Chapter 1: Tears


I glanced at the sky. It had a swirl of reddish-orange, but a little softer. I shifted around on the blanket surrounded by dew drops on the light green grass. I felt arms lock me in a warm body. I was so calmed down by the sunset I forgot Peeta was with me. I felt him play with my hair and then pull it up. I closed my eyes and fell into him more. But then, I started to think about my sister. A single tear streamed down my cheek. I know Peeta saw.

"What's wrong love?" He asked.

"Prim." I responded.

"Oh. I'm here now."

"But I miss her."

"What? You don't miss me?"

"I'm serious Peeta."

"Sorry."

He stroked my hair. Primroses surrounded me.

"Primrose would've loved this." I said.

Peeta didn't answer. He just looked up at the sky and his face remained emotionless.

"Let's go inside." He finally said. He took my hand and pulled me into our house. He shut the glass door behind us.

"You know what? Let's go into the bedroom." I said.

I drag him into the bedroom. I look around and see the picture of Primrose on my side of my bed on the nightstand. I slowly walk around the bed and pick it up. Peeta follows and saw my tears.

"You had a long day. You need some sleep." He said, plucking the picture out of my hand and putting it back on the nightstand.

We get changed and hop into bed. I'm still crying. Peeta pulls me closer to his body. I start to sob. He holds me and rubs the back of my head. I bury my head in his chest and he rests his chin on the top of my head.

"It's alright. I'm here." He comforts me.

I eventually got tired from crying and fell asleep in his arms. When I wake up, I knew Peeta was next to me. I could hear his snoring. Figures. I nudge him a little to get him to lower it. He looked really tired still. I remember a lot of nightmares last night. I must've pushed him off the bed a couple times because I see a bruise on his arm and I heard a scream in my sleep. He rolls over onto the edge of the bed, about to fall off. I push him back to me lightly. He moans but he's not awake. I peer over his shoulder to see his face. He's been crying in his sleep. He looked like he was paralyzed. Nightmare. I rub his side. He started tossing and turning, moaning and crying. I shook him. His eyelids fluttered open, along with his mouth, yelping. This happens a lot. He buries his face in the pillow and groans.

"Peeta." I whispered. I shook him again. I rolled him over, unaware of the edge of the bed. He yelps again as he falls off.

I giggle. "Oops. Sorry." I said, innocently.

"Not. Funny." He said, angry.

I giggle again, but quickly stop because I remember what happened with Peeta and the dream.

"Were you dreaming about me?" He nods. A tear leaked out of his eye and ran down his face. This is the first time he cried about me in a dream. I climb over to his side of the bed and hold out a hand. He grabs it and I pull him onto the bed again. His blonde hair glistened from the sunlight seeping between the curtains.

"You alright Peeta?" I ask him as I brush him off a bit.

"I'm fine." He said.

His arm was bleeding though. Hard too.

"Are you sure darling?" I said.

"I'm fine. I really am!" He insisted.

I take his arm and look at it. I disappear into the bathroom and grab a damp arm and spray it with a strong smelling antidote bottle. I go back to the bedroom and say, "This might sting."

He winces at the rag. I wipe away his glistening blood from his arm. He yelps quietly. I get closer to him and while wrapping his arm in the rag, he leaned in and kissed me. The rag accidently dropped onto the floor, smearing some blood on the floor. I break away from his lips to glance down at the rag. Then my eyes followed Peeta's blood that splattered on his nightstand when he fell. My mockingjay pin was on the nightstand. I forgot I put it on Peeta's nightstand because it sometimes calms him down in the middle of the night when I'm sleeping and he has a nightmare. It reminded me of Rue. Her whistle.

"Everything alright?" Peeta said.

"Oh. Uh yeah." I lied.

He kissed me again. I let the kiss go on longer. I feel tears stream down my cheeks. Peeta breaks away from me.

"What's wrong?!" He asked, wiping tears out of my eyes.

"I don't deserve to be alive. I wish I died instead of Prim and Rue." I sobbed.

"Katniss. Don't be like that. Your alive for a reason." Peeta said.

I bury my head in his shirt. He kissed my head.

"Katniss. Please come out." He implored.

"No." I said, flatly.

"Please don't be difficult today. We have to go and visit Haymitch, if he's even alive." He muttered. I giggle and come out of his shirt.

"I was wondering where your smile went." He said to me. I smile again and kiss him.

"Well, I guess we should eat." I said.

"I'm not hungry." Peeta said.

"Me neither."

"Well, then. Let's get dressed."

I jump off the bed with him and find my clothes. A plain white shirt and black jeans. I glance at Peeta. He's already dressed in a pea green shirt and blue jeans.

"How do you get dressed so fast?" I ask.

"Easy. I'm a boy." he replied as fast as lightning. I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at him when his back was turned as he was leaving the room.

I get dressed quickly and head to the hall.

"KATNISS!" Peeta bellowed.

"WHAT?!" I scream back.

"COME HERE NOW!" He sounded frightened.

I race down to the kitchen. I see blood splattered on the floor.

"What in the world happened?!" I asked.

"I don't know." Peeta said.