Just End It | An After Mockingjay Short Story

Chapter 9

Katniss' P.O.V.

I wake up nuzzled against Peeta's neck. Its so warm and comfortable that I want to just stay like that for hours. But eventually, I lift my hand up to caress Peeta's face. His eyes are still closed, and his breathing is soft, snoring so quietly that you can barely hear it.

I take my lips to his ears to make sure he hears me.

"Hey," I whisper. Peeta stirs slightly, before fluttering his open to look at me.

"Hey," He replies back, rubbing his eyes sheepishly.

As Peeta wakes up properly, we start a conversation. We discuss the matter of whether we should stay at the capitol after what happened and get some check ups on our conditions, or whether we should just return home. Eventually, we end up deciding that we should get some check ups anyway, just to be on the safe side. I try to argue with Peeta, telling him that I am sure that I wont get anymore flashbacks, but he keeps insisting. I have to finally agree. I don't want like arguing with Peeta.

After having a small talk more some time, we finally decide to get out of the uncomfortable hospital bed. I know that the only way I can sleep on this rough bed is in Peeta's embrace. I would rather his warmth more than any bed in the world, even it is a luxurious Capitol bed.

Peeta carefully shuffles out of the bed. When his weight leaves the surface, I place my arms beside me to hoist myself up. But as soon as my head leaves the comfort of the pillow, the stinging comes back to me. I fall back, groaning as I smash back onto the bed.

When the sore feeling leaves my neck, I tilt my head to face at Peeta. I find him with his head down, his gaze burning into his shoes. As he lifts his face back up, I scan his face to see him pained with guilt. Seeing him like this hurts me more than anything he can do to me physically.

Before he has a chance to slip the apology out of his mouth, I cut him off. "Peeta. This is not your fault. Its mine. So stop acting like it. And... can you please find my neck brace?"

It looks like he is going to say something, however he ends up stopping, gulping as he says nothing. He just nods, going on to look around the room to spot the brace on the bedside table.

He picks it up, making his way towards me. He lift up the tape, prior to moving his hands towards my neck. My body reacts before my mind does.

I twitch away from him. His eyes widen in shock as well as mine. I can see how hurt he is from the look of agony in his eyes. He scurries away from me, quicker than I can register. He place the brace back on the bedside table before burying his head in his hands, sitting at the edge of the bed. He tugs at the roots of his hair, and Im afraid he is going to hurt himself.

It has just been to many times that hands have moved towards me to strangle me, and not help me like Peeta had just tried to now. Their hands always wanted to choke me to death, even if it was Peeta himself. I remember Cato's bloody hands making their way onto my air pipe, trying to take stop the oxygen from entering my body. I remember the worst time, the time when I was so happy to see the boy that I loved, never expecting his fingers to lock around my throat. I even remember the last time, even though I actually wanted to die. I know that I had twitched slightly, just like I did for no reason right now.

I lift my head slightly to look at him, but squeak as I can't hold it up properly from the pain of the bruises on my neck. So I do my best to stare straight at him. He raises his head to look up to me for the second time in the last few minutes with guilt.

"Im so sorry, Peeta. Its just a reflex. Please don't do this to me. I cant bear to see you in pain," I plead him. He just nods and stood up again, picking up the neck brace once more.