Patchwork

by Fanfic Allergy

A series of short unrelated ficlets based on a theme set with 50 prompts. In this is everything from side stories to our major fics, to soulmates, to alternate retellings, to character studies. Each chapter is complete and separate. The chapter listing will tell you which characters are featured. Parings are indicated by an "and" symbol.

43. August (Peeta & Gale)

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.

August
by FanficAllergy & RoseFyre

oOo

Theme: 47: Imperfect
Words: 400
Summary: As three they were perfect. As two, they aren't.

oOo

They sat under the maple tree and watched the late summer sunset, just the two of them. It felt wrong. Unbalanced. Imperfect. In the distance, they heard the sounds of laughter. Children playing. Adults working. Working to make the place they called home self-sufficient.

Self-sufficiency. That described Katniss so well. And yet, she had said that she needed them. Wanted them. Couldn't bear to lose them.

And in the end, she didn't.

They lost her.

Katniss.

Katie said it was a heart attack, a widowmaker. That she had died instantly with no pain. The words were meant to soothe. To comfort.

It didn't make them feel any better.

They'd been a trio for so long, almost sixty years, that it felt wrong to be only a couple again. Sixty years of love and laughter. Of creating a new life for themselves. A family. They'd sacrificed so much, lost so much, but they'd always had each other. The three of them. The Mockingjays.

Now it was just two. And nothing would ever feel right again.

Peeta shuddered, not from the chill, but from grief. Gale's arms tightened around him as if to remind the former baker that he wasn't alone. He appreciated the gesture. Loved it. But it didn't lessen the pain. Nothing would.

"She got her way," Peeta said after several minutes. He knew he didn't need to clarify; after sixty years, his husband knew him better than he knew himself.

Gale snorted. "She always did."

"True."

They sat in silence for a few moments more. Until their son's deep baritone called out to them to come inside for supper.

They helped each other to their feet; after all, neither of them was as young as they used to be, and they each carried scars and wounds from war and revolution. When they were both steady, Peeta turned and buried his head in Gale's neck, clutching the gray material of his shirt. "Please don't leave me." He wrapped his arms around Gale's chest. "I…" he trailed off, unable to give voice to the despair he was feeling.

But like he always did, Gale seemed to understand what he wasn't saying. His husband's arms tightened around him, drawing him closer, and he felt the press of lips against his forehead. "Not even death could take me from your side."

It was a promise. A vow.

And Peeta believed him.

oOo

AN:
Written: 6/30/18
Revised: 7/1/18

The title of this ficlet comes from the song August, by the group Love.

During our randomizing binge, we got Peeta and Gale, and we decided to go super far into the future of Let Me Fly. So...here you go. We've never tried to hide that the trio would make it to the end of the fic. Now as to what happened and who else survived? Congratulations, we've told you nothing!

You can get more information about our original writing here:

Website: RoseLarkPublishing

Let us know what you think! Your reviews inspire us to write more. This is especially true with fic. Since we don't get paid for this. ^_^ To those we do review, you're the reason we haven't abandoned our fics. We love you.

Thanks for reading!