I can't thank everyone enough for all the ongoing support. Thank You.
Disclaimer: I'm only working with the idea. I don't own anything.
It was about a month since their dinner with Finnick and Annie. Both Katniss and Peeta had to start fulfilling their roles in their new lives, meaning starting their new jobs. Peeta was back to the job he had in college; he was a personal trainer. Down the street, Katniss was teaching anyone who wanted to learn archery over at the recreational center. She hadn't taught archery since summer camp back in her high school days. She was a little rusty when she started, but she got her mojo back quickly.
The rec center was holding a mixer in hopes it would introduce teachers and instructors to current students and possibly draw in new business by getting new students to join. Katniss had politely declined to attend. She remembered what Peeta had told her about going out, which was fine with her because she didn't want to go anyway. That was until Annie, who also worked there, insisted she go. Annie was persistent, much like her husband. Katniss couldn't get away.
"You were the one who told me that we shouldn't be friends with people..." Peeta yells to her from his room. He was once again adjusting his tie in the mirror. He groaned. He thought that being out in the field would give him a break from the suits, but he was wrong.
"It's not like I agreed to it! Annie was the one who insisted!" Katniss yells back.
"And you couldn't say no?"
"Like you said no a few weeks ago when we went to dinner with her and her husband. Or last week when Finnick forced you to go golfing with him. How about next week when we have to go fishing with them?" Katniss was now standing in the doorway watching him struggle with his tie. Peeta had to do a double take when he saw her in the mirror. She was stunning in a knee high, light green dress. His breath caught when he saw her approaching him. Peeta looked back at his reflection. His dress shirt was a similar color to her dress.
"Shit!" He groaned, ripping the tie from his neck and throwing it on the bed.
"Calm down, It won't be that bad." Katniss told him while picking up the tie. "I hope."
"No it's not that." Katniss gave him a look. "It's partially that, but now..." He pointed to his shirt, then her dress. "We're too matchy."
"I could go change..." Katniss tells him.
"No. You look beautiful. I'll change." Katniss looks to the floor in an attempt to hide her blush. Whoever had ransacked her place before she was sent here, managed to put it in the bag the FBI had given her. The dress was her favorite, but she didn't think she was anything special in it. She turned her head up to decline the compliment, just as Peeta unbuttoned the last button on his shirt, fully revealing his chest to her. It was Katniss' turn to lose her breath as she admired him. She started with his broad shoulders, down to his muscular pecks, and finally his six-pack. Was she drooling? She quickly turned around.
Peeta hadn't noticed her staring as he made his way over to his closet and pulled out a red shirt instead. He picked another tie out, before walking over to Katniss, who had her back to him still. He reached over her shoulder, taking the tie she still had a hold of. She turns quickly towards him.
"This isn't going to match anymore." He tells her with a smile. Katniss wasn't going to stop blushing at him today. She hoped he hadn't noticed. She quickly shook her head and cleared her throat.
"You know, you don't need to wear a tie. It's casual."
"Yea?" He asks her. Katniss only shakes her head. Peeta throws his blazer on and turns to her. "How do I look?"
Katniss stood there in thought. Could she tell him he looked sexy as hell? He had told her she looked beautiful and they still had their game going from dinner with the Odairs.
"Like you don't belong!" Katniss tells him with a laugh. She starts walking towards the door to leave his bedroom.
"No?" She shakes her head at him. "I don't look like a teacher's husband?" She shakes her head again.
"You're too good looking." She mumbles.
"Me?" Katniss stops walking. Her eyes go wide when she knows he's heard her. She turns to him just as he reaches her. "What about you?"
"Me? What about me?" Katniss asks him.
"You're..." He stops talking. He tries to figure out the best way to tell her she's hot without offending her. "Let's just say, you wouldn't be able to call me up to the front of the class..." He gives her a grin and walks past her, heading downstairs.
Katniss stands in the doorway thinking about what he said. "Why wouldn't you be able to-" she stops talking. "Oh."
Peeta's waiting for her by the door with her coat in hand. Katniss reaches for it, but Peeta pulls it away. "Let me." He tells her.
"I can do it." Katniss tries.
"Come on! Let me be a good husband." Peeta gives her a cheeky smile. Katniss only sighs as she complies.
"Peeta, what's the plan tonight?" Katniss turns to look at him.
"Well, how do you want to do this?"
"I'm not a big party person or a big talker."
"I could do the talking, if you don't mind."
"What? You're going to stick by my side the entire night?"
"Why not? I am your husband after all." Katniss looks away shyly. "What did I tell you when we first met?" Peeta asks. Katniss looks lost. "I take care of my wifey. Now, come on. We're going to be late!" He grabs her hand and leads them outside to the car.
"Katniss!" She had barely made her way into the building and Annie was on her, hugging the life out of her.
"Did you bring your gun?" Katniss mouths to Peeta. Peeta only smiles at her.
"You got dragged to this thing too, huh?" Finnick approaches Peeta with an outstretched hand.
Peeta takes it with a grin. "Are you kidding? I had to drag this one here." He says gesturing towards Katniss.
"Yea right." Katniss says as Annie finally releases her. She makes her way over to Peeta who has his arm open to her. She cuddles into him as he wraps his arm around her.
"I think that's the best position for you." Annie tells her.
"What?" Katniss asks her.
"There! Under Peeta." Annie says. Peeta starts laughing and Katniss blushes.
"Under Peeta..." he repeats under his breath. Katniss looks up at him with a scowl. "What? She said it!"
"What are you talking about Annie?"
"Don't act like you don't know..." Katniss shakes her head. "Oh well, the men," she points back at several groups of men around the room. "They kind of have an eye out for the hot, new teacher."
Peeta laughs again. Katniss slaps his chest. "I told you!" Peeta tells her.
"You're telling me that these men are here for me?"
"To join your class, so you would be hands on and all that." Annie tells her making Finnick laugh. He throws an arm around Annie.
"Don't worry! They do it to all the new teachers!" Finn tells them.
"What? Creep on women? Great!" Katniss says.
"Hey, but you're good. They'll see you with him and that ring on your finger, they'll back off."
"Don't worry, baby!" Peeta kisses Katniss. "I got your back!"
True to his word, Peeta never left her side. He dragged her over to every one of the small groups that had formed. He introduced himself as her husband, which disappointed several of the males in the room. Even with the disappointment, several of the party goers still signed up for the class she taught. She was still being hit on by guys, even with Peeta next to her. Still, she had never been so happy to be married in her life.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick. You going to be okay for a few minutes?" Katniss shakes her head at Peeta. "Okay." He ducks down and gives her a kiss.
"Everybody loves him." Annie creeps up on her.
"He's good at that. Very personable." Katniss tells her while sipping her drink.
"I can see why you fell for him."
"Oh yes. Very sexy." Katniss says.
"Not only that. He speaks very highly of you." Annie looks at her.
"Does he?"
"He knows a lot about you. It's sweet how well your husband knows you." Annie tells her. Katniss laughs nervously. Peeta must have been reading her file constantly.
"Yes, he's sweet like that." Katniss takes a sip of her drink, when her eye catches another partygoer giving her a look. She squints at him as something about him just seems off to her. She sees the man start walking towards her. Just then, Peeta comes back.
"Miss me?" He kisses her again.
"Actually, yes. Dance with me?" She asks him. He doesn't even get a chance to respond as Katniss pulls him towards the dance floor. They begin to sway to the rhythm of a particularly slow song before Peeta starts talking.
"You going to tell me what's wrong." Peeta asks.
"What makes you think something is wrong?"
Peeta sighs, "Katniss, if something is wrong, it's not about you keeping it from me, like a wife might from her husband. You have to tell me so that I can protect you."
"It's nothing. Just some guy was looking at me weird."
"Like I'm attracted to you weird or I might be trying to kill you weird?" Katniss stopped dancing. She had to think about it. Could that be what was off about him before? But either way, she wasn't sure.
"I don't know." She tells him honestly. Peeta continues moving them to the music.
"Where is he?" Katniss turns them a little.
"He should be behind me." Peeta looks up discretely and sees the man Katniss is talking about. Something about the man just didn't sit right with him. His gut had never been wrong and right now it was throwing up red flags. When it came to Snow, Peeta couldn't risk anything. Now, he just had to figure out a way for them to leave.
"Kiss me." Peeta tells her.
"What?!" Katniss asks him.
"You're game right?" Katniss shakes her head slowly. "Good!" Peeta crashes his lips onto hers. Katniss doesn't respond to his kiss. "Can you give me something here?"
"Give you something?"
"Make out with me, like you want to take me home!" Peeta peppers kisses on her chin, then down to her neck.
"I'll give you something." Katniss lifts his head up and begins making out with him. She forces her tongue into his mouth, which causes Peeta to open his eyes in shock. He quickly recovers and pulls Katniss in tight against him. When he does, Katniss can't help but notice how close her lower half was to his. Was he hard? She moaned against his mouth at the thought.
"Peeta..." She says breathlessly. "Is that your gun or are you just happy to see me?" He chuckles.
He smiles at her before he gives her one more kiss and pulls her towards the exit. They walk past Annie and Finn, who stare at them curiously. "I'm going to take her home!" Finnick gives him a fist bump before Peeta pulls Katniss away.
When they got home, Peeta told her to get some rest. When she changed into her pajamas and never heard Peeta come up to his bedroom, she went downstairs in search of him.
She found him on the phone in one of the spare bedrooms downstairs. Katniss hadn't realized he had created an FBI headquarters in their house.
"Alright. Just let me know if anything comes up."
"Peeta?" He turns to look at her after he hangs up.
"Hey! Go back to bed."
"When are you coming to bed?" She ask him. Something about having him sleeping right down the hall from her, comforted her. So now, she couldn't sleep with him still downstairs.
He smirks at her, "Why? You need a cuddle buddy?" Katniss laughs as she approaches his desk. She picks up a sketch of the guy who had concerned Peeta at the party. The sketch was completely detailed. It was like she was looking at the guy standing right in front of her.
"Wow! This is really good!" Katniss tells Peeta.
"I used to be a sketch artist for the local police department before I became an agent."
"So, is he trying to kill me?" Katniss asks.
"Elliot Marvel." Peeta tells her while handing her a file. The file consisted of a picture of the man at the party along with several other details, like address, occupation, etc. "He lives in the area. Seems to just be a local, but I've forwarded it to headquarters so they could check him out further. I'll be keeping tabs on him as well."
"Peeta, don't you think you're overreacting?" She puts the file back down on his desk. He stands and approaches her.
"No. This man could have ties to Snow. I don't know that he doesn't. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He grabs her hand, leading her out of the room. "Come on. I'll make you some hot chocolate and get you back to bed."
"Peeta! I don't need you to treat me like a little girl." Peeta stops walking.
"So, no hot chocolate? Coffee, ma'am?" He asks her with a smirk. Katniss makes a face.
"On second thought, hot chocolate sounds great!" Katniss happily runs off to the kitchen.
Peeta sighs, "Yes dear."
After he makes them some hot chocolate, Peeta takes a seat across from her at the table.
"Peeta?"
"Yes?"
"Annie said you knew a lot about me. How many times have you read my file?" Peeta chuckles nervously as he rubs the back of his head.
"I'm just playing the part. I figure, as your husband, I should know you." He sips his drink.
"Yea, but you make me look bad." Peeta raises his eyebrow at her. "I don't know anything about you, my husband."
"Katniss, most of the file is made up. Like how we met, stuff you like, your parents...So I don't really know you, just the one they made up. You know, to keep you in hiding."
"You still have a good idea about me. I know nothing about you."
"You really want to know?" Peeta asks her.
"I think it would be a good thing to know a little about the people we're living with..." Katniss tells him.
"Okay then." He stands up and gestures towards the couch. "We should get comfortable."
Once they make it to the couch, Katniss starts.
"So what do you know, Peeta?"
"What's true: Katniss Everdeen. 5'4, weight: 118, dark brown hair, grey eyes. One sister: Primrose Everdeen. Parents: Roger and Lillian Everdeen. Father died when you were 12. Mother died four years ago…" He looks over at her and can tell that she's slightly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."
Katniss takes a sip of her drink. "It's okay. Just not easy to think about that last part."
"I'm sorry. I was just remembering your file."
"It's okay." Katniss can see he's not convinced. She scoots a little closer towards him and reassuringly holds his hand. "Really."
"Okay."
"But see, that's what I'm talking about." Peeta looks at her curiously. "Never mind that fake stuff they put in the file about me. You know basically everything about me. Stuff that everybody knows." Katniss tenses. "And stuff that nobody does. Stuff I don't like to talk about."
This time Peeta squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry. We won't talk about that then."
"Peeta, stop apologizing." She looks up at him. Before Katniss even knows what's she's doing, she runs her hand through his hair. She runs her hand lovingly down his face to cup his cheek. Katniss comes out of her daze and quickly snatches her hand back. She clears her throat in an attempt to rid herself of the awkwardness. "Tell me about Peeta."
"I hate this story." Peeta tells her with a nervous chuckle. "Anything you want to know in particular?"
"How'd you get into this? The FBI, I mean."
"I didn't want to be a cop. That was Haymitch's doing."
"The crazy old guy who got me in this mess?" Peeta laughs and shake his head. "Is he family?"
"Haymitch isn't my uncle, but he was the brother my father never had. Closest thing I have now." Katniss notices Peeta's demeanor change.
"We don't have to talk about it, Peeta."
"It's okay. I'll tell you." Peeta takes a deep breath before continuing. "Every year, my family went skiing up in the mountains. My father and my brothers loved it best." Peeta laughs softly. "My mother hated it, but Dad never took no for an answer. That year, I broke my leg playing football. I couldn't go. Haymitch offered to let me stay with him until my family got back." Peeta sighs. "To this day, I'm not sure how it happened, but my family got into a car accident." Katniss has her hand in Peeta's again, trying to comfort him. She recognized that look. It was the same one she got when she thought about her father. "I'm the only Mellark left."
"Peeta..."
"After that, Haymitch took me in. I had always wanted to bake like my father and I was all about ready to do take over. I got everything when they died, including his bakery. But I couldn't stay there or bake anymore. Too many memories."
"I'm sorry, Peeta."
"It's okay. I like being an FBI agent. I get to meet beautiful women on the job." Peeta looks at Katniss when he says the last part. Katniss can't help but be grateful that the room is somewhat dark, so her blush isn't as evident.
"Peeta, I promise to tell you about the things I don't like talking about before this whole mess is over." Katniss tells him.
"You don't have to Katniss." Katniss scoots even closer to him.
"No, Peeta. You told me something that was hard for you. I promise to do the same. I'm just not that great with talking."
Peeta smirks at her. "Whenever you're ready, I'm here to listen." Katniss leans into him. Peeta awkwardly opens his arm to her, not expecting her to want to hug him. He tightens his hold on her. Peeta can't help but feel comfort in her presence, in her proximity to him now. He rests his head on top of hers, inhaling the flowery scent of the shampoo she uses. They were playing a dangerous game.
Katniss didn't understand what she was doing. Sure she found Peeta attractive, but their flirting, the touching, they way he spoke to her, it all confused her. She had never felt so comfortable or safe in someone's presence before. Even now, when she ran her hands through his hair or their hand holding. It was for reassurance and comfort. But now there was the hug she was in with him. More reassurance or was Katniss falling for her agent? He still held her as she thought. What the hell am I doing?
Katniss went to push herself away. Her hand came in contact with his chest and she was instantly reminded of earlier in the evening, when she had seen him without his shirt. Katniss felt his muscles flex under his shirt where her hand was pressed. That was it. She was just sexually frustrated. It was hard enough to go without sex, and Peeta was a constant reminder of what the opposite sex had to offer. She half groaned, half sighed. So, she was pretty sure she wasn't in love, but how was she going to tame her libido?
"Come on," Katniss says, pulling Peeta off the couch. "Let's go to bed."
Peeta chuckles. "You say that like we sleep together."
Soon enough, Katniss thinks and then silently berates herself, because that's not where her thoughts should be if she was going to get past this. Instead, she just turns and gives him a smile which he mirrors, causing her to almost melt right then and there. I am so fucked!