AN: As promised, Outtake 1. Peeta's POV. I wrote this for Everlark Birthday Drabbles on Tumblr to celebrate jbsaucy's birthday.
The numbers in the text indicate Peeta's age.
Hope you enjoy.
Weekend Getaway (Peeta's POV)
Peeta Mellark was 17 the first time he saw Katniss Everdeen.
He was manning the bakery's counter when the door opened up, and five-year-old Katniss walked in, followed by her dad. A fragment of their conversation trailed behind them.
"And then the teacher asked if anyone knew the Valley song," she explained, "and I shot my hand right up!"
Mr. Everdeen chuckled. "Alright, settle down. We're here for your treat. Why don't you tell the boy what you want?"
Shyly, Katniss turned her attention to Peeta.
The teenager smiled at the silver-eyed girl, who wore a red plaid dress and was practically bouncing with excitement. "Hey there!" he greeted, "What can I get you?"
"I'd like a sugar cookie, please," the young girl asked in a soft, polite tone.
"Sure thing! Which one would you like? I've got dandelions, daisies, violets, and daffodils," he offered, pointing at the frosted cookies in the display case.
Katniss's eyes widened in appreciation. "Did you make these?"
Proudly, Peeta answered, "Yep."
"Wow!" the awestruck girl exclaimed, furrowing her brow as she seriously considered her options. A moment later, her face broke into a smile, and she pointed to the cookie with the dandelion frosting. "This one, please."
"Great choice!" Peeta retrieved the chosen cookie and carefully wrapped it in the bakery's blue tissue paper.
"Thank you," Katniss whispered shyly as he handed the parcel to her.
Mr. Everdeen paid for the treat, thanked Peeta for his help, and guided his daughter to the door.
They were almost out of the bakery when Peeta heard Katniss ask, "Daddy, can dandelion cookies make wishes come true?"
Peeta chuckled to himself and wondered what kind of wish the girl was about to make.
23
Peeta was back behind the counter, forcefully wiping it in an attempt to release his pent up frustrations.
It seemed that no matter how far he went or how much he did he couldn't escape his mother's discontent.
He had foolishly thought she'd be pleased by his new job. But, as usual, Constance Mellark wasn't satisfied. She had rolled her eyes at her son's new accomplishment and asked if he was still available to watch over the bakery during Easter break.
Suddenly, the front door swung open. A gust of cold wind spilled into the room, bringing with it a freezing Madge with a shivering Katniss Everdeen in tow.
Peeta immediately snapped into action, pulling a couple of stools to the counter while his 11-year-old cousin and her friend removed their coats.
It wasn't until the girls were beginning to warm up that he noticed Katniss's extreme pallor. The bright eyes he remembered from her childhood days were sunken and dull, lined by the darkest circles he had ever seen. The girl's once luscious hair looked brittle and thin.
His heart ached as he remembered reading about the explosion which had caused so much pain a few weeks back. Busy with work, and living two districts over, he hadn't considered the individuals who had been lost. And now, faced with this fatherless child, he knew there was nothing he could do that would ever make things right.
Determined to help, if only for a day, he filled the girl's plate with all the pastries he could think of.
He was talking to Madge when Katniss bit into one of the cheese buns he had laid in front of her and smiled. It was a brief moment of bliss which filled his heart with joy and made all of his troubles fade away.
28
Madge's birthday parties were always a big production. As the only child of the town's mayor, she was expected to throw lavish feasts, and mingle with the guests.
Peeta knew his cousin hated these events.
Sober and shy, Madge would have preferred to spend her birthdays hanging out with a handful of friends and family members. Unfortunately, she was only 16, and she didn't really have a choice.
As Madge's best friend, Katniss was always in attendance. Being as quiet and introverted as her friend, Katniss always found a quiet spot by the service tables where she passed away the afternoon undetected.
Disgusted with the hypocrisy of small town politics, Peeta usually ended up by her side.
Life had been hard on Katniss, she had lost her dad to an explosion, and she had almost lost her mom to depression. But she was hard working and determined. Constantly surprising Peeta with her strength and resilience.
He didn't quite understand it, but he was drawn to her. Like a moth to a flame. He constantly sought her out, hoping to make her smile and to learn a little more about this intriguing girl who worked odd jobs after school to provide for her sister, and who had already been offered a full scholarship due to her archery skills.
The time they spent together never seemed enough.
He was always left wanting for more, but he never asked. The 12-year age gap between them was an insurmountable obstacle he simply couldn't tackle. So, every single time, he settled for the casual friendship they shared and walked away.
Yes, as inappropriate as it was, Peeta Mellark had a crush on his younger cousin's best friend.
30
Madge's high school graduation party was still going strong when he found Katniss standing by the dessert table.
She was 18, beautiful, radiant, and free.
She told him about her scholarship, beaming at the good news and warming every cell of his body with the light of her joy.
He stood frozen, longing to wrap his arms around her and feel her body snugly pressed against his own. To fill his lungs with her scent and never let go.
Instead, he cleared his throat, and announced, "I'm engaged."
Instantly, Katniss turned to stone. Politely, she congratulated him, and a moment later she was gone.
A piece of his heart broke as he watched her walk away. But he knew it was for the best. She had her whole life ahead of her, and he had no business interfering with it.
37
His marriage was over. Officially, unequivocally, over.
Clove had signed on every dotted line and had moved all her things to her new place on the outskirts of town.
He felt empty, like a total failure. And the notion that his pride was more wounded than his heart made him feel like a fraud.
41
The summer was almost over when Finnick suggested the short vacation in his family home in District 4.
"It's perfect timing," the heir to the Odair fortune said, "you just closed your office, and the house is available. C'mon, you won't regret it."
Although he was a few years younger than him, Finnick had a knack for knowing what was good for Peeta even before he knew it himself.
He always remembered how, after knowing each other for all of three minutes, District Four's golden boy had decidedly declared, "You and I are destined to become great friends!"
Peeta had agreed, and the pair had been close ever since.
Sensing his friend's hesitation, Finnick had pressed on, "Your cousin Madge is coming with that brooding fiancé of hers." Wrinkling his nose in mock disgust, he added, "please don't leave me alone with him."
Peeta hadn't put on much of a fight after that. He hadn't seen his cousin for a while, and the idea of spending time with her away from their family was definitely appealing.
So, he had accepted his friend's invitation, packed up his bags, and hopped on a train bound for District 4.
XXXXX
Peeta took a deep breath as he tried to control his speeding heart.
He had expected to spend a few days lounging on the beach while Finnick and Annie went sailing, and Madge and Gale made plans for their upcoming wedding. He had never expected to find Katniss Everdeen, in all her alluring glory, walking through the front door.
He still couldn't believe he hadn't swallowed his tongue at the sight of her. Surprisingly enough, he had even managed to hold a friendly conversation without looking like a complete moron. Or so he hoped.
Later that day, he'd found himself sitting next to the beautiful girl who had invaded so many of his dreams. Anxious, but determined to put his discomfort behind him, he had turned to face her.
Katniss had smiled, sweetly batting her long eyelashes, and asked, "So, what are you up to these days?"
And like that, with one easy question, and a smile, the shy relationship they had cultivated over the years was restored.
Just as he had suspected, his hosts and his cousin were too busy to pay much attention to him or Katniss. Left to their own devices, the pair spent their mornings sunbathing on the beach. Katniss swam in the ocean while Peeta sketched on his pad.
His hand danced over the blank page as he tried to draw tropical flowers and trees, but it was no use. The way Katniss's orange bathing suit hung to her slim curves, and made her tanned skin glow, invaded his every thought. He was defenseless against the beauty of the woman in front of him.
The sudden thought turned his world upside down. A woman.
Somehow, in the labyrinth of time, Katniss had grown up. She was no longer a girl. And, even if the age gap between them had remained the same, their circumstances had not.
Flustered and hopeful, he had turned his eyes to her. No longer feeling guilty for enjoying the way her pert breasts filled the modest swimsuit she wore.
XXXXX
He was trapped in a bubble of color and light.
The sun played with the sky, reflecting pale orange brush strokes with splashes of violet, and pink onto a shimmering sea.
In the distance, Paul Simon sang about silence. Next to him, Katniss sang along.
Her low, sultry voice, barely above a whisper, reached deep into his soul.
When the song was over, she looked at him. Darkened silver eyes, pulling him into their depths.
He never figured out who kissed whom. It didn't matter, it was a small technicality in the game of life. What mattered was the kiss. Slow, sensual and tender. The perfect dance of two lovers' lips.
When it ended, he was left breathless, and desperate for more.
XXXXX
The party seemed to go on forever. But, shortly after midnight, the rhythm of the music slowed down, and the crowd on the dance floor began to thin out.
It was the opening he had been waiting for.
One glance in Katniss's direction confirmed his suspicions. Just like him, she was ready to go.
One wave in their friend's directions, signaling they were heading back to the house, and they were free.
They walked along the beach, laughing happily as they held hands and made up stories about the constellations in the sky.
His heart was pounding by the time they reached the house. Incapable of waiting any longer, he led her to his bungalow.
Katniss stepped into the darkened room, and closed the door behind her.
Peeta was on her a second later.
Using his body to trap her against the door, he kissed her, finally unleashing the hunger and need he had so carefully controlled over the years.
Katniss matched his fire with her own.
After a few minutes, she softly pushed him away.
Breathless and confused, Peeta gave her the space she needed.
Katniss's hands traveled to the hem of her black tank dress. Teasingly, she pulled on the fabric and smiled.
A gruff groan left Peeta's throat when he realized what she was doing.
In one swift move, Katniss pulled the dress over her head and dropped it on the floor.
Dumbfounded, Peeta looked at her.
She was breathtaking. From the delicate line of her lips to the small curve of her breasts, and the soft roundness of her ass. Everything about her was perfect.
Mesmerized, he found her eyes. Two silver coins glowing in the dark, begging for his approval.
Floored by her anxiety, he fell on his knees. Keeping his eyes on hers, he whispered, "Katniss, you're beautiful!"
Slowly, he pressed soft kisses on her hip, tracing a path to her belly button. Silently thanking every superior being he could think of for granting him this perfect moment of pure bliss with a beautiful woman who seemed designed to fulfill his every dream.
XXXXX
Reality kicked in when he woke up the next morning, alone, in the bed he'd shared with the girl of his dreams.
With the memory of her lips still fresh on his skin, he began packing, took a quick shower, and headed to the breakfast table.
Madge was there, hungover and surly, drowning her discomfort in hot chocolate and warm breakfast rolls. She had barely spoken two words to him when frantic steps approached them.
Startled, he turned to find Katniss, hair dripping wet, standing in front of him. The relief reflected in her eyes made his heart leap.
For one brief second, he allowed himself to imagine a future, outside of this short break, with Katniss in it. A life for the two of them, together, in the real world.
It might work, he told himself, just because I haven't discussed it with her, it doesn't mean that she might not be interested.
He shook his head, even if the possibility existed, it was something they'd had to discuss at a later date.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. Katniss reached for his hand under the table, and he softly rubbed her knuckles in an attempt to keep his anxiety over leaving her at bay.
XXXXX
They were standing by the door, waiting for his taxi to arrive, when he pulled his telephone from his pocket, unlocked it, and created a new contact. Hesitantly, he handed it to Katniss.
Katniss's face lit up as soon as she saw the device. Immediately, she punched in her contact information.
"Will you send me a message when you get home? Let me know you're alright?" she asked with a shy smile.
Peeta nodded. He wanted to kiss her more than anything, but Madge and the others were already around and he didn't want to leave Katniss to do all the explaining on her own.
"I will," he promised. With one last thank you to Finnick, he was on his way.
XXXXX
Peeta sat on the train bound back for District 2. His mind raced as he tried to come to terms with everything that had happened over the last few days.
Somehow, he had managed to lure Katniss Everdeen into his bed. And now that he knew what it was like to sleep with her slender body pressed against his, life would never be the same.
He had meant to use the weekend to clear his head and plan his next move. His web designing business was thriving, he had clients all over Panem, and it no longer made any sense for him to be in District 2.
When the lease on his office had expired two months prior, he hadn't renewed it, choosing instead to work from home, further proof that a computer and an internet connection were all he needed to keep the business going.
So why not move closer to Katniss, and his childhood home?
His mother had passed away a few years back, her bitterness and dashed hopes couldn't hurt him anymore.
He missed his brothers and his dad, and he hated that he wasn't there to watch his nieces and nephews grow.
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
Unwilling to waste any more time, he opened his day planner and began outlining his next move.
A couple of hours later, he was done. Satisfied, he took one last look at the calendar in front of him.
If everything went according to plan, he could be moving back to District 12 in less than six weeks. Six weeks. The thought made him giddy with excitement.
Eager to share his good news, he snapped a picture of the calendar with his phone, attached it to a message addressed to Katniss, and typed, SEE YOU SOON. Hitting send before he could second guess his decision.
A moment later, just as the train's PA system was announcing his stop, his phone chimed with an incoming message alert.
His hands trembled as he unlocked the device and opened the new message.
Katniss's words, scarce as they were, filled him with joy. CAN'T WAIT!
XXXXX
AN: I like reviews as much as Buttercup likes bacon. You always make my day when you share them with me. Thanks!
You can also find me on tumblr. I'm javistg over there, come and say hi!
The Hunger Games Trilogy is property of Suzanne Collins. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.
