The married life, so far, seems to not have any disadvantages. We can now both wear very little in at home whenever we don't feel like it. Even less since we already saw each other naked.

Yes.

We did it.

We actually almost didn't that night of the wedding, considering we were both tired and just felt like sleeping but once we got started, there was no stopping us. The celebration stopped at around midnight, the guests finally leaving for their houses. Our friends and my mom insisted they stay in the neighboring ones. Up until now I'm glad they did.

We went upstairs clinging to each other's waists, still not in our normal clothes. When we got to our room, Peeta plunked down the bed, face down. I tried getting him up so he can change his clothes but he didn't budge, teasing me to unclothe him instead. I decided to really unclothe him. We're married anyway. He was calm and all while I was taking off his shoes and his coat but he started to panic when I was unbuttoning his shirt.

"Whoa, there," he laughed nervously.

"What? You told me to undress you, so I am."

I get to the last button of the dress shirt and slip it off of him. I won't deny it, Peeta looks good without a shirt. Even with all his scars he's beautiful. I sigh dramatically to tease him, and he raises his eyebrows. Maybe it's all the wine we drank or maybe it's the high from being married to this man that made me very playful that night. I sat on his stomach, almost straddling him, still in my wedding gown, and then leaned down and kissed every inch of his skin that is exposed. The heat pooling below my stomach grew and spread up my body to the tips of my fingers. When I got to his neck, he grunted and I thought it was… I don't know, sexy maybe? I'm not sure but I can remember liking it.

"Katniss," he inhaled. "God."

Peeta started to push me away then, so I kissed him on the mouth instead. I remember feeling that something like the hunger I felt in the cave and on the beach again. But this is much stronger.

Peeta's hands roamed my back, cupped my face and lightly pulled at the hair at the base of my neck. They drifted down again, this time to undo the ties that secured the gown to my body. He pulled at it a bit too harshly I sat up.

I remember seeing so much fear in his eyes, his mouth was agape in shock and uncertainty. For a moment I was confused, then it dawned on me.

"Katniss?" he asked, his voice hitching.

I leaned down again and kissed the spot behind his ears. "Just be careful with the gown. It was Cinna's design."

"Oh," he breathed. "Yes, yes. Of course. I—I never meant to—"

He never got to finish that thought because my lips were on his, stopping his words. I think he whimpered but it was hard to tell, considering we were both breathing heavily then. In a moment the bodice of the gown was at my waist, then Peeta grunted.

"It's stuck."

I couldn't help but laugh softly. I pulled away and got off of him. He followed me, standing up too. I let the gown fall to my ankles. I felt quite exposed, but I wasn't uncomfortable. Peeta was staring at me, his eyes drifting down my body, starting from my head up to my toes. His blue eyes that I've grown to love were almost black from his dilated pupils. A cool breeze blew from the window and sent shivers up my spine. I instinctively brought my hands to my bare chest to shield me from the cold spring breeze. He stepped closer, his hands settled on my elbows. With a very husky voice he said, "Feeling cold?"

I looked up then, he was looking at me with such intensity in his eyes. If this were the Peeta the whole Panem saw before our Games, it wouldn't have been me who got all the attention. It would have been him who got the sponsors, him whose name was chanted, maybe even him who would have been the face of the rebellion. The very role I served to bring peace to Panem. I am reminded of all the dangers I had faced, all those near-death encounters that I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for him.

"Katniss…"he whispered roughly, the sound further igniting the fire in me. I tried to hold his gaze, to memorize every detail I can see in his irises, every bit of dark and light speck of blue visible to me.

But I couldn't. Not for any longer.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted my lips firmly against his, sanity slowly slipping away from my grasp. Our kiss turned frantic, both of our hands trying to pull each other closer. My hands fumbled to get his belt off, a second later his hands joined mine and helped unclasp it. After getting rid of his belt, my hands worked the fly of his pants. He pulled it down and kicked his legs out of it. Actually, just leg, but you get what I mean.

Our underwear soon join the mess of our clothes on the floor.

I'm not sure if I pulled him towards our bed or he pushed me to it, but the moment the back of my knees hit the bed, I ended up underneath him, our bodies touching… everywhere and then I'm scared.

I know what it is. I know how it feels afterwards. During our stay in Thirteen, and when we've already gotten back, when I felt empty and all I could think of is how Peeta's arms felt around me, how he looked at me, the feeling of his lips on mine, the way he said my name, his caresses and touches, when I couldn't feel like I'm living, when I couldn't feel anything at all, when I was desperate to feel something, I resorted to that. I am a nineteen year old teenager. I have hormones, too. It may not have been too obvious, I didn't even think I had them but this boy… this boy brought out so many things in me and put them out in the open. I almost hated him for it.

"I—I've never…" I trail off. Peeta's still peppering me with kisses and I felt him smile.

"Me neither."

"What?" I ask, my voice shaking from all of what's happening.

"What do you mean what?"

"You've never…?"

He shook his head, "You think I still have time for that? I was busy loving you from afar, remember?"

A nervous chuckle escaped me, "B-but you were so… famous and strong and muscular and handsome and smart and… I don't know."

"It was always you, Katniss. Just you. And besides, even if someone came up to me and offered, I would have declined. I'm not really that kind of person."

Who am I kidding? This is Peeta Mellark we're talking about here. Of course he's not that kind of person. He even waited for us to get married before we…

I never understood why the other Victors deemed me pure until now, now that I can't even think the word. It's just so… weird.

I found myself playing with the hairs at his nape, not being able to comprehend anything, my mind too racked up to even think of doing anything else. "Who would have thought, right? Katniss and Peeta, the star-crossed lovers of District Twelve… wow. I mean, I've thought about this a lot. I dreamt about this since I was a kid. Not exactly this as in now but—"

"Peeta," I interrupt him.

"Yeah?"

"You talk too much," then I pulled him down and shut him up with my lips. I felt my body humming with some sort of electricity, and the urge to get him closer got stronger and stronger for every second that passed. He tilted his head more to the side to deepen our kiss further, one of his hands holding my head in place. Without meaning to, I jerked my hips upward, making the both of us gasp in surprise.

I wanted him closer.

But I couldn't just tell that to him. I didn't have it in me. So again, like I always used to, I communicated through my actions. I wrapped my legs around his hip, the friction caused by that action made my back arch.

He pulled away, his breath coming in deep. If we weren't in this situation, I would have been worried by the way he was heaving, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"A-are you sure about this? Do… do you want this?"

"Yes, Peeta," I tell him. "I want this."

"I… I don't have anything to—"

"It's okay. Thirteen gave me a shot. Lasts for three years."

He looked surprised, and for a few moments we just stared at each other and took deep breaths. I felt the passion slowly dissipate, the situation turning a bit awkward. He gulped, then said, "So, how do we do this?"

"Just kiss me."

And he did. I can't remember thinking about anything else at all, except me, Peeta, our bodies, and how did I manage to live my life without ever doing this before.

Everything that happened after this we'd like to keep a secret.

A/N: Aaaaand that's it! I know it's not that hot, I really just can't write hot. I wanted it to be but I couldn't. Sorry for that. Oh, and at last Always is finished! It's been a mind-wracking three months. Special thanks to those who followed and supported this story. I'll start writing the sequel soon (yes, there will be!), and probably upload it some time in the next two months.

Again, huge thanks to all of you! I love all of you! May all of your otps stay strong.