#HAPPY BELATED PRIDE MONTH GUYS. YOU GET A LITTLE TREAT

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Yue & Ro

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Happy Birthday katnissmellark44!

We send many birthday (slightly belated) wishes to @katnissmellark44! To help celebrate your special day, the lovely @historywriter2007 has written a Everlark story just for you! Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Katnissmellark44, here is your friends to lovers story.  Rated T- some cussing and mentions of a guy being a complete jerk. Enjoy!

Keep Your Eyes On Me

Peeta crossed the pool deck to sit in the lounge chair next to Katniss, she seemed overly absorbed with something on her phone and didn’t even notice he was there. Not that he minded, it gave him a moment to take in the sight of her. She was in a green bikini, her dark brown hair in her signature braid and although it had only been a week since school let out her skin was already darkened by the sun and the sight made his heart skip a beat.

They’d met in their grad school program, he was taken by her immediately, but she was dating someone at the time so he allowed himself to be friend zoned which is where he’d sat for the past 2 years. At least they became best friends quickly. They both took jobs at the local school district, although they were at different high schools and in different subjects, he taught English, she taught Science. Even though they didn’t see each other through the day they were able to spend all the breaks and after school together since they were on the same schedule. When he decided it was time to buy a condo Katniss was there every step of the way and he would be lying if he didn’t want her opinion out of the hopes she’d be there with him one day, but he always wrestled those thoughts back down. He did give her a set of keys, so she could come and go as she pleased, especially at the pool.

Katniss huffed and put her phone back down, then seemed to realize he was there, “Good morning.”

“Morning, everything alright?” Peeta questioned.

“Not really, you remember Cato?” Peeta nodded as Katniss continued. “Well he just messaged me on Instagram, apparently he’s back in town and wanted to know if he’ll see me tonight at the performance.”

Peeta’s stomach dropped, Cato was a complete ass and treated Katniss like shit. Fortunately, she didn’t hang around him for long but that didn’t mean Peeta liked the idea of him coming near her. He tried to gather himself before answering. “Why is he going to see Finnick, they couldn’t stand each other.” They had been looking forward to finally being able to see Finnick and his band, The Tridents, for months. His band always played on weekdays, and it was hard for them to go considering they needed to be at school by 6:30 am.

“Cato was friends with Brutus I guess that’s why.” Katniss rolled her eyes,”I don’t want to see him, but we’ve been planning to go and I don’t want that asshole to keep us from seeing Finnick perform. So I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

Peeta sat up on the side of his chair so he was able to reach across to take Katniss by the hand. “I’ll be there to be your wingman and I promise to keep him away from you, just ignore him and if he comes around just keep your eyes on me.”

Katniss smiled, God he loved her smile, “Okay, I’ll stick with you all night, but promise me that if you find someone you want to be with you’ll let me know and I’ll  go home. I don’t want to ruin your game.”

Peeta tried to smile and nodded at her before leaning back in his chair again. Katniss was the only person he wanted to be with tonight, but he was too much of a coward to tell her so. She kept pushing him to other women, maybe he should just move on, but how could he?

Katniss jumped in Peeta’s car before he could put it in park, she smiled at him as she threw her purse on the ground and fastened her seatbelt. If only she knew how that smile affected him, not to mention her skinny jeans, flowing tank top, in his favorite shade of orange, and her hair falling in waves down her back. He had to focus on driving before he did something stupid, like tell her how beautiful she was and that he loved her.

She changed the radio station at least ten times on the short drive to The Arena, a local bar where Finnick’s band The Tributes would be playing, finally Peeta had to place his hand on hers to calm her down. He knew she was nervous to see Cato again, things didn’t exactly end well considering the blow up he saw the night they broke up. Peeta never did get the full story from her, but that was her last actual boyfriend, no one else made it past the first date.

The bar was crowded and the band was running some last minute sound checks when Katniss and Peeta arrived. Peeta went to the bar to get them drinks while Katniss made her way to the table Annie and Johanna had commandeered near the stage. As she neared the table she looked around the bar and released a sigh of relief when she didn’t see Cato lurking anywhere nearby, maybe she would be able to enjoy her night in piece.

As the band was finishing the last song Katniss felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see Cato with his stupid grin on his face. “Long time no see.”

Katniss’ signature scowl came over her face before she answered. “There’s a reason for that.”

Cato didn’t reply to Katniss, instead he directed his next comment to Peeta. “So are you having any more luck with her in the sack than I did?”

Katniss had never seen Peeta react to anything so quickly, he was out of his seat and in Cato’s face before Cato’s words could even register in her brain. Cato was taller than Peeta, but Peeta was strong and Katniss knew it. “What did you say?” Peeta’s voice was filled with venom, Katniss always knew he would do anything for her, but she’d never seen this side.  Normally Peeta was the calm one, where she often would blow up at a moment's notice.

Cato never knew when to stop and he was not one to step down in a fight. “She never wanted to do anything, no matter how much I tried. I just hope she’s giving you a little something in the bedroom. It’s a shame for such a hot girl to be so prude.”

Katniss jumped between them and faced Peeta, she didn’t want him to get into trouble at her expense. God knows what would happen to his teaching career if he was arrested for fighting.  “Hey, keep your eyes on me. He’s just an asshole and not worth it. Let’s go outside.” Katniss wrapped her small hand around his arm, she could feel how tense his muscles were but he didn’t put up a fight. Even as they walked away with Cato yelling how “whipped” he was and that they were meant for each other just before a loud crack sounded. Katniss and Peeta spun around to see Cato holding his nose on the floor and Johanna standing over him calling him every name in the book. They didn’t walk back instead Peeta allowed Katniss to continue leading him out the back doors of the bar.  

Once they were outside Peeta leaned against the brick building; Katniss stood directly in front of him for forcing him to look at her. His normally bright blue eyes seemed black and he breathing was still harsh as he tried to calm down. She held his hands but didn’t say a word until he seemed to calm down.

Finally she spoke, “I’m sorry that happened. I never told you why we broke up because I was too embarrassed by it.” Peeta stared at her, but she continued before he could say anything. “Cato kept pressuring me to do more with him, in the, ah, you know. But I’d never, so I didn’t want to, well you know.”

Peeta’s fury returned, now he wished he had punched the guy even more. “Katniss, it’s not your fault this guy is a jerk. He never did anything to you, did he?”

Katniss took a deep breath, “the last night he was a little more forceful, I kicked him in the nuts and left. You saw the next time we were face to face and know how that went.”

Peeta felt relief rush over him, then a feeling of pride at the thought of Katniss giving Cato exactly what he deserved. He pulled Katniss into a hug where they both finally felt calm.

After a while Katniss pulled back and looked Peeta in the eyes again, this time he looked more like her Peeta. “I have something else to confess. The reason I’ve not really dated actually has nothing to do with Cato, it has more to do with you.”

Peeta furrowed his brows, “Me, why?”

“I really like you, but not like what you think. I want to be with you, not any of those other guys. That’s why nothing ever worked out, I compared everyone to you, but you don’t have any competition anywhere.” Katniss bit her bottom lip waiting for his response, but for once he was speechless. He’s loved her for years but he never thought she shared the same feelings, now he had his answer. She must have taken his silence as a rejection, her face fell and she turned to walk away. He couldn’t let that happen, he grabbed her arm, spun her around and pulled her into a passionate kissed her which she returned.

Finally, they broke apart gasping for air but not letting each other go. Peeta found the words he had been wanting to say. “Katniss, I really like you too. I have for a while now.”

Katniss smiled at him, the kind of smile that makes Peeta want to give her the moon, stars, and sun. “Let’s go home Peeta. We have a lot of time to make up for.” Once again she took his hand and led him away, but this time it was toward their future.