The 74th Hunger Games

"Come on Catnip, you know that you hate them too." Gale insists to me, plucking strawberries while ranting on about one of his favorite subjects; the Capitol and all of its evilness.

"Of course I do." I exclaim, turning to him and stopping picking the rip red fruit for a moment. "But you know that there's not much we can do about it as well as I do." I remind him. Usually I just let him go but on a day like today, the reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games, it's a little hard to avoid. He may use this day as an easy excuse to go off on a rant but I'm just worried sick, especially this year. My dear little sister Prim at the age of twelve in that reaping bowl for the first time.

"Rebelling is the only way to change things." Gale repeats to me and I sigh, just letting it go for now. Not much I can do to change his mind, although I have to admit that's one of the things I probably like best about him. It's definitely a reason I trust him for sure. He stops plucking the berries as I begin again, ripping them off the vines as if that could distract me from my worry. After a minute his hand stops mine and I crush the berry in my hand under his rough calloused one as I squeeze my eyes shut, willing myself to get a grip.

"Katniss, she's not going to get picked." Gale forecasts in a low voice knowing exactly what I'm thinking, what I'm worried about. He squeezes my hand reassuringly and I finally look up to him, finding those storm raged orbs from before that ranted on have now softened to a hazy fog color, worry and comfort clear in his eyes.

"You don't know that." I whisper in a half croak, hating myself for feeling weak and worrying in front of someone. But if it had to be anyone I would choose Gale. He already knew how I was feeling before I said anything. We know each other so well by this point that it's not really any surprise. Which means I can see the same worry in him even though he's not admitting it, assuring me everything will be alright.

"Sure I do." He insists though I can sense the doubt hidden behind his assurance. "She only has one slip."

"So does Rory." I remind him, knowing that as much as he's trying to assure me he needs it too. While the two of us have far more slips than either of our twelve year old siblings who we refuse to allow to take out tesserae, it's them we're worried about, not ourselves. Though with the twenty slips with my name written in perfect English I should be slightly worried for myself. But its Gale that I'm actually the most worried about aside from Prim. Being eighteen years old and taking out tesserae for all those years for five people has him totaled at forty-two slips in the boys bowl, more than mine even if it's doubled. The very thought of my ranting Capitol-hating best friend being in those Games almost sickens me as much as my sweet little Prim. What he would do if he had the chance to actually tell the Capitol what he thought of them…they wouldn't give him a chance in the arena. They might even blow up his platform before the Games even begin…and alright, I don't know what I would do without him. After all, it's nearly impossible to find a good hunting partner.

"I know." Gale exclaims in a quiet voice, dropping the subject at hand and leaving us in a somewhat comfortable silence as we think about the dreaded reaping in just a few hours, trying to hold onto our reassurances from one another even though we don't half believe them ourselves. But that silence gets us through the rest of our hunting and we only exchange necessary words as we trade at the Hob and with the mayor before parting.

"Wear something pretty." Gale tells me flatly before flashing me a small smile as he walks towards his home, a bitter reminder that we must all look our best on the chance that we get the 'honor' of going to the Capitol.

With a slight roll of my eyes at his back to desperately try to keep myself together before walking into my own house I steal away and in about ten minutes come to my own shabby shack of a typical Seam home.

My mother is already there finishing a stew and I nod in acknowledgement to her as I put my half of our morning's hunting and gathering on the table before going to the basin to wash up. As I towel dry my ebony locks and walk towards the bedroom I find a soft blue cotton dress from my mother's apothecary days in town where she grew up laying ready for me, a pair of light blue flat shoes to match. A bit confused by this, I place the damp towel on the chair in the corner before walking towards the kitchen, peeking my head through the door.

"Mother, did you mean for me to wear your dress?" I ask a little awkwardly. I know that we aren't that close, haven't been since my father died and she half disappeared on us into the grief of her own mind along with the fact that she holds everything she still owns from her town life as precious. For her gesture to wish for me to take and wear one of those surprises me a little.

"Yes sweetie. You're growing up, it's time you had a dress to show that." She claims to me, a soft smile on her face as she tells me I'm growing into an adult. I manage not to remind her that I've practically been an adult since the age of eleven and a half, taking over as leader and breadwinner of the household years ago. And she's just now believing that I'm an adult just because my body has almost fully developed into one? But I shove away those hurtful thoughts because I've decided that letting my mother back in bit by bit might be for the best. Or at least she's trying to be a mother and I should probably give her some credit for that.

"Alright." I shrug but before I turn away she insists on doing my hair too. I nod once in allowance and dress myself in the soft fabric before silently sitting down in the kitchen and allowing my mother to twist and braid my damp hair into a very adult look.

"You look beautiful Katniss!" Prim's voice exclaims when she sees me from behind. I turn around in the chair with a smile and take in my adorable little sister with her ashen blond hair and crystal blue eyes just like my mother. She's in my first reaping outfit, a simple white blouse with a pale lavender skirt. It's far too big for her tiny frame but she still looks like her sweet little self. I walk over to her to hug her to me, chuckling when I look down and see the back of her shirt has come out of where it was tucked in to her skirt.

"Oh little duck you're far prettier than I am. But even ducks have to tuck in their tails." I exclaim to her with a light laugh. She gives me a little grin before tucking it in but I can tell she's nervous I squeeze her to me again before we all sit down again at the table for a simple light lunch of rabbit stew and the coarse tesserae bread, saving the greens and berries as well as the rabbit I brought home for later. We are all supposed to celebrate this kick off for the Hunger Games, but here it's really more of a relieved meal for all but two families that their children are safe for another year. I may have voiced and implied my worries in the woods with Gale earlier but I'm not going to do it here. That's the reason for this optimistic move in saving the best for later, not my own pessimistic self.

When it's time to leave for the reaping we all walk together, Prim in the middle and holding one of each of me and my mother's hands. I can sense in her tension Prim getting more nervous and scared with each step and once we bid my mother goodbye and sign in I finally address it as I take her to me once more. She buries her face into me and I stroke her back soothingly. "Shh it's going to be alright. You're not going to get picked Prim." I assure her as much as myself, willing it with everything I have for it to be true.

"I'm more worried about you." She murmurs into my chest before pulling out and I sigh. Poor Prim, always her selfless self.

"We're both going to be fine." I say with more confidence than I feel, "Promise."

"Okay." Prim replies shakily and with one last squeeze goes into her section as I walk to mine with the other sixteen year old girls.

Most are familiar faces after years of school but I'm not friendly with most anyone. In fact, the closest I am to anyone in here is Madge Undersee, the mayor's daughter. I had just seen her not two hours ago in her pretty white dress and real gold pin but she's not stuck up or anything. In fact, she mainly keeps to herself and so do I, meaning we pretty much partner up when necessary in school and eat lunch at the same table. Not many words are needed with us so it works out nicely. I find her already in the crowd and stand next to her as we exchange small nervous smiles as her father comes onstage with our ridiculously dressed Capitol escort Effie Trinket and our only living Victor Haymitch Abernathy (the town drunk) in tow.

He goes through with his required speech before Effie puts on an extra absurdly happy smile as she calls out her signature line May the odds be ever in your favor as she tinkers over in her tall high heels to the girl's bowl, dramatically swirling her hand around the slips of paper before coming up with a single slip. I pray and pray in my head for it not to be me, not to be Prim and for once the odds are in my favor.

"Holly Baylor." Effie's voice rings out and I guiltily breathe a small sigh of relief. No one I know. A shriek can be heard behind us where the rest of District 12 is watching the reaping, a high pitched one that makes me believe it is this poor girl's mother. I watch as a Seam girl from the fourteen year old section comes walking stiffly to the stage, gulping and trying in vain not to cry. Once up on the stage her tears mix oddly with Effie's cheery attitude greatly and after repeating the poor girl's name again she moves onto the boys. Now that I know Prim and myself are safe I feel sick to my gut for Gale. His forty two slips. How I can't lose him, not after everything I've already lost. Please, please, please do not be Gale.

"Peeta Mellark." Effie's voice rings out again and I sigh in relief louder this time. It's not Gale. His forty two slips escaped the manicured fingers of Effie Trinket for seven years and now he's safe for good. But the sickening feeling in my stomach doesn't go away, and it's accompanied by images flashing by my brain of a sorrowful rainy day, two burnt loaves tossed to me that gave me hope to live when I was just almost twelve years old. How I never thanked him, I feel like I owe him. And here he is, shell-shocked as he walks towards the stage that will most likely be a prelude to his death in the arena.

The two tributes shake hands and all through the mayor's next speech I can't help but look at the boy who saved me all those years ago though I doubt he knew it. His one act of kindness that has made me feel like I owe him though I didn't know what to do about it. But I do know. I'm just going to have to be awkward and thank him; right before he's whisked off to his slaughter. Some coward I am. As the tributes are lead into the Justice Building I find Prim first to hug her and tell her I'll be late to the Hawthorne's, where for years we have 'celebrated' my and Gale's safety for yet another year every reaping day since we met. She's a little confused but doesn't question it too much and as soon as I see her go into my mother's relieved waiting arms I quickly turn around and walk towards the Justice Building.

As the rain pours down about a half hour later I shake my head and make my way towards the Hawthorne house. It was definitely awkward for sure. As soon as I walked in Peeta looked utterly surprised to see me which I expected but he also appeared to be sort of…happy. I didn't quite understand how he could possibly be happy with the events of today but I just let it go. He surprisingly enough knew my name and I said hi back and after a minute of just standing there I thanked him for the bread five years ago. He shrugged it off as no big deal before thanking me for coming to see him and I walked out feeling like I didn't quite pay my debt but at least I got in a thank you.

When I arrived to my destination I was soaked to the core and shivering, avoiding the curious looks from all in the living room as I went over to warm myself up by the fire. Hazelle offered me dry clothes and I accepted only because my own dress would probably be dry by the time we left and after I was changed into a new pink dress that was definitely not me but at least it was clean and dry I joined the rest of them for dinner. After dinner Gale and I sat on the porch as the kids played around in the wet yard, the rain having stopped sometime during dinner.

"So where were you Catnip?" Gale asks me curiously after a bout of silence. I try to avoid it at first but then decide what's the point of hiding things from Gale? I really don't know why I never told him about the bread in the first place.

"Saying goodbye to Peeta." I inform him, and his expression surprises me to say the least. It's surprised definitely, and the confusion is evident, but there's also something else there that I can't quite name.

"Why? I didn't know you knew him." Gale replies, somewhat guardedly though I have no idea why.

"Because…" I begin but I don't really know how to explain it. I mean it's ridiculous really because we share everything but I don't even know where to begin.

Gale shakes his head and sighs, "Forget I asked."

I look at him strangely after that but let it go and we sit in silence watching the kids play. But it's not a comfortable silence like normal and I don't quite understand. For the first time in a while I can't read Gale's expressions, can't tell what he's thinking other than his surprise at my saying goodbye to Peeta. Once it starts getting dark I go change into my own newly dried dress again and we bid the Hawthornes' goodbye before going back to our home.

The next morning I get up before the sun like always and desperately hope that Gale actually comes and we're alright. After I revealed to him about Peeta we hadn't really talked at all and the air between us was weird for the first time since the year we'd met. I don't know what it was for but I truly hope that it goes away soon.

"Morning Catnip." Gale greets me once I get to our rock, a smile on his face as he tosses a blackberry in the air that I easily catch in my mouth, allowing the dark purple juice to fill my senses, my breakfast satisfying.

"Morning." I reply back, relieved that the atmosphere is normal after last night. We spend the day like we always do, hunting and gathering, going to the Hob before school and meeting up again after those pointless hours of learning about coal. Well, pretty pointless for me anyway; since Gale has escaped the Hunger Games for good he's now required to train to be a miner and actually needs to know this stuff. I'm not at all pleased that he will be spending six days of the week down in those horrible mines where our fathers died; I truly hate it and fear for him. But really there's nothing I can do about it. He needs to provide for his family and as much as I wish we could just hunt to do that, there is the little detail of us illegally being out here. Being under the age of eighteen thus far has allowed us to get away with it every day because people don't expect us to work, just go to school. But now…he starts mining in about a week and I can't help but hate it. The only time I'll get to see him those days are the required watching for the Hunger Games which isn't exactly something I'd like to do either. That and Sundays anyway.

The week goes by like always except for the Hunger Games pre stuff on. The parade was actually amazing, what with our tributes literally on fire. Peeta looked almost deadly which is kind of funny because he doesn't seem too deadly to me. But whatever it was, all those wonderful costumes did was get them attention and possibly some sponsors. The scores came to us a few days later, the girl with a sad but unsurprising four and Peeta coming up with a shocking eight. An eight? That's the highest score from District 12 since Haymitch twenty four years ago who came up with a nine! How on earth did Peeta come up with an eight? He's a baker's son the last time I checked. I'm thoroughly impressed and I get a little hopeful that maybe he won't actually die in the bloodbath like all of our other tributes usually do.

Two days later Prim, my mother, and I are back at the Hawthorne's house to watch the interviews. Most of the Careers are well…Careerish though surprisingly enough the District 4 tributes don't seem as threatening as usual this year. The fiery haired girl from five seems sly and until District 11 all the tributes are mostly forgettable. It's the tiny little girl from eleven that makes me hug Prim instantly because I'm so happy that she's not like that little girl, a tiny twelve year old who charms the crowd with her sweetness. The boy after her is intimidating and drastically large in comparison to his fellow tribute and I have to grimace watching him. He's certainly a competitor this year for sure. The girl from our district comes up in a sweet pink dress but she is utterly forgettable too and I can't help but think grimly that she's certain to die tomorrow in the bloodbath. Peeta comes up in a flamed suit, obviously still going on with the fire theme from the Opening Parade and his easy banter with Ceaser makes for good entertainment. Eventually Ceaser asks him if he has a girl back home.

"No, not really." He replies bashfully.

"Handsome man like you? I don't believe it do you?" he asks the audience and they shout out in Ceaser's favor.

"Well there is this one girl." Peeta finally admits, "But I don't think she even knew who I was until the reaping." Really? I wonder who that is. As far as I know he doesn't have a girlfriend but…well I don't know.

"Well here's what you do; win this thing, go home and win her heart eh?" Ceaser offers and the audience cheers in approval.

"Maybe I'll do just that." Peeta smiles back to him and his buzzer rings. I'm still wondering who he was talking about but I sense Gale tensing next to me as he glares at the television set.

"What?" I ask him, confused as to why he's so tense. I mean I know he doesn't like any of this any more than I do, more likely less but he seemed to be mostly uncaring until Peeta came up.

Gale looks at me, studies me and then gives me a grunting "Nothing." I look at him strangely but he doesn't look back at me and I still can't figure out what's wrong. Clearly he's guarding whatever it is but I just don't understand at all.

The Games come on at school the next day and we are of course required to watch them. As I sit in our lunchroom next to Madge I watch the screen, a little worried for Peeta (which honestly surprises me) but I just put it down to that I can't help but feel I still owe him and I may very well be watching his last minutes. As the clock counts down I find him easily next to a Career and some other girl I don't know. The gong sounds and he sprints a little bit into the Cornucopia before coming up with a backpack and knife, punching one of the other tributes briefly before making it out unscathed. A collective groan and two little cries come out of the crowd here as they show the girl from our district be speared by the boy from District 1 and I try not to groan with them. Well, at least I predicted that; it makes it slightly easier to take though I do feel a pain for that girl's family, especially her siblings I'd guess who the ones were crying are here.

The rest of the day goes on just going through the bloodbath, a whopping half of the tributes being killed just in the bloodbath. The mood of the school is sorry for the girl but somewhat content just because we still have a tribute alive, Peeta jogging through the forest still alive and unharmed. It's something at least.

For the rest of the Games I keep tabs on Peeta though I really don't know why, sighing in relief after he came into a close call with a mutt but recovered a little. He even made it to the top eight tributes six days into the Games, which is the time when they do home interviews. I watched as his family and lots of town kids gladly did interviews and wishing Peeta well and good luck, watching from the sidelines. While I did see him before he left I don't belong in one of those interviews; I don't even know what I would say. If I can't explain the bread thing to Gale of all people there's no way in Panem I'm going to do it to the entire country.

Two nights later the Hawthornes are at our house so we watch the mandatory viewing together, and it's the first I've seen of Gale since he started working in the mines five days ago. Hunting by myself is definitely not the same; I feel half blind and well…alone. I didn't realize how much I liked the company until I didn't have it anymore. He looks exhausted and dirty from his twelve hour days but has a smile on his face when he sees me and I don't hesitate to return it even though neither of us really smile truly unless we're in the woods.

Our mothers take chairs from the kitchen and drink mint tea from mugs and the kids squeeze themselves on our lone couch, leaving the floor for Gale and I. I lean against Prim's legs as the viewing comes on and I instantly find Peeta staring back at us through the screen. He's on the move again but still hurt and they keep alternating between him and what's left of the Career pack, a group of four. Suddenly I know he's heading right for them, I can feel it with my hunter's senses. But apparently Peeta doesn't have any of those because he doesn't realize it until the Careers are practically on top of him. He fights hard but he's one versus four with only a knife and I gasp as he falls to the ground as the huge boy from District 2 plummets his sword into Peeta's chest. His cannon goes off a minute later and the room is silent, knowing our last chance of a Victor however unlikely that may have been has just been crushed. I however, am still regretting my debt to Peeta. How am I supposed to return what I owe to someone who's dead?

The television is required to be on but I don't think anyone is really watching it anymore. Or at least I'm not. I'm tense against Prim's legs and I just stare into space trying to pull my thoughts and guilt together, not really even realizing probably two hours later when the viewing is over. I come out of my daze as everyone else gets up and I blink a few times before I see Gale's hand in front of me, offering to help me up. I look up at him and once again he has an unreadable expression on his face but he smiles slightly when I accept his help before he mumbles goodbye and leaves with his family. With a guilty sigh towards the television I force myself to go towards the bed into a sleepless night.

Eventually three days later the Games end with an 'epic' battle between the two District 2 tributes, the monstrous boy that killed Peeta eventually coming out on top. I don't like him but I never really liked Careers anyway so that's no surprise. But thank goodness those awful Games are done and life can get back to normal.

The 76th Hunger Games

"Gale what are you doing?" I laugh; a strange thing to be doing on reaping day. But who could really not laugh when they're being attacked by blackberries? He has a playful smirk on his face and while he's twenty years old and has the body and sharp facial features of a man, coal dust under his nails, and the weary eye circles from his long days underground, he's acting like a six year old.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" he grins with mirth in his eyes, a devilishly playful air to him as he continues pummeling me with the berries, laughing as I duck down and catch one of them in my mouth with a roll of my eyes and a smile.

"Acting like Posy." I insist and he chuckles.

"If this was her she'd be throwing toys, not berries." He replies and I nod in agreement. Well he's right, she probably would be. She'd be eating the berries, not throwing them.

"Come on, we shouldn't waste these berries." I remind him and start picking them up, gathering them in my hand. But all of a sudden I'm grabbed by my waist and with a light kick to the back of my knees I'm falling to the ground, Gale twisting me around and holding me so I only land lightly on my back with Gale half beside me and half hovering over me. I don't even know what to think of this position nor the odd look in Gale's eyes, but the mirth hasn't left his face.

"What was that for?" I gasp because I don't know how else to react at the moment and he grins again before putting one of his hands next to my head and quickly pulling up a handful of grass, playfully throwing it in my face before getting up and running away with his game bag and mine. I spit out the grass and push myself up to my elbows as he looks back with a laugh "Race you back!" he yells and I smile back at him with challenge. He darts off between the bushes that he had been taking his earlier ammunition from as soon as I get up off the ground and I just barely have time to grab my game bag and my bow before I'm sprinting after him through the woods. I'm fast but seeing as Gale has a good foot or so in height on me he uses that to keep ahead, only slowing down when we get to the place where we hide our bows. His sudden stops surprises me and I don't have much time to react before I basically run right into him and almost knock the two of us over. He turns around breathing in gasps but laughing at me as I blush for no reason and go to put my bow and quiver in their hollowed out hiding spaces before coming back to him, lightly hitting him on the arm.

"Now explain. What was that all about?" I demand to know and his cheery attitude becomes a little bashful but mostly smug. It confuses me even more than the playing around to be honest.

"How long has it been since you thought about the reaping?" he questions me and I'm almost taken aback by the question, confused as to how that's an explanation. What does that have to do with anything?

In response I shrug. "I don't know, maybe when you started attacking me with berries." I guess with an eyebrow quirked at him and he gives me a small but serious smile, far more serious than he has been in the last ten minutes or so.

"Good. No need to worry you'll all be fine." He insists and I give him a shy smile thankfully at the same time as shaking my head a little as I finally get why he was doing all that strange playful stuff. He was trying to get me to not worry about the reaping today, something I've been worried about for weeks and losing sleep over.

Only Gale could make me forget something as horrible as that even if it's only for a while. I don't even have to say thank you because he knows I'm grateful, something that comes with how well we know each other. With that, we walk off towards the fence as my mind goes racing back to the reaping again. At eighteen with twenty eight slips in the reaping bowl I do have a decent shot at being reaped today, but it's still Prim I'm more worried about with her measly three sips. Once again everyone else is more worried about me but I wave them off, only Gale knowing how utterly worried I am about myself. While he made it safely out of the reapings even with forty-two slips in his last year I can't help this nagging feeling that they are coming to get me in my last year. It's what most of my nightmares have been about and it's what's making me lose sleep all this time. They're mostly about a rigged reaping because someone found out about my illegal hunting, reaping me into the Games to punish me. Poor little Prim having to watch me die in the Games. Gale being punished in turn for his own hunting by a mine explosion much like our fathers died in…

Needless to say I'm extremely nervous today whether it just be bad dreams or my subconscious trying to tell me something. And as I lead Prim to the fourteen year old section she gives me a tight hug again before I make my way to the roped off area for girls nearest to the stage, looking around the crowd and finding my mother standing next to Hazelle with Gale with them. Gale is staring right at me as if he knew I'd look to him, willing me to keep it together and telling me that I'm over reacting even from this distance. Even though he's not speaking I can almost hear the assurances coming out of his mouth.

I exhale slowly and nod at him that I'll try as the mayor, Effie, and Haymitch come onstage once again just like every other year. I don't even pay attention to the speeches and honestly I miss the first name, the girl's name. But it's not mine obviously as I would have been pulled out of my daze from that; but it is a girl from my age group, a town girl I don't really know. I breathe a sigh of relief at that and Madge's hand squeezes mine once as we give each other small relieved smiles that we're both safe for good. Prim is safe for another year and all my nightmares and bad feelings have come to nothing just as Gale assured me.

The boy who is reaped is shockingly another town person and I hear the girl onstage gasp. It isn't until I see them onstage and the boy takes her in his arms and kisses her that I realize they are a couple. Wow, not only are our tributes definitely not in favor with most likely both of them only having seven slips but they are a couple; talk about bad luck. For them anyway, and somehow I think it could have possibly been rigged just like my nightmares of it happening to me. Because what are the odds really? They had to have done something wrong for this to happen, right?

Either way, I'm still safe so it shouldn't matter too much to me. Everyone I know in fact is safe this year and I'm done thank goodness. I find Prim first once we are allowed to disperse and we hug gratefully before Rory and Vick in his first reaping find us. The four of us walk back to our families who immediately embrace us. I laugh, embarrassed as Gale takes me in his arms and spins me around in a circle before putting me down and whispering into my ear, "See, no reason to worry."

I do feel slightly embarrassed and look up to him with a tiny smile as he keeps me locked in his arms a little longer than he probably should, which is when I realize people are probably watching us. With that thought in mind I pull out of his arms only to find our mothers looking at us knowingly even if there's nothing different about this. Not really anyway. But luckily they don't comment and we go back to the Hawthorne's house like we always do after the reaping and eat dinner, Gale asking me if I would like to go for a walk afterwards. I accept, happy to do anything really today. We probably can't slip away into the woods at this hour because with the recap of the reapings on tonight the power is actually on for once, but we can still walk in the meadow. It's not the woods but it's the closest we're going to get at the moment.

We're mostly walking in a comfortable silence but I can tell that Gale is uneasy about something, though what I can't understand. I mean, we're all safe from the Games and I know without asking he doesn't really care about the two dating tributes too much if only because they are townies. It honestly worries me that I can't tell what's wrong because he's normally so easy to read for me, but I know if something is bothering him he'll eventually tell me once he's unjumbled his mind on the subject.

Eventually we come to a few trees and I lean against one as Gale looks out to the woods, the electric fence predictably humming softly that indicates it's alive. I close my eyes for a minute and just breathe in the fresh air, letting relief and calm take over me for once. When I open again I find Gale looking at me funny, the anxiety still not having left his eyes and I know he's probably ready to tell me what's on his mind.

"What's wrong?" I inquire finally and Gale just looks away a little before coming back up with a barely composed look.

"Nothing's wrong." He insists a little too innocently and I squint my eyes at him.

"Why are you lying to me?" I call him out and he just shrugs, knowing he's caught.

"So what are your plans now that you're safe?" he questions me, taking me off guard. It's not like I hadn't thought about it but I'm surprised he's bringing up now. Unless he's just using this to distract me from whatever it is he's hiding from me.

"I don't know. Anything but the mines would be fine." I answer honestly. Really, I don't know if I could bring myself to go down there ever again. I don't even know how Gale does it…oh yes I do; because his family would starve otherwise. "Maybe help my mother or something." I mutter off the top of my head as an idea but he just laughs lightly at that, knowing that's still not really an option for me.

"Ever thought about marrying or something? That's one way you could get out of it." he offers as a suggestion and it's my turn to look at him strangely. He knows how I feel about that kind of stuff so why would he even bother to bring it up?

"You know how I feel about that." I shake my head at him. If I take my mind off of survival for one second I think, Prim and my mother would suffer for it. Besides, marriage leads to children, which in turn leads to the possibility of those children being reaped. And if I can't stand the thought of my little sister being reaped I don't know what I would do with my own kid. No, it's far better to just keep away from that so it's not even a possibility at all.

"Well you can have some of the good parts of that without the marriage." He replies and I can't help thinking why we are talking about this.

"So." I retort lamely, and the way he looks at me for some reason makes my heart skip a beat though I don't know why. Why is he talking about this with me? What is he getting at? Why am I so nervous all of a sudden?

"So you're saying you've never even thought about it?" he questions me and I have the decency to blush. It's not that I haven't, but not that often and I push the thoughts away immediately when they come. If I start letting myself think those kinds of things bad things can happen.

"No." I lie but he easily catches onto it. He places his hands on either side of me on the trunk of the tree I'm leaning against and his face comes about six inches away from mine. I don't know what's going on here but for some reason I can't breathe, tense and frozen in place and I can't even look him in the eyes at the moment. What is this? What's he doing? Why am I not trying to get out of this? The only reasonable explanation is that I'm too dumbstruck to move. Yes that's it; dumbstruck.

"Are you sure?" he whispers, his hot breath fanning my cheek and I muster the courage to stare straight into his stormy grey eyes and for the first time get lost in them, the swirls of clouds darkening with something I can't understand but it's lulling me into some kind of hazy feeling, a heavy air between.

And yet despite the haze, I can sense everything with a clearer vision, my senses snapping into place even though I'm not hunting. Strange since I've only felt this hyperawareness when I'm out in the woods hunting, my bow raised and aimed at a particularly hard prey. For some reason I actually admit the truth with a slight shake of my head and Gale leans in slowly before his lips connect with mine and my eyes instinctively close at the contact of this soft sweet kiss that sends sparks flying in my head and a shocking heat coursing through my veins. Once he pulls away it takes me a second to snap my eyes open and give him a look of well…dumbstruckness. I've never been kissed before and there goes my best friend looking at me like that and doing well…that.

He sighs when he can't figure out what I'm thinking but admits, "I've wanted to do that for a long time."

For a moment I can't even speak as I let it sink in, and when I do its stuttered confusion. "I…and I…but…" He gives me a small smile before a light breathy chuckle that tickles my face with how close we currently are before widening the space between us though the heaviness of the atmosphere only lightens a little and putting a hand to my cheek, instantly warming it and freezing me back in place while my face seems to tingle with the sensation.

"I know. And I know you need to think about it but I'll give you time." He replies back in a low voice before sighing and walking away, leaving me to think about what exactly just happened.

As I try to get a grip on reality I slide down the tree and sit on the ground with my back against it, the only thing holding me steady at the moment since my mind is flying a million thoughts a second. Suddenly I can't remember anything from today at all except that my cheek is slowly losing the warmth of where his hand rested and I tentatively touch my still tingling lips, feeling myself redden when I think about why they're tingling.

I sit there a long time, trying hard to get a grip on things and seeming to fail miserably. I'm only about halfway there when it starts getting dark and I trudge home in a half daze, not really even paying attention to the memorized path home. When I finally arrive I briefly remember my mother glancing up from her brewing medicine for someone she's treating but she doesn't say anything, just gives me a relieved smile that I'm home. Good thing she doesn't ask anyway, because I'm still not certain I could speak coherently and I certainly wouldn't be able to give her any answer without a blush.

For the majority of the next five days I can't think of anything but that kiss and even then I still couldn't tell you what I think. I mean Gale has forced me to look at our relationship in a whole different light. While a few years ago I realized that friend seemed to be not an important enough title for what Gale is to me never had I thought about…well this. I mean I didn't even see it coming, how could he expect me to know how I feel about it? But as Sunday comes around and I know it's time to face Gale for the first time since I have some semblance of a plan. I don't know what I feel but maybe if I'm at least prepared I can think on it again. You know, if I'm not so shell shocked by the actual thing.

Once I get to our spot he's already there, sharpening wooden sticks that will be made into arrows soon enough. "Hey Catnip." he greets me with but I can tell he's guarded again, clearly not knowing what I'm thinking. Heck, I don't even really know what I'm thinking. I don't say anything back but come right up to him, gesturing for him to stand up. He obeys me but seems a little nervous, clearly not knowing what I'm doing.

"Close your eyes." I order and he briefly glances down at me with a confused look before doing what I said. Looking at him now he seems a little peaceful if not tense and I study him, his short stubble on his jaw and chin and his slightly chapped lips, his trying not to crease eyebrows. Stealing myself to be brave I pop up on my toes and slowly shut my eyes as I press my own lips to his much like he did me. He seems utterly surprised at first but kisses me back after a few seconds, the kiss deepening eventually as I let him take the lead and I feel a sort of warm fire go through me as the sparks fly again, my hands going automatically on his shoulders as his come around my waist and pull me closer to him, our bodies half flushed together. When the kiss breaks we both snap our eyes open and breathe hard, Gale catching his before me.

"What was that for?" he questions me, not letting me out of our close embrace.

I blush pink but truthfully answer him, "I needed to be prepared to think about it."

"And?" he asks, gazing at me and trying so hard not to show the desire I can now see evidently in his eyes, his pupils widening against his will giving him away. It's near intoxicating to see and I almost lose myself in them again.

"I…well I don't know…it's just that I've never thought about this before and…but if I had I guess I'd say…" I stutter out, blushing furiously and looking down instead of answering that last part. Gale puts one hand gently under my chin to lift my face so that I have to look at him and bracing myself, I do. All I find looking back at me is Gale's eyes so much like my own and they are filled with a sort of love I've never really experienced before. Instead of saying anything (not that we're really good with words anyway) he leans in to kiss me softly again and it's me this time who deepens the kiss as if I just can't help myself and we have to stop as Gale starts laughing through it.

I break it off and look at him incredulously. "What?" I ask, confused and almost angry as to why he's laughing. I can't be that bad of a kisser, can I?

"I guess I'll take that as a yes." He beams and I feel like I have to at least keep some of my wits about me.

"I didn't say yes." I protest but he just gives me a breathy chuckle again.

"Well that certainly didn't seem like a no." he argues back and I roll my eyes at him with a stupid grin of my own, soaring in my own giddiness but I know I have to come down sometime to reality. It's not like we can spend the whole day doing this, we do have people to feed after all.

"Come on we have to get going." I protest, avoiding giving him a direct answer even if he sort of knows it already. Maybe this won't be so bad.

The 'star-crossed lovers' of District 12 as they call our tributes during the whole week before the actual Games begin are big entertainment for the Capitolites this year, for the first time in a while our district making headlines in the Games. In the interviews they claim that their love will last, that they won't let the one winner rule affect them; clearly hinting that they somehow hope for the rules to be changed for them. As if such a thing would ever happen; mercy in the Capitol is not a well-known concept.

In the end they both make it out of the bloodbath (quite a feat for our tributes at all) together but slowly start drifting apart as the arena tears their relationship to pieces, clearly the idea that only one can win and most probable death still affecting them. The girl eventually separates from her boyfriend while he's sleeping and I guess there are really no star-crossed lovers anymore.

As their relationship breaks apart mine and Gale's I guess you could say glues itself together more permanently as more and more people find out about it somehow. We told our families (who were naturally thrilled to death with a dash of smugness) a few days into the Games but it wasn't until the next Sunday that we came into cheers at the Hob much to both of our embarrassment that we realized everyone already knew. Guess our hiding skills have diminished plenty; or some blabbermouth found out and told the gossipy district everything. Who I don't know but there was really no use trying to hide it after that.

The boy died in his sleep as the Careers came across him that night and the girl from our district, clearly heartbroken but utterly useless when it came to fighting lived another two days before death came for her in the form of the pair of strangely strong District 6 tributes who gave the starving weak girl mercy and killed her on the spot. The 'star-crossed lovers may be no more but apparently love is still in the air in District 12; if you had told me even two weeks ago that it would be me I would have thought you were crazy. I guess I even surprise myself sometimes.

A year and a half later

"We're going to be late." I insist, my breath clearly visible in the cold winter air.

"Relax Catnip; they aren't expecting us for another two hours." Gale reminds me with a smile and I roll my eyes at him. He knows we're just barely going to make that as it is and it's only getting colder. Gale chuckles once at me before pressing a gentle kiss to my head, taking my hand in his as we walk back towards the District.

On the way he absentmindedly strokes the ring on my fourth finger, the ring that used to be his mother's as he wears my father's on his own left ring finger. I wasn't entirely keen to get married but I finally agreed after I realized we were heading that direction anyway and Gale wanted it so badly though he tried not to show it. So a few months ago we did our simple sweet toasting and now we live in our own assigned house in the Seam.

At first it was truly strange just because I simply wasn't used to living without my mother or Prim but I quickly adjusted because for one Gale and I have practically seen each other all day every day for years aside from when he started mining and we have privacy for…well other stuff we wouldn't dare do in our family homes. Besides the fact that I get to see Gale every day now instead of mostly just Sundays because he comes home to me now, not his family. It's sort of selfish, yes, but really I can't find it in myself to care too much. Gale's mine and I have the ring to prove it as much as he has the proof that I'm his. We always were each other's; this just isn't the way I thought about it for all those years. Funny how one little kiss could change my entire perspective, though I really doubt that if it was anyone but Gale I wouldn't have budged. No one else understands me like he does.

Eventually we make it to my old home where our families are waiting for us, a relatively good dinner already waiting for us to celebrate the New Year.

"You're late." my mother half mockingly scolds without looking up from her cooking and I lightly hit Gale in the chest.

"See I told you." I shake my head at him, knowing if we left when I wanted to we would have been here twenty minutes ago.

"Well you didn't protest too hard." Gale reminds me and I have the decency to blush as he brings it up. Well you know he can be very…persuasive when he wants to be.

"Ick. Can you not bring that up here?" Rory begs as he pulls a face and Gale laughs at his brother, knowing we're caught.

"Sorry kid but we're married now. Comes with the territory." Gale smiles as he ruffles his hair and Rory smacks his hand away before smoothing out his hair again.

"Still doesn't mean I want to hear about it." mutters Rory. Of course he's happy about us being together just like the rest of our family members but he's not entirely well…comfortable with all the facts yet. It's not like I was at first either but I just couldn't help myself eventually. It took me a long while to admit even to myself that I loved Gale in that kind of way but now that I have I'm glad that I did.

"Alright, dinner's ready." Hazelle announces, effectively ending that conversation. After our dinner and staying well past dark we return home and go straight to bed. He kisses me lightly before pulling me in his arms and while I try to go to sleep I can't. I'm plagued by nightmares of him dying in the mines like our fathers and I just can't take it anymore. So not sleeping seems like the best option, or at least until I exhaust myself into it.

"What's wrong?" Gale mutters, the concern evident even in his tired tone.

"I can't sleep." I answer honestly.

"I know," he replies back, "You haven't slept for days."

I sigh, unbelieving that I'm caught. I thought I'd been good about hiding that from him but I guess we always did have trouble keeping anything from each other whether we tried or not. His eyes slowly open and study me intently, "Why can't you sleep?"

"I…the mines." is all I whisper in response but luckily he understands just from that.

"Katniss…you know I have to. I can't provide for us or our families if I don't." he reminds me grimly.

"You could hunt like me." I offer, almost begging him. I can't stand the thought of losing him to the mines like I lost my father. Yet another reason I was so dead set against love or marriage for such a long time. I know it's sort of illegal and it's pretty obvious that I'm clearly doing something not abiding by the law to provide since I'm over eighteen now, but none of the peacekeepers seem to care, not even Cray. Maybe it's just because they've been some of our best customers for years but I have a good feeling it's because they're simply selfish and want as much of the game I provide as possible. I don't do nearly as well without Gale helping me but I do a decent job and most of the money he makes mining goes towards supplies for our families and us while I bring home the food.

"And what am I going to tell them at the mines? They'll know I'm doing something illegal if I stop going but don't starve to death soon." Gale reasons with me but I just shake my head at him stubbornly.

"No they won't; practically everyone knows we hunt anyway and I still do." I protest.

"You're different." Gale insists and I roll my eyes at him.

"How am I so different than you? We've both hunted for years." I question him, getting a little annoyed at his stubbornness. I mean really, what's the big deal? He hates the mines and loves hunting, it will make my nightmares cease and we can probably provide even more than we do now. And I'm right in saying that it probably wouldn't matter too much if I'm getting away with it already.

"They like you." Gale murmurs and I scoff at him.

"They like you too." I persist and he sighs.

"Not like you." he mutters and looks at me hard. I try to stay steal and strong under his insisting gaze even if he seems to be struggling himself with the question but eventually I just can't do it.

"Please." I beg as a whisper, caressing his cheek softly. He sighs heavily and I know he's close to giving in no matter how stubborn he is.

"Let's go to sleep." He insists after a minute and I know he's at least thinking about it but he's not resolved. Not yet anyway.

The next morning he goes to the mines like always and I groan as I get out of bed, annoyed with his stubbornness and his sudden fright of peacekeepers about something we've done for years and years. We have the same argument countless times over the next month and it always ends the same way until one night I wake up from a more gruesome nightmare of Gale, my father, Rory, everyone I knew in there or will be in there dying a horrible painful death. I wake up gasping for air and when he wakes up next to me and pushing himself up to ask what's wrong I knock him off his balance and crush myself to him, crying into his chest. He rubs my back soothingly as I beg again, "Please." I feel him sigh but he says nothing and I fall back asleep crying into his chest.

Once again in the morning he's gone to the mines and I rub my red dry eyes before stealing myself to get up and go to the woods. It's not really necessary to go to our place anymore to meet since I basically hunt by myself most of the time but I still do out of habit, eating the blackberries when they're there as my breakfast. But today I'm shocked to find I'm not alone. He gives me a little smile that tells me everything I need to know and I race to close the distance between us before bounding into his arms for a grateful kiss.

"Thank you." I whisper fervently, kissing his forehead that I can only reach because he's holding me up, my legs locked around his waist.

"I love you." He reminds me, "That's all I needed to know to finally make the decision no matter how bad it may be."

"I love you too." I smile, knowing and hoping that there's nothing to worry about on that end. If I can get away with it so can he. We kiss again, far more passionate this time. The suggestive position we're currently in leaves me wanting more and it would be so easy to do. But it's still freezing outside and we have to get moving on hunting. So with sheer will power I force us to end the kiss and slide down until I'm standing again. Not that this position is much better but it's a lot easier to at least try to think rationally from.

With one last kiss and a sort of pout from Gale we actually get to work and get a decent haul for a cold winter day like this. It's perfect thought, just like a Sunday except in the middle of the week and like always I always manage to get more when Gale's there to watch my back and help out himself. Once he resets the snares in the precise way I can never quite get perfect we go hand in hand towards the Hob, Gale getting tenser the closer we get. I know he's extremely nervous about how this bold move is going to affect us, affect him. After all, he's deliberately skipping the mines to go hunt illegally and all those in the Hob will know it, including the peacekeepers that happen to be there.

By the time we actually get to the Hob I swear Gale's got a death grip on my hand but I let it go numb, knowing it's the only way he's keeping tabs on himself to not full on explode or go into a nervous breakdown or something once we walk in. The first place we go is Greasy Sae who raises an eyebrow but says nothing, just trades with us. Darius happens to be at her station and just jokes again, his merciless teasing never ceasing. But Darius not caring doesn't say much; he's always been sort of our friend and is probably glad that Gale is not in the mines today if anything. It's not until we're about to leave when we come across the Head Peacekeeper Cray that I find myself almost as nervous as Gale; Cray's the one that could definitely get Gale in trouble. Cray just stares at us for a minute before speaking.

"Got any turkey to sell? I'm fresh out and I got a cravin for it. Goes well with that booze Ripper sells." Cray asks and I strain to not look to Gale before he finally answers.

"Yes sir, we have two." He gets out, the wavering in his voice probably only detectable to me.

"Well I'll take em both then." Cray decides, handing Gale the coins. "Good to see you out and about son." He winks before going over to Ripper's stand. Gale just stands still in surprise for a moment but I smirk a little and elbow him in the stomach lightly. When he glances down to me I raise an eyebrow at him to go with my smirk, saying See? I told you it was no big deal.

He rolls his eyes at me a little but he knows I'm right and we go home that day together, Gale not coming home exhausted from the mines and dirty and hating work. Really, things are looking up it seems. If we have the peacekeepers on our side than there's not many people that are going to stop us short of President Snow or a Capitol resident who wouldn't dare to come here anyway.

The 78th Hunger Games

As Gale knocks on the backdoor of the bakery I can only pray that Mr. Mellark answers the door. I still don't know quite what to say to him, especially Reaping Day of all days as it just serves as a reminder of when his youngest son was basically sentenced to death. But he's far easier to death with than anyone else in that family, especially his witch of a wife. I haven't been here myself for a while but since we're running late getting back for the reaping we can only hope that they are still open, hoping to get some fresh bakery bread for later tonight. Luckily he does and gives us a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, the sadness clear in his very body language.

"What do you have today?" he questions us, always up for a trade no matter how good of a mood he seems to be in. I can't tell if it's because he just loves squirrel or if it's because he's such a nice man and he wishes to trade with us to help us. Either way, a trade's a trade and I hold up three squirrels that I got this morning, right through the eye like usual. He takes them all and goes back into the bakery before coming back with two fresh loaves still steaming, one plain white and one crusted with seeds of some kind.

"This is too much." I insist, knowing that it's definitely not what we usually get for three squirrels. At most we would only get one loaf for that.

"Nonsense." He shakes his head with a sad smile as he shoves it towards me, insisting I take it. As I do his smile grows into a more genuine on but the sadness still hasn't left his eyes. "Congratulations by the way."

"Thanks." I murmur as I can sense Gale trying not to beam more for my sake than Mr. Mellark's. I've only just become obviously pregnant in the last few weeks and I'm still getting used to the idea. I thought I was sick for weeks when I finally went to my mother and Prim to see what was wrong with me and they squealed in delight as they told me. I refused to believe it at first, in denial that the very thing I feared most was coming true. I even hit Gale hard in the chest right before I told him, blaming him for this even though I know I had just as much blame. I could tell he was excited nonetheless but attempted to hide it for my sake. Really there wasn't much reason to since I could tell how he really felt but I appreciate it all the same. But then comes things like this, and I'm now suspecting that the extra bread had less to do with Mr. Mellark's sheer kindness or pity and more to do with the fact that it's obvious I'm eating for two.

To my surprise and Gale's he claps Gale on the shoulder before exclaiming, "You're a good man, Hawthorne. Take care of them well."

"I intend to." Gale insists confidently but still confused a little at this.

"He would have wanted her to be happy." Mr. Mellark murmurs which only confuses me but Gale seems to understand as he nods and Mr. Mellark closes the door.

"What was that about?" I question Gale on our way home to change.

To my surprise Gale laughs bitterly at my question. "You'd think that you would know by now." Gale mutters and I stop him.

"What should I know?" I ask, staring right at him and demanding an answer. "Who would have wanted me to be happy?" I question him. My first thought would have been my father and Mr. Mellark knew that because my father used to trade with him but it doesn't make much sense. Of course my father would have wanted me to be happy and Gale didn't really need to be reminded of that.

Gale sighs and scratches his head, clearly debating internally whether he should tell me or not. But like usual in the end he doesn't hide anything from me. "Peeta."

"Peeta?" I exclaim, completely confused. Why on earth would Peeta have wanted me to be happy? How would his father even have known that?

"Yeah…do you…remember his interview? How he said something about a girl back home?" Gale questions me, the awkwardness evident in his hesitation and tone.

I do remember somewhat. Something about a girl back home that he didn't think had really noticed him until the reaping and how he was going to come back and win her over...wait what? "Me?" I ask, astonished. Why on earth would Peeta Mellark have liked me?

Gale chuckles but his heart really isn't in it. "Um yeah. Everyone knew except you I think."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" I half growl, angry that I was so oblivious to the apparently obvious.

"I was jealous." he admits with a shrug. "And you never told me why you visited him in the Justice Building and the way you were in a daze when we saw him die…"

Suddenly I realize what he thought even though it's ridiculous. "You thought I liked him." I predict and with a tight lipped face he nods, not looking at me. I mean really, Gale of all people should have known how I felt about that kind of stuff. It wasn't until he forced me to look at us in that light that I gave in and I couldn't see anyone else changing my mind no matter how kind they were. But if that's really what Gale has thought all this time why I went to visit Peeta then he deserves to know the truth.

"I didn't like him Gale; I owed him." I reveal and Gale's face snaps to mine in confusion and curiosity, quirking an eyebrow to question me. I take a deep breath before I give him the long version of the story. "I was eleven, before I met you but after the mine explosion. I was trying to sell some old baby clothes of Prim's in the rain and we were starving, I was desperately trying not to give up. I sat down in a tree near the bakery and let my tears mix with the raindrops and watched the bakery window. I saw Peeta get hit by his mother before bringing two burnt loaves out and tossing them to me instead of the pig. The next day I realized after I saw him that I could provide for us, hunt in the woods. That act gave me hope and I had no way to repay my debt to him so I went to thank him for it before he left."

Gale looks at me, studying my face to see if it's the whole truth and eventually decides it was when he leans in to kiss my temple, "Catnip, you are too stubborn for your own good." He chuckles and I stare back at him.

"Like you're one to talk." I counter. He's the one that apparently didn't tell me how he felt about me until two years after that because he thought I liked a dead boy. But really, I had no other way to repay Peeta for what he did whether he knew the extent or not. Saying thank you then was my last shot at a poor repayment.

He's about to argue back but my stomach growls loudly and as I shush it Gale laughs, placing his warm hand on my protruding stomach. "Come on, let's get that baby of ours fed." He grins as that ends our previously a little awkward conversation and we go home.

Ten Years Later…

"By Mommy! By Daddy!" a chorus of children calls as they walk into school. I never wanted kids, never thought I'd be good at it. In fact, I'm still terrified of them being reaped in the coming years and I know I'll be a wreck when that comes, but for now I can live mostly blissfully. I watch as my children walk into the school on the first day back, nine and eight year old boys both holding one hand of a five year old girl.

They all look distinctly Seam just like both Gale and I, and they all live there too. But we're different than most Seam families. Gale nor I work in the mines; instead we illegally hunt daily with the peacekeepers and the mayor's unspoken blessing, saving us endlessly from the harm that could easily come our way for doing so. We are all well fed and healthy from the meat and other nutritious things we can buy on a regular basis because of our hunting, meaning our children have a very different diet and healthy glow that most Seam children don't have. They won't take out any tesserae for the reapings so they will be as safe as they possibly can be, increasing their chances drastically of being safe. And most of all they are well loved no matter if I originally wanted them or not. It never mattered, not after I first held my oldest son in my arms the day he was born. I couldn't help but love him.

Gale puts an arm around my waist as I put my hands to my cheeks, unbelieving that my youngest is going to her first day of school already.

"They're going to be fine." Gale murmurs in my ear, the smile easily heard in his tone. I finally look up to him where his loving gaze is on me and he leans down as I lean up for a gentle kiss. Even now I know this was fate, Gale and I together and here in this moment. It's just so perfectly right that I can't imagine anything different no matter what I previously thought. Even better than I could have dreamed of even; a safe happy life filled with love is my fate and I wouldn't change it for the world.