Prompt : May I prompt? Effie and Haymitch are both in 13 and Coin gets suspicious of their relationship and gives them a talk about not wanting gossip and heartbreak in her district? Lawsuit inspired me to be honest. And you can decide if it's book Coin or movie Coin. Thaaaank you.

Soldier and Trinket Don't Mix In The Same Sentence

Effie sauntered around the room, handing out copies of the report. Haymitch snatched his from her hand, looking her up and down with a smirk. He didn't say anything, Coin was talking and she hated to be interrupted without a good reason, but Effie knew him well enough to know what he was thinking and she rolled her eyes, discreetly whacked his shoulder and continued handing out the papers. More than one pair of eyes lingered on her.

Haymitch couldn't blame them. Everyone in Thirteen was wearing that shapeless uniform but she was bravely resisting being assimilated by the military entity. He disapproved, of course, because it didn't help her fit in, and he was the one who had to play buffer every time she ruffled feathers the wrong way – which made for a not so nice reversal of their usual roles – but she had never taken his opinions into account before and, clearly, she wasn't about to start now.

She was wearing two shirts buttoned together so it looked like a huge dress fitted at the waist with a belt, grey woolen tights, and that scarf on her head. The black woolen sweater she had stolen from him and never handed back was abandoned on the back of her chair, entirely useless.

Coin suddenly stopped her monologue to click her tongue with annoyance.

"Miss Trinket, I will thank you to wear pants from now on. This is a war room not a dance club. You are distracting our soldiers from their tasks."

Effie pursed her lips but gave a curt nod of understanding before taking back her seat.

In was a hour later, as they had called a break and people were wandering around or talking in small groups, that Haymitch approached Effie. She was standing in front of the electric kettle, contemplating the selection of tea bags, no doubt lamenting the lack of coffee. He stopped behind her, a hand innocently resting on her waist, very much pressing himself against her back.

"Haymitch." she warned. It would have been more efficient if he hadn't heard the smile in her voice.

"I think our dear President has the hots for you, Trinket." he snorted. "You are distracting her."

"Am I distracting you?" she retorted, pressing back against him just a little. It was enough to make his blood run south and he regretfully stepped back, too aware they were in a room full of people. He didn't let go of her waist though, his thumb drew silly patterns on that rough grey cotton shirt.

"Is that your game, sweetheart?" he smirked. "Distracting me with your endless legs?"

"Perhaps." she hummed, finally settling on a tea bag and dropping it in a mug before adding hot water.

He pretended to look at the tea over her shoulder so he could bring his mouth to her ear. "I like those legs best wrapped around my waist."

"Personally, I like them best when they are wrapped around your head but I suppose it is a matter of preferences." she deadpanned.

He couldn't help his chuckles and several heads turned in their direction, amongst which Coin's. Haymitch suddenly felt like he was back in high school.

"Minx." he accused, giving her waist a gentle squeeze before leaving her to her tea and joining Plutarch at the other end of the room. The Gamemaker shot him a knowing look but Haymitch acted clueless.

Of course, acting clueless lasted only so long as the next briefing.

"Soldier Abernathy. Soldier Trinket." Coin snapped, as everyone was spilling out of the room to go get well-earned food and rest.

"Yeah, see, soldier and Trinket don't mix in the same sentence." Haymitch snorted. "That's antithetic or some shit."

"Language, Haymitch." Effie sighed. "How many times should I remind you…"

"Silence." Coin demanded, rising her voice a little.

Haymitch opened his mouth to tell the woman exactly how much he liked being scolded like a dog or a schoolboy but Effie placed a restricting hand on his arm and he wisely remained silent.

The President's milky grey eyes darted from the victor to his escort.

"I don't tolerate promiscuity between officers." she started.

"It is lucky I am not an officer, then, isn't it?" Effie replied with a polite but firm smile. Her whole stance screamed she was ready to fight Coin on this. Haymitch buried his hands in his pockets and got ready to watch the President getting slaughtered. Coin may be good at the politician thing but he still had to meet anyone who could beat Effie Trinket in a verbal spar – and that included him.

"Be that as it may." the President hissed, narrowing her eyes at the escort. "I do not tolerate drama or gossip in my District. Either keep it for your respective compartments or break it off entirely but if you act unprofessional again, either of you, there will be consequences. And, Miss Trinket, I will thank you to wear your uniform properly from now on. I tolerated your eccentricities for too long."

"With all due respect, I do not think we were acting unprofessional." Effie countered. "Haymitch and I have been working together for thirteen years and we certainly are professional. Well, I am at least. I resent this accusation."

"Resent all you want." Coin spat. "I won't have you sauntering around my war room, wriggling your hips and flashing your underwear to my soldiers. This is a military District not a brothel."

"Careful." Haymitch growled.

"Hush, Haymitch." Effie said, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head at the woman in front of her. "Are you so badly threatened by the way I dress because you think being a female leader means you have to suppress all sign of femininity? You have a strong personality, Alma, I do not think anyone would think less of you if you took care of your hair or nails once in a while. Or even wear a dress for that matter. I find that my body grants me power over men and certain women alike, and, no, I have no qualm about using it, why would I? If that justifies being called a tramp in your opinion, then so be it." She wrinkled her nose as she said the word tramp – which Haymitch found both ridiculous and adorable, and it annoyed him to find it adorable.

Effie was staring at the President without blinking or showing the faintest trace of fear. It was all an act, he thought, but it was a good one.

"I should have you tossed in a cell." Coin declared.

"Or you could listen to me when I say you should do something for your hair because it does not befit Panem's leader." she replied, lifting her hands in a helpless gesture. "You are like Haymitch, you do not understand the power of appearances. Why do you think so many Capitol believe in President Snow? I will tell you, because he looks the part. I've seen so many tributes die because they refused to be properly coached… Appearances are everything, Madam President."

"Okay, you both made your point." Haymitch cut in. "We'll be leaving now."

Coin was still looking at Effie with loathing but there was something else behind her grey eyes, a spark of interest, and he wasn't sure he liked the idea of her using is escort as a PR. She tried to protest but he nudged and pushed Effie out of the room and only breathed again three corridors away, once he was certain no soldiers would appear to arrest them.

"Do you have to goad her like that?" he grumbled. "You're going to get yourself in trouble and, watch me, if you think I will come to the rescue, sweetheart."

She flashed him a mocking smile. "I know you will always come to my rescue, Haymitch. Who would wrap their legs around your waist otherwise?"

"Don't flatter yourself." he scoffed. "I could replace you."

She lifted an eyebrow neither amused nor convinced.

"Really?" she asked. "In that case, I better find someone willing to have my thighs locked around their head… Do you think Boggs would be agreeable? President Coin will certainly have something to say about that but I like to think I'm spicing her life a little. Oh. Perhaps…"

"Don't finish that sentence." he winced. He didn't want to think about Coin and Effie in that way. Actually he didn't want to think about Effie in that way with anyone else but him. "You're not hooking up with anyone else."

"It doesn't seem very fair." she pouted. "Here you are, claiming you can replace me. Why can't I replace you? There are plenty of men willing to…"

"You made your point, Effie." he muttered, quickening his pace.

"My apologies, what was that?" she grinned.

He rolled his eyes, gave a quick look around to make sure the corridor was deserted and then pushed her against the wall, pinning her there with uncanny familiarity. "I'm not replacing you, you're not replacing me. But you better do something about those legs 'cause you've been a tease all day and I want payback now."

She laughed, hooking a foot behind his calf and tugging him closer.

"So much for keeping it to our respective compartments." she winked.