Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
Gale was too lost in the moment to notice anything going on around him. All he could feel, see, was Madge. The way her lips gently played against him, how her body fit perfectly in his arms. He supposed he should have been paying more attention for the door to open, but he didn't care. Madge was his, her lips, her taste, all his. Just as his hand slipped under the hem of her shirt he heard his mother clear her throat and knew the moment was lost.
The two parted faster than humanly possible, each sticking to opposite ends of the couch. Gale had brought Madge home for the afternoon because he knew his family wouldn't be home. He didn't bother to ask when they'd be home, however, which was the problem.
Hazelle has her hands on her hips, her eyes flickered between her son and the daughter of the mayor. Madge tugged on her blonde hair and kept her eyes downcast, straightening her shirt and trying to make herself as presentable as possible.
After Hazelle shooed Rory, Vick, and Posy up the stairs, she crossed her arms and continued to stare at the two. Gale was the first to talk considering Madge was completely mortified. "Mom," he said quietly, "this is Madge."
"I know who she is," Hazelle frowned. Madge was the girl that brought Gale the morphling after his whipping. Madge was the mayor's daughter. "What I'm wondering is why she's here, on my couch, with you." Madge lifted her eyes for a moment but instantly dropped them when Hazelle glanced in her direction. "Not that I'm blaming you, dear," she said to the girl.
"I should be going," Madge suddenly said. "My father will probably worry… it's getting late…"
"Yes," Hazelle nodded, "I think that's a good idea."
"I'll walk you," Gale stood as Madge did. Under his mother's gaze he added, "To the door." Hazelle tipped her head once and watched as her son guided her to the small door. "Sorry," he said under his breath, dipping down and pressing his lips to hers quickly. Madge squeaked, knowing his mom was probably still watching, but Gale just pulled her closer.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Madge replied, her hand lightly brushing across his cheek. He nodded, opening the door and ushering her out into the crisp autumn night. Once she was out of view he shut the door and returned to his place on the couch.
"That's Mayor Undersee's daughter, Gale," Hazelle started to pace in front of him. "You can't just take her around like she's some ordinary girl."
"I know, Mom," he muttered.
"You can't keep this up, either! Bringing girls home like this is the slagheap! I won't allow it!"
"She's not like other girls," Gale stresses, running one of his hands through his hair. Hazelle paused in her pacing and raised an eyebrow. "She's different."
"If you're only with her because Katniss is back in the Games then I demand you to…"
"That's not it," he shook his head and groaned. "I mean maybe at first but now," Gale rubbed at his temples. "She's different."
"You mean to tell me," Hazelle took the seat next to Gale, "that you and the mayor's daughter are actually seeing each other?"
Gale jerked his head into a sort of nod, "You could say that." A thin smile formed on his mother's lips as he figured out how to continue. "She doesn't… she doesn't treat me like I thought she would. She genuinely cares, Mom. It's… it's weird. I can't stop thinking about her."
"Chances are this won't end well," Hazelle sighed and threw her arm around her son. She knew plenty of stories where the miner fell in love with the merchant, only to have his heart broken. "But I trust your judgment, hun." Gale smiled, dropping his head a bit. "I just don't need to see it. That means no more of whatever I walked in on, alright?"
"Yes Ma'am," Gale nodded once, though his stomach protested. "None of that." Not here, anyway.
A/N: Crying because Hazelle was right because of the bombing ;~;