imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

e i g h t y - o n e

I wake to the feeling of Peeta re-sliding his arm around me. I guess it had come off somewhere in the middle of the night.

Without a word, he kisses my hair and goes to hold me closer. I can't believe this is happening. I'm here with Peeta, together, waking up in my bed. This morning he will give me a ring . . .

"We could wake up like this every day," he mumbles.

I smile. "You're reading my mind."

He sighs contentedly. "How are you feeling, my dear?"

"I feel like punching you for calling me 'my dear' mostly." I poke his bare stomach.

Smiling, he crawls to sit over me. "Fine then. My daring? My love?"

"Any of those would work, as long as you've reserved them solely for me," I say, my hands mindlessly wandering his chest, his arms. "What am I supposed to call you?"

"Your Royal Husbandness. It's required by law, I'm afraid." His own hands glide over my skin, finding a delicate spot on my neck.

"Don't!" I say, shying away.

His smile becomes triumphant. "You're ticklish!"

Despite my protests, he starts running his fingers all over me, making me shriek at the playful touching.

Nearly as quickly as I began squealing, I stop. A guard rushes through the door, gun drawn.

This time I scream, pulling up the sheet to cover myself. I'm so frightened that it takes me a moment to realize that the determined eyes of the guard belong to Gale. I feel as if my face has caught on fire.

Gale looks stricken. He can't put a sentence together as his eyes flash back and forth between Peeta is his underwear and me draped in a sheet to cover mine.

My shock is broken by a laugh.

For as terrified as I am, Peeta is the picture of ease. In fact, he seems pleased at being caught. His voice is a little smug as he speaks. "I assure you, Hawthorne, she's perfectly safe."

Gale clears his throat, unable to look either of us in the eye. "Of course, Your Majesty." He bows and leaves, closing the door behind him.

I fall over, moaning into my pillow. I will never live this down. I should have told Gale how I feel about Peeta on the train when I had the chance.

Peeta comes to hug me. "Don't be so embarrassed. It's not as if we were naked. And it's bound to happen in the future."

"It's so humiliating," I wail.

"To be caught in bed with me?" The pain in his voice is clear. I sit up and face him.

"No! It's not you. It's just, I don't know, this was supposed to be private." I duck my head and play with a piece of the blanket.

Tenderly, Peeta stokes my cheek. "I'm sorry." I look up at him, his voice too sincere to ignore. "I know it's going to be hard for you, but people will always be looking at our lives now. For the first few years, there will probably be a lot of interference. All the kings and queens have to have kids . . ." He trails off and looks at the blanket.

"Hey," I say, cupping his cheek. "I'm from Twelve, remember? I have really good genes in that department." I never wanted kids, but I understand that it's part of my role here. I had been so worried about raising children in a world where they could starve or freeze to death. But we're going to change that. My children will be raised in a better place.

He gives me a weak smile. "We're duty bound to produce heirs. But also . . . I want everything with you, Katniss. I want the holidays and the birthdays, the busy seasons and the lazy weekends. I want inside jokes and fights and everything. I want a life with you."