Embracing (A Hunger Games fanfiction)

Six Weeks Along

***PEETA’S POV****

Our lives take on a schedule. Wake up, eat breakfast, bake and hunt, nap, paint and then bed. This goes on for six weeks before Katniss starts getting morning sickness.

The first time, we were lying peacefully in bed, her head on my chest, before she suddenly lurched and ran for the bathroom. I follow her and hold her hair back from her face as she pukes into the basin. When she’s finished, I help her into the shower.

“You okay?” I ask when she walks into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around herself.

“I am now. Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

I get dressed with her before wandering downstairs to make her breakfast. At her request, I make scrambled egg.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Do you have the flu or something?”

“I don’t know Peeta,” she grumbles around the egg in her mouth.

I let it go and wash up the plates when she’s finished eating. She flops on the couch and is soon snoring softly. Shaking my head, I wander back upstairs to get my sketch pad. Then I go sit on the ground in front of her sleeping figure and being to draw.

By the time she wakes up, I’m just adding the finishing touches.

“What’s that?” she asks and points at my book.

“Hang on, don’t move.”

She looks at me quizzically, but listens.

Soon I pass her the book.

“You drew me sleeping? Why?”

“You look gorgeous and I needed to draw something.”

“I look funny.”

“No you don’t.”

“My hair’s all ratty and my mouth's open.”

“You’ll find that occurs when you sleep.”

She slugs my arm with her fist before passing the sketchpad back to me.

“Thank you Peeta. It’s pretty.”

“You’re welcome,” I kiss her forehead.

“Be right back. I’ll just put this back.”

When I come back down, I can’t see her.

“Katniss?” I ask worriedly.

Retching noises come from outside.

I rush out the front door to see her kneeling on the grass, retching.

I help her to her feet when she’s done and just hold her to my chest.

“Should we see a doctor?”

“No need Peeta. My mother’s taught me a few things.”

She pulls me inside and goes into the kitchen. She tosses a few herbs from the cupboard onto the kitchen counter before getting a bowl. She crushes and chops each herb before putting water into the bowl and mixing it.

“That looks… gross,” I stare at the dark green water.

“It tastes gross, too. But it helps.”

She pours the mixture into a cup and after making a toast, she drinks the whole thing in one go.

“Ugh. Disgusting.”

I make her lie back down and I lie beside her.

Not meaning too, I sleep until nine at night. Feeling guilty, I go down stairs to see her eating at the table.

“Sorry. I wasn’t supposed to go to sleep.”

“Sheesh Peeta. And you call me a worry wart.”

I don’t comment and make myself a sandwhich.

After eating, we have a shower together before flopping down together on the bed. We curl up together and drift to sleep.

The next morning, I wake up to her throwing up in the sink.