#YIP Secret Santa
Text
Kim Yeontan, Cupid Extraordinaire
Summary: Yeontan has had it. It is time to take his human's love life into his hands- or rather, paws.
Pairing: Taehyung x reader
Genre: fluff
Rating: SFW
WC: 1.9k
Recommended song to listen to while reading: it's Definitely You by V and Jin of BTS
🎄This fic is a gift, created through @bangtansecretsanta and is for @daechwitatamic. Hi Jo!! Surprise! I’m Eggnogg, your secret santa!
Hope you enjoy this fic and that it helps you carry through the last few days of work. Have a safe trip, and stay warm! (*^.^*) 🎄
Kim Yeontan has had it.
He loves his human, he really does, but boy, Taehyung is really getting on his nerves.
Yeontan could not understand why six months ago Taehyung suddenly changed his usual grooming salon to the one further away. It took him a couple of sessions to realise that his human actually had a crush on the owner- you. So Yeontan did what he could to help- he barked and growled at everyone, but put on his best charms when you handled him. That way, it was guaranteed that only you and you alone would do his grooming, and thus giving his human more chances to interact with you.
Kim Yeontan, genius.
Kim Taehyung, not so much.
Because despite Yeontan’s effort and putting his reputation on the line, Taehyung still has not made any move on you. The human would take him from you after the session, make small meaningless talk, leave the salon; then, once at home, he would rue to the dog, regretting not asking more about your day, complimenting your choice of music or the cute dog sweater you always have on. Yeontan would just huff and roll his eyes.
So today, as he lies on the soft little pad on your work-station, while you dry and brush his hair, Yeontan decides he has to do something major- BIG- to make sure his human does not miss his chances, again. The thing is, as much as Yeontan is tired of listening to Taehyung’s whines about you, he really likes you too, maybe even more than his human does. You have the best scent in the whole world, and the nicest smelling shampoos that satisfy his senses just so. And your fingers? Oh, don’t get him started- they are so soft and deft that he always purrs whenever you massage him. He wants those fingers on him all the time, not just once a month for just an hour. All the more Yeontan has to succeed today- no more lost time because his human is being an idiot.
“Almost done?” A gruff voice from your assistant, the feline-looking human, snaps Yeontan out of his thoughts.
“Almost,” you confirm. “Is Taehyung-ssi here yet?”
Your assistant scoffs. “Don’t worry, you look good.”
“Shut up, Yoongi! I’m just asking!”
Yoongi snickers. “Then there’s no need to get so testy! Control the blushing though, your ears are so red. Your crush is showing.”
Yeontan’s ears perk up. Oh, this is interesting.
“Can you just go clean up? We have no more appointments for the day.” You instruct Yoongi, then you bend down to look Yeontan in the eye. “Don’t tell your daddy that, okay? My ego can’t take being rejected by someone so handsome.”
“I bet he likes being called ‘daddy’ too!” Yoongi pipes in.
“Shut up, Yoongi!”
Yeontan purrs in satisfaction. Excellent, this will be a lot easier than Yeontan has expected.
Yeontan smells his human arriving and immediately sits up. You have put a Christmas ribbon on his collar, and he feels confident of his plan. When the bell on the salon door jingles, he watches you patting your cheeks and taking a deep breath.
“Hello, Taehyung-ssi! Your son is all ready for Christmas!” You lead Yeontan out towards the reception area. Yeontan can sense your nervousness, so he yips, telling you not to be because he’s got this.
“Hello, _______-ssi! Ah, Yeontan-ah, look how cute you are!” Yeontan yips and spins in circles, showing off your work. The two humans laugh at his antics, and you pass the leash to Taehyung.
“He looks so handsome, as always after you do your magic on him.” Yeontan wants to scoff at his human’s lame line, but notices your ears getting redder, so perhaps that actually works for you. “Oh, this is for you, just a little Christmas and thank you gift for, uh, you.”
Taehyung takes out a small black box from his bag and passes it to you. You splutter as you receive it. “Oh, you really shouldn’t have, Taehyung-ssi!”
“Yeontan really likes coming here, and you’re a really great dog groomer, so I just- well, we- want to thank you for everything.”
You thank him again and at his urging, opens the box.
“It’s from the Pink Hamster cafe in my neighbourhood. I really like their chocolates, so I thought, you might like them too. I’m not sure if you’ve had them before though, but you know, it’s really good, and the owners are friends of mine, and I like supporting local businesses, so yeah,” Taehyung takes a deep breath. “I hope you like it.”
Yeontan turns to watch you. You bow a couple of times, thanking his human, and Yeontan yips a few times, encouraging him to say more. But Taehyung just inhales deeply and makes preparations to leave. “Let’s go, Tan-ah, let’s go home.”
Oh no, not yet. Yeontan still has a lot to do.
Before Taehyung can move, Yeontan uses all his might to surge forward, yanking his human forward closer to you. You yelp at the sudden movement and raise your hands up to catch Taehyung’s body, in the process dropping the box of chocolate to the floor. Yeontan almost gets distracted by the smell of the chocolate, but he catches himself in time and continues to run around Taehyung and you, his leash looping around both your legs, trapping you together.
Once he feels the leash getting tight, he stops and admires his work. You and Taehyung are pressed chest to chest, trying not to hold onto each other, even though both are losing balance by the way your feet are tied together with his leash. Satisfied, Yeontan wriggles out of his collar, his head easily popping out. With his newfound freedom, he saunters over to sniff at the fallen chocolates.
All this while, both humans have been rendered speechless, but you and Taehyung start shouting at him to stay away from the chocolates. The noise brings out the feline-human, who only laughs gleefully upon finding the scene before him.
“Yoongi, help! We got tangled! And the chocolate! Get Yeontan away from the chocolates!”
Yoongi, still chuckling, picks up the chocolates from the floor and puts them back in the box. “Lucky these are individually wrapped, otherwise they’ll go to waste,” he mutters. When he meets Yeontan’s eyes, he whispers conspiratorially. “Did you do all this, Tan-ah? You cheeky dog.”
Yeontan yips at him, telling him to pick up the chocolates and go away. To his surprise, the human winks, seeming to understand his grand plan.
“Chocolate will be safe here,” Yoongi places the box on a high shelf, then smiles at the two tangled humans, before going back inside.
“Yoongi! Yoongi!” You shriek, calling him back to no avail.
“Oh my god, _______-ssi, I’m so sorry,” Taehyung apologizes, “I don’t know what on earth gets into Yeontan!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” you place your hands on Taehyung’s shoulders. “Let’s just untangle ourselves. Can you wiggle your feet a bit?”
Taehyung tries to do what you suggest, but with little result. “It’s quite tight, I don’t have enough room. Wait, let me try to reach for the end of the leash.” He bends down, but because of the position he is stuck in with you, you end up losing your balance again and almost topple over. He catches you in time, however, and with his hands on your sides, helps you to straighten yourself.
“Well, that doesn’t quite work either.” He sighs.
“Yoongi!” You scream again for your assistant.
Yeontan continues to watch you and Taehyung, pleased with himself.
“Do you think we can shuffle to that seat there? Maybe one of us can sit down and it’ll be easier to take this thing off.” Taehyung proposes.
“Yes, good idea!” You exclaim. “But, uh, we have to hold on so we don’t fall.”
“Ah, yes of course. I guess you can just put your hands around me? I mean, my shoulders! My shoulders, put your hands there.” Taehyung clears his throat. “And uh, is it okay if I hold you here?”
You nod and Taehyung grips the sides of your arms.
“Okay, ready?”
“Yup. On three we start shuffling together.” You affirm.
“Okay. One, two, three!”
Yeontan takes a step back as the two humans start wriggling around. It reminds him a little of a caterpillar he found once in the park.
You suddenly stop, however, when Yoongi is back in the reception area, with his jacket and bag… and a bowl of dog food?
“Yoongi? You’re leaving?”
“Yes. Have fun with,” Yoongi waves his hands, “whatever it is you’re doing.”
“No, Yoongi, please, you have to help us!” You plead.
Your assistant chuckles and places the bowl of food near Yeontan. “Good boy. Enjoy dinner and entertainment.”
“Yoongi!”
“So,” the man simply puts on his beanie and buttons up his jacket, ready for the wintry weather outside. “in case she forgets to mention- for whatever reason- she and our friends are having a get together here on Christmas day. Bring a plate or a bottle if you’d like. We’ll eat, get drunk and watch Muppet Christmas Carol. Oh, and definitely bring Yeontan too. There’ll be lots of other dogs he can play with.”
“Yoongi!” You hiss at him.
“Okay, then, have fun you two!”
Yeontan is too busy enjoying his food when the feline-human leaves, but he does not miss the gummy smile and two thumbs up he gives you from the window.
“Oh my god,” you groan, “he could’ve at least helped!”
“Don’t worry, ______-ssi, we’re almost there!”
Yeontan perks up at his human’s voice. There is more confidence in it, so Yeontan yips at him in approval.
You laugh and rest your head on Taehyung’s shoulder. “This is so funny.” Your body starts to shake as you laugh more loudly. He starts laughing too, and without saying anymore words, you both continue to shuffle towards the seat.
Finally you reach your destination, and Taehyung volunteers to sit down so he can untangle the mess his dog has caused.
Yeontan observes you looking away and biting your lip when his human reaches down to your bound feet. The position is awkward considering your close proximity, and Taehyung’s face is so close to your outer thighs. He stares at Yeontan as he unwraps the leash.
You should be thanking me, Yeontan mumbles. His human narrows his eyes at him.
Your feet free at last, you take a step back to give space for Taehyung to straighten up.
“Maybe I should get a shorter leash?”
You cover your face as you laugh. “That’s a good idea.”
You both stand awkwardly facing each other, and Yeontan promises himself to nip his human’s foot if he stays silent for another second.
“Um, can we buy you dinner,” Taehyung glances at his dog, “to make up for what happened?”
Yeontan yips and spins in circles. Bravo, human!
You look taken aback by Taehyung’s request, and you look at Yeontan as well. The dog stops spinning and trots over to you. He stands on his hind legs, while he paws at your leg.
Say yes! He’s really fun, you will like him a lot!
You smile at his antics. “Okay,” you agree. “Just give me a few minutes to close up?”
Taehyung nods and watches you fondly as you go back inside. Then he picks up Yeontan’s collar to put it back on him.
“You,” he squeezes Yeontan’s face in his hands, “you are something, Tan-ah.”
Yeontan licks his nose. Taehyung ruffles his hair and places a kiss on his head.
“Thanks for the push, son.”
Ta da! Hope you enjoyed reading this, Jo! Happy Holidays!
Like this fic? Please reblog if you do!
Published on 21122022, crossposted to my AO3
223 notes
·
View notes
Text
Puppy Love <3
characters: Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongin, reader
word count: ~2000
warnings: brief mention of abandoned pets but they are safe and sound in the fic itself no worries, it's all the fluffiest fluff ^~^
a/n: Happy Holidays @galaxybambamm - whichever you celebrate - 'tis me, your secret santa (Admin S, @starchild--27) ^-^ ❄️✨
I hope you are well and that you have a good time for the last couple of days of the year (and hopefully also with the little scenario i came up with :D)
this is my gift for this year's EXO-L Secret Santa event, which was wonderfully hosted by @exols-silver-christmas. Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work, once again I had a really good time participating and I hope we'll see each other again for round 4 next year ♡
Happy holidays to everyone who reads this, I hope December treats you kindly and that the new year starts all smoothly 💕✨
~
If someone asked you what your favorite thing during the Christmas holidays was, you never had to think long and hard about it. Sure, spending time with your loved-ones, not having your boss breathing down your neck everyday and the magic of the snowy scenery were all aspects you greatly appreciated but there was one thing you loved most: having time for volunteering at the local animal shelter.
When you were still in school, helping out with going on walks, grocery runs or simply enjoying playtime with the cute pets were your most-beloved hobbies, but after graduation, life just got too busy, so you could only visit maybe once or twice a month. Like that, the days around Christmas and before New Year's have been reserved for the shelter ever since.
You could hear the yipping, whining and high-pitched barking of the puppies from outside already as you approached the main entrance of the old building that housed the shelter, and the mere sound made your heart skip two or three beats. You couldn’t wait for the tiny creatures to finally nag on the seam of your pants, eager to play around with you or to receive affectionate caresses.
With your lips stretching into a content smile you gave the entrance door a firm tug so you could slip from the chilling cold of winter into the welcoming warmth of the hallway. Quickly you shed your jacket with its last reminders of the snow outside, hanging it on the rack that was already carrying three more jackets. You wanted it to dry at least a little before you would put it on again.
You let your eyes wander through the hall. Most of the doors were closed, like the ones which hid nursing and play rooms for puppies, kitties and occasionally bunnies, as well as a small medical station for emergencies and minor injuries that didn’t require a vet right away. Only the doors that led to the office and storage rooms had been left open, probably in a hurry. The last time you’d visited the shelter, everyone was going crazy over a cat that went missing on the day it was supposed to be adopted - turned out someone had forgotten to close the doors for a short moment, one long enough for the cat to follow its curiosity over the threshold of the playroom only to be found asleep on a pile of documents in the rather messy office.
The sound of voices and the shuffle of steps from behind one of the closed doors shifted your attention away from your memories and towards the door which led to the great playroom where both puppies and kitties were running free to explore once they were old enough to do so safely. You didn’t quite understand how it was possible for you to smile even wider but the familiar sounds of a frustrated, very human whine and an infectious laugh somehow managed to have exactly that effect on you.
With fast steps you approached the door, pushing it open carefully so none of the animals could weasel its way out while you were entering. The scene that presented itself in front of you was equally familiar to you as everything else in the shelter: there was Chanyeol, a little ball of white-brown fur curled up in his lap, as he desperately tried and tragically failed to hide dog treats from a certain energetic, black toy poodle. And there was Jongin, who sat next to his friend, laughing at his misery while running gentle fingers through the light fur of two more puppies that had curled up on the younger’s legs.
“Hey there, guys!” you greeted them happily, “And hello to you little ones too.” You crouched down to pet the small army of kittens that had assembled at your feet. A lot of them were still quite young, too young for being adopted and too young for you to know them from previous visits.
“Hey there yourself- Okay, okay. Here, Toben. Take the treats, it’s pointless to train you when you refuse to listen” Chanyeol pouted at the poodle and resignedly let the dog have its way, sort of forgetting to finish greeting you but you didn’t mind at all - the two of you had been friends for a couple of years now after all, always trying to visit the shelter together since you’d discovered your mutual love for animals. You were used to Chanyeol’s antics, the way he’s been trying to get into Toben’s good graces since his family had adopted the dog a few years ago from the very shelter both of you were volunteering in your free time. Soon enough, Jongin had joined your trio with endless adoration for puppies and a natural knack for dealing with dogs of any age or breed. Jongin, who interrupted fondling the baby dogs in his lap to wave at you with a happy smile before he turned to Chanyeol with the words “You know, maybe he would listen better if you didn’t always reward his lack of obedience.”
But his friend didn’t seem to want to see reason, only huffing loudly through his nose, expressing his frustration as he handed Jongin the box with treats, challenging him to try to get the playful poodle to listen. Of course, Toben lost interest in Chanyeol the moment he had handed the treats over, now jumping and running around Jongin, who held up a treat out of the small dog’s reach and said with a stern tone “Sit!”
Toben stopped in his wild racing and sat down immediately, wagging his tail in eager anticipation.
“I hate this dog,” Chanyeol said dryly with no bite or seriousness in his voice, and tended to the napping fluffball in his lap instead.
Giggling at the scene that had just played out, you made your way to the center of the room where your two friends were sitting and joined them on the ground, only to instantly be jumped by Toben who was hoping to get himself yet another treat if he behaved cutely (or rudely) enough. Instead, you pulled out a squeaky toy you had grabbed from a box in the hallway and carefully tossed it a little further away from your group - you didn’t want to hit one of the babies but also thought Toben could entertain himself for a little while so you had the chance to catch up with Chanyeol and Jongin and the little puppies in their laps, that you hadn’t seen around before.
“And who might these little guys be?” you cooed as you watched one of the puppies on Jongin’s leg wake up from its slumber, yawning and stretching out its little paws in the sweetest of ways.
“They came here, I think, two or three weeks ago. Three new puppies and their mom. Junmyeon said, someone found them abandoned at a rest area near the highway and brought them over. But they are recovering very well so far” Jongin explained calmly as he re-adjusted the now awake puppy, wanting to prevent it from falling off his leg.
Maybe you should be more used to such stories - you’ve been working with rescue cases for a long time now after all - but hearing about abandoned pets, especially puppies and especially during the colder seasons, always had your stomach dropping, your heart breaking a little every time. You had never understood how people could just drop off their pets out in the cold if they didn’t want or couldn’t afford taking care of them anymore, why they couldn’t just bring them to a shelter - that’s where the animals would end up anyway. But there was no use in getting all too angry over that, you thought to yourself as you watched the ball of light brown fur slide down Jongin’s leg after all and waddle towards you in healthy curiosity. You were here to help caring for the innocent creatures now, supporting a place that was dedicated to find them a new home - that thought never failed to bring you comfort.
“I know, it’s sad but look at the bright side,” Jongin nudged you in the side, lifting your gaze from the puppy sniffing at your shoelaces, “Chanyeol is totally in love with the little one in his lap already.”
“Yeah, there is no way I am not adopting her myself,” Chanyeol chimed in upon hearing his name. “Time for a dog that actually loves me.” And as if he had understood exactly what Chanyeol had said, Toben suddenly let out an upset bark and started running laps around his owner, who couldn’t help the dumb-founded expression on his face. Jongin and you exchanged meaningful looks at the irony of the situation. Sometimes it was very hard to believe that it was actually impossible for Toben’s behavior to be as calculated as it seemed.
The poodle’s shrill barking had woken up the two other puppies though, so the three of you decided that it was time to take out the little one’s for an outdoor playing session. Junmyeon, who managed the shelter over the holidays and was probably bored out of his mind sorting documents in the office, had already prepared three tiny harnesses for them, complete with soft cotton applications that would provide some protection from the cold for the little rascals. You picked up the puppy that had played with your shoes before, another little girl as Chanyeol informed you, to get her ready for the outing.
“This little princess here,” Chanyeol scratched the puppy in his arm behind her ears, “is Zzar. You know, short for Mozart.” She snuggled even closer to him. It was so adorable you almost let out a puppy-like whining sound yourself. She really seemed to be especially fond of Chanyeol, the total opposite of Toben, who never missed an opportunity to tease your friend.
“The one you are handling right now doesn’t have an official name yet, but I've named her Brahms in my head,” Chanyeol explained as he watched you fastening the straps of the little harness, before he handed you one of the leashes.
“Of course you did,” you laughed. It would have been more surprising if he didn’t continue with naming pets after composers.
“The third one is Debussy” Chanyeol finished off his naming process, sending a cheeky grin towards Jongin.
“Don���t worry, I won’t ever call you that,” Jongin only half-whispered into his puppy’s ears, obviously with the intention of teasing Chanyeol who threw a fake punch in return - you couldn’t help chuckling at the typical habits and antics they displayed.
Something mischievous was flashing in Jongin’s eyes but before the situation could escalate into friendly but nonetheless petty bickering you loudly cleared your throat and gestured towards the scurrying puppies with a nod of your head.
“I think these babies can’t wait for their outdoor adventure time anymore,” you decided with feigned seriousness as all three puppies were leashed and more than ready to go, so the three of you grabbed your jackets and stepped into the cold air.
Everything felt so comfortably familiar as the three of you ventured outside, along the path that led to a small playground for dogs not far from the shelter. So it didn’t surprise you when Jongin dropped the box with the dog treats, the snacks scattering all over the ground. Or how Chanyeol told you with big eyes that he couldn’t tell you now what Christmas gifts he bought for his dogs because “it’s supposed to be a surprise - I can’t tell you right in front of them”. Or the way all three of you broke into a laughing fit when one of the puppies got a little too over-excited in its playfulness and stumbled over its tiny legs.
That was how you knew, no matter how long you hadn’t seen each other, there were always things that would never ever change. ♡
#admin s#exolss22#exo#park chanyeol#kim jongin#exo fic#exo scenario#exo fanfiction#chanyeol fic#chanyeol scenario#chanyeol fanfic#chanyeol icons#jongin fic#jongin scenario#jongin fanfic#jongin icons#kai fic#kai scenario#kai fanfic#kai icons#exo chanyeol#exo kai#pcy#kji#exo-l secret santa 2022#puppy love#fan fiction#fan fic#kpop#kpop fic
58 notes
·
View notes
Text
Christmas traditions in Poland
For my lovely Secret Santa 🎄
🎁 Sharing of the opłatek is one of the oldest and most beloved of all Christmas traditions. It’s a thin wafer made of flour and water that is shared before Wigilia, the Christmas Eve dinner on 24th. During this moment family members wish all the best to each other. Even if they don’t like each other…
🎁 We really love Christmas carols (kolędy). And there are thousands of them. One even nearly became the national anthem. If you want to listen to some of them click here. The most popular ones are Wśród nocnej ciszy, Bóg się rodzi, Lulajże Jezuniu and Dzisiaj w Betlejem. The oldest carols are from medieval times, but the most popular ones are from the baroque period.
🎁 Wigilia stars as soon as we spot the first star on the winter sky (which in Poland is around 5-6 p.m.). When I was a kid it was my duty to spot the star.
🎁 FOOD. Traditional Polish Christmas meal consists of 12 dishes that are usually meatless. Everyone has to try every each of them. Wigilia starts with a soup. The most popular choice is beetroot soup served with uszka (small dumplings stuffed with sour cabbage and mushroom). Other options are fish soup or wild mushroom soup. The biggest star of the evening is fish. Carp, to be exact. It’s prepared in many different ways - fried, roasted, in gelly or in the so-called Jewish way. Another popular fish on the Christmas Eve table are herring, cod and salmon. Thankfully for people who don’t like fish there are other specialties like pierogi stuffed with wild mushroom and sour cabbage. There’s kutia made of wheat, berries, poppy seeds, honey and often walnuts, raisins (yuck) and almonds or poppy seeds makiełki. There can’t be a Christmas Eve dinner without a big portion of a Christmas cheesecake, gingerbread or a poppy seed cake. Last on the list is Christmas compote (kompot z suszu), a non-alcoholic drink made of dry fruits. Poland also has some weird dishes that originated from communist times and became part of the tradition. One of them is Greek style fish dish that has nothing to do with Greece…
🎁 Christmas culinary traditions differ depending on the region, but in almost every Polish house you eat fried carp. Also if you put the carp’s scale in your wallet, you will be lucky and rich in the forthcoming year.
🎁 It’s customary to leave one empty seat with a set of plates and cutlery for an unexpected guest who might knock on your door and need something warm to eat.
🎁 The Santa Claus situation is utterly confusing in Poland and depends on where you live. On Christmas Eve it’s either the Baby Jesus, Santa Claus (Święty Mikołaj), Starman (Gwiazdor, like in my region), Star or an Angel who brings the gifts. Gifts are exchanged right after Christmas dinner.
🎁 It is customary to put some hay underneath the table cloth. It can be used for fortune telling.
🎁 Apart from the Christmas tree, a common decorative Christmas object in Poland is a szopka (nativity scene). The most beautiful nativity scenes are to be found in Kraków. The biggest one this year is located in my hometown.
🎁 We celebrate Christmas for three days - 24th, 25th and 26th. It’s all about the food.
🎁 Some claim that at midnight on Christmas Eve animals gain the power of speech. Better be nice to them the whole year, if you don’t want to hear your cat talking shit about you.
WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!
133 notes
·
View notes
Text
Secret Santa Reveal!
Hi @jobanana7! It’s me, your Yuletide in Panem Secret Santa and I just wanted to say that I have had such a great time being your Santa this past month! I hope you’ve had fun and I really hope your holiday season is phenomenal. And here is your Christmas Eve present, I hope you like it! :D
(PS I totally agree, Ugly Christmas Sweaters are great!)
Katniss wasn’t, by nature, the most festive of people.
Sure, she enjoyed a good holiday, but she didn’t like dressing up or making a fuss. She had no interest in cheesy holiday movies or blasting Christmas music on the radio. Ideally, Christmas would be a low-key thing with family.
Peeta, on the other hand, was very much a festive person.
He had Santa hats and four(!) ugly Christmas sweaters, his radio was always tuned into the twenty four hour Christmas station, he loved to decorate and wrap and bake and he knew the words to nearly every classic TV special by heart.
If ever opposites attracted, it was here.
Boy, was it here.
*
Gale had been Katniss’ friend for over a decade, so he figured he knew her pretty well. So when he walked into her apartment and it looked like the holiday section at Walmart had vomited all over it, well, he was more than a little caught off guard.
“Katniss?” he called a little tentatively, more than half sure he’d somehow walked into the wrong apartment.
“Yeah?’ she called from the kitchen and holy shit, this really is Katniss’ house. Has she seen it?
“Uh, that’s a lot of decorations,” he said as he shrugged off his coat. Katniss came into the living room and rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, Peeta’s a big fan,” she said, fondness creeping into her voice and across her face. Gale stared. Is this really Katniss? He remembered just after college when he and Katniss had shared a crappy apartment and he’d decided to decorate the place while she was at work. She hadn’t said anything, nor had she made him take anything down, but he remembered the look on her face, and there had been no fondness there. In fact, she had looked annoyed enough to bite his head off. She hadn’t, but still to this day, he remembers that face and shudders.
“You don’t mind?” he asked and she smiled a little more.
“Sure it’s a bit much, but Peeta loves it. It’s cute.”
Gale gaped and didn’t answer, because, well, he couldn’t. Sure he’d heard that love changed a person, but this, this was...it was nuts.
I don’t know how you did it Peeta, but damn. Just...damn.
*
Madge had known Peeta since high school and as such, she figured there wasn’t anything he could do that would surprise her. Except apparently, that wasn’t true at all.
As long as she’d known him, Peeta had been a superfan of Christmas music, playing it at all hours of every day, without a moment’s rest. It was probably her only real complaint about him as a person, because Madge was a pretty festive person herself, but everyone needed a break. Well, everyone except Peeta apparently. So when she walked into his place and it was totally quite, she was afraid she’d somehow screwed up the time and he wasn’t home.
“Hello?” she called and was halfway to tugging out her phone to check his text when he answered.
“Hey! Come on in!” Peeta answered and Madge furrowed her brow. He is home. Then why isn’t there any music playing? Peeta came over to give her a hug and Madge couldn’t help but ask.
“You’re not listening to any music,” she blurted and Peeta shrugged.
“Katniss isn’t a fan,” he said easily, like that didn’t bother him at all and Madge was pretty sure her eyes had never stretched so wide.
“But you love Christmas music,” she reminded him and he grinned, big and stupid and cheesy.
“Not as much as I love Katniss,” he said, tone cheeky and Madge was honestly, honestly floored. In all their years of friendship, never, ever, had she managed to get him to ditch the constant music. You rode in Peeta’s car? Christmas music. You went to his house? Christmas music. And now...nothing.
I don’t know how you did it Katniss but thank you. Just...thank you.
*
Katniss wasn’t, by nature, all that festive of a person.
But when she looked at the way Peeta’s whole body seemed to light up as he hung ornaments or wreaths or lights, she figured maybe, just maybe, holiday festiveness wasn’t really all that bad after all.
Peeta, on the other hand, was about as festive as people came.
But when he was curled up with Katniss on the couch, talking or laughing or just watching TV, he thought maybe, just maybe, he didn’t need music or lights or anything else to make this Christmas merry.
Maybe they weren’t such opposites after all.
85 notes
·
View notes
Text
DEAR SANTA - An Odesta Drabble
For this year's Secret Santa exchange I wrote a couple drabbles (3 parts per pairing) for my wonderful Santee, @thelettersfromnoone, and decided to repost them here on my blog.
This first one is Odesta.
I wish everyone Happy Holidays and Good Luck for 2018!
Best,
Lit
Read on AO3
It was pretty late at night when Annie finally had the chance to take the letter from the windowsill. She sat down at their kitchen table and listened one last time for her son. When she heard nothing she was assured he finally was really asleep.
She unfolded the paper. Before she started to read, her eyes scanned the artful pictures her son had drawn on nearly every available space. The dog with a bowtie made her grin, and the way he tried to capture his favorite superhero made her giggle slightly. In between stood the text he had dictated to Finnick this afternoon.
"Dear Santa,
how are you? I hope you're doing good. Mommy says it's important to ask about people and how they are doing. And you are a very important person!
This year I don't have many wishes, I promise. Also, I really tried to be a good boy this year, but I know it didn't always work. I just don't like broccoli, and maths can be so boring. I'm really sorry.
My first wish is a dog. I know it's hard to bring me that, because Mommy and Daddy told me you always have to talk with the parents and get their OK before you can get pets for the kids, because pets are a huge responsibility. But I really wish for a dog. I would name him Spot and he would wear a red bowtie.
And it would be great if I could get a Wonder Woman lunchbox? Wonder Woman is awesome, she's just like my Aunty Kat.
Also, if possible, a couple matchbox cars? And maybe some Lego Ninjago?
But that's it. I promise. Except …
I'm not sure you can fulfill this wish at all, Santa, because you would need another OK from Mommy and Daddy, but … could I maybe have a little brother to play with? Or even maybe a sister? I would prefer a brother, but a sister would be alright, too, I guess.
Now it's really all, Santa. I hope you're still doing good. Mommy said, you always have to wish people a good day when you finish.
Your friend,
Ethan Finnick Odair"
With a soft smile Annie folded the piece of paper again and placed it back on the windowsill. It would take a couple days before the letter would be gone, depending on how well-behaved Ethan decided to be.
But at least she already knew, at least one of her son's wishes would come true in the next couple months. And she was glad her husband was just as overjoyed about the addition to their family as she had been. Now there was only one question that remained: Would it be a brother or a sister?
xXx
Soaked cornflakes fell back into the bowl, one drop of milk slipping down from the edge of the dish.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Finnick asked before he took a bite from his bagel, his eyes fixed on his son sitting opposite of him.
"Nothing," Ethan sighed, listlessly scooping another spoonful of breakfast cereal into his mouth.
"Are you feeling alright, love?" Annie wanted to know then. She reached out and put her hand on his forehead, checking the temperature. Everything felt normal.
"I'm fine, Mommy," he replied, and for a brief moment his eyes traveled to the window. And suddenly Annie knew exactly what was wrong.
"It's been two days, Ethan. Santa will pick up your letter soon, I'm sure."
"Mom's right, buddy," Finnick agreed immediately. "Give it another day or two and the letter will be gone. You were a good boy these last days."
It didn't help to change their son's mood before he left for school. As he walked out of the kitchen, head slightly down, Finnick turned to his wife and whispered, "Maybe Santa will come by this morning?"
Annie whispered a 'Maybe' back and kissed him goodbye.
When Ethan returned from school in the afternoon, his first way led him to the kitchen window. He didn't even have time to say a proper hello, or give Annie the christmas wreath they made in arts and crafts.
But when she saw her son's eyes light up when he saw the windowsill empty, it completely made up for the forgotten greeting.
"It's gone, Mommy!" he whispered, too afraid the letter would mysteriously appear again if he talked too loud.
"Well," Annie whispered back, "Santa must've been in the area. And as Daddy said this morning, you were a good boy these last days."
And suddenly his good mood was restored. With a big smile he hurried back to his abandoned things, grabbed the wreath and held it out in front of him.
"For you, Mommy."
Annie smiled and took it from him.
When Finnick came home in the evening he found a brand new paper wreath dangling from the front door and his son eagerly awaiting his arrival to tell him about Santa finally picking up his wish list.
xXx
"Are you alright, Mommy?" His voice was small and vulnerable, and with the added distance between the bedroom where he was standing and the bathroom she was kneeling in, it sounded even more broken.
"I'm alright, Ethan. Don't worry," she called back, before she bent over once more and threw up again.
This morning sickness was really getting to her. Especially now that it lasted way into the afternoons.
Annie flushed the toilet and stepped over to the sink. While she brushed her teeth she tried to think of a way to explain to her son why she threw up the third time in as many days. There wouldn't be any hiding for very much longer.
Originally she and Finnick wanted to tell Ethan about the baby on Christmas Day. In his letter to Santa he asked about a sibling and they wanted it to look like Mr. Claus had made his wish come true. But with these violent bouts of morning sickness she wasn't sure how much longer she could assure her son that this was just a bug.
The front door opened and she heard Ethan rushing down the stairs.
"Daddy! Daddy! Mommy's throwing up again," he called while throwing himself into Finnick's arms.
"Oh no! Poor Mommy. Let's go check on her," her husband answered and a moment later she heard his footsteps on the stairs. She turned the lights off and left the bathroom.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead when he stepped into the bedroom, their son still in his arms. They looked at each other, and without a word they walked over to their bed and sat down, Ethan in between them.
Finnick took her hand in his, his smile reassuring. He knew this situation made her a little anxious.
"Is Mommy sick?" the boy interrupted the moment, both adults turning to him.
"No, Mommy isn't sick," his father answered, "But we have to tell you something, and we hope you're going to be happy about it."
If possible, the boy's eyes widened.
"The reason Mommy hasn't felt so well these last few days is because her body needs to adjust to the new situation. You see, before babies arrive they need to grow and gain weight. And for that they need a safe place. And that safe place is in Mommy's belly. So, sometimes the belly is a little upset because now it needs to share the space with the baby, but that will hopefully be over very soon."
Ethan listened intently to his father, before his eyes flickered to Annie's stomach. "There's a baby in there?"
"Yes," she smiled, brushing her hand through her son's hair. "So in a couple months you're going to be a big brother. How do you like that?"
Instead of an answer the boy wrapped his arms tightly around her neck and laughed. The anxiousness she'd felt only moments before got washed away with every delighted little laugh from her son. She looked up and Finnick beamed down at her and Ethan.
After a couple moments the boy pulled away and turned to his father.
"Daddy, can you help me?"
They looked at him with confusion, but Finnick simply nodded. "What do you need help with, buddy?"
Ethan beamed at his parents. He reminded Annie so much of Finnick it nearly made her burst with joy.
The boy hurried off the bed and to the door. He turned around when none of the adults made any move to join him.
"Come on, Daddy. I need to write Santa a Thank you card. I asked for a brother or a sister, and he gave me the present and it's not even Christmas yet!"
He ran down the stairs to the living room where all his crayons were stored, calling up to his father once again to hurry up.
"You're alright?" Finnick asked before following his son. Annie simply nodded and smiled, brushing her hand over his cheek once. "I'm perfect."
FIN
55 notes
·
View notes
Text
@litlifelover Everlark Cheer...<3 Secret Santa
67 notes
·
View notes
Text
A Gift from Your Secret Santa 2
HI! Once again, this is a present from your Secret Santa! They wrote it, I’m just posting it here as a helpful elf and we both hope you enjoy it @jobanana7!
Katniss woke up cocooned in five different blankets, her body nice and toasty. She poked her head out of her snuggly burrito and winced. The air in her room was beyond chilly, her nose twitching unhappily.
Do we live in Antarctica? Why is it so cold?
She ducked back beneath the covers just as Peeta came in, whistling some Christmas tune under his breath.
“Power’s still out,” he told her and she grimaced. No wonder it’s so freezing. The blizzard yesterday had left the entire city dark and apparently, Mayor Snow was having issues fixing the problem. Glad I didn’t vote for him.
“It’s almost eleven. Are you gunna get up?” Peeta continued and Katniss burrowed even farther down.
“No,” she mumbled and could practically hear him rolling his eyes. “It’s too cold.”
“You can’t lie here all day, at least come to the couch so we can do something.”
“What?”
“The laptop’s still charged, we could watch a movie.”
Katniss thought about it, contemplated refusing, but ultimately sighed in agreement.
“Fine,” she grumbled, pushing herself up while still keeping herself wrapped up tight. She waddled her way down the hall and fell onto the sofa, Peeta fighting a smile as he followed her. He set the laptop up on the coffee table and dug around in the movie cupboard beneath the TV.
“What’re you in the mood for?” he asked and Katniss shrugged.
“Surprise me.”
He chose something with a grin and popped it in before settling down beside her. She opened her blankets so he could cuddle up beside her and then pulled them back over them both. His arms were nice and snuggly around her as the movie started and-
“Are you kidding me?” she asked. Peeta smiled innocently.
“Moulin Rouge is an amazing movie. I think it’s about time you watched it.”
She narrowed her eyes. Peeta was a huge fan of musicals, something Katniss could never quite get behind. He’d been all over her to watch this one for ages, encouraged by Madge (the traitor) who was also a big fan apparently. Katniss continues to frown at him.
“You could always get up and change it,” he offered and she glared. He laughed and pulled her closer and alright, so maybe movies full of singing were dumb, but she could maybe make an exception. Especially if her other option was leaving this cuddle and braving the frozen wasteland of their living room.
“Well played Mellark,” she said and he laughed again, kissing her temple. She snuggled in a little closer, his warmth heating her all the way to her toes and maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.
Not that she’d ever admit it, of course.
48 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Time to spread the holiday cheer!
Love in Panem will be sponsoring a twist on our Yuletide in Panem holiday celebration. This year, we will be hosting our first ever Secret Santa!
How does it work? It’s simple:
1. Message us your tumblr profile name by November 28th or fill out the Google Doc form below:
Yuletide in Panem’s Secret Santa Sign up
2. By November 30th, you will be randomly paired with another Secret Santa (if you get in a little late, it’s okay. We are a flexible group of ladies :) ).
3. For the entire month of December, send your Secret Santa, via ask, anonymous messages designed to bring holiday cheer. These can be in any format - aesthetics, stories, quotes, music links, limericks - whatever your heart fancies. When these are posted, if our Secret Santas can tag us in their responses, we will reblog to Love in Panem (use the tags LIP or YIP Secret Santa).
To help you along, we will be posting a Secret Santa Theme for each day, but you are not required to stick to those themes (these will be published soon).
The only requirement is that you be fairly consistent and that you remain anonymous until the great reveal on December 24th. On that day, you may decide to dedicate something special to your Secret Santa, like a fanfic or fanart or just reveal yourself as the bringer of glad tidings.
So help us celebrate this wonderful season by spreading love throughout the fandom. Sign up today!
121 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Dear @shellibug,
I made you this Mellark family photo collage. I hope you like it.
Your Secret Santa!
Fanart sources:
1. http://promptsinpanem.tumblr.com/post/105687321815/by-solesofwind
2. http://promptsinpanem.tumblr.com/post/105838338410/i-was-following-the-pack-all-swaddled-in-their
3. http://everlarkimages.tumblr.com/post/69410785625/merry-christmas-dear-by-22dreamofmidnight22
4. http://everlarkimages.tumblr.com/post/62248349087/fur-snowflakes-and-lipstick-by-yorinarpati
5. http://porchwood.tumblr.com/post/155331364565/everlak-snow-by-soles-of-wind
22 notes
·
View notes
Note
I love how caring and supportive you are to fellow THG/Everlark writers! And I really love your everlark fics! Since it’s Christmas I wondered what your favourite Christmas/Winter Holiday Everlark fic is? Love your Secret Santa 🎅
Thank you, Secret Santa! This is a huge compliment and one I don’t take lightly. I really enjoy being a part of this community, so I’m happy to support others (even if I’m slow getting to things).
I have a ka-billion favorites, of course, but one that really sticks out to me is called Forever and Always. It was written for @promptsinpanem‘s special holiday challenge in 2014, and it is incredibly sad. I read it and had to walk away from the computer for a few days.
Hope all is going well! Merry Christmas!
10 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hello, dear! Secret Santa here! Well, I guess I’m not that secret anymore ;) Looks like we survived one more holiday season! Hope you enjoyed the messages and Everlark treats. I had a great time sending them your way. I wish you happy holidays and a wonderful new year, full of love, joy and inspiration. See you around!
@javistg -MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AS WELL! I enjoyed your messages & Everlark treats! I wish you a frazzle free holiday and a stress free New Year!
8 notes
·
View notes
Photo
I have the most awesome Secret Santa ever.
Thank you so much for all these lovely messages. My life has been overwhelmed by work and family for the last week and it feels like I’ve not had a chance to breathe, let alone respond, but please know I’ve seen all your messages and your kindness has really touched me and brightened up my world. Thank you.
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
100 Days and 100 Nights
By @titaniasfics
Written for @norbertsmom, my Secret Santa, hosted by @loveinpanem
In-Panem Canon AU, no Games, no Reaping, just a whole lot of pining.
A/N at the end
“The sunlight claps the earth, and the moonbeams kiss the sea: what are all these kissings worth, if thou kiss not me?”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley
Peeta glanced down at the floor of the kitchen as he slid the empty bread trays under the counter. The dollops of dried dough indicated the floor needed a good sweeping. This was Rye’s chore this week, but he had gone to deliver a last minute order, leaving Peeta alone in the shop. Peeta wasn’t interested in hearing his mother complain about the matter when she returned from her errands, so he took advantage of the lull in customers and swept the debris into the dustbin.
While he worked, he heard a rapping at the back door. He set the broom in the corner, his chest growing tight because he knew who would most likely be there. As he passed the chrome refrigerator, he checked his face in the reflection, relieved that he didn’t have flour in his hair or dough on his cheek.
With a steadying breath, he opened the door.
“Hello Katniss,” he said, smiling his usual, how-can-I-help-you smile, the one he used to greet all his customers, even though his excitement was through the roof. It was automatic. Safe. Even though he’d been in love with Katniss Everdeen ever since they were kindergartners in District 12’s only elementary school, he made sure to never let a hint of his affections for the aloof huntress from the Seam escape him.
“Got some squirrel to trade,” she said. Unlike him, there was a slight smudge of dirt on her cheek and her hair was matted at the hairline with sweat. The humidity was thick in the air outside, the smell of rain filling the alley where Katniss stood.
“Come in,” he stepped aside to give her space to enter. He noticed with relief that her giant lug of a hunting partner, Gale Hawthorne, wasn’t glued to her side today.
She nodded once, her eyes flickering over him as she moved past, wary as the wild animals she hunted.
“How many do you have?” Peeta asked, absorbing, as he was in the habit of doing, every aspect of her appearance in one glance - her braid which hung over the left shoulder, her boyish shirt and pants which were patched in the strangest places, probably from being snagged in the trees and branches as she hunted. He made other observations, quicker ones that struck him in a flash, the ones he spent hours going over after she left each time - the luster of her black hair, the smooth, uninterrupted texture of her olive skin, the slant of her large, almond-shaped gray eyes, the pillowy-softness of her bottom lip, now sucked into a thin line of impatience.
“Four,” she answered, taking them out of her hunting sack and laying them on the table. “I had three times that but Greasy Sae bought most of them. I told her to leave these for your father.”
It was the most Katniss Everdeen had ever spoken all at once, and the husky sound of her voice struck him low and deep in his belly. “That’s kind of you. You know how much my father loves wild squirrel,” he answered. “How about a loaf of nut bread?”
Katniss’s eyes went wide. “That’s too much! Your father usually gives me a roll for each one. I won’t be cheating my customers.”
Peeta quaked, not because he was scared but because he didn’t want her to disapprove of him. “I know, but it’s a day old,” he lied. “And my mother was already going to discount it. It’s worth the same as fresh rolls and…”, he nearly lost his courage but continued, “I know how much you like the nut bread.”
She chewed her bottom lip, thinking. She didn’t know the bread had been baked that very morning, and his mother would certainly have a fit if she discovered he’d given away such a prized loaf. But she wanted the bread - he knew she did. It was her favorite. And he desperately wanted to give it to her. Give her anything her heart desired. But she was stubborn and would not take a gift from anyone.
He considered mentioning her mother and sister, for whom she cared and would do anything, but she finally acquiesced. “I’ll take the trade.”
Peeta, satisfied with himself, took the loaf from the shelf and wrapped it in paper, handing it to her with care. The smell of nuts, raisins and spices wafted from it, making his mouth water. He imagined Katniss eating it, making all manner of small moans of pleasure as she bit into the hard crust to savor the tender, aromatic center. He bit his lip to keep from panting.
“Thanks,” she said as she took the package and made for the door, opening it. Peeta desperately wanted to keep her for a little while longer but couldn’t find anything to say to her.
“Weather’s nice today,” he blurted out.
Katniss turned, raising an eyebrow. “Have you been outside today?”
Peeta glanced past her. The air now entering through the open door had become drenched in humidity and storm clouds swirled overhead. People were moving quickly through the center to get to shelter before the sky dropped its heavy rains on their heads.
“Oh,” he said, feeling like an idiot.
She shrugged. “I’ve got to get home. Thanks again.” She skipped down the steps and raced away even as fat droplets began to land on the ground.
He watched her leave, just as he always did, and stayed in that spot long after she’d disappeared from his sight.
XXXXX
After Peeta’s shift ended, he slipped upstairs to the apartment he shared with his parents and two older brothers. They were more well off than most so he could afford the large sketchbook he kept beneath the floorboard of his bedroom. He rolled the corner of the throw rug and pulled up the plank of wood. Inside was the black, faux-leather bound volume filled with fine sheets of drawing paper. He could also afford the pencils in the metal box he stored with the book. He lifted both up and set them at the small writing table. Opening the book, he scanned the pictures he’d already drawn - sketches of the birds that flew in from the surrounding woods, the snowy tops of distant mountains visible from his second story home in the Merchant quarter, where his family’s bakery was located. Drawings of his brothers, one each of his parents.
And Katniss. Ten, fifteen, thirty sketches of her over the years, engaged in different activities. He passed her face turned in adoration towards her little sister Prim, or one in which she’s scowling at something in displeasure. He’d drawn her with her bow and arrow, though he’d never actually seen her hunt. He’d sketched her standing at his backdoor, with the sun behind her as if she were a magical creature. And sometimes, when he was blind with a need so powerful, he thought it might surely burn him from the inside, he drew her in ways he’d never seen but could only dream of - smiling, soft, open, naked, inviting him close. Those pictures were folded away, saved for only the most desperate moments when he could find no other relief from his wanting.
Today, he was not aflame in that way, so he drew the moment he gave her the loaf, the joy of getting something she so badly wanted but was too proud to ask for. He was completely enraptured, each line he drew as if it were another moment he spent with her. After half an hour, he stared at the final product. It would require some editing, he knew, but it was good enough. It had to be good enough, because these furtive drawings were as close as he would ever get to her.
XXXXX
Later that week, Peeta approached the Hob, a makeshift market at the edge of District 12. It was part oversized shack, part canvas tent, its shape given by piecemeal metal construction, where Seam residents came to trade or find oddities that could not be found in more respectable quarters. Most of the Merchant class stayed away from the Hob, but Peeta had come out of a quiet desperation, hoping to catch a glimpse of Katniss. Each time she came to make a trade, the pressure for another encounter built up more quickly, until lately, it seemed he could not get from one day to the next without at least a glimpse of her. He didn’t care about the strange looks he received - he searched the entire interior, despondent to realize she was not there. Something quivered, brittle and aching in his heart, an ache which bore the name of Katniss Everdeen.
Outside the entrance of the market was Haymitch Abernathy, the old drunk from the Seam, perched on a table as worn as he was, a bottle of white liquor at his side. Haymitch had come into a great deal of money when he was younger, when he was a soldier and fighting wars in far off lands for Panem. It was rumored that he’d made a deal with the government that resulted in him being given a generous stipend for the rest of his life, though no one had a clue what the nature of that arrangement was. A mysterious figure, he piqued the interest of the young people of District 12, who often followed him around, hoping to hear an anecdote about his time beyond the borders of their small country.
Haymitch was surrounded by a small group of people, all awaiting his tale. The old man looked up, clear grey eyes so like Katniss’s and others of the Seam, and captured Peeta’s gaze where he stood at the back, leaning on a gnarled apple tree that had long since ceased yielding fruit. It was as if Haymitch spoke directly to him.
“Once upon a time a king gave a feast and there were all the most beautiful princesses of the realm. One of the guards saw the king's daughter: she was the most beautiful one of all. And he immediately fell in love with her.
“But who is a poor soldier when compared to a king's daughter? One day he managed to meet her and tell her he couldn't live without her. The princess was so struck by the depth of his feeling that she said to the soldier, 'If you will wait a hundred days and a hundred nights beneath my balcony, then in the end I'll be yours.'
“The soldier immediately took up a place beneath her balcony and waited. One day, two days, ten, twenty...Every night she looked out of her window, but he never budged. Come rain, wind, or snow, he never moved from his spot. After ninety nights he was gaunt and pale and tears streamed from his eyes but he couldn't hold them back. He didn't even have the strength to sleep any more. The princess still watched.
And on the ninety-ninth night, the soldier got up, picked up his chair and left.”
Several moments passed before the group came to realize that Haymitch had finished his story. “That’s it?” one man, a young Peacekeeper named Darius, called out. “What kind of ending is that?”
“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Haymitch groused. “That’s just how the story goes.”
The group wandered away, exasperated, muttering under their breath, though they would be back again the next time Haymitch set himself up on the bench to tell his stories. Peeta made his way towards him as he took a swig of the white liquor bottle.
“Why would the soldier give up just as he is about to get what he wants? After all of that effort?” Peeta mused.
Haymitch set down his bottle, eyeing him carefully. “I don’t know. I’ve never wanted anyone that much.”
Peeta frowned. “That’s actually sad.”
The old man shrugged, getting off the table and clutching the bottle to him. He stared at it instead of Peeta. “It is. But I bet you’ll tell me what it means soon enough.”
At that, Haymitch walked away, remarkably composed for a man who had just swallowed half a bottle of powerful drink. As Peeta watched him leave, he caught sight of Katniss approaching the Hob with a silent tread. She had learned from many years of hunting how to move like a shadow and just as silently, slipped inside.
Her unexpected appearance brought a surge of happiness to Peeta’s heart, prompting him to follow her without conscious volition. Her arrival, like the flickering of a star through a cloud-covered night sky, lit up his mood and inspired a powerful sense of possibility, and risk.
She weaved her way through the tables to the back, approaching Rooba, the butcher. Katniss spoke with the older woman, emptying the contents of her bulging hunting bag onto the counter.
Peeta moved as quietly as he could, dodging the tarps and canvases that hung from the roof of the haphazard structure before stepping behind one that hung just adjacent to where Rooba’s was set up, peeking in through a tear in the worn fabric. From his vantage point, he listened to Katniss become more insistent as she negotiated for her meat. He hung back, listening to snatches of her conversation with Rooba until she packed up what remained of her unsold meat and stepped away from Rooba’s table.
Peeta was prepared to move and follow her again but she surprised him by setting her things down on a bench directly in front of where he stood. He was so close, he could see the part of her thick, dark hair. Her braid was neater than it had been when she’d last come to the bakery, perhaps because the day was not as rainy and humid.
A powerful desire to touch her welled up inside of him, and that fragile thing that quivered at the thought of her wailed, threatening to shatter if he did not, at that very instant, do something to satisfy it. His heart beat wildly and his palms were damp with sweat but he gave in, calling Katniss’s name from where he stood.
“Who’s there?” Katniss said, looking around her.
“Sssh,” he said, poking his head through the partition in the canvas. “Just pretend everything's normal. It’s me, Peeta.”
Katniss’s eyes popped open in amazement. “I know who you are.” She glanced around her, and he wondered if she was waiting for Gale. “Peeta, the Hob’s no place for you. What are you doing here?”
“Forgive me, Katniss. I know it’s stupid of me. But I had to talk to you.”
She looked up at him and her eyes were even more beautiful in the dim light of the Hob’s interior.
This time Peeta found the courage to speak to her. Unlike his stammering heart and ragged breath, he was filled with determination. That curtain helped him, allowing him to only partially be seen.
“You're so beautiful...That's what I wanted to tell you.”
Katniss stared, dumbfounded but he pushed on. “When I speak to you, I can't put two words together because...you make me tremble. I don't know what people do in these situations, or what I’m supposed to say. But I think I'm in love with you.”
Katniss leaned into the partition, staring at his face, as if that flood of passion bewildered her. At that moment, an older woman stopped to ask about a trade. Without looking, Katniss snapped at her and told she had nothing left. The woman insisted, pointing at her full hunting bag but Katniss fairly growled that all her haul was accounted for and returned her concentration to Peeta.
Peeta chuckled, provoking a tiny answering smile from Katniss. It overwhelmed him to see her face so transformed. “When you smile, you're even more beautiful.”
Katniss swayed on her legs, as if under a spell but pulled back and fixed a stern, but not cruel look on her face.
“Peeta, that’s really...kind...of you---”
“I promise you, it’s not kindness that I feel,” he interjected.
“Okay,” she said, disconcerted but pushing on. “I like you. But...I'm not...in love with you.”
It was as if a knife had been plunged directly into his heart. He held her luminous gaze, unyielding. He had come this far.
“Is it because of Gale Hawthorne?”
Katniss scowled. “He has...intentions.”
“But you’re undecided,” Peeta insisted, hope springing inside of him, becoming stronger when she refused to answer his question.
“I don’t care about Gale Hawthorne’s intentions,” he said. “I’ll wait.”
“For what?” Katniss asked.
“For you to fall in love with me too.”
She shook her head, beginning to protest but he rushed to explain before he lost his chance. “Listen. Every night, when I get off work, I'll come and wait beneath your window. Every night. When you change your mind, open your window. That's all you have to do. I'll understand…”
He smiled at her, trying to disarm her with his sincerity. Her eyes narrowed briefly in response, as if undecided or unbelieving. “You’re out of your mind. You’re Merchant. I’m Seam. You can’t just walk into my neighborhood and park yourself outside my window.”
Peeta smiled again, this time full of the courage of his certainty. “I am out of my mind with love for you.” He leaned his head from the rift in the canvas. “Don’t forget - your mother was Merchant and your father, Seam. And as for sitting under your window, it’s the smallest price I would pay to have you.” He pulled back again, so that he knew she could not see him, only hear the susurring of his voice. “I’ll see you tonight.”
He slipped out between the tarps that hung low, himself a shadow between the canvas. As he escaped, he saw Gale arrive, his eyes sweeping the interior of the market, no doubt also seeking Katniss.
Even with the presence of his greatest rival, Peeta was filled with hope. He felt powerful and optimistic and did not mind Gale Hawthorne very much at all.
XXXXX
Peeta did exactly as he promised, waiting patiently outside Katniss’s window. He was careful to select a spot where her mother could not see him. Katniss’s house was the very last one in the Seam, next to the fence that was used to keep the animals of the forest from roaming the streets of District 12 at night. He slipped in each night just after sun down and stayed until the lights of the small house went dark. During the hours of his vigil, which were not so many, he watched for Katniss’s silhouette, sometimes hearing her voice. But in those first autumn weeks, she ghosted near her windows, the only evidence of her curiosity was the corner that was gently pulled back to spy on him, but dropped in haste, in fear of being discovered.
He marked the passing days on a wall calendar in his room, each X building like the relics he’d read about in some book or other, each a testament of his devotion, each one pushing him toward the next one. Katniss still came to trade, at times with Gale but many more times, without. She said nothing of Peeta’s escapades - his visits to her house, regardless of the rain that pelted down or the cold that gnawed him to the bone. The courage with which he confronted this challenge waxed and waned, sometimes strengthened by an odd look she gave him when she accepted his trades, or the passing of his body close to hers when he held opened the door to let her in the bakery. Her breath caught, her eyes fluttered, and he knew as sure as his name that she’d felt something in response to him.
But there were other days, days when she walked the dirt roads of her neighborhoods as they wound towards the pavements of the center, in the company of Gale, pretending not to know Peeta - those were the days that sapped his optimism, making him question why he had ever thought someone like Katniss could care for someone as plain as Peeta.
Each night, her window remained closed. There were only a handful of moments when Peeta was sure her resolution wavered, moments when a curtain was pushed aside, a tremulous hand reaching for the handle, only to pull back. Those nights crushed him and sent him with a heavy heart back to his home, where his family eyed his strange, late night expeditions with curiosity and concern.
The nights became longer as autumn brought cold winds and leaves the color of singed metals. It also brought the Harvest Festival with its jocular lights crisscrossing the square, tables of food and drink set up around the center. The entrance to Town Hall was converted into a stage, before which an area which had been cleared for both the young and old to dance the frigid night away. Peeta, like all young men, both Merchant and Seam, prepared himself, with autumn wreath in hand and romantic dreams in the heart in the hopes of persuading the girl he most desired.
He smoothed out the new, green, button-up shirt he’d chosen for the evening and dress pants so typical of District 12. He pulled on a thick sweater which set off his shirt with colors of browns, greens and his favorite autumn orange, which appeared to have been borrowed from a candle flame. His artist’s eye was satisfied with the way it augmented his blue eyes and ashy-blonde hair. When his brothers called for him, he left his room, pulling on his formal coat, and slipped out of the houses towards the center.
They found the square already filled with young people. Groups of parents and older citizens clustered together, Seam at one corner of the plaza and Merchants on the other. There was some mingling between groups, most notably Haymitch and Prim, Katniss’s affable and universally loved younger sister.
Peeta pretended to carry on a conversation with Dillon Cartwright, the son of the shoemaker, while his eyes searched the crowds for Katniss. He greeted the children of other Merchant families, their parents all friends or business associates of his parents. It was second nature for Peeta to be so effortlessly charming.
An hour into the Harvest Festival Concert, where men and women played the local music of the season in makeshift groups, Peeta found Katniss. She wore an intricate weave of beautiful braids, typical of District 12. In fact, many of the girls had their hair swept up in braids like hers, but to Peeta’s eyes, no one wore them better. Under a pale, cream-colored wool shawl, she wore a pastel-orange dress which showed off her figure to lovely effect, to the extent that other boys noticed her as she walked by. But no matter what clothes she wore, no one had the courage to approach her.
Peeta glanced around the square with its decorated tables, twinkling lamplights and festive music and set one foot before the other, moving towards her. She pretended not to notice him but slowed her pace, allowing him to reach her. He fell into step next to her, ignoring the way a group of girls from his former school days watched them and whispered furiously.
“Hello, Katniss,” he said in a low, steady voice.
“Peeta,” she answered, her face impassive but without her usual scowl.
The music started, making it difficult to speak, but he did anyway. “Did you just arrive?”
She shrugged. “I was late in getting here.” Her eyes flickered quickly over him before she looked away.
“I…” he swallowed hard, wishing he’d rehearsed something before he approached her. “I was wondering if you’d like to dance.”
She tilted her head to look at him, eyebrows furrowed. “You dance? I’ve never seen you do it.”
Peeta smiled nervously, trying to hold her gaze and failing miserably. “I don’t usually dance in public.”
“Hmm,” she said, stopping in front of him. “Alright.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “You will? I mean, you’ll dance with me?”
“That’s what I said.” She put out her hand, inviting him to take it. “Do you know the steps?”
He nodded, not believing his luck. He tried not to make too much of the humorous twinkle in her eyes, tried not to read too much in her acquiescence. He took her hand and led her to the dance line, where people were arranging themselves. With her hand firmly held in his, he listened to the beat of the music, and when the dancers moved he led her through the steps of the jaunty song.
Peeta moved awkwardly at first, fearing to tread on Katniss’s toes or commit some other misstep. But when he spun her around and pulled her towards him for several beats, she whispered, “Relax, you’re doing fine.” This had an instantaneous effect on him and he fell into step with more ease. The clapping and stomping of the other dancers made him euphoric. But what lifted his heart, more than anything else, was the way Katniss’s eyes brightened with excitement, laughter bubbling from her like the ale fizzling in a cold glass. Her happiness captivated him and he found within himself an endless desire to always see her that way.
They danced until they were breathless. When the music stopped, Katniss collapsed against his chest, her smile wide and bright. He hugged her to him, pleased that she let him before leading her away from the center.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked, indicating the table of ale.
Katniss nodded, catching her breath. “Yes, please.”
Peeta squeezed her hand before leaving her at an empty bench and made his way to the table where Mr. Undersee, the Mayor of District 12, was serving drinks. Peeta’s heart was full to the brim with happiness - he had been able to hold Katniss close to him and she had not only let him, but appeared to welcome his company.
“Two cups of ale, please,” he asked when he reached the front of the line.
“Peeta!” Mr. Undersee smiled, shaking his hand in greeting. “You were dancing up quite a storm out there.” He ladled the drinks into paper cups and handed them to Peeta.
“I’m only really just learning,” Peeta said, almost bashful.
“Well, you have quite the teacher. Enjoy the rest of your night, son.”
Peeta smiled, all benevolence and joy as he weaved through the crowd, which had lined up behind him. He glimpsed Katniss near the table where he’d left her and approached, eager to spend the evening with her, calculating which stands he could take her to, what gifts he could buy her.
But when he emerged from the crowd, he instantly deflated. Katniss was not alone. Towering next to her in clothes that were better than what he usually wore for hunting, was Gale Hawthorne. He stood close to Katniss, speaking to her in low tones. Peeta approached, holding the two cups in his hand, handing one to Katniss, who avoided his gaze by staring resolutely at the drink, a scowl fixed on her face. He offered his free hand to Gale, gritting his teeth as the tall man shook his hand in response.
“Are you enjoying the festival?” Peeta asked, calling forth every ounce of politeness.
Gale shrugged, eyeing the crowd with his usual dour expression. “It’s been fun so far. I was just coming to get Katniss. Her mother’s looking for her.”
“She can wait,” Katniss grumbled, taking a quick sip of her drink.
“It sounds important,” Gale said. It was then Peeta sensed the tension in the air between them, which made him uneasy.
“I can walk you over, if you like,” Peeta offered gently.
Katniss glanced up at him with a grateful look. “It’s okay. I might as well get it over with.” She paused, sipping from her cup again, ignoring the impatience in Gale’s stance. “Thank you for the dance. I’m going squirrel hunting tomorrow.”
Peeta nodded. “My father will be happy to hear it.”
With that, she turned, allowing Gale to lead her away. She cast a last glance over her shoulder before melting into the crowd. Peeta knew he would not see her again that evening. He left soon after, his mind filled with images of her that he would replay and draw for days to come.
XXXXX
After the Harvest Festival, the cold, busy days of preparation for Yuletide raced by. It was a busy period for Peeta and his family, and he worked without pause, filling endless cake and cookie orders in preparation for the upcoming festivities. The weather was icy cold, the ground covered in frost each night Peeta took his excursion to Katniss’s house. Now she made no effort to hide her face when she peeked through the curtains, but still the window remained closed.
The hard work, the frozen nights, the hope that was dashed each time Katniss shut her lights off at the end of Peeta’s vigil at once drove him forward and wore him down. At last, without knowing how, ninety nine days and ninety nine nights had passed beneath her sealed window, that resolute glass and shaded curtain chipping away at the certainty that had brought him to commit to this path to begin with.
Peeta stood at his post, beneath the giant evergreen tree. Few people came this far to the edge of the Seam, unless they required some medical assistance from Katniss’s mother and sister. So it was with some surprise that he saw Gale arrive with a giant package. He watched as Katniss opened the door and welcomed him inside with the easy familiarity of a friend - or lover.
Peeta did not wait for the night to end before turning on his heel and returning home.
XXXXX
The hundredth day coincided with Yuletide’s Eve and the festival of the longest night of the year. All the houses of District 12 were filled with evergreen boughs and holly branches. Fires crackled, warm and fragrant, while cakes and cookies for those who could afford the fine flour and sugar abounded on tables that often remained empty of desserts the other nights of the year.
Peeta woke that morning emptier than he’d ever been in the previous three months. He barrelled through the day, working hard so he wouldn’t have to think of his withering heart. In the evening, he perused the treasure beneath his floorboard, the one sketchbook that had grown into two, and turned first one page, then another, each one a different version of Katniss. He had derived so much joy from the expectation of catching a glimpse of her, the hope he carried each night that one day he would arrive and find her window open. But now that he’d come to this point, he found the energy that had driven him forward all these months was now depleted.
Katniss would never open her window, never feel the way he felt for her. She had Gale and there was nothing more Peeta could do.
He slammed his sketchbooks shut and shoved them deep under the floorboard, as deep as they would go, and fitted the wood slab in place again, lowering the edge of the rug resolutely over it. When he glanced out the window, he saw Haymitch idling in the town square. Peeta grabbed his coat, putting it on as he took to the stairs and quickly found himself before the old, drunk storyteller.
“Now I understand why the soldier went away just before the end,” he blurted out, full of misery. “Just one more night and the princess would have been his. But she might not have kept her promise. And...that would have been terrible, he would have died from it. So instead, for ninety-nine nights, at least he had lived with the illusion that she was there waiting for him…”
Haymitch hung his head, scraping at the snow on the ground. “So the soldier’s dreams were more real to him than reality.”
Peeta followed the design Haymitch etched into the ice. Around him, the light of the afternoon was fading quickly, becoming darker and darker. It would be Yuletide soon, his family would sit around their dinner table, carving the winter fowl, slicing the warm, freshly baked bread, wondering where he was. He himself would not know where he would be until he found himself there, for his heart had exhausted his store of hope, and like the weather-beaten soldier, with chair firmly in hand, Peeta was ready to take his illusions with him.
Haymitch’s gravelly voice interrupted his thoughts. “Boy, go home. Eat well. Tomorrow will bring more fables and tales. Maybe you will find another dream to dream.”
The old man clapped his hand on Peeta’s shoulder, not waiting for him to return the greeting before turning to walk toward Greasy Sae’s, where he traditionally had his Yuletide dinner. Peeta looked to the path he’d taken so many times in the last months, the one that had led him each time to his place beneath Katniss’s window. The pull was weak but it was still there, beckoning him forward to try one more time, to live in his dream for one last night.
He let his gaze linger, his heart filled with a love he would bury for the rest if his life, turned around and walked back to the bakery.
XXXXX
Dinner was agony. His mother had invited their aunts and uncles and myriad of cousins to dine with them. Peeta made a half-hearted effort to appear happy, forcing himself to eat and socialize, all the while making every effort to push each tortuous thought of Katniss from his mind. He was in a bad way by the time dessert was served and only just made it through the end of toasting the meal when he slipped out of his apartment and snuck downstairs to take fresh air outside the bakery.
He didn’t bother to turn on the light in the shop as he unlocked the back door, making sure to leave it unlocked as he stepped out into the alley. There were a handful of people milling around, walking off the meals they’d just shared with their friends and family. Peeta’s stared out at the lamps that were hung with wreaths and holly, fixated on the flickering stars beyond. So he did not hear the shuffling of boots on snow until a voice startled him from his thoughts.
“I opened my window and you were gone.”
Peeta turned and saw Katniss as if in a dream. His heart gave one, resolute thud inside his chest and faltered before picking up speed, beating wildly.
“I thought…” he began, but the look on her face was nothing like he’d ever seen before - wonderful, sweet, the look of somebody who understands she is loved and now realizes at last that she is in love too. Her single braid was gone, replaced with an elaborate array of smaller braids arranged high on her head, revealing the endless, smooth column of her neck. She wore a powder-blue dress, fur-lined snow boots and her father’s hunting jacket, damp with fallen snow. She had never looked more beautiful.
“What about Gale?” he asked, praying that she was not a figment of his overheated imagination.
“Gale?” she answered, taking a step forward. “I got into the habit of having him around. But he’s not what I want.”
Her words overwhelmed him, making the moment almost unbearable. To be met, not with a scowl, but with an invitation. He opened his arms with a timid restraint, as if this was a reality he could not believe. But she stepped inside, without hesitation, and pressed her strong body against him.
“Am I what you want?”
She clutched the material of his sweater, balling it into her fist. “Yes.”
They held onto each other awhile longer, her small body swallowed in his arms. Peeta was filled with both happiness and the fear of letting go. Then, without warning, he lifted her up and brought her into the warmth of the bakery. His action elicited a squeal of surprise from her, which became laughter when he spun her around and around in wide circles. She buried her face in the crook of his neck until they landed, dizzy, against a wall.
They exchanged an intense look. Peeta didn’t know who started but with eyes locked on each other, they kissed, at first timid, almost clumsy, and then with more determination. Katniss’s lips gave way to him, and he kissed her hungrily, heady with the taste of her. They only broke apart when the bell of the town hall chimed midnight, but instead of ending their rapture, it was magnified a thousand times, reflected in Katniss’s glassy eyes and swollen lips.
Peeta was speechless but felt Katniss’s fingers twine through the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him closer. “Kiss me again, once for each night you waited for me.”
“A hundred kisses,” he whispered, pressing his lips against hers, wanting to get lost in the wet warmth of her mouth.
She pulled back before they became entangled again.“Were they really one hundred nights?”
“One hundred days and one hundred nights,” he answered, dizzy with want.
She shook her head, smiling up at him, a smile so full of love, he thought he might be blinded by it. “Then kiss me again until you lose count.”
XXXXX
Based on a series of scenes from the movie, Cinema Paradiso. Some lines of this story were taken directly from the script. If you get a chance to watch this movie, it’s lovely.
@norbertsmom - I was so happy to get you as my Secret Santa! I’ve enjoyed doing this with you. I wanted to write you more stories but it was not in the cards this time, so I decided to write a longer story for the great reveal instead. Searching for things to put on our blog was a lot of fun for me. Hope you have a wonderful holiday! I got so much out of it. Thanks for being a friend and a supporter over the years.
Betaed by the incomparable @eala-musings and @akai-echo. Happy holidays to my friends :).
187 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Winter is coming!
Since we talked about Winter, here’s a simple moodboard about Everlark getting ready for the coldest season, hope you’ll like it and I wish you a wonderful day!!! Your SS ☃︎
121 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hello! Secret Santa here. It's been a crazy week for me (a lot of work stuff!), but I hope you have enjoyed your post-exams down time and are binging those holiday movies. And treats. Speaking of which, what's your fave kind? Let me know!
Ooo that’s a tough one! But I’m to have to with piroulines, I can eat an entire jumbo tin in no time at all, I’m obsessed!
Down time has been nice, though I’ve been waaay too lazy. I keep meaning to gt things done and then…don’t.
I hope things aren’t too crazy! And what’s your favourite holiday treat?
1 note
·
View note
Text
Dear @alliswell21,
this is the 22nd day of Secret Santa and I’m sad that there are only a couple more days before the Secret Santa time is over. I’ve enjoyed it so much to write for you.
I’ve never told you how much I love your stories and especially loved your work for ACFTC.
So I’m a little bit nervous to write these unbetaed drabbles for you.
But I hope you like the stories nonetheless.
Thank you for all the nice answers. They mean so much to me.
Have a wonderful day.
XOXO,
Secret Santa.
Christmas Traditions – Turkey Day
“You’re coming?” Katniss called to Prim while she tried to close her coat over her very pregnant belly. Peeta, who had already double knotted his boots, helped her closing the bottoms she couldn’t reach anymore.
“Sure, where to?” Prim pushed Buttercup off her lap, ignoring the hissing cat, grabbed her own coat and pulled it on.
“Haymitch's, of course. It is December 22nd,” Peeta winked at his sister-in-law while he put a orange knit cap on Katniss head and kissed her nose. “All set.”
“OK, you lost me. Why is it obvious that we go to Haymitch's on the 22nd?”
“Turkey day,” Katniss stated and opened the front door.
~~~
“Did we miss it?” Peeta leaned against the large icebox in the back of Haymitch’s grocery store.
“Nah, you're in time. She hasn’t made an appearance till now.” Finnick offered some roasted almonds he had bought earlier. “You know her schedule.”
Katniss took a seat on the only stool in the store Annie had carried over from the place where the older shoppers usually could sit down for a minute. “So we are right on time. Good to know. Prim, believe me, you don’t want to miss this.”
The store door opened, the bell chimed and Effie Trinket strode into the shop. She smiled when she noticed the people there. “Annie, Katniss, so nice to see you. Oh my god, Katniss, your are glowing. How much longer, dear? So good that you have a seat,” Effie gushed. “And Peeta, too. You have to remind me that I need one more loaf of bread more weekend. Can’t run out of bread over the holidays.”
Peeta nodded. “I’ll put it in your bag and bring it over this afternoon, Effie. After all you have so much to carry already.” He indicated to her bags.
“Peeta, you are such a dear.” Effie turned to Haymitch who waited patiently behind his counter. “Haymitch, I’m here for the turkey. Have you been able to get one for me?”
Finnick pushed his elbow into Peeta’s ribs. “Here it comes,” he stage whispered.
Effie turned her head to Finnick and offered him a brief smile.
“Of course, Effie. Here it is. A proud Minnesotan turkey. Free-range. Organic fed. Just like you wanted.” Haymitch went to the icebox behind his counter, opened the lid and grabbed something obviously heavy and large.
“30 pounds of best Christmas turkey, sweetheart,” he grinned.
“Oh my god, Haymitch this bird is so large!” Effie exclaimed and tried to look surprised. “I don’t know if this fits into my oven.”
Katniss snorted, Annie had to put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh and Prim shook her head.
“You mean, your oven is too small for Haymitch’s turkey?” Finnick asked innocently.
Effie ignored his innuendo. “Maybe if his ‘drumstick’ would be smaller we could push it in."
Finnick was now roaring with laughter.
Haymitch tried very hard to keep a solemn face. Years of experience taught him to.
“Effie, maybe we could make a deal. We help you to cook this fine turkey and you agree to be our guest for Christmas dinner?” He almost added 'like last year and every year before’ but he didn’t.
He nodded to Peeta who offered. “I forgot to buy a turkey this year, Effie. Maybe we could use yours. The oven in my bakery is large enough for such a formidable bird.” Peeta went over to the counter and put his hands on the large bird wrapped in foil. It was as large as a turkey could get. In fact it was larger than last year's and the year before.
Prim had to wipe some tears from her cheeks when she shared a grin with her sister. “I’m happy that he is so good with words. I would have died laughing if he had offered your oven. Thank you for inviting me over, by the way. I do now understand why you wanted to share this with me.”
“My oven,” Katniss grinned while she petted her belly “is already stuffed with Peetas bun.”
Prim now snorted with laughter. “And you have this every year?”
“Since the first Christmas after Effie arrived. Five years now and I don’t want to miss a single one. She had been both so outlandish and proud of her Capitol offspring and so shy when she came here. She had no idea how large a real turkey could be when she ordered a big turkey from Haymitch. You should have seen her face when she came with a wicker basket and Haymitch showed her a 15 pound turkey. Since then we all have Christmas dinner together. Every year. Effie buys the turkey, Peeta cooks it in the bakery and we others are making other dishes."
“What are you making this year?” Prim asked.
“Some recipes Papá sent to me. I need your help since I can’t stand so long in the kitchen anymore,” Katniss admitted while waving for Peeta to go ahead with bringing the turkey over to his bakery.
“Ah, daddy’s recipes. I haven’t had dishes from Venezuela since,” Prim tried to remember “well since forever. What are we cooking?”
“I tell you when we are home again.”
To be continued
(again posted by Santa’s little elf)
59 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
