Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
"Where are we going?"
Madge's question hangs in the air as her hand is tight in his. Gale won't answer her, and it's making her entirely too frustrated. She's had enough secrets and lies, she's entirely too stressed. Next week some of her only friends are going to be thrown back into the arena, and they might not return this time.
"Don't worry about it, Madge," he murmurs. She sighs and her hand goes slack. "You worry too much," he tells her. "Just stop it for once, okay?"
"Okay," she nods. But how can she not?
They're already out past curfew in the middle of the night, weaving through the broken down houses of the Seam and constantly glancing over their shoulders. If a Peacekeeper finds them like this there's no way she'll be able to talk their way out of it.
Suddenly he turns down an alley and it's completely dark. Madge's eyes take awhile to adjust to the change of lighting but soon enough she can make out the propped up wooden boards on the street and the mice that scurry back and fourth. Madge cringes and at once he pulls her closer.
"Almost there," he tells her. "This is a short cut."
Gale has never lied to her before, so Madge's nerves ease a bit. And of course he hasn't, and soon they emerge into a small grassy field. Madge studies the area around her as Gale's fast paced walk slows down to a stroll.
"You've taken me to the meadow before, Gale," she grumbles quietly. She doesn't understand why he would risk their safety for a late night escapade. "What's going on?"
"We're not going to the meadow. And I told you to stop worrying."
With a deep breath she nods again and bites her tongue whenever she wants to speak. The two of them ease through the back fields of District 12 in silence, nothing but the sound of their feet scraping through the overgrown grass.
After at least another five minutes of silence, Madge can't take it anymore. She can't take the fact that Gale isn't telling her what's going on and she can't take the thought that instead of helping Katniss and Peeta and Haymitch prepare for the Quell she's out in the wilderness and she can't take that she and Gale haven't told anyone why he's been walking her home after training and she just can't take it anymore.
"Gale," she blurts. He holds up his hand to silence her but she pulls him to a halt. "No. You need to tell me where we're going."
"We're almost there," he soothes her. "C'mon Madge. Just breathe."
"What if someone catches us?" she nearly cries out. Doesn't he understand that the entire District is under a curfew? "We would just make everything worse!"
At once he pulls her into his arms. Madge buries her face into his chest and does what he said. She breathes. She breathes in his scent of smoke and pine and she lets the feeling of his hold keep her safe.
"We're almost there," he says again. Gale rubs circles on her hip. "Stop being nervous and stop thinking." She thinks too much. She spends way too much of her time thinking about the future instead of thinking about the moment she's in. "Can you do that for me?"
"I want to tell someone about us," she responds. Her voice is muffled in his shirt but Madge knows that he's heard her. "Anyone. There are too many secrets and I'm tired of it."
"Okay," he nods. "We'll tell my family tomorrow." She nods against his chest, her forehead thumping against him once or twice. Her fingers are shaking by this point, and he squeezes her closer. "Can we go now?" So she nods again, and before Madge even knows it they're back to strolling through the fields.
"It's nothing bad, is it?" Madge asks. Gale doesn't answer, he only stops in his step. Madge looks up at him, his outline illuminated in the moonlight, and is suddenly nervous. "It's bad, isn't it?" His head tilts sideways. Not bad? "Then what—"
"Look up," he says.
Madge tears her gaze from his and glances out in front of them. Before her eyes is a tangled mess of a field. They must be on the very outskirts of the District, very close to the fence, because it doesn't look like it's seen civilization, well, ever. But somehow, it's beautiful. The yellowish weeds and fluffy grass that stands upright apart from the green below their feet. Almost, peaceful.
"It's called Magic Field," Gale tells her. Madge squints. It's lovely, sure, but magical? "Posy wanted to name it Fairy Field," he continues. His mouth is almost a smile. "But it was named long before she was even born, and I had to tell her we couldn't change it."
"Why is it..." Madge trails off before she can even finish, because her question is answered before spoken. The area before them is suddenly lit up. Not by a spotlight or a light bulb of any sorts, but by fireflies. "Oh," she breathes.
Fireflies twinkle all around them, lighting up the field as though with Christmas lights. Her stare is unfaltering as everything glows peacefully.
Gale pulls her forward considering she won't walk on her own, and down into the itchy golden field. He lays down and motions for her to follow. Madge snuggles up to his side, his arm secure around her, and listens to the sound of his heartbeat.
"It's..." again she trails off, unable to find the word. Breathtaking. Astounding. Divine.
"I know," he answers. "I think... I think that you needed some peace."
"Gale—"
"You worry too much," he tells her quietly. Madge sighs and tightens her grip on him. "You don't ever take time to think about yourself. I can't remember the last time we had a conversation about ourselves or our thoughts or our futures. With you it's always this or that but never... you anymore."
Madge hesitates before saying, "I'm just scared."
"And you're allowed to be. But don't lose yourself to fear, Madge." Gale curls his fingers through her golden hair and smiles gently. "You used to be brave. Remember when you brought me the morphling?" She wrinkles her nose and Gale chuckles. "Or when Katniss took you over the fence and tried teaching you how to shoot?"
"That was terrifying," Madge murmurs.
"But you still did it. I know that you're brave, Madge. You know you're brave too." He glances around at the fireflies that dance by them and shrugs shortly. "Maybe something big will happen."
"Something magical?" she asks.
Gale nods. "Maybe." He leans down and presses a quick kiss to her temple. "And if not, that's okay. I'll be here the whole time. You don't have to worry so much."
"Maybe," she echos him. But maybe not.