A/N: Not too late, am I? Exams have been going on this week, so this was pretty much the earliest I could get a chapter out to you guys. It's slightly shorter than the others, but that's just because I felt it was the best place to end. Hope you enjoy!


○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ STAY ALIVE ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Chapter 28 - Close

I find myself growing hungry as Katniss sleeps, but I wait for her to wake before I eat any more. There is only a little food left, and she decides we should finish it all and hunt tomorrow, to which I have to agree. Though I would prefer for her to rest longer, I know two pieces of groosling and some berries won't last us longer than a day anyway.

With nothing more to do, we spend the majority of the morning devising other ways of obtaining food, simply to pass the time.

"I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread." I say. After a moment, Katniss reaches out and takes my hand in hers. The action surprises me, but I go along with it more than willingly.

"Well," she smirks, "he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out."

"Yeah, about that," I return, a twinge of annoyance sparking in my stomach at her tone of nonchalance. "Don't try something like that again."

"Or what?" she teases.

"Or… or…" I struggle, watching her grin grow wider. "Just give me a minute."

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is we're both still alive." I say bluntly. "Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing."

"I did do the right thing." she says, bordering on cockiness.

"No!" I cry, and the grin falls off her face as she realizes how serious I really am. "Just don't, Katniss! Don't die for me. Believe me, you won't be doing me any favours." In all honesty, I cannot even imagine life without her in it. Cliché, I know, but her death would not only take her life, but most of mine too. The idea is impossible, inconceivable, and yet it came so close to happening.

"Maybe I did it for myself, Peeta." Her voice is timid, unusually so, and I meet her eyes, bashfully inviting her to continue. "Did you ever think of that? Maybe you aren't the only one who… worries about… what it would be like if…" she stumbles, and it is curiously adorable.

"If what, Katniss?" She sighs and shakes her head.

"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of." I'm certain they had no conversation of the kind. I know Haymitch was the one wanting to play up the 'star-crossed lovers'; I know he would never have told Katniss to 'steer clear' of emotional conversations. So I decide to take charge.

"Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself." I whisper, narrowing the gap between us. I pause just as our lips are about to touch, giving her time to draw away. For a second, she looks into my eyes doubtfully, but then those grey orbs flick down to glance at my lips. And I can't help but kiss her.

This time, it's different. She feels familiar now, like I've done this a thousand times rather than once before. And yet it's still so new, so tentative, so sweet. Again, the disbelief is almost as strong as the pure bliss I feel to be kissing her, Katniss. Impossibly, my heart fills with further adoration when I (rather reluctantly, I might add) pull back first to see her frowning in disappointment at our separation. The sight alone is enough to make me lean back in. That is, until I spot the bead of blood trickling down her forehead. So instead, I kiss her nose – which she scrunches up, unsatisfied – and say, "I think your wound has started bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it's bedtime anyway."

"Fine," she mutters, frustrated. "But only if you take back your jacket." She sees my mouth open to object, but continues stubbornly. "No – I'm sure my socks are dry by now, and you'll freeze without it. Take it, Peeta." she urges, holding it out to me after unwrapping it from her feet. I have to agree, but I make sure her socks are perfectly dry before doing so.

We agree that she should take first watch, though it takes a lot of persuading to convince me that she is fully rested. She leans her arched frame against the side of the cave, eyes already focused on the outside as I slip into the sleeping bag.

"Katniss?" I hold open the sleeping bag from the top, raising an eyebrow in shy invitation. She returns the look just as doubtfully before a feeble breeze washes into our shelter. She shivers and then, after a moment, scoots over to me and into the space beside me.

Though the sleeping bag is only meant for one, Katniss manages to angle her body in such a way that she is as distanced from me as possible. Nevertheless, my body seems to be on fire at being so close to her. But she seems awkward and uncomfortable, shifting and fussing to change her position in the limited space the bag provides. I place my arm under her head to act as a pillow in an attempt to give her some comfort, to which she settles down slightly with her head in the crook of my elbow and her back to the floor. And then, without really thinking, I roll over towards her and bring my hand over her stomach protectively. She stiffens immediately. I freeze, mentally kicking myself for being so thoughtless while she feels so vulnerable. I try to withdraw my arm discreetly, but before I can Katniss is moving again and I find her close up against me, still on her back, but with her head resting on my upper arm and one leg pressed onto mine. My arm finds its way around her waist once more, holding her firmly as if she may slip away in the night.

It is a miracle I manage to fall asleep with my heart fluttering and beating so wildly.


Thanks for reading! As always, please review if you have a moment. Question: would you like to see a dream sequence in the next chapter? If so, what should it be about? Thanks for the patience and support.