Peeta's POV
I slip out of my t-shirt and boxers and into a galaxy colored hoodie and blue jeans. Yeah, it's weird for the objective to be to look like a regular teenage boy when it's past 11:00, but still, it's better than being recognized as a the teenage prince. I mean, Effie'd kill me if she found out that I was rebelling and sneaking out of the castle to see some girl. But then again, that some girl was Katniss. Beautiful and stubborn and rebellious and making me fall harder and harder in love to the point of no return! I mean the way her hair flips when she turns around, the way her eyes have a toying light dancing in the them, the beauty of her figure and the way her ivory skin reminds you of the true meaning of gorgeous. She is truly breathtaking. I'm snapped out of my daydream when I hear a knock. I jump into bed and snore as if I'm sleeping. Effie shuffles in and I'm glad that she doesn't realize the fact that I don't snore.
"Oh, behaving like a good little boy again," she sighs happily. And with that I hear her heels shuffling back out the door. When it shuts I jolt up.
"Little boy?" I whisper-shout. Once again I get up and grab a bag full of different types of bread. I want to learn everything, and I mean everything about Katniss, including her favorite type of bread.
I pull a black cloak over the backpack and hoodie and sneak out of the castle. Nobody seems to notice me, which I am grateful for.
I walk up to the spot and freeze. There she is, the most beautiful creature in Panem.
Katniss POV
I want to look beautiful for him. I want him to see me as the most beautiful female on the planet, even though I am the least appealing girl in the kingdom Panem.
I put on the most beautiful white dress I own and allow Prim to do my hair. I put on white leggings and dress shoes. I am not the best artist, but I manage to paint white and pale green swirling designs on my arms and the left side of my chest, shoulder, and neck. When I'm done I look myself in our only mirror. Who are you and what have you done with Katniss Everdeen? I think. I'm not sure who I am anymore. Since when do I care what anybody thinks of me. My priorities are protecting myself so I can protect Prim; it's always been that simple.
Even though it happened merely two days ago, I can't stop thinking about how his strong arms felt wrapped around me. I'm feeling something that I've never felt before, an emotion I've been iscolating myself from since I met boys on my first day of kindergarten. I know what it is deep down, but I refuse to admit it to myself.
I kiss sleeping Prim's forehead and barricade the door before escaping through the secret passageway.
I sit down beside the oak and wait for Peeta for about twenty minutes before he comes. Once he sees me he freezes in his tracks.
"Katniss?" he asks. He looks at me up and down dreamily. I smile at him and motion him to sit beside me. He walks up and cautiously sits. "Katniss..." he starts. He starts to get lost in my eyes before snapping out his gaze and focusing. "I've been thinking for a while and I'm wondering, do you remember who killed your father?"
I look at him. I remember exactly what he looked like. "Yeah. Dark brown hair, scrony, and his eyes were blue but hollow. He looked more like a gangster than a merchant." I think he senses that I don't want to take about it anymore because he ends the conversation. We sit there in silence for a moment before I pipe up. "Well you know about my past but I don't know anything about you."
"There's not much to know. I like baking, art, music, and reading and everybody in the castle sees me as a nuisance. I have two perfect older brothers and flawless parents and everyone knows that I was a mistake. Nobody needs me," he says. At the moment I feel so awful about how I treated him and bad for him about his life and this other feeling I can't comprehend that I do something unfathomable, especially when it's to someone you just met.
"I need you," I whisper. Then I say it more firmly. "I need you." I lean in and kiss his cheek. At first I think he'll go back to the castle and never speak to or of me again, but then he wraps his muscular arms around me and pulls me close so I'm leaning into him. I embrace his gesture and we sit there in silence. Not an awkward silence, just peaceful.
"Maybe we should talk about the deep stuff about ourselves," Peeta suggests.
"Like what?" I ask.
"Well for starters, what's your favorite color?" he asks.
"You've crossed the line," I joke and he chuckles.
"But seriously though, what is it?"
"Green," I reply. "And you?"
"Orange," he says. My nose wrinkles.
"You mean like Effie Trinket's wig from the ball?" I ask. He laughs.
"No not that vibrant. More like soft and blended, like the sunset or that gorgeous dress you wore to the ball." I blush and his grip on me gets tighter and warmer. We sit there exchanging small things like favorite foods and experiences. He brings out his bag full of different breads and turns out that I'm in love with cheese buns.
We sit there until probably around three before I fall asleep in his arms.
Peeta's POV
I carry Katniss to her house and kiss her forehead before zipping up my black cloak and heading for the castle. Nobody notices me go in which is good. I still have a good 5 hours of sleep. I tiptoe back into my room and quietly shut the door. I go to the bathroom and change back into my t-shirt and boxers. I open my window and climb into bed when my light switch is flipped in. There I see an amused Haymitch and my angry parents and frustrated Effie. I gulp.
"Looks like someone has a lot of explaining to do," Haymitch says. "Spill."
I sigh. "No use hiding the truth I guess. You see I went to the woods to meet a friend..."