The pocket watch feels heavy by her side, but not a bad sort of kind. Just a pleasant reminder that it's there. The dress that she's wearing has pockets so deep no one can even notice the tiny bump it makes on her hip, but it's all Madge can focus on.
People lounge carelessly around the Hawthorne house waiting for the shift at the mines to end. Katniss and Peeta are on the couch whispering about something and Peeta tries to sneak kisses in every once in a while. Posy browses a book but Madge can tell that she's not really reading, just sort of looking at the words. Vick and Prim are playing cards at the table, a game that Madge doesn't know or she would've joined. They offered to teach her but she wasn't very focused. And lastly, Hazelle guards the cake that Peeta brought so Vick doesn't sneak anymore fingers of icing. Madge mills about from here to there, just sort of watching all of them.
Her family.
Finally, after what feels like a very long wait, the door squeaks open. Everyone leaps from their seats and opens their mouth to shout happy birthday when they realize that Gale isn't walking in, but instead Rory. The cheers die in their throats and Prim frowns. "Honestly?" she asks her husband.
Rory laughs and lifts his shoulders. "Gale made me!" he tells the crowd. Moments later Gale walks in looking pleased with himself, grinning at the expressions on everyone's face. "Happy birthday, Brother," Rory says, thumping Gale on the shoulder once before making his way over to Prim.
Everyone else shouts their birthday wishes and Gale waves them all off, walking over to his mother first. He accepts his hugs and says his hellos. "No confetti this year?" he asks Posy, quirking up his eyebrow. The little girl blushes and starts to rattle off an apology but Gale only laughs. "Trust me, Pose. I can survive without the confetti."
He makes his way over to Madge last, though his eyes have found her again and again. "Happy birthday," she murmurs when he reaches her. He grins as her fingers wrap around his dirty miner shirt and pulls him down to her. They kiss quickly but when he pulls away he laughs, wiping at her face. Madge can feel the bit of coal he left on her forehead but it doesn't bother her much.
"You're just spreading the coal around!" Posy tells them. Gale tries again and again to get the dust from her face but eventually gives up.
Madge laughs and drops her forehead to Gale's shoulder. "You better not have gotten me anything," he whispers in her ear before spinning back around to his family. She can only shrug. She didn't, not really. Nothing big or anything. Or gotten.
As Gale moves around making small talk with everyone, the house coming alive now they he's home, Madge shivers a bit. It's getting cooler outside, with summer coming to an end, but the Hawthorne's home is filled with heat and energy that her goosebumps are instantly gone.
Gale takes a seat at the table and everyone joins in, pulling up chairs so they can pass out their gifts. Posy forces her present into Gale's hands first, an old book Madge has never seen before. Gale seems genuinely pleased at the old leather thing and thanks his sister, though he warns her not to get him anything next year. Katniss and Peeta's present is the cake. Hazelle got him some new rope for snares. Rory and Prim bought him a few bags of his favorite tea that Hazelle instantly decides to start a pot of. Vick gives Gale a strange looking stone.
"I found it in the river," he tells Gale as the miner examines it. "So I didn't spend any damn money, and I think it looks pretty damn cool."
"Enough of your mouth," Gale responds, reaching over and ruffling up his younger brother's hair. It's a shiny rock, probably very rare. A medley of colors swirl throughout it, and it isn't very large. Small enough to keep in his pocket. Gale thanks Vick with a genuine smile.
Everyone turns to Madge, their eyebrows high on their forehead expectantly. "Sorry," she shrugs to the crowd. "I followed his instructions and didn't get him anything."
"But what about—" Posy starts, but one look from Hazelle gets her to shut her mouth. "Never mind."
Gale grins, leaping from his seat to reach hers and pulling Madge into his arms instantly. He kisses her everywhere. Her nose. Her cheeks. Her forehead. Peeta lets out one of those wolf whistles and the entire room laughs.
"This is why I love her," Gale calls out to the entire room. Posy groans again, but the smile is still there. Cake is served moments later, Gale having decided Madge's seat is big enough for the both of them. She sits on his lap and lets his arms circle around her waist.
Small pieces of cake are passed around so no one gets a stomach ache and leaving room for dinner, which Madge finds odd is being served after the cake. Seam traditions, she supposes. By then Gale's changed into something clean, a nice shirt that doesn't have any coal on it. He keeps himself near Madge throughout the entire evening, whispering things in her ear and kissing her neck when no one is watching. She thought it was Gale's birthday, why is she the one feeling like she's getting a present?
"I wanna show you something," Madge whispers to Gale. He lifts an eyebrow and frowns but Madge only laughs. "Come on, Gale. Please?"
He sneaks another kiss and nods, his eyes darting up to his family. They're all preoccupied, he decides, because he stands and scoops Madge along with him. Instantly there are protests, people asking him to stay and wait around, but Hazelle cuts them all off. "It's his birthday!" she tells them. "Let him do what he wants!"
"Thanks Ma," he grins. As Gale bids his goodbyes to everyone who's stopped by, Madge catches Hazelle wink.
Hand in hand they stroll through the District, Gale continuing to pester Madge about where they're going. She only laughs and tells him to stop bugging her. It's been a good day, really. Easy work in the mines. No confetti getting stuck in his hair. 26 hasn't been awful yet. And honestly, Gale doesn't think it'll be awful. He has Madge.
"Look," she finally says, pulling him to a stop. They're in the middle of town. It's getting later so not many people are out. The sky is fading to dark blue. It takes him a minute to realize what she's pointing to. "They finished the school today," Madge tells him with a grin.
Gale grins too. "That means they're starting back up soon?"
"Monday's the first day," she tells him with a nod. Her hand tugs him forward and they march toward the school. "I got my class list this morning. It was weird that Posy wasn't on it, you know?" Gale nods, though he doesn't really know. They reach the doors and find them locked, but Madge types a code into a pin pad near the door and they listen to the locks unclick. "They even made it more high tech," she tells him. "I'm excited."
"Of course you're excited about school," he murmurs with a laugh.
The lights overhead turn on as they walk down the hallway, probably something to do with a motion sensor. The entire thing sort of creeps Gale out. Why couldn't they have just stuck to the same old school it had always been? He supposes that the improvements are for the best though.
"Down here," Madge says, rushing forward with excitement. Gale follows, rolling his eyes and trying to bite back his smile. He already knows where she's leading him. To the music room. Of course when he makes the turn and finds her at the piano, he can't say he's surprised. "I have something to tell you," Madge tells him softly.
"What is it?"
Of course his mind leaps to the first negative thing possible. Something bad. Something awful.
"You can't be mad," she continues, sliding down onto the piano bench. Gale grunts and sinks onto the spot next to her. "Promise?" she asks. He nods once and lets his hand slide around her waist. "You remember back when I played you that song at my house? Well it wasn't the one you got me at the Hob." Before he can question her further Madge speaks again. "I mean it was one you had gotten me at the Hob, yes, but it was one you gave me for my birthday."
And this angers him, sort of. "Why didn't you just play me the one I got you?" he nearly growls. She turns to face him and it's clear that guilt is overwhelming her.
"You're going to think it's silly," she murmurs, waving her hand. Gale only tightens his grip on her side and leans down, dropping his chin to her shoulder. "Finding new piano pieces is hard enough," Madge tells him. "Finding really good new piano pieces is basically impossible. And that piece from the first time we went in the Hob… it was… it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard." Gale grins before he can help himself, pressing his lips to her neck quickly. "I didn't think you… I didn't think we were ready for it then so I played something else." She blushes and turns to face him. "That was the night you told me you loved me."
How she remembers this amazes him. If Gale had thought about it he would've figured it out too, but still.
"So now," she says with a deep breath, "I want you to hear it." Madge blinks a few times before turning back to the piano, almost as though she's embarrassed. "I love you, Gale," she whispers. "I should've played this for you that night," she tells him. "I don't know what I was so afraid of."
And then she plays.
The song, it's something he's never heard before but God dammit it's the most beautiful thing he's ever heard. Or maybe it's her. Gale can't tell. The way she melts with the music, rocks her body along to the song. The tune is absolutely breathtaking. Gale allows his eyes to drift shut and let the melody wash over him. He can see why she saved it. Really, he can. Or he can feel it, anyway.
And at the same time, Gale realizes how important this is to her. Madge speaks through the piano, and right now she's playing just for him. Shivers run down his spine and his flesh breaks out in goosebumps. Eventually her song comes to a gentle end, and he eases his eyes open.
Madge barely lifts her fingers from the piano before he grabs her face in his hands, dropping his lips to hers. She squeaks out in surprise but it fades as she kisses him back. This kiss isn't gentle, it's filled with unspoken words that neither of them have the courage to say. Filled with emotion and passion and a breath of fresh air in this coal filled district. She tastes like the cake they had for his party. He squeezes her body toward his, needing her more than he has ever needed anyone in his entire life.
Gale groans before he can stop himself, the heat of her body wrapping like a coil around his. Madge goes to change how she sits and he pulls her onto his lap, not caring if it rips her dress in the process. Madge slips a bit, clearly shocked at his new hold on her, and hits her back on the piano. Awkward notes ring through the air and startle them apart, panting and clinging to each other as if they're the only people left on the planet.
But Gale doesn't let her get too far. He drops himself down and peppers kisses down her jaw, shivering when Madge clutches at his shirt.
She laughs, "Wait, wait," her breath coming out shaky. "I have something else."
"I just want you," he whispers. Without even looking up he can feel her face turning red, and for some reason it makes him all the more turned on.
"Gale," she digs in her pocket and pulls out something shiny, forcing it into his hands. The cold feel of the item compared to the warmth of her skin shocks him. His eyes immediately lower to what he holds in his hand. His dad's pocket watch. Before he can even process if he should be angry or ecstatic, Madge is talking again. "Your mom found it in a pair of your work pants," she tells him, still clutching at his shirt. "Said it was still broken. All I did was clean it, honest. I remember you telling me how important it was to you and I wanted it to work again." Her words come out in a rush, clearly nervous. "I even cleaned it myself so I know that there aren't any new parts or anything. Same old watch. And working."
"Madge,"
"And I didn't break any of your rules because I didn't spend anything," she says, her voice still high and worried. "Your mom even knew I had it. She let me take it. Wanted to tell you to stop looking because you wouldn't find it but—"
Gale quiets her, lowering his mouth to hers gently. She sighs, her fingers slacking a bit on his shirt. "I love you," he tells her. "Madge, I love you."
She smiles, her lips twitching upward as a laugh escapes her. "Happy birthday," Madge murmurs brilliantly.
"Yeah," Gale nods. "It is."
Gale doesn't realize that Madge has slipped a picture of her into his watch until the next day at work. He goes to check the time and is surprised not only by the ticking of the item in his hands, but also of the girl that smiles back at him. The picture of his family is underneath, outdated yet still very special to him.
But the picture of Madge… he sighs and lets a lazy smile overwhelm him. They're not even different, Madge and his family. They should be in a picture together, in all honesty. Because Madge is Gale's family. There's no question about it.
By the time he gets home he can't stop thinking about the idea of Madge with his last name. Officially his forever. He's yet to pick up the ring from the jewelers, and Jace said there was no specific time in which he should come get it. The longer it's with the jeweler the cleaner it stays, Gale decided. But he doesn't want to wait. Not really. He wants to pick it up right now and run to Madge's and ask her to be his wife.
What's stopping him, he doesn't know.
Gale's in love with her. Full blown 100 percent in love with the mayor's daughter. The other night Madge had started laughing out of nowhere and he turned to her, confused. "We've just come so far," Madge had told him. And really, they have. Bitter words and stolen glances all the way to… this.
When Monday rolls around and Posy and Vick are constantly chattering about their first day back at school, Gale tries to pay attention. He almost wants Posy to go off on some speech about how Madge's day was, for the blonde doesn't usually come by on Monday's and she's probably exhausted from starting work again but Gale still wishes to hear about her. Selfish, really.
"It was awful, naturally," Vick comments. "I have the last lunch rotation of the day, meaning I don't get to eat until noon. Noon!" Hazelle snickers as her son rambles on. "And I'm not even finishing out the school year, so what's the point of going? I wish I could just start in the mines already."
"Never wish for that," Gale grunts. "And you should finish the year. Start in the summer."
"We need more money," Vick tells him. "I'm starting when I turn 19."
Gale opens his mouth to scold him again but Posy starts rambling about her day before he gets the chance. "My new teacher is rude," she tells them. Her eyebrows are high on her forehead and she shoots them both disapproving glances, obviously hinting that they shouldn't be arguing. "And cranky. Like she didn't get enough sleep last night. She keeps talking about how her cat sleeps on her pillow so she doesn't get any sleep herself." Gale rolls his eyes before he can help himself. "And she talks really fast like if she doesn't say everything that she has to by a certain time then the world is going to implode."
"First day nerves," Hazelle tells her. "She'll get easier."
"I hope," Posy sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Madge was a much better teacher." Gale grins and rubs at his eyes. Posy called her Madge, not Miss Undersee. Finally. "Plus this new teacher doesn't even care that I'm dyslexic. She just said 'oh well' and continued on with her lesson."
"Rude," Vick mutters.
"Madge is still helping me though," Posy continues, clearly unaware of the goofy smile on Gale's face. "She's really patient. Plus she told me the harder I work in school the more piano I can play and I've been lacking massively all summer."
"Oh that's right," Vick scratches at his jaw. "That recital is coming up, isn't it?"
"It's Thursday night," Posy tells him. "Which means we miss game night, but they wanted to get it in before, you know…" she trails off, glancing down at the table. The Reaping. It's on Saturday. Posy's first. Vick's last. "I've been working on my piece all summer," Posy finally adds, though her voice is a bit softer. "I think you guys'll like it."
"Of course we will, Posy," Gale tells her.
"Well I wrote this one," she says, her face turning a bit red. "Madge helped a little but I did most." The small girl tugs at her hair and glances between all of her family members. "There's a piece in it for each of you," she tells them. Then she grins. "I bet you can't figure out what part goes for who."
"I bet we can!" Vick says, slamming his fork down on the table. A grin stretches across his face. "One silver coin that I can figure out which part goes with each of us. Deal?"
Posy grins too. "Deal. Good luck." And before Hazelle can stop them they reach across the table, shaking on it. Their mother lets out a groan, but a smile still spreading across her features.
A/N: Yay birthday and kisses! c: Favorite part of the chapter? Predictions? I love all reviews, and all readers! You guys are great.
Edit: I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO PUT THIS IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTE EARLIER: the song Madge played was "arrival of the birds and transformation" by the cinematic orchestra but for the piano! YouTube it! So pretty.
