Day 4 in the Tumblr's Hayffie Week. AU where Haymitch is reaped instead of Peeta. This is shit, it's not my best work. But I hope you like it even a little bit. Enjoy?

The Reaping

"Peeta Mellark."

Suddenly it was like time stopped for a moment. The woman remembered all the moments shared with her Victors. All the moments shared with the Mentor from 12.

Peeta Mellark was reaped.

Haymitch Abernathy was going back into the arena.

Before someone could ever blink, the man volunteers without hesitation; and that's when the true face of the coin shows. Katniss is in a state between relief and worry. Peeta tries to stop Haymitch, who tells him to let it go.

Effie Trinket, in the other hand, is falling apart.

"No..." the escort protested. He can't go back in there again.

The crowd and the victors share a last District 12's goodbye before they're dragged into the train by the peacekeepers. Without a real goodbye. Katniss starts screaming to her little sister, and so Effie starts protesting too. Her shock becomes anger. She doesn't know how to show it or keep herself collected, so she somehow ends screaming at the top of her lungs to Haymitch, who's confused by her reaction.

"Why you did that?!"

"Why? You're asking me why?!" shouted Haymitch, becoming angry and worried. "You want the boy to die?! I just needed to protect him, Effie!"

"I know, but it never ocurred to you that I don't want you to die?! That I don't want anyone to die?!". Before she realized her words, they escaped from her mouth. Her confession sounds like traition to her Capitol. Not that she hadn't always been kind of a traitor.

And anger becomes tears.

"Shut up!" he breathed, looking for microphones or people listening to her simple, but dangerous words. When he realized there was nothing left but them, cause even the kids ran away from their fighting selves, he relaxed a little. She started crying and repeating "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" again and again, so he hadn't any option but give her a hug. When she calmed down, they escaped to a safe room to talk. He had to warn her.

"Eff..." he taunted, sitting in the bed next to her.

She interrupted him. "I know what you're going to say, Haymitch." Did she?

"No, you don't." he continued. "First of all, never, ever do that again, okay? Pray tonight that you're not going to be accused of traition to the country or shit. You know better than me how things work in the Capitol. You don't want to mess up with that, do you?"

She shocked her head, so he continued with his argument. Funny how they changed roles this time: he scolding her, she listening. "This is not the time to get extreme, sweetheart."

The things that statement could mean...

"What's happening, Haymitch?" asked the woman with a soft voice. "I've heard rumors-" he made a face that stopped her.

Then he strangely came closer to her, grabbed her hand and said "I can't tell you nothing, but I think you know your things. I'll leave you with that. Not-so-pretty things are happening, Effie, and you need to be more careful than ever, you understand?"

Fear crept into her body as she felt her heart hammering into her chest. She somehow knew what this means.

But what he whispered later into her ear was what made her shiver.

"Princess, war is coming."