A/N This has been staring me in the face for a long time and I finally decided to publish it, this chapter may seem kind of familiar but it had to happen for the stories sake, but I promise the rest will be different.
So without further give you...
Oh and I don't own The Hunger Games by the way, sadly :(
Katniss' POV
Gale's already waiting for me by the time I reach our spot in the woods; I can see the tension he's holding within himself and his knee is jiggling up and down which is always a sign of nervousness for Gale but I let it slide as I take my place next to him, after all everybody worries on reaping day.
"Hey, Catnip," He gives me a smile that I know is forced for my benefit, but I don't call him on it. Since this is the first year that both of our siblings will enter the reaping were both a little distant today. I know I would volunteer in a heartbeat for Prim as would Gale for Rory but it's still something we worry about, the idea that anyone can just be sent to their death by merely being picked is as depressing as anything.
"Would do you want to do today?" I ask as I hand him a chunk of the cheese that Prim left for us this morning, his expression brightens as he pulls out a loaf of fresh bakery bread and rips it in half. Just the smell of it makes my mouth water.
"Let's hunt, we need to stock up, it's going to be harder to get in here while the games are showing, more peacekeepers about," I nod, last year the fence was even turned for the first time in forever.
"Okay so if were able to get some good meat today we'll take enough for at least a week and sell the rest to Sae," I say already starting to pick some berries from the nearby bushes.
Gale stands and brushes a few crumbs of him as he grabs his bow.
"Ready?" he asks me.
I nod. "Hey Gale," I say as I toss a berry into the air. "May the odds…"
He catches the berry straight into his mouth and finishes my sentence for me.
"…Be ever in your favour,"
By the time were ready to leave we've managed to get three rabbits from the snare line as well as having shot 3 squirrels, we've also managed to gather quite a lot of greens and decide that we each have enough money at home that we don't need to go to the hob today after all. We split our kills down the middle with two rabbits, one squirrel and half the greens for Gale's larger family of five and one rabbit, two squirrels and the other half of the greens for me, Prim and my mother. It is enough to last us for at least a week but we will have to come back to the woods during the games, if were both still here I'm suddenly reminded.
I'm about to tell him I'll see him in the square for the reaping when his lips suddenly descend on mine, I have no time to react as he pulls away quickly, an undecipherable look on his face.
He turns to run but thinks better of it and looks me straight in the eyes as he says.
"Don't get picked, okay." I blink and he's gone.
I stand there motionless my mind screaming over and over again, GALE KISSED ME! WHY DID GALE KISS ME? Did I like it? I touch a finger to my lips and try to remember what I was thinking when he ambushed me, I've never been kissed before I wouldn't even know how to respond or if I even would have had he given me a chance.
I silently scold myself for worrying about this when I know there are much bigger issues to be thinking about – the reaping is in less than an hour – I'm mad at Gale too for making me question what I already know about myself, I've never cared about things as stupid as kisses before and I'm not going to start now.
I push all thoughts of it out of my mind and run all the way home, if I'm late to the reaping there's no telling what will happen.
As we file in silently to the square, I tug Prim towards her roped of sector and kiss her on the forehead before heading towards my own roped of square, our mother stands at the back where the rest of the unreapable families stand praying that their loved ones escape Effie Trinkets clutches.
I take my place next to my only female friend Madge Undersee and just glimpse the top of Gale's head from the corner of my eye; he turns as if he can sense me watching him and gives me a roll of his eyes accompanied by reassuring smile, I'm glad he makes no reference to the kiss and I don't have time to respond as he turns towards the stage whilst the clock strikes two.
I block out the mayors speech which is exactly the same every year and only pay attention when Effie takes centre stage. As she gets closer to the bowl that I know holds twenty slips of paper with Katniss Everdeen scribbled on them and one with Primrose Everdeen I notice I've been chewing my bottom lip so hard that blood has started to drip down onto my chin. I wipe it away quickly and then watch Effie as she unfolds the female tributes name far too slowly and yet not slow enough.
She taps the microphone as if to check its working and then clears her throat. Her distinct capitol accent blasts out across the square as she reads the name in a clear voice.
"Primrose Everdeen,"
My heart stops and my breathing constricts and all I can think about is how on earth could anybody be so cruel, why would anyone want to hurt somebody as innocent as Prim. Madge has to hold me up as I completely lose control but then I realise, I can volunteer, I'm not going to let them touch Prim and the sight of her walking towards her death shocks me back into to life.
"Prim," I call out, the crowd quickly parting as I rush to her side pushing her behind me. Peacekeepers start to push towards me but instantly stop as I screech.
"I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute,"
Gales POV
Prim is screaming at her not to go and I want to be doing the exact same, but I know that's not going to help Katniss right now so instead I just prise Prim of her and give what I hope is a helpful smile but I know it's probably more of a grimace.
Once I've taken Prim back to her mother I have to take my place back in line, by the time I get there I've missed Katniss's introduction and all you can hear now is Prims whimpering. Effie's now walking towards the male tributes bowl and then I remember that my 42 slips of paper hardly have the best odds. I've barely had anytime to panic about having to go into an arena where I'm expected to kill my Catnip, when Effie returns having already picked somebody's death sentence.
"And the lucky tribute is," the way she acts like it's a damn honour makes my stomach churn and just fuels my hatred for the Capitol even more than usual.
"Peeta Mellark," she finishes with extra flurry.
The baker's son, I wouldn't have expected that, he's a merchant so he must have only had about five slips but I have no time to think about that now as I'm filled with relief that it's not going to be me fighting Katniss to the death. I study him as the crowd parts to let him forward, he seems scared and I can already tell he's a goner in the games, I relax a bit knowing that at least Katniss probably won't have much competition from him.
When I look at Katniss I don't understand her expression, when she and Peeta shake hands I'm sure I see something pass in her eyes. She's not upset about bread boy being picked is she? I didn't even know she knew him other than the few times we've had to trade with him whilst the baker was out.
Effie ushers them both through the justice building doors and the anthem booms through the square signifying the end of the reaping. Families file out to attend their own celebrations, happy that at least for another year their children have been spared. I will not be celebrating this year.
By the time I've said I'll see my family back at home and made it over to Prim and Mrs Everdeen the only people left standing in the square are us, the Baker and Madge. I notice that the Bakers wife and the two sons seem to have left and gone back to the bakery, either they don't care that they may never see their brother again or they're too ashamed that they didn't volunteer to save him, family loyalty only goes so far and not everybody is as self-sacrificing as my Catnip.
Prim clings to me as we walk into the justice building and she reminds so much of my own sister Posy in this scenario that my heart clenches in pain. Miss Everdeen gives me a brief nod as they enter the room Katniss's room ahead of me, I will say my own goodbye afterward. I then immediately chastise myself, this will not be goodbye. Katniss is the bravest person I know and a damn good hunter, she'll survive this I know she will and she'll come back to district 12 a victor.
Maybe then I'll be able to finally tell her how I feel about her that is if she hasn't already guessed it from me kissing her earlier, although somehow I doubt it. Katniss isn't that perceptive at the best of times, let alone when it comes to feelings; she probably didn't even give the kiss a second thought or if she did was really angry that it happened at all. I don't even know why I kissed her, it was as though I had only just realised how close I could come to losing her forever and I just couldn't bare the thought of it. And now it's happening, my Catnip is going to be sent thousands of miles away and paraded in front of vile creatures who take pleasure in watching kids be slaughtered on their screens.
I try to push that out of my mind as its now my turn to see Katniss. I have no idea what I'm going to do or say when I see her, but apparently my subconscious has already has it all planned out. As soon as I lay my eyes on her, I reach for her, I want to hold her. It's my instinct to protect her, and I know she wouldn't like knowing that. She takes pride in her inner strength, and she's hesitant to place her trust in anyone but herself, and perhaps, me. That doesn't offend me. In fact, I understand it all too well. There are very few people who can be implicitly trusted in this world, but I am holding one of them in my arms.
When she pulls away from me I feel a great emptiness. I've wasted so much of our time together, ranting about the Capitol or complaining about the kids not having enough to eat. I realise now that the best I can do for her is to give her as much advice for the arena as possible.
"Listen, you've got to get your hands on a bow, it's your best chance. If you show them how good you are there sure to have at least one in the arena," I try to sound as sure as possible.
"It's not like I'm going to be hunting animals Gale, there humans, how can I kill another human?"
"You can't think about them like that Catnip," I say frantically grabbing her by the shoulders. "I know it sounds harsh but it's the only way," she nods and I can tell she's trying to keep it all together.
"You've got to win Catnip, I know you can. Prim and your mother need you," I say more softly no as well as gently cupping her face with one hand. "I need you," I whisper.
"Gale…" she starts and I know she's probably going to say something about the kiss but then the Peacekeepers come and I can see the panic come to life in her eyes.
"Don't let them starve," she cries out as I'm dragged away.
"You know I won't," I say, and them I'm suddenly filled with dread, it may be that if I don't tell her now she may never know. That's a chance I cannot take.
She's almost out of might sight as I use all the courage I have to say.
"Katniss, remember I–"
The door slams and she's gone.
"–love you," I whisper into the door. "I love you, Catnip."
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