Everthorne

Caesar Flickerman

Katniss's POV
Gale and I wait back stage as Caesar Flickerman does his opening talk before inviting Haymitch out. He's pretty sober looking and does a good job of not saying anything too inappropriate on stage. I was actually quite proud of him. Usually, he's smashed. I mean just flat out drunk. He does it to keep the pain of the games away- and I don't totally blame him. It's hard for me to even get up some days. I don't even know how he can mentor kids every year. He's retelling the story of me stabbing the placemat with a knife and that he always knew I was a fighter. However too soon he's shaking Caesar's hand and leaving the stage. I don't want Gale to go and leave me alone, the way I stood here before my first interview with Caesar.
  Before I know it, I look up and see Gale walking onto a stage in front of an applauding capital audience. Caesar eagerly shakes his hand and motions for him to have a seat in the chair beside his. "So Gale, I have to ask, when did you first meet Katniss?" Caesar asks with an almost excessive amount of enthusiasm. Suddenly, I remember that he can't tell the truth. We met in the woods hunting illegally about 4 years ago, but he can't tell Caesar that. We'd both be turned into avoxes! Thankfully, Gale is smart quickly replying with, "Well, both of our fathers died in a mine explosion nearly 4 years ago. The district held a big funeral for all the men who died in the explosion, and of course, both of our families were there." Caesar makes some kind of fake sad face, replying "I'm so sorry that had to happen to bring you two together," We can see through it, but the capital people are so naive they believe his fake sympathy. "But you couldn't be any cuter together! I'm sure it was hard watching her go through the games, but what must've been harder was watching her with Peeta." Gale swallows, thinking carefully before answering. I know it was hard for him and right now he's trying to suppress his feelings about it. Finally he says, "It was definitely heartbreaking to see her kiss some other guy, but I knew she was doing it to stay alive. I knew in the end, she'd be the one coming home to me." "Gale Hawthorn everybody!" Caesar says clapping Gale on the back. The audience goes wild and I know it's nearly my time to go out.
     Gale gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as I pass him walking out on stage. "And now, our victor!" Caesar bellows into his microphone taking my hand and raising it into the air. "What a pleasant it is to see you again!" He says as we take our seats. "I honestly didn't think I'd be seeing you again," I said gravely. The audience and Caesar chuckled at that, "I knew you were a fighter, Girl on Fire!" "Well, I knew I had a little sister I had to come home for, and a crush," I say, looking off stage to wink at Gale. "Did you know you Gale had the same feelings towards you before you left for the games?" Caesar asks, genuinely curious. "There has always been something special between us. I mean, I've had a huge crush on him since we met, I was twelve then, but I never imagined he'd ever like me back. I just assumed he saw me as a little sister, being a few years younger than him. He's been my best friend since the funeral but in the last year, something was different between us. I think that's when our feelings were beginning to come out. I thought about telling him I loved him when he came to see me off after being reaped, but I knew it'd only complicate things. During the games, the whole time I was kissing Peeta, I felt like it was wrong, something was wrong about it. It just didn't feel like you think it would. I tried to convince my self that loved him, but I didn't, it never worked. My heart belongs to Gale. It always has been his, and it always will be." I finish. "That was a very touching story. I think it's been the best post-games love story yet!" He says.
     My interview seems to last forever, much longer than the others'. I guess I'm the victor though so it's to be expected. We relieve different moments from the deaths to moments with Peeta. It's tough, but I make my way through it. Finally, it's over. Everyone applauds wildly as I smile and wave at all of them.
    As soon as I get off the stage, I'm met with one of Gale's soft kisses. "Now let's go finish what we started earlier," he says scooping me up and carrying me to our car.

Hey y'all! Thank you for 600 reads! It really means a lot! I'm so sorry I haven't updated a ton recently, school hit me hard these last few weeks. But tomorrow's my last day so I'm on summer vacation and I'll be updating a good bit more!