Title: The Pageant of Death
Chapter: 1 of 19
Pairing: Pale
Rating: Teen
Summary: Gale goes into the arena to save Peeta, his young man, from going in. Things would have been very different in Katniss and Gale were together: two kids from the Seam who know how to hunt. They play the Games and they play them well but regardless of how well they play, regardless of whether either of them survive nothing will ever be the same for them or the country.
Words: 1,580 of 61,217
When they call Peeta Mellark I feel horrified. The boy with the bread. It's the boy with the bread. I never thanked him and now I may kill him. No one screams; no one panics. He walks up to the stage and I can't look at him. Then Effie Trinket asks if anyone volunteers and there is silence. Of course there is. No one ever volunteers. I see his second eldest brother looking to the ground. Then a voice I know so well says, "I volunteer in the place of Peeta Mellark."
No, no, because if it's bad to kill the boy with the bread it's horrific to kill Gale. For the second time in five minutes I'm screaming. "No! No, Gale, you can't."
He doesn't meet my eye as he walks to the stairs. The Peacekeepers flank him as though he might run away now. I can't find my tongue to shout anymore. Peeta picks up for me, "Can I un-volunteer him?"
Effie Trinket looks flummoxed. No one volunteers in 12. Now two people have and a third is trying to stop it. "Once a tribute has volunteered no one can volunteer for him."
"But I came first," says Peeta.
"Those are the rules of the reaping," says Effie. She's smiling. This is the most exciting reaping she has ever overseen.
Gale reaches for him and touches his face, "I have a better chance of coming home to you than you do of coming home to me."
"No," says Peeta, "you need to be here for Rory, Vick and Posy."
He shouldn't know their names. There is no reason for Peeta to know their names. Gale says, "You stay and feed them. You just gained six mouths to feed. Keep our families alive. That's your role in the Games: keep them alive for us and we'll do everything to come home. Don't let them starve. Don't let them take tesserae. Our families need you. If we have to worry about them there is no way either of us can win." He leans his forehead against Peeta. "One of us will come home. Don't let them starve." He kisses Peeta desperately. "One of us will come home."
The Peacekeepers pull Peeta away and force him off the stage. Gale finally looks at me. There's horror, terror, grief and shock in his eyes. I never knew. This isn't the time to shout. I reach out, he accepts my hand and our fingers tangle together. Effie is trying to get the reaping back on track and is making a weak joke about the fact that she would ask us to shake hands but we're obviously beyond that point. No one laughs; Haymitch falls off the stage; Effie orders the crowd to clap for us but instead they raise three fingers into the air. A funeral salute, that's how we part with them as we are herded off the stage.
Once we're into the Justice Building I turn and say, "What were you thinking? We had a deal, Gale. You were supposed to feed them."
"Peeta will feed them. He'll keep them fed, I promise."
"We can't be in the arena together," I say, feeling desperate.
He smiles at me, it's manic, it's frightening, "You and me as a team? One of us is coming home. We'll stick to each other's sides; we'll start planning tonight. If I have to go in with anyone you're the only I trust to watch my back. Peeta will take care of them. He'll find a way to feed them but he couldn't kill his way out, he couldn't have watched your back. There was no choice. This gives us all the best chance we can get."
Before I can say anything Peacekeepers are pushing us into separate rooms. One of the Peacekeepers touching me is Darius. He speaks softly as he says, "I'll help Peeta. None of them will starve."
I nod mutely. I am left alone. I look out the window and see that the crowd is leaving the square. Most years people look depressed, downtrodden; this year people are crying. It must be a shock, not one volunteer but two. And of course we weren't volunteering because we wanted to go in to the arena. Gales loves Peeta and I love Prim. It wasn't honor that made us speak. I never knew they were even friends. I see Peeta's blond hair as he runs from the square. He flees and I doubt he'll feed my family. I hate Gale just a little bit for volunteering.
Then my mother and Prim come and I hug them both tightly. I tell my mother she isn't allowed to cry and that she isn't allowed to breakdown. I promise Prim I'll do everything I can to come home. I forbid her from signing up for tesserae. I remind her of her goat's milk and cheese. I hug her and stroke her hair until the Peacekeepers come and take them away. Darius isn't in the group. I don't think he has the stomach to pull Prim off me.
Then Peeta's father comes. He hands me a box of cookies. I've never had one in my life. He sits down and pulls out a little notebook. "I've never been to the Hob. Peeta's going to need help with six mouths to feed and I'll help but I can't afford to do that in stores. So I need to know about the Hob."
I tell him everything I can, the people to avoid, the etiquette, the people who will give him discounts. He writes notes. I'm speaking so fast but his hand is flying. He doesn't need to soak it in. I tell him to bring either Prim or Rory with him whenever he can. People will give him better prices if he is seen feeding them. I tell him not to haggle too much because merchants aren't completely welcome. I tell him that he can remind people that he's helping us. People always try to help the tributes' families. When our time is up the Peacekeepers come. He stands and says, "One of you needs to come home." He gives me a sad smile, "Or the district will never have meat again."
I give him a strained laugh. "We'll do everything we can. Thank you for taking care of them."
"Thank me when you come home."
I expect no more visitors but Madge comes, she gives me a pin and makes me promise to wear it into the arena. Once she's gone I take a deep breath. I cannot cry. There will be cameras at the train station. Peeta Mellark comes into the room. He is tearstained and kiss bruised. "I never said thank you for the bread."
He says nothing for a moment and then says, "You were the girl who wore a red plaid dress on the first day of school and sang the valley song. You were getting thinner and thinner. I could see your ribs. Then you were crying in the rain. I couldn't let you starve."
"She hit you."
He nods, "Yes, but you're still alive. Keep him safe? Try your hardest? One of you needs to come home."
"I'll try to get him home to you. I'll try."
He hugs me suddenly and I let him. "Never thank me for the bread. I have always admired you. I'll never let them starve. Just try to come home." As he pulls back he hands me a loaf of bread wrapped in paper. "Your sister sold me the cheese. Neither of us knew you'd be eating it. Share it with him? I could only bring in a couple of things. I had to give him his token." He breaks and starts to cry.
"You can't do that in front of them," I say firmly. "We all want to cry but we can't in front of them. You've always had two older brothers, you were the youngest, but now you have four younger siblings. You have to be strong for them. They need you. Make your brothers help; guilt them with the reminder that Gale is there for you. But don't feel guilty yourself. He did this so that he didn't need to watch you die and now you might have to watch him die. You have four younger siblings now."
He nods and dries his eyes. "I won't let you down."
This time I hug him, "I bet you and he are good for each other."
He kind of laughs and pulls away slowly as the door opens, "I won't let you down," he repeats. The Peacekeepers don't need to drag him out.
I stand alone, looking out the window to the square. This has been my home and I will never see it again. When Effie comes to tell me it's time to leave in her ridiculous Capitol accent I go without complaining. I don't see Gale until we reach the station. I'm glad to see he hasn't been crying but his mouth, like Peeta's, is bruised. It must have been hard. Rory is old enough not to cling but I'm sure Posy and Vick held on for dear life. My suspicions are confirmed when I see he has little red handprints where Posy has left bruises.
I hold out a hand and he takes it. We stand resolutely. Our faces show no emotion and our heads are held high as we enter the train.