Title: Glitter in the Air

Rating: MA

Genre: Angst/Drama/Romance

Characters: Haymitch/Effie

Summary: "It's a war, Haymitch…Some sacrifices are necessary."

Author's Note: Inspired by the song "Glitter in the Air" by Pink. Takes place during Mockingjay. Haymitch's P.O.V. Please excuse any typos. As always, enjoy. Also, in this chapter, you'll see I bypassed Katniss' mental breakdown in the hospital of Mockingjay because I never particularly cared for that part of the book. In this chapter she's mentally stable, but still healing in the hospital. Taking liberties, I know... Suzanne Collins still pwns all. - RW


The kiss lingers for several moments before Effie gently pulls back blushing so furiously that I can almost feel the heat from her face. I can tell by her dumbstruck expression that she has no idea what to think about what just happened.

She opens her mouth to say something, then quickly closes it again. Finally, after a few seconds, she gives me a look of warning. "I swear, if you say one word right now, I will never speak to you again."

I wait silently, letting her work out what she's trying to say, noticing she hasn't moved away from me yet and trying to contain my smugness.

"What exactly was that?" She finally asks with slight exasperation.

"Well, in District 12, we call that a kiss. It's a display of intimacy between two people—usually a man and a woman—"

"Haymitch." She snaps in irritation. "You know what I mean."

I reach up, brushing the backs of my fingers lightly across her neck as I move her hair back. "Do I?"

She shivers slightly at the touch, her eyes fluttering as she fights the natural inclination to close them in response to my touch. "Why did you kiss me?"

I shrug slightly. "I don't know… I wanted to?"

"But why did you want to?"

"Look, sweetheart, it was just a kiss. Don't analyze it to death."

The truth of the matter is that I don't know why I wanted to kiss Effie, or why I followed up with that desire. Maybe it's just all the emotions of this messed up situation, maybe it's the fact that she is an attractive young woman who—truth be told—does have an effect on me, or maybe I just wanted to shut her up for a minute. Maybe it's all of those. Maybe it's none. What I do know is that I didn't dislike kissing her. It's been a really long time since I've kissed a woman like this, and it felt nice.

It feels less nice now that she's questioning the hell out of it…

"I don't want to play games, Haymitch." Her eyes water as she finally pushes away from me, moving over to the other end of the couch. "I ask you to be serious for one minute and you kiss me?!"

"Effie," I sigh. "I wasn't trying to piss you off. I was trying…hell, I don't know what I was trying. You were there and it just felt right at the time."

She looks frustrated and overwhelmed and presses her fingers to her temples. "I don't need this right now."

I can tell she's on the verge of hysterics, but rather than feeling bad for adding to her woes, I just feel annoyed. "Geeze, sweetheart, it's no wonder you're single if this is how you act anytime a guy tries to kiss you."

I toss back a gulp of water as I slouch down further in the cushions and kick my feet up on the coffee table. The fact that it's not liquor in my glass only makes me even bitterer against the daft woman and I reach for the remote and flick the TV on in an attempt to ignore her presence.

After several minutes, Effie plunks her wine glass down on the coffee table and gets to her feet. I look up at her, expecting to her storm off, but her face is set in determination as she talks two haughty steps towards me, yanks my water glass out of my water, sets it on the coffee table, and gathers the end of the silk and chiffon dressing gown, pulling it up to her knees. Then, very daintily, Effie steps one leg over mine. One knee at a time, she kneels on the couch, straddling my lap as she drops the gown and rests her hands on my shoulders.

"You infuriate me." She says before claiming my lips with fervor. My arms slip around her thin frame, pulling her body into full contact with mine as we simultaneously deepen the kiss. I can feel myself growing hard, my groin practically throbbing with desire and I know Effie can feel it between her legs when she presses down hard on my lap, rolling her hips against mine. Her hands come up, on the sides of my face, fingers twisting in my hair. She sucks my bottom lip in between her teeth, grazing it as she roughly jerks on my hair, yanking my head against the back of the couch and holds me there, looking down at me with a burning look in her eyes.

I'm completely breathless as I grip her waist, trying to hold her in place. "Don't stop now, sweetheart."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stop, Haymitch."

I respond by pushing her hips down and pressing my hips up, punctuating the thought with my arousal. I see her eyes puddle into pools of blackness, indicating her own level of desire. "Fair point," she says breathlessly, trying to hold onto the upper hand. "But I'm not some cheap floosy that you think you can just have your way with."

"Honey, I think it's you who's having your way with me. And besides, I have never considered you to be cheap."

She makes a noise of protest as she realizes I left out floozy, but I cut off the sound as I drag her back in for another kiss. The mood seems to shift from frenzied need to a slow-burning hunger and we kiss deeply for several moments, Effie moaning softly in my mouth as I kiss her in a way I'm certain she's never been kissed before.

I don't know how far she had intended to take this when she decided to jump track, but I try and tempt fate as I bring my hand up and cup her neck, stroking my thumb along the delicate skin of her throat. She gradually begins to slow her response to my kisses, though I'm fairly certain she has no clue she's doing so, and I gently break the kiss to lightly sweep her hair back as my lips kiss just under her jaw.

My mouth caresses its way down her neck slowly, eliciting sighs of pleasure as Effie's head slowly falls back on its axis. I slip my fingers along her shoulder, delicately dragging the flimsy fabric of her dressing gown down her arm. I kiss the top of her bare shoulder, nipping her perfect pale skin lightly, and brush my tongue along her clavicle to the hollow of her throat.

I dare to drop my hand on top of one of her breasts, feeling its slight heftiness against my palm but Effie clears her throat and sweeps my hand away from her chest as she sits back with a demur expression. I sigh in mild irritation.

"Now who's playing games…make up your mind, sweetheart. Either you want it, or you don't."

"I want you to be serious with me." She says.

When I sigh again with more irritation, she holds up a hand, gesturing me to wait before I get angry. I watch her slowly unbelt the tie of her dressing gown before she falters for a moment. Her cheeks are crimson as she slowly eases the gown off her shoulder, revealing her skin to the very tops of her breasts. My eyes are fixed on that hemline, waiting for it to sag further down, but it stays firmly in place as she holds the gown together between her breasts.

"For every serious answer you give me…" she says, blushing further. "I'll reward you."

I feel like I have to roll my tongue back in my mouth before I can ask, "How do you know I won't just tell you what I think you want to hear?"

"Because if you lie to me, Haymitch, and I ever find out that you've lied to me, then I will hate you for the rest of my life. And you'll have to live with that on top of all the other guilt you feel."

I drag my eyes up to hers, finding that she means every word. "I didn't know you were such a viper, sweetheart. You really know where to strike to make it count."

"Then we have an understanding?"

"What do you want to know?"

"I want to know how you feel about me."

"That's a loaded question."

She starts to pull the gown back up and makes like she's going to move off my lap.

"Okay, okay…okay." I growl as she stops and waits to see if I'll answer. In my head, my thoughts are racing as I try to figure out if this is worth it, if I'm really so desperate that I'd spill my guts to her just for the hope that this might lead to something really good. What have I got to lose?

"I'm not exactly…great when it comes to telling people how I feel."

"Then answer yes or no….Do you care for me?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Her hands drop just a fraction of an inch lower. "Do you like me?"

"Sometimes." I say, mesmerized by her skin, belated adding, "When you're not annoying the hell out of me."

Her hands dip even lower, the material cascading over the swell of her breasts. I feel like my heart is thudding against my ribs and can't remember the last time I was this turned on by the prospect of simply seeing a naked woman. "Do you love me?"

It takes several seconds for the question to penetrate the pounding of blood in my ears and process in my brain before my eyes snap up to hers once again. Of all the ridiculous questions she might have asked me… Do I love her. I haven't dared to love anyone since I lost Mica. It's not a concept I feel even remotely connected to. I don't know that I would even know how to love anyone at this point. Love, I scoff in my head. It's a fantasy, a dream, something women sigh forlornly about as they make stupid wishes on falling stars or pluck petals off of flowers. They think love is romantic and sweet and something to aspire to, but love is dangerous and devastating and deadly. It's a weakness, and a burden, and the minute you tell someone you love them, you chain yourself to them for the rest of your life. Your happiness, your hopes, your dreams…everything depends on them. And when they're gone and leave you alone…all you're left with are the ashes of what once was and what will never be. Who in their right mind would ever want to fall in love?

I release a slow, steady breath as I lightly grasp the material of Effie's gown and pull it back over her shoulders to cover her. "Honey, if it's love you're looking for, you've come to the wrong man."

She smiles, though somewhat sadly as she knots the belt of the dressing gown, then leans forward and gives me a long, sweet kiss. I can feel the look of confusion creasing my brow even before she pulls back again.

"What was that for?"

"It was your reward for being honest…and not being a complete cad."

"You were expecting me to lie, weren't you?"

"I wanted to see what kind of man Haymitch Abernathy really is." Her eyes are tearing up. "Now I know he's the best kind of man…and I love him dearly for it."

I'm aware enough of the different kinds of love to know she's not declaring her undying devotion to me. It's the love of respect and admiration and friendship—the kind of love I still can feel. Effie leans in one last time to kiss me, then slips off my lap.

"Oddly enough, I'm still quite tired. What time should we leave in the morning?"

"Early, I guess. The sooner we get back, the better chance we have of getting up to speed on anything we've missed."

"Very well." She lingers awkwardly for a moment, unsure how to end this strange evening. Finally, she offers me the brightest smile she can muster. "Goodnight, Haymitch."

"Sweet dreams, Effie."

I listen to swish of fabric as Effie retreats to the bedroom, feeling that damnable guilt pressing down on my chest. She asked me to be honest, and I still feel like I let her down. Princess jumps up on the coffee table, flicking her tail as she looks at me with bright yellow eyes. I sense that she's judging me, too.

"Don't make me sorry I rescued you." I grouse at her before tipping myself sideways and stuffing a throw pillow under my head. Princess jumps from the table onto the back of the couch, running the length of it until she settles into a crouch above my head, watching me carefully. "And don't get any ideas when I fall asleep. You so much as extend your claws and I'll rip them out one by one."

As if in response, the cat tucks her feet under her body, curls her tail around herself and closes her eyes as she starts to purr. I turn my attention to the screen, still flickering the latest message from Coin in repeat, and listen to it as I drift back off to sleep.

"Haymitch…" Effie's voice is soft but persistent as it pierces my sleep-hazed brain and drags me out of a dreamless sleep. "Haymitch, wake up."

I blink my eyes open blearily and find myself looking up into the unnaturally white face of the Capitol's version of Effie Trinket. A curly pinkish wig sits atop her head, and her glaringly pink dress is almost blinding this early in the morning.

"I had the most wonderful dream," I say, turning my face down into the pillow. "There was a rebellion against the Capitol and the rebels won, and you weren't dressed up as a clown."

I can almost hear Effie put her hands on her hips before she snaps out a sharp, "Get up."

Something bounces off the back of my head and I look up to see Princess scamper towards the kitchen as Effie begins to open a fresh can of sardines for her. I roll off the couch and saunter down the hall to the bathroom, taking a minute to empty my bladder before I'm ready to venture back to the mansion.

We skip breakfast, neither of us particularly hungry and Effie locks up the apartment after making sure that Princess has enough food and water at her disposal for at least a day or two in case we don't make it back. There are a few taxis running people around the more drivable streets of the Capitol, so we take one as close to the mansion as it can get us, then walk the remaining two blocks. The guards on duty have changed again, but I recognize one of them and ask him to radio in to Plutarch to tell him we want to meet with him and Coin.

"They've been expecting you." The guard relays to me. He instructs us to wait in the foyer of the mansion so Effie and I climb the steps, go in, and wait.

"Are you sure about this, Haymitch?"

"Less sure, now that we're here." I can't help but feel somewhat on edge.

It isn't long before Plutarch comes down the grand staircase with a wide smile. I feel an immediately dislike for him.

"It's good to have you back, old friend."

"I thought I told you we're not—"

"Oh, come on, Haymitch. You can't stay mad at me forever…can you?" He asks, with uncertainty. He doesn't wait for my answer before he turns to Effie. "I must apologize to you, dear Effie, for the way we treated you after your rescue the other night. I had asked that you be shown to a room with all the comforts so that you could refresh and relax until we had a moment to speak, but the soldiers in 13 can be a bit militant."

"I figured you would have had us tracked down and brought back." I say, still distrusting him.

"You're not prisoners, Haymitch. We were simply trying to keep everyone safe until we knew we had control of the whole Capitol." I harrumph, letting him know I don't believe him and he sighs. "Listen, come upstairs, President Coin has really wanted to visit with you, Effie, and I'd like to fill Haymitch in on what he's missed."

We follow Plutarch up the stairs where he escorts Effie to the President's office, which Coin has taken over, and I watch as the two women are introduced. Effie seems to be capable of holding her own, so I tell her to find me later and leave with Plutarch.

"Listen, Haymitch, I'm sorry we kept you in the dark about the parachutes. We figured the less people who knew, the less of a chance the plan would backfire."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to, Plutarch. You killed Katniss' sister."

"I know. And I am sorry, but she died for the greater good, Haymitch."

I bite my tongue to keep from yelling at him, and he leads me to a room where Paylor, Beetee and Enobaria are waiting. Beetee stands and shakes my hand. Paylor says she's glad I'm still alive and asks if I found what I was looking for.

"Yes, but it isn't quite what I was hoping for."

Enobaria and I exchange a terse nod and she looks about as happy to be here as I am.

"Have you spoken to Katniss?" Beetee asks.

"Briefly, last night. She wants to know what the plan is."

"Right now the plan is restoring order." Plutarch tells me. "Coin is already assigning teams to go into the districts to ensure that the ceasefire is being enforced and that there is no further resistance against Capitol supporters and Peacekeepers. Our main focus is establishing control."

"And Snow?" I ask.

"They've got him locked away in his arboretum," Paylor tells me. "Waiting for Katniss to be well enough to execute him."

"No trial?"

"No need." Plutarch responds.

"Just playing devil's advocate here, but don't you think you ought to at least pretend to give him a fair trial? It doesn't exactly put the new President in a favorable light if our first major act is an execution. Kind of a leaves a bad taste in your mouth, don't you think?"

"Coin thinks it best that we send the message that Snow's reign is over." Plutarch counters.

"And you thought it best to do it as dramatically as possible."

"Haymitch—"

"Tell me I'm wrong."

Plutarch's mouth snaps shut and his spine stiffens as he regards me. "I think I liked you better as a drunkard."

"Yeah, I cared a lot less back then. Easier to push your ideas onto."

"I don't recall twisting your arm about becoming involved."

"Alright, put your dicks away." Enobaria calls over our arguing. "Look, Haymitch, it's already been debated and decided. Snow had a chance to surrender on multiple occasions."

I can tell no amount of arguing is going to change any of their minds, so I give up and slouch back in the chair. "Then what do you need me for?"

"We don't." Plutarch tells me arrogantly. "You came back to us."

"We'd like to know we have your support in this." Beetee finally speaks for the first time since the argument began.

"Does it matter at this point? Like you said, the decision's been made. Who cares if I support it or not?"

"Very well," Plutarch says with an air of finality. "If that's the way you feel. I would ask that you avoid speaking with Katniss for the time being. She tends to be swayed by your opinions and we don't want her faltering at the last minute and making us look like fools."

"You don't need Katniss for that, Plutarch."

I can see his face turning purple as he tries to control his rage towards me, and he shifts the topic. "Annie and Johanna are on a transport from District 13, we expect them to arrive in the Capitol later this afternoon. Haymitch, are you still agreeable to speaking to Annie?" He asks through gritted teeth.

"If you're not man enough to do it." I quip.

"Very well." A layer of red mingles with the purple and I find myself wondering what other colors I can add to his face. "Katniss and Peeta are still being treated, but we've had word that the treatments are going well. Peeta will be able to return sometime tomorrow, possibly the following day, but Katniss will need to remain in the hospital while they continue her skin cell treatments. I would like each of you to head up a particular task force from here in command, keep in contact with you assigned districts and send whatever aid you can. We will be sending film crews to the districts for footage, as well as filming new propos featuring Coin."

That doesn't surprise me. Better to try and rally support for her now, than after she has Snow killed. I've decided I've heard enough. "I don't care about what's going on in the districts right now. I want to be part of the discussion about how we're going to move forward and what's in store for Panem with Coin at the helm. Put me on that task force."

"I'm with Haymitch on that one." Paylor says.

Plutarch pinches the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Anyone else?"

Beetee and Enobaria say nothing.

"Good. Then Haymitch and Paylor, you will meet with myself, Coin and a few other advisors later this afternoon. Beetee and Enobaria, we'll soon have a list of what we needed headed up and you can have your choice of where to help."

"Anything else?" I ask.

"That's all for now." Plutarch seems interminably glad to be rid of me for the time being. "There is a brunch being served downstairs in the dining room. Please, help yourselves. Haymitch, we've supplied everyone's room with clean clothes and grooming supplies."

I can tell he's hinting at the fact that it's been several days since my last bath, and I almost decide to keep my uncleanliness streak just to offend his senses, but I try to focus on what's important. Making sure the new government we put in place doesn't screw us over wins out over pissing Plutarch off. I decide to shower first, then eat, and so head off to the room I was originally assigned to.

It's a standard bedroom, but the furniture is expensive and mostly made of mahogany. In the dresser I find several jumpsuits like the one I'm wearing—courtesy of District 13—undershorts and socks. Would it kill them for just some regular trousers and shirts? I hope this doesn't become the new fashion norm for the country, and shudder at the thought.

Stripping down and leaving a trail of dirty clothes to the bathroom, I find a small shower kit that contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap and shaving supplies. I look at my face in the mirror, running my hand over the weeks' worth of growth on my chin and over my lip. While it's definitely unkempt and longer than I usually care to have it, I decide to keep the length and just trim it up a bit so I look a little less like a goat, then brush my teeth.

I take my time in the hot shower, enjoying the warm spray of the water and letting it wash away my tension. I still feel daunted by the road ahead, but knowing I'll at least have some say in shaping the future brings a little piece of mind. Somehow I still don't completely trust Plutarch and Coin, but right now, there are few alternatives and I don't see anyone else stepping up for a leadership role.

I wash my hair twice before it feels clean and scrub myself down with a washcloth. By the time I climb out of the shower, I almost feel like I want to nap instead of eat. I dry myself off and drape the towel over my head, rubbing my hair to dry it as I walk out of the bathroom.

"Oh!" Effie squawks and I stop dead in my tracks and yank the towel back off my head to cover my lower half. I see her seated on the edge of the bed, her face turned away and one hand up next to her eyes to shield me from her peripheral vision. There's a tray of food and two drinks next to her on the bed. "I'm sorry, I should have let you know I was in here."

I laugh and tuck the towel around my waist as I move to sit on the other side of the tray. "Sweetheart, after last night, I'm not sure there's much left for us to be embarrassed about."

Effie tentatively turns back to me, trying to avoid looking anywhere by my eyes. "We didn't exactly do anything last night, Haymitch."

"Whose fault is that?" I grin as I pick up a piece of a quartered sandwich and take a bite.

She gives me a reproachful look. "Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" I ask, still grinning.

Effie tsks in annoyance and picks up a sandwich of her own, turning so that her entire body is facing forward. "Really, Haymitch…you are completely vile sometimes."

"I'm not the one who let themselves into my room while I was in the shower…waiting to get a peek." I tease, taking a bite and leaning back on my elbow somewhat provocatively. "Like what you see, sweetheart?"

She turns then and gives me a peevish look. "Hard to tell. What exactly was I looking at?"

I laugh at the teasing insult. "Ouch."

She smirks somewhat triumphantly.

"So what did you and Coin talk about?"

"My next assignment." She tells me as we eat. "She's asked me to be her assistant—help with any scheduling, taking dictation, helping to keep everyone organized and on task."

"Sounds like the perfect job for you."

She shrugs. "We'll see, I suppose."

"You know they plan to kill Snow without a trial."

Effie swallows her sandwich dryly. "Yes."

"Nice way to show the nation how much greater we'll be."

Effie changes the subject. "What about you? What will you do?"

"Sit in on the committee that's going to discuss the restructuring of Panem."

We fall into silence for a moment as we look at each other, realizing that we probably won't see much of each other for the next few days. I don't know why that bothers me as much as it does, and I feel like we should establish some sort of routine so that we see each other when we can. If for no other reason so that I can make sure she's alright and keep my promise to her that I won't leave her until she tells me to.

"Are you going to stay here or at your place?"

"I don't know." She sighs. "I feel like I need some separation from this so that it doesn't consume me…what about you?"

"It'd be a little hard to commute back and forth from here to District 12 every day."

She laughs softly. "You could stay with me…if you want."

It's an offer I feel eager to jump on and that makes me very apprehensive, especially after our conversation last night. Suddenly I feel like there is a giant elephant in the room and I know we have to talk about the expectation of whatever strange relationship exists between us now.

"What is it that you want, Effie?" I ask gently, sitting up so I can show her I'm being serious right now.

"I can't really explain it." She says, standing up and pacing a little out of nervousness. "I was always so sure that you disliked me before all of this. It took some time, but I accepted that and found a way to get on with you despite our differences. But the past day has proved all of that wrong and brought up feelings that I…" She stammers and turns her back to me. "I've never told you this, and you'll probably never let me live it down, but I've always liked you, Haymitch."

I smirk. "You had a crush on me, didn't you?"

She turns to look at me with an exasperated look. "Go ahead; laugh."

I try to keep the chuckle out of my voice as I say, "I'm not laughing."

Her expression turns to one of disbelief.

"Okay, I am a little, but it's hard to take you seriously when you look like that." I gesture to the wig and paint job covering her beautiful face. "You really had a crush on me?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" She puts her hands on her hips in annoyance as I start to lose my ability to be serious.

"Exactly what part of my irresistible charm did you find so alluring?" I ask as I get to my feet, gesturing vaguely as I come to stand a foot away from her, just to make her nervous.

Effie rolls her eyes and I know her well enough to know she's blushing beneath the makeup. "Hardly your charm, considering you have none. I just thought…you were…handsome. Or at least had the potential to be if you ever cared to bathe now and again or fix your hair." She reaches up and combs her fingers back through my messy, wet locks and I put an arm around her waist and pull her against me. Our eyes meet and that throbbing arousal in back in my groin. How do we keep ending up here?

"I can't give you what you need, sweetheart."

"What do you think I need?"

"Love. Happiness. A good life."

Her hands rest on my cheeks. "Will you at least give me what I want?"

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me what that is."

"You." She whispers, leaning up to kiss my lips. I can taste her lipstick and smell the chalkiness of her powder, and it ruins the sensation for me. I removed the towel from around my waist as I pull back, and before Effie can even blink I rub her face with it. Her scream of protest is muffled by the towel and she fights to push me away. Her wig gets knocked to the ground in the ensuing struggle and she finally breaks away, her face now smeared with makeup and marred by anger.

I laugh, despite myself and Effie's eyes fill with tears. She turns and starts marching towards the bathroom, but I grab her wrist and pull her back to me, still laughing as I reach up to brush a tear away with my thumb and stroke her cheek. "If you expect me to want to kiss you, you can't wear that god-awful stuff. It smells, and it tastes like shit."

Effie laughs quietly, two more tears escaping her eyes. "That wasn't nice, Haymitch."

"No one's ever accused me of being nice, sweetheart." Even though I've only managed to smear the foul-tasting lipstick, I lean in and kiss her gently. "If we do this…get involved like you want…you have to understand that I don't believe in love, Effie. Not anymore. I don't want any misconceptions about what this is."

"I don't care if you don't love me, Haymitch."

"You might one day."

She can't argue with that. "Can you at least promise that you'll be with me…and only me?"

"Trust me, sweetheart, there hasn't been anyone worth mentioning in a quarter of a century. I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Then that's all I care about."

This time when we kiss, I forget about the makeup and pull her even tighter against me. The sexual tension between us is so thick you could cut it with a knife and I'm not sure I can stop myself as gentlemanly as I did last night. Effie's hands run down my bare back, stopping just at my waist line as I move to kiss her neck.

"You're not wearing any clothes…" She says distractedly, her own arousal evident in her voice.

"And you're wearing far too many." I tell her as I find the zipper of her dress and ease it down. She shudders as I slip the fabric off her shoulders and down her arms, then reaches back to release her own bra. I nearly groan at the loss of contact as Effie steps back, holding my eyes with hers as she slowly undresses herself. Despite the train wreck her face looks like with the smeared colors, she's unbelievably beautiful and I drink in every inch of her as it becomes unveiled to me. When she's standing in her lacy panties, thigh-high hose and heels, I can't take it anymore. I have to touch her. I close the distance between us in one step, and kiss her fiercely as I back her against the wall, pressing myself against her as my hands roam her lithe body.

I want to know the effect I'm having on her, and slip the gusset of her panties to the side as I stroke my fingers in between her legs. I feel the warm, slick wetness and moan long and low into her mouth. Effie gasps, breaking the kiss as I slide my fingers up to find her clit, caressing the little bundle of nerves, and my lips move to assault her neck.

"Haymitch…" she whines, clutching at me.

I take Effie's hands and drag her away from the wall, pulling her along as I move back to the bed, knocking the tray to the floor before I fall back on the mattress, pulling her along with me. She shrieks and laughs as she falls on top of me, and we inch our way into the middle of the bed with Effie straddling me before we redouble our efforts. I sit up, hugging Effie against me and nipping her throat as I work my way down to her breasts.

My dick is standing at full attention, pressing up between her legs and Effie's moving against me as I lick her nipple into a tight peak. She reaches between us, pulling her own panties to the side so that there is skin on skin contact between our genitals and I groan against the heat of her arousal. She positions herself so that the head of my dick is at her opening and I lay back on the bed, holding her hips to keep her upright as I thrust inside of her.

Effie's head falls back with a cry of pleasure and I snake my hands up her taut stomach and cover her breasts, squeezing and playing with them as she starts to ride me. While I have always idly wondered at Effie's virginity, there's no questioning now that she's had more than a little experience and the thought of it actually turns me on. Prim, proper, prudish Effie Trinket is a bit of a slut.

I laugh at the thought, though not out loud, and believe her a little more when she says love isn't so important to her.

Effie completely loses herself in the pleasure and I can't help but watch the myriad of expressions on her face before I let my eyes drift down to her breasts. I let go of them, placing my hands on her hips instead and watch them sway and bounce and jiggle. I know she's found her sweet spot when she starts rocking more furiously against me, sinking me deeper inside of her.

"Fuck…" I groan, feeling so good it almost hurts. Effie drags her nails down my chest, bracing herself against my shoulders as she uses my body for leverage and I nearly come unglued when she starts panting and moaning continuously, fucking me furiously. I reach back, grabbing a handful of her pert little ass and slapping the flesh with a satisfying smack.

"Yes!" She moans, enjoying the kink and I spank her again. I feel her inner walls spasm, sucking in tight around my cock and I groan, knowing she's on the edge of her orgasm.

"That's it, sweetheart," I tell her in a slightly gruff voice. "Show me you like it."

Effie reaches between her legs and rubs her own clit, and within seconds, I feel her muscles clench around me as she cums. She rides out the waves of her orgasm slowly on my dick, rocking herself back and forth as one hand plays with her clit and the other grabs one of her breasts. It's the most erotic thing I've seen in a while and I fight not to cum at the sight of her.

Before Effie's even over her orgasm, she slips off my dick and down between my legs, taking me into mouth without hesitation and sucking the juices off of me. The vibration of her moans is simply too much, and when her hand grabs my balls, nails lightly digging in, I cum down the back of her throat.

"Sweet…fucking…god…" I growl as stars explode behind my eyes. I grip the back of her head, holding her in place as I fuck her mouth until the last drop of cum has been spilt, then fall back against the bed, muscles completely slack.

Effie moves and lays next to me in the crook of my arm, her body half on mine as she presses kisses against my chest. "Was it good for you?" She asks quietly.

I blink my eyes open and look at her. "Are you kidding me, sweetheart? If I'd known it would be like that, I might have lied to you last night."

She smiles and leans up to kiss my lips and I can taste our mingled fluids on her lips. "Think anyone misses us yet?"

"Fuck 'em." I say, wrapping my arms around her and rolling over on top of her. "They can wait."

Effie shakes with tinkling laughter before I silence her with a deep kiss, both of us moaning softly in response. "mmm…I think I've created a monster." She teases as my dick hardens again between her legs.

"You asked for it, sweetheart."

She laughs again and groans as I move against her. "As much as I don't want to stop, Haymitch, I have to get cleaned up before the next meeting…and I'll remind you that you've completely ruined my makeup."

"Trust me, you don't have to."

She scoffs and hits my chest, pushing me off of her, but I don't miss the smile pulling at her lips as she slips out of the bed and collects her clothing before she huffs her way into the bathroom. I laugh quietly, putting my hands under my head and soaking in the post-coital bliss of satisfying sex for a few minutes before I force myself to get up and get dressed. I comb my fingers back through my hair to smooth out the Just Fucked kinks and start to pick up the spilled food as Effie opens the bathroom door.

She's washed her face clean of the white make up, and has cleaned off most of the smeared lipstick, though she's managed to salvage enough to keep her lips lightly tinted. Her eye shadow and mascara are still largely untouched, and while I much prefer her with none of it, she still looks very attractive like this. She gracefully swoops down to retrieve her wig and begins to situate it back on her head, tucking her hair up under it.

I shake my head at her, but my smile gives me away and she smirks back at me. I like the fact that we now have this dirty little secret between us and hope she doesn't want to start blabbing about our relationship to the entire world. I make a mental note to ask her about it later as I set the tray on the edge of the bed and pull her into a long, slow kiss.

"If you end up getting done with everything before I do, you don't have to stick around and wait for me."

"I know, but I will."

"Okay." I kiss her again. "Then I guess I'll see you later."

"Promise?" She smiles as we kiss once more.

"Promise." I give her a final, lasting kiss before I turn her towards the door, swatting her ass and giving her a little shove forward. "Now get out of here."


TBC