15

I was walking towards Haymitch's once for the first time in weeks. I don't know what had come over me, but I felt the need to be in open air. I needed to also talk to him. I had a lot on my mind. I needed to figure some things out and I needed to ask him some things. Haymitch always seemed to answers to everything.

I closed my eyes as I walked, knowing that it was dangerous. I would probably run into a tree or something, but I didn't really care. I kinda wanted to shut out the world at the moment. It was like I was in some kind of daze. It was unreal how I was feeling right now. It was more than unreal. It was ridiculous.

I could not believe Peeta had proposed. Just like that. As if it was nothing. As if it wasn't the biggest question that could ever be asked. After all these years, didn't he know that I never really wanted to get married anyways? I had been warming up to the idea since I've been with him, but still I hadn't wanted to be married for at least a couple of years, if at all. But I would have totally been fine with never getting married.

Peeta had no right to ask something so ridiculous from, especially this early in our relationship. I was almost angry at him for doing that to me. He couldn't surprise me with something as big as this. It was insanity. What was I supposed to tell him?

I barely had slept last night. This morning, I got out of bed very early. I threw on the first clean clothes I had seen and left the house. I didn't really ever care how I looked, but today I cared even less. I had way too much on my mind.

I walked into Haymitch's house, surprisingly seeing him awake. Even more out of character, he was washing the dishes. Actually scrubbing them until they were spotless, scrutinizing them for even a speck of dirt, then scrubbing some more. I stood there in the doorway, unnoticed for a couple minutes, just completely in shock. Never in my life did I ever think Haymitch was even capable of doing housework.

Finally I came to my senses and cleared my throat. He jumped and turned to face me with a look of surprise and a touch of embarrassment on his face. "Are you busy? I could come back later," I said with a smirk. I knew it was a bit cocky, but I couldn't resist. This was just too precious.

He gave me an icy glare, and the saying "If looks could kill," ran through my mind. He quietly mumbled, "Shut up," and then threw the dishrag he was using into the soapy sink. "What do you want?"

"No, seriously. You totally look like you are busy, maybe I should come back later," I said, knowing that I was now being rude and mean, and taking it a bit too far, but I didn't care at the moment. I needed to blow off steam.

"I just have had a lot on my mind lately, and if you are going to be a little brat then you might as well leave because you aren't going to get any help from me," he replied. I could now see the stress in his eyes. He seemed tired and worried too, like something was really bothering him. I don't think I have ever seen him like this. A pang of guilt surged through me, but I pushed it quickly away. I didn't want to be guilty too on a day like this.

I sat down at his table and sighed. I mumbled a meager apology and asked him what he has been worrying about. He didn't say anything back. I could feel his eyes on my back, examining me. I was waiting for him to comment on something. He always had something to say. He finally opened his mouth and said, "Wow, you look awful."

"I know."

"What happened?"

"I asked you first," I replied.

He replied a bit sourly, "That's none of your business, now is it?"

"What's wrong about me isn't any of your business either?" I replied a bit sarcastically.

"Well, you are the one who came here and unload all of you problems onto me. So, that technically makes it my business now, doesn't it? So, what do you want?" He then asked, with cockiness tainting his voice and a smirk on his face.

I scowled. He had won and he knew it, but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction. "I want a drink."

Though, that wasn't what I originally came here for, I knew that is exactly what I wanted.

He frowned at first, thinking about it, but then the smirk eventually made it back to his face. "Fine, but we might not want to mention this time to Peeta. I believe it could end very badly, especially after the last time, and I appreciate my head attached to my body."

I knew he was referring to the other time, Haymitch allowed me to get drunk in his presence. I knew he was probably right, but I didn't say anything. I just waited patiently for him to grab the liquor. There were way too many things on my mind, and I wanted it all to be cleared. Getting drunk was the easiest way to get what I wanted.

Haymitch brought out two glasses and a bottle of liquor. I smiled to myself at the sight of it. "Since when have you been one to use glasses?" I asked.

"Since, right now," he said as he poured two glasses.

We both grabbed ours. He held his up and said, "Cheers."

"Bottom's up," I replied, as I clinked my glass against his. Then I downed my entire glass. At first the burning sensation down my throat was uncomfortable, but after a second, I started to feel a bit better. I drank cup after cup feeling a little bit better after every single one. I could feel my brain go a bit foggy, but I was a good kind of foggy. One that hid away all the unwanted thoughts that was in my mind. Soon enough, even the burning down my throat subsided. I felt numb.

"So, Sweetheart, life got you at the throat again?"

I laughed at his analogy and said, "I think that it has you in its clutches more than it has me. I mean, I wasn't the one doing dishes."

"Yes, but then again, I'm not the one who looks like I rolled out from a cave or something," he replied.

I looked down at myself and shrugged. Whatever.

"So, may I again ask why were you doing the dishes?"

He didn't say anything at first, he just swirled his drink in his cup. He stared at me for a second. Shivers ran up my spine, as he x-rayed me. His eyes were dark. Eventually he said, "It's nothing. Just me being stupid."

He really seemed like he didn't want to talk about, and I knew he would if he did, so I let it slide. Maybe I would send Peeta here later. He would be a better person to talk to anyways.

Then his eyes brightened once again and he said, "Sweetheart, you might as well stop stalling. You know you are going to tell me, whatever you need to tell me sooner or later. Let's make it sooner since I am in a good mood, and I'm willing to deal with you right now."

I took a deep breath. What was I waiting for? I opened my mouth and said, "Peeta proposed last night."

It was the first time I had said the words out loud. Between that and Haymitch's face, I just couldn't hold in the laughter that I knew was coming. Haymitch's look of shock stared at me, as my loud, obnoxious laughs filled up the room.

Finally Haymitch seemed to register what I had said, "He proposed? Like the entire ring, down on one knee, happy proposal?"

"Well, I think I was spontaneous, so no ring. We were in bed, so no kneeling. And it was after a fight, so I guess it wasn't exactly happy either, but it was a proposal. Can you believe it?" I asked, laughing some more. It was so insane. Even I, who was there, didn't believe it. What was Peeta thinking?

"What was Peeta thinking?" Haymitch said echoing my thoughts word for word. "Doesn't he know you better? You are not one for commitments and love and stuff. You would think that he would know that a proposal to you is like a ticket to jail."

"Hey," I said. "I can be committed. And you don't even get tickets to go to jail. I mean seriously, who would want one of those?"

"Right," Haymitch merely replied. I could see disbelief in his eyes.

"No seriously!" I said, starting to defend myself. "I have always known I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, since we have been together. But never in my life did I think he would actually propose. I mean seriously, let's be honest, I have never been the one who wanted marriage. I have always said that. I have even told him that."

"I think that's what I-"

"Don't interrupt. I am having a revelation here," I said. I was talking more to myself than to him at this point, but it was all the same. I needed all my thoughts outside my head. I needed to hear the out loud, so that I could process them correctly. I was in such a state of shock at the moment, and the alcohol wasn't helping.

"I have told him that I have never seriously considered marriage, and that I think I don't ever want to be married. It's like sex. Marriage leads to children, and I most definitely don't want children. I don't think I could take having a child. Always worrying for it, being responsible for it, loving it, taking care of it, seeing it cry, and get its heart broken. I couldn't deal with that mess. Plus, I have commitment issues. I mean, the second I realize how much I am in love with him, I am ready to ditch him. But you know what's even more insane than this entire proposal?" I then said, letting every thought that has been cluttering my mind tumble out, until my words were barely audible.

I looked up at Haymitch, waiting for some kind of response. He didn't dare speak, in case he might get yelled at again.

"The craziest thing is that I didn't come here to complain to you about Peeta's proposal. I came here to ask you if you would do me the honor of walking me down the aisle."

Haymitch choked on the sip he was taking out of his cup at the exact moment. "You say yes?" He asked in complete disbelief.

"I said yes," I said, sounding just as surprised as he did.

I know, I know. I haven't been posting as fast as I used to. In fact, I have been posting way slower than I have ever posted before. Hopefully I will get out another chapter by the end of this week. If I don't, again I am very sorry! (Though I do realize that apologizing doesn't make up for anything.) I am just such a busy person these days.

I really like this chapter a lot. At first I thought it would be hard to write, because I exactly knew what I wanted it to be like, but it surprisingly came easily. I feel like Katniss and Haymitch are a bit more OC in this chapter. A little more than I usually write them at least. Oh, well. Maybe it's just the alcohol speaking. It doesn't matter. I had fun writing this chapter.

Anyways, you know the drill by now. Tell me what you think;) All types of reviews are gladly welcomed (especially the ones that tell me to get off my lazy ass and write more chapters).