The Hunger Games One Shots

Stars in the City

Stars in the City sung by Old Dominion
(I just thought I'd make a one shot out of a song. I also fudged the storyline a little. You'll see what I mean.)

Katniss

Peeta and I were walking down the sidewalk in District 12. It was currently being rebuilt from the rebellion, which took place almost a decade ago. In those last few years, Peeta had grown close, moving in together and helping each other through our nightmares. Honestly, I'm not sure what I would do without him at this point.

Our hands were locked together, just like they usually were. My hand inside his. Almost like they were meant for each other. One built for other. His strong, calloused one protecting mine.

We were just passing the bakery when I spilt my hot chocolate all over my jeans. I gasped, feeling the hot liquid run down my legs. We stopped, staring at the mess now growing on the ground. "Aw." I softly spoke.

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "They're ruined now."

"Naw, they're better now." Peeta answered, a smile playing on his soft lips.

I furrowed my gray eyes into his blue ones. Better now? "How? I just ruined my favorite pair of jeans. Plus, now I'm soaked in hot chocolate. How could this possibly be better than my jeans being clean and me happily drinking my hot chocolate?"

He tapped the side of his head, a hint of a smirk on his face. "It's just a matter of perspective."

I rolled my eyes, my mind still not changed. This was a terrible outcome. Before I could argue with him, he kissed my cheek. I quickly turned to look at him, confusion now fogging up my mind. "What was that for?" I asked.

"Well, you spilled your hot chocolate so now I feel bad so I'm going to kiss you as much as I can," he explained, kissing my cheek, my nose, then my lips. A smile grew on his face as my cheeks burned red. "See? Matter of perspective."

xxx

After that, I quickly began to notice Peeta's optimistic perspective. He would blurt out a comment that wouldn't mean much to anyone else but me. I couldn't help but wonder how he could see the world as something so joyful after everything we'd been through.

We were stuck inside all day. The rain had been pouring nonstop, causing me to have a gloomy day. Rain makes things wet. And wet reminds me of sadness. To keep my mind busy, Haymitch and I played a few rounds of checkers, which I clearly won even though he cheated. "Give up, Haymitch?" I teased.

"I'm not losing to you, sweetheart." He fired back, taking back his pieces and placing them back in the starting position. I grinned, placing down my pieces as well. I was going to beat him again.

"Ain't this rain nice?" Peeta spoke, sitting beside the window. It was open a crack, causing a small draft in the house.

"It's depressing. It makes everything wet and soggy. Nice isn't how I would describe it." I grumbled, rolling my gray eyes.

"Depressing?" Peeta scoffed, turning to look at me. "Smell the air. Isn't it wonderful? It has a such a clean scent, like fresh laundry."

I paused, taking a deep breath. Alright. I had to admit, it did smell wonderful. It reminded me of being out in the woods with Gale when I was twelve. "It does smell very nice." I replied.

"Besides, rain brings green grass and bright flowers in the meadow. It cleans out all of the dirty things and grows new ones. It also gives us a beautiful song, though it can't compare to your voice." He thoughtfully added, admiring the rain out the window.

I glanced at Haymitch and shrugged my shoulders. Haymitch shook his head, quietly chuckling. "It's the little imperfections that make him unique." He softly answered.

xxx

I was in the kitchen, humming as I was cleaning our dishes. Over the years, I've gradually began singing more often. It reminds me of my father and Prim. Not only that, but Peeta loves it and is constantly begging me to sing for him. Though I tell him that I only do it for him, I've secretly began to enjoy it.

"Don't sad songs make you smile?" He asked, sitting at our kitchen table, admiring me as I worked. I chuckled, drying my hands as I arched my eyebrow at him.

"Sad songs?" I clarified. He hummed nodding his head. I let out a soft sigh, placing my hands on my hips. "Alright, what makes you smile? They're supposed to be sad." I smiled.

"Well, I think it's because they seem so much more emotional," he answered, slightly biting on his lower lip. "It seems like the singer truly means what they're singing about. They put in their whole heart and soul into it and when you do that, it makes everything sound so beautiful and touching. It brings a smile to my face."

"Peeta, you're crazy." I laughed, tossing back my dark braid.

"Crazy?" He asked, standing up to move towards me.

"Yes," I answered. "Somehow you're able to see the bright side of everything. You can see diamonds in our dirty coal dust. Shiny glitter in the gross grit piled in the corners. You were able to see the stars in the Capital."

He shrugged his shoulder, wrapping his arm around me. "I don't know. Maybe I'm a little crazy then."

"Yes," I replied, pecking his lips. "Since I love you, I wanna be crazy, too. I wanna see whatever you see."

He saw something that nobody else could. Soon, his outlook began to rub off on me. I began seeing the beauty in the broken. I was able to see the stars in the city. Find a diamond in the dust. Spot the glitter in the grit. As I began to notice these things, I grew worried about myself.

I'm nothing but some traumatized victim. I'm just some worthless human being who let everyone she loved die. Well, not everyone. Peeta is still here. Haymitch is still kicking too. Still, there were so many people that I could have saved.

"Peeta," I asked, staring at our ceiling, clenching the bedsheets tightly in my hands.

He rolled over, groggily laying his arm over me. "Did you have a nightmare?" He questioned, kissing my cheek.

"Not exactly." I mumbled, now feeling bad for waking him.

"What's up then? What's keeping you awake?" He replied, trying to keep his blue eyes open.

"How can you possibly love me? I'm nothing. Just some shell of a human being." I spoke, letting my worries spill out.

"Oh, Katniss," he cooed, brushing my dark locks from my gray eyes. "Remember, I'm the one who can see something when everyone else sees nothing. I love everything about you. Your laugh. Your smile. Even your temper."

We chuckled and I rested my head against his hand. "Really?" I whispered.

"Of course," he smiled, kissing my forehead. "Now get some rest. I love you."

"I love you, too." I answered, closing my eyes. His gentle fingers brushed my hair from my face as I drifted into a nightmare less sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~