She arrives at The Hob extremely early on Thursday, hoping to spend a little time with Gale. He's been so busy lately, fixated really, with running the brewery. Ever since business basically exploded, she feels like she only ever sees him in five minute increments, as he darts in and out from the back of the warehouse to the bar.

Late afternoons are a good time to catch him; the brewery is in a lull before the running club crowd and the happy hour folks start pouring in later. Today Katniss actually spends some time helping Gale restock and they catch up on what's going on other than the expansion of the brewery. He asks her about her work in the lab and she gets caught up on news of his younger brothers and baby sister.

"So when are you going to have time to go shoot again?" Katniss asks him.

Gale runs a hand through his hair, looking sheepish. "Jeez, I don't even know Catnip. I feel like all I have time for anymore is eating and running this place. I barely even get to sleep."

"You need to hire on some more help," Katniss offers, pointing out the obvious.

"You're right, I know," he responds. "Especially if I ever hope to have a life. Or date again."

At this she raises her eyebrows. Gale has never had a problem getting women to notice him, but Katniss realizes suddenly that he's right—he hasn't dated in months. He practically lives in this brewery. "I could bring Jo down here again," she offers, teasing.

"God no," he huffs. "You might recall that did not work out very well last time."

She laughs at the memory of Gale and Jo and the combustion that was their equally fiery personalities coming head to head.

"At least the sex was good," Gale muses, almost as if he forgot Katniss was standing there.

"Ewww! Things I do not need to know!" she says, exasperated.

"What about you? Been out with the baker boy yet?" Gale asks.

"What? No!" she says a little too quickly and a little too forcefully.

Gale holds up his hands, defensively. "Okayyyy, I just thought you two had been spending some time together and you seemed pretty friendly the other week when you were drinking in here together…" He trails off.

"It's nothing," Katniss says, unconvincingly.

Gale only smirks at her and changes the subject.

…

An hour later Katniss retreats to the restroom to change into her running gear before the rest of the running group arrives. Peeta must have arrived while she was changing because when she pushes open the bathroom door she hears his voice, talking to Gale at the bar. She doesn't mean to linger behind the wall that separates the restrooms from the open area out front, but she can't help it when she hears what Gale is saying.

"So I was asking Katniss earlier when the two of you are going to get your shit together and go out already," Gale is saying.

"Ahhh, well," stammers Peeta. "To be honest, I'm not sure she would be all that interested."

"She's interested, trust me," says Gale.

"I don't know. I'm getting a 'we're friends, but that's all' sort of vibe," says Peeta. "I don't want to push her and wind up ruining our friendship when it's only just started."

"Nah man, she's just really clueless about this stuff," Gale replies. "Go ahead and ask her out. Just go slow and she'll come around."

Katniss can't stay still any longer, afraid of what else she'll hear if she doesn't make herself known. She steps around from behind the wall, pretending to have just left the restroom area and plasters a fake smile on her face.

"All set," she says, in what she hopes is a casual tone. "Oh, hey Peeta."

Peeta is blushing, probably worried she has overheard their conversation, but she pretends not to notice.

…

Katniss spends the entire run worrying that Peeta will ask her out, now that Gale has so inelegantly tried to persuade him to do so. She's so sure that every next word out of his mouth will be an invitation to some cheesy, romantic dinner date that she hardly hears a word of what he's actually saying.

But he never does ask her out, even after they make it back to the Hob and share a soft pretzel and a post-run beer. She tries to feel relieved, but in reality she's perplexed. She didn't want him to ask her out on a date, did she? So why does she feel…disappointed in a way?

….

She's not overly surprised to see that the text message lighting up her phone Friday night is from Peeta. They do text occasionally on the days they don't run together. She pauses the movie she's watching—who knew that 'Bridget Jones Diary' could be so entertaining the twentieth time she's seen it—and pulls up his text message.

Peeta: Up for an unscheduled run tomorrow?

Katniss: I could do that

Peeta: Great! Mind meeting me at the bakery? I have to get some things started but was planning to take off from there. 8:30?

Katniss: Sounds good. Address?

Peeta: 214 Sycamore. See you then! :-)

Katniss: :-)