they’d both fallen asleep in his bunk down in thirteen, both with a piece of frayed rope between their fingers. she was getting better at it, the callouses on the tips of her fingers enough proof. it helped, if only minimally. & having a distraction with COMPANY was even better. which was why he hadn’t had the heart when the lids of her eyes began to droop, her breathing growing deeper to rouse her. slumped in the tiny bed that was identical to her own, he watched the girl fall asleep, looking more peaceful, vulnerable than he’d ever seen her. & as appealing as it seemed, he couldn’t bring himself to join. be it fear or insanity the thought of sleep absolutely repulsed him. so he kept busy, looping & pulling until he was afraid his fingers would bleed. it could have been hours, it could have been minutes.
but the second the scream left her lips, something in him seemed to click. a piece back into place. this was familiar, he’d been here before. only, the sound was a little higher, her body a little smaller. skin that smelled of sea water. but this wasn’t her, no this wasn’t ANNIE. this was katniss everdeen, the mockingjay. the girl on fire. the girl that was so much more than the face of this rebellion. the girl who was suffering, who was real. all of which echoed in her wails. ❛katniss!!❜ he called, voice harsh. body on autopilot, he moved into action. arm curls under her back, lifting her into a sitting position while the other drifted to her hair, brushing dark locks from her face. hands prod until she wakes, finally falling to her shoulders where his grip remains tight, hoping to ground her from whatever HELL had been unfolding in her mind. wide eyes meet her own panic-stricken hues, doing his best to hold her gaze. ❛hey, hey. it isn’t real. this isn’t real, you’re okay. you’re here. shhh, you’re okay.❜