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Spoilers for Mockingjay !
Mockingjay. Page 382.
I wake with a start. Pale morning light comes around the edges of the shutters. The scraping of the shovel continues. Still half in nightmare, I run down the hall, out the front door, and around the side of the house, because now I'm pretty sure I can scream at the dead. When I see him, I pull up short. His face is flushed from digging up the ground under the windows. In the wheelbarrow are five scraggly bushes.
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As Katniss stood taking in Peeta's appearance, Gale walked around the corner of the house with another wheelbarrow and shovel with more rose bushes. "You're here too." She said watching as he moved over to the other window and begins digging. "Yeah." He says but doesn't say more, just glances at her and goes to work digging.
It only took a few moments of watching them work before she noticed exactly how unkept she was and went back in to clean up while the two men finished their work.
When she was showered and dressed she went back down to the kitchen. Greasy Sae was just cleaning the boys' dishes off the table and handing them each a steaming mug of tea. "Yours is in the oven when you're ready." She told Katniss, handing her a mug of tea and pulling on her coat to leave.
Katniss didn't know what to say. Just took the mug and sat down at the head of the table. Her eyes slowly moving between her companions. "Primroses huh?" She finally asked. Peeta smiled at her. "Yeah, thought it would be a nice way to remember her." "It's good to see you Catnip." Gale said with the joking twinkle in his eye that always accompanied the nickname. "You too Gale. Been hunting today?" He took a sip and set his mug down. "Yeah, when we got the bushes. Not much out today though."
Conversation lapped for awhile as the three just sat sipping their tea. Finally Gale spoke up. "You know why we're both here." Katniss just swallowed and gently bobbed her head. "You have to choose." Peeta said softly looking down into the now cooled liquid in his mug. "They've offered me a good job over in 2. I just need a reason not to take it." Gale said looking Peeta right in the eye. "And I've been asked to stay on as a baker in the presidential mansion." Peeta said looking back at Gale.
It had been a long journey back to 12 and the two men had bonded even more during their time. What had started out as jealousy and almost hatred between the pair had dissolved. Now there was just respect between them. They each shared a history with her that the other could never truly comprehend. They both knew that the other loved her and no matter which one she chose she would be happy, loved and taken care of. Still. They both hoped she would pick him.
"I'll be waiting at our spot Catnip. Come find me when you're ready." Gale said before leaving the house. "And I will be at home." Peeta said, stopping to stand by her for a moment. He reached out and gently brushed his knuckles over her cheek. Without thinking Katniss leaned in to the caress. After he too had left she sighed deeply and let her head bang down on the table.
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Katniss decided to take a walk. The history of 12 washed over her. The Hob where she and Gale had spent so much time trading their catches and eating Greasy Sae's concoctions. The school grounds where she and Peeta and traded so many fleeting glances. The town square where she and Peeta had stood up for Gale as he was being punished for hunting. Where the small homes had stood where she and Gale had lived so many years not too far from each other. As she walked she could feel the locket that Peeta had given her in their second games, hanging heavy around her neck.
Evening was coming. It was time to go find her men.
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"Hey Catnip." He said as she sat down next to him. "Hey Gale." She said back, pulling a long blade of grass from the ground to twirl around her fingers. He gave a deep, weary sigh as he lay back on one elbow to look up at the sky. "That's what I thought." He said closing his eyes. "I'm sorry Gale. I really am." She whispered, tying knots in the grass just as Fennick had taught her.
"Yeah. I know you are." She turned then to look at him, knowing she probably wouldn't be seeing him much after today. "I wish we could just go back. I didn't want things to change. I miss you Gale, I miss my hunting partner, my best friend." He gave me a lopsided smile. "Me too Catnip." His fingers brushed her cheek, threading up into her hair. He pulled her down and kissed her deeply. He pulled away after a few moments, leaning his forehead against hers. "I just needed to do that one more time." He said exhaling deeply. "I love you Catnip, never forget." He whispered before pressing his lips to hers one more time then her forehead. "You better go find Peeta." He said pulling away from her so she could stand. "Bye Gale." She whispered brushing a tear from her cheek before leaving him sitting in their spot for the last time.
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Katniss walked down the hall to Peeta's kitchen as quietly as she could. The smell of fresh baking bread wafted around her. Stepping through the doorway she saw him crouched in front of the hearth, watching the flames dance beneath the rack where his creation was cooking. She couldn't help but smile as she walked to him and from her position behind him she put her arms around his neck and kissed the soft, warm skin behind his ear. She heard his sigh of relief as he twisted and pulled her into his lap as he dropped to the floor. "Me?" She could hear the fear in his voice as he buried his face in her neck and clutched her tightly against him. "You." She whispered back, her own eyes falling closed in joy as she deeply breathed in his scent. "I love you Katniss!" He whispered reverently as he pulled back to look into her eyes. "I love you." He repeated before leaning in to kiss her. Katniss sighed happily as she kissed him back and though "I love you too Peeta."