Chapter 1: Stop Talking

The light of the day is barely past sunrise as I cross over the border from Seam into Town. I am wearing my blue Reaping dress so I look like I belong; I just have to make a quick delivery of the strawberries I picked yesterday to the Mayor's house, then I'll double back to the Hawthornes' (where I live with my sister, Prim, and my brother-in-law, Rory) to change into my hunting gear before heading for the woods. Approaching the back door of the Justice Building, I buzz on the intercom.

"Katniss Everdeen with a delivery for the Mayor," I announce myself.

A few minutes later, I hear a bolt unlatching, and the door opens. My heart strangely leaps when I see the Mayor's handsome face.

Peeta Mellark, the new Mayor of District 12, and I had been classmates in school, though we hadn't really spoken. We had only interacted once when we were small children; Peeta had purposefully burned some bread and given it to me while my mother, sister and I were starving. I never thanked him for it, though I did try to repay the kindness when I started trading squirrel for bread from his father, the late Baker, and then Peeta once he took over the family business. I have always been, at best, socially awkward and mistrusting of most people. But something about Peeta's deep blue eyes and kind smile made me open up more than I usually do. Whenever I would stop by with squirrel on the bakery's back loading dock, we would get to talking, to the point where I have always been… happily looking forward to when I could next see him again.

About two years ago, Mayor Undersee, our longtime district representative, died. After holding a state funeral for him, District 12 went about choosing his successor. Even in an authoritarian place like Panem, some of the twelve districts had the privilege of getting to elect their own Mayors. Anyone can run, provided you don't have a criminal record. Peeta has always been very popular – he had no shortage of friends when we were in school, or in Town. Many of his neighbors and fellow tradesmen encouraged him to run. When he once asked me about it, I told him he should, and that I would enthusiastically support him. Later, he admitted that he credits me for giving him the final push to jump in the race.

The general election came down to three candidates: Thom Borden, the Seam Miner Foreman and a cousin of the Hawthornes'; Darius Freeman, a rather friendly, gingerhaired Peacekeeper (an unusual sight in the Peacekeeper Barracks); and Peeta. Many of my neighbors from the Seam were predisposed to Thom, as we hadn't had a Mayor elected from the Seam since at least the time of my grandparents. Rory and Prim supported Thom, while I chose to vote for Peeta. I believed in Peeta when he said he wanted to run District 12 so that Merchant and Seam could find common ground and work together. I encouraged people to go out and vote, consider his candidacy. Once, at a town hall meeting when a few miners criticized Peeta, I passionately defended him. Prim appeared more than a little amused by this, and walking home that night, she asked me a question that still makes my stomach do flip-flops.

"Katniss, are you in love with Peeta?" What a ridiculous…. Of course I'm not! At 30 years old, I have already taken a vow of chastity. A pledge to never marry or have children. I saw what my daddy's death did to our mother. It emotionally killed her.

And yet, all of those promises I made to myself seem to go out the window whenever I lay eyes on the Mayor and resident Baker. It is so admirable that he manages to run an entire district and his family's business, while being scrupulous enough to keep both entities entirely separate.

"Good morning, Katniss," he beams like I am the light of the world. "Didn't expect you this early."

I smile radiantly back and hold up the small basket of berries. "I picked these yesterday. Thought the cooks could use them in the kitchen."

"Ah, yes," Peeta chuckles. "Once you and Gale got into a tradition, you never stopped. Madge Undersee told me this is what she'd miss the most about living in the mayoral residence." He begins searching his pockets, likely for coin. "But damn it if I don't have any payment on me!"

"Oh, you don't have to trade now," I tell him. Feeling myself overheat from just looking at him, I turn my face away, running my fingers through the long, chestnut tresses of my hair, done up in my braid. "I mean, we can trade when I stop by the bakery this evening with squirrel, although I don't know what a fair trade for berries would be outside of coin…" I am prattling on almost breathlessly but from the way Peeta is looking at me, he must think it's adorable.

"I'm sure we can think of something," I continue, tripping over my words, "and then we can…."

My voice suddenly dies in my throat as Peeta cups my face in his hands, tilting it back and presses his lips against mine. My big, grey eyes nearly pop and I let out a tiny whimper before I feel my eyelids droop shut, lashes fluttering. The kiss is done just as quickly as it began, Peeta drawing a hair's-breadth away from me. "Stop talking," he murmurs, voice husky.

"OK," I whimper and he kisses me again, harder this time, and I part my lips for him with a moan. "Hmmmmm….. Mmmmmm…"

The basket of berries slips from my hands and plops into the dirt, somehow managing to stay upright. I'm having a much more difficult job of this as I swoon, reaching up to loop my arms about Peeta's neck. I breathe in deeply through my nose as we escalate the kiss before at last breaking apart, gasping.

My breasts are heaving under my bodice for every gulp of air. "Well…" I chirp, my voice squeaky. "I think that's a fair trade."

Peeta sends me lopsided grin that makes my stomach do somersaults. "Katniss?"

"Y-yes…..?"

"Can I kiss you again?"

"May I kiss you again?" I correct his grammar instinctively, my voice still sounding dazed and dreamy. I was always one of the best students in English class at school. I find myself nodding dumbly. "Yes, always."

If it were possible, Peeta's grin broadens. "Then you'll allow it?"

I gulp as he dips his face back down to mine. "I'll allow it….." I whisper, before he is kissing me again so passionately that I nearly forget my own name.

That evening, I stop by the back loading dock of the Bakery to make my daily trade of squirrel with Peeta. He always works nights at the Bakery, letting his brother Rye, manage the sales during business hours while he is working in the mayoral residence.

I didn't have as good a hunt today, but I managed to bag enough with snares. It was my bow aim that was off; my head and my heart were still spinning after Peeta kissed me once, then again, out back of the Justice Building.

When Peeta arrives, he grins bashfully at me, and I smile radiantly back. For one mad moment, I anticipate us sharing a kiss in greeting, but none comes. No mention is made of how we locked lips this morning, as we make our usual trade.

Squirrels for bread. Strawberries for kisses. If it wasn't for Prim's lucrative Healing business and Rory's recent promotion to Miner Foreman, we would all be out on the streets.

But when Peeta passes me the bread, I frown at how warm they feel in my arms.

"These are fresh out of the oven, aren't they?" I ask mildly, even as I feel my heart begin to constrict. It's…. too generous! Too much! Will I never stop owing him?

"Rye cleaned out our whole stock today; I had to give you something," Peeta explains, face falling at how I bristle at the trade.

I would sooner and gladly take more kisses from him than charity, in the form of freshly baked bread. I have always been a proud person, and I tell him so. "I don't need charity, Peeta!"

Once the angry outburst blasts out of me, I can't seem to stop. Throwing the warm loaves in my rucksack angrily, I find myself working up into a rant. "You can't just give away all your best work to me out of some…. obligation! Or pity! Or because you…. favor me over others, Panem knows why! Otherwise, I'll never be able to stop owing you for saving my life!"

Peeta looks absolutely discombobulated by my raving. "Katniss, what is this about….?"

I am blinking back hot tears. "You're…. you're wonderful. You're so kind to me, and I don't deserve…." I let out a growl. "Why did I let you get into my head? Why did I allow you into my heart with your gorgeous blue eyes, and that smile, and….?" I glower at him, my emotions seesawing like a rollercoaster and damned if I know why. And then I commit blasphemy.

"I hate you, Peeta Mellark."

Peeta gawps at me. "You don't mean that…."

"I do mean it!" I snarl, getting right into his face. "I hate you. I hate you! I hate…"

And then my lips are on his, as I push him up against the back door of the bakery and kiss him furiously. As soon as my mouth falls open against his slanting one and our tongues push through to greet each other, I sigh happily. In the next instant, the words I was just saying change. "Mmmmmmhmmmmm… Kiss me… I love you….. I love you….. I love you….."

My hands disappear into his blonde curls and with another groan, I pull, yanking his face closer to mine. My jaw muscles are quickly becoming sore from how enthusiastically I am kissing him, and how he is returning my kiss.

I feel a calloused, strong hand steal about my waist and pull me flush against him, locking our pelvises together. My panties flood with dampness, and I wiggle my hips seductively against the excitement of him that I feel pressing into my thigh. I spread my legs wider, opening my knees so that he can nestle between them.

Peeta's hand about my waist has dipped lower to caress and then cup the curved flesh of my bum in my dress (I am actually quite glad now that our kissing earlier made me completely forget to go and change before hunting). His other giant mitt has cautiously reached out to cup my breast, tweaking the nipple there, and it pebbles at his touch. I moan happily. He touches me again, surer this time, and I respond by pushing my boobs into his chest, rubbing myself against him.

"Hmmm….. yes, more, please," I rasp. "Touch me just like that…."

Gallingly, I raise my leg to hook it about Peeta's torso, the blue hem of my Reaping dress riding high up my calf. Growling, Peeta spins us around and lifts me off my feet so that I have to fold myself about him, slamming me into the loading dock wall. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and ruts against me. Seizing his perfectly toned buttocks in my fists, I furiously jerk my hips back.

I feel my panties slide down my thighs and I spread them wider, opening myself up fully for him. I am wet and aroused and I need him now like I have never before wanted, needed or lusted after any man in my life.

I hear a belt buckle clang. My eyes – closed dreamily – pop open to see a bloated, wild thing brush up against my sopping, aching folds. I whimper in protest, trying to wriggle closer.

Peeta chooses this moment to break our desperate kiss. "Katniss…. do you…. do you really want….?"

I clamp my thighs around him. "TAKE. ME." I growl.

And take me he does. He takes me fiercely, shattering my virginity in one, clean stroke and throwing back my head, I cry out, but I like it. Heavens above, how I like it.

Locking eyes, azure on grey, Peeta begins to thrust deep inside my core, driving into me faster and faster. I rock back as fast as I can, the noises I am making pitching higher and higher, from whimpers, to sighs, to moans, to wails.

"Faster…." I breathe. "Faster….. Ooooh… Oh, God….." Another slam from Peeta and I curse. "Fuck!"

"Oh, fuck, yes….." Peeta grunts into my shoulder.

"Harder….." I whimper pleadingly. "Harder….. HARDER!" I wail loudly, probably now in danger of waking the whole neighborhood.

"Katniss….." Peeta moans, now ramming into me with abandon, and I squeal. "I love you…."

And ironically, that's what takes me over the edge.

"Oh, fuck, Peeta, I'm cumming, I'm gonna cum, please God, don't stop, love. I can't, I…." My cunt clenches. "PEETA!" With a mighty scream, I cum hard all around him. Peeta thrusts into me one more time, then a feeble second before spilling himself deep inside me. His legs give out, his body sagging against me as he continues to hold me up against the wall.

I draw him tighter to me as we pant, catching our breaths and coming down from the high of our fucking.

"Katniss….?"

"Hmmm…?" I purr dazedly. "What?"

"…. Will you marry me?"

I look at him. Really look at him as I run tendrils of his sweaty, blonde bangs through my fingers, studying him, sizing him up. And even though I once vowed to never marry or bear children, I find myself saying:

"Yes. Of course, yes."