When I wake in the morning it's to find Peeta completely wrapped around me and at some point he must have pulled me against him so my face is buried against his collar bone with his chin resting on my head. It's not the most comfortable of positions but I don't want to move him to scared to disturb him.
Just then there's a knock at the door and I can hear the tell-tale sound of the latch being pulled back and the door sliding open. Quickly grabbing the sheet I pull it up across my bare body and cover Peeta, who is still snoring softly against me. Looking up over his shoulder I see that it is Cinna that has slipped into the room and my death grip on the cover loosens I don't have anything new for him to see after all.
He moves across the room his eyes on mine the whole time and I don't indicate for him to stop so he comes across the room to stop just short of the bed.
"We didn't want to disturb but the both of you need to eat," it's only as he says that that I see a basket in his hand and I smile in thanks.
"We won't reach the capitol until tonight so take whatever time you need alright," with that he gives me a wink drops the basket next to the bed.
He makes his escape quickly and I turn to the conundrum of when I should wake Peeta up. I know Cinna is right we both need to eat I can feel my stomach growling with just the thought of food and we will both need our strength for what's to come. I know that Effie has us scheduled to go straight into a party the second that we get there.
Decision made I move against his body my hands brushing along his arms my legs moving, one sneaking between his thighs so that I can rub my feet over his lower leg, the one that he can still feel. I feel the moment that he's awake, his breathing changes instantly from steady to ragged and I know exactly where his thoughts have gone to.
"Easy boy, time for food," I laugh and I feel his laughter against my hair.
When I pull back he's smiling brightly at me and I'm glad that the night before hasn't marred anything we will share today.
Leaning over his body I reach out for the basket Cinna left only to feel his hand skim across my backside.
"Mind out of the gutter Mellark you need to eat," I say as I pull back bringing the basket with me.
With a laugh Peeta rolls over so that he's facing me and I'm able to put the basket between us. Pulling the cover back I look into the basket and smile, cheese buns what else.
"I think everyone else has figured out your tastes love," he laughs as I've already grabbed one of the buns and I'm stuffing it into my mouth.
He laughs harder at me as I frown and I'm gladder to hear that then he could ever know. The fear from last night is still tight in my chest so it's wonderful to hear his laughter fill the room. Reaching into the basket I pull out another bun and hand it to him which he takes with a grin.
For a little while we simply exist together outside of the capitols schemes and everything else that is going on and I'm so glad of it, it's everything we need. But I know too soon that this is going to end. So finishing our food I coax Peeta into the shower with the promise that I'll wash his back. Of course we get distracted for a little while as I knew we would, but I manage to get him clean and presentable.
When we emerge from our room I feel calmer, especially since Peeta is completely back to normal, his hand rock solid in mine. We find everyone assembled and waiting for us in the dining car. Effie practically pounces on us when we enter but I can tell she has been warned off asking us about what happened last night, since she skirts around it visibly changing the subject more than once.
Soon we are lost in plans for the next few hours. She tries to get us to go to separate rooms so we can be dressed but Peeta won't let go of my hand until he knows we won't be separated. I can't help but laugh at that, so Effie gives in and we head back to the room we have been sharing for our teams to dress us. Haymitch being helpful for once pulls in chairs from one of the other rooms and Peeta and his team settle into one corner, while Cinna settles me into the seat in front of the vanity.
I watch a little detached as my team goes to work fixing my hair in loose ringlets around my face held back by a circlet of gold that has threads coming off and spreading into my hair. The dress Cinna has picked for me is as always exquisite. It's tight across the chest and I can feel the slight padding giving me extra curves but I don't protest, at least it isn't surgical enhancement. The neck line is straight across and the sleeves start just below the tops of my arms so that my shoulders are completely bare. My skin looks creamy and luscious thanks to the powders my team have patted me down with and the sleeves perfectly cover the slight bruises from Peeta's fingertips.
The bodice of the dress is separate from the skirt so I'm sat in nothing but a pair of very uncomfortable panties that look fantastic and the bodice top as my team paints my toe nails in a shocking red colour then glitters gold when it catches the light, I guess people will be able to see my feet. My eyes keep wandering to Peeta across the room but I can't catch much in the mirror as my team surrounds me and his does the same.
Soon Cinna asks me to stand and produces a beautiful a-line skirt that I quickly realise is split almost all the way up the middle. Holding the back of the chair I step into the skirt and the team sets about fastening it to the top with hidden straps that seamlessly disappear. When they are finished I smooth my hands over the skirt turning to see it in the mirror.
I was right; the slit goes almost all of the way up parting the material so you can see the creamy swell of my legs all the way up to my thighs. No wonder Cinna has put me in these horrible black lace panties; it's likely someone will see them tonight. But then I can't fault him for the design of the dress since for once I do not look like a girl playing dress up, I look like a woman whose used to sex being a tool in her repertoire.
Still in bare feet Cinna urges me to walk across the room and I take a few tentative steps realising the dress doesn't hinder my moments in anyway. Cinna has tailored it to sweep back showing my powerful legs as I move, and I realise he's made me look like a warrior hunter. I can't help but grin at him as the realisation settles around me and he returns the grin obviously happy that I have realised his intent.
Turning I take another look at myself in the mirror this time with newly refreshed eyes. Running my hands over the material of the bodice I take in the blood red colour for what it symbolises and realise the material holds me perfectly, my body covered but able to move unhindered. The sleeves are short stopping just above my elbow and since they start just below my shoulders there more like a circle of material around them than sleeves, and it is only as I turn that I see the golden mockingjay stitched into the sleeves, my very own insignia.
Smoothing my fingers over the material of the skirt I settle it in place so that I can look at the folds when Cinna produces a wooden box and hands it out to me. With a tentative smile I take it and pop the catch to reveal two things I wasn't expecting at all. Tucked into the velvet lined box is a tightly woven blood red leather archery arm guard, and what I know for sure is a thick leather garter belt.
"Haymitch and I have talked about this endlessly Katniss, we need you to show the capitol that you are in love," his eyes flick to Peeta then who I still can't see properly, "but we also need to show them that you are going to fight to protect what you love. They cannot doubt that you would fight for Peeta, and indeed spill blood for him," reaching into the box he pulls out the leather arm guard and holds it out to me.
Flavius smiles as he takes the box from my fingers and I can almost see the shimmer of tears in his eyes. I frown at the look but don't question it as I hold my arm out so that Cinna can strap the guard to it. It fits perfectly to my arm the cool leather warming quickly with my body heat. The buckles are made of gold and fit snugly against my arm without being uncomfortable, it's perfect. Swinging my arm out I test the weight realising it has been balanced for me as well and I can't help but grin at Cinna. He smiles back as his fingers dip into the box again and pull out the garter. For a moment I frown at him unsure what he wants me to do but then he indicates for my right leg and I lift it, slipping my foot onto the chair I had just been sat in so that he can reach around my thigh. With deft fingers he buckles the leather in against my skin and it's only then that I notice the intricate stitching in golden thread. The metal of the buckle is cold for a moment but then it warms with my skin as the guard did and I can't help but run my fingers over the material.
"Beautiful," someone whispers behind me and I turn to find Peeta looking at me, his eyes alive with lust.
The sight of him stops me in my tracks and suddenly I find it hard to breathe. They've dressed him in a black suite, perfectly cut to accentuate the body that he has been working on. The sleeves of his jacket have been embroidered with golden thread with the same designs on my garter, the swirling lines intricate but delicate. Over his left arm he's wearing a blood red band that matches my dress and I can see the mockingjay glittering in golden thread there. It's a perfect tie between the two of us, complementing without copying. To top him off they've added a red tie in the same material with golden embroidery that looks fantastic against the black shirt he wears under his jacket. He looks primal in all of that black, nothing like my boy with the bread. He's a perfect partner for my huntress. They've slicked his hair back with a golden band much like mine, but have left some of his fringe loose so that it falls over the circlet in a careless air that leaves him looking extremely sexy. I realise then why the circlets, they are our very own crowns, to show everyone that we are victors the very first of our kind, a matched pair that are in love.
It's only as someone clears their throat that I realise we have been starring at each other.
"No you can't rip each other's clothes off, we've worked too hard," Portia says and I can feel the blush rush up my neck and into my cheeks.
With a deep laugh that is all Peeta, he steps forwards and wraps me into his arms burying his face into my hair, "later," he whispers making me shiver from head to toe.
Sensing how distracted we are getting Cinna untangles me from Peeta's grasp and ushers me to sit on the chair again. He then produces a pair of golden leather strap sandals and sets to work doing the straps up across my calves. They reach almost to my knees in intricate twists and knots, but they look perfect for the dress, practical as if I could run off into the woods any moment, but also dressy sparkling with golden glitter every time the light catches them. Now for sure everyone will be looking at my legs as I move.
All at once we're ready to go and Peeta offers me a hand so I can rise up. I settle in next to him as he wraps his hand around my hip to settle there, his fingers spread wide and heating me even through the material. We move as one as we leave our compartment and join Effie and Haymitch in the sitting room car. They rise as we enter and Effie smiles, she's done her own makeup to semi match from her golden lipstick to the long golden lashes oh and of course her golden wig in honour of us. Haymitch is more muted in a white suite with a gold tie, for once he actually looks rather dashing and I'm surprised to find there isn't a drink in his hand, and as he walks to meet us he doesn't wobble.
"Well don't you two look like a wild pair," he states as he claps Peeta on the shoulder.
Peeta grins and returns the clap and I don't fail to see Haymitch's wince, Peeta really is stronger than he realises.
"Alright places," Effie calls and I realise that the train is slowing, which can only mean we are pulling into the station.
She ushers me and Peeta in front of the double doors as the platform comes into view out of the windows. Wrapping his arm around my waist Peeta pulls me in against him and then presses a kiss to the curve of my shoulder where it meets my neck.
"Do that again but in front of everyone," Haymitch says at our back and I would have returned with a snippy comment but the doors are sliding back then to reveal a platform full of screaming fans.
Leaning into me Peeta presses his face into my hair next to my ear and breaths softly, "ready for this love, I'm right beside you all night," he then leans down and presses another kiss to my skin as Haymitch instructed but it still sends a shiver of need through me even as I know it was planned.
The crowd in front of us is going wild over us, over the fact that so far we have ignored them centred completely on each other, and I realise this is a good thing. We have to show them that our worlds exist solely of each other, that all we see is one another, not a would be rebellion or anything else. All we see is each other and that is all we care about, this is the truth we need them to see. So on impulse I turn slightly, showing off the swell of one of my legs as I loop the leg over his and curl my fingers into the lapel of his jacket. His eyes lock onto mine then and the world melts away as his hand at my hip slips around my waist locking me against him in his iron tight embrace and then his lips are descending on mine and I return the kiss with as much fervour as it's given.
When we finally break apart we are both a little breathless and Peeta smiles down at me with a wolfish grin that makes him look wholly predatory.
"I give you the Victors of the 74th Hunger games," an announcer finally calls and we turn to finally acknowledge the crowd around us, both lifting our hands to wave.
Haymitch comes around us then with Effie at his side and we step off the train together into the din. Sometime later we manage to make it to the car waiting to whisk us away to the party that the President is holding in our honour. I take this moment to breathe and slip onto Peeta's lap where he wraps his arms tightly around me, burying his face in my hair.
"Well that was certainly interesting," Effie laughs out her hand pressed to her chest as she does.
Turning I can't help but smile at her, "weren't you expecting it?" I ask and she smiles at me.
"Of course, but I didn't realise how well we would be taken. The capitol really does love you two together."
Together, that's what we need to be from now on neither of us was going anywhere without the other. The capitol will love us no matter what, they will love us and they will save us, I can think of nothing else as the car pulls into the night.
A/N I really hope that you can see Katniss and Peeta in their outfits as well as I can see them in my head because they look awesome lol. Five reviews in my inbox this morning spurred me into putting this up lol and this is the last of my prewritten chapters so I've gotta get busy writing. Hope you like this one, this is the chapter I've worked most on so I would really really love some freed back from this. Newho hope you enjoyed and I'll be seeing you again soon x