A/N: My first fanfiction! Just a little Hayffie drabble.
"What is that?" Haymitch asked, looking exasperated. Or maybe just wasted. Perhaps, Effie decided, both.
She clutched in her pallid hands a fruity looking drink, swirling red and blue with a swirly ruby-tinted straw. Haymitch glanced at his own straight vodka, in a mug meant for beer, with his greasy fingertips all over it. He should have known, after all of these years, that she would drink one of those intimidating Capitol fancy fruity little drinks.
"It's a tradition," Effie replied, not the answer Haymitch was looking for. But he did not exactly care either way; if she wanted to hold a glass of pretty colors that most likely wouldn't get more than a light buzz, she could. "I get one if one of our tributes lasts past the first day."
Haymitch snorted. "Our tributes, sweetheart?"
Effie only shrugged. Her make-up was slightly smudged, her face less composed, her posture slumping. She did not look like the Capitol cheerleader Haymitch considered his acquaintance. Acquaintance at best, after all of the years they spent together sending little boys and girls to die. Effie was the only constant in Haymitch's life, but she also reeked of weird perfume and a positive attitude. Then again, he smelled of a distillery.
"I've never seen this tradition," Haymitch said, thinking of the fact that a few District 12 tributes had made it past the first round a couple of times over the years.
"Usually you're blackout drunk by this time," she replied, her silly accent making it sound like a joke. Or maybe it was a joke. Haymitch's vision was fuzzy and he didn't care much what Effie meant.
"Are the games on here?" Haymitch asked, although he had been in the bar for a solid hour by now. Effie nodded at the television that the Capitol denizens had their eyes glued to.
They were silent for some time. Then Effie spoke. "I get this drink as one of my traditions. But I made up a drinking game for the Hunger Games."
Haymitch could only mirthlessly laugh. Effie Trinket coming up with a drinking game was something he would like to see.
"Will it get me drunk?" is all Haymitch asked. Effie nodded. Her nod was like a little bird, oddly trained in its quickness and blitheness. He always found her unusual, no matter what the circumstance. Not that he paid attention to the way she nodded or spoke or any of that... supposedly.
"Well, let's begin," Effie said, holding up her drink. "First rule: drink every time the commentators try to make a joke about a gruesome death. Second rule: drink every time two careers break out into a fist fight about who is in control. Third rule..."
It went on like this for some time. Obviously, Effie had put a lot of thought into this. Haymitch had to hand it to her that she made getting drunk about the Games more interesting than he did. As sickened by the program as he was, he watched beside her, waiting for her bright voice to chime, "Drink!"
Haymitch found himself drunker than usual, and also thought he had tried one of her fruity little concoctions at some point. By the end of the night, he saw that Katniss and Peeta were both alive, and Effie was trying to get him back to their lodgings without drawing too much attention to the wasted representatives of District 12.
They sat down, Haymitch on a sofa and Effie on a coffee table. Her posture was too straight, in Haymitch's opinion. But Effie simply smirked.
"I'll remember to roll you on your side when you pass out," she said casually, glancing out of the window at the sparkling lights of the Capitol.
Katniss and Peeta are still alive. Floundering in their own ways, but alive, Haymitch thought.
His breath was heavy under the influence of the alcohol.
"You put a lot of thought into these games, sweetheart," he said, examining Effie from head to to. "So you're not head over heels for them like other Capitol people like you?"
Effie giggled and he did not know why. Maybe she was as wasted as him.
"Believe me, I can see how ridiculous they are."
"You're not half bad at drinking games, sweetheart. I pegged you as a lightweight."
"Maybe you should learn more about Capitol people like me."
They were silent for some time.
And Effie leaned forward and pecked Haymitch on the cheek with her lips. He fought against the blush rising on his face.
"Maybe I will." He raised an eyebrow as Effie walked away.
She was pretty hot.
Definitely a nice ass.
And best of all, she wanted to feel numb as much as he did.