Disclaimer: All stories are usually individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other but this one has a previous. Chapter 31 to be exact!
It was still awkward with Jeneva in the house. She had offered to move in with Katniss and Peeta but Gale insisted that she live with him. He had missed out on 17 years of his only daughter's life, he wasn't missing anymore.
They sat down for dinner as a family, talked about school like a family, and pretended to be like a family, but it was just pretending. Gale didn't know how to raise a child. Sure she was mostly already raised but there was still some time left. Jeneva avoided talking about Madge because it made his stomach twist and Gale avoided talking about Madge because it made her eyes water.
One afternoon Gale came home from work to find Jeneva scurrying in and out of her room and back into the bathroom. "Jeneva?" Gale walked over with an eyebrow raised. "You ok?"
"Just getting ready," she said back. Music was blaring from her room and he strolled over to the stereo, twisting the knob until the music was at a reasonable level. "Hey, I liked that song," she frowned.
"And I like being able to hear," he said back with a laugh. "What are you getting ready for?"
"I'm going out," she said back, running the brush through her tangled blonde hair. No matter how she pulled it her face contorted into a scowl, much like her fathers. "Do I look alright?"
"You look fine," he said. Gale had learned not to compliment the teenager or she would change her entire outfit saying it couldn't be good if he thought so. "Where are you going?"
"Just with a friend," she waved him off, darting back into her room and turning her music up again. "You might know him actually," Jeneva rifled through her sock drawer as if she was looking for something other than socks, like she expected a whole new outfit to be in the depth of her drawer. Gale raised an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to continue. "Finnick Odair? The second, obviously."
Gale dropped his arms and his eyebrows furrowed, "How the hell do you know him?"
"We're friends, Gale," she said back. Jeneva still couldn't call him dad, she just wasn't used to it. "Mom spent a lot of time with Katniss, Katniss with Annie."
"He's too old for you," Gale said sternly. "I don't want you going."
"Okay first of all," she turned and placed her hands on her hips, "he's one year older than me. Just one. And second," her hands flew in the air, "I said we're just friends!"
"That's why you're getting yourself all dolled up, eh?" Gale rolled his eyes and stepped out of the way as Jeneva pushed past him to get back to the bathroom. "The boy's a spitting image of his father!" Gale followed after her. Short bronze hair, bright green eyes. "No, no you're not going."
"We're just friends," she repeated angrily, the brush pulling through her hair with force. "You don't even know him!" That wasn't entirely true, Gale had met Finnick Jr. once when the boy was about thirteen. Gale was overwhelmed at how much he was like his father, he had to leave the room to take a moment and breathe. Gale and Finnick had been friends back in the Star Squad and it was a bit too eerie.
Suddenly, a knock rang through the small condo Gale owned and before Jeneva could compose herself Gale ran to answer it. He pulled open the door and on the other side was just the boy in question. "Hello," Gale said shortly.
"Mr. Hawthorne," the boy smiled politely. "Is Jeneva home?"
"That would depend," Gale replied as Finnick rocked back and forth on his feet, a teasing smile still spreading across his face. "What do you intend to do with her?"
"I intend," he smirked, "to take her out for ice cream, then go ice skating." Gale raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "If it's alright with you, of course."
"Gale," Jeneva frowned from out of view of the door. "Let me go," she pleaded in a hushed whisper.
"I-," Gale frowned as well and took a step back. "Back by ten," he grumbled. Jeneva giggled, running forward and wrapping her arms quickly around her father before rushing out the door. "Hey, I mean it!"
"Of course, sir," Finnick said back, sliding his arm around Jeneva's waist with a grin. "Wouldn't want to upset the father on the first date!" With that, Gale groaned, shutting the door with a suppressed smile.