A/N: If you haven't read the interlude yet, now would be the time to do so! Again, while it doesn't need to be read, I recommend it so Peeta's behavior makes sense in this chapter.
Please enjoy!
Many, many thanks to for-prim for being a doll and correcting my mistakes. Also, thank you for naming Spencer's wife for me! Kisses! Xoxo!
"Why did you pick a song by A Perfect Circle?" Katniss complains. She keeps her eyes glued to the television screen while her fingers work tirelessly over the colored, plastic buttons on the guitar as she hits them in time with the colors that appear on the screen. "They're always so long. I could have finished my dinner four times by now."
"You're only complaining because you're losing," Peeta replies smugly.
Katniss grumbles in his direction, hoping that it will break his concentration so she can at least have a chance to take the lead, but it's no use. His focus is much better than hers and he wins easily.
"Finally," Katniss sighs, setting her guitar down on the floor next to the couch and stretching her hands. "I'm done. It's starting to give me a headache."
They decided early in the day that tonight would be dedicated to eating Chinese take out and playing Guitar Hero in their underwear, a practice Peeta was previously unfamiliar with. Before stripping down, there was a heated debate over whether Lo Mein or Chow Mein was better, and they refused to agree. That's when they realized that ordering one main dish to share was not going to be an option for them when they ordered Chinese, and they ended up getting one order of both dishes.
Peeta mimics Katniss's action and sets his guitar down on the floor before leaning over to grab their food cartons off of the coffee table. He hands Katniss her almost full order of Lo Mein, followed by her chopsticks, and then settles back into the couch, ripping open his package of Chow Mein noodles and dumping them into his own carton.
"Give me a band," Katniss says quickly, grabbing the television remote from the coffee table. "I want to make you a Pandora station."
"You have Pandora on your television?" Peeta asks, intrigued. He watches in silence as she navigates through a list of applications and pulls up Pandora. She looks over to Peeta expectantly and waits. "Let's see… how about Alkaline Trio?" Katniss nods and begins to input the band name.
"I think my favorite Alkaline Trio song is Burn," Katniss says as she hunts down the letters. She hears Peeta chuckle beside her, and when she looks at him, his face is twisted into an amused grin. "What?"
"That's my favorite, too," Peeta replies, jabbing his chopsticks into his Chow Mein. "Look at us, having shit in common."
Katniss laughs, hits enter, and waits for the station to generate songs. She sits back against the couch after a Thrice song begins to play. They listen in silence for a short time as they eat, but there is something Katniss has wanted to ask Peeta since he got there.
"So," she begins after finishing a bite of food. "Did you have a good time with Gale today?"
The Monday after their dinner at Gale and Neil's apartment, Gale e-mailed Katniss at work and said that he and Neil had talked about Peeta spending some time with Gale outside of the confines of their relationships. Neil thought it might be good for Peeta to get to know Gale one-on-one.
Katniss thought it was a good idea too, and suggested it to Peeta that same night. Peeta seemed hesitant to agree at first, and did not give her a clear answer. It wasn't until Gale called him the next day that he finally agreed to hang out at Neil and Gale's apartment that afternoon while Neil worked the Saturday afternoon shift and while Katniss stayed home and focused on some much needed cleaning while Peeta was gone.
"It was pretty great, actually," Peeta says, scraping the last of his Chow Mein from bottom of the carton. "Gale is a good guy. I mean, not that I ever doubted that, Neil wouldn't love him so much if he wasn't, but it's kind of hard to get to know a person outside of their relationship when the person they're dating is your brother."
"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Katniss says, finishing up her own food.
"He seems pretty protective of you," Peeta adds with a smirk.
"He is," Katniss confirms with a nod. "Sometimes a little too protective, sometimes."
"You know, you should plan a day like that with Neil," Peeta suggests. "I think you two could be really good friends."
"I should," Katniss agrees. The time she has spent with Neil so far has been positive. She'd like to get to know him outside of his relationship with Gale.
"I didn't know Gale liked bowling," Peeta mentions nonchalantly.
"Oh my God, he used to be on a league and everything," Katniss laughs. "There was this old woman that had it bad for him. She sounded like she was one pack away from an oxygen tank, but she never missed bowling night. Come to think of it, I don't think she even bowled. She just sat there and watched Gale. I went with him most weeks and she would give me the nastiest looks."
"If she only knew," Peeta chuckles. "Gale is pretty wise, too. He really seems to have his priorities in order with what he wants with Neil."
"I think it's all the Lifetime and Hallmark movies he watches," Katniss replies, causing Peeta to laugh and shake his head. He takes her empty food carton from her hand and makes his way to the kitchen to throw them away just as a song ends and "For Me This Is Heaven" by Jimmy Eat World begins to play.
"Holy shit, I love this song!" Peeta yells from the kitchen, walking back into the living room quickly. He stops in front of Katniss on the couch and puts his hand out to her. "Dance with me."
"To this song?" Katniss asks incredulously.
"Sure, why not?"
"It's not much of a dancing kind of song," Katniss points out.
"Who cares?" Peeta says with a shrug. We're all alone, sitting around in our underwear, who's going to be bothered?" He moves his hand closer. "Come on, before the song ends."
He is smiling from ear to ear and Katniss can't help but notice how relaxed he has been since returning from Gale's, so she places her hand in his and agrees. He pulls her up from the couch and walks her to the open area between the living and dining rooms, locking their fingers together, and then wraps his free hand around Katniss's waist, resting it on the small of her back.
Katniss looks at their hands linked together in mid-air and she begins to laugh at how silly they must look getting ready to dance to this song in their underwear, but she snakes her hand up around Peeta's neck anyway as they begin to lightly sway back and forth, slower than the melody would call for.
"You know, this song makes me think of you," Peeta says, pausing briefly. "Us, really."
"Does it?" Katniss asks, lightly dragging her fingers through the curls at the nape of his neck. "How so?"
"Everyone interprets this song differently," Peeta begins, continuing to sway, "but for me, it makes me think about us – especially in the beginning. You know I used to sit around all day at work and wonder how to tell you everything? And when to tell you?"
"I didn't know that," Katniss replies quietly. She notices a look of guilt flash across Peeta's face. He closes he eyes and sighs, as though he is forcing himself to continue.
"It isn't like I'm oblivious to how much it hurts you when I keep running away from you, Katniss. I just…" Peeta breaks eye contact for the first time and takes a deep breath. "Sometimes I can't help it, no matter how hard I try to fight against my mind when it starts to tell me that I'll never have anything real."
"Do you still think those things?" Katniss asks, tightening her grip on his hand.
"Yes," Peeta replies, clearly embarrassed.
Katniss puts her head down against Peeta's chest and kisses it, prompting Peeta to speak again.
"When I leave you, I get this feeling in my gut and I don't know what it is. It isn't butterflies like the song says, but like something is constantly pulling me back to you. No matter where I am it's there if you're not." He rests his cheek on the top of Katniss' head and continues, "I always wonder if you feel that too."
She does. She knows exactly what feeling he is talking about. It's that sensation in the pit of her stomach that gnaws at her when he's not around. She nods against his chest, unable to formulate the words that Peeta seems to be able to right now.
Peeta removes his hand from hers and brings it down to rest where his other hand already sits on the small of her back. He pulls her in close and she moves her hand to his chest, keeping her head down, close to his neck.
"I want you to spend Thanksgiving with me," Peeta says, breaking the silence that was consuming the room.
Katniss pulls her head from his chest, forcing Peeta to lift his head up and she looks at him, shocked. She didn't expect him to bring this up. At least not tonight – Thanksgiving is still a month away.
"My family always has a big breakfast on Thanksgiving morning, and then we watch the parade. I was hoping you'd come with me. You can finally meet Spencer and his wife, too," Peeta, says. He sounds almost as though he is reciting something that he has been practicing for a while now, and it makes Katniss wonder how long he has wanted to ask her this.
His idea makes sense. She would be able to go with Peeta, but also be able to see her family, namely Prim, for dinner. Prim. Katniss has told her so much about Peeta.
"So, we have breakfast with your family and I get to meet your other brother, then… maybe…" The words die in her throat, and she's unsure if she should continue. Would the suggestion scare him? The idea scared her, but she really wanted Prim to meet him, so she forces herself to finish her sentence. "…dinner with my family, so you can meet my sister?" She looks at him for a second. "And I guess my parents, too," she adds.
Peeta laughs as though he is amused at how tongue tied she is, but he doesn't seem to realize how huge bringing someone home to meet the family is for her.
"You want me to meet your family?" Peeta asks, the weight of her question finally hitting him.
"Yes," Katniss says, with confidence this time. "You need approval from Prim if I'm going to continue dating you."
"Well, I was going to say no," Peeta says jokingly. "But since you put it that way, I guess I'll go." He feigns annoyance and rolls his eyes, but quickly his face turns serious and he brings his forehead down to rest against Katniss's. "Yes," he says. "I'd love to meet your family."
XX
Peeta keeps his eyes glued to the road as he navigates streets Katniss has never seen before. He showed up at her apartment Tuesday night, the last day of school before Thanksgiving break, with his bag in one hand and a pizza in the other and has been with her ever since, even tempting her enough that she called in sick to work Wednesday morning so they could stay in bed all day with their phones off, shutting out the world.
Katniss notices the silver Audi parked in the driveway when Peeta pulls the car up and parks – Peeta notices it, too.
"Spencer," Peeta says with a sigh, pulling the keys from the ignition. He doesn't sound very thrilled, despite the fact that he said he wanted Katniss to meet Spencer.
Her eyes land on the large, white, two story colonial house. It is seated on a hill with a lush, green lawn and rose bushes lining the red brick walkway that leads to front porch and cherry red front door.
"Is this where you grew up?" Katniss asks, in awe of just how beautiful the place is.
Peeta nods. "Misleading isn't it?" he says wryly, opening his door. "Sit tight," he adds before getting out and making his way around the car to open Katniss's door.
Katniss takes his hand when she gets out of the car and notices him squeezing it tightly as they make their way up the walkway toward the front door.
Peeta opens the door, allowing Katniss to walk in first, but still keeping a firm grip on her hand. She immediately smells breakfast when she walks in, and the scent only grows stronger as Peeta leads her through the house and into the dining room where there is a spread of what appears to be freshly baked bread for toast, jam and butter, eggs, bacon, sausage, and waffles on the table.
"I bet you're happy about the non-Eggo waffles," Katniss says, pointing to the pile of homemade waffles on the table.
"It's the only reason I still do this," Peeta replies jokingly, smiling while he gently pulls her away from the table. He continues to lead her through the house, passing through a pair of white, French doors and stopping in what appears to be the living room.
There is a blonde man, who Katniss can only assume is Spencer, sitting on the hard wood floor in a pair of gray sock, khakis, and a blue, plaid shirt that is tucked in. Next to him is a small woman with equally blonde hair, who is staring at the television as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade plays out.
"Hey, where are Mom and Dad?" Peeta asks, interrupting the couple, but confirming that this was indeed Spencer. While he didn't look terribly different than Neil and Peeta, there was something about his presence that rubs Katniss the wrong way.
"In the kitchen," Spencer replies dryly, not taking his eyes off the television. Peeta nods, rooted to the spot and staring at Spencer.
"Spencer," Peeta says imploringly. "I want you to meet Katniss."
Spencer's head turns to them quickly at the mention of Katniss's name, and he stares at her for a second too long before nodding.
"Nice to meet you, Katniss," Spencer says coolly. He doesn't get up from his spot on the floor to introduce himself further.
"You too," Katniss replies, agitated.
"This is Naomi, Spencer's wife," Peeta continues, waving in Naomi's direction. Naomi stands up from her spot on the floor and walks over to Peeta and Katniss, giving Peeta a cordial hug before moving to Katniss and shaking her hand.
"Ignore Spencer, he's just tired and hungry," Naomi whispers, laughing uncomfortably. Katniss smiles and nods in return, biting her cheek to try to stop herself from asking Naomi why she is making excuses for a man who is acting like a toddler. She knows why Spencer is acting so cold, and it has nothing to do with him being tired or hungry.
Katniss pushes her anger away, not caring at all what Spencer thinks of her. He wasn't at dinner the night she yelled at Bev, and in the six months she has been with Peeta, this is the first time she has met him. As far as she knows, he and Peeta rarely speak, if at all, outside of family get-togethers like this. To her, his opinion means nothing.
"Let's go say hello to my parents," Peeta says, bringing her back through the dining room and through a swinging door into the kitchen.
Both Colin and Bev have their backs to the door and do not hear Katniss and Peeta enter over the sounds of more bacon frying. Bev stands at the stove, while Colin is stirring a bowl of what appears to be batter for more waffles.
The kitchen is spacious. Katniss thinks she can probably fit her kitchen in here at least three times. The floors are hard wood like the rest of the house, and the white cabinets almost shine against the gray marble countertops.
"Hey, Mom and Dad," Peeta calls out trying to get their attention. Colin turns around first, smiling when he sees them standing in the kitchen.
"Peeta!" Colin exclaims, sounding shocked. "You made it, I'm glad. I know the last time we talked you said you weren't sure if you were coming or not." He shakes Peeta's hand and pulls him in for a quick hug, turning his attention to Katniss when they break apart. "Katniss," he smiles. "It's nice to see you again." He pulls Katniss into a similar hug before turning back to the waffle batter that is waiting on the countertop.
"We'll be starting breakfast as soon as your brother gets there," Bev says, forgoing the salutations. She turns around, frying pan in hand and looks right at Katniss. "He's bringing his friend." A small smirk plays on her lips, and Katniss can only assume it's in response to the look on her face. "Katniss, there is a spot for you at the table next to Peeta." With that, she turns back around quickly and grabs a spatula, saying nothing more.
Katniss did not know Gale would be coming today. Why didn't he tell her?
"Let's go wait for Neil and Gale on the porch," Peeta suggests. They retrace their steps through the house and out the front door, where they stand on the porch and wait to see either Gale or Neil's car drive up the street.
"Why weren't you going to come today?" Katniss asks after a few minutes of silence. He didn't mention anything to her about considering not coming today.
"I told you I wanted you to spend Thanksgiving with me," Peeta begins to explain. "The last time I talked to my dad was before I asked you to come to breakfast with me. If you didn't want to, I would have been fine with spending the morning with you alone. In bed," he says, giving a coy smile. Katniss rolls her eyes at him.
"How long were you planning to ask me to come to breakfast with you?" Katniss finally asks.
"I thought about it not long after school started, when I was planning turkey themed art projects for the younger kids," Peeta confesses. "I was just never able to work up the nerve to actually ask you."
"What gave you the nerve the night you asked me?"
"Gale gave me a big push," Peeta reveals. She knows that he and Gale had a nice chat the afternoon they hung out, but Gale refused to tell her any details, stating that he promised Peeta he wouldn't. She admired Gale for respecting Peeta's wishes, but deep down she often found herself wishing he wouldn't. "Then that song came on, and I don't know… it just felt like the perfect time."
Katniss reaches her hand up and brushes the curls from Peeta's forehead, smiling when he smirks down at her. She was happy that Peeta has been so open the last few weeks, but she has been trying to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that made her wonder how long it would last, but her thoughts are interrupted when she notices Gale's car round the corner.
After Gale parks and he and Neil get out of the car, both couples congregate on the porch for a short time, prepping themselves to go in and face what breakfast will bring this year.
"So Katniss," Neil starts. "What do you think of Spencer?"
"Would you be offended if I said he seems like a tight ass?" Katniss replies, looking to both Neil and Peeta.
"Absolutely not, because he is – just like Mom," Neil says, laughing.
"Don't be surprised if he says three words to you all morning," Peeta adds.
"But he'll probably throw in plenty of passive aggressive remarks, or snide looks," Neil continues. "He may be a tight ass like mom, but he certainly doesn't have her balls."
XX
The table is silent as everyone fills their plates with food when breakfast finally begins. Gale, Neil, Katniss, and Peeta take up one side of the table, while Colin, Bev, Spencer, and Naomi take up the other half. Things feel divided, and Katniss can't help but wonder if it was intentional.
The food is just as delicious as it smells. Peeta piles four waffles onto his plate and douses them with butter and syrup, swirling a piece of sausage around in the excess and taking a bite.
"What are your dinner plans tonight, Neil?" Bev asks, finally breaking the silence.
"Gale and I are going to try making our own dinner this year," Neil replies, looking over to Gale.
"The keyword here is try," Gale laughs. Katniss smiles at her plate and hears Peeta chuckle beside her, but when she looks up she notices Bev's expression is unchanged.
"What about you two?" Bev asks, moving her focus to Katniss and Peeta.
"We're going to my parents' house," Katniss replies informatively. Bev nods as though she is interested in what Katniss just said. The action shocks Katniss.
"Have you met her parents yet?" Bev asks Peeta. There is no sign of vitriol in her tone, and it seems that Peeta notices that in the way he hesitates before he answers.
"No," Peeta says, tentatively. "This will be the first time."
"Do you have any siblings, Katniss?" Spencer asks.
"Yes," Katniss replies, in the same cautious tone that Peeta spoke in when he answered Bev. Something about this conversation is making her uneasy, but she ignores it. "Her name is Primrose, and she's home from college for the holiday."
"So your sister is in college, but you didn't go?" Bev asks in the familiar, condescending voice that Katniss heard the last time this topic was brought up.
"Katniss actually gave her college fund to Prim," Peeta interrupts.
"Did you really?" Neil chimes in, his face shocked. "That's awesome, Katniss."
"Because she wasn't smart enough," Bev says loudly, gaining everyone's attention. It's not a question, it's a statement. As though she's telling Katniss she is stupid. Katniss isn't sure if it's a warning to her, telling her she was not smart to make a scene at dinner, but when she looks up to Bev, she can see Spencer sneering, like he has been waiting for this moment.
"Can you give it a rest for one fucking day?!" Peeta yells, clearly agitated. The entire table comes to a halt, and Spencer's sneer fades. Katniss notices Naomi's mouth is hanging open. "It's Thanksgiving! Can't we function like a normal family for one damn day?"
"Normal families don't cuss at the breakfast table. Did she teach you that?" Bev asks, glaring at Katniss as she mumbles something about rudeness and inconsiderate guests.
"Says the woman who wrote the book on how to be rude," Peeta scoffs, challenging Bev. He matches her glare as the entire table stares at the two of them. "If the only reason you didn't put up a fuss about Katniss coming with me today was because you wanted to act like this, then we don't have to be here." Peeta throws his napkin down and pushes his chair back, standing up angrily. "Come on, Katniss. I'll make you breakfast at my place."
He puts his hand out for Katniss to take, and just as she puts her hand in his and stands up, Colin breaks the silence.
"Stop it!" Colin yells, causing Peeta and Katniss to freeze where they stand. He looks around at everyone, and their eyes are now focused on him. "Sit down, both of you," he instructs, turning his gaze to Bev. "Can I talk to you in the kitchen?"
"Did Dad finally grow his balls back?" Neil whispers, after Colin and Bev disappear into the kitchen.
"Shut the hell up, Neil," Spencer whispers back angrily.
"Why? Are you pissed because mom's little plan backfired on her? Eat your waffle, and don't be afraid to choke on it."
Spencer jabs his fork into his food bitterly, not saying another word. Neil was right, they had planned this. Bev was trying to do anything she could think of to embarrass Katniss the way she had embarrassed Bev at dinner, and it didn't work, thanks to Peeta finally speaking up against his mother and Colin finishing the job.
It's then that Katniss notices she is still holding Peeta's hand. She rubs her thumb over the top of his hand and squeezes it, an action the two of them have grown accustomed to doing when the other needs reassurance. Peeta did the right thing, though Katniss knows he's probably telling himself that he ruined breakfast.
Suddenly, Gale gets up from his seat and walks over to Katniss and Peeta, crouching down and placing his hands on each of their shoulders.
"You okay, Katniss?" Gale asks, his voice low. At Katniss's nod, Gale turns his attention to Peeta. "That was an impressive plate of shut the fuck up you served, man. Were you actually going to leave?"
"Yeah," Peeta laughs. "I want Katniss to enjoy her breakfast today, so if I had to take matters into my own hands and make it for her myself, then I would have."
"Good," Gale says, pleased. "You did the right thing." He slaps Peeta's shoulder once lightly before standing up and walking back to sit down next to Neil.
They can hear Bev and Colin whispering loudly and argumentatively in the kitchen, but nobody can seem to make out what is being said. When they return Colin looks pleased with himself while Bev is expressionless.
"Spencer, after breakfast I want to talk to you," Colin says sternly, picking up a piece of bacon from his plate and taking a bite.
XX
Katniss stands at the sink after breakfast, washing the dishes and pans that Peeta and Neil are bringing in from the dining room. Colin and Spencer enter the kitchen through a side door, and Spencer leaves the kitchen immediately while Colin moves next to Katniss at the sink. He picks up a towel and begins to dry the dishes that Katniss has just washed.
"Don't worry about my wife," Colin mutters, looking around for Bev who is moving between the kitchen and dining rooms. "She's testing you."
"Oh, I'm not worried about her. She can say whatever she wants to me," Katniss replies, placing a dish under the running water.
"I didn't think you'd be a crier like Naomi, but she was far worse on her than she has been on you," Colin informs her. Katniss is taken aback by that. How could that woman possibly be any worse? "She doesn't really know how to handle Gale, though. That may be why you're getting all of it…" he looks around again, and drops his voice even further. "Don't tell her this, but I think she has fun with you. You fight back."
"She has a pretty skewed version of fun, then," Katniss replies, causing Colin to laugh.
"I know."
"Thank you for saying something earlier, I really didn't want a repeat of our dinner at Capri," Katniss says gratefully.
"Don't mention it, just…" he trails off and looks around again. "Treat him well."
Katniss knows he is talking about Peeta now and she nods at Colin, smiling.
"Don't worry," Katniss assures him. "I will, and I'm not going anywhere."
XX
Colin and Bev sit on the couch in the living room, while everyone else fits a spot and gets comfortable on the floor to watch the parade. It makes Katniss wonder if this is how they've always done it since the boys were kids. She tries to imagine Peeta as a child, sitting on this very floor, watching the large parade floats. Did he have a favorite?
Peeta sits with his back against the coffee table, while Katniss is positioned between his legs, her back is flush against his chest. Their hands are linked together and resting on Katniss' thighs.
"When did the parade start doing all of this singing shit?" Neil asks, irritated.
"Neil," Bev warns.
"Sorry, let me rephrase that," Neil begins sarcastically. "When did the parade start doing all of this singing stuff?" He then begins to mumble, "Twenty-seven years old and I can't say the word shit."
"I don't know, but I kind of like it," Gale chimes in.
"You would," Neil says, rolling his eyes.
They are sitting differently than Katniss and Peeta. Gale sits next to Peeta, his back also up against the table, but Neil is lying on his side with his head in Gale's lap.
Katniss glances over to Spencer and notices the scrutinizing look he is giving Neil and Gale. He doesn't say a word, but continues to stare until it seems as though he feels Katniss' eyes on him. He looks to her, and she gives him a look that is full of warning and disdain. She has barely spoken to him, but has the intense urge to tell him off.
He is nothing like his brothers, and Katniss begins to consider what separate hell Spencer put the two of them through in addition to Bev's torment. The air in the room is suddenly thick and uncomfortable, but Katniss tries to ignore it for Peeta's sake. She has no plans to move away from Peeta or to make it known how uncomfortable she is, that would only benefit Bev and Spencer in the end, so she leans back into Peeta's chest even further and looks up at him.
"What was your favorite float when you were a kid?" Katniss asks softly.
"Snoopy!" Neil and Colin say in unison.
Katniss smiles up at Peeta as he nods.
"It was Snoopy," Peeta confirms. "I always wanted a dog like Snoopy, but I couldn't have one…"
"Because Spencer is allergic," Neil adds, bitterly.
"I had a Snoopy stuffed toy that I used to carry around as a substitute," Peeta says.
"Didn't you carry it around until you were like, seventeen?" Spencer asks, trying to join the conversation. Katniss can't see the look Neil gives him, but it must have been one that told him to mind his business, because Spencer offers no more commentary.
"We still have that Snoopy," Bev says. It's the first thing she has said since breakfast ended. "It's out in the garage."
"Out in the garage with Peeta's bike?" Neil asks.
"Shut up, Neil," Peeta warns, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Bike?" Gale asks, jumping in. "Like a motorcycle bike or a bicycle with a bell kind of bike?"
"Motorcycle bike," Neil replies. He moves from Gale's lap, smiling widely in Peeta's direction. "You mean you haven't told Katniss about your bike, Peeta?"
"Shut up!" Peeta says angrily. He's clearly embarrassed, but Katniss isn't entirely sure why.
"You never told me about a motorcycle," Katniss says, still looking up at him from her position against his chest. Peeta sighs and rolls his eyes, groaning unhappily and letting his head fall back.
He stands up quickly, forcing Katniss off of him as he walks toward the kitchen – she just stares at him as he walks away.
"Well?" Peeta asks, turning around. "Are you coming to the garage to see it or not?"
"You better make sure that thing isn't leaking in my garage," Bev says while Katniss gets up from the floor and makes her way to Peeta.
Peeta nods dismissively at Bev and then points an accusing finger at Neil.
"I hate you. So much," Peeta says, irritated. He grabs Katniss's hand and begins to lead her toward the garage.
"You love me!" Neil yells after they're out of the room.
XX
"There it is," Peeta says, flustered
Katniss stands next to him in the large garage staring at the motorcycle. It's clearly very old, with red and white coloring amidst the rust. The left mirror is cracked, and she begins to wonder if it even runs.
"It's a 1970 Honda. I bought it after I graduated from high school with intentions of fixing it up during the summer and when I'd come home from college," Peeta explains quickly. "But then… Glimmer happened, so I never got the chance." Katniss nods in understanding and lets him continue. "I don't really take it out of this garage. It just sits here collecting dust, but I've taken it for a spin a few times."
"So it runs?" Katniss asks, amazed.
"Last time I checked it did. I really should just sell it and forget about renewing my motorcycle license, but I just can't get rid of it," Peeta says, touching the handle of the bike.
"Well it's yours," Katniss reasons. "It's special to you." She nods happily at her logic, but silently hopes he never wants to take her out on a ride with it.
"Are you ready to get out of here?" Peeta asks suddenly. "I really don't feel like sitting in that living room any more with my mom's eyes burning a hole in the back of my skull."
"Yes," Katniss says, relieved. "If we stay I may end up punching Spencer for the way he keeps looking at Neil and Gale."
They go back into the house to get their coats and tell everyone that they're leaving. When Peeta announces that they're leaving, Neil hops up from his place on the floor and smooths his jeans with his hands.
"We should probably get going, too," Neil says, watching Gale as he pushes himself from the floor to stand. "We have to get that turkey in the oven soon. Otherwise, we'll be eating at midnight."
The four walk out together, wishing each other a Happy Thanksgiving as they get into their cars.
"And good luck making the feast on your own tonight!" Peeta calls out to Neil and Gale before they shut their doors. "We should try that next year," he says to Katniss, turning the key in the ignition.
"What?" Katniss asks, stunned.
"Make a feast of our own, you and me," Peeta says.
Katniss is shocked that he is not only thinking of next year, but including her in his plans. She smiles at him, and nods. It was a nice idea.
"We still have hours before we have to be at your parents' house. Did you want to go now?" Peeta asks, pulling out of the driveway.
"No!" Katniss says quickly. "I am really excited to see my sister, but that house is too suffocating to go this early."
"Well, then should we go back to your apartment then?"
"Sure," Katniss shrugs.
"Want to take a nap?"
"Yes. Definitely."
XX
Katniss pulls into the driveway of her parents' house right on time, taking a deep breath before putting the car in park and turning off the ignition.
"Wait there," Peeta says, hopping out of the passenger seat and opening her door for her again.
Katniss laughs at him and shakes her head, and Peeta shrugs and grins demurely in return. When her feet hit the cement of the driveway, Peeta takes both of her hands in his and tucks the bottle of wine he brought under his arm.
"Are you nervous?" He asks tenderly, looking down at her as she stays seated in the car.
"I am," Katniss nods.
"More nervous than when you met my parents?"
"About a million times more nervous," Katniss sighs, finally standing up. "But I should be asking you that. Are you nervous?"
"Maybe a little," Peeta shrugs. "I don't want them to hate me, of course, but I'm more excited… I think. At least that's what I've been telling myself this stomachache I've had the whole ride here is."
Katniss begins to walk up the driveway, taking Peeta's hand the same way he took hers when they got to his parents' house that morning. She pulls open the side door and walks into a small hallway with coats hanging. She shrugs off her coat and hangs it up, taking Peeta's and doing the same when he pulls his off.
"Katniss?" her mother asks from where she stands at the kitchen sink, her back to the door they came in from.
"It's me, Mom," Katniss confirms as she begins to walk up the three steps that lead from the small hallway up into the kitchen. Her mother turns around with a huge smile on her face as Katniss walks into her outstretched arms.
"It's so good to see you! You really should visit more often," she says, squeezing Katniss.
"Yeah," Katniss says imperviously, breaking free from her mother's grip and stepping to the side, revealing Peeta who is standing there with a nervous grin on his face. "Mom, this is Peeta. Peeta, this is my Mom, Abby."
"Nice to meet you," Peeta says, shaking Abby's hand and offering her the bottle of wine.
"Thank you, Peeta," Abby says, looking at the bottle in her hands. "It's nice to meet you too. I wish I could say I've heard so much about you, but my daughter is a little quiet and doesn't tell us too much."
Peeta glances at Katniss nervously, but doesn't say anything.
"Joe, Katniss is here!" Abby calls from the small kitchen. She peeks into the living room and shakes her head. "That kid sleeps like a rock." This causes Katniss to peer in through the same doorway and she sees Prim curled up on the couch asleep under a blanket.
"Long time no see, Sweetheart!" Joe says, walking into the kitchen through the entry on the other side.
"Gross, Dad," Katniss gripes. "That's what my boss calls me." Joe laughs and pulls her into a hug.
"You look great," Joe says, pulling away to look at her. "Something is agreeing with you." Just then, he glances over Katniss's shoulder and locks eyes with Peeta. "And I'm going to guess that it's you," he says as Katniss moves out of the way. "Joe." He takes Peeta's hand and gives it a vigorous shake. "You're probably too old to fall for any of my threats, so I'll just skip that."
"Thanks," Peeta laughs nervously. "Peeta Mellark, nice to meet you." He lets go of Joe's hand and runs it through his hair, exhaling loudly.
"Peeta brought us wine, Joe," Abby says, holding up the bottle for him to see.
"Looks like you know how to get on my good side already," Joe says with a nod, impressed.
"Can I have some of that?" Katniss turns around to see Prim standing in the doorway, wrapped in her blanket and looking bleary eyed.
"No!" Katniss says quickly, but Prim scoffs in her direction.
"I'm twenty-one now, in case you forgot," Prim says.
Katniss rushes to her and swallows her up in a hug, holding her close. When she pulls back to look at her sister, she realizes that it has been close to a year since she last saw Prim since she stays at school almost full time now.
"You can have one glass with dinner, but that's it," Abby says, putting the bottle of wine in the fridge. Prim beams and then sticks her tongue out at Katniss.
"There's how you prove you're an adult," Katniss says sarcastically. She puts her hand out toward Peeta and pulls him toward her after he takes it. "Peeta," Katniss begins. "This is my baby sister, Prim. Prim, this is Peeta."
Peeta shakes Prim's hand and places the other over the top of it securely.
"Katniss talks about you all the time, it's nice to finally meet the infamous Primrose."
Katniss notices Prim blush a little, but she quickly ducks her head down to try and hide it.
"It's nice to finally meet you, too," Prim replies, lifting her head back up to look at Peeta again.
Prim is the only one that Katniss has talked to about Peeta, and she was sworn to secrecy, just in case something went wrong. Her parents didn't know she was even dating anyone until she called to tell them she was bringing him to dinner.
"Okay, out of my kitchen. I have a turkey to finish up!" Abby says, shooing everyone out into the living room.
"Katniss?" Prim asks, stopping her from sitting down on the couch. "Can you come upstairs with me for a minute? I want to show you something in my room."
"Sure. I'll be right back," Katniss says to Peeta before looking at her Dad. "Be nice," she warns Joe.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Joe says innocently.
Katniss follows Prim up the stairs and they make their way down the short hallway to the room that Prim grew up in. It's still decorated with unicorns, Prim's favorite when she was little. Prim shuts the door and smiles widely at Katniss.
"Katniss, he is so cute," Prim beams. "And he seems sweet."
"He is," Katniss confirms.
"I can't believe you brought him home to meet Mom and Dad." Prim shakes her head at the concept. "What did Mom do when you told her you were bringing a guy to Thanksgiving dinner?"
"At first she thought I meant Gale, but then when I told her it wasn't Gale, she realized that I meant an actual boyfriend," Katniss explains.
"Did you call him your boyfriend when you talked to Mom?" Prim asks curiously. Her eyes grow wide when Katniss nods. "This is a big deal, isn't it, Katniss?"
"Yeah, I think it is," Katniss says quietly. She looks to the floor embarrassed. "So besides thinking he is cute, what do you think? I told him I'd dump him if you didn't approve."
"So far, so good," Prim nods. "But I'll let you know yes or no later tonight."
"Sounds fair," Katniss laughs, opening Prim's door so they can head back downstairs.
When Katniss hits the landing on the first floor, she overhears Peeta and Joe talking about football.
"I never really got into football, but I wrestled a bit in junior high and high school," Peeta explains.
"I always wanted to wrestle in school," Joe admits.
"Both of my brothers wrestled too, it was just what we did, I guess. Spencer, my oldest brother, even got a scholarship to wrestle in college, but me and my other brother, Neil, stopped after high school," Peeta says with a shrug. "It was really just something that I did to get out of working at the bakery after school."
"The bakery?" Joe asks, intrigued.
"Yeah, our family runs a bakery. It has been in the family for several generations now, passed down. Spencer is the next in line to take it over," Peeta says as Joe nods.
Joe turns his head when he notices Katniss and Prim have returned from upstairs.
"See, I didn't hurt or threaten him at all, did I, Peeta?" Joe asks, smirking.
"No, he didn't," Peeta adds, smiling from ear to ear.
"Dinner will be ready shortly, guys," Abby says, entering the dining room.
"Time to help set the table and bring the food out," Joe says, getting up from the couch. "It was nice talking to you, Peeta, as brief as it was."
"Do you want any help?" Peeta asks, getting ready to stand up too.
"Don't be silly," Joe says, putting his hand up to stop Peeta. "Relax and enjoy yourself."
"They never let us help," Prim tells Peeta. "It's their thing to do it all, I guess."
"My mom usually makes my dad do everything," Peeta says. "They do cook together though, so I guess that's something."
XX
"Are you ready for the million dollar question, Peeta?" Joe asks, taking a bite of his mashed potatoes.
The dinner is a traditional one complete with the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberries, and dinner rolls.
"Sure," Peeta smiles, waiting.
"What do you do?" Joe asks.
"I teach art to elementary school students," Peeta replies as though he's answered the question a million times before.
"That's sweet," Abby smiles. "What is that like? And what is the youngest you've ever taught?"
"I taught at the library one summer, I think the youngest kids were two years old, but now I stick to elementary aged kids. The older ones are a lot of fun to teach the different styles of art to, because they are starting to understand it," Peeta explains. "My favorite is introducing them to Monet's Water Garden and Bridge."
"That's the guy that painted with dots, right?" Prim asks.
"Yeah, the dots," Peeta answers with a laugh. "First I show them a small piece of the painting up close so they can't quite make out what it is. Then, I show them the full size. I love watching their faces as they realized that a bunch of dots made a picture like that. Then I have them create their own picture with dots."
Katniss looks down at the table, unable to suppress the smile that creeps up on her face. She can feel her cheeks start to hurt from how wide she must be smiling.
"Joe mentioned that your family has a bakery, but you're a teacher. Do you consider teaching your calling?" Abby asks.
"I wasn't sure at first, but the year I spent home teaching the toddlers at the library really opened my eyes and helped me see that teaching was where I wanted to be," Peeta begins. "I always assumed I'd graduate with an art degree but never use it. I figured I'd end up working at the bakery forever with a degree gathering dust, but I'm glad I was wrong about that."
"Well you sound very proud of what you do," Abby says. "That's rare."
Katniss grabs Peeta's hand under the table and gives it a squeeze. She's happy that he seems to be having a good time tonight.
"So have you met Gale yet, Peeta?" Joe asks.
"Oh yeah," Peeta nods, taking a sip of wine. "I'm quite familiar with Gale." Katniss sees his eyes sweep across the table as everyone looks at him, waiting for him to continue. "He's actually dating my brother."
Abby and Joe look confused, so Peeta rehashes the story of how they all met so that it makes sense to them.
"I guess you can't be mad at Gale for dragging you to speed dating, huh?" Joe says to Katniss.
"No," Katniss agrees. "And I really wanted to hold that over his head for a while, too."
"Remember the year Katniss brought Gale to Thanksgiving dinner and we thought he was her boyfriend?" Joe says, turning to Abby. Everyone at the table starts to laugh.
"How long did it take you guys to realize that it wasn't true?" Peeta asks.
"I already knew," Prim states proudly.
"Of course you did," Abby says sarcastically. "Katniss tells you everything." She doesn't sound mad, but Katniss notices a hint of sadness in her tone.
"We didn't find out until Abby made the mistake of asking them how long they'd been together," Joe says. "It took the two of them at least fifteen minutes to stop laughing long enough to tell us that they weren't together."
"Gale is the only person Katniss has ever brought home to meet us… until you," Abby adds. "And since she wasn't dating Gale, I guess you're the first boyfriend she's ever brought to meet us."
"Really?" Peeta says, shocked.
"Really," Joe confirms. He looks at Katniss for a moment, as though he's nervous to continue. "You must be pretty special if she brought you here to meet us."
Peeta says nothing. Katniss looks at him. The look on his face is a mixture of shock and happiness.
"Well," Peeta finally manages to say. "This is the first time I've ever been brought to meet someone's parents."
Now it's Katniss's turn to look shocked. She didn't know that. She always just assumed that he'd met at least Glimmer's parents since they were together for almost two years. She is now seeing that this is an even bigger deal than she previously thought it was.
Bringing Peeta home to meet her parents was a big step for her, but learning now that Peeta had never met the parents of any of his girlfriends before her was an even bigger step. Not for her, but for Peeta. The fact that he didn't run away from it made her nerves and hesitation to take this step worth it.
XX
"Well that was a success, I think," Peeta says, stretching his legs out as far as he can while he sits in the passenger seat of Katniss's car.
They each enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner, and pumpkin pie for dessert. Initially, Abby was a little nervous to serve it to Peeta, considering his family owns a bakery, but he took his helping and complimented her on how delicious it was, and then helped clean up the table while conversing casually with Prim about school.
When the table was clear, he joined Katniss at the sink to help her wash dishes before they decided it was time to head back to Katniss's apartment with plenty of leftovers packed up by Abby and sent along with them.
"Yeah, I think they like you," Katniss agrees, smiling but keeping her eyes on the road.
"Your parents are way cooler than mine," Peeta says. "They actually function like a team and you guys talk to each other like a family. I like that."
"We're not The Brady Bunch or anything," Katniss laughs, shaking her head. "But we can usually get through the holidays without a screaming match."
"I was a little worried when your Mom mentioned you hadn't told her about me," Peeta admits quietly.
"Don't be," Katniss assures him. "I never tell them anything, but Prim knew about you. I didn't even tell them I got promoted at work last year."
"Why don't you talk to them? They seem like nice people," Peeta says, confused.
"They are," Katniss confirms. "I don't know why, but I can only talk to Prim. When I used to tell them things their support always felt… strange."
"What do you mean? I'd kill for some support from my parents."
"It always felt patronizing. Like they were holding my hand and patting my head reassuringly so that I didn't feel like the screw up of the family who couldn't even get through college without running away from it," Katniss explains. "So I just stopped telling them things unless I had to."
"Screw up of the family?" Peeta repeats, puzzled. "I don't think you're a screw up, and from what I saw tonight, I really don't think they do, either." Silence consumes the car, and when Katniss doesn't answer, Peeta begins to speak again. "I'm a screw up and I went to college. Being a screw up doesn't depend on your education, Katniss. Trust me."
Katniss peels her eyes from the road quickly to glance at him.
"You're not." Her tone is short, but also gentle, and she doesn't offer him more than that, ignoring her phone when it goes off in her pocket.
They pull into the parking spot at Katniss's apartment a short while later, and before Peeta can tell her to wait for him to open the door for her, she puts her hand up to stop him.
"Can you get the left overs my Mom gave us?" She asks. "I think I can manage opening the door on my own," her tone is joking and she smiles warmly at him before opening her door and standing up.
Quickly, she pulls her phone from her pocket and looks at the screen. It's a message from Prim that simply says, "Yes."