A/N: I wanted to get this one out tonight as I've been thinking about this part of the plot for days. It's not terribly long, but I hope you like it.
I want to say thank you for all reviews! Thanks to the two guests who took the time to comment as well, it really means a lot to me and gives me the motivation to get these chapters out so quickly.
As usual, characters and awesomeness belongs to Suzanne Collins.
PEETA'S POV
Throughout the entire movie I keep stealing glances of Katniss. I can't believe we just slept together, and that it was the best sex of my life. I had never had something so intense, I just wish I could have lasted a little longer, but once I saw her perky breasts I knew I was a goner. Everything I've ever wanted in a girlfriend is currently nestled against my side and yet she still feels unattainable. I know she wants me…all of me, but I feel like I can't reciprocate until I can give myself to her 100% and this fucking case is preventing that. I know hindsight is 20/20 but what I wouldn't give to go back in time and tell that client to fuck off. But how else would I have met Katniss? It's not like I would have run into her at The Capital, but I could've seen her at my bakery eventually. I feel like screaming on the inside, if I had just come in once in a while on Friday's I would have seen her and we would have eventually fallen in love…I'm sure of it. But would I have been as patient at trying to crack her shell if I didn't have the incentive of money hanging over my head? I'd like to think I would have stuck around, but I can never know for sure now.
My fingers run through her hair languidly and she sighs into my touch. She's starting to breath more shallow and I peek at her again, she's fast asleep. I juggle her in my arms and steadily walk to her room. She redressed into that tank top and sweats I love so much, so I decide that should be acceptable sleeping clothes. I glance from the bed to her door, I wonder if she'd mind if I stayed the night? I really want to, with every fiber of my being-so I take off my shirt and pants and crawl in with only my boxers. As soon as I'm tucked in, she automatically snuggles against me, murmuring something in her sleep. It's just getting dark outside, various shadows are cast on her walls and I hear an owl hooting somewhere in the distance. It's all so perfect, but I can't help but feel the twinge of betrayal that's constantly stitched into every moment I have with her. Especially now that we've had sex, I have to tell her about the case, about how I came to enter her life.
I spend the next hour or so devising a plan of how to get myself out of the mess I created. First, I would tell Finnick that I was off the case. Considering how close he and Annie have become, he has to understand and respect my decision to leave based on my overwhelming feelings for Katniss. Once I was officially freed from this burden I would go to Katniss and beg for forgiveness. I can fully express how much I care for her and all along I've only ever wanted her. If everything she's told me earlier today is true, hopefully she will see why I initially accepted the job and take it as face value. As I heard each tick of her clock, I felt more confident in my decision to walk away from the money and into her arms. My lids began to droop and I slowly drifted off to sleep.
"H-huh?" I bolted upright and looked at the screen on my phone, 3:42am. "Ahhh" I felt a surge of blood rush to my dick and something moving down there. Through my hazy-half asleep eyes I groggily made out Katniss laying on my side with one arm across my stomach and the other on my thigh while her mouth bobbed up and down on my cock. "Uh, not that I'm complaining, but why are you doing this at almost four in the morning?"
She slid her mouth off with a 'pop' and smiled at me, "I realized I didn't return the favor last night, and since I got to bed so early, I was wide awake and thought now was a good time." Her enthusiasm made me chuckle until she went down on my again. She started by putting her entire mouth over my rock hard member and dragging herself slowly down while wrapping her little hand around the base. I inhaled sharply, while my hips eased up and down on their own accord. Once she had sucked a few times she took me in both her hands and licked on and around my tip like it was a popsicle and this was the hottest day of the year. I started to buck a little harder and groan with delight, she pumped up and down faster but always kept my head in her mouth. When she started moaning while I was in her mouth, I felt the familiar tug in my balls and my stomach muscles clench.
"Katniss, I'm gonna come." I attempted to pull myself back but she clamped her mouth around me with an impressive suction lock. I started to panic, it was going to happen and she wasn't moving…unless, no, did she want me to…just the thought pushed me over the edge and I came in her mouth. I saw her neck muscles contract as my seed dripped down her throat. No one had ever done that for me before, my jaw was lax in amazement, while I watch her tongue dart of her mouth and lick up some remnants on her lip. "Holy shit, that was the sexiest thing I've ever witnessed." She beamed with pride. "You are like, everyone's dream girlfriend." Then, just like that, her toothy smile faded and she crawled back under the sheets, turning herself so only her back was visible. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth.
"Hey, that was the best wake up I've ever had. You're amazing Katniss." My hand grazed her arm gently and she shifted so she was on her back but she would only look at the ceiling.
"I'm amazing, but not good enough to be your girlfriend." I cringed, I wanted to be her boyfriend more than anything, to know that we belonged to only each other. But I couldn't do that, not yet. I couldn't think of anything to say so I feigned ignorance.
"Is that what you want? To be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, I thought I made that obvious. I've never had to ask someone before, god this is embarrassing." I could see in the dark, her hand swipe across her face. "Just forget it, I'm not going to beg someone to be with me. Maybe you should leave." I could feel her retreating from me, her voice and actions all indicated she would close down on me so I panicked.
"No, I want to be your boyfriend. That's all I want, it's just, I feel like you deserve more." I could feel the air from her head swinging instantly towards me.
"You deserve more than me? Seriously? I'm grumpy and closed off. You're like…fucking sunshine or something. I don't know what it is Peeta, but I've never trusted someone like you-even Gale could never get to my heart." Her head swung down and she nervously played with her hands.
When all I've ever wanted was to make her happy, I was doing the opposite by constantly giving her excuses why we couldn't be together. I couldn't stand it, I sucked in a big breath and exhaled slowly.
"You're all I ever wanted Katniss. I know in my heart that I never want to hurt you…it would be my honor to be your boyfriend." She threw herself at my in one swift motion and I fell back on the pillow. We laughed as we peppered kisses over each other's faces. Katniss pulled back a little, the biggest grin I've ever seen on her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to assault you, it's just, this feels so right…you know? It seems my whole life I've questioned everything, got the shit end of everything and then you happened. It's crazy, I guess, to feel this way especially since, we just made things 'official'." She does the air quotes and lays next to me.
"No, I know, I feel the exact way." Although I still feel like an asshole because I'm not broken from the case yet, it's just a matter of time before I'm free but until that time, I can still tell her exactly how I feel. "I told you about how I was saving for the bakery right?" She nods her head yes. "I was so focused on that, that everything else just kept passing me by. Any relationship I even attempted ended up failing because it didn't seem as important as my ultimate goal. I guess I get that from my mom-the business driven attitude." I shudder as Katniss stares at me intently. Even in the dark I can see her eyes twinkle.
"You never really talk about your mom, I mean, you've told me before she passed away from an illness, but you've never mentioned anything about her." She's rubbing my chest and stomach in one big circle motion. I really don't like to talk about my mother that much, but she's opened up to me about so many important parts of her life, I guess it's my turn.
"Well, my mom and I didn't get along that great. My dad met her when she started working at the bakery back when my grandpa owned it. Back when my grandpa was alive he used to always tell me that my mother was the best worker he ever had, and I never doubted him. She was so focused on that place, it was as if one day she decided that she wanted to own a bakery so she sunk her claws into my dad-got pregnant with my older brother-they got married and after my grandfather passed away they became the owners of Mellark Bakery." I know I was making it sound so concise, like it was just the way of things, but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. "As much as my mom wanted to control something, that's how much my father wanted kids, so my mother gave him what he wanted if she got what she wanted. He let her run everything that had to do with the bakery and our household and she gave him three sons. I know it's sounds sort of clinical, but it was almost like a business transaction to her. We were her employees and she was the boss. When most mom's where at their kid's baseball games decked out in team paraphernalia, she was at the shop or in her office at home finding ways to get a bigger bottom line. It was always my dad who went to everything, supported everything-he was my parent, my mom was just another warm body in the house."
"God Peeta, that sounds terrible. I know what it's like though, to have a mom who is invisible. Once my dad died, my mom disappeared, not literally, but in the shadows of our home. I tried to be mad at her, I really did, but I don't think she did it on purpose-it just broke her…she was broken. But to have a mom who is aware of you but chooses not to be involved? That almost seems worse." Katniss is shaking her head in dismay as she holds me tightly.
"It wasn't so bad really, I mean we stayed out of her way, she stayed out of ours and my dad is so great that it kinda made up for it. You'd love him Katniss, he's like a big 'ol teddy bear." I can feel her smile against my chest. "Maybe you can go meet him next weekend? I've already told him so much about you and you'd love his place. It's only about thirty minutes North and his backyard is practically woods as well. When my mom died he retired and bought his dream home."
"I'd really like that Peeta. And maybe you could meet Prim? She's coming to stay for the summer so you'll probably be seeing a lot of her."
"I like the sound of that." As I drifted back asleep I let other future plans play out in my dreams.
Sunday morning after breakfast with Katniss, I kissed her good-bye and made my way to Finnick's house…it was time to end this. When he came to the door, he was wearing a tattered bath robe he didn't bother belting and clutching a steaming cup of coffee. His hair was sticking up to one side and his eyebrows were arched in amusement.
"Someone got fucked last night." He said simply then walked inside leaving me in his doorframe, mouth agape.
"How did you…how could you?" Shit, was I that obvious? I heard him laugh maniacally as he plopped in his recliner.
"Are you kidding man? It's written all over your face. You got it good too, I can tell by the way your eyes are all glazed."
"Fuck, really?!" I started rubbing my eyes frantically then I heard another burst of laughter.
"Nah man, Annie texted me last night, said she heard you guys. It was pretty amusing." I punched Finnick in the arm as I rested on his beaten old couch. "What were you thinking? She's your target Peet, you are playing her to get information. Don't you think that's a little…I don't know…unethical?" He's chuckling to himself but it makes me feel pathetic. He's right.
"I don't know Finn, I fucked up, I'll admit that, but I couldn't help it. I like her so damn much, I think about her all the time…I'm at the point where this case can go fuck itself-no money is worth my shot at Katniss." I'm rubbing the heels of my palm into my eye sockets until I see spots.
"I get it man, I have it bad for Annie too. Don't you think I've thought about how badly she'd react if she found out I was a private detective helping my buddy get info on her best friend? She'd drop me like a bad habit. Are you sure you want to give up? Now?" I shake my head yes, I'm positive this is what I want. "Ok, well you can tell the client that yourself. He's coming into the office tomorrow morning." My head shoots up.
"Are you kidding me? He's coming tomorrow?" I'm in disbelief, now that I'll see him face-to-face it makes this predicament much more real.
"Yup. Got an email from him last night. He'll be coming in tomorrow to gather the information you've collected. I don't know what he plans on doing with it, but maybe you should hear him out? See what he wants first before deciding on quitting? Maybe he simply just wants to know about her and that's it. She'll never know you told her life story and you'll get your happy ever after with Katniss and your newly renovated bakery."
He's got a point, maybe I could have my cake and eat it too. I decided one more day wouldn't be so bad. I head home shortly after Finnick and I discuss how we'll approach the meeting with the client tomorrow. I decide I shouldn't see Katniss until after I meet with him, there's to much temptation when I'm around her. I opt for texting her through-out Sunday, saying I have laundry and errands to run. What's one more lie?
I toss and turn all night with nervous energy about tomorrow's meeting. I'll finally know who this guy is and then this whole thing will be over. I'm up before my alarm goes off and decide I might as well get ready for the day ahead.
I get to Finnick's office even before he does. I pace outside his door until he strolls up with his keys already out. "How long have you been out here buddy?"
"Only like…an hour or something, no big deal. Lets get inside! I'm ready to go!" I realize I'm skipping back and forth in front of the door as he turns the key.
"How much coffee have you had?" He looks at me skeptically.
"Two or Five. Not important." I'm rubbing my hands together like a mad man. I so badly want this to be over with so I can be with Katniss. Well maybe a nap first, then it's all about Katniss.
As the door opens I jolt inside and start my pacing in front of the window. Finnick sets his things down on his desk and starts his computer. "Can you settle the fuck down please? You're making me anxious." I sit down in an empty chair but my leg starts thumping rapidly. "For fuck sucks Peet, get a hold of yourself." Finnick shakes his head as he clicks through his emails. "Ok he'll be here in a few minutes, take a deep breath and act like your a goddamn professional please?" I nod my head and start some breathing exercises. It feels like years had past before I heard a light knock at the door. My head swings in the direction to get my first glimpse of him.
Finnick opens the door and there he is. He seems a tad shorter than me but more stalky. He seems to have a strong build but a rounded belly that clings to his shirt in an unforgiving way. It's hard to tell his facial features because he's still wearing sunglasses, but his hat is gone this time. His hair is short, almost like a military cut but I can see traces of white hair peppered through out his dark tresses. It's not until he removes his sunglasses that I can see them…familiar gray eyes that I've stared at countless times.
"Hello boys, I'd like to formally introduce myself," his voice is deep and rough, "my name is Landon…Landon Everdeen, I'm Katniss and Prim's father."
