Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games universe.
Characters: Katniss, Peeta
Rating: T
Summary: Katniss regrets her vote.
Word Count: 197
Notes: Spoilers for Mockingjay.
Can't Take It Back
Regret hits her as soon as the words leave her mouth. She can't speak at first. The corpse of those words forms a hard lump in her throat. She swallows reflexively. And the lump settles like a stone in the pit of her stomach.
She feels sick.
"Wait," she mumbles to no one in particular. Her tongue is heavy in her mouth. "I didn't mean it."
There's only Peeta to hear her anyway. He has a hard glint of disgust in his eyes. She's reminded of when he first got back from the Capitol again. And she almost wishes she could feel his fingers slip around her throat like a vice again.
"I'm sorry." She wraps her arms around herself.
And she thinks of them. Rue who died at the hands of the Capitol. Prim who died trying to protect the children of the Capitol. What would they think of her?
"I take my vote back. Just don't let them die."
Peeta stands and crosses the room. He lays a hand on her shoulder. "You can't take it back," he whispers in her ear.
She shudders.
Then he's gone.
And she's alone. Really and truly alone. Again.
