Hey everyone, I'm back with a Hunger Games fic! As always, I would love your reviews. I haven't decided if I'll post this as a one-shot or as a flashback to a college life AU. Let me know what you think!
Calling us close acquaintances would be a stretch. Basically, we've met.
Kind of.
Of course I knew his name at the time, I'd been in school with him for years. But I'd never actually spoken to Peeta Mellark until he showed up on my doorstep.
It had been a tough month making ends meet. On January 6th, one side of our house caught on fire. Thankfully it didn't spread too far before we got it under control. But the kitchen, living room and laundry room were basically gone, and we needed to rebuild. Our insurance policy only covered about half the cost. Mom covered extra shifts at the diner, Dad worked late at the city conservatory, and when we weren't in school or doing homework, my little sister Prim and I were clearing away charred ceiling supports, pots and pans bent beyond repair, and the threadbare cushions that used to grace the couch. If any of us were free, that's where our time went. It was a mess. Worst of all, we were all far too busy to pull together a nice dinner and buy a cupcake like we usually did for Prim's birthday. That's what hit me hardest. We went out to the diner, Mom had the night off, and shared a few burgers and sang to the still cheerful birthday girl.
We went home to the reality of our house, I tucked her in bed and curled up next to her. When she was asleep, I fished out my diary and complained into it, the moonlight the only thing letting me see my blue pen's marks.
The next day was dark and rainy. Prim and I were working on homework in our room, practically smothered in blankets trying to ward off the cold. I barely heard the knock on the front door over the pounding of the rain. Grunting, I pulled myself up, still wrapped in a blanket to see who the visitor was. I opened the door to Peeta, wondering what the heck he was doing here.
"Hi, Katniss, um, you didn't get Prim's cupcake yesterday, so I-I wanted to deliver it to you guys.. Sorry about your house, tell her I said happy birthday!" Peeta was obviously nervous as he thrust the box with a vanilla cupcake with purple frosting and tiny yellow flowers into my hands. He opened his big red umbrella and hurried away, his rain boots sending water everywhere as he sloshed back into town. Still frowning in confusion, I watched him until he turned the corner and was out of sight. I closed the door with a shiver, remembering the cupcake.
Prim's cupcake that we couldn't afford this year.
I went back into our room. Prim looked up from her book.
"Who was it?"
I looked up, Prim looked concerned at my expression.
"Peeta Mellark just showed up on our doorstep, gave me a cupcake and said to tell you happy birthday. So... Here, happy birthday from Peeta, I guess..." I handed her the box and she grinned.
"That was sweet of him."
"Yeah... It was a little weird but nice."
"Oh... My gosh, you don't know, do you?"
"Know what?" Prim pressed her lips together and shook her head. I grabbed both her braids, pulling her head back to look me straight in the eyes, and she giggled.
"Let go of my hair, Katniss."
"What don't I know?"
"It's so obvious."
"Then tell me."
"No."
"Why not?"
"You'll figure it out someday. Well, probably not. But you'll find out someday."
"Ugh!"
She laughed again, and I released her. I grabbed a box of matches from the pile of utility things we'd gotten to replace the burned stuff, and pulled the beautiful cupcake out of the box. I lit the match and stuck it in the top of the purple frosting, so that it resembled a candle.
"Happy birthday, little duck." She beamed at me, closing her eyes as she blew the match out.
"He probably frosted it himself, you know. These are Primrose flowers." She used her finger to gently lift a yellow bud off the purple.
"Yeah he probably did."
"How come you never talk to him?"
I scowl.
"I don't talk to anyone."
"You talk to Gale."
"Gale doesn't count."
"Why not?"
"Because he's Gale. I've known him too long not to talk to him. My only other friend is Madge and I don't even talk to her."
"I'll never understand that..."
"Well we have homework to do, eat your cupcake." She peeled off the wrapper, taking a small bite and holding it out to me.
"Have a bite too."
"No, it's yours."
"Come on, Katniss. Just a little bite."
"Fine." I have to admit, it's as delicious as it always is. Prim insists I taste her cupcake every year.
"I wonder how he knew it was your birthday yesterday."
"We go into his dad's bakery every year, you buy me one cupcake, hand it to me and tell me happy birthday... And we don't go in there any other time. Take a guess."
"Yeah but I mean he remembered the day. Not just like around the time but the actual day." Prim smirked and said nothing as she took another nibble, getting purple on her nose. I smiled at the girliness of the little blonde in front of me.
The next day at school, I caught myself smiling back at the boy surrounded by a group of his friends, his smile surprisingly shy.
