Chapter 12

The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon as Katniss stirred awake. Immediately, she felt herself leaning against a muscular body. Keeping her eyes closed, she snuggled closer to Thresh, smiling as she remembered their desperate but romantic coupling of the night before. Then, she felt his form shift and she opened her eyes. Her new paramour was staring down at her with a soft smile. Katniss blushed under his gaze.

"What?"

"You're so beautiful," Thresh whispered, almost in astonishment as he admired her nakedness. "I want you so much."

Boldly, Katniss stretched her body out like a cat. She tried being something she had never thought she could be before: sexy. "What's stopping you?" she asked seductively.

Thresh blinked in surprise, then grinned. He quickly rolled on top of her as Katniss bit back a smile. He seamlessly sheathed himself inside of her and began to roll his hips slowly, creating friction.

By now, Katniss was used to the feel of him inside her. She squirmed slightly as Thresh made gentle love to her. "You make love to me so tenderly," she purred happily. "You've had experience?"

Thresh smiled down at her, though she noticed there was a tint of sadness in his eyes. "In my district, men must have sex early and often, starting at a young age. Our life expectancy is really low, so we need to reproduce quickly so our offspring can replace us in the fields." He paused, and then laughed to himself. "Since I'm in the arena with you, I guess I'm 'sowing my final oats,' as it were."

Katniss giggled. "Well, I am honored, sir. You certainly know how to please a woman."

Thresh seemed to enjoy making her happy, so he kept up the jokes.

"Hey, now. Judging from the fact that you managed to screw a dead body, you're not so bad yourself, either."

Katniss's mouth fell open and she gave a mortified laugh. "You beast!" she squealed, slapping his chest.

All at once, Thresh flinched away from her. It took Katniss letting out a pathetic moan and reaching for him before she realized what it was about.

"Oh, Thresh, I didn't mean to say…. I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry…."

Thresh kissed her to shut her up. "I've heard worse, Katniss. Believe me. But that doesn't mean you still don't feel the sting of the phrase." He slowed his thrusts until he was barely doing it at all – not because he did not enjoy it, oh no. He just had something else on his mind.

"In 11, blacks and whites are not allowed to couple…. like this." He gestured between them. "There can be no mixing of the races. No 'mulatto' children, as people call them."

Katniss stared. "You mean segregation?" Thresh nodded. Katniss leaned her head back and off to one side, staring at the cave wall as she gave Thresh more access to kiss her neck.

"I can't even imagine," she admitted softly as Thresh ravaged her. "There isn't any segregation in Twelve. Oh, you'll find prejudice – every district has that – but it's barely there. In the shadows."

Thresh paused in his worship to turn back Katniss's chin so he was staring into her eyes. "Just because you can't see something clearly doesn't mean it's not there," he reminded her bitterly.

"So, don't you think I would have been afraid to have sex with you?" Katniss explained in agreement. "I mean you're a boy…." She caught herself. "Sorry… man. A large, black man. And you're so….." She blushed furiously as his penis came to mind. "Big. And last night you were so aggressive and…. passionate."

Thresh put his fingers to her lips to silence her ramblings. "And yet, you still slept with me." He was staring at her curiously. "Why?"

Katniss took his fingers and kissed each one of them lovingly, as if it was precious. "Because I don't care what color you are. If anything, the color of your skin is what made me fall for you. It's like…. coal." She gave his index finger a love bite. "That and your imposing strength and personality. It's fire. Coal and fire. It's…. powerful. Reminds me of myself."

Thresh groaned sexily and picked up his pace again, thrusting into Katniss harder, faster, deeper now. At last, he gave a violent shudder and spilled his seed deep inside the young woman with a growl. Katniss lifted his chin from against her breast and kissed him sweetly on the lips, pulling away with a tender smile.

"That's my handsome tribute," she whispered appreciatively.

Just as she and Thresh kissed again, the voice of Claudius Templesmith rang out: "Attention tributes, attention. There has been a slight… rule change. The Gamemakers have decided that two tributes will be allowed to win this year, if they are from the same district OR if that pair is deemed worthy by the Gamemakers."

Thresh and Katniss looked at each other, stunned. Stirring from Rue reminded them of their position, and they hurriedly separated and dressed, leaving the cave to discuss the ruling just outside.

"Thresh, you and Rue are the only district team left! You could go home and take care of each other!"

Thresh just smiled and shook his head at her. Katniss goggled at him, not understanding why he was turning yet another great opportunity down. "What?"

Thresh stepped closer to her and took her hand. "Katniss, you weren't listening. Don't you see? The Gamemakers also said a different pairing could be allowed if they deemed it worthy. You and I could go home!"

Katniss's eyes widened and her face broke into a beaming smile as the realization dawned on her. "We COULD go home!" she cried, reaching for him.

Smiling, Thresh ran a massive paw of a hand through her hair and down her face. Katniss leaned into his touch and smiled. Staring into each other's eyes, they leaned closer and closer until Thresh was cupping Katniss's face. Katniss felt her heart beating through her chest. At last, their lips met in the softest, most romantic kiss they had shared yet. Katniss vaguely pondered how Thresh's lips tasted like sweet chocolate….

They kissed. Then they embraced. They really got involved. In fact, they were both getting hotter by the second. Katniss's eyes drooped shut as she draped her arms around Thresh's neck, her hands framing his skull as they kissed like mad. As they began making out with tongue, the girl suddenly remembered something beyond just whom she was kissing.

And it horrified her.

Katniss struggled gently in Thresh's arms before finally pulling away and breaking the kiss with a gasp. "Rue!" she called out with the air that filled her lungs.

"Let her look. She probably suspects something between us anyway," Thresh growled huskily. He pulled her back into the kiss.

"Mmmm….mmmmmm…..mmahhh. No, Rue! If we are the last two alive, she would have to die!" Katniss felt herself on the verge of tears even as she said it. Thresh finally let up in the kissing and stared at her somberly.

"Not everything's in our favor, Katniss. The Gamemakers have to reserve some control. Suppose we are the last two?"

Katniss stared at him in astonishment. She thought about it. Could such a scenario play out, even up against Cato? And who knew what Foxface was up to? Then she thought about her allies. Sure, she adored Rue like a mother would her child. And Thresh…. was a brief childhood together and a week in the arena enough time to fall in love?

Yes. And once again, Katniss Everdeen went out of her usual comfort zone and made an impulsive decision. Pulling Thresh down to her, she kissed him again hungrily.

"Then if it is…. when the train stops in District 11, I'm getting off with you."

Thresh stared at her in amazement. "Katniss, no! Eleven has too much racism for us to be together!"

"Then we go to Twelve. My mother can be a little prejudiced, but she will have to accept us. And don't worry about Prim; she will love you. We can live together in Victor's Village. And if that doesn't work, we can run for the woods and live in my father's hunting cabin."

Thresh beamed at her. "I love you."

Katniss felt her breath catch and her eyes fill with tears. That was the first time he had ever said those words to her. Letting out a strangled gasp of joy, she threw her arms around him. They kissed passionately, to the point where Katniss's climbed Thresh's body like one of the many trees she had in her youth, wrapping her legs around his waist. Somewhere far, far away a voice screamed. Neither Thresh nor Katniss seemed to hear it. They were lost in their own world, not caring if people would denounce them as a couple, not caring if someone pointed at them while they were kissing and vowed that God would punish them. Not caring –

BOOM.

That brought them crashing back to Earth. Thresh and Katniss abruptly broke apart, their arms still around each other. "RUE!" Katniss cried once she had breath in her lungs.

"It wasn't her, Katniss!" Thresh calmed her. "I thought I heard a scream, but it sounded too far away!"

His rationalization was proven right when they looked up to see a hovercraft carrying away a body sporting red hair. Foxface….

Still, a protective Katniss could not be convinced completely of Rue's safety. Not until she and Thresh had disentangled themselves from one another and Thresh showed her the little girl was still sleeping soundly in the cave. Katniss then relaxed, if only just a little. For she knew their romantic timeout from the Games was over.