Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
It started during the bombing.
Gale grabbed her hand to make her run faster. Madge wasn't short but she was shorter than him, meaning her strides weren't as long. And the world was burning around them and she wasn't moving fast enough so Gale grabbed her hand and pulled her. He laced their fingers together despite their sweaty hands and didn't let go until they reached the meadow.
After that, Madge was the one who reached for his hand.
She grabbed his hand in the woods. "I don't want to lose you," she told him with a shaking voice, and the panic in her tone was so palpable that Gale hadn't minded. She lost her family in the bombing, was utterly alone, so she clung to him.
Her hand fit nicely in his and Madge learned to walk a little faster, so every time they had to travel through the mass of survivors from one spot to another they held hands.
She was became a constant in a world that was rapidly changing.
She held his hand when they boarded the hovercraft. She held his hand as they waited for their health to be evaluated which allowed access to District 13. She held his hand when they moved through the cafeteria.
And Gale never minded, because being afraid of large crowds in an unfamiliar place was something he could understand.
But time passed and they'd been in District 13 for months. Madge knew the hallways just as well as he did, she knew how to get from one spot to another. And she certainly knew enough people that losing him in a crowd wouldn't make her panic.
And then Gale noticed they'd be in small groups and her hand would find his. It didn't cross his mind for a long time but she'd always find her way beside him and reach out, tangling their fingers together.
He could understand when there were a lot of people, but just him and a few of their friends from the district? Finally he pulled her aside by the hand she was holding and held up their connection.
"What is this?" he asked, showing her their laced fingers. Immediately she untangled her hand from his and tightly crossed her arms over her chest. "I get the crowd thing, like I understand that, but it's just us and Thom and Delly for Christ's sake, Undersee." She looked away from him. "Well?"
"I get anxious," she blurted. Gale arched an eyebrow at her. "Loud noises scare me," she told him, her eyes still elsewhere. "And I get anxious, and when you're nearby I just…" Madge sighed and shook her head. "You make me not as anxious, okay?" Finally she looked back to him, her eyes sad. "I'll stop," she said. "I'm sorry."
Gale reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "It's fine," he murmured. Madge tightened her arms over her chest, looking away again. "I didn't want to read into it, was all."
Again she looked at him. "Read into it?" she echoed. It took her a moment but soon she paled. "Oh." She shook her head another time. "I know you're with Katniss. Or, um," Madge wrinkled her nose, "preoccupied with her, I guess."
"Right," Gale muttered. "Just… whatever," he said. "I don't care. If it helps, I don't care."
It was hesitant, but Madge smiled at him and nodded her head. "Thanks," she said.
So it kept happening, only now Gale noticed practically right away every time.
When Madge's hand would dart for his he'd turn his palm automatically. Every time there was a loud noise and Madge was around he'd drift toward her without even realizing it. His thumb would stroke hers, a gentle and unspoken reassurance that things were okay. That they were safe and he was beside her.
With Madge always around his family, holding his hand, he learned a lot about her. He learned she wasn't the person he'd always thought her to be. He learned he liked the smell of her shampoo. Her hands were always soft and she favored holding Gale's left hand more than his right (though she wasn't picky, really).
It wasn't until Gale saw her holding hands with someone else did it strike a cord in him. Whoever he was he was also from the Seam, a lanky boy around his own age that made her smile. And she wasn't holding his hand because she was anxious she was holding his hand because she wanted to. It upset Gale in a way he didn't know was possible, frustrated him in a way he couldn't put into words.
"Maybe they're dating," Rory mused one night at dinner. He'd followed Gale's gaze over to Madge where she was sitting with mystery-boy. Gale grunted in response. Rory snickered. "You like her."
"Shove off, Rory," Gale muttered. With Madge not by his side he could do other things. He could focus on Katniss. He could focus on his designs. He could breathe. But there was a part of him that felt like it was missing, the space beside him felt too empty. Rory snickered another time and Gale pushed his shoulder. "Stop it," he snapped. "You know things with Katniss–"
"Katniss this, Katniss that," Rory cut him off. "Katniss has been staring into Peeta's prison since the moment you guys brought him back," Rory said. Gale's eyes drifted back to Madge where she was smiling at the boy. "Even Prim says she won't stop talking about him."
You lost, was what Rory's trying to say. Katniss loves Peeta, not you. So give up, and go for Madge before it's too late. Wise beyond his young years. But Gale stayed rooted in his seat, watching Madge with someone else. He'd known Katniss wouldn't love him for a long time. There was a small hope there, but ever since the Quarter Quell he'd known she'd never stop loving Peeta. He'd known that.
"Posy likes her," Rory said after a beat of silence. Gale tilted his head in his brother's direction. "Posy doesn't like a lot of girls you bring around." Rory wrinkled his nose. "Ma, either." Gale swallowed thickly and pushed his food around his tray with his fork. "Just saying."
And Rory was right. Brothers usually were about things like that.
So the next time Gale saw Madge he started toward her, lacing his hand with hers despite not having any real reason. "Oh," Madge gasped as he held her hand. "Hi."
"Come with me," he murmured.
Gale pulled her down the twisting turning hallways of District 13 and never let go of her once. "Where are you taking me?" she asked, a hint of laughter to his voice. But Gale stayed tight lipped. He had to flash his CommuniCuff a few times but soon he was where he'd wanted to take her.
The Humming Bird Room. The indoor-outdoors.
Gale tugged her into the room and turned to watch as she took in the view. "Wow," she exhaled. It almost felt real, the field. Birds flew overhead, green grass sprouted below them. He remembered the first time he'd been taken there, the weight in his chest from being underground slightly dissolving. Madge looked around wide-eyed and shifted her gaze from this to that, smiling brightly at the life around her. "It really feels like it," she said to Gale, turning back to him. When her eyes caught on him she froze, finding he'd been watching her. "Why'd you bring me here?" she asked.
"Who's that guy?" Gale asked.
It wasn't what he'd planned to say.
Madge narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"
"That guy," Gale repeated. Never mind, he wanted to say. Forget I asked. But he wanted to know, the thought of whoever he was around Madge made Gale anxious. And he wanted to know. "The one you've been holding hands with."
Madge blinked a few times, looking at where they were still linked together. "You mean you?" she asked.
Gale rolled his eyes at her. "You know who I'm talking about." He tugged her closer. "Are you with him?"
"No," she exhaled. They were toe to toe now, their hands still laced. "I mean, I–I don't know."
"You don't know?" Gale questioned.
"What's it matter to you?" she asked back. Gale licked his lips, watching as her eyes dropped down to see him do it before picking back up to his. "You were preoccupied," Madge murmured. She waited a moment, shifting her eyes between his mouth and his gaze more than once. "Are you saying you're no longer preoccupied?"
"I'm saying I don't like that guy," Gale muttered.
Madge dropped her stare and looked away from him. "Well if you're preoccupied it doesn't really matter who you like, does it?"
"I'm not preoccupied," Gale told her, tugging her toward him again. She didn't look like she believed him. "My family likes you," he went on. She arched an eyebrow, because that didn't explain anything. "And I… like you," Gale forced out. She shifted slightly, her lips parting as she waited for more explanation. "You said you'd hold my hand when you were anxious," Gale reminded her.
"Yeah, so?"
"Well when you're not around sometimes I…" he cleared his throat and looked away from her. He couldn't say it while looking at her. "Sometimes I feel anxious."
Soon he felt her free hand on his cheek, pulling him to look back at her. And then she was pressing herself onto her toes and stretching her neck and Gale met her halfway. Their hands struggled to untangle as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her flush against him, his other hand disappearing into her hair. He kissed her gently but desperately, opening his eyes every once in a while to verify that it was Madge Undersee he was really kissing. And she kissed him back just the same, her hands latched onto his shirt as though she was scared he'd go somewhere.
After a long time they broke apart and he pinned his forehead to hers, smiling as she giggled. He kissed her another time before grabbing her hand again.
Gale took her back to his family's compartment, their hands laced the entire time. When he pulled her inside her face turned pink. Gale watched Rory cock an eyebrow before smirking.
"Finally," Rory exhaled in relief before sinking onto the couch.
"What is it?" Hazelle asked, turning to Madge and Gale in alarm. Her eyes dipped to where they were holding hands. "Oh." Madge's face turned pinker. "Oh," Hazelle said. "Oh!"
"Ma," Gale nearly whined. "Don't indulge Rory."
"You've been indulging, I'm sure," Rory called from the couch.
Madge squeezed Gale's hand as he huffed, getting him to look toward her. "It's okay," she said quietly, smiling at the end. He held her gaze for a long time as she nodded, gnawing on her bottom lip.
He nodded back, letting out a breath. And it really was okay.