( he will never, ever begrudge her for her nightmares. no matter how many times she wakes him during the night, because peeta understands them better than most. they probably see many of the same harrowing images, the ones peeta used to paint in an attempt to calm himself some nights. he'd paint until dawn when he couldn't sleep, under the luxury of electricity that being a victor afforded him.
in this way, all they have is each other. and he doesn't take that for granted. she throws herself into his arms and he takes a deep breath, reminding himself who he is for a moment - my name is peeta mellark and this is katniss everdeen and i have loved her for my entire life, i would rather die than hurt her.
it helps. it means that peeta can wrap his arms around her without terror, cradling her to his chest. )
No, don't apologize.
( what did he do in situations like these? peeta finds himself carding fingers through her hair. it just feels right, somehow. )
[ she clings to him with all her strength for a moment, burying her face against his neck for a moment, like she could hide there and forget both their troubles in one swoop. life doesn't work that way, though. and katniss, her life certainly doesn't work that way. she's never been that lucky.
slowly, one of her hands climbs up to cradle the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair to try and settle herself down. peeta. she can feel him touching her hair and it's like being transported to another time, half a dozen little moments scattered across the past two years: peeta stroking her hair while she dozed with her head on his chest, in a cave in the arena and then again later, on the train, when she woke him with her screems.
like she did again. ]
Stay. Will you - could you just stay?
[ she's skinny. they could both fit on the couch. ]
( he says it instantly, without even thinking about it. this is something the old peeta would say, with the same kind of conviction as well. and he really does mean it, because there isn't a single thing that he wouldn't do to keep katniss safe, to make her happy. she's the whole reason why he's here, after all.
so peeta slides onto the couch next to her. he's smaller than he used to be, a little more lean because of everything he's been through. he's gentle as he moves so that her head is resting on his shoulder.
[ it's the easiest thing in the world just to curl up on peeta's chest like she belongs there. maybe she does. it makes her feel safe, like she could rest without worrying about killing anyone. as much as katniss has protected peeta in the past, she needs him to anchor her. to remind her of the things in life that are good and worth living for.
he's a good person. thousands of times better than she is. it makes her feel like she could soak some of that up, just laying here on top of him. ]
Thank you.
[ it comes out soft and small, as young as she actually is for once instead of the mockingjay with the weight of the world on her shoulders. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action.
in this way, all they have is each other. and he doesn't take that for granted. she throws herself into his arms and he takes a deep breath, reminding himself who he is for a moment - my name is peeta mellark and this is katniss everdeen and i have loved her for my entire life, i would rather die than hurt her.
it helps. it means that peeta can wrap his arms around her without terror, cradling her to his chest. )
No, don't apologize.
( what did he do in situations like these? peeta finds himself carding fingers through her hair. it just feels right, somehow. )
action.
slowly, one of her hands climbs up to cradle the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair to try and settle herself down. peeta. she can feel him touching her hair and it's like being transported to another time, half a dozen little moments scattered across the past two years: peeta stroking her hair while she dozed with her head on his chest, in a cave in the arena and then again later, on the train, when she woke him with her screems.
like she did again. ]
Stay. Will you - could you just stay?
[ she's skinny. they could both fit on the couch. ]
action.
( he says it instantly, without even thinking about it. this is something the old peeta would say, with the same kind of conviction as well. and he really does mean it, because there isn't a single thing that he wouldn't do to keep katniss safe, to make her happy. she's the whole reason why he's here, after all.
so peeta slides onto the couch next to her. he's smaller than he used to be, a little more lean because of everything he's been through. he's gentle as he moves so that her head is resting on his shoulder.
just like they used to )
action.
he's a good person. thousands of times better than she is. it makes her feel like she could soak some of that up, just laying here on top of him. ]
Thank you.
[ it comes out soft and small, as young as she actually is for once instead of the mockingjay with the weight of the world on her shoulders. ]