Hey Grampa Haymitch?

What Sweetheart?

Haymitch told Katniss a million times not to let little Rose call him that, but Katniss, being the annoying little brat she grew out of, still had a little of it in her. He just learned to live with the "He's-like-my-dad-which-makes-him-your-grandpa" excuse.

She motioned him closer even when they were right next to each other on the couch. Rose did swatting motions with her hand, so Haymitch leaned his hand down. She scanned the room for signs of other people to whisper to his ear, "Do you know what the most common thing everyone, even mommy and daddy, says about you is?"

He shot up and looked at her smugly. "That I'm a poor excuse of a living being?" he joked.

Rose shook her head, "Everyone calls you and Aunt Effie an old angry couple,"

A smile tugged his lips.

"Really, sweetheart? What a surprise,"

He laid back his couch and the deep silence aroused his thoughts. Firstly, it was no surprise coming from anyone, really. Secondly, he noticed that she missed mentioning Effie when she asked. Thirdly, he found it unfair that Effie got to be called aunt even if they are married. Fourthly, he remembered that Effie is around eight years younger than him.

"Hey Grampa Haymitch?" Rose tugged his sleeve and broke his train of thought.

"What now, sweetheart?" His reply a mix of annoyance and drowsiness.

"I think when you two fight, it's how you show love for each other,"

Rose widened her blue eyes and emphasized her point that she's on their side.

"Well, I guess they don't really understand that you little eavesdropper,"

Haymitch began tickling Rose who was laughing and squirming. Eventually, the tickling ceased and he grabbed a bottle from below the mahogany table and directly gulped all the liquid down into his throat.

"Don't tell your parents or your aunt Effie about this," he warned, wagging his pointer finger at her. She straightened herself and gave him an amused smirk He wondered if she did this because she spends too much time with him.

"Don't have to."

Rose giggled and pointed at something behind Haymitch. He furrowed his brows and turned around. He quickly understood why. Effie was there with her arms crossed and her face displeased. Thankfully, after years of convincing, Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch were able to strip her off most of the dreaded things that remind them of the Games. She now only wore simple make-up, simplified dresses and her natural black but graying hair falling down to her back.

"I just go out to the grocery store and you drink in front of the kid and tell her not to say anything!" Effie wailed.

"And you young lady," she turned to Rose. "Don't listen to him when you know it's not right,"

After that, Effie ignored Rose and began to bark arguments at Haymitch who refuted with sarcasm. Rose watched and listened to them. She was eight but she sometimes acted and understood a little beyond her age.

"Grampa…" she spoke in the most demanding voice she could attempt.

Effie and Haymitch stopped yelling at each other and immediately felt guilty at how they must've looked to the child. It wasn't healthy for the child to be caught in a verbal crossfire, they thought.

"…why can't you just stop? Mommy says you might die if you drink too much of your 'adult stuff'." The air suddenly got chilly. "Don't you love Mommy and Daddy, and Aunt Effie and baby Jason and me?"

Rose bit her lip to prevent from crying, but after a tear strayed, she couldn't stop the rest from falling. Haymitch put the girl on his lap while Effie hugged her and patted her back for comfort. After a while, Effie glared daggers at Haymitch and he returned this with a confused shrug. Then, Effie nudged Haymitch to say something, most likely an apology. Haymitch rolled his eyes and mouthed, fine, then, he put down Rose on the couch while he kneeled down in front of her.

"Look, sweetheart, I do love all of you," He clutched her shoulders and wiped her tears, "But you know I get really bad dreams without it,"

Rose calmed down a bit to speak.

"Like mommy and daddy?"

Haymitch stroked the child's brown hair. "Yes, dear. Like mommy and daddy,"

"Because you saved everyone?"

Although he knew that they didn't save EVERY one he nodded anyway.

"But… you're heroes and heroes are supposed to be happy after they kill the evil," Rose insisted. Haymitch and Effie looked solemn. They know she is a child and they do not expect her to understand but they were a little bit frustrated about it.

"Reality isn't like… It's hard to explain but… It was hard we don't really get…" Haymitch sighed at his stuttering. He doesn't really know how to explain the concept of killing and Hunger Games and wars to a child so pure. "Look, you'll understand when…"

"You're older. I know," she continued his statement. "That's what mommy and daddy keeps telling me when I asked them about Aunt Prim," Rose told them as mature she could make herself sound. She had stopped crying, but a torturous silence followed, and Effie decided to break it.

"Tell you what, Rose," Effie chimed in her most cheerful tone. "As an apology for his rude behavior, grampa Haymitch will treat you for ice cream. Is that okay with you?"

And with that, the mood quickly changed and Rose jumped off the couch and bounced excitedly, telling them to wait while she gets her backpack upstairs and left Haymitch and Effie in the living room.

"Hey, thanks, Eff," Haymitch huffed and sat down next to Effie. "I don't really get that kid. One minute, she's like Katniss shrunk down and the next minute, she acts her own age,"

Effie rolled her eyes. "You should really learn that dealing with children is not the same as having a debate with snarky rebel teens and the older Capitol 'Chihuahuas',"

Haymitch was surprised that she even described herself that way. With that remark, he scooted closer to Effie and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Well, my little Chihuahua, I can't help it. It's just me,"

"But she does have a point," she said as she pried his arm off her waist. "Don't kill yourself you annoying old prune,"

The comment only made him pull her face centimeters closer to his and smirk. "I love you, too princess,"

In no time at all, their lips smashed together and their arms are tightly around each other. Before they could deepen their kiss, there was a small cough. They quickly pulled away and saw Rose glaring at them with a red face and her bright orange backpack slung on her shoulder.

"Oh I see you got your backpack," Effie mumbled embarrassingly.

"Great timing, sweetie," Haymitch muttered almost at the same time as Effie.

Rose gave them a toothy grin before pulling the two towards the door. All Effie and Haymitch could think of is how much Peeta and Katniss owed them for this babysitting day.

A/N: Finally! I have a Hayffie fanfic that clearly ships them X38 OMG! OMG! OMG! GGAAAAAHH! *gets shot with tranquilizer*

Anyway, I have so many random ideas for fanfictions…and I HATE IT! Sure, it's so easy to write fanfictions, but not originals... OTL I just want to throw myself into the arena and make myself menstruate while I have a really bad wound bleeding…fanfictionally.