This was a submission for the "Prompts in Panem" Holiday Challenge on Tumblr.

The characters of The Hunger Games do not belong to me.

Thank you to Chelzie for fixing this super quick!

Note: Prim is aged down a bit in this AU.

Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

By JLaLa

Katniss noticed him the first time he walked in.

Bundled up in a green peacoat, dark jeans and heavy boots, he trudged into the coffee shop she worked in and pulled off the navy beanie that covered his golden locks. The boy looked at the chalk-written menu above her and she couldn't help but admire how nice he looked with crimson against his pale skin.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked automatically.

His blue eyes met hers and his wonderfully shaped lips curved into a bashful smile.

"I'm a little lost," he admitted. "I haven't been out much. This is my last semester and with finals coming, I needed somewhere to just sit down with my books. My roommates could care less about keeping their grades up."

"You've come to right place," Katniss told him. "Everyone prefers the Starbucks down the street so we are relatively quiet, except for Sunday mornings when the townies come in for brunch."

The town that she lived had less than a thousand people in population, but because of the college that occupied the next town over, she had seen many like him during this time – stressed-out students during Finals weeks.

"Really?" He looked around to see that only a few tables were occupied. Madge, her friend and fellow server, was manning the espresso machine but watching them curiously. "I like it here. The atmosphere is peaceful and there's no one behind me trying to get me to hurry up—not to mention the staff is friendly."

The boy gave her a bright smile and she could feel her stomach flip excitedly when their eyes locked once more.

"Get a move on and help the guy out, Catnip!" Gale, her best friend and the evening lead, bellowed as he passed them. He gave her a playful wink before disappearing behind the swinging door that led to their stockroom.

"Catnip?" The boy looked at her curiously.

"Katniss. Katniss Everdeen," she corrected, her face heating up. "Gale just likes to make fun of me. He knows how much I love working for Haymitch—he's the owner and would be riding me to make your damn coffee already."

"Well, my name is Peeta. Peeta Mellark." He held out his gloved hand and she shook it quickly in embarrassment. "So you're not the only one with the interesting name, though I think yours is strangely beautiful."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted, Peeta," she responded, testing his name against her lips.

"Flattered. Definitely flattered." He gave her a smile then looked up at the menu board once more. "How about you just pick something for me?"

"Caffeine or no caffeine?"

"No caffeine. I'm jittery enough," he told her. "Then, whatever you make—make two and sit with me."

She looked at him, confused for a moment. "What?"

"I know what to make," Madge volunteered suddenly. "You need your fifteen, don't you? Find a good seat with Peeta and I'll bring your mugs."

Katniss turned to her. "I'm only working for fo—"

"I said you need your fifteen," Madge told her through her teeth. "I'll handle Gale." She went to Katniss and began to undo her apron strings. "Now go join your friend." Katniss grumbled before pulling the apron over her head and tossing it to Madge.

Rounding the counter, she joined Peeta. They were about the same height, he was an inch or two taller, but she could never wear stilettos around him. That would suit her just fine—Katniss felt no need to sacrifice comfort for beauty.

Why would she need stilettos around him anyway?

"Let's sit by the window," she suggested and Peeta followed dutifully, adjusting the bag on his shoulder.

They settled by the corner where they could get a good view of the white blanketed streets. Snow covered the city, making the once bright red bricks of the town buildings non-existent. Cars were draped in white while another light flurry of snow was beginning to hit.

Peeta removed his jacket, revealing his university t-shirt and she tried not to stare at how well it fit him.

"So you go to Panem?" she blurted. "I mean—of course you do! You're wearing that shirt. And it looks really nice—I mean—oh dammit!" Katniss put her face in her hands. "Ignore me, please."

He chuckled and she could hear the chair scrape against the floor as he sat down.

"Thanks," he told her easily. "That sweater is really pretty on you. I like the yellow and it – uh – fits you nicely." She looked up and saw his eyes roam over her, finally ending as their eyes connected. His stare didn't bother her as much as she thought it should.

"My little sister, Prim, knitted it for me," Katniss told him. "Pretty talented for a twelve year old, huh? She's been trying to occupy her time since Buttercup passed."

"Buttercup?"

"Her cat—I mean our cat," she told him. "He had a stroke and we had to put him to sleep two weeks ago. It broke her heart. I'm saving money to get her a new kitten and maybe some money for school."

"Do you go to Panem?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Can't afford it now since my Dad got laid off. It's hard to make a living these days."

"What would you have majored in?"

"Creative writing." She liked the way his blue eyes warmed up as he listened to her speak. The words seem to come out of her easily in his presence. "I was always making up these little stories as a kid and I had a journal in high school. Writing just seems to make me happy and it's the only time I ever feel confident in myself. You see—I was never really good at making friends."

"You seem to be doing just fine," Peeta told her assuredly. "Will you consider letting me read something of yours one day?" Katniss was suddenly aware of how close their hands were as they rested against the wooden table.

Before she could answer, Madge was suddenly at their side, placing two large bowl-like mugs in front of them: hot chocolate with obscene amounts of whipped cream.

"Something sweet," she said them before winking at Katniss and turning to go back to the counter. "Enjoy."

"You really get your money's worth here," Peeta remarked before taking a sip.

As he placed the cup back down, Katniss noticed the whipped cream above his upper lip.

"Oh—" She reached forward with her thumb, swiping it clean without thinking. It only took a nanosecond to realize that the pad of her thumb was pressed against his lips. Slowly, she pulled away trying to ignore the current rushing through her blood. "Sorry about that."

Peeta shook his head and then reached over to graze his thumb against her chin. "You had a little something there, too."

"Thanks."

The two stilled for a moment.

"This does mean something, though," Peeta said as he pulled a notebook from his bag.

"What?"

"Seeing as we've only known each other for thirty minutes and we can barely keep our hands each other—you'll have to marry me." He laughed when her jaw dropped and he put his hands up in surrender. "Okay…okay… you'll have to let me read something you've written."

Katniss stood up, her face on fire. "My fifteen is over. It was nice talking to you, Peeta."

"I'll see you soon, Katniss," he replied as she walked away.

She wasn't betting on it.

Peeta was back two days later.

He was sitting at the same table as before when she approached him, a frown marring his handsome face as he stared at the paper in front of him.

Katniss approached him and placed a mug in front of him. Their eyes met and she could see the disappointment in his.

She pushed the mug forward as she sat down. "Chamomile tea—it's herbal. To help calm you down."

"I was never meant to major in Business." He placed the paper down and she could see the large red 'D' marking the page. Peeta placed his head in his hands. "My parents aren't going to be happy, especially since I'm this close to finishing."

Katniss took the paper and read over it quickly. While there were some grammatical errors and his thesis could be more precise, it had good points. She reached into the pocket of her apron and began to cross out the errors and reword while underlining the strong statements in it.

When she looked up, Katniss found Peeta staring at her as he held the mug in his hands.

She grinned at him. "What?"

"You're amazing."

Katniss shook her head. "You know what would be amazing? If you re-did this essay and insisted that your professor read over it again. You might get a grade that you didn't expect." She stood up. "Good luck."

"I'm still waiting to read something."

"Get to work!"

"Or a 'yes' to my proposal!"

She tried not to smile hearing his chuckle as she walked away.

"What would you major in if you didn't have to go into your family business?" she asked, three days later

They sat sipping her creation, a hazelnut latte with chocolate syrup rimming their mugs. During their conversations, she discovered that they both had an affinity for Nutella.

Peeta set his down and looked over at her with that familiar smile she was getting too comfortable with.

She turned away to look out at the town. Christmas lights framed the large windows of the shop while the sounds of a guitar playing 'Oh Holy Night' wafted over the speakers.

"I would have gone to art school," he told her. "I like to draw."

"Aren't we an artsy-fartsy pair?" she replied with an easy smile. It must have been the chocolate or the espresso, but she found herself slightly high just being so close to him. Her heart was pounding and she just couldn't stop grinning like an idiot.

"Couldn't you imagine us?" Peeta leaned back in his chair as his eyes, filled with wanting, bore into hers. "We could live in a large studio in New York; your writing desk on one wall, my canvasses on the other and a bed in-between."

"That would be our lives, huh? You paint, I write and we'd make love in-between?"

"All you have to do is say 'yes.'" His voice was soft and she found herself tongue-tied.

It was the first time that she wanted to say yes.

Instead, she steeled her resolve and smirked at him.

"You might change your mind after you've read my writing."

"You're brilliant," Peeta told her, three days later. He placed her notebook down and took her free hand while beaming. Her other hand held a mug of peppermint tea. "Why aren't you sending any of this to publishers?"

"Why should I?"

"Because you have a gift and you should be using it your advantage," he replied, seriousness in his eyes. "If I had this kind of talent, I wouldn't be wasting it serving drinks."

"So you don't think that I can make a decent drink?" she countered, laughter in her voice.

"Of course, I do!" Peeta took a sip from his mug before placing it down. "I feel that my future wife is a woman of many talents." His bright eyes were suddenly thoughtful. "But her writing is where she truly shines—it is where everyone can see how brilliant and beautiful she is – just through her words."

Something inside her trembled.

"People will always ask how and why I fell in love with her—why I couldn't wait to make her my wife, then they'll read this." He pushed the notebook back to her. "And then they'll understand."

Katniss placed her mug on the table and then looked up and into his earnest blue eyes. The voice inside was suddenly screaming at her.

Say yes.

"Don't you have a graduation party to go to?" She stood up suddenly and Peeta jumped in his seat.

"Katniss—" He could see something change in her eyes.

"You don't belong here," she told him hurriedly. "You're graduating. Get out while you can."

Turning, she rushed behind the counter and through the swinging door.

He thought he knew her. But he didn't.

Katniss never cried in front of anyone—especially the ones she loved.

"I just wanted to raise a glass to a successful year," Haymitch said in a slurred drawl. The Santa hat he wore sat precariously on his head as he wobbled. He raised his glass. "So here's to my wonderful staff—now go get your damn presents!"

"Does this mean we're not getting holiday bonuses?" Gale asked as they walked to the tree by the fireplace.

The handful of staff in attendance for the staff party laughed drunkenly at Gale's jibe.

"Does this place look like it's making that much?" their boss countered.

"Hell no," Madge said as she bent down and picked up her box. She went to Katniss, who was sitting by the tree, and placed her present in her lap before joining her in the adjacent seat. "You look pretty."

Katniss smiled softly and smoothed the skirt of her silver dress. "Prim made it for me."

"Did you make enough for a kitten?"

She nodded. "I just have to find the right one."

"I think you found the right one."

"The right kitten?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

Katniss shook her head. "I'm not talking about him."

"Can you at least tell him not to press his damn nose against my glass window?" Haymitch suddenly yelled, quite drunkenly.

She looked up to see Peeta outside, staring at her from the sidewalk, his hands stuffed in his navy peacoat.

Gale placed her green coat in her lap. "He'll freeze out there waiting for you, Catnip."

"I thought you left."

Peeta turned at her voice and she tried not to shake as he approached her. It had only been a few days since she had told him to leave. It was a stupid demand and she knew it. The truth behind all of it was that she was scared.

No one falls in love in a coffee shop.

No one falls in love in only a matter of days. Her life just did not work out that way. This wasn't a story that she scribbled in that little cheap notebook of hers.

This was real.

He shook his head. "I can't leave," he told her, his voice hoarse from the cold air. "I can't say goodbye. I can't let go of you—beautiful, brilliant Katniss Everdeen."

"This isn't like one of my stories, Peeta," she replied and bit her lip.

"It can be." His hand reached up to caress her warm cheek. "Because those stories don't just come out of nowhere—they come from somewhere inside you, somewhere that believes it's real. That you and I can have our studio with the writing desk and the blank canvasses."

"You forgot the bed," she found herself saying.

Peeta wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close as the slowly-dancing snow twirled around them.

"Now how could I forget that?" His mouth grazed hers and she felt an incredible hunger engulf her body. Peeta pulled away so he could stare into her molten grey eyes. "Believe in us, Katniss."

Her mouth found his this time and Katniss pulled him closer, her arms wrapping around his neck as he tightened his hold. She could feel herself being lifted off the ground as they kissed.

Finally, she pulled away grinning at him. "How could I possibly describe a kiss like that?"

Peeta gently placed her down on the concrete and tenderly swiped his thumb along her chin.

"Practice." Reaching into his coat pocket, he handed her a wrapped package. "I know it's not a writing desk, but it's a start."

Taking the package, she opened it carefully to reveal a black leather notebook.

"A new book, a new start." He pulled out a pen and handed it to her. "I also humbly volunteer to help you in all your writing endeavors. You can kiss me as many times as it takes to help you describe it." He grinned at her before suddenly sobering. "I already told my father that I'm not going into business with his company."

"Then where will you go?"

"New York, eventually," Peeta took her hand and led her to his steel colored car. "I thought that I could come over to your place this evening." He opened the passenger door and reached inside to take out a covered box. "I was hoping that we could bring this little guy home for Christmas." He lifted the sheet to reveal a tiny, yellow, long-haired tabby kitten with big eyes—it meowed softly in its cage. "I think you liked Buttercup more than you thought by the way you described him."

"Prim will love him." She looked at him, her eyes watering. "Thank you."

Taking the cage from the passenger's seat, Peeta placed it in the back so that Katniss could sit. Once she was settled, Peeta leaned down and kissed her before closing the door.

She opened the notebook and began to write, focusing on the wonderful curves of the letters she was penning.

"What are you writing?" Peeta asked as he sat in the driver's seat and closed the door.

Katniss turned to him, reaching over to swipe her thumb above his lip affectionately.

"My married name."

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this little bit of fluff for the holidays! Comments, reviews and hellos are always welcome on FF, AO3 and Tumblr!

Happy Holidays!

-JLaLa