Everything that Peeta Mellark had ever said during the Hunger Games had only been half true. He did have a special someone back in district 12 and he did have a problem with winning the Hunger Games as a way to get that person to like him back. However, the lie that rang that whole scenario a fraud was the fact that he claimed the lover to be Katniss Everdeen.

He was not in love with the girl on fire; he cared for her yes, that was true, but love, no, not in the way that he clearly loved another. All his life he had worked for his parents in the bakery, watching exchanges go by between Katniss and his father, yet it wasn't Katniss who he found himself swooning over. No, it was the boy that was always by her side, the boy who clearly was a bit older than herself and himself. That boy, like Katniss, was a hunter; just about everybody in the district knew that, but what they didn't know was that the boy was also quite sweet and charming. Okay, that may or may not be true…after all, how could you not find Gale Hawthorne to be charming? The thing the rest of the district really did not know was that Peeta was madly and completely in love with the other boy. The two had never as so much exchanged a few words, sometimes glimpsing at one another but never for so long. Peeta was just too shy, and face it; he never really left the bake shop – not with his mother being the way she is.

When Peeta had told Katniss about loving her since he heard her sing as a recital in class that had only been half true. Because he had fallen in love that day, and it had been because of a voice he had heard, but neither thing had anything to do with Katniss Everdeen, at least not directly. That day he had set his eyes on Gale for the first time, and had realized then that the olive toned boy was music to his heart. He loved the way his voice sounded, loved the daring look within his eyes, and that undeniable charming smile. As the years progressed, Peeta had hoped that he would grow out of his obsession – which is what is was seeing as he almost nearly followed Katniss around knowing that she would help him (unknowingly) find the other boy – but it never faltered. Gale would just continue pulling the bread boy's heart around, never letting it go without any hope of survival. So imagine his surprise when he had been called on that fateful day, being chosen at the reaping and knowing quite well that he would have to kill Katniss Everdeen in order to win. He knew he could not do it, and he knew this because then Gale would never forgive him – never ever grace his life with another look in his direction – (they're as limiting as they are). So, Peeta had realized then that the only way to end his pain and assure happiness for the boy of his dreams; he would have to sacrifice his life and get Katniss back home. Then, hopefully, just then, he could be thought of by the other boy. Fate however had other plans, not only had he returned home alive with the other girl, but he had also gone along with the ruse that he and Katniss were star crossed lovers. It had been only a plan to make sure the girl survived, but now it seemed to just cause more trouble at home. Gale, the boy who he had risked his life to make happy, not only hated him now, but he just refused to ever look at him for even a second.

The boy would never come by the shop, and he would never be anywhere in short distance of him. Even in the Victor's village when Gale would visit Katniss, on selected Sundays outside of the hunting ones, the boy would leave as soon as Peeta made an appearance. It hurt him to say the least, he had done everything and anything he could think of…but the other boy would just never look at him… Never acknowledge him as anything but the guy who had stolen Katniss Everdeen from him…

Knowing that Gale Hawthorne was in love with Katniss didn't do much to help either; in fact, it was just the perfect icing on the cake of his miserable life.

Nothing ever went his way…

Peeta had just entered the front room of the shop with another bag of flour when he had spotted his father talking to the last person he had ever expected to see again.

Gale.

Peeta quickly looked away when the other boy glanced his way, blushing slightly for looking like a miserable fool drenched in flour. It was true that he and his family no longer had to work to make ends meat, but well baking was just in their blood. (It refused to lie and die down)

"I can give you two loathes of bread for these squirrels," Mr. Mellark assured with a kind nod, making Gale smile in both relief and glee, since he and him both knew that the man was only buying the squirrels out of pity. Pity that the man couldn't understand since the boy could just easily receive money for food from the Everdeen girl. Then again, the boy before him didn't look like the type to ever wish for anything out of nothing.

"Thank you, sir" Gale said as he watched the man head back into the back store room, setting his bag that he used to hold his game on the counter. Peeta stood uncomfortably as he packed the huge bag of flour into the cupboards, feeling eyes staring at him as he tried to stand on his tippy toes to put the sack above.

An annoyed grunt had rung through his ears before a pair of arms had assisted him on putting the bag of flour up, relieving him since his arms had nearly dropped the thing.

"Thanks," he mumbled shyly, turning to look at the taller/older boy who simply nodded and refused to look him the eyes.

"Welcome," the other muttered back, slightly annoyed. Peeta just glanced at the boy and then sighed; turning to look at the pans and utensils he would have to wash next.

"Do you mind waiting a few minutes?" Mr. Mellark asked, poking his head back into the store front, "I insist on giving you fresh bread, but they need just a few more minutes."

"No, I don't mind," Gale answered politely, looking at the man as he disappeared again.

Peeta sighed, trying to calm his heart as he began stacking up the pans.

"If you hate washing them so much then why do you do it?" An annoyed, yet curious, voice asked, making him turn around.

"What?" Peeta asked, confused.

"What?" Gale asked back, again annoyed, "Did I stutter or something?"

"Oh um…no," Peeta mumbled, turning back towards the sink, "I just… I do it for business, to help my folks-"

"You're filthy rich," Gale spat back, peering at the back of the blonde's head.

"So?" Peeta asked back

"So, you don't have to work anymore-"

"But where would I be then?" Peeta asked, turning around again, "I mean…I don't want to end up like one of those rich lazy capitol residents-"

"Guess not," Gale interjected, "But I just…you know, assumed you would like the idea of being set for life."

"A life of no work and being handed everything on a silver platter," Peeta muttered mostly to himself, staring at the boy, "you obviously know nothing about me if you think I wish to ever live like that…"

Gale paused, looking at the baker's son as his words sank in…

Suppose he didn't know much about the other boy then he thought… suppose, he never did consider him as anything but an arrogant naïve Pillsbury dough boy – Perhaps –

"Sorry for the wait," Mr. Mellark said as he appeared from the back room once more, "here you go, straight out of the oven."

"Smells good," Gale stated, grabbing the two loathes of bread from the baker, looking away from Peeta without another word in response.

"I sure hope so," the man exclaimed with a kind smile.

"Oh, believe me they are," Gale insisted, turning to leave with a thanks and goodbye. Peeta watched as the boy walked towards the door, hesitating to look back with a wave in his direction.

"Eh, see ya…Peeta," Gale mumbled, leaving before the other could say anything in return.

…

'See, ya…Peeta?' Gale thought, wondering why on earth he had even bothered to say a goodbye to the boy, or even help him for that matter. The boy shrugged and then looked at the sky as he began walking away from the bakery, '…well it was the politest thing to do, after all, he was looking hopeless with that bag of flour….then again, why care? Not like he would ever do a thing for me-

"Gale," A voice called out, making him stop in his steps and turn around in both surprise and wonder.

Peeta ran up to the dark haired boy and held out a sack to him, his face showing no real sign of emotion other than an out of place tint of red on his cheeks, (not that Gale noticed that is).

It took a while for Gale to realize what the sack was.

"Oh," Gale exclaimed, grabbing the usual sack he used for game, "Um…thanks, I really can't afford to lose this."

"You left it on the counter," Peeta stated, unsure of whether or not he should smile or remain obtuse to any emotion.

"Um, thanks," Gale said back with a nod, "really, I would have freaked if I lost it..."

Peeta nodded and then began to leave but Gale hollered out his name, making him turn around to face him again.

"I really mean it," Gale said with his most earnest voice ever, "thanks…"

"Yeah, no problem…" Peeta whispered back.

Gale watched as the boy faded back into the bakery. Thinking how unfair it was that the other was so nice, 'he makes it so hard to even hate him.' These past few weeks he had ignored the stupid kid, trying his best to remind himself that the boy had taken Katniss away from him. Yet she still was with him, in fact, it was really due to his work in the mines that they couldn't hang out as much, but still…he had admitted his dying love to her and the entire capitol. He was the reason Katniss questioned any future for themselves, he was the reason why she couldn't choose him, he was the reason… the reason why Gale felt mad at himself for hating a kind person. Yeah, it's true; he thought the baker's son was kind. He was also gentle, and quiet, always there but never outright declaring it. Gale always saw him when he would come with Katniss into the bakery, he would always see him at school as well. Yet, it wasn't until the Hunger Games that he had even remotely thought of him as anything at all really. He had honestly worried about the kind boy, thinking in his head that he would die for sure, but the boy had been stronger than he thought. He still is strong…

The thing with Peeta and Katniss had made him hate the boy though, had made him want the boy to die in the arena, even despite the truth that he had protected her all along. He knew that if it hadn't been for Peeta Mellark than she would've died…but if it hadn't been for Katniss than he would've died likewise. In the end, Gale knows not if the latter of it was for the best. In truth, today had been the first day for the boy with the bread to make him question everything about himself…

Question whether or not he was a bit harsh, brash, unobservant, and something else…something that irked him because not even the closes person to him, Katniss, had ever made him feel like this.

…

What was Peeta Mellark playing at?