Chapter Twenty-Eight

Katniss' POV

"Haymitch come on," I groaned for about the thousandth time. The man might not look huge but he sure weighed a ton and a half as he slouched against my side. The barman had helped me as far as the bar and then apologized as he left me to return to work. I wasn't mad at him, he did have to work, but it did leave me with a drunk who was going to vomit on me at some point.

"Need a hand," an irritatingly familiar voice asked. I sighed as I realized I would have to accept his much needed help.

"Sure why not," I huffed immaturely. I knew I was being immature. Sure we hadn't been together or anything, and I didn't really want anything with him, but Peeta getting with someone else had still stung.

He thankfully went around to the other side of Haymitch and hitched him up so that the drunks' arm was slung loosely around his strong looking shoulder. We didn't talk much, instead just mumbling as Haymitch ranted about the lack of saucepans available. Or something like that, I wasn't really listening.

I was watching the horizon, determined not to look round and watch Peeta. Determined not to look at the way his eyes shone in the dim streetlights, seeming to take in every detail. They were so, irritatingly perfect. I clenched my jaw tighter and hummed reassuringly at Haymitch as he continued his pointless rant.

The hotel was further away than I would have liked. Especially since Haymitch had stopped talking and was now making odd retching noises.

"We should set him down for a sec," Peeta advised and I nodded in agreement as we sat him on one of the benches that ran along the length of the beach. Peeta leaned him forward slightly, so that his head was almost between his knees, and then leaned back a little; clearly trying to avoid being vomited on.

We stood in silence for a while, well almost silence. There was still the sounds of waves brushing up on the shore, the distant sounds of cars travelling along roads, and of course Haymitch almost retching.

"So how'd you find him?" Peeta eventually asked, and I swallowed silently. Trying to stop emotions getting the better of me.

"Prim told me to come help," I answered, still refusing to look at him. Of course I knew why. If I looked at him, I would get sucked into the puppy dog eyes and would forget why I was mad at him in the first place. Which was a good reason to be mad. I think. He silently laughed.

"What about you?" I asked, trying to sound as polite as I could.

"Rue told me to come," Peeta replied. I turned to look at him to see him staring at me, watching my every move. His blue eyes searched mine in the low light for any sign of emotions. I could feel myself giving into them, bringing out the hurt and the lost trust I was feeling. Damn it I shouldn't have looked.

"Think they planned it?" I asked, wanting him to do something other than stare at me.

"Probably. Well they did lock Cato and Clove in a cupboard," he pointed out, and I smiled at the memory. Although remember that I found out minutes later he had been with that redhead that had been causing so much trouble.

"True," I answered, unable to take my eyes off of his. They looked so sad, and lost. I felt like I'd kicked a kitten. And not a kitten like Buttercup that was irritating and scratched everything it couldn't eat, like a really cute one, that people usually "Awwed" over.

I didn't know how to look away, the muscles in my neck became tense as I watched his chest rising and falling as he breathed heavily. I felt awkward but I didn't know what else to do. Actually I had a few ideas, but they involved me either running away or running straight into him, preferably lips first. Neither of which was an option. I could feel my head pounding with the decisions. I just wanted to get the drunk home already.

"Katniss I-"

I never found out what he was going to say, because it was at that moment that Haymitch vomited. Royally. Peeta was at his side in a second, seeming to forget whatever it was he was about to say to me as Haymitch made sure his presence was known.

Great.

Cato's POV

I wandered out of the room, deciding I could find something better to do than mope around in there all day. Admittedly I couldn't think what. I could go for a run, maybe a swim? It was too late to use the outdoor pool however the indoor pool should still be open. But the indoor pool was, well indoors and sort of out of the way. And I wasn't quite feeling that antisocial yet. Ok so maybe I was a little, but only because there was only one person I really wanted to see. And I wasn't sure how much she wanted to see me.

Sure I knew Clove's opinion of me was changing, I could see it in the way she didn't look at me in such a guarded way anymore, there was a softness and understanding that was definitely new. But that didn't mean that she trusted me enough to see me as anything more as the goofball she'd known all her life. The goofball that had been with too many girls in her mind.

It was going to take some serious work on my part. But I was willing to put in the work. I had developed the reputation and I was willing to work to prove it wrong.

Then I stopped. I watched through the glass of the lobby, out onto the patio where all the pool tables were lined up and watched as Marvel tried hopelessly to teach a stubborn looking Clove how to play pool.

I tilted my head to the side and smirked as I realized that she wasn't getting anywhere with it. She stood at awkward angles, trying to make impossible shots that didn't even look vaguely realistic. For someone who insisted on being good at everything, she really sucked at the simple game.

Johanna's POV

I let my lips slide over his again and again. I loved the slightly salty taste of his mouth as the cool seawater made it's way around us, rolling over our skin so that the only warmth I felt was him as he drew me closer and closer against him, unwilling to let me go.

Not that I wanted him to, I mean he felt good. I sighed against his mouth as he tightened his grip around me and I felt the muscles in his arms tense with the action. I moved my hands up from behind his neck and into his short hair, letting my fingers get lost in the wet, inky strands while I angled my head slightly to the left.

Our tongues moved over each other's, exploring every inch of each other's mouths like our lives depended on it. I knew we should stop. I know we should have stopped half an hour ago when we had said that we would but then he had kissed me and now here we were; my legs wrapped around him squeezing against him tightly and silently begging him not to let me go. Because I was not saying that out loud. Never.

He pulled away slowly and I could feel his grin against my nervous smile. I could still feel the taste of him lingering on my lips and I wasn't ready to let that go.

"We should umm, get going," he stuttered and I felt my smile grow again as I realized he was a little nervous.

"Mmm why's that?" I mumbled, looking into his eyes slightly seductively as I asked and tightening my grip on him. I laughed slightly as he moaned at my response.

"Because I can feel your fingers getting pruney and wrinkly is not my style," he mumbled, leaning his head against my neck and letting his lips make contact with my needy skin. I whimpered slightly at the action and his breathing against my neck became shallower, letting me know he was laughing.

"But things were just getting interesting," I complained, leaning my head to the side, revealing just a little more of my neck to the mercy of his masterful tongue.

"I thought you wanted to take it slow," he tormented me with my own words as his tongue pressed more firmly on my neck.

"That was before you started doing that," I complained half-heartedly, feeling myself growing whiney as he continued his tormenting.

"Doing what," he questioned, a mock innocence in his voice that would have made me want to slap him usually but in my current state rendered me unable to do anything.

"That," I sighed almost inaudibly as his tongue moved further and further up my neck.

"What's 'that'?" he chuckled menacingly, taking my earlobe into his mouth causing me to tense slightly. I knew he felt my reaction as he growled slightly and I felt his warm breath glide across my ear.

"You know," I told him. He pulled away suddenly, looking a little ashamed of himself. To be honest the only reason I could think of for him being upset was for leaving me in this Godforsaken state. "What?" I asked, slightly worried I'd done something wrong. If I had I'd hit him.

"I have to stop, I'm sorry," he muttered, sliding me off of his legs.

"Wait why?" I asked, aware my voice was at least three octaves higher than it should be.

"If we don't stop now I'm not going to stop," he half warned half threatened.

"And why is it bad to stop?' I asked, knowing that I really wasn't talking with my head. Mainly because my head had stopped thinking about twenty minutes ago and I was now very cold without his body to warm me.

"Because we agreed to go slow. Since going fast never really worked for us in the past," he reminded me. I kicked myself for saying those words. I should have known they'd come back to bite me in the ass later.

"Fine," I sighed standing up fully in the water, it barely came to the top of my abdomen. I probably should have been more embarrassed about our skinny-dipping adventure but the whole thing had been kinda fun; even if we hadn't made it past making out. Plus it was too dark for anyone to see anyway. I walked past Gale, trying not to let my frustration be too obvious. "Umm Gale," I started.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking over the beach.

"Where'd we leave our stuff?" I asked.

Clove's POV

I sighed as I tried to set up another shot. I wasn't really angry when I missed. I had been about the first hundred times it had happened but now I was too exhausted to care.

After losing a third game to Marvel, and not even closely, I had decided I had to improve my game or forever suffer his awful attempt at street talk. I didn't get how it worked. Aiming was easy, simply following the line until it lined up with the pocket, but the damn balls refused to line up with the pocket and it became impossible.

And I refused to take Marvel up on his offer of help.

I squinted my head to the side before leaning over the table to try another shot. Which failed. I watched the ball bounce teasingly off the cushioned side repeatedly; clearly avoiding the pockets just to irritate me.

"Need a hand?" a voice asked out of the darkness.

Author's Note: And hello there all! So did you miss me? I kinda hope so. If you didn't miss me please tell me you at least missed the drama, or the Johale, or the Everlark and Clato potential? Pretty please? So who has enjoyed this chapter? Thoughts on what should happen with Katniss and Peeta, Clove and her suckish pool playing abilities and Gale and Johannas lack of clothes is greatly appreciated! Anyways for those of you who are interested I recently started writing a new AU called Run, which is kinda my new baby. So it would mean the world to me if you guys had the time to read it and give some feedback! The feedback on this fic has been so amazing and I'm so grateful to everyone who'd reviewed or favorited or followed! It means the world and I'm really hoping for similar help on that. Plus for those of you who love Gale and Johanna in this, it is very much centered around our favorite feisty pair! But yeah I know I have been super sucky at replying to reviews but I am determined to not fall behind again, so please review! Hope to hear from you all and until next time guys! :)

-R