Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.

Just like every Tuesday, Gale shows up five minutes before Madge does to Quell training. It's a routine. So Peeta is expecting it by now.

The hunter kicks off his shoes as he enters the house, clearly stressed from his long day at the mines. Peeta supposes he should be a bit gentler with Gale because of it, but he's not going to cave now. He's been rehearsing this speech all day.

"Gale," Peeta's voice booms. The person in question freezes, cocking his head a bit to look at the blonde. "I need to talk to you."

"Alright," Gale tips his head. One of his eyebrows is raised. He shrugs off his jacket. "About what?"

By the look on his face Peeta's sure Gale is preparing himself for some sort of Katnissspeech. But when Peeta answers "Madge," a look of panic flickers over Gale's features.

"What about her?"

"I know you like her," Peeta says. He takes a step closer. Peeta wants to watch Gale quake in fear but the miner would never do that in front of him. "And I swear to God if you hurt her I'll wring your neck."

Gale rolls his eyes and hangs his jacket on a hook before stalking past Peeta and into the living room. "Katniss here?"

"She's outside with Haymitch," Peeta answers, following him closely. "Gale, I'm serious. Madge is basically my sister."

"What could you possibly be serious about, Mellark?" Gale scowls at the boy in front of him. "Where's your proof?"

"In your face," Peeta answers. He hates that his leg makes him limp a bit. He wants to be intimidating. "In the way that you always wait until Madge is done so you can walk home with her. Or how your eyes always follow her." Gale drops himself down to the couch and avoids Peeta's gaze. "How when sometimes she'll say things and you have to make an effort not to smile."

"So what?" Gale mutters. "She's the mayor's kid. There's nothing there."

"Oh, there's something there," Peeta continues. "And I'm just telling you now that if it evolves into something you can't control I'll beat you senseless."

Peeta doesn't add the fact that he won a Hunger Games and is training to go into another. He thinks Gale is smart enough to understand what Peeta's capable of.

"It's not going to evolve into anything," Gale grunts. "Didn't you hear me? She's the mayor's kid. She's a hell of a lot better than I am and can do better than me. She's smart and sneaky and," Gale pauses. "There's nothing there," he says again. "Madge's too good for me."

Madge's voice suddenly rings out from behind the both of them. "I think that's for me to decide, don't you?" she asks.

Gale leaps to his feet and spins around to see her. His face is so pale he could be considered a town kid at this point. "Madge," he chokes out. "I—I can… you hear all that?"

Madge shrugs off her jacket but keeps her eyes on Gale. "Most of it," she nods. Gale stumbles over his own two feet to reach her and Peeta relaxes backwards on the couch, giving them their privacy. Madge's voices drops. "You think I'm sneaky?"

Gale laughs nervously. "How else would we get all these Capitol papers?" he murmurs. In their shadow reflected on the floor Peeta watches Madge reach for his hand.

Thank God for such a predictable routine.