Never Yours (Peeta Mellark X Reader)

Chapter 22--Haze of Realization

Hey guys. Okay, clearly I don't feel like focusing on anything right now so I'm just going to uh...type up another chapter. Gods, I feel so stupid and unproductive.

YOUR POV

"(Y/N), you have to go," Cato finally whispered.

"What do you mean? I can fight just fine," you said. But in reality, the world was still spinning around you, and even Cato started to look like he had three heads instead of one.

"No, you can't. Go after Peeta! I can fight her," Cato promised, just as the haunting voice of Pearl's got louder. "Go! Remember my promise! Just go!"

"I can't lose you!" you screamed, just as Pearl broke through the clearing and shrieked, "I...Will...KILL!"

"GO!" Cato cried to you. "Just go!"

You nodded as you wrapped your arms fiercely around him one last time. "Thank you, Cato," you murmured quickly. The embrace didn't last long, and you let go of him now, running...

"(Y/N)! Aggh, too tight...air..."

You thrashed around in the sleeping bag as your last moment with Cato came to you in full force, blocking you out from the real world until you heard Peeta's strangled gasp, and immediately, your eyes flew open to find yourself locking your arms tightly around Peeta, his face slowly turning purple under your grip.

"S-sorry." You released your arms from him and pulled back, finding yourself sniffling as you lifted a hand to wipe the tears that stained your face. Somehow during your watch last night you fell asleep, your arms around Peeta, before this memory hit. You glanced up beyond the entrance of the cave now to see that the sun has already risen high into the sky, and the mockingjays were out and about with their singing. A cold breeze suddenly stung your skin as you shivered, wrapping your arms around your jacket again, and you bit your lip in frustration. "Crap."

Peeta struggled to sit up now, and hesitantly he pulled you up and wrapped his arms around you again. "Shh, it's okay, it's okay," he whispered. "What happened?"

The sobs were racking your body so hard you couldn't stop shaking at all. You felt yourself trembling against Peeta's warmth as you kept crying, wiping your tears furiously with the heel of your hand. "I...I'm sorry," you said again. "Just a nightmare."

Peeta only nodded as he pulled you closer in his embrace. For a moment, the both of you said nothing...until he asked, "(Y/N), why did you join the Careers?"

"Hmm?" You looked up at him, your tears still glistening in your eyes. 

Peeta moved a hand to brush aside a lock of your hair, looking at you in the eye. "Why did you join them?" he asked again, and this time you could hear the tremble in his voice as he started shaking. "I saw you with them, and then that boy from 2 wouldn't leave you alone...what was up with you? What was up with him? Why did you do what you did?"

Feeling embarrassed to a degree, you glanced down. "Peeta...I did what I did because...I thought I wouldn't ever forgive you for what you did at the interview. If I joined you, all we could ever do was fight. We'd never get along. So for me to join them, it helped me clear my mind," you started, being very careful not to mention your meeting with Cato on the balcony the night before. 

"But the boy from 2?" Peeta prompted. 

You bit your lip. "He had a name, Peeta," you reminded him. "And Cato and I...we...uh...on the first night, he made this promise to me. That when the time comes, we'll both be able to find you again, and we'd be together. You and me, I mean."