Katniss and the Rebels

Chapter 39: May 8th

AN: Two chapters to go...and we're back to some traditional everlark fluff for this chapter.

Katniss POV

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Katniss! Happy birthday to you!"

I groan into my pillow and pull the covers tightly over my head.

"Thanks Prim" I grumble "Now can you leave me in peace?"

I hear her giggle from the doorway and I know she's not going to leave anytime soon.

"Come on! It's your birthday! I'm aware you have school but we can at least make the morning fun!"

I peak over the covers to glare at her.

"Not now?" Prim asks tentatively

I sigh, hating myself for loving her so damn much. Even though I know she's just being a kind, good sister, I can't help the lack of enthusiasm due to my exhaustion.

"No, no I'll get up, I'll get up." I throw my legs out of the bed and shiver, already missing the warm comfort of my duvet, "Go downstairs and have your breakfast, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay"

Prim hesitates for a minute before running towards me and hugging me around the waist.

"Happy Birthday Katniss!"

I smile, "Thanks Little Duck."

After she skips down the stairs, I get myself ready for the day. I'm just pulling on my shoes when my phone vibrates from my dresser.

- 4 Unread Messages -

From Peeta: Morning Kat! Happy Birthday! Might or might not have a plan for it ;) I'm not giving away any details though. See you soon! Madge and I will try and make double Home Ec. easier to cope with but I'm not sure how possible that is xx

I snort and move on to the next message.

From Gale: Happy Birthday Catnip :) Be at your house at 8

Short and sweet, I love it.

From Darius: Dude, stop growing up so fast. You're getting old. We're getting old. I don't like it. Anyway Happy B-day, Thom made me promise not to make your life a living hell today so I'll try my best.

From Thom: Happy Birthday Katniss! Hope you have a great day. I know it's unlikely with school and everything but we'll try our best to make it as tolerable as we can.

I grin, stick my phone into the back-pocket of my jeans before making my way downstairs.

My friends are definitely the best.

…

Gale arrives ten minutes later than promised but when I open the door to let the Hawthornes in; I am faced with several haphazardly wrapped presents being shoved in my face and a chorus of,

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATNISS!"

I know I must look an interesting sight. My eyes and mouth wide open as I stare in shock at the four familiar faces in front of me.

Posy and Vick are grinning eagerly at me, Rory is smiling genuinely and Gale stands behind them, towering over his siblings with amusement written all over his face.

"Wow em…thanks guys…" I eventually stutter out.

I probably should hug them or something but my arms won't coordinate with my brain.

"Can you open the presents now?" Posy asks, her eyes looking up at me pleadingly.

Gale speaks before I can, "We're already running late Posy because you guys insisted on wrapping the presents before giving them to Catnip."

"Well obviously Gale, you can't just give someone an unwrapped present. That's just bad manners." Vick states in a matter of fact tone and I choke back a laugh.

Vick is becoming more and more like his older brothers every day. Though he'd probably be extremely offended if I were to tell hi that.

"I'll open them quickly okay?" I say, ruffling Posy's hair gently "You guys really didn't have to get me anything."

They shuffle inside and we head into the sitting room and I already know that it will be a nightmare trying to get them to leave for school.

"They insisted" Gale informs me, plonking down beside me on the couch "Didn't cost much though so don't worry."

I shove him teasingly and open my presents.

Posy drew me a collection of drawings in crayon that I think are supposed to tell a story of a princess. As I flick through it, I blush madly when I discover that the princess's name is 'Katniss' and the prince's name is 'Peeta'.

I really hope Gale doesn't know about that, otherwise he won't stop teasing me about it for the rest of our lives.

Vick gave me a framed photo of the two of us playing just dance and it's so adorable that I immediately put it up on the mantelpiece.

Rory gives me two free cinema tickets from he and Prim for whatever movie I choose and I immediately know where I'm going on my next date with Peeta.

Gale gingerly hands me a square box and in it is a beautiful silver necklace with a music note dangling from the end of it. I half-hug him as a thank you because I may or may not be a little in love with it.

Posy helps me put it on and it takes an extra five minutes than if I were to do it myself but I don't complain.

When she's done however, Gale and I insist on getting a move on.

Rory and Prim whine, Vick sighs and Posy is on the verge of throwing a tantrum when Gale reminds them sternly that they're supposed to be on their best behaviour for my birthday.

I want to argue and say that they don't have to behave just because of me but when Gale shoots me a disapproving look, I relent because if it makes the long walk to school more bearable then I can't disagree.

Five minutes later, we have got all the kids out the door when Gale pats me on the back and smiles.

"Happy Birthday Catnip."

I roll my eyes out of habit but smile gratefully in response,

"Thanks Galey. Now come on, time for hell."

His groans drown out the sound of me slamming the door closed and I flinch, grateful that my mother left early to go on a walk.

She's been going out for walks more and more lately which makes me quite happy. I try not to have too much hope but I can't help it. She left just as I came down the stairs, pausing to kiss me on the cheek and wish me a happy birthday before leaving. I'm not sure whether she remembered or Prim reminded her but I'm grateful for it either way.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Posy pulling at my clothes and asking me if she can tell me the story of Princess Katniss and Prince Peeta.

Gale's eyebrows dart to his hairline and I inwardly sigh, knowing that he is going to use this one against me for a long, long time to come.

…

After enduring Darius's sobs of my old age, Thom's attempts at restraining him while he fails at holding back his laughter and Gale's made up tales of Princess Katniss and Prince Peeta all morning, I manage to escape at lunchtime to the secluded school rooftop with Peeta.

It's pretty much the same as it was in the winter except with the lack of snow and chill in the air.

We sit on the same bench as the first time, well Peeta sits properly on it and I lie sideways with my head in his lap.

We have a free period after lunch so thankfully we have a little extra time here.

My eyes are closed, the little light from the bright sunshine peaks through but it's peaceful. It's nice to get away from the crowded halls, vicious peers and tedious classes and just spend some time with Peeta; even if it's only for an hour or so.

I feel Peeta treading his fingers through my hair and when he starts spending extra time on it, I open my eyes and squint up at him.

"What are you…?" I ask quietly and he smiles

"I'm making you a flower crown" He explains

I look over to the wall behind Peeta's head and see that there are a collection of daisies waiting on the ledge to be placed in my hair.

I raise an eyebrow at him,

"Where'd you get them?"

Peeta shrugs

"My back garden, now stop moving please, you're going to ruin all my hard work."

I snigger but settle into his lap again and close my eyes.

Time passes slowly, the birds chirp in the sky above us, the distant sound of our peers playing sport on the field below us and the feel of Peeta's nimble fingers working in and out through my hair is more comforting than you'd expect.

This is a perfect way to spend my birthday, no fuss but still spending time with the people I care about the most.

Gale and Prim are cooking dinner this evening which should be extremely interesting.

Darius and Thom were really sweet though, they made a photo album for me.

It was homemade and filled to the brim with photos of the four of us. There were pictures of me going back to kindergarten and I know Gale must have given them those so I'll have to get back at him for that later.

Sae was in a few of them and she must have taken some of the pictures too because there were several pages dedicated to our band preforming on stage at the Hob.

Family photos of Prim, my mother and I, pictures of me with Gale's family and a lot with Madge from over the years. On the last few pages were the pictures of latest additions to my life.

Someone had taken a picture of Peeta and me at his birthday party; we were sitting outside in the dark glow of the fairy lights with our eyes closed, holding hands.

There was a picture with Finnick and Annie and I'm not sure when it was taken but it was in the cafeteria in school and we are all in the fits of laughter over something.

I must admit I don't particularly like having my photo taken so I'm surprised that Darius and Thom managed to find so many but I love it all the same.

They must have put a lot of time and work into it which I greatly appreciate.

Seeing as it was homemade they also went a bit wild with the glitter on the majority of the pages which have made my hands sparkly since this morning and I know it'll be a nightmare to try and wash off.

"Kat?" Peeta says softly, breaking the tender silence

I make an affirmative noise, too relaxed to speak.

"Do you remember when I said how I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after high school?"

I open my eyes, the overpowering beam of sunlight making me squint but I manage to make out his face.

His eyes are trained on the fingers working in my hair but his eyebrows are drawn together in more than just concentration.

"Yeah" I whisper, honestly a little fearful of where this conversation is going.

"Well…I was talking to my dad" He informs me quietly "And he said that…the bakery is practically mine if I want it. When I'm older obviously, you see he doesn't trust Rye with it and neither he nor Brian particularly want it so…if I want it then dad says when he retires, I can run the place.

I want to take one of his hands in mine but they are still busily working in my hair and I can tell that this is sort of a distraction for him so I put my hand on his arm and rub circles reassuringly there instead.

"And do you want to?"

I think I already know the answer but I don't want to assume.

Peeta hesitates for a minute before I see him nodding.

"I do" He answers "I really do. I've been thinking about it for a while and I think it would be the right thing for me to do. I could just work full time in the bakery after high school but…I still want to go to college and study you know? I don't want to just run the bakery because dad wants me to; I want to actually be able to do it."

I ever so slightly nod so I don't ruin his masterpiece in my hair.

"I understand." I reply

"So I was thinking of doing a business course and then maybe one on food management. I mean I've been helping dad out ever since I can remember but it wouldn't hurt to have the proper qualifications."

I smile at him, "That sounds great Peeta."

He waits another few minutes before continuing and when he speaks again, his voice is quieter as if he's unsure whether he should say the words or not.

"There's a college in the Capital that specialises in a course like that. It seems really good and it's not too expensive. I know it would be a few train rides away but…I think it's the one for me. If I get in that is…"

Screw the hair.

I lean up and press a gentle, loving kiss to his mouth. I stroke his cheek softly and smile against his lips.

"It sounds amazing Peeta. I'm happy you've found where you want to go."

I really, really am.

Peeta leans his forehead against mine, his arms leaving my hair and wrapping them around my back, "Thanks Kat."

I swallow, "Just promise me something yeah?"

He raises an eyebrow, "Anything."

"Don't…don't give up on your passion for art." I tell him "I know how much it means to you and how much you enjoyed working with Cinna's friend. Don't become one of those people who works so much that they forget to spend time doing what they love."

Peeta smiles and nudges my nose with his,

"Never."

I kiss his nose and grin,

"Brilliant."

Peeta is the first to pull back and he sits me up properly beside him and I try not to pout.

"Speaking of art, I have your birthday present." He reaches into his bag and goes searching

I sigh, "Peeta, you really didn't have to-"

He hands me a rectangular parcel, "I know but you're stuck with it now and it didn't cost me anything."

I stick my tongue out at him in protest but he just winks at me.

The parcel is delicately wrapped and so I open it slowly, the sound of the green wrapping paper being torn breaks the anxious tension.

I gasp when I see what the present is.

It's too much, it's far too much.

It's a picture in a frame. The frame is plain, wooden and a dark brown colour that reminds me of tree bark but it's what's inside the frame that causes my heart to speed up.

It's not so much a picture than it is a painting; a painting that has clearly been done by Peeta as I can spot his familiar styles and textures in it.

It's a painting of our first date, all those months ago, in a secret hideaway at a football game.

In the painting it is shown as if it were a photo taken of the two of us. You can only see the back of our bodies but it's clearly Peeta and me. Peeta has painted his blonde curls perfectly and my brown hair is seen falling on my back.

Other than us and the bench we're sitting on, everything else is pitch-black in the painting. Everything except for the white light shining through from a crack in the shutters in front of Peeta and me, the light brightens up the painting and portrays the safe, enclosed feeling of the hideaway perfectly.

It's perfect, it's absolutely perfect.

Tears begin to sting my eyes the longer I continue to look at it so with one hand still clutching the delicate frame, I fling my arms around him and hug him tightly.

"I love it" I whisper into his neck and I feel the tears reluctantly fall down my cheeks, "I really love it."

Peeta hugs me back and kisses my head lovingly.

"And I love you."

I laugh softly and my returned words get lost in his neck.

I know I will never be able to thank Peeta enough for this. Not just for the ridiculously beautiful painting but for everything else he has given me.

Peeta has given me the feeling of being safe, being loved and not having to go through everything alone with my walls up. I know I'll spend my life trying to repay him for that.

I only hope that me loving him back is enough for now.

As I feel his gentle words in my ear as his comforting hands rub up and down my back reassuringly, I know that it is enough for him. I know that we're enough for each other for however long we have together.

And the romantic, hopeful part of me prays that we have forever together because I'm honestly not sure how I could go back to my life without him.

And I know he feels the same way.

AN: Hint: Chapter 40: Graduation, Chapter 41: Epilogue

Thanks for reading!

- xTeam Mockingjayx