: You and Peeta have finally found some semblance of peace after the games and the war.

: 923

: None

For the first time in weeks, rain woke you from your slumber instead of horrific, vivid nightmares of your time in the arenas. The ones from the Quarter Quell seemed to be worse than your ones from the first games, but they were insufferable either way. Peeta was asleep in his own bed but you both left your doors wide open in case either of you needed comfort during the night, so you crept down the staircase as quietly as you could. In the kitchen, you set about boiling some water for herbal tea, stopping every ten seconds to yawn. It was much earlier than you realised - just gone 5am - and through the kitchen window you saw the sun determined to rise over the Victor’s Village in District 12, pushing through the grey storm clouds with an almost enviable amount of force. Once your tea was ready, you padded through the hallway and to the front door, which you flung open, letting the fresh air and scent of rain engulf your senses. You loved storms, so you set your tea down on the doorstep and sat down with your back against the doorframe to watch.

You had no idea how long you sat there watching the rain, but when Peeta appeared above you, he startled you.

“Sorry,” He said softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay,” He was in plaid pyjamas and his warm dressing gown, rubbing the sleep from the inner corners of his eyes. You patted the space opposite you. “Join me?”
“Sure,” He smiled.

For a while the two of you sat in comfortable silence, the rain being the only sound to be heard. The last few months had been the calmest of your whole life, the months that you should have had after the seventy-fourth Hunger Games; this was how things should have been all along, before the Quarter Quell and the revolution, before everything got turned totally upside down. Or maybe they really got turned the right way up. You still hadn’t sorted through the mass of feelings you had about the events of the last few years, but the one thing you had sorted through were your feelings towards the boy with the bread. Most mornings, you woke up and cursed yourself for not figuring things out sooner, for not realising that your feelings for him were the furthest from an act that anything could possibly be. You were still trying to decide how to tell him this, even though it was clear that he already knew. The love that you two shared was an unspoken rule, your safe place - it was home. Since rescuing him from the Capitol all those months ago, this had been pretty obvious, but you still wanted to apologise for all those times you made it out to be one-sided.

“How come you’re awake so early?” Peeta asked. “Did you have a nightmare?”
“No, the storm woke me up,” You explained. “How come you’re awake so early?”
He shrugged. “I woke up and noticed you weren’t in your bed, so I thought I’d better check on you.”
“You know I’d have come to you if it was a nightmare,” You assured him. “I always do.”
“I know.”

The sun was well above the horizon now, shining down on District 12 and making the puddles glisten in its light. The rain had yet to cease, however, which resulted in a beautiful rainbow. You couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Peeta stood and took both of your hands in his, pulling you up with him. He led you out onto the front steps so you could get a better view of the rainbow; the stone was cold beneath your feet, but you didn’t care in the slightest.

“That smile looks good on you,” Peeta murmured.

You turned to face him. You always thought he looked best in the mornings when sleep still danced behind his brilliant blue eyes and he had yet to run a comb through his blonde hair. He was smiling too - grinning like a fool, actually - and your heart raced within your chest at the sight of the boy in front of you. After the Quarter Quell when he was taken from you, you vowed to never take advantage of him ever again, so every day you reminded yourself to be grateful; for his safety, for his love, for him. You looped your arms around his neck and rubbed your nose against his, forcing yourself to wait for the sweet release that would be his lips against yours. There was no reason for you to rush this moment, but Peeta apparently couldn’t wait because before long he was pressing his soft lips against yours. You could still feel his smile.

You never wanted the moment to end. He wrapped his strong arms around your waist and lifted you up, spinning you around in a circle without breaking this kiss. When he set you down gently, you were standing on his socked feet. You’d only done this once - in the kitchen - but it had made your heart melt then, too. He started to move slowly while holding you tight, dancing for the both of you so your feet wouldn’t get cold on the steps. There were no words to describe how much love you felt for him in that moment; in every moment.

“This is our future,” He whispered into your ear. “Real or not real?”
You kissed him again. “Real.” You said against his lips. “Real, real, real.”

Are You Coming To The Tree?

Pairing: Peeta Mellark x reader

Request: I had some anxious Peeta in mind, where he is scared of losing you the second time you two have to go into the hunger games, so he constantly buries his head into your neck, touches your hand, and just wants to be with you the whole time? @starshippermoon

Tagging:@bitchwhytho@music-of-melody@shadowhuntyi@avada-kedavra-bitch-187

You know what’s coming before the peacekeepers are at the door. It’s just been announced that the Quarter Quell requires the victors to go into the arena once more, and while Peeta stands a chance to stay out of the arena with Haymitch as the other male victor of District 12, you know you’re not as lucky.

“You have a chance,” he says but what chance is that? President Snow allowed for you to move to District 12 as a favor to the people of Panem. They were all too engrossed with the star-crossed lovers that had met last year when Peeta and Katniss joined the games. You and Peeta had met with him being a tribute and you being a mentor, and the rest was history. They came out victoriously when it was announced that a District could win together, and you were allowed to leave your home in District 4 to be with Peeta and to keep the people of Panem happy, but now you would have to go back.

“Peeta, I can’t let Annie go into that arena again. And I’m definitely not about to let Mags go in. It’ll be me and Finnick, you know this.” He knows it. But it’s human to want to protect the people you love. And that’s the very reason you rush over to Haymitch’s house.

“If Peeta is picked—”

“I’ll volunteer. No worries, pumpkin.” You’re well aware that you’re asking him to volunteer himself to be killed but what can you do? Peeta can’t die.

“Thank you.” On your way out, you spot Gale on the steps to Katniss’ house. Once again, the girl he loves will be entering the arena and this time, she might not make it out alive. For a horrible second, you realize that you could be the reason for that, but you hope someone else will take care of that for you. In the distance, you see the peacekeepers meant to take you to the train station. Much too fast you’re back in District 4 and when Mags is chosen, you volunteer as tribute. You see the relief in Finnick’s eyes when he realizes that he won’t have to watch the love of his life be slaughtered, and the pity when he realizes that you just might.

“We’ll make him pay for this.” You want to tell Finnick that it’s cruel to make promises that you can’t keep but instead, you simply nod. You don’t doubt that Snow did this to send a message that no one is safe from the Hunger Games but it doesn’t matter. You still find yourself in the arena while Snow is sitting comfortably in his mansion. You still struggle to keep Peeta alive for even the first five hours while everyone starts killing while Snow gets to tuck his granddaughter into bed once the festivities are finished in the Capitol. You don’t care about making him pay, you care about the boy sitting right next to you, clasping your hand with his as you run away from all the horrible things happening behind you.

“We have to keep moving,” he says, pulling you with him but moving is pointless without water. You need to find water first but you don’t have the heart to tell him that. So, you keep moving and Katniss takes the rear end with her bow and arrows. Finnick eventually finds you too, and you’re so relieved to see him alive that you instantly pull him in for a hug.

“Hey,” he says, hugging you tightly. So many unsaid things are said between the two of you through the hug, but you both keep quiet as you return to Peeta’s side. You and Finnick said your goodbyes on the train, and you won’t open up that box now. Peeta lives. That’s the agreement and no one questions it.

“We need water,” Katniss says, and you agree. Once again, Peeta’s hand finds yours in an act of comfort, you’re too weak to resist. At nighttime, your thoughts are consumed by your need for water and when you see the sponsor gift float through the sky, you might actually weep from pure joy. You recognize the tap immediately and get a hole ready in a tree.

“Here,” you whisper, letting the others drink first. Relief floods your entire body as the lukewarm water fills your mouth. That night Finnick takes the first watch, and Peeta and you snuggle up under the cover of a low tree. You’re both sweating as the tropical night increases the humidity in the air, but neither of you is willing to let go of the other. A pattern that repeats itself over the next few days as the group grows with Johanna, Beetee, and Wiress. You always find a way to touch each other, and you find that you don’t mind showing affection in front of the others as much as you thought you would. The need increases even more after the Jabberjays. You run into the forest after Finnick and Katniss, only to find yourself trapped in there for what feels like an eternity. Haymitch’s screams fill your head despite your attempt to keep the sound out by covering your ears.

“Y/N,” you hear someone say softly, but you can’t move.

“You need to get up. We’ll go down to the water,” the voice says again, and this time you recognize it. Peeta is trying to get you to look at him, but you just can’t. He doesn’t leave your side after that. Not when Beetee comes up with his idea to use the tree hit by lightning, not when it’s time to lay out the wire. And you’re forever thankful to have him by your side.

“Whatever happens tonight, I love you. You know that, right?” You caress his cheek as your heart slowly breaks apart. There’s no way all of you make it out of this arena, and you know you’re not only fighting the others to keep Peeta alive. You’re fighting Peeta too because he wants you to be the victor. But you can’t return to your home without him. He still has his family, you don’t. All you have is Peeta.

“I love you too.” He pulls you in and kisses you gently. It’s not enough though. Tomorrow you might all be dead. So, you deepen the kiss, tasting the salt coating his skin. His mouth moves in familiar patterns, and you ache for home with him.

“Forgive me for interrupting, but we need to get this wire laid out,” Johanna says, not looking sorry at all. She gives a little smirk as you and Peeta take a step back, but he’s quick to grab your hand. Nothing pains you more than being the one to knock him unconscious.

“Get his tracker,” you order Johanna, keeping an eye out for whoever ruined the wire. You’re not sure what happens next. Enobaria strikes you and starts dragging you away from Peeta while you’re screaming for Johanna to stay with Peeta. Next, there is a huge explosion that disorients you for a brief second, then a hovercraft appears in the sky, and you just about make out Peeta’s figure being lifted out of the arena alongside Katniss and someone else.

“We’ll get him out, Y/N.”

“Promise me, Haymitch. Swear you’ll get him out before me.” He stays quiet for a little while, but you’re not letting this go. He needs to swear it.

“Alright. If it comes to it, I swear we’ll get him out first.” He fidgets in his seat, but you’re satisfied. You know what you’re asking of him, but he owes you this.

“But we’re coming back for you.” This time, you’re the one that keeps quiet.

You watch as the hovercraft disappears and as the first peacekeepers arrive. There’s no time for them to return for the rest of you, but you find your peace in the fact that Peeta made it out alive. You even smile as the first peacekeeper smacks you right across the face.

“Come get me, Snow.”