Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games
Authors note: Yes, well, here is another Hunger Games fanfic. This all takes place after the rebellion when Katniss is 18 and Peeta is 19.
Chapter Two
It Is Beautiful
It was morning. I could tell by the gleeful rays of the sun's light. Hopping out of bed, I stretched and yawned. Effie had been so kind to lend me some of her clothes and I gladly slipped on a pair of silk pants and a loose grey tank top.
When I reached the kitchen, Effie was there, making waffles and fresh orange juice. Omelets laid on glass plates along with potatoes, hash browns, and glasses of fresh orange juice.
" Good morning, Katniss'', she said, flipping over another waffle. " You look nice''.
" Thank you'', I say. I slip into a chair at the table and take a glass of juice. The cold liquid slides down my throat and fills my body with a warmth that has longed since being gone. I lick my lips slowly, savoring each drip that lands on my delicate tongue then sigh.
" Must be some really good orange juice''. Effie hands me a plate of waffles as she sits down with hers. " You took five minutes just to lick it off your lips''. I let out a half of laugh then look at her.
" It is. Haven't had any since my mother left''. And I haven't. The small piece of comfort that she gave me is gone and what's left is but a memory. I line my plate with omelets and proceed to gorge myself on the rich fare. It is all delicious. The thing orange juice. The slippery butter and thick, fluffy waffles have an extraordinary taste. When I am done with my food, my stomach feels as if it is going to burst.
Effie takes my plate and rinses it out in the pristine sink. My cup of orange juice is still full, so I take sips of that while looking out into the city of District 12.
The forest, first illegal to go in, is now free game for everyone. All of a sudden, my thoughts are overwhelmed by Gale, who is now in District 2, working on making weapons and living in a big fancy house. I think of the Sundays' me and Gale would spend, combing through the woods. These little days are the things that make me wish he was still here. That we were still together... as friends. I am struck by that one conversation we had, before the rebellion. When we were talking about Peeta.
" I wish he were easier to hate''.
" Me too. That way, I could've killed him and came home''.
" And then, where would we be, Katniss?''.
And it strikes me, that maybe if I would have killed Peeta, ended his life, that I wouldn't be in the situation that I'm in now. I wouldn't have broken bones every morning and constant tremors of fear racking through my body. That I would still have Gale and his apple scent with his warm and comforting words. I would still be- in a way- peaceful.
" Oh, Effie'', I whisper. Effie looks at me while drying her hands with a white towel.
" Katniss?''. And for a moment, I can faintly hear a sound of worry in her voice.
" I miss him''. Him is Gale, my best friend.
" Who?'', she ask, and then the realization strikes her. " Oh, Gale''.
I just sit there, looking out the window as my feet dance lightly on the cold floor. The emptiness when he is not with me. When he no longer hunts with me and jokes, is unbearable.
"You still have Peeta'', she says. she smiles.
Yeah. Old, wife beating Peeta,I think.
" I know'', I respond. And then another conversation with Gale comes to my mind.
" I love you''.
" I know''.
I am using the same words that broke his heart.
A loud knock jolts me awake from my day dream.
" Effie?''. It's Peeta. I take a deep breath and brace myself. When Effie scurries over to open the door, Peeta comes bounding in with urgency. His smile is frightening and he shows all his teeth. But I know, that underneath this happy demeanor, he is actually going to beat me with and inch of my life when I get home.
" I'm sorry, Effie'', Peeta says through clenched teeth. " Katniss has to go now''.
" Oh! Okay''. She is slightly sad, Effie, that I won't be here much longer to occupy her time." Come back soon. Both of you''.
" We will'', and then Peeta pushes me out the door and into the cold January snow in nothing but Effie's silk blue robe.
" You idiot!'', Peeta slaps me across the face and throws me to the ground, kicking me in my ribs.
" Peeta'', I choke out. " Please''.
" Please what, my dear?''. Another kick to the ribs makes me scream and whimper." Please forgive you for disobeying me?''.
He grips my hair and throws me against the wall, knocking the breath out of me. He lunges at me full force, punching and kicking me.
" You know'', he whispers into my ear." You only have yourself to blame''. He wraps his hand around my throat, cutting off my air. " With me doing this to you and all''. He squeezes harder and I struggle to get free. I claw at his hands and he laughs, pushing me against the wall and smacking me across the face repeatedly as he squeezes the life out of me.
" P-Pee-Peeta'', My lungs burn with a fiery that I have never felt before. "D-don-don't do this''. He is laughing maniacally now. Finally, he throws me down to the ground and kicks me a few more times in the stomach. I heave and cough. The sound of Peeta walking away relaxes me. Tonight, I will finally have peace. I will finally have a little privacy.
" Dumb Seam''. And he walks off, leaving me alone in the dark. I crawl to the couch and wrap my robe around me. The coolness of the sheets soothes my bruised and battered skin. Slowly yet peacefully, I drift off into a silent slumber.
Cold water drowns me in its icy claws when I wake up. Peeta barks at me to get ready. To get up for a new day. I wash up in the shower and slip on a plain yellow dress. I braid my hair back and apply a few touch ups of makeup to hide my bruises. I apply a subtle, pink lipstick to my lips then walk upstairs. There, Prim is standing patiently by the door.
She's lovely. She is dressed in a grey plaid skirt with a fluffy, white blouse. Her blonde hair is in loose ringlets that cascade down her back, flowing like a river. She is wearing shiny white sandals, her finger and toenails painted a soft pink with flower designs on them. She has highlighted her looks with light blush, a shiny lip gloss that makes her lips look fuller, and a smoky eyeshadow that brightens her light blue eyes. Creamy skin and white teeth gleaming, she is as stunning as a Mockingjay.
" Oh, Katniss!'', she wraps her arms around me and I inhale her scent. Freesias and strawberries, intoxicating and beautiful.
" Prim", I smile and kiss the top of her forehead lightly, drumming my fingers on her arm softly. She's grown so much since I saw her. My height now, she looks more grown up. More mature. Not to mention that she finally learned how to hunt with a bow and arrow which has given her an athletic body.
" Has Haymitch been taking care of you?'', I ask, and she nods, smiling warmly.
" Oh, yes. He's been helping me keep up my studies and been acting more like a... father, than a drunk", And I laugh softly.
" Good. Good''. I hear a cough behind me. Peeta is looking at me, eyes focused on us.
" Sorry'', she says. She turns to me. " I was wondering... Katniss, would you like to take a walk with me? Just through the town square''. I turn and look at Peeta. He nods curtly and I sigh. Spending time with Primrose is just what I need.
" Go on ahead'', he says, but I can hear the pinch of annoyance in his voice. " Take her wherever''.
And we are off. Prim puts her delicate fingers in my hand and I gently stroke the soft threshes of her hair. We arrive at a tall Willow and she tells me to sing her a song. And I do.
Under the tree lays a meadow of wildflowers
There a girl picks soft, yellow flowers
Then there's a boy, big and burly
His hair brown and curly.
And he picks with her
And spins her around tree pillars
While putting her in between himself
And whispering stories for her to hear
And then the separate
Hearing their parents near
Prim has fallen asleep, her small fingers clutching the soft fabric of my dress. I continue singing, though, and stroke her cheeks with my rough, worn down fingers.
The parents yell and
Talk about marriage
To different suitors
And the pair cry while
Looking at the stars in the sky
And while sleeping
In their own beds
Thoughts of running away run through their heads
And the next day..
They hold each others hands and run with the birds
Ignoring their parents meaningless words
They run away
That day
And leave away
From all
Their
Worries
Prim is deep asleep, snoring lightly and when I am about to tell her to wake up, her eyes flutter open.
" What was the name-'', she yawns a little." Of the song?''.
" Fly Away'', I say. " Mom, before you were born, used to sing it to me every single night".
It was my favorite song and my father would sing and act it out for me along with my mother. The song was what I sung in one of my music classes a long time ago, when things like reapings and starvation and hunting were simple-minded ideas to me. When everything in my life was fun and a game. Before my father died.
" It's beautiful'', Prim says, running her hands through my dress. " So beautiful''.
" Yes, it is''. I snap my head up. That voice... could it be. It is. Because when I raise my head up, I am staring into the handsome and twenty year old face and grey eyes of Gale Hawthorne.
Authors Note: Boy did that take long to write. I also want you guys to know that I own the song Fly Away. Yep! I created with my own imagination. Next Chapter: Things between Gale and Peeta get heated.
