#christmas!everlark

[cringengl]

Percabeth and Everlark were really putting in the time to destroy the 'dumb blonde' trope because while both Peeta and Annabeth (the blondes) have the whole 'I've loved you as long as I've known you' thing going on, Percy and Katniss were the most oblivious motherfuckers I've ever had to read from the perspective of. Because why did Percy 'the memory of her tethered me to the mortal world' Jackson, and Katniss 'save him before me' Everdeen think that their relationships were ever going to stay strictly platonic😭😭😭

[mollywog]

If the Fates Allow

“Katniss?”

She frowns into her wine glass. She’d snuck off to linger at the edge of the party for a breather and to pounce on the next tray of hors d'oeuvres to exit the kitchen. She sighs before pivoting towards the voice, but its owner is the last person she expects.

“Katniss Everdeen? I thought that was you!”

“Peeta?”

“Hey!” He looks relieved that she remembers him. “I can’t believe you’re here; what are the odds? How are you doing?”

She and Peeta Mellark had gone to school together, back in the day, but that was eight years and 200 miles ago. They’d never really spoken, but she’d always harbored a little crush on him and seeing him now, she remembers why. She’s in a bit of a daze as she dumbly answers and asks the usual questions.

“This is wild! I was actually just thinking about you.”

“No way,” she says automatically. Sure, Twelve was small, and yeah, they were in the same class, but he’d always been in the middle of it, surrounded by friends while she’d been on the fringe, just trying to make it through. She’s sort of surprised he even remembers her, let alone thought of her unprompted.

“Way. They were just playing ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and I was remembering that time you sang it in the sixth grade talent show.”

She laughs, “did I?” The memory of the terror and thrill of singing on the ‘big stage’ in the high school auditorium and the gingham dress and braids she'd worn in homage to Judy Garland come rushing back. “I guess you’re right.”

“I think about it every time I hear it.”

An exaggeration, she’s sure; You couldn’t get through the holidays without hearing the song at least three dozen times, “I barely remember that. You have an incredible memory.”

“Only for the important stuff,” he says, looking bashful. He shakes his head before continuing, “anyways; what brings you here tonight? Do you work for Capital Advertising too?”

“Oh, no, not me. My roommate, Johanna… From HR? I came as her plus one.”

Peeta frowns, shaking his head.

“She promised free food and booze.” Johanna was not one for leaving work at work and Katniss had assumed she’d met half her coworkers by now, but she’d underestimated the size of this holiday client party. It was much more formal and self important than she’d expected. She was pretty sure she’d heard someone say the Governor was here.

“But I think she really invited me to make her ex jealous.” Katniss adds, scanning the room for any sign of her roommate or the terrifying woman who’d occupied their apartment before her.

She should have suspected something when Johanna picked out this clingy scooped back dress for her and insisted on the nails and lashes.

“I wouldn’t want to be them tonight.”

She snorts, “yeah me either, I wouldn’t want to be in Johanna’s crosshairs.”

He gives her an amused smile and she realizes that might not have been what he meant. She takes a sip to hide her blush, “um, but what about you?”

“Nah, I just work in the art department, I’m not here to make anyone jealous; Though you’re looking pretty covetous of my plate right now.”

She winces; caught, “Johanna oversold the food.” She couldn’t get the waitstaff’s attention and by the time she did, their trays were empty. At least the alcohol was stationary; much easier to access. That’s why she was three glasses of wine in on an empty stomach. “I’m so hungry,” she says, stealing another longing glance at his plate.

He extends it towards her, “have at it.”

The alcohol has made her bold, and she takes a stalk of celery from his plate.

“Katniss, that’s not food, that’s a garnish.”

He hands her a goat cheese and apple tartlet. She pops the whole thing in her mouth, and her knees go weak. She suppresses a moan, closing her eyes and tipping her head back in approval.

“Better?”

She covers her mouth as she finishes chewing, “who do I have to kill to get more?”

“Easy there. I think we can manage this without bloodshed.” She watches him scan the room, making a quick assessment. “Here, start with this and go sit down. I’ll be right back.”

She doesn’t argue, taking the offering to a love seat on the corner. She really hopes Peeta’s successful if only for his own sake, since she’s neglected to save him even a scrap. He returns shortly after with a substantial bounty. She could weep, “how?”

He grins, “I told them you tripped in the hall and twisted your ankle. They’ll be bending over backwards to keep you from filing a suit now.”

“You didn’t!”

“Nah, I didn’t need to.” She raises a brow in question and Peeta gestures towards a waiter who looks like he still should have a curfew. “The man has eyes, Katniss.”

She looks away, biting back a smile, “well thank you. So where should we start?”

Peeta grins. “Do you like plums?”

~~~

“There she is!”

They’d moved on from the food and gravitated towards the wall of windows to look out over the town where they’d begun exchanging stories of their adventures in the city when her roommate’s voice startles them.

Johanna snakes an arm around her waist, resting her head on Katniss’s shoulder. “Mellark! Are you moving in on my date?” She tugs her in closer.

Katniss rolls her eyes, elbowing her friend in the side.

“Jo,” Peeta says in greeting. His eyebrows shoot up, “ohh, Jo, Johanna. I lied, I do know your roommate. She’s just Jo in the company directory and for some reason,” Peeta says with a sparkle in his eye, “I thought it was short for Josie.”

Johanna cackles, throwing her head back and grasping hold of his arm for support.

Katniss frowns. Obviously there’s some kind of joke here that she’s on the outside of. She stays quiet as Peeta and Johanna converse, brushing off Peeta’s attempts to draw her into their conversation with monosyllabic responses. She was having a nice time up until Johanna’s arrival.

“I still can’t believe we ran into you here,” he says to her after announcing his intentions to head out. She suddenly feels very silly for letting Johanna’s antics get to her. “Maybe I’ll see you around?…”

“If the fates allow,” she says; their own little joke that Johanna’s on the outside of.

She's not expecting the momentarily falter in Peeta’s smile, “Well, I should get going. Good to see you both.”

She deflates as he walks away, her eyes following him as he goes.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

She spins back towards her roommate, “What?”

“He’s into you. Or at least he was before…” she waved her hand, “whatever that was.”

Her heart does a little flip. Shit.

“Listen, you look hot tonight, but with your personality, I would not be playing hard-to-get,” Johanna continues, unaware of her friend's distress. “Let’s get out of here, I’m starving.”

[millennium-queen]

Happy Valentine’s Day from Panem’s sweethearts - the Victors!

Surprise my Katniss pfp has friends!! Can’t believe I almost forgot to oat these guys!!

[synmmin]

me and who fr

[thesunpersists]

WIP Whenever

I was tagged by @thelettersfromnoone, thank you! 🫶🏼

Please share your last sentence or if you don’t have one, share a plot bunny or idea! (or sketch for your artwork!)

She stops in her tracks, forcing him to do the same. “Are you always like this?” “Like what?” “Chipper, I suppose,” says Katniss. “Happy-go-lucky. Prancing through Christmas markets like you don’t have a care in the world.” “Oh, that…” Peeta hangs his head. “Would you prefer I brush this off with a joke or give an honest answer and absolutely kill the mood?” “I’ll take the honest answer, please,” says Katniss, hoping she’s made the correct choice.

No-pressure-at-all tags: @unnamednarrator @mage-chocolate @creative-girl @mollywog

[notsocooljess]

Happy WIP Wednesday!

thanks for the tag @thelettersfromnoone! 🎅🏼

please share your last sentence; or, if you don’t have one, share a plot bunny or idea! (OR sketch for your artwork!)

last one before christmas! here’s a snippet of my everlark christmas drabble (that is of course much longer than i intended)🎄

“So remind me of our menu tonight?”

Peeta went on to describe the feast he had planned, which Katniss was already familiar with since she had helped gather much of the items. Roasted duck, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes. Cheese buns and spinach pastries. Too many types of cookies and apple pie. Normally, Katniss’s mouth would be watering just from the conversation. Currently, the only thing that sounded appetizing was the cheese buns.

“Well if we’re gonna feed the town tonight, shouldn’t we get started?” Katniss asked.

“Soon, but not yet,” Peeta responded.

tagging: @atelierlili & @littlemarianah 🎁

[farfromhome87]

“Well since I’m among total strangers who apparently are made chatty by drink…Tell me, what would you do if you suddenly accidentally came to be in possession of a six pack of someone else’s Christmas panties?”

Six perfect strangers and two lost loves converge in the airport on a snowy Christmas Eve. Allies are made. Confusion ensues. And love wins out.

[lemonluvgirl]

The Mockingjay Cries at Midnight

So, here I am again with another weird Everlark Christmas-themed story. This time I decided to go way-waaay out of the box and try a Christmas/mystery/thriller. Yeah. I know. Should be fun lol. Very festive. Hope you like the first 2 chapters.

Chapter One: The Journalist and Slippery Slope 

The winding roads were icy and seemingly endless. Not another car was in sight on the lonely stretch of highway he was traveling.  His legs had lost feeling from continuous driving, and his fingers were starting to feel a bit numb too, but not from lack of movement. It was the seeping cold that seemed to pervade everything, despite the heater being turned up to full blast in his old Jeep Cherokee. Bing Crosby’s velvety voice was “Pa-rum, Pum, Pum, Pum,”ing along on the radio, and Peeta Mellark was humming along off-key in a desperate effort to stay awake. 

He had been driving for too long, he knew that, but he was very near reaching his destination. He was used to going to uncomfortable lengths to get the story he was after. He had done this before many times. Wisconsin for instance, he drove 9 hours in the rain to make it to Steven’s Point, and it had been hell on his back but he got there, and he got his story. They had to run second and third prints to keep up with the demand. And in Villa Ridge Missouri, he had to stake out an abandoned stretch of road for two days, but he got the story on that one too. 

This one would be just like all the rest. A little discomfort, a little lost sleep, but ultimately worth it in the long run once he printed a full expose about the mysterious murders that rocked a little no-name town fifty years ago. 

“I am a poor boy too…” His voice warbled tiredly as his eyes searched for the mile marker that would tell him where to turn, but there was a steady sleet building outside and it was getting harder and harder to see in the worsening weather. 

He was looking for number 113 and going by the map he was forced to use after he lost GPS service, it was bound to be around here somewhere. 

“I have no gift to bring, Pa-rum, Pum, Pum, Pum” He had already passed exit 18 aways back. That meant 113 was coming up any minute now. 

“That’s fit to give a—shit!” He caught sight of the reflective marker with the numbers 113 and tried to turn, half a second too late and much too sharp, but the tires couldn’t find purchase on the slick road on such short notice. 

The car started to hydroplane. 

“Fuck, FUCK!” Thinking quickly, he did what all the experts said was best, which was to turn into the spin. 

But he was going too fast. The row of snow covered trees that lined the highway like silent guardians blurred and drew closer in his vision.  

Suddenly he couldn’t remember what was so important that he drove out to the middle of nowhere a few days before Chrsitmas to find. Surely it wasn’t this. A quick and violent end on an icy road with no one who even knew where he was this time of night. 

Only his editor knew where he was headed and she probably wouldn’t report him missing for days. 

All of these thoughts flew into his mind and flew out just as quickly, as fast as the old jeep spun out of control and headed for the treeline. 

The last thing he saw was what looked like a woman. 

A woman in a faded ruffle dress, with long dark hair, standing on the side of the road. Almost close enough to touch. Time seemed to slow-and stop altogether as she held his gaze. She had a sad, forlorn look in her large brown eyes, that were almost pleading with him.  It looked like she was trying to say something, but he couldn’t make it out. It seemed important if the desperate look she was giving him was anything to go by, and he thought that look would be impressed upon him forever should he live past this terrible night. 

Then the car made another revolution, and she was taken out of his sight. 

 Quicker than a blink everything was back to the breakneck speed of reality as the car careened completely out of control. Then there was the sound of breaking glass, the impact of wood on metal, and the sharp flash of pain that radiated through every inch of him. 

And then all was darkness. 

Chapter 2: The Angel with the Permanant Frown 

The beep-beep-beep-beeeep of her minitor almost caused her to knock over her peppermint tea. Almost, but Katniss Everdeen caught the tipping cup at the last second and righted it. She unclipped the mini-monitor on her belt loop, nicknamed ‘minitor’ for short by all the local EMT’s and held it up as the device beeped its special four note tone again. It was the tone reserved for immediately life-threatening situations and it meant she didn’t have a minute to lose. 

She grabbed her truck keys off the top of her desk, tossed on her coat, didn’t bother with her hat or gloves, and threw open the door to the office of the local quick-mart. 

“Sae! I got a call!” She hollered as she rushed past the woman ringing up customers at the counter. 

“This time of night?” The grey haired older woman asked in surprise as Katniss flew by. 

“Rules are whoever gets the call has to head to the garage! Call Darius to cover my shift if you need extra security! Or Rory if need someone to help close up!” She shouted over her shoulder as she ran out, the chime of the bell ringing loudly behind her as the door snicked shut. 

Panem county was one of the smallest counties in the continental United States. The small townships of the Seam, Hob, and Panem Town proper, or just Town, as the locals called it barely drumed up a population of 4,000 residents combined. The only EMTs the county could afford to keep were volunteer ones, and they didn’t have regular shifts or wait at the station like their big-city counter parts. When someone called 911, dispatch paged everyone within a certain radius of the emergency. Special pre-recorded tones caused their minitors to beep loudly, alerting them to the emergency. 

They had different tones for ‘urgent response’, ‘potentially life-threatening’, and ‘immediately life-threatening’ situations. The call she received was the former. Luckily everyone at dispatch knew where to find her on a Tuesday night. 

She usually picked up a couple shifts a week working security down at old Sae’s quick-mart. The nights were long and tedious and she spent the majority of them watching the security cameras in the office on the look out for shop-lifters or teens trying to buy beer with fake IDs. Nothing serious, at least, nothing she couldn’t handle with a stern look and few sharp words. 

But this—this was a not not nothing. She hadn’t had a call this serious…maybe ever. 

Working at Sae’s put her within a mile of the garage so that meant she was going to be one of the first responders to make it there. She needed one other person with her before they could leave, as per the rules. More licsenced EMTs could show up and could ride along but they would have to get there before the ambulance took off. 

Her train of thought refocused as she pulled up to the old garage that housed the only ambulance and two working fire trucks that serviced the entire county. She pulled into the closest spot and hopped out down from her truck, ice crunching beneath her boots as she hurried into the garage. 

She was indeed the first one to arrive and she busied herself with pulling on her EMT uniform, getting the ambulance ready to go, making sure the tires were inflated, and chained properly for ice and snow, and turning on the engine and checking that the tank was full-which it was, thankfully. 

Just as she had finished taking a quick inventory of the medical supplies in the backseat she heard a voice call out from the entrance. 

“Always first to answer the call huh, Catnip?” The voice of her oldest and best friend, Gale Hawthorne rang out clearly amidst the rumble of the ambulance’s engine. Of course he would be the second one to the garage. 

“Early bird, and all that yada yada,” She replied as she shut the back doors and strode out to the front. Gale was already shrugging off his old coat and pulling on his EMT coveralls. 

“Hurry up will ya? Any longer and the stragglers will start to show and then we’ll have to let them ride with.” She shouted as she tossed the keyes to the bus over to him before she pulled open the passenger side and slid in. She didn’t really dislike the other EMTs but her and Gale had been friends and partners for years. They had a system and they knew each other like the backs of their own hands. She preferred working with him if she couldn’t work alone, and adding other EMTs just complicated things. 

Gale caught the keyes smoothly, like she knew he would, and he sent her cocky grin before he followed suit and slid into the driver’s seat. 

“Didn’t think you’d be up for letting me drive.” He commented as he strapped in and adjusted the mirror to fit his above average height.

“I wanna be first out when we get on the scene.” She said quickly as she pulled on her seatbelt and then turned on the ambulance radio. It was programmed to tune into the local police frequency and there was already some chatter going on about an accident out on the highway. 

“‘Course you do.” Gale said with a shake of his head. She ignored him in favor of listening to the information the dispatcher was relaying. 

Katniss’ grey eyes narrowed as she heard more details come through.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 1998 crashed out on the highway—around mile marker 113—One driver spotted inside the vehicle—unconscious

“Hurry your ass up!” She hissed at her partner when she heard the last descriptor. Gale shot her a look, but she didn’t even glance at him. She was staring ahead at the road that waited outside the garage as if she could will herself onto it faster. Without further prodding Gale flipped the lights and the ambulance siren on with a flick of his fingers and then they were off, practically peeling out of the garage in the next second. Under different circumstances she might have chewed him out for reckless driving but the roads were practically abandoned tonight and they needed to get on the scene fast. 

Besides, she couldn’t shake the antsy feeling she had since she’d gotten the call. There was something inside of her that was telling her that she just needed to get there as soon as possible. 

The drive out to the highway usually took fifteen minutes. Gale got them there in nine. 

The ambulance finally came to a stop just a few yards past the mile 113 marker. 

Up ahead she could make out the mangled up shape of a jeep that had gone head to head with an old spruce and lost. Unfortunately they weren’t in an ideal position to get the injured party inside the ambulance unless Gale repositioned the vehicle. 

“Hey you said you wanted to be first on the scene.” Gale replied with a shrug as he moved to undo his seatbelt. Katniss shook her head at him. 

“Stay put and back this thing up properly. Doors first!” She bit out tersely as she undid her belt and cracked open her door. She hopped down and shut the door closed on Gale’s complaints, ignoring him completely as she pulled her EMT pack higher on her shoulder and started to march forward. 

Sleet was still coming down heavily, and the road was slippery under her boots but her feet pulled her forward as quickly and surely as a lodestone is drawn to a magnet. 

Before she knew it she was right outside the driver side door, looking in on the man who had been behind the wheel. His face was turned toward her and she could distinguish his featured clearly. 

He was young, maybe in his late twenties, early thirties, he had ashy blond hair that fell in waves over his forehead. She could tell one other thing about him immediately by just looking—he was damn lucky. 

The airbag in his car had properly deployed, from her vantage point she could see the steady rise and fall of his chest. He was knocked unconscious, but not dead. The airbag and the seatbelt he was wearing had most likely saved his life, even though he drove an older model jeep and that sometimes meant that air bags didn’t always work like they should. The only visible injury she could see on him was a gash on his forehead. 

She needed to get him out of the car though, so she could assess the rest of him, check his torso and legs, but he looked kind big. Not as tall as Gale, but broad and stocky, with wide shoulders that were going to be a bitch to manover out of the mashed up wreck of his car if she guessed correctly. 

She tried tapping on his window to get his attention. It would be easier to move him if he was conscious, also he could unlock the doors instead of them having to shatter the window or the windshield and pull him out. But the man in the car didn’t stir. She tapped louder, as she noticed the car’s radio was amazingly still going and it was still playing music. 

Very familiar music. 

Earth stood hard as iron

Water like a stone

Snow had fallen

Snow on snow on snow

In the bleak midwinter

Long, long ago

The version playing was a little known and even less played solo sung by a local artist. It brought back the sounds and stories of her childhood. It brought back the knife edge of pain and loss. That beautiful, effortless voice that sailed over the notes and floated down to mesh with the music was a sound so steeped in memory that for a moment she couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, she was so caught off guard. 

Then there was a pop and a whoosh, the sound of the air bag deflating, and with it the radio sputtered out and died. The disturbance finally seemed to arouse the unconscious driver. 

The bluest eyes she’d ever seen blinked open and locked on her. She stood there staring right back at him, caught up in the bizareness of the situation. 

Then her training kicked in. 

She knocked on the window again and said in her most stern but calm voice, “Sir, you’ve been in an car accident. I need you to unlock your door and roll down the window so I can help you.” 

The man stared at her, in confusion for a second, but then his left hand reached out to do as she had asked. The first thing he said to her when the window came down was not what she was expecting. 

“Am I dead? Are you an angel? Do all angels frown like that?”

[solar-halos]

trick or treat!

🕸️ hi, thank you for the ask!! 🕸️

i tried looking for some everlark themed spookiness but admittedly i don’t write for them very often but i do have a fic from this collection that has major holiday vibes! lets just pretend that the cupcakes katniss was baking were halloween themed haha

with all that being said, here’s an excerpt:

Before she knows it, she’s bundled up in his arms and being hauled away from the scene of the crime.

“But Peeta—” She cuts herself off. She was not telling him that those cupcakes were supposed to be for him. He’d probably think she was insulting him.

Also, her heart might really be too big for her chest. She can feel it beating against her skin as Peeta carefully sets her outside, the fresh, cold air replacing the burning in her nostrils.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Winter/Christmas Masterlist

Created: November 21st, 2023

Last Checked:----

A Touch of the Fingertips-melchimaus (ao3) Summary: A little romance on a cold evening.

An Unbearable Cold-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Katniss joins Peeta and his friends for a day of sledding. Without the proper winter clothing, Katniss battles hypothermia and only the underlying heat between them can warm her. Part 1 of For Every Season. Modern AU

At the Peak-maddmaddworld (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen moved to Summit County to work with her mentor and study the geology of the Rocky Mountains. She never expected to meet a sweet, shy snowboard instructor who would turn her first winter in Colorado upside down.

Brokenheartsville-dracoisalooker76, passionately_curious, SoThere (ao3) Summary: Canon AU. When the winter prior to Prim's last reaping is brutal, Katniss agrees to marry Gale. But the night before her toasting has her in the arms of Peeta Mellark and the consequences will change their lives forever.

By the fire-angylinni (ao3) Summary: Peeta and Katniss spend an evening by the fireplace, enjoying a gift from Johanna.

Cabin Fever-atetheredmind (ao3) Summary: Katniss isn’t happy to learn that her New Year’s trip with friends has acquired one more guest: Peeta, the one person she can’t stand. She’s even less thrilled when a snow storm traps the two of them together. Alone.

Christmas Comes Early and Often-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Katniss finds herself in a compromising position with Peeta and a household appliance. Well, really…she's just ironing when her husband comes home. It's not her fault things get a little steamy.

combs and a fob chain-orphan_account (ao3) Summary: “And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.” – O. Henry

Dreams of White Dresses-Xerxia (ao3) Summary: Winter in District 12 makes Peeta dream of things that can never be…

Enemies to Lovers: Christmas CoWorkers-muttpeeta (tumblr) Summary: "We're coworkers who hate each other but drank too much at our holiday office party"-featuring a pushing, well meaning Finnick.

[mollywog]

WIP tag game

Thank you for the tag @thelettersfromnoone @thesunpersists!!

The first snippet from the Christmas Market prompt

Katniss cranes her neck down the aisle of stalls as she straightens jars for the sixth time in the last ten minutes. Madge had gone off to mingle and ‘network’, leaving her behind to guard the booth and fret.

This event could make or break them.

They’d been doing the local small business mart circuit for almost a year now, but nothing as big as the Capital City Christmas Market. The vendor fee alone had been nearly four times the usual cost, but with a much broader audience than the ones they’d been doing around their rural hometown, it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

However, although they were relatively new to the scene, they were seasoned enough to know location was vital.

‘Praline et circenses’ sold paper cones of warm spiced nuts, but the real money, of any was to be made, came from the prepackaged mixes, boxes of brittle, and jars of praline sauce - perfect for gift giving during the holiday season.

If she and Madge had it their way, they would be among the craft vendors where shoppers would be enticed by the smells of brown sugar and cinnamon and stay to purchase a bag to give or to save for later.

Unfortunately the odds were not in their favor.

The market’s organizer, one Effie Trinket, had placed their stall in the Cornucopia, the dining section of the market, and when they’d inquired about a transfer, Mrs. Trinket had been polite but firm in her refusal: all the designated snack booths outside the Cornucopia were claimed by returning shops with more seniority: better luck next year!

It was a blow.

Even the specialty foods section, with its salsas, honey, and bags of homemade pasta would have been preferable. Afterall, If you were committed enough to venture into the food court, why would you settle for a snack?

It’ll be fine, Madge kept saying and Katniss wanted to believe, but as much as she loved her business partner and friend, she couldn’t help feeling Madge was too quick to dismiss her concerns. The stakes just weren’t the same for them. No matter how much Madge protested, she’d always have the safety net of a college degree and Senator father with money and connections. Katniss, on the other hand, would have nothing if their business went under.

Katniss tried to think positive as she surveyed the other booths. They seemed to have the market cornered in terms of nuts; that was at least true. And there were some familiar faces here too. Rue with her Ren faire style whole turkey legs was three booths down and though she couldn't see her, the smell of a Sae concoction was unmistakable in the air. They might suggest Pralines to customers if promoted: word-of-mouth was invaluable... This could still work!

Katniss was just coming around to the idea that they might not be completely screwed when the bakery booth directly across from them put out their kiosk. The top of the board read:

~ Praline Pound Cakes ~

[thesweetnessofspring]

Roses and Pearls by HalfHope (thesweetnessofspring)

Rating: E

Description: Peeta Mellark is the sole victor of the Quarter Quell. With District 12 nothing but ash, he rebuilds his life by moving to the Capitol and falling in love with Rosalia Snow, granddaughter to Coriolanus Snow.

Then people Peeta thought long dead kidnap him and Rosalia, including the one person he hates more than anyone: Katniss Everdeen. They say he's been hijacked. They say that he used to love her. Locked away in District 13, Peeta is determined to protect his mind and his fiancée from the rebels. But while imprisoned, videos disprove his memories and his feelings toward Katniss grow confusing. Who can he trust, and what really happened in his past?

Thank you @louezem for being my beta through this multichapter project. Ten weeks we've been doing this!

Read Chapter One | Read Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Footage in therapy slows as it skips ahead to me waking up in the evening of the feast, cheeks no longer flushed with fever and eyes clear. I startle at the blood pouring out of Katniss’s forehead and check her breath. I collect some rain water and rinse the wound, bandage it up, then take the tarp and construct a shelter from the leaks in the cave, taking Katniss’s wet socks off and placing her under the somewhat drier spot. I rub her feet to keep them warm. I change her bandage again, lines of worry on my face at the first soaked-through bandage. I collect rain water in our bottles and use the iodine drops to purify it. There is an occasional glimpse into Cato hunting Thresh through the field of grain, of Foxface burrowing herself under a thatch of pine branches and shivering through the ordeal. But mostly, it’s just me, for over two hours, hobbling on my bad leg as I care for Katniss. 

Finally, I see what all of this was for. Through our alliance, we were both able to get something. Katniss by getting more sponsors, myself having someone who knows survival on my side, and both of us someone to watch our backs. Each movement, each act of tenderness, is building toward the end goal of getting us out of the arena alive. I try to imagine what it was like for this younger me. If Katniss hadn’t been what my memory said she was, if we’d worked together…I don’t know what that made us to each other back then. Allies or even friends? 

I see some of that possible friendship at the bakery in the morning, when Katniss offers to help me and Delly with weighing and shaping the loaves. We stand side-by-side, and I laugh at her attempts to get the right amount of dough on her scale, her globs either the size of a cat or a candy bar and take at least three different measurements before getting it within the approximate weight.

“I see why they put you on the hunt,” I say. 

“No, I clearly don’t have those soft merchant hands like you two,” Katniss says. And hearing myself described as a merchant, someone from Twelve and not the Capitol, brings a sense of stability I haven’t felt in years. Even if Katniss meant to tease me, it wasn’t the same as the Capitol’s pity or the rebellion’s resentment. It felt like being home.

Continue reading on ao3

[andromedadoesntwrite]

Last Christmas

By andromedadoesntwrite

Katniss Everdeen couldn’t care less about her family’s Christmas party but after the unexpected visit of an old friend, she learns to appreciate the Holidays.

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hii! I wrote this after watching too many Christmas movies and felt cheesy. I hope you (whoever wants to read it) likes it!

[dancingdaffodils08]

I can’t believe I didn’t get a rom com starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson where both of their characters don’t have their life together and they get into some messy shenanigans and fall in love for Christmas this year. :(

[thesunpersists]

First Match of the (Festive) Season

For the Christmas Market prompt challenge 🎄☕️🥨

She stops in her tracks, forcing him to do the same. “Are you always like this?” “Like what?” “Chipper, I suppose,” says Katniss. “Happy-go-lucky. Prancing through Christmas markets like you don’t have a care in the world.” “Oh, that…” Peeta hangs his head. “Would you prefer I brush this off with a joke or give you an honest answer that will absolutely kill the mood?” “I’ll take the honest answer, please,” says Katniss, hoping that she’s made the correct choice. 

They say when you find yourself in a strange, small town, you are either running away from or running towards something.

Katniss and Peeta have their first date on a snowy Christmas Eve in an unexpected place.

Read on ao3!

[vixnarts]

Just dropping in real quick to wish y'all (if you celebrate) a Merry Christmas!!

Be back soon.....