"I heard you that night, you know. You and Peeta, talking about me. How I would have to choose between you two if any of us survived."
The sudden confession makes Gale lift his head up. His once steady composure falters like a deer stuck in bright headlights.
Katniss swallows. She swallows her grief. She swallows hate and she swallows fear. "We're nothing alike, Gale."
He's quiet, allowing Katniss' words to fill up the air. But allowance isn't exactly acceptance and he needs verification. Gale knows this better than anyone about her. When you wear your insecurities like pockets it's bound to be noticed. When there are holes and openings, something is bound to fall in.
"We were everything alike," he counters levelly.
Katniss gnaws at her lip. "I couldn't shoot you... because I loved you. Are you glad I didn't?"
He just looks at her. Waiting. It's brilliant agony.
"You once said that if civilians had to die, you could live with it," she offers.
He bits his own lip, like he wishes he could have bitten his tongue. Like he wishes he never had thought of those blasted bombs.
She continues, "Can you live with this now?"
He stares at his feet, his words coming out in a rushed breath. "You don't always have a choice. I thought you knew that."
Katniss takes a deep breath, letting that sentence linger. "I thought I knew you.
She gazes at the stillness of Gale's face, the emotion clouding up his eyes as his voice softly speaks, "It was war."
"Now the war is over. Do you feel like you have won?"
His silence enough is his answer.
Katniss shoots the words at him point blank. "I'm done playing games. I'm not choosing anybody."
Her hands sit tensely at her side as Gale stands wordlessly across from her. He moves his hand to be on top of hers for a moment, to stop the way her fingers are curling up. She almost recoils at the touch.
He turns away then, letting go, but takes one final glance back at her. It feels like eternity and a heartbeat.
No matter if you win, you can still feel like the loser.
A/N: The "Goodbye Gale" moment was so powerful. I've always been Team Peeta, but I can still feel a little bad for Gale. He's only human.