Wade watched as the short procession of little boys marched along in front of him.

Flax in the lead, carrying the parcel of baked good for Wade's mother and Rye trotted directly behind him, waving around a long stick that Wade assumed he was using as a sword. Bringing up the rear, one year old Peeta waddled quickly behind them, his arms flailing as he struggled to keep his balance.

He smiled as he watched his sons, chuckling as he saw how Peeta battled to keep up with the older boys. Peeta had only just begun walking and already he was scrambling to run.

Already, Peeta was full of independence.

"Slow down guys!" Wade called to the boys. "It's not a race you know!"

Flax slowed obediently, but Rye, who wasn't a fan of following orders, called back to his father in his small, three year old voice.

"Awww, but dadddyyy, we getted cookies at Gramma's house!"

Rye stuck out his lower lip in a pout and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly he didn't agree with his father's command.

Pulling up alongside his sons, Wade swung Peeta up in his arms, being rewarded with a squeal of delight as he did. Walking over to where Rye stood, planted in defiance, he ruffed the little boy's wispy blond hair.

"Don't worry Rye, we're still going to Grandma's, we just need to take it a little slower – not everybody had big boy legs like you."

Rye looked up at his little brother where he sat perched in his father's arms and frowned. Glancing down at the ground, he kicked idly at a pebble with the toe of his shoe, mumbling under his breath.

"He sure is takin' a long time to grow."

Wade chuckled, setting Peeta back down on the ground when he squirmed, shaking his head slowly.

Flax, all of six years old, clutched his parcel tightly, using his free arm to pat Rye's slumping shoulder.

"You used to be a real little guy too Rye – didn't he daddy!"

Wade nodded in agreement as they started out walking again, Rye dragging his stick in the dirt.

"You can teach him how to wrestle when he's bigger Rye," Said Flax, still trying to convince the boy that Peeta wasn't half bad at all.

Rye perked up then, grinning, albeit a little mischievously, at the little boy toddling alongside him.

"Yeaaah," He said slowly. "When he getses bigger, I can wrestle him, and I'll be the winner!"

Wade hoped he wouldn't get any ideas; after all, Peeta was still a little too young for wrestling.

By the time they small procession reached their destination, Rye was complaining that his feet hurt and Peeta had pointed out every dog in District 12 exclaiming "Puppy!". Wade had never been happier to see his mother.

Beckoning the Mellark men indoors, she proceeded to kiss every one of them, taking Peeta in her arms and kissing his plumb cheeks.

"They're all getting so big!" She said merrily, bouncing Peeta on her hip, trying to keep her grip on him as he wriggled in her arms.

"This little guy's kind feisty don't you think Wade?" She said as Peeta grabbed at the eye glasses that hung around her neck.

Moving into the kitchen, Ceely Mellark gratefully accepted the parcel of baked good, setting the boys down at the long kitchen table as she presented each one with a small glass of milk, placing a tray of rose water cookies in front of them.

"Thank you Grandma!" Said Flax excitedly, taking a large cookie from the tray.

"You're very much welcome Flaxie."

Across the table, Wade stood behind Rye as he eagerly munched away at his first cookie, his second already in hand. Nudging his son gently, Wade nodded towards his mother.

"Uh – fanks Gramma!" Said Rye, struggling to annunciate around his mouthful of food.

"You're very welcome Rye-guy."

Ceely laughed good-naturedly as she poured herself and her son a cup of black coffee. She kept Peeta perched on her hip, and the happy baby gnawed away at a small cookie of his own, now completely content to remain where he was.

Taking his mug in hand, Wade followed his mother into the sitting room, sinking down into a faded calico arm chair. His mother taking a seat on the couch, and she sifted Peeta in her arms, careful not to spill her coffee as she sifted him into a sitting position on her lap.

"I saw Eva today."

Wade almost choked on his coffee, burning his tongue in the process.

He sputtered.

"W-what do you mean you saw her?" He asked, still choking and sputtering as he did.

"She – she came to see me Wade – you know it's been hard for her since her mother died. She needed to talk to someone who'd known her."

Wade stared down into the swirling blackness in his cup, wondering what to say next, wondering if there was anything he could say.

"She could've talked to me." He whispered, trying to fight back the sudden rush of emotion that Eva's name had brought him.

His mother saw his pain, reaching out across to him, placing her hand on his knee as Peeta smacked his lips, licked crumbs from them.

"You know she couldn't Wade, you know that."

This truth hurt more than anything else, he knew that things would never be the same between the two of them again. Maybe it was best for everyone if he put all memories of the friendship and the closeness they'd once shared behind him.

"She asked after you son, she wanted to know if you were alright."

Wade felt a wave of anger flash through his mind.

"Why did she care, she got what she wanted." He said bitterly, hating the way the words felt on his tongue.

"Stop it Wade," Said his mother, moving back from him as she handed Peeta another cookie.

"That's not fair – you know it is. I remember you telling me you wanted Eva to be happy, now she is Wade…"

She paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not to continue.

"… You know she's happier with him that she ever could have been in Town."

Her words felt like a slap to Wade's face. Although they'd only just arrived, Wade stood, grabbing Peeta from her arms. He called to the boys in the kitchen, who, needless to say, were less than pleased about leaving early.

"Thank you for sharing mother," he said briskly. "But I don't need you to tell me how much better off Eva is without me."

Gathering his sons to him, Wade quickly said goodbye to his mother before stalking off through the front door and heading back in the direction of the bakery.

"Daddy?" Asked Flax innocently. "We just got there, why'd we have to go?"

'I've got work to do back at the bakery son."

Flax didn't question him, but Rye spoke up, although his question had little to do with their early exit from Wade's mother's.

"Why're you walking so fast daddy," Rye asked, genuine confusion in his voice. "I thought you said it wasn't a race?"

Wade slowed then, exhaling deeply, feeling the tension slip from his body. His sons had that effect on him, no matter what had gone wrong, no matter how loud his wife yelled, his sons could always make him forget – if just for a little while – all of his troubles. And while Eva may be gone from him forever, he had his sons because of it.

"I'm sorry buddy, I forgot – silly me huh?"

Rye laughed then, Flax joining him and even Peeta, with his high pitched baby squeal, laughed as well.

Even after they stopped laughing, Peeta still giggled amiably, waving his arms and pulling at his father's hair in his glee.

"You don't even know what you're laughing at, do you Peet?" Said Wade.

This only earned him more giggling from his sons, and Wade shook his head.

The bakery was just ahead and he could hear his wife already, yelling at no one imparticular.

Instead of stopping once he reached the bakery, Wade walked on, with two puzzled boys trailing along behind him.

"Where're we going daddy?" Flax asked.

"I don't know," said Wade. "Let's just see where we end up."

"Yeah!" yelled Rye. "An aventure! We gonna be esplorers!"

"Splore!" Yelled Peeta, babbling away and screeching with excitement as they walked on, past the bakery and through Town.


For those of you who haven't read my story "Before the Mockingjay", Eva is Katniss' mother. Also, what would you guys think of a story in Peeta's POV based on his childhood, about what his life was like before The Games? Would you read it? Let me know what you think!