Gummy Bear Kisses

Chapter Eight

I walk into the photoshoot with Peeta behind me, Effie strutting in front of me. "Cinna," she cheers hugging him. He hugs me next. "Ready to work?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I reply with a smile. He sits me down in hair and makeup my photographer approaches us. "Katniss, kisses," he says, kissing both my cheeks. Peeta gives me a confused look. "Don't worry, he's gay," I mouth. He nods his head understandingly. "So today's theme is fierce elegance. Show her the outfits, Cinna." Cinna goes through a rack of clothes and pulls out an outfit that has a blue top and a black, leather skirt. Then, he pulls out a black rhinestoned corset with a belt. After that, he pulls out a long, black, sweater. Lastly, he pulls out a white dress that has black accents with a snake skin texture. "These are beautiful," I gasp, feeling the material. "Aren't they?! Great work, Cinna. Anyway- oh my god, who's that?" He whispers to me, pointing to Peeta. "That's Peeta, my boyfriend."

"I just had an amaze-zing idea, okay, after we take the pics we need to take, we take a couple picture!"

"Whoa, I'm not photogenic," Peeta says, putting his hands up. "Nonsense! You're pretty much picture ready," he says, grabbing his face and showing us. "Perfect face, perfect eyes, perfect hair, perfect nose, and oh my god, that jawline!" Peeta smiles, trying to mask how uncomfortable he is. He hates it when people touch his face, but I'm an exception. I get up from my makeup chair and Cinna helps me slip on the first outfit. I'm put in a pair of black, open toed shoes and I'm sent to the area. My photographer gets behind the camera. "Get on the couch," he commands. I get on the couch and lean back. "Arm over abdomen," he calls out. I rest my arm over my abdomen. "Smirk." I smirk and he starts snapping pictures. "Fierce eyes, Katniss! Smize!" I squint only a little like I'm told. "Yes! Make your smoky eye pop!"

We take multiple pictures in that outfit before I'm put in the second outfit, which is the corset with pearls around my neck. Peeta gawks at me as I slip on a pair of black pumps. "Y-You...I-I-" I quickly peck him on the lips. "You like this outfit?" He nods his head. I pull him in close so I can whisper in his ear. "Well, then maybe you can take it off," I say pulling away and winking. He inhales sharply. "I'm just joking," I laugh, going back to my original area. "Alright, Katniss, I want that fierceness and sexiness to show in these pictures. I want these pictures to say, 'Hey, I'm the most desired and sexiest woman in the world. Bow down!'" I nod my head and glance back at a stunned Peeta. I wink to bring him out of his trance and he laughs a little.

My photographer goes back behind the camera and starts to snap the pictures. "Smize! Stay fierce! Show them who's the boss," he calls out. I do as I'm told and he starts snapping from different angles. "Yasss! Give me Kitty!" He calls out. "Who's Kitty?" Peeta asks loudly. My photographer stops and looks at me. "You haven't told him?"

"It never came up in the conversation," I reply quietly. Cinna pulls Peeta aside, but talks loud enough so everyone can hear. "Kitty is Katniss's alter ego. This is the side of Katniss that is fierce, sexy, independent, dominant," he tells him. "Isn't that what she is already?" Peeta asks, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Well, this side is more of those characteristics than her other ones."

"Oh," is all he says. "Alright, Kitty, show them who's boss." I don't know why, but when I'm called "Kitty", I automatically feel more...powerful. I strike a fierce pose with my hands on my hips and smize. "Yes! Keep it right there!" I stay in that pose. "Tilt your head back and smize a little more!" I tilt my head back and smize as the fans blow lightly in my face. "Who's the sexiest MoFo out there?!"

"I am," I say. "Who's the sexiest MoFo out there?"

"I am," I say louder. "Who-"

"I am!" I roar with fierceness. He starts taking my picture from every angle possible while Peeta gawks at me, cheeks reddened with blush. "Alright, next outfit!" He calls out. I go back and Cinna quickly takes off the belt, and unzips the corset. I wriggle out of it, not caring that I'm in front of Peeta with a bare chest. I'm passed a strapless bra and I pull it on quickly. Cinna pulls the long, black sweater over my head and I take off my shoes. I go back to the area and plop down on the small sofa. They've changed the backdrop along with the lighting. "Put your hand right here," he says, guiding my hand to a spot by my face. "Okay, perfect, keep it right there. Cinna, get the boy in hair and makeup!" Cinna grabs Peeta's arm and takes him to hair and makeup while Effie continues to check things off our list. He begins to take pictures of me. This set of pictures are pretty much, the "chill out" pictures. I just act like my natural self for the most part and try to stop the adrenaline from the other pictures from pumping.

After they've been taken, Peeta walks into my view wearing a white t-shirt with a denim jacket over it. He has a pair of dirty, denim jeans and some combat boots. "You look great," I say, walking past him. He follows me to wardrobe and I grab the last outfit. "Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself." I sigh dramatically. "I don't even get to keep these clothes-"

"You can," Cinna tells me, pulling the sweater over my head. "But, Cinna-"

"I want you to, Katniss." I nod my head as he zips up the dress. I don't even need shoes since I'll be sitting down and only my top half will be shown. Peeta and I walk hand in hand to the area, where the backdrop has changed again and only a single stool sits. I sit down on the stool and Peeta stands beside me. "No, we can't have this as a picture," my photographer says. He walks over to us and pushes Peeta over a little, him a tad behind me. He pushes my head in so I'm resting my head on his shoulder. His head rests on top of mine and Cinna comes over and combs my hair a little while Peeta snakes his hand around my waist. I smile. "Keep it right there!" Cinna rushes out of the way and my photographer snaps a couple of pictures. "Perfect, if these get put in the magazine, I need you to talk about each other," he says, stepping away from the camera. "I'll interview Katniss," Effie says. "I'll ask Peeta," Cinna responds. "Great." They pull us away from each other. I sit down on a stool and Effie sits across from me. She gets a fresh sheet of paper. "Alright, what do you think about Peeta?"

"He's amazing, and just...everything I've been wanting in a guy. He's considerate, he's affectionate, he's hilarious, he's honest, he's...perfect," I smile. Effie smiles also as she begins to scribble it down. I glance over at him at the same time he does the same thing to me. He waves and grins sheepishly, while I blow him a kiss. "Okay, how long have you two been together?"

"Uh...a couple of weeks, but we've known each other since kindergarten," I answer. "Wow, that's a long time," she says with a grin. "I'm not that old," I giggle. "You're twenty-three, right?"

"Twenty-four," I reply. Effie starts tapping her pen against the pad. Tick, tick, tick. "What is it?" I ask. "That's the sound of your biological clock ticking," she says, trying not to laugh. "Wha-"

"You're twenty-four, not married, no kids...you're almost thirty..."

"So?"

"If you want children, the best time to do so is now."

"Effie, Peeta and I are waiting until we're married to even discuss having children."

"Do you want children?"

"Well, I do, but I'm in an inner turmoil with myself because whenever I bring up the fact that I do, I realize that I can't," I say quietly. "You can't what?"

"I mean, I can have children, but my doctor said that my chances are slim," I trail off. Effie puts the clipboard down. "Why haven't you said anything to me?"

"Because it's none of your business whether I can have children or not!" I snap. Cinna and Peeta look in our direction, Peeta having a confused look plastered on his face. He gets up and starts coming over to me. I get up and meet him halfway. "Katniss-"

"I understand if you just want to breakup now, you know, since I can't have kids and-"

"Katniss-"

"And I know that you'd probably make a great father anyway, but that attribute won't be used if I hold you down-" he kisses me suddenly, but I don't oblige. He breaks away. "Katniss, it doesn't matter that you can't have kids. All that matters is that we love each other," he tells me soothingly. I nod my head and he kisses me again. This time, his arms are around my waist and mine are around his neck. We hear a couple of camera snaps and we pull away from each other. "That was so...beautiful! Your wedding pictures will be amazing!" My photographer chants. "Wedding pictures?" Peeta and I both ask in unison. "Yes, you better put a ring on it soon because I can't wait to see these pictures!" Peeta and I share a look and laugh a little. "Just give us some time," Peeta chuckles. When, Peeta, how long is some time?..