A/N This is a joke fan fiction. Everything is Suzanne Collins. This one-shot is set post-mockingjay.
"You."
He nodded, swallowing hard.
"I thought you wouldn't come back here." I challenged, a daring look in my eye.
He cleared his throat. "Things change, Peeta. People change." Untying my Cath Kidston apron, I looked at him then- properly looked at him.
His dark hair, once so short and unkempt, now hung in tousled locks almost to his chin. Skin that was once olive toned was now a lot lighter. A light scattering of stubble ghosted across his chin in an almost alluring way, and his eyes appeared stronger and darker. His muscular body was now even more chiseled, and his shirt stretched across his sound biceps. Gale Hawthorne had just gotten sexier.
"Where is she?" He whispered, his eyes suddenly turning a shade darker.
I scoffed into my pile of bread. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. You haven't been around in a while. Katniss is... different now." My eyes swiveled to the thin strip of flesh visible below is shirt hem. It just looked so...creamy.
"Peeta, don't play games with me. What do you mean?" He sighed, and began tapping his foot impatiently. I sort of liked it- having this authority over Gale, withholding information when I felt like it. I'd never been a controlling person, but then again if there was one thing I'd learnt from my mother, it was to use and abuse anything to get what you want. And right now, I wanted Gale.
"Katniss is with Johanna now," When Gale didn't catch on, I wanted to laugh. "In a relationship. With Johanna." The shocked expression on his face said it all, really. Of course, it was nothing compared to how I felt when it all first came out. I couldn't say I didn't see it coming, though- persuading Johanna to move to District 12, the late night visits to her house, the borrowing of her clothes...
I knew it all too well at the time, and I accepted it. Because after the hijack, after they ripped me apart and put me back together all wrong, I'd never been able to look Katniss in the eye. I mean, this was supposed to be the woman I loved, right? Wrong. So we ended it. She went off to live a life with Johanna, and I threw every ounce of my being into the bakery, my new beauty regime, and to my cat, Pickles.
Gale exhaled heavily. "And you're not just pulling my leg, right?" I raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "No- I know all too well how that feels." Gale's eyes drifted to my prophetic leg, clearly visible in my tight distressed-denim shorts. I had decided to customise it a bit- I mean, it was just so boring plain skin coloured. I spent hours and hours painting beautifully blended backgrounds, with dainty yet striking flowers and hearts over the top. I was rather pleased with the outcome.
And then he surprised me by advancing slowly towards me. At first I was sure he would hit me, or worse, knock the bread from my manicured hands. But he didn't. In less than 2 seconds, his warm hand was pressed against the cold surface of my new leg. I would stress how lovely it felt, how sensual it was- only I couldn't feel it since it was a bit of plastic. However, I didn't want to alert Gale to this as I was sure he would be hurt. He never really was the brightest tool in box. But I loved him for it.
A/N Pleeeaaase review!