Prompt : You often write that Haymitch smells like whiskey, cheap soap and sweat. Could you write something where he smells differently because he used an aftershave or whatever and Effie is like really confused and needs to find a way to tell him that she prefers the more manly smell. That's my prompt. Thank you! :)

Of Cheap Soap And Chemical Apricot

Haymitch was busy piling logs next to the fireplace in prevision of the harsh winter that was slowly starting to creep on Twelve when she came back from helping Peeta at the bakery. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and buried her face in his woolen sweater, feeling always so glad to have made the decision to move in permanently. It was still fresh, only two weeks, but she was already relieved not to have to go back and forth between Twelve and the Capitol anymore. All those train journeys had been exhausting.

"Favorite thing about you moving in?" he snorted. "All the sex I get."

"Don't be preposterous, I'm only cuddling." she grinned, as he turned around to steal a kiss.

"Cuddling always ends up with sex with you." he teased.

She tightened her hold on him, knowing he was a little right. They had been together for long enough that sex had taken a back seat in their relationship lately – which was odd because it used to be its pillar – but moving in had rekindled the flame in more ways than one.

She peppered his jaw with kisses, nibbling softly at his stubble covered chin, and then she froze. Something wasn't right. She drew back to look at him, wrinkling her nose. "Why do you smell like that?"

He rolled his eyes. "What's your problem now? I got sweaty carrying the logs inside but I took a shower this morning."

He did smell faintly like he had been working out but that wasn't the problem. Haymitch always smelt like whiskey, cheap soap and faint sweat. The smell was comforting, familiar... She loved it. The whiskey touch was there, the sweat too but the cheap soap...

"What did you shower with?" she frowned.

He smelt like chemical apricot.

He shrugged. "I don't know. With one of the bottles you left upstairs."

One of her shower gels then. She had a whole collection of them.

"It won't do." she decided, pulling on his sweater until he had no other choice but to lift his arms so she could slip it over his head. She pushed him in the direction of the stairs. "You need to get that smell off you."

"What? No!" he protested, trying to resist but since he was unwilling to hurt her he had no choice but to comply and walk up the stairs. "I showered this morning, Princess!"

"Don't whine like a five years old, Haymitch." she chided him, kicking off her shoes as soon as they made it to the bedroom and fumbling with the zipper of her dress.

"You should have said you were coming with me." he smirked, suddenly more eager to get in the shower.

She didn't let him kiss her again until they had washed that smell from his skin and replaced it with his regular soap.

She might complain a lot about the way he lived his life but there were things that were so Haymitch she would never want to change them.