Effie waves the cards in front of their faces and Katniss was just staring straight ahead trying to prepare herself for this. "I can read for both of us if you want" Peeta says and Katniss sighs out of relief "thank you."
they step out onto the stage and Peeta gives his speech but Katniss is just staring at rues picture, when Peeta goes to walk off she steps towards the mic, "hi um. I didn't know thresh, we only spoke once, he could have killed me but instead he showed me mercy, a debt I'll never be able to repay" she takes a deep breath, "I did know Rue, she wasn't just my ally she was my friend, I see her in the meadow in the flowers that grow by my house, I hear her in mockingjay songs, I see her in my little sister Prim. She was too young, too gentle, and I couldn't save her. I'm sorry" an older man takes his three fingers kisses them then holds them in the air, the sign of thanks. Peeta takes her hand. The peacekeepers break through the crowd and grab the man holding a gun to his head, she starts screaming, Peeta lifts her up and carries her away, right before the doors close she sees the man get shot straight in the head, "this wasn't supposed to happen" she says crying, Haymitch comes in front of her "what do you mean" he asks Katniss looks around and Haymitch drags Peeta and her upstairs.
"he has to know I didn't want this he has to" Haymitch puts a hand in my shoulder to calm me "who?" He asks gently "snow. He said the people didn't believe are story and that there are uprisings and that if I didn't prove to him we are real he would kill everyone I love" Katniss says and Peeta yells "why didn't you tell me!" "Because he threatened me Peeta I didn't know if I was allowed" Peeta softens at this, "ok ok" Effie comes up the stairs "the peacekeepers want us out of here now so hurry up!"
later that night Peeta and Katniss lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Peeta breaks the silence "so looks like I haft to up the romance" Katniss laughs and it feels good, "you already are the most romantic guy I know" she says kissing his chest which her head was laying on, "I love you" Peeta says "I love you too" they sit there wondering what the rest of the tour will be like.
the rest of the tour she follows Effie's cards and ignores when a peacekeeper drags someone away.
it's two days till we haft to face snow and they are not doing their job.
"we could get married" Katniss suggests when they are trying to brainstorm, "be serious" Peeta says "I am, I mean you said we are gonna be in this train forever, right Haymitch?" He nods "it's bound to happen eventually" Peeta gets up abruptly "yeah" and leaves, "I thought this is what he wanted" HayMitch shakes his head "he wanted it to be real" Katniss thinks for a second then gets an idea "what's that look for" Haymitch asks her, "I'll make it real" she gets up to go talk to Effie.
"oh hello darling" Effie says when Katniss enters the room Effie is in. "Hey Effie, how un lady like is it to propose?" Katniss asks first before anything else hoping to avoid a lecture, "oh are you planning on proposing to Peeta oh this is amazing" Effie says "so it's ok if the woman does it?" "Oh yes dear" they sit down in the couch, "so what brought this up?" Effie asks "well HayMitch and me agreed that snow would get off our backs if we get engaged and Peeta got upset for obvious reasons" Katniss waits a moment to make sure Effie understands, "so I want to make it real. I mean I know I have never really wanted to get married until Peeta so why not sooner then later" Katniss says and Effie squeals. "Ok we are gonna haft to do this in the capital sadly. Any special place you guys have there" Katniss smiles at the memory of the roof, "are we staying in the same building as last time?" Katniss asks "yes" "the roof. It's where we first connected other than the bread but I didn't know his name then" Effie nods thinking, "ok we can set up a picnic and get a ring" "well the thing about the ring is no one can know because he's gonna haft to propose to me on live television later" Katniss says "I have a solution! We give him the ring proposal style then put it on a necklace for when he's on television!" Katniss smiles at how excited Effie is. "Let's do it"
the next few days were spent with Effie planning everything (and lots of cuddles with Peeta of course)
it was time. Katniss thought, Effie had just sent Peeta to meet her on the roof.
"Katniss?" Peeta called as he opened the door to the roof, as soon as he walked out the door he saw a picnic with candles and Katniss standing right in middle. "Hey" she says already getting emotional, "what's all this?" Peeta asks "well. I know how much the whole marriage thing upset you so" she got down on one knee "no" Peeta says in shock "at least let me ask" he nods "Peeta, I never thought I would dream of a life like this but" she starts to cry "you have changed me for the better and I want you to know that no matter what snow asks and no matter what people believe, I love you and would die for you. So Peeta Mellark, will you marry me" they were both crying now, "I wanted to ask" is the first thing that comes out of Peeta's mouth "Peeta" Katniss scolds and he chuckles "of course I will" she gets up and he picks her up and spins her around, when he puts her down he kisses her passionately. "Wait what about the big public proposal?" Peeta asks as Katniss puts the ring on his finger, "when you are in public we put it on" she takes out a necklace with nothing on it, "this" he smiles "and snow will still have his public proposal when we go on tv tonight" she explains.
Peeta admires the ring and sees small gold flecks "what's the gold?" He asks "they are gold flecks from my mockingjay pin" "you broke your pin" he frowns "no, I scraped enough for Cinna to work his magic" Katniss says, "who knew you were a romantic" Katniss laughs "oh most of this was all Effie" he raises his eyebrows "Effie let you do this" "I think she was more excited then me" they both chuckle at that. "Well I believe we have a picnic" Katniss says.
they eat laugh and watch the sunset together.
And that's this chapter!