She never reacted when Peeta had kissed her in the night, on the Victory Tour when they had shared a bed. She let him believe she was asleep, but in reality, just the feeling of someone breathing against her lips woke her now.

The feeling of breath against her lips woke her, and because her mind was still muddled by sleep, she forgot that she had not gone to sleep in Peeta's arms. The feeling of lips against hers didn't surprise her, but the texture of those lips did. They weren't as soft as Peeta's, nor as sure. Peeta was used to kissing her, but the owner of these lips apparently was not. She felt a tongue graze her lips lightly, and it took everything in her not to shiver.

Something about the kiss made her entire body tingle, and it was as she was coming fully awake that the mystery lips left hers. Her brain finally caught up, and she remembered falling asleep on Haymitch's shoulder. She felt a brief moment of shock at the idea Haymitch might have kissed her, but who else could it have been? She let her eyes flick half open for just a moment, just long enough to see that it was in fact Haymitch holding her. She felt him freeze when her eyelids flickered, but he relaxed soon enough, evidently thinking her still asleep.

The tender way he caressed her face said everything, but the quiet words still shocked her when they came. "I love you, Katniss." It was a gentle whisper, tender and heartbreaking, and she had no idea what to do. Having Peeta or Gale say such things to her was one thing, but Haymitch was entirely different. He was cold and withdrawn almost all the time, afraid to express any sort of emotion.

His kiss had felt wonderful, had lit a spark within her even before she knew it was him kissing her, and so was entirely conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to feel his kiss again and again, but on the other, she knew the only reason he was being so open was because he thought she was unaware. And it was that thought that made her decide. She didn't know how she felt for Haymitch. She knew him, understood him better than anyone, and she cared for him deeply, but she didn't know if what she felt was love. And if he knew she was aware of this moment, he would surely draw back from her.

He needed the same thing that Peeta had on the tour, that Peeta probably still needed. A way to let out his feelings to her without fear of rejection or disgust, which he probably thought she would react with. She even thought she might understand the kissing. She had never loved anyone in a romantic way, but Peeta made it obvious it was a powerful thing. And now Haymitch. If Haymitch was succumbing to this, to expressing his feelings when he thought no one was any the wiser, it was the least she could grant him. At least until she knew how she felt for him, because she realized now that she was thinking of it, that it would be extrordinarily easy to fall in love with Haymitch. They were so alike, he willingly showed her more than he would show anyone else, and above all, they understood each other. Yes, it would be very easy to love Haymitch. Perhaps she was already getting there.

After several long minutes, she felt his lips press against hers once more, and it took everything she had not to respond, to let him kiss her and believe she was sleeping soundly. He stroked her face once more before falling to sleep himself.

She waited maybe fifteen minutes before moving experimentally, trying to see if he was already deeply asleep or still on the surface. When Haymitch was truly asleep, the only thing that was sure to wake him was cold water, but she wanted to be sure he was asleep. When her small movements elicited no reaction, she dug an elbow into his ribs. Still garnering no response, she figured she was safe.

She gently twisted until she was on her hands and knees, and threw her braid back over her shoulder so it wasn't hanging down against his face. Just because he probably wouldn't wake didn't mean she needed to push the envelope.

She studied his face intensely, really looking hard for the first time. He had high cheekbones and a strong jaw, silky-looking eyelids and light pink lips. Lips that had been kissing her own a half hour ago. Slowly, she leaned down, unknowingly in the same manner he had earlier, and pressed her lips to his experimentally. Warmth bloomed in her chest, and she realized she liked kissing Haymitch a great deal. She let her lips and tongue explore his own lips briefly before pulling away. As much as she liked kissing him, she would stick to her vow to not say or show anything until she knew how she felt about him.

Kissing him, though, had pushed her slightly. Seeing the depth of his vulnerability had touched her, and she suspected that she may be, even now, falling for him. Yes, it would be far too easy to love Haymitch.