9

Katniss couldn't sit still.

She kept fidgeting throughout the first movie, not really following the plot, glancing through the big window of Haymitch's living-room… It hadn't taken as much negotiating as she had thought it would for her Watchers to agree to give her the night off from patrol and yet…

The night was calling her.

It was like a hum under her skin, an urge to go out and seek vampires to kill. She felt guilty about sitting at home while Haymitch and Effie were out there risking their lives, all the more so after the moment she had shared with the witch that afternoon.

Prim was so happy to have Madge over and to be able to play hostess in an actual real house that she forced herself to stay right where she was sitting on the floor. Peeta, who was sitting next to her, kept tossing her knowing looks every time she fidgeted.

When time came for a second movie, she let them debate it between them and jumped on the excuse to go make more popcorn. She didn't bother turning the lights on in Haymitch's kitchen, familiar enough with the place now that she could move around eyes closed if she wanted to – moving around and dealing with threats blindfolded was actually part of Haymitch's Slayer training curriculum. The house was silent aside from the laughter spilling from the living-room and she leaned against the counter, watching the microwave's light tossing dancing shadows on the floor and walls.

"They're fine, you know." Peeta said confidently. She didn't startle when he walked into the kitchen because she had heard him coming. He was as stealthy as a bull in a china shop. "They're probably flirting while killing a couple of vampires right now. There might even be kissing."

She rolled her eyes and he flashed her a smile, challenging her to contradict him.

"I think you watched too many romantic comedies." she accused.

"Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to watch Bridget Jones." he scoffed. "And I'm not the one who's planning on watching the sequels tonight."

"Prim loves that movie." She shrugged. And so did Madge apparently. Since she didn't care one way or another, Peeta had been outvoted. "And I know they're alright. It just doesn't feel right to not be out there."

In the semi-darkness, she saw his face turning serious. He crossed the kitchen until he was on the other side of the microwave, mimicking her position by leaning against the counter. "You're allowed some time off sometimes. You're not a machine."

"It's my responsibility to…" she started to argue.

"If Haymitch didn't think you earned some time off, he wouldn't have agreed to it." he cut her off. "And if your Watcher thinks you need a break, you need a break. Katniss, you killed three lizard samurai demons two days ago."

"And we still don't know where the witch is or what the Careers are up to!" she scowled.

The microwave beeped and went dark. The moonlight spilling from the window was barely enough for her to guess at Peeta's expression.

"All the more reasons to enjoy the good moments while we can." he reminded her in a soft voice. "The world won't stop because you missed one night of patrol. Not when Haymitch and Effie are here to pick up the slacks." His lips stretched into a small amused smile. "And probably kissing over dead demons."

"You're obsessed with the kissing." she commented, shaking her head.

His eyes darted to her mouth and he gave her an apologetic shrug. "Maybe I am."

And suddenly, just like that, there was that weird tension between them again. The air was charged, there was this odd hungry sensation in her belly and…

He dropped his gaze and cleared his throat, his voice cheerful but slightly strangled. "I was on a mission for more soda. I should…"

He took one step toward the fridge.

One step.

Because Katniss reached out and grabbed his wrist.

He froze.

And she didn't know why she had done that.

They were too close now, shoulder to shoulder, and when he turned his head to look at her, a cautiously hopeful look in his eyes, she swallowed hard. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest… Her palms were starting to sweat and there was no way he couldn't tell because she was still holding his wrist… She licked her lips, not quite sure…

The movement made his blue eyes drop to her mouth again.

This time, he kept staring though.

She waited for him to take action because… Well… She wasn't sure why. Maybe because the whole thing scared her more than the prospect of facing ancient vampires did. But he didn't move, he remained entirely still, not trying to escape her grip but not trying to make the first move either… Waiting…

A part of her appreciated the fact that he was willing to let her make the decision.

Another simply would like him to put her out of her misery.

"Peeta…" she whispered.

His body jerked forward and then back as if he had momentarily lost control. The small movement was enough to shift their whole dynamic though. Katniss instinctively turned to face him and before she knew how it had happened, her back was pressed to the counter and he was very much in her space. His hands hovered in the air for a second before tentatively finding her hips over the thin blue woolen sweater that had once belonged to Effie.

But still, he didn't do anything more and Katniss was growing frustrated for reasons she couldn't have explained. "For someone who's obsessed with people kissing, you're not really taking a hint."

His breath caught but he kept staring at her lips instead of looking into her eyes.

"I need you to be sure that's what you want." he said, so low she almost didn't hear him at first. "I can do friends, Katniss. I really can. But I also really love you. I have for a long time and… I can't do this for fun. If we kiss… I want it to be real."

He did meet her eyes, then, and they were pleading. He was just as scared as she felt, she realized, he just was more hopeful than she was about the outcome.

"Slayers don't live long." she reminded him because she felt she had to.

Something hard flashed on his face and he frowned, his fingers clenching at her hips. "We will make you the longest living Slayer in History."

Hope and wishes weren't really her thing but, right then, in that mess of a kitchen, with the lights off, she believed him.

"Then, okay." she said.

He tilted his head to the side, slightly confused. "Okay what?"

"Okay." she repeated.

He frowned and she rolled her eyes, shooting him a look.

"Oh. Oh!" Suddenly he was beaming. "Okay." His hands moved up to her waist and back to her hips and he winced. "But it's not really spontaneous if I kiss you now, is it? I wanted it to be perfect for you and…"

She rolled her eyes again, grabbed his shirt and tugged him forward.

It was her third kiss and it wasn't any better than the first two. Granted the first one had been stolen and Peeta had been on the verge of dying for the second one so… She didn't really know what she was doing. She pressed her mouth hard against his, lips slightly pursed, eyes shut…

She felt him chuckle into the kiss and, mortified, she almost drew back to glare and accuse him of making fun of her… But then one of his hands left her hip to cup her cheek, gently guiding her head to the side and he pecked her mouth a few times before quickly probing at it with his tongue… She felt her body melt against his, she felt herself responding to the kiss by parting her lips…

It was very obvious it wasn't Peeta's third kiss because he knew what he was doing. Jealousy came and went in a burning wave. She decided it was probably best that at least one of them had experience.

The kissing grew more intense. She was out of air but she didn't care. When Peeta moved back, she leaned in to follow his mouth. And the kissing started again in an endless circle that left her feeling warm and energized in the best way.

The hand that was still on her hip moved up and abruptly back down a few times as if he was stopping himself from reaching for something. She wasn't sure what it was he wanted to touch, she didn't really care. The kissing felt too good. And the hand eventually moved to the small of her back anyway, which was good because the counter was starting to dig into her back and it hurt a little.

Her own hands were everywhere. They roamed on his chest then curiously moved to his back… He was all hard planes and muscles and…

The light flickering on was all the warning they got before her sister's voice echoed in the kitchen. "Hey, did you forget about the popcorn or…"

They bolted apart with a ridiculous and disgusting suction noise and faced the two gaping girls on the kitchen's threshold with various degrees of shame. Peeta was red in the face but he also let out an awkward round of chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck…

Katniss' face burned so hard she was certain she was crimson. She cleared her throat, reached inside the microwave for the now lukewarm popcorn and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened.

Madge followed her close, biting down on her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

"Not a word." Katniss growled.

"I was going to say it was about time but… Sure." her friend answered, managing to keep her voice even despite the obvious amusement.

It wasn't enough to cover Prim's very serious but also very fond threat that she would set Buttercup loose on Peeta if he ever hurt her sister's feelings.

They settled back in the living-room with the popcorn and the soda. When Peeta tentatively rested his arm around her shoulders halfway through the movie, she only hesitated one second before leaning against his chest.

It was dark and Madge and Prim were more busy making comments about the plot than watching them anyway.

Peeta let out a small contented sigh and pressed his lips on the crown of her head.

Katniss decided she could live with that.

And so everlark kiss at last! And on Katniss' terms. And very smoothly XD I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one will be the last of the episode ;)