"I slept okay," It wasn't even a lie, this time. Sometimes Prim would say she'd slept all right on automatic, but she'd been so tired and happy last night, she'd slept straight through to morning. It had been...nice, honestly.
Already on her side, Prim reached out one of her hands, clasping one of Katniss'. It wasn't a move made for any real reason. Just comfort, and the simple pleasure of having her sister there with her.
Primrose was quiet for a moment, before she smiled again, although this time with a hint of teasing. "So, I met Sokka yesterday."
She laced her fingers with Prims', enjoying the closeness. The physical reminder that Prim was indeed here in Luceti with her - as if seeing her, hearing her voice just wasn't enough. Not when Katniss still woke up every morning with the fear that her sister would be gone. Having that reassurance made it bearable.
But at the mention of Sokka, the smile faded into something more sheepish. She probably should have told Prim, shouldn't she have? That Peeta had been here had been briefly glossed over. Maybe things had been implied here and there as to what he had meant to her - still meant to her. But Sokka? Not a word had been said on that.
Keeping secrets from Prim wasn't something Katniss was all that good at. She valued her sister's opinion far too much. "Did you like him?"
The sheepish grin? Just gets a laugh out of Primrose, quiet in consideration of the fact at least one of the others in the household might be up by now. It hadn't been an accusation and she knew Katniss hadn't taken it like that, but it was...fun. To tease Katniss about something normal.
That, too, was a luxury.
"He was nice when we talked." She hadn't heard about or seen the fight, though, and didn't know how he had been before. ...And it was logical to be nice to the little sister of the girl you were sort of dating. "He gave me a knife, and said he made it himself."
He had mentioned the knives briefly before the party. But when he had intended to show her the choices, they had gotten easily distracted. Not that Katniss had complained much at the time. Or Sokka for that matter. But she trusted his opinion in what sort of knives would be most suitable for her sister. It was what he did here, as close to a living as anything else.
But it was good to ear that he was nice to her. That maybe Prim might even approve of what Katniss would say next.
Her cheeks turned a little red. "I like him. He's uh... We'e uh... I guess... he's my boyfriend?"
That didn't surprise her. If he was giving her a knife, and acting like that with Katniss...it probably was something Katniss knew about, or at least he would have known how she felt about it. Though Prim didn't think she could bring herself to use a knife on a person (or, for that matter, an animal) unless she was cutting to help them, she would carry a knife around if it made her sister feel better.
Katniss had been here for over a year. Back home, Prim had thought that her sister had feelings for Peeta - at least, that had been what she'd read from Katniss' actions, and she'd never pressed the subject. This wasn't home. And more than that, Katniss was the important one, here, and there. As long as she was happy, as long as something was making her happy - Prim could accept whatever or whomever that was without complaint.
Though later on she might not be the happiest of people in regards to Sokka.
This wasn't later, though, and Prim grinned, just a little. "How long have you been seeing him? How did you meet? In the woods hunting?"
How had she met Sokka initially? It had been some time ago, while Peeta had still been here. He had just become one of the givens of this place, of her life here. Just like Zevran or Rapunzel or any of those others she had known for the good part of a year. When the memory did come to her, it was with a slow smile crossing her face.
The canoe. She had been hunting and had seen him with the canoe and wanted to know where he had gotten it. Because hadn't she and Rue still been living in the tree houses by the Western Lake at the time? It wasn't until a few weeks into Peeta's arrival that she finally agreed to move into town. And then, it had only been because of his leg. And his desire to run the bakery.
"I've known him for about a year. We met in the woods. He was canoeing and I was hiking towards a hunting spot along the river." And he had given her lessons. And permission to use the canoe whenever she wished. "But we were only friends. Peeta was here and I..."
She had been honest with her sister about almost everything since she had arrived. But there were two things she had kept silent on: her suicide and her relationship with Peeta. Maybe... maybe it was time to come clean about one of them.
"I was with him. I... loved him." Still did every single day. And missed him so, so much. "There were no Games. No Snow or Coin to impress. Just us."
She'd loved Peeta. Prim had never thought to hear Katniss admit that, but...she'd always thought it would be something that would happen. Back then, when they'd been trying to hijack him back. When Katniss had been so wrecked over him, to Prim's eyes. She'd always liked Peeta, because he'd done so much for Katniss, trying to protect her - how could she not like him? And there was a part of her that was happy he'd been here, to protect Katniss, to love her.
But he wasn't here any longer. And Prim knew what that must have done - what it must still be doing - to Katniss.
She squeezed Katniss' hand again, examining her sister's face closely, concern and care written clear across her own expression. "...Oh, Katniss."
Prim didn't know the half of it. How Katniss conned Clove into killing her, a desperate attempt to either return to Panem or to forget. But it hadn't worked and instead, instead she had been left without her song. And without Peeta. Only the haunting memories of the mural on her bedroom walls, the paintings he had done.
Especially the painting he had done of her. Effie had tried to hang it up once. And she had freaked out, been so completely unable to cope with seeing it. Herself through Peeta's eyes. She knew that he had loved her. But it had been something else entirely to see it reflected in paint.
She swallowed hard, not meeting Prim's eyes or reacting to the squeezing of her hand. If she did, she might break. And she had come so far not to break. Instead, she stared straight ahead, expression grim and stony.
"It was real, Prim. What was between us? It was real."
"I know." It was a reassurance that Prim was listening, that she was watching. That she could see that it was real from her sister's voice, her expression. She didn't know everything, wouldn't until and unless Katniss spoke about it, or other people did, but...
For Katniss to say she was with someone, to Prim, in the sanctity of the bedroom with no cameras watching or people listening in?
It had to be real.
"And if you ever want to tell me about it..." She'd listen.
She wanted to tell Prim so much. She wanted to tell her sister about that shift that had happened where she and Peeta had been childhood sweethearts, married and without a care in the world. No District 12, no Hunger Games, no hijackings, no death. She wanted to tell her about the mission Peeta went on and how damn worried she had been for his life, even though it had been utterly mundane. And how that had made her realize just how much she wanted him, even loved him. The way she had ruined the bakery trying to keep it running while he was gone. How she had tackled him to the ground in anger when he returned, only to wind up kissing him with more hunger than she had ever felt.
There was so, so much she wanted to share with her sister. Katniss didn't know how long Prim would be here, how long she'd have to tell her all of this. But the loss still seemed too raw, even with Sokka to help act as balm to the wound.
Prim nodded, though it was a bit awkward lying down, and she wrinkled her nose up because of it. It felt silly.
"Of course. We can talk about whatever you want whenever you want. We have time."
At least, they had time here. And Prim was trying to make the most of that, and trying to hold onto that. Because it was truly a miracle, when all was said and done.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Already on her side, Prim reached out one of her hands, clasping one of Katniss'. It wasn't a move made for any real reason. Just comfort, and the simple pleasure of having her sister there with her.
Primrose was quiet for a moment, before she smiled again, although this time with a hint of teasing. "So, I met Sokka yesterday."
no subject
But at the mention of Sokka, the smile faded into something more sheepish. She probably should have told Prim, shouldn't she have? That Peeta had been here had been briefly glossed over. Maybe things had been implied here and there as to what he had meant to her - still meant to her. But Sokka? Not a word had been said on that.
Keeping secrets from Prim wasn't something Katniss was all that good at. She valued her sister's opinion far too much. "Did you like him?"
no subject
That, too, was a luxury.
"He was nice when we talked." She hadn't heard about or seen the fight, though, and didn't know how he had been before. ...And it was logical to be nice to the little sister of the girl you were sort of dating. "He gave me a knife, and said he made it himself."
She's fairly certain Katniss would approve.
no subject
He had mentioned the knives briefly before the party. But when he had intended to show her the choices, they had gotten easily distracted. Not that Katniss had complained much at the time. Or Sokka for that matter. But she trusted his opinion in what sort of knives would be most suitable for her sister. It was what he did here, as close to a living as anything else.
But it was good to ear that he was nice to her. That maybe Prim might even approve of what Katniss would say next.
Her cheeks turned a little red. "I like him. He's uh... We'e uh... I guess... he's my boyfriend?"
no subject
Katniss had been here for over a year. Back home, Prim had thought that her sister had feelings for Peeta - at least, that had been what she'd read from Katniss' actions, and she'd never pressed the subject. This wasn't home. And more than that, Katniss was the important one, here, and there. As long as she was happy, as long as something was making her happy - Prim could accept whatever or whomever that was without complaint.
Though later on she might not be the happiest of people in regards to Sokka.
This wasn't later, though, and Prim grinned, just a little. "How long have you been seeing him? How did you meet? In the woods hunting?"
no subject
The canoe. She had been hunting and had seen him with the canoe and wanted to know where he had gotten it. Because hadn't she and Rue still been living in the tree houses by the Western Lake at the time? It wasn't until a few weeks into Peeta's arrival that she finally agreed to move into town. And then, it had only been because of his leg. And his desire to run the bakery.
"I've known him for about a year. We met in the woods. He was canoeing and I was hiking towards a hunting spot along the river." And he had given her lessons. And permission to use the canoe whenever she wished. "But we were only friends. Peeta was here and I..."
She had been honest with her sister about almost everything since she had arrived. But there were two things she had kept silent on: her suicide and her relationship with Peeta. Maybe... maybe it was time to come clean about one of them.
"I was with him. I... loved him." Still did every single day. And missed him so, so much. "There were no Games. No Snow or Coin to impress. Just us."
no subject
But he wasn't here any longer. And Prim knew what that must have done - what it must still be doing - to Katniss.
She squeezed Katniss' hand again, examining her sister's face closely, concern and care written clear across her own expression. "...Oh, Katniss."
no subject
Especially the painting he had done of her. Effie had tried to hang it up once. And she had freaked out, been so completely unable to cope with seeing it. Herself through Peeta's eyes. She knew that he had loved her. But it had been something else entirely to see it reflected in paint.
She swallowed hard, not meeting Prim's eyes or reacting to the squeezing of her hand. If she did, she might break. And she had come so far not to break. Instead, she stared straight ahead, expression grim and stony.
"It was real, Prim. What was between us? It was real."
no subject
For Katniss to say she was with someone, to Prim, in the sanctity of the bedroom with no cameras watching or people listening in?
It had to be real.
"And if you ever want to tell me about it..." She'd listen.
But she wouldn't make Katniss tell her.
no subject
There was so, so much she wanted to share with her sister. Katniss didn't know how long Prim would be here, how long she'd have to tell her all of this. But the loss still seemed too raw, even with Sokka to help act as balm to the wound.
"I do..." Katniss took a deep breath. "Later?"
no subject
"Of course. We can talk about whatever you want whenever you want. We have time."
At least, they had time here. And Prim was trying to make the most of that, and trying to hold onto that. Because it was truly a miracle, when all was said and done.