It Started With a Cake

Ch44. Crawling

"Come on monkey" Peeta's laugh is a sound that radiates throughout the whole house, bringing a bright smile to my face.

"How's she going?" I ask as I enter the living room, bending down to kiss the top of Peeta's head as I pass him.

Willow whines making me look at the small child who has sat herself down on her bum with a pout.

"Oh I'm sorry did I forget your kiss little bug" I joke dropping down to the floor next to her completely forgetting about the laundry I was doing to lift my little girl into my arms and press a hundred sloppy kisses to her little chubby cheeks.

When I've finally stopped Willow reaches her hands towards my face pulling her face towards mine to sloppily return the favour, smiling cheekily at my reaction of mild disgust.

I can't help but laugh at her cuteness, squeezing her tightly in my arms to convey all my love onto this small girl who owns my whole world.

"Alright let's keep trying" I finally say when Willow begins to squirm in my arms, itching to be let free to play, or more likely cause trouble.

I place her down on her knees helping her get in the right position to crawl towards Peeta.

"Come to daddy Willow" Peeta encourages when he spots her eyeing his empty lap, her spot.

Willow giggles as she places her hands down on the floor in front of her, preparing to crawl over to him it seems.

I wait with baited breath, preparing myself to watch yet another milestone, she rocks herself back and forth so close to moving. Then she does it, she lifts a hand and places it slightly further ahead of her, adjusting herself once it's on the floor again.

"That's it, good job Willow" I cheer her on but It seems my excitement is premature as quickly after Willow drops to the floor again moving onto her bum again so that she can shuffle across the floor to Peeta.

I sigh but plaster a supportive smile on my face as Willow turns herself around now in Peeta's lap to look at me.

She grins at me slowly clapping her two little hands together, seemingly very proud of herself for making her way into Peeta's lap.

I watch as Peeta presses a kiss to her forehead before quickly moving his hands to her sides, erupting giggles out of Willow as he tickles her sides with glee.

She struggles out of his arms again, but eventually does climbing her way down his legs.

Then she pauses both of her hands resting on Peeta's fake leg, her face is one of confusion or perhaps surprise, as if finding out for the first time, which perhaps she had.

"Willow no." I tell her sternly when she begins tapping the metal with her fist, I begin to make my way over to them ready to pull her off of his leg when Peeta stops me.

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt"

I frown at him, more out of concern than anything else but when he continues to give me his reassuring look I can't help but dismiss my own concerns, it is his leg after all.

We sit in silence for a moment, Willow taking her time to look over the mysterious object connected to her dada when Peeta finally speaks up.

"Do you like dada's leg Wills?" Willow looks up at him at his words her little eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Dada lost his other leg a long time ago but then he got this one, and it helps him a lot."

Though I'm not sure if Willow can even make out his words yet, he describes it in such an adorable kid friendly way that despite my guilt and sadness over his loss I can't help but smile.

It's just another example of him being such a good dad to Willow happening right in front of my eyes.

Now distracted by Peeta's voice Willow pauses playing with his leg to reach up her arms towards him, showing him the signal that she want's to be picked up.

He does so very willingly, allowing her to snuggle into his arms for the brief moment that she wants to be held.

Then when she's done she wiggles out of them again, propping herself up into the crawling position without any prompting.

With the prospect of her trying to crawl again I quickly move myself into a sitting position again, similar to Peeta's to hopefully encourage her over to me again. "Come to mama baby!" I smile at her reaching my hands out towards her to come towards.

Willow hums to herself almost teasing us in a way whether she'll decide to move or not.

Then just as she's decided to move, taking a couple of shaky steps in my direction the sound of the front door opening distracts her, prompting her to sit on her bottom with wide eyes as she tries to spot the visitor.

"Aaaah haaa" she screams when she spots him moving her little arms and legs faster than she's ever gone before to crawl over towards Haymitch.

When she finally reaches him Haymitch bends down to her and lifts her into his arms, smiling brightly at the little girl grinning up at him.

"Hi bug! When did you learn to crawl?" He asks her chirpily though clearly the question was more directed to me and Peeta.

"Just now" I sigh, a little frustrated that it was haymitch who she crawled to first, especially since she was so close before he came waltzing in the door.

Haymitch pauses, looking a little shockingly between the three of us. "Did you just crawl to me for the first time?" He asks the little girl who giggles wildly in response.

He rolls his eyes at her cheesily tickling her sides in some kind of celebratory teasing, he then turns to us and I'm surprised to find an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry if I ruined your moment" he tells us and I have to hold back my fiery response as I remind myself it doesn't matter how it happened, all that matters is that she has learnt it.

Peeta much more composed than me responds first, his voice a soft forgiving one. "She loves you too, it's only right you were here for it"

Haymitch smiles, making his way over to us with Willow still in his arms. "Thanks kid" he pats Peeta on the back before finally depositing Willow to the floor between us.

"I'm afraid I can't sit with you here, my bones still haven't recovered from the last time" Haymitch quips somewhat gruffly.

I laugh, "alright oldie"

Haymitch glares back at me making me chuckle all the more harder, "watch it girl, it could happen to you any moment"

"Yeah yeah" I brush his comment aside still smiling up at him.

I watch as he's about to quip back another comment when he pauses, and I can tell why almost immediately.

Willow had begun crawling again, this time towards Peeta.

"Good job Wills" I exclaim excitedly as she finally reaches Peeta's arms, pulling herself into his lap with a proud grin on her face.

"We're going to have to baby proof the house even more now" Peeta finally says making me pause and think.

"Holy shit, that makes things a whole lot more real"

In no time Willow would be moving all around the house, causing all kinds of chaos all across the place. Then even more scarily, in a couple of months she may begin walking, then there'd be nothing stopping her.

"Katniss? Are you alright?" Peeta's voice pulls me back to reality making me realise I had just been sitting there silently for minutes.

"Yeah" I smile "just thinking about the future"

Peeta smiles back at me reassuringly, "it's okay, we'll face it together"

"I know"