so, i do have a little more time to actually write tonight! yay! more for you!

how do you feel about Peeta's mother? more rude, less?

Chapter 22 – Katniss's POV

When we got back to Peeta's house, Peeta's mother examined the house. Peeta and I had tidied up and organized things. It looked better than when they left, and this left his mother impressed. I only knew that because she almost smiled. "Peeta, is there a blood stain that you left?"

"No, Katniss cleaned it for me. I couldn't bend down to do it." His brothers laughed. "Oh, shut up!" They ran upstairs still snickering.

"Thank you for keeping the house in order, Peeta. And you too, Katniss." I smiled.

"You're welcome."

"Honey, could you take the suitcases upstairs please?" His wife moaned and grabbed the two suitcases and carried them upstairs and down the hall. Mr. Mellark motioned Peeta and I to join him in the kitchen. We sat down at the table. "Kids, are you telling the truth, about what happened here over the time we were gone?"

"Yeah." Peeta was quick to answer. I looked at him and sent him a non-verbal message and he nodded. "Actually, there is one thing."

"And what would that be?" Mr. Mellark folded his hands together, similarly to the way my mother did a week ago.

"Katniss and I-" He didn't want to say it. I tried to help, but we ended up saying "I" a couple times, looking back and forth between the table and each other.

"It's okay, both of you. I know you were embarrassed to tell the boys and my wife."

"Dad, I'm sorry." He covered his face in his hands. I guess I know how he felt when I had to tell my mother, and vise versa. "She's not pregnant though. We're sure of that. I promise."

"Peeta, calm down! It's okay! I'm not mad at you!"

"Really?"

"Really. Part of what your brothers said is true."

I cut in. "That Peeta can't have a girl like me alone for a week without sleeping with me?"

"Actually, yes. You two obviously love each other, and to make it worse, you're teenagers! Lots of people do these sorts of things!"

I mumbled after he finished, "This is easier than telling my mom." Peeta and I laughed. I put my head on the table and yawned.

"Katniss, are you tired?"

I yawned again, but lifted my head off the table. "Yeah, I've been taking care of Peeta the whole week while he was in the hospital."

"Ah, thank you for that. How could I repay you?"

"Well, there are a few things you could do."

"What would they be?"

"First, don't tell his brothers or his mother. Please. Second, kick Hay-Mr. Abernathy in the balls."

"Why?"

Peeta answered for me. "He overheard us talking before class once and kept asking questions."

"So the sex happened way before you got hurt."

"Yes. And dad, this is getting awkward. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Just as he nodded, Peeta's name was being called from upstairs. I helped him up the stairs, stumbling a little every few stairs. "I really wish this was a ranch house now." I laughed and helped for the last couple stairs. We found the source of the yelling: his brothers in his room. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Just looking around." They hand their hands behind their backs.

"What are you holding behind your backs?" I asked. Peeta walked with his crutches after me.

"What? Oh, nothing. Just these." They held out the condoms.

"Shit." Peeta said to the floor. "What do you want?"

"How was it?"

"Shut up!" I was crying.

"Oh, a little embarrassed are we?" It was Jake. I know brothers are supposed to be annoying, but this just seemed a little too much.

"Shut up and get out of my room!" It was Peeta's voice. I couldn't see them anymore. I had run to the bathroom and sat on the floor by the tub, forgetting to close the door. "Do you think this is funny?"

"Yes."

"You shouldn't! She is my girlfriend, I'm your brother and you two should at least have some decency!" There were more footsteps; I assumed his father's. I got up and reached to close the door, but ended up slamming it.

"Boys, just get out of his room! You are being rude and are to stay in your rooms until I come to deal with you!" I imagined Mr. Mellark's face like Peeta's when he got mad.

Then there was a knock on the door. "Babe, you can come out now."

I hiccupped and finally found air. "I don't want to." Peeta opened the door and closed hit behind him. He attempted to sit on the counter, but slid off and ended up standing. He, with much difficulty, sat down beside me on the floor. I buried my head in my knees. "Why do people hate me?"

"Who hates you?"

"Gale, your mom, your brothers, pretty much all the school actually. Who doesn't?"

"I don't. My dad doesn't. Prim and your mom, Gale doesn't hate you. Don't get into that through."

"I didn't want to anyway." I hiccupped again. "It would be nice if nobody knew about what we did. Maybe better if we didn't do it at all."

"Yeah, but it's done, it's over." He put his arms around me and pulled me near him. "Do you regret what you did?"

"No, but your brothers make me feel like I should."

"I don't give a flying fuck about my brothers." I laughed at that. "What, flying fuck?"

"No, whenever someone says fuck, I laugh." I almost couldn't finish that sentence because I had said it.

"Katniss," he began. I stopped him with a kiss. I could feel my tears rubbing against his cheeks, but he never pulled away. I put my hand on his shoulder and he placed his on my waist. The door opened. I squinted my eye a little and saw his father. He took a step back and cleared his throat. We didn't pull back. In between kisses, Peeta said, "What?"

"I would like to talk to you, but it can wait."

I tried talking too. "Good." My fingers found his hair. His dad walked out. Thank God. I opened my mouth because Peeta's tongue had been begging for entry the whole time his father was standing there. "I love you Peeta."

"I love you, Katniss." We continued kissing for another minute. My tears had stopped. I stood up and helped him back to standing. "You look like someone beat you up."

"Well, that sort of happened. Your brothers did some damage." I splashed some cold water on my face and dried it with a towel. Even though my eyes and cheeks were still red, Peeta and I left his bathroom.

When we got out of his bedroom, his brothers were standing there with their heads down. Mike was the first to speak. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I demanded more of an apology.

"I'm sorry for getting in your personal lives and making fun of you two."

Jake tried, "Me too."

"What?" Peeta looked as irritated as I did.

"I'm sorry for getting in your personal lives and making fun of you two."

"Thank you, we appreciate the apologies." I looked at him and nodded.

They turned away to go to their rooms, then Mike turned back and said, "Peeta, you still want to take this to bed?" I went down the hall to him and shoved him in his room. Then I pushed him onto the floor and closed the door.

"Thanks, babe."

"No problem."

I like mad Katniss, she's fun to write dialogue for. it's not cool why she gets angry though…REVIEW young grasshoppers!