Better Games

21. home is calling

After the letter, Peeta and I went on with our days the way we always did. Every day was a step towards our new normal. He baked, I hunted, we checked up on Haymitch from time to time, Haymitch cared for the geese he acquired at some point. He said he got them from a shipment off the train that periodically arrived to District 12 with supplies from the new Capitol. Something about "reparations." I wouldn't know though, I rarely ventured outside Peeta and I's bubble of safety except to hunt and to trade with Sae. I couldn't work up the courage to go further into town. It was sort of a blessing and a curse that we still lived in Victor's Village. It was just far enough away from where most people in the District lived, just detached enough to give us privacy. But our homes were the only structures that remained standing after the bombings, from the original District 12. I knew that, I never forgot it. A blessing and a curse.

Peeta on the other hand walked to the center from time to time. He got shipments of paint from Dr. Aurelius off the train and went to pick them up. But I know at one point he veered off his usual course to see what was left of his family's bakery. Maybe to reminisce, or to solidify some of his memories post-hijacking, I didn't ask him why when he came back home that day. He looked distraught. His shoes were all dusty, he smelled like ash and rubble, a smell I was all too familiar with. No one had touched the bakery in the rebuilding, knowing full well the plot belonged to Peeta who was alive and well and living in District 12. I suspect Sae or whoever was left of the original 12 had something to do with the gesture. Again I wouldn't know. That night Peeta just showered, came to bed, and let me hold him. It was one of the only times I saw Peeta so low besides after his episodes, and even those started to plague him less and less. He didn't talk about it after that.

Nothing out of the ordinary really happened besides that. Like I said, Peeta baked, I hunted, he painted, I watched. We went to the lake on our good days, sat curled up with each other in silence on our bad ones. Buttercup treated our house like his home base, he disappeared for days on end and came back when he felt like it. We still had phone calls with Dr. Aurelius, check ups, but even those started to lessen as she found Peeta and I faired well together now that we never left each other's side. It wasn't until today when our phone rang in the middle of the day that caught us by surprise. Dr. Aurelius wasn't scheduled to call us for two more weeks, and she always called in the evening.

I went to the little table it stood on and picked it up.

"Hello," I said.

"Katniss," a familiar voice said on the other end.

"Annie," I perked up, "Hi."

"Hi Katniss, it's so nice to hear your voice. How are you?"

"We're okay," I said, speaking for both Peeta and I. I didn't take it we were going to have a conversation about just me, the attention made me uncomfortable...considering.

"I know it's been a while, with all of us getting along and whatnot," she cut me off. I could hear a small voice screaming in the background of her the call. "Sorry that's Joanna and Finn she's chasing him around the house like A MANIAC," she emphasized that last part directing it at Joanna.

"YO KATPISS," I heard a faint shout say.

"Who is it," Peeta asked putting down his sketch book on the small telephone table.

"It's Annie, and Joanna," I told him as I handed over the phone, a small grin found it's way onto my face as I heard Finn's scream-laugh get louder and louder.

"Hey Annie," Peeta greeted her sweetly. I stood there as they had a small conversation, I loved hearing from Annie but I hadn't spoken aloud to anyone besides those in our immediate vicinity, Peeta and Haymitch, in ages. And Peeta always had a better way with words.

"Really, wow I mean I would- well let me ask Katniss," He said as he turned to me. My brows furrowed in confusion as I waited for him to ask me whatever it was Annie wanted.

"Annie wants to know if you'd like some visitors. She said she knows we've all had a rough time, but she would love to see us. But she doesn't want to make us come all the way to Four so maybe they could come here, her, Finn, and Joanna."

I thought about it. Annie, Finn, and Joanna here. I missed them, and I hadn't met Finn yet. I could see on Peeta's face that he loved the idea, and so far I didn't have a reason to say no. I though of what Finnick would say if he saw us all together. I was resolved.

"Of course they can come." I told Peeta. He lit up and relayed the good news to Annie.

I heard a faint "Seriously she said yes" come from the receiver and I could only guess it was Joanna.

It would be nice to see Joanna. Annie was especially sweet and soft spoken, probably the most comfortable with Peeta, and Finn would no doubt steal away his heart. But Joanna and I shared something closer, we were both similar in our attitudes, our hardships, our anger. I could only guess how much she had gone through in the Capitol though, that she shared with Peeta. But Joanna, Joanna was just very much like me.

Peeta hung up the phone and looked at me questioningly.

"How come you said yes so quickly? I thought maybe you'd be a little hesitant about it," he wondered.

"I think I miss them more than any excuse I had to say no. I like our space, our little bubble, but I haven't seen them in so long, they're the only ones besides you and Haymitch that know... that were with us. They're our friends. And I know you're dying to see Finn. A little piece of Finnick running around what's more exciting than seeing that." I said. I decided I was excited to see Finn too, though kids reminded me of the darker days, he was only a baby, a toddler, and he was Finnick's.

A small part of me feared having to talk about the past with them, that we'd reminisce about the war, about what we'd lost. I didn't look forward to that. I liked Peeta's and my normal. But with Finn I guess Annie and Joanna had a new normal too. I let the feeling of worry pass.

"We'll set a date," Peeta said to me kissing my cheek. I could see he was looking forward to it.