Work Text:
He hasn’t returned to District 12 since he and Katniss filmed those propos. The ache, the grief, the guilt, it was just too strong. His mother had asked him to move back when the rest of his family settled in 12 again, but he refused. It was easier to drown himself in his work in 2. But Rory was getting married and he wasn’t so far gone that he’d miss that. He wasn’t sure if the inclusion in Rory’s letter that Katniss would be there made coming back harder or easier.
The train station wasn’t particularly busy, only a couple of people exiting the train with him and some people picking up packages.
“Gale!” He turned to see Peeta approaching him with two small children, a boy and a girl. Gale felt a little guilty at the relief that flooded through him when he realized Peeta didn’t end up with Katniss, remembering how much she hated the idea of kids. Peeta definitely married someone from the seam though, based on the kids’ looks. He briefly racked his mind for anyone from the seam who survived the bombing of 12 his age, but Gale came up short. He didn’t dwell on it too long. He didn’t particularly care about Peeta’s love life.
“How are you?” Gale asked Peeta, taking him in. Peeta had lost the cloudy look in his eyes he had after the hijacking and but his skin was still a patchwork from the skin grafts.
“Well I’ve got my hands full dealing with these two rascals,” Peeta said, ruffling the girl’s hair with the hand that wasn’t holding the boy. The girl scowled and Gale felt a pang in his chest when it reminded him of Katniss.
“Are you attending the wedding?” Gale asked.
Peeta nodded, moving the boy to the other arm. “I made the bread and the cake for the wedding.”
Gale shifted uncomfortably. He’s never really had a conversation with Peeta that didn’t revolve around Katniss.
Peeta seemed to pick this up. “She’s in the woods. Wanted to gather some fresh strawberries for Rory.” He said with a smile.
Gale nodded. “Thanks Peeta.”
Gale headed into town. It surprised him just how familiar and disorienting it was at the same time. The town square was in the same place, but the shops were all in different spots. The bakery was still in the same spot though, with an intricately painted sign reading “Mellarks” in green. Gale moved on, navigating the streets toward his mother’s home.
The coal-dust-riddled seam of his childhood was gone, replaced with clean streets, sturdy houses, and so much greenery. Gale could swear there were dandelions growing out of every small nook and crevice.
He stopped outside his mother’s house to take it in. It was bigger than their childhood home, even though she lived alone now. The siding was painted a light blue and there were plant boxes under the windows.
Gale gave a quick knock on the door. His mother came out to greet him, giving him a big hug even though her hands were still wet from washing dishes. They made brief small talk before she asked him if he wanted to rest in the guest bedroom for a bit.
“I’m actually going to the woods for a bit.” He said.
“Look, about Katniss - “ His mom started.
“I’m not going to look for Katniss.” He lied. “There’s just not many woods to escape to in 2.”
His mother looked at him skeptically before giving him a curt nod.
Gale made his way through the woods, relaxing into the familiarity. It was practically unchanged except for the absence of the snares that Katniss and he used to set up. He couldn’t help wondering whether it was because she didn’t need the game or because of him.
He heard her before he saw her. She was humming, and it filled him with joy. Katniss never sang before the games, even when it was just the two of them in the woods. The first time Gale had ever heard her sing was when the young tribute from 11 died. He rounded a tree hoping he was catching her in a good mood when he heard an arrow whizzing towards him.
The arrow had pinned his jacket to a tree and stopped him from going any further, but he forgot about the arrow the second he saw her. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Her skin was still a patchwork like Peeta’s, but what struck him the most was the fat on her body. Katniss was always so skinny you could almost see her bones from there not being enough to eat when they were kids, or her refusing to eat in District 13. But she looked healthy and that filled him with joy.
“Hey Catnip-” He started, as he attempted to walk towards her, before his jacket, still stuck to the tree, stopped him.
A second arrow pinned the other side of his jacket to the tree. He looked at her face, expecting anger, but instead, she almost looked indifferent. Like she was just annoyed he had interrupted her berry picking.
He slowly removed the arrows, breathing a sigh of relief when none replaced them. He handed them to her, and she slowly put them back in her quiver. She ignored him and returned to berry picking.
“Still a crack shot.” He joked, gazing at her. She ignored him. “Look, I just wanted to say sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.”
That got her attention. She raised slowly from her crouched position, meeting his stare. “I never needed you Gale.”
He cursed himself for failing to pick the right words even after twenty years of thinking it over. “I know, you’ve never needed anyone, but I could have been here to help-”
“I needed Peeta.” She mumbled, looking down at her boots.
Gale winced, any joy he felt at learning Peeta married someone else draining from his body. He didn’t think about the pain Katniss must have been in, everyone she cared about leaving her.
What she says last is what stabs the dagger into his heart. “And I didn’t want you.” She said with a shrug, picking up her basket full of berries and leaving.
Gale slumped against a tree. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting from that conversation. When he dreamed of it, she would throw herself into his arms, telling him how much she loved him. On worse days, he’d imagine he would be met with an arrow to the heart the second he opened his mouth. Never this. This indifference. As if their years together didn’t matter. As if he wasn’t even worth the energy to get angry.
Eventually, Gale found the strength to get up. He brushed off his mother when she asked how the woods were and got changed into his suit numbly. He walked over to the now-decorated square with his mother in silence.
He put on a smile when people started recognizing him, either from TV or from before the bombs. He made polite small talk, pushing down the sadness that threatened to overwhelm him. It was his brother’s wedding. He could be happy.
“Well look who showed up. Didn’t think you’d make it. What has it been, 20 years?” a woman with the tips of her hair dyed red asked him. It took him a moment to place her. Johanna. She was a victor, and he thinks friends with Katniss in 13. He doesn’t remember how much of it was actually friendship compared to the shared trauma of surviving the Hunger Games.
“What are you doing here?” He asked. He can’t see how his brother would have known her.
Johanna shrugged. “Wasn’t anything left for me in 7, so when Peeta kept begging me to visit, saying it would be good for my “mental health” or whatever, I said fuck it and moved in next to Haymitch.”
“How has Peeta… been?” Gale asked. Peeta looked better at the train station, but Gale couldn’t help but want to know if Katniss was in danger. After all, the last time he saw Peeta he tried to kill Katniss. Katniss also kissed him, his brain unhelpfully supplies.
“He has bad days like the rest of us. Some days I have to have Katniss stand guard in the bathroom to shower; sometimes he has episodes.” Johanna said. He thinks she was going for casual, but he hears the anger beneath it.
“Is he dangerous during these episodes?” Gale asked carefully.
Johanna snorted. “God no. Lover boy couldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Well, that’s good, I guess. Who’d he get married to?”
Johanna cackled. “You really don’t know?” The grin on her face was almost blinding.
Gale just looked at her in confusion. Johanna continued to laugh
“Haymitch, get your ass over here!” Johanna yelled to Katniss’s former mentor. Gale was honestly surprised he was still alive, given the amount Gale remembered Hamyitch drinking.
Haymitch strolled over, taking in the almost hysterical state Johanna was in.
“He doesn’t know.” Johanna wheezed between laughs.
Haymitch didn’t look impressed. “He doesn’t know what?”
“I just asked who Peeta married,” Gale said defensively.
Haymitch started laughing.
“What is it obvious or something? Did he marry Delly?” He asked, racking his brain for anyone else he’s seen Peeta interact with.
They both start laughing harder.
When Haymitch catches his breath, he puts a hand on Gale’s shoulder. “Thanks for that boy. Almost makes me glad I’m sober for this.”
Gale doesn’t believe Haymitch. There’s no explanation for what he’s just witnessed other than drunken madness.
“So how much did you guys actually drink?” He asked Johanna once Haymitch had wandered and Johanna had caught her breath.
“None. Victor’s Village is a strictly no alcohol zone. Apparently, we’re at ‘high-risk’ for addiction.” She said, annoyed. “Haymitch stopped smuggling me alcohol once he had to get sober for his liver transplant.”
“Why did they give him a new liver? Certainly there are people who need it more than him.” Gale said with a huff. He’d never liked Haymitch much.
“That’s what the doctors told him. But when the Mockingjay shows up at an appointment, suddenly he’s at the top of the list.” Johanna said conspiratorially.
He absorbed this information. Katniss forgave Haymitch. She must have if she left District 12 for him. He’s heard Plutarch complain about Katniss refusing to leave 12 so often that he had nightmares about it. This is the rest of his life, he realized with horror. Holding on to any scraps of information about Katniss.
“Guess you’re about to find out who Peeta’s wife is,” Johanna said, nudging him.
Gale followed Johanna’s gaze and saw Peeta and Katniss side by side. Katniss had her bow and quiver and was wearing a dress he thinks he remembers from the victory tour. He mostly remembered being mad because of the photo of Peeta and Katniss apparently getting caught sneaking off from a party. In the photo, Katniss’s sleeve was off her shoulder, and Peeta was kissing her neck. People from 12 were cooing over it for days, gushing about young love. Gale could barely resist screaming about how it was fake every time someone brought it up. He also barely resisted punching Peeta when he got back for putting Katniss in that situation.
But then he sees Katniss hand laced with Peeta’s oldest child and it clicks. Why Joanna and Haymitch were laughing at him. Why the girls’ scowls reminded of Katniss. Why his mother had tried to warn him.
And then the anger took over. Because Katniss never wanted kids. He remembers how adamant she had been, the shade of green she would turn whenever someone joked about her and Peeta having kids. And he sees it now. Peeta forcing her to have kids. The mutt version of Peeta forcing himself onto her.
He walked over to Katniss, trying not to break into a run. “Hey Catnip, can I talk to you?”
The little girl looked up at him, still holding onto Katniss’s hand. “Whose this mommy?”
“This is Gale. He’s Rory’s brother.” Katniss explained. Gale’s heart deflated. That’s all he was now, someone else’s brother. But that didn’t matter now. He had always protected Katniss, and he wasn’t going to stop now. He wasn’t sure why no one else could see it; maybe he was the only one who knew her well enough to know the way she was being abused.
“Please, it’s important.” He implored Katniss.
Katniss gave a brief look at Peeta, who nodded, before she looked down at Peeta’s daughter.
“Go ahead with daddy. Mommy will be along in a minute okay?” Katniss said to the girl. The girl nodded, taking her dad’s hand. Peeta gave him a cautious once-over as he corralled his kids with the prospect of seeing Grampa Haymitch and Aunty Jo.
Katniss glared at him. “What do you want?”
“I can take you to 2. You’ll be safe there and we can report Peeta. I’ll keep you safe I promise.” He rushed out.
Her face morphed from confusion to anger. “Peeta hasn’t hurt anyone. You’re not taking me away from him.”
“He’s clearly not fine if he forced you to have kids!” He said, trying to keep his voice from rising.
“I wake up screaming from nightmares where I can’t volunteer for them because I’m too old. I dream of them beside Prim when the bombs explode. I carry my bow whenever I take them somewhere. Sometimes I have to sneak into their rooms at night just to make sure they’re alive and safe.” Her voice was surprisingly steady. It only makes him more panicked though, hearing what Peeta’s forced her through.
“Peeta didn’t coerce me. He helped me have hope.” Gale thinks there might be tears forming in her eyes. “Peeta wanted them for years, but when I told him I wasn’t ready or that I would never have kids, he was okay with that. He said it was my choice that he loved me no matter what. He helped me have hope that I would be able to keep them safe. He helped me have hope that they would grow up safe.”
Gale was frozen, her words washing over him. “Are - are you sure you’re safe?” His voice cracking.
Katniss looked at him with something akin to pity. “Do you really think he could make me do something I didn’t want to?”
“He tried to kill you. Multiple times.”
“And your bomb blew up Prim.” There was nothing accusatory in her voice, no anger. She just stated it like a fact.
“I-I just want to make sure you’re safe Catnip. You were so adamant that you would never have kids before the reaping.”
“I changed Gale. No one escapes the games unchanged. I think we both spent too long pretending otherwise.”
She left him then, returning to her children. Gale watched as Johanna told a story, pretending to hack at something with an imaginary axe. Peeta was laughing, and Katniss was beaming at her kids, who were enthralled with Johanna.
Haymitch looked over at him, giving him a small raise of his glass with a slightly raised eyebrow. Almost as if to say, “Great going boy. Look what you’ve done.”