Title: Small Matters

Pairing: peeta/katniss

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I've recently finished the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy and I'm surprised at how good of a read it was. This little drabblet floated into my mind after the cave scene. Peeta centric.

The baker's son was roused to a groggy disorientated awakening. He blinked blearily, taking in the dark rocky surroundings. He sees, but he does not acknowledge. Without his normal coherent brain processing functions available, he can just barely grasp that he is safe, he is warm and his leg is probably slowly killing him with a more than generous helping of agony. Peeta swallows, wincing as his parched throat scrapes against sore sides. His arms are too weak to search for the canister of water he suspects is lying nearby. Several attempts of useless arm flopping is enough to make him knock him back into unconsciousness for a couple of moments.

When Peeta comes to for the second time the pain has tricked his mind into a pseudo state of alertness. His hazy mind grasps for details of his surroundings. He can loosely tell that he is nestled into a sleeping bag and he is on fire. Or at least he feels like he is. A small patch of cloudy night can be seen to the corner and then… Katniss is dozing right by his side.

Peeta turns his head, slowly because he can admit now that he is in much more pain than the front he put up by the stream. The baker focuses on breathing and watching and in a small part in the back of his mind, not dying. For the moment, he allows himself to enjoy this tiny moment of peace with the girl he loves. Love… well now. His burning fever must of dragged out the thought that had been the driving force behind so many of his actions so far. The nod of warning at the Cornipurnica, joining with the Careers hoping to lure them away, letting her escape right in front of Cato… Peeta swallowed again and soundlessly cried out in pain. And now here she was, all his efforts gone to waste because she was foolishly focusing all of her attention on keeping him alive. Yet… he cannot deny his eternal gratitude for that.

He stares at her through tired eyes. Even now, deep in sleep and curled up into a tight ball against his side she seemed to be completely alert and totally ready to snap open those lovely eyes of hers and shoot a deadly arrow to the unseen enemy. She was fierce and dangerous and completely did not see the effect she had on him. He moved his hand to her cheek and curled his fingers around her thin cheek. The healthy weight that she had gained during their days of gorging on the delicious Capitol food had disappeared, leaving behind shallow cheeks and a slight pallor to her olive skin. Peeta breathed in deeply and frowned.

It was really such a small matter but… when was the last time either of them had taken a proper bath? The make-shift shower Katniss had given him by the stream had only taken the gunk of mud and dried leaves. But Katniss, when had she taken a bath? He laughed inside his head because it hurt too much to laugh with his dehydrated throat. How could he even care about such a small matter, the thought was just so hilarious.

Peeta breathed in deeply. To be perfectly honest, the smell wasn't repulsive. It smelled like human bodies, sweat from the hard days, traces of smoke and stream water, the earthy tones of dirt and the aroma of pines and wild berries that seemed to originate solely from Katniss. It wasn't unpleasant he decided.

He could feel himself drifting off again, pain taking over his senses and luring him back to sleep. He could feel Katniss waking up as well. Gentle calloused hands pet his forehead and smoothed onto his forehead a refreshing cool piece of cloth. He could faintly hear her mumbling, feel her edge away from his hot body and gingerly poke the injury just beneath his ear.

It was a small matter here in the hunger games but… Peeta was certain that Katniss would always be perfect no matter what situation she was in. She was a survivor, if she were in his position then she would fight through death's door with every ounce of willpower in her body. The thought settled his frayed thoughts. 'If Katniss can put up with this then the least I can do…. Is live….' Now this was not a small matter to attend to and was almost unlikely at this point but… Peeta vowed to himself to repay his savior with everything that he could give. Unconsciousness won out and Peeta missed the early hues of dawn poke through the hole in their cave.