We'll Watch the Sunset - Peeta Mellark x Reader Story

Chapter 8 - Rue

Things had gone downhill quickly. Although another tribute was down, meaning one step closer to hopefully Katniss winning and coming back, I realised Peeta was doing this for Katniss. He had been protecting her. 

When the Katniss had cut the branch the nest full of tracker jackers, she was stung a couple of times which wasn't great due to the hallucinations and disorientation that the venom causes. How she was still able to concentrate after that I didn't know.

The careers got a few stings, but Glimmer got the worst of it and they left her for dead, although there wasn't much they could've done for either way. I'm just glad Peeta and Katniss got out alive.

Katniss managed to get the thing that would help her get further in the games now, having acquired the bow and arrows. When she took them from Glimmers body, she counted how many arrows she had, and I couldn't help but feel uneasy as she stood there out in the open and my worries were proven to not be irrational as there was movement from behind the camera.

When they had switched camera angles Peeta was shown running towards Katniss, yelling at her to go, to run, questioning why she was still there when she should be running from the careers.

Which she did, rather slowly due to the effects of the tracker jacker venom. With stopping to save Katniss it resulted in Cato finding Peeta, the career releasing his anger at the betrayal of the tribute from 12, and it ended with Peeta being left with a horrendous slash on his leg with the deadly sword that Cato had been heating on the fire the night before.

All this information I was given was from my mom, who went to do some housework once she had finished catching me up on everything I had missed while I was out hunting. Gale and I had spent a few hours longer out there than usual. We spoke about how different things would be if Katniss didn't make it out of the Arena.

"It will be so weird without her." I turned to Gale as we were in our hiding spot. 

"Y/N, it will. And when I'm out of school, I'll only have Sundays off. That will be tough on you. With your family, mine, Prim and her mom. I can't let you do all that by yourself if... If she doesn't come back." Gale wrapped a strong arm around me.

"Then we just hope she wins."

"Yeah..." Gale trailed off, before standing up and holding out his hand for me to take, "Right, Y/n, let's see who can get three turkey's the fastest."

"You're on." I smirked, picking up my gear and taking his hand.

A few days later, it seemed as though Rue and Katniss had formulated a plan. Fire's, to distract the career's, which I think Rue was going to light. While Katniss went to destroy the Career's food. Peeta was still alive, his canon hadn't sounded, but I could only imagine how weak he must be. 

Katniss had the right idea. The Career's know how to protect their food. But take it away? They're going to have a hard time trying to find it in the wild. It give's the ones from the poorer districts a chance at surviving. Guess the careers weren't so prepared for the games as they thought they were.

When Katniss fired her third arrow, making the apples fall onto the mines the Careers had cleverly been reactivated and buried around the massive pile of supplies, which is why they needed the kid from 3, chaos broke loose, Katniss got thrown back from the blast, large puffs of smoke billowed into the air, the booming sound echoed around the arena, alerting many tributes of the destruction. The careers came running back, Cato falling into a fit of rage, snapping the kid from three's neck.

Katniss looked terrified as a camera focused in on her, before running into the depths of the woods.

Through the old TV, I heard Katniss whistle which was carried along by a type of songbird... A mockingjay maybe?

But then the cameras cut back to the careers before cutting back to another tribute, screaming, trapped in a net. My heart sunk, and although I've never met her, and probably never will, the young tributes scream still pained me. She didn't deserve this. Rue's screams alerted not only Katniss... But the Career's as well, and they sent the last one from District One to follow the screams of the young girl from 11.

Katniss looked dazed as she ran back to find Rue, and I could only look on, stuck in District 12, worrying about Rue, Katniss and Peeta, among other things such as keeping mine and the Everdeen's fed and watching out for Gale.

All I felt was worry and helplessness. All I could do is watch on and be unable to do anything while innocent children who don't deserve to be in that area die painful and horrible deaths. No matter how much I may hate the Career's in this moment, this is how they've been raised. They were taught from young ages that to win the games is glorious, and that that is what they need to be, a Victor, to be respected.

"Y/N, you've got to head to school soon." My mother said, kissing the top of my head.

"Can't I just stay home? I can't focus at school while worrying about Rue, and Katniss, and Peeta. Mom, for all I know, I could walk into the dining hall and find that they're all dead." 

"Y/N, you know that's not allowed. You have to go to school. I know you care about them but I don't want you feeling like you need to worry about them. Katniss and Peeta are smart, and Katniss is quick, she will get to Rue. If they find Peeta, they may be able to wait things out."

I know she's right, and so I just sighed and stoof up, grabbing my school bag once I had put my shoes and jacket on.

"There's a good girl. I will see you later. Say hello to Gale for me."

"I will." I turn to head out, before turning back to my mom, my e/C eyes locking with hers, "I love you mom." 

"I love you too, y/n/n."

The dirt path, littered with small rocks, crunched under my worn boots, and I wrapped my coat closer around myself. The miners had long since entered the mines, and so the only people who were outside were the parents, hanging up fresh washing to dry in the small breeze, and other school children from the Seam hugging their moms and dads on the doorsteps, kicking stones as they dragged their feet along the ground. I saw Gale standing at our meeting spot, like every morning, ever since we were young, except there was one thing missing... a girl with steel grey eyes and a mask she puts on for District 12, making sure she doesn't say anything that could get her in trouble, or her family. A girl who was fighting for herself, for Rue, and for District 12.

I walked over to Gale, who wrapped his arm around my shoulders, "Hey y/n/n."

"Hey Gale." I turned to the nearest house when I heard two canons go off from the nearest house, my head filled with the worst possible scenario's. A friend of my mother let me go inside to see who it was. I might have hurt myself if it weren't for Gale who caught me before I hit the ground, my knees buckling out from beneath me.

The faces on screen showed two people, Marvel from District 1, and little Rue of District 11.

Edited: 27/12/22

e/c = eye colour
y/n/n = your nickname