Everthorne

Winter

~ a few months later ~
Gale's POV
  It's never been this cold here in twelve before. Katniss and I still hunt on Sundays, my only day not in the mines, but we haven't brought anything back in a while. Everyday, her mother sees kids dying of starvation. At least now she can give them food. It's all I can do to keep my mother and siblings afloat. I struggle to keep them warm since we don't have electricity. Finding them food is worse. Katniss keeps insisting that we move into her home in the village with her family. It's tempting but I'm too stubborn. I should be taking care of her. I should be her provider, not her providing for my family. I know she has the space and the money to take care of us but I'm too prideful to give in. At least, not yet.
    Today, she's waiting for me outside the mines when I come up from the mines, holding Posy on her hip. She'd make a wonderful mother, but I know she'd never have kids. Maybe one day I think before walking up to them. I kiss Katniss and take Posy from her. "Our mothers made a great dinner for us," she says as we walk hand in hand to her home. We walk in silence the rest of the way. I know she's not okay. She hasn't been the same since the games. Prim has told me before that she has nightmares every night and wakes up screaming for me. It upsets me to know that there's nothing I can do about it. We walk into her house and take off our snowy boots. I put Posy down and she runs into the kitchen where our mothers are. I turn to Katniss and take her face in my hands, my thumbs on her cheeks. "What's wrong? I know something's bothering you," I ask. "I just feel bad. I'm here with everything I could ever need and more and you're still in the seam. I wish you'd bring your family and stay here while it's so cold. I can't bear the thought of you guys being cold when I could help. I just wish you weren't so stubborn," she says not meeting my eyes. I sigh, "If it will make you happy, we'll come stay here. But just for the winter." "Really?" She asks, looking relieved as she actually meets my eyes this time. I don't reply, I just pull her in for a long, slow kiss before walking into the dining room where dinner is being served.