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Underground. He hated it. The walls felt too cold and the ceilings too low, the air too stale and the people around him too... confusing. He had no idea who to trust or if he could ever trust anyone again but himself - though even then he doubted himself. There were days when kindness challenged the tumbling mess of memories in his mind full of nightmares and images he was unable to separate from fantasy or reality.

He had lashed out at Katniss more times than he could count and although the shackles strapped to his body at night helped him stay in bed, they did not help him sleep in peace. Why was he even here? Why had they saved him? Especially her... She had looked so happy to see him yet all he could think about was the pain and suffering she had caused so many people.

The violent thoughts had calmed somewhat after the wedding, but they would still poke at his mind every now and then, tempting him. He still trusted no one.

Yet here he was now, guarded constantly and chained, but able to walk out of his room at least. He was headed down a corridor out of the wing that held the hospital rooms, not sure where he was going really... just anywhere that had better air. The guard following close behind was a constant reminder of his current state of mind, though a part of him was whispering that it was probably best like this.

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She caught his attention with that statement, though his eyes were still glued to her knee instead of returning her gaze. You'd be great, a part of him wanted to say, but he wasn't sure the rest of him believed it wholeheartedly.

"You... protect the people you care about. I'm sure if you had kids you'd take care of them too."

Besides, he felt too far gone to ever be able to help her balance things out. Her faith in him was... overwhelming.

It wasn't so much faith in him as her unwillingness, perhaps even inability to really deal with Peeta being this changed. He was what he was, and her mind wasn't willing to make room for these changes. When they were undeniable, then she just flipped a switch to him being... different.

But she couldn't believe he would not get better. Because if he couldn't, she had no hope.

"No one would hurt them." She finally agreed softly.

Maybe one day there would be a world in which it was possible for Katniss to want kids. Peeta hadn't thought much about his future since his name was called for his first reaping, positive that he wouldn't be coming back home alive, yet here he was. Even in this state, he was still breathing. If he did have children he would want to do it... right. He'd want to raise them with love.

The thought was turning around in his head now and he felt an odd emotion of sorrow hit him, face screwing up as he looked away toward the darkness again so she couldn't see. He felt so weak like this.

Katniss knew this conversation had gone way off track. If it had ever had a good track to be on in the first place.

Unsure how to make things right (because Peeta was the one good at that, not her) she kneeled, moving forward awkwardly. Thinking of all the times in the train, when words would offer any comfort. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, slowly, cautiously. Ready to move back if this was not wanted.

"Sorry-" He couldn't help but choke out a little, clearing his throat and failing to sound anything but weak. He tensed up when she first touched him but like before, he eased into it, letting her for whatever reason. He was growing soft the more time they spent together like this and if that had not been Coin's intention then her plan had certainly failed. He eventually leaned his body into her slightly, eyes closing.

Silently she eased his head into the crook of her shoulder, soothing her hand over his blond curls. There wasn't anything to be said right now, at least nothing Katniss could ever form into words, and so she just held him, kneeling before him.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." She finally murmured.

His hands were chained together so he couldn't exactly wrap them back around her like this, instead curling his fingers into the fabric on her knee. He absolutely hated how he found comfort in this. He hated it so much.

"It's weird thinking of stuff like that. Family... kids."

"I know what you mean." She let out a harsh little laugh into his hair. "I'm..."

Sorry she didn't mean to bring up such a sensitive subject. But that didn't seem right to say, somehow.

"We'll figure it out when we get there."

"'When'? Not 'if'?" He prodded lightly, a finger lightly drawing an X on her knee for no reason.

Was he teasing her?

She shivered a little at the patterns his finger was making on her knee, swallowing heavily.

"Well...we'll have to figure things out eventually." That seemed noncommittal enough.

"Yeah..." he breathed out with a small, bitter chuckle, the X turning into a wide circle. "First we have to get out of this damn room."

"Well, they have to let us out sometime."

She shifted, sinking down a little so they could be face to face again. But not pulling away. And not moving her knee. At all.

They were really close and he wasn't having a panic attack. That was good at least. It was one of those serene moments in his mind he'd have sometimes when he spoke with Haymitch or when he was frosting that cake. It felt like this.

He kept drawing slow circles, smaller and smaller only to increase in size again; rinse and repeat, not saying another word but just staying relaxed like this.

It tickled a little, but she didn't want to break the contact, not for a moment. So she just leaned into him, watching his hand move, and trying not to wiggle or twitch too much.

She knew how patterns, repetition, that sort of thing could focus your mind. And besides the tickling, it felt nice.

He was starting to feel a bit tired from how relaxed this was, and the dim lighting of the room didn't help either, nor did her body heat. His eyes began to droop a little, finger slowing down though he struggled to stay awake, even as his head gently rested against her shoulder.

It took a moment for her to realize why he was becoming so heavy. When she did, she leaned back a bit, trying to ease him down.

"Do you want to sleep?"

He shakes his head, unsure if They were doing something to him again or it was just his body and mind truly exhausted.

"No but I feel tired..."

"I don't think we need to be anywhere any time soon."

It was teasing, but she was worried a bit. How long had they been down here? And they hadn't gotten any food yet.

They wouldn't just leave them down here, right?

"Mm..." he hummed, voice trailing off. His eyes were still fighting to stay open but it was a losing battle and even the cold floor was welcoming right now, though he refused to curl up anywhere else but beside her. "I don't want... to wake up and... forget this."

"Forget this?"

He was fading out, and she eased him down, keeping him close to her. Because as much as she wanted to pretend it would still be ok in the morning, who knew what sleep would bring.

Settling his head on her thigh, she stroked her fingers through his hair.

He was afraid of closing his eyes and waking up with that hateful rage again, the kind that blinded him for hours to anything but the images and supposed lies that had been forced into his mind. If what Katniss and Haymitch and all of them were saying was true, that they were once happy and friends, he wanted that. A part of him really did.

It felt nice being curled up like this with someone to support him, even if he knew it wouldn't last. Her fingers were so comforting and only aided the process of falling asleep, though he was still able to murmur out:

"I'd want this to be real always..."

God, that was heartbreaking.

She let her head fall against the wall, eyes closing. This was such a mess. The thought of easing him down and moving away, just in case...and then realized that'd be pointless. It'd upset him, and it wasn't like he was tied down anyway. She'd just try to stay awake...

It wasn't long until the fingers twisting and tangling in his hair stilled, and Katniss was lost to sleep. And the nightmares that came with it.

He fell into an easier slumber than he had for weeks, his hands chained yet not to anything solid. He normally would have demanded that someone did, but even if they had light... he was sure there was no place for that along the smooth walls of their temporary prison. The only other thing in here was Katniss.

Her soothing nature was enough for him tonight when his mind was already so confused, but once he fell asleep his own nightmares took over. He didn't like sleeping. It was the one place he had the least control over what he saw and felt, and even her presence in the real world did not help. There was still so much space between them and it would take a long time to fill it up with the love he once held for her.

Her dreams were not as vivid tonight. Maybe Peeta offered some comfort. MAybe he didn't, because in her dreams she was smothered, tangled in hands, couldn't reach the light above her before her breath was chocked out of her.

Once again, she woke up screaming and thrashing. Not aware enough to even consider the fact she was curled up next to a time bomb.

Her loud reaction to her dreams woke Peeta up with a start, probably saving him from his own freak out. It did cause her knee to knock into his head however, waking him with a painful start, his heart beating rapidly because for a long moment he forgot where he was and why it was so dark.

"What?!" He gasped out from his shock, scrambling to get away from her thrashing as he pushed up and away, the chain binding his hands together rattling far too loudly as he did.