Chapter 11: Baptism by Fire

With Peeta's coaching, Dean is able to successfully navigate his Victory Tour. Of course, the real test was meeting with the President at the end of the entire thing, but I sensed that Snow did not hold any ill will towards my pupil. As we finally arrive home in District 12, greeted by Peeta's kiss for me and his high-five for Dean, I begin to feel optimistic. Huh. Maybe Dean can hack being a Victor after all.

At least, that's what I think until one night in the middle of spring. The Reaping for the 90th Hunger Games is about a month away.

I am in my room, preparing for bed and having just put on my pajamas, when I hear a frantic knock at the door. Curious, I open it, expecting Peeta. But it's Dean. He comes tearing in without so much as a hello. I am horrified to see him doubled-over, heaving, his eyes wild and panicked.

"Dean? What's wrong?"

"So, I'm at the Hob, and Greasy Sae is asking me about mentoring for the Games. I tell her it will be fine. And then, she goes and says, "Well, be careful with those sponsors. They like their sex toys rough." Of course, I have no clue what she's talking about. And then it dawns on me and I wonder: is it true? To get money from sponsors you have to... sleep with them? Is it true?!" He looks an absolute wreck.

I bite my lip nervously. "That's the most common way of... doing business. But it usually doesn't happen until late in the Games, after the gift prices have spiked."

Dean groans, obviously not wanting to hear that. "But, sometimes it doesn't even happen... and there are other ways!" I placate desperately, even though it's probably already too late.

"Does it hurt?" and Dean almost whimpers it. In the almost year I have known him, I have never seen him like this. "Will they be crushing me, and... touching me, and... I can't take this, Katniss, please!"

I stare at him, almost stunned. Not just because of this uncharacteristic response, but from the implications hanging in the air. Is Dean a... virgin? That is a surprise. It's not as though he is unattractive. He is. And strong. He proved that especially in the arena. Any girl would be lucky to have him.

"You'll just have to learn, Dean. If it happens, it happens."

"So it's on-the-job training then? I lose my virginity to a total stranger? Someone I don't love? Someone I don't even know?"

I grimace, wondering how to handle this. "Sometimes, a Victor has to do what a Victor has to do. It's not the worst thing in the world, Dean. It happened that way for me."

Dean calms down slightly at this revelation, and I wonder if it makes him feel somewhat better. He regards me curiously. "Does Peeta know?"

I shrug. "He does. I've been open about it. He says he's fine with it, but I know it angers him that anyone is made to do such things."

"And will you be fine with me doing it? When it happens?" Dean demands.

This point makes me take pause. I almost have to put myself in Peeta's shoes to get my brain around it. Would I be angry if I knew Dean was having to sleep with strangers and sell himself? I know I would want to protect him somehow, just as Peeta would surely want to protect me were it within his power to do so. And then, I realize: I still can protect Dean.

By getting to him first.

Approaching my protégé, I tenderly brush the hair back out of his face and run my hand down his cheek. He flinches.

"What are you doing?"

"Sssssshhh..." I place a finger to his lips, before replacing it with my own mouth. A tender kiss.

It takes a Dean a moment to relax into it. Only once does he try to pull away. "But... Peeta..."

"This isn't about Peeta," I tell him firmly, and I kiss him again. Right away, I learn that Dean probably has no experience even with kissing, but he's learning quickly. I slip his tongue in between his teeth and massage the inside of his mouth with it.

I should feel repulsed. I am seducing someone who is almost half my age; Dean is only 17! And he's not wrong... Peeta is still in the equation. But this is about saving Dean. Nothing more.

So thinking, I decide to test if Dean is ready to up the ante. I cup his length through his pants, and he moans. Satisfied, I begin to undo the button and throw his pants down. Dean tears at his own shirt to do his part in the undressing.

Pushing Dean flat onto his back on my bed, I use the respite in our kissing to strip out of the pajamas I just changed into minutes before. I throw off my top over my head to reveal an immaculate white bra covering my breasts. A moment later, I unclasp the bra too and let it fall away. Now stark naked, I blithely straddle Dean's waist. I see his penis standing at attention. The girth is quite impressive, and I can see it throbbing expectantly, waiting for something it has not yet undergone. Dean appears slightly fearful again, so I just whisper, "Trust me. Trust me."

I go down on him, sinking onto his member so that I am impaled on it. Now unified with him, I begin to undulate my body, the rolling starting at my hips before moving up along my bare back. My ass rests on Dean's thighs. Only occasionally do I glance down at him to observe my handiwork. I am having quite the effect.

Dean doesn't appear to be in pain, that much is clear, but I think the pleasure still shocks him. His eyes are wide, his mouth open. He groans incessantly. "Ohhhhhh... Guhhhhhhh..." I languidly bend over him and kiss him to shut him up. Taking his hands, I let Dean paw and grope my breasts, encouraging him to become an active participant. This prompting is really all he needs, and Dean now begins to thrust upwards into me. Breaking our kiss and throwing my head back, I cry out.

"OHHHHHHH!" I cum all over his cock, soaking it. This only spurs Dean on. Quickly, I pull out, rising off of him. He's close, but there are other means with which to finish him. Curling my hand into a fist, I begin to pump his shaft, up and down, faster and faster, until at last, the juices spurt forth like a geyser, coating his abdomen.

Dean is panting, eyes still wide as saucers, but there's a small smile gracing his face now. I kiss his lips chastely.

"Good boy. See? Not so bad." I cleanse myself and change back into my pajamas before lying down next to him. "Try to go to sleep."

Upon waking up with Dean in my bed the next morning, we briefly talk. He thanks me for taking his virginity, but seems to understand that this was all business, nothing more. Good. I wouldn't want a teenager falling in love with me, especially if he's my student. But I'm glad his first time was with someone who does love him... just in a different way. At the same time, I can't help but notice some guilt in Dean's eyes; I instinctively guess he is worried that he has betrayed Peeta.

But we can keep this between us. What Peeta doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

Oh, how wrong I am.

The very next evening, I am interrupted from fixing myself dinner to hear a commotion coming from Dean's mansion next door. Running outside, I can see Dean and Peeta in the center of the Village.

"Peeta... I don't want to fight you..."

"You should have thought of that before you slept with Katniss!" Peeta lunges for my apprentice, knocking him down in a tackle.

"Get the hell off, old man!" Dean gets angry now, throwing Peeta off. "It wasn't like that!"

"Oh, I bet it wasn't!" Peeta sneers sarcastically. He throws a punch at Dean's head, which the latter ducks before launching a jab of his own and finding a mark in Peeta's stomach. Peeta doubles over as Dean grabs him and throws him right into the stone fountain marking the center of the Village.

I now run down my front steps and launch myself between the two men just as Peeta is hurling himself out of the fountain.

"Stop it! Both of you!"

"Glad you decided to show up, sweetheart!" Peeta growls. "Were you too busy masturbating to this one?" and he points a finger at Dean.

"Grow up, Peeta! It wasn't like that! Dean's telling the truth!"

"So, what was it like, Katniss? Huh?"

"You know what Victors have to do to get sponsors! Dean was a virgin, so I... gave him some pointers."

Peeta stares. "You gave him some pointers? He's a kid! I hope you're at the age of consent, mister!"

"I'm 17, asshole!" Dean hollers back. "And yes, I consented! Better it was with someone I knew!"

But Peeta's full attention is back on me. "So who else have you been 'giving pointers' to?"

I blink, as though I have just been struck. "Nobody! It's you; I only want you..."

Peeta turns away, throwing up his hands. "You know what? I don't want to hear it! Consider our previous engagement cancelled!" - the code we have taken to using to refer to our upcoming nuptials that are apparently no longer upcoming. Peeta storms out of the Village before I can think of something else to say.

Blinking back tears, I look to see Dean sadly staring at his feet. He must feel this is his fault. It isn't, but I don't have the energy to tell him so. Instead, I turn sadly away and retreat into my mansion. Soon after, he does too.