Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

District Twelve has never had a more interesting year. 

The year of the 74th Annual Hunger Games, or the 74th year after the Dark Days, is one for the records. And it is all thanks to one couple. 

The Star-Crossed Lovers on Fire. 

Ever since they came blazing out on their chariot pulled by large coal black horses, nothing has been the same. 

Or… maybe it even started before that. When the curly blond haired boy broke town lines and laid one the girl in front of the entire school. Or maybe it became crystal clear when they held hands in front of the Justice Building on reaping day. 

It is difficult to know but one thing is for sure, the entirety of District Twelve knew that their “usual” had been burnt to the ground when they came out ablaze. 

Maybe the whole country knew it then too. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------

The town square is only this full on a few occasions. Most of them have to do with the games. 

The entire District is gathered around a few screens. Most are in the square but a few are set up so that everyone stuck in the side streets can see as well.

The Mellark family, the boys and the witch, are seated in the very front of the crowd on a blanket and they are soon joined by the Everdeen family, and by extension, the Hawthornes. Though Madge isn’t far away either, actually right in the center, acting as a buffer between the families…. Though Rye has already held his hand up for a high five from Prim and Posy is already asking Graham enough questions to send him into a head spin. So, maybe her buffer isn’t truly needed except for to help the older generation’s awkwardness. 

The Panem anthem breaks up what could easily become a very tense and awkward atmosphere as everyone in the square turns towards the largest screens in their eye line, Caesar Flickerman and Cladius Templesmith pop up first. Their hair and outfits as colorful as ever. 

“Welcome everyone!” Caesar opens dramatically. “I am Caesar Flickerman and I am joined tonight by my esteemed colleague Cladius Templesmith on this momentous occasion. The opening ceremonies for the 74th Annual Hunger Games!”

The Capitol crowd can be heard screaming from the back as the only thing heard in Twelve is the occasional miner coughing with black lung or a quiet shuffle of feet or clothing as everyone settles in for a long broadcast. 

They aren’t at all nervous or excited to see what unimaginative costume Katniss and Peeta will be in this year. They already know it will be some variation of a coal miner outfit and neither will stand out much at all to the Capitol or the rest of the country.

“Let’s see who is here before the first chariot pulls out from the tribute center!” Caesar says with a smile before he runs down a list, showing who is mentoring this year. 

“We have Pomp Pontiac and Lacy Wynn as mentors for our District One Tributes, who this year are…” There is a pause as Caesar lifts the sheet in order to read the tribute’s names, having not bothered to memorize them, “Glimmer and Marvel!”

Nobody in Twelve moves an inch, no clapping or boos, or any type of reaction at all. They are here because it is mandatory and in some cases, mostly Seam residents, there to support the families. They couldn’t care less about Victors from the other districts or really who they are mentoring. 

“Bassalt Coppula, our Victor from last year, is here learning the ropes of mentoring for Clove and Cato with District Two’s Quar Terra and Pyra Frame!”

Again nobody in 12 is paying much attention, at least to the screen, but everyone is paying attention to their surroundings and everyone is slightly confused, there has been a rumor going around, started by Primrose Everdeen of all people, that their two tributes were never together in the first place, just that they were tiptoeing around one another. Everyone knows that’s not true. But that boy is one of the smartest people in the district and the girl is downright terrifying. So, everybody has put together 2 and 2 to make 4 and has decided to roll with that version of events.

As unlikely as it is, if either one of them were to make it home, the wrath of the newest victor would not fall onto their shoulders. No way. 

“District Three’s Tributes, Chase and Dell, are mentored by Beetee Latier and Wiress Plummer!”

The entire District is only waiting for their tributes to come out so that they can see what is maybe going on and what the Capital might say about them. Everyone in the district is impacted by this year's games. 

For one, Katniss is a known entity around the district. They know what she does, and how she kept her family alive. They know just how much she loves her little sister and how she would do anything to protect her. Hell, they watched her do it in front of their eyes just yesterday!

“District Four, a very lucky district to be mentored by none other than our favorite Finnick Odair along with Lure Shoal! Their tributes this year are Marina and Karp!”

Peeta, the boy tribute this year, is also not an unknown factor around the district. Everyone knows about his family life. His witch of a mother and what she has done to that boy, but it’s none of their business and he’s never spoken up about it to make it their business, nor has he ever used his considerable size and strength to put a stop to it, even though he could… easily. But one thing they do know is that, even with this whole rumor going around, that boy has been hung on that girl since he was a babe. No matter what that witch did to him for it. Everyone also knows he is the best baker in that place, no matter if his father has been doing it for 30+ years longer than him, Peeta is the best baker and loves it more than any of them but he would give it up in a heartbeat for that girl, and planned to do it after he aged out… so much for that idea now.

“Finch and Lithium are mentored by District Five’s Porter Millicent Tripp and Watt Turbine!”

So, even though they crossed District lines, and broke that one unspoken but widely acknowledged rule, they are also held in high regard by almost everyone in District Twelve. They are tough kids. They’re smart and resourceful. They would actually have a chance of making it out except for a few key factors. 

“District Six, represented in these games by Route and Tank, who are mentored by none other than Fare Shuttle and Poppy Ethyl!”

One of the largest factors is that everyone from Twelve is at a disadvantage. District Twelve does not use children in the mines. Which keeps them safer, at least from collapses and mine accidents, but it severely limits their ability to use a weapon or be prepared for physically grueling work. They know Katniss has a way of getting her game, but they have no idea how that is, and Peeta, while strong and can wrestle, is no warrior with a weapon, especially against people trained in them. 

“District Seven, Hallow and Bark, this year are mentored by Johanna Mason and Twig Seedling!”

Another factor is the food disparities. They might have been some of the best fed children in the district, with Peeta’s family owning the bakery, and Katniss providing for her family the way she does, but that does not mean they are well off. Everyone notices when the Seam kids get smaller in the winter,  Katniss and Prim being no exception or when Rye or Peeta stand next to Graham and it is obvious that Graham, when he was an only child for the first three years of his life, got fed more and is at least a head taller than both of the other boys. Neither one quite able to catch back up. 

“Cecelia Spindle and Woof Rayon are mentoring Flannel and Lace for District Eight!”

The final thing stopping everyone from being sure about their chances is another confusing aspect for them. 

“Millen and Sesamay are now coming out and they are mentored by Sylvia Mayleaf and Barley Finer!”

Haymitch is upright. They can see him behind the other mentors when they cut to them on the screen. 

Usually he is either absent from the opening ceremonies or in an obvious drunken haze and might as well be absent. 

This is very new and nobody can decide whether or not this is a good thing…

“For District Ten! Dixie and Tex, guided by Steepe Mule and Mary Pasture!”

One thing's for sure though. This game is different from all of the others. Even with all of these things working against Peeta and Katniss… they have more of a chance than anyone else reaped since Haymitch, maybe even more of a shot than he ever had. 

“Little Rue and Thresh for District Eleven, and those two are mentored by Chaff and Seeder.”

The gasps that reverberate around the square in District Twelve are copied all around the country. Including in the Capitol. 

The world changes at that moment. Everything you thought you knew is set on fire, and nobody knows what comes next. 

Well... besides the couple who burned it down.

Chapter Text

The gasps that reverberate around the square in District Twelve are copied all around the country. Including in the Capitol. 

The world changes at that moment. Everything you thought you knew is set on fire, and nobody knows what comes next. 

Well, besides the couple who burned it down.

This time everyone is paying much more attention to the screens in front of them.

 It has been a few days since Katniss and Peeta made their fiery debut and nobody has talked about anything else since. 

Prim and Posy had both gasped and then said loudly that Katniss looked like a “fire princess.” Graham and Rye had both let out loud wolf whistles, it being second nature to tease their brother even though he was nowhere near to hear them. Gale and Madge’s jaws had dropped in shock and Mr. Mellark and Mrs. Everdeen both looked close to tears as they realized their children wouldn’t be just another miner sent off to die, they would be remembered for even just this moment. Mrs. Mellark just scoffed but nobody paid much attention to her anyways, not expecting her to have a nice word to say… ever, but especially about her youngest son. 

Now they aren’t going to see their tributes, but it is time to learn their training scores. The betting pool is hot. These two tributes have the opportunity to get the highest scores ever from Twelve. Usually Twelve’s tributes fell between the 2 to 5 range, with the highest in most memories being during the last quarter quell, though it was not Haymitch, but Maysilee Donner, a girl who could have made it if it were down to smarts alone. Sadly, it just wasn’t to be, but her seven is the highest training score anyone can remember from the district.  

“Now, all the way from District Twelve. We have a strong, handsome, smart, and…” Caesar reads from a sheet with comments from the Gamermakers, just a few short words describing each tribute, “surprising tribute up next.” Caesar makes an interested face and the entire square holds their breath. 

“Peeta Mellark,” Caesar pauses just for a moment, “a ten.”

The entire crowd gasps and then as one the cheer starts. Nobody expected that from Peeta. Sure, a higher than usual score for someone from Twelve was likely, and all of them know he is strong and smart, and not bad looking to boot, but surprising? They have no idea what that’s about. 

“And finally we have Katniss Everdeen. A fiery girl,” Caesar smirks and raises his eyebrows at the description, “gorgeous, and not one to be overlooked, with her own tricks up her sleeves.”

Back in the mountains of District Twelve, the only sounds are the birds in the sky.

“With a score of… Eleven.”

This time there are no gasps. 

They are not surprised by the high score, they all thought she would outrank everyone in memory that has competed in the games from their small District, but to get the highest score of the year?

Higher than both kids from Two, higher than that hulking boy from Eleven, even higher than the previously unimaginable score awarded to the decently well fed, strong, and outrageously smart boyfriend of hers?

That no one was expecting. 

Mrs. Everdeen has tears in her eyes and Prim, though her face has paled dramatically, has a large smile that lights up her light blue eyes. 

Gale Hawthorne looks smug but even he looks a little shocked and everyone in the District knows he is in on whatever Katniss does to get her game. 

Rye and Graham are staring wide eyed at the screen and Mrs. Mellark looks bored. 

Mr. Mellark looks torn between pride and terror and Madge just has a large smile, glad both of her best friends got amazing scores and a greater chance for sponsors. 

“Damn.” Rye’s voice echoes over the square, the only sound in the entire district at the moment. 

Mr. Mellark lightly shoves his son in a slight reprimand, gesturing to the small Hawthorne children next to their older brother. 

“It’s okay Mr. Mellark,” Rory says, his twelve year old voice cracking slightly. “Gale says worse even though Ma hates it. Plus I know Katniss and I wasn’t expecting that either.”

“I was,” Prim says proudly, her face a much more normal shade. 

“Were not,” Rory says back with a smirk. “You were just as surprised as everyone else, don’t fib.”

“I’m not! And I knew Peeta would do that well too!” Prim says back smugly, but then her face breaks out into a large grin. “You should see them together, I swear. I don’t know exactly what he did to get a 10 but he can pick up both me and my sister at the same time and run us around the house, or that time Katniss hurt her wrist last month and somehow we still got food on the table that night?”

The entire district stares in shock. They know what “food on the table” means for the Everdeen family and little Primrose was very smart in how she worded that sentence, definitely not enough to hint at their illegal activities and hunting but enough so everyone would know anyway. Plausible deniability is great protection in a place like this. 

“I thought those dinners came from Katniss.” Graham looks at his father confused. Rye following suit. 

“I did too, Graham. I had no idea.” The Baker says just as shocked. 

“Yeah, Peeta is no slouch, as much as I underestimated him at first,” Gale admits sheepishly. 

The entire district knew about his feelings for his partner, even well before he ever figured it out. And ever since that fateful day of the kiss now known across the entire district, everyone has also known how pissy he has been. But ever since the reaping Gale has been much more mild mannered. 

Or no.

He has been stomping around, doing a great job of getting on the fast track to be killed for his rebellious attitude, but he hasn’t been pissed off at the favored couple like before, only the situation and the Capitol. 

Maybe it has something to do with the girl beside him, her curly hair held back by her pink bow, her coal black shoes shiny, having never had a drop of actual coal dust sprinkled on them, her lips a soft pink color. The mayor’s daughter and the coal miner’s son have stuck together in the face of their best friends heading off to what was assumed, certain death. 

They both seem the better for it. 

“That boy?! You underestimated that boy? I can’t imagine that,” Mrs. Mellark sneers, looking all the like she wants to spit on the teenager beside her. Never mind that he is more than a foot taller than her and much stronger, his shifts in the mines doing a lot to bulk him up even more than his traipsing around in the woods ever did, not that he stopped doing that since he went in. 

“You can’t imagine that because you have never even seen Peeta for who he is.” Rye growls. “I’ve underestimated Peeta for his entire life. Look where that got me. Second place in our wrestling competition, the stupidest brother in the bunch, hell I’m probably the weakest too! I can’t be the only one who noticed that he has put on major muscle since he started talking to Katniss, not just pining from afar?”

Graham wraps an arm around his brother's shoulders, both Mellark boys glare at their birth giver angrily, matching the stares from the rest of the square. 

“Go home.” Mr. Mellark turns to his wife and speaks through his teeth, the vein of his neck popping dangerously as he clenches his jaw. An expression nobody can ever remember seeing on the face of the usually mild mannered baker. 

Mrs. Mellark looks sharply at her husband, a mix of disbelief and anger. But she doesn’t argue, just glares one more time as Caesar wraps up his broadcast. The entire District had lost interest after they got what they were looking for. They are much more interested in what is happening right here in front of them. 

“I really did underestimate him, both of them even. Let’s just say, you all will be surprised when you see what they have at their disposal, just listen to their descriptions: surprising, smart, not one to be overlooked.” Gale shakes his head and lets out a loud laugh. “Hell, I’m sure I’ll be surprised as well.”

“Well, let’s just look forward to that then.” Hazel Hawthorne steps up, putting her hand on Gale’s shoulder to reel him back in, not liking how close to the line he is walking. 

“Oh, I can’t wait. But I can't believe Peeta got another one over on me! And Katniss too.” Rye groans. “I’m supposed to be the prankster!”

Everyone around the family laughs. 

They definitely agree with many things said here today. And as much as they wish those kids never had to showcase their talents in this way, they cannot deny they are curious about how they pulled those scores off. 

Chapter Text

“Oh, I can’t wait. But I can't believe Peeta got another one over on me! And Katniss too.” Rye groans. “I’m supposed to be the prankster!”

Everyone around the family laughs. 

They definitely agree with many things said here today. And as much as they wish those kids never had to showcase their talents in this way, they cannot deny they are curious about how they pulled those scores off.

The crowd lets out another round of gasps as Peeta and Katniss finally walk out, their hands intertwined as always. 

Katniss gets looks of awe in her dress made seemingly of jewels and when she continues walking, the bottom truly looks like she is on fire, when there is a close up on her face and she blinks, her eyelashes and makeup make her silver eyes truly look like they are surrounded by fire. 

Peeta is no slouch either. His suit doesn’t make any changes as he moves, but the flames still look real in a way that makes many people’s breath catch and his eyes are surrounded by black makeup, making the blue stand out in indescribable ways. 

“I guess I’m the ugliest son too,” Rye mutters under his breath, getting a loud laugh and an arm slung around his neck from his older brother. 

“You’re just figuring that out?” Graham asks with a smile as he ruffles his little brother's dark blonde curls. 

The crowd doesn’t pay the most attention to the other tribute’s interviews, but they notice Cato’s self assurance and barely hidden temper, Glimmer’s sex appeal towards sponsors, Rue’s adorableness which leads to a profound sadness at her future inevitable death, and Thresh’s complete rebellion in his obvious hatred of the system he is caught up in. 

Then it is Katniss’ turn. 

The crowd holds their breath and she saunters, almost confidently, up to Caesar, something nobody expected of her. Everyone thought she’d be shy or at the very least obviously not excited about being in front of so many people, but her smile says otherwise. It even shocks Gale, Madge, and her family. 

“So, Katniss, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What’s impressed you most since you arrived here?” asks Caesar.

“Honestly Caesar, everything is just so different I don’t know if I could pick one thing.” She tells him with a smile.

 Gale looks at Madge with a raised eyebrow, a look she returns just as strongly. A silent understanding passing between both of them: who is this girl and where is Katniss?

“Oh come on now,” he says, “you gotta give me something, how about one thing you wish you had at home?”

Gale snorts, and then gets an elbow in his side from his mother. 

“The lamb stew, the one with the plums, it’s probably been one of my favorite things here and I would love for my little sister to be able to taste it.” She tells him.

Prim grins widely, her cheeks a little red from being acknowledged in front of the whole country. 

“Oh yes! I eat it by the bucket full!” He laughs. “It doesn't show, does it?” He asks the crowd jokingly. The crowd yells out denials and reassurance for Caesar. 

There is silence in the entirety of District Twelve. A place where starvation makes up a good portion of their death rate, and here this man is worried about how he looks because he eats too much. Disgusting. 

“Now, Katniss, you mentioned your little sister.” He begins a new train of questioning. 

The crowd in Twelve stays silent and takes a quick look up at the front of the crowd where little Primrose backs up closer to her mother, looking for reassurance as she relives what must be the worst day of her life. 

“Can you tell me about her? I think we were all very moved when you volunteered for her at the reaping.” He says somberly. 

Graham places a hand lightly on Prim’s shoulder, offering comfort even though he has no words to say. Rye just looks away from the screen, embarrassed. 

“Well, her name is Primrose, though everyone just calls her Prim, and she is just twelve years old.” Katniss says. 

“What was going through your head when you volunteered for her?” Caesar asks her. 

“Honestly, I was thinking about her cat.”

The entire crowd lets out surprise laughs as Prim’s face lights up. Mrs. Everdeen rolls her eyes but her smile also conveys her amusement about the surprising answer. 

“Buttercup!” Little Posy says with a laugh as Vick leans down to tickle her belly as he also laughs slightly. 

“She found this cat one day, I’m not even sure where. It was tiny, half starved, and full of fleas and downright nasty to everyone, but she was determined that this was her cat and would do anything to save it, that's the kind of girl Prim is and I couldn’t let her go into the games, not somebody that inherently good.” I say truthfully. 

“It was from Peeta!” Rye laughs, letting go of his shame and embarrassment for a moment. 

“Shhh!” Prim says to Rye immediately, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at her sister’s praise. “Nobody is supposed to know that!”

Graham laughs and Rye gives her an exaggerated ‘sorry’ look and pretends to zip up his mouth and throw away the key. 

Mrs. Everdeen looks down at her youngest daughter lovingly, running her hand down one of her long braids. 

“Well, Katniss, that was beautiful, and I think we all agree that you are a great big sister.” He answers, a little choked up. 

“The best.” Prim says with a smile. 

“Now, I would be remiss to not ask you about your dress as well.”

“Well, Cinna once again designed it and it is beautiful!” I say with a smile.

“Where is the girl with the oversized jacket and old leather boots?” Rye laughs. 

“Those were our dads.” Prim tells him quietly and immediately his teasing grin fades and a melancholy smile comes on his face instead. He didn’t know that. 

“Yes, it is!” Caesar agrees. “You must give us a spin!”

“Well, if I must,” Katniss says cheekily. 

The crowd cannot hold back their cheers as her dress flares up. 

“Oh my!” Caesar exclaims, “do it again!”

It’s not often they agree with someone from the Capitol, but in this case they all want to see it again and the cheers continue as she twirls around twice more. 

“Wow!” Caesar says as he also reclaims his seat after Katniss takes hers, “I almost didn’t want you to stop!”

Katniss just laughs. 

“So! Girl on Fire,” he uses the new nickname, “your training score! An eleven!”

The crowd gets quiet as they move on from the fire show and back into real topics. 

“Tell us, how did that happen?” He questions the teenager.

“Well, I don’t think I am allowed to tell you exactly what happened but I can promise that it was a first.” She looks up and to the left with a sheepish smile and then the camera moves to show the gamemakers box where most of them are laughing and nodding their heads. 

“Oh, I bet it was, Catnip.” Gale gives a small smile as he leans down to pick up Posy and rest her on his hip, where she has a better view of the screen.

“I guess you're right, we aren’t supposed to know but I, and everyone else of course, can't wait to see what you do in the arena! Right folks!?” He gets loud applause and cheers for his inquiry but in Twelve he gets disgusted looks . 

Nobody wants to see her in the games. Nobody wants to see any child in the games. 

“So, Katniss, our time is almost up but I wanted to ask you one last thing.” He says seriously.  

“Ask away Caesar.” She replies with a small swish of her hand, as if gesturing at the space between them for him to present his last inquiry.

“I couldn’t help but notice from the very beginning how close you were to your fellow tribute.” He says with a cheeky smile. 

The crowd whispers to their neighbor but it quickly stops as nobody wants to miss a second of her answer, they want to know the answer too. Even though the boy has been hung up on the girl, they never knew she was even aware of the boy until they got together, and now they are pretending that it isn’t true?! They want some sort of explanation. 

“Well, Caesar, I guess you’d be right Peeta and I have known each other for a long time.” She says with a shy smile.

“How long is a long time?” Rye asks Graham incredulously, sure the seven months they've been together could be considered a long time but with the emphasis she put on long… he has a feeling she means even longer than that. 

“I don’t know but be quiet and we might find out.” Graham answers back, their voices broadcast through the crowd due to the microphones set up at the front of the crowd. 

Their conversation perfectly wraps up how everyone feels about the tiny tidbits they are receiving, rather than a full real answer.

“Can you tell us how you know one another?” He pushes further with an inquisitive raised eyebrow. 

She looks back at the boy whose eyes haven’t left her for a second since her interview started, “Well, I’ve known him since we were eleven but he likes to brag and say that he's known me since we were five.” 

The crowd gasps. Have they been together that long?! Since they were eleven?

Prim tilts her head, as if trying to figure something out and Mrs. Everdeen’s expression broadcasts the fact that she HAS just figured something out. 

The timer rings out as the entire District digests this information. The crowd claps along as Katniss walks back to her seat and they continue until Peeta sits down, only quieting because they want to hear what the boy has to say. 

Out of anyone in the entire District, everyone knows that boy is smart and able to sweet talk almost anyone, they know this interview will be one to not forget. 

“So, Peeta.” Caesar starts. “I was going to start a little differently but I know I, and everyone else here, want you to finish what Katniss started telling us before her buzzer went off.”

The crowd definitely is paying attention now if they weren’t before, they definitely want to know as well. 

“Well, Caesar, that's actually a very good story.” He says as he rests his arm along the back of his chair, leaning casually to the left as if he is just having a talk with a friend, rather than a final interview before going into the arena. 

“All the better!” Caesar laughs. 

“Well, to start you have to go back a few years. Imagine a little blue eyed baker's son holding his dad’s hand on the way to his first day of school, nervous as anything. Then, you have to imagine a little girl with dark hair, braided in two braids that hang down her back, wearing a red plaid dress and jumping up and down with her hand clutched in her own father’s in front of the school. Is everybody with me so far?” he asks the crowd. 

The baker grins as he remembers that day. He remembers thinking that the daughter of Astrid and Burdock would be a good friend to his shy youngest son and hoped that by pointing out the girl, his son would make a friend. He never, not even for one second, thought they would end up where they are. 

Mrs. Everdeen smiles sadly. She remembers that day. Katniss was so excited as Burdie had been talking up school in the weeks leading up to the first day, telling her all about how they met at school for the first time (even if he hadn’t talked to her until he came around to trade at her family’s apothecary). He talked about learning to read even better, he talked about learning to do math, and he talked about music class most of all, telling her she’d learn many new songs that they could sing together once she got home.

“Well, this little boy goes through the day very much aware of this little girl, he is mesmerized by her hair, which is so different to his own, and how she smiles at and talks to everyone she meets.” 

Prim tilts her head to the side, she can only vaguely remember a time when Katniss was less guarded. She knows Katniss does it so that their family can survive, have food on the table, and be safe, but she can’t help but wish Katniss still had that carefree happiness from when their dad was still around. 

“Now, the little girl had no clue who the boy was but he didn’t mind. Until it got towards the end of the day in music class. The teacher asked the five year olds who knew the valley song and her hand shot straight up!” He says with a laugh. 

Mrs. Everdeen’s eyes fill up with tears even as she tries her best not to let them fall over. Memories flooding her brain of her eldest daughter and her husband, the love of her life, singing and dancing around their small house, happiness filling the space. 

“So, the teacher stood her on a stool and asked her to sing it in front of the class. She did it without a single complaint or any hesitation. And, I swear, when she started to sing every single bird outside stopped to listen. Just like her father. Then ever since that day the little blue eyed baker’s son was aware of the little girl with the dark braids and the magic voice that made all the birds go quiet.” He finishes softly with a smile. 

The crowd awws as they digest the story. How the small boy, who they all knew had no example of real affection, fell into true love with a girl at the age of five, never straying, but instead he gave his heart to her at the tender age of five and never regretted it. Never changed his mind even though everyone knows his mother did her absolute best to ensure he did. 

“Well, Peeta,” Caesar wipes his eyes with his white handkerchief. “That was beautiful.” He says, still slightly choked up. 

Peeta gives a strained smile, with an undertone of sadness. 

“Why the glum look?” Caesar notices.

“Well, that little boy never gathered the courage to talk to the girl, not for many many years, and after only a few months where they knew each other, for truth, they ended up here,” he gestures around. “Only a few hours from entering the arena. The place where only one comes out.” He says. 

Most of District Twelve cannot be described as “quick on the uptake.” However, even the slowest among the crowd understood immediately why little Primrose was going around telling everyone the golden couple was no longer together, or more accurately was never together in the first place. 

They want the other to come home.

“Well, that's too bad.” Caesar exclaims, unsure what else to do. 

Peeta nods slowly. “Yeah it is.”

“Well, I can’t imagine that little boy giving up on the girl with the voice, so we'll just have to see how tomorrow goes.” Caesar says. 

“I can guarantee that Caesar. Even if the boy never gets a real chance with the girl, he hasn’t given up on her in eleven years, he’s not about to start now.” Peeta declares. 

“Damn, Dang. Dang, I meant, dang, Peeta.” Rye quickly corrects himself as he swipes his hand over his face, trying to hide the fact that his eyes welled up during the story. 

“What do you mean a real chance? Are you not together?” Caesar says with complete surprise, matching the crowd.

 Everybody in the District shares a look…

Peeta’s face takes on a dark red blush. “Well, before tonight we had never crossed that line. I had never really told her that full story, especially the last bit, how he fell for her and her magic voice just like her own mother fell for her father’s.” He says. 

Mrs. Everdeen wipes a stray tear. 

The screen shows Katniss with a slightly shocked look but nobody can tell if it’s because she truly didn’t know the story or because she is surprised he said it during his interview, but when her face drops into a look so full of longing, admiration, and true genuine love, everybody knows that no matter which of those two come back, if either do, neither one will ever be the same again. 

“Well, Peeta, even a little time is better than none, and though we all enjoyed your story, we do wish you could have been able to tell this story one day to your kids.” Caesar says seriously. 

 Rye slaps his hand over his mouth, stopping his laugh from erupting as Graham hits him over the back of the head. 

“Sorry. I just- Peeta’s the baby!” Rye says incredulously, getting laughs from those around him, even as many people fight through tears. 

“Thank you Caesar. I wish that too.” he says right as his buzzer rings. 

“Well, Peeta, we wish you the best of luck.” He shakes Peeta's hand. 

“Thank you, Caesar,” Peeta answers. 

“Peeta Mellark everyone!” Peeta waves to the crowd once last time and walks back to Katniss. 

They stand connected all the way through the anthem and when the screen fades to black the square stands in silence for a few moments longer. 

“I don’t know what to say.” Graham says quietly to his dad, inadvertently drawing the eye of those in his ear shot. 

“Thank you.” Prim looks to the bakers beside her, not suffering from the same hesitation, just thankful the witch isn’t in attendance as she was permitted to stay home and watch on their own holoscreen. 

“For what?” Rye asks in confusion, his brow furrowed deeply. “We didn’t do anything.”

“When I was seven you did. Or Peeta did.” Prim looks to her mother for confirmation, getting a slow nod in confirmation. 

“Well…” Graham trails off, usually he would tell her to say it to Peeta but for the first time in as long as he can remember, he’s not here. 

“I know when they met when they were eleven. I remember the day very well. I don’t know exactly what happened but Katniss came home that day with two half burnt loaves of fresh bread and was soaked to the bone and covered in mud. That was the first food we had eaten in as long as I could remember.” Prim tells the blond men who have gone quiet, not wanting to miss a second of the story she is telling. 

“I think we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that bread.'' Prim tells them seriously, losing her little sister innocence that she puts up mostly around Katniss. Not that she isn’t innocent, she knows there’s many things she doesn’t know and that Katniss has protected her from a lot of it, but that’s just it. Katniss protected her, and as much as that is true, she knows it is also her job to protect her older sister, not physically like Katniss does, but Katniss has always been bad at emotions and feelings, she needs protection from herself more than anything else. That Prim can do. 

“I’m glad he did it then.” Mr. Mellark smiles down at the girl who looks so much like his first love. 

“I am too,” Prim smiles shyly.

Chapter Text

“I’m glad he did it then.” Mr. Mellark smiles down at the girl who looks so much like his first love. 

“I am too,” Prim smiles shyly. 

BOOM 

BOOM

BOOM

The first three seconds of the countdown ring out loudly around the square. Prim clutches her mothers hand tightly as she sees Katniss get prepared to run. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Rye’s face pales as Cato is shown sneering at Peeta who isn’t looking at the hulking boy at all, but that expression is all Rye can see. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Gale rubs Posy’s back as she hides her face in his shoulder, the tense atmosphere in the crowded square making her anxious. Gale’s tense muscles are so at odds with his soft touch on her back. 

BOOM 

BOOM

BOOM

Graham holds tightly to Brandy, trying to comfort himself and be prepared for anything that might happen to his baby brother. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Madge fidgets with the ends of her blouse doing everything she can to not break down where she stands, watching her best friends in the entire world get ready to fight for their life. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Mrs. Everdeen takes a deep breath, trying so hard not to fall back into the blissful oblivion she lived in for so long, she owes her first born at least that. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Mr. Mellark clenches his jaw and his fists, he considers himself to be a pacifist, completely against all forms of violence, but he has never been more angry or scared in his entire life and he has no idea how to deal with these foreign feelings. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Hazel Hawthorne has to school her face as they show the silver bow sitting in the center right of the cornucopia, she knows who that is supposed to tempt, and she sends out her thoughts to the girl she considers her eldest daughter, urging her to resist and live at least a little longer. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

The entire crowd holds their breath as they await the moment. The moment it all goes downhill because there is no way things can keep going this well for the tributes from their overlooked and overworked District. 

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Everyone looks around confused, matching the expressions of the other tributes as Katniss finishes her long whistle, her feet barely touching the ground as she snatches a knife vest, filled to the brim, and continues on towards the cornucopia, the first one they can see who got there by a wide margin. That’s when Peeta runs up to the opposite side and without looking at one another they get what they need and get out immediately. 

Gale smiles when he sees Peeta grab the shiny silver bow and quiver, he had been confused why Katniss didn’t immediately head there but now it makes sense, Peeta definitely had the better angle to grab it. 

Prim screams when Clove throws the knife at her older sister and breaks down into grateful tears when it gets lodged into the tree trunk and not her sister. 

Rye cringes when Peeta’s fist comes into contact with the large district four boy’s eye socket. The dark haired boy falls to the ground unconscious immediately and Peeta continues on, not even shaking out his hand but purely focusing on getting to the tree line and heading towards where he saw Katniss flee. 

The crowd doesn’t break into cheers but there is a collective exhale in relief as both of their tributes safely disappear into the thick foliage, running in the same direction. 

They continue to watch in uneasy silence as the blood bath continues and they see the slow motion replays and the reaction of the colorful people so far away in the Capitol as each of the children bleed out in front of them. 

They even continue to observe as they follow both of their tributes, still running at a solid pace even after a full hour and mandatory viewing time has ended. 

Slowly but surely the crowd thins and people head home to watch without the crowds or to go do something, or anything, else until the morning mandatory recap where they will once again congregate in the main square and support the Everdeens and Mellarks. 

Nobody had any idea what they would see in the morning.

Chapter Text

Slowly but surely the crowd thins and people head home to watch without the crowds or to go do something, or anything, else until the morning mandatory recap where they will once again congregate in the main square and support the Everdeen’s and Mellarks. 

Nobody had any idea what they would see in the morning. 

Fire is a touchy topic in District Twelve. 

Fire allows most of the district to survive the harsh winter in the mountains, coal is cheap here and only the wealthiest in the District have any kind of heating or cooling in their homes. So… that is really only two houses, the Mayor’s house and Haymitch Abernathy’s Victor’s Mansion. 

However, fire is also one of the most destructive forces in Twelve. It can level homes and is often found underground in mine explosions, things that are sadly too common around the District and affect everyone, whether you are from Town or from the Seam. 

That is why everyone is on the edge of their seats as Katniss and Peeta run from the flames chasing them through the arena. 

It is intercut with footage of the little girl from Eleven and the career pack, however most of the District is only watching their star crossed lovers. 

They cannot care about every child in the games, hell, they usually try not to care about their own tributes even, but nobody can help themselves this year, everyone’s eyes and hearts are following the golden couple. 

When Peeta throws the knife across the way in order for Rue to have something to cut the limb holding the tracker jacker nest down, the entire district is silent. It is not the first time they had seen him throw one of the knives from his vest, but this is by far the longest distance he had done so, and it was for the most important reason yet, the pressure building every moment they are inside that arena. 

“Since when could he do that?” Graham looks to his father in some sort of shock. 

The baker cringes slightly, “I don’t know.”

As everyone watches on, they see the communication between Rue and Katniss and their anxiety climbs every second. Watching as the pack settles down to sleep and Peeta and Katniss get comfortable in their makeshift sleeping arrangement. 

It’s not until the next morning when everything goes down though. 

The mines had an incident late into the night, during the overnight shift, so they were closed that morning until they could confirm that the current shaft they are in follows safety regulations, not that there were many to begin with.

However, that meant that almost the entire District was gathered in the main square to watch what was happening with their tributes. 

Prim grips Rory’s hand tightly, her other one bunched into her mother’s skirt. 

Posy is on her mother’s hip and Vick is between his second oldest brother and mother. 

Gale stands beside Madge who acts as the barrier between the merchant family and the Seam residents, though at this point it is an unnecessary precaution because the witch is manning the counter in the bakery, leaving her sons and husband to support her youngest without her. 

This mod podge group, who have come together under the most dire of circumstances, is now closer than ever and it is evident in the way they interact, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a voice of reason, and a hand to hold, no matter which side of town you're from. 

They need that reassurance too as they watch their loved ones sprint away from Cato of District Two. 

Peeta has Rue in his arms, along with the biggest backpack slung over his back, while Katniss carries everything else as they sprint full speed away from the confrontation. 

Nobody knows how they are that fast, especially with all of their equipment and packs, but Gale voices a different query. 

“Where are you headed to, Catnip?” He whispers, his voice carrying across the square due to the microphones positioned in front of the crowd where they are standing. 

“Just away, I guess?” Rye offers, unsure. 

“No, watch.” Gales points at the screen just as Peeta and Katniss share a look, obviously conveying something nobody else can understand. “They have a destination, they both know where they’re going too. I just can’t figure out how they know?”

“I don’t know,” Rye trails off, realizing he was right, “let’s just hope it doesn’t take too long to get there.”

When Katniss gestures towards one of the many small rock caves formed by the river, Gale’s eyebrows shoot up. They hadn’t been to that part of the river before, but he knows she made it to where she wanted to be. How did she know it was there? He does not voice his confusion though, well aware that could draw way too much attention and maybe even possibly make things more difficult for his hunting partner. 

“I told you he could pick up both me and Katniss,” Prim turns to tell Rory when Peeta picks up both Rue and Katniss to situate them on their blanket set up. 

The crowd is silent as they watch their tributes care for the little girl. This is not something that happens in the games which is why most of the country is also watching, intrigued and quiet. 

When Katniss goes out to get some medicinals, the older generation, the ones who know how the games work, holds their breath. 

The camaraderie between districts isn’t allowed, and their tributes are blatantly disregarding that fact, and now one of them is headed off on their own? This will not end well.

They are proven right as Katniss starts to roast her kill and the cameras show a split screen of the girl from Ten heading in her direction, a knife gripped tightly in her hand and Katniss none the wiser. 

“No. No. No. No.” Rye runs a hand through his hair, worried about what is likely going to happen. 

“She’ll be okay. She has to be.” Rory whispers to Prim, his voice barely loud enough to be caught by the microphone setup. 

“Not if Katniss doesn’t realize she’s there.” Prim says back, her voice breaking towards the end. 

“She will.” Gale replies, his voice hard as his eyes stay locked onto the screen, his right fist clenched tightly while his left squeezes Madge’s hand. 

The entire crowd seems to hold their breath and they are just about to release it as she finishes cooking her food and starts to make the trek back to base. However there are multiple yelps and gasps as the District Ten girl leaps out from behind a tree. 

“Catnip!” Gale calls out, as if he was just in the woods with her and they were watching each other’s back as they always do. 

Rye flinches when the girl with the messed up pigtails swings at the girl he just started to look at as his sister. 

Prim turns towards her mother, wanting to hide her face, not watch her sister fight for her life but she can’t make herself look away. 

When Katniss fires her bow and the girl dodges it, there are no cries of disappointment or anger or any reaction at all besides disbelief. 

The entire district knows this girl, they don’t want to see her die nor do they want to see her kill. 

When Dixie drags the knife along Katniss’ side, the entire crowd cringes in shared sympathetic pain but right after when Katniss doesn’t even load her bow and instead just uses the arrow in her hand the crowd watches wide eyed and Dixie takes her last breath. 

They all stand motionless and watch as Katniss collects herself and grabs the pack as well as her arrows. They all automatically respond to the given salute though, their hands raised proudly, three fingers the sky and silent wishes for easy travels back to peace for the girl from District Ten. 

Prim lets out a sob, knowing her sister will not be the same when she gets back home. Not after killing a girl without even loading her bow. 

Mrs. Everdeen wipes her own silent tears and runs a hand down Prim’s braids to comfort her. Graham rubs her back, his own face tear free but his eyes convey all the sadness he feels just as poignantly. 

Prim turns around to face Graham and wraps her arms around him tightly, pressing her face into his thread bare gray shirt. 

“She’s okay.” Mr. Mellark tells his oldest friend, not finding it any easier than she is after watching that, the girl he had just started looking at as his own daughter fighting for her life. 

“She’s losing a lot of blood. She needs to get back quickly and look at that cut.” Astrid tells her old friend nervously, and she makes a lot of people look back at the screen where her daughter is running back to the relative safety of the cave. 

She is almost back at the river and her jacket and side show just how much blood she has lost. The color of her face is quickly getting paler and paler with each stride she takes. 

When she finally makes her way back into the cave they are not surprised to see Peeta pacing nor how he reacts when she is right in front of him again. 

“Peeta. Come on. See it.” Rye urges, his eyes wide as he waits for his brother to see the wound on his future sister in law, well… who would have been his sister in law if they were not chosen to be stuck in that arena. 

“Now, you know you're supposed to be the healer,” Peeta says in a light voice, getting some half laughs from the audience, mostly just to try to lighten the mood. 

“No, that's my mom and my sister. I usually run in the opposite direction.” Everyone who has ever been to the Everdeen home for treatment nods or in some way acknowledges the truth to that sentiment. Katniss is always the first to run out of the room, even if she doesn’t even know the person seeking help. 

“You know more than your fair share, don’t be so humble now, because you're gonna have to walk me through this.”

“Come on, Peeta, you gotta give her some stitches” Prim whispers, hoping he is better than Katniss would be in this situation. 

When Katniss says the same thing as her little sister, the entire crowd winces. Stitches without any medicine are entirely too painful. 

It turns into even greater whispers when the contents of their first aid kit come up on the screen. No paper stitches or even a needle and thread, or really anything they could use for stitches. 

“You need to get the fishing line and hook.”

Rye leans forward into the grass and pukes at the thought, Graham rubbing his back to provide comfort. 

Mrs. Everdeen and Prim pale but steal themselves, it’s better than nothing and at least they hadn’t gone fishing yet so they should be relatively clean. 

Gale clenches his jaw tightly, he doesn’t think he will ever be able to go fishing again. 

Cheers ring out around the square for the first time in a long time. The beeping of a parachute is a welcome gift to their tributes and many gain more respect for Haymitch in that moment, because even if he is a drunkard, he at least could help their kids in this moment of need. 

The crowd watches the terrible pain Katniss is going through, Peeta’s reassuring words do nothing to stop the tears rolling down her cheeks nor the grunt and whimpers through the sock. 

When Peeta cuts the thread and ties a tight knot to finish the stitches off, a collective exhale goes around the district, Katniss’ heavy breathing, while awful, is much better than the noises from before. 

They watch as Peeta fusses over her for a moment, his inability to help apparent in his actions and the look on his face. 

When they finally settle down together and the screen switches back to the Capitol spectators everyone slowly disperses to continue with their days. 

Their tributes are safe for now. Peeta is healthy and will watch over the girls as they heal.

It’s the best they can hope for, and for a District without a lot of hope…

It’s more than enough for them.

Chapter Text

Their tributes are safe for now. Peeta is healthy and will watch over the girls as they heal.

It’s the best they can hope for, and for a District without a lot of hope…

It’s more than enough for them.

BOOM

Katniss goes flying backwards and Peeta’s head shoots up quickly along with Rue’s at the loud sound that reverberates around the arena.  

District Twelve cheers as they see their girl stand up and stumble towards the tree line, disoriented but otherwise none the worse for wear. 

Gale fist bumps Vick and Rye throws Posy in the air in celebration. Prim hugs Rory excitedly and Madge has a grin a mile wide. 

The entire crowd is buzzing with energy. All of them had been on edge as Katniss and Peeta explained their plan to Rue. 

It checks out... the logic behind it. Get rid of the supplies in the cornucopia and leave the careers to fend for themselves. But the plan, if you could even really call it a full plan, was risky. Especially because they split up. The last time they were separated did not end well.

However, this time all seems well, Rue and Peeta have started to head back to the cave from the second fire, foregoing the final one in order to meet Katniss at their cave base. Katniss is hidden back in her hiding place by the tree line but the boy from District Two is too busy throwing a hissy fit to check for her and his two allies are too terrified of him to interrupt. 

District Twelve rides that high as the careers head back out into the fray, but not in the direction of either of their tributes, and Rue and Peeta smile at one another as they hike towards the river, still a few hours hike out from their destination. 

The crowd chats, laughs ringing through the square as their tributes are now favored to win. Sure, the duo from Two could know how to survive, but they're gonna be putting more of their energy into getting food rather than hunting the others. The hulking boy from Eleven is by far their biggest competition now, he somehow looks bigger than when he went in, eating more inside the arena than he had outside but between the two of their tributes, District Twelve’s tributes have never had a greater chance at coming home, even if only one can come home. 

It ends up taking a while but Katniss is safe in the cave, Peeta and Rue are only a few minutes out and that's when a high pitched scream rings out around the square in Twelve. 

Eyes immediately turn towards Brandy who is only focused on the screen, her shaking hand covering her mouth and her eyes teary and wide in fear. 

“No!” Rye shouts his hands raising to his hair in his distress. Graham wraps Brandy in his arms as his heart races.

Their brother is fighting for his life. 

Otho's legs almost fail as he watches his youngest son jump out of the way of an ax. 

“Peeta!” Prim calls out, Rory rushing to hug her, not unlike what Graham is doing to his fiancee. 

Rye and Graham both watch as their brother wrestles the other boy to the ground, both of them rolling trying to get the upper hand on one another. 

Peeta gets the dark haired boy in the side twice, his knife dripping with blood. 

Nobody in Twelve has the time to register how the kindest boy in the entire district has just stabbed someone… The fight isn’t over and that’s when the crowd’s breath rushes out of them as Peeta gets hit in the leg with the ax. 

Peeta throws the knife, the handle the only thing visible as the blade lodges itself in the throat of the smaller boy. The cannon blows immediately as he falls to the ground, dead. 

The square is silent as Peeta falls and grips his leg, his face broadcasting just how much pain he is in. 

Graham buries his head into Brandy’s blonde curls, trying to catch his breath from his panic while Rye falls to his knees in the grass, his head tilted back and tears falling from his eyes, his mouth forming the same thing over and over again even though no sound escapes, “I’m sorry.”

Otho rests his hands on his knees, his legs still not as steady as they usually are after watching his son kill someone while fighting for his life. 

None of them are okay and everyone can tell. 

“Sit down,” Prim says softly to the baker. She gently takes his arm and helps him to the ground before putting his head between his knees, helping to balance him once more before moving to do the same for Rye. 

“It’s not your fault,” Prim tells the middle son. 

“I didn’t volunteer. It should've been me.” Rye says, his voice choked up. 

“Then it’s my fault my sister is in there, look me in the face and tell me it is my fault and i'll let you believe you're responsible too.” Prim says, her voice aged a decade in a single moment. 

Rye looks up in shock, “of course not!”

“Well, either we both should have been in there and died, or we both should be here in Twelve, there is no in between, and wishing you had volunteered won’t help Peeta at all, so take a minute and then stand up and support your brother as best you can.” Prim’s voice finally softens, “it’s the only thing you can do for him now.”

Rye stares at the small blonde, everyone else doing the same, as if seeing the girl for the first time. Finally he shakes his head, rubs his hand down his face to rid it of tears and stands up with a nod. 

Otho follows suit, his head held high as he watches Katniss take care of his son’s injury. 

Astrid squeezes his shoulder, “Katniss has him, I know she knows how to do stitches and they still have supplies.”

A parachute drops down to exhales of relief across the district. 

“See, he’ll be okay.” Prim says as she takes Rye’s hand, “Katniss won’t let him suffer if she can help it.”

Rye squeezes her hand back, “you're right. He’s okay, he'll sleep until tomorrow at the very least and hopefully he will feel a little better then.” He pulls her into a quick hug, “thank you.”

“Hey, I had to learn at least something from Katniss,” Prim says cheekily, her smile wide enough to show her dimples. 

Rye laughs loudly, “I guess you did and your sister is the toughest, strongest girl I know, I’m glad she’s looking out for my brother, and hey” he slightly ruffles her braids, “since she’s not here to watch out for you, and Peeta isn’t here to look after me either, we can look out for each other, sound good?”

Prim’s smile doesn’t drop as she gives him a nod. 

“I want some of that!” Graham whines jokingly. “I never had a little sister either, it’s not fair that Peeta and Rye get one if I don’t!”

Prim laughs again but grabs his hand as well, “I’ve got two hands, you can each hold one if you want.”

Rye and Graham share a look of disbelief, they thought they just lost family to the games, they never thought they'd find family because of them.

Chapter Text

“I want some of that!” Graham whines jokingly. “I never had a little sister either, it’s not fair that Peeta and Rye get one if I don’t!”

Prim laughs again but grabs his hand as well, “I’ve got two hands, you can each hold one if you want.”

Rye and Graham share a look of disbelief, they thought they just lost family to the games, they never thought they'd find family because of them.

The entire crowd stands silent and tearful as they watch their girl finish her lullaby to her fallen friend. 

Prim buries her head into Rye’s chest, hiding from the crowd as her tears drop onto his dark blue shirt. Rye’s hand smoothes down her braids as he also lets a few tears fall, but he isn’t as sad as the twelve year old clinging to him. He’s pissed. He looks to his right and sees Graham as he holds Brandy tightly to him, his face also broadcasting his feelings, his righteous anger apparent in the way he stands and watches the screen. 

Gale doesn’t try to hide the anger he feels either, his fists clenched tightly and his jaw doing the same. Madge understands exactly how the boys are feeling, but she can’t feel anything other than breathtaking sadness and awe for her best friend and that little girl’s family. 

The entire crowd stands in stunned silence. Even through her tears, Katniss’ voice resonated with every single one of them, and everyone doesn’t want to miss a single moment which is why all of them are surprised when the camera cuts out, the screen going black for just a single moment before it shows Cato and Clove arguing as they scavenge for food. 

That’s when the whispers start. The crowd buzzed with an energy that has not been seen for many years in the small coal infused district. 

“What’s going on?” Prim looks at Gale, her tears finally slowed after the comfort from Rye.

Gale just shakes his head at her, warning her silently not to ask. She gets his message quickly and just looks back at the screen, trying to figure it out for herself. 

It doesn’t take very long before loud gasps replace the low whispers. They always show the bodies as they are lifted out of the arena, it will be the last time anyone besides their families will see them. 

Rue is surrounded by colorful blossoms. 

“Oh Katniss,” Hazel gasps, her hand raising to cover her mouth in her shock and awe. 

The crowd holds their breath as the dead little girl is lifted into the air, some flowers falling back to the ground but most threaded through her bushy hair and covering her fatal wound, no blood to be seen, only a little girl surrounded by flowers. 

The crowd continues its silence as they raise their left hands along with their girl on screen. Even the most apathetic and out for themselves people take notice of the moment and participate. 

Something has changed. The air surrounding the square is stilted, as if people who could once breathe, even through all the coal dust in the air, have just discovered that perhaps they never could in the first place. The stuffy feeling continues as the crowd watches with bated breath as the careers surround their girl, the dark haired boy creeping steadily forward behind the brush in order to ambush her. 

The air which seemed so still before rushes around as people gasp and scream as the spear cuts through the air right where Katniss’ head was just a moment ago. 

“Run.” Gale almost begs as he watches his best friend flee into cover for her life. 

Nobody says anything about how lucky she got, how she chose the only direction without someone waiting for her, it would seem irrelevant in the face of how much danger she is still in, and that’s before the District One boy starts to sink. 

It doesn’t take very long for the boy to be more than half buried in the sandy dirt, his struggling not doing anything at all to help him stay above the ground. 

When Katniss shoots her arrow, straight through the eye of the dying boy, the baker and his two oldest sons flinch harshly, the running joke about Katniss’ marksmanship running through their heads but no longer funny or entertaining. 

On the other hand, the miners in the crowd let go of their tenseness, they cannot imagine a death worse than suffocation or being buried alive, their girl just saved that young man from a horrific fate, and they know exactly why she did it too. 

The crowd continues to watch in silence, they watch as Katniss picks her steps carefully, her shoulders never dropping from their tense position, she's not even remotely safe yet. 

The only place she is safe in that arena is next to Peeta, and nobody knows how long it’ll take for her to be back by his side, or for how long she can stay there. After all, twenty four go in, but only one comes out.

Chapter Text

The crowd continues to watch in silence, they watch as Katniss picks her steps carefully, her shoulders never dropping from their tense position, she's not even remotely safe yet. 

The only place she is safe in that arena is next to Peeta, and nobody knows how long it’ll take for her to be back by his side, or for how long she can stay there. After all, twenty four go in, but only one comes out.

The next morning, during the required viewing in the square, before the shift change, everyone watches the review as their girl fights through the night. 

They watch as she stumbles and jumps, as she tries to logic her way out of her situation, and even as she licks her dry cracked lips, fighting dehydration. 

They watch her grit her teeth and do what she has to do. 

Prim watches with pride. Her big sister is the best person she knows, someone who she trusts with everything, her dreams, her hopes, her sadness, her fear, her life, and her happiness. If there were anybody in Panem who she wants to be more like, it is her big sister. 

Rye and Graham watch in disbelief. This girl is the toughest person in Twelve, maybe even in the whole country. They knew she was tough, they knew of her family situation, most people in the district did, even in town. But to see her still pushing through obvious exhaustion, dehydration, and injuries in order to get back to their little brother. They can recognize just how much she can take and get through. 

Gale watches as his best friend does her thing. He is not surprised by her fortitude or her actions. He knows exactly how much she puts up with on a daily basis, trying to survive in her situation. Hell, he’s right there with her. But he does appreciate her skills and her willingness to just put her head down and get on with it. Something that can only help her in there without him to watch her back. 

Mrs. Everdeeen watches her eldest daughter with regret but also with love, she knows she messed up, and she knows she will probably never earn her daughters forgiveness, but with everything that has happened in the last few months, really since the start of this year, something has changed. She just regrets that she may never know what it is, but she will always be grateful for it and the chance it has given. Something she plans to take if her daughter does come back home. 

The rest of the town square watches in awe. They know their girl has a chance and hope she can get home, they just wish her boy could come back with her. 

Little did they know they would get their wish. 

That night, right before mandatory viewing ends, Claudius Templesmith announces a rule change that will forever be one of the best things to happen to District Twelve. 

“Congratulations to the remaining six Tributes! I need to announce that there has been a slight rule change… if the final two tributes are both from the same district, they will both be announced as the winners. Good luck Tributes and may the odds be ever in your favor.” 

The square gasps but then turns silent. The silence does last long before everyone starts cheering. 

Mr. Mellark holds his breath in disbelief. Mrs. Everdeen immediately puts her hand on his shoulder, tears streaming down her face as she realizes that they can both come home and her daughter won’t have to know the pain she’s been in since her husband died. “It’s real Otho, they can both come home.”

That’s when Otho crumbles, tears streaming down his face as his son cheers on screen. He never once saw the light leave Peeta’s eyes, even as his son told him he would not be returning home as they said goodbye in the Justice Building the day everything changed, but he feels like life just got breathed back into him as his future daughter in law calls out for his son and starts to move again. 

Prim is laughing and jumping excitedly with Madge and Posy, she can’t wait for two of her favorite people to come back home and now she knows that when they get back they will be okay. 

Rye keeps switching between laughing and crying, pure relief coursing through his body as his brother no longer has a confirmed death sentence. 

Graham spins Brandy around in excitement, his smile the widest anyone in the district has ever seen on the usually shy and quiet man. 

The entire district knows what this means. It means their kids are coming home, no matter what, they know neither of them would give up on getting the other one home and with the rule change allowing both of them to live, there is no way they will let that chance pass them by. 

The mood that spreads across the district is more celebratory than ever before. Even the peacekeepers, especially those who frequent the Hob or those that are regulars with Katniss or Gale also join in the small celebration that continues to a decently late hour in the light. The screens showing Katniss as she slowly makes her way back to Peeta and eventually, once both of their tributes are getting at least some rest, Peeta in the cave and Katniss in a tree, the peacekeepers do clear the square and send everyone home to get some of their own, but between the mood in the District and the mood of their kids in the arena, everything looks more hopeful than ever before.

Chapter Text

The mood that spreads across the district is more celebratory than ever before. Even the peacekeepers, especially those who frequent the Hob or those that are regulars with Katniss or Gale also join in the small celebration that continues to a decently late hour in the light. The screens showing Katniss as she slowly makes her way back to Peeta and eventually, once both of their tributes are getting at least some rest, Peeta in the cave and Katniss in a tree, the peacekeepers do clear the square and send everyone home to get some of their own, but between the mood in the District and the mood of their kids in the arena, everything looks more hopeful than ever before. 

Rye fake gags as he watches his brother and Katniss kiss for the millionth time in the last two days which causes Prim to bump him with her hip in joking reprimand. 

Ever since Katniss arrived back at the cave, and their PDA was broadcast to the entirety of Panem for that first kiss, they haven't stopped. 

Now, don’t get him wrong, he would much rather see this than either of them hurt or in active danger, but that doesn’t mean he wants to see it in general! That’s his baby brother!

The day’s recap is almost done when they start to get comfortable enough to get some rest, but then the trumpets blare and the crowd settles quickly. The last time those trumpets blared the best news most of District Twelve can remember was announced. 

“Attention. Attention. Tributes. There will be a feast at the cornucopia at sunrise. Now, this is no ordinary occasion. Each of you needs something, desperately. And we intend to be… generous hosts. I would think twice about not coming, for some of you, this may be your last chance.”

Everyone shares a look, their kids don’t truly need much. Some medicine for Katniss would be nice, and even some for Peeta’s leg as well. But neither of them are actively dying right now and they have enough food, water, and means to get more of both as well. 

That doesn’t mean they shouldn't go though. If they refuse, who knows what the Gamemakers will send their way. No, their best bet is to go and check everything out, even if they don’t end up participating in the feast and getting their assigned items. 

The required viewing ends there, and they won’t know what will happen until tomorrow morning, so even if no Everdeen girl or Mellark boy sleeps tonight, they head home anyway, at least hoping for a little rest before everything kicks off in the morning. 

Prim screams as once again, Clove’s knife almost hits her sister. 

The crowd gasps as Katniss releases her arrow, almost fatally wounding her attacker if it weren’t for the girl's fast reflexes. 

The crowd holds their breath and the girls end up wrestling on the ground. 

“Go Peeta,” Graham begs, seeing his brother moving as fast as he possibly could on his bad leg towards where his girl is fighting for her life. 

“Hello Lover Girl.” Clove’s cruel smile takes up most of the screen. “Where’s the boy?”

The crowd watches Katniss glares, not answering. 

“Doesn’t matter.” She pulls a knife from her wrist holder.

“What are you doing?!” Gale yells, Madge pulling him back by the collar as he throws his arms up, “why would you shake your head Catnip?!”

Rye looks at the screen confused too, they are a team! Why would she tell Peeta not to help her, and why is he kind of listening. 

“He doesn’t have a good angle,” Prim speaks up, her voice getting caught by the microphone. “He could hit her if he threw one of his knives right as Clove moves, or if he tackles Clove there no telling where that knife in her hand will end up.”

Gale and Rye both look at Prim in surprise before turning back to the fighting and realize she's right. 

“He won't be able to save you.” Clove continues her monologue, “just like you weren't able to save that little girl.'' 

The crowd gasps, how could anyone make fun of that little girl’s death?

“Don't. Talk. About. Rue.”

Gale closes his eyes, silently begging his best friend not to make this worse for herself. 

“You don't have a leg to stand on Girl on Fire.” She says back snarkily. “I’m pretty sure you should just shut your trap or I have an idea…” she trails off, finally gripping her knife firmly. 

“No,” Mrs. Everdeen breathes, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in pure terror at what she thinks she might have to watch. 

“I’ll just make you.” She says with a smile. “It’s hard to back talk when you don't have the lips to do so.” She places the point of her knife right on the corner of Katniss’ lip, drawing a single drop of blood. 

Prim buries her face in Rory’s shoulder, not able to watch anymore. 

Madge doing the same to Gale and Brandy to Graham. 

“Go on. Blow Lover Boy one last kiss. One last little smooch.” She laughs, the sound cutting. “No?” She asks. “You sure? It’s your last chance…”

“Don’t talk about Peeta. Don’t talk about Rue.” Their girl spits back, cutting herself on the knife still pressed into her lip but unable to hold back, wanting to protect the people she cares about. 

“Okay. Fine. I’ll just take it out on you instead…”

The crowd gasps again, many looking away or yelling at Peeta to step in. 

The crowd goes still though as she is yanked off of their girl, the hulking boy from District Eleven holding her up by her hair as his hand holds a rock bigger than a loaf of bread. 

“What does she mean? What’d you do to that little girl?” He growls.

The ones who had hidden their faces look back towards the screen at the sound of the new voice, shock written all over their faces as they watch the exchange happen, Peeta slowly moving in closer, his knife clenched in his hand as he now has a better shot if he needs to throw it. Katniss slowly backs up on the ground away from where the new exchange is happening on the side of the cornucopia. 

“You stuck up for her.” He says, “why?”

The square collectively doesn’t breathe as he turns his attention to their girl still on the ground. They know Peeta is right there and will have no problem killing Thresh if he starts to make a move to hurt his girl, but is he fast enough to stop the hulking boy if he does make a move? They aren’t sure. 

“We were allies. We blew up the careers food together, her, Peeta, and I. I tried to save her but Clove got her with a knife before I could even get to her. She died in my arms. I covered her with flowers and sang to her until she passed.” Her tears drip from her cheeks down onto the soft looking grass. 

They can see the moment Thresh looks at the rock in his hands and Peeta tenses even more, not close enough to hear the conversation but also recognizing the conflicted motion. 

“Do it quick okay? Peeta doesn’t need to see me suffer. He thought of Rue like a little sister.”

“NO!” Most of the square shouts, or some version of that. 

“Get outta here twelve. I won't kill you or your man this time,” he says gesturing with his arm towards where Peeta is watching wide eyed, a knife gripped in his hand tightly. “Only this time. My debt to you over Rue is paid. Go on. Get.”

The crowd is silent as they digest what just happened. This fight to the death, now a cycle of protection and allyship not ever seen before. 

Thresh runs off with both his bag and District Two’s bag right as Cato arrives at the feast. 

Finally their kids snap into action and run back to their camp, not stopping until they arrive safe and sound. 

“I have never been more scared!” Peeta hugs his girl. “Why would you tell me not to save you! Do you understand what that did to me?!”

The crowd watches the back and forth as they have a miniature fight. Finally they sit down to open their gift from the feast. The crowd nodding along with wide smiles at their treasures until they get to the compasses. They share their kid’s confusion at first but once they find out what those compasses can do… The cheer that comes out rivals the one from the announcement of the rule change.

Their kids are for sure coming home.

Chapter Text

“ I have never been more scared!” Peeta hugs his girl. “Why would you tell me not to save you! Do you understand what that did to me?!”

The crowd watches the back and forth as they have a miniature fight. Finally, they sit down to open their gift from the feast. The crowd nodding along with wide smiles at their treasures until they get to the compasses. They share their kid’s confusion at first but once they find out what those compasses can do… The cheer that comes out rivals the one from the announcement of the rule change.

Their kids are for sure coming home.

" Okay. What do we have?”

Prim giggles at her sister's muffled question and how so unlike herself but also how cute she was being with her boyfriend. 

“Wait. Peeta. You aren’t limping.”

The crowd holds their breath as they also notice how well Peeta is moving. When their boy pulls his cut pant’s leg away from his now healed cut, showcasing the thick but fully healed scar rather than his previous mostly open wound, they cheer. 

Rye jumps on Graham’s back and Graham just lets him, dancing around like they're Posy’s age instead of fully grown men. 

Prim just grins, knowing her sister will also be healed just the same as her future brother. 

Gale is just giddy. They'll come home. His best friend is going to come home. Madge smiles at him, matching his thought even if he didn’t speak it out loud, she can’t wait for her bestfriends to return home where they belong. 

The square watches as they lay out their food, measuring how much they have as the rain pours outside their small but safe shelter. 

Gale, knowing how quickly food can run out, cringes slightly but he also knows neither of them have been starving in any sense since they've gone in, they will be okay if they have food restrictions for a small time. 

Once they decide what to eat the crowd laughs listening to their joking around and Gale especially cackles at Catnip’s “giving you what-for” comment, knowing how true it is. 

By the time they start on the hand games most of the district is just talking to each other and occasionally watching, entertained by the stories and glad their kids are safe. Cato is shown hunting Thresh every once in a while and the redheaded girl from five is hiding decently far away from their kids. 

Otho glares at his sons as soon as their pranks on their brother are brought up, though most of the rest of the district are just entertained by it. When her threat over them ever doing it again happens both brothers pale instantly, getting slight ribbing from some of the other merchant kids around them. 

“Okay, don’t take this the wrong way but you're honestly terrifying. I think all of Twelve knows it too.” Peeta says. 

The crowd laughs, knowing how true it is and slightly shocked she doesn’t seem to believe him. 

“Tonne.” 

Immediately the crowd quiets and turns towards the tall and scraggly Seam man who pales dramatically, his eyes growing wide. 

Graham, Rye, and Gale turn towards the man already glaring, knowing Katniss wouldn’t go out of her way for anything that wasn’t important. Gale had asked at the time what he had done, Katniss absolutely refused to tell him but he still remembers the anger on her face as she collected some of the most disgusting things she could find. 

“Oh. I see it. I have no remorse about that though. He had it coming.” Katniss is characteristically unapologetic. 

“What did you do?” Nick hisses to his friend, already backing away from him at all the eyes watching. 

“Fuck if I know! She’s just crazy!” Tonne replies, embarrassed and worried about where this is going. 

“Oh, it was me, and he absolutely deserved it. I wanted to do more but there are these things called laws that prevented me from actually maiming him.” Katniss tells her boyfriend. 

“Dude. Shut the fuck up. You obviously did something.” Nick hisses once again, now genuinely angry as well. 

“Oh no, I’m gonna straighten this out for the people at home, maybe get them to understand what the hell he did. Prim, I swear, close your ears. Gale or Mom, make sure she doesn’t listen.” 

“You’re on your own.” Nick tells him, walking up to the group at the front who haven’t stopped glaring at his best friend. 

Gale immediately claps his hands on either side of Prim’s face and Rye also reaches out to add another layer, hoping that’s enough to block out the sound of whatever Katniss doesn’t want her to hear. 

Prim doesn’t even argue, knowing none of their group would ever possibly let her listen. She will ask Rory later or one of her other friends from school, especially if it has something to do with her, which it seems like it does. 

“Stupid mistake cause I heard everything he said. He gestured to Prim and said ‘now that one, once she grows, maybe in two years, I reckon’, she’ll be the best one I say. Look at that ribbon, perfect for keepin’ quiet behind the slag heap, if ya know what I mean.’ It doesn’t end there. Nick, the actual gentleman that he is, hit him upside the head and told him to shut the hell up, but Tonne just whispered to him again, ‘no, I ain’t gonna shut up because you know I’m right, her sister, if she’d lose the stick up her ass, would be a nice rail too but honestly I like em’ younger anyway.”

The crowd goes silent with rage and disbelief. 

Tonne’s eyes go wide. That’s so much worse than anything he thought she would say. 

Without wasting a second, one of the Hob stall owners, the man who sells soap scraps and has built up a good rapport with Katniss ever since she gave him the dock seeds and told him how to roast them for baking, approaches the 18 year old and decks him. 

“You disgusting pig.” He spits. “Eleven!”

Peacekeepers are immediately on scene but everybody in the district is shocked when the young redheaded one just pulls the two men apart and sends them in opposite directions, nobody dragged off in cuffs.

Tonne would never tell anybody but the threat he got from the redheaded peacekeeper keeps him up at night, too scared to go to sleep just in case he was dragged off to a cell. 

“Knowing what I know now, and I bet everybody at home agrees, you were well within your rights.” Peeta says seriously.

The crowd murmurs in agreement. They’re surprised she didn’t genuinely hurt him. 

“Hey! They weren’t strewn about. They were placed purposefully to spell out ‘predator,’ it’s not my fault he can’t read.” The genuine response causes a few laughs to burst out even though everybody is still more than a little bit mad at the dark haired man. He will forever be reminded of this, for the rest of his life nobody would be shocked if he didn’t get one girl to ever be with him again. 

“Even if he deserved it, this still doesn’t make you any less scary.” Peeta genuinely tells their girl.

“I don’t care.” Katniss shrugs. 

Laughter rings out around the square and Gale, along with Rye, finally lets Prim hear again. 

She’s definitely gonna figure out what Katniss told everybody because everybody is still looking at her and she wants to know what the strange protective looks are about, plus why the peacekeepers broke up that fight but didn’t arrest anybody. 

That’s not what is important though, her siblings are safe and healing and that is all that matters right now.

Chapter Text

“Even if he deserved it, this still doesn’t make you any less scary.” Peeta genuinely tells their girl.

“I don’t care.” Katniss shrugs. 

Laughter rings out around the square and Gale, along with Rye, finally lets Prim hear again. 

She’s definitely gonna figure out what Katniss told everybody because everybody is still looking at her and she wants to know what the strange protective looks are about, plus why the peacekeepers broke up that fight but didn’t arrest anybody. 

That’s not what is important though, her siblings are safe and healing and that is all that matters right now.

Prim smiles as she watches Peeta braid her sister’s hair. 

“He’s obsessed with her braid.” Rye groans, “he literally never stopped talking about her hair.”

Everyone laughs at his overdramatic whining. Ever since the announcement where two victors could be crowned, the entire district, while still on edge, has calmed down and been more positive in almost every single way. 

Gale finally got the deer that he’s been on the look out for since reaping day, bringing more meat into the Hob and a celebratory feeling to his family, plus some extra scrip and coinage. Madge has taken to coming with him to sell, finding some things that she loves and getting more money into the place, immediately endearing her to the Seam people as well, especially because she didn’t seem to mind her shiny shoes finally getting some coal dust on them. 

Prim has taken to giving away her goat cheese since people have been feeding her family while her sister and Peeta are away. The Hawthornes are a given, and even the baker is to be expected, but the entire Seam, and even a few from town, have taken the little family under their  protection while their protector is away. Their kitchen is better stocked than usual even though summer is their most plentiful time anyway. 

Mrs. Everdeen has been getting medicinals from Gale and Rory, who has started heading out with his older brother now that he has less time due to his mine shifts. So, her business is doing just as well as always. 

All in all, things are looking up for everyone in Twelve, for the first time in twenty five years at least. 

Which is why when Katniss starts spilling some secrets of the Hawthrone boys’, like when Rory broke the leg off of his and Vick’s bed, or when Vick almost caught their house on fire, or when Gale dropped Vick when he was little, Hazel, though she had a decently large reaction and cuffed each of her boys at least once over the head for their recklessness, she didn’t give any of them actual consequences. She would’ve if Vick had gotten hurt during the story but thankfully he had just landed on his butt, not his head or anyway that would hurt the boy. So, she caved slightly, not wanting to ruin their good moods, nor her own. 

Otho doesn’t even do as much as Hazel did when Peeta starts up, he just shakes his head, half in disappointment and the other half in amusement as Peeta recounts their mischief. 

Everybody is having a good time with the stories until Katniss sours the mood, though they can’t blame her for asking about the obvious. 

“What’d she do about it?”

Rye and Graham both immediately sit up straighter, their faces turning to stone without a single second’s hesitation. Prim looks at the two blonde haired brothers, confused at their reaction and what her sister is talking about. 

Gale raises his eyebrows and sneaks looks at the Mellark brothers, he had no idea until now, he thought all the kids in town were spoiled and lucky… his Ma would never, and neither would Mrs. Everdeen. 

Madge smiles sadly, doing her best not to project pity as she grab’s Rye’s hand, gently pries his fingers open from his clenched fist and slots her finger’s with his, providing all the comfort she can while this is the topic of conversation. 

The rest of the square goes silent immediately. Almost everyone knows what Katniss is referring to, at least the adults, but they’ve never been able to step in before this… if Peeta confirms anything, they’ll have enough of a reason to turn on the witch. Especially because if Peeta and Katniss really do get to come home, they’ll be the district’s golden couple, anybody who hurts them will have another thing coming. 

“Do not feel embarrassed over something she did. You are the best man I have ever met. Caring, loyal, kind, and I know she isn’t any of that but you are better in spite of her. Because there is something in you that is intrinsically good, something that defied her and everything she tried to mold you into being.”

Otho looks away from the screen, ashamed at having never told his son that, even though he believes it just as strongly as Katniss does. 

“So, don’t ever feel ashamed because nobody else is ashamed of you. I couldn’t be more proud. Your dad couldn’t be more proud. Same with your brothers. Okay?”

“She’s right, Peet.” Graham whispers softly, his voice just barely being picked up as Rye nods along with his older brother’s words. 

“Let’s just say, the black eye I had the next day wasn’t from wrestling.”

The crowd erupts with murmurs. That’s enough for them. The Witch is going to find out what happens when you mess with one of them, honorary Seam or not, you don’t mess with family. 

“Trust me. I know you are terrifying. You're also somehow the sweetest person I’ve ever met and I don’t know how someone could have such duality.”

Prim nods, laughing uproariously at Peeta’s comment while people look on confused. “He’s so right,” Prim chuckles. 

“If you say so,” Nick mutters, now part of the group instead of being with Tonne. The entire group watches him slightly untrusting but Katniss had called him a gentleman and seems to have no problem with the skinny Seam boy so they’ll cautiously accept him, at least until, or if, he puts a single toe out of line. 

“I think you're the only one who would ever call me sweet.”

“Well, she definitely isn’t made of sugar,” Rye jokes, Prim giggling with him. 

“Haymitch literally calls you sweetheart.”  

“Haymitch is a drunkard who means that as an insult.”

Hazel smiles sadly, she had no idea he called Katniss “Sweetheart”. She remembers a time when he only called her little baby cousin his “Sweetheart.” 

“Kat. When was the last time you and Prim fought?”

Everyone looks at the small blonde haired girl next to her mother but even she seems stumped based on her furrowed brow and small shrug. 

“I think it was about homework. She wanted to go hang out with Rory but had an assignment due the next day she hadn’t started. I told her no.”

Prim blushes as Rory turns to grin at her, but then she sticks her tongue out at him before they both break out into giggles. 

“Kat. That’s not a sisterly argument.”

Prim immediately stops giggling and just like that the square is back to silent. The tension increases exponentially and the Mellark boys look between the screen and the two remaining Everdeen girls in confusion. What are they talking about?

“I know. But we are sisters no matter what the circumstances are, ergo sisterly argument.”

“Mom?” Prim asks, her voice small. 

“It’s okay, Primmy. She’s right and I’m fine.” Asterid smiles down at her daughter, a sad but accepting smile on her face. 

“Kat. Just because my mother was horrible, doesn’t mean you can’t talk about your own homelife.”

Hazel reaches out to hold Asterid’s hand who grips it tightly back, a steady lifeline as all eyes turn towards her and her daughter. Peeta’s right, Katniss could and should talk about her own life. She’s actually glad Katniss can talk about it with Peeta rather than bottling it all up, even if she isn’t thrilled to have her weakness spread among the whole country. 

“I love her. She knows I do. Prim loves her and she needs her mother. She still crawls in her bed after she has a nightmare sometimes, like the night before reaping day. She still asks mom to braid her hair in the mornings, or brings her dinner if she can’t get out of bed.”

Prim blushes bright red at her sister calling her out like that but nobody is really paying attention to that little tidbit. 

Madge smiles sadly at Mrs. Everdeen, knowing how difficult it is for her own mother to get out of bed but also knowing how difficult it is for Katniss to live without her mother. 

Mrs. Everdeen just inhales deeply at her daughter's first sentence. It’s the first time she’s heard her daughter say “I love you” to her since Katniss was eleven and Burdock was still alive. 

“She does need her mother. That doesn’t mean you are any less of a mother to her, Kat. You raised that girl since she was seven. I know you did, she knows you did, and so does your mother.”

Asterid reaches out to run her hand down one of Prim’s braids, not acknowledging outloud how true Peeta’s statement is, but recognizing the truth all the same as the square continues to listen intently. 

“Peeta. I was eleven. What did I know about taking care of a child?”

“Oh, Katniss,” Mrs. Everdeen’s voice breaks as she realizes how insecure Katniss truly is. She stepped up and was a better woman, provider, and mother, than she ever was and the fact she can’t acknowledge it cuts deeper than anything else. It shows how horrible she truly was to her eldest daughter. 

Prim also has a few tears fall. She promises herself to tell Katniss ‘thank you’ more, and remind her how much she loves her every single day when she returns. 

“Kat. Stop for a minute. Prim loves you equally. She knows what you did for her. She knows you are the only reason they survived. You kept them alive. You did. You are the strongest person I know. Most people would break into little pieces if they had the same responsibilities from age eleven.”

“He’s right,” Rye whispers to Madge, now all the more aware of why Katniss was always the one trading, he just assumed she was the one with the hunting talent while her mother worked, but he remembers the first time she showed up at their back door with a squirrel for his father. She was more skin and bones than anything else, her dark hair less shiny, her eyes less innocent, the way she stood and acted… She was already an adult, even if she wasn’t more than 90 pounds soaking wet at 12 years old. 

“I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it,” Madge agrees, “Katniss was always the strong one though.”

“I almost did. You're the only reason we survived. You know that right?”

Everyone gets quiet very quickly. Are they going to talk about when they met? Finishing the tale that Prim described a few days ago? A story that has quickly become legend within their small district about love and overcoming all.

“Peeta, you took a beating for me. You gave us that bread and it was the first food we had eaten in, I don’t know how long. When I saw you across the school yard with that bruise on your jaw the next day, I had never been more grateful, more angry, more… I don’t even know. I just knew that since that moment you had been the only one to care about me since my dad died. That’s something I’ll never be able to thank you enough for.”

Mrs. Everdeen smiles sadly. She never didn’t care about her daughters, she knows she can’t prove that to Katniss, or Prim even, but she tries to come up with ways that might be able to get that message across once Katniss comes home. She has to come home. 

“You don’t need to thank me. I’d do it a million times over again.”

“That was the start of me falling in love with you.”

Rye wolf whistles, getting a few laughs and smiles. The tension is broken slightly now that the topic is a little happier, even if everyone still feels raw from the heavy conversation earlier. 

“I’m serious. I was young enough that I didn’t realize it then though. It took me way too long to recognize what I was feeling but that was when it started. Not the moment you gave me the bread, but the moment across the school yard when I realized you were my hope. I had seen you and I wanted to walk up to you and thank you but I was too embarrassed. I looked down at my shoes and there was a single dandelion. That winter had been so cold and depressing and when I saw that one little sign of life I realized that's what you were. My hope that life could go on.”

The kiss that Peeta gives Katniss for her words isn’t surprising. What catches everyone off guard is how their connection is so clear. They seem to melt into one another, unable to stay away. They intrinsically know what the other will do and move accordingly. It is passion but not aggressive, or over the top, or too much to look at. In fact nobody can make themselves look away from the pure love and care projected through the kiss. It could be felt here in Twelve, thousands of miles away from the arena and their tributes, and they can still feel their love radiating, that’s how powerful and strong it truly is, and everyone knows it. 

When they settle back together, the crowd watches their simple connection with interest but also fondness. This is what their kids deserve after everything they’ve gone through and are still going through. They truly deserve one another and the love they share. 

Everyone has mostly settled into private conversations when the beeping starts. The recognizable beep beep beep of a silver parachute headed for a tribute and they watch as a large black 12 printed on the top descends from the sky towards the cave. 

Their kids are coming home, maybe to one changed for the better, that's what those kids would deserve after everything they’ve lived through, and will live through, to get back here.

Chapter Text

Everyone has mostly settled into private conversations when the beeping starts. The recognizable beep beep beep of a silver parachute headed for a tribute and they watch as a large black 12 printed on the top descends from the sky towards the cave. 

Their kids are coming home, maybe to one changed for the better, that’s what those kids would deserve after everything they’ve lived through and will live through to get back here.

“No!” Prim screeches, drawing the attention of the crowd who had been in a great mood after the last few days of seeing their kids feast and have relative safety even as the rain thundered around them. 

“What?!” Rye jumps, nervous as he realizes it’s his brother being shown on the large central screen. “What’s wrong?”

“Nightlock.” Prim says seriously, getting wide eyes from a few people but mostly confused looks. “If he eats one he’ll be dead within a minute.”

At that the entire square goes pale seeing their boy surrounded by bushes upon bushes of the dark colored berries. 

“He’s ignoring it right now Primmy, we just have to trust Katniss told him about them at some point,” Gale says, resting a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder. 

“I’m sure she did,” Rye nods, agreeing with the dark haired miner. 

“I hope so,” Prim says, leaning back into Gale. 

The cannon blasts signaling a death and Prim catches herself about to let out a sob but when the red haired tribute from 5 is shown dead in the grass and not her sister’s boyfriend she almost collapses with relief though almost immediately she wants to cry for the flaming haired girl. 

“It’s not him,” Graham whispers to a shocked still Rye. 

Rye’s moods have been all over the place as he come to terms with the fact that his brother could be coming home and that he was right not to volunteer, though he will forever be regretful that he didn’t even though it might have been the right choice for both himself and for Peeta and Katniss. 

The square returns to its contentment, even if slightly soured by another young death showcased in front of their very eyes, but their kids are mostly safe;  full, hydrated, prepared. They know that Cato is the only competitor left and the only thing standing between their kids and the return train home. 

___________________________________

“Run.” Rory screams as Cato comes barreling out of the tree line towards his honorary big sister and her boy. 

Prim grasps Rory’s arm as she agrees with his outburst.

“Yes, Peet!” Rye pumps his arm as Peeta basically throws Katniss onto the metal structure and manages to scramble up just in time after her to avoid the mutts. 

“That armor is not fair,” Graham grumbles under his breath as he watches Katniss shoot an arrow straight at Cato's heart with her impeccable aim and the arrow just bounces straight off of his chest. 

“No. It’s not.” Otho agrees with his oldest son. 

The crowd murmurs agreements, upset because their kids should have won right then and there, and would have if not for the Gamemaker's first time decision to have the addition of literal body armor. 

“They can jump.”

“Shit.” Gale curses as he rakes his fingers through his dark hair in worry. 

Everyone watches as mutts fall to knives and arrows alike, always fatal shots the first time and everyone gets a very thorough demonstration of how deadly those two kids are as they don’t waste a single movement or weapon. 

“No!” Asterid gaps as her daughter drops her bow as she is dragged backwards by her signature braid. 

“Katniss!” Prim calls, her voice breaking halfway through as she watches her sister struggle against Cato's strength. 

The moment Peeta recognizes what is happening is a quieting moment for the entirety of District Twelve. Nobody could ever have imagined that expression on the sweet youngest baker boy before now. It’s one of pure protectiveness and love, but also threat and pure rage. 

“That should’ve hit his femoral artery but I don’t know if it was deep enough because of the armor.” Mrs. Everdeen says for the rest of the crowd to hear over the microphone. “He would bleed out in mere minutes if it was hit.”

“Clove?”

“Isn’t she dead?” Rory asks his mom, confused why Cato would be mentioning his distract partner right now and why that would make him let go of Katniss, not that’s hes complaining about her getting away from the large career tribute. 

The adults have seen enough games to know that they often include psychological warfare to mess with the tributes as well as physical fighting and that the mutts somehow correspond with the fallen tributes. 

Hazel shakes her head at her second oldest slightly, telling him not to question it right now and he gets the message swiftly. He just keeps his hand clasped around Prims for her comfort and returns his eyes to the screen to see Peeta tackle Cato. 

“Come on Peet,” Rye urges, seeing him about to pin Cato. 

“Dammit!” Graham clenches his jaw as his brother’s legs get swiped out from under him and he goes down hard, trying to catch his breath as Cato uses his moment of distraction to get him into a headlock and closer to the edge. 

“Do it.” Cato taunts. “Shoot me and we both go down. Don’t shoot me and this baker’s boy dies right here in my arms. Either way, you lose Girl on Fire.”

The entire square is silent as they see Katniss flick her eyes back and forth between Peeta and Cato. 

“Your eleven won’t help you now.”

Everyone sees Katniss pull her string back even tighter and how Cato looks seconds away from a breakdown but his grip on Peeta’s head and neck is tight and sure.

“Oh. Do it.” He dares. “I am gonna die anyway. I didn’t realize that till now, how this was all an elaborate way to die. Never about glory or fame or sacrifice. Kill both of us. I can do this one thing for real glory, and bring pride for my district. Make sure Twelve only has one winner for that shit hole, not two.”

Nobody in District 12 reacts to the taunts, they know what the rest of the country thinks about their small district, they’re used to at least one comment per game making fun of them but nobody was expecting the last minute realization to be spoken out loud by a career. How the Hunger Games are just a death pageant, for nothing more than entertainment. 

Everyone sees the moment Peeta taps Cato’s hand and less than a second later Katniss has fired her bow and both boys are falling. 

“No!”

“Peeta!”

“Fuck!”

“Get back up!”

“Help him!”

Shouts of anguish and disbelief circle through the square. They all watch as the mutts circle and lunge at the two boys on the ground and they watch a silver arrow slice cleaning through the throat of the dog closest to Peeta and the standoff ends. Immediately it’s chaos and even with multiple camera angles it is still difficult to see anything but the dogs attacking. 

Rye watches with his heart in his throat as his brother moves towards the cornucopia again, leaving Cato to fight half the mutts on his own as Katniss and Peeta fight as a team. Peeta throws knives more accurately than ever before, mutt after mutt falling to the blurs as even more fall from a rain of silver arrows from the top of the cornucopia. 

They make good progress but it still seems impossible as the mutts seem to be multiplying just purely based on how many there seem to be, though nobody bothers to actually count, too busy watching and worrying about their tributes as Katniss slowly runs out of arrows and Peeta continues trying to make his way back towards the safety of higher ground. 

“No,” Prim gasps as Peeta cries out, unable to stop himself from pressing one of his hands onto his wounded side, blood already flowing fast from the deep gash in his side. 

“Climb Peeta! I’ll cover you.”

“Go!” Madge begs as Peeta listens and stuarts to climb, having more difficulty than before because of his blood slick hand and his injury which pulls every time he reaches his arm up to climb but then Katniss reaches down and yanks him all the way back up and the entire District takes a collective breath, it seems like nobody had been able to breathe while Peeta was in danger. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you’d fall!”

They watch their kids breakdown into each other’s arms, Katniss sobbing out her apologies over and over again into his neck as he tries to catch his breath and steady his own breathing and adrenaline crash. 

“Patch him up Katniss!” Prim begs, and it’s like she could hear her little sister all the way from the arena because immediately Katniss is scrambling for Peeta’s abandoned backpack and rifling through the first aid kit. 

Gale cringes again and thinks that now he really will never fish again as Katniss is now the one faced with using a fish hook to give Peeta stitches. 

Everyone watches as Katniss once again defies expectations and is able to stitch Peeta's side exceptionally well given what she had to work with. 

“He’ll be okay.” Asterid tells the worried Mellark boys, “they’re almost out and Katniss is going to look and see if she has a clean shot now so it’ll be soon.”

“You’re right,” Otho smiles tightly in thanks at his first love. 

“She doesn’t have a shot,” Gale says as they see Katniss almost deflate as Cato’s screams ring out from the large speakers. 

It takes a couple hours, a couple hours of listening to Cato’s screams, the mutt’s howls and growls, and Katniss and Peeta’s murmuring before the sun starts to come up. A much shorter time than an actual night but it felt like forever to everyone listening to Cato in the Districts, they can’t imagine how long it felt to the three children still in the arena. 

When Katniss finally fires her last arrow and Cato’s canon finally and mercifully announces his death, the entire country takes a breath and watches as Katniss and Peeta hug in celebration and relief. 

They did it. 

They won the 74th Annual Hunger Games. 

They get to go home. 

“Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision, allowing for two victors, has been… revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed, ” Claudius Templesmith says over the loudspeaker. “Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

All across Panem, people freeze just as they watch the two lovers lock eyes at that announcement. 

Nobody in District Twelve moves. Nobody says a word or makes a sound. It is dead silent. 

“No.” Katniss can’t hold back her sob.  

“It’s okay. You’ll be okay.” Peeta comforts her determinedly. 

“What-”

“You are going home.” He says sternly. “The only thing I wanted was to get you home and I’ll be damned if I can’t do that now.” He reaches out to play with her braid, unable to meet her eye. 

“No,” Rye sobs, everyone understanding his reaction isn’t wanting Katniss to die but pure guilt over the fact that his brother can no longer live even though he was promised he could. 

“Something must be wrong with you.” She’s completely serious. “You think I could go home without you?!”

“Oh, Katniss,” Asterid whispers brokenly, understanding exactly what would happen to her eldest daughter if she were to come home without her boy. 

“You have a family! A sister who needs you!”

Rory pulls Prim into a proper hug where she could hide her face for a second after listening to Peeta’s words. His shirt quickly became damp with her tears. 

“I’m not the only one!”

“Yes, you are!”

“No Peet, she’s not.” Graham shakes his head as Brandy tries to comfort him, guilt over the seemingly never to be repaired void between him and his youngest brother physically causing pain in his chest as he watches his brother explain why he has nothing left except for her. 

“I do. I need you.”

The crowd doesn’t understand why Peeta freezes on those words specifically but obviously they have great meaning because he seems to melt after hearing them. 

“I need you like the day needs the sun and the night needs the moon. I need you like plants need water. I need you more than I need air to breathe and food to eat. So, don’t you dare stand there and say nobody needs you.”

Mrs. Everdeen smiles sadly, tears streaming down her face as she watches Katniss finally express herself fully. 

“Then what are we supposed to do? If I can’t live without you and you can’t live without me?”

The entirety of Panem is on the edge of their seats. 

A gasp reverberates around as Katniss pulls out the bag of nightlock. 

Gale doesn’t say anything but he straightens his back and lifts his chin, he will not cry. Not here and now. 

Prim covers her mouth in disbelief. Katniss really does love him, Prim knows Katniss would do anything to get back to her, and for her older sister to consider suicide rather than live without her love… she couldn’t be happier for her sister to have found the kind of love that their parents had but she wishes more than anything they would get to grow old together happily and her heart breaks as she understands that will not be happening. 

Madge sniffles but lets out a small laugh, she’s known for a long time how her two best friends have felt for each other, she isn’t surprised by this turn of events at all. 

Otho smiles sadly, he knows exactly how his son will react to Katniss actions and he stands tall and proud. His boy is better than him in every way and even if he is deeply saddened by what is about to happen he knows Peeta can only do one thing. 

“Together?”

“Together. On three.”

All of District Twelve stands stoically as their kids eat the berries. A sense of pride running through everyone as they protest the revocation and show everyone just what makes 12 so special. 

“STOP! Stop. May I present the winners of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.”

The crowd is silent for a moment as the news hits them and then nobody can contain their tears and cheers. 

Rye spins Prim around in a circle, both siblings openly crying tears of joy. 

Hazel grips Asterid as she falls to the ground, covering her face as her own tears slide down her face. 

Gale throws Posy into the air, sending her into fits of giggles as he chants, “they’re coming home!”

His chant is picked up by the entire district and celebrations last long into the night. 

“They’re coming home!”

“They’re coming home!”

“Katniss and Peeta are coming home!”

“They’re coming home!”

“They’re coming home!”

“Katniss and Peeta are coming home!”