Author's note: Some sweet stuff after all that heavy stuff. Thank you for reading, favoriting, and following.

Happy reading!

Chapter Eighteen

For the next couple weeks, they alternated spending the night together. Katniss preferred the nights at her house because she was constantly worried about Prim. Ever since the panic attack, she hadn't been the quite the same. And she saw Jason was now acting oddly around her.

"So have you noticed anything at school?" Katniss asked after pointing the observation out to her boyfriend.

Peeta sat a plate of spaghetti down in front of her. "I haven't noticed Prim acting any differently. She must let down her wall for you. But Jason has been a lot less attentive. He may not like the way she's acting if she's like that with him as she is with you."

She picked at her food for a minute before she took a bite. "You know, I make really good spaghetti."

He smiled. "Is that so?"

"I'll make it for you some time." She took another bite. "Do you think I should be worried about Jason?"

"I think Prim can take care of herself." He said. "But we can both keep our eyes on them."

"You can't really until after the new year." She kicked his foot under the table. "Two weeks off. You lucky dog."

He chuckled and rubbed her knee. "And I plan to spend it all with you. By the way, I have this charity thing Sunday. Want to come with me?"

"What sort of charity thing? Like a dinner?"

"Yeah, a fancy one. Have a dress?"

"I might be able to get one on short notice."

"Are you off work?" He took a bite and watched her expectantly.

"I'm still on the early shift. Eternally on the early shift." She sighed. "But at least that means more time with you." She leaned in and kissed him gently.

He smiled. "Any news on school?"

"Maybe." She slipped her fingers through his. "I can register for classes. I just have to choose a major."

"So you're in? You're doing it?"

She nodded. "I haven't told Prim yet. I just got the email today. And now I have to decide a few more things."

"Like?"

"Like trying to decide if I want to juggle work and school. I think I can do it, but I don't know."

"Can you afford to live without a job? Get your bills paid and eat?"

She thought and nodded. "I think so."

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "So maybe you should quit. You don't like it there anyway. And if you find you do need a bit of an income, you can look for something else. And I can help out a bit. I'll feed you at least. This place is cheap and I like cooking for you and Prim."

"So I'll give my two weeks' notice in the morning."

"Or you could just quit and we can spend two weeks together. You've given that place enough of you over the years. They don't deserve two more weeks of your time."

She smiled. "You know what? You're right. I'll call in the morning." She smiled down at her plate. She looked around. "Do you think it would be too soon to move in together?"

"You want us to live together?" Peeta asked.

Katniss nodded. "The few nights we haven't been together, I haven't slept well. This is just shy of two months dating, but it feels right. And you can keep this place for a while in case it doesn't work out. But I'd like you to come live with me and Prim."

"What about Prim? Does she get a say?"

"She does." She took out her phone and typed a quick text, "Peeta moving in. Cool?"

Prim's reply came quickly. "TOTALLY! When? Right away? Like, now? I'll clean out a shelf in the bathroom for his toiletries."

He chuckled when he read the response. "I guess that settles it. But, I think one more night here so we can make love loudly and we'll pack up tomorrow."

She giggled. "I like the sound of that."

They returned to their meal. Peeta asked, "So what do you do for Christmas?"

Katniss took a moment to finish her latest bite and said, "Well, we go to Haymitch and Effie's Christmas Eve and have dinner and open gifts and then go to the late service at the church. And then Prim and I go home and we hide in our rooms and wrap our presents because neither of us are ever done on time." She chuckled. "And then we sit by the tree and drink hot chocolate and talk about our favorite memories from past Christmases. Sometimes we watch A Christmas Story or Miracle on 34th Street."

He smiled. "I like the way that sounds."

"And what do you usually do?"

His smile turned bitter. "Christmas Day, I am usually surrounded by critics and cold glares and my mother belittling everything I do. But I think I'm going to change that."

"You'll spend it with Prim and me, won't you?"

"Of course."

"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Katniss asked as she surveyed the boxes of art supplies and the two packed suitcases.

"Well, you have pots and pans and dishes. And you have a TV and DVD player. I mostly just need my art supplies, clothes, and bathing supplies." He picked up three boxes at once and headed toward the door. "Shall we pack our cars?"

"Won't take much." She picked up a box and staggered under its weight. "How are you carrying three of those? Do you have some super power you aren't telling me about?"

He chuckled. "Maybe it's the leg." He winked.

She giggled. "Like you're the Six Million Dollar Man or something?"

"'We have the technology.'"

She laughed. "Don't hurt yourself, Peeta."

"I'm fine." He walked easily downstairs. "Will you dig my key out of my pocket?" He shook his hip at her.

She smiled seductively and rested the box on her hip. She slid her hand slowly into his pocket and wrapped her fingers around the key ring. She pressed a kiss to his lips and then unlocked his car. It took one more trip to load his things and then they were off to Katniss's house.

Katniss made a call as she drove. "I'm quitting." She told the man on the other end of the phone.

Snow chuckled. "My dear, you can't quit."

"I can. And I do. I'll come by in a few hours to clean out my locker and turn in my keys and things. Sign whatever papers I need to sign to terminate my position." She hung up and sat her phone off to the side as she got out of the car. She threw herself into Peeta's arms. "I quit my job."

He laughed. "Congratulations."

"You did what?" Prim asked as she walked over.

Katniss stepped out of Peeta's arms. "I quit my job. And I've got a meeting Friday to set up classes for next semester."

"That's so awesome, Katniss!" Prim said as she hugged her sister. "I'm so happy for you."

"Me too." Peeta rubbed her back. "And I'm proud of you."

"Prim, grab a box. It's freezing out here." She leaned in and whispered, "And check out how much he can lift."

Peeta easily gathered tree boxes at once and Prim and Katniss exchanged a look.

Prim mouthed, "Hot!"

Katniss laughed and said, "I know!"

"You know what?" Peeta asked.

"That I have a strong, manly boyfriend who can carry heavy things." She grinned and lugged a box toward the front door.

Once they had the first load inside, Peeta lifted Katniss up into his arms. She squealed as he bounced her a bit. "Definitely lighter than those boxes." He smiled and kissed her softly.

Prim rolled her eyes. "Maybe I change my mind about being enthusiastic. I forgot about all the kissing." She made a face and walked back outside.

"Put me down." Katniss demanded with a laugh.

"Put you down, huh? And where would you like me to put you?"

"On my feet, preferably."

He considered it a moment and then shook his head. "Not yet." He carried her back outside with an easy grin. He wasn't winded in the slightest as he as her down by his car and took out the suitcases. "You should shoot that bow again."

She chuckled and followed him inside. "Our own brand of foreplay. You lift heavy things and I'll shoot a bow."

They put Peeta's things in Katniss's room and then settled in the living room to watch TV. Prim wandered off to her room for a while to be alone. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

"I'm worried for her." Katniss said softly.

Peeta slipped his hand into hers. "Have you talked with her?"

"I tried. But I see all the same things I feel in myself. She needs more help than I can provide."

He opened his mouth to say something, but his phone rang. "Finnick. Hold on a minute." He put the phone to his ear. "Hey, man."

Katniss turned Peeta's hand over and traced the lines as he talked.

He pulled the phone away from his ear and mouthed, "Stop."

She smiled and shook her head. She pressed her mouth to his palm. She chuckled when he curled his fingers and caressed her cheek.

Peeta hung up his phone and smiled at Katniss.

"What?" She asked.

"Christmas Day with the Odairs. What do you say?"

"All of us?" She rested her head on his lap. "Prim, too?"

"Yeah, of course. You two are a unit. Let's start some new traditions."

"As a family?" She asked tentatively. She reached up and rubbed the back of her hand against his stomach.

"I'd like to think of us that way, yeah. If that's okay with you?" He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"Okay. New family tradition. You're coming to Haymitch and Effie's, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

She rolled over and raised his shirt up. She pressed a kiss to his stomach and slid her hand up his chest.

Prim cleared her throat.

Katniss sat up and tugged at Peeta's shirt. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize. I'm going to drop Jason's Christmas present at his house. I should be gone about a half hour at least. Maybe more. I'll definitely text you if it's going to be later." She grinned. "Or sooner. Have fun." She bounced out the door.

"Maybe she'll be okay after all." Katniss said. She looked over at Peeta and smiled seductively. She climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips. "We have a half hour."

"Maybe more." He chuckled and slid his hands up her back. "And what is the order of the afternoon?"

She smiled and pulled his shirt over his head. She sat back on his knees and trailed her fingers over his chest and stomach. She leaned in and kissed him softly. She trailed a finger over a scar on his side. "These pain me."

"Just old marks to me now. Nothing more." But his face told her differently.

She wrapped her arms around his waist as she kissed him. He moaned against her mouth and slipped his hands up her shirt. They stayed wrapped together like that for quite a while. Katniss was content in it and she could feel Peeta was too. This was their life for now and she was very much looking forward to it.

Prim slammed into the house less than a half hour later. Peeta's hands had managed to find their way under Katniss shirt as they kissed softly again and again. But when the door slammed open, they both sprung apart.

"What's wrong?" Katniss hurried to her sister.

"There was another girl there." Prim looked at the package in her hand. "A girl I don't know. His parents were gone. Just the two of them. And they weren't just hanging out." She handed the present to her sister. "Throw that away." She hurried off to her room.

Peeta pulled on his shirt and stood. He lifted his coat off the hook.

"Where are you going?" Katniss asked.

"About to kick someone's ass." He said as he slipped his coat on.

She grabbed his lapels. "You can't. He's a student and under eighteen."

"I should have seen this. I knew something was off."

"It's not for you to fix. I appreciate it and I know Prim would, but you can't do anything. Take off your coat, go sit back down, I'll talk to Prim." She pressed a kiss to his lips and stepped away. She tapped on the door to Prim's room.

"Go away." She called. "Have fun with your boyfriend who cares."

Katniss opened the door anyway. "Want to talk?"

"No." Prim sat up and pulled her pillow tight against her chest.

Katniss sat down beside her. "I know it won't mean much, but you'll get better."

Prim nodded and sniffed.

With her thumbs, Katniss wiped away tears from her sister's cheeks. "Peeta was ready to run over there and give him hell."

Prim laughed. "You picked a winner."

"I talked him down."

"Good. That would have been a disaster. Peeta strikes me as the kind of person you don't want to be on the bad side of."

Katniss nodded. She wiped more tears off Prim's cheeks. "I'll leave you alone." She stood.

Prim stopped her. "I know you're worried about me."

Katniss sat down again. "You've been pretty quiet the last couple weeks."

"I'm just trying to sort myself out." She squeezed Katniss's knee. "I'm fine, though."

"If you need anything, you can talk to me."

"I know. Just not in your bedroom anymore." She smirked.

Katniss laughed. "You should be fine if you knock." She kissed Prim's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too."