Catching Fire: The New Story

Chapter 34

Katniss's POV

Once the sun had set, letting the colors of orange Peeta loves behind, Peeta and I kiss for a while. It's a nice feeling. We started out soft, a bit aways from each other with only our lips grazing the others. He then put his hands on my cheeks, fingers massaging my hair. I accidentally moan and I feel my cheeks burn up. Peeta laughs and I smile nervously. Our lips meet once more and soon, Peeta's strong hands are laying me down and my right shoulder is touching the cold grass. My hands being to roam o their own, over Peeta's shirt and his toned body. His hands linger too, not too far but enough to keep me warm and buzzing. We get up when we're out of breathe and realize what we'd been doing. We were in public but we were used to being watched and the feeling was hard to run off.

We began to walk home, hand in hand. I warned my mother of my plan ahead of time. She was upset at my gesture but I could see the smile hidden behind it. I knew she was reminded of my father.

I began to worry when we got closer to the fence. I forgot I had asked Gale to watch for us in case anything happened. I took a minute to listen in for a signal, a shuffle or a rock hitting another rock. He was only there for an emergency, I hadn't planned on taking my bow since I thought Peeta might get more frightened than he already was.

I'm suddenly very embarrassed what is Gale saw what Peeta and I were doing?

I sure hope he didn't.

I heard Gale after a little bit of walking, moving a branch to catch my attention, and looked up. He smiled as he carefully moved around and jumped to a new tree, falling from my vision.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked very quietly.

"Yes, Peeta?"

"Thank you. That was amazing, but you didn't need to do anything for me."

"Peeta," and I stopped him, "It's not that needed to, I wanted to. I can't just let your birthday go without anything special." He laughs lightly and nods. We walk to the fence and exit the woods. The meadow was covered by the new layer of white snow that fell early in the morning, another one would fall and cover our tracks.

"Katniss?"

"Yes Peeta?" I asked.

"How did you... just enter there? How do you hear the buzz when it's on?"

I slow to think. How did I enter the woods every day since I was eleven to hunt in the dark for hours with Gale and come back with game? "I had to feed my family." I answered his first question. "My ear."

He looks at me confused and I had to explain. He didn't even know that my ear was both damaged and fixed. Peeta was so surprised, and angry for not telling him earlier. It is not his fault and I am glad he did not blame himself for my hearing loss. It was mine when I blew up the
Careers food supplies, both worth and not at the same time.

After I told him my story, I helped him out of the dark meadow and we started walking home. The cold snow fell around us once again and slowed us down. I showed him short cuts to our houses in the Victors Village. He didn't approve of me cutting through strangers backyards and lawns, but it's not like he could stop me, especially now.

We ran to Peeta's house after an hour of struggle to move around in the heavy snow and the warm engulfed us. Peeta quickly started a fire before I could take off my coat and shoes. He brought blankets down from an extra closet and laid them down by the fire. I helped, more like watched, him make coco like from the train first train ride and we finally sat down. He pulled many duvets over our shoulders and I kept my cup towards my face to keep it warm.

We slowly drank the sweet coco and I slowly drifted to sleep while my head rested on Peeta's shoulder and his arms wrapped around me. It was comforting, having Peeta like this, as if we didn't just wake up together in bed this morning. This morning feels like a thousand years ago. Was that just this morning?

I couldn't care now, maybe tomorrow, or next week. All I cared about now was Peeta, his arm around me, his lips on my forehead, and the coco sitting in my hands.

*

Author's Note:

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Keep reading guys!

~Jez xo