A/N: So, this was just floating around in my head. It happens before the whipping but after the first Games, during Catching Fire. I'm really not sure how it turned out, but I had to make the plot bunnies leave!
"Hey! Peeta!" Strom's voice carries to the back of the shop, the kitchen where we're all baking. I look up at my name.
"What?" I yell back.
"There's some Seam crawler here to see you," he says, opening the door and poking his head in.
"Really?" I can't conceal the hope I'm feeling. Is it possible that Katniss has come over? She's never visited before, and she hasn't shown any inclination to, but there's a first time for everything.
I hope I don't look too disappointed when I walk to the front of the shop. It's not Katniss, but I know this man. Gale Hawthorne, her best friend and the guy who would probably be her boyfriend if the country didn't falsely believe he was her cousin.
"Hello," I say cautiously. We've never spoken and after watching me kiss Katniss about a million times, I'm fairly sure he's not a friend. I can't say I'm eager to warm up to him either, though. But I'll still be polite. "Would you like to buy something?"
"No." His voice is blunt and I can see that he really doesn't want to be here. Why'd he come, then? He doesn't owe me anything. Well, I don't think so, but apparently he does. He fidgets for a moment and then raises his head, his hard gray eyes boring into mine. "I'm here to thank you."
"Huh? For what?" It's all I can manage. Now, I just wish he'd get out of here. He can go to the woods with Katniss, who doesn't care for me anymore, and they'll be happy. As long as he gets out.
"For taking care of Katniss in the arena. When I couldn't help her."
I laugh mirthlessly. "Don't let her catch you saying that. Nobody gets to help the girl on fire."
His eyes flash dangerously. "I know – but you did. You let her come home."
"Yeah, and look where that got me," I mutter, shifting my artificial leg. Louder, I say, "She's all yours, you know."
"No she's not," he argues. "But just remember…" he pauses and then says, "I'm still here. Don't go playing any more games with her. They only cause problems."
I nod and he walks out the door, leaving me standing there with a blank expression. I shake my head and return to baking.
They cause only problems.
Yeah. As if I didn't know.