Disclaimer for the rest of the story: I don't own the Hunger Games Trilogy. If I did, I would be rich and very, very happy.
Alrighty then. I hate having to do the disclaimer so that's it. Anyways, I've always wanted to see more of Peeta as a more intelligent person (bad ass and such) and as such, The Silver Tongue of the Boy with the Bread was born. I will be incorporating elements of both the book and the movie as well as my own ideas, so don't be surprised if there are discrepancies.
And yes. This will be in the POV of Peeta. I will switch it with Katniss at odd times though, just to keep you on your toes.
Hope you enjoy. Reading is appreciated, reviews are returned with thanks, etc.
Chapter 1 – The Beginning
It's still dark when I wake. Still half asleep, I stumble through my room and to the basin of water set out for me last night and dunk my entire head in. The freezing cold water shocks me awake. It's almost time for the reaping, so I don't have to work in the bakery until later. I know I have to hurry.
Quickly, I pull on a t-shirt, a thick sweater and head out the door. Sprinting towards the other side of town, towards the Seam, I see that more and more people seem to populate the streets. I stick to the shadows as I run.
The sight of the fence greets me and I lean close, listening for the tell-tale hum that signals that the electricity is on. When I am sure it is off, I lean down and start digging. It takes me a minute of crawling through the dirt, but I eventually get to the other side and haul myself up. Now fully awake, I look around for the hiding spot I picked specifically so she wouldn't see me.
It's only a tree, but the side facing the other side of the fence had a small opening, invisible really, and I dug into it until it was hollow. It was getting a little tight though. Maybe I should consider finding another tree.
I sit there, waiting patiently, thinking about her dark hair, olive skin and stormy grey eyes. And here she comes. I always perk up when I see her.
Katniss Evergreen. The girl of my dreams if you asked me. The girl of my everything is more the truth.
Grabbing the dagger I keep hidden there for just this purpose, I begin to get up. The ritual I started all those years ago when her father had died. To keep her safe at all costs.
My normally heavy steps quiet to a whisper as I let myself go. A hunter. That's the real me. My normally innocent sky blue eyes turn sharp and dangerous as I focus on my task. Follow and observe but never act unless absolutely necessary.
I stalk around her as she runs and notice what she's after. A deer. It was a big one. I see her pull and arrow and I wince.
"Check the wind Katniss. You're upwind." I whisper, knowing she would never hear me.
A yell startles me and instinctively, I turn and melt back into the comforting dark of the woods. My eyes narrow. It's Gale Hawthorne. As much as I loathe it, he is probably the only person closer to Katniss than Primrose, her sister. I calm myself as thoughts of him and Katniss burn through my mind, finding comfort in the fact that she probably only thought of him as a close friend or brother.
Glancing at them, I decide that it's time to leave. I let my eyes rove over Katniss taking in everything. Thoughts of what lay underneath her clothing plague me and I tear myself away, but not before see her pin a bird with an arrow.
Walking through the forest calms me, but I know that I have to return to being the boy everyone knew. The up class child with perfect manners and innocent eyes. I roll my shoulders, strolling back to my hiding place and the fence. My steps fall heavier and less careful. A cacophony of sounds follow footfalls.
That's when I hear it. The loud whir of one of the capitols flying ships. And judging by the distance of the sound, it was headed straight for Katniss.
Instantly, my body tenses. I am the hunter again and my body no longer runs across the forest floor, but glides across it. I race to where Katniss is, my heart beating so loudly in my ears I doubt that it couldn't be heard back in the Seam. Taking in every detail, I sag in relief as I see the ship continuing on and Katniss and Gale in the field.
Once again I slink away; never seen, never heard.
The sun is still low when I step back into my house. Silently, I cross over the boards, avoiding the creaking boards that I had by now, fully memorized. I reach my the door of my room when I see him. My father, and I know that the charade is up.
Dad is the only one who knows who I really am. What I can become.
He looks at me with questioning eyes. I love it, that he never judges me, only ever asking what I did.
"So, where were you this morning? Or do I have to guess?" He stares at me knowingly. I keep silent. "How is Katniss anyways. I haven't seen her in a while. That Hawthorne boy was in here earlier though. Gave me squirrel for a loaf."
The corners of my lips quirk slightly. My dad is always doing that when dealing with the Seam. Giving out bread for the smallest game or most useless trinkets in return. "I like them" he says. I don't believe him. My father is the most generous caring man I know and it probably kills him to see people like those who live on the Seam.
I'm back now. The Peeta everyone knows. My father frowns as the mask situates itself back onto my face.
"Well," he says, "better get dressed. The reaping's starting soon. Same excuse as usual?"
I nod. I was baking with him all day. That's the story and that's how it happened. Soon, the house was a bustle with movement as my mother and brothers woke up. Breakfast was started and clothes were thrown all over the place in dreadful anticipation. Since I'm already dressed, I quickly finish my breakfast and head out for a walk.
My mind wandered as my feet took over. "Hello"s and "Thank you very much"s and "I'm sorry"s left my mouth automatically as I think. I think of many things. Truthfully though, all of them somehow brings my mind back to Katniss. The sun reminds me of her olive skin, the sky reminds me of her eyes, the people around me reminds me of how I love her more than anyone else and the earth reminds me of her immovable will.
By the time I am lifted out of my musings, I realize that I have reached the Everdeen house. Looking at the shabby shack that my love calls home pains me. I wish that she could have better. I wish that I could give her everything, but I can't.
I glance around and no one seems to be on the street, so carefully, I lift myself onto a windowsill and peek in. My face turns red and instantly I duck down. Apparently, that window led to her room and she just got out of the bath. Images of her nude body hammer my mind. I only saw her from the back though and the devil on my shoulder whispers to me ' come on, another look won't hurt'. Of course, this is after he kicked the angel's ass and threw him off my shoulder.
My head finds it's way back to the window and I indulge in a little guilty pleasure. My eyes bore into her body so much that I'm surprised that she doesn't turn around and find me.
Following the curve of her skin, I gaze at the smooth, flawless skin of her arms, back and legs that certainly doesn't belong to a hunter, down to her calloused hands. The curve of her back flowed gently into her ass and I can't stop my mouth from watering and my cock from hardening. I know how awkward I must look, staring into window with a noticeable hard on, but I can't seem to muster up the will to care. All I thought about was how much I'd love to get my hands on her.
Her dress now on, I jump down and begin to walk away, trying my best to hide my now prominent erection from the children now beginning to flood the street.
I walk towards the reaping thinking 'this is gonna be a good day.'
That's it for the first chapter. Sorry it's kind of short, but I need to get a handle onto this. Since I have so much school to do, there might not be many updates but reviews will help the cause. Next one will probably be up soon after my exams. Thanks for reading.
~Ray-Sama