This one is short but I hope sweet. Post MJ domestic hayffie is the best hayffie ( I have this feeling I say everything is the best hayffie but that's because I can't choose and every hayffie is the best in context. I have a serious addiction to them, what can I say?)

Prompt "How many lights did you think we needed?"

Let It Shine

Haymitch was admiring his handy work when he heard Effie coming back from the shops – and he heard her because she was still humming that same cheerful carol she had been singing when she had left. Christmas had a way of making her happy like nothing else, she was like a child, and while he had never cared for the holidays and probably never would, he easily caved to her decorative frenzy – albeit with some grumbling – to keep her that way.

She had tasked him with putting up fairy lights all over the porch before she left and he had done his best to follow her instructions. It would look ridiculous because he could guarantee none of the neighbors would go all out that way but… His girl was a fancy city girl, he could make concessions at Christmas.

"Hey!" he called out without turning around when he heard the front gate creak. "How many lights did you think we needed?"

He had hung them from the gutters and it looked okay to him although it was hard to judge in daylight. They would have to check the full effect that night, he figured. And hope they didn't make the whole District black out because of too many fairy lights…

"I bought more!" she joyfully declared, a bit out of breath.

He did turn around, then, a bit alarmed by the prospect because there were still plenty of them left inside for the tree.

He may have gaped a little when he saw her.

He was used to her shopping outings – even though, those days, it was pretty tame thanks to a lack of shops – but he had forgotten the full effect. She was carrying so many bags and boxes… All full to the brim with Christmas stuff, it seemed, ornaments, tinsels, and, as promised, boxes and boxes of fairy lights…

"Fuck, princess…" he mocked, half-shocked. "Did you leave any for the rest of the District or did you rob the shop?"

She pulled one of her You're irritating but I'm better than you so I'll hide it face. "We needed more lights than we currently have. I thought you would have made better progress by now… The gutters look good but I want to wrap some around the porch and we have to deck the outer walls too and…"

He blinked, suddenly realizing that the outlandish picture he had been imagining was tame compared to what she had planned. "Effie…"

She kept talking, completely ignoring him. "Won't you help? This is heavy."

Heavy?

Not as much as the electricity bill he was about to pay…

I hope you enjoyed this! Let me know your thoughts!