#Did she name Peeta's brother Rye?

[littlemarianah]

POV. Peeta

A story about Rye Mellark.

I never expected a second child...

Willow had just stopped wearing diapers. She was a happy and laughing girl. She ran around the house with loud footsteps and jumped into my lap when I came home from work.

She was a miracle. Katniss got pregnant after almost a year of trying, after more than a decade of planning. The pregnancy was slow and difficult. Katniss looked completely destroyed every time I looked at her. I thought she would be the only one.

One day Katniss looked at me and said:

"I'm ready for one more."

And I asked "one more what?"

"Kid!" She answered me in the most obvious way possible. She spoke as if I had asked for one more. She always thought I wanted to have a big family. But I never said that. I think she was the one who wanted it, but didn't have the courage to admit it.

She started having dreams about a girl with blonde hair. She told me that this time she would be just like me, since Willow was so much like her. She was sure she was going to be a girl and we were going to name her Pearl.

In her first pregnancy, she craved wild berries, game meat, and forest roots; all the food she got in the forest, but she couldn't go and get it because of her huge belly and the harsh winter before Willow was born.

This time, even before she got pregnant, she wanted sweet and soft things. Like orange cakes, cinnamon rolls and gingerbread. She made me happy when she asked me for something that she was capable of doing. I cooked everything she wanted.

It didn't take long to finally become pregnant. Pregnancy was very different than the first time.

She was constantly smiling.

Her sexual desire was uncontrollable. She would drag me into the bakery storage room or onto the living room couch when Willow was taking a nap. She vocalized like she never did. She called me names or said things I never imagined would come out of her mouth.

She hunted almost every day and always made new dishes for us. She had much more strength than before. Once she dragged an entire deer from the forest to our house. I worried about how much effort she was putting in when she was nine months pregnant.

Rye was born at almost 42 weeks, her birth took a whole day and night. He was born on one of the hottest days in August. He was so fat and chubby that Willow's newborn clothes didn't even fit him.

Katniss thought he was a lot like me. Everyone talked about how Rye was my copy. Especially when he turned into a tall, burly, blonde teenager. But I always thought he looked like his mother. Even more so than Willow, who had Katniss's long, black hair.

Rye had Katniss's brave, silver eyes. They both had eagle eyes. Suspicious and attentive to everything. He had her sharp ears. And he had his talent for hunting. His hands were definitely like mine though. Thick fingers and large palms. Great for kneading bread.

At 14, he was already taller than his sister and mother. At 16, he looked 20. I didn't want him to help me at the bakery so soon, but I was old. Carrying those bags of flour all day with just one leg was too much for me at almost 50 years old. I was too weak for that. Rye started helping me when he was 15 and was much stronger than I was at his age. He had a talent in the kitchen. His breads were always perfect.

He was handsome but shy. He looked like my brother Bran, without the heartthrob charm. The girls seemed to like him. They always showed up at the bakery and bought a single cookie just to talk to him. Even though Rye looked older, he was still just a teenager. He would shrug his shoulders, get red in the face and flee to the kitchen as soon as he could.

He never had many friends. He spoke little. He would run away from school to go to the forest like Katniss used to do. She couldn't stay mad at him for that.

"He'll learn much more in the forest than at school." she said

I always warned him, but he said it was just this time. And he ended up coming home with a basket of berries and a fox again.

Rye was growing up and different from Willow, who went to study nursing far from District 12. He didn't want to leave our side. He kept carrying the heavy bags of flour for me and going into the forest to hunt with his mother.

He was always very kind, even too much.

He always let his sister have the biggest piece of pie for dessert.

He always helped me up the stairs, my legs becoming weaker as I got older.

One day I saw him talking at the back of the bakery. He whispered and a voice whispered back. They were giggling. She was a short girl with short brown hair. She started coming almost every day. Then they talked, giggled, and she left.

Until one day, they decided to get married. They were never engaged, and no one even knew that they were seeing each other. If Katniss liked to be secretive from the world, Rye was even more so. He didn't have a wedding and only invited me, Katniss, and Willow.

He just asked me to make a small cake with white icing and raspberry jam inside.

Rye's wife, Piper, was quieter than him. She had big brown eyes and got along very well with Katniss. The two used to sing. Piper knew how to please Katniss in a way I've never seen anyone else do.

The two moved to a cabin in the middle of the forest. 20 minutes walking from our house.

Then came the first granddaughter. A girl with black hair and honey eyes. Willow delivered her niece, there wouldn't be anyone better than her to do it. Since she had been a midwife for over five years at that time.

I remember the day Piper arrived at the door of our house with her belly too big for her. Rye hammered the door with his heavy hands, almost knocking it down. She moaned and cried until Katniss held her in her arms and carried her upstairs. Willow ran out with washcloths and basins of water. We never talk much about it, but Rye said she didn't have any family besides us.

Piper was so scared. She didn't seem to scream in pain, with each contraction she screamed in fear.

"Don't worry, Piper. All births are the same." I heard Willow say.

The girl asked me and Rye to wait outside. She didn't want us in there. Me and Rye sat outside and he put his head in his knees and didn't move until the baby cried. When she screamed from there, he moaned from here.

"Daddy, do you think she's going to die?" He asked me.

"She's much stronger than you imagine." I said.

And it was true.

They were parents at such a young age. Rye was 23 and she was 22. Such a hairy and chubby girl was born.

I later discovered that Katniss's black hair was the dominant gene in the family. They had four children. All with black hair.

Katniss lived more in the cabin they had in the forest than in our own house.

She taught our grandchildren songs and songs. She told about sewing and coal mines. She talked about her father. She talked about Prim. She talked about her late Great-Grandmother Ruth, who Rye's children never got to meet. She talked about her goat Lady Di.

"Where's your leg, grandpa?" the youngest boy asked me.

"I lost it in the Games."

"What games?" He responded.

They didn't know about them. That was something I could never get used to.

When my oldest granddaughter turned 12, we cut a cake and celebrated. That year marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

[deadboydoodling]

What's your headcanon for Katniss and Peeta's children?

How old was Katniss when give birth to their daughter?

How many years apart between them in age?

Your headcanon for their name?

Who gets the singing and art skill from their parent?

Bonus question : please give recs of your fav everlark post-Mockingjay fanfic.

Thank you :)

@curiousthg

THANKS FOR SENDING ME THIS ASK!!! Sorry I took such of an ungodly long amount of time to answer this! Mockingjay makes me SO SAD that I admittedly haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it and the events following. So I tried to brainstorm on this for a bit (to no real avail oops)? Full disclaimer, my answers probably won't be the most well-written or articulated. BUTT this did give me mad inspiration to draw the babiessss. Anyways I love being given a platform to yap about my brainrot so thanks for sending the questions this way! My dms are always open! @curiousthg Answers below! vv

1.) What's your headcanon for Katniss and Peeta's children? I think Katniss was likely scared shitless that she was going to be a terrible mother. We know in the books, she didn't want to have children because she didn't want to bring them into such of an unsafe and cruel world. By the time she has children, we're led to assume it's because she finally believes the world is safe enough for them. Despite the world being objectively safe enough, I'm sure there is an underlying fear that she won't be a good enough mother and will become absent like her own. However, when Katniss held her daughter for the first time, and her saw her little, scrunched up face, Katniss couldn't even begin to imagine not being there for her. It's not to say she didn't have moments where she struggled, though. I think her pregnancy with her son was a lot less nerve-wracking. Even though I'm sure Peeta was stressed all the same about Katniss's health & well-being. Maybe a little too much, but who could blame him?

2.) How old was Katniss when give birth to their daughter? Math is NOT my specialty here but I'm pretty sure given the book's information, she was likely in her early 30s.

3.) How many years apart between them in age? I'm guessing around 2-3 years. No thoughts. Just a little toddler curled up around her mama's bulging stomach, not really grasping the concept she's going to have a little brother soon, but being excited all the same because her parents are.

4.) Your headcanon for their name? Ok so full admission, I was really into THG circa 2014/15 but then I fell out and just got back into this year (last month oops). One of the things I remember from the fandom was their names being Rye and Willow. I actually thought this was canon until my most recent re-read of Mockingjay where I realized I just had fanon brainrot.

5.) Who gets the singing and art skill from their parent? This is a GREAT question I haven't even began to think about. I imagine that Rye and Willow when they are young enjoy both hobbies. They sing with their mama, they finger paint with their papa. I really like the idea of Peeta and Katniss's daughter having a wild, outspoken streak and being an unapologetically loud singer.

Bonus question : please give recs of your fav everlark post-Mockingjay fanfic. uno reverse! give me yours I literally just finished reading my first hunger games fanfic a week ago and I need recs!!!

[periwinckles]

Please tell me you have a middle name - Epilogue

Epilogue 

(Prim)

I wake up with the sweet scent of cinnamon in the air. That’s Peeta’s doing. He knows how much I love cinnamon rolls, and always has them ready for me for breakfast on my birthday, even though he has to juggle it with all his morning work. 

The cinnamon buns will have to wait.

I cross the hall to Peeta and Katniss’ room, to recruit her for my inspection, but she’s not back from the woods yet. Living above the bakery is a lot more convenient for Peeta, and more comfortable for us, but a lot further from the fence, making her excursions longer.

I ended up moving in with them last year. Now that Rye works with Madge on the Justice building, Peeta and Katniss need help to keep the bakery running. Between schoolwork, helping out my mother and getting ready for my college admission in district four, I can still work a couple of hours on the bakery’s counter every week. They’ll definitely need to hire someone once I’m gone. 

I enter the bathroom and inspect myself in the mirror. Nothing out of the ordinary. I don’t even feel eighteen. I inspect every inch of my body, top to bottom and find nothing. 

What if I don’t have a soulmate?

Gale doesn’t have one and he’s totally fine with it. He even found himself a steady girlfriend in district 7, though I’m not quite sure on the terms of their arrangement because they spend months apart every year. 

But that’s not what I want for myself is it? Aren’t soulmarks supposed to reflect your heart's desire?

I’m about to give up when I lift my foot and catch it. Beneath my toe. A simple and unembellished R. 

Rory Hawthorne? 

Please no, the last thing I need is for my soulmate to turn out to be an ex boyfriend. 

Why, oh why? What have I done to deserve this? I’m a nice person, Universe! I do volunteer work in the community home once a week, I let Peeta think I’m the one pilfering the chocolate chips and I never go beyond the fence even though that’s technically legal ever since the rebellion two years ago!

I put on socks and silently hope Peeta doesn’t ask anything about it. Katniss surely won’t ask, unless I tell her. 

At least I have cinnamon rolls for breakfast. 

“… doing here? I specifically told you 7:30, it’s 7:05!”

Peeta has company in the kitchen’s bakery, and I tread with caution with my sock covered feet on the staircase. 

“She wakes up at 6:30, I know she does! I just want to know if Katniss gave her the letters already…”

“Katniss isn’t back yet, once she is…”

Both of them freeze when I finally appear on the bottom stair. 

“‘Morning Peeta! Reese!” 

“Prim! Happy birthday!” Reese greets me with an awkward smile. He’s acting strange though I can’t guess why. Being Peeta’s best friend makes him a regular visitor here. And Katniss adores him. Whenever he has dinner with us she smothers him with questions. I barely have the chance to talk to the guy. 

“You too!” I tell him. “I dropped by the sweet shop yesterday to wish you one, but you weren’t there.” 

“You must have missed me, I had to run some errands.” He says with a shrug. “I’ll be back later…” he adds. I’m not sure if it’s for Peeta’s benefit or mine. 

“If you don’t, I'll save you a slice of cake!” I call out after him, before he closes the door. 

Peeta extends me a cinnamon roll as he kisses my cheek affectionately. 

“Happy birthday, little sis.” 

“Oh, you’re the best brother I could hope for!” I tell him as I inhale the sweet scent. “You should make these every week.” 

“You’d be sick of them if I did.”

“Never!” 

I pop one in my mouth as I start collecting the fresh out of the oven pastries and rolls, to bring them to the front.

“You don’t have to work on your birthday.” Peeta tells me as he takes the trays from my hands. “You have a big day ahead.”

“How will you two manage the bakery and the Hob stand?” I ask with a doubtful raise of my eyebrows.

“We’ll manage.” Katniss says entering through the backdoor. “Happy birthday, little duck.” 

She opens her arms and I hug her as tight as I can. If there is one person who was a constant in my life, it was her. Every day of my life, she was always there.  “Thank you, Katniss.”

When we break apart I notice the unshed tears in her eyes. “Are you crying? Seriously? Over a birthday? What will happen when I go to district four in the fall?”

“Let’s not think about that, shall we?” Peeta says with a chuckle. 

Between the three of us we carry everything to the front. Just a few more minutes until opening time. 

“I have something for you. Here.”

My sister is holding a few envelopes in her hand. When I take them I notice they are all addressed to me. The handwriting seems familiar, though I can’t exactly pinpoint it. It’s not Katniss’ and surely not Peeta’s. 

“Read them in order.”

Without another word the both of them escape to the front, to finally open and deal with the morning rush, as I sit in a kitchen stool, with my cinnamon buns and a cup of tea. 

May 20, 2076

Primrose

Today I got my soulmark. It’s a small P, under my big toe. I have no idea if there’s someone with a matching one across the district, but I sure hope not. Because I’m hoping… oh I am hoping it’s you. 

If you were older I’d be at your doorstep in a heartbeat. But you’re not, so I've made up my mind to wait until you're ready. Please don’t be mad at me if I backpedal on our friendship. It’s the only way I’ll be able to keep myself accountable for the next three years. 

Hopefully yours

Reese Donner.

(You want to read the rest o Reese's letters? You know the drill. AO3 link)

[boybreaded]

HEADCANON

I want to discuss a bit about Peeta's brothers and dad and how they aided in the abuse their mother aimed at Peeta.

First, Peeta's family is not a normal family in terms of how you typically see older siblings protect younger ones. It also isn't that Peeta is a difficult child, aside from his mother remarks alone Peeta's neglect is entirely because of her dislike of Peeta and not because Peeta is difficult. We have many reasons to see that Peeta is not difficult. So all typical things we see in abuse situations doesn't apply here. I am not saying they don't happen, because they absolutely do, all I am saying is that they are not what we typically see and hear about, if that makes sense.

Peeta's brothers in the books do not have names. I know the fandom has given at least one of his brother's the name Rye, and the other one changes. But Rye is always a name of one of Peeta's brothers. However canon does not give us their names. Katniss is our narrator and she purposefully doesn't name quite a few people for various reasons that I will leave Katniss RPers to interpret. However it is interesting that Peeta's brothers do not get named.

I bring this up because Peeta and Katniss talk. Katniss knows enough to know that Peeta's middle brother won the wrestling tournament, a time where I am sure the name was said. She knows enough to know that his oldest brother is too old for reaping and his middle brother was old enough to volunteer for Peeta and didn't. But also Peeta has likely at some point shared about his family to her. I don't want to think she just doesn't know their names, or that Peeta never says them. But I do want to think that at least part of the reason the names aren't mentioned is because like Peeta's mom, and his silent father (who also don't get names) they aided in hurting Peeta.

The thing is family is complicated, Peeta's family is complicated. They are at an odd place in terms of notoriety. Enough that Peeta's mom thinks they have to fight for this perceived perception of who they are. She is also just a horrid woman. Katniss was far too nice when referencing her as a witch.

Peeta's dad we are told is nice, and cordial. He trades with Katniss and Gale for squirrel. And its probably the only source of meat that the Mellarks really get unless they have a deal with another merchant. But even if they did that likely gets put into the bakery and those treats probably get sold the fastest thus not having any left over for the Mellarks. We are also told that Peeta's dad visits Katniss before the 74th. He comes with gifts. What this tells me as a way to keep Peeta more or less quiet about the goings on with him and his mom Peeta's dad would sneak him things from the bakery, allow him more control in the bakery as a trade off. Not really the best since Peeta's mom thinks he is useless but still. If a brother was going to take over the bakery Peeta is quite literally the only one for the job.

Peeta's oldest brother, Bri (Brioche), is the golden child. Can do no wrong, and probably through no fault of his own helps perpetuate the abuse Peeta gets. Its done through little comments among other things. He set a standard that Peeta more or less exceeds, except to his family's eyes, even his dad.

Peeta's middle brother, Griz (Grissini), is probably the meaner one because he has something to prove. Their is also likely resentment there because Peeta is more or less naturally better at things than he is. However, because Griz has to work for it that is acknowledged by their mother. When Peeta doesn't get things on the first try, which is quite often that is noted by their mother and then by Griz. Griz is good at wrestling, but not as good as Peeta. And Peeta expertly through the match, Griz likely doesn't know, but everyone else does, and knowing Griz and Peeta they wisely don't say anything to either of them about it.

Both brothers are not jumping in to save Peeta from abuse. They were both likely abused, but when Peeta came along that stopped happening so much to them. I will say the only child that Gin (Ginerva), Peeta's mom, physically abuses is Peeta. Neither of his brothers were hit. And when it starts happening they aren't really sure how to respond to the point they don't anymore, and they let it happen.

Peeta's abuse is an open secret. No one talks about it, but everyone knows about it. And Peeta does all he can to preserve whatever perceived reputation his mother thinks she has. Not that it does any good. Everyone refers to her as a witch. If Hansel and Gretel existed as a tale they would most likely make jokes about her stuffing Peeta, that's why he is so stocky, so she can eat him. She is waiting for the right time is all.

Peeta's mom is none to kind to him as we know she has no faith in him, attributing District 12's shot at the 74th Games to Katniss, not to him. Because while Mr. Mellark does the trades, she knows.

Peeta's love for his family does not waiver. When he learns of the bombing of District 12 in Mockingjay, he asks for his family, about his family. He is devastated that they are dead. He knows so well that they would not have cared if he died, but the fact that he cares about them dying says alot about Peeta's love and character, and just why Snow couldn't override that with his Hijacking.

Peeta loves his family business, he loves the bakery, he continues to bake bread even when they more or less kicked him out to live on his own in a big empty house in the Victor's Village, a place they could have also lived if it had been "practical." Peeta talks about the different types of bread from all the different districts based on the wheat that is grown there or is imported in. That love is mainly nurtured by Peeta's father. But as stated Peeta's father isn't innocent in the abuse and straight up neglect Peeta suffers from.

When abuse happens in a household all those involved are affected positively and negatively depending on the situation. So yes the main source of Peeta's abuse is his mother, but she is not the sole contributor to it, nor is she the sole reason it continues on even after Peeta is crowned a Victor.

[caelmellark]

B A S I C S

Faceclaim: Sean Teale

Name:  Cael Mellark

Age: 26

Gender: Cis Man

Home: District 12

Role: Civilian (future rebel)

Personality: guarded, stubborn, antagonistic, brave, curious, impulsive

Song: Wolves by Ryan Bingham

B I O G R A P H Y

trigger warnings for: cheating, physical/verbal child abuse, passive suicidal ideation

Being born out of spite is a difficult thing. Well, perhaps not out of. But due to. Despite his mother's vehement denial of the fact, Cael Mellark, was not a Mellark in the real sense, no true son of Aldar.

Pudina was a hateful woman, and this trait only worsened by the first wound inflicted by her husband; making her the second choice behind Lilian Everdeen, began to fester. This was a slight she would never truly recover from, and that's where the spite comes in. She had an affair. Although, perhaps affair is an affected way of describing it. She fucked someone else, a man from the seam of all places. That should show him, right? --- But perhaps she hadn't thought it through, hadn't thought of what would happen when her stomach became round with child. When the child came and he had tanned skin, raven hair and dark, curious eyes that reminded her of his father and not Aldar or her first son, Rye, she once again made a decision in the moment and stuck to it, consequences be damned. He was Aldar's son. They had ancestors from the seam, the swarthy phenotype must have skipped a generation or two, she insisted to anyone who would listen. She even had another child four years later, another boy with the same golden looks as his eldest brother and father. See? She was a faithful wife. That middle child was just an anomaly.

Those first four years of Cael Mellark's life, until his mother could prove herself with the birth of his younger brother, Peeta, were difficult ones. A woman who refused to acknowledge her mistakes had to stare at her biggest one in the face every day she woke up, and she decided to make that everyone else's problem, but especially the young boy's. He was too young to understand, all he knew is Pa's eyes seemed to pass over him as if he wasn't there and that he wished Ma's eyes would do the same. But they always landed on him, and they were always so angry. And he couldn't figure out why. By 6, Rye had already learned how to obey, to submit and avoid the open hand or closed fist of their mother. But perhaps Cael was slow, his mother always liked to say he was, and at just 4, he would behave as a young child would. He'd make messes, he'd throw tantrums, or his biggest sin: he would hit back with tiny fists as he was punished for the all the former mistakes.

Even after the addition of his second brother, as the years caught up with them, Rye continued to obey, Peeta had learned to secede and play peacemaker, but it seemed as if Cael couldn't or wouldn't learn his damn lesson. Stubborn, insolent boy! His mother would yell as she whacked him with the rolling pin meant for the thickest of doughs. Sometimes Cael could pinpoint what he had done to ‘deserve’ the kiss from his mother's palm or lick of her belt, and he would make sure to avoid doing those things in the future.  But eventually, times he had no clue what he had done outweighed the times he did, and it didn’t take long for Cael to grow from scared to resentful.  It became obvious to him it didn’t matter how he behaved, his clothes would still cover and hide bruises and his father would still look away from the marks on his sons' cheeks, so why try? 

Sometimes, in the bed he and Peeta shared, they'd whisper of different lives they could be living, imagining what different districts were like. These moments of escape, which for all he knew, Peeta might not even remember, were cherished by Cael. They were moments that couldn't be stolen by their mother with her stern looks and even harsher hands. And in a family where distance between members seemed to stretch oceans and loyalty only existed due to shared blood, it was the only time he felt like he had an ally. So maybe, when Ma would start in on his younger brother, Cael had something to say about it, a witty comment, a snarky thought. It was a well practiced game for the middle child: distract with a comment, duck the blow of ma's hand at least once, get the beating that was coming anyways, just a bit earlier. Sometimes she'd turn back to Peeta or Rye, and Cael would only be able to provide them with a momentary reprieve, but sometimes he pissed her off enough to distract her indefinitely.

But then Rye went off and got married, leaving only two sons and their parents in the small apartment above the bakery. But hey, at least they got their own beds, now. And then what felt like in no time at all, the world shifted again, as Peeta's name was called out on the microphone by that lady in the ridiculous wig in front of the justice building. Cael froze. He wondered, if he had been of age, would he have volunteered? If he could have, either by age or courage, it probably would have made things easier. Send the black sheep off to the killing floor, leave the golden ram. Perhaps if he was gone, Ma would take it easier on Rye and Peeta. But it wasn't an option, and still, to this day, Cael wasn't sure even if it was, if he would have been able to thaw himself out in time to raise his hand to volunteer in his little brother's place.

His mother refused to watch, an action Cael couldn't figure out. Did it come from callousness, uncaring about the fate of her son? Or was this one of the few moments in which Pudina Mellark displayed something other than disdain and annoyance for her children? Was the thought of watching one of her children go through something as horrible as the games just too much? To this day, Cael wasn't sure. But he watched. He watched whenever he could. Fingers tapped in a nervous tattoo on the bakery counter as he waited until he could. Something about watching, as stupid as it sounded, made it feel as if he was protecting his brother. If he watched, nothing bad could actually happen to him, right? There was no way he could watch his brother die on screen.

And thankfully, he didn't have to. But Peeta's return was another world shift, as he moved into the Victor village, and despite it being years since they had shared a bed, shared dreams of the future, Cael found being the last one of his brothers to reside in the family home disconcerting and jarring. Of course he still saw them when they all worked in the bakery, but there were those damn oceans again. Rye had moved on, started a family. Peeta had become infamous, and seemed to be well on his way to starting a family of his own. But Cael...Well Cael was where Cael always was. And he felt like a shadow darkening his brothers' doorsteps whenever he visited. So he didn't. Or, he rarely did. They both had new lives, and much like he had been a reminder to his mother of her biggest mistake, he didn't want to become a reminder to his brothers' as well. He wasn't sure if he could take that.

So he stayed away, and he let those oceans grow...and grow. He thinks he might drown soon.

( * cael mellark | about. )

[eventiderpg]

BASICS

Faceclaim: Sean Teale

Name: Cael Mellark

Age: 26

Gender: Cis Man

Home: District 12

Role: Civilian

Personality: guarded, stubborn, antagonistic, brave, curious, impulsive

Song: Wolves by Ryan Bingham

BIOGRAPHY

trigger warnings for: physical/verbal child abuse, passive suicidal ideation

Being born out of spite is a difficult thing. Well, perhaps not out of. But due to. Despite his mother's vehement denial of the fact, Cael Mellark, was not a Mellark in the real sense, no true son of Aldar.

Pudina was a hateful woman, and this trait only worsened by the first wound inflicted by her husband; making her the second choice behind Lilian Everdeen, began to fester. This was a slight she would never truly recover from, and that's where the spite comes in. She had an affair. Although, perhaps affair is an affected way of describing it. She fucked someone else, a man from the seam of all places. That should show him, right? --- But perhaps she hadn't thought it through, hadn't thought of what would happen when her stomach became round with child. When the child came and he had tanned skin, raven hair and dark, curious eyes that reminded her of his father and not Aldar or her first son, Rye, she once again made a decision in the moment and stuck to it, consequences be damned. He was Aldar's son. They had ancestors from the seam, the swarthy phenotype must have skipped a generation or two, she insisted to anyone who would listen. She even had another child four years later, another boy with the same golden looks as his eldest brother and father. See? She was a faithful wife. That middle child was just an anomaly.

Those first four years of Cael Mellark's life, until his mother could prove herself with the birth of his younger brother, Peeta, were difficult ones. A woman who refused to acknowledge her mistakes had to stare at her biggest one in the face every day she woke up, and she decided to make that everyone else's problem, but especially the young boy's. He was too young to understand, all he knew is Pa's eyes seemed to pass over him as if he wasn't there and that he wished Ma's eyes would do the same. But they always landed on him, and they were always so angry. And he couldn't figure out why. By 6, Rye had already learned how to obey, to submit and avoid the open hand or closed fist of their mother. But perhaps Cael was slow, his mother always liked to say he was, and at just 4, he would behave as a young child would. He'd make messes, he'd throw tantrums, or his biggest sin: he would hit back with tiny fists as he was punished for the all the former mistakes.

Even after the addition of his second brother, as the years caught up with them, Rye continued to obey, Peeta had learned to secede and play peacemaker, but it seemed as if Cael couldn't or wouldn't learn his damn lesson. Stubborn, insolent boy! His mother would yell as she whacked him with the rolling pin meant for the thickest of doughs. Sometimes Cael could pinpoint what he had done to ‘deserve’ the kiss from his mother's palm or lick of her belt, and he would make sure to avoid doing those things in the future.  But eventually, times he had no clue what he had done outweighed the times he did, and it didn’t take long for Cael to grow from scared to resentful.  It became obvious to him it didn’t matter how he behaved, his clothes would still cover and hide bruises and his father would still look away from the marks on his sons' cheeks, so why try? 

Sometimes, in the bed he and Peeta shared, they'd whisper of different lives they could be living, imagining what different districts were like. These moments of escape, which for all he knew, Peeta might not even remember, were cherished by Cael. They were moments that couldn't be stolen by their mother with her stern looks and even harsher hands. And in a family where distance between members seemed to stretch oceans and loyalty only existed due to shared blood, it was the only time he felt like he had an ally. So maybe, when Ma would start in on his younger brother, Cael had something to say about it, a witty comment, a snarky thought. It was a well practiced game for the middle child: distract with a comment, duck the blow of ma's hand at least once, get the beating that was coming anyways, just a bit earlier. Sometimes she'd turn back to Peeta or Rye, and Cael would only be able to provide them with a momentary reprieve, but sometimes he pissed her off enough to distract her indefinitely.

But then Rye went off and got married, leaving only two sons and their parents in the small apartment above the bakery. But hey, at least they got their own beds, now. And then what felt like in no time at all, the world shifted again, as Peeta's name was called out on the microphone by that lady in the ridiculous wig in front of the justice building. Cael froze. He wondered, if he had been of age, would he have volunteered? If he could have, either by age or courage, it probably would have made things easier. Send the black sheep off to the killing floor, leave the golden ram. Perhaps if he was gone, Ma would take it easier on Rye and Peeta. But it wasn't an option, and still, to this day, Cael wasn't sure even if it was, if he would have been able to thaw himself out in time to raise his hand to volunteer in his little brother's place.

His mother refused to watch, an action Cael couldn't figure out. Did it come from callousness, uncaring about the fate of her son? Or was this one of the few moments in which Pudina Mellark displayed something other than disdain and annoyance for her children? Was the thought of watching one of her children go through something as horrible as the games just too much? To this day, Cael wasn't sure. But he watched. He watched whenever he could. Fingers tapped in a nervous tattoo on the bakery counter as he waited until he could. Something about watching, as stupid as it sounded, made it feel as if he was protecting his brother. If he watched, nothing bad could actually happen to him, right? There was no way he could watch his brother die on screen.

And thankfully, he didn't have to. But Peeta's return was another world shift, as he moved into the Victor village, and despite it being years since they had shared a bed, shared dreams of the future, Cael found being the last one of his brothers to reside in the family home disconcerting and jarring. Of course he still saw them when they all worked in the bakery, but there were those damn oceans again. Rye had moved on, started a family. Peeta had become infamous, and seemed to be well on his way to starting a family of his own. But Cael...Well Cael was where Cael always was. And he felt like a shadow darkening his brothers' doorsteps whenever he visited. So he didn't. Or, he rarely did. They both had new lives, and much like he had been a reminder to his mother of her biggest mistake, he didn't want to become a reminder to his brothers' as well. He wasn't sure if he could take that.

So he stayed away, and he let those oceans grow...and grow. He thinks he might drown soon.

Written by Maura

[saltpepperbeard]

Okay y’all let’s just...I see some nasty accusations being thrown around in just a small little bit of perusing. And I just wanted to offer my further two cents on this entire situation, as well as open up a respectful and open discussion should people choose. I’m going to be addressing a few points I keep seeing, especially those that are seemingly getting lost in translation.

First of all, let’s talk headcanons/canon. Fandom space is indeed a place of meta, and textual analysis, and everything of the like. But also, it’s for expanding upon those views, and even shifting those views around for self-enjoyment/play. It’s meant to be a place where people can take their favorite characters/stories and place them into an entirety of different scenarios/

Which is where things like headcanons and AU come into play. Some people may choose to see Katniss as Native American. Some people may choose to see Peeta with a brother named Rye. Some people may choose to have Katniss and Peeta have four-five babies as opposed to the textually stated two. 

Some things grow more popular and are excepted as a sort of “collective headcanon,” or fanon, while others stay pretty centric to a few people. Where problems start to arise however, is when people challenge another’s headcanon based upon their own beliefs. Which is, unfortunately, what I seem to be seeing a lot of. In case you’re unaware, an author decided to portray/picture Peeta as bisexual, and was met with a multitude of backlash because of it.

But why? Did Suzanne Collins ever directly state “Peeta Mellark, a boy of sixteen, a baker, and a heterosexual.” And even if she did, doesn’t fandom allow for expansion beyond that? If people are allowed to name Peeta and Katniss’ children and have it be widely accepted, as well as play around with their backgrounds, their family, their personalities/likes/dislikes, why not sexuality?

Now, a point I’ve seen repeatedly brought up is along the lines of, “Well, this author claims that if you don’t like bisexual Peeta then you must be bi/homophobic.” And similar claims along the lines of, “This author is forcing us to think that way.” And like...y’all I don’t think that’s the case whatsoever? I of course don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth, but I’m reading the situation very differently. I believe the point being made is more along the lines of...if you have an issue with a character being portrayed as bisexual/homosexual/pansexual/anything else other than heterosexual, then you might need to look at yourself a bit more. It’s more so in defense of character representation than it is indoctrination. And it’s more so arguing in defense of headcanons/interpretations being a genuine fandom element than it is shaming those who disagree.

Because, as a gay woman, it’s very disheartening to see a headcanon regarding sexuality get attacked so harshly. And you know what? I personally don’t envision Peeta or Katniss with any sort of label period, because I predominantly focus on their relationship/their dynamic. But that’s not to say others can’t see them differently, and create something that’s important to them. I for one think it’s interesting- and important, to see so many different headcanons/interpretations around.

And I may not agree with all of them, which I don’t, but that’s fine! It’s just like fanfiction, and the lovely notion of: don’t like don’t read. Allow people their space, allow people their interpretations, allow people the representation they’d like to see, and continue the fandom space as it should be. Aka, a place of free-flowing, collective, and respectful ideas.

[jhsgf82]

There’s No Crying in Baseball!

For @ouateverlark​

Prompt #11:  Based on Movie “A League of Their Own” with Katniss as Dottie, Prim as Kit, Haymitch as Jimmy and Peeta as Bob. A chance to expand on the Dottie & Bob (ahem Katniss and Peeta) relationship through letter writing. Baseball hijinks. The joys of figuring out who to cast as the other players on the team. ⚾️🏟🧢💕[submitted by @katnissdoesnotfollowback ]

A/N: Here are a couple of snippets just to show you all that I am in good faith working on this, even though I’m being super slow about it. I’ve tweaked these two scenes from the movie (some small bits are verbatim or paraphrased and others are completely different) and attempted THG-ing them. Don’t mind my strange sense of humor, lol. Hope you enjoy this sneak peek!  

“This is our daughter Katniss,” she said in a proud tone of voice, head held high, chest poked out, extending her arm dramatically. “And this is our other daughter,” she sneered, “Katniss’s sister.” 

“He never said that!” 

“No. Maybe not exactly like that... But you’ve always been Dad’s favorite!” 

“I’m not. Why do you think that? Just because we went hunting together and you were too young? Frankly, you wouldn’t have been into it, anyway. Who was the one Dad always brought dolls and sweets home for, the one he lifted up in his arms and hugged and kissed? Not me. I was more like his pal, his partner. You were his precious daughter, his little girl.”  

“You were his precious daughter, too,” argued Prim. 

“I guess so,” muttered Katniss. 

“But you should hear how he (and everyone) talks about you,” persisted Prim. “Katniss is so capable. Katniss is so smart. Katniss is so beautiful.” 

“Oh, come on now,” Katniss had to chime in on the last one. 

“It’s true... Wish I looked like you,” Prim muttered under her breath. 

“Are you kidding me, Primrose? With your blonde hair and blue eyes? I’m as ordinary as this dirt beneath our feet compared to you.” 

“Not too ordinary to land the baker’s son.” Prim smirked. 

“Pure dumb luck. Peeta just…lost his mind there for a little bit.” 

“Lost his mind? Well, yeah. Ever since he was 5. He’s been a goner for you since then!” Prim grinned cheekily. “Or so I hear tell.”  

Katniss’s cheeks flushed. Even after all this time, thoughts of Peeta could still do that to her. 

They walked on together. 

“Well, Rye Mellark likes you,” Katniss deflected.  

Prim spun around and nastily scowled at her. “Rye Mellark is one step up from dating a pig!”

Katniss pressed her lips together, stifling a laugh. “But an important step.” 

Prim scoffed. “Yeah right. It’s obvious you got the good Mellark of the bunch.” 

I did, Katniss thought to herself. 

“And it’s obvious that I will never have what you and Peeta have.” 

“I didn’t know you wanted that.” 

“Yeah, well, maybe I do!” Prim kicked at the dirt. 

“Oh. Okay. Sorry.” They continued walking, in silence for a minute or two, until Prim broke it. 

“Besides,” muttered Prim, “if I married Peeta’s brother that’d be too weird. Like…incest or something.” 

Katniss gaped as if shocked by Prim’s statement, and then they both burst into peals of laughter. 

It would be pretty weird. 

*** “Katniss bought her for me,” said Prim proudly, and Katniss couldn’t help but smile. Even if there was constant tension between them due to Prim’s jealousy, that had been a special, unforgettable moment between the two of them. Prim had been sick, and Katniss had wanted to do something nice for her. So, she’d bought her the goat. She’d even placed a pink bow on her, and Prim had been overjoyed. That day, Katniss had been the hero big sister.  

“Well, what’s its name, then?” asked the scout. 

Although Katniss could tell he was just feigning interest, teasing them, even, Prim answered, “Lady. Her name is Lady.”  

“Aww, how adorable,” the scout snarked. 

Prim one-arm shrugged as she continued milking Lady, the milk squirting into the pail with little ping-pings. The scout, Heavensbee, was cringing the entire time. 

Clearly a city boy. 

“Doesn’t that hurt it?” he asked, still making a face. 

Katniss glanced over at Prim’s hands on Lady’s udders, then back at the scout. “Doesn’t seem to.” 

“Well, it’d bruise the hell out of me!” 

Katniss rolled her eyes. “First of all, the goat is female. And second, those are udders, not tes-” She cut herself off, her glance flitting to the side.  

“Oh, can’t you say it?” Heavensbee guffawed. “Didn’t you say you were a married woman? I think you can say the word test‒” 

“Don’t.” Katniss held up her hand, cutting him off. “We are ladies.” 

Plutarch Heavensbee was smirking at them. “Really? Coulda fooled me!” 

Katniss scowled at the scout, then stood up. She didn’t know what she planned to do exactly, not hit the guy‒she was brought up better than that, and what would Peeta think?‒but she didn’t want this stranger, this intruder on their farm to think he could talk to her that way. She took a couple of steps forward, crossed her arms and squinted at him menacingly. 

“Alright, alright,” said Plutarch, holding up his hands plaintively. “I didn’t mean to get your knickers in a twist. Just, ya know, observing that the two of you could use a little…grooming. And perhaps a bath.” He muttered the last part under his breath, wrinkling his nose up in disgust. 

Katniss glared over at him. She was seriously reconsidering hitting him, but again, she thought of Peeta. He’d have the perfect thing to say rather than resorting to physical violence. 

Okay, so she’d try words. 

“Yeah, well, we work on a farm. With animals. What did you expect? We can’t all be stuck up, rich, fancy city boys.” 

Heavensbee laughed. “You’ve got spunk, darlin’. Spunk and talent. And that’s why I’m gonna give you the shot of a lifetime.”   

[mega-aulover]

modern au prompt- katniss is full bodied and voluptuous and peeta is super into it. he loves dat booty 🍑

As a thick girl, I can appreciate this - Rated T, warning Bullying.

Katniss sighed as she looked at the gutted bagel. No amount of exercise or diet helped thin down her body.

"Would you just eat the bagel," Madge sighed.

"I would if I looked like you," Katniss muttered. Madge was svelte, in the way models were.

"You're pretty," Madge said.

Katniss sighed, her friend was biased. She wasn't pretty she was plain and well not very sociable. When she was in high school non of the boys looked her way. She went on to college hoping to start over again. To reinvent herself. Katniss thought someone would notice her, but no one did. She spent the last four years wrapped up in studies. Her constant companion was the pint of rocky road ice cream that betrayed her. She packed on about sixty pounds in four years. So here she was a 24-year-old virgin.

When she came home back to Seam County, Madge learned of her status and was hell-bent on ending her nun-like existence.

"Look we're going to go to the district's Memorial Day celebration. You're going to wear that dress on the bed. You're going to dance, laugh, and have fun."

Katniss sighed. "Alright," she said eying the dress she was sure would show off her large thighs. "But I need to wear shorts."

"Why?" Madge questioned.

"Because my thighs rub together," Katniss muttered.

"Oh," Madge said. "Okay, I'll get you a pair. But Katniss you have to believe in yourself. You're sexy and believe me there is plenty of someone out there who would be lucky to be with you."

"No one's ever taken a second look at me, Madge," Katniss whispered.

"Believe me Katniss all you have to do is reach down deep and you'll find your inner sexy vixen."

"Sexy vixen?"

"Yep, everyone's got a sexy vixen inside of them," Madge said winking at Katniss.

"Right," Katniss said doubtfully.

Two hours later she felt like a pig with lipstick on. Katniss hoped to find a nice tree where she could rest and have a torrid love affair with some funnel cake. She was online for the fried confection she was aggravated by some teenage boys who were snickering and whispering behind her. She heard them make pig noises as she moved.

Katniss desperately tried to keep her temper in check as she reached the front. She didn't want to have her legendary Everdeen temper show up. She was ready to grab her cake and go when hen she heard her name.

"Katniss?"

She looked up to see Peeta Mellark, the homecoming king, before her. He was gorgeous, his blue eyes twinkled like gems. And his ashy blonde hair fell over his handsome face.

Momentarily she was speechless.

"Look Rye, it's Katniss," Peeta said.

His older brother Rye grinned and winked.

"Hello," Katniss said unsure what to make of the way he smiled at her. Maybe he thought she was going to buy a lot.

"I'll be right back," Rye said.

Peeta nodded. He looked at her and he leaned closer. "I heard you graduated Magna Cum Laude," Peeta said smiling at her. "Congratulations!"

Katniss was taken aback, not even her mother congratulated her. "Thank you," she stammered. "I came back, might teach, and you?"

"I graduated with a bachelor's in business, I'm thinking of starting my own business."

"Good for you," Katniss said.

"So a funnel cake?" He leaned over and winked at her.

Katniss asked, "Do you have something in your eye?"

Peeta's cheeks became red as he laughed. "No, but the funnel cake is on the house."

"You don't have to," Katniss said.

"Oh come on," a disgruntled guy said behind her. "Just serve the fatso here so others can come up to the booth."

Katniss turned around wanting to punch the kid in the face.

"What did you call her?" Peeta said jumping over the booth and landing behind her.

Katniss had whiplash as she turned to Peeta he looked like when he was going into a wrestling match when they were teenagers.

"Ah," the kid said turning red.

"I think you owe my girlfriend an apology," Peeta said.

"You going to let him talk to you like that?" His friends prodded.

"Girlfriend," she whispered.

"You and that..." the kid snickered.

"She's beautiful," Peeta said loudly. So loud everyone heard. "Just look at her eyes, they're like grey tourmalines, and when she smiles it's like the light illuminating the dark earth. She's so beautiful it hurts and has curves for days." Peeta gently placed his hand under her chin. "Anyone would be lucky to have her by their side."

Katniss did not know what to say.

There were a few awe's in the crowd.

"But..." the kid said.

"Watch yourself, Elmer," Rye said.

"Coach," the kid said.

"Hey Rye, I'm taking off," Peeta said over his shoulder. His brother who was standing by his side nodded.

"Have fun," Rye grinned. "Now boys I told you guys not to act out, so when this is finished all of you will help with the cleanup. Is that understood?"

"Shall we?" Peeta said offering her his arm.

Katniss heard groans as she walked away with Peeta. After a few steps, she turned to him. "What was all of that? You told everyone we were dating - I was going to punch him."

Peeta turned pink. He cleared his throat, "I know you can take of yourself. It's just you're so smart, and I knew I didn't have a chance with you. I mean look at you," Peeta said his eyes raking over her form. "You're drop-dead gorgeous."

His hands gripped her waist.

"I..." Katniss stammered, the way he looked at her reminded Katniss of the way she'd seen guys lust after girls.

"Will you consider going out with me?"

Peeta looked so earnest and endearing that it left her breathless. Katniss opened and closed her mouth. In his eyes she was beautiful. Madge was right she was beautiful. Drawing from that deep untapped sexy vixen she sassily said, "How about you take me to the Ferris Wheel and we can make out like randy teenagers." She winked as she sashayed away swaying her hips.

She heard Peeta moan and grab her hand. "Did I forget to say how sexy you are?"

"No, but you can show me later!"

[everlarkficexchange]

Rule #9

Written by: @alliswell21

Prompt 6: Modern AU. High School or College Everlark. Make the “booth Kiss” but Everlark! Peeta is the big brother of Katniss best friend, and she never imagined rule number #9 would become a problem. “Rule #9: Relatives of your best friend are off-limits.” [submitted by @alwayseverlark]

Rated: Teens and Up (rating will change in later chapters)

Tags: Canon Divergent; ‘The Kissing Booth’ (Netflix) Everlark crossover!AU; Canon disability; Slight age difference; Language; Snarky!Everlark; More tags will be added on AO3.

Notes: Thank you @alwayseverlark for the prompt… I remember when The Kissing Booth first came out a bunch of us started Everlarking the movie, but I guess neither of us ever finished it… Oops! Anyway, this is just an introduction of the fic; the rest will be posted to AO3 in chapters. I’ve already written a good chunk of it, but it still needs editing and polishing. I hope this little snippet is enough to get you going until then!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

It’s the last Friday of summer break, and I think I’m gonna faint. The air is muggy, the sun is hot, the pool water a few yards in front of me looks inviting and refreshing, yet, I couldn’t move a muscle to save my life if I wanted to.

I arrived home from a 5 week retreat for disabled athletes, and after dumping the smelly contents of my duffle bag into the washer, I peeled off my shirt, shoes and socks and made my way to our family pool, just to be confronted by an unexpected sight.

I’ve been staring at my baby brother’s best friend in the tiniest, neon orange bikini in history, for what has to be up to a solid minute now.

“You’re such a pest, Rye!” She yells from behind a lounge chair, loading with darts a brightly colored nerf gun.

My brother is standing in the middle of the pool, aiming his water blaster in her direction, “Yeah? You think so, Kani?” Ryen mocks— ‘Kani’ isn’t her real name, though. Rye just had trouble pronouncing it properly when he was a baby, and the nickname stuck— “Eat chlorine!” He blasts his bestie as soon as she moves from her cover to shoot at him.

Is a typical scene, really. A summer staple of our childhood: my brother— Rye— chasing little tomboy, Katniss Everdeen, around the pool while shooting some toy projectile at each other; except this time the swell of Katniss’ breasts, the flare of her hips, and even the miles upon miles of sun kissed, olive skin, glimmering under the sun with water droplets scattered all over her body, gave me panting and straining.

I don’t remember her looking this way at the beginning of summer!

Objectively speaking, Katniss has always been cute, but she’s also another one of the ‘guys’, invariably tougher than Ryen, and completely out of bounds.

“I’m warning you, Ryen Mellark…surrender, or prepare to get your butt handed to you!” She roars.

“Bring it on, Kani!”

In typical Katniss and Rye fashion, her massive nerf gun gets dropped on the terra-cotta tiles for the patio, as she leaps into the pool to rough-house him.

My eyes follow her graceful ass with tunnel vision narrowness. A disgusting appreciative half moan-half grunt, escapes the back of my throat involuntarily. Worse of it is what happens below my waist, where my shorts are tenting and my muscles twitch.

“Fuck!” I heave under my breath. I can’t let Rye see me like this!

Nothing good will come of my brother noticing the effect Katniss has on my body. Rye is obsessively overprotective of her, their bond is one of the most unique, strong and special things I’ve seen, and I don’t dare messing it up.

You wouldn’t be able to tell, just looking at our house, our cars, Dad’s sprawling business, our high end education, or our perceived wealth, but our family life hasn’t been a field of flowers exactly. At times, Katniss was the only sliver of light and hope in Ryen’s existence, and vice versa when tragedy struck the Everdeens, Rye was Katniss’ sole source of understanding and companionship. They’re equally dependent on each other.

It's time to get back inside. A cold shower is in order.

My daydreams of shedding my fake leg and falling into the pool to relax in the weightlessness of the water after my long ass drive, will have to wait.

I step backwards into the living room, but my real, bare foot lands on a nerf dart. The squishy material startles me; I trip, narrowly catching myself against the open French doors.

“Shit!”

The skirmish behind me comes to an abrupt end, and I shift in place, to face them.

My brother’s eyebrows are arched, watching me quizzically. Even with one prosthetic leg I’m usually very sure footed.

“When did you get home?” Rye demands, hoisting himself out of the pool.

“About 10 minutes ago. Where’s dad?”

Rye shrugs, “Take a wild guess,”

So, the bakery then. Dad owns a chain of bakeries state wide, but he’s the head baker in the original shop, here in town.

I try to keep my eyes on Rye, chanting in my head: don’t look at her, don’t look at her, don’t look at her… it isn’t working! My eyes stray to Katniss all the same.

She climbs out of the pool as well, and it’s all I can do to not stare like a creep, as the rivulets of pool water drip down between her breasts and limbs.

I swallow harshly before rasping out the first thing that comes to mind. “Hey Rye, have you seen my jockstrap, I’m doing laundry.”

‘Jockstrap? Really? Smooth you moron!’

I have to suppress the urge to groan.

Ryen rolls his eyes, “Yeah, I just wore it this morning during all my sport tryouts.”

His sarcastic quip makes Katniss laugh. A sound I’ve found mesmerizing ever since I can remember. Her syren call is too strong to resist.

I turn in her direction, and again, my mouth runs with the first thing that comes to mind. “Everscream, are those new?” I point at her chest, making a vague circle gesture. I’m such an idiot!

“What?” She looks down at herself confused. I can pinpoint the moment she realizes I’m referring to her boobs.

Normally, Katniss would fix me with a scowl for the nickname she hates so much, but at 17 she’s so pure, my comment about her chest just causes her sparkly gray eyes to widen in shock. Her cheeks turn a deep shade of pink, and she plops down into the nearest lounger, scrambling to pull a towel over herself.

“There’s nothing new here!” She snaps, scowling at her knees for a second. She turns her flaming gaze back on me. “Hey, Peeta, have you ever heard of a detangler? Is a grooming product that can help tame that rat’s nest you call hair! By the way, put a shirt on, you look like a hobo!”

Rye guffaws, and even I have to smirk.

She isn’t wrong. I could use some shampoo and maybe some conditioner as well; washing my hair only with the cheap bar of soap from the athletic villa for a month has taken its toll on my poor head.

“Whatever dorks. Just keep it quiet, will ya? I have a hot date with the couch and Netflix, and I don't want you two intruding in my ‘me’ time with your racket.”

I go back inside, my brother and his best snigger by the pool like they always do. I want to turn around and fling the dart I stepped on at Rye, but I know starting a war with them would just prolong my exposure to Katniss in a tiny bikini, and I just can’t endure that torture anymore.

[thegirlonpeetamellark]

Christmas Break - Part 1

Surprise!! After a looong time away Court returns to Everlark fic world with a little holiday treat for everyone  - enjoy! :)

Hi everyone. So 2020 has sucked. For me, the beginning of quarantine was actually a bit of a gift. Being home gave me the gift of time, something I haven’t had much of as my daughters (who were very little when I started writing in this fandom) have gotten older. While I never stopped writing, it was a struggle to find long enough chunks of time to get into a flow. I started writing again with earnest. Not all of it was my fanfiction; some of it was my original work. El keeps me posted on the humbling and kind asks she gets about my writing. I felt bad that despite my increased writing, I still wasn’t ready to update any WIPs. But I did remember a story I had started for the final holiday PiP that I was never able to get past the first page (due to lack of time that year) and to my surprise, it started flowing. I had every intention of finishing it and having El post it as a gift to this fandom. But once my school went “back” in October and hybrid learning started, that was it. My time was gone. And further, my family experienced the very sudden and non-Covid-related death of my aunt. So while I have nearly half of this story written, it’s not done. But it will be, very soon, since it is a one-shot. As with all my stories, it took on a life of its own and it needs more love. So what I have for the readers who have loyally followed me is the first part, the part that involves Christmas. It’s my hope to have a second part posted in a week or two, so that by the time that part posts, a final part is nearly done. 

Thank you for your asks and your patience, and thank you to El, one of my favorite people in this world and the best thing my time in this fandom has given me. Thank you for your encouragement. Our friendship means the world to me. 

Here’s to a better 2021. Love to you all. Court

Christmas Break

Fuck, not again, Peeta grouses as the opening notes of that insidious Mariah Carey song pipe through the loudspeaker. That’s the third time in the last two hours. He’s all for holiday spirit, but if he never hears this fucking song again it will be too soon.

Leaning his forehead against the cold pane of glass, he peers out of the fourth-story window into the darkened sky. When he had arrived at work a few hours ago, the snow had just been starting to fall; a slow, lazy tumble of flakes. Now it’s coming down in a tumultuous swirl. It figures Panem would finally see a white Christmas his first Christmas Eve on rotation in the emergency room. No doubt the weather is partially to blame for the crush of bodies crowding the waiting room tonight. 

Peeta walks away from the window and opens the cabinet where he stashes his Clif bars. The economy-sized box looks suspiciously closer to empty than it did the other day. He’s heard complaints from other doctors and nurses that snacks are pilfered on a regular basis and was warned to label his own boxes. But he had forgone the warnings. If someone needed an energy bar badly enough to steal one, what was the $20 he had spent on them at Costco. He snags one and unwraps it. 

He’s just raised it to his mouth when his Apple watch pings and his silenced cell phone pulses insistently against his thigh. Heaving a loud sigh, he sets down the energy bar and withdraws the phone from his pocket. 

“Mom, you’ve got exactly 60 seconds,” he grits out. He doesn’t even need to look at the screen to confirm it’s her. She’s called twice already tonight, calls he’s ignored with good reason, but somehow his mother thinks a phone call from her trumps any actual emergencies her doctor son could be dealing with. Which, tonight, have been nonstop since his shift began at six. 

“Please tell me you ate something,” she begins. 

“I was just about to, when you called,” he replies. “I’ve only got a couple of minutes. It’s been utter chaos for the last four hours.” 

“We missed you at dinner. I can’t remember the last Christmas Eve when I didn’t have all three of my boys together.” Peeta closes his eyes. All these years my mother has been gushing about having a doctor in the family, and yet she never stopped to consider the ramifications of actually having a doctor in the family, he thinks. Particularly its impact on holiday gatherings. She obviously hadn’t learned anything from this past Thanksgiving, as now, just a month later, she’s already dumping a fresh guilt trip on him for missing another family dinner.

She continues, “And Jackson and Maxwell were just devastated when they heard you weren’t coming, until I assured them they’d see you tomorrow. We will see you tomorrow, yes?” 

Peeta suppresses another exasperated sigh and breaks off a chunk of the Clif bar. “Yes, Mom, I’ll be there.” And though it’s childish, he crams the bar into his mouth and mumbles around it, “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” His chewing masks the sarcasm that weighs down the words. 

“Excellent. We need an updated family portrait before Everly and Rye have to leave for her parents’ house.” Placated, his mother moves to ends the call, but not before getting in a less-than-subtle comment about how much she adores his brother Rye’s fiancée and how happy she is Rye is settling down. 

Staring at the disconnected call flashing on the screen, Peeta tries not to let the remark get to him. Mostly because he knows it’s a lie. His mother has complained more than once about Everly and how she’s not good enough for Rye. Peeta knows the dig was directed at him. He hasn’t truly had a serious girlfriend since junior year of college; just a few casual relationships that barely qualified as relationships. He doesn’t know how his mother expects him to meet someone with the hours he keeps. And his father, for as close as they are, never seems willing to jump to Peeta’s defense. 

Taking a deep breath to let his irritation suffuse, he jams his phone back in his pocket and scarfs down the rest of his pathetic dinner. All three bites of it. Then he uses the restroom, dutifully washes his hand, and stalks out of the staff lounge, his short break over.

As he strides up the corridor, he hears loud shouting coming from the ER waiting room. 

“…should be asleep in her bed, waiting for Santa Claus to come, but instead, we’re still here waiting for someone to take a look at her arm! It’s been over two hours! Don’t you people have any compassion? Or is Ebenezer Freaking Scrooge running this place tonight?”

Curious, Peeta veers towards the reception desk, where his eyes land on the ranting woman. She’s young, probably no older than her mid-twenties, and in spite of the fact that her dark hair is spilling out of a messy braid and she’s not wearing any makeup, Peeta is immediately struck by her beauty. The rosy flush to her cheeks from her tirade actually makes her even prettier. She’s cradling a toddler and protectively shielding the little girl’s right arm. The toddler’s blonde head rests on her mother’s shoulder, her thumb wedged into her tiny pink mouth. Her left arm clutches a stuffed orange cat. She looks tired. Actually, both mother and daughter do. 

“Miss, I understand your frustration, I really do,” the receptionist says calmly, her eyes cutting to Peeta as he stops by her side. He reads the name on the file on top of the stack, the next patient scheduled to be seen: MCMURPHY, JOSEPH. Clearly not the little girl in front of him. 

“I don’t think you do!” the young mother cries, her eyes flashing steel. “She’s three, she’s in pain, and she’s scared. And what’s more, I’ve seen at least five people go ahead of us who came in after us!” 

“That’s not how the emergency room works, miss,” the receptionist replies. She drums her fingertips on the desk, offering the young mother a tight smile. 

“It’s Christmas Eve,” the young mother adds, an edge of desperation creeping into her tone. Discreetly, Peeta moves around the receptionist’s chair, scanning the desktop until he spies the stack of files for the patients awaiting admission. While the receptionist continues to give the young mother the run-around, he thumbs through the stack, searching. His eyes land on what he’s looking for: a date of birth. His lips tip up. Bingo. This has to be it: HAWTHORNE, IVY ANN. 

At the exact second his hand snatches Ivy’s file from the pile and slips the other one in amongst the stack, the young mother’s eyes lock on his. Her gaze narrows. He can see the exhaustion all over her beautiful face. Her full lips twitch, her countenance suspicious as they stare at one another. 

“Ivy Hawthorne?” Peeta taps the file he had extricated. An immediate flicker of relief lights the young mother’s mercury eyes, and that lush mouth breaks into a grateful, relieved smile. The receptionist’s neck snaps up. “I’ve got this,” he adds, his tone leaving no room for her to argue with him. It’s not protocol for Peeta to take a patient directly, but it’s also not blatantly against the rules. Sure, it might mean a little more work for him, but if it means he can get this little girl home sooner on Christmas Eve, it’s worth it.

He smiles at the little girl. “Ivy, I’m Doctor Mellark. I’m going to help make you feel better, okay?” She nods once but doesn’t lift her head from her mother’s shoulder. Peeta’s arm sweeps to the side, ushering the young mother and Ivy past the desk. He scans the hallway and spies a partially drawn curtain halfway up the corridor. He leads them to the available partition and close the curtain behind them. As he turns to face them, he nearly slams into the woman. She hasn’t moved, and her luminous grey eyes fasten to his. She looks as if she’s going to say something, but several seconds pass and she’s still quiet, still watching him. The silence starts to become uncomfortable. Peeta clears his throat.  

“If you’d have a seat, please, Mrs. Hawthorne. You can hold her while I get some more information from you.” 

The young woman’s lips part slightly, again appearing as if she wants to say something, but instead she shuffles forward and Peeta waits while she settles on the edge of the hospital bed, gingerly adjusting Ivy so she’s sitting sideways across her mother’s lap. 

Peeta sinks down onto the stool and scoots towards the edge of the bed. This close he has a much better look at Ivy’s mother. She really is a beautiful young woman, and given how adorable Ivy is Peeta assumes her husband is probably also very attractive. He feels a twinge of jealousy. Lucky bastard. Pretty wife, cute kid…probably has a nice little house and a golden retriever too. Living the dream. His dream, if he allows himself to admit it to anyone but his mother. If he was being perfectly honest, he had always envisioned himself married by now. 

“How old are you, Ivy?” he ask, even though he knows from her chart and her mother’s declaration that she’s three years old. She hesitates, and still clutching the stuffed cat, manages to display three fingers. Peeta smiles at her again.

“I have a nephew who is the exact same age as you are. He told me just last week that he’s a big boy now. Are you a big girl, Ivy?” He keeps his tone gentle, hoping it will put her at ease with him. She nods, her big blue eyes lightening imperceptibly. “I thought so. Can you be a big girl and tell me what happened to your arm?” 

Her mother answers automatically, “She fell. I was only gone—” Peeta holds up his palm. He has the triage nurse’s initial assessment, so he knows Ivy’s arm is likely broken. What he doesn’t know is how the arm got broken. And those details he needs to try to get from Ivy herself. Kids her age always tell the truth when it comes to how they were injured, and unfortunately it’s part of Peeta’s job to make sure there isn’t a more sinister reason she’s in the E.R. tonight, no matter how sweet and innocent her mother appears. He’s already had a few encounters with suspected child abuse, though his gut tells him that isn’t the case with Ivy Hawthorne.

“Please. I would like Ivy to tell me how it happened.” 

Something dangerous flints in Ivy’s mother’s now stormy grey eyes.

“She. Fell.” The words are curt, enunciated coolly, but her voice is soft and Peeta can tell she’s keeping her temper in check for the benefit of her daughter. Eyes still pinned to his, she inhales deeply. A second later, her shoulders relax. “Go ahead and tell the nice doctor how you hurt your arm,” she whispers, stroking Ivy’s curls. 

“I was trying to see Santa,” Ivy replies, her tongue tripping in a lisp on the “S’s.” 

“What do you mean by that?” he prompts her. 

Ivy scrunches up her button nose. “I was trying to see up the chimney. ‘Cause the chimney at Aunt Katniss’s house is so skinny and Santa Claus is real fat and I don’t know how he’s gonna fit down it to bring me my presents!” Her blue eyes brim with tears and her lower lip starts to tremble. Peeta reaches over and pats her knee. 

“I wouldn’t worry about that, sweetheart. Santa Claus is magic. He’ll get you your presents, no matter what the chimney looks like.” He exchanges a look with her mother. 

“It was all my fault,” she says quietly. “I went in the kitchen, to get the cookies and milk—”

“And the carrots! For Rudolph and the other reindeer!” Ivy chimes in, her eyes shiny wet. 

“I never should have left her alone, not even for a second. This is my fault. It’s my fault. She wouldn’t have slipped and fallen off the hearth if I had been watching her.” Guilt chokes her words, and it sounds as if she’s close to tears. 

“Accidents happen, Mrs. Hawthorne,” Peeta says empathetically, “that’s why there are emergency rooms.” She presses her lips together, her brows knitting.  

“It’s Everdeen,” she says quietly. Peeta drops his eyes to Ivy’s chart, and furrows his brows, his gaze wandering to the young woman’s left hand. No ring. A brief thrill curls through him at the thought that she’s single. Asshole, he immediately chides himself. So not what you should be thinking about right now. He scans the chart more carefully and shakes his head.

“I’m sorry,” he begins, “but this lists Primrose Hawthorne as the mother, under the Parent/Guardian information, and a Rory Hawthorne as the father. I just assumed—”

She cuts him off. “Primrose Hawthorne was her mother. But I’m not Primrose Hawthorne. I’m Katniss. Katniss Everdeen. I’m her aunt. I should be listed as her primary emergency contact.” She swallows and squeezes her eyes shut briefly. When she opens them, they plead with his. Peeta glances down at Ivy, and then raises his eyes to Katniss again. The guilt that was clouding those silver irises a moment ago has dissipated, replaced with anguish. He doesn’t know what the full story is here, but he didn’t miss Katniss’s usage of the past tense in referring to Ivy’s mother. So he honors her silent appeal not to ask questions.

“Okay, Ivy, you fell, and you landed on your arm? I bet that hurt,” Peeta says to the little girl, but his gaze stays fastens on Katniss. She gives him the faintest smile and mouths, “Thank you.”

~*~*~*~

An hour later, the orthopedist informs Peeta that Ivy Hawthorne is ready for his approval to be discharged. Not wanting to keep her and her aunt waiting any later than necessary, he sets down the X-ray he had been studying, and heads back to where Ivy is. 

Standing outside the curtain, he hears quiet singing. He draws back the curtain and sees Katniss seated on the bed, with Ivy nestled in her lap. A bright pink cast safely cocoons the girl’s arm. Her blonde head rests on Katniss’s shoulder. Her eyes are closed, and her little body rises and falls with the deep breathing of sleep. 

Katniss continues to sing, unaware of Peeta’s presence. He doesn’t recognize the tune she’s singing. It’s not a Christmas carol, at least not one he’s ever heard before, but he continues to listen, captivated by her voice. It’s soft and decidedly feminine, but there’s raspy undercurrent to it that gives him chills. It’s like the first sip of a rich, smoky bourbon.

Gingerly, he tiptoes towards the bed and stands before her for several more minutes, until Katniss finally lifts her eyes. She immediately stops singing. Peeta smiles and nods towards Ivy.

“Someone is worn out,” he whispers. Katniss’s lips twitch into a chagrinned smile. 

“I’m sure the second we get home she’ll be wide awake and it’ll take forever to get her into bed. She was already amped up about Santa Claus before this.” She tips her head and gestures with her chin towards Ivy’s arm. 

“Warm milk. With a little bit of cinnamon,” he suggests. 

“Really?” Her eyes round. “Cinnamon? That really works?” Disbelief clouds her words. He shrugs sheepishly.

“I have no idea. No kids. And I’ve never had much trouble sleeping. I’m usually asleep the minute my head hits the pillow. But I’ve heard from a friend with a toddler that it does the trick.” He waits for her to say something—anything—in response, but she doesn’t. Her gaze is back on the sleeping toddler in her arms. 

Watching her stare tenderly at her niece causes something unexpected to claw at Peeta’s chest and he’s overwhelmed by a fierce compulsion to want to keep her here, to get to know more about her. It’s been a long time since he felt this kind of instant attraction to a woman. Why couldn’t he have met her under different circumstances? 

“Are we all done, doctor?” 

Peeta startles from his thoughts and offers Katniss an apologetic smile.

“Yes, sorry. You are good to go as soon as you sign here—” He holds the clipboard at an angle, to allow her to sign without having to disturb Ivy, “and here.” He flips the sheet back to the second page and she scrawls her name across the line there, too. Normally a nurse would go over discharge papers and protocol with patients, but Peeta had taken it upon himself to grab Ivy’s. He needed to spend every possible minute in Katniss’s presence. 

Once the release forms are complete, he review the plan for Ivy’s follow-up care, including how to manage any pain she has and when she’ll need to return to have the cast removed. Katniss listens attentively. 

When he’s finished, she stands up slowly, her movements tentative so as not to jostle Ivy. A sigh parts the little girl’s lips and she stirs, but she remains asleep. God, she’s cute, Peeta thinks. 

“Thank you, Dr. Mellark,” Katniss says softly. “For everything. I know what you did…” She falters. “I mean, I know we, ah, weren’t next, and ah…” Peeta waves a hand dismissively, sensing her discomfort with his hijacking of the queued patients.  

“It was my pleasure,” he replies. “Little girls should be home on Christmas Eve. Waiting for Santa.” He echoes Katniss’s earlier words. “I hope he’s good to her.” 

He doesn’t miss the forlorn expression that flits across Katniss’s face as she glances down at her sleeping niece. 

“He can’t bring her what she wants most, but he’ll try,” she murmurs and moves towards the open curtain. Just before she steps out into the hall, she pauses and turns to face Peeta.

“Merry Christmas,” she adds.  

“Merry Christmas,” he concurs. With a faint smile, she steps around the curtain. It rustles in her wake and resettles. Peeta exhales and slumps against the wall, regret washing through him, followed by a stronger wave of sadness at seeing Katniss go. If it hadn’t been for Ivy, he might have concocted some kind of delay to keep Katniss here longer, found some excuse to pry more information out of her. Like if she’s single. A surge of adrenaline spikes in his blood. He can’t let her go this easily.

He bolts out into the corridor, scanning the bustling hallway for any sign of Katniss and Ivy, but they’ve vanished. Disappointed, his shoulders slump as he trudges towards the nurses’ station to hand off Ivy’s file. 

It’s probably best, a nagging little voice inside him taunts, and he reluctantly concedes that it probably is. As much as he’d love to finally shut his mother up and find a woman that he’d want to spend more than a night with, it’s not fair to subject one to the kind of schedule he has to keep. New doctors are low-man-on-the-totem-pole. He’s had mostly graveyard shifts and he’s often on call. It’s his dream to have a pediatric practice, but he’s well aware that he’ll have to toil for a couple of years to get on track to make that dream a reality. 

A few minutes later, en route to his next examination, Peeta spies Johanna, one of the triage nurses, coming out of the room Ivy had occupied. His eyes immediately narrow when his gaze lands on her left arm.

“Was that in there?” He motions towards the vacated room and then nods towards the stuffed cat Johanna has wedged under her armpit. 

“What, the cat? Yeah. It must have fallen under the bed. I’ll take it to the station, in case someone comes back to claim it.” 

Ivy’s cherubic little face flashes in Peeta’s mind. He remember how fiercely she had been clutching that cat, and how she had reluctantly agreed to put it down when it had been time for Delly, another one of the triage nurses, to take her for X-rays. 

Peeta’s pulse quickens and he immediately thrusts his hand towards Johanna. “I’ll take it,” he says impulsively. She wrinkles her nose and cocks her head, her hazel eyes intensely scrutinizing him. Though they have a casual friendship, Johanna is far too insightful for her own good. Peeta doesn’t really need her questioning his motives for taking possession of the toy. 

“The little girl it belongs to goes to preschool with Max. I’ll make sure he takes it to her after the holiday break.” Fuck, that lie flew off his tongue so easily he almost believes it himself. Johanna shrugs and tosses Peeta the cat. 

“Suit yourself. One less thing to overflow the Lost and Found.” She strides past him and disappears into Triage 6. He stares down at the stuffed animal. His heart skips another beat and a slow smile tugs at his mouth. 

~*~*~*~

Stifling another yawn, Peeta squints at the numbers above the garage. He’s definitely in the right place. He kills the engine and sits for a moment, glancing at the clock on the navigation system. It’s quarter after nine. Early, but not obscenely so. When his shift had ended at six am, he had driven home and fought the urge to crawl into bed; instead, he grabbed a quick shower and freshened up. True, part of him hadn’t wanted to see Katniss Everdeen again looking like the bedraggled, exhausted mess he was at the end of a rotation, and also true, he was going to have to clean up before he’s due at his parents’ house at one. But he also knew he couldn’t really have shown up at Katniss’s house at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning, even if he suspects Ivy likely had her up by then. He recalls, with a wistful smile, that Christmas morning was the one morning he and his brothers were always awake before his father. It was only a question of which Mellark brother was going to be the first to rouse the others. Him being the youngest, it was usually him, he admits with a wider grin.

He quietly exits his car, careful not to slam the door, and gingerly steps across the icy driveway. He pauses at the un-shoveled front walk, where a pristine blanket of snow blocks his path. “Shit,” he whispers, gritting his teeth as he takes the first step. His foot plunges into the deep drift, up to nearly his calf. He braces himself and takes a huge step, hoping to eat up the distance in a few long strides. Fortunately, it’s not a long front walk. He reaches the also un-shoveled front steps and carefully ascends them. He contemplates ringing the doorbell, but instead raps his knuckles against the door. His breath pipes out in white plumes and he rubs his palms together for warmth as he waits. 

No one comes to the door, at least not immediately. Peeta lifts his fist again, but just before his knuckles can connect with the wood again, the front door opens a crack and he’s suddenly looking at Katniss. Those silver eyes round almost comically as recognition lights them. 

“D-Doctor Mellark? Wh-what are you….”  

“Hi. Merry Christmas,” he begins. “I thought Ivy would be missing this.” He smiles and holds up the stuffed cat. 

Katniss stares at him, her lips parting faintly, and shock and confusion war on her pretty face. But then her grey eyes darken with what Peeta can only describe as restrained fury. 

She opens the door fully and glares at him.  

“You had Ivy’s cat?” she accuses. 

“Uh…yeah…” he stammers, his own confusion welling. Why is she so angry? “My nephew…he has a bear. Otis. Can’t sleep without that thing. I thought if Ivy is anything like Max…well, she’d be missing this.” He holds the cat out to Katniss. She snatches it so violently that she stumbles backwards. Peeta is equally jarred, but his jolt is from the very brief brush of Katniss’s fingers against his when she had grabbed the toy. 

But Katniss gives him no time to revel in the feeling.

“So this is why no one at the hospital had a goddamned clue what I was talking about when I called there looking for this cat an hour ago!” she spits. 

Shit, Peeta thinks, an uneasy feeling clawing its way into his gut. 

“Why the fuck—” He can’t help but notice her slight hesitation before she lobs the obscenity at him. “—would you take my niece’s cat? Is this something normal people do?” She’s shivering visibly as she rants, a clear consequence of stepping onto her front porch wearing nothing but green plaid pajama pants and a threadbare black Henley shirt.

“I….I…” He shakes his head. He’s not even sure how to defend his actions. He can’t very well tell her his ulterior motives in bringing the stuffed cat back to her niece. Not now. He definitely fucked this up.

“I was just trying to be nice. That I’d save you a trip on Christmas morning,” he finishes lamely. 

Katniss’s nostrils flare and her jaw flexes. “Christmas morning,” she mutters, just barely audible over the clattering of her teeth. “Did it occur to you, Dr. Mellark, that I might be looking for Ivy’s cat and I might call the hospital looking for this cat?” She shakes the toy in his face. “And did it occur to you that, in spite of all the toys she had just opened, Ivy might be bawling and throwing a fit because Buttercup was missing?”

Buttercup, he has to assume, is the stuffed cat.

She pauses, as if waiting for him to defend himself, but all he can do is swallow against the lump crowding his throat.

So she continues, “They made me think I was crazy—but not until after they left me on hold for 20 minutes while I tried to calm a wailing toddler. And then they said there was no toy matching this description in the Lost and Found. And that’s because you had it!” Her eyes are a maelstrom now, but he notices that an edge of frustration has crept into her furious tone. 

“And now Ivy doesn’t have it. So thank you. Thank you very much, Dr. Mellark. Merry Christmas.” And before Peeta can release the breath he’s been holding during her outburst and plead his case, she whirls around, her disheveled braid lancing through the air like a whip, and slams the door behind her. Stunned, Peeta can only stare at the wreath on the door as he processes what just happened.  

What. The. Fuck. 

Heart pounding, gut churning, Peeta retreats to his car. He takes a few minutes to absorb the shock of his encounter with Katniss, his mind reeling through the accusations she made. He never would have expected her to react like this. So much for any shot with Katniss Everdeen. 

He finally gathers his composure and navigates out of her complex. As he drives, his mind continues replaying Katniss’s words over and over, and he finds one thing nags at him. 

And now Ivy doesn’t have it.

Those words don’t make much sense to him. He just gave the stuffed animal back to Katniss. She can give it back to Ivy. She’ll have it now. In her wrath, Katniss just wasn’t being rational, he decides. 

But her words continue to haunt him off and on for the rest of the day. Along with persistent images of Katniss that further torment him. She is never far from his conscious thoughts. As he sits down next to the fireplace in his parents’ house with a tumbler of scotch to exchange gifts with his brothers and his nephews, he finds himself wondering who Katniss is celebrating with. Ivy, obviously. But does she have other family? 

By the time the Mellarks all settle around the table for dinner, he’s conjured up the notion that Katniss may not be married, but she surely has a devoted boyfriend who is showering her with gifts at this very moment. Her mood is infinitely better than what Peeta witnessed earlier. She’s probably dressed nice for him, and he’s sitting around her dining room table with Katniss and Ivy, like a makeshift family.

His mother’s irritation is palpable when she has to command his attention twice to try and draw him into the discussion centered on Rye’s upcoming wedding. Peeta murmurs the apology he knows she expects and feigns his dutiful brotherly interest for Rye’s benefit the remainder of the meal. But a dull ache has taken up residence in the center of his chest and he realizes just how badly he wants what his brothers have. 

He just won’t be having it with Katniss Everdeen.

[hutchhitched]

What You Deserve, What You Need, What You Want

Written by: @hutchhitched​

Prompt 109: Dialogue prompt: “I deserve better than this!” [submitted by @xerxia31]

Ratings/Warnings: E

A/N: I’m continuing to post the nine @everlarkficexchange prompts I took and then sat on throughout the early months of the pandemic. This is the seventh of the nine. Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy. Huge thanks to @javistg for understanding the delays. Better get myself in gear to finish the last two before the next round starts!

  “I deserve better than this!”

 Katniss nods and pats her sister on the back. “You do, and you should say it.”

 “I just did. You clearly weren’t listening.”

 Prim grins at her sister, and they continue scrubbing the walls of the house Prim and her husband just purchased. Katniss really can’t believe her little sister is married, especially at the young age of 22, but Prim has always been the one who’s gotten what she wants while Katniss…

 Well, if anyone deserves better than this, Katniss thinks it might be her.

 “When’s your husband getting here? I thought he wasn’t going to make us do all the work. That’s clearly not the case as evidenced by my arm that’s about to fall off.”

 Letting her limb drop, Katniss sits down heavily on the hardwood floor. It’s stripped and rough, ready for a good sanding and polish to make it glow like new. Right now, though, it’s rather anemic looking with blonde wood that seems old and faded. Or maybe that’s just how Katniss feels about herself. Old and faded, always in the shadow of her baby sister who everyone’s continuously adored and coddled.

 It’s not that Prim’s ever taken advantage of it either. She’s as sweet and kind and generous as they come. It’s just the phenomenon that things have a tendency of working out for the younger Everdeen sibling that Katniss would envy if she didn’t love her sister so much. Still, she’s tired—drained from working hard and scraping by, exhausted from the mental toll of keeping everything together for so long when she shouldn’t have had to, and weary from hoping and wishing and being disappointed repeatedly. It sucks, and it’s not fair, but that’s reality for Katniss and Prim Everdeen.

 Except Prim isn’t an Everdeen anymore. She’s married now with her husband’s name, and Katniss is the lonely older sister who hasn’t dated anyone for the past six years. If she sees one more person look at her with pity, she might have to scream.

 “Ah, there’s my gorgeous husband now,” Prim says, her face beaming at the sight of her man. “Hey, honey. Missed you.”

 “Missed you, too,” comes the reply, and Katniss cringes as she climbs to her feet. It’s not her ex-boyfriend, but it’s close enough. Rory Hawthorne is the spitting image of his handsome older brother who happens to be the last man Katniss let get her naked. It’s been an embarrassingly long time since she’s gone to bed with someone. She’s hurtling headlong into her sexual prime, and nothing. Not a potential to be found.

 “Well, if it isn’t Catnip Everdeen! As I live and breathe.”

 Katniss turns slowly to see Gale Hawthorne standing in the door, framed by sunlight and looking like a moody Greek god. Her body betrays her, and she can feel her reaction course through her veins. She forces herself to play nice and nods in his direction.

 “Oh, come on,” he teases. “I can’t get a hug and a kiss from an old flame and my current sister-in-law? We’re family now. Where’s the love?”

 Katniss stands woodenly as Gale embraces her and kisses her on the cheek. It’s awkward as hell, but Gale’s never been able to read the room well when he’s already made up his mind. She tenses as a ruckus sounds outside, and it’s not long before a handful of men pour into the house. They’re all tall and varying stages of broad, and every one of them is dressed as some version of a cool-kid-construction-worker.

 “What are you? Part of a new boy band? Performing covers for the Village People?”

 Rory steps between them. “Hey! Truce. This is my house, and you’re upsetting my wife. Knock it off.”

 All the men hoot and holler, catcalling Gale and, by extension, her except for one who slinks along the outside of the room. He seems embarrassed by the toxic masculinity, and he brushes his hair off his forehead in a riot of ashy blonde curls. Katniss likes him immediately.

 “And I deserve that,” Katniss says in a stage whisper to her sister as she nods her head. “Who’s he, and why haven’t I been introduced?”

 Prim calls to the room. “Calm yourselves, boys. Meet my sister, Katniss. Katniss, these are the guys. You know Gale, and these three are Thom and Darius and Rye. The one over there is Rye’s brother Peeta. He’s the well-behaved one. Maybe you can help him today. You don’t deserve any of these other guys. They’ll only make you question your life choices and swear off men for good.”

 Katniss waves at them all, showing her annoyance at their behavior in her tight smile. Giving each of them a wide berth, she crosses the room and approaches Peeta. “Nice to meet you,” she says, and he flashes her a smile that, in tandem with his cerulean blue eyes, makes her knees weak. Oh yes, she definitely deserves better, and he just might be it.

 “Nice to meet you, too, Katniss,” he answers in a voice that makes her want to strip down and let him have his way with her. His voice isn’t just sexy; it’s absolutely scandalous.

 She swallows her arousal and asks as casually as she can, “You need any help? I hear you’re the only one here who won’t sexualize me.”

 He chuckles, and she contemplates selling her soul to the devil for a shot with him. She’s never been attracted to someone this intensely in such a short amount of time. It’s actually quite unnerving for someone like her who’s fairly shy and quiet and aloof.

 “Well, I can’t promise I won’t fall for you by the end of the day, but I’ll do my best.” When he winks at her, she vows to make it happen. She has no idea how, but she’s got a few hours to figure it out.

 They spend the afternoon together sanding and painting. If she brushes against him multiple times, he doesn’t seem to mind. When he brackets her in his arms as she holds a section of drywall, she leans back against him. His chest is hard behind her, and she breathes in his scent. He’s a glorious combination of clean sweat and cinnamon from what must be his aftershave. He laughs at her jokes and entertains her with stories of his own. She’s never been great at making friends, but it’s so easy with him. At one point, she catches Prim’s eye as the afternoon slides into evening, and her sister winks at her.

 As the sun sets, things wind down. One by one, Rory and Prim’s friends say goodbye and make their respective exits. Gale seems to want to linger, but Rory and Prim remind him they’re spending the night at his place and insist they need showers before they treat him to dinner. He’s not very happy about it, but her ex-boyfriend leaves after giving her a suspicious look that makes her want to stick out her tongue at him. Katniss promises to lock the door behind her when she leaves, and then she and Peeta are alone with the house quiet around them. There’s a sudden strain between them that makes her squirm. After the ease of the day, the isolation is a little awkward, so she figures she might as well ease the tension with a lame joke.

 “Well, now that we’re alone…” Peeta chuckles and gives her a lopsided grin. She worries her knees will give out as the power of it hits her, so she leans heavily against the newly spackled section of the wall.

 “I had a really nice time working with you. When Rory asked me to help today, I didn’t think—” He breaks off and ducks his head as his face and neck redden.

 Laughing at his bashfulness, she asks, “You didn’t think what? You’re awfully cute with pink cheeks, by the way, so you might as well go ahead and tell me.”

 “I didn’t think I’d be matched up with someone so pretty.” She ducks her head, not used to flattery. “I just had a really, really good day. I was due for one or two of those. Really needed it.”

 “Well, I’m glad I could give you what you needed.”

 The air’s charged with electricity, and she raises her eyes to look at him. His are hooded, pupils dilated, as he stares at her. She has the sudden realization that she’s alone with someone she barely knows, and he’s looking at her like she’s a snack for him to devour.

 “I wonder,” he says, his voice dropping an octave. “I wonder if you could.”

 “If I could what?”

 This isn’t supposed to happen to her. She’s never been this lucky in anything and definitely not this fortunate in relationships. Yet, somehow, he’s here with her and seems to want what she’s just realizing might be possible. He walks toward her slowly, licking his lips as he does, and stops so close that she can feel his body heat.

 “If you could give me what I really need.”

 Her throat’s dry, and she gives a tiny squeak when she tries to speak. He lifts his hand to brush away the stray tendrils of hair that escaped from her braid as they worked. His fingertips sweep lightly across her cheek, and his thumb strokes along her bottom lip. She wants to suck on it.

 “I thought you promised not to fall for me.”

 “Oh, no,” he argued. “In fact, I think I promised exactly the opposite—that I couldn’t promise not to. Now, the question remains. Can you?”

 “Give you what you really need?”

 “And will you?”

 “I’d like to try,” she whispers. “I really would.”

 “I think you’re the type that really tries.” His voice is husky and deep, and she shivers when his breath ghosts across her neck. “In fact, I think you’re the kind of woman who believes in trying multiple times until she’s sure everyone is perfectly satisfied. Am I right?”

 Katniss squeaks again, unable to answer right away. He strokes her arm slowly, brushing up and down and grazing the side of her breast. She’s positive he knows exactly what he’s doing to her.

 “Satisfaction’s the goal,” she finally croaks.

 He crushes into her then, his body full and tight against hers as he pushes her into the wall and kisses her like a man possessed. His mouth is hot and wet and perfect. His tongue sweeps along hers, massages and plundering so deeply she can only gasp and respond in kind. He’s everywhere—his scent, his arms and hands and chest, his soft moans catching in the back of his throat, heat leaching from his skin. It’s too much and not nearly enough. It’s overwhelming, but she wants every speck of it.

 There’s an old couch in the back room, and Peeta lifts her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carries her to it. He lays her out on it without breaking the kiss and settles in between her legs. Bucking upward, she whimpers at the friction. He’s solid and heavy, and she basks in the weight. Anxiety bleeds from her, and she sighs into the kiss.

 “Katniss,” he whispers, her word a sermon of longing and awe.

 “I don’t ever do this,” she answers, her eyes closed and breath uneven. When he makes a move to pull back, she threads her fingers through his hair. “No, don’t stop.”

 Peeta grunts in response and sucks the spot at the hinge of her jaw. His hands are all over her. Long fingers, massive palms, and blunt fingernails that knead, warming her skin and pushing her closer to the edge. He rucks up her shirt, and she shivers as he slides down her body and laves at the skin there. When his hand runs up the bare skin of her inner thigh, she moans lustily and considers begging him for more.

 “Take this off,” he requests, his tone polite and gentle, but there’s an underlying authority that makes her want to obey. He helps her to upright and watches as she tugs her tank top over her head. When’s she free, he caresses her torso before reaching behind her to unlatch her bra. Squirming under his scrutiny, she’s vulnerable, but he takes care as he fiddles with her waistband and then shoves her shorts down her legs. She’s left with nothing but a scrap of peach silk between her legs. “You have no idea the effect you have, do you? No clue how crazy you drove me all day today in your little bitty clothes. Are you a tease, Katniss, or are you that unaware how beautiful you are?”

 “I’m not—”

 “You are, and tonight you get what you deserve. What you need. What you want so much you don’t even know how to say it, but I know because I want it, too.”

 His hand is between her legs, his fingers brushing aside the fabric, his thumb pressing on her clit, his palm cupping her heat. She can’t think, and that’s exactly what she wants. She deserves to feel good; she needs someone to help with that, and she wants it to be him.

 “Please.” The word echoes in the air between them, shimmering with longing.

 His face is between her legs, buried in her pussy, licking and sucking at her swollen lips. She twists under him, desperate to get away at the same time she wants to grind into his mouth and let him make her break. She cries out, overwhelmed at how quickly she’s wet. Her shins are on his shoulders, her legs bent so he can lick deeper into her, and she can’t do anything but enjoy it. She’s helpless to resist him, not that she’d want to try.

 She doesn’t. He’s too good at it. His mouth is fire, devouring her like it’s his only job—to be put on earth and eat her out. Not only doesn’t she last, it’s shockingly fast. When he curls his tongue into her and then sucks her clit so hard she sees stars, she arches and allows warm honey to ooze through her. Thrashing under him, she doesn’t try to stay quiet or still. There’s no way when he’s so good at this anyway. When she melts into the cushions, he sits up and grins at her with a wet chin and a dangerous glint in his eyes.

 “These panties are completely ruined,” he murmurs and tears them in two. When she groans, he pulls them free and trails them over her heated skin. “You feel that? Sopping wet. That’s all you, sweetheart. All of that wetness is you telling me how good I make you feel. I bet we can both keep going, though. Don’t you think?”

 She doesn’t trust herself to speak, so she merely nods and then watches in appreciation as he unbuttons his shirt and shrugs it over his shoulders. Miles of smooth, honeyed pink skin is bared for her, and she licks her lips eagerly. He stands and unbuckles his belt, putting on a show for her. Cheeky and a tiny bit cocky, he shifts his hips until he springs free. He’s hard and long and thick and ready, and she wants it.

 “Flip over,” he says. “Get up on your hands and knees.”

 She does, quivering in anticipation and hisses when he spreads her cheeks and rubs his cock against her. It’s torture not being able to see him, but she can hear the tear of a foil packet before he’s pressing against her, his blunt head probing her entrance. Impatient, she rears back, but he holds her hips firmly, easing into her and stretching her around him.

 “Such a tight little pussy,” he grunts. “Perfect, and so fucking wet. Tell me what you want, sweetheart. Tell me everything. Let me give it to you. Take what you deserve.”

 She wails his name. She needs him inside, and he has to move. He has to. She’s going to die if he doesn’t. She’s never been good at dirty talk, but he pushes a button that lets it pour forth. Her requests are filthy, lewd, and debased, but he fulfills every single request.

 She can’t remember the last time someone fucked her quite like this, but that’s what this is. He’s in charge, and she’s merely along for the ride. He thrusts upward and lifts her knees off the couch with every stroke. Scrambling for purchase, she clings to the back of the couch. It’s rough and dirty and quick, and she screams when he reaches around and rubs her clit furiously. Her arms give, and he holds her aloft as he slams into her repeatedly.

 She crests another wave when he finally comes, pouring into the condom while her walls grip and flutter around him. They fall into a tangled heap with him slumped over her. Sweaty and panting for breath, she can’t move. He’s still inside her, hot and spent but not quite soft. She never wants him to move again.

 “You never do this, huh?” he finally groans. “You sure seem to know what you’re doing.”

 Katniss giggles, the action so unfamiliar that it startles her for a minute. But then she’s laughing, filled with mirth and relief and something that seems a little bit like hope. He joins her, his baritone melding with her treble tone to form a glorious harmony. Finally, she regains control and shifts her head so she can kiss his forehead gently.

 “You’re right, and you should say it.”

 “Can I get your number? I’d kinda like to see if you know how to date. I bet you’d be really good at that, too.”

 Katniss grins and sighs with happiness. “I can give you my number, but you don’t need it to ask me on a date. Just do it. I’ll say yes.”

 Peeta grins lazily and strokes her back. He trails his lips across her cheek to her mouth and kisses her softly. “Will you go out with me?”

 “Yes,” she answers firmly. “Is tonight too soon?”

 “Tonight can’t get here soon enough.”

[boybreaded]

HEADCANON

So I am currently writing a headcanon about Peeta's brothers and their complacency in his abuse and the difficulty of the family dynamic that is presented in Peeta's family. And I mention heavily how Peeta is the only named Mellark so I am going to name them.

Peeta's father is named Bran. He is the baker, he is the one that technically owns the bakery. He is the one that should be making the decisions. But as his name suggests he's a bit plain and can easily be overrun by other flavors aka people.

Peeta's mother is named Ginerva, Bran will often call her Gin when the time is right. Never in front of the kids. Her family owned the distillery as the only legal source of alcohol in district 12. She met Bran through their common usage of getting grain him for the bakery and her for hops used in beer. They settled for each other and were not in love, but the Bakery often did better than the distillery ever did.

Neither of Peeta's brothers will be named Rye the name that everyone seems to have settled on for Peeta's middle brother. I say this because it is my blog and I do what I want. Bri (prounounced like Br-eye) short for Brioche, is Peeta's oldest brother. He is more or less the golden child. Peeta's second brother is Griz short for Grissini. Griz doesn't have a whole lot of substance to him, and has to work at getting acknowledgement.

tl;dr: Peeta's family names

father: Bran

mother: Ginerva aka Gin

oldest: Brioche aka Bri

middle: Grissini aka Griz

youngest: Peeta :D

[jlalafics]

Could you please reblog your lesbian!Peeta story for me

Sure! I hope this is the one you’re thinking of!

_______

“You can shut off the lights now.”

Delly Cartwright, Peeta’s friend and business manager, looked to her and gave a sympathetic smile.

“You did well for a new business owner, Peeta,” she continued. Gathering some of the go-backs, Delly started to head over to the racks. “You opened a record shop. It wasn’t exactly going to be busy every day, but from a business standpoint, you did well for your first week.”

Peeta gathered her golden locks into a ponytail and took the broom next to her to sweep up.

“I guess you’re right,” Peeta replied.

She had fair sales for her opening week; it had always been her dream to open a shop of her own and her love for vinyl clinched her decision to open a record store. There was hope of expanding to a used bookstore, but it seemed that it would be awhile before that would happen.

“Don’t you have a husband to get home to?” Peeta asked her friend. “Thom must be annoyed that you’re spending all your time with me.”

“Thom wouldn’t have a full-service coffee bar if it weren’t for his wife’s business savvy,” Delly retorted. She pushed herself onto the wood counter. “He can sacrifice time so I can help out one of my best friends.”

“Really though.” Returning the broom to its place, Peeta met her friend’s light eyes. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Suddenly, Delly’s mouth formed into a smirk. “I mean it wouldn’t hurt if you had a partner to support and help you out. I met this great girl at Thom’s bar—”

“You know what—” Peeta lifted her petite friend off the counter easily, placing her by the front door. “—I think you should go home. You’re obviously exhausted.”

“You win this round, Mellark,” Delly declared with a chuckle. “We’ll see you for Sunday brunch at our place.”

Stepping out, Peeta watched her friend get into her car and drive off before walking back into the store.

Sighing, she let herself admit that she was lonely.

It had been two years since her last relationship and about six months since her last date. Her brothers were both in long-term relationships; Dean, her eldest brother, married to Olivia, his college girlfriend, with two kids and one on the way while Rye, the middle child, engaged to Johanna, one of Peeta’s closest friends and her former roommate.

While she, the youngest and only girl, was still single.

Peeta wasn’t looking for just anyone.

Whoever she was had to be more.

So, for the time being, she would just have to focus on getting the store up and running.

++++++

Locking up the store, Peeta buttoned her rust peacoat and headed towards her bus stop. Her place was fifteen minutes away—just a few blocks—but the fall season had caused the city to go dark once it hit six in the evening.

“Hey girl!”

The group of guys from the bar across the street called out. There were a few catcalls and she ignored it, speeding up her pace towards the bus stop at the end of the block. Her heart stuttered in nervousness as she heard the footfalls heading towards her.

Suddenly, one of the guys was standing in front of her. “Where you heading, sweetheart?”

Peeta didn’t reply, only taking in a description of the guy…mid-twenties, dark beard, medium height, sharp dark eyes wearing a grey hoodie, black tank, and dark jeans.

So, basically any random guy.

Dean was a cop and he had always taught her what to do if she was in a situation like this. However, it didn’t seem to be helping as she found herself surrounded by the rest of the group.

So, Peeta went for Rye’s method and fully rushed at the guy in front of her, trying to knee him in the groin.

He pushed her and Peeta was knocked down, the back of her head hitting the concrete.

There was the pain of impact…and then darkness.

++++++

“Miss Mellark…can you open your eyes?” Peeta blinked, her vision blurred and the white light causing her eyes to close again. “Take your time.”

She followed the kind voice, allowing herself to adjust before opening her eyes once more.

“There you go,” the voice said gently. “You gave us a scare when you came in.”

Her vision cleared and the warmest set of eyes greeted her. Almond-shaped and dove grey, the eyes were set in a heart-shaped face along with a pert nose and rose lips, her skin was a soft olive and her raven hair was tied back in a neat braid.

“Where am I?” she asked as the bed was slowly elevated.

“You are in the hospital,” the woman in the blue scrubs informed her. “My name is Katniss and I’m your nurse. You were mugged; the perp got your credit cards but left the rest of your wallet since there wasn’t any money. Can you tell me your name?”

“Peeta. Peeta Mellark.”

Katniss looked at her in confusion. “Your ID says Pieta Mellark.”

“When I was born, my parents tried to teach my brother Rye how to say me name properly, Pee-et-ta, but he couldn’t get it and kept pronouncing my name as Pee-ta. So, it kind of stuck.”

The nurse chuckled. “I like both your names.” Katniss looked over her chart and then to her. “We’re just making sure that you’re CT scan comes out clean and then we can release you. Do you have anyone that we can call? Your family?”

“I don’t want to worry my parents and they’re an hour away, and my brothers have families,” she explained. “Once I’m released, I’ll just head on home.”

“Your name fits you,” Katniss remarked. “Pieta means compassion. A lot of people would milk themselves getting injured, but not you. You’re more concerned about everyone else around you.”

“Give me a day or two and I’ll be at home, feeling sorry for myself,” Peeta replied. “Your name is a plant.”

The nurse grinned. “How did you know?”

“When we were all kids, my parents took us camping,” she explained. “And my Dad told me that if for some reason, I got lost in the woods then I just needed to find you to survive.”

Katniss blushed, her cheeks flooding with color, and Peeta found herself breathless in the prettiness of it all.

“I suppose that could also apply to non-camping situations,” Katniss responded. “Get some rest, Peeta, and I’ll check up on your results.”

++++++

“I’m really alright, Haymitch,” Peeta assured her business partner on the phone. “They kept me overnight for observation, but they didn’t see anything in the CT scan.”

“We should install cameras in the front,” the man insisted. “You could’ve been killed or assaulted!”

“Well, they checked if there was any trauma down there and everything seemed right as rain,” she assured him. “My vagina is perfectly intact.”

There was a cough and she turned to see Katniss standing before, a black bomber jacket over her scrubs and her hair down in long waves.

“I really didn’t need to hear that,” the man muttered. “Just call me when you get home, okay? Also, get an Uber and put it on our business credit card.”

“Ah…you should probably call about that,” Peeta replied. “Some of my credit cards are missing.”

“I’m right on it,” Haymitch responded. “Go home and get some rest. I’ll open the store tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” Hanging up, Peeta stuffed her phone into her jean pocket before turning to the woman. “Getting off?”

Katniss looked to her in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Work. You off from your shift?”

The blush invaded her lovely face and she nodded quickly. “Oh yeah! Just heading out. How about you?”

“Yeah, just needed to check in with Haymitch, my partner,” Peeta explained.

“Oh.” Katniss’ expression dropped. “Why wouldn’t your boyfriend pick you up?”

Peeta snorted at the idea.

“Haymitch is my business partner.” She looked to the woman beside her. “You heading home to your boyfriend?”

The woman shook her head. “I’ve got some leftover pasta and A Walk to Remember on Netflix, but that’s about it.”

“Would you want to join me for a cup of coffee?” Peeta found herself asking. “Thom, my best friend’s husband owns a coffee shop a few blocks down. It will be on me—or on Delly, my best friend—your coffee, I mean…”

Shit, Peeta was going about this all wrong. She didn’t even know if Katniss was into girls.

“Sure.”

Her head snapped up at Katniss’ response and Peeta smiled. “Okay.”

They headed onto the sidewalk in front of the hospital. It was a beautiful morning, chilled but brimming with potential to be a gorgeous day of clear skies and temperate weather.

“How long have you been a nurse?” Peeta asked as they headed down towards Thom’s coffee bar.

“About three years,” Katniss said. “Got this job right out of school. My mom was head nurse at the hospital before retiring a few years ago and I guess nepotism worked in my favor. I might actually be a really crappy nurse.”

“No, you definitely aren’t,” Peeta argued. “You have a natural empathy.”

“How so?”

“When I woke up, I was scared as hell,” she told the woman next to her. They stopped at the crosswalk and Peeta met Katniss’ gaze. “But, when I heard your voice, I knew that I would be okay. You made me feel safe.”

“That’s a lot to put on a girl,” Katniss said quietly. “But I’m glad that I could help.”

Their eyes met and it was like a magnetic force that Peeta found her hand tucking back a tendril of Katniss’ hair behind her ear. Her fingers lingered, feeling the softness of her dark waves and Katniss’ breath caught at the gesture.

Her hand covered Peeta’s and the sensation drew a sharp gasp from Peeta’s mouth.

It had been a long time since she had felt like this.

Stepping towards Katniss, she waited to see if the woman would retreat.

However, Katniss remained still, her mouth parted and her eyelids going half-lidded as Peeta close the space between.

The kiss was careful, her mouth slanting over Katniss’ gently. The feeling of her soft lips caused a groan to draw up from the pit of Peeta’s stomach and escape between their mouths.

It was scary but exhilarating all at once and Peeta never wanted to let her go.

However, Katniss hummed against her lips and reluctantly she pulled away.

“I probably wasn’t supposed to do that,” Peeta told her.

Katniss looked disappointed. “Oh, okay.”

“I mean not without taking you out on a date first.”

Katniss let out a relieved laugh. “Well, we just cut out the needless tension of the first kiss, didn’t we?”

“I guess so,” Peeta replied, taking her hand. “So…”

‘…would like to stay indefinitely?’

“Would you like to have coffee first and then dinner later?”

“And, between then?” Katniss asked, her thumb caressing the top of Peeta’s hand.

“Whatever we want, I have all day.”

I have forever for you.

“Okay.” Katniss beamed. “Let’s start with the coffee.”

[louezem]

Saying Yes

Summary:  Katniss and Peeta had a bitter break up years ago and went their separate ways. Katniss knows nothing of Peeta’s life now, until a stunning blonde walks into the exclusive bridal salon were she works, to buy her a dress for her wedding - to Peeta Mellark. 

Part Four - Sisters…..

Part 4 - Sisters  

“Prim?  Are you here?”

Katniss threw her keys and bag down and toed off her shoes with a sigh of relief.  It had been a long and frustrating day at work.   All she wanted was to shower, eat and then sleep.   

“I’m in the kitchen!” her sister replied.  “Dinner’s almost ready!”

Katniss offered up a silent prayer of thanks that she wouldn’t have to face another takeout or frozen pizza for dinner tonight.  She knew how to cook but was lazy about it when she only had to cook for herself.  Prim, however, loved to cook.

She followed the delicious aroma wafting down the narrow hall to the tiny kitchen.   It was barely big enough to hold a small table and 2 chairs, but Prim had set it with the nice plates and cutlery and a small bud vase holding a single, yellow dandelion.

“What’s all this?” Katniss waved at the table.  “It’s not my birthday.”

“Does it need to be a special occasion for me to show my appreciation for my favorite sister?” Prim asked, lifting a spoon to her mouth and offering it to her for a taste. 

“Mmm, that’s so good.” Katniss licked her lips.  “It tastes familiar. What’s in it?”

“It’s lamb stew with dried plums.” Prim smiled as she added an extra dash of red wine to the simmering pot.  “I remembered how much you love it and I thought I’d try to recreate the recipe.  Besides, lamb was on special at the market today.”  

Still thrifty with the budget.  Katniss thought.  Old habits die hard.

“Go get cleaned up.  Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. I just need to warm up some crusty bread to go with this.”

“I love you, little duck,” Katniss said, pulling her sister in for a hug. 

“I love you more, duck potato,” Prim grinned.

An hour later and Katniss was feeling full and sleepy as she curled on the sofa with her legs tucked under her, sipping on a second glass of red wine.  

“Thank you Prim, that was wonderful,” she sighed, patting her full tummy.  “I always appreciate a home cooked meal but I thought you had plans to go to the movies with Rory tonight?”

“I did but he caught an extra shift so I decided to come over and bug you instead.” Prim said, joining her on the sofa. 

“So, did you happen to catch any news today?  Hear any juicy celebrity gossip at work?” she asked, taking a sip from her own wineglass.

Katniss looked sideways at her sister, wondering why she was asking such an odd question. Prim knew Katniss was not big on the news or gossip – celebrity or otherwise.

“No, I was run off my feet all day.  I don’t have time for gossip.  There’s a trunk show on all week and they can get a little crazy.”

“Huh,” Prim starting tapping on the screen of her obnoxiously large smart phone. “Then you haven’t seen this?”  She slowly turned the phone screen to face her sister.

Katniss fought to keep her composure as she watched the images unfold in front of her.  The video captured a gorgeous smiling couple standing close together, hands intwined, on a gilded balcony overlooking the park.  A fireworks display was lighting up the night sky behind them.  Once the fireworks come to an end the couple and their guests start to clap and cheer and someone pops a champagne cork as music begins to play and other couples start to filter onto the dancefloor.  

Dressed in the one-of-a-kind flowing white and gold reception gown created by Cinna, paired with custom Jimmy Choo couture heels and her golden hair flowing in loose waves almost to her waist, the bride was every bit as breath-taking as Katniss knew she would be.  Holding her close to his side with an affectionate smile on his face was Peeta.   He looked equally handsome in a perfectly tailored white suit with gold accents at his throat, breast pocket and cuffs.

Though Cinna never talked to her about it – most likely to spare her feelings - Katniss knew he’d worked closely with Portia, the designer who created Peeta’s outfit, to ensure the bride and groom perfectly complimented each other on their special day.   

She couldn’t help looking carefully at Peeta’s left hand now placed on Glimmer’s waist expecting to see the shiny glint of a new gold band on his finger but he didn’t appear to be wearing one. 

That’s odd. She thought. No wedding ring?

She always thought Peeta was the type of guy would like to wear a ring when he got married. 

When they were dating he was always very open about showing his feelings for her, and would tease her gently when she got embarrassed by his frequent public displays of affection.  “I want the whole world to know I’m yours,” he’d told her, more than once, gently tugging on the end of her braid as she’d scowl.

Unable to continue watching him display affection for another woman was more then she could bear and she pushed the phone away.

“They make a very lovely couple,” Katniss said quietly. “I hope they’ll be very happy together”. 

Prim snorted out loud. “Katniss did you even read what’s under the video?” she held the phone up again.

“The Show Must Go On!”

An official spokesperson for the Snow family declined to comment following the cancellation of the nuptials between heiress Glimmer Snow, granddaughter of Coriolanus Snow, and her fiancé Peeta Mellark, Culinary Director for the “Arena” chain of restaurants owned by the Snow Corporation.  However the brother of the groom, Mr Ryan Mellark, confirmed that the decision by the couple not to proceed with the wedding was both “mutual and loving” and that the couple would remain friends.    

“I don’t understand,” Katniss looked to her sister, confused.  “Are you telling me they didn’t get married?”

“Yep.  No wedding. They called it off at the last minute but went ahead with the dinner and reception anyway, which is kind of cool.  One of Rory’s classmates was working the bar for the evening and he says it turned into one hell of a party. But then I guess the Snow family does know how to do things in style.”

“Wow. I wonder what happened to make them call it off.” Katniss stared into space as she tried to process this new information.   She’d purposely avoided all news and social media over the weekend, hoping that if she distanced herself the sooner she’d be able to forget the intense look in Peeta’s eyes as she’d driven away from the hotel.  “So much time, money and effort went into those dresses, poor Cinna worked for days hand beading the reception dress—"

Prim rolled her eyes. 

“Lord almighty Katniss, you can be so dumb sometimes,” she took another sip of her wine.  “Isn’t it obvious what happened?  Peeta claps eyes on you again for the first time in forever and the next day his wedding is called off.  He still loves you.”

“That’s not true.” Katniss jumped off the sofa and quickly gathered her wine glass and the near empty bottle.  “Don’t say that.  Why would you say something like that?”

“Hey, give that back!” Prim tried to grab the wine bottle from her as she stomped past into the kitchen and began angrily slamming their dirty dishes into the dishwasher.   It wasn’t long before she heard her sister’s soft footsteps behind her.

“I’m sorry Katniss, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Prim apologised quietly.  “I’m worried about you, that’s all.  You haven’t been yourself since you found out Peeta was getting married.”

Katniss sighed.  “I’m fine Prim, really.  You’ve no need to worry about me.  Peeta and I were over a lifetime ago.  I’m over it.  I know absolutely nothing about his life now.”

Prim tilted her head and regarded her sister with cool blue eyes.  “Will you ever tell me what happened between the two of you?  You’ve never given me a straight answer.”

“Does it matter now?”

Prim shrugged. “I’d like to understand.  I was still a kid when you two broke up and no one bothered to explain what was going on to me.  It was confusing.  All I knew was one day you were getting ready to leave for college, the next you were staying in District 12 and applying for any low paid job you could get.  Why didn’t you go?”

“Because things changed,” Katniss scowled. “Family comes first.”

Prim squinted. “Really, Katniss? You’ve fobbed me off with that line for years.  I was hoping you were finally ready to open up with a few more details. I know you loved Peeta, don’t bother denying it.  Your feelings for him weren’t the problem.  Or his for you, everyone could see how bad the guy had it for you.  It wasn’t Mom, or money issues.  She was fine then and you had a full scholarship.  There’s something else you’re not telling me.”

“All right, if you want to know I’ll tell you.”  Katniss reached up into a small cupboard a produced a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses.  “Follow me.  This conversation is going to require something a bit stronger than wine.”

Settled back on the sofa once again, she tossed back a shot and took a deep breath.

“Peeta accused me of cheating on him,” she began.  “When I tried to defend myself, he didn’t believe me.  He chose to take his brother’s word over mine.”

“No way.” Prim gasped, her eyes widening.

“It’s true.  Rye told Peeta he caught me making out with Gale after a graduation party at Madge’s house.  Rye didn’t believe me when I told him that Gale kissed me, that I didn’t invite it and I didn’t kiss him back.  After cussing me out and calling me a few choice names he went straight to Peeta and told him.”

“Oh, shit.”  Prim’s mouth dropped open.  She picked up a full shot glass and threw it back before fixing her sister with a stare.  “Okay. In the interest of full disclosure I have to ask – did you make out with Gale?”

“Of course not!” Katniss yelled.  “Gale was my friend!  I’d known him since we were kids.   Besides, Madge liked him and I wouldn’t do that to a friend.”

“But did you like him?  Let’s face it, Gale is attractive.  In a Hemsworth kind of way.”

“No. I only ever saw him like a cousin, or maybe an older brother.  I never felt anything romantic for Gale.  It shocked the hell out of me when he kissed me.  We didn’t talk for a long time afterwards.”

“Okay, okay, I just needed to clarify that.  Continue, please.“

“Peeta and I had a huge fight and he broke up with me.  He was horrible to me Prim.”  Katniss voice cracked a little as the memories assaulted her.   “He wouldn’t give me a chance to defend myself. He was so mean, I’d never seen him like that before.  He was like a totally different person.”

Katniss felt the familiar sting starting to build behind her eyes and bit her lip in order to try and gain some control over her emotions.  It still hurt, remembering the words that came out of his mouth.

“He asked me had I led Gale on, and told me to crawl back to the slag heap I came from.” 

“Oh my god, Katniss,” Prim’s eyes softened and reached towards her sister “I’m so sorry—"

“Wait! It gets worse!” Katniss let out a hard laugh.  “As if that wasn’t bad enough, somehow Peeta’s evil bitch of a mother found out about what happened.  She called Mom and threatened her. She told her that if her seam slut of a daughter went ahead with her plans to go to the same school as her son, that she’d report her to Child Protective Services for neglect.  She’d tell them about Mom leaving us alone at night while she worked, and that you would be left at home by yourself at 14 if I left town for school. She even knew about the bouts of depression after Dad died.  All stuff I’d confided in Peeta about.” 

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” Prim jumped of the sofa and started to pace up and down. “It’s so unfair.  And untrue!  Mom and I talked about what would happen when you went to school, I was going to stay overnight with Hazelle at the Hawthornes when she was on nights!” 

“You know that and I know that, but Mom was terrified.  She didn’t know what to do.”

Katniss downed another shot. 

“After she threatened Mom, I tried talking to Rye one more time.  I begged him again to believe me that what he saw wasn’t real, but he insisted I was lying.  That Gale had been seen at the slag heap with a girl from the Seam, and I must have made it worth it when he could have had Madge instead of my skinny ass.  His words.  I never really understood that part.”  She frowned.

“I told him about his mother’s threats and he finally said he’d talk to his Dad about keeping her off our Mom’s back, but only for your sake and only if I agreed to stop trying to contact Peeta.  So I did what he wanted.  I gave up my college place and started applying for jobs and signed up for a few classes at the Community College.”

“So, it was me.” Prim’s eyes filled with tears and she crawled towards her sister and wrapped her arms around her in a fierce hug. “You did it for me.”

Katniss shrugged like it was no big deal. “You’re my sister. I’d give my life for yours in a heartbeat.”

“You’re such a dumbass but I love you.” Prim began to cry harder. “You sacrificed so much Katniss.  Your education.  Your future.  Peeta. I’ve never seen you as happy as when you two were together, not even when you were with Darius.”

“Hush now, no more of that talk.” Katniss soothed her crying sister, tears forming in her own eyes. “It all worked out for the best in the end.   I was here when Mom got sick and I took on a second job to help pay the bills.  We got by, and we stayed together. That’s what Dad would have wanted.  Family comes first.”

“Peeta was a part of our family. He was like a brother to me when I was a kid.” Prim sniffed.  “Why didn’t he believe you?  And what the fuck was Rye’s problem?”

“I don’t know.  All I know is his mother always hated me, but I never knew Rye did too. Peeta and Rye were always close, and once Rye started filling Peeta’s head with lies I just couldn’t get through to him after that.  He never spoke to me again after he broke up with me.  A few weeks later he left town for school and I never saw him again until that day on the steps of his hotel.” 

“Katniss, I don’t know what to say. I am so sorry.  It sounds like his mind was poisoned by his brother and that horrible old witch who gave birth to him.  God, I’d love to give her a piece of my mind.  As for Rye? I swear, if I ever see that guy again I will dick punch him.” 

“I saw Rye the day before the wedding, he has mellowed quite a bit,” Katniss continued to stroke Prim’s blonde hair soothingly, taking comfort from the continuous motion herself. “He was almost pleasant once he realized I had a legitimate reason for being there.”

“I owe you so much Katniss,” Prim sat up, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.  “Because of your support, I got to come here, go to school, do everything you missed out on.  Everything I’ve achieved is because you.  How can I ever repay a debt like that?”

“Don’t worry, you can pay for my luxury retirement home on the beach in District Four when you find the cure for cancer,” Katniss quipped and laughed as Prim hit her with a cushion. 

Later that night, after Prim had left and Katniss was getting ready for bed, she couldn’t help but look for a small box she kept hidden in the furthest corner of her closet.  

Inside were a few sentimental items that even after ten years, she never had the heart to throw away.  

A pencil drawing of a dandelion he’d put into her locker one day, after she told him they made her think of him.

A movie stub from their first date.  She smiled at the memory.  Peeta had taken her to see “I Am Legend” and got embarrassed when he cried over the dog, Sam, dying.   It was still one of her favorite movies.

A photo of them together at Senior Prom, and another of their High School Graduation, big smiles on their faces just days before he broke up with her and her world came crashing down.

“Oh Peeta,” she mumbled, “why didn’t you believe me?”  She sniffed.  No, she wasn’t going to cry.  She’d already done enough of that for this lifetime. 

“… maybe you should crawl back to the slag heap you come from.”

She felt a spark of anger in her own stomach when she recalled the things he’d accused her of.  It was an old spark, but one that had helped her keep going and moving forward over the years.   She slammed the box shut and shoved it back in the darkest recess of her closet before crawling into her bed.  She had run from the bakery that day.  Run from his words and the rage and hurt in blue eyes that had only ever looked at her with softer emotions.   

She closed her own eyes and pulled the covers over her head, hoping she wouldn’t be hearing them over and over in her nightmares that night.

~*~    ~*~   ~*~

Read on AO3 

[everlarkbirthdaygifts]

Happy Birthday, blackgem01!

Today, we wish @blackgem01 a very Happy Birthday! We hope you’ve got a wonderful day planned, and you get exactly the presents you wished for! To kick your party off in style, the lovely @mega-aulover has written a story just for you!

PROMPT:  Katniss and Peeta had a baby at a young age. Katniss decided to go off to college while Peeta stayed behind to take care of the baby and now she is coming back. (if you want to make it angsty can there be a happy ending

For: Blackgem01

A/N: Happy Birthday I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you to @norbertsmom for betaing

Rated: T

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“You sure she's coming back?” Rye asked.

Peeta changed his 18 month old daughter, Melody. She laughed when he tickled her, and her bright blue eyes stared up at him with glee. 

Peeta proudly winked at his baby. She’d learned to walk early. She was a good climber, too. Something he learned early on when he found her in front of the upstairs apartment.  She wasn’t talking yet, but he knew she was like her mother.

“Come on Peeta,” Rye said sitting on the bed next to Mel. 

Mel extended her leg so that Peeta could put her pants on. She smiled at him and when he leaned down, she patted his face with her little hand. 

“Rye,” Peeta warned. He didn’t want to discuss Katniss in front of the baby. 

“You’re delusional.”

“Katniss wouldn’t forget us.”  Peeta kept his voice light. His daughter was perceptive and she cried when people sounded upset or mad. 

“She was sure in a hurry to leave.” 

Peeta stopped to look at his brother in disbelief, wishing Rye would drop the matter altogether. 

“You can’t go to the train tomorrow station expecting you guys to be alright,” Rye insisted. “She’s been gone for a year doing who knows what in the Capitol.” 

“All done Mel, why don’t you go see grandpa.” Peeta put their daughter on the floor. He turned to his brother. “Rye stay out of it, this is my life with Katniss.”

“She left you and Mel to go to the Capitol and study, you guys barely talk on the phone...I think she sucks for leaving you behind with Mel.”

All these months he’d been silent about the arrangement he and Katniss made. His family and even hers wanted him to move on, find someone else. Mrs. Everdeen was upset Katniss left him with the baby. Primrose didn’t understand why she left and was angry at her. Katniss wrote to Prim and June, their mother but often the letters left untouched. 

Peeta knew the truth and that’s what really mattered. 

The opportunity for her to study something was too good for them to let go. People in district twelve didn’t get scholarships, they got a one way ticket to work in the mines or if they were lucky to work in their family business. “Rye, I told her to go.”

“I don’t believe it. I think she manipulated you.”

“Have you met Katniss,” Peeta said. 

“Well okay maybe she didn’t; she’s not exactly the most talkative person.  But why would you let her go? You’ve been in love with her since you were both five.”

Peeta heard Mel’s laughter. “How many times has district twelve won the reaping? For that matter who was the last person who won the reaping?”

Rye glanced away, knowing Peeta was right.  

The annual reaping was a scholarship that was founded when the districts won the war nearly 77 years ago.  Every year, one student was chosen from the graduating class of all the districts to study for a year in the Capitol. Katniss was chosen, but she was conflicted because they had a six month old baby. 

Peeta may have been in love with Katniss since he was five, but he didn’t get up the nerve to talk to her until they were sixteen. . Their friendship grew deeper, despite the things her former best friend Gale Hawthorne said about them, and by the time they were seniors they were in a serious relationship. They were both shocked when Katniss got pregnant. Peeta encouraged her to continue studying, bringing her assignments and tests when she was too sick to go to school. 

It wasn’t easy.  His mother wanted him to deny the child Katniss carried, while his father quietly told him he wasn’t ready for fatherhood. His father wasn’t entirely wrong; Peeta wasn’t ready to be a dad. It was a hard nine months for both of them.  It wasn’t until Mel was born did his mother come around and his parents supported them both. 

When Katniss won the reaping everyone expected her to decline it, because of the baby.  Peeta didn’t want her to lose her shot at something big. Every person who won had opportunities afforded to them. It’s why his brother was taking forever to answer.  

After a few moments Rye eventually said, “Mayor Abernathy.”

“And before that it was a wild girl named Lucy who ended up being a great entertainer in the Capitol.  I told Katniss to go, I told her to do it for our daughter.” Peeta sat on his bed, and sighed. “She didn't want to leave, but I told her she needed to because I didn’t want her to have regrets.”

“That’s all great and said, but you forget about one tiny detail, your daughter. Katniss has missed a lot of the big markers in Mel’s life.  And if by some miracle you guys have this magical reconnection and are able to pick up where you left off, just remember Mel will see Katniss as a virtual stranger.” 

Peeta watched Rye stand up and leave. His brother’s words stayed with him for the rest of the day. He hadn’t really given a thought about what it would be like to have Katniss home again. He loved her, but Rye was right. Katniss didn’t really know her daughter.  It was part of the sacrifice she made by leaving.

Katniss couldn’t come home; it was in the stipulations of the scholarship. She had to live at school and maintain a certain grade point average. She didn’t have much money and was dependent on the grant.  Calling the bakery was expensive, something she only did on major celebrations like Mel’s birthday. She did write, Katniss wrote two and three letters a week. 

Peeta wrote back filling her in on as much as he could. He even drew pictures of Mel. But still Katniss didn’t know the face Mel made when she was sleepy. Or the way she cried when she passed by a cat, thinking it was Buttercup. This next phase of their life was going to be hard. Peeta worried about Mel’s reaction to Katniss. Mel was only six months old the last time she’d been with Katniss. 

Mel hadn’t taken the loss of mommy well. She’d cried for Katniss and Peeta had seen the same tears mirrored on Katniss’ face when she left. Peeta hoped for the best but he was preparing for the worst.  

The next morning he stood with both of their families at the train station. 

Rye was making funny faces at Mel and her peal of laughter broke the tension. His mother held Mel. She’d purchased a new outfit for Mel today, a pretty dove gray dress with pink polka dots with matching grey shoes and pink pom pom hair fasteners.  His mother was smitten with her dark haired grandchild.  Mel covered her ears as the train horn sounded. She turned to him holding out her little arms toward him.  Peeta picked her up and Mel put her face in the crook of his neck. 

The train pulled in and Peeta braced himself. 

...

“You did good by her,” June Everdeen said. 

Peeta glanced at Katniss' mother, and smiled. “Thank you.”

“I hope the sacrifice was worth it,” June said as the passengers began to disembark. 

Peeta recalled Rye’s words. He held his little girl closer. He hoped he did a good enough job of talking about mommy and showing Mel images of Katniss. 

“There she is,” Prim squeaked.

Peeta didn’t see her. Katniss wasn’t tall and was easily lost in the crowd. He followed Prim who was tall and thin.

Peeta saw her, she wasn’t wearing fancy Capitol clothing, she was, however, wearing a lovely dark orange dress with small white flowers. Katniss never used to wear dresses. Her hair was in it’s customary braid. She looked unsure as if searching the crowd. When she spotted Prim her face broke out in the most beautiful smile. Peeta always thought Katniss looked stunning when she smiled. 

“Prim,” she called out running to her sister. 

“Katniss,” Prim cried as they hugged one another. 

Peeta watched both sisters talk. His heart beat quickly.  Mel whimpered. Immediately Peeta’s attention went to Mel. 

“What's wrong button,” he cooed quietly, shifting her so that he could look into her face. “Are you tired?’

Mel stuck her thumb in her mouth. 

“Okay, we’re just getting mommy, okay.” 

“She’s beautiful,” Katniss said in awe.

Peeta looked up to see Katniss staring at him, her eyes filled with tears. She reached her arms toward Mel.

Mel swatted her arms away, and screamed, “NO!”

It was Mel’s first word. Katniss looked crestfallen. Peeta sighed. This wasn’t going to go easy at all. 

Peeta looked at himself in the mirror. Today had turned into a disaster. All day long Mel scowled at Katniss. Whenever Katniss came close to Peeta, Mel pointed her finger at Katniss, garbled words Peeta had never heard his daughter say, followed by, no.  Mel refused to leave his side and Katniss looked crestfallen, then Rye made a comment that started a fight.  He closed his eyes. Everyone ganged up on Katniss about her decision to leave. 

Her mother said leaving Mel was inexcusable. Katniss fired back telling her letting her children nearly starve to death was just as bad. When Katniss' father died of an accident at work, June went into a downward spin where she became nearly catatonic. The responsibility of the house, her sister and her mother fell on Katniss shoulders. Peeta recalled hearing the adults talk about how brave Katniss was to care for her ill mother.  Now her mother turned on Katniss. 

Peeta tried to defend Katniss but his voice was silenced. Mel began crying and Katniss left the house to cool down. Their baby was finally sleeping and everyone was gone. 

“Hey,” Katniss said quietly.

He looked up from the mirror to see her reflection.  “Hi.”

Her eyes were red rimmed, her face was flushed. 

Peeta turned around. He opened his arms, and she flew into them. 

“I hoped,” Katniss cried.

He held her, letting her cry. Katniss wasn’t one for emotional outbursts. When she calmed down she said, “Mel doesn’t love me, my own sister said I shouldn’t have left, your parents…” She took a deep breath and said. “We talked about this, but I didn’t think it was going to be so hard….”

“I don’t know what to do to help you. They wouldn’t even listen to me.” 

“I had great news for everyone. A job was created for me, given my talents with herbs, fauna, and trees, as District Twelve’s forest conservationist. One of my professors, Dr. Wiress arranged for Prim to study in District Three’s Medical and Technology program. I worked in the cafeteria in school and I gave them one of the breads you sent with me. My boss wanted to talk to your dad.”  

“You’re always looking out for us.”

“You have done such a great job with Mel. She’s so beautiful and she hates me.” Katniss stepped away, she placed her hands on his shoulders. Her hands drifting down over his chest. 

Peeta shuddered at her touch. One year of waiting and longing.  “No she doesn't hate you. She doesn’t know you and to Mel you’re trying to take away her daddy. It’s going to take time to convince everyone. Now let’s get to bed and see if we can make this family of ours work.”

Katniss sighed.

They slept rather awkwardly that first night as they had to get used to sleeping together again. In the morning Mel wanted nothing to do with Katniss. 

Two weeks passed by and slowly people’s attitude about Katniss changed. His father was over the moon with the contact she gave him. He’d struck a contract with Paylor Katniss’ supervisor to supply bread to the university. Primrose was delighted at the opportunity to study in District Three.

Only their daughter and his brother were the last holdouts. 

Mel kept up saying no to Katniss and exhibited her jealousy regularly. Anytime Katniss came close to Peeta she would cry no and stomp her little foot and push Katniss away. Their daughter didn’t want to share him. 

It was bedtime, Katniss wanted to get Mel ready by giving her a bath. 

“No, dada.”  Mel stood with a scowl on her face. It was like looking into a mirror. 

“You’re going to take a bath with mommy,” Katniss said kneeling  before their daughter. She held out the small rubber duck she brought from the Capitol for Mel.

“No,” Mel swatted at the rubber duck.

“Mel,” Peeta interjected. “Not Nice.” In a firm voice he repeated, “Not nice.” 

His daughter's eyes grew wide. Peeta seldom used that tone of voice with her. Her bottom lip trembled. 

“Go to the bathroom,” he ordered, but in a softer tone.

Mel stomped off to the bathroom.

Katniss gave him a pouty look of her own before following their daughter to the bathroom. Later on, Katniss was in the bedroom folding clothing rapidly. Peeta could sense the storm coming. 

He finished cleaning up the kitchen, wanting to give Katniss enough time with Mel. Her eyes narrowed right before she said, “I could have handled the situation.”

Peeta didn’t say anything. He only took the fitted sheet she was fidgeting with and folded it neatly.

“Ugh!” Katniss huffed, her eyes fiery. 

“I had it under control, you didn’t have to intervene.” 

Peeta sighed and bit his tongue. 

“She needs to learn that I am not going anywhere.” Katniss sat on the bed and looked around. “I shouldn’t have left, Peeta. I should stayed, here with her…” 

Peeta sat next to her. “No you did the right thing,” Peata said. He didn’t want for Katniss to feel bad for the decision to go study. “Prim’s going to spend her next last two years of school in District Three studying with Dr. Wiress, one of Panem’s foremost scientific minds. And my dad’s benefiting from it too. He’s going to be able to send his bread to the capitol for the holidays. And he’s going to have the opportunity to go to the Capitol with my mom to tour the school cafeteria, and my mom’s going to get a real honeymoon.” 

Katniss' face began to lose its worry. 

“And you’re going to be doing something you love, conservation of the woods. It wouldn’t have happened if you hadn't made that sacrifice.” 

“I…” Katniss began, but trailed off.

“Come here.” Peeta sat back against the headboard inviting her to sit next to him. Katniss didn’t sit, she snuggled up against his side. Her head rested up against his chest.  Peeta sighed from the contentment of the simple gesture. Peeta missed her, missed listening to the sound of her voice. 

“I sometimes don’t see the bigger picture.”

“You just don’t know the effect you have on people, Katniss.” He placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “My mom distrusted the people from the Seam, now some of her very best friends are from the Seam. She even helped Hazelle open up her own laundry business in town.” 

“It’s true,” Katniss conceded. 

“All we have to do is teach our daughter not to hit you or anyone.”

“I was shocked.” Katniss looked up. “She just swatted at Mr. Quack.” 

“Yeah, unfortunately she gets that from my mother. Did I ever tell you my mom came to blows with Dross, the milkman?”

“Whatever for?” She picked up his hand before kissing his ring finger. In District Twelve wedding rings were expensive, so couples used twine or around their ring finger when they had their Toasting. It was a tradition and even those with enough money for rings still used twine. 

“Yeah, she insisted he wasn’t filling our milk bottles to the top.”  Peeta cleared his throat as Katniss kissed his shoulder, then his chin, next his cheek. They hadn’t slept together since she’s been back. Peeta was letting Katniss make the first move. 

“It sounds like something your mom would do,” she stared deep into his eyes as she sat astride him.  She leaned forward to kiss him.

“You sure?” 

“Peeta it’s been twelve months, fourteen days, and who knows how many hours since I’ve last had you touch me….” 

Peeta was astonished she had kept count. However every thought went out of his mind and other more pressing matters took precedence.

Time had a way of marching by quickly.  Katniss patiently dealt with their daughters' tantrums, and at night she would lie in his arms wanting for Mel to accept her. He was in the bakery when he overheard  Rye snicker. “My brother is a doormat and he doesn’t realize what a little slut you are. What did you have to do to get us that contract?”

“I would never cheat on your brother.” 

“Didn’t you?” Rye sneered. “Kids know when people are fake or liars. You only have to look at Mel to know she sees right through you.”

Peeta walked through the door and saw Katniss scowl, but Peeta could see the slight trembling in her lips , and the way that her face drained of color that meant she was near tears. 

“That’s enough Rye,” Peeta said, standing up to his brother. The last time he’d seen Katniss shrink back was when her father died. 

 In school Peeta had seen how the once vibrant girl diminished not only in personality but in size. She and her sister were so skinny they wore extra clothing to keep warm.  

Peeta had taken it upon himself to give the girl he loved extra food at lunch time.  He would sit next to her and say he was full, offering her an apple, or half a sandwich. One time he had left her family a basket of bread. His mother was furious that he took it without permission, but it was worth it seeing Prim’s face of joy upon discovering the bread. Peeta swore Katniss saw him hiding in the dim morning light. 

Shortly after that she began hunting and going around trading the meat she caught. Meat was expensive in the district and Katniss’ fresh game was welcome. It was this trading that afforded Peeta the ability to walk up to her in highschool and offer the bond of friendship.  It’s how they got to this moment. 

“I’m going to go hunting,” Katniss whispered. 

Peeta let her go before rounding on his brother. “Don’t you ever say anything like that to her. She worked in the kitchens while in the Capitol. Her supervisor Paylor, tasted the bread she brought with her. She gave dad Paylor’s number.”

Rye angrily turned his face away. 

“No, you’re going to listen to me, Rye. Katniss and I wrote to one another at least three times a week. She worked and studied hard. You know how shy she is around people. For her to make acquaintances in the Capitol was hard for her. She spent most of her nights studying, and when she wasn’t studying she was working. She asked about our daughter in every letter. Does that sound like a girl who is out for herself? She came back with ways to help both of our families.”

“What about Mel?”

“Mel thinks Katniss is going to take her daddy away. Yesterday she told Katniss, dada mine.  Mel has to learn how to share.” Peeta ran his hands through his hair.

“Mel’s stubborn.”

“Just like her mother. She’s also jealous just like Katniss.”

“Mitsy,” Rye and Peeta blurted at the same time and both of them laughed remembering the girl Katniss threatened to shoot in the eye while she was pregnant. 

“Just yesterday Mitsy came in to purchase bread and Katniss gave her a look that would freeze the lake in the woods.”

“There’s a lake in the woods?” 

Peeta grinned at the memories of them frolicing in the lake. The skinny dipping episode made Mel, “Oh there’s a lake in the woods.”  

   “Huh,” Rye said.

“Just give Katniss a break. She’s trying real hard to fit in again.”

“Alright fine,” Rye said. 

Peeta rubbed his face as Rye walked away. He needed to get all of his ducks in a row, now if he could only wrangle his toddler. 

Two weeks later he dragged himself upstairs. His father and mother left for the Capitol for two weeks. Rye was also gone on a singles train tour around the districts. Peeta was left to run the bakery by himself. He was tired and cranky like Mel when she refused to take her nap.

Tonight he kept the bakery open an  hour extra for a particular bride and her groom. Josi Raisin made him jump through hoops tonight. She was getting married to Jensen the newest Mine Manager and she was picky about the flavor of her cake.  She tried their vanilla, their lemon, the apple spice, lavender, poppy seed, pecan, raspberry, carrot, vanilla almond, and their most expensive, the german chocolate cake, only to choose a plain sponge cake.

The peal of Mel’s laughter stopped him dead in his tracks. 

“Again mama,” Mel shouted excitedly. 

Peeta quickly went up the stairs, he found Mel sprawled on the floor with Katniss giving their daughter raspberry kisses on her tummy. Mel laughter’s filled his ears and Katniss' brilliant smile gave his stomach butterflies. 

“Look, it’s dada.”

“Dada,” Mel said running to him. She patted his tummy then said, “Mama, mama…” followed by a gurgle of words. 

Katniss walked up to him and smiled, hugging them both. “It seems that a little patience, a lullaby and belly raspberries is what it takes to win her over.” 

“Well, I can’t comment on the belly raspberries, but  your voice is what made me fall in love with you.” 

Katniss smiled as Mel rested her head on her shoulder.

Mel then said, “My mama.”

Katniss grinned then said, “Yes baby girl I’m your mama.”

Mel then turned to Peeta and said, “My papa.”

“Yes button I’m your papa.”

Mel then patted them both on the cheek and gave them kisses. 

Peeta’s heart burst, filled with happiness.  He  hugged his girls and sighed, this was the dream. 

The end