Summary: If I tell you that…that I love you, right now, would you accept it and just take this at face value? Katniss and Peeta grow back together, post-Mockingjay. One-shot

He's at it again. I'm done with this. "What does it matter? I need you, you need me, so we're together! Simple."

But he's not backing down this time. I shiver and break eye contact because he's looming over me. Why are we out so late?

"Exactly! We'll always need each other so why not just admit it and give in to…God, are you scared?" I swear and kick at the gravel underfoot. This is such bullshit. "Of the commitment. Feeling trapped by me, that it? Well, if I recall you were the one screaming for me that first night…"

He stops when he sees my face and I know he sees all the emotions, boiling beneath the surface, clawing at my skin. Overflowing.

"Katniss, I…I'm."

I look up into the face I love. And it's absolutely terrifying. I turn on my heel and storm out into the street. Our street, I think stupidly. No not us. Not together. Because that would mean him with me, me with him. Another fate intertwined with my fucked up destiny. Misery loves company, but I'm not that selfish.

"Fuck off, Peeta." It comes out quieter than I intended. "you don't owe me anything," I wonder if he minds chasing after me, staring into my back listening to me shout at the sky.

"You don't owe me anything, and obviously whatever I give you isn't enough." I hate lying to him, but it feels gross, almost as bad as being honest. "Obviously, the past six years has done nothing to show how much I care." I'm shouting now, which is funny since I stopped listening for his loud ass footsteps behind me long ago. Fuck, it's raining. What a state I must look, water logged and crazy and furious shouting into an empty street. I hope they call the people with the good stuff for me cause I'm yelling now.

"Katniss, let me…"

"You know, I give you everything. Absolutely everything. I don't talk to the therapist, but I'll choke until I can tell you what's wrong. I didn't want to be with anyone, even give myself the chance at a family, but you're in my bed. Peeta, I don't even want to get up in the morning sometimes. Sometimes, I wish I had just stayed asleep." Silence. Silence. "But I do. Because I want to be here with you, and I can't very well do that from inside the soft room."

I close my eyes and realize he's been touching me. He's caught up with me and now I'm home, his hands at my neck and the small of my back, anchoring me. Lips moving through my hair. I wonder if he knows. I wonder. I wonder. I w…

"You love me, real or not?"

He does.

But, I remind him anyway.

AN/ Be a friend review. I'm new at this and want to get better so; comments, personal anecdotes, corny ya momma jokes, I love 'em all.