Embracing (A Hunger Games fanfiction)

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“I’m so tired,” Katniss yawns as we walk through our front. Only this time, there’s not just two of us. There’s three.

After Prudence was washed, vaccinated and fed, Katniss almost instantly fell asleep leaving Prue in  Effie’s, Haymitch’s, Marie’s and my hands. After nursing Prue and inhaling her fresh baby smell, I passed her to Maria. I watched her carefully, trying to learn the proper way to hold a baby. Maria noticed and smiled.

“It comes naturally Peeta. Don’t worry about it.”

After a few minutes, Maria passed Prue to Effie who squeaks a few times before crying.

“Ain’t you adorable,” Effie smilesd “You have Katniss’s beautiful dark hair, but you definitely have Peeta’s eyes.”

This warmed me and I smiled widely. Effie passed her to Haymitch after cooing for a few more minutes.

Haymitch. You’d expect him to wrinkle his nose and turn away, but no. Instead, he held his arms out eagerly and then tucked Prue against him snugly.

He didn't look at anyone but Prudence, with a smile on his face.

Delly came in two hours after Prudence’s birth to usher us all out.

The others go with no argument, but I stood my ground.

“Please Delly. Let me stay.”

“They’ll be fine. You’ve been up half the night. Go home and sleep.”

“Please?”

“Oh okay,” she gave in with a smile and then embraced me. “I am so proud of you Mr Mellark. So proud and so happy for you.”

I hugged her back and kissed her cheek. After everything we’d been through, she’s still the bestest friend I’ve ever had.

Delly took Prue with her when she left to conduct another examination. While she left, I sat in the chair beside Katniss and before I know it, I fall asleep.

Two days later and I’m helping Katniss through the door while she holds Prudence and I take the bags. We decided that for the first four months, Prue would sleep in the cot in our room so that we can watch her and so she doesn’t get scared. Therefore, I take her up there and lay her down to sleep. When I come back down the stairs, Katniss is mixing up lunch.

“I thought you said you were tired,” I kiss her forehead before leaning on the bench.

“I’m also hungry. I can’t sleep if I’m hungry.”

I help her make a salad with chicken and then we go out the back to eat. We sit under the oak tree in the backyard and tuck in. After eating, we lie down on the ground and look up at the sky.

“I didn’t think it would be this amazing,” Katniss speaks after a moment.

“What?”

“Having a baby. I thought it would be the worst and sure I’m really tired and hungry, but just seeing out daughter and looking after her makes me so very happy.”

“Same,” I kiss her softly. “I would do anything for Prue.”

“Our daughter,” she smiles. “I never thought I’d ever say that. ‘Our daughter’”

We laugh, kiss and then pack up the dishes to head inside. After washing up together, we go upstairs and gaze down at our sleeping child.

She’s flipped on her stomach and her fists are curled beside her sweet face. We can see her breathe fill her chest and it’s so beautiful.

We both kiss her head before climbing on the bed together.

We curl up together, looking in each other’s eyes. As if hearing my thoughts, Katniss grins slyly.

“We can’t. Not that I don’t want to, but our daughter’s sleeping right there. Imagine the effects this will have on her brain in the future.”

I pretend to groan dramatically.

“Soon though,” I vow and wink at her, earning a slap on the shoulder.

“Oh yeah,” she smiles and kisses me before tucking her head in my neck and we both fall asleep.