It honestly was probably just a few hours, but to me it felt like days, weeks even. We finally got to the Capitol though. Tonight Peeta and me would have the tribute parade. It probably meant more fire too. Great. Peeta just thought I was worried about my stomach showing but in truth I didn't like the idea of a tight costume, with flames, against my stomach or bladder. The morning sickness had died down but who knows what could set it off again. Then of course the other joyous pregnancy side effect decided it needed to take the sickness' place. Peeta was as calm as he could be with me complaining about having to use the bathroom every hour, while Effie argued with Haymitch about putting me on some fancy medication for a UTI. I winced as my prep team yanked off something used to wax my legs.
"Cinna will be here in a few minutes," they said and walked out. I sighed and stood up to look at myself in the mirror. It was clear to see. My stomach was obviously big. There was no way Cinna could hide it. No one could. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, my baby. It was hard to actually believe that there was a baby inside me. Peeta's and mine. Which also meant that it would only have one parent. A mom, me, or a dad, Peeta.
"Katniss," I looked up and saw Peeta's reflection in the mirror.
"Hey Peeta."
"What are we going to tell Cinna?"
"We? I thought I would be telling him alone."
"Katniss, you know you don't want to be alone when you tell him."
"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't." He walked over to me and gently wrapped his arms around me, well us.
"Kat," he brushed a strand of my hair back, "We're in this together. No matter what." I felt his lips on mine and kissed him back. He moved his hands down to where my back would arch and deepened the kiss. I melted into his arms as I felt him run his tongue along my bottom lip.
"How much time before Cinna gets here," he asked before I felt his tongue enter my mouth and we began our usual make-out session. I pulled away for just a few second to answer his question.
"Probably about five minutes," I leaned back to him. Before our lips met, he spoke again.
"We have time then," he crashed his lips back onto mine and pressed my back against the edge of the prep table. He ran his careful hands over my back and undid my bra strap before running his hands back along my sides. I took off his shirt and could hear him moan at my touch and feel him beginning to get an erection. He had his hands in my hair and my bra lay on the floor next to his shirt. My hand was on his zipper about to undo it when I heard someone clear their throat behind us. Peeta must have heard it too because he broke the kiss quickly. I looked over his shoulder and saw Cinna.
"Am I interrupting Girl on Fire?" I swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
"Not anything that can't wait for later," I could hear Peeta sigh next to me, since he was now standing beside me shifting his leg trying to hide his erection. I think Cinna noticed my stomach then.
"Katniss," he said my actual name, but wasn't sure what to say after that.
"I'm sorry Cinna. You uh, weren't supposed to see that," Peeta stuttered out.
"That's not what I was going to say," he looked back at me, "You're Pregnant."
"Yeah," I looked down at my feet, which I noticed my ankles were swollen now. Great.
"So can I assume it's Peeta's, or is the boy back home in the equation?"
"NO. Gale isn't, the baby is Peeta's. No one else's." I noticed Peeta was now pale beside me.
"Okay. How far along?"
"Eight months."
"Katniss you realize that means you will..."
"Give birth during the games more than likely. I know."
"Okay. Well congratulations, both of you. I assume we will be trying to hide the bump from everyone else?"
"Yes," Peeta answered.
"Okay. Peeta, I'm sure your stylist is waiting on you. You need to get ready, I'll make sure your girlfriend gets ready."
"Fiancé," Peeta said, "She's my fiancé." He then walked out and I felt the ring on my finger as though it was a bag of bricks. The pretend engagement had suddenly became real, within a second.