#half-naked katniss

[ferrarifinnick]

Who do you think has the highest sex drive in THG?

ooo i love this anon. we're getting right into it. original series cast below but i could be convinced to do a tbosas version hehe. also colour coded for convenience. nsfw ahead. proceed with caution.

includes: gale, finnick, peeta, katniss

most to least: biggest sex drive, highest first and lowest last.

i think gale uses sex as an emotional outlet. he isn't a talker. he's a shouter, screamer, shake them till they listen kind of man, but he doesn't use talking as a way of resolving that raging fire burning within (and it burns more often than it isn't). for settling his anger—because we know gale's primary emotion is anger—he's predictably simple. animalistic in a way. when he's biting at the little things, shunning you with that big cold shoulder, it only means one thing. and that thing is between his thighs, furious but so in need of your attention, even if gale acts as if that's the last thing he wants from you. but when you settle on your knees under the dinner table, your whole body fitting between his long, thick legs, he only has to look down at your patient smile to set aside his pride and unzip his pants.

don't let finnick fool you. he might peacock and flaunt himself half naked to the world, but behind closed doors, when the prying eyes are shut out, he drops the façade. not entirely. he still likes the attention he can draw from you with just a little wink, a lick of his lips. but what he really likes, what really gets him is the no strings attached affection you bless him with. the gentle squeeze of his hand before you turn to your side to fall asleep, as if to say goodnight my love. brushing your finger over his cheek to catch a stray eyelash, then letting him blow it away to make a wish. these moments of recognition, of being seen as a soul, not just sex, are the moments that get him, and they happen at the most unexpected times. you think he's sexually spontaneous, but in truth he just can't control the impulse to express to you just how much he loves being seen as human.

peeta has an extraordinary sex drive. he is ready to go in the flashiest of flashes, no questions needed, but i put him here because–for the most part–he won't express this. he understands that expressing his desire constantly might send the wrong message, and the last thing he wants is to pressure you or make you think he only wants what's in your pants. that's not to say he doesn't make the first move, because he almost always does, but rather that he picks the right times to do it. when you're giving him signals that you want him, need him, he'll show you exactly how much he needs you, too. might even get you to touch the proof of his need. or lick it. or suck and fuck it.

katniss finds herself longing for emotional intimacy more than physical, and so i think she would easily go long spells without sex quite happily. there will be moments where she'll be consumed with such primal need for your skin on hers that she will wordlessly wrap you around her, hoping you'll catch on to her plea. and you do, because although katniss can provide and protect, she needs so desperately to be guided in sex. she needs to be taken care of, even if she can't bring herself to ask for it. moments like these are few and far between, but when they happen, they matter.

share your thoughts! like, comment, reblog. submit smutty requests. love <3

[thesunpersists]

The Yellow Line

“Is this my punishment for being annoying, Katniss? ‘Cause I actually don't mind pillow fights with gorgeous half-naked women.” He grabs her wrists and pulls her closer. “I won't let it go because I want us to have this all the time. We won’t need to worry about the last bus, the weather, or someone hearing us... It'll be just you and me."

-

Two households, both alike in lack of privacy. Will Katniss and Peeta manage to get away and have a place of their own? Maybe somewhere on the yellow line?

Set six months after Katniss with a K and Codename: B³.

Read on ao3!

This is for  @browneyeddevil who left a lovely comment on Codename: B³ and requested I write something about the last part of the story, which goes:

“One of these days,” she thinks to herself, “you will spend the night in his bed in the twelfth borough. Then your displacement will not be zero.”

This got me thinking just how quickly that distance between their houses would become a source of annoyance and I wrote this short piece about how they would come to live together. Thank you, @browneyeddevil for the inspiration and the encouraging comments! ❤️

[thesweetnessofspring]

A little different version of "so after" and loosely inspired by Far From the Madding Crowd. Rated M and bordering E because..."so after."

Peeta's scarred hands work in the fireplace, arranging everything for the fire. First he situates the New Year log, taken from an oak tree in the woods, in the grate and places the kindling of pine needles on top. Peeta guides he singular flame of the match onto the kindling and it catches. I lean against the armrest of the couch, watching his lips pucker as he blows on the fire. Some of my own fire, left to nothing but embers, burns low and pleasant at the thought of the way those lips press to my forehead and cheek after a nightmare. And leads me to think of the night on a beach. As the fire in the hearth builds, the orange glow shadows his face, his hair appears golden with the light.

The fire reaches a steady crackle, lighting the room with its promise of a new year bringing better days. It's been just over a year since Prim's death and those days I was lost in my grief. And yet, ever so slowly, good has come. I make it a game, thinking of the good things that have happened this past year. Most are from Peeta, who first coaxed me from my empty days into the spring air and reminded me how flowers still grow.

I wait for Peeta to join me, so that I can burrow myself in his arms, my ear over his heartbeat. Yet he stays where he is, sitting back on his heels and staring at the fire. If his hands weren't flat against his thighs, I might suspect he was having a flashback, he's so far away from me.

"Peeta?" I ask. "Come sit by me."

He still stares at the fire, not moving toward me. "Does it bother you what people are saying about us?"

"What's that?" I ask. I hadn't noticed much. But then again, I don't bother with most people these days. Peeta doesn't, either, though he will go on walks and pass by the market that's popped up during the rebuild. He hears more than I do.

"That we're living as husband and wife," Peeta says. He turns his head to peek over at me, half of his face shadowed and cautious.

"I suppose we are. In our way."

We've shared our meals, kept each other company, and held hands since he came back. When I couldn't take sleeping alone anymore, I went into Peeta's bed. I'm surprised by how comfortable it feels to admit that what we have is almost like a marriage. Not since before my father's death have I ever thought I might be someone's wife.

"They don't mean it like that," Peeta says. "They're saying I'm taking your milk without paying for the goat."

It was an old saying, talked about with judging looks. The man for taking advantage of a woman without ensuring her proper legal protection. The woman for running the risk of having a fatherless child. When he found out Peeta and I were sharing a bed again, Dr. Aurelius encouraged me to take birth control and I could think of no reason to object. So even if Peeta were taking my milk as they say, it couldn't hurt me. Not in the way I worried about so much before.

I still flush at the thought of it, of the two of us naked and touching each other, of his lips on mine and his hands on my body. I clench my legs together at the thought.

"That's stupid," I say.

Peeta's cheeks turn dark in the firelight and he avoids looking at me. "I'm only saying what everyone else says. And of course, the idea of us—like that—it's stupid."

"I said they're stupid," I say. "Not us—"

I fluster and can't say the words. Only there's the thought again, the thought of olive skin to pink skin, scar to scar, and him inside of me, all over me. Tasting him again. Would he taste the same? Or sweeter this time, after so much bitterness?

"Not us what, Katniss?" Peeta asks quietly.

Our eyes connect and there's something burning brightly inside of me. Life. A warmth that I'd thought had long been extinguished, and yet persists despite all we've lost. What he means to me, the safety and goodness he brings to me, had never gone away. It only waited for this moment, when everything was right.

I slide from the couch and crawl to him on the floor. When I sit by his side, my back to the fire, it's just how it was at the beach. Only he hasn't even touched me yet and I'm craving him. So I lean in and kiss him, soft at first, as we brush off the last dust of distance between us, and then the kiss grows deeper and slows so we can savor it. Although I've kissed Peeta a thousand times before, and a couple made me want more, this feels like the first time. It's certainly the first time we've been able to kiss like this all on our own with no one watching. I want more, and he must, too, because our kisses build to crushing, breathless events.

At some point, I swing one leg around him so I'm on his lap and his hands are at the small of my back and I want, I need his skin on mine. So I break our kiss to pull my shirt over my head and then reach for his, too.

Once we're both topless, I cup his cheek to draw him into another kiss. His bare hand rests on my waist, then travels up to my breast. I tremble from the intensity of the feel of him there, of the way I need him more. My body seeks it, pressing down on his lap and finding him seeking me, too.

It's not enough. As much as I know we're on the right track, it's as if I'm smelling the food instead of tasting it. The motions only make me want more.

Peeta pulls back for a moment only to flip us so that I'm on my back parallel to the fire and he hovers over me, elbows holding him up. His curls cascade around his face as he peers down at me.

"Don't stop," I tell him, missing the contact more than anything.

The flames catch his eyes and he kisses all over my face and down my neck, my chest, my arms, my stomach and taking extra time where the scars run deepest, his tongue running along them. At my belly button he looks up at me and I hurriedly lift my hips up to slide off my pants. He moves back up to kiss me on the mouth, but I'm more aware of his hands gently tracing my underwear. I open my legs to his touch.

"This okay?" he asks, uncertainty in his words.

"Yes," I assure him and he moves more confidently in rubbing me over my underwear. It doesn't have that same spark as when I was on top of him, but I do like him touching me there. Then there's a place he finds and I jerk with a sharp pleasure and give a little cry.

"Right there?" he asks, going over the spot again.

"Yes!"

He swipes up and down and I whimper, biting my lip. Still, I need more. I put my hand on top of his and guide him beneath my underwear. When his fingers find my bare flesh over that spot, my whole body blazes with heat and I move my hips against his hand. Peeta's free hand cups himself, squeezing over his pants, his body shaking now. He's holding back, keeping himself hidden from me, as if we were still those kids in the arena. Me squeamish at the idea of seeing him completely naked, and him waiting for me to let him in, even though our lives depended on it. But we're not as we were before in the arena. The most obvious sign now is that I want to feel him, too.

I grab hold of him over his pants and for a second he falters where he rubs me, giving a short curse. That reaction makes me more responsive in turn. I lift my head up to kiss him and then make for his pants, first unbuttoning and then tugging them and his underwear down.

While Peeta untangles his bottoms from his prosthetic leg, I peel my damp underwear off and then we're naked together, both of us pausing to look from the other's bodies to making eye contact and swiftly looking away again. It hits us both what we're about to do, what we could do.

"We don't have to go further unless you're sure," Peeta says.

He's right. I know we could keep going the way that we have, with our easy routine and companionship for the rest of our lives. Neither of us will abandon the other. If we were going to, it would have happened long ago. Yet, even if we don't do this tonight, it's obvious we will in time. I don't think there is a single thing in the past that could have changed us coming to this point eventually.

"Come here," I say.

Peeta doesn't need telling twice. We take our time exploring each other, asking questions, trying things out. I almost feel foolish how little I know about my own body while Peeta gives more to guide me on, though he says he doesn't mind experimenting. Some things feel wonderful, others are just nice because Peeta is touching me. He takes it all in until he has me soaring from his caresses.

After Peeta asks if it's what I want and I confirm it, finally, we're joined. I'm breathless for a moment and there is a tightness that's uncomfortable at first, until I adjust to him. Peeta hovers above me, staying still, watching my face. When I make eye contact with him and nod, he begins to move. Our communication then is through our sounds of delight, quick kisses, the tilt of our bodies, quick affirmations, a cry of the other's name.

The fire dances beside us when Peeta brings a blanket over our naked skin and I'm in a haze of blissful sleep, making a pillow of his chest.

"Katniss?" he asks.

I hum to let him know I'm listening, so warm and happy the next words, said as soft and low as a baby bird's downy feather, take me by surprise.

"You love me. Real or not real?"

The question I've asked since after the berries myself, always in a muddle of confusion, comes to light like a spring morning. There is now, and for always, only one answer to give.

"Real."

[alavestineneas]

Soul

pairing: Finnick Odair x fem!reader

summary: This is war, and people make choices. Sometimes, there is no right one.

warnings: typical hunger games violence, Finnick and Annie aren’t soulmates, minor character death

Haymitch clicks the skip button on the remote; the next pair of tributes shows up on the screen.

''District two,'' he announces. ''Male volunteer, Brutus. His main weapon is a spear. Female tribute: Y/N.''

"Wow," Peeta mutters under his breath.

''I know her,'' Katniss says, glancing at the man beside her. ''She is on TV all the time.''

''Trust me, she is everywhere. Y/N is your main competition—Capitol's darling, lines of sponsors, deadly with a knife. They call her Panther.''

"Panther?" Katniss scoffs.

"She killed one in the arena with her bare hands." Haymitch chuckles, seeing his tribute's face transform from confident to slightly horrified.

''She is committed. I'll give her that,'' Peeta jokes.

The woman on the screen gives the cameras a half-smile, joining hands with her partner. The District 2 audience roars in excitement. Katniss felt shivers coating her skin; something in the woman's gaze caught her attention.

-

''Nice dress, dear. Though I don't know if I can call it that.''

Y/N did not even turn around, completely ignoring Finnick's existence. Her dress, or rather, a piece of cloth, left a little to the imagination. Black, almost sheer fabric lightly coated her body, tracing its curves; the only stronghold of modesty was lace lingerie.

Finnick would lie if he said she wasn't impressive; the woman looked like a goddess. It was her job, after all. Besides, he had seen her in much less. They fucked a couple of times, both too drunk to remember. That's what he told her, at least. That it doesn't mean anything because, to her, it didn't.

Finnick remembers every whisper and every messy kiss. The smell of her perfume mixed with shampoo and sweat; Y/N's hands on his back. Not soft like Annie's; no, in calluses and cuts from hours of training.

He knows it's a dead end and still allows her to kiss him. She never stays, each time running through his fingers like sand. He wasn't in love with her. Love is supposed to feel light and warm, like Annie's smile, and this felt bitter.

And yet, his soul belonged to Y/N. Maybe because she didn't care about him, Finnick was willing to let her keep it. It wasn't fair. He was supposed to be happy with Annie. She was home, his lighthouse.

But Y/N was his sea.

''Look who's talking.'' The woman finally turned around, finishing checking the strings on her horse. ''What do you want, golden boy? An alliance?'' She raised an eyebrow.

''With you? I'd rather be dead.''

''I wouldn't worry about that part, Odair.'' Brutus intervened. ''We have fifteen minutes before the start, so I suggest you keep moving.''

His outfit was much more proper. Finnick guessed it was for the best; he was not particularly excited to see the man naked. Odair suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and flashed Brutus a smile instead. ''Of course.''

''Peacock.'' the man muttered.

Y/N chuckled at her partner's remark; Finnick headed to the District 12 chariot. He wished he didn't feel her piercing gaze on his back.

-

''I believe we hadn't met before. I'm Y/N, District 2.''

Katniss looked up from the target she threw knives at. The woman in front of her was truly stunning; the camera did not do her justice in The Reaping.

''Katniss Everdeen, District 12.''

The woman laughed, clearly finding her amusing. Katniss felt the tingle of anger—did she say something funny?

''Oh, darling, I know. Everybody here knows your name. After all, you are the reason we are here again.'' The woman came closer, taking the smallest blade from the row and throwing it into the target. It hit the dummy right in the head. ''Besides, I mentored Clove and Cato in your games. Wonderful children, you know. Marvellous fighters. Had every chance to win.''

Katniss glanced at the woman's face. It was stone-cold, and her eyes focused on the targets. She wondered if the reason Clove chose the knives was because of Y/N's win. How did the career mentors feel about sending children into the arena?

''They were...good.'' Katniss agreed.

''Here is my advice, Katniss Everdeen from District 12.'' The woman hit the last target with ease. ''Pay attention to the hands.''

Katniss wondered what that was supposed to be about until she looked down at her hands. Of course, she was holding the knife wrong.

-

The first interview the Capitol aired was more of a warning. Finnick is too lost to comprehend anything Caesar is asking Peeta, his attention fixed on the Y/N next to him.

She sits on the chair, anxiously tapping on the armrest. Her eyes follow every move Caesar makes. Y/N answers carefully and thoughtfully. She didn't know the rebellion was being planned.

''Katniss, can you remember when you spoke to Y/N in the training centre?'' Plutarch asks.

''I think so.'' Katniss frowns. ''She told me these games were done because of me.''

Beete shares a look with Plutarch. Finnick doesn't know why they are surprised; Y/N always was smart.

''Anything else?''

''She talked about Clove and Cato. And that I have to pay attention to my hands.''

''Your hands?'' Plutarch doesn't sound too sure.

''Yes. I was holding the knife wrong.'' Katniss looks around the room. ''I decided.''

Plutarch nods at him, and Finnick is finally free to leave the room. After seeing this, he has a lot to think about.

-

''Finnick, there is something we want to show you.'' Haymitch nods, and Finnick steps into a small room filled with screens.

Beetee is there too, as are Katniss and Plutarch. An uneasy feeling covers his stomach; if they have him here, something happened.

His mind floods with hundreds of possibilities. Annie is at the Capitol. Y/N is there too. He did not know if they tortured her; the woman didn't know about the plan. But so did Peeta, whose ''interview'' he is watching on the screen now.

His face is beaten, and he looks like he hasn't slept for days. The boy lost what looks like fifteen pounds, the ridiculous suit on him hanging like a sheet. Peeta says something about rebels using Katniss. His interview finishes, and the screen fades to black.

Finnick feels like he missed something until the screen lights up once more. This time, a figure is tied to a chair in the middle of the cell. Finnick almost jumps, the realization hitting him—it's Annie. She is crying, begging not to kill her. Her hair is a mess, and her skin is covered in bruises.

''Move in front of the camera.'' a male voice orders.

A person comes to stand to the left of Annie. It's Y/N. She is in a military uniform, her hair tied tightly. She looks different from the first interview—now calm and collected. Her steady hand holds a gun.

''Proceed.'' the same voice commands.

Katniss gasps. A loud gunshot fires, echoing in the chamber. The screen is covered in blood and brains. Finnick doesn't hear a word Plutarch says to him. Annie is dead. They killed her.

-

''Are you sad again?'' Y/N asks, sitting beside him.

Finnick doesn't answer, still fidgeting with a piece of rope.

''You have to eat, you know?''

''Why did you kill her?" he asks, looking into her eyes.

Y/N smiles. ''She was dead way before I pressed the trigger. You killed her when you picked me over her.''

''No.'' Finnick whispers. ''It's not true.''

''Not true? Each time you looked away when you kissed her, each time you whispered my name instead of hers, you think she didn't know?"

Finnick's lower lip trembles, tears blurring his vision. ''Shut up.''

''You can stop lying now, Finnick. For once in your life, be honest with yourself. It's kind of liberating, isn't it? Not having to worry about pretending anymore. You are free.''

''I said shut up!'' he shouts, throwing the nearest mug at her.

It hits the wall, crashing. The room is empty. It always was. A scared-looking nurse watches him through the glass, ready to call for help. He waves her off - just another one of his visions.

It haunts him that the only one appearing in his dreams is Y/N. It should've been Annie, but she is dead, and Finnick hopes she finally found her peace.

Y/N is with Capitol. It's not surprising; she has no reason not to be. She was saving herself. Annie was as good as dead anyway. Still, it broke him. All of these things they had to survive because of Snow, and she still chose to serve him.

He can't blame her—Finnick saw what they did to Peeta. He doesn't know what he would've done under that torture. Still, he hopes it hurts her, given the way she betrayed herself.

-

The rescue mission was successful. Peeta and Johanna are in District 13. They captured Y/N too, but Finnick doesn't care. Coin and Plutarch spent most of their time in her room. Nobody tells him anything, but Finnick guesses that Katniss's condition isn't going to work this time.

A few days after that, Coin has an announcement to make. There are numerous cameras present, and she, as usual, wants the surviving victors to be present. So, he sits near Katniss in the first row, waiting for the tribunal to start. He knows what his vote is going to be.

The president's Coin speech is unnecessarily long and dramatic. She waves her hands around, talking about lost fighters and the need to continue resisting. ''And now, I want to award a few of our bravest soldiers.'', she concludes.

''People are dying.'' Finnick hears Katniss mutter under her breath. He is not happy with the idea either. He just wants to get over this.

The first to get a medal is a man who was leading the rescue mission. Next: two rebel soldiers.

''The last person I want to honour made the rescue of our victors possible. They spied in the heart of the Capitol and were dedicated to the revolution even in the face of death.'' Coin gestures to the bottom of the improvised stage. ''Sergant Y/L/N.''

Finnick freezes. Annie. Her screams. A gun. She is an enemy. A killer. Anxious tapping. Pay attention to the hands. The world around him begins to collide.

Y/N steps are firm. She shakes the woman's hand, accepting the medal. A few claps ring in the hall—people are surprised and likely scared. District 2 victor's face holds a few new scars.

She gets off stage as quickly as she got on, taking her place beside Plutarch. Y/N sits straight, focused on the president's words. Finnick wonders why he can't hear anything except for the heartbeat in his ears. A taste of blood fills his mouth.

''Finnick?'' Katniss whispers.

The world stops spinning.

-

Y/N is tying the laces on her boots tightly, checking everything. She blends in with the soldiers easily; they even throw around a few jokes. This is her element, something she was born and raised to do. Y/N has the most weaponry on her hands: knives, guns, and a few grantees. They have another mission.

Peeta is right next to her. For some reason, he feels the most content having her around. When Katniss asked Y/N about it, she just shrugged. ''Mutt things.''

She is in Squad 451—of course. Coin wouldn't let such a famous face get away with just living. Finnick hates having her around and hates admitting that he understands her now. There was no other choice—Y/N had to kill Annie to prove her loyalty.

The mood in the team changes completely after Mitchell's death. Finnick doesn't know what to say to Peeta, too busy calming everyone else down, and Katniss is frankly completely useless, so deep in her own emotions.

''I'll talk to him.'' Y/N stands up, checking the gun.

Katniss looks at her in horror. ''No!''

''Let her,'' Finnick says, tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose.

''How could you say that?" Katniss turns to him in anger. ''You saw what she did! You saw!''

''I did,'' Finnick agrees, his jaw tense. ''And because of that, you got Peeta back. So let her go, Katniss.''

Y/N watches their bickering silently. Finally, Katniss nods. The woman leaves them, approaching Peeta. Their voices are still heard, and Katniss eventually relaxes.

''They were right. I am a monster.'' the baker boy says, his eyes still closed.

''It makes two of us, then.'' Y/N jokes, sitting beside him. ''You are the one Capitol created, and I am one by choice.''

''How could you say that so calmly?''

''I came to terms with it pretty early. People see what they want to, Peeta. What do you see when you look at me?''

''You saved my life.'' he shrugged.

''Yes, but I lied, and I killed people to do it. Am I a monster?'' Y/N asks. The question is rhetorical. ''When I look at you, I see a scared eighteen-year-old boy, who just wants to survive. You are strong, Peeta. Stronger than most of us. This is war, and people make choices. Sometimes, there is no right one.''

Peeta stared at her for a solid minute. ''You aren't as bad as you think you are.'' he finally says.

Y/N smiles sadly. ''You aren't either.''

-

Katniss tries to focus on the wet ladder when she hears a shout.

''Why is he there alone?'' It's Y/N.

Katniss looks down - Finnick is fighting off mutts with his trident. There are a lot of them, she realizes. He can't handle that. Just as she turns to grab something to help, she sees Y/N coming down.

''Climb!'' she shouts at her, pulling out a gun. And Katniss does.

A mutt breaks Finncik's trident in half with a loud thud, lurching at his head next. Just as its mouth opens, it falls, lifeless.

''Here.'' Y/N throws him one of her knives. ''On your left!''

They are fighting back to back - Y/N has run out of bullets, so she uses knives instead. Duck, step, and push. They have done it thousands of times, both from career Districts.

Finnick doesn't have the time to count, but mutts are slowly covering the floor, painting the water red. He feels a sharp pain in his stomach—one of the bastards managed to get him good - and grabs the nearest wall for support. Finnick watches as Y/N kills the last monster, pulling her knife out of its chest.

''Y/N,'' he says, trying to grab her attention.

''You know, you could've asked them for hand-to-hand combat if you wanted to die that badly. What were you thinking, staying here with one piece of metal on your hands, huh?''

''Y/N.''

''That's why I said you are all not fit to be fucking soldiers. You lack common sense!''

''Y/N.''

''WHAT?'' she snaps, turning to him. Her face changes from angry to concerned in a matter of seconds. ''Finnick, you are bleeding.''

He nods, feeling his knees weaken. Y/N is already beside him, sitting him on the cold floor. The water hits and soaks her pants, but she doesn't seem to notice.

''It's okay, let me look,'' she mutters, removing his hands from the injury.

It's big; she notices with horror. If they can get him help in twenty minutes, he will survive. Anything longer, and it's a dead end. Finnick knows it too; he has seen enough wounds to understand his chances. He watches as Y/N takes off her jacket, pressing it into his stomach.

''Can you hold it for me?'' she asks.

Finnick nods, feeling a sharp pain coming back. Y/N searches in her pockets until she finally finds a radio set. She tries to turn it on a couple of times, her hands trembling.

''Y/N, it's okay.''

She shakes her head. ''No, you are not going to tell me it's okay. I'll get you help, no matter if you want it or not.''

Finnick looks at her, a slow smile appearing on his face. ''Kiss me.''

''What?" Y/N looks up from the radio, mortified.

''I said kiss me, Y/N.''

She leans in closer, salty tears staining her cheeks, and places a soft kiss on his lips. ''You are getting out of here alive,'' she whispers.

''I love you,'' Finnick mutters. He closes his eyes just for a second. He is so exhausted.

-

The first thing he sees is the overbearing light. Finnick struggles to open his eyes. If this was death, it was certainly not peaceful.

He comes to his senses slowly—first, he hears beeping, and then he feels his stomach.

''Fuck.'' Finnick groans. The pain is impossible.

''Finnick?'' He hears a familiar voice. It's Y/N.

Her face is puffy, but she looks real to him. Even if it is one of his visions, Finnick is still happy to see her.

''How do you feel?'' she asks, moving the sweaty hair out of his eyes.

''Are we dead?''

Y/N stops to look at him. ''No. The radio worked, and the team managed to find us in time.''

''Good.'' Finnick closes his eyes once more. ''Because you didn't say it back.''

A choked laugh escapes her lips. ''You are an idiot, Odair,'' Y/N says, pressing a kiss on his temple. ''But I do love you.''

Finnick smiles. He always knew his soul was safe in her arms.

[liberalk1tsch]

Prompt: Name 10 interests Katniss and Peeta have in common

oh this one is easy, no need to wait until after exams for this💕

1. each other

2. botany — after the whole nightlock incident in the first games and spending entire days with katniss going through the plant book, peeta makes a real point of remembering which ones were edible (and incorporating them into his bakes!)

3. gardening — kinda goes hand in hand with the botany, but the primrose bush was just the start — the two of them identify the plants they most commonly use in medicines and cooking and quickly have the most lovely and well-tended garden in 12.

4. camping— obviously they hate the games and would happily forget them entirely, but they miss the feeling of being out in the woods with just them and nobody else around. peeta never figures out how to walk silently, but katniss doesnt mind so much. it’s not the place that makes her «come alive» anymore, but this time the person she’s with.

5. swimming— in the summertime, katniss teaches peeta to swim at the lake, and he loves it (and not just bc he gets to see katniss half naked constantly, even before theyve gbt) (katniss appreciates the view too🤭) (obv). being in the water takes the pressure off his hip and remaining knee joints from the prosthesis, and it’s the most pain free he’s been since the first games.

6. training — it’s real important for them both to stay active, both for peeta’s physical therapy and katniss’ therapy therapy. plus, they’ve both been super active their whole lives and are weirdly into being coached by each other like when they trained as careers.

7. buttercup, though katniss will never admit it.

8. food— peeta loves to bake/cook, katniss loves to eat/hunt. it’s perfect.

9. singing — i love the hc that peeta can’t sing for shit but by god does he love it when she does.

10. did i mention each other? jk, they both love helping others. katniss does whatever she can to keep the citizens of 12 healthy and peeta does whatever he can to keep them fed, with greasy sae’s help. especially the poor families displaced by the fires.

i love this question!!💕💕

[charlunday]

Same way in Catching Fire Katniss says their wetsuits melted in the acid fog. She talks about them wearing their “undergarments” so basically everything that occurs after the acid fog, Finnick, Katniss and Peeta are all half naked 😭

Which is NOT the way to be in the jungle 😳

[lostcrudekid]

what really happened in the cave | Peeta Mellark x Katniss Everdeen

so this what I think would’ve realistically happened in the Hunger Games book because obviously if you put 16-year-olds who are into each other together and they think they might die, why wouldn’t they want to experience everything while they can?

summary: Peeta and Katniss sleeping the same sleeping bag, cuddled together when suddenly Peeta turns away awkwardly, hiding his erection and things start to take a turn


cw: smut!! first time, female and male oral, p in v, fingering, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!)


Peeta and I are huddled in the sleeping bag. He pulled my head down to use his arm as pillow and the other arm rests protectively over me as he is trying to fall asleep. I promised to take the first watch. I know the cameras aren’t on us anymore, it’s too dark inside the cave for them to see us and it’s pouring and thundering so much outside they couldn’t hear us either. Cato hunting Thresh must be the centre of attention right now.

I can’t help but think about what Peeta said earlier. After I told him he doesn’t have much competition anywhere, he said something about me being the best thing ever to happen to him. At first I thought surely it was just for the cameras, but the details he remembered about me singing on the first day of school and the dress I wore makes me think maybe he really likes me… The thought brings butterflies to my stomach and stirs something warm inside me. I accept the fact that Peeta likes me, maybe even loves. And I try to accept the fact that I like the boy with the bread as well. It’s hard to come to terms with it, knowing that both of us getting out of here alive is not promised. However, with his leg getting better after I retrieved the medicine from the Cornucopia, it seems like a possibility.

I am so deep in my thoughts that I barely notice as Peeta moves body slightly away from me and turns to lay on his back. I feel confused. Is it me? He can’t be too warm can he?

“Peeta, is everything okay?” I say, turning to my other side so I can face him. I’m worried his fever has picked up. The infection was supposed to have healed.

Peeta seems a bit awkward, which is uncommon for him. He scratches the back of his neck.

“Yeah.. It’s just… I’m not used to being like this, so… And I can’t really control it. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Peeta says, pursuing his lips together.

“Control what?” I ask, furrowing my brows in confusion.

Peeta sighs, rubbing his temple. He seems embarrassed he has to further explain as I don’t understand what he means.

“A physical part of me is activated. Sometimes you just can’t control it. I’m sorry.” Peeta says, not meeting my eyes.

“Oh.” I manage to say as I finally realise he is having an erection.

Obviously I know what an erection is. I just hadn’t given it a thought he might be experiencing them here, in the arena. I guess that part of male body can really operate without the brain. You wouldn’t expect it, but the sexual education in the school in District Twelve is very important because there is only eight-thousand with people dying left and right from starvation so obviously Capitol wants us to reproduce as much as possible. I have never had sex. It wasn’t really something that I gave any thought to. I know some merchant girls in town start early. It makes me wonder.

“Have you ever…?”

Peeta looks surprised by my question and looks up. He seems slightly less embarrassed now as I didn’t just let the awkwardness hang in the air and let him go back to sleep.

“No.” Peeta says giving a shrug of his shoulders.

“Really? No girls from town?”

Peeta chuckles, shaking his head. “I told you earlier, nobody made lasting impression but you.”

I feel my cheeks getting warmer and hope it’s too dark for him to notice.

Peeta says teasingly, “I assume you haven’t, given how uncomfortable you were at the thought by me being naked when I was half dead and you were washing my clothes.”

He is amused by the memory. I roll my eyes.

“No, I haven’t.” I agree.

The sleeping bag covers his body, so the only thing I can see is his face. I feel curious and it seems there’s a sense of honesty and openness between us. I mean, who knows, one of us might dead tomorrow why keep secrets? I feel brave enough to ask, “So it just can happen whenever?”

“I mean, yeah.”

“So you being in the arena surrounded by other murderous tributes has no effect?”

“Well, it’s quite hard to concentrate on that the entire time and not on the beautiful girl laying against you.” Peeta says, and then he freezes realising what he confessed.

“So… it didn’t just happen for no reason?” I say, surprised. “I caused it?”

Peeta nods, embarrassed. He lets out an exhale, lays his head against the cave floor and closes his eyes. I gather my thoughts.

And then I decide to kiss Peeta. His lips are warm and soft. My nose presses against his cheek. He startles a bit since his eyes were closed but he kisses me back without hesitation.

He seems to assume this is like one of the many kisses that we’ve already had. Maybe assuming this was my way to tell him I’m not mad and console him. So, naturally he goes to break the kiss after couple of seconds. But I’m not done. I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him closer. I’m curious and feeling hungrier by the second. Peeta’s body tenses in surprise by the intensity of my kiss. I part from Peeta’s lips just enough to breathe for air before going back in. He seems to recover from the surprise and accept this gladly without any questions. Peeta puts his muscular his arm around my back to pull me closer to the side of his body and his other hand his on my cheek, holding my face.

I open my mouth and let Peeta enter his tongue inside my mouth. Mine greets his and our tongues touch each other as our kisses get more hungry, more needy, more aggressive.

Peeta and I barely open our mouths enough for air, so both of us then have to take a break to catch our breaths. My forehead is against his, touching his blond hair which lays on his forehead. I am breathless and so is Peeta.

Peeta seems to be trying to calm himself down by the way he breathes, thinking we are done. But I realise I don’t want him to calm down. I don’t want to stop. I’m curious to explore the feeling I feel burning in my loins. Is this the way the erection feels for him? This might be my only chance to ever experience this. And why shouldn’t I? Capitol is not going to steal this experience from me. My mother always told me wait to do it until I’m ready and I’m with someone who really cares. I am ready. Peeta loves me. He’s sacrificed his life for me. There is nothing to be scared of. He’ll love me before and he’ll love me after. I have sacrificed my life for him and I would do it again. I know one thing for certain, he wants me to live and I don’t can’t bare the thought of going back to home without him. I’m not sure what love is supposed to feel like, but how far could it be from that?

Peeta is still keeping the lower half as far as he can inside the sleeping bag away from me. I don’t know what to say to make Peeta understand what’s going on inside my brain. So, as he’s catching his breath I kiss his neck. I lick the surface of his skin and taste the saltiness, and then I kiss his neck again from a different spot.

“Katniss…” Peeta says breathlessly, sounding almost as though he’s in pain. ”Ahhh. That feels good - too good… You have to stop. I can’t take much more…”

”You don’t want me to continue?” I ask, slightly surprised.

Peeta sighs, frustrated with himself it seems. He licks his lips. ”I do but I can’t take it. It excites me too much.”

”What if… that’s what I want?” I ask quietly, more to myself really, but we’re so close he hears it.

Peeta looks perplexed. For the first time it seems that he is the more awkward one, not getting the subtle hint. ”What do you mean?”

Peeta doesn’t seem to realise what I want to do. He thinks I expect him to be able to handle this and then get his member to relax and go back to sleep. It seems that me wanting to have sex with him right now doesn’t even seem like a possibility to him. It brings a warm, fluttering feeling in my chest. I feel emotional towards him. What was it that he said earlier? That I’m the best thing ever to happen to him. Peeta is just so happy about the fact he gets to be with me, kiss me, and have my attention that he doesn’t seem to have considered it could be any better.

”I -” I utter, however suddenly I feel embarrased. What if he doesn’t want to do it? He has a very injured leg. And I’m not exactly ravishing with the fresh cut on my forehead Clove gave me and my skinny, starved body. I look down, my face’s getting heated. ”Forget it.”

”Katniss? You know you can tell me anything.” Peeta says softly. He takes my hand and kisses my palm gently.

I lift my gaze and stare into his comforting eyes. Peeta seems curious, but by the look on his face he doesn’t expect the words I’m about say,

”Do you want to.. to be intimate? With me?” I ask. To be fair, I could’ve worded it better, but due to my reaction Peeta seems to finally understand what I’m talking about.

”You’re asking me if I want to have sex with you?” Peeta repeats. I nod.

Peeta looks around himself in disbelief. He doesn’t seem to believe it to be true.

”I don’t know if you’re joking because in what world would you think I’d say no?” Peeta says, laughing in disbelief.

”Well your leg is-”

”I could be missing a leg and an arm completely and I still wouldn’t let it stop me.” Peeta says confidently. He then holds my hand against his chest. “Are you sure? You can change your mind anytime, Katniss. I’m just happy to be here with you.”

I need to show him how much I want this as well. If my mouth feels so good on his neck, it must feel even better on his swollen member. Peeta’s ashy blond hair has been messed up from our activity but it suits him. He looks so handsome.

“You don’t have to hold yourself back.” I say to Peeta quietly.

I dive intside the sleeping bag. I lower down until I’m where Peeta’s waist is. I start to unbutton his pants. This is when Peeta realises what I’m about to do.

“Katniss, Katniss… I-” he says quickly. Peeta sounds a little nervous.

“Peeta, shhh.” I say, as I pull down his trousers to his ankles. I am careful not to touch the injury on his leg to not cause any pain.

Peeta’s penis is as hard as a rock, which is why it’s harder to get his boxers off as the band gets caught in it. It seems Peeta is too nervous to talk anymore. My hands are shaking as well but I think it might also be a bit from excitement. When I finally get them down I can see Peeta has a lot of precum leaking from the tip of his penis. I’ve seen naked men on our kitchen table my mother and Prim have been healing before. None of them compare to Peeta. His penis matches the rest of his muscular, stocky build. Peeta is big, thick and wide.

I take his penis inside my mouth after I recover from admiring it. Peeta’s entire body becomes so rigid and tense. A grunt escapes from his mouth. I move my head back and forth.

“Katniss… Ahh …” Peeta manages to breathe. “Mmmh.”

I move my other hand under his shirt, curious to feel the rest of his body, and I find his hard abdominals. I caress them. Peeta’s body is so manly. So muscly. I can feel the burn between my loins intensify as I can feel him enjoying every bit of this. Peeta’s grunts and moan become louder. His body is shaking. I react to this by going faster. I can sense Peeta’s pleasure is about to reach a pinnacle -

Peeta stops me from finishing him off by gently grabbing my hair to get me further away from his penis. Both of his hands reach under my armpits and he begins to pull me up onto the surface of the sleeping bag. We face each other. I can feel Peeta’s breath on my face. He smells so mesmerizing.

”My turn.” Peeta says, pushing back a strand of my hair behind my ear. Peeta looks at me with such admiration. His eyes are wide, loving and hungry. ”I want to pleasure you. I want you.”

”Okay.” I manage to say breathlessly, starting to feel nervous myself.

Peeta leans to kiss me on the lips. He is gentle and firm. Peeta puts his arms around me and before I know it I’m laying on my back and he’s on top of me, moving as though I’m just a ragdoll. His ashy blond hair tickles my face as it hangs off his forehead and he pushes it back with his hand, smiling down at me.

Peeta begins to kiss my neck. He traces his tongue down to the base of neck, along the way holding my skin between his teeth and sucking every now and then.

I begin to breathe heavily. He reaches where the collar of my shirt begins.

Peeta looks at me. He won’t continue if I don’t want him to.

”Peeta, don’t stop.” I breath.

Peeta grabs the hem of my shirt and starts undressing me, pulling it over my head. He towers over me, staring at my bare chest, amazed and hungry. I blush.

”Nobody’s ever looked at me like that.” I whisper.

”Good to know you didn’t notice it at the opening ceremony.” Peeta says, grinning. “The stuff that was going in my head…”

Peeta unzips his jacket off with one swift movement. He lowers himself down, and he lays his warm chest against mine. Peeta’s hands rest at the sides of my head as he is holding most of his weight on his elbows.

Peeta continues kissing my skin where he left of. He makes his way down to my breasts. Peeta sucks my nipple, tracing his tongue against it. My body can’t contain it and I start twitching under him. Peeta’s strong arms hold me still. I moan desperately. He moves to the other breast while massaging the other one’s nipple with his rough hands.

Peeta is starting to be out of breath again as he is enjoying himself touching me as much as I am. I can’t take it much longer. The burning pain between my thighs is becoming unbearable.

”I want it. Please, Peeta.” I moan.

Peeta looks at me. From the look on his I know Peeta can’t resist it himself either anymore. He kicks his pants and boxers off. Peeta grimaces then in pain. Clearly he moved too fast for his healing leg.

”Peeta?” I say, now worry in my voice.

”I’m okay.” Peeta reassures.

Peeta then curls his fingers inside the waistband of my trousers and underwear. His touch burns my skin. Peeta begins to pull the rest of my clothes down until I am no longer wearing anything.

I am suddenly glad about the effort my styling team went to remove every body hair as Peeta touches my bare vagina. My head jolts back in pleasure. He bends down and kisses it with an open mouth, tracing his tongue between the lips of my vagina.

It feels so good it feels impossible to breathe. I open my mouth and breathe, moaning which helps with controlling the feeling.

”You taste so good.” Peeta breaks to say before continuing. The way he kisses with his mouth open, tracing his tongue on the upper part between my lips, seems almost as if he’s trying to eat my intimate area.

“Peeta…” I whimper.

I then feel as Peeta gently lets spit come out of his mouth on my vagina even though I’m already so wet it’s dripping down my thighs.

“I enjoyed that.” Peeta grins, wiping his mouth.

“I want to feel you.” I say.

Peeta is breathing hard. He takes a hold of his huge penis which is rock hard and places it at my wet entrance.

“Oh my, you’re so wet.” Peeta sighs in pleasure, biting down on his lip.

Peeta slides in easily. However I feel as though I’m about explode because of how much Peeta’s filled me up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he breached my stomach.

“Katniss?” Peeta says. His voice is filled with worry. Peeta immediately notices my pain. “I’ll stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“No, no. I don’t want you to stop.” I say, biting my lip. “Just go slowly.”

“Okay.” Peeta says, still sounding worried about hurting me. He appears determined to make me feel good.

Peeta lays his heavy, strong body down on top of me again. He starts kissing my neck. Peeta looks at me, as if he can’t believe this is real.

”The amount of times I’ve dreamt about you like this, in my arms… It never seemed like it could be real.”

“It is. I won’t let you forget.” I say, smiling.

Peeta moves his other arm between us and he begins to move his fingers in circles on my clit. A heated feeling starts growing and I begin to moan again, unable to be quiet.

“You’re doing so good.” Peeta says.

“Mmmh.” I let out.

Peeta starts to move his hips slowly, dipping himself in and out of me. My legs are shanking from enjoyment and pain. Peeta’s breathing is heavy against my neck as he is holding himself back. I grab his face and direct his lips to mine. I want Peeta to conquer my mouth with his tongue and he does. Peeta’s kisses become more passionate by the minute and I his fingers faster.

I notice Peeta’s careful movements inside doesn’t really hurt my inner walls anymore, but it feels pleasurable. I move his hand away from between us.

“I want everything.” I whimper.

Peeta doesn’t say anything. He starts thrusting into me, hand behind my neck as my forehead is against his. The heat grows and grows. The pressure of pleasure becomes harder.

“Peeta, faster.” I say, needing more.

Peeta’s breathing turns into grunts of pleasure. He moves his arms under my back and slides them down to hold my ass. Peeta moves my lower half into his thrusts, deeper and deeper everytime.

I moan, my hands traveling in his ashy blond hair as my body trembles.

“You - feel - so - good - Katniss.” Peeta groans.

Peeta’s thrusts are animalistic, pounding into me so hard I wouldn’t be surprised if had bruises from his hips the next day. I don’t care. I’m just repeating his name, telling him to go harder as I feel the feeling of heat and pressure grow second by second.

I look up at Peeta. So close to him, not even air between him and I, I realise this is meant to be.

Peeta’s breaths start to sound more like whimpers so I know he is edging the pinnacle of his pleasure soon. I watch as his eyes are almost closed as he can’t handle the pleasure while he plummets into my warm insides and his mouth is wide open for fast breathing. Peeta looks so handsome and he sounds so enticing.

“I’m close.” I whimper now myself. “Peeta, please.”

Peeta starts rocking his hips even harder and his grip on my ass tightens. He finds my lips again but has to open his mouth to let out his groaning breaths. The pressure grows and grows so much I can’t take it anymore. I breathe his name as I reach the pinnacle of ecstasy. I get blinded by it. My legs are shaking uncontrollably and tge waves of pleasure continue. Immediately after, not able to contain himself any longer, Peeta’s body becomes tense and rigid as his big penis bursts cum inside me. He says my name. His body continues tensing as he groans in pleasure.

For couple of minutes we just lay there, catching our breaths. And then Peeta kisses me. It’s a sweet passionate kiss, full of love.

Peeta helps me put my clothes on. And then he dresses himself. We return to the same position we were in before, my head resting on his arm as the other arm is protectively over me.

“I don’t ever want to spend a night away from you.” Peeta says. I can tell he means it. He always wants to be able to protect me.

“Good.”

Peeta drifts off to sleep fast, relaxed and content as his mind has been occupied by something completely else than the events of the arena. Suddenly I get a sense of worry. Peeta didn’t want me to get the medicine for him, he has proved he’s willing to die protecting me. And I don’t want him to think he’s experienced everything he’s wanted to because he need’s to stay alive, not think he’s satisfied to die now.

[corpsebasil]

Hellllo? NIKOLAI HUNGER GAMES PART THREE

he’s shirtless because Lark wanted him to be I don’t make the rules 🙄

Need you a dress like this for the opening ceremony. You can see Lark behind her in the first clip clad in gold. Lmao.

“Oh Jem..” You breathe, a hand flying to the bejeweled neckline of your gown barely an hour before the chariot ride. It’s a scandalous piece, for sure, your outfits always are, but it’s more than you wore during your own games when you had a different prep team.

“We were inspired by the mythologies of war goddesses.” Jem explains, her gelled hair smelling strangely like maple as she finishes adjusting your dress. Beading clinks together as the golden fabric moves. “Nikolai is in something similar. He’s going to look divine.”

“Lark didn’t convince his team to get him naked?”

“Unfortunately no. But there’s always next year.” The two of you share a secretive smile—of course there will be no next year. Jem has always been an optimist, though. Or delusional. “Xiomara said no to the powder. She’s been speaking with District Twelve’s team.”

“Cinna?” You question and she nods.

“Yes. The gossip is that every team is doing something with lights this year. We want you and Nikolai to shine on your own. Just smile and wave. You’ll please the crowd. You always do.”

The both of you exchange a glance before you turn to her, clasping her pale hands. Her gorgeous almond-shaped eyes meet yours, the deep brown of them vulnerable.

"I'll miss you." You admit, forcing a weak smile.

Her smile own is shaky as she pulls away, adjusting your dress.

"Shine for me."

-

The chariot ride went as expected. Surprisingly enough, Nikolai was more well-covered then you would've thought; clad in gold armor from his leather-sandal-strapped-feet to his head, a large, gladiator-type helm shading the bottom half of his face from you. When you'd followed District One, he'd laughed, raising a spear (dulled, of course) in response to the wild crowd.

You, on the other hand, had stared coldly at the screens reflecting an image of you that resembled a goddess walking among mortals.

Now, though, you were leaning against a wall, scanning familiar mentors and victors. There was Chaff and Seeder, laughing with a blond man you knew to be Haymitch. There was Cashmere and Gloss, a duo that had attempted small talk with you and had failed, your icy smile enough indication that you had no interest in the two idiot bastards. There were the Morphlings, and--

And then Katniss is by your side, approaching in a smoldering ensemble that makes you raise your brows.

"Need a fire extinguisher?" You offer, a coy smile on your face.

Katniss looks like she'd rather be anywhere else. A forced, awkward expression you suppose is meant to be pleasant crosses her face, and you swear an invisible man is holding a gun to her head when she says the next words.

“I wanted to say…sorry.” She tells you, even though she looks like the words leave a bad taste on her tongue. “For Clove and Cato. I know you were their mentor.”

You remember. Of course you remember.

            You remember watching Clove cry out for Cato, your hands gripping Nikolai so hard you worried you’d bruise him. He’d taken the pain from you in a physical way, the only way he could, as you watched both Clove and Cato die one by one. They were vicious kids, but they were sweet to Nikolai and you as well as each other. Clove, especially, reminded you of the younger version of yourself. The version untouched by the horror of the arena. Nikolai had told you, under his breath, to try and stay as strong as you could in the mentor lobby. No one could forget the way you’d lost your mind years before when another one of your tributes died: Coen.

You smile tentatively at Katniss but give her a serious look, your eyes locking together in an unbreakable hold.

“They were just kids. Bloodthirsty as ever, sure, but kids.” When she flinches slightly, just a twitch, you press on. “But so were you, Katniss. You can’t be blamed for their deaths. And besides, you ended his suffering, didn’t you?”

The choked noise you’d let out when you watched Katniss put an end to Cato’s torturous death had gotten glances of shared relief from other mentors. No one had been happy, regardless of their districts of origin, to see Cato being mauled to death for the Capitol’s entertainment. You remember Nikolai’s hands rubbing your shoulders gently, his voice quiet as he murmured reassurances. That night that two of you had shared a bed, your muscles stiff, unmoving and unspeaking as you grieved.

Katniss’s expression is bleak but severe as she nods, soaking in your words.

“Okay.” Is all she says before turning away and leaving you alone.

You’re still feeling slightly winded when Nikolai wraps his arms around you from behind, tugging you against him. Other than Katniss and Peeta, you both are the only victors here in a relationship.

“What’d she have to say?” He asks against your hair, keeping his voice out of range from everyone but you.

“Cato and Clove.” Is all you respond with, and you feel him nod.

“Ah.”

“Well!” You hear a loud voice shout and turn your head, spotting Finnick approaching in a getup that is so revealing you have to laugh. “Don’t you two look absolutely terrifying. Is that real gold?”

“I think you left most of your costume in your room.” You shoot back, grinning despite yourself. Finnick Odair—God bless him—is one of Nikolai and yourselves closest friends. You adore him endlessly and you know he feels the same way. “Think they’re trying to get you completely naked this year?”

His eyebrows furrow in faux confusion and you feel Nikolai’s chuckle against your back. Finnick turns around in a small circle, hand shading his brow like he’s looking for something.

“I’ll tell you a secret, Halo.” He starts and the nickname makes you grin. “It’s nothing they haven’t seen before.” 'Halo', a reference to the way the Capitol began to call you their 'angel' after you won.

You tilt your head.

"No it isn't." You say, but the truth makes you tense.

No it isn't.

[lemonluvgirl]

Not that you're taking drabble requests, buuuut...

James Arthur's song "Naked" seems very Everlark, and I'll bet you could come up with something awesome for it. If not, I feel like it's great inspo.

Just sayin'! I'll see myself out now. ;)

Katniss held her breath as she crested the hill that lead to her father's lake.

She knew he'd be there, waiting for her just like his note said.

What she didn't know was that he'd already be in the water waiting for her.

She looked down at the trail of clothes that led to the lakeshore.

The first, a plain white T-shirt. The thin kind Peeta favored for working at the bakery during long hot summer days. The kind she had taken to stealing and sleeping in because they were so comfortable.

Then, a pair of boots, tossed off haphazardly a few feet from each other. The double-knotted laces were pulled uncharacteristically undone.

One gray sock lying over a rock. The sight shouldn't have affected her, but an image was forming in her mind.

A thick pale chest dusted in faint blond hairs....a broad back decked with freckles moving over strong muscles.

A pair of tan trousers crumpled and left to lie precisely where they had fallen stirred up images of solid calves and thickly built thighs covered in dark, curly blond hairs.

The odd shiver rolled down her spine, half anticipation, half trepidation. They'd spent the night wrapped in each other's arms and had shared much of their bodies but not everything.

There had been obstacles.

It had taken him years to wrest control of the bakery from his mother after his father had died. He wanted to be his own man, with his own livelihood to offer when he inevitably asked her to marry him. Katniss had refused for years to sign any official papers at the Justice Building, despite knowing he was the only one she could ever see herself sharing her life with. Even after they toasted in a private ceremony she refused to fully consummate the relationship until she was sure the Hunger Games had been abolished for good.

Tonight was different.

It had been a year since the current government had signed a decree outlawing anything like the Games from ever taking place on Panem soil again.

It had been four years since she and Peeta had toasted.

And this morning they had signed the papers at the Justice Building that made everything official.

It was time. Past time, really for this.

And with that thought, she began to disrobe.

She prodded gently at the last item of clothing with her bare toe. Her plain white cotton underwear lay atop his navy blue boxers.

The sight made her smile just a little.

She looked out into the water where she could just make out his shape. He was floating on his back lazily, hands braced behind his head. His torso was shining wet with small puddles collecting along his sternum and navel.

The things she wanted to do at the sight surprised even her.

Especially when her eyes dipped lower to trace the rest of his naked body that he proudly left on display for her to see.

She licked her lips absent-mindedly as she took one step forward and warm summer lake water lapped at her ankles.

She saw the moment he noticed her. Saw the way his eyes caught on her bare skin and dragged down with agonizing intensity across every inch of her.

She stood there for a minute, just letting him look at her, as she looked her fill at him in return.

It was a promise. She was done pretending she didn't need him, all of him, with her, beside her, inside her giving her everything she always swore she could do without.

She could do without so much. But not him. She needed him and what's more, she wanted him. She wanted the promise of everything they could build together, with their hearts and their naked bodies finally surrendering to each other after so long of only giving each other half of what they really wanted.

The wait was over.

It was time for her and Peeta now.

She slipped into the water and swam out to meet him, bare-skin, naked soul, and full heart.

[deepdonutkid]

I discovered people in the fandom complaining about how unrealistic Haffie is. Well, yeah, I kinda agree with that. The canon book characters don't go that well together, but I can imagine two scenarios, where I could picture them together:

Fuckbuddies- duuuuuh, Haymitch is so unfitting for a relationship in almost every aspect, but he still has some game. Everytime he is in the Capitol for some business or Effie is in D12 they spend some time together, mainly because they are bored. But it would be interesting, to get some one sided jealosy in the mix.

And this is a bit of a far strech but hang in there...An AU where Effie tries to stay in D12 permanently after Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch come back home, because she feels like she isn't welcomed in the Capitol anymore. She was part of the Games, most of the escorts, beauty teams and stylists have been killed, and now she is one of the few people left. Effie notices strange looks from every corner and decides she can't take it anymore. So, she goes to the people who she thinks, actually liked her for herself. After her arrival, she knocks at Haymitch's door and asks him, if she could stay a while. A few days later, Haymitch asks her, when she will go back again, she declines and explains why. Haymitch says: "Well, it won't be easy making a life here" and Effie says: "Teach me then" and after that it's basically like a 2000 feel-good teen movie, where the rich posh girl is moved to the country side and at first she hates every second of it, but while the romance progresses, she admits to herself, she likes it in a way she never expected. And the main concept of this story would be comedy, sweet simple slice of life comedy with just a pinch of romance, because we don't wanna overdo it. Write at 2am for about three hours and we are good to go... E Voilá a mouth-watering Haffie story!

Just imagine Effie trying to help Haymitch with his geese, while Peeta and Katniss are watching from their kitchen window and decide: "Well, that's definitely not our problem."

Or there is no hot water yet and Effie demanding a bath after a long day of work. So Haymitch and her keep filling up his tub with warm water from the stove. Once it's done, Effie undresses herself and gets in the tub. She is finally relaxing and... Haymitch comes in, wearing just a towel and wants to join in, just to prank her.

"Well, sweetheart, what did you thought... I would put in all this work just for you?", he asked her, rubbing his stubbly chin with dirt-covered fingers. She- still wrapped in her arms for protection from his keen looks- retorted: "Actually... yes." But she couldn't interpret his reaction. Haymitch was shaking his head as the smile on his lips turned into a grin and then into a big laughter. "You expect me to", he started and had to pause right then, because he couldn't contain himself. "You expect me to bath in your cold water." His voice was much colder now, since he stopped laughing. It was almost unsettingly calm now. Effie didn't know where to look. She gulped just thinking about him standing there half naked. Usually, she liked being seen. That's why she joined the Games as an escort. In a family of six, with four sisters, she was rarely noticed. Overlooked, most of the time. And while she was there on stage in her meticulously composed outfits, she was adore and admired by the masses. But that didn't last. Now, every pair of eyes set on her, was one pair too much. Especially his. His grey eyes pierced her soul and shattered her like she was glass. She blinked and looked up to him. "I thought, you were being nice. I really tried my best today and I already had such a hard time setting in." "A lots of Is in there... I thought, I tried, I had. Don't you think you're being a bit self-centered here? Since you came to me and asked me for help, I assumed you changed. Guess I was wrong about that." He was already at the doorstep, when Effie called for him. "Wait, Haymitch... I'm sorry. Please come back, I'm sure we find a way to share this tub." With a grin he turned around, rolling his eyes. "For a second, I believed you left me hanging." The towel flew down from his hips. A whince left Effie's mouth. She didn't know where to look, but only realized she kept staring, when Haymitch scoffed: "My eyes are up here, darling."

[eleanorjane0690]

Solidarity In Sonder

Excerpt from Chapter 23

Autumn '76 - Peeta

“ I couldn't possibly say, but that doesn't mean you can’t speak upon your worries.  Especially if you’d like my informed opinion.”  

“What?” I huff, relinquishing my hold on Buttercup and closing my eyes while running a hand up my forehead.  Although, as I knot it into my hair, his suggestive statement clicks into place.  

“Ah, I see.” I exclaim, as my eyes ping open “So, I’m guessing, with it being the first daydream you’ve had in a very long time, it was out of the ordinary.  Therefore, something recent must have inspired it.”

Clearing his throat with a weird cough of agreement, after audibly sipping from some unknown beverage, Doc apologises “Sorry Peeta, I have a very dis- agreeable tickle in the back of my throat.”

Shaking my head at his shitty acting skills, aware this very phone call is being recorded, playing along, I smirk “Recently…erm…my art has been inspired by some unusual stuff.”

“Such as?”

“Scars.”

“Scars?” he repeats.  

“Yeah, previously unseen ones.  Ones inflicted in childhood.”

“Previously unseen?” 

“Well it’s not often you see someone's bare ass on full display.” I snigger.  

Waking late into Sunday morning, having slept soundly for the first time in months, sprawled butt naked on my belly across the bed, my depressing lack of morning glory didn't even register as I felt Katniss’ delicate finger tracing along my childhood scars.  The scars, that regardless of the full body polishes I’ve undergone, cannot be erased.  

Shooting my eyes open, highly aware of just how ugly and unappealing the long lines of raised scar tissue are on my ass cheeks, embarrassed, I yanked the throw over my bare body and buried my head into the pillows.   

“Peeta what are they?” she quietly asked.

“Switch scars.” I mumbled, as a quiver that made me sound like the scared child I’d been when I was made to grin and bear receiving them crept into my voice “From my mothers whippings.”

“That’s how you knew!” she exclaimed, welling tears clear to hear in her own tremulous tone “That day in the Square, that’s how you knew, isn’t it?”  

Conscious of the fact she was referring to Gale’s whipping, but unable to look her in the eye, I silently reached out behind me, took hold of her hand, and gently caressed it to let her know not only was she correct but that it was okay to be upset.  Because regardless of how much I appreciate her not talking about him, for my benefit I assume, I know how much that day broke her heart.

“Indeed, it's not often that you do.” Doc professionally replies, trying to mask his titter.  

Sniffling, she excused herself, and on hearing the door go, I quickly got up and threw some clothes on.  

Walking out onto the porch, her half-drank cup of coffee was sitting by the swing but she was nowhere to be seen.  Irrationally, as the Covey’s tale of Lucy Gray began to repeat within my mind, I began to panic.  Running barefoot into the mud, slipping slightly due to the feckless prosthetic, with each repetition rising in distress, I repeatedly hollered her name.  Bolting out of the outhouse bathroom, face blotchy from tears, she flew across the landscape and into my arms.        

“Thank the stars,” I heaved, burying myself into the fall of her hair “I thought…I thought you’d gone.” 

“Gone,” she repeated, brows furrowing as she pulled back to look me in the eye “gone where?"

“I…I don't know…just gone.” I lied, cowardly circumventing how between whippings, Gale, and Lucy, my mind had made some abhorrent connections.  How I feared despite our date, upon being reminded of him, she’d fled to be with Gale.  

“Not without you,” she soothed, rising on tip toe to cup my cheek “I don’t ever want to be anywhere but with you.”  

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56641270/chapters/147201754

[mythoughtsonfilm]

the hunger games: the ballad of songbirds and snakes (2023)

rating: stop making war criminals hot/10

*spoilers*

-ok. so. i wasn't going to be one of those people.

-the people that just hop on the "snow is hot" bandwagon.

-but, alas...

-please don't expect any genuine analysis here, there is nothing even remotely close to that present at this time

-anyway. let's start from the top.

-the seventeen semi-unnecessary shirtless/shower/half-naked-sulking scenes they managed to cram in these first three seconds is actually kind of impressive

-i'm not complaining.

-i see all the snow family fortune is funneling directly into the Coriolanus bleach and tone fund

-the only thing running through my mind is book snow's inner monologue

-"district scum" keeps coming to me in flashes

-hop skip and jump to the reaping scene

-peter dinklage will slay no matter the occasion.

-and viola davis

-"i'm part of that litter" PLEASE

-i'm sorry. not a joking matter. sometimes i get too caught up on dialogue choices.

-"sing your way out of this one lucy gray."

-welp.

-omgggg he's so considerate showing up to the train like that

-what a sweet, caring guy

-i was so caught off guard by them literally dumping them into the zoo

-as if that's what should catch me off guard.

-dare i say snow is a bit of a devious betch

-dude has zero friends and is still managing to betray every one

-never trust a blond man, that's what i always say

-a PLATINUM blond at that

-i've lost the plot a bit

-literally

-anyway

-wait let's discuss that rejected kiss. i turned away from the screen tbh. can't handle the embarrassment.

-if i wasn't already missing the entire point of the movie, the "take off your shirt"-single-tear-stitching-up-of-the-wound moment definitely shoved me into the oblivious observer territory

-(i promise i took more from this movie than i'm letting on)

-(really)

-but now let's pop back to the games

-scream queens is preventing me from believing the rat poisoning situation but i'm trying to ignore that

-lucy slay baerd

-eh. sorry.

-HE CHEATED THE GAMES FOR HER

-he was just sending water. HE WAS JUST SENDING WATER. ugh.

-how could this possibly go wrong? he's so sweet and nice 🥰

-see, i think he thinks he's really smart but genuinely how do you use a monogrammed handkerchief to break the law??

-now, i understand he wanted to go to 12 and all, but using his family's literal last dime in this world to pay his way there is rubbing me the wrong way

-could it be? a(nother)? red? flag?

-ok so we're all just gonna pretend that scene of him facing the wall wasn't concerning to feminism.

-buzzcut era for the win

-sejanus and him should just kiss already.

-his utter commitment to being a peacekeeper is so jarring.

-suzanne collins knew what she was doing with these songs

-the punch.

-katniss reference, cute cute

-so sorry--did he LEAVE during the song NAMED after him?????

-oh lucy gray. you are far too good for him.

-so i'm thinking i need to wrap this up

-oops. shot someone there. whoops. got someone else strung up there. mistaaaakes. we all make em.

-"my old self"

-the old snow can't come to the phone right now...

-anyway.

-never in my life have i seen someone pitch a fit like this, get a grip

-hilarious how he just casually strolls back into 12 after that conniption.

-"you look just like your father" as you should, tigris.

-*villainous, brooding stroll across multiple lanes of traffic*

-the rainbow imagery. love.

-the hair timeline is really not working for me here, i feel like we skipped some vital info, but it's fine

-oh that callback was phenomenal booming through the theater

-i don't consider myself that dense, but i did, in fact, have to watch this entire movie and re-listen to "can't catch me now" to realize that's literally the whole movie right there. yikes.

-snow lands on top.

-god i hope so.

-i'm so sorry.

[thesweetnessofspring]

Everlark modern au, inspired by Gilmore Girls. Rated a M for nudity and references to sex.

The blare of the alarm hits my ears and I flinch awake, eyes scrunching closed in protest. Peeta's naked, broad chest is warm and firm underneath my cheek and I feel him shift underneath me to turn off the alarm.

"Sorry," he says, voice low and gravelly. "Forgot to turn it off."

"'S'okay," I say. "Have to get up."

His arm tightens around my waist, fingers on the flesh of my hip, where they'd been last night as we made love for the first time. I wasn't usually one for putting out after a first date, but that's not what this was. That's not what we were. Might have taken us a decade to realize it, but after a little awkwardness and driving nearly an hour out of town so no one would see us, Peeta brought out the program from our middle school talent show with my name printed on it. He described how he fell for me right then hearing me sing the Valley Song and that he was "all in" on us. It didn't seem necessary to hold back my craving for him. We hardly made it through the front door of his apartment fully clothed.

"Stay," he whispers.

"Work," I say. "I'm opening."

I hadn't expected our dinner date would lead into such rigorous, late night sex and I'd agreed to open up the outdoor shop this morning. Hikers and campers are annoyingly early birds, so we open at seven and I had to be there a half hour earlier to get everything set up. I sigh, wishing I could stay in bed with Peeta all day instead. I'm not going to have the energy for anything else. I don't move for several minutes, working up the boost to leave this cocoon of blankets and limbs.

"Coffee," I say, forming a plan to get myself to work. Usually I drink tea, but on mornings like this one I need the extra caffeine boost.

"Downstairs," Peeta mumbles.

Of course. Why have coffee in your apartment when you own a bakery downstairs with all of the bells and whistles? I peel my eyes open and Peeta's head is turned to the side, chest rising and falling with the breath of someone still in sleep. I think of all the work he put in last night getting me to come over and over, and decide to let him rest. He'd more than earned it.

I give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth and then stand up, feeling a delicious soreness between my legs from last night. I can't find my underwear and I'm still too groggy to remember where Peeta had flung it before diving mouth-first into me. I won't wear my jeans without any underwear, so instead I find Peeta's blue button-up at the entrance of the door. He's so much bigger than me, it'll do until I can get coffee to perk me awake and hunt for the rest of my clothes.

I shrug the shirt on, threading my arms through the sleeves and buttoning it up as I sneak down the stairs toward the bakery. I get to the bottom, turn to enter the shop, and find myself staring at a dozen townies sipping coffee and waiting in line for their pastries. Delly peers from around the counter, eyes widened in surprise. The clink of cups and chatter die down as all faces turn in my direction.

Everyone stares at me, with my bare legs and mussed hair and braless boobs in a man's shirt, coming down from the apartment everyone knows Peeta lives.

Embarrassment rising up from my stomach to my face, I back away and then retreat up the stairs. I fling open Peeta's door and shut it firmly behind me, the frosted glass in the window rattling. I round the corner to Peeta's bed, where he's sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Katniss?" he asks.

"There are people down there!" I exclaim, my face still flaming and heart sprinting.

"Yeah," Peeta says. "Early morning crowd. Did you go down there?"

"Well you don't have any coffee up here," I say defensively, folding my arms across my chest.

"You should have woken me. I'd have gone down and gotten coffee for you."

"I didn't know there would be people! I know the bakery could open without you."

"I asked Delly to open for me," Peeta says. His eyes roam my clearly just-got-laid look. "You do come over here often. Maybe they won't think anything of it."

"When I come here I always wear pants!" I gesture forcefully toward my lower half.

"Okay, so, people are going to know about us," Peeta says. "Is that such a bad thing?"

I fold my arms and practically pout as I say, "I don't want people gossiping about us. Teasing us."

Peeta stands and I'm flustered all over as he tilts my chin up to look at him. "Do you want me to walk down there in your clothes to get the heat off of you?"

I laugh, imagining the ridiculous scene. He raises an eyebrow, and the thing is, if I asked him, he would. I already know he'd do anything for me, because he has time and time again. He moves his hold to my hips, scrunching up the shirt slightly and lighting a fire in my belly.

"Your boobs are bigger than mine," I say. "You'd stretch out my sweater."

I put my hands on his chest, over his heart and the impressive muscle he's built up there. Part of me still can't believe he wants me, and the other part is worried that he'll change his mind soon, once he has to go from a friend to dating me. I don't have the best track record with relationships. Now, if this thing we have ends, people will know. They'll pick up on the fact that yet again, I haven't made a relationship work. Usually, the fact that I could always break up with a guy I was seeing comforted me. Thinking of Peeta using the same retreat I usually did, though, makes me ache. I don't want this relationship with him to go the same way as my others. I don't want to run.

"I've seen what size you wear," Peeta grins. "I'll definitely be stealing one of your hoodies after we spend the night at your place. I'll walk in and serve coffee with Valley High Girls Cross Country Team displayed on the front and back."

I bite my lip and run my hands up and down his chest. "If people ask...can we say we started dating at your brother's wedding?"

That gave us the cover of an additional two months. Sure, Peeta had spent most of that in Maine helping his brother and his new wife after they got injured on their honeymoon, but hadn't we been talking on the phone constantly, too? Being discovered sleeping over at your friend's...boyfriend's place is better than a rumor of a one-night stand.

"Well, I always intended that to be a date," Peeta says. "You're the one who didn't pick up on the fact I was trying to woo you."

"How was I to know you didn't mean to ask me as a friend?" I say defensively.

He wraps his arms around me, drawing me into his still-naked body. I weaken at the feel of him. The muscles under the palms of my hands and the the memory of last night distract me from my previous embarrassment.

"Maybe from the way we were dancing," he says. I think of that dance at the wedding, slow and dreamlike, accompanied by romantic lyrics and Peeta's blue eyes and my feelings for him all pecking through the shell of my protected heart. While the feelings must have been building for years now, I made the complicated revelation my love for Peeta had an additional flavor to the platonic.

I'd been so certain that I had the first feelings of romance between us I hadn't known it was meant to be a real date, and I almost tell him so when Peeta bends down to kiss me. As I accept his kiss, I don't have any more room for my upset feelings because everywhere Peeta touches feels so impossibly good.

[nickeverdeen]

I personally think that it’s real pitty that no one seems to acknowledge the fact or it isn’t talked about enough that:

Katniss Everdeen was half-harassed, Harry Potter was harassed and Clarke Griffin was taken advantage of when she was taken prisoner

Now I get that these things were mentioned very briefly, but that no one would notice this? Doesn’t sit with me right

Katniss’ case = in Capitol + in books, but I think that maybe it was also in the movie (I’m not sure right now)

Harry’s case = while he was in bathroom naked + in fourth movie (not sure about books as I haven’t read them)

Clarke’s case = while she was waiting to be executed in the first few pages before being sent to Earth + in books

[katnissmellarkkk]

But for real! It’s amazing when you really analyze it. Why is Peeta shirtless? Who knows. Why is Katniss wearing a shirt from 2004 Walmart? Who knows. When did they hug in the rain half naked in the first book (or at any point in the series)? Why is Peeta’s hair straight? Why aren’t they afraid of someone coming to Jill them during their little cuddle-fest? They can’t be in the cave because it seems like they’re standing upright in the pouring down rain. So I guess they just decided to ignore Cato and the others potentially coming for them and took the time to hug it out? Who knows. The Russian book cover artist understand the assignment though.

Ngl I lowkey love this Russian book cover for The Hunger Games 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭.

[waitimcomingtoo]

Closet Party

Pairing: Kate Bishop x Reader

Synopsis: you go as Kate’s date to a gala and end up in a closet together

Masterlist

Kate woke up to the sound of her phone alarm going off. She pulled her arm away from around your waist and reached over you to turn the alarm off. Once her phone was back on the dresser, she looked down at you. You were still sound asleep and curled into her side. She smiled a little before grabbing the pillow that she had just been sleeping on.

“Wake up!” Kate shouted as she smacked you over the head with her pillow. Your eyes flew open and you shot up in bed.

“What happened? Who died?”

“No one’s dead. We’re just gonna be late for the gala.” She chuckled as she climbed over you to get out of her bed.

“What time is it?” You asked through a yawn.

“Five. We fell asleep.”

“During which movie?” You wondered and pulled her laptop closer to you.

“Catching fire was on when I closed my eyes and Mockingjay was on when I opened them.”

“Oh shit. Sorry Katniss.” You mumbled and shut the laptop.

“You know, you always beg to watch the Hunger Games and then always fall asleep.” Kate said as she started to loosely curl her long dark hair.

“It’s not my fault that movies put me to sleep.” You insisted. “And I love the Hunger Games. I think archery is hot.”

“I can tell.” She snorted. “I’m picking the movie next time. And I’m telling you right now, it’s gonna be Mean Girls. Now get up. We have to get dressed.”

Kate pulled her pajama shirt off before going over to her dresser and pulling a bra out of her drawer. You watched her as she put her bra on and clasped the back. After being friends for so long, you’d seen each other naked a million times. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for her to get changed right in front of you. Still, you found your eyes glued to her as she stepped out of her sleep shorts. She walked over to her closet where her gown was hanging and took it off the hook. You sat on her bed in silence and watched as she jumped into the dress and slid her arms into the long black sleeves. You looked away now that she was covered, but that’s when she needed you.

“Can you zip me?” She asked.

“Yeah. Sure.” You said as you snapped out of your trance. You got off the bed and walked over to her as she turned around. You gulped a little as you took the tiny black zipper between your fingers and started to love it upwards. When you got to her bra strap, you let out a shaky breath before zipping the dress the rest of the way up.

“Thanks. Now get dressed.” She said before grabbing her curling wand again. She touched up her curls before pulling some of her hair back into a half up half down style.

“I haven’t picked a gown yet. Which one should I wear?” You asked as you pulled down two dresses that you had hung on Kate’s closest door when you arrived that morning.

“The purple one. You always look good in purple.” Kate replied once she surveyed her options. You smiled a little when you heard her say this and shyly looked at the ground.

“Okay. I’ll do purple.” You nodded and hung up the over gown. You took the fluorescent lavender gown out of the bag and laid it out on your bed. As you slipped out of your pajamas, Kate snuck a couple glances at you while she did her makeup in the mirror. You had your back to her as you stepped into your dress and zipped it up. You then sat back down on the bed and watched her as she did her makeup, admiring the way she made it seem so effortless. Once she was finished, she turned to look at you.

“Can I do your makeup?” She asked when an excited grin.

“Sure. If you want.” You smiled shyly, knowing you would agree to anything she could possibly ask you.

“Lay down on the bed. It’ll be easier for me.” She instructed as she brought her makeup bag over. You laid down on Kate’s bed and gulped as she lifted her dress and sit on top of you. She straddled your hips and moved your hair away from your face, making your heart pound in your chest. You silently looked up at her as Kate dabbed your foundation in your face and blended it in. She dipped her brush into a lavender colored eyeshadow and blew on the top before putting it on your eyelids. She tilted your chin up with her fingers to get a better angle as she blended the eyeshadow out.

“I’m so jealous of your eyelashes. They’re so long.” Kate sighed as she applied mascara to your lashes. You gulped at the compliment and tried to remain calm.

“Yours are long too.” You assured her.

“Only when I have mascara on. Not you though. You always look like you have make up on.”

“Well I’m jealous of your perfect eyebrows. And you’re bone structure. You have like, the most immaculate cheekbones I have ever seen.” You told her with a shy smile.

“Shut up. I’m trying to concentrate.” Kate teased as she put blush on your cheeks. You went back to comfortable silence as she lined your lips with a neutral lip pencil.

“You know what I really what?” She asked you.

“What’s that?”

“Your lips.” She replied, making your heart stop in your chest.

“W-what?” You stammered, gay panic activated.

“They’re perfect. They’re the perfect shape, perfect size, and they’re never chapped. I want your lips. I need your lips.” Kate continued as she gently applied your lipstick.

“Rub.” She instructed while you were still recovering. You rubbed your lips together without ever taking your eyes off her.

“Your lips are perfect too.” You said quietly as you stared directly at them.

“So you agree? You think that your lips are perfect?” She asked, doing her best impression of Regina George.

“Shut up.” You laughed and looked away.

“Make me.” Kate replied, making your attention snap back to her.

“I will.” You said quietly as your eyes fell to her lips again.

“All done.” Kate chirped, inadvertently changing the subject. Kate climbed off of you before helping you get off the bed. She held your hand and she brought you over to the mirror and stood behind you.

“I am truly a master. Dare I say you’ve never looked better.” Kate smiled proudly as she admired her work in the mirror.

“You did a really good job. Surprise, surprise.” You playfully rolled your eyes before looking at yourself again.

“I can’t take all the credit. I had a really good canvas.” Kate smiled as she put her chin on your shoulder. You looked at your reflections and felt your heart yearn a little at the way you looked together.

“So what were you thinking of doing with your hair?” Kate wondered as she played with your hair.

“I don’t know. Probably just down.”

“What about an updo?” She asked as she pulled your hair back and held it up.

“Oh my God. Look at that. And that’s just with my hands holding it up. You have to do an updo.” Kate gushed as she looked at you in the mirror.

“Okay. If you say so.” You agreed with her once again just to make her happy. Kate grabbed some Bobby pins and twisted your hair around before pinning it up so it wasn’t touching your neck anymore.

“Girls? Are you almost ready?” Kate’s mom asked as she knocked on Kate’s door.

“Coming mom.” Kate called back before looking at you. “You ready?”

“I think so. How do I look?” You asked her as you turned around to face her.

“Super hot.” Kate nodded. “I’d fuck you.”

“Kate.” You let out a shocked laugh and felt your heart pound in your chest.

“I’m serious. If one of those snotty rich boys doesn’t take you home tonight, I am.” Kate said with a wink, making you gulp again. Before you could say anything, you heard another knock at the door.

“Girls!” Kate’s mom called again.

“Coming!” Kate called back. When she looked back at you, she held out her hand.

“Come on. Let’s go.” She smiled and nodded towards the door. You slipped your hand into hers and walked out of the room with her. You held hands on the limo ride to the gala because Kate knew how nervous these lavish parties made you. She was accustomed to them now, but you still got nervous. You arrived within a few minutes to the red carpet and flashing lights. You hung back as photographer took pictures of Kate and her mom. Kate noticed you standing off to the side and grabbed your hand to pull you close. She kept her arm around your waist. You gulped as you stared at the flashing cameras until Kate squeezed your hip.

“The Olsen twins say if you mouth “prune” while getting your photo taken, you get the perfect pout.” Kate whispered in your ear. You looked up at her and watched her mouth “prune” over and over, making you laugh. You did it too until she tugged you off of the red carpet.

Once you were inside the event, you and Kate stayed together off in a corner while all the guests socialized. Kate told you about people she recognized as you listened to every word she spoke.

“I feel like they’re all staring at us.” You whispered as yet another man walked by and gave you and Kate a strange look.

“Probably because they’re jealous that I have the hottest date here.” Kate shrugged and took a sip of her drink.

“Shut up.” You laughed shyly and looked at the ground.

“You know my mom asked if we were dating the other day?” Kate said with an amused smirk.

“What? She did?”

“Yeah. She was all, “I don’t mean to pry, but you girls have a lot of sleepovers and spend a lot of time in your room with the door locked. Is there something going on between the two of you that I should know about?”. And she asked this right when I was eating an Orange too, which is by far the most vaginal looking fruit. Not very subtle if you ask me.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her were hooking up just to mess with her.” Kate smirked and sipped her drink again.

“Kate.” You whined. “Now it’s gonna be so awkward when I see her.”

“I had to!” Kate insisted. “She won’t ask questions now. We don’t need her or anybody else in our business.”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.” You said quietly and wondered what she meant by that. If Kate’s mom thought you were dating, it meant you weren’t crazy when you read into things that Kate did. If her mom could see you as a couple, maybe Kate could too. Before you could say anything else, one of the boys you typically saw at these events came up to the two of you.

“Hey. We’re gonna play 7 minutes in heaven in the foyer. You in?”

“Sure.” Kate shrugged and started following the boy while you stayed back

“You coming?” She asked when she noticed you were following her.

“Yeah. Sure.” You said hesitantly and followed her to the foyer. A group of people your age were sitting in a circle with a glass bottle in the middle of them. They parted when you and Kate entered the room and she held your hand as you sat beside each other. You nervously twiddled your fingers during the first few rounds of the game and watched as couples went off to separate closets to make out. Finally, it was Kate’s turn. You gulped as she spun the bottle, noticing a few boys whispered to their friends, likely hoping it would land on them. Only it didn’t land on any of the boys.

It landed on you.

Your jaw dropped as you stared down the nose of the bottle. You looked at Kate in a panic, but she was totally relaxed.

“No way.” She laughed. “What are the chances?”

“You know what to do. Get in that closet.” One of the boys in the circle said.

“More like get out of it.” One of the girls whispered to her friend as she looked at you. They both giggled and you looked down in embarrassment.

“Well? Are you guys going?” Someone else asked when you didn’t move.

“Um…” You said quietly and looked around the circle at all the expecting faces. Kate stood up and held her hand out to you, but you hesitated to take it

“What’s the matter? Scared of a little girl on girl?” One if the boys snickered.

“Shut up. She’s not scared of anything.” Kate scoffed. “And don’t say girl on girl. We’re people, not a category.”

You smiled when you heard her defend you and took her hand. You walked to the nearest closet together and shut the door behind you. Once you were in the darkness of the closet, all you could smell was Kate’s perfume. You gulped and nervously looked into her eyes.

“Sorry I freaked out back there.” You smiled timidly.

“It’s okay. We don’t actually have to do anything. We can just stand here for seven minutes until they call us to come back.”

“Oh. Okay.” You nodded, slightly disappointed but slightly relieved.

“I mean, unless you wanted to.” Kate followed up, making you gulp again. She saw the look on your face and tilted her head in confusion.

“Did you want to?” She asked quietly.

“Um, I don’t know. Do you want to?” You asked to take the decision off your shoulders.

“I mean, we’ve done everything else together. Might as well add this to the list.” Kate shrugged, making your heart skip a beat in your chest.

“O-okay. Yeah. Let’s do it.” You nodded to many times and rubbed your lips together to make sure they weren’t chapped.

“They’re not chapped.” Kate said, seemingly reading your mind. You gave her a confused you and she smirked.

“They never are.” She said before leaning in to kiss you. Your eyes flew open in surprised and slowly fluttered shut. Kate put her hands on your face and deepened the kiss as you felt a swarm of butterflies in your stomach. You kissed her for what felt like hours but in reality only a few minutes. Kissing her felt right, too right. You knew that if you continued to kiss her now, you’d never be able to stop. You quickly pulled away and looked at her with panicked eyes.

“I gotta go.” You said all in one breath and bolted out of the closet.

“Wait!” Kate called after you as she watched you run away.

“Hey, that wasn’t seven minutes.” One of the boys said from the circle.

“Shut up.” Kate scoffed and went to look for you. She searched in every room in the gala but couldn’t find you anywhere. Finally, she went out to the balcony. You were sitting on the ledge with your high heels next to you, looking out at the New York skyline.

“I thought I might find you here.” Kate said as she walked over to you and took a drag beside you. You nervously looked over at her before looking back out at the sky.

“You found me.” You said quietly and avoided eye contact. Kate looked at you again and noticed a half eaten silver platter of mini egg rolls beside you.

“Did you steal that from a server?” Kate chuckled and pointed to the platter.

“I needed it more than they did.” You replied, making her laugh again. You laughed a little too until Kate put her hand on top of yours.

“What happened back there? Why’d you leave?” Kate asked. You looked into her eyes for a second before tearing them away from her.

“I had leave.”

“But why?” She wondered. You sucked in a sharp breath before shutting your eyes.

“I had to leave because of how much I wanted to stay.” You admitted without looking at her.

“What do you mean?”

You looked at Kate again and felt your heart break a little for what you were about to do to her. Everything was about to change and it was all your fault.

“I’m so sorry to do this to you because we have such a great friendship and I’d never want anything to change between us but I…” You trailed off and looked at her one last time before everything changed.

“I have feelings for you.”

“What?” Kate burst out laughing. You looked at her with surprised eyes and her smile immediately fell.

“Oh. That wasn’t a joke?”

“No. It’s not a joke.” You shook your head and held your breath.

“But I didn’t think you were…” She trailed off and looked at you curiously.

“Neither did I.” You shrugged. “Not until I found you, at least.”

Kate looked at you for a minute before a cheeky smirk crossed her face. She chuckled a little and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“What?” You wondered.

“Nothing.” She shrugged and laughed again.

“Why are you smiling like that?” You whined and shoved her a little.

“Because you’ve got a big lesbian crush on me.” Kate replied in her best Janis Ian impression.

“Oh my God.” Your jaw dropped. “Was that Mean Girls? Are you seriously quoting Mean Girls after I confess my deepest darkest secret to you?”

“Yes?” Kate scrunched her nose before laughing again.

“Oh my God. I can’t believe you.” You laughed in surprised and looked out at the sky again.

“I don’t know why you’re surprised. This is a very in character reaction from me. You should know that since you’re so in love with me and all. It’s not my fault that you’re too gay to function.” Kate shrugged, making you gasp again.

“You’re the worst. You are literally the worst. I can’t believe I like you so much.”

“Well how am I supposed to react?” She whined. “You basically just told me that I’m so incredibly sexy that I turned you gay.”

“That’s not what I said.” You laughed. “I just said I had feelings for you. I don’t even know if I’m gay yet.”

“No, of course. I’m sorry.” She said seriously before letting out another laugh. You playfully rolled your eyes at her and shook your head.

“Do you think you’re gay?” She asked after a minute in a more serious tone.

“I don’t know. All I know is….” You trailed off and looked up at the night sky.

“All I know is that you’re beautiful. I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world. I think I get this feeling in my chest when you’re close to me or touch me. I think your smile is the greatest thing I have ever seen. And I think about you. All the damn time.” You told her. Kate’s jaw dropped a little before her lips came together in a smile.

“That’s kinda gay.” Kate said, earning a shocked look from you.

“Kate.” You groaned and she started to laugh again.

“I’m sorry! I just literally have no idea how to react to this information.”

“No, you’re right. It’s okay. You can react however you need to. It’s a lot of information, I get that. I just hope we can forget I ever said anything and go back to being friends.”

“I don’t want to go back to being friends.” Kate said as her eyebrows knit together. Your stomach dropped and you felt like your world was ending.

“Oh.” You said quietly. “Oh, okay. I get it. I’m sorry. Of course you don’t. It’s too weird now. I made it weird. I get it.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Kate said as she put her hand on top of yours. “I meant that if you’re up for it, I want to give us a try.”

“You do?”

“I do. Because I think you’re beautiful too. And during our kiss, as brief as it was, I felt fireworks. Honestly, I felt the whole damn forth of July.”

“Really?” You smiled hopefully.

“Yeah. Really.” She told you. “So let’s do this. Lets make it weird. Let’s ruin the friendship.”

“But you don’t even know if you like girls.”

“Well I only kissed one for the first time a couple minutes ago. And I was pretty into it then. I have a feeling I’ll be into it next time too.” Kate shrugged, making your smile grow.

“Are you willing to put that feeling to the test?“ You asked as your eyes dropped down to her lips. Kate smiled at you before leaning in to kiss you again. This one was just as magical as the last one, of not more so. She put her hand on your cheek to keep you in place as she kissed you back. When you pulled away, she made a face as if she was making a decision before nodding.

“Yeah. I’m into it.”

“It’s grool?” You asked hopefully.

“Yeah.” She smiled. “It’s grool.”