A/N would still love to hear more about what you think of my couple and their costumes since I put a lot of thought into them, but since I have become completely addicted to this story here's another chapter for you! Enjoy!
The party is lavish of course we couldn't expect anything less than that in the capitol, and as Peeta and I enter the whole room falls silent and turn as one to look at us. My hand is clutched tightly in Peeta's as we move but he seems calm beside me and I do my best to radiate the same. This is a show; this is what we need to show everyone, a calm unified front. As we move to the top of the stairs everyone gathers and then finally someone starts to clap and it's like a tidal wave has been released. Soon we are surrounded by a wave of clapping cheering and yelling. We descend the stairs together hand in hand and step into the crowd.
It's like that for a while a teaming mass surrounding us and only my tight grip on Peeta's hand stops us from being pulled apart, but soon the people around us are happy they have greeted us and the pull of the food and activities is too much for these Capitol people and we find a small window of peace. Quickly Peeta pulls me against him, his hand going to the nape of my neck tangling into my hair and his lips are on mine before I can blink. I don't freeze my body instinctively knowing what to do now after the hundreds of shared kisses and I'm returning the kiss without even thinking. I can feel my blood heating with it, but I let the feeling ride over my body knowing we are going to be here for hours.
When we pull apart he's looking at me with hungry eyes and suddenly I'm thinking of quiet corners that we could escape to. As if he sensed my thoughts Haymitch materialises from nowhere breaking the two of us apart.
"You need to mingle and talk to people, talk about how you haven't left each other's side since leaving the games, what you're planning for the future. Maybe hint at things they want to hear, marriage, kids the whole nine yards," he whispers at us desperately and then melts back into the crowd.
I know when I glance at Peeta my eyes are slightly wild, marriage really and kids to boot. But he's calm as always his smile soothing as he takes my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Ok I can do this, it's all part of the show, but I resign myself to asking what Peeta sees when he looks at me, is it marriage and kids because I don't know if I'll ever be able to give him that.
Pulling my hand slightly Peeta leads me to a table of food that has people gathered around it and we melt into the crowd seamlessly and I brace myself for the first onslaught of questions. As predicted they are all superficial, how we've been finding the food now that we're back in district 12, what we'll be spending our money on, what our families think about us. I've got all of my answers pre-memorised and it's not hard for me to rattle them off in a light lilting voice that sets my own nerves on edge.
As time passes I know we are a roaring success, more than one person asks me to twirl my dress amazed by Cinna's creation. I also catch more than one man looking at my legs, to which Peeta has the same reaction every time, he pulls me in close presses a kiss to whatever patch of skin he can reach first and then levels a steady stare at him. At no point does he tell anyone off, or raise his voice or even so much as frown, he just calmly stares them down until every last one of them backs of practically running. I know they can see what I can see, that Peeta is a power not to be messed with, he is strong of course but it's the core of the man that does it and I know each of them will be left with the feeling that if they were to ever lay a hand on me he will tear them limb from limb.
My stomach is so tight about everything we are doing that I find it hard to eat anything, but Peeta passes me things he thinks I'll like when we move between the tables and I nibble them trying hard to let their beautiful flavours quell the unease in my stomach.
We've been at the party for nearly three hours now and even though I have found Effie and asked when we can leave she is adamant that it's too early, so instead I pull free of Peeta for the first time and take a seat. I see his eyes ask me if I need him to be with him but I shake my head slightly, he's doing a fantastic job and I just need a moment. So sinking into the chair I take a glass from a waiter who passes and sip the fizzy pink concoction trying to gather my scattered thoughts. I watch Peeta as he chats with a group of adoring girls, one reaches out a hand to ghost over his arm and I see as his body tenses and then he subtly moves away, letting her know not to touch without being harsh. I'm not like that the fire in my stomach wants to warn the girl away from him, I want to slap her hand, but instead I grip the stem of my glass harder and bite the inside of my cheek.
"Having fun?" a voice ghosts across my skin and I turn to see a man I haven't met before but that looks familiar slip into a chair next to me.
"Why yes," I plaster my best capitol smile across my lips and he laughs lightly in return.
"That's wonderful; it would be a terrible drag if you didn't enjoy your own party," he pauses to laugh slightly and I find myself frowning at this man, "Oh I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself, I'm Plutarch Havensbee, I'm in charge of the games now," he reaches out and I slip my hand into his shaking it slightly and I realise why I know his face now.
"You were there when…" I trail off looking around me making sure no one heard my slip.
Laughing lightly he pulls his hand back, "yes I was. Very impressive Miss Everdeen, very impressive. Well as you would guess preparations for the Quarter Quell are way underway," he glances at his watch then and for a moment I'm sure that I see my very own mockingjay flash over the face, "in fact I must be leaving I have a meeting to get to."
He rises to his feet and I watch as he turns to me smiling brightly again, "until we meet again miss Everdeen, have a wonderful time in the Capitol won't you," he bows to me and then he's gone melting into the crowds milling around me.
"What was that about?" Peeta asks at my side making me jump a little.
He laughs as I climb to my feet and practically wrap myself around him pressing a kiss to his jaw as I do, "I don't know," I frown thinking about it.
Was it the mockingjay; I've seen people wearing the design everywhere tonight. Pins clipped to dresses, girls with it in their hair and even men wearing them as tie pins, but not on a watch. That must have been terribly expensive why bother for something he obviously didn't want people to see. With a shake of my head I cast it from my mind and follow Peeta as he pulls me out of the main room out onto the courtyard that is a little less stuffy then the room we just left.
Looking out over the gardens of the house, I watch as a fountain starts up its colourful jet routine. Peeta's pressed against my back now his lips ghosting over my neck as I watch the water dance in front of me, my hands grasping the marble fence around the courtyard.
"You should wear more things that bare your shoulders, I like the access is gives me," he whispers and I can't help the laugh the slips from my lips.
It's so real and loving that more than one person turns to look at us but I pay them no heed for a moment I don't want to act I just want to be held in his arms.
"Marry me Katniss," he whispers out suddenly and I feel my body still under his.
What did he just whisper to me; I can feel his body has gone taught behind me, that his hands that were softly caressing my stomach are now still as stone.
Turning my head I make him step back slightly so that I can see his eyes and the intense blue bores into me, "what did you just say?" I whisper my eyes darting around me to make sure no one heard.
"I said marry me," he spins me then so that his hands are at my back and mine are pressed into his shirt, "not for the capitol or for the show, but for me," he leans in then and presses his lips to mine but I can't move, "marry me because you love me and because I love you," his lips are melding against mine then and I can do no other than to surrender to the kiss.
Closing my eyes I let the feel of him wash over me and instantly I feel better, my body melts against his and I step forward so that he can pull me tightly against him, one of my hands skating up to his neck so I can feel the heat of his skin under my fingertips. Everything I was thinking not a few hours ago after Haymitch's whispered instructions comes tumbling down around me, well at least I know what Peeta thinks when he looks at me now. When he pulls back his breathing is raged and I can see the hunger in the depths of his eyes.
"Is that a yes?" he asks and I can hear the desperation in his voice.
I know now that I can break or make this man that I love with my next words. He's laid himself bare to me and I know that if I say no right now it will kill him, but can I say yes. I haven't even managed to say that I love him yet to his face, how can I say that I will marry him? Closing my eyes I take a moment from his intense stare to think. What am I scared of? I love him of course I want to spend the rest of every moment of my life with him, so why can't I say yes. A picture of my mother flashes in my mind, of her broken and unable to even speak after my father died and I know that's what wrong. What if I lose Peeta, I know that I won't be able to function, that I will be left like my mother completely broken and useless. But Marrying him won't change that, we could live together for the rest of our lives unmarried and I would still feel the same if I lost him, there was just something about marriage that was so concrete. Clutching at his shirt I breathe deeply and open my eyes.
He looks worried now and I can tell he thinks I'm going to say no, and I have every intention of saying no, not yet.
"Yes," but apparently that's not what comes out of my mouth.
There's a heartbeat where I think he didn't hear me and then his lifting me up against his body and spinning me around. I clutch at his shoulders as the world tips around me and then I'm back on my feet but unable to breathe as his lips have descended on mine capturing me in a flaming kiss that is sending shock waves of heat through my body.
When he finally pulls back I'm grasping at his jacket to keep from falling over my legs feel so weak.
"God I love you Katniss," he says and I know that it's loud enough for everyone around us to hear.
My head feels light headed from the lack of oxygen and from the spinning and when I look up at him my world tilts slightly and then there's only his eyes.
"I love you to," the words slip from my mouth so easily that I have no idea why I haven't been able to say them to him before.
His smile turns soft and then his lips are on mine again, but this time it's a soft kiss full of our love and his acceptance of me.
"That a girl I knew we'd get you there eventually," he whispers and I can't help the bubble of shocked laughter that escapes my mouth before he kisses me again.
The rest of the night is a blur, I know we dance and eat and mingle but I can't remember any of it. Soon Effie finally says we have mixed enough and if we want to escape we can. She doesn't need to tell us twice we call for our car and are in it so fast that most people won't know we have left.
In the car alone for the first time I crawl onto Peeta's lap straddling him and his hands go to my waist holding me in place.
Pressing my fingers to his jaw I lock eyes with him, "I love you," I say out into the quietness of the car, "and I'm going to marry you," leaning in I press a kiss to his lips and let the heat of my need wash over the both of us.
I can feel now just how much Peeta is excited by this and I wiggle my hips drawing a gasp from his throat.
"I thought maybe when you had a second to think you'd change your mind," he laughs out but I can tell he's nervous and I know it's with good reason.
I'm like that really aren't I? I've flip flopped so much on him that I know he finds it hard to read my mind, finds it impossible to gage exactly what I'm thinking at any given time.
"I'm sorry Peeta that I ever made you doubt me," pressing a kiss to his jaw I swirl my tongue over his pulse point eliciting a moan from deep in his chest, "I promise to be more open from now on," pressing my body tightly against him I let him wrap me up in his arms as we head to our home for the next week.
A/N well didn't that dip where I didn't expect it to yet lol but definitely for the better since I've got their interview coming up with Caesar. Hope you enjoyed and I can't wait to hear what ya'll thought. I might hold the next chapter hostage until I get a little feedback since it's already to go! (I more than likely won't you know what I'm like so humour me with some reviews before I cave and post it haha) newho hope you enjoyed and be seeing you again soon xx