Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
On Posy's fifth birthday she is only vaguely aware of the blonde girl who shows up late. This is Posy's first birthday in District 13 and most definitely not her last, but she's received a doll that has both eyeballs and all of its fingers so she doesn't care much that she's underground. Posy spends her time twisting her fingers through the doll's hair in some sort of elaborate design that might resemble a braid if she knew how to keep it tied. Just as she decides to give up the blonde girl who has shown up late dips down next to her and offers a ribbon.
Posy looks up with wide silver eyes and smiles, accepting the tattered pink string happily. "Happy birthday, Posy," the girl says. "How old are you now?"
"Five," Posy answers. She returns to her doll but the girl eases onto the floor. Posy glances over at her curly blonde hair and is disgustingly jealous. Posy wishes that she could embody sunshine like this stranger, that her skin was just as fair and soft. "Who're you?"
The girl smiles and asks, "Don't you remember me?" Posy shakes her head. "My name is Madge." Posy glances away from Madge back to her doll and resumes twisting, now adding the ribbon in an attempt to get it to stay put. "Would you like some help?"
"I can't do it," Posy frowns, shoving the doll away in anger.
"Let me help," Madge repeats. Her voice is soft like a lullaby and unlike most of the adults that Posy Hawthorne encounters Madge does not seem frustrated or annoyed at Posy's temper. Madge quickly teachers her how to braid the doll's hair like Katniss braids her hair as the Mockingjay and has Posy hold it in place while Madge ties the ribbon in a bow at the end. "There you go," Madge says, handing the doll over.
Posy instantly loves Madge. There's a faint memory in the back of her mind of a blonde girl like this coming to her home, but she can't recall what exactly it is. She must've spent some time at the Hawthorne's house in District 12 before the entire place exploded into ash and ruins.
"Madge," Posy pulls on her sleeve before she stands. "Thank you."
"Oh, of course!" Madge pats Posy's head. "You can come to me whenever you need some help," Madge tells her. She leaves Posy and the doll with a new pretty hairstyle sitting on the couch.
The birthday party continues and Posy quickly becomes frustrated with the braid in her doll's hair. She's always loved Katniss but she doesn't want the doll to have hair like Katniss, she wants it to have hair like Madge. Curly and luscious and just plain beautiful. She leaps up from her seat and rushes around through all the people who have come to celebrate to find Madge again. Finally she spots her in the kitchen, but before Posy can enter she stops and peeks in.
Madge is alone in the kitchen with Gale, Posy's older brother. They're standing very close and they both have gentle smiles on their faces. Madge's cheeks are pink like the flowers in the meadow and Gale looks lost in her eyes. Posy giggles. Madge tilts her head immediately toward the sound and Posy ducks behind the wall before she can spot her. She waits a few seconds before looking again and when she does Madge and Gale have resumed their closeness.
Gale is pulling Madge toward him by her hip and Madge's hand is resting on his shirt, her fingers tight around the gray fabric as she anchors him to her. Gale's hand that isn't on her hip reaches up to brush Madge's golden hair from her face. "What do you say?" he murmurs.
Madge rolls her eyes and laughs a little bit before responding, "I say you're crazy." He chuckles and Posy giggles again, Gale only laughs like that when he's really happy, and then he bends down and kisses Madge's nose.
Oh, Posy thinks. Suddenly she remembers how she knows Madge. A long time ago back in her old home the blonde girl came over when Gale was working on the mines. She dropped off a basket of bread and Hazelle, Posy's mother, cried a lot. Madge helped fold laundry and left before Gale got off of work. Posy's mama told her that Madge had saved Gale's life with fancy medicine when he was whipped.
Posy bursts into the kitchen and Gale and Madge part immediately, turning to face her. Madge's cheeks are still wildflower pink and Gale's eyes are still very large.
"I need help," Posy says, extending the doll in Madge's direction. "You said I could come to you!"
From that point on Posy is much more aware of her older brother and the pretty blonde girl who stops by very much.
Once Posy wakes up in the middle of the night very late because she has to pee and she finds Madge sneaking out of Gale's bedroom. Her hair a mess and her standard District 13 shirt is falling off of her shoulder. Madge doesn't see Posy but Posy sees Madge as she tiptoes from the Hawthorne residence.
In the morning she wakes her brother up very early, banging on his door. Gale frowns when he opens his door and Posy crosses her arms tightly across her chest.
"What do you want, Pose?" Gale frowns.
"Why was Madge here very very late?"
If Gale could turn pale, Posy thinks now would be the time. He scoops her into his arms and carries her into his room, shutting the door behind him. Gale drops Posy on his bed and she laughs as she bounces and he collapses onto the bed next to her.
"Posy," Gale turns to his sister while propping his head up on his elbow, and suddenly has very stern eyes, which makes her think she should really pay attention. "You can't tell Ma that Madge was here, okay?" Posy crosses her arms again and sits up straight, trying to mimic the way his eyes look and seem very serious. "She wouldn't like it."
"Mama likes Madge," Posy objects.
"I know she does. But she wouldn't like Madge being here with me." Posy doesn't understand. Gale drags a hand through his hair trying to figure out the best way to get his kid sister to understand. "I really like Madge," Gale says.
"Like a sister?"
Gale chuckles a little bit and shakes his head. "No, Pose, not like a sister."
Posy finally understands what he means. "Like a girlfriend!" Gale chuckles again and nods his head this time. "Well why wouldn't Mama like that? Are you and Madge dating? Do you kiss her?"
"Posy," he rolls to face the ceiling and Posy thinks it's important to do the same, copying what her older brother does. "It's not that Ma wouldn't like me and Madge together, it's…" Gale searches for words and Posy peers over at him. "She wouldn't like Madge over when it's late."
"Because it's dark and she would have to walk home alone, right?"
"Right," Gale blurts. "See, you've got it." He reaches over and messes up her hair a bit. "You're a smart kid, Pose." She smiles proudly and leaves to let him get a few more hours of sleep before the day starts. She later realizes he never answered if he and Madge kiss.
At the dining hall Madge starts to join them for meals, always sitting by Gale's side and usually across from Posy. One day Madge jumps and swats Gale's shoulder, muttering something about not here, and Gale chuckles and stretches his hand around her waist, tugging her toward him. Posy quickly looks toward her mama to see if Hazelle protests against how Gale and Madge are acting but her mother only smiles into her soup.
"Madge," Posy suddenly says. The blonde looks away from Gale, who has just whispered something into her ear, and toward Posy. "Why do you sit with us now? Where's your family?"
Madge visibly tenses and a prick of guilt stabs Posy's stomach. The way the table falls quiet reminds Posy of when her family told her that Katniss was going to be leaving again and might not come back. Katniss did come back, but Posy felt very bad for a long time.
"Do you remember the big fire in District 12?" Madge asks. Her voice is gentle and soft, no anger or malice, nothing that should make anyone feel guilt. Posy eases slightly and nods her head. "And how a lot of people didn't make it here to District 13?"
"Uh-huh," Posy nods. Suddenly she understands. "Oh." Madge's family did not escape the fire. Posy looks down at her dinner. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, Posy," Madge stretches across the table and grabs the little girl's hand. "It isn't you fault. Don't be sorry for that. It's okay."
"Well who do you live with?" Posy asks. Her vocal cords get all twisty when she's nervous and upset, and this combination causes her to speak when she shouldn't. "You could come live with us, you could! You are over very late every night with Gale anyway you could just sleep in his bed with him instead of sneaking out." Gale averts his eyes as Hazelle chokes on her glass of milk. "Oops," Posy looks back toward the table.
Madge squeezes Posy's hand and her cheeks are wildflower pink again.
"We'll talk about this later," Hazelle says sternly, though she doesn't seem to look very upset.
For a while Madge is not around, not even at the dinner table, and Posy thinks that her little slipup has caused her to stay away. Posy's too scared to ask Gale about it. One night Madge returns though and says she's been doing some secret work for District 13. Posy hears the name Peeta and remembers him from when he was on the television with Katniss but doesn't question it anymore. Gale pulls Madge toward him just like he always had and Hazelle doesn't look angry, but instead relieved.
That night Posy hears laughter coming from Gale's room and she opens the door, finding her older brother with his lips pressed against Madge's sweetly. She closes the door before either of them notice that the door has been opened and runs away giggling.
From that point on Posy catches Gale and Madge kissing a lot more. They try to make it secret but she spots them in the kitchen and in the hallways and in the living room and even before they enter the dining hall, Gale doesn't even try to keep his hands off of her.
Days pass and Madge is more or less a permanent person in their life. When Gale leaves on his big Star Squad mission Posy watches Madge latching onto his shirt and crying and begging him to be safe.
"You have to come back," Madge whispers. Posy clings to her mama's leg and listens to the teary eyed blonde who's trying not to sob. "Please. Promise me." Gale's palms rest on her cheeks and he kisses her deeply, obviously not caring who is watching anymore, and nods his head.
"I promise," he murmurs. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she cries. He kisses her again until the people with the guns say he has to go.
Madge is there when the television says that Gale along with everyone else in the Star Squad is dead as a doornail. Madge squeezes Posy in her arms but Posy remembers a very long time ago Gale told her to never believe that the TV says because it's full of lies. She tells that to Madge and Madge kisses Posy on the forehead and thanks her for being such a sweet little girl.
And when it's revealed that Gale (along with everyone else in the Star Squad) is not dead as a doornail, Madge squeezes Posy in her arms again. Madge's hugs are like the warmth on a springtime morning right after all the ice has melted from the winter and Posy loves them very much. She secretly wishes that Madge will become her sister.
Gale returns back to District 13 from the war and stays for a little bit before moving to District 2. Posy hears him fight with Madge and it scares her. The door is shut but she can hear it anyway.
"You don't want to go with me," Gale growls to Madge. His voice is loud, it's like the thunder storms that destroy the houses in the Seam and reminds Posy of the time Rory took out extra tesserae and Gale got angry. "You don't understand what I've been through, Madge!"
"I do," Madge responds. Her voice is loud but not as sharp. Posy is in the living room looking toward the closed gray door because everything in District 13 is gray. "I know what you've been through and I don't care, Gale. I want to be with you!"
"No you don't," he snaps. Posy considers going to get her mother who has retreated to the kitchen and forcing Mama Hawthorne to intervene, but then she wouldn't get to hear. Gale's voice goes through a medley of pain and agony. "You don't know me anymore. You don't love the person I am now."
There's a sharp noise that sounds like a slap and it makes Posy jump. "How dare you!" she screeches. There's another smack. "You're just scared! I never thought that Gale Hawthorne would be a coward!" Another. Posy sinks down onto the couch. "Maybe you don't love me! Maybe you're tired of pretending!" There's an obvious struggle for a moment before the door opens and Madge storms out. Instead of her cheeks pink like wildflowers her eyes are dark red like the sky after District 12 went up in flames.
She walks away, not even noticing Posy who has sunken into the couch in an attempt to remain unseen, and toward the front door.
Hardly twenty seconds pass before Gale is racing after her, and Posy watches it all.
"Madge," his voice is rough like the gravel of the roads in the Seam, "wait, just, wait a second!" Madge stops at the front door and it's just out of view from Posy. She can't see them but she can hear them. "You're right, I'm terrified. I'm terrified of losing you and my family and I've seen so many people die I'm just so—" this time instead of a smack of hand Posy hears lips smacking. "I love you," Gale breathes. "I love you so much. I'm so sorry."
Posy returns to District 12 with her mama and with Vick and Rory but Gale does not come and neither does Madge. They go live in District 2 together because Gale gets a very important job where people resepect him and he changes the way a lot of people live.
"They're getting married," Rory tells Posy one night after years have passed. "Look, they sent this photo."
Posy grips the photo in her hands and tears up involuntarily. Gale has his arms around Madge's waist and his chin propped up on her shoulder. Madge is looking toward him and her fingers rest easily against his cheek, while Gale is looking toward the camera. They're in some wooded area and Posy can't help but be happy that District 2 has some woods too, for Gale wouldn't like it any other way.
The couple comes to visit District 12. Posy watches the two of them grow together. Her mind compares them to Prim and Rory who spend so much time together in the meadow, but even Posy knows it's different than that. Madge and Gale, the way they act around each other is not how two young teenagers do. They're adults that have feelings incomparable to anyone else she's ever known.
She watches Gale and Madge in the kitchen cleaning dishes together. She watches Gale teasing Madge with a soapy sponge. She watches them laughing together.
Posy listens when Gale and Madge fight only to later listen to them apologize. There are other sounds coming from their bedroom but she purposely avoids the upstairs during those times. There is more than one way to apologize, she realizes.
She watches them get married and watches Gale cry when he sees Madge walking down the aisle. Posy watches them dance on their wedding day. She watches them have their toasting with the bread that Peeta made in the house he shares with Katniss.
Posy has watched her older brother fall in love with a girl who embodies sunshine.
One day Gale and Madge visit District 12 and Madge has a stomach as large as the District. Posy is 13 now, her eyes wide and her hands still small. She likes to read fairytales from the library and writes letters to Madge who answers with pretty loopy handwriting. Sometimes Gale will scrawl a note too with his chicken scratch that Hazelle has to help decipher.
"Geez, Madge," Posy pokes her stomach lightly. "What the heck is this?"
"A baby," Madge retorts pointedly. "Well, two."
"Twins," Posy shudders and shakes her head. She likes babies just as much as the next kid, but no way would she want two at once. Ever. She doesn't think she'd be able to handle it, the constant babbling and crying or diapers that smell foul. "When are they due?"
"Next month," Madge tells her. "The doctor said it's two girls. Gale pretends like he's upset, said he wanted boys, but—"
"But of course he isn't," the little girl laughs. Gale grew up in a household with one sister and spent a majority of his time adoring Posy. He's going to be a great father to the little girls. The two sit on the couch in the Hawthorne's home. Outside there is noise that sounds like a game of soccer where Gale is playing with his younger brothers, both of whom are growing up quickly. "Have you decided names?"
"Not yet," Madge admits. "Gale likes Charlotte so he can call her Lottie, I like Ella."
"Well there you go!" Posy throws up her hands and Madge laughs. "That's two names!"
"But Gale also likes Grace and Scarlett and I also like Marnie and Clara." Posy frowns. "It's a lot of names, I know. We'll figure it out eventually."
"Eventually," Posy agrees. They don't much time to wait, Posy thinks. She drums her fingers on her knee and watches Madge glance out the window. She laughs and Posy hears Gale cheering, meaning he must've scored a goal. "Madge," Posy says quietly.
"Mm?"
"Remember how you said I could come to you if I needed help?"
"Always, Posy," Madge nods. She turns her head back to the little girl and finds sincerity in the pond blue of her eyes. "What's up?"
There is an eternity of time that passes before Posy speaks as she builds up the courage to ask her silly question. "What if I never find someone who loves me?" she finally whispers. Madge tilts toward Posy, shifting so her pregnant belly is more or less out of the way. "I… my dad died before I was born," Posy blurts. Her vocal cords are doing that nervous twisty thing again. "I never got to see my mom and my dad together. The only thing I really knew about… about love was what they showed us on TV, you know? I mean my mom loves us but I never really, I didn't know what romantic lovelooked like until you and Gale."
"Oh, Posy…"
"I'm just worried that… that no one will love me like you two love each other."
"Posy," Madge stretches across the distance between them and grabs the little girl's hands. Madge's fingers are long and slender, perfect for playing the piano which Gale says she does very well. "That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard," she says quietly. Posy's mouth nervously quirks into a smile. "Sweetheart, you're so young! You don't need to be worrying about love now!" And then Posy's mouth dips into a frown. "Posy," Madge says her name sweetly. "Someone is going to fall in love with you when the time is right. And you will grow together, and it will be perfect."
"Right away?" she whispers.
"Not right away, no," Madge shakes her head. "I loved your brother a long time before he loved me. And he loved people before me. I got lucky that he noticed me after time."
"You're so beautiful," Posy says, "of course he noticed you."
"You're beautiful too, Posy," Madge reminds her. Short with long dark hair and bright powerful eyes. "And you've got all the Hawthorne charm. You're going to meet someone who will sweep you off your feet. Actually, you'll probably sweep them off their feet. It might not be the first person you fall for, or the second, but I promise that it will happen."
And now when Posy smiles it's genuine and sweet. "Thanks, Madge."
"Always," the blonde nods. She reaches over and messes up Posy's hair and the little girl frowns, swatting her away. Now it's Madge's turn to hesitate, Posy can see it on her face. "Do you really mean that?" Madge asks. "That Gale and I, we…"
"Yes," Posy nods. "You two were always together when I was little. There was barely a time I saw Gale without you by his side." Madge blushes prettily and Posy pokes her tummy again. "And you guys fight but you always work it out. You two, you just, you have your good times and bad times." Posy tugs on her hair and glance out the window. "You two are great together."
"Thank you," Madge whispers.
Later that week Gale and Madge leave, hopping onto the large silver train that will take them back to District 2 after saying goodbye to the Hawthorne's. Posy stands on the platform and waves alongside the rest of her family as her older brother and his wife board. Posy smiles when she sees their hands laced perfectly together.
A/N: This is a request I've had for a very long time where Posy talks to Madge about how Gale and Madge's relationship showed her what love is and ya I decided to write it today I hope you like it!