These hands had to let it go free
The mist from Katniss' coffee swirled and disappeared into nothingness. A cold breeze swept through the small apartment as she stared at the picture in front of her. A simple brown picture frame with a picture of the sun carved into it, inside was a picture of a handsome man with mesmerizing blue eyes and the ends of his blonde hair curling.
A cold breath shook her to her bones as she tightly closed her eyes to ward off incoming thoughts of worry and doubt. It seemed that that was all that she was doing those days. Worrying about his safety and doubting that he would ever make it back.
A flame inside of her burned with determination. That he would come back and that he would be perfectly fine. She still didn't know when he would be back and just hoped that it would be as soon as possible.
Katniss blew out a breath of air, flashes of waves, neon lights and hands interwoven moved behind her eyes at the speed of lightening. She remembered it all and was sure that it would remain with her for the rest of her days.
.
.
Her toes were buried in the sand and little waves of water washed over her feet. Salt air was embedded in her lungs and it had always been. The sounds of screams of laughter of small children and the low murmuring of lovers met her ears and in that moment it all meant nothing.
Katniss looked around and a wide grin broke out on her face at the sight of her boyfriend, Peeta farther out in the water, his jeans were rolled up to his knees and he was shin deep; his toes buried in the wet sand.
He looked like a small child at the ecstatic look of happiness on his face. It warmed her heart to see him like that. There had been too many times that she had seen him down and never wanted to see that again and she would do all she could to stop it.
His hands skimmed over the water and splashed in her direction. She wasn't nearly close enough to him to get wet, but all the same it caused laughter to bubble up in her throat. She was still curious as to what was different about him that made her happy every time she spent time with him. How her heart raced like a sledgehammer when he touched her and how her hands grew clammy when she thought about him. It was exhausting worrying about it.
Katniss looked over at Peeta and grinned when she saw him making faces at her. Katniss took a step closer into the water as it brushed against her ankles. He motioned for her to come closer and she shook her head. He started walking closer, the water swishing with his movements. Katniss raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head lightly at her. Before she knew it Peeta was standing in front of her. His hands burned through her tank top from their place on her waist. Her nose scrunched up as she inhaled the smell of salt engrained into his skin.
She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Katniss listened to the solid and steady beat of his heart. His arms tightened around her and she wrapped her arms around his waist pulling him close to her.
The waves crashed against the beach and Katniss felt peaceful for the first time in a couple years. It was a welcomed feeling.
.
.
The old car engine started reluctantly and Katniss cursed under her breath. A deep chuckle from her side entered the air and Katniss resisted the urge to curse at him.
She glared at him and mentally cursed him for looking so good and making her anger slip away like quick sand. She sighed and tried to start again.
Katniss smiled when the car started. The purr of the engine was like music to her ears. The music from the radio started to filter through the car and she pulled into drive and sped away from her driveway. She glanced at Peeta and he was staring at her, daring her to say anything about it. She shook her head lightly before focusing on the road. She often caught him staring at her and he refused to stop no matter how many times she said anything.
The cool night air seeped in through the open windows, an old rock station played through the car and Katniss hummed along. There wasn't many other cars out on the back roads at that time of night and Katniss liked it that way. It was just her, Peeta and the open road. It was like there was nothing to hold them back besides themselves.
A hand slipped into hers as she drove. Katniss squeezed his hand and kept one hand on the wheel while she kept her eyes on the empty road ahead. She could feel scars on his hands and rubbed her thumb against his palm.
The bright neon lights of the city was just ahead of them and seared the sights in their eyes and she knew that she would never forget him, no matter what happened.
.
.
The thought of their past stabbed her like a knife in her abdomen. It was like rewinding the end of a movie that it felt like she couldn't change. It didn't help that she felt particularly helpless when not being able to know anything that was happening.
Katniss tried to wrap the duvet tighter around herself and smell the faint scent of cinnamon and dill. She inhaled deeply in hope for another whiff and was only disappointed. She could hardly smell it anymore. It was like being close to someone and being ripped away before you could touch them.
He was slowly disappearing from her life and it just wasn't right. Katniss was sure that she would forget the sound of his laugh after she told him an incredibly corny joke. The way her hand fit into his and it was killing her. It was the way that the thought of him found its way into everyday conversations and actions.
The various memories of their times together pricked at her like a needle and drained her of her strength. She resisted the urge to fall against her bed and fall into a nightmare filled sleep.
The sound of a key in the door caused her to jolt straight up. Her back was rim rod straight and her knuckles were white grasping the duvet in her apprehension. No one was supposed to be coming. And not many people had a key. It was only a couple close friends and Peeta. All of which seemed like an impossibility.
The lock came undone with a click and Katniss looked around for anything she could use for a weapon if the need arose. The door was pushed open and in the door was a strong looking figure in an United States Army uniform.
Katniss's breath caught in her throat. She choked down a sob that threatened to appear. Her eyes watered without consent and she sprung off her bed throwing the duvet. Unadultered joy filled her veins as her bare feet hit the wood floors. Her mind didn't register anything else besides what was in the doorway.
She threw her arms around him and Peeta gripped her back with the same intensity. His scent filled her senses and she couldn't help but be overwhelmed. The fact that he was alive and finally back hit her like a bomb and she wasn't sure if she could handle it. That he was flesh and blood, not the dreams that her mind had tortured her with.
He whispered words of love in her ear and she murmured the same. Katniss could hardly comprehend what was happening and wasn't sure whether or not to be fine with it. All she knew was that Peeta was home once more and Katniss wasn't sure if she would let him go again.
This love came back to me.
A/N: One shot on the song This Love by Taylor Swift. Please review, follow on favorite.
Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.