Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
Gale arrives just in time to watch Finnick and Madge share a high five and snap immediately after - their signature celebration move. Gale frowns at the sight of Finnick's smile but smiles himself as Madge turns. "Gale!" she calls out. She shares a glance with Finnick before running in his direction. "You made it!"
"Hey," he says as she flings her arms around him. Gale dips down and kisses her quickly, smiling as she parts and pinning his forehead to hers. "Course I made it." If Gale didn't make it out to Peeta's annual summer picnic Katniss would've been pissed off. It was something he started doing back in college and has continued on despite graduating last year. Gale can't say he hates it — it usually involves a lot of drinking which is always fun.
"Undersee!" they hear. Madge looks over her shoulder at Finnick who's got a volleyball in his hand. "Get your perky little ass over here!" he yells.
Madge turns back to Gale and kisses him quickly. "Gotta go," she laughs.
Reluctantly he lets her go, joining Finnick on the correct side of the net. On the other side of the volleyball net is Johanna and Peeta, and neither of them are very good at the sport. Madge on the other hand has been playing since high school — and Finnick's good at absolutely everything. They're probably winning. Gale watches as Madge accepts the ball from Finnick and moves toward the back to serve.
Suddenly Katniss is by his side with a beer. "Here," she says, offering it to him. With a scowl Gale accepts the drink. "They're just playing volleyball, Gale," she reminds him.
He cracks open the beer and it hisses. "Mm-hm," he grunts.
"Let's go sit down," she sighs, steering him toward one of the many picnic tables.
Gale looks back over his shoulder to the volleyball net where Finnick is leaping into the air — another spike. "Yes!" Madge shouts, and again they celebrate the point with a high five. Sucking his teeth Gale lowers himself down onto the bench beside Katniss, making sure to pick a side where he can still watch them play.
"Jealousy doesn't look very good on you, Hawthorne," one of the older Mellark brother says, taking the seat across the table from him. Gale rolls his eyes. "Maybe I should join their team."
"Maybe you should fuck off," Gale grunts.
Gale's not jealous. Not really. He nurses his beer and keeps his eyes on Madge as she plays, trying not to growl whenever Finnick touches her. Madge and Finnick dated a while back. For not even a long amount of time. When Finnick moved down South, transferring colleges, they decided to end things. They weren't even having problems just didn't want to deal with the distance. When he finished school and came back he and Madge fell into an easy friendship.
Gale hates it.
He also doesn't really enjoy Taftan-fucking-Mellark who's sitting across from him becausehe dated Madge at some point too and is very quick to remind Gale of that every chance he gets. Madge isn't as close with him as she is with Finnick so it's not as pressing, and Finnick isdefinitely more handsy. Gale takes another swig from his beer and wrinkles his nose at the sight of Finnick's hand on the small of Madge's back, pulling her close and talking quietly about God know's what.
Eventually their volleyball game ends and Johanna storms off angrily (she is the biggest sore loser) and Finnick pulls Madge into a hug, spinning her in the air in victory as she laughs. Gale swallows thickly, crunching his beer can slightly in his hand. Peeta marches over to Katniss and takes the spot beside her and Madge follows shortly after, flinging herself in Gale's direction.
"Congrats," he laughs as she situates herself on his knee.
"God, I'm sweaty," she murmurs. Madge turns in his grip and slides her hands up his cheeks to pull him down for a kiss. "Hi," she exhales. Gale smiles and kisses her another time.
"Hi," he echoes.
"Sorry about my lack of a proper greeting," Madge says as he fiddles with her hair.
"I know how you get," Gale laughs. Her hands are still on his cheeks, her wide blue eyes studying his face as though she hasn't seen him in a long time. It's only been a few days. With her close Gale feels that knot of tension in his chest unraveling. "Missed you," he whispers.
Then they're kissing again and Johanna is groaning, "Not at the table, for Christ's sake."
Soon Finnick joins the table as well, his tanned skin glistening from sweat. "Nice game," he calls down the way to Madge. "We are literally unstoppable."
"Literally," Madge agrees, re-situating herself so her back is against Gale's chest. "I could totally take you if we played against each other, though."
"That's not a challenge I ever want to accept," Finnick says. "I've got a title to hold on to."
Gale slides his hands around Madge's waist and lowers his chin to her shoulder, kissing the spot on her neck below her ear. "Stop flirting," he murmurs. Madge scoffs and he smiles against her throat. "Unless it's with me."
"I'm not," she says quietly. "Seriously, Gale?" With a huff of air she stands. "Getting something to drink," she says, pushing herself away from the table. Gale frowns and watches her go and then feels Katniss elbow him, jerking her head in Madge's direction. Quickly Gale stands, following after her as their friends continue on their conversation. She pops open the top to a cooler and reaches in for a beer. "You always do this," Madge mutters.
Gale glances over his shoulder to make sure no one's too close. "What are you talking about?"
"With Finnick," she says as she stands. Madge flicks the ice from the lid and looks up at him. "There is nothing going on with me and him, how many times do I have to tell you that?"
"I—I know that, Madge," he sighs in frustration, striding toward her. "I know that."
"Then why do you always get so upset?" Before Gale can answer she cracks her beer can open. "It's not like I worry when you're alone with Katniss, or Johanna, or Bristel, or any of the dozens of girls you've fucked." Gale grunts and she shrugs. "It's true, Gale. You're constantly surrounded by past flings and I never say anything. And you want to know why? Because I trust you."
"I trust you," Gale echoes angrily. "It's just—it's frustrating, Madge." She turns away from him and takes a big drink. "You two never had any real reason to end things and he's all touchy feely and you're just so fucking comfortable with him!" She looks back in his direction and he sighs again. "Sometimes I feel like even you and I aren't that comfortable together. That it isn't easy enough."
She lowers her beer and steps toward him. "Stop being jealous of Finnick," Madge tells him. "He just got engaged and is flirty by nature. He has no romantic feelings for me, and I have none for him. Okay?" Gale sighs another time. "Things are easy between me and you," Madge adds quietly. "We have our… arguments, but we always work through them."
"I guess," he mutters.
"I love you," Madge reminds him. "You."
With a deep breath of air he cups her cheeks, bending down and kissing her fiercely. With her freehand Madge pulls him close, balancing her beer in the other. "I'm sorry," Gale murmurs as they part. "You're right. And I'm sorry." Madge smiles slightly. "Can we forget I said anything?"
"Mm, nope. Unless you admit you're jealous."
"Absolutely not," he growls between their lips.
Madge keeps laughing as they kiss again. "You're further confirming it," she tells him. Gale shakes his head and their noses brush. "How about I challenge him to that volleyball match," Madge murmurs. "Me and you versus him and Johanna. She sucks. And you're decent. We would win."
"What will that do, exactly?" Gale presses.
"Make you feel better. We could gloat. Go home. I could make you feel even better…"
Madge squeaks as Gale slides his arm around her waist and spins back to the table. "Odair!" he yells. Finnick looks up. "Me and Madge against you and Jo. Half an hour."
Finnick groans, throwing his head back. Johanna stands up, slamming her hands on the table. "Hey, fuck you Hawthorne! You're going down!"
Madge laughs, burying her face into Gale's side. "We'll see about that," he calls back.