I Know What Love Is

After tying multiple knots with Katniss and having both are hands bleed she eventually left to head back to her families area in the bomb shelter.

The loud booms have stooped, but that doesn't really comfort me.

I'm about to lie down in bed to keep up the charade of trying to be normal but before I can even stand up someone bursts into my area. I'm assuming Katniss is coming back to talk. Maybe more about Peeta or maybe more about Snow but when I turn it's not Katniss.

He sits right next to me not asking if it's alright.

"What did she want?" He demands.

"Gale?" I say trying to remember his name. I've run into Gale a few times and his opinion of me isn't a good one. He thinks I'm a traitor and can't be trusted.

"What did Katniss want?" He says more aggressively.

"She wanted to talk about Peeta." I say slightly worried. I know Gale doesn't like me, but he seems to have an obsession with Katniss. I know they're close friends… possibly more, but his behavior is a little too obsessive and intense,

He scoffs

"Why?" He asks more like demands.

"Because she finally figured out why Snow is keeping him." I say. I'm surprised she didn't see it sooner.

It's silent.

"I really want to go to sleep." I say trying to get him to leave.

"Why did Katniss come to you in the middle of the night?" Gale asks hostilely.

"Maybe because she wanted to tell me this because Annie is being kept there too." I say. I didn't question why Katniss came to me. Mostly because I didn't mind. I don't really have anyone to talk to besides my therapist and I don't like him.

I think it was mostly because Katniss and I are in the same kind of pain right now. We both know our loved ones are being held hostage in the Captiol and we also know there's nothing we can do for them.

"Did she try to-" He trails off.

"To what?" I ask unamused.

"Katniss sometimes try to make people feel better in strange ways." He says more like an accuses.

I know what it sounds like he is asking but I think that is ridiculous.

"Did you come here to ask me if Katniss came onto me?" I ask offended and angry.

"Of course not. I was thinking the other way around. You could've taken advantage of her because of her emotions." He says.

I actually laugh at this statement. I couldn't think of anything more absurd of trying to hook up with anyone. I would never touch Katniss or anyone for that matter. I only care about Annie. Besides, I can barely handle my own emotions at the moment.

"I would never take advantage of someone like that." I say. "Besides underage girls don't tickle my fancy." I say trying to make a joke.

Gale snorts.

"I know the kind of man you are Finnick, just do yourself a favor and stay away from her."

"And what kind of man would that be?" I ask ignoring his demand. Katniss should be able to talk to me as much as she likes. Gale shouldn't tell her otherwise, but I think I know Katniss well enough to know she doesn't take orders easily.

"You're the man who deceives people. You talk to Katniss about love when you don't know it yourself. You enjoyed killing at the age of fourteen as a ruthless career-"

"If you recall I didn't volunteer." I say but he just ignores me.

"You use your pretty' exterior to manipulate and fool people." Okay he isn't completely wrong there. I do manipulate people with my good looks, but it's usually just Capitol citizens.

"And now you are playing the pathetic card trying to fool everyone, but I've kept my eyes on you Finnick. You're not going to ruin anything." He says.

"So to sum up, you think of me as a traitor, a proud killer, a master manipulator, someone incapable of love, and a man who takes advantage of women." I say.

I chuckle oh if he only knew my real life. Although I can't completely blame him, that is the picture Snow and I have painted over the years. Although there is one thing I can't let him get away with.

"Yes." He hisses.

"I know what love is." I say.

He rolls his eyes.

"What you feel towards woman isn't love, it's pure lust."

"Not with-"

"Yeah the crazy girl they took. Katniss has mentioned that she's the love of your life or something, but once again you're just manipulating her emotions." He says.

"I would never use Annie as a pawn." I say.

Gale rolls his eyes.

"Right, right." He says.

"When we were in the hovercraft fleeing the arena and coming to District 13 that's when they told me Annie was captured, just like they told Katniss, Peeta was captured." I say. I swallow hard from the memory. "I begged them to go back to get her but it was too late. I told Haymtich if I killed myself Snow would let her go. Although saying this now is stupid. Haymitch told me he knew Snow would just kill her then and I knew he was right. Snow wants to see myself and Katniss break down because he knows he is hurting us just as much as he is hurting them, possibly more so."

Gale sighs.

"When Katniss woke up on the hovercraft I talked with her briefly. I told her I wished they were all dead, Johanna, Annie, Peeta, and the other people getting taken.-"

"So you're saying you understand love because you wanted Annie to die." He says annoyed.

"Yes." I say without hesitation. I still feel that way, especially after seeing the videos of Peeta. "Just look at what they're doing to Peeta. I know what they do there Gale-" He opens his mouth probably about to say 'it's because you're a traitor' but I don't give him the chance. "The things they do to people, the things they are doing to the rebels is worse than death." I say. I want to say something else and I know it will piss him off but I don't care. "Love isn't trying to control someone Gale, it's about sacrifices and being with that person no matter what. It's about making sure the person you love is happy, even if that means it's not with you. Your obsessive behavior and constant control over Katniss isn't love. It's jealously. You just want her for yourself, you don't care about her happiness. It's obvious when she talks about Peeta around you or even when she speaks with me. You just want Katniss for yourself and won't listen to what she wants. All you care about Gale is yourself." I say.

Gale shoves me.

"Like I said you have no idea what love is." He says and stomps off.

"You're wrong." I whisper to myself and take the picture of Annie and stare at it, stare at her. "Because I know I love her." I whisper and rub the picture against my cheek hoping she will be in front of me.