It wasn't long until Effie returned. A few hours, perhaps, but I stayed awake, listening, and waiting for her all the same. I peeked at her through one eye and watched what she did. She marched in, back straight, head held high, but her eyes were puffy and red. She'd been crying. Probably over Katniss and Peeta, and what was going to happen to us both. It wasn't what I had said, was it? I know Effie - she was a strong and smart woman (when she wanted to be, mind you), who would never get upset over a petty comment. But what if it wasn't petty? I tried to recall what I had said to her, but the drink can hurt a man's memory.

First, she kicked off her massive gold heels - angrily, almost. I saw how short she was and grinned a little. It was cute. Next, she pulled off her even bigger wig. It was ginormous on the tiny Effie without giant, glamorous shoes on. Where her wig had been, there was a neat, little blonde round bun of hair. "Trust her," I thought to myself, "Even if nobody's going to see her real hair, she still has to have it all prim and proper." Then Effie made her way to the bathroom and I could see that she was removing all her makeup.

She tottered back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, entering various different rooms and doing various different things until she was done, and came back into the lounge again, where I was lying on the sofa. She looked beautiful. Her hair up in a classy bun, natural face, and she wore a baby pink silk tank top and matching silk pajama bottoms. My mouth and body started moving before my brain started thinking.

I sat up and looked at Effie. "You know, sweetheart, you're so pretty when you haven't got all your Capitol gunk on."

Effie jumped and stared at me, her mouth revelling into an all-too familiar o shape. "Haymitch! It's bad manners not to announce your presence!" she scolded me.

"And there it is, princess. You looking all so beautiful but your trap ruins it. Sometimes you need to just loosen yer corset and have a drink, hmm?" I slurred.

"You know, Haymitch, I still haven't forgiven you about what you said to me. Your words can be hurtful." Effie sulked, her eyes pricking up once again.

I sighed. I seemed to be doing a lot of sighing. "I'm sorry Eff, half the time, I don't mean what I say. It's just the drink, you know that."

I got up and put my arm around her, pulling her close and breathing in her sweet scent. She rested her head on my chest. And it felt nice.

"I never thought I'd be caressing you, Effie Trinket." I grinned, and touched my hand to her hair.

"I could say the same, Haymitch Abernathy." She smiled in her thick Capitol accent. It made me laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Effie demanded, pushing her hands on her hips. It made me laugh even harder at how tiny she was, with her hands on her hips like that.

"Oh it's nothing." I said, returning back to usual, staying cool. "I do like you, Effie." I punched her playfully on the arm.

"The feeling's mutual." She replied. "Now don't punch me like that!" She joked, walking off into her room.

"Whyever not?" I called out.

"Because I'm only little." Effie snorted.

"Tiny!" I chuckled, and went off to my room.

We were playing Happy Families, and it was fun. But I don't think Effie truly had any idea what kind of danger we were in.