It All Began With A Dare

by xoxopercafanaticxoxo

Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen's paths would've never crossed before the games after that night in the rain... if it wasn't for that dare. After another accidental meeting and drama, Peeta decides to become Katniss's friend, maybe even more? Katniss relents and the two of them go on simple 'outings' that eventually bring them closer and closer together.

13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Disclaimer - I don't own Hunger Games or any of its characters.

Thanks to mgarcia, pumpkinking5, EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva, Guerrero98, Milk of Awesomeness, veronique2, PeetaLover1116, MaidenAlice, jenjentheboscostick, Nico-Fan-of-Apollo, ShortySC22, FirePearl97, eekabeeka, JoelHgLover00, TragedyIsTheKey, canadianboy98, and LittleMockingjay99!

Seriously, thanks for taking the time to read or favorite or follow or reviewing! It really means a lot to me :D

Warning: There is quite a lot of swearing.

Peeta -

"Stop."

Oh... no...

"Um..." Quick as a flash I jump to my feet and so does Katniss. The two of us stare up at Gale's towering figure.

"What the hell, Mellark?" Gale snaps, grabbing the collar of my shirt and shoving me up against the tree - painfully. "Don't you pull any of that shit on Katniss, you hear me? Don't you go running around the district acting like a perfect little angel and let loose onto Katniss out here in the fucking forest where there are no other fucking people!" Gale roars.

I feel sick. Gale thought I was trying to get into Katniss's pants? "I wasn't!" I manage, but Gale pulls back his fist and then I watch as it fly to my face, unable to stop it.

"Gale!" Katniss's yelps in alarm, her eyes widening as she looks at me. "He wasn't doing anything!" She defends me, grabbing Gale's arm and trying to pull him back, away from me. However, she isn't that strong and her attempts are useless.

"Ow! Katniss!" Gale groans.

On second thought, not that useless. Stunned, I recover from my momentary shock of Katniss hitting Gale's... Well... um... 'Crown jewels'. Gale falls onto his knees, panting.

"Katniss? What the... What?" Gale stumbles over his words, looking blearily up at Katniss.

Katniss glares at the two of us, well her glare is directed at Gale but she does give me a strange look. Its a weird look, like she doesn't even know me and I had just asked for a kiss.

"Stop it, Gale. He wasn't doing anything, in my opinion." She hissed, her face becoming rather red, the furious and angry shade of red.

"Yeah." I stammer, avoiding Katniss's look. Gale staggers onto his own two feet.

"Don't lie to me, Mellark." Gale snarls, then he spins on Katniss. "And don't you lie to me either, you are my friend! You aren't supposed to lie to your friends!"

Gale's voice rises and I begin to worry. I'm sure that the whole district twelve can hear his angry yell.

"I saw the position you two were in! You were going to kiss!" Gale snaps. "And you lie right to my face! I thought you had the decency to at least be honest with me." His eyes narrow, "Tell me, did that kiss I give you mean nothing to you? Did I mean nothing to you?"

Katniss is pale. "No, Gale. You never meant nothing to me, you were always spe-"

Gale howls in frustration and sends a flying kick to the tree. "Oh, really, Katniss? You just ignore my feelings and go around kissing townie boys!"

Katniss scowls. "You think I'm like that Gale-"

"WHO'S THERE?" A voice roars in the distance, I hear a warning gun shot. My heart skips a beat. Oh hell no.

"Peacekeeper." Katniss whispers, her eyes widening in alarm. Gale stiffens and the three of us look at each other, all looking to the others for a plan.

Gale purses his lips, his eyes calculating as he looks around the forest. He assumes a calm expression as we hear the Peacekeeper sending warning shots all over the place.

"Run." He says, his eyes flashing. "We need to run around some space from the Peacekeeper-"

"How can you tell where the Peacekeeper is?" I interrupt, confusion and alarm in my tone. I hear the shots coming closer.

Gale's lips become a thin line. "I don't. Lets go."

He sprints off and Katniss shoots off after him. I wince and follow after them, somehow managing to keep up with the two of them despite me lagging behind.

Just then, Gale dives behind a bush and Katniss follows suit. Pausing for about half a second, I look at them like they are idiots but copy them.

"Stay down." Gale hisses at the two of us as he slowly inches his head from the bush to look around. His eyes widen momentarily in alarm and he takes a sharp intake of breath, then he ducks his head back behind the bush.

'Whats wrong?' Katniss mouths silently, her eyes narrowing. Gale sends her a glance and mouths back 'Peacekeeper. His back is to us.'

Well, I think thats what they were trying to mouth, I'm not very sure. I don't read lips very well.

Katniss and Gale exchange looks and realization dawns in their eyes. I feel a little uncomfortable at how they are acting around each other. Hardly five minutes before they had been yelling at each other, and now they are acting like best friends once more.

Then, Katniss looks at me and holds up a hand, shooting me a warning look. I instantly understand - Stay still and keep quiet.

Katniss creeps out from the behind bush, quiet as a mouse. Gale does the same from the opposite side. I stay hidden behind the bush, not daring to sneak a peek. I hear a muffled yelp and a tussle from the other side of the bush.

"Thats over and dealt with, then." Gale grumbles, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah, we need to head back now." Katniss agrees, I slowly rise to my feet and see the two of them looking at each other with hard and emotionless eyes. I swallow, feeling uncomfortable at the enormous amount of tension between them.

I look down and see a Peacekeeper face down, lying on the ground.

"Come on, Peeta." Katniss says shortly, drawing my attention away from the man. I see a pistol near my feet. I pick it up gingerly, ignoring the looks Katniss and Gale shoot my way, and toss it away, as far as I can throw it.

"Good idea." Katniss states simply, before turning away from me and walking off, peering around cautiously. Gale purses his lips, his eyes following her before giving me a short nod and trailing after Katniss, keeping a stealthy posture as well.

I, on the other hand, have no experties in the area of stealth so I do my best by keeping low to the ground and looking around and trying to tread as quietly as I possibly can. So, all in all, I feel like a lumbering idiot.

Katniss holds up a hand after a silence and I look up to see we are a few meters away from the fence. She gestures behind a tree and Gale and I sneak behind the tree and Katniss joins us.

"There are Peacekeepers on the other side." She tells us. "They probably heard the gun shots and are waiting for the guy to come back."

Gale scowls. "This is all my fault, huh? If I haven't lost my cool, one of them couldn't have heard me and we'd be getting home safe."

"I doubt that." I say, unable to keep my mouth shut. "I'd probably be dead by then."

Gale snorts but doesn't reply. Katniss shoots me a dark look and Gale an annoyed one before speaking up, her voice quiet.

"Okay, whats the plan guys? We have no other way to get to District twelve other than that whole. And I'm pretty sure if that other Peacekeeper doesn't come back soon, the rest of them will come." Katniss whispers, her eyes darting around.

Gale purses his lips, his eyes indicating that he's thinking very hard. Meanwhile, I look around the forest, as if that will help me. It does.

My spirits immediately lift up. "What about the trees?" I suggest.

Gale shoots me a look and Katniss looks confused. "The trees?" She questions.

I nod. "I'll explain it, but lets go somewhere else where we can talk without looking over our shoulders." I say firmly.

Katniss chews her lip, and then darts off into the forest. Gale casts a swift look at me and beckons me to follow as well.

Katniss leads us deeper into the foliage and after it seems we've walked for about five minutes, she turns and looks at me, her eyes calculating. "Whats your idea?"

I look up at the trees. "Well, couldn't we like climb on the trees or something that are near to the fence and then, you know, try jump over the fence and land on the ground."

Gale snorts at my idea. "You think that will work? If we manage to somehow jump over the fence and land on the ground, we'll definitely hurt ourselves. That will be a dead giveaway if a Peacekeeper spots us anyways." He points out.

Katniss furrows her brow but doesn't dismiss the idea as quickly as Gale had. "It could work, if we find another place to jump onto from the fence. I mean, some distance down but that we could grab and stay onto and slowly make our way to the ground." Katniss offers.

I nod, thinking the idea sounds decent. Gale looks a little miffed that Katniss hadn't sided instantly with him but he just nods once in approval.

"Sounds alright, but how you be sure that Baker boy can even balance on a tree?" Gale asks.

Katniss rolls her eyes. "I'm sure he's not that stupid to fall out of the tree or something."

I look between them and I see Gale's lips twitch up into a slight small smile before his face resumes its usual scowl. Katniss also looks momentarily amused but that vanishes when she looks at me.

"You okay, there?" Katniss whispers and I slowly steady myself on the tree branch.

Gale rolls his eyes at me as I nearly slip from the branch when Katniss speaks to me. I nod.

"I'm fine."

Katniss looks down from the tree and looks over at the other side of the fence. On the other side is a tree that's got a bunch of branches that look easy to grab, however, my stomach still flip flops at the sight of it.

I look up at the sky, its already dark, I glance at Katniss, wondering how her mother will react when Katniss arrives at home this late.

"I'll go first." Gale says, his voice firm and full of determination. I look at him, feeling a little admiration towards him. He does have guts, I can't deny that.

"Good luck." I say. Katniss nods, her lips in a thin line.

"Yes, Gale, good luck."

Gale lets a smirk fall onto his lip as he slowly rises onto the branch and balances himself. Then, he takes a couple of steps back down the branch and I see him getting ready. Then, he darts off, his feet balancing on the branch perfectly. I watch in astonishment and admiration as he leaps off the branch, past the fence and onto the tree, his right hand grasping a branch as he reaches it. He pulls himself up and looks back at us, I can see relief shining in his eyes as he keeps his composure cool.

"You go next, Mellark." Gale says simply. I swallow, wondering how in the heck I will be able to balance on the branch with my own two feet as Gale has done. I shoot him a pleading look, hoping he'll get the message and let me go last. He does get the message, however he declines immediately. "Katniss will go last so in case you slip off the tree, she might have a chance of keeping you alive by grabbing your shirt or hand or something." Gale points out.

I sigh, realizing that he does have a valid point, a really good point.

"Come on, Baker boy, we can't wait all day." Annoyance is clear in his voice.

I wince as I slowly stand up on the branch, my eyes widening in fear as I hear it creak beneath me. Behind me, I can hear Katniss utter a curse softly.

"What is it?" I ask her, not turning around but still continuing to rise.

Katniss hesitates. "I don't think the branch can hold your weight if you keep going up this slow." She states, rather matter of factly. "If the branch does break, I'm sure the two of us will fall to our deaths and the Peacekeepers will hear the noise. If it breaks and we still manage to live, I'm sure the Peacekeepers will still hear the noise and find us. My point is that you need to hurry up."

I freeze. "Are you calling me fat?" I demand, offense clear in my voice. Katniss sighs in annoyance.

"No, just hurry up before the branch breaks, Peeta."

I purse my lips, close my eyes and stand up straight, spreading my feet apart on the branch and keeping my feet flat and my weight balanced.

"There you go, Peeta. Now, take a few steps back to get a running start." Katniss orders, her voice tense as the two of us hear the branch crackle beneath us. I look over at Gale and see his eyes darkening in worry. I'm pretty sure he can tell that the branch is going to hold any more soon as well.

"Come on, Peeta." Katniss's voice breaks into my thoughts. Slowly, I do as she says and take a couple of steps back.

"Is that alright?" I whisper, my voice hitching slightly as I get a glimpse of the ground. We are quite high up.

"Yes, thats good." Katniss says. "Now run, and make sure you leap as soon as you get near the edge. Gale will probably grab your arm if you can't reach for the branches." Katniss offers.

I nod, not trusting my voice. The thing I'm about to do is scary for me, I've never done anything like this before.

"Good luck." Katniss whispers, I close my eyes and take a deep breath and begin running. I open my eyes and jump off the branch just as I near the edge. The next thing I know, I'm flying in the air. I look down and feel my heart stop momentarily as I see myself nearing the barbed wire of the fence. Then, I look ahead and I see Gale's hand reaching for me. Then, I feel his hand snatch my arm and haul me up the tree so that I'm sitting on a branch as well.

"Come on, Katniss." Gale calls over, his voice being carried by the breeze. Katniss grimaces and stands up on the branch. She takes a step back and begins running, her feet steady and balanced as she runs. Her face is set in grim determination. I watch as she flies over the barbed wire and then I watch as Gale reaches out and grabs her hands delicately and sets her beside him.

"Lets get down from here." Katniss says swiftly, pulling her hand out of Gale's grip. I see Gale's face fall as she does so and I can't help but feel a tiny pang of sympathy towards him.

I watch as Katniss scales down the tree, rather expertly. Then, I watch as Gale does the same, copying Katniss's actions fluidly and perfectly. When its my turn, well, lets not even go into describing how I looked. Let me just tell you that I'm pretty sure I looked like a deer trying climb a rope, which is pretty horrible.

"We need to get away from here, fast." Katniss says as I touch the ground. Gale grunts in agreement and the three of us set off, fast paced. I don't know where we're going, but I instantly recognize that we are in the Seam when I see Katniss's home.

Katniss opens the door and Gale steps in. I, however, stand outside, unsure of what to do next. Is this it? No goodnight or goodbye?

"Goodnight, Katniss." I say, even though I'm sure she doesn't hear me. "See you, Gale." I try. No response from either of them. Turning around with a heavy heart, I begin making my way back home.

Katniss -

"Mother? I'm home!" I say, my voice an octave higher than usual. I walk into the living room, Gale trailing behind me. I wonder where Peeta is, but right now, I have a date with hell. My mother is sitting on a chair, her forehead crinkled in worry.

"Its about time as well, Katniss." My mother says, her lips in a thin line. "Where were you?"

Gale steps into the conversation. "Peacekeepers. We got stuck." He explains.

My mother raises an eyebrow and I see a tad of concern in them. However, it diminishes when she gives me a look. "Are you alright? Any wounds of some sort? And where's that Peeta boy?"

I frown, where is Peeta? Did he go home, without saying goodbye?

"I am fine, mother. I think Peeta went home though."

My mother bites her lower lip. "Did the Peacekeepers see you?" She demands.

I shake my head. "I don't think so. I think the three of us got out of there safely and unnoticed, Gale had to knock out a Peacekeeper though." I explain, feeling grateful towards my friend once more. That thought makes me pause, are we friends? Gale was angry at me before, and even more angrier when he saw Peeta and I in that position on the ground.

I feel my face flush hotly and my heart start pounding manically at the mere thought. Oh gosh... What was I thinking then? To be honest, my mind had went totally blank the moment Peeta had fallen on top of me. I couldn't think, much less talk. So what had I done? I closed my eyes... What the hell was I thinking? I had a feeling as soon as I'd closed my eyes that something would happen that I would regret, but I couldn't control my actions at that moment.

"I'm going to go now." Gale says suddenly. He looks at me and the way his eyes harden when they meet mine is a simple sign to show that we need to talk soon, and I have a very good idea of what we are going to talk about. Peeta.

"Okay, see you." I look out of the door and realize I'd left it open. I purse my lips as I search for some sign of Peeta, I see none. Gale walks into my eyesight and shuts the door closed.

Author's Note: See? I updated sooner! :D Ugh, I am so tired, I stayed up all night typing this up.

What did you guys think? I know, not enough romance, I hope it was interesting to read and that none of you wanted to kill yourself from how boring you thought this was :p

Oh, and we passed the 100 review mark as well as the 9000 view mark! I'm so happy that people actually take their time to read this, :p And to celebrate that, I wrote a new Hunger Games one-shot called Broken. In my opinion, the writing is very crappy xD I tried to make it emotional and such, but I kind of fail at that.

Next chapter, prepare to read more about Mrs. Mellark... As well as a Katniss and Gale argument...

Recently, I got onto FictionPress and read some romance fics, I recommend you guys read False Facades by Maeven, its really amazing, but its quite dark and very emotional, and its got hilarious moments! :D

Anonymous review reply:

JoelHgLover00: Thanks for reviewing :) Haha, I agree, Dante looks very different from the original, or hipster as you say xD I'm glad you liked the chapter!

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