Chapter Six: Happy Birthday

He woke up alone in her bed. He blinked and stretched and settled.

After the nightmare, he didn't think he'd be able to fall back asleep. But she held him tightly and whispered she'd keep him safe over and over until he drifted off. He wove in and out of dreams. He saw her draped in pearls, felt himself surrounded in pearls. He saw a miner holding a flaming lump of coal that burned away to a diamond. The miner vanished and when Peeta picked up the diamond he could see Katniss inside it, fighting miserably to escape the crystal walls surrounding her. Prim called to him from bakery steps and he put the diamond in his pocket while he jogged to her, but he couldn't reach her. He just kept running and she kept retreating into the distance. The weight of the diamond on his hip was frustrating, but when it evaporated and he realized he'd lost it, he become disoriented and sorrowful.

He was frustrated and confused, caught between Katniss and Prim. The two things didn't seem to belong in the same dream, but they persisted.

He sat up and rubbed his face to clear his mind. He heard voices outside. Realizing one was a man's voice, he nearly leapt out of bed.

Her father wasn't supposed to know he was sleeping in her room. He scrambled around. Where to hide?

But the gentle laugh from the sitting room wasn't Snow. It was kind and generous. And familiar.

Peeta opened the bedroom door a crack.

"This is for your birthday?" Cinna was asking.

"Yes," Katniss was blushing. "Daddy's designers are planning something special. He and Mom should even be back in time to come to my birthday. It's just got to be incredible."

"Naturally," he smiled.

"No, I mean. Well, yes," she hesitated. "It's just that," she stammered. "It'll be the first time I'm attending a big event with Peeta. Everyone knows him; the Districts adore him. I just...I want to look like I belong with him." She lowered her voice but he could still hear her. "I want to look good enough to be with him."

Peeta could see Cinna's face. He saw what Peeta had seen in the cracks of the beautiful vase.

"You'll be radiant, Miss," Cinna said gently. "As the sun."

Peeta opened the door wide and pretended to be surprised. "Cinna?"

"Hello Peeta," Cinna smiled at him. There was something sad behind it, but he hid it well as he stood to embrace Peeta.

"It's so good to see you," Peeta murmured. "I didn't think we'd meet again until I mentored. But then again," he smiled, "with your talent I shouldn't have been surprised Katniss wanted your designs to be seen more often."

"He's the most gifted designer Panem has ever seen," Katniss grinned. "Oh, would Portia be able to work on a suit for Peeta? I know it's not her season to work," she frowned.

"I'm sure she'd be thrilled to fit him again," Cinna smiled. "Her team was very excited to hear you'd be staying nearby."

"Why am I getting a suit?" he asked innocently.

"My birthday party," Katniss answered shyly. "It's a big event. Everyone gets new clothes for it."

"Everyone?"

"A lot of people go to that party," Cinna smiled. "It's in the news for weeks. Your lady knows how to entertain."

"It's my mom," She dismissed. "She takes care of all the details. I just show up."

"Who will be there?"

"Everyone," Cinna laughed. "Well everyone who's anyone."

Katniss blushed again. "You'll be there," she told Peeta. "That's the best part."

He smiled at her.

"And Cinna!" she blurted out. "Sorry. You'll be a wonderful guest too. And Portia."

Cinna laughed. "I'm sure Peeta's a much more interesting guest than I. But thank you for the invitation; it will be an honor."

"Are you making Katniss an outfit for it?" Peeta asked.

"Ye-"

"It's a surprise!" Katniss squealed. "You can't see it. Or hear about it. You should go!" she grinned.

"Where?" he laughed.

"Umm..." she frowned at Cinna.

"I'll go swimming."

"Yes, go swimming!"

He laughed as she pushed him to the door. "See you later, Cinna!"

She locked the door behind him and he shook his head to himself as he strolled down the hall towards the pool. He spotted the young Avox who'd attended him at dinner standing at attention in the corridor and walked over.

"Excuse me," he began. The young man looked over in surprise.

The burst of argument from around the corner explained what the Avox had been guarding. Peeta glanced at his nervous face but said nothing as he listened to Luxor's familiar snide voice.

"You think you're the one to lead, do you?"

"Two houses the Nut; we're the infrastructure of this Nation," he heard Mason fire back. "You only know about diamonds."

"I know how to control workers in that diamond mine," Luxor sneered. "You think Ten, Eleven, Twelve are just going to bow to Two because you say so? No, my friend. They will need a firm fist and a heavy boot to show them how they will obey the New Capital."

"You sound like Phosphora," Mason laughed mirthlessly. "Thinking you're so smart."

Peeta leaned further around the corner and felt the Avox grip his arm. He stood back up.

The young man shook his head slowly in fear. He pressed his finger to his mute lips. Peeta nodded.

"I'm through with this nonsense," Luxor spit out. Peeta heard his footsteps stomping closer.

"Hi!" he said unnecessarily loud to the Avox. He heard Luxor and Mason's footsteps and voices stop. "I've forgotten my swim suit, do you think you could have someone deliver trunks to the pool?"

The Avox nodded graciously and gave Peeta a gesture to move away quickly. Peeta split for the end of the hall to turn to the pool and spied the Avox hurrying away to Katniss' room.

He peeked around the corner to see Mason and Luxor looking up and down the corridor.

"You should be more careful," Mason told Luxor.

"Me?" he protested.

They argued their way down the hall and disappeared. Peeta stared after them.

"You should be more careful too."

He jumped two feet in the air at Finnick's voice behind him. He spun around and stared at him with wide eyes. "I didn't...I don't...I didn't hear anything."

Finnick rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty, not stupid. Follow me."

Peeta nervously hurried after him, unsure if it was a good idea to trust him anymore. They reached the pool doors. Finnick reached over to the control panel on the wall and turned on the waterfall. It roared to life and muted their conversation.

"Stay away from One and Two," Finnick warned, shedding his robe and shuffling over to the pool. "They're trouble." He jumped in and disappeared under the water.

Peeta hurried over to the edge. "What were they talking about?" he asked as Finnick popped back up and started to glide through the water. He knelt by the edge.

"What do you think? Power."

"But Snow won't share power. I heard him at dinner my first night here."

"They're not interested in sharing."

Peeta blinked. "They want to overthrow him?"

Finnick nodded.

"What about Katniss?"

"What about her?"

Peeta frowned. He didn't know how to phrase his fears. "She's next in line. Not them."

"She's not much of an obstacle right now," Finnick sighed. "The Victors and Overseers have worn her down every chance they've gotten. You see what they've done to her."

He thought of how she withered under Luxor's mockery that first night; the façade she affected to keep her fear at bay. "Is that why they're so dismissive? To make her doubt herself?"

Finnick nodded and rolled under the water. He reemerged.

"She's in danger," Peeta protested.

"Maybe. Maybe not," Finnick shrugged.

"What?"

"They can't work together. They may never succeed," he told him. "They're obvious in their plans. Five is much more subtle."

"Five is working to overthrow Snow too?" Peeta thought his jaw couldn't get any closer to the ground.

"So is Twelve, Peeta."

He fell hard onto his backside.

"Peeta, as long as there has been the Hunger Games there has been an underground."

Peeta stared.

"As soon as the first name was drawn from the lot, the parents and families and friends and mayors have all wanted it to stop."

"It's been seventy four years," Peeta muttered. "They haven't made much progress."

"Because of greed." Finnick lifted himself out of the water and sat dripping next to Peeta. "At first it was about rescuing us from the Games. Then it became who would lead the rebellion. Then it became who wanted to rule. Then it became who would be the next Snow." His eyes found the waterfall. "If it came down to Luxor and Snow, I can't say who I'd root for."

"They've done nothing about children dying for seventy four years!" Peeta shouted. He controlled his anger and pushed the thought of Leevy's grieving mother from his mind. "They've had means and plans and done nothing."

"No. They haven't," Finnick sighed. "Money and power is more important."

The door swung open and the Avox arrived with his swim shorts. Peeta thanked him and moved to the locker area to change. When he shuffled back to the pool, Finnick was back in the water.

"So. She's not in danger?" he asked.

"She is. But no more than you or I."

Peeta let his shoulder slump. He stepped down the stairs into the warm water and sat down. His feet trailed through the pearls. He felt the water move as Finnick swam over.

"It must have hurt your District badly to give us so many pearls. The profits from these could have fed hundreds."

"I'd estimate a thousand," Finnick sighed.

Peeta toed a pearl loose and it floated for a few feet before dropping back down.

"Do you ever hate her?" he whispered.

"No," Finnick sighed. "I wanted to. Still want to sometimes. But then I look at what hate has done to Cashmere and Enobaria and Luxor and Mason and Phosphora. I don't want to hate anything anymore." He gave Peeta a half-smile. "And she's hard to hate. She just…so…simple."

"I know. It's like…Never mind. Oh. What should I get her for her birthday? I don't think I can come up with a diamond."

"Hmm," Finnick frowned. "I have no idea. Four is giving me a set of jewelry made of oyster shells for her. Twelve is probably being instructed to give you something to present in their stead."

"But I need to give her something from me," Peeta told him. "I mean, I'm her boyfriend…I think."

Finnick's eyebrow went up.

"Things are kind of...weird," Peeta admitted. "I mean," he paused. His face grew hot.

"You can tell me," Finnick assured him. "I'm not going to tell her. And I won't tell you anything she's said so please don't ask."

"I won't," Peeta agreed. "I just. I mean." He sighed. "She wants me to sleep in her room, so I am. But nothing's happening. Not that I really want it to, I don't think that's fair to her, I mean don't get me wrong I've thought about it, she's pretty and I like being with her, but I know she wants me to feel what she feels and I don't at least I don't think I don't; I've never had a girlfriend so I don't know how I'm supposed to feel-"

Peeta stopped. He was out of breath. Finnick was laughing.

"You don't know if you should put the moves on her?" he giggled.

"Yeah," Peeta nodded in embarrassment. "I know I'm supposed to keep her happy. Her father will kill me if she doesn't like me. But I don't think I should do that with her if I don't think I love her."

Finnick stared at the waterfall. "Sometimes it doesn't matter."

"What?"

Finnick tried to smile but it was painful. "Sometimes they just need to love you and that's enough," he threw off, but the words caught in his throat. He coughed. "If they want you badly enough, it's enough for them."

Peeta felt the pity for his newest friend crushing him. He'd heard the rumors when he was in Twelve. He never wanted to believe it was true.

"Finnick I can't do that," Peeta whimpered. "I'm not saying it's wrong, I know what you have to do to keep safe here-"

"It's all right," Finnick dismissed. "I've made my peace with it."

Peeta nodded. "I'm sorry."

Finnick smiled. "I believe you."

"I can't do that."

"I know."

"Peeta the Weak," Peeta mourned.

"Peeta the Righteous," Finnick said firmly. "You're doing right by her." He smiled. "And you know, sometimes it does us good not to get what we want."

"Finnick! Peeta! Over here!"

"Is it always this insane?" Peeta asked as the paparazzi jostled him back and forth for a photo.

"No, usually it's crowded," Finnick joked as they pushed through the crowds suffocating them. He slung his arm over Peeta's shoulder. "Grin for the camera!" Peeta did so.

"Peeta! Peeta!"

A female reporter with a yellow beak and feathered headdress called him over. Finnick pushed him towards the microphone with a caution to 'be charming'.

"Um, yes. Hi," he stammered at the strange woman.

"You're a baker's son from District Twelve, a Victor and now the suitor to First Daughter! How do you feel?"

"Um." Peeta blinked at the floating purple and yellow feathers. "Excited?"

The reporter chirped in agreement. "And what does your family think?"

Peeta faltered. "What?"

"Your father and sister! Surely you haven't forgotten them!" she laughed.

"No, no," he struggled. "Of course not…I just…I haven't seen them in a while. I've been…pretty busy," he tried to recover. "I miss them, though! I really," he sighed. "I really miss them." He looked at the camera. "If you're watching Prim, take care of Dad, baby bird."

Finnick was at his side. "That's all the time he has, sorry. Can't keep his pretty girlfriend waiting!"

The reporters laughed at his easy charm as Finnick swept Peeta away.

"Don't talk about home," he whispered.

"What?"

"They want to think everything is best here. Don't show them they're wrong."

"Okay," Peeta nodded.

An Avox opened the door for them.

"Holy..."

"Yeah," Finnick sighed. "This is a Snow birthday."

Everything was white. The chandeliers, the glasses, the dresses, the cakes, the drinks, the table linens were all the color of pale frost. A layer of dense white fog seemed to swirl around his feet. He could see false snow dusting the chairs and floor.

An enormous display of katniss flowers adorned with sparkling snowflakes marked the entrance to the dining room.

"He really went all out," Peeta whistled.

"She's his only kid," Finnick shrugged. "And he's wrapped around her finger."

Peeta walked over to the door where an attendant was checking off names. "Oh yes, Mr. Mellark," the young woman said. "Miss Snow asked that you greet her at the door when she arrives."

"When is she coming?" he asked.

"When she gets here," the attendant said wryly. Finnick laughed.

"Just be ready to take her hand when she gets here. This party is mostly to show you off," he told Peeta, leading him away from the line forming to enter her party.

"Me?" Peeta fretted.

"Of course," he grinned. "She's a teenage girl and you're her celebrated boyfriend. This is to show up all her friends."

"This is going to be a long night," Peeta sighed.

Katniss showed up forty minutes late.

"Right on schedule," Finnick murmured as he followed Peeta to stand inside the door as she was announced. "Forty minutes is her signature time," he explained. "Just over tastefully late into obvious." Peeta laughed.

She stepped inside as her name was announced.

Peeta stared.

Cinna had made her sparkle like snow.

The bodice fitted her waist and gathered with crystals over one shoulder. Sequins spilled from the crystals all the way down to the hem. The skirt flowed like snow drifts from her waist, gathered over one hit so she could glide. It was gossamer and shimmering and breathtaking. Her skin glowed and her hair was dotted with snowflakes and katniss flowers.

He reached out and took her hand.

"You look incredible," he breathed.

"Thank you," she smiled quietly. "Cinna made me look beautiful."

"You are beautiful," he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. He heard shutters snap from the invited press. She blushed pink.

"Want to meet everyone?" she breathed nervously.

"Sure," he shrugged. "Who's everyone?"

"My guests...friends," she corrected herself.

"Okay." He straightened his tie. "Do I look all right?"

She giggled. "You look beautiful too."

He shook hands with her archery instructor and private tutor. He jumped when Enobaria showed him the fangs she'd had drilled from her canine teeth. Katniss' hair dresser and aesthetician were the most modified and bizarre people he'd seen in the Capitol. Her personal physician offered Peeta his services, and her nutritionist told him she thought he looked like he needed more iron.

He was shaking his head in confusion when he turned away from the nutritionist and bumped into the statuesque blonde goddess.

"Peeta Mellark," she murmured. He stared.

She must have been six inches taller than him, but he couldn't tell how much of it was the gilded shoes she wore. She was draped in shimmering gold and he realized as she twisted to set down her champagne glass that the sides of the dress were entirely sheer. He looked over at Katniss. She was biting her lips.

"Cashmere Catania," the vision purred. "I've heard so much about you from little ol' Katniss here. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She held out her hand, palm down. Peeta felt Katniss stiffen by his side.

He realized just in time. It was a test.

He took her hand and twisted it gently into a benign handshake. "Pleasure to meet Katniss' friends," he said. "She's got so many, it's hard to keep track!" he laughed.

Cashmere looked a bit taken back. She smiled and squeezed his hand. She let her thumb graze the back of his hand. "If I can help you remember me, just let me know."

She tickled his palm as he dropped her hand like it had caught fire.

"You're a baker in Twelve, aren't you?" Enobaria purred with her fangs. "Making sweets for your sweet?" she scrunched up her face at Katniss.

"My father's the baker; I'm just his apprentice. But I do owe her a plate of apricot turnovers," he admitted. "Maybe I'll make you painted cookies. I'm not bad," he told Katniss.

"Oh, I love cookies. But they go right to my hips. I prefer other things there," Cashmere winked. Peeta swallowed hard.

He hurriedly looked back to Katniss. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her.

She glanced between him and Cashmere's annoyance with a defiant smile. "Yes."

He stepped over and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Glad to hear it." They moved away from Cashmere and Enobaria. He turned to smile at her.

Her earrings caught his eye. They were made from fishhooks.

"Your earrings..." he stared.

Her fingers found them and brushed the sequins tied to the looped fishing wire. "Do you mind them?" she whispered anxiously. "I thought...you'd like them. I watched her interview..." she fretted. "I wanted to wear something from Twelve for you."

The smile came to him unbidden. "Thank you."

She smiled back. This time it wasn't hollow.

"My Lady," they were interrupted.

Silk stood before them. She was holding an intricately carved knife. The blade was shining in the chandelier light. Peeta grabbed her wrist and yanked it from her. Katniss yelped.

"Ow!" Silk cried out, rubbing her wrist.

"What's the meaning of this?" he yelled at her, brandishing the knife. Peacekeepers ran over at the noise. Peeta handed the knife to the captain of the guard.

"It's a gift," Silk growled, straightening her dress and glaring at him. Katniss started at the knife in her guard's care. "It's a presentation from Two on our lady's birthday."

Snow and Esmeralda pushed through the crowd. "What's happened?" he asked. "What is that?" The guests and attendants fell silent. Snow glared at all of them.

"I'm sorry," Peeta finally stammered. "I thought...she had a knife out and I panicked."

Snow looked over at the knife and took it from his guard. He examined it closely while Esmeralda kept her eyes set on Silk's indignant expression.

"A beautiful specimen," he finally announced. "How did you get it in here?"

"Sir, it was a gift," Silk breathed, her nerves showing. "I simply brought the box inside-"

"And then opened it and brandished a knife at my daughter?"

The air was sucked out of the room.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it, Daddy," Katniss said finally, but Peeta thought she sounded unsure. "It's a lovely gift, thank you."

Silk bowed slightly. Her curls were rustling as she trembled.

"Thank you for your vigilance, Peeta," Esmeralda murmured.

"Yes," Snow muttered, twisting the knife in his hands.

Peeta nodded, not knowing if he should speak. Silk glanced at the door.

"Miss Silk," Snow smiled. "Stop by to see me before you leave this evening. We have a few things we should discuss." He glanced around the guests. "Back to your revelry, all," he smiled. "The night is young!"

The musicians started back up, eager to end the awkward silence. Katniss looked at the knife with trepidation before offering it the captain of the guard for his quick response.

"Miss, it is far too fine a blade," the man deferred.

"Then you'll enjoy it all the more," she smiled. She took Peeta's hand and pulled him over to the dance floor.

She rested her head on his chest while they swayed.

"Sorry I messed up your party," he apologized.

"You didn't mess up anything," she smiled into his shirt.

He smiled and held her close. He heard Cashmere behind him. He knew she was speaking far too loud on purpose. He hoped Katniss couldn't hear.

"You'd think he actually wanted to be here with her."

Peeta could feel the fragile vase crack open in his arms.

He toed off his shoes in the dark guest bedroom and stretched his aching legs. The clock read three, but he felt as though he'd been awake for a week. Faces had begun to blur in front of his eyes, names for politicians, tutors, doctors, advisors, designers all began to jumble his brain. He was exhausted.

He yanked his suit off and pulled on the soft pajamas with a sigh.

He stepped out in the living room.

She was sitting in the dark on the sofa, watching the news reel about her own party that night. Her dress was puddled over the sofa and she pulled at a sequin absent-mindedly.

She glanced up with a half-smile. "They're saying it was the party of the decade."

"It was," he said. "I've never seen anything like that."

"I have," she muttered. "Daddy does this every year."

"He adores you," Peeta smiled. "I'm sure he'd give you the moon if he could."

Katniss smiled and folded her hands on her knees. The report looped back to the beginning to talk about the fashions on the arrival carpet.

He watched his own interview with the bird-like reporter.

"You miss her very much," she murmured at his mention of Prim.

"Yeah," he murmured.

"And your friends?"

"Them too."

He sat down on the sofa. "I don't have as many friends as you, though."

He heard her sniffle and realized she was nearing tears.

"Peeta, I don't have any friends." The tears spilling over didn't match her smile. "Did you meet anyone who didn't work for me or Daddy tonight?"

"But you've got Cashmere and Enobaria-"

She released a sad and joyless laugh. "They hang out with me so I'll buy them things. Or Daddy makes them hang out with me. Nobody likes me."

"Katniss-"

"But you like everybody!" she broke in with a desperately sad grin. "You didn't even want an unfair advantage over the other Tributes. You even like people who are trying to kill you," she giggled, bereft. "So some small part of you must like me," she said, eagerly convincing herself. "You'll love me back someday," she confirmed, and he thought she might be talking to herself at that point. "You will! Because I love you so much!"

"Katniss-" he leaned in to take her hand.

"I've got to go!" she cried out. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep!"

And she ran away and locked her bedroom door before he could say anything to break her heart.

She was picking at her waffles the next morning when he tiptoed into the dining room. She had one knee tucked up to her chin at the dining table, bare toes curling around the seat of her chair. Her chin rested dejectedly on the kneecap.

Sae glanced up with a smile. "Good morning, young sir. Would you like waffles?"

"Yes, please," Peeta murmured. Katniss didn't look up from the blueberry she pushed around her plate. He slipped into the chair across from her.

"The guest room is a bit drafty," he said. "I'm glad your father suggested another blanket."

She pushed the blueberry over the lip of the plate. "You don't have to try to make me feel better, Peeta," she sighed. "I know you don't like me either."

"I like you!"

"No, you don't. You're here so Prim won't be Reaped."

He stared at the tablecloth.

She set her fork down. He watched her rise and walk back to her room and close the door. Sae came back and pause at the empty seat.

"She doesn't have any visitors, does she?"

Sae shook her head sadly. "She does mean well," she offered.

Peeta nodded. "I know. Save me some waffles," he requested as he walked over to Katniss' door.

He knocked softly.

"Go away Peeta."

He pushed the door open. She was holding Gus to her chest, cross-legged on her bed.

"I said go away," she pouted as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

"I didn't give you your birthday gift."

She blinked. "What?"

"Last night. I brought you your gift and never gave it to you."

"Twelve gave me that coal burning lamp made of gold," she frowned.

"Twelve did. I had something from me."

"Oh." She allowed a sliver of hope to peek through one of her cracks.

"May I sit down?"

She nodded. He crossed to the bed. She looked at him quizzically as he pulled out a sheet of paper.

"I wrote something for you."

She stared. "What?"

"I'm no craftsman. And you had more desserts than you could eat at the party. The only other thing I'm good at is schoolwork; homework. English was my best subject. So...I wrote you a poem."

"A poem?" she whispered.

He nodded. He unfolded the square. He read.

She isn't like a girl from One, with blinding garish jewels/Nor is she as a girl from Two, with heart as cold as stone.

Three has no draw for her, she needs no microscope to see/our land is full of marvels wide by naked eye alone.

Four has waters beautiful, but none as pure as her/She flees from Five's dark, cold labs and shuns their dusty gloom.

Six will never be her home; where trains run day and night./Seven's seeds grow to trees, but her love's a fairer bloom.

Meticulous as the stitching in a garment made in Eight, she has more beauty in her heart than any they can build/

She isn't like a girl from Nine, with grain surrounding her/The beasts of Ten would low and bend to hear her lovely lilt.

Eleven's fruits are far less sweet when weighed against her kiss/The sun's beams are shadow when in compare to her eyes' silver glow.

Twelve is my home and is my heart, but something more is true/she has a part, she is my life and now my heart her home.

He looked up as she gasped. She was crying.

"I'm not very good-" he began to ask before she threw Gus down and wrapped her arms around him.

"You wrote that for me," she wept.

"Yes," he whispered, dropping the page to hold her. "I wanted you to hear how wonderful you are."

She cried harder.

"Please don't cry," he murmured. "I don't want you to be sad."

"I'm not crying because I'm sad," she hiccupped, pulling back to wipe her nose on her sleeve. "I'm crying because you made me happier with one poem than I've felt in my entire life."

He smiled. She smiled and sobbed at the same time. He took his thumbs and wiped the tears from her cheek. He was surprised to find himself leaning in.

She was still hiccupping when he pressed his lips to hers. They were hot from her tears, but soft as a rose petal. He tasted the salt from the tears and the tart blueberries from her breakfast.

He felt her press back hesitantly; nervously. Then with full abandon.

Her fingers were in his hair and his hands moved to her shoulder blades to press her to him. He felt breathless and confused but warm and excited. She pressed against him harder.

They tumbled off the bed.

"I'm so sorry!" she blurted out, rolling off where she'd landed on him. Her face was fiery red. "I didn't mean to push you..." she stuttered.

He giggled awkwardly. "I wasn't paying attention to the edge of the bed."

"No, no, it's my fault," she said.

He laughed. She blushed.

"That was really nice," he told her, pushing a loose strand from her face. "That was my first kiss."

"Really?" she grinned.

"You?"

Her face turned redder than he thought possible. "Um...I practiced. Once."

His mouth fell open. "Finnick?"

"It was just once. For practice!" she pleaded. "Don't tell my dad! I just...I knew you were coming and I'd never kissed anyone. I didn't think...oh I'm so embarrassed," she moaned, burying her face, "I shouldn't have told you."

"I don't mind. I think," he frowned. "But I'm going to tell him to keep his lips off you from now on."

She giggled.

"Miss? Are you all right? I heard a crash!" Sae called from the door.

"Yes, Sae. We're coming back to breakfast," Katniss called. She smiled shyly at Peeta. "Would you like to have waffles with me?"

"I would," he grinned.