Written for the EverlarkExchange, based on this prompt by peetabreadgirl.
Hi! So excited this is happening! Here's my prompt - Practice kissing - (BFFs, 16ish) Peeta gets a first date and admits to Katniss he's never kissed a girl and he's nervous. She offers to help him learn after telling him she hasn't been kissed, either. It's magical! I'd like Peeta to go on the date and realize he doesn't want to kiss anyone but Katniss. ;) Thanks Javi for organizing this!!
Thank you so much to tanb for betaing. And please leave a message if you liked the story
"You're sure about this, Katniss? Like really sure?"
She stopped dead in her tracks. It took Peeta a second to realize he was still walking when she, well, wasn't anymore.
"You're starting to get annoying, Mellark. When exactly did I come back on my word?"
The answer is never. Peeta knew it. Katniss knew it. More importantly, Katniss knew that Peeta knew she never backed up on anything. Not even that time when they were ten and he challenged her to kiss a frog.
"I know... it's just... I don't know."
"Peeta Mellark doesn't know? Must be a first!" Katniss laughed at her best friend, before she started walking again, lacing her arm through his as she passed nearby. "So, your place or mine?"
"Yours, definitely. We don't want Steve or Phil interfering. Remember last time?"
"Hell yes. I'll never forgive Steve for making me lose on the Rainbow Road." She could feel her scowl coming back as the memories invaded her brain. "Next time I'll -"
"I know, Kat, I know, you'll shoot an arrow at his head. Because that's believable."
"As long as it scares him…."
"I think it's the thought of you holding a bow that would scare him more …"
"Good." Katniss smirked as they took the last turn to her house on Seam Lane. "So, will you tell me who's the girl?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because?"
"Peetaaaa….."
"Look, if I promise to tell you after, is it okay? And does it matter anyways?"
"You're my best friend, Peeta ! Of course it matters to me who you're dating ! I just hope it's not Glimmer or Cashmere - they've had their eyes on you for so long …"
"Have they ? Interesting…." Peeta teased. "I swear it's not them."
"Good. then you'll tell me when you're ready, okay?"
Peeta nodded at Katniss, just before she turned from him to climb the steps to the porch of the Everdeen's house, opening the doors for them.
"Okay, so, where do you want to do it?" she asked as Peeta went through the door, into the familiar living room.
"Hum, I don't know… what's the risk of getting caught?"
"Fifty-fifty. But the third stairs cracks - so it might give us time, just in case…"
"Your room, then." Peeta said, raking his hand in his hair, a sign even he recognized as nervousness.
They climbed the stairs that led to the first floor, taking the familiar path towards Katniss's room, second door on the right.
She let her satchel fall to the floor, where it found its usual place, against the desk's side while she walked towards her bed, carefully sitting on it.
All the while, Peeta remained in the entrance of the room, as if he'd never been inside.
"Come on, Peeta let's do this…."
He could have sworn Katniss's voice had an edge to it, something that made it tremble a little.
Sighing a little, he came in, letting his own satchel fall to the floor as he joined Katniss on the bed.
"So, well, I mean…" He started to babble, looking at everywhere but his best friend sitting next to him. He took a deep breath, willing his nerves to calm down before trying to explain himself again. "I mean, well, how do we do-"
Katniss' lips on his silenced him. Warm and chapped, they lingered on his for a few more seconds before she pulled away.
But he wasn't ready to let go. Not yet. He wanted to know how it felt to kiss Katniss Everdeen. Really kiss her.
He had wanted to know for a long time, honestly.
She had her eyes closed when he leaned into her.
He took his time, relinquishing in the moment, taking every single detail into account - the smell of her skin, something both woodsy and sweet, the silk of her hair as a loose strand fell onto his cheek, the feel of her cheek on his, sliding until nose brushed nose, until lips met lips.
It took all he had in him to not moan the second he felt her respond to him, pressing herself closer.
Until there wasn't any space between them.
Until she moved her head, turning slightly, giving him more access in the process. He wanted to kiss her chin, her jaw, the brow over her eye, linger under her ear.
He knew though, he only had this kiss. She had agreed to be his first kiss - and he knew he was hers.
But that was all she was willing to give him now. A few seconds. He had every intention to use all of them.
He lingered, savoring the taste of her lips, of the raspberry flavor of her gloss, until the world shattered around him.
Something wet touched his lips. Something that could only come from her mouth. Even if his rational mind knew what it was, it was hard believing it.
He wasn't going to let his chance pass, though.
He opened his mouth.
If he thought he was in Paradise before, he was wrong.
The first touch of her tongue was tentative, met her halfway.
The first time his tongue touched hers, he was hesitant too. Would she allow it? Would she pull back?
She didn't.
The touch of her tongue to his seemed to bring new nerve endings to life. Some he didn't even knew he had - even though he was used to tasting and sampling awesome food at the bakery.
Nothing could even compare to the feel of Katniss in his mouth.
He was more than willing to oblige his senses, to lose himself to the touch.
That was until he moved slowly, embarrassed by his body's physical reaction. The slight change in his posture urged his tongue to move a little, finding itself on the side of Katniss's.
Which brought another world of explosions in his mouth, when he discovered another kind of dance - when parts of bodies took their time discovering each and every secret, each and every curve or crevice, each and every sound their moves created.
Peeta didn't know whose moan was the first to hit his ear. He didn't care.
His senses were overwhelmed by the sensations, by how good it felt to be there, in that moment, kissing Katniss.
Good wasn't even the word that could start describing what he felt.
Hell if he knew a word that could.
He needed more, though. More than the touch of her tongue and lips on his. More contact. More proximity.
He realized his hands had come to her cheeks when he felt her skin, so smooth under his thumbs - he hadn't even noticed they had moved. He couldn't care less, as he got the chance to feel more of Katniss.
A need, primal and raw was burning inside him, begging him not to leave the contact of KAtniss's lips - another primal need took over - the need to breathe, to have oxygen in his body.
The need to still touch her was still present, though.
He let his forehead touch hers, even if she allowed it for only a few seconds before pulling away.
He opened his eyes slowly, wanting to hold on to the feel and magic of the kiss for as long as possible.
He could see her, now. See the familiar scowl on her forehead, her eyes still closed.
Her hand touched her lips, her fingers lingering there as she exhaled.
Never ever had Peeta wanted to be a breath of oxygen more than now. He wanted to spend every second, every hour, every day of his life on her lips.
Even though, right now, he had to go on a date.
And it was killing him.
When Katniss finally opened her eyes, he noted how quickly she turned away from him. How the air between grew silent, too heavy to breathe.
He knew he had to do something. He was at Katniss's house and couldn't just go away, throwing years of friendship through the window just like that.
He didn't want that.
He gathered all his courage, finding the right words for his best friend.
"Would you mind coming with me to the bakery?"
"You have a date…"
"Well, yeah, but not until later. And there might be something for you." Peeta teased.
"That better be cheese buns …"
"You'll see…"
It was as if all the tension between them had suddenly been lifted.
As if their relationship, their years long friendship was back on tracks.
Only with a jolt of electricity when Peeta put his hand casually on Katniss's arm.
They reached the town center quickly, their usual banter on display.
With something more to it.
Just before they crossed the square that would lead them to the bakery, he put his hand on her arm, stopping her.
She turned to face him, surprise clearly etched on her face.
"It's not the time to tell me there won't be any cheese buns, Mellark!"
He shook his head from right to left. How difficult could it be to spell out five words? Immeasurable, apparently.
"What? Don't tell me your date is there?"
He didn't say a word. How could he?
"Oh, god, Peeta? She's there? Who is she?" Katniss started looking at the bakery, searching the length of the sidewalk. "There's nobody…"
He nodded. There was. She just didn't see. He gathered his strength, his willpower, all of him, to ask her.
"Will you be my date?"
Her kiss was his answer.