With hope, the wedding will be chapter 55!
This chapter is dedicated to Forevermore909, so happy readings to you all!
oOo
For the first time in a while, my sleep was unperturbed by any sort of dreams. My eyes peeled open and I found my face pressed into a pillow and drool caked in and out of my mouth. Smacking my lips in disgust, I lifted my head up off the covers. The curtains over Prim's large bedroom window were drawn slightly, but not much light was shining through.
I forced myself out of bed, careful not to disturb my little sister. Birds were calling from outside, quiet tunes that suggested most of them just woke up. Frowning, my fingers bunched around the hangings and they slid open. It was pink outside in the sleepy morning air. The sun was just barely visible through the trees, attempting to bathe the world with its warmth, but the world wasn't catching on that fast.
After staring out the window for a bit, I shrugged and went into the bathroom. Warm water cascaded down my face and bare back as I scrubbed off the night's wear with my normal pine-scented soap. I could feel the cold metal of my ring everywhere I scrubbed myself. Temporarily stopping my wash to look at it, I realized just how…amazing my situation is. I didn't know if that is the right word, but if I really stopped and thought about it… I hated Peeta at first. I only stayed with him to live, I crushed his heart after the first Games, made up with him shortly before the second, realized I really did need him during the second, in which he also gave me the pearl. And after getting rescued by a supposedly nonexistent organization, we married once, annulled the marriage, had a kid which turned out to be an implant from the Capitol destined to determine the fate of Panem (that load of bullcrap was obviously just a lie when I realized Dr. Longarden was a spy), and shortly after, that same doctor supposedly killed that child and then I defeated Snow with a single arrow and Peeta proposed to me with the same pearl ring he gave to me in the Quell, even though I am completely insane.
He must really love me, I decided while toweling off in front of the mirror. It nearly made me laugh.
I slipped on some clothes and went back into the bedroom. Buttercup was curled on Prim's stomach, the end of his tail flicking back and forth lazily as he purred. Crazy cat…
With a sigh, I glanced over at the small clock on the nightstand. It was 7:32 in the morning. The perfect time to start our day. Maybe if Prim slept a little longer I could fix her and Mother breakfast. That seemed like a passable idea, so I went into the kitchen and proceeded to fix breakfast. It wasn't oversized for more than just me, my little sister and my mother. Anne and Finnick were taking Jace into town to pick up some more diapers and such, as they didn't know exactly how long they were planning on staying here in 12. Peeta, I knew, was at the bakery already since it was just barely eight o'clock. I knew I was on my own today. It was the day I go to district 13 again for my checkup with Dr. Aurelis. Ugh.
As I stirred the sweetened porridge, I tried not to be huffy about going. They were just trying to help… And I knew I wasn't perfectly sane, that much was obvious. Though I've only seen him when he was sitting in the corner of my recovery room in D13 after I blew up myself, I had a fairly good idea what he was like. He didn't pressure me to speak, but kept it as an open option. He stayed in my room, observing me, for three hours a day, but most of those three hours was spent with his head lolled on his shoulder, napping. I didn't know whether or not I enjoyed his company. I didn't enjoy anyone's company then, but it was insanely lonely. Maybe he wasn't all that bad, but I didn't feel like taking chances.
The porridge was ready and I poured milk into a few glasses, and everything was set out on the table. I wandered back out off the kitchen, mouth watering, to wake up Primrose and Mother. Up the stairs I went and to the room so near mine, to where my sister was still mumbling to herself in her sleep. I gently sat next to her bed and shook her.
"Come on, Primrose. Breakfast is ready."
She peeled her eyes open and sat up, sighing tiredly. Buttercup was forced to jump off her stomach and land in an aggravated heap of fur on the floor. He shook his head furiously before padding out of the room.
"Mkay…" Prim yawned and got up to change clothes in the bathroom.
I didn't wait for her to come back out. My nose and watering mouth wanted to lead me back to the food, but Mother needed to be alerted that breakfast was ready.
Her room was the master bedroom on the bottom floor, adjacent to the largest bathroom in our entire house. I found Mother curled awkwardly on top of her bedcovers, circles a dark shade of blue under her closed eyes. Gently and unsurely, I walked over and sat down on the side of the bed as I did with Prim.
"Mother," I said quietly, hand on her shoulder, wondering if I should be waking her at all. "Mother, I made breakfast. Come join me and Prim."
She made a tired moaning noise and exhaled deeply. "Alright. I'm getting up." Mother groaned and sat up stiffly, bones popping as she did so. I could tell she's lost a bit of weight and her face sagged a bit more, but the smile lines were still there.
I smiled and gave her a brief, encouraging hug, not asking why she looked so used up.
A few minutes later we were sitting down, tucking into the morning meal I had fixed. Primrose had changed into a clean, white dress that had embroidered pink flowers near the waist line. Her hair was still wet from a shower and hung down in her face, curling slightly. She looked older now, and it was strange seeing my little sister grow up so much before my very own eyes.
"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked a couple minutes into breakfast.
Mother swallowed and set down her fork, folding her hands. "Well, things are going to be like a normal day up until right after lunch. We are supposed to be at the train station by twelve-thirty, and that should get us to District 13 in less than an hour and a half."
I nodded, listening as I took another bite of my porridge.
"At two is your appointment, but we don't know how long that'll last." My mother took a small swallow of her milk and smacked her lips in thought. "I'm assuming we'll be able to be home for dinner."
This all seemed pretty simple, and my face puckered a little in only slight curiosity. "'We' meaning just us three, right?"
Her eyebrows raised, almost as if she was surprised I had asked that. Mother shrugged. "Peeta can come if you want."
"No, no, it's fine." I shook my head and shrugged, turning back to my food. "He's working today."
"Oh."
There was a long pause.
My bowl was scraped clean and all the milk was finished off in my stomach, so I just leaned back and tried not to be worried about the day ahead of me. Nothing was going to go wrong, there's nothing wrong with therapy. It wasn't even therapy, really. Just a…check-up. Yeah.
Mother cleared her throat. "Oh, I told Prim but I forgot to tell you, Katniss,"
I glanced up.
"I got the rest of the week off until your wedding," She beamed, proud of her release. "So does Prim."
"That's great!" I smiled. "Now we have more time to plan. We've got to cram if the wedding is this soon."
Prim nodded. "The rest of the week is jam-packed. We're going to be gone all day today, so that leaves tomorrow and the day after to get the rest of the errands done."
"Tomorrow we're getting Katniss' dress and picking up the bridesmaid dresses." Mother rubbed her chin. "I think that's when Peeta's getting his tux as well, but let's hope those boys decide to go before or after we go."
My little sister giggled and shook her head in amusement. "It's bad luck to see a bride in her dress before the wedding."
I knew that. It was probably okay to see the groom in his suit before, though…
Prim knew what I was thinking. "And no, Katniss, you can't see Peeta's until then, either. It isn't fair."
It was hard, but I resisted sticking my tongue out at her.
The wedding…… It's coming up so fast. Really fast. Like, in three days kind of fast. Then I'm going to be married to Peeta, finally, and we might be able to have a kid and— My mouth hung open a little as I frowned in surprise. Will we? Do I want to? The wedding night we'll… Do we? Is that too fast? What if I'm not able to after all? That would be awful…
"Oh, stop looking so dreadful, Katniss." The voice of Primrose was amused as she spoke, rolling her eyes.
She didn't have to worry about her ability to have children. She's probably so fertile that she'll be cursed with fifteen children before her twenty-fifth birthday. Twenty-five is an okay age to date, our mother used to say. And I'm getting married at age 18. Attempting to have a child at age 18. Is that fast? If I appear at Mother's doorstep in nine months with a squirming baby with blond hair, would she be angry at me for going so fast? Before, it was understandable because people died so young. But I didn't know… I worried so much. What I needed was Peeta's optimism to cheer me up and put a headful of "maybe"s and "probably"s and perhaps even lies in my tortured noggin. "Of course you're able to have children." "Of course you're beautiful, I'll never regret marrying you." "Everything will be okay, Katniss."
Screw Peeta and his kindness…
"I think," I wiped my mouth off on a napkin and stood up. "I think I'm going to work in the garden for a bit."
"Have fun, dear." Mother took all of our dishes and put them in the sink. "Make sure you're back here by 11:00."
I will be.
With a smile to Mother (who was starting to scrub off the dishes) and a hug to Primrose, I went around to the back of the house to work.
It was tedious, all the tiny plants and seeds that needed to be sorted and the dirt to arrange and the tiny white sticks to be marked. There was also a temporary, makeshift greenhouse next to the actual garden, for storing the plants that need more protection than just sitting in the dirt in our backyard.
I got myself nice and filthy by the time 10:00 hit. My fingernails were disgusting black crescents of soil, and the knees of my trousers were stained black from kneeling. I had potted a total of twenty baby plants, planted two rows (25 seeds in each row) of celery and lettuce each, as well as finished the stakes around the garden perimeter. Sweating and looking forwards to a really long, cool shower, I trudged back into my house and threw myself into the master bathroom, in which the shower was twice as big as the one in my room.
I cleaned myself off and got dressed in the second pair of clothes I've worn today. Since I had worn a hair cap, I didn't have to bother with wet hair. That was a bonus. On my way back out the house, I peeked into the kitchen. It was empty, as was the living room. I wondered what Mother and Prim were up to now that today was their day off…
It was a peaceful walked into town. It buzzed quietly of the people who were running errands, stopping by to say hello to friends, tugging children back home from an unsuccessful day. I got a pointed number of stares as I walked by, and some even turned to whisper to their friends about me. Though I wasn't sure about what, I found out exactly when I stepped inside the bakery.
"…and everybody's talking about it! Some people treat me different just because I know the groom, but I just smile. They're making a huge deal out of this, the open cerem…o…ny…" Benjamin Erik trailed off, eyes flitting over to me. He was leaning against the display counter talking to the new girl—Anna-Mae. She looked a little nervous and overtaken with Benj's eccentric personality.
She turned to look at me as well when the small bell above the door jingled. But of course, it wasn't her who spoke first.
"Miss Everdeen," Benj, who had apparently gotten over being crushed by Peeta, swept into an exaggerating, perhaps sarcastic bow. He looked back up and winked. "We were just talking about you."
I blinked, making a confused face. "Hello to you, too. What about?"
He cast his eyes up to the ceiling, grinning, and sauntered around the room as if it were some big, life-changing secret. "Just…your wedding."
Heat welled up in my cheeks automatically for no exact reason.
"Peeta accidentally let leak what you two have planned for the big day, and now it's spread across nearly the whole town." Benj leaned heavily against the display counter again, narrowing his eyes at me. "Quite a pair you two make."
Anna-Mae, who hadn't spoken as far as I'd heard, managed to sneak off as quiet and unnoticed as a mouse into the kitchen.
"Though," The other baker rubbed his chin, where a bit of stubble was gathering. "I'd have to say, Peeta's one lucky guy. You've got just about every other girl in Panem beat, Katniss Everdeen." His eyes twinkled, and I nearly squeaked when Peeta appeared at the kitchen door, arms crossed, face unamused. Benj didn't notice him. "With your dark hair and tiny body. It's a shame you're mister high-and-mighty's girl or I might be going after you with chains and a whip myself!" Benj let out a bellow of laughter. Peeta walked forwards (feet actually being silent for once in his life) until he was just barely touching Benj's shoulder. He continued to take no notice. "Hell, I'd come after you anyways. A wedding seals the deal, but if I can get to Peeta before you can, things…can…..turn..."
Benj's eyes had gone wide and his mouth in one rigid line, eyebrows creased tragically. I knew by the look on his face and how he was leaning ever so slightly away from the man behind him, he knew Peeta was there.
Cringing, Benj shuffled backwards towards the kitchen door, and said in a really quiet, defeat whisper, "I'll go get those dishes washed for you, Peeta." And he zipped so fast into the kitchen I barely saw, leaving behind the lingering aura of complete mortification and inferiority.
There was a long silence.
Peeta, who looked disgusted (and…ashamed?), rubbed his forehead and groaned.
I wanted to burst out into odd laughter, eyes streaming and diaphragm aching. In fact, I had to purse my mouth into a hard line to keep from smiling. But of course, he noticed.
"Well, at least one of us is amused…" Peeta grumbled. "I am going to murder him."
"Don't, Peeta." I finally let my face crack into a small grin. "I'm only amused at your reaction. Benj's…flirtatious attitude couldn't make me more awkward, but you butting in and being jealous and territorial makes me want to laugh."
He made a face, which could pass for an upset pout if you looked hard enough. "Who says I'm being territorial and jealous?"
I wanted to turn around and snort, but I attempted to keep my poker face on. "Obviously, you. The way you act. As if only you can touch me, and anyone else who so much as thinks about it gets a good beating."
Peeta's eyebrows twisted into one, worried line. "…I am, though, right?"
Along with laughing my butt off, I also wanted to point out how incredibly insecure he was. But instead, I just rolled my eyes and nodded my head. "Of course."
He looked relieved, though not entirely convinced. "Oh. Ok. Well…aside from that, how are you?"
My shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug. "Fine, I guess. I'm a little nervous about my appointment…" I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks heat up as I shuffled my feet. Perhaps I wouldn't have normally admitted my anxiety, but I think I really needed some comfort right then. My stomach was twisting with butterflies and my hands were clammy.
Peeta blinked once, eyebrows creased worriedly at me, and he tentatively held out his hand. I put mine in his and felt the soft, comforting squeeze warm me from the inside out.
"It'll be okay," He reassured me. "It's easier than it seems."
I snorted, scowling at the floor. "As if you've ever married and tried to have a baby before… As a girl."
That earned me an eye roll form Peeta. "I don't need to be a girl to know you're overreacting. Plus, you've always been the kind to grin and bear it, you know?" He had a thoughtful face on. "You have this insane ability to tough things out, to survive. I know it's not exactly ever been…simple with us, but at least it's been easy."
Those are the same things, bub.
"Easy?" I made a face.
"Sure." He grinned. "Maybe at times we disagreed, but deep down we never really wondered if we were actually meant to be together."
"…I never believed in fate…"
"Exactly. And if it did exist and didn't want us to be together, it would have pulled us apart long ago."
There was a pause between us. I knew that I was overreacting. But I also knew that I was just eighteen years old.
Swallowing hard, I turned my head away from him, dropping my hands from him. "Maybe…maybe we're taking this too fast."
There was stillness from Peeta's direction and I snuck a glance up at him. And, to my surprise, his face was completely wiped clean, emotionless. His eyes stared blankly off in the distance.
"Too fast…" he murmured.
I knew at once I said the wrong thing. Crap. Feeling guilty and embarrassed, I grabbed onto his wrist, sneaking my fingers into his hand. "Or-or not, Peeta. I'm just…" A said sigh gurgled from my throat. "…I'm just worried that I'll screw this up as well."
There was yet another silence, but this time it belonged to Peeta and his taken aback look. A grin suddenly cracked across his face and pulled me into a very tight neck-hug. "I was worried I'll screw it up."
A bit of relief painted my throat, making me laugh. "You could never."
Outside, I could see a person in front of the bakery door, looking right at us hesitantly. His hand twitched towards the doorknob, but he thought better of it and skittered away.
"Never mind who'll screw it up, Peeta." I pulled away, resisting the urge to rub my neck. "I have to get back and cram lunch before we have to get to the train station."
He frowned, mildly upset. "If I didn't have to babysit Benj, I'd go with you."
A quiet, muffled 'I heard that' came from the kitchen. It was hard not to laugh.
"I feel awful." Peeta ignored Benj's eavesdropping and put his forehead on the top of my hair.
"Don't," I shook my head, taking a step back. "It'll be boring."
He didn't look convinced.
"I'll see you this afternoon." I spared a small, nervous smile and began backing up towards the door. But I wasn't able to go any further because Peeta had reached over and took my upper arm. My brows relaxed as he bent down and pressed his lips to the corner of my own. Ah, to hell with it. I brought my hand around his neck to give him a proper (though short) one.
Peeta laughed in surprise and pulled away. "Have fun."
"You, too." Feeling my cheeks heat up with either joy or embarrassment, I left him standing there in the bakery.
I made it home in good timing. It turned exactly eleven o'clock when I sat down at the table. Mother and Prim were already in the kitchen with me; Prim sitting across the table and Mother making sandwiches.
Prim took a sip of her orange juice, which Mother poured both of us some glasses. "How is Benj?" she asked.
I had told her about him getting a job at Peeta's, and having to use a cane for his crushed foot. I made a face, contemplating. "…His foot's okay, if that's what you mean. His attitude, though, nearly has Peeta wringing his neck."
My sister grinned, rolling her sky-blue eyes. "That's why I got assigned to him. None of the other nurses wanted to deal with him. But he seemed to behave well enough around me. Why does Peeta want to wring his neck?"
Mother set our food in front of us, wrapped in paper towels.
It was hard not to laugh at the thought of Benj and Peeta's ever-waging war. I shouldn't find it funny, but it honestly was. "Peeta's jealous because Benj has…a thing for me. Every time Peeta's out back in the kitchen he finds it humorous to flirt with me until his pride gets grinded down and he runs away with his tail in between his legs."
Prim burst out in laughter, which sounded like pealing bells.
"Quiet down your talking and eat your food," Mother scolded lightly. "We have to leave in half an hour."
Both my sister and I were grinning down at the table as we munched on our sandwiches.
At roughly 11:45, Prim and I tossed on our coats (because Mother made us, even though it was still horribly hot out) and we headed out. The walk across town to the train station was a little over half an hour long, but I didn't mind it. Though just about every single person we passed stared at me with wide eyes, it would have been a lot worse if a hovercraft came to pick me up. Just for a therapy session (I don't even know if that's what it is, though).
At one point about a mile from the station, this girl and her father came up to me. They were both from the Seam, obviously, and as thin as rails.
"Is it true?" The father said in a husky, quiet voice. "Is it true that you and Mr. Mellark are inviting the entire town to your wedding?"
I made a face. That was stretching the truth a bit, but I wasn't quite sure how to word it exactly. So I just nodded. "Yes, sir. Sunday at Eleven."
"At the Village." he whispered, and then took a little step back with a scared face on, as if the mentioning of the Victor's Village was forbidden.
We didn't have time to stay and chat. We were hurried along by our deadline, and made it to the train station just in time for the doors to shut. And, of course, people recognized me there. It was a pain, being stared at all the time. No one tried to talk to me this time, though.
The ride to District 13 was rather boring, in my opinion. Dense forest changed into desolate desert. I knew that they built railroad tracks as soon as Snow's downfall was secured, which was good. They went straight underground to the station about ten feet under the surface. The entire train lurched when we went under, and I swallowed hard.
The conductor at the front of the train waved people forwards, keeping them in line and scanning tickets. When he got to Mother, Prim and me, he took our tickets and then did a double take at me. He stared for a split-second and then glanced over at Mother and Prim. There was an awkward pause.
He cleared his throat, scanned our tickets, and tipped his hat at me. "Miss Everdeen."
I was hit with extreme déjà-vu on my way walking in the cold metal hallway into District 13. It smelled like a prison to me, sterile but barren. I remember walking down these exact same halls with a numbing drug coursing through my veins, meant to slow my muscles just in case I wanted to run. My hair was a disgusting burnt mess, I had been sore from the inside out (literally), and the will to live had been drained from me. The smell as we walked through the metal corridor nearly made me shrink against the wall in terror, trembling.
Prim knew what I was feeling. She took hold of my hand and led me through, keeping us on the right path. It helped and I welcomed her reassurance, even though I knew my way. Too much, in fact.
I had spent many days and weeks in the hospital here. I remember the day I woke up after getting stabbed in the shoulder, getting whisked off when something went wrong with my already-wrong pregnancy, staying a month in there before and after the head surgery that I needed because of my acute stress reaction, or something. The worst months of my life were spent in here. And I was walking right back in, straight back into the disgusting silver hospital I wanted so bad never to see again.
Mother and Prim kept a good, tight hold on me as we made our way through the halls, labeled different things. "Radiology", "Day Surgery", "Women's Ward", "Cardiovascular Examinations", "Laboratories", all the way until we got the ominous hanging sign labeled, "Psychological Health Evaluations". I dug my feet into the cold tile floor, sucking in a breath.
"Come on, Katniss," Mother said not unkindly, gently trying to tug me into the hall by my hand. "It'll be over soon, dear, come on."
I shook my head and began to tremble. I've been here before. Too many bad memories were attached to this hospital. I needed to get out…
Prim pulled me without as much gentleness as our mother. "It isn't much an argument if you behave like this in on your way to the therapist."
I scowled at her, buts she had a point. I wanted to get out and never come back, but in order to do that I had to be sane. Sane. I'm sane, and I'm probably able to convince Dr. Aurelis as much. Sighing, I bit my lip and let them drag me the rest of the way.
My doctor's office was the third from the left right after you passed the bathrooms. I really didn't want to go, but I was practically tossed by Mother and Prim, the door shutting behind them. Shifting my eyes nervously, I examined the room before me. It was large-ish, with a desk in the corner and a comfortable-looking couch on the end. Nice pictures hung on the wall and the whole thing was dimly lit by a couple lamps hanging around.
Dr. Aurelis was sitting behind the desk, examining some papers. He didn't pay any attention to the three people who had burst into his office without knocking, for the first few seconds. I didn't even bother watching his expression fluctuate as he read whatever was on those papers; the last time I'd seen him was when he was explaining the drill right before I left to go back to District 12. He had said "if you need anything, you know where I am".
My eyes narrowed.
The paper was shoved aside by Dr. Aurelis and he laced his fingers under his chin, examining me. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Everdeen."
I didn't say anything, just held his gaze with my own steadiness.
There was another moment he paused, until afterwards the doctor stood. He turned to Mother and Prim. "If you two would mind giving us a moment,"
They nodded and frantically skittered out of the room without so much as a "good luck" to me.
I kept my gaze steady on him, still not speaking.
"So," Dr. Aurelis ignored my hostility as he rummaged around in a cabinet above his chair. "How have you been lately, Katniss?"
"Fine."
"Have you been more active?" He pulled a tangle of wires out, attempting to sort them out. "Working on distractions and doing things you love to help you out?"
I just stayed silent, because I haven't really. I've just been with Peeta and my family, occasionally going to town.
The doctor didn't seem too miffed by me not answering. Instead, he turned to me and offered up a sticky little circle stuck to a wire. And he explained. "This wire, Miss Everdeen, hooks up and evaluates your brain activity. It won't hurt, and I'm just going to ask you a couple questions."
That never works out, asking a couple questions, but I didn't argue. When he instructed me to lay down, I did just that and made myself comfortable. It was a very nice couch, I gave him credit for that.
There was a tiny monitor on his desk, which he kept an eye on as he asked me questions. And it went just like that for a while. He asked questions, and I answered truthfully. The monitor kept up a steady humming for an hour as we talked, until he finally switched it off and took the sticky circles off my forehead.
"The worst part is over, Katniss." Dr. Aurelis sad to me with a smile, putting away everything back in the cabinet. "Now I am going to ask you a few more questions that require more thought, and this is really what helps me determine how you are."
So the monitor and little sticky wires were just for show? Ugh. I gritted my teeth and nodded at him, settling back on the couch.
"Now," My doctor pulled out a notepad. "The drugs we had you on and your…condition when we last departed could have placed some side-effects on you. So tell me, have you had any suicidal thoughts lately?"
Be honest, Katniss…Honest, honest…
I sucked in a breath, not daring to look at him. "Not lately."
"But you have had some?"
"It was two months ago." I spat bitterly, still not looking. "After being in quarantine. None after that, though."
"Okay," Dr. Aurelis nodded. "What brought that on, pray tell?"
I didn't like telling my "secrets" to a perfect stranger, but all I wanted to do was get back home. "The only people I'd seen in months were Mother, Primrose and Haymitch. I was feeling…abandoned."
"By Mr. Mellark, yes…" He jotted something down, eyebrows creasing.
I scowled, pursing my lips until they felt numb.
"But that's over now, right? You're no longer feeling abandoned?"
"Peeta's back, if that's what you mean." I said quietly, still through gritted teeth.
"Yes, yes… Excellent."
I decided I no longer liked anyone who said that word to me, 'excellent'.
"And how about your eating habits?"
"Fine."
"Nightmares?"
I was silent for a minute. "…Not many."
And it went on like that for another half-hour. Him asking personal questions, me only answering the few I felt like answering. He didn't ask any about my health, but more like "are you lonely?" and "is Mr. Mellark treating you well?". They were questions I didn't enjoy answering, but told mostly the truth, just to get out as soon as possible. And finally, it was 3:45, he scratched his head and leaned forwards.
"Last question, Katniss, and you may leave."
It's about time…
I nodded, crossing my arms.
"Are you happy?"
Three simple words. I could have answered right away with what seemed like the easiest response, but it caught me off guard, making me pause. Happy… I have a mother and sister who love me, I have a man who may love me even more, I have an upcoming wedding to look forward to, I have new friends (if Caroline and Ivy count, and they most certainly do). I may be troubled at times, but I knew that I wasn't unhappy.
I took a deep breath, and answered truthfully: "Yes. Yes, I am."
The doctor leaned backwards and stored his notebook in the pocket of his jacket, looking pleased. "Thank you, Katniss. That was most enlightening. Now, I can suggest thing to you that may help whatever small things that are obviously stressing you out in life,"
I blinked at him.
He held up a finger. "Do something you did before. If it was eating a certain kind of soup before you go to bed every night, that works. Or maybe you volunteered at the orphanage weeknights. Or you took friends out to have a drink every Saturday. Whatever it is, get a routine going, something you can connect to and latch on to have some hold on life. Something to keep yourself steady just in case anything does go wrong again. Do you have something like that to hold on to?"
I felt kind of stupid, sitting there thinking. Because I did know. It wasn't eating soup before bed or having a drink with friends every Saturday or visiting orphanages (we don't even have one of those in District 12). I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I hunted, obviously." He should know that. Everyone else did.
"Then go hunting."
"I don't go anymore," I spat bitterly, sitting up. "I haven't in a year."
"Be that as it may, Miss Katniss," The doctor put his hand gently on my shoulders and didn't mind when I shrugged it off, "It'll help. Who knows? It just might be what you've been looking for all along. You may go now."
It was hard not to laugh out loud with relief and barrel from the room, throwing myself at the opposite wall. Instead, I stood up, thanked him, and walked out in what I hoped seemed semi-normal.
Mother and Prim were waiting out in the hallway for me, sitting in chairs conveniently provided. When I walked out, they immediately stood up and came over to me, but their attention was driven to Dr. Aurelis, who walked out with me. Prim caught my eye and shook her head, taking my hand and guiding me away from Mother and the doctor, who were talking quietly.
"Let's go." My little sister said quietly. "We'll take the long way out of the hospital and meet Mother at the entrance near the cafeteria."
I knew where she meant, so I nodded.
We walked, and I let my eyes follow some rooms as we passed. Down that hallway was my ward that I had to stay for a month in. Ugh. And right there was where I woke up from my first surgery. And right there w— I froze, staring into an empty room.
"Katniss?" Prim glanced at me uncertainly, and then into the room.
What was so familiar about in here? I wondered, biting my lip. Something, though. IT was an average hospital room, equipped with all the tubes and bottles hanging room shelves and the strange instruments on rollers on the ceiling. Above the clean white bed was a large screen that said "DISCONNECTED" in big, white letters. Yet another déjà-vu passed through my head and I saw that screen again, but this time it was on. And the line was flat, a continuous beep.
"Let's just go, Katniss." Prim tried to tug me away, and succeeded, but only because my knees had gone numb. I didn't have the muscle to resist.
That was Gale's room. After his wrists got slit by Cinna, he was found, half-dead and brought to that room. And it was that room I held his hand and watched him die, the heart monitor go blank, and his mouth fall slack with the effort of saying my name one last time. I breathed through my nose. He's in a better place, I told myself. He's free of the pain he suffered while alive. Yes. Free.
Primrose seemed worried I'd flip out on her; the pace at which we were walking was hurried up, and we got to the hospital entrance quite a bit faster than I'd expected. There was a bench right outside the door, and we sat.
"Are you…" Prim said cautiously after waiting a few minutes. "…Are you going to…cry or something, Katniss?"
I didn't say anything, just stared off in the distance.
"You miss him, I know." She put her hand around mine again and leaned her head on my shoulder, letting her sweet-smelling golden hair mingle with my own, darker braids.
"I do…" I felt myself saying, though no tears came. Or wanted to come. "I do miss him, but I find it easier to know he's in a better place."
"That's great, Katniss!" Prim beamed, cheered up immediately. And then a blush passed her cheeks. "I-I mean… It's great that you've finally let go of him. He is in a better place, but you still have the right to miss him. But everything's…everything's going to be okay. You've accepted his death and that's good."
Sometimes my little sister talked too much. Way too much. I ignored her, staring off into the familiar hallways with disdain, even though my face was as blank as ever.
Mother came some few minutes later with the good news that I didn't need to be seen any more. I was perfectly healthy, including my brain. They squealed and hugged me, displaying a great amount more enthusiasm than I do, as usual, but I hugged them back at least. We can get out now. Yes…
The next train back home left at 4:15, so we waiting back in the underground station until that time came. When it did, we boarded and I actually smiled to the conductor as he guided us to our seats. The ride home was much faster than the ride here, and before I knew it, I was opening my eyes to the train station back in District 12.
Primrose held one of my hands, Mother held the other, and we walked back across the town. Though we got the same amount of stares, no one tried to talk to us then either. Some smiled, some shrank back as if I had some sort of contagious something-or-other, some waved as if they've known me for years. I only waved back to one, which was Lucia, who was out mingling around the opening of Stalinbrooke Drive. There was the occasional carriage heading towards the richer part of District 12, but there was no reason to stop as we made our way to the bakery.
Mother and Prim let go of my hands and we parted ways, but not without more hugging. I let them strangle me for a moment before they hugged each other and walked back off to the Victor's Village. Too much hugging…
Shaking my head, I pushed open the bakery door and heard the tinkling bell.
Immediately, the bakery smells overwhelmed me, as they did every time I came in here. Anna-Mae was behind the counter, engrossed in a book. I could just barely see the top of her head as the small woman bent down over the pages of her story.
I cleared my throat, and she looked up. "Is Peeta around?"
She nodded, and pointed to the kitchen.
Thanking her, I went cautiously over to the back door and knocked before pushing it open.
The first thing I saw was Benj. He was busy mopping the floor, back hunched in defeat, rubber gloved already dirty. He turned around briskly at the sound of the kitchen door opening, and upon seeing me there, he swallowed and shrank down a little.
"Peeta's out back unloading flour," He said hastily. "You can go see him."
My mood was once again lightened by Benj's attitude. It wanted to laugh once again, but all I said was, "You act as if he beats you."
Benj rolled his eyes. "No one messes with his girl… Dishes duty for a week."
He sounded like a small boy getting caught stealing candy from a child, complaining of extra chores. I didn't respond to him as I went over to the mostly-hidden back door, opening it to the alleyway behind the bakery. Out there, a rarely-seen delivery truck was parked. The back of it was open, a wide metal ramp leading up the two feet to the supplies inside. Peeta was standing on that ramp in his usual apron, slinging a huge sack of flour over one shoulder, and then another sack over his left. I could see the muscles in his arms rippling with the effort, and the clearly defined chest muscles that I caught myself staring open-mouthedly at. He was…really buff.
I skittered out of the way as he walked by, brows scrunched and teeth gritted with the exertion. It was obvious he didn't notice me as he went back in. For a second the door began closing behind him, but he was back swinging it open before it clicked. For a moment he began to stride back towards the truck, but then his eyes swept over me and he started, eyebrows shooting upwards.
"Katniss!" He blinked several times and shook his head, as if clearing water out of it. "I didn't see you there." Peeta came over to me, wiping his hands off on the front of his apron. "How was your appointment?"
I paused, wanted to collapse on a fluffy sofa with him and take a nap. "Tedious. But fine."
For a second Peeta paused as well, as if waiting for me to say something else. But when it was clear I wouldn't, he cleared his throat. "Well, did he have any advice for you? Do you need to see him again anytime soon?"
"Never again, thankfully." I allowed myself a smile and a relieved sigh. "He just told me to see him if I ever need to talk, and to go hunting again."
One of his eyebrows arched at me. "He specifically told you to go hunting again?"
I hesitated, leaning against the back wall of the bakery. "…Pretty much."
"And are you?"
Another moment of silence. Peeta, who was watching me, absentmindedly reached over and brushed his hand on the dumpster lid, squishing a spider under his finger.
"Yeah, I think I will." I detached myself from the wall and went over to him. "I was thinking right now, actually."
"Oh." He blinked in surprise, and then put his hands on either side of my neck, tips of his fingers brushing my jaw. "Be safe, will you? Come back smiling."
"And in one piece. I know, I know." I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile at how protective he was. "I will. I promise."
Peeta sighed, shaking his head, and pulled me towards him briefly so he could give me a kiss on the forehead and tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. Come back before nightfall so I don't have to come looking for you."
He knew that I could take care of myself overnight in the woods, but I just snorted and stuck my tongue out at him, beginning to turn around. "Yes, Mother."
"And eat your vegetables. Wash your hands before every meal. Say your prayers!" He yelled as the back door slammed shut after me.
I went back home after that, and the routine to get ready for hunting was welcome and only a bit strange after so many years. I filled a water bottle and tucked it into my belt, re-braided my hair and put it up in my worn leather cap we'd managed to save in the bombing. A knapsack was wrapped around my waist.
When I told Mother and Prim what was up, they looked surprised, but never the less wished me luck. And with that, I left through the door and jogged over to the fence line surrounding District 12.
There was no more listening for the electricity and dodging under barbed-wire fence without being caught by Peacekeepers. I strode right up to it, opened the nice wooden gate, and strolled right into the forest.
It was dark in the five-o'clock sunlight that failed to leak all the way onto the forest floor. Birds and crickets chirped across to each other, reverberating it along the scattered leaves that danced in the breeze. Squirrels scrambled up rough tree bark and chattered with annoyance as I walked past. It took a few tries to remember exactly how to stalk silently as I did before. And it was the exact moment I reached the familiar empty stump and held my old bow in my hand I felt like things were back to normal.
I wiped off the dust and the tiny bit of mildew that had gathered on the shiny wood of my long bow, running my fingers on the crevices where I hold it. I strung it up and slung my old quiver over my back, hearing the arrows rattle with the wildness I felt inside of me. It still fit inside my palm as it did a year ago.
Man, I'd missed this. Tiptoeing through the woods, bow in hand with one arrow nocked on it, ready to be pulled back. My feet made no noise on the forest as I walked on, watching the squirrels that were too fast to shoot. And finally, I saw my chance. There was a dip in the ground, and a teensy hill on the other side of the dip. Nestled between a baby pine tree and the scratchy trunk of a quaking aspen, sat a rabbit. It was fat, ugly, and had its back to me, munching on the strawberries that Gale and I had tried to keep away from those stupid creatures a few years ago.
With my left hand, I touched my thumb and forefinger together around my bow, relaxing the other fingers. I drew back the nock of the arrow to the corner of my mouth and felt the sharp points of my shoulder blades touch. Breathe… The point of the arrow resting on the rabbit's rump and I relaxed my right fingers. With a small nip, the string flew from my hand, sending the arrow splitting the air with a near-silent humming noise.
The rabbit knew what was happening a second before it happened. The arrow flew right into it behind the left shoulder blade and straight through its chest. Though it wasn't my usual clean shot through the eye, it fell, dead.
I released the breath I'd been holding and jogged over to the beast. I still had it, even after a year of not shooting.
My kill was laying there in the grass, a piece of strawberry still singling from its mouth, where a dribble of blood had started falling out. I wiped off the berry and stuff the rabbit into my knapsack.
Not far from here there was a stream, where the animals would come for a drink and the fish would pool stupidly. I made my way there, strapping the bow once against over my shoulder. I had to admit, this was the freest I've felt in quite some time. No distractions, no (immediate) threats… I felt like skipping around singing, powdering the sky with dandelion pollen like people did in the movies.
I stayed silent. No skipping or singing.
The stream was there as promised. Silver bubbles rose to the top and floated around before bursting, talking in its gurgling way. Light danced across the ripples and almost all other sounds were drowned out by the babble. Taking the load off of my back—the bow, the quiver, and the sack with my kill in it—I threw it all down on a small hill of moss and lay down as well, swigging the water I'd brought.
Birds around me chirped merrily, hopping on their branches, peering down at the strange girl invading their home. They rustled their feathers and shook their heads, squawking at me. And with the birds singing (or cussing me out in their little birdy language) and the crickets calling and the stream gurgling, I closed my eyes and rolled over on my side…
"Ow…" I grumbled, feeling something painful jab into my ribs. Cursing silently, I sat back up, running my hand on the ground underneath me, looking for the abomination that had befouled my peace. They felt a rod of some sort, cold metal with one end sharpened to a painful point. "What the…?"
Biting my lip, I tugged at it. And with a groan and snapping of moss roots, out of the ground came an arrow. It was covered in dirt and moss and roots, dulled slightly at the tip with two of its feathers missing. But it was still an arrow, obviously. I stared, rolling it around in my fingers. What got me, though, was the nock of the arrow. It was sticky and half-covered in bright orange flower pollen.
Gale used to do that to his arrows so they'd be easier spotted. I tried it once, but all the pollen just came off so I never bothered trying again. So this was Gale's arrow. One event after another happened, and the more that did, the odder I felt. Sort of like…I wasn't sad about him anymore. Of course I missed him like crazy, but….Ugh, I didn't know…
"I'm sorry, Gale." I murmured to myself, slowly wiping off the layer of dirt from his long-lost arrow. "I'm sorry you had to die. I'm sorry you think it's my fault. I wish you didn't, but then again… I wish a lot of things." Sighing, I stuck the arrow in my bag and laid on my back again, eyes tuned to the tiny fish jumping in the stream. "I wish you were here with me, for one. And I wished things could have ended a little more peaceful than they did."
They ended horribly…
"I wish I could have said goodbye to you, or at least reassured you that I loved you one last time. Though you probably wouldn't have believed me." I laughed quietly to myself. "I don't know what else I wish, though, Gale. Mostly I just want to talk to you one more time without you blaming me for everything."
Sighing, I stood back up with a sore grunt. Most of the energy had been drained from me doing just that, and I rubbed my forehead. A single rabbit could make a dinner. It was good enough.
I trudged back through the forest, sticking to the usual path I took, seeing barely any delicious would-be morsels to eat. My bow and quiver was stored where I had gotten it, and after that I took a different route I'd thought would lead me closest to the Village. The fence was exactly where it would be, though I had misjudged my distance. By about a mile. Making an exhausted raspberry, I trudged on, feeling like weights had been stuck to the bottoms of my shoes.
I had no idea what time it was when I got back to the Village. The sun was still visible above the tree line, so I guessed it was right about suppertime. Perfect.
Peeta's house was the closest to me, which was great because I was going there anyways. I walked up the porch and knocked once, but didn't bother waiting for Peeta to open it. I just slugged on in, closing it behind me. My back felt heavy.
"Are you okay, Katniss?" Peeta appeared at my side, sliding his arm around me, propping me up a little.
I nodded. "I feel fine, thank you. Just exhausted."
"I'd imagine." He shook his head. "You were gone for four hours."
Three hours? It didn't seem like that long at all. I knew the stream was a couple miles away, but it didn't feel like four hours at all. Shrugging, I made my way over to the kitchen. "Four hours and only a single rabbit to show for it." I tipped out the lumpy old beast onto the kitchen counter.
"A single rabbit that makes our dinner." Peeta was optimistic as ever, and began washing his hands. "Are you going back to your mother's house, or…?"
I paused, and then nearly smiled. It was never really a question. "I'm staying with you if you don't mind too much."
"Not at all." He smiled at me and took out a knife from his fancy wooden knife box. "Why don't you go take a hot shower? I'll cook dinner."
Aw man… I sometimes felt so completely lucky having someone like him around. Peeta, who was never pessimistic, and knew when I needed a break. I smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Peeta. But I don't have any more clothes here, do I? Was it just the one pair?"
He made a face. "Afraid so…" But then a small smile stretched across his face, and he leaned his head in the direction of the stairs. "You can borrow some of mine."
I loved wearing Peeta's clothes. For some reason I felt like laughing, and I just sighed thankfully, heading upstairs to Peeta's room.
When I was up in his room (nothing had changed, even the little picture of a week-old Jace on his nightstand), I kicked the door closed and headed into the bathroom, careful not to get blood anywhere. It was all over my hands from the artery I had hit in the rabbit. Shedding my dirty clothing and stepping into the shower, I scrubbed off the blood under a stream of torrid hot water. My hair was brought out of its braid and washed free of the sweat that had accumulated. And when I finally stepped back out of the large shower stall, the entire mirror above the sink was blurry with steam.
I towel-dried my hair as best as I could and then wrapped the used towel under my armpits, heading back into the room. Peeta's wardrobe was just ten feet to the left of the bathroom door, and he was not in his room, so I snuck over to it and pulled out a pair of his drawstring pajama bottoms and one of his big T-shirts. They smelled so good…
Dropping the towel, I pulled the shirt over my head and hiked the pants up to my belly button. The drawstring was tied in an impossible knot, so I had to keep hiking them up to keep them from falling. It looked like I was drowning in these clothes, but I loved it too much to change at all. Feeling content and warm, I shuffled back downstairs.
Peeta was serving up some stew (I knew it was rabbit, I didn't need to guess) into bowls when I came in.
"Just on time," He said, setting a bowl on the table. "You eat up. I've got to go do something real fast."
I just blinked at him and sat down, watching Peeta as he left the kitchen.
The stew was incredibly delicious. How much I'd missed rabbit meat, I had no idea until then. Mouth watering, I slurped down the entire bowl before Peeta had come back.
"Jesus, Katniss…" He chuckled, taking the empty bowl from me. "Would you like seconds?"
I wanted some more, but I had a feeling I'd make myself sick eating more of that stuff. Because first off, he had given me a massive bowlful. It was more along the lines of a bucketful. And second, I had eaten it all in less than five minutes. It was still sitting in my gullet. I just shook my head at Peeta.
"Well…" He ate his up quickly, too, and the dishes were tossed in the sink and the rest of the stew put in the refrigerator.
I stood up when he didn't move from his spot in front of the sink. The pajama bottoms I was wearing started to slip, so I hiked them up a bit more and tossed a vagrant lock of still-wet hair out of my face.
Peeta, who was watching me, grinned. "You're…amazing."
I crossed my arms over the too-big T-shirt (which I knew covered up my brassier-less chest) and tried not to smile myself. "What makes you think that?"
He wouldn't take his eyes off me. "I don't know… You're just drowning in those clothes with your hair wet and an absolute mess. You look younger."
"And that makes me amazing…" I wanted to scowl but all that would conjure up on my face was burning cheeks and a teensy smile that was impossible to ward off. I didn't even see Peeta walk up to me. It was only until he wrapped his strong arms around my shoulders I looked up. Into a mop of blond hair, but I just inhaled at and pressed myself closer to him.
I felt tiny right then, but the good kind of tiny. The kind like a kitten snuggling up on top of a pillow. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a kitten, though…
Peeta pressed his cheek against mine, lips close to my ear. "Am I allowed to say I love you?"
"Not until the wedding."
A long pause.
"I'm just joking, Peeta." I laughed into his neck, pressing closer still, wanting to disappear into him. "You can say it all you want."
"Well, good." It may have been just me, but Peeta sounded relived. He gently kissed the top of my cheekbone. "Because I do. Love you, I mean."
Darn him… "I love you, too." It was impossible not to reach up and wrap my arms around his neck as tightly as possible and press my face into his shoulder.
We stood that way for a while, wrapped in each other's presence. His skin molded against mine and I could feel the wiry muscles in his arms and chest. Peeta's fingers were curled around my torso and laced in my hair, seemingly wanting to melt into me (which I'd be fine with).
"It's late, Katniss," He pulled gently, letting the tips of his fingers comb through as he did so. "Come on to bed."
But it wasn't to "bed" where we were going. Turns out Peeta had dragged a whole bunch of extra blankets and pillows into the living room. The oak-and-glass coffee table that had sat between the two suede sofas was now gone, leaving a large area of makeshift beds on the floor.
I laughed quietly through my nose. "…A sleepover."
Peeta's eyes sparkled momentarily as he beamed at the sight. But he ended up furrowing his eyebrows after glancing around for another second.
"What?"
He rubbed his chin. "It's missing something…"
Arrggh. He was driving me crazy. I threw my hands up in the air. "What?"
"I don't have any on me, but maybe we'll be able to pick some up in town." Peeta grabbed my hand and started pulling me excitedly towards the door.
"No, no, Peeta." I resisted, feeling a grin crack across my face. "I'm wearing your clothes. I am not going to town."
He rolled his eyes at me and kept tugging. "No one will see you. We'll be fast."
"I'm not wearing shoes."
"Chicken. Come on."
I whined, but a surprised laugh bubbled from my throat when he succeeded in pulling me mobile, and suddenly we were running barefoot down the enormous circle drive away from the Victor's Village. One of my hands was encased in his, and the other held tightly to the waistband of the pajama bottoms I was wearing to make sure they didn't fall down.
"This is insane," I hissed to Peeta as we shot past rows of houses, most of which had only one or no lights on.
He just threw his head back and laughed. It echoed through the sleeping town, bouncing from tree to silent house and back, getting lost in the stars. It was obvious he was enjoying himself. The grin wouldn't leave his face, and neither would the twinkle in his eyes.
I didn't ask him where we were going; he just led by pulling me by my hand down one road, then the next, passing shops both open and closed. We passed barns full of horses, some sleeping and some munching on grass. Weathervanes swung slowly as the lazy wind yawned. It was when my bare feet were beginning to sting, Peeta finally slowed to a stop in front of an ancient-looking store, which one of its dusty windows was lit.
"Jeez, Peeta." I panted, hitching up my pj pants once more. "Remind me again why we're galloping through town in our nightclothes like hooligans with no shoes on?"
He shook his head vigorously like a dog and then grinned at me through a layer of overgrown, shaggy blond hair. "To have a proper sleepover, you need proper tools."
This made me frown.
"So you coming in with me?" Peeta jabbed his thumb behind him to the store.
Let's see… I was barefoot with wild, damp hair, wearing a giant T-shirt and too-big pajama bottoms (both of which were Peeta's) without any underclothes on.
"I'll pass, thank you.
He winked at me and ducked inside, leaving me out alone in the navy after-dusk town.
It was lovely out this time of night. The moon was visible in the east, and brilliant little diamonds were scattered across the sky like pebbles. No birds were singing, but the cicadas were out, filling the air with constant humming chirps. Every now and again I saw the twinkle of a firefly light up, and then fade out again. And the entire scene smelled of dewy grass and soil.
"We should do this more often, you and I." Peeta said quietly, appearing at my side. In his hand was a small paper bag, but his thoughts were obviously elsewhere.
I nodded in silent agreement, no longer bothering to ask what he came to get.
The walk back home was a lot slower and more peaceful. Though my muscles were aching like mad and my feet had gravel embedded into them, I didn't pay any heed to the discomforts. Peeta's fingers were laced with mine and out hands swung back and forth in between us. I felt happy, though the situation was odd. I was deemed sane by my therapist, I hunted for the first time in a year and finally got over the death of my best friend, and I had Peeta. Here we were, taking a walk through town very late at night, barefoot and in our pajamas, holding hands. I wasn't sure how much more I could be at peace with the world. Thought I'd never be…
We got back to the Village and I was reluctant to leave the fresh night air, but when Peeta held up the paper bag and shook it tantalizingly, curiosity got the better of me. When we walked inside, he stopped by the kitchen, justifying his actions by saying he was checking on the cookies he had set out to cool before we left. I wasn't sure what to do, so I wandered around in the living room until he came back.
"Excuse me," Peeta ushered me out of the way and he dragged the coffee table back into its original position temporarily. On top of the table went a chair.
"What are you doing, Peeta?" I inquired, looking up at him as he stood towering on the chair.
He rummaged around in the bag. "You'll see." And he reached up to touch the ceiling.
Peeta did this for a minute, reaching into the bag and touching the ceiling. I didn't ask what he was doing again, but really wanted to, especially when he got down and moved the table a few feet and did the exact same thing again, And so he went on like that, until he touched most of the living room ceiling. I just decided to dub his behavior as unimportant, no matter how bizarre. It was only until he got down and put the table & chair away I put my hands on my hips.
He waved me aside nonchalantly. "Why don't you sit down? I'll get the cookies."
Feeling disgruntle, I sank down onto the numerous blankets and pulled one over my lap.
After a few seconds' wait, Peeta brought back a tray of at least two dozen cookies and set them next to me. I took one, but before I could take a bite, I was interrupted.
"Lay down and close your eyes." Peeta hadn't sat down yet.
Bossy arsehole… Grumbling, I put the treat back and did as I was told, seeing the orange glow of the lights from behind my eyelids. But suddenly it was gone, black, sending white dots dancing around behind my lids, confused. The blankets around me shifted as Peeta slid under them with me and I felt him put his arm around my shoulders.
"Now look."
I opened my eyes and was immediately awed. It was like the night sky on our ceiling, glowing pale green through the unlit house. My first instinct was to get up and trip around in a daze, but after a funny muscle twitch in my neck, I relaxed against Peeta and stared. There wasn't really anything I could say to that.
"See what I mean by proper tools?" Peeta's voice blared over the peacefulness after a few minutes and I wanted to shush the unnatural noise in the room.
But instead, I laughed. "Glow-in-the-dark star stickers? Seriously?"
He sat up to steal a cookie from the tray. "The best sleepovers consist of glow-in-the-dark star stickers and homemade cookies. You don't like it?"
I sat up with him, leaning my back against the couch. "No, no it's amazing. Just really bizarre. You're…you're really…"
Peeta rolled his head on his shoulder to face me, and I could tell in the dim light he was grinning. "Amazing? You were going to say amazing."
"Of course I was."
We sat like that for a long time, staring up at the ceiling and eating peanut butter cookies. Though are stars didn't twinkle much like the real ones, they were still ours, and still beautiful. It was only until I heard a small snore from Peeta I looked over at him.
His head was limp and hair hanging in his eyes.
"Peeta…" I laughed quietly, and then pulled a few covers up over him.
It was a sign that I should go to sleep, too. Sinking under the remaining covers, I curled up on my side facing Peeta. One of his hands were close to mine, so I laced my fingers around his and squeezed gently.
"G'night…" I mumbled to him and was pulled under, into a sleep cradled by the glowing haven of our stars.
oOo
I hope you guys like long, because this is roughly hoe it'll be until the wedding. Cramming an entire day into a 10,000-word-long chapter. :P:P Don't forget to review, now! We're so close…