Katniss's focus on survival and her family's safety prevented her from fully considering romance, but her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged in the end. Katniss ultimately chose Peeta because he understood her trauma and she didn't want to lose him, proving her love for him.
When Katniss comes home to District 12, Gale immediately confesses his love for Katniss, and she realizes she might have feelings for him, too — but she can't explore them, because she has to continue her fake relationship with Peeta or else her entire family, including “cousin Gale,” will be killed.
The Hunger Games series, much like Harry Potter is for young adults, and the themes and motivations are not hard to understand. Katniss NEVER hated Peeta. She figured she'd have to kill him to survive and had no desire to like him because of that.
Peeta sleeps first. Katniss kisses him on the forehead, for herself, she admits, and not for the audience. She is glad to have him there with her, comforted by the thought that together they can fight Peeta.
Does Katniss Truly Love Peeta By The End Of The Hunger Games?
Why was Katniss so obsessed with Peeta?
Peeta Mellark served as Katniss' crucial confidant, seeing as he went through it all firsthand, not once, but twice. Despite the terror he faced, Katniss viewed Peeta as a symbol of comfort and salvation.
He jokes with her, whispering that it's okay to kiss him since they're madly in love, but once Katniss begins to clean him in the stream, she can see how weak he is.
Katniss Fell in Love With Peeta During the Quarter Quell
However, it wasn't until Mockingjay -- when Peeta got kidnapped by the Capitol -- Katniss realized how much she cared about him and that she couldn't live without him.
Instead, Katniss wants to protect him and bring him home because she has strong feelings for him, even though she isn't sure what those feelings mean. Gale's hug and kind words when she returns home are a direct contrast to her newly established plan to save Peeta because of her feelings for him.
His feelings and memories are distorted with hallucinogenic tracker jacker venom, in a mind-control technique known as "Hijacking." The Capitol uses this method to turn Peeta against Katniss, making him believe that she is not only responsible for the death of his family, friends and the destruction of District 12, but ...
Gale does not marry anyone in The Hunger Games. He and Katniss talk about running away together and starting a new life in the wilderness, but they never officially marry.
Before the Capitol battle, Gale had explained to Katniss his series of bombs designed to feed off human compassion: a small bomb would go off, and then when medical aid rushed in, a second bomb would go off, killing those people as well. Incidentally, it's this exact type of bomb that took Prim's life.
Katniss's focus on survival and her family's safety prevented her from fully considering romance, but her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged in the end. Katniss ultimately chose Peeta because he understood her trauma and she didn't want to lose him, proving her love for him.
It's only implied that they get it on via snuggling and other affectionate acts in close quarters — but if you have read the book, they really imply that they took their relationship to the next level.
Snow can't stand to see a young woman betray a young man's affection—his view of what happened 65 years ago. And so he takes out his old, festering wound on Katniss.
Katniss doesn't know why they would go after her and Peeta first, and Plutarch tells her because the revolution lives as long as she does. She's the mockingjay. The tributes kept Peeta alive in the arena because they knew Katniss wouldn't cooperate with the rebels if he died.
If Peeta dies Katniss wins, she becomes a victor. Since the berries wouldn't be a factor in her winning, nothing would be seen as an act of defiance. Therefore, no rebellion in the districts. However, Rue and Peeta's death would probably push her to stand up to the Capitol eventually.
Although his feelings are genuine, he is hurt to discover that Katniss' were not entirely. He and Katniss become friends despite the fact that they are forced to use their fake romance to both placate and subvert the capitol during their Victory Tour and the 75th Hunger Games.
Eventually, she finds herself truly worried about losing Peeta, being without him, and when they kiss, she feels her heart stir for him. They go to sleep, Peeta's arms around Katniss, and for the first time since her father used to hold her like that, she feels safe. They wake hungry.
What happened the first time Katniss kisses Peeta?
When they kiss, Katniss describes it as the first that both are fully aware of. Neither is sick or dazed by injury, and it's the first kiss that makes her want another. Because of the cold, they share the sleeping bag again, and Peeta puts his arms around her.
He has betrayed her and is betraying all of District 12 by buddying up with the Careers, whom she calls the "Capitol's lapdogs." She decides that if the Careers don't kill him, she'd be more than happy to. Then, she wonders why Peeta hasn't told them about her bow and arrow skills yet.
What shocking secret does Peeta reveal during his interview? During Peeta's interview he reveals that he had a crush on Katniss this whole time. How does Katniss react to Peeta's confession? She feels angry because she thinks that he is making her feel less and a fool.
She apologizes to Peeta and, again, feels that she owes him. That night, she and Peeta say goodbye to Effie and Haymitch, who will go to the Games Headquarters.
