Gale nodded a polite greeting when the rather unfriendly looking woman opened the door. She looked him over, leaning against the doorframe with a hand on her hip. "You looking for Peeta?" She asked. "Yes ma'am." He nodded. "Hn, fine." She waved him in and pointed down a hall. "First door on the left, if you catch whatever he's got, don't say I didn't warn you." She walked off without waiting for a reply, so Gale did as she said and went to the first door on the left. He knocked softly on the door, and got a hoarse "Come in." in reply. He turned the knob and walked into the room. "Gale? What are you doing here?" The fever-flushed blonde on the bed pulled himself up on his elbows and stared with glassy, questioning eyes. "Katniss said you were sick and asked me to check up on you. She would have come herself, but she had some stuff to do with Madge today." He answered and sat down on a stepladder that was being used as a makeshift chair next to Peeta's bed. Peeta laid back down and nodded. "Yeah, she was here yesterday and mentioned going to see Madge, but she didn't say anything about sending you here." Gale shrugged, smirking. "She probably wanted to surprise you. So anyway, she did want me to check up on you, so how you doing?" Peeta groaned softly and shut his eyes. "I feel like shit." He muttered. "You look it." Gale replied and snickered. Peeta opened his eyes and gave Gale a glower, pouting. "Hey, I'm sick, you're supposed to be nice to me." Gale rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. What is it you came down with anyway?" Peeta started to answer, but broke off abruptly into a fit of coughing. Well he sure sounds rough…"My mom said it's the flu." the blonde finally managed to get out. "That sucks." the darker haired male replied. Peeta nodded and pulled the blanket up to his chin, he looked like he was shivering, but Gale couldn't be sure. After a few moments of awkward silence, Peeta was the one to say something. "Uh…Gale?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you still here?"
"…Do you want me to go?"
"No, just wondering why…" Gale shrugged. "I'm not too sure. I guess maybe it's to return the favor." Peeta tilted his head questioningly. "Return the favor?" the older male nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't too long ago that you stayed with me and kept me company when I was down and out." Peeta chuckled feebly but stopped before it turned into a cough. "That was about two months ago, right?" Gale nodded. "You couldn't really call it returning the favor though now, because I was returning the favor then, since you saved my life." said the blonde. Gale blinked. "Ah, nope. You returned the favor by carrying me back to Katniss's place. Sticking around with me was extra, so technically I am returning the favor now." Peeta thought that over for a moment and then nodded. "I can see that logic, and just out of curiosity, do you still have the scars?" No shit, I still have the fucking scars. I got slashed open by a bear, on what plane of existence does that not leave a scar? "Yeah, I still have them. You wanna see?" The younger male nodded. "Sure." Gale slowly pulled off his shirt, revealing the four deep claw marks etched in his skin, starting from the tip of his shoulder and ending roughly around his navel. He stood up so Peeta could get a better view. Peeta stared for a few moments. "Wow." Gale nodded and sat back down, not bothering to put his shirt back on. Peeta squirmed around under the blankets, looking quite uncomfortable as he tried to stifle a cough, which only resulted in a harsh coughing fit. Gale watched, brow furrowing. He's pretty sick. "Do you have any medicine you can take for that?" The younger male shook his head and shivered again, clinging to the thin blanket for warmth it wouldn't provide. Gale watched and despite himself, felt pity for his ill rival in love. "You're cold, right?" He asked. Peeta nodded wearily. Gale hesitated before speaking. "Don't get weirded out." he said. "Huh? Gale, what do yo-" Peeta broke off abruptly as the older male climbed into bed and slide under the blanket, wrapping his arms around him. He didn't fight the embrace, he just gaped, stunned into silence. "I told you not to get weirder out." Gale grunted. "I'm just sharing my body heat with you, since you looked so pitiful shivering like that." Peeta nodded after a moment and leaned into Gale, burying his face in his chest and closing his eyes. "You are nice and warm." he murmured. And you're too warm, your hot. Absolutely burning up. I can feel the unnatural heat radiating off of you, and yet you were shivering so harshly. "I wonder what Katniss would say if she saw this…" said Peeta suddenly. Gale scoffed. "She should say 'Thank you Gale for taking such good care of my Lover Boy'." he said, and he couldn't help sounding bitter. Peeta tipped his head back to look at Gale, chin still resting lightly on his chest. "Katniss loves you Gale." The darker haired male shook his head. "Not the way she loves you." Peeta shook his head. "You don't kno-" he choked back a cough and squirmed so that he as facing away from Gale, though the older boy's arms were still draped loosely around him. He starting coughing again, another painful fit that left him breathless and shuddering. Gale frowned and leaned over, studying Peeta with surprisingly concerned eyes. "You want me to go get you some water, or something?" The ill blonde sighed out slowly and shook his head. He turned and once again pressed himself to Gale. "I'll turn again if I have to cough." He promised and buried his face in the chest of the darker haired male. Gale gave a slight nod and held Peeta a little closer, his mind wandering in the silence that had taken over. He thought about Katniss of course, she was always on his mind. He wondered what it was she and Madge were off doing and pondered their hunting plans for tomorrow. Hunting made him think about his family, and shortly after he found himself thinking about his dad. Thinking of his dad of course led him to think about mining; an occupation he knew he would soon have to take up, and it was then that his thoughts were broken with the realization that Peeta had fallen asleep in his arms. Well hell…Gale shook his head and moved one hand up, brushing his fingers through Peeta's unkempt hair, deicing to straighten it since he really had nothing else to do. Soon enough, he was absentmindedly stroking the shaggy blonde mop.
~X~
Gale coughed harshly and laid back down in his bed, shivers running up his spine. He groaned softly and gingerly rubbed his raw throat. He officially felt like shit. Three days after he'd visited the ill Peeta Mellark, he'd begun to feel a bit off. He felt off for the entire day, a little worn out, a little bit of a cough. He tried to write it off, but by the next morning, he was nauseous and burning with fever. He'd had to pass on hunting that day, which pissed him off because he had found another person to sell game too. It was now the day after that day, and he didn't feel better, if anything he felt worse. Why? Why did I have to cuddle the bread boy? Damn it all! He shut his eyes and rolled onto his side, a little surprised when he heard the knock at the door. The only person he could think it to be would be Katniss, as she had said she would come, but not until later. I guess she decided to stop by early. "Come in." he called hoarsely and sat up. He narrowed his eyes a little upon seeing the familiar blonde he caught the illness from walk through the door. "What are you doing here?" Peeta chuckled and crossed the room, climbing into bed with the older boy and putting his arms around him. "Returning the favor." he answered with a grin