Author's Note: Yikes! Thanks to everyone who informed me about the formatting issues. I fixed it.

"Dad, Mom," Peeta says after a long moment, confirming her suspicions. "I didn't think you were going to be here tonight."

His mother looks over at Katniss before she speaks. "I assumed we had as much of a right to be here as anyone else. Was I wrong to think it was an oversight?"

Her accent is so thick that it reminds Katniss of the times that she and Gale would impersonate Capitol citizens in the woods. If she were anywhere else, the thought might make her laugh. Not here, though.

"I'm starting to think you guys are in some sort of competition to overwhelm my wife." My wife. He says it so easily. Maybe it's supposed to be easy. It's the truth, anyways, and she almost thinks that the likes the way that he said it, the way he smiled when he reached the word.

"Overwhelm her?" his mother repeats, still watching Katniss. "She's a big girl, Peeta. If she wasn't prepared to meet your family, she shouldn't have signed up."

"She's been on a train for two weeks. Give her a break," he insists, and knowing that he's so willing to stand up for her is comforting even if he doesn't exactly have his facts straight. He pulls a seat out for her across from one of the women and doesn't even think about sitting down until she's situated. She doesn't miss the fact that this means that he's put himself between her and her parents, which is probably supposed to be comforting. It isn't.

"I'm Rye," his brother says. He looks a lot like Peeta, just with shorter hair and a smile less like a grin and more like a smirk. "I'm his favorite, so imagine you've heard a lot about me by now. This is my wife, Scarlett."

She's beautiful, really, with hair that's such a light brown it's almost blonde and hazel eyes. Katniss can't help but to wonder why it is that Peeta would order a bride from District Twelve of all places.

"I'm Katniss," she offers, hoping she can completely avoid the joke about Rye being Peeta's favorite because she has no idea what to say about it.

In his seat beside her, Peeta turns to look at her. He looks confused but thankfully, Rye presses on.

"Apparently my brother isn't planning on introducing you to the others –" Rye begins, but Peeta interrupts.

"I am. You could have just given me a minute," he assures them. "Katniss, this is Rye and Scarlett across from us, and Dylan and Astrid are beside them. Then, of course, my parents are the ones at the end of the table."

He pronounces her name correctly this time. She's not entirely sure what to make of how guilty she feels about it.

"It's very nice to meet you, Katniss," Scarlett says.

"Yes, it is. You know, Dylan couldn't stop talking all day about how excited he was to meet you,"

The insinuation is clear when it's paired with the way that his eyes dart over to Dylan. It's his fault that his parents are here.

"We hear about you a lot actually," Rye continues. "Peeta has had your picture in his wallet ever since he ordered you, you know. So, of course, that means that he'd talk to you about anyone who would listen. It was kind of cute, actually."

Peeta looks thoroughly embarrassed, but she isn't sure why he should be. He liked her picture enough to order her – whether or not that actually makes sense to her. Why shouldn't he want to carry it around? Either way, she feels sorry for him. When he had mentioned the fact that his brothers tease him, she hadn't thought it would be quite so brutal.

"It's good to finally meet you, Katniss," Mr. Mellark says, and her breath catches in her throat. If Peeta's voice reminded her of home, even vaguely, his father's accent is the real thing. "Though I don't exactly agree with Rye's method of telling you, he's right. Peeta has been very excited for you to come."

"It's good to meet you, too, Sir," Katniss says, and Peeta passes her one of the menus that the waitress hands them.

"Water?" Peeta asks.

"Yes, please," Katniss says not really paying too much attention while he orders two waters. His father must be from home. He has to be. He looks exactly like a merchant . . . and just like his son. She turns to look at Peeta, unsure how she couldn't have realized it before with those blue eyes and blonde curls. Peeta smiles at her and sort of furrows his eyebrows, as if he's confused about why she's suddenly watching him.

She's quick to look away.

Even though after a while they start talking about things at the bakery that have nothing to do with her, everyone's eyes keep wandering to Katniss. She can't help but to feel increasingly uncomfortable, like she's on display.

"So, Katniss," Astrid says. "District Twelve is mining, right?"

She nods.

"So what did you do there?"

"I worked in the mines," she says, and Peeta nearly chokes on his drink of water.

"As what?" Rye asks. "A canary?"

"I was a miner," she answers truthfully, reflexively, before she realizes that he's making a joke. Then almost everyone is laughing – even Peeta – and she joins in, because it's strange here for someone like her to work in the mines, and that's almost the most amazing thing she's ever heard.

"It is sort of amazing," Peeta says gently.

"It wasn't in my file?" she asks, partially convinced that this all has been a mistake. That he meant to order another girl and got sent her instead.

"Oh, no. It was. It was all I really got to know about you other than your birthday and your height. And, apparently, how not to pronounce your name."

She bites her lip.

"So how did Peeta warn you about his bionic leg? Or did he just let you trip over it?" Rye asks.

It takes a moment for her to realize that he's talking to her, the question is so strange. "Bionic?" she repeats, positive that she's never heard the word before. Peeta shoots his brother a look and then turns to face her, all patience.

"It's a prosthetic. Rye just insists on calling it bionic because he thinks it sounds cooler."

"Because it does sound cooler," Rye says. "Unless you're some sort of pretentious dick that insists on having everything called by its proper name."

Her eyes widen at the insult, but Peeta just laughs. "It's a long boring story I'll tell you later, okay?" he asks, and she nods. "And Rye, don't be a jerk."

"Boys," their father says. "Be nice."

"To be fair, that is Rye being nice," Dylan says, which only serves to make both of his brothers laugh.

"Katniss!" Scarlett says suddenly, standing up. "I have to go freshen up. Come with me?"

She hesitates, not wanting to announce to the whole table that she doesn't really have to go.

"Come on. Don't make me go alone," Scarlett insists. Katniss looks over at Peeta, thoroughly confused, and he smiles at her, nodding towards Scarlett as if in agreement that she shouldn't make her go alone. She finally hesitantly stands up and follows her towards the back of the restaurant.

"That's how they play," Scarlett announces once the door is closed behind them.

Katniss watches while Scarlett messes with her hair in the message, not sure if she's supposed to respond or not. Scarlett glances over at her and then sort of smiles.

"You looked terrified, and I know I was too, at first. But mine is the instigator, so you shouldn't have too much of a hard time. Not that I did. Or that I do."

"Oh," Katniss says.

"Also, I say this knowing that it probably doesn't mean much to you one way or the other, but I think Peeta is a great guy. Rye was kidding when he said that he was Peeta's favorite, but Peeta is, without a shadow of a doubt, Rye's favorite. Maybe even my favorite, too."

It's quiet for a moment. Katniss plays with the end of her braid just to have something to do.

"You know, when it was my turn to have an uncomfortable family dinner, their parents didn't come. That was how tonight was supposed to be. Dylan had gone off to get drinks from the bar since the waiter was busy, and it was just me and Peeta and Astrid and she was talking to me about different modifications. Like, about how she had a friend with an unfortunate nose that was able to get it fixed. And Astrid lacks subtlety, so I knew exactly what she was trying to say about me. Peeta came to my rescue, though. He asked her – in that gentle way of his – why she brought it up and if she's been looking into any modifications. She was pretty quiet after that."

Katniss can feel a smile pulling at the corners of her lips at the story. She can imagine it pretty well, despite how little she knows Peeta.

"The thing is, though, that Peeta was having a hard time at that point. That's just . . . that's the kind of guy he is. He's nice."

"I think you're right," Katniss agrees, she sort of wants to relay the towel story buy she doesn't want to give Peeta's brothers any more ammunition to use against him, so she decides against it.

"He'd be glad to hear that, you know," Scarlett says. "That you think he's nice."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's been a goner since the night he ordered you. I mean, Dylan didn't put it as nicely as he could have, but we have heard a lot about you. You could ask him for the moon and he'd try his hardest to get it for you if he thought it would make you happy."

She thinks of his words from earlier. If you're ever going to be anywhere near comfortable here, you need to have at least some level of privacy. Even before that. I really hope you can be like it here, Katniss.

"Why is that?"

"I wish I knew," Scarlett says. "Rye was the same way, if it helps."

"Do you think they usually are? The guys that order wives?"

"They certainly didn't prepare us for anything like that."

Katniss swallows hard. "You were . . . a career?"

Scarlett laughs. "If that's what you call us, then sure. My mom sort of thought that the best you could be is a good wife so she put me through the classes. And it's not like I was allowed to have a boyfriend, so I signed up and Rye found me."

"Oh," Katniss says.

She half expects Scarlett to ask why she signed up, but she doesn't. "Well, it's like I said, I know how it can be. And I assume that means that Peeta is getting concerned right about now, so we might want to get going. Lipstick?"

She shakes her head but watches while Scarlett applies it. It barely makes a difference. Only makes her lips a shade or two lighter than they were a moment ago.

"Shall we?" she asks.

Katniss nods.

"Peeta has my phone number," Scarlett says. "You can call me if you ever need anything at all. Even if it's just to talk. Okay?"

She nods again.

"And one more thing, Katniss," Scarlett says, heading for the door but then hesitating and looking over her shoulder. "Don't let him beat himself up too badly about the whole name thing. Okay?"

"Hey, do you want to try mine?" Peeta asks after their meals have arrived and they've all started to eat. His voice is low enough that the conversation continues around them. She looks up from her plate for what must be the first time since it's been sitting in front of her. "I don't mind," he assures her, sliding his plate just a little bit closer to her.

Hesitantly, she wipes her fork off with her napkin and takes as little of the meal off of his plate as she can. She's only just gotten to taste it when his mother clears his throat.

"At least she has decent table manners for the most part," she says. "I've heard of brides from Twelve who eat with their hands like savages. That sort of thing would completely upset my digestion."

For some reason, Astrid snickers at this. Katniss' eyes drop down to her plate again. It takes everything inside of her not to ditch the silverware and eat with her hands. All the girls that sign up for the ordered spouse program from Twelve are just as desperate as she was, just wanting extra money to use to feed their families. She doubts that any of them would have seen a meal half as big as what she has in front of her in their lives.

"Good, right?" Peeta asks, and though her cheeks are hot and surely bright red, she nods. "Do you want more?"

She shakes her head. What she really wants is to know how someone who has proven himself to be kind as Peeta could have been raised by her. Scarlett catches Katniss' eye from across the table and raises her eyebrows just slightly. She doesn't have to say anything. Katniss knows that she thinks that what Mrs. Mellark said is ridiculous and there's something comforting about knowing that someone else does. A stolen glance up at Peeta shows her that he has his jaw clenched, he's so upset.

She slides her plate towards him, even though she's not entirely sure if she should or not. "You can try mine, if you want."

This makes him smile, but only slightly. "You're sure?"

His mother mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like now she's got everyone doing it and Peeta pauses.

"Excuse me?"

She won't repeat it. Katniss clears her throat and he sort of sighs before he tastes the stew.

"It's good," he assures her. "Really good."

"Do you want more?" she asks.

"I'm good, thank you," he says.

"Has Peeta talked to you about the position?" his father asks, and Katniss shakes her head.

"I don't think so."

"Well, we'd absolutely love to have you at the bakery, if that's something you would be interested in," his father says, and everyone quiets around them, waiting for her answer.

"I don't know how to bake," Katniss says honestly, and a few people chuckle but she doesn't see who.

"I could teach you," Peeta offers. "I mean, if you could learn how to work in a coalmine, I'm sure I could teach you how to throw some bread together."

This makes her smile, which encourages him.

"It could be fun. We would go in together and I could teach you how to bake. Of course, none of us are gonna take it personally if you'd rather not."

She can't think of an alternative that doesn't involve her spending all of her time alone in his apartment, so she nods. "I think I'd like to try it."

"I go back tomorrow, so you can come with me if you want."

"Actually, we have good news about that," Peeta's father says. "We were able to shuffle some shifts around and get you that week you asked for off, so you won't have to wait."

Peeta grins. "Really?"

"You have Rye to thank for it, mostly," he says, nodding. "He and Scarlett are picking up the majority of your shifts.

"Dad!" Rye says with a whine that even Katniss can tell is a joke. "You weren't supposed to say anything. He can't think I like him."

Peeta laughs. "That's great. Thank you guys."

"What are you going to do?" Astrid asks.

"Oh, nothing is definite yet," Peeta says. "It really just depends on what Katniss wants to do."

"I still think about how romantic it was when Dylan took me to District One for our honeymoon," she says, leaning a little bit closer to her husband. "Where was it that you and Rye went, Scarlett? Four?"

For some reason, Katniss feels defensive. "I'm glad Peeta didn't put me on a train as soon as I got here."

He smiles at her. "I thought that you might want to stay on solid ground for a little while."

For the rest of the meal, in spite of this, Astrid gushes about her honeymoon.

After a while, Rye announces that he and Scarlett should probably get going soon and Katniss' eyes must linger on them for too long because Peeta nods in agreement.

"Yeah, Katniss and I will probably have to skip out on dessert, too. We've got an early morning tomorrow," he says, stretching his back out a little bit. He glances down at her empty plate. "Are you ready?"

She nods, maybe a little bit too eagerly. He settles up with the waitress as soon as she passes the table again. She wonders if he's as ready to leave as she is, and if that's why he was so hesitant to come in the first place.

"I'm so sorry," he says once she's in the car, and she rests her head against the window. "That was a disaster."

"It wasn't that bad," she assures him.

"It was awful. My mother was . . . ugh. But Scarlett did sort of have a point, as much as I'd hate to admit it."

"About what?" she asks.

"I have a whole week off and absolutely nothing planned to show you," he says. "They scheduled me to take a week off next week, originally, because I didn't put in for time off with enough notice, but like they were saying, they changed it. Which is great, only, I had thought that maybe I'd have the chance to figure you out enough by next week so that I could find something you'd like to do."

"Oh. We don't have to do anything," she says, looking for a star through the window. She can't find one.

"Yes, we definitely do," he assures her. "We can do anything you want to. Do more shopping, or see a movie. I could take you to one of those national parks I was telling you about. If you'd be interested in camping, then I could see if we could borrow my dad's tent. It could be sort of fun, if you're into all of the outdoorsy stuff."

She sort of smiles. "Yes."

"You are?" he asks.

She thinks of about a thousand things she shouldn't tell him about. "What sort of things would we do out there?"

"Oh, anything," he says. "Just off of the top of my head, though, there's fishing or swimming or hiking. We could make a fire. It could be fun."

"And we'd stay in the woods?" she asks, because she never attempted thatback home. "All night?"

"Yeah! When we used to go when I was a kid we'd stay for like three days at a time. But we can stay however long you want. If you just wanted to go fishing or hiking or something and then go home, that would be fine, too."

"No, I want to stay in the woods," she says, and she thinks her voice is a little too firm, but Peeta doesn't seem to mind at all.

"You're great," he says instead.