Sorry for the long wait. I've just been stuck on this chapter for a long time. I had it done but it was really short and after I made you guys wait so long, I didn't think it was fair. But making it longer is what caused the long break. The good thing about being stuck is that I always end up working on something else in my funk. The something else is usually another Everlark story. I've been stuck so many times that you guys won't believe how many stories are on my laptop. So I kind of need some guidance here. Do you guys want a one-shot, a preview to one of my many ideas? Help me!
But in the meantime, I hope this chapter is worth the wait.
Thank you to all who are patiently waiting for the updates. The next chapter will be up shortly. I promise.
Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply working with the idea.
They continue to see each other all throughout her first year at NYU. Their relationship is fun, everything they want. Everything is perfect but with summer break starting, Katniss can't turn down the offer to visit her mother any longer. She tells Peeta that she's got a thing with Prim that weekend. She doesn't like lying to him but she's more worried about him freaking out over their relationship again. She didn't want anything messing them up again so she goes home without telling him a thing.
Katniss' mother is so eager to see her daughter that the questions just don't let up. Mr. Mellark simply watches with that smile both him and Peeta share. Hours go by and Katniss doesn't notice until a timer goes off.
"Ah! That's dinner!" Mr. Mellark states.
"I'm so happy you're home, sweetie." Her mother says.
"Me too, Mom."
"I know you don't miss me too much over there, what with school and the boys-"
"Mom! It's not even like that." Katniss says. "I'm solely focused on school." She only partially lies; Peeta made up a good chunk of her focus.
"Right." She stands to help her husband when the doorbell goes off.
"I got it!" Mr. Mellark shouts. "Honey, take care of the roast while I get the door." Katniss isn't sure who's at the door and she doesn't care too much at least until she instantly recognizes the stranger's voice. It's the unmistakable voice of Peeta joking around with his father. The voices get closer until they're both standing right in front of her.
Peeta looks at her through squinted, confused eyes while Mr. Mellark smiles at the two of them, oblivious to anything amiss.
"Now it's a family gathering!" Mr. Mellark says before heading off to check on dinner.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were with Prim!" Peeta whispers to her.
"I lied. What are you doing here?"
"I came to see my dad." Peeta takes a seat next to her and sighs. "Why'd you lie to me about where you were going? Did you think I'd have an issue with you coming to see your mother for a change instead of spending it with me? You think I'm that selfish that I can't spare you for a weekend?"
"No. Matter of fact, I know you're the complete opposite. I know you'd give up your happiness before anyone else's." She admits which leaves Peeta even more confused. "I thought if you knew I was coming over here, you'd feel weird about it and then maybe you'd want to break up again like last time." He takes her hand and pulls her into an isolated hallway.
"I told you, Katniss, I want you. I'm in this for the long haul if you are. No more of this we're technically related crap! We're not! I'm serious about us, Katniss." She throws her arms around his neck and kisses him passionately. He can only indulge in the kiss for a moment because reality quickly sinks in. They were in their parents' house and could be caught at any moment. "I didn't mean for that to get out of hand."
"No, it's my fault. Sorry." He shakes his head to dismiss the apology just as they hear someone call that dinner's ready. They take their respective seats across from one another and try not to give themselves away.
"So Katniss," Peeta starts. "How's life at NYU?"
"It's good, can't complain."
"You like living on campus?" Katniss shrugs.
"I wish I had a bit more privacy but my roommate's nice so..." That really wasn't a concern to her, seeing as she spent most nights at Peeta's anyway.
"You know, I might have a solution for you that you might like..." Peeta offers.
"And what might that be?" She asks, a hidden smile trapped behind her lips.
"You could move in with me." Her fork drops at his words. She was just about to put food in her mouth so her mouth is wide open, as are her eyes.
"What?"
"Well, I have an extra room you could stay in and I only live ten minutes from campus." He stares at a wide eyed Katniss. "It's just an idea."
"I think that's a great idea." Mr. Mellark says. "It would save us a lot of money on your tuition."
"But you're free to stay on campus if that's what you want though." Her mother says while she looks at her husband.
"Of course! Like Peeta said, it's just an idea." Katniss stands.
"If you'll excuse me. I don't feel well all of a sudden." She looks to Peeta, who worriedly eyes her. He'd follow her but surely their parents would become suspicious of both of their disappearances.
It's not until late at night that Peeta finally gets to sneak into her bedroom.
"Katniss..." She's tucked into bed but when she hears him, she quickly turns over to look at him.
"How could you spring something like that on me? In front of our parents too?!"
"Katniss, come on." He takes a seat on the edge of her bed. "We've been together for almost a year. This is the next step."
"The next step? Peeta, our parents don't even know about us but you want to move in together?" He grabs one of her hands and kisses it.
"I think you know by now that I love you." Her eyes widen but only for a moment. She thinks she knew that already. With the way he treats her and the way they made love. Yea, she knew it but he's never said it. "Being in NY with you is a dream come true. We can go out, kiss, hold each other's hands and not care who's watching. Here, we can't but that's okay because in NY, you and I are a couple; we're together. I want to be with you. I want to live with you."
"Peeta, this is huge."
"Yea, I know but if you're not sure, it could still only be for the reason I said at dinner; you could save the room and board fees."
"But you lied. You don't have an extra room. That room is your art studio." Peeta scoffs.
"It's just a hobby. Besides, I can move that all into the dining room. No one eats in there anyway." Katniss sits up, caressing the side of his face gently.
"You'd do that for me?"
"For you, of course." She kisses him softly on the lips.
"I wish we were at home." He chuckles against her lips.
"Isn't funny how we think NY is our home?" She laughs.
"Your arms are my home." He wraps her tightly in his embrace.
"Think about it, okay. There's no rush."
Katniss hadn't given an answer to Peeta's proposal while with their parents. But she'd given Peeta a yes on the way back home. Neither one of them had thought it was a bad idea at all at least until their parents planned to visit.
"Peeta, are you sure we can get away with this?" Katniss frantically makes her way through the apartment, making sure everything is set for their parents arrival.
"Relax." Peeta comes around and kisses her softly. "What's there to worry about?"
"Oh...just our parents finding out what we've been doing!" He laughs as he tries to placate Katniss.
"They won't find out."
"Are you sure? Is there anything I haven't put in my room? Or in yours? Is there anything in here that would give us away?!"
"Stop. Everything will be fine." But she's not calm.
"Where are our parents staying?"
"In my room."
"What?! In the room where you and I have sex all the time!? No! What's wrong with my room?"
"Other than the fact that it's not lived in? Nothing really." It's true that when she moved in, she bought a new bed, sheets, and everything but she's never once slept in there. She tried but they'd always end up in bed together anyway. It was really just a cover for this very moment.
"Just let them sleep in my room."
"I'm not letting you sleep on the couch, so I'd offer you my room. But why would you sleep in my room?" Peeta challenges with a smile.
"Fuck!"
"It's okay." Peeta tries again. "We'll play it off. I'll offer my room to them, you'll offer yours, and we'll settle. Okay?"
"Okay." Katniss lets Peeta hold her in his arms. She really did need a hug to release some stress.
"Don't worry so much. We'll be fine." She takes a moment to relax on the couch but the doorbell goes off and she's on her feet again. Peeta makes his way over to the door, turning to Katniss once more. "You're good?"
"Yea."
"Okay." He opens the door and loudly greets his father. They exchange a manly hug before he gives Katniss' mother a hug of her own. "Coming over to check up on us, huh?"
"We haven't been here since Katniss started at NYU. We thought it was about time." Katniss makes her way to them, giving them another set of hugs.
"It's nice to see you, Mom and Patrick."
"Let me take your stuff." Peeta says as he takes the duffel bag his father is carrying. "I'll just put this in my room-"
"No! They're staying in mine!" Katniss fights.
"No...we agreed they'd take my room." Katniss pulls on the strap of the bag around his shoulder.
"No...my room is cleaner."
"No it's not! My room is perfectly fine."
"We can stay on the couch." Her mother offers but Katniss and Peeta continue their argument.
"No, Lily, I'll take the couch and you'll take my room."
"No, Peeta! I'll take the couch."
"I'm not letting you sleep on the couch! That's not the gentleman thing to do."
"I didn't know you were one." Peeta glares at her while she simply smiles.
"Like cats and dogs these two." Peeta's father says with a laugh.
"It's okay, Dad. We got this." He clears his throat before he continues. "You want them in your room, fine!" He marches towards her room before he yells back. "But you're taking mine!"
"Excuse me." Katniss says as she makes her way to Peeta. "Hey..." She runs a hand down his back. "That was great, Peeta."
"I'm not a gentleman? Really?" He asks with a mock pout.
"Sorry. I was just playing along."
"You hurt my feelings, Katniss. Lucky for you that we're already not having sex tonight."
"Aw...poor me." She jokes which makes Peeta whip around to look at her. She laughs as Peeta pushes her behind the bedroom door.
"You love making me hard for you, especially when our parents are around, don't you?" He presses her back against the wall before he kisses her passionately. Her knees buckle from the intensity of the kiss that she has to hold on to Peeta for support. But he pulls back, leaving her like jelly where she stands. "That's what you get!" He leaves her there with a smile on her face. It's definitely not the worst punishment he's dished out.
"Looks like you two have a nice little setup here." Mr. Mellark says.
"Are you two doing alright though? Katniss are you okay with staying here? We could always look into something else if you're uncomfortable." Her mother adds.
"Mom, I'm okay. I'm happy here. And despite Peeta's earlier showing, he's really a great roommate." Katniss assures.
"What earlier showing? I'm always a great roommate. Who cooks because you suck at it?" Peeta fights as he takes a seat next to Katniss.
"I do not suck! I just don't like to cook. Besides, you like to do it so much that I'm not about to take that away from you."
"Yea, yea, yea."
"You two are adorable." Her mother says and it instantly puts Katniss and Peeta on edge. "You get along so well. I always hoped that my daughter and your son would be friends and now they're living together and enjoying it. I couldn't have wished for a better situation."
"Of course, Mom. We're not trying to make your life difficult. Peeta is great."
"Yea, and Katniss is pretty good too." Peeta adds. He places his hand on Katniss' knee and smiles in her direction. "You could even say I love her." Katniss nervously laughs while shoving his hand away.
"Very funny, Peeta." Katniss stares at him incredulously.
"Lily's right. It's good to see our kids getting along."
"Dinner should be just about ready." Peeta says. "Babe, could you-" He cuts himself off but it's not soon enough. He can't think of a way to recover and the silence only becomes more stifling.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," Katniss covers. "I'll set the table." Peeta smiles nervously before heading off into the kitchen. Katniss shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "See? Most of the time..." She enters the kitchen to find Peeta hunched over the counter.
"Shit, Katniss! I almost fucked that up! I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Peeta. We're a team here. We look out for each other." She quickly kisses him then chuckles softly. "It's good to see you sweat here, especially after you were so calm earlier."
"Yea, I didn't think we had anything to worry about but I underestimated just how much I love you." She gently strokes his arm and smiles.
"I love you too and you know, I'm suddenly really upset that you and I can't have sex tonight."
"Who says we can't?" Peeta teases.
"Well for one, you've already established that you're holding out on me and then our parents are here so-" He cuts her off with a kiss.
"Let's get through dinner and we'll see."
Peeta's cooking has everyone full and ready for a nap. It's exactly what Peeta planned but still, he opens up a bottle of wine and makes sure that Ms Everdeen has her fair share. He brings out a few beers for his father and soon enough him and his stepmother are about to fall asleep at the dinner table.
"So sorry you can't drink, Katniss." Peeta teases. "Just for us adults." Katniss glares at him through squinted eyes.
"You look devastated." She says back as he winks at her.
"More wine, Ms E., another beer, Dad?"
"No, no, Peeta. No more." His dad grabs his wife's hand and nudges her out of her seat. "We're going to go off to bed. Good night." Peeta nods along at least until their parents disappear into the bedroom for the night. Peeta keeps one eye on the closed bedroom door while he drags Katniss into the hallway. He backs her into the wall and kisses her passionately.
"I've wanted to do that all night."
"Get it out of your system, Peeta. Nothing can happen tonight." He groans then drops his head.
"Really?"
"Peeta, our parents are in the next room. They could hear us."
"Damn. I know you're right but I don't know if I can hold out another night."
"You have to, stud." She pulls away, leaving Peeta standing there with a pout. He decides to give up on sex for the night. He changes into his pjs and lays down on the couch. He tries to fall asleep but he's too horny to get anywhere close to sleep.
For a long time, Peeta paces the living room until he finally can't take it anymore and heads towards the room Katniss is sleeping in. He stands outside her door for even longer than he's been awake. He simply stands there, unintentionally willing the door open. Katniss stands there really not surprised at all that he's there.
"Are you lost?" Peeta shakes his head. "Good. I'm just going to the bathroom." She sidesteps him but he grabs her arm, pushes her up against a wall, and kisses her. He doesn't expect how passionately she reciprocates the kiss. He quickly pulls down her night shorts before pulling off his own. Katniss throws her arms around him as he lifts her off the ground and enters her. Peeta thrusts into her which draws a moan out of her.
"Shh..." She buries her face in his neck to drown herself out. At least she tries to until he picks up speed.
"Oh fuck, Peeta..."
"Damn it, Katniss!" He whispers harshly. "You have to be quiet!" But he can't help the moan that suddenly escapes him either. He kisses her instead so they can drown each other out but the closer they get to finishing, the louder they get. Their pace quickly becomes frantic and erratic to the point where it causes a rhythmic thumping on the wall. "Oh fuck!"
"Peeta..." Katniss nips at his neck at least until her orgasm hits and she bites down to keep herself quiet. He growls partial from pain and partially from being incredibly turned on.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck...Katniss!" With one last thrust, Peeta holds onto her tightly as he empties himself inside of her. They both hold each other while trying to catch their breaths. "Damn that's good."
"I know." She kisses him sweetly right before he puts her back on the ground. "I love you."
"I love you too." They can't help smiling at each other as they part ways.
"Well I hope you both enjoyed your stay here." Katniss says. She hooks her arm with her mother while leading her out of their apartment. Peeta helps his father with the bags as they follow close behind them. Mr. Mellark stops his son momentarily.
"What's up, Dad?"
"Listen son, it looks like you two have a pretty good setup here."
"Yea. Everything is great." Peeta assures.
"Let me give you some advice then." Mr. Mellark throws an arm around his son's shoulders. "It's important that you respect the women in your life."
"I know, Dad. I'm not sleeping around any more. No more of the old Peeta, Dad. I promise."
"That's good to hear but I'm talking about Katniss."
"Katniss?" For a moment, Peeta thinks the worst: that his father knew about them. Still, he decides to play it cool. "What does she have to do with any of this?"
"Peeta, I heard you last night."
"Oh god! Dad, I can explain. Katniss and I-"
"Peeta, I know your sex life is none of my business."
"Dad-"
"But you can't bring random women into your apartment anymore like when you were living alone. Katniss lives here too. What if she had walked in on you two? You really think she would approve or feel comfortable in her own home?"
"Oh." Peeta chuckles nervously before answering. "Yea, you're right. I should definitely be more careful, for one. And I'd never want to make Katniss uncomfortable."
"Then be careful. It's okay to do that just don't put Katniss in any kind of position." He can't help the blush that covers his features. His father's words are innocent enough but after sleeping with Katniss the night before, the words sound dirty to Peeta.
"I will and I'm sorry you heard us." His father simply smiles then hugs his son goodbye. Katniss wishes him goodbye on the way back into her apartment. "So..."
"Yea?"
"Did your mother say anything to you?" Katniss thinks about it but shakes her head.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. Why?"
"Because my father heard us last night." Katniss shrieks in surprise.
"No! Peeta, how much did he hear?! What did he say?! What are we going to do?!"
"Relax! He thinks I brought a girl over and had sex with her. He doesn't know it was you."
"Aha! So you are the loud one in this relationship!"
"Louder than you because I had to keep you quiet!"
"I-" He pulls her into him and kisses her.
"It's my fault anyway. I should have waited to be with you but I just couldn't. I love you too much to keep away." He admits sweetly so she kisses him.
"But we should definitely be more careful, Peeta."
"We will. I don't want anything messing this up." Katniss caresses his chest softly.
"Our bed was so lonely last night. I never want to sleep without you again." She kisses him again then leads him towards their room.
"Never again."