Requested by AddisonandDerek: I would love to read a scene between Effie and Tristan, maybe they are feeding the geese when Ethan and Haymitch are sick one day? They can be doing anything really. It's just most of the scenes you write with Ethan and Tristan are with Haymitch, so I would love to read something with just Effie.

Mama's Boy

Ethan who often slept spread eagle on his bed was curled against his father's side, the covers pulled up to his chin. Haymitch was under the covers too, still looking slightly pale and exhausted but he was awake and he was watching her.

His fingers curled around her wrist, tugging her to his side. "You'll be okay?" he rasped. "If you need me – "

"I can look after Tristan and Ari just fine. I need you and Ethan to get better."

"Okay," Haymitch let out a shaky breath. "Ethan will be okay – I got him," he assured her.

When Tristan turned the knob and peered inside the room a few minutes later, Haymitch was already fast asleep, one hand slung over Ethan's body to shield him from the cold. Tristan closed the door quietly and went downstairs.

"They're sleeping," he pouted. "All they do is sleep!"

"They're sick, darling, they need a lot of rest. Now, you remember what I told you this morning? We need to feed the geese."

"But I don't like geese, Mama," Tristan protested.

He stood by the kitchen door, refusing to follow Effie out of the house. Tristan held on tightly to Ari's hand.

"They're in the pen. They won't hurt you," Effie tried to pacify him but she didn't sound so convinced. "The geese have to be fed otherwise, they'll die and when Ethan gets better to see his geese dead, he'll be very sad. We don't want to make Ethan and Dada sad now, do we?"

Tristan seemed to consider this logic for a moment. "You promise they won't bite me? Dasher looks really mean!" he eyed the goose sceptically. It was well-known that Tristan hated the noises they make.

"They won't."

Slowly, he stepped outside, taking one careful step at a time. Ari followed closely behind him, clutching on to the tiger soft toy that once belonged to Ethan. Effie smiled at them and gave Tristan small encouragements.

"Just like this," Effie demonstrated by grabbing a fistful of dried bread crumbs and throwing it into their pen. "That's how Ethan and your father does it."

Ari who had followed Ethan and Haymitch around on a few occasions was much bolder when it came to feeding the geese. Effie gave her a piece of bread and she held out her hand for Dasher to come forward. The goose snatched it from her, tore it to pieces and gobbled it up.

Tristan glanced over at Ari. "Be careful," he whispered.

With the geese fed, they moved on to the next chore on the list..

"What's next?" Tristan asked.

"Cleaning the living room which means – "

"Putting away our toys!" Tristan beamed.

Doing the household chore was much easier without Haymitch and Ethan around if Effie was being completely honest with herself. She always made sure everyone contribute something in making sure the house remained clean and spotless but Haymitch and Ethan were easily distracted. When it came to putting away their toys, Ethan could often be found sitting cross-legged on the floor playing with the toys he was supposed to put away.

"I see Dada now?" Ari tugged on her blouse.

"In a while, sweetheart. When we're done, we'll go up to see them, okay? Let them rest for now."

There were plenty of miniature hovercrafts and airplanes lying around that belonged to all three children. Ari had a habit of playing with whatever her brothers were playing. She loved her dolls as much as she loved those airplanes.

"Put those here, Tristan," Effie pointed towards a box. "Those need to be cleaned and disinfected."

"Why?"

"So none of you will get sick."

"But Ethan and Dada are sick."

"Well, yes, that's unfortunate, really. They really should watch what they eat, don't they, darling?"

Tristan nodded enthusiastically. Haymitch had taken Ethan to the town's market two days ago and when they returned that afternoon, they were both throwing up and shivering. At first, Tristan didn't mind his brother being sick. It meant he had a lot more time to spend with Ari and Mama but he was growing bored very quickly. He wanted his father too but at the risk of Ethan and Haymitch passing whatever they had on everyone else, Effie was careful to limit their interactions.

"I wish Ethan will get better already," Tristan said out of the blue during lunch as he munched on his sandwich with his eyes downcast.

"It's quiet, isn't it?"

He gave a nod. "I want to play with him."

"I know, baby," she brushed his hair back. "I miss having them around, too."

While Haymitch and Ethan recuperate, Effie had tried to occupy her two children with various activities. She had brought them out for the groceries, taught Tristan how to brush Ari's hair, watched three different movies together, and took Tristan cycling around Victor's Village.

Still, for Tristan, it wasn't the same without his twin brother.

"You'll get to tell your father and Ethan how you fed their geese. They'll be very proud of you, I'm sure!" she tried to cheer him up.

Tristan looked up, brows crinkling. "You think so?"

"I know so. I'm very proud of you. You've been such a wonderful boy – helping me around the house and keeping me company so I won't be lonely without your father."

"You're lonely 'cause you can't sleep with Dada 'cause he's sick? Is that why you made Ari and I sleep with you? And Ethan sleeps with Dada so they won't be lonely, too."

"That's partially true," Effie concurred, "but I still meant what I said, I'm proud of my baby boy."

"I'm the oldest and the biggest, mama, I'm no baby," he shook his head knowing deep inside that no matter how many times he said it, his mother would still call him a baby. "Ari's a baby."

They are about 7 years old in this one-shot