Tumblr X Reader

For the Sake of Survival ( Peeta Mellark) Part 2

The rebellion had torn through Panem, leaving the Capitol in ruins and the Games—those twisted, deadly Games—in the past. You had watched from the sidelines as the rebellion raged on, a war fought not only for freedom but for the souls of those trapped by the Capitol's grip.

And now it was over.

The Mockingjay had taken flight, and Katniss Everdeen had become the symbol of a new world. But through it all, you had only been able to think of one person.

Peeta.

It had been months since you last saw him, since you told him that you couldn't be with him anymore. The pain of watching him and Katniss in their Capitol love story, even knowing it was fake, had been too much to bear. You had tried to move on, to focus on anything other than the ache in your chest where Peeta's love had once been.

But when you heard he had been captured by the Capitol, tortured, and used as a pawn in Snow's games, something inside you shattered. You realized that no matter how far you had tried to distance yourself, you still loved him. You always had.

And now, as the dust settled and the rebellion was over, you found yourself wondering if it was too late to try again. If you had lost him forever.

You were standing in front of your small home in District 12, your hands covered in dirt as you worked in the garden. The world was quieter now, eerily peaceful after so much violence. Rebuilding was slow, but life was returning to your district, piece by piece.

The sound of footsteps on the path behind you made you freeze. Your heart raced in your chest, and you slowly stood, wiping the dirt off your hands as you turned around.

And there he was.

Peeta stood a few feet away, his blue eyes locked onto yours. His face was thinner, pale from the time spent as a prisoner, and there were faint scars along his jawline. But he was still Peeta—your Peeta. The boy with the kind heart and steady hands. The boy who had once loved you more than anything.

You felt a lump form in your throat as you met his gaze. For a moment, neither of you spoke. It was as if the world had fallen away, leaving just the two of you standing in the ruins of everything you had lost.

"Y/N," Peeta said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

You couldn't move. You couldn't breathe. Your mind raced with everything you wanted to say—everything you should have said months ago. But all you could manage was his name. "Peeta."

He took a slow step toward you, his expression full of raw vulnerability. "I've been looking for you."

Your heart hammered in your chest as he closed the distance between you. "I didn't know if you would come back," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "I didn't know if... if you would want to see me."

Peeta shook his head, his eyes never leaving yours. "I've never stopped wanting to see you, Y/N. Even when you left, even when I was trapped in the Capitol. You were the one thing that kept me going."

Tears welled up in your eyes, but you blinked them away, trying to stay strong. "Peeta, I thought I lost you," you said, your voice breaking. "I thought after everything with Katniss... after everything that happened, I thought you moved on."

Peeta's eyes softened, and he reached out, his fingers brushing against your cheek. His touch was warm, familiar, and it sent a shiver down your spine. "I never moved on," he said quietly. "Everything with Katniss... it was for survival. It was never real. You're the one I love. You always have been."

You swallowed hard, your emotions threatening to overwhelm you. "But you and Katniss, you went through so much together. I thought... I thought maybe that changed things."

Peeta shook his head, his eyes full of sorrow. "Katniss and I have an understanding now. She knows... she knows what we had was never what I have with you. I couldn't have made it this far without thinking of you, Y/N. I came back for you."

His words cut through the lingering doubt in your heart, but the pain of the past still clung to you. "Peeta, I... I pushed you away. I didn't think I could handle it. And now, after everything, I don't even know if we can go back to the way things were."

Peeta stepped closer, his hands cupping your face gently as he tilted your chin to meet his gaze. "We don't have to go back," he said, his voice soft but firm. "We can start over. We've both changed, but what I feel for you hasn't. I love you, Y/N. I always have. And I'm not going to let anything take that away again."

Tears slid down your cheeks as you looked up at him, your heart swelling with a mixture of relief and fear. Could it really be this simple? After everything you'd been through, could you truly have him back?

Before you could speak, Peeta reached into his pocket, pulling out something small and silver. Your breath caught in your throat as he opened his hand, revealing a simple, delicate ring resting on his palm.

"I wanted to give this to you before the Games," he said softly, his voice shaking slightly. "But I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance. And then everything happened with Katniss, and I thought I'd lost you for good. But I'm standing here now, and I'm not going to waste another second."

He looked into your eyes, his expression filled with a hope that made your heart ache. "Y/N, will you marry me?"

The world seemed to stop in that moment. The years of pain, of separation, of doubt—they all melted away under the weight of Peeta's words. You felt your chest tighten, not with fear, but with love. Love for the boy who had never given up on you, even when you had given up on yourself.

You nodded, your tears falling freely now as you whispered, "Yes."

Peeta's face broke into a relieved, shaky smile, and he gently slipped the ring onto your finger. His hands trembled as he did so, and you realized that even now, after everything, he was still afraid you might slip away.

But you wouldn't. Not this time.

The moment the ring was in place, you surged forward, wrapping your arms around Peeta as he pulled you into a kiss. It was soft and tender, filled with the weight of everything left unsaid but deeply understood. His lips were warm against yours, and you clung to him as if you were afraid he might vanish.

But he didn't. He was real, and he was here.

When you finally pulled back, both of you were breathless, your foreheads resting against one another as the world settled around you. The war was over. The Games were behind you. And for the first time in what felt like forever, you had a future—a future with Peeta.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll always love you."

You smiled through your tears, your heart full. "I love you too, Peeta. I always have."

And this time, you knew you would never have to let him go.