Chapter Text
She puts on classical music. There's no real reason for the classical music, but it draws a rare smile out on Peeta's face. Correction, a rare genuine smile. He smirks a lot, Katniss notes, but rarely smiled genuinely. So she puts on classical music. The radio crackles occasionally, but it's a good background music for the days activities.
Katniss likes to think of herself as extremely busy, because when you list it all down on paper, she has a lot of responsibilities to take care of. The problem is, those responsibilities only last roughly half of her day. So she spends the afternoon around the house, sitting at the table and chatting.
The morning was filled with buying food from the newly reformed market, helping Haymitch with the geese, trade around, reply to letters from Annie, ignore letters from her mother, and more. But now, Katniss relaxes and leans back in the chair, staring into her cup of tea as if trying to predict her future with the leftover leaves.
"It won't work, y'know." A annoyingly familiar voice chimes in, leaning across the table on his elbows. "All that psychic stuff is a whole load of baloney. They say that you'll end up happy with two kids and a sane mind, but here you end up!" He gestures to himself, chuckling wildly as he does.
Katniss shoots a glare at him. "I don't have time for this." She lies through her teeth, gripping the tea cup ferociously.
Peeta raises one eyebrow. "My dear Katniss, you have more than enough time to at least be polite to me. Didn't your mother teach you proper social etiquette? You're not supposed to be rude to people who sacrificed their life for you." He waggles his finger at her, cheery tone contradicting his dark words.
Katniss takes a large gulp of her tea. She knows that she should just ignore Peeta, but he does seem to have a way of digging under her skin at every opportunity present.
"I'm going out." She announces, standing up quickly. Katniss marches to the front door and pulls her coat over her shoulder. She's in no state to go out, but Haymitch doesn't care what she wears, and she can't be bothered to get all fancied up.
"Without me? Katniss, I'm simply wounded." Peeta draws, following her out of the house, not grabbing his coat. It's still hung up on the coat rack, despite Sae gently nudging Katniss to move it. Place it with the rest of Peeta's belongings in the attic. Katniss doesn't know why she still keeps it up. He doesn't need it anyway. He doesn't wear it anyway.
Katniss wanders around town, thankful that no one questions what she's doing. She never goes on afternoon walks; It's not part of her daily routine, and Katniss always sticks to her daily routine. But she's entirely sure that if she spends one more minute in a confined space with Peeta she will go insane.
Or more insane, at least.
"Katniss!" Delly bounds up to her, looking slightly surprised, but not in a bad way. "It's good to see you. I've missed you. I just got back District 2 last night. How has everything been?"
Katniss represses a sigh. Sure, talking to Delly is better than sitting and being taunted by Peeta, but not by much. It's too much sunshine and too much kindness for one person to possibly contain in their being. It should be illegal. Punishable by public execution. It's a bad thought, but Katniss nearly smiles at it.
"Good. Just doing the usual. Helping Haymitch with the geese. Catching up with everyone." It's a vague answer, but Delly nods.
"Tell her to sod off. We don't want her here." Peeta says sharply, rolling his eyes behind Delly. Katniss blatantly ignores him. She's gotten good at that, pretending like Peeta isn't making bunny ears behind whoever she talks to. Don't look at him, don't answer him. Don't acknowledge him. Simple enough.
Delly grasps Katniss's hand. "Well, it's been good to talk to you, but I really have to get going. Hopefully we'll meet up soon, right?" Before Katniss gets a chance to answer and decline, Delly walks off, waving as if they're friends. They're not.
"Thank god she's gone!" Peeta exclaims loudly, throwing his arms up in the air.
Katniss shoots him with a glare once they're out of sight. She'd rather not get labeled as crazy for talking to herself. Besides, she isn't talking to herself. Pretty much. Kind of. "Weren't you friends with her? What, didn't you guys like each other? You dated, right?" She questions.
Peeta cackles. "Dating? Oh god, Delly's into women. Ladies. She even had a girlfriend." His expression sobers and he frowns down at the ground. "Had being a keyword. Rosemary died in the bombings." Then of course, because Peeta can not go a minute without making a dark joke, he adds, "Guess that's one thing we've got in common. Except, my death is your best friend's fault. Funny, huh?"
Katniss sprints all the way back home.