Absent-mindedly makin' me want you
And I don't know how it gets better than this
-Fearless, Taylor Swift
Chapter 10: I Like You
The scenery from outside whizzed by so it was only a blur of color. Peeta took a deep breath as he stared out the window from his seat on the train that was taking Haymitch, Katniss, Gale and himself back to District 12.
He recognized some of the colors, he guessed they were somewhere between Districts 10 and 11. He gave himself a moment to savor the beauty and allow himself the luxury of wondering what it would be like to be normal, and not have to worry about Snow breathing down their neck or being forced to prostitute to keep your family safe.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
The door behind him opened and Peeta resisted the urge to look over his shoulder to see who it was. He calculated by the soft footsteps that it was Katniss entering the room. He wouldn't have heard her footsteps if it weren't for a small squeak they made against the floors. He would have been able to identify Haymitch's steps through his uneven gate, Effie's from the large heels that she wears and he would have had to hear Gale if he entered from the same squeak on the floor Katniss made.
"Hi," came a shy and timid voice that Peeta would never had thought Katniss to have. To him, her eyes seemed to always burn with a fire and determination that most people couldn't hope to kindle.
"Hi," he replied as he turned to face her.
Her dark hair was swept to the side in a braid that allowed Peeta to see the soft skin on her neck. She wasn't wearing any makeup and she looked beautiful. Katniss looked far more beautiful without any of that gunk on her face. She wore simple clothes, they weren't greeting some Capitolite crowd, only District 12. They wouldn't care what she wore.
"You look nice," said Peeta. He instantly berated himself. He could've said that she looked gorgeous, and it wouldn't be an understatement; he was just sure that she would have been creeped out by it.
"Thanks," she muttered.
Katniss walked up to him and stood silently beside him for a moment. Peeta sensed that she needed to say something and whatever it was, he was going to let her say it without any interruptions on his part.
"That night on the roof,"she starts, her voice wobbling slightly. Peeta glanced over at her. He wasn't sure what he expected her to say, but it wasn't anything pertaining to before the games.
"I kissed you," Peeta nodded slightly and forced himself not to relive the moment again as he had ever since the moment their kiss ended.
"I- um, just wanted you to know that- um," she paused and took a deep breath, "I didn't kiss you because I pitied you," she finished quickly. Peeta tried to ignore the fuzzy feeling growing in his chest. He thought that she sounded adorable as she stuttered over trying to speak her feelings.
And in a voice that she must have thought would be too quiet for him to hear she added, "Because I like you,"
Peeta didn't hesitate to move as quickly as possible and capture her lips with his. The soft pressure of her lips on his caused a myriad of feelings to wash over him, feelings that he had buried when he learned the detail of what being a victor was.
His arms wrapped around her waist and her hands ran through his hair. He couldn't describe the pleasure he felt from her small hands running through his hair and her lips responding to him. When Peeta was younger he was sure that he would never be able to get Katniss Everdeen, the girl he loved to even go near him. And here she was kissing him.
The need for air became too much and Peeta pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.
"I like you, too." he murmured. A smile stretched across his face at what he just said and the fact that it was reciprocated made him feel even better. Peeta felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his chest, he didn't want to tell her that he loved her, that would scare her and cause her to run. And that was the last thing that he wanted.
He looked down at Katniss to see a look that told him that she was deep in thought. Though, to him she looked incredibly adorable. He was prepared to say anything that would help her feel better and more open. Peeta didn't want her to resort to hiding within herself.
The sound of the door opening caused them both to spring apart and take a couple steps back. Peeta's head snapped to the door and stared as someone started to walk through.
Gale walked in and looked between them curiously. He seemed to shake himself out of it as Peeta stood straighter and let his mask fall as Gale looked between the two of them as if sensing something happened. Peeta glanced down at Katniss to see her attempting to hide her feelings. It wasn't working nearly as well as she wanted it to.
"We'll be in the district in a couple minutes." said Gale as he took another glance at them before stalking out of the room.
He felt Katniss's eyes on him for a moment before she left the room. Peeta took a deep breath and followed her. They were silent as they walked down the hall with Gale a few paces in front of them.
A reckless part of him wanted to grab her hand and proclaim to the world that he liked her. But he knew better, he knew where the cameras were and that they were watching their each and every move. One wrong move and President Snow would have ammo against them and Peeta couldn't let that happen.
Peeta wouldn't let President Snow lay a hand on Katniss as long as there was breath in his body. If he wanted that to happen there had to be no reason for him to happen. Katniss and Gale were already on Snow's radar from them both winning the games. He had to make sure that attention was off of them. It had to be.
He knew that they were getting closer to the front of the train, it meant closer to District 12. District 12 was like a large box that they were all trapped in. Peeta longed for the freedom of being able to leave the fence. Except whenever he left the fence it was to an even worse hell.
Gale led them to where Haymitch was waiting. His flask was in his head as he nodded at the three of them.
"You two," he says pointing at Katniss and Gale with his free hand. "will be getting off last and will be happy to see your families."
"You know what to do." said Haymitch to Peeta. Peeta nods and takes a deep breath. He may be able to charm people in front of large crowds, but he doesn't enjoy going in front of the district and pretending that everything is fine.
"Let's go."
Peeta walked over to Haymitch and nodded at each other. Ever since Peeta became a mentor, there had been an understanding between the two. They respected each other and Peeta occasionally went over to Haymitch's house to help him out while Haymitch still provided advice for Peeta as if he was a tribute.
The rickety train station hadn't changed at all. It looked the same as it had when Peeta had first got onto the train when he was a tribute. There is a small crowd of people waiting to see the new victors. Haymitch and Peeta quickly got out of their way, Peeta would do almost anything to stay out of the spotlight, the only thing that bothered him was that Katniss and Gale weren't necessarily ready to have the eye of the Capital on them.
Peeta catches his father's eye in the crowd and he quickly moves towards him. His father moves through the crowd and when Peeta reaches him, Peeta wraps him in a hug. He had missed his father while he was in the Capital.
His father had been one of the few people to stay with him while he has been going through the hell of the Capital and stood by his side no matter what came out about him. It seemed that his father had finally stood up to his mother in one aspect.
Of course his mother and brothers didn't show up. They didn't believe that he was forced into prostitution through the Capital, they just claimed that he enjoyed the women there. It had angered Peeta to no end and he refused to speak to them or send them any money until they retracted what they said.
The cameras flashed as Katniss and Gale entered District 12. Peeta sighed silently and wondered how that afternoon could have been so nice to only be drowned into reality once more. It was an annoying cycle that was easily becoming his everyday life.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite and review. Let me know what you guys want to happen and I'll see if I could fit it in.
Disclaimer: I actually own none of this, sorry if it suddenly surprises you.