It was a long embrace. So long, that Madge wasn't even sure how long they had been down there crying on each other. She just felt her shoulder wet with his tears. This only made her cry harder.
Madge had never imagined that he had ever even missed her. She just immediately assumed he loved Katniss too much to even ever consider her. That he never even cared about her enough. That their years of friendship was nothing compared to the love he had for Katniss Everdeen.
So, to lesson the blow of this, she assumed the worst. She exiled their friendship in her mind. It was nothing to her at all. To tell herself they had nothing, and that they never will have anything.
When they released, both of them looked at each other and started laughing. "We're both a wreck."
Peeta Mellark laughed at her comment, wiping his face slightly. "Yeah, we are."
Madge noticed that he was dressed normally, like the baker's son she remembered. She smiled at him and jumped, hugging him again. When she pulled back, she held his face in her hands.
"I'm so happy you're home. That you're both home." she felt herself choking over her words, struggling to get them out. And Peeta let her, because he knew that if there was anyone who was better at lying with ease and bringing someone to their side of a situation, it was Madge. This was rare and he was scared. "I thought... I thought you would have forgotten me. That I didn't mat-matter... that you wouldn't come home or see me or know me or love me or hug me or do anything with me anymore or be my best friend or-"
"Madge-"
"I was so scared." she continued, not allowing him to speak. "But you're here. You're alive. I won't end up like my mother... I won't lose my best friend."
Peeta sighed and grabbed her face. "I could never forget about you, Madge. You're my best friend. I couldn't leave you hear alone. Not with everything going on. But I'm home now. Madge, I'm alive."
"You are." she said, smiling. "And I'm so happy!"
Madge jumped against Peeta and they rolled on the floor in happiness, because in that moment, they were both alive and they could love each other for just a moment longer.
Neither Peeta nor Madge had ever imagined how precious the time to love someone really was. Not until Peeta went into the games.
Growing up, both of them interacted well. They were always thrown together at parties and gatherings and babysitting. If there was anyone the Mellark's trusted it was the Undersee's and viceversa.
So, if two little 5 year old kids were thrown together so often, eventually a friendship grows. But it was so much more then that. They had never really analyzed their friendship. It was just a sort of fondness for each other.
So being together every day, meeting up every day, doing homework, going for walks, sticking together at the district parties, and going to their secret place always seemed so normal to them, because it's what they've always known since they were young kids.
It was just a habit. They didn't realize how passionate and loving their friendship really was up until the point Effie Trinkett called out Peeta Mellark's name during the Reaping. That's when Madge's heart fell, and her body went insane. She was either shocked or calm, because she wasn't moving. But her mind raced and she only came out with one word.
"No."
It's something she didn't want to remember. And then she was the last one in his room when he got to say his goodbyes.
"...Madge!" he said, standing up when she came in.
She stood there for a second and then ran to him, embracing him in a huge hug. She let out a choking sob and said, "Oh, Peeta."
She pulled away and she could see he was also crying. "Madge, I don't want to. I don't want to kill them. I never want to kill anyone. Madge, please-"
"I wish I could help you but I can't." she said, holding his chest. "Listen to me," she said in a foggy voice. More tears came as she spoke. "Promise me, that you'll survive. You don't have to kill anyone but please try to stay alive. For me, please?"
There was a quick pause and then she said it, "You're my best friend, Peeta. I can't lose you. Not now."
And then she was being dragged out of the room by the Capitol people...
And those things mattered. The memories they had. The moments they shared. They mattered.
To Peeta as well. As much as he loved Katniss, he always had a special place in his heart for Madge because that is his best friend.
They were a perfect match.
Peeta talked with such ease that anyone would believe him at any given moment. He charmed people to see his way. He was the most charming, admirable person who could manipulate anyone, but he was blind to this. His other default was his heart, that believe too much in the good of bad people. He was so... there was no word for it. Other than Madge, who matched up to him.
Madge was quiet and timid, and didn't say many things. But when she opened her mouth to speak, it's like hanging onto the words that would save your life. She said the most intelligible and magical things that just by saying a word people wanted to be with her. People saw beauty in every single being of her. All by just being mysterious.
They were perfect best friends. That's the way it's always been.
After the tears had stopped, they both sat up and talked.
"You've had some ride, huh?" Madge asked, leaning into her hands.
"You have no idea. It's been insane. It's just... I thought I'd never see District 12 again. That's what I was mentally prepared for. I was prepared to die if it meant Katniss would live."
She gave a sarcastically fake hurt sigh, "Do I matter at all?"
He smirked and laughed at her, "Of course you do. More than anything. But you know exactly why."
She did. She remembered that conversation from a few months before the Reaping.
Peeta and Madge were sitting down in their secret hide out. The little tunnel under the basement. They hadn't been down there in a while but considering that it was Peeta's birthday, this was what he wished for.
"Peeta, I know it's your birthday and all, and this was cute when we were 11, but now it's just gross. It's dirty and there are spiders down here." Madge said, sitting on the blanket.
"It's not dirty, it's concrete floor." he said, sitting opposite her on the blanket. "And don't be such a wimp."
She hit him on the shoulder. "I'm not a wimp, I'm disgusted." But she didn't move from the blanket.
"Do I get my gift now?" he asked, as he stared at the wrapped present behind her.
"No." she said.
He shrugged and said, "Fine by me. I told you I didn't want anything anyways. Keep it."
"Your charming little game doesn't work on me, Peeta Mellark. Save it for when it matters."
He let out a small chuckle as he lifted the basket lid. He passed her a cupcake with a decorative 'M' on it, with a flower next to it.
She smiled at him. "You're ridiculous."
"What?" he said, his mouth half full. "You love flowers!"
"I know. But you're just so good at this kind of stuff. You're an artist."
"Don't say that. You know I hate when-"
"But you are one! I'm just saying."
Peeta sighed, "Madge-"
Madge copied his ridiculous sigh and said, "Peeta-"
That was another point of Madge's personality. She loved to be extremely witty and sarcastic. She never stopped joking or being funny. But in the family she grew up in, learning to have a sense of humor was a gift for her. Something she was strong enough to develop on her own. That's something that Peeta never took for granted. Her ability to want to be so different from her family, even though she was an only child.
"Listen," she said, grabbing his hand. "You do what you do so wonderfully. I wish I could share it with the entire world. This is what you love. Painting. The designs. You deserve to be happy Peeta, everyone does. And I know that your family doesn't appreciate it but I do. More than anything. And you have to do this. It's what your good at. So don't ever stop and don't let your mother stop you from that. Promise me?"
Peeta didn't ever promise this to her before, but something about this time was different. So different, that she, in fact, was gripping his hand with such force, that he never wanted to say no to her ever again.
"I promise."
She nodded and loosened her grip on his hand and then dropped it. Then she silently reached behind her and handed him his gift. He rolled his eyes but tentatively opened the wrapping. Under the wrapping paper, there was a box. He lifted the lid and his eyes got wide.
Inside the box was a set of seven white canvases, acrylic paint and paintbrushes.
"How-how did you get these?" he asked.
She shrugged. "My father is the mayor. A couple of month's allowance and an official capitol stamp, you can get anything you want really."
"Madge-"
"Please." she said. "Save it. You know how I feel about feelings."
He tossed all his gifts to the side and tackled her into a hug. SO forceful that she fell against the floor. She laughed as he strangled her body. He dug his face into her neck and flipped them over.
"-" he repeated against her neck rolling around on the concrete floor. She laughed but couldn't break free of his grasp; he was too damn strong.
"Peeta!" she squealed and laughed.
He finally stopped rolling on the floor, with Madge laying on his chest. He kissed her cheek gently. "Thank you! This is the best gift ever."
When she tried to get up, he held her there. "Okay." she said, and she laid against his chest. She could hear his steady heart beat calming down as they both laid there.
"You made me promise but what if I die." he said.
Her body jolted a little. "Don't say that." she said. He tighten his grip around her. "I would never let you die. Ever."
He snorted. "What if I was chosen for the Hunger Games. You couldn't save me then."
"Dammit." she muttered against his chest. He laughed at her.
"Imagine that. If me or you were in the games..." she said.
She pondered this for a moment before his words cut through her thoughts. "I'd save the other person."
She lifted her head to look at him. "Why?"
"Because my family doesn't need me. My parents have two older children that I'm sure they would be happy enough to take care of." he said, shrugging. "The only person I would have to live for is you. And even then, I wouldn't be too concerned about you."
"I would fall into the deepest depression."she mocked.
"You wouldn't though." he said lightly. "Because then you'd be exactly like your mother and I know for a fact that's not something you want."he stated. "You're stronger than that. I'm not saying you wouldn't think of me often. Cry once in a while, but you'd move on. You'd be my only regret in dying."
There was silence. "Don't forget Katniss Everdeen."
Peeta made an exasperated sound. "I should have never told you that."
"But you did!" she said. 'She lifted herself up a little and he let her go. She hung by his face. "Don't worry. If you gert picked, I'll be sure to tell her your dirty little secret."
"I appreciate that." he said, laughing.
They both sat up and Madge took another bite of her cupcake. He also took he last bite of his cupcake. "It wouldn't matter anyways."
"Why not?" Madge mentioned.
"Because everybody knows that Gale loves her. Everybody knows that they love each other. I'm just second best."
Madge came back form her flashback. "She loves you too."
He laughed. "Madge, don't believe everything you hear in the games." Then his face went rigid again and he leaned in to Madge until he was whispering in her ear. "It was an act. To get us out alive."
She rolled her eyes. "It was not." she whispered slightly, even though there was no reason to. "You do love her."
"But we both know she doesn't love me that way." he said, now extremely close to Madge. His nose was against her cheek and he leaned against her, with an exasperated sigh.
"I'm sorry Peeta." she said. "You must be dying."
He let out a heart breaking last couple of words. "The thing is... she'll always love him more than me."
Madge had always considered Peeta to be recognizably better than Gale, considering Gale was so extremely rude to her any chance that he got to be. But she figured she only felt this way because Peeta was her best friend in the entire world. The only person she really ever knew.
But Katniss and Gale were perfect for each other. Everybody knew that they were best friends and they were meant to be. Except now, they were cousins. That's what people had to believe. In order for them to stay alive, right?
"Does that mean..." Madge didn't finish her statement.
"I think it does..." he said. He looked at her. "I think Katniss Everdeen is my new life."