Trigger warning: More explicit talk of abuse.

Chapter Twenty-One

Katniss stood in the kitchen as Prim stirred a big pot of chili.

"Sure you can't stay? I'm using Dad's recipe." Prim asked.

"I'm sure. Peeta and I are hanging out for a while. He's going to show me how to make those cheese buns so I don't have to trek all the way to the bakery to get them." Katniss said.

"Like that's such a hardship." Her sister teased.

Katniss looked down at her hands. She moved closer to Prim. "He's my friend. That's it."

"Friends who look at each other the way you two do? I'm sure."

"Okay, we're a different kind of friends. But still friends. Anyway, I don't want to talk about that. If Caleb needs me, call. I don't care what time it is."

"We'll deal with it. If you're going to get naked with Peeta, we can take care of Caleb."

"I'm not going to get naked with Peeta."

"Whatever you say." Prim smiled knowingly. "If you remember, that's how it all started with me and Gale. One day just hanging out and the next day making out and getting naked and then we were married and now a baby." She patted her stomach. "Just be careful."

Katniss nodded, tired of denying it. "Don't spoil him too much, please." She walked into the living room and leaned over the back of the couch where Caleb and Gale played a video game. She kissed the top of Caleb's head. "I love you, baby. Have fun."

"'Kay." He said, not looking up.

"See you tomorrow, Gale."

"Tomorrow." He didn't look up either.

Katniss shook her head. "Boys never really grow up, do they?"

"Nope." Prim said. "Who's hungry?"

Caleb threw his controller down and ran into the kitchen. "Bye, Mama!"

Katniss hurried home and finished cleaning up the house until Peeta arrived. He came in with his arms loaded up with groceries.

"I think I brought enough. But first," he leaned toward her, "a kiss?"

She met him the rest of the way. "I'm so happy you're here." She kissed him again and then took half the bags from him and walked to the kitchen. "Prim suspects we're getting naked together."

"Oh, you mean that wasn't an option for tonight?" He started unloading the groceries.

"Ha-ha." She said sarcastically. "It's not at the top of the list."

"And what is?" He opened the fridge and started loading it.

"We'll talk about that later. What did you buy? You're staying a night, not the whole week."

He chuckled. "We're making cheese buns to go with supper. And I'll make an apple pie for dessert. Do you like pie? I make good pie. And then I thought I'd make some cinnamon rolls to go with breakfast. And breakfast will be omelets and sausage and hash browns—"

She pressed a kiss to his mouth. "You're spoiling me."

"If you lived with me, you would get it all the time."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You want to live with me? Aren't you moving a little fast? We're not even dating."

He rested his hands on her hips. "I don't want to live with you. Our schedules are so different. We'd never get any rest. Because by the time you get in bed, I'd want to have some sexy time. And by the time we'd wind down, I'd need to get up for my work."

She smiled. "You have sex on the brain, don't you?"

He shrugged. "It's a thing that happens with men."

"Happens with women, too." She laughed and brushed her lips over his. "So if you're making pie, please tell me you got ice cream."

"I did." He smiled. "Or what if I told you I'm churning it by hand?"

She laughed and kissed him again. "You're ridiculous. I don't believe you've ever made your own ice cream."

"I did once with Cal. But it didn't set. We ended up eating cold vanilla soup." He laughed and stepped away to finish putting everything up.

Katniss helped and then Peeta started working on the dough for the cheese buns. She was fascinated by the process and handed him each of the ingredients he asked for. He sat the dough aside to rise and Katniss started cooking the spaghetti.

"So back to what's at the top of the list for tonight…" Peeta said as he watched her.

She smiled. "You know, I've always wanted to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. Cuddle with an adult, that is. And watch an adult movie. I mean, not an adult movie, but something with grown-up themes, you know?"

"You mean you don't want to watch Frozen for the ten millionth time?"

"Actually, Caleb's finally over Frozen. He rediscovered his love of Cars. We watch it at least three times a week." She laughed and stirred the sauce.

"I remember when Callie was about three, Beauty and the Beast was on a loop in our house. I think she liked the enchanted furnishings."

"I love Beauty and the Beast. It's one of my favorite Disney movies."

"Not mine. Not anymore." He chuckled. "Probably The Little Mermaid for me. I've always had a love of the sea mythology."

"You and your mythology." She teased.

"It's one of the things Alex and I had in common." He smiled sadly.

"What's your favorite myth?"

He thought a moment. "Do you know the story of Echo?"

She shook her head.

He started working on the final prep for the cheese buns. He was quick about it too. "Echo was a nymph. And one of Zeus's many, many, many conquests. Hera, Zeus's wife, grew very jealous of these lovers and cursed some of them that she particularly disliked. Echo was one of them. She cursed her with only being able to repeat other people's last few words. That's why we call an echo an echo." He put the buns in the oven. "And so one day this man named Narcissus came through her forest on a hunt. And he was so handsome. She fell in love with him. But she couldn't speak to him, just repeat what he said. So she couldn't tell him she loved him. Couldn't even have a conversation in the first place. Meanwhile, Narcissus leaned down to get a drink from a lake. And he fell in love with his own reflection. And never Echo. And they both died never having love fulfilled."

"Why do you like that one?" She started adding noodles to the boiling water.

He shrugged. "I don't know. It just stuck with me from the first time I heard it."

"It's so sad."

"Many of the myths are. No one is happy. Except maybe Zeus. He got a lot of ladies."

"He got a lot of ladies that didn't want it."

He nodded. "True."

She stirred the noodles. She looked over. "I didn't mean to point that out."

"It's fact of your life that you see more than others."

"Do you point out when a spouse dies in something you're watching or talking about?"

"I notice it more than some people, I think." He gave himself a self-deprecating smile. "I can't even watch Finding Nemo."

She brushed her hand down his cheek. "I can't even imagine what it must be like to lose someone you love like that."

"I don't even know if I loved her." He whispered.

"Don't beat yourself up over that."

"I know. It's been so many years. I should be over it. But I hold on for Cal because...if I don't…I'll feel like I failed."

"She's got her grandparents for that, you know?" She turned away and pulled a colander out of a cabinet. "You can stop holding on whether or not you loved her and start loving someone else."

"Do you have a suggestion about who that should be?" He asked softly.

She poured the noodles into the colander in the sink as she said, "Anyone but me."

He slipped an arm around her waist. "Loving someone doesn't necessarily mean the same as being in love with someone. For the record. By the way, can I have a kiss?"

She turned her head. "You can't."

"Kiss you or love you?"

"Both." She stepped out of his embrace and went back to the spaghetti. "Do you like to mix it all together or pour the sauce over the noodles yourself?"

"Which do you prefer?"

"We usually just mix it all together."

"Then mix it together." He pulled a bag of salad out of the fridge and poured it into a bowl he sat in the middle of the table.

"When will you make the pie?" She brought the spaghetti to the table and sat it on a couple hot pads. Katniss took a tea towel out of the drawer as Peeta lifted the cheese buns out of the oven. He carried them over and sat them on the towel.

"As soon as we're done eating."

"Good. I like homemade pie."

"I like this." He said as she watched her set the table.

"Me too. What do you want to drink? Water? Milk? Grape Kool-Aid?"

He chuckled. "Do you have wine glasses?" He pulled a bottle out of a bag he'd left sitting on the counter.

"Wine gives me a headache." She said apologetically. She shook her head. "No, that's a lie. I tell everyone that. I'm so used to it."

"What's the truth?"

"After the first time with the wine coolers, Cato got in trouble. That was too much to take at once. But his folks had a big wine collection. So a bottle here and there wasn't big to miss. And he made me drink the whole thing. I guess he thought I'd be more compliant drunk. Then after we were married, we'd drink a couple bottles every night. He'd do his thing and I'd just let him." She poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher. "But thank you for the thought."

He put the bottle on the counter. "I'll give it to Finnick and Annie. It's no problem. Water is fine, by the way."

She poured another glass of water and they sat at the table together. They started assembling their plates. "I want to apologize again about the other day."

"It's fine."

"It can't always be fine, Peeta. You can't seriously be this easygoing."

He laid his hand palm up on the table. She slipped hers into it. "When I say 'It's fine.' I don't mean it's fine for me. I mean it's fine for you. I mean it's fine that you aren't comfortable and need to stop or change something. That I will be uncomfortable as long as you're comfortable."

She squeezed his hand and let go. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He twisted some noodles onto his fork and took a bite. He nodded. "Good." He chewed. "Really good. I should have you cook for me more often."

She laughed and tore a cheese bun in half. She moaned at the aroma and took a bite.

"Making sounds like that aren't helping me."

She blushed. "Sorry. Maybe you shouldn't cook orgasmic cheese buns for me anymore."

He smiled and took another bite of the spaghetti. He let out a luscious groan that sent heat between her thighs.

"Eat quickly." She said.

"What?"

"You heard me. We're going to finish what started the other day. But I'm hungry. So we'll eat first. We didn't labor over this stuff for it to get cold."

He smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

They did eat quickly and put the rest of the food away. Katniss took Peeta's hands and led him into the bedroom. He kicked his shoes off as he went.

She slipped his shirt off over his head and wrapped her arms around his waist. "This is a 'Yes.' Okay?"

"Okay." He pulled her shirt off and walked with her toward the bed. He took control of her mouth and pushed her pants over her hips. She tensed up and he paused. "You good?"

She nodded and kicked her pants off. She climbed into the bed and waited for him to follow.

Peeta removed his jeans and crawled across the bed to Katniss. "You first."

She smiled. "Okay."

He covered her mouth with his. He cupped her face. "Don't hold back. I want to hear it if you like it. And I need to hear if you don't."

"I'll let you know." She pulled him over her and tangled her feet with his.

He continued to kiss her lazily as his hand moved down her torso. He slipped his other hand into hers and tangled their fingers together. He broke the kiss and looked at her expectantly. "You okay?"

She smiled. "I feel great. Thank you."

He lowered his mouth to her neck.

"No." She pushed him down. "Not my neck."

"No problem." Once more he lowered his mouth and trailed gentle kisses over her collarbone.

She moaned and tangled her fingers in his hair.

He moved his mouth lower. "You still good?" He asked as he reached her navel.

"Mm-hm." Her breathing was ragged.

He looked up. "This next bit is a little more intense. I'll stop any time."

"Thanks."

He finally removed his hand from Katniss's and slipped his fingers under the band of her panties. She placed her hands on top of Peeta's to stop him.

"Just a minute."

"Take your time."

She took several calming breaths and then nodded. "Okay." She dropped her hands to the side and watched intently as he sat back and pulled the garment away. She lifted her legs as he removed them. He dropped them off the side of the bed and rested his hands on her thighs. They were pressed together.

"You still good?"

"I am." She bit her lip. "So are you still good?"

"Yes."

"Good." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she parted her legs and draped one on his other side.

He rubbed her thighs. "Just take your time to relax. I'll go whenever you're ready."

"You can tell I'm not?"

"You aren't looking directly at me. I want you looking at me."

She nodded and closed her eyes. She breathed in slowly through her nose and out through pursed lips.

Peeta said softly, "You're okay. Whenever you're ready, I am. And if you don't want to, we can stop right now. But I'm here. You're okay. This is all you. You say when."

Katniss slowly opened her eyes and smiled. She nodded. "Thank you. Okay. You can continue. Please continue."

He smiled and lowered himself once more. He placed gentle kissed over her stomach as he slipped his hand between her thighs. He found the hard, ready nub and began rubbing slow circles into it. She gasped and arched her back. One hand tangled in his hair and her other gripped the sheet.

"You still good."

"Yeah." She moaned.

"Don't hold back." He said as he replaced his finger with his mouth. His hand moved farther back and slipped a finger inside her ready opening.

"Oh, my god!" She gasped and gripped his head tighter.

He hummed into her. He added another finger and her voice grew louder with each thrust of his hand. He caressed her thigh with his free hand. He felt her body tense as she met her peak.

She gasped and cried out again and again as she came. Her fingers relaxed on his head and she collapsed into the mattress, completely spent.

He slowly kissed his way up her body. He hovered over her. "Do you want me to go wash my face before I kiss you?"

She shook her head and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

He moved away and slipped his hand into hers.

"Did Alex never let you kiss her after that?" Katniss asked.

"No. She said it was gross."

"Cato didn't like kisses much anyway, but I never got to kiss him after I gave him a blow job."

"Ridiculous." Peeta kissed her hand. "You don't have to do that for me if you don't want."

"Well, I'd like to return your favor. Maybe not a blow job yet, though. Is that okay?"

He nodded. "Do whatever you're comfortable with."

"Thank you." She rolled into him and kissed his shoulder. "He used to hold me down by my neck."

"Hm?" He gave her a concerned look. "That's why you didn't want me kissing your neck?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "Not while you're on top of me.

"I'm not Cato."

"I know." She moved over him and straddled his hips. She rested her hands on his chest. "Are you a boob man?"

He chuckled. "I like looking at a nice pair."

She reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. She dropped it off to the side.

He nodded. "That's a nice pair."

She laughed. "Thank you."

"You're far more undressed than me."

"You only have one more layer." She moved off to the side and pulled off his underwear, finally releasing his erection. "That definitely felt a lot bigger."

"Hey!"

"I'm joking." She wrapped her hand around him and slowly stroked him base to tip. "Thank you for checking in with me so much." She continued to pump her hand up and down.

He let out a long breath. "You're welcome."

"I felt really appreciated."

"Mm-hm." He nodded and watched her face. His eyes cut to where her hand moved over his length.

"Are you okay?"

"Trying really hard not to just come all over you in a matter of seconds."

She chuckled and leaned over him. "You can if you want. We have all night to do it again. As many times as you want."

"And you're the one that called me considerate." He panted.

"Well, I just want to help you out." She covered his mouth with hers and pumped her hand faster.

He moaned deep in his throat and clutched at her as he came. The warmth spilled over her hand and onto his stomach. She rested her head on his to watch his face as it relaxed. She smiled and kissed him once more. She looked at her hand and made a face before she wiped it across his chest.

"Men are gross."

He laughed. "Sorry."

She moved away and picked up the corner of her sheet to finish cleaning off her hand. "So was that okay? Did I do what you wanted?"

"It was good." He assured her. "It was really good."

"You're sure?"

He lifted his head and watched her a moment before he said, "Yeah." He used his side of the sheet to wipe off his stomach and then rolled to his side and moved into her. "Okay. This is great. All friendships should be like this."

She laughed. "Do you want Finnick to be next then?"

He laughed. "Probably not."

"And I don't think I could ever sleep with Gale. Brother-in-law status aside, I'm just not into him." She rubbed her hand on his arm. "I think our friendship can just stay like this."

He nodded and kissed her temple. He looked at her. "The 'Yes' is still valid, right?"

"It is." She tangled her fingers in his. "How about we say my first 'Yes' any time we're together counts for the rest of our time together unless I decide to change my mind."

"That works for me." He brushed a kiss over her lips. "You taste really good, by the way."

She giggled. "That's a line from a romance novel."

"That's not a line, that's truth." He kissed her again.

"You like doing that, don't you?"

"I do."

"Did you and Alex make out a lot?"

He nodded. "She liked kisses, too."

Katniss watched Peeta's face for several silent moments. She said softly, "It's okay to let her go."

"I know." He propped up his elbow and rested his head on it. "I'm just still not ready."

"You don't have to be. But knowing that it's okay is the first step." She slipped her other arm around him and started stroking his back. "So what about Delly?"

"What about her?"

"When we showed up yesterday before school, she was kind of hanging all over you."

He made a face. "She doesn't hang all over me."

She mirrored his position and rested her hand on his hip. "Okay, not physically. But she is a major giggler. And she likes you."

"You could tell that, huh?"

"Yeah, I could. So is she an option?"

He shook his head. "Not my type. She did ask me to dinner. I asked for a raincheck."

"You should take it. Callie can hang out with me and Caleb for an evening."

"Are you sure? That seems weird."

"Why? Because we're talking about you going on a date with someone else while we're naked in my bed?"

He chuckled. "Well, now that you're talking about it…" He slanted a kiss against her lips. "Want to go make a pie?"

"Are you avoiding the conversation?"

"I am."

"Why?"

He kissed her again and rolled out of the bed. "Maybe I have someone else in mind and I want to wait."

"For what?"

"Where did you put my underwear?"

She reached over the side of the bed and lifted the garment up. "What are you waiting for?"

He took them and slipped them on. "Waiting for our lives to sync up."

"And if it doesn't happen?"

He shrugged. "Until then, I have a hot friend willing to exchange pleasure when our kids are staying with other people." He stepped into his jeans and picked up his shirt. "I'll go start the crust."

"Hey, could you do it without a shirt?"

He grinned and threw his shirt to her. "Only if you wear it."

She slipped it over her head. "Deal." She rolled off the other side and found her panties and followed him into the kitchen.

Author's note: What do you guys think of that?!