Prompt: five times gale and madge almost hold hands, and the one time they do
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i.
The last person Gale expected to see in the Everdeen's living room was Madge. Sure, he knew she was Katniss' friend, but she has a big house in Town full of Capitol guests to entertain. Slipping in beside her, Gale smirked, knowing his proximity to her would make her uncomfortable once he started talking.
"Fed up of the Capitol citizens? I can't think of many other reasons a girl like you would be slumming it on the Seam," he teased, feeling her tense with every word. Pissing her off had become somewhat of a habit. After the first few trades without Katniss, he'd stopped being totally silent and taken the opportunity to get under her skin.
Madge turned, her hand knocking into his as she did so. Gale took in a small breath, ignoring the weird electricity he felt when their hands made contact. The blonde looked up at him, putting a step between them, "I'm here for moral support. Katniss is my friend and I want Prim and Mrs Everdeen to know that no matter the invisible barrier put up, people from Town still want her to succeed."
Gale nodded, "Whatever. Saw you roll your eyes at the one you took around the market the other day, so I know your real motivation." He turned his body a little, still being quiet as the rest of his family focused on the scores as they got through more districts. Nothing unexpected was really happening. All he had to do was look out for District 11 so he knew to pay attention.
"I'm rolling my eyes at you and yet I can still watch the games," she rebuffed, turning her head away from him in time to catch the scores in District 11.
Gale went to respond, but soon Mellark's damn face was popping up. His hand moved a little as he nervously awaited the announcement. He looked down, seeing Madge too was fidgeting. Their fingers brushed again as the 8 flashed up on screen. He noticed Madge's lips curl into a smile like the score was a good thing. It was average at best, and God knows how Mellark pulled it off.
Katniss' face came up next, and Gale's hands instantly balled up into a fist. She had to do well. Sponsors needed to pay attention to District 12. Neither Gale nor Madge noticed how their arms crossed with each other slightly, because her score flashed up on screen so soon.
An 11.
ii.
Saturday is the usual day Gale comes to trade. It's always early, but Madge isn't one who can sleep in. The knock came at 8:55 and Madge was soon at the back door to receive her strawberries.
"Morning Gale," she greeted, holding the door open so he could come in form the back porch. It was much more likely he'd get caught if she left him standing there. Her smile was bright, but not because of him. She figured if she told herself that enough times it would eventually be true.
Gale nodded and put down the package of strawberries on the table, opening up the brown paper for her to see. "They're looking good this week. Should be some nice ones next time I see you too," he explained while watching Madge wander around the kitchen to gather his coins.
Madge looked back as she counted out the right change for him, "Great! I'm going to have to hide them before any Capitol citizens eat them if they look that delicious…"
His laugh was so gorgeous. Madge cursed herself for even enjoying the sound, but she couldn't help it. It was so obvious why every girl she knew had a thing for him. The blonde walked back over to the table, looking over at the strawberries. They were perfect — bright red, big and with a pristine, glossy skin. She had no idea how he managed to select such perfect berries every single time he went into the woods.
"They look wonderful," she said, moving a little closer to Gale. "I think this change is right," she added, taking his hand to put the coins in. The metal dropped in quickly, but her hand lingered for a second. She dared not look up at Gale, but the feeling was odd. His hands were dry, already worked in with callouses, while hers were soft and still a little oily from having hand cream put on them when she woke up. The contrast was like every cliché from the novels her father had collected from before the Dark Days.
The act of Gale pulling his hand away woke her up, "That should be fine."
"Right," she said, looking up again with a smile. As she walked him to the door, she saw Gale count the change quickly before pocketing it. The blonde smiled as he stepped onto the porch, "See you around."
iii.
Madge had never been to a party. A few girls in her grade had taken her to things in Town, but they were too boring to be considered a party. When Gale heard, he insisted on taking her to the Seam celebration of Katniss and Peeta's victory in order to show her what a 'real party' was like.
The first thing she felt when Gale came to pick her up was overdressed. She knew she would be going down mud paths, so she wore her boots, but her whole outfit was something she wouldn't ordinarily wear. Gale, on the other hand, came in slacks she was sure had been to the woods with him that morning.
"Pretty dress again, Undersee. You seem to have a lot of those," he teased, watching her pull a cardigan on over her dress. Madge rolled her eyes and stepped outside with him, pulling the door shut quietly. She didn't exactly have permission for this outing, so she had to be as discreet as possible.
They took a back route away from the Mayor's mansion to the Seam, which was overgrown with bushes and covered in mud despite relatively dry weather. Madge walked carefully along the worn track, watching Gale as he strode confidently ahead of her. The blonde was relieved when the mud finally stopped and a messy but nonetheless cobbled path appeared. They were closer to the Seam, given that she could hear the feint sound of folk music in the distance. Gale looked back and smiled as she caught up, "No turning back now."
Before she knew it, Gale had his hand gripped around her wrist, "I'm not keeping everyone waiting. Let's get going." Madge looked down, realising he expected her to run. While the idea of it made her cringe, she couldn't help but focus on how his fingers loosened as they started running. His hand slipped down her wrist slightly, so close to slipping into her palm. The contact was unexpected but welcome. Gale looked back at her with a grin, making sure to keep his hand firmly where it was. They were platonic, nothing more.
For the whole night, Madge stayed close to Gale and he to her. He could tell she was a little uncomfortable drinking from a bottle of homemade alcohol and being around so many boys she didn't know. Her father probably taught her to be cautious in the Seam, Gale mused as she wrinkled her face at the aftertaste of whatever Thom had just given her. He laughed a little and pulled her into his side.
"Having fun?" he asked, his hand desperately trying not to rest on her hip.
Madge nodded in response, "It's great. You guys know how to throw a party better than anyone in Town."
Gale grinned and moved into the area where everyone was dancing, taking her waist. It was only for a brief second before Bristel took the girl's hand and pulled her to dance with some of the other girls gathered. Gale smiled and turned back to Thom, taking a swig from the bottle he lifted out of his friend's hand.
Undersee would be the death of him.
iv.
Crack.
From the other side of the square, Madge flinched at the sound of the whip hitting flesh. The scream of pain that followed chilled her. This was wrong. No one should be punished in this way for what was, no doubt, a minor crime. She turned after collecting the fresh vegetables from the vendor and moved towards the gathering crowd. When her eyes finally met the victim, she could have sworn she almost threw up. It was Gale.
Panic filled every pore in her body immediately. She wanted to burst forward and get him out while at the same time knowing she had to run. Lash after lash laid out on his back, splitting more skin and spilling more blood. Madge watched until she no longer could, running back to her house with tears in her eyes. The snow was falling quickly and getting her soaked, but she had bigger things to worry about.
Abandoning the basket on the kitchen table once inside, Madge slipped off her boots and ran upstairs. She was frantic, barely thinking. This was going to get her in serious trouble. No one knew her mother had morphing in the house. The Capitol sent it with the strict instructions it not be shared, but Madge couldn't just stand idly by when there was life-saving medication within her reach.
The bottles lined the shelf in her mother's room. Tiny, clear, expensive. As she picked up three of the containers, she glanced back at her sleeping mother, hoping she hadn't made enough noise to wake her. This had to be quick. Madge stuffed the glass bottles into her pockets, taking a second to wipe her eyes. The tears had, mostly, stopped flowing, but she knew her eyes were probably blotchy and red with a combination of tears and cold.
She had barely been in the house for three minutes before she bolted back out. Gale had to have served his punishment by now, so she ran to where she knew he'd be next — with Mrs Everdeen. She'd know what to do. Madge had seen her father give her mother the morphing a handful of times, but she knew Mrs Everdeen would instinctively administer it better than she ever could. The snow had picked up and was making the visibility poor, but she powered through. The Victors' Village wasn't far. All she had to do was get there and give the medicine.
Her fingers were freezing as she knocked on the door. Gale's cries of pain were so clear even outside of the house and it killed her. She should have rushed more. When the door opened, Madge walked in without missing a beat and pulled out the bottles of morphing. "Use these," she told Katniss, frantically searching for the room Gale was in. "Katniss, where is he?" she asked, looking to her friend desperately.
The brunette pointed into the kitchen and Madge bolted, just hoping to catch Mrs Everdeen or see Gale. He was laid on his front, Hazelle squeezing his hand tightly as Prim and Mrs Everdeen covered his back. Madge could barely hold in her emotions. He was suffering so much. Her eyes remained fixed on him, never daring to glance at his back. She couldn't.
It took her a few moments to register the fact that everyone was looking at her blankly. The blonde cleared her throat and handed Prim the morphling. "I took them from my mother. Please, just use them," she said, stepping closer to the table. Her hand rested on the edge, fingers tentatively getting closer to Gale's. They hadn't really spoken since Katniss got back, but the little connections while she had been in the games were enough to make her believe they were friends.
"This is really helpful," she heard Mrs Everdeen say. It was distant though. Madge was focused on Gale and how close her hand was to his. How good it felt to be there for him.
v.
Katniss' whole kitchen was covered in Capitol newspapers. Madge had been sneaking them out of her house ever since the announcement. Training for the Quell isn't just about being physically prepared; Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch need to know these other tributes inside and out. Everything from their favourite drink to who they flit around the Capitol with are vital clues in understanding how each victor works.
Together, they ran like a well-oiled machine — Katniss teaches them all about which plants are safe, what ones have medicinal properties with her mother and sister's help, Peeta tries to keep them all physically fit with exercise after exercise, Haymitch scans all the information Madge brings them and Gale teaches them survival skills like hunting and trapping. They don't have much else they can do, but anything is worth a shot.
As Madge scanned over the papers, she heard the door click open. The young woman leant forward to look down the hallway, seeing a coal-covered Gale come into view. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as he entered the kitchen, looking exhausted. Had he not even stopped at home?
"Hi," she said softly, her finger holding her position in the article she was reading. Gale sat down on the stall at the counter and nodded in her direction. His head was on the counter within seconds. The groan he let out gave away the pain he was in; be it an ache, dull pain from his whipping or just the mental strain of working in the dark all day. Madge cleared her throat and chewed on her lip briefly, "I'm glad you came. I know it's late but they were all setting traps earlier and needed someone to check them. I'm not great with hunting."
Gale nodded and sat up, "Katniss knows what she's doing, she's playing dumb for her boyfriend."
Hostile was Gale's normal demeanour around her, but never about Katniss. Madge walked over and rubbed her hand across his shoulders, "Is everything okay? You seem… off."
"I'm fine," he let out with an accompanying sigh. "Show me what you're working on," he added, getting up from the chair to move over to where Madge had been.
The blonde looked up and nodded, "Uh, it's an article about Finnick Odair. They love him in the Capitol, so Haymitch thinks he'll be reaped for certain. He's always out with someone when he visits the Capitol — high up people. I just can't figure out why." When she went back to the article, Gale's thumb was right on top of her hand. Madge had to do a double take; he was so close to her, he'd never come this close. Her back was sure to have coal stains all over it because he was pressed so close to her.
"What's going on in here?" Katniss asked, stepping into the kitchen. Madge and Gale stood straight, breaking apart as soon as her voice registered with them both.
A moment of silence passed between all three of them before Madge decided to speak, "Finnick. We're, uh, trying to figure out Finnick's weakness."
When reflecting on the night of the bombings, Madge's main memory is the heat. Normally, she enjoyed the feeling of a warm room, or the sensation from putting on a newly pressed dress or hearing the crackle of a fire. When the bombs dropped and everything turned red, Madge decided she didn't like fire anymore.
She was lucky she was outside — on her way to see Prim after the Games cut out. When the first bomb hit and she turned back, her home was on fire. Her parents were about to be crushed in the wreckage. Madge stood frozen for a moment, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Everything she had was destroyed in a moment. Before she had the chance to run more than a few steps, her waist was caught by someone. She turned back to see Thom dragging her back, sending her towards the woods as she sobbed. Once she began to make her way out, Thom went in the opposite direction to get more people from the Town out.
More bombs were falling every second. Each explosion and crash made her shudder and scream, putting pressure on her worn-out voice. The fence was close, but she was drained. Her mouth was dry, her eyes were somehow still managing to produce tears and she felt overwhelmingly hot. The blonde's once pristine hair was covered in ash and dust, all just begging to be lifted so she had no reminders of the night. When she reached the fence, she saw Gale's mother ushering people through the gap, but Gale was nowhere in sight. Posy was on Hazelle's hip and Vick was on the other side of the fence with Rory, but there was no Gale.
Picking up her pace, Madge went over to Hazelle, coughing a few times to clear her throat of the smoke. "Gale— Where's Gale?" she asked the older woman, her voice unclear.
"On his way. He's rounding people up," Hazelle explained, trying to calm her crying daughter. Madge nodded, unsure of what to do next. She was totally alone. Her best friend in the games, her parents dead and Gale nowhere to be seen. The young woman resigned herself to just ducking under the fence and finding herself a spot to sit in.
Hours passed with a slow trickle of people coming in. Madge couldn't sleep like some of the other people around her. She just sat, wrapped up in her cardigan as she waited to see what happened next. Her eyes were glued to the hole in the fence, just waiting for Gale to get back. It hadn't been that long, but people weren't trailing in like they had been previously.
When a broad-shouldered figure comes through and is met by a hug from Thom (who until this point Madge was certain had never displayed a trait anything less than masculinity), she knows it's him. Before she even registers what she's doing, Madge is running over, desperate to verify that it's Gale. As she gets closer, she knows it is. He's covered in ash, shaking his head a lot, but it's him. The blonde closed the gap between them, pushing Thom out of the way to hold Gale.
"Madge," Gale croaks out, adjusting to the sudden tightness of her hold. It feels so nice to know she's here, safe, with him. All those side glances and moments of something when their fingers brush together can't compare to how this feels. It's perfect, even in the face of the devastation they're both witness to.
"Thank God you're alive," she whispered into his chest as his arms settled around her. Madge looked up, her arms dropping from his middle to take his hand, "You need water a—and Mrs Everdeen, come on…"
They're walking off hand in hand within seconds. She's not dragging him and he's not uncomfortably hovering next to her. Their fingers are entwined. They're holding hands, no longer dancing around their feelings. Together, they've survived and that's how they both intend to stay.
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A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this one - it's nice to imagine a certain event didn't lead to a certain character death! Please let me know what you thought of the story and if you have anything you would like me to write in the future! :)
