Author's note: I have wanted to write an AU for a while, but never had a solid idea until now. Hopefully you like reading it as much as I liked writing it. It will mostly be fluff with a little angst thrown in for variety. Please feel free to review, favorite, and follow. And come talk to me on Tumblr (booksrockmyface) if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or just want to say 'hi.'
Happy reading!
Art and Other Distractions
An Everlark AU
Chapter One
Katniss sat a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of Prim. Her sister sipped her coffee and watched as Katniss fixed her own plate.
"You remember my parent-teacher conferences are today, right?" Prim asked when she finally sat down with her own plate.
Katniss nodded. "Yes, I remember. I should be there by five, I think."
"Okay."
"Are you going to spend the afternoon with Haymitch?"
Prim made a face. "No, I think I'll just come home."
Katniss chuckled. "I'm sorry you and Effie have such differences."
"She's just so loud. In every way. What does Uncle Haymitch even see in her?"
"I don't know. But she can be really nice if you give her a chance. I've seen glimpses of something underneath all that makeup and hair."
Prim chuckled. "Maybe I'll go over there after all."
"Just make sure you call me to let me know where you'll be." They finished breakfast in silence and then headed out the door together.
"Don't work too hard, Katniss." Prim said as she got into her ancient truck. It had been their dad's and often gave her fits, but she was proud of her truck.
"Have fun with your short day, little duck." She waved from the seat of her own secondhand car. Hers had belonged to their mother and ran like a dream. Their dad had bought it for her for an anniversary gift just before his death. After that, she rarely drove anywhere. Katniss had taken over the payments after that and cared for it, getting it all the necessary maintenance and keeping it clean.
She drove to Capitol Grocery and parked at the back of the lot with the other employees. She stared at the building for several moments. She was early, as she usually was. She heaved a big sigh and pushed her car door open to take the long walk to the store. "This isn't forever." She told herself.
As she passed by the deli, her friend Madge called her over and slid a doughnut across the counter.
"I don't need that. I already had breakfast." Katniss protested.
Madge shrugged. "Live a little. It's strawberry filled. I know it's one of your favorites."
Katniss sighed and took the pastry. "Thanks, Madge."
"Any time, Katniss." She winked and walked off to help a customer.
Katniss took a bite as she made her way to the employee break room to put away her things and clock in. She finished her donut as she walked into the butcher department to fully start her day. It wasn't a necessarily horrible job, but it wasn't what she hoped to do the rest of her life. But as of right now, trying to get Prim through high school and firmly started on a path to higher education and a career, it was good enough.
"This isn't forever." She told herself again as she stepped toward the counter to help a customer.
Peeta always tried to get to school early in case there were some students in need of a little help. He always let them know that the art class room could also double as a study hall before and after hours for anyone that needed a little extra help. He had gotten his teaching degree in art, but also knew other subjects well enough. He'd excelled in high school in everything and was even valedictorian. Not that his mother thought much of it.
He was just sitting down with his cup of coffee to look over his lessons fort the day when Prim came into the room.
"Mr. Mellark, do you mind if I work on my painting for a few minutes?" She asked kindly.
He looked at his watch. "The first bell rings in twenty minutes."
"I know."
He nodded. "Go for it."
She walked to the set of easels in the corner and pulled her own out. She got her set of paints and went to work.
Finnick came in and sat a storage container of lasagna in front of Peeta. "Annie sent that for you."
"I'm perfectly capable of making my own lunch." He protested.
Finnick shrugged. "She knows you make those sandwiches every single day. And she makes lasagna enough to feed an army. So be thankful. I am because that's one less helping I have to eat."
"And where do you even put it?" Peeta teased, slapping his friend's stomach with the back of his hand.
The other man laughed. "I stay active. Which you should do. And swimming is far less impactful than anything else you could do. It'll help with that leg of yours." He looked across the room. "What are you working on, Everdeen?"
Prim didn't even look up. "The primroses that grow beside my house."
He walked over. "May I have a look?"
She looked up a moment and considered it before she nodded and went back to work.
Finnick stepped behind her and examined her painting. Peeta watched them as they spoke softly. Prim was a good artist, one of the best he taught. He was quite proud of her, even if he couldn't take the credit for her talent. He couldn't wait to meet her sister that evening and tell her.
Finnick made his way back to Peeta's desk and sat on the corner of it. "Kid's got talent."
"Yes, she does." Peeta smiled. "I understand she's also one of your best swimmers."
Finnick shrugged. "She places more often than not."
Peeta watched the girl paint a while and then asked his friend softly, "Is she doing well otherwise?"
Finnick sighed. "Annie said she's going through a bit of a rough patch. Rougher than normal. This time of year is hard."
"It is." Peeta said.
Finnick asked. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving? You going home?"
"I don't want to. I think I'm done attempting that."
"In that case, Annie wants you to join us."
Peeta nodded. "Thanks."
Finnick clapped him on the shoulder and stood. "I'll let Annie know. Put that lasagna in the fridge." He walked out just as the bell rang.
Peeta walked over as Prim cleaned out her brush and covered her paints for later. He looked at her painting. "Looks like you're almost done." He compared it to the picture she had taped to the corner of the canvas. "You need a little more detail here." He pointed to an area beside a window that had some damage to the siding. "And it looks like there's someone in the window."
"That's my mom." She said softly. "I'm going to leave her out, if that's okay."
He nodded. "That's fine. Better get to class. Don't want to be late for geometry."
She made a face as she gathered her things. "See you later, Mr. Mellark."
"Later, Prim." He pushed the easel back out of the way and walked to the front of the room for the first class.
"Damn it!" Katniss said as she looked up at the clock. She took off her gloves and walked to the sink. She told her co-worker Cato, "I have to get out of here. I have parent-teacher conferences."
Cato looked at the clock. "You still have a half hour."
"I already cleared it with Snow. And I'm working a double tomorrow anyway." She took off her apron and hung it on a hook by the door. She hosed it off and then went back to the sink to wash up again. She said a final farewell and hurried though clocking out and gathering her things from her locker.
She went home and quickly showered. She looked in the mirror and contemplated makeup, but a look at her phone told her she didn't have time. She brushed her hair and braided it. She sent a text to Haymitch. "Is Prim behaving herself? Tell her I'm heading to the school for conference."
His reply came quickly. "She's an angel, as always, sweetheart. Come over for pizza when you're done."
She replied that she would and then turned her phone on silent for the evening of talking to teachers.
All of Prim's teachers had nothing but good things to say about her. The girl's grades were at the top of everyone else in her class and she was always attentive and participated very well in discussions.
She was just about to step into the art classroom when she ran into Annie.
"Oh, hi, Katniss." She said with her ever-present smile. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. Great, actually. Prim is apparently the star student in all her classes."
Annie nodded. "She's such a smart girl, I can tell."
Katniss looked around. "Where's your son? Um… Finn?"
"With his dad. He walked over here after school. I just got rid of my last kids and came over to bring supper for them." She held up a plastic bag.
"Lucky them." Katniss chuckled. She pointed to the classroom she needed to enter. "I just have one more."
"Peeta? He's such a sweetheart. All the kids love him. Have you met him before?"
Katniss shook her head. "Prim talks about him quite a bit. She's rather impressed."
"I bet." Annie squeezed Katniss's upper arm. "I'll let you get to it. Will you be able to come to the last meet?"
"That's this weekend, isn't it?"
Annie nodded.
"I think I can make it to the last part of it."
"I hope so."
The classroom door opened and a tall young man with blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes stepped out. He smiled. "Hi, Annie. Got any of that for me?"
She laughed. "You always refuse my food."
"Only because I'm being polite." He said.
Annie reached into the bag and produced a plastic storage container. "Here."
"I was only joking." He said, even as he took it.
"I know better than to let you starve."
"I can cook."
"But you don't." She kissed his cheek. "See you later, Peeta. Bye, Katniss. Tell Prim I say hello."
"I will." Katniss said, finally tearing her eyes away from the handsome man standing in the door of the classroom.
He held out his hand as Annie walked away. "I'm Peeta Mellark, I teach art. You're Prim's sister?"
She shook his hand. "I am. Katniss."
"Katniss, please come in. I've wanted to talk with you." He walked into the classroom and indicated that she should follow. He closed the door and shuffled through a pile of sketchbooks. "Please have a seat." He found the book he was searching for and sat beside her. She noticed he walked with a slight limp and he sat stiffly. "Are you having a good evening?" He asked kindly.
She nodded. "Yes. I've heard nothing but good news."
His face dropped a little, but he nodded. "Prim is one of my best students. Her artistic talent is very definitely in the top ten of all my classes. And she's always right in the middle of our discussions. But I've become a little concerned." He opened her sketchbook. "Her sketches all show her talent, and I want you to realize that first and foremost. But the work she's turned in lately is getting…dark." He flipped through and showed the pictures to Katniss.
She took the sketchbook as she noticed what he told her was coming true. She knew this last year had been difficult, but she didn't realize that it was getting so bad for her little sister. Katniss closed the book and sat back. "I have her in therapy. We both are, actually." She chewed her lip. "I don't know if Prim tells you much, but both of our parents are dead. Our father died of injuries from a work accident when Prim was still pretty small. Our mother suffered depression for years afterward and…last year she…took her own life." Katniss let out a long breath that shook. She could feel the tears threatening, but held them back like always.
"Oh." Peeta said. "I'm so sorry."
"It's finally starting to hit her full-force, I think." Katniss continued. "Our mother was always in decent spirits around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it wasn't enough last year."
"I am so sorry." He said again.
Katniss nodded. "Thank you." She lifted the sketchbook. "And thank you for bringing me your concerns. She is getting help for it."
"I'm glad she is."
She nodded again.
"Would you like to look at the painting she's working on?"
"I would love to." She smiled and followed him to the row of easels set up at the back of the room. She went right to the painting without him pointing it out. "Our dad named her for these flowers." She smiled. "She's fantastic."
"She is." Peeta said. "And she's lucky to have you."
Katniss turned around. "And you, Mr. Mellark."
"I'd like you to call me Peeta."
"Peeta." She smiled. She looked at her phone. "I should be going. I'm sure you have other parents waiting."
"Probably." He watched her moment. He held out his hand. "It was nice meeting you, Katniss."
She shook his hand. "And you, Peeta."