(no subject)

[effective]

Date & Time: A few days after Katniss gets lanced
Location: Her apartment
Characters: Katniss, anyone who wants to check on her /o/
Summary: Katniss has been staying indoors and avoiding pretty much everything.
Warnings: Mentions of stabbination?


[The situation in the forest had been unpleasant. To say the least. It has been a long time since Katniss had legitimately feared for her life, and she isn't sure what to do with the feelings that's left her with.

So she shuts down. It's not quite like the catatonia that had come over her after Prim's death, but it's something similar. She just doesn't know how to deal with her life any more, so she stops dealing with it entirely. She sits on the couch in the lounge, moves only to eat, drink, and use the bathroom, and for all intents and purposes acts like a robot.

It works for her. Sort of.]

Comments

[howherolls]

[ it takes him a few minutes to finally walk in. He didn't knock, but the door wasn't locked so he figured that was invitation enough. In his hand he has a white paper bag, the top of which has crumpled and dampened in his grip

he stays in the door way, watching her. ]

[effective]

[She's hypersensitive to every noise. Her head jerks up when he enters the room, and her mouth opens in a silent 'O'.

She doesn't even stop to think about how likely he is to kill her today. Her legs unfold from the couch and she takes a few unsteady steps in his direction before picking up the pace. She reaches him and presses her face to his chest, hands curling in the material of his shirt.

He can do what he wants to her. She just needs this]

[howherolls]

[ almost immediately, his hands wrap around her, pressing her closer. It's a mechanical move, like something rehearsed from a script, and the paper bag makes a loud, crinkling noise.

gradually, as she grabs his shirt and he begins to realize what had almost happened, his embrace becomes real and his breathing shaky as he lowers his face to the crook of her neck ]

[effective]

[A choked sob escapes her when his arms come around her, and she steps even closer for a moment, like she's trying to merge into him.

And then he's actually really hugging her and she all but melts into his embrace. Her shoulders are trembling, and it travels through the rest of her body as silent tears course down her cheeks, soaking into his shirt] Don't leave me.

[howherolls]

[ he inhales deeply, a hand going to cradle the back of her head as the other drops the bag to the floor, winding around her waist ]

I won't.

[effective]

[She hates crying, hates how it makes her feel weak, apeear weak, but she can't help it now. All the strength seems to have gone out of her, and for a moment she just lets him hold her, the strength in his arms the only thing keeping her upright.

She can hear his heartbeat. He's here] Real or not real? [She murmurs it into his shirt]

[howherolls]

[ his hand starts to trace circles on her back, lightly, so as not to disturb any wounds he thinks she might have. Katniss always seemed unbreakable, but there wasn't a person who was. ]

Real.

[ or at least, he thinks this is real. again, uncertainty fills him, but he pushes it aside as hard as he can.

hesitantly, and almost shyly, Peeta pulls back and presses a small kiss to her forehead ]

[effective]

[She watches him, wide-eyed, as he pulls away. And then he presses a kiss to her forehead and a small sigh escapes her, eyes fluttering shut.

Slowly, she convinces one hand to uncurl from his shirt. It slides slowly up his chest, over his heart (still beating) to anchor behind his neck. She forces her eyes open again and takes in the sight of his face, so close to hers, before she tugs his head down and kisses him]

[howherolls]

[ his eyes widen and his breathing stops for a second at that. For a moment, his mind goes to that dark place. where katniss doesn't love him, and her kissing him means he's a pawn being moved forward again.

but the dark place is easy to beat this time. because there's a flicker of something here. a small light chasing something away, like a candle to a shadow and peeta remembers he loves this girl. he loves her more than anything, and he had almost lost her.

he kisses her back, his hand sliding into her hair ]

[effective]

[He kisses her back and another choked sound leaves her, but it's more relief than anything else. She kisses him back harder, fingers toying with the hair at the back of his neck before she breaks it, breathing heavily] I love you. [The words are whispered. She kisses the corner of his mouth, his cheek, returns to his lips] I love you, Peeta, I love you.

[howherolls]

[ he should feel happy at the declaration, but all it does is make him afraid. Not because he isn't entirely sure (and some days he's not) but because Katniss just said she loves him and Katniss had almost just died. He feels something stinging in his eyes as he pulls back enough to rest his forehead to hers ]

Don't do that again. Please. [ when he talks, it sounds as if someone's being strangled ]

[effective]

[She can't deny her disappointment when he doesn't say it back, but she also can't blame him. It's what she deserves, that sort of reaction. She's just glad that when he pulls away, it's not too far.

His comment makes her snort] I didn't do it on purpose. [Her eyes shut again, just for a moment. When she opens them again, she holds his gaze] I won't make you a promise I can't keep, Peeta. But I'll do my best.

Before or after Peeta, your choice!

[hungover]

[He's been trying to ignore the fact that he failed her, but that's something he's never fully been able to push away. He knocks on the door briefly with the bottle that he's brought with him, assumes that Katniss will know it's him, and tries the door.

She has to be here, because he's already checked the woods.]

let's go with after to throw him :'D

[effective]

[She's alert enough now that when the door opens her bow is in hand, an arrow aimed at--]

Haymitch. [She lowers it, returning the arrow to her quiver] You're late.

lkjsklfds he'll be so confused

[hungover]

[...well, at least she's up and about. This is probably an improvement.]

Yes, well, I've been told that my 'indigestible swill' might not be suitable for everyone.

[Which means he bought you booze that's not ... as cheap ... as he drinks. This is how you know he cares, okay.]

[effective]

[Her eyebrows crawl up her forehead. It probably says a lot about her habits lately that she recognises that the booze isn't his usual cheap swill.]

That depends on what you're looking to get out of it. [She walks over to him and takes the bottle from his grasp] Want some?

[hungover]

...no.

[Well, that should set off all sorts of warning bells for her. Haymitch rejecting a drink?

He's trying to be good, trying to -- well, make sure that he's sharper for if something happens to her again.

It won't last long, but it's an effort -- a gesture. It also explains why he looks like he swallowed bleach instead of vodka on his last go 'round.]

[effective]

[She stills, and the shock is evident on her face. A moment passes, before she turns her back on him and puts the booze away in a cupboard. Still not looking at him, she speaks]

Don't be an idiot, Haymitch. It was a mutt, there wasn't anything you could do.

[hungover]

Doesn't mean I shouldn't have been aware that the thing was running around.

[That's his job, to know what's going on. To keep her from doing the stupid things that he'd done, or at least to -- make her attempts at them successful.]

[effective]

[She turns then, leaning against the bench and crossing her arms over her chest. There's no sign of her injury at all] Okay, fine. Do better next time, then. [She's not going to tell him he doesn't have to do that, because she knows he won't listen anyway]

[hungover]

[She's never asked about his motivation -- not seriously -- maybe she really doesn't care, or maybe she's afraid of the answer. Regardless, he's glad she hasn't.]

That's the plan.

[Even if it kills him -- and at this rate, it just might. The DTs are a bitch.]

[effective]

[There's a pause where she eyes him] You still need to stick around to look after Peeta. Don't let me get in the way of that.

[hungover]

Doesn't mean I can't look after you, too.

[He furrows his brows, leaning absently against the nearest wall.]

[effective]

Only if it doesn't get in the way. [She's more determined than ever to keep him safe, now that he seems to b making a recovery.] Promise me, Haymitch. If something happens to me, don't let him follow.

[hungover]

[He lets out a grunt. Frustrated, maybe, not so much with her but with the fact that thinking straight seems painful.]

Didn't I already make you that promise? I'm not making it twice.