A/N: Most of these are prompts from either gameofcards or comment-fic at LJ.
A/N 2: Marishna's prompt: Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
It's been years since I last saw him. He looks good. No, more than that. He looks happy. The woman standing next to him is smiling too. I presume she's his wife. The two young boys with them look remarkably like their father.
I find myself at odds with my emotions. I thought I'd feel distress upon laying eyes on him again. For all our problems, I never wanted to cause him pain. Instead, I feel only relief.
Suddenly, his eyes lock with mine, and he heads over. "Hello, Catnip," he says quietly.
"Gale," I acknowledge.
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to act jealous?" A familiar voice alights next to me, breaking the tension.
Even Gale chuckles at my charming husband. "Hello, Peeta." They exchange pleasantries for a bit. This doesn't surprise me. They were never much of friends, but they weren't enemies either. Mostly, it's comments about the rebuilding of 12. This is Gale's first return since the war, at the tenth anniversary of the district's bombing.
There is a certain list of people that everyone wants to attend their memorials. Gale is on it. He's made quite the name for himself over the years. Peeta and I, though, are at the very top of the list. We sent our regrets to the other Districts and the Capitol. The memories have hit too hard this year, for both of us. We couldn't, however, say no to District 12.
Finally, an announcement from our mayor that the Remembrance is set to begin, drowns out our conversation. Peeta says his temporary good-bye, gently kisses me, and then leaves me alone with my old friend. There's silence between us for a moment before Gale finally says, "You look good, Catnip."
"You look happy, Gale," I respond.
"I am," he agrees, eyes flickering for a moment back over to his family. I'm not surprised he doesn't return the sentiment to me. Like I said, it's been a difficult year. It must show. Instead he sweeps his gaze over the square and sighs. "I can't believe how much has been rebuilt."
"It's a long process, rebuilding," I search out Peeta in the crowd, standing next to Haymitch, and smile when I see them. "But worth the time, and the finished product is amazing."