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Silent Smiles (Hunger Games Fanfic)
Silent Smiles (Hunger Games Fanfic)
Why not leave the message with Prim? It must be boring for you to
sit around in their house, Peeta said.
Head Peacekeeper Thread would like us to personally deliver the
message.
Peeta nodded like this made perfect sense. Let me get my coat.
Once he returned, the Peacekeeper said, Were going to Mr.
Abernathys house as well to see if Miss Everdeen is there. She
turned on her heels and started crunching her way through the
packed snow. Peeta and Prim exchanged glances that said more than
their veiled words could. They would both be wary. They would work
together. They would free Katniss from this trap. Somehow, it didnt
appear to be as easy as taking a beating from his mother to toss her a
loaf of bread, or losing a leg to protect her from Catos sword. He
didnt know what he was up against. He only knew that Katnisss dark
humor was rubbing off on him.
Prim jogged a bit to keep up with the Peacekeeper, with Peeta
bringing up the rear. Prim was just as slim as Katniss, and even
shorter, but aside from that, Peeta saw no hints that they were sisters.
With her blond hair trailing behind her in pigtails, her blue eyes, and
her pale complexion, Prim looked more like she could be his sister.
And in a few months, once hed married Katniss, she would be his
sister, by law, anyway. It made him feel even worse about the
marriage being nothing more than a political power play than he
already did.
The one time hed had any meaningful conversation with Prim
happened only two weeks ago, when theyd been tending to Gale
after the whipping. Growing up, theyd exchanged nothing but smalltalk every once in a while. Much like hed done with Katniss, he
admired Prims kindness when surrounded by such despair from afar.
His father was particularly fond of her, but hed always been a quiet
man, so he mostly showed his admiration by making favorable trades
with Katniss for squirrels. Now he gave them more cookies or cheese
buns than theyd paid for when they came to make more legal
purchases.
There was no time even for small-talk on the short walk to
Haymitchs house. Peeta got in the quip Haymitch is coming too? So
much for a romantic evening with Katniss, and then they were at his
front door. The Peacekeeper knocked three times, just like shed done
at Peetas house. They all waited in silence on Haymitchs doorstep.
When he opened the door, his gray eyes lit up and he laughed.
Well, this looks like an interesting party were gathering here, he
said. Thank you for coming to invite me.
Were looking for Katniss Everdeen, the Peacekeeper said,
ignoring Haymitchs strangely jovial outburst.
Youre going to have to keep looking, then, Haymitch said.
While we wait for Miss Everdeen to return, youre invited to come
to her house for dinner, the Peacekeeper said.
As long as youre not cooking, Haymitch replied with a shrug,
retrieving his jacket from a hook right beside the door. He locked his
house and started leading the way back to the Everdeens. Despite his
inappropriate jokes, Peeta was glad Haymitch would be around while
they all waited for Katniss to come home. As District 12s once-lone
Victor, now a famous figure for public drunkenness and spectacle each
year when the Hunger Games rolled around, Haymitch got away with
saying pretty much anything he wanted. If he had held up a bunch of
berries and threatened to commit suicide, people probably would have
just laughed and let him die. Nothing he said was seen as a serious
threat.
Are you with the new shipment of Peacekeepers? Haymitch asked.
I was brought in by Head Peacekeeper Thread. You should address
me as Peacekeeper Septima, the Peacekeeper replied.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Peacekeeper Septima, Peeta said,
which may have been the biggest lie hed told so far.
The conversation died after that, and Peeta was almost glad to find
a second Peacekeeper, Titus, waiting at the Everdeens. Introductions
sustained the conversation a little longer before the Peacekeeperss
presence stifled it again. At least they could entertain each other while
Peeta thought of some way to put on a show of Prim and him being
close friends.
Haymitch wandered over to Mrs. Everdeen, to help put her at ease
with some tasteless jokes. The Peacekeepers sat at the long kitchen
table. The last time Peetad been here, Gale had still been recovering
on that table, laying on his stomach as his back throbbed in pain. Two
weeks ago Peeta and Haymitch had to drag Katniss away from that
table, away from her mother, at whom Katniss hurled curses that
werent nearly as accurate as her arrows. This catastrophe convinced
her they had to stay in District 12, had to do something to fight the
Capitol rather than run from it. Peeta looked away from the table and
instead focused his gaze out the window, on the setting sun. Had she
run away, or had she instead run straight into trouble?
Katnisss wedding dresses came today, Prim said to him. She
started walking towards the rockers next to the fireplace and he
followed.
Its a shame that Cinna made all these dresses, and only one will
Prim watching. She didnt know how to play so they briefly explained
the rules to her beforehand, and then reiterated them every time they
made a move. Haymitch provided snarky commentary every time he
took one of Peetas pieces. His humor wasnt enough to entertain Prim
for more than a half hour before she wandered off to see if the
Peacekeepers or her mother needed anything.
Another fifteen minutes passed. The Peacekeepers now stood in the
threshold to the kitchen, arms crossed, staring at the stove. Prim, can
you take the bread out of the oven for me? Id do it, but Haymitch will
cheat if I get up, Peeta said.
Ill have you know Im a very honorable man. Thats how I won the
Hunger Games. With honor, Haymitch replied.
Ill get it, Peeta, Prim assured.
Alright, next time both of you distrust me, remember that I helped
keep that Katniss girl you both love so much alive, Haymitch said, in
a light tone that proved he wasnt taking this at all seriously enough.
I know, Haymitch, and Im so grateful to you, Peeta began. But I
also really want to beat you at this chess game.
The older man laughed. You determined your fate about four turns
ago, boy.
Well see. And so they kept playing, pretending they didnt notice
time passing without the appearance of Katniss. How late would it
have to get before the Peacekeepers smiled at Mrs. Everdeen to report
that their comrades had killed her daughter hours ago? Peeta leaned
his head against his hand, covering his mouth. Any move he made on
the chess board led straight into trouble and an eventual loss. He
moved his knight anyway.
Only a few turns before Haymitch could take Peetas King, Katniss
came home. He and Haymitch continued to stare at the chess board
like her arrival didnt matter as much as their rivalry. They heard her
greet the Peacekeepers with a curt Hello, and her mother claimed
she was just in time for dinner, even though the bread has been ready
for a while, and even on a low heat setting, the stew had cooked
plenty.
The Peacekeepers asked where shed been, and she dodged the
question with easier to ask where I havent been as she headed into
the kitchen, passing between the two guards. Then they all started to
enact some sort of comedy sketch, one of those low-brow ones
Peetad seen on TV from time to time that he supposed were popular
in the Capitol, where only laughs came cheap. He played the teasing
but kind and caring boyfriend as Katniss insisted Prim gave her the
wrong location for the Goat Man.
While Titus seemed quite amused by their incompetence, Septima
frowned and asked Katniss what was in her bag. Clearly she hoped to
trap Katniss with a bag full of dead game. Peeta got up after Katniss
dumped the contents of the bag on the table, ready to jump to her
defense if a squirrel came rolling out.
Instead, shed gotten a bunch of fresh bandages and a bag of
candy. Peeta came over and opened the candy bag, again hoping he
didnt find a dead squirrel inside. Ooh, peppermints, he said, taking
one for himself. Katniss tried to get them back but he tossed them
over to Haymitch, who stuffed a handful in his mouth. Probably only
part of his punishment for Katniss making him wait around for her all
day.
Peeta tried to calm Katniss down before their comedy act started to
wear thin. He wrapped his arms around her gently, yet she yelped like
she was a dog hed just kicked. To cover it up she turned the sound
into something of a snarl, a sound of anger rather than pain. All the
more reason to placate her. He admitted Prim gave her the wrong
directions, and theyd been idiotic for trying to fool her into thinking
otherwise. Begrudgingly she accepted this apology and his kiss before
asking the Peacekeepers what exactly were they doing in her house,
again?
They relayed the message theyd been withholding from Prim and
their mother all daythat the fence bordering the woods of District 12
would now be electrified at all times. So that was it. Theyd been
hoping Katniss would get stuck on the other side of the fence, thus
proving she was a punishable lawbreaker. They could do more than
give her one good lash to the face with that kind of evidence. Peeta
continued to hold her gently, being careful not to touch the small of
her back.
Katniss thanked the Peacekeepers for contacting her about this
patch in security, and nearly collapsed on the kitchen table as soon as
they left. With care Peeta led her to one of the rockers by the fire and
lowered her into it while she explained that shed slipped and fell on
some ice. He didnt believe her for a secondthe girl who had berated
him constantly in the Games for snapping every stick, who walked
through leaves so swiftly and soundlessly, would have to be taken by
complete surprise to fall hard enough for these injuriesbut they all
let it slide. He and Haymitch stayed for dinner, suspicious when
Katniss asked for a third bowl of stew. Save some for the rest of us,
Haymitch said halfway through his second bowl. Katniss didnt
respond.
The only person she talked to after dinner was Prim, who sat on the
floor next to her older sister, resting her head in Katnisss lap. Prim
popped a peppermint in her mouth and handed another to Katniss.
They sat in silence for a bit, Katniss stroking Prims silky blond hair.
Then they started talking about school and wedding dresses. Peeta
watched them from the kitchen table, feeling like a child as he
listened to Mrs. Everdeen and Haymitch talk about all the mangled
bodies seeking her healing hands with this new regiment of
Peacekeepers. District 12 didnt need Muttations or fancy technology
to be riddled with deadly traps. Compared to the people who came
with whip marks or burns from the mine or frostbite and any number
of other horrors lurking in District 12, Katniss had minor wounds.
While Peeta and Prim cleaned up the dishes, Mrs. Everdeen checked
Katniss over again, bandaged her up, and gave her a cup of tea with
sleep syrup. Navigating the stairs would have been hard with her
banged-up heels, but became impossible when the sleep syrup
started to take effect while she still sat in the rocker. Knowing sleeping
while sitting up wouldnt be good for her tailbone, Peeta volunteered
to put Katniss to bed. Initially she simply leaned on his shoulder.
Halfway up the stairs, though, he decided this would go much faster if
he just carried her. So he picked her up, making sure her feet didnt hit
the wall. He remembered the time in the Hunger Games shed
dragged him into the cave, their hiding place, when he couldnt walk.
The strength contained within this small girl endeared a whole nation
to her, made him keep loving her even if she didnt feel the same
about him.
He tucked her in and wished her good night, but as he turned to go,
she grabbed his hand and asked him not to until she fell asleep. How
could he say no? He sat down on the edge of her bed and took her
hand in both of his, expressing how hed thought shed run away
today in the vaguest of terms. A few seconds passed before she
understood and assured him shed never leave him just like that. As if
to prove it, she brought his hand to her cheek and smiled as she said
Stay with me.
Always, he whispered, feeling the faint pulse in her fingers fire up
his own.
Had she asked him more directly, he would have crawled into bed
with her, like he used to on the train, to make sure that when she
woke to the screech of her own screams, shed be greeted by his
soothing whispers about everything being okay. But she was drugged,
and hinted that shed prefer Gales company, so he just continued to
hold her limp hand while watching her sleep.
Soon after dozing off, Katniss appeared at ease, her hair in a
blissful, disheveled state from the snow and her brows no longer
creased with worry. The lash mark on her face still stuck out
prominently to Peeta, but it was no longer so angry or ominous. The
new skin came in a lighter, more tender tone than the rest of her
tanned face. This blemish did nothing to diminish her beauty, and
Peeta could only that this was the Katniss who haunted his dreams
tonight.
Peeta, Mrs. Everdeen whispered from the doorway. She said it
with some mix of pity and a light admonishment. Pity for his pathetic
puppy love after watching her daughter come home happy after
secretive jaunts with Gale out in the woods. Admonishment for taking
advantage of her daughters affection while in a drug-induced sleep.
Im sorry, he whispered. She asked me to stay until she fell
asleep.
Mrs. Everdeen just stood in the doorway nodding, unsure what else
to do. The obvious response would be shes asleep, so you can go
now, but instead she said, The syrup should help her stay asleep
tonight. I dont give it to her on other nights because I I dont want
that to be the only way she can sleep. She glanced at him again.
You can stay as long as you want. And if you ever need anything