I sit up and gently sip the water that Gale had given me. I should thank him. I don't want to be rude.
"Thanks for the water." I glance up at him and offer a soft smile.
He returns the smile for a second before his face returns to his 'deep in thought' look. "No problem. I wake up ten times a night anyway."
I glance at the fur mound that hides Katniss and see the lightest shift of weight. She's awake... she's listening. "To make sure Katniss is still here?"
Gale glances at Katniss and luckily doesn't notice that Katniss is eavesdropping. Several emotions flash in his eyes. Hurt. Love. Longing. Regret. He shakes his head and turns towards me again. "Something like that."
Neither of us speaks. I can't tell if the silence is comfortable or not, but Gale goes back to watching Katniss intently. I feel a burning sensation form in my gut. I haven't felt this feeling in a while. Jealousy?
"That was funny. what Tigris said. About no one knowing what to do with her."
"Well," Gale flashes me a winning smile, "we never have."
Laughter erupts from my stomach. The sad thing is, that was one hundred percent true. Katniss was a confusing person, to put in nicely. I know now she must be wondering how Gale and I can have a conversation like two old friends. I don't really know myself.
I turn to Gale and he stops laughing as soon as he sees my face. "She loves you, you know," I glance down at my cuffs. "She as good as told me after they whipped you."
Gale lets out a soft chuckle and gives a silent yawn. "Don't believe it." I could see the hurt on his face. "The way she kissed you in the Quarter Quell... well, she never kissed me like that."
The memory flashes in my head and I know he's right, but I shake my head. "It was just part of the show."
He looks up, "No, you won her over. Gave up everything for her. Maybe that's the only way to convince her you love her." He turns his head and I can tell he's blinking away tears. "I should have volunteered to take your place in the first Games. Protect her then."
"You couldn't," I give a shrug, trying to make him feel better. "She'd never have forgiven you. You had to take care of her family. They matter more to her than her life."
"Well, it won't be an issue much longer. I think it's unlikely all three of us will be alive at the end of the war. And if we are, I guess it's Katniss's problem. Who to choose." Gale yawns and hunches his shoulders. "We should get some sleep."
I wiggle into my fur and close my eyes. "Yeah. I wonder how she'll make up her mind."
Gale silently sits up again. "Oh, that I do know." He leans forward and his mouth twist into a small smirk. "Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can't live without."
I give a curt nod and roll on my side. I know that the words Gale just uttered may have seemed innocent to him, but they probably just sliced through Katniss's heart.
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