Chapter 7: Peeta Mellark

Victor of: 74th Hunger Games

Hometown: District 12

When Peeta woke up at the sound of the rooster's crow, he felt no warm embrace, no arms curled about him. The other side of the bed was cold. His wife was already gone, up for the day. Hunting, no doubt, he thought.

After showering and dressing, he checked on their babies, his heart swelling at the sight of them both still fast asleep, little dribbles of breast milk clinging to their lips. Fed and still snoozing... I told her she'd make a great mother.

And he had told her. Multiple times. For months and months and months. It had taken his wife fifteen years to agree to bear his children. She had always feared motherhood due to the possibility of the Reapings and the Games - even after such fears were abolished. She had even balked at the idea of getting married, but only because she felt that "we're practically married anyway. You're my husband; I'm your wife. Why bother with the formalities?" Even this, though, Peeta managed to glean from her. Though it was still simple. A white dress, a suit, a toasting sealed with a kiss and that was that. They were married in their living room. The only guests were their fellow Hunger Games Victors. Haymitch turned the whole thing into a one-man show, performing every role other than that of the bride and groom.

After locking up the house and peeking into the one next door to make sure his father figure was still out cold, Peeta strolled into town. He opened up the bakery, and set to work at once. Knead the dough. Heat the ovens. Start getting the yeast to rise. Once his employees arrived, the kitchens were humming with action. Customers brought on the ring of the front door, the ding of the cash register, and the place was soon booming.

Only once throughout the whole day did Peeta have a flashback to his tortures in the Capitol, false memories from both of his Hunger Games. Just vibrations, nothing more - the instinctive chant of Not Real, Not Real drove them away. Thankfully, Peeta was alone in the back storage room when it happened; he held onto a chair until the moment passed.

As he stepped into the hallway, he felt a knock at the back door. He had barely opened it before his beautiful wife was pulling him into her embrace, kissing him, caressing him, stroking him. Peeta was tempted to make love to her right here in the alley. But, no, customers were waiting. And besides, there would be plenty of chances at home, to seduce and have sex with the love of his life and the mother of his children.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Peeta chuckled when they broke apart. "What was that for?"

Katniss smiled. "Because I love you. So much. And also to tell you that I've finished trading and am going back to check on the kids. And Haymitch."

"Of course," he laughed. "Thanks for the pick-me-up. I love you!"

His wife beamed. "I love you too, my Dandelion in the Spring."

Peeta watched as her beautiful form raced away, up the path towards Victors' Village. He had been through Hell and back again... and ended by getting everything he had every wanted. In that sense, he truly felt like a Victor.