(hoping to rid us of this little hell)

[burnwithus]

Bit by bit, things get better. It's hard to accept, sometimes, but the nightmares are less frequent then they used to be. Her neighbors will be happy to note that the screaming has mostly gone down. There are days when she wakes up unable to feel anything, but that's a marked improvement from one year ago, and Katniss will take what she can get.

Comments

[prodigaljaybird]

He's far enough away that it's not her screams that summon him. It's not even her tears or the wet, exhausted sniffles that come after it. It's pure, dumb luck that sends Jason through this part of the jungle today, following a route he rarely takes in an attempt to throw his estranged brother or sister off his trail. They seem to be taking it in turns, Red Hood Crazy watch, Jason's come to call it, and he doesn't mean to give them any satisfaction.

Neither does he expect to happen on the scene he does, but Jason's a quick adapter when his adrenaline is up. Blood rushing in his ears at the sight of Katniss on the ground, Jason drops to a crouch, instinctively searching her for injury. "What happened?"

[burnwithus]

Buttercup doesn't enjoy being squeezed as hard as he is, and he shows his displeasure by hissing and scratching and her arms in an attempt to break free. Finally, he bites down on her thumb, hard, and she responds with a hiss of her own, releasing him. Bounding away, he doesn't go very far but circles warily, keeping his distance nonetheless. To make up for the loss of him, Katniss curls up even tighter in the dirt until her chin is touching her knees, wiry limbs tucked neatly. Part of her pride doesn't want Jason to see her like this, so it's a very long time before Katniss answers, face turned away from him. Hidden by a messy mass of hair.

"Prim's cat," she croaks, and it sounds terrible - all phleghmy and scratched and muffled against her knees. It's all she has to say for Jason to get it.

[prodigaljaybird]

Jason spares only the quickest glance for the cat - after Catwoman, he's pretty cool on the subject of them in general, but even were he not, Katniss makes for a far more compelling subject.

"Katniss," he says, coming nearer across the dirt. He knows she'd rather not have him, he's the same sometimes when he's upset, but he can't hear her voice like that and not go to her. "Can I touch you?"

[burnwithus]

She'd rather not have him, would rather be alone to wallow and cry, but Katniss vaguely understands that her screams must have carried in the woods and of course Jason must have heard and come running. Her body is so tense, shivering against the cold that has begun seeping into her clothing but refusing to move. "Go away."

Katniss' eyes squeeze shut, tears leaking out even through the tight grip. She hates this weakness, hates admitting it to Jason of all people, one of the only people she admits to wanting to think well of her.

"Please."