The Hunger Games One Shots

13. Gale's Visit [After Mockingjay]

One Shot Request - "I need a little one shot of Gale hurting Katniss in some way not necessarily physically and like Peeta going to protect her. Like the if you lay a finger on her trope type of thing."

 It took everything within me not to burst at the sight of Gale, walking into my home so casually after everything that had happened. I told him to get out after he designed the bomb that killed my sister, but there he stood, basking in the sunlight on my front porch.

I scowled at him, wanting nothing to do with my former best friend. Everything in me screamed at him. I wanted to lunge at him, to make him pay for what he'd done to my little sister. But the rational part of me reminded me that he merely designed the bomb, he'd had no idea what the cost of his creation would be. He'd intended it to kill Capitol citizens, not those of our own district. Still, he'd failed to do what he promised all those years ago. Gale failed to protect my little sister.

I took a few steps from the open door as Gale surveyed me. He placed one arm on the doorframe and used his hand to run through his hair. "Hey catnip," he said, that same cocky look on his face as always. I scowled again, taking another step back and wrapping the shawl loosely held around my shoulders more tightly against myself.

"What?" I said sharply, not bothering to hide the coldness in my voice. Gale seemed to wince at that, but I didn't care. I'd said as much the last time I'd seen him. I never wanted to see him again. His image was a painful reminder of the days I longed to forget. The days of the war, of famish, of death. Days long since passed, but I always remembered. At Gale's lack of reply, I grew impatient. I shuffled as I said again, "What do you want?"

Gale sighed then, his exhale loud as he looked to the floor and ran another hand through his hair. "I, um... I just wanted to..." He still couldn't finish his sentence. Annoyance filled me as I watched him struggle to find words. Months... months he'd been gone, not a comment to me, and he came acting high and mighty on my porch, unable to find the words to say. He knew I wanted nothing to do with him, yet he still came. My question was - why? Finally, he says, "I caught a train to twelve before being stationed in two. I wanted to visit you, just to see how you were..."

"Why?" I mutter, and I can't help the tremble in my lip. I am standing more than six feet away from him, hiding out in my own home from a man I once called my best friend. "I told you I wanted nothing to do with you after what happened to Prim."

Gale looks up and blinks multiple times, another sigh escaping him. He's growing frustrated. "Katniss, I told you I didn't know. Things, they happen in war, and... if I could go back and stop myself from creating it I would. But you don't know if the one that killed Prim was mine-"

"Don't say her name," I spit, anger coursing throughout me. "Don't you dare say her name after everything you did." I feel tears brimming in my eyes, and I will them to go away. I will not show weakness after everything I've built has come to fruition. I won't let Gale destroy the home I've created with one visit.

"Katniss-" Gale starts, but his expression darkens at something behind me. I turn, only to see Peeta, holding a mixing bowl full of flour and some other ingredients, staring at Gale intently. He doesn't seem angry, no, just shocked at the sight of our former friend, his former... whatever they were.

"Gale," Peeta says formally, and he looks between both of us. He notices I'm upset, and he nods at me. I know what he's going to do. He's going to try to mediate this, to fix our friendship. I don't need Gale to survive, I want to tell Peeta, but I know everything he does is out of the kindness of his heart. "Welcome. Come on in." I want to scream, I want to scowl at Peeta for welcoming him into our home, but I say nothing. I take a deep breath. He's trying to give Gale a chance, and I think he's trying to make me do that, too.

It's only when we start talking about our lives after the war that things take a turn. Gale begins to criticize the way we're living in District 12, saying that we should be doing more to fight against the Capitol. I try to explain that we're still trying to rebuild and that there's only so much we can do, but Gale won't listen. "You're settling for a mediocre life, Katniss," he says, his voice rising in frustration. "You should be doing more, fighting harder, for the sake of our people."

I feel a surge of anger rising in me. Who is Gale to judge how we're living our lives? He's been away for months, and now he thinks he knows what's best for us.

Peeta, who's been sitting quietly next to me, must sense my discomfort. He speaks up, his voice calm but firm.

"I think that's enough, Gale," he says. "Katniss has been through a lot, and we're doing the best we can. You don't have the right to judge her."

Gale looks taken aback, but Peeta doesn't back down.

"If you hurt Katniss, Gale, I won't hesitate to intervene," he says. "We've all been through enough. We don't need any more pain or drama."

Gale nods, looking chastised. I can't help but feel grateful for Peeta's support. He always knows just what to say to make me feel safe and protected.

As the tension between us subsides, Gale apologizes for his behavior, and we try to salvage the rest of our visit. But I can't help but feel relieved when he finally leaves, and I'm left alone with Peeta, who wraps me in a comforting embrace.