Today concludes the hayffie week! It was a hell of a ride! I hope everyone enjoyed it =)
I will also seize the occasion to remind that my OCs (be they Theo, Hayden, Iris, Lyssa, Elindra or Tadius) aren't up for grabbing and if I see another hayffie baby named Oria out there with a similar story, I might flip tables. I worked hard on those characters and I don't think it's very complicated to create your own characters with their own names. The names I chose for them are distinctive enough and hard to find enough. I spent hours on this and seeing characters with similar relationships and the same names popping around makes me want to not write at all anymore. Of course, it's totally alright to have people have sisters and parents and friends and frenemies, all the more so when they're canonically mentioned, but not with the same names, background story and personality as someone else's OC.
And I say that for me but I know some of Aidah's OCs were "borrowed" too. We choose to think of it as a coincidence but I would rather warn that I am not always the nicest person when it comes to that and what I forgive once I won't forgive twice
I also appreciate the support some have showed me but, please, don't ask who and where because it might be a coincidence and I don't want to start shit over that. I am just taking the opportunity to remind people that OCs aren't canonical characters you can just borrow and play with at your leizure.
Sorry for the rant but I sat on it all night and felt it needed to be said.
Day 7 : Fluff
Toast The Odds
"I'm exhausted." Effie confessed, tickling Oria's tummy to make her laugh. She was sitting on the new plushy carpet, next to the fireplace, her six months daughter next to her in her baby carrier seat.
Haymitch glanced from the fire, turning the piece of bread he was busy roasting on the poker.
"'Thought you were enjoying yourself out there, sweetheart." he scoffed.
"I did." she hummed, waving a rattle in front of Oria. The baby had learned how to grab objects a few weeks ago and, surely enough, she tried to snatch the toy away from Effie. "It was a lovely day. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I did nothing except showing up." he mumbled.
She ducked her head so he wouldn't see her fond smile, knowing it would only make him even more grumpy. She abandoned the rattle to Oria and turned the brand new wedding ring on her finger. It was odd to think she wasn't Effie Trinket anymore but Effie Abernathy.
They had kept it small. Only the children, Johanna, Annie, little Finn, and Beetee had known to show up at the Justice Building that morning and the gathering that had followed had been equally small. Peeta had baked them an amazing cake and it certainly hadn't been the most glamorous party she had thrown but it had been just what she wanted and needed. Family.
Katniss and Peeta – mostly Peeta – had offered to watch after Oria that night but both she and Haymitch had refused, still anxious about being separated from their daughter. She had left her with the children a few times but she hated being parted from her baby.
"Here." he said. "It's toasted."
He blew on the piece of bread a few times and then pointed the poker at her so she would take it and eat it. She simply lifted an eyebrow and tickled Oria's tummy once more.
"Daddy thinks Mommy is an idiot." she cooed at their daughter who made a hiccup sound in answer. "Yes, he does. Daddy doesn't think Mommy would ask Uncle Peeta how a toasting works…"
Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Seriously? I'm going to kill that kid."
"No, you won't." she replied. "Now, I do believe it's time for your vows."
The ceremony at the Justice Building was purely an exchange of signatures and rings. It lacked emotions.
"I don't have vows." he grumbled. "I have bread. Take it or leave it."
"So romantic." she teased. "What do you think, sweetie?" Oria made her opinion known by drooling all over her chin. "Your daughter doesn't like those vows, Haymitch. Do better."
"Eat the damn bread." he insisted. "That's the important part. It's symbolic and shit."
"Language." She clicked her tongue, picking up the rattle when Oria dropped it. "Tell me why you are marrying me."
"'Cause your kid has my name." he shrugged.
"Haymitch!" she hissed. "Tell me why you want to marry me."
"'Cause I hate you and I want to make my life miserable forever." he deadpanned. "What do you think? You know I…" He stopped, always getting stuck on those words. "You know."
"I do." she confirmed. "But as far as love declarations go, it's now or never. Do you best. Tell me I am the most beautiful woman you've ever seen."
"I'm marrying you because you're the humblest woman I've ever seen." he mocked but his face softened. "And the prettiest one."
"Good." she grinned, placing a hand on her daughter's tummy to get her attention. "See, Daddy, is getting better at this…"
"It doesn't mean anything to me, you know." he shrugged. "The rings and all that shit. We've got a kid, getting married is the right thing to do for her but… It's just a piece of paper." Effie turned her head away, instinctively trying to hide the sudden pain at those words but he went on, completely unaware. "I don't need it to know what you mean to me. Maybe Oria was your miracle, sweetheart, but you were mine."
She had to swallow back tears at that comment. She cleared her throat, staring at their daughter rather than at him. "See, sometimes Daddy says the sweetest things in the worst way possible."
"Eat your damn bread." he grumbled. "We already know I will suck at being your husband and I will suck at being her dad."
"I think you will be amazing at both and I won't hear otherwise." she argued. "You already are."
She popped the now cooler bread from the end of the poker and took a large bite. Oria tried to grab it away from her hand but she held it out of reach.
"Your turn now." he snorted, handing her the poker and another piece of bread. "Try not to burn the house."
"You think you are funny but you really are not." she chided him, switching places with him so she could be near the fire and he could keep an eye on Oria. Not surprisingly, he picked her up from the carrier – always eager to snuggle her close now that he had worked through his fear of carrying her – and she made delighted sounds as he rocked her the way she liked best.
"I'm hilarious, right, baby girl?" he chuckled.
Effie focused on not burning the bread, occasionally smiling at her brand new husband and their daughter playing together. She had a feeling that when she would be older, he and Oria would team up against her.
Her bread was much more darker than the one he had prepared for her but given her cooking abilities, it wasn't that odd. She blew on it like he had done for hers.
"I had a big speech prepared." she said.
"I bet." he snorted. "Well, let's hear it then. Maybe it will put Oria to sleep."
"Still not funny." she sighed. "You are not one for speeches so I suppose I should go straight to the point."
"Miracles do happen, baby girl." he snorted at the baby, dabbing away the drool on her chin.
"I love you." she answered, not letting herself be distracted by his sarcasms. "I've loved you for years. I wouldn't do this with anyone else. This life… I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else."
"Never thought I could have this life." he shrugged. "But… It figures it would be with you. Anyone else… I would have freaked out and run away a long while ago."
The discussion was becoming a little too heavy for her tastes. She knew all this. There wasn't a lot of secrets left between them. They had known each other too long and were too familiar with each other's flaws for it to be otherwise.
"Now, we both know you would never be able to leave Oria behind so you wouldn't run far." she teased. "You are wrapped around her little finger. You're whipped for that baby."
"That's 'cause she's going to be even prettier than her mommy." he snorted, snatching the bread from the end of the poker. He took a large bite, brushing the crumbs down and away from Oria's pretty pink dress. "Now we're married, sweetheart."
"For better and for worse." she grinned. "I think we already lived through the worse part so hopefully now we only have the better part to look forward to."
"Kiss the groom." he requested, a smirk on his lips.
She leaned closer and then switched target to pepper kisses on the baby's face. "I think I will kiss the bridesmaid first."
He chuckled and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders, bringing her in an odd group hug that would later turn out to a habit for the three of them.
"We are going to be so happy everyone else will be jealous." she declared. "I am determined."
"Good." he commented, pressing a kiss on her temple. "I'm ready for some happiness."
