So in honor of the full trailer being released, I am posting the next chapter (have you guys seen it yet?! UH-MAZING!) Also, I get the meet the Boy with the Bread himself at the end of August and I could not be more stoked. So enjoy this one-little bit of romance, little bit of drama, and lots of Peeta love for his girl on fire. Have a great weekend everyone! XOXOXOXO!
"Would everyone join me in the living room, please?" Effie giggles nervously and Katniss shoots me a baffled look. We follow them into the living room where a roaring fire dances in the fireplace. My head is spinning and I am starting to put two and two together. Is it possible…?
Haymitch clears his throat, as he holds the plate with one hand.
"I uh, asked you two kids to be here for this because, well, you were the ones who taught me how great love could be. And uh, as I already said, I'd be lost without you three. I spent so many years being angry and vengeful and numb, so when I met you two…it kind of made me wake up and feel again. I didn't like it immediately and lord knows we have all been through hell to get here. What I'm trying to say is, thank you," he nods to Katniss and me. "I'd uh…I'd be dead without you two always checking up on me. And you, princess," he turns to Effie and grasps her hand. "You brought light back into my life even when I wanted to stay in the darkness. You helped mend my shattered heart and I know it hasn't been easy. But I don't ever want to spend a day without you by my side." He rips the cover off the plate and I notice a loaf of freshly baked bread, what I think is my father's banana bread recipe. Katniss gasps and her hands fly to her mouth as she realizes what is happening. Effie casts us a nervous glance, but smiles and takes the plate from Haymitch. They kneel together in front of the fireplace and Haymitch holds the bread between them.
"Will you, Effie Trinkett, be mine forever?"
"Oh Haymitch, of course I will."
He passes me the plate and smiles. "You're the only one who should be tearing the bread." I grin as I tear the loaf into two chunks and hand each of them a piece. They move closer to the fireplace and Effie looks nervous.
"Just hold it close to the fire." She still looks uncertain and doesn't get too close. Haymitch's is much crisper than hers is but neither of them care. They feed each other and kiss and Katniss burrows into my side, letting out a soft sigh. I just watched my former mentor and escort toast and begin a new life together. This day has certainly been full of surprises.
After their toasting, Haymitch goes to make some hot chocolate and he and Effie curl up on the couch. Katniss and I both feel we should give them some privacy but Haymitch presses a cup into my hands.
"Stay," he says softly. "You two are the only ones we want to see right now."
"Effie, what are your wedding traditions in the Capitol," Katniss asks as she blows on her hot chocolate.
"Oh, the Capitol likes to do huge fancy weddings. Gigantic wedding dresses with ridiculously long trains. Huge rings that weigh heavily on your fingers. Haymitch and I both agreed we wanted something very small and intimate. We were talking about going to a little chapel while we were in the Capitol but both of us wanted you darlings there. And so here we are." As she waves her hand, I suddenly notice a pretty silver band woven with diamonds. It looks perfect on Effie's dainty finger. I'm sort of surprised that she has strayed away from all Capitol traditions. Haymitch's ring is silver too, but looks thicker and more masculine. I sip at my hot chocolate and notice a splash of cinnamon that tastes spicy on my tongue. I glance up at Haymitch and he smiles.
"I had it in my chocolate on our way back from the Capitol and really liked it. Thought you might too."
"This is delicious, Haymitch," Katniss whispers. She's shivering a little so I move us onto the floor, closer to the fireplace. I stretch my legs out so she can lean back against my chest and I wrap my arms around her. Her hands cling to my arms as she rests her head on my shoulder and she closes her eyes. I glance up at Effie and Haymitch and see them smiling down at us.
"Katniss, dear…would you do me one favor on my wedding night?"
"Anything Effie."
"Would you sing?" Katniss looks up at her and bites her lip. Effie looks hopeful and Haymitch just smiles.
Once again dear it's June time
All the flowers they bloom as of you
And the robin's sweet song is singing
As I walk here to greet you once more
A year has passed dear since I came here
This old love of ours to renew
And I found you among the flowers
The day I came back to you
I found you among the flowers
The day I came back to you
All my gladness was there in a garden so fair
Was the happiest moment I knew
Your lips were the color of roses
I pray them as flowers pray the dew
It was there dear in your rose garden
Where I found you
I close my eyes and listen to my wife's sweet voice and hear Effie sigh deeply.
"That was beautiful, Katniss. Thank you." She smiles and turns her head so her forehead is close enough for me to kiss. I push her hair from her eyes and kiss her above her brow, right on her scar.
"I think we should probably get home before the snow gets worse," I whisper and I help Katniss to her feet. We hug Haymitch and Effie and she kisses our cheeks.
"Thank you for being here for this," she says as she hugs me.
"Thank you for allowing us to be a part of it." Katniss smiles at Haymitch and he rolls his eyes.
"Get over here." He tugs her in for a tight embrace and she looks like she will cry. Haymitch, too, is pretty teary-eyed.
"Congratulations again," she whispers as she turns to me and wraps me in her arms. We stumble out into the frigid cold and we are shivering as we make our way into the house.
I kneel in front of the fireplace and make a fire of our own as she goes up to change for bed. When I'm satisfied, I head to the kitchen and start heating up more chocolate. When she comes back down she's wrapped in a thick bathrobe that drops to her feet. I motion for her to join me and hand her a mug of chocolate. She smiles when she sees the many marshmellows floating on top. I lean against the couch and she rests against me as we sip our chocolate and stare into the dancing flames. She sets her mug aside and turns into me, her hands resting on my face. I bring my head down to kiss her and it is gentle and feathery-light. She places soft kisses over my face and comes back to my lips, sucking on my bottom lip a little. I wrap my arms around her and bring her into my lap so she is straddling me and I hear her gasp when she notices how hard I've gotten in the few seconds of our kissing. She grinds against me and I let out a moan as I press my forehead to hers. Her hands are in my hair and she grinds against me again. I lean down and tug on her bottom lip with my teeth, and feel her fingers tug at my curls. My hands drift down to her waist and inside her robe. My heart and cock both leap when I realize she is only wearing underwear underneath. I capture her gaze as I open the robe and slide it down her arms. The way the light of the fire dances on her skin makes my heart race. She has the most beautiful glow about her and her hair is soft and wavy around her shoulders. I run my hand down her throat, down her chest, and even lower to grasp her ass. I feel her hands slide under my own shirt and before I know it, she is lifting it over my head.
Her fingernails trail down my abdomen and I shiver. She lowers her head and I feel her tongue at my throat. My eyes close lazily at the sensations and I vaguely register her unbuttoning my pants. I lift her up and grab the cushions from the couch, then gently lower her to her back. I'm careful not to get too close to the fireplace but it is a cold night and I don't need her getting sick. All I want to do is make her writhe and scream. I haven't heard her cry out my name in weeks. Something about the way my name falls from her lips as she comes , it's just the most beautiful sound in the world. I hover over her, half my body on top while the other lies beside her. My tongue explores her mouth as my hand explores her perfect flesh. I sneak my hand into her panties and she arches her back as I trail my fingers around her center, teasing but not touching. My caresses are so fluttery and light and she grips my hair tightly as her tongue wraps around mine. The taste of Katniss combined with the chocolate drives my senses into overload. My fingers find her wet and wanting and I slowly push a single digit into her, moaning against her mouth when I feel her clamp down on me. Adding a finger, I thrust very slowly and spread her wetness around with my thumb. She jerks when I hit that special spot and I can feel her legs shaking. I tear away from her lips and she lets out a moan of protest but I give her a look that assures her I intend to keep kissing her, just not on her mouth. She watches me with darkened eyes as I lower myself over her and pull her panties down her around her legs, gripping her thighs in my hands. I massage her inner thighs and she trembles as I get closer to my destination. My tongue darts out and I give her the gentlest lick possible before I am placing soft kisses over her thighs and on her clit.
"Peeta," she whispers, her head thrown back and her hand still in my hair. I keep my eyes on her as I increase my licks, but only slightly. I am straining against my jeans but I keep my focus on her. I'll see to her pleasure tonight, to hell with my own. She bucks her hips upwards, urging me to go faster but I keep nice and still. I have learned that prolonging pleasure can make it that much more fantastic. Katniss is not a patient person by any means. The longer I can hold off on making her come, though, the more intense it is. She realizes what I am doing and she leans up, holding my hair with one hand and starting to grind against my mouth. But I'll have none of that. I reach up and hold her hips down, infuriating her more when I move up to kiss her belly before I come back to her throbbing clit.
"Unng! Peeta!"
"Patience, love," I whisper as I kiss her bellybutton. One of my hands finds her breast and I gently tug at her nipple between my two fingers. My other hand dives into her folds again. I absolutely love to watch her writhe underneath me, her muscles rippling and her entire body shaking. Her panting increases, her moans get louder, and I know she's close. I suck her clit into my mouth and feel her squeezing against my fingers. She's still except for her chest heaving up and down, an occasional tremor overtaking her beautiful body. I withdraw my fingers and wipe them clean with my tongue before I move back to her mouth. Her hands grasp my face and hold me close as my tongue finds hers. She lowers her hand and I feel her rubbing me through my jeans. She's noticed how hard I am and she leans up so she can tug my jeans off. I help her in pushing them, and my underwear off, and I lean over her. She grips my biceps and stares up at me, her eyes so full of love that it makes me feel weak and my arms start to shake.
"We'll go slow," I tell her and she nods. I've held off from making love to her while she gets better. As I slowly push into her, we let out matching moans and it dawns on me how long it has been since I have been inside her. I lean down to kiss her as I take my time, sliding in and out of her so she can feel every inch of me. It takes some time for our orgasms to build but since this is one of my favorite places to be, I have no complaints about it taking long. Tiny droplets of sweat break out on her skin and I look down to see our two bodies merging together. I reach down and rub at her clit with my thumb, feeling her tense around me. Her orgasm milks me of mine and I fall on top of her, pushing her damp hair from her sweaty face. We're both shuddering and panting and she bites her lip as she runs a finger across my brow.
"I love you," she says softly and I take her hand and kiss her palm.
"Please never stop saying that."
"I'll say it as many times a day as you want me to." She leans up and takes my face in her hands, kissing me and saying those precious words with every touch of her lips. I close my eyes and allow her to bathe me in her love. I reach up and grab the blanket off the couch and bring it over our naked bodies. She settles in my arms and is asleep in minutes. I watch her sleep for a moment before I lie next to her and join her in sleep.
When I wake up there is a blanket of snow on the ground, several inches high. Snow still falls from the sky and the clouds look dark and angry. I'd intended to go back to work today but I contemplate calling and telling everyone not to come in. I pull on my underwear and give Katniss a soft kiss as she continues to sleep. I shiver as I push the covers aside, noting how cold the room has gotten without the fire to warm us. I decide to stoke the fire a bit first, putting more wood over the crackling embers and have another fire crackling and spreading warmth over the room. I pull the blankets tighter around Katniss and watch her sleep for a moment. Something about her sleeping naked in front of the fireplace, covered by my blankets that Dad gave me when I moved out, blankets that I slept with when I was just a boy, dreaming about kissing Katniss, just sends a calm and peaceful feeling over me and the entire house. With one last glance at my wife, I head up to the Study and call Rory, who is supposed to open the bakery today. I'm glad Hazelle allowed me to install a phone for them. I don't imagine they ever thought they would use one, growing up in the Seam, but with times changing and Hazelle moving into a larger house, it's normal for most houses to have phones now. It certainly makes things easier for me as an employer, I have to say.
We agree that the bakery will be open for part of the day and he says he is fine with going in. I quickly apologize for all of my absences but he scoffs into the phone.
"Peeta, Katniss has been sick! I wouldn't expect anything less of you."
"Yeah but it's still my business-"
"It's Mellark Family Bakery. You are going to take care of your family first and foremost," he says patiently and I smile.
"Alright, thanks Rory. Please take a couple of loaves for you and your family, along with my gratitude."
"Have a good day, Peeta. Tell Katniss we are thinking about her. Mom says to call her if she needs anything."
"We will. Thanks again Rory."
"Bye Peeta." I hang up and pull on a pair of flannel pants and socks. I still walk with an awkward little limp but Aurelius assured me he is having Izzy create a new one and it should be here in a few weeks. I decide things could be a lot worse.
I hurry to the kitchen and start taking out ingredients from the cabinets. I'm lost in my world of baking and of course I can never hear her when she enters a room. I feel two small hands on my chest and I jump.
"Sorry," she laughs in my ear.
"You're too damn quiet for your own good."
"It helped keep me alive for years," she reminds me and I turn to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. I smile when I see that she is wearing nothing but one of my shirts, which barely covers her thighs. Her hair is down and loose around her shoulders, what Johanna calls "sex hair". She's always beautiful to me but when I see her like this, I can hardly contain my heart. She's so uninhibited and vulnerable and I am the only one who ever sees her like this. I lean in for a kiss and hear her stomach grumble and I pull away with a chuckle.
"Let me finish making us breakfast before you distract me even more." She grins but leans against the counter and watches me measure out the ingredients.
"Here, why don't you stir while I add the berries?" She nods and takes the spoon from me so that I can finish preparing the berries for the batter. She follows my instructions and soon, the kitchen is filled the delicious smell of muffins. Katniss pours us milk and sits down and I am about to join her when I hear a knock at the door.
"Isn't it snowing outside," she says in disbelief, already on the way to open the door.
"Katniss, you're naked," I hiss as I quickly follow her and she glances at me before she pulls the door open and gasps.
"Oh, um…Gale." She blushes bright red and I see Gale's eyes widen then dart up to the ceiling.
"Umm, Katniss, why don't you, uh, get dressed so we can talk?" I bite my lip to keep from laughing. With the amount of clothes we have between us, I can only imagine what Gale is thinking right now. And I won't lie. I feel kind of smug about it.
"Why don't you, uh, come in and have some muffins? I'll be right back," she mutters before rushing up to our bedroom. I clear my throat and show him to the kitchen and offer him a muffin, which he promptly refuses.
"I'm on duty," he says softly. "Though I remember how good they always smelled whenever I came to trade at the bakery."
"No one else is here, Gale. Have one." I see him arguing with himself before he takes it and sniffs it a little before biting into it.
"Mmm. This is really good, Peeta."
"Thanks. Dad's recipe." His face softens and he nods.
"He'd be really proud of you." My brow quirks at his soft tone but before I can answer, Katniss re-enters the room, fully dressed. Now I am the awkward one here, with my bare chest showing. She tosses me a t-shirt and gives me a smile. She turns to Gale and gestures for him to sit but he shakes his head and stands beside the table.
"I won't be long, Katniss. I have been trying to speak to you about your kidnapping incident but Peeta has refused to let me see you."
"She's been resting," I can't help my heated tone. "Her mother said we needed to let her sleep as much as possible."
"Alright, don't fight about it," Katniss says irritably. "Yes Gale, I have been resting and getting better. But I am getting back to normal, thanks for asking." He flushes.
"That's not what I…I didn't mean…Katniss, I'm Head of Security. We are concerned with your safety and want to track down the bastards who threatened your life."
"Didn't you already put them in jail," I ask.
"The two who kidnapped her, yes we did. But the Red Revolutionaries is a terrorist group. We located the hideout of their leader and apparently there are still a few who are are on the run. Katniss, during your captivity, did you hear anything that could help us find the rest of them?" She shakes her head no.
"They kept me drugged most of the time," she says in an offhand way. Gale and I both clench our jaws. "I was bound and gagged and they didn't really speak to me much. I heard them talking about their leader…Teacher, I think they called him. And the morning after they captured Peeta, they found out that Teacher had been arrested. So they said they were no longer waiting for orders. They wanted to go ahead and kill me."
"President Paylor personally questioned the leader of the group. He said their plan was to bring you back to 13 and give you a trial in front of the remaining citizens. He said he wanted it to be a fair trial but that most of 13 wants you dead for what you did to their president. Your execution was a topic of heated debate."
"What do you mean," I speak up. Gale swallows.
"The leader said he called for a quick death penalty. Something relatively painless and very quick. But the rest of his group were more…blood-thirsty. They threw out ways to execute Katniss and let's just say, it makes the Hunger Games look tame." I feel sick and Katniss goes pale. I reach for her hand and feel her trembling.
"They won't come after you again. Their leader is locked up and they have no way of receiving orders."
"What if they decide to take matters into their own hands, like those two men," she says quietly. "They nearly killed you, Peeta!" Gale frowns and looks between us in confusion.
"What do you mean? You were the target. Their leader said they wouldn't hurt any other Victors."
"They used him to get to me," she says in a choked voice. I squeeze her hand and she chokes back tears.
"Ah, I see. Leverage. They told you to go with them and Peeta would be free."
"Something like that," I mutter.
"No," she says shrilly. "They held a gun to his head, Gale. And promised me they would kill him. Of course I was going to go with them!"
"Alright, let's back up a bit. The morning of your kidnapping. What happened?"
"I…I don't remember. I wasn't speaking to anyone. I hadn't left the house in at least a week. I refused to let anyone in or pick up the phone. I just sat in that rocking chair, wrapped in a blanket."
"And this isolation was due to your depression over Peeta abandoning you?" Katniss's eyes narrow.
"Don't try to be a therapist, Gale. It doesn't suit you."
"I'm just trying to get the facts straight, Katniss."
"What does it matter why she was depressed," I say angrily. "The point is she let her guard down and they took her. What else do you need to know?" Gale glares at me.
"Pretty words from the man who promised to stay by her side forever and then up and left her." I stand up, my chair flying back and Katniss jumps up beside me, her hand on my chest.
"Peeta, stop. Gale, if you're going to be like this, you can leave. I don't have to tell you anything." His nostrils flare but he takes a step back.
"You're right. I apologize. To both of you," he nods at me. "So you were depressed and you didn't hear them in your house. I take it they drugged you?"
"I felt a needle in my arm and then I blacked out. I woke up in the barn, wrapped tightly in ropes. I couldn't see, I couldn't speak, and I couldn't move. No one spoke for the longest time and then finally I started to hear voices talking about how long it would be before someone came looking for me. They seemed relieved that Peeta was gone…said he was completely out of the picture and it would be only too easy to kill me." I see Gale heave a breath and nod.
"That's what their leader said when President Paylor questioned him. He said there had been several stationed in 12, keeping an eye on you both and reporting back to him. When they reported that Peeta had left, and it seemed like he was gone for good, the leader declared it time to take her to 13 for her trial. They didn't count on Peeta coming back. Their leader said it was explicit orders not to harm any other victors. Annie, Johanna, and Haymitch were all safe."
"As long as they didn't find her," I speak up. "Sorry but I refuse to believe they would have left them alone if they had stumbled upon that barn instead of me."
"How did you find her, Peeta?" I glance at Katniss and see her watching me, and I sigh.
"I started seeing things on TV…I discovered that Katniss was missing. I know a lot of people thought she had disappeared to come find me. I didn't believe that. Haymitch didn't either. One night I called Haymitch and told him I was coming home to find her. We searched for several days, almost a week, to come up with nothing. When you and your soldiers went to search the woods, Finn mentioned to me that he thought he saw a light from the barn one night. I guess they lit a fire to keep warm or something so I decided to check it out. As I came closer to the barn, I saw movement in the window. I didn't see Katniss but I saw two men dressed in the District 13 uniforms. I burst in, meaning to surprise them, but they were too quick for me. They had me tied up and blindfolded before I could yell for help. I think only minutes after my capture they showed me that Katniss was alive." I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into me. Talking about that night makes me shiver and all I want to do is disappear under the covers with my wife by my side and hide from the world.
"And then they used you for leverage against Katniss," Gale says quietly. "Alright. Now Katniss, Haymitch reported several injuries including a fractured arm. Did it happen when you were trying to escape?"
"Yes," she says softly. "After I heard Peeta's voice," she breaks off and looks up at me. I gently stroke her cheek and she holds my hand to her cheek. She clears her throat and blinks back tears. "Um, after I discovered that Peeta had come back, I decided to try to escape. I waited until they were asleep and I tred to crawl to the door. I was tied up so couldn't really move. The damn barn made too much noise and woke them up and one of them men threatened to kill me if I took another step. I fell into the trough, which was full of icy cold water, and the man grabbed me and twisted my arm back. I felt something crack but they drugged me again and I didn't wake up until I heard Peeta's voice again." She takes a deep breath and finds my hand again.
"When they drugged me that time, it wasn't…the normal drugs. Something was different about it. I hallucinated…saw terrible things… and I wanted to scratch my very veins out." Her words make my blood run cold. I know that feeling all too well. I can't believe those sons of bitches injected her with that. How did they even get a hold of it?
"Some other kind of drugs," Gale questions, looking confused.
"Tracker-jacker venom," I say solemnly, staring straight at Katniss. I see Gale start angrily out of the corner of my eye. Katniss looks wary as she meets my eyes before they lower back to the floor. I see her clench and unclench her fist and the pain she felt is evident in her eyes. Since my recovery in the Capitol, it has been decreed that only medical professionals may have access to tracker-jacker venom. It's expressly forbidden to have it in your possession. Then again, it's expressly forbidden to kidnap the Mockingjay!
"Anyway," she clears her throat. "I was, uh, bound and gagged and blindfolded but they brought him over to me and taunted both of us. I knew I was sick and weak and probably wouldn't last another day in that barn. So when they said I had to go with them or Peeta dies, I agreed. And that's when Peeta yelled for Haymitch and you all burst in." Gale nods and writes something on his little notepad.
"Alright. That's all I need for now. Thank you both very much for your cooperation. Katniss, you get to feeling better, alright?"
"I already am. Thank you." He nods.
"I'll be reporting back to President Paylor and give her your statements. Most likely there will be a trial for the entire group and the President will decide on a just punishment. Rest assured, once we find the rest of the group they will be dealt with harshly." He shakes my hand and seems hesitant when he reaches out toward Katniss. But she stands up on her tiptoes to hug him and his arms wrap around her briefly before he pulls back.
"Take care, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," he says formally before he is gone from the room. I go to the lock to the door behind him and turn back to Katniss, whose eyes are on the ground.
"You ok?" She jumps and looks up at me.
"I'm fine. I just wish…I just wish that 13 knew who Coin really was. Maybe they wouldn't want to kill me so badly if they knew what she did."
"It doesn't matter," I say gently as I reach for her. "They're not going to hurt you. I won't leave your side ever again."
"Peeta, I don't want our lives to be like this. Like, looking over our shoulders and waiting for the next attack. Waiting for the Games to be reinstated. I am so tired of living in fear."
"The Games are over, Katniss. And once the rest of the terrorists are found, the group will be abolished. Don't worry so much. Try to live your life and enjoy it. Find moments to make you happy and remember how loved you are." She approaches me and wraps her arms around my neck, gazing up into my eyes.
"I love you," she says softly. I stroke her cheek and she kisses my knuckles.
"Why didn't you tell me what they drugged you with," I say softly. She looks up, biting her lip.
"What difference would it have made? I didn't even really hate them for it. They said I was feeling what you felt for so long and I agreed with them." I close my eyes and shake my head as I pull her closer.
"No Katniss. Don't EVER say that again."
"It's true, Peeta. You said a long time ago that you feel like you were never really punished for trying to kill me. I was never really punished for everything that I have done to you-"
"Me trying to murder you wasn't enough punishment," I ask in disbelief.
"No," she says simply. "When I got shot in 2, all I could think of was that I deserve this." I drop her hands and cover my eyes with my hands as I turn away. Will we ever feel the slightest bit normal again? Will these feelings of guilt never leave us? We have both been through so much that it would be stupid to try to compare our situations. I just know that we wouldn't survive without each other. I guess that's all I really need to know. Anything else is irrelevant. So I tell her so. She merely nods and kisses me. Hearing Katniss's account of what happened makes me feel a little bit more at ease. When we first took her to the hospital, they all asked her what had happened but she was still weak, dizzy even from her captivity. I was terrified that the men had done…something else to her but was too afraid to ask. The doctor wasn't. I remember being in that room and holding her when the doctor asked her about it. At first I could see she didn't understand. When her mother tried to clarify it for her, I saw her turn pale and I just wanted to rip my own heart out. If they had done that to my wife, I would go straight to the president and demand the death penalty. But she assured us nothing like that had happened and I tried to push it to the back of my mind. Since our rescue, though, I have had nightmares consisting of the same thing. Yet one more thing to add to my growing list of night terrors. I hope she doesn't mind that I keep her wrapped tight in my arms until we die, because that's my plan.
I easily lift her up, her legs wrapping around my waist. I lean up to capture her lips with mine and in doing so, position us so that her center is grinding right against my cock. We both gasp and she slides down to the floor, her fingers frantically pulling at the ties of my pajama pants. I won't complain about the snowstorm District 12 is getting at this moment. It allows me more time to focus on the important things in my life, like my wife.