My Ivy [A Peeta x reader fanfiction]

how'd we get here so soon?

TW: Ga1€ will be mentioned in this chapter, please do not read if this cursed name makes you want to murd£r him. 

You take a deep breath.

"Shhhhhh," you whisper into your cousins' hair. Tears were streaming down her face. "Shhhhhhhh. It's okay, Prim." 

After your father and uncle died in a mine incident when you were eleven, you and your mother had lived with your aunt and cousins, Prim and Katniss. Katniss was your age, now sixteen. Prim was twelve. Her first year of having her name out in the reading bowl. You tried to tell her that it would be alright. You and Katniss had each signed up for tesserae. When you are twelve, you put in your name once. When you are thirteen, you name is put in twice. When you're fourteen, three times and so on. You can also put in tesserae for wheat and oil. You and Katniss each had signed up for tesserae so Prim wouldn't have to. You had your name in twelve times, and Katniss ten. Prim, only once. You hear a creak in your bed and see Katniss sitting up, breaking your thoughts. 

"I'm sorry," she says, giving Prim a hug. "I should've woken up earlier." 

"No," you say. "It's alright, I was already up." You stretch and wander into the bathing room, putting on a plain black shirt, olive green cargo pants, brown belt and combat boots. 

You complete the look with a brown, leather hunting jacket, similar to Katniss's. They were our father's. You listen quietly as Katniss sings a lullaby to her little sister, laying her sweet, innocent head down onto the hard mattress. She walks out moments later, putting on a similar outfit. You walk out the door with your cousin. 

It's sad, walking through the sad streets of the Seam. District 12 is a sad place to be. But you could never say that. You look to the left and see an elderly man chewing on the bones of some type of game. You look to the right and see a sad mother, frail and week, watching her young son chase after a skinny dog. Dogs were good hunting companions. You wish you had one of your own. A border-collie, you think that's what they're called. Watching the previous games, you saw a District one tribute talking about her dog. But you had a cat. And he was wonderful. Katniss had tried to drown him, but Prim pleaded and pleaded until she stopped. And from then on out, the cat's name Buttercup. (It had been before). At first, you doubted the cat. Young, starving and, infested with worms. But Prim and your Aunt worked as hard as they could to save the poor thing, and eventually he grew on you. 

As you made your way through the Meadow, you couldn't help but notice the Primroses. There was nothing special about them. They looked the same as they did any other day. You put your ear up to the electric fence separating you from the woods. Separating District 12 from freedom. No hum. No hum equals no electricity. You and Katniss duck under the hole in the fence. You quietly search for game, but there doesn't seem to be anything out today. 

You are about to leave when you see your friend Gale. Katniss perks up immediately and laughs. You smile and wave. Katniss immediately starts a conversation with him. They're talking about something related to the Hunger Games, and how messed up they are. Katniss was giving her undivided attention to every word he said, but you weren't listening. She had told you about a year ago about a crush. She said it was just something small, but ever time he walked in, her smile would light up the room. You didn't though. He was a great friend. You new one boy who you liked, but it didn't really count as a crush. Did it? 

"What about you, y/n?" Gale asks, breaking your train of thought. 

"Hmm?" You ask. "Sorry, I wasn't listening." 

"He asked if you would want to have kids." Katniss told you. 

What kind of question was that? What were you supposed to say? "Probably not," you respond, stunned by the question. "I don't think I've met the right person yet." 

Gale nods. "I think we better get going." he says. Everyone aggress and you take off for the fence. When you get home, you see that your mother has laid out a dress for you.

(Imagine this but with little flowers embroidered on)

It was beautiful. You tried to scrub the dirt and grime from your skin. You got most of it off and put on the dress. 

As you lined up to get your blood pricked, you noticed the boy, hair sleeked back. But he had a bruise on his cheek. You felt bad for him. You give him a sympathetic smile and he smiled back, color coming back into his cheeks. As you got in line with your age group, you noticed him still smiling. Wow. You thought. Did I really just make his day? 

As everyone filed in, you noticed the three chairs sitting up on the stage. The mayor was in one, Effie Trinket in another, abut the third was empty. You sighed as Haymitch stumbled onto the stage. 

He gave Effie a big hug before he'd diving off the stage. Medics rushed in and carried him off. Effie began her speech about war and death and blah blah blah before walking over the the bowls. 

"Lady's first!" She giggled, putting her hand in the bowl. She twirled her hand around before pulling out a name. 

"Katniss Everdeen!" You looked over and saw your cousin's face drain of all color. Then you heard the screaming. 

"Katniss! Katniss no!" It was Prim. 

As Katniss walked up forward, you ran out of the group. 

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" You are grabbed and pulled up onto the stage. Effie blabbers  something about "District 12's first volunteer" and all that, but you can't hear. You ears are ringing. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. You look over at the boys section and see that boy look up at you, swallowing hard. 

Effie grabs the name from the boy's bowl and walks up to the microphone. 

"Peeta Mellark!"