Dear God this chapter was a doozy to write.
Credit for like 85% of this thing goes to kornerbrandon because I was particularly useless.
Disclaimer: We don't own The Hunger Games. We're just playing around in Suzanna Collins' sandbox for a while.
Enjoy!
Five years later
District 12 Governor's Mansion
Peeta walked through the halls of the mansion in his way to the office. A lot had changed over the last five years. Snow had essentially built a government out of nowhere, based on old laws from a long-gone country called the United States of America. Snow had formed a House of Representatives and a Senate, as well as Governors for each of the Districts. Peeta was the latter.
Needless to say, Peeta was very surprised when Snow had appointed him as District 12's Governor. Theoretically, this was because Peeta enjoyed a lot of popularity, but in practice, Peeta knew that he was the Governor simply because Peeta placated the ordinary people in the Districts.
As he entered the office, he was immediately met by his Chief of Staff, Madge Undersee. Madge had been the daughter of the Mayor of District 12, back when the Treaty of Restoration was still gathering dust. That same man was now one of the five Senators from District 12, while Madge had become Peeta's Chief of Staff. Basically, it was her job to make sure that Peeta had a clear idea of what was happening each day, as well as ensuring that everyone working for Peeta didn't undermine him.
"Alright Madge, what's first?" he asked tiredly. He hadn't been sleeping well lately.
"Well the District Assembly passed a bill calling for a District-wide infrastructure build-"
"They want to build more roads and bridges? I thought we finished that last year."
"We did. They say some of the roads and bridges are already falling apart, and they're laying the blame at your door," Madge said, with a somewhat sad tone to her voice. Peeta sighed in frustration. For every productive piece of legislation that arrived at his desk, ten more that meant nothing crossed it as well. He'd already had to sign eleven bills renaming post offices, for crying out loud!
"Can't they do something useful for a change? What about the hospital I want built in the Seam?" he asked.
"Well that going to be up for a vote today, then the Unionists blocked it at the last second," she replied. Another sigh of frustration. An unforeseen side effect of creating a democratic system was the forming of political parties. The Unionist Party, effectively run by Snow, favoured the status quo, while the New Panem Party, which Peeta was part of, favoured ending the Treaty of Treason and doing everything to improve the situation in the poorer districts.
"They block everything though," he responded.
"True, but we need to keep in mind what we're up against. We don't have the political capital for a fight over a hospital," she warned.
"Screw political capital, Madge. More people are going to die in the Seam unless that hospital gets built," Peeta replied. "Get me Gale."
"He's not going to be happy about this," Madge warned. "He's told me that he had other plans today."
"Well, right now this is much more important than our near nonexistent relationship," Peeta said pointedly, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Unfortunately, he's the only person for the job and both he and I know it. I can deal with his temper tantrums."
Madge shot him an unimpressed look before striding out the door, her heels clicking on the wooden floor.
*insert grey line thingy here*
Gale put the phone down, cursing quietly. Why couldn't Peeta just leave them to their own devices? Oh right, he was the 'Governor' of District 12. What a load of crap. This was just some scheme concocted by Snow, he was sure of it.
On his way to the Governors' Hall, he ran into Katniss. "Hey Gale. On your way to see Peeta?"
"Hey Catnip. Yeah, I am. Much as I don't want to."
"Why?" she asked.
"The hospital in the Seam. Apparently the Assembly's blocking it and he needs me to do some rabble rousing," he replied. Katniss chewed her lip in thought. "Don't know why he can't do it himself. If he's this all-powerful governor, then why can't he just to the rallying himself?" he asked.
Okay, that was a bit unfair, thought Katniss.
"Peeta trusts you to do this, Gale. You connect with the people. You were one of them. You know how they feel and what they want," she told him. "If I were making the decisions, I'd pick you over him for this job too."
"Why do you keep doing this?" Gale asked. "Why do you keep defending him?"
"I'm not defending him, Gale. Don't mistake me for some lovesick child. I just can't let you beat up on someone who's genuinely trying his best just because you have some kind of beef with him. It's not fair to both of you," she replied calmly. "Besides, Peeta's actually making changes around here. Things that actually make a difference. This is the first time more than half the District has food in their stomachs, Gale. Imagine that! I mean yeah, there's still some things that need doing, but he's doing as much as he can," she pointed out.
"As long as Snow lets him," Gale snarked. Katniss was about to snap a reply back, but bit her tongue. Gale was being unfair to Peeta. Or was he really? It was no secret that Snow had appointed Gale over the old Mayor, who was now a Senator. What exactly had happened behind the doors at that closed meeting between them?
She shook the thoughts from her head. Peeta didn't have a manipulative bone in his body; he always put himself last. Still, they played on her mind.
No, that was wrong. While Peeta did always put himself last, he always knew what to do and how to get there. Just like on the Tribute train when he waved to the masses to appeal to them, or when he took her hand in the chariot, or when he insisted on individual training so that she wouldn't know what he was going to say in his interview. Or when he teamed up with the Careers to drive them away from her.
All of his actions were for her sake, but as far as manipulative went, Peeta was right up there next to Snow. He does it for all the right reasons, but it would be wrong to deny it.
Maybe Snow knew, and that's why he chose him. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Snow wanted to use that particular skill for, but she was determined to find out, and to thwart those plans before they even made it to the drawing board.
About an hour after the time he'd agreed to show up (which Peeta was sure he'd done on purpose), Gale finally arrived with Katniss in tow. Madge ushered Gale into Peeta's office while her and Katniss made small talk in the foyer.
"Right, Gale, I have a problem."
"You always seem to have problems only I can fix, Governor," Gale said, almost disdainfully. And we're off, thought Peeta.
"Look, hear me out. That hospital I want built in the Seam? The Unionists are blocking it in the Assembly unless I sign another useless infrastructure bill, and even if I do, they'll keep blocking it. I need your help to get it built." Peeta explained.
"Piss off Peeta. I'm tired of doing your dirty work for you. I thought you were on our side."
"Gale, I am on your side. Half the people working in the mines—yourself included—wouldn't have the rights you do now if it wasn't for me, our Senators and our Representatives. If it weren't for us, you wouldn't have the safety equipment you do now. You owe us all a huge favor."
"And if I refuse?"
"Well I can always slow down the sewer construction to the slums," Peeta said simply. That got Gale's attention.
"You're a cruel man, Peeta Mellark," Gale snarled.
"Not cruel, just pragmatic. You rile up the crowds enough, then the Unionists will have to back off this useless bill and pass the one I want and the Seam needs passed. Face it, Gale, the Seam has one of the highest rates of infant mortality than anywhere else in the District. You're three times more likely to fall ill in the Seam than you are elsewhere. I can rectify those statistics, but I need your help," Peeta said. Gale sighed in response. As much as he hated to admit it, every single time Peeta had wanted something like this down and Gale had protested, he'd always brought up a core of irrefutable logic.
"Alright, fine, I'll do it. But this is the last time, Mellark, you hear me?"
"That's Governor Mellark," Peeta replied as Gale left.
"So you'll do it?" Katniss asked as they left the building.
"Yes. This is the last time I do anything for him though," Gale said. Katniss sighed. She really did want her two close friends to get along, but at the same time, they were polar opposites in nearly every single way, apart from one thing: they both wanted what was best for the district.
These thoughts continued to occupy her mind all through Gale's rally in the Seam, riling up the people there. Then another, more unwelcome thought entered her mind.
Was it really fair to describe Peeta as just a friend? They'd only known each other for a short time, but already they had gone through a hell of a lot, including barely surviving the Arena. They'd been each other's first kiss. They'd done a lot together.
Gale was her friend, of that she was certain.
But what was Peeta?
*wails in agony*
This wasn't nearly as long as I had hoped it would be and oh my god did we have trouble with it because it was like 80% political and I am hopeless with that stuff so kornerbrandon had to handle it. I just... *dying pterodactly noises*
Also we would both like to inform you that updates will be... sporadic, to say the least because of school and uni.
We really, really hope you enjoyed that. Please drop a review if you did! Reviews make an author (or two)'s day! (So do favs and follows but that's another story haha)
~XxYTTxX