Here's a prompt; the rebels think that Effie and Haymitch are dating (and Johanna talks about their sexual tension).

What's the matter with Haymitch?

"What is the matter with Haymitch?" Beetee asked after Katniss had left District Thirteen's cafeteria.

Finnick didn't answer right away, too busy following Annie with his eyes to be sure she was alright. She was busy talking with Delly and Peeta at the other end of the room, she didn't seem to be in any kind of distress so he turned back to the people still sitting at the table, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the topic being discussed.

"What isn't the matter with Haymitch?" Gale snorted. Finnick wasn't sure he liked the boy very much, he was too eager to pick up a fight for his taste although he could understand his thirst for revenge on the Capitol. "He's in withdrawal. It would be better for him if they allowed him some alcohol and reduce the dose every day. That's what they do with morphling, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's very true." Beetee agreed. "But liquor isn't the only problem, I fear. Since that stylist's execution he had been… hectic. Where they that close?"

Finnick took a sip of water. He didn't like to think about the stylist and Peeta's prep team being executed. They had all thought the same thing back then. Prisoners would be next and among them, Annie. His eyes fell on her again. She was smiling at something Peeta said. She was safe. Not everyone was that lucky.

"He's afraid for Trinket." Johanna rolled her eyes. "It's obvious, isn't it? She may be next."

He wished she hadn't said that. They didn't need that kind of gossip running around. The Capitol, Finnick supposed, didn't know what to do with Effie. They had all kept her in the dark precisely for that reason but if Snow had the slightest inkling that she was that important to a former victor…

"Trinket? The escort?" Gale asked. "What has she got to do with anything?"

Beetee's eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh, are they together? I didn't realize…" The man winced. "Well, that's not true. I've wondered before, but…"

"You just wondered?" Johanna smirked. "Really? The sexual tension between them is so thick you could cut it with a knife." She slumped back in her chair. "Have you ever share an elevator with those two? Because I have and let me tell you, it's not a comfortable place to be."

"Haymitch was dating the woman who sent children to their death every year?" There was disgust in Gale's voice and it made Finnick want to hit something.

"She's not like that." he said frostily. "I've seen escorts who didn't give a rat ass, Effie isn't like that. She cares."

"If she cared that much she wouldn't have done it." Gale retorted.

"I don't think she actually got a choice in that." Beetee pointed out. "Once in the Games, always in the Games."

Gale didn't look convinced and excused himself saying he had to go back to training, but the former victors all exchanged a look, knowing how true that statement was.

"Are they really together, then?" Johanna's question was specifically targeting Finnick, probably because she knew that if anyone sitting at that table knew anything about it, it would be him. "I mean, I know they're shagging, they must be. But are they like… in love or something?"

Finnick weighted the pros and the cons and he let out a sigh, knowing Johanna wouldn't let go. She wasn't about to use that information against Haymitch anyway nor was Beetee. "I think it was more about love than lust from the very beginning but I don't know anything for sure. Haymitch isn't talking to me right now. I don't think he's talking to anyone, really. He's always with Plutarch or Coin."

Johanna's face grew darker. "Well, that sucks."

Once again, Finnick's eyes wandered to Annie. He was so very grateful to have her back, so relieved… He had told Katniss he would rather see her dead than in the hands of the Capitol and he had meant it at the time… He couldn't help but wonder if Haymitch felt the same way. What were they doing to Effie? Was she considered a traitor or just a person of interest? They had left Annie alone because they knew he would never had told her anything about the rebellion but what about Effie? Cinna, Portia, Haymitch and Katniss… Not to mention her public friendship with him. She had been surrounded by rebels… Would Snow really believe she knew nothing of it? Did they just put her in prison or were they torturing her like they did to Johanna?

"You never saw her when you were there?" he asked her.

"I saw no one." Johanna replied, harshly, before closing her eyes. "Except Peeta."

"Do you think…" Beetee didn't finish his question and that was for the best really.

"If she had been at risk, they would have gotten her out when they took you." Finnick said. "Haymitch would move heaven and earth to save her. If she's not here, then there's probably no need to worry."

"Haymitch doesn't call the shots." Johanna shrugged. "And there's more than one detention center in the Capitol."

"She's just an escort." Beetee said, adjusting his glasses. "They won't concern themselves with an escort. Bigger fish to fry."

"She's District Twelve's escort." Finnick said. "And as Johanna pointed out in that lovely fashion of hers : everyone in the sponsors lounge knew there was something going on. When they're together, they're just…" He fell silent because he didn't have the words to describe their relationship. It was too different from what he shared with Annie. He and Annie were meant to be, he had known that as soon as he had realized what he felt for her was more than what a mentor should feel for his tribute. It was hard sometimes and mostly complicated at others but it was also easy, obvious and true. It wasn't the same thing for Haymitch and Effie.

"They're always at each other's throat." Johanna looked wistful to Finnick but he didn't comment on it. He suspected she had had a crush on Haymitch in her first years as a mentor and he could understand that because he had sported a boy crush on Effie for years, probably because she was the only Capitol woman who didn't seem interested in getting into his pants. "You never know if they're going to kill each other or have wild monkey sex in the middle of the room."

Beetee winced at the image but Finnick only smiled because… it was fairly accurate. "They never flaunted it but anybody paying attention would have seen it."

"I will have to take your word on that." Beetee said. "I've only mentored a few times since Trinket took the job."

Bonus on coming from a Careers District there was always someone else to do the mentoring. There was a bunch of victors too in Four and they usually took turns, two of them each year, but Finnick always ended up mentoring anyway. The Capitol couldn't get enough of him.

"I hate her." Johanna said, out of the blue. "She's always so… happy and peppy. Look at my shoes, they're the latest ! Stop drinking, Haymitch! How rude is that!" She made a face. "Her piercing voice makes me want to strangle her, I swear. One hour with Trinket and I'm almost grateful for my escort."

He wondered what it told about them, the victors, that they couldn't seem to be able to talk about the Games in past tense.

"Would she help you shower if you were covered in vomit and too drunk to care? Would she stay beside you all night and soothe your nightmares? Would she cry because you're obviously so fucked up by what happened to you and she can't do a thing to help?" He tried to keep the edge out of his voice but he found it difficult. "Because mine certainly wouldn't."

"She's in love with him, that doesn't count. That has nothing to do with her job as an escort." Johanna crossed her arms. "And as an escort she was fucking annoying."

"She did it for me too, sometimes." Finnick confessed. There had been times when everything had seemed too much. He had been too young, too tired and the Capitol had seemed too dark a place but he could always count on Effie at those times. The penthouse had always been opened to him. "I don't care how annoying she can be because she's a good person and she doesn't deserve being thrown in prison. She had done nothing wrong. She doesn't know anything. She must feel so betrayed…" He felt guilty. He had never told Effie he considered her a friend, it went unspoken between them, but he wished he had. He wished…

"Not all escorts are bad." Beetee said carefully, as if it could be taken the wrong way. "I've seen some who really cared about the children. They never lasted long, though." Johanna's face didn't encourage him to go further on that train of thoughts. "I'm surprised Haymitch didn't have a plan to retrieve her, if what you're saying is true."

"He did." Finnick knew that much, at least. Plutarch had been more forthcoming that Haymitch on the subject. "It backfired. They managed to retrieve Katniss' prep team but they couldn't get to Effie. She was arrested as soon as the arena exploded."

"That's fucked up." Johanna shook her head. "And that's why I'm glad to be alone. I don't have to worry about anybody but me."

"Yes, well…" Finnick sighed. "It must be killing him not to be able to do anything for her." It sure as hell killed him when he had to wait for Annie to be rescued.

"That's fucked up." Johanna said again as a conclusion.