Upon returning home the months passed. Millie who we grew to like made sure all doctors advice was followed. She was stern looking except for her seafoam green eyes. Her gray hair was kept pulled back into a tight bun and her accent was thick bordering the same as Mags. She was motherly and honest. I returned to painting, baking, and gardening. Katniss returned to the woods with Johanna who stayed with us. Haymitch did not completely abstain from drinking but stayed sober enough to be available if called upon. One day I suggested to Katniss that she join me in running the bakery. I would hire Greasy Sae and we would use the game she brought in to make pot-pies. She loved the idea. I worked with Greasy Sae drawing up a menu. Johanna studied under Greasy Sae learning to cook. Johanna's birthday was coming up, the same day as Finnick and Annie's son. We hoped to be allowed to travel to Four to celebrate both. A new Hospital was opening in his honor as well. The Finnick O'Dair Hospital for Mental Illness. Word traveled that Cressida was filming a documentary about the life of Finnick and wanted to interview us about him. The film would air at the opening of the hospital. Dr. Aurelius agreed to allow us to participate in the both the film and the trip to Four. Soon after Effie arrived.
"I booked our stay! Six nights at the Cornelius Resort, there will be a yacht tour, fishing, one night for the film, and a party for Johanna and little Finnick!" She sang.
Haymitch was the most excited of any of us. I actually think he missed Effie after we left the Capitol.
"No cock blocking me again this time" He looked down his nose at me.
"Promise" I said
"Hey!" Katniss piped "I have to teach Peeta to swim!"
Katniss was surprisingly pro-active since our return. She had written a petition to the government, convincing Haymitch to repeal the Hunger Games vote was not hard task but, Johanna was a tough shell to crack.
"Peeta was right it makes us no better than them" She explained "doesn't feeling so much hate wear you out? Why force the child to pay for the sins of their father?"
"Fine" Johanna conceded, after she could no longer think of a rational argument for the games. Effie stayed with us while the documentary was filmed. Hustling Haymitch to be ready for his appointed interview time. The stronger we became the more bored Millie did. She took up knitting, and found entertainment in the hijinks between Effie and Haymitch.
"Like an old married couple" She said
"Yup, it's been like this for a while. I like to think of him as a school boy with a crush. He's a pain in the ass to get her attention." I said
"Odd couple."
"Indeed" Quipped Johanna.
We spilled our guts to Cressida about Finnick, offering Katniss sugar, plotting with Johanna before the Quell, saving my life. We reminisced about the feast of seafood on the beach and how easy it was to collect the bounty. It was both cathartic and heart breaking. In two weeks we would get our vacation.
"Ready for swimming lessons?" Katniss asked
"Ready as I ever will be" I replied.
She took me into the woods, her steps ever silent, ever the hunter even when she was not on the hunt. She pointed significant places out to me, her hollow where she kept her bow and arrows. Where she and Gale would meet. We walked far. I had to rest often as my artificial leg wore on the skin of the stump making it raw. We finally arrive at a lake deep in the woods. We lay out towels. Katniss strips bare and slips into the water. I take off my clothing remove my leg and clumsily hop into the lake to join her. The cool water feels amazing on the irritated skin of my stump. The water reflects off of Katniss's eyes and as she lays on her back I can see her pink nipples now stand taught from their exposure. The pearl necklace rests between her breasts. Katniss swims up to me we work on paddling and backstroke which is so much easier for me only having one leg. I pick up the backstroke quickly, and we float on our backs Katniss's dark hair spreads out into the water forming a crown. When we are at a level I can stand I run my fingers down her tracing the underside of each breast, circling her nipples. She closes her eyes and lets a sigh out. She's so lovely floating there. Her pale skin glowing, the water lapping at her curves worshipping her. Her legs instruments of grace. I grow hard looking at her. I pull her up to stand in front of me and we look each other in the eyes. She reaches out a hand and strokes my face. I slip a hand around her waist and pull me to her. We turn in a slow circle. With my free hand I mirror her stroking her face. She kisses each of my finger tips. I press her against me more firmly so she can feel my fullness. I feel desperate. She is desperately beautiful, that hungry girl, the girl I need to feed. Her hands slide to my chest, down to my abdomen, and finally to my cock gently stroking it. I allow her to do this while I kneed her breasts with my baker's hands. I lift her in the water her legs around my hips and suck her pink nipples. I tease with my teeth, and alternate loving each breast equally. We move toward the shore where I lay her down the water lapping at us half submerged. We kiss madly, our tongues desperate to taste the other. I put a finger in her opening and she lets out a soft moan into my mouth. I massage her momentarily, then I slip an arm behind her waist and lift her hips in one motion I enter her. I balance on my free arm, pumping watching her face, feeling her warmth around me. She lets out soft moans with each thrust, cheering me on. I thrust more quickly, and she with her strong hunters legs rolls us over me still inside her. At first she keeps her chest on mine and undulates. Then she sits upright and rocks back and forth. It's the most amazing thing I've ever felt. It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. The sun kissing the water droplets on her skin making them glow. Her back arching her face looking down at me with hunger and fullness all at the same time. I feel her tighten around me, her pace slows, she tightens more. She throws back her head and loudly lets out my name. The grip of her insides releases and I roll her over once more onto her stomach, one hand under her I lift her hips and once again enter her. Her hands grip onto the silt as I pump inside her, now it is I who am swelling. Her back arches against me. I move the cascade of dark hair to one side and kiss her neck while I come. I pump slower and slower until I have released all I have to give. I crumple down beside her. She giggles and splashes my face. She puts back on my leg and we make it to our towels, where she pulls out some bread and cheese.
"Why did you never say anything. Growing up…" She asks
I sit and think.
"I didn't think you'd want me. My mother hated you, you were from the seam and my father loved your mother before they were together."
" What?" She asks.
"My father told me that he loved your mother, but she didn't love him back. Your father had stolen her heart away, when he sang the mockingjays stopped to listen. That didn't cause hard feelings toward your father. He understood, she was enchanted by him. When he died my mother became jealous again."
"Oh." She said "You never talk about your family."
"What's there to say. My mother hated me, thought I was useless. I think she saw me as being too much like my father. She didn't think boys should be so sensitive, she would hit me if I cried. My father was a good man, he cared about everyone. If he would have been at the bakery that day, he'd have fed you. My brothers, really there's nothing to say my oldest brother Paul was too absorbed in making money. My middle brother beat me up when my mother wasn't. He was at the reaping that day. When my name was called he did nothing."
She kicks the soot around.
"My mother lost it when my father died. I raised Prim. She loved looking at the cakes in the bakery. I wanted to save money to buy her one for her birthday. The cake you made for Annie and Finnick, she adored as well."
"I think we need each other Katniss." I said to her "I can't live without you."
"I don't think I could live without you Peeta. I know I can't. When I thought you were dead I was ready to run away, end it all. I was too stupid to realize I love you. The sun's getting low. Let's go before Haymitch and Johanna eat up all the food."
We rise and put our clothes on. The march back is downhill and easier. I only need to stop once. When we return to the village, I can hear Effie chastising Haymitch for his pig sty.
"Like and old married couple" I say.
Katniss laughs. Dinner goes by festively and I clean up with Johanna. She nudges me.
"Here" she says and hands me an object wrapped in cloth. I remove the cloth to see a woven golden ring, tiny diamonds adorn it. I look at her puzzled.
"When the time is right to give to Katniss. You're not planning on just shacking up with her are you?"
I shake my head.
"Good. It's from Four. Mags gave it to me before the Quell. Her husband gave this ring to her. She wanted someone special to have it. She gave herself up for you and Katniss."
I take the ring. Still puzzled.
"Why?"
"You are special, and Katniss is special when she is with you. Just take the fucking ring and shut up!"
She had to add the last part. It's not in Johanna's nature to be sentimental, or to display any emotion.
"Fine! Jeezus"
We sit and turn on the television projection. It's a tribute to the victors. Highlighting how each of us had won our games. Caesar Flickerman commentating.
"Turn that shit off!" Haymitch bellows "We know how we won."
Effie always trying to keep things light with people who are heavy rings:
"How about music instead!" She claps her hands and stands up putting her hands out for Haymitch. He swings her around laughing. Then we all get up and begin to dance in the most obnoxious forms possibly, each taking a turn with Effie.
We are a fucked up family indeed. The next day Millie calls the Capitol telling them she believes we are stable enough to return to normal. They take her at her word and she will go back to Four with us when we leave for our vacation. I swing Katniss around with joy.
"I'm gonna eat the fuck out of some shrimp!" Johanna exclaims.
Effie claps her hands in delight.
"I did some shopping for the girls!" She said and presents a bag which contain a variety of bathing suits.
"Ooh La-La" Johanna says.
"Peeta you can pick mine" Katniss says looking at me.
"Something to look forward to" I say.
She rolls her eyes, turns on her heel and flips me her middle finger as she walks away. I rub my fingers on the ring in my pocket. Johanna's words ringing through my mind and I so badly wish that now was the right time.