Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. But if I did, it would probably involve a lot of eating instead of a lot of killing. Cause I love food.
Author's Note: I know everyone's probably thinking This isn't a Harry Potter story! Well, you're right. Turns out I read other books, too. This is my first try at a Hunger Games fanfic, so be a little nice =P The beginning of this story takes place one year before the reaping in the first book. It also features a slightly bolder Peeta - the way I think he should have been written to begin with. Basically, he's just not such a whimp. It's rated T, but consider it a STRONG T. I certainly don't think it needs to be rated M, but there will be language and sexual activity in this story. Could possibly change to M later. Anyway, give it a try. We'll meet up at the end.
Katniss
The melodious birdsongs that drift over the forest-green pines; the rustle of a rabbit as it scurries through the brush; the soft snap of a twig as my foot treads across it – I know that this is where I belong. I inhale deeply, the scent of bark and pine needles wafting through my senses, and close my eyes. It's here that I thrive. I am at one with these woods – I can relate to the mockingjay that flies free over the land far better than I could any person. The woods are my sanctuary – they are devoid of people…
"Hey Catnip!"
Well, except for one. But Gale might as well be classified as a part of the woods as well. My eyes flutter open to see his tall, handsome figure weaving through the trees toward me. I'm not surprised that he's here – this is our spot. I smile at him as he nears me, and he smiles back. I know that we're both thinking the same thing.
One more year.
One more year to hunt. One more year to provide for our families, so that they don't starve through the winter. One more year to live.
The reaping took place yesterday. And Gale and I are still here. It's a sad kind of happiness, because District 12 still sent their sacrifices off to the Capitol to face their certain deaths. But it wasn't us. That was reason enough to be thankful.
One more year.
"Catch anything?" I ask.
"Did I catch anything?" he repeats sarcastically and tosses his game bag on the ground. It lands with a heavy thump that causes me to grin. "You doubted me?" he responds.
"Never. How many?"
"Just a couple squirrels," he shrugs, crouching down. "And a rabbit. And of course some strawberries. You?"
"Two turkeys," I inform him. "But they're small."
"They'll still sell."
I nod, and reach down to grab my bow from where and quiver and proceed to hide them in a hollow log. "We should get going," I say, looking at Gale. "We should get the squirrels to the baker's before it gets too late."
Gale agrees and stuffs his catches back in his bag. He rises and takes the lead, and I follow him back to the fence. Anyone else might get lost in the woods, but Gale and I know our way. We don't get lost.
The fence looms before us in no time, and we cross it easily. My trained eyes scan the surrounding area for peacekeepers, but there are none. Half of them trade with us, anyway.
We cross the meadow on the far side of town and pick up a jog, loping in the direction of the merchant's shops. People are still bustling about in front of the bakery. Gale and I brush past them and slip unnoticed down the back alleyway. We reach the back entrance to the bakery and Gale's knuckles rap on the door.
We have to wait for a moment, but it eventually swings open. Gale nods in greeting and steps inside. I follow him and turn to say hello to the baker as I pass him – except it isn't the baker. It's him.
The boy with the bread.
I hesitate as his blue eyes meet mine, and he offers me a smile. "Katniss," he says, a friendly tone to his voice. I don't return his greeting. I nod at him like Gale did and rush past, standing a little closer to Gale than I normally would. Gale is safe.
Gale looks down at me as my arm bumps against his, raising an eyebrow, and I avert my gaze. I hear the door that we entered through click closed, and all too soon he's standing right in front of me. I turn my head to glance around the bakery, feigning interest in the sugar cookies to my right.
In reality, I'm looking at anything but Peeta Mellark.
Thankfully, Gale does the talking. "Is Mr. Mellark around?"
I see Peeta shake his head and run a hand through his messy blonde hair out of the corner of my eye. "He had to run to the tailors. Just left a few minutes ago. Do you have squirrels?"
"Four," Gale informs him.
"Just lay them on the table next to you," Peeta responds, pointing at a surface to our right before turning and stepping further into the kitchen. By the time Gale's dispensed the game on the table, Peeta is pushing a paper bag into his hands. "Here you go."
Gale's eyes widen the moment the bag touches his hands. "These are warm." My eyebrows rise in surprise. The baker never traded us for warm bread – I wouldn't expect him to, because freshly baked bread is more expensive.
"Bread's better when it's warm," Peeta responds simply, and I can't tell if he's being sarcastic.
Gale doesn't seem to think that it's funny, and frowns. "We can't take this. It's not a fair trade. Stale bread is fine."
"The squirrels are fatter than usual," Peeta shrugged, meeting Gale's gaze.
Gale doesn't argue, because he knows that it's true. He passes the paper bag to me and places a hand on my back, guiding me toward the door. "Thanks," he says, nodding once more to Peeta.
Peeta returns the gesture. "Anytime. Dad wouldn't want to pass up a chance to trade for squirrel." I risk a glance over my shoulder at him, and he cracks a smile. "Thanks Gale. Katniss." His eyes meet mine again as he says my name. "I'll see you around." And with that, he retreats into the kitchen. My gaze lingers for a moment on his back, but I quickly turn and escape the bakery through the back door.
The moment we're in the alley once more, Gale grabs my arm and spins me toward him. "What was that about?" I know he's questioning my strange actions within the bakery.
"Nothing," I respond, shaking my head. I turn away from him, and he knows he won't get anything out of me. I hear him sigh and follow me.
The truth is I can't tell Gale. I tell Gale everything, but I just can't tell him about the boy with the bread. Nobody but me will ever know that Peeta Mellark saved my life. I was cold and starving, and a twelve year old Peeta risked the wrath of his mother to feed me. I still don't know why he did it, but I owe him more than I'll ever be able to give.
Why is it, then, that I can't even say two words to him? I have a few theories, of course. They all revolve around the fact that I hate owing anybody anything. I hate accepting help. And I've owed Peeta Mellark for the past four years without offering him so much as a thank you. Sometimes I wonder if he even remembers. I don't like him or detest him, but being around him hurts my pride.
I focus again on the present, and look at Gale. "I'm going to Madge's. Do you want to swap bags? The mayor probably wants the strawberries. And I think he likes rabbits."
"Good idea," he agrees. His hand reaches over and grabs the strap of my bag, lifting it over my head. A split second later, his own bag is draped over my right shoulder. I grin at him and we walk the rest of the way in silence. We reach a fork in the road, and after a quick goodbye Gail takes the left road, toward the Seam, and I take the right.
Before long, the Mayor's house looms before me. It's large, easily the most impressive building in District 12 aside from the Justice Building. I make my way to the door and knock. It opens instantly to reveal a thin figure with long, blonde hair and a bright smile.
"Katniss!" Madge exclaims, opening the door wider. "Come on in. I was starting to wonder if you were still coming."
I return her smile easily. Madge is one of the few people that evoke such a positive response from me. She's the only girl that I'm friends with. Well, actually, aside from Gale she's the only person that I'm friends with. I'm not complaining, of course. Madge and I get along really well, even if she is a little more giddy than me.
"I brought you strawberries," I say as I step into the house. "And a rabbit."
"Oh, wonderful!" she says, brushing past me into the kitchen. "Just set them there on the counter – no, not the rabbit!" I watch in amusement as she opens a cupboard and pulls out a roll of paper. She rips a piece off and lays it down on the counter. "Put the rabbit there."
I comply, emptying my bag, and then follow her into the sitting room. I know that she'll repay me for the food before I leave. I take a seat on one of the soft armchairs, curling my legs beneath me and Madge doesn't hesitate to sit on the floor in front of me with her back resting against the chair.
"Braid my hair," she demands, causing me to laugh.
"A bit bossy, aren't we?" I tease her.
She turns her head to grin at me. "Well, I am the mayor'sdaughter. You have to listen to me. Now, braid!"
I almost roll my eyes as she tilts her head back so that her hair falls into my lap. "Fine," I say, feigning a sigh. My hands reach forward and take hold of a few sections of silky, golden hair near her forehead. "But no complaints if I pull too hard."
"Fair enough!" she says, smiling. We sit in silence for a while, my hands working in a weaving motion through her hair. It's not as intricate as my mother's braiding, but it still looks nice. Although I'm not sure if Madge's hair could look anything but nice, no matter what I do to it. It shines and sparkles, and complements her blue eyes perfectly.
"Did you know them?" My hands still in response to the question. Madge inclines her head a few inches, and I can see that she isn't smiling now. I know that she's referring to the tributes that were reaped yesterday.
"The boy," I say quietly as I return to deftly braiding Madge's hair. "I've never talked to him, but he's in Prim's… Prim's class…"
I trail off, thinking of my little sister. She's eleven yet, so her name wasn't in the reaping yesterday. Next year, that won't be the case. I can't even bear to think about it.
"He's only twelve," I continue, my voice gaining an edge of anger. "He'll be slaughtered."
Madge nods, remaining silent. I hear her sigh, and I know she feels the same. "It's a shame," she finally says. Her voice is tense, and I feel connected to her in that moment. She's a good person. "I'm sorry I brought it up," she says. "There's nothing we can do about it, now. Let's talk about something more pleasant."
More pleasant… it almost makes me laugh. What could possibly be pleasant in a world that forces children to fight to the death? It's not just an execution – it's torture. I keep my thoughts to myself, and focus more diligently on Madge's hair. She accepts the silence easily. That's part of the reason I like her.
Finally, I tie off the end of the braid and observe my handiwork. It's not the same as my braid, and only makes use of the hair on the top half of her head. The rest still hangs loose. I'm surprised at how nice it looks. "All done," I say.
Madge immediately springs up and rushes to the nearest mirror. "Oh, Katniss!" she exclaims from across the room. Her enthusiasm makes me smile.
"It didn't turn out half bad," I agree.
"Half bad?" she scoffs, returning to me. "It's beautiful!"
"I'm glad you like it."
She returns to me and takes a seat in the armchair next to mine, crossing one leg over the other. "Katniss, can I tell you something?"
My first reaction is concern. What does she need to tell me? Are we in some kind of trouble? My panic fades instantly as I see the excited expression on her face. I furrow my brow slightly in confusion, but say, "Of course."
"If I tell you, will you take it seriously?"
"Why wouldn't I?" I ask, tilting my head curiously at her.
"Because it's… oh, Katniss, it's about a boy – don't you dare laugh, either!"
"A boy?" I repeat, looking at her like she'd grown two heads. I must have heard her wrong. Madge is like me. She doesn't talk about boys.
"Yes, a boy," she said, wringing her hands gently together.
I hadn't heard her wrong. Talking about boys… well, talking about boys in that way, is far outside of my comfort zone. But, Madge has been such a good friend to me over the years, so I have no choice but to respond. "Which one?"
I see a grin spread across her face as I begrudgingly continue the conversation. "Rye Mellark."
I'm caught off guard by the sound of Mellark, but quickly recover. I know that Peeta has two brothers. Rye is Gale's age. I find my voice. "Really? Rye?"
"Yes. Rye," she confirms, nodding her head.
"I didn't know that you and Rye talked," I say to her, raising an eyebrow.
She gives me a slightly distressed look. "Well, that's just it… we don't. Not really. I mean, of course I've spoken to him before, but not for more than a few minutes."
"Then how do you know that you like him?" I ask her, frowning. I'm surprised to find that I'm actually interested in the answer to this question.
"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "He's always been nice when I've bumped into him. He's really funny, too! Not to mention, he's nice to look at." She finished her sentence with a giggle. I think I'm still staring at her like she has two heads. "Oh, come on, Katniss!" she says. "You mean to tell me that you've never found anyone attractive? What about Gale?"
"Gale's my friend," I protest.
"That doesn't mean you can't think he's attractive," she points out. I don't respond, though I know that she's right. She shakes her head incredulously at me. "Well, anyway," she says, brushing forward in the conversation. "I only brought all this up because I need to ask you a favor."
"You need to ask me a favor about Rye?" I question. I can't see where this is going.
"Yes," she says simply. "I want to ask Rye over. Will you come?"
"Me, you and Rye?" I say doubtfully. I may be a little socially awkward, but I know enough to realize that wouldn't be much fun for any of us.
"Of course not," she said, laughing. "I was hoping you could bring Gale, too."
"Gale doesn't like Rye," I respond quickly, before she can get ahead of herself. "They don't get along at all."
"Really?" she says questioningly. "I didn't know that. Why don't they like each other?"
"I'm not really sure," I shrug. "Gale always calls him an ass when he gets brought up. They ignore each other when we trade at the bakery."
"Oh," she says, her face falling slightly. "I was really hoping that you'd be able to come. I'd be a lot more comfortable with you there."
"I'm sorry, Madge." And I really am. I wouldn't have minded, if Gale was there.
It's only a moment before her eyes light up again, and I brace myself for what she's about to say. I have an odd feeling it won't be to my liking.
"Katniss…" she says slowly, looking into my eyes. Yep, she's definitely going to ask me to do something that I won't want to do. She knows it. She goes on anyway. "Why don't you still join us? Just bring a different boy – "
"No way, Madge," I respond quickly, shaking my head. "First of all, there isn't a single boy that I'm comfortable around other than Gale. Second of all, there isn't a single boy that's comfortable around me except Gale."
I see her smile. Apparently I haven't managed to deter her. "There has to be someone," she says, touching a finger to her cheek in thought. Suddenly, her grin widens. "I know!" she exclaims. "Katniss, what about Peeta?"
I feel myself freeze at her suggestion. "Absolutely not," I say. That cannot happen.
"But why not?" she asks, her eyes meeting mine. "What's wrong with Peeta? I think it's a great idea! Peeta's one of my friends, Katniss. He's Rye's brother and he's a really nice guy. Not to mention he's quite the looker." She doesn't giggle like she did when describing Rye. "And he gets along with just about anyone. He even talks to you sometimes."
"Barely," I respond, trying my best to escape the corner she's backing me into. "Only when I trade with the baker."
"Katniss," she says firmly, reaching over the arm of her chair to grab my hand. "Katniss, I'm begging you. Please, please do this for me! Just this once, and I swear I'll never ask you for anything ever again."
I can't believe Madge is doing this to me. I shoot her my most lethal glare, but I know it's no use. She'll just pester me until I say yes. With a frustrated sigh, I begrudgingly admit defeat.
"I can't believe you're going to make me do this," I growl, ripping my hand away from her and crossing my arms across my chest.
Her eyes widen as she realizes that I've surrendered. "Thank you, Katniss!" she exclaims, grinning from ear to ear. "It won't be so bad, I promise. You might be surprised. Maybe you'll even have fun… imagine that – you actually having fun for once."
I send her another glare, although I know she's teasing. Part of me is petrified that I've gotten pulled into this situation. Seeing Peeta outside of trading and school is the most terrible idea, yet Madge is going to make it happen. "When?" I ask her, my voice still grumpy.
"After school on Friday!" she says happily. "I'll cook us a meal. Maybe we'll watch a movie on the projector. It will be fun, Katniss, you'll see."
"Wonderful."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alright! Anyone make it this far? I hope so! I had fun writing this, and I'm looking forward to continuing it. This chapter seemed pretty basic, but I assure you there will be much Peeta/Katniss to come! If you enjoyed it, hated it, or are somewhere in the middle, please REVIEW and let me know what you think! It's not that hard, and it really helps me become better as a writer. Plus, it absolutely makes my day to read your reviews, because I'm weird like that. So yeah, REVIEW!
I'll let you guys go now. See you next chapter. Happy Reading!
