Mockingjay: the dawning

Chapter 13: Yes?

"Katniss Everdeen, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?" I say as I pull the ring out of my pocket. I look up. Her beautiful grey eyes are sparkling with joy. She wraps her arms around my neck and passionately kisses me. I kiss her back. In that moment it didn't feel like there was anyone else there; nothing else mattered in that moment; the world simply stopped. 

"Yes, yes of course. I will marry you." She replies as I slide the engagement ring on her finger. I proceed to wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her with every bit of feeling I have for her in my body. We break the kiss, and sit down to talk with Caesar a little more.
"I guess my favourite pair of lethal lovers are getting married and having their happy ending together after all." He starts. "Congratulations, you two. I give my best wishes for your future together."
"Thank you, Caesar." Katniss replies before I can.
"May we see the ring?" Caesar enquires.
Katniss moves her hand forward to Caesar. It is a slim gold band, with embedded diamonds and the pearl from the beach at the quell. 

"Beautiful." Caesar simply replies.

"They say that the real measure of a man's success is in the smile of the woman sitting next to him. Peeta, that makes you one very successful boy. That's all we have time for today, folks. We hopefully will be seeing our lethal lovers here again soon. Goodnight Panem!" he declares as we wave and smile to the camera.
As the cameras shut off, Caesar congratulates us, exiting the room. I am left alone with Katniss.

"Peeta, do you mind if we don't tell the others yet? Do you mind if they find out in the interview? I just don't want it to be known until pardoned." she says to me, earnestly.
"Yes. Anything for you." I say, just before we exit the drawing room. Effie immediately hands us our robes and tells us to get changed out of our formal clothes. 

Once we are changed, we go eat the lunch that I prepared this morning. We all make small talk about the interviews over lunch. After lunch, we clean up and are free to do as we please until 6:15pm when we will be watching the interviews on television. Katniss goes for a nap. I go to the art studio. I want to paint the moment I proposed to her.

later

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I notice the time which has flown by me in my painting; It's quarter to five, so I go to check on Katniss. She isn't awake. I wake her gently. As soon as she is fully conscious and cognisant, she kisses me passionately. "I'm paying you back for before the interview," she whispers in my ear. She takes my robe off me, leaving me in my boxers. She kisses down my chest, removing my underwear. She removes all her garments and our flirty moment turns to pure pleasure under her control. She leans forwards and proceeds to kiss me. I feel serene and I sincerely hope she does too. I let out a little sigh and decide to kiss her neck. Her hands go straight for my hair, her fingers massaging my head. She lets out multiple little sighs and suddenly my whole body feels ignited with passion. We lay next to each other for a while, quickly reclothing before returning downstairs for the showing.

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As we head downstairs, we see that we are actually the last ones to get there. Haymitch gives me a look. I roll my eyes in response.
"Come on, lovebirds, it has nearly started. Paylor just pardoned the victors and now it's interview time." says Johanna with her usual mocking tone.
Katniss and I snuggle on one of our many couches. Katniss clearly tunes out, knowing Haymitch is first. I am half paying attention. Suddenly, Caesar asks Haymitch about us. I listen carefully.

Caesar: Haymitch, how are your 2 protege victors coping?
Haymitch: Peeta is much better and he's helping Katniss get better too. Believe it or not, Katniss probably came out worse off. After his rescue, Peeta got treatment and care. They expected Katniss to be just okay. Her main issue being able to process all the things she has seen. Can you imagine what it must have been like for her, knowing that her loved ones and friends were being hurt and killed because of her? All of the inescapable burden of being in the games, the quell, and a leader in the rebellion?
Caesar: It is really hard to fathom what she endured.
Haymitch: I really believe the only person that can help her is Peeta. That's the way it is with love.
Caesar: Do you believe that it is true love?
Haymitch: Before I met and dealt with those two kids I had stopped believing in true love. But they changed my mind. They are practically my children. Katniss is 3 months off being 18 - Peeta is 18 and a few months. They are biologically, still teenagers.
Caesar: I am glad that someone looks out for them.

I look in my lap and Katniss has dozed off. I don't know what would have happened had she have heard that.

The next few interviews are rather boring. I listen carefully to Katniss' interview but she is very careful with what she says. It finally passes through to our group interview. Katniss has woken up.

We get to the part where I'm pouring my heart out to Katniss and she is smiling warmly at me right now in my lap, holding her ring on her finger. Finally, the moment arrives.

Everyone in the room gasps. Effie has tears in her eyes. Haymitch is smiling proudly - he was the only one that knew about it beforehand. Everyone is completely stunned with what happens next in the interview. The interview comes to and end, and Johanna switches the TV off.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us straight after filming!!" exclaims Johanna.
"We wanted it to be a surprise.." Katniss says, blushing.
"Congratulations," says Effie through her tears of joy.
A busy conversation begins on her ring. I leave them to talk to Katniss while I start some dinner for us. I am making homemade pasta with a tomato stew sauce, a capitol dish that Katniss liked.

We all sit down to devour the delicious meal. Katniss and I can't stop smiling. But now we have a wedding to plan.

As I go to bed tonight, I feel complete. The girl of my dreams has promised me her heart and to be with me forever, till death do us part.

THE RING:

Authors notes:
Hey guys! another super long chapter, in word count and content. Let me know what you think and what you want to see next. I have a lot of things planned, but I also want to see where this goes. This was the big chapter that I have been building up to for about like 3 chapters. I'm not sure when my next update will be as I'm travelling this weekend, and I will be very busy. Oh, and I'm very proud of my little speech Peeta made to Katniss in the proposal 😂😂😂 because I'm not good with words like that.
Xx Avi