riggie:Hi! I love your one shots! Could I give a prompt? Maybe Johanna Mason is flirting with Haymitch Abernathy, and he is clearly enjoying and soaking up the attention. Effie Trinket is furious and Panem only knows what she'll do. Thanks.

It's Not Jealousy, It's Common Sense

Effie wasn't jealous.

She was simply concerned, she told herself again, nodding politely at what Mayor Undersee was saying but all the while sneaking glances at the two victors standing a little apart in Twelve's Justice Building, waiting for the ceremony to start.

Although some escorts were in a habit to do so, Effie didn't usually travel to Twelve for the Victory Tour – she didn't see a reason to. Yet, that time she hadn't been given a choice, the organization in Twelve had been so catastrophic the previous year, she had been sent ahead to supervise. That was how she came to stand in that hall, nodding to the mayor's ramblings even though she wasn't quite sure what he was saying, watching Johanna Mason chatting up Haymitch as if it was absolutely normal, all the while repeating to herself that it wasn't jealousy but common sense.

She should have left Haymitch where he was, she mused, victors weren't required to attend those ceremonies on stage but Effie had thought that since she had been dragged to Twelve and had to suffer through it, Haymitch should too. She had made sure he was sober enough, clean and shaved – which admittedly hadn't worked out too well because he had given up after a few scratches and was now sporting an uneven stubble but it wasn't that unpleasant to look at, it certainly did curious things to Effie's stomach – and she had brought enough clothes from the Capitol that he would have a new wardrobe for the winter. She had chosen wisely, of course, well-used to his peculiar tastes in matter of fashion, nothing too fancy. The suit and the coat she had forced him to wear earlier that morning looked very good, she thought, Haymitch looked very smart – dashing even.

And it hadn't escaped Mason's notice.

The latest victor was playing it coy one second only to retort something sharp to his banter the next. She was fiery, treacherous and she was certainly having a blast flirting with the older man. And Haymitch seemed to be having the time of his life – not that he would seriously do something with her, she was seventeen and Haymitch wasn't the kind of man to take advantage of younger victors but he wasn't against having a bit of fun. It was flattering, she guessed, for a man like him to be noticed by someone as young and gorgeous as Johanna was. Effie tried to catch his eyes but to no avail, he was deliberately not looking her way.

The second Johanna's hand fell on his arm, she made hurried excuses to Mayor Undersee and marched to the pair of victors. Haymitch watched her approach with a mocking smirk but Johanna only glared, making a face – not fond of escorts as Argila, Seven's escort, had confided in her.

Effie figured Johanna would be even less fond of her when she – not so subtly – dislodged the victor's hand to pin Haymitch's arm under hers.

"You must be very impatient for the Tour to actually start, Johanna." She was careful to keep her voice cheerful but with a warning edge to it. "It must be very intimidating for a seventeen years old." That part was directed at Haymitch who didn't even have the decency to feel guilty. He matched her glare with an inquisitive lift of eyebrows.

"I've killed seven people less than six months ago but a tour of Panem sounds very intimidating. Sure." Johanna sneered, looking down at her. "They don't hire escorts for their fucking brain, do they?"

Effie's smile didn't waver, too used to that kind of attacks from various victors to even feel hurt. She sensed a real desire to upset her in the girl though. They wouldn't be friends, she knew it at once.

"I think you should go back to your team." Effie suggested politely. "I'm afraid we've been keeping you long enough."

Blight and Argila were talking with the head of the filming crew, probably dealing with last minute details. Try as she might, Effie didn't quite manage to grasp Argila's attention.

"Haymitch can keep me as long as he likes." Johanna's grin was evocative and even Haymitch's amusement faltered a bit.

Fortunately, that was the moment Mayor Undersee gave the signal it was time for Twelve's representatives to walk on stage and Effie was only too happy to lead Haymitch away. They took the last two chairs, the ones closest to the edge. It wasn't long before Haymitch leaned in her direction.

"Jealous, Trinket?" he murmured, low enough that no micro could pick it up.

"Sit straight and don't embarrass me." she ordered, nodding along to Mayor Undersee's speech even though she had, once again, no idea what he was talking about.

"I think you were." Haymitch continued, staring at her. It was probably the only way not to look at the two giant faces projected on either side of the square. Their former tributes. Effie was staring at the mayor for the same reason – she didn't want to see them, she didn't want to remember. Fighting with Haymitch was a welcomed distraction.

"She's seventeen and you're a pervert." she hissed, clapping when it was time to clap to welcome Johanna on stage.

"I didn't want to shot her down. Who knows what will happen in a few years…" he chuckled.

Effie glanced at him, departing from her fake smile long enough to pinch her mouth in disapprobation. "I know what will happen in a few years: you will be an older pervert and she won't look at you twice."

"You're always so kind, sweetheart." He shook his head with a smirk.

"I know. But don't you worry I don't expect any expression of gratitude from you." she replied. He stifled his chuckles but several people turned to look at them in an odd way – probably because Johanna was still reading her cards in a bored tone. "Now, silence. You will get me in trouble."

"Don't I always?" he teased, placing his hand not so nonchalantly on her thigh.

She glanced at the screen in worry but the cameras were only for Johanna, nobody wanted to see Twelve's representatives after all but it could change at any second.

"Take it away or Chaff will have to teach you how to live one-handed." she warned.

"Yeah?" He squeezed her leg. He actually squeezed her leg in front of people. Granted, nobody was watching but…

"Haymitch, I swear I will…" she threatened only to be interrupted by mild clapping announcing the end of Johanna's speech. She stood up at the same time as every other Twelve's official except for Haymitch, he was the single one left sitting but he didn't seem to care. He was too busy staring at her ass.

They all went back inside the Justice Building and Effie turned to Haymitch as soon as they were more or less out of anybody's earshot only to close her mouth again when she spied Seven's victor approaching. The teenager flickered her long brown hair over her shoulder.

"So, do you fancy showing me around?" the victor asked with such self-confidence she clearly didn't expect to be shut down. Effie silently prayed that she would befriend Brutus or other victors from more prestigious Districts only because Haymitch rarely frayed with them and the escort didn't think she would be able to bear Johanna's rudeness on a regular basis.

"Don't you have to go and get ready for your big dinner?" Haymitch snorted.

"Fuck them." Johanna shrugged. "Or fuck me, that's an option too."

Effie gaped.

She simply… gaped.

So much rudeness, so much vulgarity… She could understand it from old men like Haymitch and Chaff but from a young lady of seventeen? However, the way Johanna was eying Haymitch was anything but ladylike.

"Nice, sweetheart." Haymitch snickered. "You broke my escort."

"Who cares?" There was a playful smile on the victor's lips, she sounded so sure Haymitch would simply go with her…

"She has her uses." He patted Effie's shoulder patronizingly.

She wanted to kill him. She would have killed him – or at least screamed abuse at him – if they hadn't been in public. She disliked fighting with him in public even though that was a thing the audience was waiting for every year, public disagreement hurt Twelve's image with sponsors.

"Well." she said petulantly before she could witness more inappropriate behavior. "I will leave you to it. I am in need of some fresh air."

She headed out without a backward glance, too furious to even put words on it. She didn't even know why she was so angry. She wasn't jealous. No. Not at all. Simply… upset by such a poor display of manners. That was it.

She wasn't familiar enough with Twelve to go anywhere else than the train station or the victors' village and she didn't think people would particularly welcome her asking for directions so she walked at random, finding her way to a meadow. Her shoes were covered with mud and she was starting to get cold so she simply stopped there before she could wander too far in a wilderness she wasn't ready to confront. She could glimpse the electric fence in the distance and a forest beyond that. It was always odd for her to be surrounded by so much nature when she came to Twelve.

"You shouldn't have gone like that." Haymitch's reproachful voice grunted in the distance after a few minutes. "It's not safe for you out there."

She didn't ask what he meant and she wasn't in any mood to play the game of the naïve escort who believed the Capitol was loved everywhere. She knew what Twelve's citizens thought of her, she had learned.

"That was quick even for you." she retorted, making a show of checking her watch. "How long was it? Ten, fifteen minutes? Was she disappointed?"

She was silenced by rough arms sneaking around her waist and hot chapped lips assaulting hers.

"Shut up." he growled.

It took several seconds for her to realize they were in public and to stop kissing him to push him away in fright. Her eyes darted around anxiously but she couldn't see anyone.

"Haymitch!" she snapped just in case.

"No one comes around here." He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm. "But you're right. Better safe than sorry. Let's go back to my house."

"Your house smells like a pigsty." She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the memory.

"Yeah, but my house has a bed." he pointed out.

"Then you should bring your new girlfriend there because I have to go back to Mayor Undersee's house and make sure everything is ready for dinner." she huffed, still a bit annoyed by all the previous flirting with Mason.

"Undersee will manage and nobody cares anyway." He advanced on her with a predatory glint in his grey eyes and she stepped back, trying to evade his hands but unable to suppress a giggle at his determination. She wasn't very quick with her heels, it kept getting stuck in the earth, so it wasn't long before she found herself back in his arms, his hands roaming on her back. "You're such a tease, sweetheart. Dressing like that, swaying those hips of yours, and I swear if you lick your lips once more…"

Effie's grin was smug. She had chosen a tight dress on purpose, knowing it would hug her curves and leave little to the imagination. It was less fanciful than what she would have worn in the Capitol but she thought a visit to Twelve required a tone-down in her usual attire. As for the rest… Well… To each their own weapons. Mason relied on her quick comebacks, Effie had more grown-up traits to offer.

"Yes?" she asked innocently, her tongue darting to lick her cherry-red painted lips. "What will you do?"

The kiss was rough and almost aggressive and she moaned in his mouth.

"Back to my house." he growled against her lips. "Now."

"What about Johanna Mason?" she asked, battling her fake eyelashes with fake puzzlement.

"Invite her if you want, sweetheart." Haymitch smirked. "I don't mind."

"Horrible man!" Effie laughed, whacking his arm. She started walking without waiting for him, battling against the uneven ground and thankful the place was still deserted.

He caught up with her easily enough. "Where are you going?"

"Your pigsty of a house." Effie sighed. "Because for a reason that is beyond my understanding, I want you. I do hope your bed is cleaner than the rest. You should think about hiring a housekeeper. You certainly have the money to do so and I am sure someone would be grateful for the job."

"When you're done telling me how to live in my own bloody house, you might want to turn around 'cause you're going to the Seam." he chuckled. "The victors' village is that way."

He pointed over his shoulder and she stopped.

"Your District would benefit from direction signs, you know." she huffed.

"You're a lost cause." he snorted, shaking his head.

Since she was falling more and more desperately each time she saw him despite all of his flaws, she mused, she probably was.

And she was strangely alright with that.