Chapter 10

Gale Pov

When she's done, she lays there slightly breathless still biting her lip which a wicked smile on her face. Its a little disconcerting, as much as i think I'm getting used to her and her ways she still flashes an occasional look that sends shivers down my spine but then I'm reminded of Finnicks words and i wonder how much of it's for show and to keep people at a distance. Although i do think she enjoys making people uncomfortable and seeing how far she can push things. She seems so secure about who she is and doesn't care what people think of her, i envy that. I can't seem to get Katniss's looks of disgust out of my head since The Nut, i mean its not like i got any pleasure out of it or anything, i just gave them a solution to help advance our position and it worked, we have District 2 now. That was where the hovercraft came from that spent a night bombing us incase she didn't remember.

"Where's your head at?" she breaks my thoughts.

I just shrug and she doesn't push it further. She's still laying there nearly naked, in only a bra when i hear the door handle being pushed and the door start to open. I throw the nearest thing to me over her body which turns out to be the shirt i took off as i went for a shower earlier. Just as it lands on her Finnick walks in the room and stops suddenly when he sees the scene.

"Wow, do you guys ever take a break?!" he laughs, shaking his head. I turn to see Johanna roll her eyes but Finnick continues before she can make any sort of remark. "Haymitch just told me that Katniss is out of surgery, it went well, just a ruptured spleen which they removed, she's still out of it but should wake up in a couple hours" he tells me. I just nod, not sure what to say. He looks at Johanna " And your absence has been noticed at the hospital, they have people looking for you after that mess you made."

"Oh boo, i'm so scared, maybe they will spank me" she says in a baby voice sticking her bottom lip out, then she's grinning so wide at him, eyes sparkling. She glances at me and i can't help but chuckle.

"I wish i had seen that…it's been a while since I've seen you throw a tantrum like a little kid" he laughs.

She throws that shirt that was covering her at him and he just laughs harder as he catches it before it hits him in the face. Then he's out the door before she has a chance to throw anything else.

She starts to get dressed now so i turn to find a clean shirt to put on, I'm just pulling one over my head when i feel a hand on my back, tracing the scars i got when i was whipped by Thread. I pause for a second while her hand brushes over them. Its silent for what seems a long time then she says " I saw this air on TV you know…" i don't say anything so she continues, "We were all keeping a close eye on the districts looking for signs of rebellion and i watched this happen, I've only just now made the connection in my head that it was you… I'm sorry that happened to you." I turn to face her. It's the first real thing she's ever said to me i realise, the first thing not laced with sarcasm or flirting or just plain mean. I want to open up to her about how it's nothing compared to what she went through and how brave and strong she is and how beautiful she looks standing there without her usual smirk or glower she normally wears, but all i can do is nod my head like an idiot. There is so much i want to tell her and so much i want to know about her but i admit it, I'm too scared to ask. She's unpredictable and would just as quickly bite my head off if i said anything that made her the slightest bit mad…and just how pathetic is that. I'm scared of Johanna Mason, tiny but deadly, i remember her games well since they were only just over 4 years ago, but that's not what scares me, I'm scared she will see me for who i really am, for who Katniss sees me as and that she will leave and never look back….and i realise i really don't want that.

Johanna Pov

I'm just about to climb back in my bed at the hospital when i hear her groaning from behind the curtain so i decide to have some fun. For some reason she just rubs me up the wrong way with every breath. On top of all that, they way she looks down on Gale like she's superior to him is starting to annoy me. He rescued her family and hundreds of others when the bombs hit 12 and we all rescued her in the Arena and i bet not a single person had any thanks from her ungrateful ass, i know i certainly didn't. She just throws him shade for anything he does to help the war, war being a key word here… she seems to think war is all fluffy unicorns and rainbows. Innocent people die in war, its a hard fact and that's just what it is, it's not her that has to carry the weight of it, it's him. I know he wouldn't want my pity but i do understand and i do feel bad for him. If we all just went and hid under a rock like she wants to then nothing would ever change. We can't go on like this anymore, and she has no idea how bad it can really get.

I whip back the curtain and smile when i see the look of fear in her eyes. She rattling on about how injured she is so i have to give her some home truths. I also let her know that i will be taking her morphing whenever i damn please and there's nothing she can do, and she knows it. That lifts my mood, well that and the fact i help myself to some of her morphing. When she starts on about how i should have been the Mockingjay I've had about enough of her shit. We all had our roles to play and now she needs to shut the hell up and get on with hers instead of moaning about how hard her life is every five seconds, she has only just touched the surface of the Capitols cruelty. Luckily, Gale chooses this time to make his appearance and she's saved from an hour long Johanna rant. I unhook quickly from her pain drugs and go to make myself scarce since i cannot stand anymore of her 'why me' attitude today.

"Your Cousins not afraid of me" I lean towards her, then hop off the bed, as i walk towards to door and towards him i cannot help but give him a wink and run my tongue over my top teeth seductively, yeah I'm hoping for a blush or at least to make him uncomfortable but no such luck….maybe he's getting all grown up. "Are you, Gorgeous?" I say as i pass him and bump his leg with my hip. I laugh out loud as i walk down the corridor, pleased with myself. I can just picture the look on her face wondering what I mean and why I'm calling him that. Priceless.

Gale Pov

Finnick and Annies wedding is a blessing, the are both so lucky to have each other and the love the radiates off them is practically like a drug, everyone needed this, to finally have some good and some hope around here instead of the usual war and suffering. I find Johanna is the crowd and can't help but smile to myself, she wears and genuine smile and has the glistening of tears in her eyes. I wonder again what was ever between them, i don't see any sadness so it can't be anything that still lingers. I swiftly catch myself, why do i care? Am i jealous? Suddenly i hear music start up and feel someone pulling me, Greasy Sae is spinning me into a space to dance. I steal one more glance around the room to find her and see she's speaking to Katniss. I'm tempted to go and ask her to dance but i can hardly get a second to myself all night, i must have danced with every single person for 12 plus many from 13 by the time the night is drawing to a close.

When everyone is distracted by the arrival of the cake i take the opportunity to find her, i squeeze in beside her and i figure she won't punch me with everyone around so i lean in a little and whisper "Was that tears in your eyes i saw earlier?" while trying to suppress a smile. "Im not completely dead inside, Hawthorne" she states then smiles back before focusing her attention back on the cake. I take a quick glance around but nobody seems to be paying the slightest bit of attention to us so i turn towards her and lean down to her ear "So that's Finnick officially moved out and into his own compartment with Annie, i have a place all to myself" i murmur while i run my hand up the back of her thigh and onto her butt, "Just thought you would want to know" i continue innocently. She turns and looks up at me through her eyelashes so full of lust and it's all i can do to not take her right there in front of everyone.