Fire Extinguished (Flaming Desire Book 1) A Katniss and Finnick FanFiction

Chapter 13

Katniss POV

We sit there in silence for a while before he continues again with, "Tell me about the time you got reaped." I am silently thankful for it, needed a change of subject.

"I just always wonder why and how out of everyone, it was her. My name was in there a countless number of times and so were a handful of other girls, yet her first year, she was picked. I never really was reaped, but it felt like I was. Never would I have let my sister be a part of the games." I chuckle humorlessly at the chances of her begin picked. 

"How did you feel?"

"I knew what I had to do and I didn't hesitate to do it. Some part of me wonders if maybe everything would be okay if I took Gale's offer."

"Gale's offer?" He questions me.

I take a deep breath before saying, "He brought up the idea of running away with our families, but as always I was weak and shot it down."

"You aren't weak. Far from it." He says it more like a statement. 

I chuckle bitterly, "It's ironic. I was weak for wanting to run from this life and when the chance came I still didn't take it."

He doesn't say anything for a bit. "What's funny is how you don't see how strong you are. You're stronger than anyone around. Stronger than me even and yet you refuse to see it."

I shake my head, but it's no use arguing. Both physically and emotionally he is stronger than me. He's been a rock while I've been turning into puddles. 

"Can I ask questions yet?"

"Nope," he chuckles, "so tell me about Peeta and all that star-crossed lovers and stuff."

"I never loved Peeta at first honestly. I was actually pretty mad at him for loving me," I smile softly at the memories.

"Why were you mad at him for loving you?" He questions in confusion.

"I didn't understand why he loved me in the first place. I had done nothing to him and treated him just the same as everyone else. During the first game it was all an act. We needed the sponsors to survive, but when the Quarter Quell came around I just knew I need to keep him alive. He needed to win."

"When did you realize you loved him?"

"During the Quell when he showed me what he brought as his token."

"Explain please." He is just starring off at nothing now.

"He opened up his token and it was pictures of my family. The ones I love. Prim. Gale. My mother. He sacrificed his token for their pictures. He told me that I needed to survive because there were people who still were there for me, who would miss me when I'm gone, who would be there for me once he died. He told me that if he lived, his life would be worthless, because I was all he had left. Without me his life was nothing. There wouldn't be anyone there for him. No one would miss him he said. Then I told him that I needed him. I guess that just kind of made me realize that I loved him. Because I needed him to live. I needed him in my life. And him dying, made it so obvious. I guess losing it, makes you realize what you actually had. That's when I learned to love Peeta."

"When you fell in love."

"What?"

"Katniss," he shakes his head and laughs a little, "You fell in love with him, not learned to love him."

"I loved him like I loved the rest of my family, but with them gone I sometimes wonder what keeps me going and breathing."

"Because you have me," he added, "You have me and I have you."

And together we whispered, "We have each other."