A/N: I have incorporated quite a bit from the book/movie in this chapter, but as always, I've got my own touch in those parts too. And of course, some fluff, because fluff is always important and is my favourite to write. :)

I hope you all have a happy New Year, and that this one treats you well! :)

~Enjoy! xo

Embers

It was peaceful and quiet on the roof. They sat on a bench and stared out at the Capitol, Katniss resting her head on Peeta's shoulder. They were together for about a half hour before Effie, Cinna, and Portia came up to the roof to get them.

"Katniss! Peeta!" Effie began in a scolding tone. "We've been looking for you! You have to start prepping for the parade tonight!"

Katniss sighed and took her head off of Peeta's solid shoulder. "Why do you have to start so early? The parade isn't for hours." She couldn't deny that she wanted some time with Cinna, but she hated that she wouldn't see Peeta for hours.

Peeta scratched the back of his neck beside her, but he said nothing. She looked at his face and saw that his jaw was tight. Her making a fuss wasn't going to make anything easier.

She held back another sigh, and took his face in her hand. She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later. I love you."

He glanced at her, giving her a little smile. "I love you, too." He gave her hand a squeeze before he let her go and she stood up.

Cinna wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked to the stairs. "Everything okay?"

"Honestly, not really."

"Well, I'm afraid it's not going to get any better."

Katniss didn't quite know what he meant until they met with the rest of her prep team. They were a mess, all bursting into tears when they saw her.

Cinna apologetically excused himself to let them do their work, and Katniss looked at him desperately before he left. He mouthed, "Sorry," but then he was gone.

Their tears came and went throughout her entire session, Octavia adapting a soft whimper that never quite quit. Finally, they were done and Cinna reappeared. He dismissed them immediately.

"I can't go through that again." Katniss warned him.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll talk to them."

Katniss and Cinna shared a nice lunch, and Katniss felt a little better. Cinna didn't allow the prep team back in to help her get ready for the opening ceremonies, and she was grateful.

He raised an eyebrow at her when he saw the hickeys on her neck, but she merely blushed. They were a deep red, and she admired them more than she would let on, but she made sure that Peeta got one to match hers. It was just a reminder that they belonged to each other. Cinna covered them up, and Katniss watched the marks from Peeta's mouth fade with the work of his brush.

He made her hair a curtain of curls, fitting a black head piece on the top of her head, a sort of crown. Then he did her make up. Last year, he barely touched her face, but this year, there was nothing left untouched. Her face was obscured by dramatic highlights and dark shadows. He darkened her eyebrows, made her cheekbones sharper, her eyes smolder, and her lips shine.

He then put her in her gown. It was black, with an intricate neck and delicate patterning. Then Cinna pressed something and her breath caught. The gown glowed with a soft golden light, which gradually transformed into the familiar orange-red of a burning coal. She was a burning ember.

"How did you do this?" she asked in quiet awe.

"Let's just say Portia and I spent a lot of time watching fires." He smiled softly. "Look at yourself."

He turned her to a mirror and she no longer saw a girl. In her place was a woman, who looked as though she crawled out of a volcano herself. The crown had taken on a red glow, which cast strange shadows on her face. Katniss, the girl on fire, had left behind her flames and jewels. She had become as deadly as fire itself.

"I think… this is exactly what I needed." She breathed finally.

"Your days of bows and ribbons are over." He turned off the glow and the gown was once again black. "Turn this back on when you think it's the right time. This year, we don't want you smiling and waving. Look straight ahead, as if the entire audience is beneath your notice. Just like what you did when you got off the train, actually."

Katniss nodded. "I know that I can be good at that." She said with a smirk.

She was led downstairs to wait to board her chariot. Peeta was nowhere insight, so she walked over to their chariot and stroked one of the horses. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself.

Unfortunately, she still managed to do so.

She heard crunching, and then turned her head to find herself staring into the famous sea green eyes of Finnick Odair. He popped a sugar cube in his mouth and leaned against the horse she was petting.

"Hello, Katniss," he said, as if they had known each other for years.

She eyed him carefully, not caring for his closeness, especially considering his lack of dress. He was draped in a gold net, knotted precisely over his groin so he couldn't technically be naked. But still, the only person she was comfortable seeing that much skin of was Peeta.

"Hello, Finnick," she replied just as casually. She didn't want him to see how much his presence was bothering her.

He held out his hand, which was piled high with sugar cubes. "Want one? They're supposed to be for the horses, but who cares? They've got years to eat sugar, whereas you and I… well, when we see something sweet, we better grab it quick."

"No thanks." She said. "But I'd love to borrow that outfit."

Finnick gave her a smirk, but changed the subject. "You're dressed a little different than usual. You're a little terrifying." He ran his finger over the neckline of her dress. "It's too bad about this Quell thing. You could have made out like a bandit in the Capitol. Jewels, money, anything you wanted."

She tried to prevent her mouth from twisting into a scowl. "I don't like jewels, and I have more money than I need. What do you spend all yours on, Finnick?"

"Oh," he looked at her as if she was a young child, "I haven't dealt in anything as common as money for years."

"Then how do they pay for the pleasure of your company?" she asked dryly.

"With secrets," he said softly. He leaned in close, so close that she felt his breath on her lips. Her entire body stiffened. "What about you, Girl on Fire? Do you have any secrets worth my time?"

She wanted to pull away, but stopped herself. "I'm an open book." She whispered back. "Everyone seems to know my secrets before I know them myself."

He grinned at her and pulled back. "Unfortunately, I think that's true. Oh look, Peeta's coming. I'm so sorry you had to cancel your wedding. I'm sure you must be devastated." With that, he popped another sugar cube in his mouth and sauntered away.

Tension left her body as Peeta came up beside her. He was wearing a black high-necked shirt with no sleeves, and the back was long and draped down to his knees, his pants and boots black as well. The pattern was the same as hers, and she was sure he'd look the exact same as her when they turned on the suits.

"Now, what exactly did Finnick Odair want?" he raised an eyebrow, and she heard a tinge of jealousy in his voice.

She took his hand. "To know all my secrets." She said in disbelief.

A grin began to take over his lips. "He'll just have to get in line, then." Peeta said. His smile faded a little. "Do you think we'd have ended up like that if only one of us had won?"

She was surprised by his question. She shrugged. "Sure. Especially you."

"Oh? And why especially me?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

She looked into his eyes. "Because you have a weakness for beautiful things and I don't." She said triumphantly. "They would lure you into their Capitol ways and you'd be lost entirely."

He cocked his head. "Having an eye for beauty isn't weakness. Except maybe when it comes to you."

Katniss blushed but didn't have time to speak: the doors opened for the first chariot.

"We're not supposed to turn on our lights until we think the time is right." Peeta said.

"How are we supposed to know when?" Katniss asked with a faint scowl.

Peeta got into the chariot and held out his hand to help her up.

He glanced at her as they settled in the front of the chariot. "I think we'll know."

"Do you think they want us to hold hands this year?" She asked.

"I think they left that up to us." Peeta said softly.

Their chariot jerks forward, and Katniss gazed at Peeta's face tenderly. She looked up into those blue eyes, eyes that no amount of makeup could make deadly, eyes that had seen her in every way. She remembered how different their lives were only a year ago.

Their hands found each other. Of course, they would go into it as one.

Always.

The voice of the crowd rose into a scream as they rolled into the evening light. Neither of them reacted. Katniss fixed her eyes to a point in the distance, indifferent to the hysteria, thankful she no longer had to pretend that she cared about the audience.

She caught glimpses of them on the screens, and they were not just beautiful, they were dark and powerful. No more, the star-crossed lovers from District 12, who had suffered so much and enjoyed so little of the rewards of their victory, they did not seek the favour of their fans, grace them with their smiles or catch their kisses. They were unforgiving.

Katniss and Peeta simultaneously turned on their light as the entered the City Circle. As they rounded the top, Katniss glared up at President Snow. She didn't break eye contact until their horses pulled them far enough around the circle that she would have had to turn her head.

Once they were all lined up, President Snow began his welcome speech. She didn't listen to a single word. The only thing she paid attention to was Peeta's solid grip on her hand and the steadiness of his breathing beside her.

Then Snow finished, and they were all pulled back inside the Training Center. Cinna and Portia were waiting for them, and she saw Haymitch talking to the Tributes from District 11. As Katniss and Peeta got down from their chariot, they walked over to them.

Chaff shook Peeta's hand with his only good one, and Seeder wrapped Katniss in a hug. "The families?" Katniss whispered desperately, thinking of the terrible event during their Victory Tour in District 11.

"They're alive." Seeder said, letting Katniss go.

Then, Chaff got his good arm around her, and gave her a big kiss on the mouth. Katniss had jerked back in alarm, Chaff and Haymitch hooted while Peeta went over to her with a protective look in his eye, but their meeting was over as they were soon ushered to the elevators by Capitol attendants.

Just before the elevator doors had closed, someone slunk in. It was Johanna Mason, from District 7. She was dressed as a tree, and she immediately pulled off her head piece, tossing it to the floor with an indignant grunt.

"You guys look amazing." She drawled. "My stylist is an idiot. Oh, how I'd like to draw my axe across her throat!" She tugged at the neck of her dress, then turned to Peeta. "Unzip?" She asked with a sweet innocent look.

"Uh," he gave a sideways glance at Katniss, who looked at him as if he had two heads. "Sure." He looked uncomfortable but unzipped Johanna's dress. His hands dropped back to his side immediately.

Johanna turned around to face them. "Thanks." She smiled, and stripped herself of her dress, left absolutely naked.

Katniss rolled her eyes at the look in Haymitch's eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest. She avoided looking at Johanna, and instead glared at Peeta's ear, watching it flush red.

The elevator stopped and Johanna shrugged her shoulders. "That's me." she turned and walked out. "We should do this again sometime!"

When the doors shut again, Katniss slapped Peeta in the stomach with the back of her hand, but he merely laughed.

"What?" she demanded. "What the hell, Peeta?!"

"It's you, Katniss. Can't you see?" he said, and she hated how teasing his voice was.

"What's me?"

"Why they're all acting like that. Finnick wanting to know your secrets, Chaff kissing you," he turned to Haymitch, "you better tell your friend to back off," then he turned back to Katniss, "and this whole thing with Johanna stripping down." The teasing tone to his voice left. "They're playing with you because you're so… you know." He shrugged.

She crossed her arms over her chest again. "No, I don't know." The elevator doors opened and Katniss walked out, Peeta following her brisk pace and leaving Haymitch behind.

"It's like when you wouldn't look at me naked in the arena even though I was half dead. You're so… pure." Peeta said gently.

Katniss scoffed. "I am not! I've been practically ripping your clothes off every time there's been a camera for the last year, and I've seen you naked plenty of times. I think you've taken away my purity, Peeta Mellark." She said this with a smile so he'd know that she wasn't mad.

He blushed. "The Capitol holds you at this innocent girl standard, but for me," he took her hand, "you're perfect."

Katniss gave him a little smile before Effie and Haymitch meet them in their living room, and then they went to the dining room for dinner.

"Oh, looks like you've got a matched set this year!" Effie said brightly.

Katniss saw the red-headed girl, who served as their Avox last year. The boy next to her also had red hair, so that's what Effie must have meant.

But a chill ran through her as she realized that she knew him too. Unlike the girl, Katniss hadn't seen this boy in the Capitol before. She had seen him in the Hob, in the Town Square, and the last time she had seen him, he was trying to stop Commander Thread from killing Peeta's brother.

The new Avox was Darius.

Peeta grabbed her hand tightly, but she was too shocked to move. They had cut out Darius's tongue for his insubordination to Thread, and now Snow had placed him in the Penthouse for Katniss to see. She knew she couldn't show any recognition of him, knew she couldn't move to him or else he would probably get punished. But she felt as though she needed to say something to him. Not that he would be able to say anything back.

Katniss sat down shakily for dinner, and when she could, she knocked over a dish of peas and bent over to clean it up. Darius was by her side immediately, helping to clean up. Their hands bumped into each other, and Katniss grabbed his quick. Their fingers clenched tightly together, silent words passing between them. She didn't risk a glance at him, and got up instantly when Effie scolded her, telling her that it wasn't her job to clean it up.

Afterward, she couldn't bring herself to eat more than a few bites, and excused herself to bed. Peeta came with her, and when they were alone in their room, she let the tears stream down her cheeks.

She sat down heavily on the bed, and rested her face in her hands. Peeta sat beside her and put his arm around her, but didn't say anything. Peeta had known Darius, but not as she had. She wasn't sure why she was crying, but she couldn't stop her tears.

"It's not your fault." Peeta said after a few minutes.

Katniss sniffled and wiped at her cheeks. "I-I don't know. I feel like it is."

"Darius was brave to stand up to Thread, and he doesn't deserve this cruel fate, but there's nothing you could have done to prevent it. Please know that."

Katniss let out a shuddering breath. She didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded instead.

After a few more moments, she had calmed down.

"Katniss, you know I didn't mean to tease you earlier." Peeta said. "I know the Capitol will never see you the way I do, and you couldn't be more perfect for me. I love you so much."

She brought her hand to his cheek and rubbed the corner of his eye with her thumb. "I know." She said softly, lowering her eyes. "How do you see me?"

"What?"

She realized she was speaking in a whisper, so she spoke a little louder. "How do you see me?" she flicked her eyes back up to his.

His pupils dilated slightly. "I see this amazing, powerful woman. I see the girl I've been in love with for years. I see the person I want to spend… all my time with. The rest of my short life." He trailed a finger down her nose. "I see the one who keeps my heart just as I keep hers. I see the girl who makes my heart beat so hard against my chest I think that it's going to escape me."

Katniss watched his throat bob with the hard swallow he took before he spoke again. "I see you, and I know that… if nothing else, I have found my person, and that she is my wife and there isn't anything else in this entire world that I could ever I need." Tears had welled up in his eyes, and one dripped down his cheek, wetting her hand.

"Oh, Peeta." She said. She swept her thumbs under his eyes to dry his tears. His beautiful words had filled her with warmth, and she crushed her lips to his. She could never match his words, but tried to convey what they had meant to her with her kiss.

"You are so beautiful." He murmured against her lips.

She highly doubted that she was, with her makeup streaked from her tears. She had forgotten that they were still in their parade costumes. Peeta turned on his glow, and then hers. "You were so gorgeous out there." He ran his eyes over her before they flicked back up to hers.

"So were you." Katniss trailed her fingers down his chest. She unzipped his shirt, then smoothed her hands over his skin. She kept her eyes downcast, but she started to speak. "Peeta… you are my person. Every time I see you, I'm filled with this warmth, or this… hunger that only you give me. You are the only person I care to see me as I truly am, and you are the only person I trust the way I trust you." She finally met his eyes, and her heart beat hard at the look in them. "I never thought I'd call you my husband, but every time I do, I get this rush of excitement and I know that there is nothing in this world that could ever stop my love for you."

It was his turn to crash his lips to hers. Her hands pushed his shirt down his arms, and she moved closer to him. "Always," he said between their fierce kisses, "I will always love you."

She moved her hands up from his ribs to his face. His fingers tangled up in her hair, and she tried to slide her leg over his to straddle his lap, but her gown was far too tight.

Katniss pulled herself away. "Can we take this stuff off and shower? I feel weird."

Peeta smiled gently. "Of course. I'll be with you in a minute"

She gave him one more kiss before she stood up and walked into the bathroom.

She stared at her strangle reflection for a moment before she washed off the makeup. She scrubbed her neck until the love bites were visible again, and she touched them tenderly. Then she removed the crown from her head and attempted to brush out her hair. She pulled off her dress and underclothes. She stepped into the shower and was under the warm spray for a couple of minutes before Peeta joined her.

He ran his hands down her sides and she let out a deep breath. She leaned her back against him and he wrapped his arms around her stomach. He pressed a kiss to her temple, and she turned around in his arms.

Katniss gazed into his eyes and they shared a soft smile before sharing a gentle kiss.

"Can I wash your hair?" he asked affectionately when they pulled apart.

Katniss grinned. "Yes."

It took them a while to figure out which button would give them the soap, but they got it eventually and soon Katniss's eyes were closed and Peeta's fingers were massaging her scalp. He'd gotten really good at it, and Katniss quite enjoyed that he wanted to do it for her. He told her to turn around, and she turned so that she was facing him.

He was regarding her affectionately. She trailed her finger over the spot between his neck and clavicle, where she marked him only two days ago, it felt like a different lifetime.

Peeta brought her head forward into the spray, and she rinsed out her shampoo. Once the soap was gone, Peeta kissed her. His hands cradled the small of her back, and she stood on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He moved his kisses down her neck. "You know when I think you're the most beautiful?"

Katniss had her eyes closed in bliss, and she didn't answer. He wasn't expecting an answer anyway.

"Right now," he kissed her lips again. "Or maybe when I wake up before you do, and you're so peaceful, just lying in my arms."

"Maybe you're the beautiful one." She murmured, threading her fingers through his hair.

"Are you kidding?" His tone was utterly affectionate.

She bit her lip and shook her head. She tried to hide an embarrassed smile. "You know, in my head… I call you my golden boy."

His smile caused her heart to swell. "You do?"

Katniss merely nodded shyly, lowering her eyes.

Peeta caught her chin and raised her face back to his for a kiss. "That's… beautiful," he said softly when they pulled apart, gazing into her eyes.

She grinned sheepishly at him, and he smoothed his fingers down her back.

They finished their shower, and when they got out, their fingers were wrinkled. They dried off and changed into some pyjamas. They got in bed and settled into each other's arms. Her love for him burned inside her like an ember, spreading warmth through her body.

Katniss brushed her knuckle over his jaw. "Goodnight, golden boy."

Peeta's chuckle came out as a hum. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Goodnight, girl on fire."