Disclaimer: I'm just playing with Suzanne Collins' characters and her world. They're hers. Not mine. Any lines from the books are hers too.
Kaleidoscope, pt 19
Gale wipes the sweat from his forehead, lets out a long sigh as he looks back over his shoulder, at Miles trailing behind him, no hurry in his step.
Ahead of them, Briar and Sage are racing, squealing and making enough of a racket to wake the dead, or draw a nosy Peacekeeper, but he's too hot to complain. Besides, most of the Peacekeepers have stayed to the Town, where air conditioning isn't a rare luxury.
Beside him, Daisy is carrying the bag of strawberries as if they were made of glass.
"Will-will Mr. Abernathy let me have a strawberry?" She asks, almost tripping on a bit of upturned earth.
Gale chuckles. "Yeah."
Hell, Abernathy would give her and the other kids all the strawberries if they asked. Of all the things Gale hates about the asshole, his generosity with the kids isn't one of them. He'd do anything for them and Madge.
It's his one and only redeeming quality.
Grinning, Daisy eyes the bag excitedly, probably already anticipating her treat once they reach the junk heap Abernathy calls his house, her steps speeding up as she calls out for Briar and Sage to wait for her.
Stopping, Gale waits a moment until Miles has caught up to him, scoops him up and carries him.
"We're getting left behind, bud."
Miles seems unbothered, just shoves a handful of half wilted weeds into Gale's face. "I pick-ed theses for momma."
Smiling, Gale gentle pushes them out of his face, clearing his vision just in time to spot the other three disappear around the corner of one of the empty houses.
"She's gonna love them," Gale tells him. "We can put them in some water when we get to Abernathy's."
"Misser Abernafy," Miles corrects him.
"Yeah," Gale mutters.
Madge might have hammered into their kids heads that Abernathy deserves respect, but Gale knows better.
Gale is so busy being distracted by weeds and names that he nearly misses the sudden absence of his children's laughter. Their little voices, squeals as they race and shouts of excitement, have all vanished, replaced by the hum of bugs and noisy birds in the trees around them.
His kids are rarely quiet.
Holding Miles tighter, Gale half jogs up to the abandoned house, taking the corner and freezing the moment he does.
Daisy still has her bag of strawberries in her hands, chattering animatedly, Sage close at her back, while Briar is off to the side, arms crossed and a scowl etched into her features.
In front of them, listening politely, an amused smile on his doughy face, is Peeta Mellark.
Taking a breath, an anxious sensation settling in his chest, Gale hurries to them, stopping just behind Sage and setting Mellark in a wary look.
He isn't in his Capitol clothes, only a worn looking pair of pants and a flour smeared shirt. If it weren't for the lines at the edges of his eyes, he'd look no different than he had the days before he'd been Reaped. It doesn't ease Gale's mind any.
Somehow, Gale had forgotten the possibility they might run into one or both of District Twelve's star-crossed lovers. He doesn't care, but he could do without either one of them outside the yearly Reaping.
He could do without Abernathy too, but he wasn't being given much of a choice there.
There's something about Mellark though, that makes him uneasy.
Madge had once called it jealousy, years ago, when she'd been heavily pregnant with Daisy.
"What's there to be jealous of?" He'd asked, genuinely confused.
For a moment, Madge had simply stared at him, her face far too thin for a woman so far into pregnancy, then she'd sighed.
"You know."
Gale hadn't, and so he'd just sat at the edge of their bed scowling, too tired to play guessing games.
"What exactly am I supposed to be jealous of Mellark over?"
She'd wrapped her arms protectively across her middle, so reminiscent of when they'd fought when she'd been pregnant with the twins that Gale felt his heart stop, then she'd shrugged.
"He got Katniss."
He'd ground his teeth, biting back shouting she was being ridiculous and storming off, then let out a long breath. Sometimes he forgets her old insecurities, insecurities he'd unintentionally fed on more than one occasion. They apparently died hard.
Standing, he'd ran his hands through his hair, closing his eyes, fighting off the urge to scream in frustration.
"I don't give a damn about Katniss," he'd told her, barely managing to keep his voice even. Opening his eyes, he'd seen her swatting tears away. "I married you, I love you."
He felt like they had this conversation once a year sometimes.
"But if-you only married me because-"
"Because we got horny in a closet," he reached out, pulled her into a hug and toyed with the soft ends of her hair. "It doesn't change that we love each other now."
Katniss was a teenage dream that would've ended in flames, whether she'd been Reaped or not. He might not have known it then, or maybe he just didn't want to acknowledge it, but that didn't make it any less true.
Madge's tears had soaked into his shirt as she'd nodded, sniffled.
"I know-I just…"
Gale sighed, pressed a kiss to her hair.
"I know."
No matter how well healed an old wound was, it would still ache as a reminder at times. The memory of his infatuation with Katniss was probably going to haunt his marriage forever, but that didn't mean he wouldn't fight it off at ever opportunity.
Madge might be able to read between the lines with most things, but her insecurities will never let her see the reality of why Gale dislikes Mellark now.
It's fear.
Peeta Mellark and Katniss are Capitol darlings, and he doesn't want his kids having anything to do with them. The 'cousins' of the Everdeens would probably be eaten alive by the Capitol cameras if they ever remembered they exist.
The less contact they have, the better.
Katniss might have the decency to stay away when she sees the kids, but Mellark clearly doesn't.
"...an' I bet Mr. Abernathy'll let you have some strawberries too, Mr Mellark," Daisy finishes telling him, nodding in agreement with herself, holding the bag out for inspection. "They're real good."
Mellark grins, chuckles a little before glancing at Gale them back to Daisy, still talking.
"We got a baby sister now, did you hear? But she's too little too come up here, and momma's still tired from making her."
Nodding, Mellark's smile droops a little, though he tries to keep it up. "I've heard. Haymitch is very proud."
Mellark forces his smile back up, brighter than it had been, fake as the one's he wears on television, straining as he straightens up and gives Gale a small nod. "Congratulations."
He's being sincere, disgustingly so, but there's something else simmering just under the surface. Sadness and resentment, a kind of bitterness just behind the words, a sentiment that Gale can't quite place.
He'd seen the same expression in Prim's eyes when she'd met Briar, years ago, when Daisy was sick. Just like then, Gale doesn't ask about it. This isn't the time, and it isn't his place.
Grunting, Gale sets a now squirming Miles down and nods back. "Thanks."
Smile easing a bit, Mellark's eyes trail over each child briefly before he dusts a little more flour from his shirt.
"Well you'd better get going. Haymitch will be mad if I take up all his time with you."
Huffing, Briar takes off as Sage ushers the younger two, leaving Gale behind.
"Madge doing okay?" Mellark asks, once the kids have disappeared around the corner of his house.
He looks genuinely anxious, and Gale gets the sneaking suspicion that Abernathy has drunkenly told him about Madge's history with deliveries.
It's none of his business, and Abernathy should keep his fat mouth shut.
"She's fine," Gale tells him, hoping the sharpness in his tone will cut off more questions.
"Haymitch said she bleeds pretty-"
"She's fine," Gale snaps.
He doesn't like reminders of how much she tends to bleed after each baby, how ghostly pale she was after the twins. How close he'd been to losing her.
"Girl has thin blood," that witch of a midwife had grumbled after Daisy was born, even though her delivery had been practically a breeze. "Bleeds like a stuffed hog."
She'd thrown in another jab about her hips after that, and it had taken every ounce of self control Gale had not to toss her out.
"Her hips are fine. She got the baby out didn't she?" He'd snapped.
The midwife had huffed.
"Barely." She'd glanced at Madge, propped up on several pillows, nursing Daisy. "At least she's got tits to feed the damn thing with."
Then she'd hobbled over and given Madge helpful 'corrections' to her technique.
"She had to feed two babies last time," Gale grumbled. "I think she's got this."
Not so much as giving him a backwards glance, the old midwife had continued on, criticizing Madge's hold and telling her things to eat that would help with milk production.
She'd given the same criticism when Miles was born, complained about Madge's hips and blood. It had been no different with Wren's birth only a few days ago.
Shooting Gale a dark look, she'd kicked a heavy pile of blood soaked rags.
"Keep it in your pants, boy. She's only got so much blood and these babies keep getting bigger. This one almost got stuck." She'd shaken her head, cast Madge a weary look. "And she's not getting any younger."
Gale had almost snapped that the baby was bigger because he'd been able to keep more food on the table, which wasn't a bad thing, but he'd kept the thought to himself.
The fact that Madge once again looked pale and exhausted, didn't have an ounce of energy, made him agree with her. Despite the fact that she had done better with every birth since the twins, didn't mean much really. She was still worse off than most women he knew after delivery.
Bristol had been up and waddling around just hours after all three of her kids.
Madge was nearly a week out from Wren's birth and it was taxing her to get to the couch at times...
Shaking the thought away, Madge was doing well and her bleeding had stopped, Gale shoots Mellark another soured look.
"She's fine."
Frowning, finally taking the hint Gale isn't in the mood to discuss his wife, Mellark nods. "Good."
Gale starts to walk off, he needs to keep Abernathy from accidentally giving his kids liquor, but stops when he hears his name.
"Tell her congratulations from me, and Katniss." He glances toward where the kids had gone, lets out a long sigh. "They're good kids. You're-both of you-you're doing a good job with them."
Nodding, Gale tries to force a smile, but it comes out more as a grimace. "Thanks."
Mellark nods, sad smile ticking up fractionally, and Gale get the impression he wants to say more, but stays silent as he turns and leaves, up his back porch steps and into his house.
#######
Gale watches as Madge inspects the tiny dress Abernathy sent home with the kids.
It's yellow, simple despite being from the Capitol.
"You give this to your momma, okay?" Abernathy had told Daisy, handing her the simply wrapped package.
"Is it for Wen?" Miles had asked, mouth half full of strawberries, a little juice dribbling out.
Abernathy chuckled, handed him another strawberry. "Yep. Your momma needs to open it though."
He'd shot Gale a look, daring him to argue.
Rolling his eyes, Gale hadn't so much as muttered a word against it. Whatever it was, it was for his daughter, and even if it was from a filthy drunk with no business being near her, he wouldn't deny her the gift.
Settling back against the pillows, Madge smiles, let's out a long sigh.
"We can have her wear it for next Sunday dinner at my parents," she tells him through a yawn. "He'll like that."
Gale really doesn't care what Haymitch Abernathy likes or doesn't. It's a stupid thing to argue about though, so he just grunts his agreement.
"You're gonna spit up all over the old bastard, aren't you, beautiful?" He murmurs to Wren, wide awake in his arms.
She makes a noise, a gurgle or a hiccup, he isn't sure, so Gale takes that to mean she's in on the plan.
"Give her here," Madge tells him, sitting up and reaching out. "I want to feed her before I get too tired to hold her."
Reluctantly, Gale walks to Madge's side of the bed and gently eases the baby into her arms. He has work in the morning and he hates giving up even a moment with her, but Madge needs rest and Wren needs fed.
Despite her eyelids drooping, Madge brightens as she settles Wren in for her feeding.
Setting at the edge of the bed, Gale waits until a Wren has finished and then scoops her up, swaddles her and places her in the now we'll used crib wedged on his side of the bed.
Yawning, he stretches before collapsing into the bed and letting Madge curl into his side.
"Thanks for taking the kids to see Mr. Abernathy," he hears her mumble against his chest, her eyes already closed. "I know you hate going up there."
He does, but he also knows they like the bastard and Madge is too exhausted to take them up for their weekly visit. Much as it annoys him, Haymitch Abernathy is a part of his life, at least he can control some of his influence.
"Mellar-Peeta-He, uh-he said congratulations."
For a second he thinks she's fallen asleep, hasn't heard him, but then she shifts, peers up at him through her lashes.
"Oh? That's nice."
"Does he always stop you when you go up there?" Gale asks. He should've asked Briar earlier, but he'd been more focused on not losing Miles as he'd wandered off to collect more flowers.
Her nose wrinkles up up in thought and she lets out a long sigh.
"Sometimes," she answers. "He likes the kids."
Gale nods. "Yeah, I figured."
She frowns in thought, takes a deep breath.
"I think...I think he's a bit jealous, actually."
A moment passes, then another, as Gale process her words.
He starts to say that Mellark should be jealous, everyone with eyes ought to be. Their kids are gorgeous.
The words die before they form as it dawns on him what she's saying.
Mellark and Katniss don't have kids. Prim doesn't even date. They're trapped in a prison and he hadn't even noticed it.
"They aren't holding off because Katniss is about as maternal as a rock, are they?" He finally asks, already knowing the answer.
Madge sits up, gives him a sad smile.
"Can you imagine what would happen to their child in the Capitol?" She sighs, closes her eyes. "Would you bring a child into that?"
It'd be a nightmare, worse even.
Glancing at the cradle, to where Wren is sleeping soundly, Gale's chest tightens.
He isn't sure a life without his kids is one he'd want to live. He isn't sure if that makes him weak or stupid. Maybe it just means Katniss and Mellark are better parents than him, even if just by choosing not to be.
His own fears, about his children being snatched up for being the 'cousins' of a Victor, seem more valid now. It wasn't just paranoia and dislike.
It also makes him feel dim. How had he not realized what Prim's hopeless looks and Mellark's lingering ones meant? How had he not put two and two together?
Because he had his own worries, he reminds himself. Katniss, Mellark, and Prim weren't his concern, and as cold as that sounds, it's true. He has his own family to worry about, and he couldn't, can't, spare a moment for the star-crossed lovers and their family.
Madge has shed light on their problem, another price of victory, but it doesn't change anything, and it doesn't ease Gale's wariness. If anything, it reinforces it.
His fear has substance, and he isn't sure what to do about that.
He yawns, forces a smile. It's too late and he has work in the morning. This problem can wait for now.
"I guess it's good we won't have to find out," he finally answers, pulling Madge back down next to him, pressing a kiss to her hair, grateful he'll never have to choose between his family and...whatever it is Katniss and Mellark have.
"We're lucky," Gale finally murmurs, remembering Prim's words about Briar all those years ago.
Madge nods, snuggles closer. "Yeah. Luckier than we may ever know."
#######
AN: Not loving this chapter, but, it's done, so that's something. I don't know when I'll update again. There's a lot going on, and writing just...isn't something I can focus on. Hopefully good news will come and the fog can lift, but until then I just want to say thank you to everyone that's supported this story. I wasn't sure about this when I wrote it, and I know my bouncing around in timelines is off-putting, in a lot of my stories actually, so I'm grateful anyone has stuck it out. Anyways, happy holidays y'all, and here's hoping to a brighter new year.