AN- I originally wanted to do an Everlark wedding (coming soon I promise!) but I kept thinking about our sweet awkward Katniss meeting Peeta's parents and a rather... Friendly brother, who is just a tiny bit of a sleaze ball. Just a few changes to Peeta's parents, his mom isn't an asshole and his parents are happy together. I know it's not canon but I figure Peeta deserves a happy childhood, don't you think?
I'm going to go with one of the most universal names for Peeta's brother and use Rye, simply because I don't feel very inspired to think of a new one and honestly I think if I gave him a different name it just wouldn't be right. Even though he's not named in the book- after reading tons of fics about Peeta and his brothers it almost feels like the community named him. So Rye it shall be!
Also we see Johanna again. Dun, dun, dun! It's all in good fun.
Did I just rhyme? You bet your sweet, sweet bottom I did!
Some language this chapter. Gasp!
Plus mentions of our favorite red headed Peacekeeper!
...
It's still quite early, the black sky is just starting to change into a deep blue. The birds outside the window are waking up and singing softly in the trees.
It's moments like these that Katniss relishes in; it's dark in her boyfriends apartment and Peeta sleeps peacefully next to her. She gently rolls to her side facing her bedmate being cautious as to not wake him, she admires the way his face looks during slumber. His skin is smooth and it almost seems to be glowing, his lips are slightly parted breathing shallow and evenly in sleep. And every so often his lips quirk into a smile, it's like watching a baby sleep and it's as equally ridiculously adorable.
Katniss reaches her hand out and softy traces his lips with her fingers, feeling the soft skin move with her touch. She moves onto his cheek, her thumb tenderly grazing his cheek bone. She loves watching him sleep and being allowed to admire him.
Her heart skips a beat thinking about their love making from the night before. He had been so gentle and she had never felt so love by him in their 3 month courtship. Her fingers eventually make their way back to his lips, she can't get enough of them. No sooner had her fingers touched his lips Peeta begins to kiss her fingers.
"Good morning," he says in a raspy voice still thick with sleep.
Katniss can't help but smile, "Good morning," she says leaning closer and kissing his nose.
"Are you done perving on me? I've got to pee,"
Katniss rolls her eyes, "I was not "Perving,"" she scoffs. " I was simply admiring your beauty." She says matter of factly.
"Well I refuse to be beautiful until the sun is up and I have at least two cups of coffee." Peeta says in a low growl. He rolls over so that his body hovers above her. "But, if after that you want to gaze at this magnificent, God like- don't roll your eyes- body, then who am I to deny you the privilege?" He says pressing his lips to hers and then jumping off the bed and heading into the bathroom.
Katniss knowing that neither of them will be able to sleep now gets up and pads to the kitchen to try and make something for breakfast.
A few minutes later Peeta enters the kitchen and wraps his arms around her shoulders from behind, she is just finishing up making french toast. "I've been thinking," "Uh oh," Katniss says in mock concern. Peeta gently pinches her sides causing her to flip the piece of bread out of the pan. "I was thinking, that since we've been kinda talking about you coming to my parents house with me soon, that we could possibly go over there for dinner tonight? They're dying to meet you." He says giving her shoulders a squeeze and kissing her cheek.
Katniss gulps, "Tonight?" She squeaks. Peeta constricts her a little tighter, nuzzling his nose into her neck and behind her ear. "Yes, they're going to love you. Please? My mom has been asking for weeks to meet you, I'm out of excuses." Katniss sighs, "It's not that I don't want to meet them, I am just so bad with new people. You remember the first few times we went out, imagine me being like that in front of your parents. I'll just embarrass myself." She says in exasperation turning off the burner and moving out of Peeta's grasp.
She slowly moves about his kitchen getting plates and silverware, Peeta goes to her and loosely clasps his hand around her wrist. "Katniss, relax. It'll be fine, they just want to know the woman I spend all my time with."
Katniss sighs, she knows it's time. They've been together for 3 months, even her mother, who can't see passed her own little world has been asking about Peeta. "I know, it's just I'm scared that they won't like me. You're close to your parents, surely their opinion matters to you." Katniss muses, her shoulders drooping slightly.
Peeta twirls her around so she is facing him, "Hey," he says turning her face with his hand. "I've gone through our spectacular first date, had Johanna walk in on us together," Peeta says raising his eyebrow, Katniss blushes but he continues. "You've almost set my apartment on fire and almost got us hit by a car, if I can handle all of that and still can't help but want to be with you, do you really think a few things my parents might say will change my mind?"
Katniss looks into his eyes, what in the world had she done to ever get a man like him?
"Ok," Katniss says quietly. Peeta cups her chin and slowly brings his lips to hers, after a moment Katniss drapes her arms around his shoulders pulling herself closer to him. Peeta hooks his arms around her waist and pushes her back into the counter lifting her up and setting her on the smooth surface. Peeta brings his lips to the hallow of her throat and softly kisses his way up to the soft spot behind her ear.
If Katniss could freeze a moment in time and live in it forever this would be it. It was so hard for her to believe that Peeta had chosen her, given everything he knows about her past he still wants her, he's even told her he loves her. Katniss had told him she felt the same, just not in so many words, and Peeta says he understands- but she can see it in his eyes when he tells her he loves her, he wants her to be able to say it back.
His lips have finally reached back to her mouth when there is thunderous knocking on the front door, Peeta lets out a heavy sigh and rests his forehead on Katniss' collarbone. She looks at the clock above the stove and sees that it's barely 7:30am
"Who is that?" She asks rubbing small circles on Peeta's upper back, he shakes his head. "I don't know," he leans back and kisses her chin, "but I'll get rid of them, I'm not done with you yet." He says with a wink that makes her bones turn to jelly.
He pushes off the counter and goes to the door turning on a few lights on his way. Katniss stands in the doorway of the kitchen and watches Peeta walk to the door and open it.
The door is pushed inward with such force that it bounces off the wall and almost slams shut again. "Peety! I've driven all night and I've come to crash on your couch." Katniss is startled by the intruder, but is even more confused when the man that comes in looks just like Peeta, but a few years older and less handsome. This must be the infamous Rye that she keeps hearing about.
Rye stops short in the small hallway and his eyes roam over Katniss's body, she blushes when she realizes that she's braless in a skimpy tank top and small underwear. She desperately wants to run and hide but can't seem to move her feet.
"Well, hey there gorgeous." He says striding over to her with his hand out for her to shake, she crosses one arm over her chest and meekly takes his hand. "I'm sure you've heard of me, I'm Peety's older and much better looking brother, Rye." He shakes her hand a few times but doesn't let go, Katniss looks behind him at Peeta who is closing the door and making his way over.
"Uh, I'm-"
"Oh, I know who you are," Rye says cutting her off. "Peety here can't keep his trap shut about you, 'Oh I bet Katniss would love this,' 'Katniss loves this movie,' 'Katniss does this really incredible thing with her-'" Peeta slaps him on the back and pulls Katniss to his body shielding her from Rye's wandering eyes. "What are you doing in town Rye?" Peeta asks calmly detaching Rye's grip on Katniss' hand, the older Mellark doesn't seem bothered. "Don't you think you should have called before you just show up at my door?"
Rye looks between the pair, this time he has the decency to actually meet Katniss' eyes. "Did I interrupt something?" He asks smirking. Peeta meets his smirk with a glare that could melt a glacier. "Sorry," Rye says raising his hands and taking a small step away from them. "Well I just thought its been too long since I've seen mom and pop and my dear sweet baby brother and his beautiful-" Peeta's loud sigh cuts off his sentence, he rakes his fingers through his hair. Katniss has never seen him so upset, then again no man has so openly checked her out in front of him before.
"You do this all the time Rye, you blow through here and make a mess and I'm the one left to clean it up." Rye places a hand on his chest over his heart. "Peety, your words wound me." Peeta fixes him with a hard stare. "Don't bullshit me Rye,"
Rye rolls his eyes, "Fine... I maybe forgot to pay my part of the rent a few times and Greg decided it would be better to move his lady friend in and forget our lifelong friendship." He says it trying to sound above it all, but Katniss can hear the underlying desperation in his voice, see the pleading in his eyes. She feels like she's intruding on something serious so she squeezes Peeta around the waist and quickly leaves the room.
As Katniss is dressing she hears the door open and softly close, Peeta enters the room a moment later looking haggard. "Everything ok, Peety?" She asks teasingly. Peeta makes a silly face at the nickname. "No one but him has called me Peety in years," Katniss goes to him and puts her arms around his middle and puts her head on his chest under his chin.
"What's wrong?" Peeta exhales loudly, "Apparently Rye invested all of his money in his buddy's new business venture and the company sunk. Instead of sucking up his pride and admitting to his roommate that he was hard on cash, he let him think he was a deadbeat and then got himself kicked out."
Katniss understood pride, she had refused Gale and his family's help after her father left. Instead she took to the woods near their small home and taught herself to hunt and gather. She knew the embarrassment that came with taking handouts, she knew the look of pity. But even so, she wouldn't have let her pride stand in the way of keeping a roof over her and her mother and sister's head.
"I get it, I mean, maybe not the letting himself get kicked out part; but I understand not wanting to let his roommate handle all of the bills because of something stupid he did. I guess he had to handle it anyway," Katniss sighs in frustration, she hates rambling. "It's just, I know what it's like to owe someone." Peeta gives her a curious look.
Katniss sucks in a breath and takes his hand and leads him to the couch, might as well lay it all out there.
As they sit Peeta takes her hand and gives her a look that asks her to continue.
Katniss can feel her hands start to shake and she wipes the sweat from the hand that Peeta isn't holding onto. She exhales and looks into his eyes, they hold curiosity, love and concern.
"I had a friend I sort of grew up with, his name was Darius, about 6 months after my dad left we had a hard time getting enough food into the house. My mom was working three jobs and they barely covered the bills let alone getting us something to eat. Darius, being a year older and therefore smarter than me- his words-" she says with a humorless laugh. "Noticed that something was off with me and Prim, we ate like wolves at school but we were losing weight." Katniss pauses to look at Peeta, she had told him that they had hard times after her father left, but never went into details, she's expecting him to look horrified- which he does, but there is also so much love in his gaze it unravels her train of thought, she has to shake her head once before she can continue.
"His mom owned a cafe and I was on my way to drop off some laundry for someone my mom did chores for and I had to pass by the cafe," Katniss takes a shaky breath. "I fainted on the back stairs of the place and Darius had found me. He fed me and sent me home with a box of food for Prim. I went to school the next day and I was going to thank him but he didn't show up. I heard from a friend of his a week later that his mother had found out and beat him pretty severely and then sent him off to live with his aunt in Michigan. I never got to thank him, because of him I got the strength to go back into the woods and re teach myself how to hunt. He's the reason Prim and I had full bellies from that night on. He was only eleven and his mother used to handle him like he was a grown man." Katniss tries to catch her breath. "He did something wonderful for me and my sister and he doesn't even know it. I haven't accepted anyone's help since him because I'll never be able to repay my first debt." She feels Peeta brush away tears she didn't know we're there.
Peeta doesn't take long to gather her in his arms and kiss her forehead. "How can you possibly love me? I'm such a mess."
She can feel Peeta's laughter vibrating in his chest. "It's pretty easy actually," he says kissing the top of her head.
They sit that way for a while, Peeta holding her and Katniss allowing herself to feel safe in his arms.
...
At around one o'clock her cellphone rings, looking at the caller I.D. she sees that it's Johanna.
Having not heard from her strange friend in a few days Katniss gladly answers the phone.
"Oh my God, when are you bitches coming home?" Katniss barks out a laugh. "Oh, Jo Jo, it's only been 2 days since I've been home. Do you really not have a social life?"
"Do I not have a social life?" Johanna says in a very annoying voice that she knows Katniss hates, it's all squeaky and condescending. "I'll have you know my social calendar is full thank you very much. I was calling because the fucking mailman keeps putting your damn mail in my mail box and I can't shove the shit under your stupid fucking door. It's piling up on my coffee table and seriously putting a cramp in my style."
Katniss tries to contain the giggle threatening to escape. "Piling up? Two days worth of mail?"
"Alright so it's not that much, but I'm getting sick of looking at it." Johanna says with a sneer. This time Katniss allows herself to laugh, "I'll be home tonight," "I'll wait up," Katniss rolls her eyes. "Please don't," Johanna laughs, "I've made up my mind, call me when you get home- bye bitch." And she hangs up.
Katniss shakes her head, that girl would be quite a catch if she could find a man that could handle her-
Wait a second.
"Hey Peeta?" Katniss calls from the bedroom. Peeta strolls in drying his hands on a rag. "What's up?"
"I was just wondering..."
...
"Alright, let me get this straight. Sunshine here has a hot older brother- that's single-" Katniss nods, but not in agreement with the hot older brother part. "and you guys want me to tag along to some lame dinner at his parents house?" Peeta shuffles his feet, he had sort of been against the idea of Johanna coming, not that he didn't love Johanna like a sister, but Rye needs a girl who doesn't cuss like a sailor and could drink him under the table. Rye has a lot of shit to deal with and should probably stay single until he can get back on his feet.
Johanna studies him. "What's the matter, Sunshine? Am I not good enough for your brother?" Peeta's eyes bulge and he begins to stammer. "Oh holy hell, I was joking. But if this is how you're going to act tonight I am so fucking in. Let me change." Johanna jumps off her couch and ruffles Peeta's hair.
"Oh God, this is going to be a long night." Peeta grumbles burrowing into Johanna's couch.
...
The trio are walking up the steps to Peeta's parents house when Johanna hip checks Peeta. "What the hell, Jo?" He asks rubbing his hip. "I can't believe you've been holding out on me, there was some hot sexpot walking the streets and you didn't tell me? I'm hurt really." She says making a pouty face. Peeta can't help but smiling at his friend.
As they get closer to the door Katniss grips Peeta's hand tighter. "Don't worry, just like me, they won't be able to help but love you." He says with a smile. Johanna makes a barfing noise and Katniss slugs her on the shoulder. "Ouch, you bitch!" Johanna cries, massaging the spot Katniss hit. Katniss is concerned for a second before she sees the smile on Johanna's face.
Peeta knocks on the door and the door swings open revealing a very beautiful blonde haired and blue eyed woman, she is short and curvy but dressed modestly. She looks at the rag tag group of friends and her entire face lights up when her eyes fall on Peeta, Katniss is amazed, Peeta doesn't really resemble his mother, but when she smiles it's all Peeta.
She rushes to him and grabs him up in a hug. "Oh my baby!" Peeta hugs her back but then after a moment it's clear she doesn't plan on letting go anytime soon, he starts tapping her shoulder and trying to get out of her hold. "Mom, mom. Mom! I can't breathe!" He says sternly, but it comes out more like a laugh. His mother finally relinquishes her hold on him and fixes the collar on his shirt. "I'm sorry, I just missed you. Is that so bad?" She asks smoothing out his hair. "Of course not, but I was here last weekend helping dad fix the garage door." His mother smiles at him, but then her eyes flick to Katniss and Johanna seeming to remember that they were there.
"Peeta, don't be rude. Introduce me to Katniss." She says looking right at Katniss. Who audibly gulps. How does she know she's her?
"Oh sorry dear, Peeta can't seem to stop pulling up pictures of you from his phone." She steps over to Katniss and gently hugs her. Katniss has to screw her eyes shut, because this is the warmest hug she's been the recipient of in a long time, not including Peeta's. And Peeta's mom smells like fresh cookies and home.
"It's so lovely to finally meet you, I'm Gwynn." Gwynn says when she lets Katniss go. Katniss does her best to smile, "I'm Katniss, but I guess you already knew that. Uh," Katniss lets out a nervous laugh. "this is my friend Johanna."
Johanna curtsies and then looks up at the house and let's out a whistle. "This house is bitchin." Gwynn doesn't seem fazed by Johanna's language, must be from having Rye for a son.
Gwynn smiles brightly at her and extends her hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Johanna." Johanna shakes her hand.
"Well let's step inside, shall we? Peeta's father, Christopher is out back with the barbecue, and Rye is around here somewhere." Gwynn walks back into the house and shows Katniss and Johanna where they can hang their coats.
Peeta helps Katniss with hers and Johanna hangs behind them admiring the entryway.
Johanna soon hangs her coat up when there's a commotion upstairs. The three turn their eyes to the staircase to see Rye stumbling down the stairs. He meets his mothers curious stare. "There was a spider in the bathroom," he says by way of explanation. He straightens up when he sees Katniss and Peeta. "Looking good, Peety. And Katniss I'm sad to see you've changed. I'm beginning to think I may have to barge into Peet's apartment more often." He says winking at her. Katniss rolls her eyes, "Always a pleasure, Rye." Rye quirks his eyebrow, "It could be," he says smirking at her. Katniss, not intending to have her comment sound vulgar doesn't know how to respond.
"Just playing, Kat." His eyes focus on something behind her. Johanna has been unusually quiet, she stands behind them shifting her weight from foot to foot.
Rye takes the last few steps in a single jump and walks over to the couple and in one dramatic motion he shoves them aside and strides over to Johanna. She turns to him and jumps at his proximity. Then her eyes focus on his face and a devilish grin graces her face. "Hey there sailor," she says extending her hand. Rye softly takes her hand in his and kisses the back of it. "Pretty lady," he greets.
Peeta clears his throat breaking whatever spell Rye is casting on Johanna (really, Katniss has never seen Johanna hold a smile that long before.) "Rye, why don't we go see if dad needs help?" Peeta asks pointing over his shoulder.
"Nah, I'm good. You go right ahead, Peety. I'll keep the women folk company." Rye answers, his gaze never leaving Johanna's face. Peeta sucks in a breath, "Right. Uh, sweetie- lets go see my dad." Katniss tries not to laugh, she has never seen Peeta this flustered; he has never called her sweetie before. She gives Johanna one last glance before she takes Peeta's hand and follows him through a large living/dining room to beautiful French doors.
A man who has to be Peeta's father is flipping steaks over the grill turns at the sound of the door closing. He looks just like Peeta, although older, hair thinning slightly and a stockier build. He smiles a diminutive smile at the pair and wipes his hands off as he approaches them. He grabs Peeta into a quick hug and pats him on the back when he releases him. "Always great to see you son," "You too, dad." Peeta's father turns his attention to Katniss- who is trying to will herself to melt into the side of the house.- he smiles warmly at her.
"You must be Katniss, Peeta talks about you all the time." His father takes a step over to her and also gives her a quick hug, Katniss is barely able to reciprocate before he pulls away. "Nice to me you, Mr. Mellark." Peeta's father scoffs, "Please call me Christopher, Mr. Mellark sounds like an old man, and I don't feel old yet." He says with a hearty chuckle and Katniss can't help but to join in.
"Your mother told me you two brought a friend?" Christopher asks looking towards the house. "Yes, she is, uh," Katniss looks to Peeta for help. "Being seduced by Rye," he finishes for her without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Peeta's dad shakes his head, "That boy," he says with amusement. Christopher looks to the grill and then back to them. "It should be about done, why don't you go inside and make yourself at home. I'll be in soon." Peeta nods his head and takes Katniss by the hand and leads her back into the house.
Peeta looks toward the door where Johanna and Rye had last been and see that they're missing. "Great," Peeta says sounding annoyed. "I'm sure he's just showing her around," Katniss offers. "Yeah I'll bet he is." Katniss laughs quietly, he is acting like a worried father. "Oh, baby, are you worried about Jo? In pretty sure she can handle Rye." "It's not that she can't handle him- now - but he's going to disappear like usual and I don't want to listen to her bitch and moan." Katniss steps in front of him to stop him form searching the house. "I hardly think Johanna is the type to 'bitch and moan'- terrible phrasing by the way- about a man." Katniss places her hand on Peeta's face to gain his attention. "Everything is fine." She says rubbing her thumb on his cheekbone. Peeta leans down and captures her mouth with a kiss. "I'm going to see if my mother needs help with anything." Katniss nods her head and pats his bottom as he walks towards where she assumes the kitchen to be.
Katniss strolls back over to the entry way and looks at the photos on the walls by the coat closet. Lots of family pictures. There is an adorable picture of Peeta and Rye -probably no older and 5 and 7- They're standing on the shore by the lake and Peeta has a fish in his hands that is almost bigger than he is. He has the biggest smile on his face, and Rye is beaming at him with the pride of an older brother. Her eyes sweep over the other snapshots and she's about to move on to locate a bathroom when she hears and muffled thump and a giggle come from the coat closet.
Katniss takes a tentative step to the door and slowly turned the handle. The door swings open to reveal Johanna and Rye in a tangle are arms and legs and swollen lips and... Tongues.
"Oh. My. God!" Katniss sputters.
"Jesus, doesn't anyone knock anymore?" Johanna asks blowing a strand of hair from her face, she is still fully entrapped in Rye's grasp. "Geez, Jo! I was gone for five minutes!"
Johanna was about to respond when Katniss heard Peeta call for her, she quickly shut the coat closet door in the new couples faces and wheeled around and went toward where his voice was coming from. She picked up her pace so Peeta wouldn't get too close to the closet. She turned the corner and ran smack into him.
He steadied her and brushed some hair out of her eyes, "Hey, where's the fire?"
Here's the thing about Katniss: she's a terrible liar. Absolutely horrible.
"Oh, I uh, just missed you." She says awkwardly. Peeta narrows his eyes looking at her suspiciously. "Uh huh,"
Cue poorly timed giggle.
Peeta looks to the closet, "What was that?" He looks down at Katniss, her eyes look around the room trying not to look into his questioning eyes. "Didn't your mother say something about a cat?" She asks lamely. Peeta starts to move but Katniss grabs him by the collar of his shirt. "Let's go make out in your bedroom. I'm dying to see your childhood room, does it still have Superman sheets?" This gets his attention- for about 5 seconds until another shrill giggle erupts from behind the closet door.
Peeta untangles himself and marches to the closet and wrenches the door open. Johanna and Rye are still entrapped in each others embrace and kissing frantically.
"Jesus, Rye! What if it was mom who opened the door." Peeta says tugging on his hair.
Rye smirks at Peeta then turns to Johanna. "Good point, little brother. Johanna, let me give you a tour of the house, we'll start in my room." He says the last part wiggling his eyebrows.
"Dinner is ready!" His fathers voices calls through the house.
"Oh, thank God!" Katniss mumbles. She grabs Peeta by the arms and drags him to the dining room.
...
Dinner is quite awkward where Johanna and Rye are concerned. Their overly sexualized innuendos are blush worthy for Katniss. The highlights include:
Rye suggesting that Johanna "Hop on his pogo stick"
Johanna asks if he knows a good contractor, she's been looking to enlarge her closet, he quips that he knows his way around a screwdriver.
Johanna mentioning that it's been awhile since her pipes have been cleaned- to which Rye replied that he was once "an amateur plumber" and this causes Johanna to giggle like a girl. Katniss would be excited to see Johanna less hostile if this exchange weren't so disgusting.
But to Peeta's parents credit they do try to include Johanna in on the conversation. And Gwynn pays no mind to the flirtatious conversation between her son and stranger.
Peeta's mother is very friendly and her personality is warm, Gwynn has been actively engaging Katniss in conversation and so far Katniss hasn't spilled one drop of her water.
"I have got to say, I am pleasantly surprised by you sweetheart." Gwynn says putting a comforting hand on Katniss' shoulder. "Peeta -forgive me dear- told me about your first date," Katniss turns her head down trying to hide the blush on her face. "Oh stop, it was adorable. I think that a girl that works herself up so much with nerves over my boy that she nearly caused a riot over spilled desserts," She smiles at Peeta, before she looks back at Katniss, her eyes sparkling. "Is a girl I'd like to see stick around." She says patting Katniss' shoulder.
Katniss clears her throat to try and get rid of the lump that has suddenly been lodged in her throat. "Th-thank you, Gwynn. I'll be around as long as Peeta wants me." Katniss says looking at Peeta at the end of her sentence.
Peeta smiles at her and brings her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers. "That might be for a long time, I hope you don't mind." Katniss shakes her head in the negative and Peeta gives her a chaste kiss on the cheek. Peeta's mother is positively beaming at the couple.
Katniss tries not to shrink back during her kind words from a few moments ago, it's not often people compliment her. Especially not a motherly figure. Her mom, ever since her dad ran off, had to work all the time; she didn't have time to take a special interest in her daughters when she was spending all of her time making sure they had a place to live.
But she has to admit that the kind words warmed her soul a little bit.
"So Katniss-" Peeta's dad starts but then stops when the sight of Rye and Johanna feeding each other bits of food catches his attention, he shakes his head to regain his focus before he continues. "Uh, Peeta tells me that you are pretty handy with a bow and arrow?" He inquires just before he shoves a forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.
"Oh, yes, I, uh- I used to hunt a lot when I was younger. I try to get some practice in now and then."
"That's wonderful, I've been looking for a good hunting partner; my poor boys are useless. Peeta couldn't sneak up on a def man with his loud tread and Rye won't keep his lip zipped, he scares away the game." He pauses to have a drink of his wine. "The season is going to pick up again in a few weeks, would you be interested in coming along?" Katniss can't hide the huge grin that is spreading over her face. She hasn't been able to get into the woods for a year, she misses the quite and peace it offers. "I'd really like that," Peeta squeezes her hand and smiles at her.
...
Peeta is outside with his dad and Jo and Rye have disappeared again, Katniss and Gwynn work side by side washing the dishes in the kitchen sink.
"Dinner was lovely Gwynn." Katniss says rinsing off some utensils. "Thank you dear, I'm so glad you could finally make it. I know meeting the parents is scary." "I wasn't-" Katniss starts but Gwynn cuts her off with a raised brow. "Maybe a little scary," Katniss says laughing.
"I can see why Peeta loves you," Gwynn says so suddenly that Katniss almost drops the dish she's drying. "Have you told him your feelings?" Katniss starts to stutter trying to answer her. "I see it when you look at him, honey. It's the same way I look at my Christopher. You remind me of him- my husband- it took him almost a year to tell me he loved me. He showed me in other ways but he was too terrified to say it out loud. I don't know why you're scared to say it, but I didn't raise my boys to run away if things got too serious. Rye pretends to be a 'Love 'em and leave 'em' kind of man, but he feels just as much as Peeta does. If you love my son, and I know you do, don't make him wait too long." Katniss can do nothing but nod.
Of course she loves Peeta. He knows she does. But Katniss also knows that it's nice to be heard you're loved as well as being shown that you're loved.
...
They say their goodbyes; Katniss promising Gwynn that she'll spend some time with her before she hunts with Christopher. Katniss rounds up Johanna, -who unsurprisingly was back in the closet with Rye- and they walk back to the car.
"Oh, Sunshine, that sexy brother of yours is going to be the death of me." She says tickling his side, Peeta bats her hands away and wraps his arms around both women's shoulders. "I love my brother, Jo, but be a little careful, he's not in a good place now."
"Oh, sweet Peety, is that concern I hear? For me? You better watch out Everdeen, I might snag this Mellark too!" She says with boisterous laughter. Peeta and Katniss roll their eyes at her.
When they make it back to Katniss and Johanna's building they say goodnight to her and her door and turn to Katniss's apartment.
"Good night my dears, have fun." Johanna says with a wink and closing her door.
Peeta snorts and Katniss blushes.
Katniss is brushing her teeth while Peeta strips down to his boxers and climbs into bed. She thinks about her conversation with his mother. She is so in love with that man who is deliciously sprawled on her bed that he makes her stupid sometimes. Has it really only been 3 months since their first date? She is still trying to convince herself that Peeta wants her- crazy, awkward, and mildly closed off- for the umpteenth time today she wonders what she did to deserve this man. She realizes now that she's been in love with him before she even knew him, from the moment she saw him outside the window of the flower shop she couldn't stop thinking about him. Things didn't seem important if they didn't involve him too. She had wrapped her whole life up in him. And some how she got wrapped up in his.
She rinsed her mouth and walked to his side of the bed and swung her leg over him so she was straddling his waist. He gave her a lazy smile and ran his fingers softly up and down her bare legs. "Hey," he said softly his voice already sounding sleepy. Katniss leaned down and gave him a tender kiss and took a breath and the whispered four words into his ear.
"I love you, Peeta."
She pulled back to look at his face. A smile that Katniss had never seen before stretched over his face, his eyes so bright they lit up the dim room. He reached up and gently pulled her lips back down to his and kissed her, his love and adoration for her evident in the way his lips moved over her. He pulled away and put his forehead to hers and smiled again. "I love you too, Katniss. So much," His smile caused a warmth to spread across her chest. If this was the reaction she was going to get, she would have said it sooner. She tipped her head down and kissed him again.
"You know," She says pulling away after a minute. "My mother mentioned the other day that she was wanting to meet you, she actually has the day after tomorrow off..." Katniss let her statement trail off. "I would love to meet your mother." Peeta responds moving his head down to start kissing around her collar bone. "Prim will be there, to act as a buffer. My mom isn't has inviting as your mom," Peeta stops kissing on her neck and groans. "Can we please not talk about our mothers in bed anymore? It's really throwing me off."
Katniss throws her head back and laughs, "Ok, ok. As you were," Peeta grins wickedly at her and flips them over and throughly attacks her lips.
They don't talk about mothers for the rest of the night.
...
Phew! That was long! Again got a little carried away.
So what did you think of the Rye/Johanna action going on? I almost didn't go there but then I thought "What the hell, why not?" I plan on having him make another appearance soon. Maybe some more flirting between the two, possibly an established relationship. The sky's the limit!
Any thoughts about Darius essentially being "the boy with the bread"?
I was a little worried changing Peeta's home life so drastically though, but I like that his mother was nice.
I wasn't intending too, but to me Gwynn came off as a southern belle.
As always reviews are greatly appreciated. If you have a request feel free to PM me and I'll do my best to do it.
Thanks for reading!