Author's Note: This is a series of little drabbles about Haymitch and Effie! It'll be written in one chapter at a time, through the books. They should mostly be decently short and sweet. :3
Katniss and Peeta had left the compartment, leaving a tense silence behind them between Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch was pouring himself a drink slowly, the ice in his cup crackling as he poured. Effie was sitting a little ways away, legs crossed, hands clasped in her lap.
"Why must you always doubt the Tributes?" Effie finally asked. Haymitch chuckled, downing his drink. His greying hair was slightly greasy; unkempt.
"Doubt the Tributes…" He repeated, almost mockingly. Effie narrowed her eyes and huffed, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward, crossing her slender arms across her chest.
"Manners!" She reprimanded, "You needn't be so cruel about everything,"
Haymitch looked up from nursing his drink, grey eyes narrowed. "Really, Princess? You wanna live my life, since you're so keen on tellin' me what to do?"
Effie fell silent and looked down, inspecting her brightly designed, long nails.
"Thought so. Look here, sweetheart. You stick t'your cushy like, and don't try to pretend you understand a damn thing about the Districts and how they work. After all, this ain't anything but a game to you," Haymitch growled, his voice low but not quite threatening, just annoyed. He wanted her to go away, to be left on his own with his drinks while he prepared to lose two more kids.
Effie sniffs, tears welling up and threatening to spill over, but she blinks them back, and stands up, moving across the car of the train to stand behind Haymitch. "I only want to help," She said, her voice quavering.
Haymitch barked out a laugh. "I'm beyond help, Princess. We're all beyond help!" He tosses his head back and gulps down his drink, pouring more and repeating. He pours a third time and chugs it, slamming the glass on the table as he finishes, a sadistic smile still on his face. His eyes were glazed over, showing exactly how drunk he was.
"You certainly are not," Effie murmured, placing a hand gently on Haymitch's shoulder, the first time she had ever purposely touched him. She felt the muscles in his shoulder twitch, and Haymitch leapt up, spinning around, instinct telling him to hit whoever touched him. Effie gasped, flinching, but she didn't back away, and instead remained standing right where she was.
"Sweetheart, you got no clue…" Haymitch growled.
Effie shook her head. She wanted to understand, so badly. She had always wanted to, since being placed with District 12, since meeting Haymitch. Despite having terrible manners and being rude and often dirty, he was unique. Handsome, even, in his own way. But nonetheless, he was untouchable- and there was absolutely nothing Effie Trinket could do about it.