A/N: Well, hello there! Halloween is right around the corner, and I am so excited! I hope you're all having fun planning your spooky night, or if you don't celebrate, I hope you're enjoying your life in general. Okay, just a few things to mention: First, if you're a fan of my series Journeys in Panem, the next chapter should be up sometime this week.
Second: I have a new story up on Archive Of Our Own, called Once a Team, Always a Team. I will put it up here, a bit more toned down for the site's use, if there's request for it, but if not, it's up there. My username's the same on Archive, so it won't be that hard to find. It's M at the minute, but as usual, that is subject to change. It's updated on Tuesday evenings, so if you're interested in that, go check it out. As always with me, it's Hayffie. ;)
Third: This chapter is a little steamy, and I know I suck at that, but my last one shot with anything of the sort lacked a lot, and since it was a prompt, I wanted to do it justice. So with that said, to the Guest who prompted it in a review so long ago, here it is, and I hope it's a lot better than the last one.
Fourth and final: After Journeys in Panem 2 is over, I will be starting two new chaptered stories, a Capitol Hunger Games that was also prompted by a Guest, and the third and final "book" in my Journeys in Panem series, focusing on Phoenix and Johanna's lives together, with snippets of Hayffie when they decide to make appearances.
All that annoying promotional stuff done, I do not own The Hunger Games, its characters, its world, or any of its associates, because all that belongs to Suzanne Collins, and I am not Suzanne. I just like to play with her creations.
Halloween in Twelve
The sound of This Is Halloween is blaring through the house for the thirty first day in a row, and now Haymitch has reached his limit. He stomps downstairs and simply gapes at the amount of black and orange tinsel, balloons, cakes, and streamers in his living room. There are fake cobwebs with spiders in them everywhere, his furniture looks filthier than before, and his windows look like someone was murdered against them. There are skull shaped fairy lights twinkling everywhere, and a massive bowl of various Capitol candies. He takes it all in, then bellows "Trinket!"
Effie zooms into the living room, looking extremely proud of herself. "Haymitch, you're awake! Happy Halloween!" she squeals, then flings black glitter all over him.
"Take a guess at who's vacuuming," he snarls, then glares around the room. "What is all of this?"
"Party decorations!" Effie squeals. "I did ask you, and you said yes!"
"How drunk was I?" he asks.
"That doesn't matter, you said I could have a Halloween party," she insists.
"So I was blackout drunk," he sighs. "Fine. You have your party. What are you going to dress as?"
"I am going to be a witch," she tells him, beaming. "I've been planning my outfit for months."
He shakes his head fondly. "Okay, then," he sighs. "You should stop asking me for things when I'm drunk, sweetheart."
She loops her arms around his neck and kisses him. "But how else am I meant to get you to say yes?" she asks cheekily, an adorable grin on her face.
He kisses her back, holding her waist. "Well, this would work," he teases, kissing her some more.
She nudges at his lips with her tongue, pressing closer to him. He grants her access, battling her for control and sliding his hands around to the small of her back, pulling her tightly against him. She smiles, fighting to keep her control as her own hands slide down his front to rest on his chest. He slides his hands further down to grope her, kissing her harder, lust clouding his brain. Neither of them notice their front door opening, or the clunking of Peeta's prostethic leg in the hall. They only hear his disgusted exclamation of "Really?! Every time you're left alone together?! Aren't you too old to do that?!"
The couple break apart, Haymitch flushing with annoyance, and Effie embarrassed at being caught. "Aren't you too old to be barging in on us like a toddler?" Haymitch retorts, still groping at Effie.
Effie hisses "Manners!" at Haymitch, then smiles awkwardly at Peeta. "I'm sorry, honey, we weren't expecting you here yet. Wait a minute, did you just call us old?!"
"He just caught us making out like teenagers, and you're worried about him saying that we're old?" Haymitch asks, lifting an eyebrow at her priorities.
"Um, yes!" Effie exclaims, her eyes like saucers. "I will have you know, Peeta Mellark, that we are still in our prime! After all, we will soon have a little child of our own to take trick or treating, and that doesn't happen when you're too old to have sex!"
Haymitch chuckles quietly, having known for about a week now, but Peeta is astounded. He gapes at her for a minute, then chokes "You... You're...?"
"Mm hmm," Effie giggles. "I hope you're excited to be a big brother."
"How did you convince Haymitch?!" Peeta demands.
"She didn't," Haymitch chuckles. "We didn't plan it, she skipped a couple periods, went missing for about seven hours, then came home and told me while we were making up after the fight about her vanishing."
"And you didn't choke her out?" Peeta asks.
"I'm breathing, aren't I?" Effie giggles. "He spent about two hours sat in the goose pen. He only left when I told him that I'd made stew."
"No traumatic news is worth missing that," Haymitch chuckles.
"How did you manage to come around to it?" Peeta asks.
"It makes Effie happy," Haymitch says. "You know the saying. Happy wife, happy life."
"Don't talk daft, you think I'm adorable when I'm happy," Effie scoffs, then kisses his lips gently. "I'm going to go make the shots."
"You'd better not be boozing in there, sweetheart," Haymitch growls, clutching her.
"I don't drink anymore, as well you know," Effie reminds him, rolling her eyes, a habit she's picked up from him. She breaks out of his grasp and strolls happily to the kitchen.
"How do you convince Katniss, then?" Peeta asks, following Effie.
"Why, Peeta, do you want children?" she asks, getting the alcohol out.
"Well, obviously not right now, we're still only twenty one, but yeah, someday," he tells her wistfully. "The thing is, Katniss is dead against it."
"She'll take time, dear. Mentalities are slow to change, and she's healing. It takes a long time to do both things. I'm sure she'll agree to it someday soon, she's come around to a lot in the last four years," Effie says soothingly, measuring out shots with precision.
"Could you have a chat with her?" Peeta asks eagerly. "I mean, you were adamant that you never wanted children."
"Then you and Katniss came on board," she chuckles. "I will talk to her about children if she asks me, but I will not pressure her to talk to me. You are like my son, but she is like my daughter. I won't upset her by discussing her having babies of her own before she's ready."
"Okay," Peeta sighs as Haymitch strolls in, brushing by Effie on his way to the stove to boil some water, gently patting her bottom as he passes her.
Effie doesn't venture a comment, but Haymitch asks "Do either of you want some tea or coffee?"
"Coffee, please," Effie says with a grateful sigh to her voice. She passes him one of her shots, then hopefully asks "Taste test?"
"The day I say no to that, I want you to take my knife and shove it into my throat," he chuckles, then gulps the shot in one go. "Perfect, as usual. Loving the slight syrup taste there."
"Good, I'm glad you like it," she coos, then holds a shot glass out to Peeta. "Peeta?"
"It looks like blood," he comments, eyeing it warily.
"It's supposed to. It tastes better though, I promise," she says, her eyes sparkling.
Peeta takes the glass and tips the scarlet liquid into his throat, then swallows, his eyes widening at the taste. "Wow. That's really sweet," he says, studying it. "Definitely tastes better than blood."
"I know," Effie chuckles. "So, what's your costume for tonight's party?"
"Katniss wanted to dress as Countess Elizabeth Bathory, and I'm going to get my costume to dress as Count Dracula from the dry cleaner's later," he says. "What about you two?"
Haymitch smirks and says "I'm going to be a homicidal maniac."
"What does that look like?" Peeta asks.
"Everyone else," Haymitch chuckles darkly, making two mugs of coffee, and Peeta's favourite tea.
"You have a dark sense of humour, my love," Effie hums. "I'm going to dress as a witch."
Peeta smiles a bit. "Well, just don't turn anyone into a frog," he jokes.
"Oh, trust me, I won't," she laughs. "If I could do that, Haymitch would have been a frog long before now."
"Love you too, sweetheart," Haymitch deadpans, placing her coffee next to her tray of shots.
"Why must you always say the sweetest things so sarcastically?" she sighs, picking up her mug and sipping the hot liquid with relish. "Mm..."
"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't sarcastic," Haymitch says.
"Go get into your costume," Effie chuckles, giving him a gentle kiss.
"Okay, boss," Haymitch grumbles, kissing her back. "No doing shots, you. My kid doesn't get alcohol until she's twenty one."
"It could be a boy," Effie reminds him.
Peeta waits until Haymitch has left before he asks "Are you going to find out the sex?"
"Yes," she replies happily, her hand fluttering to her stomach. "I need to get baby supplies and sort out his or her bedroom. Haymitch and I have a bet, too. He thinks we're having a girl, and I think it's a boy. The bet is that he gets to name it if it's a girl with no input from me, and I get to name it if it's a boy. We've promised to pick names that aren't stupid, of course, because our baby's growing up with it."
"Okay, that's unusual, but hey, your kid," Peeta jokes. After another twenty minutes, he sighs and says "I've gotta go collect my costume. I'll see you tonight."
"See you tonight," Effie chirps, hugging him before he leaves.
The party is in full swing, and Haymitch is staring at Effie, watching the way she moves and admiring how her dress looks on her. It's all black at the top, tight until it reaches her hips, then it flares out and down to her ankles in many layers of emerald green, with a thin black lace cobweb pattern over the top of the skirt. He's wearing a black suit and a green shirt that matches Effie's skirt. Katniss appears next to Haymitch, wearing a dark red dress and fake blood smeared on her arms and neck, her hair up in an elegant style. "What's with you lately?" she asks. "You're more all over Effie than usual."
"She's more all over me," he corrects. "And that's her thing to tell you. If you wanna know, go chat to her."
Katniss rolls her eyes, then says "Peeta wants kids."
"Yeah, I know," Haymitch replies. "What about it?"
"I don't know whether or not I'm ready for it yet," she sighs. "I mean, it's not like it used to be, and I know that. But I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"Yeah," Haymitch sighs heavily, knowing that feeling all too well. "I know. Effie's all eager for it too, just like the boy. They're built for this sorta thing, and they're all too eager for it. We've just gotta roll with it, kid. You and the boy aren't gonna be young forever."
"Neither are you and Effie," Katniss points out.
"Yeah, well, we're just playing the waiting game," Haymitch tells her. "You've gotta relax a bit with him. He's been in love with you for years, it's natural that now he's got a ring on your finger, he's gonna think about the future you two have. You need to work together on this, that's all."
"Haymitch, if Effie told you that she was pregnant, would you be happy?" Katniss asks.
"I'd sit in the goose pen," he says. "For hours on end. That's where I go when she tells me stuff that scares me. I wait it out with the geese, and she coaxes me out with food."
"Typical," Katniss chuckles. "What would she do?"
"Be happy about it," Haymitch chuckles. "She's weird like that."
"What would you say if I told you that I'm pregnant?" Katniss asks tentatively.
"I'd ask if you're pulling my leg," he replies, then studies her face. He sighs, then asks "You're not saying this hypothetically, are you?"
"No," Katniss replies sadly. "I'm not, and I don't want to tell Peeta. I'm not ready for this."
"You're best off talking to Effie, kid," Haymitch sighs regretfully. "She's a woman, she'll understand the way you feel in a way I can't."
Katniss nods, and Haymitch pats her back. "Good luck, kid," he says.
"Thanks," Katniss mutters, and Haymitch watches her approaching Effie.
Effie's in the middle of a conversation when Katniss taps her shoulder. "Katniss, I am in the middle of a conversation," Effie chides gently.
"It's okay, Effie," the woman coos. "It's obvious that she's distressed and needs you. Go with her, I've really taken a monopoly on your time."
Effie hugs her friend, then takes Katniss to the kitchen. "What is it, darling?" she asks, studying the younger woman.
"Effie, I'm pregnant," Katniss blurts out, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't tell Peeta yet, and I asked Haymitch, and he told me to talk to you. What do I do, Effie? I'm not ready to be a mom!"
"First of all, darling, breathe," Effie tells her, gently taking Katniss's hands in her own and taking in a deep breath herself. "Come on, with me. Deep breaths."
Katniss takes in a deep breath and exhales in time with Effie. Once she's calmed down, she asks "How do you think Peeta will take it?"
"Well, I think he'll be thrilled," Effie tells her gently. "He'll be a bit shocked, of course, but he wants a baby with you. He'll be delighted once the surprise fades."
"What would Haymitch do if you were pregnant?" Katniss asks, shaking.
"Well, when I told him, he sat alone in the goose pen for hours. I had to go to the pen and offer him stew before he left. He had three bowls of stew and a glass of whiskey before he actually said a word, but when he finally did, he told me that he was surprised that we were still fertile at all, after everything, but he was happy," Effie tells her, smiling fondly at the memory. "He's more excited than I am now, which is quite the feat."
"Wait, you're saying this as if it's actually happened," Katniss says.
"It did," Effie chuckles. "Peeta was surprised too. But think of it this way, your baby has someone his or her own age to grow up with. Now, tell me, how far along are you?"
"I don't know, not very," Katniss replies, staring at her former escort's stomach. "I didn't think you even knew what sex is, let alone having enough of it to get pregnant."
"Well, maybe it's better that way," Effie chuckles. "Listen, you need to find out how far along you are. It'll give you time to prepare. As for telling Peeta, I'd recommend you tell him here, where we can get to you if you need us."
Katniss nods, then spontaneously hugs Effie, clinging to her. "I'm not ready to be a mom," the young woman whispers.
"Nobody ever is, darling," Effie whispers, hugging her close. "But you'll have Peeta, and you'll have Haymitch, and you'll have me. You're not alone any more."
Katniss clings tighter to Effie, then whispers "Thanks, Mom."
The two women freeze as Katniss's words hit them, then Effie presses a light kiss to Katniss's head. "Anything for you, dear," Effie whispers.
It's icy cold at the end of October in District Twelve, and with two three months old babies constantly trying to outdo each other's screams from opposite sides of the road, nobody in the Victors' Village is having any fun. "Zach, please," Effie pleads, trying not to think about how cold it is. "Willow is just across the road. You will see her tonight."
A knock sounds at the door, followed by screams from another baby. Haymitch sighs "Those kids have finally caved."
The door opens and Peeta brings in his screaming daughter. "See, Willow? Zach's here, he hasn't vanished," the young man sighs.
Both babies immediately shut up when placed next to each other. "Oh, finally," Effie sighs in relief. "I hope this isn't going to stay a thing when they get bigger."
"I'll duct tape our boy if this is a regular thing," Haymitch groans. "Are we really taking him trick or treating this young, Eff?"
"Yes," Effie insists. "It's his first Halloween, let him have his baby fun."
Haymitch rolls his eyes. "We're never having more, Effie," he warns.
"You said we were never having one," Effie chuckles. "And if Zach wants a sibling, you'll have me pregnant again before the request is even completely out of his mouth. You're wrapped around his little finger."
Haymitch huffs, but he knows she's right. He's too soft where Zach's concerned. He blames the eyes.
A/N 2: Okay, and we're done. I hope this was somewhat better than the last one I did, and a little more structured. If you have any prompts, let me know, I'm eager for more one shot material. As I said, the Capitol Games will be coming soon, I've already got past the reaping, so just the arena to develop and the Games to be determined. I'll post a teaser in this series of one shots soon. Until next time. Cat xxx