A/N: Whoo, and I'm back! Again! HA! :D

Okay, so this chapter picks up IMMEDIATELY where the last one left off. JUST so you know ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.

Chapter 17: Levels of Manliness and Finding Prim~

Gale was so caught up in his new-found realization that he didn't notice Katniss had been staring at him for over a minute.

"Gale?"

His head snapped up at the sound of his name, and Gale's eyes landed on a very freaked-out Katniss.

"Yeah?" He asked, unaware of why she was looking at him like he was crazy.

It took her a moment before she could reply. "Why are you smiling like that?"

Gale's face instantly dropped. Had he been smiling? As his expression died he felt his facial muscles immediately relax (particularly the ones near the corners of his mouth).

Guess so.

Feeling a sudden surge of heat rising to his cheeks, Gale scratched the back of his head and looked at the ground, trying to clear his throat and cough some manliness back into him.

Katniss let out a light chuckle, and he could hear her smiling.

"That's better. You were starting to worry me, there."

Letting out a puff of hot air, Gale looked back up at his friend. "What, is a guy not allowed to smile anymore?"

She thought a moment. "Mmm...no, but it's weird when you do it like that. If you're not careful, you may lose your current level of manliness."

"Manliness? Hey, I'll have you know I'm plenty manly." He shot back, flashing a wink and a smile.

Katniss gave an open-mouthed smile, her body wracking with silent laughs. "Okay, Mr. Full-of-himself."

They both chuckled, and fell into silence once again.

"Uh...so, did you want me for something?" He asked, cheeks getting hotter by the second in hopes that she wouldn't ask why he had been acting like a lovesick Peeta.

"Yeah, actually."

Phew.

"I was going to ask you to go get Prim. They're setting up the games."

His head shot up. Go get Prim? She had never asked him to do that before. Like, ever. At all. In fact, he couldn't remember a time she trusted anyone but her mom or herself to find and retrieve her little sister.

This was big. Bigger than big. Katniss was entrusting him of all people with something she had never even thought of asking anyone else. This could be the major turning-point in their relationship...well, one of them, anyway. Things were starting to look up. Way up. And he'd better get it right. Because if he screwed up...

Phew, okay.

Go get Prim. He could do that.

Anything to get him away from the source of his damned blush.

Katniss pursed her lips, briefly gazing at the ground before resting her eyes back on him.

"So you wanna tell me why-"

"Prim! Yeah, lemme go get her," Gale desperately spun around and speed-walked away from her.

She didn't call after him and he didn't turn around, both of which he was glad for.

He slowed his pace a bit after he nearly fell on (and crushed) a 5-year-old, and he was able to completely slow down after almost tripping over an abandoned tricycle. He went inside the shelter, and with his luck, found Prim and Rory within two seconds of searching. He immediately made his way over to the two, hesitating when he saw who they were talking to.

Aunt Effie.

Gale lingered at the edge of the picnic table, waiting for the neon-clad woman to leave. When she did, he made his move. He sauntered in between the tables, ducking low to keep out of Effie's sight. When he reached Prim and his brother, he was at eye-level with them, peaking in between the rows of seats to be sure she had gone. He grabbed hold of Prim's shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Prim asked, looking at him strangely.

He paid her no attention, instead craning his head this way and that as he watched Effie leave the shelter. He sighed in relief.

Turning his attention on Prim, he replied, "Okay. I'm here because-"

There was a flash of red in his peripheral vision, and Gale's gaze was snagged on none other than Johanna Mason. Making a near-silent yelp of surprise (and horror), he yanked Prim over to him and hid behind her, burying his face in endless pigtails.

He peeked over her shoulder.

"Is she gone?"

Prim looked around. "Who?"

"What do you mean, 'who'? Johanna!" He whispered.

Prim's gaze caught on the girl in question, and mouthing a silent 'oh' of surprise, nodded. "Yeah, she's leaving."

Breathing an enormous sigh of relief, Gale moved Prim aside and stood up to his full height, straightening himself and dusting off his clothes. Prim raised an eyebrow at his sudden dignity.

"...What?"

She said nothing, merely making a face of disapproval as she shook her head.

"So what'd you want us for?" Rory asked, suddenly speaking up.

Gale still hadn't forgiven him for the little 'stunts' he'd pulled earlier, and the look he gave him made Rory immediately shrink back into the background.

"Katniss wanted me go get Prim. Not you." He said, rolling his eyes and tugging on the ends of his shirt to try and straighten it out.

"Katniss? What does she want?" Prim asked, curious.

Pausing in his efforts, Gale looked down at her. "Uh, they're starting the games and Katniss wanted you to know about it."

Her eyes immediately brightened, so much so that Gale could have sworn the entire shelter lightened by two or three shades.

"Well where is she? We always do the games together and we have to be quick, come on!"

Prim grabbed hold of Gale's hand and started to drag him out into the sun, Rory following close behind.

He had never been entrusted to find and retrieve any member of the Everdeen clan before, and Gale was quite pleased with himself that the first attempt had been so successful. Nothing more exciting than a retrieval mission - or, in Prim's case, a rescue mission. From Effie. And Johanna. And everyone else. And he didn't even mess anything up - no altercations, no negative interactions with his best friend's family members - nada.

Katniss would be so proud.

A/N: We'll get some more Cato in the next chapters, as well as teams for 'the games' ;)

I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last couple of chapters. I smile like a goofball whenever I read you guys' reviews, so silly XD Good to have you back, Jaysong, and thank you, Guest! I have not, nor will I ever give up on Everthorne ( '-')/

'Til next time!