Much like Katniss, I think Peeta is the bee's knees ;).
Okay, let's see what I can wring out of my head to answer this.
1. His strength of character and sense of self.
What is so interesting about his relationship with Katniss is sheās his polar opposite this way. Peeta knows who he is (I'd say minus the hijacking, but no, because I think that sense of self is a lot of what got him through that) and what his base standards/core beliefs are. She flounders a lot, trying to figure herself out due to being shut down emotionally. She questions her intentions constantly. It comes out in her internal dialogue how despicable Katniss thinks she is.
Meanwhile, in contrast to her self loathing (which everyone but Katniss seesĀ through, except possibly Haymitch, lol)Ā
Peeta's like, "no, I know I'm a good person. I'm going to show the Capitol what's what, really shove it in their faces because they need to know, and it's what's right, dammit."
We stan a self-confident bitch, don't we? :)
But the thing is, he is a good person! Is Peeta perfect? Heck no, but perfect is boring.Ā
I have a theory that Peetaās sense of self reflects how he and Katniss process the trauma from their first Games. Katniss, among other things, canāt get over the fact that she killed other people; it haunts her, it feeds into her sense that sheās despicable, a killer (itās so apparent thatās not who she is, poor baby girl). Her nightmares are about all of it.
Peeta, meanwhile, has nightmares specifically about losing her, that he failed only her. While Iām sure he struggled with those deaths he was involved in, itās different for Peeta. From the beginning, he seems to know that he and Katniss and the other tributes are simply pieces in the Capitolās Game, that killing was forced on them, that they arenāt the guilty ones. Peeta knows who he is, and what he did was for Katniss first and then both of them, to survive. He realizes that a killer isnāt who he is. That comes from that strong sense of self, knowing right and wrong, and recognizing that he does it as often as possible.
Peeta is all in with Katniss, and I love him for it.Ā
(We're just going to ignore hijacked Peeta in my soliloquy because I can and I'm going to, and that wasn't his fault, and he worked through it to come back to himself and her).Ā
One of my favorite terms to describe Peeta is steadfast. He's always the core Peeta at heart. He always puts Katniss first, and thatās devotion.
3. His openness with his feelings.
Even when thereās no guarantee heās not going to be hurt by the revelation, Peeta is always honest about how heās feeling. For someone like Katniss, who always feels a need to keep up a barrier, to hide her feelings at all times because holy hell, we donāt acknowledge feelings in this house or let anyone really know us,Ā he mustāve been so overwhelming. Katniss doesnāt believe any of the things Peeta says to her in the Games about his feelings for her because heās so good at putting on a show when needed.Ā
The thing is, I donāt think Peeta is ever anything but himself and completely honest with Katniss.Ā
She sees the charming, sweet Peeta in the Games.Ā
After the Games are over,Ā Katniss is confused by the myriad of feelings she has for him and whether they are real or not because sheās emotionally repressed. She wouldnāt recognize attraction to Peeta for who he is or the physical attraction she feels for him. (with these two, its both pieces, friendship and physical attraction) or love, not if either fell out of the sky and smacked her in the head. She sees another real Peeta, the one whoās hurt and sulks and keeps his distance because she confused the heck out of him too. He doesnāt pretend things are fine. Itās not that heās manipulative; itās his real feelings because he is hurting. Because boys hurt sometimes too, believe it or not. (That last line is total sarcasm, btw. All people hurt, period.)
And then the tour begins, and Peeta apologizes for his avoidance and tells her he wants to start over and be her friend. How many other love interests ever openly apologize or acknowledge their feelings the way he does? Some folks like that dark, broody type, but Iām with Katniss here on what I want in a partner. Give me a man (or whatever your preferred person is) who can talk about how he feels, who wants to know how you think, who wants to know you.Ā
Iām going to stop expounding so much here because I could go on forever, and if you guys are anything like me, I canāt pay attention much longer than this.Ā
Okay, I lied. Letās continue
4. Peetaās respect for Katniss and himself.
How many sexually wired sixteen-year-old boys would sleep in the same bed with a girl heās in love with and not try anything? I firmly believe he wanted anything physical between them to be real. Thereās no mention of him kissing Katniss again until theyāre on the beach of the Quarter Quell. He saves anything even remotely resembling sexual contact between them for the cameras until the Quarter Quell beach because she lets him know she wants him then.
5. Peetaās compassion (a match for Katnissās)
Donāt get me started on his kindness with the dying morphling woman because that moment shows the very best of Peeta IMO and gosh, I love him so much for that.Ā
Thatās the kind of man you want to have babies with for all sorts of reasons.Ā
Peeta is strong and sweet, and it doesnāt hurt that heās attractive and muscular (swoon), but honestly, I would love him just as much if his face looked like a shoe.
