Katniss has finally met Peeta but there are weird things going on in the district. She feels as if she is being watched within the district walls...who is watching her or is it her imagination?
I do not own the Hunger Games.
November 80th Year AFR
District 12:
Katniss sighed happily as she warmed herself in the bakery. A few days after her first trade with the Mellarks, Rye kept on using that cologne. One day Peeta caught her wrinkling her nose whenever Rye was present.
He asked her doggedly why she had that reaction to his brother. Katniss reluctantly told Peeta that Rye's chosen scent smelled like a wet dog. Peeta laughed so hard he couldn't even stand up. He then proceeded to tell Wheaton who fought not to laugh. After that things began slowly, a shy smile when she traded for meat. It progressed to a friendly wave, small chit-chat about the weather, a friendly anecdote that always brought a smile to her face for hours after she was around him. It developed into polite inquiries about the health of her family. These small encounters at the bakery graduated to impromptu cups of fragrant tea on cold winter mornings.
"I can't believe the amount of snow outside," Peeta said, looking out of the window that faced the backyard of the bakery.
"Imagine shoveling it," Katniss grumbled.
Peeta turned around and grinned at her. He walked to the stove and poured her the hot flavorful tea.
It was snowing heavily and most people were not traveling out. Katniss headed out to hunt early before the storm struck. She made a decent haul of birds, mostly quail and grouse, and squirrels. She did manage to snag two Canadian geese, and there were a few winter rabbits in the snares. She brought a rabbit and a goose to her family, the other goose and a fat rabbit went to Gale and Delly before she headed to the Mellarks.
Katniss felt safer in the bakery than she did in her own backyard. The feeling that she was being watched had never gone away. There was no one out there in the wooded area that separated the Seam from the merchant buildings that faced Main Street. Still, Katniss didn't take any chances. Now that it got darker outside sooner she made sure to muck out the goat stalls earlier in the day so that she didn't have to be outside when it got dark. Oddly enough, the woods became tranquil again.
"I can't imagine why you stay here if you dislike the cold so much." Peeta handed her the tea.
"Cause it's home," Katniss said, plopping two cubes of sugar in her cup. "I can't imagine living anywhere else."
"Ugh, how do you drink your tea so sweet?" Peeta made a face.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Nag."
Peeta chuckled.
"My sugar habit isn't as gross as your brother Wheaton finding a wife in the Capitol."
Peeta chuckled. "She thinks she knows what she's getting into, but Claire doesn't realize Wheaton is a machine."
"I swear he still thinks I'm trying to snare one of you boys into marriage." Katniss snickered and took a sip of tea.
Peeta's eyes sparkled. "I don't think Rye would mind."
Katniss spat out her tea.
Peeta laughed.
"You're not right," she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Never said I was." Peeta winked as he handed her a towel and she could feel that now familiar heat rush to her cheeks.
Katniss loved spending time with him; it was the highlight of her day. She looked forward to their banter and she never knew what was going to pop out of his mouth.
"Speaking of Rye, where is he?" Katniss took a sip of her tea relishing the heat of the cup in her hands.
"Would you believe he's at the Community Home?"
"Since when did he become altruistic?"
"Since Rayanne slapped him in the face during the harvest festival."
Rayanne was the only child of the widowed Goat-man. Clive died during the last air raid in the district. Rayanne and the other kids who were orphaned went to Community Home. At the time it was run by Autumn Bronte. When Autumn got too old, Rayanne took over. She began trying to place as many kids as she could into good homes.
"Really?" Katniss was shocked. She thought Rayanne loathed Rye.
"There have only been two women who've never shown interest in Rye. Cheese bun?"
"Yes please," Katniss said, her mouth-watering at the thought of the cheesy herb-crusted bread.
"So as I was saying, the first woman is you, and the other is Rayanne. She's turned him down so many times. He's on the hunt."
Katniss found his choice of words off. But he was from the Capitol. Even the way he spoke sounded different. He and his family had an accent. Madge once told her the people from the Capitol spoke funny. Katniss supposed this was what she was hearing.
"Poor Rayanne," Kantiss said.
"That's my feeling exactly. I think my brother met his mate. Yesterday-"
"You mean match," Katniss corrected. Peeta and his family often used the wrong terminology. Just yesterday she heard Mr. Mellark say irregardless instead of regardless.
"Sorry?"
"You said I think my brother met his mate, don't you mean match?"
"Oh yeah," Peeta said. "I think my brother met his match."
He stared at her and Katniss became lost in his gaze. She cleared her throat and drank some tea. "So, what happened yesterday."
"Yes, well, yesterday he came home looking sappy..." Peeta chuckled. "This morning when he saw the snow he took a shovel and headed out to the Community Home."
The back door opened, ushering a cold burst of air.
"Katniss!" Mr. Mellark said, looking surprised. "I didn't expect you to come over with the way the snow is falling outside."
"I stopped by the Apothecary to drop off some game meat and then came here."
"Well I appreciate your dedication, but I'm afraid if you don't leave now you'll not make it to your place."
"Maybe you should stay over at your mother's place?" Peeta suggested.
Katniss walked to the window and became sad, she didn't want to leave. "I better be going then. It's getting pretty bad out there and I could get lost if that wind picks up."
"Why don't you stay here?" Peeta asked.
"I couldn't, I don't want t-to…" Katniss stuttered.
"It's alright Katniss, we have plenty of room." Mr. Mellark said. "You can use Wheaton's room now that he's moved back to the Capitol to be with his wife."
"I can lend you one of my shirts and socks," Peeta said. "There's no place warmer in the district."
Katniss felt the heat rushing to her cheeks at the thought of wearing his things. The idea of sleeping in a warm bed sounded amazing. "I guess I can stay."
Mr. Mellark's smile was genuine. "This calls for a celebration then."
"Dad, I think Rye is going to be stuck at the Community Home." Peeta looked out of the window.
"Rye will be alright. That young lady with all of those children may need his help."
Peeta nodded.
That night she had a great time with Peeta and his father.
Katniss slept in Wheaton's old room. It was strange not being in her bed.
"If you need anything, I'm right across the hall." Peeta stood awkwardly staring at her. His eyes swept the room as if the pillow was going to attack her.
"I'm good." Katniss laughed.
"I can check the closet and underneath the bed for any monsters. I make a delightful hot chocolate if you're not tired."
She laughed, "I'm okay, good night."
"Good night, Katniss." He smiled before shutting the door.
Katniss sighed and went to bed. She fell asleep in the strange bedroom that smelled of bread and Wheaton.
A strange buzzing sound woke her up. Katniss sat up in the darkened room to hear the buzzing noise get louder and louder. Her hand reached out to turn on the gas lamp by her bedside. However she recalled this wasn't her room, she was at the bakery. They had electricity.
With unsteady hands, she reached out to the lamp. When she flicked on the light, the walls were moving. She looked down at the floor and the floor looked like it was moving too. Her eyes focused and she could see that the floor was crawling with insects. Her skin crawled at the sight of all of the bugs. Her horror increased when suddenly they began flying around. She ducked under the covers as the buzzing increased.
The walls of the room began to shake as she heard growling coming from outside. The windows rattled as the growls morphed into pained howls. Katniss' terror grew as she realized the Hybrids were outside. The buzzing sound grew as she crouched under the covers. She began screaming the moment she heard the distinct splintering sound of wood and the twinkling sound of glass breaking into thousand glittering fragments as the hybrids came into the room.
Katniss jumped from the bed, the crunching sound beneath her feet forgotten as she tore open the door and ran into the hallway. She ran toward Peeta's door. Just as she reached the door the Hybrid tore the doorframe of the room she'd just come out of. She struggled with the doorknob.
"Peeta!" She screamed pounding on the door.
"Katniss!" Peeta screamed back.
The Hybrid got closer to her and behind it, the insect whirled. Katniss screamed and suddenly the door to Peeta's room opened. He wrapped his arms around her and she was enveloped by the scents of cinnamon and dill.
"It's okay," Peeta's rich voice penetrated her consciousness.
Her lashes fluttered open and she found herself in Peeta's arms. His father hovered in the doorframe.
"Is she alright?" Mr. Mellark asked.
"She's coming out of the nightmare," Peeta murmured.
"Alright I'm going back to my room," Mr. Mellark said.
The door was left open. Peeta's hands gently brushed the hair from her face. He glanced into her eyes, "Are you alright?"
Katniss should have pushed him away, she didn't like to be touched. But his touch was comforting and at the moment she didn't mind. "I'm fine."
"You scared us." Peeta sighed, "I heard you from across the room. I picked you up but you wouldn't wake up. Only when I brought you to my room did you stop screaming."
Katniss looked away, it was one thing to have nightmares in the privacy of her own home, it was another to have them in front of someone else. Pulling away from Peeta she walked back into Wheaton's room, sat down on the bed, and wrapped her arms around her knees. Peeta followed her.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Peeta said as he sat down beside her. "We all have nightmares, Katniss."
"What were you dreaming of?" Peeta asked quietly.
"I dreamt I was being chased and…"
"Hybrids," Peeta said flatly. His voice sounded almost forlorn.
"And bugs, lots of bugs," she shivered.
"Well, bugs are scary."
"And gross."
"True," he said.
Peeta glanced at her in the same way her mother did when she wanted to tell Katniss something unpleasant. "You look like my mother when she has to tell someone bad news. You're not going to force me to drink some unpleasant unsweetened tea, are you?"
"What if I was?"
"I would rather stand outside and freeze."
Peeta laughed.
"You haven't lived until you've had her garlic tea." Katniss made a face.
"That sounds nasty." He turned his head and cocked it sideways. "I thought garlic was only used in cooking."
"My mother swears garlic cures everything. My sister Prim however does not. They have epic arguments about homeopathic remedies against Capitol remedies. The only thing they don't argue over is antibiotics. They both believe in them."
"Is that why you don't live with them?"
"No, I don't live with them because they deal with people."
"You don't like people?"
"No," Katniss said. She glanced at him wondering how he managed to get her to talk. "I don't like blood and guts and stuff."
"But you're a huntress, you shoot game through the eyes."
"I do...but I can't…do what my sister and mother do. I'm not a healer." Katniss yawned.
"Looks like I've worn you out," Peeta said. He made a move to leave but she wasn't ready to be alone.
"Can you stay for a little while?" Katniss asked as she reached out a hand to him.
"Sure," he said, laying his head against the headboard.
Katniss leaned back. She turned her head to watch him, and as she did she fell asleep. Peeta never left and in the morning Katniss woke up to find herself being held by Peeta. His arm and leg were draped around her protectively. Silently, she tried to get out from his side, but as she did she heard him sleepily grumble her name. When she finally pulled away she heard him emit a low animalistic growl.
Getting out of the bed, she wandered to the bathroom that was next to Wheaton's room. By the time she was done Peeta was awake and thankfully gone. But Katniss sensed an unbreakable bond had bloomed between them.
The bond they shared that night grew tighter. After that night, they began looking for ways to spend more time with each other.
Whenever Peeta was busy in the bakery, they met up to make deliveries at the same time. It was nice spending time with him outside of the bakery. They began having deep conversations about their dreams and life experiences.
But at night when she was in her home, from her window Katniss swore she caught glimpses of the glittering reflection that always disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Katniss told herself Hybrids couldn't be in the district. She would have noticed the large beasts.