Echoes

A/n: Thanks to The River Spirit for betaing this. Takes place during The Hunger Games, when Katniss and Peeta threaten to eat the nightlock. These the thoughts of Effie and Haymitch during this scene.

Haymitch and Effie were, unknowingly, clutching each other's hands the moment they watched the berries touch Katniss and Peeta's lips. "Don't do it, sweetheart," Haymitch mutters under his breath. Effie squeezes his hand in anticipation—this moment will definitely be in the history books, for this will result in a scandalous outcome. Either the 74th Hunger Games will have two winners...or none at all. And she couldn't help but tear up; she had gotten really attached to these two tributes. She really hopes they live.

The moment Seneca Crane announces the "star-crossed lovers of District 12" as winners, Haymitch laughs in complete joy and Effie screams in excitement.

"Haymitch, oh isn't this wonderful?" Effie captures Haymitch into celebratory hug, which he unwillingly returned. She adds nonchalantly, "The Capitol will surely be happy about this!"

And that's when it hit him.

"Shit," Haymitch mutters, releasing Effie. Rubbing his temples, Haymitch pulls away from the celebrating crowd. Effie trails after him, seething inwardly at the man. Why can't he behave civilly? she thinks to herself. "Quit following me, Trinket!" The mentor stops walking, turning on his heels. He faces the escort; her eyebrows knit together when he says nothing.

"No," Effie snaps, "Why should I? Besides, you should go back to the viewing room! You need to be there when our victors waltz in that room. But oh! Lo and behold, Haymitch Abernathy is not there! Instead, he's off getting so wasted on God-knows-what, because he can't stand being sober for so long!"

Haymitch scoffs, "Oh really now? Stop being so melodramatic! I'm not getting a drink, and by the way, Peeta and Katniss are not going to waltz in that room. They're broken, injured, in need of mental-and-physical repair."

"How can I trust you? I don't have much faith in your sobriety," Effie grabs his arm to lead him back into the room, but he shrugs her off. "What is your problem? What is the press going to think when you and I are not there for when the kids get back from the arena?"

"Well to be honest, I don't give a damn about what they think," Haymitch snaps. He starts to walk away, glad that Effie isn't following him now.

But that annoying Capitol accent can carry far, as he could hear her yells from down the hallway, "Now where are you going?"

"I need someplace to think, talk to someone—"

"Talk to me," Effie huffs out, clasping her fingers onto his arm. Somehow, she caught up to him. They stop walking and face each other. Her thin lips purse together, emerald eyes meeting grey irises. And then she adds, "Haymitch Abernathy, talk to me. I want to know."

"Trinket, it's not that simple to explain."
"Make it that simple then."
"Look, Effie—"
"—Haymitch."

He looks at her with uncertainty, then hugs her tight.

"I don't want a hug, I want to know what you're—" Effie exclaims with surprise etched on her features.

He leans in so that his lips are so close to her ear, his breath tickling her skin. In a whisper, he explains, "Listen, sweetheart, I'm going to say this once and once only. Remember that stunt our victors, namely Katniss, pulled those last few seconds of the Games? That's going to piss Snow off so bad. Think, you ditz."

Effie considers, then says, "Wait, why..."

He lifts her fluorescent wig off her head, hissing, "Is your wig on too tight? Or are you that stupid?"

Then Effie's lips form an "O" and she mutters so that Haymitch can only hear her, "Oh crap."

He pats her head, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Almost mockingly, he says, "That's it, sweetheart." Chuckling to himself, he starts walking towards the bar, attempting to break his promise of sobriety. In the corner of his eyes, he sees the escort put the wig back on her head, muttering something under her breath before she realizes where he's going.

"Haymitch!" Effie snaps, obviously amused and angered by his retreat to the bar.

"What, woman?"

She remains silent, listening to a nonexistent noise. He stares at her, then asks, "What do you want?"

"Do you hear that?"

"No."

"Listen!"

And sure enough, he hear the screams of Katniss Everdeen, echoing throughout the building.

Effie dashes towards the screams in her high-heels, her hand clasped on head to keep her wig from falling off, the click-clacks of her heels bouncing off the walls.

Haymitch watches the escort disappear, and soon enough the echoes cease. And suddenly, he stands alone.

A/n: My first Hunger Games story! Don't be harsh, I just finished Catching Fire. I'm not sure if I got the characterizations right though. Anyway, review!