DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters in The Hunger Games...sadly. And this is my first story so yeah.
It's been years since the revolution happened. Everything has seemed to cool down now and everything has been running smoothly. Peeta has returned to District 12 and he has returned to normal. For the most part. He still has distorted visions of Katniss. But it rarely happens anymore. Katniss has moved to District 2 with her mother to help her forget everything that happened. Even her relationship with Peeta. Now, Peeta is living in the Victors Village with Haymitch. People from 13 have been coming back slowly and surely to help with the reconstruction of 12, building houses, schools, stores and more to attract more people to live there. They even reconstructed Peeta's family's old bakery, which is how Peeta spends his time along with painting. It does remind him of his family, but once he starts baking, he loses himself. One day, he was working on frosting a cake when he heard the door open in the front of the store. He quickly washed his hands and then went to the front.
"Can I help you today?" Peeta asked before he looked at the person at the counter. It was Gale. All Peeta could do was stare. He hasn't seen Gale in about 2 years now. He though Gale went to live with Katniss in 2. "Gale, what are you doing back here?" he managed to ask.
"I came back to help with the reconstruction. I saw the bakery and figured it was you who would be working here. Just thought I could see a familiar face here." Gale said. He looked around to see what Peeta has made. "Did you make all of this?"
"Yeah I did," Peeta said "It's how I spend my time here in 12. I try to help with the reconstruction, but they don't let me help for more than an hour or so because of my leg."
"Well I could understand their reasoning. Anyways, all of this looks amazing. I just stopped in to say hello. I should get back to work now. See ya around." Gale said with a smile. Peeta could only get out a small 'bye' before Gale had swiftly walked out the door. Peeta was still in shock about seeing Gale, so it took him a little bit to register what exactly happened.
He then walked backed into his kitchen and resumed his culinary artwork. But something was different. He couldn't get lost in his work like he usually did. Something was bothering him. He just didn't know what. He continued his decorating until he was finished with that cake. Then he packed up and closed down the shop for the night. Peeta was walking back to his house when he saw Gale carrying lumber to a site that was building a school. He stopped and watched Gale carefully. How it seemed so effortless for him to pick up the wood and how easy he made it look to get to where it was needed with it on his shoulder. Then, Gale caught him staring. He gave Peeta a big smile and silently asked him to wait a second. Peeta nodded and once Gale turned around, he started to speed walk to his house out of nervousness. Gale saw this and made the attempt to catch up to him. He didn't know why Peeta didn't wait for him.
"Peeta! Wait up!" Gale screamed, while breaking into a brisk jog. Peeta only seemed to move faster than before, so Gale only sped up. After finally catching up to him, in front of Peeta's house, Gale was a little out of breath. "Peeta, why didn't you wait for me?"
"I don't know, my legs started moving by themselves." Peeta said with a weak smile. He knew it was a lie. And so did Gale. But all he did was stare at Peeta. "Why are you staring at me?" questioned Peeta.
Gale didn't respond at first, just stared. "Why didn't you wait?" asked Gale. Peeta didn't have an answer, so he just told Gale that he had something to do and walked through the yard and then straight into his house, not even looking back.
Peeta didn't know what was wrong with him. It was like he couldn't face Gale at all. His first thought was because Gale reminded him of Katniss. That was his reason for avoiding Gale. It was the reason he used for about a week. Gale could see something was bothering Peeta, so he thought he should give him space. But at the end of the week, Gale just needed to know why Peeta refused to see him. So Gale decided to drop by the bakery. He walked in the front door and expected Peeta to walk out from the back and blindly ask the customer what he wanted. No one came out, so he just waited. And waited. And waited. So Gale decided it was time to go into the back of the store. Once he got back there, he couldn't find anyone. He was really confused since the bakery was open. The sign saying someone was out wasn't up. But where could Peeta be? So he kept looking around. Then, he noticed something. The floor was a bit higher at one point. Gale then pulls up the wood that reveals a tunnel. Being the curious man that he is, Gale entered the tunnel. It wasn't that big, but Gale could easily walk though it. So Gale reaches the end of the tunnel, and the door way is open to a staircase. He has his knife in his hand and he carefully walks up the stairs. He gets to the top, and he realizes he's in someone's house. But who's?
"Hello? Is anyone there?" he asks. There isn't a response. He took in his surroundings. He was in a painting studio, but then Gale heard footsteps and immediately he's in a fighting stance. They are becoming louder, so Gale hides behind the curtains. The figure walks into the room and looks around. Gale peeked out from behind the curtain to see who it was. "Peeta? Is that you?" Gale asked. Peeta spun around to see Gale emerge from the curtains. Peeta was stunned to see Gale there.
"Gale? How the hell did you get-" Before Peeta could finish the sentence, Gale pointed to the opening in the floor where he came out. "Oh. Well why did you even go into the back of the bakery anyway?" Peeta asked nervously.
"Because we need to talk about this. I don't know why you won't talk to me. Or even look at me. I know that we aren't the best of friends, but I want to put our differences behind us and start again. Please." Gale pleaded. Peeta could see something in Gale's face that told him that he was telling the truth. Without a moment to spare, Peeta nodded and Gale let out a breath that apparently he was holding in. Peeta pointed to a leather couch that Gale was near. So he hopped over the back and landed softly on the cushion. Peeta walked over slowly and sat on the other side of the couch.
"Okay so what did you want to know."
"Why you won't even look at me? You're like one of the only people that I know and I'd like to be friends with a familiar person." stated Gale. Peeta didn't know what to do or say at the moment. So he just looked at Gale. "So what do you have to say?"
Peeta took in a deep breath. "Gale, right now I have no clue how I'm feeling. Whenever I see you, something inside me feels different somehow. I honestly don't know whether it's good or bad, but it feels like I change. And I just don't know how to explain it!" But in the middle of this explanation, Gale took notice to a particular painting of Peeta's. It was of him lifting the wood to help build the school. He looked at Peeta with a puzzled expression.
"Peeta, what's this? Gale asked, pointing at the painting. Peeta looked at what he was pointing at and froze. Then he went back to looking at his hands, which were his focus during his entire speech about his had no clue what to say. His mind was going an mile a minute and his heart was pounding even faster, which couldn't be healthy. He wouldn't be surprised if Gale could see his chest going in and out.
"I...uh...I pa-painted...y-you." was all Peeta could get out before he blacked out.
Please R & R! Remember don't be too mean since it's my first story. More is to come though :D
