Real - An Everlark Fanfiction

- Chapter Five -

It's taken me four months to realize that Haymitch has stopped checking in on me. In fact, the last time I saw him was when he took me to the bakery. He just disappeared that day. I walked myself home. When I tell Peeta this, he insists we go over to his house to make sure he's alright. The thought of this doesn't thrill me, but I figure he's saved my life a couple times, the least I can do is make sure my mentor is okay.

Peeta rushes me to put on my shoes and jacket, practically pushing me out the door. I can't figure out what could be so problematic that we have to run to Haymitch's, but I do what I'm told. I know Peeta. He will not rest until he knows his loved ones are okay, I just didn't know he loved Haymitch this much.

"Peeta!" I say, scrambling to tie my boots. "Why are we rushing?"

"He wouldn't just leave you alone," he says, opening the door. I realize he's probably right, and get up.

When we're outside, I move at the same pace as Peeta, which is pretty slow considering his prosthetic leg doesn't work quite as well as his other one. Haymitch is our neighbor and doesn't live very far away, but this is still too much for Peeta to handle. I know he is unstable, especially since he's stressed. I have Peeta put his arm around my shoulder for support. He's panting.

"Don't run," I say. "Haymitch is fine. He's probably been drunk the entire time and forgot about us."

"I know. I'm sorry," he says, beginning to walk towards the house.

When we eventually arrive at the Abernathy residence, Peeta both knocks and rings the doorbell. I hear footsteps and some familiar grumbling, and know that Haymitch is okay. The door opens and I notice Peeta breathe a sigh of relief. I take his hand and give it a squeeze.

"Why lookie here. It's the star crossed lovers of District 12," Haymitch says holding a bottle of, no doubt, some kind of alcohol. I roll my eyes and figure that he's drunk. What else is new?

Haymitch must have realized that Peeta could take care of me. That I didn't need him to check on me anymore. Peeta must realize this, too, because he relaxes and goes back to his almost-normal self. Haymitch could have at least told us. He had Peeta worried sick, and hate seeing him like that.

"Star crossed lovers, eh? Haven't heard that one in a long time," Peeta says, smiling at me. He's always loved being called that, and I've always hated it.

"Don't call us that," I say, looking right at Haymitch.

"I sure have seen that name in a lot of places lately," Haymitch says, taking a sip of his drink. What does he mean? Has he really been drunk enough to rewatch our old Hunger Games tapes?

"Where? I ask, confused.

"Oh?" Haymitch smirks, leaning against the doorframe for support. He must have really had a lot of "refreshments," as he calls them, before we showed up. "Now you care, girl on fire?"

"Where have you seen that name?" I repeat, taking the bottle from his hand and chucking it across his house. It lands with a crash next to his already-cracked flat screen TV. Peeta takes my arm and tries to calm me down, but it isn't working.

"In the newspapers, sweetheart. You're everywhere. Now excuse me while I clean up your accident"

What could I possibly have been doing that's worthy of a newspaper article? The games are over. Nothing me and Peeta do now can possibly be as exciting as it was before. The second Haymitch moves from the doorway, I sprint to the pile of papers on his coffee table. I spend a good five minutes sorting through bills, receipts, and letters until I finally find a newspaper. I thought I would have to read through the fine print to find an article on me, but to my surprise, the cover page has the words, "The Girl On Fire and The Boy With The Bread; Marriage In The Near Future?"

I completely explode after reading this. I shove everything off the coffee table. I pick up empty beer bottles from the floor and throw them at the walls. They land with a loud crash. I turn to Peeta, expecting him to be equally as mad. But he's not. He's smiling, laughing even.

"What could possibly be funny right now?" I ask him, trying to catch my breath.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I for one am furious," he jokes. When I give him a look all he says is, "Katniss, I don't think you realize how unimportant this article is." How does he think that this is unimportant? Someone that I don't know is writing about me without my permission!

"Peeta! I didn't even know this was happening! How are you okay with it?" I scream. I know Peeta doesn't feel threatened by me one bit.

"There's tons of articles out there about us. About you. I never told you because I knew you'd react like this." He says. I know he's being sincere.

"I just thought... All of this would end after-" I'm cut off by Haymitch, who comes out of nowhere.

"It'll never end! You two will always be the victors that changed everything - Hunger Games or not. So get used to it," he yells, almost tripping over the broken glass. I take a closer look at the article and realize that it's harmless. Peeta was right, as usual. I'm still extremely agitated though.

"It's just so annoying! It's like I'm... Like..." I can't find the right words.

"Like you're just another piece in their games?" Peeta finishes for me, taking the newspaper from my hands and putting it back on the table.

"Yes," I agree. This is exactly what I mean, just in a different way.

~•~

"What's so bad about marriage?" Peeta blurts out. I'm watching him bake some blueberry muffins in my kitchen, and it's been completely silent until this point. What would make him think of marriage?

"What?" I ask hesitantly, handing him the berries that he's struggling to reach.

"Today. Earlier at Haymitch's house. You got mad when the newspaper was talking about us getting married. And I'm just wondering what's so bad about marriage," he doesn't look at me when he talks, like he usually does.

"Nothing's wrong with marriage, I guess," I mutter, trying my best to say the right thing. "I'm just not ready yet... For that kind of commitment."

I know I'll marry Peeta. Eventually. After all we've been through. And now with the newspaper suggesting it, it's pretty much unavoidable. But when the time does come, I'm not going to be with someone for rest of my life just because other people want me to. I'm going to be with Peeta because I love him. And I want to marry him. And I will. Just not right now.

"I'm ready when you are."

I hope you enjoyed! Be sure to vote, comment, and follow me! Thank you!

-Melanie 🦁