A/N: My very first Hunger Games drabble. Never thought that would happen. Still, hope you enjoy this.

Thanks: xX Ashlyn Malfoy Xx, for betaing this one as well. :)


Gale hated her. With every fiber of his body. He truly hated Katniss Everdeen because of everything. He loathed the girl on fire. Still, his eyes seemed to be glued to the television screen as she kissed Peeta Mellark for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that hour. The young man simply couldn't bring himself to look away from the scene, even if he wanted to. All he really could do was grit his teeth as though he was being stabbed with at least a thousand needles, as he kept replaying this part in his head over and over again. It was like a never ending nightmare, making his heart constrict in the most painful ways. By now, there should be a hole in his chest as big as a squirrel.

The two tributes of District 12 were still in the cave, both safe and dry and they seemed to really enjoy their time there, together.

Then again, if I'd been in Peeta's place, so would I, the young man thought bitterly.

But he wasn't there, Peeta was, the lucky bastard.

He continued watching, as a rather dark, unknown feeling seemed to overpower him completely, pushing all reason and common sense back. It was sinister and seemed to take over his senses slowly. Painstakingly slow. He already knew what gave him a clouded judgement. Jealousy. The most poisonous feeling in the world. Combine that with a broken heart, shattered into a thousand pieces by the only girl you've ever loved and you got something close to fifty whip lashes on your bare back. No, something told him that the latter had to feel a lot more pleasant than his current condition, seeing that you usually lost consciousness after the twentieth lash. That meant that at least you weren't there the whole time to experience immense pain.

Gale furiously clenched and unclenched his hands into fists, feeling more powerless than ever. Because what did that Peeta have that he didn't? He knew his Catnip better than anyone. He was strong, funny, dare he say handsome. He'd always been there for Katniss and she knew he would do anything for her, and yet, this complete stranger had more success at winning her over. And he couldn't even hunt. Hell, if Katniss hadn't found Peeta, he would've been dead days ago!

Was it because he was blonde? Because of his overly blue eyes? Because he was so unbelievably weak that she just couldn't help but feel sympathy towards him, and that sympathy slowly turning into love? He didn't know. Actually, Gale didn't want to know, but at the same time, he'd give anything to get answers to his doubts...

So was it really that wrong of him to hope that the blonde would die of his wounds? Or even better yet, that while Katniss was outside, hunting, the little cave would collapse and take away what little life that was still inside Peeta? Because he could already tell what would happen if they came back and were both alive and well.

Hell, it was already happening. Katniss was starting to fall for him very slowly and gradually, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was too late. At first, Gale had thought that this was just a way to get people to like them, to get sponsors, but as time passed, he wasn't so sure anymore. He'd never seen Katniss behave this way before, not even towards him, the person she trusted with her life.

And that alone killed him in so many ways...


A/N: So, did you like it, hate it, thought it was so-so? I'm all ears. :)