A/N: yoyoyo! This is a pretty short chapter I think but, I'm uploading one right after and the one that comes after this is the last chapter! I planned on making it longer but basically, I couldn't think of anymore idea and the story was dragging on I thought so I thought I would end it in a totally cheesey way :D
The next morning I dress for school and head downstairs, finding Ben, Linda and Evan in the kitchen.
"Katniss, Honey!" Linda exclaims and I freeze. "It's so nice to see you again, do take a seat!" I lower myself cautiously into a seat and Ben passes me a waffle and a banana. Evan is sat silently, his head bowed as he pushes a blueberry around on his plate with a fork.
"So, how's school?" Linda asks me and I shrug. "Shrugging is rude." She snaps and I look up at her.
"Sorry, don't hit me." I say rudely and her face goes hard. Ben coughs and I go back to eating. Peeta comes in and silently starts eating.
"Sleep well, Peetie?" Linda asks and he doesn't answer. "Peeta?" She asks and he clenches his jaw.
"Peet." Ben says and Peeta looks at him then at his mother.
"I had a nightmare." He says bluntly and my heart aches, I should have been there. "I always do when you're around." He adds then stands and leaves.
By the time I get outside I can see Peeta halfway down the drive in the jeep so I sheepishly go back inside and Evan bumps into me.
"Need a lift?" He asks and I nod, Evan grabs his keys and we walk to his SUV. "Peet will calm down soon." Evan says quietly as I open the door to leave.
"He won't calm down until she's dead in a ditch." I say bitterly, thank him and head into school.
Peeta ignores me all day. Then the next. And the next. And the next. It's a couple of weeks later when he finally speaks to me.
Delly and I giggle as we come out of the changing room into the main area where the pool is. Peeta is talking to an instructor but Finnick is on the highest dive board, ready to jump in. I watch as he flips over three time and seamlessly enters the water with next to none splash.
"Is it weird?" Delly speaks up as we hook our towels over a bar. "Seeing Peeta like that?" She asks quietly and I glance over, he's topless and in shorts and I frown.
"What do you mean?" I ask and she blushes.
"You know, his leg..." She whispers and I look over at Peeta again. The metal leg shimmering from the water ripples. I turn back to Delly angrily.
"It hasn't changed him! You should know that!" I snap.
"That's not what I meant! And you can't say nothing is different!" She exclaims as we drop into the water easily. "You don't have sex!" She says loudly and everyone looks at us, including Peeta.
"Thanks for that, Delly." I say angrily and swim away from her to do laps.
On my second lap, Peeta is angrily removing his fake leg.
On my third lap, Finn is helping him into the water.
On my fourth, I stop beside him, shocked.
"You can't swim." I state as Finn holds him and Peeta floats and I remember summer camp where Peeta got knocked into the lake and stopped breathing, I resusitated him and he believes Finnick did it.
"Rub it in, then." Peeta responds and I look to Finnick who pulls a face.
"I love you Peet, but this is weird." Finn indicates to me and I slip my hands into the place Finn's where as he swims away.
"This is ridiculous." Peeta complains, avoiding my eyes. "It's embarrassing."
"Don't be a baby." I tell him and he rolls his eyes. "Turn over." I tell him and he awkwardly turns, I have one arm diagonally under his arm then over the oppostie shoulder and my other across his lower stomach. "Ok, kick gently." Peeta scoffs and I smack his stomach. "Do it." I insist and I help him to glide across the water. He kicks roughly and slips on my hands where he then begins to flail, I hold ontop him until he stops splashing about.
"Kat..." Peeta murmurs and I realise first that my hand is groping his penis, second that his penis is hard in my hand.
"Sorry." I say but I can't move my hand away so Peeta uses the side to help him stand up. "When did that... Happen?" I ask and he shakes his hair so water flies everywhere.
"The weekend Mom came round." He says quietly and I nod.
"Emotions, right?" I say as an explanation and he nods. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask and he shrugs.
"We were rowing."
"Actually we weren't talking at all." Peeta nods and then Finnick wades over and punches Peeta in the arm.
"Swim!" He shouts and I move away.
I spend most of the lesson under the water thinking. I like being under the water because no one can speak to you.
I'm in the changing rooms now, buttoning up my school shirt when there's a lot of murmuring outside and Delly looks at me strangely as she brushes out her blonde hair.
Once my shirt is buttoned up I move to the door and poke my head out, Peeta's body is blocking the door straight away and I open the door wider and look over his shoulder and squeal.
"Darren!" I cry suddenly and Peeta steps to the side as I wrap my arms around Darren's neck.
"Well hey there stranger!" He laughs into my neck and stands to his full height so my feet are dangling off the floor. "Kat, you're supposed to stay in touch with the little guys!" He says quietly as he slowly lowers me.
"You're not exactly little!" I laugh as I stand back and look at him.
He's still stupidly tall at six foot three, his shoulders have broadened but he's still the ridiculously skinny guy he was back in the flat down the hall.
"You cut your hair!" I grin as he pushes his dark quiff to the side.
"Yeah well, everyone else did as well." He does his boyish smile and I take a deep breath. "You look well." Darren smiles and I nod. Slack yells suddenly and I break eye contact with Darren's green eyes.
"I need to get ready!" I say in a deep sigh and walk backwards awkwardly into Peeta. "Oh shit, Darren this is Peeta. His dad fostered me. And this is Darren..." I trail off as Darren blushes instantly in his shy way.
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Peeta asks and Darren looks at me as I groan.I remember the first day we saw each other again I had told him I'd been casually sleeping with Darren and now here he is.
"Darren..." I say exasperated and Darren bows his head.
"It got worse, Katniss." He says quietly and I think of all the bruises that covered his body when we would sleep together.
"Would do you mean? It got worse?" Peeta asks and Darren bows his head even further.
"Peeta, don't." I say carefully and Peeta nods at me.
"Stay here and we'll get changed," Peeta said and indicated to the two of us even though Darren's head was still hanging low. "Then you can come back to mine and we'll sort something out."
"So," Peeta said quietly as we stood outside, pretending to only be throwing a tennis ball for Max. "He isn't even eighteen is he?"
"No." I admit and crouch to pull the ball from Max's mouth. "His dad is a total drunk and beats Darren whenever he can." I say quietly and I see Peeta's jaw clench.
"He ran away." Peeta says matter of factly and I throw the ball.
"Yeh, he won't be here for more than a couple of days either." I explain and Peeta looks at me. "He's run now Peeta, if his dad catches him I don't think Darren would survive the beating."
"He won't last on his own out there." Peeta mutters and I smile.
"That's where everyone gets Darren wrong, he blends in. Even at his height, no one looks twice at him because he changes to suit his environment." Peeta looks strange for a second and I look out at the sunset.
"I'm sorry I've been a total dick to you." He says quietly and I look across at his strong jaw line. "I was scared once you knew I could get hard that's the only reason you'd come back to me." Peeta admits and I sigh.
"I love you." My voice is extremely quiet but, Peeta wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"I love you, Katniss." He whispers before kissing my forehead and I sigh deeply.
I was correct in thinking Darren wouldn't stay for long, when I was pouring myself a glass of juice I saw the note on the counter top.
Katniss,
We both know I gotta keep moving now but, thank you for taking me in and thank every one of those Mellark's too. Especially Peeta, thank him for the money.
Perhaps we'll see each other again and maybe we won't however, you remember that you're the reason I'm strong enough to leave that hell hole.
I'm going to miss you, stranger!
Darren.
As I finish reading I feel Peeta just behind me, reading over my shoulder.
"You gave him money?" I ask as he takes my glass of juice and sips it before passing it back to me.
"Of course I did. He didn't have a penny to his name." Peeta responds and I smile because...well Peeta just makes me smile. "Do you know your ears move when you smile?" He whispers and I laugh.
"How much did you give him?" I ask as Peeta's hands gently wrap themselves around my waist.
"I don't remember exactly." He murmurs and then kisses my neck.
"Liar." I say but my voice sounds like a sigh as Peeta presses his body against my back.
"You know how incredible you make me feel?" He whispers and I brace my hands on the counter as my head rolls to the side. "Like I can do anything." When Peeta's tongue trails from my collar bone to my ear lobe I moan. "I feel like nothing matters so long as I have you." I turn around now and Peeta descends his lips to mine instantly, our tongues fighting against each other as he lifts me to sit on the counter and he stands between my legs. I hook my legs around him, pulling him closer to me and I moan into his mouth when his arousal presses to my centre.
"Oh god, Peeta!" I murmur and Peeta's hands start to knead my breasts urgently as my own hands pop the button on his jeans and undo his zip.
"Jesus christ! Not in the kitchen!" Peeta and I jump as Rye complains and I bury my face into Peeta's shoulder in embarrassment.
"You're such a cock blocker, Rye." Peeta grumbles and Rye does his weird laugh and opens a cupboard.
"Yes well, you're supposed to be at the bakery now so go!" Rye reminds Peeta and he does his button back up and lowers me to the ground.
"Come with me?" He asks and I nod. I offer to drive but, the whole time Peeta is kissing my neck ormy hand. "Hm, Delly's here." Peeta muses when I pull up beside her Mini Cooper, we share a glance before getting out.
As soon as I'mnext to Peeta he wraps an arm around my shoulder and I wrap my own around his waist.
"God, I have missed this." He smiles down at me as we walk up the wooden steps synchronised.
The laughter rings out of the bakery as we open the back door. We step in and find Delly hunched over on the counter as Jacob grins at her with a danish slowly slipping down the front of his t-shirt. He looks across at us and we smile as Delly begins snorting with laughter.
"Alright Dells?" Peeta asks with a crooked grin, Delly looks at him, wails and then buries her face back into her elbow, crying out.
"What happened, Jacob?" I ask as Peeta slips his hand into the back pocket of my jeans.
"She threw a danish pastry at me..." Jacob grins and Delly is now laughing silently with the occassional wheeze. "And now it is on the floor." Jacob says and we look down at where the danish has splattered to the floor. The door in the main cafe jingles and Jacob looks through the arch way and turns back with an irritated face. "Mother session." He mutters and then reaches across himself to lift his top up, my eyes drop down to his chest and Peeta steps in front of me, frowning.
"Stop it." He complains and I smile and push my hands onto his shoulders underneath his jacket.
"Well how about we just pop into your office because you needed to change into your shirt anyway." I say quietly and he smirks at me.
"Jake I'll be back in a minute!" Peeta calls over his shoulder as he takes my hand and we head up the wooden stairs, they're narrow and steep at the same time and we stop on a small landing at the top that has two doors. One door says 'staff only' and the other says 'no staff' and it makes me smile.
"Typical Jacob." I smile and he pulls a set of keys out of his pocket that I haven't seen before, I realise I've only really seen the car keys so I look round his arm as he chooses one of the keys and opens the door.
"Welcome to my inner sanctum!" Peeta says smiling as I step into the room. It's a lot smaller than I imagined. "This used to be the flat area but, I switched so Jacob's quarters were bigger..." Peeta says nervously and I look around more.
The room is dark in a way that makes the room calm. Book cases and filing cabenets line the walls and it's only a few feet from the door to the desk, the desk is dark and has a low back black leather chair tucked in, facing me. I skip round and sit in the chair and I'm shocked at how upright the chair makes me sit even though it stops just below my shoulder blades.
"It helps my leg to sit upright..." Peeta mumbles and I look up at him, he's blushing and I frown at him. Then my eyes drop to a silver framed photograph on the desk of Peeta and I. It's the photograph from summer when it was the formal dance, I had gone with Finnick and Peeta had gone with Delly but, everyone had insisted that we took the picture together. I still remember how much my heart had ached to be so close to him and not actually be with him.
"Oh." I choke out and he looks at me from where the door is still open as if he's ready to run.
"I can get rid of it, you know, if you don't like it, on the desk, ummm, I feel like it helps me, you know, think." Peeta blows air out of his cheeks and chuckles at how nervous he is. I stand up and wrap my arms right around him, his wrapping around me.
"I just didn't expect it, Peeta." I mutter and he straightens himself so my feet dangle in the air. He tightens his arms around me and I bite my lip.
"Prim emailed it to me. It makes me ache, I should have just held onto you!" Peeta sounds pained and I lift my legs to wrap around his waist as I incline my mouth to his ear.
"I would have run, we both now it." Peeta turns into my mouth and our lips melt into eachother. "I love you." I whisper and he moans against me.
"I wish I could hear that every day of my life." He groans and I thread my fingers into his hair.
"You can." I breathe and he presses his mouth against mine, I reach behind him and push the door closed before he walks us to his desk and sits me on it.
The seconds tick by as I slip my hands into his jacket and push it to the floor. His hands pull on my thighs as he tries to pull me even closer to his body. Right now, it's not about nakedness or sexiness so I don't hesitate to unbutton and unzip his jeans. When I slip my hand into his boxers, Peeta takes a sharp intake of breath and then he presses his forehead against mine.
"Katniss..." He groans as a warning and I wrap my hand around his hardening erection.
"Peeta, I want you. Please." I moan and he stares into my eyes.
"I don't want to hurt you Katniss." He whispers and I smile at him and hop off the desk.
"You won't." I assure him and push out of my jeans as his eyes tighten in a battle inside him. "Peeta, I trust you." I tell him and he slams his lips against mine, our tongues invade each other's mouth as I push Peeta jeans and boxers down.
"Oh crap." He whispers when he pushes my panties to the side and slips a finger inside me. My head rolls to the side and Peeta kisses my exposed neck. I reach between us and run my hand along his erection as he shifts his hips so his tip is positioned at my entrance.
"Guys, have you..." Delly opens the door and Peeta growls at her.
"Not now Delly!" He growls and she squeaks and slams the door and then clatters down the stairs. I stifle a laugh and Peeta shakes his head. "Typical!" His voice because a loud groan when I grab his hips and tug him inside of me. I gasp and Peeta freezes. "Look at me, baby." I peel my eyes open and Peeta's face is etched with concern. "I love you, alright? I love you." He promises and I push away the thoughts of Gale as Peeta rocks his hips slightly.
"I can't." I whisper almost inaudible and Peeta pulls himself out quickly but gently.
"That's fine, I understand!" He says quickly and I bite my lip as he pulls his boxers and jeans up but doesn't fasten them. "Do you wanna go down and get a coffee or something?" He asks and I nod and pull my jeans back on and head to the door.
"Aren't you coming?" I ask quietly and turn back to where he's perched on his desk.
"I'll errr catch you up." He smiles awkwardly. "I gotta sort myself out, Katniss." He adds and I blush and look down at his very obvious erection.
When I get down to the kitchen Delly is sat at one of the counters with a mug of coffee, she smiles when she sees me but I slump against her shoulder as I sit down beside her.
"What happened?" She asks and I groan.
"All I could think about was Gale." I complain and she wraps an arm around me.
"Peeta isn't going to hurt you Katniss. The guy loves you more than he loves life." Delly's voice was so gentle that I felt my bottom lip start to tremble.
"Everything okay, Katniss?" Jacob asked and I looked up to where he was stood smiling at me in a clean top.
"It's girlie things, Jake." Delly whispers and Jacob rolls his eyes at her as he makes a coffee.
"If girlie things involves being scared of having intercourse with Peeta because you think of Gale, then honestly Delly!" Jacob turns to her exasperated. "It really isn't girlie is it?" He asks and Delly glares at him.
"You're so blunt and rude." She snaps at him and he dusts some chocolate onto the coffee. "You know, it's only polite to bring such things up if Katniss does first!" Delly calls to him as he walks back into the cafe.
Peeta comes banging down the stairs in his white 'Mellark Son Three' t-shirt. I'm embarrassed when I see him but, he walks straight over to me and kisses me temple.
"What's that for?" I ask quietly as he pulls back. Peeta picks up a pen and clicks it on a notepad as he smiles at me.
"Do I need to have a reason?" He asks and then disappears into the cafe as well.
"So how are you going to get over it?" Delly asks bluntly and I press my forehead to the counter top.
"I have no idea." I groan back at her.
A/N:SO, the last chapter is the next one! Follow me as an author because I've got loads of new ideas!