Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
It was a good thing Peeta had a minivan or else there was no way Katniss would've convinced everyone to go hiking. Peeta drove with Katniss in shotgun, leading the way with the GPS on her phone and playing different indie tunes. In the first row of seats sat Thom and Bristel with Johanna squeezed in between, and even further behind them was Finnick and Gale with Madge squished in the middle of them.
The car smelled like a middle school locker room and the back windows didn't roll down and Madge was small compared to the two boys surrounding her. She wished she had a window seat, it would've been a lot easier to text Delly without worrying someone was looking over her shoulder.
She should've stayed back at school like Delly did. Thom had begged his girlfriend to go but Delly wasn't one for wilderness. "Besides," she had said, "if I go then there won't be enough seats." Peeta had stupidly convinced Madge though, so stuck in the back seat she was.
"So you went here as a kid?" Finnick asked from the right side of Madge, his question directed to Gale.
"Yeah, it's not too far from where Katniss and I grew up."
"Have you ever been, Madge?" Finnick asked, swinging his arm around the blonde's shoulder.
She frowned. "Why would I have been?" she asked.
Why didn't they make a row of girls and a row of boys? That would've made more sense, right? Or why couldn't she have just not been next to Gale? She could practically feel the waves of his resentment from her rolling off of him. He was pressed against the side of the van as far away from her as he could possibly get whereas Finnick was practically holding her against him.
"Just making conversation," Finnick said with a laugh. "Hey, Mellark!" he called to the front of the van. "We almost there, or what?"
"Five minutes!" Katniss shouted back.
"I could've told you that," Gale muttered, turning his head to look out the window. Madge sighed, sinking backwards in her seat even more. She could handle five more minutes.
"…and there's a lake a few miles that way," Katniss was saying as Madge bent down to tie her shoes. "Oh, the old cabin's that way though," she went on as Peeta grabbed her hand. "Maybe we should go to the stream?" She turned to look at Gale for some advice and he shrugged.
"Lotta options," Gale murmured.
"Lake sounds nice," Johanna said. "I could use a swim." She waggled her eyebrows and Finnick laughed, nodding in agreement.
"You're not skinny dipping in the lake," Katniss said with a frown.
"We'll see when we get there," Finnick teased.
Still frowning, Katniss pulled Peeta toward the start of the trail. It was already late morning and Madge knew they were going to be out all day. The group started following and Madge mostly stayed by herself toward the end of the line. She wanted to be towards the front with Peeta and Katniss but they were walking very quickly and everyone was in a hurry to get to the lake.
So the back was fine. They were about ten minutes into the hike when Thom stopped a few feet in front of Madge and turned to look at her. "All alone, Blondie?" he asked.
"Doing just fine," she returned. Like Finnick earlier Thom draped his arm over her shoulder. Gale glanced over his shoulder at the two of them with a scowl on his face and Madge quickly shoved Thom's arm away from her. Gale looked forward again and Madge crossed her arms over her chest. "Why didn't you convince Delly to come?" Madge muttered.
"I tried," Thom said. "Really. Swear it. But hikes aren't her thing." He paused for a second. "Didn't think they were yours either."
"I like hiking," Madge countered. "I just wish…" wish I had more friends here. Not that she and Thom weren't friendly, they were, but it's not like they would get drinks together or anything. Johanna was indifferent toward her, Finnick was flirty with everyone, Gale hatedher. Katniss and Peeta were together towards the front of the line, and she was alone at the back. Not their fault, but still. "I just wish it wasn't so hot," Madge finally finished.
"That lake's starting to sound better and better, hm?"
"Probably not," she said, causing Thom to laugh.
Gale listened to Madge laugh and clenched his jaw. Thom was an asshole. "If you don't make a move I'm going to," he'd said before stopping to talk to Madge.
"You have a girlfriend you dickwad," Gale muttered.
"Okay, you know I didn't actually mean make a move." Gale rolled his eyes so hard that his head hurt, and that was when Thom turned to walk with Madge.
Now he was making her laugh, and while Gale knew there wasn't any basis behind it he was still getting angry. Gale had a thing for Madge for like, ever, which was really pathetic considering he had plenty of chances to tell her and never went through. And because Gale was really shitty at expressing any sort of emotion he just looked like he was pissed off all the time.
Eventually Thom returned to Gale's side with Madge still lingering a few feet behind them. They went another ten minutes before there was a sudden yelp from Madge. Gale spun quickly, ready to scare off any snakes, when he instead found Madge on the forest floor.
"Madge," Gale strode toward her quickly and the rest of the line stopped. He dropped down to his knees and waited beside her. "Are you okay? What happened?"
"I think I twisted my ankle," Madge murmured, wincing a little.
Gale looked over his shoulder at all their friends. "You guys go," he said. "It's hot, we know you want the lake."
"Damn right," Johanna called.
"I'll walk with her," Gale went on.
Peeta looked skeptical and Thom grinned. "No, I'm fine," Madge said from the ground. Gale moved his hand to her ankle and pressed a little and she jumped. "Ow!"
"You're not fine," he grumbled. "I'll walk with you. I know the way to the lake and we don't want to hold everyone up."
"Only if you're sure, Gale," Katniss said from the front.
"It's fine," he called. "Go on." Madge huffed as Gale swung his backpack around and the rest of the group carried on without them. "I have a first aid kit," he told her as everyone's footsteps faded. "We can wrap your ankle." She sighed but nodded and leaned forward to take off her shoe. "Let me do it," Gale said quickly.
She frowned. "I know how to take off a shoe, Gale."
"Just let me do it," he said again. "We don't want you to damage it further."
Madge huffed another time but leaned back, allowing him to carefully remove her shoe. "No princess jokes," she muttered, getting Gale to crack a smile.
"Wasn't even thinking it," he admitted. "But now that it's in my head…" he trailed off as she narrowed her eyes in his direction. "Kidding, Undersee." Gale set her shoe down by her side and started wrapping her ankle carefully.
"You've done this before?" she asked.
"Plenty of times," he nodded. "My brother and I used to come out here all the time, apart from when Katniss and I would. He's the biggest klutz I've ever met in my life. He'd always fall or have some sort of injury or something, God only knows what." Madge laughed, but winced as he turned her foot. "Sorry."
"S'okay." Finally he finished and she looked at her shoe. "Can I put it back on?"
"Yeah, but we'll have to take it slow. I'll find you a walking stick."
Gale stood to find the stick and allowed Madge to put her shoe back on. Soon enough they were standing, Madge slowly lumbering along as Gale matched her pace.
"Sorry," she said. "That you had to stay back with me."
"I don't mind," he said. Gale liked silence, especially in the woods. All of their friends were just loud and chatty.
Madge bit her lip. You do mind, she wanted to say. You hate me and now you're forced to walk with me. Instead she kept her mouth shut, slowly limping along without speaking.
"Here," Gale said after a long bout of silence. "Come this way."
Madge skeptically eyed the trail he was motioning to. "It's downhill," she said. "I don't want to slip. Is there another way to the lake?"
"This isn't to the lake," Gale said. "I want to show you something." Madge's eyebrows came together in confusion. "I'll go first, be there if you fall. Sound good?"
"Uh."
"It's just a detour," Gale said. Then he started down the trail. And because Madge was alone in the wilderness, she didn't have much of a choice but to follow him. "Careful," Gale called up as she slowly moved down the path. "The rocks are a little loose."
The entire trail was covered with bushy, green trees that shadowed the entire place. "Gale…"
"You're almost there." Madge moved slowly and bit her lip to keep from whining. Finally she reached the bottom of the small hill he took her down. "Okay?" he asked. "How's your ankle?"
"I'll survive," she murmured. Madge looked around with a furrowed brow. It was even darker down this weird pathway with random trees and dying bushes all around. "What's this detour?"
"Just wait."
Madge followed him slowly. "Nope," finally she stopped. "No." Gale looked over his shoulder at her. "I'm not going anymore!"
Gale frowned. "And why not?"
"Because this is exactly one of those places!" Gale narrowed his eyes at her, trying to understand. "It's–this is one of those places where you kill someone and leave them there! You're going to kill me and join our friends and say a snake bit me or something!"
The confusion and anger faded from Gale's face and was quickly replaced with humor. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on." Madge threw her freehand up and gestured to the area around them. "Dead things are everywhere, it's a dark shadowy path, and you hate me so this just–"
"Stop," he cut her off, the anger back on his face. "Since when do I hate you?"
"Since always," she supplied.
Gale rolled his eyes and sighed loudly before turning away from her. After another deep breath he turned back to Madge, this time looking upset. "I don't hate you, Undersee. And I'm not going to kill you for Christ's sake."
"I–oh." Gale rocked on his heels and let out another breath. "I always thought you… oh." He shrugged, not knowing what to say next. "I'm–sorry, I just, you always… you never talk to me, and you always make these faces and… I'm sorry."
"Whatever." Gale dragged his hand through his hair. "Just–forget it. Let's go to the lake."
Gale started back up the hill they just came down but Madge stopped him with her walking stick. "What about the detour?" she asked.
It took another five minutes or so to get to the place Gale wanted to take her, but the look of absolute awe on Madge's face when they arrived was definitely worth it.
A few years back Gale and his brother had discovered this little stream flowing through the woods, and after following it for what felt like ever they came across the smallest but most beautiful waterfall site in the woods. The water ran steady and created a small burst of mist, bouncing off the rocks it landed on and carrying on down a stream.
"Wow," she breathed. Madge limped a little bit closer, listening to the sound of the running water and the babbling creak. "Wow," she said again, this time turning to look at Gale who'd shoved his hands into his back pockets. "It's beautiful, Gale."
He held back his smile. "I'm glad you think so." He watched as she lumbered a little closer to the falls. "I really don't hate you," Gale said softly.
"Hm?" Madge looked over her shoulder at him. "What'd you say?"
Gale stepped closer and raised his voice before repeating, "I really don't hate you." She froze where she was. "I never hated you," he said slowly, still moving closer.
"I never thought you actually hated me," she told him. "I just thought you didn't like me, you know?"
"That was never the case," Gale said. "In fact I…" Madge turned more to face him, blinking a few times. "I opposite of hate you," Gale murmured.
Gale was very close then, only about a foot away from her. Madge's eyes dropped to his lips and he moved even closer. His hand lifted to her cheek and tilted her chin up. "Gale," she breathed. "Yes."
"Yes?" he asked.
She nodded more than once and her eyes drifted shut. Gale grinned and exhaled in relief before kissing her gently. Her freehand lifted to hold his shirt and he dipped further and pulled her closer. Soon Madge whined and pulled backwards, just enough for him to press his forehead to hers.
"Sorry," she squeaked. "My ankle."
"It's okay," Gale whispered. He leaned in again and she pressed up on her good foot. "We, wow," he pulled apart again breathing airily and laughing a little. "That was. Mm."
"Mm," she responded, with a smile. "The lake?" Gale kissed her one last time before nodding and pulling away completely.
It was a lot easier getting Madge to the lake with her using Gale to help balance her weightand the walking stick. By the time they got there everyone was half-clothed, swimming in the lake and using the rope swing Katniss set up in high school to jump in.
"I thought you said no one was swimming today?" Gale called when they arrived. Katniss shrugged from her spot in the lake and Finnick let out a long hoot and holler before swinging from the rope. "You want to get in?" Gale asked Madge at his side and she bit her lip before shaking her head.
"You can, though."
Gale laughed. "There is no way I'm getting in this lake. It's bound to have some sort of disease in it." He leaned down, kissing her quickly. "I'll sit with you," he murmured.
"Hell, yeah!" they heard Thom yell. Gale turned to look at his friend in the lake and Thom was treading with his arms above his head in victory. "You made your move, Gale! Fuck yes!"
"About damn time," Bristel added.
"You're kidding," Peeta joined in. "I didn't know he had a thing for Madge! I could've orchestrated this years ago! She's been fawning since–" Katniss cut him off with a splash.
Gale rolled his eyes at his friends, pulling Madge over to a bank to sit down. "So your friends knew?" she asked as he draped his arm over her shoulder. "That you liked me?"
"Mm-hm," he nodded.
Madge buried into his side. "Cute," she whispered. Gale laughed, turning his head to kiss her forehead. "You're cute."
"Yeah, I know." Against her skin he murmured, "But you liked me too. And you thought I hated you."
"I'm hopeless," Madge giggled. "But so are you."
Thom was whistling again in a cheer and Gale lifted his hand to flip him off, pulling Madge even closer. With his arm around her Madge couldn't help but be grateful she'd gone hiking after all. Even if she did have a twisted ankle.