The Roof

All direct quotes come were taken from "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

"The roof. We order a bunch of food, grab some blankets, and head up to the roof for a picnic. A daylong picnic in the flower garden that tinkles with wind chimes. We eat. We lie in the sun. I snap off hanging vines and use my newfound knowledge from training to practice knot and weave nets. Peeta sketches me. We make up a game with the force field that surrounds the roof – one of throws an apple into it and the other person has to catch it.

No one bothers us. By late afternoon, I lie with my head in Peeta's lap, making a crown of flowers while he fiddles with my hair, claiming he's practicing his knots. After a while, his hands go still. 'What?' I ask.

'I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever,' he says.

Usually this sort of comment, the kind that hints at his undying love for me, makes me feel guilty and awful. But I feel so warm and relaxed and beyond worrying about a future I'll never have, I just let the word slip out. 'Okay.'

I can hear the smile in his voice. 'Then you'll allow it?'

'I'll allow it,' I say.

I drop my crown and reach up to place my arms around his neck and pull his face to mine. I hadn't expected this to happen and it was obvious that he hadn't either. His eyes are wide open and his body tenses. As he relaxes a little more, the fire begins to grow inside me as the butterflies in my stomach make an appearance.

I pull myself up and turn so that I am straddling his lap, without ever breaking from his lips. He brings his arms around me and pulls me closer to his body. Once my chest touches his, I know I'm gone; just like Peeta knew he was gone on that first day when he saw me at school.

"Peeta,"

"What is it?"

"I need you,"

"I'm right here,"

"No," I needed him to understand. "I need you," I replied, grinding myself against him.

"Katniss, you don't have to do this for me. Yes, I've wanted this for a long time, but I don't want you to feel like you have to do this. I want you to want it."

"Peeta," I pulled back from him a little. "I don't think you get it. I do want this. I should have realized it a long time ago, but I didn't. I love you Peeta Mellark; and if there is even the slightest chance that you'll believe me, make love to me."

"Katniss, are you sure that this is what you want?" he wanted me to be happy more than he wanted to be happy himself. It was one of the main things I loved about him. Even though I tried to be brave and strong to the rest of the world, I knew, it was Peeta who had really been the strong one all along.

"Yes Peeta, I only wish that I had known sooner how I felt. The day after tomorrow, we are going back into the arena and I want to go in knowing that you know what I feel for you." This seemed to make him happy; he leaned forward and I closed my eyes expecting his lips to meet mine. When they didn't, I opened my eyes to see him headed toward my throat. When his lips touched my pulse point, I let a small moan escape my lips. I feel him smile against my skin and a small giggle escapes me.

"What's funny?"

"I just, never thought I would feel this way about anyone. Now that do, I just can't stop smiling."

"Katniss,"

"Yes,"

"Are you nervous?"

"A little, are you?"

"Extremely; I don't really know what to do."

"Neither do I, but I know I want you to touch me," I brought his hands to my hips and placed my own against his back as he slowly laid me down on our picnic blanket.

His touch was firm, but gentle. How is it that this one man could make me feel things that I never wanted to feel and make me enjoy it? This was the magic that Peeta had.

"Peeta,"

"What do you need Katniss?"

"I need you to get rid of these clothes," I whispered, in what I hoped was a seductive voice. He smiled again, but brought his lips to mine, moving at the perfect rhythm to make me want him that much more. His tongue brought itself against my bottom lip and I moaned against his kiss. I opened myself up for his tongue to enter my mouth. At first our tongues softly moved together creating warmth and keeping away the silence. Eventually, it became more like a battle for which one would remain in my mouth. I bit down on Peeta's lower lip causing a deep growl to come from his throat.

That sound and the knowledge that I had created it had an amazing effect on me. I pulled him lower onto me, feeling him pressing against my leg. Once I could feel him, I couldn't help feeling for the hem of his shirt.

"Not yet Katniss, let's take this slow"

I shook my head, "No, please, I need you."

He allowed his shirt to come off over his head, but stopped my hand when it headed for his waistband, "Katniss."

"Please Peeta, I need you now."

"At least move a little slower, please."

Rather than answering him vocally, I raised my arms over my head. "Take it off Peeta, please."

He obliged, slipping his hands underneath my shirt and pulling it off. He leaned down and kissed my abdomen and continued all over my bare skin.

"Peeta," I moaned.

"What is it?"

"I truly am the girl on fire right now." This made him smile as I began to feel his hips thrusting involuntarily against my thigh. "We need to move faster."

He seemed to think three steps ahead of me, removing my bra and unbuttoning my pants.

I couldn't help myself, I had to get everything off him, I needed him against me; bare skin to bare skin. I fumbled with his button before finally getting it open. He moaned at the relief and I noticed that it had to feel better now that he was free of the constrictions of his pants. He removed both pairs in one quick movement; I could feel him against my center. I pulled his boxers off to see him in all his glory. His body was amazing; every muscle rippled against me as his adrenaline coursed through him. The only thing separating him from me was my underwear which he quickly removed.

He didn't move inside me then, he just hovered over me. I opened my eyes to see fear in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked tracing his face with my fingers.

'This is really going to hurt you,"

"I know, I've never wanted to feel pain before, but I want to feel this. Once I do, I'm yours forever that is something that Snow can't even take away.

I spread myself further and felt Peeta enter the first few centimeters into me. I could instantly feel myself stretching to contain him. This continued until he touched my barrier; he moved quickly and thrust hard, breaking through and officially making me his. I screamed as the pain seared from my center to the tips of my fingers and toes.

"I'm so sorry Katniss," Peeta replied, remaining completely still and rubbing his fingers across my flushed cheek.

We remained this way until I thrust against Peeta, realizing that my pain had subsided and now only brought me pleasure. I pulled him closer, telling him it was ok to move again.

It wasn't long before we were both nearing our ends, our breaths becoming mingled and our moans becoming synchronized. It only took a few thrusts from Peeta to bring me to my peak, he followed soon after. We screamed each other's names and released ourselves against one another. Peeta rolled to my side and pulled me into his arms.

"I love you, Katniss."

"I love you too, Peeta."

"His fingers go back to my hair and I doze off, but he rouses me to see the sunset. It's a spectacular yellow and orange blaze behind the skyline of the Capitol. 'I didn't think you'd want to miss it,' he says.

'Thanks,' I say. Because I can count on my fingers the number of sunsets I have left, and I don't want to miss any of them.

We don't go and join the others for dinner, and no one summons us.

…

We stay on the roof until bedtime and then quietly slip down to my room without encountering anyone."