A/N: edited 24/12/14

M rating comes into play!

Chapter 5: Teenage Kicks

Katniss

I'm not sure whether I should be surprised or flattered at Peeta's persistence at making Bron allow me into his house. Bron's never liked me. I don't know why. I've never done anything to him. Peeta laughs as I scowl at him, and I step over the threshold. Being the son of the blacksmith, Bron's house is fairly big, one of the biggest in the Merchant area of District 12. Although the blacksmith can be expensive, most of 12's people go to Mr Whesters when their animals need to have their shoes mended, or new shoes fitted. Mr Whesters makes the metal shoes and fits then all in one appointment, so he's made quite a profit.

"Look, Everdeen," Bron says, shutting the door behind us. "I don't you causin' trouble."

"How would I cause trouble?" I ask, frowning at the Merchant standing in front of me.

"You keep saying that," Bron says, walking off down the hallway, kicking Coal and Scarlet who are kissing by the wall with a grunt of 'get a room'.

"Charming," I conclude. Peeta chuckles. "What's up his ass?"

"Bron is an angry drunk."

"How do you know?"

"I've been to parties like this before."

"I thought you didn't like Bron."

"I don't. But who's gonna miss a party just because the host's a dick?" I blink, surprised at Peeta's cursing. He continues to walk, further into the house and I pause once we get into the kitchen. I didn't think so many people could fit into one space. The kitchen is joined to the dining room, which has had all its furniture moved to somewhere else in the house, providing the people who have turned up with a place to dance and drink. I peek past the throngs of people and see that the living room opens out into a large garden. This house is more like a mansion. A smaller version of the Undersee's.

"I can't do this," I mumble, taking a step back.

"Why not?"

"I didn't expect this many people to be here," I hiss. "And everyone's drunk."

"You'll be fine, I promise."

"There are hardly any Seam kids here."

"Yeah there are," Peeta nods, gesturing over to a group of Seam residents sat on the floor, backs against the wall, empty glass beer bottles up against their face like binoculars. "And I'll look after you, don't worry."

I bite my lip and look up at Peeta. "Fine." Peeta grins. I follow the baker's son through the crowd. He grips my hand at one point so he doesn't lose me and when neither of us let go, I allow his hand to stay gripped tightly in mind, anchoring me to him.

"Katniss!" Madge shouts, jumping up from the floor and running up to me. "I didn't think you were going to make it!

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Madge pulls me into her arms.

"Holding Peeta's hand, are we?" she whispers into my ear before pulling away. My eyes widen and I yank my hand from Peeta's, blush on my cheeks. I don't want anyone making any assumptions about why I'm here with Peeta other than that we're partners in the Games.

"Have you had something to drink?" I ask her.

"Yeah, it's only from the punch bowl, but it's stronger than what I have at home." She giggles, her eyes shining.

"Are you here with Mitch?"

"Yeah," she nods enthusiastically. "He completely surprised me when he came and knocked on my door. I think Dad was a bit shocked. He kept asking Mitch loads of questions, like 'Have you ever broken the law?' and 'Do you have any tattoos?'" Madge puffs her chest out, her midnight blue, shimmery dress rustling.

"And what did Mitch say?" I ask her with a grin.

"Yes, to both," Madge laughs. "At least he was honest!"

"Everyone's broken the law," I shake my head. "But he's got a tattoo?"

"Yeah, his oldest brother's name on his wrist in some Dark Days language called Arabic." Madge shrugs. Mitch's older brother died of lung disease shortly after his eighteenth birthday a few years back. Madge pushes me over to the punch bowl, but is stopped when Mitch steps in front of her, shoving a plastic cup in her face. "What's this?" she asks, taking the cup and giving the liquid inside a sniff, her nose wrinkling.

"Just try it." Madge narrows her eyes as she takes a sip.

"This is disgusting," she coughs, her eyes watering. "Try some, Katniss."

"Have your own cup," Peeta says to me, handing me a cup identical to Madge's. I stare down at the brown liquid filling the cup with a grimace. I've never drunk anything before, Gale's drunken exploits putting me off.

"Go on, Everdeen," Mitch urges me on, throwing an arm round Madge's shoulders.

"You can do it Katniss," she cheers.

"Have you ever had alcohol before?" Peeta asks from beside me, ever concerned.

"There's a first time for everything," I say with a shrug. I tip my head back and swallow down the drink as fast as I can. It burns my throat, and my nose begins to feel funny. "Ugh," I shudder.

"Nice one," Peeta laughs. I turn to Madge with a manic smile on my lips.

"Now you have to do it."

"I can drink more than all you three, combined," she gloats, swaying slightly on a laughing Mitch.

"You're looking at the king, right there," Peeta points at him.

"I can out-drink everyone," he says proudly.

"Except Rye," Peeta coughs loudly, looking in the other direction.

"He's had more practice."

"Sure, sure," Peeta grins, slapping his hand on Mitch's back. "Light weight." He whispers, just loud enough to Madge and me to hear.

"Needn't I remind you of two months ago?" Mitch asks, brushing off Peeta's insult. Peeta freezes.

"We're never going back there," Peeta says, his eyes turning serious as he raises his eyebrows at Mitch, as if challenging and pleading him at the same time to keep whatever has happened a secret.

"Tell me," I speak up. "I want to know!"

"Well, it all started when Peeta drank a whole bottle of-" Mitch starts with a regal tone, but is cut off when Peeta puts him in a headlock.

"Shut up!" he cries, his blue eyes wide.

"He drank a whole bottle of vodka… and…and…" Mitch struggles to talk, his face beginning to turn red. I crouch down to face Mitch full on. "Tell me!" I demand.

"And he was d-dared to streak through the district and he was caught by Darius and escorted back to his house!" Mitch garbles, his eyes bright, his face purple. Peeta lets him go and he coughs and hacks on the floor, exaggerating the strength of Peeta's headlock.

I almost fall over I'm laughing so hard.

"You bastard!" Peeta exclaims, shoving his friend in the shoulder. "You promised me you wouldn't say anything!"

"Everybody knows!" Mitch laughs breathlessly. Peeta runs a hand through his hair awkwardly, his cheeks pink.

"Sure they do now!"

I stand upright, gasping for breath. "Oh my God."

"I'm telling you, it was a sight to see."

"It didn't help that you hid my clothes," Peeta mutters, rolling his eyes.

"Come to think of it, we might have some pictures somewhere!" Mitch says, rushing off into the crowds, calling someone's name. Peeta barrels after him. Madge loops her arm through mine.

"See, this isn't so bad," she says, pulling me close to her. "You wanna go find them?"

"I think that would be best."

We make our way through the crowd, arm in arm and I look around. So this is what a party looks like. I'm not saying that I've never been to a party before, because I have been to small gatherings, where the adults drink something bought from Ripper's stall and we dance along to music from our own mouths and simple instruments. Here it's completely different. I can smell alcohol in the air, and every single room is filled with people. I can tell that there isn't a single sober person in this house. We find Peeta and Mitch in the backyard rolling around on the ground. Peeta is the one with the advantage, the years of wrestling providing him with tactics to use. He pins Mitch down quickly, and doesn't let him go until he's hitting the ground with his hand and waving his legs about.

"Jesus, Peet," he says, rolling over onto his back and trying to get his breath back. Peeta offers him a hand to help him up and pats him on the back with a jovial 'better luck next time'.

"So, you streaked around 12, did you?" I ask him with a grin. He comes down from his victory of beating Mitch and sighs, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"It wasn't my proudest moment."

"I can remember hearing Darius talking about something to with 'escorting a young man home at 3 a.m.'." I laugh.

"You don't have to talk about it anymore. Really."

"Nah, I'm enjoying seeing you squirm," I say, waggling my finger at him. The alcohol has started to affect me and I've only had one glass. Surely you need more than that to make you drunk?

"You know that I won't let you get away with it if you continue."

"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do?" I challenge him, taking a small step backwards.

"Nothing. I'll get you back when you least expect it."

"Afraid of Katniss?" Mitch taunts.

"What is to be afraid of?" I ask. "It's not like I could beat you at anything." I say with a tilt of my head. Peeta pauses, his hair glowing white in the moonlight. He turns and grabs me by the waist before I can move, spinning me around upside down. I let out a very unlike me squeal and demand that Madge helps me.

"Oh, you brought this on yourself," she laughs. I wriggle about, hammering my fists on Peeta's lower back.

"Peeta! Let me go or I'll throw up!" I say, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Fine!" He relents, standing me upright. I stagger about, the world tilting from left to right, and smooth my dress as calmly with as much dignity as I can. "Then I propose that you partake in some games. I'm sure Bron or someone will have some ideas!"

I narrow my eyes. Peeta folds his arms over his chest. "If I'm wasted by the end of this, you're explaining to my mother."

"Gladly."

"Madge!" I shout. "Come and be on my team!"

"Why? What are we doing?"

"I think I have an idea." Mitch says, looking across at Peeta.

"This better not include any nudity." Madge mutters.

Peeta

I note that Katniss and I have been at the party for almost two hours when we step back inside Bron's house. "Right then!" he shouts, standing on a chair and cupping his hands around his mouth as he shouts at his guests. "Listen up! Who wants to play Sip or Dare?" Several people hoot and Bron climbs down from the chair and grabbing a few bottle blocks from the kitchen.

"What's Sip or Dare?" Katniss asks me as I sit down against the wall.

"You either drink or are dared to do something."

"Is the game you played two months ago?" Katniss asks me with a giddy smile.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"So I'm guessing that you get pretty drunk?"

"Only if you refuse the dares."

The game starts off with everyone choosing to drink, and after half an hour, some people can barely walk straight. Finally, Bron calls Katniss' name, and I take a deep breath. He better not be a dick to her just because she's from the Seam.

"Sip or Dare?"

"Dare."

"Alright!" Bron grins. "What shall we dare her?" I glance at Katniss, worried that she doesn't know what she could be getting herself into.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"What's the worst that can happen?" she slurs. "I'm not gonna streak unlike someone I know." I feel my cheeks warm slightly and I'm about the make a sarcastic comment when Bron speaks.

"I dare you, to kiss someone in this room."

"Okay," Katniss laughs, standing up on wobbly feet. I take a deep gulp of my drink, finishing off the bottle. If I'm going to watch her kiss someone I'll need to be as drunk as possible. Maybe then I wont remember it in the morning. Mitch catches my eye from across the circle and winks.

"But, it has to last for more than 30 seconds and this person has to be the hottest person you see here," Bron adds, flexing his arm muscles and waggling his eyebrows.

"Don't get your hopes up then," Katniss says, sharp as a knife as she stands in the middle of circle, turning slowly to pick her target. She walks towards Mitch, who widens his eyes.

She turns away at the last minute.

The group laughs.

"Come one Everdeen!" Coal shouts. "Get on with it!"

Katniss bites her lip.

She turns towards me and my heart catches in my throat.

And then, slowly like she's stalking a rabbit, she walks up to me, crouches down on her knees, and presses her lips to mine. I don't know how to react. I can hear Mitch hooting, and laughter from all around me. Bron is counting down the seconds. And then I realise:

Katniss Everdeen is kissing me.

Jumping into action, I cup her jaw and kiss her back, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. She tastes of alcohol. The taste in exaggerated when she parts her lips, inviting my tongue inside. The kiss is everything I dreamed it would be and now that it's actually happening, I'm thinking way too much and not focusing on her and then-

"Time!"

And then it's over.

Katniss pulls away. I sit there, dumbfounded as she elbows her way to sit beside me again.

"Why me?" I ask her, once the game starts up again. I turn my head to look at her and she grins, her cheeks pink, her chest rising and falling rapidly. How? What?

"I think you're pretty cute."

"Oh."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy it. You kissed me back."

"You kissed me first."

"Oh, you're playing that card?"

We sit beside each other in a comfortable silence, laughing in turn as people are dared various things like eating cinnamon or drinking vinegar. Eventually the question of sip or dare? arrives at Madge.

"Seven Minutes in Heaven, Mayor's daughter," Bron commands, his arm slung loosely over some Merchant's shoulders. She presses a kiss to his cheek, leaving a red imprint of her lips on his skin.

"With who?" Madge exclaims.

"Mitch." I shout. Two can play at this game. Madge looks at Mitch. She takes his hand. He leads her out of the room. With the stealth of a herd of elephants, the entire group follows in hot pursuit and gathers around a broom cupboard in the hallway. The music is too loud to hear anything, but once the seven minutes are up, Bron pulls the doors open and Madge screams, pulling away from Mitch.

"Madge!" Katniss gasps, grabbing her friend.

"He pulled the door open!"

"You were kissing him!"

"You kissed Peeta!"

"All's fair." Mitch slurs, fighting his way through the crowd with a grin on his lips.

For the rest of the evening, our time is spent drinking, playing games and dancing until Bron announces that the drink supply has vanished and people start to slowly filter out. Katniss and I have been sat on the floor in the corner of Bron's living room for a good half an hour now, with my arm slung around her shoulders as we watch the scene in front of us with bleary eyes. We've definitely had too much to drink but, honestly, it's the best feeling ever now that I'm sat next to the girl of my dreams.

"I feel like I don't have a care in the world!" she sighs.

"I know the feeling!" I say, my eyes wide.

"Is it normal… for my fingers to be tingling?"

"Probably not!"

"You want to dance?" she continues, holding out her hand. I finish my drink and quickly join Katniss, who wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head on my chest. I hug her close to me, breathing heavily through my nose.

"You alright?" I ask.

"For my first time drinking, I'm go…ooo…od."

"You've never had alcohol before?"

"Nah- only a little bit at parties at Gale's and stuff."

"Does Gale drink?" I ask her, my concerns about the older boy exaggerated in my fuzzy mind.

"Not that I know of but once-" Katniss stops talking, bursting into a fit of giggles, remembering something funny. I begin laughing too, and for next minute or so, we just sway from side to side laughing our heads off. "But once he had too much and we had to carry him back to his house. He kept saying that he was the king and that we were awful servants."

"Have you ever done anything funny? Apart from takin' off your clothes?"

"Nothing else but that, though Rye came home once with a tutu on and no-one knows why."

"You'd look good in a tutu."

"I don't do ballet, remember?"

"Or play the harp!" she grins.

A loud cheers goes up from somewhere in the room, but I can't look away from Katniss. It's like time stands still when I look at her. The clock on the wall shows that it's one in the morning, and most of Bron's guests have staggered out of the front door- some through windows- and begun wandering the streets, trying to find their way home. There will be peacekeepers out in no time, I'm sure, to help make sure everyone gets home safe.

Bron however, has passed out on the floor, the tile beside him covered in drool. I think it's time for everyone to leave, now that the host is dead to the world.

"I'm gonna take Madge home," Mitch tells me, slapping me on the shoulder.

"You like her, don't you?"

"Yeah," Mitch grins. "And you like Everdeen."

"Maybe."

"Shu-rup," Mitch garbles. We go to help our partners from the floor, but end up laughing along with them.

"Are you fucking kiddin' me?" Denny Small, the school bully shouts from the corner, hanging off the countertop, clearly too drunk to really tell what's going on.

"What's your problem?" I ask him. If I was sober, I would've walked away, but now I'm practically asking for trouble. Denny's a time bomb sober, but drunk he's a nightmare.

"Why did you bring that slut with you?" he asks, pointing an accusing finger at Katniss. "You know she's with Hawthorne."

"I am not!" Katniss hisses.

"Gale gonna hit you if you say a bad word 'bout him?" Denny asks, his lip curling as he taunts Katniss, even less caring about the damage he's making now he's wasted.

"Knock it off guys." I say, my eyebrows knitted together.

"Why should I?" Denny asks, folding his arms across his chest. "You shouldn't have brought her here."

"Why not?"

"She's the lowest of Seam scum."

"You have no right to say that," Katniss snarls. "You're no better than Cray."

You can hear the sharp intake pf breath from the people standing around. Cray is the Head Peacekeeper of District 12 and is known for his 'business', though it's not a secret that he often takes in young girls and gets them to exchange their bodies for a bag of gold coins. That's how desperate people can get when food and money is scarce.

Denny's face seems to grow darker, his lip curling and his eyes narrowing. "Say it again, slut," he growls, his fists curling.

"You're no better than Cray," Katniss repeats, slowly as if she were talking to a child. Denny lurches forward towards to Katniss and I jump in front of her, pulling her out of the way. Denny barrels into me, and I am pushed up against the wall.

"You're a whore!" Denny roars. "An ugly, pathetic whore!" Katniss brushes her dress down with as much dignity as she can summon, her cheeks pink, and walks away. I stare after her. She's leaving?

"Get off me!" I spit, pushing Denny away. He retaliates and swings his arm around to punch me. I swerve out of the way at the last moment and serve a quick hit to his gut. He stumbles backwards, clutching his stomach, and vomits over the carpet. I shake my hand, my knuckles stinging, and race after Katniss.

"She came running out and said that you got into a fight with Denny," Mitch says when I bump into him trying to tie his shoe. "She's looking after Madge on the front porch at the moment." I step outside, and, sitting on the porch in the cold night air, is Katniss, her shoulder touched to Madges as they lean against each other.

"Katniss?" I say, tapping her on the shoulder. She jumps, her eyes still half-closed. "Were you asleep?"

"No, no. I wasn't. No," she mumbles. "I'm sorry for running, but in needed to get Mitch to help you… and… Madge couldn't be left alone… and…" she trails off, clutching at her head. I take her hand and pull her up. Mitch pulls Madge into his arms and we say goodbye, parting ways. I wrap an arm around Katniss' shoulders.

"You want come back to my place for a drink?" I ask her. She looks up at me, her eyes shining.

"But my head hurts. I can't drink anymore."

"Just water or something. To make you feel better."

"But Mom and Prim will be wondering where I am if I don't turn up."

"I think they'd be happier that you weren't stumbling around with me in the dark."

It takes about ten minutes to walk back to my house. I unlock the front door, the lock sounding extra loud in the empty street. Once Katniss is inside, I lead her through the front of the bakery, and into the kitchen. "You can sit down.," I say, turning to see her standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, her braid messy, clutching at her head.

"Why does my head hurt so much?"

"Hangovers are worse."

"Is that why we're having water?"

"Yes," I say, sliding her a glass. She gulps it down, and then rests her head on the table. I pour her a second glass and drink my first, before filling it again.

"I'll drink this, and then walk you home," I promise. Katniss looks up at me. I reach my hand out and brush her cheek. She freezes, staring at me with kitten-grey eyes. "You had an… eyelash." I murmur.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." I say softly. I bring the chipped enamel cup with 'Mellark's' written on it to my lips.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Pardon- what?" I splutter and cough, embarrassed at my reaction and surprised at the her question. I look at her, sitting in the kitchen of my home, her tanned skin complementing her dress perfectly. Her eyes, that upon closer inspection (something I haven't been able to do without looking weird) are not just grey, but a mix of greys, flecks of blue, and dashes of gold. I store the image deep in the recesses of my mind to sketch later on. Her hair, darker than coal that lines our streets, is shining. I look back up her body, and notice her watching me.

"Do I think you're pretty?" I choke out.

"Yes."

"Is this about what Denny said?" I ask her. She looks down. I take it as a yes. "Katniss, you should ignore him."

"Answer my question, please," Katniss says, placing her hand over mine. My skin tingles at the contact. "Do you think that I'm a pathetic, ugly whore, the lowest of Seam scum?"

"Not at all. You could never be any of those things." Katniss' eyes soften.

"So… what am I?"

"I think that you are a strong, independent person."

"But," she says, biting her lip and standing up. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

The alcohol in Katniss' system is making her act this way but I'm equally as lost as she is under the haze of drinks and loud music and laughter. My heart quickens as she steps closer to me, placing a hand on my thigh.

"I… I…err…" I stutter. She draws closer, her nose inches from mine. I can feel her soft exhales on my skin. What is happening? What am I doing? What is she doing? My brain is screaming at me to take her home to her family, not to let her do anything she regrets just because I took her to a party and got her drunk out of her mind.

But my heart is stronger and able to push my sensible thoughts aside and urge me on- daring me to see how far I can push it. "Yes," I whisper. "I- I do think you're pretty."

Katniss' eyes dilate and she exhales. I hold my breath. She's so close. And then she completely, happily surprises me by pressing her lips to mine and wrapping her arms around my neck, running her fingers through my hair like she did at Bron's house, tugging on the strands and making me moan into her mouth. Something instinctive and primal washes over me and I pull her closer and bite down and tug on her bottom lip. A soft moan escapes her, and I stand, knocking over the stool, the loud bang it makes causing us to jump and pull away. We stare at each other, our chests heaving. I open my mouth to tell her that we shouldn't, that we should stop, but no words come out.

"Let's go upstairs."

"Upstairs?" I say. She nods, and I turn, her hand in mine, and lead her up the stairs and along the dark hallway. Mom's warning echoes in my mind, and so does Rye's taunting. I've never been so glad that my family are gone.

Inside my bedroom, Katniss pushes her jacket from her shoulders and drops it by the door, tugging at the strings of my hoodie to pull me closer.

"Peeta," she gasps, and I step forward, pushing her up against the door, holding her in place and kissing her, slow and deep and passionate, every sound she makes and every movement against me sending electricity down my spine and blood to my growing erection. Katniss pushes me back with enough force so I fall onto my bed, and pulls my hoodie over my head, my hair sticking up when she yanks it over my face.

My shirt is unbuttoned in seconds, and I pull her down on to the bed, propping myself up on my hands to lean over and kiss her. She kicks her boots off, and sits up, sliding her dress off before I can ask if I can do it myself, aching to map her body with my mouth and lips. Her hands send shivers down my spine as they roam over my chest and back, her nails scratching against my skin.

Before my drunken brain can realise, her hands find her way down to the top of my jeans. Her nimble fingers undo the button, and she pulls them down. I lift my hips to assist and she giggles when they get stuck on my feet. Now we're both in our underwear, and I can't stop touching her. I lay her down on my bed, unknotting her braid until her hair is pooling on the pillows of my bed like spilt ink.

She tilts her head and smiles at me with half-open eyes, peering up through a thick band of lashes, not realising how turned on everything about her is making me. I kiss her again, my hands burning into her sides, and press hot, open-mouthed kisses down her jaw, her neck, her collarbones, and then I reach her breasts. My breathing hitches.

"Can I?" In answer, she unclasps her bra and lets it slide down her arms, the strap hanging on one finger until she lets it drop to the floor. I stare unabashedly, and bring a tentative hand up to cup her gently in my palm. She sighs and I palm her breasts, kneading and staring and brushing my thumb over her nipple. I'm so inexperienced, and little idea of what to do. I decide to bite the bullet.

"Take off your underwear and I'll take off mine," I whisper, my voice low and gravelly.

"You first," she breathes, sitting upright and pulling on the elastic of my boxers. I sigh in relief when I'm free of the material, my erection spring up and hitting my stomach. Katniss begins to laugh.

"What's so funny?" I ask, beginning to feel self-conscious at her reaction.

"It looks weird," she says, staring at my dick with flushed cheeks.

"Sorry?" I offer, unsure of what I should say to that.

"A good weird," she reassures me, one hand placed on my thigh, too close to not be dizzying and far enough to not make me make a fool of myself. "Definitely a good weird." She uses me as leverage as she slips her panties off, baring herself to me now that I have to her. I feel myself grow even harder at the sight of her smooth skin, though her ribcage and hip bones do concern me.

"If I can look at you, you can look at me," she says upon noticing that I'm staring at the headboard of my bed. At her words I drag my eyes downwards and drink her in. She's bathed in the milky blue moonlight streaming through my open bedroom, looking like some kind of goddess. It illuminates the darkness of my room just enough for me to able to see her, and I take in the curve of her nose, the freckles scattered over her skin. Her parted lips, the expanse of her neck. Her chest heaves with her heavy breathes, her nipples hard pebbles against her dusky skin. Her stomach is taunt and flat – a little too flat – and her legs are long and lean from all her time spent in the wood. She pulls me down, embarrassed at the way I'm looking at her, and kisses me again, parting her legs so I fall into the cradle of her hips.

Gasps escape the both of us at the feeling of my cock sliding against her slick folds, and I scrunch my eyes shut. God Damnit, Peeta, if you lose you shit now you'll never forgive yourself. Katniss breathes my name, the sound low and raspy, and I seal my lips over hers to stop her from saying anything else. Her hands dip over my back, her fingers tracing the vertebrae of my spine. Goosebumps break out on my skin when she arches her chest upright.

"Now, Peeta. I need you now," she says against my mouth, shifting her hips slightly.

Without a second thought, I slide into her, a feral groan rattling through me. Katniss cries out and pulls me close, her teeth nipping at my shoulder as I shake above her. I pull my hips back, and then thrust inside her again, forcing myself to take it slow. After several careful thrusts, Katniss' back arches on my mattress and I grip her hips as her nails dig into my back.

And everything is too much. The alcohol in my system has made me unable to hold on for very long, but I know that I want Katniss to enjoy this. As much as I don't want to think about Rye right now, his advice comes to mind just as Katniss wraps her legs around me, driving me deeper. A hand sneaks down to where we're joined and I find her clit, rubbing it in circles.

She mewls against my sweating skin at my touch, clenching around my cock and making my head spin, and then she's calling my name as she comes, raking her nails down my back and sides. The pain does nothing but amplify my pleasure and I thrust into her one last time and finally – mercifully – come, groaning into her skin and collapsing onto her, panting into her ear.

After such frantic movements, the way she runs her hands through my hair feels tender, soft, and loving. Sliding back up her jelly-like body, I kiss her again, gently, slowly, allowing her to breathe.

"I'm sleepy," she murmurs between kisses, and roll off her, pulling her rag-doll body close to mine and inhaling her scent, burying my face in her hair. "Stay with me?" I pull the blankets over our shoulders and kiss her shoulder. I whisper my reply into the darkness.

"Always."

Katniss' breathing levels out, and her grip on my arm loosens as she falls asleep, and I follow not long after.