Travel day and I couldn't be more excited. Effie had gone shopping before she arrived in Twelve for me and Johanna. She probably wasn't trusting of my fashion choices but the dresses were pretty and fine. Johanna donned her usual flannel and leggings combo to travel in. Peeta in his usual v neck t-shirt and sweat pants as well. I think this is the first vacation I've ever been on. In fact the first time I had traveled outside of Twelve was my first stint as a tribute. We file onto the train and we sit in the common area. I curl up beside Peeta and close my eyes. We must have all fallen asleep because when I open my eyes Johanna, Peeta and I are all jumbled in a heap on top of each other. Haymitch with his mouth wide open head flopped back like a newborn baby.
"We're here!" Effie cries.
We disembark the train and file into waiting cars. The sun is still peaking out behind the horizon and palm trees sway in the breeze. Canals criss-cross the streets like avenues, and fishermen can be seen unloading their days haul. The buildings are square and moss hangs from the trees. It's warm and muggy. Johanna has slipped on a pair of oversized sunglasses and removed her flannel wearing just a tank top, braless as per usual. When we arrive at the resort I'm in awe. The hotel is not a high rise rather, a series of waterfront cottages. A restaurant sits in the middle of the compound, and boats sit upon the docks like a parking lot. A fire pits sit behind each cottage and as the sun sets the insects begin singing, similar to the sounds of Twelve. We split off into our cottages Peeta and I are sharing one to ourselves while Haymitch, Effie, and Johanna occupy the neighboring cottage. We unload our bags from our arms, Peeta's curls become tighter in the soupy air. Our bedroom is tidy with white walls and two doors leading to a porch outside with the backyard and firepit. We look through the small kitchen. The resort is not at all gaudy, it's quite quaint actually. We find supplies for making S'mores.
"Wanna get the others?" Peeta asks
"Yes" He moves in close to me and wraps his arms around my waist. His eyes are searching for something, he appears to be thinking very hard.
"You okay?" I ask
"I just love you too damn much" He says and breaks our embrace.
Hand in hand we stroll to the adjacent cottage and knock on the door. Johanna has slipped on a pair of shorts, Haymitch is in shorts, while Effie has removed her wig, her natural blonde hair in a top knot, she's wearing a beautiful flowing sundress her tan skin glowing. She looks like she belongs in Four.
"These are the amenities!" She spits out "Where is the caviar?"
This is a bit quaint for her Capitol pedigree. Peeta flashes chocolate and marshmallows.
"S'mores?"
"What?" She honks
"Darling, you're in for a treat." Haymitch says slapping her on the ass.
"I'll start the fire" Johanna says hopping the porch railing and trotting toward the fire pit. Peeta and I gather sticks for roasting marshmallows while Haymitch attempts to calm a distraught Effie. Johanna has a fire roaring and is sitting in a wicker rocking chair smoking a cigarette waiting for us. Effie sits looking like a pouting child. We pass around sticks and marshmallows.
"Look darling you skewer the marshmallow and roast it on the fire." Haymitch demonstrates he blows his marshmallow out. "Then you put it on a graham cracker and put a piece of chocolate. These were very special in Twelve since we rarely had chocolate. I know you love chocolate."
Effie perks up a bit.
"Messy isn't it?" She giggles and gingerly skewers a marshmallow. She sticks it into the fire and squeals when it catches fire. She spreads the marshmallow on the cracker with chocolate and bites into the gooey goodness. She smiles. "Quite lovely. It's delicious!"
Johanna sits back in her chair.
"Back in Seven camping was our version of vacationing. However, camping usually was the perks of going out to chop lumber. It would get really cold during the winter and eating S'mores by the fire was something special. We saved up for chocolate all year. We we're as destitute as you were in Twelve, but we didn't have the pleasures of the Capitol either."
I had never heard Johanna talk about her upbringing in Seven. I was glad she was happy.
"My father used to take me camping" I said "Sometimes we only had marshmallows, but we always had game to roast on the fire. This reminds me of my dad. I think Peeta was the only one of us in Twelve who had access to chocolate consistently."
"Yea, we would make fondue with leftovers my brothers and I." He says "My dad would sneak us the chocolate, it would be fun because we had to hide it from my mom."
"I would steal it. From the Hob. My friends and I would sneak out into the woods and smoke our stolen tobacco and eat our stolen treats. To us that was the life." Haymitch adds.
Now I'm shocked Haymitch never talks about his younger days.
"One of those friends was your dad Katniss" He winks when he says that.
I could see my father being a bit of a rebel in his day. The Games ruined that for Haymitch.
"My…" Says Effie she seems a bit trepidatious. "I never wanted for anything. Chocolate has always been my favorite. My daddy imported it. Chocolate of all kinds was at my finger tips."
We all sit back and look at the sky. We continue to rib Effie about her privileged upbringing. We lay it on thicker that she is actually enjoying the company and traditions of us lowlifes from the districts. Eventually we retire back to our cottages. Peeta removes his clothes and draws a bath. I follow him, he lifts my shirt above my head and hugs my bare frame. He's still pensive.
"What is it Peeta?"
He reaches into the pocket of his pants laying on the floor and pulls out a small woven gold ring.
"Johanna gave it to me to give to you when the time is right." He says eyes down cast. "I want so badly for the time to be right." He plants kisses on my bare abdomen. I stare at the ring. "Mags gave it to her before the Quell to give to someone special." The ring is intricate tiny diamond chips adorn the ring all the way around. It is beautiful like Peeta. It just hasn't been that long since all the violence ended. We're still learning to be human again.
"I have an idea." I remove the pearl necklace from around my neck and take the ring from Peeta's hand slipping the chain through the ring. I re clasp the necklace.
He looks up and smiles.
"Please Katniss. Just tell me the words. You will marry me."
"In due time Peeta, I will marry you." Then I add to break the tension. "If you play your cards right."
He laughs and splashes me. Then kisses me passionately. Before there is time to think we are in the tub grinding both of us moaning and coming. We wash one another and slip naked into bed. I wake to Peeta stroking me.
"You never quit do you?"
"Never, ever" He whispers
I reach down my hand and take his erection and stroke it we look into each others eyes.
"Let's not have sex, let's use our hands" I say.
"Okay" He says. And we look into each others eyes panting as I stroke him head to shaft him directing my pace. His fingers pump inside me, stroking my clit with his thumb. He lets out a cry as he comes and my loins grip around his fingers.
"Do it. Scream. Say my name." and I do I wrap my arms around his neck as I come arching my back.
"Fuck it" He says entering me he has recovered from his ejaculation and he grabs the headboard of the bed as I wrap my legs around him. My hips meet his as he thrusts and we fuck until we both come again. And then we crumple into a heap falling asleep again.
Effie wakes us knocking on the door which separates the bedroom and porch. We are naked.
"These people have no sense of privacy do they!" I wail.
Peeta wraps a blanket around himself. "Yes"
"Breakfast in fifteen!" Even on vacation Effie must direct keeping us all on schedule. Peeta slips on a pair of boardshorts and a tank top. He picked a pretty bikini for me. It's floral with boy short bottoms and a bandeau top which knots in the middle. I slip a shift on over it. Everyone is sitting at a table by the shore when we arrive. Johanna has one leg propped up over the arm of her chair. She's wearing her bikini top and wide legged sweat pants. Her brown hair askew and flattering at the same time. Effie au natural. Blonde hair tied in a top knot, her face makeupless. She was wearing a pink sundress and looked beautiful.
"Effie, you look amazing"
"You district urchins are rubbing off on me."
I don't think I've ever heard her make a joke.
"Who says we hang out at the beach after breakfast?"
We all nodded in agreement. It was only nine o'clock but it was already scorching. We ate our breakfast of shrimp and grits, orange juice, fresh fruit and coffee. We walked down the boardwalk to the beach Effie's head on Haymitch's shoulder. We stripped off our clothes to our bathing suits. Johanna in a hunter green bikini the boyshorts were cut high in the back revealing her buttocks. Effie in a pink thong, Johanna quickly removed her top. We swam about in the waves, fish swimming around our feet. After our dip we layed in the sand sunning ourselves.
"Is this the Mockingjay party?"
"Yes."
"It's time for the boat tour."
We jumped up, Johanna winking at the resort attendant. We filed onto the boat which took us out to sea.
"Who wants to go fishing?"
Peeta and Haymitch raised their hands. Johanna and I chose the snorkel, Effie sunned herself. We dived off the boat swimming amongst the colorful fish, curious dolphins circle the boat. We swim until we're exhausted. Haymitch and Peeta we're incredibly successful with their fishing.
"We're going after a Marlin!" Haymitch exclaimed taking a swig of beer. He then chased Effie with a bait fish. I laid out on a chair beside her. Johanna chatted up the deckhand, she winked at me and they soon disappeared below deck.
"Holyshit!" Peeta screamed
"OH! Goddamn!" Haymitch shrieked.
The fishing instructor ran over to their side of the boat.
"Somebody grab a net goldie here nabbed himself a marlin!"
"Shit!" I jumped up and grabbed a net. Peeta strained despite his strength and reeled in the biggest fish I've ever seen.
"Dinner tonight!" Haymitch exclaimed "Come here baby!" He motioned to Effie who had lost her top as well.
About five minutes later Johanna and the deckhand emerged from below deck.
"What'd I miss?" she asks
"Peeta caught a marlin!" Haymitch says to her "What were you doing?"
"Exploring the lower deck" She says with a wink
The boat takes us back into shore.
"The chef's will cook this bad boy up for ya'll tonight" The captain says his voice laden with the Four drawl.
We head back to our cabins.
"Happy birthday" Peeta says to Johanna when we reach our cabin.
"Time for a nap?" Peeta asks.
"Yes my pro fisherman"
We slink into bed and nestle in for a nap.