Gale POV
I am conflicted. I am happy that Katniss is back but I am sad and angry because she's got to know that I am now her 'cousin' on account of the Capitol. As my family and I walk up to the station to greet her, am feel semi-relieved that her mother is breaking the news "Hey!" She says, "Aren't you happy to see your cousins?" I can see her eyes as they look at me in despair and longing as she heard the news. After she says hello to everyone and gives a few kisses to Peeta, which fills me with despair, she goes to her new house in Victors Village. We have been let out of work today, I am working in the mines since I have turned 18 and it is mandatory if you don't already have a job. I go back to my house and go to sleep. It has been a hectic day and it has tired me out. The next morning I head to her house. The problem is, I head to her old house. I don't realize it until I knock on the door and no one answers so I look inside to find it empty of almost everything. I take a few steps back to look at the house, and then I remember that she now lives in Victors Village. I turn to leave then turn around when I hear a squeaking in the floorboards. They are too loud to be from Buttercup, whom I know comes here often. The door opens and I am happy to see Katniss coming out of it. "Katniss" I rejoice "I didn't know you were here." "Then why are you here?" "I can't just say that I thought she still lived here, that would sound stupid. "I- uh," I give in "I forgot you moved." "Oh!" she laughed. She hadn't laughed for a long time, it sounded glorious! "I came down here to see if you wanted to go hunting." I said, filling the silence "Gale, of course I want to hunt, are you insane?" I realize that it was a stupid question but I forget about it with a small chuckle and a shake of my head. We walk up to the fence, make sure it isn't on, even though after the games it never is-almost like we used up all the electricity we could have. When we hear that it isn't on, we duck under and head out. First I check my snares as Katniss looks over the berries. We don't talk much and it is strangely awkward and I think I know why but I push it aside for now and we continue looking for game. We are leaving and a good distance from the fence. I feel the feeling again, especially since we are again not talking. I take Katniss's face in my hands and kiss her. "I had to do that just one more time. Ju-just go back to your little boyfriend." "Peeta isn't my boyfriend, Gale, you are!" she insisted. "It sure didn't seem like that on TV! You had your hands all over him, and so did he." "Gale-" her voice cracks and I see the beginning of tears forming in her eyes "He- he's nothing to me, Gale, please know that." I can hear the desperation in her voice but I can't give in, at least not without an explanation. "I stand by my statement." I say firmly "Gale." She starts for me but I take one large step back and she stops. The tears are coming out and I can tell she's making no effort to conceal them. "Tell me why, Katniss." "I don't love him." Is all she says "What do you mean by that?" I ask, confused why she put so much emphasis on 'him'. She doesn't answer and looks down at the ground "If you want me to believe you then you have to give an explanation, for me." "I don't love him." She says again. It's obvious she won't tell me, so I try to make sense of what she's saying. 'She doesn't love him' I think. I gasp a small gasp, but it is barely audible and she doesn't notice. "Peeta loves you." I say, my voice sounding sheepish "Gale!" she bursts into tears "It's true?" I say, wondering why I'm so confused by it, he always looked at her. I didn't notice until we started dating but he did. She is crying a lot now and has nothing to lean on, since I won't offer my chest to her and a tree wouldn't help at all, I see her knees start to shake but I don't help, I just sit there with my arms crossed, I kinda hate myself for it but she recovers without falling. "And if you supposedly don't love him, do you like him?" "No!" she practically screams it. "Then what was with all the kissing?" I ask, my voice elevating. "Survival!" she responds in between cries "It didn't seem like it was just about survival, Katniss." I say quietly "Gale, I'll explain," she began, composing herself to stop crying for a bit "But you can't interrupt me, just let me talk, OK?" "Fine" "I'll start at the interview, when he said he loved me, I didn't blush," I scoffed and she gave me a semi-evil look "I was mad, Gale, my cheeks were turning pink because I knew you were watching and I got embarrassed at I thought that, well, THIS would happen! Then at the games, I kept seeing your face on his. You know what? That first really intimate kiss, before we got to the lake, that was the first kiss I saw your head on him, the rest were fake and meaningless, I swear! I just couldn't stop feeling guilty after that. I am so sorry, Gale, for hurting you like that! Please, please forgive me!" I look down, I really don't know what to say, it sounded sincere but I couldn't stop thinking about all those kisses. "I forgive you." I say quietly, just loud enough so she can hear me. "Oh, Gale!" she said, flinging herself in my arms. I didn't kiss her because it still feels weird to do but the important thing is that I forgave her and she was back.