Disclaimer: SC owns it all!
Summary: Unable to take Peeta and Katniss' romance anymore, Gale stalks out heading to his secret place - one that he hadn't visited in years – only to find that he has company. *AU*
Behind The Scenes
"I remember everything about you," Peeta said while tucking a loose strand of Katniss' hair behind her ear. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention."
Pursing his lips, he watched. His heart had almost halted, waiting for her reply.
"I am now," she replied.
He blinked, trying to act as if this scene on the television in front of him, didn't affect him at all.
"Well, I don't have much competition here," he told her.
He waited, his whole body stiffening – even though he didn't want it to.
She hesitated for a moment.
That gave him hope – just a small one.
"You don't have much competition anywhere."
And it was gone.
That was it! He was so done with it. What the hell was Katniss playing at anyway? He knew all the love and romance had been one-sided, and also thought that she was acting with a deeper purpose. But watching her say those words nonetheless was unbearable.
Katniss Everdeen was his … his alone. And Peeta Mellark had no right to her, absolutely none!
Whenever they showed anything sappy between the supposed star-crossed lovers, just about everyone he watched it with, turned to him, giving him looks of pity. And that angered him even more. A mere six months after he had known her – turned into her friend from just a hunting partner – the first time he had received that smile from her … He knew it. Gale Hawthorne had fallen for her, Katniss Everdeen. But he hadn't had the guts to tell her his true feelings toward her, he had been too afraid to. It had taken her six long months to trust him, and since then, their friendship had just grown stronger. He didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. And she had been too young anyway.
Then they had grown, both of them old enough to have a relationship and not be questioned. Some part of him knew that she was in love with him, but he had been practicing hiding his true emotions for too long to just reveal them. And now it was too late.
Why didn't I just tell her that I love her when we met before she left? Gale thought for the infinite time. He wanted to beat himself senseless at his stupidity. He couldn't help but wonder if her response to Peeta's love for her would have been different if she knew about his feelings for her.
As much as Gale wanted to hate them for putting this act, hate Peeta for loving her, he simply couldn't! He knew that there was something going on behind the scenes and if Peeta's love for her was something that would bring Katniss back to him, alive, he couldn't condemn it. No matter how much he hated it, he couldn't hate the boy. He would have done the same thing for her ... Of course, he wouldn't be caught dying. If he had been there, Cato (who seemed to go after her like a bloodhound) would have been dead as soon as he had tried to kill Katniss.
He had been so lost in his thoughts that he almost didn't realize that the electric fence for once was buzzing with electricity, when he reached it. He let out growl and kicked at the ground. He stood there huffing for a while; he badly wanted to be in the woods killing … letting off some steam before he saw the girl of his dreams plaster more kisses - fake or not - on someone who wasn't him. At least he wanted to assume that, and most of the time it was obvious that Katniss was putting on a show. He couldn't believe that people were going crazy for the act (they had shown the reaction from the Capitol.) Or maybe it was only because he knew her too well, or rather, because he just wanted it to be that way. But there had been few moments when Gale had seen the look in Katniss' eyes, which had scared him. As much as he refused to, he couldn't help but think that she had fallen for Peeta after all.
He stood waiting for the fence to stop buzzing with danger, but it seemed that it would take a while. For a moment he wondered if he should just go back and watch the damn TV, but he also knew that he wasn't ready enough to face it. But he couldn't just stand there like an idiot, either. That just called from unwanted attention from the few ignorant Peacekeepers.
Just then, he realized that there was one place he could go to. A place which he hadn't stepped into from many long years …it was hidden between the woods and the populated area of the Seam. He used to visit it quite often whenever he wasn't with Katniss or in the woods, but later had stopped. The woods became his only companion, and along with Katniss, he didn't want to be anywhere else.
With a little apprehension, he walked the path that let to his little secret. He hoped that it was still there, but wasn't sure. The path didn't look as if it was used by the people of the Seam though, which was a good sign. He remembered how he had walked here by accident. It was a long before he had allied with Katniss…
He had gotten more game than usual, but it was broad daylight. He couldn't just walk into the streets with turkeys up his shoulders. He had been delighted of course. It was the first time he had gotten so much meat. He had decided to take the non existent path and a break in the trees had led him to a meadow. It was enclosed by thick trees, and the grass was long and wild. There was a poodle of water flow toward the end, just enough for him to clean his kill. He had cleaned it up, waited until the sky darkened and made his way out.
And ever since then, it was his place.
It was almost funny how he hadn't shown it to Katniss, maybe because the woods that stretched after the fence was the only one which attracted her. There it was! The break in the trees, smiling for the first time since the reaping, he walked forward. It was just the same, maybe the grass had gotten a little wilder but it was no inconvenience to him. He took in a deep breath. It held the whiff of the woods … the air was almost pure. But it was much better than the polluted air of the Seam.
"You should smile more often." He heard a softer voice. He eyes narrowed at once, and the small smile had been replaced by his usual scowl as he looked around. He couldn't see anyone visible, but he wouldn't be fit to be a hunter if his senses weren't strong.
He froze for a moment as he tried to search for the owner of the voice. There was movement a few feet toward east, his eyes strained at the area. Between the tall green green, he spotted a paler green and a blonde head. Too easy, he grinned as he would have when he found a prey. Walking quietly, he moved through the plants.
And with one swift moment, he had - her.
"Ow!" she exclaimed. He realized that he had pulled her to him with harshness that was completely unnecessary. He loosened his grip, but continued to hold her … staring into her deep blue eyes. Her blonde hair was tied into a plait. A few of her locks had escaped and were sprawled across her face, even blurring her vision. He wanted to tuck them behind her ear. She seemed to have frozen as she stared back at him.
He heard a mockingjay's sharp call when he realized that he had frozen too. "Sorry," he muttered and swiftly released her.
Madge Undersee, the Mayor's daughter, his mind registered. He remembered her vaguely … he had complimented her dress on the day of reaping and had few other encounters with her before that.
"What are you doing here?" he asked her scornfully.
"What are you doing here?" she asked back, her face animated into a scowl.
He gave her his best irritated look. She stood there her right eye-brow raised, both of them stared at each other for a moment, when Gale finally said, "I just needed some air."
"I found this place about a year ago and now I visit as often as possible, which is most of the time since I have nothing to do." She shrugged.
He felt a little angry; if it was Katniss standing here she wouldn't be talking about free time. But then again, if it was Katniss, they would be sitting together waiting for the fence to quiet down and groan periodically about how much game they could have caught while they were trapped behind the fence. And then when it would, they would head out into the woods and blabber to each other the Capitol's atrocities.
Not bothering to say anything, his shoulder brushed against her slightly as he started to walk forward, moving the grass with his hands. He heard her follow him. He reached the end and was greeted by a narrow clearing. Ignoring Madge's company, he removed his shoes and sat on the rock, placing his feet in the cool water - it felt good.
Wishing that she would leave, Gale stared at the birds perched on the trees, singing in lull tones, making melodies. Madge simply joined him, sat next to him on the rock and followed his suit. He glanced at her feet through sideways. He observed that his were large and manly whereas hers' were tiny and much cleaner than his. They didn't look like they had walked bare even once. Of course, the Mayor's daughter doesn't have to fight for survival. All she had to do is look pretty, he thought.
"How often do you come here?" she asked him after a while.
So much for the quiet he wanted. "Shouldn't you be back at your fancy mansion watching the Hunger Games?" he asked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Would you stop being a jerk to me?" She sounded irritated too. He knew that he shouldn't take out his anger on her. It wasn't her fault that her family had everything while the rest of the population literally starved. It wasn't her fault … but he couldn't help but snap at someone who had everything.
He sighed, "Sorry," he mumbled for the second time.
"Oh … It's alright," she replied, sounding surprised.
After that she didn't say anything, guilt enveloped him. Turning his head, he said through gritted teeth, "So, why aren't you watching the show? I thought you would like the whole romance our tributes are pulling." Right, of all the things he could say, he had to say that. It almost sounded like he was mocking her again.
Pursing his lips, he waited for her irritated reply asking him to shut up. But all he got was silence. Maybe she was trying to ignore him. At least I tried, he thought, finally giving up.
"I can't watch," she replied, barely audible.
"Why?" he asked, taken by surprise.
"They … Katniss and Peeta … are my friends. I know them … I used to speak with them everyday! And if something happens … if they … die …" She looked at him with such vulnerability that he was stunned. He wouldn't have guessed that the rich girl who had everything was bothered about her friends.
"Hey … nothing is going to happen to them. I know Katniss, she's a survivor. And … Peeta, well, he seems like a good guy too. If any two people can win this, it's them. They are strong enough together, they can win," he said with as much belief as he could manage. But the truth was quite far from what he had spoken. He doubted himself way too much. Of course Katniss was a survivor, but with Peeta's current form … he wasn't so sure. And by the looks of it, Katniss wasn't ready to leave Peeta - that made her weak immediately.
But, he didn't say that to Madge, who looked like she would burst into tears any moment. "You really think so?" she asked, her blue eyes wider than ever.
"Of course," he nodding, forcing a tight smile. She believed him. For once he wasn't the jerk she thought he was, he was comforting her. It made him feel weirdly happy.
She sniffed and let out a small laugh, "I was right," she stated.
"About -?" he questioned.
"You should smile more often," she told him with a smile, her eyes twinkling.
He let out an involuntary chuckle and shook his head, realizing that Madge Undersee had done the impossible. She had distracted him from his despaired thoughts, and if he was honest to himself, her presence wasn't that bad.
AN: Okay, now that I have finally decided that Gale is not for Katniss and that the chemistry between Madge and him cannot be ignored, here's my first Gadge fan fiction ever!
I love this pairing a lot, and hope I did justice to them. :)
Please review?