Twisted Perfection ~ Everlark

Celebrations.

3 months later.
Katniss' PoV:
For me he is are more beautiful than the winter sun above pristine snow; he is warmer than spring sunshine on soft new grass; he is more mesmerizing than the fall leaves. Yet for me what he truly is an eternal summer, for every day with Peeta is perfect blue skies with love in the air. My attraction to him isn't because he's handsome, though he is, it is to his soul, to the wonderful person he is inside. He is mine. I am his.

~~~

The days go by. Those days turn into months and me and Peeta are closer than ever before. But this time it's real. It's real because it's not a forced action of love. After the first games, the idea of marrying Peeta for genuine love went out the window, but now, I can't imagine loving him any other way for the benefit of someone else (Panem). We love each other and it's real, so that's all that matters. He isn't my boyfriend, he's mine.

I start to notice things about Peeta that I haven't noticed before. He'll always leave his tea leaves in the cup until they go soggy. He'll always fold the corner edge of his page instead of using a bookmark. The cap of the toothpaste is always screwed on tight to the tube. He always shows his teeth when he smiles. His mouth gapes slightly when he's in a deep sleep.

Christmas is coming up soon. 3 weeks to be exact. I remember my childhood Christmas' not being a child's dream. Living in the Seam had mostly its cons. We never got any gifts that cost money because we couldn't afford them. Peeta would often say that he got a new food colouring dye or a piece of decoration equipment, only something like an intricate cutter, but that was it. My father would often fill our stockings with dried petals of flowers and their nectar. It wasn't much, but he would tell me and Prim to place them underneath our pillows and each night you would smell the scent they released. Of course this only lasted a few days until the smell had vanished, but it was the thought that count. I wish I had kept the petals, though they'd be dried out.

Peeta is busy decorating the tree we had bought from town. He's made decorations out of paper, by folding and painting them, as well as making peppermint canes and gingerbread. It looks gorgeous. It's the first time I've actually seen a Christmas tree in real life. The only times are when Snow would come on TV and give an annual speech with the tree in the mansion behind him. I rid the thought of Snow and focus on the beautiful sight adjacent to me. I sit on the sofa, watching him, looking at his concentrated face, thinking how lucky I am to have him in my life.

"Peeta, can you bake some cheese buns please?" I ask, with a mischievous smile printed on my face. He returns the same look, and replies. "Of course." Before he goes over to the kitchen he kisses my forehead. I can't help but to smile at him. I'm so happy right now. The sight of Peeta being happy, makes me feel idyllic, as I feel butterflies swarming in my stomach. He heads for the kitchen to make the cheese buns, causing my intent stare to break. The fire that is burning opposite me, looks in need of fuel. I raise from my seat, and stop to throw a log on it. As I turn away, to go and sit back on the sofa, I hear a clatter come from the kitchen.

I spring up from my chair and find Peeta huddled into a ball. He shaking, whispering things. Begging for something or someone to stop. In that one second, I freeze. I'm struck with fear of not knowing what to do. I decide I can't leave him in this state. I go up to him and bend down on my knees and rub his back. At first he flinches at my touch, but then lets me. Eventually, I manage to hoist him up onto my knees and whisper comforting things to him like, "you're okay" and "it's not real, Peeta". When he stops shaking, I kiss his head and he looks up at me. His face reads fear and worry. I brush the hairs out of his face. "It's okay. You had a flashback. But that wasn't real. You're safe, with me." I say. He nods his head, but with little reassurance. "Hey, you're okay." I repeat. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this." He says. I shake my head, disagreeing with him. "It wasn't your fault."

He looks me in the eyes. "It's okay. You just forgot who you were. Welcome back." I say. He smiles gingerly at me. Right now, at this moment, when Peeta is staring at me and I am staring at him,the world has frozen. The wind is silent, the sun no longer orbits the earth, the birds can't and don't sing. He speaks up, his voice croaked and deep. "Give me something real." He says. I know what he wants. He wants me to kiss him. Make him believe this isn't a dream and that when I do kiss him, he'll wake up. Therefore, I do. I kiss him. It's slow and passionate, alive and free. When we pull away, the words roll right off of my tongue. "I love you." He smiles at me.

So, this is what real love feels like.