We'll Watch the Sunset - Peeta Mellark x Reader Story

Chapter 9 - Star Crossed Lovers

I was allowed to go home from school early, my teacher saying I looked very unwell, like I was about to throw up. I sat in comfortable clothes, which were, admittedly, very worn, with dads hunting jacket around my shoulders, on the couch, watching the games. Katniss, after surrounding Rue in flowers, started to follow the river up stream, I only had vague ideas of what was running through that girls head.

Then the cameras cut to multiple shots of other tributes, making an announcement, "Attention tributes. Attention. The regulations acquiring a single victor has been suspended. From now on, two victors may be crowned if both originate from the same district. This will be the only announcement."

My heart leaps, they both might be able to get out... They both might be able to come home. Home to their families, friends, me. I am overjoyed, and so is my mother, who had asked for the rest of the day off from work to look after me.

"They both might come home, Y/N." She smiled, and stroked my hair. It took a moment to sink in. I then quickly realised that this is the Capitol... What if they were lying? All to make better entertainment at the end. I couldn't trust them, no one could, but for now I had to cling onto this small sliver of hope that they might come home. Both of them.

I had fallen asleep, but when I woke up, the cameras were on two people in a cave, Katniss and Peeta. Immediately the only thoughts that filled my head were that he's okay and alive. Well, maybe not okay. He looked weak, and his leg looked horrific, most likely infected. I zone in and out of what they are saying, but then notice them getting close to each other after Peeta telling Katniss a story from when he was younger. Katniss rested her head on Peeta's chest, and he wrapped an arm around her.

After a little while, the cameras, which had just been showing Clove and Cato, once again cut to multiple tributes, and another announcement was made.

"Attention, tributes. Attention. Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia. This will be no ordinary occasion, each of you need something desperately and we plan to be generous hosts."

Many tributes started planning throughout the night, they cameras cutting to all of them individually, including District 12s very own star-crossed lovers.

I knew whatever their item was must have something to do with Peeta and his leg but with District 2 still in, alive and well, plus Thresh and the other girl with bright ginger hair, from I believe District 5, things might get difficult. The cameras cut back to Katniss and Peeta, who seemed to be fighting about her going.

"Katniss, you're not gonna risk your life for me. I'm not gonna let you!"

"You would do it for me. Wouldn't you?"

"Why are you doing this?"

That's when my already broken heart shattered even more. She kissed him. The Capitol must be loving this story line. I try to remind myself that maybe it was a tactic to get sponsors, but it's a lot easier said than done when I admitted how I felt to him before he was taken away.

"Now there's no way I'm letting you go."

"Peeta."

"Please. Stay."

Katniss looked at him, and paused, before eventually deciding, "Okay. I'll stay." She laid back down in his arms. I didn't believe her when she said she would stay. She wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to help get them both home.

Was I right to not believe her? Yes.

Come sunrise, Katniss was watching from the bushes at the edge of where only a few days ago, bodies of young people had littered the green grass. Four packs stood on a table at the mouth of the Cornucopia, each with their own number for each district, 2, 5, 11 and 12.

The stealthy tribute from 5 got there first, moving quickly and only taking her pack. Then Katniss decided to strike, trying to pull off the same tactic and the girl from 5. I wished and hoped that she would be able to grab it without trouble, so she would be safe and so she could get that medicine to Peeta.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

A knife came whizzing past Katniss' head, catching her forehead. Clove came and attacked her, and I really thought that Katniss was as good as dead as Clove taunted her and my eyes became blurry with tears, before I saw a figure running over from the over head shot, and a tall, strong teen pulled Clove off of Katniss, yelling at her. And then, before I even knew it, Cloves body slid down the side of the Cornucopia, dead.

He said something to Katniss that the cameras couldn't pick up on before running off, Katniss doing the same thing. She made it back into the cave, luckily, and Peeta's annoyance shone through his pain, she treated his wound before she reluctantly let him put some of the medicine on her head wound. Together, they both rested, and let the medicine do its work.

Meanwhile I then had to go out hunting, so I gathered my knives, bow and arrows from a hollow trunk in the woods, before meeting up with Gale. I found him in our normal spot, his dark hair messy, and his eyes looking around the valley on the horizon.

"We gotta hunt. Come on." I say, offering him my hand, giving him a small smile, which he returned and I helped my older brother I never knew I needed up off the ground.

"How you doing, y/n/n?"

"Better now that I know Katniss got back alive without too much damage, and that Peeta has his medicine and should hopefully be on the mend soon."

"Gotta hope for the best." Gale said as we made our way deeper into our sanctuary.

"Exactly." I said as I pushed a branch out of my way, "They may have a shot at both coming back..."

"And we won't lose anyone."

"Exactly. Look at the positives... You know, if they both come back, Panem might be a little more bearable with Catnip's wit and Peeta's smile."

"You are so in love with him."

"I am not!"

"You told me you told him how you felt!"

"Shush, you'll scare the animals."

We knelt down and waited for some animals to wonder by, and hoped for the best outcome for this year's games.

Edited: 27/12/22