Lithium
•Percy's POV•
I took a quick shower just now at the core. They finally gave it back. They also removed all punishment from us.
Not that that gives us Peeta's life back or anything.
From what I've seen. . .it affected everybody. Even Sora. Nobody has even talked about it.
Another fun fact, Oran is gone. My suspicions of him are rising. I mean, like, why would that happen after Peeta gets killed? Once Katniss is better, I'll be ready to tell her straight-forward of my suspicions.
Something is wrong. And I will get to the bottom of this.
"Perseus! You're not the only one with hygienic need! Get out of the shower!" Sora growled as I slipped my shirt on.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." I say ignorantly.
I pick up a comb from the porcelain sink and do the best I can to at least look decent.
I also need a haircut. I feel like some emo kid. I get the scissors from cabinet and snap some of my hair off fast so Sora won't chainsaw the door down.
I turn the knob and go out without facing Sora who was on the floor, his stuff in hand.
"Finally!" He growled. Something yellow from his hand. A rubber ducky? I. . .don't want to know—clearly he doesn't either.
I run down the stairs to the small kitchen room. Mitzuki was making breakfast. Which is weird considering it's like 4AM or something. While we are here taking showers and eating, everyone else must be either sleeping or mourning.
I am not tired in the least. (Cause I did pass out for an hour or so.) I want to go out and check out what needs to be done—better yet—go home. I want to go back to the present to find out how everything is over there.
"Do you like egg soup, Percy?" Mitzuki calls optimistically. "It's actually very good. It's a very popular thing back at U.K.E." I smile. I appreciate her intents on making it all better. I can't help but want to call her mommy.
"Yeah, anything is fine. I just need food!" She nods happily and goes back to cooking.
Recalling yesterday's events about the mysterious person who saved us from the bomb. . . I honestly don't care. I mean like—may the gods bless him/her for saving us all and stuff—but I mean really; is that as important as to why Aminta sent Venus and co. to kill Peeta? Of course not. And I'd be the first to stand and say "Heeell Nuuu!"
Mitzuki came up with two wooden bowls smiling.
"Hope you like it." The bowl landed with a tender thump against the (also) wooden table. I took the spoon and slurped the soup whole heartily. It tasted ok. But I don't care, after everything I went through—this is heaven.
"Slow down, Percy." Mitzuki giggled
"You'll choke!" She smiled smoothly. Her hair was in a messy bun today. And she had a simple purple blouse with a beige hoodie—and of course the typical jeans. I've never seen her so casual. She's always well dressed and presentable. Even back at Twelve. She made a dress of the stuff they gave her.
"I'm just very hungry." I say as I keep eating. She drinks it slowly, but I can tell she would like to drink it faster. She's just so civilized. I doubt she'd be as messy as me right now and start slurping.
I look up to her from my empty bowl.
"Do I . . .um. . .can I get seconds?" I ask solemnly. She smiles and gets up. She brings the pot over and pours some more.
I don't understand why she is so happy. Or better—how can she stay happy. Tons of people died at dusk. And this is her reaction. . .?
Once she started humming a joyful tune, I couldn't contain my curiosity.
"How can you stay so happy?" I wiped the soup remains off my lips with my sleeve.
Her expression turned dark and she looked into her bowl.
"If you think I'm not grieving for his death, then you're wrong...I wish I could feel sadness right now but I can't...the...the potion prevents me." She touched the vial hung over her neck.
"There is some lithium in there along with other contents." She looked out the window and sighed.
"Ever since I was a little girl I would overreact to the simplest things. Eventually leading to the conclusion it was a disease. And that disease affects the Oracle. I faint after a prophecy and have to take my concoction before at least a twenty four hours pass. Or. . . the effects may fatal." She looked into my eyes. Her gray eyes are so different to that of Annabeth's and Katniss's. I just can't put my finger on it.
"I would love to join the mourning—believe me. But I can't bring myself to do it. And other than that, there is some great news. . .you know a brightside to all this." I search her expressions but I realize she is just or worse as unreadable as Sora is.
"I can't reveal it now though. If Aminta has access to your thoughts—it would be bad. I'll let you know when the time is right. I assure you." She smiled. But it quickly faded as she got up and put her bowl in the washing machine.
She came back to the table and stood over me. She took my hand.
"Ki wo tsukete...onii-chan." Her gray eyes danced before me. She blushed after she said that and took off from there.
I stared into the empty bowl.
Her eyes. . .something about them. . . isn't right. . .
I ran my hand through my somewhat damp hair and got up to repeat Mitzuki's steps of putting it in the washing machine.
Darling, I forgive you after all. Anything is better than to be alone, and in the end I guess I had to fall.
•Katniss's POV•
I look in through the window of Haymitch's apartment.
My cut stung more. I reached down to gather some snow in my palm and place it on my cut. It burned but I didn't care.
Meanwhile...Haymitch was getting drunk inside. I honestly thought his pride and job prohibited him from doing this...but I guess not. He whaled inside, I could hear.
It's not fair.
I dragged myself to his door to knock. I know how harmful this could be to me.
"Haymitch isn't home!" He whales.
"It's me! Katniss!" I yell as I knock louder.
He opens the door. His eyes are bloodshot. I barge inside without wanting a response from him approving whether I'm worthy of entering or not.
I open a cabinet and get a bottle of wine.
I smash the top off with the edge of the counter top—shattering the top of the bottle as well.
I smell the liquid. The heavy scent of wine reminds me of last time I did this. This time...I just can't bare it.
I chug it all down at once. The bottle was cutting my lip but I only dug it in further. I don't care. The wine liquor burned through my throat exactly like last time as well. I don't care.
How. Can. I. Care? Peeta just died! It was a slaughter! All the blood. . .all at once. . . all from the same person I love.
"Katnisssss!" Haymitch whaled. He trapped me in a bear hug. I tried jerking out.
"Let me go!" I threw the empty bottle to the side so I could get him off with both hands.
"Don't leave me! Don't leave me either! You're the last family member I have left!" Haymitch cried. My heart skipped a beat.
Family...? This is the man who threatened the death penalty on me earlier. And now. . . what's going on?
"Do you want more..? Sweetheart?" He yelps and a hiccup interrupts him.
I look into his Seam eyes. The eyes that were fighting for his life on the recap we saw on the train. Was it really better off to die in the Hunger Games. . . . instead of striving for a survival you would be suffering in?
Back to now; Haymitch swings back and forth swaying, waiting my response. I've never seen him this drunk in my life.
"Yes. . . I do."
With that he goes digging into the cabinet and takes a few bottles more.
"We have for the whole night!" He says playfully. He offers me another one.
It took me so long to chug that one down. As the sun came up—another. That being said he drank at least four.
The door flies open; almost tearing at its creaky rusted hinges.
"Katniss! What are you doing?" My vision is blurry. I can't really see his face.
"And you—how can you even provide her with this?" My eyes flicker. He snatches the bottle away from me. I feel I'm not thinking straight. . .
He stands over me as I lay on the floor.
"Katniss!" He snaps his fingers in my face. The snaps resound harder—now with my senses enhanced. I think I see colors. Coolllooorrsss.
"Snap out of it! How can you stoop down to this level?"
He grunts and goes over to the pretty pretty cabinet. Takes out the bottles and...takes them all ouuutt?
"Hey...you! Stop that!" Haymitch gets up and tackles the boy. He looks so familiar. . .
"Haymitch..."He calls in a calm voice the makes me want to smile. He forces him into a chair...a round red chair.
"Stay here. Don't move." He tells Haymitch. He comes over to me. Such soft skin...such tender eyes. . . such a beautiful man.
Lithium, I wanna stay in love with my sorrow. Oh, but God I wanna let it go.
•Percy's POV•
"Stay here. Don't move." I tell Haymitch.
I go over to Katniss and set her on a chair in a far corner. I find some rope and tie her down. A runaway Kat is bad enough, a runaway drunk Kat—is a whole other story.
I went over to pick up the bottles. I poured them down the drain of the sink. I can't let Haymitch—much the less Katniss ever do this again. I'll ask around for the guy selling this stuff. And I'll tell him off—Percy style.
Haymitch was in shock. Wouldn't blame him. It's like breaking some kid's unlimited supply of lollipops—then setting them on fire. Twice.
I go over to Haymitch.
"Ok let's go to your room." He nodded and stood up. Almost fell but I got him. I led him down the hall to his room. He sat at the edge of his bed.
"Oh Peeta...I'm so sorry." He mumbled while I savaged through his drawers finding some decent clothes. My mind told him to ignore his remarks but instincts my told me otherwise.
I helped him unbutton his shirt and take off his pants. Yes, I was somewhat disturbed. Just give me a reason not to do this still.
I led him into the shower and turned on warm water. He knew what to do from there. I didn't let him shut his bathroom door though. I can't have him drown on my watch.
In the meantime I went back to Katniss who was trying to bite herself free.
"Let me go!" She yelled. She coughed shortly afterwards.
"Please!" Deja vu.
"Katniss. Just shut up." OHH snappp! Besides—she deserves it.
That seemed to make her jolt a bit.
"I can't believe you!" She yelled. I ignored her as she kept yelling at me. I cleaned up the place—while she yelled. Can't waste time now can we?
After a while though. She began to piss me off.
"Katniss! Why are you telling me off? It's not my fault the things that happened...happened!" She flinched and tried untying herself.
I had finished cleaning. Haymitch fell asleep in his fresh clothes on his bed. So I got him covered. Just Katniss keeps yelling at me.
"This is your entire fault!" She hiccupped. "You came back and everything went wrong! I should have saved you back at the arena—when it wasn't too late!"
I turned to her. Is she—? Now that I think about it. . . all the rambling she's been going on about made no sense if she tells me. . . but if she were telling Peeta all this. . .
I decided to play along. I might even get a laugh during these bad times.
"No, my purpose has always been to save you. Cause..." Cause what? 'I love you'? Great,
"Cause you're my everything." She looked into my eyes sadly.
"Why did you leave me? I need you so much! I can't do anything without knowing you're still out there—alive—in the least!"
She pulled on the rope and snapped herself free, then ran into my arms. She hugged me—it actually hurt. Like, physically. . . No, seriously I might even get a bruise.
"Peeta. . . Peeta. . ." She looked up. I have never seen her like this! All this I've been seeing. . . this side of her. . . I had no idea it existed; from getting drunk to sulking like this on someone.
"Are. . . Are you still here?" She mumbled. Her eyes glittered in tears.
I didn't know what to do. I know that I should have listened to my brain and not tagged along. But I need her to accept the past and move on, so she can move on. So we can save this world.
She stumbles down to her knees and tears come out.
"How am I supposed to move on? Speak the words I dare? Make all the right moves?" I balled my fists.
I yelled at her.
"What type of person would I be to leave you? I'm never going to leave you. I'll always be with you—even if you don't see me! I'll be your guardian angel in your dark times!" She looked up from the shadows of the ground. Tears ran down her eyes. Gods, I am so cheesy.
My heart beat faster at the look of her eyes. I didn't want it to. I don't want to feel what I feel. I don't want to do this. . . I don't want to love her—like this. Annabeth is the one for me. . . always will be. . . I can't do this. . . But I have to make this sacrifice—for Katniss.
I offered my hand. She placed her small fragile hand on mine. I pulled her up back on her feet—all in what it seemed to be slow-motion.
"I'll give you the courage you need."
For a split second I saw the dramaticness in this scene. I knew what was to come. I saw through her eyes while I pulled her up.
Into my lips. She pressed hers harder against mine. We even stumbled back but I used the kitchen counter to sustain us. She tasted of sweet seducing wine. . . She then linked her hands behind my neck, ran her trickling fingers through my hair. It felt so nice. . . so good. She pushed harder each second. I put my hands around her waist, and noticed static emerging from our lips. Golden and Cyan. She overlapped my lip yet again and I did the same back—like a game. A game I suck at horribly. Her heart pumped against my chest harder and harder, and yet I refused to shut my eyes. I refuse to give it to this. As good as this feels. . . I can't lay like this forever. . . I'm Annabeth's...Not Katniss's.
I pulled away gently—feeling my system hold back.
"You're never alone." Her eyes gleam.
"Peeta..." She faints in my arms. I catch her before she falls. So lightweight...so perfect...My fingers go down her eyelids to ensure they are shut.
It's—um—disturbing. What I just saw...(And felt. . . like, WTF) I never imagined she would stoop down to that level—ever. And then with my great finale. It just had to go to that point, didn't it? I felt sick to my stomach—disgusted.
I go out and locked the door of Haymitch's home—carrying Katniss.
I begin to walk through the thick snow beneath my feet; mourners are everywhere—burning incense; also doing these rituals that I don't recognize. But they all share one common trait. Sadness. . .
I open the door Katniss's apartment complex. It creaks heavily and shuts with a sharp crack. Walking up the stairs—I almost fall. But I didn't! So hah!
Katniss turns a bit in my arms. She mumbles gibberish as well.
I knocked slowly. They might be asleep. Who knows? It's like the crack of dawn.
"Yes?" A voice said as she opened the door. She was pale. She looks a lot like Prim, so I imagine it's their mother.
"Um. . . Katniss. . ." I moved my arms upright to motion she was in my arms—unconscious. Her mother's eyes grew as if to say "Again?". I also notice she seems so fragile—so breakable. It's...sad.
I go in without responding. Prim is inside—staring at floating cereal on the table.
"Prim, where's Kat's bed?" Her face changed as soon as she saw me.
"Oh. . .Percy. . ." Then she looks down on to what I'm carrying.
"Katniss. . .?" She looked back up at my eyes and motioned me to follow her.
We set Katniss down on her bed.
"She. . .um. . .got drunk with Haymitch." Prim's eyes grew.
"Again?" I look back at her. What does she mean "Again"?
She nods.
"When they announced the Quarter Quell would require the old victorious tributes. . .She ran. A few hours or hour—she came back with a bottle in hand. . ." I gulped. Blinking in surprise.
"Who snapped her out of it. . .?" My subconscious asked aloud. Dammit.
Prim blinked in surprise to my question.
"Peeta did." She looked at me.
"He always has." I look back from her gaze out to the window.
I begin walking out of the room while Prim began taking Katniss's clothes off.
"I'll be with Sora and the others. . ." Prim looked at me from her peripheral vision.
"Tell Katniss when she wakes up and is better. . .ok?" She nods.
I go through the doorway into the kitchen. Their mom is washing dishes.
"Is there anything you need?" I ask her. She dries her hands and looks at me.
She shakes her head and looks down.
"I. . .have a question however." I nod and she looks back up.
"Did you see how he died?" Peeta. She means Peeta. I nod.
"I was the last one he talked to before his eyes shut." Her face was well aged from suffering. She nods.
"What's your name?"
"Percy...Percy Jackson." She went back without a word to washing and I went out.
Down the creaking stairs. Out the rusted door. Into the cold snowy dawn.
Couldn't hide the emptiness, you let it show. Never wanted it to be so cold. Just didn't drink enough to say you love me.
Just as promised ;) Only at night cause. . .its when all the readers come out and read xD
^^ I now patent that phrase ;P I loved writing tjis chappie honestly. I have to do homework tomorrow. . .you know I'm a HUGE procrastinator lol so Im doing this behind my parent's back. . .
And I imagine if you read this you HAVE reviewed on Ch. 21 ;) If you didn't GO! xD lol Tell me what you think and blah blah~! xD
I have Ch. 23 and 24 ready. . .theres parts I hate however. . .lol me and my fillers xD I'll be revamping Ch.1 soon as well so yeah :D