A huge thank you to my betas NotAnIslander and HPFanonezillion for their help! Be sure to check out their stories!

"So," I ask Finnick. "Have you decided? Pastor Dale said he wanted the final logo design by the end of the week. And that's tomorrow, in case you forgot."

"Yeah, I like the middle one," he replies, pointing over his shoulder at the three drawings pinned to the corkboard wall of his office. "Looks flashy, but not too flashy, ya know? I like how you highlight the letters that spell LOVE in the middle of REVOLUTION. Now, where's that darn book?"

"That was Katniss's favorite too," I say as I take the drawings down, discarding the rejected designs into the recycle bin.

"Well, then your girl has good taste," Finnick says, finally unearthing himself from the depths of his messy bookshelf. "Not that I'm surprised, of course."

I chuckle, shaking my head. The sorry state of Finnick's bookshelf is making my fingers twitch with wanting to straighten it. I may not get my dirty clothes into the laundry hamper half the time, but I always have a well-sorted bookshelf.

"You know, I bet you would find things a lot faster if you actually organized your shelves."

"Where's the fun in that?" Finnick asks, smiling his signature cheeky grin. "Besides, I know where everything is. It just takes me a minute."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I mumble. "Anyway, do you have a minute? I need to ask you something."

"Yeah," Finnick says slowly. He moves a stack of files from his desk chair and sits down, indicating for me to sit in the chair opposite him. "What's going on? Worried about your finals?"

I must give him an incredulous look, because he shakes his head. "Oh yeah, I forgot. The boy wonder here frontloaded his school schedule for three and a half years just so he could take it easy in his last semester. You've probably aced all your finals already. Am I right?"

"I haven't taken them yet," I say hastily. "They're next week." I allow myself a small grin. "But yeah, I'm not too worried about them."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Well," I gulp. "I was wondering if I could borrow your car tomorrow afternoon. I, um, need to go shopping."

Finnick blinks, pursing his lips. "O-kay," he says, confused. "Since when do you go shopping? And what's wrong with the moped?"

"I think the moped finally gave up the ghost," I admit. "I couldn't get it to start the other day. I was gonna ask Patrick to look at it before group tomorrow night. He's good with engines, but I'm not optimistic. So I need to borrow your car. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it should be," he says, still eyeing me suspiciously. "I'll double-check with Annie to be sure. But you need to tell me what you're shopping for first."

"I'm shopping for an engagement ring," I say, nervously twisting my hands. "For Katniss."

"Well, I sure hope it's for Katniss!" Finnick chortles. "I'd be very concerned if you were shopping for some other girl. And, dare I say that it's about time?"

My eyebrows shoot up. "So you don't think I'm rushing things? After all that talk about taking it slow way back in the beginning?"

Finnick looks taken aback. "Well, you were a different person back then, wouldn't you agree? And it's different now that I've met her. Besides, I think Annie and I were only dating for four months when we got engaged. And our engagement was for three months, and that's only because the church wasn't available any sooner than that."

"Oh!" I exclaim, breathing out a heavy sigh of relief. "And here I was thinking you'd try and talk me out of it."

"Hmph," Finnick mutters, heaving his feet onto the desk. "I'm sure there are people out there who would disagree with me. Probably even people here who would disagree with me. But I've been watching you guys when we get together. She loves you, there's no doubt about it. Anyone who's paying attention can see it." He raises one eyebrow. "And I know I don't have to ask how you feel about her."

"No," I admit with a sly grin. "I'm sure that's pretty obvious too."

"Yeah, just a bit."

"Alright. You got any recommendations on where I can look for a ring?"

"Um, there's a nice store down near the Kroger," Finnick replies. "Reed's, I think it's called. They seem decent enough." He slides his feet off the desk, leaning forward. "Be careful though; some jewelry salespeople can be like car salespeople. So go in with a specific budget and have an idea of what you're looking for. Otherwise, they might try and take you to the cleaners."

Good grief! "Um, okay," I stutter, shifting on the uncomfortable chair. "Thanks for the warning."

"Sure thing. So when are you gonna propose?"

"On her birthday, next Thursday. I'm taking her to Caesar Flickerman's for dinner. She likes being outside, and they have a roof deck that just opened."

"Oh, Annie and I just went there last Friday," Finnick gushes. "It was delicious! Of course, it was the first time we'd been out to dinner with just the two of us in over a year, so that might've had something to do with it. But anyway, be sure and try the lamb stew, it's their signature dish. We both had it and it was amazing."

"I'll remember that, thanks." I shift again, standing up when I can't get comfortable. "Dude, you've gotta get some different chairs in here. This thing is terrible!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's on my to-do list," Finnick grumbles, sweeping his hand across his messy office. "Right now I'm still trying to unpack." He stands up, hefting another box onto the desk. "So what time do you want the car?"

"Around one tomorrow afternoon would be fine," I say, swinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Katniss is coming over for dinner before group, so I'll need to be back to the coffee shop by five at the latest."

"Fine." He pulls another pile of books from the box and walks to the already crowded bookshelf. "I'll be here. Hopefully not buried under a pile of junk."

"Thanks," I say, shaking my head. "Hey, I do have one more question."

His head pops up. "What's that?"

"Um, well, I'd still need to double-check with Katniss, obviously. But if she agrees, I was wondering if you'd officiate our wedding."

Finnick stands back up to his feet, his face breaking out into a huge grin. "Oh yeah," he says. "I'd be honored."

"Hello there!" exclaims a blonde-haired woman as soon as I walk into the store. She's wearing a bright pink suit with matching fingernail polish and a huge diamond ring on her right index finger. "What can I help you with today?"

"Um," I mumble as my face flushes red. Apparently my silver tongue disappears when I'm shopping for an engagement ring. "I'm just looking-"

"Oh, you must be ring shopping," she says in a singsong voice. "Most of the young men who come in here with that look on their faces are looking for engagement rings."

"Ah, yeah." I say, already feeling quite foolish. "Yes, that's what I'm looking for."

"I knew it!" the lady says triumphantly. "Come over here, we have a wonderful selection," and she beckons me to follow her to the long counter that lines the entire back of the store.

"Okay." This is a horrible idea. I should've shopped online instead.

"So what size diamond are you looking for?" she asks. She sweeps her manicured hand across the glass countertop, where diamond rings in all sorts of shapes and sizes are on display. "Going for small and dainty, or trying to make a statement?"

I shake my head, clearing my throat. "Actually, I'm not looking for a diamond. My girlfriend's birthday is next week, so I thought I'd look for her birthstone."

"Oh, but every girl wants a diamond!" the lady chides, shaking her head like I'm an idiot. "Even if they say they don't, they always do. Trust me." She leans in, whispering. "And you don't want to look cheap, either. Know what I mean?"

Bristling at that last comment, I decide to let it slide. "I'd like to see some emerald rings, please," I say firmly. The woman opens her mouth as if to argue, then closes it again as her eyebrows knit together.

"Very well," she sighs. "The colored stone rings are over this way." She beckons me over to a display case along the side wall.

Looking down into the case, I shake my head in frustration. These are all rings that have a center stone, like traditional engagement rings, and I know Katniss wouldn't want something like that.

"No, this isn't what I'm looking for either," I say. I pull the sketch I drew months ago out of my pocket, the picture of Katniss's hand wearing the band-style ring. "More like this."

The saleswoman wrinkles her nose, tapping a long fingernail against the glass. "That's an anniversary band, not an engagement ring."

"Still," I insist. "I'd like to see some like this. Please."

She glares at me for a brief second before resuming her plastered-on smile. "Fine. Those are over here."

Once again, I'm led across the store. As we make our way to the opposite wall, my eyes are drawn to a selection of pendants housed in a stand-up case on top of a counter. "Wait, please," I say as I point to a shiny, round stone in a multitude of greys. "What is this?"

"That's a pearl," the lady replies, unlocking the glass door of the case to retrieve it. "It's a Tahitian grey pearl on a white gold chain, measuring… " she pulls a ruler from her blazer pocket. "Eight millimeters. A good size for a pearl."

"It's gorgeous," I whisper, cupping my hand around the beautiful gem. "It's almost exactly the color of her eyes."

"Yes, it is quite pretty," the saleswoman replies. "But you're here to look at rings, correct?" She lifts the pendant, presumably to put it away.

"Please wait!" I exclaim. "I'd like to look at it more closely for a moment."

The lady sighs but pulls out a velvet-covered board, laying the pendant down on top. I lean over, studying the iridescent stone. It seems to change color depending on how the light hits it, ranging from a light, purply-grey to a darker grey, with a few colors in between. It is absolutely perfect for Katniss.

I had originally thought about the band-style ring for her because I knew she wouldn't want any sort of ring that would stand up off her finger. But until now, what I hadn't taken into consideration was the fact that most girls wind up with two different rings; an engagement ring and a wedding ring, and Katniss wouldn't likely want to wear two rings either. So in that case, I could give her this pendant when I propose to her, and save the ring for our wedding.

"I'd like this, please," I say, straightening back up. "It's perfect for her."

"But," the lady stutters. "It's not a ring. You're looking for a ring."

"Yes, I know that," I say, trying desperately to keep the sarcasm at bay. "I'd still like to look at the rings. But this is perfect for her."

"Oh, in that case," she mumbles. She reaches under the counter, pulling out a grey velvet box and gently placing the pendant inside. "Very well."

With the pearl in hand, I scan the ring case looking for the perfect one. "That one, please," indicating a white gold band encrusted with a row of alternating emeralds and diamonds. "It's beautiful!"

"Oh, she'll love that!" the saleslady exclaims as she pulls it out, obviously feeling more encouraged by the fact that I'm actually planning to purchase something. "Are her eyes green?"

"No, her eyes are this color, actually." I point to the pearl sitting in its protective box. "But her birthday is in May, and green is her favorite color, so… "

"Aww, well aren't you the sweetest guy in the world!" she gushes. "Do you know what her ring size is?"

Gulping, I shake my head. "Um, no. Her hands are small though. All of her is pretty small."

"Okay," the lady says patiently. "How tall is she?"

"Her head comes up to here," I say, holding my hand perpendicular to my throat. "I think she's told me she's five foot two with her hunting boots on."

"Mmmhmm," she says. "And does she have long fingers?"

"Yeah, I guess she does," I answer, confused. "I don't really know what's considered long though."

"Alright, I'm guessing her ring size would be around a four or five then." She packs the ring into a small, green box. "I'll have it sized to a five, and if you need it smaller, we can resize it again at no charge."

"That sounds fine," I say. "Thank you."

"The sizing takes about a week," the lady says. "Or if you need it sooner, we can expedite it for an additional $25."

"No, thank you," I reply weakly. I pull out my wallet, digging for my debit card as my heart starts to thump erratically. "A week is fine."

"Very well." She takes my card and hands me a duplicate form and a pen. "Just fill this out and I'll go and ring these up for you. And be sure to bring her here to shop for your ring, when it's time."

"Thank you," I whisper through my dry throat as I run my hand through my hair. I'm doing this. I'm actually purchasing a wedding ring.

Oh Lord, please let her say yes!

"What time is she picking you up?" Finnick asks, his voice laced with mirth as he watches me pacing back and forth in his office.

"6:30," I mutter. "Our reservation is at seven, so… "

"Peeta," Finnick says in a singsong voice.

"What!" I snap, glaring when Finnick grins at me.

"You're nervous."

Master of the obvious, that one. "Yeah? What gave that away?"

"Well, maybe the fact that you look like you haven't eaten or slept in at least three days. Or the fact that you're trying to pace a trail into the carpet. I know you've had exams this week, but I highly doubt that it's your grades you're nervous about."

I shake my head, continuing to pace. "Sorry. I didn't know you were so attached to the carpet in here."

He's right. I haven't been able to eat much or sleep well since I brought that pearl necklace home with me. It was agonizing being with Katniss over the weekend and trying to pretend that everything was fine. Which, of course, it was. Everything is fine. Except for the fact that I'm probably going to either lose all cellular cohesion or spontaneously combust in the next few hours.

"My last final was today," I say. "They'll have the grades posted by tomorrow."

"Uh huh. And I'm sure you aced it."

"Probably."

"What else have you done for Katniss today?" he asks. "Since proposing to her won't be memorable enough?"

"I had flowers delivered to her at work." I nearly curse as my foot slips on the carpet.

"Flowers are always good," Finnick concurs, nodding. "I've never met a girl who doesn't like flowers. You get her roses?"

"No, she doesn't like roses."

"Oh? What does she like?

I huff out a deep breath. "Dandelions. Only the florist laughed at me when I asked for those, so I went with daisies and tulips instead."

Finnick gives me a strange look. "Dude. Dandelions are weeds. You know that, right? No wonder the florist laughed at you."

I shrug, not feeling like explaining the significance of dandelions at the moment.

"C'mon Peeta, what're you so nervous for?" Finnick asks through peals of laughter. "It's not like she's gonna say no!"

"Did you know for sure that Annie would say yes?" I demand, turning on him.

"Well, yeah…" he mutters, looking chagrined.

"And weren't you still nervous about asking her?" I ask, resuming my pacing.

"Well… yeah," he admits, nodding. "Yeah, I was."

"Well, there you go."

We're quiet for a few minutes while I continue to pace, back and forth, back and forth.

"You know we're having baptism services next weekend," Finnick says. "Has Katniss thought about getting baptized?"

"Yeah, we've talked about it. She's not comfortable doing it in front of the whole church quite yet, and I don't want to push her. She'll know when she's ready."

"Alright," he replies. "As long as you've talked about it."

My fake foot slips again. "We have," I say through clenched teeth. "And if you don't mind, can you please tell that to Cassandra so she can quit asking Katniss about it? It's getting annoying. Katniss will get baptized when she's ready and no sooner."

"I can do that," he says, fighting to keep a straight face. There's another moment of silence.

"Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

"It's 5:30 already," Finnick says, smirking as he jerks his head towards the clock. "Maybe you should head on home to get ready. Before you tip over?"

"Okay," I say, my head bobbing in time with my footsteps. "Good idea." I make one final lap before pacing right out of the office.

"Let me know how it goes!" I hear him call after me, his laughter chasing me down the hall.

Katniss arrives at the coffee shop at 6:30 sharp, looking breathtaking in a periwinkle blue dress tied with a pretty bow around her slender waist, her hair in a fancier braid than her usual. She smiles as she gets out of her car, walking around to the passenger side.

"You're driving tonight," she says, greeting me with a kiss. "Is that okay?"

"That's fine," I say, giving her another kiss for good measure. "I definitely don't mind chauffeuring such a gorgeous woman."

"Hmm," she murmurs, eyeing my dress shirt and tie appraisingly. She reaches a small hand up to nudge the tie into place. "You look nice tonight too."

After helping her into the car, I pat my jacket pocket, where the pearl is tucked safely inside.

Please, Lord, let her say yes!

We arrive down by the college in fifteen minutes with the minimal traffic, parking in a parking garage about a block away from the restaurant. Every few seconds I feel again for the pearl, as if I'm afraid that it's vanished in the meantime.

Katniss's eyes are the size of dinner plates as we're escorted up to the roof deck of the elaborate restaurant, with wind chimes tinkling in the light breeze and tables set up with umbrellas to block the sun. There's even a three-piece band playing soft music over in one corner.

"Oh, this is nice!" Katniss says as we're led to a table on the side opposite of the band with a lovely view of the neighboring mountain. Her eyes narrow as she looks at me. "This isn't one of those places where the waiters all gather round and sing Happy Birthday at you, is it?"

Grinning, I shake my head. "No, I made sure to ask. I know you wouldn't have wanted that."

She smiles in relief, releasing my hand to allow me to pull her chair out for her. I take my seat to her right as the host hands us our menus and tells us our waiter will be with us shortly.

"So," I say, leaning closer to her. "Finnick told me there's a dish here, some sort of lamb stew, that's absolutely the best thing he's ever eaten, so I think I'm gonna try that."

"Mmm," Katniss replies as she studies her own menu. "That does sound good. I think I'll have it too."

"Should we get some wine too?" I ask, thinking perhaps it will help soothe my nerves a little. Right now I'm not hungry at all, and I've hardly eaten all day.

"If you want," she says. "But I don't know anything about wine, so you'll have to pick something."

"I don't really either," I admit. "I'll ask the waiter, I'm sure he can suggest a good one."

The waiter arrives to take our orders, suggesting their house light red to pair with the lamb stew. He returns with the wine a few minutes later, along with a small loaf of herb bread accompanied by both butter and a goat cheese spread.

"Oh my," Katniss groans as she stuffs another piece of bread slathered with goat cheese into her mouth. "This is already so delicious, and it's not even the main course yet!"

Meanwhile, all I've managed to consume has been half of my glass of wine.

The main dish arrives on a tureen, with a serving spoon for us to serve ourselves. Mixed with dried plums and set on a bed of wild rice, the lamb stew looks and smells absolutely amazing. Even amazing enough for my churning stomach to want to eat some of it.

"Peeta!" Katniss exclaims. "This must be what heaven tastes like!" She pauses mid-chew, looking at me. "Are you okay? You've hardly touched the food!"

"I'm fine!" I say weakly, making a show of taking a bite of the delectable meal. "Nothing to worry about!"

We manage to finish the entire tureen of stew and most of the bread. I insist that Katniss order dessert, which she at first tries to refuse. She finally agrees only as long as I do as well, so we end up ordering two slices of cheesecake that arrive smothered in strawberries so sweet they practically melt in your mouth.

The sun is sitting directly on the distant mountaintop as Katniss scoops the last bite of cheesecake into her mouth, licking her lips in satisfaction. "That was incredible," she states as she sets the fork down. "And I am stuffed."

I look over at my own cheesecake, still only half-eaten. "Are you sure?" I ask, winking at her. "You can finish mine if you like."

She leans back in her chair, her hand patting her stomach. "I can't eat another bite. And I mean it this time." She looks at me quizzically, her eyes flicking over to the remaining dessert. "But your appetite doesn't seem normal tonight. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine," I say quickly. "Are you ready for your present, then?"

"What?" She looks around the roof deck, now bathed in the soft orange light from the setting sun. "I thought this was my present."

It's now or never!

Shaking my head, I pull the velvet box out of my pocket, sliding it over to her. "Happy Birthday, Katniss."

Her eyes widen as she opens the box with trembling hands. "Oh!" she gasps. "I've never seen anything like this!"

"It's a pearl," I murmur. "A grey pearl. It reminded me of your eyes."

Katniss stares at it, swallowing hard as she reaches a tentative finger over to brush against the smooth, round stone.

"Peeta," she whispers. "I don't… I… it's beautiful!" She looks up, a look of awe on her face. "Thank you!"

My heart starts to thump against my ribcage as I break into a sweat. "Um, it's not only a birthday present, Katniss." I take a quick gulp from my water glass, my mouth having gone suddenly dry.

"What do you mean?" she asks, her eyes widening in growing alarm. "Peeta, you've gone all pale! What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" All the nerves in my body seemed to tighten at once. "I just-, I was gonna buy you a ring, like most guys do, but then I saw this and I thought it was perfect, because most likely you wouldn't want to wear two rings anyway, so-"

I'm cut off by her fingers covering my lips. "Stop! Peeta, you're rambling! What is wrong? Are you sick?"

I breathe in through my nose, as deeply as I can, and slide off my chair onto one knee. I take her hand, praying she doesn't notice my sweaty palm.

"Katnisswillyoumarryme?"

She blinks, her brow furrowing as she tries to translate my nonsensical blabbering. "What did you say?"

Clearing my throat, I jerk my head in the direction of the velvet box. "I said… will you marry me?"

Her eyebrows raise in surprise before she looks at the table, landing on the pearl that so closely matches her eyes. She presses her lips together, the lower one quivering like it always does when she's trying not to cry.

"You want-" She pauses for a second, swallowing hard. "You want to marry me?"

Why does she sound so surprised?

I bring her hand up to my lips, kissing the back of it as she continues to stare at me, looking stunned. "Mmmhmm," I squeak. "I want to marry you. I want to share a home with you. I want to watch you braid your hair. I want you to watch me draw and paint. I want to wake up early on my days off and bring you breakfast in bed. I want us to cook dinner together. I want to watch movies with you in the evenings, cuddled under your Vikings blanket. But most of all, I want to be able to hold you at night while we sleep instead of only dreaming about it."

A small tear escapes down her cheek as she stares at me. "Peeta, I-"

"But," I interrupt. "Absolutely none of that matters at all if it's not what you want. So, I'm asking. Katniss, I love you, and I want you to be my wife. Will you?"

Another tear rolls down her cheek, her head tilting to the side as her fingers squeeze around mine. "I don't want a big wedding," she sniffs, swiping at her nose. "Not like Delly and Thom's. Delly told me she didn't even know who some of the people were at theirs."

I allow myself a small smile. "Neither do I."

"I don't want to wear a huge, floofy dress and fancy shoes," she persists. "Shoes like that hurt my feet."

"I don't mind that at all," I assure her. "As long as I don't have to wear a tuxedo."

"No, no, that's fine," she whispers, her eyes staring off into the distance for a moment. "You can wear dark blue pants, and a blue suit jacket. I want it to match your eyes. Would you do that for me?"

My heart leaps in my chest. "Of course I'll do that for you! As long as you let me buy you a new dress. Nothing too fancy, and I won't even see it beforehand, 'cause people say that's bad luck. But I want you have a new dress for our wedding. Nothing used or borrowed. Okay?"

"And you're not allowed to cut your hair," she blurts. "Or if you have to, do it now so it has time to grow back." She reaches a tentative hand up to brush hair off my forehead. "I like it longer."

By this time my entire body is shaking, my right knee digging into the concrete floor.

"Katniss!" I rasp. "I'll do whatever you want! Please-"

Two more tears slide down her cheeks as she nods rapidly. "Okay."

"Yeah?" I reach up to cup her face. "You'll allow it? You'll really marry me?"

"Yes, I'll allow it!" She dives forward, laughing and sobbing at the same time as she throws her arms around my neck. "I will marry you!"

"Oh dear God, thank you!" I whisper into her hair, peppering her neck with tears and kisses while she clings to me, her body shuddering with sobs.

"Hey," I croak as I pull back to look at her. "Are you okay?"

Katniss nods, blinking as more tears slide down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit of a mess-"

"You're beautiful," I murmur as I blot at her face with a napkin. "Don't ever apologize for being emotional."

She sputters, laughing as she points to my leftover cheesecake. "Is this why you didn't hardly eat anything tonight?"

"Yep," I say, grinning. "I guess you could say I was a little nervous."

Katniss picks up the pearl. "Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course!" I say, fumbling with the clasp on the delicate chain. Katniss turns, lifting her braid out of the way as I drape the pearl around her neck, kissing her nape once it's fastened.

"Oh my love," I gush once she turns back around to show me, the pearl nestled perfectly in the v-neck of her blue dress. "It's perfect for you!"

"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" a loud voice suddenly announces from next to me, startling us both. I look up to see a man with the whitest teeth I've ever seen, dressed in a bright blue suit with his hair dyed the exact same color. "Did I just witness a marriage proposal up here on our roof?" The man sticks out his manicured hand, complete with blue nail polish. "Hello, I'm Caesar Flickerman, the owner of this fine establishment."

"Hello," I say, struggling to stand back up. I shake his hand as Katniss scrambles to her feet, wide-eyed and blushing. "And yes. This lovely lady just agreed to marry me."

"Oh, I knew it!" Caesar chortles. "And what a stunning couple you make, indeed! You must allow me to take a picture." He gestures to a man standing in the corner, a fancy digital camera hanging from a strap around his neck. "I try to take photos of every couple who celebrates such an occasion here at my restaurant."

"Um, okay," I stammer. "Would you mind also taking a picture with my phone as well? So I can have a copy?"

"My dear lad," Caesar says as the photographer arrives. "The photo is for you! I will have copies sent to you! Castor here is a wonderful photographer."

"Thank you," I murmur. Castor positions us with Katniss standing in front of me with my arms around her waist, the last light from the setting sun glinting off the pearl hanging around her neck as he snaps the picture. Our engagement picture.

"Yes, such a delightful couple!" Caesar exclaims as Castor shows him the photo. "I must thank you for choosing my restaurant as the backdrop for your romantic proposal, Mr…"

"Mellark. Peeta Mellark. And this is Katniss Everdeen, my fiancée. It's her birthday today as well."

My fiancée!

Caesar grabs Katniss's hand, kissing and releasing it before she even realizes what's going on. "You must come here again sometime," he says, bouncing on his feet. "And the heartiest of congratulations on your engagement, and the happiest of birthdays to you, my dear Miss Everdeen! Your waiter will collect your address for us to send the photos."

"Thank you!" I say to his retreating back as he flounces off, followed closely by the photographer.

"Wow," I say to Katniss as we return to our seats. "Finnick didn't say anything about meeting the owner when he and Annie ate here."

Katniss winks at me. "Well, maybe their occasion wasn't momentous enough." Her hand moves over her pearl, pressing it into her skin.

"Yeah, I guess not." I look around for the waiter, looking back when I see her spear a piece of my cheesecake with her fork. "Hey! That's mine!"

Giggling, Katniss scoops another bite into her mouth. "I didn't think you were gonna finish it," she says, covering her mouth with her hand. "And I hate to waste food."

"I'm sure they'd let you bring it home." The waiter arrives then with the bill and a card for my address, along with a to-go box. He offers us his congratulations and we thank him for his service, which, like everything else here this evening, was impeccable.

I hand Katniss the box as I reach for my wallet to pay the bill. But when I get to the amount, I see that the total has been manually zeroed out, with the words "Congratulations on your engagement, compliments of Caesar Flickerman," written across the bottom.

"Hey, look at this," I say, showing it to Katniss. "Mr. Flickerman just paid for our dinner. I guess he really did like us."

"Well, we need to leave the waiter a nice tip anyway," Katniss replies, reaching for her bag. "I have some cash with me-"

"You're not paying for anything tonight, Katniss," I say, gently but firmly as I still her hand. "It's your birthday, for goodness sake!"

"But, Peeta-"

"No," I repeat. "Not tonight. Not on your birthday." I take $40 from my wallet, laying it down on the table over the bill as I stand up and reach for her hand. I'm sure we'll need to have at least one serious discussion about money before we get married, and probably more than one, but now isn't the time.

The drive back to the coffee shop is far too short, and it's never been more difficult to kiss Katniss goodbye as it is on this night. Even though I'll get to see her again tomorrow evening, it's a whole twenty or so hours away, which right now feels like an eternity.

I watch her drive away, her promise to text once she's safely back still echoing in my head, along with the "I love you" she whispered as she pressed her pearl against her chest. When the tail lights of her car have disappeared around the curve of the road, I turn and walk around to the back of the coffee shop, climbing up the stairs to my apartment. I unlock the door and step inside, turning on the overhead light as I pull my phone out of my pocket.

[Peeta] She said yes!

[Finnick] Yay! Like you had any doubt?

[Peeta] I don't know, she seemed a little shocked at first.

[Finnick] Annie was too. I think all girls are. Like they can't believe it's actually happening until it is.

[Peeta] Okay. When can we schedule the wedding?

[Finnick] How 'bout weekend after Labor Day? I'm available that Friday, and that gives you enough time for premarital counseling.

Ugh, that's a long time! I don't want to wait that long!

[Peeta] We have to wait that long?

[Finnick] Sorry. Church says you need at least four counseling sessions with at least two different pastors. I can do two of them, but Dale will have to do the other two. And don't forget we're having a baby next month.

[Peeta] Fine :(. Put us on your schedule then.

[Finnick] Already done ;)

[Peeta] Thanks

[Finnick] Don't mention it. Now let me go to sleep.

[Peeta] Okay. Goodnight

I set my phone down to wait for Katniss's text and sit down to take off my shoes. Then I loosen the tie around my neck and unbutton my shirt collar before leaning back and closing my eyes, smiling as I replay our wonderful evening in my head.

She said yes! Oh thank you, Jesus, she said yes!

So this chapter was pretty much pure fluff. :) Please let me know what you think!