A/N: Hello guys, thank you for all the lovely reviews! Sorry that this chapter is kind of short but they will hopefully get longer as the story progresses and the fun starts :-)

A big thanks to chele20035 and Jgllove111593 for offering to give me a hand with the BDSM stuff! If anyone else has any helpful hints, feel free to mention it in your review or just PM me! ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.

Chapter Two

"Are you a virgin?"

The question caught Peeta off guard. Katniss looked at him from across the table as if she had just asked him what his favourite colour was. They were sitting in a diner that was across the road from the Quarter Quell building, in a booth at the most secluded corner that all it had taken was a glance at Katniss by the waiter for them to get. Peeta's stomach was churning with nerves so he wasn't that hungry and just asked for a glass of water whereas Katniss ordered a large cheeseburger with extra fries. She didn't look like the sort of person to eat like that but then again, never judge a book by it's cover.

"So, are you?" she asked.

"Uh . . ."

"Okay, so you are." Katniss didn't look bothered but how was she able to tell? Did he smell of a virgin or something? Noticing his confusion, Katniss sighed. "If you weren't a virgin, you wouldn't hesitate to answer," she explained. "Why hesitate if your answer is normal for a guy your age?"

"So . . . you're saying I'm abnormal then?" Peeta asked, still perplexed.

Katniss shrugged. "Nothing wrong with a bit of abnormality," she said. "Being normal is no fun." The contract sat between them on the table with a different sheet of paper which was turned to face Katniss so Peeta couldn't read it. "These," she pointed at the sheet, "are my rules."

Rules were something Peeta could handle. He had always been good at upholding rules and regulations, especially in school when he was a goody two shoes who couldn't bear the idea of being a social outlaw. He was a very boring person in high school because of this but he didn't care. What was the point of there being rules if people were just going to go around breaking them? He had no idea where the term 'rules were made to be broken' came from but it was ludicrous. Rules were made to be upheld not broken.

"What are they?" he asked.

Katniss picked up her glass of coke and slipped the tip of the straw between her scarlet lips, sipping carefully while her eyes skimmed the rules. When she'd finished, she put the glass down and spoke. "Number one: I have zero tolerance. You break a rule, you're going to pay for it. No acceptions. You can beg for forgiveness all you like but you will receive some form of punishment, understand?"

Seemed straight forward enough. "Sounds reasonable," Peeta answered.

"Number two: I think this is obvious but remember at all times that I am in charge, not you. Some people have a tendancy to forget this, therefore breaking this rule and getting themselves punished because they've broken a rule," Katniss explained. "Number three: My word is law. No matter what it is I tell you to do, you do it. The orders can range from something as simple as kneel before your mistress to whatever I stick in you, don't protest. Don't worry, I won't tell you to jump off a cliff or anything like that but if I change my mind, buy a parachute."

Parachute, right, Peeta noted. "Good thing I'm not afraid of heights then."

Katniss grinned. "Number four: Start and safe words. We need to agree upon a word or statement for me to say to assume roles and for you to say if it goes too far. It has to be something we wouldn't normally say so we can instantly recognize what the other wants. Normally, I'd say jabberjay because they're the most irritating birds on the fucking planet. So all you have to do is come up with a safe word for yourself. You don't have to do it now, think it over tonight, okay?"

Peeta nodded. "Got it." He felt like a doggy on a dashboard, constantly nodding his head whenever Katniss spoke to him. He'd definitely need tonight to think it over because knowing him he was going to think too hard about it and the time will be useful.

"Number five: In the bedroom, you refer to me as Mistress. Not Katniss or Kat or babe or sweetheart. Mistress." Katniss punctuated the point by spelling it out on the table with her fingernail. When she stopped, she looked up at him expectantly. He nodded for what felt like the thousandth time. "Number six: leather. Leather is my best friend. You might end up wearing it, lying in it, tied up in it, seeing me wearing it, being hit with it, so you better like leather, my friend, or else you're screwed."

"Leather is . . . okay, I guess," Peeta said. He didn't have any qualms with the material but he couldn't help feeling slightly worried by the many possibilities of what the leather would be used for.

"And if you're a good boy, I'll get you your own collar made," Katniss said. At first Peeta thought she was joking but then when he saw the serious look in her eyes, he realized that this wasn't a matter she was kidding around with. "As we continue through the relationship and the more you trust me as your Mistress and superior, the less often you have to wear the collar but, as soon as I get it made, you're going to have to wear a lot of turtle necks until I'm sure you trust me."

"Erm, why?"

"Because you're going to be wearing it 24/7. People don't have to see it, it'll just be a reminder for you." As she spoke, her food was put in front of her. The waiter warned her that the plate with the extra fries was hot and for her to be careful. Katniss watched the waiter as he walked away before dumping the fries onto the plate, turning the empty hot plate upside down to cover the candle that sat on the table and pushing the plate into the middle of the table. "Let's see if you've been listening now, shall we?"

"What?"

Katniss sat up straighter, folding her arms and crossing one leg over the other. Pursing her lips, she said, "Jabberjay." Oh whoa, wait, was this real? Like, right now? Here? In the diner? Peeta blinked at her in confusion, startled by how different she suddenly looked. Her confidence was replaced with authority and her eyes had darkened to the point that they were nearly black, framed by her thick lush eyelashes. She gestured to the plate and ordered, "Eat."

Peeta wasn't ready and had been caught completely off guard. "What?" he asked, forgetting completely what Katniss had said earlier in her office about mishearing her. Now, there aren't many ways to punish someone in the middle of a public diner but it turned out there was method to Katniss turning the plate over the candle. She was good at using what she had and obviously knew how to make something out of nothing.

When he questioned her, she grabbed his hand and pressed it down hard against the plate. It burned, obviously, but wasn't nearly as hot as the heat his kitchen tap could reach. Katniss barely even flinched as he swore and bit down on his spare hand. He tried to pull his hand out from the heat before she was too strong and it stayed there too long. So long he started he started feeling . . . things.

"When I tell you to do something, you do it," Katniss said in a slow, firm, measured tone. Peeta tried to apologize but it hurt so much he couldn't form any words. Would an apology even work? Was that what she wanted him to do? Was it what he was supposed to do? She hadn't told him what to do if she acted upon his breaking the rules.

The burn began to travel from his hand, up his arm and through his veins. It heated up his blood, which vacated his head and rushed south. On some level, it felt good, and on another level, Katniss was thoroughly enjoying watching him squirm. Even though her expression was controlled and measured, her smile was unmistakeable.

Deciding on her own that he'd had enough, Katniss let go. Peeta whipped his hand away and shook it, biting his lip to smother the pain. Katniss pushed his glass of water closer to him and he immediately pressed his hand against it, not exactly enjoying the way the cold soothed his stinging skin but not exactly wanting the burn to come back . . . right now anyway.

"Zero tolerance," Katniss reminded him.

"Yeah, you weren't kidding," Peeta mumbled.

Katniss tapped the plate. "I do want you to eat though," she said. "And I'm hungry as hell as well so we can share. I hate eating when everyone else isn't. Makes me feel like a pig." She took the now cooled spare plate and drooped a couple of fries into it. "Here."

"Um, thanks."

As he apprehensively chewed the first fry, Katniss said, "Oh, I almost forgot, we have to get tested for STDs."

Peeta choked, which made her laugh. "What?" he asked.

"STDs," Katniss repeated. "It's not that I don't believe you when you say you're a virgin but it's just to be safe, okay? It's all routine, I do it with everyone." She popped a fry into her mouth and smiled brightly. "You okay? You're looking kind of flushed." Peeta nodded his head, fighting the blush he felt rising to his cheeks. He wasn't sure if he should be unnerved or not about the way Katniss could convert from one persona to another with so much ease.

"Is it because of the burn?" she asked. "Did I strike a nerve?" She didn't sound at all worried if she had struck a nerve, she just sounded curious. When he didn't answer-he was too ashamed to answer-Katniss sighed and lifted her hands out, holding her palms out flat. "Hands." Peeta didn't wish for a repeat of what happened last time he questioned her and did as she told him to, placing his hands ontop of hers.

"What's this supposed to prove?" he asked.

"Third degree, covers most of the hand, skin peeling in some areas, you shouldn't be ashamed of this. This is extraordinary. How long do you keep your hand under the heat?" Katniss questioned.

"Um, ten minutes . . . fifteen on a good day . . ."

Katniss whistled appreciatively. "Jesus, you definitely aren't a wimp. I think we're definitely going to gel well together. Providing you behave yourself. You obviously aren't the smartest of cookies though, since you don't treat yourself for the injuries afterwards. Which, I suppose, is a good thing since I like to see the damage I have caused."

Damage? Peeta's heart accelerated and his palms began to sweat again. Maybe he had signed that contract too quickly . . . damn spurr of the moment . . . "Why do you do this sort of thing?" he blurted out without thinking. Katniss' eyes flickered up from his hands so she was looking him in the eyes. Her gaze made his heart thump harder and it made him wonder if maybe he shouldn't have asked her that.

Instead, Katniss sat back in her booth seat and rested her arms along the top of it. "Lack of control in my childhood, I suppose. I got bossed about for half my life, always told what to do constantly. When you're ordered around for the best part of your life, you don't really get sick of being in charge once you get the chance. But really, there is no perfect explanation for it. It's the same as asking you why you get off on pain."

Peeta frowned. "But I can't explain that."

Katniss smirked. "Exactly. Through the duration of our time together there will be times where you'll think I'm the bad guy. You'll question why you ever signed that contract and gave me the right to control you. I'm not going to sit here and lie, pretending that it's an amazing experience all the time because sometimes it isn't. But most of the time, you won't even think twice about your decision to be my sub. I'm a professional, not some amatuer dom who thinks it's all about smacking and rough sex."

Peeta picked at the red napkin that had been sitting on the table at his place. "From what you've told me that's what I would have thought it was all about . . ."

Katniss leaned forward, so close that their faces were inches apart. "Smacking and rough sex is only a quarter of what my practice entails," she said, breath caressing Peeta's face. "I don't know where the idea came from but it's not all about pain. It's about the power, the control, the pleasure, the sensations that I have the ability to create."

Each word trilled down his spine like a thriling tendrail.

"Of course, you'd have to trust me first," she said. Katniss turned around in her seat, slipping out of the booth and standing up. "Come on, stand up and stand with your back to me." Peeta stood up also, wondering what she was up to. "Fall back and I'll catch you."

"Uh . . ." Peeta turned around to look at her. "I doubt you'd be strong enough to catch me."

Katniss scowled. "Don't patronize me, Mellark," she snapped. "Just fall back."

"Ms. Everdeen-"

"Katniss."

"Um, okay, uh, Katniss," Peeta frowned. "I still don't think you'd be able to catch me."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "That's because you don't trust me. Just fall. We're not going to be able to build anything if you can't even believe I'll catch you."

"I can't, really-"

"Fall Mellark, for the love of god!" Katniss snapped, exasperated.

Okay, alright, the floor didn't look that painful anyway. Turning around and bracing himself for the pain, Peeta shut his eyes and fell back on his heels. He felt himself fall but not the vicious blow the wooden floor should have shot up his back. Daring to crack his eye open, he was startled by the fact Katniss had a hold of him, her arms hooked under his.

A tad disoreintated, Peeta quickly stood up and looked at the mysterious woman in amazement. "How did you do that?" he asked. Her arms weren't skinny but weren't fat either, they were just the perfect size for someone her age. Katniss didn't have any muscles at all.

"I'm not a simpering Catholic schoolgirl," Katniss said, putting her hands on her hips. Peeta began to wonder how much Madge had actually told her about him and his lovelife. "The only thing myself and that Delly girl will have in common is that we both have a tendancy to leave scratches." This made Peeta's eyes fall to her hands. Each fingernail was perfectly shaped and french manicured. Delly's had been jagged and unruly, her aversion to nail clippers making her cuticles uncared for.

"Wouldn't want to ruin your manicure . . ."

Katniss laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, cry me a river," she said. "Trust me, I don't care." She was definitely not like any other girl Peeta had ever met . . . "Look, I've got to get back to work." Katniss grabbed her coat and bag. She turned to him and held out a twenty dollar bill. "That's for the food."

"Oh no, I can pay for it-"

"Take the money," Katniss said firmly, taking his hand and slapping the note onto it. "I ordered the most, I pay." She glanced at the uneaten food and closed his hand over the money. She turned to him and grinned. Her mystifying grey eyes put him on the spot, making him feel slightly flustered. "Meet me at my office again at seven o'clock. There will be barely anyone in the building by then and we can discuss this at further length then."

Peeta nodded. "Okay," he said. A small part of him, at the back of his brain, were already counting down the minutes. Katniss smiled and turned, leaving him standing beside their booth on his own, wondering what he'd gotten himself into as she walked away.

Every single person in the diner turned to watch her leave.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. Remember I'm still not 100% sure on the whole BDSM thing but I'm getting there. Thanks for reading! :D

Please R&R! ^_^