A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And thanks for reading! The lyrics in this chapter do not belong me to me. The song is "Drag Me Down" by One Direction.
Come find me on tumblr and say hi: andthisisthewonder.
Katniss wasn't sure what was worse: watching her boyfriend make-out with one of the most gorgeous women on the planet or watching them interact during the in-between moments. Sure, Peeta had backed Madge into that dresser and stuck his tongue down her throat five times in a row, but Katniss was somehow more concerned about what the hell they were laughing about when the director yelled cut.
Despite the number of people around, Katniss felt like an interloper, spying on a private moment. She had only been there for fifteen minutes, but Peeta had yet to notice her arrival. His call time that morning had been for seven-thirty, so he had insisted she sleep in and show up later. She had been very tempted to oversleep, but the shoot was scheduled to go until four. She doubted she could get away with sleeping all day.
As Peeta buried his hand in Madge's long blonde hair, Katniss sighed and walked over to the craft service table. There was a delicious spread of cheese, crackers, fruit, vegetables, and dip, but she wasn't all that hungry. She just needed something else to stare at.
"You must be Peeta's girlfriend," a voice said.
Katniss glanced over her shoulder to find a tall muscular blond headed toward her.
"How'd you know?"
"Besides the fact that your face has been plastered all over the tabloids?" He grinned. "You look as uncomfortable as I feel." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Henry, but you can call me Gloss. I'm Madge's boyfriend."
Katniss shook his hand. "Madge has a boyfriend?" Somehow, this made the whole process a little more bearable. At least she wasn't alone.
"She does," he confirmed, glancing at the set. "Oh good. Peeta Mellark is unzipping my girlfriend's dress. How the hell did I let her talk me into this?"
Katniss winced, and despite her brain screaming at her not to look, her gaze slid over to the set. Madge was sitting on the dresser, clad in a black lacy bra, her dress pooled in her lap. Peeta stood between her legs. At some point, he had lost his shirt as well.
"Talk you into coming to watch?" Katniss asked, quickly turning back.
Gloss nodded as he swiped a carrot stick and took a bite. "This is what I get for being supportive."
He studied the table for a minute. His face lit up, and he pulled out his cell phone.
"Would you mind taking a picture of me?" he asked.
"Uh, sure."
Gloss unlocked his phone with his thumbprint and handed it over. "Wait a second." He grabbed several pieces of celery and carrot sticks and shoved them into his mouth. "Okay," he mumbled through the food and smiled.
Puzzled but not wanting to ask, Katniss held up the phone and took his picture. She handed his phone back as he chewed and swallowed.
"Perfect!" He stood next to Katniss, so she could see the screen. He pulled up Instagram and uploaded the photo. "How does this sound? 'Stuffing my face while my gf gets to make-out with the super hot Peeta Mellark. #thisisthelife #nobigdeal #killmenow.'"
"That sounds…funny?" She was pretty sure that was what he was going for.
"You want to be in a picture too?" he asked. "We can commiserate together."
Katniss stepped away as if the camera was already on her. "No thanks. I'm not a big fan of social media right now."
Gloss shrugged. "Suit yourself." He tapped a few more on screen buttons before shoving his phone back in his pocket.
"So, Gloss, what do you do?"
"I model, but I'm trying to break into acting. I've had a few small roles here and there."
"Suddenly, your nickname makes a lot more sense."
"Yeah, I've actually been called that since I was a kid. Something about being overly photogenic."
"Modest too," she quipped.
"I can't help it that the camera loves me," he said with a grin. He posed for an invisible camera, sucking in his checks and pursing his lips.
Katniss stifled a laugh. She had just successfully forgotten what was happening behind her when she heard someone yell, "Cut! Take ten everyone."
"Good, it's time for them to put their clothes back on. I'm sure I'll see you soon," Gloss said.
Katniss turned just in time to see Peeta's gaze land on her. His entire face lit up. He pulled on his collared shirt and jogged over to her without bothering to button it.
"You made it!" He pulled her into a hug. When he tried to kiss her, she gently pushed him away.
"Her lipstick is still on your face," Katniss said. She didn't mention the sweet, flowery scent on his skin. She'd make him shower later.
"Shit," he mumbled, wiping his mouth was his hand. "Follow me." He led her down a back hallway and into a dressing room. "I'll be right back."
When he reappeared two minutes later, his mouth had returned to a normal color and his breath smelled minty fresh.
"I'm glad you're here," he whispered before slanting his mouth against hers. Usually, his kiss made her forget everything but the two of them, but today she couldn't help but think that not five minutes ago, he had had his tongue inside another woman's mouth.
She pushed him away.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Really?" she said. "You don't find this weird at all?"
"I'm sorry. I just…I wanted to remind you that this is real. You and me. Not what's going on in front of the cameras out there. That's…Hollywood. That's make-believe."
"I know," she insisted. "But it's still weird. I can stay and watch if you want, but I can't just flip the switch like you can."
"I guess maybe I'm forcing it. This is new territory for me too." He held out his arms, and reluctantly, she stepped into them. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm glad you're here though. This morning was so weird."
The image of Peeta and Madge laughing together as they held each other close entered her mind, but she didn't say anything. No matter what she saw, she didn't know what was going on in Peeta's head.
"It felt like I was sneaking around behind your back. Like I was doing something wrong," Peeta said.
"I can't stay the whole time," Katniss blurted out. She hated herself in that moment, but she doubted she'd survive the rest of the afternoon. There was a bed on set, and she was fairly certain Peeta and Madge would eventually be using it. "I was hoping to go for a run before dinner tonight. Maybe take in some of the sights."
"Of course." His voice sounded smaller, but he gave little else away. "Stay until lunch. Then we can eat together before you go."
"That sounds good," she said.
"Can I just…" He trailed off and pressed a kiss to her forehead without waiting for permission.
Her eyes fell shut and she sucked in a breath. For the first time since he had sat across from her and told her he knew all her secrets, she didn't want to be touched by him. She felt like the other woman, stealing kisses just out of sight.
"You should get back to set," she said. "You don't want to keep them waiting."
"Right." He took a step backward, his fingers trailing down her arm until he reached her hand. He squeezed, but for once, it didn't feel reassuring.
Two hours later, Katniss took a picture of Gloss pretending to take a nap in one of the folding chairs.
"'Do sex scenes always take this long? Getting hella bored watching my gf get it on. #weirdaf #longaf #sendmorefood,'" Gloss recited as he typed.
Katniss rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "It's almost lunch. You won't starve for much longer." Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the director chatting with Madge and Peeta. Peeta looked completely focused, absorbing whatever notes the director was giving him. Madge looked bored.
A moment later, everyone broke for lunch.
"Good news," Peeta announced as soon as he was by her side. "They're cutting the love scene."
Katniss was tempted to ask what the hell she had just watched them film for two hours. There had certainly had been a lot of kissing and groping.
"You're not using the bed?" she asked.
"Nope. Madge wakes up by herself. I'm not getting in it."
"You dog," Katniss said. "So you're that type of music video love interest."
"Love 'em and leave 'em. That's my life motto."
She poked his side. "Obviously."
While she had watched Madge and Peeta make out over every square inch in that bedroom, neither one had gone toward the bed. She should have been relieved, but instead she just felt tired.
"Why the cut?" she asked.
"Madge's people are worried it'll be conceived as too risqué even if we fade to black. They want to toe the line between sexy and raunchy."
Peeta held out his hand, and Katniss grabbed it, falling into step beside him.
"So what are you filming this afternoon?"
"We're supposed to each be on blind dates with other people. We meet, we flirt, we go home together."
"And that's it?"
"I'm on the schedule tomorrow. Supposed to film our reunion. Then that's it. My part's done."
They paused in front of the lunch spread. Katniss's stomach rumbled, and Peeta grabbed her a plate.
"Do you need me to come tomorrow?" she asked. Tomorrow's shoot didn't sound so bad. She could put up with a bit of eye fucking across a restaurant.
"Actually, I'm scheduled for the recording studio with the guys in the afternoon. I thought maybe you could do your own thing in the morning and then join us at the studio?"
Katniss instantly brightened. "That sounds perfect."
Katniss really had intended on going for a run. She had even looked up the ten best trails around Los Angeles. But as soon as she stepped into Peeta's house, she couldn't find the energy to change into a pair of leggings. Suddenly, all she wanted to do was take a nap.
It was possible she was just tired, or it was possible that Peeta's shoot had taken more of a toll than she originally thought. Instead of lying down, she pulled her out her cell phone.
"Hey!" Annie chirped. "How's LA?"
"It's good. It's great. I just spent the morning watching my boyfriend make out with another woman."
"Either I have to kill him, or you're not giving me the whole story. Lay some context on me," Annie said.
Katniss smiled, already feeling some of the tension of the morning disappear. "He's shooting a music video with Madge Undersee."
"Madge Undersee?" Annie's asked, her voice unusually high-pitched. "That's awesome! She's so...not talented. At all. And so pale. She looks like a ghost, I swear."
Katniss sank into the sofa in Peeta's inordinately large living room. The dark screen of a huge television stared back at her. "Thanks, Annie. But it's not her fault. Or it is. I think she specifically requested Peeta. But I guess this is part of his job."
"Why'd you go and watch? That sounds like a terrible idea."
"Peeta asked me to."
Annie scoffed. "Is he insane?"
"He said it made him feel more comfortable to have me there."
"Hmm," Annie hummed. "Sounds selfish to me."
"He wasn't being selfish!" Katniss kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs up underneath her. "He just said that he felt more comfortable with me being there. He said he would have felt like a cheater without me watching."
"Um, that's the very definition of selfish. He asked you to do something that would make him feel better at the expense of your own feelings. It sounds like he got to make out with a pop star while his girlfriend's presence absolved him of any guilt."
Katniss frowned. When Annie put it that way, it did sound pretty shitty. "Should I be mad?"
"Only if you want to be. He screwed up, but it's not like he did anything majorly wrong. He was just a little thoughtless. Talk to him. Tell him how it made you feel. Then move forward."
"So basically...communicate with him? Be honest?"
Annie laughed. "I know it's weird, but I hear open, honest communication is all the rage these days."
"Thanks, Annie. I really appreciate it."
"No problem."
Katniss bit her lip. She could have made a little more small talk and then ended the call, but she had to ask, "How's Prim doing?"
"She's...okay."
"Define okay," Katniss prompted.
"Moody. I tried to get her to talk, but she's been quiet. We eat dinner together. I make sure she does her homework. And that's the extent of our interaction."
"I'm so sorry. I don't know what's gotten into her."
"I'll try to get something out of her. Sorry I can't be of more help."
Katniss wanted to laugh. "Annie, you're amazing. All you've done is help. Thank you."
"No problem. Now go do something productive, wash those images from your mind."
"Thanks. I'll talk to you soon."
Dinner that night was at a much more upscale restaurant. The entrees were double the price, and burgers hadn't made the menu.
Luckily, Katniss didn't feel too overwhelmed. Peeta had warned her ahead of time to wear her green dress, and he had complimented her without prompting at least three times since she had put it on.
"How was the shoot today?" Delly asked after the waiter took everyone's orders.
"Fine," Peeta answered tersely.
"Fine? That's all you're going to say?" Thom asked. "You got to make-out with one of the hottest women in Holly—" Thom cut himself off as soon as he saw Peeta's face. "You know what? I'm going to stop talking at these dinners. From now on, I'll just nod or shake my head. Maybe hold up a sign or something."
"It's okay," Katniss said. "It was weird, but it's over now."
"Wait, you went?" Johanna asked.
"It wasn't so bad," Katniss said. "I hung out with Madge's boyfriend."
"Gloss?" Delly asked with a roll of her eyes. "I've been on a couple of shoots with him. He's pretty self-involved. Kind of a dick."
"I thought he was nice," Katniss said. "He kept asking me to take ridiculous pictures of himself."
Delly took a sip of her water. "Yeah, he's completely obsessed with his Instagram. He's constantly posting on it."
"Were you in any?" Peeta asked.
"No. You know how I feel about social media," Katniss answered. "Anyway, I thought he was funny. He certainly made the experience bearable."
"What do you mean bearable?" Peeta asked.
"Well, it was weird," she repeated. "It was nice being with someone else in the same situation."
"Is that what you two were laughing about the whole time?" Peeta asked, his jaw tight. "The situation?"
Katniss glared at him. "I'm surprised you came up for air long enough to notice."
Peeta flinched and looked down at his lap. She immediately regretted what she had said, but his tone of voice had pissed her off. There was an accusation laced in his words, as if she had somehow done something wrong by trying to make a shitty situation bearable.
She opened her mouth to apologize, but Delly spoke first.
"Geez, Katniss, you don't have to be such a bitch about it. You didn't have to go and watch."
Katniss sucked in a breath. Even Johanna looked a little horrified.
"Don't call her that," Peeta snapped. "She only went because I asked her to."
"Excuse me," Katniss said. "I need to use the bathroom."
Her chair squeaked loudly against the floor as she stood.
Once inside the bathroom, she didn't do more than stand in front of one of the mirrors and stare down at the sink. She didn't know why she was getting so upset. The morning was over, done with. Peeta had one day left on the shoot, and then she wouldn't have to think about it again.
The bathroom door suddenly flew open.
"Oh thank god, you're not crying," Johanna said, heading toward her.
"What?"
"Well, when you got up, everyone looked at me, like I should be the one to go after you. I mean, obviously Thom and Peeta couldn't come in here. And Delly couldn't very well say anything after acting like an idiot, so that left me." She twirled her finger in the air. "Whoop-dee-doo."
The door opened again, and a short, dark-haired woman with a gleeful expression entered.
"Excuse me? Are you – are you Johanna Mason?" she asked.
Johanna shot Katniss a 'can-you-believe-this-bullshit' look and turned around. "Please don't tell me you recognized me and followed me into the bathroom."
"Um, well...I was just hoping for an autograph or a—"
"Can you not see I'm talking to my friend here?" Johanna snapped.
"I'm sorry. Maybe just a quick picture? A selfie?"
"How about you fuck off?"
The silence that fell over the bathroom was ear-shattering. Katniss watched the poor woman's face fall and her mouth tremble. Katniss was about to apologize on Johanna's behalf, when the woman began jumping up and down.
"Oh my god! Johanna Mason just told me to fuck off! No one is ever going to believe this!" She practically floated out of the restroom.
Johanna rolled her eyes.
"Did that really just happen?" Katniss asked.
"I have a certain reputation," Johanna said. "I can get away with shit like that. Just last week, I kicked some guy in the balls and he proposed to me afterward."
"Did you say yes?"
"You know, Brainless, I don't like you. I don't like anyone, actually. But I can definitely tolerate your existence."
Katniss leaned back against the counter. "Wow. I'm flattered."
"Look, try not to hold Delly's comment against her. She's so far up Peeta's ass, she'll lash out at the smallest perceived threat."
Katniss looked down at her feet. Her knuckles were white against the counter. "Is she, uh, interested in him?"
"No, nothing like that. They're practically brother and sister. She might be a little jealous though of you taking up so much of his time. But ultimately, she's sweet. Annoyingly so."
"Thanks. I appreciate you coming in after me like this."
"Yeah, well, it was either this or get glared at until you came back. Those idiots can be a bunch of assholes."
Johanna headed toward the door. "So? You coming back now?"
Katniss nodded. "Since you insisted."
Thom, true to his word, didn't say a single word for the rest of dinner. Delly apologized profusely for her earlier comment. Peeta just stared at his food. Luckily, Johanna took the lead and chatted about her next role in some indie horror flick. Apparently, she would be avenging her best friend's death and using an axe to do it.
Once dinner was over and Peeta paid - again - and no one thanked him - again - he and Katniss headed home. The drive was silent, heavy with unsaid words.
They made it to the living room before Peeta finally spoke. "I have another early morning. Maybe I should head to bed."
"It's only ten," Katniss pointed out, trying to ignore the stab of sadness in her chest.
"Yeah, but it's been a long day, and I've got another long day tomorrow."
Katniss set her purse on the coffee table. "Okay. I'll be right in."
"No, it's fine if you want to stay up. You don't have anywhere to be tomorrow morning. You can watch a movie in the theater if you want. Netflix is set up in there."
"Oh. Okay, sure. Thanks."
Peeta disappeared upstairs. Katniss sank onto the couch, not in the mood to watch a movie let alone figure how the room worked. A few minutes later, the shower switched on.
The exhaustion from earlier in the day came swooping back, but she knew it had nothing to do with lack of sleep. She was supposed to talk to Peeta, tell him how she felt. Instead she had allowed a rift to form between them, and it was growing with every second. She feared how large it would become if she didn't speak to him before bed.
It was hard to get the image of him pressed up against Madge out of her head. But then she remembered how focused he'd been when talking to the director. He hadn't done anything wrong. He hadn't done anything other than his job. His only fault was asking her to come and watch.
She hurried up the stairs and into the bedroom. The shower was still running. Quickly, she took off her clothes and slipped into the bathroom.
"Peeta?"
He yanked the shower curtain back. His eyes grew wide as soon as he spotted her.
"Room for one more?" she asked.
He held out his hand, and he helped her step into the shower. Before he could say a word, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. He slid his tongue into her mouth, and she sucked on it eagerly.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry about today."
The image of him and Madge slammed back into her head, but she banished it just as quickly. "Not now," she said, in between kisses. "Talk about it later."
He spun her around and pressed her up against the shower wall. One hand massaged her breast while the other landed between her legs. She moaned as he quickly found her clit. His fingers spun frantic circles as she pushed her ass against him, rubbing against his erection.
"Fuck," he breathed. His hand moved faster, until finally the tension within her snapped, and she cried out his name. In the next second, his hands were on her hips, pulling her backward, until finally he was inside her.
His thrusts were hard, fast. She begged him for more even as he slammed into her. At the last second, he pulled out, his come spilling down her ass and eventually down the drain.
"Now we talk?" she asked, breathless.
He trailed kisses down the back of her neck. "Now we talk."
They curled up together beneath his sheets, and Katniss told him everything: her discomfort with watching, her struggle to accept that it was his job, her reluctance to touch him. The latter, at least, was no longer an issue.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to come," he said.
"I know why you did, but yeah...it was really uncomfortable."
"Thank you for understanding," he said. "You handled it way better than I would have. The way I did," he amended.
She inched closer and pressed a kiss to his chin. "What do you mean?"
"That comment I made about you and Gloss." He looked down at her. Making out his expression was difficult in the dark, but she could hear the regret in his words. "I was so uncomfortable with what I was doing, I tried to make you think you were doing something wrong. I'm sorry."
"It's already forgotten," she whispered.
The next afternoon, Katniss somehow reached the studio before the boys. Haymitch and a producer named Castor were the only ones there.
After introductions, Castor showed her the mixing board and gave her a brief explanation of the tools he used. A few minutes later, Peeta showed up, his hair damp and curled around his ears from a recent shower.
"Hey." He kissed her cheek "You're the first one here?"
"Yeah. Is everything okay?" she asked. There was something off about his expression, his smile. He wouldn't meet her eyes.
"It's fine. We'll talk later."
Katniss frowned at that declaration, but she didn't have time to press him because a second later, Finnick, Gale, and Darius walked in. Gale grumbled something under his breath as he walked past her, but she couldn't make it out. Frustration was radiating off him. Haymitch must have finally clued the rest of the guys in on Peeta's work with Madge.
Peeta walked over to her and asked quietly, "Do me a favor? We're trying out a new songwriter. I was hoping to get your honest opinion."
"Sure," she said. "I'll be right outside listening."
Castor hit a few switches, and music poured out of the speakers. Haymitch nodded and pointed at Finnick.
He sang:
"I've got a fire for a heart, I'm not scared of the dark.
You've never seen it look so easy.
I got a river for a soul, and baby you're a boat,
Baby you're my only reason."
Peeta's voice cut in, rich and powerful:
"If I didn't have you there would be nothing left.
The shell of a man who never be his best.
If I didn't have you, I'd never see the sun.
You taught me how to be someone, yeah."
A thrill ran through Katniss as she watched Peeta. He sang with his eyes closed, one hand on the side of his headphones. His entire face lit up, and she could feel the emotion he brought to the lyrics: the hope, the love, the desperation.
She was so wrapped up in watching him, even as he took a step back from his microphone, that she failed to realize that no one jumped in after him.
Castor stopped the music, and Haymitch hit a button before leaning over a microphone. "Uh, Gale? I think you missed your cue."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone would notice if I was here or not," Gale responded, arms crossed.
"Don't start," Haymitch warned.
"Start what? Start pointing out how you're obviously favoring Finnick and Peeta over Darius and me?"
"Hey, I'm not involved with this," Darius said. "I just want to record the single."
"This is bullshit, and you know it, Haymitch. I come to you with a million ideas, and you turn them all down. Peeta writes one song for his damn girlfriend, and suddenly it's the first single for our new album?"
Katniss's gaze cut over to Peeta, but he had already buried his face in his hands.
"And let me guess," Gale said. "Finnick gets the love interest in the music video."
"One, I'll start listening to your ideas when they get better," Haymitch said. "Two, if you want a girl, fine. You can all have love interests in the video. You know the studio will give you whatever you want."
"I'll pass on that," Peeta mumbled into the microphone.
"Oh, that's right," Gale said. "No girl for you unless it's Madge fucking Undersee. Too good for anyone else now?"
"Gale," Finnick snapped. "Seriously?"
"I heard you had a great time today," Gale said. "How many times did the director have to yell cut before you climbed off her?"
Katniss recoiled as if she had been slapped. She looked from Gale to Peeta.
"That's not true," Peeta said. "You're full of shit."
"According to Gloss, you were a little too into that love scene," Gale said. "I'd worry if I were you, Katniss."
"What love scene?" Katniss asked at the same time Peeta threw off his headphones and got into Gale's face.
"You have a problem with me? Fine! But don't you dare play mind games with her," Peeta warned.
"We're taking a break," Haymitch announced. "Now."
Finnick, Darius, and Gale filed out of the studio. Finnick whispered something in a harsh tone in Gale's direction as they passed. All three guys avoided her gaze as they left the room.
"We'll be back in ten," Haymitch said. Then, he and Castor left too.
Katniss opened the door to the studio and found Peeta sitting on the ground, his back against the furthermost wall.
"I was waiting until we got home to tell you. I wanted to talk about it privately," he said.
"What happened this morning?" she asked, sitting down beside him.
"Madge insisted on keeping the scene in. I spent most of the morning in bed with her. We shoot the rest tomorrow."
Katniss flinched at the mention of the bed, but she wasn't going to let it hurt her, not like it did yesterday.
"Lucky," she mumbled. "You got paid to spend your morning in bed. Effie never lets me sleep in."
Peeta looked at her, eyebrows raised, as if waiting for the berating to begin.
"It's your job," she said. "I get it. And it's okay. Really. Just please don't ever make me watch the video."
"After tomorrow, I'm pretending it doesn't exist."
"Even better," Katniss said, laying her head on his shoulder. She wondered if she should say more, ask for details, but she was so tired of talking about Madge Undersee. She trusted Peeta. And really, that was all that mattered.
So instead of dragging the topic out, she asked, "What's up with Gale?"
Peeta rubbed the back of his neck before letting his head fall back against the wall. "We're only contractually obligated for one more album. The studio is trying to negotiate a new contract, but it's sort of fallen to me and Finnick about whether we'll move forward. As a band."
"Oh."
"And Finnick doesn't care one way or another. He likes singing, but he's trying to break into acting. He's gotten got a few projects lined up. He's fine with whatever as long as he has time to explore his acting career. So basically it's come down to me."
"And you're not sure about the band?"
He shrugged. "I kind of want to do my own thing. Maybe write my own stuff. Try a different sound."
"Did you really write that song?"
Peeta's cheeks flushed. He stared straight ahead and said, "I wrote it while I was in Saint Lucia. Finnick helped me fix it up before I submitted it. The studio really liked it."
"That's amazing," she said. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise. It's for you. I wrote it about you."
Warmth flooded through her, and she wondered why she had bothered wasting so much energy thinking about Madge Undersee. Peeta had written her a song. "What's it called?"
"Oh, um, 'Drag Me Down.'"
Katniss shot him a look. "Are you trying to tell me something?"
"No, didn't you hear the lyrics?" He shook his head. "Wait, we never got to the chorus."
"Sing it for me?"
Peeta didn't hesitate. He took a breath and sang,
"All these lights
They can't blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down."
A shudder ran through Katniss. There was something very intimate about sitting beside Peeta as he sang a song he had written for her. She loved the lyrics, loved the emotion behind it, the message. She pulled him into a kiss.
"I love it," she said.
"Really? You're not just saying that?"
"I think it's amazing. And I could watch you sing all day."
"Well, now it's your turn." He stood up and pulled her to her feet.
"What do you mean 'my turn?'"
"Don't think I forgot about your voice the first time we met. Sing something for me."
"No way! I'm not the pop star here."
With a hand on either shoulder, he positioned her in front of the microphone. He fit the headphones on over her ears.
"Do you remember the words we just sang?"
"Sort of."
He sang the first two verses to her again along with the chorus, and she relaxed. The song was great, and it was just the two of them in there. What was the harm? She did enjoy singing, even if was usually in the shower rather than a multimillion dollar recording studio.
Peeta shut the door, hit a few switches, and the intro to the song flooded through her headphones. A couple of seconds later, he pointed at her, and she opened her mouth.
She sang the words he had written during their brief separation, the words he had written thinking of her. The meaning behind them made her feel confident, powerful. She could hardly believe someone felt this way about her, especially someone so kind, handsome, and talented.
For a moment, there was no doubt about being in LA, no doubt about being the girlfriend of the world-famous Peeta Mellark. No obstacle seemed too daunting. They would figure it out: the financial discrepancies, his work obligations, the long distance. She could see their future stretching out before them: bright and happy, challenging but worth it.
For a moment, everything was clear.
As the song faded out, a voice came over the speaker: "Congratulations, sweetheart." Katniss's eyes popped opened, and she saw Haymitch standing with Castor and Peeta. "You don't completely suck."
Katniss rolled her eyes, gave Haymitch the finger, and the moment was over.