Prompt 133: The victory tour is live-streamed and mandatory viewing for each district. What no one expected however, was for Snow to know Peeta was the words behind Katniss - the one he couldn’t control. When peeta starts talking about rue and thresh in D11, snow issues the command, and everyone is shocked when a bang rings out and a red spot starts rapidly spreading on Peeta’s chest. Reactions and the aftermath! [submitted by anonymous]
I wish I knew who submitted this but whoever it was, I hope you enjoy. I kept glossing over this prompt and then one day I read it again and the story came to me.
Rated T and no beta
The Soul Within the Star
“He can be dealt with,” Plutarch Heavensbee says to President Snow. “As soon as the opportunity arises, we will take it. Knowing him, I think he’ll make a mistake publicly.”
President Snow slowly smiles, twirling a perfect white rose between his fingers. “I’ll issue the order to have them armed and ready. As soon as he speaks a word out of line, he will be eliminated.”
*****
Katniss is having difficulty speaking, so Peeta begins for her. He begins talking about how Thresh showed Katniss mercy and how Rue reminded Katniss of her sister.
Katniss is invested in what he is saying before being startled by a loud bang. She’s looking around to see what the possible source is when she hears a thud next to her. Peeta is laying on the ground. A small red spot on his chest begins to rapidly spread. She is on her knees by his side in an instant, one hand applying pressure, the other caressing his cheek.
“Peeta, look at me. You’re going to be okay,” Katniss assures him, although not quite believing her own words.
“Katniss?” he gasps. One hand covers the one on his chest while the other hand, coated in blood, caresses her cheek.
“Where the hell is the medic?” their mentor yells.
Peeta’s eyes begin closing and Katniss shakes him hard. “Stay awake, Peeta.”
“I’m so tired, Katniss.”
“No, don’t even think about it. You stay with me,” she cries.
He pulls the hand that’s on his chest away and brings it to his lips.
“Always,” he whispers before he succumbs to the darkness.
“NOOOOO!” she screams while thrashing at the Peacekeepers who are pulling her away. She feels a poke in her shoulder and then darkness follows her, too.
*****
When she comes to, she is on a soft bed on the train. She looks to her right and sees Haymitch, sitting in a chair with a bottle to his lips. He senses she’s awake and moves towards the bed, sitting in the empty space.
Haymitch barely moves when he shakes his head.
“Where is he?” she whispers.
“A hovercraft took his body.”
They tell her it was a rebel who shot and killed one half of the star-crossed lovers.
*****
It does nothing to soothe the districts and when the Quarter Quell announcement is made that the tributes will be reaped among the existing pool of victors, Katniss can do nothing but burst into laughter. She has gone mental and is unpredictable since Peeta was taken from her. Hopefully, the President won’t fault her family if someone else kills her, instead of her doing it herself.
Her plan is hindered, however, when Plutarch informs her that if she doesn’t actually try, the President has ordered her mother and sister to be killed. This is entertainment to the Capital citizens after all.
*****
In the arena, Katniss is lured by a beautiful voice, Peeta’s voice, away from the other victors. She leaves them behind, seeking only what she desires most. Finnick races past her when there is a terrifying scream. Peeta’s tortured scream soon follows and the two of them are trapped for one agonizing hour.
“Who was that voice?” she asks Finnick.
Finnick, leans into her ear and whispers, “My Annie.”
While she has no fight left for herself, she is willing to fight so that he can go home and be with his beloved.
*****
She focuses on a star as she’s being lifted by the claw. Her father told her that long ago, before the Dark Days, people spoke of souls going to a place called Heaven, that was up in the sky and where you reunited with loved ones after death and that there was a soul within each star. Maybe she is looking at Peeta’s.
*****
She comes to in the hovercraft but before she can grab the empty syringe, she is poked and feels as if she is being consumed by fire. As her eyes drift shut, she smiles, eagerly welcoming death.
*****
She hears mumbled voices, something about someone needing to rest. The voice offers to stay with her. Fingertips caress her cheek, and she feels lips on the crown of her head. Katniss finally feels whole again, and the feeling is directly linked to whoever this person is. She inhales deeply before reaching for the hand on her cheek.
Katniss hears a sharp intake of breath. “Katniss,” the voice whispers.
She smiles. This is the voice she was hoping would welcome her.
“Katniss,” the voice says louder.
She opens her eyes, her grey one’s looking straight into the most hypnotic blue. Growing up, she thought Prim’s eyes were the nicest shade of blue; however, they could not hold a candle to Peeta’s.
Katniss leans her cheek in closer to his hand. He even smells like cinnamon and maybe dill? She really is finally with him. Peeta takes a moment to wipe the tears from his own eyes.
“You’re really here?” she whispers.
He nods running his hand over the top of her head, smoothing her hair.
“Yeah,” he lets out shakily.
“And we get to stay together forever now?” she asks with a smile knowing that she is finally where she is meant to be.
He leans his forehead against hers. “I will never, EVER, leave you. I promise.”
“Always?” she raises her head slightly, her nose touching his.
“Always,” he assures her.
“I’ve waited so long,” she begins.
“I know sweetheart. I’m so sorry.” Peeta’s hand cup her jaw.
“I can finally tell you,” Katniss says dreamily.
“Tell me what?” he asks, gently rubbing his thumb along her cheekbone.
“I love you, Peeta,” she proclaims, closing the short distance from her lips to his in a light kiss. She pulls back to look at him, noting nothing but adoration. He only offers seconds of respite before he leans down, claiming her mouth with his. Katniss gives in, elated to finally be with her boy with the bread once more.
The kiss turns frantic, each exhibiting possessiveness that can only be quenched by the other. Katniss raises her hand to curl her fingers into his hair while Peeta cradles her jaw. At a slight tug of his hair, Peeta lets out a moan before using his tongue to beg for entrance. Katniss grants entry, their tongues now engaged in a sensual dance.
There’s a beeping in the background that causes Peeta to pull away. He moves to stand but Katniss grips the front of his…jumpsuit?
“No,” she says, terror in her voice. “I’m not letting you leave me.”
“I just have to- “
“No, I love you….so much, Peeta.” The beeping is getting faster. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t say it when you were alive.”
“Alive?” A dawning of realization crosses Peeta’s face but before he can assure her, a team of medical staff rush in barking out orders and pushing Peeta back.
Katniss screams and resists every effort before she is restrained, her heart rate climbing to 180 beats per minute. Peeta is forcibly removed, fighting with everything he has to get back to the woman he loves…. who has finally told him that she feels the same way.
Outside, Peeta collapses to the ground and begins to sob while the brief light in Katniss’s heart goes out.
*****
Eventually Katniss awakes, and there to greet her is someone Katniss is assuming is a doctor.
“How are you feeling, Katniss?”
“Please kill me,” she begs.
“Katniss, I assure you, it is better to be alive.”
She shakes her head, “No…. Peeta is not here.”
“Peeta IS here, Katniss. He’s been here—”
“NO, HE IS NOT. HE BLED TO DEATH IN FRONT OF ME.”
The doctor injects something in her IV. Katniss is sure sleep will come…. but this time it doesn’t. She is just calmer.
“Peeta is alive Katniss. We’re in District 13.”
Katniss opens her mouth to argue, when her sister walks in, smothering her in a hug.
“Prim,” she gasps. Her mother walks in soon after followed by her mentor.
“But I died in the Games,” Katniss says.
“You blew out the forcefield,” Haymitch explains.
“It was all a part of the plan to get the victors out,” Plutarch explains as he casually strolls in.
“I’m alive?” Katniss asks.
Haymitch pinches her hard causing her to yelp and Prim to kick him in the shin.
Katniss breaks down in tears, realizing that while she is indeed alive and safe with her family, the exchange with Peeta had to have been some kind of dream.
“He really is gone,” she gasps.
“Katniss, the boy’s alive,” her mentor says.
She begins shaking her head when someone comes running into the room. She looks up and there is Peeta who crosses the room with purpose before cupping her jaw, a little roughly, and smashes his lips to hers. Katniss grips his wrists tightly, willing him to hold her there forever. The kiss is so intense and full of love and passion that Katniss doesn’t register any of their surroundings. When they pull apart, Peeta once again has tears in his eyes. Some have fallen from his face to mix with Katniss’s own. The only people remaining in the room with them are Plutarch, Haymitch, and the doctor.
“None of this was real?” she questions.
“Peeta getting shot in the chest was real,” Plutarch confirms.
“I can attest to that with how bad it hurt,” Peeta says, unzipping his jumpsuit and pulling up his undershirt. Katniss can see where he was shot, touching the raised and discolored skin with a whisper of her fingertips. Peeta pulls her hand away allowing his shirt to drop before he kisses her fingertips.
“We made sure when we shot him to just miss his heart,” Plutarch adds.
Katniss reels back and is scrambling to attack Plutarch while Peeta holds her firmly back.
“We had the hovercraft standing by to treat him. Snow was going to do something one way or the other and it was better to get him out when we did. He knew that Peeta was a more dangerous threat with his words than you could ever be.”
Katniss relaxes and breathes in Peeta’s scent to calm down. The calmness only lasts briefly before she turns to Haymitch. “Did you know?”
“Sweetheart—”
“DID YOU KNOW?”
Haymitch hangs his head in shame before nodding slightly. Katniss possesses a strength no one knew possible and breaks free from Peeta’s grasp, raking her fingers along Haymitch’s cheek, blood coating her fingertips.
A medical team swarms in but Peeta shields her.
“NO. No drugs. Everyone out.” The room gapes at him. “I SAID OUT, DAMN IT!”
Katniss sobs in Peeta’s arms, collapsing to the floor and dragging Peeta down with her. He lets her cry into his chest while he cradles her body and rocks her back and forth all while keeping an eye on the monitor which is measuring her heartbeat.
Katniss falls asleep, the rocking motion soothing her. Peeta places her back in bed where she sleeps for hours.
When she comes to again, her face is buried in Peeta’s neck, his arm draped across her stomach. She grazes his jaw with her fingers causing him to stir awake.
“You’re alive and here with me. Real or not real?”
“Real,” Peeta says with a kiss to her forehead. “You love me. Real or not real?”
“Real,” she answers before her lips touch his again.
