After the Rebellion

Growing Closer

*Katniss's POV*

The days and weeks went on after Peeta got back, and we had been reminiscing in the past. As time went on, Peeta regained his memory to the fullest, yet we still played our "real or not real?" game.

One day, while Peeta and I were in the Meadow, we had started up the game again.

"You still hunt in these woods even though I wish you wouldn't. Real or not real?" Peeta asks.

"Real. Okay, my turn. Umm, Haymitch is still a bloody drunk. Real or not real?"

"Katniss, that's an easy one. Not real. He hasn't had a drink as far as I know since I got back! Alright, next one." Peeta gets up to help me off the ground as he always does when we're about to leave the Meadow. But then he gets back onto the ground. So much for leaving.

"Katniss, you'll be my wife for the rest of our lives, and we'll have kids if and when you're ready. Real or not real?"

I stand in front of him as he exposes an engagement ring. It has a single diamond in the centre with two orange gemstones on either side of it, and two green gemstones that I assume to be emeralds next to the orange ones on the outside. To represent not only an engagement, but mine and Peeta's engagement.

"I, uh... Oh, Peeta." His face starts to turn down as though he thinks I'll say no. But how can I say no to the boy with the bread? He's saved my life in many more ways than one, and finally, I'm going to return the favour.

"Sorry, I just wasn't expecting this at all. Peeta, of course it's real. I've loved you for longer than I thought. I didn't know it then, but I really did start to love you in the first arena; in the cave. You almost died, but I vowed never to let that happen again. So when you hit that force field in the second arena, I thought that I'd lost you, and I realised then just how much I really loved you. You already know this, but when you were taken by the Capitol, I completely broke down. Knowing that you were getting tortured, and that I was the cause broke my heart."

"Kat--"

"Peeta, please let me finish stumbling through this. I did everything that I did in hopes that it would bring you back to me, but you kept getting worse. And when I finally had you back in Thirteen, it wasn't what I wanted. Because you'd been hijacked, and you would never be the same. Or so I thought. But Peeta Mellark, you changed. We all did. But you're still my boy with the bread, and I'll never stop loving you. So yes, Peeta. I will marry you, and I'll give you the family that you've always dreamed of."

And with that, Peeta finally put the ring on my finger. In that moment, I'd never felt happier in my entire life.

A/N: Sorry it's kinda short, but there's some pretty intense dialogue on Katniss's part. I think the next chapter will be the proposal from Peeta's perspective. We'll see.