Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

Chapter 7

So as they are walking out of the woods he stumbles a little and she keeps him from falling by taking his arm…he takes her hand. He knows he's taking advantage of the situation but he's been thinking about doing it from the very moment they decided to go back to town. Taking her hand for the first time had him al nervous and sweaty and he just wished that somehow this could mean as much to her as it meant to him. When he finally holds her hand there's a tingly sensation cursing through his veins…electrifying…and he wishes that somehow she would feel the exact same thing.

They get into the bus and sit. And all the while they are both silent. He's kind of ashamed for crying in front of her but he had felt just overwhelmed. When she started describing the sunset…somehow he had felt like he could still see…it had make him imagine the sunset…he could see it almost as if he was actually seeing it like she was. It had felt amazing…and sad at the same time…because one of the most beautiful things in the world…he couldn't see.

When they get to town she takes him home and when they say goodbye he wants so bad to give her a kiss on the cheek but…if he misses or even if he doesn't she's going to kick his ass. He is happy…for the first time since he had the accident he is actually feeling happiness. Something he never thought possible. And as he goes to bed and starts drifting to sleep he knows tonight his dreams are going to be of sunsets and Katniss Everdeen.

XOXO

Maybe it was that she had shared a personal place….maybe it was that she had helped him "see". Maybe that she had seen him cry. She didn't really know but after that day…if she had a doubt before…now she didn't…they were friends. Things had changed.

And now instead of just spending some time at lunch she found herself going to the center to spend time with him. She would help him with whatever Alli had in mind for the day. She could even tell that her dislike for the girl had nothing to do with the girl herself but with something else. She had even come to enjoy her company…and they even were partners in a project they had for a class they always had together but Katniss never knew.

"Don't turn around guys but I think that Mallow is staring…I think she's in love with you Peeta" Alli says and starts laughing. Katniss is used to the weird feeling twisting her gut whenever something like this happens. First with Alli and her hugs and then with other girls at the center that seem to pay way too much attention to the boy. How could they not?

If Peeta was bitter, negative and an ass before like Alli told her. He was certainly changing. In a matter of weeks she had seen a transformation. She didn't like to think too much into it…but she was sure he had started changing little by little after the sunset incident. It had been two months since that. They haven't done anything like it again. In fact even if they are spending more time together it hardly is by themselves like it used to. Now Madge or Delly or Alli or all of them join them on the stairs and sometimes even in the class.

Peeta's change is remarkable. She wonders if these are traces of the old Peeta coming back. He still doesn't laugh…he can't bring himself to do it but he smiles more. It's not always her smile as she calls it now but it is a smile and kindness is etched into every single thing he does know. He's always thinking of others…always trying to help.

"She wants to say hello" comes Alli's voice again. She wakes up from her dream state and looks at her. She doesn't like the smile etched on her face. It is like she knows something but won't tell. "I'll bring her over….I know you will like her!" she says and giving Katniss another look she walks away.

"Can we run away now she's gone?" he asks smiling. If she's learned something about Alli and Peeta's relationship is that they call it business but it is not. She calls it a survival friendship. As much as she hates to admit it she knows they kind of need each other to work well. It has everything to do with Alli being the only human being in the center sticking up even when he would insult her and treat her badly…even when he wouldn't talk to her for months. If she had something it was patience. She gets it. Alli understands.

"Here she is" she says as she sits next to Peeta. In her arms is a small girl…not older than three. Light brown curly hair and the brightest and biggest green eyes she's ever seen. She's hiding her little face in Alli's neck occasionally getting out of her hiding place to look at Peeta with the biggest blush on her face. "Say hi Peeta!" says Alli and the little girl giggles.

"Hi Peeta!" she says in her small voice and she can feel her heart melt a little with this.

"Introduce yourself baby! Come on!" says Alli as the girl sits straight in her lap for the first time. She's not that big…she's skinny and a cute little girl. "My name is Mallow Mr. Peeta" she says extending her hand. Alli takes Peeta's hand and places the smaller one on his. He shakes it a little he is amused.

"I really like your eyes and your hair Mr. Peeta…I want to be your friend!" she declares standing up. The whole time she has not let go of Peeta's hand. "Would you be my friend? Miss Alli said it was okay…and then we could go to the park for a walk or to play on the swings" she says smiling sweetly and she knows that if Peeta was actually seeing this he would melt. Hell, she's melting!

"I would really like that Mallow…but I am afraid I can't take you to the park by myself" he smiles sadly.

"Of course you can Mr. Peeta…we all will go!" she says jumping from Alli's legs and never letting go of his hand she starts pulling until he stands up. "Come on!" she says pulling him towards the exit of the center and they just follow smiling. Peeta doesn't look comfortable but it has nothing to do with the little girl…it has everything to do with going out and not being able to take care of her. She has learned to read every single thing about him.

They reach the park and of course he could take the girl out with no one else to supervise. She positions him behind the swing and she sits. She asks him to help her and he does. He's really good at it because the girl loves him. They can already tell. This won't be the last time it will happen.

Mallow is in love with Peeta. All right…but as Alli said…who could blame the little girl. He was a charmer. He would smile to her all the time…help her with anything she asked and basically help her with anything. It looked like Katniss was not the only person who could bring him back. And she loves to see him interact with the little girl. When he's with the little girl everything about his demeanor changes and she just feels warm inside looking at him that way.

She's seen more of old Peeta now than in the lasts months they had spent together. She doesn't mind. As long as he is getting back to his old self it is okay.

XOXO

There are still good and bad days. He feels himself getting partly back to his old self. He can't help but to think that old Peeta died that day in the car crash. He won't get back to be his old self…but he can be a new him. He's only glad that he's left the bitter ass Peeta behind. He appears from time to time but he's mostly gone.

It's going to be a year soon since the accident. A year in which tons of things have happened and changed for him. He talks to Katniss Everdeen now…they are friends…and maybe a little more…they even hold hands and trust each other so much. He sighs. Even if he doesn't think he's going to get a chance with her ever…there's always wishful thinking. And he can't help to think too that maybe things are getting different for her. He can only hope.

But Katniss isn't the only thing that the accident brought to his life. He's mostly happy. And he owes that to too many people on his life right now. People that without the accident he wouldn't have met. He's never believed that things happen for a reason…he's starting to believe it now.

XOXO

They are in class having lunch. It's their last class before the break so they basically hid to have lunch by themselves. He's in a terrible mood. Yesterday when they went to the park Mellow fell and scraped her knee. Of course…since he couldn't see he was useless. The little girl was crying and when she saw that he couldn't help her and he was anguished she stopped crying took his hand and together they got back to the center. The little girl after having been crying comforted him. He was so pathetic sometimes. He sighs sadly.

While they are having lunch he can feel Katniss' eyes on him. He always can…he never minds…but today…it only makes him feel more conscious about his situation.

"Why are you staring?" he asks and he can hear the smile on her voice when she answers.

"You have changed" she says simply.

"What?"

"How did you use to be?" she asks and he's taken aback by her question.

"Why do you want to know?" he asks somehow this makes him mad. Bad days usually bring bitter ass Peeta back. Today is one of those days. "It's not like I will be that person anymore…I'm broken"

"I don't think you are…and I like you the way you are right now" she says and Peeta hears the gasp. It didn't come from him. "I meant….that I know you won't get back to your old self Peeta…but I feel like every day you are getting closer to that person…And even if you don't get back to be your old self we…your friends…like you just the way you are"

"Thanks…I guess" he says and he sighs "I was determined to keep people away from me…I was feeling all the time that they pitied me…because I can't see…I can't do much by myself…and basically I have no future…" Katniss is going to interrupt him. Of course he knows she will because she's going to argue…she doesn't take it well when he deprecates himself. "But…I have come to terms with all these Katniss…I won't get back to my old self…I am broken…the person I used to be died in that car accident…but I can be someone else now…I can try to change things…I can try to do something…as long as I am alive I will try…" he says and she squeezes his arm. Alli was the only person who used to do this. But lately Katniss has come to do it too. Sometimes she would even take his hands. He knows how she's feeling just from hearing her voice or from the arm squeezes or the hand holding. He never thought that he was going to be able to read a person that way. It's not even the same way he reads Prim and Alli. This is different. He likes it.

By the time the bell rings signaling the end of the class everyone has pretty much left. Mr. Cinna can be way too good sometimes for his own sake. He walks to where they are sitting and gives back a project…congratulates them, wishes them a nice break and leaves.

"You are going to keep it right?" she asks "Remember we have to place them all in a folder…" he nods. When he takes out his folder from his backpack a series of paper sheets scatter all over the floor.

"Sorry" he says and she kneels on the ground.

XOXO

She starts picking up the papers that fell from his folder as she knows he won't be able to. What she sees mesmerizes her…those are the most amazing drawings and paintings she's ever seen in her life.

"Did you make these?" she asks while she holds the papers on her hands. He turns to where she is and asks her what she is talking about. "The drawings…the paintings…did you make them?" he nods and turns a little pale, a wistful smile on his face.

"Before the accident…I used to draw and paint…can't anymore" he says sadly as he opens the folder so she can place the drawings back. She hates that sad face he gets when he remembers the accident.

"They are amazing Peeta…really amazing!" she says while holding them. "I'm sure you can still paint though" she says with a serious tone and still studying the drawings and paintings. She starts placing them back when she finds one of Prim with her…they are smiling. She remembers this scene…it was one of the times they joined outside the bakery so she keeps it. Doesn't say a thing and stuffs it in her pocket. Gives him back the papers.

"I don't think I can Katniss…I can't see…how would I paint?" he says sighing as he places the folder back on his backpack.

"I don't know…but Alli will!" she says. She takes Peeta's hand and starts walking.

"What are you doing?" he asks. His face is red.

"We are going to the center…if there's a way for you to paint she probably knows…if not we will find one…you are way too good to stop painting because you can't see" she states seriously.

"I can't paint if I can't see" he says seriously and slows his pace. There are some times when he hates his blindness more than anything in the world. This thing has taken everything away from him.

They reach the center and Katniss is in such frenzy that she misses Prim waving at her.

"He can paint!" she yells at Alli who's sitting with a boy in a corner table.

"Yeah…okay?" she says looking at her like she's lost her mind but standing up and walking to where they are.

"Make him paint again!" she says pulling Peeta. Alli looks at their joined hands and Katniss blushes but doesn't let go.

"Let's go" she says standing up a going somewhere. She sits with Peeta on a table and they wait for Alli to come back.

"She tried once" he says seriously "But I didn't even give it a try…I can't do it" She squeezes his hand.

"But you can do it. She accepted no for an answer but I won't" she says.

"Okay Sooooo" says Alli dropping a series of things on the table canvases, paintbrushes, little flasks of things, paper and other stuff. What surprises her is that the tubes of paint and the other paints have little stickers on top with something in Brille. "I did this when I tried to make you paint the last time. I used stickers…the paint's got little stickers that allow you to know what color you are taking. The paintbrushes you can feel the size…and the canvases too…if you need anything else you can tell me…I will get it!"

"How am I supposed to paint with this stuff?"

"Dude…you used to paint…do it the same way…I just provided the tools! When you become famous…don't forget about me!" she says and winking she walks away.

He just sighs. Katniss knows the turmoil that is inside him right now. An artist uses all his senses to paint one of the most important is the sight…because you paint what you see.

But he used to see and he can still paint…he knows how things are and he can imagine or use memory. She knows he can so she squeezes his hand again and takes one of the tubes of paint and puts it on his hand. She places his fingers over the sticker that Alli diligently placed on the tube. She puts a canvas in front of him and the paintbrushes next to it and she stands up.

"You can do this! I believe in you" she says and she leaves space between them sitting in a table close to where she left him. Really close. She leaves him because she knows this is something that he needs to do by himself. Not to prove anyone anything. He needs to do this just for his sake…to get back a little of who he used to be.

XOXO

Alli did a great job with the paints…the stickers work perfectly and he feels kind of guilty because he knows all the work it must have cost her to do this. As he touches all the tubes and things he's got around his hands start to itch. He touches the canvas…feels the smell…and the next thing he knows is that he's got the orange tube of paint on his hand and a paintbrush in the other and he can smell the paint. He knows how he wants it to look like and so he keeps working.

He's not sure how long he's been painting. He doesn't know how it looks like… not even if it's any good but he doesn't really care. It's like coming back home after a long long trip. He feels happy…he feels…full.

"Umm everyone left…but Portia gave me the keys to close the center…umm…I didn't want to stop you…you were so focused…But we have to go now it's almost eleven" she says.

"Yeah…right!" he says standing up. Amazed that so much time has gone by and he didn't even realized.

"You are amazing!" she says with a smile on her voice. She sniffs a little even.

"Are you crying?" he asks worried "Is everything okay?"

"Yes…it's just that…what you painted is amazing…it's beautiful Peeta…I am just so happy that you allowed yourself to paint again…to make yourself happy…I never saw you like this before"

"I'm sorry" he says simply "I am sorry for being such an ass with you…"

"You won't stop being an ass will you? That would be like…unimaginable!" she says with an altered tone of voice and he laughs. Not a snort a laugh and she starts laughing too.

"I won't I promise" he says and after they place the things and the painting in the back room they use as an office they walk home together.

He can't stop thinking that…truth to her promise she never forced him to do anything. Katniss did and he was glad. Sometimes a little coercion is necessary to make you do things you are afraid of. He is going to thank Katniss.

XOXO

They have a week off. A break never felt worse before. It's been three days and she's bored. She's been to the woods…she's been fishing…she's been doing anything and everything to get herself busy but the truth is that it doesn't matter how busy she is her thoughts keep going back to the same thing or…the same person. He's grown on her. That explains everything…and curiosity is killing her…she had stayed close for a while watching him paint.

He was concentrated on his painting…something came over his face that she had never seen before…and before she knew it was time for the center to close. She had been too fixed on the way his hair fell on his eyes…the way his eyelashes were so long and so blond that normally she wouldn't notice them…the way his eyes were shining even if he couldn't see what he was doing. That she never noticed the girl standing next to her. Alli clearing her throat with an amused smile on her face made her get back to reality.

"Enjoying the view?" Katniss couldn't even mumble a decent apology. She just stood up and walked out of the center.

So yeah…she was curious…not missing him. That couldn't be.

XOXO

Finnick's birthday is tomorrow he's turning twenty three. Annie and Madge had been planning the party for a week. It's going to take place at Annie's house…in her big backyard and all of their friends are invited, the closest ones that is.

XOXO

The Party is small. She knows as she sees the long table in the center where there's only Finnick, Annie, Madge, Gale, Delly and Johanna sitting in the table talking and laughing. This is her kind of party.

"Cozy, isn't it?" Alli asks standing next to her. "We just arrived but I have got to go to the bathroom can you take Peeta to where everyone else is?"

"Sure" she says as she takes his arm and they start walking to the table.

"Hey" a small smile on his face "I've missed you" he says as he blushes. Katniss blushes immediately at his words and squeezes his arm. That's the biggest thing he's going to get as if saying I missed you too. She can't actually say it aloud. She's been denying it all these time. Lines are blurring and she's not sure if she's okay with that.

They reach the table and everyone greets them.

They spend the whole evening playing cards, karaoke and other stuff…they even play truth or dare for a while. Peeta is sitting next to her and will occasionally take her hand. She doesn't pull away but she does wonder what all this hand holding and communicating without actually speaking means. She can't stop thinking about blurring lines.

This is what a party looks like. People who you love and care about all together in one place having fun.

By the time everyone is saying good bye they start talking about the winter dance. It's going to be very soon and as Johanna, Annie, Gale and Finnick are not in school anymore they say they are feeling left out.

"Are you guys going?" Gale asks the rest of them who could possibly be going.

"Of course not" Alli says looking at Peeta as he snorts. "It would not be very comfortable…all the noise and well…" she says looking at him.

"Why don't we do something like this?" Delly says excitedly. "We won't have to wear dresses and heels and all those things…it would be like today but…a sort of winter dance"

"You are definitely my date" Gale says grabbing Johanna's waist and giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. She just smiles dismissing him but she blushes.

"Can I bring someone too?" asks Alli. And Peeta turns to where her voice came from.

"Who are you bringing? Forget it…" he says almost immediately.

"All in?" asks Gale and everyone says yes.

XOXO

"I never hated vacations more than this year" he says as he sits in the class.

"I know" she says and keeps munching her apple. The "I miss you" is implicit for both of them.

"What do you think about the sort of winter dance?" he asks taking a box from his back pack and placing it on the desk. She can smell the cheese buns and her mouth waters.

"It's okay…I wouldn't have gone otherwise" she says as she takes the first bite of the cheese bun.

"Alli is taking a guy from the center…Finnick and Annie…Gale and Johanna…Delly is taking Rye…and Madge is going with a guy named Thresh…can you believe it?"

"Everyone's got a date? Alli and a guy from the center…was that why you guys were arguing the other day?"

"Ummm...sort of" he says.

They both keep eating in silence for a little while.

"Are you…umm…you…inviting someone?" he asks slowly and with a wince.

"No" she answers simply.

"Me neither" he says sadly. "I can't think of someone who might actually want to go with me…skipping prom to go to a party with a blind guy who can't even dance"

"Don't say that" she says looking at him angrily. "I would skip the dance to go to a party with a blind guy who can't even dance" she says simply and he laughs a little at this. This laughing thing very new to Katniss…she sure as hell was expecting a snort.

"Hypothetically speaking or for real?" he says.

"It depends…are your asking?" she says and she is nervous because if he asks she will say yes. Not out of pity but because she actually doesn't mind and finds herself excited about it.

"Would you say yes?"

"If you want to know…you are going to have to ask" she says and she's glad he can't see because she's blushing.

"Umm...Katniss would you go to the sort of winter dance with me?" he asks and she knows he's nervous because his hand goes to his neck and he's "looking" down.

"Yeah" she says simply and smiles "looking" up. She's giddy. And she wonders if the lines are already blurred as she sees Peeta blushing and smiling happily. What has she gotten herself into?

AN. Hope you like it! Again thank you guys so much for all the alerts, favorites and reviews! Thank you for reading and for giving my story a chance! I'd really like to hear from you guys! So I hope you let me know if you are liking it or hating it or what! Your reviews will be highly appreciated and may include a reward! Thanks again for sticking up!