DISCLAIMER: HG CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME
A/N: This is a Galeniss/Everthorne one shot I wrote for the Holidays, if you have read and/or reading my ridiculously long story, Finding Peace, this one shot takes place right before Chapter 131, you do not have to read that story, but if you do, the small details will make more sense. I know I originally said I would never do a spin off or one shot from the Finding Peace story, but it is 2020/era of COVID and if you are reading Finding Peace, you see that Gale's character has a lot going on. So-I was itching to write something fluffy for Galeniss (I miss writing the fun stuff about them), I hope you enjoy and feel free to review.
Let it Snow
December 21
Katniss looks out the window and sees the snow begin to fall. Knowing that a storm was set to hit the area of the town they lived in, Silver Lake around 3 pm, she sees the time is 2:40 pm. Having lived in District 2 with Gale for a little over ten years now, it was still hard at times getting used to all the snow parts of District 2 got, especially Silver Lake. The town surrounded by mountains, it often would begin to snow by mid-November, around the same time the Capitol began to get snow. Only in the Capitol due to being higher in the mountains the sun would melt their snow a lot faster, here in Silver Lake, the snow tended to stick around much longer being in a lower altitude.
She knows that once the ground is covered in snow, her children will want to go outside and play. Today was the winter solstice and the beginning of the winter season in Panem. And the shortest day of the year. Growing up in District 12, the residents were never able to put out lights due to the limited availability of electricity, it was known in the Capitol and in the wealthier Districts for residents to put up lights in December and January in their windows. In the Capitol and Districts 1 and 2, most residents put up multi-colored lights, while in the more outlying Districts such as Districts 4 and 5, the residents there put up all white lights.
Deciding to start their own tradition, Gale had suggested to Katniss after moving to Silver Lake that they put up blue and green lights. He suggested green for it was her favorite color and had also suggested blue thinking the two colors would go together well. She loved the idea, and they began the tradition of putting up green and blue lights their first year together in the cottage and continuing in the much bigger house that they live in now. Silver Lake being a small town, their house was the only house decorated in lights that were not multi-colored or all white.
Katniss's attention is turned back to her youngest daughter, who had begun fussing, letting Katniss know she was unhappy about something. Going over to her ten-month-old, Katniss picks up Juniper from her portable play area and realizes that it is time a for a diaper change.
She begins walking out of the great room and down the hall and up the stairs to the nursery, once Juniper is changed, she goes back downstairs and sees Gale still in the kitchen with their two older daughters, Sienna 9, and Avery 8, as the three of them prepare and bake cookies. She turns her head to check on Jackson, who recently turned 5 three days earlier on December 18. Jack as they called him, was preoccupied with playing with his new toys and was currently in the main hallway playing with his new toy trucks and hovercrafts, with Lady the family dog sitting nearby keeping a close watch.
Katniss walks up to Gale, Sienna, and Avery and says, "The cookies look delicious."
"Thanks Mom" Sienna says as she continues putting icing on the tray of cookies in front of her.
Avery, who was helping Gale scoop out and place the last of the cookie dough onto the large tray, was occasionally sneaking scoops of the cookie dough into her mouth when her Father wasn't looking. She refrains from trying to sneak anymore scoops when she sees her Mother appear at the kitchen island with her baby Sister.
"I see you two haven't looked out the window" Katniss says to them.
Sienna and Avery both turn and see the large flakes of snow outside. Both girls getting up from their seats at the island and run into the sunroom to have a better look from the large windows. Gale chuckles as he shakes his head and quickly washes his hands as he takes Juniper from Katniss's arms. Once Katniss and Gale both enter the sunroom Avery turns to Katniss and says, "Can we go outside and play?"
"Once you have done helping your Father finish the cookies and clean up. There should be enough snow on the ground to play in by then." Katniss watches as both girls nod and run back to the island.
Katniss reaches for Juniper, but Gale moves away and says, "It's okay I got her" and bends down and gives her a quick kiss as he heads back to the island. Katniss watches as Gale holds Juniper on his side as he helps Avery finish placing the last of the cookie dough on the tray. Katniss goes over to Jack and asks him if he wants to go outside and play in the snow, once he sees for himself it is indeed snowing, he excitedly tells her yes, but Katniss informs him he must put his toys away first. Once the island is cleaned off and the last batch of cookies are baking in the oven, Katniss sees the time is 4 pm. Giving them exactly one hour to play outside before the sun goes down.
Katniss watches with Juniper from the porch as Sienna, Avery, Jack, and Gale engage in a mini snowball fight, Lady running around and diving into the snow, her tail wagging happily. Once the snowball fight ends and the siblings begin making a snowman Gale walks up to the porch and says, "Hey, you going to come over and join us?"
She smiles and says, "That's okay, I am good watching all of you from here."
He gives her a look and says, "Something is on your mind."
She sighs, knowing it is almost impossible to hide anything from him she says, "In one week we have to go to the Hunger Games museum grand opening, I just….I'm dreading it."
"You don't have to go, I can take Sienna, Avery, and Jack, you can stay here with Juniper."
"No, it will result in more questions and gossip if I am not there. And even if I am not there, I'll still have to answer Sienna and Avery's questions when they get home."
He gives her a sympathetic nod and says, "Try not to think about it now, it is still a week away. I'll be there with you. And we are only going for the day then going back to my Mom's. Then right after the New Year everyone will be at the house for a few days."
'Everyone' being Hazelle, Katniss's Mom, Posy, Vick, his wife Layla, their three sons, and Rory and his significant other Tobey. With the house filled with guests, Katniss was glad Gale thought far enough into the future with wanting a large house.
Before she can answer, they both hear a loud wail from Juniper, the baby signaling to Katniss she wanted to nurse. Gale asks her if she can check the oven as she heads in and she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek in response before going back inside the house. Seeing the cookies had less than 2 minutes left, Katniss places Juniper in her portable play area, the baby continuing to scream loudly. Katniss then removes the cookies from the oven and places the cookies on the cooling racks, then quickly picks Juniper up and pulls her sweater up and begins nursing her daughter. Back in the great room, Katniss sits down in front of the stone fireplace. Five minutes later, she pulls her bra back down and puts Juniper on the floor, the baby quickly crawling over to the toys on the floor. Katniss lights the fireplace and sees the blue and green lights automatically turn on, she then hears the sliding glass door open and hears Gale and the kids come back inside.
Once Lady's paws are cleaned, she comes bouncing into the great room and begins licking Juniper's face, the baby laughing and touching the black dog in response. A few minutes later Katniss sees her other two children racing into the great room, with Sienna slowly following behind.
"Dad says he is making roasted duck for dinner and it should be ready by 6:30" Sienna says to Katniss as Avery and Jack begin shouting while engaging in horseplay.
Katniss asks Sienna to keep an eye on her baby Sister as Katniss goes into the kitchen to talk to Gale.
"Roasted duck?" she asks.
He laughs softly and says, "I found it at the market already cooked, I thought I'd try making it tonight, if it turns out okay and the kids eat it, I thought I could buy it again and we would have it for dinner with the whole family to celebrate the New Year."
Katniss smiles and comes closer to him; she raises her head up to him and his head comes down to meet hers in a soft kiss. His hand resting on the island table, for a moment, it reminded her of when she kissed him back at her home in the Victor's Village during the war. Only this time, he did not have a pained look on his face, but a look of happiness as he breaks away.
Suddenly they hear an extremely loud noise coming from the great room, recognizing Juniper's explosive cry when scared, Katniss and Gale run into the great room, Gale nearing the kids first and shouting, "What is going on in here?" and grabbing the wailing baby off the floor, frantically looking her over to make sure she is alright.
"I was holding Juniper by the arms and helping her walk, you know she likes that, Jack and Avery were playing with Lady and Lady accidentally ran into me hard and my hands slipped, and Juniper fell. I think she just got scared because she hit the floor hard, I don't think she was actually hurt" Sienna says to Gale, looking over at Katniss with unease.
"It was an accident" Avery says defensively.
"I think being outside wound you all up. Let's play a board game until your Father has dinner ready for us okay?" Katniss says as she takes Juniper from his arms, the baby calm now that she was being held.
The four of them sit in front of the fire as they play the board game, Lady sitting between Katniss and Jack as Juniper entertained herself playing with her musical activity table nearby. Once dinner was ready the five of them ate at the large kitchen island, with Juniper in her highchair, Katniss giving her some solid food to eat. Katniss was surprised that the roasted duck was a success, with all three kids eating it without any complaints. Gale always being a good cook, she thinks this time he has outdone himself.
They eat some of the cookies he baked with Sienna and Avery for dessert. Katniss tells Gale to relax in the great room with Juniper and Lady as she cleans up with Sienna, Avery, and Jack helping. The five-year-old's job was putting away items back into the refrigerator and helping Avery wipe down the island. After the kitchen is cleaned up Katniss looks outside and sees there is a lot more snow on the ground while it continues to come down heavily.
They decide to watch a family movie on TV after, Katniss enjoying herself watching the kids laugh at the funny parts. One thing that she really liked from Paylor's presidency was that she rapidly changed Panem's programming on TV. There were now all kinds of programming available to all the District's, from children's programming to TV shows and movies ranging from educational to drama to comedy. She looks over at Gale, with Jack sitting beside him with Avery on the other side. She is holding Juniper who was beginning to drift off to sleep with Sienna sitting beside her on their large couch.
Once the movie is over Katniss tells the kids it is time for them to go upstairs to begin getting ready for bed, Katniss putting Juniper in her crib, she is glad Gale helps with bedtime for it can be chaotic getting three kids to bed along with a baby. Gale takes Jack into the bathroom upstairs and draws him a bath as Katniss has Sienna and Avery pick out their clothes for tomorrow to wear then both begin reading in their rooms. After Jack and Gale are finished in the bathroom Sienna and Avery begin getting ready for bed, Katniss goes into Jack's bedroom and reads to him. Once both Gale and Katniss say goodnight to their son they retreat to their room with Lady, leaving the door open. When Katniss no longer hears any noise down the hall, she and Gale say goodnight to Avery and Sienna then go back to their room, closing the door behind them.
Katniss sees the time is almost 10 pm. She sits down on their large king bed and removes her pants to change into her night clothes, however, before she can do that, she feels Gale's arms around her, and his lips on her neck.
She breathes in deeply as she reaches up turning her head for her lips to meet his in a sweet kiss. His hands move up and under her shirt as he continues kissing her. Falling onto the bed, she pulls his clothes off as he removes hers and she spreads her legs for him as he enters her. Eventually rolling her over so that she was on top, she then brings him up to her, so she is in his lap, sliding up and down, her movements becoming quicker and quicker.
She breathes heavily into his shoulder after, rubbing her hands along his smooth back as he strokes her hair. Not wanting to leave the comfort of his lap she pulls back and says, "Perfect ending to a perfect day" and kisses him softly.
He does not voice his thoughts out loud, but he often wonders at times if his life with her is a dream, that he will someday awaken from, and that after being captured in the Capitol he is in a torture chamber and his life is a simulation. For he cannot believe he is living the life he always wanted. No longer under the tyranny of Snow's regime, far away from District 12 and living near the mountains with the woman he loves with his whole heart, and with four children on top of it.
"Everyday is perfect with you Catnip" he finds himself saying instead.
She rolls her eyes and says, "I don't know about that" and gets up to pick up her clothes from off the floor and pulls out a long black slip to put on. He bolts off the bed and comes over to her saying, "No, no clothes tonight" as he begins kissing her shoulder.
"Gale! I have to wear something, Jack might come in" and she pulls the slip on and goes over to the window and peaks out, seeing that it is still continuing to snow outside.
"Wow, it is really coming down out there" she says as Gale gets back into bed, getting under the covers, his clothes still on the floor.
As Katniss goes into the bathroom to brush her teeth, Gale hears a chime on his portable military phone on the nightstand on his side of their bed. Keeping the phone on the nightstand for emergencies, he picks the phone up and sees a general message from Panem's transportation system saying that due to the storm the trains are closed, and no trains would be running inbound or outbound of the Capitol, District 1, and parts of District 2 until Monday morning. Today was Saturday, was meant the storm was expected to last into Sunday as well.
Once Katniss climbs back into bed she says, "Is it important?"
He looks up at her and says, "They are shutting the trains down until Monday due to the storm."
"Looks like another day for the kids to be outside."
"I hope you won't be watching from the porch tomorrow" he says to her.
"No, like you said, the grand opening of the museum is a week away, I need to forget about it."
He smiles at her says, "I love you."
"I love you" and gently touches his face then says, "You know I don't really care for all of the snow District 2 gets, but today being as perfect as it was, I say, let it snow."
He grins at her as pulls her to him, pulling her slip off and making love to her under the covers as the snow continued to come down outside.
A/N: Happy Holidays!