Here is another drabble, that I will be adding more to, I promise. Notanislander said I had to ;)
This is based on the Rascal Flatts' song, "These Days". I hope you enjoy!
I need to thank Norbertsmom for reading and beta-ing and notanislander for reading and asking for more!
He never runs into this grocery in the Seam anymore. Not since he was still in high school and used to cruise around in Daddy's old Chevy truck with Katniss by his side. This is the only store in Panem that still sells Mallow Cups and since Daddy started chemo for his lung cancer, the chocolate marshmallow cups is all he has been asking for.
Peeta quickly finds the candy aisle and locates the bright yellow packages of the candy. Out of the corner of his eye he spots that shade of chocolate hair that still haunts his dreams every night. He stands up and just watches her for a moment, mesmerized once again by her. He has to remind himself that she doesn't belong to him anymore, so he can't just go over and kiss her like he used to. Instead he takes a step closer, and says, "Hey Katniss, is that you?"
Silver eyes that he has dreamed about more than he would ever admit, light up when they land on him. He almost thinks she looks happy to see him.
"Hey, Peeta. What are you doing?"
He shows her the Mallow Cups in his hand, and offers, "Dad has been going on and on about these. And I remember that this store still carries them." He shakes his head, he is finally talking to her after not seeing her for years, and he is talking about damn candy. "What are you doing back in town?"
She gives him that smile that makes him ache in so many ways. "I came home to check on Mama. She has been working so much, I had to come in to fix a couple of things with the house."
He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out one of his business cards for the bakery. Handing it to her, he says, "Tell her to call. Dad would want to help if he could."
She takes the card and tucks it in her purse. "How is your dad? Your mom?"
He runs his hand through his curls that need a trim, but he has been too busy to go see Delly to get it cut. "Mom left several years ago. Dad was diagnosed with has lung cancer a couple of weeks ago. The candy is the only thing he wants to eat after chemo, well, when he does have an appetite."
"Oh Peeta! I'm sorry to hear that."
"They think they might have caught it in time to save him. But hey, enough about that. I heard you went to Vegas after college?" She flushes and he knows that he must have hit a sore spot. "You mean you really did marry that guy?"
She scowls that scowl at him that he still loves so much. "Too much whiskey," she huffs. "I had it annulled. What are you doing these days? Still working at the bakery I see."
"Yeah, Rye and Bram didn't want it after all." It takes everything in him not to tell her what he really is doing these days. How he dreams of her every night, always searching, always looking. Never able to catch up to her. "How long are you going to be in town?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow. I've got to get back to work."
Disappointment floods his heart. "Where are you living now?"
"Atlanta. I'm working for the zoo."
"That's great. I know that is something that you always wanted to do."
Katniss impatiently swings the shopping basket back and forth. "I've got to go finish up at the house. I might come back home next weekend to help with some more repairs. Do you really want to help?"
He schools the excitement that courses through his veins. "I would love to help. That is my cell phone on the card. Call me or even text me and I'll be more than happy to help."
She nods. "That will save me from having to ask Gale," she murmurs under her breath talking to herself. "I might take you up on that. Thanks, Peeta."
"Anytime, Katniss. You be careful driving back, ok?"
She smiles. "I will. I'll see you next weekend." And turns to walk away but stops. She turns back and throws her arms around him in a surprise hug. "I'm sorry about your dad." She kisses him on the cheek. "He was always so nice in spite of your mom. I hope he will be alright. I'll text you soon in case you need me."
Now he's choking up again when he says, "Thank you, Katniss." This time when she turns to walk away she looks back when she is leaving the aisle. She offers a timid little wave and then she is gone.
Peeta gathers a couple of packs of the candy, and he doesn't see her again when he is checking out. Disappointed, he gets into his truck. Turning the key, the radio comes on first. He just has to laugh as Rascal Flatts' These Days comes on the radio. He can't help but to smile as they talk about missed chances. He might have missed his chance years ago, but Lord willing, he will get another one next weekend.
It really doesn't take that long to drive through the Seam to the bakery. Peeta pulls up to the back door, but instead of going upstairs to his apartment, he walks to his dad's house next door. He eases the kitchen door open and calls out, "Hey Dad. You awake?"
"I'm in here," Graham answers. He must have been asleep, Peeta thinks. I can still hear the sleepiness in his voice. He pours him a glass of milk and walks into the living room.
Graham's face lights up when he sees Peeta. He grins when he sees the Mallow Cups that are in Peeta's hand. "You went all the way to the Seam for me?"
"It's the only place that sells them. It's no big deal."
"Did you run into anyone?"
Peeta shrugs, waiting a moment before he says anything so he doesn't seem as excited as he feels. "I ran into Katniss Everdeen. She had to come up to help her mom."
Graham struggles to sit up, and Peeta grabs his hand to pull him up. "Is Lily, ok? Did something happen? You know I haven't been to the bakery in so long, I bet something happened—"
"Dad! Nothing is wrong. Katniss had to come up from Atlanta to help with some repairs on the house. I offered to go help her next weekend. Vick can work."
"I can go and work, too," Graham huffs.
"That depends on what the doctor says on Wednesday." Before he can say anything else, his cell starts ringing. He doesn't know the number, but he does recognize the Georgia area code. He touches the icon and says, "Hello?" as he walks outside so his dad can't hear.
"Is this Peeta?" The voice that he would know anywhere asks him.
"Hey Katniss, it's me."
She sounds relived when she says, "Hey! Mom went to work, and I need to hurry and get on the road, so I just called. Is that, ok?"
Doesn't she know that she can do anything and it would be fine with him? "You're on the road now?"
"Yeah, I just went over the state line."
"How far is it to your house?"
She chuckles this deep velvet chuckle that sends a wave of desire straight through him. "Only about an hour and a half. I actually live in Gainesville and drive into Atlanta."
"Oh, that's not bad. What do you do at the zoo?"
"Right now, I coordinate transfers and look over the Antarctic animals. The polar bears are my favorite."
He smiles when he hears the joy with a tinge of sadness in her voice, it makes him want to smile. "How long have you worked there?"
She sighs, "A couple of years now. I like it and all—"
"You are ready to come home?"
"You know, I think I am. Anyways, I think Mama needs a new roof. Until I save up some money, I'm going to have to patch it. Can you help me with that?"
"I can. When will you be back?"
"I'll head up here when I get off work on Friday. I'll talk to you then, and we'll figure out what we need for Saturday, ok?"
"That sounds good. I'll talk to you later. Be careful," he says.
"I will. Thank you Peeta. I'm glad that I ran into you."
He can't stop the grin that spreads across his face as he watches his favorite shade of orange announce the end of the day.