(gale) sing to me about the end of the world

[burnwithus]

In 13, Katniss found that she had a penchant for hiding and finding small places to slip into where no one could possibly find her. Places that she could be alone with her thoughts, no matter how dark they were. Today she slips into the caves, avoiding the forest where she knows the Cornucopia glimmers dully in the hot island sun, yet another reminder of things she can't forget.

The bloodstains haven't quite washed away either, despite the snow.

She comes across a pool of clear water and lets her legs dangle into them, tingling against healing scars but in a way that feels good. Cathartic, in a way. Katniss stares quietly at the cavernous ceiling, noting the stalactites on the ceiling, pointing down like great stone arrows.

The fact that she can only hear the dripping of water echoing in the cave helps to calm her just a little bit, closing her eyes and trying to sift through exactly what she's feeling right now. Peeta. Gale. Everything is crowding around her mind right now until it's nearly impossible to see through. Gale had kissed her, and she'd let him. Why? Why did she do that?

It's because she wasn't thinking, Katniss realizes sullenly a few seconds later. And now Peeta knows about what happened after the Capitol took him, and she still doesn't know where they stand or where she wants them to stand.

A sharp, shuddering sigh is released from her lips, and it's loud in the all-pervasive silence of the caves, with plenty of surfaces for it to echo against.

Comments

[burnwithus.livejournal.com]

It's the best she can do right now. Katniss swallows painfully for a moment, just looking at him and remembering the things they used to do together, before the Games wrecked it all. Growing up together, teasing each other, taking care of each other. Making sure that both of their families got enough to eat. Compared to the state she's in now that blurry watercolor past seems perfect even though she knows that it was anything but. "Okay. You'll...be the first to know."

[worldisburning.livejournal.com]

"I mean it about the house, Katniss," he says, quietly, almost smiling, trying to smiel as he looks up at her. "There's room there for two of us. Just...let me do that, okay?"

[burnwithus.livejournal.com]

It feels like an ultimatum, almost - even if Gale doesn't say it like that. She gets the feeling that this is the last, paper-thin bond to the friendship they had, dangling on a fraying string. It makes her a little bit sad and that shows in her eyes for once as she nods, numbly before clearing her throat, voice hoarse. "Okay," she's trying to compromise. She's trying her best, but it isn't enough. Still, if there's one thing Katniss knows it's how to make do with less than enough.

[worldisburning.livejournal.com]

He nods. He lfits one hand, like he's going to hug her or touch her hair or something but, in the end, he lets it drop.

"I'm going for a walk. Check the snares."