My first Hunger Games lemon.

Enjoy!

Darkness.

Silence.

These were both things Peeta had learned to embrace rather than allow them feed his anguish. He could hear the slightest brush of a feather against a wooden surface, the minute buzzing of the wings of a teasing insect. These provoked his unsettled mindset. These, and then there wee the nightmares that kept him awake most nights. They were mostly dreams of him in the arena, with Katniss. But they were also different, illogical at times, so irrational that he sometimes ignored them, or perhaps went through them, just to get a night's sleep.

He wandered heartlessly around his estate, one of the few houses made for the victorious tributes of District 12, with only a flicker of a candle lighting the way around the living room. He never had anything to do, but he was used to that. Occasionally he would decide to leave his sanctuary and walk through the forest or maybe visit Katniss. He would never approach the ruins of 12. No, he was done mourning.

Tonight things were no different. It was mid-June but the air felt mercilessly cold. He wasn't hungry or tired. He was just really bored.

Sighing, he collapsed on his coach and placed the candle on the coffee table, just laying his head upon a pillow, and staring up at the ceiling.

'All this luxury and I am completely miserable…'

The ticking his grandfather clock made was as loud as thunder. Relaxing was difficult. Memories surfaced their way into his consciousness, some pleasant and some repulsive. They ran themselves quickly, all these thoughts and recollections; he couldn't take it so he banged his fist on the coffee table.

'Get it together, Peeta… Relax… Relax'

Easier said than done.

'What did Katniss do again?'

She traced her identity and history.

'My name is Peeta Mellark. I am from district 12. I used to go to school here, and help my father at the bakery. One day I was picked for the Hunger Games. Then everything changed. I got to know Katniss during that time. I won the Hunger Games with her. I was a victor. Then I had to go into the arena again. With Katniss. We were supposed to escape. I was captured and they messed with my head, making me hate her. I was rescued and, slowly, I recovered. My father and mother are dead. They died because of the Capitol. We won the war. Now I am here. I still…'

He felt a cold stab at the heart.

'I still love Katniss Everdeen…'

With an effort to keep his mind off her, he rose and walked to the kitchen to make himself something. But he couldn't help wondering how Katniss was getting by, what she was thinking about, how she slept at night. She should be asleep by now, but he doubted it.

After making himself some hot coco, he again rested on the living room coach, blowing at the tip of the mug to sooth the hot liquid to a tepid temperature. Time passed, and after a few sips of the now pleasant chocolate, he heard a knock at his door. For moments he sat frozen. It really was unusual, considering how late it was and how few people lived here. He guessed it was Katniss.

When he walked over to check at the spyhole he smiled. Unlocking the door and sliding the safety locks, he opened the door with an empathetic 'hey'.

"I can't sleep…" she whispered. He examined her. Her hair was in neat tangles, her eyes were tired but alive and her movements were strange and slow. She was also in her red and white pyjamas. He widened the gap at the door and stepped back. As she walked in she closed the door behind her.

"I don't think I can be of much help…"

"You can…" she replied, holding on to his arm. Her hand was cold to the touch. "You always have been…"

Her lips were pale and now that she was closer he could see red underneath her eyes. Placing his hand on hers, he pulled her to his bedroom, taking the candle, and lay on his bed, on the right side, patting his left side as if asking her to join him. She made no hesitations. She lay there on her side, her back toward him and he faced her, his hand going around her body. She clutched onto it. Her legs were bent, and his did so to match her shape. But she rested her head on a pillow whereas he was upright, looking down at her, stroking her soft brown hair gently.

"Nightmare…?"

She didn't answer him.

"Tell me…"

It took a while for her to speak.

"I… I was at the Capitol. She was there, with me. There was this giant snake. I couldn't make it out, but I think it had a face. It looked like Coin. Suddenly, we were in a large cage, trapped with the snake. I held her close. There were people outside the cage laughing at us, all wearing colourful outfits and bizarre wigs and hats. Snow was there, among the crowd. He was laughing too. The snake…" She choked. "Ate her up, right in front of me and I screamed. Then it was about to eat me…"

He felt a pang of sadness. There was no point of trying to cheer her up verbally, because how would it help anyway? All he could do was comfort her physically; stroke her gently and maybe caress her chin. What could he say? Everything was not ok. Things were not great. There literally was no point in living anymore. She knew that. Yet both he and she refuse to give up on their lives. The main dilemma was finding a way to forget. They had each other, but was their company enough?

"Peeta…" she murmured. He made a questioning noise.

"You love me… Real or not real?"

Puzzled, he looked at her. She could feel his stares on the back of her bare neck as if they burnt her skin. What puzzled him was that she definitely knew the answer to that. He had declared it many times. She had explained that things were complicated for her and had turned him down. He still loved her and she knew this.

"Real".

Why would she be asking? Unless…

"Katniss… You… You love me, real or not real?"

She shifted slightly in her place. Then her head rose and turned and she looked at him; really looked at him. Their eyes met for one of those rare moments they had experienced before.

"Real".

A rush of joy overcame him. She sat up, held his face near hers and kissed him. He was still distracted but then he accepted her and kissed back. This kiss was different. There were no cameras, no opponents, no reasons they should fear living. And she loved him back. It was warmer, sweeter, heavenly even; a blissful wave of mixed emotions.

When she let go for air, he pushed her down and hovered above her. Her eyes were wide with realisation and he smiled sadly at her. Just their company was not going to heal away all their sorrows.

"Katniss…" he whispered. He was sending her a message, as if asking permission to indulge himself into loving her. She searched his face. It looked ecstatic, but also bleak with all the memories they shared. He was the one person who could understand her feelings and vice versa. Her icy fingers touched his cheeks and she nodded with another sad smile.

When he was hovering above her, he supported his body with his hands placed beside her head. But now he needed his hands so he laid himself next to her and carried her on top of him. She faced the ceiling.

"Relax…" he murmured seductively.

Both his hands got to work as one ran itself along her long, clothed legs and the other felt her belly. A resistant sigh escaped. As his hand felt her belly, he reached under her garments and touched her skin just under her breasts. His other hand approached her nether part. Her body shook a bit and he couldn't help but smirk. Her head shifted a bit so his mouth was near her ear and he nibbled on it. Barely able to withstand his endowment, she held his head with one hand and grabbed the hand he had at her thighs. Soon after he touched her underwear under her pyjamas and her breathing grew rapid. She was wet. Fed up with his teasing, she sat upright and undressed herself. When she was just in her lingerie he flipped her onto her back and kissed her once more. Their tongues met and wrestled. No, they danced. When he left her and kissed her neck gently she moaned. Unclasping her bra he stared at her naked breasts; round and almost too perfect. A moment of pleasure hit him and he felt wet. Yes, he lost it. But that didn't really bother him.

He continued kissing down her neck and his hands chafed her breasts. Her back arched towards him and her legs moved uncontrollably. The unsuppressed moans that escaped her were full-mouthed. He discarded her bra completely and his mouth traversed to her orbs of motherly flesh. His other hand divided her thighs and rubbed against her womanhood.

"Peeta…" she whispered pleasantly. Her voice was full of pleasure. This only encouraged him. After more friction he inserted a finger and she arched even more, with a deafening scream. He could feel the warm insides on his finger. After remembering he wasn't even nude yet, she resisted his fingering and unbuttoned his shirt. He stopped and helped her when he was shirtless she pulled down his pants and paused to look at his erection. His member fought for air under his boxers. His boxers were evidently wet, too.

Once she grasped the situation, she covered her laughing at his misfortune with her hand and he sighed with exasperation.

When he inserted his finger without warning she was forced to lie back on his pillows and cover her face.

Finished with his fingers, he licked them and placed his head at her entrance. The wet muscle whipping out from his mouth dove in and danced wildly inside her. Her breath was hot and much accelerated. Her heart was racing and she lost all ability to think straight. All she was focusing on was the tongue playing with her and the large hands grabbing her chest. Placing her legs on his shoulders gave him a deeper angle.

"Peeta… Peeta!"

She gasped and the liquid came gushing into his mouth and for a moment he was amazed. He pulled out and the liquid continued to flow. Her breathing was still heavy but it slowed down.

When he looked at her, her head was tilted and she was biting a finger. He kissed her cheek and neck lovingly. She pulled down his boxers and discarded them away, much like he did her bra, and gaped at his tool.

When she looked at him he was smirking and she smirked back, her cheeks red. He nudged her and she obeyed, lying down while his tip met her entrance. She readied herself for what was to come. He moved very, very slowly. As his tip entered she felt it. Her ears were ringing. Her teeth were clenched tightly. Her hands scratched at his back and her legs squeezed his buttocks.

She would scream so loud District 11 would hear her, if only he wasn't kissing her. Very soon, though, the pain stopped and pleasure overtook her once more. Pleasure so intense she would have given up everything to feel it if she had known. He was as deep he could go, even with her legs lifted up, so he pulled out and thrust in. Harder with each passing wave and each moan she made. He gripped her thighs. Now even he was moaning. Even his teeth were clenched. After more and more thrusts, he got off her and carried her above him and she faced the ceiling again. He entered again from behind and this time he grabbed her breasts too. She mewled with delight at the new position. His movements were slower but more intimate. His breath tickled her ear. He thrust faster and moved her breasts vigorously. When she grabbed his head he rammed into her earning a scream. Then he went extremely quickly and her moaning couldn't keep up.

"I… I'm coming!"

He pushed her up so he sat crossed-legged and turned her around. She placed her legs on either one of his sides and sat on his member. He carried her by wrapping his arms around her and lifted her up and down, in and out. She was bouncing. He continued thrusting until he let out a grunt but only stopped when she climaxed, too, with a loud scream of his name. The warm mixed liquids dripped down his shaft and they collapsed to their side and stared at each other's beautiful faces. Then she laughed full-heartedly and he smiled a genuine smile. He had longed to see her happy again, this cheerful.

As they settled down, he scooped her up and she rested upon his chest, fast asleep in a few minutes. Her long strands of hair were all over his body. He blew out the candle and stroked her till he slept too. Their passion and intimacy was to last for a long time. But there were going to be hardships and as always, they will have each other to survive them.

Reviewing would help very much. Any criticism is welcome! It only makes me write better!