Together, Always || An After Mockingjay Everlark Fanfiction

Chapter 4

~Katniss POV~

I rush to the kitchen to find him doubled over and clutching the edge of the kitchen bench for dear life. Peeta grunts and mumbles to himself, tensing his muscles and clenching his jaw.

I stand frozen at the door as if my feet are glued to the floor. I don't know what to do.

Peeta becomes aware of my presence and grunts between gritted teeth, "Katniss. Get. Away. From. Me!" The veins in his neck and temples bulge out from his strained skin and pulse rapidly with his heart beat.

His eyes shift from their normal blue to a menacing black and back again as he battles with the demon that Snow planted inside of his mind.

I finally build up the courage to walk towards him and I rub my hand over his back. His muscles tighten immediately at my touch.

Peeta straightens up towering over me and stares at me with his newly black eyes. His usual kind expression is replaced with anger, fear and confusion as he glares at me.

"Peeta, listen to me. everything is okay. You are safe here with me."

His eyes dilate wildly as he stares at me with fear and processes what I am saying.

"You are safe. No one is going to hurt you especially not me."

Peeta's muscles relax at my words and his eyes return to their usual blue. A sigh of relief escapes my lips.

"Katniss, oh my god I am so sorry! You should have left when I told you! I could have seriously hurt you!"

He pulls me in for another hug and buries his face in my hair, apologizing profusely. I feel my shoulder start to get damp with Peeta's tears but I pretend to not notice it.

"I know you would do the same for me."

He holds me tighter. After a while his breathing slows to a steady pace and he stops apologizing.

Even though we both lost our appetites after Peeta's episode we decide to eat a few cheese buns. As soon as I get a whiff of them my appetite returns and I stuff three in my mouth. This is more than I have eaten all week.

"Thanks Peeta," I sigh, my mouth full of cheese buns.
"Your welcome," he chuckles, a grin spreading across his face.

When we are both full we clean the kitchen together.

"Well I better get going," Peeta says when we finish.

We say goodbyes and thank yous and Peeta leaves, giving me a warm smile as he closes the door behind him.