There's a post going around Tumblr about how if you're post-menopausal and have bleeding, you should get it checked by your doctor. I brought some minor bleeding I'd had up in a doctor visit earlier this year, prompted by that post, and this week, after a biopsy, I found out I have cancer. It's early stage and the survival odds at 5 years are 99%. I have an oncologist appointment and we may have caught it early enough that surgery alone will be sufficient treatment (no radiation/chemo).
So that post may have saved my life and it may have made my treatment a lot easier too.
If you get into menopause and then start bleeding again, really, get your reproductive innards checked out. The life you save may be your own.
Hi, I am a full spectrum family doctor (GP who does all the things, old school country doctor, jack of all trades, etc) and I endorse this message.
90% of postmenopausal people with endometrial cancer have vaginal bleeding as their first symptom. Stage 1 endometrial cancer is 95% curable, and most endometrial cancers are diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 because of the bleeding. If you have reached menopause (no bleeding for 1 year) and have any bleeding at all, please go see your doctor. This has been a PSA.
Canon divergent AU where Shane is a little more paranoid and when Hayden first comments on "Boston Lily", he decides he has to do something to break up the pattern and make it not so noticeable that he's got someone on Boston.
Not seeing Rozanov is not an option, so instead Shane picks out a few other cities to regularly go out by himself in. He'll go for a long walk, maybe sit down somewhere for a drink, and then catch a taxi back to the hotel an appropriate amount of time later. It's honestly pretty nice, unwinding by himself in this way, and now disappearing after games is not a thing specific to Boston! It's just another strange Hollander quirk!
Unfortunately, he fails to account for the guys on the team jumping on the most obvious explanation for all these disappearances, which is that Shane now has a girl in every port.
Word about this starts to spread quick, because it is so out of character for Shane, and pretty soon half the league is under the impression that he's some secret playboy.
Derek Hale as a single dad of Eli, decided to go to the park when little Eli began bouncing on the wall at home.
They play hide and seek, itâs Derek turn to hide when Eli get lost, he search for his Daddy but canât find him anywhere so he decided to go the other way in the park but he goes to far and donât know how to get back to his daddy.
Scared and frustrated, Eli began crying profusely, getting the attention of passerby.
More and more persons stop to see what happening but none of them are familiar face to Eli, until he saw him, his Mama.
Screaming Mama at the top of his lung, he began running toward his Mama.
Stiles Stilinski can tell about a lot of awkward encounters, but having a kid screaming mama at him and running toward him when he is a nineteen years old virgin is probably in the top 5.
Still Stiles can clearly see that the kid is terrified, so he put on a smile take the kid in his arms and say :
 -Hi my little prince, where is your daddy? 
Eli look at him pouting with a tear stuck in his eyelashes, and respond :
ÂŤÂ -Canât find daddy, we play hide and seek, but daddy hide well and I got lost, m scared Mama 
Stiles heart probably going to explode for cuteness, that kid gonna be the death of him with the  Mama .
Stiles also know that he need to get that kid back to his dad so he smile at the kid and tell him to not worry, that theyâll look for his daddy together.
AO3 is out of beta and they made a 'I was here for beta' badge!
Following this event I felt like we need not only a 'I was here for beta' but also a 'I was here for omega' badge, so I made it:
Feel free to use it!
If you want to add the badge to your AO3 bio, here's the code: <img src="https://images2.imgbox.com/d2/88/06XUyY9m_o.png" alt="Circular badge with the words 'I was here for omega' with an AO3 logo">
That was delicious. I genuinely don't think I've seen anyone line up those scene parallels so well before. This was a perfect snapshot of every branch, rock, and mattress they hit on their way down
The other night husband and I were watching a documentary about the yeti where they were doing DNA analysis of samples of supposed yeti fur, and every one of them came back as bears.
Anyway, the next night we watched a thing about some pig man who is supposed to live in Vermont. People said it had claws and a pig nose but walked upright like a man. Now, I happen to know that sideshows used to shave bears and present them as pig men. So every piece of evidence they gave of this monster sounds to me like a bear with mange.
So now the running joke in our house is that everything is bears. Aliens? Bears. Loch Ness monster? Bear. Every cryptozoological mystery is just a very crafty bear.
Bears. Theyâre everywhere. Be wary. Anyone or anything could be a bear.
As the OP of this post, Iâm going to threaten that if this gets to one million notes by the 10 year anniversary on 1 June 2026, one year from today, I will get a lower back tattoo of the loch ness bear monster.
The second part of this little story, I will post it on AO3 once two things happen 1. I have 3 chapters, Iâm planning for chapter 3 to be a Seam wedding and 2. I finish Sunrise on the Reaping, Iâm about 2 thirds through it and Iâm pretty sure Iâll finish it today or tmrrow.
Especially cause i do have a chapter half planned about her talking to Haymitch but I want to have all the context before I chose his dialouge
One detail will change about part 1; Prim needs a coat instead of shoes, youâll see why
hope you like it!
Katniss stood with her arms crossed as she waited for Prim.
School had just ended. Itâd been a week since the Mayorâs party and Katniss felt almost proud as she watched Prim skipping her way towards her with her new coat on, the last of the snow was still clearing out and the coat was big enough to hopefully last her the next two winters.
âYou ready to go?â She questioned, reaching for her little sisterâs hand.
âYeah, Iâll probably spend the whole day making cheese, Lady is really working hard lately.â
âThatâs good, maybe youâll have enough to-â
âHey Katniss wait up!â
Katniss turned to find Delly Cartwright of all people running towards her with a big smile on her face, waving as though they were in the middle of a crowd.
She frowned, âDelly, is something wrong?â
âOh no, not at all I just wanted to catch you before the end of the day-â Delly had been running, stopping before her to catch her breath, âI wanted to know if you might be willing to sing at my birthday party?â
ââŚwhat?â
Delly continued as she tried to get her curls in order, still smiling big, âWell I heard that you played the guitar and sung at the Mayorâs party and- I asked Peeta and Madge and they both said you were wonderful and I would love to have some actual music at my party- itâs a small reunion but- would you be willing to sing again?â
âWell-â
âI wouldnât be able to pay you much to be honest but- I could trade you a pair of shoes and maybe a pair of soles instead?â Delly looked a bit embarrassed, clearly unsure of how to make a good deal as a merchantâs daughter who had never set foot in the Hob.
The cobblerâs daughter.
Prim perked up, âCould it be a pair of boots?â
Delly gleamed down at her, âYeah, Iâm sure you can find something just right for you in the store.â She turned to Katniss, âDoes that sound good? Shoes and soles for an hour of singing?â
A full hour. Sheâd barely managed half an hour.Â
BesidesâŚ
âShoes and soles feels a bit excessive⌠shoes would do.â Katniss said, since it felt a lot different to take advantage of Dellyâs innocence than the Mayorâs ignorance.
Besides sheâd always liked Delly well enough, she was probably the friendliest person she knew.
She nodded along, âAlright then! Umm⌠the party will be this Sunday at my place and you can go there Saturday if youâd like to choose the shoes you want.â
âActually⌠could I tell you for sure tomorrow? I just need to check some stuff. Make sure I have enough songs for an hour and all that.â
âOf course! Iâll see you tomorrow then!â Delly all but skipped away, clearly giddy about the mere possibility of having live music at her party.
Prim frowned as they began their walk home, âWhy did you say youâd think about it? You have more than enough songs for an hour-long show.â
Katniss sighed, âIâm not even sure we need new shoes.â
âYou need new boots.â
âNo I donât.â Her hunting boots still held up well enough, âI might need to change the soles soon but I can get those at the Hob.â
âOr, you could get a new pair of prettier boots to double as your hunting and show shoes. Or you could get pretty boots with a little heel for your shows!â Prim said excitedly.
Katniss couldnât help but laugh, wrapping an arm around Primâs shoulders to pull her against her side, âI think youâre getting a bit ahead of yourself there. Iâve had one show, that doesnât justify a new pair of shoes specifically for performing.â
âI think youâre underestimating how in demand youâll be.â She countered, âAnd- even if you donât want to get boots with a heel- you should still get some. I know yours can survive with some soles but you spend so much time in the woods⌠you deserve them. Why do I get a new coat but you canât get new boots if you can get them without trading most of your game?â
Katniss watched her for a long moment before going to ruffle her hair, âWhen did you get so argumentative?â
The sisters laughed as they continued their way home.
After mulling it over some more and a trip to the woods during which, a tiny part of her had to admit that her boots had probably lasted two years longer than they should have⌠she decided sheâd give another show.
Delly seemed to be far too delighted the next day as she confirmed that sheâd sing at her birthday party.
While Katniss wasnât too comfortable with getting paid before her performance, Delly insisted she pick a pair of boots the day before so she had the option of wearing them for the show.
Prim insisted on coming along to prevent her from choosing the most basic pair of boots she could find, though Katniss didnât see the point in getting a pretty pair of boots, not like it made them any more functional.
A small bell rang as she pushed her way into the shoe store behind Prim, Delly quickly leaving the front counter to show her the boots.
There were a few options, Prim smacking her hand when she went to check the plainest pair, Katniss quietly rolling her eyes before going to indulge her sister as she carefully inspected the other pairs of boots.
To Primâs credit, she instantly dismissed the one pair of boots with a proper heel, already knowing that a heel would be of no use in the woods and she refused to make even more of a spectacle of herself.
Prim smiled as she held out a pair made of soft brown leather with paler brown thread sewn through to form a single simple flower on the outside side and black laces at the front, as well as, not a heel but a chunkier bottom part.
The flowers almost looked like dandelions.
Katniss took too long to reject, Prim quickly picking up on the fact that she liked them and insisting she try them on, Delly right with her.
Katniss pulled the boots on, half expecting for them to be too uncomfortable to take into the woods but being pleasantly surprised, they needed to be broken in but they might just work. And the laces up to her calfs ensured the boots molded perfectly to her leg.
Prim looked far too pleased with herself as Katniss tested the boots, walking back and forth in the store a few times.
She couldnât remember the last time sheâd gotten new shoes.
It seemed like an indulgence, especially sinceâŚ
They felt a little too nice to be worth a mere hour of singing and playing.
Delly sensed her hesitation, âStill not convinced?â
Katniss turned to her, âTheyâre beautiful⌠you sure your parents are good with letting these go just for a show?â
âIâm sure!â
In the end, Katniss relented, feeling like her backbone was becoming no stronger than rubber as she walked back home with a shoebox carefully tucked against her hip.
Once they reached the Meadow, she handed the box to Prim to be taken home, where she would finish preparing Ladyâs cheese and help their mom with some concoctions.Â
Katniss had wanted to go to Dellyâs as early as possible to get it out of the way before heading to the woods and not have it nagging at the back of her mind as she hunted.
She checked the snares first and re-set them, finding nothing but shooting two rabbits hidden in the bushes. She searched the trees carefully, looking for any other animals since many of them were still hiding out due to the snow.
She also shoot three squirrels before running into Gale, whoâd probably been in the woods since earlier, âLate start Catnip?â He questioned with a small smirk, a turkey hanging from his belt.
âHad to pass by the cobblerâs.â
Gale frowned, glancing down at her feet, âAre your hunting boots that bad? We couldâve gotten new soles in the Hob.â
âYeah I know. I didnât get soles.â She didnât elaborate as she helped him get down one of his newer traps, one meant for grooslings, it seemed to have been successful, managing to snag two of them.
âYou got new shoes? I thought you were trying to not trade too much of your meat.â
âI didnât trade meat for them.â Katniss handed the grooslings to Gale before going to check one of the bushes to see if any blackberries were growing.
ââŚthen what did you trade?â
Katniss sighed to herself as she went to stand up, already knowing Gale wouldnât stop nagging until she elaborated, âDellyâs birthday party is tomorrow.â
That was all she needed to say for him to get it, he shook his head as he looked down, âI thought it was a one time thing?â
âSo did I.â She replied honestly, âBut it was a good deal⌠and if more people are willing to pay me for songs⌠then Iâll probably do it.â
Gale watched her for a long moment, considering something.
Then, he shrugged, clearly trying to play it off, âAlright then.â
He turned away, going deeper into the woods. Katniss decided to not pursue the conversation, if he really did have a problem with her singing, she wouldnât go out of her way to uncover said issue.
They went through the rest of their usual routine before returning to town, first stopping by the Peacekeeper base to sell the wild turkeys, then heading to the Hob to trade off the grooslings for thread and fabric since Galeâs siblings needed some repairs to their clothes as well as bandages for her motherâs patients.
Since there still wasnât as much game as usual they each kept a rabbit and a squirrel but for the third one they stopped by the bakery.
Katniss knocked on the back door and adjusted her braid over her shoulder right as the door swung open, revealing the baker.
As per usual, nothing was said, Katniss simply raising up the squirrel, the baker nodding and turning to get something to give in exchange.
She saw Peeta deeper in the bakery, focused as he used some long wooden paddle to place a tray with dollops of raw batter into the oven. Maybe cookies or buns.
He caught sight of her as he shut the oven, in the past, if they caught sight of each other while she traded with his dad, sheâd quickly look away before she could see how he reacted, this time, she didnât look away, Peeta blinked once in surprise before giving her a small smile and a two-finger wave.Â
She returned the tiny wave, realizing that sheâd likely be seeing him at Dellyâs party since the two seemed to be friends.
Peeta stepped out of view as the baker returned, handing over a paper bag with two small buns inside.
âSince when are you friends with Mellark?â Gale asked casually as they started making their way back to the Seam, splitting up their goods.
âI donât know if Iâd call us friends. He was just being nice.â
Gale frowned but didnât ask anymore, they split up and Katniss was relieved to be back home, her mom quickly going to preserve the squirrel and start skinning the rabbit for a stew.
Prim had five small blocks of cheese carefully wrapped up in basil leaves under a bowl, ready to be traded the following day before Katniss put on her show.
While the stew brewed, Prim excitedly insisted they start figuring out which dress she should wear the following day, some rouge still remained from the previous show and Prim had apparently ground up a few petals to make a tentative eyeshadow that Katniss was very much hesitant about trying out.
She chose other simple pieces, another purple skirt, this one a lighter tone, lavender with darker purple making a pattern of small lines and outlines of squares all down the length of it, a loose white blouse with purple and pink flowers down the sleeves and in two lines down her front. Prim picked out a thick brown belt with light brown detailing and two metal snakes at the front serving as a buckle that would almost work as a corset, giving the outfit a more interesting âsilhouetteâ her mom said, whatever that meant.
As they sat to have dinner, Katniss explained her plan for the following day, but when Prim asked if sheâd prepared a personalized message since this was a birthday show, Katniss realized something she already knew.
While she might be categorized as a singer, she wasnât really a performer. At the Mayorâs party she hadnât spoken a word in between songs, not bothering to introduce any of them in a special manner and hadnât said anything either at the beginning or at the end of her performance.
Realizing this, she added a quick opening with a traditional birthday song and added a closing song that she thought Delly would particularly enjoy. Prim suggested she at least add some flare to her entrance, perhaps twirling on stage to open up, but that felt a bit dumb, especially since she was almost sure her âstageâ would be a bunch of crates pushed together.
The following day, she used the morning to go out hunting again, managing to forage a few herbs her mother was running low on and trading a rabbit for some other herbs that still werenât growing but one of the women at the Hob had preserved to last through the winter.
Back at home she hurriedly ate before rehearsing what would be her closing song on the guitar, she had a feeling that quite a few of her songs wouldâve needed a full band to have the full effect and impact of them, but since it was the guitar or just her voice, sheâd have to make do.
After eating, she took a bath, her mom managing to coax the bottom half of her hair into curling a bit and pinning a few pieces back to keep it out of her face.
Prim applied rouge to her cheeks and lips and managed to talk her into letting her use the pale pink powder sheâd prepared, using a tiny bit on her eyelids.
She pulled on her clothes and laced up her new boots, Prim holding up the small mirror so Katniss could get a full view once she took several steps back.
She gave a slow spin, inspecting herself.
She felt⌠pretty.
Katniss shook her head, trying to center herself.Â
She had a job to do, she didnât have time to waste admiring herself in the mirror.
She swung her guitar over her shoulder and left.
She noticed there were once again, looks shot her way, she was even more colorful than the last time, so she supposed it made sense. She felt like she actually looked the part of a performer this time around.
She entered the merchant square and, just her luck-
âKatniss!â She looked to her right, seeing Peeta leaving the bakery, a package in his hands, smiling bright as he went to join her, âYou headed down to Dellyâs?â
âYeah⌠I wouldâve thought youâd already be there.â Katniss herself was supposed to arrive an hour after the party started to give her show midway through the party that was supposedly meant to end just after dark.
Peeta shrugged, carefully adjusting the box to have a more secure hold on it, âI went earlier to help her set up a bit, but they needed me for the afternoon rush.â
Katniss nodded along, hesitating for a moment before speaking again, âWhy did you talk about me to Delly?â
Peeta faltered for a moment, âWhat?â
âDelly she mentioned that- you talked to her about my show?â
âOh, well I just said you were great just like I knew youâd be. Thatâs all.â
âLike you knew Iâd be? We donât even know each other.â She didnât know why she felt the need to point that out, maybe a bit defensive at the idea of anyone talking about her, especially her singing when she still wasnât quite sure she hadnât indeed made a fool of herself.
Peeta didnât seem insulted though, instead nodding along, âItâs weird right? How you can know about someone without knowing them at all⌠but if you keep doing shows and I keep delivering cakes then itâs pretty likely weâll be running into each other a few times so⌠how about we get to know each other a bit? You could ask me anything.â
âLike what?â Katniss questioned.
âI donât know like⌠whatâs your favorite color?â
âWell now youâre just crossing a line, thatâs too personal.â She joked with a deadpanned expression, earning a chuckle from him before she looked down at her new shoes and obliged, âItâs green. Yours?â
âOrange.â
âReally?â
âNot strong orange, orange like⌠like the sunset.â He told her, glancing up at the clear example of said orange in the horizon as the sun started to go down.
âMmmâŚâ Katniss glanced at the box in his hands, no doubt containing a cake for the party, âDo you really frost all the cakes? And the cookies?â
He gave her a bashful smile, âWhy do you sound so surprised? Itâs not like itâs anything impressive.â
âIâve seen some of those tiny flowers you make when Prim wants to stop by to look, no idea how you make those they look so fragile.â
âIf weâre talking truly impressive things, I canât understand how you manage to shoot squirrels right in the eye every single time. Thatâs impressive.â
Katniss frowned at that.
Peeta slowed down for a moment, clearly thinking he mightâve said something wrong, âWhat?â
âNothing just⌠for some reason I never considered you might be eating those squirrels as well. I guess I just thought your dad kept them to himself or something.â
Peeta smirked, âIâve got no doubt he has on occasion. But for the most part he shares with me or one of my brothers- whoever is in the kitchen at the time.â
Katniss nodded along, âWell you might think the shooting is impressive but itâs just part of the job, no one wants a squirrel that has had half the meat on it shot off.â
âAnd the frosting is just part of the job as well,â Peeta played right along, âpeople are more likely to buy cakes and cookies if they look pretty.â
âI guess youâre right.â Katniss thought back to her last trip to the bakery and the buns thatâd held a surprise, âHey, what kind of bread was it that your dad gave us yesterday?â
âCheese buns, it was the only thing we had ready to go. Why? Did you not like it?â Peeta was watching her now, eyes searching her face for something she couldnât fathom.
Katniss took a deep breath, âIt was delightful,â she confessed begrudgingly, upset at the new weakness that was attempting to develop, âI was almost tempted to just eat the whole thing by myself.â
Peeta pressed his lips together in an attempt to subdue his smile at Katnissâs borderline anger at the audacity the bread had to be that good, âReally?â
âReally.â
They reached Dellyâs shop at that moment, going around and through an alley to reach the small garden at the back, Peeta hurrying forwards to open the back gate for her, Katniss surprised at the gesture but saying nothing about it, stepping in.
It was a simple party, about ten or fifteen people, Katniss recognizing most as merchant kids, a small table with a bowl of milk and a plate of turkey, just enough for everyone to have a decent sized piece. Even a tiny bowl of blackberries.
Delly all but ran over to them, giving Peeta a quick hug and telling him he could set the cake down at the table before turning to Katniss with a bright smile and pointing out the crates theyâd set up for her show, âYou can start as soon as youâd like, thanks for coming again.â
âOf course, Iâll just check my guitar is tuned and go on up.â
In truth, Katniss needed a minute to brace herself.
Sheâd obviously known that agreeing to perform for Dellyâs party meant performing for her classmates, but actually seeing them was different.
She caught sight of Madge, who offered her a reassuring smile from her spot near the blackberries, also seemingly not entirely comfortable in the small crowd.
Katniss gave her guitar a quick check since sheâd done all the proper tuning at home before approaching the crates, there was no microphone here which was to be expected.
She hoped on up and turned around, finding Madge for some comfort before knocking on her guitar twice to get everyoneâs full attention even though most had been watching her as soon as sheâd arrived.
âGood evening,â she spoke in a loud tone, she remembered what her mom had gently told her, that she didnât have to say anything special or meaningful, just a quick something to open her show, âI wonât waste anyoneâs time, we all know why weâre here,â she turned towards Delly, gesturing to her, âHappy Birthday Delly!â
Delly blushed as everyone whooped and clapped for her before Katniss began her show with a short and sweet birthday song.
Like the previous time, with every minute and chord that passed by she gained more confidence, singing loudly and proudly, strumming and occasionally tapping her guitar felt like second nature as she played mostly up-beat and happier songs, most of the merchant kids dancing along or watching as they took a moment to drink milk or eat.
As she sang, Peeta carefully unboxed the cake, giving Delly the first slice before hanging back with a few friends, during Sam McGee, a song about some man thought to have frozen to death before a cremation thawed him out just fine (some of her dadâs songs were very strange when she thought about them too hard) he dragged Delly for a sporadic dance, hopping and spinning around in a way that reminded Katniss of her own silly dances with Prim.
She thought she mightâve heard Delly say once Peeta might as well have been her brother.
She hadnât known whether she believed that back then, but now she did.
The hour slipped through her fingers like water as she sang about mountain winds and lost loves and daring challenges and mysterious folks.
As she ended a song that had everyone up and dancing, the merchant kids catching their breaths as she cleared her throat, âAlright now, for my last song-â
Many of the kids whipped around, starting to boo and pouting at the thought of her leaving the stage.
Katniss froze, unsure of how to respond to that, deciding to wait until the moment passed and clearing her throat again, hoping her stance hadnât become too awkward.
âFor my last song, I thought Iâd dedicate something to the birthday girl,â Peeta and many others whooped, nudging Delly, whose smile couldâve powered the electric fence around the District, âthis isnât a song Iâve practiced a lot, but itâs one that reminds me of you and I really hope you like it Delly. This last one, is Keep on the Sunny Side.â
It wasnât a song Katniss was particularly fond of, mostly because she couldnât quite take seriously the lyrics of the song, asking the listener to look on the bright side of life.
But Delly seemed delighted by it, dancing the entire while with her friends, some of them taking pretty ribbons off their hair to weave into a long necklace for Delly, maybe a gift or a momentary token of appreciation, she didnât know, but Delly was happy and that was all that mattered because it meant she did her job right.
The final strum of her guitar came with applause as she gave a quick bow, Madge approaching the crates that served as a stage with a smile and her glass of milk still half full, offering the rest to Katniss, who took a sip before realizing the crowd was still applauding her and she felt herself blush, glass in hand as she quickly waved them off.
âWhat are you clapping at me for? Give it up for the birthday girl!â She said impulsively, wanting the eyes to leave her for a moment as she caught her breath and took a few sips to soothe her parched throat, Madge staying close by, the crowd taking it as a joke and going to thankfully turn their attention to Delly.
Katniss hopped off the crates, thanking Madge as she handed the glass back, Madge finishing it off and going to go with her towards the back gate, they were intercepted by Delly, who went to hug Katniss.
âThank you so much! You were amazing!â
Katniss hesitantly returned the hug, âUh- youâre welcome. The boots are amazing.â
Delly pulled back, âIâm glad you liked them. You leaving already?â
Katniss nodded, âIâm needed at home.â
âI have to call it a night too Delly.â Madge said, stepping forwards to squeeze her hand, âSorry to leave a bit early but I canât stay out much longer without my dad worrying.â
âOh donât worry about it, you were the first to arrive! Although- did you have any cake? I didnât see you with it, hold on-â
As though heâd been summoned at the mere mention of cake, Peeta suddenly stepped up to Dellyâs side, holding two napkins that were carefully wrapped around slices of cake, Delly taking them handing one to Madge and one to-
âOh, no Delly Iâm fine.â Katniss tried to tell her, âYou already paid me.â
Delly shook her head, âCome on Katniss, itâd just be bad manners to let anyone leave without a slice of cake.â
âNot to mention itâd be an insult to the baker that made it if you didnât take it.â Peeta added with a smile.
Katniss titled her head at him, âI thought you said you only did the frosting?â
âI never said I only did the frosting, what kind of baker doesnât know how to make a good cake?â He teased.
Delly all but shoved the slice into her hands, âThanks again Katniss, the show was perfect. And thanks for coming Madge and for the gift it was beautiful. See you two tomorrow?â
After saying their final goodbyes, Madge and Katniss started making their way down the street walking side by side, her guitar slung over her back, cake slices wrapped up in hand.
Madge grinned after a minute, turning to her, âDo be honest with me,â Katniss tensed up, was she about to bring up Peeta? âHow painful was it for you to do that last song?â
Oh. She was just teasing her. Why had she thought that sheâd ask about Peeta?
Katniss snorted, âWas I that obvious?â
âNo, but I think Iâm learning how to see right through you. Do you not like the song?â
That shouldâve unnerved her, but she trusted Madge, she wasnât the kind of person who would spill secrets.
âItâs not that I donât like the song itâs a fun one, I just canât picture anyone whoâs lived in Twelve writing something like that unironically.â
Madge shrugged, lowering her voice, âMaybe⌠maybe it was written before Twelve was a thing.â
Katniss turned to her, surprised by the comment. It was far from being Anti-Capitol but it still had an underline of danger to it, mentioning a time before.
She slowly smirked, âMaybe it was.â
They parted ways two blocks down, Katniss peeking into the napkin as she made her way through the Seam.
Had it been a thin slice, she wouldâve just given it to Prim, but the slice was just thick enough that both she and her mom could also take a few bites.
As soon as she opened the door of her house, Prim and her mom perked up from where theyâd been preparing pastes and solutions at the kitchen table.
Prim smiled, âHowâd it go?â
Katniss just held up the napkin, âWho wants a little cake?â
She carefully unwrapped it, Prim in awe of the decorations and insisting on splitting it into three equal parts leaving each with three bites of mouth-watering spongy bread with the tiniest bit of milk in it and different colored decorations.
Prim handed her mom a plate with two purple flowers, choosing pink ones for herself, and to Katniss she handed her one with three flowers.
She looked at the delicate frosted flowers.
Orange. Peetaâs favorite color.
âSo tell us.â Her mom started as she lifted a jar to inspect the consistency of one of her concoctions, âHow was it?â
Katniss plucked the frosted flower from the frosting, carefully setting it on her plate, unable to bear the thought of crushing it instantly, âIt was good⌠I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.â
Her mom gave her a small smile, âThatâs good. Maybe youâll get more requests soon.â
Katniss just nodded along as she took her first bite of cake.
âââââââââââââ
Context: this is the outfit I have in mind for this part
And also, maybe Katniss is a bit too friendly but in my mind sheâs still wary of Peeta but sheâs been curious about him for too long and he has a way of just getting her and I love them
also also also, this is the outfit I pictured for part 1
So Iâm re-reading the Hunger Games before reading Sunrise on the Reaping and Iâm currently re-reading TBOSAS and since Mockingjay I was struck by the idea of like-
What if Katniss aside from hunting also sang for a living? What if her dad left behind some guitar or smth and she almost accidentally started performing to make some extra money?
I also really wanted to write a âit wouldâve happened anywayâ style Everlark fic and so I just kinda wrote smth and I have ideas for a few other chapters and so- Here goes!
Iâll prob post this on AO3 later on
(I know there are plot holes about where the clothes came from but sssshhhhhhhhhh)
***
Katniss wouldâve never thought in a million years that she might make more money out of her voice than her hunting game.
The whole thing started by accident. Sheâd been hanging out with Madge, whoâd recently started inviting her over and they tended to do their homework in her bedroom, Katniss taking the desk and Madge the bed.
On one said day, itâd gotten late as Madge gently asked about the woods, going silent as they often did to finish up their homework. Itâd been so peaceful and the view of the sunset from the window had unlocked something in Katniss and, believing Madge was slowly dozing off, sheâd started humming and then sheâd sung for a bit.
Katniss had gotten through two songs as she finished her last assignment before realizing Madge had been watching her, instantly gushing about how she hadnât known she had a beautiful voice and a soothing tone, Katniss tried to dismiss it but Madge had said she should perform for a pay, betting there were people willing to pay her to sing.
The idea had seemed ridiculous to her, that anyone in Twelve would be willing to pay for something as unnecessary as a song.
Then the following day Madge had told her about some kind of party the Mayor was putting together and how he wished to have some entertainment, Katniss was pretty sure Madge had been the one to suggest maybe trying to find entertainment, and had simply told her heâd be willing to pay if she could put together a performance that lasted half an hour.
Katniss had been more than ready to shoot Madgeâs offer down when Madge had told her what the tentative pay would be.
It wasnât a fortune, or anything out of this world.
But it might just be enough to buy Prim the new shoes she needed without having to sacrifice half her game of the week.
So Katniss had said sheâd consider it.
And once she got home, she steadied herself before reaching to the very back of their small closet and pulling out a dusty guitar case she hadnât dared touch since her dad had passed away.
As she tuned the guitar and clumsily tried to remember the chords her dad had once taught her, her mother had stepped into the room, pale at the sound of music.
Theyâd stared at each other for a long moment. And then-
âI uh⌠apparently the Mayor is doing some event for some of the merchants or something like that⌠Madge said he might pay me if I⌠sang for them.â
ââŚoh, I see. Will you do it?â
Katniss shrugged, âThe pay would be good. And spring is barely startingâŚâ they both knew that meant less game to eat and trade, it would take a few more weeks for all the animals to fully come out of hibernation of berries and fruits to grow in full again, âmight do it as a one time thing.â
Her mother nodded along, hesitating before leaving, saying she needed to get something.
Prim sat excitedly at the end of the bed as Katniss managed to recall a few songs on the guitar, as a kid sheâd mostly watched her dad whenever he played the guitar. She was surprised at how much she remembered and, after a few failed attempts and having to readjust her grip on the guitar, how she could pull together decent sounding chords, her voice slowly becoming stronger as the minutes went on.
Her mother returned with a box leaning against her hip, seeming nervous as she placed it on her bed, opening it and stepping back, âFor you Katniss. If youâre going to⌠perform⌠you should look the part.â
Katniss frowned, caught off guard before setting the guitar aside and approaching, looking into the box and-
âOh theyâre so pretty!â Prim rushed forward, pulling out one of the dresses within the box.
They were unlike anything Katniss had ever seen in District Twelve, full of color and ruffles and embroidery and layers.
She dared reach out and carefully run a hand over the rainbow ruffles that made up the skirt of one of the dresses.
These were not merchant dresses.
âWhat⌠where did these come from?â She questioned.
Her mother hesitated for a moment, âThey were from a few girls from your dadâs family. They were in⌠storage.â
Katniss frowned at that, âDadâs family?â
âA few of them were singers, performers⌠maybe these will help you feel more comfortable singing.â
Katniss fully turned at that, âDadâs family were singers?â
ââŚyes. But that was a lifetime ago.â She trailed off as she watched Prim place a too-long dress against her chest, spinning to see the skirt flutter, âYou should have them⌠even if you donât wind up singing.â
Katniss took a moment, she was working on letting her mom do stuff for her⌠and these dresses were a part of her dadâs legacy, what little was left of it that wasnât coal dust and fiery nightmares.
âThanks mom. But⌠I think Iâd look a bit ridiculous.â
âYouâd look beautiful!â Prim said earnestly, âAnd I could do your hair! And you could use berries and bugs to make some rouge!â
âHow do you know about rouge? Anyway- thatâd be a waste-â
âCome on!â Prim pleaded, âItâll just be once! Please?â
Katniss sighed heavily, going to stare at the dress Prim had just laid on the bed.
***
âI look ridiculous.â Katniss grumbled as her mom finished doing her hair and Prim carefully applied a little bit of rouge to her cheeks and lips.
âYou look really pretty.â Said Prim, so honestly and earnestly, Katniss nearly believed it.
She stood up, stepping back to try and get a full body view in the small mirror, âWell there goes my dignity.â
It wasnât that bad all things considered.
Sheâd chosen some of the least eccentric pieces in the box, a long purple skirt with a dark blue checkered pattern, a white blouse and a black over-shirt with flowers embroidered in the collar, brown detailing along the pockets.
Madge had lent her a nice pair of boots since apparently her own hunting boots wouldnât make the cut, her mom had braided half her hair up to keep it out of her face and form a braid crown and Prim had fortunately showed restraint with the rouge sheâd made out of herbs and berries, so her lips and cheeks were only slightly tinted, barely enough to be noticeable but enough to bring some color to her face.
She didnât look as dumb as sheâd feared. But it was still⌠very different to say the least.
Prim frowned, âDonât say that! You look pretty. And mom said this is how dadâs family used to dress for their shows.â
âItâs gonna be eight songs, that hardly counts as a show.â
âBut youâll still be performing.â Her mom gently told her as she reached out to adjust her blouse and the black shirt on top, moving her skirt for some reason Katniss couldnât fathom, âAnd your sister is right, you do look very pretty.â
Katniss sighed heavily but pulled back on her groaning and moaning. Theyâd both done their best to help her and make her look her best and itâd been Katniss whoâd accepted the offer and had signed the death certificate of her dignity.
She carefully slung her dadâs old guitar over her shoulder and went to leave, doing her best to keep her head high and not act any differently as she made her way out of the Seam, sensing a few confused glances shot her way but ignoring them.
She was doing this for Prim.
She was doing this because if the Mayor was dumb enough to pay her for singing, then she should take advantage of that.
And also, it was better to show up looking just a little bit ridiculous than to show up looking obviously Seam, since this was some kind of gathering of the better-off folks of District Twelve.
At least they couldnât say she hadnât made an effort.
As she was about to cross into the merchant square-
âCatnip!â She turned to see Gale running towards her, a frown on his face and a game bag slung over his shoulder, âWhat are you wearing? What are you doing?â
Katniss rolled her eyes as she went to continue her walk, âI told you I was doing a job.â
âWhat kind of job has you dressing up like⌠that?â
Katniss felt herself blush, feeling twice as ridiculous just as sheâd started to enjoy the feeling of the skirt swirling around her legs, âIâm gonna sing at the Mayorâs party.â
ââŚyouâre what?â
âMadge heard me sing and the Mayor wanted entertainment and offered a good pay.â She said defensively, âThatâs it.â
âAnd the dress?â
Katniss gritted her teeth together, âIt belonged to some aunt or cousin of my dadâs. Not like I could show up in my usual hunting gear.â
Gale paused, scoffing, ââŚand the rouge?â
Katniss stopped, turning to him, âItâs a performance Gale. I have to look the part.â
Gale shook his head, âSo now youâre ready to be a dancing monkey for the merchants? Sorry- a singing monkey?â
Katniss scoffed, âWell sorry that I want to make sure my sister gets to have new shoes. Itâs a good pay for half an hour of singing, Iâd be stupid to turn it down over pride.â
âPride is pretty much all we got!â Gale argued.
Katniss turned away, âIâm gonna be late.â She ignored him trying to call her back, if he had a problem with this he could have a fit about it by himself.
She knew he held some resentment towards the merchants for having it just a little bit easier than them, for not having to brave the mines.Â
But he still traded plenty with them.
She didnât see how this was any different.
Aside from the possible public humiliation if it went wrong.
And the fact that she was now âentertainmentâ.Â
And that she was selling so called âtalentâ and not a physical thing.
âŚthis had been a bad idea.
Katniss tried to calm herself down as she arrived to the Mayorâs house, being let in by a Peacekeeper after she explained why she was there, hands sweating as she was led to a room next to the bigger room where the party was taking place, since she didnât want to go in until it was time to take the stage-
Oh was there going to be an actual stage? She hadnât even thought to ask- why hadnât she asked?! Why had she agreed to this, itâd been idiotic.
She shut the door behind her, leaning against it and trying to breath and-
âKatniss?â
âŚno.
Absolutely not.
This had to be some kind of nightmare.
Katniss took in the room.Â
It was a small room, probably meant for storage. There were coats that clearly belonged to the guests, a few plates and glasses that were probably extras, some kind of old banner and standing next to a cart with a box-
The boy with the bread, watching her with an odd look on his face.
âWhat are you doing here?â It came out more aggressive than she meant it to, but she was confused, why on earth would he be here? She was sure his family wasnât part of the Mayorâs inner circle.
The Mellarks mightâve been merchants but they werenât amongst the top families of District Twelve.
Peeta watched her for another moment, eyes dropping to her skirt before he cleared his throat, âI uhhâŚâ he lifted the cover that was on the cart next to him, revealing a two-story cake with white frosting and intricate blue flowers, âDelivery- they asked if I could stay to help with the cutting.â
Of course, it was a party, the Mayor could afford a cake for his guests.
ââŚitâs pretty.â Katniss said, unsure of what else to say.
Peeta gave her a small, bashful smile, âThanks.â
ââŚyou frosted it?â
Peeta shrugged as he carefully placed the cover back, âI frost all the cakes.â He glanced her way, hesitating before speaking, âWhat are you doing here? I donât see your game bag.â
Katniss sighed heavily, looking down, âThe Mayor wanted entertainment⌠Iâm going to sing.â
Peeta righted up at that, âOh, thatâs great. I uh⌠I remember you have a beautiful voice.â
She frowned, âWhen have you heard me sing?â
He half winced as he looked down, going to rub the back of his neck, âI uh⌠I remember you singing once in school. It was a long time ago, we mustâve been like- six maybe but⌠I remember.â
ââŚoh.â Katniss remember it then, a moment she hadnât thought of in years, before her dad had passed and sheâd have to learn how to survive without him.
The very first day of school.
How did he remember that?
Katniss went to fidget with her skirt, unsure of what to do, catching Peeta watching her, eyes carefully going over her hair and the dress.
She shook her head, âI know. I look ridiculous.â
âWhat- no! No you⌠Iâm not sure Iâve ever seen so much color in Twelve⌠if you donât count the Capitol reaping lady. Itâs nice.â
Katniss half snorted, looking down as she smoothed out the skirt, âIf you think this is colorful you shouldâve seen the other dresses⌠not that itâll be much help⌠pretty sure Iâm about to make a fool of myself.â
She wasnât exactly sure why she was confiding in him, maybe it was because heâd already seen her at her most vulnerable, so who cared if a few words managed to slip through her defenses.
Peeta gave her a small smile as he stepped closer, âPretty sure you couldnât look a fool even if you tried. Iâm sure youâll be great.â
âDonât put too much faith in me, I might just bolt for the door as soon as I step on stage.â
âIf you want I can knock the cake over, give them a distraction so you can run.â
Katniss chuckled at that, raising an eyebrow, âYouâd do that?â
He shrugged, âIt gets boring standing around waiting to cut slices, could be entertaining. And if I time it just right I could topple it over the Mayor himself.â
Katniss laughed at the mental image, Peeta joining in.
âAs tempting as the offer is⌠I gave Madge my word.â
Peeta nodded once, understandingly, âWell if you change your mind just give me a sign and Iâll try to give you an out.â
She found herself going to smile.
The door open and Madge peeked in, brightening up when she saw Katniss, âHey! You start in ten, Peeta could you please bring the cake in to start giving out slices?â
âYeah of course.â Peeta went to wheel the cart out as Madge hurried to the stairs, saying something about checking in on her mom. He hesitated, stopping next to her, âI meant what I said, youâll be great. And⌠just for the record⌠you look beautiful.â
He stepped out before she could reply, her cheeks burning.
Katniss shook her head, trying to center herself.
Peeta was just being nice. That was all, it didnât mean anything. It shouldnât have made her feel so⌠so much.
She took a moment to make sure her guitar was properly tuned and that she remembered all the chords she would need before Madge gently told her it was time.
In the end, there were about thirty-five people in the room, sitting in a few tables. The stage was really more of a step a few inches above the rest of the room, Katniss walking around the edge of the room to reach it and the lonely mic thatâd been set up for her.
She could feel all eyes on her, all unsure what to expect as she cleared her throat and tried to ignore the panic trying to bloom in her chest.
As she found herself forgetting the first words of her first song⌠and then she met a pair of blue eyes, Peeta was slicing the cake, taking a moment to meet her gaze, eyes soft but attentive, waiting.
Her fingers changed the chord sheâd been ready to play, and she found herself singing the Valley Song, which she hadnât planned on singing but was the only one she could cling to in that moment.
Peetaâs eyes lit up in recognition, a smile tugging at the corner of his lip before he returned to his task of distributing the cake.
After finding her rhythm and the appropriate distance to keep from the mic, the songs seemed to fly by, she felt almost possessed by the music, she wondered if maybe this was what her dadâs aunts and cousins had felt when signing in the same dress.
Peeta left when he was done slicing the cake, sending her one last glance, he seemed like he wanted to linger, but his job was done.
People stood to dance to most of her songs, swaying and laughing, waltzing to her last song, which was a slower one.
When she struck her final chord, she was surprisingly given a round of applause.
Unsure of what to do, Katniss gave a quick bow and hurried off the stage after freezing for a second.
Madge met her at the door with a giant smile, âKatniss you were brilliant!â
Katniss felt her blush intensify as she tried to brush it off, âI just sang.â
Madge just smiled as she handed her a small pouch of coins, âWell you did it amazingly.â
Katniss slumped against the door once she managed to fully get away and leave the Mayorâs house behind,Â
She took a moment to gather her thoughts before going to start the walk back home, somehow feeling lighter than when sheâd made her way over.
She found that⌠she didnât hate the idea of performing again.
No fucking joke, I was offered 4 days of film-set marshalling and I told him I was unavailable for one of the days but I could cancel. And he told me heâd potentially found someone else.
I reblogged this.
And not 20 mins later, he came back to me and said if I really want it, let him know now. So fuck. Wow.
fuck it, i never ever do those âreblog for X, this one really works!â posts, but this one doesnât have any of that BS, this is just straight up wishing us good things; and then the comment doesnât even say any of that either. Zero claims on this post, all positive vibes
May you end this week feeling ever more certain of a future youâll love
Written for @augustwritingchallenge day 6: Domestic
Buddie, 1.3k
AO3 link
"Hey, could you grab an apple for his lunch?" Eddie asked, before shoving a slice of toast in his mouth. He caught the apple Buck tossed his way without hesitation, adding it to Chris's lunch box.
"Chris, you've got five minutes!" Buck called in the general direction of Chris's room.
"Five? I thought we had at least ten?" Eddie looked at his watch, frantic.
"We do, but if I tell him he has five, he'll be ready in eight." Buck shrugs, taking a bite out of another apple.
"Well played," Eddie narrows his eyes, suspicious.
"I figured, since it works on youâŚ" Buch grins.
"I am very punctual," Eddie grumbles. He finishes his coffee and checks Chris's backpack again, making sure he has everything he needs, just as Chris finally emerges from his room. Eddie passes the bag off, and Chris unpacks it, putting everything back in one at a time.Â
"Dad, can I bring aâ"Â
Eddie takes a chocolate bar from the cabinet and holds it out for Chris to take. He rolls his eyes, exchanges a look with Buck, who's grinning behind his own coffee mug.
"Alright, buddy, ready to hit the road?" Buck stands up and claps his hand together. He had volunteered to be a chaperone for the field trip, a job Eddie was fairly happy to pass over â he loved his own kid, but being responsible for a half dozen other twelve year olds sounded like a nightmare â at a natural history museum no less, where there would be creepy dead animals with beady glass eyes staring andâ nope, he wasn't going there. That was Buck's area of interest, so Eddie happily agreed to stay home.
Buck's excited though, Eddie can see it in his face as he throws on his jacket and grabs his keys.
"Bye, dad!" Chris shouts, heading out the front door without so much as a backwards glance.
"Bye, Chris! Be safe!"
Eddie walks to the door, a smile tugging at his lips at the kid's enthusiasm.
Buck meets him at the door. "I've got him, Eddie."
"I know you do. Have fun, okay?"
Buck snorts, like there was ever any question about him enjoying this.
Eddie reaches out, rests a hand on the side of Buck's face, and pulls him in for a kiss.
A peck on the lips, nothing more.
Chris calls, and Buck rushes after him to the car.
They drive away, and Eddie is still frozen in the doorway.
He kissed Buck. His best friend in the world. He kissed him. Like that's normal. Like they do it every morning.
Like a happily married couple, following their mĂłr omg routine with Buck bringing their kid to school while Eddie stays home and looks after the house.
Eddie kissed Buck, and Buck justâ
Had he kissed Eddie back? There wasn't really time, Eddie can't remember.
He stands there till the mail comes, and then he closes the door, standing in the silence of the house for long enough that he wonders if he'd just imagined it.
Then he goes to the kitchen,sees the remnants of proof that it had happened. The residual mess from breakfast, Buck's coffee cup and the core of an apple at the top of the trash.
Buck hadn't said anything. Eddie plays the moment over and over in his head all day as he cleans the house from top to bottom.
Cleaning the breakfast dishes, the Buck in his head looks shocked at the kiss.
Folding laundry: Could he have been happy? Excited, even, for something other than the museum?
Making himself lunch: Maybe Buck had been upset, maybe he was glad for the excuse to run away, maybe Eddie ruined everything.
He hears nothing from Buck all day. No calls, no texts, no selfies of him with a dinosaur skeleton.
Eddie mops, and he dusts, and he organises his fucking closet just for something to do.Â
The clock ticks by, and right after five in the evening, he hears Buck's Jeep pull up. The door opening, Chris coming in.Â
He hears every detail about the museum, the things he learned, the fact that Stephanie J got in trouble for trying to touch one of the displays.
Eddie listens to every word. He hears Buck suggest takeout for dinner, and feels himself nod.Â
Chris disappears to his room.
"There's clean laundry on your bed, it better be put away by dinner!" Eddie calls after him.
Then he looks at Buck.
Buck, who's frowning. Brow pinched, eyes narrowed on Eddie.
Eddie braces himself.
Buck sits down, right beside him on the couch.
"Good day?" Eddie asks.
"Pretty good," Buck says. "Didn't really see much of the exhibits, you know?"
"Kids keep you occupied?"Â
Is this it? They'll just act like nothing happened? Honestly, as these things go, Eddie thinks it might be the best course of action. He can't take it back, doesn't think he wants to take it back, but pretending it didn't happen is preferable than sitting through a rejection, soâ
"Not so much the kids," Buck says, and then there's a hand on either side of Eddie's face, and he's being kissed.
Not just a peck, either: a full blown kiss. Buck is kissing him, and it takes Eddie the better part of a minute to get with the program and start kissing him back. He presses forward, all but climbing into Buck's lap.
Their lips part, but neither of them are in any hurry to put any further distance between them.
"Did you mean to kiss me this morning?" Buck asks. Eddie shakes his head.
"I didn't even realise I had until you were driving away. It just feltâ"
"Natural?" Buck suggests. Eddie nods, their noses bumping.
"Yeah. Like it was something we always did."
"I sort of felt that too. Didn't realise till we were on the bus, and by thenâŚ"
"I know."
"Do you⌠do you want it?"
"Want what?" Eddie looks at Buck, so close, close enough to kiss again, but Eddie needs to hear this first, needs to know where Buck's head is.
"Do you want it to be something we always do?" Buck asks.
Eddie laughs quietly and presses a kiss to Buck's lips. "Absolutely."
"Good, because I'm not going to be able to stop now I've started."
Buck pulls Eddie close, and they don't part until the doorbell rings, and Eddie has to get up to pay for the pizza and call Chris for dinner, while Buck goes to make sure his laundry has been put away.
Buck doesn't go home that night, or the one after. They kiss goodbye at the door when he finally has to leave, to pick up a change of clothes for their next shift.
This time, it's on purpose, though it feels no less natural.
"So are you guys, like, dating now?" Chris asks, startling Eddie from where he's staring at the empty spot where Buck's keys had been.
"UhâŚ" Eddie stammers. "How would you feel about that?" He asks. He braces himself for Chris's reaction, kicking himself for not being more subtle, or maybe for not telling him immediately.
Chris shrugs. "Not many chaperones on school trips are dad's best friend. Most of the kids and teachers at school assumed he was my stepdad anyway. It's fine by me, as long as you're both happy."
"We are," Eddie promises.
"Cool. Are there any pop tarts left?" Chris wanders into the kitchen, conversation over.
Eddie stares after him. "Second shelf, behind Buck's protein bars."
"Thanks!"
Eddie hears the sound of things being pushed aside in the pantry, then the toaster, and Chris moving around in the kitchen.
Well, that was that, then.
Eddie had better get ready for work before Carla arrived to take Chris to school.
Work, where he'd see Buck again. Where they'd greet each other with a kiss before they walked inside.
Just a peck on the lips, a quick good morning. Because that was normal. It was something they did, and something they would keep doing.
