Katniss Everdeen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stillplaying) wrote2016-03-27 10:01 pm
stillplaying) wrote2016-03-27 10:01 pm
for preemptiveforgiveness
Her life shouldn't be so good. With all of the sins that she's committed in her life, she shouldn't be this happy. It's an odd feeling and at first, Katniss hadn't been certain what it was. Happiness on this kind of scale hadn't been a part of her life in a long time. Since before her father had died. But that fluttering in her chest that she's felt every morning for the past month hadn't been the sign of an oncoming cold but the joy she felt from waking up in Matt's arms. Almost every single morning, the steady rhythm of his heart is the first thing that she hears. His lips have been the first thing she's tasted. His face the first thing she sees.
This might not have been the second chance Matt had had in mind when he initially taken her in but it's better than any other she could ask for. Hard, tricky, terrifying, but still better than any life she let herself picture on the rare occasion Katniss thought there might be something post-Games. What had there been if she was ever let free of the Games? A life of more fighting? Prostitution? Drinking herself to an early death once she was certain that there was enough money in Prim's account to afford college? Or ODing instead. Any life after the Games wasn't going to be a life at all.
But this second chance is better than anything she could ask. Being loved so thoroughly, loving Matt in return. Waking up every morning knowing this man beside her thinks the world of her. It's given her a new kind of courage in which to face the world. She hadn't been afraid to go on subsequent dates with her. She hadn't even thought twice about kissing him in the office one evening, a couple of weeks into their new relationship. Foggy and Karen had been there but she hadn't cared. And that had been liberating. Everything about life has been liberating lately. She's even managed to last the past week at her current job no matter how much she hates waitressing.
Everything has been going well. And shortly after their first date, when she had brought up the idea of being his sidekick again, he hadn't argued. He's taken time out of his normal nightly patrols to work with her instead. Matt's idea of fighting is something much more graceful than the rough and tumble version she had picked up in the ring. It's taken her a while to unlearn a lot of what she had picked up to survive but Katniss is of the opinion that she's progressing. And tonight, when she finally succeeds in knocking Matt off his feet, she feels a sense of pride that she hasn't felt for a long time.
She falls to her knees beside him and leans over to plant a kiss on his lips. "Gotcha," she murmurs against his mouth. "Finally."
This might not have been the second chance Matt had had in mind when he initially taken her in but it's better than any other she could ask for. Hard, tricky, terrifying, but still better than any life she let herself picture on the rare occasion Katniss thought there might be something post-Games. What had there been if she was ever let free of the Games? A life of more fighting? Prostitution? Drinking herself to an early death once she was certain that there was enough money in Prim's account to afford college? Or ODing instead. Any life after the Games wasn't going to be a life at all.
But this second chance is better than anything she could ask. Being loved so thoroughly, loving Matt in return. Waking up every morning knowing this man beside her thinks the world of her. It's given her a new kind of courage in which to face the world. She hadn't been afraid to go on subsequent dates with her. She hadn't even thought twice about kissing him in the office one evening, a couple of weeks into their new relationship. Foggy and Karen had been there but she hadn't cared. And that had been liberating. Everything about life has been liberating lately. She's even managed to last the past week at her current job no matter how much she hates waitressing.
Everything has been going well. And shortly after their first date, when she had brought up the idea of being his sidekick again, he hadn't argued. He's taken time out of his normal nightly patrols to work with her instead. Matt's idea of fighting is something much more graceful than the rough and tumble version she had picked up in the ring. It's taken her a while to unlearn a lot of what she had picked up to survive but Katniss is of the opinion that she's progressing. And tonight, when she finally succeeds in knocking Matt off his feet, she feels a sense of pride that she hasn't felt for a long time.
She falls to her knees beside him and leans over to plant a kiss on his lips. "Gotcha," she murmurs against his mouth. "Finally."
no subject
He'll have to talk to his guy. He's pretty sure that he can make something for her. Maybe even sedative arrows, anything to knock people out without actually killing them. Well, he knows which one he's voting for. Ice cream doesn't stand a chance.
Matt can hear the bowstring snap; he can hear the arrow slicing through the air and thudding into the man's arm. He's got just enough time to whisper 'good job' before he jumps over the railing, lands on his feet and launches into action, disarming and knocking guards unconscious. The boss raises a gun and Matt stops. "I wouldn't. I've got a lady with an arrow aimed at your head right now and she doesn't miss. Put the gun down."
There's a tense moment where the man is trying to decide what to do. He's got one body guard still conscious, but his shooting arm is messed up and he's in a lot of pain. Matt turns his head toward that guy. "Leave the arrow in. Pulling it out is going to cause a lot more damage."
The boss lowers the gun and Matt looks up. "Mockingjay, why don't you come down here with me. Keep the arrow trained on his head."
no subject
He definitely will have to talk to his guy. If he can make anything as useful as the suit that she's wearing now, Katniss has every bit of faith that he'll make her some amazing arrows. And for treating her to such a lovely (albeit useful) gift, she'll make sure to reward him properly. Ice cream and sex. Why pick one?
Katniss barely hears him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, his compliment registers. She's too distracted watching Matt in action. Her arrow is aimed at the man exactly as told and she does her best to focus. His moves are graceful and beautiful, something she admires. But his life (both their lives) are also at stake. Her draw on the bowstring doesn't waver, even as she steps out of the shadows.
"I don't miss," she tells the boss. She smiles sweetly at the man. There's a challenge hidden in that grin, almost as if she's asking him to test her skill. From the corner of her eye, Katniss looks at Matt. "Daredevil?"