Pairings: Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy and (a little bit of) Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark
Summary: He showed her how they celebrate the New Year's Eve in Twelve. Post Mockingjay.
The view was just... perfect.
It was like the sparks fly.
For the first time, she finally found peace after the Rebellion.
Disclaimer: I still don't own these amazing characters.
How's 2014 so far? This one-shot is kinda fluffy to start the new year. I left two sentences at the end for you to figure out. Have a great year guys!
When The Clock Struck Twelve
They were sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. They split the whiskey earlier but Haymitch was the only one who was drinking now. His arm was around her shoulders while his other hand was holding a glass on his knee. She laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his midsection. She loved nights like this.
It was half an hour before midnight when Haymitch suddenly removed his arm around her.
"Hey princess, let's go," he took her hand and pulled her up.
"Haymiiiiitch," she whined. He was taking her towards the front door and she slightly pulled back. "Wait. Where are we going? It's almost midnight."
"You'll see," he said as he handed her the white coat then wore his black one. "The kids told me to come." He took her hand and turned the door knob.
It was still cold outside so she didn't stop nagging him to come back to the house. "It's freezing, Haymitch!" she hissed.
He walked behind her and pressed his body against her as he moved his hands up and down her arms to keep her warm. "Almost there."
After a while, she saw other people walking alongside them towards their destination. "There are so many people here," she whispered. "Is there a party that I don't know about?"
He looked at her as if she was being ridiculous. "Parties aren't our thing here in Twelve, Princess." He didn't want her to feel out of place so he added, "but I think you'll like where we're going."
She finally figured that they're going to the meadow. There were a lot of people already sitting on the grass while others had a mat to sit on. "What's happening?" She wasn't aware if this was a tradition or something. At the Capitol, she was used to parties especially on a night like this. But she didn't want those kind of things now.
Haymitch didn't answer her but tugged her where Katniss and Peeta were sitting.
"Hey, Effie" Peeta greeted her with a smile while Katniss waved at them.
"What's happening? Haymitch didn't tell me anything." She asked as she and Haymitch sat beside Katniss and Peeta.
"We go here every New Year's Eve to -"
"Katniss!" Peeta hissed.
"What?" she lifted an eyebrow at him. "She asked."
Haymitch glared at her.
"It's supposed to be a surprise." Peeta scolded her.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, anyway, this is the first time I saw Haymitch here." Then she and Peeta had a quiet conversation.
"What exactly is going to happen?" She turned her head to see Haymitch because he was sitting behind her with his legs spread on her sides. He shrugged his shoulders,"Patience, sweetheart." He leaned his hands back to support him.
She gave up. Nobody wants to tell her what was going to happen. She looked around her and saw that the whole District Twelve was here even the Mayor. For a crowded place like this, it was a miracle that everybody was quiet. It looks like the whole District was united even if one-fourth of the crowd were people from other Districts.
It was only a few minutes when Peeta told them to get ready. She didn't know what to do so she looked at Haymitch. He took two small jars with holed covers from his coat pocket and gave one to her.
She examined the luminous thing inside. It was pretty and moving. She was about to open it but Haymitch's hand stopped her.. "Not yet, sweetheart. We'll wait a little longer, now."
Then, the bells at the clock tower rang. He nodded at her and they opened their jars together. The luminous thing flew away and she was amazed by it. She was watching it as it flew and then a lot of luminous things were flying. "Haymitch," she whispered, "they're so beautiful. What are they?"
"Fireflies. Why? You haven't -" he watched her took it all in.
She shook her head. "No, there are far too many lights in the Capitol to notice them." She was still watching as the fireflies danced in the dark shadows of the meadow. Everybody was smiling and grinning. Some toddlers were trying to reach the fireflies.
The view was just… perfect. It was like the sparks fly. For the first time, she finally found peace after the Rebellion.
"It's beautiful, Haymitch" her eyes glistened as she watch them fly and she almost didn't see the fireflies when they flew up because there were so many stars in the sky.
He was looking at her and grinning, in fact, for the whole time. "Yeah, so beautiful, sweetheart," he said as he tucked her blond locks in her ear. Seeing her like this with her eyes shining and her lips grinning widely for the first time since the Rebellion, he must say that he was at peace after all that he went through ever since his Games.
He kissed the side of her head, "I love you,"he thought but he said "Happy New Year, Eff" instead. He really wanted to tell her that he loves her but he was still struggling at showing his feelings. Maybe this year with a new beginning, he'll finally tell her what he felt about her.
She looked at him when he whispered. She caressed his cheek and ran her thumb against his stubble. "Happy New Year Haymitch," she sealed the new year with her lips on his. He held her tightly. They were becoming too intimate with each other when Katniss broke their moment.
"There are kids running around! Get a room," she hissed and threw a stone at Haymich's arm.
He glared at her for ruining their moment, "Shut up, kid!"
Effie chuckled and rested her forehead with his. "This is way better than the fireworks at the Capitol," she looked at him, not wanting to remember who she was before.
"Of course it is," he said smugly.
She smacked his chest with the back of her hand. He pulled her closer and tightened his arms around her. His kissed her forehead and cherished the moment.
Both were grinning like fools when Peeta took a picture of them. They didn't know it at that time but Haymitch was grateful for preserving that memory. Though, he guessed that the boy just wanted to be fair because of what Katniss did.
Peeta offered them the pastry he made earlier. Katniss brought out the red wine that Haymitch told them to put in the basket when he was reminded by the kids that it was New Year's Eve tonight.
The little picnic with the family was part of the tradition after setting free of the fireflies. In Twelve, it was a sign of setting free of the burden of the past and being enlightened with the years to come.
For them, it was the best new year that they had. Many were still wounded from the battle and the wounds will heal. Some were scarred for life like the three former Victors and their former Escort but they will try to heal each other.
Nothing else mattered at that moment. Not the past. Not the future. Not even the present. Just each other. Lost in each others eyes.
Everything was just perfect when the clock struck Twelve.
When the clock strikes Twelve, time runs out.
The time of the Hunger Games ran out.