Hey guys! So this is my first story for the Hunger Games. I thought I would write it in honor of the upcoming movie release on March 23rd. I'm so excited, I already have my tickets! But anyway, this is a super fluffy one shot so don't expect there to be more on the way for this one. It is set at the end of the first book, but before Catching Fire. So… enjoy.
Disclaimer: Once again, nothing is mine.
It was raining. Hard. Not just a soft and steady patter, but a full out storm, complete with lightning and thunder that scare me half to death. I lay in my bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. It was my first night in my new house in the Victor's Village. I hated it. It felt too roomy, like it fit two families instead of me, my mother, and Prim. Everything felt brand new, like it had never been used before. And that's because it hasn't. There is no way I could ever come to call this place my home, when my real one is still standing half way across town. I toss onto my side, burying my face in the pillow. I haven't gotten any sleep all night and probably won't get any more. I consider my options. I can't necessarily go outside for a walk, unless I'm in the mood for a shower. Everyone else is asleep, so there's no one to talk to. I wish Cinna was here. He makes it so easy to talk, I feel like I don't have to watch what I say. But he's not. There's only one other person. Peeta. But lately he's been ignoring me. Still, it's worth a shot. I'd rather get up than lay here all night. Silently, I slip out of bed and pull on a jacket over my tank top and pajama pants. I go out through the back door, closing it quietly and pulling my hood up to shield me from the downpour. I run behind the houses until I reach Peeta's and am surprised to see a light on. I scurry up the stairs to the back entrance when thunder strikes, making me practically jump out of my skin. I tap quickly and persistently on the glass window. After about five minutes of being nearly drenched, Peeta opens the door. He blinks sleepily, then recognizes me from under my hood.
"Katniss, what are you doing?" He hisses, pulling me inside.
"I – I couldn't sleep." I stutter. "And I see that you couldn't either."
"Yeah, it's the rain." He says, trying to find an excuse. "Here, you're drenched." He holds out a towel to me and pulls me into the living room, where a fire is burning. I sit down on a big fluffy sofa and wrap the towel around my shoulders, grateful for the heat. Peeta comes and sits down next to me, holding his hands out to the fire.
"So, bad night, huh?" He says, trying to make small talk.
"Yeah." I answer, but I'm not really in the mood for talking. Instead, I pull my feet up and curl up next to Peeta, laying my head on his shoulder the way I did during the interviews after the Games. We sit like that for a long time in silence, listening to the rain. At first, Peeta is stiff, but he eventually relaxes. Then, all of a sudden, he whisks me up, pulling me into his arms as he stands up. I wrap my arms around his neck and lean my head into his chest. I miss his arms, the way they feel when he laces them around me. He carries me as if I'm a small child going to bed back to his room. He puts me down first, then crawls under the sheets next to me. Lying his head down on the pillow, Peeta pulls me close to him, and I don't resist. He locks me in an embrace, holding me tightly as if he might lose me at any moment. I cuddle up into his chest, thankful for the heat and protection.
"Does this mean you don't hate me anymore?" The words tumble out of my mouth before I have time to consider them. My voice sounds small, like the voice of an innocent girl talking to her father.
"I never hated you. I thought you hated me." That pulled me up short. I didn't know how I felt about Peeta, but to hate him? No, I could never hate Peeta. I'm too scared of losing the boy with the bread.
"I don't hate you. I just… I'm confused, Peeta." I drew my head out of his chest so I could look at his face. "I don't know if… if I love you or if… I want to be friends or, or…" I start hyperventilating, the words coming out so quickly they run together. "I just… I can't lose you Peeta! I can't let the Capitol take you from me! I can't lose the boy with the bread! I just can't!" I'm practically screaming now, desperately trying to get the point across. Peeta strokes my hair, waiting for my fit to end. But there's nothing left now but tears. I shove my face back into his shirt letting all the tears I've held back since the day Prim's name was called come out. I thought that eventually I would run out of tears to cry, but that was not the case. They just keep coming, endless tears of pain and anger and frustration and all my feelings about Peeta. He just keeps stroking my hair, whispering calming words to me as the rain falls outside our door. At some point, he speaks.
"Katniss, please stop. You're going to hurt yourself." Peeta says gently. I draw in a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm myself for his sake. Eventually, I force the tears to stop until I'm quiet enough for him to talk. "Can we just forget everything that's happened? Just for tonight? I'm tired of faking being in love, then in real life ignoring you. I'm just as confused as you are. But can we just forget it?" I knew I could never just forget all that's happened. But I agreed anyway. And for one night, one beautiful, wonderful, amazing night, me and Peeta escaped from the world. We lay in bed, our bodies still locked together. And I didn't have to pretend to be in love or remember to freeze him out. I got to embrace the warmth and safety of having Peeta all to myself. I layed my head against his chest and he kissed the top of my head, a feeling of security. At some point in the night, when the rain had turned to a drizzle and we lay wrapped in a cocoon of sheets and comforters, I drifted off to sleep. And for once, I didn't have nightmares. I had a lovely dream of me and Peeta sitting in a bakery. It was warm and bright and the sun shone down on us. I smiled as he decorated numerous cakes and cookies, then gave me little bites of each kind. I felt secure and at peace, knowing the world around me wasn't full of dangers. And when I woke up, it wasn't.
So yeah, it's pretty short, but I think it's cute. Please, please, please review and give me some feedback! Love y'all!