Author's note: Some more discussion of abuse and suicide in this chapter. But it's not much. And there are a lot of of good things to make up for it. Please let me know what you think of the events in the end.
Happy reading!
Chapter Ten
After dinner Monday, their schedules never matched up again. They texted often and with every conversation, Katniss fell even harder for Peeta. He finally called her Thursday morning.
"I can't wait to see you again." He said.
"I can't either. I'm not looking forward to spending the day with my aunt. She's a little high-strung. But my uncle is pretty cool and so's their friend Cinna. And Prim is leaving early, so I'm going to be so bored."
"Well, even with the cool uncle and friend, what do you say to coming over to Finnick and Annie's for dessert? I made some apple cinnamon rolls and a pumpkin pie and some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies."
"All from scratch?"
He chuckled. "Of course. I don't sleep well. So I bake. And I want to share it with you. So if you want to come to Annie and Finnick's after you eat or maybe I can save you some and you can come over to my place much later, I would love it."
"What if I did both?" She asked softly.
"I would like that. Do you work tomorrow?"
She sighed. "Yeah. I open."
He groaned. "Have I mentioned how much I hate your hours? I never get to see you."
"You're preaching to the choir. But it's all I have for now."
He paused. She could hear him taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "So you'll be at Annie and Finnick's?"
"Yeah, I'll be over later." Katniss assured Peeta.
"And Prim isn't coming?" He asked.
"She's going to Jason's for a bit." She pushed some hair out of her face as she looked in the mirror. "He seems like a good kid."
"He does. I've been keeping an eye on him these last few days. He's really attentive. I've given him a few death glares when he gets too handsy."
Katniss laughed. "Look at you being a papa bear for your girlfriend's baby sister."
Peeta chuckled. "I like Prim. I want to make sure she's okay."
"Good to know." She sighed. "I should get going."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
Prim made smooching sounds as she hung up the phone. "Bye, Peeta. I love you, my little cupcake."
Katniss gave her sister a gentle shove. "Stop it."
"So we're taking separate cars."
"Yes. I'm going to the Odesta's for dessert and then hanging out with Peeta after." Katniss walked to the front door and gathered her things. "Don't stay out too late, you have a curfew."
Prim nodded. "And you have work in the morning."
"Don't remind me." She made a face. "See you there." She kissed Prim's forehead and headed out the door.
She hummed along with the radio and wished Peeta could be there with her then. She loved her uncle and liked Effie well enough, but she was getting used to having Peeta around. She pulled into the driveway with Prim just behind her and hurried out. The quicker they ate lunch, the quicker they could leave.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Effie said as she ushered them inside. She was looking rather subdued in this year's outfit of deep purple from head to toe: purple dress, purple shoes, purple earrings, purple hair accessories.
"Hi, Effie." Katniss gave her a hug and was happy to do it. She was starting to understand her uncle's love for this woman the more she experienced in life. "That color is good on you." She walked around the other woman to hug Haymitch. "Hey."
"Hey, sweetheart." He said as he hugged her tight.
Effie led them into the living room where she had glasses of apple cider already out. "Help yourselves. We're expecting Cinna and Plutarch will be here soon."
Prim snorted. She still wasn't over Effie having a friend named Plutarch.
"We can't stay all day." Katniss said as she picked up a glass.
"And why not?" Effie asked, putting on a pout.
"Katniss and I have boyfriends." Prim said proudly. "And they want to spend some time with us too."
"The bread guy?" Haymitch asked.
Katniss smiled. "Yes, the bread guy."
"I need to meet him." He looked to Prim. "Your guy too. Teenagers are worse."
Prim heaved a dramatic sigh. "Okay."
Effie pied up, "What about Sunday lunch? Bring them then."
"I work on Sunday." Katniss said. "So I won't be able to make it. You're not meeting my boyfriend without me. And I don't trust you with Prim and Jason." She gave her uncle a teasing grin.
There was a knock at the door and Effie stood to answer. There was a flurry of conversation at the door and then she came in with Cinna on her heels. The dress shop owner was wearing a very nice shade of blue that reminded Katniss of the evening sky just before the sun goes away completely. The man came over and hugged Katniss and Prim before shaking Haymitch's hand.
"You're all looking lovely this afternoon." He complimented, his smile genuine.
"Thank you." Katniss said.
Prim sat down beside him. She'd liked him almost instantly and seemed to gravitate toward him whenever they were all at a gathering together. In turn, Cinna treated her like a little sister he adored rather than an annoyance like Plutarch often did. "Hey, Cinna, ask Katniss about her boyfriend."
Katniss shook her head, "And then ask about Prim's."
"Both of you have boyfriends now? We'll definitely have to get you into the shop to find a nice seduction dress, Katniss." He winked.
Katniss shook her head. "I don't need a seduction dress."
"Oh, so that ship already sailed?" Prim asked.
"Prim." Haymitch warned.
The girl shrugged. "I'm only teasing."
"I don't need a seduction dress." Katniss said again.
Prim slipped her arm through Cinna's. "You're going to put me in a great prom dress, though, aren't you?"
"I am." He chuckled. "Come in next week and we'll start discussing designs."
Katniss said, "Prom isn't until April."
"But we'll need to get an idea." Cinna said. "And we might have to order something."
Prim smiled and batted her eyes dramatically. "You could design something especially for me."
He chuckled. "If you want."
"Nothing too expensive." Katniss warned them both.
"You get the family discount." He winked. "Which means if you buy the materials to make it from my shop, I won't charge labor."
Katniss shook her head. "That's pretty generous."
He sent his smile to Katniss. "I'll make a killer dress for her. And when all her friends are gushing over it, she can slip in where she got it. It's advertising."
"It's insane. Free labor? That's not always best."
"But the materials will be marked for retail. I'll get a decent profit from that."
Prim said, "Oh, and I have a ton of Twitter and Tumblr followers from all over the place. I'll promo the hell out of the shop and the designer. Maybe that will bring in more clientele. It'll pay for itself."
Cinna nodded. "Yes, of course. We could discuss it more today if Effie has some paper and a pencil?" The last he said to the hostess.
"No need." Prim pulled her sketchbook and a pencil case out of her purse beside the couch and handed them over.
They put their heads together and were lost to the rest of the group for several minutes as they excitedly spoke of waistlines and skirt length and just how much skin was appropriate versus what Prim wanted.
Katniss smiled fondly at her sister. She was happy she had so many people supporting her in every possible way. Katniss had just barely attended her own prom and only did it because Haymitch had agreed to keep Prim company the night it happened. Their mother had been in the hospital after one of many suicide attempts before the actual one.
"So tell us about your boyfriend." Plutarch said. "Haymitch and Effie have just been telling me you finally got a man."
Katniss glared at them.
"Not my words." Haymitch assured her.
Katniss sighed. "His name is Peeta."
"I like that name." Cinna said. He smiled at Katniss. "Go on. Tall, dark, and handsome?"
"Average height, blonde hair, very handsome." She said softly. "He's an artist and a baker and a teacher. He's smart and funny. And he's really sweet. He makes no presumptions about me. And he really seems to like me."
Prim grinned. "You really seem to like him, too."
"I do." Katniss said with a little giggle. She covered her mouth in embarrassment. She had never giggled until she met Peeta.
Effie left to check on the turkey, humming happily as she went. Haymitch excused himself and followed her. From where they all sat, they could see him reach for her and kiss her hard on the mouth. She laughed and slapped him away. He gathered all the other foods and sat them on the table as Effie removed the bird.
"Come and get it." Effie called as she brought the bird along behind her husband.
Katniss couldn't eat fast enough. Of course she tried to eat at a sedate pace, but she wanted to see Peeta more than she wanted to be kind and put off indigestion. She waved off dessert, but took a cup of coffee while the rest ate.
Prim stood before she got any other food. "I'm going to Jason's." She kissed Katniss on the cheek and went around the table hugging everyone else.
"Be careful driving." Katniss told her. "And remember your curfew."
"Same to you. And remember you have to work tomorrow."
She made a face and turned back to the others with her cup of coffee. She listened to everyone else as she finished her drink. She stood and followed Prim's path around the table.
A few minutes later, she stepped up to the Odesta's front door. She raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before her knuckles could make contact.
Peeta grinned. "Hi."
"Hi." Katniss said back. She leaned in and he met her the rest of the way for a soft kiss. "Am I too late for dessert?"
"Nope, we were just about to cut into the pies." He took her hand and led her through to the dining room. He pulled out a chair and indicated for her to sit down. He kissed the top of her head. "I'll get you a plate."
"So you're the famous Katniss." A woman with a buzz cut said from across the table.
"I am." Katniss replied. "And you are?"
She held out her hand. "Johanna Mason."
Katniss shook her offered hand.
Peeta sat a plate in front of her with assorted desserts. "Johanna is Finnick's best friend and former girlfriend. It's one of the reasons I took your friendship with Gale so well. I see how it works out."
Katniss looked around the table and nodded. "Okay. Cool. Nice to meet you, Johanna."
"You, too. Peeta has not shut up about you since he arrived." She went back to her own plate.
Peeta pointed out the assortment on her plate. "Annie made the chocolate pie, Johanna brought the apple from the grocery store, and I made the rest."
"Oh, fuck off about me and my grocery store pie." Johanna said from across the table. "You want me to bake a pie for real? You know I don't cook. It would be a disaster."
Peeta smiled. "You're right, baking is a fine art and you just make a mess of everything."
Finnick snorted from the head of the table.
"Don't you fucking start, Finnick." Johanna warned with a laugh.
Katniss and Peeta shared a look before she finally took a bite. She started with the apple pie. "Did you get this at Capitol Grocery?"
Johanna nodded. "Yeah."
Katniss looked back at Peeta. "Pretty sure Madge made this."
Peeta looked contrite. "Well, that's good to know. Give Madge my compliments."
"I will." She continued to eat as Johanna went on about some run-in with the owner of the grocery store.
"That Snow is such a dick. It was a valid coupon that had just expired the day before." She grumbled.
Katniss shook her head. "He is a big jerk. Be glad you don't have to work for him. Getting a day off is like pulling teeth."
Peeta placed his hand on her knee under the table.
"I'm so sorry." Johanna said. "Maybe it's time to start looking for a new job."
Katniss opened her mouth to say something rude, but Peeta gave her knee a gentle squeeze. She put her hand on top of his. She smiled, "Maybe it is."
Finnick took over the conversation, teasing Annie about some craft she had done with the kids the day before that had caused a big mess.
"You just need to find things to do on your days off that don't include being around here." His wife said.
"But the kids love me." He chuckled. "And you like having me around."
"Maybe." Annie grinned.
Johanna laughed. "I'm so glad you stole him from me. I couldn't do the mushy."
"Me, too." Annie said. "I love the mushy."
Peeta leaned close to Katniss and whispered, "We can leave whenever you want."
Katniss turned her head and whispered back. "You have people overload, too?"
"Majorly. Please say you're ready to go." He rubbed her knee. "And come home with me."
She stole a kiss. "Okay." She finished her slice of pumpkin pie and looked around the table.
Peeta stood and pulled Katniss with him. "We're leaving. Happy Thanksgiving."
"Condoms!" Johanna called after them.
"Jo, for fuck's sake." Finnick said with a laugh. "I've given him that talk so many times, he better have it down."
Peeta helped Katniss into her coat. "We will see you all later." He called as they walked out the door. "Meet you there in just a few minutes." He kissed her softly and then opened her car door for her.
She watched him get in his car and pull out of the driveway before she followed. He sped almost the whole way and she laughed as she struggled to keep up. He took her hand outside the apartment complex and led her up to his apartment.
When Peeta closed the door, Katniss leaned against it and pulled him to her for a long kiss. His hands framed her face as her hands slipped underneath his coat. He broke the kiss and they shared a smile. He stepped back and took off his coat. Hers followed. There was no talking as he led her to the couch and pulled her down beside him.
Their mouths came together again. Peeta's fingers traced down Katniss's temples and across her jaw. They found their way down her neck and along the line of her shoulders and finally down her back to cradle her against him.
Katniss cupped his face and rubbed her thumbs over his cheekbones. Their tongues glided together and they breathed the same breath. She broke the kiss a moment and bit her lip. She brought her mouth to his again and reclined on the couch bringing him with her. Her leg wrapped around his ankle and she paused when she realized it was the false one.
"It's okay." He whispered. "We can stop if that's freaking you out."
"It's not." She pulled him down once more and the kiss continued. She became adventurous and slipped her hands down his back.
She could feel Peeta growing tense the lower her hands went. When Katniss pulled the hem of his shirt out and began to slip her hands underneath, he jerked away. She watched in bewilderment as he stood and started pacing.
"What did I do wrong?" She asked as she pushed herself up.
He shook his head and sat down beside her once more. "You didn't do anything wrong." He clenched his jaw. "I don't want…" He swallowed. "She had this leather strap."
"Oh." She cupped his cheek. "You don't have to say anything else."
He placed his hand on top of hers. "No one has ever seen me without a shirt except my doctor. Not even Finnick and Annie. When I swim at their pool, I wear a shirt."
She kissed him softly and pushed him gently onto the couch and rested her head on his chest. His arms came up around her. She felt him shudder and she lifted her head to see he was trying not to cry.
"It's okay. You can do that if you need to. I'm here." She moved up and rested her head against his. "I'm here." She said again.
He clutched at her and sobbed. She soothed him as best she could.
She whispered again and again, "I'm here. I have you. It's okay."
When all of his tears were spent he took several deep breathes. "I'm sorry I just did that."
She lifted her head and looked down at him. "There's no need to apologize. If you ever need to do that again, just let me know." She kissed him softly and tried to move away, but he held her close.
"Please, not yet."
She rested her head on his chest once more and smiled. It was nice to feel needed by someone new for a change. And her heart grew even more for him in that moment.