Fire and Dandelions: Everlark One Shots

The Lake Part One - Trauma

(Warning: really long emotional chapter ahead)

I'm finally ready to show Peeta the lake. I haven't shared the lake with anybody since my father died. Not even Gale. The lake was my little private sanctuary where I felt like I could connect with my dad again. I was hesitant to show Peeta at first but now I think I'm ready.

"Good Morning." I kiss his cute little nose as his eyes gradually open. A massive grin spreads across his features, his stunning sea blue eyes shining.
"Morning," he replies, kissing my nose back with a chuckle, "what would you like to do today?"
"Actually, I have something planned for a change."
"Really?" He says in mock surprise.
"Really. Now get your bathers on."
"Okay. . . ? Are you going to tell me what you have planned?"
He studies my facial expressions for a moment. I give him a big, mischievous grin.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?"
"Nope."
He gives me a confused look.
I sit up on his stomach, pull the pillow out from under his head and hit his face with it.
"Ouch!" he grunts jokingly.
"Get your bathers on!" I repeat. I leave a kiss under his ear on his jaw and crawl off him to get changed.

Fifteen minutes later we're both ready with bathers on under t-shirts and shorts and a backpack on Peeta's back filled with towels, food and water. We walk silently to the meadow, me towing Peeta to our destination by our entertwined hands.

"Where are we going Katniss?" He groans for the millionth time.
"It's a surprise."
"Well, I do like surprises," he says with a big grin.

I start to feel sick to my stomach with nervousness. I'm not sure I'm so ready anymore.

I can't do it.
Yes, I can.

I can do it. I really want to share everything in my life with Peeta. I tug on Peeta's arm and break into a run. Through the meadow, over the fallen fence, through the trees.

After almost 20 minutes of this we stop for a break so Peeta can recover and catch his breath.
"Okay, I think I'm ready to start again," Peeta says after we eat our small breakfast of cheese buns, "can you pleeeaaase tell me where we are going?"
"No! I thought you liked surprises."
"Fiiine. But can we please walk the rest of the way?"
"Fiiine. We are nearly there."
"Really?!"
"Yup."

We walk further into the trees, hand in hand for another 15 minutes until we reach a big clump of trees concealing my secret spot, until now that is.

"Ready?" I ask Peeta and myself.

I pull apart two branches that conceal the beautiful view of the lake.

"Whoa," Peeta gasps. I don't know why he seems so intrigued by it. It's just a lake. However, Peeta, unlike me, has an eye and a weakness for beautiful things. He could find the beauty in anything and everything. Including an ugly, damaged, hostile girl like me.

"So what's the story behind this place?" he asks, still taking in the sights of the lake before us.
"Me and my Dad used to come here all the time when I was little. You are the first person besides him that I have shared this place with."
"Well thank you for sharing it with me. It's beautiful." He leaves a kiss on the top of my head in my hair.

I stare out at the lake, remembering all of the times I came here with my father. Him teaching me how to swim, having diving competitions, seeing who could stay underwater for the longest. My dad would always let me win. Not that I would ever let him win, being the competitive stubborn child I was.

I come back to my senses as Peeta strokes my arm soothingly to bring me back to reality. I rush into him and bury my face into his chest, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. His warmth and happy aura radiate from his body into my skin, washing away all feelings of sorrow and loss.