A/N: I don't own The Hunger Games. I'm just a big fan. :) RxR okay? :D
I woke up to the sound of Haymitch's voice.
"Get up sweetheart. We're going down the train. The car will be here to pick us up and take us to the hotel in an hour or so." Haymitch said pulling the covers from me and Peeta.
"And please, can you guys save all that romance thing for later. Sleeping together? Really?" He said trying hard not to laugh. I look beside me to see Peeta only half awake. Does Haymitch really think Peeta and I slept together?
"Cut it out Haymitch. What's up anyway?" Peeta snapped his voice a bit slurry and sleepy. Turns out, Effie and Portia caught a flu and we had to postpone out victory tour until they both get better which will take a week or two. We have to go down of the train and stay in a hotel in District 7 while Effie and Portia rest in a hospital. After filling us in, Haymitch left us to get dressed and get ready to leave. Technically we were off the hook and free for the rest of the hotel stay. Meaning we have all the days to ourselves, well at least until we need to get back on tour.
"So any plans, Ms. Everdeen?" Peeta asked his voice a little more awake now but still barely audible.
"I'm all yours Mr. Mellark." I smirked as I got up the bed and gave him a hand so we can all get ready for the unexpected delay.
When we are all settled on our hotel rooms, Peeta and I asked Haymitch's permission if we can go get some fresh air and walk around the hotel gazebo. He told us that it was fine as long as we don't go out without a chaperone with us. We walked hand in hand on the gardens talking about the most random of things. It felt great, having no cameras, no capitol people, no pressure… just the two of us enjoying this moment given to us.
"Peeta…Do you want to go swimming?" Listening to my own question, I mentally slapped myself. It sounds so wrong for me to ask him to go swimming.
"Uhm—I—I don't know how to swim." He blushed as he answered me.
"Oh." I replied, barely audible. Of course! Where do I think will a baker from district 12 learn to swim? There is no lake or pool anywhere near there. I never took him to my lake. The lake only I and my father shared. It was outside the fence that is why it was impossible for him to have gone there.
"Katniss… You can teach me? Won't you?" His piercing blue eyes looking straight to me, melting all my thoughts away.
"Uhm sure." I smiled at the sight of him getting excited for his first swimming lessons.
Since I wasn't expecting of going swimming and it's not like I have any bathing suits back at home, I had to settle with wearing just my under garments. I don't really mind since we had the place all to ourselves after they made sure that only the victors will be the only guests in the hotel. Peeta settled for a pair of his underpants and removed his shirt. I can't help but look at his body, well shaped after years to lifting sacks of flour.
"Ready?" I tried to focus on swimming because I don't want to drown looking at his body.
"Anything you say…" He trailed; he's voice still gentle as ever although you can hear either doubt in his voice.
"Are you okay? You sound… distracted." I said trying to search for the right words.
"It's just… you and… n-never mind." He said, his voice breaking. He tried soaking himself completely before I can reply.
"Peeta, what is it? Don't you trust me?" I asked feeling a little pissed.
"No! Just forget it." He tried to soak his body again. This time I went to his side and pulled him closer to me. I dragged him to the deeper side of the pool.
"Katniss! I don't know how to swim! I—I" He was almost yelling at me, panic overtaking his body.
"You're so going to drown if you don't tell me what's up." I said dragging him farther.
"Okay fine! Can we at least go back to the safe side first?" He replied clearly still in panic. I laughed at him and brought him back to the shallow part of the pool.
"It's just… you being too… exposed. I'm just new to it I guess." He said blushing hard. I blushed as well when I realized what he was trying to say. We both laughed after that. We enjoyed the day having no one to bother us with anything… not even Haymitch. Soon, Peeta learned to do some basic threading and can even afford to go to the deeper side of the pool.
Without even thinking, I pulled him in for a warm embrace. We both went under for a little while and when we resurfaced, I was caught off guard when he pulled me in for a passionate kiss. I knew there and then that it was real. Of course it was. There were no cameras or people sticking their heads to watch us in our private moment. He pulled away quickly.
"I'm sorry Katniss. I just got carried away." He said trying to swim away from me. But without even thinking I pulled him back to me and kissed him back. He was surprised at first but then kissed me back as well. We stayed like that until we needed to pull away for some air. We both smiled at the same time.
"Peeta?" I said not even processing the words I'm saying. He's eyebrows moved which signaled me to continue.
"I think I'm in love with you." I said plainly, not a sound of pressure in my voice. For the first time, I was sincere. I can see that he feels it because I felt his muscles tense and his facial expression change.
"What about Gale?" You can surely hear the pain in his voice.
"Like I said, you don't have much competition anywhere." I replied blushing slightly.
"Remember, we're madly in love, so it's all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it." Peeta replied. I laughed at the memory. I slapped him playfully before giving him another long heated kiss. I'm thankful Effie and Portia caught the flu.