The Epilogue - Katniss and Peeta

Decisions.

*Disclaimer*
There's going to be some...SCENES (ifykyk) in Willow's portion, which will describe consent and actions, and if you don't want to read that then skip her point of view!!

*Katniss's POV*

I storm out of the room, making my way down the hallway. I hear Peeta's heavy footsteps behind me, and I slow down due to my knowledge of how he can't move as fast as the rest of us.

"Katniss." I hear him call, and I reluctantly turn around, still seeing a gaze of fury. "You're not killing him."
"The hell I'm not." I remark, beginning to turn around again. He grabs my arm to stop me, and I sigh before looking back up at him.
"I'm not letting you do this." He says, and I scoff at him. He glares at me and I look down at the floor, waiting for his wrath of words. "You aren't doing anything related to him. You won't speak to him, you won't be near him, and you most certainly won't be killing him."

I remove his hand from my arm and I almost break down in tears because of my frustration. How can he not see that I need this? I need to do this for myself. I need to do this for Prim. I need to do this for everyone that he hurt, including Willow. This is my chance to end things and all issues related to him, and he just states that I can't do it?

Fuck him.

He stares at my face and sighs, to which I show no emotion. He reaches out to brush a piece of hair out of my eyes, but I move out of the way, tucking it myself.

"Katniss." He starts sternly, but I just glare at him. "You're making a rash decision, and it's going to come crashing down on you, darling."
"I need to do this, Peeta." I say, my voice breaking slightly. His eyes soften once he hears my voice.
"I know you feel like you have to, but this will just cause you so much pain, love." He remarks, crossing his arms and leaning on the wall. "Killing your childhood best friend? That's only going to send you into a spiral of grief, and I know you don't think so, but I know you still care about the man he once was."

I don't say anything, and he keeps the same sympathetic look on his face, which is slightly comforting.

"Caring for that man is completely okay. I don't want you to think it's not." He starts stepping away from the wall and towards me. "But you won't stop caring for him just because he's dead. And you won't stop feeling pain or grief if you're the one who causes that death."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I exhale, letting my wall come down and a few tears slip out. "I can't just step aside while this is happening."
"We'll figure it out." He says, cupping my face in his hands and wiping the tears off my cheeks. "He was just caught, Katniss. You don't have to know everything at once. Give it time."
"But," I start but he hushes me.
"Katniss, it's okay." He says softly. "You're okay."

I look up at him and nod my head, to which he pulls me into his arms. He continues comforting me, and I feel somewhat guilty about snapping at him. But I know he's right, and even if I can't see it now, I know it's for the better.

"You need to rest." He says, pushing back all of the hair off my face. "I know you're exhausted and you aren't giving a speech like this, darling."

I let go of him and he guides me with a hand on my lower back towards our room. Once we get there, he shuts off the lights and closes the curtains. I sit down in bed, waiting for him, but he stays standing. I give him a look and he crooks his head slightly.

"You want me to stay?" He asks, crossing his arms.
"Always." I admit, and he flashes a short smile before laying down next to me. I place my head on his chest, and he keeps me close by putting his hand on my shoulder and brushing small circles into it.