I wouldddd loveeee Headcanons about peeta and delly!!
oooh yes okay!!! I love this pair and love to hear everything about them 💛
so I'm pretty undecided whether I think Delly would return to 12 after the war, she seems like the kind of girl who might take the opportunity to see some more of the world if it was offered to her, but let's say for the purposes of this she returns
first things first, when these two get together there is absolutely no shutting them up, they will talk with each other until the cows come home and there will be a million different tangents with in one conversation. It's the kind of thing that makes Katniss give the stink eye initially, because it is just too.damn.much.
I think they first became proper friends when they're about three. Mrs Mellark is on the rampage and is ready to fight with anyone who gets in her way. Wanting to avoid a big blow out, Mr Mellark sends Peeta's brothers off out to play, but Peeta not being quite old enough to join them yet is taken across the street to the cobbler's where Mr Mellark asks if Mr Cartwright wouldn't mind watching Peeta for an hour or so. Mr Cartwright says "of course, no problem" and takes Peeta out back to play with Delly who just gives him a big smile and a piece of chalk so he can join her, which Peeta happily obliges.
When they started school they were still friends, but not as close as they could be, since they got segregated by that boy/girl divide that tends to happen. They become a lot closer by the time they're 14 and grown up a little bit though.
I don't think Peeta ever told Delly about his crush on Katniss, I think it's the kind of thing he'd have always kept to himself, but I bet anything Delly would have suspected that he held a candle for her.
And when Delly fancies someone, Peeta is always sent to do some smooth talking and find out the lay of the land for her.
When Peeta says he noticed just about every other girl, I reckon Delly did come under that bracket. They dated for a month when they had just turned 15 but both mutually agreed that no, they weren't for each other, they'd rather be friends.
idk where to fit this, but I'd also like to point out that they were both a part of a much larger group of friends that were key players in their lives, so their friendship most certainly wasn't an island.
They became their closest after the war, being one of the few remaining and Delly being instrumental in Peeta's recovery. She is a regular visit to Peeta's house where at least once a week they have a catch up. it takes a while for Katniss to become integrated into their friendship. Katniss never wants to intrude and also struggles to be around that much conversation. I actually it's something Peeta and Katniss would have an argument about "it's just, why is she so cheerful all the time, Peeta?" but they eventually become friends and it's a shock for Peeta the day he walks in and sees Katniss sat with Delly talking away like old friends. I think in that period he'd also be having to reassure Delly that Katniss doesn't hate her, she is just shy and that gentle persistence will pay off.
I hope this is the kind of thing you were looking for anon! thanks 💛