For Prim- An Everlark Fanfiction

Chapter 1- The Deal

Katniss POV: I take off my cap, revealing my head. My gown itches my legs so I scratch, not caring if it's not lady like. I sit lazily in my chair, in the far end of my school's gymnasium. Today was my graduation from high school. It was, in one word, interesting. I laughed for the first time, listening to people's memories of the past. But I had felt a pair of eyes searing the back of my head for the entire day.

Peeta Mellark was staring at me. Peeta has been doing this since we were very young. Even before the bread.  When I was 11, just after my father had died in a mining accident, my mother was non-responsive. She fell into a deep depression which forced me to be the main source of food for me and my sister, Prim. We had no food or drink. I was trying to sell Prim's old baby clothes and they fell on to the ground, but I was too weak to pick them up. I sat under a tree, ready to die when I heard yelling. I looked up to see Peeta and his mother. Peeta's mother was yelling at him for burning some bread and she slapped him. Hard. After, she told him to feed the burnt bread to the pigs. Instead, he threw me the warm, hearty loaves. I grabbed them, using my last energy to run home. For the first time, my family had enough to eat. Peeta gave me hope, and saved my family and I. That's a debt I have no way of repaying. 

I hear laughing and singing, and smell meat and potatoes. This is really the only meal the school provides for us in our entire school career.  I am really anxious to go home, then I can change and go hunting. Gale, my hunting partner and best friend, is working today, so I have to go alone. But that's okay, I need some alone time to process my thoughts. As soon as I get up to leave, I hear a familiar voice. "Hello, Katniss. I was wondering if I could talk to you outside for a second." When I look into his blue eyes and scan his soft face and curly blonde hair, I know that I can't refuse the boy with the bread.

Peeta leads me outside, and behind the wall. "What is it that you want?" I say, crossing my arms. I tap my foot impatiently, rolling my eyes. I really want to leave, get out of here and go hunting. I need to get something for dinner tonight.

"How's Prim?" He asks, ignoring my question. My face bends into a look of bewilderment. He barely knows anything about Prim except for the fact that she's my sister and she's 14 years old, so why the sudden interest in her?  I scoff.

"She's as good as she could be here in twelve. I mean, she's my world, so I try my best to keep her safe."

"Katniss, I have a question for you, but first, I need to tell you something." Peeta stares into my eyes, which makes me blush. I don't know why, though.

"Okay..." I answer skeptically.

"Katniss, both of my brothers don't want to go into the bakery business. Therefore, I must take over the bakery. I need to learn all the mechanics of the bakery. All I know how to do is bake. But, if I want to do this, I need a wife to learn with me." He finishes, and I feel my mouth turning into a scowl. 

"What is it that your asking, Peeta?" I say.

"Katniss, will you marry me?"

My eyes widen. "What...what...I...why me? Why would I want to marry you? We barely know each other!"

"Because I love you."  I feel as if I have been kicked in the stomach. So I do the only thing I can think to do. I punch him square across the face.  He dopples over. I take off running.  "Katniss wait! Let me explain!" He yells. I don't stop. But I do make one mistake. I look back at him. His face is full of pleading. Mixed in is hurt. Blood is flowing freely from his nose. But he looks like he actually loves me. I turn back, standing in place as he runs over.  "You get 1 minute, Mellark. What would be in this marriage for me?"

Peeta POV: I can't believe the love of my life, Katniss Everdeen, is actually considering marrying me. But, I need to tell her what the marriage has in it for her. Even though the thought breaks my heart, I know the only reason she would even think about marrying me is for the pay off. "Katniss, if you marry me, there will always be food on the table. You can be safe, full, never starve again," I say. The look on Katniss's face tells me her mind is still made up on answering no. But I continue anyway. "And, think about Prim. If you marry me, she will never feel hungry again. She will have all the food she needs, be happy and healthy, and never have to think about the consequences of living in the Seam. Think what this will do for Prim."  Her face relaxes as she ponders my statement. She looks like she is wondering if it's worth it. Her face says it all. Finally it looks like she has reached an internal decision.  "Peeta, I have a few questions. Would Prim be able to live with us? Mom's dead, and she's too young to live alone."

"Yes." My heart does jumping jacks. Katniss is actually considering me. Considering becoming Mrs. Mellark. "And you can still go hunting. With Gale. Whatever you want."  "Like you could stop me." She whispers under her breath, with a hint of resentment in her voice. I really hope that fades away.  "Peeta, most importantly, I have to ask about if you'd want children. Because I can't do that. I can't bring a child into this world." I feel a little defeated. I love children, I always wanted a few of my own. I run my hands through the curls of my hair, watching Katniss's eyes flitter up, watching me.

"Oh...um... I guess, for now." I whisper the last few words. 

"What was that last part?"

"Oh nothing." I mutter. But my heart sinks even further as I think of something else about Katniss's life. "Katniss. About Gale. If you want to keep seeing him, if you love him, then I won't hold you back." I gulp, searching her face for an answer.

"Oh, Peeta...," she looks sad, like she feels bad for me. My heart shatters as I know the answer. She's going to reject me. "I don't love Gale. At least not in that way. I love him as a brother, nothing more and nothing less."  I sigh, relieved. I didn't think she would say that. A smile returns to my face. "Peeta. I don't know if I could love you. All that comes from love is hurt. Look at my mom. She went into a depression and finally died last year. I don't think I could risk getting hurt like that." Her expression is saddening.

"Katniss, you can have all the time in the world to learn to love me. If you agree to marry me, we will have all the time in the world." As she hears my answer she looks like she will argue with me, but she doesn't. She simply replies to the question that I've wanting to ask her my whole life.

"Yes Peeta, I'll marry you. I'll do it for Prim. You can give us the life we deserve."  I must have heard wrong. She agreed? What? I cannot stop the smile that flows over my face. I pull her into a hug. At first she is tense but she relaxes into my arms. "But I don't know if I will ever be able to be the wife you want me to be. I just can't do it." She looks as if she's going to cry. 

"Katniss, all I want is you. Maybe one day you will come to love me. Maybe." I can't help but feel a little sad that she's not marrying me because she feels the same way. She's doing it solely for Prim. Katniss looks as if she wants to argue, but she doesn't have the chance. "When we were five," I begin, "on the first day of school, my dad pointed you out to me. Your hair was in to braids instead of one. He said that you were the daughter of the woman he was in love with, but that woman fell in love and married a coal miner. When I asked why she did that when she could have him, he said that when your dad used to sing, even the birds stopped to listen."

"It's true, they do. They did." She smiles. "That day when the teacher asked if anyone knew the valley song, your hand shot straight up. When you sang, I knew I was a goner. I have loved you Katniss Everdeen, since then."

"Since then?"

"Yes." 

She smiles, "Well, we better go back inside." 

"Yeah," I reply. Still slightly dazed. This girl is going to be my wife. Before I can stop, my hand reaches for hers.  I'm even more surprised when she takes it and holds on tight.