I'm tired of waiting on you

gale hawthorne. seventeen. district 12. hunter. caretaker. wishing i was a tribute instead of her. gale x madge hunger games au 1x1

[galefromtwelve]

MANDATORY VIEWING → F2F

[galefromtwelve]

madgelizabeth:

[Madge fiddled with the basket as he looked around her house. It wasn’t grand by any means, nothing was grand in twelve, but it was certainly bigger than other house and had a few things other didn’t. She felt embarrassed at having so much when he had to work his butt off to simply survive. Biting her lip she nodded at his question.] “It is mandatory-” [She smiled ruefully. Unlike Katniss she wasn’t oblivious of the way Gale felt for the girl. She’d seen the looks in her direction. From both Gale and Peta. Maybe they were a little like the way she looked at Gale sometimes, when she let herself. Not that he’d ever notice.] “Peta’s a really nice guy, he’ll take care of her.” [She reassured him even though it wasn’t what he was looking for, and Katniss could look after herself.] “Do you want to watch together?” [She asked shyly, maybe he need someone. He looked like he did.] 

[Gale knew that Madge's words were only meant to help, but they didn't sit well with him, despite her good intentions. 'Nice' wasn't exactly the type of person Katniss usually surrounded herself, if Gale himself was any indication. And 'nice' usually finished last. Gale didn't see Peeta or his "love" for Katniss as beneficial to her, he saw it as a liability... or at least, he wanted to, but he couldn't deny the way that Capitol had roared their approval at the other boy's confession. He doubted Katniss liked it, either, but she had to play along for show, right? If she made it home, she'd be alone, anyway, since only one of them could win, and he had to remember to let the anger roll off of him, if he wanted to make it through this event without getting himself in trouble back at home.] "Your dad doesn't mind?" [Gale shifted gears abruptly. He didn't have the best reputation in the District, but Madge's offer did sound tempting.] "Because the idea of staying sure beats the idea of leaving."

[galefromtwelve]

MANDATORY VIEWING → F2F

[galefromtwelve]

madgelizabeth:

[She hadn’t really thought that life would go on like always, which is stupid of her really. Life had always gone on like normal after a reaping. Then again, she’d never been close to one of the tributes before. Not that her and Katniss had been all that close, but definetly the closest friend Madge had ever had. And now Katniss’ actual best friend is standing in front of her and all she wants is for the world to stop for a second and to cry without feeling guilty.] “Uh thanks.” [Her voice comes out unsure and she gives him a timid watery smile as she reaches for the basket with shaking hands. She’s holding strawberries in her hand like Katniss isn’t on the way to her death.] “Come in.” [She steps off to the side and nods at him to follow her. She’s never invited him in before, it’s always an exchanging of goods and an awkward goodbye. But he looks like he needs someone to talk to and Madge is a great listener.] 

[Gale had always carefully masked his emotions; giving away what he was feeling would have been a death sentence, with all the illegal hunting he was prone to do. Or worse, a death sentence for his family, who he cared for far more than he cared for himself. It was for that reason, and that reason only, that the shock wasn't evidenced on his face at Madge's question. He opened his mouth to protest, to say she didn't need to -- but then he closed it again, seeing no need to object.] "Thank you." [He wasn't timid, but his steps bore a certain trepidation as he crossed over the threshold, looking around at the Mayor's house, something he'd only ever glanced at from the outside before. For some reason, he'd expected it to be more lavish than this... He'd assumed they had so much more than other people, but he should have known that someone with a reputation for kindness like Madge wouldn't sit here, surrounded by everything she could ever want, while those around her suffered.] "Have you been watching everything? The parade, the interviews..." [Gale trailed off, trying not to ball his hands into fists when he remembered the way Peeta Mellark had confessed to loving Katniss on air.His Katniss, Gale's mind practically growled, but this conversation was stilted enough already without him confessing his most buried feelings to Madge.]

[galefromtwelve]

MANDATORY VIEWING → F2F

[madgelizabeth]

[galefromtwelve]

[Piano lessons were one of the first things she allowed herself to indulge in when her dad became Mayor. So as if it were another day, soft music filled the otherwise empty room as her fingers flew over the smooth keys, eyes closed as she lost herself in the music. The music itself was haunted in a way, her emotions pouring into the keys beneath her fingers. Her and Katniss had been friends. Perhaps not the best of friend but friends nonetheless. Seeing Prim being called had brought tears into her eyes because she was so sure of what would happen next. And she was right in her belief that Katniss would do something about it. Tears stung her eyes again and she abruptly pushed away from the piano, note in midair as a knock was heard in the house. Walking towards the back of the house she took a deep breath before opening the door.] “-Gale.” [She always started crying again, but felt guilty just thinking about it. Gale had lost so much more than she could possibly begin to understand.] “What are you doing here?”

[Gale’s mind was almost a complete blank as Madge swung the door open. He really just couldn’t find it in himself to be excited or optimistic about anything, when as early as tonight Katniss could be dead. He knew that she was strong, one of the strongest people District 12 had ever sent... but fighter or not, she was still from District 12. And District 12? They’d only won once, ever. Gale was struck by Madge’s question, mostly because he didn’t want to be there. But she seemed just as distracted as he did, so he held the strawberries up for her to see.] “I thought you’d like these.” [His expression was stoic, until he met Madge’s gaze and was sure he saw the hint of tears in the corners of her eyes. No one else besides his family seemed to understood the magnitude of losing Katniss. The effect it would have on him. But Madge... She was her friend, too. Maybe she’d get it, at least better than anyone else did. With a heavy sigh, he admitted the truth.] “I just didn’t know what else to do with my time, now that she’s gone.” 

[galefromtwelve]

MANDATORY VIEWING → F2F

[Scavenging the woods just didn’t feel the same without Katniss there as his partner. Nothing felt the same, since she’d been Reaped, but Gale went through the motions of his day to day life, taking care of his family, and more importantly hers, the way that he always had. Today, he’d even managed to find rare strawberries out in the woods, and the first buyer he’d thought of had been the Mayor. At least a trip to the mayor’s house was sure to take his mind off of the impending start of the games -- which he knew he’d never be able to tear his eyes away from, if Katniss was in danger. Pushing her frm his mind the best he could, Gale made sure the berries were tucked safely into his bag, and then he knocked on the back door of the mayor’s house, waiting for someone to answer.]

@madgelizabeth

[down-in-the-rabbit-hole]

District 12 + green