Chapter Text
Chapter 1
My eyes shoot open as I snap upright, screaming. It takes me a second to calm down, realizing it was just another nightmare. One of the nightmares that plagues every sleeping hour.
After a moment, I climb out of bed and hurry over to my closet. I pull out a jacket and throw it on before I hurry out of my bedroom, down the stairs, and out of the front door. Once I get out onto the front porch, I stop and sit down on the steps, wondering what I'm going to do now.
It's been just a few days since we got back from the Victory Tour. And a week since I knew it was all over. When I saw President Snow give that small, almost imperceptible shake of his head from his balcony at his mansion, I knew it was over. I knew that all our efforts had failed. We hadn't convinced him. And it won't be long before our punishment begins.
I think back on the last few weeks, wondering what we did wrong. We did everything we possibly could to convince Snow. We even got engaged. We acted as in love as we possibly could. Why had it not been enough?
Then, my thought process halts. Acted? Were we really acting?
I stop to think about that. My feelings for Peeta are about the most confusing thing in the world. There were times in arena during the Games that I wanted nothing but him. Kisses that left me wanting more. Since the Games, there have been times I didn't want to be around him, but at other times I wanted nothing more than to be with him. And on the Victory Tour, so many of those nights I woke up and only wanted to be in Peeta's arms. So many of those kisses made me feel something so powerful for him.
As I think on this, and thoughts of Snow return to me, the thought somehow crosses my head of Snow having Peeta tortured and executed. Instantly, such a powerful feeling of fear washes over me. I've rarely felt so scared of something in my life. But the thought of losing Peeta suddenly fills me with such overwhelming fear.
Instantly, I'm on my feet. I stand there for only a second before I start running towards Peeta's house. Reaching it, I throw open the door. I run up the stairs, and once I reach Peeta's bedroom door, I pound it, desperate to see him.
A few moments later, Peeta opens the door. Before he can say anything, I throw my arms around him and clutch him tightly. Without a word, he hugs me back.
The two of us stand there for a moment before he asks, "Katniss, what's wrong?"
I open my mouth to say something, but instead a terrible sobbing sound comes out as tears begin to flow down my cheeks. It takes me several moment before I manage to say, "I can't do it, Peeta. I can't lose you!"
"Katniss, you're not going to lose me," Peeta says comfortingly.
"You don't know that. Snow didn't believe us. Who knows what he's going to do? I couldn't handle it if he killed you!" I say amidst my tears.
Peeta pulls back enough that he can look me in the eyes. He looks me right in the eyes before he asks, "Katniss, where is this all coming from? What set this off?"
I look up at him, tears in my eyes, and say, "I love you, Peeta. It took me so long to realize it…but I love you. I wasn't sure what love felt like until tonight, when I realized how scared I was of the possibility that I might lose you."
Peeta smiles at me, and I can see the tears start to well up in his eyes. "I love you too, Katniss. More than you know. And I've waited so long to hear you say those words," he says.
I'm not sure who moves first, but a second later, our lips connect in the most passionate kiss we've ever shared. I can feel the love from him, and I put every ounce of love I feel for him into the kiss.
I'm not sure how long we stand there before we finally pull apart, but when we do, I miss the feeling, and pull him back in for another kiss. This one is much shorter, but still filled with love.
As we separate the second time, I look Peeta in the eyes, and right then, a thought comes into my head. I look at Peeta and say, "Peeta, marry me. I don't mean for the Capitol, or for Snow, or for anyone else. Just for us. I don't need any of the pomp or celebration or certificates or anything else. Just you."
Peeta smiles. "Of course I will. But one thing first," he says. He then turns around and walks into his bedroom. He comes back a moment later and holds out a very simple engagement ring.
"This was my grandmother's engagement ring. I meant when we came back to 12 to give you this, but I wasn't sure when and how. I guess now is as good a time as any," he says.
I smile and slowly remove my more extravagant engagement ring that Peeta got in the Capitol to use for the proposal. As I do, Peeta gets down on one knee and says, "No Capitol. No Snow. Nothing but you and me and our love." He pauses, then asks, "Katniss Everdeen, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"
"Yes," I say, truly meaning it this time. Peeta smiles as he slides the ring onto my finger, and I then bend down to kiss him again.
As I pull back, Peeta says, "Let's go get Haymitch. Have at least one witness. Plus, if anyone deserves to witness it, I think Haymitch does."
I sigh a bit, but nod. Peeta takes my hand and we walk down the stairs and out his front door. The sun is just starting to come up, so I don't feel as bad about going to wake up Haymitch.
Peeta forces the door open, sending several bottles across the floor. We make our way into the kitchen, where Haymitch is fast asleep. We stop for a moment before Peeta lets go of my hand and walks over to Haymitch, shaking him vigorously before jumping back in time as Haymitch leaps to his feet, swinging his knife around several times before realizing the only people in the kitchen are us.
"What are you doing here?" he demands.
"Haymitch…we're getting married. We don't want to wait to do a wedding for the Capitol or for Snow. We want a toasting, just for us. We want you to witness it," Peeta says.
Haymitch stares at him for a moment before demanding, "You really couldn't wait until morning?"
"It is morning. And I don't want to wait any longer. Snow didn't buy our performance, so he's going to be coming for us. I don't want to wait any longer," I say.
Haymitch looks at me for a moment before he says, "So. You really do love him?"
I glare at Haymitch defiantly. "Yes, I do, Haymitch. Now, are you gonna come with us, or what?" I demand.
He stands there for a moment before he smiles slightly. "Alright, sweetheart," he says.
Peeta walks back over to me and takes my hand. We then walk out of Haymitch's house, hand in hand, with Haymitch following behind us.
As we walk out, I stop, as I see Prim walking out of Peeta's house. After a moment, I call out, "Prim. What are you doing out here?"
Prim looks over to me and hurries over to us. "I heard your scream when you woke up, then I heard you go outside. When you didn't come back, I went looking for you," she says. She then looks at mine and Peeta's interlocked hands and Haymitch behinds us, and asks, "What's going on here?"
I look at Peeta, and he looks at me, and after a moment, we both nod. I then look back at Prim and say, "Me and Peeta decided we don't want to just get married for the benefit of the Capitol, and we don't want to wait either. So, we're doing the toasting right now."
Prim looks surprised for several moments. Then, she breaks out in that smile that makes anyone smile, and she says, "Then I'm going to be there for it."
I smile a bit at my sister. "Of course, Prim," I say.
Prim beams. She then walks with us over to Peeta's house, and begins to sing the traditional wedding song here in 12 as me and Peeta enter the house.
Peeta and I make our way into the kitchen, and Peeta picks up a loaf of bread he made just yesterday. We then go into the living room.
Peeta sets the wood and kindling into the fireplace, and I light the match. Soon, we have the fire going.
Peeta takes the loaf of bread and a knife and cuts a slice from the loaf. I then take a set of tongs and take hold of the slice of bread. Peeta puts his hand on mine, so we're both holding the tongs as we hold it over the fire.
We watch as the bread slowly turns golden brown. Once it is, we pull the bread out and remove it from the tongs. We both look at each other before we both lean in and take a bite from the bread. Bite by bite, we share the slice of bread until it's gone. Once it's all gone, we share a kiss.
We then hear soft crying, and turn around to see Prim in tears, and Haymitch wearing a slight smile. Prim says after a moment, "That was beautiful."
There's quiet for a moment before Haymitch says, "Well, we'll leave you two alone."
Haymitch motions for Prim to follow him, and the two walk out of the house, leaving me and Peeta behind.
Peeta stands up and holds out his hand, "Would you like to dance, Katniss?"
For some reason, I blush, but I say, "Yes." I take his hand and he pulls me to my feet. We then begin to sway from side to side.
As we dance, I look right into his eyes, and find myself instantly lost in that beautiful blue. I don't know how long I am staring into his eyes, but it feels like hours before finally our lips connect.
I feel like I'm in another world as Peeta kisses me and I kiss him back. We wrap our arms around each other and deepen the kiss.
Then, after I don't know how long, Peeta lifts me up into his arms, and I wrap my legs around his waist. We briefly separate and look into each other's eyes, and in that instant, know we both want to give ourselves to the other completely. We resume our kiss, and slowly head upstairs towards his bedroom.