Finding the Missing Piece: Book 5

Chapter Seventeen

Katniss POV- (That night)

"Hey." Peeta comes into our bedroom after his shower, in his underwear and a white t-shirt.

I turn and look at him as he gives me an exaggerated grin and a sigh then glances at Willow who's sleeping soundly next to me.

"Hi." I say tiredly and turn flat on my back.

I'm still kind of upset about earlier today.

I just can't let it go, just as he had predicted.

"What's up?" He asks, sitting down on his side of the bed and turning to back to look at me.

I give him a fake smile, "I'm just here." I sigh and sit upright, he turns to me.

"You okay?"

I sigh, "I'm fine. Just been thinking. My mind has been on a roller coaster, it seems."

Peeta grins, "When is it not?" He teases me.

I manage a genuine laugh.

He's 100% right.

"I'm kidding." Peeta is quick to add.

I shake my head, "No, it's true." I start, "I'm sorry that I overthink and can't leave well enough alone."

He frowns, "Katniss, I never said that."

Actually, he has said that many times but he hasn't today so I don't argue.

"I know you didn't, I did."

He sighs, "Okay, but sometimes, you make really good points by overthinking things." Peeta says innocently, trying to show me a side that's not really brighter.

I don't say anything for a few minutes until he breaks our tensioned silence.

"How long has she been out?"

"About fifteen minutes." I shrug.

"Then we could spend a little time together. It's only 9:30." He suggests, hopeful.

I shrug my shoulders, "Peeta, I'm sorry but I'm just ready for bed. I don't want to spend any time with you other than sleeping right now. I'm sorry." I say bluntly.

His smile drops, "Come on. Give us like 30 minutes. Please?" Peeta begs me.

"For what? For us to fight again or do nothing at all?" I sigh but it'll probably happen because it usually happens about like that.

He gives me a hurt look, "To spend time with you because I love you...Actually, you know what? Let's just go to bed." Peeta says and I can tell that I've hurt his feelings.

It's not that I'm still all that upset but I am just exhausted. I just really want to go to bed before Willow wakes up in a couple of hours to eat.

I sigh deeply, trying to keep my cool.

"It's not that, Peeta. I'm just tired." I say as I feel tears burn in my eyes at his assumption that may only partly be true.

Cue the fighting.

"Then let's just go to bed, Sweetheart." He says sweetly, having a quick change in heart.

"But I don't want to go to bed with you mad at me." I look into his blue eyes and they soften at my words.

"I'm not mad. I was just hoping since we had about 30 minutes before our usual bedtime, that we could spend some time together. You're right though, using the extra thirty minutes we had for extra sleep would be smart."