Gale gives me a small smile, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Really?" I look at Gale quizzically. "Yes," I answer slowly. "Does that..bother you?" Gale smiles more, shaking his head. "No. I'm just surprise that it took him this long to ask you." I shrug, trying to avoid blushing. "He just wanted to wait I guess," I say quietly. Gale nods slowly. "So when are you having your toasting?" I look at my boots uncomfortably. "I don't know. We didn't really talk about everything." A few awkward, silent moments pass between us. Looking up finally, I smile at Gale. "The rest of your family is in the sitting room, come on." I gesture and lead him to the room where everyone else is still gathered.
"Gale!" Posy shrieks, jumping up from the floor where she'd been drawing flowers with Peeta. "Gale's here! Gale's back!" Running towards him, Posy crashes into his outstretched arms. "Gale!" Rory and Vick both shout, and then tackle their older brother, landing in a laughing heap on top of Posy and Gale. "Get off!" Posy says, her voice muffled. "I can't breathe!" Laughing, Gale pushes them off. "Me either. What a welcome, near death by suffocation." Vick grins mischievously. "You asked for it! We haven't seen you in over a year!" Gale raised an eyebrow. "You watch the new government propos don't you?" Rory rolled his eyes. "That does not count Gale." Sitting up, Gale shoves his brother lightly. "Of course it does, your eyes still work don't they?" Rory punched him on the shoulder. "Yeah, they do, but propos seriously don't count doofus. We mean like now, with you actually right here in front of us." Rory is stopped from objecting further by a warning glance from his mother. Gale shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've been busy. Sorting through stuff," he says nonchalantly. I wonder if that could have a double meaning. As in not only had he been busy with getting Panem's new government up and running, but if he also meant that on a personal level. I wouldn't doubt it, considering the change I see in him. This isn't the same Gale as the one I knew during the Rebellion.
Finnick nods at Gale in greeting, a smirk on his face. "So how goes it with you Odair?" questions Gale from the floor, where a smug-looking Posy has made it her solemn duty to seat herself on her brother's lap so that he can't leave without a fight. "Never been better. That's the honest to goodness truth." Gale nodded and saw Annie holding little Aidan. "Been busy I bet." Finnick shook his head, chuckling. "And when are any of us not busy these days? Things are moving quickly in Panem." I'm not busy Finnick. I'm not busy at all.Despite the rebirth that District 12 has been going through, I have not really become an "active citizen". I can hardly consider sitting around, hunting for the Village, and spending time with Peeta being busy. It affects no one but those here, those I care about. I'm not trying to affect the entire country, or make an impressive change. No, those pursuits died with the Mockingjay. And if I have anything to say about it, they are going to be buried deeper than the deepest mine, deeper than the furthest level of 13. Never again will I be more than Katniss Everdeen. I've seen what happens when I try to be more than I really am. I never want to go down that path again.
a/n: sorry this is such a short chapter, I'm gonna work on 7 soon. Please please please review. I would love to hear why you love it, like it, don't like it and why! Ideas are more than welcome, I'm crazy busy with a dash of writers block sprinkled on top. I have stiff planned its just...getting there that's the issue. Hit the little review button purty please ^-^
