He tossed and turned on the living room couch, trying to find a comfortable position for his midday snooze when Katniss barged through the door.
He narrowed his blood shot eyes at his surly roommate.
She leaned against the front door, out of breath, "He's here."
He grunted, bothered at his napping interruption, "What?"
Katniss raised her voice, "He's back!"
Haymitch sat up, rubbing his forehead to quell a slowly looming headache, "Who?"
"Peeta. I was at the train station waiting for my mom's package but then… I spotted him before he saw me," Katniss said crossing the room and sinking into the arm chair neighboring the couch.
He raised an eyebrow, "And?"
She shrugged, "I ran all the way back here."
"Well, isn't that convenient," he said lying back down.
"Shut up," he heard her reply as he closed his eyes.
"Okay, so now what," he asked.
Katniss looked out the window, imploring luck not to see an approaching figure, "What?"
"Well, it looks like we're not throwing a welcoming parade. So are we going to be pained at his arrival? Resentful?" he asked opening one eye to look at Katniss, "Relieved?"
She huffed getting irritated, "We're not going to be anything. I'm going hunting."
She stood up and left the room, to retrieve her bow and quiver.
"You won't be able to avoid him forever, if he's back," Haymitch bellowed after her, shifting his pillow and turning on his side toward the back of the couch.
A few moments later she crossed the room again on her way out, telling the back of his head, "I- look if he shows up just tell him the truth, I'm not around."
He waited until the backdoor's screech announced her departure to think out loud, "If only, then maybe I'd get some damn sleep."
After Katniss's announcement he had expected the appearance on his door step, but that didn't stop him from waking up irritated to the heavy knocks.
As he approached the door he saw two blond heads loitering on his porch through the adjacent window.
When he swung the door open it was the boy who greeted him, "Haymitch."
Haymitch stared, cataloging the sight of Peeta Mellark. He had built his body back to a toned frame, no longer the thin thing that had lingered here for about two weeks after being released from Dr. Aurelius's care, before disappearing for two years instead. He looked better now, healthy and happy. Well at least at peace if not happy, he thought eyeing the pretty and familiar blonde next to him.
The only telltale signs of having survived a track list of two hunger games, torture, and a war were his faded scars.
And with that thought in mind, he pulled Peeta into a swift man hug, "It's good see you alive boy."
Peeta patted him on the shoulder after they let go, "You too old man."
Haymitch scoffed and looked in the direction of the girl awkwardly standing to the side.
Peeta on cue, introduced, "You remember Delly?"
"Hello," she said a little too chirpy for his taste and notably nervous.
"Hey there," he offered politely.
She smiled and quickly interjected, "I should probably let you talk alone."
Peeta smiled at her and handed her a pair of keys presumably to his house.
"I'll get started on unpacking," she stated.
"See you later," she told Haymitch as she walked away and waved.
He made a flick of a wave in response and stared after her alongside Peeta.
"I guess it should make sense," he said after the girl was out of ear range.
Peeta's brows furrowed, "Huh?"
Haymitch leaned against his door frame, crossing his arms, "That'd you move on with one of those type?"
Peeta cleared his throat to dissuade the misunderstanding, but with curiosity asked, "What type?"
"An optimistic," Haymitch said disgusted.
Peeta stared before replying solemnly, "Leave her alone. She's a good person and no we're not together."
Haymitch pondered, "Hmm."
"She came here with me and she's going to stay in my house, but only until she can set her living situation," he added.
"Right," Haymitch responded.
"So how have things been around here," Peeta asked changing the subject.
Haymitch stepped away from the door and motioned for him to come in finally, "See for yourself."
The place didn't look immaculate but it certainly was a drastic change from when Haymitch used to live alone. It was clean and organized, there were no vile stains or smells anymore. All his liquor bottles were confined neatly to a place on the far kitchen counter. The house just looked like a home to its inhabitants, unlike before.
"I heard she- I heard Katniss was living with you," Peeta said at last.
He turned to face Haymitch, who now sat on the arm chair in the living room.
"How is she doing," he asked.
Haymitch eyed him cautiously, before taking a sip from a flask he'd left on the coffee table, "So you still care to know?"
"What is that supposed to mean," Peeta asked with involuntary exasperation.
Haymitch shrugged, "Two years of radio silence says a lot."
Peeta lowered his voice, "Look, I am sorry I never had the courage to keep communication, but I'm not sorry I left. I'm not going to apologize for staying away to get my mind and life back in order."
Haymitch looked him in eyes, "Have you?"
Peeta nodded taking a seat on the couch, "Yes or I wouldn't be here."
Haymitch closed his flask, "So how long do you plan to stay this time?"
Peeta ignored his derision, "I plan to rebuild my parent's bakery."
Peeta waited but asked again, because he needed to know, "So how is she?"
Haymitch didn't answer right away before finally relenting, "She's okay."
"And she's not around right now, if that's what you're wondering," he added with defiance.
Peeta nodded again and stood up, "If you two are not busy, I'd like to invite you over for dinner. Say around 6?"
"I'll bring it up," was all Haymitch could avow.
Later in the day, Katniss came in through the back door with a ghost of a smile on her face. The woods were her salvation from brooding and over thinking. There she found the welcomed distractions that constructively, also paved way to large hauls of game.
"I take it Greasy Sae was pleased today," Haymitch said sauntering down the stairs and finding her setting up the table to clean whatever remaining carcass she kept for their dinner.
"Turkey," Katniss said proudly holding up the dead bird by the feet.
Haymitch slumped into a chair around the table, "A nice way to get wide and plump."
Katniss dried a recently washed knife with a satin napkin, "What do you mean?"
"A fat turkey and hearty bread," Haymitch said rubbing his belly.
"I didn't trade for bread today," she replied in regret.
"No need to. The boy came and went, but not before inviting us over for dinner," he said slowly measuring her reaction.
Katniss hands stilled, it's not that she had forgotten. On the contrary, since she had seen him alone buying some snacks from a concession stand that now existed by the train station, all her thoughts were consumed by Peeta. The woods had provided a leveling relief, but they were now flooding back. She had determined upon leaving that she would not avert from her everyday routine just because he was back. Two years of distance and absence had served to drive away any connection they could have ever had after the rebellion. Now, they were just two people who once knew each other. At least that's what she had told herself, but hypocritically had acted with caution getting back, to avoid running into him.
"If you want to go that is," Haymitch said into the silence, leaving the choice to her.
They were bound to be neighbors apparently, so why not just get the first encounter over with, at least Haymitch would be there to avoid obstinate tension.
She nodded, "Okay. What time?"
Haymitch looked at the clock over his shoulder, "6?"
It was around 4:45 PM now, "Can you clean this then? I'm going to go wash up."
Haymitch smirked, "Oh yeah, do make yourself pretty."
"Don't start," she said coldly. She wouldn't put up with his mocking about star-crossed lovers shit this time around.
"I'm just warning you, sweetheart," he said in his condescending trademark.
As she made her way up the stairs he threw in, "The boy brought competition."
AN: I've always wanted to see a plot like this unfold where they defeated their demons on their own and then met somewhere in between. Stick around to see if we get somewhere with this.