#this is a safe space for alll kinds of everlark nonsense mkay

[paintedpeeta]

Sometimes I get so soft because I firmly believe that even without taking into consideration the games Katniss and Peeta ended up in a home better than the ones they grew up in. Peeta helps take the responsibility off of her and makes her smile! Katniss is safer and more caring towards Peeta even when she’s grumpy! I really do love the “I know this would’ve happened anyway” because I do really believe they give each other something nobody else can. This may be the shipper goggles but they seemed more like best friends to me than any other relationship in the books.

it is so lovely to think of them giving each other the life that they deserve.

i’m firmly with you that peeta takes the burden off of katniss in terms of being responsible for her family’s survival. i’ve spoken about this before but it would be so healing for her to not have that constant weight on her shoulders, worrying where the next meal on the table is going to come from. knowing that there’s no pressure to bring in a haul from the woods, or to make good trades in the hob. their fridge is always stocked, and they can buy whatever they need when they need it.

likewise, katniss gets to give peeta all the love that he didn’t have growing up. she shows it in a million different ways, cutting his hair for him and waiting up for him at night when he wants to paint out all of his bad thoughts. even on her bad days, she never makes him feel unwanted or shut out. even if she can’t speak, she’ll find other ways to remind him that she still loves him more than anything. he doesn’t need the constant reassurances, he’s a big boy after all, but it is nice.

also sometimes i just think about the “i know this would have happened anyway” thing and short circuit because… miss katniss girl…. that is so much packed into a teeny tiny little statement. like, she knows she would’ve ended up with peeta. it feels like after everything she is finally admitting to herself, and to the reader what she’s (and we’ve) known for a long time. on the point you made about them giving each other something no one else can, she pretty much says as much when she says only peeta can give her what she needs (which is lovely in itself, too).