Always: A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 79

Katniss
Peeta and I kissed off and on for a while. He kept protesting about being near me and I stopped him every time. I hate this just as much as he does. It isn't like I want to get hurt. Especially not by him, but this is something we have to deal with now. It's just another obstacle the Capitol threw at us so many years before. And now it's permanent, but it's gotten better. And I can help him, too. We help each other. I know I'm a handful too. I push him out, I fight, I'm stubborn, I break down. And so does he. But we fight through it together. "I should go. I have to do my volunteer work," he says. He begins to stand but I grab his hand and pull him down to the couch again.

"Can you stay? Just for today?" I ask. I wince at how I sound. It was like my voice had been swapped with a five-year olds. He smiled weakly and brushes a lock of hair away from my face.

"Sure. But they won't be happy about it."

"I don't care," I whisper, kissing him again. When we pulled away, our noses brushed lightly and I shut my eyes. I wish that everything could always be like this. No outside world. No flashbacks. No people. No problems. Just us. And this couch, I guess.

"I'm sorry," he says. I sigh. He'd been apologizing all day long.

"Peeta..." he cuts me off before I can continue.

"No, just listen this time," he says. I nod, even though I've heard this same explanation over and over again. "I want to know if you're really willing to deal with me. I mean, if we get married..."

"If?" I ask, interrupting him.

"If," he repeats. I open my mouth to say more, but he stops me. "You don't have to marry me. I would get it if you changed your mind after this morning. Really, I would."

"No. No, I still want to marry you," I say.

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive," I say, kissing the end of his nose. He nods and grabs my hand. I tuck my legs underneath me and pull him closer to me. "Why do you keep checking in? Every once in a while, you re-ask me."

"Because. You could change your mind. And I want to know before the actual wedding."

"Okay. Well, if I ever change my mind I promise I'll tell you," I say. He nods sadly. I quickly add, "But I won't. I promise." He nods and rests his head on my shoulder.

"Look at the lovebirds. Finally decided that the star-crossed lovers from District 12 could never be separated," Haymitch says sarcastically, but I can hear a hint of happiness to his tone. Almost like he's relieved that Peeta and I are still together.

"I didn't hear you come in," Peeta says. I don't let go of his hand, even when we turns around to face Haymitch.

"I did win the Games once. I guess you have to be fairly quiet," he says. I can see Peeta's face turn pink. He was really, really loud in the Games. He still is. And his prosthetic leg doesn't help anything.

"Why are you here?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Because Effie is staying in the house next to mine. And I can hear her all the way in my kitchen."

"Why is Effie here?" I ask. He shrugs and turns towards the kitchen, probably looking for liquor.

"Some tour thing she's supposed to be leading," he shouts from the other room. "They want you two to be out tomorrow. So they can 'run into you'. It's all staged though." I sigh and put my head on Peeta's shoulder. I don't want to go meet people tomorrow. I thought that was over. Why are people still so obsessed with our lives?

"That's fine. We'll be in the square tomorrow afternoon. I have to pick up some milk from there anyway," Peeta says. I nod and roll my eyes. It's the last thing I want to do, but I know I have to. They'll ask us about our engagement, why we lied before, ect. And I'll just stand there, smiling like an idiot while Peeta words his way through the questions they throw at us. And we'll be there for about an hour, shaking hands, smiling, pretending to laugh, acting emotional when they talk about the war. I guess the emotional part may not be all fake. I can't handle talking about Prim for long. Or Finnick. Anything from the Games or the war after, really. But I'm sure I won't talk much anyway. Peeta does the talking most of the time. Haymitch finished his bottle of alcohol and left right after. "Are you okay with this?" Peeta asks. I nod. We kiss again. But this time it's him who goes in first.

I was thinking about making another Hunger Games fanfiction. About Peeta's point of view the whole time in the Games. What do you guys think? Would you read it?