I've already posted this on my tumblr, but for those of you who haven't seen it yet, here's a little AU where Madge is a Victor. Hope you enjoy!
Gale knew of three different ways to get into the woods.
The first way was to climb the big tree near the edges of the district and jump down onto the other side. This one was used as a last resort on the rare occasion that the fence was actually electrocuted. It was a long jump and Gale learned this the hard way when he jumped and almost broke his foot three years ago. Also, there was no guarantee that the fence wouldn't be electrocuted when he wanted to re-enter the district.
The second way was the one his Father had taught him all those many years ago. There was a hole in the fence concealed by some well placed bushes in the back yard of the most outermost house in the Victor's Village. It was safe enough, as long as he managed to sneak into the Victor's village without drawing suspicion from any Peacekeepers.
The third way was the way Katniss had showed him. It was another hole in the fence, much like the one his Father had shown him. This one was more convenient to use however, because it was a shorter walk from the Seam and it didn't require Gale to rack his brain for an excuse for being in the Victor's village in case a Peacekeeper caught and questioned him.
Gale always used the third way. He didn't use it as much anymore-not since he had started working in those god awful mines. The only times he went out to the woods anymore were on Sundays or on certain weekdays when the Hawthorne family was on the brink of starvation. Unfortunately, today was one of those days, which was why he was walking through the district in his hunting boots at ten at night.
He had just arrived to the Meadow when he heard the sound of obnoxious laughter. It was the kind of laughter that one could only produce with a full stomach, so Gale knew immediately that these people were no friends of his. Gale ducked behind a pile of rocks that often substituted as a playground for Seam children. From his obscured view, he could make out the glint of white of Peacekeeper's uniforms. Gale remained frozen in his rather uncomfortable position, crouched behind the pile of rocks, for quite a long time before reluctantly walking away when it became clear that the Peacekeepers weren't planning on leaving the Meadow any time soon.
Cursing his horrible luck, Gale began his long trek to the Victor's Village. Fortunately, somebody up there seemed to be taking pity on Gale for once, because he managed to make it to the other side of the District without catching sight of another Peacekeeper. It was shocking really, considering that the men in white were crawling all over the district nowadays, ever since District 12 had welcomed their latest Victor of the Hunger Games back.
Once Gale arrived to the Victor's Village unscathed, he found himself cursing his bad luck all over again. It seemed like the Victor of the 74th Hunger Games specialized in ruining Gale's life; from setting off hundreds of Peacekeepers in the once barren district, to occupying the very house he needed to trespass in order to reach the woods. Why did she have to pick the house at the very end of the village? There had to be at least ten empty houses she could have chosen from.
Grumbling under his breath, Gale pulled up the mental image of Posy's frail form and his memory of the rumbling sound of Rory's stomach to urge himself forward despite the feeling of uneasiness settling in the pit of his stomach. He walked around the large house, making sure to be silent and to be hidden by the shadows by becoming a dark extension of the brick walls. He knew what it would look like if he were to get caught, and he also knew that he wouldn't be any help to his family if he was to be executed for trespassing into the home of the Capitol's darling.
Once he made it to the backyard, it was easy to find the too-casual array of bushes and the gaping hole of the fence behind it. Glancing back one last time to make sure he wasn't being watched, Gale slipped into the safety of the woods.
Even when completely surrounded by darkness, Gale easily found his way through the woods. He knew these woods like the back of his hand. Even so, Gale made sure not to stray too far from the fence. This was no pleasure visit-he was here to hunt enough food to keep the Hawthornes going for another day or two, slip out, and get home in one piece as quickly as he could.
Gale collected two squirrels and a raccoon from his snares and grabbed a handful of edible plants that Katniss had taught him about. It was nothing close to enough, but the Hawthornes would have to make do. Like always.
It took Gale longer than he thought it would have taken him to double back to the hole in the Victor's Village. Although he had considered going through the one by the Meadow, he decided that didn't want to risk running into those Peacekeepers by the Meadow.
He felt the painfully familiar weight settling heavily into his heart again as he re-entered the District.
Gale glanced up expecting to see the silver light of the full moon, but was startled when his eyes caught sight of a striking shade of gold instead. Gale froze in his tracks, wondering if she had seen him yet. He couldn't tell if she was simply staring out her window (looking at what, he had no idea) or if she knew he was there. Heart pounding, Gale remain still, waiting for her to disappear from the window. When she remained still for longer than a minute, Gale took a chance and shifted to the right.
Her blue orbs reflected the moonlight as they followed his movement.
Shit, Gale thought to himself. He stared up at her, and she stared down. Slowly, she extended a hand and held up one finger, silently telling him to stay where he was.
When she finally disappeared from the window, Gale's first instinct was to run. But where would he go? She obviously knew who he was and what he must have been doing so close to the fence. Or perhaps she was imagining the worst when she woke up in the middle of the night to find some Seam rat in the backyard of her fancy house.
So Gale stayed. When he heard a pair of footsteps approaching him in the darkness, they were not of the heavy set of Peacekeeper boots he was expecting. Instead, they were the dainty steps of Madge Undersee.
"Hawthorne."
He waited for her next words; accusations and threats that he was sure that were to come. When they didn't come, he spoke up by matching the coolness in her voice when she had said his name.
"Undersee."
She might have smiled. It was hard to tell in the dark.
"You're trespassing."
Gale hesitated, but ended up nodding with the most confidence he could muster up. If he was going down, he might as well go down with some of his dignity intact.
"Right. You're trespassing my property. I could have you shot and killed," she paused, and Gale clenched his fists.
For one horrible moment, he considered his odds against her. Physically he was stronger, bigger, and faster. In theory, he should be able to take her down without a sweat. But this seemingly harmless girl had made it out of the Hunger Games alive at the expense of the lives twenty three other children, including that of Peeta Mellark's. She knew what it was like to have blood-human blood-on her hands. She was far from harmless.
"Yes, you could," Gale replied when she didn't continue. He hated that she was controlling the moves here, that she held all the pieces. All he could do was follow along.
"But I won't," Madge told him, and Gale felt himself release a breath he hadn't been aware that he had been holding. "And you're going to do me a favor."
"You need a favor from me," Gale repeated in a flat voice, silently but clearly voicing his disbelief. His disbelief was enough to override the anxiety that had been coursing through his veins.
"Yes. I need you to get me some bread."
Gale felt a familiar flash of annoyance wash over him. It was a feeling that he had felt whenever he and Katniss had to knock on the back door of the Mayor's mansion to trade with the Mayor's daughter, a feeling that he hadn't felt in a long, long time. He almost told her to get her own goddamn bread, that he wasn't some servant she could order around, until he realized why she might be asking this of him instead of going herself.
Bread. The baker's son, Peeta Mellark.
The boy who had taken his last breath in Madge's arms.
Gale felt his annoyance fade to something softer-sympathy. His change of attitude might have shown in his eyes, because Madge stepped forward and shoved something into his hands. The roughness in her movement and her obvious avoidance of touching him directly was enough to break Gale out of his moment of weakness.
"Get enough bread to last two people a couple of days," she told him briskly after taking a step away from him. She spoke in a business-like tone. And this was business. Just like the old days, Gale realized an ironic smile. "What I just gave you should be enough to cover it. You can keep the change as a thank you."
Gale looked down at his left hand that now held a small pocket that was heavier than his hunting bag. He didn't bother opening it and looking, but from the heavy weight of it he could tell that it carried a hefty sum.
"You could go yourself," he told her, and regretted it instantly when her face darkened.
"No, I couldn't."
Gale couldn't think of anything to say. Madge didn't seem to be able to find anything to say either, but then again, she didn't seem to be trying too hard.
"I'm going back inside now. Good night," she said after a long period of silence.
He could only nod as she turned around and walked away. He followed her without thinking, coming to a stop when he reached her porch.
"I'll bring the bread tomorrow," he called out as quietly as he could. Although Madge hadn't turned him in for trespassing and breaking curfew, he knew a number of Peacekeepers that would be only too eager to do what she didn't do. "And the change."
She gave no indication that she had heard him as she closed the door shut behind her, but Gale knew from her slight moment of hesitation that she had heard.