Fandom: The Hunger Games (Everthorne)

Setup: This is set somewhere around/between the first and second book, where Katniss is able to stay for a while in District 12.

Additional Info: The two italicized paragraphs that open this is a real excerpt from the book and not my writing. All credit goes to Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games. The snippet is from pages 108-9.

I had to type this on my phone because my computer broke, and autocorrect on Google Docs automatically corrects it and doesn't show me the changes underlined or anything.

Word Count: 1,700 words

Warning(s): Katniss has trauma from being in the Hunger Games. Brief sadness.

Other: This is being entered in a contest by @Birdschirpsalotavill

Arrows to My Heart

Katniss's POV

"That's dangerous." I jumped back several feet as Gale materialized from behind a tree. He must have been watching me the whole time. He was only fourteen, but he cleared six feet and was as good as an adult to me. I'd seen him around the Seam and at school. And one other time. He'd lost his father in the same blast that killed mine. In January, I'd stood by while he received his medal of valor in the Justice Building, another oldest child with no father. I remembered his two little brothers clutching his mother, a woman whose swollen belly announced she was just days away from giving birth. "What's your name?" he said, coming over and disengaging the rabbit from the snare. He had another three hanging from his belt. "Katniss," I said, barely audible. "Well, Catnip, stealing's punishable by death, or hadn't you heard?" he said. "Katniss," I said louder. "And I wasn't stealing it. I just wanted to look at your snare. Mine never catch anything." He scowled at me, not convinced. "So where'd you get the squirrel?" "I shot it." I pulled my bow off my shoulder. I was still using the small version my father had made me, but I'd been practicing with the full-size one when I could. I was hoping that by spring I might be able to bring down some bigger game. Gale's eyes fastened on the bow. "Can I see that?" I handed it over. "Just remember, stealing's punishable by death."

That was the first time I ever saw him smile. It transformed him from someone menacing to someone you wished you knew. But it took several months before I returned that smile. We talked hunting then. I told him I might be able to get him a bow if he had something to trade. Not food. I wanted knowledge. I wanted to set my own snares that caught a belt of fat rabbits in one day. He agreed something might be worked out. As the seasons went by, we grudgingly began to share our knowledge, our weapons, our secret places that were thick with wild plums or turkeys. He taught me snares and fishing. I showed him what plants to eat and eventually gave him one of our precious bows. And then one day, without either of us saying it, we became a team. Dividing the work and the spoils. Making sure that both our families had food. Gale gave me a sense of security I'd lacked since my father's death. His companionship replaced the long solitary hours in the woods. I became a much better hunter when I didn't have to look over my shoulder constantly, when someone was watching my back. But he turned into so much more than a hunting partner. He became my confidante, someone with whom I could share thoughts I could never voice inside the fence. In exchange, he trusted me with his. Being out in the woods with Gale . . . sometimes I was actually happy. I call him my friend, but in the last year it's seemed too casual a word for what Gale is to me.

I sigh, closing my eyes as I step into the woods of District 12. I was only here for a short while, and needed time to recollect my thoughts. The woods were the perfect place to do so; I could always clear my mind here. Breathing in, I feel the weight lifted off my shoulders. I wanted to meet with Gale so badly, but I knew he must be hating me for seemingly dating Peeta. But I didn't love Peeta; well, not like that. He was a friend, but to be honest, I'd really only just met him. He was a good guy, but I didn't know too much about him.

I hum softly, pulling out my bow and steadying it at a bird soaring through the sky. It lands, and I know I have it now. Then screams fill my ears, the stench of blood soaks my nose, the world shakes, and a teenage boy replaces the bird. I stumble and fall back as blackness wraps around me, squeezing me tightly, and my world fades slowly.

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

"Katniss? Katniss!" A familiar voice shakes me awake.

". . . G-Gale?" My eyelids flutter open.

"You scared me for a minute there, Catnip." A small smile ghosts across Gale's lips. "It was the Games, wasn't it?" I nod slowly. We knew each other so well: always able to tell when one was hiding something, what they were feeling, and almost what each other was thinking.

I realize my head is on one of his arms, and he is holding me, sitting me up in his lap. Our eyes lock, and my heart begins beating faster. "Gale I. . . I'm sorry." I drop my gaze. "You must be thinking that. . . Well I've been so consumed with--"

"Don't speak. I get it." Gale sighs, looking off into the distance. "You're trying to stay alive. You've just been through the Hunger Games, I know you have a lot of stress on you."

"No." I sit up. "I've been selfish. Yes, I've had a lot of stress on me, but so have you. Everything with Peeta. . . You must think I love him like that."

"You don't?" Gale asks, too quickly.

I shake my head. "No. . . We talked about it, alone, coming back on the train."

"Peeta?" I whisper softly, knocking on the door which is slightly ajar. A sleepy teen walks up and opens the door. "Can't sleep?"

I shake my head and enter. "We need to talk."

His face turns serious. "Yeah, I know." He walks me over to the bed, and pats it. Closing the door, I walk over to it and sit next to him.

"Peeta, I. . ." I sigh.

"I know. I know." His eyes tear up slightly. "And I wanted to tell you. . . It's okay. I-I don't want you to feel like you need to pretend to be or do something you're not. And honestly. . . As hard as it is. . . I'm beginning to drift away from you. Like that, I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm tired of trying to win people's affections: my mother's, the Capitol's, your's. . . I still love you Katniss and always will, but I'm beginning to realize I should step back from my feelings and see things as they are. You were my childhood crush, then my partner in the Games, then my on-screen 'girlfriend' but I see now that what I view you as is. . . a friend." He blinks at me tearfully, but smiles that winning Peeta smile. "Don't feel guilty or upset. We have done what we had to do to stay alive. For our families."

"For our families." I mumble sleepily. The others were probably out there, gossiping at what might be happening in here, but what was really happening was that the stress of our relationship eased away, and I was given a brother.

When he thought I was asleep, I heard him whisper, "Live to marry Gale, and have a family with him. It was always meant to be that way."

After spilling it all out to Gale, he does what he always does after hearing something long and important: looks off into the distance silently, contemplating the words spoken to him. I leave him be, knowing that when he is ready, he will speak.

"They were arrows to my heart," His voice is so soft and poetic it shocks me slightly. "Seeing you and Peeta together, kissing, professing lovers; it hurt, Katniss. It hurt a lot. Those wounds festered and bled and I started to think they would scar. But that was stupid. No amount of blood could ever stain our relationship. I forgive you for what you've done, what you've had to do. Forgive me for being selfish because of it. You were doing your part to stay alive. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I should have talked with you about it." He inhales sharply, and exhales slowly, then locks eyes with me. I open my mouth, but my lips are met with his.

"Don't speak." He whispers. He kisses me again, and I feel the sparks catching fire between us. His mouth is soft and sweet, but his kisses are forceful. The long awaited passion burns between us, and after a while, we finally sit back and watch the woods darken.

Gale's gorgeous eyes meet mine again. My fingers are entangled in his dark hair. "Seeing you with someone else sent many arrows to my heart," he begins, and I'm not sure why he's bringing this back up again until I hear,

"But none of those arrows could possibly lodge deeper into my chest than the one that struck me the day I fell in love with you."

(DUN DUN DUNNNN!!! All done guys, I am actually super proud of this and like it a lot. I'm a huge Everthorne shipper so yeahhhh. It's just so perfect and cute! No shade to Peeta though, he is very sweet. If I get enough comments, I might make a part two! Since this is for a contest and I'm trying to finish it to post, I was going to do a part two but decided against in. Well I hope you liked, love you flames❤)