Life Like a Country Song Chapter 1, a hunger games fanfic

Hello readers! I know I'm in the process of The Landord, but I couldn't help myself. Life Like a Country Song has been knocking around in my imagination for months, and with the two snow days we just got, I finally got it started!

It started with country music. I don't know if you're a fan, but if you are, you can't help but listen to the songs and imagine them playing out in your head. And seeing as I'm no country girl, though I do live in Nashville currently, I have a hard time putting myself in their stories. But, alas, that's what our favorite characters can do! So I've stuck Peeta and Katniss and the rest of the HG characters into some of my favorite country hits. They tell a story, so stay tuned. To keep you interested, I'll post the song for the next chapter at the bottom of the current chapter. Give it a listen, and I bet you'll start to see where this is going. Stay tuned, and send me any feedback or reviews you like! I've already got the story mapped out, but if you have any songs that you think could work, I'll see if I can try to fit them in as one-shots in this universe!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the country songs, so thank you to those talented writers for letting me borrow them!

Enjoy!

Bottoms Up

Peeta climbed down from his dark blue Ford F-150 and the summer night air ruffled his blonde waves. As he walked up the gravel drive, he straightened his light blue polo shirt and ran a hand through his tousled hair. The night was warm still, even with the stars and moon long since out, and he could feel the moist air beading sweat onto his tanned skin.

The lights of the farmhouse called enticingly to Peeta, and he could hear the thumping country music coming from the backyard. A smile broke out on his face as he walked along the corner of the house and came upon the large crowd gathered in the backyard, which, like most places in Kensington, Georgia, was acres of farmland. As a result, any time there was cause for celebration, the locals in the area got together on such land for a bonfire and a good time.

Tonight the party was on Finnick Odair's parents' farm. Peeta's best friend had been talking about this night all week, excited to celebrate Peeta's recent job offer: touring photographer with the Black Keys. Peeta and Finnick had just graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design, Finnick in digital design, Peeta in live-action photography. Through a well-connected college professor, Peeta got his photos to the manager of the popular rock band. Suddenly, he found himself with a dream offer, following the band on their cross-country tour, which was starting in just two weeks. Soon, he'd be leaving his small Southern town for the big cities, trading in his quiet life for the bright lights and loud music of a sold-out tour. His stomach had been in knots for the last week, and he wasn't sure if it was nerves or excitement.

Tonight, he was here to settle those butterflies with a good ole fashioned, boot-stomping, tailgate keg party.

"Well if it isn't Peeta 'Man of the Fuckin' Hour' Mellark!" Finnick barreled toward Peeta, looking like he'd already had a few warm-up drinks, and sloshed a red cup full of beer into Peeta's hand.

"We've been waiting for you, big shot! The whole town is here, ready to party. And you're in luck; Annie brought along a few girlfriends from Emory that are staying with her for the rest of the summer." Finnick whistled loudly, waggling his eyebrows in Peeta's direction. "Come on back and enjoy."

As soon as Peeta walked further into the crowd, the reaction was immediate. Friends and classmates that he'd known his whole life gathered, and drinks rose up for a toast to congratulate him. It wasn't often that someone from their small town made it in the world, and the entire backyard was filled with cheers and well wishes. And beer. Lots of beer.

Suddenly, a new song came over the speakers, which he noticed were perched up on Gale Hawthorne's tailgate. A cheer rang out among the crowd. It was a favorite in these parts, and Peeta smiled, because the song encapsulated what he was looking to do on this classic southern night.

I see you and me riding like Bonnie and Clyde
Goin 95 burning down 129 yeah
Looking for the law, while I push my luck
She's ridin shot gun like it ain't no thing
Turn the radio up so the girl can sing right
Pull into the party like "y'all wassup"

He caught Gale's eye as he raised a beer in appreciation for the sound system and choice of music. Gale didn't have much, his family had always been hard up, but Gale had scraped together all his wages from many high school jobs and bought a sound system. He'd made some decent money in the past few years DJing local parties and store openings as well as providing sound for their small town football games. Peeta and Gale had never been enemies, but they'd definitely never been close friends. Friendly rivals is what came to Peeta's mind. But in the years since their high school baseball careers, things had mellowed between the two boys.

That's why Peeta thought it strange that only a moment after catching Gale's eye, the man quickly looked away. What's his problem? Peeta wondered with a frown. But then, following his gaze, Peeta saw what had drawn away Gale's attention. Or who, he should say. And as the song got to thumping loudly in the nigh sky, Peeta's attention was hooked as well.

Tonight is bottoms up
Throw it on down
Rock this quiet, little country town
Get up, drop a tailgate on ya truck
Find a keg and fill ya cup up
Kick it on back
Pretty little mama lookin at ya like that
Make ya wanna slide on in like girl, what's up

She was dancing in the golden light of the bonfire, close enough that he could just make out some details of her face, but far enough that the shadows made him want to get closer. She was surrounded by Finnick's long time love Annie and one other girl, and all three were feeling the music, hands held up high with beer bottles swaying to the beat. The other girl was cute, as was Annie, but no one captivated him like this tanned, toned, brunette. With the bonfire behind her, she looked like a girl on fire.

The motion of her raised arms caused her orange blouse to inch up, and he could see the tanned and smooth skin of her stomach before the cut-off jean shorts she was wearing covered it back up. They weren't too short—he'd certainly seen shorter—but on her long legs, which were ensconced with weathered cowboy boots, they looked positively sinful.

She was laughing and signing along to the song, tipping back her beer at her mouth every so often, affirming the idea that she was here for a good time. Peeta, knowing that she was visiting from Atlanta, was determined to welcome her with a little small-town southern charm.

Yeah tonight is bottoms up
Get em up
Tonight is bottoms up
Get em up
Damn girl I gotta tip my hat
Never thought a country song would make you move like that yeah
And she's doing it in daisy dukes
Girl she's got ya tappin' on a boys shoulder
Hey dog check this out
And that's how girl do it in the dirty south yeah
She'll have you on your knee can I marry you?

"Yo, Beetee," Peeta called out to his old friend as he ambled over. Beetee was filling up a cup at the keg by the back porch. The young man, known as Beetee, or BT, short for Bobby Thomas, smiled a Peeta, offering the hose to Peeta so that he could top off the cup Finnick had given him a few minutes before. The man was quiet, but a great listener, so Peeta figured he might have some knowledge of their small town's newest visitors.

"Who are our new friends?" Peeta tipped his beer in the girls' directions, and as he did, he noticed he wasn't the only one looking at them. Having grown up with the same stock of females since kindergarten, most guys were intrigued by the new beauties fresh in from the big city. His eyes narrowed, silently warning his childhood friends to back off. Normally, he wouldn't consider himself possessive or territorial, but something primal in him had awoken as soon as he'd set eyes on the beautiful stranger, and he was desperate to find out more so he could introduce himself.

Yeah tonight is bottoms up
Throw it on down
Rock this quiet, little country town
Get up, drop a tailgate on ya truck
Find a keg and fill ya cup up
Kick it on back
Pretty little mama lookin at ya like that
Make ya wanna slide on in like girl, what's up
Yeah tonight is bottoms up
Get em up
Tonight is bottoms up
Get em up get em up get em up Get em up

"Annie's college roommates. Johanna Mason is the one on the left," he said quietly, gesturing to the petite brunette with short hair and an even shorter skirt, gyrating energetically to the music, causing more than a few eyebrows of the nearby locals to raise. "She's from New York City," he said, and Peeta nodded sagely, as if that explained everything.

"And that's Katniss Everdeen."

Katniss, Peeta thought. What a unique name. As unique as the girl herself?

"She's a senior with Annie, and she's from Chattanooga."

Peeta's eyes widened. She was from just north of his small town, and he'd never seen her before? He'd gone to Chattanooga all the time as a kid and teenager, even in college, to shop and eat and hang out with friends along the river. I wonder how many times we crossed paths in that town and didn't even know it.

Hey y'all, whatever ya sippin get it up in the air
Bottoms up

At that moment in the song, Katniss went to take a sip of her drink, but pulled it away with a frown. She held it up to Annie and Johanna, gesturing back toward where Peeta and Beetee stood, indicating she was going to get another beer before coming back to continue dancing. After all, how could you go 'bottoms up' without having anything in your drink?

She ambled slowly toward the back porch, smiling shyly at the howdys and wolf whistles thrown at her by Peeta's less-than-suave high school classmates. Peeta took a steadying breath, knowing that she would be in front of him in just moments, and he was still not sure what he was going to say to her. How was he going to get the attention of such an attractive woman? Sure, Peeta generally had no problem with the ladies, but this one was different…he could tell.

But alas, within moments, Katniss had entered the sphere of light given off by the bare bulb illuminating the back porch, and Peeta lost all remaining ability to think. He'd thought she was beautiful from afar. He was wrong. She was achingly gorgeous in the light. Her grey eyes flitted toward Peeta, searching him for a moment, before she tucked her hair behind her ear and retracted her gaze demurely. Ah, so maybe the siren dancing in the firelight is not her true persona…

Katniss moved her eyes to Beetee and they scrunched in a smile. "Beetee, right?" Katniss said, stopping just in front of the keg. Peeta couldn't help but take her moment of distraction to look her up and down, from boots to the luscious dark braid framing her face, hoping that she didn't notice.

"Yeah, Katniss. Nice to see you again. It looks like you, uh, need a beer."

Beetee turned toward Peeta, who, in completely non-Peeta fashion, was stone silent. Beetee narrowed his eyes at his silent friend, and Peeta shook his head to clear it, hoping that something would come to him sooner than later. What should I say to her? he asked himself desperately; he felt as if he was back in second grade putting a Valentine in Glimmer's cardboard mailbox at school.

"Yeah, I'm all out," Katniss drawled, and Peeta heard the hint of an East Tennessee accent licking at her words.

Beetee glanced over her shoulder at Peeta, motioning to the keg tap still in Peeta's hand. Oh. Oh!

"Um, let me." Peeta was surprised by the deep hoarseness in his voice, as if these were his first words all day.

Katniss turned toward him with an amused smile, as if she had been wondering when this statue was going to finally speak.

"Thank you…" Katniss trailed off, clearly looking for his name.

"Peeta. Peeta Mellark." Her eyes traced his as he stuttered out his name, and she smiled in response.

"Thank you, Peeta Mellark. I'm Katniss Everdeen, Annie's roommate from college."

Peeta nodded his head in understanding, and then reached for her empty bottle, throwing it into the garbage by the stairs. Beetee grabbed Katniss a new red cup and handed it to Peeta before stepping away quietly, likely to go find his high school sweetheart-turned-bride Wiress. Peeta reminded himself to thank his friend later, first for saving him and then for making a smooth exit so that Peeta and Katniss could be alone. Man, that guy is good stock, he thought to himself.

Let's give a toast to the good times
All y'all get your drinks up high
Everybody feelin alright
Damn right
'Cause tonight it's bottoms up
Throw it on down
Rock this quiet, little country town
Get up, drop a tailgate on ya truck
Find a keg and fill ya cup up
Kick it on back
Pretty little mama lookin at ya like that
Make ya wanna slide on in like girl, what's up

Peeta filled up Katniss's cup as she watched, twisting the hem of her blouse in between fidgeting fingers. She smiled gratefully as he handed her the drink, taking a sip of the cool liquid and sighing in contentment. He knew the feeling. It may be night here, but in north Georgia, there was no escaping the late summer heat, though sometimes a cool beverage helped.

"So, I heard you're a big shot photographer." Katniss's voice started him from his appraisal of her, and he couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

"Hardly," he said, leaning back against the porch railing. "I am starting a gig with a band going on tour in a couple of weeks, but who knows how it'll work out. I might leave the lens cap on the whole first show and they'll send me packing after day one."

"Well, I don't think that's going to happen. Annie has told me a lot about you, and it sounds like that camera is in some pretty capable hands. So, congratulations on the gig." Katniss raised her cup up to his, tapping it lightly.

"Thanks, Katniss. What about you? I know you're a senior at Emory. Great school, you should be proud."

Katniss blushed at his compliment. "Thanks. I'm just trying to hang on. I've got a scholarship that I need to keep through graduation, so this year is going to be filled with studying and work-study. Not your typical senior year, I guess."

She sighed, and Peeta couldn't help but hear the weariness in her voice, as if she'd been worn down by the last three years. He knew how seriously some people could take school—he was one of those people—and he knew that the pressure could get to be a lot.

"Well, you still have two weeks before you head back to school, right? Tonight, you're not allowed to think about all your responsibilities. Actually, for the next couple of weeks, you're here to have fun. And as town Big Shot, you have to listen to me."

Katniss's responding laughter bubbled up like a spring. Peeta loved the sound so much, and he wondered how he could get her to do it again.

"So, tell me about yourself, Katniss."

Right as she opened her mouth to respond, Cato came careening toward them, swerving a little too much for Peeta's liking.

"Peeta!" Cato practically yelled, sloshing his beer out of the cup and nearly getting Katniss in the process. Peeta reacted immediately, pulling Katniss by the arm so that she was slightly behind him, out of the line of fire of a drunk Cato Carmichael.

"Peeta, Peeta. I need a drink." No, you do not, Peeta thought to himself, He didn't want to get into it with this drunken bonehead, but he definitely did not think this guy needed another beer.

"Oooh, I see you've met our fresh meat," Cato leered at Katniss, and Peeta felt his pulse quicken in anger at the disrespectful words.

"Cato man," Peeta said, shoving the keg hose into Cato's free hand with more force than necessary, "shut up."

Peeta grabbed Katniss's hand, pulling her away from the teetering mess of man-meat in front of them and toward the swing hanging from the Odair's giant magnolia tree adjacent to their house. It was out of the way of the drunks by the kegs, but still in the vicinity of the party and their friends.

It was only when he'd gotten steps from the swing that he'd realized that Katniss had stayed silent this entire time, not indicating whether or not she wanted to be hauled around an unfamiliar backyard by a strange man.

He turned toward her with apologetic eyes, letting go of her hand.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to get you away from Cato. He can be a real piece of work when he drinks. You can, uh," he scratched the back of his head in a move befitting his nerves, "you can head back to your friends if you want."

He gestured toward the bonfire, where Johanna was currently dirty dancing with Thresh, the newest football coach at their high school, and Annie was sitting on Finnick's lap atop a hay bale, kissing him like no one was watching.

Bella laughed, then sighed, and Peeta was intrigued by the dichotomy of her reaction.

"Nah, I'm good I think. They never miss me anyway." Peeta wondered how often she found herself in this situation, with Annie attached to Finnick at all times and Johanna's wild-child side probably getting her a lot of male attention. But, he couldn't imagine the woman in front of him not getting her fair share of attention as well.

Peeta held his hand out to the tree swing, gesturing for Katniss to take a seat. She raised an eyebrow at the childish activity, but then shrugged, taking a seat as he moved to stand behind her.

"So, you were just going to tell me about yourself." He pushed on the swing lightly, and she laughed with excitement at the movement.

"There's not much to tell. I'm studying environmental science. I just transferred in the middle of last year from UT Chattanooga." Ah, that explains why you've never met her. Savannah College of Art and Design was in the same city as Emory, Atlanta, and he and Finnick spent a fair amount of time with Annie and her friends around the city. But, he would have remembered meeting Katniss.

"I have a little sister, Prim, at home. She's a senior in high school, and the love of my life." She blushed, glancing back at him in embarrassment. "That sounds weird. I mean, she's my best friend. My confidant. I practically raised her…" She looked away now as she trailed off, and Peeta couldn't help but wonder what had happened in her childhood that she would have to raise her little sister. What happened to her parents?

"Anyway, she wants to go to Vanderbilt. She's a genius. It's practically because of her that I even got my scholarship to Emory. To help her with homework in middle and high school, I practically had to learn rocket science. I guess it rubbed off."

Peeta listened as he continued to push Katniss, his firm hands periodically resting against the small of her back, momentarily cupping her slim waste before releasing her.

"She sounds wonderful. Is she as beautiful as you?" Peeta's question was bold, more flirtatious than he intended, but he let it slip out anyway. Talking to her in the shady silence under the magnolia tree was making him feel bolder than he normally would, around people.

Katniss laughed, turning her head at the backswing so that she could catch his eye.

"She's far more beautiful, obviously." Her voice was firm, as if she was stating a fact while deprecating her own incredible beauty.

Peeta grabbed the two ropes of the swing, and Katniss came to an immediate halt. She gasped and turned slightly to glance at him once more, likely wondering why he had stopped the gentle motion of the swing. Peeta's body was close to her back, and he wondered if she felt the hum of electricity that he felt between them.

"I can't imagine that anyone is far more beautiful than you, Katniss."

Katniss turned her body further, so that her back was now pressed up against the rope of the swing, where his hand was still clutched. He felt her hair along the tops of his fingers and the smooth silkiness was incredible. She said nothing, only looked up at him with wide eyes, as if trying to discern if his last words were a joke. He looked back in silence as well, all the residual noise and chaos of the party behind her fading out to darkness.

Then, he saw it. Her eyes flicked toward his lips, just for a second, and when the moved back to his eyes, the grey irises were darker than he'd seen them yet. Before he could help himself, before he could ask permission, he was dipping his head down toward hers. He only had a second to see her eyes close before he met her soft lips with his, and then it was just fireworks that he could see.

Her kiss was soft, and warm, and with the slightly bitter taste of beer on her lips, she tasted like summer. They kept it slow, just barely touching their lips, but then she tilted her head back just an inch, and he took it as the invitation it was.

Peeta slanted his mouth over hers, pulling his free hand up from the rope to rest along the lower curve of her jaw, right at the pulse point of her neck. She hummed into his mouth at the touch, and he swept his tongue against the seam of her lips with renewed vigor, ecstatic when she parted them to let him enter. Her taste was incredible, like strawberries and hops and sunshine, and he couldn't get enough.

They stayed like that for a minute longer, breathing into each other's kiss and tasting one another with relish. It was only when they heard the tell-tale sound of a police cruiser alerting its presence did they pull away with a gasp, not able to take their eyes off each other, even with the party crashers pulling up. Peeta felt his chest heave with barely restrained lust, and he could see the curve of Katniss's small breasts pushing against the buttons of her low cut top. What would happen now?

Another bright flash of a cruiser's blue lights pulled their attention back to the melee of the party. While there weren't any underage drinkers here, the music was pretty loud and this was a pretty quiet town. Plus, Old Man Snow, who lived across the county road from the Odairs, was a crotchety old bastard, and often called the cops for noise complaints, even when the party was pretty tame.

Not wanting to get caught up with the local officers—though he knew most of them from around town—Peeta grabbed Katniss's hand and helped her to her feet.

"I know a back way out of here. My truck is right over there." He gestured to the gravel patch he'd parked his car on, furthest away from the area the police cruisers were at. "Wanna make a run for it?"

The mischief he saw in her eyes at his invitation caused a smile to alight his face, and at once, they sprung up, running at a crouch to his truck at the side of the house. They held hands the entire way, laughing hard enough that Katniss had to hold her hand over her mouth as if they were really escaping from the police.

They got to the truck and Peeta opened her door, grabbing her waist and boosting her up into the raised bed. Then, he ran around to the driver's side, hopping up quickly and turning the car on, but cutting the lights.

Peeta looked over at Katniss to tell her where they were headed, but he found her smile shining in the moonlight, and it drew him in. Before he knew it, his lips were on hers, and his hand was at the back of her head, pulling her closer to his mouth. Her right hand grasped firmly to his knee to steady herself, and he felt the heat of it shoot electricity to places higher up.

Peeta pulled back, gasping, gazing at her for just a second more, and then put the car in drive. He glanced at her with his trademark crooked grin, knowing what it would do to Katniss, especially with the state he'd just put her in.

"You ready to fly, baby?" And with a rumble, they were off.

Bottoms Up – Brantley Gilbert

Chapter 2 Preview: Here's a sneak peek of what our two favorite characters might get up to next!

Sunshine and Whiskey-Franky Ballard

Out chilling on a beach with my sweet Georgia peach.
Not a care in the world, just trying to beat the heat.
Body like an hourglass, sand on her feet.
I can't help but stare cause I got the best seat.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any hotter you slid on in,
said, "I'm a little hot and bothered, if you know what I mean.
Let's crank it up to a hundred degrees."