I really like this chapter. Would you consider writing about Peeta's parade, too? Their reactions to him and katniss literally burning and all that?

This is so good!

these were really amazing little one shots! I'm so glad I found them! :)

After reading your take on the Hawthornes in Is it Truly Far From the Tree?, I liked your writing so much that I decided to check out the rest of your Hunger Games stories. They are are all so amazing. Since I finished reading this one, now I'm moving onto the next one. I just *know* it'll be great.

The talk about the kiss had me cracking up. I could see it all too well - my brother and his friends wrestled in middle school and a group of about 8 of them practically lived at my house. Whenever they weren't flipping and throwing each other around they were talking about girls, what to do with them, how to do it... my friends and I would have sleep overs and we'd sit around listening to the boys (who were younger than us) and laugh ourselves silly. All of those memories came rushing back with the banter between Rye and Peeta.

Poor Mani. Poor, poor Mani. LoL

I LOATHE Peeta's mom. LOATHE her.

And Rye... grrrrrrrrrrrr.

I'm torn on him. I want to feel bad for him. I want to wrap all of the Mellark boys up and bring them him and cuddle them and feed them too much food and pet them till some of the horror their mother plagued them with has been mended, even just a little bit.

And at the same time I want to rip him to shreds. I understand why he pulls the move that he does, but MAN! I'm torn.

I'm moved - and totally swayed - by how much the brothers do love each other. Every time I've finished one of your installments, I've ached a little more over what Peeta lost.

Mission accomplished. :) Brilliantly. *snerk*

Aw! Sweet, darling, adorable, little mini Mellarks! I could so perfectly see them in my head as they swatted each other about and sulked on the couch. And Delly! What a perfect integration of Peeta's "sister".

I love Peeta's suave move there! Cracked me UP! From hug to hangin', all in the every day of Peeta Mellark, yo. (I'm practicing being just as cool, in case that wasn't obvious.)

And I appreciate seeing foresight from Gale concerning future interactions with the merchants - that's not something we get to see from HIM in the series either. He's always caught up in a rant or in the passion of the moment with very little (that we see) concern for the long term.

Of course, he also gets delivered into the mines so maybe SC didn't feel the need to explore other avenues with Gale. BUT in the world of HG (and I commit to my belief of fictional worlds) not only did Gale maintain his hunting routine with Katniss on Sundays, but he would be looking for avenues other than the mines for income. It's mentioned in a by-line how Katniss still takes meat to his family while he's gone for the day - so why wouldn't he be doubling up his intake financially when possible?

But I've totally detoured here. I do that. I rant, too. Sorry for ranting here, but it's your own fault for being brilliant. It's inspiring. Sorry. :D

I love the banter between the boys; as soon as two of them get riled up, the third steps in, they constantly have each other's backs, they see and know one another's faults and still love and protect each other. It's a rare thing between siblings, but it's so ingrained in the personalities that you've created here that's its second skin, believable, right, just, true... happy fluffy bunnies of love and children's laughter bubbling over and making me grin till my cheeks hurt.

I'm shutting up now. But I'm reiterating your brilliance. BRILLIANT! (Cause I haven't said it enough yet.)

I think I want to hug Flax... but maybe cuff him across the back of his head as I pull out of the hug. LoL

And your Peeta! You make me want to pull this character out of my computer, rip him of these digital pages, and stuff him in my closet so I can keep him all for myself. I just... COVET him! hahahaha

I want to give him a cookie of courage though. ;) Just to be helpful, you know?

I always wondered why Peeta's brothers never volunteered for him, so I loved how you included that with Peeta making Rye promise. This whole story is just so fantastic, especially because so much is unknown about Peeta's family. I think you've crafted really great familial relationships - they seem so realistic. I think I especially love Rye's characterisation - how he hates the side of him that's like his mother. Anyway, I loved it. Enough said.

I hope the surgery was nothing too serious by the way!

Another awesome chapter. I loved the ending with Peeta and Flax - it's really nice how you've got the two contrasting relationships with Peeta getting on with Flax but less so with Rye. I've got two sisters, so I know that happens a lot.

The relationship you've set here between Peeta and Flax seems so realistic and was just really lovely. I completely love your writing style too! Going to read on. :D

This story is beautiful, I also hated the fact that SC didn't even write a paragraph about how Peeta would have reacted upon hearing his about his family's deaths. Could you do a one-shot in which Peeta's brothers watch him play for his life in the Hunger Games or after he comes home as a victor;how he changed due to the games,how he found out that Katniss was playing with him;how they will cope with their baby brother?
I have read stories like this but I feel your writing would describe their bond nicely, please give this a thought!:)

Such an incredible read; I really love your writing style, you have an amazing way with words and writing almost poetic sentences, filled with humor, wit, depth and pain.
You show rather beautifully, and in a very tender and believable way how the bond of these brothers is deeper as victims of the same evil and how they support and have compassion towards each other, how they feel responsible for one another and looking out for each other.
So many brilliant lines : "the circumstances of his own upbringing having forced him to learn the insidious art of schooling his demeanor into a nearly omnipresent amicable façade"
Oh, and thanks for putting some background to the fact that Rye isn't volunteer for Peeta
Wonderful read! Keep it up!

Very entertaining to read. It's very refreshing to imagine them living normal teenager lives, joking with their friends, and seeing their personalities in these scenarios. Flax is definitely a kind brother who had a sweet spot for his baby brother.

This set of paragraphs were very powerful :
-
"He's just venting his frustration." Peeta responded with an easy shrug that hurt a lot more than it should. "He'll apologize once he's sober. Then, he'll do it again when he gets angry and he'll apologize again when he calms down. One of us had to inherit it, right? At least, he realizes he does it. He apologizes. He cares."
Flax threw an arm over his baby brother's shoulders casually. "You didn't get anything from her."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment? What both of you got from her makes you stronger, you know." Came the scoffed retort from the younger teen.
"What you didn't get from her makes you stronger than both of us combined."
-

How they acknowledge the predicament there in with the abuse they get inflicted. How they realize this behavior surfacing in the other brother, and the shame and hurt it may mean. How they understand how it affects their lives but more importantly how they recognize the better traits they inherited and how it makes them stronger, kinder, better. That was very powerful !

Loving this story, im really enjoying the brothely care that Flax shows towards Peeta, how he did what he did just to give him a chance to talk to Jatniss, how fynny, snarky and swet they are towards each other.
Some sentences are pure gold, brilliantly funny and endearing:

" He was fairly certain higher brain function was lost to him for the time being. He hadn't even spoken a word to her. Was he still capable of speech? That was higher brain function, right?"

"My vote's for funnier. You're too scrawny to be good-looking and if anyone is charming out of the three of us- it's definitely me."

"Don't forget your overwhelming humility. After all, you would never want anyone implying you're a self-absorbed blowhard, now would you?"

"Perish the blasphemous thought!"

On to the next chapter

I just love the Mellark brothers! It would be amazing if you could write more of their interactions in the future - or maybe Rye and Flax's reactions to Peeta in the Arena? I really enjoyed reading this story (: