Prim squealed when they dropped the food off and teased Peeta about where he was taking her sister.

"Primrose," their mother sighed in exasperation.

"What? I'm being an annoying little sister, like I'm supposed to be!"

"You're already an annoying little sister to me," Katniss kissed her forehead. "You don't need to bug Peeta too."

"I've never had a brother," Prim protested.

"Don't worry, Prim. You can bug me as much as you want." She giggled and nudged him in the side and Katniss quirked a brow. Prim was known for her sweetness around the district; everyone loved her, and much like Peeta, she was always cheerful and smiling.


"You're so good with her," she muttered after they had left. He held out his arm and she took it, smiling.

"I always wanted a sister. And Prim is a sweetheart."

"Take her then." He chuckled and shook his head.

"Something tells me you don't mean that."

"Well, I would rather a sister than a brother."

"Try two brothers. Older brothers."

"No thanks." He laughed and squeezed her hand. He led her through the district and this time, Katniss ignored the whispers and stares. She even stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek at one point. Peeta's eyes sparkled as he laughed, his fingers wrapped around hers.

"Here we are." Katniss smiled as she recognized where he was leading
her. The meadow lay just outside the fence and her woods lay just a few feet away.

"I wish I could take you inside," she gestured to the woods. "There is a lake in there that's so nice to swim in when it starts to warm up."

"You actually swim in there?"

"My dad taught me," she said softly. "The woods are where I feel close to him."

"Maybe we can find something else to help you feel close to him," he said as he stroked her cheek. "Something less…illegal."

"Dad was a rebel. He sang songs he wasn't supposed to and had books he wasn't supposed to have, and hunted in the all that, he was respected throughout the district."

"And I'm sure his daughter grew up to be just like him," he said with a wink. He spread the blanket out and held out his hand to help her sit. She set the basket down beside her and snuggled against him, her back to his chest. He sucked in a breath as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.

"I can't tell you how many times I dreamed of this when I was a kid."

"A picnic in the meadow?"

"A picnic in the meadow with you. I kept saying to myself, I would ask you... but every time I was going to, you were with Gale and I lost my nerve and I just... I wasted a lot of time just thinking about it."

She held his hand in front of her face and studied his long fingers.

"So if this hadn't happened...if you hadn't purchased me...would we still be here?"

"I'd like to think we would be. I was coming home with every intention of asking you to marry me anyway."

"But only because you were a Peacekeeper. If that hadn't happened...would you have found the courage to talk to me?" He swallowed and rested his chin on her head.

"I'd like to say yes. I'd like to think I'm braver than I am. But I'm not really sure. I've always been a coward."

"Is that you thinking that about yourself or is that your mother's voice in your head?" He was still and she tilted her head back so she could see him.

"I...I don't know."

"The next time you hear her inside your head, telling you something mean, imagine my voice instead."

"And what is your voice telling me?"

"That you are strong and handsome and wonderful. And I'm lucky to be married to you." She felt his arms tremble and he hid his face in her hair for a moment. When he lifted his head again, she swore she felt something wet on her neck.

"I'm the lucky one," he said thickly, his voice choked with emotion.


The afternoon was pleasant; Katniss had never had the freedom to just sit in the meadow and talk. With Gale, she was hunting for food for both of their families. With Prim, they worried about their schoolwork and rarely gossiped.
She found it easy to talk to Peeta. He was genuinely interested in her life and what she had to say. He was soft-spoken but passionate, and his speech was articulate and he painted beautiful words. After they finished their meal, she stretched out with her head in his lap while he braided flowers into her hair. She closed her eyes, lost in the feel of his fingers running through her locks and his deep, soothing voice. He told her about growing up in a bakery, living with two older brothers, what it was like going to District 2 and how he felt being back in 12.

She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until she felt his lips on her forehead.

"Hey," he said softly, stroking her cheek with his finger. Her eyes fluttered open and she noticed how long and golden his eyelashes looked.

"I didn't think you'd want to miss it," he gestured toward the setting sun. Katniss sucked in a breath as she sat up against him; it was truly spectacular, with blazing orange and yellow and even some reds mixed in.

"I wish I had my paint set," he whispered in awe.

"Do you have one at home?"

"Not really. Paints are hard to come by, unless you're in the Capitol."

"I bet I can make you some. With the berries I find out here." He cupped her chin and forced her to turn to look at him.

"You are too good to me, Katniss." She shook her head and leaned back. Paints were so small compared to everything he had done for her. When she mentioned this, he brushed his knuckles against her cheek.

"I was just doing the right thing. And it wasn't a completely selfless act. I did want you, afterall."

"Darius said he knew you wouldn't want to buy me but that you would, to keep someone else from doing it."

"Well, he's right. I can't imagine anyone… and knowing that… I mean…" he trailed off and she leaned in to kiss him.

"I'm happy it was you." He bit his lip for a moment as both hands held her face, his eyes searching for something. He surged forward with no warning, his lips claiming hers and her hands came up to cover his. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, their tongues meeting with ferocity. He broke away with a gasp, panting her name while his eyes were squeezed shut.

"I'm sorry, I just… lost control for a moment", he sighed.

"Peeta." His eyes opened and held her gaze for a moment.

"It's starting to get a little chilly. Come." He stood and helped her to her feet. She watched him as he gathered the picnic supplies and blanket, shifting from side to side as she waited to see if he would take her hand. She sighed with relief when his fingers wrapped around hers and she followed him out if the meadow.

As they approached their home, they saw Darius and his partner Purnia standing at the edge of the yard, and Peeta nodded to both of them.

"Lieutenant," Purnia said in a low voice.

"Good evening, Darius. Purnia. Is there a problem?"

"Sir, we answered a call about a disturbance near the peacekeepers' barracks," Darius sounded quite anxious. Peeta's brow furrowed.

"What sort of disturbance? Was anyone hurt?"

"No sir. No one was harmed. It was a matter of vandalism. Just a stupid prank it seems but uh… well…"

"Spit it out, Darius," Peeta snapped impatiently.

"Your house, sir," Darius gestured behind him and Peeta dropped Katniss's hand, rushing toward his house. Katniss's hands covered her mouth, her eyes wide in horror.

Painted across the side of the house were red letters that read "seam slut" and "whore".


"Darius," Peeta said in a voice so low that it was almost deadly. "Find the culprits responsible for this. I want them strung up at the whipping post so I can deal with them myself."

"We will find them, Lieutenant Mellark." Darius cast Katniss a quick look, though she wasn't sure if it was pity or apology or warning, before he and Purnia hurried away. Peeta had dropped the picnic basket and his hands were clenched by his side. Swallowing, Katniss walked up behind him.

"Peeta," her voice shook but she didn't care. He turned and his eyes glittered angrily.

"I'll take care of this, Katniss."

"No. It was a stupid prank but you don't need to whip them."

"So what would you have me do? Allow them to get away with defacing private property and insulting my wife?"

"I just meant…" she bit her lip, her eyes darting to the ground. It was hard to look at him in that moment. Her sweet husband, the gentle boy with the bread, looked like a different person with flames dancing in his eyes. His brow furrowed and his face morphed by rage, it was almost like someone else was inhabiting his body. Katniss hated it. She wanted the real Peeta back, the one who smiled and laughed and spoke with lovely words.

She moved forward and placed her palm on his cheek. His eyes widened and met hers.

"Just let it go, Peeta. Please?"

"Let it go? But-"

"For me," she cut him off. "Please." His eyes searched hers and they slowly became more clear, his blue irises brightening.

"I can't promise they will go unpunished, Katniss. This is a crime and it's my duty to moderate crime. But I won't take it that far… for you. I won't do anything you don't want me to do." She flung herself in his arms and he held on, sighing as he rested his chin on her head.

"What are you doing to me, Katniss?"

"Reminding you of who you really are. You're good, Peeta, and kind and generous. You're not this cold figure the Capitol has twisted into some kind of-" she broke off with a gasp, flying backwards out of his arms. He stared at her, his expression unreadable in the dark.

"Let's get inside. I expect you're hungry


so to my reader who commented that it seems like things are going a little too well, good call. You guys have already commented on Peeta's darker moments. Don' worry; Peeta is my favorite character so I'm not about to make him a different person but in the next few chapters you'l see some of his memories from training and maybe understand a little better what had happened to him. Don' hate me yet ;)

Xoxo