Following UTW: Collection of one-shots

Part One

I look myself in the mirror. I start to feel anxious. I never wear makeup. Sometimes, when me and Peeta go out I do, but even then it's just a little mascara and maybe some lipgloss. But today, it's totally different.

Prim spent hours and hours on both my hair and makeup, because she insisted she do it. We were offered professional help, but we both denied it. I didn't want a stranger's hands all over my face.

The dress was a complete different story. It took me ages to pick it out, because it seemed, no matter how many stores and boutiques we visited, none of them had a dress that was both comfortable and my style. Finally, one of our old family acquaintances offered to sew the dress for me himself, and therefore make it just as I wanted it to be.

And it's beautiful. Cinna really outdid himself.

I push a strand of hair behind my ear and let out an anxious sigh. Prim comes up behind me.

"Don't worry, Kat, you'll get to see him in just a little while."

Prim knows perfectly well what it is that is bothering me. Prim told me that it is an ancient wedding tradition for the bride and groom not to see each other at all on the day before the wedding nor before the ceremony. So that means Peeta didn't sleep at the apartment last night. I really missed him close to me, and I realized I'd taken his presence for granted before.

"I know, Prim. It's just that it's been thirty-nine hours since I last saw him and..."

"And what?" Prim says with an 'are you kidding me' -expression on her face. "You'll have to bear being away from him for another fifteen minutes. 'Cause that's when the ceremony's starting." she says with an excited voice. Prim has looked forward to this since forever. She is a hopeless romantic, and she wanted to be a part of the planning as much as possible.

"Oh my god, it's starting in fifteen minutes! Where are the flowergirls?" Prim exclaims. Prim is going to be my maid of honor, and a couple of Peeta's cousins the flowergirls. They are cute and blonde and six years old, and it took a lot of practising to get them to walk nicely and calmly down the aisle without picking at the bouquets or tugging at each others' hair. But I think their cuteness makes up for it.

I take a quick look in the mirror one last time and turn away. Let's focus on the moment.

Peeta

I stand at the altar, shifting nervously. I'd never admit it to Katniss, but this wedding business has been more nervewracking for me than she thinks. Not seeing her for way too many hours has made it all even worse. And I'll probably be seeing my mother too, unfortunately. Me and Katniss both decided that despite everything that she has done, we couldn't close her off from her son's wedding. So we gave her a choice. She can come if she still cares even a small bit, but if she doesn't, I'll take yet another step away from her.

I resist the urge to pull my fingers through my hair. It's combed to the sides nicely, and I wouldn't want to ruin all the work I did on it this morning. I look at my watch. People are already pouring in, filling the empty seats. We decided to have an outdoor wedding instead of having our ceremony inside. We both felt more comfortable and... free like this.

When all of the seats are filled, with my next of kin in the front row on the left and Katniss' on the right, I realize that my mother is absent. I don't know if I'm happy about that or not.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I register that music has started playing in the background. I focus my eyes on the curtains at the end of the aisle and wait anxiously for them to open.

I hear the wedding march start playing, and the curtains being drawn back.

And there she is.

As the curtains are drewn back, I immediately search for Peeta. When I find him at the end of the aisle, my gaze locks with his right away. He looks at me like I am the only woman in the world, like he saw me for the first time all over again. I would never admit this to anyone, but the way he looked at me at that moment very much resembled the way he did when he first saw me naked. But this time, it's filled with so much more love. I imagine my eyes filled with the same amount as I look at him right now.

Before I know it, I have reached the elevation in the floor where me and Peeta are supposed to be wed. I step up onto it and grasp Peeta's both hands in mine at the first chance I get. Peeta's eyes look shiny as he whispers:

"You are beautiful."

I smile warmly up at him.