Gale Hawthorne X Reader -The World Has Caught Fire-

Chapter 11: The Reaping (2)

I wipe the tears from my face, put the letter back in the envelope, and set it in front of his grave. I get up and walk back home, there is now only 30 minutes until the reaping. I take a shower and let my hair air dry while I get changed. Once my hair is dry my mother styles it. When I'm all ready we wait a little bit. We sit in the living room and then we hear a few nocks on our door. My mother gets it and it's a group of peacekeepers.

"We're here for Y/n Y/l/n. It's time to go" One of them says. I get up, hug my mom, and they stand all around me as we walk so that I don't escape. Haymitch and Gale also have their own little group of peacekeepers. We all get walked to the square where we stand on the stage thing. There are two bowls, one for the boys and one for the girls as always. There is one piece of paper in the girl's bowl. I wonder who it could be. And there are two pieces in the boy's bowl. Effie comes up and she looks at me sympathetically.

"Welcome welcome, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary, and 3rd Quarter Quell of the Hunger Games. As always, ladies first." Effie says. She walks over to the bowl and picks up the one piece of paper that was in there. She walks back to the middle and opens it.

"The female tribute from District 12 is...Y/n Y/l/n" A single tear fell down my face. "Wonderful! And now for the men" She goes to the male bowl and picks up a paper. All I can do is hope that Gale's name gets called so Haymitch volunteers for him. "The male tribute from District 12...*sigh* Haymitch Abernathy" I looked at her like she has to be lying, but before" Haymitch could take one step;

"I volunteer as tribute" Gale says

"I can't let you do that" Haymitch says

"You can't stop me, let go" Gale walks over.

"Very well! The tributes from district 12, Y/n Y/l/n and Gale Hawthorne" Before Effie could say anything else, I looked in the crowd and saw Peeta put up the three middle fingers symbol, his brothers did the same then my mother then Katniss and soon everyone in the square was holding up the symbol. Gale and I also did, but then I felt two hands grip me and start pulling me from the stage.

"Oh no, but but but" Effie tried to tell them to stop but they didn't. Don't I get to say goodbye? I saw Gale's sister, Posy break free from the handhold of her mother and start calling out Gale's name.

"Wait! What are you doing I get to say goodbye" Gale said struggling against the peacekeepers that also gripped him.

"Change of plans straight to the train," The head peacekeeper said and the other ones ripped us into the building. 

We were taken to the train and we got on. I didn't even want to say anything I just board the train go to my room. I don't even know what to think, I just sit there and try not to think. I sit there and then Gale comes in.

"Hey, how are you?" He asks

"Why'd you do it?" I say

"Do what?"

"Volunteer for Haymitch. you shouldn't have done that, you could have lived. You didn't have to go back into the games, Gale"

"I need to keep you alive, Y/n. I couldn't let you go into the games to die, but if I'm there I'll do everything I can to keep you alive."

"Gale, You need to live, not me"

"Why do you think that? You need to win, if any one of us does it needs to be you"

"Gale your whole family needs you, nobody needs me."

"I do. I need you." He walks over to me and sits next to me. "I need you more than anything"

"I need you too." We kiss and decide not to talk about it anymore. But secretly I still plan to do everything it takes to make Gale live.

<><><><><><><><>

The next day

"So guys, just like last time when we arrive in the Capital you will be handed over to your prep team and get styled for the tribute parade," Haymitch said, we nodded. "I thought maybe we should watch the reaping's from the other districts this year, so you can see who your up against"

"Sounds good," I say. We go to the living room and turn on the recorded reaping from earlier. "From District 1 there is Gloss and Cashmere, they are brother and sister." Haymitch starts "From 2 there is Brutus and Enobaria, watch out for them, they are ruthless. From 3 Wiress and Beetee, they aren't much of a physical threat but they are very smart and they won their games by outsmarting the other tributes." The next picture popped up and I saw Finnick Odair.

"Finnick Odair, right? I remember him" I say

"Of course you do, sweetheart, who wouldn't? And then this is Mags, she volunteered for Annie Cresta, she's not much of a threat but when she goes let's hope she goes quickly because she is actually a very lovely lady" He went on with the other tributes and from just the reaping's I can tell that our biggest threats are Enobaria, Johanna Mason, Gloss, Cashmere, and Finnick. They are all still pretty young and look like they could easily win so I'm gonna try to stay clear of their path, They will all most likely form an alliance and destroy us.

A little bit later we arrive in the Capital. I'm given to my prep team so that they can pretty me up for the tribute parade. They wash me and get me ready for Cinna to evaluate me.

"Y/n Y/l/n, my favorite victor," Cinna says when I'm taken

"Hi Cinna" I hugged him

"Are you ready for this year's tribute parade? It's gonna be a little bit different this year"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"I've designed the perfect outfits for you and Gale, you will love them"

"I'm so excited to see them"

<><><><><><><><>

The dress is beautiful. It's a greyish black with accents of gold and when we press a button, it glows like fire. It looks amazing and it also comes with a headpiece to wear but nothing will be glowing until we are in out chariots. I haven't seen Gale yet but he's around here somewhere. Right now we have like 10 minutes until the parade and we are waiting by our chariots. Gale is still with Portia and I'm petting the horses. I'm minding my own business when I hear someone approaching me. I assume it's Gale, but when I turn around I see the famous Finnick Odair Walking toward me.