A/N: Yay for long chapters! Once again, we really do appreciate the reviews. We love seeing the feelings our story (and basically our lives since April 4th) has given you all. :D So here's some'more! This starts with Peeta's POV.

I get to my feet and step in, staying in the front because I'm soaked. I see his mom over sitting down. "Uhm...hi."

"Cato!" She exclaims, "The boy is soaked. Let him use some of your clothes for a while, will you?" As she speaks, I pull down my hood and give Cato a small smile. "Oh, you didn't tell me it was that boy from this morning!" She looks at him sternly. ~

"I'm...sorry?" I reach into the basket of clean clothes that's sitting at the foot of the stairs and pick out some of my freshly cleaned clothes. It's nice to have my laundry done for me every week. "Well...you said I never go outside. Where did you think my friend came from?" ~

"Well, I don't know..." She sighs. "You didn't even bother to introduce me. What's your name?"

Well, shit. But, as Haymitch would say it, in true Peeta Mellark fashion, I just wing it. "Felix." I smile, going to take a step towards her but not wanting to track water.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Felix. You know, since the Games, Cato hasn't been very social. So I'm glad to see he's making friends again." ~

Oh my god this is an embarrassing discussion. "Yeah, friends...that's all I needed. A friend. And you know what would help me socialize better? If he could uh, stay for a while? As in like, spend the night and stuff." I stumble over my words a bit, realizing what I'm asking. "I mean-he's not my friend like that, as in like, yay sleepover, like a gay sleepover-I mean..." And now I'm just embarrassing myself. "Can we start over?" ~

I just laugh at him, looking at the ground. "Go ahead, start over." His mom says, chuckling to herself. ~

"Can my friend stay for a few nights?" Or forever. Whichever works best for you. ~

"Why would he have to stay a few nights?"

I see Cato give a panicked look, so I speak up. "You see, uhm..." I look away. "I...I'm gay," I say, quickly adding, "and I'm not trying to start anything with your son, I just came here earlier and asked him for help. My mom kicked me out."

I look back at her and glance to Cato, too, giving him a nod to add on. ~

Nodding with him, I look back to my mom. I hate lying to her, but it's necessary. "And since the whole country knows I've been...involved with a boy before, I'm kinda...out? So I'm the only person around here who openly feels that way, so clearly I'm an option to go to..." I glance at Peeta. "I thought that if he needed somewhere to go, here would be the place, so..." ~

"Of course he can stay!" She immediately stands and runs over to the pair of us. "I'm so sorry your mother did that, she'll come around, though, I'm sure..."

"Probably not," I manage a weak smile. "But thanks for the thought. And the place to stay."

Suddenly, the voices on the TV change to some special alert.

"Oh, oh, Cato...this is what I was telling you about!" She runs over, ushering us both closer. ~

"What," I say flatly. Not even as a question. Just a statement. "I don't wanna watch, Mom..." ~

"But..it's about Peeta...maybe it'll help," she looks at him, concerned.

I have to get out of here. "Maybe I should go change and let you two talk, I-"

"Wait, just stay and see... It could be good news!" ~

"No, no, Mom...no news about him could be good news." I tug on the wet sleeve of Peeta's sweatshirt and whisper, "Just go." ~

Before I even get a chance to listen to him, she begins telling us the events of the broadcast. "She's saying they dug up the casket, and...there's nothing there." Her eyes widen as I see pictures of Cato and I from the Games get flagged on the screen, explaining in case people didn't already know who I was. And in that moment, she turns to us, and I know she knows. ~

As soon as she looks at us, I reach up and force Peeta's hood back on to obscure his face a little. "That's...that's horrible. Who would do something like that?" Oh, who am I kidding? I'm a terrible liar to her. ~

"Cato...I'm your mother. Don't lie to me, please..." I'm done with the charade, too, so I take my hood down again. We don't break eye contact. "How.." ~

"Please don't get rid of him." Please don't give him away to Dad. Please. "It's a long story..." ~

"That boy...you...you died." She stands, walking up to me. "You're..."

"Peeta Mellark, ma'am."

She doesn't even know what to say, but looks to Cato again. ~

"Except he didn't die...?" I shrug and smile. "The Capitol thought he died, but...he was only knocked out, or in a coma, or..." What even was it? "He woke up in Twelve and came all the way here...for me." ~

"I.." She looks at me, and I nod.

"Please ma'am. I...I love your son more than anything, and I think I was given this chance for a reason." To make sure he knows he's loved. "I've traveled mostly on foot for three months..."

"Three months, I..." She looks at Cato now. "Your father." ~

"I know, I know, but please...he has nowhere else or no one else to go to..." I can hide him well enough. I just need him. "Don't make me drop to my knees and beg." I glance down and take his hand. "Dad doesn't have to know. Please...I love him." ~

"As much as the begging would be a welcome change..." She begins before smiling. "I...couldn't say no."

I'm staying here. I'm safe. I have a home here.. I squeeze Cato's hand and smile at him. "Thank you, ma'am. Thank you." ~

"Thank you!" I let go of his hand and run over to hug her. This is a sincere hug. ~

"He'll..have to stay in your room. Anywhere else is too risky. Just...please," she gives a sympathetic look. "for your mom, don't go crazy...you know what I'm talking about. You're eighteen, and he's sixteen-"

"-seventeen, today's my birthday." I smile proudly.

"Happy birthday, then..! Just, you know what I mean." That's two more "Happy Birthday"'s than last year. ~

"Oh god, no!" My face goes red. "I'm not going to do anything!" ~

"I just don't want to be afraid to go in there," She laughs. "Well...you both best be heading up now. Your father is going to be getting home soon enough." ~

"Okay, okay!" I run to Peeta and grab his hand and my jacket. "Thank you so much! I love you." And I'm not ashamed to admit it. My mom is the best. ~

"Thank you again!" I call back to her as she waves while Cato pulls me up the stairs towards his room. I'm still a soaking mess, but I think she likes me. ~

"Peeta, Peeta, Peeta!" I cheer as I drag him into my room, shutting the door and locking it behind us. ~

"Here I am," I laugh, quickly taking off the wet hooded sweatshirt and placing it on the ground. "Could I have those dry clothes now please?" ~

"Yes!" I toss him the clothes I brought up. "I'll just..." I walk over to the bed and put a sheet over my head. "Okay, you can change now." ~

"You practically ripped my clothes off in the arena, and now you're hiding while I change? You're odd, Cato." I laugh, beginning to take off all the wet clothes. Once I've changed all but a lack of shirt, I say, "You're good." The clothes are big, but so nice and soft. And they smell like Cato. ~

"Well, we have all this time! It was one thing when I thought we only had a few days, but now we have a long time, so...I'm saving it!" I explain, pulling the sheet off. "Whoa, you look like a bum." ~

"You're about a foot taller than me," I smirk, going to sit by him on the bed. "That'll happen." ~

I put my arm around him and lay my head on his. "Still think I wasted three months of your life?" ~

"No...I suppose not." I snuggle into him. "I was looking for something very important." ~

"Hmm?" ~

"You, duh." ~

"I've been looking for something very important my whole life." ~

"And what was that?" ~

"You, duh." ~

I don't have any errors to say...just a kiss. An innocent, but passionate one. Not to lead to anything more, just to feel his lips, maybe his tongue against mine, soft and warm and irreplaceable. ~

I kiss him back, lightly pushing him down to the bed. We're kissing again. On a bed. Safe. Oh my god, he's finally safe. We're both alive and in my house in Victors' Village and making out in my bed. "I missed this," I say through the kiss, "so much." ~

"I missed you," I say, entangling my hands in his hair. "I dreamt of us every night on my way here." ~

"So did I..." Probably not in the way he did. ~

"It took me forever to find a public TV that I could see to figure out if you'd won or not." I was afraid he had died. ~

"Of course I won. I'm perfect." ~

"But what if you hadn't and I was still alive?" I know what I would've done. ~

"Then that would really suck, wouldn't it?" I don't even want to think about him running around, finally finding the recap of the Games, and seeing me slaughtered and some other tribute win. "But I did win. I promised you I would, so I did. I didn't want to disappoint you." ~

"Even if I was dead?" He'd still win for me even if I were dead. ~

"You're not the only one who keeps promises around here." ~

"Cato..." I look over at him. The look in his eyes...it's real. Real love. "No one's ever cared about me like you do." ~

"I don't see why not." I really don't understand how anyone could hate him. He must be modest. "You're a really cool guy." And hot. ~

"Well, not many guys in District Twelve agreed in the way you do. And if they did, I was the example as to why they shouldn't been open about it." ~

"But..." He's an example of how wonderful some people can be. "If they agreed, you could've had a boyfriend when we met." ~

"Then they could've been a bit nicer about disagreeing." ~

"Okay..." I don't want to hear about this. "But I mean, it's good that they disagreed, right? Because if they didn't, you wouldn't be on my bed right now." ~

"Yeah..I guess." I sigh, laying on his pillows. "I mean, I get to be happy now. Just kinda sucks that I can never really get the chance to shove it in their faces. They all wanted me miserable, but look at me now." ~

"What did you do that was so bad, though?" ~

"I was gay?" ~

"But that's not bad...?" Around here, it's not bad. I've known some people that may or may not have been gay, but were definitely flamboyant enough to question it, and no one messed with them. I figured everywhere else was like here. ~

"That's what I thought." I whisper, starting at the ceiling. "But District Twelve thought differently." ~

"Well, then...District Twelve is behind you." I get closer to him and kiss his cheek. "Welcome to District Two." ~

"I can see the sign now... 'Welcome to District Two, we have a gay champion and we love it!'" I crack a smile. "I like it better here because you're here." ~

"Hey! I'm not gay. Unless you heard something about another victor?" I laugh. ~

"You're dating a guy. I think that makes you a little bit gay, at least." ~

"Yeah, a little bit. I'm not completely faithful to the dick!" I lie down next to him. "But I'm completely faithful to you." ~

"First and only everything?" ~

"Define everything?" ~

"That'd take a while..." ~

I sigh, laughing. "First and only relationship, love...anything else? First roommate, bed-mate...that cover it?" ~

"Maybe some more stuff..." I pause. "When the time comes, that is." ~

"What do you mean?" ~

"There are other things I'd wanna share with you, I mean. I just...we have time, now. And now you can maybe hear my life story." I laugh quietly. "And I can teach you more of the Peeta Mellark School of Humor." ~

"Nooo, not that...terrible humor again." It's not terrible. It's cute. ~

"Well...I think I'm funny." I sigh. "And all I've ever really had is myself, so that's good enough for me." ~

"You are funny. Or, you make me laugh...so I'm going to assume you're funny. Unless my sense of humor is just as bad as yours and it isn't really funny at all," I laugh. "But I like it." ~

"Well, thanks." I snuggle up to him nervously, heart pounding. I hope it's okay. ~

He seems so hesitant, so I help him out by pulling him closer to me. "No problem." ~

This is nice. "You're warm." ~

"I am? I thought it was just me that felt how warm it always is." ~

"No, no, it's nice. Your body is just warm." I close my eyes a little. "It's really nice. Because even when I close my eyes, I feel the warmth and know you're still there." ~

"Well, of course I'm here! I would be worried about you being here. You know, after the past few months." ~

"I'm right here. Don't you worry." I give a little smile. "You were worried about me." I half ask, half state. ~

"Yeah, I was..." I sigh. "Can I tell you a secret that no one else knows?" ~

"You can tell me anything." ~

"It's about something that happened like...right after the Games sometime. Before I even left the Capitol." ~

What could it be? Good or bad? "Go ahead," I say, looking up at him. ~

"Well, the Games didn't last for an incredibly long time after you'd gone. I don't know exactly how much time passed, but it was less than a week. So I was thinking about you...and I asked to see President Snow privately, after my final interview and shit." I pause. "I asked him for a huge favor." ~

Stuff like this is unheard of. Or maybe, it happens all the time and we just never hear about it. "What'd you ask?" ~

"Since not a lot of time had passed yet, I figured it would've been my only chance, so I asked if I was allowed to go to Twelve. For a funeral or anything. Or to see a grave, if I was too late. Anything." ~

"You...wanted to go see me?" I was gone. He could've forgotten about me in an instant...but that was his worry. His major request to the President. To come back to Twelve to see me. ~

"I wanted what I thought would be the one private moment with you. That's all I wanted. Just one." Even in the arena, there were cameras everywhere. The entire nation could see us. I wanted to be alone with him for real. ~

"And...probably to get to say goodbye instead of 'see you soon', right?" I could cry. ~

I bite my bottom lip to hold back tears. "Exactly it." ~

"...Well?" ~

"Well what?" ~

"What'd he say? You never finished the story." ~

"Sorry, I just..." Zoned out, thinking about how horrible my goodbye would've been. "Just because I'm a victor, it doesn't mean I have special privileges like that...so I couldn't go. I considered going off anyway, I just...didn't know how." ~

"Can...I be honest with you?" ~

"Mhm..." ~

"I'm glad he didn't let you go." ~

"Right now, knowing that you're here, I'm glad, too." ~

"It's just...here's the thing. First of all...your last memory of me, really, was happy. I wouldn't have wanted you to go to Twelve and see how much I've understated how they feel about me." I take his hand. "You just don't...get it, really, yet. And I wouldn't have been able to warn you. It wouldn't have been a nice last memory. People laughing at your grave, spitting on your coffin..." Sweetheart. "I wouldn't have wanted that for us. You know what I mean...?" ~

"Spitting on your coffin?" What the fuck? ~

"It's exactly like I told you, Cato...you haven't quite gotten it yet. Because you love me...you don't realize how much people could hate me." ~

"Then...I guess they don't understand how much someone could love you." I do so much. ~

"No, they don't. Not even a little bit." I pause. "Well, besides my dad. The rest of them, kids, adults...just hated me." My chest hurts a bit. "So I don't think you would have wanted to see any of that." ~

"I just wish one day, I could beat the shit out of the person that spit on your coffin. Maybe spit on them." ~

"Oh," I laugh. "You don't know how much I'd love that." ~

"Really?" He must really hate the kid who did that. Peeta doesn't seem very capable of hate. "I'd love it, too. What a jerk." ~

"He was probably the king jerk. They were all jerks, though." ~

"Well, I'll personally make sure to beat the crap out of the king jerk for you. I don't know how, or when, but I'll find a way. Or maybe he'll get Reaped for the Games next year." That'd be nice. ~

"As long as he doesn't get all the nice things out of the Games that we did." ~

"Nope. I'll make sure one of my kids tears him apart for you." ~

"I'd appreciate it." I hate him. To just hate me outwardly is one thing, but to mess with me the way he did? You don't do that...not unless you're really sick. "Y'know, that kid's the main reason the nickname sweetheart always made me upset during the Games?" I'm not his sweetheart. ~

"Oh..." That explains a lot. And now I feel a little weird using it. "What'd he do?" ~

"I don't know if that's a today kind of story..." I whisper, holding my hands together. Especially not after a year ago. ~

"Alright, then." Whatever it was, it must've been pretty traumatic. It doesn't seem like he even wants to think about it now. "Just to make sure, that's the only off-limit word, right?" ~

"Uhm..." I think for a minute. "Yeah, as far as I can remember." ~

"So...I can still use...Lover Boy?" I smile. ~

"I like that one." I admit. Whenever he'd call me that before I was his Lover Boy, I always imagined him saying it as a romantic nickname, as opposed to something pulled from the interviews. ~

I need a new one. That one's so tied to the Games. Of course, I'll still call him that. I'll always call him that. Even if I end up, I don't know, marrying the kid one day, I'll still use it. But I still need something else for this new part of our lives. "What about...am I allowed to use Peeta Bread, too?" ~

"Not like I haven't heard that before," I laugh. "But sure. That's fine, too." ~

"Aww, damn it, it's not new?" And I thought I was so clever. "Whatever. I think it's cute. It suits you. Because you're cute." ~

"I'm a baker's son. Course it's not new." I smile. "But thanks." ~

"Baker..." I look up at the ceiling. "You and I should bake a cake for your birthday tomorrow. A day later, but...we should bake a cake." ~

"Sounds great to me." ~

"Yay! And don't worry, we have all the ingredients!" The eggs, the oil, the water, and the boxed mix. This'll be great. And we have the good kind of frosting, too. ~

"I bet they stock you guys well, here." I'm mentally preparing what we're going to need. ~

"Oh, they stock us on everything!" This place is loaded. "And you know, they also stocked us on people to clean up the place and stuff. But as you can see...it's just me and my parents. And you." ~

"Can I ask kind of a personalish question?" ~

"I guess so. Shoot." Personal can be bad. ~

"Why was your mom saying that you had to keep me from your dad?" ~

"He doesn't really like...my feelings for you. We'd both be out of the house if he knew." And probably dead. No, definitely dead. He would be, at least. Peeta's not supposed to be alive right now. ~

"Like my mom, then." I sigh. At least I'm not the only one. ~

"Yeah, you could say that..." I think about the past three months. "He's kinda ignored me since I came back. Not completely, and he acts like he doesn't hate me, but I can feel the difference. So he'd definitely hate you for making me feel that way, so...you just have to stay away. I mean, he's gone for most of the day anyway, so we're allowed to roam the house." ~

"Okay... I was just wondering, that's all." I force a bit of a laugh. "It's just, your District is so connected to the Capitol...you never know, right?" ~

"Yeah, you're not gonna get caught or anything. You'll be fine." ~

"Alright." ~

"Even if you did, somehow...I'd chase after you, so you have my support completely." I'd risk my life to save that boy. ~

"Even if it got you in trouble, too?" He really is something special. ~

"Well, duh. We said together, didn't we?" ~

"Well...that was in the Games. I didn't know..." ~

"But I love you." Love is doing anything for your significant other, even if it costs you something. ~

"And I love you..." ~

Secretly, I've been waiting to hear that for almost my entire life. "That's good to know." ~

"I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again and again. I love you, Cato." ~

"I love you, Peeta." I've known it since that first day. ~

"I love you, you charming bastard." I laugh. ~

"I love you, you little baker." ~

"I love you, even if your room's a mess." ~

"I love you, even if your hair's a mess." ~

"I love you, especially your beautiful eyes." ~

"I love you, especially your sexy body." ~

"You're mine, and I love you." ~

"You're mine, and I'm in love with you, Peeta." ~

"I love you more than I've ever loved anything else in my life, including myself." ~

"I feel the same way." ~

"No one's ever felt that way about me before...and vice versa." ~

"No one's ever felt about me this way, either," I sigh. "Or, I don't think so." ~

"I'm glad you're my first..." I pause. "And only. I didn't just mean that because I was going to die soon, you know. I...hoped you didn't, either." ~

"You would've been my only either way. Even after you'd died, I still considered you my boyfriend. We never did break up, so..." ~

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you moved on, though, you know..." I sigh. "But I'm glad you didn't." ~

"I can't move on from you...I would've felt horrible about it. And not just because I missed you, but because it wouldn't be fair to the person I was dating...loving you, still, while she loved me. It just wouldn't have been right for anyone involved, you know? And...you're the best person I could ever find." ~

"Thank you for that." I smile. "I'm happy you waited around. I came back, see?" ~

"You never left." I talked to him almost every day. ~

"Maybe, deep down, somewhere, you knew I was still alive." ~

"Maybe so," I shrug. I didn't think it would be possible, but here he is. "You were always on my mind, though," I point to my chest, "and right here." ~

"I was getting closer and closer to you every second." There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it, but I did. "I had to come back to you...to see." ~

"Well, not only do you get to see, but you get to stay." ~

"I just had no idea if you won for a while. Then, my mind kept making me doubt, like, what happened after I left, if you found someone new already, if I was just being pitied because I was going to die and I had a crappy life before...all that stuff." ~

"I understand," I sigh. "I mean, I considered trying to find someone new...but I just didn't try because I knew it'd be pointless. There's no one like you." ~

"No matter what...I just wanted you happy. I thought about it a lot, and it's kinda why I didn't come to see you immediately...tested out the waters. Because I thought that, if I came and found you, and you were happy...I couldn't mess up everything for you by rising from the dead, you know?" ~

"It wouldn't have messed anything up, you know. Even if I was with someone, seeing you alive would just make me happier, you know?" ~

"I didn't know, I just...I wouldn't have even let you see me. I couldn't do that to whoever you were with, either." ~

"No, I get it...but I just saw it as, you and I never broke up. It would've been heartless to just go out dating someone after the love of my life just died." Love of my life...okay. That's it. "That stuff needs time to get over, you know?" ~

"I do...but..." Wait. "So...I'm the love of your life?" I feel my cheeks heat up a little. ~

"Um...I think, I mean-if you're okay with that, then yeah." Is this a bad thing or something? ~

"Oh, yes, yes, I am." I rush out. "I just...I'm not used to it." I smile sadly. "You're the love of my life, too. I'm just not used to my love or any sort of feelings being reciprocated. Actually, all I'm really used to is being told that no one'll ever love me. So...that's really nice to hear...a really nice change of pace." ~

"Oh..." People told him that no one would ever love him? Who even does that? Who would know? Personally, I think everybody-almost everybody, that is-can be loved. Just not assholes. They don't deserve it. But Peeta's nice. "Well, get used to it." ~

"I'll do my best." I wish they could all hear this. Every single one of them. ~

Moments like this are perfect for a kiss, so I lean in and give him one. "Looooove you," I say in a sing-song voice. Okay, so maybe the gay behavior in me is starting to come out. ~

I yawn a little. "Love you, too." It's definitely late, and I'm exhausted. It's been a long three months. ~

"You're tired already?" I haven't slept at all, but I don't even know when he last slept. But I don't want to sleep. Not when I can talk to him. ~

"...A little. I haven't really slept somewhere legitimate like a proper bed in...almost four months, really. Being unconscious doesn't count. And I've been travelling here for three months, staying in inns for half-nights, and running the rest of the time...just...maybe a little...tired." ~

"But..." I pout. "You sure you wanna sleep now?" I understand that he's tired, but...I don't want him to disappear when I go to sleep, too. ~

"Yes?" I'm pretty sure. "I'm exhausted, love." ~

"O-okay..." I turn onto my back and pull the covers up over us, only kicking off my shoes and socks, not even bothering to change out of these clothes. They smell like Peeta now, so I want to keep that. "I hope you don't mind, but I like having the windows cracked open when I sleep...like you said, I'm warm." ~

"You do that, too? I usually get in trouble for it because we can't really control the temperature in the house, so my mom'll complain I'm making it too hot or cold or something. I like the breeze." ~

"Okay, good...I don't want you to get cold or anything. It gets kinda cold around here in the winter and stuff, so..." ~

"Betcha it's nothing like Twelve." ~

"I don't know, it's cold here. Mountains and all, but...it's dry a lot of the time, so it's even colder than the temperature says, and we barely even get snow. It sucks." I like to see snow. When I do see flakes out my window, it only ever reaches a thin covering. I hate it. ~

"It snows crazy back home...maybe you'll get to see it, one day." I shut my eyes and cuddle into him, all my clothes on. I'm too tired to even take off my shoes. ~

"Victory Tour, maybe. That's in the dead of winter, so..." So I'll see the snow. Good. ~

"It usually snows when the Victors come around..." I yawn again. "Thank you for the wonderful birthday." ~

I yawn right after he does. It's contagious. "Thank you for the wonderful boyfriend." ~

"Goodnight, Cato... I love you..." ~

"I love you too...so much, Peeta. So much." ~

A/N: D'aw. WARNING, prepare for much fluff (and slight trauma but not too much) ahead. We've got about another 45,000 words until the endings split… A, B or C readers. You decide. I have a personal favorite that I might just tell you all in on…but really, it's up to you. Reviews keep us posting, so let us know what you think! (Peeta) x