Katniss-
I wake up with my head on Peeta's shoulder. There's only a little bit of light peeking through the curtains in his living room. We're spooning on his couch. We must've fallen asleep, talking and kissing. Actually, I haven't had this peaceful a sleep in... forever.
"Good morning, beautiful. How'd you sleep?" Peeta asks me yawning.
I turn in his arms to face him. His disheveled hair looks styled that way. His eyes are bright and half lidded from sleep. He looks the same as when we were kids, but different too. He's still in his pants and shirt from last night. But he kicked off his shoes shortly after I did. I vaguely remember taking off his tie and jacket while our lips were attached. And his top two buttons are undone.
He's the one who looks beautiful.
"Amazingly. I wonder if my mom would let me stay over every night. I kind of have bad dreams ever since my dad died. But I don't think I had any last night." I reminisce.
"I get em too. Ever since the plane crash, I have nightmares. But I slept straight through last night. Granted, we stayed up till almost 1:30. Guess you really like kissing me, huh?" He says cockily, lightening the mood.
"Or... you really like kissing me-"
"I do. So much." He cuts my playful comment off with his serious tone, and lays a soft caress on my cheek, which I'm sure is blush red.
Ugh! It's only like 7 in the morning and he's already got my stomach flip flopping.
"Well then... maybe... I should... stay over... every... night." I say hoping I sound as alluring as he did, and taking a page from his book by kissing his neck in between my words.
This earns me his lopsided smile and a shudder through his body.
"Miss Everdeen, you sound like you wanna shack up with me. But I know you to be a very respectable young lady. Who would never, sully her good name by sleeping with a, very handsome, very eligible, impressive, young man, such as myself, every night. What would people think?" He says pulling my body closer to his.
I laugh and he tickles my sides causing me to laugh harder.
"That's not fair. You always know where to tickle me. But I don't know where you're ticklish." I say once he stops.
"I think most people are universally ticklish in the same places. You just have to apply the right amount of... pressure." He says squeezing above my knee, to prove his theory.
I break out in a fit of uncontrollable giggles and snorts. But at least he's laughing with me.
I finally pull his hand away from my knee. Realizing my dress skirt has ridden up a bit, I get a little embarrassed and try to pull it down inconspicuously.
"It's cause you bake, right? That your hands are so strong." I state more than ask interlocking our fingers.
He shrugs one shoulder and smiles.
"Oh, don't be so modest now. Mr. very handsome, very eligible, impressive, young man. That reminds me, you are very eligible and apparently the most "doable" guy around. According to Johanna Mason's half sister." I say using air quotes around doable.
"Delly Cartwright said that? She seemed so sweet." He says frowning.
Is he serious?
"You met her? And thought sweet is the best word to describe her?" I ask scoffing.
"Yeah, she came and introduced herself last night. Why?" He asks.
I stand up. I feel that jealous feeling coming back.
"I didn't get sweet from her last night. And Jo doesn't like her either." I say.
He stands and walks to me putting his hands on my shoulders.
"Well, I think we should stop talking about her and go back to you spending the night here every night." Peeta says sliding his hands down my arms and pulling my hands up around his neck.
I'm immediately less jealous. Peeta is here with me. He liked me since we were 14 and he was my first kiss. Not stupid Delly Cartwright's. But what's to stop her from trying to kiss him. Or more. She is obviously way more experienced than I am with boys. Peeta could grow tired of me.
"Hey, what are you thinking about in that pretty little head of yours?" He asks me.
"Just that I've missed you. I'm glad your back. But we'll be back at school soon and tons of girls are gonna be..." I start.
"Kat, I don't care about how many girls are at school. Or about Delly Cartwright. I care about you. Plus, I was kinda hoping with all this kissing and talk of shackin' up, going on. I thought maybe... you'd wanna be... my girlfriend, officially. That way everyone knows I'm off the market. Seeing as how I'm so doable and all." He says chuckling.
"You want me to be your girlfriend?"
"Too soon? I just thought that since I would've asked you out a long time ago-" This time I cut him off, but with a kiss.
At first, I'm worried about having morning breath but surprisingly it's a non-issue. I grip his neck tighter and he pulls my body up, making my feet dangle. We're so lost in the moment, that we don't hear Peeta's front door open.
"I knocked, but now I see why you can't hear anything." Haymitch says from behind me.
I let go of Peeta's neck at the same time as he brings me to the ground. I turn around and push the hair falling around my face behind my ears.
Omg, how embarrassing! Is he gonna tell my mom? Wait, would she even care?
"Morning, Sweetheart. Wasn't expecting to see you. But since you're here, you're welcome to join us for breakfast. We already gotta house full. It's in 5 minutes. And lend her something to where. I think Cinna's expecting the dress back." Haymitch says.
"Thanks Haymitch. We'll be right over." Peeta says behind me.
I know I'm bright red with shame.
"Mmm Hmm." Haymitch says then leaves.
I turn to see Peeta's impish grin. He sees my face and snickers.
"It's not funny. I'm mortified." I hiss half laughing, and hitting his arm.
"Aw, don't be mad at me. I didn't know you'd be spending the night. I usually leave it unlocked for Haymitch. I'm sorry. Next time I'll lock the door, okay." He says pulling me up the way he had me before, Haymitch walked in on us.
"I don't know if there will be a next time, Mr. Mellark." I say stubbornly and turn my face to the side.
"But you are gonna be my girl. Aren't you?" He whispers in my ear causing shivers to go down my spine and tickling me.
"Maybe." I giggle and turn to face him.
"Maybe? Maybe? Well, that... just won't do." He says.
"Peeta! Wait!" I yell because he throws me up over his shoulder and fireman carries me to his room.
When we get there he deposits me onto his bed.
Next thing I know he's got his shirt off and he's going through his dresser. He tosses me a shirt and a pair of gym shorts. I think they have our middle school logo on them.
I'm so distracted by his chest, back, and ab muscles, that I don't hear him ask me a question.
"Huh?" I mutter trying, and failing, to focus on his face.
"I said... you can change in the bathroom. Unless, you want to change in here." He smirks and pulls apart his belt buckle.
"Agh! Nope. Bathroom's good." I say laughing and running into the bathroom.
I hear him laughing on the other side of the door. His bathroom is just as nice as the bedroom. I decide to take a little bird bath in the sink with a hand towel, to freshen up.
After taking off the dress. I put on the shirt, which almost fits. And the shorts, that even though he clearly can't fit any more, I still have to roll up at the waist and pull the drawstring super tight to keep them from falling off.
Ah well. We can't all look like super models.
I redo my hair in it's usual side braid. When I leave the bathroom, I have the dress in tow, and realize the only shoes I have, are the heels that I should return as well.
Peeta must've anticipated this because he put a pair of, albeit a little too long, flip flops outside the door.
He's so thoughtful.
"Okay well, just let me know if anything else happens, please. And if you need me to come, I will. I don't know what I'd do without you Jen. Alright, me too. Bye." Peeta says into his phone as I come out of his room.
What was that all about? Who is Jen?
I take a second after he's hung up to walk all the way into the living room.
"Hey, all ready? Damn, you look better in my clothes than I do. That's for sure." He says once he notices me.
"Yeah sure. I look a mess, but thank you. Especially for the flip flops. I hate heels." I say.
"But they make your legs look so sexy. All long and toned. Like a dancers legs." He compliments making me blush.
He drawls me closer by the waist. Somehow he must've freshened up somewhere because he smells amazing and his hair is less disheveled.
"One: There's not much on my body that's long. I wish I was taller. But thank you for saying so. Two: I'm absolutely not a dancer, as you now know. But thank you again for helping me appear to be one last night. I'll never forget it. And three: How many people was Haymitch talking about, when he a said house full?" I ask.
"Your welcome. And just everyone who flew in for the wedding from New York. Effie insisted that no one get a hotel. She always wished... she'd had... children. So she likes a full house. I offered to let someone stay in here but they have enough guest bedrooms to accommodate all the couples." He says kissing the tip of my nose.
Oh boy!
"How many-" I start.
"Come on. We are late and Effie hates late." He says pulling my hand and leading me out the door.