"I'm just asking that you don't be creepy," Madge huffed at her cousin, who was stocking the pastry display at Arena Cafe. "I haven't seen Katniss in forever and she's finally coming home and I would really like it if you didn't scare her off by staring at her with those puppy dog eyes of yours."

Peeta glared up at her. "Come off it, Madge. It's been years since we've seen each other, I think I've developed some self-control."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. And that's why you spent all morning making cheese buns. Come on, we all know you have the hots for her and when it comes to Katniss Everdeen you don't know what 'self-control' is." She waited for Peeta to argue and smirked when a flush crossed his face. She caught the banana nut muffin he threw at her and walked back to the overstuffed arm chair.

"It's true, buddy," Gale called from his own chair. "No offense, but there's no way in hell you'll keep your cool when she shows back up."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that," Johanna said from her spot on Gale's armrest. "Blondie never gets rattled. It's just not normal."

"You have to be nice too, Jo," Madge said, popping another piece of the muffin in her mouth. "You've just been subletting. Wait until you actually have to livewith her."

Peeta snorted. "That's what I can't wait to see. Katniss and Johanna under the same roof. Bets on who makes it out alive?"

Johanna looked down at Gale who shrugged. "She doesn't do it on purpose but…Katniss isn't exactly the easiest person to live with."

"Great. Now you tell me."

"You read the manual she left you, right?" Madge asked. "It's basically a how-to guide to living with her."

Johanna shrugged. "I skimmed it. What?" She exclaimed as the whole group, including Peeta, stared at her in disbelief.

"You…skimmed it?"

"Oh, she's gonna kill you. I'm with loverboy over there," Gale hooted, "I'm putting my money on Katniss."

"Why are you putting money on me?"

The four turned their heads toward the door where a woman with a long raven-black braid hung over her shoulder stood watching them, lips turned downward and eyebrows scowling.

Katniss was really half of the glue that held the little group together. The other half being Peeta. Though really, they were two of the same half for all intents and purposes. Katniss knew Madge from high school, when Madge was the only person Katniss ever talked to. Or, possibly the other way around as most people seemed to be petrified of Katniss. It was that outcast persona that drew Madge to Katniss originally. As the daughter of a pretty prolific politician who was never around, Madge was almost always alone as a child. Katniss didn't scare her, even if she did make her a little nervous.

It was through Madge that Peeta met Katniss. Sort of. Peeta had always noticed Katniss, the girl two years younger than him who never paid attention to the golden boy because she was too busy living whatever life she wanted to live. But he paid attention to her. According to his cousin, it was too much attention, even if her best friend never noticed. She lived her own life but apparently that didn't include dating boys.

Except Gale Hawthorne. Peeta hated Gale Hawthorne for at least a year for being the only boy Katniss Everdeen ever dated in high school. It wasn't until they got roomed up together in college and were forced into the smallest excuse for a dorm room, that he realized the other boy wasn't really that bad. And it wasn't exactly Gale's fault that Peeta could never make a move. At some point between freshman orientation and homecoming weekend, the two became friends. Partially due to their love for the densest girl either met. After college, the boys moved back home.

That's how Peeta met Finnick, an up-and-coming male model with the habit of walking around in just his underwear. He was a nice enough guy and Peeta was desperate for a roommate to help pay the bills. It turned out that his mother was right a degree in culinary arts wasn't exactly the most lucrative option. When Katniss decided to go to graduate school and needed someone to sublet her rent-controlled apartment for a few years, Finnick suggested an old friend of his who had just moved to the city.

Johanna Mason was…exactly the kind of friend they expected Finnick to have. Which wasn't saying much because, like Peeta, Finnick seemed able to charm the pants off of anyone. Literally. Peeta was fairly certain in the first year or so, he had seen Johanna walking around their apartment naked than he had seen any other girl. She'd just grin and shrug when she saw him. Whatever she and Finnick had worked for them, even if it meant Peeta had to listen to them on more nights than he cared to remember.

The five of them, Peeta, Gale, Madge, Johanna, and Finnick, spent too much time together. There was no other way around describing their relationship. But it worked for them. They were in sync with each other. When Madge found out that Katniss had completed her PhD and was coming back home, they all wondered how it would affect them all. None as much as Peeta.

"Katniss!" Madge called, tossing what was left of the muffin at Gale and bounding over to her. "I didn't think you were getting in until later tonight!"

"I caught an earlier flight home. I figured you'd be here when the apartment was empty." Katniss walked with Madge back to where Gale and Johanna were sitting. "Hey, Gale. And you must be…"

"That's Johanna. Your…subleaser," Madge answered hesitantly. There was something about the look on Katniss' face as she took in the appearance of the other girl that made them all nervous.

Except, Johanna, apparently who wasn't fazed by anything. "So you're the one I've heard so much about." She glanced over at Peeta, who was frozen in place behind the counter. "You're not exactly what I was expecting. Ow!" She glared down at Gale who just pinched her and mouthed 'Be nice.'

"Likewise," Katniss answered, coolly.

Madge cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable by the scene. "And, uh, you remember Peeta, right." She nodded her head to the counter, where Peeta seemed to finally realize he could move. His cheeks flushed and he ducked his head, pretending to get something out of the display case.

Katniss' scowl softened when he popped back up, all blonde-haired and blue eyed like she remembered. "Sure. Hi."

He smiled. "Hi. I..uh…I made cheese buns. For when you came…uh, for when you got home."

"Thanks. They're my favorite," Katniss answered.

"I know," he replied immediately, cheeks flushing again. Johanna and Gale snickered into the other's shoulders until Madge kicked Gale in the shins. "I mean, um, I remember. Have one," he offered her the plate he pulled from the display.

She gladly took the cheesiest one and bit into it, letting out a content moan as the cheese pulled from the bread. He tried not to let that moan go straight to his head. Or his crotch. "Oh my God. I have missed these so much. If they're always this good you'll never be able to get rid of me."

"Okay," he answered. Judging from the looks on everyone else's faces, he answered too enthusiastically. "Uh…I…fuck," he muttered, turning away to all but run into the back.

Katniss furrowed her eyebrows as she turned back to the others. "So. What is everyone up to tonight?"

"Well Gale here has a date tonight," Johanna answered in a sing-song voice. "With a very special lady that we're all very excited to meet."

"Except you won't meet her," he shot back, "because you have a tendency to scare them off and you," he glared at Madge, "instantly judge every single girl I meet."

Madge shook her head at Katniss. "I only judge the obnoxious ones."

"You used to have such excellent taste in women," she joked. She supposed they were lucky that when they broke up so many years ago it was on good enough terms to bring it up without bringing up all of those feelings. And just like that, Katniss was welcomed back into the group after so many years of absence.

"Next time we watch a movie can we not let Finnick decide?" Madge asked as the credits started to roll. "I'm pretty sure we've watched every 'hot chick with big tits' action movie in existence."

Finnick laughed, "we chose fairly, Madge. If you don't like the rules, you shouldn't play the game."

"It's a stupid game. You always win," she huffed. "Has anyone checked in on Gale?"

Johanna snorted. "Why, Madgey? Afraid he's having too good of a time with that girl?"

Madge turned to smack Joahnna in the leg. "No. I just wanted to make sure he got home alright and wasn't…attacked or something."

"Nice cover," Peeta added sarcastically. Madge and Gale had the ultimate love-hate relationship. To the point where most of the group didn't know if either ofthem knew if they actually liked each other or just liked cock-blocking the other. He reached for the last of the cookies he brought and felt a spark shoot through his body as his fingers brush against slender ones. He looked up, right into the eyes of Katniss Everdeen. "Oh," he pulled his fingers away quickly. "Sorry. You, uh, go ahead."

She smile softly at him. "Thanks." He couldn't take his eyes off her lips as she bit into the soft cookie. And he almost lost it when her tongue poked out to catch a small crumb.

"I uh, I need some air," he announced to no one in particular. Madge and Katniss were catching up on ancient history and Finnick and Johanna were arguing over whether or not it was actually possible to shoot someone while having sex like in the movie.

He sat with his back against the brick, staring out at the skyline that seemed to go on for miles. He loved this city. Loved that it bustled with energy and was full of life. Loved that no matter where you went in it, someone had a story to tell, a life they had lived. He missed parts of his hometown, especially the ability to see the stars on any given night, but he didn't know that he'd ever go back. This was his home now, with his friends and the coffee shop.

"It's a nice night."

He hadn't realized Katniss joined him until she slid next to him. "Yeah," he answered. "Before you came home, I used to sit out here all the time after work. It's got the best light for drawing."

"You still can, you know. Sit out here, I mean."

He looked over at her and smiled. A few strands of hair had blown free from her usual braid and fell in her face. He reached over and tucked them behind her ear, unable to ignore the fluttering in his stomach as he brushed against her cheek. "I'm glad you're back, Katniss. I've missed you."

She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "I've missed you, too. Madge tells me you basically run the coffee shop downstairs."

He closed his eyes, taking in the vanilla scent of her shampoo. "Well that's a stretch. Plutarch owns it, but he basically gave me creative license a few years ago for the bakery side of it."

"Just like you always wanted," she commented. Which was true. In high school, Peeta's mother wanted him to go into law school and make a big name for himself. And by big name, Peeta knew she meant make a lot of money. But one semester into a pre-law program and he was so miserable he almost dropped out of school completely. She probably didn't remember that it was her, asking him one night what he wanted to do that ultimately pushed him into the culinary arts. He wondered if he should tell her. Or thank her.

Instead his mouth decided to spit out the only thing his brain could really register. "You know, back in highschool, I had the biggest crush on you."

"I know. Gale told me."

Peeta laughed. Of course Gale told her. He's surprised it took him this long to find out that Gale told her. "I always wanted to ask you out."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was too scared, I guess. I don't know if you know this but you're a little intimidating." She glared at him and he laughed again. "You were in high school. Then I became friends with Gale and it was just too weird. Besides, what would you have said if I had walked up to you in the cafeteria and asked you out?"

She was quiet for a moment. "I would have said 'no.'"

He sighed. "Exactly."

"I wouldn't say 'no' now, though. If…if you were to ask me out for coffee or something," she added, her voice trailing off into the night air.

"Okay," he nodded, a smile on his face. "Maybe I will, then."

They stayed outside for a while longer until Katniss yawned just a little too big to pretend not to be tired anymore. As he walked out of her apartment, he heard the second bedroom door open and saw Johanna poke her head out. "Heading home, Blondie?"

"Yeah," he answered, still slightly in a daze from being so physically close to Katniss after so long. "Night, Jo."

She shot him a cheshire grin and winked before heading back into her room. As he fell asleep that night, he was filled with something he hadn't felt in a long time. His stomach couldn't settle down and his head was spinning. She was back. And she wouldn't say 'no' now.