He was crying again. It's been two weeks since he saw Katniss die in the 75th Hunger Games. Gale remembered the Reaping, when Peeta was chosen, but Haymitch volunteered for him. Katniss said she would be back, that she and Haymitch had it all planned. But they failed, and Peeta and Gale saw them die when the arena exploded. But that wasn't the only reason why Peeta was crying. He also was crying because this morning, his parents' bakery got caught on fire. Peeta had no one else to care about.

Gale got out of his bed in the guest room. He had been giving Peeta company since the Reaping. He walked into Peeta's bedroom. Peeta was laying across the bed, with a few pillows on the floor. Gale sat on the bed next to Peeta to comfort him.

"You don't have to do this, you know" Peeta said.
"I know"
"Then why did you stay here, Gale?"
"Because, Peeta, I understand what you're going through, and nobody should face something like this alone."

Peeta sat up next to Gale, and rested his head on Gale's shoulder. Gale wrapped his arm around himr. Peeta flinched, in shock. He had a scar on his side from attempting to save his parents earlier that day. Gale pulled his arm away, and saw blood on his hand.

"Oh, Peeta. I'm so sorry... Don't you want medicine for that?"
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
"Peeta, that could get infected really bad."
"I honestly don't care, nobody does, if this gets worse then I'll just-"
"Peeta, no, I'll take care of you, because I care for you-"
"You're only doing this because this is your way of paying back Katniss for all she did for you, not for me."
"Peeta, I care about you, and I'll be here for you, whenever you need me. I'm going downstairs to get you some medicine."

Gale stood up, and so did Peeta, and they went downstairs to the kitchen. Peeta sat on the counter while Gale rummaged the medicine cabinet. He found that strange Capitol medicine, the same one Haymitch gave Katniss last year during the games. Peeta slid his bloodstained shirt off and laid on his side while Gale started applying the medicine.

"Does this sting you?"
"Not at all, actually it makes the pain go away, as if it were never there."

Gale kept working on Peeta's wound. In the silence between them, Gale remembered how Katniss's mother always cared for others, she would make her own medicine, and she never even asked for anything in return. He missed Katniss's family; they were the helping hand of the Seam. When Katniss died, Prim and her mother were so horrified, that they ran away. From the rumors Gale heard, they went to District 13. Some say that that location isn't what the Capitol make it seem, but on the contrary, there in fact is a better life. Gale could only hope they were well.

He finished applying the medicine, noticing that the scar was already starting to heal. Peeta sat up while Gale cleaned the blood and medicine off on his shirt.

"We have a sink for that, just so you know." Peeta said mockingly.
"Oh shut up, bread boy." They both chuckled.

Peeta smiled, something that Gale has barely seen.

"Well don't you think you should go back to bed, bread boy?"
"Yeah, you should too, hunter boy."

Gale chuckled. He followed Peeta to his bedroom and sat next to him on his bed again.

"Are you feeling better now?" Gale said as he ran his hand through Peeta's hair.
"I'm okay, I guess... I guess you're going back to your room now, right?"
"I can stay here a bit longer, if you want."
"Please, I don't want to fall asleep alone again."
"You won't, bread boy."
"Gale... Thank you for all of this, for taking care of me and giving me company. I don't know what I would be if you weren't here."
"I dont mind, after all, you are my only friend."

Peeta laid back and pulled the sheets over him, staring at the empty space next to him.

"Gale, stay here tonight. I need you."

Gale slipped off his blood and medicine soaked shirt and laid next to him. Peeta got closer, and with no space between them, he put his arm on Gale's chest and closed his eyes. Gale wrapped his arms around Peeta.

"Goodnight, hunter boy."
"Goodnight, bread boy."

They dozed off in eachother's arms.