So I was tagged by mellarksloaves for the Everlark drabble challenge. Her prompt was 'Everlark playing video games together'. Thanks for the challenge, bb, and for asking to see if I was up to it beforehand. :D
I nominate stutteringpeeta , mellarkberries , and baronesskika with the prompt 'Everlark plays a drinking game'.You have 48 hours. :)
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Peeta tried to ease the front door to his brother’s house closed as quietly as possible. He winced and squeezed his eyes shut when his already precarious balance gave way and the thing thudded into place loudly. He waited with baited breath for some sort of reaction to come from elsewhere in the house.
When only silence followed, he peeked one eye open. The entryway was just as empty as it had been when he’d come in. Letting out a relieved sigh, Peeta eased himself off the door and took careful steps towards the table against the wall. He laid his keys down with determined movements and then fished around in the back pockets of his jeans so he could place his wallet and phone down next to them.
He smiled dopily with satisfaction at their location, proud that he’d made it home with all three this time. His brother couldn’t bitch at him about that, at least.
Turning, he made a slow path down the hallway towards the kitchen. A serious glass of water was his next goal before he made his way to the den to stretch out on the couch. There was no way he was even going to attempt the stairs. He’d made that mistake one too many times in the past.
The light was on over the stove as he entered, so he forewent switching on the overhead light. He spied the dishes sitting in the drying rack next to the sink and smiled victoriously at the sight of a glass. It seemed the odds were in his favor tonight. He wouldn’t have to deal with cabinets that tended to slip from his slightly numbed fingers and banged loudly.
He moved towards the sink and snatched up the glass, spinning towards the refrigerator. He sidestepped a couple inches and then shoved the cup in his hand against the trigger set into the freezer door. He pressed his free hand against the back of one of the stools tucked against the island, keeping himself balanced while water streamed from the dispenser.
Just as the water was about to overflow from the lip of the glass, Peeta pulled his hand away. Spinning again, he flopped back against the fridge and raised the glass to his lips. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the cool stainless steel, gulping down the water with a satisfaction that could only be attributed to his slightly altered state of mind.
He opened his eyes once the glass was drained dry. And that was when he noticed that there was light spilling out from the den. He furrowed his brow curiously, wondering who would still be up at that late hour. Pushing off the fridge, he absently placed the glass on the island as he started towards the room.
He pulled up short in the entryway and let out an amused chuckle at what he saw. The usually well-kept den was strewn with all sorts of toys and gadgets, most of them belonging to his niece and nephew. The two kids were nowhere to be seen...
But their relatively new nanny, Katniss, was. She was on the couch, slouched down at an awkward angle as she slept. his laughter tapered off into a silly smile. Not for the first time since Rye had brought her on to help with the kids, Peeta found himself admiring her beauty.
Stumbling his way over action figures and crayons, he stopped next to the arm of the couch she was resting her cheek against. Before he could think twice about it, he reached down and stroked his fingers over her unkempt braid. Her hair was as soft and silky as he had been imagining it would be.
“Katniss,” He whispered loudly.
She blinked awake sleepily. “Hmmm?” Turning her head, she took in Peeta standing above her and an adorably confused frown came to her face. He waggled his fingers in a silly wave and had to bite his lip to keep from grinning as recognition widened her grey eyes. “Shit!
Katniss sat up and covered her face with both her hands. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“Really?” He snorted, clumsily shimming his way between the coffee table and her knees so he could flop beside her on the couch gracelessly. “I just figured you were slacking on the job.”
She groaned and pushed up from the couch. “I got the kids in bed at eleven and came back down here to clean up.” Her words were coming out quickly and defensively. She started to hastily pick up all the toys. “I sat down for a moment to catch my breath before I started, and I guess I fell asleep. And if you’re here, that means it’s really fucking late now and your brother could be home any minute and-”
“Katniss!” Peeta laughed, causing her to straighten from where she was picking up a barbie doll. She turned and looked at him, her face flush with embarrassment and arms laden with toys. “I was just fucking with you. I don’t give a shit that you fell asleep.”
Katniss offered a weak smile and relaxed a fraction. “Oh, right.”
He waved her back over to the couch. “Put that shit down and come sit.” She looked from the toys in her arms and then back to him skeptically. Peeta rolled his eyes and patted the cushion she’d been on when he came in. “It’s fine, come on.”
Nodding hesitantly, Katniss lowered the toys onto the table and made her way back towards him. She gingerly lowered herself to the couch and stared down at her hands clasped tightly together in her lap.
“The kids like you, ya know.” Peeta nudged her arm with his elbow, suddenly feeling the need to reassure her after teasing her. “And so does my brother, which is a fucking miracle.” He smiled when she let out a quick, quiet laugh. “You don’t have to worry about impressing anybody anymore. This job is solid for you.”
“I really do like it here.” She admitted quietly, peaking at him sideways through the hair hanging free from her braid. The genuine sincerity he saw in her eyes made his chest ache slightly.
“Well here really likes you back.” His smile grew a lot softer.
She rolled her eyes and gestured vaguely towards the room. “I should still pick all this up though. Like me or not, I’m sure your brother won’t like it-” She moved to stand up, but Peeta shot his hand out to halt her as he noticed something sitting on the table. Something that would keep her from going upstairs far too soon.
“Actually,” He leaned forward and grabbed the item that caught his eye while pushing her back down to the couch. He laid the item down in her lap and reached for the similar one that was also on the table. When he looked at her, she was watching him with wide, curious eyes. “You should play some Halo with me.”
“Peeta, I can’t.” She shook her head and started to hand back the controller he’d given to her.
“Sure you can!” He pushed back on the controller
Katniss shook her head again, more adamantly this time. “It’s really late. This needs to all be put away and you’re drunk…” She tried to continue to shove the controller into his hand.
“Yes, I am.” He shifted his hand so it was grasping her wrist. “Which means I’m not stumbling my ass upstairs and waking my brother’s kids because he’ll have my ass, again.” He shrugged at the disapproving look that flashed in Katniss eyes. “And it also means I won’t be able to sleep for a while because I hate going to bed drunk, so you’re stuck dealing with me either way.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared him down. He smiled innocently and shook the controller in his hand for emphasis. She rolled her eyes again and relaxed back into the couch, pulling her wrist from his grasp and taking the controller she still held between both hands.
“One game.”
“Two,” Peeta countered, shifting so they were less than an inch from touching.
She looked down at his new position so near to her and then brought those grey eyes back up to stare into his. There was an uncertain, almost bewildered look he saw there. But there was also something more. Something Peeta had felt creeping up inside him since Katniss had come into his life last month. Something that scared and enticed him at the same time.
