Thread: A Mockingjay Fettered (HeavenSundered & Randomname)

Smiling appreciatively at the way that Troy insisted for her to stay, Katniss was happy to oblige, following him up the stairs to the porch and into the house, which looked quite impressive and well maintained from the outside. She was still a little apprehensive about meeting his parents, but she trusted Troy, since he didn't seem particularly worried about it. Katniss soon understood why. To say that she was surprised would have been a gross understatement, and it must have been pretty evident on her face by the way that she stared back at the older couple with wide eyes. Troy's parents as well as his older sister all made Katniss feel completely welcome, almost as if she was already part of their family. She was still a little bit guarded, as per usual, especially with the whole surprise about Troy's mother being from the Seam catching her by surprise, but she still managed a bit of banter and small talk, even complimenting Troy on how brave he'd been when he came to her aid earlier. The Smiths' household had such a comfortable, accepting and positive atmosphere that it made it easier for Katniss to open up. She also found out from Troy's sister that it had been his first time too, which was an interesting bit of information that she was happy to learn, although she didn't comment on it. Judging my how he'd fucked her senseless, though, he must have been a very fast learner. The tour of the house was something new for Katniss as well, since she'd never actually seen a Town house from the inside. She couldn't help but marvel at the luxury and feel a bit envious, not even so much for herself but for her mother and sister. They weren't as strong as she was, and they didn't belong in the Seam. It was already taken a heavy toll on her mother, and she was afraid that it would eventually do the same to Prim as well. Troy had also mentioned that he painted as a hobby while having dinner at her house, so that didn't come as a surprise, but Katniss definitely hadn't expected him to be so talented. Some of his painting actually left her in awe. She was flattered when he offered to paint her something, telling him that she would need some time to think of a worthy request. Eventually, though, it started getting late, and the pair of them knew that they would have to be separated for the first time since having met. Maybe it was silly, feeling so strongly about a boy she'd only known for half a day, but Katniss' stomach twisted into knots just at the thought of being apart from him. She wished that she wouldn't have to go, or that she could bring him back with her, but they both had families and responsibilities to take care of. Agreeing to meet the next morning before school, they shared a long goodbye kiss before she finally forced herself to let go and head back home to the Seam. The next day, Katniss was up before the crack of dawn. Her mother had already needed to pawn some things just to buy them supper last night, and it was going to be the same for breakfast unless she brought something back. Thankfully, her hunting trip went much better this time, and she returned with a squirrel, a rabbit and a basket full of foraged fruits with an hour to spare before school. After getting cleaned up, Katniss changed into a pair of jeans and a tight sweater, paying a bit more attention to how she looked than usual. Prim helped her fix her hair into a single thick braid, which she often liked to wear, and then they shared breakfast before heading out to the front porch to wait for Troy. Prim seemed pretty happy to learn that he'd be meeting them, though not half as much as her older sister who'd barely been able to sleep the previous night because she was so busy pining for him.