During the break, Haymitch took the time to go around the district just to scout potential tributes for the next game. It's morbid to think that any of those children will be taken away from their families and has the potential to die but he cannot stop that. He cannot help them to avoid getting reaped. However, he can help Effie. He got two years to be able to keep her as his escort before they forced her to retire.
It's a word full of bs. No matter how rich her family is, with the amount of knowledge she has about what goes behind the cameras of the games, Snow will not let her walk away.
The thing is, no matter where he looks, he cannot see any potential Victors in his district. They're all thin, frail, scared. There are those who knows hard work and can probably throw a good punch but that will not be enough to beat a Career tribute. Muscle is nothing without a brain. One must have that instinct to survive the games.
"Now, this is a surprise", he turned around and found Sae, "You walking out of your nest you called home. What's the matter, boy?" the old woman asked.
He's not hoping to run into her. He does not like questions and conversations especially when there are people around them staring, watching. Everyone is aware there's one Victor living at the Village but he rarely goes out. He's a recluse. He does not like to see the pity or the anger in their eyes when they look at him. They know too much of his life and he does not like it. At least, in the Capitol he can just pretend he's nothing more than a Victor and a drunkard.
"Nothing. Just getting some air", he lied and he knows the old woman saw it clearly.
"Follow me", Sae barked.
The amount of power the woman holds, he mused. He shouldn't follow her. He does not have to but he is walking after her. Finally, they reached his house and Sae closed the door and locked it.
"Spill it. You don't go out unless it's emergency and out there…you looked like you're about to have a panic attack. What's going on with you?" she asked.
Is he that transparent or is it just Sae? The woman has known him since he was a child.
"I am just trying to spot if there's a potential Victor in this district", he answered.
He wants to leave it at that but knowing Sae, she will not let it go.
"You did not like what you saw. You know people can surprise you especially when put to extreme danger", she pointed out.
…like him, she left unsaid. No one would have thought he would be able to make it during his game. With that amount of tributes in that arena, people thought a Career tribute would have won. They were able to kill most of the other tributes but Haymitch outsmarted them all and survived. No one expected that from a boy from District Twelve of all places.
"Is anyone will surprise me this year or the next?" he asked.
She frowned at him.
"You never bothered looking before. Tell me", she pushed.
He grabbed his bottle of whisky on the counter and took a big gulp before setting it back down.
"They're going to have Trinket retired if Twelve does not have any new Victors this year and the next", he revealed.
Sae got confused.
"So, you're getting yourself worked up because they're going to take away your escort? Are you scared because you will no longer have the chance to screw her? Is that it?" she asked with slight irritation.
Of course, she's aware they're sleeping with each other and that there might be more than that between the two but for him to actually bother stressing himself over the idea of not seeing her again? She did not see that coming.
Haymitch glared at her.
"Retiring is just a fancy word, Sae. You know that", he hissed.
They looked at each other and came to an understanding that had the old woman taking a deep breath. She had met the escort once and despite her being Capitol, she had seen how she's different from any other Capitol citizen she had seen. Most importantly, she had seen the escort's heart and Haymitch had obviously grown to care for her. That's the scariest part for her. She knew Haymitch does not deal with loss very well. If the escort dies, it will ruin Haymitch.
"Why would they do that? She's one of them", she asked, trying to find a reason to that madness.
She can understand why Capitol is keen on killing district people even though it's utter nonsense but one of their own?
"Snow found out or not. He always wants to play games with me. She knew too much. She always knew too much. She had grown attached and she slipped some other times. I don't really know how Snow's stupid brain works, Sae", he answered and resumed drinking.
Well, despite all of their denial, they're not very subtle. She saw that the day she came to his house and that's just a short amount of time. Surely, the Capitol saw that too and now, they found a pressure point for him.
"Boy, don't lose faith just yet. Things always happen for a reason", she muttered.
He wanted to scoff at that but the old woman has a strong sense of faith and he doesn't want to offend her.
"Sure. Whatever you say…" he responded.
Effie did not stop by his house when the Reaping Day comes. He had a Peacekeeper deliver his suit for the ceremony and that was it. He saw her at the Justice Building right before she went up the stage. She's full-on Capitol. She threw a smile his way but he knew better than to buy that. It's her escort smile. She started speaking to a dead crowd before reaping their usual set of tributes. It's not lost on him the way her voice faltered after seeing the two kids but she quickly recovered and closed the ceremony.
He watched her as she proceeded with her job and talked to the mayor before ushering them all inside the train. She talked to the kids in her high-pitched tone before sending them to their rooms.
"You're not drunk. I am impressed", is the first thing she said to him.
He does not understand why she did not come in his house earlier like she used to. Is she avoiding him? What's going on?
"Didn't want to hear your nagging this early", he commented.
She smirked before strutted to the end of the cart and started smoking. Her usual habit once they're on board. He followed just like before.
"They're not going to make it, are they?" she asked when he closed the door.
He wants to lie to her and tell her he can make it work. He can help the kids to survive, so she will survive.
"No, they're not", he answered in all honesty because that's what they are to another.
She sighed and took a long drag on her cigarette before facing him and smiled.
"Well, that would out of our hands, but we can spend time together at the very least", she said.
He scoffed.
"…and you didn't bother dropping by earlier", he snapped.
That made her roll her eyes around. Hands gesturing over her appearance.
"It took me hours to look like this. I will not let you ruin it with your ruffian manners, Haymitch. Thank you very much", she explained.
He does not get why she would even bother to look like a clown during the Reaping but he realized it's not about fashion. It's about her armor. She's already shaken enough by the possible short timeframe of her life and she does not want the world to see it too so she hid in that cake on her face.
"Fine. You're going to take all that off later. I ain't fucking you with all that crap on your face", he said.
She pursed her lips.
"Language…must you always be so crass", she chided.
"…like that does not turn you on", he teased and pulled her into his arms just so he can feel her.
He had missed her no matter how hard it is for him to admit it. He's never been vocal about his feelings for her. He cannot allow himself to do that. It's too dangerous so he hopes that he can let her know about it through his actions.
By the time they reached the penthouse, Effie is already sore all over. Haymitch kept pulling her any chance he gets inside the train. She literally had to push him away because he was about to ravish her ten minutes before the train stopped at the Capitol.
Just when the kids turned their backs, he had pulled her to his bedroom and tore her clothes off of her body and pinned her against the wall.
"What's gotten into you, Haymitch?" she asked while panting.
"Are you complaining, princess?" he asked her back and continued to attack her neck.
The hard wall is making her back complained but she couldn't bring herself to stop him because she wants it to.
"I am not complaining. You're just a little too eager than before", she answered.
He lifted her and threw her on his bed before crawled on top of her.
"I want you. Need you", he growled.
Her nails scratched his back. His possessiveness is always a turn on for her. She would be lying if she wants to take it slow because she does not.
"I am yours", she muttered.
That declaration caused the two of them to freeze. She did not mean it to say that out loud but it came out and she cannot take it back. Haymitch is not into word declaration of affection and she knows why. That's why she suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Effie…"
"Forget I said anything", she quickly cut him off.
She knows what he's going to say. It's dangerous and all that jazz. She does not need to hear it again. She tried to push him off of her but he did not budge. He's a lot stronger than him. She does not why she even bother sometimes.
"Mine", he growled while staring directly into her eyes before attacking her lips with such passion.
It caught her off-guard but she reciprocated with the same intensity.
It scares Haymitch for her to admit it like that but he knows she's his and that he's hers for a long time now. No one just wants to say it out loud because vocalizing it makes it more real. The fear of losing her became even greater because she's his and the Capitol wants to harm her because of him. He endangers those he cares about. That has been his life.
"Haymitch…please", she pleaded and he gave her what she wanted until they both lied on the bed, panting and completely spent.
District 2 took home the victory when Wade Rankine won the game, not that Effie and Haymitch noticed. They stopped watching the game when their tributes died. The urge to wallow on despair and hopelessness was strong but instead of wasting time doing that, they spent it together. They attended parties together and had a good time. They spent it with their friends, just bantering even with Johanna who remains apprehensive of the escort. Chaff and Finnick can sense there's something going on but none of them pressed. They can see how at ease the two are with one another and they don't want to ruin it by poking their noses into their business.
At the train station, Haymitch does not want to go and leave her at the Capitol. He wants to take her with him to keep her safe but she's not going to be safe either because they can just take her from his house even if he puts up a fight. He just does not want to lose time with her.
"It's going to be alright, Haymitch. We will see each other next season", she smiled, knowing what he's thinking about.
"You will call, right?" he asked.
"I will. I promise. Now, go before you missed your train. Take care of yourself, Haymitch", she answered and watched him left the city.
I am so excited because we're entering 74th Hunger Games next chapter!