(no subject)

[inciting]

The fight or flight instinct still hadn't slipped out of Katniss's damaged mind.

She knew, factually they were in District 13. Even though they didn't even know it exsisted up until a few days ago.

Well, some of them.

Her family was here. Peeta was here. Gale was here. Katniss? She was pretty sure half the time she was actually still back in the arena. She had nightmares, she'd always had nightmares, but none has seemed to follow her into reality quite the same way.

Today was one of those days. She was completely still, breathing heavy, staring at the door, certain that what was going to come through wasn't going to be some District 13 medic. Sure the empty room was about to fill up with Capitol peacekeepers, or...worse. There was always worse.

Comments

np! if you still even want to play with me after how shitty I've been in tagging back

[bakersson]

Peeta stayed with her, leaning in close as his eyes glanced between Gale and Coin. He could still feel Katniss' hand clutching onto his event though she'd let go.

"You think she'd go that far?" He frowned, looking at Katniss again.

[inciting]

Throat dry, she watched the two of them talk, feeling something tighten up in her chest.

"I know she would. It's him I'm not sure about."

And she should be sure. This was Gale.

But she wasn't.

[bakersson]

"Maybe you should talk to him," he offered quietly, never sure who was listening and when. "I'm sure he wouldn't... lie to you. Not about this."

Then again, he didn't know Gale much at all. Not nearly as well as Katniss.

[inciting]

She hoped not.

But really, here, she had no idea. Nothing here was how she expected it. But Coin and Gale were wrapping up their conversation, and now was just as good a time as any.

"I'll be right back."

I can always try playing Gale so you're not rping with yourself or anything

[bakersson]

"I'll be here." He reassured, not planning on leaving her alone with any of these people right now. Even Peeta wasn't sure who to trust anymore... and although Gale was Katniss' closest friend, this place was still foreign to them. This way of living, what they had just gone through and heard in this meeting, none of it was okay.

Re: I can always try playing Gale so you're not rping with yourself or anything

[inciting]

((real quick for plotting. I am fine just summarizing it all in a post, but if you wanna do Gale, I am fine with that too))

[bakersson]

[[ooc: paraphrasing would probably be easiest]]

[inciting]

She gave him a smile as she walked away, and went to meet Gale.

It soothed her how quickly Gale was to talk about, well...everything. She still wasn't sold on this place, but he talked quickly, rapidly, and filled her in one what he knew.

Most of it had been covered in the meeting. 12 was gone, but some of their people had made it here. They were to be the face of the rebellion. And maybe, Gale added, actually in it. An idea that clearly was being held in front of his nose.

He lead her back to Peeta, still informing her of the ins and outs of their new home.

[bakersson]

He stood up as they both approached him, listening carefully. Gale seemed to have a lot more information than either of them and he wondered how many meetings they hadn't been invited to while running around half naked in hospital gowns.

Thirteen seemed impenetrable at least. Perhaps that was the safest they could get at this point. It made him think of the surface and of Twelve, of the fate of all their family and friends... and his stomach lurched uncomfortably again.

"So we're... going to be leaving eventually. I mean, we have to. We can't just stay down here and hide forever."

[inciting]

"Well, yeah. The goal is to take control of Panem, to send everyone home to rebuild." Gale said as he lead them forward.

There was a bite to his voice as he said the next part. "You two are to always be together."

"Yeah, that sounds familiar." Katniss said with snort. But her hand found Peeta's again as they trailed after Gale. It might be unfair, but in this us versus them, Gale had aligned himself with a them she wasn't too sure about herself yet.

[bakersson]

"For the cameras," Peeta spoke the obvious for the sake of making things less awkward. He definitely heard the bitterness in his voice and immediately felt guilty, even though Peeta knew he shouldn't. It felt a bit ridiculous to worry about what Gale thought now of all days, or how it affected the boy's relationship with Katniss. But it was still there, still haunting him like he was supposed to feel bad... and he was suddenly all too aware of the locket around Katniss' neck with his picture tucked inside.

The one he'd given her... on that beach that felt so far away now.

Focusing back on the present, he squeezed Katniss' hand, looking from the back of Gale's head to her again.

"Right," Gale continued, still not looking at either of them. "You're supposed to be a symbol, some representation of hope and perseverance. We can't have you splitting up now."

[inciting]

Katniss flinched at that. His words, his emphasis.

This wasn't a situation she had been expecting to come back into, and if anything? It was far more awkward now. She tried to think of something to add, to soothe, but had a feeling she wouldn't manage anything that wouldn't make things worse.

"Gale-"

"And here's your room. Your mom and Prim are right across the hall." He pointed to the plain white door across from the one he'd just opened.

[bakersson]

"Thank you, Gale." It was the only thing Peeta could think to say right now. Even though he was usually so good with words, it was probably best not to interfere in... well... whatever went on between those two. The reassurances from last night with Katniss had felt good and hopeful despite the state of the world, but there was always still... this.

He watched as the other boy simply nodded and would barely look at Katniss, and he felt angry for her.

Still, he did not let go of her hand, even through the awkward silence.

[inciting]

"Well, I think we've got it."

She gave Gale a tight, overly large smile, and he pressed his lips together, started to speak, and reconsidered. Even with this gap between them, Katniss knew that she didn't need to do more to communicate to him what she was feeling.

"Call me if you need me then." He hesitate, and then walked down the hall, ducking down the first corridor he reached.

[bakersson]

Peeta let out a breath he had not realized he was holding when Gale left, warily looking toward Katniss.

"You ok?"

[inciting]

She scowled at where Gale had vanished, before her shoulder slumped down.

"I just...don't get him anymore."

He used to be one of the few people she did. Or thought she did. And it was hard, feeling like she was on eggshells around him. Especially at a time when figuring out delicate interpersonal relationships wasn't high on her list of worries.

"Let's just go get settled in."

[bakersson]

At least they were in closer proximity to her family now, knowing exactly where they were staying, and she could see them with ease. He hoped that would help make this process easier, especially with the cold way Gale was treating her.

He really hated how guilty he felt.

"C'mon," he encouraged gently, tugging her hand to lead them inside the room. This one was the same size as the previous room they had been given, though there was one larger bed rather than two separate ones. He only let go of her hand once they were inside, looking around absently. "Do you want to talk about it?" About him, he meant.

[inciting]

She shrugged, sinking down on to the bed in exhaustion. And this day wasn't even over yet. It hadn't even yet sunk in there was only one bed.

Would talking to Peeta help? There was some intrinsic conflict of interest there, but...who else could she talk to? Prim didn't know everything, and she didn't want to lead her, or anyone, through it all.

"I just don't know what he wants from me. Like some how this was planned to hurt him."

[bakersson]

Peeta went to sit beside her, hands clasped between his knees.

"I think... it's tough for everyone right now. He's probably having a tougher time handling this than he's showing, so he's taking it out the only way he can thin of."

Not that it made it right or okay.

[inciting]

It was, it had to be.

But it still didn't make her happy.

She looked over at him, at his hands. Hands that should be scared up, rough, but instead were smooth, soothed by Capitol technology.

"I just...don't know when he decided rough times were when we should push apart."

[bakersson]

It didn't seem right to Peeta either but he didn't know Gale as well as Katniss did. From what he understood of him, Gale was stubborn but faithful to those he cared about, while not being the most open of people. He could understand why.

When he caught her looking at his hands he reached out to hold one of hers again, lacing their fingers together. "I'm sorry, Katniss."

[inciting]

She was glad for the contact. She wasn't sure when she had grown so dependent on his contact, but it soothed her mind, stopped it from trying to trip over it's self.

"I'll try to catch him alone, maybe."

Not in the woods, not here, but maybe she'd have more luck. With out authority around. Or Peeta.