The fence is right in front of me. This is the closest I have ever been to it. If you listen closely you notice the hum that usually comes with electricity is not present. Gale reaches forward and pulls the fence back and gestures for me to go through the opening he just created. I hesitate only for a second, glances at gale but he just gives me a reassuring smile and so I duck down and creep through the hole in the fence. Gale quickly follows me and then lets the fence go back to its rightful place. "This is illegal." I state. He smiles at me an then nods his head in acknowledgement before continuing on into the forest. After a minute he must realize I'm not with him because he comes back and says "well, you're more likely to get caught if you stand near the fence" and that is enough to have me walking into the forest as well. I've never been in the forest before.
It is strange. The way it is so much colder in here, the way the trees rustle in the wind and how you can hear the animals scrambling around. Gale begins to check the snare that we have walked up to. He said he will make his rounds checking snares and then we will have some lunch in a clearing he picked out for us. I tried to bring a blanket for us to sit on and a basket with some bread but he just laughed at me. The way he laughs every time it shows that I am not from the Seam. I don't know why he finds it so entertaining.
I've been following shortly behind him and I have been so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice him stop and I crash right into him. "Why did you stop?" I ask as I move to stand beside him but then I understand. In front of me is a clearing in the trees. This must be where we are going to have lunch. He takes a few steps forward and sits down and then I follow, sitting beside him on the grass. He pulls some bread and cheese out of the bad he carries with him for his game and I wonder if there is a separate pouch for food like this. Thinking things like this always reminds me of how different Gale and I are, he wouldn't even think to care for a separate part in the bad for other food.
"You've been awfully quiet today." He says, "being quiet is my thing." Then he smiles at me and I can't help but smile back. When I only had a crush on Gale, I never saw him smile but once we started dating is when I started seeing them more frequently. I hope it is because I make him happy. He rips the bread and hands me some, followed by some cheese I'm sure he traded meat for. "The finest foods, just for you." He says laughing and I smile widely at him. He looks so happy, and I don't know what comes over me but I lean in to kiss him gently on the lips. I lean back a bit so we are looking directly into each others eyes. "Peeta" he whispers and leans in to kiss me again, more roughly this time. We move slowly until I can feel my ground against my back with him on top of me. After a while more of kissing he lifts himself off of me using his arms on either side of my head to support his weight as he looks down at my face.
"What happened to eating lunch?" I ask, jokingly.
"You started it." He replies smiling as he maneuvers himself back into sitting position and I do the same. Every time I see his smile I want to make him smile more.
The way he looks at me right now makes me think I'll have plenty of opportunities in the future.
Together.