The Hunger games- Oneshots/short stories

The reunion

Takes place in Mockingjay when Peeta, Annie and Johanna are getting rescued. Rewriting of Peeta and Katniss' reunion. I reimagined the moment.

•••

I stare at my own hands. They're sore from tying and untying the piece of rope Finnick gave me. My distraction. Something I can focus on while I try to not think about Peeta or Gale. Fold the other end, twist and put the other end through it. Don't think of Peeta, don't think of Gale.

I take a look at Finnick, trying to keep it together, his almost bleeding hands knotting the rope. Then pulling from an end and the rope goes straight again. I can tell the distraction isn't really working. I can almost see him thinking about Annie. Love might just be the most torturous weapon of all.

My hands twist the rope without even looking at it, but then as I look what I have created, my hands still. It's not the actual correct hangman's noose, but it reminds me too much of one. Immediately the song starts playing in my head.

Are you, are you
coming to the tree
wear a necklace of rope
side by side with me
Strange things did happen here
no stranger would it be
if we met at midnight
in the hanging tree

I try to think of anything else, but the catchy tune is going nowhere. I put the rope away and take Peeta's pearl from my pocket, rolling it between my fingers.

Hours pass and Finnick gives up on the rope, holding his head between his hands and rocking back and forth on the floor. I want to scream and cry, but I can't bring myself to do anything. I only stare the wall and try hard not to think. Tick tock, the time goes by. Tick tock. Tick tock.

The door opens, making me jump a little. Haymitch's head peeks in. "They're back", he says. My eyes widen and before I even know it I'm on my feet. I'm about to ask Haymitch one of my million questions, but he shakes his head in return. "I only know that they're in the hospital, nothing else", he says and turns to leave.

I'm about to run after him when I remember Finnick. He has made it up, but I can't read his facial expression. "Come on!", I say tugging him from his hand and forcing him to move with me. It's like he's lost his way to function.

Haymitch is waiting us at the lift and then as he sees us coming he presses the button. The lift takes forever to arrive and an even longer forever to go down to the hospital level. When the door finally opens I fly out of the lift, yanking Finnicks hand.

The his expression lightens up and I follow his gaze to find a small, fragile young woman with reddish hair sitting on a hospital bed, her arm attached to some tubes. She clearly sees Finnick as well. She rips the tubes away, flings herself of the bed and runs towards her love.

"Finnick", she weeps just a second before she jumps on to him, pressing her lips on his and holding on for dear life.

Finnick holds her so tight, I fear she might crack and kisses her back. The rest of the world doesn't even exist for them anymore. It's just them.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and find it to be Boggs'. "Peeta's in the room to the left. He's in a bad condition and knocked out because of the gas. You should be there when he wakes up", he says. In how bad condition? In what way?

"Thank you", is the only answer I manage to give him. He nods in reply and I take eager steps towards Peeta's room. I can't believe he's here! With me. Out of Snow's reach. Safe. I hear Haymitch coming the same way. I peek in from the window on the door and see Peeta sitting on a bed. There are two doctors swirling around him. I can't help the flicker of jealousy. I wanted to be the first one he saw.

I can't see his face, since his back is towards me, and as I am enormously excited to see him, I can too feel a bit nervous. It's Haymitch who finally pushes the door open and without words tells me to go inside.

As I take some careful steps forward, I realize how skinny Peeta is. He is almost unrecognisable.  As I turn a bit to the right so that I can see his profile, I am in chock. His cheekbones are almost poking out from his bruised face. He has a couple of scars, that have been bleeding some time ago, and he seems to be shaking a little. The sight of him, looking like this brings tears into my eyes. "Peeta", I whiper in disbelief.   

His head turns to look towards me as he hears his name and his expression is full of disbelief. He jumps of the bed, ignoring the doctors and takes a few fast steps towards me, extending his arms. I walk right into his arms that then lock around me. He's shaking, but he buries his face in the crook of my neck. I feel his tears on my shoulder and hold him even closer.

After a while he pulls back to look at me. "Are you even real?" he asks in disbelief, wiping tears away from my cheek. I didn't even notice I was crying too.

"Yeah. I'm here", I whisper as an answer. He looks deep into my eyes before leaning in.

The kiss is salty from both of our tears, but sweet and steady, trying to make up for the long time separated. I feel the fire in my chest and know there's no way I'm letting the boy with the bread slip away from me ever again.

Haymitch gives Peeta a hug and tells him he's happy he's again with us. Peeta seems a little mad he wasn't told anything, but is also happy to see our mentor once more.

The doctors order everyone away, but as I refuge to let go of Peeta's hand, I leave them no other option but to give me a chair next to Peeta's bed and let me stay. Not once do I let go of Peeta's hand and when we're left alone and Peeta's about to drift off, I climb next to him in the bed. Carefully, not touching the tubes attached to him.

Out of old habit I place my head on his chest and his arms wrap around me. For the first time in, for who knows how long, I feel happy, peaceful. I feel like coming home. Back to safety and comfort.

"I love you", I catch myself whispering just before I can sense us falling asleep. There is a long silence, before he leaves a lingering kiss on my forehead.

"And I love you. Always", he then answers tightening his hold on me as the exhaustion wins and I close my eyes.