Happy birthday, Girl on Fire!

"What would you like to do for your birthday?"

The question comes casually one afternoon when we're working on the book. It takes me by surprise because I hadn't really been thinking about my birthday. I'm quiet for a moment, trying to search for an answer. "I don't know," I say at last. "I guess I just want to go into the woods and forget about things for a while."

If he has an opinion about this, he doesn't offer it. Just nods as if he's taking in the information, and resumes work on his sketching. So when he shows up in the late morning of my birthday, I'm surprised, but more so because of the picnic basket he's carrying than anything.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Happy birthday," he says, ignoring my question as he offers the basket to me.

"Thanks," I say, feeling a little confused as I cautiously take the basket. "What's this?"

Peeta only shrugs. "You said you wanted to spend time in the woods. I packed you a basket for lunch."

All I can do is look at him a moment, taken aback by his offer. The offer is kind, and more than I expected, even when he asked me what it was, I wanted to do. To give me this time to myself, and to offer a meal to sustain myself while I'm out there? "Thank you, Peeta," I finally say.

He gives a bit of a grin and shrugs. "I hope you can have a good day out there," he says. "I'll be home if you need to talk tonight."

I nod, and he turns and begins down the path to return to his own house. I look down at the basket in my hands. I know I said I wanted to forget about things for a while-we've been home from the Capitol for a year now, and while I've come a long way from that hollow mess of a shell I was when I first returned to 12, it doesn't make this birthday any easier. Not with who all I've lost.

"Wait," I call after him. He stops in his tracks and looks over his shoulder at me. "Do… do you want to come with me?" I feel awkward asking because I've never gone to the woods with Peeta before. I don't know if he's ever gone out into them at all.

Peeta turns around to face me. He smiles. "I would. If that's what you want," he says.

I return his smile. Now that I've said it, I realize that I actually do want him out there with me. "We'll need good shoes," I tell him since I'm not sure if he would know how rough the terrain can be.

"Okay," he says. "Meet me back here in ten minutes."

"Okay," I say, then head back into my own house to collect my boots and my father's coat. My bow and arrows are still out in the woods. I guess it's safe to bring them into the district these days, but old habits die hard. Besides, I like knowing they're out there.

When I head back outside to meet up with Peeta, I'm surprised to see him coming from Haymitch's house and not his own. He has a bit of a scowl on his face, though it disappears when he sees me.

"I tried to get Haymitch to come, too," he explains, noticing the quizzical look on my face. "He didn't think much of the idea."

I let out a short note of laughter. "I bet he didn't." Haymitch is also doing much better than from when he first returned from the Capitol, but hikes through the woods still aren't really his thing. Still, it was nice of Peeta to try. I can't imagine him doing anything but complaining if he were to join us, but the three of us are all we have left. Haymitch is my family too.

"Maybe we can have dinner with him late tonight," I say.

Together, we start down the path that leads out of what used to be Victors' Village. It technically still is called that, but other people live here now, too. Since reconstruction started in District 12, it's become something of a town center. Especially since the old town center is now gone. Peeta and I avoid walking by that part of the district on our way out, instead opting for something a lot more peaceful.

Peeta is quiet as we go deeper and deeper into the woods. His eyes dart around as he takes it all in, as though he's never seen it before. Well, that answers that question.

"I can see why you like it out here so much," he murmurs after a while. "It's beautiful."

The corners of my mouth lift. "Yeah," I agree, "it is."

Our hands brush together. We glance at each other, then look away. I feel a little embarrassed for some reason, which seems stupid. Peeta appears to feel the same way. A moment later, though, and I feel the warm brush of his fingers against mine as they entwine themselves together.

For a moment, my heart actually flutters. Then a cold fear that I'm only too familiar with at this point creeps in. It's foolish to be out here, to get too close. Peeta hasn't had an episode in a while, but that just means he's overdue. What if one hits while we're out here, alone? With no one to intervene if he tries to attack me?

I stop myself, using a calming technique Dr. Aurelius taught me. I think back over every good moment we've had these last few months. The times we've worked on the book together, the hours we spend at each other's houses. This helps to soothe me. Yes, Peeta has had episodes since then, but never as bad as they were in the Capitol, or back in 13.

I can't shake the feeling that Prim is somehow watching me right now. Seeing this. And I know she would want me to take this next step. To find some modicum of… well, happiness still feels like too strong a word. Lightness. To move forward.

It's my birthday, I think. Another year older. Another year forward. That's really the only way to go now, isn't it? It's impossible to go back. That's a lesson I learned the hard way these last few years. So now I have to move forward.

Peeta's golden strands of hair catch in the sunlight. It reminds me of that dandelion I first associated with him all these years ago. There are dandelions in these woods, too, and maybe it's time to show Peeta where to find them. Where to find everything he's diligently recorded in the book for me. So I accept his hand, holding on tightly, and show him my woods.

It's been a minute since I've written anything. I'm not sure I know how to write anymore. I hope this upholds the annual tradition well enough.

How we feeling, Hunger Games fandom? Are we ready for the new book? I wanted to try to tie this into it somehow, but couldn't come up with anything. Oh well. Maybe next year.