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.
AN: I know its been...a year? more? since i wrote anything for the Gale as a Victor au, but...better late than never, right? 'Survival' and 'Victors and Heroes' are the other chapters in this au.
Best-Laid Plans
Gale stays hidden in the shadows of the stage, eyes trained on Madge.
She's doing a good job with Flickerman, side stepping every prying question much more smoothly than Gale had. Granted, she grew up with the Capitol watching her, it's second nature to her.
Her poise and cheerfulness are a far cry from what he's seen of her the past few days as Haymitch has tried to patch her up, get her mind clear enough to face the waiting crowds. Gale had thought he'd pretty much failed, because he hadn't seen any sign Madge would pluck up the strength to make a good show.
Clearly he was wrong.
For every question Flickerman asks, she's got a witty answer or a delightful comeback, and the crowd is eating out of her hand.
"She's more her father's daughter than I imagined."
Taking a long breath, Gale cuts a look to his side, where Wiress has materialized.
Her dark eyes are fixed on Madge, coolly assessing the newest Victor, picking out all her weaknesses, storing them away for later use.
"Though I hope she has a bit more sense," she adds, her expression never changing and her voice unnervingly even.
"Does it matter?" Gale asks, despite knowing he'll only get a riddle for an answer. "She's doomed."
Snow had turned down their plea, their offer for Gale to take on more clients in Madge's place.
"Snow knew he wouldn't get much use from Annie, that the only reason he made that deal," Alameda had pointed out, when she and Wiress had come back to break the news to Haymitch on the roof of the Training Center, just the night before.
"There's nothing we can do for her Haymitch," Wiress added. "The girl will simply have to-"
"Don't," Haymitch snapped, pointing a thick finger in her face, jaw clenched. "I'm not letting them-they won't lay a hand on her, understand? You're always going on about how damn smart you are, well, prove it!"
"There are limitations, even for me!" Wiress fired back, the insult to her intelligence clearly too much, cracking her ever present icy demeanor.
They began sniping back and forth after that, dredging up age old arguments Gale knows nothing about, long dead people, mistakes, even something about a blonde fetish that Gale doesn't want to know about.
Shaking his head, Gale had walked over to the edge of the building so he didn't have to listen to their bickering.
Below them the city lights twinkled and cars zoomed by, Gale could hear car horns and the upbeat music from a nearby club, smell the mixture of foods wafting up and away from the restaurants peppered along the streets and in the high rises.
Despite the chaos around them, the top of the training center is calm.
It's an illusion, but Gale savors it. He can pretend it's all a nightmare he'll wake from when he's up there.
"We did try, you know?"
Turning, Gale spotted Alameda a few feet away, perched on the low wall, staring out at the city.
"We only pretend to have any power."
Gale grunted, shifted his gaze back to the party on the roof across the street.
From the corner of his eye, Gale saw her pluck a purple flower, pick off the petals and let them flutter away before getting up and walking to him.
"Haymitch isn't grasping the reality of the situation, you're gonna have to."
Not looking at her, Gale huffed.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Alameda's mossy hair fluttered in the breeze and her green lips twitched.
"You aren't as stupid as you seem, Dorothy. You know exactly what I mean."
Jaw tightening, Gale let out a long breath.
Unfortunately, he did.
If Wiress couldn't cut a deal with Snow, Madge was on a path to the same life as Gale, as Finnick, Gloss, and Cashmere, the same shitty life most Victors had to lead. It turned Gale's stomach. With the other Victors there was distance, this was simply who they were, how it is, but with Madge…
When he looks at her he sees home. She shouldn't be auctioned off like a choice piece of meat.
He didn't wish his life, his victory, on anyone, least of all someone like Madge. A piece of home that's at his fingertips and uncorrupted by all the ugliness of the Capitol.
But that's exactly what's ahead of her.
"Someone needs to prepare her. Haymitch is delusional, so that leaves you to-"
"She's smart. She knows what's coming," Gale snapped, turning and glaring at her. "If you're so worried about it, you tell her all the nasty shit that's going to be done to her."
For a moment she'd stared at him, her expression caught between confused and annoyed, before she huffed.
"Look, I'm sorry. This isn't easy, I know nobody believes it, but we really do try to do the best we can with what we're given."
"Yeah, it looks real hard." Gale leaned in, his nose inches from her face. "When was the last time some pervert took you to bed? Do you have bruises and cuts-do you have to let people use your body every night just to keep your family safe?"
He'd run his tongue over his teeth, shook his head.
"You act like you're asking me to explain something simple-like I'm getting her ready to go to a goddamn party!"
He'd pointed at the now raucous party across the street, now howling and squealing, drugs and drinks flowing freely.
Her gaze dropped to her shoes and her baby doll ringlets hung limply by her face.
"I know it's no party, Gale," she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the noise of the city. "Believe me. I know."
He hated it when she acted like a human being, like she's got any feelings. It's probably an act, lying and manipulating are like breathing to her, but it's convincing.
Deflating a bit, Gale nodded.
She was annoying, but she was doing a job, just like he was.
"I'll talk to her about it, after the interview," he told her. "Before I go out."
Alameda nodded, shook off the moment of weakness and made a face.
"Ugh, yeah, Phineas' birthday. I hate having…"
Looking back across at the rooftop party, Gale sighed, waited for her to complain about catering, which was a good chunk of her business.
When she stayed quiet, Gale cut his eyes to her.
She was simply staring, mouth a bit open, head tilted and eyes focused on the rooftop party.
It was nothing special, just a drugs, drinks, dancing, and the occasional death. Not that any of them ever noticed.
"They sure love a party," she murmured, eyes still focused on the rooftop. "Don't they?"
"Yeah." Gale nodded, frowned as he watched her, unsure what to make of her sudden interest. "I guess."
Her lips twisted up into a wicked grin.
"I gotta go."
Punching him in the shoulder, she'd run off, unnoticed by the still arguing Haymitch and Wiress.
Gale hasn't seen her since, not that he minds. The less he sees of her the better.
"It matters," Wiress begins, "because stupid Victors get people killed, and whether anyone believes it, we aren't keen on killing people."
"No," Gale chuckles humorlessly. "You just like to threaten to kill people."
She doesn't react, just continues to stare at Madge. Gale wishes she wouldn't. He can only imagine what awful things she's planning for her already.
"Have you seen Phoebe?"
Gale shakes his head.
"She's been missing since last night," she adds, as if that'll change his answer.
"Haven't seen her since then either."
"Are you certain?"
Gale rolls his eyes. "She's pretty damn hard to miss. I think I'd notice her."
She's probably with Anton. Gale had noticed he wasn't scheduled for any dates for a few days, probably her doing. How he willingly spends time with her, Gale doesn't know.
Wiress holds him in a suspicious glare for a few moments, maybe expecting Gale to pull her wayward apprentice from his pocket, before letting out a long, irritated breath.
"Tell her to find me when you see her."
Gale gives her a withered look.
"What makes you think I'll see her?"
Her mouth forms a cool smile and her thin eyebrows rise.
"Birds of a feather."
Not even bothering with a response, Gale turns away, focuses his attention back to Madge and letting Wiress vanish silently back into the shadows.
Most of the guests are hungrily watching Madge as she smiles and jokes with Flickerman. All sizing her up, decide if they want a piece of their newest toy.
Gale recognizes most of them, hates most of them and their staring, wanting, lusting.
He can't stop staring at her either though, and he hates himself for that.
His staring isn't like theirs, he tells himself.
Madge is untainted, still blissfully uncorrupted by the bastards of the Capitol, and he can't help but gravitate towards her, want to protect her from what's coming. Even if it's hopeless. Even if she's already been broken and what he's seeing is just a mask.
She gently tugs at the neckline of her dress, trying to hold on to whatever little modesty she can.
"What the hell is this, Portia?" Haymitch had shouted, pointing in disgust at the dress.
It had a low cut neckline, Gale thinks the term is 'plunging', and it had offended Haymitch's sensibilities.
"Talk to Effie," Portia had gently told him. "I can only do so much when she's making demands."
So Haymitch had stomped off, Portia at his heels, to argue about the dress, leaving Gale standing awkwardly by the open door.
He'd only come to watch. He wasn't Madge's mentor, and Haymitch wasn't asking any advice from him, but Madge was from Twelve, he felt like he owed it to her. Moral support, or some bullshit like that.
She'd stared at the dress, studying the revealing cut, the shear material, her eyes shining.
"Haymitch'll sort it out," Gale reassured her.
His voice startled her, caused her to step back, eye him warily.
Clearing his throat, Gale forced a smile for her, gestured to the awful dress.
"You won't have to wear it."
She'd tried to smile, but only ended up making a few tears trickle down her cheeks.
Swatting then away, she'd shrugged, made a wet noise that might've been a laugh.
"It doesn't matter, does it?" She'd half whispered, her voice raw and cracking. "He can't stop what's coming. This is just their preview."
More tears slipped out, fell down her cheeks and drop off her chin, splattering on the silk shirt she was wearing.
It was such a hopeless sight, her standing there in rumpled clothes and messy hair, puffy eyes, nose running, staring at the awful dress, Gale's insides had rolled. She was broke and needed something, someone, to help her, and damn if he didn't want to help someone, save someone.
Crossing the room, Gale reached out and cupped her cheeks, wiped the tears away with his thumbs.
"It's going to be okay," he lied to her. "We're figuring it out."
She'd shaken her head, tried to protest, but Gale pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hair as she cried.
He couldn't save her, but he wished he could.
Comfort, though, was something he could still give her. Even if it was false.
So he'd held her, enjoyed the feeling he was doing something useful for once instead of standing idly by. Enjoying holding someone close by choice.
Sighing, running a hand through his hair and ruining his stylist's hard work, Gale closes his eyes. He can almost feel her body pressed to his, the warmth and the scent, and the comfort it provided, pretend he's still in her room at the training center, not watching her be paraded out.
"My god, are you drunk already?"
Opening an eye, Gale finds Alameda in front of him, an irritable expression on her face.
"If it makes you go away I am."
She huffs, rolls her eyes and glances over her shoulder, towards Madge.
"Pretty, huh?"
Gale just grunts, throws back his drink and waves for the avox to bring him another.
Madge being pretty is half the problem.
"Wiress is looking for you," he tells her, hoping it'll entice her to leave.
Instead she, shrugs, as if to say 'oh well'.
Then she looks around, takes a breath.
"Come on," she commands him, grabbing him by the sleeve. "Follow me."
"I'm busy," he grumbles, waving his empty glass in the air again. He's gonna need more liquor to get through this night.
"I wasn't asking, asshole." She links her arm in his and grabs the glass, tosses it away, into a fish tank being used as decoration. "We need to talk."
Gale considers shoving her away, he's twice her size and she knows better than to cause a scene at such a big event, but decides against it. She'll just badger him until she gets what she wants and sometimes it's just easier to let her get the crazy out of her system.
They wind through the staff and avoxes, make their way to a hall used for ferrying food and drinks to the ballroom, then to a storage closet.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Gale waits with his back to a shelf of brass pots, watches as she pulls out her compact and checks the security of the room.
When she's happy no one is listening in, she snaps the compact closed and smiles.
"I got a plan."
Gale stares at her, his eyebrows rising.
She groans, gestures to the wall. "For Haymitch's problem."
She looks certain, ridiculously so, and Gale hates her for it. It gives him hope, and he already knows that's useless.
He sighs.
"Then...tell him."
Much as Gale doesn't want to see Madge Undersee fed to the wolves, he doesn't have much in the way of means to prevent it. Getting tangled up in wild, pointless, schemes isn't something he can afford, even if he'd like to.
Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"No you don't-just...listen to me, okay?"
Gesturing to the dim surroundings, Gale forces a smile. He's a captive audience. Literally.
Biting her lip, she thinks for a moment, then leans in closer.
"So-remember the party the other night, you know, they love a good party...and then I remembered catering that damn wedding a few weeks ago. Biggest party I've worked, almost as big as this shitty shindig."
"Get to the point," Gale grumbles. He doesn't have the patience for her rambling.
She clasps her hands and grins, a bit maniacal.
"What if you and Blondie get married?"
For a moment Gale just frowns at her, processing what she's said. It's ludicrous. She's finally lost her damn mind.
"So...you can have a party?" That makes about as much sense as anything she's ever said to him.
"Yes!" She shakes her head. "No-not for the party-well, yes for the party, they love a party."
She steps closer, eyes widening.
"We make the two of you into the couple of the century. The press will eat it up-two Victors! In love!"
"It won't stop them from coming after her," Gale points out, still unsure what the hell she's babbling about.
Marriage means next to nothing in Capitol from what Gale's seen.
"Maybe not, but it's a shot," she tells him, her grin inching down. "If we make the two of you so sickeningly sweet, so tooth rotting, disgustingly in love, maybe we can save both of you from this nightmare."
Gale feels the air leave his lungs, her words echoing in his head. She can't have said...
"Both?"
She nods. "The ladykiller falls in love. The more loyal you are to her the more they'll lap it up."
It's a weak plan, and Gale knows it's foolish. Wiress will pick it apart the minute she hears it, refuse to let them even try.
The thought of it though, of never having to be sold off, of keeping someone else from having to live that life…
It's been so long since he's gotten to be anything more than a filthy toy for the Capitol, the idea of being something close to a hero for someone…
He shakes the thought away. Her crazy is rubbing off on him.
"What about my brothers? My sister? My mom?"
He won't do anything to jeopardize them. No matter how much he wants to help Madge, he won't sacrifice their safety.
She grimaces.
"Well..I may have been cooking their grades, getting them all primed for civil services for a while…"
Gale glares.
"...and I have evacuation plans in place for when you inevitably screw up."
Of course she does.
"Right." He rolls his eyes, he'll pry details out of her later. He'd say she's lying, but she's gotten in trouble with Wiress before for having done stupidly helpful things for families before. He narrows his eyes on her. "Why not try this for Finnick and Annie?"
They deserve it more than anyone.
Her expression falls and she shakes her head.
"They don't love Annie like they love Madge right now. She's just a broken toy to them."
Madge is bright and new. This will only work while she's still got her moment in the sun.
No matter how much they adore Finnick, they'd never be quite as attached to his love for Annie as they would for two fresh, popular Victors.
They stay quiet for a minute, the hum of the crowd's laughter floating through the walls, while Gale considers the plan.
It's built for failure. Even if Snow lets them see it through without retaliation, Madge will still end upon the circuit. At best, it'll delay things. At worst, it'll get people killed.
"Snow's gonna see through it," he finally says, pointing out the obvious, desperate for her to have answers, lies to make him believe in her madness. "He'll know it's a sham and he'll come after us."
"Why should he? I'll be the one feeding him the information. He'll only know you're madly in love." She laughs quietly. "Besides, once we set it in motion, it'll be out of his hands, even if he suspects something. He won't risk breaking every heart in the Capitol. We'll direct the narrative for once, not him, not them."
They've always been more or less reactive. This is a chance to make a move first.
Gale runs his tongue over his teeth, lets out a long breath as he forms the most worrisome thought, the thing that will get them a body count.
"He'll see it as rebellion."
Alameda nods. "Probably. What's he gonna do about it though? It'll only be rebellion if he makes it. At this point your family is too beloved to hurt without demands for investigation and if he tries to break you up it'll turn this city upside down."
If he tries to take control back from them, destroy the happy couple and ruin the wedding of the century, it'll set the Capitol off. There's nothing they love more than a good party after all.
If he lets Gale and Madge have their happily ever after though?
Nothing changes, other than Gale getting off the market, if only temporarily. There'll be another warm body to take his place after the next Game, or until the Capitol thirsts for him again.
It's stupidly simple, but that's what makes it so perfect, so dangerous and fragile.
"What do you say?" Alameda finally asks, been lips twitching into a grin. "Feel like settling down or toppling a government?"
Despite knowing it's never going to get off the ground, they've got less than a snowball's chance in hell of getting to attempt it, let alone it succeeding, Gale feels his mouth quirk up in a crooked smile.
"I do."