Slamming doors is not something a proper lady should do but Effie is past the point of being proper. She had left her pack of cigarette inside her bedroom so she had to trouble herself walking all the way there to get it when she's itching for nicotine very badly. It's not lost on her that Haymitch had followed her inside and locked the door of her room. She has no idea why. They don't have any tributes left and the Avoxes had already disappeared. It's almost three in the morning anyway.
"You cannot do whatever it is you're thinking right now, sweetheart", he said.
She does not like his tone at all, patronizing, gentle like she's some porcelain doll ready to shatter. She's not weak. She's not helpless. Well, at some aspect of her life she is but in other parts, she can do something.
"How can you possibly know what I am thinking of doing right now?" she asked with irritation in her voice.
"…because you've been inhaling that damn stick like there's no tomorrow and we both know you're not planning on going to the ladies' room earlier", he answered.
Of course, she's not. It's just an excuse but it did not work. She had used that before and Haymitch knows her antics. He knows her too well to know what she's planning.
"They killed her entire family because she refused to be a prostitute! She just survived one hell and they slammed her into another one! I was there that night, Haymitch. I told you about it. I knew something bad was going to happen but this? This inhumane! This is beyond awful! How can—"
He had to rush over to her and cover her mouth before she totally loses it.
"Stop raising your voice. Your room might be cleared from bugs but at the volume of your voice right now, something might pick your words right now from another room", he cut her off.
She's already walking on a thin ice. If Snow finds out about her sentiments about Johanna, that will be the final draw.
"Can you control yourself now, princess?" she nodded, "I'll remove my hand now. Don't shout", he instructed and removed his from her mouth.
Effie shrugged him off of her and resumed smoking to calm herself down. She cannot understand why the Capitol, her city, has to do that to Johanna. She cannot understand the logic. Is it supposed to be a lesson because she refused to be a whore for the Capitol? There are tons of things to be used as a lesson but killing her entire family? She cannot wrap her head around it. She had met the girl before her game and she saw something special in her. She saw a survivor. When they met that night, she saw a fighter who has great resolve and not afraid to stand up for herself. What she saw earlier, she saw a very angry girl who had lost everything and turning her grief into more anger. She just became this vessel for it. She did not see the fire or that determination to survive. She saw pure rage and hatred for the Capitol, for people like her.
"Is that what happened to you as well?" she suddenly asked.
She's lost enough in her own thoughts to clarify her question but Haymitch understood it all the same. They never talked about his family or what happened to them. He just assumed that she knew the story because she never asked. He knows she's just keeping her distance from it because of her citizenship. She does not want to give him any reason to lash out on her.
"…not for the same reason but yes", she did not respond to that so he kept going, "The Quell, it's a different game. You know that. All bets are off when it's Quell season. I mean, 48 tributes in one arena. That's a lot of blood and a lot of death. My girl and I were fighting for our lives together with our friends. From what I was told, people were rooting for us. We got tons of Sponsors and then, they all died and I was left. I became the last standing tribute from Twelve. I was meant to die. Career districts always win but I refused to die because I made a promise to her that I will survive…"
"…the force field", she muttered.
"Yes. It's clever for most but Snow did not take it well. Districts rallied for that. A district boy outsmarted the Capitol but using their own technology against them and won. I lit up a small spark unknowingly and it's not good for Snow so he made sure to crush that spark as early as possible", he shared.
She finally turned to him and saw confusion and questions written all over her face.
"What does that prove? What's the purpose? I don't understand", she is beyond puzzlement at the moment.
She knows now that the games are dirty but not to this point, not when she has lived through it, seen it in Johanna and now, Haymitch.
"It's how Snow teach lessons and it worked. It destroyed me, turned me into a sad, miserable drunkard who got nothing to lose. The spark did die. I have no idea if it will work on Johanna. She was punished for insubordination but now she got nothing left to lose. There's no way they can make her do things she does not want to", he explained.
It's actually dangerous for Johanna. She's like a loose cannon now, ready to explode. He just hoped that Finnick can talk some sense into her before she does something stupid.
"I wanted to help her. I wanted…I don't know. I want to do something. Of course, I know it's not going to bring anyone back but…this is a nightmare, Haymitch. My city did this. Capitol did this. I am Capitol. I am an escort…maybe she's right. Maybe I'm just as guilty as Snow", she started rambling.
He pulled her into his arms and swiftly removed the cigarette from her fingers and put it out on the ashtray. He can understand the need to do something about the injustices they're suffering but there's nothing to be done for something that has already been done. She cannot undo the past and she's not going to make anything better if she blames herself for something she has no part of.
"Don't do that. It's not your fault. You know it's not on you. I know wanting revenge. Believe me. You have tried to stop me before so many times and that's what I am doing right now. We cannot afford any mistakes, princess. I told you that I am not going to let anything to happen to you so I am stopping you right now", he pulled back so he can look into her eyes, "Promise me you will let this one go", he demanded.
He knows that if he does not make her promise, she will just do her ways to destroy that Sponsor who reported Johanna behind his back.
"It feels wrong to do nothing just so I can save myself", she muttered.
He shook his head.
"Then do it for me then. If something happens to you, think of me. We both know I don't handle loss very well so don't think of this as saving yourself. Save me instead, yeah?" he proposed.
Effie is a selfless person even though she likes to appear shallow and selfish in public. It's not right to goad her like this but he's desperate to keep her alive. He still does not know what to do about the whole retirement situation but he knows what to do to keep her out of trouble for now.
"I don't think I can save you forever", she reminded him.
The season is over. She will have two more and if there's still no Victor from Twelve, she's done for.
"Save me for now. We'll figure it out tomorrow", he said firmly.
He needs her to fight and keep it together. One of them has to while the other tries to work oneself to death in finding out solutions to their dilemma.
"Alright…you won, Haymitch. I'll let this one go but if she comes to me for help, I will not be able to refuse her", she yielded.
He made a mental note to have a chat with his friends. Effie is not allowed to do her thing to save their asses until he can find a way to save her life after two seasons.
"Deal", he agreed.
Art Solace from District 9 was crowned the Victor of 72nd Hunger Games. Whatever it is that's going on with the whole hype of him winning, Effie was not aware of because she decides to exclude herself after a few interviews and paperwork. She had walked Haymitch to the train station as always and promised him to call so he will not be worried about her.
On her way back to her apartment, she stopped by to buy herself a new pack of cigarette and few bottles of wine. She's low on stock and she needs them to get through the nights.
When she arrives at her place, she was surprised to see Johanna Mason waiting for her in her living room.
"For the love of Panem, what are you doing in my apartment? How did you get in?" she flaunted her a metal pin, "Don't you know it's rude to break into someone's apartment? It's not going to hurt to knock and wait to be invited in", Effie exclaimed.
She carefully placed the bottle onto the sink to avoid dropping them.
"Would you have let me in if I knocked?" Johanna asked.
She sighed.
"Of course, I would", she answered.
The Victor raised a brow at her.
"You know I can kill you right now and I wouldn't even blink. I wouldn't even feel sorry for you. You're Capitol", she said casually.
Effie has no doubt she can do all that but then again, if she wants to, she would have done it by now.
"Why aren't you?" she asked in challenge.
Johanna snorted.
"You got balls, Trinket. I can see why they like you so much", Effie frowned, "Chaff, Finnick…Haymitch…I don't get it, obviously, but I can see why. You're not like the other escorts but you're still Capitol", the girl spat in disgust.
Well, that's always the argument, isn't it? She casually opened her new pack of cigarette and lit one up, surprising the Victor of her unhealthy habit.
"Choosing the place you're born into is a luxury no one can have. That's just the way it is", she muttered as she blew out smoke in her kitchen.
She can see how her behavior is taking the Victor by surprise. Did she expect to see her usual bubbliness even off the clock? It's her apartment. It's the only place she can allow herself to be herself aside from being with Haymitch.
"Finnick told me what you've done for him…what you did for Haymitch", Johanna started and she felt herself tensing.
There are no bugs in her apartment. She checked. Still, she's scared to talk about that to other people because she does not want to cause Haymitch any pain.
"I don't know what you mean", she lied.
Johanna knows about it too as she smirked.
"So, that's what you look like when you lie", Effie glared at her and resumed smoking, "That's rather impressive and I do wish that my escort was like you before it all happened. Things might have turned out differently but she's not Trinket", she said.
Effie smiled sadly while staring on the floor.
"I wished she is too. I wished they all are but this world is not made to be perfect", she muttered.
If she can only help them all, she would. No one deserves to be treated like that. Victors or not.
"Yeah, well…don't do it for me", Effie frowned at her request, "Your thing, don't do it for me", Johanna demanded.
She cannot understand. Does she hates her so much she refuses her help at all?
"Wow, didn't expect that one", is all she was able to say.
"Yeah, well…it's not like they can threaten me with anything else. They've got no one else to kill so I will not need your help", Johanna pointed out.
So she intends to live a life like Haymitch now? No connections. No family. No relationships.
"That's a good plan but Capitol can always find a new pressure point, Johanna. Keep that in mind. When they find yours, know that I am always here. Just let me know and I will take care of it", she offered.
She meant every word of it and she can see that Johanna got that too but the young Victor is too stubborn to accept help from a Capitol escort so she brushed her off.
"I will not need your help so save it, Trinket",
Johanna is already walking out of her apartment when she stopped by the door and glanced over her shoulder to her.
"Thank you", she said before leaving.
It's just two words but they meant a lot for Effie. She may not be able to do something about what happened but Johanna now knows she's there for her if she ever needs it.