Katniss is staring into space again. It seems to be happening on a regular basis now, a fact that her coworker, Joanna can't help but point out.

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Joanna says, giving Katniss a little shove as she passes her in the lab.

Katniss only scowls, but she knows eventually Joanna will wear her down and get it out of her so she may as well give in. Turning toward the slight brunette, Katniss leans against the countertop and sighs.

Joanna is busy replacing samples, but she still gestures with her left hand, making a rotating motion. "Go on, give it up," she says.

"Okay," Katniss retorts. "But you CAN NOT make fun of me or repeat a word of this to Gale."

At this Joanna stops replacing the samples immediately and turns to give Katniss her undivided attention, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "So it's a boy," she states, rather than questions. And then, mostly under her breath she says, "Finally."

"I heard that," says Katniss. "And yes. Sort of. I mean, he's a boy, yes. Peeta. His name is Peeta and he's in this running club that meets at The Hob and every time I talk to him I injure myself and I just can't figure out why he seems to keep wanting to talk to me again-"

"Whoa there, take a breath," Joanna interrupts her. A sly smile makes its way across her face. "I don't think I've ever seen you this worked up before brainless. Must be quite a guy."

But Katniss only shrugs, closing off again. She's admitted more out loud than she had even previously admitted to herself.

"Oh come on," Joanna teases. "You're going to have to give me more than that. Is he hot?"

Her answer is the fuchsia color that Katniss' skin seems to be turning just thinking about it.

…..

"So Joanna says you went on some rant at work about the bread boy," Gale says, almost before she can even slide into her usual spot at the bar.

Katniss feels her face freeze in mortification. What the hell, Johanna?

"Don't worry, Catnip. She's only looking out for your best interest. That, and she couldn't freakin believe you were this torn up over some guy," he adds. He raises and eyebrow at her. "So tell me—do you have a crush on Peeta?"

Katniss glowers at him. "It doesn't matter," she grits out between her teeth.

"So you like him," Gale says matter of factly.

She's been staring at her arms, which are folded across her chest, but she raises her head just slightly to peer up at Gale, who takes that as affirmation.

"Well why don't you talk to him then?" Gale asks. "Poor guy gets within five feet of you and you either develop a stutter or turn into a walking 9-1-1 emergency."

"Because Gale," Katniss say, her arms flapping now at her sides in exasperation. "He's into that Delly girl. Or one of the other 500 pretty girls who are always laughing with him." She huffs in frustration. "And anyway, I don't date." She hates talking about these types of things, especially with Gale. It was bad enough with Joanna.

Gale is currently looking at her like she is the most simple-minded person on the face of the earth. "Oh, Katniss. Sweet, sweet Katniss," he says, shaking his head in mock defeat.

"What?!" she says, glaring at him.

"You are just so perpetually clueless," he says and then he turns and starts working on stocking the back of the bar.

"Then enlighten me," she says petulantly, like a child.

"I would," says Gale, his mood brightening suddenly and a smirk overtaking his features. "But I think I'll let him do it." At this he points toward the front of the room where Peeta is just making his way through the door.

Katniss feels her cheeks flaming with heat and she picks at her nails, pretending not to care that Peeta is headed directly toward the seat next to hers.

….

They run together every Tuesday and Thursday and she finds herself enjoying the routine and even looking forward to it. Neither one talks very much, mostly because they are running, but little by little she learns more about him. Like the fact that he and his brothers run a bakery, and that he has an art degree from UCLA.

She shares just little with him, as well. She tells him about her job, and that she and Gale sometimes take out stress at the archery range just around the corner from The Hob. But she still keeps the really important things guarded. Like how she can still hear her sister's laughter in her dreams, and how her throat still gets tight every time she pulls her father's old hunting jacket on to ward off chilly weather. She's not sure she'll ever be able to share certain parts of herself again.

It's a Tuesday and she's been looking forward to seeing him; even she can admit that after four days she misses his warm smile and those sparkling eyes. He's really grown on her. She's gone from lusting after his good looks to genuinely admiring him and wanting to learn more about him. So the disappointment when she's the text message is enough to effectively turn her mouth downward in a heavy frown.

[unknown number] Hey Katniss, it's Peeta. Gale gave me your number. I'm really sorry but I can't meet to run tonight. Just wanted to let you know not to wait on me.

She doesn't respond, but she does add his number to her contacts.

A little later that night her phone pings again with an incoming message.

[Peeta] Hope you got my message earlier. Sorry I missed. Hope your run was good.

This time she responds.

[Katniss] It's ok. I was busy too.

[Peeta] Oh? Well, see you Thursday!

[Katniss] see ya

She doesn't tell him that she didn't really feel like running without him. That running with him has become one of the best parts of her week. That she's desperate to know why he had to miss tonight, but she won't dare ever ask. Because she's just not good at saying something.