Chapter 3: Fill Up My Senses
The wind was whistling softly, as though it knew to be considerate towards the two lovers lying silently in the meadow. The sun was setting gently over the horizon, and it casted a lovely golden glow over the pair. The girl sighed and wrapped her arms around the boy's torso.
"You promise you will write to me?" Pippa murmured, burying her head into Haymitch's chest. He smelled like home.
"I promise." He replied, stroking his girl's hair softly. "I'll be back before you know it."
"You better."
"I will."
"I will." Haymitch answered impatiently, as Effie continued nagging about the importance of being at the City Hall on time.
"I know you have the worst habit of being late," she remarked, "but for the sake of your well-being, you best arrive on time. I'm sending Cinna over at eleven just in case."
That damn woman was trying to henpeck him even before they have gotten married, and Haymitch would have none of that.
"Bzzzz bzzzz," Haymitch buzzed into his phone, "Oh shit, looks like I'm losing signal here. Can't talk, bye sweetheart!" With that, he hung up on Effie, smirking to himself triumphantly. He was a genius. Pure genius.
The two girls sitting on his couch were less impressed.
"Seriously," Katniss raised an eyebrow, "I can't believe you guys are getting married. You'll murder each other by day two."
The girls were very familiar with Haymitch and Effie's infamous quarrels. In fact, they had even started counting the minutes, no, seconds, it took for the pair to start arguing once they were in the same room. The record currently stood at 47 seconds, but the girls were sure it was only a matter of time before the record would be broken again.
"I think they look cute together," Prim quietly mused, tilting her head to look at Haymitch curiously. "They are always talking about each other."
"I do not." Haymitch quickly denied, putting up his hands in defence. He and Effie Trinket definitely did not look "cute" together. She was a monster.
The girls gave him a pointed look.
Haymitch groaned, rubbing his face tiredly.
"I only do so because she annoys the fuck out of me, okay?" He finally relented. Anyone would do the same if they were in his situation. Effie Trinket was far too hot for someone so fucking annoying, and it drove him absolutely crazy.
His phone buzzed three times in succession and he rolled his eyes when he saw who was calling...again. Speak of the devil.
The girls chuckled.
"Your wife's calling, Haymitch."
"Shut up."
"I thought there was supposed to be trust in a marriage?" Haymitch teased, as Effie adjusted his tie. The back of her fingers grazed his throat and he swallowed. Fuck, that woman was too damn close; he could smell her strawberry-scented shampoo. If he leaned down a little, their lips would…
"Not when the husband is a slob." Effie retorted, unknowingly interrupting his less than decent thoughts.
She smoothened his jacket and stood back to examine his attire. "You actually look acceptable for once." She finally admitted.
Cinna had insisted Haymitch put on a formal attire for the occasion. Normally Haymitch would have ignore such suggestions, but he was in a good mood and he did not wish to face Effie's wrath that afternoon. The faster this was over, the better.
"Like what you see, sweetheart?" He smirked. Effie pursed her lips, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. Somehow, without her knowing, her banter with Haymitch had developed from something stemming from anger to something almost playful. She hated to admit it, but she actually enjoyed the joshing.
"Aww you two," Portia interrupted, holding up a camera. "Look here."
The pair turned to look at Portia with mild annoyance. The woman was way too excited for the whole event, more so than the two of them combined. Effie had almost wanted to strangle her when she had announced to the whole office that Effie was getting married. Soon, the "you know what" gossip was replaced by rumours about Haymitch and Effie's whirlwind romance. Venia had even approached Effie discreetly to ask if she was pregnant. Effie had been absolutely scandalized and she spent an extra session at the gym that day. Portia had only laughed.
"Cute, you two have the same expression." The young woman sighed.
Haymitch furrowed his brows, and turned to Effie. They shared a look and Effie smiled back at him wryly.
"Got that too!" Portia said proudly to herself, admiring the photograph.
Haymitch frowned. Trinket's friend was weird.
Thankfully, the whole signing of papers was done in an efficient and almost clinical way, to the delight of the newly-wedded couple. On the other hand, Portia was beyond disappointed and she could not help but complain to Cinna about how unromantic the whole situation was. "Haymitch didn't even bother with a ring!" She grumbled. Cinna had nodded his head in sympathy, but the truth was, he was glad the whole fiasco was over.
"So we are going over to your apartment on the eleventh?" Katniss confirmed with Effie, as the kids and their guardians walked to their cars.
Effie faltered, gripping Katniss' arm tightly.
"I'm sorry dear, but can you remind me the date today?" Effie strained a smile. Something was clearly bothering her.
"It's the ninth."
"Shit."
Katniss' jaw dropped.
"Did I just hear you swear, sweetheart?" Haymitch jested, glancing back to look at the stationary pair.
Effie turned to the man slowly, her countenance as white as a sheet. She looked as though she was about to collapse.
Haymitch frowned and hurried toward her, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Effie?"
"I… I'm homeless." Effie's voice broke. "I'm homeless."
It turned out, Effie had sold her apartment a month ago, when she and Seneca had decided to move in together after their wedding. She had completely forgotten about her apartment, or rather, the impending loss of it, till Katniss mentioned the eleventh. The new owner was moving in on the eleventh.
"How did I forget about it?" Effie pinched her nose bridge, frustrated with her carelessness. "I could stay at a hotel temporarily…but the children…"
Haymitch leaned onto the car hood. "You could stay at my house."
Effie looked up in disbelief. "You hate me."
"Contrary to popular belief," Haymitch shrugged, "I don't."
He really did not. Sure the woman was the most annoying creature he had ever encountered, but she had a good heart. He could never hate someone with that.
"I would hate to be an inconvenience." She replied politely.
Effie knew that it was not wise to move in with Haymitch. For one, the obvious reason was that they would argue. A lot. Another part of herself, a quieter part, warned her that moving in with Haymitch would make things complicated. Whatever that really means, even she did not truly know. Yet, there was also a small part of her that was excited with the idea.
Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Already one." He mumbled under his breath.
"Look, sweetheart," he continued, "it's going to be temporary anyway. Once you find an apartment you can move right out."
Effie stared at him dubiously.
"I could use some help with the girls." Haymitch finally admitted. It was her decision to make anyway. He was not going to convince her or anything. If she expected him to beg…
"Okay." She breathed, surprising him with her quick decision. "But only because you need help with the girls." She added.
Haymitch grinned. "Anything you say, Mrs. Abernathy."
Haymitch did not know how he ended up mopping the floor on a Saturday aftermoon. But here he was, with a bandana around his forehead and a mop in his hands. If Chaff could see him, he would have slapped him on the back and called him "domesticated". And the sad thing was, he would have agreed.
"Haymitch, your house is disgusting!" Effie tiptoed around the wet areas to reach for a rag. "How do you stand living in this mess?"
She grimaced as she stepped onto something sticky, and she turned to give Haymitch a dirty look. It was as though she thought he was personally responsible for it.
He was, probably, but still…it was his house!
Effie Trinket was the bane of his existence.
As Effie continued yakking his ears off, Haymitch could not help but wonder if she had been sent by God as a test of his will or something. Or maybe she was from the devil, sent to torture him. Whatever the case, he wanted her out of his house and out of his life. He should never have offered her to stay at his house, he should have escaped half-way at the City Hall, he should not have proposed to her, he…
"Effie, we are done cleaning our room." Prim smiled sweetly at her guardian. "Katniss and I were just wondering if we could spend the rest of the time doing our homework."
Oh, those sneaky brats! He knew what they were up to, trying to escape cleaning. However, a quick glance at Effie confirmed what he already knew. Effie had been completely taken in by Prim's charming act.
"Of course, dear," Effie patted the twelve-year-old on the head and Prim struggled to maintain a smile. Haymitch almost let out a snort. "In any case, Haymitch here should be the only one doing any cleaning." Effie narrowed her eyes at him.
Haymitch rolled his eyes and moved away from the pair. He should invest in a good pair of ear plugs, he thought, if only to preserve his sanity.
"Where do I put my belongings, Haymitch?" Effie panted, as she struggled to carry her luggage up the stairs.
Haymitch had pretended not notice the trouble Effie had with her bags at first, but now, she looked so overwhelmed, Haymitch was afraid she would tumble down the stairs and die. He grabbed the largest piece of baggage from her and sucked in sharp breath as a searing pain shot up his back. Shit. His old injury had probably been aggravated during the cleaning.
"Follow me." He wheezed, trying to cover up his pain, but Effie had noticed how his hand had moved to his lower back.
They entered the master bedroom and Effie widened her eyes in surprise.
"Where are you sleeping?" Effie asked. She could not possibly take the master bedroom. That would be rude, and ungracious and above all, Effie thought, too intimate.
"Couch." Haymitch grunted, leaning against the wall. He was beginning to doubt if he even had the strength to move there. The pain was almost unbearable.
Effie rushed to Haymitch's side as he slid down the wall. "Are you okay? What's happening?" She asked frantically, brushing away the hair that had fallen into his eyes.
He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it turned out more like a grimace. "Old injury, need to lie down." He hissed, as another wave of pain consumed him. Effie held his hand tightly as she watched the man stiffen in agony.
When the pain died down, Effie supported Haymitch as best as she could and helped him to the bed. She sat beside the man for a few moments, rubbing comforting circles on the back of his hand. Slowly, some colour returned to his cheeks.
"I will take the couch." Effie decided, standing up gently. He felt an immediate sense of loss.
"Sweetheart…" Haymitch grabbed her arm before she could leave. "Stay."
Effie's eyes widened in surprise, and Haymitch could see that there was a part of her that hesitated before she shook her head. Somehow, that small pause convinced him he needed to make her stay.
"The bed's big enough for two." He turned to point at the empty space beside him. "The couch isn't very comfortable."
Effie remained unconvinced, and she was about to speak again when Haymitch interrupted her.
"We could place pillows between us, if you want." He did not know what had come over him. The voice in his head was telling him to shut the fuck up and let her go, but somehow, he just could not.
It was the right thing to do, he tried to convince himself. The bed was far more comfortable and it was not as though they were doing anything. Yet.
The stupid voice in his head reminded him.
Effie bit down on her lower lip.
"You're okay with that?" She inquired.
He nodded.
As he felt her weight sink into the mattress, Haymitch knew at once that he had opened a can of worms that he had no interest in exploring at all. Yet, deep inside, he also knew that if he were given the chance again, he would do the same thing again and again and again.
And that thought scared him.
"Say it again and again and again." Pippa demanded as Haymitch played with her hair.
The sky had turned dark, but the pair of lovers was still lying in the meadow. If only they could do this forever…
Haymitch laughed, pulling the girl against him. He kissed her lips, and then her cheek and then her ear, and he whispered "I love you, I love you, I love you."
Author's Notes: Hello, I'm back for a little while. I will probably be gone until next month, so please bear with me. I'm not very pleased with this chapter, but I just needed to churn it out to get back to the main points in this story. I felt like my brain just needed to go through this chapter to move on properly. This chapter ended up a little like a filler chapter which really bugs me, and I hate how I could not properly express Haymitch and Effie's thoughts and emotions :-( I have edited it many times, but I just couldn't do it; please forgive me. I really hope my writing will improve next chapter, so if you have any tips, please comment! Also, I have provided sneak peeks into Haymitch's past. What do you think happened to him? Thanks for reading and commenting, you guys make my day :-)
