Everlark: Midnight

Chapter 4

Dinner was over shortly, and Katniss was cleaning up the dishes while Peeta was packing up the leftovers.

As Katniss went into the kitchen, Haymitch decided to take this time to talk to Peeta, privately.

"How you been feeling?" Haymitch's caring tone had suddenly arrived, Peeta turned at the sound of his voice.

"What do you mean?" Peeta asked confused. He questioned if he was acting differently or something was off with his movements. He looked down at himself, before Haymitch spoke again.

"I mean, any episodes?" Haymitch asked raising his eyebrows as Peeta faced him, again. He could see the hesitation in Peeta as he remained silent. "Bad?" Haymitch looked at Peeta's body language since he was too embarrassed to admit the obvious.

"The doctor's in thirteen gave me a prescription that I should be able to lean off of with time." Peeta said not looking at Haymitch, too ashamed to make eye contact.

Haymitch looked at his body language again and his eye caught sight of the recent burn on his left hand. "Does that burn have anything to do with it?"

"It's healing." Peeta felt himself defensively say. "Katniss said she'd put some herb blend on it later tonight." Peeta whispered, still not looking up at him, hiding the hand from his view. He could feel his face heating up with Haymitch's eyes still glued on him.

"You should talk to her about them." Haymitch said, implying the word 'them' as the concept of his episodes. This caused Peeta to look up at him, again. Haymitch leaned back in his chair as Peeta took in his words.

Peeta was wanting to talk to Katniss, but something inside him was scared that the things he believed were true, weren't. It also scared him to show Katniss this side of him, this side that clouded his judgement and confused his instincts and memories.

He was embarrassed of his episodes and hated that they could turn him into a mutt, because that's what happened during his worst episodes. The episodes brought back the hijacked memories of Snow being the leader and the Katniss the enemy.

He shook his head, trying to block out the horrors.

"What about me?" Katniss's voice echoes inside the room as she stepped in and looked at the two. This snapped Peeta out of his deep thoughts.

"Just wanted to make sure we told you, that you should start catching fatter animals." Haymitch told her with a wink. Peeta looked over as Katniss simply rolled her eyes.

"If we start having dinner with you, it looks like I'll have to." Katniss said walking over and stopping beside Peeta. They all saw that there were minimal leftovers.

"We'll put them in the fridge on our way out." Peeta said looking up at Haymitch before picking up the food.

Suddenly, he dropped it and winced in pain, holding his bristled hand. Katniss, then, took the box out of his reach and put it in her own hands.

"I got it." She whispered as Peeta's eyes met hers. His low eyes thanked her as she headed out. They were in the kitchen and then out the door.

"See you tomorrow, Haymitch." Katniss yelled to him in the dining room from the doorway.

"Bye, sweetheart." Haymitch's grin was wide as they walked out and continued onto their house.

It was nearly dusk when they entered into their own house and finished cleaning up from earlier.

Katniss took this short time to grind the herbs for Peeta's hand, while Peeta stared out the window. His gaze was stuck on one of the former unoccupied houses across the way that was now reduced to rumble and debris. Katniss exchanged glances between Peeta and the healing coat that she was creating.

"Peeta." Katniss said calling his attention. He turned at the sound of her voice, and with her soft smile he walked over to her. "This should heal the bristlers." She said as he sat beside her and offered up his injured hand. "And take some of the pain away."

"Katniss," Peeta said as she finished applying the coat onto of his hand. She looked up at him and let go of his hand.

Peeta felt a gulp in the back of this throat, as he prepared to ask the ultimate question that he needed to know, that he needed answered truthfully. His mind was racing, and he felt an episode on the rise, so he needed this answered. He needed clarity before it came full blown.

"You're still trying to protect me, real or not real?" Peeta felt himself struggle to stay put until she answered.

Katniss could see his wide blue eyes searching hers. She was watching his every move, seeing the blueness wearing away by the minute.

"Real. That's what you and I do, we protect each other." Katniss said as she slightly bit her lower lip. She couldn't tell if this was the response Peeta wanted as he shifted in his chair.

"Thank you." Peeta said. He stood at the end of his words, and Katniss felt the butterflies that filled her chest and stomach disappear. She watched as he walked out of the room.

Katniss resisted from watching or following him. The door had shut seconds after he had disappeared from her view.

She felt rejected in a way, but she didn't blame him for that. How could he be friends, yet alone love someone who had continued to hurt him?