Everlark: Midnight

Chapter 6

Katniss felt the pain return. The pain that Katniss caused Peeta, the pain of Peeta being broken by the hijacking. She led the way out of the woods, so that Peeta would not see the small tears that she tried to hide.

Peeta allowed her to stay silent; he had done this for years, he let her be as she pleased and would not bother her until she needed him. He recognized this, but now he didn't want silence. Peeta was about to speak when Katniss's voice sounded, and she stopped in her tracks.

"Shoot, I left the game in the field." Katniss said looking down at her empty hands. Peeta looked too, seeing that she had left it behind. "I'll catch something real quick and met you at the house." Katniss was flustered by her feelings, that she had forgotten all about the game bag. She was about to start walking when Peeta interrupted her.

"I'll go with you." Katniss turned in shock at his words, and Peeta could see she was at a loss for words. "I was going to ask you if you could teach me, eventually." His soft smile made all Katniss's emotions disappear; this was his true smile. She showed a small smile of approval as Peeta walked up beside her. Katniss watched as he came by her side before continuing.

"Is that-"

"Sshhh!" Katniss said covering Peeta's mouth as they spotted two rabbits just a few feet away from them.

As Peeta's eyes looked down at her hand that was still over his open mouth, Katniss instantly pulled it away. She quickly walked towards a big rock that would give them cover. Peeta was right behind her, watching as she pulled the arrow back.

Peeta watched her every move. As Katniss pulled her arrow back, aiming it towards one of the two, Peeta listened as her deep breath was released.

Then, the arrow was let go, and went right into the center of the rabbit's body. Peeta looked at the rabbit to confirm her aim had not disappeared.

"AAAAAHH!!!!" Katniss screamed, pulling herself body against the stone. Her shoulder blades grinded against the stone as she continued screaming and screaming. Her memories were flashing through her mind; her arrow flying through Marvel, him staggering backwards. Brutus stabbing Wiress, and then another one of her arrows flying through Brutus, his body hitting the water soon after.

"Katniss! Katniss!" Peeta was grabbing her hands and squeezing them, trying to bring her back. His touch only made her scream again. "It's not real! It's not real!" Her screams remained as Peeta tried yelling over them. He tried making eye contact with her but her sight couldn't stick on one object. "You're here with me in the woods. You're safe, we're safe. It's not real." Peeta's words started overlapping with her memories.

Minutes later, Peeta could see Katniss starting to come back as her screaming began dying out. Her deep breathes were the only sound he heard. Katniss looked down bewildered as Peeta's right hand ran up and down her arm. Peeta kept his left hand continued inside hers, smoothing his thumb over her knuckles.

Katniss brushed the loose hair from her face and her fingers interlocked with Peeta's as she stared into his eyes, now realizing where she was. His ocean blue calmed as they always did. Her eyes then traveled to his ashy blonde hair and down to his lips that formed a sympathetic smile.

"We should go." Katniss whispered taking her hand out of his after he helped her stand up. She felt her body still shaking slightly as she walked towards the rabbit. Katniss tied its legs together before meeting Peeta by the stone. She looked down at where she had just had the flash of memories.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Peeta's sweet voice made Katniss look up and back into his eyes. They welcomed her, and she began to speak.

"I just saw Marvel at the other end of the arrow, it was like reliving the moment I killed him. And then Wiress's death came next..." Katniss spoke coldly as she retold the sight she had seen. She didn't continue on, she didn't want to.

"Wiress's death wasn't your fault." Peeta's kind words meant well, but Katniss still felt responsible, she always felt responsible.

The silence of their gazes made Katniss and Peeta alike feel a certain comfort. Peeta became mesmerized by her grey eyes, but they each stayed silent. They search each other's eyes, Katniss unexpectedly got lost in his.

"Come on. Let's go, home." He said taking Katniss's bare hand in his. Peeta's steady touch, brought her out of her gaze. Although Peeta had done this to comfort Katniss, he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling butterflies. Her hand in his comforted him.

Katniss didn't pull away as Peeta's hand wrapped around hers. She had missed his touch. As his palm went against hers, it didn't completely quench the yearning that Peeta made her feel, but it helped. Her fingers intertwined with his and the warmth of his soft touch.