#background everlark

Sitting inside the display case was more of the same baked goods; recessed lights lit up the inside of the cabinet, making the glazed doughnuts shimmer. The display case was old too, but not cool old—the way hipsters would squeal over and pay too much money to get at the flea market; it was more like cracked plexiglass and stained plastic old.

The place did smell good, though. Gale figured since the interior looked so crappy, they probably made some pretty damn good doughnuts to account for it. He'd found that you could get away with more stuff if your products were good.

He decided if things went alright with Katniss’s boyfriend, he’d take some doughnuts home for Ma, Posy, and the boys. That was probably a big if, based on what he remembered about this Peeta kid’s older brother from high school. Rye had been a real asshole, and the apple typically didn’t fall too far from the family tree—assholes tended to beget more assholes. He just couldn’t believe Katniss would get involved with a guy who was anything like Rye, so he held a little hope.

“Be out in a minute,” someone called from the backroom.

“Take your time,” Gale replied, leaning against the counter. “I’m in no rush. Gives me time to look around.”

“Cool, man. I won’t be long.”

He’d begun whistling a tune under his breath when a guy on the shorter side appeared from around the corner and made his way to the counter—well, short compared to Gale. When you’re six foot three, most people tend to look short.

“Make up your mind yet?” the guy asked, holding onto the countertop and duking down some to peer in the case and check what was left. “Still got a little bit of everything it looks like.”

“Still lookin’,” Gale replied, studying the kid closely. He wondered if this was Peeta. 

He looked like Rye, but younger maybe, and instead of muscled to the point of looking like he’d taken a ride on the ‘roid train, this one was thin, although he had broad shoulders like Rye Mellark. He walked with a slight limp. He wore thick black-rimmed glasses, a baggy t-shirt under his apron, and had some acne. All these things just accentuated the skinniness. Certainly not much to write home about. 

“You Peeta?” he asked finally, still trying to figure out what angle to take with the guy.

“Oh, yeah, that’s me,” he said, standing upright, smiling at Gale. Peeta (apparently, this dork was the little shit that’d knocked his cousin up) studied Gale carefully. “Do I know you from somewhere? You seem familiar. It’s funny. I feel like I should know you.”

Gale shrugged, studying the kid’s face. Peeta was friendly enough. He wondered if that was just for show and a ploy he’d used to get into Katniss’s pants. She’d always had a weakness for kind people. Considering her life, she wasn’t as tough-skinned as she ought to be. She already had Prim to look after. 

“No, no. We haven’t been introduced yet,” he said, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully.

“Okay, well then. How about we introduce ourselves now since you already know who I am,” Peeta leaned over the counter and stuck out his hand for a shake after pushing his glasses back up his nose. The front of his hair hung in his eyes. 

When Gale shook it, he was surprised by how firm the kid’s grip was for being kind of puny-looking, which showed he probably knew how to work. That was one point in his favor. 

Gale eyeballed him again, maybe a little less critically this time. Okay, he wasn’t that scrawny, just looked like he hadn’t been eating enough. And he wasn’t that short.

“I’m Peeta Mellark. And you are?”

“Gale Hawthorne,” he said, dropping Peeta’s hand.

Peeta smiled, puzzling over his name. Gale could tell he was running his name through his head, trying to figure out how and why he ought to know him. He didn’t seem disturbed in the least.

Finally, a look of recognition crossed Peeta’s face. He smacked the countertop with glee, jingling the customer bell with its force. “Gale, you’re Katniss’s cousin! She’s told me so much about you.” He shook his head and shrugged self-depreciatingly. “Sorry, I should have known who you were when you introduced yourself. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now.”

“Like the baby?” Gale asked, studying Peeta closely to weigh his reaction to the question. He needed to make up his mind quickly whether or not he would have to pound this guy into the ground. 

Gale’s hands reflexively uncurled at his sides when Peeta’s face lit up like a goddamn Christmas tree. “Yes, exactly! The baby, oh my god. I didn’t know Katniss was telling anybody yet, though. But of course, she’d tell you; you’re family.” 

“Didn’t really get a chance to talk to her about it yet.” Gale sighed. He wasn’t about to admit the truth that he’d heard the news from his little brother and not Katniss herself. 

Now, on to the tricky question, although he wasn’t sure whether or not he could trust Peeta’s answer. “How’s she feeling about it?”

Peeta crossed his arms over the top of the display case, his form relaxing further. He didn’t seem like he was stressed or hiding anything, and Gale was usually good at spotting liars. 

“Well, she’s getting used to the idea. I mean, we both are—the baby wasn’t exactly planned,” Peeta laughed at himself. “It is a lot. Can I be honest with you since you’re Katniss’s closest cousin? I’m freaking out a little.”

Gale forced a smile. He nodded, discreetly cracking his knuckles beneath the countertop if he didn’t like the train of this conversation.

Peeta grabbed a dry towel from behind the register and wiped the counter off as he talked. “I don’t feel like I have a good enough job to support a family. I didn’t plan on becoming a father at nineteen. I don’t blame her for being nervous; we’re both so nervous. But excited, too.”

“You didn’t pressure her into keeping it, did you?” Gale couldn’t keep the coldness out of his voice. Peeta was acting like some happy-go-lucky asshole over the whole baby thing. If he found out the guy pressured Katniss into doing this with him, he would find himself in some serious trouble.

To his credit, Peeta looked horrified at the accusation. He straightened, and Gale would almost describe his expression as wounded at that moment. Or angry. There was definite anger lighting up those blue eyes behind the dark-rimmed glasses. 

“God, no. I wouldn’t; I wouldn’t do that to her. I love Katniss. I just want to be with her, I want her to be happy, whatever that looks like. She deserves it all.” He laughed uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “Besides, have you met your cousin? I can’t see anyone talking her into anything she doesn’t want to do. Can you?”

Gale stared at him, weighing everything in his mind, before letting a smile flit across his lips. He liked this guy’s honesty, his lack of macho bullshit tactics. “No, you’re right.”

The tension seemed to go out of Peeta’s shoulders all at once. “That’s one of the reasons I fell in love with her, that determination she has. She’s amazing. Can I tell you a secret?” he asked Gale, surprising him.

“Yeah, of course,” Gale said casually, although it depended on what Peeta actually said in the next few minutes whether he would keep it to himself or not.

Peeta’s eyes dropped to the counter. “I worry sometimes that I’m not going to be enough for them. Katniss, Prim, the baby.”

“Prim?”

“Yeah, Prim is living with us. Their, ah, mom is having some issues with her boyfriend again.”

Gale grimaced. Damn Aunt Lily and her asshole boyfriends. It gave him a new respect for Peeta, agreeing to let his girlfriend’s kid sister move in with them. It showed family was important to him.

Peeta shrugged. “I love her so much, you know? You know Katniss—she’s just, she’s so special, and she deserves a lot better than me.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Gale asked, unsure what he was getting at.

Peeta glanced up at him. “Oh, I haven’t been in trouble or anything like that. Pretty boring, actually. It’s just that she deserves everything, and I just,” he threw up his hands, “I just wish I had more to offer her. If it hadn’t had the accident, I could have accepted a scholarship and gone to college. I wish I had some real plans to get us out of this shit hole town instead of working in this damn bakery. Sorry. I’m an idiot for dumping all of this on you. You don’t even know me.”

“I remember you now. You’re the one who lost his leg in that car accident, aren’t you?” Gale snapped his fingers, pointing at Peeta, even knowing it was way off-topic.

Peeta went back to wiping the counter off, despite it being crumb and debris free. “That’s what I’m famous for around here. Fucked up my life good,” he admitted.

After a moment, Gale reached across the counter and slapped Peeta on the shoulder in a friendly, guy-to-guy way. He seemed alright. For some reason, he’d taken a liking to Katniss’s boyfriend. “Don’t be like that, dude. You come to work every day?”

For the first time since Gale showed up at the bakery, through all the personal questions, Peeta looked downright insulted. “Yes,” he answered evenly. “I take care of my shit, pay my bills. That’s not a problem.”

“Well, that’s all you gotta do, man. Take care of your shit. Love the three of them.” 

Gale sighed, going into his own story. “I have two asshole brothers, my mom, and my baby sister. I take care of them; they take care of me. We find a way to make it work. Listen, Katniss has had it rough. Her dad walked out on her family; her mom is always in and out of relationships with shitty men. Do you know what Katniss needs, what she’s dying to have? Not a fancy house or a nice car. She needs someone dependable—someone she can trust to love. A guy that’s always going to have her back. Can you be that?”

“I can’t be anything but that,” Peeta said earnestly. “I swear I’d die for her if I had to, or Prim, or the baby.”

“Well, let's hope it doesn’t come down to that,” Gale said. He smiled genuinely at Peeta, deciding he was alright. Stepping back, he looked inside the display case again. “Tell me, Peet—do you mind if I call you Peet?”

Peeta laughed. “Nah, that’s fine.”

The conversation was a little stilted. Rory mostly talked about his job in corporate law. Finally, after they had been there nearly an hour, he asked, “And what is it you do?”

“I’m a nurse practitioner at the free clinic.” She said with a smile, scooting forward to talk more about her passion.

“Oh. That’s very commendable.” He said with a little bit of a snooty air. He took out his phone. “I didn’t realize the hour. I have another meeting in thirty minutes.” He finished his coffee and sat the cup on the table. “Can we have dinner on Friday?”

“Sure.” Prim stood and gathered her things. Maybe he was just nervous.

“I’ll call you with a time and a place.” Rory offered as they walked toward the door together. “What do you like?”

“I’m vegetarian, so my only request is a place with good vegetarian options.” She walked toward her car and he politely followed.

“I’ll have to do some research.” He said. “I never considered it.” He held her door as she climbed in. “I’ll text you later?”

“Sure.”

Prim tried to like Rory. She really did. But three dates later she was still struggling. There was no chemistry. Rory was a nice guy, but she wasn’t feeling it.

She lamented it to her sister Katniss over the phone after every date.

“So just break it off.” Katniss said. “You aren’t obligated to date anyone. Especially a guy Mom set you up with. What does she know? Just because you live together doesn’t mean she knows what kind of man will be good for you.”

“He’s a lawyer. And he went to Yale. He’s handsome.” Prim groaned. “And he’s a little arrogant.”

“Drop him, Prim.”

“Well, he invited me to this family thing and I don’t want him to be sad.”

Katniss laughed. “You’re way too nice. I would have stopped answering calls after the first disaster.”

“I know.” Prim sighed.

“You’ll do what you think is right.” Katniss said. “Just don’t take forever. Life’s too short to date someone you don’t even like.”

Rory had a hand on Prim’s lower back as he guided her around the back of his parents’ house. There were so many people and Rory made sure to introduce her to every single one. She would never remember everyone.

The last person they met was a very stoic man. He watched the rest of the gathering from the porch with his back straight and his arms at his side. He was like a statue standing at attention.

“This is my brother Gale.” Rory said. “He just got back from a tour in the Middle East.”

Prim smiled kindly at him and held out her hand. “Thank you for your service. My dad was in the army.”

Gale shook her hand. “I’m a Marine.” He said in greeting.

Prim nodded. “Right on. Very brave of you.”

“Just doing what I need to do.” He said softly.

Rory finally dropped his hand from Prim’s back. “You want a coke?”

“Sure. Sprite?” Prim asked.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Rory went to step away, but he turned back. “I made sure Dad got you some veggie burgers. I’ll make sure to ask him not to cook them on the dirty grill.”

“Thanks.” Prim appreciated Rory’s attention to detail. Maybe she could figure out something.

“So you’re the reason we have to have that rabbit food.” Gale commented.

Prim shrugged. “Not a whole lot different.”

“Why anyone would give up meat is beyond me.”

With a laugh, Prim leaned back against the railing. “Well, I used to like bacon when I was a kid. Ate it as often as I could get my parents to make it. Then I started asking how it was made and my dad took me to a farm and a butcher. I saw the whole process. And it made me really sad.”

“It’s what they’re for.” Gale took a step closer. “We’re the top of the food chain.”

“Not when you consider bears and lions. Elephants even.”

Gale shook his head. “But you need protein.”

Prim laughed. “Protein comes from more than just meat. I do still eat cheese and yogurt and eggs. I just don’t want animals to die for my meal if I can help it. You can eat my share.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” She saw a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips.

“Is 7Up okay, Primrose?” Rory asked, holding out a can.

“That works.” She took the can and opened it. “Thanks, Rory.”

“I got you a Dr. Pepper, Gale.” Rory handed over the can.

“Thanks.” Gale gave his brother more of a smile, but then his lips went straight again.

“My mom is going to grill your burgers inside so there isn’t any cross-contamination with the meat.” Rory said as he popped open his own soda.

“I’ll have to thank her.” Prim said. “They didn’t have to go to so much trouble for some girl they’ve never met before.”

“Well, when Rory brings home a girl, we know it’s getting serious.” Gale commented with another slight smile. A look of pride was on his face for his little brother.

Serious? Prim thought. No, it’s the complete opposite of serious! But how to I get out of this?

She followed Rory around for a while until she started feeling more comfortable in the crowd. She was okay with him wandering away to talk to some friends from school who had shown up late. She stayed with his sister and her friends for a few more minutes until Gale caught her eye again.

He still stood in the same spot overlooking the crowd. One hand held the can of coke his brother had brought him earlier while the other gripped the railing of the deck.

Prim was drawn to him.

Gale looked over as she stepped close.

“So you just got back?” She folded her arms on the railing.

“Been home a week.” His fingers loosened a little on the railing, but he still held on like he would float away if he lifted his hand.

She traced a bit of the grain. “I bet it was scary.” She glanced up to see if she could catch a smile.

But if anything, the comment made his face go darker. “Yeah.”

She looked back down. “My dad was killed over there, so…”

“I’m sorry.” He said. “A lot of good people died. Are dying.”

“I guess your family is glad you weren’t one of them.”

She looked up just in time to see him nod. “Yeah. But I’m not.” A look crossed Gale’s face that was a little surprised he’d admitted something like that to a stranger. “You, uh, like Rory?”

Prim smiled and stood a little straighter. “He’s a good guy. Really likes his job.”

“He’s a little obsessed with being the best.” That phantom smile was back. “He was top of his class.”

“You’re proud of him.” Prim observed. It was really sweet to see. Katniss was the same with her.

“I’m proud of all of them.” Gale said, his lips lifting just a bit more.

She talked with Gale for quite a while longer. She noticed the way he started to relax. Eventually, he lifted his hand off the railing. And slowly, the smile became completely fleshed out.

Prim couldn’t believe it when she saw it. His whole face lit up. He was like a different person. His grey eyes turned silver in the late afternoon sun and he looked ten years younger.

A warmth began in Prim’s chest and spread to the rest of her body. She mumbled an excuse about needing the bathroom and wandered inside.

She spent the rest of the time avoiding Gale, though she noticed him watching her more than once.

As he drove her home, Rory said, “So, I think we should just be friends.”

“Oh, thank god!” Prim blurted. “I mean… I didn’t mean…”

“I know what you mean.” He said, a kind smile on his lips. “You’ve been a great companion these last few weeks. But I know you and I haven’t clicked.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. “I happened to glance over when you were talking with Gale and I saw something on your face that I never saw when we talked.”

“He just looked so lonely.” She said softly.

“He is.” Rory continued down the road when the light changed.

“I haven’t hated spending time with you.” Prim said. It wasn’t entirely a lie.

He chuckled. “I guess your mom had a bit of an idea of what was best for you. It just wasn’t me.” He pulled into her driveway and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “Look, I’m not cool with you doing this right away. It would be a bit of a blow to my ego.” He held out the paper. “But my brother deserves a chance. Most of the people he was friends with were with him over there and a lot of them didn’t make it back. So if you can figure out how to make him smile and relax a bit, he needs that.”

“Thank you, Rory.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you around.”

Inside the house, she was met by Iris, Katniss, and Peeta. They gave her questioning looks.

“We broke up.” Prim said. She could feel the smile huge on her face, which caused her mother to give her a hard look. “There wasn’t a spark.” Prim argued. “And he’s the one that broke it off. It’s fine.” She headed toward the back of the house. “I need to wash all the bug spray off.”

She stepped into her bedroom, but couldn’t close the door because Katniss was standing there. Her sister stepped inside and plopped down on the bed. “Spill it, Prim. Tell me everything.”

“There’s not much to tell.” Prim sat beside her. “Except that I talked to his older brother more than him. And I think I like his brother more.”

Katniss laughed and shook her head. “You’re something else, Prim.”

Prim shrugged. “Rory gave me his number. Gale just got back from overseas. He’s a Marine. Lost a lot of friends, apparently.” She swallowed and stood. “I really do need to shower. I feel gross. And I smell like grilled hamburgers.”

“Delicious.” Katniss pressed a kiss to her sister’s cheek before she left the room.