A/N: Oh, hey guys. What's up? Here with a brand new, hot off the press story for you. This will be my first multi-chapter story on this account. So, I went to the Mockingjay Part 1 premiere (of course), and knew I had to fill in some spots where I feel like Suzanne Collins could have given Gale a love interest. I was even taking notes in the theater (bad Hannah), during the movie because I didn't want to forget anything.
Warnings: swearing/sexual themes/violence/blood/mention of anxiety/this will have elements from both the movie and the book, since I will be drawing from both for my inspiration.
All characters belong to Suzanne Collins... unless they're mine.
All added themes and story lines belong to me.
WHOO. Now that we've got that out of the way, we can start the story.
/
Chapter One: Join the Hunt
They didn't let him say goodbye.
The Capitol has ripped Katniss from Gale for a second time, and he didn't even get to say goodbye.
As a Peacekeeper pulls out his gun and shoots the man, who'd held up their three-fingered salute, in the head, Gale frantically searches for Prim.
He's promised Katniss a thousand times that he would take care of Prim and her mother if anything ever happened to her. He knows the Quarter Quell means he might have to keep this promise.
He finds her and lifts her up on his shoulders as Peacekeepers try to force everyone into their homes. Katniss' mother appears at his side as he instinctively heads for the Victor's Village. He can feel the still-healing wounds on his back from the whipping post where Prim is sitting, but he grits his teeth and bears it.
When they finally reach the house in the Village the Everdeens reside in, Gale pulls Prim from his shoulders, hoping she won't try to run away. She doesn't.
Gale lets the women settle before leaving the house and pacing outside for a moment. He drags a hand down his face, sighing.
This is it, Catnip, he thinks, I may never see you again.
The thought is too painful and he has to push it from his mind. He shakes his head, wishing it would clear. He can't seem to breathe.
He returns inside to Prim and kneels down in front of her.
"You okay, little duck?" he asks, hoping that using the nickname Katniss does will help calm her a bit. Surprisingly, the blonde girl nods.
"She'll be okay." Prim says. That's all she says.
She leaves him there, his knees to the ground and his heart in his stomach.
/
When it all becomes too much, Gale tells the Everdeens he is going to go hunt for dinner.
Mother Everdeen tells him to be careful of Peacekeepers. He tells her that he always is.
The walk to the fence is quiet. People are afraid to leave their houses. They are already being forced to watch the report of who's been chosen as victors.
He pushes his way through the fence, going to the tree where they keep their bows. He reaches in, pulling out his own first, setting it on the ground. Then he reaches in and pulls out Katniss', running his fingers along the smooth wood before he puts it back. Then he heads into the cover of the trees.
/
The animals seem to be hiding from him, as if they know it is the Reaping day. Not even a squirrel passes him as he makes his way through the underbrush.
Still, nature is beautiful as always, calming him and letting oxygen into his lungs at last.
It is only when he hears a rustle and sees a flash of blonde that he holds his breath.
"Prim. How many times have Katniss and I told you not to come out here? It's dangerous." He says to the trees, waiting for the petite girl to come out.
She does, but it isn't Prim.
Instead, Gale is met with shockingly blue eyes and a raised eyebrow paired with a smirk.
"I don't know who this Prim girl is, but I haven't seen anyone else for miles." When she speaks, her voice is musical but has an air of authority.
"I, uh..." He is at a loss for words, a rare occurrence for Gale Hawthorne. "Sorry about that. My friend's little sister. I thought she followed me."
"Eh. That's alright. It's good to care about people's safety." She has high cheekbones and long eyelashes, "I don't really have anyone to care about mine." She drops down from a fallen tree she'd been standing on.
"I've never seen anyone else in these woods." He says, hoping he doesn't sound as dumbstruck as he thinks he does.
"Haven't been here for very long." He sees her eye him up and down.
"In Twelve?" He asks, confused. People don't usually move between districts. She nods.
"I used to live in a different district but my dad relocated." She explains. He isn't listening. Instead he's studying her like he would any stranger, as a potential enemy.
He instantly notices that she has a knife not a long-range weapon. He also notices that she prefers her right side. Her hair is down around her face, instead of tied back, meaning it could be something to grab onto. Of course it could also mean she doesn't need to have it out of her face to-
"Hello?" She is snapping her fingers in front of his face. He shakes his head a bit, waking up.
"Yeah, sorry." He says. She laughs and it's even more musical than her voice.
"It's okay. You were just eyeing me like a piece of meat." His face turns red and he hopes she doesn't notice. By the way she smirks, she's noticed. "Though I hope you don't plan to hunt me. I'm pretty fast." She tells him this like it's a secret, only to be kept between the two of them.
"You're safe." He tells her. She laughs.
"I guess." She says and he knows she's right. No one's safe. He's known that for a while. "Well I was just headed out." She walks past him and he is hit with a wave of sweet. She smells so sweet.
"What did you say your name was?" He asks, turning to face her.
"Uh, I didn't." She says but holds out her hand. "Athena."
"Gale."
"Yeah I know who you are." She says before an embarrassed look crosses her face. It's gone as soon as it was there. "And, before you ask, yes I'll be here tomorrow."
"I wasn't going to-" The look on her face shuts him up because they both know he was going to.
"Maybe show up a little earlier so we can hunt together?" He nods because, yes, he is definitely going to show up earlier. He'll show up at the break of dawn if he needs to. "Perfect."
He swallows because yes, she is perfect.