Author's note: I'm really interested to know what you think of this chapter. Come visit me on Tumblr at booksrockmyface.
Happy reading!
Chapter Ten
Katniss unlocked the door and let all her guests inside the house. She sat out the pizza and Annie followed with drinks. The counselors attacked the pizza, leaving very few slices by the time the older people walked over.
"Hey, two pregnant ladies here and all you brats are stealing all our babies' nourishment." Annie scolded playfully.
"Dad!" Callie ran to the front door and Katniss froze.
"Hey, Cal. Look at you getting us in on all the cool parties." Peeta hugged her and followed her to the food. "I brought some chips." He held up some grocery bags and sat them on the table. He and Katniss shared a smile. "How did you sleep?" He asked softly.
Annie gave Katniss a significant look.
"I had a nightmare and I texted Peeta about it." Katniss explained to the other woman. She turned to Peeta. "A lot better. Thank you. Sorry I bothered you."
"It was no bother. What else are friends for? And I'm up that early anyway." He shrugged. "It's fine."
Annie mumbled some excuse and hurried off. Katniss saw her sidle up to Prim and whisper in her ear. Both women looked in their direction.
"They are all so determined, aren't they?" Peeta said.
Katniss laughed. "Yeah. Getting a little desperate, I think. Prim and Gale think I'm uptight and need a man to relax me. And I think Annie and Finnick think the same about you."
"That I need a man?" Peeta asked with a playful grin.
Katniss shrugged. "I don't know your life. Maybe you're only hung up on Alex because you're scared of admitting the truth about your attractions."
Peeta laughed. "I am definitely still hung up on Alex. But it's because of Alex."
She nodded.
He watched her a moment and then asked, "Is something bothering you?"
She opened her mouth to say something, but Caleb ran over and slipped his hand into Peeta's.
"Do you want to see my room?" The boy asked.
"You never cleaned it, Caleb." Katniss pointed out.
"I did just now." He looked up at Peeta. "Please?"
"All right." He walked off with Caleb and Katniss drifted across the room to her sister and Annie.
"I need all of you to stop whispering to each other every time Peeta and I talk." She said.
Finnick draped an arm over his wife's shoulders. "You two are just so good together. You need to kiss already."
"And you all need to realize that we're just friends. I've said it so many times."
Finnick said, "If you're not going to kiss him, I will."
Annie laughed. "You will not."
"Why? Because you told me?"
"No because Peeta is so not into you. Or even slightly into guys."
"Then you kiss him because he could use a good kiss." Finnick pointed out.
"Okay, Han, cool your jets." Annie laughed.
Caleb and Peeta came back into the room laughing together. They walked up to the group and Caleb looked up at Katniss.
"Mama, Peeta said he could paint a miracle all over my walls." Caleb announced.
"A mural." Peeta corrected. "But only if your mom wants that."
"When would you have the time?" Katniss asked. "You work seven days a week."
"I can take off." He shrugged.
"Paid labor." She said. "We can work out the details later, but it would be really cool."
"Fine, you can give me monetary compensation." He looked at all the others. "What were you all talking about?"
Finnick said, "About how much you and Katniss need to make out." Annie hit him hard in the stomach and he let out a pained, "Oof! Watch it!"
Katniss blushed. "Your friends are the worst, Peeta."
"They really are." He said. "I don't need that kind of pressure in my life."
"Then we should leave them to their own devices." She nodded her head down the hall. "Tell me what you have in mind for that mural."
They walked away, Caleb still clutching Peeta's hand.
Katniss said softly, "Can you help keep an eye on Caleb tomorrow?"
"Sure. What's going on?"
"I don't need you to actually have him at any point, but just watch out for him. My ex is going to be there." She said the last as softly as possible so Caleb wouldn't hear.
Peeta nodded. "I won't let anything happen."
"Thanks." She said softly. She stepped into Caleb's room. "A mural will look awesome in here."
"Pirates?" Peeta asked.
"Yes!" Caleb said happily.
"If that's what you want, baby." Katniss said.
Peeta nodded and stepped toward the biggest wall. "Then we can do some waves and a pirate ship on one side and a ship with a British flag on the other side." He turned to the pair. "What do you think?"
Caleb's grin was so wide his face looked like it was about to break. "I love it, Peeta. When can you start?"
Katniss laughed and smoothed her hand over his hair. "That sounds great, Peeta."
"I'll do up some sketches tonight and show you after the showcase tomorrow." Peeta said.
She nodded. "Sounds good. And I will be paying you. If you don't name a price, I will just pay you what I think it's worth."
He chuckled. "Okay. I'll figure out a price. We'll start with price of supplies and go from there."
She held out her hand. "Deal."
He shook her hand. "Deal. Awesome. We'll talk more when I have sketches." He walked out of the room. "I should probably take Callie home. I have to open up the bakery in the morning."
"Are you going to need any help with the cupcakes in the morning?"
"I'll be able to get them. Thank you. Cal, time to go."
She groaned and turned to Finn. They did their elaborate handshake. "See you in the morning." She said.
Katniss walked them to the door. "Can't wait for you to show off tomorrow, Callie. You've learned a lot this summer."
"Thank you, Katniss." Callie beamed.
"Yes, thank you." Peeta said.
Everyone started to leave not long after that. Gale and Prim were the last. Katniss rubbed her sister's stomach. "Go home and rest. This baby's had a long day."
Prim laughed. "This mama's had a long day." She sobered and squeezed Katniss's arm. "Gale told me about Cato. Nothing is going to happen to Caleb. None of us will let it."
Katniss hugged Prim. "Thank you, sis."
The showcase was a success. Afterward, Katniss was bombarded with people thanking her and expressing how much they appreciated her and Gale and the entire camp. Over and over she said, "It just so much fun for me and I have nothing I'd rather do."
Peeta, Callie, and Caleb walked over. Caleb clung to Peeta's hand.
Caleb asked, "Mama, can we eat the cupcakes?"
"Why do you want a cupcake?" She asked, bending down to talk to him.
"Because Peeta worked really hard on them and I need to eat them and tell him how yummy they are." He said seriously. "And other people are eating them."
"Well, I guess you can have one." She looked over to see Cato making his way toward them. She straightened up. "Peeta, please take him over there and get a cupcake."
He watched where her eyes were going. He nodded and pulled Caleb and Callie along with him.
Cato sidled up to her. "Always taking him away from me."
She gave him a hard look. "I'm sorry?"
"Caleb. Making your boyfriend take him away before I can talk to him."
"I don't have a boyfriend. You came, you saw your stepson show his skills, now it's time for you to leave."
"What do you want to do, Katniss?"
"I want you to leave. I want to have no contact with you again until we go to court."
"I'm not giving you my rights."
Katniss sighed. "Cato, you didn't want anything to do with him. He's almost seven. Nothing in that time. No child support, no phone calls, not even a Christmas card. So you can give up your rights or you can see me in court. Now, get out of here and leave us alone."
Cato opened his mouth to say something else, but thought better of it. "Fuck it." He turned and gathered his family and left.
Katniss turned and made her way to the snacks table. Caleb lifted his arms and she picked him up and held him close.
Peeta stepped close and placed a hand on her back. "You okay?"
"I've been better." She pressed her nose into Caleb's hair.
"Mama, why are you shaking?" Caleb asked.
"Because I'm a little scared." She said softly.
Peeta rubbed soothing circles into her back. "What's next?"
"Get through today." She kissed Caleb and then put him down. She stepped out of Peeta's reach. "I need some air."
"By yourself?" Peeta asked.
She watched him a moment and then said, "You can come." She walked out of the building and he followed.
"Who was that guy? The ex?"
"No one important." She clasped her hands behind her back.
He nodded. "But you're really okay?"
She shook her head. "I don't know." She stopped beside the cafeteria. "I don't want to think about him. He ruined everything he touched. I had to work really hard to fix it." She looked down. "I don't want to talk about him anymore." She opened the door and walked in.
He followed.
She leaned against the door. "I can't keep being this person."
"What person?"
"I can't hold it together, Peeta. Not for Caleb."
He stepped in front of her. "Look, I know what it's like to have to hold it together for your kid. You don't have to be strong with me."
She looked down and covered her mouth. A sob escaped her and then another. She reached out to him and he gathered her onto his arms. He rubbed her back and let her cry until all her tears were spent.
She stepped away and wiped at her eyes. She chuckled. "Well, this is a first."
"Crying?" He asked with a smirk.
"Crying on the shoulder of a guy that I could date." She cringed at her words. "I don't date."
"I don't date either." He said unconvincingly.
She nodded and took his hands. She looked down at them and then she pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth. She stepped away.
He smiled and squeezed her hands. "Is this appropriate?"
"No." She kissed him again, this time on the lips.
He shook his head. "Katniss, we can't." He let go of her hands and rubbed his face.
"You're right." Katniss sighed. "Thanks for your shoulder." She stepped out of the building.
Peeta combed his fingers through his hair and let out a frustrated groan. "Stupid." He followed her out the door with every intention of telling her he was wrong and wanted to kiss her some more. But there was a group of people around her as they started leaving.
Caleb ran over and pulled on his hand. "Can I take some cupcakes home?"
Peeta smiled and lifted the boy up. "You can take as many as you want. As long as your mom doesn't mind."
"I know she won't." He threw his arms around Peeta's neck and squeezed him. "I love you, Peeta."
"Caleb?" Katniss called.
"Over here with Peeta." He wiggled until the man put him down. "I think Mama wants to clean up and then leave."
"I'll come help." He followed Caleb into the range after Katniss. He tried to get her attention, but she did all she could to avoid him.
She hated it, but she wouldn't give into the feeling. She couldn't.