Katniss's POV
That next morning, I awoke to the sound of someone at the door. A few knocks filled the air even upstairs, and instantly I shot up. By now it was a habit; a reflex, and I wasn't sure I would ever be able to shed myself from it.
Beside me, Peeta rustled, and sat up right beside me. "Katniss!" He yelled before he had even opened his eyes. He worriedly searched my side of the bed and my fingers found the end of his leg.
"It's alright," my voice was groggy, "it's just the door."
Together, we slid out of bed, and filed down the stairs, "COMING!" Peeta shouted, his voice still full of drowsiness. As I reached for the door, I was aroused from the oncoming freezing temperature. My body shivered as the cold chilled my bones and rushed into the doorway.
"Haymitch," I smiled, gritting my teeth to bare the cold, "come in."
"Good morning, sweetheart. I thought you'd be here." His grin was the sly one that I'd known ever since I met him. When Peeta and I watched the tape from his games, even at sixteen he held that same facial grin. It was that face that'd bought him all those sponsors....that saved his life. "Peeta, good morning," he nodded towards him.
"What can we do you for?" Peeta asked. I closed the door and turned back to face him. Consciously, I scraped some loose bangs behind my ear.
"Actually," Haymitch paused then hurriedly continued on," I just came to remind you guys that we're going to District 4 in a few hours, so pack your bags....I did tell you the other day."
I nodded, looking past Peeta. It had totally left my mind, but a part of me felt relief in this. Not only myself, but Peeta too need this break. It would be something of a distraction. "I can go start packing," my eyes gazed up to Peeta, and my hand reached for his. "Haymitch, do you want breakfast?"
"I'm fine, thanks," he turned back towards the door, waving his hand behind him, "see you in a few hours." He closed the door on himself, and I turned back to Peeta. His face was warm, and a gleam held his face.
"Looks like we're heading off soon. Why don't you go shower and start getting your things together? I can make breakfast," without a response, Peeta lightly reached for my lips, kissing me sweetly before heading toward the kitchen.
I felt my cheeks grow with a blush, and I knew he was already far enough away so he wouldn't be able to see it. Quickly, I faced the stairs and climbed them two at a time, heading down the hallway to the edge of our room. I'd honestly never had to use luggage before, but I remembered seeing a few old bags in Peeta's closet. I opened the doors to his closet and pulled down the simple black bags he had.
Before I could pack anything, I remembered most of my things were in my actual house. I'd usually just wear the same thing, or switch out every couple of days; sometimes I would collect some clothes from my house, but I never actually kept that much here. So instead, I took one of the bags downstairs, tugging on my boots over my pajamas. "Peeta, I'm just going to pick some things up from my house and shower quickly. I'll be back soon."
His answer never actually rang through my head, as I already had the door pulled open and was heading outside.
My house was merely 25 yards across from Peeta's so the cold really didn't touch me. I was already to my other house. Walking up the steps, I turned to see the gorgeous sunrise glistening like one of Peeta's paintings in the sky. The colors stroked across the canvas from yellow to light purple, curling together to create a brilliant rainbow.
As soon as I was inside, I wound myself up the stairs, hesitantly entering my bedroom. My eyes scraped the scene up and down, rummaging for an answer of something; something I didn't even know the question to. I waited for some sort of horror to leap out at me, a horror to make me leave this place completely. But instead, everything looked untouched. It looked unnoticeable, and that was what freight ended me the most...
This time, when I shivered, it wasn't because of the cold.
"Stop...not here," I whispered to no one in particular. Just to my demons, perhaps. I wasn't going to have a flashback....not here at least....
Hesitantly, I took in a breath and sighed it out, trying to push out all my nightmares. It'd be hard, but instead, I busied my mind, heading toward my bathroom and closing the door. My body held itself against it for a second before I flipped on the water, stripping off my clothes and quietly stepping into the silent roar of the sprinkling rain.
I ran through the motions as fast as I could; I cleaned my hair with some shampoo smelling like honeysuckles and combing it through with some conditioner. Finally, I cleared my body off with some soap and stood in the water for a minute or two.
When I got out, I wrapped myself in a silk forest green colored robe I found stretched over the countertops. The fabric rubbed gently across my damp body, and I breathed in the sweet scent coming off my body.
As I left the bathroom, I flung my dirty clothes into my laundry pile and went directly to my closet. My fingers grabbed as many outfits as they could, and I threw them against the floor to fold. There were so many shirts that held my past, and so many pairs of jeans that reminded me of familiar ones I walked in to hunt.
I slid down on the ground, pulling my clothes together as I began neatly folding each individual shirt. First, I stumbled apron a green long sleeved shirt I wore when Gale and I used to hunt....when all this never existed; my love for Peeta, my house in Victor's Village, my unimaginable hell...all of it could have been stripped away if it wasn't for that one name pulled from the girls's reaping ball during the 74th Hunger Games.
I shoved that into the suitcase.
Next, I came across a simple yellow blouse I'd worn in the Capitol when I had to dress up for a speech with Peeta. As I looked at it, I felt the bile climb through the inside of my thin throat.
I pushed that deep into the suitcase.
Then, my eyes bulged at the sight of a tiny green skirt...one that could never fit even my ankles. The torn pockets had been stitched on one too many times, and the thick fabric jutted out beneath my fingertips. It was Prim's outfit to the 74th Hunger Games Reaping.
I held that right to my chest as the pain surfaced, and I screamed.
Peeta's POV
It'd been nearly an hour that Katniss had been gone, and all the worry had gone straight to my head. I know she was only across the way, but she was never one for long showers, and her clothes were easily put out in her room. Hesitantly, I stared down at the plate which held the cold omelet and toast, and quickly shot up from my seat.
Without grabbing my jacket, I shoved my feet into my shoes and left the house. It took me a few seconds too long to get down the icy steps with my prosthetic leg, but once I touched the ground, I ran directly to the other house. My fingers grasped at the handle, pushing the door open to the sound I was afraid I would meet.
Instantly, I was greeted with a terrifying shriek which pierced the walls and sent my mind swirling. My stomach jumped and my heart shattered as I ran up her staircase, taking the stairs two at a time.
I rushed to her room, walking in on a huge mess. Strewn endlessly across the floor and bed was a large supply of Katniss's clothes, a few covered in some dust and spit. My eyes reached her on the ground where she was frantically rocking on her bum, holding something close to her chest. Her sob spilled through the room, and a few times she kicked out her legs.
"Katniss," I sprinted to her side, engulfing her into my arms as she tried to thrash back at me, "shh, I'm here, Katniss it's Peeta, you're alright, it's okay." My fingers ran up and down her back, my lips kissing the top of her forehead as her rock came to a stop. She began shaking, but I could feel her presence fold into the side of my body. I kissed her head again.
For a few minutes, we sat there, silently holding each other as she wrapped her own arms around me. There was the quiet sound of her cry, but I pushed it away, clutching her tighter as her wet hair dripped onto my face. "I love you, always. It's going to be okay," my voice was louder than a whisper.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love you," her voice started frantic, but then calmed down to a constant beat, her words tugging me in close.
"We're okay, I'm always here," I pulled her back a little bit, kissing the smooth tip of her nose, "let me help you pack, okay?"
In reply, she nodded her head, wiping her eyes on the ends of her sleeves.
Katniss's POV
Peeta had stored away the clothes in my suitcase, and had just finished putting in a few bottle of shampoo from the bathroom, and a brush of mine. In awe, I just stared on.
After a few hours, I had eaten, dressed and was standing at the doorway of Peeta's house, bundled up in a dark jacket and scarf, holding my bag as Peeta checked the house of every last arrangement. My mind by now was clear, and as soon as Peeta's hand laced into mine, I smiled, brushing away all my fears for just a simple second.
Looking up at him, my eyes shut, and my free hand wrapped over his neck, "I love you, so much Peeta. I just never get to tell you as much as I wish," I pushed up on my toes, and my lips pressed up against him, and for a few seconds we stood like that, hearts in the doorway.
"I love you, Katniss, and I want to say it every second of every minute for as long as I live," he kissed me again, and I held onto this moment. I trapped it in the depths of my mind, locking it so no one could ever take it; steal it. It was only mine to access.
I was smiling for a moment too long as we stepped outside and walked to the train.
(A/N): HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!🎉🎉🎉🎉 I hope you all had a great holiday season, and here's a little gift to you, a new chapter!
Now, you've seen both Katniss and Peeta during their flashbacks, and I hope it somehow had the ability to show you all a little darker peek inside. I really do hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I can't wait to write and post more!!!
Hint: THERE'S SOMETHING HUGE COMING UP IN THEIR VISIT TO DISTRICT 4!!!
Thankyou all for reading this, and all your support as I'm bringing this story back! It means the world, and I could never ask for better readers! I love you all!! Please comment all your feedbacks, questions, ideas, anything! I love hearing from you guys!
Until next time, I hope you have an amazing rest of your holiday season and may the odds be ever in your favor!📖😘😘💐👏👏
