Hunger Games 1. Chapter 1

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. I've just received word from the ground crew that they've discovered a problem with our landing gear's hydraulic system, meaning Flight 451 non-stop from Rio to New York City has been postponed until tomorrow. The flight attendants will help you to collect your items from the overhead compartment and deplane in a calm and orderly fashion. The ticket counter in the terminal will have information regarding the rescheduled flight, as well as rebooking options and vouchers for Hotels in the area. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but please know that we take your safety very seriously. In a world of choices, thank you for choosing Capitol Air."

The squeal of the intercom echoed throughout the cabin as the Captain's words sunk in. Seconds later the din of aggravated voices could be heard as the passengers grumbled their discontent at having their plans changed at the last minute.

"Hoo boy, Cupcake, you're in for a real treat now!" Johanna whispered to Katniss with glee as they unbuckled themselves from their seats in the galley and made their way toward the passenger cabins. "Nothing is more fun than trying to de-plane a bunch of irritated passengers, especially when they've been sitting on the tarmac for over two hours already."

"Great." Katniss deadpanned, as she made her way down the aisle and began helping people retrieve their belongings from the overhead compartments.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Katniss shivered as the husky timbre of a man's voice poured over her shoulder.

She turned and was met by a pair stunning blue eyes framed by the longest eyelashes she'd ever seen in her life. They shined like flakes of gold, shades lighter than the honey colored waves atop his head, and looked likely to tangle if he blinked too rapidly. She was so caught up in the spider's web of his lashes that she didn't realize he'd been speaking to her.

"I'm sorry?" She asked, shaking her head to clear out further thoughts about his lashes.

His answering smile lit up the dim cabin like the sun after a storm, and she felt her heart speed up slightly in response. "I asked if you wouldn't mind helping me get my bag down."

His voice resonated in her brain, inexplicably making her think of bees buzzing around clover in the meadow back home. His radiant smile held her in its hypnotic embrace until Johanna nudged her side and whispered, "Shit, Brainless! At least help the guy before you mentally join the mile-high club with him."

Katniss' resulting blush was matched by one from the handsome stranger, who had clearly heard every word Johanna said.

"Right. Sorry about that." She shook off her embarrassment and opened the overhead compartment to pull out the man's blue messenger bag. She held it out to him and felt tiny pricks of electricity from where his fingers brushed hers as he took the strap from her waiting hand.

"Thank you." Up close, she could see his eyes were actually a mix of several shades of blue that were constantly in flux. Katniss couldn't imagine a more fascinating activity than staring into his eyes and watching the colors meld, creating something unique, just like the man himself.

"That's a lovely pin you're wearing. I've never seen anything quite like it before." He nodded toward the gold mockingjay pin that Katniss had attached to the knot in her regulation red and white striped scarf.

"Um…thanks. It was my sister's, and I keep it with me, sort of like a good luck charm. Mockingjays are kind of a thing for my family." Katniss bit her tongue to stem the flow of her word vomit. Something about this golden man with chameleon eyes made her want to keep talking until she told him all of her secrets and fears. It was unnerving, really.

"Well, it's beautiful and it suits you perfectly." He smiled again and crooked his head to the side. "I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then?"

Katniss gawked at him in confusion before comprehension set in. "Oh right, the return flight. Yes, I'll be here."

"Until we meet again." He replied then ducked out of the door and onto the gangway back to the terminal, leaving a bewildered and strangely dissatisfied Katniss staring after him.

"NO." Katniss exclaimed in frustration for what felt like the thousandth time. "This has been the longest first day of work in my life. Between the airsick passengers, screaming children and wind shears that rivaled the tornado from The Wizard of Oz, I am exhausted. I just want to curl up in this bed with a bag of chips and watch John Hughes movies poorly dubbed into Portuguese until I pass out."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Johanna replied indignantly as she ripped the bag of chips from Katniss' greasy hands. "We're in Rio, during Carnivale, with nowhere to be until noon tomorrow, and you want to sleep? This is a joke, right?"

"Have you lost your damn mind, Jo?" Katniss rebutted as she grabbed the bag back from Johanna. "You want to go out into that mob of the frenzied and unwashed for what? So you can get felt up by a stranger? Listen, if you're that hard up for action, _I'll _give you a courtesy squeeze."

Gale snorted from the corner where he'd been sitting and watching the women argue. "Now _that_ I'd like to see."

"No one asked you, perv." Katniss said as she threw a pillow, hitting him square in the chest.

"She's _your _friend. Can you please talk some sense into her? Please?" Johanna appealed to Gale.

Gale crossed to the bed and snagged a handful of chips, stuffing them in his mouth to buy time before answering. "Listen Catnip, she has a point. This is your first flight, your first time outside of Panem, why not have a little fun? We'll stick together, so what's the harm?"

Katniss leveled them both with an incredulous look and they fought back with a matching pair of puppy-dog eyes. In the end though, Katniss was defeated by Gale piercing her Achilles' heel – "Catnip, Prim would want you to have fun."

Two hours, a trip to Samba Sae's for costumes and a pitcher of Caipirinha's later, Katniss found herself standing on the sidewalk of a crowded square wearing little more than a bikini covered in red, gold and orange beads, with a matching fringed choker and a feathered mask that hid the top half of her face. Her long raven hair had been freed from its customary braid to flow in soft waves down her back. She'd attached her mockingjay pin to the choker, figuring it couldn't hurt to have a little luck on her side.

"Fuck yeah! Now this is what I'm talking about." Johanna exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air and shook her hips to make the silver beads on her own outfit dance in the growing twilight. "Come on tall, dark and broody; dance with me!" She pulled Gale into the growing throng, not realizing Katniss no longer behind them. The heel of one of the ridiculous feathered stilettos Johanna had insisted upon buying for her had gotten stuck in a crack in the pavement.

"Wait up guys!" She called out as they snaked their way into the mass of frenzied bodies. The music blasting from every window drowned out her cries and before she could free the offending shoe they were gone, swallowed up by a rainbow of sequins, feathers and flesh.

"Well, shit." Katniss stood on the sidewalk, stranded on the streets of Rio. She considered just finding a way back to the hotel and resuming her original plan of TV and carbs when a man suddenly appeared next to her.

"Dance with me?" He whispered in her ear as he leaned close enough for Katniss to feel his warm breath on her cheek.

Katniss' panicked eyes raked over the man's warrior costume. His broad chest was bare save for a sprinkling of fine golden hair that matched the trail that began just below his navel and disappeared into the feathered belt that hung low on his narrow hips. He wore a matching feathered headdress that completely covered his hair, and his blue-eyes gazed languidly at her from the behind a plain black mask. There was something familiar about his eyes, but at the moment Katniss couldn't put a finger on why, and she didn't care enough to give it much thought.

He smelled of cinnamon, and some other exotic spice that she couldn't name, and the overall effect was intoxicating. She felt something stir deep inside and felt goose bumps break out over her body as the first fleeting waves of attraction washed over her.

Maybe it was the rum flowing through her veins, or maybe it was the seductive lure of the booming samba music, but Katniss felt drawn to this man on a primal level. She wanted, no _needed_, to be with him tonight.

She summoned every bit of nerve and bravado she could muster and turned to face him. "I'd love to."

His resulting smile made her stomach flip, and she felt another surge of lust tingle through her body. The man took her hand in his, and she felt a shiver run down her spine despite the humidity pressing down upon them.

Together they stepped off the curb into the writhing mass of dancers and he pulled her close, holding one of her hands tightly while the other wrapped around her waist to pull her hips flush with his. Katniss had no choice but to rest her other hand across his broad shoulders as they began the basic steps of the samba.

Soon their hips aligned and they found the perfect rhythm, allowing them to move as one. His azure eyes pierced her silver ones with an intensity that should have been frightening, but instead served to make Katniss feel coveted, desired, wanted. It had a heady effect on Katniss, more so than the rum she'd had earlier, making her feel weightless, as if she were floating through the night sky, only tethered to the Earth by the golden man's hands.

With boldness she didn't realize she possessed, Katniss licked her lips, letting her pink tongue drag across the rosy flesh as he watched, mesmerized, and was rewarded with a low growl deep in his throat. Suddenly the air around them shifted; the noise from the other revelers faded to the background until just the two of them remained. He let go of her hand and carded his fingers through her dark waves to cradle the back of her head as his other hand splayed across her lower back so that the tips of his fingers brushed the swell of her ass.

Katniss cupped his jaw with her free hand and brought her lips to his, taking control if only for the moment. The kiss starts softly, just a whisper of skin against skin, but with the tilt of his head and the flick of a tongue it exploded into an inferno of desire. Their passions flared with each moan and sigh as hands explored the varied contours of their bodies and their tongues wrestled for dominance in a dance as old as time, leaving them both breathless and dazed.

Tendrils of desire flowed through Katniss' heated blood to pool deep in her belly. She pressed her torso more firmly against his in an attempt to keep her heart from beating clear out of her chest. In some deep recess of her mind she knew this was wrong, that she was playing with fire with this handsome stranger, but once his hand squeezed her ass as he thrust his hardened bulge into her stomach she found she didn't care. All that mattered were the feelings his talented hands could elicit from her body, leaving her aching and wanting for more.

Katniss opened her eyes to survey the area, desperate to find someplace more secluded than the middle of a sweaty, gyrating throng. She gave an excited yelp as she spied an abandoned float resting in the corner of the square where two buildings met. Behind the float was an alcove, the perfect place for them to continue their dance in private.

She pulled away from her mystery man, and fixed him with a sultry look. "Come with me." She took his hand and led him away from the crowd towards the haven she'd spotted on the other side of the float. His inquisitive eyes followed hers and she was rewarded with another brilliant smile as he realized their destination. Again she had that niggling feeling of déjà vu, that she knew him somehow but quickly dismissed the idea as being impossible.

Hand in hand they walked around the float as surreptitiously as possible. As Katniss had hoped, the area behind the float was empty. It was bigger on this side with a large overhang that brushed the wall of the building, giving the sense of being in a cave, as if they were the only two people in the world.

The moment they were hidden by the float, he pulled Katniss' body flush with his and resumed his plunder of her mouth, moaning as his fingertips trailed along her waist before spreading upward to brush the underside of her breasts. She whimpered softly at the contact, spurring him to slip under her bikini top to palm the supple mounds with his hands.

Katniss gave herself over completely to the pleasure coursing her body as his calloused fingers ran maddeningly slow circles around her straining nipples before twisting them sharply. She arched her back in answer as a bolt of white hot lust shot directly to her core, stoking the already raging fire coursing through her veins. She felt the wetness of her arousal seeping into her bikini bottom; her throbbing clit begging for attention as he slowly rolled his hips into hers.

Her hands found purchase at the back of his head, tugging gently on the whisper soft waves she found there. He moaned deeply as his lips attached themselves to her neck, blazing a trail of open mouthed kisses to her collarbone. All conscious thought was forgotten as his deft fingers unsnapped her top, freeing her pert breasts for his hot mouth to taste and savor.

Katniss cried out as his full lips latched onto her hardened nipple and sucked it firmly into his mouth. He lightly scraped the turgid peak with his teeth before soothing it with his tongue, and it wasn't long before Katniss was reduced to a writhing mass soaked through with her own arousal.

"Please," she begged shamelessly as she tried in vain to rub against his thigh. "I need more; I need _YOU_."

He stopped his exquisite torture and looked at her with a silent question in his darkening eyes. Not trusting her voice, Katniss decided actions spoke louder than words to show what she wanted. She slipped the straps of her top off her arms, letting it drop to the ground then shimmied out of her bottoms. The mask, however, remained firmly in place.

His eyes widened as they raked over her nude form, taking in every tiny detail. "You are perfect," he whispered hoarsely, "Are you sure?"

Katniss hesitated before answering. One night stands weren't her thing, that was more Johanna's speed, but something about this man and this moment felt right. She knew that one way or another they would have found each other, that this was destined to happen.

In response to his question, Katniss laid down on the flat surface of the float and let her legs drop open, baring herself to him fully.

His answering groan of approval and the look of pure desire in his sapphire eyes quelled any lingering doubts from her mind. She knew this was meant to be the moment he stepped between her legs and bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips as his talented fingers began an exploration of her most intimate area.

"God, you are so wet," he murmured into her ear as he worked the needy bundle of nerves that had been begging for his touch.

Katniss responded in kind by stroking his cock through the tight boxer briefs he wore under his feathered belt, causing him to moan his approval. She could feel the damp spot near the waist where the pre-cum had leaked from his weeping slit.

"So big," she sighed as she tried to wrap her fingers around his shaft. Her voice caught in her throat as he thrust one, then two fingers into her waiting warmth. "Please, I need you now!"

He stood and withdrew a foil packet from his waistband, tearing it open with is teeth as Katniss pulled off his belt and briefs. He stood before her, his glorious nude body on full display as he rolled the thin latex over his long, thick cock before kneeling between her legs to rub the head between her swollen folds.

Katniss whimpered and brought her legs up around his waist to urge him closer. Taking the hint, he shifted his stance, allowing the tip of his cock to graze against her once before he entered her in one swift thrust. She cried out at the sensation of being filled with him; not from pain but from finally feeling complete.

"Fuck, you're so tight." He breathed as he hovered above her. His muscles trembled with exertion as he tried to keep from thrusting into her with abandon.

Katniss reached up and stroked the skin of his cheek where it wasn't covered by the golden mask. She used the leverage of her ankles against his back to begin moving herself. "Go ahead. Make me yours."

He groaned at the feel of her velvet walls sliding along his cock and turned his head to kiss her palm.

"Only if you'll come with me," he replied as he leaned forward to snake his arms around her back. He lifted her and spun around to sit on the float, keeping his cock buried deep inside her warm wet walls as she straddled his lap.

This new angle allowed the head of his cock to brush the spongy mass of nerves deep inside her womb. She held onto his shoulders, using her thigh muscles to control how fast she rode his pulsing cock. He held her close with one hand planted firmly on her hip. His other hand roamed her body, from the pliant skin of her breasts to the firm roundness of her backside.

His other hand joined in, massaging her ass as she rode steadily toward her completion. She felt his fingers slowly explore the soft flesh between her cheeks. She wasn't sure what to expect when his thick middle finger found its way to her puckered hole and swirled around, questioning. But once he pressed on the opening, slipping just the tip of his finger inside and wiggling slightly, she began to make sounds that barely registered as human. The unbelievably pleasurable sensation of his finger in her tightest opening combined with his deep thrusts to push her closer and closer to the edge of sanity. Before she even realized it, her orgasm ripped through her with an intensity that made her scream. "Yes! Oh God, yes!"

The fluttering of her walls spurred him on to his own climax, which tore through him as he came with a roar. _"Fuck!"_

They sat there, recovering as the sounds of the world began to seep into their idyllic paradise. As she sat there, trying to recover from the most incredible orgasm of her life, Katniss began to feel awkward and embarrassed. Here she was, naked in public, having just had frantic sex with a man whose face she hasn't seen and whose name she doesn't know. Suddenly her flight instinct kicks in and she slides off of his lap, feeling his softening cock slip out with a _'pop'. _

She quickly redressed without looking at him, and not knowing what else to do said, "Thanks."

"Thanks?" He questioned, sounding heartbroken.

"Yeah, you know…for the sex." Katniss could feel a blush creep up her body to her face. She needed to get out of there before she did something stupid like begged him to take her again. When he didn't say anything further, she turned and began to walk out of their hidey-hole.

"Wait!" He cried as he crossed to her, "I don't even know your name."

Katniss wasn't sure how to answer. She didn't want to give him her real name, but she wasn't good at lying either. Just as she was about to panic, her eyes caught the way the beads on her costume sparkled in the light, light a million tiny flames dancing on her skin. She finally looked at him, slightly surprised to see genuine hurt in his beautiful eyes. "Just call me the Girl on Fire." Then she turned and walked away from the float, and him.

Her brain screamed for her to go back, to rip the mask from his head and find out who he was, but she fought against the urge. Instead she squared her shoulders and pushed through the dancers still milling about and began her journey back to the hotel.

Little did she know, had she turned at that moment, she would have seen a familiar mop of honey waves watching her walk away. As Peeta turned to redress himself, he noticed a small golden object glinting in the light of the square. He picked it up and laughed to himself when he realized what it was and what it meant for him and The Girl on Fire.

"That's the fifth cup you've dropped since take-off. What the hell is going on?" Johanna followed Katniss into the galley, confronting her over the drink cart.

The problem was that she was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She'd been up all night, plagued with feelings of guilt over what she'd done with the man in the square. She was ashamed to admit, even to herself, that most of the guilt was over the fact that she enjoyed it so much. What also burned her ass was that she missed him. Somehow in the small amount of time they were together, he had grown on her and now she wanted to cry because she'd never see him again.

On top of all that, when she got back to the hotel she realized she had managed to lose the mockingjay pin Prim had given her. Katniss was up all night tearing the room apart trying in vain to find the missing token, only giving up when the airport shuttle was ready to leave.

"Nothing, Jo. Just leave it alone." Johanna had spent the night with Gale, so Katniss had been spared the third degree last night, but she knew it was only a matter of time before Johanna demanded to know what happened after they'd been separated.

"Fine. Be a bitch then." Johanna huffed. "Oh, by the way, the guy with the amazing blue-eyes in seat 11J asked for you. He said he had something to give you." She gave Katniss a pointed look that suggested she'd like to give _him _something as well.

"Ok, that's just weird. Maybe I should have Gale come with me in case the guy's some kind of creeper or something." Katniss wondered aloud.

"Please. He looks as harmless as a puppy." Johanna snorted as she finished stowing away the cart.

Katniss left the galley and walked down the aisle to where Peeta sat, waiting nervously. He smiled when he saw her coming and she was hit with déjà vu so strong that she actually stumbled. An image popped into her head of the masked stranger from last night as he gazed at her from behind his golden mask, his eyes filled with passion.

'_It can't be…' _she thought as she neared his seat, _'since when are the odds ever in my favor?'_

"May I help you?" she asked in a voice that belied the nerves steadily building inside of her.

"We weren't properly introduced yesterday. My name is Peeta." He held out his hand for her to shake.

Katniss hesitated for a moment then took his hand. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm, making her gasp at the contact.

He opened his other hand to reveal her gold mockingjay pin resting in his palm. "I believe this belongs to you, Girl on Fire."

"You?" The question left her on a disbelieving breath. He smiled his answer, leaving no doubt in her mind that Peeta was her mystery man from the night before.

Suddenly, the nine hour flight home just became much more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

12

_**A/N: Part One of this story was originally a Freaky Fic Friday drabble on tumblr, and is also part of my Series on AO3 – The night was sultry… Special thanks to Vondervogelweide &amp; Titania522 for pre-reading, and betaing. Your comments and suggestions helped me more than you'll know. I'd also like to give a big thank you hug to Ro Nordmann for creating such a lovely banner. **_

_**Lastly, a gigantic thank you to Streetlightlove1for spear-heading Smut2SaveLives and spreading the word about Hope for Caroline and DIPG, as well as to all the authors, artists, and fans who contributed to this wonderful cause! **_

"Katniss Louise Everdeen Junior, you did WHAT?" Johanna's shrill voice carries out into the passenger cabin, causing the few weary travelers who aren't glued to their various electronic devices to turn their heads and gaze curiously at the two women unloading the drink cart in the small galley kitchen.

"First of all, that is not my name; and secondly, keep your damned voice down! The entire plane does not need to know the sordid details of my life." Katniss hisses as she closes the partition separating them from the cabin with a quick swish of the fabric curtains.

"Just go with it." Johanna pulls Katniss into a bear hug so tight that her spine pops like bubble wrap. "I was convinced you're some goody two-shoes prude sent here to make me crazy, then you go and pop your one-night stand cherry, and in public no less. Shit, I'm so proud I think I may actually cry."

Johanna's crass dismissal of what happened last night with Peeta as just a one-night stand makes Katniss cringe. The truth is that the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced it wasn't just some random hook-up between strangers; it was as if she and Peeta had been destined to meet and have that moment, that the stars had aligned to provide them with the opportunity to find one another outside the confines of the Boeing 767 that had brought them to Rio.

It went against Katniss' very nature to be so fanciful, but from the moment she looked into the swirling blue depths of his eyes when he asked for her help with his bag yesterday she felt a connection that went beyond mere physical attraction. When they met up again in the square and he asked her to dance, any reservations she may have had flew out the window the moment she looked into those beguiling eyes. Of course she didn't realize it was Peeta at the time, but there was that same spark, the tug on her very soul that she'd felt earlier that made her agree to go with him, regardless of the consequences.

As for the sex, Katniss knew she should feel ashamed at how wanton she'd been, and the way she practically begged him once she'd dragged him behind the float, but she just couldn't find it within herself to care. Last night she'd known where their dance was leading, and gave herself up to the inevitable willingly and completely.

She couldn't shake the feeling that the odds were in their favor on this return flight, but she wasn't quite sure how to proceed. Despite the massive size of the aircraft, there weren't many opportunities for privacy, and she wasn't entirely comfortable having a conversation with Peeta within earshot of hundreds of bored travelers. Especially when she's pretty sure she'd like a repeat performance of last night's carnal adventures.

Just the thought brings a flush to Katniss' cheeks as she recalls the way his hands felt against her fevered skin, the sheen of sweat that covered their bodies from the frenzied dancing; and most of all, the way he moved inside of her, how he filled her completely with his long, glorious…

"Hello…McFly." Johanna's snapping fingers pulled Katniss from the sensual daydream like the snap of a rubber band. "Welcome back, brainless. I don't know what you were just thinking about, but judging by the look in your eyes, it's either been years since you've had anything but your fingers between your legs, or Blondie has an elephant's trunk between his."

Katniss' resulting blush answered both questions without her having to say a word.

Johanna lets out a low whistle of approval. "Ho-ly shit. Tell me, Katniss, does he belong in the peen hall of fame? Enquiring minds want to know."

Johanna's particular brand of snark has always rubbed Katniss the wrong way, and her vulgar comments set her already frazzled nerves even more on edge. While Katniss would have preferred NOT sharing the incredibly personal details of last night with anyone, she knew she really had no choice. Johanna had seen Peeta give Katniss the mockingjay pin, and once Johanna's interest was piqued Katniss knew that the brazen older woman would torment her relentlessly until every tawdry moment had been disseminated in vivid detail.

"Johanna," Katniss pleads as she wipes perspiration from her brow, a byproduct of her short-lived daydream, "please don't say anything. It's awkward enough already, and I don't need you making the next eight and a half hours until we land any harder than they have to be."

"Yeah, it's hard alright," Johanna snorts at her double entendre, "Blondie in 11J hasn't taken his baby blues off you since Captain Boggs turned off the fasten seatbelt sign. Hell, he's even ignoring that bleached blonde slore in the window seat and I've lost track of how many times she's rubbed her ginormous fake tits against his arm trying to get his attention."

An uncomfortable pang of jealousy slithers down Katniss' spine at the mention of the woman sitting next to Peeta. She'd seen the lady in question board the plane and had internally scoffed at her ridiculous tube top and micro-mini skirt, as well as the way she tottered down the aisle in her stiletto heels. Knowing that Peeta would be exposed to all of that for the remainder of the flight made Katniss' blood boil in her veins. Visions of pushing the bleached blonde out of the emergency exit, preferably somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, paraded through Katniss' mind, each more violent than the next.

"Speak of the devil!" Johanna drawls at the 'ding' of an alert as their switchboard lights up, "11J's help button just went off. You'd better go rescue him before Chesty La Rue latches on for good."

Katniss levels Johanna with her most potent flinty scowl, earning a loud snort in response as she leaves the relative safe-haven of the galley to make her way through the mine-field that is the passenger cabin.

As she traverses the aisles, narrowly avoiding being kicked by a preschooler showing her displeasure at being stuck in a flying metal tube for the foreseeable future, memories from the night before sneak into Katniss' mind, unspooling like a highlight reel. She sees them dancing the samba, their bodies perfectly aligned, as if they were separate halves that were finally whole once more. Peeta holding her so close that it was impossible to tell where her skin ended and his began.

A vision of Peeta lying beneath her, his crystalline eyes gazing at her in adoration as she rides him to completion swims briefly before her eyes until the scene dissolves into some sort of nightmare version of events. Now Katniss is a bystander, watching the slutty blonde woman writhe on top of Peeta, their bodies a jumble of sweaty limbs as their hands clutch frantically at whatever body part is available. The intensity of the image jolts through Katniss, causing her to stumble and grab the back of a seat to keep her balance, her blood pounding in her ears at the awful images playing out behind her eyes.

'_Fuck it, Johanna can go see what he wants.' _Katniss decides as she regains her footing, and turns, ready to run the gauntlet again to retreat to the anonymity of the galley where her irrational jealousy can fester in peace.

"Katniss?" The husky timbre of his voice momentarily quiets the raging green monster inside of Katniss, sending a delicious shiver down her spine that spreads throughout her lower extremities.

A sense of dread washes over Katniss as she takes a deep breath, and shakes her shoulders in an effort to compose herself into some semblance of professionalism. She makes sure to plaster on a smile that she's sure more closely resembles a grimace before turning to face Peeta.

His warm smile takes her breath away, and what feels like a hummingbird takes residence in her chest, an answering smile twitching at the corner of her lips. Movement in her peripheral vision pulls Katniss' eyes from Peeta's handsome face to the woman next to him who is trying her best to make him cop a feel against his will. She's pressed so close to his side that she's practically in his lap, and her short skirt has ridden up to the point where Katniss can almost see the color of her thong. The striped tube top has migrated so far south that a nip slip seems imminent, to the delight of two teenage boys sitting a row ahead with their cell phones at the ready to catch every salacious moment.

What drives Katniss into a white hot rage, and finally unsticks her feet from the floor, is when the woman hands move to explore Peeta. One clutches his thigh, dangerously close to the bulge Katniss recalls quite fondly, while the other rests on his shoulder where her red-tipped talons toy with his honey-blond curls.

Peeta glances at the obviously intoxicated woman, and tries his best to fend off her advances without making a scene. His panicked gaze flies to Katniss, wordlessly begging her to come save him from the clutches of this slut-zilla. Anger, deep and hot, rolls through Katniss, filling her with a desire to do grievous bodily harm to the skank, starting with pulling her ratty blonde hair out by the roots.

Katniss takes several steps closer to Peeta's seat, her hands fisted at her sides to keep from lunging at the infuriating woman beside him, her body trembling with the intensity of her rage.

The oblivious woman continues her assault on Peeta, who is trying to extricate himself from the increasingly uncomfortable situation without causing more of a scene. Tension weighs the air like moisture before a storm, ready to snap at the slightest provocation.

The entire cabin holds its collective breath, waiting for the inevitable confrontation, when Katniss surprises everyone, including herself, by not flying off the handle and punching the woman in her redesigned nose.

Instead, after a brief moment of inspiration, she smiles at him, a real, genuine smile that lights up her entire face, before schooling her features into a mask of contriteness.

"Mr. Mellark, I am afraid there's been a mistake. A review of the passenger manifest shows that you were shown to the wrong seat. Please allow me to help you collect your things and you can follow me to your correct seating assignment. I am very sorry for the confusion." His puzzled look quickly changes to one of understanding, with not a little bit of relief.

"Oh…well, that's ok." He unbuckles his seat belt, and turns to the woman next to him. "It's been…nice meeting you, Cashmere. Enjoy the rest of your flight."

"Screw her, handsome, stay with me and I'll make this a flight to remember," Cashmere purrs as Peeta stands, the sudden movement causing her to flop over into his now empty seat. The click of multiple cameras pervades the air as her tube top makes good on its promise, displaying her naked breasts for a split second before Katniss, in a sudden burst of conscience, grabs a blanket from a nearby seat to provide cover for Cashmere to pull her top back into place. The embarrassed blonde mumbles a quick thanks to Katniss before turning her attention elsewhere, effectively dismissing them both.

Peeta watches in amusement as Katniss then extracts his messenger bag, which happens to be the exact color of his eyes, from the overhead compartment. They don't speak as she leads him through the other passenger cabins, but neither of them miss the curious look from Johanna as they pass her in the First Class cabin. Her raised eyebrows clearly say there will be a discussion about this interesting turn of events sooner, rather than later.

Katniss waits for Peeta to join her in a small hallway between the First Class cabin and the cockpit before closing the curtained partition, effectively sealing them off from the rest of the airplane.

She takes a deep, steadying breath and turns to face Peeta, finding him standing close enough that she can count the freckles that march across the bridge of his nose. Her eyes immediately drop to his full, sensual lips as a swarm of butterflies erupt in her belly and take flight throughout her limbs, making her toes tingle and her fingers itch to grab ahold of his shirt, push him up against the nearest hard surface and have her wicked way with his hard body.

"So, now that we're alone, what are you going to do with me?" Peeta's whispered words wash over her rapidly warming skin, causing her pulse to skip several beats and leaving her light headed.

She's saved from answering by a four note tone that plays over the intercom which breaks the heated spell and causes both of them to release a shuddering breath mixed with want and regret at having been interrupted.

"I have to go," she tells Peeta once her tongue remembers how to move. "It's time to serve drinks and snacks and stuff…" she trails off as Peeta's fingers dance along her arm, sending tendrils of heat radiating to the very tips of her being.

"Where should I go?"

In answer Katniss reaches behind him and finds the non-descript latch hidden in the seam of the wall. Silently it slides open to reveal a plush private cabin. Inside there is a lone seat that reclines almost completely flat, and looks like it could accommodate two if needed, as well as a small television built into the wall, and a docking station for various electronics. Two small windows let in the morning sunlight, accentuated by the soft glow of rope lights along the ceiling.

"This is the private compartment of Coriolanus Snow, President of the airline. He uses it when he travels so he can avoid the 'unwashed masses'. His words, not mine." She explains to Peeta. "Obviously he's not using it now, so…"

"It's fine," he cuts her off as the same four note tone plays once again. "You'd better go."

"Yeah, I guess," she hesitates a moment, "I'll be back in a while with some snacks and whatnot."

"That would be nice." Peeta's warm smile melts any resistance in her heart, and she finds herself eagerly returning his smile.

"Ok, I'll see you then." She keeps smiling at Peeta as she walks backward and parts the curtain. She finally turns back around when she steps into the First Class cabin then makes her way to the galley and the inevitable interrogation from Johanna.

"Ok Everdeen, spill it." Katniss sighs as Johanna corners her in the galley where she was prepping the carts for the next meal service. She'd felt Johanna's intense gaze on her as she served drinks to the passengers and knew it was only a matter of time before she'd have to explain her actions.

"Spill what, Jo? The drinks have all been served." As diversion tactics go it was feeble at best, but Katniss really didn't feel like dealing with an inquisition from Johanna right now.

Johanna levels Katniss with a sardonic glare, complete with a perfectly arched manicured brow. "Bitch please. You just put your hook-up from last night in Snow's private compartment; his _soundproof_ private compartment, I might add, so don't even try. There's only one reason for him to be in there, and it's not for the view."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Katniss rebuts, "The person next to him was harassing him so I moved him to the only open seat left on the plane. It's what we're trained to do."

"Yeah, and a strong desire to get handsy with Blondie had nothing to do with your decision." Johanna throws her arm around Katniss' shoulders, pulling her close. "Listen, I totally get it. Gale and I have used Snow's compartment on several occasions to go down under…and I don't mean to Australia."

"Oh for the love of God, Johanna!" Katniss covers her ears in a desperate attempt to block out Johanna's unwanted revelation. "I think I just threw up a little in my mouth."

"Don't knock it till you try it, sister," Johanna tells her with a wink. "All I'm saying is that if you want some quality time with blue-eyes, I totally get it. No judgment here. Hell, I'll even cover for you so you can take as long as you want. Just don't skimp on the details later, ok?"

Katniss rolls her eyes at Johanna, "Like I have a choice, right?"

"See? Now you understand!" The friends share a laugh before returning to their task at hand.

A short time later, Katniss carries a tray of food and a bottle of water through the First Class cabin, trying desperately to calm her galloping nerves. With every step closer to where Peeta waits she feels her courage wane, leaving behind a wealth of insecurities, not to mention a heaping helping of anxiety.

Maybe the feelings she had last night really were just a byproduct of the rum from the insane amount of Caipirinha's she'd had mixed with the heady rhythm of the samba, and not some form of kismet driving her and Peeta together. And earlier, when she showed Peeta to the private compartment, she could have misread his appreciation for saving him from Cashmere as genuine interest, not a desire to know her better. Or maybe he was just hoping she'd give it up to him again.

Thoughts like these plagued Katniss throughout the meal service, and those, along with self-doubt had her second-guessing her decision right up until the moment she opened the door to the private compartment.

Peeta had reclined the seat, and was stretched out with his legs crossed at the ankles. His laptop was resting on his thighs, and his arms crossed behind his head, acting like a pillow. He was wearing over the ear headphones like DJ's used back in the day, and judging from the copious amounts of silver duct tape and globs of solder, not to mention the yellow foam peeking out from the cracks in the black vinyl, it was obvious they weren't just 'old school' they were _from_ the old school.

Katniss indulges herself by watching Peeta, taking advantage of him being unaware of her presence thanks to the headphones. She can't help but laugh at the animated way in which he follows along with the action and dialogue. The movement of her shoulders shaking as she laughs after one particularly silly face catches Peeta's attention and his smile widens at her expression of mirth.

"Ah, Moneypenny! Come to finish me off, sweetheart? Or at least bring me a vodka martini, shaken not stirred." His attempt at a British accent, complete with a rakish wink, making her snort again.

Peeta closes his laptop, and sets it aside, making room for her to sit. Any lingering reservations are pushed firmly to the back of her brain as she slides the door closed behind her, effectively sealing them off from the rest of the plane.

"So, James Bond?" She hands him the tray and water, then sits where his feet were just resting.

A flush blooms across Peeta's skin, and he nervously rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "Yeah. My dad was a huge Bond fan, and we used to watch them together all the time. I guess I've inherited his appreciation for the series. I know it's kind of silly…."

The mention of Peeta's father stirs something in Katniss' chest as she recalls memories of her own father, who was ripped from her life when she had barely turned eleven. A hot ball of emotion forms in her chest, just as it always does when she thinks about the man who taught her so much and who she still misses so badly, even after all these years.

"No, it's not silly at all." Her wobbly voice cracks as she pushes past the grapefruit that has lodged itself in her throat, but she still manages a weak smile for Peeta.

"Moonraker was his favorite," Peeta explains, indicating the closed laptop with a nod of his head. "It has everything - Roger Moore at his finest; Holly Goodhead, the second greatest Bond-girl name behind Pussy Galore; an awesome hulking bad guy named Jaws; and a spectacular fight sequence on the cable car leading up Sugarloaf Mountain."

A pained look distorts his usually sunny features as Peeta takes a deep breath. "In fact he's the reason I came to Rio. My father…he, ah…he died two years ago from a massive heart attack."

The emotions, still raw even after all this time, cut deeply into Katniss and she can't help but empathize, knowing all too well how the pain never really leaves you completely; rather it settles into a dull ache that surrounds your heart, sometimes squeezing until you feel like you can't breathe, other times filling you with an acute sense of loss that you can never shake.

Katniss' hand gently strokes Peeta's back, a comforting move that nonetheless sparks a fissure of desire; especially when his strong arms wrap around her lithe frame, holding her close as she murmurs soothing nonsense into his ears.

All too soon he pulls away, surreptitiously swiping at his eyes. "My brothers and I divided his ashes between us, and I knew exactly what to do with mine. His birthday was the other day, so I flew down to Rio, rode the cable car up the mountain, just like James Bond, and scattered his ashes at the top. I swear I heard his voice thanking me as he rode the wind to places he'd only visited in movies."

Now it's Katniss' turn to discreetly wipe away the evidence of how much his words affect her. "That's beautiful, Peeta. Your father sounds like he was a wonderful man."

"Yeah, he was." The atmosphere in the cozy cabin takes on a melancholy feel, each occupant lost in memories of their lost loved ones.

"Wow, talk about a mood-killer. This isn't at all how I wanted to spend time with you." Peeta apologizes as he holds Katniss' hands, his thumbs sweeping along the delicate skin on the back.

His touch rekindles the fire in her belly; brushing away the seriousness of the last few minutes and making her pulse thrum insistently.

"How did you want to spend time with me?" Her words are a whisper, as if anything louder would break the spell that has settled over them.

"Well," he starts as his arms once again wind about her body to pull her close, "I had hoped to get to know you better."

He kisses her neck, just behind her ear and she shivers, a hot rush of lust wending its way down her spine to pool between her legs. The tip of his tongue draws an invisible line to her earlobe, which he pulls into his mouth to nibble with his teeth.

"Is…is that all?" She squeaks, barely able to put together coherent thoughts as his hands busy themselves with undoing her tight braid. Once it's freed from its confines, Peeta cards his fingers through the long, silky tresses, leaving soft waves in his wake.

Cradling her head as his magic fingers massage her scalp, Peeta nuzzles her neck, peppering the slender column with tiny pecks of his lips.

"No, that is most certainly _not _all," he tells her between kisses, "I want to watch you fall apart in my arms without a mask covering your beautiful face, and most of all I want to hear you say my name when I make you come over, and over, and over again."

Peeta's words have an immediate effect on Katniss' libido, sending it into overdrive. Her heart pounds as flames of desire dance across her skin. He's so close that every exhale sends his sweet breath across the now wet skin of her neck and collarbone, resulting in more delicious shivers up and down her spine.

"Please," he pleads softly, so close to her ear that the tiny hairs on her nape stand on end.

A surge of wetness flows from between her thighs, effectively ruining her panties as well as the dark tights she's required to wear under her regulation uniform skirt. All doubts, all hesitation disappears as she breathes in the spicy cinnamon scent of his skin, replaced by desire so strong it overrides every rational thought until she's reduced to a quivering ball of want. Katniss doesn't know how she ever thought the rum could be to blame for her feelings for this man last night when it's obvious their mutual attraction runs deep.

"Yes, Peeta," her voice, heavy with need, sounds foreign to her ears, "Yes."

With a growl that borders on feral Peeta crashes his lips against hers, the need for words disappearing like smoke into the charged air of the compartment. The kiss, at first punishing in its intensity, softens and slows to a caress as they take their time, making up for their rushed kisses from last night.

Before Katniss' brain surrenders completely to the pleasure of Peeta's lips, she makes a mental note to thank Johanna for covering her next shift. _'Far be it from her to impede anyone's entry into the Mile High Club'_ she'd said before practically pushing Katniss out of the galley and towards the front of the plane. Katniss knew she would owe Johanna, and that it would be something excruciating, but she was grateful to her friend nonetheless. There was no way she would be able to leave Peeta any time soon.

He chooses that moment to blaze a trail of warm, wet kisses along her jaw, and tilting her head back to nip at the muscle of her shoulder. Warm tendrils of desire spread throughout her limbs, and the pressure between her legs increases to the point of frenzy.

One of her hands finds purchase in his blonde curls, the short nails scraping against his scalp, eliciting moans of approval from deep in his throat. The other explores the wide expanse of his chest and abdomen, mapping every contour as she slowly walks her fingers down the row of buttons on his shirt, opening them one by one. When she reaches the waist of his pants he leans back and she uses both hands to pull the shirt free, practically tearing off the final button, and spreads the two sides wide open. Her hungry eyes ogle his flesh, so creamy white in comparison to her own olive complexion. She's mesmerized by the dusting of pale blonde hair that marches across his pectoral muscles, and leading steadily down the hard lines of his stomach to disappear beneath his waistband.

Katniss, overwhelmed by a sudden need to see if his skin tastes as good as it looks, pulls the lever on the side, reclining the seat completely. Gravity pulls Peeta backwards and she follows, angling her body across his, and latching her mouth onto the sensitive rise of his collarbone. Their close proximity makes the scent of cinnamon stronger, and it fills Katniss' senses as she traces his clavicle with her tongue, paying particular attention to the dip in his throat below his Adam's apple. By the way his pulse races, not to mention the subtle thrust of his hips Katniss can tell just how much Peeta is enjoying her ministrations.

She's not ashamed to admit that knowing she has this type of power over him intensifies her own lust, every hiss, moan and _'oh fuck'_ spurring her on like nothing else. Slowly she makes her way to his belt, unbuckling it while running her tongue around his navel. The leather slides easily from the loops, and falls to the floor with a thud.

One by one the buttons of his fly pop open accompanied by a sigh from Peeta as the pressure against his straining erection is eased. The front of his dark green boxer briefs has pulled open, revealing the velvety smooth skin of his cock. Katniss gapes at the impressive size of him, in awe that she was able to take all of him inside of her last night.

Her fingers spread the soft fabric further, allowing his erection to spring free before her eyes. Taking him in her hand, she spreads the drop of pre-cum at the tip along his shaft, enjoying the way his hips buck in response. She can feel the strong throb of his pulse quicken as she lowers her mouth and runs her tongue around the head of his cock before engulfing him with her mouth. Slowly she takes him in as far as she can, still working the shaft with her hand. Saliva runs between her fingers, making her movements easier, and Peeta hisses his approval.

Katniss groans in response when he wraps her hair around his hand and firmly tugs on the tresses, sending a jolt of white-hot lust straight to her core. She can feel even more wetness seeping from her folds, and the throbbing nub between her legs is practically screaming for attention, but she doesn't stop pleasuring Peeta with her mouth. Instead she increases her speed, using her other hand to massage his balls through the material of his boxer briefs. Her cheeks hollow out as she creates a vacuum around his cock, and she feels Peeta's hands cradling her head as he thrusts upwards, incoherent sounds falling from his lips.

Her rhythm is constant, but the pressure of her hand increases slightly as she feels him grow impossibly hard. As he nears his climax, his thrusts become erratic, and she can sense he needs just a little more to push him over the edge.

Shifting slightly, Katniss opens her mouth wide, allowing the very tip of him to pass into her throat. She takes him in as deep as she can, and judging by Peeta's strangled cry, the additional pressure is exactly what he needs, as he lets go with Katniss devouring every drop of his release.

"Holy fu…Katniss! Oh my God, oh my God!" His cries fly around the tiny cabin and Katniss sends up a silent thanks for Snow's decision to make the room soundproof.

She continues to suckle his softening cock, lapping up every creamy drop of his release. Peeta's harsh breaths fill the air as he returns to Earth, her name falling like a prayer from his lips.

Satisfied with a job well done, Katniss tucks his cock back into his pants, and stretches out next to him as best as she can in the snug seat.

Peeta wraps his arms around her and kisses her softly. "Thank you, Katniss. That was amazing, just wow…"

She can't fight the smile that appears at his words. Knowing she has this much of an effect on him is heady, to say the least.

Peeta shifts so they're both lying on their sides facing each other, then pulls Katniss close, their foreheads touching, and their lips a hair's breadth apart. His azure eyes capture her silvery ones, and her heart thumps in anticipation.

His deep breath causes his chest to press against her breasts in the most delicious way, making her want to rip her uniform off and let him have his way with her body. Katniss' hand has already begun pulling her shirt from the waistband of her skirt when she's interrupted by a buzz on her hip. With a groan of disappointment, she pulls the offending item from her skirt, glaring at the screen as if she hopes it can transmit her displeasure to the sender.

"Fuck. I have to go, it's the Captain," she tells Peeta, trying to keep the extreme annoyance out of her voice.

"It's ok, Katniss." Peeta captures her lips in a searing kiss before helping her stand and straighten her uniform. "You can come back later, right?"

"Yeah, after the second meal service I'm done for the rest of the flight." She tells him, thrilled that he wants her to return.

Peeta trails his lips from her mouth to her ear, nipping hard on the lobe, causing her to nearly faint at his whispered words, combined with the heat of the promise in his lust-darkened eyes as he tells her: "Keep this in mind until then - next time it's my turn."

XXX

_Part Three coming soon!_


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