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katnissmellarkkk · 3 years ago

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Andddd here’s my chappy three thoughts 🥳🥳🥳

Hmmm Katniss saying that her mother has a dress made of velvet is actually really interesting because it shows that Mrs. Everdeen Lily-Rose really was well-er off before she married Katniss’ father Hunter.

Or did she get the velvet dress from Maysilee? Oh well, who knows.

Aww, Katniss’ nervous habit of touching soft things repeatedly to soothe herself 🤧🤧.

“Crying is not an option. There will be more cameras at the train station.” — someone tell that to Peeta 🤣🤣🤣.

Okay I gotta stop picking on Primmers, I know but like. How small is she that she sits on Katniss’ lap like a toddler but then in the following year is the same height as her? Doesn’t matter I know but still I wonder.

Okay so Mrs. E is the doctor for the people of the Seam? Idk I never thought about this but who does people like Peeta or Madge or Delly go to if they’re sick or hurt? Is there a still running apothecary shop that Katniss never mentions? Are her grandparents still running the family biz?

Also okay, I gotta stop having so many thoughts on all the lil details I know but like. Katniss says here she’s familiar with the herbs her mother doesn’t grow on her own so like a). Katniss is more of a healer than she leads on because no average person knows what kind of plant is medicinal and b). Her mother is just growing herbs and Katniss never mentions it again in the whole series? Or I just missed it.

Okay imma move on from this one singular paragraph but Gale and her made a pact a year ago that they’ll supply each other’s family with game if they were to be reaped... I’m feeling like their close friendship is probably only one year old then? Idk. Just my interpretation.

Honestly I love Katniss getting mad at her mom here.

She’s sixteen, for God’s sake, of course she’s angry at what her mother’s illness put her through.

Also I lowkey like that her mother got mad back because that lady in the movies had zero personality.

“Boys who are two to three times my size.” She sounds so little, omg 🥺🥺🥺.

“I don’t care if we’re rich, I just really want you to come home” 🤧🤧🤧😩😩😩😩 okay Primmers, you got me here.

“the Peacekeeper is at the door, signaling our time is up, and we're all hugging one another so hard it hurts and all I'm saying is ‘I love you. I love you both.’ And they're saying it back...” this is so sad leave me be 😫😫😫😫

Katniss is burying her face in a pillow to block out her emotions this is too much for me 🥵🥵🥵

Omg I forgot Peeta’s father visits Katniss 😅

Why does he visit Katniss?

She describes Peeta’s father as a “big, broad-shouldered man.” And then describes Peeta as stocky. Idk the comparison of the two descriptions has always led me to think Peeta is gonna be a big dude when he grows up like his father. This made no sense and had zero correlation but I thought, so I said it, no regrets

Oh he brought her cookies 🤧

WAIT WAIT WAIT. I just had a new thought, y’all. What if instead of the baker bringing cookies being a thing he does for all tributes, what if he’s bringing the cookies because Peeta asked him to, because he made them and wants to give them to Katniss and knows she’ll never accept / trust them coming from her competition? What if that’s the real reason the baker visited her in the first place? Because Peeta asked him to? This was such a shipper comment but idc, no regrets, remember?

Omg Peeta’s father is just mute 🤣🤣🤣

Between an abusive, angry mother and a mute for a father, the Mellark brothers must have had a fairytale of a childhood 😅😅😅😅.

But seriously #PoorPeetaMyBaby

Aww Peeta’s father is gonna help keep Prim alive 😭

Omg I just remembered he’s her mother’s ex boyfriend. Haidon Mellark, as I named him in my fics.

That one fic where he was thought to be Prim’s real father is just playing now in my head, rent free.

But does Katniss not realize that he may be offering to help Prim as a favor to her? Like she claims Prim is just so wonderful people adore her but there’s like zero evidence in the text that make her endearing? Okay I need to turn this bus around, I need to find a love for Primmy Deen.

Madge is not one for preamble apparently. No “hi, how are you? I’m sorry you’re gonna die? What will your last meal be?” Just right to “here, wear this family heirloom of mine, k thanks.”

I like that Madge had to kiss her cheek for Katniss to realize they were friends 😅😅😅.

I remember always loving her and Gale’s hug here. I’ve always felt like it was platonic, but especially when I first read the books and had zero preference one way or another for Gale or Peeta, I really liked how she said even with nothing romantic between them, “when he opens his arms, I don’t hesitate to go to him” or something I’m paraphrasing ok I’m lazy

Also though, this is the first time they’ve ever hugged? Idk why that surprises me? It shouldn’t because where is a hug gonna fit into a hunting trip 😅🤣😂 “I just caught a deer!” “let’s celebrate with a hug!”

I like that Katniss remembers how her father even failed to make a good bow sometimes. Random, I know.

I like that the Capitol weren’t entertained by the people freezing to deaths because it wasn’t bloody enough 🤭🙃

“How different can it be [to kill a human vs an animal]?” She’s about to find out, Gale 🥺. And when she comes back you won’t understand 🙄😔

What did Gale want to say before the Peacekeepers dragged him away?

I used to think it was a confession of love but I’m actually sure it wasn’t now? Just the wording “remember I-“ doesn’t sound like it, considering he never confessed anything prior to her coming home.

I’m assuming now he was just gonna give her some more advice to stay alive 🤷🏼‍♀️. Clearly if it were relevant it would have made its way to the others books.

Aww, she’s never been inside a car before 😭😭. I didn’t even know they had cars in this universe but okay.

I notice though how she says “In the Seam, we travel on foot.” So is Peeta just riding his trolly down the street every day with the other merchants then? 🤣

Peeta just openly crying on camera 😅😢.

I like how Katniss is like “ooo is this an act to get sponsors?” when in reality Peeta’s like “no, I’m just a soft and genuine boy ™️”

Omg I just realized this totally goes along with Peeta’s thing later on “I want to die as myself”

He’s refusing to hold back his emotions because he thinks he’s doomed to die and he’s already refusing to pretend to be or feel something ingenious.

But a Johanna mention in book 1 chapter 3 woohoo 🥳🥳🥳 also Katniss comparing Jo and Peeta is kind of like foreshadowing of their shared torture in book 3.

Omg she just called Peeta broad-shouldered and strong. 🥰🥰🥰 my headcanon for his post-canon body is confirmed

Also why does Katniss keep allotting his strength to carrying bread trays around? Are they heavy? Why have I never once heard of people who carry bread trays being strong? I always thought Peeta was really strong because he learned to fight in order to defend himself against his mother but that’s probably wrong.

But if a mother is abusive, it can lead to one of the kids being physically violent as well and we know Peeta isn’t but he has two older brothers I’m gonna cut myself off now but I think we all smelled what I just stepped in.

Also I just find it so fascinating now how she regards herself vs Peeta here.

When talking about herself, she says, “The competition will be far beyond my abilities. [...] Oh, there'll be people like me, too. People to weed out before the real fun begins.” But when she talks about Peeta, she immediately says, “It would take an awful lot of weeping to convince anyone to overlook him.”

It’s just funny how she discounted herself right from the start but thought he was a real contender and then come to find out, Peeta believes it’s the exact opposite 😂🙃. They’re both so stupid I can’t even take it.

Wait did they actually give the location of the Capitol and the location of District Twelve in today’s world? And I just overlooked it? Brb I’m gonna go to google maps right quick.

Okay so basically what I gathered is the Capitol is probably in New Mexico and District Twelve is somewhere between Kentucky and Alabama. Irrelevant I know. But just a reminder now to everyone that Katniss and Peeta are literally speaking, crying and screaming in thick, backwoods southern accents.

It’s literally so sad how everything for Katniss is about food. Like every motive she has, every action she does is about preventing starvation ever again. 🤧🤧🤧

First mockingjay mention 🤭🤭.

“My father was particularly fond of mockingjays” 😭😭😭 I bet he was 😭😭😭😭

We always go on and on about how Katniss is a mockingjay or her children are mockingjays but Katniss herself here says mockingjays represent her father imma cry, y’all 😫😫😫😫

“It’s like having a piece of my father with me, protecting me” shut up shut up shut up shut up

Awww, Katniss has never had food like this before 😔😔😔

Neither has Peeta 🤧🤧

Katniss disliking the way Effie put the two kids from the year before down and so began to eat like a pig just to prove her point, is so her. And the beginning of her fighting for the underdog.

Omg the Rue introduction 🥺🥺🥺

Bahahahaha the commenters calling District Twelve backwards but charming 😅😅😅 they really are the hillbilly district

Peeta’s unexpected laugh 🥺🥺🥺 I love you, baby

“He was drunk. He’s drunk every year.” “Every day.” Katniss and Peeta are already finishing each other’s sentiments and teaming up to get on Effie’s nerves I love them so much 😍

Oh my God, Effie, you selfish jerk. They’re kids having fun for like one second, no need to throw in their faces they’re gonna die if the drunk won’t help them. I’d forgotten why I don’t really like the book version of her. I actually prefer her as comedic relief in the movies.

I actually just realized I really dislike Effie Trinket, I hope they never speak to her again Post-Mockingjay. Idc how you’re raised you don’t need to treat teenagers who are sentenced to a probable death badly just because they laughed at you 🙄🙄🙄😡😡😡😡. They didn’t even really laugh at her, she’s just annoying and awful, we don’t stan Effie in this household.

Okay, that’s all for my thoughts on chapter three! Until next time, y’all ! If anyone actually read this long mess of a post.

#thgagain #this is so long I’m sorry #also yes I’m gonna use a Jennifer gif again

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coweggomelet · 3 years ago

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i apparently enjoy putting down my thoughts on the off chance someone will read it and enjoy it so here’s rwby rewatch vol 3. i’m ready to be sad!!

(note: it’s long i’m sorry, i have many thoughts and i tried to narrow it down but oh boy do i think im funny)

- the SOUND DESIGN. AGAIN

- ruby you’re so precious. so sweet. so eager. so earnest. c’mere and i’ll protect you from all the bad shit that happens to you later

- hi cardboard cutout tai

- i keep getting an ad for a rooster teeth show called camp betrayal and the way this man says “hoo hoo hoo” will haunt me for the rest of time

- oh shit the fact that it’s called amity has such insane implications for what it’s used for later. jesus.

- “bffs!” “No.” “…/yessss/” love them

- yeet the yang

- god ruby’s admiration of emerald is so sad in retrospect like… oh boy ruby you’re in for it

- PYRRHAAAAA I LOVE YOU DONT LEAVE ME

- “even if you know how a story ends, that doesn’t make it any less fun to watch” wow cinder are you psychic

- ummmm they’re having a talk can you please respect their privacy

- thor whomst??? i only know nora valkyrie

- BROODY MAN

- hiiiii gavin

- so much mid battle banter. in the middle of a big important fight they just have to make jokes and argue. i love teenagers

- SILENCE YOU BOOB

- awww winter you’re a disaster and you’re horribly emotionally repressed because of your bitch ass dad but jesus christ you care about your little sister and you wanna know she’s doing okay and i’m emotional about it

- PENNYYYYY my love just keep being you

- jeez i forgot how early on ironwood was talking his shit about being “someone who will act”, the “only person” who will do what needs to be done, as if his course of action is what needs to be done

- every single person who underestimates emerald and mercury gets so fucked up. like so many people look at these youngerish teenagers with some funny one liners and banter and go “oh they seem capable and they’re confident and funny so i like em but i can take em” and then absolutely get the shit kicked out of them. and i think that’s why they’ve been so successful, cause nobody takes them seriously enough to consider them a threat.

- see this is why i love rwby. coco just turned her handbag into a gatling gun and cut down a field of grass with it

- god the way they hint at emerald’s semblance before fully showing what it is. *chef’s kiss*

- winter marry me

- we love an uncle who absolutely destroys his nieces at video games

- “they do and they’re called silver!” ruby i love you

- top heavy. heheh

- this dude’s weapon is a trumpet!! she’s got glowing nunchucks!! i love this show!!

- this battle music is AMAZING what the FUCK they’re fighting to JAZZ

- cinder if you keep having vague ominous dialogue people are gonna get the wrong idea

- oh yeah great idea asking a child to take on immense power which sends her into a stressed out panicky spiral and alienates her from the people she finally feels legitimately connected to and for once didn’t feel alienated from

- oh fuck. oh fuck the finals. oh god. oh no.

- she’s so happy. she’s so ready to have a good fight. i’m gonna cry

- FUCK

- and with one moment, the entire show flipped on its head

- god when i watched that the first time i fuckin freaked. i was not prepared man. i was warned. but i was not prepared for this much of a fucking tone change man. that quickly. like tone changes (in my experience) normally happen gradually, but this one happened in, what? 30 seconds?

- fuck

- god this is so bad

- and it GETS WORSE i can’t do this

- love that we can see yang’s distraught eyebrows through her bangs

- after this episode was the first time my friend asked me “how we doing buddy?” and i’ve only wanted to kill her more since then

- oh god emerald’s backstory. this poor child. she was so alone and cinder was there and said i can give you a place i can give you a purpose i can give you security and emerald latched on so hard.

- hiiiii laura bailey i wish you had more than a lil baby line and some sounds of effort

- god that little anklet

- god what a fuckin backstory episode man. backstory? evil plan explanation? idk but it was good

- great parent move. telling your kid you’ll only save them once.

- jaune you sweet good boy. what a good boy. i love him

- god this poor child. she doesn’t deserve this. FUCK i’m so sad. is that the last conversation they have?

- oooooh shit this song is so good. what the fuck i have chills it’s so fitting

- god everyone else is so happy and excited and then there’s ruby who is one of the very few people who knows how bad a fight between penny and pyrrha could be and pyrrha who’s got to decide if she wants someone else’s aura smushed with hers, which could turn her into a different person. FUCK

- peeeennyyyyy “salutations!! it’s an honor to meet you!” it huuuurts

- it makes me so sad but damn was this a good diabolical plan

- god im so sad. penny is so good. and pyrrha’s fuckin eyes. and ruby just collapsing. jesus christ. it’s all fuckin falling apart

- oh fuck here we go. those klaxons are so terrifying

- it makes me so happy that torchwick gets rescued and then like maybe a couple episodes later just gets swallowed

- the fuckin adam fight is coming up too. jesus. really piling on here

- RUBY IS USING ONE OF PENNY’S SWORDS IM GONNA CRYYY

- and she doesn’t even hesitate to save pyrrha

- the one and only time (to my memory) that ironwood is gentle is when he says no one would blame the students if they left. that might be the last time he actually remembers that they’re all teenagers and feels sympathy for these children with all this pressure on them

- oh yeah the big boy

- the first time i watched this i was LOSING MY MIND this whole time. like yang attacked mercury and from then on man. just freaking out.

- eurgh grimm juice

- c’mon blake you got this. i mean. technically you don’t. the fight goes poorly. but you fuckin try and you’re so brave about it and i love youuu

- shut the FUCK up adam you GROOMED her you ASSHOLE

- aahhhh i love velvet!!! her semblance and her whole fighting style is so goddamn cool and has such interesting implications for using weapons and powers of people who are dead

- OH SHIT SHE DOES SUMMON HERE DOESNT SHE. partly but still

- get fucked, torchwick. GET FUCKED. get fuckin chomped

- a backhanded slap feels so much more violent than any fighting with weapons

- uh oh evil katniss

- god. the fucking blood splatter turning the whole shot red. just their silhouettes. the slow motion. the arm slowly separating.

- my friend was also a big fan of “how we feeling?”

- bad. the answer is bad you fuckin sadist

- oz is… a lot of things, and one of them is a goddamn good fighter

- oh god oh noooo she’s gonna kiss & yeet AWWWW FUCK this is heartbreaking

- pyrrha i love you

- if i don’t look it’s not real

- oh pyrrha my love

- awww hey tai. what a good dad. love tai

- i’m so sad. everyone’s so sad. and then salem just has to do an ominous lil monologue where she lays out her whole plan to divide them and makes a fuckin semblance pun. she’s such a good villain

- jacque you stiff bitch

- they’re all fuckin scattered and depressed

- love team rnjr tho

- there she is. god what an ending

#rwby #rwby spoilers #ruby rose #blake belladona #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #pyrrha nikos #penny polendina #james ironwood #emerald sustrai #cinder fall #i can't tag all the characters cause that's a lot #im in pain #so sad #and it only gets worse #yaaaaaayyy #long post

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talesofpanem · 5 years ago

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Tattoo Fixers : Panem

Author: @thegirlfromoverthepond

Rating: T

Summary: Katniss needs someone to fix a bad tattoo.

AN: Deepest, deepest thanks to the amazing @xerxia31 who beta-ed this piece.

Even though I liked the prompt, it took me times to find the idea for this story - until I watched my TV, which prompted an episode of Tattoo Fixers - London. Maybe some of you from the EuroClub know about it ? Anyways, here is my take at this week’s prompt.

Hope you have fun.

_____________

She would be fascinated by the ballet of assistants running around the shop if she wasn’t embarrassed to be sitting there, being prepped by a team of make-up artists and a hairdresser.

Just looking at the people putting mascara on her eyebrows or trying to tame her hair was a spectacle in itself, with their tattoos poking out from under every bit of clothing, along with piercings or blue hair.

Katniss felt utterly out of place, waiting for her turn to appear on a television show she didn’t even want to go on. Alas, it was the only free way to fix something she had regretted since she had woken up after a particularly drunken night with her cousin Gale.

It was all Gale’s fault. It had been the day of her father’ funeral, the day after Gale buried his own. After the ceremony, after everyone had gone home, Gale had taken Katniss out. She hadn’t asked, just silently nodded when he had grabbed the keys of his father’s old pickup, heading out to their favorite spot in town, to get drunk.

In the hopes they could forget the void left by their fathers.

They had spent hours in that bar, drinking until they couldn’t drink anymore, until everything faded into blackness. The next morning, however, they’d woken up together in the bed of the pickup truck, each sporting the mother of all hangovers and a lovely souvenir of their evening

Apparently, they had somehow found their way to a tattoo parlor.

Since that night, Gale had sported a wonderful peacock on his biceps, which he still found funny all these years later.

Katniss wasn’t as lucky. She all but hated the cartoonish, badly drawn bow and arrow on the inside of her forearm. The only good thing about it was its size - tiny, so a wristband could cover it easily. She took to wearing one everyday. Solid. In leather.

Arrow. Her father’s name, had been inked forever on her arm. She would have loved it if she had been able to choose the drawing properly, instead of having been branded with a cupid-ike tattoo design.

Hence her presence on the set of Tattoo Fixers, a reality show where talented tattoo artists helped people cover up their tattoo disasters with gorgeous works of inked art.

Removing the tattoo was way too expensive for her bank account. But Prim had convinced her to share her story with all the whole country, risking the humiliation of being branded as a drunk crazy woman on cable TV.

Wonderful.

“Katniss? You’re on in five,” a young assistant told her, making the team of preppers buzz around her like there was a breach in a beehive. One man, Flavius she thought his name was, because why not, was complaining about the state of her nails, how chipped they were, how he couldn’t do miracles, how he couldn’t find time to fit in a manicure in the remaining five minutes.

“I’m a botanist. It would be destroyed by tomorrow anyway.” She shrugged the thought away, almost taking pleasure in the disgusted look on his face. Take that, Flavius.

When the assistant came back, all smiles and happy mood, Katniss followed her out of the parlor and onto the street. Just like any other participant, she would have to walk to the shop, entering as if she was a totally random client.

Bull.Shit.

The only random part was which tattoo artist she would choose. At least she would be surprised by their drawings.

This was staged TV, reality-TV. She usually couldn’t stand it.

She sighed, taking her place ion the street.

“Remember, start walking when the director shouts ‘Action!’”

Katniss resisted the temptation to roll her eyes.

She started walking as casually as possible when she was told to, entering the shop as naturally as she could manage, trying to avoid laughing at the host’s attire of the day. Nobody ever bothered telling Caesar Flickerman that he might be colorblind. Today, he was mixing a flashy orange shirt with beautiful purple bermuda shorts. No doubt the episode would air in summer.

“Here is our next client!” Caesar sounded a little too enthusiastic at her entrance into the parlor. “What’s your name, darling?” He took her hand, helping her sit on the couch facing the one where the three tattoo artists were sitting.

She took a deep breath before answering, hoping her voice didn’t falter.

As she explained why she was there, Katniss took a good look at the three people in front of her, mentally thanking Prim for the briefing she’d given Katniss before she left that morning.

There was the woman, Jo, whose body was almost fully covered in tattoos and piercings. Only her face remained pristine, making her red hair stand out. She was sitting next to Finnick, who as the star tattooist of the program was sitting between his two colleagues. Finnick’s body was a work of art. Prim had swooned over it for much too long when she had briefed her sister, showing Katniss pictures of the man who appeared to live his life shirtless. Katniss had then been privy to the numerous tattoos that adorned his back, a chinese setting, dragon included.

She had seen several shots of him, of his so perfect body that made women of all ages swoon over him. Of course, Katniss was well aware of the dispatch of muscles, the Greek-god physique Finnick had, and fully expecting to be struck with lust as soon as she laid eyes on him in person. Yet nothing happened.

Nothing. At. All.

She was much more intrigued by the third tattooist, sitting next to Finnick. If Jo was a picture of the bad girl, Finnick the perfection, this third person was something else. He screamed “normal”, standing out from the two others, in Katniss’ opinion. Maybe it was because she couldn’t see a single tattoo on him, not even the required tribal band around his biceps.

There was something about his blue eyes, about his messy blond air that made her look at him more than the two others. Something that attracted her.

“This is Peeta, but we call him Peet. He’s the newcomer as Cato decided he needed a year off,” Finnick said and Peeta smiled. “So, how do you want us to cover the tattoo? Any specific request?”

“Well, nothing arrow-esque, or cupid-like. I’d like something that’s more inspired by nature,” she said. She just wanted the stupid bow and arrow to be covered.

Both Finnick and Jo grabbed their sketchbooks and started to draw. But she could feel Peeta’s eyes on her, lingering for a few seconds before he in turn, dived in.

“Well, tell us about you, Kathy?” Caesar said,making idle conversation to allow the tattooists time to finish their drawings.

“It’s Katniss, actually. Nothing thrilling, I’m a botanist and I live with my sister, Primrose.”

“Oh, that’s nice, she’s named for a flower!”

Katniss couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She knew this part would be cut because nobody really cared about the chit chat between a host and someone they would forget as soon as she left the office.

“Just like I am, it’s kind of a family tradition.”

“And you’re a florist! Isn’t it amazing.”

“I’m a botanist, but not far away.”

She was already over her talk with the host. A talk she was quite sure only lasted a few minutes, still felt like two long days.

“We’re ready, Kitty Kat. Here’s my drawing.” Jo handed over her sketchbook, on which a beautiful cat was displayed. With red fun, he would have been a striking copy of her sister’s cat, Buttercup, aka the bane of her existence. “You strike me as independent and very focused, hence, the cat.”

“It’s beautiful, Jo, thank you,” Katniss said, as she took in the beautiful shape of the cat’s ear, the detailed eyes. The woman had talent.

“I went for something more… natural,” Finnick said. “ I hope you like it!” He handed her his sketchbook, then leaned back on the couch, taking a sugarcube out of his pocket before popping it in his mouth.

On the page in front of her was a display of gorgeous intertwining orchid flowers.

“I can do them in different shades, like a watercolor painting, you know?” Finnick added, as Katniss stared in awe.

“It’s lovely, wow, I wasn’t expecting that, Finnick.” Between the two drawings, her choice was made. She wasn’t even sure Peeta would be able to compete.

“She’ll pick mine, guys, I’m ready to bet ten bucks!” Finnick lifted his arms in victory.

“It doesn’t have to be a big one, right?” Katniss asked, hoping his answer would be a no.

“It can be whatever you desire, sweetheart.” Finnick’s voice was sugary, and his green eyes sparkled as he winked at her.

Which made Katniss roll her eyes.

“Well, Finnick, this one’s immune to your charms.” Peeta’s voice, amused, chimed in. “Katniss, here is my take for your tattoo.”

She put down Finnick’s sketchbook to take Peeta’s. There were no words to describe her feelings when she looked down at the drawing on the paper. She had expected something somewhere between Jo and Finnick’s like an animal in nature, or just a drawing of a beach, absolutely not what she had before her eyes.

Peeta had drawn a wave.

A single, simple wave.

Yet, the closer she looked, the more details she could see. The wave was made entirely of flowers.

Primroses and katniss were braided together with such precision, with such attention, it was mesmerizing.

From two feet away the drawing looked like a wave.

But to her, for the closer her eyes got, it was a flower wall.

She opened her mouth to talk, to express how incredible she found the drawing.

No words came out.

She had to take a deep breath before gathering her thoughts before she was able to talk again.

“This. This is what I want.”

“Shall we go, then?” Peeta asked, rising from the couch.

She nodded her agreement before following him to the back.

She was glad the cameras didn’t filming the whole process. They were busy filming other segments with other “clients”.

“What prompted you to draw this? I mean I had no idea that was what I wanted until you showed me…” she asked.

“Your talk with Caesar. You told him you were a botanist, that it was a tradition to have flower names in your family. So I checked what Katniss was. It came up with sagit-something…”

“Sagittaria sagittifolia.,” she said under her breath.

He laughed, as he charged his machine with ink.

“Yes, that. You said you live with your sister, and I remembered you told us you got this awful thing after a funeral so I added one and one… You must have a pretty close relationship with your sister.”

“Yeah, we do …..” She was watching him come closer with his machine. She had a question, though. “How do I know you can tattoo? I mean, you don’t even have any of your own?”

“I do have one tattoo, but it’s hidden. I’m not as extrovert as Finn and Jo.”

“I noticed.. Could I see it ?”

“Well, it would involve you seeing me at least half naked… “

She blushed. “Oh, my, sorry…”

“No need to apologize. I did Finn’s dragon, and can show you pictures of previous works I’ve done, if you need references …. “

“It’s okay, I trust you.”

He smiled, a gentle, kind, warm smile at her words.

As soon as he started working on her forearm the cameras returned. He explained the steps he was taking, using the shape of the bow for the wave, the body of the arrow to line up the braids of flowers.

“It’s done. You can look.” His voice took her by surprise. She looked down, finding herself at a loss for words, again.

There was no way she would hide this one under a wristband.

After the mandatory shots for the TV, Peeta was wrapping her arm in cello, when he asked.

“I kinda won twenty bucks earlier, thanks to you. Want to share it with a tea?”

“No,” she answered. As his face fell, she added, “But I’d love a hot chocolate with whipped cream, if you know a place.”

He knew a place.

(Turned out he had a tree of life tattoo along his ribcage. She could spend hours tracing it with her fingers. Or her tongue.)

#tales of panem #talesofpanem #week 7 #wave #thegirlfromoverthepond #submission

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johannas-motivational-insults · 5 years ago

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9 and 37?

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

Hmm at this point I’d have to say Satisfaction. Any smut fic or fic involving smut is always challenging to write, because you (or at least I) want to keep it fresh and interesting and get across something more than just the sex, without resorting to being clinical. But this one was especially tricky because it was just as much a character study and a fucking essay to anyone who thinks sub!Catra could ever be a thing as it was a smut fic, and because the content was very delicate and I needed to make sure it was getting across exactly what I was trying to say and nothing more, nothing less. So there was the usual slog of writing smut plus the paralysis of feeling like it needed to be perfect, and frustration when I couldn’t seem to get it right. That’s quite the combination, I’ll tell ya.

37. Talk about your current wips.

Oh, boy! I love this question. :D

In no particular order…

Demons (She-Ra, Catradora): This fic is basically therapy for myself and Catradora, and anyone in the fandom willing to brave the trigger warnings. It’s been taxing but extremely cathartic to write, as it’s essentially about what it’s like to be a survivor of child abuse. This fic really only has a plot to allow me to address whatever issues I want to, and it was originally supposed to be, like, 6 chapters. We’re going on 23 now, whoops! I really do love this fic, though, with my whole heart. It’s probably the most raw, profound, meaningful piece of writing I’ve ever done. I love She-Ra for how openly it deals with the long-term effects of abuse, and I can only hope I’ve done the canon story and characters justice.

Loyalty (Hunger Games, Joniss): This is my longest fic, both in terms of words (333k) and how long I’ve been working on it (5 years). Believe it or not, I am still plugging away. And actually, in some ways this might be the most meaningful piece I’ve written. It involves a lot of the same themes as Demons, like abuse and implied neurodivergence, but it’s all in the background, as this is much more of a plot-heavy fic. But a lot of really heavy subjects are addressed, and I like to think they’re examined in a deep but delicate way. This fic is full of twists and the character development is pretty damn next level, and the ship dynamics are super fun, as it always is when I write Johanna x Katniss. Honestly I love this fic to bits and I wish I had more time to work on it, but She-Ra is my current main special interest, so updates have been sparse lately. However, there is a new chapter coming soon, so go get yourself caught up! ;)

But I’m a Lumberjack (Hunger Games, Joniss): Oh boy, speaking of fun Hunger Games fics! This is my THG x But I’m a Cheerleader crossover, and it’s stupid but also really sweet? Man, I miss this fic. Another one I really want to get back to. I reversed the intuitive casting by making Johanna the oblivious lesbian and Katniss the asshole who totally knows she is gay, so they are both very snarky in this fic and it is hilarious. I mean, it’s especially funny for people who have watched BIAC, but yeah. It also has some heavy themes, like homophobia and child abuse (which seems to show up in basically all my fics? wonder why that could be), but all in all it’s a pretty fun, light-hearted fic.

Live With It (She-Ra, Catradora [past]): This is neither fun nor light-hearted. This story only exists because @jaelav3 absolutely trampled my heart with her one shot where Adora had killed Catra in battle years prior and was still grieving hardcore. I continued the story and made it hurt even more, but only so we could get to a more cathartic, tragic but hopeful ending. I promise, we will get there! Sorry, these first few chapters have been rough but I promise it will get better. Adora x Therapy, y’all!

Ice (The 100, Echo [gen]): This was my Echo backstory fic that I wrote as a companion piece to my multi-chapter Becho fic Building Trust. It’s fallen by the wayside a bit considering Echo’s actual backstory has since been revealed, but I reread it recently with the intention of leaving it unfinished but realized I really loved writing about the Ice Nation politics and potential relationships between its characters that were largely left unexplored. The last couple chapters are both over half-written so at some point I will finish it, god damnit. Oh btw it is also SUPER full of emotional and physical child abuse and it is just not a fun time, so it’s not a fic I ever really recommend to people. I kinda wrote this one for myself because I find the Ice Nation (and Echo in particular) fascinating.

Enough (Hunger Games, Joniss): This fic is another one that I’d classify as dumb but loveable. It’s my only un-betaed THG fic, so I feel like the quality is slightly lower than the others but it really just started as a fun little side project. Back when @jonissheadcanons-archive was active, there was a theme for a while of modern au ideas where Johanna was Katniss’s babysitter when they were kids. Someone else drew some adorable artwork of Johanna teaching Katniss to walk, and the heavens opened and this fic rained down on us. It’s actually pretty angsty, since there’s a lot of babygay pining and some really painful parallels to canon (for instance, Katniss’s dad dies and mom goes nonfunctional and they end up in foster care), but there’s also a lot of goofy jokes, and nostalgia for those of us who remember the 1990′s.

Oh wow do I only have 6 WIPs? Damn, it felt like more.

40 Questions — Meme for Fic Writers

#asks #akari-hope #ask games #writing asks #fanfic #spop #thg #the 100 #demons #peacekeeper au #but i'm a lumberjack #live with it #ice #babysitter au

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everlarkficexchange · 6 years ago

Text

To be Her O.A.O. (one-and-only)

written by: @noneyabidnes

Rating: Mature (in future chapters)

Prompt 73: Katniss marries Gale before he’s sent to fight WWII. Gale sends home his buddy Peeta to break the news to his wife and family that he’s fallen in love with someone else in Europe and is staying there after the war… Peeta is under the impression Katniss is a cold woman that only married his friend out of obligation but finds out the other side of the story soon enough. [submitted by @alliswell21]

Tags: era-appropriate derogatory terms for Axis powers, amputation, angst

A/N: I got permission from @alliswell21 to shift from Europe to the Pacific Theater of Operations, since I geek out over that side of WWII history (my Pop was in some of the places mentioned in this story.) This was intended as a one-shot. I didn’t want to commit to chapters, but it’s spiraled out of control and now I can’t stop myself. I’ll cross-post it on ffnet (ryebrewster) and hopefully will find some closure. If you find some of the language awkward or somewhat un-PC, I was attempting to be era and region appropriate, but it’s hard to write an Appalachian and a Philly accent without both coming across pretty hick. Guess I never listened to myself talk before. -rye

–//–//–//–//–//–//–//–

Chapter 1

At the moment, I can’t believe this road ever ends. It rolls away from me, ever higher, ever rockier, taunting me with each uneven step I take. Foolish me had thought I would just hitch a ride. I should have guessed from the name that it would be a ‘road less traveled by.’ Rocky Ridge doesn’t exactly sound welcoming, but Gale had always made it sound like the closest a man could get to heaven. At least, until he met a certain honey-tongued Polynesian girl whose hips swayed like the island breezes. Then heaven made a quick detour to places on her that we best not discuss in public and I definitely won’t be discussing whenever I find the end of this infernal road.

I pause, resting on a particularly large boulder off the side of the narrow road. Hard to believe any car could make it up the path. Certainly not my Dad’s old Tudor, scraping its fenders on each slight turn to avoid the next large rock too heavy to move, and barely jeepable given how narrow. Briefly my inability to drive doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, but then the throbbing in my left leg reminds me that walking isn’t a great alternative either. I’m still getting the hang of my prosthetic, despite all the weeks (oh God, it’s been months, hasn’t it) spent in rehab in San Diego.

Gazing around me, I can begin to see what Gale always beat his gums about. These forests are beautiful, and so peaceful. Such a shift from the tropical forests in which we stewed. The proximity of my memory is enough to shake me from enjoying the moment. The color green took on such an ugly connotation during the war. Sitting on this boulder, I feel like I want to reclaim the hue and give it back its fresh and lovely place in my mental palate, but I do wonder if there will ever be a time when I won’t associate lush forests with machine-gun fire and jungle rot.

As the leaves flutter in the breeze, I catch a brief glimpse of metal roof in the distance. Finally, I may be making progress. Once more I pull the wrinkled and cracked photo from my pocket. Katniss. Her scowl hasn’t changed since he first handed me the image three years ago. At the time, it was to boast about the girl waiting back home. When he handed it to me again five months ago, it was to beg me to explain to her. To get her forgiveness, if not her blessing, for him not coming home. I hope the lump of cash in my rucksack would help to secure it, but her scowl challenges me each time I look at it. He’d said she was an easy woman to love, but an impossible one to live with. I can only imagine how she’ll feel about a crippled stranger appearing on her doorstep.

Righting myself again, I’ve renewed hope that the distance isn’t much farther. It’s as I round another bend that I hear the arrow whizzing past and striking a tree several feet to my left. My gaze slides to my right as I’m reminded that I’ve no firearm.

“I don’t miss twice,” the voice growls from the foliage. It’s feminine and angry, a combination I’ve been warned about but didn’t think I would confront quite so soon.

“I don’t intend to be aimed at twice.”

“Could hear you coming from a mile away. What business you got up Rocky Ridge?”

“Gale sent me.”

I can hear the air sucked out of her lungs despite the distance. The silence stretches on before she quietly emerges, her bow lowered at her side. Immediately I know it’s her. I’ve stared at her picture long enough that I would know those high cheekbones and quicksilver eyes anywhere. Her braid is loose with fly-aways and her neck shows the proof of a battle with some clawed creature. For a moment my memory jumps back to Philadelphia and the unfortunate circumstances of my own childhood, but I think these scratches aren’t human. Katniss clearly is of the forest, part dryad, part fairy, Artemis herself standing before me, at home in nature in a way I’ve never been.

“Gale? Is he…?” she breathes out, fear seeping into the short syllables.

“He’s alive.” It’s all she needs to hear for now. Her head drops and she lets out another long breath.

“I guess you’ll be wanting something to drink. Doesn’t look like you packed for the hike.”

“I am a bit parched. My canteen dried up two clicks ago. You’d think I’d be better at rationing, but I had no idea the road was this long.”

“Clicks? You talk funny. Where you from?”

“Philadelphia, ma’am, but clicks is how we measure distance in the Marines. Kilometers. Gale never mentioned you guys live so far out of town.”

She just nods, turning her back to me and heading off through the greenery, on a path only she sees. I follow her on the assumption that it must be a short-cut to the house, not because I’m keen to test my prosthetic out over the exposed roots and downed branches.

“I can’t walk as fast as you, ma’am. The Japs took my leg along with a bunch of my friends.”

She stops and slowly turns back to face me. “And you walked all this way? Why didn’t you catch a ride in town?”

“I didn’t realize no one would be coming out this way. Like I said, I grew up in Philadelphia. There’s always traffic everywhere you look. Never occurred to me that I might walk out of town and never pass another car.”

“I can walk slower. I’m not getting any hunting done with you making all that racket. My sister’ll check your leg when we get up there, then I can give you a ride back.”

“I did come to speak to you.”

She nods again, turning away from whatever I might have to say. Silence descends upon us. Normally I would fill it, but I’m struggling enough just to stay upright, that I don’t bother to engage her, and I figure her for the quiet type anyway. She’s alert, taking in the sounds of the forest around us, and I find myself remembering following Gale in much the same way through the mountains of Okinawa, the resemblance both eerie and comforting.

After longer than my leg would prefer, a clearing opens up before us with a handful of houses and barns dotted across the ridge. Sheep and goats graze below me in a field while a couple horses stand in the shadow of the closest barn. It appears to have seen better days, needing a fresh coat of paint, but it’s obvious that someone has been attempting repairs on it from the ladder propped against the side leading to relatively fresh boards. She catches me staring at it as she turns around to check my progress.

“We had a bit of a storm a couple weeks back. Some branches took out an old window. Took forever to clean up all the glass, but at least none of the goats ate any.”

I take it that she performed the repair herself, a fact that would surprise me if she were any of the women I grew up around, but seems perfectly normal given what I’ve already learned of her. I search the hillside for any sign of a man, young or old, and come up empty.

“Do Gale’s brothers help you out at all?”

Her eyes narrow at me, clearly not suspecting I had knowledge of the younger boys. Her scowl settles as she explains, “Rory’s taken up working for the lumber yard in town and he takes Vick down with him. Vick runs deliveries for the grocery. They both pull their weight around here. We all do.”

She’s offended, that much is clear. “I would never doubt that you do, ma’am. From everything Gale told me, you’re all a well-oiled machine up here. I just don’t think he knew the boys had taken up jobs while he was gone. I think he hoped his pay was enough to keep you all afloat, along with your hunting of course.”

Her scowl deepens as she steps closer to me. “You say he’s alive but you keep talkin’ bout him in the past tense. You gonna tell me what you’re doin here, soldier? You seem to know an awful lot about my business.”

I can’t help but stumble back at the intensity of her ire. It draws her attention to my leg, still unstable on the steep ground. Her face softens briefly before the scowl returns. “Let’s get you inside and off that leg.”

The house is just a handful of rooms lumped together with a porch across the front. It’s clear at a glance that as space was needed, they just built on with whatever materials were available, but there’s a pride that’s been taken in the appearance nonetheless. Flowers bloom along the front of the porch and herbs hang drying from the rafters. Two rockers with flowered cushions are tucked against the house, sheltered equally from the sun and any rain that might roll through.

As we step through the door the only light filtering through comes from a handful of windows of varying sizes. Gauze curtains blow gently at the open panes, reminding me of mosquito nets. I shake the memory off before it drags me down, instead turning my attention to the closest chair quickly being vacated by a young woman with delicate features similar to Katniss’s.

“Prim, let him sit. He’s a bad leg. Might need you to look at it. Walked all the way up here.”

“Why didn’t he ask Haymitch for a ride? Not like the man has anything better to do.” The young woman I’m guessing is Prim glances at me with equal parts scowl and concern as she makes room for me to sit.

“Not from around ‘ere, so he doesn’t know Haymitch from Adam,” Katniss offers. “Says he knows Gale.”

Prim halts in her movements as she takes me in. I’m dressed in my civvies and my hair has grown out a bit from my time in San Diego, but the duffle on my shoulder gives me away.

“You were with him? Is he okay? Where is he?”

It strikes me this is the first time the question has been asked and the unspoken one that follows. Why isn’t he here instead?

Katniss slams a tea kettle down on the fire box in the corner, breaking the tension with the clatter. “Prim, can you grab some of the tea from over there? I’m steep up some sweet tea quick while you check him out. Then I can give Mister—” she cuts off, realizing she still hasn’t asked my name.

“Mellark,” I supply, rising out of my seat to stand at attention. “Corporal Peeta Mellark, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines. Pleased to make your acquaintance Mrs. Hawthorne, Miss Everdeen.” I nod to each in turn. “I’m sorry I didn’t offer it up sooner. I was with Gale for a good chunk of my tour. We made it through Guam and Okinawa together. Even ended up side-by-side on the USS Hope being ferried back to Tongatapu after our artillery backfired. I promise you, he’s alive Mrs. Hawthorne.”

She had turned back to face the kettle, but with my final announcement, I can see her shoulders have risen to her ears.

“Please don’t call me that,” she mumbles quietly, and I strain forward to hear her.

“Katniss,” Prim begins to scold.

“No, Miss Everdeen, it’s okay. Actually, it makes the rest of what I have to say easier.”

Katniss turns and I can see for the first time that tears line her eyes, just waiting to fall.

“He’s not coming back, is he Corporal?” she whispers, as though saying it too loud will make it true.

I shake my head slowly, wishing all of this had gone differently. “He doesn’t want a divorce. He figured you’d prefer it that way. But no, he’s not going to coming back to Virginia.”

“So there’s not another woman?”

I glance at Prim, unsure of how much Katniss wants me to reveal in front of the younger woman, but it’s clear the two are close.

“Um, I’m afraid to say, there is. She’s from the islands, Tongan, a sweet girl. He…” I stumble, unsure of whether I should finish the thought, knowing it might cause her more pain. “He said what was between the two of you was a partnership. That you had always said he deserved someone who loves him. She loves him plenty. He’s going to go back there, to Tongatapu, as soon as the clean-up is done in Japan and his tour is over. So, whether you get divorced or not doesn’t really change things for him. He still wants most of his pay to come here. He knows you’re looking out for his family.”

She nods at what I say and sinks into a chair by the stove. “He had stopped sending letters after Guam. I didn’t…I didn’t even know he’d been injured. Did he…? Is he okay?”

“He didn’t lose anything important, if that’s what you mean. Lost a little chunk of his ear. His hearing’s not so great, not that it ever was.” She chuckles lightly at my jab. “I’d still be out there helping with the clean-up if it wasn’t for my leg. They had to send me stateside to learn to walk again. I last saw him in Tonga when he was shipping back out.”

“And he asked you to find me.”

I nod though I know she’s not looking at me. Her gaze is out the window, toward the houses down the ridge, where I presume the rest of his family lives.

“Said he couldn’t write you a Dear Jane letter. He wants me to write him when I know you’re okay.”

She stiffens at the sentiment. “Okay? As though I’ll be perfectly fine with a complete stranger just showing up and telling me my husband has abandoned me for another woman?”

I can’t help the lump that forms in my throat, but I cough to try to dislodge it. “Pardon my forwardness ma’am, but was he ever really your husband?”

At that her eyes snap back to me. The pot behind her is obviously boiling so she stands to move it off to the side of the stove and sets about putting tea into cheesecloth. “What Gale was to me is really none your business. Seems like he must’a told you an awful lot though, you coming here like this. What’s in it for you?”

I sigh, knowing this was coming. “He saved my life on Okinawa. He realized the ordinance was about to backfire and tackled me out of the way. If he hadn’t, I would have lost a lot more than just my leg. I don’t really have a home to rush back to. I promised I’d check in on you and his family. Make sure that you understood it wasn’t anything you’d done wrong.”

The pot slams again and before I know it Katniss is out the front door. Prim watches her stomp out, but makes no move to follow her. I take my cue from the younger woman. I’m in no shape to chase Katniss across the hillside anyway. Prim shifts her gaze to me and tentatively starts asking me questions. Where am I from? Where did I fight? What was it like? Some I can answer easily, others leave me speechless. For all the rehabilitation they did for my leg in San Diego, no one ever really talked to me about how to deal with coming back home. No one talked about the nightmares we all wake from at night—or the ones that haunt us throughout the day. I fall silent eventually, when it gets to be too much, but in my focus on all her questions I haven’t noticed how she’s lifted my leg and been examining the spot where my prosthetic rubs against the stump, just below my knee.

“I’ve had miners who’ve lost hands and arms come through here. Mining means workin’ with TNT and it doesn’t always turn out s’good. I haven’t had any legs though. You’ve got your stump mighty irritated. I’m gonna clean it up and wrap it for you. You need to stay off it a coupla days to keep it from gettin’ infected. You can take my cot here in the living room. I’ve been sleepin’ in Katniss’s room most nights anyways s’as we don’t have to heat the whole house.”

She bites her bottom lip as though she’s said too much. I can’t fight the questions swirling around in my own brain.

“Did Gale ever live here?”

Her eyes widen as she takes me in.

“What did he tell you about the two of them?”

“That she’s easy to love but hard to live with.”

Prim lets out a soundless laugh. “He would say that. He thought it was love but she always knew better. They were great together—as hunting partners, as friends. When our Pa’s passed away, it was just us and two other families up here on the mountain. We had to band together to get through it all. My ma, well, she just couldn’t handle it. She was a nurse down at the clinic in town, but after…we couldn’t get her to leave the house. Gale’s Ma, she’s tougher. She buckled down and started taking care o’all us kids, but there were six o’us and only one of her. Wasn’t long before Gale and Katniss stepped up. They already knew how to hunt, had been going out in the woods together for years. Ma and I used to go out and pick herbs—we use them down at the clinic to help out people who can’t afford the expensive medicines. But I knew there were others that were edible, that we could live off of. I took Rory with me. We sold the goat and sheep’s milk down in town, though ain’t many people got a taste for it since they can get cow’s milk at the grocery for cheap. We make cheese out of it too.”

She peters out, unsure where her train of thought was going, and focuses to gently wrap my stump having already cleaned it. In a moment, the thought returns to her.

“He asked her to marry as a matter of convenience. He was shippin’ out and knew that if they were married it would be easier on his ma—and frankly I think he trusted Katniss to take care of all of us more than his ma. The woman is amazing, but she’s got a bit of a weakness for the drink, but then, most of the folks ‘round here do. They never stopped moonshinin’ ‘round these parts.”

She glances at the pot on the stove. “She never finished makin’ the tea, did she? You want something stronger? We have a little ‘shine around. Ma and I use it for our patients, but I’d say you fit the bill.”

I consider the offer before shrugging her off. I’ve never had moonshine, but there was some camp swill that would get passed around whenever we stayed too long at one post. Didn’t take much to get things to ferment in the jungle. Would rot your gut, but took the edge off the misery of sitting in a swamp day and night. And then there was the hooch at the clubs. Enough to make every Jane look like a pinup but all it took was one tale of Cupid’s Itch to scare us young GIs away from the women who hung around. Well, most of us anyway.

“I should stay sober. I don’t know what state she’s gonna be in when she gets back here and I can’t imagine she’s gonna be too pleased with you telling her I’m staying the night. I’m about the last person she wants to see.”

I find the thought makes me sad. I’ve been carrying her picture so long, there’s a part of me that feels like I know her. I’ve traced her scowl with my finger. I’ve practiced what I would say, though it didn’t come out that way. I’ve tried to imagine her smiling. Gale made it sound like an impossible feat, but I have a feeling there has to be a way to bring out that side of her—not that it’s my job to do that.

Prim’s voice cuts through my silent misery. “She’s not angry at you. She’s not even angry at him. And you seem like a nice guy. I mean, if Gale trusted you enough to send you all this way, you have to be a good guy. Usta be he’d kill anyone that came close to Katniss.” She pauses for a moment before looking me straight in the eye. “You don’t think he’ll ever come back?”

I shake my head. “I honestly can’t be sure. I don’t know that he’s thought it all through, but this girl of his is pregnant and his tour’s up in another month. He’s already gotten approval to stay in Tongatapu. They can’t live together on the base since they aren’t married, but he’ll be part of a skeleton outfit that maintains the place until the Navy decides it doesn’t need it anymore. By then, he’ll be through his commitment so he could go anywhere, but after all the things he said about him and Katniss fighting about having kids, I can’t imagine he would just take off if there’s a little one in the mix.”

“He’s like a big brother to me, y’know? After Pa died, Gale did a big part of raising us. I’m gonna miss him.”

“He talks about you guys all the time. He didn’t just carry Katniss’s picture, he carried all of yours.” I pull the well-worn photo of Katniss out of my pocket and her eyes widen in recognition.

“Why do you have that?” She snags it out of my hands.

“He gave it to me. Has your address on the back, or at least you used to be able to read it. It’s been through some things. He wanted to make sure I found her.”

“’Easy to love but hard to live with.’ That’s what he says?”

“Yep.”

“Well, she’s not going to get any easier now.”

With that, Prim straightens up and tosses the photo on the table, and begins re-organizing her supplies from cleaning my leg. My fingers itch to reach out and reclaim the picture. I’ll never admit it aloud, but that photo means something to me. The stories Gale told and the ones I’ve created in my own mind, the happy world they’ve built on this mountain despite all the hardship. I’m not ready to let that go. The door slams behind me before I find the courage to grab for it though.

“We need to go tell Hazelle,” she tosses the words at Prim, ignoring my presence completely. Prim acknowledges her but continues putting away her supplies.

“Peeta’s gonna sleep out here for a coupla nights while his leg heals up. He can’t be walkin’ on it til it’s calmed down some.”

I can feel Katniss’s glare on my cheek but can’t peel my own eyes away from my hands, still fighting to resist the urge to grab the photo.

“I could give him a ride into town so he could find a room to lay up meantime. Why’s he gotta stay here?”

Prim’s tone allows for no discussion. “He’s Gale’s best friend and he’s my patient. He ain’t gonna hurt us. You wanna kick him out on one good leg? God have mercy on your soul, big sis. It’s my bed I’m offerin’ up. He’s stayin’.”

I can feel the blush building up my neck at the insinuation that I might want anything untoward from them. Prim’s right. I would never want to take advantage. After all Gale has told me about these women, I could never, but another part of me is happy at the thought of being here—in a place that sounds more like a home than anywhere I’ve lived.

Katniss takes a step in front of me, forcing my attention up to her cold stare. “Don’t know what Gale was thinkin’ sendin’ you instead of a letter, but you best be on your Sunday behavior. I know how to skin a stag. You ain’t much of a challenge, Marine or no.”

Instinctively I know I shouldn’t smile, but I can’t fight it no matter how hard I try. “Mrs. Hawthorne, I’ll be a choir boy just for you.”

She smirks slightly before returning her attention to the forgotten tea. “I don’t need no choir boys ‘round here. Gale certainly ain’t one. But if you can carry a tune better’an him, that would be much appreciated.”

Prim’s smiling at me from across the room, so I know the awkwardness has passed, at least for the moment.

“And please, stop calling me Mrs. Hawthorne. Ain’t nobody ever called me that. No point in startin’ now when we all know what Gale is up to.” She pauses in her work before turning back to me. “There’s a baby.”

She states it as fact. She’s not looking for confirmation, but I nod nonetheless and watch as she swallows a lump in her throat before continuing.

“Yeah, he would never abandon a kid. Posy’s the only one on this mountain that we still have to worry about and he knows Hazelle and I won’t let that little girl down.” She shakes her head, as though to remove the thought. “ So, do you sing, Corporal Mellark?”

“Peeta, it’s Peeta. And to be honest, not very well, but I can play the guitar and the harmonica okay. My talents lie more with wrestling, baking…and painting.”

“Seems like an odd combination for a Marine.”

“If any of those islands had been a giant cake, I coulda taken out the Japs with some fancy frosting tricks. Instead I was just the guy everyone came to for their camouflage. Guess I’m good at making people look like mud.”

“Don’t think that would take much talent, no offense.”

She’s poured me a glass of sweet tea and I lean forward to claim it. “No, I s’pose not when you’re surrounded by mud and can just smear it all over yourself, but the guys seemed to prefer when I did it.”

“You must have a gentle touch.” As soon as the words are out her mouth, the blush begins. “Not that…oh hell, nevermind. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

I let the chuckle rumble out of my chest. The hospital in San Diego wasn’t exactly a cheerful place with most of us still fighting phantom limbs and shell-shocked from being sent home. And it’s as I’m enjoying the first laugh I’ve had in months that I finally see it. She cracks a smile, small, secretive, and the single most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. It takes my breath away so quickly I feel light-headed. And now I can see why Gale found her so easy to love.

#Springtime Edition 2019 #submission #noneyabidnes #Alliswell21 #prompt 73

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peetabreadgirl · 7 years ago

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Writer’s Block, THE LAST CHAPTER!!

Here it is, y’all! Later than I thought, but you’ll be happy. I added 800 words of extra smut. ;) Read it on AO3 or FFnet. And thank you SO MUCH to @burkygirl @xerxia31 and @katnissdoesnotfollowback for seeing me through this one! Heart you girls more than you know! I hope you all enjoyed the ride! Talk to me... Pbg

At the sight of Cato on the property, my rational thought process shuts down. I can’t think of another plan if Peeta doesn’t show. I can walk out with the other three employees here, but beyond that? I scold myself for not telling him that I’m seeing Peeta and that he wouldn’t be okay with another guy driving me home. Seems like my thought process shut down hours ago.

If I was teetering on the edge of the fear cliff, that definitely sends me over. I am so not used to the boyfriend/girlfriend thing. I can’t let Cato buy me dinner or drive me home or any of the other things he so grossly ‘suggested’, not only because I don’t want to, but because it would upset Peeta. I remember how angry he got when I left his place that first night, and we were barely even friends then. He would wonder why I didn’t ask him to come get me. I did, technically - as an afterthought - but far too late in the game to expect him to show up.

Would Cato even believe that I have a boyfriend now? He might think I’m just trying to get rid of him. The thought of an angry blonde hulk does nothing to settle my nerves.

The concession area is spotless when I’m done and I consider letting Marv lock me in and staying the night. Or at the very least, waiting Cato out.

“Locking up,” the boss calls to the rest of us. I guess it's too late for that idea. I grab my things and chew on my bottom lip while we walk, preparing the speech I’m going to unload on Cato.

Sure enough, he’s waiting at the curb when we walk out the doors, hands in his pockets, toeing something on the ground with his shoe. He looks normal enough. But then he looks up at me and I find myself wishing those blue eyes were set in a different face. A face with a kind smile and warm eyes. Someone a little shorter with ashy blonde waves falling across his forehead instead of spikes of platinum blonde.

“You ready?” he asks. I take my time walking towards him after my tiny group of safety disperses to their own modes of transportation. No one said goodbye or asked if I’d be okay. They never have, and I normally don’t mind, but tonight I wish things were a different.

I raise one finger. “Actually, I-”

“Oh, come on, Everdeen,” he huffs like a temperamental child, hands going up then down in exasperation, slapping his massive thighs. “Don’t tell me you changed your mind after I came all the way back here. It’s just a ride and some conversation.”

Both things I’m worried about.

He crosses his arms over his chest in determination. “What do I have to do to convince you I’m not a bad guy?”

You can’t, I think, wanting to say something about having to change his name to Peeta, brighten his eye color, shrink a few inches and learn how to look at me without making me feel skeezy - all things that are impossible for him - but instead I say, “I don’t think you’re a bad guy. You’re just not the guy for me.”

His face screws up in irritation at being rejected - I guess it doesn’t happen often enough - and it’s almost funny to watch. Almost. If I weren’t standing out here in the dark with someone three times my size that makes my skin want to turn itself inside out just so it can hide.

“I think you should find out before you judge, Everdeen,” he replies with some irritability. Then the side of his mouth lifts in a coy smile that makes my stomach turn. “You know, this whole semester I thought you were a frigid, stuck up prude, but after reading your story I’m starting to think there’s a little kink inside you trying to get out. You just need the right partner.” He takes a step closer and the hairs on the back of my neck raise like a cat cornered by a much larger dog.

My eyes flash to headlights that illuminate the area and I see Peeta’s Jeep start to cross the parking lot diagonally. Praise the Heavens! My heart skips a beat and my fear shrinks, relief and gratefulness ballooning in its place.

I know the minute he sees Cato because I hear the engine rev and the Jeep speeds up, stopping right in front of the curb. Peeta hops out and walks to me casually but quickly, casting a frosty glance at Cato.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says, stopping at my side. He doesn’t put his arm around me or anything possessive, but Cato’s eyes narrow at us anyway, making me think he’s using that pea-sized brain. Hopefully doing some easy math - one plus one makes a couple.

“What’s up?” Peeta asks nonchalantly.

“Cato wants to give us a personal review of our story,” I inform him, stepping into his side just a hair more.

“Can we do it tomorrow, man? I’m beat and I gotta get my girl home.” Peeta puts his hand on the small of my back and starts guiding me to his still-running Jeep. He opens the door and calls over his shoulder at Cato, “You’ve got my number.”

He shuts the door and I watch him walk around the front of the car. He stops and turns back to Cato, who’s saying something to him. I can’t make out what it is, but Peeta answers back. There’s an exchange. It doesn’t look heated or necessarily unfriendly, but when it’s over Peeta hops in and slams the door hard enough to make me think something Cato said has upset him.

He shoves the stick shift into first and peels out, yanking the Jeep around and heading towards the exit. He’s definitely peeved. I’m not sure if I want to ask him about it. He stays silent on the short drive. It’s uncomfortable, but when he passes the turn to my place I finally speak up.

“Where are we going?”

“My house.” His response is clipped. His jaw is clenched. A muscle in the side of his cheek ticks like the second hand on a clock. I’m starting to wonder if it’s me he’s mad at. I can’t fathom the reason why. Cato was the one approaching me, not the other way around.

We pull up in his driveway and I can’t stand the silence anymore. “Did I do something?”

He gets out without answering and swiftly walks to my side of the car, opening the door. I slide out. He gives me a cursory glance, taking my bag for me. His behavior is starting to piss me off. I deserve to know what Cato said to him, especially if he’s going to take it out on me.

He unlocks the door to his duplex and waits by it, intending for me to enter first, I guess. I don’t. I stand there in defiance, waiting for him to catch on that I’m not going to just do what he says without an explanation of what’s going on, why he’s so angry with me.

He sighs heavily, understanding what I’m doing without me having to say a word. The muscle in his jaw continues to tick as he grinds his teeth together. It’s got to be five minutes worth of jaw workout.

We’ve been a real couple for all of two days and we’re about to have our first fight. I can feel it. The tension swirling around is not the kind I’ve been used to feeling around him lately.

“Will you please go inside?” he asks patiently, no trace of the stress that’s radiating from his body language in his tone. I wonder if that was as difficult for him as it would be for me. I decide if he can ask nicely, then I can reciprocate. Besides, whatever we’re going to talk about probably doesn’t need to happen outside.

I breeze by him, taking a seat on the sofa where it all started. Peeta sits across from me, not next to me, and it feels like rejection. It hurts.

“What was Cato doing there?”

“I told you, he wanted to talk about the story.” I’m a little sore that he’s questioning me. “Why are you mad about that? I didn’t ask him to come, you know. He just showed up. I’m not his keeper. I can’t tell him where to be and not to be.” I cross my arms defensively.

“I get that, but you didn’t tell him we’re together. That’s what he told me. That he had no idea, and that you told him to come back when you got off work to give you a ride home. And you send me a message to come get you, even though you asked him to? I just don’t understand, Katniss. And I really, really want to.”

He shrugs, looking wounded. Part of me wants to wipe it away while the other part wants to defend myself. Choosing the second option, my hands go up in frustration.

“I told him to come back at eleven because I was supposed to get off at nine. I would have been long gone by the time he got there but, as my luck would have it, I ended up having to close. So it backfired on me.” I let my hands fall to my sides, a hard slap on the soft couch.

Peeta processes the information, his tension melting a little, until I say, “Besides, he’s been pestering me for weeks now. It almost doesn’t surprise me that he showed up like that.”

“He’s been what?” Peeta’s voice is even and low. Eerily calm. Eyes unblinking.

“He’s been… kind of harassing me. About the story. Making comments and stuff. That’s why I was freaked out about partnering up with him.”

“Why didn’t you say something? God, Katniss!” He half-shouts, running both hands through his hair, pulling so hard I think he’s going to lose a patch of blonde to his own strength. “I would never have let him partner with us. I would have told him to go fuck himself!”

My eyebrows fly up to my hairline. I’ve never heard him say anything like that at all. Peeta Mellark doesn’t say ugly things to people. He’s kind and caring. Not angry and vulgar.

“Hell, I would have taken a lower score to keep him away,” he adds, finally letting his hands drop tiredly to his lap.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think to tell you. I figured, you know, he’d just take the hint. I kept running away and ignoring him…”

He sighs. “It’s not your fault. Guys like him don’t take hints easily.”

“How do you know?” I ask, curious about what insight he might have into ‘guys like him’.

His shoulders drop and a pained look crosses his face. “My cousin was a sophomore when I was a freshman.”

Madge. I remember her vaguely. She was a year ahead of us in high school. The female version of Peeta. Practically perfect in every way. Smart, outgoing, conventionally beautiful. President of everything. I remember she got a scholarship as well, to a different school, but I haven’t thought about her in years until now.

“She went to a party. This guy that had been after her for weeks finally saw his chance. He got handsy and when things were going too far she said no. He backed off, but the next thing she knew, she was being led to a room because she was too drunk to drive home, even though she’d only had two drinks. He had to have slipped something into that second drink. Anyway, the next morning she woke up with her clothing ripped off, laying on top of a pile of coats. Ten months later she had a son.”

My eyes are about to pop out of my head. I had no idea. “Did she go to the police?”

Peeta shakes his head slowly, his expression sad. “By the time she came to grips with what happened, it was two months later, and she doesn’t remember much about that night. She says it could have been anyone. She doesn’t even remember a shadow of a profile she was so out of it, but she dropped out and went home to her parents and they took care of her.”

“What about a paternity test?” I’m surprised and a lot disappointed no action was taken. People who do wrong should pay for their crimes, but Peeta just shakes his head again, defeated.

“She doesn’t want the father, whoever he may be, to be involved. Doesn’t want her son to have a rapist for a dad. They’re better off without him, and after she explained that to me, I got it. Still pissed as fuck, but I got it.” This is absolutely the wrong time to notice, but it’s so odd to hear him use that word I can’t help it. I find myself not hating his potty mouth.

“Something unfortunate happened to her, with a consequence that she now loves and protects with her life, and part of that protection is shielding him from a horrible dad.” He breathes deep and waves it off. “Besides, she’s seeing a great guy who loves Jaden and she’s happy now, but Madge’s current life isn’t the point, Kantiss. The point is…” he pauses, his shoulders visibly sagging with weight, “it could have been you tonight.”

He hits me with a pointed look. It goes straight to my gut. The same fear I felt when I saw Cato comes roaring back.

“And as much as it angered me when I found out my cousin was raped…” he trails off for a second. His jaw starts ticking again and there’s a hint of something in his eyes that looks like rage. “I couldn’t handle it if it were you. If he put his hands on you, I’d go insane. Just knowing that he’s even thought about you is making me crazy.”

He stands with renewed vigor and paces to the far wall. “That he has read our story?” He knocks a clenched fist into it before he turns around to face me. His eyes are wild, cheeks and neck splotchy red, chest heaving angrily. “I told him to talk to me about it and he sought you out. You. Not me. I gave him my information and he found you at work. Waited for you to get off so he could be alone with you.”

My mouth hangs open like a gaping fish. His words and behavior, along with the revelation of Madge’s story sinks in faster than a rock through water, hitting bottom with a thud. I think I’m going to be sick and close my eyes to will the nausea away. I breathe deep a time or two, stick my head between my legs, calming the nerves and trying not to think about what could have happened if Peeta hadn’t shown up. I could have been Madge 2.0.

Hands land gently on my shoulders, lifting my torso upright, then move to my thighs. When I open my eyes Peeta is kneeling in front of me. His imploring gaze stabs at my heart and I want to wipe the worry from his sky-blue eyes.

I remember to address his other concern before we move on because, yes, I realized too late that I should have told Cato I was with Peeta. “And no, I didn’t tell him about you but not because I didn’t want to. I just forgot.” I quickly realize how that sounds, Peeta’s expression confirming I’m right, and ramble on, “Not like I forgot you. I’m just used to being single. Independent. It didn’t cross my mind to mention you as a way to get him to back off, that’s all. And when I did think of it, it was too late. I tried to reach you, but Hangouts was really my only option since I don’t have a phone.”

The last few words sound pouty to my own ears, but the previous hours have drained me. I want nothing more than to collapse on the couch and go to sleep with Peeta next to me. I don’t want to argue. I lean back on the cushions and close my eyes.

I'm so tired I don’t even crack one open when he squeezes my thighs and says, “I want to go down and get you a phone first thing tomorrow.”

“Not in the budget right now,” I say, a deep breath leaving me, my head still relaxed on the back of the couch.

“I’m paying for it.”

“What? No!” I deflect the offer immediately, my head shooting up so fast I feel dizzy. There’s no way I’m letting him buy a cell phone and pay for the monthly plan. I’ve looked into those things and they’re expensive. It’ll just have to wait. “You can’t do that, Peeta.”

“I can,” he grinds through his teeth. I sense he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. He runs a shaky hand through his already disheveled hair and his chest expands and deflates with exasperation. “You need one. Especially when you’re walking home late at night. Katniss, if something happened to you and I-” I put my finger to his lips to silence him.

“I’ve made it four years without a cell phone. I can make it a little longer, Peeta. I’m about to get a raise. I’ll get one then.” My words are not reassuring to him.

He talks over my finger muzzle. “And between now and then? If something happens?” If our conversation weren’t so serious, I’d laugh. I remove my finger to avoid the temptation, and lower my voice so he knows I’m serious about this, too.

“It won’t. I’ll be more careful. I’ll tell Cato to fuck off.” I give him a half smile he doesn’t return. His eyes are still full of worry.

“Do you remember the other night when I was sick? And I was going to take you home and you told me no, that I was too sick to drive. And then you stayed and took care of me?”

I nod, glancing down at my lap. I feel like a tool. He’s only trying to help me.

“We’re the same, you and me. We protect what we care about - each other. And it would mean the world to me if you would allow me, your boyfriend,” he ducks his head to find my eyes, his face finally brightening a little and sucking me into his request, “to get you a cell phone.”

He does makes a good point. And it’s not that I’ve never thought of having one. I just didn’t really need one until now. And if having one makes Peeta feel better, then I should do it. Damn. How does he get me to change my mind so easily? If he weren’t so angelic I’d think he had the persuasion of the devil in him. He could definitely use his power for evil if he put his mind to it.

“Okay,” I relent, but only because of the ‘we protect each other’ part - at least that’s what I tell myself - and then point my finger at him, “but it has to be a cheap phone! Nothing state of the art. A flip phone, even.”

He snorts, grabbing my finger and biting the tip playfully. I don’t know if he meant it to affect me, but it sends a zing straight to my lower belly. “They don’t even make those anymore,” he says.

“A used one then. Whatever’s the least expensive. You’re not my sugar daddy.”

He quirks and eyebrow as he sits next to me on the couch. “I know someone looking to get rid of an old one and it’s only $10 a month to add a line to my plan. Problem solved. Besides, I would never dream of being your sugar daddy. Your independence is one of the things I like most about you.”

His arms wind around my waist and he tugs me into his lap. I find myself in the exact same position as the first time I was here - face to face, one leg on either side of his thighs, only this time I know what to do.

I scoot up a little until our centers are aligned and Peeta sucks in a sharp breath. He leans his head back, eyes close, opening again halfway. I watch them dim from the color of vibrant, noon skies to shades of midnight.

I place my hands against the couch cushions on either side of his head and stare down at him, deciding what to kiss first. His lips are at the top of the list - soft, plump, inviting. His perfectly pert nose with the slightest dash of freckles across the bridge. His cheeks - still ruddy from his earlier outburst. Even his ears are attractive.

I tip his head to the side with one finger after I decide to start there, at the base of his ear, and work my lips along his jaw to the adorable cleft in his chin. His hands glide leisurely up and down my thighs. He stills when my tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip, testing the waters of what he likes. I press my open mouth against his and suck his bottom lip in, tugging on it as I retreat. His hands tighten on my thighs, then move up to my hips. Fingertips pressing into my flesh.

I rake one hand through his hair, watching him. Waiting to see what he’ll do.

He’s patient, watching me right back.

When I can’t take his stare anymore, I lean in and brush my lips against his. A sigh escapes us both, warm breath mingling between us. There’s a cool dampness in the fabric between my legs that alerts me to the fact that, in my effort to turn him on, I’ve done it to myself.

His hands wander up my back, slow and torturous as we kiss unhurriedly. Fingers reach the nape of my neck and massage their way into my hair, pressing us closer. His tongue parts my lips, entering, tangling with mine. In no time at all our bodies are doing that thing again - writhing against each other. My body is heating up quickly. I know he said we’d go slow, but I’m not so sure I want to now.

“Peeta?” I ask in between long, luscious kisses. His response is a low moan that I feel in my chest.

“Do you have… you know?” He breaks away just a hair, eyes half-lidded, lips parted. His hair is a mess from my hands and his mouth is pink all over. My eyes stray to the top button of his shirt, undone. To busy myself, because I feel silly asking him to have sex with me already, I focus on getting the second button through the hole. My fingers fumble at first, but then I get it and move to the third. By the time I’m at the last button and push the fabric aside, his chest is rising and falling rapidly.

When I look up at him, he looks so serious, not a trace of humor to be found. “You want to…” he trails off, one eyebrow hooking up in question. He swallows visibly, and I pull my lower lip between my teeth and bite down, looking at him. I feel completely vulnerable. All my feelings exposed.

His eyes drift to my mouth and he uses his thumb to release my lip from the death grip my teeth have on it.

“It’s completely up to you. I won’t do anything you’re not okay with.” He brushes back a few strands of hair, cupping the side of my face, making sure our eyes meet before he says, “Got it?”

I nod my head, nerves settling in now that I’ve decided we’re doing this. “H-have you… ever?” I can’t look at him when I ask if he’s done this before, so I glance off to the side. A large part of me is sure he has, but there’s a slim part that hopes he hasn’t. Doesn’t want him to have done this with anyone else. Selfish? Maybe. Insecure? Definitely.

He touches my chin with his fingertip, guiding our eyes to meet. He nods hesitantly, and if I’m reading him right, there’s remorse etched in the downturn of his lips and the crease in his forehead.

“I wish I hadn’t. I wish you were my first, Katniss.” He pulls me down and gives me the softest, sweetest kiss, almost an apology, whispering, “My only,” when he’s through. Our heads rest against each other, and while my stomach bobs a little, it doesn’t sink entirely. Even though I’ll never be ‘his only’, I can be his now. His future. His last, even.

I can’t believe I’m thinking like this. I want to tell myself to shut up, but the way he’s looking at me, it’s as if he’s reading and consenting to my every thought - that we aren’t just a here and now thing.

It’s what compels me to rise from his lap and hold my hand out to him. He takes it, stands and follows me into his bedroom, where we undress before each other. His eyes devour every inch of flesh I expose to him. Mine do the same, hungry for anything he’ll give me.

I sit on the bed, crawling backwards until I’m in the middle, and lay back while he reaches into the drawer of his nightstand, for the condom I assume. I watch, even though I’m a little embarrassed by our nakedness. I won’t let it keep me from experiencing something amazing with him.

“Wait-” I say, reaching for his arm, and he halts immediately, eyes swinging to mine.

“Yes?” In that one word I can sense that he fully expects me to turn this in a different direction. And that’s exactly what I’m doing. I can also see in his expression that he’d be totally okay with waiting if I asked. But I’m not going to make him, or myself, wait tonight.

“Would you want to… um... “ I close my eyes tight. Shyness taking over.

“It’s okay. Just ask. Whatever you want,” he soothes my nerves with a voice that coats like warm oil.

“Will you, go down on me?” After reading a few articles on the subject, I’m more than a little curious about it. And there’s no one I trust more than him to be honest with me. If he doesn’t want to, then we’ll just move on.

He tosses the unopened condom on the bed next to me and walks to the end of the bed. “There is literally nothing I’d rather do in this entire world.” His hands finger my toes as his lip curls up deliciously to one side. He sweeps his hands lightly up my shins, then dips around my knees and yanks me to the end of the bed. I squeal at his growing smile and the feeling that I’m about to be his next meal.

I’m a bit nervous so I try for something lighthearted. “Nothing?” I mock with feigned innocence. An innocence I’m quickly letting go of.

“Ask me that question after I’m done, Smartass.” I finally let go and chuckle at his language, but he promptly shuts me up when his nose brushes my center. A groan starts, turning to a high pitched shriek when his tongue licks straight up my slit, flicking the little nub when he gets there.

“Oh, fuck. Me,” I moan as my hips raise into his face. More. Of that. Please, God!

“We’re getting there,” he answers with an amused grunt. He doesn’t utter another word. He’s too busy using his tongue to make me a writhing, boneless mess. When I feel it building, I put my hands on my breasts. He lets out a groan alongside my repeated cries of “Don’t stop!”

When I finally topple over the peak, my thighs squeeze together so tight Peeta has to pry them from around his head. I’m panting, exhausted, when he crawls on top of me, the mattress dipping with his weight. I open one eye lazily, too tired to make the other obey.

“So?” he asks with a wry grin. A grin I will wear very soon. Every oral article I read mentioned reciprocation, and while I haven’t a clue what I’m doing other than putting my mouth on it, the males that gave their opinion frequently said there’s not a lot of wrong ways to do that, and they love it when a girl goes down on them even if she doesn’t know what she’s doing.

“Your turn.” I push him over and, while it takes effort to get my body to comply, I’m on top of him quickly, staring down at his wide eyes.

“You? Want to… do that?” I half-smirk, still deliciously dazed from my orgasm. Someone lost their ability to use words.

I acknowledge his question by taking his erection in my hand, smoothing it up and down, getting a picture in my head for what to do. I test the feel of his hard, silky flesh with a lick to the tip. He hisses, but I know that’s not a bad thing. It spurs me to take more of it in my mouth. Just half, since I read about gagging and want to ease myself into this, not embarrass myself in front of him.

I come back up, and dip down, getting in a rhythm that has him breathing heavy and raising his hips slightly into my mouth a few times. I can tell by the way he’s fisting his sheets that he’s trying not to. It’s more of a turn on than I thought it would be and I find myself wanting to do more, so I focus on the patch of hair at the base and try to make my lips reach all the way. The tip of his cock touches the back of my throat, but I haven’t gotten all the way there yet. I’m determined to make him feel as good as he made me. On the next pass I open my jaw and take as much of him in as I can and just when I’ve almost made it he pushes me off.

“Stop. You have to stop,” he pants.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, my heart leaping to my throat. “Was it bad?” Shit. I almost don’t want to hear the answer. I feel like diving under the covers and hiding until he goes to sleep, then slinking back to my place.

“God, no. It was amazing. But if you want to have sex then you have to stop or I won’t be able to right away.”

He pulls me down to kiss me, then flips me to my back. His hand begins to run over my body, starting at my lips, down my neck to my chest. Circling one nipple, then the other, blazing a trail to my belly button and lower. He traces the creases of my inner thighs, then pushes one leg to the side.

“You are so beautiful.” The reverence in his tone is unmistakable. Every syllable of his words hold some underlying secret. A secret that will be just between us. “And I really want to be inside you tonight. That is, if you still want to?” he asks, his gaze fastened to mine as he slips the condom on, waiting for my answer.

Had I had these experiences before, I never would have had the writer’s block that plagued me in the story. The things he says, the way he looks at me, protects me, gives me so much promise. I know I’m ready.

I bring his lips to mine and before I kiss him, I whisper, “Yes.”

#goodbye writer's block!#it's been fun #thanks to everyone for reading and reblogging #and comments!#drop by my box or message me your thoughts #love to hear them #writer's block #chapter 8 #THE END

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everlarkrealornot · 7 years ago

Text

The PANEM Initiative, Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20

“Brandon?” Katniss stood outside Bran’s room a few hours later, knocking on the closed door. “Bran, I know you’re in there.”

“Piss off.” His muffled voice sounded more hurt than angry.

Katniss frowned at the door and pushed it open.

“I said piss off,” he grumbled through clenched teeth.

“I heard you,” she said as she folded her arms, leaning in the doorway.

He did his best to ignore her as he kept flipping through the magazine in his hands. She stared at him and lightly tapped her foot with increasing speed.

“ARGH!” He yelled and threw the magazine across the room. “What do you want?!”

“Why did you quit your old job?” She stopped tapping her foot and uncrossed her arms.

“Why should I talk with you about this?” He snapped.

“Because I’m the only one asking.” She raised an eyebrow.

He squinted at her as if he was considering his options. He sighed loudly and nodded for her to come in. She pushed off of the doorway and dropped down on the end of the bed.

“I met Autumn – ”

“You quit because of a girl?” She asked, interrupting him.

“Do you want to hear the story or not?” He asked. Katniss pretended to zip her lips and then crossed her arms tightly over her chest again. “I meet her in L.A. – she landed me the job I quit.”

“And then she told him she had a letter and that she was going to meet her match right after Christmas.”

“What?!” Peeta’s eyes were the size of saucers.

“She had her letter the whole time they were together.” Katniss shook her head. “It was almost a year.”

“And he just volunteered this information to you?” He eyed her suspiciously.

“It’s not like he sought me out but I didn’t have to hold an arrow to his throat either,” she said with a shrug. Peeta nodded with a look of admiration on his face.

“Was he in love with her?” He asked after a moment.

“I was not in love with her, Katniss.” Brandon protested.

“Yes, you are. Why else would you have quit your job and left L.A.?”

“There was nothing there for me.”

“You had a job and friends there, but you still came home.” Katniss looked at him sadly, “It’s okay to admit you have a broken heart.”

“My heart is not broken!” He barked.

“Definitely.” She shook her head dramatically back and forth. Peeta sat thinking for a moment.

“Did he say you could share this with me?” He asked.

“Well…”

“Why don’t you talk to Peeta about this?” Katniss asked.

“No! Don’t you say anything to him!” Brandon pointed his finger right in her face.

“Come on Bran! I mean, if either of your brothers is going to understand being punched in the face by the Initiative, its Peeta.”

“No way, Katniss!”

“Not exactly.” She said with a shrug.

“That’s a no, isn’t it?” Peeta raised his eyebrows at her.

“That’s a, I decided it was better for both of you if you knew the truth.”

“Yeah, that’s a big hell no!” He said with a laugh.

Katniss wiggled in her chair, getting antsy after having to sit up straight for so long.

“I’m almost done.” Madge smirked at her in the mirror as she wrapped another strand of hair about the curling iron. “So, are Brandon and Peeta on better terms now?” Katniss gave a small giggle in response. “Still bad then?”

“No, actually, things are okay between the two…it’s just so funny to watch Brandon have to swallow down every nasty jab he thinks of…Yesterday Effie came to pick up our wedding packet and Bran looked like he was in physical pain keeping his mouth shut.” Katniss smiled as she recalled his expression.

“Mhhm.” Madge hummed as she touched up a few of the curls. “There, all done!”

“Finally!” Katniss jumped up, causing her hair to bounce around her shoulders. Madge frowned at her. “I mean, thank you.” She awkwardly squeezed Madge’s shoulders.

“You’re welcome,” she said shaking her head. “By the way, you look amazing in that dress.”

“I don’t know…it just feels a little…revealing…” Katniss pulled on the bottom of her dress, hoping to gain another inch of material.

“Okay, no.” Madge grabbed her shoulders and straightened her back up so she was standing tall. “This dress is sexy.”

“They could have taken some of the sleeve material and added it to the bottom of the dress...or the back.” She ran her hand over the edge of the open back on the dress.

“Like I said, this dress is sexy – you look sexy. Peeta will have a hard time keeping his hands to himself.” Katniss blushed. “That is what you want, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t necessarily want to be obvious about it.” She murmured as she picked at imaginary lint on her arms.

“Maybe you’ll catch the eye of…oh, what was her name again? Jolynn?” Madge snickered as she cleaned up the hair accessories.

“It’s Johanna and God, I hope not!” She sat down and slipped on her boots.

“You said her husband was hot, though, right?”

Katniss blinked at her for a moment.

“First of all, I said good looking and second of all, what happened to my friend? She never used to talk about boys this much…or with this much enthusiasm,” she added.

“That was before, when there were no cute boys in your life to talk about,” she said with a wink.

“True,” Katniss said with a nod of her head before they both burst out laughing.

“So much laughing in here,” Helen said as she swung her head around the door frame. “Oh, Katniss, you look lovely.”

“Thanks mom.” She unconsciously tugged at the bottom of her dress again – both Helen and Madge had to hide their giggles at her action.

“Peeta’s here, by the way,” Helen said with a smile before disappearing from view.

“You ready?” Madge asked.

Katniss looked in the mirror one last time before grabbing the clutch Madge had brought for her to use (she was running out of dresses and accessories for these stupid fancy meet ups).

“As ready as I can be.”

“Come on.” Madge smiled at her and gently pushed her towards the door.

“KATNISS, ARE YOU COMING?!” Prim shouted just as they walked into the living room.

“NO.” Katniss said in exasperation.

“You look awesome!” Prim jumped up ignoring her snarky comment. “Picture time!”

“As always.” Katniss said under her breath. “Hi.” She turned to Peeta and smiled warmly. “How did work go without me?” The day before had been Katniss’s last day at the bakery and she had almost dropped a whole tray of muffins on the ground.

“Uneventful.” He smiled brightly at her.

“T o g e t h e r.” Prim said slowly as she waved her hands.

Katniss sighed, handing her clutch to Madge before walking over to Peeta. She felt his hesitation as he slid his arm around her waist, his fingertips brushing the bare skin of her back, his hand coming to rest on her hip. Their eyes met for a moment before turning their attention back to Prim and smiling for her.

“Beautiful!”

The Christmas party was being held in the Grand Banquet Hall, just twenty minutes into the city from their town. They both had been to the hall for prom (which Katniss only attended because Madge forced her to go) but never had it looked so elegant. There were pine trees scattered around the edges of the room, all decorated in the same white Christmas lights that glowed warmly. From the ceiling hung lights in the shape of snowflakes, all glowing with the same warm light that the Christmas trees had. The smell of pine, eggnog, and cinnamon swirled in the air.

After checking-in Katniss and Peeta had managed to evaded Effie and head straight to the buffet. They were slightly shocked not to see the traditional appetizers that had been served at the last two meet ups, but a large spread of traditional Christmas dinner foods. The dessert table was covered in at least twelve different kinds of Christmas cookies and besides the regularly stocked drinks at the bar, there were four different kinds of hot chocolate and both spiked and non-spiked eggnog.

“Just based off of the buffet, I think this is going to be my favorite Meet Up so far.” Katniss said, as she was already on her third plate of food.

“It’s not too bad.” Peeta said raising his glass. Katniss smiled and raised hers in return.

“I knew you two had to be here somewhere.” Finnick smirked as he sat down with a plate of food.

“Katniss, don’t you look ravishing tonight!” Johanna gave her a wicked grin.

“And don’t you look…pregnant.” Katniss couldn’t help but stare at the woman’s stomach.

“Just what every woman wants to hear.” Her grin vanished as she dropped her plate on the table and sat down. She stabbed a piece of ham with her knife and bit a hunk off to chew on.

“I’m assuming you two have finished that awful wedding packet by now?” Finnick ignored his hostile wife.

“Effie came and got it yesterday…I thought she was going to burst with happiness.” Peeta gave a laugh.

“She is either incredibly delighted because of you, incredibly anxious for you, or incredibly angry with you…there is no in between.” Finnick’s evaluation of Effie’s emotional state was highly accurate and the whole table couldn’t help but laugh. “How’s school, Peeta?”

“Oh,” Peeta shifted uncomfortably in his chair, “I actually withdrew.” Finnick was surprised – the last time they had talked at the Halloween Party, they had had a rather lengthy conversation about Peeta’s classes.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“No, it’s a good thing.” Peeta took a drink of his water. “I didn’t fit there and I missed the bakery.”

“So you’re making cupcakes together?” Johanna wrinkled her nose. “How cute.”

“I’m actually a personal chef now.” Katniss desperately wanted to add a “thank you very much” to the end of that sentence.

“That sounds interesting,” said Finnick. He looked to Katniss, obviously waiting for her to continue the conversation.

“Well, I…I haven’t started yet…I start after the first of the year.” Katniss mumbled as she stumbled over her words. The three of them just kind of stared at her for a moment.

“Katniss will be working for a designer, his name is Cinna.” Peeta picked up the conversation for her. “She showed me pictures of his kitchen – it’s bigger than the kitchen in the bakery.”

Sometime after they had finished eating, Finnick had brought Katniss a hot chocolate that had been made with a cream liqueur. She had been reluctant to drink it at first but had enjoyed the warm feeling that it had given her so much that she had three more.

The room was worm and the smell of pine and cinnamon was starting to make Katniss drossy. She leaned lazily against Peeta’s side and sipped on another hot chocolate as he and Finnick talked on. She was enjoying the feeling of his thumb rubbing against her hip as she watched Finnick massage Johanna’s feet and calves. There was something hypnotic in his motion and touch and after a while Katniss felt like she was intruding on a very private moment for them.

There was a break in conversation and Peeta had said something to her that she had missed. She shook her head, trying to clear the fuzz that had settled around her.

“Do you want to dance?” Peeta motioned to the dance floor. She nodded silently and sat down her drink. He excused them and then took her hand leading her among the other couples. He wrapped his arm around her waist, settling his hand on the small of her back. She took his free hand and placed her other hand on his shoulder.

Katniss was now highly aware of her sensations. The smell of Peeta’s body wash was intoxicating and the touch of his hand on her bare back was like a welcoming fire. They were pressed so close together she could feel his heart beat, steady and strong, and was sure he could feel hers, unsteady and fast.

“You look stunning, by the way.” His checks were tinted pink as he spoke and she knew hers would soon be too.

“Thank you.” She swallowed hard. “You look good too.” He smiled and looked off over her shoulder. “I’m..” she started but the words failed on her lips.

He looked at her, questioningly. She closed her eyes and dug through all of the stuff that was keeping her from being honest with him.

“I’m glad you’re home, and….I’m glad I’m here with you.”

Buy me a coffee?

#everlark #thg #au #arranged marriage #the hunger games #tpi #kate writes

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pinksweatergettingbetter · 8 years ago

Text

//what the fuuuuuuuuck??

i feel like i just walked into a different game

‘a foreigner’

well

maya is the direct descendant of freakin Mystic Ami

man i really hate Kooraheen

“I wonder if Maya has matured any since the last time I saw her?”

oh they tried, phoenix

they tried

but that shit doesnt fly

...apparently growing an inch well after you've naturally stopped growing does, though. oh well whatever

MAYAAAAA

“its on top of a mountain and its freezing”

“i think i can handle it”

bullshit phoenix youu fucking liar exercise and cold are your least favourite things

ahlbi: dont go in there that river is full of souls

phoenix: lol but what if i did

jesus phoenix

all this stuff about prayer has got to be taking the piss

i cant tell if this game is against religion or just... i have no idea

“it’s been many a day”

yeah like i dunno just a DECADE

many a day??????? what the fuck is this

“you have to train in Kooraheen because this is where the technique originated”

oh yes, totally not in Kurain, the place Mystic Ami, the founder of the Kurain Channeling Technique, founded. No way.

“all i learnt was to look like a nun”

yeah because youre iN THE WRONG PLACE MAYA

“seat-of-you-pants, come-from-behind wins”

“ok so it wasnt my finest hour. sue me.”

id marry this man

“yep! completed the full two years!”

wow so i guess the Incredible, Amazing-Special and Highly Spiritual Kooraheeneese training regimen is the equivalent of an associate degree.

“the high priest practically begged me to do it!”

mayas going to jail and he's the killer isn't he.

i love that theyre like “lady keera isn't like the deities we think of from back home; she was a really real person!!”

and its like

awkward for jesus.

I WANT PICTURES OF LADY KEERA! (slams table)

“sightings of her go back 2 years!”

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

“you think some regular cosplayer could take on a bunch of guys in costume alone????”

well i mean essentially every super hero is just that so

“thats why she's real!!”

ok, wearing a cloak and kicking a rebel in the balls now makes you a god. you heard it here first guys

something about all of this just makes me rly uncomfortable and i cant put my finger on it

“can we leave my hair out of this?”

once again phoenix worries more about his hair than... well, being called edgeless i guess

maya’s wearing a robe and she punched a lawyer in the face... i’d say that gets her canonized at least.

♫ he's got spurs, that jingle jangle jingle (jingle jangle) ♫

“Look! Its Acolyte Zeh’lot!”

me, wincing from the pain of the pun but also yelling: ITS FUCKIN AANG HLY SHIT

phoenix wright’s new fun personality gimmicks include: destroying foreign monarchies and having Unexplained Broken Spine Syndrome

I’d like to think capcom beat him with a gold club while reminding him that most of the oldest living attractive-enough-to-be-a-protagonist people in Ace Attorney are like 40

i dont know why but the image of a few brightly coloured monks hauling phoenix’s unconscious ass down a mountain is making me wheeze like nobodys business

ahlbi: miss mayas been arrested!

phoenix: (completely unshocked) what

(brutal murder has just occurred)

praying man: do you think we should get up??

praying man #2: nah were just part of the background.

ema failed the forensics exam because she continually took fingerprints without consent. confirmed

phoenix: i never thought id have to do another trial where the defence was unwelcome

you'd have to quit to achieve that kind of peace, phoenix

“he's calm and kind and almost always has a smile on his face”

correction; he’s haughty, condescending and almost always has a holier-than-thou smirk on his face.

theres so much cursing and exploding into flames in Kooraheen.

‘iii guess thiiiiis is what its like to live in a deeeeeeply religious society, huuuuuh’

i dont know how to feel about this

poor baby faces his least fav things; cold and high

oh crap not figure skater princess

oh dear god. this is ominous as fuck. phoenix is just like “that looks like...” and then its just. one huge EXAMINE button followed by her being the only choice.

I'm feeling deeply uncomfortable

“we know the killer is one of your own!”

HER ANCESTOR INVENTED–– AGGHHHNNN never mind

“in my country suspects are innocent until proven guilty”

we’ve all said it once and i’ll say it again

bullshit, capcom

“phony baloney”

“tweedledum and tweedledee did a number on her impression of foreigners”

what the fuck does that mean

who the fuck is he referring to

this is the tuna boat all over again

“who taught you to demonize a whole group of people anyway”

just sounds really stupid when the “people” in question are lawyers.

...is this the kooraheen version of (positive adjective) people

its marginally better than the regular SOJ (positive adjective) people

oh lady Kee’ra is katniss everdeen. she's even got the mockingjay and everything!

this reminds me a lot of Bridge

even figure skater princess is a bit like assistant!Franziska. but less amusing.

she’s rather helpful though, to a disgusting scum sucking lawyer like me.

idk Kurain village felt a lot more atmospheric than Kooraheen does. I’m not quite sure why... Might’ve been the music (which was awesomely spine-tingling)

but also something about just... the general feel? Like the strict rules of Kurain village felt more claustrophobic and stifling than the almost cartoonish seeming Super Prayer Aesthetic of Kooraheen. (who knows; maybe there are countries that spend 15 hours straight in prayer but idk them)

maybe Kurain village felt more realistic in that a single town housing nothing but mediums seems within the boundaries of reality, but an entire country completely based upon it does not.

Kurain felt like a small part of a bigger picture, whereas i feel like Kooraheen is a big picture with nothing much in it.

when is a medium-based case not a locked-room mystery???

cleared away snow... a broken lantern... gosh!!! THAT... REMIND ME OF SOMETHING

also phoenix taking more pictures is [100 emoji]

“almost... boggles the mind...”

he didnt seem scared but his vision did blur

maybe he got

high

haha h ah hah hah ha

a full body poncho is a great fighting outfit

i wonder if spider-kee’ra is a fella in disguise

“I wonder if he has amnesia”

either youre sherlock fucking holmes or that was rly forced. he said like 2 words to you.

characters who look like theyre gonna shoot u thus far:

-Precious bobby

-dirty hobo eating lizards

mind reading lizard eating hobo

hes a power ranger!!!

you ask this man, phoenix wright, to move on???

you fool

“all my tools were confiscated at the airport”

oh except this HUGE SPRAY BOTTLE OF LIQUID

ema: (backhandedly mentions klavier)

me: (clenching fist with a tear in my eye) someday

“Who’d have thought you’d get caught up in something like this? And so far from home?”

phoenix pls

“Besides, I thought you’d be used to being the usual suspect by now!”

[wheezes] that was like 3 lines before this unholy contradiction

(cries) the bars are so wide he can hold his pwecious bffs hand thru them

like. if he wanted to.

also the music is surprisingly nice and atmospheric. very subtle and gentle and not an atonal mess like the investigation theme.

oh fuck i forgot you were here rayfa

maya just called herself a foreigner. fuck you capcom.

“ive never eaten anything better in my life”

MAYA HOW COULD YOU FORSAKE BURGERS

NOOOOO

fucking fuck rayfa

she's

the master

of the kurain

technique

oh i see. she's been keeping her talent a ‘secret’

cant FUCKING WAIT to find out what the bullshit excuse plot twist is!!!

“I found this”

and why do you,,,,, still have it maya,,,, while ur in jail

kurain guards suck ass

why did she... bring up the ladder argument

it came right the heck out of nowhere after she says she's gonna ‘keep it real’ from now on. is she saying that was stupid and frivolous?? damnit fuckin fuck SOJ dont mock the most precious running gag in the series thats poor fuccking taste

priest is a rebel isn't he

“We’re not in Kansas anymore...”

could’ve fooled me, y’all

“All Abord the Phoenix Freedom Express”

that omnibus sure came a long way...

rayfa doesn't speak japanifornian very well, only khumerican.

yikes, another ‘examine person’ scenario.

“are you she”

..........................phoenix

everyone’s so shocked that a woman is communicating with the dead in a country wHICH REVOLVES AROUND COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEADKJ HKFH; GHHL /

Wait, Datz isn’t kooraheenese?

three hole??????? three hole????? duhhh.... three hole.......... i dont know huhuhuhuuh

“theres an unusual custom”

not depicting a religious figures is an unusual custom????? they have got to be taking the piss

“I think its stunning!!” so stunning that i will steal the poster hahahaha

HSHFGSJK AAAHHH THE PLUMED PUNISHER

KILL IT

KILL IT WITH FIRE

(weeps in relief)

thank you for.... dousing the pain with the original.... my soul is cleansed.

so what if she called herself lovely

she is lovely

let a gal have some confidence in herself, phoenix.

eyyyyy psyche locks and their badass 2013 theme. I'm down for this

a three pronged arrow is such a stupid fucking idea. they do know that the shape of an arrow is designed to go in easily and be difficult to pull out, right??

Rayfa knows words like “Meritorious” in English, but not the implicit meaning of Freedom Express.

youve gOT BALLS FOR A LAWYER

THIS GAME CAN GET AWAY WITH “YOUVE GOT BALLS” BUT APOLLO CANT SAY ‘FUCK’????

Inga’s like Redd White but less funny. amusing in that he calls phoenix ‘white’.

also what kind of cigar is he smoking that has wax on the end??? that cant be healthy

#sulking over SOJ #ooc #long long looooooong post

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crab-goddess · 8 years ago

Text

Lala land more like Po land cause that shits gay ad I do not like it cause the cant sing Very well and mate I’m just over the hype like let it go the love you feel towards the film? – DROP IT

Reaching into my thoughts I pull out the hated memory of seeing lala land because it ruined my faith in cinematography to cast people for singing roles. I love advanced higher and I know this essay is really shit right now I really need to get this grade because I want to go to the cconsevitour you feel me

Lala land goes against my morals also because of how it shows examples of cheating because mate she has a fucking boyfriend and she makes a date with this guy when she is still with her boyfriend and she stands up the date with this new guy cause she has a boyfriend and half way through her date with her actual boyfriend she goes with the dancing man. I wrote in my diary how outraged I was after seeing the film because I had to document my utter rage, long story short I tore up the page because I was fuming

What else do I not like about it? They have so much money but they have loads of money, they have so many costume changes like obviously they have money. There are so many changes. HE DRIVES a convertible.

Every single time someone is shot in New York they have no money like what’s the deal I am concerned. I cannot not see my genitalia, my little buddy.

I should talk to my dick more actually, oh hi penis

Hold me while I pee small bowl. Kerry has departed and so has my inspiration for the cause because not gonna lie I did enjoy lala land despite its bad qualities it made me feel good and that’s all the matters to a young emo boy living in the suburbs you feel me sqa marker like seriously not gonna lie either I really want a fucking A give me it you low life piece of amazing literature like the essay you are reading right now so shut the fuck up and don’t go to the cinema

Turning point baby Kerry is spitting on the attack, she doesn’t really care about poussey anymore which me as the writer I am happy about. I should use periods more, periods only stop sentences. Lesbian teasing in orange in the new black is so annoying because it is like oh here are some sexy lesbians oh wait they are dead now or in shu or whatever it’s called like nicky was an example. Lexa wasn’t the best like gay character I just want a consistent gay character, you can tell she hasn’t seen sense 8. That’s something I could talk about

I don’t like ben aaffleck.

Sense 8 is great, there Is no doubt about that but man there are somethings I am not happy about. I feel as if they are just ticking off all of the stereotypes in today’s society in the sense that they have to have ever interesting character like what are the chances that they are from different countries, surely there must be like two in India or something it kind of annoys me but however, new sentence. It does give me everything that I want in a tv show like there isn’t a character I would want added to the show because they have everyone I could ask for and more. I think im doing well so far, lewis is going home –wait sorry I am the writer lewis Gemmell I have not got a ghost writer

Cactus? Katniss? Obi wan? What is the difference, ben kanobi that what. It literally just goes back to the same position. I promised my mum and dad I wouldn’t get drunk I am a bad person I just need to start taking responsibility for my actions. I am a bad person. Responsibility is coming, are we doing this hand thing. Who is dominant? I like treating this essay as a mental release, they are being so loud. I do think I am kind of mental with this parasite thing also me and Lewis are opposites on another level with me being a bottom an ben being a just o top not like ben is writing this he just promotes instinctfulness , Melissas belly is making funny noises. Melissa is such a twinky bottom, only a bottom as a boy don’t get her wrong.

Vegan cheese thats fucking disgusting oh my god how am I typing when im walking around like a zombie omg that’s hat school is like. Endurance is key top tip sqa. Ppinky then thumb, 12 inch instantly would just make you vomit, dick comes out mouth and it touches your delicate stomach and you projectile acid all over the sheets and dissolve his dick and bed sheets. Lewis wants – wait I – want to bottom properly. Douche for week not years. parks and rec inspiration mate the banter is flowing like nates cum in my mouth – said by Jeffree star 16/02/2016. How cool is numbers in essays. Braid my asshole hair into a nice messy bun/ wreath

Have you never heard of jeffree star? He’s hilarious. Slurp that shot babes, hump till you make that fucking calorie burn. Everybody clap your ass can you bring it to the top, slam into my sister room bum first. Dick of terror – oh wait caterpillar ride omg the caterpillar ride is like a 12 inch dick coming out his mouth like the caterpillar through the apple, sorry sqa I’m just on such a tangent. Holl boll screaming low blow puff poof

Back to lala land anyway, sorry about it. OK I want to type that emma stone is very ugly but I do not believe in what I think because she is beautiful but I am gay so I can just stfu, sorry sqa I’m really into abbreviations and tbh I’m liking my structure the flow is as potent as the banter. Cactus up anus? YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SO? I fucking love numbers in w0rd5 LOL. Spike in every orifice, Cactus in every orifice. Are eyes hoes? Only if you don’t have them. I have work in 5 hours but I care more about advanced higher english than to be caring about my fucking money situation. New paragraph for the editors enjoy babes take a s

Bit h I cannot ad

Mate you have no idea how hard it is to see he keyboard I’m typing this from memory of I’m decided am going to get married even tho theres like no point I like buy dress

Poke me with that dick bc I love jesis- the blind woman

I can’t imagine being Minnie driver

I think I am kaput, I’’m just out of energy towards getting my point across aand I think I have made some really potent points, melissas ass in this game. Sorry I keep going on these tangents and its about lala land not fucking reptiles. Emily is being really good at running in overwatch. But anyway I’’m coming to an end, I do like lala land but I respect the aspect of disappointments within the film.

I am going to make a film about am man who talks to his aunt in scrabble just so you know sqa I am doing other things than my advanced higher but I am only going to start when I finish this masterpiece cause again I love advanced higher English.

I want lola to pierce my nipple and I do like lala land ok and fuck emma stones hate on her

Bye, kind regards

SOLVE MY RIDDLE BONUS ROUND

93453 c��pL

#lalalala #any mutasls on teh edge this is juust gonna push so sorry its a one time thinge

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ryleejaybyrd · 8 years ago

Note

ANSWER ALL THE EVENS BWAHAHA

Jesus christ Taylor XD Nobody cares but here I go!!!!!!!

lol like how I tried to play it off cool but I’m actually super stoked rn

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?

Yes and no... for like the first day of winter when it’s all pretty and pristine but when it get’s to the point of ‘fuck me do i still have toes?’ I’m over it.

4: how do you take your coffee/tea?

I like my coffee with french vanilla creamer and lovingly call it my princess froofroo bullshit drink. On the tea side of things I like herbal without anything added becuase I feel like a fairy drinking flower water.

6: do you keep plants?

I love thinking I could, but the only plant I haven’t killed is the one that I keep in my papa’s sunroom where I’m never anywhere near it because everything I touch dies screaming.

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?

Is internal screaming a viable medium? I like to think I can write, but that’s still under investigation

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?

I’m all over the place, you can usual tell by my hair tho. Seeing as it sticks straight up on whichever side I sleep on.

12: what's your favorite planet?

Jupiter!! It has all those awesome moons that are v cool.

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?Hmmmmm, it’d probably be a homey mess of books, fandom knicknacks and random coffee mugs with random socks laying everywhere. (there may or may not be a smiley face painted on the wall that is outlined with bullets.. crazy night..)

16: what's your favorite pasta dish?

I’m very uncultured so spaghetti is how imma roll

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.

oh god, you mean every other moment I’m in their presence? My shining moment would probably be when I had a minor stroke after getting v excited about making cinnamon pancakes for @klskipper13 and I stuttered so bad I said “ Cinininamonon pancancancakes”

20: what's your favorite eye color?

Probably green!

22: are you a morning person?

HAHAHAHA. that’s cute

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?

Honestly I’m a pretty open person? I’ll tell anyone anything, especially if I think it’ll make them laugh.

26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit?

YOU MEAN THE ONES THAT JUST BROKE AND I’M STILL GRIEVING OVER. They’re brown combat boots that go to just under my knee with laces all the way up. I lovingly named them my Katniss boots, may they rest in peace.

28: sunrise or sunset?

I like the idea of sunrise. There’s just something about beginnings that make me all poetic and shit

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?

Yup, 100% when my friend and I got busted after drinking at her mormon grandmothers house. In retrospect, probably should have done it elsewhere.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.

At my 13th bday party my friends and I were staying at a house on a golf course and we streaked nude up and down the 18th hole. Till this day I wonder if they had surveillance cameras.

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?

It was a doe deer beanie baby named Whisper. She was that stuffed animal that went everywhere with me. At age 12 I lost her somewhere at my cousins house and am still sad about it till this day. She had one eye and a pink nail polish stain on her chest. Bonus story: my oldest friend @haleygalik had that same beanie baby and gave it to me since I was so upset about losing mine. I still have Whisper 2.0 till this day

36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now?Right now? Uuhh, I’m not sure tbh. I’m kinda feeling serene so something celticy. I’m also uncultured in music.

38: tell us about your pet peeves!

Dogs that beg when you try to eat. My dad passed that down to me. I will literally stare a dog straight in the eye and eat slowly. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs more then humans, but that bothers me. I also get very twitchy when a computer desktop is just full of icons (yes I’m talking about you Tay.)

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you?

I have this wedding band set that I found when my great grandma jay passed away. I think it was her wedding rings, but I never knew for sure. I wish I knew their story more then anything.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!

There’s a shop that’s in our town called grump monkey. Its small and kinda modern themed but still comfy.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?Hmmm, probably when I was swimming in the ocean last November. The ocean is my home.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.

The fact that Barbara Dunkelman from Rooster Teeth is so bad at puns she gave herself the title Barbara Punkelman....

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?

Being abducted by one of the aliens from Signs. Well duh.

50: what's an odd thing you collect?

Tbh I don’t collect anything really... but I do have a thing about small intricate boxes and bottles. I don’t usually keep them long tho. I move a lot.

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far?

The only one I’ve noticed is the thing with the cowboy hat. I’m not the most observant

54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?

I just saw a friend of my mom’s who’s brother passed away, that was rough.

56: what are some things you find endearing in people?

It is so great when people talk with their hands more and more as they get excited. The best story tellers look like they’re being pulled around by a drunk marionette person.

58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?

@brigadepuppy is probably the wine mom, and @klskipper13 is the vodka aunt who doesnt really drink but has a bottle thats filled with water so people wont nag her to drink with them.

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?

Robert Frost is my main bitch. His path diverging in a yellow wood will always be my fave. tho in english class we once read this poem about a lady who kept one of her lovers locked away in a hidden room and continued to sleep by the body even after the person died... to this day i cant find it anywhere. had something to do with roses. creepy as fuck but great.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

Orange is the bomb!

64: what color is the sky where you are right now?

a black satin canvas speckled with the iridescence of millions of different cosmic lights

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?

Oh! I really like colorful leaves and vines instead of flowers.

68: what's winter like where you live?

A mythic bitch. #upperleft

70: have you ever used a ouija board?

Fuck to the no. I like not being haunted thank you. Tho, I am 100% convinced a ghost named Tina haunts me. I’ve had flickering lights, random bangs, and things falling off shelfs happen every once in awhile. I’m surprisingly calm about it mostly.

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it?

Absolutely. Helps keep my mind clear too. If i write it down it’s not swirling around in my brain and distracting me. Once its tangible its easy to toss aside.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.

I have only two friends

Friend 1: My lil Asian

Friend 2: Lil Bitch

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't?

Oh for sure. I should be buying a ticket from Florida to New York, researching my trip to New Zealand, and double checking my bills are payed. HAHA NEXT QUESTION

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

I’m a fanclub! I have a lot of love for people I’ve never met

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?

White, sadly. I didn’t, like I said. I move a lot.

82: are/were you good in school?

100% was a fly on the wall. Put in minimum effort and left with a 3.5 GPA cuz our school system is a joke.

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?

Yas!~ I want to do my Harry Potter house with my friends and something to do with space/the ocean or mythical creatures

86: do you like concept albums? which ones?

Uh sure, I totally know what those are and they’re great...

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

The lil animatic videos people are doing for musicals! I love them so much!!! For example @galactibun and @raythrill do some really neat ones! (or at least I’m pretty sure they do??? I always see them blogging that style anyway)

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities.

Austin! Mainly because Rooster Teeth, but also it was such a vibrant place! I would like to live their someday.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?

All the cheese. It’s cheese with a side of pasta. I love cheese.

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

My Aunt Kelly!

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? 100% procrastinator. They take forever.

98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

Way to long... uh probably last summer with a friends dog! Of course! Being outside is always cathartic

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

I’d go into the past! I’d miss so much if I were to skip ahead that I’d feel anxious I think.

Here you all go, XD thanks Tay, I appreciate you booboo

1 note · View note

jlalafics · 5 years ago

Text

“Rent Control”-Epilogue

We’re here! I can’t tell you how much fun I had writing this!

Anyway, I plan to put this on FFn and AO3 some time next week so you can read the whole thing uninterrupted.

Also, just to warn you. This is LONG.

If you haven’t read the other parts, follow the links below:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Summary: Katniss Everdeen has found the perfect home in San Francisco—great neighborhood, an easy commute and, best of all, it’s rent controlled. There’s only one problem; the landlord will only rent to a married couple.

Enter Peeta Mellark.

_____

Rent Control

Epilogue: One Year Later

“Rue, I want the buffet to go here.” Katniss pointed to the back of the space, adjacent to the living wall. “Presents will go on the round table that we’re setting up at the entrance. The table linens are coming with Annie and Finnick—I found them at this awesome vintage shop in Oakland. They’ll be great if we ever decide to have any other special events…” She turned to the young girl. “Anything else that I’m missing?”

Rue chuckled as she ticked things off the iPad she carried in her hands.

“How about breathing? Seems like you missed it during that entire conversation.”

“Very funny, smartass,” Katniss retorted though she smiled fondly at the girl. “Sometimes I wonder why Peeta and I hired you.”

“Because I am the S-H-I-T…and because I can make a kickass Kouign-amann,” Rue replied, her grin just as affectionate towards Katniss.

Katniss nodded. “True.” She took a deep breath. “I just want everything to be perfect tomorrow for them. They’ve waited for so long…”

“It’s going to be great,” Rue assured her. “Now, you need to relax…have you even eaten?”

“No, just been busy and it escaped my mind.” Katniss sighed. “I could go for a cheese bun.”

Rue scrunched her nose. “Oh God—is that what you and Peeta call it now?”

“No, she’s actually really into my buns.”

Peeta appeared before them with a tray in his hand. Pressing a quick kiss to Katniss’ lips and placing the tray on an empty table, he presented her with a cheese bun which she took and began to eat with relish.

“I do love Peeta’s buns…” She winked at the man before her, cheeks full of food. “Among other things.”

Rue rolled her eyes at them. “You two disgust me. Go get a room—or an alley.”

“Now why would we do that when have those awesome mirrors Johanna gifted us in the back?” Peeta said with a smirk.

“I thought you said those were there so we could all keep an eye on each other in the kitchen!” Rue exclaimed. “Now I will never be able to make anything in there!”

“So, we’ll see you tomorrow?” Katniss asked, finishing off the rest of the bun as she wrapped an arm around Peeta’s waist.

“Yeah…but only because I really like cake!” Rue told them as she gathered her things off the counter next to her. “And, Annie’s potato salad!”

In a huff, the girl marched through the revolving door going to the back of the building.

Peeta and Katniss looked to one another, identical grins on their faces. Hand in hand, they went to the front where a long communal table stood and Peeta helped Katniss step onto the adjoining bench to sit on the wood surface before joining her.

When they were settled, they turned to one another.

“Happy Anniversary,” Peeta told her.

Katniss smiled and took his hand. “Happy Anniversary.”

Together, they turned to look out the front window of the Mellark Bakery, content in the moment and with one another.

++++++

“You won’t even tell me?” Katniss asked as she followed Peeta out of the kitchen.

“No,” he responded firmly as he went to the buffet table. Taking the piping bag, Peeta examined the three-tier cake before going to the middle tier and adding another perfect white frosting flower. “You also made me promise not to tell you.”

“You’re mean!” she responded petulantly. “See if I ever go down on you again.”

“Gross.”

Annie and Finnick, along with the rest of their brood, entered the bakery. Jack—now four—immediately went to Peeta to show him the Pokéball that he had in his grasp. Sarah and Rose dispersed to run around the bakery to which Finnick managed to wrangle one of the twins.

“Rose, we don’t run around Uncle Peeta’s bakery!” he told the girl in his arms.

“Sarah!” the one-year-old replied.

“Oops—sorry, kid,” her father replied sheepishly.

“I am so glad that we decided on that vasectomy,” Annie said as she went to hug Katniss. “Also—really gross. Why were you talking about ‘going down?’”

“Peeta won’t tell me,” Katniss informed her.

“Yeah, well that’s why we’re having this shindig—” her friend said as she placed the large bowl on the buffet table. “—so we can all find out as a family.”

“Actually…” The tips of Finnick’s ears went red. “Peeta kind of told me already.”

Annie’s brows furrowed at her husband. “Well…no head for you, either!”

“Are we interrupting something?”

Beetee stepped into the bakery along with Wiress, bright smiles on their faces.

“No, just some marital corporal punishment,” Peeta told the couple. “Speaking of which—congratulations on the engagement!” He placed a kiss on Wiress’ cheek before shaking Beetee’s hand. “Santorini must have been good for you.”

“And, check out that rock!” Katniss said after embracing Wiress.

“Beetee knew how I felt about diamonds,” Wiress explained with a gentle smile. “So, he came up with this lovely thing…and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

“It originates from the 1920’s,” Beetee said as they stared at the ring. “The ruby is still in great shape and that design for the setting—they don’t make them like this anymore.”

“Wow…” Katniss was impressed; the ring was a work of art with its intricate carvings and a setting made to look like the ruby was the center of a golden-petaled flower.

Her gaze went from the ring to meet Peeta and she found him staring at her, a strange expression in his eyes.

Katniss could usually read him like a book—but this look was different.

“Hello! Hello!”

Everyone cheered as the celebrant entered the bakery.

Effie was glowing.

In the voluminous emerald dress, she looked like Mother Earth herself.

Well, her belly was about as round as the earth.

Haymitch followed, looking perfectly respectable in a dress shirt and slacks, his dark hair tied back.

Taking a deep breath, she looked to Peeta whose gaze went tender as he reached for her.

Together, they went to greet the soon-to-be parents.

++++++

“You two did really well,” Daphne said to Katniss and Peeta as she looked at the buffet table approvingly.

It was a great array of food; Annie’s potato salad and fried chicken—signatures from her restaurant, empanadas from a nearby Spanish restaurant, fresh salads created by Katniss’ mother, and Peeta’s three-tier cake with the ‘Hey Baby!’ topper made by Prim, who was a master calligrapher.

“We’re actually going to be partnering with Annie’s restaurant to create a new lunch dish,” Peeta said, his arm around Katniss. “Katniss thought about it. My brioche buns with Annie’s fried chicken. Robin taught Katniss how to make her slaw, so they’re pairing it with that. Should debut by the end of the month.”

“Perfect,” his mother replied. “I’ll have your father update the website to announce it.”

“I’ll take a picture when it’s out for our Instagram,” Katniss offered.

His mother beamed at Katniss. “You found yourself a good partner.”

“Don’t I know it,” Peeta agreed.

“Oh! There’s your mother,” Daphne told Katniss. “We went to Manhattan for a girls’ night and ended up backstage at Hamilton! Can you believe it? I’m going to see if she brought the pictures!”

With that, she rushed over to Katniss’ mother and the two hugged excitedly before they began to peruse Robin’s iPhone.

“That’s so creepy,” Katniss said.

Peeta grinned at her. “What? The fact that they had a girls’ night and are so far from that? Or that whenever they are with each other they become teenagers?”

“I don’t know…I didn’t think that they’d be so close…after everything,” she admitted.

Katniss looked around at the crowd of people who had come to Effie and Haymitch’s Baby Shower and Gender Reveal—the motif was a sage (and neutral) green.

A lot had changed; she was no longer at Johanna’s, instead becoming the designer for the bakery. Peeta had convinced her that it would be great for her portfolio. Together, they had come up with a cohesive design that gave the bakery its homey yet eclectic vibe. There was soft wood and greenery everywhere; there was no disposable ware, only large, thick mugs and glazed plates—very hygge.

Eventually, Katniss had transitioned into Business Manager to do the hiring. Rue was a recent graduate from the San Francisco Culinary Institute, and she couldn’t come more highly recommended as a candidate for Assistant Baker. She was creative and kind, eager to learn, and they took to her immediately. She hired a few more people for front-of-house including Finch, Rue’s roommate and Thresh, who decided to follow Peeta after he quit the coffee shop.

Johanna, who was currently chatting up one of the Haymitch’s co-workers, a tall drink of water with thick-framed glasses, encouraged her to spread her wings. Prim, bored with the East Coast and longing for adventure, took Katniss’ place at the boutique and was living in the Mission District above a bar that she occasionally bartended for.

Katniss’ gaze drifted to Effie and Haymitch. Her landlords looked jubilant; Effie caressing the bump that had surprised all of them seven months ago.

The Abernathys were celebrating their anniversary at the time. Everyone had joined them for dinner in the apartment’s backyard. Wine bottles were opened, some questionable things were smoked…and by morning, the Abernathys were found under their lemon tree, covered in a picnic blanket and wearing nothing under it.

A few weeks after that, Katniss and Peeta had their grand opening.

It had gone perfectly—until Effie vomited at their front entrance.

They assured her that she was ‘christening’ their new business when, in actuality, a little peanut was currently lounging in her uterus.

It had happened—the long-awaited Abernathy child had come.

“I think it’s time for them to do the reveal,” Peeta said into Katniss’ ear.

She nodded in agreement. “Everyone’s had their fill. I’ll let Rue know to grab the cake knife in the back.”

Peeta went to the couple to lead them over to the cake that would tell them their baby’s gender.

He winked at her before guiding Haymitch and Effie away.

Then, there were herself and Peeta.

Financially and in their work lives, they were doing great.

However, after their pretend nuptials, they had gone into a standstill. They were perfectly content for a while, unmarried and living in sin.

Lately, however, she had felt a longing.

And, as Katniss looked around at their family and friends, moving along in their personal lives, she realized that she wanted more.

She wanted them to be real.

Katniss wanted to get married.

++++++

“Before our soon-to-be parents cut the cake, does anyone have guesses on the gender?” Stephen called out to the crowd.

Everyone had gathered around the cake table excitedly waiting for the cake to be cut. His mother and Robin were already taking photos on their phones of the couple as Thresh—a budding photographer—took a few shots on his old Canon. Prim was quietly taking bets; the pool was already in the mid-hundreds, and the bets went from how much Baby Abernathy would weigh to how long into labor would Effie finally snap at Haymitch for impregnating her.

“I’m pretty sure, girl or boy, it’s going to be a dick,” Peeta’s father responded with a smirk.

“Christopher!” Effie put her hands to the sides of her belly. “Not in front of my baby!”

Haymitch guffawed. “He’s got a point there. No matter what gender, he or she is coming out with a set of balls and a penchant for rebellion.”

“Well, you’re as ready as you’ll ever be,” Beetee assured them good-naturedly. “So, come on—just do it already!”

“That’s what Effie said,” Finnick cackled.

Effie looked to Jack. “Cover your eyes, sweetheart.”

The little boy followed instructions and Effie immediately flipped Finnick the bird.

“I thought you said no cursing,” Finnick retorted.

“I wasn’t speaking, I was gesturing,” Effie said testily. She whipped over to her husband. “Now give me the knife.”

“No, I think I’ll keep any weaponry for now, sweetheart,” Haymitch said.

Together, they turned to the cake, and Haymitch quickly cut into it revealing the bright blue of the delicate sponge.

There was a collective scream as everyone rushed forward to congratulate the couple.

Peeta and Katniss hung back, content to watch the jubilee by one of the posts of the bakery. His girlfriend leaned back against him and he wrapped his arms around Katniss’ waist.

“You happy?” Peeta whispered into her ear.

“Oh yeah,” Katniss mused. “How could we not be happy about a little Haymitch in the world?”

“You know that kid is going to be all Effie,” he responded. “She is going to spoil the shit out of him!”

“True, but they deserve to,” his girlfriend said. “They waited for so long.”

Peeta looked around; their world was changing rapidly. Almost two years ago, Katniss was just the pretty girl from a boutique who he low-key had a crush on—and fantasized about during cold San Francisco nights.

Now, they were running a business together, living together, and just falling more for each other as time wore on. Peeta couldn’t even remember a time when he wasn’t waking up next to her gorgeous face. He didn’t want to imagine it.

He had always wanted Katniss in his life—and Peeta hoped that she wanted the same.

Because locked in his desk in the back was a ring.

Beetee wasn’t the only one who went vintage.

++++++

“You are stressing out, sis,” Prim remarked.

“I know, I know…” Katniss admitted as they walked around the CityTarget. “I’ve been so busy with the bakery that I haven’t had time to buy stuff for the apartment. We ran out of toilet paper last night—and it was during a time when one of us was prairie dogging.”

“Egads!” They reached the aisle with the toilet paper and Prim threw in several value packs into the cart. “Take as much as you can! Geez, you’re making co-habitation real appealing.”

“You lived with me for years,” Katniss retorted.

“Well, I was a kid for a majority of it—I didn’t know any better,” Prim said with a grin. “Really though, you seem kind of…not-so-fresh looking.”

“I’ve been feeling not-so-fresh.” Katniss pushed the cart towards the health aisle. The bakery needed more bandages for the first aid kit. “Now that the baby shower is over, I thought I’d feel better, but I’m not.”

Prim peered at her. “You getting sick? Peeta holding out on you?”

“I’m fine,” Katniss insisted though she yawned. “And, Peeta never holds out, especially since I’ve been super into him lately.”

Her sister raised an interested brow. “Explain.”

“Like for the last week, I’ve been obsessed with his…scent,” Katniss told her as she grabbed a value pack of bandages. “Literally, I wanted to lick the sweat off of him.”

“You freak nasty!” Prim bounced next to her. “I’m so proud.”

“So, that’s not weird?” Katniss asked, continuing down the aisle as she looked at the list on her phone.

“Well, we all have fluctuating hormones during our cycles,” Prim informed her.

“Hmm.” Katniss checked off the bandages, her next destination was dental floss.

She stopped, her brain connecting every symptom she had been experiencing into one realization.

Her eyes darted to the display in front of her.

Pregnancy tests—and they were all on sale.

Prim looked to her then to the display then to her sister once more. “Ohh…shit.”

Katniss could only agree to the sentiment.

++++++

“How long do these things usually take?” Katniss asked as she sat on one of the couches in Johanna’s boutique.

“Pretty quickly,” Johanna said as she looked at the three sticks assembled on the counter. “They all say ‘Pregnant.’”

Katniss shot up and rushed over, her eyes bulging as she looked at the three identical tests. “No.”

“That explains the whole sweat obsession,” Prim said.

Johanna looked to Prim. “Do I want to know?”

“Not really,” she replied. Prim put a hand over Katniss’ trembling one. “So…are we happy?”

Katniss took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to just regroup.

She had always wanted children. Yes, it wasn’t expected and it was pretty early in the relationship; they were practically infants when it came to the relationship game in comparison to everyone around them.

However, Katniss couldn’t imagine having children with anyone but Peeta. She could see him with their child, teaching him or her to bake bread. Other images of their life with their little bun flashed in her mind…walks through Golden Gate Park, picking out the best ingredients for the bakery at Farmers’ Markets, falling asleep on their cozy couch in front of the fireplace during Christmas…

Finally, Katniss opened her eyes.

“Yes. We’re happy,” she told her sister and Johanna.

Prim reached over to embrace her. “Congratulations!”

Johanna joined in, a wisp of a tear in her usually sharp eyes.

“He or she is going to be the best dressed kid in San Francisco, thanks to Auntie Johanna!”

Prim pulled away to look at her sister. “So, how are you going to tell Peeta?”

“I don’t know—” She gathered them back together. “Just keep hugging me!”

++++++

“This is a bit of a surprise,” Robin remarked. Next to her, her husband flipped through a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle as his own father looked through an old copy of People that had been lying on their coffee table.

“I know!” his mother, who joined Robin on the lounger, added. “We never get invited here!”

The door opened and Prim stepped in along with his brothers.

Peeta had told Katniss to expect Bran and Alex as they wanted to check out the bakery, having missed out on the grand opening.

“Sorry! I get so confused at SFO!” Prim explained as she took of her coat and when to greet her parents and his own parents. “Took me forever to find the right terminal!”

Bran and Alex immediately tackled Peeta, sandwiching him before he could stop them.

“Guys!” he yelled. “You’re here because I have something serious to talk about!”

“We know,” Bran replied. “But there is something important that needs to happen.”

Peeta shook his head. “NO.”

Alex smirked. “Yes, little brother—the Mellark round-up.”

Together, Bran and Alex began to jump up and down.

“Mellark! Mellark! Mellark!”

Then, if Peeta wasn’t embarrassed enough, his mother and father joined in.

“Mellark, Mellark, Mellark!”

His mom was getting incredible jumps despite being in the sharpest heels imaginable.

“What is going on here?” Effie had arrived, along with Haymitch, who was greeting Stephen and Robin. “Daphne, you’ll destroy your Louboutins!”

“When there is a Mellark roundup, you must roundup,” his mother replied simply as she stepped away and rushed forward to hug Effie.

“Annie and Finnick should be coming soon,” Effie told the group as she plopped down on the space that Robin made for her on the couch. Katniss’ mother helped put a pillow behind Effie’s lower back. Their landlord sighed in contentment. “You’re a lifesaver, Robin. It takes me forever to get off our couch…”

“Won’t be much longer, I’m sure,” Robin assured her.

“Good, because I’m seriously done with this,” Effie said.

Finnick and Annie, along with Beetee, followed along a few minutes later. Wiress would be watching the Odair children who were all having their afternoon naps.

Once everyone was seated, Peeta settled himself in front of the group.

“First, thanks for coming,” he began. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I—”

“You want to propose to Katniss,” Haymitch stated. “I mean, it’s not exactly brain science.”

The door clicked and Johanna rushed in. “Sorry, I’m late! What did I miss?”

“Captain Obvious just stated the obvious,” Alex informed her with a wink. “Or in the simplest of terms, my baby brother is finally proposing to the woman who he was supposed to be married to a year ago.”

“Oh.” Johanna looked to Prim, who shook her head. “That’s great…”

Peeta immediately sensed something wrong in their expressions.

“What?” He took a gulping breath. “She’s not ready, right? Or, maybe she’s having second thoughts?” A sharp squeak escaped his throat. “I think I’m might be hyperventilating—”

“You’re overreacting,” his mother said, interrupting his moment of panic. “If you know Katniss like I know you do, you will know that she loves you.”

“And, that she wants more than anything to be with you forever,” Robin added, a tender smile on her face.

Stephen put his arm around his wife before looking to Peeta. “So, what do you want us to do?”

“Help me figure out how to propose to her,” he replied, his eyes going around the room. “Everyone in this room knows Katniss and me better than anybody else in the world. And, I just want this to be…perfect.”

“It will be, because it’s coming from you,” Beetee said sincerely. “However, if we’re trying to get organized, we first have to establish when.”

“That’s simple,” Stephen said. “Katniss’ birthday is in two weeks.” He looked around the room. “It would be the perfect excuse if she asks why everyone is here.”

“How about we all meet up again in like two days or something?” Annie suggested. “Before then, let’s all come up with some ideas to talk about during the meet-up.”

Everyone agreed to her plan.

“Peeta, why don’t we talk about Katniss’ likes and dislikes?” his father suggested. “Might help get everyone’s minds going.”

“Sure,” Peeta replied as he began to pace. “She’s not big on loud functions or anything where she’s in big crowds…can’t stand artichokes—thinks they’re wasteful…hates people who talk on those earbuds that aren’t connected to anything.” He paused, smiling to himself. “She loves sunsets…cheese buns…and—”

“Your penis?” Prim interrupted.

“Primrose Everdeen!” Her mother scolded.

“Come on, mom,” Prim said. “What did you think they did—sleep side by side in spacesuits?”

“No, but no need to be crude,” Robin admonished.

“So…two days?” Johanna called out.

“Two days!” everyone agreed.

+++++++

Prim grabbed Johanna’s arm as soon as they walked out of Katniss and Peeta’s apartment. Her parents and the Mellarks were already congregated at Haymitch and Effie’s for drinks before heading back to the rented home they were sharing while in the city.

“What the hell was that?” she asked her boss. “You almost gave the news away!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was coming into a meeting like that,” Johanna said. “I actually thought it had something to do with Katniss’ birthday.” She blew out a breath. “They’re going to have so much on their plate.”

“Well, it’s not our plate to worry about,” Prim told her firmly. “Just keep cool until Katniss figures out how to tell Peeta the news.”

“What news?”

They both jumped and turned to find Bran and Alex before them.

“Nothing!” they chorused together.

“Please.” Alex put an arm around Johanna. “How can you resist a Mellark?”

She threw his arm off her shoulders. “Very easily.”

“Come on, sis,” Bran pleaded. “Katniss has news? She’s not really breaking up with him, is she?”

Prim snorted. “Get a grip, bro. My sister is so into to Peeta that she told me—just a few days ago—she literally wants to lick the sweat off him.”

“More than I needed to hear,” Bran said.

“I want to hear more!” Alex responded. “Just more stuff I have on little brother.”

Prim walked towards the stairs, ignoring the Mellark brothers as they started a chorus of ‘Please!’. She was never good with being pressured and had a penchant to snap.

Katniss was much more impenetrable—except when it came to Peeta, apparently.

“Please leave it be! Katniss will tell Peeta about the baby when she’s good and ready!”

Her eyes squeezed shut when she realized what she said—SHIT!

The door of the Abernathy apartment opened slowly.

Taking a deep breath, Prim prepared herself for the onslaught of questions.

“Five, four, three, two, one—”

Her mother responded first, tears thick in her voice. “Your sister is pregnant?”

Swiveling around, Prim saw the heads of her parents, the elder Mellarks, and the Abernathys sticking out of the apartment door. In front of her, Bran and Alex stood, their jaws hanging open to which Johanna tried to push Alex’s up.

She turned to respond to her mother.

“Yes, Katniss is. No, I don’t know how long. She went to an appointment to confirm it today. I don’t know anything else. Above all—no one can tell Peeta!”

There was a collective nod and everyone stepped back so Haymitch could close the door.

With a wink at her, he closed it behind him.

“You are not good at keeping secrets,” Alex concluded with a grin.

“I know…” Her hopefully-soon-to-be brother walked over and gave her a hug. “At least I’ll be the baby’s favorite aunt. You and Bran can fight over who’s favorite uncle.”

He pulled away. “Not fair! Bran can actually get the kid a pony! He has a fucking pony guy!”

Johanna quirked a brow at the eldest Mellark brother. “Why would you need a pony guy?”

“We’ll worry about that later,” Bran said. “How about us brand new Aunts and Uncles have a drink?”

With a tired nod, Prim allowed Bran to lead her down the stairs and to the closest bar.

++++++

Katniss sighed, allowing for just one second the feeling of contentment to flow through her.

There it was, six weeks and five days old; a peanut of a thing, really.

A peanut with a heartbeat.

Stepping off the lightrail train, she walked onto the street island and headed in the direction of the bakery. It was already closed for the day and Peeta was probably in the midst of closing paperwork. He was diligent about being there everyday to make sure that everything was tip-top. She loved that about him; his constancy in all things.

Peeta had promised his parents that Mellark Bakery would be a success on the West Coast. He had achieved it, putting a new spin on his parents’ bakery, with gluten-free pastries and vegan-accessible food that broadened their customer base.

Getting her key out, Katniss unlocked the front door of the bakery and stepped in just as Thresh walked out from the back.

“Hey Katniss,” he greeted her. “Peeta’s in the office.”

“Thanks, Thresh,” she replied. “How did it go today?”

“Pretty run-of-the-mill, for a weekday,” Thresh informed her. “Great morning rush, decent lunch, and then kids coming in with their parents after school.”

“Maybe we should have discounted pastries from 3:30-5:00—” she mused. “—for the kids and their parents. Great time to get rid of the current day’s batch.”

“Great idea, boss lady.” Thresh gathered his things from the counter. “I’m off but let Peeta know that I checked and we’re still good on almond flour.”

Locking up after Thresh, Katniss headed into the kitchen. She loved the smell of it; the flour, sugar…even the scent of chocolate—that must be the baby’s doing as she was not into the cocoa bean.

Here, she felt wrapped up in this beautiful life that she and Peeta created for themselves.

Would it still be wonderful with the three of them?

Pushing her thoughts aside, Katniss went to the open doorway of their office. Peeta sat with his back to her, his shoulders hunched and deep into the spreadsheet on the screen in front of him. Next to him, his phone rested, the rough voice of Tom Petty singing about Mary Jane on its speaker.

She knocked against the doorway.

“Did I ever tell you how sexy you look with a spreadsheet in front of you?”

Peeta met her eyes, his cheeks coloring. “Probably not as sexy as you look taking counter orders.” Swiveling his seat, he patted his lap. “We’re low on chairs.”

Katniss obliged, primly sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Hello.”

“Hi.” Peeta pressed a kiss to her lips. “How are you doing today? You headed out pretty early. Everything okay?”

“I’m great,” she told him. “Just had an appointment.”

Here it was, the moment when she should tell him of their impending offspring.

Peeta yawned suddenly. “Sorry, I’m just exhausted. It’s been a very long day for me. Did Thresh tell you whether or not the almond flour was okay?”

Suddenly, now was not the time to tell him especially when he was tired and processing spreadsheets—

“He said the flour was fine.” A familiar tune wafted into the air and she abruptly stood up, holding her hand out. “You want to dance?”

Peeta nodded, taking her hand and rising from their ergonomic and expensive office chair.

“This song always makes me feel like I’m in a 90’s romantic comedy,” she told him as The Cure filled the room.

Peeta met her eyes, his own crinkling in laughter. “Aren’t we?”

She chuckled and nodded, her head going to his shoulder.

“The good kind, like Reality Bites or 10 Things I Hate About You—with witty dialogue and a kickass soundtrack.”

“Well, we have the witty dialogue,” Peeta told her. “Just need that soundtrack—” He stopped for a moment and looked into her eyes. “There’s something different about you. You look…sparkly.”

Katniss rolled her eyes. “Real witty.” She pulled him closer. “Just keep dancing.”

Her birthday—it was coming up.

She would just tell him then—and he couldn’t say anything bad because it was her day.

Somewhere in her head, Katniss swore she heard the baby call her a chicken.

++++++

Two days later, the group gathered once more sans Beetee, who would be watching the Odair kids. He had already sent Peeta an ample outline of his suggestions that included recreating he and Katniss’ first date down to the dress she wore for it.

Katniss was at the bakery for evening inventory. Rue agreed to pretend she needed help to give them ample enough time to discuss their ideas.

“Okay, Annie and Finnick—what do you got?” Peeta asked, a clipboard and pen ready in his hands.

“Well, we thought it might be cute if the kids helped in some way,” Annie said, looking through her own list. “Like maybe Jack could hold the ring for you or the girls can give her flowers…” She looked through the rest of her notes. “Sorry guys. The girls are teething and Jack is going through a phase of just waving his little Jack around, if you know what I mean. Our ideas are not so good.”

“So, your kid likes to be naked,” Johanna replied. “Everyone goes through a naked phase.”

“When did you get over yours?” Prim quipped.

“I haven’t,” Johanna simply replied.

Peeta jotted down Annie’s suggestions.

“No, they’re fine. I take everything into account.” He looked around the room, stopping on the Abernathys. “Haymitch? Effie?”

“How about you do something in the garden?” Effie said. “I mean, I can decorate—”

“You mean I can decorate,” Haymitch interrupted. “There is no way in hell that I’m letting you on a ladder.”

“But I have all the streamers from the baby shower and Katniss loves green!” his wife protested.

“Before this turns into a fight that Haymitch won’t win—” his mother told them. “—Peeta, just note it and let’s keep going.”

“Okay then.” Peeta wrote down the suggestion before going to his mother and father. “Mom? Dad?”

“Well—” His mother turned to look at Robin, who practically bounced in her seat. “We thought that we could blow up some pictures of you and Katniss sequencing your relationship!”

“And then we could do like a few them of your future,” Robin added. “Like one of you two getting married and one of you and Katniss with your baby—”

Prim, who had been drinking a glass of water, suddenly coughed.

“M-Mom!” she sputtered; her blue eyes wide with shock at the possibility of her mother revealing Katniss’ secret. “They don’t even have kids!”

“Oh pish.” Robin waved her hand easily. “Nothing that can’t be photoshopped.”

Peeta wrote down the suggestion. “That sounds pretty cool. I mean kids seems a little far—”

“You don’t want to have kids with my Katniss?” Stephen suddenly asked.

Peeta’s head snapped up. “Of course, I do! It’s just—”

His father suddenly towered over him. “Just what?”

A whimper suddenly escaped his mouth.

“I just thought that I would first like Katniss to accept my proposal before actually thinking about children…”

Bran jumped up, his hands going to both fathers’ shoulders.

“Chill, Dads.” He gave them pointed looks. “I mean, let them work that out when they get to that moment.”

“Anyway, before the parents decide to hijack your proposal, Bran and I came up with something,” Alex said. “We think that you should do something musical for her.”

Peeta shook his head vehemently. He already knew where this was going.

“No, bros.”

Prim scoffed. “Yeah, like Peeta can sing!”

“You’d be surprised,” Bran told her. “I mean, we—”

“Stop!” Peeta jumped from his seat. “I’ll put it into account but…”

“You know her favorite song, right?” Alex asked.

Peeta nodded, his cheeks burning. “Of course.”

Alex put an arm around his younger brother. “Then, just think about it.”

“Fine,” Peeta told him begrudgingly. “But I’m not making promises.”

“Just make it romantic,” Johanna told him earnestly. “Because in the end, Katniss is just like any other person; she enjoys a good romance once in a while.”

Peeta suddenly grinned, thinking of his conversation with Katniss the previous night as they danced in their small office. “A romantic comedy…”

Then, it came to him.

++++++

This was hell.

Katniss put a cool washcloth to her forehead as she sat on the floor of her bathroom. Peeta had offered to stay home with her, but she assured him that it was just ‘female issues.’ There was no need for him to miss out on work and Prim would check on her in the afternoon.

The moment he left, after promising to call at lunch, she immediately rushed into the bathroom to throw up the contents of her stomach—maybe her stomach itself—into their toilet.

She didn’t know how long she could take doing this, keeping this misery to herself.

Peeta got her into this. He should suffer, too.

“A few more days…” she told herself.

In a few more days, it would be her birthday and she could tell Peeta about their baby.

With that thought, Katniss laid down on the cool porcelain floor and fell asleep.

++++++

“She’s a wreck…”

Katniss blearily opened her eyes hearing her sister’s voice.

“What did you expect?” a deep voice asked. “She’s carrying my brother’s spawn.”

A washcloth was placed on her forehead.

“Just let her rest. She’s stressed out, keeping all of this from your brother.”

Katniss was soothed at Johanna’s words.

“Should we get her to their bed?” asked Alex. “She looks a little peaked.”

“I’m fine,” Katniss finally grumbled, her eyes opening to find Johanna, Prim, and Bran on the floor with her. Alex leaned against the doorframe. “If you take me to the room, I’ll just end up here, anyway.” She glared up at Johanna. “I can’t believe you told them.”

Johanna gave her a mock scowl. “Me? I didn’t say anything. It was your brainless sister.”

Prim gave her a pout. “Sorry, Katniss. You know I can’t keep secrets.”

“It won’t be a secret much longer,” she informed them. “I’m going to tell him on my birthday next week.”

“Your birthday?” Johanna repeated. “When did you decide that?”

“Once I got the confirmation that there was a little peanut-sized being inside me—also, when I chickened out on telling Peeta that same day,” Katniss replied and sighed. “We can never get married now.”

“Why not?” Alex asked.

“Because once I tell your brother, he will propose to me. Not because he wants to, but because he’ll feel obligated to. I don’t want to trap him like that. I mean, we can raise the baby together—”

Bran reached over to give her shoulder a squeeze. “Oh sweetie, my brother would never marry someone just because of obligation. Every move that Peeta makes, he makes with love.”

“I know.” Katniss sniffled. “Damn hormones. I just don’t want him to regret me…or the peanut.”

“He would never,” Alex assured her.

Katniss suddenly shot up, twisting in the direction of the toilet before retching into it.

The four other occupants reared back before Prim gathered herself to hold her sister’s hair up.

“Let it out,” Prim told her soothingly.

“I think I just threw up a lung,” Katniss replied miserably. “Help me up. I feel so gross. I need to change my shirt.”

Bran, the brawniest of them all, scooped the nauseous expectant mother up easily. “I got you.”

“Thanks, bro…” Katniss closed her eyes. “You smell like Peeta…but I’m not even turned on.”

He guffawed. “Gee, thanks.”

Everyone else followed them down the hall to the bedroom and Bran gently placed Katniss on her bed.

“Let me grab you a shirt, sis,” Prim said quickly before going into their closet and returning with an oversized white t-shirt. “Do you need anything else?”

Katniss shook her head. “I have a bottle of water by the bedside. I’m just going to lay down for a while. Peeta said he would call soon.”

Nodding, Prim went over to kiss the top of her sister’s head. “Get some rest, okay?”

Katniss nodded before closing her eyes. She was out before Prim even closed the door.

As soon as the door was closed, Prim turned to the other three.

“Fuck the plan. Peeta needs to propose like right now,” she informed them.

“Are you kidding?” Alex said.

“No, I’m not. Katniss is unpredictable and moody…she might tell him right when she wakes up for all we know. We have to beat her to the punch,” Prim told the three before looking to Bran. “Text all of our parents. Johanna, alert the building. Once this is all done, then we go to Peeta. Agreed?”

They all agreed quietly, not wanting to awaken Katniss, before getting to their duties.

++++++

The door of the bakery had barely closed for the day before the group barreled in. Peeta and Katniss’ parents, and well—the whole damn building were suddenly standing right in front of him as he was putting pastries away.

“What’s going on?” Peeta demanded to know.

Prim stepped forward. “You need to propose—now.”

He froze, a half empty tray in his hands. “What?”

Johanna took the tray from his grasp so she could have one for herself.

“If you don’t, there’s a chance that Katniss might say no,”

He looked at everyone’s anxious expressions. “But, the plan—"

“We figured it out,” his father told him. “It’s all set up.”

“How did you manage that?” Peeta asked.

“Katniss’…female problems knocked her out cold,” Alex offered. “At least, that’s what Prim told me.”

“We worked quickly and quietly,” Beetee assured him. “It looks great.”

“But…this wasn’t how it was supposed to happen,” Peeta said in disappointment.

“Peeta.” Robin lifted his drooping chin. “When did anything between you and Katniss ever go as planned?”

Peeta looked into her eyes—Katniss’ almond eyes—before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Reaching into his pocket, he handed her a set of keys.

“Will you get the ring? It’s in the bottom-left drawer of my desk in the small petty cash box.” His gaze went to his mother, her own eyes glittering with tears. “My mom knows the combination.”

Then, Peeta turned to the rest of the group.

“Let’s do this.”

++++++

Blinking slowly, Katniss finally opened her eyes. She was relieved to find that her stomach was no longer rumbling. She carefully sat up, her gaze going to her side table where a note in Prim’s writing laid on a packet of Saltines, saying ‘Eat me’.

Katniss opened the packet quickly and scarfed down the crackers while texting Prim to thank her. She was surprised to find that she had slept late into the afternoon.

Her phone dinged with a response. ‘Are you okay?’

She typed back, ‘I’m feeling much better.’

The next message came quickly: ‘Johanna and I are downstairs in the lobby. Come down and meet us! Also, can you wear that dress that you wore on your first date with Peeta? Effie was telling us about it the other day and Johanna is thinking of having it recreated exclusively for the boutique.’

Katniss swore that she had worn it at some point in front of Johanna but typed back in agreement, letting Prim know that she would be down in a few minutes.

Going to her closet, she pulled out the rust dress that she wore that first date. Without that date, she may have never run into Gale and he wouldn’t have texted his mother like a little bitch.

However, if he didn’t, then maybe her and Peeta might have still been living that lie.

In some ways, she should be thanking Gale—right after punching him in the nads.

Quickly, Katniss threw the dress on. She still fit in it nicely, her boobs filling the top a little better, but their little bun was still well hidden. After making sure that she didn’t reek of vomit, Katniss made her way out of the apartment and down the stairs.

Stepping onto the main floor, she found Prim and Johanna missing—but the door leading to the backyard was open. It wasn’t uncommon to find a group of them congregating for a glass of wine or just to talk about their day.

She loved this about their building; it was a community—a family.

As Katniss stepped into the backyard, her mouth fell open.

She didn’t see Prim or Johanna but found something entirely different.

To both sides of the door were easels with blown-up photos of herself and Peeta. She continued down seeing that first photo at their City Hall ‘wedding’ to a photo of themselves in front of the Mellark Bakery on its grand opening. It was easy to piece together that they were all set up to show the sequence of their relationship.

However, the last two before the archway of the garden showed two images of what was supposed to be their future.

One was an actual wedding, their faces photoshopped—masterfully—on a bride and groom in front of beautiful rose archway. The guests all happened to have the faces of their families and friends.

Then, there was the last one; the one of herself—with a very nice rack she might add—holding a baby in her arms. Photoshopped Peeta stood behind her, gazing adoringly at their little one.

Her hand reached to the little one’s face and with a sigh, Katniss wondered who their actual little one would look like.

She moved forward, entering through the thick archway where she was greeted by Beetee and the Odair girls.

In front of her, a large white curtain going from one side of the yard to the other had been drawn up, keeping her from seeing what was behind it.

Katniss looked to her neighbor. “Hey Beetee, what’s going on?”

He smiled at her before reaching behind him and presenting her with a delicate daisy crown.

“The girls—” Beetee looked to Sarah and Rose, who giggled and bounced excitedly. “—and I were in charge of this lovely crown.” He placed it carefully on her head. “The girls chose the flowers.”

Katniss looked to each twin. “Thank you, Sarah. Thank you, Rose.”

Beetee held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Tentatively, she took it. “I’m a little scared of what I might find behind that curtain.”

The man next to her chuckled as the little girls ran ahead.

“Now when has that ever stopped you from leaping forward?” he asked her, a softness in his dark eyes. They stood in front of the curtain and Beetee parted it with just enough space for her to walk through. “Go ahead.”

Taking a deep breath, Katniss stepped in.

The beginning strains of her favorite song came on and she let out a breath of shock at the sight.

Her family along with the Mellarks were there, all gathered to one side as the Abernathys, Odairs, as well as Beetee and Wiress stood to the other side. She walked down an aisle of rose petals gazing up at the streamers creating a beautiful sage-green big top.

Then, her eyes went to the stage in front of her. “Holy shit…”

“I don't care if Monday's blue

Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too

Thursday, I don't care about you

It's Friday I'm in love…”

It was Peeta…on stage…singing into the mic—and why did she not know that he could sing?

Katniss felt her lips turn up in a grin when Peeta winked at her, his mouth against the mic.

“Saturday, wait

And Sunday, always comes too late

But Friday, never hesitate...”

And, was that Bran on the drums behind him…and Alex on bass?

“I don’t know if Peeta ever mentioned that he and his brothers had a band,” Daphne said suddenly next to her, blue eyes bright with mirth. “They were quite the thing in our neighborhood.”

“I can imagine why,” she replied breathlessly, watching as Prim and Johanna sang back-up to Peeta’s lead vocals. “He’s good.”

Daphne gave her a kiss on the cheek. “He stopped singing for a long while—until you came along. Now, he would only do this again for you.” She moved Katniss forward gently. “Go on, listen to his song.”

“Always take a big bite

It's such a gorgeous sight

To see you eat in the middle of the night

You can never get enough

Enough of this stuff

It's Friday

I'm in love…”

Katniss didn’t know if it was the baby or just her, but she could feel the butterflies flutter in her stomach as she walked towards to the stage.

Oh shit—her stomach lurched; it was neither her or the baby.

It was her stomach.

Katniss could feel the bile rushing up and she lifted her skirt with one hand and used the other hand to cover her mouth before rushing to the left side of the garden. The music stopped abruptly in a jangled mess as she reached the end and let the vomit erupt from her mouth.

She was barely aware as someone gathered her hair up as she continued to throw up into what looked like a set of begonias.

“Oh God…whose flowers were these?” she choked out through tears and vomit.

“Don’t worry about it,” Haymitch said off-handedly behind her. “Those tenants were huge douches.”

A cool hand went to her forehead. “Are you okay?” It was Peeta. She realized as she leaned back against his chest that he had been holding her hair. “I didn’t think that it was humanly possible for someone to vomit that much in such a short span of time.”

Katniss closed her eyes, feeling the relief of being in his arms after such a trying day.

“I didn’t know you had such good voice,” she breathed into his chest, exhaustion taking over.

“Just one of my many talents,” Peeta told her and she could hear the smile in his voice. “You wanted romantic comedy, right? Don’t all good romantic comedies come with a kickass soundtrack?”

She laughed wetly. “They do, but they don’t usually come with vomit.”

Peeta chuckled, his chest contracting as he let out a shaky breath.

“No, they don’t. Some of them do come with one of these—” Peeta pressed his mouth to her ear and her skin tingled at the warmth of his breath against her ear. “Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me—for real this time?”

Her eyes opened and Katniss sat up, her gray ones suddenly watering at his words.

“Are you only asking me because I’m pregnant?” she managed to blurt out.

His eyes suddenly widened to a degree that could break world records—or cause a major headache.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Uncle Peeta?” Jack suddenly stood in front of them holding out a tiny red box. “Your mommy told me to give this to you.”

“Thanks, Jack.” Peeta ruffled his unruly locks before the little boy went to join his family. He turned back to Katniss. “Take a look.”

Shakily, Katniss took the box and opened it. There laying inside was a beautiful pearl ring surrounded by small diamonds on a thin band.

There was no way in hell, with a ring like this, that he did not plan this proposal.

“This is real.” She met Peeta’s eyes. “Are you okay…about the baby?”

Katniss felt her chest swell as tears lined his deep-blue eyes and his mouth split into a grin.

“We’re going to have baby,” he said thickly.

Peeta kissed her soundly, despite what Katniss was sure was the most rancid-flavored kiss.

But if that wasn’t love, then she didn’t know what was.

When they pulled apart, Katniss beamed at him.

“We’re having a baby…and getting married as soon as I brush my teeth.”

Peeta helped her up and she adjusted her skirt, brushing bits of grass off.

“Sweetheart, I don’t think that’s possible,” Peeta said. “We’d have to wait until tomorrow—”

“Actually—” Beetee approached them and handed Katniss a piece of paper. “Signed by the mayor herself.”

It was a marriage license, their names already on it with today’s date as their official wedding date.

They both looked to Beetee and he shrugged. “I came prepared.”

++++++

Many months later…

“Come on, little mama.” Peeta rubbed the small of her back. “Just a bit longer.”

Katniss groaned as she trudged forward. “I am so sick of being pregnant.”

“Really?” He gave her a smile. “I couldn’t even tell.”

“Why did I marry you?” she asked, grinning at him.

“Because I’m adorably irresistible,” Peeta told her as they reached the front. “And, I have a huge—”

“Ego,” Katniss finished for him. She pressed a kiss to his lips. “And your penis is not so bad.”

“Better curb your tongue,” he warned. “Our daughter might come out with a sailor’s mouth.”

“Help me up.” Holding Peeta’s hand, Katniss carefully stepped onto the bench and onto the flat surface of the table. The table creaked as she settled. “Oh, that doesn’t sound good.”

Peeta joined her quickly, pulling her close.

“We can’t stay here for too long. Haymitch and Effie are expecting us. It’ll be their first date night since Luke was born,” Peeta told her.

“I know. Effie told me she’s been ‘aching’ for Haymitch.” Katniss blanched. “When she is really tired, she has no filter.”

“That was more than I needed to hear,” Peeta replied. “I guess it’s better than hearing about Alex and Johanna.” His brother had finally worn down Katniss’ friend and was now happily shackled after being married by an Elvis Presley impersonator in Las Vegas. “I don’t think my parents have forgiven them for eloping.”

“Well, they’ll forget once this one is born,” Katniss assured him, her hand on her swollen belly. She looked to Peeta. “Do you regret that we didn’t have a big wedding either?”

“Hell no!” he exclaimed. “I married you at sunset in front of our friends and family and it was actually official—”

“After I vomited in the middle of your performance.” Katniss leaned back against him. “I can’t believe I married the Nick Jonas of the Mellark brothers.”

He groaned. “Please stop with the Jonas references.”

“Okay…but when our daughter is sixteen, you can bet your ass that I’m playing the recording for her,” she responded.

“Deal.”

They sat back, looking out the window of the Mellark Bakery, content in the silence of the moment.

The silence didn’t last very long.

“Oh crap.” Katniss turned to her husband. “Help me up.”

He looked to her, used to her frequent trips to the bathroom and sudden need for pastries. “Why?”

“Because my water broke all over this table and it will cause water stains!” she burst out. “We just finished paying it off!”

Peeta jumped off it immediately, almost breaking that perfect Grecian nose in the process.

“It’s time?”

Katniss nodded, a bright smile on her face. “It’s time.”

______________

I hope this sated your appetite. I wish I could go into each character and tell you what happened to each but that would be like…ten more pages. I’d by happy to tell you via message on Tumblr.

For now, just know that Katniss delivered a healthy baby girl—and Peeta’s nose ended being broken, anyway. Next baby, he’ll be sure to not suggest that Katniss hold off on the drugs eleven hours in.

They’re still deciding on a name having vetoed Primrose the Second and Johanna the Great.

Suggestions for names are appreciated as well as presents for the newest tenant of the building.

Just a few other notes:

-A kouign-amann is actually a really flaky cake but here in San Francisco, they’re sold in a donut size so I think of them like cronut. Whatever it is, it’s flippin’ delicious.

-We have CityTargets in San Francisco, which are smaller versions of Target, and they’re basically made for urbanites or if you’re by the one next to San Francisco State University, college students.

-The current mayor of San Francisco is London Breed, I figure she’s still mayor in this timeline of the story.

Song: “Friday I’m in Love”-The Cure

Thank you for sticking around and reading!

With love, JLaLa

#Rent Control #everlark #Everlark Fanfiction #Everlark AU #Its finally done

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inspirespirituallove · 8 years ago

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My Journey in sobriety for 2 months...

Hi! I’m really excited this will be my very first blog I’ve ever posted. The context in which I desire to write in will be 100% authentic so, in fashion, I will stay anonymous.

I imagine like many young adults the thought of pouring your heart out into the ethers to read and absorb is both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I grew up in my teens watching sex and the city. Watching Carrie share her weekly ‘aha’ moments was so fun, I got to live my life vicariously through her. This blog though won’t be too fun as I want to use this as also a personal diary sort-to-speak on being a newlywed who is unemployed almost 30 years old and who is also an anxious alcoholic. lol God reading that myself is so poetically tragic if I want to give myself any credit. So I’m challenging myself for 2 months to be sober from all alcohol and drugs.

I must admit I did this last year but only for one month in January 2016. It was the most difficult the first 2 weeks. I had to stop going out to dinner with my then finance’ (now husband) which he supported and I hated. I love going out. I love going out to dinner, eating delicious food, pairing my food to appropriate wines while talking to either the bartender or waitress is my idea of an awesome night. Also the thought of feeling numb from my failures doesn't hurt either. I stopped going downtown completely because well... that is where all my hot spots are for a drinking liaison. I did lose 15 lbs though! and as a woman who doesn’t love that... I was of course dieting and had a personal trainer for my wedding that was coming up in August so you know... I had more motivation.

This 2 months Is more about me getting to know myself more. See, I am an only child and while I do love being alone I hate sitting alone with myself. If that makes any sense... the TV is always on and when it’s not I’m either eating or I’m drinking talking on the phone with someone. Stuffing myself ahhh it’s so fucking lovely when you know what to call what you do but you don’t know how to change it. Ya. I feel like on this I will be realizing and sharing a lot of stuff and hoping I'll get better at sharing my story when I write more. My dad was an editor for the police magazine when there was one! ya in the 70′s-80′s that's what he did. Maybe I’ll post a picture of that later...

SO ahhhh *deep breath*

For these 2 months I want to reintroduce myself to myself. I want to

Find a job ugh... the anxiety that comes with that is stupid. I FEEL stupid.

Meditate on a regular basis

Eat healthier (try to go more raw)

which in turn will bring down the inflammation of my body (I want to weight 150lbs. again)

So ya God I hope this is not a boring blog... well I guess only time will tell. I am looking forward to seeing if someone will leave a comment. That will be fun to see an interaction with the outside world on my most deepest secrets and fears. I’m seriously thinking of not telling anyone I know that I’m posting my life on here. I’m planning on posting something every day even if it’s just pictures. Maybe I’ll be a metaphysical ‘Carrie’ becoming sober and finally feeling what its like to be completely awake and awakened.

So this is fun my first annoyance being at Barnes in Noble and this guy is yelling on the phone saying he doesn’t want to be transferred again. I understand his frustration but like dude don’t raise your voice when you’re in a quiet ass space where everyone is concentrating.

Oh! I watched the Hunger Games for the first time last night. I did a marathon! all 4 movies lol in one sitting. It was way better than I originally thought it would be. Wow I saw so much of the illuminati in it though. The suppression, the government, the mind programming/control, the everything is lovely on the outside but then behind closed doors people are being poisoned, being tortured, being killed. They did the movies right, poor Divergent! The Divergent series was the first time I ever read books twice in a row!!! and I don’t read often at all. maybe 2 books a year. I believe the Divergent movies tanked because they took breaks in between filming (plus different Directors) and with hunger games they filmed all 4 movies at the same time so the story was consistent and all movies looked the same! Divergent got really weird when Allegiant came out. lol Poor Shailene Woodley, ah and I will miss Theo James as Four. But anyways, Katniss really had it tough she had to do what was right not what she wanted to do. I believe we all want to do the right thing, isn't it funny to see who has the courage to actually do it.

I know this life is about an experience, we are here to learn in our Earth school. Oh how fun! lol it is overall, it is fun and it’s worth it.

Okay I've done enough ranting. Be love, be blessed and be humble.

XO - Elle

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everlarkficexchange · 7 years ago

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Prompt 49: Love in a Mosh Pit

Written by: @sunflowerslyf

Prompt 49: Injured in a mosh pit at a concert because Johanna. Peeta can ask her for her phone number as part of exchanging insurance information and she can think he hit his head harder than she originally thought but he’s just trying to flirt. [submitted by @katnissdoesnotfollowback]

A/N: First of all, I’d like to thank @ra3lynn3 for her uh-mazing betaing skills and for putting up with my three drafts😉 thanks also to @katnissdoesnotfollowback for sending the prompt (i love your works hehe)

I hope I did justice to the prompt (I did my best, I promise) and I hope you all like it😘

Rated T for some coarse language

This is definitely not Katniss’ scene.

She is slowly engulfed in the crowd of metal-heads, lost in a sea of black tees with band logos printed on them. Katniss sees men sporting long hair dos that make them look like women. Others have spiky and dyed hair. There are girls wearing skirts and shorts that barely count as clothing. She notices people with piercings and tattoos painted all over their bodies too.

There is an unbelievable maze of bodies as they make their way nearer to the stage; a ghostly melody playing. The quick strumming of electric guitars can be heard creating dark, brutal guitar riffs. The aggressive noises from the crowd increasing.

“Everybody get their fists in the air!” The lead vocalist shouts into the mic.

The crowd follows obediently raising their arms over their heads, their hands in fists. The vocalist (whatever his name is) starts swiveling his head making Katniss dizzy just from watching.

“Why the hell am I here?” Katniss asks herself out loud.

“Because you need to live a little, Brainless.” Johanna answers back.

“I am living. Just not like this. I mean, I have a decent job that pays enough to cover Prim’s med school needs, and a nice apartment. I’m also able to hunt every now and then and practice my archery from those lessons I’m teaching.”

“You call that living?” Jo snorts. “I’d rather die than live a boring life like that.” She says, dragging out the vowels in boring.

Katniss rolls her eyes. “Well forgive me for being more decent and simple with my life.”

“Plus, your apartment is only cheap because I’m paying for it too. I’m your roommate, if you forgot.” Jo points out.

“Whatever.” Katniss mutters.

The vocalist then shouts into his mic, “Let’s get a mosh pit going in here!”

Johanna laughs. “Come on, we have to be part of that.” She says as she grabs Katniss’ arm, dragging her toward the chaos happening near the front of the stage.

“What? No. Fucking. Way.” Katniss tugs her arm back, but Jo only holds her tighter.

“Can’t do anything about it, brainless. You’re already here, better make the most of it.”

Damn you, Jo, Katniss thinks. She knows that Katniss hates talking to people she doesn’t know or simply talking to people. She prefers staying home and eating Chinese food to going out and having to socialize.

“Fine.” she relents as Johanna drags her to the mess that is the mosh pit, and Katniss prepares for the worst to come.

Katniss can hear the drummer on stage start to pound on his drums; the tension growing with the people around. She thinks these people look like predators aiming for their prey before they brutally attack them.

“Three… two… one…”

Looking around, Katniss actually fears what these people are capable of doing in the open wall pit that is about to happen. The majority of men and women are built with muscles which makes them look bigger. Katniss looks like a frail little girl compared to them.

“GO!”

It was an open pit where people can freely strike, barge, hurl, and slam. Johanna lets go of Katniss’ arm as they enter the moshing pit. There are people watching from the sides who are keeping quite a distance so as to not get involved in the chaos.

“Release your frustrations here. Whether it’s from the breakup with Darius, not getting any sex lately, or just anything.”

“What do you even know about my sex life, huh?” Katniss asks.

“Again brainless, I’m your roommate. I know when you bring a guy home.”

Jo catches a skateboard that was thrown her way and propels it towards Katniss, startling her. It lands in front of her feet and makes a scraping sound.

“What the fuck Jo?” She yells just as someone slams straight into her and she plummets to the floor.

Johanna barks out a laugh. The man who slammed into her helps hoist her back onto her feet. Once she’s back up again, the man runs off (probably for more pushing). Someone from behind elbows her back, but this time she’s more prepared for it and she doesn’t fall to the floor.

“Have fun, Kat!” Johanna shouts over the loud metal music and runs off for her own enjoyment.

“Dammit Jo, don’t leave me here!” She shouts back, picking up the skateboard that had landed in front her.

Katniss makes her way through the throng of people to find Johanna. Using her hunting skills, she manages to dodge some of the people pushing and thrashing around. Finally after pushing and dodging several people, she finds Johanna’s face in the swarm of people around her.

Holding up the board in her hand, she aims for Johanna. Then she throws the skateboard. Her aim was pretty good, since she has been hunting since she was a kid. But then, Jo disappears out of Katniss’ sight.

It all happens in slow motion.

The skateboard slices through the air as sharply as it was thrown toward Katniss. Her eyes follow the skateboard as it descends. Panic rises in Katniss as the skateboard starts to go beyond the area of the moshing pit and heads toward the group of people watching around the edges.

It meets its end as it smacks on top of an unsuspecting man’s head. Above all the noise, Katniss hears a grunt coming from the man she hit. The skateboard lands on the cement ground with a thump, and the man lands on the ground beside it. Her eyes widen in shock.

Shit, what have I done? Katniss thinks. She scurries off to the man who’s now clutching his head in his hands.

—

“Hey Peet, I’m gonna dive in there for a bit. Wanna join?” Finnick asks.

“Uh, go ahead without me. You know it’s not my thing to join in moshing.” Peeta replies.

“Sure man. Don’t get mad at me later if I start calling you chicken.” Finnick chuckles and he leaves Peeta to himself while he joins in the current moshing.

Peeta is one of the people who decides to watch the moshing instead of joining in. He doesn’t really like this environment, he prefers the bustling and polluted city to the chaos these metal music concerts bring. There are people being lifted by others and still others are going as far as punching, pushing, and screaming.

So much screaming.

Even the vocalist of the band on stage is screaming and it’s hurting Peeta’s ears. He wants to get out of this place as soon as he can, but he can’t leave Finnick here. He rode with Peeta here and Peeta can’t ditch his best friend like that just because he doesn’t like the environment the man lives for.

Peeta watches as a man pulls another man into a headlock. At first, it looks like they’ve hated each other since the beginning of time, but after releasing the man who is head-locked, they both laugh it off like nothing happened; finding new people to target. It’s funny to watch since those guys are like the epitome of him and his brothers when they were younger, always wrestling over petty things.

He was so busy watching the moshers that he didn’t see a black and gold colored skateboard heading his way. It all happened so fast. All he could hear was the loud, screaming music. That’s when the sharp pain suddenly registers on his head. He grunts, finding himself on the ground unexpectedly. Sitting up, his hand immediately finds the source of his pain, rubbing the quickly swelling spot for comfort.

After a few moments, some people who aren’t part of the moshing start to crowd around him, creating a commotion. He continues to clutch his head with his right hand when suddenly there’s a woman in front of him.

Not just any woman. A drop-dead, beautiful–no, gorgeous woman.

He’s trying to figure out if this woman is real, or if he’s hallucinating from the hit from whatever that object was that just hit his head really hard. The woman kneels down beside him and gently removes his hand from over his head. She starts to caress his head and he forgets all about the pain.

Peeta only focuses on her hands, and, oh god, her face. Those aluminum gray eyes reel him in and allow him no escape. Those puckered lips that look so kissable. His eyes drift lower to the dark tank top she’s wearing that shows just the right amount of cleavage. Peeta licks his lips.

“I’m so so sorry. Are you okay?” There’s a panicked look in her eyes. Peeta feels flattered that the woman decided to check to see if he is okay despite the fact that people are more or less allowed to freely hurt each other here.

For a moment, he is at a loss for words and all he can think about are those eyes that look so worried but show no mercy in making him get lost in them. Damn, she was so beautiful.

“You have nice eyebrows.”

‘You have nice eyebrows?’ Way to go Peeta! He tells himself.

Her eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. “Oh, um, thank you? I need to know if you’re okay though.”

He sits up and tells her, “Yeah, I’m fine.” He grins at her, but it comes out more like a grimace. Damn, that pain won’t go away. “Good as a rock.” He cringes. Why did he just say that?

“Okay then. Do you need help standing up?”

She extends her arm out to him, but instead of taking it he says, “Actually, I need your phone number.”

Wow, Peeta, very subtle, he internally rolls his eyes.

Her eyes narrow and she replies, “What for?”

He scrambles his head for an answer to her question without looking looking like a creep. At least people are minding their own business now instead of crowding around him and watching. He says the first thing that comes to mind,

“We need it for–um, you know, exchanging insurance information and such.”

Her eyebrows shoot up as she breathes out. “Okay, I need to bring you to a doctor.”

She extends her hand out again and this time he takes it, afraid of saying more nonsense to this beauty in front of him. She helps him back onto his feet and he brushes invisible dust off of his pants. They make their way to the exit of the concert grounds, or more appropriately, the riot grounds.

“Thanks for your help. I’m sorry for looking like a complete fool and saying nonsense stuff.” He chuckles nervously.

She beams at him. A smile that makes him weak in the knees.

“It’s no problem. I’m sorry again for throwing that skateboard at you. I didn’t mean for it to hit you, but apparently it did. Are you sure you don’t want to get your head checked?”

“No, no it’s okay. I’ll just sleep this off and it’ll be fine. Can I ask something?”

“Of course.” she replies.

“I just want to ask if you want to grab a coffee or something?” He asks.

“We should probably exchange names first.” She laughs and Peeta decides that from now on, it’s his favorite sound.

“Right, where are my manners? I’m Peeta, Peeta Mellark.” He extends his hand as he flashes her a broad smile.

“Katniss Everdeen. It’s very nice meeting you, Peeta.” She takes his hand and he squeezes it in return.

He swears he can feel an electric shock shoot up his arm the moment his hand touches hers.

“About that coffee…” He raises his eyebrow, trailing off expectantly.

“Sure, I would love to.” Her grin widens.

His heart does a somersault in his chest. At that moment he knows he’s a goner for a woman named Katniss Everdeen.

part two anyone?😏

#sunflowerslyf #katnissdoesnotfollowback #prompt 49 #springtime edition 2018 #submission

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