Hello! I know the wait has been long for an update on this series, but I hope you'll find that the wait was worth it. Thank you to my lovely betas, titania522/ct522, Solas Violetta, and peetabreadgirl. They are all awesome, and I appreciate there hard work immensely. Look for Junior Year sometime in the early fall! Hope you enjoy reading and please review!

The sound of feet scuffing against the hardwood floors of the Capitol University Rec Center and the stale smell of sweat met Katniss as she walked through the doors that separated the enclosed archery range from the rest of the facility, breathing an exhausted sigh. She'd run for 45 minutes on the treadmill upstairs before coming down to practice with her bow for an hour, as was her normal Friday routine, but the week had been a particularly taxing one, with multiple tests, and she was more tired than usual. She scanned the area for Johanna.

"Katniss! Over here!" She turned, spotting Jo waving at her from where she sat with a bunch of other girls on a set of benches placed along one of the basketball courts. Katniss made her way over carefully, dodging several runners who were making their way around the track that surrounded the wooden floor.

"Hey, Jo. Hey guys," she said, bobbing her head at two of her other roommates, Annie and Madge, as well as a third girl called Delly.

"Oooohh, Katniss," Delly exclaimed. "I've never seen your bow before. It looks SO cool! Peeta talks about it all the time. He says you're amazing at archery. Did you really win the State Club Archery contest last year? I remember him telling me about that. I wish I could have seen it…" Katniss tuned out the rest of Delly's speech. She knew it would probably be a good few minutes before the blond-haired girl stopped talking, making a mental note to tell her boyfriend that he shouldn't share anything about her with Delly, wondering what deal he'd made with the devil to have the skills to head Delly's ramblings off before they picked up steam. Years of practice, Katniss guessed, trying not to smile at the murderous look of annoyance on Johanna's face. And Peeta had always been good with words. She smiled.

It had been nearly a year since Katniss and Peeta had become trapped in an elevator together, nearly a year since she'd shown him the dandelion sketch he'd drawn for her on the very first day of their Public Speaking class that she'd embarrassingly kept, revealing the secret crush she'd had on him since she'd first laid eyes on him. Katniss had been shocked to discover that Peeta felt the same way. She smiled even more widely, a small twinge sparking between her thighs at the thought of what they'd done in the elevator after their confessions and later that night in the comfort of Katniss' bed.

Since then, their relationship had been blissful almost to the point of "sickening," at least according to Johanna. Peeta took great pride in getting her to smile and laugh, and Katniss couldn't help but love his kindness to others. They were comfortable enough with one another to be able to sit for hours, working on homework, sketching, or just watching TV, without any awkwardness seeping in. They took care of one another and protected one another.

Once, there had been a whole week where Peeta had gotten sick, and Katniss had dutifully attempted to nurse him back to health. He liked to joke that he'd gotten better in spite of Katniss' disastrous attempt at homemade chicken noodle soup, but she knew how much it meant to him that she'd been there for him. (She'd learned quickly that made-from-scratch noodles were a lot harder to make than it seemed and that baking of any kind should be left to bakers.) He, in turn, had practically carried her around for two weeks when she'd badly sprained an ankle after tripping over her sister's stupid cat when she'd gone home over spring break, and Katniss had never felt as safe as she did when she was in Peeta's arms.

Even more than that, the lonely world of Katniss' freshman year had expanded substantially when Peeta had become a part of her life. Rather than just having Madge, Gale, and Johanna as friends, he'd introduced her to a host of others to whom she was now acquainted with, some of which, like Finnick and Annie, were now her good friends. Delly had come along this year, a childhood friend of Peeta's, now in her freshman year at Capitol.

Occasionally, Katniss felt a little uneasy about this as she'd never been one for taking handouts, even when it came to meeting people, but she also knew she'd never been good at making friends. Still, overall, Katniss' life was far happier than she'd ever expected or anticipated. Everything was good, and it all had to do with Peeta.

"Hellooooooooo, ladies. You're all looking mighty fine today," a flirtatious voice called out loudly, interrupting Katniss' thoughts. She looked up to see Finnick Odair striding across the court towards their group, bronze hair glowing in the fluorescent lighting, his handsome face lit up with a broad smile. "Everdeen, you're looking well," he added. Katniss rolled her eyes, knowing he only said things because he knew how much she hated being the center of attention, but his attention had already turned to Annie. "And must I say," he said, raking his eyes up and down his girlfriend's petite frame, "you're looking the finest of all, Miss Cresta."

"Finnick, stop!" Annie giggled as he lifted her into the air to kiss her soundly. Katniss looked away, trying hard not to gag at such a public display of affection, and was glad when Johanna yelled at them to give it a rest. Finnick pulled back from Annie with an amused expression on his face.

"You know, Jo. I seem to recall many a party last year where I had to watch you suck face with someone, not to mention the fact that we have to watch you now with Thresh."

"No one ever said you have to watch, Odair," Johanna snorted.

"Doesn't the same rule apply here, Mason?" Before Johanna could reply, they all winced as Delly let out an excited squeal.

"Oh, here come the rest of the boys. And look, there's Thom!" she squeaked, and Katniss watched, incredulous, as Delly bounced up and down excitedly at the sight of her boyfriend. But a second later, she was distracted by the sight of Peeta among the crowd of boys walking over, spinning a basketball on one of his fingers.

His blue eyes shone, even from across the court, as he laughed at something Gale was telling him, his blond waves of hair flopping casually onto his forehead. He passed the ball to another boy, Thom, and the muscles of his forearms rippled in the light. He was wearing a light orange Under-Armor t-shirt that stretched nicely across the broad muscles of his chest and washboard stomach. The loose blue athletic shorts reminded Katniss that she'd peeled those down his strong, muscular thighs off of him last Friday so they could take a shower together, and she clenched her legs against the sudden rush of heat between her legs. She smiled as he approached.

"Hey, Katniss," he said, leaning down to give her a kiss. Katniss involuntarily flinched and shied away, prompting him to pull back. He quirked an eyebrow at her, his eyes darting to where Delly and Thom were performing the same ritual as Annie and Finnick had. Johanna was allowing Thresh to kiss her, albeit not as enthusiastically as the other two couples, and even shy Madge had accepted a peck on the cheek from Gale. Katniss grimaced apologetically at Peeta.

She knew on some level that she was being unreasonable when it came to showing affection for her boyfriend in public, but Katniss felt she more than made up for it in private. She just didn't see the need to be demonstrative and also really didn't like being the center of attention. She knew Peeta knew that and was grateful when he sighed, knowing he was giving into her silent request for restraint.

"How was your test today?" he asked. Katniss wrinkled her nose, the reason she'd spent so long on the archery range today and the target she'd imagined she was hitting coming to surface of her mind. "You know Snow. He makes everything impossible." Peeta nodded sympathetically while Katniss wondered how she'd ended up in another class of Professor Snow's after the hell he'd put her through in that speech class last year. She'd had to sign up for another English Gen Ed requirement with "TBA" listed for the teacher because it had been the only time that fit into her busy class schedule. She'd almost felt like running from the room in horror when the severe older man with the meticulously styled beard walked into the room. Instead, Peeta kindly allowed her to use him (and his body) as an outlet for her frustrations when Snow was being unfair.

"Cheer up, Catnip," Gale said, having come up to stand beside Peeta. "We'll go out tonight to the Mockingjay. Chaff doesn't give a shit we're under age. You can drink your sorrows away." Katniss wrinkled her nose again, debating whether she'd rather try to persuade Peeta to stay in with her. He was far more social, having been elected to Sophomore Class President following his tenure last year as the freshman one, as well as still staying involved in multiple activities and volunteer projects. Katniss mostly just studied or hung out with their core group of friends, among a few other reasons.

"It could be fun, K," Peeta smiled encouragingly. Katniss studied his hopeful expression and sighed.

"Ok," she agreed. "It could be fun." Gale grinned at her agreement and tickled her arm annoyingly, the way he'd used to when they were kids. Katniss scowled and swatted his hand away, earning a laugh from Gale and Peeta. "Aren't you supposed to be protecting me from handsy jerks?" she directed at Peeta, who then mock-glared at Gale.

"Hands off my girlfriend, Hawthorne. What would Madge say?"

"She would say I'm picking on my sister and doing a wonderful job of it." Katniss rolled her eyes at her oldest friend.

"Just beat him on the court, Mellark. Defend my honor and all that," she ordered. Peeta leaned down, skating his lips along Katniss' temple before she could react.

"Always," he grinned before walking off to join the rest of boys so they could pair off into teams.

XXXXX

Half an hour later, with the boys' basketball game in full swing, Katniss talked with the other girls about their plans for the upcoming Winter Break, though Delly was doing most of the talking.

"Peeta is driving Katniss home and taking me too, right Katniss? Panem is only about fifteen minutes from our town. I still can't believe we didn't know each other. If only you'd gone to the soccer matches between Panem and Merchant. I know you've been to Peeta's games here, but you should have seen him then too, Katniss. He was so good. It didn't surprise me at all when he was made one of the captains even though he was only a freshman last year. He's so good!" Delly prattled before finally taking a breath. Johanna cast Katniss a wide-eyed sarcastic look, and Katniss shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. Delly's speeches always reminded her of how much she still had to learn about Peeta and how much history he and his childhood friend had.

"Yes, Delly," she said dully, watching Peeta fly by with the basketball in his hands. Seconds later, his team let out a cheer as he made a lay-up. She beamed as he gave her a thumbs up. "My sister, Prim, and I are going to hang out while my mom works."

"Oh, what does she do, Katniss?" Annie asked softly, her gaze following Finnick as he strutted by, pleased with the three-point shot he'd just made. She blew him a kiss.

"She's a nurse," Katniss replied.

"Our mothers actually work together," Madge added quietly. Katniss gave her a mild look of surprise. Her friend usually didn't often join in their talks, preferring to sit quietly and listen to the conversation.

"Do they work in Panem General? My mom works in billing there. I wonder if they-" Delly stopped talking abruptly, and Katniss looked at her quizzically.

"Hey motor-mouth, you awake there?" Johanna asked a little unkindly, having obviously reached her limit with Delly, but the blonde girl remained silent. It was only then that Katniss realized a large portion of the people in the gym seemed to have come to a complete halt, including several of the boys playing basketball in front of them. Katniss followed their gaze, and her stomach dropped to the floor, a spark of anger bubbling in her chest. Didn't she know when to quit?

Katniss watched as a leggy blonde girl stepped to the side of the track and bent over to stretch, her ass barely contained by the tiny, striped shorts she was wearing, her perfectly tanned legs exposed for all to see. She was only wearing a training bra, which left nothing to the imagination when it came to her breasts, leaving her abdomen on display to show off more taut, tanned skin. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, highlighting her beautiful face, complete with blue eyes that were almost as bright as Peeta's. If Katniss didn't already know better, she would have assumed a professional model had randomly decided to use the Rec Center, reminding her that she hadn't been entirely honest when she'd told herself everything was good.

"Who the hell is that? I see her around here all the time. Good fuck, one wrong move and we're all going to see her tits," Johanna quipped, disgust in her voice as they watched the girl begin jogging around the track. It didn't escape Katniss' notice that she was staring rather pointedly in the direction of their group and more particularly, the boys. Her eyes shot to Peeta, only to see him looking at her a little nervously. She could only muster a grimaced smile in response.

"Cashmere," Katniss mumbled in response. Johanna and all the other girls looked at her curiously.

"Uh, how do you know her, Kat? Blondie Big Breasts doesn't exactly strike me as someone you'd call your BFF." Katniss scowled deeply at Johanna's words.

"She's NOT," Katniss said more shortly than she meant to. Katniss paused and took a deep breath, willing herself not to get angry. Before she could reply, Delly spoke.

"She's Peeta's ex-girlfriend. They dated for two years in high school," Delly said thoughtlessly. Katniss glared at her, wincing at the wide-eyed looks her friends were now giving her before resolutely turning back to stare determinedly at the basketball game, trying and failing to keep the memory of the first time she'd met Cashmere out of her mind…

"So, what do you want to do for our last night before classes start? You sure you don't want to go with the others?" Peeta asked, pulling Katniss into his chest as they lay on his bed. Katniss snuggled in closer, listening to the commotion of Gale, Finnick, and Thom, Peeta's roommates, moving throughout the suite on the opposite side of bathroom they all shared. She was still surprised how well Gale and Peeta had taken to one another when she'd introduced them last year but was thankful for it. Finnick had been Peeta's friend from before they'd begun dating and though it had taken Katniss awhile to warm up to his teasing, flirtatious nature, she'd come around to him, especially once she'd gotten to know Finnick's girlfriend, Annie.

"No...I think I'd like them to leave so I can get this…" she tugged on the hem of Peeta's cotton t-shirt, "...off of you. Remind me to thank Finnick for being willing to hang out on Gale and Thom's side until they leave." Peeta grinned. "And we can also order pizza," she added as an afterthought.

"Sex and pizza. I think that's something I can handle." Katniss laughed softly in response, surprised by how happy she felt that school was starting again.

While she and Peeta lived barely fifteen minutes from one another, between his job at his family's bakery and days Katniss toiled away waitressing in her town's only restaurant, not to mention keeping Prim out of trouble, they had seen far less of each other than she would have liked or expected during the summer break. She hadn't seen him at all in the past week, as his responsibilities as Sophomore Class President had required him to be on campus a week early to greet the incoming freshmen. So while the idea of going out with their friends was tempting, Katniss wanted Peeta all to herself tonight and welcomed his kiss when he pulled her up to him.

A few minutes later, she vaguely registered the sound of a door slamming as Finnick and Gale left the suite. Katniss shifted to immediately pull Peeta over her to cover her body entirely. She could feel his erection hard against her thigh, and her core throbbed in anticipation of what she knew was coming.

"So now that you've got me, what are you going to go with me?" Peeta asked, his eyes bright with amusement.

She cupped him, "Put you somewhere safe where I can do what I want with you."

Peeta's grin widened. "Does a dorm room, which we know will be empty for at least the next four hours count?"

"Yes, I think it does, Mellark."

Two hours later, Katniss sat on the couch flipping through channels as she munched on some pepperoni pizza. "Watch it, Everdeen. You're going to get grease on my shorts," Peeta teased, taking another slice for himself. Katniss looked down at herself to study the pair of shorts and grey "Capitol Soccer" shirt she'd found in Peeta's drawer for grease spots. She glared at him in mock rage.

"Better watch it yourself, Mellark," she said, pointing at the gob of cheese falling off his pizza slice to dangle dangerously close to his pants. He hadn't bothered with a shirt, much to Katniss' pleasure. She laughed as Peeta lifted his pizza to bite the cheese off. "Sae's is such a greasy spoon. Remind me why we had to order from there again?" It was Peeta's turn to laugh.

"Because she likes me and gives me a discount. I'm a poor college student, remember? All I've got to live on is my charm." Katniss rolled her eyes and snorted. Peeta was neither poor, judging by the chain of local bakeries his family owned, nor did he only have to go by charm. He was smart, funny, and good-looking, among a host of other qualities that made him desirable, apparently even to 60+ year old women. He grabbed her legs, tugging her towards his lap. "You know that's why you fell for me," he stated confidently.

"Keep dreaming, Peeta," she grumbled. "And you're getting grease on me."

"Nope. Not dreaming. I drew you a dandelion, and it was all over." He grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands, wiggling his fingers when he was done. "Well, we can't have you all greasy. I guess I better get these contaminated clothes off you," He reached over to the begin undoing the buttons on her shirt, but Katniss pushed him down onto the couch and straddled his hips, giving him an imperious look.

"If I remember correctly, you were so annoying on the first day in Snow's class that you had to make me that drawing as a peace offering because you were so worried you'd made me angry. I was mad, you know."

"I think the word you used was that I was distracting to you, sweetheart," Peeta smiled up at her, daringly reaching his hands inside her boxers to begin caressing her inner thighs. Katniss was barely able to keep herself from moving to direct his hands where she really wanted them to be, her arousal growing again despite the two hours they'd already spent in bed together. But she was also very competitive and refused to give into her boyfriend... yet.

She began to grind down onto his hardening length, and Peeta gasped, "That's not playing fair, Katniss."

"All's fair in love and war." Peeta quirked an eyebrow at her and pulled his hands out of her boxers, only to slip them under the elastic band to cup her sex. Katniss cried out as he swirled a finger around her clit before dipping it between her folds.

"So which is this? Love?" He caught her hand in his free one and kissed it gently, a mischievous look on his face. "Or war? He pumped another finger inside her, and Katniss jerked at the sensation. "Fuck, you're already so wet, so beautiful." He looked at her in adoring amazement.

"God, I need you. So damn much."

Katniss said nothing, her heart rate increasing at his words, a tumult of emotions suddenly ablaze inside her. She reached down to stroke him through his pants, and Peeta moaned, though she could see there was some sort of question in his eyes due to her lack of response at his words. She pumped him faster, hoping he wouldn't notice her continued silence, but then a sudden knock at the door stayed her movements. She looked at Peeta in confusion.

"They said they wouldn't be back until after midnight right?" she asked him, checking the clock on her phone, which told her their friends weren't supposed to return for at least another hour.

"No. They shouldn't be back, and they wouldn't knock either. Can you get it? I'm...not exactly fit to receive anyone," Peeta asked, gesturing towards the tent in his pants. Katniss nodded and grabbed Peeta's robe off its hook. Wrapping it around herself, she headed towards the door.

"Can I help y-" Katniss stopped talking as she swung the door open, revealing the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. She gaped at the just-short-of-sheer, red dress the girl was wearing, her blonde hair cascading down around her shoulders. Her eyes raked over Katniss, her eyes judgmental, and Katniss was suddenly distinctly aware of her wild, flyaway hair and lack of make-up.

"This is a boy's dorm room," the girl said snottily. Katniss had the sudden urge to punch her, even though she knew absolutely nothing about the girl.

"Rules for the weekends are that girls can be in boy's rooms and vice versa until 1 am. Only 11 on weekdays, but I'm allowed to be here," Katniss said coldly. Who was this bitch?

"Oh right…" the girl said dismissively, attempting to peer into Finnick and Peeta's side of the dorm room.

"If you're looking for Thom, he isn't here," Katniss said, throwing out the name of the one roommate she knew didn't have a girlfriend. Finnick was dating Annie, and Gale had Madge. "And he's on the other side of the bathroom," she said pointing down to next door. The girl gave her a withering look.

"I'm not looking for Thom. I don't even know Thom. I'm looking for Peeta. Peeta Mellark. I was told he lived on this floor." Katniss' mouth dropped open, but before she could speak, Peeta's voice echoed in the hallway.

"Cassie?" he asked. "What are you doing here?" Katniss whipped around, her mouth still wide in astonishment. He looked confused, tugging his shirt down over his head.

They'd discussed their exes before (or in Katniss' case, the lack-there-of), Peeta mentioning that he'd gone out on a few dates before dating a girl named Cashmere, or Cassie for short, during his last two years of high school. But Katniss knew Cassie had broken up with him before he'd come to Capitol, and he rarely spoke about it. The pain that flashed whenever her name was mentioned had been more than enough to keep Katniss from asking about the topic, but as she turned back towards the girl, she realized she shouldn't have shied away from asking him about it. She reassessed Cassie, feeling even more inadequate and awkward than normal.

"Peeta!" Cassie cried out, abruptly shoving Katniss to the side to fling her arms around Peeta's shoulders. Fire flashed in front of Katniss' eyes as Peeta just stood there, seemingly too stunned to move.

"Excuse me," Katniss said. "Who do you think you are?" Cassie pulled back as Peeta finally seemed to wake up and began extricating himself from his ex-girlfriends grip. Cassie gave him a hurt look before surveying Katniss with a look of superiority that stoked Katniss' blood to a boil.

"I'm Cashmere. Who are you?"

Katniss almost wanted to shout, but Peeta, clearly sensing danger, stepped between them. "Cassie, this is my girlfriend, Katniss. Katniss, this is my…" he trailed off as he looked from Katniss' furious expression to Cassie's now angry one. "Well, this is my...Cassie...What are you doing here?" Cassie smiled so sweetly at him that it made Katniss sick.

"I transferred here from Heavensbee Academy. I realized it wasn't for me, and that I missed you. Daddy was fully supportive, and your mother was excited about it too. I saw her a few weeks ago when I stopped in Merchant, but she said you were over in Panem visiting a friend." She sent Katniss a nasty look that Peeta didn't see, but he sighed in exasperation at her words.

"I think I owe my mother a phone call," Peeta said, annoyance on his face. "Cass, that's great that you transferred to Capitol, and I'm flattered that you missed me, but…" he pulled Katniss to him. "All I can offer you is friendship," he said firmly. Katniss' heart sank; he was just too nice. She knew the only thing that was going to keep this blonde bitch away was a restraining order and a can of pepper spray.

For a second, Katniss thought she saw fury cross Cashmere's face, but if it had really been there, she quickly replaced it with her sickening smile again. "Of course, Peety. That's all I wanted, too. I just wanted you to know I'd be around. For, um, anything you need." She ran her hands up and down her red dress before adjusting the straps to expose even more of her breasts than were already on display. Katniss nearly gagged, involuntarily clutching at Peeta's hand with her own. He gave her a curious glance.

"I'll leave you two alone for now, but I expect to have lunch with you sometime, Peety. I want to catch up!" She turned and walked off towards the elevators without any acknowledgement of Katniss at all. She turned to Peeta.

"You aren't really going to have 'lunch' with her, are you?" she asked incredulously.

Peeta grinned. "Jealous?" he teased. Katniss blanched.

"No!"

"I think you are."

Katniss shook her head more vigorously, denying completely what she was feeling. "No, I'm not, Peeta. I just know that she hurt you." Peeta's face fell, and Katniss leaned up to kiss him. "Sorry," she whispered. Peeta finally gave her a small smile.

"Come on. Let's go back and finish that pizza."

"Katniss? Katniss, snap out of it," Johanna's terse voice broke Katniss out of her recollections.

She looked dazedly at Jo. "Sorry, what?"

Johanna rolled her eyes. "I asked why you failed to tell me this before? I've seen her around. We've all seen her around. I just thought it was a coincidence, but now you're telling me that she and Peeta have a history. Why have you and Bread Boy never mentioned anything?" Katniss flinched at Johanna's harsh words. "Spill it, Katniss."

The truth was that though Peeta hadn't shown any enthusiasm for hanging out with Cashmere, despite the offer of friendship, she had still somehow turned up at nearly every public outing Peeta went to. Or well, she'd been at Peeta's soccer games, at least, and seemed to be on Peeta's dorm floor a lot, not to mention the times she appeared in the gym, and somehow she always managed to snare Peeta for at least one conversation. It was the secret reason Katniss was less than enthusiastic about going out most of the time, even though she tried to tell herself that she wasn't jealous, that it hadn't bothered her when Cashmere had been named Capitol's "Most Eligible Bachelorette" in the school newspaper nor that Peeta had been named "Most Eligible Bachelor," completely discounting the fact that he had a girlfriend already. Katniss looked down at her black, oversized T-shirt and baggy workout pants, wishing she'd thought to put on something a little more form-fitting today. She looked at Johanna a little helplessly.

"I don't know. I just haven't been that worried about it. Peeta is with me; he's never indicated he wants her back," Katniss tried to say impassively. Johanna narrowed her eyes to show she wasn't buying it.

"So it doesn't bother you at all that this Cashmere...God, what an awful name...hangs around a lot, apparently trying to get her ex-boyfriend back?"

Katniss shifted uncomfortably. "No. I...like I said. Peeta's never given me a reason to doubt him." Johanna's eyes narrowed even further to the point that Katniss could barely see the brown of her irises.

"Who cares? That's great that he's faithful, but you can't tell me it doesn't bother you. Has Peeta never told her to fuck off? I know how much you care about him, Katniss, but that's shitty if he hasn't done that. I honestly can't believe you haven't said anything either to him or to her.' Katniss glanced at Peeta only to catch his eyes darting away from hers. She could feel the appearance of Cashmere hanging between them.

"I don't want to fight with him, Jo. I don't want to fight with anybody."

"Where's the fire? The Katniss Everdeen I know would fight for what's hers," Johanna accused.

Katniss sighed. "I don't want a war. Just drop it, Jo!" Katniss moved to stand up, fed up with the conversation. She waved at Peeta to indicate she was going to take a shower, scowling when she caught a smirking Cashmere running behind him. She glared at her, but Peeta seemed to think it was directed at him because his expression became one of hurt confusion. Katniss gave an exasperated sigh. She did not want to deal with this anymore. "I'll see you all tonight at the Mockingjay," she mumbled at the girls.

"Fine, Brainless. But I have a feeling you're going to get a war whether you want it to happen or not." Katniss didn't bother turning around as she strode away.

XXXXX

"Are you sure you're ok, Katniss?" Peeta questioned as they walked through the cold night air towards a slightly seedy building. Katniss looked up to see lights flashing on the top floor.

"Yes, I am, Peeta. Stop asking if I'm ok. I'm fine," she said curtly. Peeta said nothing more, and Katniss inwardly became filled with regret.

It hadn't been an easy night since she'd stormed out of the gym, the image of Cashmere's malicious grin still in her mind and Johanna's words ringing in her ears. She'd been in a foul mood when the others had finally come back from the Rec Center to get ready for tonight, and Katniss had only grudgingly accepted the red, strapless, crystal-infused dress Johanna had noisily thrown at her. Annie had offered to help her with her hair, and Katniss had almost refused, except for the fact that Annie looked so terrified Katniss might yell at her that she'd graciously accepted her assistance.

Her poor mood had continued even after they had arrived at the Mockingjay's building to find Peeta and the other boys waiting for them nor had it improved when Peeta pecked her on the cheek and called her the most beautiful girl there. She hadn't laughed when Finnick had jokingly said he might have to fight Peeta for that declaration and pulled out the mini-trident bottle opener on his key ring. Peeta had whipped out his own key, and the two had looked like they were about to do battle until Katniss had snorted impatiently and declared she was cold. She didn't miss the look that passed between Peeta and Gale at that, like her boyfriend and best friend knew exactly what was up with her, though it hadn't stopped Peeta from asking her twice if she was alright. She realized she probably owed him an apology.

"Look Peeta, it's just been a bad day. Snow's test just threw me off, and I didn't get as good a workout in as I wanted to, and Johanna was just being annoying." She waved up ahead of them to where Jo was talking to Gale and Madge before she looked at Peeta, fully aware that she hadn't really given him an apology. His blue eyes, still so light even in the dark winter night, studied her with careful consideration. "I need this," she said with a shrug.

"You know, Katniss, you can tell me if and when things are bothering you. I want you to tell me. I want to be there for you," he said.

"Didn't I just do that?" she snapped, but Peeta gave her a hurt, skeptical look.

"This seems like more than just a bad day," he challenged. "I don't know why you're so reluctant to open up to me. We've been dating for almost a year."

"I know, Peeta. But really, I'm fine. Can't we just have fun tonight? I don't want to talk about stuff right now. Maybe later."

"Ok," Peeta sighed. "Come on. We're going to miss the elevator."

XXXXX

The music pounded in Katniss' ears as she moved around the dance floor with Peeta, one second being twirled outwards by him, the next being pulled back into his chest. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, his face flushed with the heat of the surrounding bodies and the alcohol they'd both consumed. They'd been there for several hours, but it had been only a few minutes since Katniss had finally gained enough liquid courage to join Peeta on the dance floor. Until then, she'd been perfectly content to stay in the corner booth Finnick had claimed for them with Gale, both beyond understanding why their partners liked to dance. But after several bottles of beer and several girls asking Peeta if he wanted to go with them out onto the floor, ignoring Katniss' sullen, angry expression when they did, she had finally pulled him to the floor herself, much to Peeta's surprise.

"Having fun yet?" Peeta grinned, brushing his damp hair off his forehead. He spun her around happily.

"Peeta! You're going to make me dizzy," Katniss giggled despite willing herself not to give into his silliness. She'd apparently had more to drink than she'd thought. Peeta's grin broadened.

"I'm not the one who claimed I needed this tonight. I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend, trying to comply with your wishes," he laughed. He twirled her again, and Katniss gripped his shoulders to steady herself. Suddenly, the heat Katniss was feeling wasn't just from the room. She looked up at Peeta through half-closed eyes, her heart pounding as she watched his eyes darken. He leaned down to her as she pressed up into him, but then she stopped, too aware of the moving bodies around them.

"Peeta, people are watching" she said, hoping she sounded playful to justify her lack of affection, but his smile dropped from his face. Katniss knew she'd made a mistake.

"No one is paying attention to us, Katniss," he sounded exasperated. "Why does it bother you so much when I show any sort of affection to you in public?" The frustration grew on his face. "Is there something about me that bothers you? Have I done something wrong? What is so wrong with letting me claim you as mine? Do you realize the effect you have on all the guys here?" Katniss' eyes widened at his uncharacteristic outburst, confusion setting in as she considered his questions.

"I don't have any effect on anyone, Peeta," she replied defensively, her voice rising, dismissing his other queries to the back of her head where she wouldn't have to think about them. "And I didn't realize you felt the need to 'claim' me. I'm going out with you for the sake of your ego? Excuse me if I don't like to be the center of attention." Fury bloomed in Katniss chest, knowing she was probably drawing the eyes of everyone around with her raised voice, the exact opposite of what she wanted. She stormed towards the elevator at the far end of the room, feeling Peeta at her heels, ignoring the calls of her friends. When the doors opened, she practically jumped inside.

"Katniss, what I said about claiming you...I think you misinterpreted what I meant," Peeta started. She could hear the desperation and panic in his voice now but refused to look at him. "All I wanted-"

"Oh Peety, are you alright? I saw you walking off the dance floor. You looked so upset. Is everything ok?" They both turned with mouths agape as Cashmere walked onto the elevator.

Katniss balled her hands into fists as scanned Cashmere head to toe. She hadn't thought it was possible for her to wear less clothing than she had at the Rec Center, but she had somehow managed it with a red dress that had few carefully placed cutouts to cover her nipples and groin. It was wildly clear she'd gone without a bra or underwear. Katniss watched furiously as Cashmere stepped between her and Peeta, jutting her chest out, her fire burning higher when she saw Peeta's eyes dart downwards. He stumbled backwards while Katniss gave him a look of utter disgust, in complete disbelief that he hadn't pushed her away.

"I'm, um, fine Cass," he said uncomfortably. "I didn't realize you were here."

"Oh, I heard some of your friends talking about it after you left today. I hope you don't mind. I've never been to the Mockingjay before. The owner is quite funny...Chaff...such a smelly, dirty man." Katniss pressed her lips together hard to keep from screaming. Cashmere had basically just admitted to stalking Peeta. Now he would have to say something.

"Cass, he's not bad. It's lucky he doesn't care what age anyone is," Peeta said sternly, ignoring the other things Cashmere had said. Katniss rolled her eyes as Cashmere flashed her fake smile and laughed fakely. Typically too nice as always, Peeta.

"I'm sure you're right, Peeta." She took another step forward. "Are you sure you aren't upset though?" She ran her hand along Peeta's arm, and Katniss finally snapped.

"He's fine, Cashmere. We were just talking." She cast Peeta another angry look. He grimaced at her as Cashmere slowly turned around, blinking in exaggerated surprise.

"Katniss! I didn't even see you!" she said snidely. Katniss had the resist the desire to slap her.

"Yeah...Sure you didn't. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to finish our conversation." She jammed the button for the bottom floor of the building while simultaneously holding the door open button, indicating with her head that she wanted Cashmere to leave. She watched the girl's face darken.

"I'll only leave if Peeta wants me to. Not you." Katniss glared at Peeta as if daring him to say anything differently, but his face hardened as he looked back at her.

"Cass, I'm sorry, but I think it's best if you leave," he said. Cashmere looked at him shocked fury for a second but quickly rearranged her face again.

"Of course, Peeta. I'll, um, let you work things out with your...friend." She smiled wickedly at Katniss and flounced back out the door. Katniss released her hold on the door open button, wishing the elevator door would slam shut to reflect her mood.

"Peeta! What the hell?" she yelled. She watched Peeta's face flush as it always did when he felt stressed.

"What?" he asked slowly, but Katniss wasn't having any of it.

"You didn't even try to stop her when she came at you! You haven't once done that. Never apparently consider how much she obviously wants you and how humiliating it is for me to just stand there and watch you be nice to her. You didn't even correct her when she called me your friend," she spat, internally recognizing that attacking Peeta with accusations was not the way to do this, but she just couldn't stop. "You never stop any of the girls. You never do," she finished, the hurt and jealousy Katniss had been holding at bay for so long finally relieved. Peeta swallowed thickly, but she was disheartened to see the hard set of his jaw, which was why what he said next startled her.

"Katniss...I didn't know you felt that way," he started.

"What?"

Peeta sighed tiredly. "I didn't know you felt that way, Kat. Every time I've asked you if Cashmere bothers you, you've said no. You've always just said you were worried for me. But the thing is, Katniss, I'm over her. I got over her a long time ago…I was over her the day you walked into that classroom. You were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen." Katniss couldn't help but scoff, barely able to register the soft ding that indicated the elevator had arrived at the ground floor. Peeta stepped out with a frustrated shake of his head.

"You were and still are, Katniss. I know you've seen Cashmere, and you think she's…" he hesitated. "Cassie is beautiful. Objectively." Katniss flinched and stepped out of the elevator, not able to look at him. She felt his hand on her arm, but she pulled away. "She is, Katniss, but all I see is you. Cassie isn't warm like you are. She isn't kind, and smart, and funny, like you are. She isn't stubborn as hell. She doesn't challenge me. She isn't who I want. You are." Katniss turned back to him, stunned by his speech. He grabbed her hand and placed his keys inside, and an avalanche of fear cascaded through her soul. He looked at her sadly.

"I want you, Katniss, but I want all of you. I want you to let me love you, but you don't seem to want that. I can't even kiss you in public." The tears began to prick in Katniss' eyes. "That's all I meant earlier when I said I wanted to claim you as mine." Katniss could feel the lump growing in her throat, but she couldn't speak. Peeta gave her a small smile, like he didn't expect her to. She wasn't sure how this conversation had turned into this.

"I drove here, but you can take my car back. I'll get a cab. The others will manage between Jo's car and more cabs." His words finally unstuck Katniss' voice and her stomach roiled at the thought of what this might mean.

"Are you breaking up with me?" she whispered. Peeta expression turned even more sorrowful than before, and Katniss knew she'd asked the wrong question again. He leaned down, grabbed her hand, and kissed her cheek softly.

"No, I'm not. You're...You really have no idea, do you? The effect you have on me." He shook his head again. "I just think we need to cool off before we talk anymore. I'll text you tomorrow," he said, kissing her lightly. Katniss' hand contracted around his, dreading the moment when she would have to let go.

XXXXX

An explosion went off in the distance, then another, then another. Katniss coughed, unable to breathe, blindly stumbling her way through the smoke. "Peeta!" Katniss cried. "Where are you?" She called out his name again, but the darkness surrounded her completely. A girl's high-pitched cackle sounded through the void.

"I have him. He's mine."

"Peeta!" Katniss called again. Distantly she thought she heard him yelling back to her. Another explosion rocked the ground at her feet, and she was thrown to the ground. Suddenly, a ball of light burst through the darkness, and Katniss could finally see.

There was Cashmere. She was holding Peeta in her hands, which had grown into hideous mangled claws, her blonde hair glowing like hot embers in a fire. Katniss could see he was struggling to free himself. She ran at the two, but the distance never seemed to close.

"Give him back!"

Cashmere only laughed again, "You didn't fight hard enough for him. You didn't even want to be seen with him. How could you possibly think you're worthy?" Katniss lunged forward in a last desperate act...

And found herself on the floor of her bedroom, blinking up dazedly at the ceiling fan. Johanna was standing over her with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you ok, Katniss? You were thrashing around so hard; I wouldn't be surprised if Madge and Annie heard it on the other side." Katniss scrambled to a sitting position, which proved difficult as her legs were caught in the pile of sheets she'd taken with her when she'd fallen out of bed.

"I-I'm fine," she stuttered out. Johanna gave her an imperious look and reached to switch on the lamp on Katniss' desk.

"Yeah... Anyone ever tell you how terrible you are at lying, Brainless? That must have been some nightmare to make you do that. You usually sleep like a rock and snore all night."

"I do not snore! Peeta's…" Her breath caught as she spoke his name. She took a shuddering breath. "Peeta has never said I snore." Her roommate looked at her knowingly.

"Speaking of Sunshine, shouldn't you be in his bed tonight? I know for a fact Thom went home this weekend so Madge went to Gale's room, Finnick is in Annie's, which would leave you and Peeta with a room all to yourselves." Katniss was silent for a long moment, and then to her horror, she began to cry. Johanna looked at her in alarm.

"We had a huge fight last Friday, Jo. I messed up. And I hate Cashmere. But I messed up. I didn't know how much I was hurting his feelings. I just didn't want to be the center of attention. He said we would talk. We've talked a little this week, but it hasn't been… Things just haven't been the same. And there hasn't been the time. And he's gone until Sunday night. The Student Council has their retreat this weekend. I had the archery meet, and Peeta had to do some soccer stuff. I don't even know why! They don't really start practicing until spring. And we both had tests, and-"

"Katniss!" She looked up at Johanna, whose hands were raised in wide-eyed surrender. "I barely understood half of that. I wasn't expecting you to vomit out all your emotions. Start over and use words in sequences that make sense please." Katniss stared at her until Johanna finally sighed, crossing her arms. She went over to their small fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer, popping off the caps quickly, before she handed one to Katniss. "Come on, Kat. I knew something was off this week. Tell me what's wrong." Katniss accepted the drink, taking a long pull of it before she finally began to speak.

It was strangely cathartic, Katniss accepted, as she poured out everything that she had been feeling since Cashmere had appeared at the beginning of the semester.

Johanna listened silently as Katniss divulged about their initial meeting, how she always managed to be where Peeta was, how Peeta never seemed bothered by it, and never sent her away. How much it confused Katniss that he'd never picked up on her discomfort, and how inadequate she felt compared to the girls who usually hit on Peeta, even in her presence. Was he that nice? Or just that dense? Or was it something more serious? Could he be tired of her prudishness and looking for someone more fun? She also confessed about their fight and Cashmere's interference, including all the things Peeta had said to her as well, his words still shocking a week later. When she was finally finished, she'd not only drunk her first beer but a second as well.

"So...What do you think?" she asked. Johanna snorted.

"Well, I was wondering when your honeymoon period would finally be over. We were all wondering who'd be the first to snap. Guess you both reached it at the same time….somehow that's not surprising," Johanna mused, more to herself it seemed, than Katniss.

"What?! What in the hell do you mean by that?" Katniss demanded. That certainly hadn't been the reaction she'd wanted or expected. Her roommate snorted again.

"Brainless, you're in a relationship. Fights happen. And while I'll agree with you that Peeta has been a clueless idiot who should have told Cashmere...God, that's still such a terrible name...to back off a long time ago, he made some fair points as well."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that you really don't allow him to show any kind of...well, anything...for you in public. I swear to God, sometimes we forget you two are dating because you're so anti-touching. I can understand how that would bother Peeta, and it's kind of a wonder that Boy Wonder doesn't get hit on more often, all considering." Katniss stared at her, flabbergasted.

"I just don't like to be the center of attention!" she shouted, hoping no RAs were trolling the corridors. Johanna rolled her eyes.

"No one is going to give two shits if you kiss each other occasionally or hold each other's hands or cuddle together on movie night. Mean, I'll think it's gross," she said with a wink that did nothing to comfort Katniss. "But I've also seen far worse. Do you see how Finnick and Annie are? All. The. Time. I don't think Peeta wants that level of PDA. He may be the world's biggest social butterfly, but my impression is he still wants to keep his personal life personal."

"He makes friends with everyone. I'm not like that," Katniss replied, Jo's statement reminding her of Peeta's popularity. Johanna narrowed her eyes, and Katniss felt like she was being x-rayed.

"Yeah, annoyingly, he does, but I think that's part of why you fell for him in the first place right? We've all heard the dandelion drawing story at this point. And it doesn't matter that you aren't that way. It clearly doesn't bother Peeta so it shouldn't bother you." Katniss shook her head.

"It's not that easy, Jo! Sometimes I feel like I could live a hundred years and still never deserve him. He's too good, too nice, too handsome, too-"

"Kat, that's bullshit." Katniss looked up at her, angry tears forming in her eyes. Johanna came over to sit on her bed and grabbed her hands, making sure Katniss was looking at her before she spoke again. "First thing. Peeta isn't perfect. I think we've established that quite well vis a vie his moronic behavior in regards to his awful bitch of an ex, and he definitely owes you an apology for it. Second thing. You have just as many good qualities as he does, and you're just as worthy of him as he is of you. You probably aren't going to believe that right now, as I think that's just something you have to realize on your own, so I won't push it for now. Last thing." Johanna paused to grimace. "I'll deny I ever said this, but you guys honestly have the sweetest relationship ever. It's sickenly adorable how each of you light up when the other comes in the room. I think everyone hopes they can find someone who makes them as happy as you make each other." She took a last deep breath.

"Peeta is so deeply in love with you that I doubt he even saw those other bitches that hit on him. And you're so obliviously in love with him that you fail to notice you, too, get hit on all the time. You two attract pervs like bugs to a torch, but you love each other so damn much, neither of you notices." Katniss gaped at her, and Johanna smiled triumphantly. "So is there anything wrong with you showing that you love him?" she asked.

Katniss knew there wasn't.

XXXXX

Katniss was bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet, her long coat flapping in the cold, snowy, night air when she finally spotted Peeta walking up the walkway to their dorm, duffle bag in hand. She sighed with relief, the sight of him reinforcing how much she'd missed him since they'd had their fight.

"Peeta!" she called out. She wanted to run up to him and fling her arms around him, but she knew she couldn't yet. Johanna had helped her last night immensely, but she knew she needed to talk to her boyfriend more than anything else.

"Katniss?" Peeta looked surprised to see her, his eyes scanning over her shivering form. "How long have you been out here? You look frozen." He ripped the beanie off his head and placed it on hers. Katniss laughed.

"A little while. I'm not that cold. I just...couldn't wait to see you. I m-missed you this week." Peeta smiled.

"I missed you, too. The retreat felt like it would never end." He stared at her, his eyes darting to her lips briefly, but then they flitted away, a reminder of the things they still needed to talk about. "Do you want to talk?" he asked tentatively. Katniss nodded her head.

"That's why I was outside. I didn't want to miss you coming in. I'm sorry; I know you probably have homework."

Peeta smiled more broadly. "I told you the retreat was slow. I got it done already. And Finnick texted me he's in Annie's room tonight. Apparently, Thom got stuck in nowheresville because the District 12 train had to stop due to snow. So we'll have the room to ourselves tonight." Katniss nodded her head again, hoping the fact that her plans didn't involve them making it to Peeta's room quite yet wouldn't bother him.

She followed him into the dorm lobby and then onto the elevator. She didn't move until they were just a few floors below Peeta's. Then she pressed the emergency stop button, and the car jolted to a halt, sending Peeta stumbling into the wall. A short buzz sounded, and Katniss hoped it would be a little while before maintenance or anyone else noticed the elevator was stuck between the fifth and sixth floors.

"Katniss, what are you doing?!" he asked her, a confused, alarmed expression on his face.

"I just wanted to talk in here." She watched Peeta's eyes dart around the cab of the elevator, looking even more confused than before. Katniss tried to offer a better explanation. "Finnick could still come back for something, or Gale and Madge could be...noisy...on the other side." Peeta snorted at that, and she gave him a small smile. "Plus, we got our start in an elevator. It feels right to me to talk in here." He barked out a short laugh.

"The elevator from last weekend wasn't so lucky for us," he said, but then his smile widened. "But yeah, it feels right."

For a long minute, they just stared at one another, as Katniss struggled to gain the courage to speak her feelings, the calm she'd experienced while talking to Johanna having suddenly fled from her. She felt her face flush as she opened her mouth to finally talk, but Peeta beat her to it.

"Look, Katniss," he sighed. "I thought about what you said at the bar, and you're right." Katniss blinked in surprise as Peeta gave her a sorrowful look. "I should have told Cashmere to stay away from me...and you...a long time ago. It may be hard to believe, but it honestly didn't register that she might still want to be with me until you pointed it out." Katniss' eyebrows shot up, and she looked at him skeptically. He sighed again.

"I know. I know. It's just when we broke up, she basically told me I wasn't good enough for her. My family wasn't wealthy enough. I was too inclusive of people of less status than herself and didn't have my priorities set right. I should be going with her to Heavenbee's Academy, never mind the athletic scholarship I got from Capitol. I spent too much time playing soccer. I spent too much time volunteering. I spent too much time in the bakery. I…" He ran a hand through his hair, hurt on his face, and Katniss' anger rekindled at the thought of Cashmere and what she'd said to Peeta.

"I just figured she transferred to Capitol because she flunked at her college...likely…" he paused, and Katniss laughed. "Or that she was here to find someone who could actually put up with her ridiculously high maintenance behavior. That isn't me. It didn't take me very long after we broke up to realize what a horrible relationship we had, but I guess that's high school for you." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I really just thought she talked to me because she needed a friend. I've been an idiot." Katniss laughed again.

"You have," she said, still laughing, but then she sobered. "But I should have said something to you about it. I, um, lied when I said I wasn't jealous." Peeta smiled.

"Yeah, I think that's obvious," he said with just the hint of a tease. It encouraged Katniss to continue talking.

"Peeta, I was jealous of all of them. Cashmere. The girls who asked you to dance at the bar. The girls who look at you even when we're walking back to our dorm. I just see them and think you could do so much better than me. You're perfect. And I'm not."

"Katniss…that's not even remotely true." He stepped towards her, but Katniss held up a hand.

"No, just listen. I have to get this out before I chicken out." She took a breath. Peeta pressed his lips together though she could tell he was dying to speak. "I know, logically, that that's not true. We both have our flaws, but it feels like mine are on display for everyone to see, whereas you're Sunshine, like Jo likes to call you. Everyone loves you, and it just sometimes feels like I'm the surly, awkward girl who is holding you back. I know that's my issue, and something I'm going to have to work through. Jo told me I'm worthy of you, but it's hard for me to see it. And those girls… those girls just make me feel…" She trailed off, a million adjectives running through her head. Insecure? Ugly? Worthless? Stupid? None of them quite fit. She looked down at the floor.

"I know I've acted like I'm ashamed of you. I didn't realize how much it bothered you, not being able to even kiss me in public. But it wasn't about you. It was about me, and my hang-ups about myself. I think there's a part of me that's scared you'll see the real me. See me for what I am. And you won't like what you'll see," she mumbled, fists clenching. She didn't look up until she saw Peeta's sneakers come into view as he moved to stand in front of her, but when she did, there was such warmth in his eyes she almost gasped. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and enveloped her in his arms.

"Katniss, I've seen you." She felt his lips brush the top of her head. "And I love every bit of you. When I said I only wanted you, I meant that. You're it for me, K. I knew it the moment I saw last year." Her heart clenched at his words, and she tightened her grip on him, feeling both elated and afraid at the same time. It was a lot to take in, and Peeta seemed to sense that. "I know that's probably a little much, but it's the truth. None of those girls hold a candle to you, I swear, and they never will. We can work on everything else." He kissed her forehead. "Including the PDA. Maybe someday we can give Finnick and Annie a run for their money." Katniss pulled back from him, wrinkling her nose in disgust, when she saw his amused expression. She hit him on the arm.

"Not funny, Mellark," she growled. Peeta grinned.

"So now what to do we do? Head back to my room?" he questioned, reaching for the emergency stop button, but Katniss stayed his hand. He looked at her curiously.

"Not yet," she said. Peeta's eyebrows arched into his hair, his eyes darkening slightly.

"Oh...what are we going to do instead?"

"Well, as I recall the last time we were in an elevator alone, you got me off, but I wasn't able to return the favor before Haymitch barged in. I thought tonight would be a wonderful time to pay you back." Peeta's eyes flew wide open.

"Wha-" Katniss cut him off by pulling in for a kiss, her hands immediately wending into the curls at the nape of his neck. He tried to speak again, but Katniss slipped her tongue in his mouth to silence him entirely. She felt the groan rumble in his chest as she pushed him against the nearest wall and ground her hips into his pelvis.

"Katniss," Peeta gasped. He thrust against her, his cock straining against the unforgiving material of his jeans. He grabbed at her coat, undoing the buttons quickly, and he moaned when he saw the thin top she'd thrown on with her jeans. She'd dispensed with a bra for the evening, leaving her hardened nipples on display for him. Katniss grinned as he cupped one breast in his hand over the material, shuddering as he rolled the small bud between his thumb and index finger. "You are so fucking hot," he said gruffly.

He attacked her lips then, his hands slipping inside her shirt to knead her breasts, and Katniss whimpered at the sensation. She sucked on his tongue, pulling him back into her mouth, as she renewed her motions against him. She ran a hand along the buttons of his coat to get it undone, which proved even more difficult a task as Peeta pulled away from her lips, only to run wet kisses along her jaw. She cried out when he bit lightly on the pulse point at the juncture of her neck and throat.

Before she knew how it happened, Peeta had managed to unsnap her jeans, running his hand along her abdomen before inching it inside her panties. "Peeta, I'm supposed to be doing this for...oh, ohh, she panted, cutting off as his fingers curled inside her, his thumb pressed hard against her clit.

"You first," he said, circling her sensitive button at a furious pace that Katniss assumed meant he was worried about how much longer they might have in the elevator. But then she wasn't thinking at all as he yanked down her top with his other hand to suck at her breasts, his tongue running tight circles around her nipples to mimic of his ministrations below. She rocked against his pumping fingers, driving them deeper inside of her, and she called out his name again and again until she finally fell apart with a shout. Katniss clung to him as the waves of her orgasm shuddered through her. Finally, she sank to the floor.

"You're not...playing...fair," she gasped. Peeta smiled in response.

"I love you, Katniss." She looked up at him, stunned. It was the first time he'd ever explicitly said it, and she was troubled to see the sudden wary panic in his eyes.

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring look as she reached for the zipper of his pants and pulled it down. She tugged the jeans over his hips before moving his boxers enough to expose his straining cock. It sprung free to bob against his thigh. Katniss regretfully wished they had more time, the desire for him to be inside of her growing with each passing moment. Instead, she took him in hand and stroked him slightly as his whole body tensed and he closed his eyes.

"I love you, too," she said. His eyes flew open in shock as her mouth descended over him.

"Oh fuck," Peeta moaned as Katniss licked him from the base to his tip, swirling the head of his cock with her tongue. She pumped him with her hand as repeating the action, the other hand coming up to fondle his balls. He let out another groan, mumbling her name, and his hands found purchase in her hair. He jerked into her mouth involuntarily, and Katniss used the opportunity to hollow her cheeks as she began to suck him off. It didn't take long before Peeta was trying to bat her away. "Katniss, I'm close," he gasped, his hips snapping erratically as he tried to hold off long enough for her to release him, but she only sucked him harder, rolling his cock with her tongue.

"Katniss!" Peeta shouted, as the first spurts of semen hit the back of her throat. Katniss swallowed as best she could, but some inevitably leaked out of her mouth and onto her chest. When he finally stopped throbbing, she released him with a pop and gave him a pleased smile.

"Good?" she asked, wiping her mouth and chest with her shirt. Peeta looked at her like she was crazy, his eyes locked on her as he put himself back in his jeans and zipped up.

"Better than good," he said, chest still heaving. He watched her adjust her shirt and resnap her own pants. When she was finally settled, he pushed the button to get the elevator moving again, studying her in complete amazement. "Real or not real? he asked, moving to stand next to her. He kissed her gently and wrapped a hand around her waist. "Before, uh, that, you told me you loved me?" Katniss grinned at him.

"Real." She was just about to pull him in for another kiss when the elevator dinged open to reveal the last person Katniss wanted to see.

"Oh, Peety!" Cashmere exclaimed, completely ignoring Katniss as per usual. "I'd been wondering where you were. Was knocking on your door for ages, and I was just coming downstairs to see if you'd stopped by the front desk. I was still worried about you after last weekend. You really did look so upset." Peeta shot Katniss an incredulous look and opened his mouth to speak, but Katniss waved at him to stop. She suddenly found she didn't need him to tell Cashmere no.

"Thanks for your concern, Cass, but we're ok now," she said, grabbing Peeta by the hand and pulling him out of the elevator. She gave the girl as wicked of a smile as she could muster. "We were stuck in the elevator for a little bit but don't worry. I took care of him," Katniss said. Then, though she couldn't quite believe she did it, she wiped her mouth daintily with her hand, even though she knew there was no evidence of what she'd done to Peeta left on her face. She heard Peeta quickly turn a laugh into a cough as Cassie looked first in horror at the two of them and then at the elevator itself, still standing open and waiting for a passenger.

Katniss smiled again and turned to Peeta. "Ready to go back to your room?" she asked, reveling in the sparkle of disbelieving amusement in Peeta's eyes.

"Yeah, sweetheart. I'm ready." He leaned down to kiss her, still in view of Cashmere, who had remained riveted to the spot, and Katniss did not hesitate to let him. She would likely still be a work in progress in this area, but she'd had enough of Cashmere to last her a lifetime.

When he pulled away, he turned to her. "Sorry, Cassie, but I need to spend time with my girlfriend tonight." He offered his ex a polite smile. "And please don't come around again… anywhere...unless I say it's ok. The unexpected visits are getting extremely old," he said firmly. Katniss was satisfied to see Cashmere's face turn an unflattering puce as they turned away from her without another word, and they burst out laughing once they'd reached the safety of Peeta's room.

"A good start for keeping Cassie away?" Peeta asked. Katniss nodded, holding her side from her guffaws. He pulled her onto his bed. "I think elevators are lucky for us," he said.

"I bet Cashmere doesn't think so." They both started laughing again.