β Λ don't you π πππ look out your ππππ ππ, darling, everything's on ππππ
β a retelling of the story of gale hawthorne, written by teddy, for mockingjaysfm β
thatβsΒ Β GALE HAWTHORNE, theΒ THIRTY-SIXΒ year oldΒ LICENSED GAMEKEEPER/UNDERGROUND SMUGGLERΒ fromΒ DISTRICT 12.Β theyβre so lucky to be in the capitol for such a special hunger games.Β theyβve been here for long enough to gain a reputation for being soΒ LOYAL, and simultaneously UNFORGIVING.Β they remind me ofΒ faded scars shaped like animal teeth, a worn flannel that smells like wood and smoke and home, a soft voice mumbling apologies to a fallen deer, which makes sense since theyβre always listening toΒ BREATHE,Β DESPERATELYΒ by fromΒ indian lakes. letβs hope theyβre up for all this work ahead of them this yearΒ
ABOUT α°.α
for years since the 74th games, gale did the best he could to survive and care for his family in district 12. of course, he grew up since those fateful games. matured. but also became colder and distant to those around him, though not heartless.
he eventually left the mines and took up work as a licensed gamekeeper in district 12, allowing him to hunt the surrounding forests legally. he was permitted to obtain food for himself and his family, so long as he also provided meat for daily capitol quotas.
but those weren't the only mouths he fed. he also helped the families the system left behind, becoming a lifeline for the starving families in the district. he trades what he can, shares what's safe, and helps when no one's watching.
he soon familiarized himself with the terrain surrounding the district like the back of his hand, navigating and memorizing patrol routes and noting capitol blind spots. eventually he discovered a secret network of black market traders and smugglers that formed across districts. couriers would secretly move small packages between districts, sometimes disguised as capitol shipments.
he began to provide food, medicine, and any other essentials available to him. he hid supplies in tree hollows, traded with trusted contacts at night, and memorized symbols and ciphers and safe drop points to avoid detection.
smuggling wasn't just trading goods, it became his and the district's means of survival. strict rationing from the capitol left families starving for decades, and any legal resources went straight to the wealthy or well-connected. so gale filled in the gaps quietly, keeping children fed and sick elders cared for while evading suspicion from peacekeepers.
when rumors of a second uprising began during this year's games, gale didn't wait. as soon as he learned of the existence of thirteen, he slipped away. now, he works with the rebellion full-time.
his years of experience and discipline as a smuggler and working under surveillance are what primarily serve him now in the resistance.
gale carries the weight of everything he's seen in silence. he's not the boy he was eighteen years ago. years of watching the games go on, his loved ones and his district suffering, made him sharper. colder.
he's so much more focused and determined now. every action is deliberate after years of surviving quietly and under capitol surveillance.
he doesn't let himself hope easily, but he keeps moving, keeps fighting, because he knows what will happen if no one does.
STATS α°.α
name: gale hawthorne
age: 36
pronouns: he/him
birthday: november 11th
chart: scorpio sun, capricorn moon, sagittarius rising
sexuality: bisexual
occupation: active member of the resistance
positive traits: loyal, resourceful, protective, disciplined
negative traits: unforgiving, stubborn, impulsive, emotionally distant
likes: being in the woods alone, freshly caught game because it means another day someone gets to eat, waking up early, making maps, children's laughter and anything else worth protecting, rain because it covers tracks and gives him a reason to hide, quiet loyalty that doesn't need to be spoken or returned - just lived.
dislikes: the capitol (duh), people who talk too much because he values action over speeches, wasted resources (food, time, energy...), public attention, power-hungry leaders, staying idle (he needs to do), false hope and sweet lies, being underestimated (he's used to it, he just doesn't forgive it).