01. vid

[howherolls]

[ the video feed flickers on, and a young man sits at a desk. On it, there's a paintbrush, a small canvas and a set of watercolors. None of them have been touched, but the young man's fingers keep flexing around the brush. ]

I'm...not sure why I'm here. [ he slowly clears his throat, staring not at the feed but at the brush ] My only guess is they saw something they liked on the footage. [ a finger twitches against the brush ] But...I am pretty sure I have other ideas this time.

[ he looks up ]

That person you saw in the Games and the interviews wasn't me. Not the me that I remember, anyway. So if that's what you were expecting, I apologize. I'm not here to fight. You don't want me fighting.

[ there's the sound of a sharp crack as the paintbrush snaps in half. It begins to reform itself ]

My name's Peeta Mellark, and I'm going to sit this one out.

Comments

[howherolls]

[ he closes the door slowly, and it makes a loud echo through the room. Peeta turns to face her, swallowing hard ]

I...understand the situation. It's every thing else... [ he shakes his head ] There's too many different answers to things.

[effective]

[She runs a hand back through her hair. It's loose, for once. She's been growing it back in.] So ask, Peeta. You know how it goes.

The time thing, at least - that's not you. It's real. Apparently the people here know how to travel through it, so when they drag people from their homes, they're taking them from different times as well as different places. That's why Finnick - why Finnick is here, and why he doesn't know. Or...didn't. [She falls silent and just. Stands there, taking in the sight of him. He's really here, but like an idiot she'd built up this reunion in her head, ignored the realities of their situation. She was paying for it now, wanting to reach out to him so badly and not being able to.]

[howherolls]

[ he's not sure why he does it, but Peeta grabs one of her hands in his, holding it. There isn't a reason to do this, like there's a reason to do everything else, he just knows that it's what he wants at the moment. Her hands are rough and calloused and covered in scars. Her fingers itch between his. But he wants this, he thinks ]

I wonder if someone else will come, and be surprised we're here.

[effective]

[She flinches slightly when he reaches for her, but Katniss' survival skills are all out of whack when it comes to Peeta. And then it turns out that he's hold her hand, and she ducks her head, hiding a smile. Gently, carefully, she squeezes it back.]

Maybe. [And then the memory of Prim hits her again and she draws in a sharp breath] I don't know if I want that or not. [And then looking up at him again, it's sort of like pingpong] I'm glad you're here, though.

[howherolls]

[ Peeta swallows. This feels normal. And foreign. The pieces sometimes add up, and sometimes they don't. Right now it's somewhere in between and the frustration settles in because he thought there was something changing about that.

his hands have burn scars on them too.

Real. ]

I'm not. [ it's whispered ]


They want me to fight for them. Like thirteen wanted me to fight for them.

[effective]

I know. [Her smile turns self-deprecating. She knows, but she's glad anyway, because she missed him and wants him around. Selfish as ever.

Her breath shudders as she draws it in, and she wants to touch his cheek but it's too close to his throat, so she lifts her other hand and places it on his chest instead, over his heart] I won't let make you. All right? You won't have to do anything. [She wonders if he remembers her promise not to kill any more]

[howherolls]

[ his mouth feels dry. the hand holding hers clenches for a moment, then relaxes ]

We were supposed to be done. Real or not real?

[effective]

Real. [She can't help the way her hand grips his back. She forces it to relax, keeping her palm flat on his chest] That's what I said when I got here. We were supposed to be done.

[howherolls]

Then Katniss...

[ he hears the pleading in his voice. It doesn't surprise him much. ]

Let's be done. Both of us.

[ because he does remember the promise. And he doesn't know if she can go through with it ]

[effective]

I want to be. [Desperation enters her tone] I want to be, Peeta. [She can't help herself, moving closer until her forehead rests on his chest, next to her hand. She can feel his heart thrumming]

I can't let them hurt you.

[howherolls]

[ he goes still ]

There's nothing left that they can do.

[effective]

[Her head shakes against his chest]

There's always something. [She looks up at him. She hasn't been crying, because Katniss doesn't, but her expression is something equivalent.] If there was nothing left, you wouldn't be here. There's always something. And I won't let them. [Because he's her something]

[howherolls]

[ he meets her stare ]

...you aren't normally optimistic. [ there's the slightest question to it ]

[effective]

[A snort] Real. Thinking that there's always some thing left that people can take away from you isn't optimism, Peeta.

[howherolls]

I think it could be.

[ and he stills. it's just dawned on him ]

Katniss...

[effective]

[She stills when he does, not sure what that means]

What, Peeta?

[howherolls]

[ his hands start to tremble. It's not the violent, spastic convulsions that signal a flashback- it's clear he's fighting something down ]

I'm something they can take away from you.

Real or not real?

[effective]

[She takes a hold of both his hands, locking her fingers around his wrists in the hope that reminding him of the cuffs from the Capitol will help him keep a hold of things now like they did then.

She doesn't want to answer this. Doesn't want to tell him that yes, people will hurt him again if they want to get to her. but she can't lie to him, not anymore.]

Real. It never won't be real. I'm sorry.

[howherolls]

[ he almost takes comfort in the gesture. But his mind can't shake the thought that her thumb is right over his pulse. That if she wanted to, she could cut his artery

he closes his eyes ]

And I can't let go of you.

[ his heartbeat picks up. He can almost hear the thrumthrumthrum against her finger tips ]

It looks like we're stuck here.

[effective]

[She also doesn't want him to hurt her :'D] No. We'll move on. We have to. [Welcome to a world where Katniss is trying to be a therapist, Peeta]

If I let go of you, are you going to hit me?

[howherolls]

[ this is a dark, dark world ]

No.

[ he mostly believes it. The look on his face is almost pleading ]

I don't hit you. Not after...

[ he closes his eyes ]

I won't.

[effective]

Okay. [She doesn't let go immediately though, taking a deep breath before she actually gathers the courage to do it] There.

[howherolls]

[ slowly, he brings his hands to his lap. he folds them. takes a deep breath


he stares at her ]

[effective]

[She can't help herself, smiling a little. He's really here. And not killing her!]

Johanna and I went outside the other day. It was raining. I think she threw up after, but she did it. [See Peeta other people can get better ;3; And Katniss is helping them]

[howherolls]

[ his gaze goes nowhere in particular and he remembers the sounds of screams ]

The lights kept flickering on and off.