Sorry for the delay again. Updates probably won't be coming every week due to my crazy busy schedule. The next three months is going to be a whirlwind of grownup shit that I don't want to do. But my 21st is in like 50ish days and I've already requested one of those drunk Barbie cakes that you see online but instead of Barbie, I really want it to be Spider-Man or an X-Men character.
Anyways, I'm not too thrilled with the beginning of this chapter but other than that, enjoy.
"You cannot possibly be moving in with him, Catnip!" Gale says to me first thing in the morning. He's made it a point to find me the moment I go to work and interrogate me right in the lobby.
"First of all, good morning to you too, Gale," I say sarcastically. "Secondly, how did you even find out that Peeta and I were moving in together?" I move past my best friend and head for the waiting area for the elevators and press the down button.
"Hello, you are living in district 12! It's a small district with too many nosy people. I'm actually surprised that I only just found out this morning."
"Well, we only went to see a house on Saturday. Nothing is set in stone yet. Peeta is calling people today in hopes of getting the ball rolling quickly so we can be moved in before Christmas."
"You can't move in with him."
The elevator I've been waiting for finally pings and opens its doors, allowing me to step in. Of course Gale follows me in, glaring at me intently, waiting for me to respond to his ridiculous demand.
"I thought you told me to do what makes me happy?" I question, cocking my head to one side as we make our ways down to the labs.
"Yeah and I thought that you would finally come to your senses that this is a very bad idea."
"How so?"
"Peeta has a history—"
"I have a history," I interrupt.
"—a history that you don't need to involve yourself in," he continues.
The elevator comes to a stop and I get out only enough to stand in the way of Gale getting out with me. "I appreciate you trying to look out for me but for once I'm actually happy, so I'm going to do this. I love Peeta and I love the kids and I truly think that this will work and if not, it's not going to be something I regret."
The elevator doors shut in Gale's face before he has a chance to respond, not that I'd want him to, his opinion isn't going to change my decision. I'm happy, Peeta's happy, the kids are thrilled, and there is nothing stopping us now.
XxX
"You two are buying a house together?" Johanna squeals in between mouthfuls of peanut butter sandwich.
I nod my head in conformation.
"How did that happen?"
"Well," I start, "Peeta and I got into our first fight when he asked me to move in and I said no because there wouldn't be enough room and I was afraid that he'd get sick of me, so while Peeta was still upset he looked up houses that were for sale and contacted a realtor to show us houses on Saturday. I was pissed but I loved the house and so did Peeta. It was built just for us and the kids and I could picture all of us there and it felt right so I said go for it."
"And when are you moving?"
"I'm not sure. I'm not even sure if we'll get the house, but hopefully before Christmas so we can have our first family Christmas there."
Johanna smirked. "What did I tell you? I knew that you guys were going to get serious really fast. I should have bet money on it."
XxX
Between Johanna's sarcastic undertones and Gale's blatant hatred for my relationship with Peeta, I begin having doubts on my way back home. Of course the moment I walk through the door and greeted by the kids with hugs and exciting news from whatever happened during their day at school, those doubts are greatly reduced. Not entirely gone though, and not gone enough for Peeta not to take notice at my indifferent attitude during dinner. He lets it go until the beds have retired to bed and the closets have all been checked for monsters.
"What's wrong?" Peeta corners me in the kitchen.
"Are we moving too fast? Everyone thinks we're moving too quickly. I mean they're right, we did just get together not too long ago," I ramble on, taking a sip of tea I had been making before Peeta and I head to bed ourselves.
"Do you think we're moving too fast?"
I shrug. "Gale says—"
"I'm not buying a house with Gale; I'm buying a house with you."
"Half of me says that we're ready but the other half of me is nervous."
"You think that I'm not nervous?"
I look at Peeta as if he was joking. His face is serious. "You're nervous?"
He gives me a half laugh. "Buying a house is a scary thing. Any sane person would nervous. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. I love you, the kids love you, we love the house, and this is the next step."
"I just don't want something bad to happen and you end up regretting things," I mumble.
Peeta shocks me by pulling me into him, crashing our lips together. Normally Peeta isn't so brazen in any room other than the bedroom because of my fear that the children would walk in on us during a compromising situation. But right now, he's thrown all reservations into the wind and has me pinned against the cupboards and attacking my mouth with his own.
I ease into the dangerous kiss, feeling Peeta's tongue tracing my lips, eagerly waiting to deepen it. I allow it, sighing as he sucks on my bottom lip. Peeta takes this as a sign of encouragement, which normally it is, but not in the kitchen.
"Peeta," I moan out as his wondering hands grope my chest. "Peeta we need to stop, the kids could come in any minute."
"If we had a house, they'd be asleep upstairs and not only a few feet away," Peeta grins down at me.
I smile with him. I haven't changed my mind about moving, I still want to do it. In my heart it's the right thing. I just wish my best friend would be more on board with my happiness and the rest of the town would back the hell off.
"Have you talked to Effie today?"
"I did, and since we could put the deposit down in cash, the house could basically be ours whenever because the government is sick of it. I know you're nervous Katniss, but I'm not going anywhere and neither are you."
"I know," I whisper and curl into his chest, allowing Peeta to wrap his arms around me and envelop me completely. "We're doing this."
XxX
It took all of November to deal with the house. Between putting in the offer and closing on the deal and then doing a few fixes here and there and giving the old house a fresh coat all over. The first thing we did as an official family once we were all moved in was go out and cut down our own tree and decorate it while listening to Christmas music and eating some of Peeta's baked goods. It was all very cheesy but the kids loved it and to be honest, so did I.
The second thing Peeta and I have decided to do is host a first annual white elephant Christmas party. It's something that I've become increasingly nervous about. Especially since Prim, my mother and Uncle Haymitch are attending, as well as Gale, who is still bitter about me going through with the move. Peeta's parents will also make an appearance and I can't forget about the first time I met them. That was a disaster.
"What are you thinking about?" Peeta's arms circle me from behind and he rests his chin on my shoulder.
"How terrible this party is going to be," I groan.
"It's not going to be terrible. Finn and Annie will be here, Prim and Rory, people from the bakery, Johanna and whoever her date is. You'll get to see your mom and uncle, and you'll get to introduce me to them as your sexy boyfriend whom you love so much. Madge will be here."
I groan loudly. "I've successfully blown her off ever since we've become a couple. Why does she have to come? She's just going to talk about gossip that's about us and ugh," I groan again.
I love Madge dearly, I do. It's just that she tries far too hard and is a bit of a gossip queen. We text occasionally, to keep the friendship that returned as soon as I moved back, but every time she's asked to get together, I've used one of the kids as a lame excuse not to hang out with her.
"Be nice Katniss, she's your friend."
"But she's not your friend; remember that Delly got her in the divorce?" I go back to one of the conversations we had at The Hob.
Peeta smiles and kisses my cheek. "For one night, she can be my friend too."
XxX
I grip my champagne glass tightly as I watch Jack climb onto my Uncle Haymitch's lap from across the room. He looks at the toddler apprehensively before bouncing his knees up and down to jostle Jack slightly, sending him into a fit of giggles.
"Calm down," Peeta whispers into my ear as he kisses my temple. "Haymitch practically raised you and Prim right? Jack will be fine."
"No, I raised myself and Prim. Haymitch was just a drunken abscess that lurked in the backgrounds and gave us poor life advice."
I watch as Haymitch digs into his coat pocket and produces a metal flask. I'm over there before he has a chance to unscrew the top and bring it up to his chapped lips.
"No drinking while holding my child please," I scoop Jack into my arms and set him on my hip.
Haymitch gives me a peculiar look and laughs. "What?" I snap.
"Oh nothing, Darling, it's just you said 'my child' that's all."
I feel my face redden but I don't dare look anywhere but directly at my drunken Uncle. He won't win this battle. "And that's funny because..?"
"It's funny because I don't remember you ever having kids, or liking them for that matter."
I can't think of anything else to say so I stomp off in a huff, distracting Jack by taking him over to the foods table. I scan the room for Bran and Sage; they're being occupied by Prim and Rory. I look for Peeta next and my heart stops when I see who he's talking to; his mother. It's an hour or so into the party and I hoped that she wouldn't show up. Peeta and I make eye contact and gives me a tight, and forced smile before his mom turns to see that I'm the one her son is looking at. The look on her face is enough to send the Devil himself running in fear, but I can't afford to look weak. I'm not weak.
"Mommy," Jack wiggles to get my attention.
"Yes baby?" I smile at him.
"I want," he says and points to one of the cookies on the assorted platter.
"You have to say please," I say before reaching out to get the sugar cookie with Santa Claus iced on the top.
"Peas!" Jack grins and I hand it to him. "Dank you."
I kiss Jack's messy blond locks and make my ways to Bran and Sage. I tell them that they have twenty more minutes until we have to go upstairs and get ready for bed. I suggested that they go say hello to their grandparents, no matter how much I want to keep that old witch away from my kids. My kids. I've got to stop saying that.
Sometime during the night after I excused myself to put the kids to sleep, Madge found me and immediately began gushing about my relationship with Peeta. She remarked that I didn't even look pregnant, but I have that glow that most pregnant people talk about. I can't set her straight fast enough, practically yelling at Madge frantically that I'm not pregnant. She doesn't seem convinced but I have to let it go before I go crazy.
It's after ten before the last of the guests with the exception of my mom, Haymitch, and Prim leave. My mom, Haymitch and Prim are all staying over due to the long drive from here to the capitol and Haymitch is already passed out in the recliner, he has been most of the party.
"You look really happy," Prim says to me as she helps load the dishwasher.
"I am. I'm constantly worrying that this won't work out, but right now I'm really happy."
"When are you not worrying? You wouldn't be Katniss if you didn't overthink things and play out ridiculous scenarios that'll never happen in your head."
"It's better to be safe than to be sorry."
"Yeah, yeah. It's better to be happy than to be miserable."
"I'm happy."
"Good because you can't get rid of Peeta. I like him and his kids too much and Peeta agreed to bake some cookies for my sorority next month."
"You're just using him for his baked goods," I tease.
"I'm fine with that," I hear Peeta's voice from behind us. "That's how I got Katniss to go out with me."
"Well you know what they say, a way to a woman's heart is through her stomach," Prim jokes.
"Very true with this one," Peeta steals an apologetic kiss from me before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "Jack is in Bran's room so his room is ready for you. Your mom has already gone to bed in the spare bedroom. She says good night."
Prim nods. "I should probably go to bed as well. I'll see you guys in the morning."
Finally it's just Peeta and I.
"I love you," he whispers to me.
P.S: I'm watching last nights episode of The Voice and want to know who else watches it and who do you want to win?