"babe could you write me some hurt/comfort hayffie? i don't really mind the context as long as it's haymitch looking after effie cos i feel absolutely rotten and need hugs. love you! x"

He hadn't been asleep anyway. Even with the comfort of the woman next to him, Haymitch rarely got more than a couple hours of rest.

Although the screams did startle him.

Effie turned in the bed, pulling, twisting the covers around her. She was mumbling some sort of plea. It had been weeks since her last nightmare, Haymitch had naïvely hoped they had ended. Maybe it would be different for her. But no, not these dreams, these would haunt you for a lifetime. He knew that.

As another scream escaped her trembling chest, Haymitch pulled her tight, so tight that she could no longer writhe from the agony of her past. He tucked Effie's face under his chin, and as the last few cries of terror escaped her, they began to turn into sobs.

"H-haymitch, Haymitch, Haymitch" she cried into his chest "You're alive, you're alive". He exhaled, gently rubbing her back.

"I'm here sweetheart, and so are you, we're both gonna be fine" Haymitch sighed. Being held in the Capitol they had brainwashed her with his "death". Day and night it would play. A tampered video. Forcing her to accept a false truth. Even with him beside her every night, he would still be gone in her dreams, still dead in her mind.

Effie's breathing began to return to normal. Her throat burned from sobs, her eyes stung with tears. The shaky breaths settled. She pulled away to look at him, a look she would give every morning without fail. Studying him, making sure every feature was correct, making sure he was there.

"Princess come here" Haymitch reached out and stroked her wet cheek, wiping away the tears. Effie returned to him, and tried to believe his words.

"You were dead Haymitch, you were gone and I had lost you" Effie insisted. "You were never coming back"

Haymitch lifted her face to his and pecked her forehead. "Did I, Haymitch Culter Abernathy, just kiss you?" He asked gently.

"Yes"

With a sad smile, Haymitch leaned and pressed his lips to hers. He felt Effie relax under them.

"Effie I'm alive, I'm here" Haymitch breathed.

"Yes you are, and that makes me incredibly, inc-redibly happy" Effie's voice broke. Burying her face into his chest the tears came again. Haymitch wrapped the covers around them both. Finally, after calming, she fell back to sleep, her wrecked body in his arms.

There would be no more nightmares.

At least not for tonight.