I'M SORRY! Ugh, look how long this went without an update! God, I need to focus more. I've been on Tumblr a lot so sorry about the wait but I how you like this chappy.


Three days to get settled in, Mr. Mellark had told me this shortly after finding me and Peeta in the closet, and as soon as that time is up I'm required to work in the bakery. That's the deal, the Mellark's put me back on track and I thank them by baking.

Which, it turns out, I'm not very good at.

Peeta takes on the job of being my teacher, which means we'll be seeing each other a lot more. Today, with only one day left for goofing off, Peeta forces me to learn the "proper" way to frost a cupcake.

"Katniss!" He gets my attention, waving the frosting bag in front of my face until I shove it away.

"What?"

"You weren't listening to me." He pouts, then I notice the small baked treat sitting on the counter with a picture perfect point of pink butter-cream on top. A minute ago it had been bare, I must have missed his lesson.

"Peeta," I sigh his name, "It's a cupcake, who cares about how the stupid butter-cream looks. Everyone eats that stuff first anyway."

"Katniss," He mocks the way I said his name, " This bakery is known for perfection."

"Well I'm known for imperfection." I smirk, because this statement could not be truer. In school, my projects were and still are horrible and I can't even try something that requires skill. Archery is different, that's talent.

Peeta lets out a huff of annoyance, sending his bangs up and away from his eyes, I can't help but stare. "Katniss, you have to at least try."

"Nope, I'm not into cooking. Never have and never will." I tell him, snatching up his perfect cupcake and taking a very un-ladylike bite.

~BMT~

Turns out I was wrong, because the next day I'm watching Peeta pound dough and find it very distracting each time his arm flexes, showing off muscles that normally are hidden. Also it seems as if tight white tee-shirts are a favorite of his while doing this job.

Yes, I have started to form a fondness for baking... Or maybe the baker.

I shake my head, walking away from the kitchen door so I'm not caught watching him like an idiot. I find myself in the front of a tray of cupcakes, Peeta had made them special for me to practice, and I haven't frosted a single one.

Giving up on watching Peeta, I pick up the icing bag filled with baby blue frosting and get to work. The first two look like crap, but the third looks have decent. But this is Mellark Bakery, they need perfection. I roll my eyes.

The uneven footsteps echo in the empty kitchen then stop, I glance over my shoulder and-

Damn. Wait, make that hot damn.

Peeta's by the oven, the glowing fire from inside making him sweat a bit before he grabs the towel on his belt and wipes it away. I can't even focus on his hands but instead every other thing about him. His eyes and the way the blue has reflections of flames in them, Peeta's broad chest and how it moves a little with every movement of his arms...

"Katniss?" It's Rye, snapping me back to reality and making me turn my head away to see him leaning against the door frame leading to the front of the shop, "See something you like?"

"No..." I reply before following his line of vision to see I had squeezed the icing bag too hard and covered the whole cupcake in too much butter-cream. "Oh..."

Rye laughs, causing Peeta to glance over at us. "Maybe you'd do better in the front."

I follow Rye toward the line of waiting customers, but before we leave I can't help but notice the jealous look Peeta gives to his older brother.

~BMT~

The bed in my room seems so much softer after standing all day, dealing with rude customers and nagging kids begging for free samples. I never thought I'd prefer frosting cupcakes to taking orders.

Dinner was nice, lamb stew with mashed potatoes that Peeta made. Rye kept his mouth shut under the watchful eye of Mr. Mellark, but I couldn't help but feel that they saw me differently, did they know why I was such a freak? Did that Effie tell them?

A pang of hurt hit me when I realize that Peeta may know. The only person to treat me as normal could have known this whole time, maybe he just felt guilty that I was alone in my hometown, is that why he talked to me?

I shake my head of negative thoughts, Peeta was too nice to do that. Sleep comes even easier tonight as my eyes close and I grow to regret even getting in bed when the nightmare starts.

I was running, running until my legs hurt as I looked around for a tree to climb. He was close behind, following me like I followed my game. I held her breath as she grabbed the lowest branch, pulling myself up. Before reaching to climb higher a hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me down to the forest floor.

His breath was unsettling as he exhaled into my ear, arm wrapped around my waist and holding me close. The drunken man's other hand roamed around as I fought to stop him, but just as his hand reached the zipper-

"Katniss?"

His quiet, concerned filled voice broke me out of the hellish nightmare, calling out like a lighthouse in the storm. At first I'm stunned, the image of Cray has melted into darkness and I hear Peeta say my name again.

When I open my eyes, their met with a pair of blue ones that seem to glow in the dark room, Peeta blonde hair is messy and he looks like he just woke up. I blink twice, unsure if he's really there or not but both times I open my eyes and see his worried face.

"I was walking pass your door to get some water when I heard you talking... Katniss, are you ok?"

I nod, "Yeah, just a nightmare." I tend to mumble in my sleep, it would wake Prim up when she was a baby, which makes me wonder what he heard.

Peeta still doesn't seemed convinced, He starts shuffling his feet over to the door, "Ok... I'll just go back to bed then."

A feeling of dread washes over me and before I can think the words pour from my mouth, "Wait!" he turns back to me and raises a pale eyebrow, "Don't go."

"Really?" He's surprised, I nod again slowly. I make room for him on the bed, laying face up as he crawls in next to me. "What if somebody sees us?"

I pause, what if somebody did see us? Would Mr. Mellark send me packing? He doesn't seem like that kind of man. I shudder thinking about returning home, I've only been here a couple of days and I already don't want to go back. "Don't leave." I blurt out, cursing how I cannot control my words, "Stay with me."

I can tell Peeta's smiling when he replies, "Always."


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