My first Hayffie oneshot - so this may be crappy!
Effie Trinket gripped at the edges of her desk, her eyes glossed with unshed tears as she tried to focus on the face of President Snow.
This couldn't be happening.
The rest of his speech had fallen upon deaf ears, a lump tightening in her throat as though she were being strangled and in that moment, she really wished that she had. The tributes were to be chosen from the Victors that Panem already had and although she didn't wish for Peeta and Katniss to have to go through the nightmare all over again, it certainly didn't mean that she wanted for Haymitch Abernathy to have to either.
She fell to her knees, crying helplessly into her arms.
"This cannot be happening..."
"This isn't fair, Haymitch..." She sniffed, nuzzling his cheek with her nose. It was all of the affection she could muster in that moment.
"I know, Princess," Effie half laughed and half sobbed at the familiar nickname, "But there's nothing we can do. There's nothing any of us can do."
"There is," She whispered, her delicate hands curling around the crisp collar of Haymitch's shirt, "You can stay alive."
It was the day of the reaping and Effie felt sick, so very sick, her stomach was in tight heated knots and they were not the good kind she got from Haymitch's kisses either. She reached for her hand held mirror, opening it up to dab at her eyes. She couldn't let them see how they were breaking her.
Effie Trinket could not break.
"What if it's your name that I pull out?" She rasps, clinging to him for dear life, when amusingly he should of been clinging to her.
"Then Peeta will volunteer, you know what he's like..."
"I know, I know. It's so not fair... You shouldn't have to go through this again, none of you should, Haymitch." Her tears are drying on his skin.
Haymitch pulled back slightly to look down at her, his brow furrowed. It was odd to have her in his arms like this. Usually after they had made love, they would settle to sleep, but this time, Effie had insisted to stay awake for as long as possible. For if they slept, then morning would come quicker and that meant they would be quickly pulled apart. He ran his thumb across her trembling bottom lip, "If you call Peeta, I promised I would volunteer."
Effie tightened her hold on him, "Then it's important to stay alive... There has to be a way for two to survive again, hasn't there?"
He shook his head, "These games will be much different..."
She squeezed his hands and kissed him once more before letting her own drop to her sides, the doors opening to signal her entrance onto the stage. Unlike last year, she was not as bright nor as over the top, instead she felt very small. Like a child.
Her eyes scanned the crowd until they fell upon the peacekeepers who were escorting Katniss and Peeta towards them. Oh, her victors. Her sweet victors. How they deserved so much better.
Her hands shook as she reached for the single folded envelope that she knew would say Katniss, her voice felt very far away as she spoke the name clearly, swallowing past that same lump in her throat with a glance to the girl in question.
"Now, for the men..."
"I'm so very sorry..." She whispered.
"Why?" He frowned, "You've done nothing wrong, Effie. It's not you, it's not-"
"I know. I know. It's just, I am. I'm sorry. I am so very sorry." She reached to brush a lock of blonde from his eyes, sniffling, "I would give up a thousand pretty dresses to keep the three of you safe."
Haymitch smiled and kissed her gently.
Effie glanced down to the name written neatly on the envelope in in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt faint as she almost whispered his name.
"H-Haymitch Abernathy."
She didn't want it to be Peeta, but she wished it were anyone but Haymitch. Anyone but Haymitch.
This cannot be happening.
"I just want you to know, Princess-"
"Don't. Don't say anything that you wouldn't say if you weren't facing the reaping tomorrow." Her watery eyes on his, "Say it to me when this is all over. When we're free. Promise me, Haymitch. Promise me."
She couldn't bare for him to say those three words and then never have the chance to hear him say them ever again.