.
.
"No, no! No!"
Effie claps her hands sharply.
Her round, light blue brooch tremors as Haymitch attempts to re-pin it to her frilly top.
"These are all wrong! No!" she insists, startling one of the workers Effie hired from District 1. Nearby, Primrose hides a smile, fluffing a napkin. "I specifically ordered the dinnerware to be pearl-embossed, not silver—goodness gracious, this will be a disaster—!"
"Don'cha think you're getting a little excessive about this?" Haymitch mumbles.
Effie harrumphs!.
She waves him off to correct her own brooch.
"I want nothing but the best for my Victors after everything President Snow has put them through—YOU, BE CAREFUL—!" she bellows, startling another District 1 worker carting in the many, many glasses for the many, many bottles of champagne.
Under the long sparkling strings of pale lights, Effie's lipstick glimmers in shades of pearly, lovely blue.
Haymitch sighs, leaning in. He kisses her cheek with friendly intent.
"Whatever the hell you say, darlin'…"
Effie preens. "And now, Katniss," she says, turning towards the direction Katniss had been standing with a vaguely annoyed expression a half an hour ago, "I need to finish your measurements—Katniss?" Effie repeats, baffled. "Katniss? Where is Katniss?"
She gazes hopefully to Primrose who shrugs.
"Katniss!" Effie yells, ignoring Haymitch's chuckle, becoming more and more frazzled. "Katniss! We don't have time for this young lady!"
"You and Peeta—oh, where has HE gone off to?"
"This is bad manners, I tell you! Peeta!"
"PEETA MELLARK—!"
.
.
Beyond the Victors' Village, and the fences that once bordered District 11 and District 12, there is a meadow.
It stretches on and on.
With a bit of pride, Katniss realizes she never seen anything else so beautiful and untouched in her life.
The only occupants used to be her and Gale. She would sneak into the meadow when there was less Peacekeepers roaming around, ripping out handfuls of dandelion and yarrow and poppy to replenish her mother's and Primrose's medicinal supplies.
These days, Katniss hides out in the meadow. She loses track of time, napping in the sun-warmed cushioning of flowers.
Peeta curls up to her, yawning. The side of his face rests on Katniss's chest.
Katniss absently curls her fingers into Peeta's hair, stroking him.
"This is nice," he murmurs, arching an arm up to comfortably embrace Katniss around her middle.
Katniss can't help it—she smilingly snorts.
"Peeta, we do this every day."
"That's why it's nice."
A hint of amusement rises in Peeta's voice and his widening grin. It's been a long journey of Peeta recovering from being Hijacked, and regaining the true memories he harbors, but… Katniss finds herself appreciating more and more of their lives after the Games with him.
Peeta murmurs something else too low to hear, nuzzling his nose into Katniss's cardigan.
He mouths a kiss there.
"Katniss?" Primrose calls out, approaching from the hilltop. Before ever recognizing Primrose's voice, Katniss has been accustomed to Primrose's footsteps no matter where they go. "You should probably head back with Peeta. Effie's really upset."
Damn it.
"Okay, Prim. I'll see you there."
Going upright, Katniss peers up to her little sister heading back.
Not far behind her, their mother waits, shyly crossing her arms before accepting Primrose's hand.
"I'm starting to think Effie wants us to marry more than… y'know, us…"
It's only teasing from Peeta, but Katniss huffs. He laughs when Katniss's hand lightly smacks his thigh. Peeta's lips brush hers. They lean into each other. "All of this glitter and glamor isn't me," she confesses, looking into Peeta's eyes softening on her.
"I know… I'm pretty sure between you and me and Haymitch, we could calm her down."
"You think so?" Katniss asks quietly, watching him nod with another grin. For a dizzying moment, she wants to live in it.
"We can do anything together, Katniss."
Peeta leans in further, brightening, kissing her slow and sure. He murmurs Katniss's name, and every nightmarish vision from Katniss's dreams… all of the blood and bodies… they vanish. Katniss lets herself fall in this affectionate heat, grateful.
Effie can wait a little while longer…
.
.