Just wanted to say that I had a great time doing food research for this one. I learned a lot of amusing and disturbing things about what we eat and what we think we want to eat. The internet is a very special source of information.
Johanna's back hit the wall. Shit. Gale was not happy. Couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you? She had a knack for fucking things up. He was fixing you breakfast for crying out loud. It had been so long; Johanna could hardly remember the last time that happened. Well, except for—Don't. Just don't.
"You know nothing about Prim." Gale was barely audible.
Johanna took in a steadying breath as she stared him down. "Don't I? I lived across the hall from her, remember?" Fighting Johanna could do. None of that playing house shit. "Saw her sneak out all the time to see that kid brother of yours."
He gripped her tighter. "Leave my family out of this."
"Tough. They were involved from the moment you picked a fight with the Capitol, Hawthorne."
"Oh yeah? And what happened to yours?"
Johanna had no words, just a snarl as she pushed him off of her. She jabbed and punched at his face. He blocked both, just a smidge faster than her. Then she swept at his legs, and he sidestepped. Growling, Johanna looped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into her knee, but he swept her leg pinned her on the floor. "Get off."
"You used to be lethal. What happened?"
"Getting fucked by the Capitol will do that to you."
Gale stood up, pulling her with him. "You aren't a victim, Johanna."
"Oh yeah? What am I, then?"
"You aren't broken, either." He touched her cheek, and even though Johanna wanted to push his hand away, at the same time she didn't. She reached up to hold his hand there, loosing himself in the clouds in his eyes-
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
"Shit. I gotta get going." Just like that, Gale let go. He stepped toward his case.
"Going where?"
Gale turned, glancing at her as he rolled his eyes. "Where I go five days a week? To work?"
Johanna smirked. "You can hold down a job?"
"Very funny." He turned back towards the door as he turned the knob.
"What kind of job is it? Shinning shoes?" She slid past him, edging by the door.
His hand brushed hers as he turned the knob. "I'm in charge of rebuilding the district."
Johanna snickered. "Sucks to be you."
She barely heard him as he was already halfway down the street. "Beats sitting on the couch all day." Bastard.
"I'm telling you, he forgot his lunch." Johanna held up a slimy bag that smelled worse than it looked. She stood in front of the elevator, knowing exactly what floor Gale Hawthorne worked on. The sign next to the elevator made it easy. Either Hawthorne was well loved by District 2 or his employers were full of it.
"Mr. Hawthorne never packs a lunch." The security guard was at least a foot taller than her, and he enjoyed looking down her shirt as they talked.
"Well, he did this morning." God, these people were annoying.
The receptionist smiled from behind her desk. "Then why did he invite me to lunch?"
"He did what?" Johanna turned back at the receptionist, imagining how lovely her white, ironed blouse would look with Gale's lunch splattered all over it.
"We're going to the market today to try Miller's new soup."
Cute. She must've been lying. No way Hawthorne would submit to such Breadboyish behavior. "Isn't that the guy that puts rats in his—"
"Actually rat doesn't taste that bad. It's more flavorful than rabbit meat." Johanna spun around once again, nearly bumping into Gale's chest. Funny, she didn't remember hearing the elevator ding. He must have taken the stairs.
"Good. Then your lunch will taste even better than steak tartare." Johanna shoved the meal in his face, but managed to keep the lid on.
"You can keep it Johanna; I already have plans." His expression told her nothing, though his eyes seemed more clouded than usual.
"With Blond Bimbo over there?"
Gale started to open his mouth, but the balding man who had just stepped out of the elevator answered for him. "No, he has a board meeting to finish."
The lines in Gale's forehead furrowed as he pressed his lips together. "I still have five minutes, don't I?"
"Four minutes, fifty-nine seconds." Bad Man pushed past him towards the restroom.
"You can at least eat it upstairs." Johanna wasn't sure why she cared. After all, she was getting hungry.
"With the smell of this wafting towards everyone's nostrils? No thanks." Gale put both of her hands firmly on the container. "We're already having trouble getting things done."
"What's the big deal?"
"I wish it was just one."
"Excuse me, Mr. Hawthorne?" Her voice rang like songbirds in the forrest. Really tasty songbirds.
"I keep telling you to call me Gale." He smiled. Not just smirked or quirked the corner of his mouth. Smiled.
"Would it be possible to get a rain check on our lunch?"
"Of course." No. Gale never, ever blushed. And yet, Johanna saw red around his collar.
"What he means is that I'm buying lunch. For all of us." Johanna slipped into the elevator after Bald Man before either Gale or the receptionist could tell her no.
But that didn't stop Gale from trying. "Johanna, what the hell are you doing?"He chased her down the hallway. This must be the only finished building in all of District 2. Heck, it was in better condition than Gale's apartment. At least this place had houseplants
"I'm doing you a favor, Gale.". Johanna leaned against the door playfully, her hand on the knob. He wasn't getting past her this time. "If any of your boardmembers are like ol' Baldy, you're never going to get anything done."
"We're getting plenty done." Gale placed a hand over hers, much more firmly this time. His knuckles were white, but the rest of his hand was pink.
"Like what?"
"See those plants over there? Those came from our community garden."
"You only have one community garden for the whole district?"
"We have others planned. We just need to figure out where to-Johanna, STOP!"
And just like that, she was inside, with the entire ten person Committee for Reconstruction of District 2 sitting right in front of her. There had been a hum of discussion until the door closed behind her. Then, one by one, all of them had turned to look at her.
"Miss Mason, what are you doing here?"