Tour Day
Katniss took the phone from Peeta's hand and clicked it off. She reached over him and put it back on the night stand.
"Three o'clock." Peeta said. Katniss nodded, knowing what he meant without needing any more information. She turned her face to Peeta's and leaned her forehead against his. She couldn't any words.
"It's going to be ok." She said.
"I know." Peeta said softly.
Katniss pulled her face away from Peeta's when a thought came into her head. "Oh my god. Peeta, the cameras are going to be here expecting us to be happy with our families. Your family doesn't live with you anymore, I do, and my mom and Prim live by themselves."
"Oh, that's not good." Peeta said. He ran his hands through his hair, leaving it rumpled and cute. "I'll just say that my family didn't want to live too far from the bakery so they just stayed at our old house but told me I deserved to live somewhere better. And you can just go back to your house today so when the crew gets here it will look like you still live there."
Katniss nodded absently, running his plan through her head. "Ok. That seems fine."
"We'll be fine." She looked Peeta in the eye, knowing he truly believed what he had said.
"I love you Peeta." She murmured, still gazing into his eyes.
He smiled at her and moved his face close to hers. He didn't stop until his lips were almost on hers. "I love you too," he whispered.
Feeling his soft, warm breath on her lips made Katniss tingle. She moved closer and kissed him. She threaded her fingers in his soft, golden hair. He slipped his hands under her shirt and traced teasing patterns on her skin. They lay back down on the bed and Katniss nestled her face in the crook of his neck. He smoothed his hands over her back.
"I just wish three o'clock was here already." She whispered.
"So do I; I'm going to be dreading it all day." Peeta groaned.
"Me too." Katniss sighed. "When should I go back to my mom's house?" She felt muscles in Peeta's neck move as he smiled.
"You called it your mom's house. Not 'my house', not 'my old house'."
Katniss lifted her head and looked deep into his eyes. "Well, yeah. The only house I want to call mine is the one with you." She said softly.
Peeta eyes filled with love and happiness. "Really?"
Katniss smiled. "Really." Peeta grinned back. "And the only place I'd call home is in your arms." She added tenderly.
Peeta looked like he was at a loss for words. He looked so happy, and it spread to Katniss. "I'm so happy you feel that way. Katniss, you don't know how much I love you."
"You make me feel really happy, Peeta. And if you love me as much as I love you, than I think I know how much you love me." She leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the lips. She rested her head on his chest and drew circles on his stomach with the tip of her finger.
They stayed in bed a while longer before getting up for breakfast. Katniss didn't even bother to put on pants. She was wearing Peeta's shirt and it was long enough that she didn't really care. The tile floor was cold on her bare feet. A small shiver ran through her as she followed Peeta into the kitchen. He went to the fridge and got a couple of eggs to make them some omelettes. Katniss made them some coffee and sank down in her chair, setting Peeta's mug at his seat.
After a few minutes Peeta brought over a plate with a perfect omelette on it, made with only ham and cheese, just the way Katniss liked it. "Thanks." She said, smiling softly at him.
"You're welcome," he said as he sat down with his own omelette. He took his coffee and took a long drink. "You make the best coffee."
Katniss shrugged. "Only for you."
They both laughed.
Peeta turned more serious. "I think you should go to your mom's house before lunch so you can have a meal with them before we leave. Plus we both need to get used to being without each other."
"Ok." Katniss said.
After they finished their breakfast, they washed their dishes together and left them on a rack to dry. They went back upstairs to brush their teeth. Peeta was flossing and Katniss was combing her hair. Peeta put down his floss, looking at her with affection.
"You're so beautiful, Katniss. I know you don't really believe that you are, and you brush off my compliments, but I really think you're beautiful. You're the most gorgeous girl I've ever laid my eyes on. I can't believe you ever took a second glance at me."
Katniss blushed furiously. "Peeta…"
"No, I mean it. You're stunning." He said.
"Thank you, Peeta," was all she could manage behind her blush.
"You're welcome." He smiled cutely.
When they were done, Katniss followed Peeta into the closet.
He turned to her. "Are you here to pick out my outfit?" he joked.
Katniss quirked her eyebrow, moving closer towards him. She stood on her tip toes and put her lips close to his ear. "No." she whispered. "Quite the opposite."
"What?" Peeta asked with amused astonishment.
Katniss kissed along his jaw until she got to his lips. She kissed him steadily, pushing her fingers into his hair. Peeta wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, returning her kisses with verve. Katniss trailed her hands down from his face over his chest and to his stomach. She lifted the hem of his shirt up until it reached his underarms. She gently nudged his arms and he lifted them up. She pulled away and took it off of him, smiling at him. She let his shirt fall on the floor and tentatively reached put her hand on his chest, over his heart, feeling his strong heartbeat. She let her other hand rest on his stomach.
"Why can't you believe that I took a second glance at you?" she asked softly, tilting her head and looking into his eyes.
He blushed a little. "Because you're so beautiful, and I'm just… average."
"Peeta, you are not average. Don't you remember what I told you the night we got back together? I told you that you were the most stunning boy I had ever met. You're gorgeous, Peeta. If you don't believe that, you have to know that every girl at school would stop and stare at you, would die if you smiled at them. You don't know how many hearts you broke when you told Panem that you had a crush on me since you were five."
"You don't mean that." He murmured.
"Yes I do, Peeta. You're very good looking, everyone knows that. You should too." She leaned a little closer to him. "I think you're very handsome. You're striking. You think I never noticed you in school but you always caught my eye. And now I can't believe that you're all mine." By the time she was done their faces were an inch apart. She could feel his heart racing.
Peeta smiled. "Thanks."
"I really mean it." She smiled back.
"Thank you." He said softly.
Katniss moved her hands and touched his face delicately. "You're welcome." He kissed her again and let his hands run under her shirt. She loved it when he did that. When he let his hands wander over skin, it made her feel all tingly. She reached behind her and grabbed Peeta's hands, pulling them to the hem of her shirt. He took her signal and slowly began to take her shirt off. She lifted her arms up and Peeta pulled away so he could take it off her head. Now she was only in her underclothes. He ran his fingers through her hair. She pulled on the draw string of his pyjama pants playfully.
"Katniss we're kissing in the closet." Peeta said teasingly.
"Fine." She took his hand and tugged him out of the closet. She sat down on the bed and pulled on his hand. "Is this better?"
He leaned down on top of her. "Much better." Peeta let his hands rove over Katniss's skin while he kissed her. She rested against him and let her heart take over. She kissed him with all she had. She wanted to forget about the Victory Tour. She wanted to put the pressure she knew she was going to feel to the back of her mind. She didn't want to think about what was going to happen in the Districts or the Capitol. Katniss just wanted to be happy with her time alone with Peeta while she could.
He moved his kisses down her throat onto her collarbone. He kissed down her arm and gently held her wrist, kissing the middle of her palm. Warmth from where his lips touched her spread up her arm and into her heart. She entwined her fingers with his and Peeta leaned down to kiss her again when the phone rang. Katniss growled and slid out from under Peeta. She reached for the phone and answered it.
"What?" she barked.
"Katniss…" Peeta warned.
Katniss gave him a deadly look. She was mad that their moment had been ruined.
"Manners, Katniss!" Effie's voice piped on the other end. Katniss didn't respond. "Well, hello. It's Effie again!"
"What is it, Effie?" Katniss asked, trying to be polite.
"Well, I'm just calling to let you know that we'll actually be arriving around one o'clock instead of three."
"One o'clock? Why?" she demanded.
"We had been expecting delays because of weather but everything actually seems fine, therefore the earlier arrival."
"Oh. Ok." Katniss said.
"Oh, Katniss, why are you answering Peeta's phone? Your mother said you were still sleeping when I called your house this morning."
"Oh, umm, I was. When I woke up she told me you called so I decided to drop by Peeta's house to get organized for the Tour."
"Oh, that's wonderful. Good for you Katniss. Well, I guess that means I don't have to call your house to say we're coming earlier!" Effie laughed.
"Yeah," Katniss forced a laugh. "I guess you don't."
"See you soon, dear! I can't wait to see you again."
"Bye, Effie. Me too." Then she hung up and put the phone back in its place.
"What is it, Katniss?" Peeta asked worriedly.
Katniss looked over at the clock. It was already eleven thirty. "The crew is coming earlier than three. They'll be here in an hour and a half."
"What?" Peeta asked.
"They're coming at one instead. I think I should go to my mom's house now."
"Oh, ok." She heard the disappointment in his voice. She didn't want to go but she knew she should. Katniss got off the bed and went into the closet and picked out some clothes. She changed quickly and then came back out. Peeta walked with her downstairs and helped her get her jacket on after she laced up her boots. "I wish you didn't have to go so early." He said somberly
Katniss turned around to face him. "Hey, I'll see you in a little while." She kissed him sweetly.
"Yeah, see you in a little while." He pulled her into a hug. "I love you." He murmured into her hair.
"I love you too." She whispered against his chest.
They pulled away and kissed once more before Katniss opened the door and shut it behind her. She hurried over to her mom's house, wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. When she got there, she debated on whether or not she should knock. She decided against it and opened the door.
A head poked out from around the corner in the kitchen. "Katniss!" Prim exclaimed, lacking her usual excitement. Her eyes showed fear.
"Prim, what's wrong?" Katniss asked, moving towards her.
Their mother appeared behind Prim. "Katniss, how was your visit at Peeta's?" Her tone matched the funny look on her face.
"What are you talking about I li-"
"We have some guests." Her mother cut her off, her eyes widening.
Two men dressed in all black walked out in front of her family. Katniss stopped dead in her tracks.
"Miss Everdeen," one of them said. "This way please."
Katniss followed them without a word, glancing over her shoulder and her mother and Prim. The men led her into the study where Prim usually did her homework. They opened the door for her and then shut it after her without following her. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw President Snow seated at the desk.
"Hello, Miss Everdeen. Please, sit."
Katniss shook herself from her daze. "President Snow. What a pleasure." She said coolly.
"Now Miss Everdeen, why don't we both agree to not lie to each other?" He said sharply.
"Yes, I think that would make things go faster." She agreed.
"Very good." He leaned across the desk. "You see, Katniss, I have a problem."
His breath stank of blood. Katniss tried to ignore it, but how does someone's breath smell like blood? Did he drink it? "What would that be?"
"Panem is fragile. It is delicate, and certain things can collapse it. Things, perhaps, like a handful of poisonous berries."
"Must be very fragile, then." Katniss said.
"Yes, unfortunately. I'll cut straight to the point. Your love story isn't believed in every District. They believe that when you pulled out those berries you were defying the Capitol, showing rebellion. Some people have even conjured a silly fantasy that they can do it too." He looked at her hard. "Do you know what that means? It means that they think an uprising wouldn't be too impossibly hard."
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"You fought very hard in the Games, Miss Everdeen. But they were games." His voice was harsh. "Would you like to be in a real war? Imagine thousands upon thousands of your people, dead. Your loved ones, gone."
"What do you need me to do?" Katniss asked.
"Convince them that you're in love with that boy. That he's the only reason you pulled out those berries. Your love blinded you and made you make a rash decision to end your life because only one of you could survive and you couldn't live without him."
Katniss spoke before she could stop herself. "But I am in love with him."
"Don't lie." Snow said loudly. "In the Games, we have Peeta showing his love for you here and there. We have him looking at you with adoration. We have him allying himself with the most thought dangerous group to keep them away from you. We have him coming back to make sure Cato couldn't hurt you, and that ended up getting him almost kill. And lastly, we have him asking you to kill him so you could win and return home to your family. Do you know what we have for you, Miss Everdeen?"
"Not enough." Katniss whispered.
"Precisely. If you were one in the audience, would you have believed your performance?" Katniss stayed silent. They both knew the answer. Even though Katniss loved Peeta now, she hadn't really then, when she really needed to be. "So step up your act."
"I think I'll be able to manage that." Katniss said. "I'll convince them."
"Actually, aim higher, in case you fall short. Convince me." Katniss nodded. "Thank you. Just remember the consequences if you fail to do so." She simply nodded again.
"Good." He stood up. "Lovely chat." He plucked the white rose from his coat lapel and placed it on the desk in front of Katniss. The stench gave her a headache. "For you." He smiled like a snake, and left. Katniss waited for a good minute before she shakily got up and left, leaving the hideous flower behind. She ran all of it through her mind. She wanted to tell someone so badly. But who could she tell? Surely not her family. She didn't want Peeta to worry about it, at least not yet. She didn't want to concern Cinna about it because he had to worry about what she was wearing, and keep control over the prep team. Telling Haymitch was probably the best option.
Her mother sat straight up when Katniss entered the kitchen. "What was that all about?" she asked concernedly.
"Oh, President Snow just wanted to wish me good luck on the tour in person." She lied.
"Oh, that's nice." She sounded unsure.
"Yes. Well why don't we eat something before the crew gets here?"
They made a soup and ate in silence. Soon enough one o'clock rolled around and there was a knocking at the door. Katniss opened it and was greeted by Effie. Then Flavius, Octavia, and Venia came in. "Happy Tour Day!" they sing-songed.
Finally, Cinna entered. They hugged. "Katniss, it's so good to see you." Cinna said.
"You too. I missed you." Katniss said.
"We all missed you. Come on, let's get you showered and made up."
"Ok." Katniss sighed. She trudged up the stairs and prepared for her dreaded make over. All she really wanted was to feel Peeta's arms around her, but she'd have to wait. Every second felt like a year. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take.