Breaking the Silence with Sugar

It's almost daybreak as I slip out of the hut in the Victor's Village, leaving my mother and Prim to sleep as I head in the direction of our old home in the Seam. My real home.

I slid my hands into my pockets and walked quickly to the Seam, with my shoulders hunched up, short bursts of cold wind scratching my face until I reach the front door, grip the handle, and enter. A blur flashed out of the corner of my eye and I turned to see it was Buttercup, Prim's awful cat that she insisted we keep. Ever since we moved to the Victor's Village, he took an instant dislike to it as well and often returned here, probably thinking this was more like home than the fancy accommodations. For once, I had to agree with him.

I sank to a spot on the floor and pressed my knees close to my chest as I looked around at the place I called home before I volunteered for the 74th Hunger Games in place of Prim. But I wasn't just here for nostalgic reasons – I needed to think of how to approach him about an idea I had for Prim's birthday.

Him meant Peeta Mellark, my fellow tribute who was drawn for the 74th games and co-victor. He hadn't talked to me ever since we got off the train to the cameras and interviewers trying to get the reactions and news about coming home as 2 winners for District 12. I could hardly blame him, after all, I believed that his love for me had just been an act to earn some sponsors and gifts in the game. We hardly ran into each other despite living in Victor's Village – maybe it was intentional that we both tried to avoid each other.

But now I needed his help if I wanted to make Prim's 13th birthday a memorable one. Before I even competed in the games, Prim would drag me to the bakery his family owned to ooh and aah over the beautiful, decorative cakes he and his family made and displayed in the windows. I kept reminding her that we could never afford one and that looking wasn't going to mean anything but she continued to go and admire them. Now that I had money from my victory in the games, I could afford to buy whatever I wanted – proper food like butcher meats and fresh baked breads, new clothes, and various medicinal items for my mother. This time, I knew that Prim would be very happy having her own beautiful birthday cake before her instead of just looking in windows. It brought a smile to my face at the thought of her opening her eyes on the morning of her birthday with lit candles sticking out of a custom birthday cake, made just for her. I could see her bright blue eyes shining with joy and slightly watery from being overwhelmed at this surprise.

But my dilemma was finding a way to actually ask Peeta without making Prim suspicious and without him wanting to throw me out of the same room we happened to be in.

Just knock on his door and ask him! I thought. Wait, what if his mother or one of his brothers opens the door and I'm stuck hoping they'll let me visit him without a fuss?

Buttercup brushed past me and yowled his displeasure of not living here any more. I reluctantly pet him as I let out a deep sigh.

"Stew for you today?" Greasy Sae asked me as I passed by her stall. She offered me a bowl and I began to reach for my money pouch when she quickly shook her hand, saying this one was on the house. Unusual for her, I thought as I sat down and accepted the bowl.

"How is the Victor's Village? Must be very nice, now isn't it?" she asked me as I sipped the broth.

"I guess."

Greasy Sae paused and looked at me disapprovingly after I gave her my lackluster reply. I shrugged my shoulders as I downed the bowl and continued to let the Peeta communication problem bug me. It was as I was taking the final sip from the bowl when I spotted him out of the corner of my eye buying something from one of the stalls at The Hob. He was alone and studying tubes of what I thought looked like paint from another seller. I placed the bowl down, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and thanked Greasy Sae over my shoulder as I ran to catch him before he left. He turned to face me as he finished paying the seller and his eyes widened for a few seconds before returning to their normal look.

"Katniss," he said as he looked past me.

I didn't blame him since it was a while ago when we last spoke. He was probably still upset about my deception during the games and the fact that I confided in Haymitch more than him.

"Can we talk?" I asked him.

He nodded stiffly and led me out of The Hob to avoid causing a scene. We walked past the front of the bakery and he led me to the back by the dumpsters so no one would see us.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Look...I know I was wrong to deceive you in the arena," I began, hoping the apology might make asking him easier. "I, I guess I believed that you were playing along with a suggestion that Haymitch had in order to gain more sponsors. And...I'm sorry."

Peeta's shoulders relaxed a little at my apology and he gave me a wan smile. He looked past me for a few seconds before looking me in the eye for the first time in many months.

"Yeah I can see that," he replied, "I should have known, especially since Haymitch favored you over me."

"But he was always mad at me. We never agreed on, well much of anything," I said.

Peeta snorted and shook his head. "Nah the score from the Gamemakers made him see that you were probably going to win."

I tried to look modest at the reminder of my score, 11/12 that I received after angrily shooting an arrow into the apple in a roasted pig's mouth. Everyone made such a big deal out of it that it bordered on being embarrassing. I just wanted to push everything about the games out of my head for now.

"Umm that's not the only reason I wanted to talk to you about," I began, "Prim's birthday is in a few days and...I'd like to give her a cake, kind of like the ones you decorated in the window of the bakery."

Peeta's expression went from his wan smile to something slightly amused. He nodded in the direction of the front of the bakery as he replied, "Really? Those?"

"She always thought they were so beautiful to look at," I said. "Before we competed in the games, she'd always drag me to the bakery to look in window to admire the decorations on the cakes and say that she wondered what it would be like to have one."

A slight blush colored Peeta's cheeks and it was his turn to be modest. "They...aren't anything special. I mean, its what I had to make most of the time instead doing something like you out there hunting with...him."

The mention of Gale brought an abrupt silence and none of us knew what to say or how to proceed. Then I placed a hand on the pouch carrying the earnings from the games and looked at Peeta.

"If you want, I can pay you for making and decora-"

"We did receive the same amount of earnings so what am I going to do with some of yours?" he said.

I looked into his eyes and saw that his face broke into a genuine smile.

"Happy Birthday Prim!" I said as Peeta and my mother entered her room with her cake all lit up.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she sat up quickly with a delighted smile stretching across her face.

"Oh! This is, this is...thank you! It's so wonderful!" Prim declared as she clasped her hands together happily.

I smiled at her and sat down beside her. Peeta leaned in with the cake so she could blow out the candles and make her wish. Prim closed her eyes, paused for a few seconds, and blew as hard as she could to make all the candles go out. I turned my head towards Peeta and silently thanked him with a smile. He smiled back and rested a hand on my shoulder. For now, we were even again.