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Chapter Text

[ Katniss ]

“Gah!!! I hate them! Why do they have to treat me like the incompetent, ugly stepsister? My name is Katniss, not Cinderella!” Katniss’s screeches rippled through the current, and with it, releasing her anger, rage, and frustration. She swam mindlessly with no destination, tugging haphazardly at her hair. She had to get away, needed to escape their clutches, taking to the open waters of the deep, blue, endless ocean. “Tell me what to do? I don’t think so. Just you watch, I’ll show you, all of you!” She cursed herself for the empty threat, tugging a little harder on the ends of each of her braids that swayed over the curve of her shoulders, her exasperated screams fading into nothing more than a faint echo. She flipped her fins harder and harder, not realizing in her frenzy to escape that she was perilously close to the surface, and there was a ship passing overhead.

“I’m not a wimp, and I’m not scared! I can do it; I just haven’t wanted to,” she declared uncertainly. “Just because I haven’t done it yet doesn’t mean I won’t do it. I just…it hasn’t been the right one. And when the right one comes along…I—I’ll just know it,” Katniss pressed on, continuing her unknowing trek toward the surface.

Within a matter of seconds, she found herself gawking at the twinkling lights of a cruise ship passing through the murky waters above her. Eager to satiate her curiosity, she pushed her head past the surface, filling her lungs with the sweet, succulent thing humans referred to as oxygen, and smiled. “I–I made it!” she proudly gasped with disbelief.

Using a stationary buoy in the middle of the ocean, Katniss watched in utter wonderment as she staked-out the ship as it slowly cruised through the ocean. Unlike her siblings, Katniss was intrigued beyond fascination with the strange, human-like creatures, more so than the desirous of luring them to their death. She rested her forearms on the buoy to hold herself in place, her hearts beating erratically in her chest as the ship grew closer. She was thankful for her supernatural hearing, allowing her to easily pick up the slurred words being passed back and forth between the drunken men aboard the ship. She could hear a pitter-pattering sound banging against the wooden planks on the ship, and a fervent jealousy raged through her at the ability to have two—two…well, whatever humans had instead of fins.

Well, to have them all the time,  Katniss retorted enviously. With a simple flick of her wrist and some persuasion she could easily have a pair of the...well, whatever they were called. But as of lately, more often than not she found herself wishing she could have them all the time.

“Just do it, Katniss, it’s not that hard,” she fumed, feeling the rush of adrenaline course to the tips of her fins, knowing that by simply parting her lips and releasing her Song, she could end them all. Just like that.  She knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up, since the ship was probably full of nothing more than ignorant, horny, unruly men. It was the big break she’d been raving about—the one she’d been looking for. If she did this she could finally prove her worth to her nagging, teasing sisters and get them off her case for good. Because, and again, unlike her sisters, Katniss’s magic in her Song was much more powerful than that of the average Siren. She could easily take out the entire population aboard that stupid ship in less than three notes. If she wanted to. And she did—she wanted to. So, she parted her lips and focused all her energy on the warm bodies ahead of her.

Her mouth parted in preparation to begin her Song when a bewildered gasp escaped her lips. She stared ahead at a man—and he was a beautiful one, too, as far as humans went.

Katniss marveled over the man—watching, staring, and studying him, trying to commit his every move to memory. Something strange was happening to her insides; it felt as if there were a thousand tiny minnows swimming erratically, trying to escape the clutches of her stomach. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him, with his unruly, wind-swept, golden hair, and how strong his arms appeared underneath the large cloth covering his torso. Katniss suddenly pondered what it would feel like to remove that covering and trace her fingers along his abdomen, her mind quickly wondering if it rippled like the waves. She continued staring, stupefied and curious with equal measure as the man climbed onto the railing and took a seat. She was far too stunned to do anything but watch as he sat there for what seemed like ages, allowing the ocean to splatter kisses onto his feet. Yes, that’s what they were called—feet. Then he looked up and mouthed something to the stars. 

Katniss felt that ‘minnows trying to escape her belly’ feeling again as the moonlight reflected against his eyes. As the man’s blue orbs flitted up to the sky and then back down to the ocean, for the briefest moment Katniss could have sworn their eyes met. And if she was astonished beyond measure regarding his physique, it had nothing on the way his eyes seemed to wrap around her and hug her soul. She was certain she’d never seen anything this beautiful before. They were the bluest of blue. Bluer than even her tiny friend Primrose, the bright blue, cheerful angelfish she sometimes swam around with.  

And those eyelashes! They were so blond and unbelievably long; she wondered how they didn’t get tangled when he blinked. She stuffed the emotions aside temporarily, promising to deal with them later, for she knew emotions were like the tide; they would return with a vengeance if you neglected to deal with them.  

Katniss cocked her head to the side, her brows knitting with confusion when the man stood up from his spot on the railing. He now stood completely erect on the very narrow walkway, his arms outstretched on either side of him. Then he lifted a single…oh, what was it called again—“leg," Katniss recalled. Yes, then he raised his leg, placed it in front of the other one, and took a giant step—plummeting feet first, straight into the ocean.

“Poseidon’s pistols!” Katniss gasped, somehow, finding her tail flipping of its own accord, surging her toward the man. “What a fool! Does he not know that water is not a firm surface?”

“Ugh, humans!” she groaned, exasperated as she dove into the water, zipping and zooming, pivoting herself straight toward the man.

Katniss came face to face with the human, his exquisite eyes widening in shock for a fraction of a second before his oxygen-deprived brain rendered him unconscious. She curled her fingers up, all except for the pointing one and poked him.

His body swayed with the current, and Katniss would have thought him dead if it wasn’t for the faint da dum of his beating heart. She knew time wasn’t on his side and quickly enveloped the man in her arms, shooting them both toward the surface. Using her keen powers of night-vision, she scanned her surroundings, spotting a patch of land nearby and pivoting herself and the man towards it. Upon reaching the island, she alternated between scooting and dragging herself and this...stupid human creature up the sandy beach.

“They should be called Stu-mans instead of Humans,” Katniss snorted as she gathered a pile of sand up under the human to elevate him.

“This will be so easy; he is already knocking on death’s door,” Katniss exhaled exuberantly. She knew she should be excited about absorbing her first human soul, but something was nagging her. For reasons unknown to her, she felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach over the prospect of eradicating his life.

After Katniss situated the man on the small mountain of sand, the human man released an un-oceanly guttural moan—compelling Katniss to his side. She stared at him, committing his impeccable features to memory, and wondering how a human could possibly be this beautiful. Then she shook her head, urging herself to focus on the task at hand. 

She wanted to do this; she really did. So, why did it seem nearly impossible to pry her lips apart? But as she stroked the drenched, golden locks of hair (that she had been itching to touch at first sight) from his waterlogged forehead, she felt a burst of electricity when their skin collided.

Katniss was unaware that instead of releasing her Siren’s Song to claim his soul, she was actually replenishing his life force with her Song. She had no idea that at that very moment, her Song was binding their hearts, minds, and souls for the rest of time.

[ Peeta ]

“I’m telling you, Haymitch, someone-something out there saved me, and—and I have to find her,” Peeta admitted to one of his shipmates. He decided to omit the part about his true intentions that night—the decision that landed him in the water in the first place. It wasn’t really that far-fetched, since everyone was always three sheets to the wind.

Deciding to end his life after twenty-one miserable Halloweens was not a decision he came to on a whim. Destined to be nothing more than a pathetic, worthless, waste of space, Peeta decided to finally live up to his mother’s expectations. It was, after all, the best birthday gift he could think to give her.

“So, you’re telling me your drunk ass fell off the boat in the middle of the ocean, and some beautiful, mysterious, what...mermaid sang you back to life? And then what...magically teleported you back to the ship?” Haymitch guffawed at his words. “I think somebody musta’ slipped something to ya’ last night.”

“Well, when you say it like that, I guess it does sound kind of ridiculous. But...um, yeah, I guess so.”

“Alright, kid. Well, good luck with that.” Haymitch chuckled, giving Peeta a gruff pat on the back before turning around. “We’ll be on dry land soon; it’s probably just the sea life getting to ya. Ocean’s not for everyone, boy.” His lips formed into a tight line as if he was contemplating something. “At least for now, I wouldn’t be goin’ around spreadin’ rumors about mythical sea creatures, if I was you, anyhow." Haymitch finished with a wink.

Peeta muddled over his mentor’s words, sulking as he gazed into the ocean. 

Was he making fun of me, or was that some kind of warning? Peeta ruminated silently. I know what I saw—or well, heard. And it was the voice of an angel who breathed life back into me. If it wasn’t for her—for this supposed mystical creature then I’d probably be coated at the bottom of the ocean—or worse, bobbing with the buoys as the seagulls and other marine creatures made a meal of me. Peeta shuddered at the thought. No, I have to find this—whoever—whatever it was and at least thank her.

Over the next few days Peeta thought of nothing but the sounds that seemed to crawl through his veins. It was as if this creature, or whatever it was had gotten hold of him—taken root inside him and buried itself deep in his core. He had never been in love before, but he thought this might be what it felt like. Each night as his crew mates chugged their “happy juice,” and danced merrily to the Halloween festivities, oblivious to anything out of the ordinary, Peeta knew there was something out there. No, not something; it was definitely a “someone.” Yes, someone had pulled him from the ocean and he had this eerie feeling she was somewhere in the ocean, still watching him.

Someone—be it mythical, magical, or just a figment of his imagination had given him a second chance at life, and he wasn’t about to waste another second of it. He had to find her; he just wasn’t sure how.

Each night before Peeta drifted into the land of unconsciousness, he could feel her; her presence was so powerful in his dream-like, hypnagogic state. Everything about her was so luculent. But she was always running away. No, that’s not right. She was always swimming away. There were times Peeta was certain that if he could just catch her, he could pull her from the dream. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his twenty-one years on this planet. Her hair, the color of the mockingjays that soared above this very ship, tightly woven in two intricate braids that cascaded over each of her glistening shoulders. And those silver-as-the-moon, shimmering, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled in the night. And that voice—oh, that voice! Had it not breathed the life back into him, he was sure it could have killed him. It was like...at first sound of her voice, he was on the cusp of jumping to his death, ready to join her at the bottom of the ocean. He would have gladly, willingly put a stop to his beating heart just to hear her—even if it was just an echo of her voice—once more.

But the moment he woke, no matter how hard he grasped, everything about her just...faded. Well, everything except the way she made him feel. It was as if she was this fluid being, always slipping from his fingertips. Like she herself was the ocean.

Peeta decided there was only one way to lure her back out, to lure her back to him. It may very well get him killed. And maybe for real this time. But his faith in her was unwavering. It was simple; all he had to do was jump.

Chapter Text

[Katniss]

“You MORON!!! You stupid, foolish, human! What is your problem? Do you have a death wish? Are you deliberately trying to kill yourself?” For reasons unknown to her, Katniss was aware of Peeta’s intentions the moment he put his plan into motion. She could . . . feel it in her dorsal veins. It was like . . . an electrical current rushing through her body— warning her. As if her fins had a mind of their own, she zipped, zoomed, and skyrocketed through the ocean, finding her way seamlessly to the ship and rushed her human to the safety of another unknown patch of dry land. But not before slapping him silly.

Katniss heard the whoosh of wind that expanded into his lungs moments before his lips curved up into a smile. “It’s cold down there,” he said between gasps of air.

Katniss wasn’t sure what came over her, but tiny droplets of water trickled from each of her eyes, both of her hearts sped up and she began hiccupping hysterically.  She wrapped her arms around this stupid human, dropping her head to his chest to feel his pounding heart against her cheek.

“YOU WERE DEAD! YOU WERE DEAD! YOU WENT IN THE WATER AND DROWNED, AND YOU WERE DEAD! Y-YOUR HEART STOPPED BEATING!!!” she sobbed hysterically.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.  It’s beating now,” his voice called out, which jolted her back to reality.

She pulled back from his embrace, immediately feeling the emptiness from the loss of his warmth and gave him the fiercest scowl she could muster.

“How can you be so cavalier with your life?  Do you not know how lucky— how privileged your life as a human is? What many of us would do to have the life that you so casually sacrifice to the sea?” Katniss continued to berate this stupid man—all the while, ignoring the electricity surging between them.

“I had to know,” the man began. “I knew you would come—I knew you were real, and that you would save me,” he explained.  Katniss drew her eyes together as she tried to figure out why he was staring at her so strangely.

“Of course, I am real you dim-wit,” Katniss slapped him again. She turned to flee—she had to get away from him before he sunk his claws into her any harder. But he reached out and grabbed her arm before she could get away.

“Wh-what are you? I—I mean, what’s your name?” he pressed her.  Katniss knew she needed to leave—it was imperative she return to her sisters before they noticed her absence—before they realized what she’d done, or well, hadn’t done. But for some unknown reason, he was grounding her in place.  This stupid human was doing what so many others failed at. No other human or fish alike had ever had this power over her, so why did this one particular human seem to have this hold over her? Why did she feel this deep, this intense longing to be in his presence? There was only one answer, and it was the one she feared the most. 

“I am—” Katniss began, unsure as to how much she should reveal about herself.  She had heard the silly rumors her sisters regaled about Sirens falling in love with humans, only for the humans to trick them—locking them in cages, poking, prodding, studying and dissecting them for all eternity. “I am nothing important,” was the answer Katniss settled for.

“Why do you lie to me, beautiful goddess of the sea?” The human asked, his eyes still drunken with—with something.

Katniss averted her eyes from the human, her eyes landing on her tail.  She froze at the sight of it and waved a hand so that he would only see legs. “If you knew me—what I am, you would . . . no, it is better if you never know. I must—” Katniss faltered for a moment, “I will leave you now to return to your mates. They will worry.” She lifted her hand, her thumb and pointer finger a mere breadth apart, just before she snapped him back to his ship.

“Please!” The human begged her.  She so badly wanted to deny him, but she couldn’t. “Please tell me your name. What should I call you? When can I see you again?”

Katniss tried to leave but something cemented her in place. More droplets of salty water leaked from her eyes. Her tongue protruded out to lick the moisture away, and for the first time she noticed that they tasted salty, like her home. “Don’t you see? You can never see me again!  I will only cause you misery.  By simply being in my presence I am putting your life in grave danger!” Katniss warned him. “And it’s . . . Katniss,” she all but whispered.

“Katniss,” the human repeated. It sounded so beautiful leaving his lips.  It pained Katniss’s hearts to leave him, but she knew she must.

“I must go—” she paused, wanting to call the human by his name, but realized she did not know it.

“Peeta, I’m Peeta. And it’s very nice to meet you Katniss. Please . . . will you stay, just a little longer?”

“I can’t—I shouldn’t!” Katniss wailed. “I fear they will find me—and thus . . . you. They cannot learn of you, don’t you see? They will not hesitate to kill you Peeta, they will kill you and I could not stand for that!” She confessed.

Peeta held onto her for dear life, his eyes sparkling into Katniss’s. “Then, then come away with me. We’ll run far and wide, somewhere they’ll never find us.  I can feel that you want me as I want you, Katniss,” Peeta pleaded with her, gazing into her silver-moon orbs.

Katniss contemplated his offer for a split second then shook her head. “It is impossible. They will find me wherever I go. I’m sorry Peeta, I must go.” Katniss said, sliding out of his arms, diving headfirst into the ocean, her fins spraying ocean mist against his face in its wake, and then snapping him back to his ship. That’s when Peeta realized what Katniss was.

[Peeta]

For the next year, Peeta lived vicariously through his dreams.  He thought of nothing but Katniss, the not-so-mythical mermaid. He painted her during his waking hours and dreamt of her during his sleeping ones. At first, he thought nothing of his dreams, thought that it was his minds way of remembering her, of keeping her close. And then it dawned on him that maybe, just maybe Katniss was relaying messages through his dreams. 

She told him things. Things like she loved him. That their hearts were connected. She showed him the night they first met and how she accidentally connected their hearts. She even confessed that her initial intentions were to take his life, but one look into his penetrating blue eyes and she knew she couldn’t do it.

It was at least six months into their “dream communication” when Katniss finally told Peeta, that if he was willing to wait for her, she would make it so they could be together one day. And that day was approaching. Peeta had it marked on his calendar.  Nine full moons and thirteen days after the wolf-moon, which happened to be at the first of the year. On the eighth night after Orion’s Belt was visible in the north sky.  Which meant the date was set for him to finally be with his true love, on All Hollow’s Eve. Halloween. This would be the day he either realized he was as mad as everyone said, or it would be the day all his dreams finally came true. He hoped it was the latter.

He was surprised to learn that Katniss was not in fact a mermaid, but descended from a pack of magical, evil beings called Sirens, which only resembled a mermaid.  Katniss explained how her “Siren-Sister’s” were your typical, evil, soul sucking Sirens, and advised Peeta to plug his ears with wax when passing by certain lagoons. Just the sound of their combined voices could wipe out the entire ship.

Peeta recalled asking Katniss what made her different—not that he was complaining. He already knew he was head over heels in love with her and it didn’t matter what she was. He just loved her, wanted her. That was when Katniss told him a story.  Well, it was more like she showed him.

Peeta’s dream-like reality sparkled and shimmered, like in a movie. He could even hear the words, “Long, long ago, in the deepest depths of the ocean,” in the narrators deep, throaty voice.

  “Long, long ago, in the deepest depths of the ocean lived a pack of Siren Sister’s. Unbeknownst to Annika, the youngest of the sisters, she was also the most magical and powerful of them all. Her Siren Sister’s raved with jealousy and spent their time constantly teasing Annika and putting her down. Exasperated with the constant humiliation, Annika went off on her own. She knew there had to be more to this wretched life than sucking the souls from clueless sailors.

 Peeta watched, fascinated as the image of “Annika the Siren” swam from her lair and found her way to the surface, where a ship had crashed—much like Katniss did the night she found him.

  Annika’s eyes twinkled when she spotted one particular fisherman falling overboard. Well, several fisherman had fallen overboard, it was just the one green-eyed, bronze-haired man that caught Annika’s eye. It was as if there was this invisible magnetic force drawing her to the man. She swam as quickly as her fins could carry her in her attempt to reach the human.

  Annika pulled the stunning man to safety at a nearby drifting plank. There, she stroked the soaked tendrils from his forehead. When their skin touched, Annika jerked her hand back as if she’d been shocked. Then, she opened her mouth to communicate. Instead of depleting his remaining life force, the notes from her Song drifted out of her and into him.

  Terrified, Annika dove back into the ocean, fleeing the scene before the fisherman woke.  But every night she would watch him. Her heart was in shambles—she was in love with this human and didn’t know what to do.

  The answer came to her in a dream. All she had to do was renounce her life as a Siren.  She had to be willing to give up her “fins” and she could reunite with her true love. The only problem was, Annika wasn’t sure if he returned her feelings. But…that was the sacrifice, it was the chance Annika was willing to take. The decision was made before she awoke.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, Annika renounced her marine life and introduced herself to her true love—who was more than thrilled to have her as his own, as he had been longing for her for just as strongly and deeply as she had been for him.

 At the very end of the dream, Peeta heard Katniss giggling. “You see Peeta, Annie gave up her “fins” to be with her true love, Finnick, who she calls “Finn”! So, she didn’t actually give up her fins.”

[ Katniss ]

Katniss frantically swam back and forth, anxiously chewing the ends of her fingernails.  “You have to do this Katniss, for once, do what makes you happy!” Primrose, the angel fish who was her best friend encouraged her.

“I don’t know Prim, I’m scared. What if he doesn’t—”

“Katniss, love is scary.  But nothing that was easy was ever worth fighting for.” Prim told her.  Katniss looked up and grinned at her tiny friend.

“You know, for such a tiny creature, you are pretty smart.”

“I know, now go!” Prim shooed her away.

And just like that, Katniss soared to the surface and made her way to the beach.

Chapter Text

Siren’s Song

 Part 3 - The Happily Ever After

Primrose was thoroughly impressed with herself for swimming all the way to the clear, coastal waters near District 4, (where she received some intriguing, yet vital information from Annie), and made it back in time to say goodbye to Katniss. And all while evading the evil sisters. Everything was going swimmingly, almost so impeccably that Primrose began to doubt if the sisters had discovered their secret and were up to their tricks again.

“No negative thoughts,” Primrose scolded herself. Thanks to her specialized electroreceptor organs, she would sense a ripple in the ocean’s current when the sisters were making their way back, giving Katniss ample time to escape. Or at least that’s what she was hoping.

“Isn’t this brilliant?” Primrose conveyed Annie’s message to her friend as quickly and efficiently as she possibly could. It would not end well for Katniss if the sisters caught her before she transformed, meaning didn’t have a moment to spare.

“I…yes, I think so.” Katniss replied hesitantly, thinking it sounded too good to be true.

“Okay, well, stop wasting time!” Primrose shooed her friend away. Unbeknownst to Katniss, Primrose swam to a nearby rock to watch from the sidelines. 

Primrose flipped her fins, excitedly soaring through the water until she reached the giant rock she would hide behind. She almost felt guilty for not telling Katniss about spying on her, but she was too excited about witnessing her very first happily ever after. In real life, and with her very own eyes. Sure, she’d heard stories of mermaids and sirens attaining true love, but they were all stories. She would no doubt miss her friend dearly, but wanted nothing more than for Katniss to find happiness. Because if anyone deserved it, it was her. Primrose smiled again, her fins wading through the water because Katniss’s happiness was just around the corner.

Katniss was the first form of life Primrose had met only a few days after hatching from her egg. She was nothing more than a tiny spec, a baby fish swimming, lost, confused and all alone in the depths of the deep, blue ocean. She was scared, lonely and so, so hungry when Katniss found her and immediately took her under her wing. She protected her, taught her how to survive in the wild, but most importantly, she loved her.

On many occasions Primrose had been warned to steer clear, not just from the siren sisters, but from all sirens, for they were cruel, vindictive, had an insatiable bloodlust, and absolutely could not be trusted. Those who knew Primrose thought she was foolish and naive for disregarding their warnings, but there was not a single moment where Primrose doubted her friendship with Katniss. She knew Katniss was nothing like her siren-sisters, or like any siren in all the oceans, for that matter. Glimmer and Cashmere emanated evil, they took pride—and joy in taking the lives of unsuspecting men. From the moment Primrose met Katniss, she knew she was different. She knew she was good.

“Here to watch the show?” Prim looked up and saw the distorted, shimmering figure through the water. She was about to hightail it when she realized it was just Rory, a seagull who she and Katniss had befriended eons ago.

Primrose poked her head through the surface and smiled at Rory, instantly relaxing in his presence. He had taken an oath many moons back, a solemn vow to never consume any of her kind, so she knew she had nothing to worry about.

“Depends. What do you know?”

“Well, I managed to get Katniss some clothes, except…they don’t quite fit.” Rory smirked.

Primrose was confused for a second until she glanced over at her friend and saw the giant, oversized…whatever the thing was called that was now draped over her friend’s tiny, human frame.

“Well, that was very nice of you.” Primrose said.

“Eh,” Rory bleated casually. “It was nothing. I owed her.” He shrugged it off casually. Primrose nodded; Rory didn’t need to elaborate. She knew about owing.

Primrose and Rory watched Katniss pacing the empty beach, clutching her arms to her chest and trembling. Primrose wondered if her friend was nervous or just cold. Knowing Katniss, it was probably a combination of both.

Primrose knew Katniss was a worrier, and she could just imagine all the pessimistic thoughts running through her friend's mind each minute that Peeta continued to be absent. Primrose closed her eyes and tried to send Katniss some of her calming vibes, but she didn’t know if the vibes could cross the water-air barrier.

– Katniss –

“What if he didn’t get my message? What if he didn’t realize his dreams weren’t actually dreams, but in fact, they were real? Or…maybe he changed his mind? What if he realizes I’m a freak and wants nothing to do with me?” Katniss chewed nervously on her fingernails as she muttered question after question, doubt after insecure doubt into the air. Ready to give up, she turned on her heels, prepared to dive back into the ocean to soak up her pride when she slammed into something.

“K-Katniss?” The ‘something’ spoke. Katniss instantly realized it wasn’t a “ something ”, but rather, a someone. A very solid, very firm, very appealing-to the eye-someone. A very particular someone.

She was frozen in place by Peeta’s penetrating gaze; she opened and closed her mouth several times, like the fish out of water she was. She tried to speak but her voice was refusing to cooperate with her, so she settled with nodding her head.

She’d had two previous encounters with Peeta prior to today. Well, encounters outside of the dream realm, in which they were face to face; actually, physically together, but both times her gills were flooded with adrenaline. It wasn’t until she was standing in front of him that she was truly able to appreciate his impeccable form. She wondered if the sight of all human males would cause her stomach to flip about, or if it was just this one. 

They stood inches apart, their fingers clasped in the other’s, both of them mesmerized by the person in front of them.

Peeta reached up and stroked Katniss’s face, as if needing the physical confirmation to make sure she was real. “You’re real. You’re really real,” he sighed with utter disbelief.

Peeta’s voice fractured Katniss’s daydream-like-trance. How many minutes had she wasted being wide-eyed and stupefied by this man? They had to get away, and quickly. 

She clutched onto Peeta’s hand and pulled him along with her. “We have to get out of here—”

“Katniss, wait, hold on just a minute.” Peeta pleaded with her, grounding his feet.

Katniss tried to convey the dire seriousness of the situation through her eyes. “Peeta, please, we’re not safe!” She cried.

Peeta nodded, seeming to understand. “My car isn’t far,” Peeta told her and took the lead. 

Katniss was so anxious as she ran next to Peeta. She was still getting used to her legs; if walking was difficult, running felt damn near impossible. She felt that at any moment the sisters would appear and take Peeta from her. And no, she refused to let them have him. They took everything else from her and she would be damned if they took him.

Katniss cocked her head in confusion when they slowed, stopping in front of a large metal box looking-like-thing. Peeta pulled something from his pocket and pressed a button that made a loud, startling noise, just before the lights flickered on the metal box. 

“It’s okay, it’s just my car.” Peeta assured her, sensing her trepidation. Then he opened his hand, palm up to show her the keys and pressed the button again, proving to Katniss he was the one who made the lights turn on. Then he opened the door for her.

Katniss was putting all her faith in this man she barely knew, but at the same time she felt like he was the only person who ever knew her. And perhaps, the only person who would ever know her. Somehow, she felt like her soul was tethered to him. She climbed into the passenger seat, eyes widened with a combination of fear and fascination. 

Peeta leaned over and pulled the retractable strap across her shoulder, clicking it in place by her hip. “We have to get away from the ocean. We’re not safe this close.” Katniss urged. “But…I…I don’t know where to go.” Katniss’s voice quaked, her shoulder slumping over in defeat.

“I do,” Peeta said softly, gently resting his hand atop Katniss’s. “I have a place. Don’t worry Katniss, I’ll keep you safe.”

Katniss did not doubt Peeta’s words in the slightest. She knew she was safe, knew that Peeta wouldn’t let any harm come to her. But knowing this didn’t stop her from clutching onto the arm rest for fear that she would fall out and gazing wide-eyed out the window as Peeta drove them to their destination. Everything flew by in a blur, but Katniss had the luxury of supernatural vision. Katniss’s senses were overwhelmed; there were so many colors, so many shapes and sizes. She was so fascinated by the world, at everything she saw. If they weren’t fleeing for their lives, she would have wanted to get out and explore. 

Katniss didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she felt the car slow to a stop, followed by Peeta nudging her gently. Katniss’s eyes fluttered open, and her lips stretched up when she met Peeta’s clear blue eyes.

“We’re here,” Peeta said, his eyes glistening brightly as he returned her smile. Katniss perked up, looking from side to side in confusion.

“Where is here ?” Katniss wondered aloud.

“Home.” Katniss felt both her hearts fluttering at the word.

– One year later –

– Peeta –

Peeta curled closer to his sleeping wife, tucking his chin in the crook of her neck and resting his hand on her swollen belly. He smiled, feeling an overwhelming light fill his insides. If someone had told him a year ago that he’d be this happy, he would have laughed in their face. 

In a way, he had his mother to thank for his happiness. If she wasn’t the horrible, nasty witch she was, if she hadn’t put him down, ridiculed him until she nearly drove him off the ledge—quite literally, then he never would have found Katniss. Or rather…Katniss would have never found him. It was because of her constant nagging, berating, and digging him into the ground, that Peeta had finally had enough. He’d had enough and climbed up on that ledge, ready to end it all and sink to the bottom of the sea.

Peeta supposed fate had other plans for him, because had Katniss not been in that exact spot on that exact night, the ocean floor would be his permanent resting place.

Peeta crawled over a sleeping Katniss and positioned himself so he was facing his wife. He kissed the tip of her nose lightly, but she didn’t stir. Making sure she was sound asleep, he wriggled down to her midsection.

“Hello there, little one,” Peeta whispered to Katniss’s swollen belly. 

And then, he spoke to his baby, as he did every night after Katniss had fallen asleep.

“It’s your dad again. I know, you’re probably sick of hearing me talk, but I’m your dad, and dad’s are supposed to be annoying. But I just had to tell you, little baby, how much I love you. How much I love your mom, and I can’t wait to meet you. I dream about you all the time. I wonder if you’ll look more like me or your mom. Don’t tell her this,” Peeta lowered his voice even more, as if sharing a delicate secret with his unborn child. “But I really hope you look just like her.”

Peeta paused, a vivid image of a miniature Katniss entering his mind. “I wonder if you’ll have any of your mom’s…abilities. But none of that matters to me, I’ll love you just the same, whether you come out with two legs or eight fins. Always, sweet baby. Always.”

Peeta recalled that first night with Katniss when he learned that she could keep her Siren powers/abilities if she chose too. He remembered the frozen-in-fear expression on her face as she revealed all that she could do. But, just like with his baby, it didn’t matter what Katniss could or couldn’t do. He loved her and that’s all that mattered. Always, he swore to her that night.

Katniss could transform from human to siren at will. She also had the power of persuasion. (Which Peeta had to admit came in handy from time to time.) And her voice. God, Peeta thought, her voice is so beautiful it has to be made of pure magic. Peeta wondered which of Katniss’s supernatural abilities their child would inherit, not minding in the least if it was all—or none of them.

Peeta rested his cheek against Katniss’s belly for a moment, savoring the sensation of Katniss’s belly rising and falling with her breaths. Then, he felt it. The slightest little thump. As if his baby was acknowledging his presence.

“You’re so corny,” Katniss’s croaky, half-asleep voice mumbled. Peeta’s face flushed with the heat of his embarrassment at being caught.

“Y-you heard me? I thought you were sleeping. Do you need anything? I can get you some—”

Katniss pressed her finger to Peeta’s lips to shush him and shook her head. “I’m fine. We’re fine. I just need  you. You’re all we need.”

And you say I’m corny, Peeta thought silently, his heart swelling at his wife’s sappiness. Then he slid up the bed, stopping when he reached Katniss’s face.

“I heard that,” Katniss said, pretending to be annoyed.

“I’ll never get over how weird that is. That you can read my thoughts.”

Katniss smiled. “Only until this little one and I are no longer as one.” Katniss proclaimed, pressing her lips to Peeta’s. “It is because part of you is inside me, that allows me access to your mind. And actually,” Katniss smirked, her lips turning up into a mischievous grin.

“What?” Peeta pressed curiously.

“In the sea, for the Sirens at least…it’s how paternity is confirmed.”

Still confused, Peeta’s forehead crinkled.

“When life sprouts from a union, and the Siren is unable to enter her mate's mind, it means…she was um…unfaithful.”

“Ahhh,” Peeta said, his eyes widening with recognition.

“And of course, the communication goes both ways, so think of it as confirmation that I have never strayed,” Katniss told Peeta cheekily.

“I never needed a mind link to know that,” Peeta affirmed, kissing Katniss full on the lips.

Katniss returned her husband's affection, encircling her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. 

Peeta accepted her invitation greedily and spent the night pleasuring his wife.

“Holy—Wow!” Katniss sighed heavily. “Being human is fantastic. Let’s just hope there’s still only one in there!”

Peeta tensed up, but before he had the chance to ask Katniss if she was joking or not, he heard her breathing deepen, followed by the soft snores that meant she had passed out.

He supposed he could stress himself out at the prospect of multiple babies…at a single time, but then shrugged his worries off. “The more the merrier,” he grinned, curling up and falling asleep next to his beautiful wife, where they would meet again in their dreams.