Finally had time to write this! Get ready for some Merrick ;)
Chapter 34
I somehow manage to make my way safely back to District 12, unless you count the mental anguish. I'm in such a low state that I don't stick around for the Harvest Festival after my required speech. Haymitch walks me back since social gatherings really aren't his thing. Once I'm safe inside my house, he leaves. I climb up the stairs to my room and strip the layers away from my body, choosing a long shirt to sleep in.
I climb under my covers and think about my alarming trip. Yet another person was shot in point blank range right in front of me due to their reaction to me. I then think about my meeting with President Snow in the Capitol where he personally thanked me for putting an end to Annie Cresta—something he'd been trying to do for years. He mentioned trying to do so last year but she had someone volunteered for her. This only confirms my suspicion that the Quell card had been tampered with.
My brain goes back to Merrick, as it usually does and I can't help but feel betrayed that he didn't show in District 2. I thought our bond would outlast the time that had gone by and the distance between us. He saved my life more than once and I saved him from himself at times. I guess I was wrong. A new thought then enters my head. During our goodbye, not once did he mention seeing me at the Victory Tour. He must have known that he was going to move on shortly after returning home. I let out a frustrated grunt and the tears come as I cry myself to sleep.
The next morning, I am awoken to a knock on my door. I don't answer, hoping they might go away. Instead the door opens and my mother pops in.
"Madge is here to visit." she tells me.
"I didn't invite her over." I bluntly respond.
"She has something for you."
"I don't care."
"Katniss." my mother says with a sigh.
"I don't want any visitors. I want to be alone. I'll let you know when I'm ready." I insist. She nods her head, mentioning how upset Madge will be before she leaves. I feel slightly guilty turning Madge away. In school, she was the only person I had.
I spend most of the day drifting in and out of sleep, my body trying to adjust to the time change. I wake up in the early evening. Once I get past my initial drowsiness, I find myself alert. It is still the afternoon in the Capitol. The house is quiet. Prim is probably working on her homework and my mother is probably making dinner. I hear a knock on the front door and hope that it's not for me. It's so silent I can hear everything.
"I'm here to see her." Gale says.
"She doesn't want visitors." my mother responds.
"I'm not a visitor." he cuts back, clearly offended.
"She's still fragile."
"All the more reason for me to be there for her."
"She won't even let Prim in." my mother says, which isn't quite true but if it helps my cause, I don't mind.
"I'm not leaving until I see her." he commands, standing his ground.
"You should get home Gale. You've had a long day." my mother says. He's been working in the mines and I'm sure he was tired from the festival last night. I'm not sure what happens next, but I can tell from the heavy footsteps that he's climbing the stairs. He's coming to me. I turn my back to the door and close my eyes, feigning sleep. The door breezes open and I hear him approaching. He kicks his shoes off and lies down beside me, his body touching mine.
"Catnip." he whispers. I don't move or say anything. Maybe if he thinks I'm asleep, he will leave. "Catnip, I know you're awake." He knows how to read me, even in the dim light. I open my eyes with a frown on my face now that he's figured me out.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Why wouldn't I be here?"
"I said no visitors." I tell him, closing my eyes.
"I didn't think I was included in that category." he comments. I open my eyes and see that I've hurt him.
"I'm sorry." I quickly apologize.
"I think I spend most of the Harvest Festival looking for you." he says changing the subject.
"I left right after my speech." I inform him.
"I missed you so much." he whispers, boldly kissing me after. I forgot how his lips could make me feel. I don't hesitate in returning my affection. He maneuvers his body under the covers, eliminating any sort of boundary between us. His hand caresses my hip. He stops me and pulls away with a curious look on his face. He pulls back the covers and his attention is drawn to my lace underwear.
"What do we have here?" he asks with a smile. I doubt he's ever seen lace before. It's not a material that we can afford in District 12. I blush, unable to speak. I'm not really sure what to say. He brushes his fingers over the fabric, taking in the texture. This has an effect on me and it isn't long before my soft moans fill the air, letting him know the pleasure he's making me feel. He then traces the scalloped edge perhaps waiting for me to stop him. Tonight, right now, I don't want him to. I guide his hand under the fabric and let him explore a new territory. His finger presses into me as he feels my slick center.
"Wet already?" he mutters with a smirk on his face.
"I couldn't help myself." I playfully answer back. This doesn't seem as difficult as it did before.
"What would you like me to do Katniss?" his voice rumbles.
"Whatever you want." I murmur back. It's a bold thing, leaving our tryst in his hands but I'm interested to see how he operates.
"As you wish." he responds, his eyes dark with lust. His lips crash on mine. Two of his fingers move against me in successive motions. My kisses are replaced by moans as he finds my most sensitive spots. He has a look of pride on his face and then proceeds to slip the same fingers inside me, rousing a cry from my throat from the surprise. He doesn't relent until I come for him, moaning his name as I do so.
"We're only getting started, Everdeen." he says a smirk, hinting at the pleasure that is sure to follow. It's a new side of Gale I've never seen before and I look forward to exploring it more.
I am woken by Gale's chest shifting away from mine and find myself twisted around sheets and his body, evidence of what happened last night. The room is still dim with the early morning light peeking through the shades. When he finally frees himself from me, he kisses my forehead before leaving for the bathroom. I can hear the water from the shower click on. I close my eyes, still tired from last night, finding a happy medium between being awake and asleep. The water clicks off and I can feel Gale's presence back in my bedroom. The bed shifts and I feel his body positioned next to mine on top on the covers.
"Stay." I whisper, cuddling close to him.
"It's a workday." he murmurs back to me. "You're lucky you can sleep in."
"Skip the mines for a day."
"Someone's got to pay the bills." he says.
"But think of all of the things we could do." I say, maneuvering myself on top of him.
"Are you trying to seduce me, Ms. Everdeen?" he questions me.
"Maybe…is it working?" I ask giving him a single kiss.
"Fifteen minutes. That's all I have." he compromises. I smile victoriously and pull at the towel around his waist until I have freed it from his body. His body jolts when he feels my hand around his shaft.
"Is this ok?" I ask.
"I wasn't expecting that from you." he says with a mellow grin. I'm not sure what he means by that but I decide not to press for more information. Instead, I let my hand go to work, feeling him harden with every stroke.
"Shit, Katniss!" he moans as his arousal becomes more pronounced, followed by heavy breaths.
"Are you ready now?" I purr seductively to him. He nods and in that moment I see a vulnerable side I have never seen from before. It doesn't last long though and before I know it, he is climbing on top of me and furthering his efforts. His rhythm starts slow and builds as his lips frivolously sweep my skin as he tries to take in as much of me as he can.
"Faster Gale." I beg into his ear. He obliges, replacing the kisses with heavy breaths as his movements quicken, thrusting in and out of me. "Don't stop." I whisper as I feel the pleasure closing in on me. He obeys, keeping his rhythm until a wave of bliss rolls over me. He lets out a grunt and releases himself into me. He parts from me and lies on his side, pulling me close to him.
"What are you going to do today?" he asks me.
"Hunt. Probably go to the Hob after." I say. He lets out a sigh of discontent.
"The Hob isn't that safe anymore…not since Thread came here." he mentions.
"Was it ever really safe?" I reply.
"I bet he's just waiting for the right moment to destroy everything and everyone in it." Gale bitterly adds. "Promise me you won't go there."
"Gale—" I start.
"Catnip, if anything bad happened to you in there…"
"Then you stay away from the coal mines. It's just as dangerous there."
"That's different and you know it." he says as he begins to get dressed.
"I don't want to fight about this." I murmur hugging him from behind.
"If they catch you doing something illegal, they'll send you to the stalks and maybe even the whipping post." he comments. My fingers trace the scars on his back, his eternal reminder of what happens when you break the rules. His head hangs down and he's quiet for a minute. "Do you remember what it was like? The pain I went through?"
"Yes." I mutter, burying my face into the back of his neck. He turns around and takes me in his arms. "Your mother used most of the morphling on me. If it happened to you…" He doesn't finish. "You don't need to go there anymore Katniss."
"Going there makes me feel normal…the way it used to be before the Games." I confide in him.
"I'm not going to win this one, am I?" he asks. I shake my head.
"I'll be careful. I can promise you that."
"If anything seems suspicious, you get out of there right away." he warns me.
"Ok."
"I better go." he says, reaching for his shirt. He quickly puts in on and starts for the door. He stops and approaches me.
"Almost forgot." he says before returning for one last kiss. My hands grab at the fabric of his shirt, hoping that it will keep him here a little longer. "I'm going to be late." he says with a small laugh as he plants a kiss on my cheek. "I'll try to stop by after work."
"Ok." I reply before letting him go.
Instead of going back to bed, I prepare myself for the day, showering and then dressing before heading to the woods. I grab a few snacks from the pantry and place them in my bag before leaving. I spend most of the day in the woods. It's a mild day and the game seems to be out more so than usual. I return to District 12 with a bag full of game. Once inside, my first stop is to the Hawthorne house where I give Hazelle most of my haul. I stay for a little to have some tea with her and Posy, who is thrilled to have me there. After an hour at the Hawthorne's, I head to the Hob with a rabbit reserved for Sae. I find her booth and take a seat at the counter.
"Hi there stranger." she says giving me a big smile. Her greeting is cordial but I can't help but feel guilty about my absence.
"I brought something for you." I say, placing the rabbit on the counter. She starts to dig through her pocket for a coin or two, but I stop her. I don't need the money anymore and I certainly wouldn't take a cent from her. Not after all the countless times she's fed Gale and I, even when we turn up with nothing for her.
"What you up to?" she asks me, placing a bowl of stew in front of me.
"Hunting…trying to keep busy."
"You'll be busy enough when the mentoring starts." she comments.
"Don't remind me." I say, rolling my eyes.
"Made any trips to Ripper yet?"
"Wouldn't want to threaten Haymitch's supply." I wittily reply. Everyone knows that Haymitch's business alone keeps Ripper busy.
"Good. Best you don't mess with that stuff from the start. Where is that hunting partner of yours? Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome."
"Working in the mines." I answer.
"You two together yet?" she pries. I try my best to hide my blush.
"Just friends."
"If I was you age…mmm." she says, thinking who knows what.
"Does he stop by here still?" I ask her.
"Sometime on the weekends, when he has some game to spare. Haven't seen too much of him either." she says.
"I'm sorry." I apologize. This is something that Gale fails to realize. Other people rely on us just as much as we do. Where else is Sae going to get the game she needs to liven up her stews. "I'll make sure the deliveries are more regular."
When I finish eating, I pay Sae before making my way toward the exit. When happens next is something I don't expect. The doors fling open and Peacekeepers storm the Hob. Chaos ensues as everyone tries to run away. I look at both entrances and see a line of Peacekeepers blocking the way as others collect the people. I'm trapped. There's no way out. I try to find a place to hide but before I can, I Peacekeeper grabs me, securing my arms behind my back with a zip-tie. I try to break free from him but he's too strong. As I near the entrance, I see another Peacekeeper break from the line and rush towards me.
"Special orders for this one." the muffled voice says though the reflective visor of his helmet. Shit. He recognizes me. He knows I'm not just any citizen of District 12. My captor hands me over to him and I'm led outside the Hob. He continues past the truck containing people from inside. Instead, I am led into the wooded area behind the Hob.
"What are you going to do to me?" I ask, my heart throbbing painfully.
"You'll find out soon enough." the distorted voice replies. I start to think of what it could be. Execution might be possible. Thread warned me about what would happen if I got in his way again.
"Why are we going so far away?" I ask him.
"Wouldn't want other people to see this." he replies. Yes, this is it. I'm going to die. I silently apologize to Gale. He was right. I should have just stayed away.
The section of woods becomes familiar. It's where I used to play when I was child. He pushes me against a tree and cuts the tie from my wrists before taking a few steps back. I start to formulate a plan. I'll slowly turn around. Just as he's about to shoot, I'll make my getaway. There is a good chance I'm quicker than he is and I am also familiar with this area. The fence isn't too far away from here.
I am temporarily distracted from my plan when I find a marking on the trunk as I start to pull away from it. My initials are there along with the boy I used to love. It's too much coincidence. Taken to a part of the woods to a place a Peacekeeper surely wouldn't be familiar with, to a tree I used to climb and spend my days in. I continue to turn around, and see his gun on the ground. He's reaching for his helmet, unhinging it, revealing a mess of blonde hair and blue eyes gazing back at me. My heart drops. It's the boy who carved the initials on the tree behind me. Merrick Thread is back in District 12.
Merrick's back and he's a Peacekeeper now! Did you see that coming? Let me know what you thought of this chapter in the reviews. I'm very curious to know people's reaction to the events in this chapter.
Thanks for reading!