"So you have a cat that's essentially immortal so long as you also stay alive."

"Yeah, we take care of each other. It's a mutually beneficial parasitic relationship." I said, eyeing Buttercup sitting in the corner. He stuck his tongue out at me. Peeta nodded slowly. He'd come over after Buttercup went to his house to ask me, in his words, 'what the fuck?'

"Okay... weird but a good setup I guess. How many times have you... brought him back to life?" He asked.

"This last time was the ninth. Before that, he'd used up all his other nine lives so technically he's died 18 times."

"Geez, what the hell are you doing, Buttercup?" He looked at the cat, who just meowed innocently.

"He almost never tells me what happens but I respect his privacy. Plus I don't really want to know what he does." I tell Peeta, who nods vaguely.

"Oh, I came over to give you this," he handed me a small package, "And to invite you to go with me to my cousin's housewarming party. He just got married - you should see what the little woman's done with the place."

"Is that how you're going to refer to me someday? The little woman?" I asked Peeta jokingly. His eyebrows go up and I realized what I'd said, cursing myself.

"Someday? Katniss Everdeen, are you referencing a future in which we're married?" I backpedaled.

"It's a joke, asshat. I don't want to get married at all, and especially not to you." I look him up and down to emphasize my words, but at the same time, I have to admit how attractive I find him. My eyes land back on his, and he winks at me.

"I'm walking right into trouble as I stare into her eyes..." He whispered. "Trouble never looked so damn fine."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Buttercup has moved to get a better view of the scene. I use that to distract myself from the way Peeta's words make me feel.

"Watch your step, Mellark. One wrong move could be deadly." I whisper back, even though I have no idea what I'm trying to say. He looks at me like he can tell I'm just saying the first thing that comes to my head, and I curse him inwardly for knowing.

"I'll pick you up tonight at 7." He says with a half-smile on his face. He leans in close to whisper in my ear, his breath brushing down my neck to give me chills. "Wear something pretty." He tells me, touches his lips to my earlobe. Then, that bastard, turns around and just leaves, walks out of my castl-house and to his car.

I sink back against my desk and hear the faint crunch of dried leaves being smashed. I'm weirdly breathless, and I look at Buttercup. I feel the wrapped gift he gave me slip out of my fingers and onto the floor with a soft thud. I don't really register the sound.

"Someone's got the hots. And I'm not sure who." He tells me, laughing to himself. "But I'm beginning to think it's the cranky, isolated witch who's badly in need of some-"

"Thank you Buttercup. That'll be all." I cut him off, rubbing my hand over my face as I leave the room and head up to my tower.

I resist the urge to pick something pretty out of my closet.

XxxxX

PEETA POV

As I walked out of Katniss' c - house, I put both hands on the hood of my car and take a deep breath. Dammit, this isn't supposed to be so hard... and neither is THAT. FUCK. I adjust my pants as discreetly as I can and get into my car, getting the hell out of there as soon as possible. Katniss has a weird effect on me that I can't quite place. Not quite a crush, not quite lust, not quite affection... just... some weird combination of the three. Fuck, I need a drink...

XxxxX

As I'd promised, I came back to Katniss' place to pick her up right at 7:00. I hadn't heard from her since I left, which wasn't unusual per se, but did concern me anyway.

I got out of the car to go ring her doorbell, but before I could, it opened. It was exactly as dramatic as it was the last time I came to pick her up from something, but this time I wasn't caught off guard. She came down the stairs again, just like she had on our first date, and just like then, I felt my breath caught in my throat.

"Good evening, Peeta." She smiled, clearly aware of my reaction.

"Katniss." I nodded. My voice sounds hoarse to me, and I swallow hard. I told her to wear something pretty. This is not pretty. This is stunning. Jaw dropping. Arousing.

Dead puppies... Dead puppies... Dead puppies...

I take her hand as she comes down the last few steps, surprised that she let me. Her mile-high boots make me nervous for her safety, but she seems to be managing them well.

I want nothing more than to see her wearing nothing but those boots.

I mentally slap myself. What the fuck, Mellark? Get a grip, you've got to win this one. I realized yesterday that we'd never actually determined what happens to the loser, but she is a witch, so I don't want to mess around with that.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask, somewhat back in control of my runaway thoughts. Katniss nods, and I lead her to my car, opening her door for her and helping her in. Like a gentleman. Nailed it. I walk around the hood to get in myself, and get in quietly.

"So your cousin? He's the one that married the ginger right?" She asks me. I nod.

"That's the one. Finnick and Annie Odair." I glance over at her. "Are you nervous?" Her twitching hands halt their movements.

"No, why would you think that?"

"You haven't stopped fidgeting since you got in the car. I promise, they're really chill people. Low key, very welcoming. I've told Finnick about you and he wants to meet you."

"How much did you tell him?"

"You mean did I mention we're dating for a bet? Yes. I told him the whole story. He got quite a kick out of it."

"Fantastic..."

XxxxX

When we arrived at the party, I told Katniss to wait, and ran around to her side to get her door for her. She rolled her eyes.

"Do you have a phobia of me using a door?"

"Hey, you're the one with a freaking automatic charmed door in your castle."

"House."

"Sure. Hey Fin, this is Katniss." I greeted my cousin, going up to Annie to give her a hug while Finnick introduced himself to Katniss.

"Katniss Everdeen, it's lovely to meet you. Peeta can't stop talking about you." Fin winked at me. I rolled my eyes.

xxx

Fin and I were playing pool in his den while the party continued upstairs. He walked around the table, eyeing his shot.

"You know, for people who supposedly hate each other, you spend an awful lot of time getting up close and personal." Finnick remarked.

"I don't hate her, I just refuse to lose to her. And everyone knows closeness is used to establish physical dominance." I defended myself.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. And what do the longing looks establish?"

I smacked him upside the head and he laughed.

"Can you, like, not be a moron for two seconds?" I scowl, aiming my shot.

"I've tried, not worth it."

"I do not give her longing looks." I mumble, half to myself.

"You most certainly do. Constantly."

"You're deluded. I'm not remotely interested in Katniss Everdeen. Have you seen the woman? She wears black constantly, she lives in a veritable castle, she's a literal witch... Really, she has always been half goddess, half hell. And for me, she's just not worth pursuing." I tell him with finality.

"You just keep telling yourself that, man. You'll come to reason soon enough."