Fic - Selfish Moment (The Hunger Games, Katniss/Peeta)
Title: Selfish Moment
Summary: This one time, he is going to be selfish.
Rating: PG (just to be safe)
Spoilers/Warnings: Spoilers for Mockingjay. Post-series, pre-epilogue.
A/N: Written for hungergamesland . The prompt was 'Run'. Placed third in the challenge.
He wakes to find her at the side of his bed, soaking wet and looking like the girl who had given into defeat at the base of a straggly apple tree some years before. Her grey eyes are transfixed on his leg, where her chilled fingers are gently rubbing at the seam that separates flesh from prosthetic.
“You should’ve run.” She whispers. “Things wouldn’t have happened if you had just run.”
Peeta shrugs like the loss of his leg is no big deal. In the grand scheme of all that had happened, it truly wasn’t. “He would’ve gotten to me eventually anyway.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t just mean…” Her voice fades away and she lets out a shuddering breath. Finally, her eyes meet his. “I am poison. I kill people, get them killed. Like Nightlock.”
His heart aches at her words. “Katniss-”
“You still can, you know?” Her eyes are wide and pleading. “You could run - go to another district. You’d be happier there, away from me. I wouldn’t get you hurt anymore.”
Taking her hand still stroking at his leg, Peeta squeezes it tightly. “If you think I’d possibly be happy away from you, then you really have gone crazy.” He shifts his head so it’s resting flat against the mattress. His thumb rubs gently over the back of her hand.
Katniss closes her eyes. “Run, Peeta.” The pleading has crept into her tone.
Peeta tugs on her hand. “Come here.” She resists, so he shifts and gently begins to pull her onto the bed. He doesn’t focus on the fact that she’s wet through from the rain outside or that this is the first intimate contact they have had since returning to 12.
When she’s firmly wrapped in his arms, shivering and tense, he continues.
“I want you to listen to me.” He brushes her hair out of her eyes - eyes that are searching his for some semblance of strength. “I didn’t fight all this time, through two Hunger Games, a rebellion, and brainwashing, to just run away now that it’s all said and done.”
“I made a promise to stay.”
Katniss drops her gaze. “I’m releasing you from that promise.”
Now Peeta shakes his head, even though she’s still not looking at him. He takes her chin between his fingers and tilts her head back up. “It’s not that easy. Now you may tell me that me leaving is what you want - that I should run,”
“You should.” She argues, for the briefest moment looking like the Katniss he had known before.
“But I don’t care.” Peeta says as if he didn’t hear her interruption. “I’m being selfish for the first time in my life. I’m staying, right here, with you. Always.”
Face contorting with an onslaught of emotions, Katniss wraps her arms tight around him and buries her face against his neck. She begins to sob, warm tears working down his skin.
Peeta tightens his hold, resting his cheek against her wet, messy hair. His blue eyes stare towards the window, open like she had said he liked. He watched the raindrops splatter against the sill, matching the droplets of water sliding down his neck.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated!
~Pip
Summary: This one time, he is going to be selfish.
Rating: PG (just to be safe)
Spoilers/Warnings: Spoilers for Mockingjay. Post-series, pre-epilogue.
A/N: Written for hungergamesland . The prompt was 'Run'. Placed third in the challenge.
He wakes to find her at the side of his bed, soaking wet and looking like the girl who had given into defeat at the base of a straggly apple tree some years before. Her grey eyes are transfixed on his leg, where her chilled fingers are gently rubbing at the seam that separates flesh from prosthetic.
“You should’ve run.” She whispers. “Things wouldn’t have happened if you had just run.”
Peeta shrugs like the loss of his leg is no big deal. In the grand scheme of all that had happened, it truly wasn’t. “He would’ve gotten to me eventually anyway.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t just mean…” Her voice fades away and she lets out a shuddering breath. Finally, her eyes meet his. “I am poison. I kill people, get them killed. Like Nightlock.”
His heart aches at her words. “Katniss-”
“You still can, you know?” Her eyes are wide and pleading. “You could run - go to another district. You’d be happier there, away from me. I wouldn’t get you hurt anymore.”
Taking her hand still stroking at his leg, Peeta squeezes it tightly. “If you think I’d possibly be happy away from you, then you really have gone crazy.” He shifts his head so it’s resting flat against the mattress. His thumb rubs gently over the back of her hand.
Katniss closes her eyes. “Run, Peeta.” The pleading has crept into her tone.
Peeta tugs on her hand. “Come here.” She resists, so he shifts and gently begins to pull her onto the bed. He doesn’t focus on the fact that she’s wet through from the rain outside or that this is the first intimate contact they have had since returning to 12.
When she’s firmly wrapped in his arms, shivering and tense, he continues.
“I want you to listen to me.” He brushes her hair out of her eyes - eyes that are searching his for some semblance of strength. “I didn’t fight all this time, through two Hunger Games, a rebellion, and brainwashing, to just run away now that it’s all said and done.”
“I made a promise to stay.”
Katniss drops her gaze. “I’m releasing you from that promise.”
Now Peeta shakes his head, even though she’s still not looking at him. He takes her chin between his fingers and tilts her head back up. “It’s not that easy. Now you may tell me that me leaving is what you want - that I should run,”
“You should.” She argues, for the briefest moment looking like the Katniss he had known before.
“But I don’t care.” Peeta says as if he didn’t hear her interruption. “I’m being selfish for the first time in my life. I’m staying, right here, with you. Always.”
Face contorting with an onslaught of emotions, Katniss wraps her arms tight around him and buries her face against his neck. She begins to sob, warm tears working down his skin.
Peeta tightens his hold, resting his cheek against her wet, messy hair. His blue eyes stare towards the window, open like she had said he liked. He watched the raindrops splatter against the sill, matching the droplets of water sliding down his neck.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated!
~Pip