"Peeta?" Gale called out as he tapped his knuckle on the wood frame of the door. The boy in question quickly whipped his head around as he heard the voice. He gave a small smile putting down the frosting in his hand.
"Hey Gale, got a delivery today?" He asked.
Gale nodded. He walked into the back door of the bakery with a game bag filled with two squirrels, knowing the baker's father loved them. Peeta gestured the boy to take a seat, as he walked off to talk to his father.
"Dads sick today, so ill just go let him know." Peeta yelled from the hall. Gale gave a light okay in response and let his eyes wonder around his surroundings. A room filled with ovens and bread, flour covered every nook and cranny of the place. Gale smiled, he loved the feeling of the bakery, so long as Peeta's mother wasn't around, and the smell of fresh bread and cakes was absolutely intoxicating.
He enjoyed trading with the Baker's, the father adored squirrels and was always grateful when they brought him some, and Peeta, well he was Peeta. He had never seen the kid without a smile on his face, he was just pleasant. Not bad on the eyes either, there was no shortage of girls that loved to look in the window as Peeta worked. Gale wasn't gay or anything but he could admit when he found someone attractive.
Peeta bounced back in the room, that ever present smile even larger if that was possible.
"It's your lucky day Gale, Dad says you can have 2 whole loafs for each squirrel." He giggled.
"Your dad must be sick," Gale laughed. "If your mom heard that she'd beat him within an inch of his life." Peeta slightly flinched at this comment, but Gale dismissed it as a shiver from cold.
Peeta took the squirrels from Gale, handing him four loaves in return. Gale gave a 'thanks for doing business with ya' nod and was about to leave when Peeta stopped him.
"Wait!" he shouted, then blushed as he didn't intend to be so loud. He turned around and grabbed one of the cupcakes he was working on. "Here" he offered the cupcake to Gale.
"I couldn't…" Gale was shocked he had never eaten a cupcake before and this one was so beautiful, decorated with lovely swirls of blue and yellow.
"Please Gale, have it, you always work so hard. You deserve a treat for yourself." Peeta smiled at him. "But don't tell my mom" he winked.
"Thank you Peeta," Gale was truly touched, no one had every given him something nice for himself like this.
"Don't mention it, now shoo quickly." Peeta teased waving goodbye to Gale and turning back to his work.
Gale couldn't help but smile as he held the cupcake in his hand. He'd have to eat it before he went home. Lucky for him his mom was at the Decora's doing laundry he could see her hunched over in the window.
"Mom!" he yelled at the window hiding the cupcake behind his back and holding the bread up to her.
"Oh Gale is that all for us, those bakers spoil us." She said with joy. "I'll make a nice soup to go with it."
"Can you take it now ma, I still got some errands to run." He asked.
"Of course" she answered, drying her hands before grabbing the bread and placing it with her things. "I'll see you at home."
With that Gale made his way back to the fence, listening for a buzz which of course there was none. Katniss would be home by know taking care of her sister, so the woods were all his tonight. He found one of his usual spots, a clearing filled with weeds that were pretty enough to be flowers to him. He sat on a smooth rock, and continued to admire the cupcake.
It was truly beautiful, just like Peeta. Pure, innocent Peeta, who's able to see the good in everything, was as sweet and pretty as this cupcake. He wished that he could get a chance to know the baker better, but he knew what he did for Katniss and that she felt awkward whenever the boy was brought up. So he just enjoyed the few chances he had to speak with the boy.
Finally, Gale decided to take his first bite of the cupcake. It was heavenly, the best thing he had ever tasted. It melted on his tongue and he held it in his mouth as long as he could before swallowing. He milked that cupcake for everything it was worth, till finally it was finished. With a look of satisfaction, he took a final look at the sunset, and then headed back to town.
One day he'd show Peeta this sunset, his sunset. It wasn't much but its all he could think of to give the boy in return.
To be continued…