Reunited: An After Mockingjay Story

Chapter 17

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Peeta’s eyes go from blue to black in less than a second. I quickly get off his lap and run to a now standing Haymitch. He pushes me behind him and tells me to run but I stay there knowing that I can at least try and stop Peeta’s flashback. I gain courage and move towards Peeta.

“It’s okay Peeta. It’s me. The Katniss you love.” He’s moved to the kitchen to find the back of a chair to grip and try to fight the flashback. I move to him, wrap my arms around him and press my cheek into his back. At my touch he goes crazy.

“You stupid mutt! You killed my family! You’re nothing but a stinking mutt! I’m going to kill you!" He screams at me.

“It’s okay Peeta. I’m not going to hurt you. Please come back to me.” He runs at me and punches my jaw. I stumble back shocked at the sudden blow. Haymitch tries to restrain him but it doesn’t work. He comes at me again and pins me to the wall. I look in his eyes and finally see very few flashes of blue.

“Please Peeta. Fight it. Fight it for me. Please come back Peeta.” I plead and cry hot tears. He draws back his fist and I close my eyes preparing for the impact but it doesn’t come.

 I open my eyes and see Peeta hunched down on the floor. I let out a sigh of relief. I squat down next to him and lift his face to mine. His eyes are back to the beautiful blue I fell in love with. Once he sees my jaw he starts to cry. I rub his back but he then pulls me in for a hug. He trembles as he cries but I don’t let go. I hold him tight and start to cry as well. I feel horrible that my Peeta has to go through this at only 18. So we both just sit there on Haymitch’s kitchen floor holding each other tight crying.

After about half an hour we both calm down enough to talk. “I’m so sorry Katniss. Did I hurt you?” he asks.

“No,” I say “I’m fine. You just hit my jaw that’s all.”  He lifts up my face to see my jaw. “I’m fine Peeta, really.”

“No you’re not. Let me see.” He commands. I lift up my face and he finally sees my jaw. Red swollen and a little bloody. His mouth drops open and his eyes get watery. I pull him in and hold him tight. He doesn’t cry this time he just is frozen with terror at what he did.

“Hey it’s okay. I’m fine.”

“No. I hurt you. It’s not okay. We can’t live like this. I can’t risk hurting you again.” I look down not knowing what to say.

“Peeta this is just something we can live with and we’ll get through it. We always do. And just because this happened to you doesn’t make me want to love you any less.”

He lets this sink in until saying with a weak smile, “Nicely said.” I give a sad laugh before kissing him. It’s a passionate kiss. Not filled with hunger or fire but it has just enough magic to make me want it to last forever. I pull away and stand up pulling Peeta with me.

“Come on,” I say, “Let’s go home.” Peeta nods and takes my hand and we head home leaving a sleeping Haymitch behind.