Catching Fire: The New Story

Peeta has Nightmares too

Peeta's POV

The large room is completely quiet as we enter the room. The muffled noise from the party going on downstairs is light in our ears up until I kick the door closed with my foot. The sounds of music and laughter all but disappear. It makes me glad: the party is over for us and we no longer have to be around those people. The only light illuminating the room is coming from the clear window. The festivities downstairs make colors dance in the night sky, cover the stars, shine on the ceiling of our room. It is our room now, Katniss and I, we will share one from now on and no one will bother us.

That seems about the best thing going for us right now, the privacy of sharing a room as an engaged couple. Not even the stars can give us hope now, the bright lights of the Capitol hiding them away. It makes me miss 12 all the more. Our home, where we could be us, ourselves, without the bother of being perfect.

"Here, let me help you out of that dress," I say to Katniss. She looks tired and impatient. "It looks uncomfortable. Can you even breathe?"

"Not really," she mumbles. Even though the back of the dress is open, the tight fabric sticks to her skin until I unlace the corset bottom. The room is so soundless, the only things I can hear are the ribbon running through the holes in Katniss's dress, and her heavy breathing. Her hands grip a chair beside her as she stumbles, removing her shoes.

"Are you okay now?" I ask once I finish unlacing. She turns to me, smiles and nods.

She drops the smile after a few seconds and her face screws with annoyance. I understand what she is trying to say, so I turn around and stare at the wall. I hear the dress drop to the floor and I assume she is done. I begin to turn to talk to her. "Katn-"

"PEETA!" she screams. I chuckle and turn back round. I barley caught sight of anything, I only roll my eyes in amusement. I smile playfully as she mumbles something about me. I watch the brown wall as she gets dressed.

"Ready?" I ask impatiently.

"Ready," she says calmly.

I turn to her and see that she is in small black shorts and a plain white t-shirt. I smile, there's my Katniss. None of any of the extravagant dresses could ever express her true self. She smiles back, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. "Feel better?"

"Yes. That dress was extremely uncomfortable. I'm not sure how Capitol women could wear dresses with backs as tight as that one was without one," she answers against my chest. I lean my chin on her head as she speaks, laughing.

"The Capitol is that intense. How do you thin men wear them?" I ask looking down at her. She chuckles, something I find rather rare about her. I decide then it is time for bed as it is almost two in the morning. Everyone will be hungover from tonight tomorrow, us even by the looks of it. We'll have to rest up to deal with the group in the morning. No doubt will Haymitch and Effie be arguing about something no one cares about the whole trip home.

I chance quickly, laying my suit with Katniss's dress on the table against the wall. Katniss goes into the bathroom to remove the makeup and undo her hair, letting it fall down her back in its awkward waves.

She slips into the cream colored comforter, and I follow in after her. Katniss curls up onto my chest and I watch her slowly close her eyes and drift off into a deep sleep.

-

"Katniss!" I scream. Where is she? Where could she be now? "Katniss! Where are you?"

I begin to run again. My feet don't allow me to move fast enough to satisfy me. My legs burn as I push myself harder, faster, harder.