Someone made a prompt on Tumblr about a Katniss/Peeta/Finnick/Johanna cuddle pile. So I wrote one for them. In 15 minutes. Enjoy.
It's stupid.
It's really stupid, and kind of embarrassing, but they need it. They've been through too much; too much stress has built up over the past few days. And they all understand that each of them is suffering, and each of them needs relief, even if only temporary.
So as embarrassing as it may be to have her head resting on Johanna's stomach and her arm slung over Finnick's waist, Katniss has never been more grateful to be in such a position in her life. Physical contact is never exactly a welcome thing for some of them, but today it's perfect. Peeta tightens his grip on Katniss and smiles because she's smiling.
"You know, I could take off my clothes right now and-"
"Finnick, don't you dare," Katniss interrupts him, smacking him gently on the shoulder. She's laughing, though, and Johanna shakes with carefully contained laughter of her own as Peeta shakes his head.
"If we could do anything with our lives," he begins, and in an instant he has the attention of his friends, "without the limitations of the districts, what would you do?"
"I'd help people," Finnick says immediately. "People who suffer from mental instability. I'd make sure they felt safe."
A solemn air settles momentarily over the group, because they all know why he wants that.
Johanna breaks the silence. "I think I'd still want to work in lumber."
"What about you Katniss?" Peeta asks, and she can feel his breath brush the top of her head as he speaks.
She thinks for a while. "I...don't know. I've never really thought about it."
"That's no good. Quickly, we must think of a job for Katniss!" declares Finnick with a wave of his hand. It's restricted, of course, by the pile of people around him, but his smile is still as bright and unrestricted as can be.
"Come kill some trees with me," Johanna suggests with a wry grin. "The blisters are worth it."
"No, thanks."
"I think you'd like fishing, Katniss. You already hunt, and it's not much different, really."
"I'm not all that fond of the smell of seawater," she tells him, flicking his stomach. Peeta sighs. Katniss lays an arm over his. "Maybe I'll just stick with hunting. On a good day, the pay isn't too bad."
She can't remember when or why or how she became so comfortable with these people. A few years ago, she would never be allowing them to be so close. She'd give them one word answers, not make jokes.
But Peeta twines their fingers, and Johanna's fingers are combing absently through her hair, and she's happy. Warm, tired, safe.
And they've all changed that much.
They could be killing each other, but they're cuddling.
They could be arguing, but they're engaged in a light-hearted conversation that Katniss is actually taking joy in participating in.
She falls asleep sometime between Johanna telling an old story about trees that talk and Peeta saying something about talking cheese buns. She falls asleep to the sound of laughter. She falls asleep nestled among those who provide her the greatest comfort in her time of need, and who she will always provide comfort for in their times of need.
They're all tangled around each other, a mess of limbs and soft breathing and in Finnick's case, quiet snoring. When Katniss wakes up and tries to dislodge herself, she's not surprised to find that there is simply no escape. But it's not frightening to be trapped like that. It's wonderful.
"Hey," Johanna says under her breath as Katniss settles down to sleep again, "you awake?"
"Yeah," she replies, turning to look at her.
Silence falls between them, and sleep is beginning to pull Katniss back into its beautiful embrace when Johanna's hand twitches and runs through her hair a few more times.
"You know, you're not all that bad, girl on fire."
She does her best to hide the smile that springs to her face, because it's almost as embarrassing as the cuddle-pile is. "Thanks. You, too."
"Oh, don't get all sappy. Go back to sleep," Johanna grumbles, pulling both of her hands up to rest on her chest.
Katniss does just that, faintly aware of Peeta chuckling softly behind her.