#akai-echo

 Fifteen minutes later, she’s headed back to herseat, ignoring the growl in her stomach because the line to the snack bar istwice as long as the line she’d just waited in.

Katniss hugs herself for warmth until she canget back under Peeta’s wing, but stops short when she sees her seat is occupiedby a dark haired cheerleader. The same cheerleader that’s been flirting withPeeta their entire senior year at State. Even from behind, Katniss can see thegirl’s skirt is scandalously short, and with her legs crossed she’s baring evenmore flesh for Peeta’s eyes. He doesn’t look, though. Keeps his eyes firmlyfixed on the girl’s face. Good boy.

She watches them together. Peeta’s relaxedsmile, and the way he leans back just a touch, a sign that he’s being politeand engaging, but not flirty. Bristel throws her head back at something funnyhe’s just said, then places her palm on Peeta’s chest. But he gently removesit, all the while giving her the golden-boy grin he doles out to everyone. It’shis signature smile. Friendly, charming, inviting. Stay awhile and have somehot chocolate while we trade stories, it says. Katniss loves that abouthim. He can make anyone at ease and he’s never met a stranger. So differentfrom herself.

The only time she hates it is when it comes togirls like Bristel. She knows Katniss and Peeta are together, yet she insistson chasing after him anyway. The ire boiling inside Katniss is enough to makeher forget winter’s chill, and when Bristel leans in to whisper something toPeeta, she’s had enough.

Katniss marches down the rest of the steps andweaves through the crowded row, stopping only after her knee accidentallynudges Bristel’s thigh as she passes the girl and perches herself in Peeta’slap. She gives him a sweet smile. “Mind sharing? My seat’s taken.” Peeta knowsshe and Bristel don’t get along, and she wishes for once he’d just tell her toback off.

“I never mind sharing with you,” he says, andKatniss knows that’s his own polite way of letting Bristel know he’s taken. Hegives his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek and her irritation evaporates alittle. But Bristel is still there. Katniss gives her a tight-lipped smile,which the cheerleader returns with even less enthusiasm.

“How are you?” Katniss asks in a chipper,two-can-play-this-game tone. Peeta’s arms snake around her waist and he givesher a gentle squeeze, pulling her back into his chest. He knows she’s upset.

“Fine,” Bristel answers, cutting her eyes to theside. Probably to avoid the affection she just witnessed. It makes Katniss wantto twist the blade while it’s stuck inside her rib cage.

“Well, I better get back to the field,” Bristelsays snidely, dismissing their affection as she stands. Katniss stands withher, unable to keep her temper in check any longer, and leans in.

“I know what you’re doing. Stop flirting withPeeta. He’s taken.”

Bristel looks back at her, a bored expression onher commonly pretty face. “He’s not married, Sweetie,” she saysmatter-of-factly. As if it’s any more honorable to flirt with an unmarried manin a committed relationship. A burst of panic thumps Katniss in the chest atthe thought that she has no real claim to Peeta, but she quickly pushes itaway.

“That wouldn’t stop you,” Katniss spitsout. Bristel’s eyes widen, then narrow in contempt, and she stomps away.

Katniss plops down in her seat and stares a holeinto the fifty yard line. She can feel Peeta’s eyes on her, then his arm aroundher. He pulls her into his side and kisses her temple. Normally, that wouldwork to clear a foul mood, but she’s too pissed at Bristel’s insinuation tomelt into his embrace this time.

“She just had some questions about Abernathy’sclass is all. I handled her flirting, and you sent her packing. We make a goodteam.” He smiles a lopsided grin at her and she softens. They do make a goodteam.

“You didn’t get your big pretzel,” Peeta says,changing the subject. She always gets a giant pretzel with a side of meltednacho cheese at halftime. And now that he’s reminded her she’s missing out onit, her mood tanks again and her stomach growls, though no one can hear it overthe dull roar of the crowd.

“The line was too long,” Katniss huffs, mentallytacking on that it’s a good thing it was. Who knows what Bristel would havetried had she not come back. She glares at Bristel as the cheerleaders take thesidelines for the second half. She shouldn’t be imagining the girl at the topof a pyramid, falling flat on her ass.

“I’ll get it for you,” Peeta offers, getting upfrom his seat, but Katniss tugs him back down.

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll live withoutfood. Stay with me.” She smiles at him, but she knows it doesn’t reach hereyes. They’re heavy with worry. She’s not ready for him to go yet. Even for tenminutes.

Peeta’s arms come around her and his lips placesa warm kiss to her lips and looks her in they eye. “Whatever my girl wants, mygirl gets.” Then he winks and walks off to the concession stand.

Katniss watches him go. Notices the way hisjeans mold snugly to his perfect bubble of an ass. How the thick hoodie he’swearing stretches taut across his shoulders. On anyone else it would hangloose. His short, golden curls are a beacon of light even in the dreariness ofthe day, and she has the urge to follow it.

She reaches him just as he joins the end of theshortened line, and he startles when she tugs on his elbow, his beautiful blueeyes wide as she pulls him in the direction of the ‘nook’, a semi-known, tightspace carved out under the stadium that used to be a storage area.

“Katniss, what-” He stops talking, well aware ofwhat she’s thinking when she ducks into the dark hole. She backs him into acorner, out of the way of the opening in case someone should walk by, andcrushes his mouth with hers. He opens for her immediately, as eager for her asshe is for him. To prove to him, and to herself, she’s the only one he needs,because she damn sure knows he’s all she wants.

“She’s right, you know,” he says, the wordsbreaking through fevered kisses before Katniss stops it altogether.

“Bristel?” she rasps. Her hands are splayedagainst his chest for balance, and she wills them to burn away any memory he’dhave of the hand that was there ten minutes ago.

“We’re not married.” His quick reply settleslike a weight on her chest, and even though her mouth is open, there is no aircoming in or going out of it. She starts to back away, disbelieving what she’sjust heard, But Peeta grabs for her, emphatic as he shakes his head. “Not like that, Katniss.”

“What else could that mean?” She can hear thepanic in her own voice, and Peeta does too because he hugs her tight to hischest. With her cheek smashed against him, Katniss can feel the race of hisheart through her entire body.

“It means you’re the only one for me,” his voicecracks and Katniss looks up at him, confused. He blinks, and her eyes are drawnto his unfairly long lashes as she wonders for the hundredth time how theydon’t tangle with the subtle movement. “It means I don’t want her words to betrue.”

She wants to ask what he means again, for him tospell it out in more detail. But all she can do is stare at him because, withthe intense way he’s looking at her, there’s really no way she can twist thatto mean anything other than forever.

“I have known you were the one for me sincefreshman year, and when Bristel said that today, it hit me. Not that I haven’tthought about it before, I have. Plenty. But, when she said it, I realized Iwanted her to be wrong, you know? I want us to be… everything.”

The panicked feeling of not having a real claimto Peeta tugs at her again, and she knows exactly what he’s talking about. Sheagrees wholeheartedly with him and nods, hesitantly at first.

“You do know?” Peeta asks, catching themovement. She nods bigger this time, still too shocked to do anything but stareat him. She may have known it since their freshman year as well, but none ofthat matters. All that matters is here and now, and the smile that takes overhis entire face. Katniss swears she has never seen anything so perfect. Hiswarm hands find her cold cheeks, and he rests his forehead against hers. Softpuffs of breath fan across her skin, sending a delightful shiver through her,and she clutches the thick fabric under her palms. He’s so close she can feelthe ear-splitting grin still plastered to his face, and she loves being the oneresponsible for it.

“Shit, this isn’t how I ever envisioned doingthis, but I just- I can’t wait.” He laughs nervously, stroking her skin withhis thumbs. She can feel the dampness of his palms on her face. “Katniss Everdeen, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife,and chasing away all the Bristels in the world?”

She laughs at the way he uses her jealousy toinfluence her decision, as if she would say no after all, but it’s perfect. Andthere’s only one answer she has to give him. “Always.”