Katniss&Peeta-Forever&Always

Long nights, exhausting days.

NOVEMBER 17

KATNISS POV

I wake up and look at my clock on the side of my bed. I assume it's only around 1am but the clock reads 9.15am. I have woken up like this every morning since the triplets were born, I feel like I have only had two or three hours sleep, I am exhausted and I know Peeta is too. I got up four times last night to screaming babies and I don't even know how many times Peeta got up. He tries to get up at night to see to the triplets as much as he can so I can get some sleep, but I don't let him of course.

Peeta isn't asleep next to me, so I assume that he is with the babies. I get up from bed and go to brush my teeth, then go downstairs. I find Willow and Aster asleep in their moses basket in the front room and hear Rye's cries in the kitchen.

When I enter the kitchen I find Peeta walking around the kitchen with Rye in his arms, rocking him back and forth, trying to calm him down.

"I've tried everything, Katniss. He's not calming down." Peeta says, looking helpless.

"He might be hungry." I say, stretching out my arms for Rye and Peeta places him in my arms.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you hungry?" I coo, sitting down at the table and pulling my t-shirt down. Rye gratefully starts feeding and stops crying, laying in my arms quietly. When he is finished, I pull my t-shirt back up and go to lay him in the moses basket next to Aster and Willow.

I go to snuggle up to Peeta on the couch, laying my head on his chest and enjoying the peace and quiet for a while.

"I can't even remember the last time we have been able to sit here for more than five minutes without having to get up to see to one of the triplets." I say to him.

"I know. I mean, I love them so much but it's just so exhausting." He says.

I lift my head up to look at Peeta. "I haven't been able to kiss you properly in so long." I say and lean up to kiss him.

We kiss for about a minute, until Willow's cries make us break away. It's the longest we have kissed since the triplets were born.

I get up, and walk over to the moses basket to see Willow crying. I lift her up and take her back over to the couch and sit next to Peeta. I assume she is hungry because she hasn't had her morning feed yet, so I pull down my t-shirt slightly and she feeds hungrily.

Peeta and I sit, mesmerized by our daughters beauty as she eats. "She's so beautiful. She's going to break so many hearts when she's older." I say.

"Oh no, don't say that. She can't grow up, she's my little girl." Peeta says, kissing Willow's head lightly.

"Peeta, she's only two weeks old. You still have a lot of time before she grows up! Anyway, she'll always be your little girl." I say laughing at him.

"I know, but I'm still not letting her date until she is at least sixteen!" He says.

I laugh again, and rub his leg soothingly. "Don't worry."

Willow finishes feeding and she lays in my arms looking up at Peeta and I with a huge smile on her face.

"She has your smile." Peeta says, without taking his eyes off Willow.

"Really? I don't see it." I say but Peeta sounds so sure.

"Yeah, definitely. So beautiful, just like her mother." He says.

The little things. It's the little things that Peeta says and does is what makes my heart skip a beat. Hug me from behind, kiss my cheek, tell me that I am beautiful, say that he loves me and the way that he wraps his arms around me at night like it's a reflex. He does it so simply and effortlessly, but it is full of so much love.

"We should get these three dressed. Delly, Ansel and Ivy are coming over at 2 o'clock." I tell Peeta.

"I totally forgot about that. I'll get the boys." Peeta says.

We take the triplets up to their nursery and lay them on the changing table. Peeta changes their nappies while I go to find something for them to wear. I come across the presents that we received from Peeta's parents after the triplets were born, there are three jumpsuits that say 'I love my mummy and daddy' on the front and little joggers with feet. The jumpsuits and joggers all have different patterns and colours because I don't want to dress my children in matching outfits.

Peeta and I change the triplets and I change myself, then I take them into the living room to play with their toys for a little, while Peeta gets dressed. They can't really play with toys yet because they are too young to hold things but they enjoy laying on the play mat and hitting the different toys, they get so excited over the simplest things.

As Peeta is walking down the stairs, there is a knock on the door. Peeta opens it and Delly, Ansel and Ivy all come through the door. Ansel is also very talkative and a generally nice person just like Delly, so they are a very talkative and bubbly family.

"Hey!" I say to them. Ivy runs straight over to me and the triplets and sits down on the floor next to me. Ivy loves Aster, Willow and Rye so much, it's really adorable.

Delly and Ansel take a seat on the couch and I go and sit on the other couch with Peeta, leaving Ivy to play with the triplets.

"How are you two? How's parenthood treating you?" Delly says, smiling.

"Exhausted!" I say, with a laugh. "I love it though, of course."

"Oh I know what you mean! We only had Ivy and we struggled, I don't know how you two are coping!" Ansel says.

Willow starts crying again. She doesn't like to be without Peeta and I for long, she always likes to be in one of our arms. Peeta gets up and brings her over to the couch and she soon calms down and falls asleep in Peeta's arms.

Ansel, Delly, Peeta and I talk about babies and parenthood for a while longer, until Delly says that she has something to tell us both.

"I'm pregnant!" Delly squeals.

"Oh my gosh, Delly! Congratulations both of you!" I say and get up to hug them both and Peeta does the same, careful not to hurt Willow.

"How far along are you?" Peeta asks.

"I'm only 3 weeks." Delly says, her and Ansel haven't taken the smile from their faces.

"I bet Ivy is so happy. She loves the triplets." I say.

"Yeah, she cried happy tears when we told her!" Delly says laughing. "Anyway, we better get going, it's getting quite late and Ivy needs her bath."

"Okay, congratulations again. I'm so happy for you." Peeta says.

"Thank you!" Delly says, and they all leave.

Peeta and I eat dinner then go to the nursery to get the triplets ready for bed. We change them into their fluffy bed jumpsuits and lay them down in their cots. Peeta and I each kiss them on their foreheads, whisper good night and then turn out the lights, wondering how much sleep we will get tonight.