Chapter 15: Captivated

My fingers were still laced through his hair and Cato's bare chest rested just above mine, using both his hands to hold up the rest of his weight. His blue eyes were gleaming and I watched as he blinked away a small tear that formed along the lid.

"What did you just say?" His voice creaked out of his mouth as nothing more than a whisper. I could hear the bewilderment in his voice, but his eyes lacked any preconceived judgment. It was just the two of us now. I wanted nothing more to be honest with him about my feelings. He deserved to know how I felt about him.

"I love you so much," I replied. My eyes never shifted from his and my fingers now sliced their way through his hair with a silent force. My fingers tingled as small knots of hair would accumulate over them.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words. I love you, Peeta Mellark. I love you more than anything." I sent out a silent wish, hoping that I could freeze this moment, right here, right now. I wished that the hand on the clock that now rested at 8:14pm would simply stop moving. That I could preserve this moment with Cato.

A smile formed on the side of my mouth before I pulled Cato back in for another passionate kiss. His lips were moist and warm, and they felt absolutely amazing against my own. They tingled where they met. We were one in this moment. Every time he would push into our embrace for more, I would pull back, and vice versa. We completed one another.

The tension was eagerly rising between us. I could feel it in our kiss, in my heart, and through my body. Things were intensifying between us and I knew that Cato could feel it too. His tongue raced across my mouth, but not too strongly. Our kisses were slow and sweet, but also impatient. I slipped a hand down his smooth chest beginning at his collarbone, down past the crease in his upper chest, down over his bellybutton and onto his side.. I began rubbing my groin into his, a moan erupting from Cato as his top lip broke the kiss. I slipped a hand down through the crease in his pants where his jeans met his bare skin on his hips. I poked a finger under the waistband slightly and could feel the simmering heat coming from his groin area.

Cato pulled back from me, straddling my waist upright, allowing me to edge my hands over to his belt buckle. I pulled the band from the loop, and slowly tugged at it. His hips moved forward instinctively and his belt immediately came apart. I tossed it over the side of the bed, the sound of the belt hitting the floor the only thing breaking through our passion-filled breathlessness. Cato bent down to sneak another kiss, this time playfully biting my bottom lip and recoiling a little. My bottom lip stretched teasingly within his mouth, and then he let go after only a few short centimeters. I huffed a sigh and then reached for his zipper. His hands caught mine, stopping me and I looked up to see his face looking down at me.

"I've never done this before…" he started. My eyes widened in surprise, thinking that he was a virgin, before he corrected himself. "I mean…I've never done anything with a guy before." His cheek instinctively flushed red in embarrassment, and I had to stifle my short laughter. He really knew how to make a guy feel special.

"Don't worry, we can take it slow." A small, but reassuring smile, formed at the crease of his lips and then he slowly nodded. I could see him taking in short breaths of air and gulping down his excess saliva as his nerves thrashed his body. I bent forward on the bed, rising to meet him and spun him down around me so that he lay underneath me. I planted a small kiss on his lips before straddling his waist vertically. I nodded in approval and his hands came up to the waistline of my jeans. I small tension broke through into our perfect moment, and then I could feel the cool air of the room on my boxer briefs. I heard the small, but lengthy sound of my jean zipper being pulled down, but I could hardly feel pressure against my waist.

I quickly removed my skintight jeans and then looked to Cato. I could tell that he was unsure and a little confused, so I bent down and unfastened his jean button. I playfully attempted to pull down his zipper with my teeth, but I only managed to get half way down before I became too impatient. I zipped the remainder of his jean zipper down with my hands, and then tugged at his sides. I met his eyes and I could see now that he wanted me to lead by example. I gave him a coy smile and playfully reached down to rub along his black boxers. I slipped a finger or two past his waistband of his boxers and felt the warmth once again. His skin was smooth, and I was surprised to see that he had shaved his treasure trail.

"Peeta…I…" Cato started, but I shushed him with a kiss. "Are. You. Sure?" Cato said in between breaths, stressing each and every word slowly.

"I'm sure," I replied and then slid my tongue into his mouth. He moaned when I slid the rest of my fingers down under his boxers. I broke our embrace and trailed a few sweet kisses down his neck and toward his bare chest. I stopped when I got to his nipple and quickly gave him playfully smile before sucking down on it. I continued eagerly. I had a mission. I knew where the objective was. I would not stop. When I reached his belly button and planted a slow kiss down onto his soft skin, I could feel his body tense. He let out a groan, and then I pulled down his boxers and brought my lips down quickly…

The morning sun peered into the room through a small crack in the maroon curtains that hung down in the bedroom. As I woke up, I noticed that I was the only one in the bed. I quickly jumped up and started calling out for Cato. No reply. I started to panic. Just as I started to toss the bed sheets aside, I noticed the handle on the door turning slowly.

"Close your eyes." I recognized Cato's voice immediately. I smiled and did as he asked. I made it extra obvious by bring my hands up to covered my eyelids. I could hear the door creaking open slowly, and then a few steps, before feeling my weight shift on the bed. The smell hit me first. "Open up."

I was overwhelmed by the sight of freshly cooked breakfast when I opened my eyes. The food was endless. There were juicy looking strawberries diced into equally portioned slices; yellow-white bananas cut into little disks; fragments of blackberries dancing around the edges of the plate; and a multitude of blueberries which stained the corners of the waffle a purple-blue color.

"Wait for it," Cato said, and then bringing his arm forward from behind his back, began spraying a large amount of whipped cream over the entire plate. Following suit he reached down to the floor to grab a bottle of maple syrup and poured it all over the waffle. The smell was incredible. But it tasted even better. Every bite tasted better than the last. It sank in my mouth as I bit down into the pastry, through chunks of innumerable fruit. Cato fed me some from his fork, so I reached down and did the same. His teeth scraped against the metal fork as he pulled the food into his mouth and then seductively wiped away at some whipped cream that stained his lip. He had also prepared a side of bacon for me, which if it weren't for my appetite, would have been super sweet of him. I gnawed on the bacon rabidly, as if I had been starved for weeks. I was worn from last night and my hunger was not something to play around with. As I ate, I could feel my stomach's growling dissipating. I took the last bite of the fruit waffle and immediately knew that I had a splatter of whipped cream on my lip. I went to lick it off, but Cato beat me to the punch. He leaned over and kissed me playfully, which ultimately wiped away any trace of whipped cream left on my lips.

Cato was currently still shirtless from the night before, but he must have changed into pajamas at some point this morning, since he currently wore green and black plaid, fleece bottoms. His waistline was low enough that I could see his v-line hip structure, leaving a few inches between where his pants met his skin and his belly button. He must have noticed me looking over at him because he gave me a playful smile and then leaned in for another kiss. Here we go again.

I had changed into a grey long sleeve plain shirt, which Cato removed a few minutes into our kissing. He had a little bit of stubble this morning on his upper lip, which reminded me of Gale and the thought almost ruined the moment. But Cato was determined this morning, and he did make me a wonderful breakfast after all. I shifted to the side a little, and Cato mounted on top of me. His body sparkled in the sunlight that peered through the curtains, hitting his body in the nicest places. It casted a shadow between his abs and made his shoulders stand out more than they had last night. I let out a whimper when he reached down and started rubbing my pant leg, sending a shiver up the back of my exposed spine. It started out slow but increased as the tension grew between us. He surprised me when he moved down from my lips to plant a kiss on my neck. I could feel his warm breath as he sucked on the thin and vulnerable skin. It felt like the room was spinning. He had one hand on my groin and the other supporting his weight. I shifted as a bout of moaning erupted from my lungs. He looked up at me and seen the pleasure in my expression, which elicited a smile. When I looked down, I just caught a glimpse of his pearly white teeth before he pulled the strap of my pajamas open. I thought I was about to die from anticipation, when Cato's phone started ringing.

I let out a large sigh, and told him to answer it. His mouth contorted into an annoyed expression, and he bent over the bed to grab his phone in his jean pants, which lay on the floor. I wanted his body so bad. We could hardly get enough of one another.

"Yes?" Cato called into the phone, his voice on the verge of anger. He figuratively nodded a couple of the times and mumbled a few more replies before closing his phone. I was so relieved that the phone call only lasted a few seconds that I threw my head back, anxious to feel Cato's lips on my body again. He pulled himself up and kissed my cheek quickly, and then rolled over to the other side of the bed.

"What's going on?" I was a little upset and frustrated, but there was a side of me that was relieved. I was also a little worried about the phone call, so I quickly asked him again about the unknown caller before he actually answered me.

"That was my mom. She was worried about where I was last night…and she wants me to go home. I really don't want to leave. I want to stay here…with you…forever." His voice went from sad to heartbroken. I lifted his chin and gave him a soft kiss before looking him in the eyes.

"We have an endless amount of time. Go see your parents, I'm sure they're worried." My voice was strong, but I wasn't. I was sad that Cato and I couldn't be together for the day, but I knew that I couldn't keep him all to myself. I smiled and he smiled back. It was perfect; everything about the last few hours together had been more than I could have ever wished for.

"Alright babe. I love you, and I'll call you tonight. What do you think about going to see that new movie and completely making fun of the hopeless romantics?" Cato was back to his old self, happy and mischievous. And I absolutely adored it. I nodded in approval, and then he grabbed his pants and shirt from the floor from the day before, gave me a kiss on the cheek, opened the curtains, and walked out of the room.

I spent a little while lying there in the bed, watching as the suns rays danced along the ceiling in a lovely pattern. I could feel the heat as the sunlight hit the bed. When I was a little kid I used to have a tabby cat, which would sleep on the warm mattress for hours on end during the summer. He wasn't an especially nice cat to most people, but we had a great relationship. I recalled the autumn that he passed away, and I had not once bothered to buy another cat. The wounds were still sharp. I pushed away the thought and managed to pull the covers off of me, before leaving the room and heading for the bathroom.

I started the water in the shower and slowly removed my trunks. I stood looking at my naked body in the mirror for a few moments. My head cocked to the right as I inspected the blemish on my ribcage. I was glad that Cato hadn't noticed it, or at least didn't bring it up. I wouldn't want to spoil or moment with talk about Finnick O'Dair. The night that Cato had been arrested and Finnick tried to keep me from being caught by the police, I had mistaken him for an alleged attacker and a scuttle ensued. The yellow-brown bruise on my ribs was a reminder of that night. They had mostly healed, but I worried that Cato would ask where I had received it.

I stepped into the shower and immediately felt the warm water against my skin, which sent a ripple down my back. The steam from the shower filled the pores in my skin, and rejuvenated my muscles. I stand in the water for a while. I let it rush down my body. It dribbles down my arms and parades off of my fingertips. When I finally decide to begin washing myself, I grab the bar of soap in the corner and begin scrubbing away at all the dirt. The soap smelt like lavender and freshly cut grass, if that was possible. It might have just been the draft from the window, but nonetheless it smelt fantastic. I smiled and eventually turned the taps off. The water ceased and I was immediately hit with the cool wind. This was one of the things I hated most about taking a shower: you're cold when you undress; warm when you bathe; and freezing when you step out in only a towel.

I eagerly rushed to put on clothes. I had to borrow clothes from Cato's closet, since I hadn't been able to bring over some clothes in case of an emergency like this. I had to meet Katniss and Gale at the Everdeen household, so I didn't want to wear the same clothes that I had worn to school the day before. I decided on a very tight t-shirt that had a picture of a pint of beer on it, and my old jeans that were on the floor. I quickly grabbed the bed sheets and threw them into the washing machine, before heading out. I made sure to lock the door, and then threw the key in my pocket.

I called Gale to drive me, and swore him to secrecy about this place. He had had a lot of trouble finding it, and took him nearly an hour to actually get here, so I explored the backyard. There wasn't too much to see other than trees and a lake filled with kids and boats. I enjoyed watching a boy around my age as he went water boarding behind a speedboat. Gale called when he arrived, and I was happy to see that he had pulled up in the driveway in his dad's car. It was definitely a better ride than his old beaten up truck. Within a matter of minutes we were back on the freeway, trees passing by us in a flurry of green with the wind catching my hair.

"You look…happy," Gale said, breaking our silence. I turned to look at him slowly, a small piece of hair falling down across my forehead. Gale had turned his attention back to the road now and he reached toward the dashboard to turn up the radio. His expression was serious and almost mysterious. I smiled away the thought.

"It's because I am. I'm really happy."

We drove on in silence. I looked out the window to my right at the passing scenery. Besides the ever-expanding forest of evergreens and fern trees, there were a couple mansions here and there that scattered the countryside. There was a small marsh about half way between the city and Cato's cottage that overwhelmed me each and every time I passed by it. It was filled with lily pads, a thick green film of bacteria infested greenery, a shallow water hole in the middle and several different types of species. I noticed something different every time we passed by. This time I managed to see a multitude of herbaceous plants, such as red reeds that stuck out like a sore thumb and a large bed of typhas. I breathed in the sweet odor of woodland and marshland mixing together, which reminded me of Cato. His cologne was pine scented and he always had a way of captivating me. Every time I looked at him I noticed something different. Last night I noticed a birthmark on his right hipbone.

I didn't dwell on these thoughts for long, because the sound of gravel against the tires and a towering house before me signaled that we had arrived at Katniss' house. Gale turned down the music before turning to me slowly. He knew something and he wasn't telling me. He managed a smile and then he was gone. I pushed open the door and sent it closed with a loud slam. I rushed up the stoned pathway and up the stairs toward the door behind him.

When the door opened I could immediately smell the delicious aroma of fresh pie. Blueberry, I noted. I had a knack for pies from working in a bakery all day. Besides, every time Katniss had us over her mother was cooking something up. She was really quiet outside of class, but she definitely baked a mean pie.

I followed Gale up the stairs and crashed through the door to find Katniss painting her fingernails and atrocious bright pink color. It definitely didn't match her skin tone, but I didn't say anything, out of embarrassment of course. Some friend, I thought, and then laughed to myself. When she finally caught my eye she barreled over to me and embraced me in a big hug.

"Hey! How are you? Never mind answering that, you look amazing! New skin regime? No, that's not it." She searched my expression and I tried to hold back my large smile, but it was no use. "You. Did. Not. Tell me everything!" she screamed. Gale casually closed the door.

"It was great. Everything was perfect. There isn't much to say really…" my voice trailed off when I caught sight of her nails again.

"That's it? That's all we get?" Katniss' voice broke through the open air like a cannon going off a little too close to me.

"He probably wants to keep things private, Kat. Besides, I don't really want to hear all the 'juicy' details." I was thankful for Gale's interruption, which saved me from completely flustering under the pressure. I didn't feel like sharing my intimate moments with even my best friends, because it was something that Cato and I share together. Something that was sacred to me.

My phone began ringing in my pocket and I could feel the vibration against the fabric. It reminded me of this morning with Cato and the tingling sensation. I smiled before tossing my hand into my pocket and reaching for the phone. I pulled it up and placed it against my ear and issued a hello.

"Hey baby, where are you?" Cato's voice spoke even toned. Just hearing his voice felt amazing.

"I'm with Gale and Katniss. What's up?" I replied. Katniss and Gale looked at me with teasing glances, sticking out their tongues and hollering lovey-dovey comments in the background. I placed a finger to my other ear to drown out their mockery and took a seat at the computer desk in the corner of the room.

"I've got bad news and good news," was all that he said. I hated bad news, especially when it came from him.

"Bad news first," I replied. My nerves were racing and I was beginning to experience cold sweats. I spoke into the phone clearly, hoping that my voice would come out strong, but it lacked the usual fervor that it usually did.

"Alright, so the bad news is that I have to cancel tonight's date." I was crushed, but I accepted the fact and moved along.

"And the good news?" I said curiously. I was hoping that I'd receive some sort of news that would make up for not being able to see him for a while. We just spent the most magical night together and now we were separated.

"I'm not done." His voice was strong. I looked over at Katniss and Gale who were whispering to one another quietly and rolled my eyes. I breathed a sigh and beckoned for him to go on. "I'm going to be heading out of the city for a while to visit some relatives." I felt like my world was falling apart. I knew I was over exaggerating but it still hurt to think that I wouldn't be able to see my boyfriend for a couple days…or weeks. "But the good news is, you're coming with me."

"What are you talking about? I have school…work…family. I can't just drop everything and leave. Besides, I don't have any money right now what with college and university applications." The line was silent for a moment before Cato began speaking again. I could tell that he was trying to stifle a burst of laughter, which made me a little upset.

"My mom paid for the whole trip and she contacted the school already. Your school work is with Mrs. Everdeen." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was a lot to process in the moment. Almost as if she was listening in, Katniss' mom entered the room with a large envelope. She quickly told me all I had to know from my professors and she left the room after placing a simmering blueberry pie on the desk. I shifted a glance over to Gale who had a large smirk on the side of his face.

"Oh, and Peeta."

"Yeah?"

"We have our own room." I could feel the mounting tension over the line and knew exactly what Cato was thinking. He said a few more words and then hung up with an "I love you."

"And? Exciting news, isn't it!" Gale hollered. Katniss shot him a playful glance. I didn't.

"I'm ecstatic. I honestly can't wait to go. But there's something I have to do first." Both Katniss and Gale looked at me oddly, heads cocked to the side. "Kill you Gale!" The end of my shout was cut off when I playfully threw Gale onto the bed and started hitting him with the pillow. How could he keep this from me?!

And for once, everything in my life is perfect. It's just me and my two best friends, and an adventure awaiting for me with the love of my life. "Excited" is an understatement.

Author's Note: So…this is my favorite chapter that I've written so far. I had two other alternate endings, but I thought that I'd keep things simple…or simpler, I should say. I hope you all enjoy this chapter at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it. I love happy chapters ~ but I'm also a sucker for tragedy. Prepare yourselves for upcoming chaos…but for now: just experience delight with the read (hopefully!). Until next time, B.