Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For over 200 years, the Viktor women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in town. If a damp spring arrived, if cows gave milk that was runny with blood, everyone believed that those women must have somehow twisted fate over in Viktor Village. It did not matter if the situation could be explained by science, logic, or even just bad luck. Before long, they even convinced themselves that it was not safe to walk into Viktor village after dark.

Which means no one would have seen the arrival of the two sisters, who looked as different as night and day as well as being four years apart.

“Aunt Joe,” four-year-old Prim asked as she curled her small body into the couch, still in her traveling clothes. “Why did you say the people here hate us so much?” Her large gray eyes blinked slowly.

Aunt Joe sighed and ran her black fingernails through her short black hair, her many silver rings glinting in the light. She looked as though she didn't know how to respond when Aunt Effie came waltzing into the living room. Her perfectly coiffed blonde hair tucked neatly under her wide brim velvet hat that paired perfectly well with her purple velvet dress and lace gloves.
Aunt Effie said, “They don't hate us, sweetheart. We just make them a little nervous.”
Aunt Joe rolled her eyes and lit her cigarette, ashes falling onto her short black skirt. “Let’s face it, Eff. We Viktor women have always created a stir. It all began with your ancestor, Lucy Gray. She was a witch.”
“The first in our family. And you are the most recent in a long and distinguished line.” Aunt Effie trilled happily, cutting up herbs into a large iron pot.
Prim pulled an old musty moth-eaten coat over her body in place of where a blanket might have been. “Is that why they wanted to hang her? Because she was a witch?”

Aunt Joe cackled loudly smoke floating into Prim's face and kicked up her booted feet, kicking dirt onto the couch where Prim was halfway to sleep. “The fact that she was a bit of a heartbreaker didn't help. Nor did it help that most of her lovers had wives on the hanging committee. But no, I didn't think it was either of those reasons. They feared her because she had a gift—a power that has been passed on to your children. She had the gift of magic. And it was this very gift that saved her life. She was banished to District 12. With her unborn child growing inside her belly. She waited for her lover to rescue her. But he never came. No one came. In a moment of despair, she cast a spell upon herself that she would never again feel the agony of love. But as her bitterness grew, the spell turned into a curse. A curse on any man who dared love a Viktor woman.”

“Is that why Daddy died? From the curse?” Katniss asked morosely, having walked in on the conversation. At 8 years old, Katniss Everdeen was small but fierce. She was the opposite of Prim in every way. Where Prim was fair, Katniss was dark. Where Prim was sweet, Katniss was Moody. The one trait they shared were the Viktor family's bright gray eyes.
The aunts looked startled at Katniss speaking. She hadn't spoken a word since she arrived on their doorstep.

Aunt Effie ceased her herb cutting and turned to Katniss, “Yes, my darling. Your mother knew. She heard the beetles ticking for your father's death all day long. She knew that when you hear the sound of the deathwatch beetle, the man you love is doomed to die.”
Prim yawned loudly, pulling the coat further up her body, which exposed her bare feet. Katniss looked at the dirty bottom of her sister's feet and made a note in her mind to remember to bathe her sister every day. “Is that why we live with you Aunties now?” Prim asked with her eyes half closed.

Aunt Joe sat up from the ancient Victorian-looking couch and finally snubbed out her cigarette after smoking up the entire first floor. “As much as we might have wanted to, we simply couldn't have turned our only nieces away. You are orphans now after all.”
Aunt Effie looked scandalized at Aunt Joe's blunt tone. “In this house we have chocolate cake for breakfast. We never bother with silly things like bedtimes or brushing our teeth.”
Prim giggled and clapped her hands, although she was barely awake. Katniss only felt frustration knowing this meant she would have to be twice as responsible to make sure Prim was raised well.
Aunt Effie continued on with her speech, “But with the sweets comes the sour. So, when you find yourself the center of attention, it is not that they hate you. It's that, well... We're different.”
“Kitty cat here asked about the curse,” Aunt Joe said.
“Prim, Katniss. The only curse in this family is standing over there. Your Aunt Josephine.” Aunt Effie laughed at her own joke.
Aunt Joe scoffed unimpressed, “Come on. You have to admit that any man who gets involved with a Viktor woman is bound to end up 6 feet under.”
Aunt Effie huffed Annoyed now, “Oh, please, Josephine, accidents happen. Some things are simply fate.”
Katniss fidgeted with the end of her braided hair, “Mommy died of a broken heart, didn't she?”
The aunts looked at each other and nodded sadly at Katniss, “Yes, my darling girl, she did.”
After a sad moment, Aunt Effie tried to change the topic of conversation: “My little witches, let's go to the kitchen and do some spells.”
Prim popped up fully awake now, “Yay.”
“No!” Katniss shouted angrily, startling everyone, “We have our first day of school tomorrow. We need to unpack and get ready for bed.”
Aunt Effie laughed lightly,shooing Katniss's worry away. “Pish posh, you'll learn everything you need to know in life in this house. Besides, it's hardly a new school. Before your mother moved away with your father and had you girls, she went to this school. As well as myself, Josephine, and many other Viktors. Our family has lived here for generations.”
“Didn't know you were such a goody 2 shoes Kitty cat,” Aunt Joe remarked, scratching her heavily tattooed and exposed midriff.
Katniss rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, feeling defensive. “I don't care about all this magic stuff. I just want to make sure Prim has a normal and healthy life as much as possible. There is a reason my mother moved away from here. It’s what my parents would want.”
The aunts looked at each other again in silent communication. Aunt Effie looked stressed, while Aunt Joe looked irritated. Aunt Effie came over to Katniss and patted her head in what was supposed to be a supportive gesture, but it came off as awkward and uncomfortable instead: “You have been blessed with such a gift. You have so much untapped power.”
At that prim perked up again, having been pouting, Katniss said no to spell-making, “What about me? Do I have power like Katniss?”
Aunt Effie turned and pinched Prim's cheeks. “We don't worry about you, Primmy; your talents will emerge in time.”

Just then there was a loud knocking at the back kitchen door. The aunts looked at each other and clucked like chickens, feeling the desperation of their new guest a mile away.
Aunt Effie said, “You girls, go upstairs and unpack; we'll be up in a minute. Josephine, get the bird.”
“Get the book,” Aunt Joe said, grabbing the bird.
Katniss shuffled to Prims side and grabbed her hand. They slowly snuck close to the kitchen so they could hear what was going on. Katniss could hear a woman's whimpering sighs and pleas.
“I want him so much. I can't think about anything else. I don't sleep. He has to leave his wife; he has to leave her now!”
Aunt Effie replied slowly, “My dear, aren’t you married to the baker and with three young boys as well? Perhaps we might give you something to spice up your marriage instead.”
The woman replied in a gravelly voice, “I don’t care about that or anyone else. He is all I think about. Why the hell else would I come here?”
Aunt Joe snatched the money and snarked, “Fine, we'll take your money then. Seeing as it worked out so well the first time.”
The woman cried some more, sounding desperate: “I want him to want me so much he can't stand it.”
Aunt Effie sounded tired. “Be careful what you wish for.”
They handed the woman a mourning dove and a pin needle. It shrieked as they held it down and stuck the pin through its heart. They told her to recite this charm for seven hours:
My lover's heart will feel this pin, and his devotion I will win. There will be no way for him to rest or sleep until he comes to me to speak. Only when he loves me will he find peace, and with peace rest.
Katniss stepped away from the door feeling afraid and squeamish. “I hope I never fall in love; I hope I never fall in love,” she chanted to herself.
Prim cut in a sleepy dreamy voice, “I cannot wait to fall in love!”

The girls quietly went back upstairs to unpack their clothes and get ready for bed, though the aunts never came up to tuck them in or say goodnight. Katniss awoke at 3:00am in the morning, and the house was silent. She looked over in the attic bed she shared with Prim to see she was sleeping soundly. She unwrapped Prims arms from around her and snuck downstairs to the kitchen. The house was even creepier at night. Inside there were no clocks, no mirrors, and three locks on each door. Mice lived under the floorboards and in the walls, where they ate embroidered tablecloths as well as the lacy edges of the linen placemats.
Seven different sorts of wood had been used for the window seats and the mantels. One of which was a peculiarly fragrant cherry wood that gave off the scent of ripe fruits even in the dead of winter. No matter how dusty it got in here, the woodwork never needed polishing. It was dark in every room, even at noon, and cool all through the heat of July.
Anyone who dared to stand on the porch where the ivy grew wild could try for hours to look through the windows and never see a thing. The green-tinted window glass was so old and so thick that everything on the other side seemed like a dark, haunted Victorian dream.
Katniss, though afraid, continued. Her and Prim learned a valuable lesson that night that began when they lost their mother—things most children their age had not. They could see how love might control you from your head to your toes, not to mention every single part of you in between.
She reached the kitchen and pulled out her notebook. She began throwing different things she could find into the large pot in the kitchen—herbs and flowers, the dead things of which she could not name.

“He will hear my voice a mile away; he will whistle my favorite song; he can ride a pony backwards.”
“What are you doing?” Prim quietly walked up behind her.
Katniss jumped, “What are you doing up?”
Prim shrugged casually, “I felt you stop dreaming, so I followed you. What are you doing?”
Katniss continued throwing things in the pot, “I'm summoning up a true love spell called Amas Veritas. He can flip pancakes in the air; his favorite color will be orange; his favorite shape will be a star; he'll be marvelously kind; and he'll have eyes bluer than the ocean.”
Prim looked confused. “I thought you never wanted to fall in love?
Katniss nodded, still busy scribbling, “That is the point. The guy I dreamed of doesn't exist, and if he doesn't exist, I'll never die of a broken heart,” she repeated it again in a whisper this time, “if he doesn't exist, I'll never die of a broken heart.”

The next morning the girls got ready for school and were greeted with a note from the aunts letting them know they were off for supplies and were expected to get themselves to school. Katniss opened the creaky old fridge door. She found everything you could imagine in there except for food. Pickled things, dried things, things in jars that looked like they might still be alive, but nothing resembling food. They hadn’t eaten anything but cake last night and had no money for school lunch. As Katniss stomach grumbled, she knew she would have to figure out something.

Katniss and Prim began to walk to school with their matching pigtails and empty stomachs. They walked past what looked to be the town bakery. A sturdy blonde man caught eyes with her through the window. He began to smile and turned to talk to a small boy who looked to be about the same age as Katniss, but she couldn't see him that well from the window. Outside the schoolyard, a group of children start whispering among themselves, glancing nervously at the girls as they walk by. The air feels tense, as if something unspoken hangs over the group.

A boy named Cato whispers, “There they are.” He nudges his friend Marvel. “You think they'd notice if we threw something?”

Marvel eyed the sisters warily. “You know what happened when our parents tried it with their mom. Not a single apple hit her. They said it was like... She dodged without even moving.”

Glimmer crossed her fingers behind her back, “Just don’t look at them. My mom says if you don’t look at them, they can’t do anything to you.”

Cato grinning said, “My dad says they’re cursed. That’s why we can't play with them. No one wants to end up like them—freaks?”

Marvel, glancing at Katniss, says, “Her dad was normal, though? He and my dad grew up together. William Everdeen still holds a bunch of school sports records. She could probably smoke all of us, and we still can't pick her for teams.”

Glimmer shrugging replies, “Doesn’t matter. No one wants a freak on their team.”

Katniss turned to Prim, voice low, “They are talking about us.”

Prim whimpers softly, “Just ignore them, Kat. Let’s go.”

Cato, gathering some courage, picks up a small stone and aims it at Katniss. “Watch this. Bet I can hit her.”

Marvel, while eager and pompous before, looked nervous now. “Cato, don’t...”

Cato throws the stone, but it falls just short of Katniss' feet. He curses under his breath, “What the...?!”

Katniss, without looking back, speaks to Prim, “They will never stop, will they?”

Prim quietly, with a small smile, replies, “Maybe one day they’ll grow up.”

Cato, angry, trying to save face in front of the group, spits at the ground, “Told you. They are cursed.”

Glimmer nervously whispers, “Come on, let’s go. We don’t want them to hear us.”

As the group of children backs away, Katniss and Prim keep walking. The whispers behind them fade, but Katniss' expression remains hard. Prim looks up at her sister, concern in her eyes.
They walk on, side by side, while the rest of the children linger a safe distance behind, watching them with a mix of fear and fascination. The rest of the school day continues as such. The day was filled with little mortifications. No child would use a pencil or crayon directly after a Viktor girl had touched it. No one would sit next to them in the cafeteria or during assembly. Some girls actually shrieked when they wandered into the girl's room to pee or gossip and found they had stumbled upon one of the sisters. When Katniss sang during music class, every child stopped to stare, both in awe and fear. They whispered that perhaps she was raised by sirens.

At the end of the day, Katniss instructed Prim to come wait outside of Katniss’ classroom after Prim got let out of preschool. A boy in the rear of the room who had stolen a pack of matches from his father that morning took the opportunity to light a match and throw it at your prim. The scent of burning quickly filled the room as it caught Prims shoelace on fire. Katniss ran to her sister, knelt down, and smothered the flames without thinking with her beautiful dress.
“I hope something awful happens to you!” She called to the boy who'd set Prim afire.
Katniss stood up, her sister in her arms like a baby, her face and dress dirty with soap. “You will see what it's like; then you'll know how it feels.”

Just then the children in the classroom directly overhead began to stomp their feet. Out of joy since it had been revealed their spelling tests had been eaten by their teachers bulldog. A tile fell on the horrible boy's head, and he collapsed to the floor in a heap.
“She did it!” Some of the children cried, and the ones who did not speak had their mouths wide open and their eyes even wider.
Katniss ran from the room with her sister in her arms. She could hear them chanting ‘You witch! Witch, witch! You're a bitch!’ She ran through the front door and up the stairs. All afternoon her sister lay at the bedroom door after Katniss locked herself inside, crying for two hours straight.

"Katniss, I'm hungry,” Prim said still at the door.
Katniss stood by her bed, glancing at the door. Prim fell asleep, and the house was eerily quiet. Katniss took a deep breath, knowing the aunts were still not back. She kneeled beside her luggage, carefully opening it.
Katniss whispered to herself, “Ive got to do this... for Prim.”
She pulled out her father’s old hunting jacket, running her fingers over the worn fabric, then lifted her father's handcrafted bow and arrow.
Katniss feeling resolute thought, I know what to do.
She threw the jacket over her shoulders, feeling its weight settle on her like an old memory. She gripped the bow firmly in her hand.
Prim stirred slightly from her sleep, her voice soft. “Katniss? Where are you going?”
Katniss glanced over her shoulder, her voice calm. “Don’t worry, Prim. I’m just going out for a bit.”
Prim turned half-awake, her brow furrowing. “Are you... hunting?”
Katniss, with a small smile, “Yeah. I’ll be back soon.”
Prim sighed exhausted after the crazy week we had. “Be careful...”
Katniss replied softly, “Always.”

She watched as Prim drifted back to sleep, then turned, her expression hardening with determination. She slung the bow over her shoulder and stepped out into the night, her father’s presence felt in every step she took.
Her father taught her how to hunt to make sure she could always take care of herself. He told her about a field called the Meadow, but it all felt like a distant memory now as she walked there with her heavy bow and arrow.

She saw a tall lanky boy watching her as she walked. He walked up to her hesitantly. He was handsome in a way, though he looked like he could have been related to her.
“Are you catnip Everdeen?” He looked as though he was trying to sound intimidating.
“Katniss Everdeen, and who's asking?” She gave her best gruff voice in return.
“My name is Gale Hawthorne. Our parents were friends. My mom told me to watch out for you. Do you know what you're doing with that thing?” He nodded his head towards my bow and arrow.
“Why did you want to see?” I notched it and aimed it towards him.
He raised his hands in the air quickly.“Whoa, I'm just here to look out for you. The woods are full of packs of wild dogs, cougars, and bears, and do you even know how to get where you're going?”
“No,” I admitted, feeling frustrated.
“Come on, I'll show you catnip.” He said it in a casual yet serious way.
“It’s Katniss!” I almost shouted, feeling annoyed by this boy already.
"OK, catnip,” he laughed in a way that denoted he didn’t do it often.

We walk for a little bit until we reach the fence separating the town from the woods. It's a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. We listen carefully for the hum that means the fence is on, but it's silent. Gale shows me where we flatten out on our bellies and slide under a 2-foot stretch of fence that's been loose. Gale warns me about venomous snakes and rabies animals.
Gale smiles playfully, “You’re too late, you know. If you wanted to catch something other than me, you should’ve shown up earlier.
Katniss rolls her eyes, pretending to be unfazed. “Guess I’ll just have to come back tomorrow, bright and early.”
Gale, leaning in slightly, raising an eyebrow, replies, “Can you handle getting up that early?”
Katniss grits her teeth, steeling her resolve, “For my sister? Challenge accepted.”
Gale nods his head at her with begrudging respect.
“Ok, see you around Everdeen.” Gale begins to walk off his long legs, going quicker than Katniss could catch up with.
“See you around Hawthorne,” Katniss responds, though she was unsure he could even hear it.

Katniss walks back toward town, the evening air heavy and damp from the approaching rain. As she creeps behind the bakery looking for food, the faint scent of freshly baked bread lingers, mixing with the rotting food from the trash bins. She sees the pinched-faced woman from the night before, tossing out leftovers.

Katniss crouches low, heart pounding, waiting for her moment to steal something. But the woman turns too soon, her eyes wide and wild, her voice sharp and broken, “You! What are you doing here?”
Katniss freezes, her stomach twisting in fear as the woman flies toward her, hands rubbing together anxiously.
The Pinched-Faced Woman gets in her face, her voice cracking, desperate, “Look what they did to me!” She points to her face, her voice trembling as though her very soul is unraveling. “He won’t leave me alone! I can’t sleep—I can’t eat—he wants to fuck me nonstop!” Her eyes, red from endless tears, bore into Katniss. “He watches me! All the time!“
Katniss steps back, feeling a cold sweat forming at her temples. This was not the way adults usually spoke to children, but this woman seemed to have lost any sense of right and wrong.
The Pinched-Faced Woman bore down on Katniss, her voice turning venomous, the words tumbling from her lips like a curse, “Where are they? The witches who did this to me?”
She grabs at Katniss, her nails grazing Katniss’ arm. “Tell me!”
Katniss stuttered, her voice small and breaking, “My aunts went on vacation.“
The lie slips from her lips, bitter as ash, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
The woman’s eyes flare, her mouth twisting as though ready to spit venom. The pinched-faced woman in a frenzy raised her hand to strike, “You are lying! You’re one of them!“
Katniss ducks, arms flying over her head, bracing for the hit, when suddenly, a voice rings out, clear and soft as bells.
The boy grabbing the woman’s arm shouts, “Mom, no!“
Katniss dares to peek through her arms. The boy, about her age, his grip gentle but firm on the woman’s wrist, looks at his mother with a calmness that feels out of place in the storm of the woman’s madness.
The boy pleads, “Mom, stop. Please.“
The pinched-faced woman screaming, yanking her arm from his grasp, spits out, “How dare you touch me! I'll show you!”
She slaps him hard, making the boy lose his equilibrium and let go of her arm.
Katniss watches in horror as the woman drags the boy back toward the bakery, her nails digging into his skin. The door slams shut behind them, leaving Katniss standing alone in the drizzle, her heart racing and her body trembling.
The rain begins to fall in earnest now, cold drops mingling with the tears Katniss hadn’t realized she was crying. She turns to leave, feeling defeated, when a loud *plop* echoes behind her. She turns to see a bundle wrapped in a towel at her feet. Two freshly made loaves of bread. Her breath catches as she glances up, just in time to see the back of the boy’s head as he disappears into the bakery. The rain hides him from her fully, but the gesture remains. She feels guilty; she couldn’t thank him. She didn’t even get a good look at his face in all the commotion.
Katniss quickly grabs the bread, holding it close to her chest, her heart heavy with gratitude and confusion. Without a second thought, she turns and runs back home.

Night has fallen, and Katniss and Prim are huddled by the dim light of their old television, splitting the bread she had scavenged earlier. The rain taps against the window, creating an eerie atmosphere. The news comes on, and the story of a murdered woman begins to unfold.
**News Anchor** (on TV): “Maude Mallark, found dead in a suspected crime of passion. Police say her involvement with a married man may have led to the tragic incident. Her family is being interviewed now.
Katniss freezes, her hand halfway to her mouth, bread still in her grip. The camera pans to the family. The youngest boy appears, his face strikingly familiar—blonde curls, bright blue eyes. Her breath catches.
Katniss whispers, “It's him. The boy from the bakery.”

The boy on screen, his expression solemn, glances toward the camera, his gaze piercing as though he sees Katniss through the screen. Her pulse quickens, the room feels colder, and she pulls her knees closer to her chest.
The rain continues to beat against the window, the sound growing louder, as if echoing the tension in the room. Katniss can’t tear her eyes away from the screen. The boy’s face lingers in her mind—the way his eyes had looked at her, the way he had thrown the bread to her earlier, almost as if he had known she would need it. Peeta Mellark, it says on the screen.
She isn’t sure if the idea thrills or terrifies her. The boy’s face fades from the screen, but the feeling of his gaze lingers in the room, haunting her thoughts. His eyes, like the ocean—deep, mysterious, and impossible to forget.

Chapter Text

Over the years the two girls grew into young women who were closer than two people could possibly be. They always shared a bed, dozing off with their arms wrapped around each other. They often had the exact same dreams and there were times when they could complete each other's sentences. They certainly each could close their eyes and guess what the other most desired for dessert on any given day.

Despite their closeness the two sisters continued to look entirely different in appearance aside from the beautiful gray eyes the Viktor women were known for. No one would have had reason to guess the sisters were related. Prim, at 20, was slim and fair with a heart shaped face, shoulder length blonde hair and a sweet disposition. While Katniss, at 24, was curvy yet athletic with high cheekbones and waist length wavy hair as black as a raven and an intimidating glare.

By the time Prim was in 3rd grade, Katniss was the one who cooked them healthy dinners. Meatloaf and fresh green beans and barley soup using recipes from a copy of joy of cooking she had managed to smuggle into the house. She fixed their lunch boxes each morning packing up Turkey and tomato sandwiches on whole wheat bread adding carrot sticks and iced oatmeal cookies. All which Prim dumped in her classroom trash since she preferred the sloppy joes and brownies sold in the school cafeteria. She often swiped enough quarters and Dimes from the aunt's coat pockets to buy herself whatever she liked.

Still, they kept each other's secrets well, cross their hearts and hope to die, even if the secret was only a cat's tail pull or some foxgloves stolen from the garden. They loved each other deeply, hoping to make up for the love they would never again receive from a mother or father.

The instant Prim began high school the boys who had avoided them for all those years suddenly couldn't keep away. She was beautiful yet approachable in a way Katniss was not. Prim could go to the market for a can of pea soup and come back in a relationship with the boy who stocked the frozen food case. The black soap the aunts made them wash with made their skin glow. The Aunts also spoiled them with clothing. On any given day they might walk in with fabrics in lace, silks, velvets, and tulle. Men who had been happily married and were old enough to be her father suddenly took it into their heads to propose and offered her the world or at least their version of it.

Prim was currently taken with Romulus Thread. He was the head chief of police and currently in town overseeing training of new recruits. Despite being in his forties, he took one look at twenty-year-old Prim and decided he had to have her. Prim was immediately mystified by the older handsome man who had traveled the world and lavished her with expensive gifts and trips.

Katniss sat at the long wooden table, setting down a bowl of roasted vegetables in front of, Prim. The firelight flickered against the dark wood-paneled walls, casting dancing shadows across the room. The Aunts sat at either end of the table, watching the sisters with their usual knowing gazes, that always looked just a bit too loose, as if they might unravel at any moment.

"You're too good, you know," Aunt Joe said, breaking the silence as she reached for a piece of bread. Her voice was low, almost a purr. "All this cooking and cleaning. It'll make you crazy, Katniss."

Katniss barely glanced up from her plate, her dark braid hanging over her shoulder. "Someone has to do it," she replied quietly, her voice steady as she scooped a spoonful of stew onto her plate.

Prim, sitting across from her, had a smirk playing on her lips. Her golden hair gleamed in the candlelight, and her gray eyes sparkled with the kind of wild energy the aunts adored. "Katniss likes playing house. Leave her to it," Prim teased, admiration coming through in her cheeky smile.

“I like making sure things run smoothly, that’s all,” Katniss pushed on, taking a bite of roasted duck.

Prim smiled mischievously, “are they running smoothly with Gale Hawthorne?”

Aunt Effie covered her mouth trying not to let her smile show, Aunt Joe laughed aloud shamelessly, “God knows you need a good fuck Kitty Kat.”

Katniss cringed at her aunts vulgar language, though she was used to it by now, “he is just a friend, and you know that.”

Aunt Joe leaned back in her chair, “A hot handsome friend. If I were into men, I would climb up that pole as much as possible.”

Prim nodded along feet propped up on the dining table indecently, “Gale is sooo hot and he only got hotter the past couple years.”

Katniss rolled her eye's knowing Prim was only trying to get under her skin. Gale was handsome with his olive complexion, dark cropped hair, and five o’clock shadow. At 6’3 he was tall and while slim, he was muscular from hunting and working construction. He looked like he stepped out of a classic romance novel but him and Katniss had never been romantic with each-other in any way. “well his doppelgänger Rory is basically in love with you. If he asks me about you one more time, I’m going to shoot him with one of my arrows.”

Prim scoffed and chuckled nonchalantly, “Rory is such a sweetheart but he’s just a scrawny kid.”

It was no secret that Prim had a way with people—especially boys. She broke hearts the way some people broke kindling for firewood, with quick efficiency and little remorse. By now, she was an expert at it, and Katniss couldn’t help but feel a small pang of fear whenever she saw Prim light up a room with a glance or a careless smile.

“You are the same age and just a kid yourself Prim,” Katniss said forcefully thinking of Prims current suitor who was way to old in Katniss opinion.

Prim immediately got defensive, tired of this conversation being used against her, “I’m not a kid! I haven’t been in a long time.”

“Ok Primmy,” Katniss said not in the mood to have this argument again.

Aunt Effie leaned forward slightly, her gray eyes narrowing in on Katniss. "You don’t have to be so... Good all the time. It won’t get you anywhere in this world. Look at your mother. She never cared for chores or rules, and she lived freely—like a real Viktor woman."

Katniss bit her lip, fighting the urge to snap back. She knew better than to argue with the Aunts. They revered her mother, Carine, who had lived wildly and foolishly, the way the Viktor women were meant to. But Carine was gone, and Katniss was left with the burden of being practical, of keeping things together. Someone had to.

Katniss said, her voice light but dripping with something like sadness, “I probably have granite where my heart should be."

The Aunts exchanged a glance, their sharp features softening into knowing smiles. "Leave her be, everyone," Aunt Effie said, her voice teasing. "Katniss is who she is, just like you’re who you are."

But Prim wasn’t finished. She slammed her fork down, looking fidgety, the sound loud in the quiet room. "I’m getting married," she announced, her voice cutting through the warmth of the fire. "And you can’t stop me."

The room fell silent. Even the fire seemed to pause, crackling hesitantly. Katniss stared at her sister, her heart sinking. She knew this day would come, but not so soon. Not like this.

The Aunts didn’t flinch. Aunt Joe raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a sardonic smile. "And what makes you think we care? Go ahead. Ruin your life. Run off and get yourself pregnant. It’ll be a miserable, ordinary existence."

Prim’s face flushed with anger her eyes blazing. "You don’t understand. I love him."

Aunt Joe laughed softly, a sound like the wind through dead leaves. "Love," she scoffed. "How quaint. How utterly foolish. You think love will save you from the misery of everyday life? You’ll be bored out of your mind within a year."

Katniss finally spoke, her voice quiet but firm. "Prim, don’t do this."

But Prim was already standing, her chair scraping against the floor. "I’m not listening to you. Any of you!" she shouted, storming out of the room, her footsteps echoing up the stairs.

The Aunts exchanged a look, one of amusement, as if they had seen this all before. Katniss sat frozen at the table, her heart heavy with dread. She could hear Prim upstairs in the attic, throwing clothes into a suitcase, her anger radiating through the walls.

"Let her go," Aunt Effie said, pouring herself a glass of wine. "She’ll be back when she realizes love isn’t enough."

Katniss stared at her now cold dinner, the warmth of the fire doing little to ease the freezing knot forming in her chest. She wanted to believe the aunts were right, that Prim would come back, but something in her gut told her this time was different.

The night air was heavy with the scent of blooming wisteria as Katniss and Prim stood by the open window of their attic bedroom. The cool breeze tugged at the white sheets they had tied together in a makeshift rope. Outside, the full moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale glow on the garden below. The house felt unusually still, almost as if it knew it was losing one of its own.

Prim, dressed in her short white dress, kept tugging at the hem, her nervous fingers betraying the confidence she was trying so hard to project. She looked younger than she ever had, her blonde hair catching the moonlight, her eyes wide with both fear and excitement.

"Are you sure about this?" Katniss asked, her voice thick with emotion as she wiped away the tears that had begun to spill down her cheeks.

Prim bit her lip, rummaging through her purse until she pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. She lit one, and the orange glow briefly illuminated her face. "I have to go, Kat. You know that," she whispered, exhaling a plume of smoke. "I need to be somewhere no one's ever heard of the Viktor witches."

They stood in silence for a moment, the smoke curling between them. Katniss didn’t say a word about the hot ashes falling onto the floor she had swept earlier that day. It didn’t matter. Nothing did.

"I wish you were coming with us," Prim said softly, her voice trembling. She took another drag of her cigarette, her eyes avoiding her sister's. "Like it was during thunderstorms... you and me, together."

Katniss swallowed hard, her chest tight with the weight of everything she couldn’t say. "You don’t have to do this," she murmured, though she knew the words were useless. Prim had made up her mind long ago.

"I want to, Kat. I need to." Prim's voice was barely above a whisper. She flicked the cigarette out the window, watching as it disappeared into the darkness. "I hate it here. I want to go somewhere, anywhere, where no one knows us. Where no one knows who I am."

Katniss felt her heart breaking, slowly, like the crackling of embers in a dying fire. She had always been the one to stay, the one to care for the house, the Aunts, the life they had built together. But now, as she looked at her sister, standing there with her wild eyes and nervous hands, she realized that Prim had always been the one to leave.

"Do you love him?" Katniss asked, her voice tight. "Do you love him enough to marry him?"

Prim laughed, but it was a hollow sound. "Kat, what's enough?" she said, shaking her head. "I just want to get away. I want to feel like something other than... this." She waved her hands around the room, at the old furniture and the ancient wallpaper, the relics of their lives.

Katniss didn’t argue. She couldn’t. She understood too well. She had felt the same pull once, a long time ago. But she had stayed.

"Promise me you won’t stay here forever," Prim said suddenly, turning to face her sister with a seriousness that cut through the room. "You’ll ruin your life if you do."

The wind rattled the old windows and the room was filled with the smell of rain and the soft creak of the house settling around them.

Katniss turned toward her sister, her voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like I’ll never see you again."

Prim's heart clenched, but she forced a smile. "Of course you will," she replied, her voice gentle but firm. "We’ll grow old together, just you wait. It’ll be you and me, living in some big house, two old biddies with a dozen cats running around."

Katniss lips quirked into a small smile, but her eyes were still filled with doubt. "You swear?"

Katniss reached for the pocketknife she always kept with her. She handed it to Prim.

Prim flicked the blade open, and without hesitation, she drew it across her palm. A thin line of blood welled up. Katniss did the same, the sting of the cut barely registering over the ache in her heart.

"My blood," Prim whispered, holding out her hand.

"Your blood," Katniss replied, pressing her palm against her sister’s. "Our blood."

They stood there for a moment, their hands joined, the bond between them feeling stronger than ever. Then, without warning, Prim threw her arms around Katniss, pulling her into a fierce hug. Katniss clung to her, tears streaming down her face.

"I love you, Primmy," Katniss whispered, her voice cracking.

"I love you too," Prim whispered back.

And then, just like that, Prim was gone, disappearing out the window, the white sheets swaying behind her like the tail of a ghost. Katniss stood frozen, her hand still outstretched, her heart breaking in a way she hadn’t thought possible.

She could hear Prim's footsteps on the bluestone path below, faint at first, then fading into the night. The aunts were asleep downstairs, their whiskey-laced soup having done its job. They hadn’t heard a thing.

Katniss waited until the house was completely silent before she moved. She walked to the window and looked down. The white sheets Prim had used to escape were now in a crumpled heap beside the wisteria and the sight of them filled her with an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

Why was she always the one left behind? Why was it always her who had to clean up, who had to care for everything and everyone? She knelt down beside the sheets, rubbing the fabric between her fingers, noticing the dirt stains that would need extra bleaching.

A sob escaped her throat before she could stop it. She wept, all alone, her tears falling onto the laundry she would have to wash in the morning. She imagined she could still hear Prim’s footsteps, but when she looked up, there was nothing. Only the garden, silent and still.

As she stood there, the weight of her life pressing down on her like a suffocating blanket, she realized with a terrible clarity that nothing would change. She would keep cooking meals the aunts didn’t want, cleaning a house that never seemed to need it. She would stay.

Katniss lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The room was dim, the curtains pulled tightly shut, and the familiar scent of pine and lavender that usually brought her comfort only made her feel suffocated. It had been a week since Prim left, and Katniss had done little more than drag herself out of bed for basic needs before crawling back under the covers. The house felt empty without her sister, and the ache in her chest wouldn’t go away.

"Katniss!" Aunt Effie’s high-pitched voice broke the silence as she burst into the room, her colorful dress swishing around her ankles. "Darling, you cannot stay holed up in here any longer. You look dreadful. Really, this isn’t healthy!"

"I’m fine," Katniss muttered, pulling the covers over her head. "Just leave me alone."

"Leave you alone?" Aunt Joe’s voice was calm but firm as she stepped in behind Effie, carrying a tray with tea and biscuits. Her short hair in its usual disarray , her eyes sharp but not unkind. "Now, you know better than to waste away like this, Katniss. You’ve been wallowing for days."

Katniss peeked out from beneath the blanket, her voice thick with frustration. "I’m not wallowing."

Effie perched on the edge of the bed, her bright eyes full of determination. "Of course you are, sweetheart. Look at you! You haven’t even set foot in the woods, and we’re running low on supplies. Besides, what good does lying here do? It’s time to get back out there, and the world won’t wait for you."

Katniss groaned, but she knew they were right. As much as she wanted to ignore everything and pretend her world hadn’t fallen apart, life had to go on. "Fine," she muttered. "What do you want me to do?"

Joe exchanged a quick glance with Effie before speaking, her tone casual but purposeful. "How about you start with something simple? Go foraging in the woods—nothing too strenuous. We’re running low on herbs and berries, and you know the forest better than anyone. And while you’re at it, why not stop by the bakery? They’ve prepared our order for the week."

Katniss raised an eyebrow. "The bakery? Why don’t you go yourself?"

Effie waved a hand, as if dismissing the notion entirely. "Oh, darling, you know I can’t bear the smell of flour on my clothes! And besides, it’s important for you to get some fresh air."

Katniss sighed, knowing they wouldn’t relent until she agreed. "Alright, I’ll go. But this isn’t about fresh air, is it? You’re just trying to keep me busy."

Joe gave her a sly smile. "Is it so wrong to want you out of bed and back to your usual self? You’ll feel better once you’re up and moving."

Katniss sat up, reluctantly swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Fine, but this better not be another one of your schemes."

Effie’s eyes widened innocently. "Schemes? Why, Katniss, I would never!" She patted Katniss on the arm. "Now, do be a dear and wear that nice braid in your hair. It suits you."

Katniss narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "Why do you care what my hair looks like?"

Effie grinned mischievously. "Oh, no reason, darling. No reason at all."

Katniss didn’t believe that for a second, but she was too tired to argue. She dressed quickly, pulling her hair into a simple braid as Effie had suggested, then grabbed her basket for foraging. She glanced at herself in the mirror, her face pale and drawn. She did look awful, she realized.

When she made her way downstairs, Aunt Joe was waiting by the door, her eyes twinkling. "Take your time, dear. No rush. And if you happen to run into anyone while you’re out, well... all the better, wouldn’t you say?"

Katniss frowned, her suspicion growing. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Joe just shrugged, her expression far too innocent for her usual no-nonsense demeanor. "Oh, nothing. Just thought you could use some company. You know, someone like Gale."

At the mention of his name, Katniss froze. Her heart skipped a beat, a familiar warmth creeping into her chest. "Gale?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why would I run into Gale?"

Effie exchanged a glance with Joe, both of them trying to suppress their smiles. "Well," Effie said airily, "he’s been in the woods often lately. Hunting. It wouldn’t be unusual for you to see him, now would it?"

Katniss bit her lip, suddenly feeling more self-conscious than she’d like to admit. "I guess not," she muttered, grabbing her basket and heading for the door. "I’ll be back soon."

As she walked down the path toward the woods, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Her aunts had been acting strange, even for them. And the way they mentioned Gale... What were they up to?

She sighed, shaking her head. It didn’t matter. They were just trying to help, in their own odd way. And Gale was her friend—nothing more. She wouldn’t let her aunts' strange behavior get to her.

But as she entered the familiar quiet of the forest, the trees towering above her like silent guardians, her thoughts kept circling back to him. To Gale. The warmth in his eyes when he smiled at her, the way he teased her, the way they moved so easily together through the woods, understanding each other without words.

Unbeknownst to Katniss, her aunts had woven a spell—one of longing, connection, and love. They had watched her retreat into herself after Prim’s departure, and they couldn’t bear to see her so lonely. They knew Gale cared for her deeply, though he had never said it out loud. And so they had decided to give fate a little nudge.

The woods felt different today. The air seemed heavier, charged with something she couldn’t name. And as she made her way toward the clearing where she and Gale often met, her heart began to race.

The love spell had already begun to work its magic.

As if on cue, Gale appeared from between the trees, his bow slung over his shoulder and a crooked grin on his face. "Well, if it isn’t Catnip," he teased. "Haven’t seen you out here in a while."

Katniss felt her cheeks warm, and she cursed herself for it. "Yeah, well... I’ve been busy."

Gale’s smile softened as he stepped closer. "I missed you out here," he said quietly, his eyes locking on hers. "It’s not the same without you."

Katniss looked away, her heart pounding in her chest. There was something in his voice, something she hadn’t heard before.

Katniss walked alongside Gale, their boots crunching through fallen leaves, their breaths misting in the cool autumn air. They had been hunting together since childhood, and this was no different—at least, it shouldn’t have been.

But lately, everything felt different.

Katniss couldn’t quite place when it started. Maybe it was the night Prim left, when everything in her world shifted. After Prim eloped, the house had grown quieter, emptier. The aunts tried to fill the silence with their usual banter, but Katniss felt the ache of her sister’s absence like a wound that wouldn’t heal. And then there was Gale.

He had been her constant—her hunting partner, her confidant, her best friend. But now, when he looked at her, something stirred deep within her. It was a pull, a heat that rose to the surface whenever their eyes met, whenever his hand brushed hers as they set traps in the underbrush. She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. It was as though the forest itself conspired to draw them together.

They stopped by the stream, where they always paused for water before heading back to town. Gale knelt by the water’s edge, his hands cupping the cool liquid, and Katniss watched him, her breath catching in her throat. His dark hair had grown longer, tousled from the wind, and his sharp jawline was rough with stubble. He was handsome—she had always known that—but now, something about him was different. More magnetic.

Gale glanced up, catching her staring, and grinned in that easy, teasing way of his. "You alright, Catnip? Or are you just admiring the view?"

Katniss rolled her eyes, trying to hide her sudden nervousness. "Please, don’t flatter yourself, Hawthorne."

He stood, shaking the water off his hands, his grin widening. "Come on, admit it. You were looking at me."

Katniss snorted, turning away to mask the heat rising to her cheeks. "I was checking to see if you finally learned how to drink without getting water all over yourself."

Gale stepped closer, the teasing light in his eyes replaced by something more intense. "You sure that’s all, Catnip? Because it feels like there’s something else going on between us."

Her heart skipped a beat. She could feel him now, standing so close behind her that the warmth of his body radiated through the cool air. She didn’t turn around, didn’t trust herself to face him. "You’re imagining things," she muttered, but her voice wavered, betraying her.

Gale’s hand brushed against her arm, the touch sending a shiver down her spine. "Am I?"

Katniss swallowed hard, her mind racing. She should move, pull away, laugh it off. But she didn’t. Instead, she turned around, and there he was, closer than she expected, his dark eyes locked on hers.

"I don’t understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why now? Why is this happening now?"

Gale’s gaze softened, his expression turning serious. He raised a hand, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "it’s always been there," he said quietly. "Maybe you just never let yourself feel it until now."

Katniss felt her heart pounding in her chest, the space between them charged with something electric. "And what exactly am I feeling, Gale?" she asked, her voice breathless.

He smiled then, that crooked grin that always made her insides flutter, but this time there was something new in his eyes—something hungry. "I think you know, Catnip," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "I’ve always known."

Before she could reply, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers in the softest of kisses. It was tentative, testing, as if giving her a chance to pull away. But Katniss didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned into him, her hands finding their way to his chest, fisting the fabric of his jacket as she kissed him back.

The kiss deepened, turning from tentative to desperate in an instant. Gale’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against him, and Katniss felt like she was melting, like the ground was falling away beneath her feet.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless. Gale rested his forehead against hers, his hands still gripping her waist as if he couldn’t bear to let her go.

"That’s what we’re feeling," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. "And I don’t want to ignore it anymore."

Katniss closed her eyes, her heart still racing. She should be scared—of how fast this was all happening, of how much she suddenly wanted him. But instead, all she felt was relief. Like something inside her had clicked into place, something she hadn’t even realized was missing.

"I don’t either," she admitted, her voice soft but sure.

Gale smiled again, that teasing light returning to his eyes. "So does this mean you’ve finally given in to my irresistible charm?"

Katniss laughed, the sound light and breathless. "Don’t push your luck, Hawthorne."

He chuckled, leaning in to kiss her again, slower this time, savoring it. When they pulled apart, he cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing her cheeks. "We’re going to be alright, Catnip," he said softly. "You and me. We always are."

Katniss nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her, “Come on, I promised my aunts I would stop by the bakery and pick up their order as well.”

They played, laughed, and stole kisses as they walked.

The bakery smelled of fresh bread and warm cinnamon, the scent wrapping around Katniss like a comforting blanket as she pushed the door open, a small bell jingling above her head. Gale followed closely behind, his hand brushing hers as they stepped into the warm light of the shop. Katniss glanced at him, smiling, her heart feeling lighter than it had in days. The love spell had worked its quiet magic.

Gale grinned at her as they made their way to the counter. "You know, I don’t mind running errands with you if it means stopping by here." He leaned in slightly, his voice low and teasing. "Might even steal a loaf while you’re not looking."

Katniss chuckled, nudging him playfully. "You’d better not. My aunts would have your head."

Just as they reached the counter, a voice from behind the counter startled them both.

"Katniss?"

Katniss froze, and turned slowly, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes landed on *him*—Peeta Mellark.

He was handsome, impossibly so. His sandy blonde hair fell messily over his forehead though still with that casual, tousled look she remembered. But it wasn’t just the hair. Peeta had grown up. His once-soft features had sharpened with age, and his muscular frame filled out in a way that made him stand out even more. He had always been strong—years of lifting heavy sacks of flour and kneading dough had given him an athletic build—but now he looked like someone who could take on the world.

Katniss had noticed the way his shirt clung to his chest and arms, defining every muscle underneath. There was something about his presence that made her heart race in a way she hadn’t expected. His blue eyes, the ones that had always reminded her of the calm before a storm, now seemed to burn with a quiet intensity as he looked at her, that made her breath catch in her throat. He was sexy and disarming the way his chiseled features and easy confidence exuded charm without even trying.

And those eyes—his eyes—they had always been striking, but now, they were impossible to look away from. She felt something stir deep inside her when they met her gaze in the bakery. He had looked at her like she was the only person in the room, his soft smile tugging at the edges of his lips, a smile that had always held a kindness she wasn’t used to seeing in the world. There was a familiarity in his expression, as though no time had passed since that rainy day when he had thrown her the bread.

Gods, he’s handsome, she thought, almost with a hint of disbelief.

"Peeta..." she whispered, the name feeling strange and familiar on her tongue all at once.

Peeta smiled, that shy, almost hesitant smile she remembered so well. "I didn’t know you’d still be here," he said softly, stepping closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "It’s been a long time."

Gale, sensing the shift in Katniss’s demeanor, stiffened beside her. His arm brushed against hers, a subtle reminder of his presence. "Who’s this?" Gale asked, his tone neutral, but there was an edge beneath it that only Katniss could hear.

Peeta glanced at Gale, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention back to Katniss. "Peeta Mellark," he said, offering his hand. "We went to school together. I moved away a few years ago... but now I’m back."

Gale took Peeta’s hand, the handshake firm, almost too firm. "Gale Hawthorne. Katniss and I grew up together."

Katniss felt the tension rising between the two men, and she shifted uncomfortably, her mind swirling with memories. The last time she had seen Peeta was in the rain, when he had thrown her the bread that had saved her and Prim from going hungry. She had never forgotten his kindness, or those piercing blue eyes that had seemed to see right through her, even back then.

Peeta’s gaze softened as he looked at her, his eyes filled with something unspoken. "I wasn’t sure you’d remember me," he said quietly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Katniss felt her cheeks flush, her heart racing. "Of course I remember you," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

She felt Gale shift beside her, and for a moment, she wished she were anywhere but here. The air between them felt too thick, too charged with something she couldn’t name. She glanced at Gale, then back at Peeta, her throat dry.

"You’re... back in town?" she asked, trying to break the tension.

Peeta nodded, his smile fading slightly. "Yeah. I’m a detective now, working with the local police. I came back to help take care of my dad. He’s not doing so well these days."

Katniss swallowed hard, the weight of his words hitting her. She knew Peeta’s father, the kind baker who had always given her and Prim extra rolls when no one was looking. "I’m sorry to hear that," she said softly.

Peeta nodded, his eyes meeting hers again, and for a moment, it was as if the world around them disappeared. She felt drawn to him, the pull undeniable, like gravity.

Gale cleared his throat, breaking the spell. "We should probably get that order for your aunts, Kat," he said, his tone more clipped now.

Katniss blinked, startled back to the present. "Right, the order." She turned to the counter, but her hands trembled slightly as she placed the basket down. She could feel Peeta’s gaze on her, and it was making it hard to think straight.

"I’ve got it," Peeta said suddenly, stepping forward. "I saw the order in the back. I’ll grab it for you."

Before Katniss could protest, Peeta disappeared into the kitchen, leaving her and Gale standing in awkward silence. Gale crossed his arms, his jaw clenched. "Didn’t know he was back," he muttered.

Katniss bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "Neither did I."

Gale turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "He seems pretty... interested in you."

Katniss felt a blush creep up her neck. "We barely know each other, Gale."

"Doesn’t seem like that to me," Gale muttered under his breath, but before he could say more, Peeta returned, carrying a box filled with fresh bread and pastries.

"Here you go," Peeta said, placing the box on the counter. "On the house, for old times’ sake."

Katniss stared at the box, then back at Peeta, her heart doing strange, unsteady flips in her chest. "Peeta, you don’t have to—"

"I want to," he interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "Consider it a thank you for remembering me."

Katniss opened her mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. She felt herself nodding instead, her heart pounding in her chest. "Thank you," she whispered.

Peeta smiled again, that same warm, gentle smile that made her stomach twist in knots. "Anytime."

As she and Gale left the bakery, the box of pastries in her hands, Katniss couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder. Peeta was still standing there, watching her go, his blue eyes lingering on her with a depth she couldn’t ignore.

Gale’s voice broke through her thoughts. "You alright, Catnip?"

Katniss nodded, but she didn’t feel alright. Her mind was a mess, her heart pulling in two different directions. Gale was her constant—steady, reliable. But Peeta...

She didn’t want to think about Peeta, but as they walked down the street, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Something she couldn’t control.

And she wasn’t sure what it meant.

Chapter Text

Katniss had always known what love could do to people. She’d seen it twist women into knots, make them do things that defied reason and good sense. Every night growing up, she and Prim had watched their aunts serve desperate clients at the back door, their faces shrouded in shadow, their voices hushed as they pleaded for a spell, a tincture, “something” to keep their lovers from slipping away. The magic her aunts practiced wasn’t something people talked about in polite company. It wasn’t invited to church potlucks or PTA meetings, but it was always sought after when a woman’s heart was breaking, or when desire drove her mad.

Katniss and Prim used to promise each other they’d never be like those women—those who cried over unfaithful lovers or who etched names into their skin, hoping to bind someone to them forever. They’d lock pinkies under the table, their whispers solemn as they watched their aunts prepare pennyroyal tea or prick the third finger of a woman’s left hand with a silver needle. “That won’t be us,” they’d say. “We will never let love make us crazy.” But as Katniss sat alone in the woods now, the moon casting long shadows through the trees, she understood the madness.

She thought of his dark eyes, his hands, calloused and familiar, sent shivers through her when they brushed against hers. A year had passed, and it felt like it had always been this way, hadn’t it? They hadn’t talked about it. They didn’t need to. The way his fingers lingered on her arm when he passed her the bow, the way his breath hitched when she stood close to him—all of it was a language they didn’t need words to speak. The other night, when they had returned from a long day of hunting, Gale had caught her wrist, pulling her gently toward him, and she had felt the world tilt. His lips were so close to hers that she could feel the warmth of his breath, her heart had pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

But instead, he had whispered, “I can’t stop thinking about you, Katniss.”

Those words had haunted her. She had wanted to say them back, to let herself admit what she had been feeling for weeks, months even. But something held her back. Maybe it was the memory of all those women at her aunts’ door, the way love had unraveled them, twisted them into something unrecognizable. Maybe it was fear that if she gave in, she’d be just like them—mad with desire, willing to do anything to keep him.

Yet, here she was, thinking about him constantly. Gale was in her every thought, every breath, every moment. She understood now what the women who came to her aunts meant when they spoke of love like a sickness, a fever that gripped them and wouldn’t let go. It felt dangerous, this thing between them. She still felt on fire from the first time they made love.

As she gathered her thoughts, Katniss couldn’t help but wonder if her aunts had something to do with it. They’d been watching her closely ever since Prim had eloped. They’d encouraged her to spend more time with Gale, nudging her out the door to go foraging or hunting, and now, with every look, they seemed to smile knowingly. The thought unsettled her.

One night, as they sat by the fire after a long day, Gale reached over and tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing her cheek.

“Katniss,” he said, his voice low, “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember.”

Her breath caught in her throat. There it was. The thing she knew he had been dancing around for so long. She looked into his eyes, dark and full of emotion, and felt her heart leap.

“I know,” she whispered. And she did know, deep down, she had always known.

His hand lingered on her cheek, and she leaned into it, closing her eyes. For the first time, she let herself feel it, let herself want it. The madness, the passion, the love. “Marry me,” he rushed out.

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway she replied in a whisper, “ok.”

She was madly in love, and it was terrifyingly beautiful.

Katniss laid back on the soft grass, the sun warm against her skin. She closed her eyes and smiled. Gale had just left, and her heart still fluttered in her chest from his touch. The world felt so different now. So full. So bright. But it was Prim's voice on the other end of the line that tethered her to the moment, reminding her of the sisterly bond that ran deeper than anything.

"Prim, you have no idea," Katniss said softly, her voice laced with affection. "Gale is... he's everything. Steady, strong, like the very earth beneath my feet.”

Prim was silent on the other end, but Katniss could hear her breathing, feel the weight of her thoughts. The silence stretched out, and for a moment, Katniss wondered if Prim was surprised—surprised that her older sister, who once vowed never to fall for anyone, had fallen so hard. But Prim's voice finally broke the quiet, tinged with both curiosity and something else—something heavier.

"I never thought you and Gale... I mean, I knew you were close, but love, Kat? I didn't see that coming," Prim said, a soft laugh trailing her words.

Katniss smiled at the thought, her fingers tracing the grass beneath her. "Neither did I," she admitted. "But it happened, Prim. It’s like I blinked, and suddenly I’m in love with my best friend. And it’s perfect.”

The other end of the line was quiet again, and Katniss shifted. “I wish you could see us, Prim. The way we are. It’s not like anything I ever expected—no more stones being thrown, no taunts from the town. Everything’s just so blissfully... normal.”

Prim sighed, a sound that made Katniss’s heart tighten. "I’m happy for you, Kat," she said, though her voice was thin, strained. "I really am. I just—I'm sorry I can't be there for the wedding."

Katniss frowned, the happiness she had felt moments ago slipping away. "Why can’t you come back, Prim? It’s been a year. You barely call. What’s going on?"

Prim hesitated, her words coming out with a forced lightness that didn’t fool Katniss. "You know how it is. Rome and I, we’ve been traveling. He doesn’t like it when I spend too much time on the phone. Says I need to focus on us, on building our life together."

Katniss’s frown deepened. “Prim... you sound different. Is everything okay?”

There was a beat of silence, a pause too long to be comfortable. Then Prim’s voice came, too bright, too practiced. “I’m fine. Really. I’m just tired, you know? We’ve been all over—Europe, Asia. It’s exhausting. But life is perfect. I’m lying in the sun. Hanging by the pool. I've got a million friends. Everything’s... perfect.”

Katniss knew her sister too well. The hesitation in her voice, the too-bright tone—it wasn’t like her. She sat up, her heart tightening with concern. "Prim, you don’t sound fine. You sound like you’re hiding something."

Prim let out a soft, nervous laugh. "Kat, seriously. I’m fine. I’ve got everything I could ever want. Rome takes care of me. We’re always on the go, you know? There’s just... a lot of pressure. That’s all."

Katniss’s grip tightened on the phone. "Pressure? What do you mean?"

Prim’s sigh was softer this time, almost resigned. "I just mean... Rome has a lot of expectations. He wants things to be a certain way, and I... I’m trying to be the kind of partner he needs. It’s hard sometimes, but... it’s love, right?"

A chill ran down Katniss’s spine. Something was wrong. "Prim, that doesn’t sound like love. It sounds... controlling."

"No, no, Katniss. You don’t understand," Prim replied quickly, her voice wavering. "He loves me. He’s just... intense. It’s not like what you have with Gale. It’s different. But it’s still good."

Katniss swallowed hard, her heart aching for her sister. "Prim, love shouldn’t feel like that. It shouldn’t feel like something you have to constantly work for. It should feel... easy."

Prim’s voice was soft, barely a whisper. "I know. But sometimes, love isn't easy. You just... you have to work at it."

The air was thick with the weight of the conversation, and her thoughts drifted back to the old stories the aunts used to tell. The family curse.

"Do you ever think about the curse?" Katniss asked quietly, breaking the silence between them.

There was a pause on the other end before Prim's soft voice came through. "The one where every man a Viktor woman loves dies?"

Katniss swallowed hard, her fingers gripping the edge of her blanket. "Yeah. That one. The aunts always said it was real."

Prim sighed, and Katniss could hear the tension in her voice. "I used to think it was just a story. Something they told to keep us from getting too close to anyone. But... now..."

Katniss's heart clenched at the thought of Gale. She thought of his strong arms, the way his dark eyes looked at her like she was the only person in the world. The idea of losing him, of the curse being real—it terrified her.

"Prim, what if it's true?" Katniss's voice was barely a whisper. "What if every man we love is doomed?"

Prim’s laugh was light, almost dismissive. "Rome's different, Kat. He’s strong. So much stronger than me. He can survive the curse."

Katniss frowned. "But how can you be so sure? What if—"

"He’s not like the others," Prim interrupted, her voice firm. "Rome’s... intense. He won’t let something like a curse touch him. He’s unbreakable."

Katniss bit her lip, worry gnawing at her. "I hope you're right. I don’t want to lose Gale, Prim."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, Prim spoke, her voice softer now. "Do you really think it’s real? The curse?"

Katniss hesitated, her heart heavy. "I don’t know. Part of me thinks it’s just a story. Something to scare us. But the other part... the part that’s seen too much, knows too much... I’m scared, Prim."

Prim's voice was gentle, but there was a hint of steel beneath it. "We can’t live in fear, Kat. If we believe in the curse, it’ll control us. And I won’t let that happen. Rome can survive anything. So can Gale."

Katniss nodded, more to herself than to Prim. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

But deep down, the fear still lingered. Prim changed the topic quickly telling Katniss about all the sights she was seeing and new people she met. It had been a while since they had had one of these long talks, and for a moment, she felt like they were kids again, whispering under the covers about magic and dreams.

“Do you remember that spell you cast when we were kids? The one to never fall in love?” Prim asked, her voice teasing but laced with curiosity.

Katniss smiled, though the memory of that night brought a bittersweet twinge to her chest. “You mean the *Amas Veritas* spell?”

“Yeah! You were so determined not to fall in love.” Prim’s voice lightened, amusement clear. “I remember you saying something like, ‘He’ll hear my voice a mile away, he’ll whistle my favorite song, he’ll be marvelously kind…’”

Katniss laughed softly, completing the memory, “‘...He’ll ride a pony backwards, he’ll flip pancakes in the air, his favorite shape will be a star, his favorite color orange.’”

Prim giggled. “And he had to have eyes blue as the ocean! You really went all out to make sure that guy didn’t exist.”

Katniss shook her head, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin. “Yeah, well, that was the point, wasn’t it? I didn’t want to fall in love. I thought if I made him impossible, I’d never have to deal with a broken heart.”

“And now look at you,” Prim teased. “About to marry Gale Hawthorne of all people.”

Katniss could hear the skepticism in Prim’s voice. It wasn’t the first time her sister had questioned her relationship with Gale. “I know what you’re thinking, let it go” Katniss said softly.

Prim sighed on the other end. “I just... I never thought it’d be Gale. You never seemed... I don’t know, *in love* with him before. I mean, how does he live up to your little love spell?”

Katniss chuckled, though the question hit a little too close to home. Gale didn’t fit the impossible dream she’d conjured as a child, but then again, no one could. Except...

“Peeta Mellark moved back to town,” Katniss said quietly, almost to herself.

“Peeta?” Prim’s tone shifted, intrigued. “Peeta Mellark? I thought he moved away after his mom...”

“He did,” Katniss interrupted. “But he’s back now. He’s a detective. I see him sometimes when I stop by the bakery for the aunts.”

“Wait,” Prim said, a note of surprise in her voice. “Peeta? I always thought you had a crush on someone in the Mellark family, but I figured it was his father. You used to look at him like he was the kindest man in the world.”

Katniss flushed; glad Prim couldn’t see her face. She had admired Mr. Mellark’s kindness when she was younger—especially after that day Peeta threw her the bread—but it was his kind eyes that reminded her so much of his youngest son.

“Peeta’s... different,” Katniss murmured, her mind flashing to his ocean-blue eyes, the way they’d locked with hers the last time she’d seen him at the bakery. “He’s... well, you know how I said the guy in my spell would have eyes as blue as the ocean?”

Prim gasped. “Katniss!”

Katniss quickly shook her head, even though Prim couldn’t see it. “No, no, it’s nothing. I’m with Gale. It’s just... Peeta’s been around, and I run into him sometimes. That’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” Prim said, drawing out the words. “But does Gale have those ocean-blue eyes? Does he whistle your favorite song?”

Katniss sighed, feeling torn. “No, he doesn’t. But Gale’s always been there for me. He’s strong, dependable, and he loves me.”

Prim’s voice softened. “I’m happy for you, Kat. I really am.”

Katniss closed her eyes, trying to push the thought of Peeta’s eyes out of her mind. "Prim, promise me you'll talk to me more. That you'll come home soon. Please."

Prim hesitated, then sighed again. "I’ll try. I promise."

Katniss closed her eyes, fighting back the tears. "I miss you, Prim. So much."

"I miss you too, Kat."

And for a moment, they were just two sisters again, separated by miles but bound by love.

While Prim danced the night away under a sea of neon lights, Katniss found herself in the warm embrace of Gale's family, gathered around a humble dinner table. Posy, Gale's youngest sister, clung to Katniss like she always did, her admiration and affection clear in every glance. Hazelle, Gale’s mother, smiled softly at Katniss, treating her like the daughter she’d never had. Across the table, Rory sat with his new girlfriend, a girl who bore a striking resemblance to Prim, though she lacked her sister’s effortless charm and sharp wit. Still, Rory couldn't help but ask after Prim, his eyes lingering on Katniss for answers she didn't have. That night, as the house grew quiet, Gale traced the familiar lines of Katniss’ skin—each freckle and scar a story he knew by heart, as if memorizing her all over again.

The soft glow of the next morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Gale’s small home, casting a warm, golden hue over the bed. Katniss stirred beside him, her head resting on his chest, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the lines of his collarbone. Gale let out a quiet sigh, his hand slipping into her hair as he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

“You awake?” Katniss murmured, her voice sleepy but content as she nuzzled against him.

“Mmhm,” Gale whispered, his voice low and rough from sleep. “I’d rather stay in bed with you all day though.”

Katniss chuckled softly, her breath warm against his skin. “That sounds perfect. We could skip hunting, forget about the world for once.”

Gale shifted slightly, rolling onto his side so he could look down at her. He couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he studied her, her dark hair tousled from sleep, the nightie she wore with nothing underneath, her eyes half-lidded and serene.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about the first time we met,” Gale said, his thumb brushing along her cheek. “You were so fierce, so determined. I didn’t stand a chance.”

Katniss laughed, her hand resting on his chest as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with a tenderness she usually kept hidden. “You didn’t? You were the one who challenged me to that archery contest.”

“And you beat me,” Gale teased, leaning down to press his forehead against hers. “That’s when I knew you were something special. I just never thought you felt the same.”

Katniss’s expression softened, and she reached up to cup his face in her hands, her thumbs gently stroking his jaw. “I didn’t know either. You were always so strong, so sure of everything. I admired that about you.”

“Admired?” Gale raised an eyebrow, his tone playful. “Is that all? Just admiration?”

Katniss grinned, rolling her eyes. “Don’t get cocky.”

Gale chuckled, the sound deep and warm, filling the small room. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against hers, a slow, lingering kiss that made her heart skip a beat. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers again, his breath soft against her lips.

“You have no idea what it’s meant to me,” Gale said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “To have you. To love you.”

Katniss felt her chest tighten at the sincerity in his words. She ran her fingers through his hair, her gaze locked on his. “I didn’t make it easy on you, did I?”

Gale laughed, shaking his head. “No, you didn’t. But it’s part of why I love you. You’re strong, stubborn... fearless.”

Her smile faded for a moment, her eyes flickering with something vulnerable. “I wasn’t always fearless, you know. I’m not fearless with you. I’m just... me.”

“And that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” Gale whispered, his hand cupping her cheek as he kissed her again, this time with more urgency, more passion. “Just you.”

Katniss’s heart pounded in her chest as she kissed him back, her fingers tightening in his hair. When they finally pulled away, both breathless, she rested her head against his chest once more, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

“I love you, Gale,” she whispered, the words feeling both familiar and foreign on her lips. “Thank you... for everything.”

Gale closed his eyes, holding her closer, his hand gently stroking her hair. “No, Katniss... thank you. For loving me.”

Gale sat up beside her, the early morning light casting soft shadows on his bare chest. His dark hair was tousled, and Katniss couldn't help but admire him—the sharp lines of his jaw, the strength in his arms, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled down at her. He reached for his clothes, pulling on his shirt and pants, all the while grinning at her sleepy, admiring gaze.

“I’m heading out to hunt,” he said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Stay here. Sleep in for once.”

Katniss smiled lazily. “Maybe I will,” she teased, watching as he buttoned his shirt. She reached out, fingers grazing his arm. “Don’t take too long, okay? Hurry back.”

Gale chuckled, his deep voice a comfort. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

She watched him leave, her heart fluttering in a way that both excited and unsettled her. As the door closed behind him, silence filled the room, broken only by the ticking of an unfamiliar sound—a rhythmic tap, tap, tap. Katniss stirred, frowning. She rolled over, trying to shake off the sound. But it grew louder, more insistent. The deathwatch beetle.

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

At first, she thought she was dreaming, but the ticking wouldn’t stop. The curse. The curse her family had whispered about her entire life. A terror clawed at her chest, and she threw off the blankets, stumbling out of bed. Her fingers trembled as she pulled on her boots, not even bothering to change out of her white satin and lace nightgown. Her hair hung loose and wild around her face, but she didn’t care. She had to find Gale.

Grabbing her bow and arrows, she ran—her legs carrying her as fast as they could. The woods loomed ahead, dark and full of danger, but she didn’t hesitate. Panic coursed through her veins, every step feeling slower than the last. She pushed through, her breath ragged, her heart pounding in her ears.

And then she saw him. Gale, standing in a clearing, his figure strong and familiar. Relief flooded her chest as he turned, spotting her. He raised his hand, waving happily, his smile as bright as ever.

But behind him, a blur of movement caught her eye—a wild boar charging toward him, tusks gleaming. Without thinking, Katniss raised her bow, her fingers steady despite the fear clawing at her insides. She loosed the arrow, her aim true, and the boar fell with a heavy thud.

Gale turned just in time to see the animal collapse, and then his eyes shifted to Katniss, wide with shock and relief. She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face.

“I thought… I thought I lost you,” she sobbed, clinging to him.

Gale held her tightly, lifting her off the ground as he cradled her like a bride. “I’m here, Catnip. I’m right here,” he whispered, kissing her temple, trying to soothe her. But she couldn’t stop crying, her body trembling with the intensity of her fear.

He continued carrying her as they walked back toward town. As they neared the bakery, she realized she had left her bow back in the woods. She shook her head, insisting it didn’t matter.

"I don’t care about the bow, Gale. Let’s just go home. Please." katniss said softly, her voice shaky.

Gale smiling gently, holding her close,"That bow was your father’s, Kat. I’ll get it. It’s important."

Katniss grip tightened around his neck, her heart racing, "It’s not. I don’t need it right now. I need you.”

He stopped in his tracks, looking into her eyes, his hand cupping her face, "I’ll be two minutes, Catnip. I promise. You stay right here. I’ll be right back before you even miss me."

Her breath hitched, her eyes wide with fear, "Please don’t go. Something feels… wrong. I have this horrible feeling, Gale, I can’t shake it."

He brushed his thumb over her cheek softly, "Nothing’s going to happen."

She hiccuped, desperation creeping into her raw voice, "You don’t understand. Just... stay with me, okay? Forget the bow. I don’t care about it. Just don’t leave."

Gale kissed her forehead, gently untangling himself from her hold,"Trust me, Katniss. I’ll always come back to you."

He began to walk away, turning his back as Katniss’s stood on the sidewalk heart pounding in her chest. She watched him, the dread building, her breath catching in her throat.

In that moment, everything slowed.

Katniss watched him, the world closing in.

“I’ll be right back. Stay here,” he called, glancing over his shoulder to smile at her, that easy, reassuring grin she knew so well.

And then it happened. The sound of screeching tires. A truck came out of nowhere, barreling down the street. Gale turned to smile at her just as it hit him, the sound of metal and flesh colliding filling the air. Time slowed, the world tilting off its axis as Katniss screamed—an earth-shattering, bloodcurdling scream that tore through the town. Her voice echoed off the buildings, the kind of sound that made people stop in their tracks, the kind of pain that could be felt in the very air.

She ran to him, her legs barely able to carry her, collapsing beside his broken, bloody body. His chest was still, his eyes closed, his smile frozen in time. Her white nightgown soaked up the blood, turning crimson as she cradled him in her arms, rocking back and forth, her bloodied hands shaking, her tears mixing with the blood on her skin.

“Gale!” she screamed again, her voice hoarse, her body wracked with sobs. “Please, please come back. Don’t leave me! You promised you wouldn’t leave me.”

But he was gone.

The sound of footsteps, people shouting, doors opening—it all blurred together. She couldn’t hear anything but the pounding of her heart, couldn’t feel anything but the cold, lifeless body in her arms. And then there was Peeta, running from the bakery, his face pale, eyes wide with horror.

“Katniss,” he whispered, kneeling beside her, trying to pull her away from Gale, but she wouldn’t let go.

“Help him,” she begged, her voice breaking. “Please, help him.”

But there was nothing anyone could do.

And as the sun rose higher in the sky, casting light on the dark, terrible scene, Katniss held onto the man she had loved, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

The world spun as Katniss clung to Gale’s lifeless body, her hands stained with his blood, her nightgown sticky and crimson. The sounds around her were muffled, like she was underwater. People were shouting. Sirens blared. But none of it reached her.

Gale’s face, once so full of life, was now still, his eyes closed, his skin cold against her. She couldn’t accept it. He had been laughing just moments ago. He had kissed her forehead, promised he’d be right back. But now, his body was limp in her arms, the light gone from him forever.

“Ma’am, please. Let go,” a paramedic’s voice broke through, but she barely registered it. She felt someone tugging at her, trying to pry her from him, but she refused to move.

“No,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “No, please. Don’t take him. Don’t take him away.”

“He’s gone,” another voice said softly, and the words sliced through her like a blade.

Gone.

Dead.

Katniss shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she clutched him tighter. “No… no, no, no…”

Suddenly, a scream tore through the air.

“Gale!” His mother’s voice was a raw, guttural sound as she ran towards them, Rory at her side. The sight of her son’s lifeless body made her collapse to the ground beside Katniss. “No! No, my boy! My boy!”

Her hands reached out, trembling, and she slapped Katniss across the face with a force that knocked her back. The sting barely registered through the shock. “This is your fault!” Gale’s mother sobbed, her face twisted with grief and rage. “This is your curse! You and your damn family! You killed him!”

Rory grabbed their mother, trying to pull her back as she continued to scream. “Mom, stop. Please—stop.” His own voice broke, tears streaming down his face as he struggled to hold her. “It’s not Katniss’s fault.”

But the words didn’t reach Katniss. Gale’s mother’s accusation pierced through the fog in her mind. The curse. The family curse.

She felt Peeta’s strong arms around her, pulling her away from Gale’s body, holding her up as her legs gave out beneath her. His voice was gentle, but she barely heard it. Her mind was spiraling.

The curse. The curse was real.

“Katniss,” Peeta said, trying to ground her. “Katniss, listen to me. It wasn’t your fault.”

But her heart pounded in her chest, her vision blurred with tears. She broke free from Peeta’s grip, stumbling, as she ran—ran blindly, desperately, back toward her home. The nightgown clung to her body, the blood drying on her skin as she bolted through the streets, looking as though she stepped out of a horror movie, her mind racing.

It was the curse. She had genuinely loved Gale. The curse had taken him. Just like it had taken her father, just like it had taken so many men in their family’s history.

Bursting through the door of her aunts' house, she nearly tore it from its hinges, her breathing ragged and frantic. She could hear the house phone ringing. Her intuition knew it was Prim, but she couldn’t deal with that now. Her boots clattered against the floor, her eyes wild as she looked around, searching for them.

“Aunt Effie! Aunt Joe!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the house. “Where’s the book? Where is it?”

The two women appeared, their faces pale as they took in the sight of her—disheveled, bloody, and broken.

Aunt Effie’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. “Oh, my poor little girl…”

Katniss’s eyes blazed with desperation. “It was the curse, wasn’t it? He died because I loved him too much!”

Aunt Joe shook her head, stepping forward. “Katniss—"

“No!” Katniss shrieked, her voice cracking with anguish. “Don’t lie to me! It was the curse, wasn’t it?”

Effie looked at Joe, her expression conflicted, before nodding slowly. “We had no idea when we cast the spell…”

Katniss’s breath hitched. “What spell? What are you talking about?”

Joe swallowed, her voice trembling. “It was just a little push, Katniss. You wanted so much to be happy. We thought…”

“You didn’t,” Katniss whispered, backing away from them, her hands trembling. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

“We never expected you to truly fall in love with him,” Aunt Effie said softly.

Katniss’s heart shattered anew. She let out a choked sob. “Well, I did. And now he’s dead. And I want him back.” Her voice cracked, her eyes wild with grief. “You brought him into my life. Now bring him back! You can fix this!”

Aunt Joe’s face turned pale. “No, Katniss. We can’t.”

Katniss’s chest heaved as she screamed, “You can! I know you can! I saw it. I saw the spell after Mom and Dad died!”

Even Effie’s voice trembled now. “Even if we brought him back, it wouldn’t be him. He wouldn’t be Gale. It would be something else—something dark.”

“I don’t care!” Katniss cried, collapsing to her knees. “I don’t care what he comes back as. I just want him back. Please! Please, I never asked for anything. I did everything I was supposed to do. Please, if it’s a family curse, take me instead.”

They stood frozen, watching her crumble to the floor, broken and desperate. But they couldn’t do it. They couldn’t bring him back. And Katniss knew, deep down, that nothing would ever bring Gale back.

Not even magic.

Chapter Text

For an entire year, Katniss Everdeen was a ghost in her own life. She moved through each day in silence, her lips glued shut by the weight of her grief. Her voice, once filled with fire and defiance, was now locked away, buried beneath the cold, hard ache of loss. She didn’t speak—not because there were no words, but because she had nothing left to say.

Every morning, she woke to a world that felt smaller and dimmer, the colors of her life drained away. The oranges and reds, the vibrant greens of the woods where she once hunted with Gale—they were all gone. Her favorite sweater, the one she used to wear in the cool autumn months, had turned into an unrecognizable shade of grey. The smell of daffodils, which used to bring her a small sense of peace, now did nothing. It was as if the world itself had been stripped of everything beautiful, and she was left in a place of endless emptiness.

Her aunts still lingered in the house, their presence a constant reminder of the curse, the spell that had taken Gale from her and the deception that had started it. They tried to reach her in those early days, tried to offer comfort, but Katniss couldn’t bear to look at them. To her, they were nothing more than charlatans—truthful charlatans, wielding just enough power to ruin her life but not enough to fix it. Every time she heard the rustle of their skirts as they entered a room, she fled, her footsteps quick and silent as she escaped to the safety of solitude.

At night, when she heard them on the stairs, their slow, deliberate steps betraying their concern, she would get up from her chair by the window, bolt the door, and press her hands over her ears. She couldn’t listen to their whispered attempts to console her. It felt like betrayal, hearing them speak as if they understood the depth of her pain. How could they?

The tears came in waves, sometimes so violently that Katniss felt like she was drowning in them. There were mornings when her eyes were so swollen from crying that she couldn’t open them. She would lie in bed, the grey light of dawn filtering through her window, too exhausted to do anything but breathe. Sleep was no comfort, either. Her dreams were haunted by everything she could never have. In those dreams, Gale was still alive, his laugh echoing in her ears, his hand warm in hers. But when she reached out for him, he would disappear, leaving her alone in a world where nothing was real.

The days bled together in an endless monotony. She no longer knew what day it was, or if it even mattered. Time had lost all meaning. There were no hunts to plan, no fires to build, no survival to fight for.

Her heart, once so full of love for him, felt like an empty shell now, hollowed out by the loss. She could still remember the way he looked at her that last morning, his eyes filled with the kind of love she never thought she’d deserve. The way he smiled at her, so sure he would see her again in just a few hours, made her chest ache. She had let him go, believing she had all the time in the world with him, and now that time was gone, slipping through her fingers like water.

One night, as the wind howled outside, she found herself at the window, staring out at the woods where Gale had died. The moon hung low, casting long shadows over the trees, and for a moment, Katniss imagined she could see him standing there, waiting for her. She pressed her forehead to the cold glass, closing her eyes as tears slipped silently down her cheeks.

She let out a quiet, broken sob, the first sound she had made in weeks, her breath fogging up the window in front of her. Everything hurt—the memories, the silence, the loss of color in her world. Her life had become a series of muted shades, a place where even the brightest moments were overshadowed by the ghost of what could have been. As she stood alone in the darkness, Katniss knew that nothing would ever be the same again. The world had changed, and so had she. She would never be able to love like that again, never be able to let anyone in the way she had let Gale in. Her heart was broken, shattered beyond repair. And the worst part? She wasn’t sure she wanted it to heal.

The phone rang, like it did every night at 9 o’clock. The sound cut through the silence of the house like a blade, sharp and relentless. Katniss sat by the window, her fingers tracing the patterns in the frost gathering on the glass, ignoring the familiar ring. It had been months since she’d last answered. She couldn’t bear to hear Prim’s voice, the hope in it, the pleading for her to come back to life. Not when Katniss felt so far from it herself.

Another knock on her door. One of the aunts, no doubt. Katniss stayed silent, her body rigid, her heart a stone in her chest. She knew they meant well, but their presence only reminded her of everything she had lost. Of the curse that had taken everything from her. Gale was gone. He was never coming back. And now, it felt like she was the one fading away, disappearing into the cracks of this old house, bit by bit.

After what felt like forever, the ringing stopped, the knock ceased, and the house was quiet again.

Katniss reached for the letter she had written earlier. Her hands trembled slightly as she unfolded the paper, her eyes scanning the words she had written for Prim. It was easier this way, easier to write than to speak. Speaking was too painful, too raw, and Katniss was afraid that if she opened her mouth, all her grief would spill out in an uncontrollable flood.

She had never sent the letters. There was a stack of them now, hidden away in a drawer—words she couldn’t bring herself to mail, confessions she wasn’t ready for Prim to read. But she couldn’t stop writing them.

“Dearest Primmy,”

“Sometimes I feel there's a hole inside of me... an emptiness that at times... seems to burn?”

Katniss paused the ink smudged under her thumb as she held the letter tightly. That burning, that aching void, it was always there, gnawing at her. Some days, it felt like she could barely breathe.

“I think if you lifted my heart to your ear, you could hear the ocean.”

“And the moon tonight, there's a circle around it. A sign of trouble not far behind.”

She glanced out the window, up at the sky. The moon was hanging low, with a faint halo around it, just as she had written. A warning, she thought. But of what? Nothing more could be taken from her. She was already hollow.

“I have this dream of being whole. Of not going to sleep each night wanting.”

“But still, sometimes when the wind is warm, or the crickets sing... I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for.”

Her chest tightened at the memory of Gale—of the way his eyes lit up when he looked at her, of his strong arms wrapped around her. His love had been everything, and now, without it, she felt untethered. Lost.

“I just want someone to love me. I want to be seen. I don’t know. Maybe I’ve had my happiness. I don’t want to believe it, but there is no man, Prim. Only that moon.”

Katniss closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. She hadn’t meant to call Prim by the old nickname “primmy”. It slipped out sometimes when she wrote, like it had a life of its own. But that wasn’t what hurt the most.

What hurt was that she truly believed what she had written. That there was no man for her. No future filled with love and hope, not anymore. Gale had been her one chance, and now, she was left with nothing but the memories of him and the emptiness he left behind.

“Only that moon.”

She folded the letter, her hands shaking as she placed it in the box on top of the others. The pile was growing, but she knew she would never send them. She couldn’t let Prim see her like this—broken, defeated, unable to move forward. She didn’t want her sister to know that the strong, fearless Katniss Everdeen had fallen apart.

The phone rang again, the sound echoing through the house. Katniss clenched her fists, fighting the urge to answer, to hear Prim’s voice one more time. But she couldn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Instead, she sat in silence, the weight of her grief pressing down on her, as the moon hung heavy in the sky. And all she could think was that the hole inside her would never be filled again.

Katniss stirred under the weight of her blankets, the heaviness of sleep still clinging to her as she woke. For a moment, she didn’t understand why there was a sense of warmth, of presence, in the room that had been absent for so long. Blinking her eyes open, she found herself staring straight into the wide, familiar gaze of her sister.

"Hey, Kat," Prim said softly, tracing the dark circles under Katniss's bloodshot eyes with gentle fingers.

Katniss felt the world tilt, a wave of emotion surging up from deep inside her. She hadn’t expected to see Prim—certainly not here, not after all the time that had passed. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, her eyes filled with tears, and they spilled over before she could stop them.

"You broke every promise you ever made about coming home for the holidays," Katniss whispered, her voice cracking. The tears came harder, her breath hitching as she tried to hold it all back. She wanted to be angry, wanted to lash out, but the truth was, seeing Prim here, she couldn’t help but feel something close to relief.

Prim’s laugh was light, but there was a sadness behind it. "I know. I know, Kat. I just—" She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I couldn't come back before. You know how the name of this town makes me break out in hives."

Katniss nodded, wiping at her tears. "The aunts?" she managed to ask, her voice hoarse from disuse.

Prim smiled, the kind of smile that reached back to their childhood. "They're off at the solstice celebration. On the committee, no less. You remember those nights, right? Dancing naked under the moon with them. You and me. It feels like a lifetime ago."

"Because it was," Katniss whispered, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. "You left, Prim. You left and never came back."

Prim’s eyes softened. "I know. I’m so sorry Katniss. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you. But tell me about you. Tell me what I missed. Were you happy?"

Katniss blinked at the question. "Happy?" she echoed, the word foreign to her now, like a language she had forgotten. But she remembered a time when she had felt it, or something close to it. "I was, Prim. I was really, really happy. Gale and I... We were going to open a botanical shop. He’d gather ingredients, and I'd make everything. He loved my mint-oatmeal shaving cream. He couldn’t stop eating it." She laughed, but it was hollow. "It sounds so boring now, but he was my best friend."

There was a silence, thick with the memories of what had been lost.

"How’s Rome?" Katniss asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

Prim sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Rome? He’s... well, he's intense. You know, with his whole Dracula-cowboy thing. He talks about our relationship in terms of centuries. Sometimes, we stay up all night worshipping each other like bats." She chuckled, but there was a weariness behind it. "Thank God for Aunt Joe’s belladonna or I’d never get any sleep."

Katniss’s brow furrowed. "Why are you taking that stuff, Prim?"

"I'm not," Prim shrugged. "I just give it to him now and then, to calm him down."

Katniss stared at her sister, disbelief washing over her. "You're drugging your boyfriend to get some shut-eye? Doesn’t that seem... strange to you?"

Prim smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Maybe, but he loves me so much, Kat. He just gets upset when I’m not fully focused on him."

Katniss swallowed hard. "I thought I knew what love was, but now... now I wonder if everything I felt was just because of the spell. I didn’t love Gale before that. He was just my best friend."

Prim’s expression softened. "Do you forgive the aunts for casting the love spell?"

Katniss hesitated. "Sometimes. Sometimes I’m angry that they took my choice away. But sometimes... I’m grateful. I got to experience love, even if it wasn’t completely real."

Prim leaned in, brushing a strand of Katniss’s hair from her face. "You’ll never forgive yourself unless you get up, get dressed, and brush your teeth, because, Kat, your breath stinks."

Katniss let out a shaky laugh. "You’re right."

"I love you, Kat," Prim said, her voice soft.

"I love you too, Primmy," Katniss whispered. "Are you staying?"

Prim shook her head. "I have a room at the Motel 12. I’m heading over soon to drop off my stuff."

Katniss sighed, her heart heavy with the thought of Prim leaving again, even if just for a night. "Help me close the windows first. I feel a storm coming."

After helping Katniss dress and comb through her dark hair, Prim smiled. "Let’s eat some bread & jam and have peppermint tea."

Katniss’s brow furrowed. "The aunts actually shop for groceries now?"

Prim looked at her, confused. "Of course not. Peeta Mellark dropped it off. The aunts said he’s been bringing things for months."

A surge of anger shot through Katniss. "Peeta?" she spat, rushing down the stairs. She grabbed the basket of bread, jam, and honey, storming out of the house and straight toward the bakery. People stared as she passed, shocked to see her after so long. She ignored them, her eyes focused on the bakery door. She burst inside, her chest heaving, only to find Mr. Mellark behind the counter.

"Katniss!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up. "It's so good to see you. Peeta and I have been worried."

Katniss’s rage simmered beneath the surface. "Where is he?" she demanded.

"He’s at the police station," Mr. Mellark said. "Weekdays, he works there. You’ll find him in his office."

Katniss didn’t wait for more. She bolted from the bakery, making her way to the police station. When she pushed through the doors, she ran straight into Haymitch.

"Well, if it isn’t Everdeen," he drawled. "Give your Aunt Effie my regards?"

Katniss shot him a look of disgust and pushed past him, heading toward Peeta’s office. She found him hunched over his desk, working, his blonde curls falling into his eyes. When he looked up and saw her, his face lit up with his usual goofy smile. He held her eyes for a moment and then slowly looked her over from head to toe.

"Katniss," he breathed, standing up.

Without thinking, she threw the basket onto his desk. "I don’t want your pity," she spat. "I don’t want anything from you."

Peeta’s face fell, but his voice remained calm. "I wasn’t trying to pity you, Katniss. I was worried. I just wanted to help."

"You don’t understand anything," Katniss snapped.

Peeta’s eyes darkened, a flicker of pain crossing his face. "You think I don’t understand? My mother was killed, Katniss. I know what it’s like to lose someone, to have your life ripped apart."

Katniss blinked, suddenly ashamed of her outburst. "I’m sorry," she whispered.

Peeta sat down, his shoulders slumping. "I became a detective to help people—to stop things like that from happening. Not with magic. With real, tangible action. Besides I only wanted to know you were doing okay.”

Katniss slowly walked to his desk, sitting across from him. "Why?"

Peeta looked at her, his expression softening. "See, Katniss, the way friendship works is... you have to tell each other the deep stuff."

"The deep stuff?" she echoed, an unfamiliar smile tugging at her lips.

"Yeah," Peeta said with a grin. "Like, what’s your favorite color?"

Katniss chuckled. "You’ve stepped over the line now. It’s green, like the forest."

Peeta’s smile widened. "Mine’s orange. Like the sunset."

Katniss’s heart skipped a beat, memories of the love spell she cast as a child flashing in her mind. But before she could say anything, her phone rang. She looked down at it, her stomach twisting.

It was Prim.

"What’s wrong?" Katniss asked, her voice trembling.

On the other end, Prim whispered, her voice shaky. "Can you come get me?"

Katniss stood outside the worn-down motel, the flickering neon sign casting an eerie glow over the parking lot. The night was suffocatingly still, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Her pulse raced as she approached Prim’s door, dread pooling in her stomach. She didn’t know what to expect, but the frantic phone call from her sister left her no choice. Katniss knocked, the sound hollow against the thin wood. No answer.

With a deep breath, she turned the knob. It gave way with a groan, and she stepped into the dimly lit room. The air smelled of must and stale cigarette smoke. Her heart stopped when she saw Prim huddled in the corner, half-hidden in the shadows. Katniss could barely make out her sister’s face, but the swollen black eye and blood-streaked lip were unmistakable.

“Prim,” Katniss whispered, rushing to her. She dropped to her knees beside her sister, her hands trembling as she reached out, but Prim flinched at the touch.

“He’s just angry I came back here, he never wanted me to come back,” Prim muttered, though her voice was anything but convincing. She glanced toward the door, her eyes wide and darting, fear rolling off her in waves. “We need to leave. Now. There’s blood on the moon.”

Katniss swallowed the rising lump in her throat. “I know, I saw the blood on the moon but did he—" She couldn't finish the sentence. She didn’t need to. The bruises spoke for themselves.

Prim’s hand shot out, grabbing Katniss’s wrist. “He’s not far. He’ll be back any second.”

The urgency in her voice snapped Katniss into action. She helped Prim to her feet, and they moved as quickly as they could to the door, but just as Katniss reached for the handle, They heard singing, I was just so blind, you were always on my mind and the door swung open with a force that knocked her back. Standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the motel’s sickly yellow light, was Romulus Thread. His grin was predatory, his eyes dark and wild. In one swift motion, he pulled a gun from his waistband and pressed it to Prim’s temple.

“Going somewhere?” Romulus sneered, tightening his grip on Prim as she let out a small whimper.

Katniss froze, her blood turning to ice. She felt the weight of the gun's presence like a noose tightening around her neck. Her eyes flicked to Prim, whose gaze, though filled with terror, was locked onto hers.

“Get in the car,” Romulus hissed, dragging Prim toward the parking lot. Katniss’s body moved on autopilot, her legs feeling like they were encased in lead. She followed them, every instinct screaming at her to run, to fight—but what could she do with a gun to her sister’s head?

Romulus shoved Prim into the back seat of his car, then turned to Katniss, the gun now pointed at her. “You’re driving.”

Katniss slid into the driver’s seat, her hands shaking as she gripped the steering wheel. Romulus climbed in beside her, forcing the gun into her side. “Drive,” he growled.

She started the engine, her heart pounding so loud in her ears that it drowned out everything else. She could feel Prim’s eyes on her through the rearview mirror, wide with silent panic. Then, suddenly, a voice—soft but clear—rang out in her mind.

*The belladonna, Kat. It’s in my purse. Use it.*

Katniss's breath hitched. Telepathy. She had forgotten they could do that. Keeping her face expressionless, she nodded slightly and reached for the bottle of tequila Romulus had thrown onto the seat beside her. His eyes followed her movements, but he smirked.

“Go ahead, have some,” he said, his voice thick with mockery. “Might as well make this ride a little more enjoyable.”

Katniss unscrewed the cap, taking a small sip, her mind racing. She passed it to Romulus, who downed a large gulp. His arrogance was infuriating, but it was the opening she needed.

As he drank, she fumbled with Prim’s purse, pretending to search for something innocuous while her fingers sought the small vial of belladonna buried beneath makeup and other items. She palmed it, her heart hammering as she unscrewed the cap beneath the seat, keeping her movements as subtle as possible. Romulus took another swig, oblivious, his hand still loosely holding the gun. In one smooth motion, Katniss poured the belladonna into the bottle and handed it back to him.

“To a long night,” Romulus sneered, taking another deep drink. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, turning his gaze out the window. “You were always on my mind, you were always on my mind,” he sang drunkenly.

Katniss gripped the steering wheel tighter, counting the seconds in her head. Five...ten…twenty. Romulus’s cocky grin began to falter. His hand twitched, the gun slipping slightly in his grip. “Til death do us part Prim.”

His breath grew labored, his body slumping against the door. His hand jerked, knocking the gun to the floor. Katniss didn't hesitate—she slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a halt on the deserted road.

Romulus gasped, his eyes wide with panic as he clutched at his throat. “What…did you…” His voice trailed off, his body going limp.

Katniss turned to look at Prim, who was trembling in the back seat, her face pale. “He’s…he’s gone.”

Katniss reached down, grabbing the gun and tossing it onto the passenger seat before leaning back, her hands shaking violently.

The storm raged outside the old house as Katniss and Prim stumbled through the door, soaked to the bone, dragging Romulus’s limp body behind them. The heavy scent of damp earth mixed with the sharp tang of fear as they struggled to hoist his dead weight onto the kitchen table, the legs creaking under the strain. Katniss wiped the rain from her face, her hands trembling as the reality of what they were about to do settled over her like a suffocating fog.

Prim’s face was pale, her lips pressed into a thin line. She was still shaking, her eyes locked on Romulus’s body. “Oh God,” she muttered under her breath, running a hand through her wet hair. “Oh my God, Katniss…how much did you give him?”

Katniss swallowed hard, staring at the empty vial of belladonna in her hand. “I wasn’t using a measuring cup,” she said, her voice thin and strained. “He tried to kill you, Prim.”

Prim bit her lip, glancing over at the body. “We should go to the police,” she said, her voice wavering. “It was self-defense, right? They’ll understand.”

Katniss shook her head, the weight of their situation pressing down on her. “The old slowly-poison-him-to-death self-defense? Come on, Prim. They’re never going to believe us.”

Prim let out a bitter laugh, leaning back against the counter. “I should stop smoking so much.”

“Of course you should?”

“I’ll probably get life,” Prim said, a hysterical edge creeping into her voice. “Maybe I should smoke two at once. It’ll shorten the sentence.”

Katniss looked at her sister, guilt and fear swirling in her chest. She didn’t want to admit it, but she knew they were trapped. They couldn’t go to the police. No one would believe them. And even if they did, what would happen next?

 “What are you thinking?” Katniss asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Prim’s gaze flickered to the old spell-book sitting on the counter, the pages worn and yellowed from use. “When Gale died,” Prim said slowly, her eyes not leaving the book, “you asked the aunts to bring him back.”

Katniss’s stomach turned at the memory. “They wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t,” Prim said, her voice quiet, “but not couldn’t.”

“They were right,” Katniss said, her voice harsh. “He’d come back as something dark and unnatural. Something…wrong.”

Prim turned to face her sister, her eyes desperate. “Rome already *is* dark and unnatural. I don’t care what he comes back as. We don’t have a choice, Katniss. This is our choice.”

Katniss stared at her sister, the weight of the words sinking into her bones. The storm outside howled, and thunder rumbled in the distance like a warning. “You…you owe me big time,” Katniss muttered under her breath, grabbing the spell-book.

The air in the kitchen felt colder as they flipped through the pages, landing on the resurrection spell. Prim’s hands trembled as she read the incantation aloud. “Okay, here we go,” she said, her voice cracking. She glanced at the body. “Watch his balls.”

Katniss rolled her eyes, trying to push down the rising panic. “You watch them.”

The spell-book lay open on the table, the instructions illuminated by the dim, flickering kitchen light. “Rome,” Prim muttered, leaning over his body, “I will get you out of this, but when I do, we are *definitely* breaking up. It is over.”

Katniss looked at her sharply. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Prim said, though her eyes betrayed her uncertainty.

“Are you sure…you want to do this?” Katniss asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

Prim swallowed hard, nodding. “Absolutely.”

They began the ritual. The sage smoldered in the corner, sending curls of smoke into the air, mingling with the scent of damp rain and sweat. Katniss grabbed the needles, her hands shaking as she held them over Romulus’s cold, lifeless eyes.

“Through the eye?” she asked, her stomach twisting.

“In the eye,” Prim corrected, though her voice faltered.

“No way. I think we should wait for the aunts,” Katniss muttered, her heart racing.

“It’s not like he’s going to stay fresh,” Prim said darkly. “It’s now or never.”

Katniss grabbed a can of whipped cream, handing it to Prim. “This is all I could find,” she said.

Prim stared at the can, then nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. “This is actually brilliant.” She sprayed a star onto Romulus’s chest. “Now, we’re supposed to say: ‘Black as night…erase death from our sight. White as light, mighty Hecate, make it right.’”

They chanted together, the words growing louder with each repetition. “Black as night. White as light. White as light, mighty Hecate, make it right…”

Suddenly, Romulus’s body jerked. His eyes flew open, bloodshot and filled with rage. He sat up, his hands shooting out to wrap around Prim’s throat, squeezing with unnatural strength. “I want you to be my wife!” he shouted, his voice a grotesque rasp. “Can you promise me that?”

Prim struggled, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to pry his hands from her neck. “I want you to be my wife!” Romulus bellowed, his grip tightening. “I want you to be my wife!”

Katniss acted on instinct. She grabbed the cast-iron skillet from the stove and swung it with all her strength, smashing it into Romulus’s skull. The sickening crack echoed through the kitchen, but she didn’t stop. She hit him again. And again. And again.

Finally, Romulus’s body slumped back onto the table, still and silent. Blood trickled down his face, pooling on the floor beneath him. Katniss dropped the skillet, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared at the lifeless body.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a ghostly light over the garden where the lilacs swayed gently in the night breeze. The air was thick with the scent of flowers, damp earth, and something else—something darker. Katniss stood at the edge of the garden, staring at the patch of lilacs where they would bury him. The soft flutter of birds shifting in their nests was the only sound in the stillness, the world holding its breath.

“We’ll take him around the back,” katniss whispered, her voice almost drowned by the rustling leaves. “Where the lilacs grow. It’s… it’s the right place.” She glanced at her sister, her face pale, eyes hollow.

Prim nodded, her throat tight, unable to speak. Her hands trembled as they grabbed the shovels from the garage. They moved in silence, careful not to disturb the roots of the bushes. The aunts had taught them well. There was a way to do this, a rhythm to follow. They wouldn’t leave a trace. The birds had already fallen into their quiet sleep, and the beetles had curled up under the leaves. Even the forsythia seemed to bow its head in silent approval of their grim task.

As the sisters worked, the sound of their shovels biting into the earth took on a strange, steady cadence—like the soft patter of rain, like tears falling. The rhythm was almost soothing, almost normal, as though this was something they had done many times before. But the silence between them was heavy with dread. It was as if the night itself was watching, waiting.

There was only one truly bad moment.

Katniss breath hitched as she leaned down, hands shaking, and tried to close Romulus eyes. His face, still twisted with the last remnants of rage and fear, stared unblinking at the sky. His eyes—those cold, dead eyes—refused to shut. She had heard of this, of dead men refusing to close their eyes when they wanted to see who would follow them. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, but still, she couldn’t make them close.

“Prim,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Look away.”

Prim froze, her shovel suspended mid-air. “What? Why?”

“Just… look away,” Katniss insisted, her voice tight, strangled. “I don’t want you… I don’t want you to see him like this.” She swallowed hard. “Please.”

Prim hesitated, her eyes flicking to the body on the ground. She saw the eyes, saw the way they stared blankly into the dark, as if accusing. Her breath caught in her throat, and she quickly turned her head, staring down at the soil. “Okay,” she whispered. “Just… get it over with.”

Katniss knelt beside Rome, her hands trembling as she began to shovel the dirt over him. With each scoop, she fought the urge to look into those eyes, to meet his gaze one last time. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. Instead, she focused on the lilacs, the way their pale blossoms shivered in the breeze. The smell of fresh earth mixed with the heady scent of the flowers, making her stomach turn.

The dirt fell in soft thuds, covering his chest, his face. Katniss worked quickly, her hands moving on autopilot, desperate to bury him completely, to stop his eyes from watching her. She told herself that once he was under the earth, it would be over. At least this way, only she would have to see him staring up at her in her dreams, night after night.

Finally, the last bit of dirt was in place, the ground beneath the lilacs freshly turned. The job was done.

Katniss stood up slowly, her body aching, her hands caked with dirt. She glanced over at Prim, who was sitting on the back patio, her head between her knees, her breathing shallow and ragged. Prim lifted her head, her face pale and drawn. “I need to sit down,” she muttered, her voice hollow. “I feel like I’m gonna pass out.”

Katniss nodded, her own legs shaky. She walked over and sat beside her sister, the two of them staring at the garden, at the lilacs that now hid their secret beneath the soil.

The night was still. Too still.

“You have the worst taste in men,” Katniss muttered, her voice hoarse from exhaustion.

Prim let out a weak laugh, her breath hitching. “I know this sounds really stupid right now…but I just…I just really wanted to say…thank you.”

Katniss glanced at her sister, her heart aching with a strange mix of love and despair.

 “Thanks for being my sister,” Prim said full of emotion.

Katniss looked away, the rain washing over her face. “It’s all right. Let’s just put this all behind us now.”

“What will we tell the aunts?” Prim asked, her voice small.

“Nothing,” Katniss replied, her voice cold and distant as they walked back into the house, the storm howling behind them.

They sat in silence, the night pressing in around them, as the lilacs swayed in the dark, their pale blossoms whispering secrets to the wind.