you get this ring?" She looked down shyly at her finger again. How much had he paid for this?
"Let us say our former mentor had some good alliances and I just paid him what he really wants!" Peeta stopped for second. "I have to confess to you that only three bottles of wine are left over..."
Katniss got on the tips of her toes to kiss Peeta. "Thank you," she whispered through some gentle caresses, a contented smile on her lips.
This night, they realized that tomorrow would be their day. That they didn't want to wait any longer. They didn't want to tempt fate. All they wanted was now right here in each other's arms.
They got up and walked silently to the kitchen, without waking Gale and Johanna on the couch. Katniss started a fire in their wood stove, while Peeta began to bake a simple bread. It was the bread which he'd given to Katniss many years ago, when she and her family were starving and almost dying. He had to smile about Katniss's look, how she tried to get the fire bigger and powerful while she was wearing her gorgeous dress. He was wearing brown trousers and a shirt which had the colour of Katniss's dress. When Prim opened the door to their kitchen, which was also their living room, her eyes grew.
"You two are unbelievable! Starting without us?" She shook her head and turned to walk back to her room.
"She'll wake Cinna," Katniss declared and set a teapot on top of the stove. Elder tea exuded flavor all over the room and mixed with the scent of fresh bread.
"Catnip..." Gale mumbled when he woke and grinned at to her. "Couldn't you endure until the end of the night?"
"Mr. Hawthorne, it's almost seven o'clock, so get up and be my groomsman!" Gale let his hand glide over Johanna's arm and leaned down to kiss her temple. Katniss watched them for a moment. Johanna smiled and arched her neck to kiss Gale back.
"Too little sleep," she whispered and let the kiss become a little bit more passionate.
Katniss's attention changed to the door when Prim returned fully clothed, in her hands a small bunch of wild flowers.
"Cinna awaits you. I think he'll rescue your hair." While Katniss went to Cinna's room, Gale and Johanna got up. They dressed up and helped Prim to set the table. Johanna went out to pick up some more flowers, which they arranged all over the table. Peeta's look was wandering around. His nervousness began to grow minute by minute while Katniss was away.
"She won't decide against you. Believe me." Gale looked appeasingly at him and pressed his shoulder.
His gaze moved hopefully to the door, when Haymitch came into the room. Disbelieving, Peeta looked at him. Haymitch was wearing a blue shirt and some black trousers. His beard was shaved and his hair combed.
"Haymitch, what the hell," Peeta laughed out.
"I will do my very best to get drunk within the next several hours!" Haymitch walked over to them and handed Peeta a little blue box. In it was the second part of their wedding rings, the one for Peeta, in the same simple silver.
When Cinna came into the room, Peeta took a deep breath. He walked to the door to receive Katniss. Their eyes locked when she took the first step through the door.
"You are ready... and still want this," Peeta whispered, asking and insecure. Katniss gave his hand a soft squeeze, took the little box with the ring for him out of his hand and walked with him to the fireplace. Gale stepped towards Katniss and handed her the bread, which was still warm.
She looked into Peeta's eyes while she broke it in two pieces. "Peeta, you are the peace and the freedom at the same time. You are my warmth and my rock. I will share everything I have with you. Be my man!" She lent him the piece of bread and both of them took a bite of it.
"I love you," Peeta whispered and these words included everything. At the same time, they threw the rest of bread in the fire, still looking in each other's eyes. Peeta leaned slowly down to Katniss and kissed her lips gently, while she put the ring on his finger.
From behind them they heard Haymitch's hooting. He'd got up from his chair to give them a round of applause. Not an ironic one. Katniss saw in his eyes that he was really happy for them. At least two of them had the chance to be truly happy. Gale was the first who hugged Peeta and her.
"Congratulations," he whispered and kissed Katniss's cheek. He looked in her eyes and it was just like that he let her go. The few kisses they shared belonged to the past and now they became just Gale and Katniss again. The two friends for a lifetime. When this moment was over, Prim and Cinna lunged at them, followed by Johanna and Haymitch.
"Now my surprise!" Johanna took a black box from the table and opened it. Inside was an old camera. "Beetee gave it to me. It just takes pictures... but I thought it'd be better than nothing!" Katniss nodded, touched. Johanna arranged them so that she could take their wedding picture. Peeta would draw his memories of this day, but this was the first camera she didn't avoid.
Their small wedding party allowed themselves to have fun. Katniss watched how Haymitch talked to Cinna, while Prim and Gale sang some songs they knew from their childhood. Johanna leaned on Gale's shoulder, her hand on his knee. Katniss looked up when she recognized that Peeta was standing next to her.
"May I have the pleasure of the next dance, Mrs..." Katniss smiled and took his hand.
"Mellark?" She stood up and got close to him. "It would be a honor for me!" She put her arm around his neck and leaned against his chest. Slowly, they began to dance, to the hushed song Gale and Prim sang.
"So, now I will get to know how to hunt?" Peeta asked her grinning. Katniss raised one eyebrow and looked sceptical at him.
"And scare all the animals out of the meadow?" He let out a gentle laugh.
"I'm now the man of the house, right?" Katniss joined his laughter and let her fingers run through his hair.
"We were never like the others. And I like that!" She kissed softly his upper lip. "You will be my baker and I will make sure that we have meat."
"All right, I'm the house husband and I'll also give birth to our children." Peeta nodded, kissing her in response.
"I'm curious how you'll manage that," Katniss whispered and let her hand glide over his cheek.
"Actually, this was the day we decided that we want you. Your mommy needed some more time to come to a decision, but the truth is that we've loved you since we had the first thought of you!" He kissed his daughter's forehead softly. She'd already fallen asleep while her father was telling the story.
Katniss smiled down at the both of them and knew that he was right.