Author's note: Hello once again. I'm on a two week break and I decided to return with a final installment for the Just another student one-shot, per your request. I enjoyed so much writing part I, so when the opportunity to write a second part was given I thought, why not?
I posted part I on Tumblr and the response I got back was amazing, it motivated me so much; on … not so much. It feels really disappointing to see that one thousand people read my fic and only 8 or so bothered to leave a Review. It's really demotivating.
Anyhow, I decided to write this especially to wonderishome on (Your review made me laugh so much, you're amazing. I can't thank you enough for your support), sunsetsmydreams (I know, it left me broken hearted too, having to write that,) and trytakingthisurl on Tumblr (Your hashtags gave me life lol), and thank you all who actually spared a minute of their time to review, like or reblog. Thank you, you incredible people.
All mistakes are mine.
Per usual, THG characters belong to Suzanne Collins, whose birthday was on August 10th, by the way. And today is Jennifer Lawrence's 26th birthday. Happy birthday Jen, I love you more than words can describe.
(3 years later)
On Friday, as he's in the freeway on his way to the hospital in his Honda –his motorcycle wasn't the most appropriate way of transportation for a doctor anyway, it's not as if it reminded him of her– his phone beeps in the console of the car, and he irresponsibly spares it a glance. That's all it takes to know the text is from Madge.
Madge: Do you want me to drive the rest of your stuff over to your apartment?
Received [12:17 pm]
He lets out a sigh, deciding he'll answer to her text later. He and Madge had broken up three weeks ago, but he'd yet to pick up a part of his belongings from her place. It's not as if he's been putting it off because he's afraid of seeing her, but he has so many things in his mind that picking up some shirts from her place is not a priority.
He and Madge had been together for nearly three years. They even moved in together six months ago when he graduated from Panem University. They'd been together for over two years and Madge felt they were ready to take the next step; he eventually caved and moved in to her apartment. And it was okay, he supposes.
During that time they were together, he realized it wasn't difficult to love her. She was sweet and kind and caring, but she was Madge. He loved her, but he wasn't in love with her. She's an incredible girl, which is why he feels like shit every time he remembers her reaction when he said he wanted to break it off.
She cried and wept and he tried to reassure her it's not you, it's me, and she cried harder because that's what everyone says when the other person is the problem, so he said he was sorry; because he truly was, grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed some essentials and left. Even before the breakup he'd been looking at some apartments –he knew it was coming– so he crashed at Finnick's for a while until he finally rented his own place and got all the paperwork done. That was two weeks ago.
Madge had been calling and texting non-stop, telling him that they could fix it, whatever it was that bothered him, and every time he told her it wasn't something that could be fixed. But she still insisted, hence his exasperation to her texts and calls.
He was a piece of crap, he knew it. He knew she deserved someone better, and he told her so, but she still thought that he was the best she could have. He figured he at least owed her the truth, so when she asked if there was someone else he said there was. And there was, even after all this time.
Katniss Everdeen.
It's been three years since she left him begging for her in her doorstep, and as pathetic as it is, his heart still aches for her. They never got any sort of closure to speak of. The year they broke up she was still his biology teacher but every time he tried to talk to her after class she fled, never giving him a chance. In the hallways their stares would never meet, even though he's sure she could feel the intensity of his gaze burning through her. That too was the year when he got together with Madge, and sometimes he could feel Katniss looking at them when Madge whispered things in his ear or giggled at something he said. Katniss tried to hide it, but he noticed. He always noticed her.
After that torturous semester was over, she wasn't his teacher again. He found out from the head of the Biology department that she had left the University to teach somewhere else. He knew she always aspirated something bigger than PU, but he couldn't help but feel that he drove her away from her job. He even went to her building after she quit, and when he was waiting in front of her door he noticed an unknown woman exiting Katniss's apartment. The slightly older woman named Wiress told him she had been living there for over a month, and that she hadn't met the previous renter of the place. You drove her away from her house too, his mind accused.
Shut up, he said.
She still wanders around in his mind; more than occasionally, and he wonders if she too thinks about him.
He guiltily notices he's ignored Madge for too long, so after he gets to the hospital parking lot and finds a spot, he properly parks the car, and shutting the engine off, he grabs his phone and opens her message.
You: Don't worry. I'll pick it up after my shift.
Sent [12:40 pm]
He doesn't mention his shift ends tomorrow at one in the afternoon. He started his internship in pediatrics at Panem's Memorial Hospital nearly three months ago, and as tiring as it is, he's loved it. From the minute he wanted to be a doctor he knew he'd go into pediatrics, and now he knows he couldn't have made a better choice.
He grabs his things from the backseat and puts on his robe over his blue scrubs. His best bud the stethoscope hangs from his neck as he makes his way out of the car and locks it. He's walking to the entrance of the hospital when he notices a familiar face exiting the building. His heart stops.
Could it be actually her?
He approaches her and he feels his stomach roil when he sputters some words out,
"Prim? Primrose Everdeen?" he asks.
She looks at him confused for a second, but in her eyes he notices a spark of recognition, "Have we met?"
He shuffles on his feet. "Sort of," he chuckles awkwardly, "I'm Peeta Mellark. You probably don't remember me; my family owns a bakery on Merchant Street. We both grew up in District 12," he adds.
The gleam of recognition shines brighter, but there's something else he can't decipher. "Oh! Of course," she smiles genuinely, "How are you?"
"I'm great, how about you? You look so much different since the last time I saw you," That's not entirely true. Katniss had pictures of her and her sister all over her place, so it's not much of a surprise he was able to recognize Prim. If it hadn't been for those photographs, he probably wouldn't have noticed her. Prim has become a beautiful woman, so different from the skinny and little girl he remembered. She is only three years younger than him, but he always saw her so much smaller.
They chat for a few more minutes exchanging pleasantries, until he asks the question that's been bothering him, "What brings you by?"
"I'm training to be a nurse back in District 12, but a friend of mine insisted me to come and check out the nursing program here at Panem's Memorial," While Katniss couldn't wait to leave that small town, Prim decided she wanted to finish high school there and after train as a nurse in the same place their mother had, no matter her sister's insistence to start the program in Panem. She shrugs, but her eyes sparkle, "And I'm visiting my sister too,"
"Katniss right?" he asks innocently.
Prim nods. "Yeah, I'm actually headed to her place right now."
"Uh, that's cool, I didn't even know she lived here," he lies brazenly.
Prim nods again, "Oh yeah, she's a teacher at Capitol University. She's doing great," she beams.
Capitol University is an even more prestigious college than PU, and more expensive too. It's located up North in Panem, and he figures that it's a 45 minute ride or so from her old place. He's more relieved, for he assumes that's the main reason she moved.
Keep telling yourself that, his mind bites. He ignores it.
He's so proud of her, and he doesn't try to contain his grin in front of Prim.
"That's amazing." he coughs, "So, ah, I don't know if you'd mind giving me her address," When Prim raises an eyebrow he rushes on, "It's just been so long since we last saw each other and this is a big city you know. It'd be nice to know someone from back home in this place." he hopes he sounds convincing.
She studies him cautiously, "Promise you're not a serial killer or a rapist?"
His mouth hangs open, "I'm a doctor!"
"You never know." Prim laughs. His vast answer seems to be enough because she pulls out a piece of paper and a pen from her purse. She hastily scribbles something down and after folding it hands it to him. "You're lucky you gifted me with pastries when we were children, otherwise I wouldn't even consider giving you my sister's address," she smirks.
"Good luck," she adds and kisses him on the cheek.
She turns around and starts walking to where he supposes her car is, but she quickly turns in his direction again and asks him, "You graduated from PU recently?" He nods slowy.
"Katniss used to teach Biology there a couple of years ago you know, it's odd you never ran into her, being in medical school and all," she says as an afterthought. When she notices his dumbstruck expression she smiles and walks to her car.
He's still standing there stupidly while she climbs in her Beetle and waves goodbye at him as she drives out of the parking lot. He waves back.
He's pretty sure Prim knows something was up with him and Katniss. But she still gave him a pass to go and win her sister back.
He recovers from his shock and puts the paper safely away in his wallet. He treasures that piece of paper. After three years, destiny has given him a second chance.
The selfish part of him wants to get back in his car and drive right away to Katniss's, already thinking what he's going to say. As if sensing his irresponsibleness, his pager vibrates in his coat pocket. He knows he'll have to wait until tomorrow.
He finally walks in, greeting everyone in his way until he gets to the lockers. He sees some of his coworkers walking around zombie-like, their always present cups of coffee in their hands. He'll be one of those zombies in a few hours.
After he leaves his bag in the lockers he walks out of the lockers' room towards the nurses' station. He smiles at Rue, the chocolate colored skin and kind eyed nurse, and she hands him a clipboard.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Mellark," she smiles cheerfully.
"Good afternoon Rue," he flips the pages in the clipboard, "What do we have today?" she looks at the acrylic board behind her.
"Well, there's little Jacquie Andrews, she has a fever and needed to get her stomach pumped because of food poisoning. She spent all night vomiting and with diarrhea, poor thing, she's on bed 3. Christian Marin had a stroke this morning, he seems to be doing better, but the Neurologist wants to keep him under surveillance until tomorrow, at the least. Jason Montgomery is fully recovered from the pox, so you need to discharge him today,"
She goes on –conjunctivitis, rash, broken arms or legs, and so on. When she's done, he asks,
"What about my favorite patient, how is she today?"
Rue smiles, "She got her fifth round of chemo yesterday morning. She was weak but today she seems in good spirits. Her mother promised her a cupcake for snack and she's been going on and on all day about it," she laughs and he does too.
He picks up from where he stuffs his star stickers in the desk and after saying goodbye to Rue and the rest of the nurses he walks of in the direction of his patients' rooms.
After four hours he finally finishes checking up all the children, and leaves all of them with a colorful sticker in their arm. As soon as he catches a break he goes outside to the flower shop next to the hospital and buys a couple of lilies and orchids, and he ties them with a pink ribbon. He picks up a coffee and a cookie from the cafeteria.
He walks back into the hospital and directly goes to the Oncology section, following the direction he knows by heart. He stops in front of the room and knocks on the door, and when he hears a "come in," from inside he opens it and smiles wide at the squeak of joy.
"Doctor Peeta!" Katie squeals.
"Hello milady," he bows and she giggles.
Kate Harrington was his first patient when he started working at the hospital a few months ago. She's a cute six year old with blonde hair, brown eyes and a permanent smile on her face. He diagnosed her with leukemia when she came to his attendance. Even though he didn't have to –it was an Oncologist's job now– he still followed her progress. Katie warmed up to him pretty quickly, and he did too. She stays hospitalized at the oncological ward after her chemotherapies, so that's when he usually visits her.
He kisses her bald head and hands her the flowers, and she thanks him excitedly. He crosses the room and hands her mother the coffee. Cashmere thanks him and gives him a smile that is too much like her daughter's.
"You're spoiling her you know," she jokes when they notice Katie smelling the flowers.
"She's my favorite patient, what do you expect," he laughs and moves to the bed. He carefully studies Katie's chart and unwraps the cookie when it says she's permitted to eat some sugar. Her eyes gleam as he gives her the sweet and she wastes no time in taking a bite.
"Katie, not so fast," Cashmere chides. "Sorry mommy," Katie says between bites, and her mother sighs.
"Where is Gloss?" he asks, looking around the room.
"He had a work meeting. He'll be here in an hour or so," she smiles. Gloss is Cashmere's older brother. When Cashmere got pregnant her second year in college the father wouldn't assume responsibility, and her parents coldly disowned her. Gloss was the one that took her in and let her live with him even after Katie was born. Cashmere managed to finish her studies two years ago and got a job that sufficed enough for her and her daughter, and she moved out from her brother's place. Since Kate was diagnosed Gloss has been Cashmere's main support, always attending to his niece's checkups and even contributing with hospital bills. Cashmere confided all this in Peeta once she was aware how much he cared about her daughter.
He stays in the room chatting with Katie and Cashmere until he feels his pager go off in his pocket. Katie seems sad to see him leave.
"Don't worry. I'll be back tomorrow before my shift ends," he reassures her.
"Promise?" Katie holds out her pinkie.
He links his to hers tightly, "Cross my heart," he promises and she smiles. He kisses her head and after saying goodbye to Cashmere he leaves the room.
He goes to the nurses' station again and gives another round, checking on all his patients again. After, his coworker Thom invites him to witness the C-section he's assisting for a couple of hours and he agrees. He looks from the other side of the crystal they have in the OR, and he knows why Thom chose this specialty. He's not even the only to deliver the baby, but he feels the euphoria altogether.
Afterwards, there's not much to do around but he still has to stay to fulfill schedule. He has some dinner and decides to hang in the deserted hospital cafeteria, so he pulls out his book and starts studying some particular case of asthma in children. It's barely past 10 pm when his pocket vibrates furiously, and without even bothering to look at it he hastily picks up his stuff and runs all the way to the locker room where he dumps his things. He quickly goes to the emergency where he sees a couple of paramedics along with nurses rolling in three stretchers.
"Mellark, come here now!" Haymitch, his mentor and one of the heads of the pediatrics department, barks at him. He runs to Haymitch's side and notices the small body of a boy that can't be older than twelve years old. "Get ready to assist me in surgery now," he says simply and moves to the operating room where a nurse hands him his surgeon getup. He orders her to get some for Peeta too and she quickly runs away to get the suit.
He notices the other paramedic roll away from them the other two stretchers with some nurses and the doctors on shift, they too getting ready to perform surgery. The boy's parents, he guesses. He sends a silent prayer that they are alright.
The paramedic says in his ear loudly, "Car accident. 10 years old. Male. Not yet identified. Concussion, broken limb, punctured lung and spleen, wide gash on his leg. We tried to stop the bleeding as much as we could, but we nearly lost him once. Had to resuscitate him in the ambulance," he rushes on.
Peeta steps aside as the nurse hands him his outfit and he dresses quickly. He goes inside the OR and washes his hands cautiously as the nurses prep the tray with the surgical instruments. He only just notices Dr. Abernathy standing next to him putting on his gloves, "Ready boy?"
Peeta is more than qualified, but he's never operated on anyone before. "Do I have a choice?"
Haymitch snorts, "Damn right you don't," he moves next to the stretcher, Peeta following closely behind.
Four long hours later the operation finally concludes. Thankfully he and Haymitch were able to correct most of the kid's injuries, but they had to extirpate his spleen, it suffered a big part of the blow. Peeta stitches him up and when he's done the nurses roll the boy away down to Recuperation.
"Good job Haymitch," he praises.
"I'm outta here." Dr. Abernathy says. He walks down the hall but before he gets too far he turns around and looks at Peeta, "You weren't too bad either, boy," he walks away.
Peeta feels as if he could pass out, but it's only past one in the morning. He still has another long 12 hours to go. He cleans up and to occupy his time he decides to go see how the boy's parents are doing.
He sees Bonnie, one of the nurses that were present when they brought the family from the crash in, and he asks her about the parents.
"Dad is still in surgery; apparently he took a hard hit. Got a piece of metal impaled on his side," she grimaces.
"And his mom?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. The woman is not the boy's mother. She's the dad's girlfriend," she explains. "She only got a concussion and a broken leg, pretty lucky if you ask me. The kid's mother has already been informed of the crash and she's on her way. Abernathy went down for the night so we assume you'll be the one to talk to her,"
"Sure," he smiles tiredly.
A few minutes later a woman stumbles through the doors in hysterics, yelling at the receptionist in the front desk for some information. He hears the words "crash," "son," "surgery," so he quickly goes to talk to her.
He has to reassure her many times that operation was a success and that her son will have a full recovery. He tries not to feel too insulted by her jab that he looks too young to be a doctor. She wants to talk to someone with more experience, she says.
Bonnie overhears the conversation and says that he's the only doctor who was present during surgery that's available now, so unless she wants to wait until morning for Dr. Abernathy she should listen to him. That shuts the woman up.
"You're too nice sometimes," Bonnie says later.
He shrugs, "I can't blame her for thinking that I'm not experienced. I'm only 24,"
"She shouldn't judge your experience because you look young," she complains, "Don't let anyone do that." He promises he'll keep it in mind.
Finally, glorious morning arrives.
It passes quickly as he does his rounds and checks on the boy from the accident. Once he's satisfied with the meds they're giving him and the way he's healing he goes to visit Katie before he leaves.
She's excited to see him, but she pouts when she notices he didn't bring her any cookies. Cashmere scolds her.
He checks everything that needs to be checked and once he's sure it's okay for him to leave he goes home. On his way out he drinks a strong cup of coffee so he can drive home. He nearly had forgotten about Katniss until he notices the small paper in his wallet. He'll visit her later, he decides, when he doesn't look like a zombie and has had a shower. He gets home safely and collapses in his bed, just taking off his scrubs and slipping under the sheets in just his underwear.
He wakes up at 6 in the afternoon, his bladder awkwardly full. He showers and quickly prepares a sandwich, but he's not too hungry. His stomach is in knots. He's going to see Katniss, he has to go see her. This is his chance, and he's not going to waste any more time.
He dresses simply, with some khaki shorts and a white shirt. He puts on his Chucks and grabs his wallet and car keys and goes on his way. He reads her address as he's going down the elevator to the basement, and he's surprised to see that her place is only about 20 minutes from his home.
He's still during the whole drive. He doesn't put music on to try and ease his nerves, he knows it won't work. He gets to the address Prim wrote down, and he's confused when he notices he parked in front of a small one story house, not an apartment complex. He doesn't see Prim's Beetle anywhere, but he notices a familiar silver Prius. Katniss's silver Prius.
He sits in his car for at least ten minutes, trying to calm himself down and utterly failing. He's not even worried he didn't practice what to say to her, because he knows the moment he steps out of the car any speech he had would have been forgotten. He bites the bullet, gets out of the car and walks stiffly up her driveway. He timidly rings the doorbell and he hears nothing for a few moments until suddenly the door flies open. He feels he could puke right this second. Thankfully, he doesn't.
Looking back at him is the flabbergasted expression of the one and only Katniss Everdeen.
He feels pretty stupid just standing there catching flies with his mouth wide open, but his brain can't process any words. He's just thinking Katniss Katniss Katniss Katniss Katniss and how beautiful she looks in a flannel shirt, a pair of sleeping shorts and her hair in a messy braid and he wants to kiss and yell at her, but he doesn't do anything. She doesn't do anything either.
They are like statues for another minutes until she bravely breaks the silence, "Hi," she squeaks.
"Hi," He's getting some words out, that's an improvement.
"I…" Katniss begins, "H-how are you here?"
"I drove." He jokes stupidly and nods in the direction of his car.
Katniss rolls her eyes, but the corners of her mouth are twitching traitorously. "You know that's not what I meant." She looks behind him, "You dumped the bike," she notices.
"Not really, it's sitting in my garage," he explains.
She drops the bike subject, "Answer honestly now," her eyes look deeply in his soul, "How did you get here?"
He gulps, "Prim." He says simply, "I saw her yesterday at the hospital and we talked some. I asked her your address and she gave it to me. And here we are," Katniss rolls her eyes.
"Of course," she scowls and his heart constricts. She looks behind her and seems to be battling with herself, "do you want to come in?" she says at last.
"I'd love to." He follows her in and closes the door behind him. He looks around, taking in the picturesque house. It has an open concept, the kitchen, living and dining room all in one and to the left there is a small hall that he assumes leads to the bedrooms. Katniss sits in the loveseat and he sits on the couch.
She offers him something to drink but he denies, and they just sit there staring at each other uncomfortably.
"Prim told me you got a job at CU. That's amazing Katniss," she tries to smile but looks more like a grimace.
"Peeta," Katniss says directly, "What are you really doing here?"
"I…" he sighs, "I felt like I deserved a second chance to make things right. I know I screwed up in the past and that I put too much pressure on you and the timing wasn't right but I want to fix it. I hope I can," he hurries out.
"It's been three years," she shakes her head, "why now?"
He's incredulous "I tried to fix it that same day we broke up but you wouldn't let me, Katniss. And not just that day, I went back so many times but you never let me,"
"Well it's not as if it took you too long to find someone else to make things right with," she jabs coldly.
This is not going as he expected. Sure, he assumed she'd bring the Madge subject up sooner or later but he didn't think it'd happen this soon. He sighs, "I always tried to talk to you after class but you never gave me the time of the day, and then you quit, and then you moved," his hands rub his shorts anxiously, "how was I supposed to contact you, you never even answered my texts, no matter how much I begged,"
She looks down guiltily, "It was for the best. You know that,"
"No Katniss, it wasn't for the best," he says calmly but his insides feel as if he's burning, "I never had a choice in the matter, you just shut me out. You took your own decision never even giving me the chance to express what I thought,"
"Because I already knew!" she explodes and starts pacing around the room, "You still can't see that what I did I did it for you, because I wanted you to have a normal college experience with your friends and a girlfriend without having to sneak around all the time," she repeats his own words from that awful day. "I figured you'd eventually understand and give up, and I was right. It only took you a summer," she stops pacing.
It's been three years; he can't stand the separation any longer and the least he wants to do now is fight. He walks to her and grasps her face in his hands, running his thumbs across her cheeks. She doesn't push him away. "I'm sorry. I know what I did was wrong. But you have to listen to me: I never wanted that. I was more than happy spending all my weekends with you at your place, because that's all I ever wanted –being with you. That was always more than enough," he says passionately.
"As for Madge… I was heartbroken and she was there, and things happened, and she wanted to be with me and I for some reason said yes," he explains poorly.
"I went to talk to you, to fix things up," Katniss says suddenly.
"When?"
"It was during the summer. I went home per Prim's insistence and I missed you too much and in that moment I didn't give a crap about anyone or anything, I just wanted to be with you again." Her eyes tear up. "I stopped by the bakery set on making amends and saw you behind the counter through the front window. You were with Madge Undersee. You were laughing and then she kissed you and after you smiled. I knew I had missed my chance, but I accepted it was my own fault." She sniffs. "You looked happy, and I didn't want to be the reason that made you sad again, so I left,"
He remembers that day. Madge was paying him a visit and she started retelling the story of one of her drunken escapades, and he laughed and then she was kissing him. He didn't push her away and they started dating the next day.
"I'm sorry." He says.
She shrugs, "It was nice seeing you laugh again after knowing I caused you so much suffering. Seeing you two together on campus was my karma," she chuckles humorlessly. "And then I got the job offer nearing the end of the semester and saw no reason why I shouldn't take it. I thought it would be easier for the both of us, so I accepted. I left my old apartment and bought this fixer upper so I could be closer to Capitol U," she explains.
Ha! Take that, mind, he thinks.
She pulls away and sits on the couch. He instinctively sits next to her and takes her hands in his, softly kissing her palms. Once again she doesn't stop him. Break up and separation be damned.
"I'm not a student anymore," he says smoothly after he kisses her hands. Katniss smiles,
"No you're not. Congratulations, Dr. Mellark," she says. "Are you doing your internship yet?"
"I am. Pediatrics,"
"I'm so proud of you." She beams, "I never doubted for a second you could do it," before she can catch herself she rubs her palm against his five o'clock shadow and he leans into her. It's as if these three years never happened, until she asks,
"Are you… still with Madge?" she gulps.
"No." he clears his throat and sits straight, "We broke up nearly a month ago," she pales a little.
"You were together all this time, these past three years?"
"Uh, yeah," he scratches the back of his head. It doesn't even itch.
"Why did you break up?"
"Um, we wanted different things."
"Like what?" she presses.
"She wanted me, and I wanted you." he says simply. "Madge is an amazing person, very loveable too," Katniss looks down, "but she isn't you. I loved her, but not like I love you," he says it intentionally in present tense, hoping she notices, and she does.
"I'm still older than you,"
"Yes, five years is so much older. You're nearly a grandma," he jokes.
"You're just getting your career started,"
"And I want you to be with me through it," he insists. He notices her indecision and his blood runs cold, "Unless… are you dating anyone right now?"
"No!" she reassures quickly, "I've been on some dates and had a relationship that lasted a year, but we ended it," she sighs, "I just don't want you to have second thoughts about this later,"
"I never had second thoughts, not even when you were my teacher. It was worth it, even with all the obstacles. If I had to go back in time I'd be with you all over again," he says truthfully.
She's so close to him, and she smells so good and he has missed her so badly, and the prospect that they could be a couple again is a possibility and he's delighted. He's a dying man, and she's his medicine. He pulls her closer and brings their lips crashing together. Katniss moans against his mouth and her hands clench around the collar of his t-shirt. The small vibration and the sounds she's making get him hard. It has been so long since they have been together like this and it feels like he's going to pass out. Their tongues dance and touch and his teeth nip her lip as he caresses her face and she groans in his mouth. His shorts get uncomfortably tighter.
They kiss for so long he thinks hours might have passed. They kiss until their lips are bruised and they can't postpone breathing any longer. He breaks apart from her begrudgingly, but keeps his eyes locked on hers, their pants fanning each other's faces.
"I want to do this right this time," he says when they've both recovered their breath. "No more sneaking around. You're not my teacher anymore, we can be publicly seen in the street and no one could say anything that might get us in trouble,"
"They'll still talk though," Katniss says worriedly.
"I don't care. Do you?"
"Not that they talk, I couldn't care less about what other people think about us, what worries me is that someone will inquire deeper in our relationship and find something to use against us," it reminds her when they were together when he was still her student. Out of fear she'd never even look at him on campus.
"They won't," he assures. Peeta can see the storm swirling in her gray irises. After some heart stopping moments in complete silence she speaks again,
"When you and I were together I spent most of our time being scared. Whenever the head of the department would call me to his office I felt as if I was going to pass out, and yet I knew that if we were ever found out I wouldn't regret being with you," she says sincerely. "Because you've made me feel things no one else ever has. I thought it was worth it back then, and I certainly believe it's worth it now."
He's sure his smile is splitting his face, but he doesn't care. She's giving him –them– a chance. He knows this time it'll work out, but something is still bothering him, "I'm really sorry about what happened with Madge in that frat party, I was an idiot–" Katniss puts her finger against his lips.
"I don't want to hear about that any longer. It was three years ago, what's done is done. We move forward, not back," she smiles.
He kisses all over her face and she laughs breathlessly and he swears he's never heard a prettier sound in his life.
"When are you free? I'm taking you out on a date," he asks after.
"Peeta, it's the middle of June. I'm on summer break. The question is when are you free, Dr. Mellark?" he loves it when she calls him that.
"How about tomorrow?" he asks.
"Not wasting anytime are we?" she laughs again.
He looks at her intensely, "I've lost three years. I don't want lose another second,"
"Me neither." She answers seriously and then smiles, "Tomorrow is perfect," He can't contain himself, so he kisses her.
They kiss for a while and talk about the past three years of their lives. He missed many things during that time, but he's certain they'll create new memories together if everything goes their way. He finally goes home around 10 pm, Katniss tries to convince him to stay, but he says he has to woo her properly before climbing into her bed with her.
"Who said anything about a bed? I was going to offer you the couch," she jokes.
"Ha, ha." he kisses her goodnight, "Goodbye love, tomorrow can't come fast enough. I'll pick you up at six,"
"Indeed." She gives him a shy kiss, "Do you still have my number?"
"Always," he gives her dazzling smile that makes her weak on the knees and walks towards his car. Katniss stays in the door until he drives away.
As he's on his way home the realization hits him. He's going on a date with Katniss Everdeen –a real date. Now he has to burn his brain trying to think ideas for a good first date. Back when he was her student they almost never left her apartment, their "dates" usually consisted of take out and Netflix. He didn't complain, because being with her was all he cared about, but once in a while he wanted to take her out and show her off. She never said anything, but he imagines she too wanted to get out of her apartment.
Besides that time they went to the beach and he took her to the top of the hill where he had found his secret heaven, they never did much else. Once they went to the movies and Peeta ran into one of his classmates when Katniss was in the bathroom, and he had to text her and leave. He waited for her in his bike for ten minutes until she decided it was safe to come out. They didn't go back to the movies after that.
Katniss is not the type of woman that likes going to fancy restaurants where you have to dress up, that's something he'd do –and did– with Madge. She's more of an outdoors fan. He'd take her to the beach if they hadn't already gone.
All the way home he keeps thinking about where to take her, and comes up with nothing. He decides it's time to call the cavalry.
"Hello?"
"Finn, hey," he greets.
"Dude, it's 10:30 in the night," his best friend sighs.
"Yeah, on a Saturday, I imagined you'd be up. When did you turn into such an old man?" Peeta jokes.
"I had a long shift today; I just got home about three hours ago." Finnick is not a doctor like Peeta, he's a marine biologist, but he too has to cover long 24 hour internships to specialize.
"Crap. I'm really sorry man, I'll call you tomorrow," Peeta apologizes.
"Nah never mind, I'm up now anyways. What's up?"
"You remember that girl I dated back in college, the one I told you was the one, that you guys never met?" he doesn't know how else to describe her. Finnick thinks for a moment and then Ahhs.
"You mean the mysterious one that you were with when you kissed Madge in that frat party? The one that dumped your ass nearing the end of the semester and you spent countless nights drinking over?" Apparently Finnick do knows how else to put her. Peeta sighs,
"That's the one. I ran into her today," he doesn't want to say I actually ran into her sister and convinced her to give me her sister's address and went to her house all stalker like. "And we talked and… other things and we're going out tomorrow,"
Finnick falls quiet, "Finn, you there?"
He coughs, "Yeah. Sorry, did you say you're taking your ex-girlfriend out to a date?"
"Yeah,"
"You're taking your ex-girlfriend out, the one that dumped you and didn't forgive you even after you spent day after day knocking her door down and crying on her doorstep?" he accuses.
"…Yeah." Peeta repeats. "When you say it like that she sounds like a cold hearted bitch, and she's not like that,"
"Well I wouldn't know, she never wanted to meet us, so to me she might as well be a cold hearted bitch." Finnick replies easily.
"She's not," he defends her. "I promise. I was hurt by what she did, but she thought she was doing the right thing. She thought I deserved a girlfriend that could meet my friends and go out with,"
"She should've tried harder," Finnick whispers, but he still hears it.
"I wasn't that easy. Remember our relationship was forbidden?"
Finn sighs again, "I know no matter what I tell you you'll still go out with her. Even when you were with Madge you never got over that girl's spell," he knows him too well, "But just be aware that I'm not exactly fond of her."
"You will be," Peeta promises. "But I need your help. Where do I take her for our date? I need help. I've got nothing. Zero, nada,"
Finnick Mmms, "What kind of girl is she? Is she hearts and flowers or pizza and movies?"
He thinks. "A mix of both, I think. She's not expecting romanticism every step she takes but she likes to go out once in a while, nothing too fancy though, and definitely low-key. She doesn't like to be the center of attention,"
"I think I've got something." Finnick says after a while, "She might be in the spotlight for a little bit, but no one will know it's her,"
"What do you mean?"
"Is she afraid of heights?"
"... No," he hopes so.
Finnick proceeds to tell him his idea, and Peeta thinks Katniss could be up for it. She might even like it.
"That's great, thanks Finn."
"What would you do without me," Finnick says.
"Nothing," he chuckles.
"Peet," Finnick says seriously. "I want to meet her,"
"You will," he promises, "If tomorrow goes fine, I promise you'll be the first of my friends she meets,"
"I hope she really is as great as you say she is, otherwise I won't be your best man in your wedding,"
"She is, Finn. She truly is,"
After he hangs up with Finnick he opens a new chat and texts Katniss quickly,
You: Change of plans. I'll pick you up tomorrow at 4, does that work?
Sent [10:49 pm]
His phone beeps five minutes later,
Katniss: Sure. May I ask why the change in our schedule?
Received [10:55 pm]
You: You'll see. Dress comfortably. I can't wait to see you again.
Sent [10:56 pm]
He's knocking on her door five minutes after 4. She opens hurriedly, as if she had been expecting him to knock. And she glows.
He gets a flashback. Three years earlier, one day in her apartment he was laying in her bed still rejoicing in their post coital ecstasy, Katniss was changing in front of her closet, her bare back to him, and the sun that streamed through the window reflected on her figure. He remembers thinking she looked like an angel, and that's pretty much what he's thinking now.
"Hi." She says timidly. When she speaks he returns to the present and notices her outfit. She's wearing a pair of jeans and boots, and a green shirt with a black jacket. He's wearing something similar, jeans, a dark jersey with his sleeves rolled to his forearms –he knows she loves that– and his loyal pair of Vans. She takes him in and her lips curl in a smile. He hands her the bunch of flowers he bought on his way and she goes to put them away. He doesn't want to admit he looks at her ass when she walks away.
She returns and after she locks the door they walk together to his car, his hand in the small of her back. He goes to open her door for her but she gives him a look that says she's not a handicapped, so he laughs and moves to his own side.
"Where are we going?" she asks once he's started the car.
"Are you afraid of heights?" he ignores her question.
"I asked first," she says stubbornly.
"It's a surprise, now you answer,"
She looks thoughtful, "No, I'm not afraid of heights," she says.
Phew, he thinks. She asks him again where they're going but he just gives her the same answer. He puts some music and they ride without speaking. He drives with his left hand and reaches for hers with his right. She squeezes his fingers tightly.
Thirty minutes into the ride, Katniss must notice how long it has been. "How far is this place?"
"About fifteen more minutes," he says smoothly. She pulls on her bottom lip with her teeth and he has the urge to bite it her lip too.
"Can you at least give me hints?"
He concedes. "It's somewhere high,"
She looks at him directly, "Are we going to that place where you took me when we were together? To the top of that hill,"
"Nope,"
She keeps asking and he answers, but in the end she still doesn't have much information. She huffs, deciding she'll wait until they get there. Just a little before 5 they get to their destination. Katniss looks confused,
"Panem Hill? What are we doing here?" they step out of the car and he takes her hand in his again.
He's nervous, "I… a friend of mine suggested this, and I thought it might be fun to try it out," he sputters out. Katniss raises an eyebrow,
"Try out what?" he points behind her. She turns around and looks at the sign, Try out Paragliding from the highest hill in all Panem!
Her mouth hangs open and she doesn't say anything. After a few moments she's still quiet, and his stomach is doing summersaults and he's sweating. "We don't have to!" he rushes out when he notices her stricken expression, "I thought that you might like it but we don't have to do it if you don't want to–"
"No!" Katniss cuts him off, "I mean yes! I mean, I want to do it," he releases a breath he didn't realize was holding. "You just took me by surprise. I've never done anything like this before," she smiles and tugs him to the line of people, "Let's go!"
They only have to wait 15 minutes in line, since it's nearly closing time there's not much people around. He pays for both their tickets and Katniss scoffs and says she'll pay for dinner. As if.
They lead Katniss and then him away, prepping them separately. He watches her from where he is, a guy helping her with her getup while another guy helps Peeta. He quickly finishes putting together his own suit and crosses over to Katniss. He plants a kiss on her cheek and puts his hand in the small of her back,
"Are you ready?" he asks.
She looks at him excitedly, "Ready as I'll ever be," he smiles.
Peeta, Katniss and two instructors walk and stop at a few feet before the edge. Since they're not professionals, they each have to go with one instructor.
Peeta sees Katniss leave with her instructor as they do the forward launch and fly in the air. After, he and his own instructor jump in the air, and being airborne is unlike any other thing he's ever felt. They fly for about an hour until they finally land, and a Jeep picks them up minutes after. Katniss is already in the Jeep. Her eyes brighten when she sees him.
He sits next to her and before he can say anything she presses her lips to his chastely. Before he can deepen the kiss she pulls away. He remembers she's not a fan of PDA. She starts blubbering immediately,
"It was amazing Peeta! Overlooking everything from above and the feel of flying…" she goes on, but he only focuses in the glow of excitement in her eyes. She looks so young and carefree, as if she doesn't have a worry in the world. He wants to see that look more often. He promises he'll make happy enough to see that look again.
They eventually get to the paragliding center, and they thank their instructors before leaving. He takes her hand and leads her to his car, "We're not done yet. Wait here," he says. Katniss stays a few steps back as he retreats from his car a picnic basket he kept hidden behind the passenger seat. "Second part of our date," he tells her when he returns to her side.
Katniss scowls, "No wonder you agreed to let me pay for dinner. You already had dinner planned," she rolls her eyes. "It's on me next time."
They walk through the woods until they get to the crest of a low cliff, and he sets down a blanket and the picnic. They sit side by side and eat the food he brought until the sun sets, and he remembers when he took her to his heaven. Katniss must remember it too, "This brings some memories," she nuzzles his neck.
He kisses her then, and she responds eagerly. His tongue trusts in her mouth and he pulls her in his lap. After a few minutes of making out she grinds her hips against his and he can feel his cock hardening rapidly. "Shall we leave?" he asks between kisses and Katniss pulls away and nods. Her lips are red and her cheeks flushed. Her hair is frenzy from where he was running his hands through, and he imagines he mustn't look very different.
He torturously remembers the drive back takes nearly an hour. All he wants to do is bury himself in Katniss. He drives a little over the speed limit but not enough to kill them in the way. Katniss notices his hurry and laughs, "Do you need to do something back home?"
"More like someone," he grins when she blushes.
After nearly an hour, they finally get to her place. He parks the car in a rush and he's not even sure he parked it straight but right now he realizes it doesn't matter. He finds her in the other side of the car and puts her body flush against his, his mouth meeting hers and their limbs tangling together. Her legs find that oh so familiar place around his waist as he carries her to her front door. She breaks away from him long enough to put the key inside the keyhole and hurl the door open. They tumble in excitedly and Peeta kicks the door closed.
Everything else seems to have vanished as he walks the distance to her room, following her indications. He lays her down gently on the bed, and she gifts his face with gentle caresses. Her eyes never leave his, and even three years later he sees an adoration that's familiar to him. He's sure she must read the love in his eyes as well.
He's determined to take his time, and he does. He kisses her tenderly, her forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose, and finally her luscious lips. She pushes his shirt over his abdomen and he takes it off completely. Katniss kisses his chest and runs her nails over his pectorals, he shivers and she smiles. He takes their clothing off one by one, until she's only clad in a pair of black lacy panties and he's fully naked.
Her small hand wraps around him and his head falls forward to where her neck meets her shoulder, his lips planting soft kisses there. He takes her breast in his mouth and plays with her other nipple, and Katniss moans and arches her back. He had forgotten how beautiful are those sounds she makes when she's in the throes of passion. He pushes her panties down her hips and his finger meets her center, she mewls and tugs at his hair and he sucks harder on her breast.
"I want you," she pants. That's all he needed to hear.
He lets go of her and she reaches next to her in the nightstand the box of condoms. She grabs one small foil packet and instead of giving it to him so he can put it on she rips it open with her lips and wraps the prophylactic smoothly down his length. The view alone nearly makes him come, and if possible his cock hardens even more. She pushes him down to her again and directs him to her entrance. He can feel her heat and she feels so soft and wonderful and familiar beneath him. He pushes inside her, and he doesn't know how he has survived these last three years.
Katniss is warm and tight and accommodates him so perfectly. She moans and sighs and he groans and they make the most amazing sounds together. They kiss and touch and love each other. He kisses her breasts and she sucks on his neck and her hands run down his back to his ass while his grasps her hips tightly. The bed creaks and the headboard thumps against the wall as their erotic sounds fill the room. Sweat is coating their skin and their bodies are slapping together and they're so close. He reaches down and fingers that small protuberance that makes her scream, and she groans louder and bites his shoulder as she comes. He grunts and sighs and tries to hold on but her walls are squeezing him so deliciously. When her hands run softly over his hair he looks down at her and her eyes lock with his, those beautiful gray orbs meeting his. She looks deeply at him, telling him to let go with her eyes, and he does.
They clean up and lay spent after, both breathing heavily. Katniss cuddles to his side and he runs his palms down her smooth back. The room smells like sex and sweat and them, and he loves it.
"I missed this," Katniss whispers.
"Me too. You have no idea how much," he kisses her forehead. Her soft snores soon fill the room, and he follows shortly after.
The next morning he wakes up at 8, and Katniss is still sleeping peacefully next to him. He decides to make himself useful. Thirty minutes later he's cooking breakfast for them when a pair of arms wrap around him. He jumps, "Jesus, I forgot how stealthily you move," he turns around. She's only wearing her panties and a t-shirt and his mouth waters.
Katniss grins and gives him a kiss. Her mouth tastes like mint and his tongue explores her oral cavity, "What are you making?"
"French toast." He picks her up and sits her on the counter. He settles between her legs and kisses her, and she mischievously tugs his underwear down his hips, pumping his dick. She lets him go and lifts her own shirt over her head and her panties down her legs, and she's wet and glistening. He runs butt naked to her room and extracts a condom from the box; he wraps it on as he walks back and finds Katniss right where he left her. He kisses her deeply and trusts inside her.
They sigh and moan and pant. He kisses her everywhere he can reach and she gifts him with more of those heavenly sounds her mouth makes. He rubs her clit and she traps him with her legs, and then they come together.
Once they've recovered they eat a slightly burnt French toast in the table. "Did Prim know about us?" he asks.
Katniss looks down guiltily, "Only after we broke up. When I went home that time and saw you with Madge I was pretty much depressed. Prim forced me to tell her about why I was so sad. I didn't want to, but I had to let it out with someone. Who better than my sister? And so I told her. Not everything… but some things," she shrugs. "I told her about us and that we broke up. I had gone to the bakery to try and make it better but had seen you kissing another girl. She eventually found out you were the baker's son." she looks at him pleadingly. "Please don't be mad,"
"I'm not mad," he sighs, "I just wish I could've done the same with Finnick, about confiding in him, but I get why I couldn't," Katniss apologizes again.
He doesn't want to talk about the subject any longer, "I want to cook dinner for you," he says suddenly.
"You made a picnic for us yesterday, and breakfast this morning," she's talking quietly.
"I know. But I want to make you your favorite meal," he insists.
She shrugs and smiles softly, "I won't oppose to that." he laughs, "When?" she asks.
"Today," he answers and stands up. He's moving to clean the dishes but she stops him and insists she'll do it later. She practically shoos him away from the kitchen. "I'll make lunch for you in my place, you can come around 7," he goes to her room and starts dressing. "Is that okay?"
"Sure," she laughs at his enthusiasm.
He writes down his address for her and leaves little after. They kiss goodbye at least five times, and he's sure the look like lovesick teenagers.
When he's shopping the groceries for the meal Finnick calls. "So, how was it?"
Peeta smiles, "It was perfect, she loved it. You were right Finn," he ignores Finnick's I always am.
"Are you at her place?" he asks.
"No, I'm buying groceries. I'm going to cook her dinner tonight,"
Finnick stays quiet for a moment, "Oh, really? What time?"
"Seven. Why?"
"No reason," Finnick says innocently. "Bye Peet, good luck!" he hangs up. He's up to something, Peeta is certain.
He spends most of the afternoon cooking. He makes her favorite dish –lamb stew– and makes dessert too –chocolate cake–. Five minutes before 7 his doorbell rings, and he checks his reflection and breath before he opens the door. He wasn't prepared for the sight behind it.
"Finn?" Peeta hisses. "What are you doing here?"
He steps inside the apartment and looks around, "I came to meet the mysterious lady," he says simply. "Is she here yet?"
"No, she isn't, and you have to leave now," almost instantly there's a knock on the door. Katniss.
"Joy, she's here," Finnick says excitedly.
Peeta knows he's cornered between the sword and the wall, and he knows Finnick. He won't stop until he gets what he wants. He might not even recognize her; she was never his teacher, might as well get this over with.
He opens the door and there is Katniss. She's standing there in a beautiful clear colored sweater and a skirt –a skirt! –, smiling shyly at him. All at once she notices the presence behind him and all color drains from her face. He ushers her inside and kisses her cheek. Finnick walks until he's standing in front of them. He takes her hand and kisses it,
"Hello, mademoiselle, I'm Finnick Odair," he charms. Katniss is still pale as a sheet next to Peeta, who clears his throat, and she seems to recover a bit.
"Katniss Everdeen," she squeaks nervously.
"It's great to finally meet you," Finn goes on oblivious.
"Finnick was just leaving," Peeta says and looks pointedly at Finnick, but he's not looking at him. He's looking intently at Katniss.
"Have we met before? You seem familiar," he scratches his chin thoughtfully. "Did you go to Panem U?"
"Finn, it's time you go." Peeta says harshly. Finnick pays him no mind, because suddenly his eyes widen comically and he points to Peeta and then Katniss.
"I remember seeing you a couple times going to the teacher's lounge." He whispers, "And I think you once gave classes to mi fiancée, Annie, she mentioned she had a teacher named like a rare flower or something," he says breathlessly. Katniss pales even further and Peeta worries she might pass out in his arms. He looks at Peeta, "Peet?"
Peeta sputters out, "You must be confusing her with someone else,"
He points at Peeta, "I think you mentioned her a few times too," then he shakes his head, "And more than once Cato talked about his hot biology teacher. Ms. Everdeen," he starts pacing the small room, "A 'forbidden, complicated relationship'?" he repeats what Peeta said to him so long ago. "You two… back then…" he stops and sits down on the couch. Katniss's head is down, but Peeta notices a tear trekking down her cheek. He quickly wipes it away and takes her in his arms,
"It'll be okay," he reassures, but he doesn't sound too convinced himself. He sits the both of them in the couch and wraps his arms around Katniss. Her head lolls to his shoulder and he presses a soft kiss to her head. Finnick is looking at them, his mouth hanging open.
They keep quiet. No one knows what to say, until Finnick speaks, "That's why you wouldn't introduce her to any of us," he realizes. Peeta nods guiltily,
"Finn, I wanted to tell you so many times, but we couldn't. There was too much at risk," he nods his head to Katniss. Finnick still doesn't say anything, "I know how this must look," he continuous. "But this wasn't just some fantasy turned true back then. What we had was real, and its real now," he lifts her chin so she's looking at him. "I never stopped loving her," she looks deeply in his eyes.
Her hands run over his cheeks, "me neither," she kisses him softly and he kisses her back, and he almost forgets about Finnick until he coughs.
Finnick looks seriously at the both of them. "You're my best friend, Peeta," he smiles softly at Katniss "Your secret is safe with me."
They insist that Finnick has dinner with them, but he denies profoundly. Before he leaves the apartment Katniss surprises the two of them by embracing Finnick tightly. "Thank you," she whispers in his ear, but Peeta hears it and smiles.
"I hope to see you again soon enough," he kisses her cheek and gives Peeta a quick embrace, and then he leaves the apartment.
They have dinner together, and Katniss moans when she tastes the stew. Once they're done they wash the dishes and put them away together. They sit on the couch and eat the dessert, and once in a while spoon feed each other cornily. Peeta laughs when Katniss says so.
She puts their dessert plates away and lets him lead her to his bedroom when things in the couch start getting heated. They spent the rest of the night in his bedroom, making each other fall apart repeatedly. The moonlight illuminates their flushed skin and the hours pass hurriedly. Neither notices the sun making its way out until it's streaming through the blinds in his bedroom.
He goes to take a shower in the morning and Katniss quietly joins him. Their bodies clash together once again, like a moth to a flame. Katniss is fire, and he is the moth. He doesn't mind burning himself as long as she's there providing him warmth. "Is this real?" he asks when they're lying in bed later. Finally his brain has seemed recover from its euphoric state from making love to her so many times this past 24 hours.
And then she looks at him again, and he feels his insides turn to mush. Just one look from her can make him feel that way. He's not sure if he's dreaming, but if he is he never wants to wake up.
"It's real," she kisses him.
They're inseparable the weeks that follow. She spends some days at his place or vice versa, and he takes her out every chance they get, even if it's just simple things like going to the movies or the park. He wants to make up for all the time and opportunities they didn't have when he was her student. They even double date with Finnick and Annie. Finn was weary of her at first, but by the end of the date he could see Katniss had wrapped him around her finger, and Finn seemed shocked to realize how smitten he was by her. Peeta knows the feeling all too well. Katniss was Annie's teacher, so they started off awkwardly but through the date he could see them coming closer and even joking together. He's sure they'll get to be good friends.
They make love many times too.
Sometimes it's hurried and hard, and other times it's sweet and tender, depending on their mood and time. But it never stops being passionate and the phrase making love suddenly has a true, significant meaning.
One day he's in the hospital covering his shift and she brings him lunch. They eat together and he introduces her to all his coworkers, proudly showing her off. Thom and Thresh recognize her, but Peeta says they saw each other just a few weeks ago. They don't ask any questions, and they're happy for them, they say, and he's very grateful for his friends.
It's on her fourth visit to the hospital he decides it's time to take her to meet Katie. She got her final round of chemo the day before and the nurses say she's jumping from the walls. He's mentioned Katie to Katniss before and she suggests they buy her something as a Congratulations for finishing your chemos! present. Peeta buys her flowers and Katniss buys her a stuffed horse animal.
When they step in her room he can sense Katniss's nervousness and he gives her hand a comforting squeeze. Cashmere greets them both and Peeta gives Katie the flowers. She looks at him excitedly but her eyes narrow when they settle on Katniss. Peeta does the introductions and Katniss gives her the stuffed animal, and Katie's eyes seem to soften a bit. They hit it off completely when Katniss teaches her how to braid in different ways the horse's long tail. She's patient and kind and Katie is excited because when her hair grows back she'll be capable of braiding it herself! They even start laughing together, and Peeta swears his heart is going to burst. He has to leave shortly after because he's needed, but Katie insists that Katniss stays for a while longer, and she agrees happily.
It isn't until an hour later when Katniss finds him in the hall and tells him she's going home. She managed to leave Katie but only under the promise that she'd visit her with Peeta at every possible opportunity, she says with a laugh.
He walks her to her car in the parking lot and kisses her profoundly before she leaves, as a promise of what is to come once he comes home. He breaks apart and notices a presence next to them, and his heart stops a little when he notices a familiar blonde hair. Madge.
Her mouth is open she holds a duffel bag in her hands as she looks from him to Katniss back and forth. "You never went to get your stuff, so I thought I'd bring it over." she explains weakly and holds the bag up. He guiltily realizes that's true. He never picked up his things from his old apartment when he said he would. "Professor Everdeen?"
Katniss pushes her hair behind her ear in a nervous manner, "Hi, Madge, and its Katniss, you're no longer my student,"
"Clearly," Madge nods at Peeta. He stiffens and walks towards her,
"Thank you for bringing this," he takes the bag from her hands. Her eyes are still looking between him and Katniss. "I'm sorry I didn't go. I've been so busy at the hospital,"
"Right." She says sadly. She clears her throat and blinks, "It was great seeing you again… Katniss, and you too Peeta," she gives them a small smile. "Good luck," she hugs him quickly and walks to her car.
"Madge!" he calls after her, "Thank you," she smiles tearfully and climbs in her SUV. Madge Undersee deserves better, he's sure.
He and Katniss make love three times after he gets home, and when his body doesn't feel like jelly he kisses her and says,
"I love you. I love you more than I ever thought humanly possible, and I have loved you since I have a memory. I know it hasn't been easy for us, but easy is boring, no?" he chuckles. "And we never needed for it to be easy, we needed it to be possible, and it was, with a lot of sacrifice and pain, but it was, and I have no regrets." He says passionately. "I spend six days a week in a hospital, working and studying my ass off so I can give you the life you deserve, and I can't promise it'll be perfect, but it'll be real. I promise to help you make your dreams come true, and create new dreams together.
"I'm not rich, I can't promise I'll buy you the world, but I can promise to give you everything I've got and love you with every fiber of my being." He shrugs, "I know it's not much, but it's what I have, and I can only hope it's enough,"
He's surprised to notice tears rolling down her cheeks. She climbs in his lap and kisses all over his face until she gets to his lips. She joins their mouths tightly and when they break apart he kisses her tears away.
"You have always been more than enough." She assures, "And I love you too, with my whole existence, and I want to do it for the rest of my life if you let me," he laughs joyously.
"You don't even have to ask." He joins their lips together. When he feels the very physical love and electricity emanating from their bodies he wonders how no one ever noticed back then he was never just another student.
Oh my god. This was so long. I'm an Everlark lover 100% so not writing them a happy ending was pretty much impossible.
I hope I fulfilled all your expectations, and I'm sorry if I didn't. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm looking forward to reading all your comments and reviews. Thank you always for your support. Remember to follow me on Tumblr, I'm ohlovelyvampires.