Well another year has come and gone, and it's Katniss's birthday! Since this year is the tenth anniversary of Catching Fire's release, I thought I'd go with a missing scene from the book this time. I've always wondered why they never brought up her birthday in the book!
As always, thanks to bigbigbigday006/feeding_geese for her help!
"I'll see you two tomorrow," Peeta says at the end of our training session, just as Haymitch and I each are about to return to our homes. I stop in my tracks at his words, causing Haymitch to halt as well. I turn to look at Peeta, and so does Haymitch, though more so to see what I'm about to say.
"Tomorrow?"
For the first time in ages, Peeta's expression softens. "I know it's your birthday, Katniss," he tells me. "But we can't afford any time off to prepare for the Quell."
I try to think of a response, but can't. He's right. The Quell is only a few months away now, and if Peeta is going to be the victor, he needs every practice session he can get. Besides, what does it even matter if it's my birthday when I'm only going to die soon anyway?
The next morning, Prim and my mother surprise me by bringing me breakfast in bed. They make a big show out of celebrating today, claiming it's because they have more to celebrate this year. But I know the truth. We all do. This well could be the last birthday we'll ever have together.
For the first time, they each have store-bought gifts for me. I thank them both sincerely, with an equally sincere hug, even though I'm thinking the whole time that it was pointless to buy me anything when I'm just going to be dead in a few months anyway. But maybe it'll give them something to hold onto while I'm gone.
Today's a Sunday, so Gale is over early to wish me a happy birthday as well. Then he joins us in our practice for the Quell.
"You don't even get today off, huh?" Gale asks as we walk together to the meeting spot.
"No," I say with a shake of my head. "Peeta's been something of a slave driver." It comes out more bitterly than I anticipated. Gale picks up on it, too, because I see a look of annoyance flash across his face. He lets it go, though, probably because it's my birthday. That's fine with me. It's the last thing I want to deal with on my birthday.
By the time we arrive, I'm already in a bad mood. Peeta is already there with shadows under his eyes, waiting for us. He stiffly nods hello to Gale, then looks over to me. "Happy birthday, Katniss," he says.
"Thanks,' I say back. Then Haymitch is there, and it's nothing but stretches and training until dinner.
It turns out my mother and Prim have arranged dinner in my honor. Hazelle and the kids are already there. Even Haymitch has joined us. Only one person is missing. But I guess he's too busy watching reruns of previous Games to take one night off. Even if it is my birthday. I try to forget about it and just enjoy my party. I dance with Prim and Posy and make myself laugh when stories are told. But my eyes keep drifting towards the door.
My mother has cooked up a dinner of rabbit and greens, and fresh bread. My eyes stay trained on it as we take our seats around the table, and I wonder if it came from the bakery, or if my mother got it from Peeta himself. When would he have had the time, though? He spends every waking second these days preparing for the Quell.
We're half-way through the meal when there's a knock on the door. I straighten up, but it's my mother who actually gets up to answer it. I hear her greet somebody, and a few seconds later she's back in the room followed by none other than Peeta himself.
"You made it," I say, standing quickly. His eyes meet mine immediately, and I see the first real smile from him in months. "Sorry I'm late," he tells me. "I had to put on the finishing touches." He nods down at the box he's holding, which I recognize as one of the ones they use at the bakery.
"It's supposed to be a surprise," he answers me, still smiling. As my mother leads him into our kitchen, Prim, who is sitting on my right, leans over and whispers, "I think it's a cake for you."
This actually surprises me. "When would he have had time to make me a cake?" I whisper back, but even as I do, I know it's the truth. Gale, who is sitting on my other side, leans back in his chair and folds his arms.
When they rejoin us, Peeta takes a seat down at the other end of the table. I have to keep looking at him to believe he's really here. Ever since they announced the Quell, he's been little more than a coach to me.
After we've finished the meal, my mother brings the cake out, and my breath actually hitches in my throat. Next to me, Prim gives out a little gasp. Peeta has done it again. It's carefully decorated and a colorful assortment of different plants and flowers. All of them from the plant book.
"It's beautiful!" I exclaim, looking up at him. All I get in return is a shy smile.
Cutting into the cake is almost painful, and part of me wonders how Peeta can stand to work so hard on these designs when he knows they're only going to be destroyed in a matter of moments. I guess that's why he started painting. But the next minute I'm forgetting about any of that because the cake tastes even better than it looks.
Our guests stay another hour or so after the meal ends before our house begins to empty. I hug Gale and his family goodbye as they leave together. As I watch them disappear into the darkness, the door opens behind me, and I hear Peeta's heavy tread coming outside. I turn to face him, and he stops. There's an awkward silence between us.
"Almost thought you weren't going to make it," I finally say.
He shakes his head. "I wouldn't miss your birthday. This is the only one- " He stops, unable to finish. "Thank you," he says, "for inviting me."
I nod, not really knowing what to say. What is there even to say? That I'm glad he could make it to my last birthday ever? I know what's he's thinking, that this will be the last time he'll be around for one of my birthdays. But he's going to be here next year. I have to see to that.
I'm just glad I got a chance to enjoy one of his cakes before I go.
"Well, I guess I should be going," Peeta says, back to the more formal tone he's taken on ever since he started training us for the Quell. He moves past me and starts on his way back to his house.
"Peeta."
He stops and looks back at me, and before I can stop myself, I cross the short distance between us and embrace him. He's still for a second before his steady arms raise and return the hug, pulling me close. His cheek rests on the crown of my head, and we just stay there like that for I don't know how long. I want to tell him not to go home, that I want him to stay here and crawl into bed with me when the nightmares hit tonight. But I know I can't ask that of him. So I make do with a hug, to make up for all the birthdays we've missed, and all the birthdays we're going to lose in the future.
It's the sound of my front door opening that breaks us apart. I can hear Haymitch bidding my mother goodbye.
"Please remember me next year," Peeta murmurs in my ear before he pulls away completely. As Haymitch ambles closer, Peeta slips away. I can't take my eyes off him until he's closed the door to his house.
"You have a good birthday, sweetheart?" Haymitch slurs from behind me. All I can do is look at him. In his eyes, I can see everything I'm thinking, everything I'm feeling, reflected back at me.
"He has to be here next year, Haymitch," I whisper in response.
Something crosses Haymitch's face that I'm unable to read. "He will be, Katniss," he says. "He will be."
Maybe it's foolish, but I can't help believing him.
See you next year!