One week later…..
-Peeta-
The relationship between me and Katniss is something most people don't understand. In fact, I don't understand it. We're not exactly friends. There are no cameras around now, but our kisses and caresses are for comfort, nothing more. Or at least that's what I tell myself to keep my sanity.
Tonight, I come home early with cheese buns; a normal occurrence in our house. I see that she hasn't made dinner yet, so I get started on making something I think will go great with the cheese buns. It isn't long before I hear her footsteps on the stairs.
"Are you cooking? You know it's my turn," she says, mock angry. I just laugh. "You know this means tomorrow is still your night right? You'll mess up my whole week otherwise." She says that with a smirk on her face, as if she knows she won't be able to get away with not cooking three nights in a row.
"I can still cook tomorrow," I say. I don't really care. I wasn't cooking right now to get out of cooking tomorrow. And I like cooking.
"You're gonna cook three nights in a row? How is that fair?" she raises her eyebrows at me. "Or do you just not like my cooking? That one time you threw up was not from my cooking, remember?" I have to laugh at that.
"How about we go out for dinner tomorrow and forget the whole thing?" I suggest. It makes sense, that way neither of us has to cook, and we definitely have enough money to do it. But the problem is that going out to dinner would feel like a date. And I don't know if our fragile relationship can take that right now. Katniss's silence seems to last a second too long and I regret saying it.
"Sure," she says eventually. "I'd like that." And a smile lights up her face that almost breaks my heart because it's one I've never seen before. A smile that would've meant so much happiness to me a few years ago, but now fills me with pain because it gives me hope. Hope for her love.
-Katniss-
I'm nervous around Peeta now. I don't know if he's noticed my sidelong glances or more frequent smiles but they are more than obvious to me. These new feelings are gonna take some getting used to. In some ways, they had always been there, buried deep in my heart.
There's this new tension between us. I've felt it in my bones. And as he walks in the door now I can't help but stare at his arms as he takes off his jacket. The way the muscles move beneath the skin. The arms that keep me so safe have caused a match to light inside me and I feel warm all over. He's looking at me now. A blush creeps its way up my face and I have to look away.
Peeta clears his throat. "You ready to go?" he asks. He sits beside me on the couch. "You still wanna go, don't you?"
This new proximity is not helping my ability to speak, but I finally find my voice. "Yes. Of course. Let me just…." What was it I had to do? "I'll be down in one second."
I go upstairs quickly. I still can't remember what I have to do. I look at myself in the mirror in our bathroom. I put on my green cashmere sweater with jeans earlier and braided my hair, but it seems like there's something missing. I look the same as I always do but I want to look different tonight, yet still like myself. I try to think if there's something I can do. Something that would make me look more…attractive. Slowly I unbraid my hair, letting it fall around my shoulders in soft brown waves. There.
Peeta's eyes widen in surprise when I come down the stairs. I can see my minor change in appearance has the effect I desired. He smiles nervously at me and I return the smile. Why are we so suddenly shy? This feels too much like a first date, though we've been living together for the last couple months.
Neither of us has said anything yet. I walk over to him and take his hand. There. That feels more normal. "Ready?" I ask. His hand in mine has calmed me down. While his touch still sends shivers along my spine, I am no longer nervous. I'm surer of myself; of us. His eyes travel from our joined hands to my face and I blush again.
"Yeah. Um…" He pauses, lost for words. I can't remember the last time Peeta struggled to find words. "Let's go."
"Where did you wanna go?" I ask as we head out the door.
"It's a surprise," he says. Our hands are still joined and it's all I can do not to put his arm around me and snuggle closer. But I can't do that. Baby steps.
By the time we get to town, I still haven't figured out where we're going. There has only been one restaurant to open up in town since the war, and we've gotten take-out from there before. It wasn't that great (though I'm not too picky about food). Other than that I guess there's always Greasy Sae's house…And the bakery. But that would mean Peeta ended up cooking anyway…But he wouldn't do that…Would he?
We stop in front of the bakery and I'm confused. "What…?" I say to Peeta.
He smiles at me. "It's still a surprise. Just follow me." He pulls me inside after him.
I've been in the bakery before, of course. I was there to help Peeta build it from the ground up and I stop by at least once a week for lunch. Everyone nods at us and we say hello as we walk through the kitchen and passed Peeta's office to a door that leads to…the roof. I think I know where this is headed now and a smile breaks across my face. I turn to Peeta, "What—"
"You'll see," Peeta says. "Go on." He motions for me to go up the stairs and, in awe, I do, with him behind me. My suspicions are confirmed when I reach the top. He made a picnic for us on the roof.