You Smile at the Stars Like They Know All Your Secrets: Part 2

(Gale/Madge)

A/N: Here's part 2. It's not edited, but I wanted to get something up. Enjoy!

Gale sat next to Madge at Haymitch's table. There was a wrapped gift that sparkles gold and silver in the harsh lighting of the kitchen, with a pretty, delicate sparling heart tag with Madge's name on it. It was clearly Effie's handwriting, he had met her enough times to know what her handwriting looked like, but the glittering woman was nowhere in sight. And it couldn't have been from Haymitch.

Gale's legs tapped tapped tapped against the tile floor and Madge's fingers gently pressed into his thigh, pausing him for a moment. But it didn't last long.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark walked in the door, and Gale's heart sank into his stomach.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath. Haymitch looked at him weird, squinting his eyes toward Gale, but he didn't say anything. Madge pressed her fingers harder into his thigh, but she didn't dare glance his way. "Fuck," he said again.

Madge stood up to hug her friends, kicking Gale under the table as she stood up. He knew what that meant. He needed to get his shit together.

This was not how he was going to tell them. Not sweating to death and stumbling over his words from the nerves.

"How are you doing, Kat?" Gale heard Madge whisper.

"I'm doing better…Happy birthday!"

"Thank you!"

Katniss turned toward the blonde behind her, "Peeta baked you a cake!"

"How wonderful!"

The three sat down at the table, followed by Haymitch. Katniss and Gale nodded at each other, while Gale and Peeta barely glance at each other.

The table was quiet for a long while. Gale knew Madge set up this small birthday party as an opportunity for Gale to finally tell Katniss they've been together for months, but Gale could hardly squeeze out hi let alone So Kat, Madge and I have been together and I low key sleep in her bed like five days a week.

"So," Haymitch starts, "Shall we start talking strategy?"

Madge rolls her eyes, "Please, let's not talk about how to prevent death on my birthday. It's my birthday."

"You're just asking him to talk about how to live," Gale mumbled. She slapped his arm. He knew in the back of his mind he could use that as a intro to the relationship conversation. Smack her back, smile a little too big, lean a little closer to her. But it felt like his entire body froze every time she touched him. Usually it gave him a feeling of euphoria and liberation, but now it just made him feel frozen.

"Stick with Finnick, he'll protect you."

Madge sat back in her chair. Gale looked at his feet. Both their hearts sunk.

This wasn't the conversation they wanted to hear. It didn't exactly read birthday party.

An hour passed by and Peeta looked closed to tears, Katniss looked mad, Haymitch looked annoyed, and the secret couple curled up uncomfortably in their chairs.

"So, Gale has something to tell you."

Katniss' eyes squinted between the two of them. Was it because she was unsettled about Madge knowing more about Gale's life than her? Or was it just because Gale had something to say after becoming so quiet since she came back from the Games?

"Well go ahead," Katniss said.

"Oh um…" he stumbled, "I thought we could, um, take…Madge to a Seam party for her birthday…" he looked at his shoes. Where was his bravado? Where was the Gale Hawthorne? "She mentioned a few times before."

Madge pressed her fingers into Gale's hipbone as Peeta began to talk.

"Oh! If that's really want to do, Madge, we can go?" the baker boy's eyebrows crinkled, but he nodded encouragingly.

Madge smiled, "Thank you."

"There's not a party until tomorrow," Katniss mentioned.

"Tomorrow's perfect!" Madge clapped her hands and stood up, "I should get going though, it's getting late."

"But the cake!" Peeta cried.

"We can eat it tomorrow!" she smiled at him, begging her best friend to understand her internal need to leave, "Gale?" she looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind walking me home? It's getting dark and I don't like to walk alone."

"Um, sure."

Katniss shoot her eyebrows up at Gale. He tired to ignore it.

"Shall we?" Madge gestured to the door.

"Yeah," it came out breathless. He didn't really want to leave. He knew she would want to know why he didn't tell Katniss. But honestly, a fresh breath of air and a private moment with the birthday girl appealed to him too.

"I'll walk you out," Haymitch said. Both of them nodded.

They stopped on the edge of the porch. All of them silent for a moment.

"Don't forget this." Haymitch handed Madge the present that was sitting on the table. "It's nothing much, but a little something is better than nothing for my goddaughter." Gale's eyes widen as Haymitch leaned in to kiss Madge on the forehead.

"Thank you."

"Now," Haymitch clapped, "You chickened out."

"Excuse me," Gale sputtered.

"You were going to tell Everdeen you two are together, weren't you? Why didn't you?"

"How do you even know?"

"I have two eyes, kid."

"I don't know," Gale said as much tugged on his hand. And they walked into dark.

…

They walked silently side by side. Eventually she slipped her hand into his and squeezed.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

She squeezed his hand, "How long are you going to hide it from her? She leaves for the Games into two weeks."

He sighed and looked up at the rising moon. "I want to tell her, Madge, I do. It's just…"

"What? It's just what, Gale?"

"Madge, please, let's not fight on your birthday."

It was her time to sigh. "All I wanted for my birthday was to finally not have to hide around Katniss. Peeta knows. Haymitch even knows!"

He closed his eyes, "Madge, please."

"You need to tell her before she leaves."

"What happens if she fucks with her head?"

"She's an grown woman, she'll survive."

Madge wouldn't even look at him.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"Go around back. I'll let you in through the window."

…

She chitchatted with her dad for a few moments before going up to her bed. She left the light off for a few moments and took a few deep breaths. She pushed down the anger in her chest. She just thought tonight was tonight. She would be able to kiss Gale goodnight in front of her friends and crawl into bed with him later on, basking in the glow finally being free to date him without having to hide it from Katniss.

But it didn't happen.

And she didn't know if it would.

She opened the window.

…

"Should I leave?"

"No. It's my birthday, I want to spend the night with you."

He smiled gently. She grabbed at his shirt, tugging to the bed. She helped him slip off his shirt over his head and she watched him tug off his jeans.

He crawled into bed and curled himself around her.

The room was quiet for a moment. The silence seeping deep into their bones and Gale would feel the weariness in his bones settle. His feet already ached thinking about his shift in the mines tomorrow.

"Please just tell her. Please," she whispered, "Promise?"

He didn't say a word, he couldn't. He didn't know if he'd be able to get the words out.