Peeta knew Haymitch wouldn’t be happy with being on the outskirts of the master plan but he didn’t think he’d be so angry. Peeta wasn’t changing his stance and hoped Haymitch didn’t mess things up by trying to go over his head or shaking down other possible allies for information. Haymitch needed to calm down and trust him. Peeta didn’t know what he had done to have Haymitch question his trust or responsibility but there was no way he was going to risk everything just to make Haymitch feel in control. When they began to dine with the others, Peeta kept giving Haymitch a slight glare as he went back to his meal, hoping Haymitch would move on as it was in everyone’s best interest if the sober man just stepped back and trusted those around him.

Gale and Katniss noticed the change in mood and Gale wondered if Peeta and Haymitch could have been talking about the big plan. He tried to keep his face mute though he was worried. Peeta said he wouldn’t and couldn’t tell Haymitch or Katniss so he wondered if maybe Haymitch was pestering Peeta about it. Either way, he and Prim had to keep their minds elsewhere and hope Peeta had everything under control. “You bet.” He said in response to Effie’s comment. “I think a slow morning is something we all need.” He said, hoping to keep things light. This was a good day and he was hoping to keep the mood going into the night. Gale finished up and treated himself to a chocolate tart while Katniss skipped dessert.

She watched Haymitch get up and soon Prim took her leave. She folded her arms and watched Gale finish his tart before they got up. “Come on Gale.” She said and pulled out his chair for him. The two headed down to the living room and she told him they should get changed and have a hot soak. Katniss went to her room and found a simple black one piece suit and changed into it. Gale was already in the tub when she wandered over to him. She got in and sat next to him as they looked at the different paintings while the bubbles circulated the hot water around them. “God this feels good.” She sighed and rolled her head around, trying to work out the knots and kinks in her shoulders and neck. 

“So...catnip...what did you want to talk about?” Whatever it was, was looming over his head and he needed to know. He didn’t like thinking she could be mad at him.

“You and Prim.”

“What?” Gale sat up and turned to her, resting a hand on the rim of the tub.

“I want to talk about you and Prim and how close you’ve been getting.” She sat up and turned to him as well, her face dead serious. “I started to notice something when you and her had that fight and you didn’t show your face until you patched things up. I mean...you could have come over to see me but you didn’t, not really.” She shrugged. “It made me think about how you might feel about her and when you are around, she smiles a hell of a lot more and you talk more and...I need to know how you feel about my sister. She’s my sister Gale, she’s all I have.” 

“I-I know Katniss.” Gale felt his heart expand and begin to beat quite fast as he tried to collect his thoughts. “I...I do have feelings for Prim-”

“What kind of feelings?” Katniss demanded as she slammed her fist on the dial and turned off the bubbles so she could hear him better.

“Do you love her?”

“I-”

“Do you love my sister?” She demanded again, her tone low.

He swallowed and took a deep breath. It wasn’t fair that she was doing this here and now. Gale thought back to Prim and the image that came to mind was her smiling at him and he shook his head. He knew how he felt and he had no idea what to do about it. He once had feelings for Katniss but he knew those were gone. “I do...love her.” He finally said and looked at Katniss, not sure if she was going to cry or smack him or drown him or yell at him. “I love her.” He said again, mostly for himself. “She’s what I think about when I wake up and before I go to bed. She’s the kind of girl I want to spend the rest of my life with…” He smiled a little. “I’m not trying to take her away from you Katniss, I care so much about her, you know if I needed to, I would give up my life if it meant she stayed alive and well.”

Katniss suspected but to hear it was another thing.

She pushed herself away from him as she thought about the Games and her sister and everyone else and her heart sank. “Have you told her?” She asked quietly and sank into the tub so that her chin was submerged in the hot water.

“No.”

“Well you should.”

Gale wasn’t expecting that. 

“Before it’s too late, you should tell her.” She muttered and closed her eyes. “And if I can’t...if I can’t take her of her, I know you’ll be able to.” Katniss brought up a hand to wipe her eyes. “But if you hurt her...if you can’t protect her and keep her happy…” She pushed herself up and turned back to Gale who was keeping still, watching her carefully. “I will make sure you pay. She is my sister, Gale. I love her. I will not hesitate to pick her side if I need to.” She glared. She loved Gale and he knew that but Prim was all she had and she would put an arrow in him if prompted. “I won’t want to but she’s all I have and if you love her...like you say you do, then you know what lengths I will go to keep her safe.” Katniss said.

“I know, Katniss.” Gale swallowed and glanced down. She leaned over and gave him a brief hug. It wouldn’t have been so informal if they weren’t in swimsuits. “Thanks.”

“Why?” She pulled back.

“For being my friend and for making me realize that I should do something.”

“You don’t have to tell her, I mean it could make the Games more complicated.” She then quickly considered but then stopped herself. “But...do what you think is right. Either way, I want both of you safe and happy and I see the way she looks at you...you make her happy..”

“I do?” He looked at her. “How...how does she look at me?”

“Like you’re the only person in the room, it’s a bit weird sometimes.” She smiled slightly and found herself wanting to just get out and take a shower since this conversation was making her uncomfortable. “Look, I’ve said what I need to. We don’t have a lot of time left so I hope you and Prim enjoy what you can…” He noticed a moment of sadness in Katniss’ eyes and felt the urge to tell her about the plan, that there was hope. He just watched her get up and pull a towel around herself. “I thought I’d be jealous or something, but if the two people I love, make each other happy, I guess it could be worse.” She smiled slightly and excused herself. Gale just sat there and tried to collect himself. She thought Prim may feel the same way? His heart was still a bit out of sorts but he got up and decided to head back to his room too.

Once there, he got undressed and took a hot shower, trying to wrap his brain about what Katniss had said. In a way, she begrudgingly gave her blessing but he hoped it wasn’t just because she thought they were all going to die. He decided to just focus on the positive and that was that he loved Prim. He was able to admit it and it made him feel an euphoric mixture of bliss and panic. As he got out and dried off his short black hair, he wondered if he should tell Prim. He never told a girl he loved her before but he knew with Prim, she could be the only one he had to say it to. He pulled on a pair of long black pants and a tight blue tank top and turned on the hologram so it showed the forest. Gale’s heart was telling him to say something but if he told her, would it hinder their performance during the Games?

It was so unfair.

Gale shook his head and decided he couldn’t die without telling Prim how he felt, even if it might be a little selfish. The swordsman had to tell her and had to hope Peeta’s plan could get them out alive. For now, he tried to settle his rampant mind with some deep breathing and focusing on the forest image. He wished he was back home, where he wasn’t forced to lie and keep things from those he cared for. He found himself missing Prim and laid back on his bed, his legs hanging off the front as he closed his eyes. He knew Katniss would do anything for Prim and he didn’t want to get in the way of that but at the same time, he couldn’t just pretend that he didn’t feel anything for the cute blond. He loved her and he knew that if he was back home, he would be able to do things better, actually take her out for a walk or a picnic but he hoped maybe the upcoming Ball could help push him to say what he needed to.

Like Gale, Katniss took a shower and got ready for bed. It wasn’t too late and they’d have the morning to sleep in so she wasn’t in such a hurry. She put on a black tee shirt and a pair of black shorts and sat in her room, feeling a bit bored and a bit lonely. She had suspected something between Gale and Prim but she had hoped she was wrong and yet she wasn’t and it broke her heart. Not because she liked Gale but because she had to think about him dying or her dying and none of them having a real life outside of the blood and dirt. She felt like crying and punching a wall because it just wasn’t fair. None of them shouldn’t be where they were. They should be home, picking flowers and talking about anything but death. Katniss rubbed her face and wondered how Gale and Prim would be if they weren’t at the Capital because of her. She got up and stormed off to Haymitch’s room.

If anyone could stop her from losing her mind, it was him. She had given Gale questionable advice and she wondered if she was a hypocrite for not taking it herself. But did she love Haymitch the way Gale loved Prim? She saw he wasn’t in his room and her face fell. She didn’t need to talk to him even, just be around him and have him assure her things would be okay. She felt so childish as she stood in the doorway. She went over to his bed and plopped down and picked up one of the books by his bedside table. Katniss flipped through it but found the words a blur as she set it down and went back to being a decorative piece of furniture. She had her hair down and brought up an anxious finger to twirl some of it around. She just wanted to talk to Haymitch and think about him, rather than think about futility or love or anything else at all.