Undercover Sweetheart [everlark]

eleven

Katniss
"Come on, love birds! Today is going to be busy, busy, busy!"

Oh, God, who's voice is that? Who's in my room? "Who are you?" I croak angrily.

A pair of overly made-up Capitol eyes stare back at me. "Effie Trinket. I will be your escort and boarding supervisor the next four years. Isn't that great?!"

"Wait, did you call us 'love birds'? We're not a couple," Peeta questions, sitting up. I think he's blushing. And it's really sweet.

"Honey, sleeping together is not far from sleeping together," Effie squeaks in her weird Capitol accent that screams excess.

I give Peeta a look. I don't think I want to make a baby with him! That's vile! Except my stomach churns with fluttery butterflies.

Peeta's blue eyes seize mine, but I try to avoid them.

"But Panem High doesn't allow males and females to room with each other, anyway. Now, come, come, come! You'll go crazy over the gorgeous Capitol fashions and architecture. They're simply to die for!"

We follow her out of the bedroom, until I remember clothes. "Effie, don't we need to wear clothes, not pajamas?"

"Oh, dear, I thought those were Capitol clothes. Oopsies! I guess I'll leave you to it, then."

I let out a heavy sigh as soon as she closes the door behind her. "You should go get dressed," I tell Peeta.

He perks up. "Actually, I brought clothes here before I fell asleep last night. I'm all prepared." His smile fills me with euphoria.

"Okay, uh... How we gonna do this? Like I change in the bathroom? You stay? Or the old switcheroo?" I look at the floor awkwardly.

"You take the bathroom. Then you can just walk out on me, and we're even," he laughs, scrunching his nose. He's so adorable.

And now I actually hope I walk out on him; I want to see his body. Not that part, just his abs. I'm not a creepy pervert...

After I change into a sundress, which is the only thing left that I'll consider wearing, I braid my hair, careful to undo the knots that have formed. I don't even knock when I come out. The knob fills my hand and I slowly push the door ajar, peeking my eye out through the crack.

His jeans are on now, but his shirt's still not on. Now's my chance.

"Peeta!"

He falls back and hits his head on the lamp.

"Oh my God! Peeta! I'm so sorry!" I rush to him, kneeling at his waist, and perform a basic examination for his signs.

After a minute, I imagine how I would have felt if he was passed out, and I hug him tightly.

I feel tears fall on my head. "Peeta, I'm so sorry. You need help. What hurts? Just point to what hurts for me, okay?"

He lets go and slumps against the wall. He points to his back, head, bottom, right elbow, and right shoulder.

"I'm gonna make sure nothing's broken, okay? This may hurt, but taking deep breaths helps." My wrists adjust to move his arm at the elbow.

He screams, "It hurts!"

I hush him, calmly feeling the softness of his curls between my fingers. "Peeta, I know. But I can't help you if I don't know how bad the injuries are," I whisper like a breeze in his ear.

As my lips pull away from his ear, his arms anchor my waist, trapping my mouth at his neck.

"Peeta, what are you doing?" I release a breathy chuckle.

He doesn't answer. Just slides his palms up to the center of my back.

"Peeta, I don't want to be touched." I say it assertively, just like Peeta did that night. It seems to break his resolve.

He apologizes, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me. Will you forgive me, Katniss?" His ocean blue eyes burn into my silver ones.

I nod, slowly. "Maybe someday I'll be ready for that, but not today," I explain quietly.

As I'm performing the full exam, I sneak peeks at his abdomen. He looks like a Greek god. Woah.