This was written for PIP Round 3 Day 3
Modern Locations
Visual Prompt: Europe
This is my first HG fic and one of the first things I've completed in nearly a decade...
"No pictures." The voice is gruff and unkind. She sets the flash on her camera to off and discreetly poises the lens to the ceiling. She hopes the auto-focus is doing its job as she presses lightly on the button once. She feels the lens inside shift and snaps. She repeats the motion as the guard repeats himself once again in Italian and then again in English.
The Sistine Chapel is under copyright of some Japanese corporation. That much she heard from the tour guide who reminded her of Nigella Lawson. She doesn't care though and snaps one with her phone this time. Prim will love it and that's all she's concerned with.
"We're going to have to take your camera." Her heart drops into her stomach. No, not her camera. She's been in Rome for two days and she's got nearly a thousand pictures saved to the SD card. They can't take her camera.
"Sir, please. I promise, I'll delete the pictures." She sighs in relief as turns and sees his mop of blond curls speaking with the guard. It's the same man who's been in several of her tours and who sat behind her on the plane ride over. The one with the piercing blue eyes and a body that could rival iDavid/i's. Not that she's noticed his body. The rippling muscles beneath the long sleeved t-shirts…
She quietly turns off her camera and sticks it in the pocket of the raincoat she's got cinched around her waist.
He makes a point to turn the camera to the guard and delete the offending picture. She sees him scroll through and show him there are no others like it. They banter good-naturedly for a few moments and she wonders if she'd been the one caught if she'd have been able to talk her way out of that awkward situation or if she'd be cursing the guard and running back to Palatine Hill and the Trevi Fountain.
His blue eyes catch hers as he looks away from the ceiling. He smiles and makes his way over. She smiles back nearly unable to stop herself. Her breath hitches as his warm breath washes over her exposed neck.
"Think you could send me a couple of those pictures you took?"
She narrows her eyes at him and smirks at her, extending his hand. "Peeta Mellark."
Her hand is engulfed by his, which is warm and strong and soft all at the same time.
"Katniss Everdeen." She straightens her shoulders and meets his eyes.
"You were on the tour yesterday of Palatine Hill weren't you?" They'd walked for what seemed like hours and wound up at the burial site of Julius Caesar. It was a mound of dirt but she'd been so fascinated by it that she nearly got caught in the torrential downpour that ensued shortly after they'd dispersed.
She nods as he releases her hand. She suddenly misses its warmth.
"I'm heading to the Castel Sant'Angelo. Would you like to join me?"
She cocks her head to the side and studies him for a moment, the way one would study their prey. When she realizes that's not the look he gives her and she is not his prey, she nods her head in affirmation. He takes her hand again and she welcomes the warmth.
They arrive to the top of the Castel as the sun is setting behind St. Peter's. She rests her arms on the ledge and watches as the ball of fire sinks deeper behind Il Duomo.
"It's so beautiful," she breathes and turns back toward her new friend. She nearly laughs at the thought. Katniss Everdeen doesn't make friends easily. But, she supposes, maybe she does in Rome. Maybe with the cleaner air and the more relaxed life and a random glass of wine in the afternoon, she does.
"It is," he agrees, his eyes never leaving her.
She pushes the wisps of hair blowing from her braid behind her ear and motions for him to join her.
"I'm glad you suggested this. I was going to climb to the top," she nudges her chin towards the dome.
"I've climbed it before," he shrugs. "Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful sight but this is the most beautiful sight in this city. Where else are you going to get an unobstructed view of the Vatican?"
He takes the spot beside her, the warmth from his body helping to take some of the chill out of the early November air.
"So, you've been here before?" she asks as they make their way back down the Castle and out to the street. She pauses on the bridge overlooking the Tiber.
He shrugs and offers her information about the Castel they just left. "Do you know that in times of peril, the Pope would escape to the Castel?"
"I saw Angels and Demons too," she quips. He laughs and laces his arm through hers.
"Ok then, let me give you the grand tour of the Eternal City."
She studies his face for a moment, the way his smile brightens up the darkened night and his eyes dance with laughter. For a change she doesn't feel as if the laughter is making fun of her but truly enjoying her company. There are very few people in the world that she can actually say enjoy her company - Prim comes to mind immediately with her fair hair and blue eyes so like the man in front of her. But no, she reasons, Peeta's are different. They're a deeper shade of blue, one that she'd find one a nature hike in a wild flower or the color of the Roman, so much bluer than the sky at home for some reason.
"I'll allow it," she nestles into the crook of his arm as they continue on their path and she wonders when was the last time she felt so safe.
Their travels lead them to a little restaurant around the corner from her hotel. He says he eats there often when he comes to Rome, which makes her question again how many times he's been to Rome. She's met with a dazzling smile again.
"Are you actually going to tell me?" She's feeling a little frustrated as the bread arrives at the table. It's warm and has a layer of cheese both on it and inside and it may have made her moan a little the first time she bit into it. She blushes profusely and he just smiles. She's caught up in the dimple in his left cheek when she realizes that he's been talking to her.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I told you you're going to love the spaghetti." She's never been one for pasta but he insisted she try the carbonara.
"Oh dear God," she whispers as the first bite enters her mouth. This is nothing like the sauce she's used to in this dish. This is egg yolks and – "Is this pancetta?" she asks in a hushed voice.
He nods as his own dish arrives in front of him with the biggest, least fatty pieces of prosciutto she has ever seen.
"The food here is incredible."
"I'm glad you like it."
They make small talk over the food and a bottle of wine and he walks her back to her hotel. They walk in companionable silence up the marble steps to the second floor of the pre-war building.
Actually, she realizes, this building is much older than she first thought. The elevator (or what they call an elevator) was added to the center of the steps most likely in the 20s judging by the gate that needs to be pulled when you step on. She refuses to get on it claiming that she's only a story up. In actuality, she's terrified of that death trap.
When he gets close enough, she can smell vanilla and cinnamon radiate off of him like they're a cologne and it makes her want to draw him closer. She's never felt so strongly about a person so soon after meeting them before.
She even likes the sound of his heavy feet upon the steps. Something she would have always thought would drive her crazy about a person.
As they reach the door, she realizes that she's not quite ready to say goodnight to him but is surprised when she doesn't have to.
"You're not really very observant," he laughs as they walk towards the dining area set up with an espresso machine for their guests. "I've seen you every morning since you've been here. We've even walked the same path to the bus a few times."
She's a little embarrassed. Her cheeks flush and she tries to hide it by turning to the hot water dispenser for tea. She selects the Vanilla Rooibos and offers him a cup. He nods and allows her to fill his mug as well.
"Sugar?" she asks holding a little packet up when they reach the table?
"No thanks." He sips from his mug as she makes her own little concoction. "Are you going to drink that or spread it on toast?" he asks, his smile mischievous.
Her laugh is softer than his and to be honest, she can't remember the last time it flew so freely from her.
"I like really sweet drinks. I don't know why." She shrugs, takes a sip and smiles at him.
After hours of conversation, she learns that he's got two brothers. His parents divorced when he was a child and they lived with his dad who happens to be from her hometown. They actually all live only twenty minutes away. She tells him about Prim and even touches on her less than stellar relationship with her mother. At one point she mentions her father but clams up when she feels that tight feeling in her throat signaling that she's about to cry. This trip is about life and laughter and she won't allow tears so she drops the topic and luckily, he takes the hint.
She's asleep on her feet as he leads her to her door. She swears he's about to lean down for a kiss when they hear footfalls. She looks behind her and is given a goodnight greeting by a member of the staff and by the time she returns her gaze to him, the moment is gone.
He waits at her door the following morning and escorts her to the free breakfast where she piles croissants and nutella on her plate and makes a cup of espresso for herself. He does the same and the sit nestled at a table.
She's almost upset that she's got a tour of the Colosseum today because even after just one day, she knows she'll miss him.
"As it turns out," he says sipping the remnants of his espresso, the only hot beverage he'll add sugar to, I've got a tour of the Colosseum today too.
She smiles brightly and takes the arm he extends as they walk to the bus stop.
She's in awe of the magnitude of the Colosseum. It really is one of the most amazing things she's ever seen in her life.
It's in ruins but she can see how beautiful it once was. The devastation that took place for enjoyment puts a foul taste in her mouth though it was centuries ago.
She sees him studying the scene below them. She wonders if he sees what she does, the death and dismemberment and destruction.
"Penny for your thoughts?" she asks breaking his reverie and startling him a bit.
"They're not worth nearly that much." He thinks for a moment and wraps an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer.
"Try me." She allows herself to nestle beside him. There's a chill in the air and it's drizzling but he's still so very warm.
"When they brought all of those exotic animals here for the games, they brought different species of plants with them – there was something like almost 700 different species of plants discovered growing here. I was just thinking about how beautiful this place must have been with all of those flowers. Almost like the souls that were lost here could be at peace with a piece of their home."
She looks at him, she's never met anyone like him. Someone who can see the beauty in something so terrible. Gale would have ranted about how the noble classes were like the rich today and they would have wound up fighting and she would have come away with such a different experience.
"Want to take a walk?" he asks after they study their surroundings further.
She nods and grabs his arm and lets him lead the way.
"Where are you taking me?" She asks when it feels like they've been walking forever.
"You'll see. Be patient."
She's growing irritated but can't help feel the excitement roll off of his body. So she's patient and she follows him until he turns and smiles at her expectantly.
She's confused at first but realizes just where they've wound up. "The Spanish Steps," she whispers. In a moment, she's descended halfway down the steps and pauses to sit. She hears him before she sees him and she knows he can see the tears in her eyes.
"My parents got engaged right here." He sits beside her as she continues. "She'd been engaged before and her parents had already booked her honeymoon before she broke it off. She wound up taking the trip anyway and bringing Dad along with her. They'd been dating for less than a year but somehow they just knew you know?
They'd gone to Florence before they traveled south and he'd managed to buy her a vintage ring at a little stall. It had a dozen little emeralds around a larger central pearl. Even when we had nothing, she still wore that ring.
She looks up at him and offers a half smile. "I'm sorry, I'm being ridiculous."
She wipes away a tear with the back of her hand.
"No, not ridiculous." He pushes a stray hair behind her ear. "What your parents had sounds unbelievable. It's the kind of story that makes you believe that everyone has a soul mate."
At this she rolls her eyes.
"Do you not believe in them Katniss?" He asks placing a finger under her chin and raising her face so her eyes will meet his.
"I-" She wants to be cynical, she truly does but he's just so damn beautiful and with his full lips and blue eyes and kind soul that she can't even form words so she wets her lips and shrugs.
He lowers his lips to hers and she feels an almost electrified current wash through her. He proffers a flower and she smiles at him.
Yes, she does believe in soul mates because she knows her mother lost hers and it's always terrified her to love someone that much – so much that it would destroy her losing them. But she's never felt like this before and this feeling was worth all of the risks.
By the time they reach the final step, she knows she's a goner. This man could destroy her but somehow, she knows he won't. She knows that the way they've met is like a fairy tale and she hopes that her happily ever after won't be cut short the way her mother's was because the world is most definitely a better place with Peeta Mellark in it.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asks mimicking her earlier question.
She's not quite ready to share so she leans forward a places a chaste kiss on his dimple. "I've been wanting to do that since I saw you on the plane."
He opens his mouth and closes it and smiles more brightly than she's seen yet. Oh yes, this man would definitely be her happily ever after.