It's only Rye, intent on chastising Peeta more.
"You made me lie to a pretty girl," Rye complains, pushing past his brother to head to the kitchen. Peeta tries to resist rolling his eyes as he watches his brother raid his refrigerator.
They look similar enough, Rye only a few inches taller and broader. Rye's blond hair is darker, though, and he prefers to keep it in a buzz cut.
"You're lucky Brett walked in a second later, Peet, 'cause I made him finish explaining where you're at," Rye says, pulling out an assortment of food. He's barely holding back his smirk as Peeta's eyes widen almost comically.
"You did what? Brett's a shitty liar!"
"Aw, look at Peeta, using grown-up words. You better watch your mouth, boy," Rye says, mockingly narrowing his eyes sternly as he wags a carrot at his younger brother. He sits at the island structure in the middle of the kitchen, spreading out the containers of food he swiped from Peeta's refridgerator across the spotless white countertop. Peeta simply gapes at his brother, watching as the older boy shovels a copious amount of food into his mouth.
Rye sheepishly glances up as if finally noticing Peeta's glare, and he reaches for the frosted tray of cookies Peeta baked earlier. Peeta slams his hand down on the counter, blocking Rye's hand.
"Tell me you did not leave Brett to lie to Olive."
"Tell me you're not avoiding her because of the Seam girl," Rye counters, and instantly Peeta stiffens. Rye apologetically takes a cookie from the tray, studying the delicate flower pattern.
"Peeta," he begins, and Peeta instantly recognizes his brother's "I'm-going-to-make-a-speech-you-won't-like" tone, and he raises his hand to stop Rye from speaking.
"Leave it, Rye."
"But we're worried about you," Rye persists, and at the dark look Peeta shoots him Rye drops the cookie back onto the counter. "You know Mom is worried, just in her own way."
Peeta mutters something about how her way is simply not caring.
"Don't be like that, Peet," Rye says quietly. "We all are worried about you, Peeta. We just want you to be happy, and if that means moving on then…"
Rye trails off, and Peeta shoots his brother a wry smile. "I meant what I said in my interview, Rye."
Rye silently chews the cookie, waiting for Peeta to continue, because this is rare. They didn't discuss the Hunger Games when Peeta first came back, and have adopted the tactic of simply avoiding the topic entirely as their way of dealing with it.
"I've loved her for a long time, and I'm not sure I'll ever stop," Peeta says, moving to put Rye's empty plate in the washer. "I'm not sure I can."
"Do you want to?" Rye asks, his voice quiet as he takes another cookie.
Peeta doesn't answer, and Rye doesn't press it. They sit in silence for a moment, before Rye half-jokingly says, "Well, what about Delly? Because, no offense, your girlfriend's hot and all, but she seems a bit…"
"Ditzy? Airhead-ish? A little empty up there?" Peeta supplies, snickering slightly as Rye attempts to look indignant. He's never considered Delly that way, and knows he never will think of his longtime childhood/best friend like that.
"Carefree," Rye says, laughing when Peeta breaks into choking laughs. They're not even sure what's funny, and maybe nothing is, but the moment simply feels so normal for them, and it's a relief they can still joke around and tease each other.
"What about Marie?" Peeta asks, amusedly watching his brother flush at mention of the butcher's daughter.
"Shut your fucking mouth," Rye tries to growl menacingly, but Peeta only laughs harder, and a smile finds it way on Rye's face, too.
"You going to ask her to marry you anytime soon, Rye?"
"You let me worry about my problems, and you deal with your own," Rye says, and their laughs quiet. Rye glances around the kitchen, noting the two stoves and bakery tools strewn on several countertops.
"Does she make you happy, Rye?" Peeta asks suddenly, and Rye looks up, surprised.
"Yeah, course."
A moment of silence floats by.
"You?" Rye asks carefully, asking about Katniss, and his light blue eyes study Peeta's darker blue irises intently. Peeta meets his brother's gaze steadily, a wry, tired smile morphing his face when he responds.
"Yeah. I know it doesn't make sense, but she does."
Rye leans back in his island stool, balancing his back against the chair as he stretches. "Then I guess that's that, Peeta. It doesn't have to make sense."
Peeta stands from his chair across from his brother, a puzzled look on his face. "What?"
The doorbell rings, and Rye shrugs as he slides from the seat. "You'll figure it out one day. I better go out through the back door. Guess Brett's skills haven't improved in the time you were gone."
Rye offers his brother a hesitant smile after he mentioned the Hunger Games, and Peeta only rolls his eyes while grinning himself. "Wasn't gone for that long, Rye."
Rye's smile widens. "No, I guess you weren't."
Peeta watches as Rye moves to the door, and his eyebrows questioningly rise when Rye turns around, his hand resting on the knob.
"Peeta?" Rye starts, his gaze serious and his voice adopting that tone again.
"What?" Peeta asks, unsure if he should brace himself for sorrowful words, more words of wisdom, or an unsettling remark.
Rye's mouth quickly slips into his trademark smirk, the shit-eating grin one that many Merchant and Seam girls had fallen for animating his face.
"Thanks for the food."
Peeta starts to indignantly protest at the anticlimactic statement, and Rye only snickers before making some comment about how Peeta whines and frosts cookies like a girl.
Or something like that.
A hesitant knock sounds from the front door, and Rye takes the opportunity to escape from Peeta's house, ignoring the profanity-laced whisper from Peeta to stay.
Peeta glances around the kitchen, taking a deep breath to calm himself before facing the silhouette waiting outside his door. He isn't sure what he'll say to Olive, entirely expecting to wing it...
He remembers someone telling him he had an admirable talent with words, an ease when talking or charming people. Peeta's hand rests on the silver doorknob, and he forces himself to turn it.
A/N: Look! It's so long! Just wanted to do Peeta's relationship with his brother justice :) Review, please!
Oh, and I was reading the reviews, and it's really funny that some are marked "Guest," because one is rooting for Katniss, the other Olive, and it's hilarious how the "same" person does a complete 180. Hah :)
And thanks for following this story!
*I made a small mistake last chapter and fixed it. Brett is Peeta's oldest brother, not Rye. Sorry for the confusion.
