Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
Madge is beginning to feel like a teenager again with all the sneaking around she's been doing.
She supposes it's not her fault, or Gale's really, but she's already so tired of it. She's gone from receiving less than zero attention from anyone in her District to the entirety of Panem wanting to know what she's doing.
Ever since Katniss and Peeta moved back to 12 and hid themselves away from the world, Gale has become the next hot topic. What he's wearing. Where he's going. What he's driving. Who he's seeing.
And currently, Madge is included on that list.
Honestly Madge is okay with keeping the cameras away from Katniss and Peeta for a bit. They're struggling on their own, sad and confused and trying to rebuild after the war. They don't deserve cameras shoved in their face all the time.
But then again, neither does Madge.
Gale slips into her apartment quickly, letting the door click shut behind him. Madge looks up from the book in her lap to find his face pressed into a scowl. She can't help but smile.
"Long day?" she asks. Gale grunts, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the coatrack. If she listens hard enough she can hear the buzzing of the reporters downstairs outside the apartment. The clicking of their cameras. Madge shifts on the couch and pats the spot next to her and it doesn't take long for Gale to cross the room. She places in her bookmark to hold the page and nuzzles up to Gale as he sits. "They'll go away."
"Maybe," he grumbles. Madge links her hand with his. "We don't have to go out tonight if you don't want to," he tells her. "We can stay in and watch some cheesy old Capitol flick."
"Why should we let them stop us?" she questions him. Gale's shoulders lift again, and then he leans down to press his lips quickly against hers. "It's not your fault you're a famous Mockingjay General."
He snorts, tightening his grip on her. "Sorry they never leave us alone," Gale murmurs. "I wouldn't mind it much but the fact that they're bugging the shit out of you too makes me—"
"It's alright," she stresses. Madge is proud of Gale and everything that he accomplished in the war. "We just have to be boring for a while and they'll leave us alone. Find someone more interesting." Her fingers drum on her chin. "Or we could stage a breakup."
"Never," Gale growls. He pulls her cheeks into his hands and drops his mouth down to hers. "Fake or not, I won't do it." Her heart flutters in her chest. "Besides, my mother would kill me. She loves all these gossipers because she learns more about my social life than I'll ever tell her. If she thought I ended it with you she'd have my head."
Madge smiles slightly and licks her lips. "I guess I should get ready to go, then." Gale nods, reluctantly letting her scamper off to her room to dress for the evening.
Hand in hand the couple strolls down the street leisurely. Somehow they managed to lose the press when they went in to see a movie, and have been in the clear since they got out of dinner after that.
"This is nice," Madge hums.
"This is how it should always be," Gale responds. "No cameras, no reporters. Just me and you." Madge sighs again, nestling into his side. "I was thinking," Gale starts carefully, "that maybe we could go home for a weekend."
Madge perks up. "Really?"
"Yeah," Gale shrugs. "Visit my family." He knows that she has no one left in the District and has been looking for a reason to return, so he thought he'd offer one. "Maybe even see Haymitch. Katniss and Peeta."
Madge giggles and nods. "That'd be great."
They pause in their walk, Gale spinning her to face him and tugging her forward with their linked hands. Just as he leans down to kiss her there's suddenly a bright flash, throwing the both of them off balance tremendously.
Madge gasps, stumbling backwards in her heels and nearly falling over before Gale catches her. He steadies her at once and then turns to face the culprit, a pair of men with their cameras out.
"Gale Hawthorne!" one of them shouts. "Are you making things official with Margaret Undersee?"
The other, "Is there an engagement in the near future? You two have only been dating a few weeks!"
"Is there a child on the way? Is that the reason for the speedy engagement?"
Madge's eyes dart back and forth frantically, entirely too confused to form a proper response to these men spewing out questions. Gale practically drags her away them at rapid speed, not allowing them to get a good shot of their faces. He's scowling again, darting through the back streets of District 2 trying to get away from them as quickly as he can.
Their flashes are too bright, however, and in minutes more reporters have spotted them.
"Madge! What are you wearing tonight? Is that designer? Did Gale buy it for you or did you get it with the compensation from the loss of your parents?"
"Gale! We recently discovered that your cousin Katniss Everdeen isn't actually your cousin! There are claims that you two had been in a relationship during the war as she was dealing with her fiancé Peeta Mellark's outbreaks! Can you confirm or deny this?"
"Is it true that you have unrequited feelings for Katniss Everdeen? That's why you've stationed yourself in District 2 instead of going home? That Madge Undersee is just a rebound?"
Gale snaps around, smacking the closest camera out of the person's hand before turning back to Madge. The reporters have captured the entire outburst but are too stunned to follow after him. In silence, Madge and Gale weave their way through the District. They end up at an old house and Gale doesn't even knock before bursting in.
"Gale where—"
Suddenly a voice rings out, "You have five seconds to identify yourself before I call the police!"
"Cressida," Gale groans, "it's just me." Cressida, the woman in question, peeks out from behind the wall. "You survived the damn war and your biggest threat is to call the police? Honestly?"
The woman shrugs, revealing herself more. "I'd say long time no see, Gale," Cressida says, "but I just saw you on the television last night." Madge laces her hand with Gale's as Cressida tips her bald head in the blonde's direction. "You too, sweet cheeks."
"Madge," Gale turns to her, "this is Cressida. She was the director of the film crew that followed us into the Capitol." Madge nods, remembering having seen the woman on more than one occasion. "Cressida, Madge."
"Oh no need for introductions," Cressida says. "I already know more about this girl than I need to." Her eyebrows climb up her forehead. "Need a place to stay for a bit?" Gale nods, and then Cressida shrugs. "Alright. But if you're going to make this a weekly thing let me know so I can make you a key."
Cressida escapes up the stairs and leaves Madge and Gale alone. He leads his girlfriend carefully into the living room and pulls her down on the couch. Cressida used to live in the Capitol but after the war it's clear she's toned things down a bit.
"She's nice," Madge offers softly.
Gale tips his head. "She went around filming the destruction of the District's back when the war ended. Used to be a gossip mongrel like the rest of them but she's different now." Madge nods at his words, slipping her hand into his before squeezing tightly. "Shit, Madge, I'm sorry about tonight."
"Don't be," she murmurs.
"I can see the headline now," Gale grunts. "Gale Hawthorne marrying Madge Undersee so their child won't be a bastard, still in love with 'cousin' Katniss Everdeen." He shakes his head as Madge giggles. "Not funny."
"It's kind of funny," Madge says, nibbling on her bottom lip. "They're entirely too ridiculous. No one would believe any of that." His shoulders lift slightly and he groans, dropping his head backwards on the couch. "C'mon, Gale, don't beat yourself up."
"All I wanted was for one nice date and those assholes had to come and—"
"Gale," Madge whines. "I had a nice night. I did." She watches as he opens his eyes slightly. "They don't bother me as much as they bother you."
"It's just the things they say," he growls. "Us getting engaged, or even that Katniss and I have something!" Gale suddenly leans forward, pulling Madge toward him. "You know that's not true, right?" She blinks, confused at the sudden aggression to him. "You know there's nothing between me and Katniss, right?"
"Of course, Gale," Madge nods timidly.
"I wouldn't make you put up with all their bullshit if I didn't feel anything for you," he adds, his voice dropping an octave. "You aren't a rebound and I'm not using you just to get over her."
"I know," Madge nods. "You loved Katniss once, I know that. Everyone does. But you don't sugarcoat things Gale. If you say you want to be with me then I believe you."
Before she can add anything else he crashes his lips against hers, sliding his arms around her lower back and tugging her onto his lap. Madge squeaks out in surprise but kisses him back, latching her hands behind his head. Her legs slide around his hips, straddling him despite the tight material of her dress. Instead it just inches up her thighs, allowing Gale to run his hands over her soft skin. He groans into her mouth and hitches her up higher on his body.
Just as he goes to kiss down her jaw Cressida clears her throat. The two snap away from each other immediately to find the Capitol woman with a light smile on her face.
"Just because I let you into my house so the press could pass doesn't mean you're allowed to have sex on my couch," she tells them. Madge's cheeks heat up as she tries to pull her dress down over her thighs again. "You two head home, alright? I'll see what I can do about keeping them off your back. I'm rather… influential in the camera business."
Somehow Gale and Madge manage to make it back to his apartment without being pestered by a single interviewer. They collapse on the couch after their long night of sneaking around and being hounded by the press. Gale pulls Madge into his arms and they fall asleep like that, exhausted and tangled together.
When they wake there's a message on Gale's answering machine. As he gets off the couch Madge stirs as well, yawning as she sits up. He presses a kiss to her forehead before making his way phone.
Gale presses play and then goes to make some coffee, watching Madge stretch out of the corner of his eye and grinning at the noises she makes.
Suddenly both Madge and Gale pause at the sound of the voice on the answering machine. "I'm not saying Madge is pregnant," Hazelle Hawthorne's voice rings out loudly, "and I'm not saying that you two are engaged. All I'm saying that is if either of these statements are true and the tabloids had to be the one to tell me, then you two aren't invited over for Christmas." Madge giggles into her hands as Gale rolls his eyes. "Also," Hazelle continues, "congratulations."
Madge lets out a light sigh and collapses backwards on the couch as the phone clicks before shifting uncomfortably in her dress. "I think she'll be more upset to find out you're not with child than she would be if you were," Gale calls over his shoulder.
"I guess you'll be the one to break the news, then," Madge offers. Gale rolls his eyes again and returns to the coffee pot.
Maybe she can put up with the press for a little while longer, as long as Gale helps her along the way.