After Mockingjay: Gale Hawthorne

Part 6

Gale chuckles.

Katniss looks flagbustered, " Where did you learn that?"

"Gale."

Katniss glares at him and he clears his throat, Peeta laughs heartily and both pairs of stormy eyes turn to glare at him, Peeta raises his hands in surrender, a small smile on his lips, " You know...", he begins, " You two should have been interrogators, could have gotten people to surrender without saying a word."

Gale breaks first, a small smile forming on his lips, " Nah that wouldn't work, It's good cop bad cop. Not bad cop and worse cop."

"That's a horrible joke.", Katniss quips.

"Who's worse?", Prim asks, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Gale's smile broadens, "Your mother of course."

Katniss playfully slaps him on the shoulder, no longer able to restrain a smile.

The bell rings and the smile disappears as quickly as it had come. Prim rushes to the door and Gale follows closely.

The woman in the doorway has flowing red hair and charming green eyes. She holds a gift in one hand and her son's hand in the other. He hides behind his mother's leg, he's a splitting image of his father, blonde hair and blue eyes.

He looks up again, " Annie."

" Glad you recognized me.", she smiles, " You on the other hand, look like another person."

"I'll take that as a compliment, come in."

He lets her in. Lucas refuses to let go of his mother, he's shy and Gale wonders where he got it from, the Finnick he remembers was known for how charming he was but Gale knew he didn't know the man enough to make the call.

He closes the door.

Annie embraces Peeta first, they share a similar pain in their eyes and then Katniss, who jokes that it's been too long since there was another woman in the house.

Gale watches Prim as she approaches Lucas, "Hi."

There's no reply.

"Can you talk?"

He nods.

"Then why don't you?"

A small smile forms on the kid's lips, " Cause I don't want to."

"Fair enough. I'm Prim."

"Lucas."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same here."

There's only a few moments of silence before the two are running around the house, screaming and laughing. Annie and Katniss both share the same apologetic smile. Gale doesn't mind, he reasons that they are kids and that's what kids are supposed to do. Kids shouldn't have to worry about dying when they're 12 years old. He lets the bitter thought wash over him, senses a snippet of the old him in it. Cold, calculative and bitter with a flame in him that was passionate to make the world a better place.

By 10 pm the house is full. Members of the District, old friends and allies from the rebellion, all have filled the house to a brim. But the one guest Gale actually cares about hasn't arrived yet. He takes another sip of the hot chocolate in his hands, he has no intention of drinking the booze, the last time he drank, it didn't end well.

"Want a glass.", a gruff voice says from behind him.

Gale jumps and quickly turns around. Haymitch stares at him, expression impassive, "I won't ask again."