"Katniss, you're home," I hear him say from the doorway.
I don't answer; I keep my back to him and finish drying the few plates Greasy Sae accidentally left behind.
"I'd like to talk,"
"Well, Peeta," I say. "It seems like you're talking right now,"
"I'm sorry about what happened." It's quiet for a second. "I just wanted to visit you,"
I slam the cabinet doors shut and whirl around to face him. "You just wanted to visit me? And say the first words to me in two months? You don't just visit someone in our situation. You just visit an old friend."
He nods, looking away. "I was under the impression that we were old friends."
I close my eyes for a long second and when I open them he's in the same position.
"May I… come in?" he asks.
I nod. "Fine,"
He takes a few steps in and closes the door behind him but he stays in the hallway.
"Are you coming in?" I ask.
"Are you ready to listen? I can tell you're mad, maybe I should just go…"
"I'm mad at you for leaving in the first place," I tell him, my voice coming out mostly broken.
He swallows hard and nods. "And I'm sorry about that,"
"You just left," I tell him. "I didn't know if you were even still alive. I thought that…" I can't speak because I'm gulping in air trying to keep myself from sobbing.
"Katniss you should be angrier at the fact that I threw a plate at your head than the fact that I stayed away afterwards."
"I thought you were dead," I tell him, deciding to just be honest. "Okay? I thought that you had died. Haymitch did too, and I went looking for you but there was nothing."
He bites his lips together. "I'm sorry," he whispers.
"Yeah, I get that," I say, turning away again.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"I don't know. Maybe you should get used to that because I didn't know where you were going either."
I'm not even in the living room before I feel a hand clamp down on my shoulder.
I turn around slowly, willing away the tears in my eyes.
He just looks into my eyes for a long moment without saying anything.
"What?" I ask. "Why did you stop me? It's not like you wanted to be around me anyways and-"
"Look!" he shouts. "I'm sorry I don't love you!"
I nod. "Me too," I whisper. "I am too,"
"And look, if I could change that I would, I promise, because you're gorgeous, but I just… it's hard for me, too, this whole situation. Watching you and knowing that I should be in love with you, it's…"
"Yeah," I agree with him. "It really is,"
"Katniss, I know I miss you,"
I nod.
"Can we try again?"