A/N: Just in case you were starting to wonder where Rory was, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about him. He's just off playing with Prim right now :P

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.

Chapter six: Miscommunication~

"Never mentioned?" Gale echoed, disbelief written on his face.

Katniss shook her head. "I'm sorry, you just kind of...slipped my mind." She admitted.

He gaped at her. "I thought you said you didn't know anyone here!"

"I don't," she said indignantly. "I haven't seen Cato in years. I had no idea he was coming this year." She turned to look outside the shelter, eyes following the general trail that Cato took.

"Does anyone know I exist?" Asked Gale, bringing her attention back to him.

"...No?" She answered sheepishly. Upon seeing her friend's open-mouthed expression she quickly added, "But there's a reason for that!"

He crossed his arms disbelievingly. "Really?"

Katniss held her hands out in a defensive manner. "YES, a VERY good reason."

"Really? And what's that?"

"Uh..." her eyes trailed beyond him, her attention diverted.

She suddenly looked very nervous, and though he was curious, Gale refused to avert his gaze. Unfortunately for him, it was about to be averted for him.

"Katniss? Is that you, dear?"

Gale began to turn around, only to be bombarded with perms and makeup and powder and lipstick and pink, all of which were way too close to his face. He started, genuinely scared of the sight before him. It was a woman, that much he could tell, but with all of the makeup caked onto her face she was practically ageless. She could have been thirty, she could have been fifty.

The alien being hugged him tightly, and upon releasing him, spoke to Katniss, her hands still resting on his arms.

"And who, is this?" She asked flirtingly, eyes on Gale.

Gale glanced over. Katniss looked mortified, as though she would run away at any second.

"This is...Gale, Aunt Effie..." she replied reluctantly.

"Ooh, I see. Is he your boyfriend?" Effie questioned, winking at him.

Katniss placed a hand to her forehead, clearly embarrassed by her aunt's behavior. "No, Aunt Effie, he's just a friend."

Effie scoffed, waving her niece away. "Pfft. Poppycock. If he's not in love with you then I'm from outer space."

Gale choked back a laugh, noticing Katniss stifle one herself.

"Oh, no matter. I'll get to the bottom of this before the day is over." Smirked Effie, and she finally released Gale from her hold.

"It's nice to see you, dear," she said, giving Katniss a hug and kissing both sides of her face.

"Nice to see you too," her niece replied, hugging her back, eyes shooting wide in a 'yikes' manner as she stared at Gale from over her shoulder.

Effie smiled and walked off, and Gale laughed when he saw his friend's face. There were two kiss marks on either side of her cheeks, their hot pink color making it seem as though she were blushing. Katniss frowned at him, unaware of what he found so funny.

"What?"

He stifled a chuckle, but it came out as a snort. "You got something on your..."

She moved a hand up to her cheek, roughly swiping at it with the back of her sleeve. This only helped in smearing it around her face, and he laughed even harder.

Gale pointed to the spot on her cheek, chuckling. "No no, it's..."

Katniss wiped at her face again, smearing the residue further.

"No, it's right..."

She wiped again.

"Right there..."

Frowning even deeper, Katniss took both her sleeves and proceeded to rub her face raw, determined to get the blasted lipstick off her skin. When she pulled her hands away, her face was a hot pink mess. She didn't quite look like a clown, per se, but he didn't want to say drag-queen, either. It was more of an...ArtPop look.

Grinning, Gale replied, "...You got it."

Huffing, Katniss crossed her arms.

"Still want me to introduce you to the rest of the family?" She asked smartly.

Gale, still trying to keep a straight face, replied,

"I think I'll pass, thank you."

"Good." She said, bowing her head and looking at the ground.

They stood there idly for some time, and Gale knew she was waiting him out for an apology. Unfortunately for Gale, she always won. He may have been stubborn, and depending on the event it may take him several days to admit that he was wrong (two weeks is the current record) but she always won. And he always apologized.

"...Look, I'm sorry." He finally said.

Katniss looked up at him, arms still crossed, clearly expecting more. He rolled his eyes.

"I shouldn't have been so sensitive over something so-"

"Ridiculous?" She finished.

"...Yeah." he admitted.

"Stupid? Dumb? Small? Trivial? Re-"

"Okay, that's enough."

She sighed.

"You know you're my best friend, Gale. And I like the fact that I don't have to remind you every five minutes," she said lowly, kicking at an invisible rock.

"Yeah, exactly! And that's what I like about you, too." He said, agreeing completely. "But it's just...I mean jeez, I talk about you with my friends all the time."

Her head shot up. "You do?"

Gale scratched the back of his head. "Y-yeah, all the time. Well, I mean not all the time, but I...we talk, okay?"

Katniss smiled a small smile, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Really? About what?"

He froze, knowing full well that this was a trick question.

"Uh..."

"Hey, Kit-Kat! How ya been?" An obnoxious voice sounded from behind them.

They both turned their heads towards the voice, Katniss' face cringing.

"Oh, no..."

A/N: Can you guess who that's going to be? ;D

'Til next time.