My Arms are Always Open for You

I tossed and turned in the bed as the mutations pulled Peeta away. I held his hand as he screamed at me to let go. The feeling in my gut was strong as I pulled at him. I knew I couldn’t love this boy? Could I? I stopped focusing on that and pulled.
I kept pulling him towards me and he just yelled at me to win, to run to Prim and save them. I shook my head and just as he started to get to me the mutation pulled his body from his arm. He screamed again and then I awoke.
“Peeta!” I gasped. What was going on with me?
The nightmares only got worse and worse as the days past that I avoided Peeta.
All I knew is that there was no way I could avoid him anymore. I briefly wondered if Peeta still had nightmares or if he had gotten over them. For some reason I hoped he hadn’t which after that thought crossed my mind I felt horrible about thinking it.
But, if he had gotten over them it would give me no reason to go to him, to spend days upon days with him. I know that the love that we had created was only for cameras and for the Capitol but, was I allowed to miss Peeta’s open arms and his gentle voice?
I rolled out of the bed and threw on my clothes. I laced up my boots and walked down the stairs and soon a pounding came at my door. I quickened my pace and I yelled at the door, “Alright I’m coming!” I pulled it open.
“Katniss!” Peeta’s arms flew around me. He was drenched in sweat, it didn’t really bother me though.
“Peeta?” I said in question of his sudden embrace.
“The nightmares are horrible, Katniss. I-I’m going to go insane.” He said. I slowly wrapped my arms on his back.
“You too?” He pulled back.
“Peeta, I-I don’t know what happened. We’ve been avoiding each other and, they just keep getting worse. I can’t handle them either.” I closed the door and led him in, reaching in the fridge for water.
Peeta sat on a bar stool and pushed back his blonde hair while resting his elbows on the countertop. “Maybe we should stop that.” He smiled half-heartedly.
I grinned. “Maybe.”
“Katniss...” He began.
“Rise and shine, sweetheart!” Haymitch busted open my door and stumbled inside.
“Oh, you’ve got company.” He slurred.
“It’s fine Haymitch, come in.” Peeta invited him in.
To be honest, it wasn’t fine with me. I wanted to know what Peeta had to say and I wanted to know badly. I took a gulp of the water and sat on the sofa. Haymitch flopped down in the armchair across from it and sighed.
“Sweetheart, your face is going to stay that way if you scowl all the time.” Haymitch smiled, taking a shot of the white liquor.
“Shut up, Haymitch.” I bark at him.
He holds his hands up in protest. “I’m not the one to blame here, its him.” Haymitch points to Peeta.
“What did I do?” Peeta questions. He makes his way next to me and sit down cautiously, I coax him down by pulling on the tail of his shirt and he flops.
“You’re playing with her emotions. She has been through a lot, I hear her scream at night you know. For you.” I tense up. Do I scream that loud?
“You do? Katniss I didn’t know they were that bad!” He leans in to wrap and arm around me. No matter how hard I want to embrace it I stand up in protest.
“Don’t, just don’t. I just wanted to see you Peeta, yes they get hard to deal with, but I can handle them, really.” I turn away and run up the stairs my glass falls off the corner of the table when I slam my door.
Peeta stands and trots up after me. I hear his leg clunking behind him. God, how I missed that sound, of his heavy footsteps behind me.
“Katniss, let me in.” He spoke gently to the door.
“Let me in not only through the door, but to you. I think that’s what we both need now, I think that’s what will stop all this. I swore to protect you and I have to protect you from these nightmares.” I threw the door open.
“You don’t think I haven’t thought of that Peeta?” I hear my front door close and I know Haymitch got the hint to leave.
“You don’t think I haven’t thought about how staying with you and being with you will end the nightmares? But you should know by now that anyone I let close to me goes away! I don’t want that to happen to you! I can’t let that—“ Peeta hugs me, causing my mouth to be covered my his chest.
I let tears slip and I listen to that steady heartbeat that comforts me. That’s the one steady thing that I really need right now. Peeta.
“I’m not going anywhere, Katniss. No matter what you do to get rid of me, or do to try and scare me. My door will always be open for you, and so will my arms.” I sobbed at that. The way he said it, made me feel relief.
No one has said that to me ever.
Suddenly another loud pounding came at my door, even though I didn’t want to leave Peeta’s arms I did, telling him to stay put while I answered it.

I opened the door and a PeaceKeeper stood there with a tazer in hand.
“May I help you?” I ask.
“You are hearby under arrest for illegal selling of game inside of District 12.” I felt a bolt of shock showed through through my veins. I hit the floor hard, the last thing I thought of was that Peeta was upstairs waiting for me to come back into his open arms.