𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆| Peeta Mellark

³².-𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

Archer was real.

He was once a made up child Zoya and Peeta created in their heads to try and get the games canceled, a name to a faceless baby. But, years later, as Panem was safe and secured enough to welcome life to it, he now had a face. He had his mothers tan skin, his fathers gentle eyes, Zoyas smile, but Peetas nose. He had a love for painting but hated baking, he enjoyed learning about mechanics but despised writing letters.

Peeta smiled as he walked from the little cabin, watching Zoya toss Archer into the air and catch him in her arms. The water came up to her knees, the ocean the clearest it had been in a while. After Coins death, and after Panem became a safer place, Peeta and Zoya moved to District Four. District Five remained Zoya of how it was destroyed by the dam, and Twelve reminded Peeta of his dead family.

Distract Four reminded them of Finnick, and that was something they wanted to be reminded of daily.

"I hate when she does that." a familiar voice caught his attention, looking back to see Roz walking down the little hill. "I'm terrified she'd gonna drop him in that damn water."

"Yeah, welcome to my world." Peeta had to laugh slightly. "Where's-"

"Aunt Z!" Willow went running toward Zoya, Katniss behind her. Willow was an adopted child for the pair, with the help of Gales connections. Her and Archer were close in age, only a year apart, and had been the closest of friends. Zoya would lay with Peeta at night and tell him how their relationship reminded her of her own and Finnicks, he'd tell her it reminded him of Katniss and himself.

"Hi." Peeta hugged Katniss. "Hungry?"

"Starving." she exhaled, watching Willow jump up into Zoyas arms as she swung her around. "Terrifies me when she does that."

"So i've been told." Peeta glanced at a grinning Roz. "Go on in, i'll try to rally the troupe."

"Good luck with that one." Roz said honestly, placing a hand on Katniss back as they walked toward the Mellark home. Willow and Archer ran down the sand together.

"Don't go far, I want to see you both the entire way!" Zoya called out to the both of them as they ran. She glanced back when she felt Peetas arms go around her waist, remaining there with a kiss to the cheek. "You sure we should be having another one?"

He had to laugh, one hand going onto her stomach. "I don't know. Haymitch would say...go with your gut."

"That was horrible." she laughed, removing his hand from her stomach to hold. "Archer said something, right before Willow came out here."

"He says a lot of things." Peeta said honestly. "What was it this time?"

"He asked me why I was so afraid to get on the trains so we could visit Joanna." she admitted, Peetas arms tightened around her. "It made me realize that the very first time I didn't think about jumping off of one, was with you."

Peeta gave her a gentle smile as she turned in his arms, chest to chest, her hands cupping his face. "So, I think as long as you're there, we should finally give Joanna that visit."

Peeta nodded. "I'll always be there. Real."

Zoya smiled at him. "Real."

Leaning in, she kissed the man she loved for years upon years, the first man she loved, and the only one she'd ever love.

•

kylie speaks

months i've spent writing
this book and it grew on me
so much. being able to tell
ptsd and trauma in the way
of showing healing and love
within it was honestly very
difficult but at the same time
so such an experience to learn
from as i wrote. i love zoya, she's apart of me in more ways
then one and i will miss writing
for her and peeta. my babies
with chemistry from day one. but, despite it not being the same, i am planning on making a raven reyes fanfic soon with baby boy josh as the face claim so it'll be like zoya and peeta in another universe! maybe that'll help me
cope with ending this book haha. thank you all for the
support and love you've surrounded me with