My entry for Hayffie Week Day 3- Capitol VS Twelve. Each snippet is 250 words or less. I decided to break this up and challenge myself to keep it short. (Always quite hard for me :P) So this will be each of their POVs about being alone or together in either the Capitol or Twelve. Four shots all together. These have no connection my other stories. Please let me know what you think.
#hayffieweek #effietrinket #haymitchabernathy #capitolvstwelve
ALONE
*in the Capitol*
Anyone looking at Effie Trinket, on any given day, would notice one key thing; she was always busy.
She was always meeting with fashionable celebrities, and popular public figures. She was quickly seated at many of the Capitol's finest restaurants, never had to wait long to get into any of the best salons, and had instant access to any of the most popular night spots.
Many Capitols envied her life; for there was so much there for them to see splashed over magazines.
Effie loved being busy.
What no one knew was that she needed the busy schedule to stop her mind from noticing what wasn't there.
She met with famous people to stop herself from noticing her lack of close friends.
She ate her meals out, so she wouldn't notice there was no one for her to learn cook for or with.
She saw to her outer beauty, so she could ignore how ugly she felt inside for what she knew happened outside the walls of her home.
She spent so many nights out, so she wouldn't notice there was no one she wanted to spend quiet nights with.
Well, no. That wasn't quite right. There was someone she wanted to spend quiet nights with; only she couldn't. She would never get to spend more than a handful of night a year with him.
So Effie kept herself busy and she pretended not to notice how empty she felt. How empty her life was.
*in Twelve*
Haymitch Abernathy knew what the people of District Twelve thought about him. Some viewed him with pity for all he'd lost. Some saw him as little more than a joke. Others looked at him with disgust for letting the Capitol destroy him, and they hated the way he represented their District to the rest of Panem.
Whenever he emerged from the groggy haze of the night before, he agreed with them. He was a pitiful, disgusting, joke of a man. Not only for the reasons people knew, but for reasons no one else knew too.
What kind of pathetic man, who'd had everything taken by the Capitol, would want a woman who emulated all the Capitol stood for?
Him, that's who.
He hated that he wanted her.
What he hated the most was that it wasn't just an attraction between them. He saw past the fake smiles, and airy facade she put up. He saw her; the woman who got to know each Tribute she called beyond just their name; the woman who only allowed herself to cry to sleep after both were dead; the woman who could sober him with just one look and ignite a flame within his soul he'd long believed snuffed.
So Haymitch drank. He drank to lock the nightmares out of his head. He drank to keep memories of her at bay; her smell; her taste; the feel of her.
When that didn't work; he drank some more.
#hayffieweek #haymitchabernathy #effietrinket #capitolvstwelve
TOGETHER
*in the Capitol*
Haymitch Abernathy hated being in the Capitol. He hated the reason he was sent there. He hated the people there; the way they acted, the way they dressed, everything. And what he hated most was the part they made him play. There was only one silver lining in the whole thing; alcohol.
Alcohol made the whole place bearable.
In a couple of days he would be returning home, his only company a pair of wooden boxes contain this year's tributes. But tonight he was going to enjoy the free-flow of alcohol and forget this year's names. Surprisingly, Effie was of the same mind this year; drink till you can't remember.
The two of them were ordering their next round when a group of very ridiculous looking, probably wealthy, Capitols approached them. One, with the shrillest voice Haymitch had ever heard (he started to protect his glass, convinced the voice was going to shatter it), made some comment about his tributes.
Before Haymitch could decipher the insult, Effie Trinket had hit back. What her comment meant, he had no idea, but the look on the group's face told him enough. He'd never seen a Capitol face turn that colour without gunk being involved. Haymitch had to fight back his laughter.
Maybe there was another thing that made time in the Capitol more than just bearable. She sometimes made it enjoyable. Haymitch was surprised to realise, despite everything, he enjoyed his time with her; more than he'd ever admit to.
*in Twelve*
Effie Trinket was not made for the Districts, especially not a district like Twelve. If she had to name her least favourite part of her job (well, after watching the children she'd just gotten to know die that it is) it was Reaping Day.
And if this was her least favourite day of the year, today was becoming her all round worst day; ever. She always liked to arrive a couple hours early to ensure Haymitch could be presentable on national television. But not today.
Today they were running late. So late in fact, Effie didn't get a chance to speak to Haymitch before the cameras came on. She just made it in time to not disrupt the National Reaping schedule.
As she stood looking out at the sea of helpless children, two of which she would be calling to their deaths, Effie watched horrified as Haymitch staggered onto the stage. She had never let him be this drunk at a Reaping or in the public eye while being Twelve's Escort. Then something even more horrifying happened; he tried to hug her!
Hours later, he apologised (actually apologised!) for embarrassing her on national television.
"I thought I'd gotten you killed last year Effie. I'd added your name to my list. I've never been able to take someone off it before."
His eyes shone with unspoken affection. Effie was shocked to realise, Haymitch Abernathy cared. She had to fight a smile. Maybe going to District Twelve wasn't too bad, after all.
I hope you've enjoy this, and please let me know what you think.