Complacent. I dealt with her and she in return dealt with me. A drunk and a Capitol beauty queen. Our only job was to foster some hope of self-preservation in the children we shipped to the Capitol for their deaths. Effie managed it far better than anyone else. She shouldered the pain and the feelings and did it all with a god damn smile on her face. She was chipper, annoyingly pleasant, and bright eyed. He hated it. Each smile made him drink more. Each Capitol phrase that tumbled out of her painted lips made him resent everything about that place she called home.
The Capitol claimed everything good he had left. He was left a husk of man too dependent on a drink. Perhaps that's why she loathed him. He could see it in her eyes. The way she pitied him. He hid behind the anger and the pain, uneager to reveal anything real about him. Her over exuberant lifestyle entwined with the games made him sick. She willingly worked for the Capitol. She reveled in the glitz and the glamor and she was… happy. How hideous.
He was bitter, hell he certainly knew that. So there she stood, decorated in a brilliant blue hue this year. Blue glitter on her eyes, blue paint on her lips and a damn blue wig to boot. What did she look like under all of that paint?
"Haymitch." She said brightly as her greeting. Cold and indifferent as ever.
"Trinket." He shuffled to our more liquor in his glass.
"See you haven't change in a year." She eyed the liquor. "Can you stop for 10 seconds and mentor these kids?" She tapped her foot on the carpet, glancing back at the door where the two tributes were held.
"I'll talk to them later give me a break, Effs." He slouched back in his seat. "The train just got under way let me have a damn drink."
"Don't call me that, Haymitch." Effie looked annoyed, she always looked annoyed. "You act like you haven't had a drink yet today, I can smell the liquor on you from 10 feet away." She braced her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.
"I drink for a damn good reason, Princess." He slurred and raised the glass as if to cheer her on. He knocked back a large sip and waited. He knew she'd bite at that. She bit at any chance to harp on him. She always did. It was what they did. Bicker. Argue. He had to admit it was fun to ruffle her feathers and watch her squirm.
"You drink because you're a coward." She glowered, her eyes fell shut. "What good reason is that?"
"Get out." He warned.
"Or what? You'll hurt me?" Effie's eyes brimmed brightly. "You wouldn't… Coward."
"Get out!" Haymitch shouted, his fingers white knuckled on the glass in his hands.
"You think you're the only one suffering?" Effie poked him in the chest as she rounded on him. "Those children over there are suffering! The nation is suffering. Buck up and deal with it Haymitch." She breathed. She was tired of him. Tired of his martyr attitude. He was a victor for god's sake. He should be fighting instead of giving up.
"And what about you, Princess. Are you suffering too?" He glared at her. "Too much pressure to wear that corset and make-up? Too much food to eat in the Capitol? It must be so hard doing what you do."
Effie felt that like a slap to the face, "How dare you… You have… You have no idea." She stepped away. That one hurt. "I've had enough of you for the day." Effie stalked away retreating to her chambers on the train.
It felt colder now on the train. His mind was reeling from the fight. This was one for the record books. They always started the games like this. It was how they said hello. He called her princess, she called him a drunk. But it was never like this. Maybe… Just maybe he took it too far. Suddenly his liquor tasted all wrong.
An hour passed before he found it in himself to move. Something compelled him to walk down the corridor and hesitate to knock on Effie's door. He mustered the courage to do it and that's when he heard it. A pitiful sob. Effie was crying. Something about that didn't sit right with him.
Effie Trinket, darling escort of District 12, fashion icon of the Capitol was crying? She hardly seemed the type to cry.. He never saw her cry. Effie Trinket was… sad. He was to blame for it. Bubbly, perky, always smiling Effie trinket was holed up in her room consumed with tears and he, Haymitch Abernathy was all to blame for it.