Katniss:
I don't know what say. It all flashes in my head before I can make sense of it. Birthday, People, Party, Peeta, Ring. It's going around and around in my mind and I must have blacked out for a few seconds because when I come around I'm still stood staring at Peeta beaming at me.
"Surprise." He says, bursting with anticipation.
I can't even speak. "What?" I stutter, my eyes getting glassy.
"Katniss. Without you, I'd have nothing. You're my life. I know it'll be okay, because we have each other. I can't live without you." Peeta says, smiling, his eyes glossing over.
That's the sappiest thing he's ever said, but I find myself smiling anyway. "That's the cheesiest thing you've ever said, but I love you too." I whisper. When I say it, I mean it.
"What do you say?" Peeta asks. That brings the tears forward and they stream down my face. I haven't cried in the day for weeks.
"What do you think? Yes." I reply. I'm starting to laugh from the giddiness. The same kind of laugh as when Peeta's heart starting beating again.
Peeta gets up and comes over to me to put the ring on my finger. The ring itself looks so out of place on my scarred, slender hand. It's beautiful, though. The pearl which I've been looking for for months, is held by a simple silver band. The thing that stands out the most is the thin diamond band that twists with the silver one, complementing each other perfectly.
"How did you do this?" I ask, in awe at how simple but perfect it is.
"I'm a man of many talents," He jokes. "No, I actually got in touch with Effie, she almost had a heart attack when I told her my idea. She wanted to come and propose to you herself."
"Typical Effie." I pause, "Thank you."
"What for?" Peeta turns his head slightly in confusion, but not too much so that anyone but me doesn't notice it.
"You know what for." I laugh, I usually unintentionally scold him in situations like these, but I'm too happy to snap.
"How long have you been planning this and who knows?" I have a lot of questions with very little answers.
"Three months? And Haymitch, your Mother, Annie and Johanna knew about the get-together, but only Haymitch and Effie knew about the ring. I wanted to do it all myself but Effie insisted." Peeta says like it's the most casual thing in the world.
"Three months? That's way too long to be—"
I assume Peeta didn't want to listen to me object and complain. He stops me with a kiss. It feels like the kiss on the beach. That thing comes back like it always does, but it's different. It controls me.
I continue the kiss, the sensation through out my body still there. Peeta touches and plays with my hair, twirling it between his fingers. I don't pull away until I remember that I have to breathe. We just stand there. Peeta's eyes studying my features. I'm half expecting Johanna to come and interrupt.
"You're so beautiful." Peeta whispers.
If he makes a comment like that, I'd turn away and blush angrily to myself. But there's no way out, so he chuckles at my face burning red.
"Don't even go there." I hiss, he's dying to make a comment, I can just feel it.
"And we're back." He laughs casually, "Wasn't planning too."
One more comment and I might explode in embarrassment, surely my face can't get any more flushed.
"Peeta, I have burn scars everywhere. That's not what the Capitol call pretty, is it? I'm old news."
"To the Capitol you might be, but to me you're perfect."
That's it. I may actually cry with frustration because I can't accept any compliment ever. Peeta is type of person who sees the good in everything. It isn't hard to tell that I'm not.
"We should probably get back, they've obviously noticed." I say, blatantly changing the subject. If it was up to me, I'd stay here forever. But those people know me. Especially Haymitch.
"As much as I'd love to go home, you're right." Peeta agrees, "Otherwise Haymitch will tell everybody there."
Then the peace ends. We walk together back to were everyone is most likely waiting. Peeta taking the lead since I have no idea where we left from.
***
When we get back, everyone looks as if they've been waiting for hours. Maybe they have.
"Took you long enough." Johanna smirks. "Sneaking off together? Very subtle."
"Don't listen to her. It's your day." Annie says, beaming at me and making eyes towards my finger.
"Yeah." Johanna mutters. "Okay."
Never have I ever seen Johanna cut herself off her the sake of me. Her pride would take a hit for that.
"What do you mean?" I ask Annie, trying my hardest to suppress a grin. "Nothings happened."
"It's your birthday!" Annie blurts out.
I silently breathe a sigh of relief. Annie must've missed the ring when staring at my hands because as much as I appreciate her, she can't lie.
"Should we tell them?" I sneakily whisper in Peeta's ear.
"Let's keep it to ourselves for a while, we can always tell them later." Peeta replies quietly.
I give him a slight nod and turn to go and speak to Annie. I haven't seen her in years yet she looks exactly the same, I find it sort of eerie.
"Katniss, It's been so long." Annie whispers, Finn surprising me with a hug to the leg.
"Agreed." I say, I'm not sure how to react to this small child who looks exactly like his Father who's death I am at fault for.
I must have just been gazing at Finn, because Annie takes my hands into her own and looks at me sympathetically.
"It's not your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, I've learned to accept that. Finn is a constant reminder that he's still here around us. You know, sometimes I see him in my dreams, he holds me and tells me it's all okay. It is, Katniss. It's all okay."
I weakly smile at her to reassure her that I understand. I'm not going to cry, Annie and Finn have been through too much to see me cry.
Instead, I crouch down to Finn's tiny level and I introduce myself. How do I introduce myself to a 2 year old?
"Hello." I stutter awkwardly, "My name is Katniss. Nice to meet you."
If I could put my thoughts into words, they would be letters and numbers. How do I communicate with this child? Where's Peeta when you need him?
Finn smiles at my awkward face and bursts into a fit of giggles. Why is this my life?
"Did I do something wrong?" I mutter to Annie helplessly. I will never understand children.
"Maybe a bit too formal for a toddler ?" Annie giggles, "Maybe act a bit more enthusiastic. Try talking to him like you would've with Prim."
Prim was so easy to talk to. Whether she was 4 or 14 she could carry a conversation like an adult. At least I have a better chance now.
"I know you!" Finn cooes. "You the one from the stories!"
"What does he mean?" I mutter again.
"You're so well known that the Capitol authors have made picture books and things about the war so children have a better understanding. But Finn prefers me to tell him about you and his Dadda. He has a heart full of adventure just like him." Annie replies. Finn, a innocent toddler, has a better understanding of my life than me.
"Me and your Dadda were very good friends. He loved you very much."
I smile to Finn. "He could swim like a merman."
"Really?" Finn says in awe. "Dad was so cool, he likes swimming like me!"
Finn starts to run around, pretending to swim underwater, giggling madly.
"What am I hearing about mermen?" Peeta asks, walking over and embracing me from behind, scaring me half to death.
I awkwardly step away from his arms as Finn is watching, but he still keeps one around my waist. "Finn is swimming, apparently." I laugh. I can't help but chuckle, he's growing on me.
Peeta rushes over to Finn and says something to him I can't hear. Whatever it was, it made him very happy because he runs into Peeta's arms and Peeta starts to swing Finn around, make faces at him and giving him a piggy back.
This makes my heart melt. Peeta is so good with kids, it's like he was made to be a parent. Even though I could never be one myself, the sight makes me think. Maybe, with a small possibility, I could be a parent one day. Peeta would be over the moon.
I wouldn't do it for me, I'd do it for him. One day, Peeta could live in a world where I am happy to have his child. I shake off the thought immediately, but it still linger in the back of my mind. What if I could have Peeta's child one day, what if I was strong enough to be a Mother?