Eyes Open

The next morning, I woke up with Gale’s arm around me protectively and my head on Gale’s chest. I quietly shifted and Gale’s eyes fluttered open and smiled down at me.

“Morning beautiful,” he said and I smiled lightly.

“Morning,” I said as I moved to get up but Gale pulled me closer to him.

“Don’t get up just yet,” he said, “It’s only six in the morning. Let’s just lay in bed for a few more hours.”

“Okay,” I said and cuddled up next to my husband.

“How did you sleep?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Alright,” I said, “I didn’t have the violent nightmares like usual. You?”

“Same here,” he said, “I just woke up once.”

“Me too,” I said, “You had a frown when I woke up.”

“So did you,” he said, “What was your nightmare about?”

“Foxface ended up killing me,” I said, “and I was above my body as I watched you freak out and go all crazy.”

“That’s not a violent nightmare?” he asked.

“The usual one I have is of one where I’m forced to watch President Snow kill you slowly in front of me and him telling me that it’s my fault that you’re being murdered,” I said quietly not wanting to picture any of the violent pictures that I usually saw when I closed my eyes.

Gale pulled me closer to him and I buried my head in his bare chest.

“That’s not going to happen ever Adyrn,” he said, “I’ll make sure of that.”

“I hope so,” I mumbled into his chest, “What was your dream about?”

“The scene where we had to fight Cato was played through my head,” he said, “but this time you missed him and he threw you over the side of the Capricorn and you died.”

“I can understand why Haymitch drinks so much,” I said and I looked up at Gale.

“Me too,” he said.

We then just laid together for another couple of hours before our doorbell rang. Gale put on a shirt while I put on my robe and we headed downstairs to answer the door. When we opened the door, there was Katniss and Peeta.

“Hey guys,” I said and frowned at the looks on their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Gale asked as we shut the door.

“Thread is making more rules,” Katniss said, “He’s making all the girls find a profession too.”

“Even you,” I said to Katniss.

“Yes,” she said and I walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of tea for me and Katniss and I pot of coffee for Gale and Peeta.

As they were being made I started pacing and they all sat down and watched me.

“Peeta can Katniss take my spot?” I asked looking at him and he shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know,” he started and I then made a decision.

“Your mother is going to let her work at the bakery,” I said remembering earlier in the month, “I’m not taking no for an answer from her this time.”

“Adyrn do you think that’s a good idea?” Peeta asked.

“You’re mother owes me a favor,” I said turning to start making breakfast for all four of us.

“What do you mean?” Gale asked.

“It was recently actually. One day Thread came in wanting to do a surprise inspection and your mother was dying her hair in the back of the bakery,” I said, “I held him off until your father got her out of the bakery and into the house so it didn’t look like she was dying her hair by the food. You’re mother said she owed me and now it’s time for her to pay up.”

I then quickly fixed eggs and bacon for everyone.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, “I’m going to change and then head down with you two.”

“What about me?” Gale asked.

“If you want you can come too,” I said.

I then walked up the stairs and started looking for some clothes. I changed quickly and made myself presentable. I then walked down the stairs to find that Gale was just finishing eating.

“I’ll be down in a second,” he said.

He then quickly came down dressed and Peeta, Katniss, and Gale all looked at me as I grabbed my coat.

“Are you all coming or not?” I asked as I opened the front door and they quickly followed behind me.

We walked down to the bakery in silence but that was probably because Gale, Katniss, and Peeta have never seen me so upset. We walked into the back and Peeta’s mom was about to yell at Peeta.

“Your house now,” I said before she could get anything out, “You owe me a favor and you need to pay up.”

His mother’s face drained of all color and she looked behind me.

“You know what I want then,” I said, “Katniss takes my place at the bakery and you pay her minimum wage. She’s a quick learner and she knows how to bake. If not I go to Thread and mention that I saw you dying your hair in here.”

“That’s blackmail,” she said.

“Nope it’s calling in my favor,” I said.

His mother narrowed her eyes at me and I crossed my arms over my chest.

“You don’t scare me Lydia,” I replied using her full name, “Nothing really scares me anymore.”

“Fine,” she sighed, “I guess I can see where you’re coming from. You just want to protect your family. I understand.”

“Good,” I smiled, “Now do you mind if we buy a couple loaves of fresh bread?”

“Sure,” she smiled back at me, “Peeta bring Katniss in tomorrow morning. Make sure you put your hair up in a bun.”

Katniss nodded her head and Mrs. Mellark went to get us bread while I left the money on the counter. Once that was done, Peeta and Katniss decided to stay at the bakery so Peeta could show her things while Gale and I went back to our house.

“I have never seen you act like that before,” Gale said as we walked back up to Victory Village.

“You so have,” I said looking up at him, “I was always acting like that at the Hob when we were younger.”

“Until they accepted you as a regular,” Gale said and I just rolled my eyes.

“So what are you going to do today Mr. Hawthorne?” I asked.

“Get ready for the Victory Tour,” he said, “You?”

“Clean up our house,” I said, “and then make sure I have everything ready for tomorrow morning.”

“I have a feeling Cinna and Portia will be here tonight,” Gale said.

“And you can’t forget Effie and Haymitch!” I sang as we walked into our house, “Remember when we were on the train last year.”

“Yeah and Effie freaked out when we fought Haymitch and you threw the knife in the wall,” Gale chuckled.

“Don’t lie you were freaked out too,” I said.

“Okay yeah I was,” Gale said, “I’ve never seen you throw a knife before and I couldn’t believe where it landed.”

“I taught myself that,” I said as we walked into the kitchen.

“Oh really?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, “It was during the winter one time and you were sick so you couldn’t hunt with me so Katniss and I taught ourselves how to throw knives. Katniss is way better than I am at it though.”

“I highly doubt it,” Gale said as he wrapped his arms around my waist as I started on the dishes.

“Gale,” I giggled as he was kissing my neck.

“What?” he chuckled as I felt him smile against my neck.

“You’re tickling me,” I giggled as he continued.

“But I love hearing you giggle,” he laughed as I spun around and looked up at him.

I kissed him and as I went to pull away Gale moved his hand to my neck so I couldn’t move it. The kiss got more heated and before I knew it Gale had moved us to the counter and set me on there and spread my legs apart so he could be closer.

“Gale,” I whispered in between kisses.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“We have to clean the house,” I mumbled quickly into the kiss.

Gale sighed and looked up at me.

“I promise if we clean the house quickly we can continue,” I said and kissed him again.

“Promise?” he asked.

“Promise,” I replied smiling at me.

“You just do the dishes,” he said, “I’ll clean up the living room then.”

I just giggled as he ran out of the kitchen and hopped off the counter and started the dishes. I had just put the last dish in the cupboard when Gale spun me around and crashed his lips onto mine. My arms went around his neck and his arms pulled me by my waist closer to him. He sat me on one of the counters and I worked on his button up shirt as we continued to kiss. He was slowly inching my shirt up and I could feel his warm hands touch the exposed skin. I had gotten half way unbuttoning his shirt when the doorbell rang and Gale cursed.

“Damn it,” he grumbled and I giggled and kissed him.

“We’ll have plenty of time to finish sweetheart I promise,” I replied and went to go answer the door.

I checked myself in the mirror to make sure I was presentable and then opened the door to see Cinna, Portia, Effie, and Haymitch standing on the porch.

“Took you long enough sweetheart,” Haymitch grumbled and I just rolled my eyes.

“Sorry I was upstairs Abernathy,” I replied and he just chuckled as I hugged Cinna, Portia, and Effie.

“Where’s Gale?” Effie asked.

“Oh I think he’s in the living room or kitchen,” I said lying easily as we walked into the living room to see Gale sitting in a chair by the fire with the TV on showing the Panem News.

“Hey guys,” Gale said getting up from the chair and turning off the TV.

“Hello Gale,” Effie said and she hugged him along with Portia and Cinna and Haymitch shook hands.

“Would you all like something to eat or drink?” I asked playing hostess once again.

“Oh we’re okay Adyrn you must be tired of hosting people,” Cinna said.

“Nonsense,” I said, “I’ll be right back.”

Gale followed behind me and I giggled at his frown.

“Oh stop frowning Gale,” I smirked at him.

“This is going to take all afternoon,” Gale muttered and I just giggled and kissed his cheek as I floated around the kitchen.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” I said as I picked up the platter full of cookies from last night and drinks for everyone.

Gale and I headed into the living room and I set everything down on the coffee table.

“Okay now today we’re going to go over everything you two need to know for the Victory Tour,” Effie said.

Our lives for the next two weeks were beginning right in the house with Gale and I holding onto each other’s hands tightly for support.