It has been a week since the incident at the Mellark's house. After we got home and Peeta nursed an ice pack to my face, and my upper arm, nobody spoke of the incident again. Trying to erase all thoughts from memory. Prim hadn't question what happened, but instead helped Peeta with caring for me, her chosen profession as a nurse helping to a huge extent. This past week I have started back work at Haymitch's bar, saving up enough money until I can eventually afford to buy my own apartment and get off Peeta's back. I have been working non stop. Partly to earn more money and also to keep my mind busy from unwanted thoughts.
I've worked all day today, from opening until 2am. And it's just after two now as I walk the streets alone. Peeta had been worried when I told him I was working until closing. He had offered to come and walk me home, he didn't want me wandering the streets alone at this time of the night, well, morning. I had refused his help though. Because as much as I wish I had Peeta here to keep me safe, he too has worked all day, and still needs to wake up early for work.
I hug my jacket around me tightly as I walk, my only source of light are the murky, dim street lights. I sigh with relief when I round the corner to the house unscathed. I practically run up the drive and pull the key out from under the pot plant. Once inside I go upstairs, i'm desperate for a shower, i'm sure I reek of cigarettes and alcohol. I flip on the light to my room, grabbing my pyjamas and a towel and then creeping into the bathroom. I make sure to shut the door as silently as possible, not wanting to wake up Peeta or Prim.
After my shower I crawl into bed and almost immediately fall asleep.
"Katniss!" I hear a scream, one that I know only too well. I startle and sit up in bed quickly, waiting to see if it was real or just in a dream. "Katniss!" I hear again and I don't know if Peeta is awake or not but his voice is frantic, scared. Quickly I try and untangle myself from the covers, wanting to get to Peeta. I hear a door slam open against the wall down the hall and freeze, I hear footsteps running down the hall and not a moment later my door flings open. Peeta stands at the doorway, his chest heaving. In two quick strides he in on my bed and pulling me into his arms.
"Hey it's ok, your safe" I whisper as I play with the small waves of hair at the nape of his neck.
"I had a nightmare, that you didn't come home and then when I woke up and you weren't next to me..." he trails off though he doesn't need to tell me anymore for me to know what he's trying to say.
"I'm safe Peeta" I whisper hugging him fiercely. This past week Peeta and I have taken to going into each other's rooms after a nightmare or if we just want to feel safe. He probably had just freaked out after not seeing me asleep next to him and dreaming I had never come home.
He hugs me tightly and then kisses me deeply, his fingers tangling in my hair. I kiss him back with as much as I can possibly pour into the kiss. Over the past week our relationship as really taken a promising step. Although we are taking it slow, we both know it's something we want to keep.
He pushes me back down to the bed, not breaking his lips from mine. I let him hover over me as he kisses me. We continue to kiss until i'm sure he needs to sleep, he still does have to get up early in the morning.
"Peeta" I say breaking away.
"What?" he mumbles as he starts to kiss my neck and along my jaw.
"You need to sleep" I murmur, running my fingers through his hair.
"I don't want to sleep" he whispers against my skin.
"I know but you need to, your tired" I try to reason with him and eventually he gives in on trying to kiss me and pulls the covers up over us. I roll over so my back is facing him and he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back against him. I close my eyes and try to sleep, but Peeta falls before I do. His breaths even out as his fingers curl around mine.
I close my eyes and snuggle down closer to him, and slowly, sleep pulls me under.
I startle awake when I feel a pair of lips on mine, soft and almost nonexistent.
"Relax, it's only me" I hear Peeta murmur against my lips.
"Are you leaving?" I mumble, forcing my eyes to stay at least half open.
"Yes, I'll see you tonight" he kisses me again and then brushes the hair back from my face.
"Bye" I whisper just as I fall back asleep.
Later that day, as I walk home from work, I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face. Haymitch's just paid me for my weeks work, and I have to admit working all day and night every night has certainly paid off. Not to mention I managed to convince Haymitch to give me a pay rise. I now have enough money to broach the subject of finding an apartment for me and Prim to Peeta. I just hope he won't be too opposed to the idea.
We are all sitting around the table eating dinner when I decide now would be a good time.
"Uh Peeta, in a few weeks I think I will have enough money saved up to rent one of the apartments in the seam" I say quietly, looking down at my plate and avoiding looking at him.
"What?" I hear Prim ask confused right as Peeta's fork clatters to his plate.
"What do you mean? Do you not want to live here anymore?" He asks worried.
"It's not that I don't want to live here" I say calmly "I just, you surely want your own space back and Prim and I can live here forever."
"But Katniss I want to stay here" Prim whines.
"When were you planning on telling me that's what you were working extra hours for?" Peeta asks, his voice is low and I can tell he is angry.
"I've only just started working overtime, I knew I needed to get my own apartment" I say.
"Katniss why would you waste money on an old and broken down apartment in the seam, when you can live here for free? Is there something you don't like or want?" Peeta asks desperately.
"No of course not" I beg "I love it here, living with you. But I can't stay here forever."
Peeta stands up from the table abruptly. "I don't want to fight. I just need to calm down before I say something I regret" he says lowly.
I stand up too, the chair legs scraping against the floor. "Don't just walk away when you know your losing" I call out, knowing that I am letting my temper get the best of me.
"In not the one walking away Katniss!" He snaps "your trying to leave me, remember?"
"I am not! I want to live with you!" I yell "don't you want your privacy back?"
"No I don't! He yells "not when i'm with you!" His face is red and his fists clench angrily at his sides. "What are you supposed to do now when you wake screaming from a nightmare. When you watch me die in your dream and i'm not there to let you know i'm alive. Huh?"
My breath catches in my throat. I hadn't thought of that. "We can figure that out as the time comes" I say trying to reason with him.
"I just...I don't care right now. I just need to be alone" he says blankly as he walks out the door, slamming it behind him and making the windows shake. I don't know how long I stand there frozen for, but it's Prim's warm hand on my back that brings me to realisation.
"I sorry you had to see that" I whisper, she shakes her head, indicating that it's okay. "I just..." I choke up as tears make my eyes go glassy. "I thought he would be happy. I wanted him to be happy for me. I've finally earned enough money to put it towards something good in my life."
"I know Katniss" Prim says as she pulls me into a hug. I cry into her shoulder.
"I had this vision. It was stupid really, but I though after I told him he would help me look for a place decent enough to stay in with a cheap rent. We would sit on the bed and he would advise me of all the stupid insignificant things I had to watch out for according to him." Prim laughs softly.
"He'll come around, just give him some time" she whispers as she squeezes me tightly and then let's go, moving to clean up the dishes. I go to help her but she brushes me away, telling me to go up and get ready for bed. Despite it still being fairly early in the night, I go upstairs and brush my teeth and pull on my pyjamas. I practically dive into bed, burying myself under the covers, hoping and praying that Peeta won't stay angry at me for long.