#but omg I loved him hes a mess but he cares so much about Peeta and Katniss it was so sweet | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

katnissmellarkkk · 3 years

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I *DEMAND* part 3 of shattered pearl. I repeat. I *DEMAND*.

Hahahahaha omg. Well, I decided to legitimately dig through the archives of my writing drafts and found chapter three of the Peeta-Wasn’t-Hijacked fic. It’s been given like 1,000 different names on different sites. I’ve never loved any of them. And I don’t really think this is my best writing ngl. But I also figure ... why be so stingy, ya know? If I have an incomplete draft, that I probably won’t finish, why not post a little bit? Especially since I literally left everyone and their brother who were reading this fic on a cliffy for over a year.

With that said.... I wrote this part like ... 15 months ago? 14 ? 13 ? Something like that. And I haven’t edited it since so ... yeah! Here’s a small chunk of chapter three! 🥳🥳🥳 Hope it’s better than I remember it being!

But it’s lacking something and it’s only then I realize, what I’m searching for inside Gale’s mouth, is the spark that only Peeta’s ever ignited in me. I keep waiting in vain for the warmth that started in my stomach and then rose up and exploded in my chest, for the craving that no matter what I couldn’t manage to satisfy, for the thrilling, almost hysterical, tingly feeling, to overcome me and leave me lightheaded in a completely foreign way. A way that couldn’t be attributed to lack of oxygen.

But it never does. I pull back and wipe my mouth carelessly on my arm and sigh, already sensing Gale’s demeanor taking a nose dive at my lackluster reaction.

I’m not disappointed when I look to see his expression. His eyes are frustrated, his mouth is downturned, his eyebrows are pinched together. And I feel as bad as I knew I would. Because no matter what, I’m hurting someone I deeply care for.

But how I feel upon seeing Gale’s face isn’t even comparable to the amount of remorse that fills me, that overtakes my entire being, when I see Peeta standing in the doorway, having watched our entire exchange.

I yelled his name as he disappeared down the hall. I tried to rip out all the needles and wires connecting me to the machines and the stiff, sterilized bed but Gale used all his strength to push me down flat. I was overpowered and exhausted and my left side was screaming mercilessly, and I don’t even know what pain was the bruised lung and what pain was my hurt ribs and what pain was my heart violently smashing into the pit of my stomach.

All I know is that if I had been able to reach Peeta before he evaporated, I have no clue what I would have said to him.

What I could have said to make it alright.

Gale tried to talk to me again after that but I entirely tuned him out, no longer caring if I wounded his feelings, or anyone else's for that matter.

It seems like no matter what I do, no matter how careful or cautious or preemptive I try to be, someone still got hurt in the end.

I wish I could just shut out the world, like I did during those first few weeks in Thirteen. Hide inside closets when I had a flashback. Shove myself into a minuscule crawl space with every nightmare. Refuse to speak to anyone who wasn't Gale or my family. Only eat when my mother nearly forced me. Show no remorse for how rude or how clinically insane I came across.

But now there was an agreement in place, an agreement I made to protect the victors—namely the one who just disappeared down the hall on me—and the people who had no voice on their own. The people who’s only chance was a half-crazed, shell-shocked, battle worn seventeen year old girl, who was just gunned down on national television.

Even if I wanted to retreat to some safe haven inside my head—if such a thing even existed for me—like Annie Cresta, I knew it could never happen.

For me, that wasn’t an option. If I don’t fulfill my duties to Coin, Peeta, Johanna, Annie and probably countless more people will suffer. The districts would undoubtably suffer. Gale would suffer. My mother and Prim would suffer.

I was proven right when later that same night Plutarch came to visit me again. I'd been lying on my side to avoid having to see Gale, who was still soldered to my bedside. My good side was thankfully opposite his seat.

When the Gamemaker spoke I thought I would be forced back to work. Forced to head back to the rebels and engage in their plans.

And I was resigned to it, well aware all along that I wouldn't be given the luxury of time to grieve the hurt I just caused Peeta. Or even the pain I knew I was inflicting upon Gale. The constant seesaw my heart was bouncing up and down on.

I was endlessly thankful that I was still pumped with morphling when Plutarch said that I was needed in Coin's office, because it heavily suppressed any real emotion I had brewing deep inside.

Morphling can cause you to let down your guard sometimes, make you say or do things you wouldn't otherwise or allow things to happen you'd ordinarily have the sense to stop. But it also causes all your severe emotions, all your heightened feelings, to dull as well. And for that, in light of everything that had just transpired, I was eternally grateful for.

When the doctor had removed all the needles from my arm, and I had been given a robe to go over my hospital gown—which, shockingly, was even uglier and thinner and itchier than the gowns they gave in the Capitol hospitals—Gale escorts me down the halls, through the corridors and to President Coin’s office.

I don’t speak to him the entire time. Looking at him makes my stomach churn with remorse and regret, though I’m not even sure who those feelings are directed towards. I’m not even sure how to articulate the way I feel right now.

And, as much as I try to force him out of my mind—as much as I do my best to rip him out from wherever he crawled beneath my skin and flooded into my veins—I inexplicably miss Peeta.

In more ways than I even know how to decipher. Even inside my own head.

I thought that feeling of longing would have ebbed away once he was rescued from Snow and his twisted mansion, but even knowing he’s safe here in Thirteen, I still crave his presence next to me.

I still want him next to me almost all the time.

It’s at least partially attributable to the fact that for so long, it was me and Peeta against the world. He has been my partner in this whirlwind rollercoaster since the first games and, even when I feel like every single aspect that could potentially go wrong has, sometimes it seems like I couldn’t have gotten luckier with who was chosen that fateful reaping to stand by my side the entire horrific ride.

I wipe my eyes as inconspicuously as I can but Gale sees and almost instinctively puts his hand on my shoulder. And proves he knows me better than I give him credit for. “I’ll talk to him, Katniss.”

“Don’t,” I immediately hiss. “You’ll just make it worse, Gale. He-he,” I struggle with explaining what I want to say and I curse my best friend for even addressing my moment of weakness because now I have to go talk to Coin, looking like an unstable mess—with a near bullet wound—and I blurt out the very first thing I can think of. “He doesn’t even know you, okay? You’ll just-“

There’s no malice in Gale’s voice as he softly replies, “Well, he was fine when I went and saw him before you woke up.”

I stop now, dead in my tracks. “You saw him? After I was shot?”

He nods slowly. “Yeah, I felt like should check on him. I know...” He pauses and looks upwards and I recognize, once again, this whole thing isn’t easy for him either. “I know he means a lot to you. And I heard what happened when he saw you go down. So I went and checked in on him...” He stops again before shrugging nonchalantly. “He was calmer by the time I saw him. He was nice. He’s always been nice.” At that Gale rolls his eyes. “Too nice. Probably why Snow wanted to hurt him.”

I start walking again, moving ahead of him a few paces. “You’re not helping,” I state, my voice a monotone.

“I’ll talk to him,” Gale offers again, running to catch up.

“Please don’t, okay? Just let it be. I don’t even know if he’ll speak to me, I don’t want to have to worry about what you’ll say to him.”

I vigorously shake off his hand on my shoulder when he tries to comfort me again, and feel him root into place as I make the rest of the way to Coin’s office.

And I wonder if I hurt him now too.

I wonder if I managed to completely annihilate them both from me in one night.

Much to my surprise and, to be completely honest, my utter disappointment, Coin doesn’t want me to head back out and fight for the rebellion. She doesn’t want me to even film more propos.

Plutarch does, but his ideas now are pretty frivolous and have more to do with him being still stuck in the fantasy of putting on a good show and less to do with fighting for the good of the country.

Coin simply says, “You did your job, Miss Everdeen. You united the districts,” in her calm, disingenuous—completely unsettling—tone.

And argument I put up is met with a simple shake of the head and a pursing of her lips. All indisputable rejections, her cold, blank eyes telling me wordlessly that in no way could I sway her once her mind was made up.

Still doesn’t stop me from trying though.

“I want to help the rebels,” I plead, looking to Boggs behind Coin’s chair, his face still stoic but his eyes giving me a look that isn’t altogether dismissive.

That was something. It was more than I was getting from either Coin or Plutarch.

Coin though brushes off my words and cuts me down infuriatingly quick with a single sentence. “Plutarch wanted to see Peeta earlier, talk about some propos. But when he sent for him, one of the doctors working with Peeta said he wasn’t having a good day.”

Her tone is smooth and pleasant enough but there was an undercurrent to her words that she knew I would hear. “Do you know how Peeta is? I would have thought with your waking up this morning, he’d be in better shape than he was but if you two aren’t getting-“

“Me and Peeta are fine,” I snap, not liking whatever she’s implying.

She nods, slowly at me, choosing her next sentiment carefully. “Well, let’s hope so. We need both of you now to remain the faces of this revolution. And I wouldn’t want you to do anything rash because of... problems between you and your... between you and Peeta.”

I’m shaking my head, feigning certainty, before she even finishes. “That’s not why I want to help the rebels,” I insist firmly.

“Irregardless, Miss Everdeen, we don’t have a job for you. You aren’t qualified to go into the fight and we no longer need your propos to unite the districts. Your job is done. Thank you for your help.”

And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I’m being definitively dismissed now. Indefinitely.

I don’t make any effort to keep my cool, instead choosing to storm out of the room, slamming the door cacophonously behind me and wonder why I let that woman get to me so much. Why her words and implications slice me open like a knife.

Why no matter how much I try, I just can’t like her.

Something about her rubs me the wrong way and, once again, I wish Peeta was here with me in the room, because he of all people could understand what about Coin felt off and strange and so familiar.

I curse myself again, as I suddenly miss him even more than before.

Unable to force myself to put my focus elsewhere—especially now that Gale is surely angry too—I change directions and head towards the recovery room.

I don’t even knock before entering. I push the door open, only to find him sitting on top of his bed, a sketchbook in hand, a lot more tranquil than I pictured.

He looks up as I enter—and then, simultaneously freeze in the doorway, like the coward I truly am inside. Before he can speak though, I blurt out, “I know you’re mad about me kissing Gale and I don’t know how much you saw or heard, but it wasn’t... it wasn’t exactly...” I stop because once again, I’m unprepared and out of my element and have no rhyme or reason in what I’m trying to say. I don’t know the right thing to say. I never know the right thing to say.

Maybe if I did, I wouldn’t screw always everything up. “It wasn’t,” I finally force myself to continue, off his patient and somewhat bewildered glance. “It wasn’t what I wanted... I didn’t want it to happen. I don’t, I don’t even know what-“

He finally puts me out of my misery now. “Katniss,” he speaks my name along with a sigh. I watch carefully, feeling a lump build in my throat, as his blonde brows furrow over his baby blues.

He shakes his head, slow and calm. Far more reasonable than I ever anticipated. “I’m not mad at you, Katniss,” he promises, with all the genuineness in the world.

I bite my lip, befuddled by his words. “But... where have you been then?” Why did you leave me? A small voice in the back of my mind demands.

He shrugs, his gaze falling down to his bed now. His demeanor is almost embarrassed, I realize with a start.

“I wanted to give you and Gale space. I’ve been practically mauling you since you woke up so I thought-“

“But I didn’t want you to leave,” I abruptly burst out, unable to shove the words down any longer.

A pang of embarrassment shoots through me though, for the pathetic crack, evident in my tone. And I mentally berate myself.

Not for the embarrassment. For the pathetic crack itself.

And for the fact that somehow I’m the frenzied one here and Peeta is the voice of reason.

Which used to be our norm but after everything that’s transpired, I would have thought things would be reversed by now.

He just stares at me for a long moment, carefully considering his next words.

Finally, he opens his arms slowly and utters, “Come here,” in a tender murmur and I practically fly into his arms before I can second guess the offer.

I feel my injured side screaming as I curl up like a ribbon in his arms, but I surpress the wince to the best of my ability and instead bury my face in his shoulder, breathing in his sweet scent like a mad girl.

He softly presses his lips to my messy locks, carefully massaging the back of my head soothingly. “I’m sorry I ran away,” he whispers, barely loud enough for even me to hear. “I was just embarrassed. I know—I’ve always known deep down—that it’s not right for me to constantly hold you to the things you said in the games. Or to project my own feelings onto you.”

“You didn’t,” I refute venomously, my brows knitting together.

“Katniss, I know you and Gale have had something between you for a long time.”

“Gale was just a friend until me and you came back from our first games. Maybe he wanted to be more even before, I don’t know, but I never felt anything romantic for him. I swear.”

“You don’t have to defend your feelings to me,” he states softly.

“I know, it’s just...” I sigh, moving to sit upright across his thighs. “No matter what I do, it’s wrong. If I say I’m confused, you’re both hurting. If I say I want to kiss you or sleep with you or just be with you, I’m leading you on because I can’t-I can’t make any promises about my feelings right now, because I don’t even know up from down anymore. And if I say I do or don’t want to kiss Gale or be around him or hunt with him still, I’m hurting him or giving him the wrong idea or telling him the wrong things, and it all gets confused and there’s an entire rebellion that I’m the face of, and now I don’t even know if I’m a part of that, but Snow and his followers all hate me still so I know family still won’t be safe until this is all over. And you. You and Johanna and Annie went through the ringer over me. And Gale gets upset whenever he sees us together—it hurts him to see us—but I can’t always seperate you two from one another and I just-I don’t know what I can do. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Peeta lets me rant the whole entire spiel out, his hand slowly moving in circles to rub my back, from the top of my spine down to my backside. “Katniss,” he whispers once I’m done. “You don’t have to defend yourself to me. I get it. You’re under immense pressure. The last thing I want to do is make things harder on you.”

“You’re not,” I say, shaking my head insistently. “You’re not making anything worse, Peeta. It’s-it’s not you.”

“Okay,” he concedes and unconsciously wraps me up tighter in his arms. “Just relax, okay? Relax and breathe.”

I quiver and quake against him. “I don’t think I can.”

I barely realize I’m crying until Peeta leans down to kiss my tearstained cheek softly. “Katniss, it’s okay. I’m not mad. And Gale shouldn’t be. If he is, then that’s on him. The rebellion isn’t just your responsibility. Do not let them put all that weight on your shoulders. I know they already have but it’s not all your responsibility. And no one is going to let anything happen to your mom or sister.” He pushes my hair away from my forehead, pressing his lips there for a long moment. “Or you. I promise I will not let anything else happen to you.”

I swallow hard as he rests his forehead against my temple. I squeeze my eyes shut in hopes that it will make my head stop spinning somehow. Deep breaths to center myself fail miserably and in the end, I feel my bruised ribs and lung disagree with the movement and ache worse than before.

Peeta feels me cringing against him in pain and remains careful as he shifts, reaching for something off his bedside table.

I’m in too much pain to react as pushes off my robe and tugs my hospital gown down in order to slide against my skin, his hand holding it firmly to my side.

The icy temperature brings some sort of relief to me almost instantly, and I let out an audible sigh of relief, feeling my rigid body relax even a minuscule amount for the first time.

“I don’t blame you for having feelings for Gale,” Peeta murmurs, drawing my attention back to our conversation and away from my painful left side. “And if you want to be with him, I won’t hold it against you. I’m not going to lie, I’d be ... sad but... it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t still be your friend. It doesn’t mean I wouldn’t still be at jere for you however you needed me. There’s no ultimatums here, Katniss. I’m still here for you, even if you’d rather be with Gale.”

I pause for a long moment, absorbing his words. He’d be willing to be my friend, even if I hurt him? Even if I chose someone else over him? Even after everything we went through, even after all the ways he’d been abused because Snow could see how much I care for him? How much I need him. He’s still willing to put it all aside and be there for me, no strings attached.

And I try not to compare but my brain draws the conclusion almost involuntarily, and I can’t stop myself from realizing that, in the same position, Gale would likely not be telling me the same thing.

I burrow my face deeper in his shoulder, shutting my eyes in exhaustion.

Peeta catches me off-guard, moving my hair aside to kiss my neck, eliciting a flare of heat in the place where his lips brush my skin, and I may not know exactly how I feel, but I know in that moment exactly what I want right now.

“The only person I want to be with tonight is you,” I whisper honestly, looking up at him with pleading eyes, begging him to somehow understand an emotion I don’t know how to admit. “The only person I want right now is you, Peeta.”

#everlark #thg #hunger games #my writing #asks 🦋#everlurked 🌸✨

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loveinpanem-blog · 7 years

Text

Love Is ...Never Fails

By: @booksrockmyface

Rating: Teen and up

Summary: A series of scenes set in modern times featuring many pairings/families from the Hunger Games (similar to Love Actually). Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. (Much thanks to thesaltywinteradult who helped iron out all these details, especially in giving me the scenario for the first Everlark scene.)

Trigger warning: The first section features sick kids (there is puke). The sixth deals with a recovering alcoholic (not explicitly mentioned, but heavily alluded to).

________

1. “Love is patient, love is kind”

Annie walked out of the Mags and Brendan’s room shaking her head as she cleared the thermometer. “Both are just over a hundred.” She pressed the thermometer to Pearl’s temple. The baby tried to burrow into Gale’s chest away from it. “I know, sweetie. Just give me a minute.” She clicked her tongue. “Hers is only ninety-nine point three.”

Finnick stepped out of the kitchen with bowls of soup. “I got the cure for what ails ‘em.” He walked toward the bedroom, but paused when Pearl puked all over Gale’s chest. “Ew.”

“You get to clean up the twins’ puke then.” Gale handed Pearl to Annie and then removed his shirt.

Finnick groaned. “You better put that back on before I slip nighttime cough syrup into this soup.” He gave a roguish wink.

Gale shook his head. “Three sick kids? I feel entirely non-sexy.” He wiped at the corner of Pearl’s mouth and then kissed her forehead. “I’ll get the next round of medicine.”

Annie sneezed. “Oh, I hope that was a regular sneeze.” She mumbled.

They spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of the children. Each of them took turns cuddling them one by one.

By the time the kids were (finally) settled into bed, Finnick was complaining of a headache. In the middle of the night, Annie ran from the room to throw up. By the time the sun started to peek over the horizon, Gale was the only one not sick.

He ran from one room to the next, cleaning up this mess and that one. Everyone eventually rested around noon, spent from the almost constant purging.

Gale checked temperatures and made sure everyone had a glass of water. Pearl wasn’t sleeping well in her bed, so he picked her up and held her close as he fed her a bottle.

“I’m cold.” Annie shivered from the bed, moving closer to Finnick.

“I’m burning up, Annie. No.” Finnick pushed her away.

Annie groaned and her teeth chattered as she pulled the blanket over her head.

Gale placed Pearl in her bed and let her hold her own bottle. He climbed into the bed next to Annie and pulled another blanket over her, wrapping her in his embrace.

“I got you.” Gale said softly.

“Thanks.” She burrowed further under the blankets. “How are the kids?”

Gale gave her a kiss on the temple. “Pearl’s temperature is back to normal. The twins have been sleeping pretty much all day like you and Finnick. But their temps are down, too.”

“Good.” She shivered again. “I’m still so cold, Gale.”

Finnick threw his arm over her. “I’m a furnace right now. I should let you take advantage.”

“Speaking of advantage.” Annie looked to Gale. “Are you doing okay?”

Gale smiled and nuzzled against her hair. “I feel great. A little tired. But worth it.”

“Yeah.” Finnick said. “You’ve been all over the house today taking care of all of us. It’s not fair.”

“What else am I supposed to do? I’m the healthy one here.” Gale argued.

“Pop?” Mags called from the doorway.

Gale looked over. “What is it, Maggie?”

“I puked all over my bed.” Mags wiped her eyes. “I tried to roll over to the bowl, but I didn’t make it.”

“It’s okay.” Gale paused to press kisses to Finnick and Annie’s cheeks before he climbed out of the bed. “Get up there with Mama and Daddy while I clean up your bed.” He planted a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s okay, baby.” He said as he walked past.

He didn’t mind cleaning up Maggie’s bed for the tenth time. Or changing Pearl for the hundredth time. Or dumping and rinsing out all the puke bowls for the thousandth time. He didn’t care that he had to keep piling blankets on Annie and then pulling them off and piling them back up and then pulling them off and piling them back on. He didn’t care that Finnick kept asking for more water.

He didn’t care because he loved them all so very much.

________

2. “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud”

Johanna smoothed her hand over her hair as she looked in the mirror. She wore a simple white cocktail dress. She and Cressida had agreed that it wouldn’t be anything fancy. They knew what they were doing wasn’t like their friends could do with the ceremony and the four tier cake and hundreds of guests. They doubted they even knew a hundred people between them that would care or support their vows.

So after the fifth wedding of the summer, they decided they wanted to do it their way: quietly and without the fanfare.

Cressida came in the room wearing a similar dress. The side of her head was freshly shaved to show off the vines she had tattooed there. They ran down her neck, across her shoulder, disappeared momentarily under the strap of her dress, and then continued down her arm to wrap around her wrist.

“Castor and Pollux are here.” Cressida announced.

Johanna turned from admiring herself in the mirror and smiled. “It’s about time.”

Cressida laughed and wrapped her arms around Johanna. “We’re just waiting for Finnick’s crew now.” She rested her forehead on Johanna’s shoulder. “Do you think our friends will be mad we didn’t invite them?”

“Let them be.” Johanna said, scratching her nails gently down Cressida’s back. “This is what we’ve chosen. Just us and family. Fuck our friends if they get mad.”

“That’s right.” Cressida pressed a soft, slow kiss to Johanna’s lips and then stepped back. “Sorry, I just smudged our lipstick.”

Johanna laughed. “I love when you smudge my lipstick.” She turned to the mirror and fixed her makeup. And then she fixed Cressida’s lips.

Evan ran in screaming, “The twins are here!” He tugged Cressida’s hand. “Come on, Mom. Get married already. We want cake!”

Cressida laughed and allowed her son to drag her outside. “Come on, Jo.”

Johanna followed and they were greeted by Finnick, Annie, Gale, and their kids. They all looked pretty good after their previous week’s illness. Johanna threw her arms around Finnick’s neck.

“You’re looking lovely, Johanna.” Finnick said in her ear before he kissed her cheek. “Mom and Dad would be proud.”

Johanna rolled her eyes. “I doubt it.” She leaned over the little bundle Annie held. “Hello, Pearl. Are you feeling better?”

Annie smiled and lifted the baby higher. “Much better. Say hi to Aunt Jo.”

“Come see Jo-Jo.” Johanna gathered the baby close.

“Your dress.” Cressida warned.

“Fuck the dress.” Johanna kissed the baby’s face. “Auntie Jo-Jo loves you so much, Pearl. Yes, I do.”

“What about me?” Little Mags asked from Johanna’s hip.

Johanna stooped down. “I love you, Maggie.” She kissed the girl’s forehead. “Very much.”

Mags beamed and ran off to find Brendan and Evan in the kitchen.

Cressida lifted Pearl out of Johanna’s arms and kissed her forehead before passing her to Gale. “Let’s get this going. Evan said he wants cake and I’m thinking the same thing.”

It was a very quick ceremony. The kids managed to sit still for the few minutes it took for the vows to be said. As soon as the women kissed, Evan, Brendan, and Mags ran back to the kitchen to take in the masterpiece of the cake once more.

Cressida and Johanna followed, motioning the rest of the group to come along with them.

“We ordered pizza to get here in about an hour.” Johanna explained. “We can definitely have dessert first.”

Pollux gestured to the cake and signed.

Castor translated for him, “It’s gorgeous.” Then he asked for himself, “Who made it?”

“Peeta Mellark at Meadow Bakery.” Johanna answered.

The cake was a single round tier. There was a cascade of the vines like Cressida had tattooed on her head, neck, and arm wrapped around the cake.

“Peeta really outdid himself.” Finnick said.

“He really did.” Cressida said. “We wanted something simple. But we ended up with the embellishment anyway.”

“Because I asked for it.” Johanna said with a smile, slipping an arm around Cressida’s waist.

Cressida smiled. “I didn’t know that.”

“It’s all for you, Cress.” Johanna kissed Cressida hard, bending her backward.

________

3. “It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking”

Annie checked her phone again and laughed. “Finnick is having a time of it.”

“Pearl still not settling down?” Gale asked, leaning closer to see the text.

Finnick: OMG! Please come home soon! Pearl hasn’t stopped crying since you left! (But have fun while you’re out. Love you both. Twins say hi.)

Annie sighed and sat her phone down. “This is supposed to be us. I’m sorry.”

Gale put his hand over hers. “It’s fine. You know it is. He’s never been alone with all three of them.”

“Yeah, but this is supposed to be our night. No Finnick, no kids, just us.”

He brought her knuckles to his lips. “It’s the three of us in this relationship, Annie.”

“It is.” She leaned closer. “Do you ever feel like a third wheel?”

He chuckled. “I did at first. And then I felt like you two were showering me with too much attention. And now I feel like it evens out.”

She cupped his cheek. “I just want to make sure you feel like we’re all in this, that you have a say.”

“I do feel that.” He turned his head and kissed her palm. “I also know that some days you and I get along better than you and Finnick or me and Finnick. It just depends on what’s going on with us.” He grinned. “I’m sure there were days when it was just the two of you that you couldn’t stand each other just as much as it has been with me in the mix.”

Annie laughed and nodded. “True.” She looked up when the waiter came over with a pair of cherry cheesecake slices. “Did you order this when I went to take Finnick’s call?”

“Might have.” Gale thanked the waiter. “I know how much you like it.”

She grabbed his tie and tugged him in for a soft kiss. “Thank you.” She sat back. “You will say something, though? If you ever feel left out?”

“As long as you will.” He took a bite of the cheesecake and smiled. “Best in the city.”

“Don’t ever let Peeta hear you say that.” She warned as she lifted her first bite to her mouth.

________

4. “it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs”

Katniss walked into the house she’d shared with Peeta for the last year. It was small and tidy, no thanks to her. She was an admitted slob and worked too much for it to even be something she could partially contribute to by the time she got home from her evening round on the ambulance.

And then she noticed that there was something different. Candles sat on the coffee table and on the little table where they put bills and keys (it was clear now otherwise).

“Shit.” She dropped her bag by the door.

Peeta appeared in the kitchen door. “Hi.”

“I forgot it was our anniversary.” She looked around. “I am a horrible girlfriend.”

“No, you’re not.” He walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. “You’re doing a lot these days.”

“Too much.” She groaned pushed away from him. “You shouldn’t have even bothered.”

“Why? Because you didn’t realize the day, I should have kept my plans to myself? The plans I’ve had for weeks?”

“You’re goddamn right.” She stomped to the bedroom and slammed the door.

From outside, he said, “To be fair, when I left for the bakery this morning and you were still asleep, I didn’t know that you were unaware of the day.”

“So you’re saying this is my fault?” She snapped back as she struggled out of her uniform.

“No, I’m saying that even if I had known you forgot, I still would have gone to the trouble. Because I remembered.” He paused. “And I always like to make you feel special.”

She groaned and pulled the door open. “Why do you even stay with me? We never see each other anymore. I’m always gone.”

“No, you aren’t.” He argued.

She scoffed. “It’s after eleven. This is every night.”

“It is. But I leave every morning by three thirty. Is that any better?” Peeta challenged.

Katniss bristled, but slowly lost the tension in her body. “I don’t guess so.”

“And does it bother you that we only get a few minutes in the middle of the night most of the time?”

“It does,” she admitted, “but it’s been better to have that this last year than to not see each other at all for weeks.”

He stepped closer. “I don’t care that you work long hours. Or that our schedules are different. Or even that you forgot our anniversary.” He framed her face with his hands. “What matters is that I love you. And once the bakery gets a little more self-sufficient, I’ll be able to give other people the responsibility of the place and I can work around your schedule.”

“You promise?” She asked, feeling a little like a petulant child.

“I do.” He said with a gentle smile.

She smiled back. “Then I promise that I’ll try to get an earlier shift as soon as it opens. That way we’ll at least have more time in the evening together.”

He brushed a kiss over her lips. “Great. Now, come on. I made some steaks and baked potatoes. Fried up bacon for it, too.”

“You’re the perfect boyfriend.” She said as she followed him into the kitchen.

“Well, I do what I can.” He said with a laugh.

________

5. “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth”

Katniss picked the table outside the little café she and Gale frequented.

Gale joined her a minute later.

“So how can you forget your anniversary?” Gale asked.

“I’ve never been good with dates.” Katniss chuckled. “Since we’re living together now, I should have kept a better eye on it.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He tipped his cup back.

“How do you remember?” Katniss sipped her coffee.

“Finnick and Annie both start dropping hints a week before.” He laughed. “It’s actually Finnick. They like to give me a hard time.”

Katniss started to laugh, but something caught her eye. A little blonde woman walked alongside a man with dark hair. They held hands and laughed together.

Gale followed her gaze. “Holy shit.” He stood and cupped his hands around his mouth, “Rory.”

The couple froze.

“I thought they broke up.” Katniss said.

“I thought Rory was dating someone else.” Gale responded.

The couple walked up and leaned over the railing. Prim smiled nervously. “Hi, Katniss.”

“What’s going on here?” Katniss asked.

Rory sighed. “We’re dating again.”

“And?” Gale asked.

“We didn’t want anyone to know right away since we ended it so volatilely before.” Prim said.

“Yeah, what she said.” Rory slipped an arm around Prim’s waist. “But I love her. You got something to say about it?”

Katniss and Gale exchanged a look and then laughed.

Gale shrugged. “You’re adults. We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“We’re okay.” Prim said. “Totally okay.”

“Good.” Katniss indicated their table. “Want to join us?”

“Sure.” Prim said.

Rory went in to order while Prim settled in.

________

6. “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”

Effie was starting to worry about Haymitch relapsing.

“I’m fine, Effie.” He promised when she mentioned it.

“Just talk to me if you feel like you need to. Or your sponsor.” She grabbed his hands. “Or go to a meeting.”

He threw off her hands. “Damnit, Effie, don’t you trust me? After all that we’ve been through?”

“I trust you.” She said. “I trust you to do what’s right. I know you’re stressed a lot lately with your job. That triggered things the last time.”

He nodded and pulled her close. “You know what I didn’t have the last time?”

“What?” Her heart started pounding with the excitement that he usually brought.

“A wife who kept me in check.” He kissed her softly. “There’s a meeting tomorrow. I’ll go.”

“Will you be able to go to the barbeque for a bit?” Effie brushed her fingers over his cheek. “You know how much all those kids love you.”

Haymitch grumbled. “They’re so noisy.”

“You’re the loudest one.” She said with a laugh.

“Yeah, most of the time.” He gave her a reluctant grin. “It’s an afternoon meeting. Should be over before the festivities start.”

“Thank you.” She pressed her mouth close to his ear. “Now let’s go to bed.”

He laughed and swung her up into his arms to carry her to their bedroom.

____

7. “Love never fails”

Katniss was in charge of the grill, passing out burgers and hot dogs to the kids as they were done. Parents waited nearby to help assemble.

Gale wandered over with Pearl in one arm and a plate in the other hand. “You and Peeta got any announcements to make?”

Katniss laughed. “Not us. Just celebrating the start of summer.” She placed a hot dog and hamburger in the waiting buns on his plate. “What about you guys?” She tickled Pearl’s chin. “This one won’t be a baby much longer.”

Gale laughed and kissed his daughter’s forehead. “The twins were four when we decided to have her, so we’ll be waiting a bit longer.”

“Pop, is that mine?” Brendan asked as he ran over.

“It’s for you and your sister to share.” Gale gave Katniss a nod. “Gotta feed my kids.”

Katniss sighed. “If you must.” She leaned down to Brendan. “Peeta’s finishing up decorating a cake. So don’t fill up on the regular food.” She tapped his nose and then straightened.

Katniss finished filling the platters of hot dogs and hamburgers and then made a plate for herself and Peeta and wandered into the house to find her boyfriend.

“Nope!” Peeta stood in the doorway to the kitchen. “I’m almost done and I want it to be a surprise to everyone.”

“I just wanted to make sure you got a burger before everyone else took them.” She craned her neck to try to see over his shoulder. “Are you sure I can’t see it yet?”

“Not yet.” He took the plate and gave her a quick kiss. “Thanks. Love you. Go play hostess. I’ll be out there in a few more minutes.”

Katniss shook her head and went back out to the group gathered. She leaned against the railing of the porch and chatted with Johanna and Annie while they watched the kids running around. Jo reached over the railing and combed her fingers through Cressida’s hair. There were other small groups chatting here and there.

This was one of the biggest parties Katniss and Peeta had ever put together. Their friends and family had multiplied in the last couple years, which explained most of the extra faces.

Peeta appeared in the back door and got everyone’s attention. “I’m sorry I’ve been a little distracted most of the afternoon, but I really wanted to make this cake perfect.” He turned and picked up something from inside the door and walked straight to Katniss. “You get the first real look.”

Katniss first noticed the green trim around the cake with orange roses in the corners. The rest of the cake was a garden filled with so many different types of plants.

In the center, sat an open ring box.

“No.” Katniss gasped.

“Is that your answer or are you expressing disbelief?” Peeta said as lightly as possible. She could hear his voice shaking.

She pointed. “Is that for real?”

“It is.” Peeta watched Katniss anxiously, the cake started trembling.

Finnick reached over and slipped it out of Peeta’s harms, holding it so that Peeta could remove the box from the cake.

Peeta took a knee and held up the box. “You forgot our anniversary a couple months ago. And I nearly forgot your birthday in the run up to Mother’s Day. But somehow we’ve stuck together. So, Katniss, will you please—”

Katniss pulled him up and crushed her lips against his over and over. In between each kiss, she said, “Yes!”

The group cheered as Peeta slipped the ring onto Katniss’s finger.

“Eat some cake!” Peeta exclaimed.

“Someone needs to get some Champagne out here!” Finnick said.

Haymitch laughed uncomfortably. “What if we just settle for the fireworks I was forced to buy?”

“No one forced you, old man.” Katniss said with a laugh. “You happily volunteered.”

Haymitch gave a dismissive wave. “Well, it’s about dark enough. Keep the kids back.” He walked toward the setup on the corner of the property.

Katniss kissed Peeta again. “You couldn’t have done it any better.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’ve been stressing over it for days.” He looked around. “Wanna sneak inside and make out?”

She laughed. “Do you think we’ll be missed?”

“Not as soon as those fireworks start.” He pulled her inside the house as they stifled their laughter.

#LIP2017 #Valentine's Day #LIP Drabbles #VDAY 2017 Day2 #booksrockmyface #love is never fails #everlark #everlark fanfiction #thg fanfiction #loveinpanem #submission #VDAY 2017

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