The Hunger Games ~ Peeta's POV

Chapter 19

Ch. 19

I can feel myself drooling over the basket of hot food, and I know that Katniss is, too, even without looking. But I snap myself to my senses before I do something stupid.

I look at the lamb stew next to the wild rice, and then Katniss's greedy looking face.

"We better take it slow on that stew. Remember the night on the train?" I say. "The rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then."

"You're right," she says. "And I could just inhale the whole thing!"

We eat with modesty to our portions, each eating a roll, half an apple, and a small serving of stew and rice. I try to eat slowly at first, but then succumb to the almighty power of my voracious stomach. I glance over at Katniss occasionally, who is eating slowly. It feels so good to have food in our bellies again, even if it isn't enough to satisfy our appetites.

"I want more," Katniss says, looking at the dish pleadingly.

"Me, too," I agree. "Tell you what. We wait an hour, and if it stays down, then we get another serving."

"Agreed," she says, and takes a long, deep breath. "It's going to be a long hour."

"Maybe not that long," I grin. "What was that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me... no competition... best thing that ever happened to you..."

It's dark in the cave, but I can still see her blush a bright, tomato red. "I don't remember that last part," she says quietly.

"Oh, that's right. That's what I was thinking," I say. My toes feel numb, and Katniss is in the sleeping bag all by herself, all comfy and warm. "Scoot over, I'm freezing."

She does, and I crawl in with her.

"So," Katniss says. "Since you were five you never noticed any other girls?"

"No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a lasting impression but you," I say.

"I'm sure that would thrill your parents," she grumbles. "You liking a girl from the Seam."

"Hardly," I shrug. "But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from the Victor's Village."

She thinks about that for a moment, and then grimaces. "But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!"

"Ah, that'll be nice," I smirk. "You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games tales."

She cracks up. "I told you, he hates me!" she exclaims before another laughing fit.

"Only sometimes," I say. "When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you."

"He's never sober!" she says.

"That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire," I say. "On the other hand, Haymitch... well, if I were you I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you."

"I thought you said I was his favorite," Katniss says.

"He hates me more," I say. "I don't think people in general are his sort of thing." Unlike me. I have come to think that Haymitch is almost my exact opposite at this point.

Katniss is is quiet for a long minute before she speaks again. "How do you think he did it?"

I look at her curiously. "Who? Did what?"