Caught Up and Red Handed: Part 1
(Gale/Madge)

A/N: Well here we are...with inconsistent posting, lol. Hope you like it, Part 2 soon!

Gale's body hurt. Every step he takes sends up a dizzying shot of pain up his spin. His back hurt from leaning over all day. And the coal dust was so bad today that his lungs are tight and his head is pounding. He grips the tree limb above him and leans his forehead against the trunk, allowing himself to get use to the pain. It will take him five minutes to climb the tree in this state. He almost considered not coming, but sleeping on the floor next to his night owl brothers isn't going to make him want to get up at 2:30 a.m. He can't afford missing another day of work. The new mine manager – of course a Capitol person who didn't make the Peacekeeper Force – is a Bitch, with a capital B. He started just as Gale was getting comfortable in his routine, where his body wasn't in pain every day. Now, if they miss one day they don't get paid for the next four. He can't miss another week's worth of pay, and he really doesn't have the will power to be in the mines for four days knowing he won't get anything out of it.

He glances up at the window. Staring at the light filtering through the window. And he wonders, what it must cost to have lights that you could turn on and off no matter the time of day it is…and that didn't smell like vanilla. Add candles to the list, he thinks. His mother has been asking for them for days, but Gale just can't find any right now. He asks everyone in the Hob every day, and no one has any for him to trade for.

The backdoor swings open.

Fuck. I've been standing here too long. Think of something to say, think of something to say!

"I forgot to tell you that my parents are at a dinner party tonight, you can come in through the back door, babe."

He leans his forehead back on the trunk, sighing in relief. It's just Madge.

He hears the leaves crunch under her feet as she walks toward him.

Her hand, warm on his back, "Are you okay?" she places her hand against his forehead, "You aren't running a fever again are you?"

"No, Madge."

She places her on his cheek and he leans into it. "But you still don't feel well do you?"

"No."

"Come on, let's get you to bed."

He nods as she wraps her arms around him. Her skin is warm against him, and her hand is even warmer against his butt.

She helps him with his jacket and shoes, shoving them behind the servants door as he strips down to his boxers.

She places her hand on his stomach, putting pressure on her fingertips into him. "You're getting to skinny. It's starting to scare me."

He leans down to kiss her cheek, hoping against hope that she can't see him wince as he does so. "It's just because I've been sick."

"But you don't gain it back, Gale. That's what scares me. Let me send you home with food, please. For peace of mind," she says against his lips.

He pulls her against him, trying to soak in every inch of warmth from her.

"No," he says.

"Not even a box of cereal."

"No."

"You're impossible."

"But I'm yours," he says as his intertwines their fingers and leads them up the stairs. He remembers the first time he ever step foot in this house, how his heart raced because he was terrified of leaving behind even the small spot of coal dust. He still worries that her parents will find some trace of him here and throw him out. He even worries that once they find out, they'll go running to his mom. And he knows Hazelle Hawthorne will not be happy to hear that Madge Undersee is any closer than just the strawberry girl.

She throws back the covers while Gale pees. As he comes out, she's pulling off her pants at her vanity. He curls up under the heavy blanket, and watchers her change.

"How did work go?"

"Well, it's the last day of not getting paid."

"At least that's good."

"I guess."

She pulls her head up in bun, she watches him through the mirror as she does so. "Do you need a hair tie," she smirks.

He laughs under his breath, "No, I don't. Thank you."

"I don't know, I might roll over on it tonight. It's getting pretty long."

He shakes his head as she crawls into bed. "Perhaps I like it this way."

She runs her fingers through his shoulder length hair for a few minutes. It fizzes his hair; and she knows he hates it, but he doesn't stop her. He watches her eyes follow her hands, and enjoys the moment of silence that his house never has.

"The longer it gets, the curlier it gets."

"Mmm." He leans back into the pillows, but she does not remove her hands.

"It's cute."

"Oh yeah, it's cute," he rolls his eyes.

"It makes you look so much more approachable."

He blows air out of his nose, and grabs her hand. He brings them down to his chest. She stays sitting.

"I worry about you, you know?"

He doesn't say anything. Nothing he stays will satisfy her. They have this conversation every night.

She traces his body with her eyes. His bones stick out of his skin at odd angles. His skin folds slightly under his rib cage; and his hip bones stick out sharply, creating a gap between the space where his underwear should lie against his skin. She knows he's been sick, and she knows that he lost at least five pounds – which on his small frame looks like 100 pounds – but he lost more than five pounds since they started dating. Which, for the record, has been almost a year.

"Just say it."

"Say what?"

"Say what you're thinking or stop looking at me like I'm in my coffin already."

She pats his chest, "You keep losing weight, and you'll be in it soon."

He moves to sit up. He doesn't want to have this conversation. How can he tell her that he's been sick for the past week, and it's not getting any better, and it probably needs medical attention, but the one doctor in town won't treat people from the Seam, and because he's been sick he can't get to the woods or go to school, which means that his family is starving, and his mom is mad at him, and feels like he's going to throw up all the time, but he can't accept food from her because a) what if her parents notice, b) he'd owe her for life, and c) he's pride would be annihilated because he had to ask someone else to take care for family for him.

"Just come back to bed. You won't get better unless you sleep."

He rolls his eyes. He's been getting enough sleep since he hasn't gone to school all week.

She pulls his shoulders back. And he lets her pull his legs up and pull the covers him. She curls into him, saying, "Okay, we won't talk about it anymore."

"Thank God."

"Madge!" a voice screams from the bottom of the stairs. "MADGE!"

He feels a thud thud thudagainst his chest.

"Madeline Undersee! Get your ass down here!"

"Shit, shit, shit! Wake up!" She slams both hands on his chest.

He looks at her. Her hair frames her face wildly and her tank top is around her elbow.

"Madge Undersee, don't make me come up there."

Gale freezes, and stares at the door. His heart pounds, and instantly there's a slim layer of sweat on his brow.

"Fuck."He stands up, his hands flying to his hair, looking for pants.

"Your pants are downstairs."

He throws his head back, squeezes his eyes shut, and running his hands down his face.

"Fucking hell."

"Madge!"her mother yells.

"I'm COMING!" Madge throws on her ruby red robe, tying it tightly around her middle. She takes her hair tie out and runs his fingers through her hair.

"How do I look?"

"What about me?" He gestures to his boxers, and naked torso.

It was her turn to lean her head back and squeeze her eyes shut, and bring her hands to her face and say, "Fuck."

"Madge!"

"I said I'm coming!" She shoots him a double fingers crossed.

She peeks her head around the corner of the door, and there her dad stood with Gale's pants and jacket clutched in his hands. She closes the door.

"You better come down too."

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, tell him to get his ass down here too!" her father yells.

They both glance at the window. He debates jumping, she debates pushing him, but they both know that isn't the best idea.

"Give me your robe," he whines.

A/N: What do you think is going to happen! And let me know if you liked it!