When Gale woke up that morning, he turned on the Games even before fully waking up, as he had done every day. He felt his heart stop when he saw her running from the fire. He couldn't move until she was out of the danger and at least relatively safe tending to her wounds. He didn't want to stop watching, it felt like abandoning her, but he knew his mother was serious about him finishing school, so he had to go to the woods first. There was little to no luck with the game, so a squirrel and some roots would have to do. In school, news about the fire seemed to spread fast, because the pitiful looks were as pointed as the first day after the reaping. All in all, he was not having a good day, so when he finally comes home after a second round in the woods and some trading, he is eager to be done with the mandatory viewing and go to sleep after making sure Katniss is okay.
It was just his luck, however, than no other than Madge Undersee would show up at his door to put the cherry on top of his day, staring at him almost defiantly, as if she dared him to make a snarky remark or try to kick her out. He is too tired, though, and anxious, and the last thing he wants is to pick a fight or earn more scolds, so he just stares silently at the screen.
He is not even surprised to see her; in a way it is almost as if he was expecting her to show up. Since the day of the Reaping, Madge and the Games and Katniss had been inexplicably intertwined. What truly bothers him is the way she is there, blushing and apologizing profusely for tagging along, completely out of her element in his coal-dusted house, while Katniss is injured on top of some tree. He decides to control his resentment and be civil for the rest of the evening, knowing fully well that his mother would have him skinned alive if he was openly rude to a guest, even more considering how he treated her at school. Eventually, his concern for Katniss trumps any other feeling. Greetings are exchanged, everyone takes a seat and Gale barely has time to dedicate a though to what the mayor's daughter could be thinking of his house before a sign of breaking news appears on the screen, a concerned Caesar Flickerman following.
"Friends around Panem, our evening recap will have to wait, because a recent turn of events has our Girl on Fire very close to danger. On to the arena!"
Whenever the Games got interesting during recap, interesting meaning one of the favorites was in mortal danger, they kept the livestream until they were either dead or out of immediate danger. So that meant the Capitol thought there was a real possibility they were about to witness Katniss' death.
The small screen showed the careers below the tree that Katniss was using as a refuge, and Mellark with them, which put Gale's decision to be civil towards Madge on a very thin thread. How had she dared defend him? He felt the already too familiar wave of nausea as the careers attempt to climb after her.
"She's better than them at climbing, there is no way she'll let them catch her," he reasons, trying to soothe Prim who had her hands covering her mouth. It seemed to have the opposite effect, though, when not too long later Peeta voices the same conclusion, and they decide to wait until she's forced to climb down for food or water.
Madge is livid as they watch the tributes preparing for sleep as the official recap begins, considering Katniss as potentially out of danger.
"Ladies and gentlemen at home, we are going to comment on the evening recap now with one of our dearest victors, Finnick Odair!" The dense atmosphere of the Hawthorne's living room makes a sharp contrast with the cheery tone Flickerman uses.
"Let's cut straight to the point because we've had quite the eventful day in the arena. The starcrossed lovers from 12 had their first official encounter in the Games and lovely Peeta seems to be teaming with some of the favorites against Katniss. We are seeing fierce debating around the Capitol around this. Was everything he said in the interview a farce?"
"My dear Caesar, I can recognize a boy in love when I see one. He's making a cunning strategy, but for the trained eye, he is an open book."
"Is your tribute a trained eye? She is right there on the career pack."
"Unfortunately, we do not have romance in mind when we coach our tributes, Caesar. It might be an interesting addition for the future," he gives a flirtatious wink at the camera, both men laughing.
"Can you tell us then what gives him away?"
"For starters, he hasn't shared any personal information about her styles of fighting, fears, possible strategies… Of course, there is a chance he doesn't know, but all the suggestions he's made so far have led the search party away from her." Madge looks pointedly to where Gale is sitting, on the other side of the living room, but he does not unglue his scowling eyes from the screen. "Even now, he just bought her time by suggesting they await until morning."
"And resourceful Katniss is making good use of that time! We go back to the arena, we advise everyone on Panem to stay tuned!"
That was Capitol code for something exciting is about to happen and the Gamemakers want to ensure a live audience in the Districts. The transmission show Katniss climbing in the dark on one side of the screen and Caesar and Finnick commenting on the other.
"This girl is definitely something else, Caesar, not every tribute would risk going near a tracker-jacker nest."
"A what?!" Prim's panicked cuts but no one dares to answer. Even little Posy, who is usually chatty and fortunately not paying much attention to the screen, is quiet and still in her mothers' arms.
"I guess we could say you know a Victor when you see one!"
"For my District's own good, I cannot confirm nor deny that! But I can tell you I envy Haymitch right now. And there's some words I'd never thought would come out of my mouth."
The contrast between the lighthearted conversation on one hand and Katniss desperately trying to cut the branch to let the nest loose on the careers is starting to make Madge sick. But in no time, the anthem is over, and Katniss goes back to her own sleeping bag.
"Why is she stopping?" Vick asks, breaking the tense silence in the room. With the nerve-wrecking scene, Gale has to clear his throat to be able to answer.
"It's too dark to continue. She'll probably finish off in the morning."
The screen goes over to other tributes, the tall guy from eleven finding shelter in the fields on the side of the lake, the girl from five camping close to the career's supply, but since nothing worth noting (no one gruesomely dying) had happened, the recap is wrapped short, with Flickerman foreseeing a very exciting morning ahead. Mrs. Everdeen lets out a big sigh, as every time a day in the arena ends.
The end of the evening does not lead to an ease of the tension, on the contrary, Prim seems like she is one minute away from breaking apart, while Mrs. Everdeen portrays such a deep sorrow you could think Katniss was already dead. This time though, Hazelle makes no objection to Madge quietly helping to tidy up the room while she prepares one last cup of herbal tea for the upset guests.
As they rearrange the chairs back into their place in the kitchen, Gale notices Madge covered hand.
"What happened Undersee? Did you scratch your fingers with the hem of a dress?"
"Ha, ha, so funny, since all I do in my pathetic existence is wear dresses and blend with the background."
"I can imagine being the mayor's daughter is a risky business." His resolve of being civil and not messing with her had been over the minute Mellark had appeared in the screen. He couldn't fully explain how the two were connected, but since he couldn't get his hands on that sleeky townie kid, he would continue to tease Madge.
"Don't listen to him Madge, he swallowed a sour lemon as a baby and never recovered," Rory suddenly intervenes while picking up some of the old clothes Posy was using as toys for the week.
"Shut up," Gale says rolling his eyes, but Madge could swear he had started getting a blush under his tanned skin.
"Boys. I trust you are making our guests feel welcome and appreciated." Hazelle comes from the kitchen with an expression that says nothing less will be tolerated.
"Some of us more than others."
"Rory, I swear…"
"They are being wonderful hosts Mrs. Haw-." Madge interrupts Gale, but one single look from the woman is enough to make her correct herself. "Ehm, Hazelle. But I should really get going. And there is no need for Gale to join me, please, do not worry."
"Madge, I don't think I can be comfortable letting you leave like this."
"And of course, my offer still stands, Madge, I can take a little walk to town to provide you some company," Mrs. Everdeen says.
"By no means, Gale here can come with you." Gale seems to be about to protest but looking over at his mother makes him think twice about it.
Of course, Hazelle would push it, but this time Madge had been prepared for her insistence. So, she decides to make a case she wouldn't be able to deny.
"No, please. I'm the one who came unannounced and uninvited, and it wouldn't be fair for Gale, he must be tired from the… school. Allow me to not further embarrass myself by taking up his time. And Mrs. Everdeen, you should get some rest. It's not as late as the other evening and I know my way."
Plus, she did not want to spend any more time alone with Gale. If his earlier comments were any indicative of how well he was taking the Games, she knew it was going to be torture for both. I'm not willing to be his punching bag. But punching back wouldn't help anyone. So, avoidance technique it is.
The tiredness in Hazelle's eyes finally work in her favor.
"Well, I guess I can't argue much against that. If it is what you want… be safe."
And with that, Madge says some quick goodbyes and embarks on her journey back home. It takes a couple of minutes for Gale to realize he's been staring at the spot she occupied in the living room, he really needs to sleep. Later, listening to Rory and Vick's rhythmic breathing, sleep doesn't come as easy as he would have thought. He feels tired, centuries old, his closed eyes heavy and itchy, his mind foggy, but painfully awake. Would Katniss be getting any rest? Would it be her last? When the first hint of morning comes, he doesn't think he's gotten over an hour worth of sleep.
Check on the Games, Katniss is alright, unconscious but cared for by the little girl from Eleven. Check on his game, his luck seems to be changing: three rabbits, big ones. No need to go to school to appease his mother because it's Saturday, and here is when the good news end, because Undersee, coming out of nowhere, gets in his way out of the butchery.
"I win, you lose," she declared, her words dripping with superiority. "And you owe me an apology." Gale bristled at her arrogance, his blood boiling at the audacity of her claim.
"Uhm, Undersee, I think you've been eating some rotten strawberries, because nothing you are saying makes sense. I certainly owe you nothing." Only a townie would throw around the word owe around like it was nothing. They had no clue about debts and retributions.
"I was right all along. He is on her side, and now he saved her life. He went against a career for her!"
Gale scoffs, finally getting she was talking about the Games, but the light way she was referring to it, knowing Katniss' delicate state only served to fuel Gale's irritation. "Congratulations. You win. Now she is hallucinating with tracker-jacker venom and inches away from death. Again. So, if you excuse me…" He brushes past her, the satisfaction of the hurt on her face burning with a bittersweet sensation, but his moment of triumph goes short-lived as someone else disrupts his routine.
"Why are you so harsh to her?", Rory asked. He instantly regrets allowing him to join on his endeavors, Rory was getting more annoying every month. Would it be like this with all his siblings?
"The spoiled, boring mayor's daughter?"
"Come on, she's not at all what you say."
Gale's brow furrowed at Rory's unexpected scolding, his annoyance bubbling to the surface. "Rory, you've been in a room with her for all of two minutes. Do you think you really have a clue of who she is? Look, you don't know her," he retorted, his tone tinged with frustration.
Rory's response was immediate, his voice edged with a hint of defiance. "And you do?" he challenged, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"I'm the older, very wise brother. I know everything." He ruffles Rory's hair, but he pushes off his hand.
"You know, it doesn't take a genius to realize when you're annoying a nice girl, but whatever." Gale stops to a halt. Rory was scolding him? Over a girl? Over that girl? He suddenly came to the realization he and his Ma might be in for a few rough years ahead. He looked over at his little brother, granted, not so little at fourteen. Gale hovered at least one foot over him, but the way he was all limbs, he could tell Rory would grow as tall if knot taller than him.
"Isn't she a little older for you?" Gale teases, trying to ease up the tension between them. He was not going to start a fight with his brother over the mayor's daughter of all people.
"I'll grow up eventually."
"Rory…"
"It's just a joke," he interrupts with a smirk. Was it really? Gale thought, trying to read the truth in Rory's face. An unrequited crush with a girl like that, well, he wanted to spear Rory from the feeling if he could. It was enough for one Hawthorne to be as pathetic as he was. "Just… can you at least try to be civil?" Rory continues walking down the dusty road, his pace not hard for Gale to follow.
"I don't understand why lately you all seem to be so charmed by her."
"Look, you're right, I don't know her much, but she's been nothing but polite and kind to us. And Vick keeps asking why you hate her, and I really don't know what to say to him. Have you considered that it's not about her? I don't like you when you're acting like this for no reason. In simpler words: you're a dick around her."
"Hey! Language!" he scolds instinctively.
Rory rolled his eyes, unfazed by Gale's reprimand. "I might have bad language, but I have excellent manners," he quipped, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "And by the way, if you haven't realized, I am winning the wise brother spot."
Thankfully they arrive to the Hub, so he doesn't have to reply to that. He is not even sure what he could say, all his world seemed to be changing at an unnatural pace. Now Rory too.
He bargains and trades, but his mind is not fully in it, preoccupied with the earlier conversation with his brother, replaying it over and over. Sure, she is better off than him, and she would never know the struggles he had to endure… but all the important persons in his life seemed to like her. He knew her and Katniss would spend time together at school. Maybe they didn't bond over shared experiences and didn't have much in common overall, but Katniss was not the type to spend her time with just anyone. And not many people would come near Katniss. His own mother had gone out of her way to scold him even though he barely had addressed the girl during the evening. Finally, Rory, whose manners were by far the worse of the Hawthorne siblings, had called him a dick?
After he's finished with his errands for the morning, he sends Rory home while he decides if it would be productive to go back into the forest, however, some commotion stops him in his tracks. He cannot resist the urge to roll his eyes when he spots a now too familiar blonde with Greasy Sae at the center of it. At this point, he would not be surprised to find her one day in the woods.
"Is there a problem here?" Gale's voice cuts through the murmurs in the crowd beginning to surround Madge, his tone firm and commanding.
The locals exchange uneasy glances, taken aback by Gale's sudden intervention. But before anyone could respond, Madge steps forward, her chin lifted defiantly.
"I heard about the sponsorship. I'm here to donate, for Katniss." She pulls out a small bag from one of the pockets in her dress, handing it to Greasy Sae, who widens here eyes when she feels the weight of it. The crowd seemingly debates between labelling it like a generous gesture or scorning at the fact the mayor has so much to give. Or at least that's what Gale can make out of the whispers and glances, but maybe he's projecting. No one dares to say anything while he's there though.
"Come on, I'll walk you out," he says, grabbing her elbow to guide her to through the still not very friendly crowd. As soon as they start walking, Madge frees from his grasp and Gale thinks he sees her wipe her eyes. Once they are outside, she takes the way to town and he finally makes up his mind, walking by her side.
"Why is it that ever since the reaping day you seem to appear everywhere?"
"I'm sorry that my existence is so inconvenient to you, Hawthorne. I will try to tone it down for your benefit."
Gale discards the snarky reply that was already forming in his tongue. Rory's words, what happened at the Hub, none of it was sitting right with him. He was tired of fighting imaginary enemies in the form of the mayor's daughter. Now he had been a witness to that behavior, with a little bit of perspective, he was starting to feel more embarrassed by the minute.
"Can I be honest with you, Undersee?" Gale's voice cuts through the tense air, surprising Madge.
"Uhm, I guess."
"I'll admit you were right about Mellark. And I'm sorry for my behavior earlier." This leaves Madge speechless, so they walk in silence for a while.
"Why the sudden change of heart?", Madge finally mustered the courage to ask.
"It has been brought to my attention on several occasions I might be too harsh to you. And that I might not be completely fair. And since I learned you are having secret trips to the Seam and stealing Haymitch flask, I did some soul searching and I guess I realized I've misjudged you in a way. So… I'm sorry about that too."
"Apology accepted", Madge says finally, because what else can she say?
They remain silent again, neither of them sure of how to continue the conversation.
"I think I'm starting to regret accepting your apology."
"What?"
"It hasn't been five minutes and it is awkward already without any banter," she says, with a feigned surprise in her tone, earning a laugh from Gale.
"I know, right? What are we supposed to do now, be nice to each other?"
"Let's not push our luck. That could go against the laws of physics of this universe."
Suddenly, an idea comes to his head, and he voices it without really thinking about it.
"Do you think in another universe, we could have been friends?" It sounds so stupid out loud, and he wishes he could take it back immediately when she laughs a hearty laugh. Not at him, he understands by the look she gives him, and he doesn't want to take it back anymore.
"Sure, Hawthorne, I'm sure there is a universe out there where you are not an idiot."
"Hey! How are you so sure I am the idiot that makes it impossible?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the way you've been looking down on me since the day we met. No, that's a crazy thought. It's probably my habit of being the mayor's daughter." The playful tone tells him she is not saying it with anger or resentment, but to mess with him. It's fine, he decides, he probably had it coming.
"It's townies that look down on us!", he argued, making her scoff. "Although, on retrospective, it might be possible you are slightly different."
"I'm friends with Katniss. Didn't that give you a hint?"
"Fine, I'm the idiot", he concludes. That earns him another laugh from her, and he can't help but wonder if that's what everybody else was seeing in her.
"I guess that leaves us as… not friends. Acquaintances?", she tries.
"Not friends is good, I think. Very descriptive."
"Not friends it is," Madge confirmed, a smile still evident in her voice.
There it is again, the lightness, the levity. They keep walking in silence, but not an uncomfortable silence like before. Not the kind he shared with Katniss either, those were charged with meaning and gravity and danger like the silence before a thunder in a storm. This silence was gentler, with a lot of newfound space for curiosity and expectations like the spaces in between the summer breeze.
"So, was it your Seam boyfriend who told you about the sponsorship?"
"Will you ever stop with that? I just heard it around town."
They were almost at the edge of the Seam, so it seemed as good place as any to end their walk.
"Alright, alright. Guess I'll see you tomorrow, then," Gale said, but the confusion in Madge's face prompts him to explain further. "Strawberries, cheese and such."
"Oh, yeah, and such," Madge finally replies. "Goodbye," she nods, looking anywhere but his face, and continues down the road. Gale follows her with his eyes for a few seconds, was she slightly favoring her right leg, or had she always walked like that? He shakes the thought out of his head. A limp from what, too much sitting around?, he thinks as he turns back to make his way to the woods, but there is not malice in the jab anymore, not even in his mind.
He doesn't think again about the limping until she opens the back door to her house next morning. She looks paler than usual and is using the door to carry most of her weight.
"Hello," Gale says, a brief pause as if he was unsure how to follow, "Undersee".
"Good morning, Hawthorne," she replies, and Gale could swear it's the first time she has addressed him so softly, without a trace of contempt.
Prim doesn't notice her discomfort, distracted by the too out of character attempt at being friendly with each other, and lets out a laugh. "Are you two okay?"
"We are just making an experiment. Seeing if we can break the laws of physics," she teases with a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"How's your hand?"
Madge clears her throat, frowning as if she had just remembered the bandages still covering her hand. "Healing alright. Uhm, however, I'm feeling a bit under the weather, so I better go get some rest".
"Oh no," Prim says, handing her the goods. "Is there anything we can do? Should I get my mother?"
"No, no, that's okay. It's nothing to be worried about," Madge shrugs as she hands Prim the money.
"There will be a livestream later, about Katniss and Rue's plan to blow up the careers' supplies. You should come." Gale hears himself say. He can't seem to stop blabbering around her.
"Count on it," she replies with a half-smile before closing the door.
"Did I miss something important?" Prim asks as they start their way back home. "Like, why are you being so… civil?"
"Are you going to give me a hard time about Undersee too?" Gale laughs. For a girl that spent so much time alone, she had a lot of people wrapped around her finger.
"I guess not. Just curious."
"Well, I'm thinking it might be an alternate universe type of situation, where everything is the same except Madge and I get along."
"I like this universe, then." Me too, he thinks almost immediately, but he doesn't say it out loud. He should not tempt the laws of physics too much in a single weekend.