[open] we're all just pieces in their games

[stillplaying]

The appearance of the first monster in Itinere should have been expected. She shouldn't have been so surprised when she had been in the forest, tracking down a wild hog, when she saw it. A strange looking muttation unlike any she's ever seen before. Despite its small size, the second the creature noticed her, it charged. The arrow meant for the hog landed in the eye of the monster instead. Her hunt had been forgotten at that point. It had seemed more pertinent to get home to Prim, and to warn Matt, than anything else.

That had been days ago. In the time since, she and Prim have set up refuge in the Houndstooth. It's not an agreement that had come easy to Katniss; trusting others is still hard. But when Itinere had threatened to fall apart, they had been safer in a group. She hasn't forgotten that. Or how people had helped her protect Prim. Keeping her sister alive is her top priority right now. Even hating herself for growing comfortable in Itinere can wait. She let her guard down. That's always a mistake. But she can hate herself for that later. She needs to get Prim through this alive. Get Prim through it, help Matt, and maybe do her best to keep Itinere's other citizens alive, too. Face it. Matt's altruistic behavior has started to rub off on her - or at the very least, she's developed some determination to please him.

Either way, she starts every day in the Houndstooth with a brief message on the network:

Does anyone need any food or water?

Then, after promising Prim she'll be careful, she packs up her hunting gear, slings the bag over her shoulder alongside her quiver and bow, and heads out. Katniss isn't a hero. She tends to get people killed more than she actually succeeds in saving them. There are actual heroes here in Itinere. People who can make that difference. Her boyfriend (is he her boyfriend? is that a word he'd be okay with her using?) is one of them. But she still wants to help. She wants to help in part to make it up to all those who have helped her and Prim in the past. She wants to help because it's kind of nice to have a purpose. Have something to do that'll make a difference to someone else.

She can raid grocery stores. And, for places like the Houndstooth, she can also head to the outskirt of the woods to hunt and harvest. If any of the muttation-like creatures cross her path, she'll do her best to hide. Katniss has no delusions of grandeur. There's only so much she can do with a bow and arrow. But she can hunt. She can feed people. That's necessary, important. And definitely worth the risk of her life.

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[stillplaying]

If Katniss has any lingering doubts that she hasn't learned to acknowledge the more sexual side of her nature, they vanish when Matt bends over to dig into his boot. She's seen him in his Daredevil suit before and she knows how tight it is. It seems even tighter around the posterior when he bends over. She can't help but stare and lick her lips a little. As soon as she realizes what she's doing, she blushes. Her blush deepens when she remembers that Matt's probably figured out how she's ogling him.

Then again, she's ogled him a lot lately. And touched him and kissed him and done a number of things she's never thought of doing to a man. It's natural. All of this is natural. Not being so good at words herself, Katniss likes having another way to show Matt how she feels. She's always been better with actions anyway. She doesn't know how to say the words aloud (I'm falling in love with you, Matt Murdock), but she can easily think of a number of ways to show him.

Apparently Matt has his own ways, too. At least that's how Katniss feels when he hands her the key card. She holds it tightly in her hand until she decides that she'd rather be holding his hand instead of the card. "Thank you," she answers as she stuffs the card in her pocket. The two words don't seem like enough and she reaches for his hand to pull him into her. Katniss kisses him deeply, communicating how much the gesture means to her in that kiss.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Honestly, he doesn't think about her ogling him when he bends over. Being ogled in that sort of way by someone he's involved with is still new to him. He hears the way her heartbeat quickens and smells the lust that sweeps over her. It gives him a good idea of what she's affected by. He also realizes when she blushes. Give all of that, he's smirking, thoroughly pleased with himself, when he straightens.

He likes being ogled, but it doesn't compare to being touched and kissed. As for the other things, he's incredibly appreciative of those things. He also likes being able to return those favors, to show her how he feels, particularly given that neither of them are quite prepared to enunciate his feelings for her. She doesn't need to say the words aloud, just as he hopes he doesn't have to say the words. Her actions, her expressions, her desires have been enough to make him suspect.

He's so glad that she sees the key for what it is rather than simply a meal ticket. He nods once at her thanks. You're very welcome." When she reaches for his hand, his twines his fingers with hers, bending slightly into the kiss. He closes his eyes, breathing her in. His free hand reaches up to play in her hair.

[stillplaying]

Being the one doing the ogling is new to her, too. She's never found the reason to eye up any of the men in her life like they're her next meal. Then again, she's never been in a sexual relationship before. Slowly, it's started to make her a little bolder. Though they haven't discussed it, she's starting to think that Matt is her boyfriend. He's hers. That gives her the right to check him out, doesn't it? And to react to what she sees.

The smirk on his face answers any questions about whether or not he's noticed her reaction. He can probably feel it too. Her kisses don't hold anything back. Not her love or her lust, or the gratitude she feels at being made an official part of his life. She's completely aware that the key isn't only Matt's way of having decent meals in his life. It's his way of having her in it, too.

It's tempting to keep the kiss going. To see where it could lead while the rest of the Houndstooth sleeps. She almost gives in when his hand goes to her hair. She loves the way that tends to feel. But they're in the kitchen for a reason. If Matt isn't going to take care of himself, she needs to do it for him. With a groan, she breaks the kiss. Her breath comes out in heavy, quick pants. "You need to eat first," she whispers. "Real food. Not me."

[preemptiveforgiveness]

In that case, he's more than happy to be ogled. He wants her to have all sorts of normal experiences like this. Bolder is good. He would definitely say that she's his girlfriend if asked. He considers them dating and he certainly hopes that Katniss does as well. That does give her the right to check him out. Ogle away.

When she kisses him that way, he can definitely feel it. He he reacts, groaning softly at the way she kisses him, pulling her a little closer. This isn't the most comfortable suit to have this reaction in.

Tempting yes. He really should have brought a change of clothes. Right. A reason. She breaks the kiss and he sighs a little. Her words draw another smirk out of him then he groans, head tilting up to the ceiling. "If you're going to say those things and do those things, I really need to be wearing different clothes."

She might have meant it innocently, but that's not how he took it.

[stillplaying]

She's aware of the armor built into the suit. It's not at all like the pants that Matt usually wears. Now that she has his key, maybe she should slip in to his apartment one of these days while he's out fighting and pick up a pair of his sweatpants to keep at the Houndstooth. Just in case he plans on more of these late night visits. Pulled close against him during their kiss, Katniss knows he's grown aroused as well. No, this can't be comfortable for him at all.

Normally Katniss enjoys those smirks and groans she elicits from him. And she does enjoy them now. But she also can't help but feel chagrined. The embarrassment stems from btoh his reaction and the turn her thoughts take when he speaks. Katniss hadn't exactly meant anything by her words, but now that Matt mentions it...

Oh.

"Maybe," she begins, a little apprehensive that she might say something else that'll come out wrong. "Maybe I should let you eat and go find you something, um, more comfortable."

There has to be something around here, what with people coming and going lately. And if she steps away, even if it's only for a couple of minutes, it might give Matt a chance to control his body's reaction to her.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

If she can go without putting herself in danger, he's totally okay with that, especially if it implies that they'll have more moments like this.

His thoughts exactly.

Her apprehension isn't what he's going for. He likes that she's comfortable enough to say what's on her mind with him. He sobers a little. "You don't have to go, Katniss." He really didn't mean to make her uncomfortable.

However, if she wants to go find him something to change into, he won't argue. He might stay here tonight instead of going back to his apartment later.

[stillplaying]

It's not so much Matt that made Katniss uncomfortable as Katniss making herself uncomfortable. She likes the direction their relationship has taken. She likes it a lot. But she's still getting used to certain aspects of it. Like how easy it seems to be to become someone so sexually inclined around him. That's what embarrasses her more than anything Matt can say or do.

"I should still find you something to wear," she points out, though she makes no effort to walk away. She blushes a little as she continues. "In case you wind up staying. I don't mind it when you sleep naked but..."

But yeah. She's just going to shut up now before making a bigger fool of herself. Because Katniss is certain that that's exactly what she's doing right now. Katniss places a hand on the chest of his suit. "This can't be comfortable to sleep in either."

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Okay then Matt can live with that. She'll eventually get used to this feeling and it won't seem so awkward and uncomfortable to her. He likes who she is around him; of course, he also likes who she is without him. He'd fallen in love with that person.

He chuckles a little. "The rest of the people in the other room probably would," he says.

She places a hand on the chest plate of his suit and he dips his head to brush a light kiss against her lips. "I'll stay in here, find something to eat and you can find something I can wear."

[stillplaying]

It is a feeling she'll get used to and awkward and uncomfortable will eventually give way to occasionally flustered. What's easy to embrace whenever she and Matt get carried away will become easy to embrace every day. Because she's falling in love and honestly can't imagine it being any other way. Matt's done something she never thought could happen; slowly, she's starting to like herself again.

"They don't know what they're missing," she mumbles, blushing a bit at the words. Katniss kisses him back, careful not to let herself get too carried away. Matt needs to eat. If she accomplishes nothing else tonight, she'll at least manage to do that. "Try the rabbit stew. I'll be right back, okay?"

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Liking herself is really the biggest thing that Matt wants for Katniss. He's also all in for the falling in love bit. He's falling in love with Katniss as well, and he wouldn't have this any other way.

He grins at her comment, smelling and feeling the blush on Katniss' s cheeks. "I'd rather keep it that way. I don't get naked for just anyone." That grin persists through the kiss. He nods a little as she pulls away. "Okay. I'll be waiting."

When she leaves the room, he does find the rabbit stew and manages to get a bowl of it in the microwave. When she comes back, he'll be sitting on the edge of the counter, eating his bowl of rabbit stew.

[stillplaying]

It's a slow process but it's happening nonetheless. Liking herself is still difficult at times but she has come to accept who she is. If the girl she is is good enough for someone like Matt to care about, why should Katniss hate her so much? She wants Matt to fall in love with her. That's a path that she doesn't want to stray down alone.

"I'm glad," she murmurs, the blush lingering. "Because I don't, either."

Which he already knows. But it had seemed right to say in the moment.

Katniss steels one last look in his direction before she leaves the kitchen. There's a small pile of clothing in the front of the restaurant, put together in case anyone wanders in, in need of shelter. She quickly goes through it until she pulls out a pair of sweatpants that look as if they'll fit Matt. Just in case he's feeling more modest, Katniss finds a t-shirt as well. Clothing obtained, she quickly makes her way back to the kitchen.

"How is it?" she asks from the doorway, smiling warmly as she realizes that Matt has taken her advice about the stew.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Falling in love is something that should never be done alone.

He smells the blood rising in her cheeks, feels the heat and he reaches up to brush the pad of his thumb over her cheek. He dips his head to brush a kiss there on the heated skin. "I know," he tells her in a whisper.

He hopes she knows that he realizes what it means that she's given herself to him that way. It's not something he would have done lightly because of that. Matt isn't opposed to one night stands, but not with someone like Katniss.

He looks up as she steps back into the kitchen, smiling at her. "It's good. Really good. I haven't tasted anything quite like it back home, but I like it all the same. Where did you learn to make it?"

[stillplaying]

That’s something that Katniss can easily agree with. Falling in love should never be done alone.

A one night stand is not something Katniss thinks she’d ever be capable of doing. The very idea of it seems foreign and wrong. But this thing with Matt is much more than a one night stand. She knows it and he knows it. And she gave herself to Matt knowing he would value the action. He values so much (everything?) about her and Katniss has never felt the odds more in her favor.

When he looks up at her smiling, she can’t help but automatically smile back. “My mother taught me. Before my father died, back when she used to do the cooking.” This is information that she normally wouldn’t share with anyone. Her father’s death, her mother’s breakdown. She had scorned her mother for so long because of that but after losing Prim, Katniss thinks she understands better now. “Rabbits are usually plentiful. I can also make a good pie.”

[preemptiveforgiveness]

He doesn't want it to be a one night stand. He wants this thing with Katniss to be more because she makes him happy. She makes him want so much more out of life than he ever thought he'd get. He'd known what it'd meant when they'd had sex for the first time and it had meant so much to him. They'd waited until they were both in love, for a lot of reasons, but mostly for her. He does value her; he loves her.

He's getting more and more attached to that smile. Losing someone you love is never easy and while he can't ever be okay with the way her mother abandoned her emotionally and mentally, he understands the way that someone could check out from grief and loss. "I'd like to taste the pie sometime too. I don't have many cooking skills to woo you with. My dad taught me a wicked jab though."