A/N: Hello all! As promised, here is the beginning of the winter break fanfiction challenge! Bear in mind that these fanfictions were written in like two days, so they could be a grammatical disaster area, but hopefully that does not detracted from the wonderful, fluffy Galeniss that lies below!
A note on Biffy's fanfiction: I always assumed that the Victory Tour took place in mid-November, and my story begins just before that, so that should give you an idea of the timing of the plot and such.
Enjoy :)
Prompt Four: Christmas in Panem
The Merriest Christmas [Katniss pov] by Biffy-
"Merry Christmas, Catnip," Gale says when I open the front door.
There's a bright smile on his lips that stands out against his coal-blackened face, and I can see a lightly playful glint in his dark gray eyes. A gust of cold wind makes the snow dance behind him, flying up to cling to his thin coat.
And that's precisely when I realize what he's brought with him.
His entire family and a Christmas tree.
There must be a priceless look of shock on my face because Gale lets out a pleased laugh that fills me with an unexplainable warmth despite the cold slipping into my house through the open door.
"You gonna let us in or what?" he teases me.
"Of course, of course," I say hurriedly, stepping out of the doorway. "Come right in."
The amount of happiness and familiarity that the Hawthornes bring into the house along with the Christmas tree is insurmountable. They track in snow on the nice hardwood, and Gale and Rory probably scratch all the walls with the branches of the tree as they carry it inside, but the thing is—I honestly don't care. This pristine, perfect house in the Victor's Village will never be my home, but the little puddles of water in the hallway and the smile on Posy's face reminds me that I do still have a home as long as the Hawthornes are around.
Gale and Rory manage to get the tree into the den without too much difficulty, and I really can't wipe the smile of unbridled joy off my face.
"Do you have decorations or at least a tree stand in this gigantic house of yours?" Gale asks me. His eyes are twinkling because he knows he's brought me out of my deep gloom.
"I have no idea," I reply. Goodness knows that we only kept a small box of ornaments after my father's death, and that hardly counts as anything. However, these houses in the Victor's Village are pretty well stocked, so I wouldn't doubt it if there are Christmas decorations tucked away somewhere. "We could check the attic. There's bound to be something up there."
"I can come help you, if you want," Gale offers.
"That would be great," I say, attempting to make it seem as though we're not just trying to get a moment alone.
Hazelle and the rest of Gale's siblings know well enough to make themselves at home, so Gale and I just slip into the hallway and up the stairs. We make it all the way to the hallway below the attic entrance before I say something.
"You know, Gale, you never cease to amaze me," I say, reaching up to pull the trapdoor open.
A brilliant smile breaks across Gale's face. "That's something I never thought I'd be able to do."
"I'm serious," I say. He doesn't know the magnitude of the power he has over me. Or the magnitude of the greatness and strength in his ability to never stop thinking of others above himself. I mean, he spends six days of the week in the deep pits of hell in the mines, and yet he turns up on my doorstep with a Christmas tree… If our roles were reversed, I would never have given a single thought to bring him a Christmas tree. "You never cease to amaze me."
Tugging the cord that dropped down with the trapdoor, I pull the folding ladder down so that we can go into the attic. Gale, with half a laugh on his lips, gestures for me to go up first, and he follows immediately behind me.
I've only been up in the attic once or twice before now, just to check it out. There are a scattered few boxes placed all around under a thin layer of dust, so there must be some Christmas decorations somewhere around here.
"So Katniss, what have I done that's so amazing?" Gale asks, heading over to a pile of dusty boxes to start searching. "I brought you a Christmas tree to cheer you up before the Victory Tour. What's so amazing about that?"
I wheel around to face him. "Gale, it's been four years since I've had a tree at Christmas time. Four years. And you had no reason to be thinking about my need for a tree, but you did. That's why you amaze me."
"If our roles were reversed, you would have done the same," he says offhandedly.
"No, Gale, I wouldn't have!" I say. "Which is why I'm amazed by you!"
"Fine," he replies after a second, smiling. "I guess I'm pretty amazing."
And then, for some reason, I walk over to his side and bounce up onto my toes to kiss him on the cheek. It startles him at first, but then he smiles warmly, like nothing better has ever happened.
/
We find the decorations within ten minutes and head back downstairs with our arms full of colorful boxes.
When we enter the den, my mother and Prim have made their appearances, and it appears that they've located a tree stand because the tree's upright by itself in the corner.
All around, I can only see moments of pure joy.
My mother is carrying around a tray of hot chocolate, distributing a mug to everyone in the room. Rory and Vick are stringing popcorn into chains, and Hazelle is doing the same with some cranberries. Over by the tree, Prim is helping Posy staple paper rings into a garland. Someone has started playing Christmas music from the fancy Capitol music player that resides in the kitchen.
It's just pure joy, and I can honestly say I've never been happier.
/
The Hawthorne's don't leave until very late in the night, and, even then, Gale stays after they've gone. Eventually Mother and Prim go up to bed, too, leaving me and Gale alone by the tree. My hot chocolate has long since grown cold, but I still drink it for something to do.
"How much do I owe you for the tree?" I ask.
"Nothing," Gale replies immediately.
"Come on now," I say, rolling my eyes at him. "How much did it cost you?"
"Not much," he says, grinning at me. He looks back up at the tree, the lights reflecting in his eyes. "Your smile and the kiss were more than enough payment."
I feel my cheeks heat up, and I lift the mug to my lips to hide it. "Now, Gale, surely a few smiles and a single kiss isn't enough."
He shrugs playfully. "I don't know, Catnip. Maybe I need one more kiss to break even."
"That sounds reasonable," I say.
I abandon my mug of cold hot chocolate and crawl over to where he's sitting on the ground. Before he can properly prepare himself, I kiss him right on the lips. To get back at me for catching him off guard, he pulls me into his lap and wraps his arms around my waist.
We kiss until the snow stops falling outside.
/
Two days later, I leave on the Victory Tour.
The memories of that night sustain me throughout the entire ordeal until we get to the Capitol. I hear some people talking at the party about all the wonderful, expensive gifts that they got their children for Christmas, and it strikes a cord in my head.
My mind instantly goes to paying Gale back for the Christmas tree.
I wander through the party until I find Effie Trinket.
"Who might I talk to if I wanted to purchase some Christmas presents?" I ask her.
She points me in the right direction.
/
On Christmas Eve, I receive a huge delivery of presents from the Capitol and spend the evening wrapping them in the beautiful wrapping paper I find in the attic.
/
At midnight, I throw all the presents in a giant sack and make my way to the Seam. No one is out besides me because of the light snow that's coming down, but I don't mind. I walk silently all the way to the Hawthorne's house and struggle through the snow drifts to the back door.
I know where the spare key is, so it isn't hard to sneak into their house without much noise.
Moving as silently as I possibly can, I lay all the presents around beneath the small Christmas tree and along the hearth.
I smile as I slip back out of the house.
/
I worry all day that Gale will be mad at me for doing it.
/
The doorbell rings at exactly ten pm on Christmas day.
I open the door, expecting Gale to start lecturing me about how I don't owe him anything and that I should never pay for any of his siblings' things ever again, but instead he immediately pulls me into a tight embrace.
"Thank you so much, you angel," he whispers in my ear, kissing my cheek and then my jaw.
"It's payment for the last hurrah you brought me before the Victory Tour," I say, smiling.
Gale laughs and kisses me on the lips as hard as he possibly can. I get lost in the kiss until Gale lifts me off the floor, and I have to wrap my legs around his waist to feel steady.
Gale kisses my collarbone and presses me up against the wall. "Do you have a Christmas present for me, Catnip?" he asks breathlessly.
"Of course," I reply in an equally breathless voice. "I think I left it upstairs in my room, come to think of it."
"Good," he says, holding onto me tighter as he moves towards the stairs. "I'd better unwrap it."
"You'd better," I say.
Then he's kissing me again, and I get lost in the merriest of Christmases.
Shirley's note: You know me. I ship Galeniss and hate Peeta with a fiery passion, but for some reason, I really like writing from his perspective. Especially when it's about Galeniss. I just write him about as pathetic as I can make him.
Christmas in Panem [Peeta's pov] by Shirley-
It's a white Christmas here in District 12. Big, fat snowflakes are falling past the window. I wish I could go stand outside, but I know my mom would kill me. I really do like the snow. The white color is a nice change from our perpetual gray. Sooner or later I know it's going to mix with the coal dust and turn into an awful, black mess of slush, but it's nice while it lasts.
Outside the window, I hear laughter. A family bundled up in thick winter coats move through the square carrying brightly wrapped packages and bags. Merry Christmas, I think wryly to myself. While other families spend time together and give each other gifts, where am I? In the bakery by myself, frosting the yule log cakes. It's freezing standing here by the window, and my hands are starting to ache from the cold and constantly squeezing piping bags. You'd think that I'd be allowed one day off of work, but mother said there were too many yule log cakes ordered for us to rest on Christmas.
Another voice catches my attention outside the window. It's Katniss. She and Gale are walking this way. They only come here to trade squirrels with my dad, but neither of them is carrying a hunting bag. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I do think they're coming here. They walk past the window, and Katniss's eyes flit across the glass. I duck down behind the counter before she can see I was watching.
I hear the bell above the door jingle, and a gust of cold winter air fills the room. Great, I think to myself. Now I'm stuck behind this counter. I can't just sneak out on my hands and knees. They'll see me. So I just stay where I am and breathe as quietly as I can.
"So, all Prim wanted for Christmas was one of these cakes?" Gale says, almost like he can't believe it.
Katniss laughs. That's a rare sound. I wish I could make her laugh… Actually, I should probably try talking to her first. "Yeah, that's all she wants."
"Wow, I respect a girl who asks for nothing but food for Christmas," Gale says. "She certainly makes it easy."
"That is assuming we can afford the cake," Katniss says.
"That's true. How much are they?"
Without thinking I pop up from behind the counter. Katniss's eyes widen, and she stumbles backwards into Gale. She laughs a little. "God, you scared me."
"Sorry," I say quickly. I mentally scold myself.
"Oh, it's fine," she says. "How much for the cake you're frosting."
I look up and see nervousness in her eyes. She's afraid she won't be able to afford it. Mother said to sell them for four coins, but I don't know if they can afford that. I don't want to upset her.
"Three coins," I say, praying my mother doesn't hear.
Katniss cringes. I see the disappointment, and I hate myself for it. She and Gale share a glance, and they start whispering. I can tell they don't want me to hear, so I turn around and start loudly mixing red icing.
"That's too much," Katniss whispers.
"Have you saved up three coins?" Gale asks.
"Yeah, but that's literally all we have."
It hurts me to hear that. Three coins. I see ten times that in one day. I hold at least thirty coins in my hand every day from customers paying and from my own family's money. I can't imagine what it must be like for them.
"Here," Gale says, "I have a few coins, and-"
"You are not going to pay for this," Katniss says sharply.
"No, look," he says. "I'll help pay, and we'll share it as a family."
"But-"
I can't listen to them argue anymore. "I'll give it to you for free."
They both freeze. "No, we'll pay for it," Gale says.
"I'm serious," I say. "I just remembered… Somebody called earlier and said they don't want this cake anymore. We need to get rid of it, and it seems like you need it." I'm lying so easily it's scary.
"We don't need charity," Katniss says sharply.
But I'm already putting the cake in a box. "It's not charity," I say. "You're practically helping me by taking it." I push the box across the counter towards them. "Besides…it's Christmas."
I look up, and Katniss is staring at me. I can see the snowflakes caught in her eyelashes.
Gale clears his throat, and Katniss starts. She takes two of her coins and drops them in the tip jar. Before I can say anything, she takes the box. "Thank you," she says, and she sends me the smallest smile.
A smile. A rare gift from Katniss Everdeen.
I didn't matter later that my mom found out I'd given it away for free. It didn't matter that she beat me with the rolling pin or that I spent Christmas hiding in my bedroom with a swollen lip and a bloody nose. It didn't matter. Because Katniss Everdeen smiled at me.
A/N: I hope that everyone had the most wonderful Christmases (for those of you who celebrate it)! Thanks for stopping by, and there will be many more prompts posted in the coming weeks! Drop a review to let us know what you thought ;)