66Author's Note: This is my first one-shot. It ended up being a little (okay, you got me...a lot) longer than I anticipated, but I didn't want to cut the story just to match the specific word count I thought I'd end up with. It's a mostly fluffy fic, but it wouldn't be Everlark without a little angst ;)
Just to explain the context, I had to take a test out in LA two weeks ago for my job. Then, just for fun, I went to Disneyland for a few days, and the idea bug for this story hit me. Please note, you don't have to have been there to enjoy this story as it very much focuses on the interactions between Peeta and Katniss. Disneyland is pretty much a background player.
Thank yous go to nightlockinthecave for the spectacular banner she made me and to Solas Violetta for her awesome beta skills.
Hope you enjoy!
"I'm not going Prim!" Katniss said with an exasperated sigh, glaring at her sister's back as Prim rummaged through Katniss' closet.
Prim whipped out several colorful tank tops Katniss had forgotten that she owned in one hand and turned around with glare to match Katniss' own on her face. "You are too Katniss. It's been two years since you and Gale broke up. And in all that time, you've gone on one date. One."
"Well, if you'd been on that date with Cato Montgomery, you'd be put off dating too," Katniss said unhappily. "Johanna, help me out here!" She looked to where her best friend was lying on the bed with a rather bored expression on her face, but she shook her head at Katniss' plea.
"No can do, Brainless. I love ya, but you need to get laid. Bad. I swear you get crankier every week and that's saying something coming from me. You complain all the time how every guy at work is taken or too young or too old or too creepy or too lame or God knows what other excuse I'm forgetting that you've used. And Annie, Delly, Madge, and I have certainly struck out on trying to set you up. So I think it's time to give little sis' a chance." Prim's face beamed with delight as she gave Johanna a thumbs up sign while she laid out still more tank-tops and a few pairs of way-too-short shorts Katniss also had forgotten about on the bed next to Johanna.
"That's because your idea of a set-up is whoever asks you to go home with them, man or woman!" Katniss said.
Johanna shrugged. "I like what I like and random hook-ups are what I like the most. It's time Katniss. You and Gale agreed it didn't work. He's been dating Madge for a year and a half now. By all accounts it doesn't seem like you miss him, and it has also been a long time since the Cato incident. A blind date is just what you need. Your vibrator needs a break." Katniss felt her face begin to redden at Johanna's words, and she gestured wildly at Prim to silence Jo. Prim caught the gesture and rolled her eyes.
"Kat, I swear to God, you are such a prude. I'm 24 years old. What in the world do you think Rory and I have been doing since we moved in together?"
Katniss winced. It wasn't like she was naive about what moving in with a boyfriend meant. She just didn't like to think of her baby sister doing...well that...and especially not with the little brother of her ex-boyfriend, even if Johanna was right that she didn't regret breaking it off with him.
"I don't know, Prim. Sleeping? You're both medical students. Don't medical students need sleep?"
Prim just stared at her for a long second before she turned to survey the array of clothes on the bed, clearly deciding Katniss' reply didn't dignify a response. "Now, which one of these tops would look best on you?"
"Pick the one that shows the most skin," Johanna volunteered. Katniss swatted her hard on the leg.
"Ow! Jesus Christ Katniss. I'm doing this for your own good," she said, rubbing the red mark Katniss left on her skin. "Like I said, you need to get laid. Everyone needs sex." She winked suggestively. "It really is too bad you don't swing for girls or else I'd help you out myself." Katniss rolled her eyes, completely used to statements like that from Jo.
Johanna Mason was never one to hold back her thoughts or to see how riled up she could make people. Katniss was pretty sure Jo had made a pass everyone in their group of friends at one time or another, but her snarky brashness also kept them all laughing. And she was an extremely loyal and protective friend. Cato probably still had the marks on his body from the lashing Jo had given him after she'd seen what was happening on that date now over a year ago.
"Nah. We'd have to hold her down to get her into the sluttiest one Jo, and you know, I'm a med student. Don't have the energy. Not enough sleep," Prim said with an air of innocence that Katniss didn't buy for a second. She then held up a rather pretty sunset orange and white patterned flowy top and a pair of khaki shorts. "What about this outfit? The top will look great against your skin. You're so tan. And it's light, so you won't be sweating buckets out in the sun tomorrow."
Katniss sighed. She could tell she wasn't going to win this battle, but she wasn't about to go down without a fight. "He could be an axe-murderer."
Prim gave her an exasperated look. "I'm pretty sure they screen out the axe-murderers when everyone applies to residency, Katniss. Peeta was, by far, the nicest resident on my rotation. He actually talked to us, taught us things, and treated us like we were real people, unlike those bitches Glimmer and Clove. God, they were awful. You'd have thought we were their personal slaves," Prim said a look of disgust, but Katniss merely shrugged at the mention of several people she didn't know. "Sorry, getting off topic. Anyways…I mean how many handsome single doctors who want to work with kids do you meet? If I didn't have Rory, oh man, I would have been flirting with him constantly. You should have seen how the nurses were with him. I think most of them paged him just so they could look at him while he looked in on their patients. You could practically see their panties getting wet as soon as we walked down the halls on rounds. Even the attending was tripping over herself a little, and she is married with four kids! And oooohh, you should have seen Glimmer's face when I showed Peeta your picture, and he said you were really pretty. If looks could kill, I would have been dead. But I didn't care since it wasn't like I was going to have her fill out an evaluation on me."
"You showed him a picture of me? Prim, that's not fair!" Most of what Prim said had been repeated to Katniss ad nauseum for the past week in her attempts to persuade or rather beat Katniss into submission to go on this blind date with Dr. Peeta Mellark, apparent heartthrob of the Pediatric Department at Panem General Hospital. But her sister had failed to mention before now that he had actually seen Katniss' picture.
Prim looked at her sheepishly. "Well how else was I going to get you to be his date once he mentioned the tickets he won at the charity raffle? Residents weren't even expected to put in for anything with their shitty salaries and all, but he still did it anyways. That should tell you what he's like. "
"But I haven't seen what he looks like! How do I know you aren't just making this shit up and setting me up with a troll because you think I so desperately need to date? And," Katniss was nearly shouting now, "I don't even like the place!"
"Would I really do that to you? Come on Kat. I love you. I just want to see you happy," Prim said as she bounded over a pile of clothing. She gave Katniss a tight hug before whispering, "Now, I'm not saying you need a guy to be happy but at least try to get out there. Please Katniss? For me?"
Katniss sighed. Prim's hugs always did her in when it came to these types of requests. At the end of the day, she really couldn't refuse her little sister anything. They'd been through so much to get to where they were today, and Prim's happiness had always been Katniss' main focus.
"Need I also remind you," Prim continued, "that you've never even been to the place. You wouldn't go with me and Rory last year, but we had a blast." Katniss opened her mouth to protest that she hadn't been able to get off work, but Prim placed a hard over her mouth, clearly unwilling to hear any arguments. "I know you're going to like him. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Broad chest. Kind and sweet and just what you need after a long dating drought. That's all you need to know for now."
"And if you truly are having a terrible time, Annie and Finnick can come get you tomorrow. They took off the day for 'wedding preparations.' At least that's what Annie said. I bet Finnick tries to keep her in bed all day," Johanna added lazily. "But Annie said she'd come pick you up if you need to jump ship. Though if it's a good date, I expect you to send me a few pictures. I want to see what this guy looks like with the way Prim has talked him up. If you decide you like him, then maybe he can introduce me to some other doctor friends," she said with a wicked grin.
Katniss crossed her arms in front of her and gave one last feeble protest, "Blind dates should not start at 6:30 am."
Prim placed the clothes she had picked out for Katniss on her desk chair, ready for the morning, and turned on her alarm for her. She then turned to Katniss with a broad smile on her face.
"They do if you're going to Disneyland."
XXXXX
Katniss stood on the front steps of her apartment building, chugging down the coffee Prim had helpfully made for her, while she scanned up and down the street nervously in anticipation of Peeta's arrival. Prim had insisted on staying the night with her so that she could "help" get Katniss ready this morning, but she knew it was really to make sure she didn't just stay in bed and hide under the covers.
Her sister had bounded into her bedroom this morning, and Katniss suspected she had been waiting outside the door, listening for the alarm to go off. She'd pushed the clothes she had picked out for Katniss into her hands and then had practically shoved her into the bathroom, telling Katniss under no uncertain terms was she allowed to change her outfit. Katniss had only grudgingly complied, being an admittedly conservative dresser.
Suits for work. Occasionally a dress with capped sleeves. Sweats and an oversized T-shirt for home. Those were her staples, and the tank-top and khaki shorts were far outside her usual realm of wardrobe choice. But this was California, and she was going to be walking around in 85 degree weather, so she couldn't really argue with Prim's choice of clothes.
Her hair, at least, was up in her signature braid, much to Prim's dismay. "Too boring," she had said, but Katniss had won that battle. It would simply be too hot to keep her hair loose. But even there, Prim had used that against her by insisting that if she was going to wear her hair in the boring style Katniss had been using since she was seven, she at least had to wear a little make-up, ignoring Katniss' protestations that she never wore it. So on had gone some foundation, eyeliner, and mascara. Prim had also wanted to give her some eye shadow and blush, but Katniss had drawn a line. She loved Prim to death, but even Katniss had her limits.
Prim had happily seen Katniss out the door after that, reminding Katniss to buy herself something fun. She had been standing awkwardly on the front steps of the building ever since, feeling thoroughly annoyed she was up this early on a Saturday.
Sae, the kind elderly woman who lived on the first floor, had walked past 10 minutes ago as she went out for her usual morning walk. She'd given Katniss a nod of approval and wished her a lovely date. Her fashion-designer neighbor Cinna had come out not 5 minutes after that and had also wished Katniss well, pinning a small gold pin with a bird holding an arrow at its center onto her shoulder. "For luck," he had said with a wink. Even Haymitch, the resident drunk, had just wandered past her as he came in from his usual night out at the bars and slurred out a "Lookin' good, sweetheart. Boy won't know what hit him," leading Katniss to wonder if Prim had told her entire apartment complex about her blind date. It appeared everyone thought she needed to "get out there," to quote Prim's words.
Katniss glanced at her watch, and her annoyance increased. 6:45 am. He was late! And she just wanted to go back to bed.
Just when Katniss was about to go back inside and tell Prim that the "wonderful" Peeta Mellark had stood her up, she saw a dark blue Nissan Pathfinder turn onto her street. It sped down the road and came to a rather screeching halt in front of her apartment building. Katniss felt a thrill of skittish expectation run through her as the driver's side door opened and shut. Then Peeta Mellark made his way around the car and began to walk up the drive to where she was standing with an apologetic look on his face. Katniss had to willfully keep her mouth from dropping open at the sight of him.
It appeared Prim had not been lying about how handsome he was. In fact, Katniss was 100% positive he was the best looking guy she had ever seen with his, as-promised-by Prim, wavy, ash-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. She had, however, failed to mention the long golden eyelashes, straight nose, dimples, and the endearingly crooked grin that he was now giving her as he approached. Not even Finnick would stand a chance against him.
Katniss tried-and failed-to keep from giving his body a good once-over as well. He wasn't necessarily the tallest guy in the world, but the light blue "Panem University" t-shirt he was wearing underneath an unbuttoned white and blue plaid shirt stretched across his broad chest, hinting at the well-defined chest muscles underneath. Katniss could see his biceps flexing against where he had rolled up the sleeves of the plaid shirt to just above his elbows. He probably has a six-pack too, Katniss thought as she embarrassingly clenched her legs together against the sudden rush of heat she felt at the apex of her thighs. She looked back up with him, willing the blush she felt rising in her cheeks to go away.
"I am so so sorry!" Peeta said with a slightly frantic wave. "I asked my buddy at the hospital gift shop if he'd be willing to open up early this morning so I could get some fresh flowers, but he got there a little late. And then, of course, even at this early on a Saturday, LA traffic can still be annoyingly slow."
Katniss gaped at him and at the bouquet of daisies, marigolds, and orange fire-lilies he was now offering her. No one had ever bought her flowers. Not even Gale, and they had dated for two years.
"You brought me flowers?" she said in wonder. "For a date that started at 6:30 am?"
Peeta's cheeks reddened slightly. "Well...yeah. Isn't that what you're supposed to do when you're about to go on a date with a pretty girl? I don't think the time it starts matters right? And plus, I don't think my dad would ever forgive me for breaking one of his laws from his "Book of Dating Etiquette" that my brothers and I heard about from the day we turned fourteen," he explained with a musical laugh that sent her heart racing. The nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach also increased their pace.
Katniss smiled and blushed even more at Peeta's use of "pretty" in reference to her. She didn't think of herself as pretty, beautiful, or even appealing, but she guessed taking one compliment wouldn't kill her, especially from a guy as gorgeous as he was.
She took the flowers from him with a "He sounds like a smart man." Peeta nodded and smiled back at her, though Katniss thought she detected a hint of sadness in his eyes, but as they had just met, she didn't think it was appropriate to ask him about it. "Let me just go put these in water, and then we can be on our way. I'd invite you in, but Prim was still in her PJs last I saw her. I'm guessing she would be mortified if one of her bosses saw her in her cat patterned pajama pants." Peeta grinned in assent and went to wait by the car.
Katniss quickly made her way back up the stairs to her second floor apartment and raced into the kitchen to find a vase, suddenly and surprisingly eager for this day to really begin. Prim looked up at her in shock from her bowl of Cheerios until she saw the flowers in Katniss' hand. Her mouth split into a wide grin.
"Told ya."
"Shut up, Prim."
XXXXX
"So Katniss, have you ever been to Disneyland before?" Peeta asked curiously as they stood in line waiting for the park to open.
Katniss shook her head. "No. Prim and I didn't live in California as kids. Grew up in northern Oregon. But Prim and her boyfriend went last year. They offered to let me come with them, but I had to work. Prim loved it though. She came home with so much stuff. She made me promise to have a blast today and to also buy myself one fun thing," Katniss said with an eye-roll, but Peeta nodded his head in understanding.
"From the time I spent with her while she was on peds, that doesn't surprise me at all," Peeta said in a warm voice. "She was always playing with the kids, trying to make everything a little more fun so it doesn't shock me at all that she'd want the same thing for her sister. She was by far, the most enthusiastic student on the rotation. Prim definitely got top marks from me on my eval. If she doesn't end up being a pediatrician herself, I'll be stunned."
Katniss beamed at him. The way Peeta described her sister indicated he had seen what the sometimes shy girl really had in her. Prim was so small and quiet in new settings that she was often overlooked by others. But Peeta had clearly paid attention and was all the more endearing for it. Though then she gave him a sheepish look.
"Truth be told, I didn't really try that hard to get that day off. Theme parks aren't really my thing, sorry to say." Peeta quirked an eyebrow at her at that, but Katniss just gave a shrug. "I like the woods," and immediately realized that was probably a stupid thing to say considering the San Fernando Valley probably didn't have a single tree that hadn't been carefully landscaped for one-hundred miles in any direction. So she sputtered out, "And nothing says good times like playing third wheel on your younger sister's date. I didn't need reminding that I'm an old maid," Katniss laughed. Not like we would have been able to afford it anyways even if we had lived close-by, she added silently.
Peeta laughed. "I hardly think you qualify as an old maid. It's not like you're the one who owns the cat pajamas," he said with mischievous grin. "How old are you?"
"I just turned 26 last month."
"Well then, if you're an old maid does that make me a confirmed bachelor? Because I'm turning 27 on Monday, so needless to say, I've got you beat."
"27? You're such an old man!" Katniss exclaimed, blushing yet again at her lame attempt at flirting. She never acted like this, but he seemed to have an effect on her that she couldn't quite explain. "But I don't think so. It's obvious you haven't given up hope yet," Katniss said with a laugh, but Peeta gave her a strange look before shooting her a small uncertain smile that didn't quite reach his brilliant blue eyes.
Katniss wanted to kick herself. She'd made it sound like she'd already written this date and Peeta off. She'd never been good in social situations, and it looked like today was going to be no different. Katniss sighed and turned to face forward.
It was 7:50, and Disneyland was set to open in about 10 minutes. Thankfully, with her apartment being in Orange County, the drive to Anaheim had only taken about 20 minutes even with the traffic. She and Peeta hadn't talked too much, as they were both very focused on their thermoses of coffee, though he had at least explained in more detail how he had won the tickets, and how Prim had found out about them.
According to Peeta, Panem General held a charity raffle and ball every December to resupply the Child Life supplies, playroom toys, and any other anticipated needs the Pediatric Department had for the coming year. Of course, they had funding and a budget to work with from the hospital, but sometimes it just wasn't enough. Residents certainly weren't obligated to put in for the raffle the way the attendings were, but Peeta had bought one raffle ticket for every item, and much to his surprise, he had won the tickets to Disneyland. He had been planning to take his 5 year old nephew when his oldest brother, Bannock, came to visit with his family this month, but a work thing had come up. Prim had heard Peeta mention his sadness that the trip had fallen through, told him excitedly that her older sister had never been to Disneyland, and the rest was history.
She was broken out of her musings by the sound of the surrounding crowd counting back from 10 to mark the park's opening. They crowd began to edge forward as the gate holders began to scan people through. She glanced at Peeta, who was now rummaging in his wallet for the tickets.
"Have you been?" Katniss asked. Peeta looked up at her with a confused expression, tickets now in hand.
"Have I been what?"
"Here before?"
"Oh, yeah, my dad owned a bakery a few miles from here when I was little. This part of LA has always been home. He brought me and my brothers here once every year as long as we behaved. Of course, we never behaved. I don't think brothers ever do. But he brought us anyways," Peeta said with a smile, though the same hint of sadness returned to his eyes as he spoke of his father. Katniss opened her mouth to ask if his father still owned the bakery, but she was interrupted by small caramel skinned girl with a broad smile and a name tag that said her name was Rue asking for their tickets. Peeta smiled warmly at her and handed their passes over.
Once they were inside the gate, Peeta turned to Katniss with such a brilliant smile that Katniss felt another thrill of warmth between her legs. God, this was going to be a long day if just his smile had this kind of effect on her.
"Ok, Katniss Everdeen. Girl who likes the woods and doesn't like theme parks, let's see if we can't make a convert out of you."
XXXXX
"So where would you like to go next?" Peeta asked. "We've hit most of the rides that would have long waits as the park fills, I think. But judging by your expression, I've still not sold you on this place."
Katniss wrinkled her nose at him in obvious mock disgust. "They call it the Happiest Place on Earth, but so far I think they should have called it The Place Where Feet Go to Die, based on the way mine feel. We haven't even seen Mickey yet!"
Peeta smiled. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere. This is, as they say, his party after all." He then glanced down at her feet with a concerned look that sent the butterflies in her stomach to fluttering again. "Are you ok though? Sorry, I suppose I was doing this the way my dad always did when he took us to the parks. Sprint around the first few hours before the crowds arrive. Then relax for the rest of the day and do anything that doesn't have more than a 20ish minute wait." He rummaged in one of the pockets of his cargo shorts before holding up what looked like a small white square of paper triumphantly. "But I did bring blister pads and bandages just in case the newbie couldn't hack it, courtesy of Panem General Hospital...I figured they wouldn't miss them," he said with a wink that didn't quite conceal his obviously real concern.
It was Katniss' turn to laugh. "I was joking, don't worry. Didn't I tell you I like the woods? Even in the LA area, there's places you can hike, albeit not many places with a lot of trees. Though if you really want to see the forests in this state, you do have to drive a ways," she said a little sadly as a wave of homesickness overtook her. She really did miss her childhood town, with it's clear creeks, woods, and the Cascade Mountains rising up behind it, but she shook away her melancholy, plastering a large smile on her face that she hoped Peeta didn't notice for its fakeness. "So my feet, Dr. Thief, are doing just fine. But I'll take the blister pad anyways. I need a souvenir from the day don't I?"
"That's a pretty lame souvenir," Peeta said even as he handed over the pad with a teasing grin. "I think our new mission is going to be to find you something better to take home to show Prim," and Katniss couldn't help but really smile at the scandalized expression Prim's face would have if she claimed a blister pad was the only thing she'd gotten at Disneyland. "But you pick where we go next." He handed her the map of the park, and Katniss studied it carefully.
They had been in the park for over two hours now and had really spent most of the time running from ride to ride before the lines got too long. It hadn't been too bad trailing along in Peeta's wake as he led her from place to place. The rides had actually been fun, Indiana Jones in particular, and following him had also allowed her a few good looks at his ass, which filled out the pair of cargo shorts he was wearing so well that Katniss thought it ought to be a crime.
Much to her chagrin, she thought Peeta had caught her looking at him a few times, as every time her eyes had flicked up to his face after roving over his body, she was always met with his warm blue eyes and kind smile. Maybe I'm just imagining that he looks amused, Katniss thought hopefully. She'd resolved to stop checking him out more than once, but it appeared her eyes had other ideas as she, yet again, stopped them from wandering over his body.
It annoyed her, truthfully. She had certainly never been like this with any other guy. And it wasn't just his looks either, though they certainly didn't hurt. But whether they were walking towards a ride, waiting in line, or just sitting down for a quick breather, the conversation had flowed freely and happily between them.
Peeta had talked about a childhood spent flinging dough in his father's bakery, trying to copy his big brothers in everything they did, and drawing in his free time. Much to Katniss' surprise, she discovered he'd originally started out as an art major at Panem University, with the intention of becoming an elementary ed art teacher, but his friend Darius, who planned on going to med school himself, had persuaded Peeta to volunteer with him in the hospital. Peeta had told her the kids stole his heart from the second a few of them gave him hugs for handing out some coloring books. He'd switched his major to Biology the next day, and started working through all the pre-med requirements. He'd gone to Panem University's med school as well, and then gone onto the pediatric residency program and he just begun his second year out of three. But he eventually hoped to get out of LA and work in an underserved urban or rural area.
In turn, Katniss had shared about her college years at Oregon State, where she'd studied social work, ran track and also done archery in her spare time, something her father and she had shared a deep love of in her own childhood. When Peeta asked her how she ended up in LA, Katniss explained that she hadn't wanted Prim to be in such a large city without family close by after she got accepted into med school at Panem so off to California Katniss had gone. She hated her current job as a secretary for a business executive at AAG, but Katniss loved her sister more. She had blushed furiously when Peeta said how much he admired that she would do that for her sister, and that his brothers certainly wouldn't have. He'd laughed then, but that same tell-tale hint of sadness had returned to his eyes, which only made Katniss want to hug him, wishing he would share whatever hidden pain he was trying not to let her see. Though it wasn't exactly like Katniss was one to talk.
Still, she had opened up to him in ways she'd never thought she'd be willing to do with a man she had only known for a few hours. She recognized that she had never felt such a connection with anyone in such a short time before. But it was also disheartening, as she was sure someone like Peeta, who Prim had even confirmed had tons of girls throwing themselves at him, could possibly feel the same way. She sighed resignedly, positive this date was going to be a one-time thing and pointed to a random place on the map.
"Well it's been a fun day so far, I'll give you that, but I think I'd like to avoid anything that makes me feel like I'm about to jerk off the edge of earth if you don't mind." Katniss suppressed a grin as she saw Peeta's eyes widen and pupils dilate slightly at her use of the phrase "jerk off," but he nodded his head in agreement silently. Not for the first time, she wished she could read his thoughts.
"To Fantasyland it is, then." And to Katniss' complete surprise, he took her gently by the hand to lead her to their next destination.
XXXXX
"Oh God. I've heard of this ride," Katniss said as Peeta pointed towards the a building with stylized cutout turrets, towers, and minarets with a gigantic white clock with a smiling face rocking back and forth at its center. She could see the sign about the ride's entrance line that read "it's a small world," and a boat full of happy looking children lay underneath it surrounded by the words, "The Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed." Katniss narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Peeta, which he acknowledged with a slightly abashed smirk. "From what I hear," she continued sarcastically, "hearing the song over and over and over does not, in fact, make for the happiest cruise that ever sailed."
Peeta's smirk grew more pronounced as he replied, "Come on Katniss, it's a Disneyland staple. Everyone has to go on it at least once during their first trip here. One of my dad's laws of his "Book of Disneyland Etiquette," you know? I wouldn't be a good tour guide if I didn't make sure you experienced."
Katniss shook her head in disbelief, "First, there was your dad's book of dating etiquette and now I find out he also has a book of Disneyland etiquette. How many of your dad's rules do you have to live by Peeta?" she said with a high pitched giggled that mortified her. Jesus, had she actually just giggled?! What was that Katniss? But Peeta didn't seem to notice as his grin grew even wider, making his whole too-handsome-to-be-believed face light up with joy. His look sent shivers down Katniss' spine, and she was struck by the fleeting urge to kiss him.
"Many. Dads gotten me this far hasn't he? Ride this with me, and you get to pick the next one."
Katniss raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm going to hold you to that one, Mellark. But if I go crazy on this ride and end up deciding I want to be one of the dolls, I'm blaming you."
"Deal," he said happily and much to Katniss' pleasure, he again grabbed her hand and led her down the ramp to where a large muscled man whose wide creepy smile was so obviously fake directed them to take the last row of a boat packed with families. Katniss bit her lip to keep a giggle from escaping her mouth and glanced sideways at Peeta. His mouth too was pressed together in a tight line, refusing to meet her eye, as his shoulders shook with suppressed mirth.
As soon as the boat launched, they turned to each other and burst out laughing so loudly, a woman with elaborately curled blonde hair and way too much make-up for this type of weather turned around to give them a haughty look of annoyance. It only made them laugh harder.
"Oh my God, how did a man with the name Brutus get placed to work at this ride?" Katniss managed to get out between her guffaws of laughter.
Peeta clutched at his side, gasping for breath. "I don't know, but he wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his misery was he?" before they dissolved into hysterics again. Then, an irritated voice interrupted them-
"Children, if you please, I would appreciate it greatly if you quiet your laughter. We are about to enter the ride. We must have manners even at theme park, yes?"
Peeta and Katniss both gaped at woman in front of them for a second before Peeta snapped smartly to attention, with a look of deep remorse on his face. "Yes, ma'am. I am so sorry we were too loud." He then flashed her a sexy lazy sort of grin and to Katniss' unsurprise (and if she was being honest with herself, complete consternation), the woman actually batted her eyelashes at him, clearly flattered with the attention.
"Oh it's alright dear," she trilled in a rather stunned voice before she turned to face forward as they went under the overhang, and the already too-familiar strains of "it's a small world" began to float around them.
Katniss gave him a look of sarcastic amazement and shook her head at his obvious awareness of his own sex appeal. Peeta just shrugged and mouthed "sorry," giving her a cute thumbs up followed by the same lazy smile he'd given the woman. Katniss glared at him and shook her head more, trying to indicate she was not quite that easy, even while her heart began to pound like a drum in her chest. She also didn't object when he threaded his hand through hers as the first singing dolls came into view.
XXXXX
"35 minutes Peeta! We were on Small World for 35 minutes!" Katniss said with a wild gesture back at the ride of torture. "I think that's one law that needs to be permanently expunged from your Dad's Disneyland rule book. I've definitely reached my lifetime quota on riding that one."
"Well, I hardly think he could have foreseen "it's a small world" breaking down for over thirty minutes," Peeta said reasonably as they made their way back towards the main part of Fantasyland. "It was probably karma getting us back for laughing at that miserable employee that we had to stay on the ride for that long. Or for disturbing Miss Manners," he said thoughtfully.
Katniss stopped walking and turned to him. He gave her an innocent look when he saw the serious look on Katniss' face, but his eyes sparkled with barely concealed amusement.
"That stupid song is now playing on repeat in my head. If it never stops, you should know that I'm holding you responsible." She said in a dangerous voice, stepping close to him. She placed both hands on his chest to give him a playful shove, trying to hide her thrill at the feel of his hard pectorals against her hands. But he caught her hands with his own before she could begin to push him away.
An electrifying energy seemed to radiate from the spot where Peeta held her hands on his chest. It spread rapidly through her body before it finally settled somewhere below her navel.
Katniss looked up at him to see his eyes had widened slightly, presumably surprised as his own actions. He opened his mouth as though he wanted to speak, but abruptly closed it again, as he heart began to beat out a staccato rhythm beneath her fingertips that matched Katniss' own. And maybe it was just her imagination, but Katniss felt him lean deeper into her touch.
"Katniss," Peeta said, his chest beginning to heave.
"Peeta," Katniss whispered back. "I, I'm-" but her voice hitched under his molten gaze.
His deep blue eyes were looking down on her with an unspoken question in hem. Was he…was he going to kiss her? Her mouth opened slightly, and she exhaled a little of huff of air, not even realizing she had been holding her breath. He ran his hand over her arm that left Katniss feeling like her whole body was on fire.
She watched him lower his head towards her, his eyes flitting downwards to her mouth. His tongue darted along his lower lip to wet them, and Katniss' heart began to pound as she did the same. Oh, he was…He had to be. She was sure of it. And she wanted him to, she realized. Badly. Her eyes began to flutter shut in hopeful anticipation as his mouth came nearer and nearer to her own…
The shriek of a child, followed by a man's panicked shout, ripped through the air while she and Peeta jumped apart, the spell of the last few minutes shattering to pieces on the ground.
Peeta ran his hand through his hair as they watched a very frazzled looking father sprint past them after his 3 or 4 year old son. Peeta laughed as he turned back to her. "Remind me that Disneyland isn't for kids," he said jokingly.
Katniss could only muster a slight nod and small smile back at him in response, fighting off a sinking feeling of disappointment at his quick return to normalcy. Perhaps she had been wrong that he had wanted to kiss her. She didn't want to acknowledge the hurt that caused her to feel.
"Katniss? You ok?" he asked, his smile faltering slightly.
She shook her head and willed her smile to widen further. "Yes, of course. I was just trying to think of what ride we should try next. I believe it is my choice after all."
"Ah, I see. That it is," he said with a still slightly troubled look. "So where are we going next, Everdeen?"
"I think it's time we paid Neverland a visit. How about Peter Pan's Flight?" Katniss smiled widely at him, pleased that she had come up with an excuse for her quietness so rapidly. But that feeling quickly dissipated as she watched Peeta's face fall.
"Is, is that alright?" she asked hesitantly.
"Oh, sure," he said with a strained sort of smile, his eyes refusing to meet hers.
"Peeta? Are you sure? It doesn't really matter where we go."
"No Katniss, it's fine, I promise. Let's go." He strode away from her without a backwards glance.
Katniss looked after him sadly. "Fine" clearly wasn't what he was feeling right now, no matter what he said, and Katniss was somehow responsible. How could she mess up so badly? What had she done wrong? She should have just let him guide her. She blinked back a few tears and followed after him.
XXXXX
Katniss edged along in line behind Peeta, despair welling within her at his suddenly cold attitude towards her. They had been standing in line for nearly 30 minutes, but in all that time, Peeta had barely spared Katniss a glance, much less spoken a word to her. She examined his profile closely.
Though he was facing forward, Peeta's rigid back, stiff shoulders, and balled fists left no doubt in Katniss' mind that the tension she felt emanating from him was real. And with every passing second, Katniss felt as though he was slipping farther and farther away from her. She hated it.
"Peeta, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for whatever I did to make you angry. I'm sorry I chose this ride," she blurted out, the distress in her voice evident even to her.
"What?" Peeta said as he whirled around to look at her with wide eyes, but Katniss looked down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze.
"I'm sorry I ruined this," she whispered so softly she wasn't even sure he could hear her.
"Katniss, no, I…You've done nothing wrong. Please don't think that." He gripped one of her hands with both of his, but she still wouldn't look up as she mumbled—
"You seem so upset."
"Please look at me, Katniss. It's me who should be apologizing to you," he begged, his voice thick with emotion, and Katniss was finally compelled to look at him.
He gave her an anguished look. "Katniss, I-"
"Sir, Peter Pan is waiting to take you to Neverland," a red-headed girl with a foxlike face interrupted him, indicating that Katniss and Peeta needed to board the next ride car. Peeta looked like it was the last thing that he wanted to do.
"Thank you," he said glumly to the ride attendant as he let go of Katniss' hand and climbed in, But he immediately took it up again once Katniss stepped in after him. Peeta gave her a desperate almost wild look as the sounds of "The Second Star to the Right" began to play over the hidden speakers.
It was a short ride, barely a minute and a half, but Katniss thought it was cute. The ride car was shaped like a ship, and they were lifted off the ground to simulate flying through the air. First, they floated over the nursery room where Peter meets Wendy and the boys. Then, they floated over a diorama of London, and Katniss was mesmerized by the hundreds of tiny lights twinkling below them.
But when they entered the room where a thousand sparkling stars surrounded a model of Neverland, Katniss felt Peeta grip her hand more tightly. She looked at him, and her heart clenched at the utter sadness apparent on his face even in the semi-darkness of the ride. She squeezed his hand, trying to let him know that she was there, and he let out a relieved sigh as though he knew what she was trying to say.
When the ride ended, Peeta did not let go of Katniss' hand as he practically dragged her out the ride exit to a table in a seating area next to the Dumbo attraction. He indicated for her to sit down with an anxious look on his face. She looked at him a little warily but sat down where he was pointing. Peeta sat down across from her with loud thump, an exhausted look on his face, and began to speak—
"Katniss, I've so sorry. I've been a complete jerk to you, and you didn't deserve it at all. I said before that you hadn't done anything wrong, and I meant that."
Katniss looked at him with confusion. "But why does that ride make you so upset?"
"The ride itself doesn't make me upset. It's..." he paused and gave her a slightly helpless look, "...the memories that come with it."
"Memories?"
Peeta looked over to where the Peter Pan ride, a faraway look on his face, before he turned back to a her, conflict evident in his eyes. He took a deep breath, like he was making up his mind about something.
"Peter Pan used to actually be my favorite ride," he said slowly. "Every time my dad and I came here, I insisted that it be the first and last ride that we rode. My brothers always teased me about it. Why would you want to go on a baby ride when you could go on something cool like Pirates of the Caribbean or Splash Mountain?" Peeta balled his hands into tight fists, staring determinedly away from Katniss. "But." He paused again and gave her a slightly terrified look. "But when you're a little kid whose mother hits you every day, wouldn't you want Peter Pan to take you to Neverland too?" he choked out. Katniss mouth opened in horror.
"Peeta, oh Peeta." Katniss gently placed her hand on his arm. "How long?" He looked at her briefly, pain in his eyes, before he cast his gaze to the ground.
"About 10 years. From the time I was 2 to the time I was 12. She only did it to me. I've really never known why, but her slapping me is the oldest memory that I have." Katniss felt a terrible rage run through her at this woman that she had never met. How had he managed to become the obviously sweet person he was growing up in a house like that?
Seeming to read her mind, Peeta continued, "Dad saved me. He walked in one day when she thought he wasn't home. She was about to hit me with a rolling pin when he stopped her. I'd never seen him so angry. Immediately reported her to the police and divorced her shortly thereafter. She's been out of a jail about 5 years now, but my brothers and I haven't seen her since before she went to prison."
"Your dad sounds like an amazing person," Katniss said gently.
"He…he was." Katniss felt her heart plummet into her stomach at his use of the past tense in reference to his father.
"He was my best friend. My brothers are quite a bit older than me, so for a long time it was just me and Dad against the world. He took care of me. Made sure I saw the right people to help me work through what mom did. And he never punished me, even if I deserved it," Peeta said with a small smile. "You should have seen what he could do in the bakery. I'd give almost anything to have his cheese buns again."
He finally turned to her again, and she watched as the smile fell off his face. Peeta squared his shoulders, steeling himself for whatever he was about to say next. "He's been gone about 4 years now. Pancreatic cancer. It was so far advanced when they found it that there wasn't much to do for him except manage the pain. He died two months after his diagnosis. When he first went in, we thought he just had a bad case of the flu," Peeta said in a wavering voice.
Without even thinking about it, Katniss scooted around the table to sit next to him, embracing him. He sighed at her touch, and much to her gladness, Katniss felt a little of the tension leave his body. "I am so sorry Peeta. I wish I could have met him," she said sincerely.
"Me too," he whispered, hugging her tightly back.
"My dad is gone too, and my mom might as well be," Katniss said, shocking herself, as Peeta gave her a look of surprise. Katniss bit her lip. She usually never shared this with anybody, but Peeta's confession has somehow penetrated her normally well-guarded heart.
"Dad was my best friend too. Every Sunday we'd go out to the woods together behind our house. We'd hunt or gather plants or go down to the lake. That was my favorite because then he'd sing for me. He had the most amazing voice. All the birds would stop to listen to him."
She looked at Peeta, the sadness she always felt when the topic of her father's death threatening to overwhelm her. "He died in a car accident when I was 11, and my mom never really recovered from it. She'd be there some days, but most of the time, she was…well I don't even know where. But the settlement money ran out by the time I hit high school." Katniss balled her fists in anger. Her mother's abandonment of her daughters never stopped hurting.
"I started selling game to support us and got a job as soon as could. I didn't really have time for friends, but it was just as well. No one really wanted to be friends with the poor girl who always had blood under her fingers," Katniss said sarcastically. "Then when I got into Oregon State, I took Prim with me. She was too sweet to put up much of a fuss, though she resented me for a while for taking her away from her friends." Peeta looked at her in astonishment.
"You did all that? And took care of Prim? Katniss, I, that's amazing. You're amazing."
Katniss just shrugged. "I did what I needed to survive, that's all." But Peeta shook his head in disagreement.
"It really is Katniss. I don't think I've ever met anyone as strong as you. Though...you said it was just you and Prim who moved when you went to college? Where was your mom?" he asked gently. But when he saw the pained expression on her face, he hastily said, "You don't have to answer that."
Katniss sighed. "No it's ok. She, the depression finally got the best of her my senior year of high school, and she tried to commit suicide. She's been in a long-term mental health facility since then. Prim and I visit her on holidays."
Peeta gave her a sad look, but she couldn't detect any pity in his eyes, for which she was very grateful. "I'm so sorry," Peeta said, echoing Katniss' earlier words.
"It's ok. It's been a long time," she said in a small voice. Great, now that he knew how dysfunctional she really was, she'd probably scared him off, she thought. So when Peeta's arms tightened around her, at first Katniss wasn't sure if it was real. But his solidness of his chest and the warmth of his arms reassured her. She realized she couldn't remember the last time she had felt this safe.
They held each other for a few minutes, before Peeta finally pulled away slightly to look down at her, amusement returning to his eyes. "We sure know how to have fun on our blind dates, don't we?" Katniss laughed. "I promise I don't normally freak girls out with crappy things from my past on my first dates." Katniss' heart plunged a little at plural use of girls, and she wondered how first he'd been on, if she possibly was just another one in a long line. But the vulnerability she detected in his eyes pushed those thoughts away.
"I promise I don't normally scare guys with my awful childhood on my numerous imaginary first dates," she said humorously.
Peeta shook his head again. "I bet there have been so many guys who've wanted to ask you out. You're stunning. But lucky for me, none of them got to you before I did," he said with a brilliant smile. Katniss scoffed in disbelief, blushing furiously, but Peeta didn't seem to notice. "What say we try another ride? Pinocchio is delightfully creepy."
"Why would they make a ride that's creepy?" Katniss said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, Small World drove us nuts. We also went on Snow White's Scary Adventures, and of course, Mr. Toad's sent us right to hell for reckless driving. So why can't Disney make a ride that's creepier than all get out? You too scared to try it out?" Peeta said teasingly.
"Bring it on."
XXXXX
"Ugh, you were totally right. Between the carnival clowns, the young-boys-who-had-been-turned-into-donkeys being shipped off to the salt mines, and the giant whale threatening to swallow us whole, that was very creepy."
"Too true," Peeta said, shuddering at Katniss' words. "But at least the ending was happy. Jiminy got to become an official conscience, Gepetto found his son, and the blue fairy was kind enough to turn Pinocchio into a real boy. When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true and all that."
She snorted. "Yeah, I never bought that even when I was a kid. If you believe in them hard enough or wish upon a star or throw a penny in a well, everything in your life will be just peach," Katniss said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Peeta turned to her with a surprisingly serious expression on his face. "Oh, I don't know. I'd like to think that some dreams can come true. Maybe not with the help of fairy godmothers or the blue fairy, but I think it's still possible for everyone to find happiness. And wishing on the stars never hurt anyone, as far as I know," he said kindly.
Katniss gaped at him. With the knowledge of Peeta's abuse-riddled childhood and tragic death of his father still fresh in her mind, his fairly optimistic outlook on life shocked her. And that wasn't even to mention the fact that Peeta worked in a field where he saw sick children every day, at least a few of whom had likely, sadly, succumbed to their illnesses. Or that he was mostly alone, given the fact that he had said he and his brothers weren't close.
Yet, Peeta was telling her life could be good again…for him…for her…for anyone really. She could only shake her head in disbelief.
"I wish I could believe that, but Happily Ever Afters haven't exactly ever been in my cards. In my opinion, the stars are just flickering lights in the sky, cold, distant and without warmth," she said with more bitterness than she meant to. But the images of her long dead father, nearly dead mother, and far off home had begun to whirl through her head.
"Maybe you just haven't found your happy ending yet, Katniss. Or the right star to wish on," came Peeta's reply as his hand yet again found its way through her own. She stared up at him with a skeptically.
"Dreams still come true," he said, touching on long finger to her nose affectionately. Then, he brushed a strand of hair that had escaped from Katniss' braid back behind her ear. She felt a strange warmth flooding through her chest, and for once, with Peeta at her side, Katniss considered that his proclamation was really possible.
XXXXX
"Oy, it's starting to get pretty hot out," Peeta said as he pushed a slightly sweaty curl of blonde hair off his face. Katniss nodded in agreement, grateful that she'd fought off Prim's demands for her to where her hair down today.
It was now about 3:30 in the afternoon. In that time, Peeta and Katniss had ridden a few more rides and grabbed some lunch. They had spent the rest of the time perusing the shops for something fun for Katniss' to buy so, as Peeta put it, "Prim wouldn't be ashamed of having a sister who 'hated' Mickey Mouse enough not to buy his overpriced merchandise."
Katniss had thrown the stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh she'd been holding at him for that, but much to Peeta's amusement and Katniss' embarrassment, she had instead hit a severe, grey-haired woman in her early 50s. Katniss had immediately apologized, but she wasn't sure the woman took her seriously considering Peeta had been standing next to her, his shoulders shaking with (poorly) concealed laughter. And then, under his rather incredulous gaze, she had settled on buying a simple Disneyland magnet for her refrigerator. "Practical," she had explained after she had noticed the questioning look he was giving her.
"Isn't there a water ride around here?" Katniss asked him.
Peeta gave her a contemplative look. "Hmm. Well there's Splash Mountain. It's a log ride. Though it's kind of hit or miss on how wet you get." He pointed towards where an odd looking mountain structure with a burned-out tree at its peak arose from the surrounding land. "The wait is sometimes long, but I think there's a parade starting soon so the line might not be so bad."
"Sounds good to me," Katniss said and walked in the direction Peeta was indicated.
When they arrived at the ride entrance, the sign announcing the wait time showed they would only have to wait 20 minutes, much to their relief. They promptly got in line.
As they edged along, Katniss looked back at Peeta curiously, and asked "So you said your brothers liked this ride? You said they are older than you right?"
Peeta nodded. "Bannock is about 9 years older than me, and Rye is about 7 years older. Rye works as an accountant up in Portland. He just proposed to his girlfriend," Peeta said with a slight grimace that set Katniss' heart fluttering for some odd reason. "Bannock runs a bakery in Olympia, Washington. He and his wife have a two year old girl and a five year old boy. That was the one who was supposed to come to visit when Bannock came down here this month. But what can you do when bakery emergencies arise?" Peeta said with a shrug. Katniss, however, sent a silent thank you to Bannock for canceling his trip. "But yeah, you could say they liked this ride, though not for the reasons that you'd think," he said with an impish grin.
"Oh? Do tell." Katniss smiled widely to encourage him.
"Well, what would you say if I told you that there were several trips where my brothers were allowed to invite their girlfriends along, and that young Peeta did not quite understand why they insisted said girls ride in the front of the log, particularly if said girls were wearing light-colored shirts?"
Katniss shook her head as she laughed. "I would say your brothers sound like they were acting like typical teenage boys. Those poor, poor girls." Peeta grinned widely at her. But then she felt a heated thrill go through her as Peeta looked her up and down appraisingly, taking obvious note of her own light shirt. His eyes gleamed mischievously.
"I promise not act like the heathens my brothers were if we're assigned the front two seats...Or rather I promise not to act like a teenage boy," Peeta said with a hungry look that made everything south of Katniss' belly melt like chocolate.
"So chivalrous, my prince," she choked out, suddenly breathless, and his eyes brightened more at the epitaph. He gave her a little bow.
"Always," he replied.
Katniss' heart skipped a beat at the stunning smile Peeta was now giving her, and that simple word, which suddenly meant everything to her. She realized she might just be falling for him. It was both exciting and terrifying all at once, and she fell silent for the rest of the time they were waiting.
As they finally reached the front of the line, a sudden idea popped into Katniss' head. It wasn't exactly like her to do something like this provocative, but the opportunity was too good to pass up.
When the ride attendant indicated that she and Peeta were to take the 1 and 2 spots for their assigned log, Katniss could barely hide her smile at what she had planned. As he had promised, Peeta edged against the railing towards the 1 circle, but Katniss reached grabbed his sleeve to stop him.
"Wait" she said. Peeta looked back at her in concern, thinking something was wrong, but Katniss gave him a slight smirk. She moved past him slowly, deliberately making sure her ass brushed along his groin. "I think princesses can save the day sometimes too right? And you said it's hit or miss anyways," she cast back at him, coming to stand dramatically on the 1 circle. She had to hold in a laugh at the open-mouthed shock on Peeta's face.
XXXXX
Maybe this hadn't been such a great idea, Katniss thought as she looked down at her rather soaked orange and white shirt. If the ride was "hit or miss," Katniss had most definitely been a direct hit.
She had mostly avoided getting wet through the small dips and plunges scattered throughout the ride, but Katniss knew she was doomed from the moment the log went over the final hill. She'd put her arms up to protect her face from the water, forgetting to protect her chest, as a wave of water washed over the log flume when they hit the bottom.
Now her hair had come undone, and her shirt was dripping wet and very, very, very see-through. Anyone looking at her directly would get a full view of her lacy white bra and abdomen. And as she walked out the ride exit to a nearby bench area, she felt her nipples pucker against a surprisingly cool breeze sweeping across the area. She shivered.
"Katniss, you ok?" Peeta's voice came from behind her, worry coloring his tone. She glanced sideways at him. From what she could tell, maybe a few drops of water had landed in his hair, and he had one damp patch over his shoulder. But otherwise, Peeta looked like he'd escaped unscathed.
Katniss grimaced. No way she could just avoid him seeing her from the front until she dried off. Though this would not have been the first way she would have chosen for him to see her in a state of semi-nakedness, Katniss thought, completely chagrined. Nothing like being shivering, cold, and dripping water in front of the hottest guy she'd ever been out with. She sighed. Might as well get this over with.
"Well, it looks like you were the definitely the miss, and I was the hit," she said as she turned towards him. She waved her hands over her shirt. "I think they say chivalry is dead right? It appears I should have left it in the ground."
"Oh," Peeta said softly. Katniss looked up at him, surprised that he wasn't making some sort of joke and caught the unmistakably ravenous look in his eyes as they raked over her wet body. She blushed under his gaze but didn't exactly feel upset that he was looking at her. Apparently, Peeta didn't mind the shivering. She even wished; with only a little shame, that Peeta's chest had gotten as wet as hers… or perhaps even lower...
He took a step towards her, and Katniss felt the same charged energy from earlier flowing between them. She saw his eyes dilating, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Katniss tensed slightly, and her heart beat out an erratic rhythm so loudly that she was sure he could hear it. By the time he was standing directly in front of her, their bodies' millimeters from touching, she was sure he wanted to kiss her.
"Katniss." He whispered her name almost reverently. Katniss boldly placed one hand on his chest, feeling his own thumping heartbeat accelerate rapidly at her touch.
"Yes?" she answered quietly, staring up into his blazing blue eyes He leaned down towards her mouth, and Katniss stretched up on her toes to meet him-
"PATRICK! Daddy said no running!"
Katniss' mouth fell open as the same mop-topped giggling toddler from earlier ran by. His even more harried looking father sprinted after him, accidentally knocking Peeta in the shoulder as he went. Peeta stumbled a little, his face turning brilliant shade of pink.
"I think that kid is going to be in the Olympics someday at the rate he's going," he said in a mild tone. But Katniss was beginning to know Peeta better, and she could see his underlying frustration. He sighed deeply, running a hand through his already tousled hair, and shrugged out of his plaid over-shirt before offering it to her.
"Here. This should keep you warm while that shirt dries." Katniss nodded gratefully, taking it from him. As she pulled it on, Katniss caught the whiff of cinnamon and...Was that dill? It wasn't a combination she had ever encountered before, but it was good. It was him.
"I like this shirt," she said, blushing slightly.
Peeta gave her a shy smile. "I like you in that shirt. You make it look much better than I ever have." Katniss could feel her face go even more red at the compliment and was suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
"Do you want some ice cream?" he asked. "For some reason, I'm really feeling that right now." Katniss nodded at the ground. She'd never really been one to pass up free food.
"Ok. You wait here and sit in the sun to dry. I'll be right back."
XXXXX
Katniss looked around anxiously for Peeta, her fingers twisting the bottom of his shirt out of nerves. It had been over 15 minutes since he'd left her to go find the ice cream. But considering there was a food cart of some kind every 10 feet, Katniss found it hard to believe that it was taking him this long to find the treat. She figured he had just been delayed for some unknown reason even, but the ever-growing fear that he had left her was getting harder and harder to ignore. She tried to reassure herself.
Things had been going well, hadn't they? Peeta had tried to kiss her twice right? He wouldn't just up and leave. He didn't seem the type. Not even if he was on the worst date in the world… Or maybe he would, and this really is the most awful date he's ever had. You've been someone's worst date before; the substantial part of herself with low self-esteem reminded her.
"Katniss. Hey, Katniss!" She felt his warm hand touch her shoulder as Peeta's voice broke through her distressed thoughts. Katniss looked up in relief to find Peeta smiling down at her, a Mickey-shaped ice cream bar in each hand, and a "Disney Parks" shopping bag dangling from one wrist.
He looked at her apologetically. "Sorry I took so long. I found the ice cream in no time flat, but would you believe it, I ran into the family of one of my patients. They're nice people, but you'd think they'd let a guy go when he has ice cream in his hands."
Katniss gave him a small smile, trying to put the fear of the last few minutes behind her. "It's ok. No harm done. I figured something had just delayed you." Peeta gave her a discerning look, like he knew she wasn't being completely honest. Try harder, Katniss. She grinned widely. "In fact, I was most worried you'd been kidnapped by a few strange looking characters I've seen around here. I was particularly concerned about the giant duck wearing a sailor hat and shirt but no pants. I thought he might have tried to steal yours."
"No, I haven't encountered anyone demanding that I take off my pants...Yet, anyways," he said with a laugh. Katniss could tell he had meant it innocently enough, but she caught the red hue creeping its way into his cheeks once he realized what he had said. "Or, what I meant was, I mean, I'm not assuming anyone wants take off my pants or anything. I don't expect it, ah, or...ah shit." Peeta gave her a weak smile. Even his ears were turning red.
Katniss wished she were a little more confident that he felt as strongly about her as she was feeling about him. If she was, she would let him know just how much of the day she had spent wondering what he had hidden beneath hispants. But she was not thatbold. So instead, she just smiled at him and let him off the hook with a, "I know what you meant, don't worry." She then asked, "Do you want to walk along the waterfront while we eat these? I'll protect you from pantless ducks we come across."
Peeta smiled. "And I'll shield you from anyone demanding you ride Small World ever again. We'll protect each other. Deal?"
"Deal," Katniss said and wound her hand through his. It was the first time she had taken that initiative. Peeta gave her such a happy look that Katniss glowed with pleasure. Perhaps she really was dreaming.
They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes before they found a relatively quiet bench to sit on. Katniss licked her ice cream slowly and stole glances at Peeta, who was looking out over the water with an unreadable expression on his face. She wondered if the question floating around in her head was one that Peeta would even be willing to answer. Probably not, she decided. But her insecurities got the better of her.
"Yourbrotherslikedtobringgirlshere, butwhataboutyou?" she mumbled quickly, unsure if he had even understood her, but one look at his surprised face confirmed that he had. She groaned internally, realizing that she probably sounded like a jealous idiot, and tried to recover. "I mean, I bet Clove or Glimmer would like it here. Prim told me how lovely they are," she said with a high-pitched laugh that Katniss didn't recognize as her own. She wondered if there was a rock around the area that she could crawl under.
It was only when she heard Peeta's laugh that she was finally able to look at him fully. "Prim told you about them huh? Lovely is not a term I've ever heard used to describe them."
Katniss gave him a weak smile. "Prim may have used a few more, er, colorful terms but lovely is what I'll still with."
"Clove can be nice sometimes, if you get her away from Glimmer," Peeta said with a sigh. "But she is very intense and competitive, even though we're really just supposed to work as a team. And Glimmer is…" Peeta hesitated slightly. "...Well, I try not to speak ill of my co-workers, but Glimmer is very, uh, forward about what she wants and gets quite upset if she doesn't get it. I think she chose medicine for the money and or really more to find someone who can support the lifestyle she wants. Pretty sure she's gone out with every surgical resident at the hospital, and I'm also positive she's the reason they like to deliberately ignore our consult requests."
"Peeta Mellark!" Katniss said with a giggle. "I think you just accused your co-worker of being a gold-digging slut in the nicest way possible. Was she ever, ah, 'forward' with you?"
Peeta looked at her sheepishly. "On the first day we started residency actually, but I knew any person who would wear 6 inch heels to a job that requires them to walk around a hospital all day had to be a little crazy." Katniss wiggled her practical Nikes in front of him. Peeta grinned at her. "So I politely told her no, but I don't think she's ever forgiven me for it. I think I was probably the first guy to do that to her."
"She's probably very beautiful then," Katniss said in an even tone that hid the sudden turmoil in her heart.
"Eh, only if you like girls that are completely fake. Glimmer tries to be whatever she thinks everyone wants her to be, but when you truly see who she is, you realize there's not much there." He gave Katniss a furtive look. "I like girls who are real." Katniss felt the heat raising in her cheeks yet again, but this time it wasn't in shame. But she realized she had no idea what to say.
"Do you want to go on the steamboat?" she asked lamely, kicking herself for her awkwardness, noticing as a riverboat with "Mark Twain" labeled along its prow docking twenty yards from where they sat. She could hear the conductor announcing it would be the last ride of the day. "Sounds like it is last call." Peeta gave her a confused almost disappointed look, but they made their way over to the waiting area.
"Not a popular attraction, I take it?" Katniss asked as she looked around at the perhaps 10 or so other people waiting for the boat to lower its plank.
Peeta nodded. "I don't think many people even notice it. I pretty sure I haven't been on it since I was like 12. It's fairly long from what I remember. Rye especially never had the patience for it. He likes to move fast, with just about everything as a matter of fact." Katniss noticed Peeta had the same grimace as he had earlier when he talked about Rye.
"I take it you think he moves too fast sometimes?" she asked tentatively. "Like with his girlfriend? You...you didn't exactly look happy when you mentioned that earlier."
"Hah. You noticed that?" Peeta said darkly as a fleeting look of pain crossed his face. Katniss nodded slowly, worrying that she that she had said something wrong again. She bit her lip nervously and watched the gangway lowering off the boat. But to her relief, Peeta gave her a meaningful look that Katniss took to mean he would continue after they got on the craft.
While most people seemed to go towards the front of the boat, Katniss and Peeta made their way to the back and settled themselves against the railing along the stern. They listened to the general safety announcements while the boat pulled away from the dock, but even after they had finished, Peeta didn't speak. Katniss remained determinedly silent and finally, after a few minutes, his quietly said-
"To answer your earlier question, you're the second girl I've been here with. This first was with a girl named Cashmere." Katniss looked at him with confusion. Someone had actually thought it was a good idea to name their child Cashmere? And how did that relate to his brother or his brother's girlfriend? Peeta turned from where he had been watching the wheel of the boat, a grim smile plastered on his face. He sighed at Katniss' bewildered look.
"She and I met on my first day of medical school. I had to drop something off at the hospital and snuck onto the peds unit, just to see what it was like. I really wasn't supposed to be there without a badge, you see. Cassie was a nurse on the unit. She caught me but let me off easy if I agreed to go on a date with her." Katniss wrinkled her nose. She hated girls like that. Peeta gave a hollow laugh. "Yeah, the blackmail probably should have been my first warning sign. But I was a total sap and thought it was cute."
"How long did you date for?" Katniss asked, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.
"Four years. We broke up just before I started residency." Katniss' eyes widened. With as long as he had dated, she was surprised he hadn't asked Cassie to marry him. But seeming once again to read her thoughts, Peeta said, "I asked her to marry me the day after I graduated. She said no. 'I was too nice for her to deserve me,' as she put it. Whatever the hell that means." He waved his hand dismissively like he didn't care, but Katniss felt her heart breaking at his obvious pain.
She rubbed his arm gently. "She sounds like an idiot." Peeta gave her a small smile and placed his free hand on top of hers.
"Oh, it gets worse. She started dating Rye shortly after that, but they didn't tell me until he got the job offer in Portland. That was 6 months ago. They moved up there together, and she agreed to marry him last week. Guess she just needed to find the right person," he said, no longer meeting her eyes.
Katniss felt her blood begin to boil. How much pain was Peeta supposed to take from his own family? "And you actually still talk to Rye?" Katniss said with disgust.
"Not for a long while," Peeta said, shaking his head. "It's only been in the past month that I finally started answering his phone calls again and that was more for Bannock's sake than mine. Rye apparently was begging him to persuade me for weeks, and Bannock finally got sick of his pestering enough to ask me."
"You're far kinder than I would have been. I wish I could slap Rye and Cassie for you," Katniss said with a snort. "Are you doing ok about it?"
Peeta gave her a genuine smile for the first time since the conversation had begun. "I believe you would do it too. But I'm ok. Thanks for asking though." Katniss narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him so much that he actually started to laugh. "I promise. And I've been on two really lousy dates that my friends pretty much forced me since then. They were disasters from the start. I'll tell you those stories sometime, I promise," he said, laughing at himself. "But I just wanted to assure you that my love life is not as pathetic as it sounds."
Katniss stared at him. She had been so sure that as handsome, kind, and just plain wonderful as Peeta was, he could have and probably did get any woman he wanted. But if what he was saying was true, she was the only person he had willingly gone out with in over a year.
"Always…" The word suddenly floated through Katniss' head as she realized that she wasn't just falling for Peeta. She had already fallen for him. The truth of it hit her like a ton of bricks.
But she wasn't brave enough to tell him just yet, she thought with a sigh. So she settled on something a tiny bit easier. He'd been honest with her after all.
"Well yours may not be pathetic, but mine most certainly is. I broke up with my ex two years ago, and I have been one exactly one date since. I guarantee that story has got any of your disasters beat."
"Try me," Peeta said teasingly, clearly thinking this was going to be a funny story. Katniss took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before she began to speak.
"His name was Cato. I'm still not sure why I agreed to a date with him, but it had a lot to do with wanting to end the piteous looks from my friends whenever the topic of my non-existent love life came up." Peeta nodded in understanding. "Cato was...Well, I don't really remember what he did for a living, but the way he talked while we were at dinner, I think his only true loves were his own muscles. He talked about himself the entire time." Katniss made a face at the memory. "I thought it would get a little better when we went dancing afterwards. But he spent most of time trying to look down my dress, and the rest of the time trying to look down anyone else's within a five foot radius." She felt her knees go a little weak at the thunderous look now on Peeta's face, but then looked down shamefully. Now came the hard part.
"I called my friend Johanna to come pick me up. Just gave Cato the excuse that I was tired, and that he was welcome to stay. But, he, he wasn't pleased about that. Told me I should stay, and that no one ever walked out of a date with him. Johanna got there just in time to see him pin me up against the wall and grope me under my dress," Katniss said, trembling at the memory of Cato's hot breath on her neck, arm at her throat, as he jammed his finger beneath her panties and into her most intimate place.
She felt Peeta grip her arm tightly and watched the other one ball itself into a tight fist. But she didn't look at him. "I've never seen Johanna go so ballistic, and that's saying something. I'm pretty sure she gave him a concussion at the very least, and I'm still surprised that place didn't call the cops on her, but I think all the employees were familiar with Cato. I, I don't think I was the first girl he did that to."
In the smallest voice she could possibly manage while still being heard, she said, "We reported him. I didn't want to at first, but Johanna persuaded me to. He called me a lot...well a lot of really terrible things on his way out of court after they found him guilty."
The tears had just begun to fall down her face when Katniss' felt Peeta's arms surround her.
"Oh sweetheart," he whispered, and Katniss buried her face into his chest.
"Prim and my friends were all really supportive, and Dr. Aurelius helped me a lot, but, it's just, not a fun memory," she mumbled into his shirt. He tightened his arms around her.
They held each other for a few minutes before Katniss finally started feeling better. She looked up at him and gave him a watery smile. "Some pair we are huh? Didn't the sign say this was the happiest place on earth?"
Peeta smiled down at her and gently wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. "I think we can still be happy," he said, dangling the "Disney Parks" bag that she had forgotten he had in front of her face.
"What did you get?" she asked with a small laugh.
Peeta's smile widened in reply as he reached in the bag and pulled out a pair of sparkling silver Minnie Mouse ears. "I thought Prim would be much happier if you came back with these as a souvenir. Picking them out was the other part of why I took so long. There were a ton of choices, but I liked these ones the best because they match your eyes." Katniss gaped at him in awe as he slid the band onto her head. "Beautiful," he said as he surveyed her. "Not that you really needed the help though."
That did it. To hell with her insecurities. She couldn't wait any more.
"Kiss me, Peeta."
His eyes widened in surprise at her demand, but then his demeanor changed in an instant.
"Wait one second," he practically growled at her, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire. And then to her utter bewilderment, Katniss watched him turn around and walk away from her towards the front of the ship.
Katniss stood there perplexedly, totally confused at what he could possibly have to do, when she saw him striding back towards her.
"Peeta, what-"
"I needed to make sure that damn kid wasn't on the boat to interrupt us. If he was, I would have tied him to a column because I've really wanted to do this all day long but that little sucker has blocked me twice now," Peeta said, pulling her into his arms.
Katniss began to laugh, but she was immediately cut off as Peeta crushed her to himself and slanted his mouth down over hers to give her an earth-shattering kiss.
Finally.
It was the last coherent thought Katniss managed to have before she lost herself in him. Before for she became a creature beholden only to those great senses of sound, and touch, and taste. Before the love that Katniss was almost certain she already felt between them enveloped her completely.
XXXXX
"So what should we choose for our last ride of the night, Katniss? Fireworks start in about an hour so we should try for a good spot since you've never seen them before," Peeta said, looking down at Katniss with same joyous smile he'd had on his face ever since they'd ridden the riverboat. They'd been walking mostly hand in hand since then to whatever ride, shop, or eatery they felt like, neither of them wanting to go without the other's touch for long.
Katniss looked around and pointed to an old plantation style house with weeping willows surrounding it and a hearse in the front yard. "Is that a ride?"
"Yeah, that's the Haunted Mansion. It's the one dad liked best actually. He loved ghost stories," Peeta said a little wistfully.
Katniss squeezed his hand comfortingly. "We don't have to go on it if you don't want to."
"No, it's ok. I think dad would disown me even from Heaven if he knew I'd skipped his favorite ride," he said.
The wait passed quickly and soon enough, Katniss found herself walking next to Peeta down a very dimly lit corridor lined with portraits. Each time "lightning struck" outside the supposed windows, the image of a ghost would flash within the pictures. It made Katniss laugh.
"Scary place, isn't this?" she said with surprising giddiness, and she drew close to Peeta.
He winked and put his arm around her. "The offer to protect you still stands. I don't think we're out of the ghost zone yet."
"I think I'll take you up on that offer," she said as they rounded a bend and saw an army of small black ride cars that Katniss assumed were meant to mimic hearses moving by. Katniss watched as the people in front of them stepped onto a conveyor belt to jump into the cars.
"Do you want your own Doom Buggy? Or are we sharing?" Peeta whispered against her ear, his breath hot against her neck, as she felt him come to stand closely behind her.
He ran his hands up and down her arms gently, but Katniss felt like a live wire, acutely aware that mere inches separated the distance between them. She shuddered as desire, thick and heavy as molasses, suddenly inflamed her. Katniss had never felt such a need, such a...hunger...for anyone before.
And suddenly, Katniss saw the small, broad-walled ride cars that practically shielded everyone from looking at anyone else on the dark ride in a very new light...
"Together. Definitely together."
After they got into the ride car, Katniss waved vigorously at the ride attendant, a tall angry looking man with snow-white hair and a beard to match. He looked at her sternly as they moved slowly past him, leaving Katniss feeling slightly guilty that she wasn't planning on paying attention to this ride at all. But that feeling was quickly abandoned as she felt Peeta wrap his arm around her shoulders again.
"So, up first, I think-"
Peeta gasped in shock as Katniss pressed her lips to his and ran her hands over his chest, wishing wholeheartedly that the barrier of his shirt didn't exist. Peeta responded immediately to her touch, threaded his hand through her hair while he used the other to press her closer to him. But to her disappointment, he only kissed her gently before he pulled away with a sigh. He gathered her hands in his own.
"Honey," he said breathing heavily, "I think they have cameras watching the ride."
Katniss blanched. She hadn't thought about cameras. But as she looked at his handsome face, she decided it didn't matter.
"Do you care?" she whispered, her voice trembling with want.
Peeta gave her a contemplative look and ran a hand through his hair. It was a gesture Katniss was learning meant he was frustrated...or thinking. His pupils were so dilated in the dim light that only a thin rim of blue remained. She knew she could easily look at those eyes for the rest of her life. She was so distracted looking at him that she missed his answer.
"What?" she asked.
Peeta grinned at her wolfishly, and Katniss suddenly got the feeling she was about to be eaten alive. She liked it.
"I said, no, I don't."
She didn't have time to reply before he started kissing her furiously, one of his hands gripping her cheek while the other again found its way into her hair. He knocked off her Minnie ears in his passion, and they clattered to floor below.
Katniss kissed him back with equal fervor, a need growing within her such had never known before. And each time his soft lips brushed against her own, the brightly burning flame between her thighs grew only more pronounced, her panties already soaking wet with want. She couldn't get enough of this man.
She slipped her hands beneath his shirt to trace the contours of his chest, feeling the like sprinkling of hair there. Then, she boldly did the same to his abdomen, eliciting a deep moan from him when she traced the soft line of hair that ran from his navel downwards into his shorts.
His own hands fluttered over her body, never staying in one place for long, like there was just too much that he wanted to touch, and she writhed under his caresses, her body heating up like coal over a fire. She pressed her breasts against him, wanting him to feel her now taught nipples through their shirts. He let out another soft groan at the contact.
She gasped in surprise as he pulled her top lip between his own, tugging on it gently, before he did the same to the other. Then, Peeta nipped at her lower lip and next ran his tongue across it, begging entrance to her mouth. She opened her lips wider to welcome him in, enjoying the way he tasted like the strawberry lemonade they had shared at dinner earlier.
Fuck, he was a good kisser.
He probed every crevice of her mouth, running his tongue along her teeth and palate. Their tongues clashed and parried together, each fighting for dominance, before Katniss gave another gasp of surprise as he expertly began to massage her tongue, encouraging hers to dance with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, lost in the feel of his mouth, pouring every feeling she was too afraid to voice aloud into her kisses and touches.
They remained that way for a minute or two, locked so tightly together that Katniss wasn't sure where she ended and Peeta began. But finally, Peeta pulled back from her hips, chest heaving with exertion at their efforts.
Katniss issued a small squeak of protest, throwing one of her legs over both of his and watched Peeta's eyes widen as her thigh brushed against his hardness. He let out an almost inaudible groan, but Katniss heard it. Her clit began to throb almost painfully at the sound of his pleasure, and she brought her other leg up, rubbing her thighs together over him to try to relieve some of the her own tension, as well as his.
Peeta let out a small puff of air and thrust up against her. "Katniss," he whispered through gritted teeth. She pressed her legs down harder against him, another louder moan escaping him as Katniss tried to tell him where she wished he would touch.
"Are you trying to kill me?" he gasped, running his hand along her thigh. He gave her a bleary-eyed stare before he cautiously removed her legs from his lap.
Katniss gave him a slightly hurt look and yanked away from him. But he wouldn't let her go, catching her in his strong arms. She cried out softly as she felt his hands slip beneath the bottom of her shirt and skimmed along her abdomen, leaving a trail of fire wherever his fingers touched her skin. He brought his mouth up to her ear and sucked on her delicate skin of earlobe, whispering-
"Do you know what you do to me? You're so beautiful, Katniss. I want you. So damn much." She mewled quietly in pleasure as he trailed soft open-mouthed kisses down her next and along her collarbone.
"And if we weren't at a theme park with tons of kids around," Peeta paused, leaning down to give her a kiss in the center of her chest. "On a ride that's probably going to end in about a minute," he continued, running his thumbs along the undersides of her breasts. Katniss arched her back at the exquisite sensation. "Then I'd take you right here and now," he finished softly in a voice filled with need. His hands came to rest just above where Katniss longed for his touch the most, and he looked across at her anxiously, waiting for her reply.
Katniss sighed, knowing he was right, even as the sensitive nub between her legs continued to throb for attention. Peeta was going to be the star of her fantasies tonight, no doubt. Though maybe, she thought hopefully, fantasy would become reality someday soon.
She gave Peeta a gentle kiss. "I know." He smiled back at her and tucked a strand of her now very messy hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger for just a few seconds on her cheek.
And not a minute later, the exit attendant came into view. The thin, middle-aged, tired looking man with thick glasses looked back and forth between Peeta and Katniss as they climbed out of the car, clearly noticing their flushed faces and disheveled appearance. He pursed his lips slightly as he watched Katniss slide her Minnie ears back into her hair. She gave him a cool look, daring him to say anything, but all she got in reply was-
"Have a good night, kids."
XXXXX
"Are you 'wishing upon a star'?" Katniss asked Peeta teasingly. She had been stealing glances at him for nearly fifteen minutes while they waited for the fireworks to begin, amused that his face was turned in a new direction every time she did. This time, he'd been gazing up at the stars.
Peeta laughed. "No, I was just trying to take a mental picture so I can draw it later, but it's a lot of details to remember."
"You draw?" Katniss asked in amazement, realizing that there was still so much she didn't know about him, despite the deep connection she already felt. Her heart fluttered wildly with the hope that she might have years to find out.
"I wanted to be an art teacher remember?" Peeta said cheekily. "But even beyond that, I've liked to draw as long as I can remember. Cameras are nice but give me some colored pencils and paper, or paint when I can manage it, any day." He gave her a deep searching look. "And this day has definitely given me a lot of memories to sketch. I think I want to draw you most of all."
Katniss blushed from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes, feeling embarrassed and pleased and overwhelmed all at once. She ducked her head against his chest. "You don't have to do that. I'm nothing special. I'm no one, really. And you're too wonderful." Peeta didn't respond.
As the seconds ticked by, Katniss felt a tidal wave of pain wash over her at his continued silence. Her chest tightened so much that she found it hard to breathe. The music heralding the arrival of the fireworks was muted in her ears by the roaring of blood rushing through them. Colorful bursts of light illuminated the ground at which she was staring, but then her vision became too blurry to see anything anymore.
Suddenly, she felt Peeta's hand slide gently underneath her chin and guided her to look up at him. "Look at me," he said, and Katniss peered up at him timidly. Her breath caught in her throat at she looked into Peeta's shining blue eyes, which glowed like sapphires in the darkness, brighter even the whirls of color bursting above them. He wore a look of unmistakable adoration on his face.
Peeta smiled at her and brushed another flyaway strand of hair behind her ear. Then, he took her hands and placed them on his chest, silently asking her to touch him, while he glided his hands around her waist. He drew her closer into him, and Katniss clung to his chest, too tempted to deny herself the safety of his arms, the steadiness he brought to her damaged spirit. He leaned down to kiss her softly on the forehead. Then on her cheeks. And on her nose. And in each corner of her mouth. Finally, he took her lips in his own, kissing her deeply ...tenderly ...lovingly.
"Katniss, you are extraordinary. Even before Prim showed me your picture, I wanted to meet you. The way she talked about you, I knew you had to be amazing. And then when she showed me your picture, I thought you were the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen." Katniss' eyes widened, his confession shocking her. "When I found out that you'd agreed to come today, I can't even begin to explain how happy I felt." He gave her a sardonic smile. "I even felt grateful I was that Cassie broke up with me last year." Katniss felt tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes. She ran one of her hands to grip the back of his neck and pulled him closer.
"You see, Katniss, I've only known you for all of a day, but it feels like I've known you my entire life. And I already know that you are a million times the woman she could ever be. What you've done for your sister floors me. That you've been through so much and are still so strong amazes me, even though I still want to kick the ass of anyone who has ever hurt you," he said, his eyes flashing black for just a second.
She reddened again at his candor, and Peeta noticing, trailing a finger down her cheek. "I love the way you blush when you're flustered. I love the way you can be so spontaneous. I love that you are so vulnerable sometimes but keep your thoughts totally hidden at others. It's like they are a mystery that I'm supposed to solve, and I like that. I want you to open up to me, in your own way, your own time." Her eyes were brimming with so many tears that she could barely see him now.
"And I especially love the way you don't even notice the effect you have on the people around you. You are so special. Your stubbornness challenges me. Your sweetness makes me want to kiss you every second of every day." He took a deep breath, and Katniss felt him trembling in her arms. "I know there's more, Katniss. I know there's so much more to you than just what I learned today. I want to know those things. I want to find out, if you'll allow it. I want you. You're the girl who sets my soul on fire."
The tears that had been threatening to fall spilled down Katniss' cheeks as Peeta finished his confession. His admission was more than she could have ever dreamed of, and his feelings were an exact mirror of her own. Even more importantly, his utter goodness gave her an astounding hope for her future that she had never experience before. Tt was with that knowledge that she whispered-
"I feel that way too," she said, blushing furiously. "I'm sorry, I'm, I'm not very good with words, but I feel that way too. From the second I saw you," she whispered, recognizing the truth of her words. She looked up at him, hoping it was enough, for now at least, only to find Peeta grinning at her with the most radiant smile she had ever seen.
"Then you'll allow it?"
"I'll allow it." She pulled his lips back down to hers.
They didn't stop kissing until long after the fireworks ended.
XXXXX
Katniss sighed heavily as Peeta silently walked her up the path to the front doors of her apartment building. It was now nearly midnight, and Katniss had spent the entire drive home glaring out the window at the night sky, wishing she could add a few more hours to it so that this day didn't have to end. It's only 36 hours, she reminded herself.
She and Peeta had made plans for dinner after they both got off work Monday. They both would have liked it to have been sooner, but Peeta unfortunately had a 24 hour call shift beginning early tomorrow and was undoubtedly going to need some sleep after it ended.
Katniss sighed again. She really didn't want this day to end.
When they finally reached the glass doors of the entryway, Katniss jammed her key into the lock angrily. Peeta squeezed her hand comfortingly, but dread filled her with the realization that the time to let him go was finally at hand. He pulled her back into his arms for one last kiss.
"See you on Monday?" he whispered after they broke apart, his eyes screaming that he would be missing her the whole time.
"On Monday," Katniss said flatly.
He gave her a sad sort of smile, pecked her cheek, and headed back down the sidewalk towards his car.
Katniss stared after him in distress. He'd only been gone a few seconds, and she already missed the warmth of his arms around her, the hungry gleam in his eyes whenever he looked at her, the lazy grin, and the sound of his laughter. And as she watched him open his car door, the next day and a half suddenly stretched out before Katniss like a bottomless black chasm.
"Peeta, wait!" she called loudly, running back down the sidewalk as fast as her legs could carry her.
Peeta came back around the car with an alarmed look on his face. "Katniss, is something wrong?" he asked, anchoring her with a steady hand as she wobbled on the curb.
"No, no," Katniss panted. "I was just, just wondering if you would like to come up for a cup of coffee." Peeta's mouth dropped open, and he looked at his watch.
"Coffee?" he asked. "It's almost midnight."
Katniss cursed herself as she felt her tell-tale blush flaming her cheeks. "Prim won't be there. She will have gone home after I left this morning, so we'll, uh, be alone. And I, I just thought you might like some coffee. It's the least I can do after you bought me my souvenir today," she said, touching the Minnie ears still on her head. Oy, she was an idiot.
It startled her when Peeta began to laugh.
"What?!" she asked indignantly, her embarrassment growing. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. Peeta chuckled a few more times before he finally composed himself. He pointed up at the sky.
"I may have lied earlier about wishing on a star. It appears Disney may have been on to something about wishing on one since you just made my wish come true." Peeta beamed down at her.
She smiled and caressed his face gently with her hand, feeling so happy she thought her heart would burst. "Well, let's see if there's any more wishes of yours that I can make come true."
Katniss took Peeta's hand in hers and lead him through the doorway. She was home.
Author's Note: I'll post a picture on my tumblr of what Katniss' Minnie Ears look like if anyone wishes to know. The Small World sequence is partially true...My brothers and I got stuck on it for nearly 40 minutes in Disney World. I was debating whether to jump in the water to drown myself by the time we got off ;) And the little cock-blocker is named after my youngest brother, whom I love dearly, but he pulls that kind of shit all the time even though he's now 22.
I have a sequel in mind for this story (and probably an outtake concerning what happened after they walked through those last doors...heh). If that is something anyone would be interested in reading, please let me know in the review/comments section.
As always, thanks for reading. Reviews are always welcome.