Never before had she been so amazed at a person in her life. It was so out of character for Haymitch to come to a party for one-but to dress up in a complete disguise so that they could spend the night together without worry of being exploited and punished? To come all the way from 12 to the Capitol simply for a party? He even danced with her all night- performing all the capitol dances without complaint, drinking but not getting drunk, and having the time of his life with her. Assuming a capitol accent whenever someone approached him, acting entirely like a capitolite, except for when talking to her, under the safety of their conversation.

she started to question if the really deserved this man, as she realized just how much he would do for her, and how much he really loved her, how much she meant to him. She knew she was priceless to him, but this...this was an entirely new level of affection from this man. This man so desensitized, so harsh and seemingly cruel, to do all this for her, all this that he usually scorned and greeted with a scoff, he did all this for her.

And once the party had ended, he proved this to her once again. After they had gone back to his hotel room, she waited for him, cuddled up in the lush bed. She had stripped herself of makeup and clothing entirely, waiting for him to join her. she heard him at the sink, scrubbing and scrubbing until she was sure his face was raw, then in the shower for what seemed like an eternity for her. When he finally joined her in bed, all she could do at first was cling to him, taking him into her senses again. They had worked out a masterful plan, if she coudl say so herself. she would present Beyarie Degier as a former fling that had resurfaced and made itself known last night, and would introduce Haymitch as simply her co-worker and friend. "Those were some nice moves. I didn't know you could dance." She smiled up at him. The first time she had seen those blue eyes in three months. and she just wanted to get lost in them like she always did.

"What moves? I don't know what you're talking about."

"oh, yes, that's right, that was Beyarie."

"Mmm...I leave you alone for two seconds and you're with another man. Honestly, Effs." He kissed her, at first intending to break to speak more, but as her hands snaked around his shoulders and her fingers entwined themselves in his hair, he found himself lost, succumbing to his more sultry desires.

As she ran her hands under his shirt and over his chest, she couldn't help but notice something had changed. When she pulled his shirt off, she pulled away from him, and found herself almost to tears again. She knew he didn't truthfully care one way or another how healthy he was or how he looked, and not that he was fat, but he wasn't exactly chisled, either. But he had tried for her- he had lost a few pounds, and had been working on his stomach, and though he didn't exactly have a six pack, he was trying.

which meant the whole world to her and more.

"I don't deserve you, you know." She whispered hotly into his ear, trying not to ruin the moment between them, but still let him know. Her hands roamed his torso freely for a while, raking her nails into his back, and eventually finding their way to the waistband of his trousers.

"Oh?" he kissed her neck, breathing the word into her skin, his beard tickling the sensitive flesh. "And how's that, princess? I don't think I deserve you. You and all that happiness you bring with you into my life. You're perfect."

"You did all this for me...I can't believe you did all this for me. Why? You had no reason to. You didn't have to."

"Because, sweetheart." he pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, holding her face in his hands. "Because I love you. I love yo more than anything in this world. You make everything okay. You make me happy. Can't you see that? You make everything bad that's ever happened okay. Because i have you and...And you're like my sun. You bring light into the world every day. Every day with you is like i get a restart. I...I can't even tell you how much i love you. How much i want you. How much i miss you when we're apart. How much i want to be with you for the rest of my life."

She smiled softly, gently stroking his hair away from his face, then caressing that mess she had missed so much. "Haymitch...I love you. So, so much...Thank you...I don't even know what to say right now."

"Nothing is just fine with me, too." He kissed her lightly, then held his forehead against hers. The pause between them held even more than anyone could ever write or say.

And though she knew she would have to scurry out of the room in the early morning or late, late night. None of that mattered now.

Because she was his sweetheart.