Disclaimer: This fic is rated "M" for language and specifically for this chapter, for sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did). All other ideas and creative liberties are my own.

"Close your eyes."

There's a breathy quality to Katniss's request that causes my next step to falter as I follow her towards the back of the cave. I almost crash into her back when she comes to an abrupt halt, releasing my hand and twisting around on her heel. She stares up at me, her eyes slightly narrowed and the corner of her mouth twitching on a smile.

I can't help but grin, relieved to see this playful side of Katniss return. The way her hands tremble, though, as she takes a step back and fidgets with the end of her braid…there's a hint of uncertainty. The last thing I want is for her to retreat back into her usual reserved shell, so I dutifully shut my eyes. "What are you up to?" I muse.

She doesn't answer right away, my ears straining to hear the sound of her footsteps as she pads away but then I catch it, the swishing of cloth and ruffling of something on her bed. A lump forms in my throat as a dozen less than innocent images flash through my mind. I fight back a groan, clearing my throat as I shake my head. "Uh, Katniss?"

A minute later, her quiet voice fills the room and a shiver runs down my spine. "Open your eyes."

Back on Earth, people used to believe that if you stared directly into the sun the last image captured by your mind's eye would be forever burned into your memory. An afterimage, bathed in red and yellow and white, that would haunt you for the rest of your life. If that's the case, Katniss must be more radiant than the Earth's sun, because the image before me is one that will forever be branded into my mind. One that, guaranteed, I'll be seeing every time I close my eyes.

I blink, long and slow, then one more time for good measure. Is this really happening? It's impossible to look anywhere else, even with the burn in my chest that demands my attention. The breath I've been holding spirals out of my lungs in a rush, but my entire world stays focused on the woman before me, who paints the most erotic picture I've ever seen.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip, the pain barely registering as my hungry eyes drift over every single part of her, fascinated by the exposed skin on display before me. She's kneeling on the bed, legs spread apart and arms at her sides. Her long hair hangs in loose waves over her breasts, and with each breath she takes, the thick strands shift, teasing me with a brief glimpse of dark nipples. The absence of pubic hair has me wondering if that's natural or if she tends to it, but I keep my mouth shut just in case I do something stupid…like ask. My gaze can't seem to settle, darting from her curved waistline to the swells of her breasts, from the dip of her navel to the flare of her hips that I'm already picturing catching hold of and—and what the hell am I thinking?

Forcing my attention back up to her face, I find her staring, head held high and eyes bright with an internal blazing fire. She moistens her lips, and when I picture that mouth of hers pressed against mine, my heart races even faster. I swallow hard, half afraid my mind is playing tricks on me, but my cock doesn't have any trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality.

"Katniss?" I manage to get out, my voice low and hoarse, almost unrecognizable to my own ears. But then she lifts a hand and brushes her hair off her shoulders, baring the hidden treasures beneath as she continues to stare up at me with those deep-set grey eyes. I can't help it: I groan. My erection presses harder against the front of my already too-tight pants and responds with an eager twitch.

Closing my eyes, I give my head a good shake. How can anyone think straight with all that naked skin staring back at them, let alone string two words together to form a coherent sentence? It's a struggle to inhale a deep and much-needed breath as I try to get my thoughts in order.

"Katniss," I start again. "W-why are you naked? I mean…shit, that was a dumb question, but I mean, I have a pretty good idea why, but…" Damn, why can't I just spit it out already? Swallowing thickly, I try again. "I, um, don't want to assume anything and for all I know this could be a terrible, terrible idea or—"

"Look at me," she says, the commanding edge to her voice cutting me off. Prying an eye open, I see that she's now on her feet. Her gaze never wavers from mine as she takes a step closer, then another and another until if I just reached out, I could trap her in my arms. Lifting a hand, she traces a finger down the front of my suit. "Enough talk. I want to see you."

"Why?" I ask dumbly, but I don't move a muscle as her fingers work at the clasps of my jacket, then tug down on the sleeves to free my shoulders. We both know full well that she's seen me naked before but…this is different. Although I'm still wearing my undershirt, I might as well be naked with the way she's staring at my chest.

Taking one of my hands in hers, she places it over her breast. All the blood in my head rushes down south the moment her taut nipple grazes my palm, and I suck in a breath. It's a perfect fit, and my fingers have a mind of their own as they curl in, gently caressing the soft mound and testing the weight of it. With a slight twist of my wrist, my fingers trace the underside of her breast and my thumb brushes over the peak.

A soft yet ragged gasp sends my eyes darting up, just in time to catch her eyelids fluttering shut and lips parting. Her grip on my shoulder tightens, her nails biting into my bicep. I'm amazed at how responsive she is, and a smug part of me is curious to see what other sounds I can draw from those tempting lips. With the pad of my thumb, I circle the darker skin surrounding her nipple, slowly working my way back towards the center as I gauge her features. Her low, throaty moan when I roll the bud between my fingers has my stomach clenching. It's too much.

I wrench my hand back, fisting my fingers to keep from doing anything more. Based on the boldness of her first move, I have a pretty good idea of where we're going with this, but how far does she plan on going, exactly? I'm all in if mutual exploration is what she's after but if it's going to be one-sided, I'm better off keeping my clothes on, for both our sakes. But if it's more that she's after…well, the last thing I want is for something to get lost in translation.

It doesn't help that my mind is being pulled in a million different directions as my emotions battle between tossing rationality to the wayside in favor of primitive curiosity or hanging on to those final threads of morality. The lower part of me is wondering when it'll be its turn to explore, but it's best to leave things up to my other head at the moment. Are we moving too fast? How is this going to work exactly? Are we even physically compatible? What if I get her pregnant? Can I even get her pregnant? Shit.

Those intense eyes of hers are watching me again, waiting for me to do or say something, but my tongue suddenly feels too big for my mouth. "Do you not find my body appealing?" she asks. I'm shocked at the hurt in her voice as she backs away.

"No! I mean, yes! Just look at you…" I trail off to do just that, running my eyes down and then back up her body. "You're perfect."

"Then what is wrong?"

Closing my eyes, I take a calming breath. "I'm trying really hard to do this the right way, but first I need to be absolutely sure we're on the same page. What I think you're trying to say is that you want to, uh, you know…" I end feebly, gesturing between the two of us and then the bed. Hell, if I can't even bring myself to say it, how can I expect myself to go through with it? Maybe the fear of rejection has me cautious of putting my hopes into words.

Katniss inches closer, shoulders back and looking nothing but sure. "Yes, I want you to mount me." Then without warning, she reaches for my shirt, tugging it from my pants as she tries to wrangle it off my body.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I say, grabbing hold of her wrists to still her hands. If her blatant confession didn't clear things up, her eagerness certainly did. With cheeks burning, I clear my throat. "I think there's something you should know first." Katniss cocks an eyebrow but doesn't move away. Blowing out a shaky breath, I force my eyes to stay locked with hers as the words tumble from my mouth, "I've never had sex before—I mean, I've never mounted anyone before."

There. I said it. I'm not exactly sure what kind of a reaction I'm looking for, but when Katniss's head tilts and her curious eyes search my face, I can't help my hackles from going up in defense.

Just because I can count the number of times I've been alone with a girl on one hand, doesn't mean I'm completely clueless with what goes on between a man and a woman behind closed doors. I've overheard more than enough, thanks to my brothers and the cadets that gather at the Hob to blow off steam and brag about their romantic conquests over a few drinks. Factor in the first-hand knowledge my childhood friend and neighbor Delly Cartwright bestowed upon me, I have a pretty good idea of how to proceed.

We were both sixteen, Delly and I, and more than a little curious about the opposite sex. After a few heated hours spent locked away in a supply closet, I'd learned more about the female body from Delly than my brothers or anyone at the Hob combined. But emotionally speaking, nothing serious ever transpired between us, or ever would, because Delly was never interested in me in that way. Not even a week later, she confessed to me that guys just didn't do it for her. And looking back now, I'm glad we never went all the way or moved beyond our childhood friendship.

Katniss is still staring at me, but now her pursed mouth is frowning. It's obvious she doesn't believe me, but then her features soften and something in her eyes do too, her tentative smile setting me at ease. "Then neither of us will know if what the other does is wrong."

I shake my head and chuckle, thankful that one of us still seems to have a sense of humor. Running a hand across the back of my neck, I try to squeeze away the tension. "Will this even work?"

"Yes. You are the same as our males," she says, glancing down at the front of my pants. A little smirk plays across her lips. "If not a little…larger."

Bluntness be damned but she's good. Seems flattery works every time, no matter where in the galaxy you are, and the erection straining even harder against my pants seems to agree. At least she's brave enough to put her feelings into words and act upon what I've been trying to deny these past few weeks. But there's no denying it anymore. That part of my brain that keeps telling me this should be wrong on so many levels? Yeah, it's no match for twenty years of pent-up sexual frustration. Or the naked woman standing right in front of me.

"But I don't want to hurt you," I finally get out, voicing my biggest worry. Or disappoint her, which if I'm being honest, comes in at a close second.

"Peeta, it will work," she says, tugging at my shirt again. "Now remove this. Please?"

That one word shatters the last of my crumbling resolve. Doing as she asked, I pull my shirt over my head and after taking a moment to fold it, I set it down on the floor. Every move I make she watches with such interest that a bit of insecurity creeps in as I toe off my boots and reach for the clasp of my pants. Inhaling a shaky breath, I hook my thumbs in the waistband and shove everything down my legs at once, kicking it all to the side. I straighten upright. I don't have to look to know that's not all that's standing at attention. But if we're going to go through with this, being shy over a bit of nakedness is a moot point.

I watch her face, but her eyes are riveted to the spot between my legs, which only makes me painfully harder. She reaches out, but then hesitates, glancing up as if seeking permission to touch. I nod, but instead of going where I think she's headed, her hand caresses mine and she gives it a gentle squeeze.

Then her fingers are on the move, blazing a heated path up my arm and to my shoulder, then across my collarbone and down the center of my chest. Her fingers pause to play at the sparse patch of hair there before continuing lower. I know damn well where she's going now, but find myself frozen in place by her captivating touch. My body jerks, though, when she reaches my bellybutton and my cock brushes beneath her forearm, leaving a glistening damp trail along her skin.

Too afraid to speak, I take a quick breath and hold it in when her fingers finally touch upon the base of my shaft. All the air from my lungs rushes back out the moment her fingers wrap around me, giving a tight tug as if to make sure the damn thing won't break off. My legs tremble as I fight to remain vertical, but then she yanks again, earning her a throaty groan. But when she tries to do it again, I grab hold of her hand.

Her head snaps up, wide eyes locking with mine. "It's okay," I soothe, hoping I didn't scare her. "You didn't do anything wrong, it's just…if you keep doing that, I won't last."

Understanding sinks in and she nods, releasing her grip as both our hands fall away from my straining cock. Her curious hand finds purchase on my hip and she continues her exploration, running her gaze up and down my body before stepping around me to trail her fingers along my backside. I sense her gaze on the back of my neck, and my spine prickles with awareness. When her nails lightly scrape at the underside of one ass cheek, I bark out a laugh and thrust my hips forward. Who knew I'd be ticklish there? Resuming my stance with a chuckle, she comes back around to my front, eyes glancing at mine before dropping to stare at my mouth.

"I want to kiss you," she says, inching in until our toes are almost touching. Taking my hands, she leans in even closer and places them low on her hips. "And feel your hands on me."

With a mind of their own, my fingers dig into her skin and the tip of my cock makes contact with her stomach. Oh hell. I tug her closer, trapping her against me as she cradles my face in her hands.

I wait for it, letting her close the final distance between us because after this there's no turning back. We're in this together and we're going to see this through to the end. My tongue darts out the moment just before her lips make contact with mine, and pushing up onto her tiptoes, she throws me for a loop. Instead of the slow and exploratory kiss I'm expecting, she claims me with lips and tongue and teeth.

Groaning against her mouth, something deep inside me stirs. Her head tilts and as her lips continue to play with mine, that something inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest to the tips of my fingers and the balls of my feet. I want more. Need more. Need to taste the inside of her mouth and explore every inch of her skin. Need to trail my lips down her body, taste between her legs and, hell, inside her.

I'm not the only one feeling this carnal pull because her hands leave my face and wander into my hair, nails raking along my scalp as she pulls me down closer. A hungry moan fills the cave; whether it's hers or mine I haven't a clue, but it's her low whimper that causes my arms to wrap tighter, dragging her up my body. Her legs come round my hips, clinging to me as I walk us to the back of the cave. The way she's on me has me moaning, the wet heat from her center pressing torturously against my cock with each step.

Suddenly, she wrenches her lips from mine. "Your leg! Set me down!" She tries to squirm out of my grasp, but it only causes my hold on her to tighten.

"Nope." The only place I'm putting her down is on that damn bed. After a few more wiggles she stills, but then the corner of her mouth lifts.

Before I know it, her lips ghost past mine, a hot rush of breath fanning over me, but only for a second before she traces the line along my jaw with licks and gentle nips. I can't keep my eyes from falling shut, and damn, when her teeth graze the spot just below my ear, I suck in a loud gasp. That felt incredible. Everything she does feels incredible. I can't help but roll my hips, just once, and after a few more steps my foot bumps into something. Carefully, I lower onto my knees and set her down on her back, mindful of her antlers.

Katniss moves to roll over onto her stomach but I catch hold of her waist before she can. The odd look she gives me has me second-guessing myself, but she complies with my silent request, and wiggling herself further up the furs, she rests her head on a pillow as she watches me. I have no idea what constitutes as foreplay on this planet, beyond kissing that is, but I quickly decide to just go with what I know and if she doesn't like what I'm doing, I'm certain she'll let me know.

Once she's settled, I allow myself a moment to take in the view. First with only my eyes but then with my hands. From her parted lips to the dip at the base of her throat. From the freckle just below her left breast to the soft swell of her stomach. I skim my fingers lower across the smooth expanse of skin to where her legs part, leaving a wake of pebbled skin behind, but then her body tenses. Glancing back to her face, there's an intensity there I've never seen before.

"Is this alright?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper. "Can I touch you here?" Her throat bobs as she swallows, but then she nods. Just to be on the safe side, I clarify my intentions. "With my mouth too?" When her eyes widen, I begin to retract my hand, but she grabs hold of it and keeps it in place. I wish I knew what was going on in her head right now because I'm starting to think this is a bad idea. I relax a little when she blinks but then nods again.

The last thing I want is for her to be uncomfortable—or to regret this—so to ease the apprehension from her beautiful face, I slide my hand up to her hip and lean back down for a slow, drugging kiss. Her soft lips open under mine and I take my time, exploring her mouth in its entirety, slicking our tongues together, then teasing her further with a playful nip of her bottom lip before moving on to her neck.

My hand finds her breast, and she pants up at me as I lazily circle her nipple with the flat of my palm. I can't help but smirk when I pull my lips away from her heated skin and she huffs, clearly annoyed, but it's short-lived. A quick glance down to her chest is all the warning she gets when I lunge forward, my lips sealing around a taut peak and taking a generous amount into my mouth. I suck hard and her hands fly into my hair, not pulling my head away but rather holding me in place. That's a good sign, so I do it again, tugging harder on her nipple before allowing my teeth to scrape over it.

"Peeta," she moans, the rasp of her voice sending a jolt of fire straight to my cock. With the tip of my tongue, I paint a trail of moisture across the valley between her breasts in search of her other nipple. Katniss practically shoves it into my waiting mouth where I don't hesitate to work the bud between my teeth and tongue. It doesn't take long before she's soft and pliable in my arms once again, uttering sounds of desire between gasps.

I need to stop. If I don't, I'm bound to lose it and make a mess out of things, quite literally. Releasing her breast from the confines of my mouth, Katniss is hesitant to let go of my head.

"Don't worry, we're just getting started," I say, tracing the underside of her breast with my nose. She releases my hair, allowing me to work my way down the flat of her belly, grazing my lips along the way. I chance a glance up at her face as I dip the tip of my tongue into her bellybutton, and my heart stills at the serious look pinching her face. "You sure this is okay?" I ask, dragging my chin across her skin. Those intense eyes of hers bore into me and without a word, nods her head.

Blowing out a breath, I scoot back a bit and lower myself between her spread legs, taking a second to settle into a somewhat comfortable position. I'm not sure what I'm expecting to find, but up close and personal, she looks exactly the same as a human woman. Eager to explore, I rub my thumb along her silt, all the way up until it catches on her clit, and then slowly back down to her entrance.

I'm amazed at how wet she is, and when I finally dip a finger inside her, my cock throbs. Tight. She's so damn tight. Her hips lift when I start to search the confines of her wet heat, seeking out that spot I'm hoping to find. A quiet whimper escapes her lips and Katniss's head tilts back, a low moan filling the cave.

"Right there?" I murmur, watching as her body tries to sink further onto my finger. Her keening cry is an unequivocal "yes", and with her eyes shut and bottom lip caught between her teeth, her body starts to move in time with my hand. She's practically riding my finger and I almost lose it for the umpteenth time when her hand finds my shoulder, nails digging into my skin. Something inside me snaps. I can't stop myself from leaning in and latching my lips around her clit, rolling it against my tongue over and over.

"Oh!" she cries out, eyes going wide, and for a split-second, I regret my rash decision. But then she hikes up her knees, spreading her legs farther apart in a blatant invitation for me to do it again. So with my eyes on hers, I stroke my tongue over her folds again, then again, fast and then slow, with the tip of my tongue and then with the flat of it, and every which way I can think of until I know exactly what she needs by the desperate sounds she's making.

I know I'm doing something right when I take it between my lips and flick back and forth with the tip of my tongue because her hips shoot off the bedcovers and she rubs herself up against me. I'm so damn hard, but I can't stop tonguing her like a man on a mission. Her thighs smack against the sides of my face and her hands are in my hair, pulling me in even further if that's even possible.

Her entire body tenses and I know she's so damn close to a release when her breaths start coming out in little fits and gasps, like she's trying desperately to hold back her pleasure. I really wish she wouldn't. I want to hear it, all of it.

Wrenching my mouth away but keeping my fingers working a steady rhythm, I take a ragged breath. "I want to hear you," I say when her frantic gaze meets mine. Then before she can get a word out, I dive back down between her legs, winding an arm around her thighs as I suck her clit back into my mouth. Hard.

That's all it takes. Back bowing off the bed as her keening cry fills the cave, I bite back a moan when she pulses around my fingers. She's still panting when her body eventually melts back into the furs, but I can't seem to pull away just yet. I slow my tongue, flicking lazily at her clit a few more times, completely fascinated by the little aftershocks that shoot through her.

With the taste of her still on my tongue, I sit back on my haunches, watching as Katniss recovers. My lips purse to keep from chuckling when she struggles to find some semblance of balance, then somehow manages to roll over and prop herself up onto her elbows, her naked ass sticking straight up into the air. We're both still trying to catch our breath, but I manage to inhale some much-needed air when I notice the arousal still coating the insides of her thighs. My cock twitches at the sight and I lick my lips.

Damn. I glance down at my trembling hands, the desire to run them over every glorious inch of her body burning through me. The thought of being buried deep inside her has me groaning and I can't keep my hands to myself any longer. I skim a palm over her smooth skin from thigh to hip, captivated by the way her muscles twitch beneath my touch. But I'm just tormenting myself now. My cock is throbbing and when it brushes up against the backs of her legs, she sucks in a deep breath. Intrigued, I do it again, making a point to let the tip graze against her folds. I'm rewarded with a breathy moan, but it's my undoing.

As tempting as it is to just pound into her this very second, I want to see her. Want to watch her face and relish in her reaction when I finally enter her. Leaning over, I whisper against the shell of her ear, "Turn over."

"But…that is not how it is done." Her shaky voice holds a hint of apprehension, so I squeeze her hip and try to coax her over.

"Please? I want to see your face." Katniss stands her ground for a moment, unmoving, but then with a sigh, twists onto her back and spreads her legs wide.

For fear of my heart beating right out of my chest, I take a deep breath, the scent and sight of her filling my senses. Her eyes, which have darkened to a smoky grey, are trained on my face as I inch closer, cock in hand as I lean over her body, balancing myself with my free hand next to her head. I guide the thick crown between her thighs, the tip just nudging against her entrance and holy hell, I'm not going to last. Both of our tortured moans cut through the air the moment I ease into her, but despite my best efforts to take it slow, Katniss lifts her hips to take me deeper and I freeze.

Fear overrides all my other emotions for a tense moment as I wait to hit a barrier, followed by her pained cry. But pure desire is written all over her face and I easily slide in more and more, meeting no resistance until I'm in all the way. Testing the waters, I pull out just a bit and slowly ease back in, releasing a heavy sigh when there's no sign of fear or pain on Katniss's face.

I start out slow, pumping into her with measured strokes, finally allowing myself to revel in the hot tightness surrounding me. A slight twinge of pain shoots up my thigh, radiating from my scar, but I ignore it, the pleasure far outweighing the pain. There are no words to describe how she feels, and that's pretty much all I can do: just feel. Feel the way her walls close around me, clenching and releasing my cock with each thrust. It feels so impossibly good that it's borderline torture. Torture to just give in to basic animal instinct and surge into her deep and mark her as mine.

I'm on the verge of losing it, astonished that I haven't already, and the pressure in my balls is a less than gentle warning that I'm not going to last much longer. But I try my damnedest, pitching my hips to thrust in and out of her with long, rolling strokes. One of her legs wraps around my hip, and I let out a breathy laugh when she tries to speed me up, lifting her hips as she pulls me further into her body with her heel.

"More," she demands as her fingers splay across my back, her blunt nails raking up and down to urge me on. I answer with a tortured groan, barely holding it together and unable to put into words just how much more I desperately want to give her.

Bracing myself with one hand, I grip her hip with the other, pinning her in place. Our eyes meet as I dig my fingers into the soft flesh above her backside. I let myself go, pushing hard between her legs, my hips jerking and grinding against her with no rhythm at all, just the primal urge to claim her and possess her spurring me on. My hips jolt with one last hard thrust, burying me deep as she clings to my shoulders. Pleasure spirals through me, my climax hitting me straight in the gut as I shudder and moan, emptying everything I have into her.

I swear she's going to leave marks with how hard she's gripping me, but when her breath hitches and her body shakes beneath me, thighs trembling and pressing against my hips, I know she's going to come again. And with her lip caught between her teeth, she does, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink as her walls clamp down around me and pulse. Continuing to rock into her gently, we both ride out our own pleasure.

Utterly spent, my arms finally give way as I pull out, collapsing next to her on the furs. With the sweet, heady scent of sex still swirling around us, I wait for my heightened senses to return to normal, though I'm in no hurry to move. I don't doubt I could fall asleep in this exact position if I allowed myself, but my racing heart is telling me the night is still young.

When I'm no longer struggling to catch my breath, I roll onto my side to find Katniss still panting, lips parted and eyes closed. Smiling, I lean in and rest my forehead against her temple. "You alright?"

The corner of her mouth lifts, a slow smile spreading across her flushed face. "Yes, and you?"

Fan-fucking-tastic.

"I'm great." I reach across her body to play with one of her breasts, circling and scraping my thumb across her nipple. "Better than great."

Light caresses trace along my skin, up and down my thigh, but then pausing when her fingers brush against my new scar. She bolts up suddenly, her long hair tickling my side as she searches my face. "But your leg…are you sure you are alright? I was selfish and not thinking. Forgive me."

Grasping hold of her hand, I bring it to my lips and press a firm kiss to her palm. "I'm fine, I swear. I'll put up with a hell of a lot more pain than that if it means I get to be inside you again."

Katniss lowers her face to mine until our noses are pressed together. "That won't be necessary. I'm yours to take whenever you will have me."

"Is that a promise?" I ask, a playful lift to my voice as I reach over and snag hold of her waist. Before she can answer, I flip our bodies until she's positioned over me, her wild locks of hair curtaining around us as she straddles my hips. And true to her word, she lets me take her again.

After the third time, when we're both completely wrung out and spent, I tug her into my chest and pull the sleeping bag up over our naked bodies. Her head settles on my shoulder and I can't fight back my smile at the way she's careful not to poke my eye out with her antlers.

Staring up at the ceiling, I trace a finger up the bumps of her spine. "Can I ask you something?" She murmurs a muffled "mmhmm" against my skin. "I hope you don't think I'm being offensive and feel free to tell me off if you want but, may I touch your crown?"

Katniss snorts. "After what we've shared, you can touch any part of me you wish." She scoots back a little and tilts her head, allowing me room to explore.

I'm a little hesitant as I reach for the antler closest to me, lightly gliding a finger along one of the points. It's hot to the touch with a light covering of fine hairs, not what I was expecting at all. Tracing my finger down to where the antler sprouts from her head, she suddenly shudders and I stop, pulling my hand away. "Did that hurt?"

"No, but they are sensitive." With a reassuring smile, she snuggles back into me, resting her face on my shoulder. "I am told that is a sign that they will soon shed."

"That quick, huh?" Katniss just shrugs, skating her fingers along my ribcage.

We lie in comfortable silence for a long while, just soaking in each other's presence. In this state, I can almost forget about the world around us. Before the depressing thoughts of our uncertain future can take root, I banish them from my mind and focus on the here and now.

Satiated and content, a thought comes to me, something I've been wondering about but never thought to ask before. I recall how primitive societies back on Earth made do with a broad understanding of the passage of time, their only two measurements of time being the two constants in the sky. I've already determined the length of a day on this planet and based on the rate of the changing moon, months are much shorter here.

"Katniss?"

"Hmm?" She leans up on an elbow but makes no attempt to untangle our legs from underneath the furs.

"How old are you?" Her mouth opens to answer, but then she stops. Wincing, Katniss reaches up to touch the base of one of her antlers. "You okay?" I ask, cupping her face in my hand.

"Yes, I am fine. It was only a minor pain, but it has passed." She shakes her head, then smiles.

Katniss reaches over my body, her fingers searching for something on the floor. Sitting up, she repositions the sleeping bag over her lap and starts brushing out her hair with a comb carved from bone. "I was born under the hunter's sky. That same sky has passed eighteen times since I was born, so it has been eighteen annums."

"Is that how you keep track of time? By the stars?" She nods. "And how many times does the moon cycle before you see those same stars again?"

"Fourteen."

"And how many days for a new moon to appear?"

"About twenty-five."

Although math was never a favorite subject of mine, I've always had a way with numbers, so doing the rough calculations in my head, eighteen years here equate to about twenty years by Earth's standards. I stroke the hair dangling between her shoulder blades as I do the calculations over again in my head just to be sure.

"How old are you?" she asks when she's finally satisfied with her hair, quirking an eyebrow.

"Back on Earth I'd be just over twenty years old, but here, I think we'd be around the same age."

With a smile, she tosses the comb back onto the floor and sinks back into my embrace, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. I should be tired, but I'm anything but. I'm wired. The fire is on its last legs, almost completely burned out by the time Katniss finally dozes off, and I'm still stroking her hair as my mind drifts to replay the events of the day.

After what feels like hours later, my eyes flutter shut and I'm just about to give in to sleep when a faint beep pulls me back to the edge of consciousness. The sound is so out of place and weak that I'm doubting I heard anything in the first place, but then I hear it again and whip my head towards the sound. Curious, I carefully extract my arm from under Katniss's head and reach over to find my pack.

Pulling out the HOLO, I swipe the screen and wait. The image comes to life a few seconds later. There's a blinking blue dot not more than two miles away, but it isn't moving. That's odd. The drones should be miles from here, still mapping out the terrain, but maybe this one got turned around and stuck on something. The longer I stare at it, the more my conscience needles me, reminding me of my mission and why I was sent here to begin with.

Blowing out a long breath, I make a decision. I have to check it out, but without Katniss knowing. Then after this, I'm done. The chances of anyone coming for me are slim to none. Having no communication with my ship since my arrival, plus with my POD exploding, they probably think I'm dead. And with twelve other habitable planets to choose from, the odds of rescue aren't looking too good. Not that I find myself wanting to be rescued. I need to focus on carving out a new future, one that involves this planet as my new home and the woman sleeping soundly next to me as a permanent fixture in my life.

As I power down the HOLO, I glance back over at Katniss and grin. The corner of the sleeping bag drapes over her stomach and thighs, allowing me an enticing view of her tanned limbs sprawled out over the furs. If it wasn't for the yawn I struggle to fight back, I'd be tempted to take her a fourth time.

Tomorrow. I'll check out the drone tomorrow, and then? I'm going to tell her the truth. The whole truth.

Something grazes the underside of my chin, rousing me from my blissful sleep. Unlike my first few nights here, I know exactly where I am the moment I come to. When the warm body next to me shifts, I pull Katniss to me and nuzzle my face into her hair, breathing in deeply the smell that is uniquely her. A few strands of hair tickle my nose, but when I reach up to brush them from my face, something is different. Blinking my eyes open, I take in Katniss's sleeping form and freeze.

What the…shit. Her antlers. They're gone. Well, not gone gone, they're sitting on the floor less than foot away from the bed. I tilt my head to get a better look at her head, worried I'll find her surrounded by a pool of blood or something, but there's nothing. It's like they just fell off painlessly during her sleep. Careful not to jostle her too much, I reach a hand over to graze my fingers against her scalp. There's just a smooth if not slightly firm patch where each of her antlers was once attached.

It's a little weird, seeing her like this…almost human. With her slightly pointed ears, she looks like one of the fairies in the children's books my father used to read to me before bed. No, not a fairy, but my own Wood Spirit in the flesh. Which fittingly enough, would make me her Fallen Star. I smile at the irony and shake my head as I stifle a yawn.

Leaning down, I brush a kiss on her head, over the bare spot closest to me, and she answers with a gentle sigh. Watching Katniss sleep may have just become my new favorite hobby. My heart clenches at just how achingly beautiful she is, but I need to get up. Now is the perfect time to sneak out and find that drone if I want to be back before she wakes.

After placing a soft kiss to her lips, I whisper "I love you" into the crook of her neck so as not to wake her. Carefully, I extricate myself from the bed and locate my clothes. My eyes fall on my chain, the metal of my ident tag catching what little light is left from the dying embers of the fire. On the off chance she wakes before I return, I don't want her to panic, but it's not like I can just leave her a note. Picking up the chain, I clench it against my chest then set it down on the pillow next to Katniss's sleeping face. With one final glance at her, I shoulder my pack and as quiet as possible, sneak out of the cave.

The sun has barely poked its head up over the horizon and once I'm a fair distance away, I pull out the HOLO and scarf down a protein bar as I wait for it to boot up. The beacon from the drone is still blinking and in the same spot from last night. It doesn't take long to track it down with the help of the HOLO, and when I do, it turns out I was right.

Dangling above in the branches, I spot the drone. It's caught in a snare similar to one that Katniss uses. Luckily, it's one I've become familiar with and I know how to wrangle it down. I set my pack on the ground and search for a long enough stick to pull the drone down. It takes a few tries, but once I have it down, I start to untangle it from the net of thin vines.

The drone isn't too badly damaged. Once I have it out it should be able to restart itself and be on its way. I've almost got it free when the sound of a branch breaking behind me catches my attention.

"Katniss?" I say, but when I turn, I have only a brief moment to register the butt end of a bow careening towards my face before my world goes dark.

Author's Note: So I hope no one comes after me with pitchforks for that ending, but hopefully the first part made up for it :) I really hope you liked this chapter. I've been waiting to post it for some time now so I'd love to hear your feedback!

A fun fact I came across while researching for this chapter:

- Back to the topic of female reindeer and their antlers, they retain their antlers until the spring because access to food (and protecting it against other reindeer) is important during their winter pregnancy. Not all females have antlers though because growing them takes a lot of energy. If food is scarce in certain areas or of poor quality, most females will be antlerless. I'd like to think that in this story, females would start losing their antlers when they became sexually active because now their bodies are conserving energy and preparing for growing babies

Thank you so much to my amazing beta team, court81981 and titaniasfics, and to loving-mellark for pre-reading and for gifting me with the amazing banner and gorgeous fanart specifically for this chapter (check it out on my tumblr).

You can find me on tumblr anytime: pookieh