a/n: ... .. I feel so bad about not updating ! sorry ! haha, but alas, here I am with a fluffy chapter :)

you have to admit it. A lovesick Peety is the cutest kind of Peety.

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I'm gonna give you a quote from later in the story, that I already wrote :)

"Fantastic things are gonna happen now," says Peeta :)

ER MAH GERD GUISEE I SAW PICTURES OF FINNICK AND PEETA AND KATNISS IN CATCHING FIRE ghfkjgflhkl I AM DYING.

disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.

enjoy ad review :)

It was another day at school, Katniss and I were walking in the halls, on our way to English. That's when she caught the sickening eyes of Nate Walker, the guy who attacked her so long before. His light brown eyes raked down her body hungrily, and he caught me glaring. He smirked.

I gently draped my arm over Katniss' shoulders and glared at Nate once more as we walked away. I was seeing red, and Katniss noticed the way I gripped her shoulder tighter.
"Peeta what's wrong?" she asked. This kind of touching wasn't fairly new, we've been a little more touchy-feely since the beginning of last summer.

"Nothing," I say.

"Are you sure?" Katniss asks, a doubting tone creeping into her voice.
"Yes, Katniss, I'm sure!" I snapped. Katniss recoiled away from me like I was a burning fire. I instantly regretted snapping at her.
"I'm sorry Kat, rough day."I mumble.
"You wanna talk about it?" she asks, looking up at me.

"Too much homework," I smile, my grin lopsided. Katniss laughs, a sweet melodic thing I could never get tired of.
"Awwww, my poor wittle Peety," she pouts dramatically up at me, her voice mimicking a baby's. "too much homework for his wittle Peety brain, awwww," she continued.
"That's it," I sigh. I grab Katniss' head and pull it free of her braid and rub the top of her head with my fist.
"Noogie noogie noogie," I sang gleefully, ignoring Katniss' many protests.

"Okay okay Peeta, let me go please! I'm sorry for calling you a baby, just please let me go! Please!" she shrieked, wrestling her way out of my arms. When I finally released her, she looked radiant. Hair tousled and wavy, eyes and face bright with a blush from laughing.
"I look like a mess don't I," she asked, adjusting her backpack strap. She moved to braid back her hair, but my hand locked around her wrist.
"Don't," I say, pulling her wrist down. "leave it down, I like it that way." I mumble, running a hand through it to part it the right way. She rolls her eyes at me, but doesn't make a move to grab another hair tie. Instead, she raises her hand towards my cheek. My eyes widen and my heart starts to beat frantically at her touch. Her hand rests on my cheek, and the world seems to melt away. She smiles up at me, and sighs, casting her eyes downwards. After another glance up at me, she encircles her arms around my middle, burying her face in my chest.

"Thanks Peeta," she mumbles, her voice slightly muffled.
"What for?" I ask, enveloping her slender form with my arms.
"For being my best friend, thank you," she mumbles again.
"My pleasure," I say, resting my chin atop her head.
"I love you," she mumbles and I freeze. I seriously think I heard her wrong.
"I love you Peeta," she mumbles again. A soft smile breaks out on my face.
"I love you too,"

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I rolled my eyes.
Really?

"No public displays of affection please," came a gruff voice. I freeze and release Katniss. She blushes and scratches the back of her neck awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." I say to the teacher. He rolls his eyes and stalks off. When he disappears out of sight, I release my laugh. Katniss covers her face, smiling behind them and pipes up.
"That was embarassing," she mutters. I laugh and take her wrists pulling them away from her face.
"Hey, it's alright," I say, my lopsided grin coming back. "besides, you can't blame him," I say. Katniss quirks her eyebrows.
"Why not?" she asks confusedly. I smile ruefully.
"We'd make a good couple." I say, searching her eyes for any trace of disgust. She only stares at me, her gray eyes softening.
"Yeah," she breathes. "we'd make a good couple."

"So, I saw you and Katniss hugging," Gale comes up to me, nudging me with his shoulder. I shrug.
"Can friends not hug?" eyeing Katniss out of the corner of my eye.
"Oh, friends can hug," he says. "friends don't hug like you and her though," he finishes, eyeing Madge beside Katni- wait.
"Do you like Madge?" I whisper roughly, grabbing and pulling on his thick flannel sleeve.
"Shut up," he growls. A smiles breaks out on my face that I try to suppress. To our misfortune, Katniss notices me, and says goodbye to Madge. She pads up to us, eyeing us, eyes narrowed.

"What happened?" she asks.
"Gale likes Madge!" I whisper, finally exploding. Katniss' eyes widen at me before drifting away to Gale's.
"Just remember," she whispers, eyes wide like she's telling us a secret. Gale leans in. "you break her heart, I break your face." she finishes. Gale groans and turns around to bang his head on his locker.
"Awwww, my little Gale is in looove," she sing-songs, dancing around the hallway.
"Oh my god," she says. "does Madge know, huh huh?" she nags, pulling at his jacket like a child.
"No!" he groans. I notice Madge wandering back towards us, and slap Gale.

"Hey, Magpie at ten o clock," I whisper. Gale immediately straightens up, begging Katniss to comb down his hair. When Madge finally comes up to us, Gale is smiling.
"Hi Gale," she says, a light blush staining her pale cheeks. Katniss and I exchange a smirk.
"Hey Madge," he says coolly. I see Katniss roll her eyes.

"Don't be cool," she says between coughing. I see Gale flinch a little and recover again.
"So what class do you have next?" he asks. I have to smack my forehead at that.

Smooth, Gale.

"Textiles," Madge replies. Gale nods enthusiastically. "I hate Textiles though," Madge goes on. "my mom makes me take it so I can learn how to be a lady" she finishes, shaking her head.

"You look like a lady to me," Gale says, not seeming to notice what he was insinuating.
"and a very pretty one at that," he says quickly.

Good save, Gale.

"Thanks," Madge mumbles. Gale smiles and they walk off together down the hall.

"Awwww, they're so cute," I say. Katniss laughs and punches my shoulder lightly.
"Yeah yeah Peety, let's get to class," I nod and we walk down the hall to English.

Little did I know, that Madge and Gale were talking about how cute we were.