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Chapter Nine

Katniss ushered the other two inside and Peeta appeared behind her. Katniss and Gale shared a quick embrace. Katniss's hug with Madge lasted just a few moments longer. She stepped back and indicated the man behind her.

"Peeta, this is Gale and Madge." She introduced. "Gale and Madge, this is Peeta."

Peeta held out his hand to Madge first. "Hi. I think I've seen you before. Do you work at the grocery store?"

She shook his hand and nodded. "In the deli-slash-bakery."

"I wander over there sometimes to look at the cakes. I used to decorate the cakes at my dad's bakery when I was a kid."

Madge chuckled. "I never decorate the cakes unless there isn't anyone else. I'm not very good."

"I really enjoyed the turnovers."

"Well, thank you. Just wait until you try my strawberry tarts. As soon as they're back in season, I'll definitely make you some."

"I look forward to it." He grinned and turned to Gale. "Peeta Mellark."

Gale gave him a very firm handshake. "Gale Hawthorne." He looked the other man over. "I know that name, Mellark. I work with a logger with that name." He thought a moment. "Cooper or Carter."

"Carson?" Peeta asked.

"Yeah, that's it. You related?"

"My brother." Peeta said in a tight voice. "We don't speak."

"Oh, that's too bad." Gale said. "He's a pretty nice guy. And your mom always brings us candy at Christmas. Real sweet lady."

Peeta stiffened. "You know not everyone is the way they seem. Just showing a good face to the public. Sweet lady." He scoffed and walked away, mumbling about the cookies.

"What's his problem?" Gale asked, bewildered.

Katniss held up her hand. "Don't, Gale." She followed Peeta into the kitchen where he was pacing like a caged lion and giving himself a sort of pep talk. She said softly, "Peeta?"

He stopped and looked up at her. "I'm sorry."

"Do you want to leave? Do you need to be alone?" She walked closer and took his hands in hers. "Talk to me."

He looked into her eyes, his own pleading. "I want to stay. I need to be with you. Being alone would only make this worse."

She squeezed his hands. "I'll tell him whatever you want. You don't have to say anything."

He pulled her into his arms and pressed his nose into her hair. "I'm okay. I'll tell them something. A partial truth."

"Okay." She turned her head and kissed his cheek. "As long as you're sure."

"I am." He stepped away and picked up the plate of cookies.

"I'll get some coffee and be right behind you." She quickly arranged the coffee pot, some cups, sugar, and milk on a tray and turned to see he was waiting for her. They walked into the living room together and sat down their trays.

Peeta sat down across from Gale and leaned forward. "I'm sorry for earlier. My family and I have never really clicked. And they haven't been very kind to me. So to hear you say my brother is a good guy and my mother is sweet really doesn't mesh with how I know them. So I would really appreciate it if we didn't talk about it anymore. I don't speak with them unless it's necessary. And I'm pretty sure my mother only ever calls me to guilt me."

Gale nodded. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't know. I won't say anything about them again."

"Thanks."

Katniss rubbed a slow circle between his shoulder blades. "I helped make the cookies."

Peeta gave a relieved chuckle at the change of subject. "She did. You should totally try them."

"Peeta did most of the work." Katniss admitted as she picked one up. "Oh, my god, these are good."

He laughed and leaned closer to her. "Told you simple was best."

Madge and Gale both spoke their appreciation. They exchanged a look. Gale nodded.

"Now is the time we assure you, Peeta, that Katniss and I are just friends and nothing else will ever happen between us." Gale said.

Peeta smiled and nodded. "I get that. I read people pretty well. And I see the way you and Madge are and I can tell that's pretty special. But more importantly, I trust Katniss. I've only known her a short time and I can already tell she's a very trustworthy person. I have no fear about anything happening between you two. I'm not a jealous person anyway."

Katniss slipped her hand into his. "That's good to know."

Peeta asked Gale, "So what exactly do you do?"

"I work in logging. I'm almost head of a crew. I've done pretty much everything. And I'm the one that's been there the longest other than my boss."

Katniss said, "He's been working on the same crew since he was seventeen. He's been put in charge a couple different times."

"Proud of me or something, Catnip?" He asked with a grin."

"Something like that." She chuckled.

Madge grinned. "He is pretty awesome."

"One of these days he may finally get over his fear of marriage and pop the question." Katniss said with a pointed look at Gale.

"Maybe." Gale said. He cleared his throat and picked up another cookie and popped it in his mouth. "I left my bow and arrows in the truck." He stood and dusted off his hands. "Be right back." He kissed the top of Madge's head and left.

"I need to get my stuff out of the closet." She squeezed Peeta's hand and left the room.

Madge and Peeta sat quietly for several seconds. Madge spoke first, "Katniss says you're an artist."

He nodded. "I am. I've embarked on a seasonal set. I did summer and fall. I'll do winter once it's in full swing. I found this really cool little spot with all sorts of flowers and trees. It's a perfect place."

Katniss returned with a quiver of arrows over her shoulder. She was messing with the string of her bow as she walked. "You know, I noticed I never see you with a sketchbook. Prim always has one stashed somewhere wherever she goes."

Peeta watched her a moment as she continued to mess with the string of her bow, lost in the movement of her fingers. He shook his head to clear it. "Um, I do more painting than sketching. It's very bulky to bring the paints and everything with me everywhere." He cleared his throat. "But I wouldn't mind letting you watch me paint sometime."

She smiled. "Just tell me when and where."

"I will." He assured her.

Gale came back inside with his own quiver of arrows and bow. He walked straight out back and the other three followed.

"How many yards?" Katniss asked as she walked out to set up the targets.

The two discussed it as they put everything in place. Madge stood with her hands wrapped around her coffee cup.

"The trash talking usually starts after the third arrow." She said with a grin.

Peeta laughed. "And who usually starts it?"

She leaned closer and said conspiratorially, "Gale because he knows Katniss is better. She usually gets more points. But once Gale beat her by one and he never lets her forget it."

Peeta laughed. "How did Gale learn archery?"

Katniss answered before Madge could. "From me."

Gale said, "She had quite a few years on me. That's why she's usually always better. Except for that once."

Katniss chuckled. "You go first." She stood near Peeta and said softly, "You see how he holds the bow? It's a little sloppy, but no matter how many times I try to fix it."

Gale let his arrow fly and it landed on the edge of the target.

Katniss shook her head. "You really need to listen to me." She lifted the bow and shot the arrow in one swift move. She didn't take nearly as much time to aim as Gale had. She was off-center. She sighed.

"Who needs to listen?" Gale stepped forward and aimed his next, making a bullseye. "Hot damn!"

Madge cheered for him and gave him an enthusiastic kiss.

Katniss stepped forward and landed her arrow right beside his. She turned. "Ha!"

"Watch me make that a cluster." He said. He shot another and it landed beside the rest.

"Well, look at that. Someone has been practicing." She stepped forward and aimed carefully. Her arrow landed among the others.

For the rest of the afternoon, they both attempted to land their arrows in that same cluster. They were mostly successful, but a couple of Gale's went wide. They walked forward to examine it all just as Prim and her friend Jason came out.

"Aw, we missed it." Prim pouted.

Madge brought them up to date. "Peeta's enjoyed the back and forth, I think."

"Oh, yeah, definitely." Peeta said with a laugh.

Katniss and Gale walked back up with their full quivers. Peeta wrapped his arm around Katniss's waist and kissed her cheek.

"How about pizza?" He asked.

"That sounds great." She said. "You want me to help again?"

"I'd love it." He followed her into the house.

They heard Prim's friend say, "I thought you were joking about Mr. Mellark."

"Nope." Prim said. "My sister is totally dating our art teacher."

Katniss laughed and stepped into the kitchen. The others weren't too far behind.

Madge said, "Let's all work together. I always have so much fun cooking with friends."

Peeta nodded, "I totally agree."

So they coupled up and began working on pizzas. Katniss watched her sister a moment. Prim and Jason were taking every opportunity to touch and they were both giddy. Katniss leaned into Peeta. "Are they dating?"

Peeta watched them and nodded. "Sure looks like it."

She smiled and caught her sister's attention. "Want to tell me something?"

Prim blushed, but held her head high. "Jason asked me to be his girlfriend and I said I would be."

"Well, aren't we a great big happy, mushy family?" Katniss said with a chuckle.

Prim laughed. "Definitely!"