I let out a breath. The cold air is nipping at my nose as I focus on my target. It's the first squirrel I've seen all Winter and it's a plump one too. I release my arrow and smirk as it pierces through its eye, causing it to fall to the forest ground with a thud. I approach it then yank my arrow out of its eye before adding it to my game bag, I look around at the empty forest and sigh, deciding that it's best to go home since there's no point in hunting for a while now.
As I walk through the forest towards the opening when something catches my eye... a mother squirrel with her baby on her back. It makes me smile a little at the sight, she scurries into the hole of the tree where the rest of her babies may be. She sticks her head out to look around for predators, ready to protect her young like a mother should.
I continue walking out and make my way into town, over the past thirteen years our District has really come together, more than before. Six years ago, Peeta, Haymitch and I decided to knock down the Victors Village really only because we didn't want to live in a reminder of why we were living there in the first place. Peeta and I decided to build a home of our own design which is closer to town, Haymitch followed and had his one story grey wooden house built next to our two story red brick home.
Since then, Peeta and I have been happily living in our home, we added a painting studio for Peeta downstairs and even had two bedrooms built for when Annie came to visit with her son. Over the years Annie has become a dear friend to Peeta and I, she visits usually when life gets too hard in Four, she and Flynn stay with us. I always enjoy them coming, I love seeing Peeta with Flynn and Flynn adores Peeta... I look back on those days frowning because that should be Peeta and his own child, our child.
I've put a lot of time and thought into it. I know that it will indeed be scary and I will be a constant mess but I want to know what it's like, what it's like to feel the weight of a baby, a baby made out of love. Love that I know Peeta and I have for each other.
I walk through the front door of our home and head straight for the kitchen to start skinning the animals that I shot. I decide to start making a squirrel and plumb stew, one of Peetas favourites and something I can make that doesn't get completely destroyed and that tastes somewhat decent. I hear meowing and look down to see Buttercup sitting by my feet, looking up at me, with a roll of my eyes I feed the Thing some of the meat, he's getting too fat and is now scavenging for food seeing as he's hunted down every single mouse in the house.
While the meal cooks on the stove I decide to go upstairs to shower, I think about how I should tell Peeta what I've decided. I want to have a baby with Peeta, I've realised how lonely it has gotten around here, not to mention Peeta and I have been married for ten years officially in a couple of months, usually a baby is added three years after marriage but I feel like I'm ready to bare a child, bare Peetas child.
I finish up in the shower and get into my nightwear, I walk downstairs and find Peeta in the kitchen, stirring the pot. He turns with a grin and I look at him with a raised eyebrow
"I just came home and the pot was boiling. I saved it for you" he says, I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand and sigh
"This is why I shouldn't cook alone" I groan, he just chuckles and kisses my cheek
"It's a simple mistake. Besides it's not badly ruined that it isn't edible, I tried some and it doesn't taste bad" he reassured me, I just roll my eyes. We sit at the table as we eat our meal, Peeta tells me about the Winter rush they had today and how by closing time he had employees almost falling asleep which he chuckled at in amusement.
We stand side by side as we wash the dishes, I hum a soft tune as I scrub the bowls in the hot soapy water. Eventually, we sit on the couch and get warm by the fire, I watch as in Peetas arms as he sketches in his sketching pad, these nights are always peaceful and I always love laying on his chest, hearing his calm heartbeat while I watch his steady hand sketch pictures.
