This was my entry in the recent Everlark Drabble Challenge over on tumbr. I was tagged by Titania522 with the song prompt – Listen to your Heart. Thank you, ct, for exploiting my love of 80's pop music, and for beta'ing with lightning speed yet again.
As usual, I own nothing.
Dedicated to the late, great Casey Kasem.
The flotsam and jetsam of afternoon drive-time radio sputtered from the car's one working speaker like some bizarre form of Morse code as Katniss turned the dial, searching for a station that would last more than a few seconds before fading into static.
So far she'd been able to find two – a talk radio channel who's DJ sounded like a cross between Charlie Brown's teacher and the 'Bueller? Bueller?' guy from the movies. His running commentary on migratory patterns of African Swallows was so boring it could have been used to cure insomnia. The other was a classical station that heavily favored Eastern European composers, specifically Wagner. While Katniss enjoyed humming 'kill the wabbit' along to "Ride of the Valkyries" as much as the next person, there was only so many times you could hear it before wanting to shove a carrot in your ear to drown out the steady 'dun-da-da-daaah-dun' of the French horns. Besides, heavy music like that was far too depressing for her current state of mind.
It had been raining, non-stop it seemed, from the moment she arrived in District 7 half a year ago after answering an online ad for a position in the newly formed Panem Forestry Service. The description had been exactly up her alley – days spent in the woods, keeping an eye on nature, maybe even carving out a new trail, something undiscovered that she could call her own.
The job also served another purpose; it gave her the perfect excuse to run away from her growing feelings for Peeta. They'd been friends since Kindergarten, pretty much from the moment he pulled on one of her long braided pig-tails, in typical five-year-old-boy-who-likes-you fashion, and she turned around, punching him in the nose, in what was to become known as typical Katniss-fashion.
The pair had been inseparable from then on, but even though their friends teased them about being a 'perfect couple', their relationship never blossomed into anything more. Katniss had too many things to worry about, what with essentially becoming the head of the household at age eleven when her father died, and her mother escaped into her own mind. She didn't need the added stress of a boyfriend. Especially knowing first-hand what love could do to you if you didn't protect your heart from its fickle grasp. And Peeta, well he seemed to just be happy being in Katniss' world, in whatever way she'd allow.
This uneasy balance worked well for them; at least it did until they graduated last year. Peeta had been accepted to Capitol University, but had elected to stay in District 12 and attend the local Community College instead. He claimed it was so he could still help out at the Bakery now that his older brothers had moved to other Districts, but Katniss suspected that wasn't the only reason. That, along with the fact that his warm smile, and even warmer hugs, had started having a strange effect on her psyche, not to mention her lady-parts, was enough for Katniss to realize it was time to get the hell out of Dodge before she did something stupid, like fall in love.
Finally, after skipping around the dial for what seemed like an eternity, the familiar strains of a current pop song filtered through the static. The surrounding forest thinned as she drove along the winding road, allowing the signal to become stronger until it was crystal clear. Katniss found herself humming along, even breaking out in song with the repetitive chorus.
As the song faded out, the familiar jingle of "Capitol Top 40" faded in, and Katniss squealed in delight. For someone with very few guilty pleasures, this radio show was at the top of her list. She had only been able to listen a handful of times since moving to District 7 thanks to the thick trees, and tall mountains obscuring the waves transmitted from the tower located somewhere deep in the Capitol.
Katniss sighed as the buttery tones of Caesar Flickerman, the host of CT40 for the last fifty or so years it seemed, cut through the silence.
"Welcome back, ladies and gentleman. That was "To the Victors" by the brother/sister duo of Cashmere and Gloss, falling two spots to number 16 on our countdown.
And now it's time for the long distance dedication; coming to you this week all the way from District 12.
Dear Caesar,
I'm writing to you in the hopes that the odds will be in my favor, and that you'll read this letter on the air. You see, recently I did something stupid, something almost unforgivable. I let my best friend leave without telling her that I love her, that I've always loved her, ever since she punched me when we were kids. She's an amazing person, full of passion and fire, and I think that is part of why I never admitted my feelings…I didn't want to scare her away, and ruin our friendship. But if the fact that she moved to a District on the other side of the country is any indication that may have happened anyway so I figure putting this out in the open can't make things worse.
Simply put, I want her to know that I love her more than anything, and I will be here, waiting for her whenever she's ready to return.
Signed,
The Boy with the Bread
Well, Boy with the Bread, here is your song, dedicated to the Girl On Fire. Hopefully she'll hear the message, and things will work out between you."
Katniss, who had pulled the car off to the side of the road as Caesar read the letter, slapped her hands over her mouth as the tinkling piano notes introduced "Listen To Your Heart". It was an older song, but one that Peeta knew was her go-to at karaoke.
I know there's something in the wake of your smile.
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yea.
You've built a love but that love falls apart.
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark.
The words had never really resonated with Katniss before, but now as she heard them with new ears, they took on a new, deeper meaning. She wondered, not for the first time, if she'd made the right decision to leave. At the time her reasoning had been sound – free Peeta to live, and not be dragged down by her baggage; also to distance herself from the feelings that had snuck up on her. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Listen to your heart
when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart
before you tell him goodbye.
The problem was, as the days turned to weeks, then into months, she came to realize that as hard as she tried to prevent it, the one thing that she feared the most, that she never wanted in her life, had happened. Somewhere between building tree forts in the woods, and graduation, she did the most foolish, irresponsible thing she had ever done – she'd fallen in love with Peeta.
Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yea.
They're swept away and nothing is what it seems,
the feeling of belonging to your dreams.
Listen to your heart
when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart
before you tell him goodbye…
The remaining stanzas of the song played out, fading into a single piano note held for several beats. Katniss swiped at the power button on the radio through a haze of unshed tears, turning it off before the next song could begin.
A thought that had been lingering in the back of her mind for weeks now came barreling forward, demanding attention, no longer content to be ignored. Her job wasn't turning out to be what she'd hoped with all of her time spent in endless meetings in stuffy offices, rather than the welcoming bosom of the woods. The thought still rankled, as if she were giving up, even though Peeta would doubtlessly assure her she'd tried, and had nothing to regret. The truth was, she was unhappy, and had been the moment she drove away from the bakery, leaving Peeta behind. Hearing his confession and dedication had only cemented her decision.
Two weeks later, after giving her notice to the Forestry Service, and signing over her half of the lease to her roommate, Johanna, Katniss found herself once again driving the crumbly streets of District 12.
Apprehension and nervous excitement battled in Katniss' heart as the bright blue awning of Mellark's Bakery came into view. Her pulse pounded in her throat as she parked, the old fears and doubts returning with a vengeance.
The radio, which had been nothing but static for the last hour suddenly burst to life, starling Katniss out of her downward spiral.
Listen to your heart
when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
Like a sign from above, the song encouraged her to turn off the ignition, and leave the safe haven of her car.
The bell jingled as she pushed open the heavy door, announcing her arrival. Her heart lurched as the mop of honey-streaked blond waves turned and stopped mid-greeting. The cloth he'd been using to wipe down the counter dropped from his frozen hand as they stared at each other from across the storefront.
"H-hey," Peeta stuttered. His eyes were a swirling blue mass of emotions, full of hope, doubt, and confusion.
"Hey," Katniss replied softly as she stepped closer to the counter. "I, uh, heard something interesting on the radio the other day."
"Oh?" His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously.
"Yeah…" she trailed off.
"And?" Peeta prompted gently, coming around the counter to stand before her.
Taking his hand in hers, Katniss smiled up into Peeta's handsome face, "I listened, Peeta, and…I heard you. I'm home."
Peeta's answering smile melted away any lingering reservations, and tilting her head upward, she met his lips with hers.
fin