A/N: Ugh, writing these two kills me somtimes. I kinda loved where they were headed last chapter, and then this is what came out today. It's like one step forward, two steps back. I seriously have no control over them. Lucky for you readers, I seem to have caught the writing bug again, so you get another update in less than two days... !? I know, I know, easy with the fanfare. ;)
Gale tries not to feel the emptiness that sets in further and further with every step Katniss takes away from him. He watches her until she disappears around the corner of his street, fighting the urge to chase her down. But what would he say if he had caught her? She's right, he was an ass?
Deflated, Gale stares at the bottle of salve and wonders what Katniss would have called him if she knew the thoughts that had been running through his head a few moments ago. If she had known he thought the heat of the day seemed a thousand times worse when she was near. If she had realized her fingers on his skin felt like fire and ice all at once and his hiss had not been one of pain. Probably nothing good, he thinks.
He looks down the street corner one last time before turning to disappear into the house.
He's just musing on how hard she would have hit him if he had been bold enough to tuck the loose wayward strand of midnight hair behind her ear when Hazelle breaks into his reverie.
"What did Katniss want?" Her eyes are curious, and Gale briefly wonders if she heard Katniss shouting at him. She looks hopeful, so maybe not.
"Uh, she brought me a salve for my cut," Gale answers, holding up the small bottle of willow bark and honey.
"That was nice of her."
Gale frowns at that remark, but his mother doesn't seem to mean it in the short clipped way he heard it. She just turns back to cleaning vegetables, scrubbing a stalk of celery and carrots, before turning back to eye him with a funny look. He hasn't moved and his expression must concern her, because she asks, worriedly, "Everything all right, Gale?"
Jesus, Catnip, what are you doing to me?
Gale shakes his head, pulling one hand through his hair. He blinks rapidly as if dust had settled into his eye, and shrugs in what he hopes is a casual manner.
"Yeah, Ma. Just didn't expect her to put it on for me."
The words are out of his mouth before he can hold them back. Hazelle continues her work, but gives her eldest son a sly glance. She wisely doesn't press the issue by commenting on Katniss' sudden charity or Gale's sudden bemusement.
"Well why don't you put that away," she says, nodding to the medication in his hand, "and help your mother chop these veggies?"
Gale nods distractedly, but dutifully turns towards the house's single bathroom, his mind replaying over and over the pads of her fingers on his skin.
Gale meets Johanna at the airport early the next morning. Though not high in the sky, the sun is already hot and relentless on the back of his neck. He wipes at his hairline, and the back of his hand comes away damp. These security uniforms don't breathe well. He undoes the zipper of the high-collared shirt just a bit more and makes a mental note to tell Paylor.
Johanna and her team arrive with the subtlety of a swarm of black wasps, sending the few passengers and personnel around scattering in their wake. If the Loyalists didn't realize the increased presence of the new Capitol, they certainly did now.
Johanna smiles as she approaches. It's a real smile, one that Gale had to earn and not before being burnt by her multiple times for failing to know the difference. Without an audience to watch, she offers him a long hug by way of greeting. He had had to earn those too.
"You can't even go four days in your old district before I have to be called in to save your sorry ass?" She laughs at his annoyed look. "What did she do to break you so fast?"
Gale pulls aside his collar to show her the wound and darkening bruise.
Johanna's jaw drops.
"Is that…?" Johanna leans in and squints at his neck. "Wow, nicely done Katniss, not even I've left a hickey like that before."
"She shot me actually," Gale replies, knowing the truth will take her off guard. And she'd see through any lie instantly. Other than Katniss, Johanna was one of the only people who had ever been able to call his bluff.
Johanna throws back her head, laughing hysterically, as Gale knew she would. She elbows him in the side, a devilish grin on her face. "Kinky."
"All right, all right," Gale chides, but he can't help returning her smile. Despite her abrasive personality, he hadn't realized how much he needed to see a friendly face.
Splitting themselves and piling into multiple vehicles, the team heads toward the district square and Victor's Village where they will be staying while stationed in Twelve. When the convoy arrives at the cul-de-sac of the Victor's Village, Johanna briefs Gale on the lastest updates from the Capitol.
"We still don't know exactly what they are planning, but Intelligence has confirmed that Snow's Sentries are responsible for the chatter," she explains, adjusting her pant leg where Gale catches a glimpse of her ankle holster and gun.
"Whatever they want, you know it will be violent," Gale replies. He holds out his hand expectantly.
"That's what Paylor is afraid of," Johanna says, then scrunches her brow at him.
Gale nods, inadvertently glancing towards Katniss' house. He sees movement in the front window and a moment later, the door opens. Peeta and Katniss stand on their front stoop surveying their once quiet street now filled with men and women in black roaming freely. Spotting Gale and Johanna, Peeta smiles and makes his way over.
"Look out," Johanna says, "here comes the cavalry."
"I just don't think it's a good idea, Peeta," Katniss says, stepping away from the window.
But Peeta is already opening the door, and she has no choice but to follow him out onto the porch.
Five cars are parked in a line on the street, their doors and trunks open as more and more people in official-looking black attire mill about. It reminds Katniss of carpenter ants overtaking a rotted log. She thinks she spots Gale and Johanna before Peeta does, and starts to say, "Come on, let's go back in," when he smiles radiantly and raises a hand towards the solemn duo.
Johanna waves dramatically back, and Gale elbows her in the side. As they approach, Johanna says something that draws out a genuine smile from Gale, the one he used to save for her when they were alone together in the woods. Katniss feels her chest tighten, and tells herself, it's because he doesn't deserve to be happy, and not that it has anything to do with Johanna sharing something she believed to be only hers.
"Johanna!" Peeta greets her warmly, and they share a brief hug, a moment that leaves Gale and Katniss awkwardly watching from the sidelines. Peeta steps back, and offers Gale his hand. "Gale, it's good to see you," he says shaking Gale's outstretched hand.
"Peeta," Gale says in acknowledgement. He keeps his hand out after Peeta backs way, and wiggles his fingers again at Johanna.
"I'm not going to hold your hand, Hawthorne," she says, winking at Katniss and pulling her into an embrace. Katniss can't keep herself from staring at Gale, hoping he sees her betrayal and residual anger, but he doesn't meet her eye. When Johanna releases her, he keeps his attention solely on the feisty woman Katniss grew to like during the Games.
"Where's my gun, Mason?"
"Where's my gun, Gale?" Johanna smirks at him, and Katniss doesn't miss the pointed look Johanna darts towards his belt. Gale scoffs and tries not to smile at Johanna's not so subtle innuendo.
"Mason, I'm not playing."
Johanna raises her eyebrow.
"Please, Mason, may I have my gun?" Gale says.
"All right, don't get your panties in a twist," Johanna grins, walking her fingers provocatively up Gale's arm. She bops his nose, leans close, and says, "All you had to do was ask nicely."
Katniss sees red spread across Gale's face, and can't help the searching look she gives him. He clears his throat, and immediately averts his eyes from her unwavering stare.
Johanna turns and whistles around her fingers at a team of three chatting next to the parked vehicles. She gestures something with her hands and they immediately start rummaging through equipment.
Peeta laughs a little nervously. "Guns? What's all this?"
"There's been a threat to the Rebuilding here in Twelve from some Snow sympathizers," Johanna explains. "Paylor sent me for back up. I think she worried for his pretty face after what you did to his neck," she adds, winking at Katniss. "Next time, do a girl a favor, and aim a little more to the left."
Paling despite the summer sun, Katniss manages a smile, her gray eyes shooting an accusing glare at Gale. He pretends not to notice.
A young woman, her short blonde haircut bobbing in her wake, hurries over and hands Gale a handgun and his crossbow.
"Thanks," Gale says, sliding the handgun into his waistband and shouldering the crossbow.
The woman's face turns a brilliant shade of red at his smile and stammers, "My pleasure, Captain."
Katniss' glare hardens.
"So it's captain now, is it?" a loud voice booms behind them.
Katniss recognizes the voice well before Gale and Johanna because they spring into action, pulling their handguns and yanking Katniss and Peeta behind them in one fluid motion. She tries not to notice how Gale's body is angled directly across hers, and she tries harder not to feel the flash of jealousy that rips through her chest at their well-choreographed display. She scowls at the back of his head instead.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Haymitch says, rising his hands in surrender. His right hand holds a half-empty bottle of liquor. "If I'm not invited to the party, just say so, I'll turn around."
Katniss watches Johanna and Gale exchange a look, relax, and re-holster their weapons.
"So jumpy," Haymitch adds.
"Haymitch," Johanna says curtly by way of greeting. "I see some things never change."
Haymitch doesn't respond, just offers Johanna the bottle, facetiously swirling the liquid in her face. She sneers, but accepts it and takes a large swig. Surprised, Katniss raises her eyebrows when Johanna hands it to Gale and he helps himself. Seeing her scrutiny, Gale wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and holds out the bottle. Katniss stares at him, wide-eyed, but Gale just shrugs and passes the liquor back to its rightful owner.
"So what's this little shindig about?" Haymitch asks.
"Increased security for the opening of the town hall this weekend," Gale replies.
"Which you are invited to by the way," Johanna adds, then turns to Peeta and Katniss. "All of you."
"Paylor actually wants both of you on stage," Gale says. He adjusts his crossbow. "You don't have to say anything, just make an appearance."
"Yeah, ok," Peeta says nodding. "We'll be there."
Katniss levels a scowl at him, but Peeta is used to her general disagreeing with him and doesn't acknowledge it.
"Johanna is heading up the crowd security, so I can oversee your protection," Gale explains further.
Something twists, vicious and quick, in Katniss' stomach and she takes a step towards Gale.
"I don't need a bodyguard," she snaps.
Gale stares off at a point over her head, and sighs loudly, as if he expected this reaction from her. That observation only infuriates her more.
"I'm just doing what Paylor has asked me," he says.
"Tell her you can't," Katniss says.
Gale gapes.
"She's my boss, Katniss," he replies, his tone harder now. "I can't just say no."
"And when have rules ever stopped you before, Gale?" She spits his name at him, and feels pride at his noticeable wince.
"Katniss, stop," Peeta says, coming to stand by her side, but she's red and hot and she thinks she's still just mad about yesterday afternoon, and this really isn't the time or place but she doesn't care. She takes another step forward, and grins when Gale steps back. He cocks his head at her amusement, narrowing his eyes at her. Katniss feels like he's reading her, like an instruction manual, as if all he has to do is find the right code or step to unlock this secret code of theirs. He sees something he likes because he smiles at her too.
"Ok fine, I see. You don't want me there. I can't say no and disobey our president," Gale says. "Here." He grabs her arm, though she tries to pull away, and slaps his handgun into her palm.
"Take another shot," Gale continues, folding her hands around the grip. He steps back and gestures her to proceed. "You certainly can't miss this time."
No one moves. No one seems to breathe.
Her gaze is watery and Gale can see she is faltering. She raises her arms and takes aim.
Peeta, Johanna, and Haymitch all lurch foward but Gale calls them off with a wave of his hand. He never drops Katniss' stare, smiling at her hesitation.
"I'm sorry, Catnip," he says, "Did you want this one instead?" He unslings his crossbow and holds it out.
Katniss feels the first tear track down her cheek. Her jaw aches from her clenched teeth, and her knuckles have turned a deathly white. Her arms begin to shake from fury, or frustration, or pain, she can't tell. She drops her arms and drops the gun.
"Go to hell, Gale," she says softly, spinning on her heel.
"Where do you think I am?" he yells after her.
Thankful that her back is turned as she retreats, Katniss lets the tears flow freely.
~Fin