Madge Undersee | The Hunger Games (maundersee) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2018-01-05 15:49:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, ~2018 january, ~25 points, ~~katniss everdeen (thisgirlisonfire), ~~madge undersee (maundersee) |
WHO: Madge Undersee and Katniss Everdeen
WHAT: Girl talk
WHEN: Today
WHERE: Hong Kong Kitchen
WARNINGS: Nah
STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Madge was through her first trimester. That meant that a lot (but not all) of the dangers were past, and she was actually starting to show a little. It was hard to tell, bundles up in winter clothes, but she and Gale could see it and that was what mattered most. Seeing her stomach growing, even ever so slightly, meant that it was real, That in six months they were really going to be parents.
She was very tired and worn out already. It worries her a little sometimes, because it felt like she could just sleep all day, but then she reminded herself that she was growing a little person inside of her, and she had every right to be tired.
She’d contacted Katniss earlier in the week about meeting for lunch, and that was where she’d just arrived. She loved the Hong Kong Kitchen, and she stood looking at the menu as she waited for Katniss to arrive.
***
Katniss wasn’t entirely sure what was going on between her and Bellamy. She liked him and she liked kissing him, but she was afraid to get involved with him and risk having him disappear like Peeta and Ash had. She knew she shouldn’t let that fear prevent her from having something in her life that might be really good, but she wasn’t quite ready to take that leap.
With any luck, she’d be able to keep the conversation focused on Madge and her pregnancy and avoid her friend asking too many questions about what she was up to. She entered the restaurant and was pleased to see that Madge was already here.
“Hey, sorry, I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said as she went to join her.
***
“No, not very long,” she said. She didn’t mind being the first one here. It gave her a chance to figure out what she wanted. She smiled, and looked over her friend as if trying to figure out how she was by her appearance.
“How have you been?”
Madge definitely planned to ask questions about Katniss. She didn’t want to spend all their time talking about herself.
***
“I’m good,” Katniss said. She was smiling easily, which would be a big clue for anyone who knew her that something was going on since it was so out of the ordinary for her. “We enjoyed the holidays. How about you?”
Holidays weren’t really a thing that people celebrated in Panem and even though Katniss would prefer not to spend so much time with so many people, she appreciated that there was an opportunity to celebrate here.
***
Madge cocked her head slightly. She’d been Katniss’s friend long enough to know that smiles like this were entirely out of the ordinary. But it couldn’t be bad, right? Smiles were good things.
“Looks like you’ve been enjoying something, anyway,” she grinned. “What’s up?”
***
Of course Madge would notice. She was one of the rare few who knew Katniss well enough. “I think I might be dating someone,” she admitted. It was probably one of those things that they needed to talk about and words weren’t exactly easy for her, but she wasn’t in a hurry to define things either.
“Have you ever met Bellamy Blake?” she asked.
***
Madge thought for a moment, but couldn’t place the name.
“I don’t think so? And what do you mean ‘might’ be dating?” That was a rather complicated sort of way to put things. “Have you kissed him? Did he ask you to be his girlfriend?” It wasn’t like Madge had tons of experience about these things, but surely you’d know if you were someone’s girlfriend. Right?
***
“Yes, we’ve kissed,” Katniss said. “But, no, he hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend. We’ve been friends for a while. The kissing thing is fairly new.” She was enjoying it though, but was hesitant to push for more too fast. She’d already been through losing both Peeta and Ash to the whims of the dome and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to put herself out there again for a third time.
She wasn’t even sure why she’d said anything about it to Madge. Now her friend would keep asking questions that she didn’t know how to answer. “How are you feeling?” she asked, hoping maybe she could get away with changing the subject.
***
“Well, ‘just friends’ don’t kiss, Katniss,” she said, and there was a smile on her face. She really was happy for her friend, although she wouldn’t ask too many questions. She knew personal things were hard for Katniss to discuss, and relationships even more so.
“I’m...very tired. I’m afraid I’m more tired than I should be. Gale says it’s normal to be tired a lot, but I’m worried.”
***
Katniss flushed a little at the teasing, but was grateful when Madge chose to answer her question instead of asking more. “I think it’s normal,” she said. “You should talk to Haymitch’s girlfriend, Darcy. I remember that she was really tired when she was pregnant with Stephanie.”
It was probably the closest experience she had with anyone having a baby so it was the best advice she could provide.
***
“Gale says I can stop working whenever I need to, but the problem is that we have expenses.” She looked at her drink and took a long sip. “We’re doing okay, but if we completely get rid of my income then...well.”
She shrugged. She was really worried that they wouldn’t be able to afford it if she stopped working for very long. That was one of the main reasons that she was determined to work as long as she could.
***
If she had the extra money, Katniss would offer to help them out. Not that she thought either of them would accept help from her, but she would still offer. Unfortunately, her own budget was tight with taking care of two teenagers and herself.
“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to make it work,” she said. “And you have plenty of people who will be here to help you however we can.”
***
Madge wouldn’t take it even if she had offered. And she was sure Gale wasn’t. He had a proud streak in him, and it would be even worse if it came from Katniss.
“We’ll make it work,” she said. She was sure they would because Gale was sure they would. But it wouldn’t necessarily be easy. “As long as I can keep working for a while, we can do this.”
***
Katniss nodded. “If there’s anything that Prim or I can do to help you guys, please let us know. I mean, if you want help cleaning or cooking or anything, we can come over.” She’d prefer not to spend too much time with Gale in close quarters, but she would do it for Madge and the baby’s sake.
Maybe if they helped with some of her other tasks, she would be able to conserve her energy to keep working.
***
Madge appreciated the offer, and it showed in her face. She hoped she wouldn’t have to take Katniss up on it, but if she did, she would. The baby and their family were the most important thing, and she had to take care of them.
“I know you don’t want to do that,” she said in a low voice. “At least, not when Gale’s there.”
She wished that Katniss could forgive him. What had happened hadn’t been something Gale had wanted. But she wouldn’t push her. She couldn’t imagine how it must have devastated Katniss to lose Prim.
***
For the most part, Katniss had moved past what happened back in Panem. Prim was happy and healthy here and that was what mattered. “I wouldn’t mind being there to help you,” she said. Things would never be the same between her and Gale, but they could be cordial, especially for Madge’s sake.
***
“Gale’s really not that bad,” she said softly, but she didn’t push it. She just felt the need to defend him, since she loved him and he was the father of her baby. She could understand why Katniss was unhappy with him...but that didn’t mean she didn’t want things to be better between them. Even if that was impossible.
She knew that she could tell Katniss again and again that he’d never intended what happened to happen, but it had, and that was all that mattered to Katniss. She could understand that, she supposed.
***
“I know,” Katniss said. They’d been friends for a long time and, quite honestly, she probably wouldn’t have survived as long as she had without him. Nor would she have made it through the Games twice without his support.
She didn’t want to talk about this with her friend though and was grateful when their server came to deliver their food.
***
Madge caught the awkwardness in the air, and because of it, let things go for now. She didn’t want to upset Katniss, or make her think about things she didn’t want to think about. That wasn’t what this was about.
“Soooo...tell me more about Bellamy.”
That was better girl talk, and she really wasn’t going to let it go. Not all together.
***
Katniss sighed. Of course she wasn’t getting away without answering more questions. “Okay, well,” she began before explaining some of the details of his home world and the things he’d faced. It would be easily clear why they had a connection.