(Peeta's POV.)
Hot steam rises from the loaf of bread, the air hitting my face like a heat wave. I fan it down with my hand as I carry the pan, carefully setting it down on the center of the kitchen table.
"Daddy?" Finnius whispers, his tiny fingers beginning to tug at the back of my shirt. I turn to face him, leaning down so I reach his height.
"What is it buddy?"
His lips curl into a shy frown, tears beginning to well up in his big blue eyes. "When is mommy coming back?" he asks in quiet voice, a single tear now running down his bright red cheek.
I lean in closer, brushing away the tear with the back of my hand. "She'll be back soon. Don't worry, alright?"
Finnius doesn't seem very assured, but he nods anyway. We both slide into our usual seats at the table, Rose soon following.
Nobody speaks. The room remains eerily quiet as we sit patiently; the clock's ticking being the only audible sound. A sound now mocking me as time drags on, Katniss still not present. She never takes this long to come home, especially not when she's the one supplying dinner.
The kitchen door swings open, sounds of footsteps filling the room. I twist around in my seat, Katniss' eyes not meeting mine. They stare nervously at the tiled floor, her steps quick and unsure.
"What's wrong?" I ask in low whisper, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
She doesn't respond, her shaky hands slowly hanging her father's hunting coat on the hook near the door.
Unexpectedly, someone else steps into the kitchen. I can't figure out who it is, their face concealed by the hood of their jacket.
"Haymitch?" I assume, my eyes studying the man closely. His hands now claw off the hood, his messy brown hair dripping from the rain that has been pouring down for the past hour.
I can't believe it. His eyes reflect coldness as they begin to study me, mine doing the same to him.
"What are you doing here, Gale?" I hiss, anger now blazing inside of me like a freshly lit fire.
He doesn't even react, his face erased completely of any emotion. Before he can answer, Katniss cuts him off.
"He just came to visit, Peeta. It's fine."
I ignore her, pain now welling up in my chest. How could she just invite him back into our house after all these years? I heave in a deep breath, sweat beginning to break out on my forehead.
They both take seats at the table, Gale directly across from me. Out of all the seats he could have taken, he chose across from me. This only makes the blazing fire inside of me grow stronger, my heart pounding faster in my chest. He's the only person able to make me feel this way.
"Did you catch anything, dear?" I ask Katniss, my voice low and cautious.
She shakes her head, her teeth nervously digging into her lower lip.
Before I can express my disappointment, she quickly recovers, the words spilling out of her mouth. "I was too upset to continue hunting," she says in a soft voice, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
That hits me hard. I twist around in my chair to face her, my lips meeting hers briefly. Even from the corner of my eye, Gale's glare is obvious. I ignore it, my lips tracing her ear.
"I'm sorry. We'll eat something else," I whisper soothingly, pulling myself from my chair and heading over to the fridge.
As I begin to re-heat the squirrel from last night, a conversation begins to erupt from the table.
"Who are you?" Finnius asks Gale, deep curiosity filling his voice. Even without seeing him, I can tell Gale is smiling with relief that someone is finally talking.
"I'm Gale, an old friend." He informs him, his voice calm and quiet.
"You're definitely not as old as the other guy," Rose whispers with a snicker, Finnius joining in on the laughter.
A light laugh escapes Gale's lips. "What other guy?"
"They're talking about Haymitch," Katniss informs him between giggles.
I carry the pan of meat over to the table, my hands carelessly dropping it down on the center. From the glares I can feel burning into the side of my head; I can tell that I'm not making people very happy at the moment. Expressing my anger is something I can't contain when Gale is around, especially not now.
"So," I begin between bites, my voice echoing around the room. "What are you doing back in Twelve, Gale?"
His eyes slowly meet mine, anger beginning to fill them. "I just wanted to visit Katniss." He replies coldly, putting strong emphasis on her name.
This nearly sets me over the edge, my fingers clenching into fists. Amusement plays across his lips as he notices my reaction, his fork scraping obnoxiously against the plate.
You can practically feel the tension that fills the room; all conversation cut off and ended. Nobody talks for the rest of the meal, everything awkward and quiet.
My tired fingers maneuver the rag across the dishes, my hands furiously scrubbing off the food crumbs left over. It's impossible to explain the feeling I get just being in the presence of Gale. My jaw clenches at the thought, all of the painful thoughts making my head throb.
Katniss' sudden grip on my shoulder warms me back up, all of my worries disappearing. Her lips tickle my ear, her embrace giving me an overwhelming sensation that will never fail to amaze me.
"The kids and I are going to the store to get some more bread. We'll be back in a few minutes," she whispers, her lips finding mine only briefly. I hold onto this kiss, just her touch making me feel much better.
"I love you," I whisper back, my mouth curling into a smile. She giggles softly, her face reflecting amusement.
"I know," she teases, giving me one last smile before heading out the front door. Rose and Finnius rush to catch up, the door slamming behind them.
I take a deep breath, my body relaxing as I take a seat on the couch, the house finally feeling peaceful.
My head bobs back, the blood beginning to flow again. I try to picture Katniss and me earlier; how amazing it was to finally enjoy some time alone together. This makes me smile, a warm feeling filling my heart.
"Where's Katniss?" a voice suddenly says, the sound nearly giving me a heart attack. My head snaps forward, his eyes burning deep into mine.
I'm on my feet before I even realize it, my body shifting closer and closer to him. "The store," I answer coldly, the rage beginning to fill my chest all over again.
He cracks a smile, his eyebrows rising in amusement. "Easy there, tiger."
'Easy there, tiger'? Is he joking? "Kinda late for a reunion, don't you think?" I ask in disgust, sweat beginning to break out on the back of my neck.
His boots stomp loudly against the floor as he steps closer, his jaw beginning to clench in anger.
"Why do you care so much, anyway? What have I done wrong? Humor me, please." He spits back at me, the tension between us now overwhelming.
"Killing Katniss' sister is a pretty big deal in my book, Gale." I reply in a low whisper, the words escaping my mouth.
He's shoving me to the ground before I even have the chance to blink, the wind immediately knocked out of me.
I climb to my feet, everything blurring around me as I struggle to regain my breath.
"You…shouldn't have done that," I say between breaths, black dots beginning to block most of my vision.
I swing a punch, my fist making spot-on contact with his jaw. His head jerks to the side, blood pouring from his now swollen lower lip. Gale spits most of it out on the floor, his hands clenching into fists.
My heart beat grows faster, everything becoming more and more blurry. He shoves me again, only this time I slam into the kitchen table, the wood snapping in half instantly.
Blood pools under my shirt, my back throbbing with intense pain. I get back up to my feet with shaky legs, my head feeling as if it's spinning. I thrust myself at him, both of us landing on the kitchen floor, pots falling from the hangers from the impact.
My fist slams into his nose, then moving down to his jaw. Gale flips positions, him now pinning me down with all of his weight. I can literally feel myself getting the air pulled out of me, the black dots now almost completely concealing my vision.
His fist slams into my face with strong force, the impact bringing stars to my eyes. Then there's nothing but the blackness of my eyelids.