The Hunger Games: Continued

Real

Peeta's POV

It takes me a while to process what is happening. She's kissing me. She's kissing me. I hesitate at first, out of shock, out of impact. But I kiss her back, of course I do. I'm consumed with wanting, desire. I never want this moment to end. I feel happy. It's been so long since I've felt happy.

Katniss' POV
The kiss is soft and electric. It's fire and rain. It's young and ancient. I feel alive. I can feel the love travelling from me through to Peeta and from Peeta through to me. He pulls away first, resting his forehead against mine. "I love you more than anything in the world." He whispers. I love you too, I think. But again the words don't come.

****

The sun falls out of the sky, along with an abundance of snowflakes. Peeta and I cuddle in bed, not sleeping just resting. Doctor Aurelius insists that we rest often, even now, months after the war.
"What do you want to do?" Peeta asks.
"We could play real or not real." I suggest. Real or not real, has become less a thing of therapy and more like a game. Peeta relearns things he's unsure of, we also learn new things about each other. Peeta agrees. "I'll go first." He says. "You still have the pearl I gave you in the Quarter Quell. Real or not real?" Good question. I think, maybe he has caught me running it in my palm before.
"Real." I say.
"Why?" He asks.
"Because it reminds me of you. I used to have it with me all the time when I was in thirteen. It's in that drawer." I gesture to the drawer by my bedside table. Peeta considers this for a moment, before accepting my answer.
"Okay your turn." He says. I'm not really sure what to ask. I already know most things about him, I think. Then a question comes to me.
"How many girls have you ever loved?" I ask, and the question immediately sounds stupid. Peeta thinks for a moment.
"Just you. There have been other girls, but never love." He answers.
"How can you tell? How can you tell when it's love and when it's not." I ask.
"Because when you love someone, you'd do anything for them, you'd die for them." He says.
"And you would die for me?" I ask, although I already know the answer.
"Any day. But by the looks of things recently, I'll be sticking around." He suppresses a smile and I mirror him.
"You can ask me." I say.
"Ask you what?" He asks, puzzled.
"How many boys I've ever loved." I say.
"Okay, Katniss how many boys have you ever loved?" He asks, confused, because he thinks he already knows the answer.
"I have loved before." I start. "But I've never been in love. Not until I fell in love with you." I say and the look on Peeta's face is soft and curious.

"You love me real or not real?" He asks.
"Real."

I kiss him and the whole time I'm thinking, I love him. I love him.