Katniss-
Just like Peeta said, Finn and Annie are completely back normal the next morning. Annie and I walk over to get the kids. Mags is probably the sweetest old woman I've ever met. She just raved about Lily said they had such a fun time. She made me promise to bring her back over soon to play. Back home, Finn and Peeta have breakfast started. More like Peeta has breakfast started and Finn is just getting in the way. The kids automatically flock to him and they immediately starting rolling around and playing in the floor. They really would make great parents, it's obvious how much they love Miche.
Annie is lovely; she's sweet and somewhat quiet until she feels comfortable…the total opposite of Finn. They really make a great pair. Finn is funny and charming, interesting and ridiculously flirtatious. Peeta definitely did him justice when explaining him.
Peeta made pancakes and Annie made mimosas. We all stayed in our pajamas for an hour or so more before Finn and Peeta took the kids outside to play with the dog while Annie and I cleaned up the kitchen.
"Thanks so much for having us over, Annie. I really had a good time last night. I don't have too many friends still here after I came back."
"We've been waiting to meet you for ages! Peeta just goes on and on about you and Lily. It's been so long since he's been happy and after that cunt, Delly…" her voice trails off and she instantly looks embarrassed. "Sorry, it's just Peeta and Miche are so great…I could never understand how someone couldn't love them."
"I – uh, well, I only knew Delly from school. But, Peeta has always been wonderful and Miche is just like him back then. Lily adores both of them." My voice starts to fade away…
"Katniss, it's no secret how Peeta feels about you. He went through a hard time before; all I ask is that you don't fuck him over." Wow. What the hell do you say to that?
"Annie…I know you don't know me, but I messed it up once. I won't do it again. I lov-" I'm cut off by the kids barreling in, squealing and the boys right behind them.
"Ah, my two favorite ladies!" Finn throws an arm around both of us. I scoff while Peeta and Annie laugh.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Peeta drives us home, the kids are passed out in the back of his car before we even get to the end of the street. Talking with Annie was scary. I knew that Peeta had gone through a hard time and I'm sure that I had something to do with it. He's told me a bit about her and their situation and how things were in the end. I'm glad he found Finnick and Annie, it seems like they saved him and Miche.
He is amazing. Peeta gives me hope for the future. He's more than I could have ever even hoped for. I could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve that man. He makes me happier than I've been in a long time – possibly ever. I love him. I love Peeta Mellark. I always have.
Back at my apartment, he brings our bag with our night clothes up with us. He carries Lily since she's on his side and I carry Miche up. He's a bit heavier than my own daughter, but I'm a sucker for those chubby little cheeks and floppy curls. We lay them together in Lily's bed for a bit of a nap.
"So? Did they scare you off?" Even though my back is pressed to his chest, I can tell that he's grinning.
"Well, Annie is gorgeous and super sweet and Finn was …well, I guess I'm just glad he kept all his clothes on." I feel his head tip back and his laugh rumble in this chest.
"Keeping his clothes on is a full time job, but eventually…it's going to happen, so I'm sorry in advance. Finn already text me and told me that they really like you."
"Annie was threatening in a 'sweet and scary' kind of way, she basically told me not to fuck you up. And, she might have called Delly a cunt- which I wasn't really that upset about." I don't miss the snort type laugh that he tries to hide by pushing his face into my hair.
"Well, you can fuck me up any time you want." His voice is playful as his mouth dips to the crease in my neck "She's just being a good friend. I was a mess after Delly left us. Even if it was for the better."
His lips glide along my neck; I lazily tip my head for him. We didn't get much sleep last night, we stayed up late then I woke to his cock hard against my ass before the sun was even up. He pulls my chin up, allowing him to kiss my mouth sweetly. Just when I started to run my tongue along the Seam of his lips, we hear two little giggles from behind the couch.
Both of our eyes pop open and meet. Before I can say anything Peeta jumps over the couch and the giggles turn to squeals. Peeking over the back, I see both of the kids underneath my guy with his large hands covering their stomaching and tickling them breathless. Once they are actually laughing to tears, he finally picks them both up and carries them back to our seats on the couch.
"You were kisssssssing a girl, daddy! Ewwwww!" Miche's little face turns just as red as Peeta's as he laughs and pokes at Peeta's stomach.
"Mommy, Auntie Prim says that she gets to kiss Uncle Rowy whenever she wants because they're boyfriends. Are you and Miche's daddy boyfriends?" Obviously I need to ask later what else Auntie Prim says when I'm not there. A quick look at Peeta and his face is completely flush. I'm not sure if it was the tickle fight or the thought that he and I might be 'boyfriends'. We hadn't really talked about that, I just assumed that we were already together. I'm not good at labels.
"Well, Uncle Rory is Aunt Prim's boyfriend and Aunt Prim is Uncle Rory's girlfriend and yes, boyfriends and girlfriends can kiss."
"So, you're my dad's boyfriend?" Oh geez. I'd be annoyed if these kids weren't so damn cute. I have three sets of eyes on me, two clear blue and one steel gray. I flit my eyes from the kids to Peeta. Fuck. I'm not good at this. Peeta is clearly enjoying this, he has a huge smile and his eyes are dancing. I'm obviously not amused and he can tell by my scowl, but his smile only gets bigger.
"Katniss, would you please be my boyfriend?" I can't help but glare at him as the left side of his lips twitch, holding back his megawatt smile. He wins out and my face and body betray me, returning his smile.
"Mommyyyy! Say yes! Then we can see Miche and Peeta all the time and they will bring us tons of cookies!" I lift an eyebrow to him in question.
A blush runs up my cheeks when I see Miche and Lily both beaming up at me. "Peeta, I would love to be your boyfriend…only IF this proposition comes with tons of cookies."
"Tons and tons of cookies, I promise." We lean towards each other, over the kids to kiss. This time we only smile when they start to squeal and cover their eyes.
Peeta-
This has seriously been the perfect day. My best friends met the most important girls in my life. Then, thanks to the perfect timing of the two cutest kids in the world, I now have a girlfriend… or 'boyfriend', as they say. I was going to have this talk with her soon, she hates labels but I like to know what we are to each other. I know she isn't seeing anyone else, and I haven't even looked in another girl's direction since she showed up that morning in my bakery.
"Why don't we go get some ice cream to celebrate?" I'm just not ready for us to have to leave yet, I don't want to let her go tonight.
Lily insists that she change clothes and wants Katniss to fix her hair before we go out. She's so cute with her little bottom lip sticking out, I could never deny that sweet girl. Miche and I watch some tv while we wait for our girls to get ready. I can't help but get excited at the thought of a future of this exact moment. Miche and I, waiting on Lily and Katniss to get ready for a family outing. Maybe even a third baby, one with chocolate curls and blue eyes or silky blonde hair with those silver eyes. I can imagine Katniss, with a beautiful round belly with my baby growing inside her.
It's always been my dream. Even back then, I knew that this is the life I wanted with her. Even if we didn't take the same path to get here, we're still here together.
Katniss and Lily come out from the back, both with long side braids and matching smiles. Lily is in her signature style; complete with cougar print tights, a fluffy pink skirt and a sparkly tank top. Katniss wears her typical cuffed jeans, faded t-shirt and converse. Both of them look beautiful, both my girls.
There is only one sweet shop in town, just a few stores down from my bakery. It's run by an interesting woman, Effie. She's friendly enough and always slips Miche something extra when we come into her store. Her hair is always teased and puffy, normally some color of the rainbow that matches her wild and crazy dresses. She adores children and always volunteers at the school or different festivals in town.
The store carries an assortment of every type of candy imaginable and several different homemade ice cream. Effie ships in specialty candies from the Capital that the children of 12 would never normally have access to.
Effie definitely doesn't disappoint today in her bubble gum pink dress with sparkles and puffy sleeves. Lily absolutely squeals with delight when she sees the store owner. It's obvious that they have the same fashion sense. Effie comes around the counter and fawns over Lily and kisses Miche on both cheeks. It's easy to see that she loves kids. I can't help but wonder why she doesn't have any of her own.
The kids sit down at the table inside the shop, vanilla-chocolate swirl with more candy and sprinkles on it than ice cream. Katniss and I stick with the adult basics, plain vanilla for me and chocolate for her.
"Well, well, well…I'll be damn- hiccup- damned. If it isn't the star-crossed lovers themselves." Haymitch Abernathy stumbles over his words. As sweet as Effie is, she's also married to the town drunk. Haymitch has been a staple in town for as long as I can remember. He used to pal around with my father in high school, but from what I hear, he stopped coming around when he married my mother. I don't really blame him for that. He won some sort of Capital game years ago and has more money than he knows what to do with. Effie moved here, from the Capital, to be with him. Who knows why.
"Nice to see you, sweetheart. Didn't want to come visit your 'ole Godfather when ya got home, huh?" Oh, well that's news to me. "You look as angry as ever." He tells her, taking a swig from his flask.
"Manners, Haymitch!" Effie swirls around and heads into the back.
"Haymitch. You look and smell as drunk as ever." Obviously they do know each other.
"Who are you?" My tiny princess inherited her mother's curiosity and fearlessness, as she walks straight up to this stranger and questions him. I see Kat's lips curl up.
"I'm your great Uncle Haymitch, my little mockingjay." Her face lights up towards his scruffy, scraggly, crooked grin. However, Katniss isn't as moved at this moment. She's sporting her scowl and it looks even deeper than normal. "And you," looking over to Miche, "you must belong to the boy." My son isn't as trusting; he just sits there wide-eyed. Taking another deep pull of his drink, "S'good that y'all are together again, s'good." His voice fades away as he stumbles towards the back where Effie went.
Katniss and I make eye contact, "Godfather?"
"Shut up and eat your ice cream." I can't wait to hear that story.
After the kids are thoroughly covered in stickiness and they've conned me into buying them both a mixture of candy, we throw all of our trash away while Katniss chats with Effie. Kat's hands are being thrown about, so I know she's excited about whatever she's saying and Effie looks empathetic as Kat rambles on. I can't help but watch the interaction. The older woman is so invested and interested in their conversation, raising and dipping her brows and lips to the story.
Just then, Effie's eyes break away from Katniss' and focus at the door. Kat slowly stops talking and turns towards me and then the store front.
Any emotion that she had has since fallen from her face, leaving her a bit pale and almost looking as if she's in shock.
"Hello, Hazelle."