Always

Chapter 4

Katniss P.O.V.

When Peeta gets done he comes over to my house to wait. When I come down the steps and we see each other we both smile from ear to ear.

"You're beautiful," Peeta says. He points to my dress. "Is that one that Cinna made for you when we were going to get married before the announcement of the Quarter Quell?" Peeta asks.

"Mhm," I reply. "I wasn't going to wear it but I couldn't help it," I say as I grab Peeta's hand and we go walking towards the front door. "And what about your suit?" I ask him. "I've never seen it before."

"It was my father's." Peeta says as he chokes on the last word.

"Oh," is all I can say.

"It was the one he wore the day of the first reaping," he says as tears swell up in his eyes. I realize that both of those memories are painful for him. The reaping and his father. I'm getting ready to give him a hug when he grabs my hand. "Let's go," he says. We start across the field to Haymitch's house.

When we reach his house, I get ready to knock on the door when Peeta pushes it open. "He never locks or shuts it," he says as we both laugh. Haymitch is unsurprisingly drunk, asleep, and laying in a puddle of liquor. Probably from the bottle that he's holding sideways in his hand.

"Haymitch!" I scream as I shake his shoulder violently. I'm searching for a pot to play my old tricks with, when I realize that Peeta's one step ahead of me.

"Step back," Peeta tells me as he puts his arm out in front of me and gets the can full of water ready.

"You don't have to worry about that," I tease. The second the water hits Haymitch's head, he jumps up and the knife comes flying towards us and across the room. We both throw ourselves on the ground.

"Shoot!" Peeta says. "Forgot he sleeps with a knife." Peeta stands up once he makes sure that Haymitch is fully awake. He reaches one of his hands out towards me. "You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply as I take Peeta's hand and he helps me up. "Someone's extra violent today aren't they?"

"Must you keep waking me like that?" Haymitch asks as he wipes the water off of his face.

"Must you keep falling asleep like that?" I ask with equal aggravation in my voice. Haymitch just smiles.

"What can I do for my favorite angel?" Haymitch asks sarcastically.

"We want you to marry us," I says as I take Peeta's hand.

"No," Haymitch says as he puts both of his hands up.

"Who not?" I ask wondering if I could get that knife in the wall in time before Peeta pulls me back. Peeta follows my gaze and grips my hand even harder.

"Because for one it's forbidden to be married to two people at the same time. Two, I'm not gay," he says as he points to Peeta. "And three, I wouldn't marry you sweetheart if my life depended upon it," Haymitch finished as he smirks.

"That's not what I meant," I say with tension and desperation in my voice.

"Oh, you mean you want me to hitch you and Peeta together?" Haymitch asks as he smiles at the obvious answer. "Still going to have to say no."

"Why?" I ask about to lunge myself towards him. I think that by this point even Peeta is having second thoughts about the knife.

"Because you don't deserve the boy," Haymitch says as he searches for a fresh bottle of liquor. "I'm out of liquor," Haymitch says angrily. "Sweetheart, do you have any extra bottles stashed away at your house?"

"A few," I reply with my arms crossed.

"Bring me back a few will ya?" Haymitch asks as he sits down.

"I will," I say. "But only if you marry me and Peeta.

"No," Haymitch argues.

"Fine then," I say. "Guess you'll just have to stay sober." Haymitch thinks about this for a moment.

"Fine," Haymitch reluctantly agrees.

"Thank you," I sigh. Haymitch looks over to Peeta.

"Are you sure you wanna go through with this? Look at what you'll get stuck with."

"I'm sure," Peeta laughs. I smirk at Haymitch.

"Fine then," Haymitch says as he rolls his eyes. "Let's get this over with so I can go back to drinking."

"That's an excellent opening," I tease.

"Why don't you take it away then sweetheart?" Haymitch says with an amused look on his face.

"No," I say.

"We'll you seem to be an expert at this," he says.

"I didn't say I was an expert I just meant that you could do a better job at your introduction." Haymitch opens his mouth to say something when Peeta speaks up.

"I volunteer as tribute!" Peeta says and we all three start laughing.

"Take it away then," Haymitch says as he swats at the air as if he's swatting at a fly or something. Peeta gets ready to speak when Haymitch butts in again. "Wait!" he says. "Hold hands." Peeta and I smile as we take each other's hands. "Continue," Haymitch says.

"It was fate that brought us together," Peeta begins. "At first we used our love story as a method of survival. But now, it has grown into something much more. I loved you at first, and by the time you were sure that you loved me, I was programmed to hate you. I'm not saying that I'm glad I was hijacked, but at least I did get to fall in love with you all over again." As much as I try to hold them back, I can't help the tears from flowing down onto my cheeks.

"We don't exactly have the best track record in our relationship," I say. "First you take a beating to give me a loaf of bread. Then we were called to the Games together where you confess your undying for me in front of all of Panem and I nearly kill you for it. We later decided that we'd rather commit suicide than kill the other one and let the Capitol win. We were then forced into a marriage that never really happened and thrown back into the arena. From there you, again in front of all of Panem, said that I was pregnant just to try to stop the Games. We were separated and when I finally realized I loved you, it was too late. What I thought was going to be our happy reunion ended up with you trying to kill me. But somehow we still made it to where we are today." When I finish I have no clue how I got all that out. Once I started talking the words just rolled off my tongue.

"You two have been to the closest thing to hell that you can experience here on earth and back twice." Haymitch says. "I'm not saying that you two deserve each other," he says as he shoots me a look. "But both of you have definitely earned this moment. So you two are married now. You happy? Peeta you may kiss your bride but not here," Haymitch says.

Peeta walks over to me and wraps both of his arms around my waist. "You don't know how long I've dreamed of this day," he whispers. I swallow hard to stifle a sob. The tears start flowing down my face as I lift my right hand and let it rest on Peeta's cheek. I hang my head and close my eyes.

"Haymitch is right," I say. "I don't deserve you." Peeta takes his thumb and starts wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Yes you do," he says softly as he tilts my chin up and kisses me, ignoring Haymitch's demands.

"Now go get me my liquor sweetheart," Haymitch says impatiently.

"Fine," I say. "A deal's a deal," I sigh as I walk out of Haymitch's house.