I am SO sorry for the wait, my friends! It has been a crazy few weeks of deadlines and dramatics, but here I am, back to spend some time with my favorite couple. I will provide a disclaimer at the top of this chapter and warn that things are going to get slightly lemony here. Please proceed with caution (it's not that bad, I promise, I just don't want you to be surprised).

Peeta POV

Style of the Day: "The Newsroom" hoodie, jeans, Vans

Song of the Moment: Salvation Song by The Avett Brothers

Our apartment is so typically college-kid; it's not even funny.

We pay a decent amount for rent each month because of its prime location, not that the place would reflect it. Our layout is three bedrooms, one bathroom, hole in the wall kitchen/dining room and cluttered living room. Finn and me shared a room since we'd been sharing since dorm life freshman year. It worked well in our favor since we get to pay considerably lower rent than our other two roommates, Marcus Thresh and Marvel Gallagher.

Thresh and me met through wrestling back in the day and Finn had Marvel were friends from State's Club Diving team.

Overall, it was a solid place to call home and a laid back group of guys to call brothers. The most decoration we have is the row of empty beer bottles saved on our windowsill and the discarded canvases that I just couldn't keep in the studio any longer.

"It's awfully quiet in the morning for a house full of guys," Katniss yawned and stretched her arms over her head.

The sight of her in my bed was reason enough to pinch myself. Her tanned stomach came into view as she raised her arms, showing off her outie belly button. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and snuggled herself deeper under the covers. I hadn't even realized that I was watching her sleep until she started stirring.

"Everyone is out this morning." I replied with a smirk.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" She frowned slightly, wrinkling the space between her eyes. I sat back against my headboard and smiled. "Oh cut it out, Mellark. You know those baby blues of yours freak me out sometimes." She nudged my good leg with her foot gently.

"I can't believe that I have you here like this." Her face quickly contorted into a frown before I elaborated. "No! Not like that! I just mean that I like it -I love it actually- I just never thought that you know, Katniss Everdeen would be in my bed."

Katniss rolled her eyes and threw her legs over the edge of the mattress, signaling that I'd successfully managed to ruin a perfectly good moment by saying too much. With Katniss, my words seemed to always be my downfall. "Good to know, Peeta."

She stood quickly, moving about the room collecting whatever she had managed to shed when we stumbled back to my place after the show last night. It hadn't been in the forecast, but when we stepped out into the night, we realized that the constant fuzzy sound we were hearing wasn't coming from our headphones- it was torrential autumnal downpour. We barely made it six feet from the station's front door before our clothes were soaked through to the bone. Since my place was the closest, we decided to make a mad dash there to wait out the storm.

I offered to toss our wet stuff in the dryer while we waited. I gave Katniss an old wrestling hoodie of mine that reached nearly to her knees along with some of Finn's basketball shorts to change into. And since Finn and Annie were off on a date, we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

We sat on my bed eating day old pastries from the bakery and watching HBO until she finally started nodding off. I shook her shoulder gently. "Katniss, I'm gonna go sleep on the couch, alright? You'll sleep better if you can really stretch out." As I tried to slip away, her small fingers wrapped around my forearm.

"No, it's your bed," she yawned, "I should be the one sleeping on the couch. I'm used to it, remember?" I thought about the image of Katniss spending every night of the past year sleeping on her pullout couch. I couldn't help but cringe on the inside. Yeah, I definitely understood the appeal of getting that rent knocked down a bit; but I still saw the ever-present telltale signs of exhaustion in her eyes. She'd let it slip that she had never made it through a full night sleeping there.

I would do whatever was best for her. And best was definitely not sleeping on Thresh's grandma's circa 1968 couch. "Seriously, it's no big deal. I'll take the sofa for a night." Without another word, she crawled under the comforter and turned down my side for me: a wordless invitation.

"It's just like summer camp, Mellark. I'm not gonna bite you."

So I joined her.

And while during the night we had come close to one another, even in her sleep, Katniss was careful not to let me too close. Careful not to accept any affection that she didn't have a chance to vet- to approve.

This morning, everything was back to normal. Not that I ever knew what that meant anyway. "Katniss, stop." She paused in the middle of clasping her necklace back around her neck. "Please don't leave. Why waste a beautiful morning in bed? And to be fair, you squirm an awful lot in your sleep, so I was awake anyways."

I wanted her to just crawl back under the covers with me and pretend like everything was totally normal. Like I hadn't spotted her outside of the studio less than 24 hours earlier, sobbing uncontrollably for a reason she refused to explain to me. Like even despite her promises to the contrary, she wasn't afraid of letting me in. Like we spent nights together like this all of the time.

She sighed. "I've really got go, Peeta. I have a huge BioChem exam on Monday and need to meet up with Annie to study. Also, I'm supposed to be heading over to the multimedia lab because I promised Ga-' She stopped herself midsentence and shook her head before continuing. 'I promised someone that I'd mixdown their demo a while ago."

She grabbed her now dry clothes off of the chair where I'd folded them last night and darted off to the bathroom to change. When she came back, her hair was braided in its typical style and my borrowed clothes were folded in her hands.

"And I have to get ready for our date tonight, right?" She smiled weakly, leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before turning and heading out the door. I called a goodbye after her, but she was already gone. I fell back onto my pillows with a loud huff. Things were changing between us, I knew that –I was infinitely grateful for that- but it felt like every time we moved forward, something was holding us back. And if last night was any indication, Katniss had a lot of personal stuff to work through before we could put a label on whatever this was.

The reality was, just because I had loved her since the moment I first saw her, things weren't going to just suddenly change.

I had drifted off moments after her breathing had evened out and her light, melodic hum of a snore filled the room. And knowing she had been so close to me while I slept, last night's sleep had been fitful at best.

Just like usual we were so close and yet she was a million miles away.

Katniss POV

Style of the Day: Black skinny jeans, "Save Darfur" t-shirt, red cardigan, chucks

Song of the Moment: Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood

I was shivering from the sudden storm that had swept over Panem. Peeta and I had run to his nearby apartment to escape the storm where I would just wait it out until my clothes were finished in the dryer and the rain had slowed. His roommates were gone for the night; something about Finnick going out with Annie and the other two guys hanging with their frat friends. Regardless, it was just the two of us, and I couldn't say that I was upset at that predicament.

I had changed into some of Peeta's clothes while I waited for my own. I was swimming in his hoodie yet felt oddly comforted by the warmth of it and the way his scent seemed permanently embedded into the thick fabric.

"Kat, you decent?" Peeta questioned before stepping into his bedroom. He'd left me alone to change minutes ago. In that time, he had also slipped into a pair of sweatpants and old St. Louis Cardinals bro tank. His hair was carelessly disheveled and his biceps were more defined than ever. His sweet smile as he crossed the room to toss his clothes into the hamper made me want to melt into a puddle.

I didn't know whether it was how warm his house was in comparison to the weather outside, or the simple fact that I was standing in his bedroom for the first time, but I felt some strange closeness to him in that moment. "So this is where you get all of your beauty rest, huh? It suits you."

I glanced around the room quickly. There were two beds, his own obviously and one for Finn. Peeta had adorned his side of the room with old school John Hughes film posters and (what I recognized from 7th grade art as) Salvador Dali prints. He had a couple ribbons and worn Polaroid photographs tacked up on a corkboard over his desk. I felt a pang of irrational jealously that I wasn't in any of them.

Peeta leaned against the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I don't know about 'beauty rest'" He laughed, "but when I'm not crashed on a couch in the studio, this would be my humble abode. And I'm sorry about the mess, by the way. If I knew you would be coming over I would have fixed the place up." He had no idea what messy was. I cringed at the thought of the discarded Taco Bell wrappers still littering my bed from yesterday.

"It's fine. You know what my place looks like. And besides," I walked towards him, placing my hands on his knees. "I'm glad I finally had an excuse to come over."

His eyes flickered something between amusement and intrigue at my sudden burst of confidence. "Oh yeah? Well," he placed his hands on my hips, pulling me towards him. "I would have done just about anything if I knew that I could get you in my clothes." I was situated between his legs, my arms draped around his neck. "You look much better in them than I do."

He leaned forward, placing delicate kisses along my jaw and behind my ear.

I released a sigh and whispered, "I'd probably look even better without them."

His movements ceased momentarily as he pulled back to look at me. His brow furrowed and placed one warm hand on my cheek. "Do you know what you're saying, Katniss Everdeen? It's not polite to show a man the kingdom and not actually give him the keys." I giggled and pressed my lips to his, attempting to silence any more questions on his part.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed. My knees hit the edge and I fell backwards, Peeta tumbling on top of me, his hands supporting his weight on either side of my face. He slid one of his hands to my waist, pushing up the hoodie and finding purpose on my ribcage. I couldn't help but shiver at his grip as he inched up, closer and closer to where I actually wanted him to be.

"Peeta…" He mumbled a reply against my neck as he continued to nibble at the spot that gave me pause every time he placed a kiss near my pulse point. "Peet, don't you want to hear me say it?"

He pulled back, his eyes hazy with what I could only assume was lust. "Say what, Kat?"

"You know… Say it." I replied cautiously. He shook his head vigorously and removed his hand from underneath my shirt.

"You don't have to. I already know how you feel, even if you're too afraid." He frowned down at me before pushing himself off of the bed. Once again, I'd spoiled everything with my inability to put my heart before my mind.

"And that's literally when I woke up." I sighed to Annie as she took a sip of her coffee. Since Peeta was off of work this morning, I knew The Bean Shop was a pretty good spot for the two of us to study and catch up on my lackluster love life. "I haven't ever had a dream like that. It was just… Everything felt so real. Like, I swear I woke up feeling so awkward about the whole thing that I was just looking for any excuse to run out of there."

I hadn't exactly lied to Peeta during my rapid getaway after all. Annie and I were studying. I just didn't have to meet her for another couple of hours.

Annie nodded her head and tapped her pen against the table, deep in thought. I had called her rather frantically on my way back to my own apartment this morning, begging her to push up our scheduled study date. She was still in bed (with Finnick, if that unbearable snoring on her end was any indication) when I called, but still made haste to meet me. She was such a kind soul it nearly killed me.

"Oh Katniss, I actually think this is great."

I laughed. "Really, Annie? How so? I pretty much had a sex dream about Peeta Mellark!" My raised voice caused the elderly couple sipping their chai teas to look over in dismay. I nodded a silent apology in their direction and cringed into my drink. I just couldn't stop slipping up today.

"And besides, the guy probably thinks I hate him after the way I ran out on him. Not to mention, he couldn't possibly know which way is up with the way I've been pulling his strings."

"Don't worry yourself, dear, I hardly think that counts as," she lowered her voice with a wink, "a sex dream." Annie reached across the table and held my hand in her own. Her manicured fingers curling around my terribly gnarling nail beds. "Katniss, if I share something with you will you promise not to tell Peeta?"

"Of course, A."

"I don't know if Peeta has shared this with you yet, but Finnick explained everything to me last night before… Well, before what doesn't really matter, but I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Peeta is in love with you, Katniss. And the thing is, I know that dealing explicitly with your emotions isn't something you're particularly fond of or great at. But if there has ever been a time for you to shake that off- it's right now. He's not the type of guy who is going to run away when things get tough."

She was right of course. Annie was usually right. And yet I still wasn't able to place where my reluctance was coming from. Why was I so hell-bent on messing things up with him?

The only thing I could think of was Gale.

It seemed to me that as long as I was with Peeta, the two of us just couldn't be friends. It was unfair on his part but maybe it was selfish of me as well. I had been completely oblivious to his feelings for probably years now. He had been my best friend; I'd leaned on him for everything, told him everything- had basically used him without giving anything in return. It had barely been 24 hours and I already felt the empty space in my heart that he used to fill.

I didn't tell Annie any of that. Instead, I allowed myself only the quickest moment of self-loathing before bouncing back into the task at hand.

"Honestly, I don't know if I'm capable of all that, Annie."

She leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her green tea.

"Do you want to be with Peeta?"

I furrowed my brow. "Yeah, of course I do."

She shrugged and set down her mug.

"Seems to me that don't have much of a choice than to get capable then."

Peeta POV

Style of the Day: Rented tuxedo, Finn's dress shoes.

Song of the Moment: Strong by London Grammar

This was the event of the year for young artists.

Young people that considered themselves visual artists -not only at this university or in this state- every one in our entire region would be in attendance. And although most of us couldn't afford the grandeur of the evening, we all somehow managed enough funds to show up and pretend to look classy. As far as I was concerned, we could all show up in our paint-splattered sweats and nobody would notice. No, tonight was about the art.

The Heavensebee Fellowship was hands-down the most coveted award that a young artist could receive. I guaranteed you the opportunity to study with all of the modern masters of the trade; spend a semester traipsing around Europe painting. One painting was submitted per artist (the names were always omitted), to be judged anonymously at the event. The whole concept sounded absolutely surreal.

Too bad I hadn't entered.

Since it only came around once every two years, I knew that my one and only chance at this dream come true had already passed. I mean, when they only accept 12 people from across the entire nation, the likelihood of a lovesick, ex-wrestling, scholarship kid and part-time baker getting a bid was slim to none. Not to mention, I hadn't been in the studio working much lately. I'd been sort of… distracted.

I had borrowed both Finnick's shoes and his car for the evening. I wanted to at least be able to drive my date and I to such an upscale event. It was being held at a swanky gallery downtown Capital, the city that Panem rested on the outskirts of. Although there were plenty of other, much more art-centric, towns to choose from, Capital was always the host. In great part because of Haymitch, I presumed.

Although these days he spent his days with a bottle of Jack, yelling at college kids, Haymitch had at one point been the most revered architectural conceptualist in the industry. The man's work had been referenced in textbooks, for goodness sake. And he always, always produced a victor for the fellowship.

And this year, I know he'd been banking on me and I'd let him down.

"Peeta, you've hardly said a word since we left my apartment. Are you feeling alright?" Katniss' voice was dripping with genuine concern. I looked over at her in the passenger seat and was met with worried grey eyes. Her small hand found mine on the gearshift and intertwined our fingers.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just feeling a little nervous about tonight."

I turned back to focus on the road, we were getting closer to the city, but felt her eyes still on me. "I thought you weren't in the running tonight? What do you have to be nervous about?" She asked carefully.

"A lot of it isn't being nervous for me, per say, but this whole event gives me jitters. It's legendary. A lot of powerful people are going to be there looking for the 'next generation of great artists!' I added with a flourish, 'It feels weird to be going as a spectator. And I feel bad for Haymitch. The man taught me everything I know and he's not even going to have a student enter this year. I just, I don't know, I'm just nervous."

We pulled up to a stoplight and Katniss gently turned my face towards her own to plant a soft kiss on my lips. "Peeta Mellark, it doesn't matter what you do or don't do, you're going to be among the next generation of great artists." She leaned back in her seat just as the light changed again. "I'm sure of it, even though I've never seen your work."

I thought of Haymitch's office full of Katniss paintings and instantly cringed. I knew that she wasn't comfortable seeing her the way that I saw her; beautiful and vulnerable. It was one of the things that trouble and intrigued me the most about Katniss; she needed full control over her image at all times. She would probably never be okay with the idea of being painted. And since that had been the majority of what I'd done lately, I had made sure to keep her away from the studio until she would be.

"Um yeah, I'm alright, I guess." I shrugged and pulled into the parking lot of the gallery. The place was gorgeous- even though I'd been there for a class assignment once before, it had been completely overdone for this evening.

"Oh my God, Peeta. Why didn't you tell me we were going to the damn Academy Awards!" Katniss shrieked as I cut the engine. I wish I could say that she was exaggerating. Aside from the stream of black sedans pulling up in front of the doors, there was literally a red carpet where people were stopping to get their photos taken. I was pretty sure I could see George Clooney stepping out of the Audi nearest where we stood.

"I swear to you, I had no idea it was going to be this big. Black tie, sure, but this?" I supposed Haymitch had really underplayed the scope of this event. It was more than just young artists and their mentors, it generated actual celebrity buzz. I ran my hand through my hair nervously and hopped out of the car to open Katniss' door. She stepped out, her stiletto hitting the pavement first.

"I'm not prepared for this sort of thing! My I look dreadful and I don't know anything about art, Mellark! What am I going to do tonight? This is so bad." I took her arm and linked it through mine. I made no mistake about raking my eyes over her body, examining what she had deemed 'dreadful'. It couldn't have been further from the truth.

Her hair was twisted into this elaborate braided style with curls falling into and framing her face. And Annie had spilled when she came over to visit Finn earlier that Katniss was going to be borrowing one of her designer favorites for the evening. It was Hervé Léger, which by the way Annie described it, meant it was a big deal.

All I knew is that is was black and hugged Katniss in all of the right places. And for the first time since knowing her, she was wearing these tall, badass strappy sandal-things on her feet. She looked fantastic, and I could guarantee that nobody in this building would look better than her tonight.

We were dangerously close to stepping onto the carpet. The flashbulbs were popping and the sound of different photographers asking people to change their angle or pose a certain way, nearly drowned out the sound of her next question. There was only one way into the building, so it looked like we were going to have to face the firing squad just to get inside.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" She let a small smile and laugh escape and a blush crept up her cheeks before she could control it. I wanted to take her face in my hands right then and kiss her. God, she was beautiful when she let herself just be.

Her hand was trembling slight as I linked my fingers with hers and gently led her onto the carpet.

I shot her one last smile.

"I just can't believe that I have you here like this."

Yay! Another installment complete! Please leave reviews and tell me what you thought (or what you think is running through Katniss' mind right about now). As always, I crave your opinions! Also, for those of you into actually seeing what Katniss is wearing tonight, it is an Hervé Léger mesh-trimmed bandage dress with Gianvito Rossi cutout suede sandals (Google it to get a clear picture). TOO CUTE.