A/N: Sorry for getting you used to daily updates and then not having one yesterday. Hopefully this will make up for it even the smallest bit.
If you asked Haymitch the first time he had met Effie Trinket he would have just said that it was her first year as escort on the train. He'd noticed the change yet again at the Reaping, but had honestly gotten to the point where he didn't care all that much. She was just annoying and perky with the two kids they had and just acting like it was a grand adventure. The feeling of loathing between them was quickly mutual.
Effie, on the other hand, would cite a far earlier date. She had been nine when the second Quarter Quell had come on the airwaves of the Capitol and there were now twice as many people to try and pick as a favorite to win. Her original choice had been a rather attractive young man from Four who had ended up dying when the volcano exploded and wiped out a good amount of the career group. It made it a lot harder to pick someone else that she liked when she'd finally settled on the male tribute from Twelve. He had managed to take out some of the higher ranked players in the Games and they were about ready to milk the partnership between him and the girl from Twelve for all it was worth even after she had ended up dying.
Her mother had been working as a Gamemaker her whole life which always made things more exciting and knowing she could talk it over with her and everything she'd been watching that day. Admittedly the ending had seemed a little weird, but it didn't matter because at least the next day in school she could rub it in Ophelia's nose that her Tribute had gotten an ax to the head. There was only more to celebrate when there was a small party held for the sponsors had ended in a minimal guest list which meant they were already trying to pull in whoever they could find involved in the Games to come so it would be worth even getting the room.
Effie was ecstatic to get the chance to go to one of the big Capitol parties and her mother had gotten her a pale pink dress with a skirt that would whirl out when she spun around. It still wasn't the sort of beautiful crowds she had been hoping for, but it also meant that the victor was less occupied with people. She just tugged on the sleeve of his shirt and waited politely. There was still plenty of food to look over and she'd been sneaky enough to go and grab a few little bags her mom used for make-up and had been sneaking cookies into it. If her mom didn't know about them, then she wouldn't be able to tell her when she could or couldn't eat them…
Her opening finally came after about an hour when most of the more important people had already been around. He was taller than she had originally expected, but then it was still the first time she had actually met someone who could really be considered "famous" and been on her television only a week and a half ago. Otherwise he looked better in person and she was quickly getting shy. "Hi…"
"Well evening, sweetheart. Isn't it a little bit past your bedtime for you to be here?" It had to about be the first person outside of his Mentor around here who he didn't automatically loathe. People in the Capitol were quick to show their true colors under all of that make-up but here was a little girl who still had to strain her neck a little in order to make eye contact with him. He did the nice thing and crouched down, almost hoping his pants would split so his stylist would have something new to complain about.
"No. Mommy brought me and I don't have bedtime tonight."
"Well then you must have been my biggest sponsor not to have a bedtime."
Effie kicked her shoes against the floor and just shook her head and just looked down at the floor since it was easier. "No… I tried to put together all of my money for sweets and stuff, but mommy said she couldn't do that because it would look like she was favoriting you. Even thought it was MY money. So I asked if I could just make sandwiches for everyone, but apparently they wouldn't work either…"
"Well I managed, but the thought is appreciated."
He just smiled at her sweetly. Then in a few more days he was going to be allowed to go back home to his District… And she'd probably never get to see him again. Effie reached down into her purse and pulled out the small plastic bag. "For you. But you can't tell her." He grinned a little, taking them and putting them back in his pocket before taking her hand and giving a small kiss to the back of it.
"Care for a dance then, sweetheart?" She looked all flustered, but nodded furiously that for a moment he wondered if her head might not just pop off from the force.
He was uncoordinated with the fancy dances they had around here, but it didn't matter so much when your partner could twirl around without barely raising your arm and was mostly happy with that and going around in circles. At bedtime she was still humming with the songs as she went to bed.
Ten years later, perhaps the loathing was not so mutual.