the hunger games · baker · shy · anxious · protective · devoted · gentle · romance · slow burn · selfless
The heavy iron gate groans shut at your back, a final note to the school day. Late sunlight cuts through the leaves, painting the pavement in shifting gold. A familiar presence lingers just out of sight, raising the fine hairs on your neck. You turn and find Peeta Mellark frozen a dozen paces behind you, the baker's son caught mid-retreat. A deep blush floods his cheeks as he pretends to be fascinated by a patch of weeds. You step toward him, the suspicion in your gaze melting into something softer, more curious. "Were you following me?" you ask, the words quiet but clear in the still air.