The Mentor

Chapter 14: Nights Out

There are moments that the words don't reach
There is a grace too powerful to name
We push away what we can never understand
We push away the unimaginable

-It's Quiet Uptown, Hamilton (Lin Manuel Miranda)

The table was silent as Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta sat down. Gale still wasn't back, and Peeta knew that when he did there would be hell to pay. Peeta knew that his temper would probably get the best of him and it would be a miracle if Gale didn't get arrested. Hell, his reaction was pretty similar to that. After he had learned of what his job in the Capitol would entail Haymitch had to drag him up to the roof to avoid a scene.

Peeta pushed around the food on his plate. He didn't feel like eating. He never felt like on eating on nights like those. He glanced across the table to see Katniss only half heartedly eating and Haymitch was pouring liquor into his cranberry juice.

"I'm going to bed." said Peeta as he pushed his plate back. He stood and move to leave the room when the elevator dinged. Peeta walked out to see Gale walk in. His face was bright red and his fists were clenched. He could hear Haymitch pushing his chair back and Katniss scrambling to get up.

Peeta looked back and Haymitch gave him a look to calm Gale down.

"Come on, Gale." Peeta said roughly as he motioned for him to follow. He could hear Gale behind him as he led him up to the roof.

Peeta pushed opened the door and the wind greeted him. He turned around and faced Gale, waiting for him to say something.

"You can speak freely up here, there's no cameras." said Peeta as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What the hell is going on?" yelled Gale as he glared at Peeta.

"Snow told you what you have to do tonight?"

"Yeah," Gale said roughly. "Why didn't you guys say anything when I first got that damned letter? Is Katniss involved?" questions tumbled from Gale's mouth as Peeta waited for a moment to answer them.

"We didn't have enough time to say anything without Snow hearing. Katniss isn't involved, I uh set up a deal for that."

During the time between this trip and the end of the games Peeta had agreed to take on more clients if he needed to to keep Katniss out. And for some odd reason Snow allowed it. And Peeta thought it was safe enough for the moment.

"A deal?" questioned Gale.

"Don't worry about it."

"Wait, didn't you say you got the same letter as me?" Peeta cursed under his breath, the hunter was a lot smarter than he led on.

"I did." Peeta declared rendering Gale silent.

"Let's go back down. We have a busy night tonight." said Peeta as he brushed beside him to get back to the penthouse. He didn't want to deal with it just yet. And how was he supposed to provide comfort to an activity that was soul crushing?

Both victors remained silent as they walked into the penthouse. Gale was visibly calmer and it could have been from knowing the fact he wasn't alone in his endeavors or knowing that Katniss was safe.

They found Katniss and Haymitch in the living room watching mindless Capitol television. Haymitch was nursing some sort of liquor that was silently calling to Peeta and Katniss looked to be sulking as she sat there. They looked up at Peeta and Gale's entrance.

Peeta avoided their gazes and walked straight over to the bar. He needed a drink, after that day and the coming night he needed a drink. That morning had been wonderful, waking up in such an intimate way with Katniss was indescribable. If that was how close they ever got, it would be worth it.

Peeta poured a healthy amount of whiskey into a glass and quickly threw it all back. The alcohol burned down his throat in a pleasing manner that left his insides tingling. He glanced back to see Katniss look back at the television. Why was she watching him? Did the drinking bother her? His drinking habits were certainly the least of his concerns.

Peeta set the glass down before hesitating. There was nothing he wanted more than to sit down beside Katniss and wrap his arms around her and forget the world, but there was the nagging feeling to distance himself. That it would be easier for her to be with someone else. To have someone that wasn't as damaged as he was. Someone that wasn't hit as a child, someone who wasn't used as a Capitol whore.

He quickly left the room and entered his bedroom. He slammed the door behind him and threw himself against the bed. He was tired. Just tired. Peeta let himself fall into a fitful sleep without removing his clothes. He dreamed of mutts attacking Katniss and being unable to stop it. Their dog like faces were growling and Katniss's blood seemed to be surrounding him, choking him.

Peeta woke up nearly an hour later in a cold sweat. Dots of perspiration clung to him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to erase the sound of Katniss's screams from his mind. He looked over at the clock and hesitantly stood.

He would have to leave within the next fifteen minutes. Peeta quickly slipped on the tuxedo and could feel a pit growing in his stomach. He fixed his bow tie and glanced at himself in the mirror. His hair was still messed from sleep and the smudges under his eyes were a little lighter.

The clock read that there was about five minutes left to get down to the car. He quickly used some gel that was in the bathroom and slicked his hair back. Once that was finished he prepared himself to leave the penthouse.

The halls were quiet as he crept through them. All the bedroom doors were shut tight and Peeta doubted that any of them were sleeping. He sighed and continued walking towards the elevator. Peeta pressed the button and waited for a moment for it to come back up.

The elevator opened with a small ding. Peeta stepped in and quickly hit the button for the first floor even though he was sure it would have taken him to the bottom no matter what he hit. The elevator doors closed with a small jolt.

He hated the small bits of anxiety that struck him each time he went out no matter how many times he had gone through it. He would probably always feel that way and there was nothing to stop it.

.

.

When Peeta arrived back from his client it was still dark out with dots of sun rising over the horizon. His eyes were barely open and he was slowly stumbling back to his bedroom. He pulled open his door and was rooted in place.

Katniss was lying on his bed sound asleep. A book was in her hand and she must have fallen asleep while reading it. She was waiting for him.

The brief thought caused his heart to contract painfully. Stray hairs had escaped from her braid and were framing her face, her face looked younger in sleep almost like the hunger games had never happened. He couldn't help the variety of feelings that passed through his mind as he saw her sleeping there.

The sickening sweet perfume of the woman that was his client clung to his clothing, he watched Katniss for another minute. Peeta quietly walked into the bathroom and shed his clothes on the floor. He turned the shower on and stepped into the blistering water. Peeta imagined that the water was able wash away the night's actions. His skin stung from the thin cuts on his back, but he didn't let it bother him.

Katniss was still there and he was sure that she knew exactly what he was doing tonight. He didn't know how to describe how much it meant to him. He assumed that if people learned of his actions in the Capitol they would shun him.

Peeta stepped out of the shower and quickly dried his hair with a towel. He finished drying the rest of his body before slipping on the silk pajamas provided by the Capitol, most of the time he would sleep in just his boxers. But, with Katniss there he felt that he would be bare, she could see the cuts that adorned him as well as the prosthetic.

His heavy footsteps were covered by the thick carpets as he walked over to Katniss's side. He removed the book from her possession and marked her spot in it before setting it on the bedside table. With careful movements he worked to remove the blankets from under her and slide the duvet over her. Once he was satisfied with the results and was sure that she was still asleep he crept over to his side of the bed.

Peeta turned out the light and opened the window just the slightest bit before pulling back the blankets and falling into the bed. He didn't know how long he spent watching Katniss sleep, all he knew was that his eyes had began to droop and consciousness was slowly waning. Once he found sleep inevitable he let himself fall away into the world of demons that were sneaking in every shadow.

A/N: Happy one year anniversary! I finished this a couple of days ago but I really wanted to post this on the exact one year. I can't believe that this has been out there for a year. It still seems like this little baby that might be a month old at most.

Thank you for all the reviews. I have read all of them and enjoyed them. I always look forwards to them. And one of them mentioned about doing Gale and Katniss's POVs, I want to I just don't feel like I could write them correctly yet, so I may come up with something for the next chapter hopefully.

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Disclaimer: If I didn't own anything a year ago what makes you think I could own it now (no matter how much I want to).

7.13.16