Soundtrack:

Summer Vacation [from Hearts in Atlantis]

[ watch?v=-GV00aEg1FQ]

The evening of the Winter Solstice they walked the Victory Garden.

District Three. Their home.

It was a modern city, hidden behind beautiful fronts. In his youth, it had changed him. The golden glow of the stone as the sun went down and hit the buildings bordering the river with its last rays, the shrill calls of the swallows cutting through the darkening sky, hazy from the smoke that billowed from the factory stacks in the distance. They walked at a slow, companionable pace, sharing the silence, breathing in the something he could never describe, something in the air that could change a brief moment into an eternity.

There was no sound, save the crunching of their footsteps on the gravel and the mockingjays in the distance. Every now and then, Wiress stopped and leaned down, gently picking a flower between her thumb and forefinger. A small smile played on her lips, gentle happiness in her wide, innocent eyes.

Beetee lived for these gentle eternities. These sentiments he hadn't felt as a young man, before his Games.

"We've been good friends, haven't we, Wire?" he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and squinting up at the setting sun.

"Yes," she said softly, the breeze ruffling her hair. The breeze caught the dandelion in between her fingers, sending it fluttering through the air.

For a moment they walked in silence. "I have a very strange feeling with you, Wire," he said. "As if- as if I had a knife somewhere in my side…near my heart. Like you'd put it there." She stopped, leaning against the bushes. "…and if you were to leave," he continued, coming close behind her. "Well, I've figured it'd come out, and I'd take to bleeding internally." She felt his hand close around hers, and his lips near her ear as he whispered. "As for you, little lady. You'd leave me for dead."

She ripped her hand from his, wheeling around to face him. "How?" she said sharply. He was taken aback; she usually enjoyed his teasing.

He looked amused, leaning casually on his elbow. "Hm?"

"How could I?"

"How could you?" he chuckled.

"How could I?" she said, new urgency in her voice.

"Ah," he said lowly, scratching under his whiskers. "Leave me for dead, you mean?"

She looked up at him, breathing heavily. "Never," her eyes darted, searching for words.

Beetee waited rather than finished the sentence as usual, and as a consequence Wiress looked up at him in desperation, eyebrows creased. Then, gingerly, she grabbed his hand and began drawing frantically on his palm with her forefinger, as he watched with hooded eyes.

"Wire," he murmured. She finished, looking at him desperately. Realizing what she had traced on his hand, he spoke. "You ground me too, Wiress."

In their workshop, the lights were dim. Rain drummed the rooftop, and the radio hummed quietly, tuned to some old song from a time long forgotten.

Wiress sat on the window seat, hugging her knees and looking out over the Victor's Village, the moon barely visible through the smog and falling rain. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the city; low, rumbling thunder followed suit. Images flowed through her mind, the glint of a dagger, the sound of that awful, awful cannon. Her breath hitched in her throat.

A hand slipped onto her shoulder, making her jump. "Wire," she turned to face Beetee, looking down at her. "Come to bed."

Beetee was fast asleep, still in his work clothes, snoring softly. Wiress curled up, slowly drifting off. A crack of thunder jerked her awake, making her jump. Beetee stirred, stretching his arm out over her pillow. "You okay?" he murmured, turning over on his side and reaching for her. She made a small, whimpering sound. "Come 'ere, Wire..."

He moved her so that they were spooning slightly, Wiress laying atop him with her back to his stomach and his arms cradling her.

"Darling," he cooed, stroking up her arm with the tips of his fingers.

She murmured incoherently, reaching a hand up, which he kissed, and stroking the side of his stubbly cheeks.

"Mm?" he mumbled, closing his own eyes as her hand traveled downward between his legs, caressing the gentle bulge of his trousers. He raised his eyebrows. "Mmmm," He let out a low, humming sigh in her ear, nuzzling her neck, putting his hand over hers and moving it slowly up and down. "Good girl," he mumbled, thrusting his pelvis gently upwards.

His broad hand slowly slid up and under her nightdress, his thumb caressing her.

Their lips met. He pressed multitudes of small kisses to her nose, chin, cheeks, and lips; even the hollows beneath her eyes, then captured her fervently, releasing her only to nuzzle her and press his forehead into the crook of her neck, kissing her there as well. "Livewire," he whispered.

With a grunt he nipped at her ear and slipped his hand beneath her linen, making her gasp and her small hand leap over his.

He moved from behind her to over her, and she began tugging urgently at his suspenders. "Patience, sweetheart," he said, and lowered his lips to the gentle 'v' of her dress, and then down to the first button. He undid each painstakingly slowly, trailing his lips as he went. She ran her fingers through his wiry salt-and-pepper hair as he traveled, until he reached her navel.

Suckling there, he pushed his suspenders off of his shoulders and unbuttoned his own shirt. "Bee," she whispered.

"Soon, honey," he kissed the word out and down her thigh, making her part her legs - but he kept his weight on her, teasing her with small kisses and soft touches. He ran his fingers along her, tracing the crease of her thighs at her pelvis, wrapping his arms around her thighs and caressing her gently. His touches remained unhurried even as she squirmed beneath him, making him smile against her skin.

He helped her move her legs to rest atop his shoulders, opening her to him. He exhaled gently as he looked at her with hooded eyes, laying before him.

He kissed her inner thigh, nuzzling into her leg and closing his eyes, moving so slowly towards his goal. At his first touch, her hips bucked slightly.

"Bee," she sighed his name, closing her eyes and exciting him.

He had a hand on each hip, holding her down as he licked her, up and down, making her gasp. He kissed and licked up her lips, ever so gently teasing her with a nuzzle of his nose. She parted her legs further, feet digging into his back and pulling him closer, and he kissed her opening, sliding his tongue and lips along her.

He noisily lapped his way back upwards, sucking slightly at her inner lips, and then circling her most sensitive spot.

He raised his head to look at her, her innocent face, and then dipped his head back to kiss her sensitive spot again.

She reached down for him, looking apprehensive, and he came over her once more. Gently, she moved her palms over his smooth brown skin, over his breast, the curly gray hair speckling the bottom of his pectorals, over his nipples, and finally tracing the line of dark hair leading down his stomach and to his navel.

He began to rub up and down her hips with his, circling and gently thrusting through his trousers. He bit her ear again, and she gasped deeply. "Bee," she said breathlessly, and began to tug at his waistband. He caught her hands, slowly unbuttoning his trousers and bringing her hand to him.

"Mmmm," he exhaled, rocking as he moved her hand against him, stroking him through his boxers. "Oh, darling," he panted, closing his eyes and creasing his eyebrows. He slowly pulled down his boxers, releasing his sizable arousal from its confines. She took him in both of her hands and began to move up and down over his manhood. He exhaled loudly, arching his back. His hands went again to her thighs, where he gently caressed up and down as she stroked his manhood. He slipped her linen up over her legs and small bare feet. "Mmm," he exhaled once more, looking down at her with a small smile as she continued her ministrations. "Sparks, Wire. Sparks."

"Bee," she said admiringly, stroking his impressive girth and feeling him twitch and throb, stiff and hard in her hand.

Lovingly, he gathered her up into his arms, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He kissed her then, lightly nipping at her bottom lip, and then suckling down her neck. Their noses met in a gentle nuzzle, then more tender kisses.

"Wire," he whispered. "You don't have to if you don't want to, honey…"

"Love," she said.

He laid his forehead against her, smiling. "Livewire,"

He knew she and never been with a man like this. Wiress had never been popular in The Capitol, not like Mags, who was constantly called back and given 'assignments' to the richest of the Capitol populace. Beetee was grateful for this, that he could be the one to give Wiress her first time.

Gently, he pushed into her with the tip of his member. She inhaled sharply, and he gazed intently into her eyes. "There we go," he moaned, as he slipped in.

He began a slow, steady, deep rhythm that made her absolutely breathless.

"That's a good girl," he moaned lowly. "Mmm….such a good girl."

Wiress was dizzy, clinging to him for dear life and stroking his back. His low, masculine moans made her shiver.

"You like that, Wire?" he breathed.

"Love," she gasped.

Their breathing became hard and labored. Beetee whispered sweet things in her ear, and dually quickened his pace. She tightened her legs around his waist. "Oh, that's it, sweetheart." he panted.

There was a sparkle and a lustful glint in his coal black eyes as he grinned down at her and winked, absolutely stupid with pleasure. "Oh, yes," he moaned. His eyes closed and then opened again, glinting in an almost animalistic way. "Good girl. That's a good girl." Her first climax came with a gasp and a cry of delight. He adjusted their position so that she was closer to him, so that her legs wrapped tightly around his hips and he was holding her up off of the bed. She felt his scrotum flattening against her bottom with every long, sweet stroke he entered her with, and the pleasure he gave her slowly building up again. "Mmm, Wire, sweetheart," he murmured. "Wire."

"Love," she panted. "Love, love, love...Bee..."

He stopped and shifted them again, to where her ankles rested on his shoulders, the fullness of his cock leaving her momentarily.

He laid his forehead against hers, pecking her on her lips. She reached up for another kiss, but he avoided her lips. She made a frustrated sound. "Bee," she gasped.

He chuckled deeply and kissed her thoroughly. They nuzzled and rubbed noses, lips meeting again. And again. For at least fifteen minutes she only kissed him, stroking the side of his stubbly face and sighing into each one. She nibbled on his ear as he moved to her neck. He tipped her chin with his finger and kissed her long and slow. "You ground me," he murmured between kisses. She pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip. Moving her to a more comfortable spot on the mattress, he positioned himself at her entrance, holding himself straight above her with his arms. He leaned down and suckled on her bottom lip, then hiked up her leg, held it to his hip and began make love to her once more. "Sparks, Wire," he exclaimed.

"Oh, darling," he said huskily. His pace quickened. "Mmmm," he moaned lowly, his thrusts becoming erratic. "Mmmm…" he thrust into her hard, bringing her final climax with his own and a guttural, satisfied moan. Warmth spread through her core. He thrust three more times, letting her down gently with him.

They lay, half-clothed, in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Wiress snuggled up close to her Beetee, laying across his broad honey-colored chest, absolutely breathless and blushing.

He smirked down at her with hooded eyes. "You like that?"

"Oh, Bee," she sighed.