Chapter Text
“Oh, this so exciting!” I squeal in the back kitchen of the Mellark bakery.
“Sometimes I think you’re more invested in this Peeta/Katniss romance drama than you are in your own.” Rye playfully pouts while rolling out the next batch of sugar cookies.
I put my arms around his waist and look up at him with a wide grin.
“I can’t help it. It may be the slowest burning love story in Panem!”
Peeta and I have been best friends since we could crawl. More like a brother, really. With the way things have been going with Rye, Peeta legally being my brother is looking more and more like a reality.
Ever since I can remember, he has been in love with the mysterious Katniss Everdeen. One of my earliest memories is playing house together. But I had to let him call me Katniss, if I wanted to be the mommy.
“Like I said, they usually stay around the right side of the Justice Building, so look there first.” Peeta eagerly interrupts while finishing piping the fall leaves on the latest cookie batch.
This was the first Harvest Festival that Peeta’s dream of dancing with Katniss was within the realm of possibility. Thanks to the day he burst into the shoe shop to tell me that she had opened up about some bread incident. I couldn’t really understand what had been so significant about this event from years ago, but apparently it was important to Katniss. And more importantly, she had shared it with Peeta.
“Sounds like we have a new lunch table then.” I had told him. The excitement on his face was reward enough. We’d been joining her and Madge’s table in school ever since.
She was just so quiet. I found that Peeta and I filled most of the chatter.
Whenever Katniss did speak up though, it was always well thought out. I guess she’s just more measured with her words. And I’d observed her lost in Peeta’s eyes on way more than one occasion, so maybe she was too far away to talk.
At the same time, Katniss could be, how do I put this delicately, clueless. In the ‘female things’ department anyway.
I asked Madge about it one day. She thinks that Katniss is sort of stuck emotionally because of what she’s been through. Having to become the head of her household at such a young age. Madge seems to think she’ll catch up eventually.
Rye teases Peeta. “I want those 11 minutes next year, Baby Baker. Spending my festivities tracking down your illusive dream girl.” Even though the plan had been my idea, the two of them had gone back and forth about how many minutes Peeta would owe him for this. Once we locate the Everdeens, my job is to keep Prim company, then Rye will tell Peeta where to find us.
They’d settled on the odd figure of 11 minutes. Rye wanted twenty, but Peeta had reminded him of the nine minutes Rye already owed him for being late last year.
“You better be back here on time if you plan on collecting those.” Peeta teased back.
The clock strikes four, and we are out the door.
Rye leans in and with a low rumble in my ear, “We’ve got enough time for me to show you another one of my tricks, if you want.”
Thinking about the last ‘trick’ he showed me sends a tingle all the way down my spine. I give him a knowing look before saying, “Later. I want to dance!”
We run towards the square to join the rest of the district. The air is filled with music, laughter and the sweet smells of the season’s confectionaries.
We spot Katniss and her sister among the dancers easily enough. Peeta was right about where they were likely to be. He’s spent every festival keeping track of her whereabouts, he probably knows when she takes a bathroom break. Rye and I take an open space nearby.
He twirls me around, and we hold each other close. We’ve spent so many festivals dancing as friends but this is the first as lovers. I’m having such an amazing time that I forget we only have a limited amount.
“Rye, it’s already five!” He kisses me rough before spinning me one more time. Thankfully, Katniss hasn’t wandered too far from the last time I made note of her location. She and Prim are on the sidelines now, taking a break from the dances.
Rye slips his arm around my waist and leads me through the crowd.
“Alright, I leave her with you Katniss, I trust she’s in good hands.” He places one more quick peck on my cheek. “It’s Baby Baker’s turn.” He runs towards the bakery. I guess we’re not getting those extra eleven minutes next year.
I chuckle to myself before breaking the ice with Katniss, “So, are you saving a dance for Peeta?”
She keeps her eyes on the dancing pairs before answering, “I don’t really dance.”
Oww, I could shake her. Girl, I didn’t ask if you could do the two-step. I asked if you are going to dance with the eligible Mellark you’ve been flirting with for almost a year. Besides I’ve seen you dancing with Prim this whole time.
Before I can think of a polite way to steer this conversation, a tall young Seam boy bounds in front of us. He asks Prim to dance. When she happily agrees, I realize my job just got easier. Looks like not all of the Everdeens are so scarred.
“Hey, you two!” Peeta’s already here. Either Rye gave him excellent directions or he sprinted the whole way. Probably the later.
I apologize for cutting into his hour. Hopefully Rye was only a couple minutes late.
“No problem, I told him, he will owe me 11 minutes next year.” Peeta winks at me. Now he’s just staring at me. Ohh, right.
“Oh, I better try to find my parents. It’s getting past Davy’s bedtime, and I’m on babysitting duty tonight.” Real smooth Delly. Katniss doesn’t look like she suspects anything. Maybe she thinks Davy really does go to bed before the sun even goes down.
I definitely cannot lie as convincingly as any of the Mellark boys. The dark thought enters my mind that they all learned how in order to avoid the beatings. I try to shoo it away so that I don’t spend the rest of the festival thinking about all the bruises I’ve seen come and go on their skin.
I settle into an inconspicuous spot to observe my favorite budding romance. When I get turned around, I see the place I left them stands empty. Where did they go? I scan the periphery, but then I find them among the dancers.
That didn’t take long, Miss ‘I don’t dance’. Katniss is trying to teach Peeta one of the folk songs. He looks rather rusty. I guess an hour a year isn’t much time to learn the steps, especially if you spend half of that hour pining.
I’ve always thought Katniss had a lovely face. But now, she looks absolutely radiant. It’s like Peeta knew all along what she’s been hiding under that stone-cold mask.
I’m busy chatting with Mrs. Hawkins from the grocery when I realize the music has slowed down. I’d been waiting for this. Peaking around the old woman’s head, I check on the happy couple.
Their faces are so close, are they….? But then I see Katniss wiggle out of Peeta’s arms, as if they are burning her skin. He looks shocked, like he’s walked straight into an invisible wall.
I rush to his side. Mrs. Hawkins must think I’m the rudest girl in the district. “What happened?!?”
“I…..we kissed. Everything felt so right. But then she looked at me like….” Oh please don’t cry, it breaks my heart when Mellark’s cry. “She said she had to leave and ran away.”
Owww, I knew she needed a good shaking. “When is she going to catch up??”