Work Text:
Even before Katniss opened her eyes, she knew she had another nightmare. All the telltale signs were there: fingers entwined clenching tightly to the sheets. Her heartbeat pounding double-time against her chest as fear and anxiety hammered her awake. Her breathe shallow and harsh against the silence. It took her a second to shake the nightmare from the cobwebs of her mind and see where she was then another second to remember when she was.
Slowly her breathing evened out as she surveyed her surroundings. She wasn’t quite sure what nightmare she had as they all bleed into one another with each nightmare trying to outdo the other. When it came to the games, she believed her memories were nothing more than wounds that stayed open; festering with infection that never truly healed. Exposing in detail, every horrific event she’d faced since she tried to save Prim by volunteering to join the Games.
However it was different now. The Hunger Games have been over for years. Prim and nearly everyone else she knew were dead. She survived after killing Coin. Acquitted she was relocated to District 12. Months later Peeta and few others joined her. Together they tried to make District 12 home again.
Slowly she and Peeta reunited. She drew strength from him and in turn he from her. He had been the only one that truly understood what and why she did what she did.
Blinking her eyes open, she tried to make sense of the nightmare. It was then she realized there was no warmth at her back. She stretched her foot back to feel for Peeta – he wasn’t there. She inhaled; her heart pained knowing what nightmare came to visit. It was possibly her most hated nightmare – the night when Peeta tried to kill her.
Holding her breath she scanned the room – he wasn’t in her field of vision. Quietly she rose to see behind her. Though it was dark, aided only by the moon’s glimmer she saw Peeta’s outline huddled form. He sat there, crouched down on the chair, holding his knees, rocking in place.
Kat didn’t move; she wouldn’t not until the sun came up. As painful of a nightmare as it was for her, it was more torturous for Peeta. Being forced to remember the fear Snow’s people induced. The murderous hatred he had for her after being ‘hijacked’. It had taken months before its venom worked through his body. Although there was no longer any trace of it in his system, the havoc it created continues to taunt them. Still he has to fight against those memories. It doesn’t matter that she trusts him, now, or that she holds no doubt that she loves him with all of her heart – it doesn’t change the outcome of past memories or nightmares they induce, his or hers.
This nightmare she’d consider to be worse than any other. With the others she’d wake up screaming, reliving the pain of a moment, but Peeta would be there. He’d hold and rock her, telling her that she wasn’t alone. And she’d reciprocate by doing the same for him. Yet with this nightmare, the best she got was Peeta would stay in the room.
Neither would sleep as she waited for dawn. She had tried once before to go to him, to reassure him that it was just a nightmare. He ran. She didn’t see him for three days. No, she had to wait.
Peeta heard her move and looked up. They locked eyes, but she didn’t move again. She’d wait, and then at the light of day when he can clearly see the truth in her eyes, feel her love, to know what’s real; she’d go to him and spend the day holding him. Remind him and herself that they were safe, they were together and of how much she loved him.
Although they still battled the pain of the games, she vowed it was a battle they’d win – together.
Fin~