My own prompt, in honor of the fact that Elizabeth Banks guest starred on The Muppets tonight. PLEASE don't judge me for watching that show, but it was HILARIOUS! Also, I'm a die-hard Black-ish, Empire fan, and How to Get Away with Murder fan, and all of my shows come back on this week. Now all I need is for the Walking Dead to return. Fear of the Walking Dead is trying SO hard but… yah. ANYWAY, enjoy.

Oh, I wrote, a story that was too long to post in Loosen Your Corset. It's called 'The Arranged Marriage.' It was a prompt by AVikingandhisHeartbrokenQueen. I thought I'd hate it, but I don't. I love it. I'd love to hear your thoughts. It's a two-shot. Enjoy.

WHEN JEALOUSY STRIKES

Rated M for smut

Effie grabbed the tomatoes and spinach, and then made her way over to the aisle with pasta. She found Haymitch there, chatting it up with some blonde haired girl, clearly from the Town. He had two packages of pasta in his hand—that was the whole reason for him coming to this aisle—and the woman was pointing to one package.

She was certainly standing awfully close.

And touching him a lot.

Why would you need to touch someone that much?

Effie stared at the two of them, and it wasn't until Haymitch started laughing that she realized they were flirting.

Her stomach dropped.

Well of course Effie wasn't the only person in 12 who had seen the change in Haymitch over the years. It'd been three years since he'd had his last drink. He still kept his hair long, but the fact that it was getting greyer made him look even more distinguished. His eyes were clearer, his weight healthy, his skin glowing.

He looked good.

And so did the blonde woman.

Suddenly Effie felt stupid. She had no right, really, to be jealous. She'd been in twelve for four years now, but they still had yet to discuss their… circumstances. She had no right to feel this way, so with extreme effort, she swallowed back the bout of possessiveness that had her wanting to curl her hands into Haymitch's arm—after punching the blonde woman in the face.

Instead Effie causally made her way to the white sauces, browsing for her favorite one. Upon finding it she put it in the small basket draped on her arm. A few moments later the blonde haired woman left, after touching Haymitch's arm again—not that Effie had been watching—and Haymitch turned around.

His eyes brightened when he saw her and he walked up to her. "I didn't know you were here," he said.

"Obviously," said Effie sarcastically, and she chided herself. She wasn't supposed to be jealous. "Did you get the pasta?"

Haymitch arched an eyebrow but nodded. "How about something different? Bowtie pasta instead of shells?"

"I don't know…. Peeta said to get the shells."

"Hardie says the bowtie texture will add flavor."

Effie refrained from rolling her eyes. "Well if that's the one you want, that's fine."

Haymitch stared at her for a few moments, and then sighing put the bowtie pasta down on the shelf, and then placed the shells inside the basket. He took the basket from her.

"Thank you," she told him, and she tried to keep her voice neutral.

They passed another woman who tried to catch Haymitch's eye, but either he was oblivious or pretending to be blind.

They walked in sync, as if they were still a team and were off to ask for Sponsors. They still knew each other, from their thoughts to the way they walked. Like old times she had her list in her hands and Haymitch would glance at it, and they'd know where they were headed next.

Effie got a few waves from people and she waved back, smiling. Most of the people still stayed out of her way, however. Five years still wasn't that long ago to a lot of people. Nobody messed with her, though. There had been a few instances when she'd first gotten here, but things had died down.

Mainly because of Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch.

When they arrived in the spice aisle Effie spoke. "I don't think you have to come with me to the market anymore." He stared at her, his eyes questioning. "I'm just saying I think enough time's passed. No one really bothers me."

Haymitch scowled. "Not a chance in hell, Princess."

"But—"

"No but," he said firmly. "I'm not too keen on Katniss killing me with her bow if something happened to you."

"You can't protect me forever, Haymitch."

He glared at her. "Wanna bet?" His voice was dark, challenging, and held a hint of something else that she couldn't immediately put her finger on, so she dropped the subject.

Though deep down she was kind of itching for a fight suddenly.

After gathering their groceries they made their way to Peeta's bakery to grab a loaf of bread.

"You didn't have to come all this way," Peeta said with a smile. "I could have dropped it off on my way home."

"We were at the store, so it's no big deal," said Effie, also smiling.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one carrying bags of groceries are ya?" Haymitch said, and Effie ignored him.

At that moment the bakery door opened and Peeta's smile faltered slightly. "Hey, Hardie."

Effie's head whipped around so fast she didn't have time to hide her scowl.

It didn't matter. Haymitch wasn't looking at her, and Hardie only had eyes for Haymitch.

When she turned back around Peeta was staring at her with a smirk.

"I think we're on the same page here," he muttered as they watched Hardie and Haymitch talk. "But don't worry, Effie. Hardie flirts with every taken man."

"Haymitch isn't taken," snapped out Effie quietly.

Peeta arched an eyebrow. "You two live together," Peeta argued.

"In separate rooms," argued back Effie.

"You go grocery shopping together."

"So that he can protect me."

Peeta stared at her like she was crazy. "Effie, the town voted to let you be like… forever ago. Your protection detail is long over. It's officially illegal to bother you."

Effie just blinked at him.

"Haymitch didn't tell you?"

"I didn't tell her what?" Effie jumped out of her skin and Haymitch stared at her. She hadn't realized he was so close.

"Nothing," Effie said immediately, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "We should go. Unless you're not done with your… friend?" Effie's eyes darted to Hardie and back to Haymitch. "I'll just meet you at the house. Or… your house." Effie touched her neck and her hair, and wouldn't meet his eye. "I'll just see you later."

She was gone before he could blink. Haymitch looked at Peeta and pointed.

"Start talking, boy."

"You want my advice?" asked Peeta.

"Do I need it?"

"Hell yah," Peeta responded. Haymitch sighed and gave Peeta a face that clearly said, 'Well go on then.' But Peeta didn't say anything. He just darted his eyes towards Hardie, who was standing near the cookies section of the bakery, oblivious. Haymitch followed his gaze and stared at Hardie for several moments.

He didn't understand.

And then something clicked. "You mean's Effie's jealous?"

"Should she be?" asked Peeta, hands folded across his chest.

"Hell no. Of course not." He looked at Hardie, and then glanced back to Peeta. "Effie's not jealous. She can't be. She knows how I feel. Everybody knows how I feel."

"Apparently not. You want my advice? Go after her."

Haymitch stood there for a few more minutes before he made his way out the door, where he nearly bumped into Greasy Sae.

"Hey, Haymitch. I just saw Effie. She looked upset." The old woman glared at Haymitch. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," said Haymitch defensively.

"Of course you did. Effie's a pretty girl, and probably the best thing that's ever happened to you. You better not blow it, boy."

"I'm not trying to blow anything."

"Then why haven't you married her yet?"

Haymitch felt the blood drain from his face. "Marry her?"

"How else will you stake your claim? Do you know how many times a day I get men asking about her? Not everybody's child was picked by her hand, you know, and a lot of people know what she went through, and what team she was on. They know she was on our side. Effie's not a mind reader. And you've never been good at showing any emotion other than anger, and you couldn't show affection to a lost kitten. The girl's probably confused." Haymitch stayed silent. "Look, you two have been through enough. Haven't you both been near death enough to know that life is short?" Greasy Sae sighed. "Go get your girl, Haymitch, before someone else does." She brushed passed him, opening the door. Haymitch was still in the same spot. "And stay away from Hardie. She's had her eye on you for the last few months. She's bad news."

Haymitch made his way down the bakery stairs, lost in thought. They were mental. Every single one of them. He hadn't even ever looked at Hardie. He had no clue what color her eyes were or what color her hair was. He didn't even know what District she was from.

And okay, yah, things weren't established between him and Effie, but she had to know how he felt. Of course she did. They slept together regularly, and had for the past couple of years. And okay yah, it bothered him that she wouldn't share his room, but that had been her decision. He couldn't force her to stay with him.

When he finally caught up to her he fell into step beside her. He noticed her tense at his presence and frowned.

They walked together in silence, and Haymitch realized it wasn't a comfortable silence.

Something was off.

He watched her for several moments as she put away the groceries, a small frown on her face.

"Effie?"

"Hm?" She stared at him, and he was greeted with the Capitol woman he'd known for so many years. That guarded, sad, misunderstood woman that was a pain in his ass.

Her defenses were up.

He stared at her for a few moments, and then walked up to her in three long strides. He grabbed her arms and yanked her to him, and pressed his mouth to hers.

Her body was rigid against his for all of ten seconds, before she melted into him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer. He was just starting to get into it when she pushed him away, breathing hard.

"That is not nice," she said, her eyes dark, and she turned away to continue putting up groceries, her hands shaking.

"What's not nice?"

She spun around, her eyes blazing. "Leading me on!"

Haymitch's mouth dropped open. "I'm not!"

"Haymitch you can't flirt with another woman, and then come here and kiss me. It's rather rude, don't you think?"

"I wasn't flirting with Hardie."

Effie stood tall. "I do not take kindly to being lied to." Her voice was ice, and she hadn't taken that tone with him in years.

He felt his back go up and his eyes flashed. "Don't take that tone with me, Trinket."

Her eyes widened, because he hadn't used her surname since she'd been here, and he saw it, the quick switch. It happened in the blink of an eye.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was higher than usual, and sickeningly sweet. "I'm being quite the rude house guest, aren't I?"

He walked up to her, spinning her around, a scowl on his face. "Effie, stop it," he snapped.

"Oh, am I Effie again?"

He kissed her again, roughly, savagely, and she accidentally let a moan slip. His lips left hers and traveled down to her neck.

"I thought," he said, biting her ear, "that without the stupid wig," he yanked the shoulder of her dress down, "weighing down your brain," he bit her shoulder, feeling her jerk in his arms, "that you might be a little smarter." He pulled her hair, forcing her head back. He hadn't been this rough with her since her arrival. "Clearly I was wrong, so I'll fucking spell it out to you." He grabbed both her cheeks, roughly. "I don't want Hardie."

"Prove it," challenged Effie, and he felt himself grow hard.

The groceries were forgotten. He picked her up, slamming her down on top of the table, and his hands and lips were everywhere as he pushed her flat on the table. She struggled between staying still and enjoying the pleasure or exploring his body, attempting to bring him pleasure. Eventually she sat up, her hands feeling his chest and working their way down, down, down.

Haymitch froze when her hands gripped him. He and Effie weren't shy with each other, but she'd never, ever done this before, and his brain turned to mush, particularly as she lowered his pants, and then herself, for several, long, glorious moments, and the only thing he could do was grunt out her name.

At the sound of her name she stood up. "Yes. Remember that name."

She turned him around and pushed him against the table, and he was too shocked to do anything but watch her as she undressed him, and then herself.

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and then his hands were around her waist as her legs wrapped themselves around him. He grunted, entering her, blind with lust as the pleasure took over. She buried her face in his neck, reveling in the feeling of him sliding in and out of her.

"Fuck," he grunted, turning around so that he could place her on the table.

"Faster," gasped out Effie, and he obliged as she spread her legs wider, laying on top of the table. "Harder, Haymitch." He moaned, his eyes rolling back into his head as the pleasure took over. She came, violently, and he nearly followed, except she dug her fingers into his hips, and the pain distracted him. "Look at me," she whispered out, and his eyes snapped open. "I'm it, okay?"

Jesus fucking Christ she was going to kill him.

"There's no one else." He started moving faster, his face set. "Tell me I'm it."

"Always," he rasped out. "Shit. Shit."

She arched her back, whimpering, and then tightened her legs around him. She lifted herself up and wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting his thrusts with possessive ones of her own.

"Mine," grunted out Effie.

"Yours, Princess," he choked out.

"No. Say my name." He jerked and gently pushed her back, grabbing her face so that he could look at her.

"Effie." It was easy, really, how easily her name spilled from his lips. Like he ever even wanted to say another woman's name ever again.

And when he finally released, his grey eyes burning black, it was Effie that rolled off his tongue, a thousand times, over and over again, until it was the only word he knew in any language.

Always just Effie.

He collapsed on top of her, afraid that he was having a heart attack and close to death.

He could feel her own heart pounding against his, and he was content with dying, if this is how he had to. It wasn't until he felt the lazy caress of her hands on his back that he realized he was still alive.

"Mine," she said, her voice low, tired, but determined.

He realized he had enough energy left to smile. "Yours."

He felt her entire body relax underneath his and he realized that he needed to do a better job of making her understand she was it for him. He'd demand that she move into his bedroom, and he'd even marry her if he needed to.

Then again maybe he wouldn't go that far. She'd shown him a side of her he'd never seen before.

Jealous Effie was quite possessive.