Pure Torture: a Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 88

Katniss

"When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It's where my demons hide, it's where my demons hide. Don't get too close, it's dark inside." -Imagine Dragons

Peeta and I walk out of Haymitch's house and back to our house.
On the way home, neither of us speaks. Although the baby announcement tore through whatever blood had been running cold between us temporarily, I can already feel the air between us getting icy once more.

The silence seems almost more painful than his words that repeat over and over again.
"You're being unreasonable!"
"You never let anybody in!"
Over and over again. Never ending. And maybe he was right.
Am I being unreasonable? Am I really like that?

No. No. I'm not being unreasonable. I'm doing what I think is right. I'm not letting him guilt me out of this. God knows if I don't stay resilient, I'll recoil and take back my agreement to the documentary. I'm not letting myself do that. I have to stay strong.

So we don't talk, and I'm almost glad. Peeta's heart is so set on me changing my mind; saying that my torture is oversharing with the country. I know that anything I would say would be shot down by him. And anything he says would be shot down by me.

The tension hardly eases when we reach Annie's house. Although usually Willow would be long asleep at this hour, Annie tells us that Willow refused to sleep without Peeta and I there. So, when we open the door, she flings herself at both of our legs.

Peeta scoops her up and plants a kiss on her forehead, causing Willow to erupt in little 5-year-old giggles.
"Hi there, Miss Willow. How was your night?" Peeta asks.
"It was okay, but I missed you, daddy." She says.

I talk to Annie briefly about what Haymitch wanted. She doesn't scold me, nor does she scold Peeta behind his back. She only purses her lips.
"Well, I hope you two can find peace with it. I know you will." She says as we leave.

After the door is shut, Willow's questions begin immediately.
"What did Aunt Annie want? What? What are you finding peace with? What did Uncle Haymitch want?" She asks.
"Willow," I say gently. "It's grown-up stuff, remember?"
"I don't care! I want to know!" She says loudly.

"Willow, it's not for little girls like you. It's not for children at all." Peeta says, helping me out.
She sulks in his arms and continues to, even when we put her to bed.
"This isn't fair!" She says from her bed as I shut off the light.
"Goodnight, Willow."
She merely grunts in reply.

--

After I shut the door to Willow's room, I walk downstairs. The entire downstairs is dark except for the living room, which is illuminated by the fire in the fireplace.
Peeta sits on the couch and I feel my heart drop when I see him. I know we're in for another fight.

I come down the stairs, figuring that a fight is unavoidable and that I have to stand whatever ground I have.
I sit down in the chair next to the couch, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"If you're going to argue with me, I suggest you keep it quieter than at Haymitch's." I state.
"Katniss, I'm arguing with you because I love you. I think this is too much." He defends.
"Well, I'm arguing with you because I love Willow." I reply.

He gives me a confused look, so I clarify for him.
"If this can, like I said, keep it in everyone's mind what Snow did to us all, and to me, maybe they'll learn. They'll continue a peaceful government and nothing like that will ever happen again. And you know who that benefits? Willow." I explain.