AN. Canon divergent, set in the Capitol right after Peeta's proposal.

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The Ring

Katniss inspected the unassuming golden band on her finger. She was surprised at how light it felt. She had never imagined something so foreign could fit so perfectly.

The single diamond snuggly embedded on one side of the ring caught the light from the lamp on her bedside table and reflected it against the wall. The stone wasn't very big, but it was incredibly pure. It reminded Katniss of the north star which always shone brightly in the night sky.

Captivated by the shimmering gem, Katniss wondered how Peeta had managed to find something so tasteful in the Capitol. In her experience, engagement rings were gaudy monstrosities, the complete opposite of what she was currently wearing.

The day's events rushed back into her mind. Her chest tightened as she thought about Peeta and the sacrifice he had made to keep them safe.

She could still see him, stepping onto the stage, looking polished and handsome in a charcoal gray suit which matched her outfit perfectly.

He had reached for her hand. Immediately entwining their fingers together as he lead her to the center of the stage. There, in front of the cameras, he'd told her he loved her, and after falling on one knee, he had asked her to marry him.

The audience had gone mad, dramatically cheering and sighing while Caesar Flickerman danced on stage, seemingly drunk with glee.

But, as the world celebrated the new development in their romance, Peeta's eyes, always so warm and bright, had been vacant and dull.

Regretful tears had filled Katniss's eyes. She had let them spill, hoping President Snow and the crowds mistook her sudden outburst of remorse for joy.

And now, as she sat alone in her room, playing with the engagement ring Peeta had placed on her finger, she wished there was something she could do to make things right.

Over the last few weeks, Peeta had become her friend. Even as she'd held back, he had been open and honest with her. He had answered her reticence with kindness and patience, being incredibly understanding of her needs and agreeing to every plan she had made.

Now that they had become so close, she hated what she had asked of him. And she was beginning to resent him for accepting her terms.

Katniss had barely survived her first months as a victor, and she knew she wouldn't survive whatever President Snow had in store for her without Peeta's insight and support. She had to find a way to make their relationship work.

Defeated, Katniss groaned. She knew what she had to do and she couldn't put it off any longer. It was her turn to open up. Peeta Mellark deserved to know the truth.

Determined to make things right, she made for Peeta's room.

She had barely finished knocking on his door when Peeta's voice reached her. "Coming!"

A moment later, the door swung open revealing a recently showered Peeta. Small droplets fell onto his shoulders, running happily down his bare chest and landing on the pair of pajama bottoms he wore.

Startled, Katniss gasped. The clean scent of Peeta's shampoo tickled her nose making her heart race.

Peeta's eyes widened in recognition, and his mouth snapped open. "Katniss! I... Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

Katniss swallowed thickly, the last time she'd seen Peeta's bare chest he had been starving and injured. But the boy with the bread had evidently recovered since then. The sight of the defined muscles he usually hid under his sleep shirts and clothes muddled her thoughts.

"Come in," he offered, leaving the door open as he turned to walk away from her. "I'll be right back," he called before disappearing behind his bathroom's door.

The empty room brought Katniss back to her senses. Suspicion laced her words as she called out, "Who did you think I was?"

"Haymitch," he answered through the closed door, "He comes by sometimes."

Katniss nodded.

While she waited, she looked around the room. If she hadn't known any better she could have sworn it was her own. Even the bright blue bedspread was the same shade as hers.

She turned to the big screen which covered one of the walls. Peeta had chosen a video of a waterfall in the middle of a forest. Tall trees and mossy floors filled her eyes, reminding her of home. The soft sound of the water splashing against the rocks relaxed her.

A couple of minutes later, Peeta walked back into the room. His hair was still wet, but his waves had been brushed into submission. He was fully clothed, wearing the soft pajama top she already knew so well.

"So, what brings you by?" he asked.

Nervously, Katniss cleared her throat. "I was thinking… would you like to go for a walk?"

"A walk?"

Katniss raised her eyebrows gesturing towards the ceiling.

Peeta nodded his understanding. "Sure, let me grab my coat."

XXXXX

The Capitol skyline twinkled under the darkened sky. It was like an endless sea of colored sparks, reaching into infinity.

Katniss and Peeta leaned against the railing which ran along the rooftop garden. Next to them, a collection of wind chimes danced. Their harmonic melody protected the couple's conversation from unwanted listeners.

"So," Peeta asked, "what's up?"

Katniss turned to face him. He looked tired and defeated. She hoped what she had to say would lift his spirits.

With a shaky breath, she began. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted."

Peeta let out an annoyed huff and raised his hand. "Stop. Katniss, you keep talking about our situation like this is all your doing. This isn't a mess you made. I was there too, remember?"

His hand reached for hers, and she welcomed his touch, warm and comforting as his thumb traced circles over her skin.

"I stupidly believed I could change things," he whispered, "If I had known any better I wouldn't have given you a choice. I should've swallowed those damned berries and saved us all the trouble. But I was an idiot. A stupid, lovesick fool."

"Peeta!" she scolded. Her eyes, stubborn and demanding locked with his, bringing him back into the present.

Peeta shook his head and blinked a couple of times. "I'm sorry. What did you want to talk about?"

Katniss lowered her eyes; she knew what she had to say and she couldn't allow herself to be distracted by Peeta's reaction to her words. "You're right. We're in this together. We always have been. I keep thinking that I'm protecting you by keeping you at a distance. But today I realized that's not true."

Gently, Peeta squeezed her hand, silently encouraging her to go on.

"You once asked me if everything I'd done inside the arena was for just for show. Remember?"

"Yeah," he confirmed.

Still unwilling to face him, she asked, "what was my answer back then?"

Peeta's voice sounded distant and hollow as he echoed her words. "You said 'not all of it'."

Katniss nodded. She was terrified of what she was about to do, so she focused on the steady rise and fall of Peeta's chest, hoping it would soothe her nerves just like it did every night when he held her in the dark.

Forcing the words out of her mouth, she said, "What I should have told you, was that I was confused, and that I didn't really know how I felt. That I cared about you, that I had made a vow to protect myself by never falling in love, and that the thought of losing you terrified me."

A couple of rebellious tears ran down her cheeks; she hated feeling so vulnerable and exposed, but she couldn't back down now. "I should have told you how much you mattered to me. I should never have let you walk away believing I didn't care, thinking you had only been the means to an end, because you weren't, Peeta. You've always been more than that to me."

Peeta's shaky voice startled her. "I have?"

Using the back of her free hand to wipe away her tears she confirmed, "Mm-hmm. You've been my ally and my friend. You're my rock, the one person who's always there to catch me. You make me feel safe, and you make me laugh. You're the person I want to share everything with, Peeta. The good, the bad, everything."

Peeta hooked his index finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "What are you getting at, Katniss?"

"What I'm saying is," Katniss raised her left hand and showed him the ring, "this, is staying right where it is. Because, even if the circumstances and the timing have sucked, I do want to be engaged to you. This may not be the romance you deserve, but I promise, ours won't be a marriage of convenience. You will be cherished and…" her whole body trembled as she pushed herself to say the most terrifying word of all, "loved."

Peeta let go of her and took a small step back. His wide, disbelieving, eyes reflected traces of ideas flashing through his mind as he struggled to understand her words. "Katniss, how can you… what are you saying? You…" his deep blue eyes found hers, his voice cracked as he asked, "do you love me?"

Fat, relieved tears ran freely down Katniss's cheeks, the worst was over, she didn't have to say anything else. Peeta understood.

She nodded. Her heart was beating so fast she was certain her chest was about to explode. "I think I'm starting to," she whispered.

Peeta swallowed, his voice was thick with emotion when he asked, "But, what about Gale?"

Katniss narrowed her eyes, fixing her fiancé with a deadly glare. "Gale is my friend," she answered, carefully enunciating every word, "we have been hunting partners for a long time, and his family is like my own. But we're nothing more. Never have been."

Peeta crossed his arms and, with a pointed look, reminded her, "You've kissed him."

"No," she corrected, emphatically shaking her head, "HE kissed ME. Only once, and only after I came back from the arena. We had never kissed before that, and we haven't since. Actually, we've never even talked about it. It's almost like it never happened."

Suddenly, Peeta's eyes widened. Two shocked pools of disbelief searched Katniss's face. "Was… was I your first kiss?" he blurted.

A soft blush tinted Katniss's cheeks. "Mm-hm."

His shoulders slumped, and his hands flew to cover his face. "I'm such an idiot!" he groaned.

Katniss chuckled. "Well, you can't be right about everything all the time!"

Peeta's arms dropped to his sides. Looking contrite, he admitted, "I know, but, still, I shouldn't have assumed."

"I'm just as guilty," she admitted, "It was easier to let you believe than to tell you the actual truth. I won't be doing that anymore. I promise."

With a shy smile, Peeta moved towards Katniss. Tenderly, he grabbed her hands and pressed them to his chest.

A small contented sigh escaped Katniss's lips.

Nervously, Peeta cleared his throat, a soft blush creeped up his cheeks endearing him to Katniss even more.

His blue eyes, alive and hopeful, held hers. "So, Katniss Everdeen, would you like to be engaged to me… for real?"

Katniss beamed. "Yes, I would."

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The Hunger Games Trilogy is the property of Suzanne Collins. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.