Part one of a series of drabbles in this universe, written for the tumblr blog everlarkbirthdaydrabbles

"Katnith!" There's a high-pitched approximation of her name just before a tiny bundle of energy collides with her knees in a five-year-old's version of a hug. Katniss can't suppress a laugh as she drops her grocery bags and keys, bending to embrace the little girl with crazy curls and her father's gorgeous blue eyes.

"Hey Katniss." She glances up at the much deeper voice of little Cassie's outrageously hot father. He's bogged down like a pack mule with the assorted detritus that little girls travel with; Hello Kitty backpack, books, bright pink two-wheeler, oversized stuffed cat, purple pillow… and a pint-sized rolling suitcase.

"Going somewhere?" Katniss asks, standing and shifting Cassie onto her hip with practiced ease. Peeta sighs.

"Apparently not."

"Grandma hath a headache," Cassie blurts. Her front teeth are gone and her S's are charmingly absent. Katniss glances over at Peeta, who looks defeated. His mother is the least reliable babysitter on the planet.

"Oh Peeta, not again," she frowns. He just shrugs. It's then that she realizes how dressed up he is. His tie, a deep blue that brings out his eyes, has been loosened and hangs haphazardly from the collar of his crisp white dress shirt. Sharply pressed black trousers sit over trim hips, shiny shoes peek out from the cuffs and a matching suit jacket dangles over his arm.

She shakes her head a little to snap herself out of her trance. He thankfully hasn't noticed her openly leering at him. "I can sit with Cassie tonight, if you want," Katniss offers. She feels bad that he so seldom gets out. Apart from his unreliable mother, he doesn't appear to know very many people in the city, and Cassie's mother is long out of the picture.

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to give up your Friday night like that, Katniss," he stammers, and the tips of his ears turn pink. She smirks.

"Yeah, you'd be interrupting my hot date with Netflix," she deadpans. "Besides, you didn't ask, I offered. Give me ten minutes to put away my groceries and I'll come over." She enjoys spending time with Cassie, the little girl is sweet and reminds her of her own younger sister.

"You're gonna come play, Katnith?" Cassie smiles, gap-toothed and irresistible. "Daddy thaid we're gonna have piztha!" Katniss glances over at Peeta for confirmation. He's staring at her with a gentle smile teasing his full lips.

"Are you sure, Katniss?" he says softly, and her insides turn to jello. The way he says her name has been doing strange things to her ever since he moved into the building six months ago.

"Yeah, of course."

She walks down the hall and taps on his apartment door 9 minutes later. The groceries had been quick to deal with, but she took a few extra minutes to wash her face and rebraid her hair.

"So I ordered the pizza for you already," Peeta says as he ushers her into his place. "Bacon and mushrooms, right?" She's ridiculously pleased that he remembered her preferences from the one time before that they'd shared a pizza. "And all of the emergency numbers are on the fridge. I'll have my phone with me the whole time, but just in case, I'll be at Salinas." Katniss raises an eyebrow, Salinas is an expensive restaurant and Peeta teaches grade school. He grimaces slightly at her expression. "Yeah, it's a little out of my comfort zone, but she picked it."

It's not like Peeta dates all that much, but from what she's seen he has a terrible habit of picking incredibly shallow women who are nowhere near good enough for him. At least he never introduces any of them to his daughter.

He runs his hand through his hair again, looking adorably nervous. "I, well, uh, yeah, I guess…" he trails off, cutting his eyes towards the door.

"Hang on a sec," she says softly, stepping forward until they're practically toe to toe. She can hear the hitch in his breath as she reaches for him, gently adjusting his tie, her fingers just grazing his jaw when she straightens his collar. His throat bobs as he swallows hard, she finds herself wondering how the faint rasp of stubble on his chiselled chin would feel under her tongue. Her hands rest for just a moment on Peeta's chest, his heart pounds under her fingers, his eyes drop to her lips.

"Katnith!" Cassie's voice rings through the room and they spring apart like guilty children, but Katniss doesn't miss how dilated his pupils are. "Come on," the little girl squeaks, tugging at Katniss' hand. "Come play Barbie!"

"Do I get a goodbye, Princess?" Peeta smiles from ear to ear as his daughter jumps into his arms. He's completely devoted to the little girl, and Katniss adores that about him. Over the months they've been neighbors she's watched him take Cassie everywhere, seen him dressed in a crown and tutu, been the recipient of Daddy-and-Cassie made cookies, even joined in an impromptu dance party or two. He's clearly made to be a parent.

He heads towards the door, but lingers with his hand on the knob, gazing back at her with longing. She wishes she could ask him to stay.

Katniss is curled up on the sofa, playing Candy Crush on her phone when the apartment door opens. It's still early, Cassie has only been snoring softly in her room maybe an hour. "That was a short date?"

Peeta tosses his jacket on a chair before flopping onto the couch beside her, so close that their knees brush. "Yeah, well, my heart wasn't really in it," he admits, and his expression speaks volumes. "How was your evening?"

"It was really good, we read Peppa Pig about fifteen times I think." Peeta laughs and she joins him. "Cassie is a really great kid."

"She really likes you," he says, yanking off his tie and unbuttoning the top of his shirt. Katniss wants to nuzzle the hollow of his throat, inhale his scent. She closes her eyes just briefly before plastering on a smile.

"I really like her too. Oh, we saved you some pizza, since the portions at that hoity toity restaurant are pretty puny."

He laughs. "You're the best, Katniss." He stands, and she's surprised when he offers her a hand, tugging her gently off the couch. "Come join me in a slice?" he murmurs, leading her into the kitchen. He doesn't release her hand.

She reaches for the fridge door, but Peeta stops her with a little tug on her arm that has her spinning to face him. "Katniss?" His voice is gravelly. "I… fuck," he groans, frustrated. She takes a step closer, feeling the heat of his skin just inches away, the heady scent of his cologne.

"What is it?" she whispers, made brave by his proximity, by the way his hand trembles in hers.

"Tonight, when I was, well, when I was out," he stammers. "All I could think about was how much I'd rather be here. With you."

She bites her lip to temper the enormous grin threatening. They've been dancing around each other for months, and finally it seems like they might be on the same page.

His shoulders relax at her reaction. "I like you, Katniss. I'd really like to take you out some time. Will you allow it?"

"I'll allow it." He leans in, brushing the tip of his nose against hers, light as a whisper.

"I'd really like to kiss you now," he breathes.

"I'll allow that too."