Chapter Eleven

#HASH IT OUT

When they walked into the room at Ripper's boarding house, Katniss was too tired, too hungry and too stressed out to continue arguing with Peeta at the moment. She dropped her purse on the tiny table by the door and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Peeta followed her inside, dropping his keys next to her purse.

"Do you want to take a shower first? Hungry? There's a deli that delivers." Peeta asked, leaning against the table instead of coming to join her on the bed. She guessed she could understand his hesitancy. They hadn't exactly had a chance to define anything between them. And the worry and stress of the past few days were currently taking their toll on her.

"Sure. That sounds good." Except she realized that neither of them had any clothes. "What am I going to wear?" She said half to herself.

"I have a bag in the truck. I'm sure I have something you can use."

"Keeping some stuff there for a quick getaway?" she said, only half kidding. He frowned and shook his head.

"I didn't figure you wanted me to move everything into your place. I figured that once the danger was passed, I'd look for an apartment in town or a house just outside of town. But I didn't want to use Rye's place as a storage unit, even though Delly would have let me." He said with a half smile. "We all inherited the house, equal shares and all. But it made more sense for Rye to live there since he has a family already." He continued, giving her an explanation where she hadn't needed one.

"I didn't realize you'd moved back for good." She had thought that he'd just come back to help Rye. Then Hazelle had shanghaied him into helping her. He gave her a tight smile and nodded.

"I'd already sold my bakery before dad died." Peeta told her. Katniss' eyes narrowed in confusion. Peeta ran a hand through his hair and gave her a sad smile. "I had already decided to move home when my father passed. The bakery had been on the market for few months, my house already sold, my stuff in storage. I got the call about my dads heart attack the day I went to settlement on the bakery."

"Why?" Katniss' voice sounded rough, her throat tight with an emotion she wasn't quite ready to put a name on.

"I'd run long enough. It was time to come home and keep my promise."

Promise. He'd said that over and over since he'd come back into her life. She had no doubt that Gale had made him promise to take care of her. That was just the way he was. And Peeta would have agreed. Whether it was for Gale or for the way he felt about her, Katniss was just starting to understand.

"My boys." Katniss murmured, a soft smile curling her lips.

"What?" Peeta asked.

Katniss looked over at him, took in the stubble on his jaw, the fatigue and worry clouding his usually bright blue eyes. She found herself wanting to rub a thumb over the small dip in his chin, buss a kiss to his cheek and to run her fingers into the silk of his hair. She itched to rub the tension from his shoulders, to absolve him of the guilt she knew clouded his mind even after she'd assured him her forgiveness. And to allow him to do the same for her.

"My boys." She said louder, with a small laugh. "That's what I used to call you and Gale. My boys." She reminded him of their conversation earlier.

"Oh yeah." He smiled at that. His pleasure at being claimed by her clear. She felt that pull again, the want to walk over to him and kiss him. To feel the way he felt over her, making her tremble with want and need until she exploded around him. But the way his face fell with that same damn guilt again gave her pause. "I'm sorry Katniss."

"Peeta," she started, but he held his hand up to stop her.

"Please. Let me say this." His eyes implored her to stay silent and she gave him a nod. "I'm sorry I left that day. The day of the funeral." He clarified. She watched as he folded himself into the lone chair in the room and shoved a hand through the waves of his hair. "I knew you were drowning, I could see it. And I wanted to comfort you so damn much. But I was afraid. Because the way I wanted to comfort you wasn't appropriate for the widow of my best damn friend." Most of what he said was through clenched teeth and she could see the tears waiting to be set free.

"I love you, Katniss. And I know this is probably the worst time to tell you this, but I do. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. But I didn't expect to love him, and I couldn't be around you then, knowing that all I wanted was to kiss you, love you, protect you and Posy. To…take his place." That last was said so softly, she almost didn't catch it. Her heart broke for the absolute shame she saw in his face. "God, help me, I wanted that. And that's why I couldn't stay."

Katniss, shaken by his confession, started forward. The agony on his face pulled her, her fingers needing to smooth this grief away. All her own problems faded for the moment in the storm of this beautiful mans pain. Peeta was always the selfless one. He was kind and giving. He'd dealt with his mothers abuse and came out a wonderful man. It had been impossible for Gale and Katniss not to accept hi. He was the light to their dark, optimistic to their cynicism.

Katniss settled on his lap without hesitation and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. The depth of his anguish made her wonder if he'd ever allowed himself to grieve for Gale properly. Her fingers slid through his hair as she tried to soothe him. He sat rigid under her, as if he wouldn't allow himself the comfort she offered.

"It's ok, Peeta. Let it go." She whispered against the top of his head, her voice soft and full of all of her own emotion. Something about her words must of finally let the wedge of his guilt shift, because he banded his arms around her, holding her close as he let the years of pent up sadness come out.

As she held him, her fingers never stilling in his hair, her breaths coming out in soft shushes as he came apart, she thought of the way he'd rushed into the burning barn to save Haymitch with no thought to himself. She thought about the way he'd come to stay with her, to watch over her and Posy and the way he'd stood with her in front of Thread.

She felt her heart swell in her chest as she realized that Gale had given her a great gift. He'd given her Peeta.

The storm of Peeta's grief was short. Once it was clear he was calming, Katniss knelt in front of him, her hands cupping his tear stained face. She waited until he raised his gaze to hers before speaking.

"You know, Prim told me that she thought I was so lucky because I had two men that wanted me. But, I really think I'm lucky for another reason."

"Why?" His voice was raw from his sobs, his face red and his blue, blue eyes hazed with his swirling emotions.

"Well, I've been lucky enough to love two incredible men. My men."

She watched as he replayed her words, his beautiful, expressive eyes searching hers. He smiled a soft, sad smile and reached to gently tug on her braid. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, tasting the salt and heat of his tears. A sense of rightness settled over her and with it she felt lighter than she had since her parents died. Even with everything that was happening. She knew with a certainty that right here, with Peeta was exactly where she was supposed to be.

When his tongue swept across her bottom lip, she opened her mouth without hesitation. His tongue slid inside to tangle languidly with hers. He pulled her from the floor and gathered her back in his lap; a strong arm wrapping around her waist as his other hand reverently cupped her jaw.

"Katniss." He gasped pulling his lips from her to pepper her jaw with soft, wet kisses. A loan moan vibrated in her throat and she dropped her head back to allow him better access. She felt his fingers ghost along her cheek, down her throat and along the collar of her shirt. The warm pads of his fingers on her skin caused gooseflesh to rise in their wake.

Her breath was starting to come in little pants and heat spread like liquid across her nerves. When he palmed her breast through her shirt she arched into him, her nipples pebbling immediately. Arousal pooled between her thighs and she clenched them together to ease the deliberate ache that was building there.

"Peeta."

"Hm?" she felt the hum of his answer against her neck where he was gently sucking. It sent little shivers of pleasure all over her.

"Take me to bed."

The speed with which he rose holding her might have made her laugh if the anticipation wasn't making her so edgy. She gripped his shoulder, relishing the feel of his muscles moving beneath her fingers. He stumbled the few feet across the room to the bed, his lips never leaving her neck as he moved. Peeta set her down at the foot of the bed, his hands sliding under the hem of her shirt and pulling it up without hesitation. His lips descended on hers as soon as the garment was off, tossing it to the floor without preamble.

She fisted her hands in his hair, pulling him closer to attack his mouth with all the hunger she felt. She gasped into his mouth when his warm, calloused hands slid across the skin of her back, his deft fingers making quick work of her bra. It slid away to join her shirt on the floor and he filled his palms with her breasts. Katniss pulled away from the kiss to gasp his name, her head dropping back and her hips thrusting forward. Their pelvises met, his hard length brushing the wet heat between her thighs and they both groaned.

"Shit, Kat."

"Take this off." She tugged his shirt, feeling the chill in the air when he moved his hands to let her pull it off. Then his mouth replaced his hands and she felt her eyes roll back in her head. He lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist as he put a knee on the bed. He carefully crawled on, managing to keep his mouth on her breast and his balance. She wasn't sure how, but she was very impressed with his skills.

He trailed wet kisses across her chest to her other breast, swirling his tongue against the hardened tip them gently biting it with his teeth.

"Yes," she hissed, thrusting against him again. Her hands slid over the smooth skin of his shoulders and down his back. She tucked the tips of her fingers into the band of his jeans and dug her nails gently into the dip of his ass, pressing him against her. "Why do we still have so many clothes on?"

Peeta lifted his head and gave her a wicked grin. "I have no idea."

They spent the next few seconds pulling their heavy denim jeans off, followed by their underclothes and socks. Once fully naked he slid up her body, making sure to press their skin tightly together. Relief washed over her, the feel of flesh against her soothing her in a way she'd never thought possible.

Soon though. That relief turned into something more needy, more intense. Her fingers dove into his hair, gently tugging his mouth down to hers. She slid her tongue past his lips, stroking his with hungrily. He growled against her mouth, his hands sliding along her skin. She shifted her hips against him, rubbing her slick heat against his hard cock, the tip of his erection grazing her clit with each thrust. Katniss gasped at the sensation.

"Condom," she rasped, barely pulling away from his mouth for the breath it took to say the word. He tried to pull away, but she followed, her lips determined to stay attached to his.

"Katniss, I have to get my pants."

"No." she said frantically. Peeta chuckled as he finally managed to pull away.

"Condom." He reminded her, which got her to stop reaching for him. He couldn't blame her; he was loath to let her soft body go as well. With that in mind, he made quick work of reaching for his pants to get the second condom he always kept stashed in his wallet. He truly liked to be prepared. And there were more in his bag. He had been a Boy Scout after all.

Peeta turned and was met with Katniss, who had moved to kneel at the foot of the bed. She took the condom from him and held it away from him.

"I want to taste you first." She said, making him groan helplessly at her. Katniss had caught sight of his fully nude body as he moved off the bed, the sight of his erection jutting proudly from his pelvis made her mouth water. She wanted him in her mouth before he was in her body.

Katniss reached out and grabbed his shoulders, urging him to lie next to her on the bed. Once he was settle, she straddled his knees and gripped his cock in her hand. Peeta moaned low in his throat as she ran her hand over the velvety skin of his erection. She let his sounds guide her. She swiped her thumb over the leaky tip and used the precum to lube her actions. His blue eyes drifted closed, his hands fisting in the sheets.

When she leaned over and took him into her mouth his hips thrust off the bed and his breath came out in a sharp huff.

"Fuck, Katniss. That feels so good." He gasped. She met his eyes for a brief second before concentrating on the cock in her mouth. She pressed his hip down to keep him from thrusting to deep as she took him to the back of her throat. She pulled back until he almost slid out of her mouth then repeated. Her tongue pressed on the vein on the underside of his erection making him moan low in his throat. She bobbed up and down, using her hand to cover the skin she left exposed until he was burying a hand in her hair. He tugged gently, angling his hips away from her until he slid from her lips with a pop.

"You keep that up, I won't last. I want to be inside of you." He told her, his voice husky with want, his eyes almost black with need. Katniss grinned and nodded. She was drenched with her arousal, his words making her throb. Without another word she opened the condom packet and slid it on. She slid up his knees, placing her hands over his when they reached for her waist.

"You're so beautiful." He rasped.

"So are you." Katniss rose up, reached between them and took his cock in her hand. Then she locked her eyes with his as she slid down his hard length, her moan loud and long as he filled her. "You feel so good."

"You're amazing." Peeta's jaw clenched and his fingers tightened on her hips. Her grey eyes met his as she started to move, her hips grinding against him to create the best friction.

He held her waist, not to guide her but to help her balance as she moved. She set a fast rhythm, her orgasm building fast as she rose over him. Soon she felt the heat coil in her belly, tighter and tighter with every thrust of him deep in her womb. She threw her head back and balanced her hands on his stomach, racing towards the edge of her pleasure. When she soared over, her walls clamped hard around him. She heard him grunt, felt him shift her until she was under him. His hips snapped hard and erratic against hers, his groans and grunts music in her ears. Each thrust had his pelvis rubbing against her already over sensitized clit and when he moaned her name as he pulsed deep inside of her, she went with him, his name a high keen in her throat.

A/N-I am so sorry for how long this took. Two weeks was not what I intended but real life has not been kind to me this week. I hope to have View up before the weekends over and another chapter of Games ready by midweek. I appreciate your patience with me. Reviews are most welcome and highly encouraged. I deeply apologize for the mistakes in the chapter as I am just too wiped out to go over it with a fine tooth comb. Anything glaring, let me know. Peace. Come visit me on Tumblr using my screen name. Jypz/Lisa