Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Trilogy is property of Suzanne Collins. This is a parody fanwork by fans for fans. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.
Rebuilding
by FanficAllergy & RoseFyre
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Theme: 35: Story
Words: 1300
Summary: A minimalist retelling of Katniss and Peeta growing together after the war.
Notes: Each chapter is exactly 100 words.
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I. Return
Peeta returns healed. No longer a shell of himself.
Katniss wakes to find him planting flowers next to her house.
She flies into a rage, so mentally unstable that she identifies every flower as a rose.
He says it's for her.
For Prim.
His hands shake while he stands there, waiting for her to do something, to say something.
She can't.
She turns away, fleeing into the house. She scrubs every memory of Snow away. Every smell gone.
The next morning, when she eats breakfast for the first time without prompting, she realizes what she needs to do to heal.
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II. Remember
Peeta's not the first to come back. Others came before him. Thom. Sae.
As if a switch has been flipped, a whole gush of others come after him.
Including her sister's cat.
Buttercup fits right in with the rest of them. Battered and broken after the ravages of the war, but still unbowed, still unwilling to give up.
They work together to rebuild the district, and themselves. They remember all of those who are lost, but also celebrate all those who remain.
They each find a reason to wake up every morning.
Haymitch drinks.
Katniss hunts.
Peeta bakes.
Time passes.
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III. Renew
They exchange gifts in front of the fireplace on the longest night of the year.
Nothing big, nothing extravagant, but something personal and from the heart.
She knits him a scarf, made from fabric she salvaged from Cinna's creations.
He paints her a picture of Prim sitting in the Meadow, surrounded by dandelions, with Buttercup catching dragonflies in the background.
They cry over their losses.
That night when she kisses him, his lips taste of salt, as do hers.
When she pulls back, she says, "I'm tired of tears."
His hand brushes them away. "Then let's make smiles together."
"Together."
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IV. Reinvigorate
They start small, doing little things to help others and themselves.
They work together to craft loaves of bread stuffed with whatever they can find or Katniss can hunt. Then they drop them off with the people working to rebuild Twelve.
They turn next to Haymitch. The man's too broken to heal completely, but he's got an itch to care for small things. When Katniss finds a clutch of goslings in the spring, she brings them to Haymitch to care for.
It's the first time in what feels like ages that she sees a real smile cross her mentor's lips.
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V. Resume
Katniss and Peeta start to eat together, beginning with supper, then moving to lunch. By the time summer rolls around, they're eating all three meals together.
They invite Haymitch to join them. He does, but only for dinner.
By mutual agreement, they never speak of the past, only the present and the future.
One night, as the stars twinkle overhead, Haymitch quirks an eyebrow and asks, "Isn't it about time you stopped fooling yourselves and moved in together?"
They share a look.
It's not the worst idea.
"Mind your business, old man."
Haymitch smirks.
Peeta moves in the next day.
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VI. Reminder
It takes time for Katniss to get used to having another person in the house.
Peeta is so loud and full of life. He fills the mansion with sound.
Each morning, he rises before dawn from their shared bed, clomping down the stairs.
She adjusts to his schedule, heading out into the woods to hunt and gather.
It's the only quiet she can eke out. Even at night, Peeta isn't silent.
His deep breaths hover on the edge of snores, and just like her, he has nightmares.
But she grows to treasure his loudness. It's a reminder he's still alive.
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VII. Reticent
It doesn't take long for their kisses and caresses to become more. For them to join together, body, mind, and soul.
But that doesn't mean there aren't still hurdles.
"I don't want to get married," Katniss says one morning. "And I don't want children."
Peeta looks at her, surprised. "I'll take whatever you're willing to give."
She knows it's a half-truth. If anyone should have children, it's Peeta. He longs for them, treasures them.
Deep in the darkest recesses of her heart, Katniss does too. She's just so afraid she'll lose them.
It isn't worth the risk now.
Maybe someday.
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VIII. Repair
Night time is both the best and the worst.
Sunset brings heated kisses, gentle caresses, gasping climaxes. But darkness also hides terrors. Nightmares both of them will never be over.
They hold each other close, drawing strength from each other.
One night, after a night terror, Peeta asks, "You love me. Real or not real?"
"Real," she says, kissing him. "I'll always love you, Peeta. Always."
"They've taken away so much," he says. His voice catches.
"They haven't taken away me. And I won't let them take away you."
He kisses her like she's his lifeline.
She knows he's hers.
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IX. Recalcitrant
Peeta bakes. Katniss hunts. Haymitch drinks. The geese squawk. Buttercup pounces. Twelve renews.
That winter, Johanna shows up, brash and uncaring. She settles into their life as if she was meant to be there. Perhaps she was.
"When are you and Peeta gonna get married, Brainless?"
Katniss glares.
"Don't give me that 'you're afraid of losing him' crap. Snow's been dead for three years."
"So?"
"Get over yourself. You're not that important."
Katniss storms away.
The next morning, she finds a note slipped under her door. It reads, 'When you get your act together, I'll help you bake the bread.'
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X. Reassess
The seasons turn. Twelve grows. And so do Katniss and Peeta.
They grow comfortable and secure in this new Panem, their pantry and bellies full. Katniss feels safe, warm, and loved.
And it's all due to the boy with the bread.
One day, while watching the rain, Katniss turns to Peeta and says, "Will you marry me?"
"Is this what you want?"
Hesitantly, she nods.
He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he reopens them, he asks, "We're getting married. Real, not real?"
"Real."
Two years after Johanna leaves the note, Katniss takes her up on the offer.
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XI. Reunion
Marriage doesn't change them.
She's still Katniss Everdeen. He's still Peeta Mellark.
The only difference is the unfamiliar weight around her left ring finger and which box she checks on the biannual Panem census.
The question of children still hangs between them. Peeta never says anything. Neither does she.
It gets harder to ignore Peeta's desire when Annie moves to Twelve with Finnick's son. Neal is beautiful. Charming. The seven-year-old practically lives in Peeta's bakery.
Peeta brings back tales of Neal's antics, making them both laugh. But Katniss hears the yearning in Peeta's voice.
'Someday' becomes soon. But not now.
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XII. Revelation
Katniss needs five years from their wedding to reach 'now.' Five years of comfort and healing. Five years of happiness. Maybe Peeta's child could be safe.
So she tells him.
They make love on the floor of the kitchen.
It takes five months. During that time, Beetee and Enobaria join them in Twelve with their newborn daughter. The addition of the last remaining Victors is a spark. Katniss conceives.
Her pregnancy is hard. Once again, all of Panem is watching. She's terrified the whole time, a fear that only eases when Iris is placed in her arms.
She has hope.
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XIII. Rejoice
Twenty years after Snow's death, Victors' Village teems with laughter and life. Children play in the streets, eating and sleeping wherever they end up.
The last Victors share a bond no one else can understand. That bond extends to their children.
Haymitch never marries, but he manages to father a set of twins with Johanna.
Johanna lives with Annie. They share nightmares of water and losing Finnick. They find comfort in each other, much like Katniss and Peeta.
Her second pregnancy is easier, as is her third.
They've weathered the rebuilding.
The future belongs to them now. To their children.
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AN:
Written: 12/1/16
Revised: 12/12/16
Dedicated to the amazing, wonderful, fabulous, and fantastic Titania522. She is super awesome of awesomesauce in awesometopia! Because she's awesome!
We like minimalism. We like drabbles. We like challenging ourselves with weirdass goals. Like telling 20 years of story in thirteen 100-word drabbles. We also wanted to have a story where all of the Victors end up living together and healing. So yeah.
Also hey Mom! Look at all the Re-words. Our vocabularies got a workout, let us tell you.
Written for Love in Panem Presents: Yuletide in Panem's Twelve Days of Christmas.
Let us know what you think!