The moment I am awake enough to fully process the knock, I am out of bed and on my feet. Peeta is a deeper sleeper than I, but the combination of the noise and me leaving his arms is enough to stir him.
"What's going on?" he asks groggily.
"I don't know," I say, pulling a sweater on over the tank top and pajama pants I had worn to sleep, before moving to the closet in search of my bow. "But someone is here." Peeta becomes much more alert at this, his eyes widening as he connects my words with the sound from downstairs. Within an instant he's on his feet, throwing on a shirt to go with the sweatpants he already has on.
"Do you have something up here you can use?" I ask him hurriedly. He looks at me with a confused expression.
"What do you mean?"
"Like a weapon of some sort."
"Do you think that's really necessary?" he asks.
"I don't know," I say. "All I know is there's hardly anyone in the district who would come over here at this hour. I mean, it's the middle of the night. It sure as hell isn't Haymitch." My mind travels back to what Leda told me yesterday about unrest in 13. Peeta's mind seems to go there as well, because he nods and reaches into a drawer to pull out a knife.
"I haven't touched this, but for awhile I just didn't feel safe sleeping without knowing it was there," he says, almost guiltily, when in reality he has absolutely nothing to justify about this to me. After living through two Hunger Games, it's pretty damn easy to want a weapon near you when you sleep. There's a lot that you wouldn't have survived without one.
"I understand," I say, and I'm reaching for the door when Peeta grabs my hand.
"Let me go down first," he says. "You stay back and out of sight, that way if anything happens to me you can take them out with an arrow before they even know where you are."
"Not a chance," I say, shaking my head.
"Katniss, listen," he says, a serious look in his eyes. "If this is anyone from 13 like we think it is, they want you more than they want me. I can maybe talk them down before anything else happens, and even if I can't, they're less likely to kill me on sight."
I sputter for a minute, trying to come up with a good refutation to his point, but to my utter fury I find none. Peeta takes my silence as an agreement. He gives me a quick but loving kiss, and then is out the door and down the stairs before I can fully process what is happening. I hurry to follow him, securing myself in a shadowy spot by the foot of the staircase where I won't be seen but should still have a clear view of whoever is in the doorway. Just as importantly, I should have a clear shot.
I string an arrow and aim my bow. It will only take me seconds to pull back and let it fly should the situation come to that. Peeta is standing by the door, knife in hand. He looks back and locates me in the darkness. We make eye contact, and we both nod, before he opens the door.
"What -" he starts, but then in an instant he is pulled outside and out of my view. The door slams shut behind him.
"PEETA!" I shriek, scrambling up from my hiding spot and dashing after him. The moment I pull the door open I shoot an arrow, not even thinking about where I'm aiming, or processing the two people grinning at me on the porch.
"Well, that's not a very kind greeting, Brainless!" This catches me off guard, and I turn my focus to the speaker, only to find Johanna Mason standing on my porch and laughing at me.
"Johanna?!" I reply, still breathless from worry and from the shock of the past few minutes. "What the fuck?!" I turn to Peeta, who I have finally processed is standing next to her, whole and unharmed.
"I'm just as surprised as you are," he says. "The minute I opened the door she pulled me out into a hug, not seeming to care that I was holding a knife out at her."
"I'm a big girl," Johanna says. "A little knife play doesn't scare me."
"What is happening?" I ask again, entirely dazed and in a total state of confusion. Johanna laughs at me and slings an arm around my shoulder.
"C'mon Brainless," she says. "I'll explain it all inside. It's cold as balls out here, and you two left me waiting long enough while you woke up, and got armed, apparently. Lover Boy, grab my bag for me, will you?" She motions towards the medium sized duffle bag that she must have dropped on the porch. Peeta nods and picks it up for her, and the three of us all head into the house.
Johanna leads the way and settles us down in the living room. She throws herself down in an armchair and curls herself up in a way that is so cat-like it is almost impressive. Grinning despite myself, I sit down on the couch, leaning back in exhaustion.
"Do you want some tea, Johanna?" Peeta asks, and I grin again. In any uncomfortable or strange situation, it is always his default to help the other person as much as possible. I find this element of predictability in his personality to be beyond endearing.
"Yes please, Mr. Mellark," Johanna says, and Peeta snorts at the fake formality before heading into the kitchen. I yawn and Johanna laughs at me.
"You have no right to make fun of me, what with you showing up in the middle of the night!" I say indignantly. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I see that it is nearly 2:30 in the morning. "What are you doing in 12, anyway? And why this hour?"
"Well, unfortunately for me, I care about the two of you," Johanna says. "It is a thoroughly annoying and disadvantageous attribute, and I wish I could kick it, but it doesn't seem that I can. Because of that, my dumbass brain was worried about you after your little break down a couple weeks back, and I couldn't get it out of my head. Plus, 7 is boring as hell right now anyways. I needed to be around people, and what better choice than the few people in the world who are just as fucked up as I am?"
I don't know how exactly to respond to that. I am somehow simultaneously both touched by her concern for me, amused by her characterization of her feelings, confused by her spur of the moment decision, and, still, annoyed at her for showing up at my house in the middle of the night. I really don't know how I feel about what is happening, all I know is that I am way too tired for this.
"We appreciate that, Jo," Peeta says, coming over and setting three mugs of tea down on the coffee table. "But, that still doesn't answer the question - why two in the morning?" I nod vigorously in agreement as I sip my tea. Johanna shrugs.
"I dunno," she says. "It was easy. I'm a night owl and don't sleep much anyways. Plus, it was the perfect opportunity to annoy both of you!"
She finishes in an extremely cheery voice, but I can tell that this isn't the entire story. There is some aspect of the rationale behind her late night journey that she doesn't want to tell us. I am curious but too exhausted to push it. Attempting to get Johanna Mason to tell you something that she doesn't want to share is hard enough as it is; try it tiered like this and I have no chance of outsmarting her.
"I didn't know there were even trains coming into 12 this late," I mumble.
"Yeah there are, but only supply cars," Johanna says. "Not the most comfortable of journeys, I'll tell you that much."
"How long do you think you'll stay?" Peeta asks, and she shrugs again.
"I just showed up here in the middle of the night, Lover Boy. Do I really look like someone who has her whole life planned out?"
Peeta can't help but chuckle at this, and I find myself joining him. Johanna has an incredible ability to make her brashness amusing even when for all intents and purposes she should be annoying you.
"Well, we are happy to see you," Peeta says. "Confused, tired, and a little out of it maybe, but definitely happy too." Johanna gives a smile that I think she attempts to hide, but it shows through anyway, and I can tell how genuine it is.
"Thanks, softie," she says. Peeta rolls his eyes and pulls me into his side on the couch. I comply happily, laying my head in his lap and curling up my legs on my side.
"Okay, late night chit-chat," Johanna says in a demanding voice.
"What?" I ask sleepily.
"Well any idiot knows the most fun, revealing shit comes out when you're exhausted," she says, as if this is entirely obvious. "So, talk. Tell me what's going on in your life."
I groan but for some reason find myself complying. I start rambling about the medicine factory and my work there, and when she informs me that this is entirely too boring I tell her about the potential issues with 13. She seems far more interested in that.
"That's why we had weapons when we opened the door," Peeta explains. "We had no idea who'd be coming over here this late, and after hearing about that we were worried." I nod my head in his lap.
"Interesting," Johanna says, seeming to be reflecting on my words. "Well, if they think that they have any chance of taking on one of you two and winning, they are fucking moronic. Screw the fact that they have military training or whatever. That doesn't mean shit compared with a Victor, and especially not with two. I know you're both way too fucking stubborn to ever let the other person get in any kind of danger without being there to protect them, and that doesn't even take into account Haymitch or me being there for you. Four Victors? I'm pretty sure we could wipe anyone from 13 off the map if we had to."
She laughs a little at her last statement, but I actually find what she has said to be strangely comforting. Peeta and I both take potential threats seriously; it's just within our nature. Growing up in 12 already formed that impulse, and living through the Games and the Rebellion only solidified it further.
Johanna's outlook, though, reflects the other perspective that could easily be held by a Victor. She's lived through hell - the Games, losing her family and being forced to serve Snow's perverse wishes in the Capitol, and literal torture at his hands. Her attitude is one of defiance rather than fear; she knows she is stronger than anyone who might try to threaten her, and that they have a lot more to fear of her than she does of them.
She is a force to be reckoned with. There is no doubt in my mind that this is true. I think I just sometimes forget that I am too.
Johanna somehow manages to keep us up for hours talking, despite our exhaustion. At a certain point we become kind of delirious, finding the most random things funny and breaking down laughing over it all. Just as the sun starts to creep in through the blinds, Johanna seems to fall asleep in her armchair, giving Peeta and I a brief reprieve.
"Oh, what kind of friends do we have?" he mutters sleepily, running a hand over my forehead. I chuckle at that, my eyes closed.
"I have no idea," I murmur into his lap.
"We're in for a hell of a visit," he says, and I can tell that he has leaned his head back against the top of the couch.
"Mhmm," I hum, and then sleep takes over me.
What feels like only moments later, I wake with a start as I hear the words "What the hell?" ring through the room. Jolting up, I rub my eyes before blinking them open to see that sunlight is streaming through the room, creating a brightness that tells me hours have past, despite how it may feel. I also see Haymitch standing in the middle of the room, looking confused as all get out at the sight of Johanna curled up on our armchair.
"Good morning to you too, old man," she mumbles, still seeming to be half asleep.
"How on earth did you get here?" he asks Johanna.
"I fucking flew," she grumbles, stretching out her arms. "Took a train, dipshit."
"Got here in the middle of the night," Peeta adds, rubbing his face in his hands.
"Why?" Haymitch asks, looking supremely amused.
"Excellent question," I say, and Johanna laughs at the both of us.
"I am a woman of mystery," she offers. "Now shut the fuck up." Haymitch chuckles at this, and the two of them catch up a bit while Peeta and I get up to gather things for breakfast. Exhausted, I set about making coffee immediately, while Peeta pulls out a loaf of cinnamon bread he had made the day before and starts slicing it up on a tray. I set two mugs of coffee down on the table and Haymitch and Johanna snatch them up immediately. Glaring at them a bit, I return to the kitchen to make more for Peeta and I.
When we all settle back together, the conversation is light and easy. Haymitch and Johanna seem to have gotten into a teasing back and forth in which she's making fun of his geese and he is put into the ridiculous position of defending their incessant honking. I make eye contact with Peeta as we quietly nurse our mugs of coffee, and he just shakes his head with a smile. I can read his face easily and I completely agree with his sentiments; we are both stunned by the utter insanity of the people who surround us, but also wouldn't want it any other way. The warmth I feel right now is astounding to me, even if I'm still somewhat cranky and tired. It's contradictory, yes, but also unequivocally true.
"So, Johanna," Peeta says when the conversation has died down after a while. "Do you want me to put your bag in our guest room?" She swallows the bite of bread she had been chewing and shakes her head.
"Fuck no, Lover Boy," she says. "I learned my lesson staying in a room near you two at Annie's. I don't need to hear you both moaning while you stick your dick in Katniss every night." Haymitch chuckles at this while Peeta looks mortified. I can feel my cheeks burning as well.
"Want to stay with me?" Haymitch offers. "I can't promise you it'll be as clean as their place but at least you'll be able to sleep in peace."
"Thanks old man, but I think your house might qualify as a health hazard," she says, and I smirk a little, glad at least that if Johanna is going to torment Peeta and I, she's at least gonna deal it out to Haymitch too.
"So what's your plan?" I ask her.
"Simple," she says. "I'll head down to your Justice Building and get the key to one of the other houses up here. It doesn't seem like anyone's using them, and I am a Victor, after all, so they won't say no." I nod in acquiescence; it's a fair point. And as much as I do love Johanna, I think it might be better for all of our sanity if we aren't living in the exact same place. Our friendship has a far greater chance of survival if we can get some space when we need it.
"Want to head down there now?" Haymitch asks her, and she nods.
"Give us a minute to change and we'll join you," Peeta states, and he and I hurry upstairs to change out of our pajamas and into normal clothes. By the time we make it back downstairs, Johanna and Haymitch are already up and waiting by the door.
"Come on, then!" Johanna says, waving us on to move faster. "I'm expecting the three of you to show me all around this lovely little district of yours."
With that, we set off out of Victor's Village and down the path into town. It's a nice day out considering that it's still winter; cold, crisp air and clear skies, a layer of snow still remaining on the ground. Johanna, in her typical fashion, does not fail to make interesting company. She keeps up a running commentary as we head into town, pointing out similarities and differences between 12 and 7, and never missing an opportunity to poke fun if at all possible. We're all the target of some strange looks when she laughs uncontrollably for a good minute or two as we pass what was once the sight of the old slag heap and we tell her what it was often used for. Groups of people going about their days look very confused as they pass us by.
"Oh man, I thought that one cluster of trees that people liked to use back in 7 was bad enough," she says, still chuckling. "But that seems fucking luxurious now that I know kids in 12 were losing their virginities against a goddamn pile of dirt."
"Johanna, keep your voice down," Peeta says as a mother walking by with her young son shoots us a dirty look as she passes. He's trying to maintain some veil of decency, but it's undercut by the fact that he's chuckling along with the rest of us. I link my arm in his and he lets himself laugh freely at the rest of Johanna's comments as we walk the remainder of the way to the Justice Building.
When we get there, I am somewhat relieved to see that there isn't much of a line to get to the help window. For one thing, I'm exhausted and would like to go home and take a nap, but more importantly than that, I do not want to see the potential side effects of making Johanna impatient. I don't know exactly how it would pan out, but I have a feeling it is not something I would enjoy.
"Hi there!" a young man says when we get to the window. His voice is extremely enthusiastic, and though I'm not looking at her I just know Johanna is rolling her eyes. Frankly, I'm close to it too. "How can I help you today?"
"Hi, the name's Johanna Mason," she starts, and I see realization strike the man's face. It's honestly kind of funny; his expression takes on a look somewhere in between awe and fear. That seems about right for Johanna. "I'm gonna assume based on everything going on here," she says, making a circle gesture with her hand right up in front of his face. "That you know who I am, and that I'm a Victor. I'm going to be staying here in 12 for a little bit, and wanted the keys to one of the places in Victor's Village."
"Of course!" he says quickly, riffling through a stack of papers on his desk. "There are just a couple of forms I need you to fill out, and then I'll give you the keys and you'll be good to go." Johanna nods and scans over the forms, signing her name when required, though her signature is really nothing but a messy scrawl. The man then hands her the keys to one of the homes in Victor's Village, apparently the one just on the other side of Haymitch's. Once the transaction is done, she turns on her heels quickly without another word and starts marching out the door. Haymitch and I hurry to follow her.
"Uh, have a nice day!" the man says. I hear Peeta, who'd hung slightly behind, tell him "Thank you, and sorry about that," before catching up with us. I laugh a little as he slips his hand into mine.
"You didn't have to be so short with him," he calls up to Johanna. She rolls her eyes.
"Yes I did," she says lightly. "I've got a reputation to maintain, after all! If I'm gonna be spending some time in your little district, I have to at least let everyone know what an actual threatening Victor looks like. I'm sure they've all gone soft only dealing with the three of you. Plus, he was already scared, so it's just kinda fun."
"Cruel," Peeta says in a teasing voice, and she laughs. We turn onto the main road and are just passing the bakery when we hear the sound of a cheery voice calling "Katniss! Peeta!". I smile a little to myself. If Johanna thought the guy at the Justice Building was too peppy, she has no idea what she's in for. This will be fun to watch.
"Hi Delly," I say, smiling at her as she comes into view. She hugs Peeta and I in turn.
"I'm so glad to run into you guys!" she says. She looks like she's about to say something but then she notices Johanna.
"Oh my goodness, hi!" she says. "Johanna, right? I'm sure you don't remember me, but my name is Delly Cartwright. We met a few times back in 13. It's so nice to see you again!"
Johanna - crude, brash, unflappable Johanna - seems slightly taken aback by how overly warm and enthusiastic Delly is. I look to Peeta and see a massive grin on his face, and I know he's enjoying this as much as I am. Johanna's face, which had initially taken on a sort of confused look, readjusts quickly, and I see her put on her usual intimidating expression. If Delly notices this shift in her demeanor, she doesn't show it at all.
"Uh, yeah," she says. "Hi." I find it extremely unlikely that Johanna remembers Delly, or at least not enough to know her name. They only interacted on occasion, maybe when we all ate lunch together, or perhaps the two of them visited Peeta in the hospital at the same time once or twice. Delly, of course, remembers Johanna, not just because she is a Victor but because that's just who Delly is. She remembers people and wants to make them feel welcome at all times.
"How have you been, Del?" Peeta asks. "How's Maxwell?" At this, Delly beams, her always ruddy cheeks somehow even more pink and shiny as she smiles as big as I have ever seen anyone smile. I realize I must have been right; she does have something to tell us.
"Oh Peeta, we've never been better!" she says, still smiling. "I'm so happy I caught you both, because I wanted to tell you. I'm pregnant!"
I'm not even sure my brain has time to process her words, because suddenly Peeta is hugging her and Delly is squealing, and then I'm being hugged too even though I have no concept of initiating it at all. Then Peeta asks her questions - how far along is she, when did they find out, do they have a preference between a boy and a girl - and Delly is rattling off answers at such a high velocity that it is impossible to keep up.
I look at Haymitch and Johanna in turn and have to stop myself from laughing; if I thought I might look uncomfortable with the talk of pregnancy, the two of them are on a whole other level. Haymitch looks moderately terrified, and Johanna just looks more confused than I've ever seen her. Really, being in their company makes me look good.
"That's so wonderful, Delly," Peeta says, which brings me back to reality, and I realize I haven't taken in or responded to a word that Delly has said. I'll have to have Peeta fill me in on the details later. I nod, though, picking up from Peeta's tone and expression that it's all good things.
"Yes," I say, smiling. "We're so happy for you." Without any warning, Delly pulls Peeta and I into a hug once more, and this time I think she might be crying a little. I manage to make eye contact with Peeta and see that even he thinks this is a lot, which I find both comforting and disproportionately funny.
"Thank you both so much!" she says, sniffing, when we've pulled apart. "Oh, I am so glad that our baby will have an aunt and uncle like the two of you. Giving him or her the happy, carefree family that none of us got to have...oh, it just means so much to me."
My smile becomes more genuine at that, I think, because despite my general fear of motherhood, this I understand. One of the things that has helped me heal and that I have been most thankful for in the aftermath of the war is the strange little family that has become so important in my life. As crazy as it once would have seemed, Delly is absolutely a part of that family. I understand why she wants her child to have that sort of family, and for her baby to never have to worry in the way that we did growing up. I want that for her child too.
"We're here for whatever you need, Delly," Peeta says, and I nod. "Anything we can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."
"You're both just too good!" she says, and I feel as if this is one of the many moments where I benefit from Peeta's goodness by association. Really, he's the one saying the right things and offering to help; all I've done is stand here and nod.
"Well, I should get going," Delly says. "I was on my way to the market. But I am so glad I ran into you all! And I hope you enjoy your visit, Johanna!" She waves at Johanna with a beaming smile, and then takes off in the direction of the market.
"What..." Johanna says once Delly is out of view. "...the actual fuck?" Peeta starts laughing at her and I find myself joining in.
"Oh, is Delly too nice for you?" Peeta asks her teasingly. I have to laugh as I take in Johanna; she still looks kind of dazed, like she really was caught off guard by Delly's kindness.
"I've never seen a person with that much energy in my goddamn life," Johanna mutters.
"She's nice," I say as we start up walking again. "And easier to be around than you'd think. I think she'll grow on you over time."
"Ok, if Brainless likes Blondie over there then it's even more important that I'm here than I thought," Johanna declares.
"How do you figure?" I ask, still chuckling a little.
"Because it proves how soft you've all gotten!" she says, and now Peeta and Haymitch are laughing with me too.
"I'm serious!" she adds, somewhat indignantly. "I expect this sort of shit from Lover Boy, but I can't let the two of you get away with it. At least someone needs to be cynical like me."
"Don't worry, Johanna," I say with a laugh. "I can still be a bitch, I promise." We all laugh at this, Johanna included.
"Good, Brainless," she says, linking her arm through mine. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
The rest of our journey back towards Victor's Village is filled with indecent jokes and raucous laughter. I really don't know what is in store with a visit from Johanna, but I know I am happy. Happier, actually, then I would have thought possible.