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justpan · 26 days ago

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Title: Unwilling Bride (Finale!!!)

Summary: Will Peter win his last game with (Y/N)?

Pairing: Peter Pan x Reader

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33

Felix was always a very simple guy to understand, he had simple morals and simple needs; in conclusion to being simply understood he was also very intense.

Intense in all his actions and beliefs.

That was why he was Pan’s right hand man, he believed in Pan as if he were a God made of flesh. Pan had gotten Rufio, his very first and very best friend killed, but even if Felix never forgave Pan for not avenging his friend he would always be loyal. Because Pan had saved him, saved him from starving and rotting in the streets of Oz.

So even now, as the Lost Boys were beginning to complain of hunger pains just like the boys in the orphanage, Felix would follow Pan’s orders.

One last game.

Felix didn’t like the phrase his leader had used when he first began to lay out his plan, or at least the part of the plan he wanted to share. Pan almost never fully divulged his plans to anyone other than his own speechless shadow.

He had been given very specific directions to the cottage that (Y/N) called home and as he trudged his way through the forest his heart was heavy.

(Y/N) had been his friend, she had been Rufio’s love and now he was on a mission that made him work against his own personal wishes.

Just as Pan promised the cottage was there in a clearing and (Y/N) was right there in front of it, she had a bow and arrow and appeared to be training her aim by trying to hit leaves as they fell from dying trees.

‘Getting a bit slow there Mother.’ he said as he entered the clearing, being sure to keep his hands up and his palms exposed as he approached.

As expected she turned with frightening speed and aimed her arrow directly at him and her eyes were hard.

‘Felix, been a while.’ she said.

‘Ten or eleven years, not too long I think.’ he said casually, still keeping his hands up.

‘Why are you here, Felix? I know you didn’t find this place alone, what instructions did Pan give you?’ she said quickly, keeping her weapon raised.

‘No instruction, I’m not here to fight you, I just have a message. What you do with that message is up to you entirely.’

She looked untrusting but her curiosity had clearly been peaked by the prospects of a message from the one person on her hit list.

‘What message?’

‘He wants to see you, face to face on Skull Rock. I don’t know his plan past getting you there. I swear that to you.’

‘I believe you Felix, Pan doesn’t tell anyone anything.’ she sighed as she lowered the bow.

‘He does miss you though, he doesn’t need to tell anyone that. It shows in his every move, we all miss you at camp.’

‘Does he miss Rufio? Does he even speak about him?’ (Y/N) asked sharply.

Felix looked down and was surprised by the speed in which (Y/N) had reached his side.

‘I’m sorry, I was taking out my anger for Pan on you and it was wrong. I know you lost a friend in Rufio’s murder the same as I lost a love.’

‘I did, and we have lost so much since.’

At his words he saw her eyebrows come together in worry and confusion.

‘Come inside, we will talk more there. You can tell me how my boys are.’ she said as she led him towards her home.

‘I can tell you that now, they are all hungry and miserable.’ Felix said as he followed.

(Y/N) opened her door and let in her first ever guest.

Felix glanced around with at least mild interest in the modern setting he found himself in, but he was clearly searching for something.

‘Where is the kitchen? Is there food?’ Felix asked.

(Y/N) pointed to the kitchen door and followed behind Felix.

‘I’ll start you off with a sandwich but I’ll make a full dinner for you too, enough for you to take back to camp.’

‘A sign of good faith?’ he asked as he sat at the table and watched you move around the kitchen.

‘Concerned friend, I told you I had no grudges with you all; I would never make any of you choose between me and Pan. I will help you all whenever you need me, but I will have nothing to do with him. I will not see him on peaceful terms, the second he is in my sight I’m going to kill him.’

‘Then don’t look at him, but he needs to speak with you. I will not return to camp until you agree. I complete my task every time without fail.’ Felix said seriously as he dug into the sandwich that was placed in front of him.

‘I know your commitment to following Pan’s orders but this time he gave you an impossible task, I will not meet him for any reason in this world or the next. If he has information that he thinks is vital to me then he can send you with that message, other than that I will have no communication with him.’ (Y/N) said firmly as she went about cooking a large pot of beef stew.

Felix watched her move her hands elegantly around as she summoned ingredients from thin air.

It had been so long since Peter had performed any magic for the camp that Felix almost looked amazed.

“Keep your mask up Felix, she must not see through you.” Pan’s voice rang in his mind and he kept his face indifferent.

She began to chop the vegetables and a mild uncomfortable silence settled in on the pair of reunited friends.

‘What has been happening at camp?’ (Y/N) asked, breaking the silence.

‘There are no animals for us to hunt, and we certainly aren’t getting our pirate supply anymore. The island is living on borrowed time, I’d say we have less than a year before it’s inhabitable.’

He watched tensely as she stilled her movements and processed the bad news he had delivered, it was obvious that things were going just as Pan was hoping.

She would battle her hate for him with her love for the Lost Boys and because she was good the love would win.

With a large and visibly fuming sigh she threw up her hands in defeat.

‘When?’

‘As soon as you can get there, he’s there now waiting for you. I urged him to bring provisions but he refused, he can go longer than most without food but not forever (Y/N).’

She scoffed and went back to her cooking and conjuring and began to gripe the same way she always had in Felix’s company.

‘If he thinks threatening to starve himself will push me to hurry then that’s his mistake. He can rot for all I care.’ she hissed as her movements became less graceful and more aggressive.

‘I will get there at my own pace.’ she said firmly.

And not surprising, to Felix at least, she stuck to her words and cooked for nearly four more hours. While she waited on the food to get ready she made more and more sandwiches.

Felix did his best to keep their conversations as pleasant as they always had been back when the boys spoke of the infamous “Happily Ever After” finally making its way to Neverland.

He gave her all the gossip that he’d thought she’d have found entertaining and she told him how she stayed sane all by herself out here.

It was only after she had been reduced to showing him her crafting projects that she gave in to the fact that she had no other reason to procrastinate her meeting with Pan.

‘Take the whole pot I enchanted it to stay full no matter how much you take out. It should last a few days. Tell the boys not to fight over it.’ she directed.

Felix took the pot and held it with both hands.

‘Thank you; I don’t know what Pan is planning and I don’t have the mind to guess what the outcome could be, but thank you. You were more than a mother to me, you were a friend…the only one I have left now.’ Felix said before his common sense could shut his mouth.

‘You were my best friend too Felix.’ (Y/N) said back, but her face was already beginning to show suspicion.

Soon (Y/F/C) smoke engulfed his body, when it cleared he was back at the camp and just that fast the boys were swarming the pot he was holding.

Back at your little cottage you stared at the spot where Felix had been mere seconds ago, distrust still written all over your face.

Felix was your best friend, and he knew more than he claimed he did; and whatever he knew he didn’t like it.

Sure he kept his mask on the whole visit and that was how you knew something was up, because when he actually relaxes Felix is an open book.

Pan was planning something, but it didn’t matter; you promised to kill him and you meant to keep that promise.

Deciding it was better to get this done quickly, you quickly transported yourself to the cave on Skull Rock.

It had been decades…maybe even centuries, but it was just as it had been the first and only other time you’d ever seen it. The same skull shaped stones and the same giant hourglass.

The hourglass was the only thing that showed any sign of time passing at all here, it had been about half full when she first saw it but now it was getting very close to empty.

Almost entranced by it you stepped closer to it, looking at your reflection in the curved glass, you took in the details of the hourglass. Its golden carvings and the unnatural light it gave off in the complete darkness of the cave.

This hourglass ruined your life.

This stupid fucking hourglass that was the hellish timer of Peter Pan’s life, the fucking hourglass he used your love to refill.

‘Of course it all ends up here.’ you scoffed to herself.

It all started here didn’t it? Pan wanted to live forever and to do that he needed strong undying magic, and love is the strongest magic in all the classic fairy tales. He snatched you, an unloved military brat with no friends and no real social skills away from your home to use your feelings.

Feelings he always knew would arise in you, no matter how you looked at it you had been used and manipulated by Peter since the very moment you had met him. It was Stockholm syndrome outright.

He’d kidnapped you and made you love him.

Movement in the reflection of the glass made you snap out of your own head long enough to see that Peter was on the other side of the hourglass, watching you through the glass.

‘I’m glad you came.’ he greeted.

‘I came to kill you.’ you said coldly as you conjured a sleek and sharp dagger into your hand.

‘I know, but you said you’d kill me if you saw me again. All I see is glass.’

‘The glass is see-through.’ you said as you began to walk around the hourglass.

‘And once I walk around I’m going to see you directly.’ you continued.

‘I was hoping we could have this chat without the old trying to kill me game.’ Peter said as he began walking as well, keeping a pace that kept him out of your direct view while keeping eye contact through the glass.

‘I thought Peter Pan loved games.’ you snarled.

‘He does…but I am not Peter Pan.’

At that you finally stopped circling the hourglass.

‘What?’

‘This is the last game I want to play with you. This last real game I can truly control, win or lose. It’s going to be a game where you make a decision after I tell you something.’

‘What will you tell me?’

‘Everything, and after if you don’t want to stay by my side I will grant you safe passage off the island…before it is too late.’

For a long moment it was quiet as you thought over what Pan had offered.

An explanation, and a choice. Two things that could do nothing to change or justify what had happened but you had craved those things so long you couldn’t imagine turning either of them down.

‘Who are you if you’re not Peter Pan?’ you finally asked.

You watch the boy on the other side of the glass visibly sigh in relief.

‘My name was Malcolm, when I was a boy I would dream of flying in Neverland. This island was the most beautiful and perfect place to be. I would cry all day in anger at being away from it, but I got older and suddenly I couldn’t come back.’ He started, his eyes leaving yours for the first time as he looked at the opening of the cave dreamily at the grim island.

‘If you had seen it then, when the pixies still tended the tree and everyone could fly for as long as they wanted…to lose it overnight. I couldn’t stay a boy forever and the island isn’t too fond of grown ups. I was miserable in adulthood.’

Adulthood?

‘I drank, I stole, I gambled…I had a child.’ he continued.

‘You have a kid?!’ you gasped out right, unable to mask your surprise.

Peter, or should you call him Malcolm, nodded in shame.

‘A son, a little runt that always needed something that I had to do heinous things to provide. Following after me whenever I went to do anything for myself…like a vulture coming to feast on the corpse of my life.’ he snarled.

This time you flinched at the amount of hate and revulsion that came out in the way Peter said those words. It wasn’t him being dramatic or overly emotional, he genuinely had hate for his son.

‘But my son did do one good thing for me in the end…not by choice of course. He was my ticket back to this place.’ he said as his reflection blurred through the glass.

You watched in near horror as Peter aged before your very eyes. He was no longer the blonde boy you were once so attracted to or even the demon boy who had watched Rufio’s killer walk free.

You couldn’t stand it, you needed to see it clearly. Before you could stop yourself you were running around the hourglass to finally see him head on, but the second you met his eyes your feet were nailed to the cave floor.

He was a man now, a middle aged man with a hairline that was beginning to recede and a beard that was graying.

His clothes seemed to have aged as well, they were suddenly ragged and the color faded in random places as if they had been worn long past their best days.

‘This is the man who chose to trade his son for eternal life and youth, the man…’ the man stopped as if he was fighting against the words trying to come out of his mouth.

‘The man who is terrified of growing old and dying, above all else I don’t want to die (Y/N).’ the old man said, looking pleadingly into your eyes.

It was in that instant you saw him in those eyes, Peter’s eyes.

How many times had you gotten lost in those eyes while the two of you practiced your magic, or while you laid next to each other in bed.

‘I know that you hate me…I know I deserve your hate, but please understand that I never wanted any harm or hardship to come to you. You were everything to me from the second I met you, hell even before that.’

‘Why? Why me? Why was I the one you chose to love?’

The old man reached into his raggedy pants pocket and pulled out an ancient looking folded parchment and handed it to you.

‘I drew this when I was sixteen, truly just a sixteen year old boy in the Enchanted Forest, I used to draw in the daytime when I had no chores. No one modeled for me and I had no inspirational muse in my mind, but I drew this.’

You looked at him as you took the parchment, studying him now that he was this close; it felt so…wrong. This was wrong, this old man couldn’t possibly be Peter Pan, Peter couldn’t be this man. This man was old and heavyset, he even smelled older.

You turned from him, choosing to inspect the drawing he’d handed you instead, unfolding it carefully as to not rip the fragile old thing. Once it was fully spread out you found yourself looking down at your own face sketched almost perfectly in thick charcoal lines.

‘What the hell?’ you gasped.

‘Being a gambler, and a pretty bad one at that, I couldn’t hold on to many personal belongings. For some unknown reason I could never part from that drawing, I traveled with it, I kept it in my hidden pockets when I slept. Even when I jumped into the portal that brought me back to this island with my son this drawing was in my boot.’ Malcolm started to explain.

‘Imagine my surprise when I went to the shadow and asked if there was a way to keep the hourglass forever full, only for it to tell me that it had answered that question a long time ago.’ he finished.

‘You’re talking destiny and- and written in stars type of nonsense.’ you said in disbelief.

‘How did you find me? If all you had was this drawing, how did you find my house in Texas?’ you questioned.

The old man let out a breath of unamused laughter.

‘I wondered how I would find you too for a long while, but thankfully you made it easier.’

‘How?’

‘You felt unloved. That’s the easiest thing for the shadow to find, it had a large area to search; a lot of realms, but it found you. When I first saw you on the beach it felt surreal, like meeting an imaginary friend in the flesh. Of course the girl you turned out to be was not the meek little thing I had imagined, you were far better than I could have dreamed and I loved you more than I knew how to.’ He answered.

Your head was spinning, all of it was too much for you to process. The most inconvenient thing you’d had to deal with for the last few years was unsuccessful art projects, now you were looking at past memories and wondering how much of it was prophesied.

‘I need you, (Y/N). Beyond that I love you, and if you will have me then everything will be as it was. You and me, the camp, the Lost Boys, the mag-’

‘Rufio? Will he be as he was?’ you interrupted, your head suddenly clearing.

‘I could have forgiven the divorce, I could have forgiven a broken heart and tear soaked pillows; but I will never forgive that. I won’t forgive you letting them go, no matter who you are. Peter, Pan or Malcolm, Rufio put his life on the line for you and he lost it.’ you said looking up at him through watery eyes.

‘I couldn’t avenge him, and I regret that but I need Wendy alive, we could live without the extra food, but without her the plan would have fallen apart. I have to keep this island alive (Y/N), I have to. I can’t do that without either your love or the heart of the Truest Believer; I want to do it with you and with love. I don’t want to do it by ripping out my great grandson’s heart.’ Malcolm tried desperately to explain.

‘Your great grandson? He is the Truest Believer?’ you gasped in astonishment.

Peter had never told you the full details of his back up plan to keep the glass full after he’d ended things, and in all honesty you hadn’t wanted to know. You never imagined he had to spill blood; you never dreamed it would be his own blood he would have to spill.

Then again you never thought he had any blood to spill to begin.

You had met him as a teenage boy on a make believe island where time stood still. Why would you think he had a child? That the child had a grandchild he has been willing to kill this whole time?

‘Yes, he is the product of light and dark magic and he believes twice as hard as anyone else because of it. He is the back up plan; with his heart in my chest the glass will never empty, the magic will be strong again.’

‘And your great grandson would be what exactly? Roaming around the island with no heart in his chest!’ you yelled in sudden frustration.

‘My God! Even now! Here and now, as you are pleading with me to come back you are willing to kill another innocent boy! I don’t want to be near you Peter or Malcolm or anyone who is willing to watch others die for their own gain!’

‘I never claimed to be a saint.’ Malcolm replied.

‘You claimed to be the leader of the Lost Boys!’ you screamed in a rage as literal decades of frustration boiled over.

‘A leader they followed and respected! They followed you into battle without hesitation because they were thankful for the home you provided! They followed you, Rufio followed you! You put your stupid plan before the lives of every boy at camp! A plan you never would have needed if you had just had the sense to speak openly with me!’ you shouted as hot tears streamed your cheeks and a lump formed in your throat.

‘If you had just been-I never would have loved him! I wouldn’t see him bloody and broken in my dreams every night.’ you said around sobs as you tried uselessly to wipe away your tears.

‘(Y/N).’

It was Peter’s voice.

You looked back up at him and took in his face, the same boy you met on that beach.

He reached out to touch you, but you backed away, remembering the old man he really was.

‘Don’t.’ you said firmly.

‘I loved you Peter, the hourglass was full, the magic was strong; you ruined it. You dragged me here like a mythical monster, made me fall in love with a lie and broke my heart. Now you are considering killing your own family to do what I had already done for you, what good man does that?’

‘I am not a man (Y/N), I was never meant to be. I am Peter Pan the boy who can never grow up, that is who I am. Malcolm, that disgusting old man was just what time wants to turn me into and I hate him. I hate him and his life and responsibilities, all I care for is-’

‘You. All you care about is you Peter Pan…and I didn’t know that until right now.’ you interrupted.

‘Please, all I care for is the home I have created with you at my side. Just allow me the opportunity to regain your trust and love.’

‘No; you lose this game Peter.’ you declared.

A look of stunned horror crossed Peter’s eyes as the words hit his ears.

‘I was unloved at home, I can admit that; but I know what love is and what it isn’t. It’s not lying, it’s talking to each other about the future, it’s trusting someone with all your secrets and dreams. You didn’t trust me then, and I don’t trust you now.’ you continued.

‘You promised safe passage off the island if I didn’t come back to you. I want to go home.’

In the magical light of the hourglass you saw a lone tear slide down Peter’s face, but then the watery eyes hardened.

‘You would leave?’

‘Even if your horrific plan plays out the way you want, why should I stay? I’m not coming back to camp and I’m not coming back to you. I had the best times here once, and with time standing still I thought the best times would never end, but they did. They ended when you ended us, new good times came with Rufio…and that time has ended too.’ you replied with finality.

‘There can be better times!’ Peter shouted, seeming to finally lose his composure.

‘You would leave this paradise?! Leave the magic you’ve mastered, the Lost Boys?! Me!?’ he raged.

‘Yes, and you shouldn’t have offered me a way out if you weren’t ready for me to take it. You’ve made a promise and I expect you to keep it…unless your word is meaningless.’

‘Don’t test me! I’ve broken promises a plenty (Y/N).’

‘If you don’t keep this one, I will make good on my promise to you.’ you said, holding up your dagger and pointing at him.

Peter took a deep breath and let out a sigh that sounded so tired only an old man could have let it out.

‘Fine.’ he said angrily as he reached into his pocket.

He pulled out something small and glowing green.

‘A magic bean, rare in every other realm; but I had sent my shadow to retrieve one as soon as I mastered my magic. He found one and I planted it; these beans are how I physically travel from realm to realm at ease.’

‘Magic beans? Like Jack and the Beanstalk?’ you asked with mild doubt.

‘Take it, think about where you want to be and how it makes you feel. Once you have it, throw it on the floor and jump in before the portal closes.’ Peter instructed, his tone rough and impersonal as he offered the bean to you.

With caution you took the bean and examined it, it was certainly not an edible bean. It felt like a smooth crystal between your fingers and appeared to be completely clear aside from the swirling green smoke that was inside of it.

‘Just think happy thoughts.’ you said under your breath, remembering the old Disney movie.

‘Were you truly so unhappy? Even if you don’t come back to me or camp. Why not stay in that cottage, why do you have to leave? I can still fix this.’ Peter tried again, this time the desperation poured out of his voice.

‘How can you fix it? By fixing the island, by killing your family? The fact that that is even an option to you is why I have to leave. I can’t stay here if I know an innocent boy had to be butchered for it.’

‘Then come back, don’t make me kill him.’ Peter begged, taking hold of your face as tears again filled his eyes.

‘God, do you hear yourself? If you really don’t want to then don’t, but don’t pin that decision on me. It's your beloved island, it’s your family and your choice to make. As much as I’d wish you’d make the right one, I know that you won’t; but I’ve already made mine.’ you said as you stepped away from him.

‘(Y/N) please… I love you. You felt it in every kiss we shared. I don’t want you to leave the island, if you do I may never be able to find you again.’

‘Could you come with me then? If it is really my love that is important to you, and not just the hourglass.’ you offered bitterly.

You knew the answer, but when Peter couldn’t even meet your eyes you scoffed in disappointment and disgust.

You put a good amount of distance between yourself and Peter and looked him in the eyes as you threw down the bean.

As soon as you heard the soft thud of the bean hitting the stone floor a glowing green soft ball size hole appeared. It seemed to suck the very air into itself because suddenly it felt as though you were being pulled into a black hole.

As the wind seemed to grow stronger the hole was widening.

‘(Y/N)!’ Peter yelled over the rushing winds and the crackling noise of strong magic.

‘It doesn’t have to be this way!’

‘It didn’t!’ you agreed, speaking to him for the last time.

With your breath held and your eyes closed you bent your knees and jumped into the glowing green portal.

It felt like jumping into a freezing cold pool but you were sure there was no water, you looked up at the opening of the portal and saw Peter.

He stood there at the edge, looking at you disappear; even now he still chose his island and power over you.

Soon the opening began to shrink, and before you knew it Peter was gone.

The horrible cold went on for a few more seconds before she was suddenly slammed onto something soft, but the landing was so hard it left you winded.

You gasped and coughed as you tried to catch your breath.

As your breathing steadied you began taking in your surroundings.

You were in bed, in your old room back in Texas. Everything was just as it always was. Posters of your favorite musicians on the walls, laundry hamper in the corner by the computer desk. Military school paraphernalia decorating the bookshelf.

‘I’m really home.’ you gasped as you sat up.

‘(Y/N)!’

You hadn’t heard the voice in what must have been a century at least, but you recognized it even before the door was nearly ripped off the hinges.

‘Sargent!’ you said, instinctively standing and saluting.

But to your absolute surprise he did not reply, at least not verbally.

For what felt like the first time your father wrapped his arms around you in an honest to God hug. Not just a hand on your shoulder or a pat on the back while delivering an award, a real bone crushing hug of a worried father.

‘We were so worried. It’s been months, we’ve been looking for you.’

‘I’m sorry…Dad I didn’t think you would worry.’ you apologized as you returned the hug.

‘Your mother is still putting out your missing flyers, dammit girl where have you been?’ your dad asked as he looked you over for injuries.

That was when it all sank in, you were home, your parents had cared; if they loved you here, Pan would never be able to find you again.

No more Neverland, no more magic, no campfire dancing; the realization of it making her cry that much harder. It was all over.

‘I was in the wrong place…I was with the wrong person.’

#ouat #ouat imagine #hook ouat #peter pan imagine #peter pan ouat #peter pan x reader #felix ouat #Lost Boys #reader x rufio #final chapter #unwilling bride series

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runningfrom2am · 1 year ago

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in this life or the next (part II)

summary: you and rafe won the 75th annual Hunger Games as a team, but at what cost?

pairing: rafe x fem!reader

wc: 11.4k

tags/warnings: not as much as you would expect for a Hunger Games fic honestly. spoilers for the og Hunger Games movies I guess (but also not bc i changed it up a bit- you'll see), Ward being a shitty dad (as per usual). also this isn't thoroughly edited bc.. it's long and i'm still lazy.

masterlists // nav // requests

join my taglist here

a/n: hi guys! this is part two of this fic, and i'm honestly pretty proud of how this story is coming together!! i hope anyone who enjoyed that one enjoys this one :) also i very much set it up for part three so look forward to that (eventually).

"Without further adieu, I'm pleased to welcome back, from District One and District Five, Rafe Cameron and Y/N Y/L/N, this year's Victors!" The base of the talk show's theme music bellowed in your ears as you followed your cue, holding tightly onto Rafe's hand as you took the stage again. You never imagined you would be back here, but you're grateful to be.

"Rafe, Y/N, I cannot honestly put into words how pleased I am to have you both back with me tonight. We're all so excited to have you- aren't we?" Caesar smiled, riling up the crowd once more as the cheers had died down. Rafe had a smile glued to his face, squeezing your hand once you were both sat down before letting it go.

"We're happy to be back." Rafe replied and you nodded, smiling over at him. He looked so much better- the colour had returned to his skin, a subtle pink flush you didn't care to take notice of before the games.

"I bet you are." Caesar nodded. "We have so much to talk about, but first, I'd like to personally congratulate you both on your win. This was the first-ever games to produce two winners, I hope you understand the extent of your accomplishment."

"Thank you, yeah." You smiled, turning your attention to the man across from you. "I couldn't have done it without him."

"Likewise," Rafe said, gently nudging your shoulder with his hand. You rolled your eyes, shaking your head with a smile.

"God, I just love your chemistry." Caesar said, smiling and leaning his chin onto his palm. This resulted in more laughs and cheers from the audience. "This is a perfect segue, actually," He sits up straighter again, a slight laugh leaving him. "You were aware that we were all watching, right? Because there were some very real... intense moments between you two in the arena that had us on the edge of our seats. The whole 'will they, won't they' tension was so palpable. So, I think we all just want to know, was it real?"

Rafe nodded, watching the man intently as he listened to him speak. You were both wondering where he was going with that, but while you felt your face burning red, you came up with a logical answer that effectively dodged what he was really asking. "I mean, yeah, of course, such significant amounts of stress on both the body and the mind would make anyone vulnerable in a way you wouldn't expect."

Rafe shifted in his seat, turning his gaze to you as Caesar nodded at your answer. "But with Y/N it was just so easy. She gave me a new perspective on everything, which I appreciate still so greatly. Just, yeah I don't think I could ever see myself sort of... opening up in that way with anyone else." Rafe added, thinking for just a moment before shaking his head with a slight laugh. "I didn't even care that the world was watching, because I knew she was listening, you know?"

A chorus of 'aw's came from the audience and you smiled at him, looking to Caesar quickly to gauge his reaction. His was fairly similar, hand clutched to his chest with a pout in his lip. "Well, there's your answer, folks. It's very real. That is just so sweet." He nods.

"Rafe is right," You chimed in, silence falling over the building. "But truly it is just such a harrowing, scary experience, and up until last year's games we had never seen tributes connecting in a way that we were given the opportunity to, in a similar way to Katniss and Peeta had, the tributes from twelve last year. I think that is a new experience for both the viewer and for us as tributes, and it sets a new standard for the games. I just count myself so lucky that I got chosen to be Rafe's partner, because otherwise we never would have met- or we at least wouldn't have gotten the chance to see each other as real people, with thoughts and feelings and families waiting at home."

When you finished speaking, the silence stuck for a few moments that felt like an eternity. "Well... Yes, I suppose you're right, Y/N." Caesar agreed, but you still felt in your gut that you had said something wrong as the audience murmured and whispered to each other. "I think this is a good time to move on, because Y/N, you just have such a way with words, and we all saw in the games that you have... just one of the most amazing minds we have ever seen in a tribute."

"Isn't it cool?" Rafe added, leaning in and looking between the two of you with a smile on his face. "Caesar, I told you she had a secret weapon!" The audience loved this, instantly coming back to life with laughs and cheers.

"Yes, you did! We definitely didn't expect that!" Caesar chuckles. "So, Y/N, let us in a little bit more- at what point did you realize that the arena was recycled?"

"Oh, immediately." You answered with a nod, folding your hands in your lap. "Honestly by the time I saw the cornucopia for the first time I confirmed it, it was kind of a relief."

He claps his hands together, clearly impressed. "That's incredible! You proved it over and over again. My favorite part was the bag- we were all so confused and I personally got a bit of a laugh when you were trying to point it out to Rafe and he just had this hilarious confused look on his face! From the first thirty seconds, you guys already had this dynamic that had everyone in Panem hooked on watching you. So please, Y/N, tell us what your secret is. How your brain works, if you will."

"Please, Y/N/N." Rafe agreed, mocking Caesar's intrigued posture as he gazes at you waiting for you to elaborate.

You laughed, gently smacking his shoulder. "I just... I don't know. I see something, learn something, whatever the context may be, and then I just know it. I assume it's the same for you, but I just hold on to all the extra stuff. I think I'm broken, or something. I didn't even know this was abnormal until Rafe pointed it out during our training- I just always thought I was smarter than my siblings." You joke, laughing slightly.

"Well, I can only imagine you would be hard to compete with academically with a mind like yours." Caesar chuckled. "So, tell us, what's next for Panem's favourite couple- as I understand you now are."

You and Rafe made eye contact briefly. You hadn't talked about it, despite having hardly left each others sides since you returned. "I don't know." You shrug. "I suppose whatever you guys tell us to do."

"I think we'll go home, see our families, relax a bit and then we'll be back and ready for the victory tour in a few months." Rafe cut in. Had you said something wrong again?

"And we can't wait- we will miss having you guys on our screens everyday, that is for sure." Caesar smiled, standing up which made up your signal to do the same.

"We look forward too seeing you again soon." Rafe smiled, shaking Caesar's hand as you stood up, quickly adjusting your dress in the meantime.

"Thank you so much for joining me tonight, and congratulations again on your win. Enjoy your time at home." Caesar turned to you, giving you a quick hug before you held Rafe's arm and walked offstage, waving to the audience for hopefully the last time in a while.

As you recalled the memory of the last time you saw Rafe in person, you find yourself getting nervous at the idea of seeing him again. It had been a long six months- and you had exchanged an endless string of handwritten letters.

Life for you in the Victor's Village was pleasant, refreshing, even- since it had felt like forever since you had known any kind of peace. It's in a quiet area of town, giving you lots of space to enjoy real fresh air in a way that felt safe. Unfortunately, your vivid nightmares couldn't be quelled by the cool breeze or your sisters sleeping peacefully next to you or the room across the hall.

Rafe had found out that yes, you did sign your name with a heart normally. At least, you did in the many letters he had received from you. It had been the longest six months of his life, but at the same time, a whirlwind of everything happening all at once. Regardless, he spent the entire time walking on eggshells around his father.

When Rafe was reunited with his family, his sister had thrown herself at him with such force he stumbled back when he caught her in his arms, holding her tight with a hand over the back of her head. "I never thought I would see you again..." She mumbled, chin wobbling against his shoulder.

"I missed you so much, Wheeze, you have no idea." He whispered back, gently stroking the back of her hair. He put her down gently, but she refused to let go of his waist as he acknowledged the rest of his family. Sarah, stoic, standing alongside their dad with a matching expression. She, somehow, had a smile behind her eyes that Rafe was all too familiar with. Sarah was happy to see him, though she would never admit it in Ward's presence.

"Rafe." Ward smiled, suddenly, shockingly, only until Rafe realized they had cameras on them as his father walked up and smacked a hand onto his shoulder, guiding him away. District One was proud to have another Victor to add to the growing roster, and they would always celebrate accordingly. Somehow, Rafe didn't feel special.

"Hey, Dad," Rafe replied, smiling nervously as his dad gave his shoulder a squeeze. He knew he was in trouble- big trouble, and maybe staying in the capitol wouldn't have been so bad. He hoped you were facing a more genuine welcome in Five.

"Are you excited to see your girlfriend today?" Sarah asks, bringing him back to reality as she leaned against the entryway to their home gym. To Rafe, their whole house felt cold now. The mansion was decorated mostly in white, with marble flooring and high ceilings that made the home feel so much emptier than he remembered it. Most of the time, he stayed alone at the home he'd been granted in the victors village.

"Yeah. I don't think she's my girlfriend, though." He replies, hardly tearing his eyes away from the combat training equipment that still haunts him.

Sarah furrows her brow accompanying a confused laugh. "What? Only all of Panem sees you as the hottest couple, but you don't know?"

"We never got to talk about it. So, yeah, I don't know."

"Will you ask her?"

Rafe shrugs, getting up from the bench and throwing the towel over his shoulder. "Probably. She's the only good thing I can think about, these days."

"You better get on that. I heard from the news that there's an engagement announcement on the horizon!" Sarah calls, turning on her heel as she heads back down the hall.

Rafe sighs, grabbing his water bottle and heading out after her. He's wanted to talk about this, of course, but in the victor's interview you mentioned that anyone would be so vulnerable with all that stress- and he couldn't help but be a little hurt by that. Then again, you've sent him letter after letter since you had been apart, so the signals he's getting are mixed- to say the least.

As he changes into the clothes his dad picked out for him for the first day of the Victory Tour, he hopes that seeing you again will bring only good memories. Not that there are many to choose from- but something in his gut is telling him that you will be the cure to his nightmares, or at the very least, someone to talk to about everything, even if it's just for a few months a year. Forever.

You're standing at the train station, surrounded by your family and an array of cameras, everyone anxiously awaiting the two of you being reunited. It's unknown to you if he will even get off the train, part of you hopes that he doesn't so your sisters don't get the chance to bug him. "He'll be happy to see you, hey?" Your mom interrupts your thoughts, nudging you gently with her elbow.

"Maybe." You shrug, pulling at the loose strings on the hem of your dress. "I don't know, I don't want to go. I'd rather stay home, Mom."

"I know, sweetheart... And we'll miss you." She sighs, kissing the side of your head and pulling you close with an arm around your shoulders. "But maybe it'll be nice to talk to him. He must understand you better than we can, these days."

"I don't know about that." You say softly, gazing down the tracks at the sound of the train quickly approaching. You take a deep breath, turning to hug your sisters so you have time. You were on a very tight schedule already, Opal was making sure of that. The train couldn't leave a minute late- even though you're sure that you and Rafe may be precious cargo, considering you're the only ones on it, spare for your teams, and the only reason the train is making this journey at all.

"I'll bet he jumps out of the train and tackles you to the ground because he missed you so, so, soooo much!" Your youngest sister giggles, clinging tightly to your arm.

You decide not to acknowledge it, eyes locked on the silver metal as it pulls up in front of you. "Don't say anything to him, you best leave him alone." Your dad reminds her, peeling her from your arm and into his side instead.

The door slides open, and just as you're lifting your one bag you're met with Rafe. Seeing him for the first time in person for months is shocking. He looks tired- you guess he's been having nightmares too. "Y/N.." He says, almost breathlessly as he leans against the door of the train.

"Hi." You whisper, giving him the best smile you can muster. Truly, you are happy to see him, but you do know he has to put on a show of the two of you being reunited. He jumps down, taking three large strides toward you before pulling you close and burying his face in your hair. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Me too." He mumbles, letting you go after a moment.

"Welcome to District Five, I guess." You laugh nervously, gesturing around you.

"Thank you, I've never been here before," Rafe explains, rather unnecessarily. "The ride was beautiful."

Opal is trying to usher you from behind the camera to move onto the train, and Rafe's hand is hanging at his side, fingers brushing gently over your arm. You get the message, just about to finally wave off your family for a second time. "Wait, hold on." Your dad cuts you off, stopping you both in your tracks.

"Thank you, Son." He nods, holding out his hand to Rafe. You can see his chin wobble, but you can also see that he's trying to keep a brave face for the cameras. Your family had been warned to not speak to him, to just say goodbye and let you walk onto the train since your reunion would be telecasted live- but he just couldn't let Rafe get away without him knowing how much he appreciated him saving you.

Rafe takes his hand and shakes it, returning the nod. "I would have died before taking her from you." They would have a less formal opportunity to meet towards the end of the tour when you revisited Five for a big celebration in both of your honour. You were already dreading it. Anyway, now, they only really had time for pleasantries. Not even that, if they were to follow Opal's schedule.

Cameras are quickly cut, and you wave goodbye now as you're actually forced onto the train. "Gosh, you two, we have places to be. Seriously." Opal says sternly, walking on behind you along with your stylist's team.

It's only a little while until you were talking again, like you had never been apart- and like everything was normal. Until, as the sun set over the mountains in District Eleven, you both got quiet, looking out the array of windows in the very last car.

"I'm glad to see you normally sign your name with a heart."

"Huh?"

"Uh, in the cave. You put your name on the wall, with a little heart beside it. I remember wondering if you normally write your name like that, and you do."

"Oh, yeah. When I'm signing something, I guess." You agree with a slight shrug. After a few moments of comfortable silence, both of you staring out the window over the tracks, you continue. "We're going to get in trouble. About what you said to my dad."

"I meant it," Rafe replies, not missing a single beat.

"Did Snow come to see you too?" You ask.

"Yeah." He nods. "I don't really care though, what can he do to me that he hasn't already done, you know?"

"He'd go after your sisters."

"He mentioned something about that. He won't, though. He's just trying to scare us into smiling for the cameras."

"I don't know..." You sigh. "I'd rather not risk it. Play it safe."

"You'll be doing that for the rest of your life, and he'll only demand more and more." Rafe shakes his head at you, reaching out and taking your hand. "With whatever is happening in the districts, he wouldn't run the risk of hurting our families. Your family, in particular. Panem loves your family, you gave them security by speaking so highly of them in the games, and they bought their own by spending all that money to send both of us something from home. He couldn't touch them without the whole country losing their minds."

"What? What's happening in the districts?" All you had seen on TV was reruns of your interviews and highlight reels of your own games. You tried not to watch much TV.

Rafe's eyes flicker with confusion as he scans your face. After a moment he realizes that of course, you wouldn't know. He only knows because of his dad- the news was so heavily censored in the outlying districts that there's no doubt you wouldn't have heard about the uprisings. "I-uh... My dad told me some stuff. There's been a couple of uprisings, nothing serious, but still. He wants us to keep them happy." He decidedly leaves out the fact that people in farther districts, outside of your own, are really not your biggest fans.

"Oh... Well, I'll try my best. Do you know what they were about?"

"No, uh, I don't know much about it. Sorry." Rafe mumbles, dropping your hand to push himself up from the couch. "I should probably get some sleep. You too."

Looking at how dark it is outside now, he's probably right. You have a long couple of weeks ahead, starting tomorrow. Starting it off with a full night's sleep would no doubt be beneficial- and who knows what time Opal will be waking you up in the morning.

You stretch out your arms as you stand up, yawning as you follow Rafe out the door and toward your cabin where your things are waiting for you.

It's not long after a quick shower that you pass out in bed, already tired and lulled to sleep by the steady movement of the train. And it's not long after that until you're standing on the silver pedestal that typically haunts your dreams yet again.

You look around, trying desperately to put together the pieces of where you are. You can't. You can, everything looks the same, but there's a feeling of panic in your gut that tells you you don't know a thing as the timer ticks down in front of you, the sound echoing throughout the arena.

Your head snaps to the left when you hear someone yelling for you. Your sister. She looks pale, you can practically see her shaking from where you're standing. She's yelling at you still, but you can't make out what she's saying as you realize that it isn't just her. Your whole family is there, and no sign of Rafe.

How are you supposed to do this without him?

The timer reaches zero, and the alarm blades signaling the games have begun. You're quick to sprint for your youngest sister, your first goal being getting her away. As you reach her you look back toward the cornucopia, blood already sprayed across the side of the glistening metal and bodies on the ground. Exactly the way it was last time.

"We have to get you out of here. We have to go south, we have to-" You're cut off by her freezing, stumbling back, and falling into the grass.

You call for her in a panic, looking back over your shoulder. You have nothing. There's nothing you can do to help as she chokes on blood from the knife now embedded in her chest.

It was you. You're standing there, a sick smile on your face with dropped shoulders- you had thrown it. Just how Rafe had taught you.

You wake up to the sound of your own screaming, sitting up quickly and kicking off your blanket. Your hair is stuck to your forehead as you scramble to place your surroundings. It wasn't real. It felt so real.

"Y/N?" You look up to the door in a panic as Rafe pushes the door open, brows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

His presence starts to calm you almost instantly. "Yeah, just a dream." You say breathlessly. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"I couldn't sleep anyway." He insists, stepping in and closing the door. "Can I stay?"

You just nod, sliding over to make room for him.

Rafe pads across the floor, climbing in bed next to you and laying down, getting comfortable as you lay facing each other. Your heart is still racing. You still see your sister suffering at your own hand.

Without saying a word, Rafe reaches up, hesitating for a moment before brushing your hair back from your forehead. "I get nightmares too." He whispers, settling his hand on your cheek, gently brushing over your skin with his thumb.

"I'm sorry." You whisper back, eyes still open as you try and look at him in the dark.

He knows you're not apologizing as if it's your fault, more so saying you wish that neither of you were plagued with the memories of what you had been through. "Me too." He whispers, finally closing his eyes. Maybe now, with you here, he'll feel safe enough to get a full night of sleep without being interrupted by the screams of the kids that he killed.

You wake up with another jolt when the door flies open, slamming against the wall. "Oh, thank god. Rafe! What are you doing in here? Get up, hurry. We've spent far too much time searching the train for you." You blink a few times, rubbing your eyes as you process the harsh awakening by his escort, Zara.

"I'm up..." Rafe grumbles from beside you, taking a deep breath in with his head pressed against your back and an arm over your waist.

"God, you scared me. Now come on, we're already late." She says, standing and holding the door, waiting for him to get moving.

He sighs in response, and you feel a rush of cold air as he leaves you, stretching as he gets up and follows Zara out of the room. The train has stopped moving, you notice this quickly as you get up yourself. It's safe to assume Opal is waiting for you as well.

Walking out onto the stage of District Twelve is humbling, to say the very least. They are among the poorest of Panem's districts, even District Five seems like the Capitol compared to this. The pedestals in front of us display images of the four tributes behind where their families stand. It is all too real as you stand there in front of a large crowd in yet another uncomfortable dress.

Rafe holds your hand as you walk out, scanning over the crowd too. Even his already fake smile begins to fade at the sight and he looks pale. He's clutching your speech cards in his other hand, and you clock how it's slightly shaking from nerves as you are directed to begin speaking and he raises the cards.

"We are united as Panem is united. Our love has opened our eyes to the greatness of our country." You can tell in his voice he's trying to maintain his charismatic charm, but it's failing him. He can't tear his eyes away from the tributes' families, recognizing the faces on the screens behind them. One of the girls stands out, and he shakes away her voice in his head begging him to spare her life with her leg caught in the trap he asked you to set. He adjusts his focus to the mountains in the distance before he continues. "Love illuminates the truth-"

"You're standing where Katniss and Peeta should be!" He's interrupted by someone shouting from the crowd. It's easy to pick out the voice in the sea of people. A boy, a few years older than you with dark hair and a strong build. He's worked his whole life, no doubt. There's a blonde girl next to him- Prim. Katniss's sister, who she had volunteered for last year.

Rafe is frozen, staring at them for a moment before looking back to Zara, who gestures for him to continue. He's squeezing your hand now, tighter. "That's her sister." You whisper to him before he gets the chance to speak again. "May I?"

He looks down at you, silently asking if you're sure. Secretly, Rafe is relieved. You nod to him again and he hands you the cards. You don't need them, so you place them down on the pedestal in front of you.

"I understand the tremendous loss your community has faced at the hands of these games. And I am sorry." Rafe taps your arm, watching you now as you speak. You look up at him briefly and he nods to you. "We are sorry." You correct, reading from him that that is what he wanted.

"We can't fix the past, but I can tell you that without Spruce, Fletcher, Trilly, and Cerise we wouldn't be standing here today. We are forever in debt to them, and to you, for something that we didn't want to take in the first place." You pause, clearing your throat as you feel a tightness in your chest. "I never knew Katniss or Peeta, but watching them at home inspired me, and remember wondering when I watched Katniss volunteer for little Prim if I would do the same for my sisters, and as much as I love them I realized that I don't know if I ever could. And then, at the end, when she and Peeta both chose to die rather than live without each other, rather than pumping out another victor from the games- I was in awe. Of their bravery, and of their sacrifice. I thought I could never do that. They were braver than me."

You stare around the silent crowd, aiming to memorize every face. "Then I met Rafe, and I finally understood them. We would have done the same, but we were given a greater opportunity. I don't know why it was us and not them, and what we did to deserve our lives again, but I am truly sorry that it wasn't them." You spit out, choking over every word.

"It's because he's one of them!" The same boy shouts, pointing at Rafe and you notice peacekeepers shoving their way through the crowd toward him.

Rafe swallows the lump in his throat, keeping a straight face as he looks out at the boy.

"We are sorry that you lost loved ones." You say again, looking up at him briefly.

Before you can continue, Rafe is moving you aside to speak again. "I will donate half of my winnings to the families of our fallen tributes, as well as the families of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. It is the very least I can do, and I know that it won't bring them back, but I am sorry."

Rafe sees the peacekeepers quickly approaching and he wraps one arm around you, holding the other out towards them. "Hey, hey! Don't touch her, we'll go." He says, letting the peacekeepers guide you back off of the stage and out of view as chaos breaks out in the crowd.

"Y/N Y/L/N are you crazy?" Opal is there quickly, looking like she is ready to smack you if she didn't know better.

"What? What did I do?" You ask, panic evident in your voice as you hear shots firing outside.

"She just said what she thought they wanted to hear." Rafe defends you, but even he knows you messed up. In the eyes of the President, anyways.

"Yes, but that is the exact opposite of what Snow wants to hear! And you! Offering them his money? Did you think that was smart?"

"I- I don't know, I didn't know what to do and lord knows I don't need it! They can have it all for all I care." Rafe sighs, shaking his head dismissively.

"Rafe! You were given explicit instructions to keep the peace! Your father is going to be furious, you realize that right?" Zara intervenes.

"Instructions to what, sell this 'against all odds love story'? They want us together so they can brainwash Panem into thinking that privileged districts and the stupid Capitol can get along with the others, and that we're all a big happy family, but its all bullshit. I don't want to be a part of that and I never asked to be." Rafe shouts at her, and Opal gasps as you look away.

"I'll- uhm, yeah. Right. Opal, can you come with me back to the train? I want to leave." You mumble.

She glares at Rafe as she places a hand on your back, leading you toward the exit with peacekeepers following to escort you out of the building.

Heartbreak wasn't exactly on your bingo card for the first day of the victory tour. At least you got your answers, though. Rafe wants nothing to do with you, and now you can go about the rest of your life being forced to pretend you're in love. Great.

The tour continues as scheduled. Every day, occasionally with a day of travel time in between, you find yourself standing on a stage, a smile glued to your face, reading from a script with your hand wrapped around one belonging to a boy who couldn't care less about you. It's torturous.

The day finally comes, after cycling painfully through all the other districts that you make it to the first of two big parties, you're finally home.

"Y/N, Honey, welcome home." Your mom greets you at the door with a hug.

"I missed you." You mumble, pulling her into a hug. She shuts the door behind you as you step away, looking outside for just a moment.

"Where's Rafe?"

"He's staying down the road." You mumble, avoiding eye contact with her and stalking up to your room.

You feel guilty about being grateful for the many empty houses in the victor's village, allowing him his own place to stay instead of staying with you.

You have a few hours of peace before Opal will come with your stylist to prep you and your family for the party and address that's happening tonight, and the one thing on your agenda before then is a good, long nap.

A good, long nap, however, was not something on your sister's agenda, and it was only a matter of minutes before she was barging into your room.

"Y/N! How come Rafe isn't here?" She asks aptly, throwing herself onto your bed next to you.

"He's busy." You grumble, pulling the blankets tighter around yourself.

"Oh, like you? So busy right now you can't say hi to your favourite sister?"

"You're not my favourite."

"Rude." She makes herself at home in your bed, curling up next to you. For the first three months you were home, she didn't leave your side. She had slept in your bed every night, uncomfortable both with the move and her new room away from the one you had previously shared, and also with the idea of losing you again. "Did you kiss him?" She giggles once she's settled in, whispering despite the first time you kissed Rafe being broadcast on national television for the whole country to see.

"No." You whisper back, feeling tears prick at your eyes. "He hates me."

"What? How? I need more details than that, I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

"It was all fake. To get people to like us, to make us win and now to keep Snow from coming after our families." You say quietly, finding it difficult to admit your naivety to even yourself. "He never meant any of it."

Your sister is shocked, jaw slack with your explanation. She's only sixteen, but you can see the gears turning in her head. She loves a romance book, and growing up in a house where your parent's hands were rarely disconnected has built her into somewhat of a relationship expert. Or so she thinks, at least. "No. No, that's not true."

"It is, he said it."

"Exactly like that? What were his exact words?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"I don't remember."

"You're lying. There's not a thing anyone has ever said to you that you've forgotten." She insists. "But, fine, I guess it doesn't matter because I know it's not true. I've seen the way he looks at you when you're not watching. He's so in love with you it's absurd. Trust me."

You sigh, pulling the blanket away from your face to look up at her. "Don't say that."

"Why? I'm right."

You sniffle, wiping your eyes on the sheet before explaining. "He said we're being forced together to prove something to the public, and he never wanted to be a part of that."

"I knew you were lying." Your sister smiles, pushing your hair back from your face. "But that means nothing. Less than nothing! I wasn't there, but he probably meant that he doesn't want to be together just to be a public spectacle, or to push some agenda that's not his own. That says nothing about how he truly feels about you."

"I don't know..." You reply, skeptical of her thought process. "You should have seen him. He was so angry-"

"At you?"

"Well, no-"

"Then it wasn't about you." She assures you, tucking herself into the blanket. "We'll have a nap, and then you'll talk to him tonight."

"I don't think that's a good idea." You protest.

"It is. Now shh, I'm napping." She hums, eyes already closed as she drapes her arm over your side.

The exhaustion took over and you did end up falling asleep, your sisters breath on your face calming you enough to get some well-needed rest.

You're woken up abruptly, thrown into a show dress that is at least comfortable enough to breathe in, and after being smothered in makeup and hair fried, you're pushed out of the door and into a car.

This address will be hard. You know Jack's family, and to see them standing on the pedestal across from you, behind the crowd, leaves you sick just at the thought of it. Maisie's as well, though you were far from responsible for her death. Again, the idea of why it was you and not them crosses your mind. At this point, you doubt it will ever stop.

Standing backstage, waiting for your queue, Rafe approaches you hesitantly. He knows you're angry, but over the last couple of weeks, you haven't given him a moment to explain. He wishes he could just explain.

"Do you want me to take the lead on this one?" He asks, adjusting the collar of his shirt as he takes his spot next to you, suit tailored to match your dress.

"No. I've got it." You reply coldly, eyes locked on the door ahead of you.

Rafe sighs, reaching out to grab your hand, as was your routine now. You can hear the introductions on stage ahead of you, the audience quieting down. At least this time, the district is mostly celebrating a local win, rather than mourning the senseless deaths of four of their children. This time, it's only three.

You take his hand, building up the energy to smile. You're happy, and you're happy together. Convincing your home district will be harder because, for the rest of your life, you have to keep up this show.

"Can we talk later?" Rafe whispered, leaning down and your skin tingled with the contact of his breath.

"Okay." You say, tone hardly audible as the doors open for you. Let the show begin.

You both smile and wave your way onto the stage, for the first time being met with cheers rather than blank stares. It's refreshing until you see Jack's parents adorning their little stage at the back. You wish they looked angrier, like they believed you were responsible. For some reason, you feel like they don't.

You don't realize people are waiting for you to speak until Rafe does for you, once again ignoring the queue cards.

"District Five, thank you for welcoming me into your community. I have never been here before, but when I say it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, I mean it." He smiles, clearing his throat while the people clap. "I also want to say thank you, because without the sacrifice of your people, I wouldn't be standing here today. That means the world to me, more than I can ever express."

You chew on your lip, scanning across the back and finally seeing your own family. Their presence brings you a comfort you didn't know you needed so badly. "And to Y/N's family, thank you, truly, for raising your daughter into the incredible girl that she is. Without her, there is no chance I could have survived. She saved me. I can never repay you for what you have given me." You watch as your dad pulls your mom close with an arm around her shoulder, hugging her. She looks like she's going to cry, your dad does too.

You try not to laugh as your sister stands with her arms crossed, shaking her head at you, a smug smile on her face. "I told you." You read her lips, and you shake your head back at her.

"Okay, okay, thank you, Rafe." You chuckle, taking the mic from him. "I would just like to say, I am so lucky to be back, and thank you to all of you for being such amazing, supportive people my whole life. It takes a village, they say, and I know I was enough of handful for the whole village to be sick of." You shrug, pulling some laughs from the audience. "I also want to say, to Maisie, Jack, and Caylen's families, I am truly sorry for your loss, but they fought hard. I hope you are proud of who they were. And Mr and Mrs Kyle, I hope you know I never wanted to hurt Jack. I'm so sorry I ever did." You finish, taking a step back to signal that you were done.

Rafe drops your hand to gently rub your back as your eyes are once again trained on his parents. They're crying, of course, as are you, but as his mom nods at you, you feel an incredible weight lifted off your shoulders. One death you felt so personally responsible for, and their family was kind enough to forgive you. Rafe hasn't been so lucky, you've seen it first hand. As you guessed, he is sick about it. Somehow, seeing Jack's family offer you that moment of forgiveness makes him feel better, too, knowing that you won't be suffering the way he is forever.

"Remember, this is your day. Everyone is here to celebrate you, dear." Opal reminds you, gently smoothing the front of your dress back at your home, getting changed for the party. "I am so proud of you."

You smile, for some reason finding yourself fighting off tears. "Thank you, for everything. I know I wasn't always pleasant to be around."

"No one expected you to be." She assures you, planting a kiss on your cheek. "My beautiful victor..."

You look up as there's a knock on the door to your room. "Rafe is here, can we let him in?" One of your stylists assistants says through the wood and Opal answers before you get the chance.

"Yes, let him in." You give her a look and she chuckles, placing her hands on your shoulders. "He's been dying to talk to you, dear. We'll give you a few minutes, and we'll be right outside."

You sigh, nodding as the door gets pushed open. "Rafe! Dear, you look so handsome." Opal smiles at him, patting his shoulder as her and your stylist shuffle out, letting Rafe in and closing the door behind themselves.

Of course, you would be matching his outfit. By now you anticipated it, but Rafe's suits never failed to impress you. It was almost entirely white, with gold cuffs and collars, and somehow, the shoes were a gold leather as well. All matched perfectly to the accents on your dress, and you wonder if his suit alone cost more than the house you grew up in. It's likely.

"You look beautiful." He breaks the silence, smiling at you nervously.

"Thanks.. You too. Handsome. I mean, white suits you."

He clears his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've missed you." He says, looking at you intensely to gauge your reaction. "Look, if... I did something I'm sorry. I was hoping we could talk, I want to fix things."

"If you did something." You scoff, nodding. You can't help but laugh a little bit.

"Okay, I did something. That's obvious, then. Okay." Rafe says, wracking his brain to figure out exactly where he went wrong. He has a good idea, because you ghosted him immediately after his fight with Zara and Opal in Twelve, but they had both forgiven him, understanding that he wasn't upset with them personally. "How do I fix it?"

"Oh, you want to fix it? That's rich. Truly."

"Y/N, I don't understand. You have to level with me, please." He begs, brow furrowed with upset now.

"You wouldn't want the Capitol to think we're fighting, right? You had a change of heart?" You ask rhetorically, grabbing a drink from the cart they moved into your room.

"Please, just spell it out for me. I can't go on like this, I almost lost you once. I'm not doing it again."

You sigh, the desperation in his voice forcing you to be more empathetic. "Okay, Rafe. Fine. You told them that you wanted nothing to do with this relationship. Right in front of me. I don't understand why you couldn't grasp that that hurt me, but if it wasn't clear, I really care about you."

Rafe looks down, staring at the carpet as he listens, nodding as he connects the dots. "Oh- oh! Oh, no, I didn't mean that. You have to know I didn't mean that, Y/N, come on!"

"Then why would you say it?" Your tears are threatening to return now as your voice shakes.

"Okay, I mean, I meant it, but that has nothing to do with you."

"Nothing to do with me? It has everything to do with me!"

"No, it doesn't." Rafe insists, stepping closer to you now. You can't bring yourself to back away. You've missed having him close. "I meant I don't want to be with you just so they can have a new front page couple. I meant I want to be with you because I want to be with you. Because I love you, not because they want me to love you."

You freeze, thinking over what he said. His I love you echoing in your mind like you're standing in a wind tunnel. "I... What?"

"Y/N," Rafe chuckles, reaching up now and holding your face in his large hands. "You are the smartest person I have ever met in my life, but sometimes, you are so dumb."

You can't help but giggle at that, shaking your head slightly. Rafe looks at you like you're holding his world in your hands. "Do you mean it?" You ask after a few moments.

"I've never meant anything more." You can feel his breath on your skin for the second time in one day, and you don't think you can go without it for another. You're sure your heart stops beating for a moment as he thumbs over your bottom lip, and just as you're sure you could throw up from how pretty he looks up close, you're pulling on the front of his jacket to close the gap between you.

It works, beautifully, and despite your confidence in the moment, he's very gentle. You've kissed before, sure, but you were both pumped so full of adrenaline that you couldn't stop laughing long enough to enjoy it- and that's looking past the fact that he was likely moments from death; thank god for the anti-venom the peacekeepers brought on board.

You hold tight onto his jacket, likely to keep your knees from buckling under you as his lips pass over yours, over and over again. "I love you too." You mumble into his skin, and you can feel him smiling against you.

"Kids? It's awfully quiet in there! Not to interrupt but we are on a deadline here!" Opal calls through the door, knocking on it gently with a gloved hand.

At the intrusion you practically jump apart, sighing a breath of relief when she doesn't open the door. "Okay, coming! Just one second." You reply, trying to hide the shakiness in your voice as you gather your things.

You don't know why you're desperate to avoid suspicion, but you're pulling the door open before either of you say anything else to each other. You both know you're okay, and that's what matters.

"Oh! Good, you're ready to go? Let's get moving." Opal nods at you as you pass her, cheeks burning. "Oh my, absolutely not!" She gasps, and you turn to see as Rafe walks out and she's producing a small linen from her bag and wiping off his mouth for him.

"I can do it..." Rafe mumbles, grabbing it from her to remove the rest of your lipstick from around his mouth as you both feel your faces turning red.

Unfortunately, you were only allowed time for one night at home before you moved on to the last uncovered district in your tour, District One.

"Are you excited to be home?" You ask Rafe, once again curled up in the back train car looking at the view. You've got a blanket draped over both of you, your legs falling over his lap.

"I really liked your brother. He's cool." Rafe dodges the question tactfully, and it's not lost on you that he doesn't want to talk about his home. "And your sister was hilarious."

"Yeah," You scoff, shaking your head. "I don't know who gave her Posca, but they shouldn't have. She was drunk out of her mind."

"Isn't she fifteen?"

"Sixteen actually, her birthday was last month." You laugh, dropping your head back onto the armrest behind you. "Be honest though, if you were given that opportunity at sixteen wouldn't you take it?"

Rafe shrugs, running his hand up and down your thigh. "Probably not, my dad would throw a tantrum."

"Is he strict?"

"Extremely."

"Oh. Still? I mean, one, you're eighteen- you're not a kid anymore, and two, shouldn't he just be happy you're alive? Even if that means you're drinking underage?"

"You would think." Rafe sighs, patting your leg gently. "Our reputation is his number one priority. Not his kids."

"I see." You nod softly. "That must be hard for you."

"Well, it's all I've ever known. So it's not that bad. I just worry about my sisters."

"I would too." You agree. "But, they have you. That makes all the difference."

"I try to. He wants them to volunteer, though. The only thing better for his business than one kid in the games is two, and the entertainment factor in that is valuable." Without any cameras around to record your every move, for one of the first times ever, Rafe can speak more candidly to you about it. And it is such a relief.

"That is just... so unfathomable to me." You reply. "Not to disrespect him, or anything, I mean all the respect for who he is and what he does, but I just can't imagine why he wouldn't prioritize your lives more. Especially after your mom..." You trail off here, realizing that's a door only he should open. You had seen a profile of him on the news, as a matter of fact your whole family sat down to watch it together after you got home. You don't know details of what happened, but they mentioned that she passed when he was ten. It broke your heart.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." You try and correct yourself, feeling him tense up under you as he stares out the window across from you.

"It's okay." Rafe insists, relaxing himself again to continue tracing patterns on your leg. "You're right. It is kind of backwards. I never got that before, but after going through what we did... I wouldn't ever want my sisters to get pushed through the same turnstile. You know?"

"Of course." You nod softly, grabbing his hand off your leg and holding it.

"Anyway, my mom never wanted us to volunteer. She stood out that way, people looked down on her because of it. Then she got sick and... yeah." Rafe continues and you squeeze his hand.

"I'm sorry, truly." You say, tone gentle.

"It happens." Rafe shrugs. "I admit, I was disappointed when Sarah didn't get picked with me. Especially with the team aspect, and I'm surprised that she didn't, but now I'm so glad she wasn't. Not to say she wouldn't have been a strong competitor. If she gets picked next year I guarantee she will win, actually." He says, smiling fondly with a shake of his head. "I've tried talking her out of volunteering, but she hasn't budged. She wants to please Ward, and I get that. I just hope she has the strength that I didn't."

"That's hard. I mean, at least I don't have to convince my sisters not to volunteer. They wouldn't do it if we begged them to, not that we ever would. Obviously." You chuckle, and Rafe does too. "Maybe... Would you mind if I talked to her? I have a way with little sisters."

"By all means." Rafe nods. "Good luck, though."

"I have a question." You say, after a moment of silence between the two of you, the train rattling over the tracks below you with an almost unsettling smoothness.

"Shoot."

"Since so many people volunteer, doesn't that take away the purpose of volunteering? Do they put all the volunteers into a bowl and draw names anyway? How do they pick?"

Rafe laughs, dropping your hand to reach out and ruffle your hair. "You will see."

It isn't long before you start pulling into One. It looks like a mini Capitol, but with more mansions and less giant buildings, it was extravagant nonetheless. Your face was practically glued to the window the whole drive in, as Rafe pointed out who lived where, and any landmarks you passed. It was fascinating, and you wished you were on speaking terms when you arrived in Five. There would have been lots to share.

You can't help but note that his family wasn't there to greet the train, at least you don't think they were- there was a crowd of strangers there waiting excitedly, along with more security to escort you and your teams away from the station.

Everyone there seemed to be a fan, particularly of Rafe's, and this was a comforting change of pace.

Rafe watches you with a fond smile as you stop, crouching down to talk to a little girl who wiggled past security and pulled on the bottom of your dress.

"This is for you, Miss Y/N." She says, so quietly you can hardly hear her over the sound of shuttering cameras and shouting in your direction.

You take the small flower from her and smell it. "It's beautiful, thank you, hun." You smile, taking it and tucking it behind your ear. "What's your name?"

"Clara."

"Clara, that's such a lovely name. Thank you for coming to say hi."

"Can I give you a hug?"

You nod, opening your arms to the little girl who practically falls into your lap, hugging you right around your neck. "When I grow up I'm going to be just like you. I'm gonna win." She says as you let her go, and your heart drops in your stomach.

Your smile falters and you nod at her a little. "Stay safe, okay?" You settle on, gently pushing her hair out of her eyes and standing up as Rafe places his hand on your shoulder, signalling it was really time to go.

You ease the girl back to her waiting parents, before standing upright and joining Rafe, waving to people as you follow him to the car, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling you're left with after that interaction.

The speech in District One was easier, similar to District Two, where people seemed happy to see you- more careless of the lives of young people they had lost. To them, it was an honour to go, even if you never returned home. That's where you first laid eyes on Rafe's sisters, and you could see immediately the difference he was telling you about.

Sarah looked much more like him, and Wheezie like their father, you could only guess that their mother had the dirty blonde hair and blue eyes she passed onto her oldest children.

At the party, it wasn't long before you saw her again, despite the large property and the sea of guests. Pretty much the moment you walked in, Ward was on the two of you with the girls in tow.

"Y/N! It is so good to meet you." He smiles, reaching out to shake your hand which you quickly oblige.

"You as well, Mr. Cameron."

"Please, call me Ward. All my friends do." He grins, nodding to the two girls with him. "These are my daughters, Sarah and Louise."

You try and introduce yourself, but you hardly get past a smile before he's ushering the group of you along. "There are loads of people who have been looking forward to meeting you. Come with me."

You just smile and nod, Rafe staring blankly at his dad as he leads the way.

You meet lots of people, and despite your average height you feel like they're looking down on you. No doubt you're seen as somewhat of a freeloader- carried through the games by Rafe's strength and training, but despite this, Ward introduces you to every last person as Rafe's girlfriend. Not that you mind, you had to assume that's what you were. He didn't seem bothered by it, so neither would you.

"I'm off to grab a drink, care to join?" Sarah offers, linking her arm with yours after what must have been the twenty-fifth new person in the last hour.

"I'd like that." You agree, giving a slight wave to Rafe who nods in approval before you're gone.

"It's a lot. I'm sorry." Sarah says, smile on her face as she guides you through the crowd.

"No, it's nice. I like meeting new people."

"No you don't." Sarah cuts you off, and you can tell it's not with bitter intentions.

"Not really, no." You cave and agree, laughing quietly.

"Rafe told me that. He said you didn't talk the first few days he knew you."

"That's not true." You laugh, correcting her quickly. "Not entirely. I was in shock, I guess."

Sarah shrugs, dropping your arm as you reach the bar. Before either of you say anything the bartender, an avox clad in the standard red uniform, places two drinks in front of you.

"Thank you." You smile, lifting the glass. They just nod and quickly move on as Sarah grabs her drink as well.

You sneak off into a somewhat quiet corner, where you can sit and talk without too many people overhearing. "Rafe speaks very highly of you, I was looking forward to meeting you." You offer as you both sit down at an empty couch.

"Now that," Sarah laughs, coughing slightly on her drink. "Is a shock."

"What?" You laugh. "No way, he loves you."

"No." Sarah shakes her head, gesturing across the room to where she's spotted her family. "He loves Wheezie. I'm just around."

You look over to where she pointed, seeing Rafe standing with his sister as they discreetly jab each other in the side while Ward is talking to yet another "important" friend. Rafe is trying to hide his smile, keep it professional, but he's cracking.

"He loves you too. Just as much." You insist. "Are you open to my theory?" You ask, looking at her as she returns her gaze to you, raising a questioning brow.

"Please." She tilts her glass toward you, urging you to continue.

"I think you guys are a lot alike. And that scares him because he doesn't want you to be like him." You say confidently, polishing off the statement with a sip of the champagne in your hand.

"That..." Sarah takes a drink before continuing. "Is not an entirely bad theory."

"Are you going to volunteer?" You ask, deciding to get right to it. Sarah doesn't seem like the type to dance around what she wants to say, she's confident in every statement she makes. She truly does remind you of Rafe when you first met him.

"Did Rafe ask you to talk me out of it?"

"No. I offered." You reply honestly. "But really I'm just curious. He does tend to be kind of biased these days."

"I see." Sarah nods, thinking on it for a moment. "Tell him I haven't decided yet."

"I have two sisters, both your age and Wheezie's, but I also have an older brother. I see myself in both of you." You explain. "I think you should do what feels right to you. Not to Rafe and me, or to Ward, or to anyone, really. But if you did ask me, I would tell you I would volunteer again somehow if it meant sparing my sisters. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

Sarah listens to you intently. Whether her reaction shows it or not, you can tell she's really thinking about it. That's all you could ask for. "All the fame and the money it could bring your family isn't worth Wheezie's life, so why would it be worth yours?" You add.

"Would you give it up now if it meant you would have never met my brother?" She follows up with a simple question, but it stumps you.

"I don't know." You answer honestly, watching him again across the room. "But he was the only good thing to come out of it."

The air is warm in the Capitol, and you're not sure whether to attribute that to the humidity of polluted and stuffed air, or the several fire features decorating the President's property lawn where you're attending yet another party in your honour. It feels far from welcoming.

You can't bring yourself to drink, despite how tempting it is to drown out the evening in bottles of whatever alcohol they're handing out on seemingly endless trays of crystal glasses.

You're clinging to Rafe's arm, accepting compliments from people who look like they've never known any kind of trauma in their lives. The way the Capitol elite feel entitled to every detail of your life makes you nauseous.

"Thank you everyone for coming." The President's voice is booming suddenly over speakers you can't see, and everyone's attention is drawn to where he's standing on the balcony overlooking the property. "It is my honour to host our most recent victors here with us tonight, Rafe Cameron and Y/N Y/L/N!" He stops to allow applause as you smile awkwardly and nod to those around you, waiting anxiously for him to continue. You just want to get this over with.

"Your love story has been an inspiration to us all, and I'd like to raise a toast to your success and to your happiness." People around you congratulate you, and you lean your head onto Rafe's shoulder, squeezing his arm.

"President Snow would like to see you both in his office." A peacekeeper says, appearing out of nowhere and gently escorting you into the building.

"What do you think this is about?" You whisper as you reach a blocked-off hallway.

"I don't know." Rafe mumbles back. He has a good idea though, to him toast sounded more like a threat than a celebration. "Just... let me handle it. Okay?"

You just nod, stopping behind the peacekeeper at a big wooden door. He nods, gesturing that you enter.

"Have a seat." Snow offers, and Rafe pulls out your chair for you, deciding that he would stand. "Thank you for coming."

"We were in the area." Rafe replies impatiently. "What can we do for you?"

"I wanted to discuss our agreement one more time, since clearly, the two of you were left a little confused." Snow says, resting his hands on the desk that sits between you.

"The money was a show of good faith." Rafe replies, resting his hand on your shoulder.

"To you, maybe, but to them, it is a sign that you are on their side." The President corrects. "You are not one of them. Not anymore. If they believe that you are, that they have people with power on their side, the uprisings will continue and the death toll will be catastrophic. I have a feeling that both Districts One and Five will not recover."

You bite your tongue, keeping your eyes locked on the rose sitting in front of you on the desk. "I think there is no use in giving the people of Panem false hope, because you do not have the power you think you do. You are not invincible. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." You nod softly, anxious to leave.

"Go enjoy the party. After all, it's all for you." Snow dismisses you, and neither of you are in a position to argue.

Leaving the Capitol again was a relief, especially with the promise that a train would be made available to either of you as you wished to travel exclusively between your home Districts. Not that you would particularly want to travel anywhere else, anyway.

Rafe had a preference for coming to visit you, despite your home being much smaller than his. And much more crowded, but he didn't mind. Having a home full of sounds felt much more welcoming to him, even if he was only there for a weekend here and there. He had sisters to look after as well.

In all those months, he came down twice a month, and you looked forward to it every time. Everything was so normal, besides the interviews you did every so often, just to show everyone how happy you were thanks to the "generosity" of the Capitol, and that's a story you're more than pleased to stick with if it means keeping your families safe.

"It isn't far, right? Because I'm too out of shape for a long hike." Rafe jokes, letting you pull him by the hand through a wooded area not far from your house.

"Oh please, you could do it in your sleep." You laugh, shaking your head. "But no, if you must spoil the surprise, it's not far."

Rafe follows you silently, smiling as he watches you beat your way through a slightly overgrown path. The image flickers in his mind of you in your windbreaker, hair tied back around itself to keep it away from your eyes as you run through the bushes in the arena.

"Here, look." You interrupt his thought process with a jolt, the sunlight blinding him as you push past a final branch and hold it out of his way. "Behold, the pride and joy of District Five." You smile, gesturing out over the cliffside.

"Oh, wow."

"Isn't it pretty?" You ask, dropping his hand to walk closer to the edge overlooking the large dam. "All the electricity in all of Panem comes from here."

"I didn't expect it to be so... scenic." Rafe says, joining you closer to the edge as you sit down.

"Yeah, it's pretty." You agree, crossing your legs. "My dad worked in there for years, he just retired. My brother works there now."

"I can imagine." Rafe says, tearing his eyes away from the depth of the ravine in front of him to look at you. You look so at home here, he can tell by how you're hunched over so casually tossing pebbles off the cliff that must be a thousand feet deep. Even then, you're not scared. "Do you come here a lot?"

"Is that a pickup line?" You giggle, leaning back on your palms as you look over at him.

"Well, no, but would it work?" He smirks, placing his hand over yours as he matches your position.

"Only because it's you." You laugh, shaking your head.

"That was the correct answer." Rafe chuckles, looking back down at the giant damn that's filtering water through, powering his family's mansion back home. He thinks of all the hours your dad put in, sometimes sixteen-hour days he recalls him sharing, that he was working in the power plant to keep the lights on at Rafe's kitchen table where he sat with his dad and his sisters rarely uttering a word. The same hours your brother is working now.

"How do you feel about this mentor thing?" You ask out of nowhere. "We start soon."

"I don't know. It'll be weird to be working against you." Rafe replies.

"Don't think of it like that. Besides, what was it you told me, that you have a whole team of them? You probably can just sit back and watch them work." You say, trying to raise his spirits a bit. "That gives us more time to visit."

"I feel like 'visit' is a strong word." Rafe laughs. "Hopefully it'll be more than that." He says, moving over to wrap his arm tightly around your waist, kissing your cheek.

"That would be nice." You agree with a sigh. "I don't know, I just don't know what kind of advice to give. What, find someone you trust? I think we just got lucky."

"You'll be the best mentor." Rafe insists. "I wish I had you."

"I wish we hadn't needed one. I don't want to see kids come through year after year and watch them die. I wish I could make it stop, it all seems so pointless."

"It's about control. They'll never give that up." Rafe shakes his head. "So don't think for a second it's your fault."

"I know... It's just so complicated."

"I'm glad it brought me to you, though."

You smile, leaning your head on his shoulder.

"Hey!" You're startled by a voice behind you, both of you standing up quickly. "You have to come back." Your brother says, chest heaving from his exertion of running all the way up the hillside.

Rafe relaxes from where he placed himself in front of you at the sound, letting you step in front of him. "What happened?" You ask, seeing the look on his face.

"There's been an announcement." He answers, laboured breathing starting to return to normal. "About the games."

The two of you follow him in silence all the way back, anxiety in both of you spiking after your brother wouldn't answer any more questions. When you walk into the house, you're met with a paused TV, your parents on the couch, and your sister with tear-stained cheeks and reddened eyes. "What happened?" You ask again, hoping to get some answers.

Rafe pulls you close to himself after shutting the front door, leading you into the living room. "Here, um, have a seat, kids." Your mom says, hardly audible as you sit down.

She wipes her eyes as your dad presses play on the television, and it's a rewound clip of the news. Rafe wraps a shaky arm around you on the couch as Caesar Flickerman starts speaking.

"We have a unique announcement today regarding the upcoming, highly anticipated, Seventy-Sixth annual Hunger Games." He starts, and you get tunnel vision as you stare at the screen. "This is a twist no one saw coming on the heels of last year's Quarter-Quell, but President Snow has decided there will be a permanent change in the rules. From now on, any victor remaining under the age of eighteen will once again be eligible for the reaping."

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lavender-vixen · 18 days ago

Note

Okay kinda random but would Patrick or henry go to their high school prom? Would they ask a girl or would they go in their group? Or would they skip the whole thing?

Also, maybe we could get a prom story? Idk I think it could be kinda cute.

oh i can absolutely write that up!

i can see them both thinking prom’s stupid/lame. patrick would likely skip the whole thing, seeing it as beneath him or too mainstream.

henry, on the other hand, might end up going in a group with his friends, making it less about the actual event and more about showing off or exerting control. he’d to show up just to cause trouble or assert dominance in a way that feels "cool" to him. he wouldn't ask a girl out in a traditional sense, but maybe would show up with someone as a casual thing. but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he just didn’t go, either, seeing it as pointless.

if patrick actually liked a girl enough to bring her to prom, he’d wear his usual “don’t care” mask, trying to keep his cool, but underneath, there’d be a simmering anxiety that he’d try to cover up with dark jokes or making it seem like he didn’t want to be there, like he was going as a favor to her. he’d probably show up with her, but the vibe would be off. he wouldn’t hold her hand like a normal guy would. instead, it’d be tense, like he’s always waiting for something to go wrong. if she looked at another guy, you’d see his eyes narrow in a way that said he did care, but he’d never say it. he might say something cutting to her, trying to push her away to test how much she really liked him—like a sick game. at the prom, he'd stand off to the side, acting like he’s too good for all the glitz and glam, but he’d keep an eye on her. if someone flirted with her, he'd make his presence known with a sharp look or a quiet threat. he wouldn't dance with her, for the most part, but he might pull her away to a secluded spot, forcing a conversation that feels more like interrogation than romance. he would get possessive, not knowing how to be gentle. and if anything—anything—made him feel like he was losing control, he’d flip. it wouldn’t be a scene, not like henry’s would be, but there’d be a sudden, sharp tension. his jealousy would boil over if he really liked her, and he'd drag her out of the gym, saying something along the lines of “you’re done for the night” or “i don't want anyone else touching you” with that cold, dead-eyed look, before storming off with her.

henry would be more straightforward. if he liked a girl, he'd treat prom as a chance to prove something: to himself, to her, to his dad, to everyone. he’d show up with her, probably with the intention of keeping her under his thumb, but at the same time, he'd have this hunger to impress her, as if she’s supposed to worship him. he’d show up in a wrinkled tuxedo. he wouldn’t care about the ceremony of it all, but he'd care if people were watching. his pride was everything, so if they danced, it would be to something loud and rockish, not the soft, romantic slow songs. he’d grab her hand too hard, dragging her around the dance floor like she’s another prize to show off. henry would want to keep her close. he’d try to make her laugh, maybe say something darkly funny, a little out of place, but he’s doing it to see if she’ll get him. he’d tell her that everyone else is lame. he’d be annoyed if she left him to go hang out with her friends. henry would also be the one to spike the punch bowl or simply bring his own flask to sip from throughout the night.

they’d both probably try to get some kind of action from their dates at some point during the night in some secluded spot. patrick would opt for in a car in the dark parking lot, a janitor’s closet, the alley behind the school, or an empty classroom where they both have to be monday morning. henry’s go-to would be the bathroom, in a dark hallway, the parking lot (same as patrick, obviously in a different car though), or the locker room.

patrick wouldn’t drop her off with any grand gesture. he’d either leave her at the dance without a second thought or, if he was feeling generous, he might drive her home—but he wouldn’t walk her to the door. best case scenario? he parks the car, leans over, and gives her a lazy, smug grin before saying something dismissive like "well, goodnight” before expecting her to get out on her own. if she leans in for a kiss, he might let it happen, but it would be impersonal. worst case? he gets annoyed with her halfway through the drive, mutters "you can walk from here," and doesn’t look back as she stares at him in disbelief. he doesn’t care. he never did. maybe he’ll add a “call me,” if he’s feeling like he’s not done with her.

henry’s mood dictates everything. if he feels like he owned the night—if he got into a fight, drank too much, got laid, or did something that made him feel like he was on top of the world—he might be in a decent enough mood to actually drive his date home. light a cigarette as he watches her get out of the car, giving her a look like "you know you’ll be thinking about me all night." he might get out of the car and walk her to the door—but not in a sweet way. it would be more like a silent, looming presence. he might press a rough kiss to her lips at the doorstep, before walking off with a simple, “see ya later, doll,” without turning around. if he’s in a bad mood, if the night didn’t go his way, if someone embarrassed him, if she embarrassed him? he’s not even taking her home. he might drop her off a few blocks away or leave her at the dance with a muttered "figure it out." He wouldn’t be cruel for the sake of it—he’d just be mad and taking it out on whoever was closest.

if they REALLY liked their dates, then maybe things would be end differently. patrick still wouldn’t do the whole walk-to-the-door thing, but he might linger in the car a little longer. maybe he’d even rest his hand on her thigh, watching her reaction, giving her that slight smile, letting the silence stretch out before he finally muttered something like, "guess I’ll see you around.” henry would be slightly more protective, but in his own rough way. he might actually make sure she gets inside safely, but he wouldn’t be soft about it. if he kissed her, it would be forceful, like he’s staking a claim. maybe he’d mutter something low and threatening, like "better not be talkin’ to any other guys after this." not a love confession per se.

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vera-king-hrfl · 9 months ago

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Zevlor Sex Drive HC.

OK, so I've been thinking about our sexy old legend a lot recently (obviously), and I've decided to explain how I understand his needs. Just... I mean, just look at the guy.

I can't be arsed to format anything, but w/e, you get what you get.

He's really shy at first and doesn't want to burden you with his desires, but when he feels more comfortable, he will indicate his needs in subtle little ways.

He's too much of a gentleman to ask for it outright, but you see the hunger in his fiery eyes as they travel over your body. The way his sharp teeth indent that delicious lower lip, his claws digging into his palms trying to control himself.

He loves to make out. He can kiss you and touch you for as long as you can take it before you get too hot and absolutely attack him. When he learns how to turn you on there's no hope of resisting.

Maybe at first, he comes too fast, he's been starved for touch for so long, but he's able to perform multiple times in any given day. He has amazing stamina and really strong legs, so once you have released that incredible pressure he's able to go for hours.

He needs... needs sex, on the daily. It makes him feel attractive and wanted. He's damaged, and being inside you, or having you inside him, makes him feel loved.

Once he is really comfortable and knows you want him however he likes, he's not picky about the setting. He'll take you anywhere. In bed, bent over a table, up against the wall. He'll pound you into the dirt if that's what's available.

He likes everything. Blowjobs, hand jobs, dry humping. He loves when you play with his ass. Your fingers, your tongue, your cock if you have one. He whimpers so sweetly when you stretch him there. He can come from that alone.

He can also get off from going down on you. And with that long, forked tongue... (it isn't in the game but we the people have decided it and so it shall be.) He's good with you sitting on his face or grabbing his hair or horns and fucking his throat, whatever the case may be.

Zev isn't picky about gender or appearance. As long as you want him, he thinks you're beautiful.

He loves when you caress his horns or his tail. When you touch the ridges on his body, or complement his eyes. He isn't exactly ashamed of what he is, but he's been insulted so much that it makes him really happy that you appreciate his infernal attributes.

He's big. Like, long, heavy, thick, with prominent ribbing. He's been thoroughly blessed by the cock gods. I think it's pretty much universal fandom lore now. He is aware of that, and always afraid of hurting you. And he does, but you like that, don’t you? You'd never tell him that it's too much, even if it is.

He's also really strong. He's not the biggest guy in body, but he's so fit, and has been for so long that he can easily hold you down or throw you around even if you're heavier than him.

He likes to bite and be bitten. Not into pain that much, but he considers it love bites and likes leaving marks on you. He is embarrassed about it but he enjoys the taste of your blood.

He's ready at a moment's notice if the two are alone. He can get hard at a light breeze.

He's not an exhibitionist, but he's fine if nobody can see and you try to be quiet. He'll get shy about public displays of affection.

He always thanks you afterward, even if you're the one who's quivering, covered in sweat and half-wrecked from the pleasure.

He's big into aftercare. He likes to hold you and soothe you as you tremble in his arms. He'll get you a drink or a cloth to clean up with. He can also heal any damage he's done, which eventually makes him more likely to take kinky risks, if you’re enthusiastic about your desire for that.

Slight edit because I forgot...

Favorite position: I know this is vanilla, but, missionary! He likes everything as I said, but he's the Hellrider, the Paladin, the Commander, and he really loves being on top and being in control. He's fine bottoming, but he wants your legs around his waist, wants to put his weight on you, to look into your eyes. He wants to see every expression and every reaction to what he's doing to you, and you better believe he's taking mental notes. That also feels very romantic to him, and you know the guy is just hopeless. It won't be that bad. He's not very heavy. I imagine him as being about 5'8 and lean.

In conclusion, yeah, I'm down bad. I can't help it, and I'm not sorry.

Note: there's a little hint of what I'm working on now up there somewhere. Something I haven't included in any of my Zev stories yet. Be afraid.

#zevlor #bg3 zevlor #zevlor bg3 #nsft #zevlovers #headcanon #cw suggestive #cw smut

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lyndeeznuts · 9 months ago

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Thoughts on future playable characters in Fear and Hunger Termina

Tanaka

His gameplay needs to be built around relying on others. Like his arc as an NPC, he needs to get stronger through learning about comradarie and friendship. He’d be a weak early game but very strong late game character.

As the player character, I see him as being able to take advantage of his latent soul to learn skills without the hexen from other characters.

As a party member, perhaps he plays more of a supportive role or has some kind of “copy stance” where he replicates another party member’s attack

He needs to be especially killable at the beginning of the game lol

For B ending players, his character creation would have a path that allows you to determine how much he adopts a ruthless outlook to the business world. I see that leading to a skill like Backstab which perhaps could allow for the pre-moonscorched killing of party members outside of safe hubs.

Please bring back the rugged handsome looks skill. It would be so funny if Tanaka was the only one with a seduce option (not even Pav should get it)

Samarie

As a counterpoint to Tanaka, I think Samarie players should be incentivized to NOT work with others

Like I imagine her difficulty interacting directly with others would cause some party members to occasionally not do what you say or something

Also, she just gets a buff by having fewer party members.

She’ll likely get necromancy or blood golem to compensate for this to get some controllable meat shields bc the contestants can be risky

I could imagine her having some sort of analyze type skill because she’s used to closely observing Marina

Starts out with mind read ofc

Pav

It’s intriguing that he has an ability related to commanding party members

His gameplay should rely on more of that. Maybe he could give a party member a free command each battle, like shield other party members.

Most of his skills should probably just be taken from other skill lines (gun proficiency, intimidate, etc)

Henryk

We need more LORE

Why does he seem familiar with Caligura? Why can he fight okay? (Melee proficiency)

My guess is that he’s a former street urchin/mob guy aiming for the high life

I could see him having steal which I imagine he would have used in the service industry

A skill that makes it possible to craft healing (and not just buffs) with food

Also a character building path where you learn toxicology/poison bc of what he does in the speakeasy in day 3….

August

I feel like he works better as a supportive NPC.

He should stay that way but have more ways to interact with him.

At most, he should be a (possibly temporary) party member.

He’s a skilled hunter. He should have Analyze

Caligura

Similar to above

He should stay a NPC but we should be able to interact with him more

#fear and hunger #fear and hunger termina #funger #Tanaka kida #kida tanaka #tanaka fear and hunger #samarie #samarie fear and hunger #Henryk #henryk fear and hunger #pavel yudin #pav fear and hunger #august fear and hunger #caligura fear and hunger #lynpost #I LOVE THE NPCS

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spinjitsuburst · 2 years ago

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ninjago fic recommendations because i have so many Thoughts about them

gonna share some of my favorite ninjago fics bc they're so so so good and i want people to talk about them with me

Land of the Living by @captainbrookeworm - An evil scientist bent on using Lloyd's powers to resurrect his enemies chooses a poor one to start with - with Morro back alive he has to help Lloyd escape the facility, find a way to stop the bad guy, and keep the rest of the ninja from throttling him as everyone learns to adjust (pretty sure this has a sequel that i still need to read)

when you think you're all alone by @mondothebombo - A fic about a deeper look into what things were like for Jay aboard Misfortune's Keep. Lots of hurt, lots of comfort, lots of Jay needing therapy (TW: this fic contains depictions of torture and discussion of sexual assault so please be careful!) (also i've drawn fanart for this fic huehue)

The Ice Emperor and the Earth Dragon by @mcfanely - In the events of Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu, things are changed when Cole gets zapped to the Neverrealm alongside Zane. With two ninja trapped instead of one, we get a different look at how the Ice Emperor comes to be, and just how far Cole is willing to go to protect his brother (this fic broke my brain ngl)

Current Hunger by @thoriffix - After a mission gone wrong, Jay's behavior begins getting more and more unstable. Dangerous. He's hearing whispers in his head, things that aren't there, and the ninja are noticing. Little do they know the danger is much bigger than anything anyone could've imagined (TW: a lot of psychological and body horror)

Play to Win by @sadisthetic - A Skybound one-shot. After getting captured on Misfortune's Keep, Cole didn't expect to be thrown into combat, much less against Jay. A one-shot about Jay and Cole and the worst round of Scrap N' Tap imaginable (tw: violence duh)

Visionary by @k1ngtok1 - A fic about Lloyd, getting an innermost look at the history of the people he cares about most

Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire? by @finn-m-corvex - A fic where Prime Empire carries out somewhat differently, with the ninja separated from Jay and having to work with him from the outside of Prime Empire

There's a Smell of Stale Fear by @spinchip - A one-shot about Jay tending to Zane in the aftermath of a traumatic event. A lot of reflection on Zane and what he's been through. (TW dark themes)

To rise after the fall by @k1ngtok1 - A series of fics centering around Cole and his realization that he has oni heritage. It's so cute and good and yes please read this series i am Begging you

Would You Like to Enter Stardust? by @aureallegories - Something goes wrong when Jay enters Prime Empire. Becoming a corrupted code in the game, Jay forgets the ninja entirely and becomes one of the hardest bosses in all of Prime Empire (i've drawn fanart for this fic too huehue)

Masking and Unmasking by HelloThere3306 - A one-shot set in the movieverse, all the ninjas identities are a secret until Lloyd's gets revealed to the group by accident. The ninja have to set aside their biases to get their green leader back.

#WHY ARE NINJAGO FICS SO GOOD #anyways hi authors y'all are all so cool #ninjago #lego ninjago #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #spinjitsu screams #ao3 #spinjitsu reads

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scarthefangirl · 2 years ago

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Giving to the poor

Hobie brown x G/N!reader

Request: hobie with a ballerina reader who is also a HUGE bookworm-dont ask me where the idea came from because idk either lol- I kinda just wanted to see how that would maybe look?

Warnings: none? Mentions of theft

Story type: Headcannons

A/N: Not my best but please read my other fics!!

Masterlist | REQUESTS OPEN

You and Hobie don't have a ton in common

You are graceful, very sweet, and a little more awkward

Hobie is a little more- bold and rough

But you two couldn't be a better pair

He loves your smooth and sophisticated fighting style, thanks to your ballet

He thinks its hot how you almost make fighting into a dance, and can whoop anyone in heartbeat

You encourage him constantly to take up ballet, insisting that it'll do him good

"Football players do it! It helps balance and control, and you'd look fine in a leotard." You always plead

"I don't need help, I'm doin' just fine love. But I certainly would look good," He always says

In secret he'd probably watch ballet tutorials to see if its for him, to make you happy

He is FLOORED when he finds out how often you have to replace ballet slippers

"Every 6 months? That has to be so expensive!"

Just wait till he hears that you also have pointe shoes that get replaced every few months...

He will start to time out when you buy shoes and buy them for you

He listens to you rant about your terrible dance teacher and fellow ballerinas for as long as you want, nodding in agreement about how horrible they are

He'll do yoga with you (although he's not very bendy) to keep you flexible and let you laugh at how bad he is

As for your reading addiction, Hobie finds it adorable

The way you gasp and yell at your books as you read, your facial expressions that convey the emotion of the chapters, your particularity for how books should be handled, everything

He isn't the biggest reader but if you hype up a book he'll definitely check it out

You guys bond over ones you both like

"I like hunger games. We need more katniss's in the world to stick it to the man!" He says after finishing the series

Dystopian books make him mad and go on lectures about how the real government is just as bad and deteriorating and loves the wah you'll go off with him and agree and listen

Sometimes he loses you around headquarters and looks EVERYWHERE for you

Loses trust in everyone

"Have you seen them? Come on, think would ya? Yes you have, I know you have!"

Only to find you in an empty room either reading or practicing your ballet

Either way, he leans on the door frame and admire you until you notice him

"If you're gonna sneak away darlin' you could at least tell me, I worry." He scolds but smiles and sits next to you.

Hobie LOVES making people uncomfortable

He'll admire you fighting and just yell out how hot you are or how turned on he is, not caring who hears

He'll make out with you in front of anyone, anytime.

On a different note, when you obsessively buy books he wants to stop you but he can't because you look so cute with the way your face lights up at each cover

"I've been wanting this one!" Or, "I have this one but this is a different cover!"

He isn't all for traditional gender roles but he will pay for your stuff, just because he loves you. He lets you pay for him sometimes if you offer

He sometimes sneaks a book out, stealing it just because he hates the way you insist on following rules

"Here, I took this one for ya," he says

"Hobart Brown!" You scold but can't help being happy for the book

"What? I'm stealing from the rich," he gestures to the book store. "And giving to the poor," he ends, gesturing at you.

He gives to 'the poor' a lot

If you ever talk about a book to him that you want, it randomly appears on you bookshelf

Sorry for the abrupt ending lmao

Tags: // @liliummz // @themarvelprince // @misselsbells06 // @american-sataness // @cr0ssoverf4n4tic // @depressednoob // @cerene-ciderr // @leighanne03 // @inluvwithfictionalwomen // @singhfae // @mythixmagic // @itsyourboymicheal // @Ravensinthedaylight // @dai-tsukki-desu // @url0calw3irdo // @daisydark //

Join my taglist!

#hobie brown x reader #hobie brown #atsv spoilers #atsv #across the spiderverse #hobie atsv #hobart brown #hobart brown x reader #hobie brown fanfiction #hobie brown x you #hobie x reader #hobie brown imagine #hobie brown fluff #hobie brown drawing #miles morales #pavitr prabhakar #spider gwen #marvel imagine #marvel

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yaptown · 8 months ago

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"x reader" Headcannons(various fandoms)

I would like to iterate that while these are all my thoughts and opinions, I understand that I'm not necessarily breaking new ground here and that not everyone will agree with me. NOW, without further adieu....

The Mazerunner

First of all I would like to address what nicknames they would use(baby, honey, etc.)

I feel like Minho would be a repeat offender, meaning he would call an s/o any nickname/pet name under the moon. You would never be able to tell whether he did it to be sweet or just to annoy you.(probably both ngl) I feel like he would lean towards babe/baby tho.

Frypan is husband material(at least in the movies, haven't finished reading the books T-T), and you cannot convince me otherwise. He would call an s/o honey, I will not elaborate further.

This one's for the boys, Newt would call you love, darling, etc.(I'm sorry he's just so British)

Thomas would ironically call an s/o Mommy or Daddy, for the lols(hes just a silly guy lmao). Like Minho he'd probably call you certain pet names like "sweetpea" just to annoy you, but honestly he would most often call you a variation of your name.

Gally would call a shorter s/o shortstack or something of the sort, and he would call you princess if you're a girl. (ik most people find it corny or cringe, but personally, I appreciate it)<3<3<3

Harriet would call you babe, and I have this idea that if you were a girl she would call you mama. With all due respect I refuse to take any criticism of this 😊

Theresa is a softie and we all know it so she would call an s/o honey or sweetie. I'm leaning more towards the latter.

Next I would like to share two headcannons that I physically cannot stop thinking about

This comes from the depths of my soul lol

Minho would pull you in by you belt loops to kiss you. (You're welcome) And the way this thought has me going absolutely feral is illegal🙏

Frypan is the type to hug you from behind, spin you around, and kiss all over your face(again, this man is husband material)

The Hunger Games

Live, Laugh, Love and fear Cato Hadley

The grip this man has on my heart should be illegal

Your honor he's so babygirl(He's my Miguel O'Hara, you cannot judge me <3)

"Look at her, I would die for her, I would kill for her" vibes. I mean it going both ways cause if you like this man, you are also willing to do so. At least I am ;)

I feel like he's very confident in himself and would take any chance to show off how strong/capable he is. Would walk around shirtless and tell you "take a picture, it'll last longer" if you so much as glance in his general direction

In all seriousness though, this man would be an absolute sweetheart to his s/o💕

AFK Journey

Last and certainly not least 💕Merchant Philip💕

If you have played AFK Journey and done the Philip's worries side-quest, you are blessed with knowing of the existence of my one true love

He would be so doting to an s/o, I'm sure of it

He would be completely clueless on how relationships work and he would try so hard 😭

#husband material

He would come home with cool rocks and swear they're ancient treasures

The moment he actually finds his first valuable relic, he would give it to you. If it's a precious stone, he would have it made into a ring and propose

He's the sweetest soul and I love him

#tmr fandom #tmr #the hunger games #afk journey #in love with a fictional character #headcanon #ooc post #tmr newt #tmr thomas #tmr minho #tmr gally #tmr teresa #tmr frypan #cato hadley x reader

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tiredofthehumanlife · 4 months ago

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Skinny dipping on death's door

Barbie dolls: Peeta Mellark x gn!reader

Word: 2.7k

Summary: you skinny dip with the other tributes during the 75th games and peeta finds it rlly rlly attractive and you give him a quick handy

Warning: semi public sexual activities, handies underwater, public nudity, recorded sex kinda, peeta had his leg bc WE WERE ROBBED GOD DAMNIT, I wasn't sure if his one in the book was water proof or the details Abt it so I just decided he's not sure either so he takes it off before going in the water, mentioned that ppl think you guys are pregnant but idk maybe it's a/b/o or maybe peeta is trans now idk I don't care I'm just telling you now warning there's deception, you mock peeta just for a second also biting stuff, praise, mentions of death (it's the hunger games so), yeah I mean that's like it dude

You watched as Finnick flopped himself into the sand near you. He tossed his trident to the side, kicking his legs out in front of him. You looked over him, watching Johanna and BeeTee sit in silence next to each other a few feet away from you.

“Ocean’s lovely, isn’t it?” Finicky asked, dragging your attention back to him. You raised an eyebrow. It was probably the most hollow thing you’ve heard come out of his mouth since you stepped foot in the 75th Games. He said dumb things all the time but they usually had a purpose. Like a bad joke to lighten the mood, or a quip to tick you off for his enjoyment. Never something so purposeless. Still, you entertained him.

“Yeah. It’s nice.” You answered, looking out to the water lapping at the sand just a few inches from your feet. Finnick looked around you at Peeta next to you. Peeta had leaned back onto his elbows with his chin pointed up to the sky. You thought it’d be uncomfortable but it was hot so you didn’t mention it to Peeta.

“Hm, what about you Pete?” Finnick asked. Peeta peeked one eye open and sat up straight. You gave Finnick a quick glare, before looking back at the water. He distracted Peeta and made him sit up. Peeta shrugged.

“Odd time for a swim,” Finnick whispered. You hummed in agreement before slipping your hand up to Peeta’s face. You covered his eyes as Johanna finally reached waters up to her knees. She flopped down into the water, finally covering her body with the waves. You dropped your hand from Peeta’s face. Johanna noticed the confused stares. She threw her arms up in the air.

“Yeah, I mean it’s water. I quite like water.” Peeta said. He was just as confused as you were then because that answer was atrocious. Finnick hummed, looking out at the crashing waves. Peeta’s hand slipped to your side, rubbing at your hip. You glanced at him and gave him a quick smile. Peeta leaned closer to you. He pulled your arm to his chest and dropped his cheek to your shoulder.

You looked up when Johanna stood up from the sand. She dropped her axe to the sand and started walking towards the water. As she made her way for the waves, her hands traveled to her back and pulled at the zipper of her suit. Johanna slipped out of her suit when she reached the edge of the water. Her clothes started to pile at her feet as she slipped out of them. You were getting flashbacks to the elevator. You, Finnick, and Peeta all stared at her in confusion as she waltzed into the ocean bare ass naked. Finnick smacked his mouth.

“No one is going to join me? I won’t bite.” She yelled. You hummed. Peeta lifted his head from your shoulder. Finnick stayed silent. Johanna raised a brow.

“Unless you want me to.” She added. You thought for a moment. The entire Panem probably had their eyes on you right now. Not to mention all of your current friends, who you will later have to kill but that’s not the point. You also considered the thought that you’ll soon be dead in probably less than a week and your embarrassment around revealing your naked body to all of Panem disappeared. You stood up, making Peeta look up at you.

“I’ll join you.” You said to Johanna. You slipped out of your suit, leaving all of your possessions in a heap next to Johanna’s on the sand. As you waded out into the water you heard Finnick whistle. You knew deep down he was joking. In the same way, you promise to treat your friends better than their current boyfriend. You held a particular finger up at Finnick, making him laugh. You joined Johanna under the water, letting the waves kiss your chin.

“Interesting you decide to join me after I promise to bite you.” Johanna joked, her smile tweaking up a notch. You shrugged.

“Remembered I’ll be dead in a few days and I could care less.” Johanna hummed. You looked out towards the beach. Finnick was sat in his same spot though now he had an amused grin for your ‘joke’ still lingering in the air. BeeTee was still sitting on his wire, fiddling with a stick. You wondered what he was brewing in his mind but decided it wasn’t really any of your business. You looked over to Peeta to find him staring directly at you. You tilted your head to the side in confusion. Peeta flung himself backward, pretending to be dead. You snorted and dunked your head under the water.

When you resurfaced, you saw Johanna gesturing for Finnick to join you two. You saw Peeta had sat up, looking at Finnick to see if he’d get up. Finnick and Peeta shared a few words before standing up. You smiled when you saw them stopping at you and Johanna’s piles of clothes to add their own. Peeta had to ditch his prosthetic, leaning on Finnick to help him into the water. Once he was waist-high in the water, he was just fine. Peeta made his way towards you and you moved slightly closer to the edge of the water. You knew he couldn’t swim so you moved towards the area he could touch the sand with no problems. Peeta stood in front of you, smiling at you. You returned the look, though you weren’t sure why you were smiling. Peeta knocked his nose with yours. You hummed.

“No leg for you?” You asked. Peeta hummed. “You’ve already been in the water with it?” Peeta pulled back slightly, giving you a light shrug.

“It’s heavy. I didn’t want to risk it not being fully waterproof. I don’t know how long you’ll want to be in here for.” He answered. Your smile grew at the thought of him staying in the water longer than he really wanted to so he could spend more time with you. You hummed. Peeta’s eyes flickered from yours to your smile.

“We should probably go over towards Johanna and Finnick.” You glanced over at them. Finnick was on his back, spitting water into the air like a fountain. Johanna was repeatedly splashing him. Finnick didn’t seem to care, his arms out from his sides like he was making a snow angel in the water. You looked back at Peeta to see him staring at your face with all the seriousness you could imagine. You raised a brow at him, humming in question.

“We should make out. Right now.” You snorted at Peeta. You reached up and pushed his face away.

“Horn-dog.” You muttered. You looked back at Johanna and Finnick to find Johanna trying to drown Finnick. Finnick splashed at her face, making her laugh and release her grip on his body. Finnick pulled his head away from the water and shook his hair out. You turned back to Peeta. He kept his eyes on you.

“Am I really a horn-dog? Or did I just watch the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen walk down a beach naked?” Peeta asked, still staring at your mouth. You swam just a smidgen closer to him.

“Who, Finnick?” You joked, a smile playing on your lips that you knew was the only thing Peeta was thinking about. Peeta shook his head. “Well you’re lucky BeeTee didn’t join us, otherwise you definitely would’ve fainted.” You said. Peeta leaned his head closer towards yours, eyes still glued on your lips.

“Stop. Talking about other people naked right now. I need-“ He dipped his head towards yours and pressed your lips together. You hummed into his mouth, pulling him closer by the back of his neck. Peeta swiped his tongue across your bottom lip. You opened your mouth for him, letting his tongue join yours. You slipped your hand away from his neck, dipping it under the water. You dragged your hand down his chest before stopping it at his hip. You pulled back from Peeta’s lips, staring into his eyes. He glanced around the water as your hand inched further down very slowly.

“The cameras,” Peeta whispered. You nodded.

“Can’t see underwater. So just control yourself from the neck up and you’ll be fine. “ You answered. Peeta chewed on his bottom lip. You pulled your hand away from his hip and held onto his bicep instead.

“Unless you don’t want to, then we can just chill here for a few minutes before joining Johanna and Finnick.” You added, sensing his tension. You weren’t going to push him even if you both were knocking on Death’s door. Peeta shook his head.

“No, no I want to. Just nervous. Especially with the onlookers. What if they catch us?” Peeta said, taking a step closer towards you in the water. You shrugged.

“Well, they already think we’re pregnant right? They have to be at least a little educated on how something like that falls into place. Right?” You said. Peeta seemed to consider this, glancing over his shoulder again.

“Plus we’re going to die in a couple of days anyway,” Peeta added.

“And we’re going to die.” You agreed. Peeta let out a huff and met your eyes.

“Are we really about to make a porno for the capital?” Peeta asked. You grimaced at the thought of a capitol citizen shoving their hands down their pants when they watch the reruns. That thought washed away from you when you felt Peeta’s skin pressed against yours.

“Only if you want to.” You said, slipping your hand from his bicep. Peeta nodded.

“I just want you. I can’t really think about the cameras or capital when your hands are wandering on my body.” Peeta whispered. You nodded and tilted your head towards his. You pressed your lips against his. You let your hand meet his hip again. You slipped it down to his length, gripping him. Peeta sucked in a breath as he pulled away from your mouth. You slowly dragged your hand down his length before pulling it up again. Peeta left his mouth hanging open as you swipe your thumb over his tip. You reached your other hand up, pressing a finger under his chin. You gently closed his mouth. Peeta clenched his jaw and pressed his forehead against yours.

“This is harder than I thought it was,” Peeta whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. You would’ve laughed if you didn’t think that would draw attention to you two. You whined mockingly.

“Oh, baby. I’ve barely even started.” You said. Peeta dropped his head against your shoulder, sucking in a deep breath as your hand-picked up its pace.

“Oh don’t be mean to me, I might moan and draw all eyes to us,” Peeta whispered. You snorted and dropped your free hand into the water. You found his balls and massaged them as your other hand continued to drag against his length. Peeta pulled back from you, keeping his eyes closed. He dug his teeth into his lip to hold back his moans. You leaned forward and gently kissed the edge of his mouth.

“You’re doing so good at staying quiet. Hm?” You whispered. Peeta’s eyes opened and he let out a quiet groan. You glanced at Finnick and Johanna to see if they picked it up. They were deep in conversation and apparently too far to hear it. You hummed.

“What was that about you moaning too loud if I was mean to you? Seems to me it’s the praise that gets you loud. Isn’t that right, Pretty boy?” You whispered, a smile playing on your lips. You thought for a moment of the watchers in their strange fashion, grinning at the screen. Your left eye twitched as you thought of anyone but you seeing Peeta’s face right now. They weren’t doing any of the work to see his eyebrows pinch together. Nor did they deserve it.

You dropped your hand from his balls to gently reach out for his head. You pushed his face towards your shoulder, holding his body to your chest as you worked his dick with your hand. Peeta whined against the skin on your neck as you picked up your pace a smidge more.

You moved your hand faster, as fast as you probably could all things considered. Peeta tightened his bite on your shoulder. You pressed your lips against his ear so he could hear your moan with all the clarity he deserved. Peeta jutted his hips against yours as he came, groaning against your shoulder. You slowed the pace of your hand, gently riding his high out. You pulled your hand away from his length, settling it against his hip. You lightly rubbed your thumb against his skin as his brain caught up with him.

“Bite on my shoulder if you get too loud, okay baby?” You whispered into his hair. Peeta nodded against your collarbone. If you were to look from the outside you might look like just two lovers hugging in the ocean. Peeta had seemed a little tuckered out earlier in the day. As you kept your hand on his cock you continued to whisper to him so it’d look like you two were just having a private conversation rather than what you actually were doing.

You muttered in his ear how much of a good and sweet boy he was. As his breathing became more erratic his number of moans grew, just barely getting louder than you’d like. You shushed him. Peeta moaned again and opened his mouth against your shoulder. He sank his teeth into your skin as he swallowed another moan. You kissed the side of his face, glad he was enjoying your hand so much.

Peeta slowly released your shoulder from his bite. You hissed at the feeling, suddenly feeling every tooth he had. You glanced down at your shoulder. There were clear indents in your skin from his teeth. Peeta frowned and littered kisses against the marks. He rubbed his hand over them before continuing his kissing.

“ 'M sorry.” He whispered. You shook your head.

“Don’t be. I enjoyed it.” You said, glancing over at Finnick and Johanna again. They both had their backs facing you two, pointing at the trees. You gently pushed Peeta away from your shoulder. He squished his lips to the side as he stared at it. His cheeks were flushed and you felt a little pride at the sight.

“We should move away from here before someone puts two and two together.” You whispered. Peeta nodded. He pulled you closer by your wrist and gently pecked your lips.

“I love you. I’ll repay you later, swear on my very short life.” Peeta said. You shook your head.

“You don’t need to repay me, you don’t owe me anything. I just wanted to make you feel good. I love you too. Now, Finnick and Johanna.” You said, pointing over to them. You two slowly made your way over towards the pair. Peeta kept his hold on you and used you as support. You couldn’t mind less, you got to keep a hand on his waist the whole time. Finnick looked up when he heard the water splashing around as you two made your way.

“Finally decided to join us?” Finnick asked. You nodded.

“We had to discuss how we were going to handle ourselves around a naked Finnick. Tough discussion, truly.” You answered. Peeta snorted next to you and Finnick touched his chest over his heart.

“You flatter me so,” Finnick said. Johanna raised an eyebrow at you two. Her eyes dipped down to your shoulder and Peeta pressed his hand against it to cover the bite mark.

“Nasty. The both of you. Pull yourselves together.” Johanna whispered. Finnick looked back at you both. He tilted his head to the side.

“What? What did I miss?” He asked. Johanna shook her head in disappointment at both of you.

“You don’t want to know, Finnick,” Johanna whispered. Finnick looked back at you and Peeta.

“What? Is it a secret? Can I know? Please?” Finnick said. You hummed and leaned over to peck Peeta’s lips. “Johanna, please,” Finnick added. You shrugged and winked at Peeta.

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