The Flames are Dying Chapter 25

This chapter dedicated to all those in the shooting. We all respect you so much. Also, I am sad to say we are reaching the end of this fiction. I am ready to get started on some others after I finish this. I am also SO sorry for not updating in two weeks. I had a lot of trouble writing this, so I hope it's okay.

We soon left District 4 and went back to our normal lives. Peeta started a new job at the newly-rebuilt bakery, and I hunted. But Finnick's words still echoed in my head. What if Peeta left me? I couldn't let that happen. Where would I even go? District 13 with Prim and my mother? No. This was all hypothetical. Peeta knew I loved him. I mean, this topic he had come up at what seemed at least a hundred times. And now I was going to prove to Peeta that I loved him. That I would do anything for him. And marriage was what was going to happen sooner or later anyway… Wasn't it? Too late to back up now. Well, it wasn't, but I couldn't let anything get in the way. Peeta loved me, I loved him, and so the next step was marriage. Peeta didn't say we had to have kids. We probably won't ever have children. Peeta knows I don't want them, and he still hasn't left me. But he will if I don't really show him how much he means to me. I would show him. I would show him if it was the last thing I do. The next step was to figure out how.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Me figuring out how wasn't actual figuring. Peeta had gotten back from work and we sat around the table eating dinner. Now or never. I could do this. I had survived two freaking Hunger Games and a war. The was very simple in comparison. And Peeta wanted this to, so it wouldn't be a problem. But what if he had changed his mind? What if he was going to leave soon and I would make everything more awkward by saying this? Oh gosh, just tell him.

"Peeta?" I began. He looked up and smiled at me.

"Yeah? What's wrong?" he replied.

"Oh, nothing, just… what do you want? With like… marriage?" I stuttered. He sighed and put his fork down.

"Katniss, it's not like I don't want it, but I know you don't. I'm not going to pressure you into anything."

"So you don't want to get married now?"

"No, but you don't."

"But what if I did? What if I do want to get married, right here, right now?"

"Katniss, this isn't just some stupid mistake. I don't want you to say you want to marry me just because you think you have to. It should take some real time and thought before you decide."

"I have, Peeta. I promise. I want this. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Why won't you just freaking ask me?" I yelled, getting up in my chair. Peeta stood up in his to mimic my stance.

"Fine, you want me to ask you to marry me?"

"YES!"

"Fine. Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?" he screamed, staring me straight in the eye. I glared back at him, my anger slowly melting off. What was I supposed to say? This wasn't how it was going to go at all in my head. But after I heard him ask the question, after I heard him ask me the question I needed him to ask all along… I knew I wanted it. I wanted to marry Peeta Mellark. I wanted for him to be only mine, and I would be only his.

I sank back lower in my seat. I still hadn't answered to questioned, and I looked straight at Peeta, looking still slightly angry, but mostly heartbroken. "Yes." I said. "Yes, yes, yes." Peeta's broke out into the biggest grin I had seen since I had confessed my love for him. We practically ran for the couch and I shoved him onto it, my hands firm on his chest so he wouldn't get away. We laughed and I got serious. "But only on one condition." Peeta's grin fell off his face and he looked at me with worry. "We have to do it tonight. Not a wedding, just a toasting. We can sign the official papers tomorrow."

His face lifted into a smile once again, and we kissed on the couch for I don't know how long. Tonight I would marry Peeta Mellark. And I couldn't be happier.

Next chapter is the toasting! Thank Lord they don't have to have a wedding, otherwise I would be screwed. I can't believe how much attention this story got! I'm hoping to update pretty soon, hopefully a little after Christmas. REVIEW!