People always say there a few defining moments in life. Where there's a moment that could change everything, forever. Sometimes you're aware, but most of the time, you hardly know it's happening.
Time will tell, they say.
Time will tell.
*LB
Katniss definitely did not imagine the day would go by like this. But there she stands, hands sticky with doughy goodness, and watches Peeta knead with the smallest trace of happiness on his face. She wonders fleetingly if that's a common expression, but she quickly dismisses the thought, because she doesn't think about these types of things.
"You know, I just have this feeling that you'll love these. They're called cheese buns," he looks over to her with a smile on his face and suddenly blushes a blooming rose pink "I'm sorry. This must be so weird for you. You just got here and now I'm rambling on about bread, of all things," he rubs his forehead, and unknowingly traces a white flour path on his face. He looks up then with a glint of nearly uncontained excitement and grasps her elbow with a swift move. "Wash your hands, quickly. I have to show you your room!"
She raises her eyebrows at that, because I get a room? She hurries nonetheless, and he adds, quickly "Yeah, don't look at me like that, we did plan a bit beforehand, okay?"
He leads her upstairs to the living quarters and past the rooms in the narrow corridor she's seen already, when he introduced her to the home before he suddenly got the idea to introduce her to the bakery downstairs without even finishing his grand tour.
He stops at the end of the hall and turns around, "I know it didn't sound like we planned anything out before we made this decision, but my dad's a smart man. This idea has been bugging him for a long time now, and as he mulled it around in his head, he did plan a few things 'just in case', as he says. You know, the normal stuff. But apparently talking to my mother about it didn't cross his mind once. Maybe he did that intentionally though, so that she doesn't really have a choice because you're not some object that she can just return to the store. You're with us now, and if she's got somethin' to say about that, well, she can very well deal with it." He looks at her with a solemn expression on his face, and she knows then that they're very serious about this. They genuinely want her here.
"C'mon, let's go inside,"
He leads the way in and explains to her that the room used to belong to his eldest brother, who moved out not long ago and is now married to the carpenter's daughter and works for him. The two younger brothers have always shared the other bedroom, and since Rye is also planning on leaving soon, no one has taken the spare. Katniss is surprised at this; she never would've thought that she would get a bed of her own, not even to mention a room. She stops in the doorway and smells the stuffiness and oldness of the room that somehow makes one feel welcome
The room has a large window on the farthest side, allowing the last rays of the day's sun to filter through; contains the standard old, weary furniture and is otherwise bare. It's more than she's had her whole life. Even back then.
"Yeah, it's a little dusty, and the bed's a little creaky and stuff, but it something alright. I've always admired this room, but maybe that's only because I was never actually allowed inside." Very ironic, Katniss thinks, considering the atmosphere of it.
He takes a deep breath, as if the place is full of fresh air, and beckons her to come further inside. "How about you go ahead and make yourself at home, and I'll go find my parents? And if you need anything, just shout, or uh, I mean... Just knock on something or... Yeah, okay, bye,"
*LB
Bale Mellark doesn't get many 'happy', good days. Yes, he lives each day with a kind smile on his face and a soft, open heart, but there was only a few of times in the past he could've said that he's seized the day, that he can cherish the moment.
Today was one of those days.
Mrs. Mellark isn't an easy woman to persuade or to negotiate with. But God must've smiled at him today because, hell, she agreed... Well, under certain terms and whatever, but she still agreed nonetheless! He's not completely sure how he got in the way of this twist of fate, but carpe diem, right? I should probably go find Rye. Poor boy's going to be a little confused and possibly angry if he finds a certain Miss Everdeen in the house without explanation.
"I'm back! Gale sends is sincerest hellos!" Well, speak of the devil.
"Rye! Just the man I wanted to see," greets Mr. Mellark, grabbing his son by the shoulders.
"Someone's awfully cheery today," Rye remarks, a typical smug look on his face.
"Well, yes, see son, much has happened since you left this afternoon after your shift. C'mon, sit down, we need to discuss something."
*LB
"Rule number one. And you better listen, orphan, I shall not waste more breath on you than what is necessary. You will respect me. Number two: You work in the bakery every day, and you work hard, no slacking on the job. Three: You will not mess around in this house. Break something, and you're out." And so Mrs. Mellark rattles off more obligations and rules while Katniss stands quite terrified in front of the robust woman. It happened quite suddenly, actually. Katniss was inspecting the contents of the bedside table's drawer when the woman burst into the room, ordering her to stand and saying that if she wanted to stay in 'her' home, she's going to have to answer to her.
She finally finishes her speech with one final threat of throwing her out and an indignant sniff, and then makes a fiery exit with a comment about dinner being served soon thrown over her shoulder.
Katniss final processes it: I can stay.
*LB
Nothing can be heard except clinking of cutlery and the occasional sniff from this or that person. After some awkward first introductions to Rye, and the debriefing of the seat layout from a somewhat ecstatic Peeta, dinner finally was under way. It seems that Rye has taken to giving Katniss suspicious glares between each bite, and Bale giving hopeful glances to his wife after each mutter and huff under her breath. As soon as she finishes, Mrs. Mellark gets up and disappears upstairs without ceremony (besides a somewhat pointed look at Katniss). Mr. Mellark and the brothers stay seated until she finishes, then get up and start to clean up.
Peeta notices her discomfort and gives her a soft smile,:"It's alright, go upstairs an rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day; we'll finish down here. But tomorrow: no mercy!" he grins at her and returns to his duties.
She lingers for another half a moment before making her way up.
*LB
As Peeta lies awake in bed that night, with his brother's soft snores and grumbles serving as background noise, he wonders.
Wonders simply about what the bright future will hold.