Chapter Nine

A/N: WEEE! I am really pumped to write this chapter... I don't know why but YAY!

YOU SHOULD FEEL HONORED TO READ THIS CHAPTER THAT WAS SO INTRICATELY WRITTEN BY THE BEST HUNGER GAME'S FANFICTION AUTHOR OUT THERE!

Just kidding... I'm FAR from the best author. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own the spectacular, suspenseful, page turner known as Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games.

"I simply don't care, Peeta," I repeated slowly. Peeta and I had returned to our room after the little mishap at dinner. As soon as I entered the room, I began shouting profanity about the Capitol into nothingness.

"Stop, Katniss!" He yelled, putting his hand on my shoulder. Not quite ready to stop my verbal rampage, I shrugged him off.

"I hate them. I hope they all rot in hell," I spat. "Especially the dictator of a president we have. I hope he gets the worst."

"Katniss, they can he-"

"I know perfectly well they can hear me. They have there little spy cameras in every room. But I don't care!" I clarified. "Think about it. Like it or not, I'm probably not coming out of the Games. They aren't going to kill a tribute either, Peeta. They'll just make it hell for me in the arena, make sure I die. I bet their watching me right now, steam spewing out of their ears. But they aren't going to do a thing."

He absorbed my words slowly, processing every little syllable to decifer my meaning. I thought I had made my point clear.

"You have terrible logic. It's true, but terrible."

I knew he understood what I meant and he may have even been on my side in all of this.

"You understand?"

He nodded. "I wish you wouldn't, though. You're death isn't sealed yet."

I laughed. "I really don't care."

He grinned. "I know. Katniss Everdeen, I've been watching you for eleven years. I know almost everything that crosses that pretty little brain of yours."

I smiled. He had no idea. "If they're going to force me to go in there and kill, I might as well have fun while I can."

He pulled me into his arms and his scent enveloped me. Flour, bread, and icing. My favorite smell. "You are such a spitfire."

"You enjoy every minute of it."

He looked down at me, his blue eyes boring into mine. "You bet."

Nobody was in the kitchen. It was nice and secluded, the perfect spot for Peeta and I to have the Toasting.

"You sure no one's watching?" He asked in a whisper. I chuckled.

"What? You don't want anyone to know we're getting married?"

"No!" He shouted immediately, alarmed that I could ever think such a thig, no doubt. "It's just that we're doing something against the Capitol... I don't want you to end up in trouble."

I rolled my eyes. "Really? You think I'm afraid of them?"

"No," he answered almost as quickly as he had last time. "Not at all," he laughed. "But I'm afraid of what they'll do to you."

"Whatever," I said with yet another eye roll. "Where would they keep the bread at...?"

"Get down!" He whisper-yelled. I was about to do so but Peeta pulled me to the ground before I could move.

'Peacekeepers,' he mouthed. I nodded curtly.

We were hidden behind the safety of the counter. I hoped and prayed the Peacekeepers would walk away, letting us go by unnoticed. Not for my sake, but Peeta's.

Footsteps got louder and louder... then quieter, quieter, until they were merely echoed down the hall.

"They're gone," I alerted Peeta.

"I know." He pulled me off the ground, then stared me in the eye. "We could do this another time, Katniss. We almost got caught."

"I'm not letting them ruin this, too," I promised. "This was the one thing in my life that was my decision. And I'm going through with it. No matter what."

He looked me up and down, then smiled. "Okay."

I smiled, then turned back to digging through the cabinets for a loaf of bread. After a couple minutes, my hand finally felt something soft and crusty.

"Got it!" I shouted through my whisper. Peeta ceased his looking and got down from his stool.

"Now," he said. "Where can we start a fire?"

I pointed to the high-tech, electronic stove. "Right there."

"One problem," he turned to me. "Do either of us know how to work it?"

I huffed. "You're the baker!" I burst in a strained voice. "You do it!"

"You think my family could afford something like this?" He said. I sighed. Didn't think about that.

"Well," I began. "We'll get it working."

One and a half hours later and my statement was still a lie.

"Maybe you have to turn the knob and then push the button." Peeta suggested. I groaned.

"Why don't we just burn the table? It's not like they can't afford another one."

He sat there quietly- not at all what I was expecting. I expected a "Katniss!" or a "No," but all I got was a "I'm seriously considering it."

I sat there motionless, suddenly getting lost in thought. Was the universe against Peeta and I getting married?

A sizzling sound broke my reverie and I jumped back instinctively. "What...?"

"I have no idea," Peeta said. "But I made fire."

Bursting with joy at finally being able to have the Toasting with Peeta, I picked up the bread. "Ready?"

He smiled at me gently, that same look of admiration and joyfulness. "As I'll ever be."

(Sorry for not writing out the Toasting. My mind is aready jumbled as it is. Trying to finsh it out would only jumble my brain further. :) Sorry.)

And that night, in that hour, Peeta and I became one.

"How does it feel to be married, Mrs. Mellark?"

"Wonderful." I burst through the door to his room.

"One more question," he said. "Do we tell Haymitch and Effie?"

I shrugged. "I don't care if the world knows I have the most amazing husband and married him in indirect violation of the Capitol's wishes."

He laughed. "Thought so."

I yawned. "It's three in the morning."

"I know," Peeta yawned along with me. "You can just sleep here if you want."

I smile and lay down on the bed beside Peeta, not bothering with pajamas. Then, I remembered something I had wanted to know since we got on the train. "Was that the only reason you did it?"

"Hmm?"

I realized I was being vague and decided to clarify. "Was saving me the only reason you volunteered?"

"It was the main one," he answered. "But it also meant I got to save Gale's younger brother." He shrugged. "I saw it as a win-win situation at the time. I still do, actually."

"You can't be this caring in the arena," I said. "An attitude like that will get you killed."

"I know," he sighed. "But I can't help being myself."

"Neither can I."

And that night Peeta and I, husband and wife, went to sleep, completely oblivious to the cruel world around us.

(Haha, I was SOOOO gonna cut it off here, but decided it would be wayyyyy too short, so I'm gonna continue... I'm so nice :))

"What?" Effie burst.

"We're married," Peeta clarified again. "We-"

"When did this happen?" Haymitch interrupted. I stifled a growl.

"If you would shut up and let him talk, you would know!" I shouted. I didn't mean to let my anger get the best of me but, like Peeta said last night, I can't help being myself.

"Please do continue, Peeta," Effie said after a moment of silence.

"I... purposed on Tuesday and we got married last night. And we don't really care what you have to say. We only told you out of obligation since you are our mentor and... whatever you are, Effie." He added a gracious smile which, had the roles been reversed, I wouldn't have been able to muster.

"This makes the story even better!" Effie bounced across the room, joyfully clapping her hands ike a toddler on Christmas morning. "Not only are you star-crossed lovers, but you're married too! The only thing that could make this better is a child!"

I got up and left the room at her words. I could barely hear Peeta scolding Effie for what she had done over her own words repeating in my head. The only thing that could make this better is a child.

A/N: CUE DRAMATIC MUSIC! Haha. :)

Sooo I've been getting reviews about me "trashing" myself. So, today, I will not say how terribly crappyt this chapter was and how awful of an author I am for not updating sooner. I will not say it.

And I have a question: If a taco is stuffed with hamburger meat and everything else you put on a burger, should it be called a taco burger or a burger taco? I, for one, say burger taco but the stupid restaurant says taco burger! GRR!

The duck walked up to the lemonade stand and he said to the man running the stand, "Hey!" (ba bum bum) "Got any grapes?"

Sorry... it's been stuck in my head.

Love,

Kristen XOXO