monchich

[monchich]

Nominations

Here is the final list of nominations!

Best Romantic Smut:  Sensual, romantic smut.

For You To Notice Me by Tigers24 

Maybe It’s Just Me by Bleedtoloveher 

Goddess by HGRomance  

Mercy by TwoPisces 

Either Way by bellissimaanima 

Catching Fire Rekindling: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers

Knot Your Fingers Through Mine by monroeslittle

Best Raunchy/Dirty Smut: Hard and fast fucking.

Controlling Katniss by Jamiesommers23 

The Rules: First Speech Outtake by Kismet4891 

Shades of Winter by TwilightCakes

The Education of Peeta Mellark by atetheredmind

Rainbows and Butterflies by LibertySue

Circadian Rhythm by tofujesus

A Mellark Interview Technique by zacfan18

Butterflies by misshoneywell

Best Oral Sex Smut: Going down/giving head to one or both partners.

Putting Him First by Kismet4891 

Mockingjay: Broken Wings Outtakes by Jamiesommers23 

One Good Turn by atetheredmind 

Fire And Ice by deliverustogirouxsalem (falafel_waffel) 

Better Together by alexabee 

Speed Date: Chapter 7 Outtake by Everlark Pearl

Legend by HGRomance

Best Masturbation/Mutual Masturbation Smut: Jerking off, getting off, watching each other get off.

Better Together by Alexabee 

Takes One to Know One by QueSyrahSyrah 

In Name Only by Izzy Samson 

First Speech by Kismet4891 

It Begins in Mystery by Everlark Pearl 

Mockingjay Broken Wings: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers 

Getting There by starkist

Not In Our Favor by TwilightCakes

Touch by Swishywillow

Best One-Shot/Drabble Smut: Best smut from a one-shot or drabble.

Putting Him First by Kismet4891 

One Good Turn by atetheredmind 

Wear Your Heart on Your Skin by Bleedtoloveher 

Words Aren’t Enough by ILoveRynMar 

Five Words Peeta Only Says At Night by aimmyarrowshigh  

Controlling Katniss by Jamiesommers23 

Better Together Outtake: Peeta’s POV by alexabee

Hot Buns, Honey Buns by zacfan18

Best Multi-Chapter Smut: Best smut from a multi-chapter fic.

Catching Fire Rekindling: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers 

The Education of Peeta Mellark by atetheredmind

Synchronicity by Everlark_Pearl

The Luxury and the Necessity by Devanrae

Sealskin by loupee

Sky’s Still Blue by iLoVeRynMar

Best WIP Smut: Best smut from a work in progress.

In Season by Rainydaysanyways 

Elasticity by TwoPisces 

Mockingjay Broken Wings: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers 

The Luxury and the Necessity by Devanrae

Someday by Bleedtoloveher

A Slow Burning Fire by Books-are-better

Best Threesome Smut:  Two girls, one guy or two guys, one girl.

For the Liquid Measure of your Steps by for all the words 

Knots by atetheredmind 

Better Together by alexabee 

The Executive Agreement by Lauralulubee 

Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder by Falafel Waffel

Hunger in District 12 by Mellark.love.82

Make A Wish by Belladonnablush

Overall Sexiest Smut:  The best of the best when it comes to smut. So hot that it almost gets you off just reading it.

Swing by atetheredmind 

Infinity by BleedToLoveHer 

Mockingjay Broken Wings: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers 

The Luxury and the Necessity by Devanrae

The First Time by annieoakley1

Best Makeup Sex Smut: Making up from a break up/fight can make for the hottest smut. 

Infinity by Bleedtoloveher 

Not in our Favor by TwilightCakes 

In My Head, In My Heart by iloverynmar 

Catching Fire Rekindling: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers  

Best Drunken Smut:  One or both partners is drunk during sex.

I Don’t Want to Forget by Books-Are-Better 

Synchronicity by Everlark_Pearl 

A Blessing in Disguise by cd291104

You Quite So New by atetheredmind

Whiskey Dick by lollercakes

Best PWP Smut:  Who needs a ‘plot’ when there is smut involved?

Collections chapter 33 “Doors and Stockings” by lollercakes 

Mrs. Hawthorne by kismet4891

Most Creative Smut:  Who says sex has to get monotonous and boring?

First Speech by Kismet4891 

We Have Not Touched the Stars by zombieboyband

Large Game by zacfan18

Most Unique Smut Location/Scenario:  Public sex or sex in an odd place. 

The First Time by AnnieOakley1 

Controlling Katniss by Jamiesommers23 

Goddess by HGRomance 

Mrs. Hawthorne by Kismet

Infinity by BleedtoLoveHer

Cruel Summer by TwilightCakes

Two Wrongs by JLaLa

Best Dirty Talk Smut: “Talk dirty to me.”

Flux and Dustjackets by Silvercistern 

The Executive Agreement by Lauralulubee 

Speed Date by Everlark_Pearl 

Control by ILoveRynMar 

Swing by atetheredmind

Heartsick by misshoneywell

Best First Time Smut:  Can include first time for one/both partners period, or first time together in a relationship.

Rebel by HGRomance 

Ragged Edges by Silvercistern 

Mine by LibertySue 

Someday by Bleedtoloveher 

Saint Peeta by ILoveRynMar 

The Threshing Floor by Mejhiren 

Extension of my Usefulness by VS_Brewster (blue moon 3) 

Blue on Grey by Starkist 

Second Hand News by Abagail Snow

First Speech by kismet4891

The Education of Peeta Mellark by atetheredmind

With Eyes to Hear by Amelia Day

Catching Fire: Rekindling Outtakes by Jamie Sommers

hold me, hold me, never let me go by loveleee

Refuge by DustWriter

Best Established Relationship Smut: Just because you’ve been together for awhile doesn’t mean the sex isn’t still hot!

Legend by HGRomance 

Synchroncity by Everlark_Pearl 

Pennies From Heaven by FamousFremus 

Combs and a Fob Chain by silvercistern

Getting There by starkist

Eggshells by Amelia Day

Touch by Swishywillow

Whatever You Want to Do (is all right with me) by Trippy41

Sister Winter by ahundreddoves

Best Wedding Night Smut: Finally hitched?  Time to get down and dirty!

The Threshing Floor by Mejhiren 

Catching Fire: Rekindling Outtakes - Peetas Pleasure by Jamiesommers23 

Blood From Stone by misshoneywell 

Synchronicity, All of Our Tomorrows (part 3) by Everlark Pearl

Legal Matrimony by silvercistern 

Best Angry/Hate Sex Smut:  There is a thin line between love and hate and this smut shows it!

The Feint by atetheredmind 

A Strange Kind of Loathing by wherebrokenheartslie

Beast and his Belle: Chapter 22-One More Time by Falafel Waffel

Best Overall Canon Smut: Best smut in the canon universe.

The Unrecorded Hours by hollycomb 

The List of Words by MyKonstantine 

The Love Games by temptariesfire 

A Mellark Interview Technique by zacfan18 

Synchronicity by Everlark_Pearl 

The Pearl by VS_Brewster 

The Good Wife by silvercistern 

Getting There by starkist

Touch by Swishywillow

Whatever You Want to Do (is all right with me) by Trippy41

Best Overall AU Smut: Best smut in an alternate universe.

The Education of Peeta Mellark by atetheredmind 

Be Still and Know I Am by therebelliondies 

The Mating Games by ktface3 

Catching Fire Rekindling: Outtakes by Jamie Sommers 

Goddess by HGRomance

Speed Date by Everlark Pearl

Top of the World by DirectorCharmicheal 

First Speech by kismet4891

Flux and Dustjackets by Silvercistern

Infinityby Bleedtoloveher

[monchich]

Katniss mentions how Peeta has a strong heart. But I like to believe that his heart only beats like that because she was lying on top.

[monchich]

One of the things that amazes me the most about the trilogy is how subtly Collins molds Katniss' mindset to a softer and more understanding place. And how does she do it?

Through Peeta.

Peeta is the embodiment of empathy, love, and kindness, which is one of the first things Katniss notices about him. He is the first person to deciphers the main goal of the games: to pit the districts against one another, as mere pawns to the Capitol.

Katniss imitates Peeta more than we think.

In the first book, when her ally Rue is killed, she finally understands that Peeta had figured it out before tepping foot in the arena. She begins to rethink her animal instincts that made her kill Marvel without a second thought, wondering what the games had made of her.

She understands, what she and had Gale refused to at the beginning of the book, when he says that killing a human is no different. But it is different, and this is a point of epiphany for her. She covers Rue with flowers to show that she is not a piece in their games.

Ultimately, this change leads to the final move with the berries that sparks the rebellion. It is Peeta's ideology of non-conformity and rebellion through non-violence that saves them both and leads their country to freedom.

Additionally, in Catching her demeanour towards the other victors is amusing to say the least. It is obvious that she has let go of her survivalist mentality, she gives the victors a chance (even the most extreme ones such as Cashmere, Glass and Enobaria ) to view them as they really are, setting aside the Capitol created image.

Peeta’s empathy and moral integrity underpin her actions and decisions as she leads the rebellion, she conveys that true leadership involves compassion and understanding, and not just strategy and strength.

Through Peeta, she learns to love more and to have more understanding for the people around her, whether it be her prep team or a career tribute. Peeta's existence is what primarily helps her survive and prevents her from adopting Gale's extreme realist approach to war.

Katniss is the apex of the love triangle, representing the middle ground between Peeta and Gale's liberal and realist approaches. However, she is unsure of her stance at the beginning of the first book.

“Not people,” I say. “How different can it be, really?” says Gale grimly. The awful thing is that if I can forget they’re people, it will be no different at all.

Throughout Mockingjay, Katniss often finds herself at odds with Gale’s strategies, especially when they involve potential civilian casualties. And even then Peeta is physically absent, his voice rings at the back of her head. Even in his semi hijacked state he manages to guide Katniss in his propos.

"Is this really what we want to do? Kill ourselves off completely? In the hopes that — what? Some decent species will inherit the smoking remains of the earth?”

Peeta brings out this sympathetic side, and so she symbolically becomes a neutral ground between Gale and Peeta's mindsets. She embodies the balance between a liberal and realist approach to war.

[monchich]

Yk what's so hilarious? The fact that Katniss told us that Darius knowing she and Peeta do sleep together would be just as bad if Gale were there to see it. Implying that she would be horrified if Gale found out about her and Peeta's late-night sleepovers. Just for HijackPeeta to air out the nights on the train, even implying more than cuddles had occurred. And Katniss gave less shits about Gale finding out. Not even a thought about it. She was just hyper-focusing on Peeta, and then proceeded to daydream about the nights on the train 💀 she even confirmed it to everyone, when she was like “You like to sleep with the windows open.” RIGHT IN FRONT OF GALE. And she still pays no mind to him and only wants to cry for her boy, for what has happened to her and Peeta’s relationship and love.

Like character development, ig? Or maybe it’s that she is so over Gale’s foolery and no longer cares about his pain. She just wants Peeta back, she just wants to go back to those nights and damm anyone who finds out about it. She just wants her boy with the bread.

[monchich]

Can you do a deep analysis of the last paragraph of MJ, before the epilogue? 😭 I can grasp the gist of it, but I feel like it's not all right

Bro you really want this? Deep dive analysis into possibly the most analyzed passage in the whole series? All right. Let's go. First, the whole passage:

Now let's break it up.

Peeta and I grow back together.

I think there are two ways to take this sentence, really they both apply. The first is "Peeta and I grow back together" as in, they become as they were before the hijacking, which was in sync and in love. The second is "Peeta and I grow back together" as in, they both heal from the horrors they've had to face and as they do this together, side by side, each one having the other's backs. There's a reason why Everlarkers are so obsessed with this line, it's spawned a whole subtype of fanfiction. Grow back together, like the meadow that grew back from the bombs of the Capitol.

There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children.

Suzanne's father was a veteran of the Vietnam War. I could have sworn I read an interview where she mentioned her father having nightmares, though I can't find it now. However in her picture book The Year of the Jungle, Suzanne notes some PTSD symptoms her father had, including spacing out and being back in the jungle. Here we see Katniss and Peeta both have intrusive symptoms of PTSD, similar to what Suzanne's father had. These are struggles that they continue to deal with because of the way the world used and traumatized them.

But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips.

Following Katniss referencing her nightmares, we get this information, that Peeta first holds Katniss after these nightmares. At some point in time, he's welcomed back into her bed as he was during the Victory Tour and Quarter Quell. Then, at some point following this, his lips comfort her, implying that after nightmares he kisses her.

Katniss and Peeta are familiar with kissing one another, though all but one in canon up to this point has been in front of an audience. Yet we see the difference in how Katniss kissed Peeta in the first book, where it was more calculated for the camera, and how it is in Catching Fire where even in the Quell, they kiss each other without a second thought about it, how naturally it flows into their interactions. Here, Katniss implies that same ease and natural path from holding to kissing. Peeta's lips become a comfort to her after she sees her worst fears play out in her nightmares.

On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway.

There are two instances in canon that Katniss was able to fully immerse herself in kissing Peeta without worrying about the Games or Gale. The first is following Peeta getting the medicine in the first Games. Right before the kiss, Katniss says, "...the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don't want him to die. And it's not about the sponsors. And it's not about what will happen back home. And it's not just that I don't want to be alone. It's him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread." The second is, of course, the iconic beach scene, where she says, "I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me. 'I do,' I say. 'I need you.'"

We don't know what led up to this particular night, but from the two instances before, it was likely a great emotional connection. Perhaps it was even Katniss realizing that even if she had the two suitors in front of her, it would have been Peeta she'd have chosen in the end. And this emotional connection is what prompts that "hunger that overtook [her] on the beach."

This is how Katniss describes that "hunger" in CF: "The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind." This description is about Katniss's first canon experience with sexual attraction. The kissing only makes her "need greater" and the only comparable experience she has is "hunger." A hunger for "more." More what? They're already kissing and they become "wrapped up" in each other. It stands to reason, then, that her body is asking for further sexual stimulation. There is the emotional connection, with Katniss realizing the depth of her grief if Peeta dies and she lives, in connection to her sexual desire.

And here we also have another favorite of the Everlark community: "this would have happened anyway." Perhaps anticipating the response from "Team Gale" that Peeta won by forfeit, Collins and Katniss are clarifying that no, Katniss would have actively chosen Peeta. That "anyway" tells so much. It's not "if Gale had come back to District 12 but I still saw him responsible for my sister's death." It's anyway. No matter what condition or events, Katniss would have grown back together with Peeta, would have brought him back into her bed, would have felt aroused by him and chosen him as her life partner.

That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself.

Up to this point, Gale really only has two associations with fire: first when he and Katniss are at the lake and she's describing Snow's threats as he cooks them food. And last, the bombs that killed Prim. Here we see the dual nature of Gale's fire. One is homey and nurturing, the other destructive. Gale is both. There was a time when his fire helped keep Katniss's going, and she did to his. Katniss says it here, she has "plenty of fire" herself. Only Gale's fire is not limited to the hearth. When given the chance, the wind picks up his fire and flamed it outside of the hearth and into brush of "rage and hatred." He thought he was defending himself and other vulnerable people. But fire is difficult to control once it begins to burn and Gale lost control of his when he shared his plans with Beetee and Coin. And even in smaller instances, when Gale's fire fought Katniss's fire, they simply burned out. On a personal level, their similarities are what drew them apart from each other.

In comparison, Peeta is described as being a "whiz" at fires, even lighting up damp wood. Following Prim's death, Katniss says she has "no fire." Gale's fire burnt out hers. Yet we see here that Katniss says she "has plenty of fire" herself. Who stoked her fire back to life but the boy she grew back together with? The one who could rouse her from mental anguish and hopelessness, and also soothe her when her anger was roused up? Gale's fire puts her out. Peeta's hand steadies her flame.

What I need is a dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.

Here I am going to go on a bit of a nerd-out on the dandelion here. In some variations of the Theseus and the Minotaur story (which THG is loosely inspired by), Hecate feeds Theseus dandelions for 30 days before his encounter with the Minotaur to give him strength. In others, he ate a dandelion salad after killing the Minotaur. The Minotaur is Crete's version of The Hunger Games, and Theseus ends it by killing the Minotaur.

Katniss first associates dandelions with Peeta after catching his eye the day following the evening when he threw bread to her and he had a bruised cheek. This dandelion gave her hope and is one she associates with Peeta from the beginning of the story. This dandelion gave Katniss strength to keep fighting and providing for her family, the first Minotaur the Capitol puts up against its people, their hunger and poverty. Then on the way to the 74th Games, Katniss has determined that Peeta's kindness is a play of his and she throws out his father's cookies to be rid of any kindness from the Mellarks, but they land "in a patch of dandelions by the track. I only see the image for a moment, because the train is off again, but it's enough. Enough to remind me of that other dandelion in the school yard years ago." This dandelion then reminds her of the ways she braved the wood alone at first, how she made trades, took what her father had taught her and applied it. And this reminder lingers with her on her journey for the ultimate fight of her life (so far), the Hunger Games. She is once again fed by the dandelions on her way to face her Minotaur.

Through the Games, Katniss loses her free will, her privacy, and any remaining peace she had left. This of course launches into the whole of the series where she's deafened, manipulated, publicized, flaunted, scarred, terrorized, sees others killed and kills other. By the end of Mockingjay, she's "a badly burned girl with no wings. With no fire. And no sister." Katniss has faced "destruction" on a personal, familial, and community level due to the wings staples on her and the fire others lit and she has little left at the end.

And yet, even when she so badly wants to die, when Peeta tells her he can't let go, she holds on. She holds on until "spring's in the air" and her dandelion in the spring, Peeta, returns. While the dandelions of his kindness fed her after her father's death and before the Hunger Games, here he is nourishing her again after the war. Reminding her of the goodness that there still is in life, "no matter how bad our losses." And for both Katniss and Peeta, they've had really, really bad losses.

And here it is: dandelions to Katniss are not just a pretty flower, or a symbol of wealth as the rose is to Snow. Dandelions are food. They are nourishment. Dandelions can even be medicine. They grow everywhere and can be found everywhere, bright little suns that can offer so much. Peeta is that to her as well. He nourishes her, strengthens her, is her medicine, and the only person she consummates a romantic and sexual relationship with and fulfills the "hunger" that is "an entirely new kind" to her. He gives her life in every way that is possible and gives her a rebirth, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?" I tell him, "Real."

"So after" we can canonically take as whatever came after she felt hunger (aka sexual desire). It's difficult to interpret it other than that this is when they consummated their relationship, in the very least engaging in some sexual act beyond kissing. Because Katniss says that Peeta's arms and eventually his lips helped her through her nightmares, and this is more than that. It is enough to stand apart and prompt Peeta to clarify his greatest question in the series, about whether or not Katniss loves him.

"Real or not real" was a game Katniss and Peeta have been playing since the beginning. Was Peeta really that kind? Did Katniss actually have feelings for Peeta, even when both knew it had started as an act? What is their relationship if the Capitol is making them play at being a happy couple? Although the hijacking made Peeta question his entire life, even without the hijacking, this is surely something he would have had to ask anyway, and only more so after the hijacking.

Finally having taken time to grieve, to come back to life, to grow back with a partner she trusts, Katniss can confirm to him that yes, she loves him. The final word answering one of the earliest questions in the series: who does Katniss love romantically, if anyone? And the answer, that has been there since his name first appeared: Peeta Mellark.

[monchich]

Maybe something about second times, either sex or kisses or even sleeping together gbt, because the first time they’re so hesitant and nervous. Second time they’re giddy that it’s happening again

One wild night after he returns, they sit on the back porch and eat an entire cake with their hands. Neither of them ever had seconds growing up. They decide there’s no point in not making up for that, and feed each other vanilla sponge and raspberry jam until they’re too sticky to continue, and wash themselves clean with the spigot around the back of the house.

And later, she watches him shade the exact pink of her sister’s rosy nose, his eyes tearful, and she cups his cheek in her hand and turns his face to kiss him.

“Why’d you do that?” he whispers.

She can’t articulate it: how grateful she is that he came back to her, that he holds her grief as tenderly as he holds his own, that he preserves the memories of others, and how he does it so lovingly because his own memories were stolen — and how beautiful it is.

“You’re beautiful,” she tells him.

She tells him again in the way she lifts his sleep shirt over his head and stares at him in the lamplight like he’s too good to be true. She’s never seen him look that shy, unable to meet her eyes, until she leans forward and kisses an ugly scar on his shoulder. “You’re beautiful,” she repeats, and she keeps repeating it with her body long after he’s stolen her breath away.

And later still, as she’s ferreting through the icebox for something to eat, it occurs to her that it’s not food she’s still hungry for.

He’s stretching in the rumpled nest of blankets when she comes back from the kitchen empty-handed.

“Couldn’t find anything you wanted?”

“I want you,” she says. He sits up so quickly it’s almost comical, and she meets him halfway, overeager, maybe, but they’ve done their time starving, and there’s no point waiting to have seconds.

[monchich]

Never forget that in the first book when Peeta thought the feelings were mutual he was an eager beaver to kiss and hug Katniss. Katniss instantly jumped to making out when he was rescued from d13. I refuse to think they’re not jumping each other all the time post war.

All excerpts from the first book:

“His eyes open sleepily and when they focus on me, he pulls me down for a long kiss.”

“I cover his mouth with my hand, but I’m laughing. “Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave.” He grabs my hand away. “What do I care? I’ve got you to protect me now,” says Peeta, pulling me to him.”

“Caesar Flickerman taps on his shoulder [as Peeta and Katniss are kissing] to continue the show, and Peeta just pushes him aside without even glancing at him.”

“Then Peeta’s there looking handsome in red and white, pulling me off to the side. “I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems bent on keeping us apart.’”…well, there’s just this and we go home. Then he can’t watch us all the time,” says Peeta.”

Can you now imagine how he’s going to act when they are in a committed, mature relationship ? They’re going to pound town everyday.

[monchich]

Beach scene.

"I do," I say. "I need you." He looks upset, takes a deep breath as if to begin a long argument, and that's no good, no good at all, because he'll start going on about Prim and my mother and everything and I'll just get confused. So before he can talk, I stop his lips with a kiss.

I feel that thing again. The thing I only felt once before. In the cave last year, when I was trying to get Haymitch to send us food. I kissed Peeta about a thousand times during those Games and after. But there was only one kiss that made me feel something stir deep inside. Only one that made me want more. But my head wound started bleeding and he made me lie down. This time, there is nothing but us to interrupt us.

My hands cup either side of his face, his stubble feels rough against my smooth hands. My cold lips envelop his impossibly warm ones, my hands make their way around the nape of his neck, and a sudden desire to pull on his golden curls overtakes me. A certain urgency invades my senses. I lose comprehension of reality and the gravity of the situation we are in.

His hands come around my shoulders to caress me, I think, until he pushes me away. My face surges with embarrassment. In what world would Peeta refuse my kisses? Is he out of his mind?

"Katn-iss, lo-ve, listen," he attempts to speak as I slither my hands down his waist, lifting the hem of his undershirt. "Yo-u're the one w-ho should—"

My heart races as his swollen lips form the word "love." Is he saying this for the audience, or does he really want to call me love? I am his love, aren't I? I think of a world where Peeta would come home from work every day and say, "Love, I'm home." Oh, how I would long for him all day, both our faces lighting up brighter than every star collected as we make our way to each other.

"Don't 'love' me," I spit, fuming at his selflessness. How dare he try to sacrifice himself for me? How dare he think I could survive one day on this earth without him? How dare he not realize how much I need him? My body heaves with anger and passion, lighting an ethereal flame as I engulf his lips once again. I lose all restraint, one hand aggressively tugging at his blonde locks and the other swiftly removing his shirt. I absorb his words with my mouth, sliding my tongue across his upper lip. A breathy sigh escapes from his mouth, sending shooting stars into my head. He finally gives in and unlatches his lips, allowing my tongue to enter. His tongue is no competition for mine; I push him over and explore his mouth with unearthly desire.

In the caressing silence that follows, I find myself on top of him, straddling his lap. I grind my hips against him, breathing out his name as I feel his arousal against my core. His burning chest heaves harder against me as he peppers my neck with kisses, working his way to my ear. Overwhelmed with desire to become one with him, every inch of my body buzzes with electricity. A peculiar place in my body pulsates with energy, only slightly relieved when my hips grind against him. I want every inch of his body enveloping mine, covering me and holding me ever so tightly.

The rough pads of his fingers brush ever so slightly against my breasts, making me arch my back against him. He smirks mischievously against my collarbone, proud of the reaction he is able to elicit just through a slight brush. Oh two can plan the game, Mellark. Just you wait.

I glide my nails over his back, finally resting my hands on his hips, pulling him ardently against that spot that's begging for relief. His hips buck aginst mine as my mouth lays wet, open mouthed kisses all over his golden neck; Our moans chorus through the dead of the night as the breeze envelops our tangled silhouettes.

His stocky build flushes against my soft curves, reminding me of all those nights on the train. Why hadn't I tried this sooner? Why hadn't I realized that he is the only boy I really need? Why hadn't I understood that I physically cannot survive without him?

What if this could be it? What if one day I could take Peeta to the meadow behind my old house with miniature versions of ourselves? A small girl with black hair, blue eyes, and a little boy with blonde hair, grey eyes. Somehow under the hot, pink sky and the gritty sand digging underneath our feet, I imagine a world where my beautiful my boy with the bread could be a father.

The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind.

It's the first crack of the lightning storm - the bolt hitting the tree at midnight - that brings us to our senses. It rouses Finnick as well. He sits up with a sharp cry. I see his fingers digging into the sand as he reassures himself that whatever nightmare he inhabited wasn't real.

[monchich]

inspired by @rosegardeninwinter & @thesweetnessofspring, i was reminded of this parallel between haydove & everlark 🤍

[monchich]

girl you tripping on nothing

[monchich]

I believe Katniss was pulling from the truth here, despite the set up (she really is confused about her feelings like...all the time). Once she had a chance at keeping Peeta, that's when things really did change for her.

[monchich]

[monchich]

I never really draw susie for how much of PEAK CHARACTER I think she is

[monchich]

katniss spends much of the first two books being told by the people around her that the way she acted in the first games was all a show. that she couldn't possibly be in love with her district partner.

and, as everyone follows along, they treat her like it was all an act. making underhanded comments. poking fun at their relationship. and this keeps confusing her thoughts until she isn't sure what she feels. was she in love with peeta? everyone else sure seems to not think so.

but that is what makes finnick's observation during the forcefield scene so much more liberating for katniss.

because it is the first time, finally, that someone in katniss's inner circle affirms what katniss has grown to subconsciously realize.

that she loves peeta.

and once someone outside of her head confirms it, she allows herself to accept it.

let the idea float onto the pages of the book for the first time. moving from its place hidden in her heart to find a home in her thoughts.

that she really does loves him.

and what a terrible reality to find yourself in. in panem. where your love is used against you in the cruelest way possible.

[monchich]

my heart just hurts for katniss in the first chapter of the book.

like... what do you mean that prim is the only person you are positive you love?

how am i supposed to just sit here after you say something so heartbreaking?

[monchich]

Katniss is truly the queen of insane lore drops … mind you, this is almost the end of the series when she’s just like “oh yeah and Peeta and I were stealing furtive little glances at each other for years prior to the reaping — what of it?”