I obviously don't own the characters. You may not like the pairing; don't like it, don't read it.
Written for Starvation's challenge. The prompt is dawn.
Younger
He looked younger in the dawn, she thought. More free. More innocent. He looked much more tired, aged, in the light. When awake, he carried the strains of his job, of his lot, of his life in general on his brow.
He always did, always when awake, even in the throes of passion.
In the dawn, still asleep, Gale looked so much more peaceful.
She wondered if she looked younger in the dawn. Probably not. She'd had so many more years to accumulate wrinkles and worry lines.
She ran a hand over his smooth forehead.
"So young."
She didn't realize she'd spoken, and startled herself. She wondered, once again, if what she was doing was wrong.
Gale was young, and she didn't really love him, but that was okay because he didn't love her either. He was young, but his soul was old, and she did love his young body. He was young, and he loved a girl everyone knew he could never, would never have.
His brow furrowed. "Katniss…oh, Katniss."
Johanna frowned. The thrill she had given him last night hadn't even bought her a place in his dreams over that dratted girl child. She trailed her fingers, then her lips, down his jaw.
"Johanna…?" Now she smiled. Then he rolled over and sighed Katniss's name again.
She lowered herself into his arms, and he pulled her close in his sleep.
Perhaps when he woke, she would look younger in the dawn.
Written for Forum: Starvation's monthly One-Shot Challenges. Prompt for July 2010: Dawn. Check out the forum (link on my profile) and vote for our Quarter Quell fanfiction competition!
For Kate of Carlay, 'cause she came up with the pairing. I'm just playing with Suzanne Collins' characters.
Let me know what you thought in a review.