A/N: thank you to PeetaMellark'sKatniss, November92009, Ka, XxSnowPrincessXx, and Christopher Marsh Hawk for the reviews. And to XxSnowPrincessXx, this story is a sequel to '74th', so I suggest you read that if you haven't yet. Other than that, here's chapter two.
And the reason why I'm trying to update at least once a week is because my parent's have become very Nazi-like on the subject of school, so I have to do work and stuff.
Chapter 2
Peeta would admit he was relieved his stepmother wasn't coming to the toasting; she'd cause all sorts of problems for them. But as fate would have it, the stylists and prep teams from the Hunger Games had arrived today to prepare for the Victory Tour, which started in a couple of days.
"Well, that's probably some of my best work," Portia remarked as she looked at Peeta in his new suit, made just before the stylists had left the Capitol. Cinna had made a spectacular dress for Katniss and was currently somewhere in the District so he could deliver it to her. They were keeping the fire-theme alive.
"I think you may just be right, Portia. I like it better than the flaming costumes from the chariots." The stylist laughed, amused by his joke.
"Well Peeta, I just helped Cinna come up with the fire and make the costume to fit you. Other than that, it was all him." Ms. Everdeen opened up the door to the kitchen, surprised to find them in her house.
"Peeta, it's nice to see you. I was a little surprised by the fact the toasting is tonight." Portia gave her a look of confusion, but she ignored it. "At least it's you who gets to make my daughter happy. The only other boy I could've ever seen her with was Gale." Peeta tried to ignore the small amount of hatred building up inside of him; he usually didn't hold things against other people, especially his friends.
"What is this 'toasting' you speak of, Ms. Everdeen?" We both look at Portia, almost forgotten. I'm happy that Katniss and I got stylists who look like normal people, not the usual abominations in the Capitol.
"A toasting is a wedding custom here in District 12 that involves the breaking of bread. I doubt it's as fancy as what you have in the Capitol." Portia smiles, sipping on some hot chocolate.
"It sounds better than what we do in the Capitol. There it always involves some big ceremony in a massive church with some person playing a pipe organ. It seems that it's just about how much the Capitol has compared to the Districts at times." Her gaze moves to Peeta. "So I assume you and Katniss won't take President Snow's offer." Peeta just shrugged, leaning back into his chair.
'Maybe I deserve this, maybe I don't,' he told himself.
I smile as Hazelle tells me about how she caught Gale and Madge kissing in his room four days ago; apparently she thought I had heard about it from Prim, who had heard about it from Rory. She also apparently thought I still lived with my family. When she offers me food, my tongue moves before my mind can.
"No thanks, Hazelle. It seems you're starving as it is." As I realize what had just come out of my mouth, my hand flies to my face. She just stares at me, a grim smile on her face.
"You meant something else, didn't you?" I nod, still ashamed by what I had said. Sure before the Games I was somewhat rude and a little vulgar at times, but I'm convinced that being with Peeta makes me want to be a better person. Her gaze is still fixed on me, as if she isn't convinced.
"Yes…" is all I can get out. I'm sure that only Gale and Rory will show up to the toasting.
"Well, we all mess up at times, Katniss. All of us will be at your toasting, dear." As the words start to sink in, I look up.
"You will?" What I had said was deserving of Hazelle hating me for the rest of her life, but she was able to see past what I had said. After she forced me to have some of Greasy Sae's 'surprise stew', I fare her goodbye and leave the Hawthorn home. I start to walk through the Seam, the place where I had grown up. Looking at it now, I see that it's filled with this certain charm, almost as if it's struggling to be something better.
But it seems that the District is slowly falling apart, crushed underneath a stagnant decay of poverty and hunger. I'm around halfway home when my only real friend from the Capitol appears in view: Cinna.
"Cinna! What are you doing here so early?" I call out. Peeta and I had planned on getting married today so we could surprise our stylists when they arrived in District 12.
Smiling, he replies. "We got here early. Apparently we got some prototype 'rocket train' courtesy of President Coriolanus Snow. We were all shocked when one of the Peacekeepers, Darius I believe his name was, told us you and Peeta were getting married today." He's walking right beside me as we pass by the Mellark property. I glance out the side of my eye to see Mrs. Mellark glaring out at me, obviously still angry about earlier this morning. Cinna puts a box in my hand.
"I made this for you before coming." I open the box, not sure what to expect. Inside is a sparkling dress, somewhere between the color of lightly fallen snow and the blazing sun. The light reflecting off of it radiates across my face, illuminating parts of it. I have to say that Cinna has outdone himself once again.
"It's amazing, Cinna." My face gives the look of being guilty. "I've guessed you've heard about my talent." I wasn't horribly proud of it, but at least I was good at it. I can just spot Darius and Johnson.
"Ah, yes…your talent. When your prep team discovered that Head Peacekeeper Thread was letting you fire a gun, they were horrified to say the least." The Peacekeepers guarding the Victor's Village smile at us as we walk past. "I'm sure that President Snow found the video of you shooting a military-grade weapon to be amusing." I blush at the comment as the pristine Victor's Village comes into view; it reminds me heavily of the houses from some "Victorian" era. Sitting on the porch to the house I had won is Peeta and my mother, both deep in conversation. Peeta's gaze moves around periodically before his catch mine. We both smile at the same time while mother turns around, apparently aware of my arrival with Cinna.
"Hurry up Katniss! You prep team is on the verge of insanity by now!" I realize my box is still open so I close it, tuck it under an arm, and then run up to the house. Peeta stands up and I place a quick kiss on his lips before heading inside to find Octavia, Flavius and Venia, all of them freaking out over something.
"We thought it was some sort of prank when we heard about some wedding, but apparently it's true." Right then I remember I was going to give Darius the list I had made while visiting Hazelle; I'm sure someone else could deliver it to him while the prep team tortures me. They lead me to a chair that's almost parallel to the ground. I sit in it just like when I first arrived in the Capitol. They all grimace from the fact the hair on my legs was back and I had allowed my eyebrows to grow out. At least they couldn't do any alterations to me. Yet.
If only Peeta could get me out of this, I wished.
Thread watched Peeta as everyone waited for Katniss to arrive; apparently some of the people from the Capitol had convinced some people to do a mixed version of the two marriage ceremonies. The Head Peacekeeper could tell that the groom was anxious, waiting to see his bride come down the path. Unlike in a Capitol wedding, only the groom stood before everyone, a loaf of bread in his hands. An unfamiliar song started to play and everyone suddenly turned around.
Katniss Everdeen had arrived and everyone was hypnotized by her dress. The sounds of instruments called things like a banjo, upright bass, fiddle, and a mandolin played the song, having an upbeat melody. She walked down the path in the time it took for the song to be played before her hands rested on part of the loaf.
Peeta spoke first. "I promise to love you no matter what hardships come our way. This loaf is a symbol of my love for you." Thread found himself scribbling down every single detail of the ceremony; a number of people in the Capitol were interested by the traditions of the Districts.
"I promise to love you, no matter how painful it seems." A tear rolled down her face. "This loaf represents my love for you." They pulled the loaf in two, pulling Thread to the front of his seat. Having served in seven different districts, he had never seen something as confusing as this 'toasting' tradition of District 12. He watched as they pulled parts of the loaf off and handed them to the people there. Once everyone had a piece, Peeta and Katniss returned to the front of the congregation.
"We've asked you all here to celebrate the next step in our lives together." Following the lead, Thread rose his piece like a glass of wine. Now he understood the name they had for it. "Thank you." Continuing to follow the lead, he ate his piece of bread. Once everyone had consumed it, the happy couple walked down the path and towards Peeta's home in the Village. Peeta opened the door, swept Katniss into his hands, and they disappeared to inside of the house.
Thread was smiling. Snow was going to love hearing about this.
A/N: whoot! Another chapter done. Also, it's pretty early so yeah…enjoy.
