Elastic Heart

We're A Team

He craved her touch the way he craved the crisp air of their favorite hillside in the forest. Needed her more than he needed oxygen in his lungs. Katniss gave him a certain strength he never could have obtained by working hard in the mines back in Twelve. She gave him a reason and a purpose. A direction, where so many young men his age had none. Surviving had always been highest on the list of priorities in the Seam, but Katniss brought light to his life. There was no obligation here. Everything was genuine, sculpted from their own young hands and built into something sturdy and beautiful. Above all things, he cherished this. Being friendship or romance, their love was endless, and it made all the difference in the world.

His arms lifted above his head, a silent request for Katniss to pull the shirt off his body, so her hands might touch him everywhere. So she might breathe the life into his lungs that he so desperately craved.

Reading his signal like she always did (it was effortless, it was instinct, it was second nature), she took the bottom hem of his shirt and curled it up and over his head, allowing herself time to stare. She lost the shirt quickly on the floor, her hands moving to his body. Her eyes stayed down. They traced every contour of his middle, lines and divots and shapes she was very familiar with, but hadn't ever given time to take them in. Her hands followed her eyes. The backs of her fingers over the rocky hills of his abdominals, fingertips making rainbows along his sides, palms outstretched over the expanse of his back.

She took a step closer and couldn't stand another minute fully clothed. She pulled her shirt from her back. Finally able to breathe. This place wasn't going to take them down--not if they refused to give up. Katniss put herself between his stance, chests together, her arms coming around him. With a slow breath, she rested her forehead on his shoulder, just where she was tall enough to meet him. Her lips came together on his chest in a kiss. Kissing Gale's mouth was one thing. Kissing his body was another. Kissing on the mouth was sharing something, being overwhelmed and in need. To kiss his body would be an act of worship. She wanted to do just that.

We're A Team

She stood and Gale’s arms all but fell around her, sliding around her waist to hold her close, to pull her in. These arms could keep her safe. Gale was certain of it. There wasn’t much about the Games to be confident about, but the boy knew he was strong enough to protect the girl he loved. His best friend, his lover. The girl that would have been his future one day. A finger tucked itself beneath Katniss’s chin, urged her head to tilt up so their lips could meet. It was a soft embrace, much like their hold on one another. Gentle, tender, but with passion sizzling heatedly beneath the surface. Maybe it was boyish. Maybe the vast majority of thinkers would believe their actions to be foolish, brought on by little more than teenage hormones. But it was the realest thing Gale had ever experienced. It was the most beautiful place he’d ever visited. Her kiss was the grass of his homeland, tickling at his ankles. Her touch was the sunlight that shone brightly over Twelve, warming him without a moment’s doubt or hesitation. She was his perfect, and she always would be. In this life, and the next.

His lips once again found her neck, knees bending as he explored the neckline of the shirt given to her by the Capitol. By the very people who would cheer their deaths, should the luck run out in the arena. He pressed a kiss to every freckle he could find, tracing a constellation into her skin. His beautiful Katniss. Rough around the edges with a skillset traditionally suited for a man. So many would find her flawed, but she was perfect in Gale’s eyes. Perfect for him, right down to these very freckles.

Part of her still couldn't believe this had happened to them. The Reaping, and now this. Two friends, thick as thieves, knowing every in and out of the other, turned into lovers over a matter of days. High strung emotions and a terrible fate. She didn't have to wonder what would have happened anymore. They'd already made it clear. Gale enveloped her in his arms and she pretended she was his wife, tried to smell the coal dust on his shirt and the wood in his hair. She got what she wanted in his kiss, one hand coming to rest on the back of his neck and the other arm pulled over the broadness of his shoulders and his back. The pads of her fingers dug ever so slightly into the flesh of his shoulder, crinkling his shirt, wanting to be rid of the clothes.

For a while, she gave herself permission to forget about Prim. She focused on his lips writing love notes on her neck, noticing when he began to trace the random marks along her skin. She wondered what Gale had thought about her through the years, if he really claimed to have loved her for so long. He was very good at keeping secrets, but his emotions always brewed close to the surface. That was time she hadn't had. It had never occurred to her to look inward at her own feelings, and once she did, she found things that surprised her. How she'd loved Gale for just as long and had missed it.

She started to crave closeness like an unquenchable thirst. Her hands moved under his shirt and over his sides, feeling his back curl as he hunched to kiss her.

We're A Team

Gale swallowed thickly, drowning in the guilt he felt at ruining whatever illusion his love had tried to submerge them in. He desperately wished it had worked. Wished that the falsified image of trees and green and earth would have been a comfort to him, if not for his benefit, then for Katniss’s. But it wasn’t. It never would be. He needed real. He needed the flesh of bark beneath his palm and dirt under his fingernails. He needed the tickle of grass against his ankles and the unpredictable chirps of birds that flew above them. The Capitol would never get it right. They didn’t know the forest like he and Katniss knew it. They could never fully appreciate it, and therefore would never make it accurate enough to be believable. It was just another slap in the face from a pompous group of people who really didn’t give a shit about them, or their fates.

Katniss moved back to the table and the boy bit his bottom lip. The air was thick with tension and agony, but he followed. He would always follow her. But he didn’t take his seat, didn’t make for the food on his plate. Gale had lost all desire to eat, because there were a lot more important things than food right now. Well, at least one thing. One thing that would always more important than the rest. He stooped low behind Katniss’s chair, bent so he could nuzzle carefully against the back of her neck. He nosed her hair aside, pressed a kiss to the warmth of her skin. This was more important. They were more important. Time was fleeting and if anything was going to make him feel better, it was Katniss. It was the love they’d unearthed in this dark place. “You’re home now,” he whispered, touching another kiss to the shell of her ear.

He had been right, of course. Something as superficial as the wall portrait could never amount to the real thing. They knew the forest, it was weaved into their DNA, and no matter how much she clawed for a piece of it here, it would always fall short. She poked around her plate, not taking her own advice about eating, because as hungry as she'd been when dinner began, her appetite had found someplace else to reside for a while. She could feel her mortality ticking behind everything else, a clock whittling down to its final moments. She had to treasure each one. But here, she didn't know how. This wasn't how she would spend her last days if she had the choice.

Gale seemed to offer some guidance, lending her a source of comfort to last through the night. If she could choose, she would spend her last moments alive with Gale. She hoped she would get to be so lucky in the Arena, perhaps dying in his arms would have a sense of loveliness where there would have been fear. But tonight, she was alive. She put down her fork at the feel of his face on the skin of her neck, his nose along the nape and into her hair. She sighed, eyes closing while his warm breath smoked over her body. He spoke three words into her ear. You're home now. She toyed with how he meant it. She could be his home. Or he was trying to transplant her back in Twelve, trying to feed her imagination, saying that while in his arms, she was home. Either one sounded perfect.

Katniss turned her head over her shoulder to see him. The wood of the chair was too much separation for her, and she stood to come around and meet him.

mockingjalie

My fingers wrap around Gale’s wrist. “Do not leave my side.” I say under my breath. “I’m right here.” he answers quietly.

#gale #me

We're A Team

He hadn’t meant to make her sad, but Gale could see the effects of his words glistening in midnight eyes. There was a whole future for them back in Twelve. One that would have been perfectly suited for their needs and their desires. A simple life, but one where they both lived. One where they both loved, and thrived in that love. So much was being taken away from them, things they hadn’t even had the pleasure of touching, or feeling. Even Gale knew that they were barely scraping the surface of what they could be. Perhaps it was a hopelessly romantic notion, but Gale would have loved the chance to fall stupidly in love with his best friend. Instead, he’d only be granted a single step into that divine pool. A teaser, enough to make him want it more than anything else in this world. But that was it. Their love would never leave the Capitol, and it ached more than anything.

"I can be your home, for now," he countered softly, one hand lifting to settle at her jaw, thumb stroking slowly across her cheekbone. "And you’ll be mine." It would have to be enough for now. Until Katniss won the Games and made it back to Twelve. She’d have her home then. Her mother, and Prim. Gale’s family, too. They’d become her family, and they’d all find a way to live happily, in the end.

The kisses they shared were tinged with the desperation in their young, captive hearts. It wasn’t just a youthful thirst for passion, but a longing for the future they were being denied. It was trying to fit a lifetime of kisses into one fleeting moment, and Gale struggled to keep up. Struggled to keep his feet on the ground, when all he wanted was to run away with his love. To disappear with her, just the two of them. They could make it. Gale never doubted that, not for once second. And when Katniss rose, strode across the room with a nervous sort of conviction, the boy pinched his brows together. He’d seen the curved contraption on his nightstand in his own room, but hadn’t bothered touching it. He didn’t much understand technology, and any comforts this apartment could bring him were only temporary. They didn’t change anything. But then the window overlooking the Capitol was dissolving, shifting into something new. Some fake… and beautiful.

Gale stood, mouth agape as they were transported back to the forests they’d grown up in. His heart fell to his feet as they carried him forward, bewildered by the impossible accuracy of the image before them. How many times had he sat right here, on the moist earth, imagining all the things he could build with these trees? How many times had he breathed in the crisp mountain air and dreamed of vanishing away into it, with Katniss at his side? As if genuinely believing he was there, Gale inhaled deeply through his nose, willed the fresh air into his lungs with astounding hope… only to be disappointed by the false scents produced by the vents, the fresheners. Everything was fake. Everything was manufactured. There was nothing real here, nothing natural. The boy reached out, his hand flattening against the cold glass where there should have been damp bark.

Wrong. It was all wrong, and a shaky breath fell from Gale’s lips. It only served to remind him of everything he missed. Everything he longed for. Everything he’d never see again, and it hurt just as much as everything else. He lifted his head, finally let his gaze return to Katniss, agony set deep in the cerulean of his eyes. His best friend — his love — was all he had left of home… and even she was fleeting.

#p:wat #lol no worries u do u

It was silly to think Gale might have appreciated the image. Because that was all it was. An image. Fake and artificial and mass produced. On their first night, it had reminded Katniss of home, and she had laid on her bed after dinner thinking of what it would be like to be back home, getting carried away in memory. Of course it made her sad and yearning and hopeless, but it was as close to home as she thought she could get. And with her time so limited, she wanted as much of it as possible. Her stomach dropped when she saw the pain in his eyes and she quickly tapped the off button, throwing the remote onto the chair nearby. She wasn't going to be the reason he hurt. It was a stupid idea.

She was getting distracted. These Games weren't simple. They would be ruthless and brutal and, above all, deadly. And she was dallying with romantic notions and faraway ideals of what the perfect life would have been. That wasn't her reality anymore. The facts stood: she was going into the Hunger Games with Gale, and she was going to die so that he could live, and he was going to go home. A permeable, semi-concrete plan with lots and lots of holes in the middle. Several of the holes were her own fault, getting carried away with whatever she and Gale were doing. Being in love didn't exist for people like them. Not for people from Twelve. You were married and had kids because you needed extra hands to do work to survive. Not because you were in love. Having an amiable relationship was a perk, a bonus you got if you were lucky. They obviously weren't.

Katniss sat back down at the table, still not very hungry but knowing she needed to replenish her energy for tomorrow. With a sigh, she took up her fork. Her stomach was still getting used to being so full all the time. It was uncomfortable sometimes, but she was happy to finally have nutrition in her body. If only she could send this all back to Prim and her mother... She would have loved to see Prim's eyes light up at the sight of so much good food. Breads and jams and greens and fruits and teas and sweets... Katniss pinched her eyes closed, feeling unworthy to take even a single bite.

"Come eat," she called weakly to Gale, knowing she'd feel much less guilty if he was eating, too. "It's getting cold."

We're A Team

Gale jumped when a hand hit his arm, snapping him out of the one-way staring contest he’d been engulfed in with the Avoxes. He hadn’t meant to be disrespectful. He’d just… never seen one before. And it was the first time he’d ever felt… grateful for his position. The first time he’d thought that maybe things could have been worse. Gale was the kind of young man who would have rather died than been a servant. Especially here, in the Capitol, to people like President Snow. In his eyes, that was a far worse fate than his own.

Truthfully, Gale wasn’t put off by her words. In fact, he’d hardly noticed that there was something off about them. Not the way Katniss seemed to, her body stiff as she nibbled on her bread. The boy reached for a fork and speared up some seasoned green beans, shoving an altogether too-big bite into his mouth as he waited for Katniss to gather her thoughts. Maybe Gale was just a typical boy, but he wasn’t really sure there was anything that… needed talking about. His lover seemed a bit more distraught about the whole thing than he was, and Gale immediately set down his fork to realign all of his attention on Katniss. Dark brows furrowed together and he reached across the space between their chairs, taking one of her strong hands in his own.

”Of course it would have,” he answered simply, without even a second’s hesitation. “Maybe not this soon, but… but after school, sure.” Gale shrugged, looked down at their hands, traced over her knuckles with his thumb. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for ages, Katniss. It just never really seemed like the right time.” He looked up again, bright blue eyes are her deep, dark browns. So stunning. So captivating. If Gale wasn’t so intent on making sure that she understood him perfectly, the boy probably would have started leaning in just because of them. Staring into her eyes was like falling into the sky, and he would have been content to get lost in them forever. “If Effie hadn’t pulled your name out of that bowl, and we were back home…” Gale lifted her hand to his lips, touched deft kissed to the back of it as he properly gathered his thoughts. “I would have found the right time. I would have kissed you, and we would have done exactly what we did last night. Somewhere special to us. In the woods, beyond the fence. Couple years from now, I’d be working and you’d still be selling your game right beneath the Peacekeepers’ noses.” He turned her hand over, touched a kiss to her palm, then to fleshy pad of her third finger. “We’d have our own house… and I’d be your husband.” It was everything Gale had always wanted back in Twelve. Maybe they wouldn’t have had much. Maybe life would have always been difficult in the Seam, but he would have been happy. As long as he had Katniss, it would have been enough.

It was the kind of answer Katniss needed to hear, because she already knew what it was. She knew the answer before she'd asked it. Of course it would have. But to hear it from someone else's mouth, to know that she'd made the right choice, to know that her feelings weren't invalid or fleeting, was the most comfort she could get right now. And to have him feel the same way was a relief. She held his hands, too, leaning in, needing closeness. Each word was like wrapping her in velvet, cuddling her in and keeping her warm. He was always so strong-willed and sure, she didn't need to think about if he was right or wrong. Everything Gale said suited around her like armor.

He continued on and kissed her hands, and she watched him in sorrowful, wanting awe. Back home. More fantasies drove through her mind, each image powerful and wonderful. She wanted it all. Katniss could never have seen herself wanting all those things had it not been for this. For being here. But why did it have to take death for her to see it? Katniss clung like iron to Gale's hands, fighting the pain in her eyes, in her chest. She met his eyes, reaching out to touch his face, exhaling, "I want that."

She kissed him soundly, fingers curling into the back of his dark hair. She felt like she was falling apart. Katniss Everdeen never exposed her weakness, but she allowed herself to be weak around Gale. He knew her faults. There wasn't anything to hide. "I want to go home," she choked, keeping the points of their faces brushing. "I miss Prim. I miss my mother. And your family. I just want to go home, I don't want to die." Her eyes leveled with his, a desperation tinging the dark irises. "You know I love you. I want the life we're supposed to have... We're not done causing trouble yet."

With her hand wrapped around the back of his head, she came to kiss him again. This time it was more than comfort that brought Katniss into needing his arms and his touch and his kiss. She was overdrawn with want and desire and hunger. Her regular appetite had vanished, but was replaced with a new element in her diet. She wanted to love Gale the way she would if they had been fortunate enough to slide by another year. The way she would if they were married, together in Twelve. Loving him in the woods, in the lake, exposed to the sky and the wind and the sun...

"Gale," she spoke softly upon parting from him, hands still resting on his body. She made eye contact, a sure sign that she would return, and she went to grab the remote she'd been fiddling with earlier that evening. It controlled the large screen window on the other side of the room, and she pressed the only button she'd memorized. The transparent glass window seemed to disappear and displayed in its place was a moving image of a forest. The sounds of birds, leaves, the wind, and a little brook floated above the room like a cloud. Katniss turned to him, looking for approval.

We're A Team

Gale wouldn’t actually hold her to sixty seconds. It was likely that it took about thirty just to get out to the dining area, but counting gave him something to do while she was gone. Something to focus on, instead of the looming reality of their future. He liked thinking about Katniss better. Liked playing these silly little games that felt more childish and innocent than anything. It was easier. Their situation was so bleak, and Gale wasn’t sure if he’d even wrapped his head around the idea that he would probably be dead soon. Eighteen. Just eighteen. There was a lot left he’d wanted to do with his life. Nothing extravagant, but having a family was definitely high on the list. He’d never get the chance… but there was one way it would all be worth it.

He was just passing one hundred by the time Katniss returned, and the boy sat up a little onto his elbows. Enough to watch her come close, enough to stiffen at the sight of the Avoxes bringing their food. They made him more uncomfortable than Gale would have liked to admit, because once upon a time, they’d been kids, too. Just like him and Katniss. Maybe that was an even worse fate than dying in the Games.

"I was bored," Gale said simply, eyes following the Avoxes until they were gone. Only then did he breathe deeply, letting himself relax again as he stood and stretched his arms up over his head. "No problems, I take it?" he asked, crossing the room to the food that was already attacking his senses. Yea, he wouldn’t have lasted skipping dinner. This was the perfect situation. His fingers grazed across the small of Katniss’s back as he passed her, a simple touch to satisfy his need before he made it to their plates. Everything looked mouthwatering, and Gale didn’t hesitate to reach for a roll bite off a sizable chunk. "Did they say anything?"

Katniss watched more in amazement at Gale's staring rather than the servants. When they left she gave him a quick swat on the arm. "You look like an owl with your big eyes, stop staring at them. They're just people." It was like he was in the presence of two ghosts when the Avoxes were in there, kind enough to drop off their food. She sighed, not really giving it another thought. Much better to be tongueless than dead. Katniss was a fairly quiet person, anyway. At the touch to her back, she followed him to the table, standing before the food and knowing she was hungry but trying to decide whether she should inhale it all or take her time.

"Mm-mmm," she replied with a shake of her head to his inquiry. She sat down and started to nibble on a piece of bread. There were a few staples in Twelve, bread was one of them. She loved bread. Simple, filling, warm if you got it fresh from the bakery, which was almost never. Mr. Mellark had looked out for her for years now, ever since she'd been selling him game. Crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside--he always took care of her and made sure she got some of the better rolls of that day's bake. Katniss swallowed her bite of bread, wishing for home. "They were mostly just confused," she said flatly. "I think Haymitch kind of gets that we're friends. Maybe we found his soft spot." After all, it wasn't every day that a pair of tributes came from the poorest district as already-established allies, much less friends.

Then she realized she'd called them friends. Friends. And they were, but... They were also so much more. Wetting her lips nervously, knowing he would catch on to her verbal slip but wouldn't say anything, she decided it was time to bring it up. First, she prefaced it with a hand on his cheek to wrangle in his full attention. Katniss smoothed her lips over his, tasting warm bread and Gale. All she wanted was to go home. "Are we ever going to talk about what happened?" she asked softly, her face a breath's away from his. "A month ago, we were just... I mean would this have happened if we were in Twelve? Us?"

We're A Team

It took every ounce of self control not to just cling tighter to Katniss when she said she’d get dressed and go talk to everyone on their behalf. All he wanted was to keep her close, just like this. All he wanted was to forget the rest of the world — Effie, Haymitch, the Games — and just disappear inside his best friend. His new lover. But one thing that never failed was Katniss’s ability to be right. Every goddamn time, and the boy sighed, arms falling uselessly to his sides. He watched her for just a short minute as she moved to the closet, but couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing her dress. Not when he liked her best natural. Them. Twelve, home. Just them.

When she returned to him, the boy plucked at the hem of her shirt with a soft pout, accepting her kiss, and stealing three more. “I’m counting to sixty, then,” he teased gently, giving her a small smile as she turned to leave. “For every second you’re late, you owe me a kiss.” He sent Katniss a wink before she left, and the boy tiredly flopped across her bed. He really was exhausted. The day had been long, and trying. The pressure of the coming days only added to the weight he bore upon his shoulders, and Gale sighed heavily, scrubbing over his face with his hands. “One, two, three, four…”

This was definitely a side of him she had never seen before. Gale was always so strong and resolved, a natural rebel and born leader. To see him turn to melted butter around her gave her a feeling of power she wasn't used to. By the looks of it, he was sure to let her abuse him if her heart desired. Not only that, but she had never known him to be so outwardly affectionate. She knew it was going to take some getting used to, but Katniss had never known a loving touch or a kiss just because you could. All that was always saved for Prim, the only person she'd ever thought deserved it. She didn't realize someone could love her just as much as she loved Prim. Maybe more.

She scoffed at his challenge, leaving the room to go find their mentor and escort. Effie was already at the table, Haymitch pulling out his chair with a glass in his hand. The Avoxes were preparing for the meal. Haymitch greeted her with something like How'd you first day go? and Effie cut in with Katniss, have you combed your hair? She ignored both of them with a shake of her head, asking with little explanation if she and Gale could eat in her room. When asked why, she gave a half-hearted answer about wanting to spend time together talking about their plan or strategy or something. Understanding that they were friends from home, Haymitch agreed before Effie could pipe up with her opinion on the matter, and he motioned for the Avoxes to bring their plates to Katniss' room. Katniss thanked him and left.

When she returned to the room, Gale was sprawled out on her bed and--was he counting? "You are so strange," she said with a chuckle, sitting down beside him. The servants came in and placed their meals on the table on the far side of the room. They were halfway out the door before Katniss had a chance to thank them, and she went to lock the door after they'd gone.

We're A Team

All Gale wanted in this moment was to shed his own clothing, to carry Katniss back to the bed and lay with her for the rest of their days. Be it twenty more, or twenty thousand. But already, his lover was resisting. Reminding him of where they were and the importance of their obligations. He whined against her lips, letting his head fall to her shoulder so he could burrow against her neck once more. His knees bent, bringing him to a fairer level with her so that he could wrap around her once more. Fully, completely. She fit so beautifully in his arms that Gale couldn’t imagine a better place for her, nor a more suited occupation for his arms. This was where he wanted to be, forever.

"I’m sure if we asked nicely, they’d bring us dinner," he argued against her skin, lips peppering her with soft kisses from her ear to her throat. Truth be told, it wasn’t even about Katniss being able to stay like this. It was Gale’s absolute lack of desire to be with anyone else. They all just… got in the way. Made him feel worse. Kept his thoughts on the Games when all the boy wanted was to forget about them. To drown in his best friend instead. "I’m tired of pretending like you don’t matter." At long last, Gale lifted shifted, righted, and let his forehead rest gently against his love’s. "You’re all I need."

His touch became vital, and having his lips against hers was of paramount importance. But there was no time right now. They were still under watchful eyes, their every move scrutinized and regulated. They were still on a schedule. Until nightfall, they would be subject to Effie's hounding. She tilted her head to lay against his, arms not quite making it around Gale's tree truck of a midsection. She wanted him to stay with her in here all night, to make himself as bare as she was, and just lay with her.

His idea wasn't a bad one. Just a long shot. It wouldn't hurt to ask. She smoothed her hand up and over his shoulder, into his hair. Listening to him plead and reason and barter was painful. He wanted to stay here just as much as she did, and there was so little she could do. All she wanted was for him to be safe and happy. "Let me get dressed," she offered in a whisper, kissing him with fragile carefulness. "I'll go ask if we can eat in here."

With the greatest reluctance, she pulled away, going to the dresser and taking out what the Capitol considered lounge clothes. She dressed, and was back beside Gale in no time. "Go on and sit down," she murmured, kissing him once more. "I'll be back in a minute."

We're A Team

His fingers curling into the satin material of her robe, tugging slowly through their kiss until the garment fell away from Katniss’s body completely. She stood naked before him and Gale couldn’t help his boyish fascination, hands instantly smoothing over the skin newly revealed to him. “Good thing I don’t care much what Effie things,” the boy retorted softly, lips curling up into another grin against Katniss’s mouth. He hummed against her kiss, so satisfied by her state of undress, now that he’d gotten over the initial embarrassment. Seeing his best friend change out the corner of his eye wasn’t necessarily an oddity, but witnessing her completely bare was new. Still something to get used to. His initial need to turn and give her privacy had come from a place of respect, but now, she was his to look at. No one else’s.

"I’m so not even hungry anymore," Gale murmured against her mouth, his hands daring to explore her front now, moving slowly between their bodies. Long fingers carefully — almost teasingly — caressed the sateen swells of her breasts. He didn’t linger long, the touch as chaste as one could have been. But it was enough to make his breath hitch against her lips, and the softest of groans rumbled up from his chest. "Not for food, anyway."

At first, she completely gave in, ready for the closeness and excited to have her desire to be near him quenched. Naked again, she sunk closer to feel his warmth coming off of his body, wanting to be blanketed by it instead of exposed to the air. Her smile was hard to come by only because of nerves, still getting used to being naked in front of Gale. He'd been a friend for so long, she needed time to adjust to thinking of him this way. She had only admitted to loving him to herself just yesterday. Everything before that was hidden and stuffed down, unable to see the light of day or breathe a single inhale. This was different--a good different, but still different. No one had looked at her naked since she was a baby. Now Gale's eyes were a frequent visitor.

"I know," she said, leaning into his hands in the hopes that he might put his whole hands on her, around her. He could take the sides of her waist in both his hands with room to spare, his mouth could swallow hers up. But he wasn't aggressive with her. He touched her like she was made of glass. Goosebumps speckled her flesh when he teasingly ran his fingertips over her body. "But we should eat..." she breathed out, knowing her body disagreed. "Keep up our strength." He made a noise that had her wanting him on his back on the bed with Katniss on top of him. Restraint was a struggle. This time was different, though--they didn't have the cover of night. No one was asleep. And they'd be called for dinner any minute. "They'll hear us."

We're A Team

As she slipped into the silk robe, Gale could have wept for wanting to see her bared to him. Natural, not covered by some fine fabric that came from a district not their own. That robe was not home, and the boy sighed, eagerly accepting the silent invitation. His back arched forward, body stooped so his long arms could wrap fully around Katniss. He pulled her close, held her tight to his chest and burrowed carefully against her neck. Somehow, this morning felt like days past, like an impossible amount of time had slipped by them since then. Since he’d last been here, holding his love close. “I’ve wanted to do this since breakfast,” he admitted childishly against her skin, lips pulling up into another small grin. It was a boyish expression, and Gale slowly lifted his head, the tip of his nose dragging along the length of her cheek until his lips found hers. It was simple kiss, chaste, but not without the passion that had found them last night. “This, too,” he added with a smirk, long hands smoothing slowly up the plane of her back. The satin that hid her body away from him was undeniable pleasant, but nowhere near as soft as her skin. That was all he wanted now.

"I should tell you," Gale spoke, his voice carrying a certain soft, playful air to it as he released her. Stepped back only enough to be able to reach for the silk belt of the robe that clung to Katniss’s body. Clung to her the way he wished he could right. "I highly doubt Effie will find this proper dinner attire." The boy leaned in again, touched his smile to Katniss’s as he slowly tugged on the belt. The knot loosened and the robe opened at his will, allowing his hands to slide slowly across his lover’s hips.

The Capitol always made tributes out to be gods--or, rather, a kind of untouchable pawn. Bending at the will and mercy of the rich and powerful, playing a deadly game for their amusement masked as a political reminder of days-gone-by. They pretended the tributes were the ghosts of the people fallen in the Dark Days, shaking in their boots at the prospect of being thrown into certain death. But she wasn't a god, or a ghost. She was only human. And it was normal for her, a teenager of all things, to want this. Katniss would have liked to laugh in their faces; if only they could see her, right now, see how she engaged in perfectly human activities right under their noses. She would have very much liked to rub their noses in her and Gale's discovery, and took another strange pleasure in picturing them doing it in front of a million horrified Capitolites. One fantasy too many, she decided as she wound her arms around Gale's shoulders and pulled him in as close as her body would allow. A long, heavy breath escaped her and she dropped all the weight of today's training from her mind. Her face buried into his neck, too, breathing him in and still finding that she could smell the last hints of Gale on him, not perfumed soaps or expensive clothes. She remembered how wonderfully familiar he had smelled last night when he sweat, how easily it had been to fall asleep as she inhaled his scent all night long.

"Me too," she admitted with her lips still against the skin of his neck. She started to wish for eternity again when she was wrapped up in his arms, so perfectly strong and safe. His nose lined against her cheek and she met him longingly for the kiss, left wanting more when it was over. His smirk found its way onto her face. His hands along her back had her pressing her hips into his, her fingers tucking underneath the collar of his shirt and onto his back. "Yeah. Me too."

He was half a step apart from her and it was too much. Katniss watched as he took the sash between his fingers and gave a tug. The robe fell slack, opening up in front and shrugging off her shoulders. She smiled. "I don't really think Effie would find anything we've done proper," she rebutted softly. Their lips met, both turned upward, and as soon as she felt palms on her hips, she pursed her mouth and kissed him, deeper than last time.

We're A Team

Gale couldn’t have been more relieved when the final whistle blew and they were released from the training center. More than physically exhausted, the boy was absolutely drained on a mental level. Holding back was a lot harder than he’d anticipated, but he knew he had to take heed where Haymitch’s words were concerned. Despite his constant state of inebriation, their mentor knew better than anyone what would keep them alive. Strategy was everything for the smaller districts, and it was important they go in with a plan. Something a lot more thought-out than just kill and maim.

As Katniss leaned into him on the elevator, his fingers flexed around hers, held her hand close as his head tipped to rest against the top of hers. This had also been taxing. Staying away from Katniss. Pretending like he didn’t care. Pretending like he wouldn’t take an arrow in the chest for her. It didn’t matter what Haymitch might have said now, because they had nothing to hide from him. Besides, it was innocent enough. They’d been cold at breakfast, but after a long day of training, it should have made sense for two teenagers to seek solace in one another.

They were ushered into their individual rooms to wash up and prepare for dinner, but all Gale could think about was getting to Katniss. He showered quickly, scrubbing his body down with the most neutral scent he could find. He didn’t want to smell like… flowers, or spices. He just wanted to smell clean. He wanted to smell like Gale, like home. The boy all but dove into casual clothes, then slipped out of his room, hoping to be unnoticed. There was a little bit of time left before they would be summoned for supper, and Gale had every intention of spending it with his best friend. He didn’t both knocking, too concerned about someone hearing him and coming to investigate. Instead, the boy simply slipped inside, shut and locked the door behind him. It was only upon turning around that he realized Katniss was lying on the bed… completely naked. Heat instantly found his cheeks and Gale turned, jaw slack as he averted his gaze. “Oh, uh— Shit, sorry.” He reached up with one hand to scratch awkwardly at the back of his head. He hadn’t meant to intrude, and seeing Katniss like that had certainly caught him off guard. But then he remembered last night. Remembered the way that naked body has pressed so fervently against his own, and it had Gale looking over his shoulder, blue eyes soft as he peered across the room at her with a small grin on his face.

This--this was the closest to normal she'd felt since they'd volunteered. Lying naked sideways across her bed. She wondered how many tributes had slept in this bed that had died. Then she quickly tossed that thought away when a cool breeze from the automatic air washed over her and swept away the stress. Her eyes closed and she allowed herself to do something she'd never done before: she daydreamed. She fantasized. She pictured Gale. She remembered last night. She heard his moans all over again, felt him on her body--in her body. And, for once in her life, it didn't feel strange. While her mind was on the topic of things she'd never have, she decided to take it another step, and pictured living in a house with him in Twelve. Only Twelve was beautiful and clean, the people prospering and healthy and well. Grass instead of dirt and stone, trees instead of concrete buildings. And, maybe, a few little Hawthornes, if he wanted them.

The fantasy was terminated quickly by the sound of the door opening. Instantly her mind panicked and thought of Haymitch or Effie barging into the room, and she sat up with a start, immediately crossing her legs. Before she had a chance to cover up her chest, she saw that it was Gale, and froze in confusion. He finally saw her and all but threw his head over his shoulder. She wondered what he was so embarrassed about. Katniss grabbed the silk robe they'd given her and put it on, tying it shut around her waist. She picked her head up to watch his gaze, seeing him grin like a boy with a secret. The fantasies--the memories--started to return again. The feel of her body wrapped around his, skin on skin, the grip of his hands, the low timber of his voice as he whispered against her neck.

For the first time since that morning, she smiled.

Skipping dinner was always an option, and it was one she was considering seriously now that they had some time alone. She wanted to cherish this as much as she could, since time was only something they were losing. Unable to take the separation anymore, Katniss opened her arms for him.

We're A Team

Gale’s sense of satisfaction leaked from him as quickly as it had found him, bright blue eyes focused on the next tribute to take to the monkey bars. The boy was confident in his friend’s strength. Growing up in the Seam, there were certain things that were inevitable for them. Hunting had made them strong, senses keen and sharp. He was certain that Katniss was the strongest girl he knew, and if anyone could conquer this task, it was her. But his confidence didn’t stop Gale from biting his bottom lip with nerves. This wasn’t like the training stations. Here, every eye was on them as they performed the exercise, and Gale knew Katniss would berate herself if she failed. Her method was steady and strong, not giving herself even an inch of an opportunity to mess it up. It was a very Katniss way to go about it, and the closer she came to standing at his side, the more his chest swelled with pride.

It was everything he could do not to reach out and pull her into his arms when her feet hit the platform. Her face was pinched in concentration and a certain level of discomfort. “Way to go, Catnip,” he murmured, carefully reaching for his friend’s wrists and pulled her off to the side of the platform. Gale could hear the whispers and hums of the Career boys talking not far from them. About Katniss. About her show of strength. It made Gale bristle, but he chose to focus on his girl instead. With care, he unfolded the fingers of her left hand, examining the pads of her palms, her knuckles. Reddened, a little swollen, but he knew they would have been far worse off were Katniss not experienced with manual labor. These hands were strong, and he was so thankful for that.

"Alcohol and ice when we get back to the penthouse," he said assuredly, letting his fingers linger against Katniss’s maybe just a little too long. If there was anything in this arena worth taking care of, it was Katniss’s precious hands. Her left anchored her bow, and Gale was certain that would be their strongest asset once the Games actually started. "I’m sure one of the stylists has a good cream you can use. They’ll be good as new tomorrow." Gale offered her a small smile, eyes glinting with affection as gave her shoulder a soft squeeze.

She had reached the point in the day where she would have stopped caring about getting caught and thrown herself into Gale's arms right then and there, closed her eyes, gotten some sleep. She was tired, her mental faculties running on the last wire. Thank goodness it was almost dinnertime. Giving him a tiny smile when he pulled her to the side, she let it fade just as quickly, hearing murmurs ensue as soon as her feet touched the platform. Good things or bad things, she wondered, were they whispering about her? Planning to loop her in, or plotting her death? Too wiped out to care, she followed Gale instead, focusing on him as he inspected her hands.

"I'm fine," she assured him, bending her fingers in and out in a display of their flexibility. They were just a little red, that was all. Her grip strength had proven itself on those metal bars. At least she knew she could do it. With a sigh, she pushed through another urge to close her eyes against his chest. It was hard enough pretending they didn't even know each other well, let alone not as close as they truly were. She couldn't wait for the final whistle to be blown.

After another hour of training, they were released from the gym. Katniss leaned sleepily on Gale in the elevator, choosing to forgo Haymitch's warning for one moment and weaving their fingers together. Mentally and physically taxed, she wanted to bathe, eat a little something, and finally, finally have Gale all to herself.

She did exactly that. Katniss soaked in a tub of hot water filled with some kind of soothing ointment and lotion (her stylist had said something about "rejuvenating the skin" and making it "luscious, soft, and glowing") for a long time, and laid out on her bed naked (and quite enjoying it) until the dinner bell rang.

We're A Team

Gale looked down over his shoulder as a familiar voice washed over him. The sound had magical qualities, helping to ease the tension in his shoulders and the ferocity with which his large hands worked. It was like the last thirty minutes hadn’t happened at all, now that Katniss was at his side. Right where she belonged. It took every ounce of strength not to reach for her. His best friend, and his love. But no one here could believe that they were anything more than acquaintances. Schoolmates, at most. No one could know that he would die for Katniss, gladly, if it meant saving her. If it meant getting her home. “Hey,” he responded softly, incapable of stopping the affection from leaking into his voice. It shone brightly in his blue eyes, too, but Gale kept them downcast. Focused on his project, which was mostly finished now. He took her compliment, not bothering to wonder if maybe he shouldn’t have appeared so skilled at this. “As long as there’s game, we won’t starve,” he agreed simply enough, reaching for a small branch and tripping the snare. It worked perfectly. Flawlessly, as Katniss had mentioned. While Katniss could hunt with her bow, Gale could set traps and snares, and he was certain they could survive well enough.

"I could have pummeled him," Gale responded, his jaw tightening in a visible manner as he followed suit and looked over his shoulder at Pierce and the other Careers. The boy was usually very mild-mannered, not at all temperamental unless facing a threat to his family. Or Katniss and hers. But right now, Gale could only imagine how satisfying it would be to bury his fist in Pierce’s gut. It was a dangerous attitude, but the boy’s pride had been knocked. That was a little easier to swallow than any mere punch in the face.

Gale started at the sound of a whistle, muscles tensing before he purposefully let his gaze fall upon his friend’s gentle face. Her eyes that looked like home, her braid that made him feel eight years old all over again. He followed along obediently, covering Katniss’s six with a natural instinct he couldn’t help. This he could, Gale though, watching as the boy from One took to the bars first. He could feign being poor at combat by playing it inexperienced, but this… This was a mere show of strength. Anyone who took a single look at Gale would know that he had it, so it was with no doubts or second-guessing that the boy took to the exercise. He made it across the bars faster than any of the Career boys had, dropping down to his feet before them with something like a satisfied smirk on his face. Then he turned, arms crossed over his chest to watch as Katniss tried her hand at the task.

There was an amazing relief of stress when she got near Gale. So amazing that she almost forgot where she was and that there were eyes constantly on her from the loft, and she nearly put her body against his to lean her head on his shoulder. She stopped before they made contact, pretending to be overly interested in the snare he was making. There was nothing she wouldn't give to be close to him again, as they had been that morning, sleepy-eyed and boneless, just resting naked with each other. Last night's afterglow had been cut painfully short, and she was still groping after the last bits and pieces as if she could summon the moment back. Her smile softened and grew when she heard the tonal change in his voice. He tested the snare, and it snapped with precision, the movement totally fluid and smooth, acting without a hitch. She nodded to his evaluation, finally getting the first feeling of hope that these Games might not be totally impossible, and that the odds might not be totally stacked against them.

Gale's voice changed again and this time with coldness and revenge. Her eyes flickered down, not knowing how to distract him from his one-directional mind. "I know," she offered softly. She had seen firsthand the damage Gale could do. He was pure brute strength but he contained it, he honed it, he made it precise. His hits were like her shots with an arrow--quick, accurate, deadly. He didn't mess around with beating up his trophies. He went for head shots, heart shots, jugulars. And he always came out on top. She knew it must have been difficult for him to squander his natural instincts. "You did really well, though."

She touched his arm to usher him with her, and he fell into his usual spot just behind her right shoulder. Always watching. Always vigilant. Gale was her eye in the sky. They lined up as they arrived, so thankfully, she wasn't last. But she did have to go after Gale, who was a tough act to follow. She watched as the girl from Eleven nearly made it to the end but was sent careening toward the floor onto a mat that appeared more like cement than a cushion. The boy from Five smiled at her, and Katniss felt herself wanting to move closer to Gale again. She looked on, seeing the little boy from Eight barely get to the third rung and fall onto his side, his district partner rushing to help him up. A lump caught in her throat as she watched Gale, though she was confident he was going to all but fly across.

He did, and she saw a little bit of his ego restored as he smirked at the Careers. He had to watch getting cocky, but that wasn't a discussion for right now. Katniss peered down at her toes, watching as they hung over the side of the platform. The bars themselves were a good ten feet off the ground. So, she'd only have about five feet and a few inches to fall if she hung perfectly straight. Katniss wasn't afraid of heights. Her bow had made her shoulders strong, climbing had built up her arms and her core. But she'd never swung from a tree like a monkey. Wetting her lips, she jumped and grabbed onto the first rung.

She decided to take it one at a time, instead of just one-handing every other bar like Gale. Right hand, left hand. Right hand, left hand. Three rungs down. Right hand, left hand. Four. She didn't like all these eyes on her. So she thought of the song her father used to sing, hoping the familiar tune would keep her mind from the audience just salivating at the thought of seeing her fall. Are you, are you coming to the tree--seven, eight. Twelve rungs later and with burning hands, Katniss swung her legs onto the opposite platform and stood beside Gale, a little breathless and her hands shaking and sweating.

We're A Team

At some point after the trainers’ spiel, Gale was ushered away with some of the other larger boys to the combat station. He hadn’t wanted to come here, truthfully. He would’ve rather gone to the camouflage tables, or maybe the knives. Something he could keep busy with without having to worry about showing off or revealing too much about his strengths and weaknesses. This was going to be a difficult exercise. Not because Gale wasn’t good at hand-to-hand, but because he couldn’t let everyone know that he was actually pretty adequate with it. He was paired up with the boy from Two — Pierce, he learned. Pierce was a big guy, all broad shoulders and pumped biceps. His face was angular, his eyes sharp. He looked so much older, but then again, Gale supposed that was the case with many of the Career tributes spat out from the richer districts.

Gale swallowed thickly, listening as the trainer instructed them to spar without the intent of causing real damage. This was easily the hardest thing Gale had done in a while, because it fought against every instinct not to fight back. He couldn’t have helped the way his body naturally defended itself, perrying off each one of Pierce’s advancing blows. He blocked hits easily — more easily than he should have — but Gale managed to keep his own offense at bay. He didn’t attack, he didn’t even take a single step forward. All he did was defend, and towards the end of their spar, Gale purposefully let a punch through. Pierce’s fist hit the side of his face and Gale stumbled to the side, reaching up to rub at his jaw. He looked up in time to see Pierce smirking, bumping knuckles with the blonde boy from One.

God, how Gale would enjoy pummeling the shit out of him once they made it into the arena.

Some time later, Gale was let loose to do his own thing, and the boy meandered around the different tables. He stayed away from the archery station, just like he knew Katniss would. He tossed some knives, letting himself hit a couple of the provided dummies without showing off too much accuracy. Eventually, he found himself at some kind of technological station that was meant to challenge the brain. A speed test of recognition, and Gale actually froze for a moment as he tried to figure it out. Once the test started, he managed to make some matches, but he was horribly slow. This shit wasn’t his forte, and Gale only grew aggravated by the exercise. It wasn’t the same as being bad on purpose, and when he heard a couple of bemused giggles echo behind him, the boy gave up with a puff of frustration. With his arms crossed over his chest and a furrow in his brow, Gale walked away from the game and headed to the snare station, hastily putting together a clever trap that was probably a little too well-made, but he didn’t care. He needed to sooth the ache of his lack of book smarts with something natural, something he could build. Something he could do with his hands.

Katniss watched the fight like it was happening in slow motion. She only began to stare when she heard the sound of a body slamming into the floor, and withheld a gasp as she realized it was Gale. Before then, she had opted to ignore it, choosing to work on her fishing hook and other miscellaneous items while the bigger tributes worked on combat and strength. She was too tired to produce much in the field of muscle today. But her heart began racing when she saw him reach for his face as he pulled himself to his feet, worried that the Career might have already hurt him. It took more than physical strength to keep from going after the tribute and giving him a piece of her mind. You weren't supposed to really harm other tributes until they were exposed to the Arena, and that boy might have just cost Gale a sponsor or even the Games. And Gale had to win the Games. Not only that, she couldn't suppress the sudden and familiar feeling of protectiveness over her friend. Well, now, her lover. Gale was hers. And anyone who touched him was going to get it. With a scowl, she went back to her hook, doing her best to shrug it off and pretend like it hadn't mattered.

She could see the tension in Gale, too. He wanted to fight back. He was smart not to. Saving his abilities and hiding his prowess was going to pay off in the end, guaranteed, and he would see that later. Right now, as he hunched over the survival stations, he looked like he was going to burst. Katniss figured a little teamwork wouldn't look suspect, and she couldn't take staring at him from a distance anymore. If anything, she had to see if his cheek was bruising.

"Hi," she said as she walked over to visit, offering a kind, tiny smile. Her eyes trailed to the snare he'd constructed--sturdy, like always, dependable. It had the quickness to snatch a rabbit and the grip to hold onto a writhing, flapping bird or a squirrel struggling against the wire. Just like Gale to make something perfect on his first try. He'd been making snare since they were kids. "It's flawless," she complimented gently, looking to him with just her eyes, chin down. She smiled again. "Don't let Two get to you, okay? They always pick on the smaller districts." She looked over her shoulder to the Career, who had been joined by three others. They met eyes before she tore her gaze away.

A whistle blew for them to convene on the far side of the gym. Time for a group activity. Katniss trailed her glance from the trainer to the equipment beside her: monkey bars. She swallowed. "Come on."