Of Lizards and Flashbacks
Peeta carefully dried his false leg while I tried to get a squirming Rue into a clean shirt. It was a nice day at the lake, I taught Rue how to swim and we had a little picnic. But now she didn't want to leave.
"Mommy, look!" I just barely got the shirt on her when she hopped out of my arms to chase a little lizard. She started giggling. "It won't stay still!" but she was determined.
I was about to tell her to leave it alone before she chased it into the woods, when Peeta's hand wrapped around her tiny wrist.
"Daddy?"
"Don't touch it!" He yelled through gritted teeth.
"Daddy that hurts," she whimpered.
"Peeta," I ran to him, wrapping one arm around his neck and holding his wrist with the other hand. "Peeta, it's okay," I whispered. He let go of her but his body was still tense.
"It's a mutt," he growled. "It wants to kill us,"
"No, no, it's just a little salamander, it can't hurt us," But my mind was already being bombarded by images of those lizard mutts from the sewers under the Capitol. "Don't worry, it's not real."
He finally started to relax and hugged me, putting his head on my shoulder as I stroked his hair.
"I'm sorry,"
"Don't be, it's alright," He pushed me back slightly, looking at Rue who was crying as she hugged my leg.
"Oh, I'm so sorry sweetie," tears were starting to well up in his eyes. He opened his arms for her and she ran to him, curling up against his chest. "I'm so sorry,"
"Daddy, are you okay?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine. Did I hurt you?" She shook her head. "Did I scare you? I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," He started crying.
Rue tried to wrap her tiny arms around him. He held her close while I held him.
A/N- So headcannon they name their daughter Rue, idk about the boy though. I also don't know why I didn't put him in here, I guess he hasn't been born yet. I don't know/can't remember the age difference if one was mentioned.
