Author: MoiraShipper
Summary: AU. What if Haymitch and Effie meet each other after the boy won the 50th game and she is in trouble? A three-shot story.
How unfair it's just our luck
Chapter 1
It was December 10th and District Twelve was suffering with a harsh winter and lots of snow that night. The young Haymitch Abernathy was sitting at the table in his filthy kitchen, a bottle of liquor in front of him, his gray eyes unfocused, his blond hair, that were longer than a year before, in tangles.
The new victor of the 50th Hunger Games may have a beautiful house in the Victor's village and more money than all the dwellers in that district together, but then, for what if he hadn't anyone to share this with? His mother, his brothers... his girl, beautiful Maysilee. All dead because of his actions against the bloody Capitol.
At 18, Haymitch was about to become the youngest alcoholic from the Twelve, going to the Hob and buying drink after drink and drinking them until he'd pass out to forget the people who he had to kill in the Games. Even Greasy Sae hadn't know what to say or how to comfort him, being an old friend of his mother so from time to time she'd bring him her bowl of soup and make sure he was eating something along with his drink.
Someone knocked on his door and the boy came out from his stupor, frowning. Who would be crazy enough to be out there, in the Victor's Village with that weather? Well, it's not my problem. He thought, ignoring the person and returning to his drink.
But the knocks continued, insisting and so desperate that the blond stood up, throwing back his chair and staggered to the door and opened it with violence.
Damned if they are the Peacekeepers, or President Snow. I'd love to start a fight, now that I have nothing to lose. He thought in a mix of bitterness and savagery.
However, it wasn't President Snow or some Peacekeeper outside. It was a middle-aged man and judging by the fur coats and his elegant goatee, he should be from the Capitol. Beside him was a pink suitcase and a girl, probably in her 15 or 16, screaming 'Capitol', although almost disappearing inside the fur coats she was wearing from head to toe to protect herself from the cold. She wore a pink wig and her face full of heavy makeup for someone so young, high heels, which made it a mystery how she had managed to walk so far in that snow. The only thing that was natural in her was her blue eyes, beautiful and shining.
Haymitch for a moment was lost in the eyes of the girl, before waking up and intending to close the door on their faces. But the man, desperate, put his foot on the doorframe to stop him.
"Please, we need your help." He begged in his Capitol accent, which made Haymitch look at him coldly:
"And why should I help someone from the Capitol? Go look for some hotel or the mayor's house."
The girl was shivering despite the heavy clothes and he didn't know if it was the effect from her violet lipstick or from the cold, but her lips looked blue as she watched him, full of expectations and it was this girl looking so lost and cold that made him sigh and open the door, letting the two strangers come into his messy house.
Haymitch put a hand on the girl's shoulder, who shivered and looked up quickly, as he led her to the front of his fireplace and then lit it, folding his arms and staring at the man who helped her remove her gloves and placed her hands close to the fire, making sure that she was well heated.
"My name is Trebius." The man finally said, turning to Haymitch and thanking him, his strange eyes with tattoos above shining with gratitude, although he and the girl were frowning at the smell and the mess of the house. "And this is my niece, Effie Trinket. I saved her from the Capitol."
"If you were trying to save her from the Capitol, you did a poor job." Haymitch said, pointing with his chin at her wig and her makeup. This made Effie narrow her eyes at him, ready to tell him that it was rude, but her uncle prevented her, holding her hand as he explained their story:
"President Snow had his eye on her and tried to make a deal with my brother so she would go live in his mansion, but my brother then rebelled against Snow and the Capitol and then, a week ago he asked me to take Effie away in the middle of the night. 15 minutes later their house exploded and there were no survivors." Trebius explained ruefully and Effie turned her face to the fire, wiping the corner of her eye and biting her lip.
Thinking of her parents hurt. But what hurt even more was to know that her beloved Capitol, how she had used to think of it, had killed her parents because of her. Why them? Why not her?
She had been woken up by her parents in the middle of the night, making signs for her to stay quiet, while Mrs. Trinket helped her to put on the clothes and the heavier makeup from the Capitol, heavier than she was used to, while her father put all her clothes, make ups and all her things in a suitcase, looking at the clock. Fifteen minutes later, still confused, her parents embraced her tightly and then her uncle appeared, taking her to the emergency exit. As they crossed the street to a deserted alley, away from the city's celebrations, the building exploded, causing Effie's heart to stop and slowly, she had fallen to her knees on the ground, regardless of her clothes, too shocked, whispering the name of her parents.
After much effort and managing to convince her to keep walking, Trebius had taken her to his house to try to get her to sleep a bit and then explained to her what was going on and then when Effie thought of Haymitch and the way he'd blew up the arena against the Capitol and won the game, they took a lift in the wagon loads that would go to District Twelve.
Haymitch, for a brief second, felt bad for the girl, but then his heart hardened. How many parents hadn't lost their children in the 12 districts? How many children were starving while the Capitol had all the food they wanted?
"And what do you expect me to do?"
"President Snow thinks Effie died in the explosion as well. She can't stay in the Capitol and you know how it is forbidden for us to visit other districts. She has no one else." He pleaded, placing a hand on his shoulder but Haymitch stepped back, crossing his arms.
"You expect me to house this 'product' from the Capitol?"
When Trebius started to beg again, not knowing what else to do, Effie stepped forward, tears running down her face, but she looked very serious, as she faced Haymitch, her hero from the games, for whom she had stayed awake for nights, wanting for him to win, secretly in love with the boy.
This wasn't how she had expected him to receive her, rough, in that house covered in trash, smelling of alcohol, indicating that he had been drunk, she thought, disappointed. What had happened to that strong boy with the handsome smirk?
Having seen the way he had looked at his family at The Reaping, showing his concern for his younger siblings and then surviving the game and trying to save the girl from his district made him be to her much more than a handsome and desirable face. She had fallen in love with him and almost cried when had been stabbed.
"Do you think I'm proud of the Capitol now? It all..." She gestured to the wig, taking it off and leaving her beautiful blonde and wavy locks fall, and to her heels and he got surprised by her tone. "This was all a disguise for me to leave the Capitol without being recognized. Haymitch, they killed my family and now, I see that the Games aren't funny, they're cruel..."
"Alright, but why me?" He asked exasperated, shaking his head, not understanding it. All he wanted now was his drink, that was over the kitchen table.
"Because she saw you in the games and said you were the only one able to keep her safe."
The admission of her uncle made the girl blush.
"Please, please Haymitch, I don't want to have to go to Snow's mansion..." Effie pleaded desperate, giving an uncertain step toward him and holding his hand tightly.
He had been unable to save Maysilee. His girl. Saw several of his classmates go to the house of the head peacekeeper, Cray, for money. How many girls he hadn't been able to save. And Effie, even 'screaming' Capitol in her clothes, seemed to feel disgust of the place that she had came from and was afraid of falling into the hands of their cruel President.
"You can stay." He finally said, running a hand through his hair, wearily. That was enough for the girl to throw herself in his arms, burying her face on his chest, grateful, feeling her heart relieved and knowing that she wouldn't end up in Snow's hands.
When was the last time he had been hugged? He asked himself, looking down where the blonde was hugging him. Probably two years ago, before going to the Capitol for the second Quarter Quell and now it seemed a strange gesture.
Haymitch remained petrified in the embrace, which didn't go unnoticed by Effie, who seemed slightly disappointed and embarrassed. When she started to pull away, slowly, Haymitch's arms then closed around her body, feeling that funny feeling to embrace another body.
Trebius, watching the scene, knew right away that his niece would be safe with him.