Author's note: Hello, it's me. Back again with a one shot because I'm not too busy with college this following week so I decided to write a fic that has been in the back of my mind for a while now. It's based on an Asian video; which, I think is called Kiss by J-entercom, I saw when I was a kid, and I never got over it, even 12 years later. I hope you like it. All mistakes are mine.
Warning: might be triggering.
I noticed some new reviews from a Guest on my Just another student fic, and they had some questions. I guess this is the only way I could contact them? Hopefully, they'll read this.
Guest 1: I'm not from the U.S., and I'm not exactly sure how the system there works, but where I study it might be a little different. You do sign up for the classes you want to take, but in some cases, you don't get to choose the teacher. You build your schedule the way it works the best for you, and once the inscription period is over, the teacher selects the course that fits best with their own schedule. Sometimes you don't even get to know the teachers you might get because they're constantly being rotated with teachers from other schools (ex: Katniss is a biology teacher in medicine school, but the following semester she could be rotated to nursing school, or microbiology school, since it's the same subject). The subject being biology, of course Peeta had to take it, and without knowing it, Katniss chose the course Peeta was in. Perhaps "assigned" wasn't the best term I could have used. I hope this wasn't too confusing. Thank you for reviewing!
Guest 2: I can see why you would be confused. If you notice, in the first chapter, Peeta talks about how he has been studying for four semesters, and Katniss has been his teacher for two of those, not counting the fifth semester, which we encounter at the end of chapter 1. Four semesters equals two years. The second chapter picks up three years later, and Peeta just graduated PU six months ago. It sums up nearly 5 years of studying until he got his degree, not just a couple of years. I based my calculations on the way the system works where I live, which is 5 years, graduating with a degree in general medicine, and after, 3 more years of internship for the specialization you choose. My parents are both doctors, so I was very careful to ask them about the whole process and timing before I submitted the story. I'm sorry if I made any miscalculations. Thank you for reviewing!
I don't own the video, or THG characters.
She was late.
This was the third time this month, and if Thread caught her getting in late again he'd have her head. Sae, the cook, would always try covering up for her but there's only so much the old woman can do.
It was Katniss's fault, really. But she had been so exhausted lately that the alarm clock sounded very far away in the mornings when it was time for her to wake up. She was only two months away from graduating community college, and working half time and studying until nine pm had taken its toll on her. But after four years, she was so close to making it. She could already see the diploma on her hand and with it a new job where she could do what she loved, where she didn't have to scrap by to pay for her and Prim's bills.
She was walking fast; almost running, down the street. She took a shortcut by the park, hoping to avoid the usual morning rush. She saw the crooked Diner sign that hangs over the roof.
Her hair was loose on her shoulders, because in her haste to leave the apartment she forgot to pick her hair band from the bathroom counter. She was tired of pulling it back behind her ear, considering it never remained that way, so she stubbornly decided to let it be.
She was too concentrated on just getting there on time she didn't see the photography equipment she just bypassed, or the blonde guy aiming the camera at a woman standing behind her. She noticed a blur next to her and turned to look just as the man snapped the shot, framing her instead of the woman. He seemed astonished as he looked at his camera and then back at her. He smiled shyly, and she admired the blue of his eyes, dimpled cheeks, white teeth, genuine smile and strong jaw.
They were frozen, taking each other in and just standing there, and Katniss almost forgot that she should have been at work nearly ten minutes ago. Almost, until a throat clearing breaks their spell.
"Excuse me, do you mind?" the woman behind her barked, "You're in the middle of the shot,"
That was when she became aware of all the equipment around her. She turned to look at the annoyed eyes of the model and then at the photographer, "I'm so sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't realize."
"Clearly," she thought she heard the blonde woman whisper. Katniss scowled but didn't spare her a glance. The man just chuckled and smiled. Honestly, did her ever stop smiling?
"It's okay, really," he said gleefully, "it's a great shot anyway,"
She could feel herself blushing 50 shades of red, "Oh no, you don't want me in your camera. I'm surprised the lens didn't break," he laughed. The blonde tapped her foot impatiently behind Katniss. Just then it came to her attention that she didn't know how long she had been standing there gawking at the blonde man.
"I'm really sorry," she said once again and apologized to the woman too just out of courtesy, not because she deserved it. She walked away the block left to the diner, and through the walk she could feel a pair of eyes following her every step. She never turned around to look.
She stepped in hurriedly and soundless to the kitchen, praying that Thread hadn't noticed her tardiness. Sae smiled when she walked through the doors.
"Don't worry child," she smirked, "he's not here yet. It must be your lucky day,"
Katniss sighed in relief and tied her apron behind her back. She tended to her tables, looking forward to when she could finally go home to her sister. When Thread walked in he saw her waiting her tables and looked at her suspiciously before giving a grunt and moving to his office. Sae gave her thumbs up and Katniss returned the affect with a small smile.
She definitely didn't; nor did she try, to look out the windows to the handsome guy that now had a picture of her in his camera.
.
.
.
He was dead on his feet by the time he got home. The camera might love Glimmer, but she was certainly a handful. He had to go over many of her shots because she didn't like the way her hair was styled, or because one of her eyebrows looked funny, and so on. He wished models weren't so damn complicated.
He decided to get the whole Glimmer business over with and went inside his dark room so he could develop the photos and get Glimmer off breathing down his neck.
He set up the five trays with the developer, stop bath, fixer, water and hypo clear and removed the roll from his camera. He cleaned and adjusted the negatives correctly and then inserted them inside the enlarger. He tested the pictures first, and once he was satisfied with the measurements he printed them. He sank the paper in the developer with a pair of tweezers and then rinsed it in water, doing the same with the rest of the chemicals until the picture was ready to dry.
He had most of the photos already drying when he revealed the photograph of a girl with dark hair and gray eyes. It came off as a contrast in between all the blonde haired and blue eyed snaps he had. Between Glimmer and her tantrums he had forgotten about the beauty that stepped in front of his camera.
He smiled at the picture. She looked so embarrassed when she noticed what she had done, but he didn't have the heart to delete such an image. He hadn't been lying to her; the photo was actually pretty great. She looked natural and her facial expressions were relaxed. He'd keep it for his collection.
During the rest of the afternoon he couldn't stop thinking about the girl. The way her eyes shone and her hair flowed with the wind. And he knew where she worked.
He saw her in her waitress uniform and then as she stepped inside that diner on the 3rd, he just put the dots together. Maybe he could stop by and give her the picture? Would she find creepy that he developed it even when she said he should delete it? Perhaps he'll just drop by and eat something, hoping he'll at least get her name.
.
.
.
She stepped inside her home and slumped against the door, feeling like she was going to pass out. Sadly, she couldn't. She had a final tomorrow and she only knew half the lesson. Thankfully, she already passed that class so she didn't have much to worry about. She heard Prim fumbling in the kitchen and went to greet her.
"Hi little duck," Katniss yawned.
Prim rolled her eyes, "I'm almost 19, Katniss," she shrugged.
"You're still my baby sister," she kissed her cheek.
"How was work today?" her sister asked as the poured pasta into two bowls.
Hellish, is what she wanted to say, "Same as every day, I guess," she said instead. Prim looked at her pityingly and set both their bowls in the table.
"So," Prim coughed, "I wanted to talk to you about something."
Please don't be pregnant, Katniss sent a silent prayer but tried to play it cool on the outside, "Sure,"
"You know my friend Rue?"
Katniss's mind went to the small chocolate skinned girl that had been Prim's friend since they were freshmen. They graduated high school last summer and have remained friends. She nodded and digged in to her pasta, "Yeah,"
"Well, her brother Thresh has this friend, and he's a professional photographer, as he takes photographs for different magazines, not those who only photograph weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. Anyway, the other day when I was over at her place he was there and we talked and I told him I really liked photography and he offered to be my mentor. I'd be like his assistant and he would teach me stuff and all that, and we wouldn't have to pay him for teaching me. Isn't it great?"
Katniss frowned, "So a professional photographer wants an inexperienced 18 year old to be his assistant? I'm not buying it Prim,"
He sister's face dropped, "I know what you're thinking, but he's not like that. He's been Thresh's friend since childhood and I've met him a few times. He seems like a really good guy, and he's not that old, he's around your age!"
She sighed. "What about nurse training? You have wanted to be a nurse since you were a kid,"
Prim looked down as if in embarrassment, "I still want that. I just think we should wait until you graduate; we're already struggling as it is with your student loans. We don't need to add mine to the list."
"Prim…" Katniss said tearfully. "I don't want you to put you dreams on hold because of me,"
"You have done that same thing for me ever since Dad, and then Mom…" she carried away. "You're so close to graduating anyway, I can wait until next semester," Prim gave her a wide smile.
She felt bad, but Prim was right about the loans. Katniss was working her ass off to pay off the loans, the bills, buy food, and add some money to Prim's college found. The money was really tight, and she did her best to stretch it out every month. She figured if photography was what her sister wanted to do until she started the training, Katniss could at least be supportive.
"Does your camera still work?" she asked, referring to the used semiprofessional camera she got for Prim on her sixteenth birthday. Prim nodded excitedly and kissed her cheek.
"I want to talk to him first," Katniss said decidedly. "If you're going to spend your days with an older man I want to know about when, where, and some references,"
"Katniss," Prim groaned, but she knew her sister wouldn't settle for any less than that. "Fine. I'll call Rue tomorrow so she gets me his number with her brother,"
"Thank you," Katniss said and put their empty dishes away. She washed and Prim dried, "What is this guy's name anyway?"
"Peeta Mellark," Prim responded.
.
.
.
He shouldn't have done this.
He shouldn't have been standing outside this diner like a creep, just trying to catch a glimpse of the –very gorgeous, he might add– woman he mistakenly took a picture of two days ago. The people passing by probably thought he was a stalker or something. He had been standing in front of the restaurant pacing for the past ten minutes.
Grow a pair, Peeta¸ his mind snapped, and for once, he agreed with it. It was time to man up. He bit de bullet and with a deep breath walked in. The bell dinged above his head as he took in the small space. A large breakfast bar with stools in front of him, some booths on his right and left side, and a pie showcase on the inner corner.
He looked around desperately trying to find the girl, but he couldn't see her anywhere. He only saw a small woman with a waitress outfit sporting a pixie cut and a menacing look on her face. His shoulders slumped, but he figured, he was already there, why not order something to drink and perhaps try and finds out about his photo girl? His mind made, he sat on a booth on his left side and tapped his fingers on the acrylic surface of the table, waiting for the waitress. He heard some whispers and a woman say "you owe me, brainless," but he only looked up at the sound of a melodic voice.
"What would you like to order?" he met a pair of stunning gray eyes.
"I… I, uh," his mouth hung open and his confidence vanished.
"Um, I'm your waitress." She hastily handed him a plastic menu, "Would you like something to drink until you decide?"
He coughed, "Ah, sure. Can I get some tea?" she nodded and hurried away. He removed his beanie from his head and set it next to his arm.
He decided earlier just getting tea, but he didn't have breakfast this morning, and more food meant more time there in the diner, hence more time around her. Yes, food sounded great.
She walked back to his booth but when she went to pour his tea, her foot caught on a lifted tile and fell forward. The kettle shook in her hand, splashing his beanie completely with the infusion. She looked horrified and apologized over and over. He tried to calm her, but she left and returned with a rag, instantly cleaning the mess on the table. His beanie was still soaked though.
A minute later, a man with greyish hair and cold eyes –her boss; he supposed, saw the commotion and stood next to the booth, whispering threateningly at her, his face twisted in a snarl.
"I'm sorry, gentleman," the man said to him darkly, "Don't worry about the meal, it's on her paycheck today," the girl winced.
"There's no need. It was my fault, she tripped with my own foot," he lied. The man raised an eyebrow and the girl looked at him as if to ask what are you doing.
"Is that what happened?" the man asked the waitress. She looked at Peeta dubiously, and her eyes narrowed as he pleaded with his eyes.
"Yes." She whispered at last.
"Hmm. Must be your lucky day," the man retired.
"I'm incredibly sorry," she said to him after her boss was out of earshot, "I'll go get the other waitress so she can wait you–"
"No!" He rushed out. "Please, don't be mortified. It's just tea," he smiled soothingly but her expression was still one of distrust.
"Why would you help me?"
He shrugged, "It wasn't that big of a deal, and… I don't like the way that man treated you." She looked down.
"Thank you," she said through gritted teeth, "but I didn't need your help." She then noticed his beanie, "Please, let me at least wash that for you. I insist," she said at his protestation.
"If that makes you feel better," He shrugged again. She poured his tea in the cup this time and offered him sugar, but he declined. She grabbed her pad and pen from her apron. "What can I get you?"
"I'll have some pancakes, and a slice of apple pie," he handed her back the menu. She was still scribbling down his order when he blurted out,
"I remember you, um, you're the girl from the photo in the park." She flushed prettily, and he had the sudden urge to laugh.
"I'm still sorry about that; I hope I wasn't too much of a problem,"
He shook his head rapidly, "No, I mean, of course not. Besides, I told you it was a really good photo. Have you considered modeling?" he said in all seriousness, but she snorted.
"It's not really my thing. I hate being on the spotlight," she met his eye, and his body heated all over.
"I don't pay you to chitchat, girl," her boss growled out of nowhere, passed by his table and went outside, where Peeta could see him through the window lighting a cigarette. Photo Girl rolled her eyes and scowled.
"I'll place your order," she moved to the kitchen with his beanie in her hand and he sighed. This was going just perfect.
She moved around, tending to the other costumers while he waited for his meal. In his wait, he did notice that he was her only table on this side of the restaurant, the rest of the people she tended were seated on the other side of the diner.
He saw her come out of the kitchen with two plates in hand, and walked to his table.
"Here you go," she pushed his plate in front of him. "More tea?"
"No thank you, I'm fine," he smiled, while she nodded and walked away, her braid swaying down her back and her head bowed down.
During his time there, she didn't spare him a glance, besides from one time when she checked with him if everything was okay. He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and called her over for the check.
"I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable with my comment," he said sheepishly.
"No, no! It wasn't you," she swayed back and forth on her feet, "It's just I'm still embarrassed about what happened, and well, my boss…" she scowled again, which was probably the fourth time since he was there.
"Seriously, don't worry, it can happen to anyone," he grinned, hoping it reassures her. It must have worked, because the corners of her mouth lifted just a tad, until she caught herself and returned to her impassive expression. She handed him the check and started to walk away, but he called her back before she got too far. He was confused to notice the 0.00$ at the bottom of the paper.
"It's on me. As a thank you, and as I'm sorry," she explained. "Don't try to pay me back because I won't take it," she warned when he reached for his wallet. He sighed,
"You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" she gifted him with a joyful laugh, the first one he ever got from her, and he thought he had never heard such a pretty thing in his 24 years of life. He smiled widely and she returned his smile, this time much easier.
"You never told me your name, you know," he scratched the nape of his neck.
A voice stopped her as her mouth was opening, "Hey brainless, you can take 5 minutes," the pixie haired waitress winked, and his waitress blushed. He motioned with his hand so she sat too. She gave a wary glance to the boss's office and seemed to struggle with an inner battle, until she sat in the booth in front of his. His brain is screaming success!
"Katniss Everdeen," she said.
"Katniss." He repeated. He was worried his smile might have broken his face in half. "It's nice to meet you," he offered her his hand for a shake; "I'm Peeta Mellark." She grasped her hand in his, and her touch burned him in the best way possible, while her skin broke out in goose bump by his own touch. Her mouth hung open, and she was the first to pull away.
"Peeta Mellark?" she shook her head. "This might sound weird but I was talking with my sister about you a few days ago." His brow furrowed, "Primrose Everdeen? You offered her a position as your assistant… she's friends with your friend's sister,"
He tried to go quickly through his memories so he could remember her sister. He briefly recalled the small blonde he met at Thresh's, who told him she was interested in photography. She and Katniss were total opposites of each other, Katniss was dark where Prim was fair, but he now saw the resemblance in their features. More strikingly, the natural beauty they both seemed to possess.
He nodded, "Right. I'm still waiting her call, to see if she's interested, I mean. In working with me," he trailed off.
"She is. I'm just not sure about my baby sister hanging around with an older guy almost every day. I don't even know you," she said directly.
"I understand your concerns, but trust me, I have no ulterior motives. She just told me she was really into taking pictures and that she would like to learn some more. My current assistant is on maternity leave, so I need someone to help me and she offered, I thought it would be a win-win." He looked down. "Nonetheless, I understand if you don't feel comfortable about it,"
Her eyes narrowed while looking at him, until after a while her expression relaxed.
"You seem like an okay enough guy, so if she wants to work alongside you, I'm not going to stop her," he smiled. "But if you hurt my baby sister, you're done for," she warned and he moved his head up and down.
"I believe you." His phone beeped. He looked at the reminder that he had to be in the studio in thirty minutes for a session. He sighed and stood, whishing he could stay here with her and talk some more, "I have to go," he said, gloomy.
Katniss nodded, "Of course. I'm sorry for keeping you,"
"You should stop apologizing," he bravely put his hand on her arm and rubbed softly, and he was surprised when she didn't pull away. His phone pinged again and he had to suppress a sigh. "I'm sure we'll see each other again. Thank you for breakfast." he pulled out his business card from his wallet. "Just in case you change your mind about the modeling thing," he smiled, and she waved goodbye.
It was halfway to the studio when he noticed he forgot his beanie.
.
.
.
The world is too small, she decided. What were the odds that the photo session she interrupted is from the same guy that offered Prim an internship? She was at least more comfortable with it now that she met him. An 'okay enough guy' was an understatement. He seemed like a great person, even defended her from Thread without even knowing her, she just didn't want him to know she thought so highly of him, even if she did.
When she saw him sit in Johanna's section she didn't know what propelled her to ask Johanna if she could wait him. Johanna agreed but insisted Katniss owed her a bottle of wine and all the gory details of him for handing her that 'piece of man candy'.
She was still drowning in her Peeta haze until Jo snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Wake up sleeping beauty, Malefficent is lurking the corners looking for another slip, and that's the last thing you need,"
"Thanks for the break, Jo,"
"By the way, he forgot his beanie in the back, you'll just have to see him and give it to him," Jo wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Katniss rolled her eyes.
"Get your mind out of the gutter please," but Johanna and Peeta are right about something: they'll most likely see each other again. And she was totally, perfectly, fine with that.
When Katniss got home late in the afternoon after a double shift, considering she didn't have any classes today, she found Prim sitting on the couch with her rusty laptop. She smiled at her, and Prim ran to her sister to talk about the details of their day.
After dinner together, Prim said excitedly,
"I finally found Peeta's number with Rue's brother,"
"That won't be necessary," Katniss said from her place seated in the table, with her nose buried between books.
"Why not?"
"I sort of met him already," she shrugged.
"What?" and so she told Prim everything. From the moment of the shot to today when he defended her from Thread. Prim grinned widely. "So it's a yes?"
"Yes," Prim squealed and hugged the air out of her lungs. Katniss now knew she made the right choice.
The next day Prim was a nervous wreck when it was time to go to Peeta's. "Are you sure you don't want me to come along? Did you already talk to Peeta, did he give you his address?" she rolled her eyes.
"Katniss, I'll be fine, I know how to get there and everything. I'm just nervous,"
"Okay," she kissed her sister's head, "Please be careful and text me when you get there, and if you need anything just ask. Good luck,"
The day passed excruciatingly slow and all Katniss could think about was Prim. She had texted her a few times today, and Prim always responded happily, saying everything was going great.
When she got home after class, Prim was sitting in the dining table, papers surrounding her. As soon as she saw Katniss she stood up quickly and gave her one of her bone crushing hug.
"Oh, Katniss, today was so amazing, Peeta is a great tutor, he taught me about the importance of the lightning and how I should position the camera…" she blubbered on excitedly and Katniss smiled gleefully at her.
She finally finished talking after five minutes, breathless. "How was your day?"
She laughed, "It was fine. I'm glad you had a good time with Peeta. Are you supposed to meet him every day the same time as today?" Prim nodded.
"Unless he has a photo session planned, then I should meet him later or earlier, depending the time of the shot,"
"I have to return something to him, so I might join you tomorrow," tomorrow was her day off at Thread's, she might as well give him his beanie back.
"You could just give it to me and I'll return it to him,"
"No!" she said quickly, "That's not necessary," Prim raised an eyebrow.
"Huh, well if you say so," she giggled.
The next day on their way to Peeta's Prim kept giving her funny looks, and Katniss ignored the mischievous smile her sister sported, as if Katniss had some dirty secret and she knew all about it.
They got to a modern townhouse on Merchant Quarter before nine, and Prim was nearly skipping with excitement. She knocked on the dark wooden door, and Peeta opened it a few moments later, clad in a pair of worn shorts and white shirt. He looked great, and Katniss felt breathless.
"Well, two Everdeen girls in my doorstep, to what do I owe the honor?" he smiled widely and let them in. She was flabbergasted to notice that the room wasn't a photography studio, but a common house. The walls were filled with paintings and portraits, and it felt modern and cozy. Peeta was still standing next to the door, looking at her expectantly with shining eyes.
"Well, uh, I wanted to give this to you," she provided his folded beanie from her bag, "It's clean."
He grinned, "I had forgotten about it, but thank you for giving it back. It's my favorite,"
"Again, I'm sorry," she glanced down to her shoes.
"Hey, I told you it's nothing to worry about," he smiled reassuringly and she found herself smiling back. Prim was looking back and forth between them, a playful small in her lips.
"Um, well, perhaps I should go so you can get to work." She moved to the door but Peeta stopped her quickly.
"Please, stay." He coughed, "I, uh, I wanted to show Prim how to photograph models and how to find the best angle, and since you're here…you could be our model?" he asked hopefully.
"Katniss, please!" Prim pleaded. She sighed; she was never any good at saying no to her sister.
She agreed, and Peeta lead them up a set of stairs. Katniss was surprised to find a full photo studio in the second story of the house. He had all the equipment, tons of pictures and paintings and lots of natural light. He clearly had demolished all the walls down and turned the whole floor in one big open space, except for a small corner that still had the walls up. She guessed that was where he developed his pictures.
Peeta and Prim set everything up and discussed things Katniss didn't understand, all while she stood awkwardly to the side while watching them. Peeta directed her to stand in front of a large white wall with Prim positioned in front on her.
"Ready?" he asked her.
"Um…" she scratched her head. "I guess. What am I supposed to do?"
"Whatever you want," he smiled encouragingly.
She posed normally, hands clasped in front of her and a soft smile on her face. Prim got tired of that pose after a while and handed Peeta her camera. She strode to Katniss and freed her hair from where she had it in her customary braid, ignoring her complaints and making her change positions.
"Pose like a superhero," Prim commanded.
"Why?"
"Because I'm the photographer," she huffed but agreed. Prim laughed as Katniss posed as Superman and then as Flash, as if in mid run. She started laughing genuinely at the goofiness of it, and she could hear Prim clicking away, Peeta directing and giving her tips.
She was mortified when she saw the pictures, but she had to recognize Prim was talented. Even with Katniss moving and goofing, she still managed to capture some good shots.
When she was about to leave, Peeta stopped her again. He left and came back a few moments later, something in his hand. "I… I thought you might want this," he showed her the picture of her he took by mistake in the park. She had to admit she didn't look that bad. Her hair flowed freely and her face looked peaceful, not at all truthful from what she was feeling that very moment. She looked almost pretty.
"It's a good picture," she agreed. "But I don't want it. You can keep it if you want,"
"Um, uh, s-sure," he coughed. She waved goodbye to Prim, who was too busy admiring her handiwork to pay much attention to her. She rolled her eyes and Peeta steered her to the door.
"Thank you for today, it was fun. And thank you for what you're doing for Prim. She clearly loves working alongside you," she said gracefully.
"It's alright, I like working with her too. I'm glad you enjoyed today, maybe you'll consider coming here more often?" he smiled sheepishly.
"I don't think Prim would appreciate me barging in in all your work sessions,"
"I don't think she'd mind. It looks like she had fun today, but if you're not comfortable with that perhaps we could hang out… just the two of us," his voice wavered, and his cheeks tinged a cute shade of pink. Her mouth opened. Was this incredibly handsome, sweet man asking her out?
"Is… it a date?" she asked slowly and he blushed.
"Unless you don't want to," her head was shouting yes, I do want to! He had been nothing but amazing with her and her sister, not to mention how hot he was.
"No! I mean yes! Yes, I would like to go out with you in a date," she rushed out. His eyes widened and he smiled, dimples appearing in his cheeks. He was adorable.
They exchanged phone numbers and he planted a kiss on her cheek on her way out. She staid planted in that place for a moment, until she felt heat flooding her face. Peeta smiled and she smiled back shyly.
.
.
.
After Katniss left, he leaned against the door and breathed out. He was going on a date with Katniss Everdeen, whom he knew close to nothing about. Where should he take her?
"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask her out," Prim said, arms crossed.
"So, Prim…"
"She hates heels and pretty much dressing up. She doesn't like being the center of attention. She likes museums. She likes flowers. She likes Netflix and pizza, just clad in her comfy pajamas. She loves to sing but would never admit it, and she would never sing in front of an audience, so no karaoke. She loves nature and outdoors, especially the woods. One of her favorite activities is hiking, besides practicing archery. Her favorite meal is lamb stew, but she eats just about anything. She particularly loves bread and cheese. She hates feeling useless and people buying or doing things for her, she thinks she owes them." She rolled her eyes.
"Thank you." He rubbed his hands, "Any advices?"
Prim looked thoughtful for a moment, "Don't push her if she doesn't open up to you immediately. She's a really private person, and she might try to push you away, but don't let her get away. I promise she's worth it." she smiled gleefully, "I'm pretty surprised she agreed on the first time you asked, she must already like you a lot," Was his heart actually thumping out of his chest, or was it just his imagination?
Prim already helped him. He figured, whatever came next was up to him.
Katniss and he decided mutually to go out on Saturday evening. He drove to her place with a bouquet of katniss and primroses. As he got to her address, he worked up the courage to go out and knock her door. Prim answered and greeted him excitedly. She started talking his ear off but he stopped listening the moment he caught a glimpse at Katniss. She was dressed simply, in some dark jeans, a long sleeved shirt and a pair of flats. Her hair was loose behind her, like the day he met her.
She greeted him, smiling beautifully, and he stood there dumbly, feeling as if the cat got his tongue. He handed her the flowers. "They're beautiful," she said.
"I'll put them in some water," Prim offered, and once Katniss gave the flowers to her, she practically pushed them out the door to his car. He offered her his hand, which she took.
"We should get going," he suggested.
"You kids have fun; don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Prim laughed behind them, and Katniss rolled her eyes. He kissed Katniss's palm, and her expression turned to one of shock, a good shock, he hoped.
After Katniss went through every safety number and action with Prim, she waved them away profusely. They walked hand in hand to his car, and didn't let go until each climbed to their seats.
"I hope you like this," he said once he drove down her street.
"Where are we going?"
"How do you feel about the planetarium?"
"I've never been there. I guess there's a first time for everything," he grinned.
When they got to the planetarium he bought their tickets, assuring she could pay next time when she protested. They sat in the movie theater, talking while they waited for the function to start. He learned that she was 23, almost 24, worked half time at the diner and was graduating from Panem's Community College in two months with a degree in Environmental Sciences. It was just her and Prim, and had been for a few years, since her father's death and her mother's abandonment, she told him. He knew there was not a thing Katniss wouldn't do for her sister.
He told her about his parents' bakery back home, and how he moved here when he was 18 to study business, per his mother's insistence, but quickly dropped off to study art. His mom cut him off and he had to work to pay rent and study his ass off so the university wouldn't drop his scholarship. He talked about the man that was his mentor, Haymitch Abernathy; how he let Peeta promote his talent in his gallery and how everything went uphill for him since, thanks to Haymitch.
They went quiet when the show began, and he saw Katniss's eyes widen when they broadcast the shocking images of the Universe. He wanted to take her hand again, but was too scared she'd push him away. During the rest of the show he kept his hands to himself.
That until Katniss turned to look at him, whispering, "It's incredible," and he agreed. He slid closer to her and neither looked away from the other. He pushed a rebel curl behind her ear, and she leaned against his hand, and that was all the permission he needed. He kissed her, his lips fluttering against hers and kissed him back eagerly. Her tongue tangled with his as it explored her oral cavity. She stroked his cheek softly, and he sat up straighter so he could pull her closer, his arms around her waist. Her tongue caressed the roof of his mouth, and he had to hold a moan back so he didn't alert the other viewers of what they were doing. His pants were uncomfortably tight, but they didn't pull away until the lights came on.
Katniss's mane was wild from where he was running his hands through it, and her lips were puffy. He imagined he didn't look much better, either, and he tried to make it less obvious that they were making out. She didn't meet his eyes, and he was worried until he felt her hand slipping between his. He tangled their fingers together, and she pressed herself closer to him as they walk out.
They had dinner in an Italian restaurant where Peeta knew the owners. They ate a plate of pasta each, and split a tiramisu together. He could start singing We Are the Champions when he noticed how much she had been laughing during dinner, those kind of laughs where her eyes would crinkle in glee.
When they got to her house, they made out like two horny teenagers against her front door. She rubbed herself against him, and his dick grew even harder, but she didn't invite him and he didn't ask either, but he did ask her to come more often to his session with Prim, and she reluctantly agreed.
And so, she became their model. On her free days she spent them in the studio, posing and goofing and enjoying herself with them.
They had only been on three dates, since she was so busy with finals and he was waist deep in work, but he promised to take her out somewhere special once they were both free.
She invited him to her graduation ceremony, and him, Prim and her friend from the diner, Johanna, stood up and cheered loudly as her teachers handed her her diploma. She smiled widely when he held up his camera for a picture, and when the ceremony is over they crushed her in a hug. Prim and Johanna pulled away, but he stayed close and kissed her deeply until they were both breathless. They broke apart at Prim's giggles and Johanna's get a room!
He cooked her favorite meal, including appetizers and dessert, for dinner that night. The four of them ate and spent the evening together. After nightfall, Johanna left and took Prim with her, who's spending the night at Rue's. On her way out, Johanna wiggled her eyebrows and made a thrusting motion when Katniss's back was turned. He rolled his eyes, but he guiltily hopes she was right. He and Katniss had been seeing each other almost two months, and he had only gotten to second base. They had taken it slow, and he would never pressure her into anything, but he was just a man.
He and Katniss did the dishes together, and after they were done they sat on the couch, Peeta holding her in his arms.
"Thank you what you did," she broke the silence, "Everything was amazing. You are amazing," she kissed him deeply, and he moved her to sit on his lap. She grinded her hips against his, but pulled away too quickly. She chuckled at his groan.
"Are we…" she gulped, "You know, dating?"
"Do you want to?"
"Well, yeah, we've been together for a couple of months and I think it's the next logical step. I just wasn't sure if you would want–" he cut her off with a kiss.
"Of course I want to; I was waiting until you were sure you wanted to be with me before asking you." He caressed her face lovingly. "Would you be my girlfriend?" she grinned and kissed him again. She removed his tie and started unbuttoning his shirt, all while grinding on his erection. He asked her if she was sure, but all she did was kiss him again passionately and tug off his button down. He carried her to her room and laid her on her bed. He unbuckled his belt quickly as she unzipped her dress. She stood and pushed him down so was he seated where she had been moments before. He was studying her intently, and she let the dress fall.
The green fabric pooled around her bare feet and she stepped out of it, leaving it on the floor. Her body clad in a white lingerie set, he eyed her hungrily without saying anything, not wanting to break the moment. He remained quiet, and she looked down embarrassed, he hurried to her side and tipped her chin up with his finger so her gaze locked with his.
"I know I'm not… spectacular or anything," she said and he shook his head.
"Oh but you are. You're so gorgeous. I can't believe I get to have you," he kisses her.
He pushed her down and removed his pants and boxers all in one. She licked her lips sensuously when she took in his erection and grabbed his hips, pushing him down to her and joining their lips. His cock was straining against her wet panties, the only fabric separating them, and he nearly cried in desperation. He could feel all the heat radiating from her, and he just wanted to bury himself inside her.
He reached behind her to unclasp her bra, and once he did it he threw the garment over his shoulder. He started sucking and playing with her nipples and she keened loudly and arched her back, urging him on. She pushed him away after a while, once the foreplay wasn't nearly enough, and took off her panties. He teased her, starting a playful path from her lips down to her center. She sighed and whimpered when he kissed her inner thighs, and cried out when he finally put his mouth on her, lapping at her sweet wetness. Her hand tightened on his hair, and after a few minutes she came against his mouth with a cry.
"You taste amazing," is all he said before she pushed him up and kissed him sweetly.
"Do you have…?"
He stood up and looked for his wallet inside the pocket of his slacks, nearly whooping when his fingers grasp the precious foil paper. He walked again towards Katniss, she took it from his hand and ripped the square open with her teeth, pinching the tip and rolling the prophylactic down his dick. The sight was erotic enough he almost came right then and there.
"Just… go slow, please," Katniss said, "It's been a while," he nipped at her neck and nodded against her skin.
When he sheathed himself inside her they both cried out in pleasure. He gave Katniss some time to recover, until she him let him know she was okay. He started thrusting in and out with a steady rhythm, and she sighed and moaned, and opened her legs wider. He kissed her everywhere he could reach, and one of her hands stroked his back while the other gripped his ass, nails marking his skin.
He sat back on his haunches and pulled her leg over his shoulder, pressing kisses to her ankle. Katniss moaned louder at the change of position and he had to contain himself so he didn't ruin the night so early on. As he pounded into her, the headboard thumped harshly against the wall, and he was pretty sure it might leave a dent on it, but Katniss didn't seem too concerned about that fact. Her head was thrashing from side to side, her mouth releasing the sweetest and hottest sounds he had ever heard, and he knew she was right at the brink.
She fell over the edge with a few more thrusts and moaned so loudly he was worried the neighbors might call the cops on them. She looked up at him from where she was lying, eyes hazy and breathing harshly. She bit her lip, and he spurted inside the condom, grunting.
After, he laid next to her and waited until his heartbeat returned to normal. The room was hot, and both their bodies sweaty, but he pulled her close anyway, and she didn't protest. She rubbed his chest and he pressed kisses to the top of her head. He's pretty sure he's falling in love with this woman.
Now that Katniss graduated she had more time to spend with him. She still worked at Thread's diner since she hadn't found a new job yet, but she had a few interviews and he knew she'd find something soon enough.
He ate her out before her interviews, in hopes of helping her relax.
During that short period of time she became his muse, his Juliet, his Beatrice. His cameras were full of pictures of her. Photo shots, cooking, reading, or doing whatever, he loved capturing their moments together. He had framed pictures of them, like the photo Prim took at her graduation when he kissed her. His favorite was one he took one morning in bed, she was looking at him intently and he was staring lovingly back at her. He sneaked up his phone and took the picture before she noticed. That one had a special place in his studio, where she taped it to the wall next to his desk after she saw it, and that was where he kept it.
At first, she was uncomfortable being around the camera all the time, but now she had grown used to it, and even enjoyed it sometimes. With her, he started painting again, after nearly six months of block, she came in his life and now he finds himself not being able to paint everything that comes to his head, all because of Katniss.
She gave him head in his car after he showed her his new gallery, the project that had kept him so busy this past year; and the collection, which consisted mostly of portraits and paintings of her, or inspired by her.
One day, he was in the dark room developing some photos. He poured Ilford in the tray for the developer, but before he closed it his phone beeped with Katniss's familiar ringtone. He answered and her voice resonated through the other end,
"I got the job! I got the call a few minutes ago, can you believe it?" she said and he smiled widely.
"Of course I can, I told you you'd get it. I'm so proud of you, love." Distractedly, he put the bottle back in its place on the shelf as he talked, but forgot to put the cap back on.
.
.
.
Peeta took her and Prim out to celebrate her new job, and that she finally left Thread's diner. He took them bowling per Prim's request, and Katniss was so happy he could probably take them to a grocery store and she wouldn't mind.
He inaugurated his gallery, his collection of her as the main attraction. Many artists praised him on his job, and many people bought his art. That night she rode him until they both were seeing stars.
So far, she had spent most of the following week before starting her new job at Peeta's, since Prim stayed most days at Rue's, studying for the upcoming admission test so she could start training as a nurse.
She threw some bread inside the toaster when a pair of hands set on the counter on her sides, effectively caging her in. She turned around and smiled at her boyfriend.
"I know you're really excited about this job but I will miss finding you in my bed in the mornings," he whispered in her ear.
She laughed, "We can still do that, just not so regularly," he pouted childishly and she kissed his pout away playfully. He grabbed her hips and kissed her harder, his hands slipping down the button down she's currently wearing to grasp her ass. He massaged her bottom and she moaned against his mouth, getting wetter by the second. His hands were getting dangerously close to between her legs until a cough made them sprint apart from each other.
"So, this is what you do when I spend the nights at Rue's." Prim smirked with crossed arms. They both blushed heavily from head to toe, and Peeta moved behind the counter to hide his hard on. At least he was wearing boxers. "Sorry to barge in during your private time," she continued, "But the door was open and I wanted to drop off these things you asked me," Prim still went to Peeta's place as his assistant two or three days a week, since now she spent most of her time studying.
"Thank you Prim," Peeta sniffed, "I'm sorry you had to see…" he said uncomfortably.
Prim shrugged, "It's great seeing you both so happy," she grinned, "but please keep it in your pants when I'm around." She walked away. "And lock your door!"
"How are you getting home?" Katniss called behind her.
"Rue is waiting outside for me. I'll see you later, love you!" she shut the door.
"That was close," Peeta hugged her. When they broke apart he took her in fully and his eyes widened, "Stay right there! Don't move, the light's perfect!" he rushed away.
"Peeta," she groaned, knowing exactly what was coming.
"You look beautiful! Just stay there," he called from his bedroom. She shook her head, but there was a smile on her lips. He got back to the kitchen with his camera hanging from his neck. He started aiming away as she smiled softly at him. He only took a picture or two and then sighed,
"I need a new roll. I'll go get it," he set the camera down.
"I'll get it. Meanwhile you make sure our toast doesn't burn," she kissed his cheek.
"Too late for that," he called behind her retreating form and she laughed. She climbed the stairs to the second floor and went inside the dark room to find the replacement. He stacked the rolls on the higher shelf, so she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach it. She spotted one next to a bottle, and stood as tall as she could to grab it. Her toes wavered and she leaned forward, her fingers grasping the roll but at the same time, the back of her hand collided against the bottle. It fell, and all the liquid spilled over her face.
Her eyes stung, and she pressed her palms harshly against them, trying to minimalize the pain. She screamed out in agony and tumbled down, bringing down with her all the pictures drying and a shelf full of Peeta's things.
She heard him shouting for her from downstairs, until his loud steps were rushing up. She felt herself being lifted and carried down the stairs and outside, to the car, she assumed. He tried talking to her, tried to calm her down, but she couldn't focus on anything other than the searing pain.
.
.
.
When he heard her screaming he dropped a plate in shock, hearing it shatter against the hardwood floors, but he was already running up the stairs. He called for Katniss, and his heart shattered when he found her curled up in the dark room, clutching her eyes desperately. He inspected the room quickly, trying to see what could have happened when his eyes focused on a white bottle thrown empty on the floor. He picked Katniss up and carried her out to the car, and once she was safely buckled in he ran back inside to his room and dressed hastily in some jeans and a shirt. He returned to the car still barefoot, with his shoes and a blanket for her dangling from his hands.
Miraculously, they don't get in an accident during the drive to the hospital, between Katniss's painful screams and the tears obstructing his eyesight. He was driving nearly 30 miles over the speed limit, but in that moment he could care less. He held and kissed her hand during the whole ride while she screamed and cried. He could cry when they pull up in front of the Emergency entrance, and he barely put the car in park and removed the key until Katniss was in his arms again, her forehead pressed tight against his chest. The doors opened automatically and he shouted out for help, nurses rushing to aid. He put her down on a stretcher and held her hands away from her face so the doctor could take a look. Instantly, they rolled her away and started shouting orders, Peeta following behind.
In that moment, Prim stumbled through the doors in a rush, her hair in a mess and her eyes puffy. He had called her from the car and told her they were on their way to the hospital. He just said; his voice shaky, that something happened to Katniss and gave her no further explanation. He couldn't deal with Prim's grief while also handling his. It was too much.
She saw him and ran to her sister's side, smoothing her hair and whispering in her ear.
"We're here, baby," he cried, when Katniss called out for them. He didn't let go of her hand until they rolled her away inside the Operating Room, the nurses having to pull Prim away from the stretcher, and now she was clinging to the doctors and nurses, begging them to help her sister.
One of the doctors stayed behind with him, "What was it?" he asked.
"Ilford," Peeta answered, "To develop photographs," the doctor shook his head, walking away. The nurses had freed themselves from Prim's hand and had disappeared inside the OR too.
Now he sat, dejectedly, in the waiting room and wept. He didn't notice when Prim occupied the seat next to him. They remained in silence, the only sound were their cries.
He didn't know how long it had been since Katniss was rolled away. Time seemed to stay still in the ER. He vaguely remembered he didn't park his car, or maybe even locked it, but he didn't give a flying fuck.
"What happened?" Prim asked quietly, minutes, hours, after.
He put his head between his hands, the sobs trying to work their way up his throat and out his mouth, "It was my fault," he admited.
"What do you mean?"
"I… a few days ago I was refilling the trays. I got a call and got distracted. I put the bottle back in its place, but I didn't put the cap on," he sighed and trembled. "That's what spilled on her eyes,"
Prim was quiet after, too quiet. But he didn't push her for conversation; he was not in a talking mood either. None of the two said anything until later when a potbellied doctor came out from the operating room and approached them. His head was bowed, and Peeta felt his heart stop. He and Prim stood up expectantly and met him halfway.
The doctor introduced himself as Plutarch Heavensbee, and he talked many medical terms Peeta didn't understand. All he promptly got was "damaged cornea," and "blindness,", and Prim started crying. He was fighting very hard not to let his own tears flow.
"I'm sorry," the doctor said and left, to give them their space, but Peeta stopped him.
"Can it be fixed? Isn't there anything else you can do?" he asked desperately. At this point he could take just about any solution. Dr. Heavensbee sighed.
"Her eyesight is not going to return on its own. The chemical infected her corneas too badly, and nearly burned them. There's too much damage for them to work. Furthermore, we have the option of a penetrating keratoplasty, which is basically a corneal transplantation of the whole tissue," Peeta looked up.
"With a cornea transplant could she get her sight back?"
"Most likely, however it's not that easy, it's not only one eyeball but the two. Finding a match could take months, depending on the eye bank. And there's the possibility her body could reject it. The success rate is very vague," he said softly.
"But it's possible." Peeta whispered. "How can I know if I'm a match?" Prim looked up at him, her eyes wide. The doctor raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
"You're here already; we might as well test you now. Come with me, son," he said goodbye to Prim as she stayed behind to wait until they assigned Katniss a room.
They took some of his blood, and Dr. Heavensbee performed in him many eye tests to check the health of his corneas. After the tests were over, the doctor led him to Katniss's room, and promised he'll come looking for him once the results show up.
With trembling hands he opened the door to his girlfriend's room. She was lying still on the bed, presumably sleeping off the anesthesia, and she looked so small and fragile in the hospital mattress. Her eyes were bandaged with gauze wrapped around her head. His heart cracked.
Prim was sitting next to her bed, holding her hand tightly. She didn't look up at him when he entered, or even when he pulled a chair over and kissed Katniss's other hand.
"She'd never forgive you if you do it," Prim said. He didn't answer, just kept stroking Katniss's hand.
It felt like an eternity until Katniss woke. When she did, she was groggy, in pain and confused. He called for the nurse and she removed cautiously the gauze, and they all watched Katniss intently. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy.
She didn't go maniac when she realized her eyes were uncovered and she couldn't see, she just asked for more medication, and once she heard the click from the door announcing the nurse's departure, she sobbed. Prim held her, and Peeta squeezed and kissed her hand. She cried and cried and they joined in. When her sobs turned to whimpers, she asked for some water to ease her achy throat. Prim was out the door before he could stand.
"Peeta?" Katniss said quietly. He took her hand in his.
"I'm here,"
"What was in the bottle?"
"Ilford. Developer," he whispered. "It was my fault, I didn't shut the lid. You don't know how sorry I am, but I promise I'll make it better,"
She shook her head, "It wasn't your fault, please don't blame yourself," oh but it was, if he had just put the cap on... "Peeta, sit next to me," Katniss said. He sat on her left side, his leg rubbing against hers. She put her hand on his leg and slid it up until she arrived to his cheek. She rubbed his face softly, and his lip trembled. She smiled sadly upon feeling the shaking, and a couple of tears spilled from her eyes. He joined their foreheads together.
"I love you," he said quietly.
"I hope you're not just saying that because you feel guilty,"
"I would never. It's the truth, and I swear to you, I'll fix this." He kissed her passionately and she responded eagerly, and ran her hands through his hair. Their tongue battled and in that moment it felt as if nothing was wrong, as if they were just making out on his couch, not sitting in a hospital bed.
The door opened way too quickly and they broke apart. Prim walked in with a cup in her hand, and Dr. Heavensbee in tow. Peeta got off the bed but never let go of Katniss's hand.
"Katniss, I'm Dr. Heavensbee, it's really nice to meet you," he said. Katniss nodded and offered out her hand for the doctor to take.
"So tell me doctor, how bad is it?"
He explained Katniss everything he told Peeta and Prim in the waiting room. Katniss was doing a particularly good job not breaking down. She had always been a fighter. But she visible perked up when Dr. Heavensbee mentioned the possibility of a transplant.
"That could work?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes, it could, but first we need a donor," the doctor looked pointedly at Peeta.
"So we wait?"
"We wait," Heavensbee said.
Prim stayed with Katniss her first night in the hospital, and he went home after nightfall at their insistence, so he could stop by their house and pick up some fresh clothes for Prim, and Katniss's personal belongings to bring them in the morning.
When he got home that night everything looked normal, until he got to the kitchen. What used to be a plate was still lying in broken pieces on the floor, and two glasses filled with orange juice sat next to each other on the breakfast bar. He swept the glass and threw them inside a garbage bag, and spilled the juice down the drain. He exhaustedly walked to his room, but stopped by the stairs and decided to go up.
He walked inside the dark room, his heart pounding and rage clouding his vision. It was a mess, all the pictures were thrown across the floor and a shelf was knocked over. He examined the scene in silence, and from the corner of his eye he saw a white bottle. He picked it up and held it tightly until his knuckles turned white, and slammed it against the wall opposite of him. He was angry with himself, with the world, with the doctors, and his madness took over. His hands didn't stop throwing and thrashing things until the small space looked as if it had been ransacked. He'd clean it up sometime later.
The following days and weeks were very difficult for all of them, not to mention Katniss. She took a hard time adapting, which was understandable. She became dependent on him and Prim for everything, even the littlest thing, and that nearly drove her to insanity. She started taking so many pills and prescriptions they could hardly keep count, not only for her eyesight, but for depression too. The strong woman he fell in love with seemed to have vanished, and instead only an empty carcass of her remained. He and Prim tried cheering her up, reminding her that not everything was lost, but no matter how hard their efforts, they only managed to obtain a small smile every once in a while.
They always kept the doctor's words in mind, but after two months they were tired of waiting, and he could see Katniss was losing hope.
.
.
.
Peeta broke up with her.
Two months after the accident that blinded her, he dumped her. He said he didn't want to spend his life chained to a person that needed him every minute of the day. He was too young for that. She was still recovering from the shock when the door slammed shut.
Two days later, Dr. Heavensbee called. They had a donor. He scheduled the surgery for the following week, but if it were up to her she'd have the surgery the next day.
Her pride and her head screamed at her when she tried to contact Peeta, but she ignored them. He never picked up, but he did mail to her house her belongings that were in his place.
The day of the transplant she was buzzing with nervous excitement. Prim kissed her cheek and whispered courageous words in her ear continuously. They laid her down in a stretcher and rolled her away to the operating room, and she could feel as they put the gas mask on. As she was drifting off, she thought she felt a hand hold on tight to hers, until suddenly there was nothing else.
She woke up sometime later, already in her room. Dr. Plutarch came soon after, praising her, and saying the transplant was realized successfully, but she had to wait a few days until her eyes healed so she could open them. Those days were the hardest, not knowing whether it had worked.
A week after the surgery, the nurse finally removed the cotton covering her eyes and she blinked slowly, adjusting to the blinding light. Prim was in front of her, holding a cake lit with candles, and around her nurses and doctors were clapping. Her head was pounding and everything looked blurry and fuzzy, but she didn't care.
She could see.
The recovery was long and tedious. Her eyes took a while to adjust to light again, so she had to constantly wear sunglasses. She had to take many pills and use like 10 different kinds of eye drops. She went to the doctor's twice a week for the first three weeks, and Dr. Heavensbee was very pleased when he noticed the depth of her recovery, and how well her eyes were adjusting to their newest addition, even so that he reduced their appointments to once a month and let her go out and join the world once again, as long as she took precautions.
The job offer she got before the accident still stood, waiting for her, and she wasted no time in going to work. Peeta supported them financially while Katniss was incapacitated, and the first thing she did when she received her first pay was write him a check. She went to his house personally to give it to him, and she was shocked at seeing the "On sale" sign in the front yard.
An extravagant woman with a golden wig and 8-inch heels opened the door and introduced herself as Effie Trinket, real estate agent. Effie led her inside and started talking her ear off about the house and how beautiful it is and so, so, so many possibilities and much potential. All the furniture was gone, and the art too. It was like Peeta never even lived here.
Katniss asked her about the previous owner and Effie sighed, "Such a handsome and gentle boy. I sold him this very house two years ago, and he was enchanted by it. I'm not sure why he wanted to sell it; he just said he wanted it sold as soon as possible."
She walked around under the pretense of checking the house, and when a new couple arrived Effie gave them all her attention. Katniss took it as her chance and climbed up the stairs to the studio.
It' was mostly bare, just a few boxes lying around. She saw the dark room in the corner and shivered at the reminder of what last happened when she was there, her eyes itching at the memory. She gave a 360 degree turn and her eyes focused on something by the wall.
It was a picture of her. Or well, half a picture.
It was one of Peeta's favorite pictures of them in bed. She had taped it proudly to the wall next to the desk so he could see it every day. She ran her index finger over where the photo was clearly ripped apart, and resisted the urge to cry. Her eyes burned and she ran down the stairs in a rush, ignoring Effie's calls. She took a cab back home and only cried once she was safely inside her bedroom.
It didn't make any sense. Why would Peeta go through so much trouble as selling his house just to keep her away from him?
She let herself break down for an hour, but no more. She spent the afternoon watching chick flicks while eating Ben & Jerry's and crying her eyes out, and that's how Prim found her when she got home, curled up in the couch with bloodshot eyes. She panicked and rushed to her side,
"Are you okay? Were you scratching your eyes? Why are they so red?" she said in a breath.
"I'm fine. I was just… I went to Peeta's today," Prim's mouth formed an oh. "He's selling his house, can you believe that? I just don't understand what is that I did to piss him off so much." She said brokenly and Prim hugged her.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Katniss. Maybe he felt guilty about what happened and the house brought back bad memories," she shrugged, but she was biting her lip. Katniss narrowed her eyes.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
Prim squeaked, "Of course not!" she said, incredulous. She gulped and looked down, "I just think that's what happened," Katniss wasn't convinced, but she let it go for now.
The next day after work she was still thinking about Peeta and feeling nostalgic, so she decided to take a walk around the park where they met for the first time. There was not many people around, a pair of parents with their children, some girls jogging and a man sitting on a bench with a golden retriever sitting by his feet. The man threw the ball and the dog ran after it. She was about to keep walking, but looked at him again, slowly this time, taking him in. She walked closer to him, her heart almost beating out of her chest.
He had sunny blonde hair and a defined jaw, and everything appeared all too familiar to her. But what irked her was the pair of dark sunglasses he was wearing, that and the white cane leaning against the bench. She looked behind her to the dog that was currently fetching the ball, and noticed for the first time the service dog vest.
The wind blew harder, and a piece of paper flied away from the bench he was sitting on to land a few feet next to her. She quickly picked it up before it got away again. Her eyes stung when she recognized the photograph.
It was the first picture he took of her. The one he took when she interrupted by mistake his photo session in this very park.
A sob made its way out of her throat and she clasped her hand over her mouth, trying not to fall to the ground as grief consumed her body like wildfire. She saw Peeta move his hand over the bench anxiously, probably trying to find the photo. She didn't let one tear fall; because she knew once one fell she wouldn't be able to stop.
Everything suddenly made sense now. Why he broke up with her, and why two days after that a mysterious donor appeared out of nowhere. Why he sold his house and worked so hard to push her out from his life. He knew she would have never let him do it, so he didn't ask for her permission.
A traitorous tear rolled down her cheek and her eyes clouded heavily. She walked with shaky legs to the bench where he was sitting, still feeling around for the photo, and positioned it right between his fingers. She didn't dare to say a word.
He felt around the paper and smiled, sighing in relief, "Thank you," he said, and she swallowed a cry at the sound of his sweet voice. The dog returned, ball in mouth, and nudged Peeta's thigh. He safely stuffed the picture in the pocket of his jacket and rubbed the canine's head. He grabbed his cane and stood up, the dog instinctively pushed his leash in Peeta's hand, he took a hold of it and the dog led him away.
Once he was a few steps away, she fell forward in the bench and clutched her chest while racking sobs exit her body. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears and her eyes stung as badly as the day the Ilford spilled on them. She put her head in her hands and just cried, wanting to curl up and cry forever. Her throat ached and she was sure she must look like a mess, but not a fiber in her body cared.
Over the sound of her weeps she heard a pair of steps she would recognize everywhere. A golden dog sat in front of her, and she stopped crying and looked up at the man standing in front of her.
.
.
.
When he broke up with Katniss he felt as if he was leaving a piece of him behind. He said awful things he didn't mean and left before she said anything. He knew that at the very first plead for him to stay he would cave, and then he wouldn't have the guts to do it, and it had to be done.
He put his house on the market as soon as he made his decision, and soon after signed up in an asylum where they take care of handicapped people. He packed and sold most his furniture, except his personal belongings and the photography equipment, which most of was donated to a photography school, and some of it he gave it to Prim, who was very mad at him. She insisted that they wait, but he knew Katniss could only take so much longer of that suffering.
He left his mentor and friend, Haymitch, in charge of his gallery. To say Haymitch was pissed at him would be an understatement. He called him an idiot, a fool, dickhead, and many other things that included his mother, but under all the yelling he could see the sadness in his mentor's gaze. He knew Peeta, when he had his mind set on something, he did it.
"Don't think I'm giving you my gallery," he said, "I'll go there once in a while to check up on your job, old man," he joked. Haymitch snorted and just handed him glass after glass of scotch, and he drank them without hesitation.
Dr. Heavensbee talked to him a lot. He reminded Peeta of how much he'd loose, and how his life would never be the same. Prim tried to talk him out of it, playing the Katniss-wouldn't-want-this card, but he wouldn't budge. His decision was made; he only hoped it was the right choice.
The day of the surgery he looked everywhere his eyes reached and tried to remember every little thing.
They prepped him for the transplant and rolled him inside the OR once Katniss was under the anesthesia. She looked so peaceful and beautiful, and he took her in as much as he could, just because he wanted, not because he needed to. He knew every corner of her skin, every mole and every freckle, and he knew he wouldn't forget.
His stretcher was right next to hers, and he held her hand tight in his for a minute until the doctors pulled him away and inserted local anesthesia in the skin around his eyes, and after a while the world turned black.
The recovery was slow. He had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks until the doctor considered it was safe for him to leave, and a person from the asylum picked him up and settled him in. He was given a cane and assigned to a service dog, who became better company than his caregivers.
He talked to his parents and brothers after the surgery, just saying that an accident had blinded him. His father wanted to move him back home with them, but Peeta declined. The thought of living under the same roof as his mother ever again was worse than any darkness and depression he was going through.
He tried to remain positive when sadness overwhelmed him, keeping in mind that he did it for Katniss. He called Dr. Plutarch once in a while, always asking about Katniss's improvement, and the doctor said she was getting better and better every day. Just those words made it worth it.
He painted, every other day while in the asylum. It wasn't easy, but it distracted him. He didn't even want to think about the mess he made while painting, all the mix of colors and uneven forms, but it made him feel like his old self.
Two months after the keratoplasty, he was finally permitted to leave the asylum, with company of course. Haymitch picked him and Oliver; his dog, up, and first took him to Peeta's gallery, giving him an update of everything that had happened during his absence.
He felt an immense sadness wash over him like a wave, not being able to see his work exposed. Haymitch noticed he fell quiet and led him away, asking where he would like to go next. He thought of Katniss, and asked Haymitch to drive him to Panem's Central Park, where he met Katniss for the first time.
They sat on a bench in silence, and Peeta threw Oliver's ball away so he fetched, his picture of Katniss on his left hand. He carried it everywhere with him, as a reminder. Haymitch must have noticed, he said,
"So that the girl?" Peeta nodded. "Well, you certainly could have done worse,"
They kept quiet and Haymitch tired after a while. He went to buy some ice cream for Peeta and himself, telling him to keep his ass stuck to that seat until he returned¸ and Peeta nodded.
Oliver nudged his hand with his nose and put the wet ball in his hand. Peeta set the picture next to him so it wouldn't get dirty with Oliver's saliva and threw the ball again, hearing his dog run away after the toy. He smiled.
He sat quietly and felt around next to him for the photo, but found nothing. His hand moved anxiously around, trying to find it, almost panicking on the inside. He couldn't lose that one, it was the only copy he had. He had to find it.
He was about to go calling for Haymitch until he felt a slight pressure between his fingers. He grasped the sheet of paper, recognizing the crinkled corners and sighed, relieved.
"Thank you," he smiled. He didn't know if his helper was still there, since they made no sound at all. He felt Oliver nudging him again, and tucked the photo safely in his pocket. He took the ball from the dog's mouth and stood up, determined to try and find Haymitch with Oliver's help. He started walking away slowly from the bench, with the help of his cane and Oliver. He was about to tell the dog to look for Haymitch when he heard sobbing behind them, the kind of sobbing he still heard while having nightmares.
He walked the few steps back to where he had come from, guiding himself with the sounds of the woman's cries, until he was directly in front of it, Oliver nudging him the whole way. He stood frozen in front of her and the cries stopped. He gulped.
"Katniss?"
Did I break anyone else's heart, or just my own? Just me? Great.
I worked for like two weeks on this because life got very complicated, but now it's finally done and I'm so relieved. I hope you enjoyed this, and once again, I'm sorry for any mistakes.