Never Leave Me Alone

Chapter 23

Peeta

I roll over and lay my arm over Katniss, not ready to yet end the calm quiet of our first night together. She makes a small noise and lays her hand over mine. I run my thumb against hers an kiss her shoulder as we lay together in the solitary world created buy the thick velvet curtains around Katniss' bed. She looks so serine and content that I can't dare move to wake her.

We are married. Officially and totally one in the same, equal according to the agreement we made to one another. I pull away from her so I can get a good look at her again and she blinks open her eyes. I smile at her and she sighs.

"So it wasn't a dream," she says. "I really did marry you yesterday." I chuckle.

"No regrets, I hope?" I say and she smiles.

"I would hope not this early in the marriage," she says. "You don't, do you?"

"I never will," I say. "I made the best decision I ever would bringing you you here. I kiss her and she lays her hand on my shoulder, kissing back. I lean against her a moment and sit up. "I should be getting dressed." She gets up, pulling the covers up over herself. She pulls on her nightgown and slips out.

"I'll help you," she says. "No sense in either of us being rushed out before breakfast. We have each already seen one another as we truly are." She comes to my side of the bed with a stack of clothing and helps me get into a pair of undergarments as well as a fresh shirt. She buttons the shirt and I grab her hand, kissing it. 

"I hope you're pregnant," I say boldly and she pulls her hand away, "What?"

"There's no rush for that," She says folding her hands. "We are very young."

"Last night you said_"

"That was in the heat of the moment, Peeta," she says. "Not that I don't think that I would be alright to carry them, its just, I'm not so sure that I am ready just yet. Not with Seam in the state it is and you still not feeling as strong as you should.  There's too much going on for me t be sure I could healthily carry a child for you." I nod and she sighs. "If it happens, it happens. Just don't get your hopes up. I can't promise anything would happen, as young and inexperienced as we are." I kiss her hand again.

"Doesn't mean I don't still want it," I say. She smiles.

"I know, Peat Moss," she says.  she sets down my outer clothing and goes to her boudoir to gather her own things. I get the rest of my clothes on after attaching the strap to my wooden peg that has come to replace my leg. I get up and limp over to her as she pulls a bodice over her head. I help her pull it down and begin tying the strings taught to her body.  She holds tightly to the bedpost as I pull them tight. "Thank you." I kiss her shoulder and she groans.

"What now?" I ask. 

"We are expected downstairs for breakfast," she says. "And we have barely just dressed. Don't go trying to wiggle me back out of them. We have a lifetime for that." I sigh and she lightly taps my shoulder. "Come on then." I walk with her down the hall and she lays her hand in my arm. 

We walk into the dinning room and are greeted with a great many mumblings of courtesy. Katniss sits with me and I keep my hand on her leg, teasing her as she had teased me yesterday. I look to my brother on my left and he smirks at me. 

"You've got your rare little bird eating out of your hand, Your Majesty," he says, addressing me by my new title as Katniss' husband. I nod, but add an anecdote.

"Have no mistake, Master Hawthorne," I say. "I'm as much under her spell as she might appear to be under mine." Katniss chuckles and moves my hand from her lap. 

"I'm going to go see how my birds are settling in, if that is alright," she says softly. I nod. 

"I'll be here, finalizing our documentation," I reply and she gets up, kissing me gently. 

"I'll be back soon, Peeta," she says as she walks away, out the back of the room. I turn to my brother and he chuckles.

"It must be nice to finally be married, ehh?" he says. I take a drink of my wine and nod.

"The very best," I say. "And an enthusiastic wife at that. I must admit, without her, we may not have consummated last night." 

"Really?" he says. "Good for you. You'll have plenty of children, even with a bum leg." 

"She isn't looking at that future happening immediately," I say. "She's afraid the stress of rebuilding Seam will impede her properly carrying a baby." Gale just shrugs.

"I mean, she's right," he says. "She doesn't want to promise you a son and then loose it because she wasn't ready to have it."

"She said she wouldn't stop it from happening, but she doesn't want it now." I tell him and he shakes his head.

"You married a headstrong woman," he says. "You signed up for a difficult, confusing life." He gets up and pats my back. "I'll see you later. I'm gonna go send out the horses for tonight's feast. Enjoy taking to Prim and Jojo." He walks away and I continue my meal, accepting he is right.

Katniss wants a lot of things in this life and unlike me, children are not at the top of her list. Someday, someway, I do know and believe that they will come. I just have to let Katniss finish what she's started first.

I look out the window as she stands, flying a falcon on a pair of anklets and sigh. She's spreading her wings, becoming who she wants to be with finally the power of a crown princess to do it.

I have no right to clip them.