Going, Going, Gone
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own the Hunger Games or its characters.
Author's Note: This is my first Hunger Games fanfiction and my first romance fic, so please tell me what you think!
This takes place beginning when Gale is giving the arrow to Katniss for her to kill President Snow during Mockingjay.
2nd Person: Gale
Even before she asks, you know she's not thinking about anything but the death of her sister. You don't blame her, you'd be doing the same if it was Vick or Rory or Posy. You'd be doing the same if you were in her place.
But you're not. You're Gale, not Katniss, so you're thinking about the girl you're preparing or her killing of Snow, not the reason that her eyes are filled with pain. It's not that you don't care about Prim. Of course not. It's just that while she's lost Prim, you've lost her. And you know that you're no more likely to get her back than she is to get Prim.
Get her back. As if you ever really had her. She's been Mellark's since Prim's name was called at the reaping. She could have been yours if you'd told her before then, but you were just too stupid (and cowardly, although you would never admit that, not even to yourself) to tell her.
Yours. She wouldn't really have been "yours," of course, because Katniss is too free-spirited to be anyone's. Not yours, not the capitols, not even Mellark's, really. Maybe it's more accurate to say you could have been hers.
But what could have been doesn't matter. You know you've been losing her for years now. Your grip on your "best friend" loosened as his tightened. She's been leaning towards him. Any advantage you might have had, any chance to be with her, died with Prim.
You can't help but feel selfish for thinking about Prim's death that way. As if your happiness is more important than her life. But it's not and you know it's not. It's Katniss's happiness that matters. That's why you've been so scared, terrified, petrified, to wonder which is hurting her more; losing Prim or losing you. You don't answer, because you know perfectly well which one was her choice and which was the result of yours.
And because her happiness is so important to you, you'll let her go. You know that's what she wants, isn't it. Him. And Prim, too, of course, but you can't give her Prim back. It's the least you can do to let her make this one choice for herself. You know how much she's always hated having things decided for her.
So you'll watch from a distance as she fades from your life. You'll learn to tolerate it as she goes from your hunting partner, your best friend, the person you knew best in the world, to Mrs. Mellark, a Hunger Games Victor, the Mockingjay of the rebellion. And you know that as much as you wish it would, the pain will never fully fade along with the girl. But you also know that you brought it upon yourself, that you deserve it, that your suffering is no one's fault but your own.
And even when she's gone, in district 12 with him, she'll never really be gone from your mind. So you try to ignore it. Just let her go. But you can't. You doubt you ever will be fully able to. So all you have are the memories. And as much as you miss her, as much as you can't stand being without her, you wish that when she'd gone, she hadn't left those memories behind.
Author's Note: Not my best work, but I'm not usually a romance author. Please give me any feedback you have, it would be highly appreciated!