Thanks for all the reviews guys I really appreciate it! I didn't think about it until after I posted the chapter yesterday that I should probably have included an intro huh? Silly me!
I have been reading Hunger Games FanFiction stories since the trilogy became really popular, and like most people here I just can't seem to find a story that has all the elements I have always wanted. While I am writing this story I want you to know that while I have a lot of ideas about what I want to do with the story, I love hearing your ideas, criticisms and everything.
I solemnly promise to do my best to catch spelling and grammatical errors since it is kind of a pet peeve of mine, but please review with corrections if you feel I should be doing something differently.
-2-
The train lurched forward the second the doors shut behind them and Katniss fell onto Peeta who, after trying to stabilize them and failing miserably, landed beneath her and caught her fall.
"You okay Katniss?" Peeta asked her concerned, but with a slightly smirk beginning in the corner of his mouth. Katniss couldn't speak and opened her mouth only to close it again like a fish. "You know, all you had to do was ask if you wanted to get closer to me." He winked at her then, but it didn't help his case when he realized the furious look in her eyes.
She turned to storm off, embarrassingly red at his accusation, until he grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. "Katniss, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just joking around. Things are too tense around here and I needed to lighten the mood. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or embarrassed you. Will you forgive me? I couldn't stand you being mad at me the last week we are going to be hanging out," Peeta's eyes searched hers for the answer he needed.
"Yeah, of course I forgive you. I couldn't be mad at you, I was just a little embarrassed, and pride is a huge thing for me if you haven't noticed," Katniss laughed, and Peeta joined her. Pretty soon they were falling on the floor laughing, a combination of the stress of the upcoming games and the tension that existed between them about the past. Pretty soon they slowed their laughing and we just lying next to one another on the ground when Effie walked in tittering around.
"What on Earth are my champions doing on the floor? Get up, get up! It is time for dinner. I am going to find Haymitch. I expect you both to be changed into appropriate clothing and sitting at the table when I get there. Chop chop!" She scolded them, moving through to the next compartment screaming Haymitch's name.
Peeta offered her a hand and pulled Katniss to her feet. She quietly thanked him and made a move to go through to the door to her compartment when she heard Peeta's quiet voice just behind her. "I'm scared Katniss. I am so scared of the future, I'm so scared of what the Capitol will do to us, I'm so scared they'll change me and you, and I'm so scared that I'll never get the courage to say the things that I want to say," Peeta whispered, and Katniss turned around, raising her hands to his cheek. As she brushed away tears that were threatening to fall, her heart broke. Peeta is so strong, he can't possibly think that he isn't going to make it out of here. I can't stand to see him so hopeless. Where is the happy-go-lucky boy that I know is in there?
But she put on a brave face and didn't ask him any of those questions, she just nodded her head and pulled him in for a quick hug and said, "I know Peeta Mellark, me too."
At the dinner table, you could cut the awkward silence with a knife. While Effie sputtered away talking about the terrible eating habits of the tributes from the previous games, and Haymitch practically falling asleep, Katniss and Peeta tried to finish their food as quickly as possible. The rich soups and creams and hot chocolate were delicious but were starting to give Katniss a stomach ache, not used to such rich food or in such quantities. Peeta and her kept exchanging glances over drinks while Effie continued unabated by Haymitch's uselessness and oblivious to the exchange between Katniss and Peeta.
Peeta tried to help the situation, but with Haymitch being so unresponsive, there was only so much he could do. "So, when are you going to start training us Haymitch? You're our mentor you know," Peeta said.
"Well look what we got here, a boy with an attitude. I ain't helping you with anything right now. I'm going to finish my dinner in silence, and then I'm going to refill my drink, and then I'm going to go back to my room so I can pass out and pretend I'm not on this damn train again," Haymitch said as he shoveled the last of his food into his mouth and began to scoot his chair back.
"Okay, we'll start tomorrow then. See you bright and early," Peeta replied. Haymitch snorted in response and left the dining car.
Effie sniffled and said, "I admire you for trying Peeta, really, but I have tried every year since I was assigned District 12, and to no avail. Don't bank on him giving you the advice you need, but I will keep trying with you, I will not stop persevering for you two, I can see something different about you two, I don't know what it is but it's something worth getting to the bottom of. I'm excusing myself for bed, you two ought to do the same, we'll be arriving at the Capital tomorrow. Good night." She also got up and left the dining car, leaving Katniss and Peeta sitting there alone.
"Uhhh, I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back," Katniss quickly got up, knocking her chair over and covering her mouth as she ran to find a bathroom. The food was too much for her stomach to handle and it was quickly rejecting everything she had eaten at dinner despite her hardest efforts to keep it down. She knew that she neeed food for fighting, but next time she would have to take it easy.
While she was wretching, someone's hand was suddenly rubbing her back and pulling her hair back from her face. "Peeta, stop, I don't want you to see me like this," Katniss said.
"Katniss, you couldn't get me to leave you like this even if you tried your hardest. I am fine right where I am, I am going to take care of you, and you are going to like it," Peeta replied triumphantly with a smile. "Besides," he added, "you aren't in any position to be debating this with me, so just say thank you and get over it."
When she was finally done wretching everything up, something she absolutely hated doing, let alone in front of the boy she had been in love with since he gave her bread for her family. Woah, love? Is that really what this is? That's new... Peeta picked her up and carried her back to her room, like all the energy had been zapped from her body. He picked out pajamas for her, and looked away as she changed. Then he carried her into the bathroom and set her down on a chair where he gave her a toothbrush with toothpaste to wash the taste out of her mouth. When she was done, he picked up again and she nuzzled into his chest. He was just tucking her into bed when, in her lethargic state, a few terrifying words left her mouth, "Stay with me."
She nuzzled her face into his neck without even thinking about it and inhaled his general Peeta smell of bread, cinnamon, and frosting. Peeta froze, "Do you really mean that?"
"Yes, I really mean that Peeta. I know we aren't really very close but I think you know me well enough to know that I would never - " Katniss was cut off by Peeta pulling his shirt off and crawling into bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Shhh, just go to sleep. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere," Peeta said.
It was quiet for a few minutes when Katniss interrupted him, "Peeta, there's something I need to tell you. It's really important and I've been meaning to tell you this since that day when you threw me the bread..." She waited for a sound, a movement, a remark, but all she heard was soft snoring. I'll have to tell him tomorrow, as soon as possible. For now, I am just going to enjoy his arms wrapped around me.
