Baby: Part 1

Gale sat across from Madge in a booth at some little diner on the outskirts of the city. It was weird. They'd hung out thousands of times but never like this, never just the two of them. Katniss was the reason they were around each other so much, she was a mutual best friend so they were always invited to the same gatherings and social events.

Gale had no idea why she'd asked him out for coffee, only that it had taken him a minute to get over the immediate shock before saying yes. They weren't friends per se, more very well acquainted acquaintances. They didn't talk much more than a passing greeting or niceties but Gale thought that best. Madge was attractive, like really attractive. He thought it best he and Madge didn't talk too much because it would just be too easy to sleep with her and that would make things weird and piss Katniss off ... a lot.

Of course the fact that Madge was essentially off limits made him want her so much more but he prided himself on his ability to 'go without' so to speak, he'd done it his whole life, especially with her. She'd been the mayor's daughter in their hometown, rich and privileged and never hungry. He couldn't ever understand how Katniss stood to be around it until he was forced to be around her himself.

So Gale sat in the sticky leather booth, stirring sugar in to his coffee and staring at Madge's boobs while she shrugged off her jacket. She turned to him and placed her hands around her glass of orange juice. She looked determined, like this might be important. Katniss' birthday wasn't for months yet and there wasn't anything else he could think of that she'd want to talk about

"I'll get right to the point" she begins bluntly, he nodded, she didn't say anything until he'd swallowed his sip if coffee and placed the mug back on the table "I want to have your baby" his eyes darted up to meet hers and when he saw her expression was stone cold serious he took a very long drag of coffee. It burnt as it went down but he continued to chug it like it was something alcoholic he so wished it was at this moment "I thought a lot about who I'd like it to be and really I was always going to pick you" he blurted the first thing that come to his mind and almost dribbled coffee

"Did I forget sleeping with you?" to this she rolls her eyes

"Believe me we have not slept together" her tone made it an insult "and if we had, you certainly wouldn't have forgotten it" to this he quirks an eyebrow and smirks, then remembers how that comment come around and sits up straighter in his seat

"What are you talking about?"

"I want to have a baby, your baby"

"Why?"

"Why ... do I want to have your baby?" she clarifies, he swallows and nods "Well I've known you for years so I know you're responsible and trustworthy, there's also the fact that you carry very good genes" Gale stares at her speechless "but we're not particularly close so there's no risk of a friendship being put under pressure" he couldn't believe she was talking about this so calmly, if it was anyone else he'd think it was a joke but it wasn't. It was Madge freaking Undersee and she was completely fucking serious

"You are aware of how random this is right?"

"Yes, I know this must be strange for you but I've been thinking about it for a long time. I want a family and I thought that's the way Trent and I were heading but obviously not" ah Trent. He'd met the guy a few times while Madge was dating him and every single time he'd managed to piss Gale off. They'd actually ended because the guy couldn't handle a drink and got fist happy at a party. Gale and Darius had had to pull the creep off Madge and escort him out

"You're kinda young to want kids though aren't you? You'll probably meet someone else soon"

"Oh no" Madge says quickly "I don't want anyone else. I'm not under the illusion it won't be hard but I'm confident I could raise a baby on my own and that's the way I want it"

"Don't you think you're still a little young, you're not even 22 yet right?"

"I would be by the time I had the baby"

"That's crazy young to be raising a baby by yourself Undersee" Madge narrows her eyes when he calls her that and her tone is clipped

"I don't need a lecture, I just need your sperm" Gale's eyes bug out of his skull as everyone else in the diner turns to look at them. Gale leans closer and lowers his voice

"The thing is, if I had a child and I knew it was my child I'd want to be a part of its life. I couldn't just walk away you know"

"Wait, are you actually considering this?" Madge asks her eyebrows creeping towards her hairline

"Why would you ask if you thought I'd say no?" she shrugs

"Worth a shot. I don't like the anonymity of a donor, it's so impersonal"

"Wouldn't it be easier?"

"Easy isn't what's right for me"

"I think you're crazy for doing this so young but if you've made up your mind you've made up your mind and I'm sorry but I'm not your guy" she sighs, nods as if she was expecting it - which she was - and stands

"Thanks for meeting me anyway" she smiles tightly, gathering up her purse and jacket, then drops a few bills on the table. Enough for both her orange juice and his coffee twice over. She's going to have to stop doing that if she wants a kid. She may deny handouts from mommy and daddy now but even with her steady income she's going to struggle "I'll see you around"

"Sure" there's a sinking feeling in his stomach as he stands, she looks so downtrodden "hey Madge, for what it's worth, I think you'd be a great mom" the corners of her lips turn up a fraction

"Thanks Gale".