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Gale's POV
We burst into Annie's house after our brisk walk home from Command. "Annie? We're home! Are you here?" Katniss calls tentatively. There is no answer. "She must be out running errands," Katniss says. "I guess that means we have the whole house to ourselves." She lifts her eyes to mine suggestively and I feel my body respond immediately.
"In that case, Catnip, I guess we should take advantage of this unexpected alone time." I wink at her and, taking her hand in my good one, begin to slowly lead her upstairs. She begins absentmindedly rubbing her thumb over my knuckles as we walk. I can't quite believe how attuned my body is to her movements, however small and insignificant they may be. I have to still her hand halfway up the stairs because I feel myself quickly losing control. "Katniss-no. I want to take this slow and that makes me want to have you on this staircase." Her eyes widen in shock and she immediately blushes bright red. I stifle a laugh so I don't embarrass her. She has no clue what she does to me.
We finally make it to our room and I quietly shut and lock the door behind us. We approach each other and stand, staring into each other's eyes for what feels like an hour. I can tell that she feels shy for some reason, and I can't deny that I feel the same. We both know that tonight will be different than it's ever been before.
I reach my hand up to caress her face, breaking the stillness. She leans into my palm and, closing her eyes briefly, sighs. I'm startled to see her whole body relax. Taking a step forward, she leans up to kiss me. I meet her halfway, and our kiss is soft and sweet. She parts her mouth gently to allow me access. As I run my tongue across her lower lip, our kiss changes. The charge that we both felt that morning in the hospital returns and she presses herself harder against me, aligning her body so that it bows against mine. I snake my arm around her waist and hold her against me, pressing my erection into her hip so she knows how much I crave her. I want so badly to lift my right arm and tangle it into her long brown hair.
A strangled moan breaks its way out of my chest and I break away from Katniss, turning around so she can't see the sudden pool of tears in my eyes. The lack of functionality in my right arm has finally hit home. I can't even make love to my fiancée the way I want to because I'm not completely whole anymore.
"Hey," she says softly. "What happened, Gale? Where did you go?" I feel her hand brush down my arm as she tries to turn me to her.
"Katniss, I can't even do what I want with you because I can't move my fucking arm. How do you think I'm going to make a life for us when I'm only half ok?" All of the frustrations and worries that I was able to bury while in the hospital, being waited on hand and foot, are bubbling to the surface. "I can't hunt, I can't build anything, I can't help you—what are you going to do with someone like me? I want to take care of you and it's killing me knowing that I won't be able to," I tell her bitterly. I never thought that I would have to be taken care of. It's always been in my nature to be the caretaker. That's why Katniss and I have always gotten on so well—we're both natural born caretakers.
"Gale," she says, her voice stronger now. "Stop. Whatever you're thinking, just stop. You don't even know if this is permanent, first of all. You could get feeling in that arm tomorrow morning for all we know. Second, if you think that I would leave you because you can't hunt, then you have no idea who I am. I don't care what you can or can't do, I care that you love me. We're going to build a life together in whatever way we can—right arm or no right arm." She spins me around and plants her lips on mine angrily. Forcing her tongue into my mouth, she claims me as hers. I can't help but respond to her kiss and my tongue begins to dance with hers, both of us pouring our fears and frustrations into each other.
She pulls away and stares hard into my eyes, searching for any doubts. I stare back at her, narrowing my eyes with desire. She notes the change and pushes me back towards the bed. I feel the backs of my knees hit the mattress and I sink down. She slowly begins undoing her shirt, one button at a time. I reach over my head and pull my t-shirt off by the collar. After she discards her shirt on the floor, she leans over to run her hands down the planes of my chest and stomach. Planting a kiss over my heart, like she always does, she drops to her knees.
Undoing my belt and pants, she caresses her hand over my erection through the soft cloth of my boxers. I gasp—she's never been this daring before. Taking in my shocked expression, she whispers "Let me take care of you," as she pulls down my pants and boxers simultaneously. I sit, naked in front of her. She grasps me tightly and begins to work her hand up, down, and around. I lean my head back, my expression tight with pleasure. Suddenly, I feel a completely different sensation. She's taken me in her mouth. I look down and watch her bob her head up and down, sucking and pulling. I feel her swirl her tongue around my head and I almost come undone. Where in the hell did she learn to do this? I think.
"Katniss, baby, please. I can't hold on much longer. Stop, baby. This is too fast." She drags her teeth lightly up my length and I'm harder than I ever thought possible. Reaching down to pull her up onto the bed with me, I use my good hand to unbutton her pants. Slipping my hand in between her bare hip and her underwear, I attempt to shimmy them down her body. She senses that I'm having trouble and reaches down to help, discarding the rest of her clothing on the floor. She lies naked beneath me, and I'm having a hard time not just laying there and staring at her. I take my hand and run my fingers down her neck, her chest, over her breasts, her stomach, and finally, down to her most secret spot. She's incredibly ready for me and I can hear her start to pant in anticipation. Circling her clit with my thumb, I lean down to kiss her belly as it rises and falls. She closes her eyes and moans softly. I continue to make lazy circles and slip one finger insider her. She arches her hips up to meet me.
Pumping my finger slowly, in and out, I establish a rhythm. Her hips begin to move in tandem with my finger and I push her just to the brink before pulling my finger out. She cries out and her she looks so upset, so bereft. I lean down to kiss her and my tongue continues the rhythm that my finger had established. "Please Gale, please." She whimpers. I lean down and position myself at her entrance before sliding into her, filing her back up. Her satisfied groan is enough to almost push me over the edge.
Her legs wrap around my waist and I swivel my hips so that I am buried inside her fully. We begin to move together—she rises to meet me every time I push myself back into her. Her face shows me that I'm doing something right—her expression is that of pure bliss. Her breathing picks up and, tossing her head back in abandon, she lets herself go, convulsing around me, saying my name over and over again. Hearing her say that is enough for me and I let myself go as well. We come down together, spiraling into a release that only we know.
After we're done, she lays her head on my chest and I reach up awkwardly to stroke her hair. She plants several soft kisses down my chest and, blinking slowly, falls into a deep sleep. I kiss her forehead and succumb to exhaustion as well.
We wake hours later to a dark, empty house. Katniss leans up to kiss me once more. I must say, I very much enjoy affectionate Katniss. For the first time, I truly feel like she wants me, rather than just tolerates me. Since the explosion, she acts like a woman, not the scared, confused girl that I used to know. I appreciate the change.
She speaks, breaking through my reverie. "Gale, where are we going to go? Which district are you going to pick?" Placing her hand on my chest, she rests her head there so that she can look at me as we speak.
"Well, I was thinking that we could just go back to District Twelve. We have a home there and…" I trail off. I was going to say that we could spend time in the forest, hunting and gathering, but now that's not a possibility for me. She pats my chest comfortingly, instinctively knowing why I couldn't finish my thought.
Rising, she opens the huge doors that lead out onto a small balcony. She looks beautiful, standing there in the moonlight, wrapped in nothing but a sheet. A soft breeze blows through the room. Her hair waves softly in the breeze and my breath is momentarily snatched from me. "Here, Katniss," I say with certainty. "We belong here. It's a fresh start for both of us. You belong by the sea. We both do." She turns around and I see the skeptical look in her eyes from across the room.
"If we go back to District Twelve, all we'll have are memories. Of Prim, our fathers, the Games, being cold and hungry. We need a fresh start baby, something new. We can relax here. Blaze said that the insurgents should be taken care of soon and we'll be free to live our lives." I sit up and hold my hand out to her. Walking over, she takes it and sits on my lap.
"I want what you want, Gale. I'm with you now. If you want District Four, then I'll be here." Leaning down, she gives me a long kiss. I feel myself stir again beneath her. Shifting, I lay her down underneath me and lean down to kiss her again. She smiles and, giggling, wraps her arms around my neck.
We spend the rest of the night making love, wrapped in the warm tropical breeze and each other, and I know we've made the right decision.