I do not own The Hunger Games.
Forgiven
She's screaming my name when I find her. Huddled in a closet in her house.
"Katniss," I kneel down and pull her into my arms. "I'm here, it's alright."
"Peeta," she cries into my shirt and wraps her arms around my neck. I sit down, lean against a wall, and hold her close.
"I'm here," I repeat. Her crying subsides after a few minutes.
"Peeta, I don't want to live anymore," she whispers. I tighten my arms around her.
"Why would you say that?"
"Everyone I love is dead. I killed them."
"Katniss, my whole family was killed in the bombings. You're all I have left. Please don't leave me," I murmur into her hair. She starts crying again.
"I'm so selfish! I make everything about myself, Peeta. How do you not hate me?" She wipes at her eyes.
"I could never hate you, Katniss. You saved my life," I help her wipe away her tears with my thumb.
"You've lost more than I have. 12 was destroyed because of me. I'm the reason your family is dead. You should hate me."
"I'll never hate you. I promise."
Aside from the occasional sniffle, Katniss is quiet for the next few minutes.
She takes a deep breath.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow..." She struggles to keep from crying before continuing.
A bed of grass,
a soft green pillow
Lay down your head,
and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open,
the sun will rise.
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet
and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you
"That was beautiful," I say quietly. She closes her eyes and rests her head against my chest.
"I'm sorry."
I know that she won't let this go until I forgive her. Even though I find that there is nothing to forgive her for.
"I forgive you," I say. And although the words hold no meaning for me, she breathes a sigh of relief. I press my lips to the top of her head and memorize the way her hair smells.
"Don't leave."
I chuckle. "After all this time, do you really think you'll be able to get rid of me?"
She lets out something close to a laugh and exhales against my neck, finally seeming content.