Mockingjay: the dawning

Chapter 18: Hide and Seek

Katniss

As we end the meeting, I read over the notes scrawled in my odd handwriting across the page.

April 16; Close friends and family only; Plutarch to initiate the ceremony; To be held at the entrance to the Meadow at the back of my garden; Spring colours - Green, gold, yellow, soft orange.

Pretty simple, actually.

Peeta comes up to me and pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Katniss, I'm just going to be sketching something for the wedding in the kitchen." He says as he gives me a warm smile.

I give him a soft smile back. I know how much this means to him.

As he leaves the room I make a beeline for the lounge room.

I twist the knob, and the secret door opens.

As I step into the opulent lounge room, I notice another letter from Plutarch.

Dear Katniss,

Congratulations on your engagement.

I hope to see the wedding invitation sometime soon.

Sincerely,

Plutarch.

I leave the letter at the end of the chute and step into the elevator.

I go to the closet floor, filled with Cinna's work.

As I enter the room, I look through Cinna's racks of clothing he made me. Each piece he crafted by hand himself, telling a story for a special moment.

The room envelopes me in a feeling that he is still here with me in spirit.

I finally find the section I'm looking for, daintily labelled in his handwriting.

For your special day.

Peeta

I sit in the kitchen, doodling ideas for our wedding invitations. Annie and Johanna are both doing something or other in their own rooms which is perfectly fine by me. Katniss is; well, I have no idea.

Not feeling any inspiration for the design, I get up to seek out the person that inspires me the most.

I first hop up the stairs, checking our room and the other rooms upstairs excluding Annie and Johanna's. I'm sure that's the least likely place she would be, but she is nowhere upstairs.

I run downstairs and check the training room, living room, lounge room, office, drawing room, kitchen and dining room, yet she is nowhere.

I look in the backyard, still no Katniss.

I check Annie's room - she is sleeping soundly.

I finally check Johanna's room.

I quickly knock.

"Come in, Peeta" Johanna.

"How did you know it was me?" I ask as I enter the threshold.

"Because Annie is asleep and Katniss wouldn't knock." She says, chuckling to herself.

"Have you seen Katniss in the past hour?" I ask, quickly.

"No, not since breakfast." She replies without blinking an eye.

"I'm so confused. I've checked the whole house and I can't find her." I say, a tinge of worry penetrating my voice.

"You worry too much. These houses are like rabbit warrens. She could just be in the bathroom that's connected to another room. Give her ten minutes and try again. You never know what she might be doing." Johanna says with a wink.

"Alright, I'll wait." I say and leave Johanna.

"Hey. don't worry. I'm sure she is fine." she says, before I return to the hallway.

"Katniss, where are you?" I yell out into the open space of the house.

Katniss

Shit.

Peeta has no idea where I am.

I hear him through the ventilation calling out for me.

I yell back.

"Just in the bathroom, I'll be out in a minute."

I scramble to the elevator and push the button for the ground floor.

I stumble out, carefully listening to hear if anyone is in the lounge room.

I can hear my heart beating through my chest.

Carefully, I open the door to the main house and slip through.

"In the lounge room, Peeta." I yell back.

That was close.

Peeta

"See? She was just in the bathroom, Peeta. She's okay. Now go see your fiancé who you are clearly having separating anxiety from." Johanna lectures me as I skip down the stairs, wondering what on earth is happening to me.

Katniss

I see Peeta running down the stairs from the lounge room. The worried look on his face concerns me more than I'll ever admit.

"Peeta? What's wrong?" I ask as I envelop him in an embrace.

"I couldn't find you. Anywhere. Not in the house, Not outside." He says to me as his facial features relax, slowly.

"I was just in the bathroom downstairs. Did you have a flashback?" I ask, quietly.

"No, I was just lacking inspiration for something and considering you inspire me the most, I was looking for you."

"Aw, that's sweet of you," I reply as I place a kiss on his chin.

"When I couldn't find you, I went to Johanna. I was worried you had left," he says to me, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"I will never leave you," I say as I hold him closer than I did before.

No words are required to respond.

He captures my lips with his, into one of the most passionate kisses I've ever felt.

"I need you." I say finally, as he lifts me. I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me up the stairs to our bedroom.

He throws me on the bed, then slams out bedroom door shut.

"But I need you more." he replies, before returning to me on the bed, passion overcoming sanity, desire overcoming rationality and love transcending our bodies.

Author's note:

Thank you for reading. Leave a vote and comment if you're enjoying the story.

Xx Avi.