Chapter 2: Peeta and Katniss

"Peeta leave that cake and go and get ready or you will be late." Peeta herd his brother calling him from the front of the bakery. Peeta looked up from the cake he was frosting and at his father who had a small smile on his face. His bother was a nag just like their mother who died three years ago. Both Peeta and his father who looked so alike they could pass for brothers shook their heads.

His brother who had golden blond curls on his head popped his head back to them and stood there with his hands on his hips.

"You need to leave like right now, get your house ready and get ready yourself. There is no time. Sarah will already be there cleaning your house." Barley said and Peeta shook his head at his brother.

"Your wife does not have to clean my house i can do that all by myself." Peeta said crossing his arms and looking at his brother.

"Don't worry brother she has offered besides this day is hard enough for you without the worrying of the house." his brother waved Peeta off with his hand.

"Thank you Barley i really appreciate it." Peeta said standing up and washing his hands.

"No worries its all i can do before your life ends" Barley said laughing and clapped his brother on his arms.

Peeta's dad Kenneth and his brother laughed while Peeta just looked at them not impressed. His dad then stood and grabbed his son by the shoulder.

"Son i will tell you what i have said to your brothers before. And what my father said to me. Treat your woman with respect and she will respect you. Love your woman and she will love you. Listen to her and never go to sleep angry with each other cause you don't know if you will wake up." Kenneth said and Peeta smiled at hi had hugging him

"Thanks dad for that for everything. I really appreciate it. I'll go now or i will be late. See you guys tomorrow." Peeta called back when he was leaving. He drove to his house his palms were sweaty as he was so nervous. Its not everyday that you meet your future wife.

When he pulled up in front of his house he looked at it and smiled. He had nothing to be embarrassed about. His parent began saving up money for all of their three sons so that when the times comes they could but their dream house. Peeta worked at the bakery since he could remember and when he could really make money he saved every bit of penny that he could. So when he bought his house a couple month back he was so proud of it.

It was a beautiful two story house, well now its beautiful when i bought it, that was not the case. He bought the house very cheap because it was almost 300 years old which meant it as a building left from before the war and it was really run down. The leftover money that Peeta had from the house he used to renovate it.

Peeta could not been happier or more proud about it as now he could provide his future bride with a home that was in good shape. Its now grey and white and it hand an nice porch and porch swing. The house in front was full of flowers and it looked very colourful. Peeta could picture myself with my future wife sitting in the porch wing drinking sweet tea and looking at their children.

The upstairs of the house were a master bedroom with an en suit bathroom and three other bedrooms and a bathroom. The downstairs had a kitchen sitting room dining room small office space and a toilet. The house was on the verge of a forest and it was a nice and calm area and Peeta loved it. What Peeta loved the most about his house were morning where he would go outside and there were a bunch of forest animals just waiting for him to give them food. Peeta could not complain about the house and he just hoped that his future bride would love it just as much and call it home.

When Peet was walking up the steps to his parch he heard music and laughter coming from the house and he smiled. When Peeta opened the door a wonderful aroma of spices and herbs hit him and his mouth instantly watered. Peeta went into his kitchen and Sarah his sister inn law was dancing the my kitchen singing to a spatula. Sarah has married his brother Barley four years ago. She came from District 11 but she quickly accustomed to this district and Barley and Sarah fell in love completely. She was a very pretty dark skin girl with raven hair that was in a hair ponytail and chocolate brown eyes. She was one of the nicest people Peeta ever met and Peeta was glad that they were meant to be because they really fit like a glove. Joining her duet was her 3 year old daughter with two dark pig pigtails. Both girls were really into the song that they were singing and did not hear Peeta coming in and it gave him an opportunity to stare at the beautiful site and imagine that one day it would be his wife that would Peeta would be coming home to. Watching them two calmed Peeta greatly and he was very glad for that. When the song ended the girls gave a big bow both laughing at their antics. They only heard Peeta when he let out his own chuckle.

"Uncle Peeta, uncle Peeta." the little girl with pigtails ran to me.

"Hello my little Rue." Peeta scoped the little girl in his arms and kissed her all over the face. He loved his niece , maybe too much for his own good cause she used it to her advantage.

"Uncle Peeta i am all wet stop kissing me." She girl shrieked and Peeta looked at her with big shocked eyes.

"Never!" he said blowing a raspberry in her neck to which she laughed and screamed in her high pitch voice. Her mother stood by the counter holding her 8 moths old son who was now asking for attention extending his arms. Peeta swaped Rue for his nephew and cooed at the little boy.

"Hello Ira my sweet." Peeta said to him and planted a big kiss on his cheek to which he responded with gibberish. Both of them were so sweet and cute and Peeta wanted to have one of his own as soon as possible.

"So I have made Gumbo its on the stove and there is a Tiramisu in the fridge." Sarah said

.

"Really Sarah that is too much i could have made something or go out." Peeta said putting Ira in a basket.

"You are not welcoming your bride with takeout. She needs to be welcomed with a home cooked meal. Besides it gives you less to worry about and it is my way of paying you back for making me feel so welcomed here when i first came here. Well i should go before this little one is getting fussy. Good luck and remember just be yourself and she will have no choice but to love you." Sarah said with a smile planted a kiss on peeta's cheek and left.

Peeta then looked around the empty kitchen and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He was getting nervous again. He closed his eyes and for what felt like a hundredths time prayed that all will work out well. That his marriage will not end like his parents. Peeta remembered when his mother smiled and was warm and when she hugged him. He remembered when his father and his mother were happy and in love. That all hanged when he was 5 years old and his mother lost the daughter she always wanted. She dies six moths after she was born. That turned his mother bitter and angry. His dad lost a daughter and a wife. Peeta's mom life was miserable and not even three healthy sons and a loving husband could help her so three years ago she took her own life. It might not be ideal but at least he ended her suffering.

Peeta shook his head and cleared his thoughts and went to get ready. He did not put on a suit but he put on slacks and a dress shirt. He wanted to look presentable. Far too soon Peeta was in a room where he was going to meet his future.

The room was on the smaller side with the walls filled with books from the bottom to the top. There was a window and next to it a table with two chairs as well as a leather sofa. It was not a very nice room visually and it seemed like it was closing up on him. There was a little bar in the corner of the room with drinks and snacks.

He was pacing the room and picking on the sleeves of his shirt. His palms were sweaty and he wiped them on the his slacks. He did not want to greet the girl with sweaty hands. He looked at the clock and the girl was already one minute late. He was here before the time so why this girl can't be. Peeta took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His heart was beating faster than normal. He tired to calm down so he looked at some of the books and recognised some of the titles. The he heard the door opening and a girl panting.

"I am so sorry I am late. I lost track of time." The girl said and Peeta looked up from the book he was reading and his heart seemed to stop. He knew that voice. It was the voice of a girl he met in middle school, well he did not meet her he saw her sing at the assembly and his heart stopped the same way it did then.

He stood there rooted ground unable to move even an inch of his body. You see that day when he saw her at the assembly he wished that she could be his wife. He fell in love with her right then and knowing how stupid he was having those feeling to a girl he probably could not have. He closed his eyes trying to calm his heart down and get that stupid smile of his face so he will not scare her away.

He turned to look at the woman that just came into the room. She was still panting and was trying to catch her breath. The woman had olive skin that was glowing even in the dull day. She was not very tall maybe 5'2 at the most. She wore a navy lacy dress that accented her very gentle curves as she had more of a boyish figure. She wore black heels to accent her longer legs. Her hair was left down in gentle waves. She looked at Peeta with those grey doe eyes and he feel in love with her straight away. She gave him a shy small smile and Peeta returned it with one big one of his own.

"Hello its a pleasure to met you name is Peeta Mellark." He extended his hand for her to shake. His voice was calmer than he was on the inside but he did not want to show it. At least one of them needs to be calm.

"Hey I'm Katniss, its nice to meet you." She said in a small voice. She looked at Peeta from under her long dark eyelashes

"So do you want to sit down on the couch so we can get to know each other." Peeta said pointing the couch and Katniss just nodded.

"Do you want something to drink." Peeta offered.

"Water will be fine, thank you." Katniss said and watched as he turned around and poured the water. She took a deep breath of relieve. He was not upset at her for being late. She also needed to calm down a bit. Before she entered the room her heart was pounding in her chest making her tremble but less than five minutes with this man in the room and he felt almost normal. He had this calm energy around him and it made her relax. Katniss found her looking at Peeta's back. He had a blue shirt that really showed off his muscled and Katniss could not look away from the back. It was nice and muscular.

Katniss looked down and blushed a little. She was checking this guy out before even knowing him. It was not a secret that this man was very attractive. With his ashy blond hair falling with in waves over his baby blue eyes. He was not overly tall like both of her friends but she was very muscular and very handsome.

He was walking over to her and handed her the water.

"I am so sorry for being late. I was talking to my mother and i lost track of time." Katniss began to explain but Peeta just raised his hand up to silence her.

"It is fine Katniss really. I barely noticed. Your here now." Peeta said with a smile to which Katniss had no chance but to return. She did not smile much around strangers but Peeta had this effect on her. She did not understand what was happening with her own body. Normally she would not even engage with people and when she did she was shifty and nervous but with Peeta it was all very different. She felt calm and relaxed and on top of that she felt really attracted to him which made her look down at the glass she was holding to hide the blush she had on her face.

When Katniss regained the courage to look back at him both gave a nervous chuckle neither knowing what to say. It is not every day that you meet a person you are supposed to marry for the first time. Peeta not taking his eyes from the beautiful creation in front of him spoke first.

"Okay lets just forget for a minute that were a going to marry each other in about two moths time. Lets try and be friends." Peeta said trying to defuse the tension making Katniss looked up at him.

"Well i have never been good at making friends." Katniss said with a sigh.

"Well let just try and get to know each other. It helps if you know the person." Peeta said with a chuckle.

"Well there is not much to me just that i am very stubborn and a workaholic." Katniss said with a small smile

"Well you know Katniss with friendship we have to know the deep stuff about each other." Peeta said

"The deep stuff?" Katniss asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know the deep stuff. Like what is your favourite colour?" Peeta said with a smile

"Wow you have crossed the line." Katniss said and both started laughing.

"So i really want to know what is it? Peeta asked

"Green that's my favourite colour. I love the woods and the tress. What about you." Katniss said.

"Well i love orange. You know when the sun is setting and the sky turn into those different colours the muted colour is the one i love the most." Peeta said and Katniss nodded. They both looked into each other eyes and lingered for loner than they normally wood. Katniss was the first to break away.

"So this place does not have a variety of choice in the food department but if you were as nervous as i was than i bet you did not eat yet. Shall we get going." Peeta said wiping his hands in his slack.

"You did not look nervous at all but yes i am starving." Katniss said

"Trust me I was nervous but i am good at hiding it. Come on lets go." Peeta said helping Katniss to stand up.

The drive to Peeta's house was short but they talked all the way to the house. When Peeta parked his house an Katniss looked at it it took her breath away. The house looked beautiful.

"Wow Peeta you did a brilliant job with this house. I remember it before." Katniss said looking at the house and getting out of the car.

"Well it was not easy but i am proud of it." Peeta said with a sense if pride.

"Well the house looks amazing. I remember when i was little i was dared to get into that house on Halloween but i chickened out." Katniss said laughing

"And now you are going to live in this house" Peeta said

"Well the house looks awesome so i am not afraid of it now. So what made you chose to buy this house." Katniss asked curious

"Well i have an eye for beauty and i saw potential in the house. I got it very cheap besides its in the edge of the woods so you have what you love close to you." Peeta showed her the back of the house and Katniss loved it.

"i love this house Peeta, its beautiful." Katniss said and Peeta smiled

They got inside and Peeta gave her a tour of the house. Katniss fell in love with house completely. She loved everything about it but the most she loved that the house was at the edge of the woods were she can go and gather fruits and mushrooms.

They sat at the kitchen table and ate and talked more. Katniss was surprised how easy it was to talk to Peeta and tell him about herself and her family. She laughed so much, more than she had since her father died. It was nice just to let go off all the walls that she build over the years and just talk and laugh. Peeta was special because he did not press to talk about anything personal yet it just flowed out.

Soon Katniss stuff came to the house and Peeta helped her to get them in the house. She would be sleeping in one of the bedroom for now but she did not mind. She went to sleep late in the night cause she just could not stop talking to Peeta. When she closed the door to the her room she found that she missed Peeta already. She did not want to say goodbye to him.

When she laid in bed and closed her eyes she dreamed about black haired and blond children running around the house laughing and screaming and she decided it was not a bad future.

So what did you think about this chapter. Was it good? Are you happy that she was with Peeta cause i am. Next chapter Haymitch/Effie meeting. See you soon.