Work Text:
One thing Haymitch had to unwillingly welcome after the second Quarter Quell games were nightmares. They never went away, Haymitch knew that. However they were still unpleasant and he didn't think of them kindly. They made his body freeze up and ever since the first he slept in his house in Victor's Village, he had slept with a knife under his pillow. Haymitch Abernathy was subject to his nightmares for every night he slept.
He strived to push away everyone he knew, since the passing of Lenore Dove. Yet, the most stubborn person he knew was you. Since by some miracle, you were here, sleeping beside him in this bed the Capitol had given him along with other 'privileges' like running water, furniture and bathtubs.
You had no idea of the horrors he had gone through in that arena, but despite that, you still stuck around. You were okay with waiting for Haymitch to open up again.
Haymitch's nightmares always cut deep, though this one of his seemed to have cut deeper, since he had woke up with a start despite having had some of the sleep serum that permanently lived in his beside table drawer. Probably the worst part of nightmares was that they lingered, sometimes for days, for weeks or even months if you were as unlucky as Haymitch.
He immediately sat up, his pulse racing so fast to the point where he couldn't even tell if it was even beating anymore. There was a ringing in his ears that he could not ignore and his hair, his body and his side of the bed were soaked in sweat. Yeah, he was gonna have fun explaining this one to you.
He flung his side of the bedcovers off him before he turned to get out, but before he could somewhat stand up and get himself a (much needed) bottle of whiskey, he heard your voice, soft and sleepy to the point that it was magnetic. "Haymitch? Where are you going so late at night?"
His body froze. A quick glance back at you saw that you were waking up, rubbing your eyes open with your vision most likely fuzzy.
Haymitch could only clear his throat to gain his composure as he answered your question. "I had a nightmare, couldn't sleep."
"So where were you going?" You asked again. Dear god, you were persistent.
Haymitch let out a breath, his head falling into his hands, defeated once again by your quick-mouth and stubborn love.
"I was planning to have a drink, but I take it you want me to get my ass back in bed instead?" he replied.
You nodded and soon enough, Haymitch's hand was in yours and he was slowly getting the courage to try sleeping again. You had tried reading to him, letting him talk about his past when he was ready. And slowly but surely, Haymitch fell asleep with you close by to protect him.