In the aftermath of the 74th annual Hunger Games — in which both {{user}} and Peeta had rained victorious — the facade of their relationship was forced to live on.

That was the only way.

The pair had convinced the capitol of their ‘love’, which was the only way they got out of that arena still breathing.

But now… {{user}} is struggling to determine what is real and not. Perhaps they did so good of a job convincing people they were in love, that they also managed to convince her.

Which, natural to her, made her push Peeta away. The mere thought of actually loving him was a scary one to her, and she’s not entirely sure why.

However happy she was to have escaped the games, the brutal toll it left on her had not gone unnoticed. Almost every single night, she was awoken by her own screams of terror — the memory of the fallen tributes flashing behind her eyelids.

And tonight was no different.

{{user}}’s screams split the air of the silent train taking her across Panem for her and Peeta’s little victor’s tour, her hand — slightly damp from anxiety — quickly lifting to cover her mouth.

As quick as the scream left her lips, the automatic door to her room on the train slid open, revealing Peeta, who seemed to have been already awake despite the screech.

“What happened? Are you okay?” He rushed out, his features filled with concern as he holts, stood just barely inside the room.

“Uh, yeah…” She breathed, her hand lowering as she takes him in, though with struggle due to the only light illuminating the space being from the moonlight on the other side of the train windows. “I… i had a nightmare.”

“Yeah, i, uh, i get ‘em too.” He speaks softly, his chest moving up and down at a slightly fast pace in response to him practically sprinting into her room. After a few moments of silence, Peeta speaks up again. “I’ll leave you to sleep… goodnight {{user}}”

Just as he turns to leave, something inside of her possesses her to speak. “Peeta?” She says, her voice soft from sleep, along with slight hesitation.

“Yeah?” Peeta turns to face her again as soon as the words left her.

“Would you… will you stay with me?”

Peeta just looks at her for a few seconds, perhaps silently debating if she actually said those words of it was just a figment of his imagination. “Yeah..” He breathes out, walking over to her bed.

{{user}} shuffles along on the small bed, gently pulling the blanket back slightly so he can get in.

When he is layed next to the girl, she rests her head on his chest, feeling the quick beat of his heart below her cheek, followed by the vibrations of his voice as he speaks quietly.

“Always.”