Drabble Challenge

Day 10

"Imagine Person A keeps having nightmares about Person B. They don't know what disturbs them more- how scary the dreams are, or how arousing they are."

"Peeta..."

I gasp and snap awake, my eyes flying open and my body wrenching forward until I'm sitting up in bed, panting and shaking off sleep and nightmares.

The star of my latest night terrors is my own husband- no, not my husband, some twisted, threatening version of him I've only met during sleep.

I'm so close to catching it this time, so close to grabbing it in my clutches to find the source of my streak of bad dreams. But the memory of tonight's dream's details skitters away too quickly, and I'm left sitting up in bed, still half-asleep and terribly confused.

But mostly, I'm feeling... exhilirated. And excited. Frustrated, too, and...

And aroused.

I give a little hiccup of a gasp with the realization, and I press a clammy hand to my stuttering heart in a poor attempt to calm it.

God damn these nightmares, because surely that's what's causing this feeling, this sort of hunger, deep and low in my belly, all-consuming and utterly dangerous. Quickly I turn to Peeta, my breathing still shaky, and find his breathing still slow and deep.

But the fire in my core rages stronger when my eyes light on him, and I'm hit with an oh-god-what-is-wrong-with-me stab of mortification when I realize he must be the source of my...predicament.

Whatever happened in that god-awful dream world, I have no idea, but it's simultaneously making me never want to sleep again and making me want to shut my eyes right away and force myself into that realm once again.

So I settle for neither, just slowly untangle my legs from the covers and lay my head onto Peeta's chest, then rest one of my legs on both of his- one real and one artificial. He says nothing, barely even stirs, just subconsciously wraps his arm around my shoulder. I sigh deeply, trying to ignore my pounding heart and flushed... everything, because god damn it why can't you just calm down? It was nothing. Just a dream.

X-X-X-X

It affects me more than usual, though, and even I can't ignore the dark purple, bruise-like bags under my eyes, or the lethargy of my movements. Pretty soon Peeta notices, too, as I'm drifting in and out of consciousness one evening on the sofa.

' "You okay?" he asks over his book, trying to sound casual, but the look in his eyes behind his (adorable) glasses gives away everything.

"Y-Yeah," I reply, trying to keep my eyes open. "Just-" Yawn"-tired."

"For the past five days, though?" he asks skeptically, and I'm not surprised he's kept track. "You're never this exhausted for so long."

"I... I've just been having a series of really bad dreams," I tell him, refusing to admit that that's not even the half of it. "I'm okay once I realize you're here."

He smiles softly when I use his words from such a long, long time ago, and then he pulls me into his side and kisses the top of my head.

X-X-X-X

That night brings the same events, and I'm moaning Peeta's name over and over when he wakes me. I open my eyes hesitantly to take in the soft hues of dawn and Peeta's face, hovering inches above mine.

"Katniss," he says, one last time to make sure I'm awake.

I can't be sure in the dim lighting, but I think he's smirking at me. Then he starts kissing a trail up my neck and all thinking is over. I gasp a little, relishing in the feel of his lips on my skin, knowing this seems so familiar, but soon he's pulling away and looking me in the eye.

"That didn't sound like a nightmare to me," he whispers throatily, and I barely have time to blush before his mouth descends onto mine.