Prompt: Your Fics are amazing! I'm addicted to them, although I think Human tokens is gonna kill me! If your taking prompts: missing scene from catching fire, directly after Haymitch and Effie have said goodbye to Katniss and Peeta. Cause Effie went of crying we never got to see the interaction between Haymitch and Effie
A Dangerous Game
Haymitch followed Effie at more leisured pace, feeling off. Even with the plan in place… Saying goodbye to Katniss and Peeta wasn't something he liked to do. Her steps were brisk, her heels clicking hard against the floor and it wasn't until they were at her room that he realized maybe she hadn't wanted him to shadow her.
She glanced at him when she opened her door, seemed to hesitate for a second and then stepped inside and left the door open. It was a clear invitation and he followed her because he didn't know what else to do, softly closing the door behind him.
That was unprecedented.
He had been in her room before, of course. They had been working together for thirteen years, it had happened, but never without a purpose and never with the door being closed. He watched as she walked straight to the window.
"Do you like your token?" she asked and her voice felt odd. Broken.
He had spotted the tears in her eyes but she was usually better at collecting herself, at getting a grip on her emotions.
"It's awful." he shrugged, forgetting she couldn't see him with her back turned.
She laughed and it abruptly morphed into a sob.
Walking to her and wrapping his arms around her wasn't a conscious decision just as, he was sure, her turning around and burying her face in his neck wasn't planned on her part. At that moment though, it seemed as if she was the only one who could understand how he felt. Peeta and Katniss were their kids. Sending them back…
He held her while she wept, his hand coming to coil around her nape possessively. He had no reason to be possessive… But she was part of the team. She was the only part of the team he would be able to bodily protect as soon as the kids would be out there. And he intended to do it.
"You're playing a dangerous game." he murmured right against her ear once she had calmed down. "Crying for tributes, matching tokens… Looks a lot like rebelling to me. The Capitol doesn't like rebels, sweetheart."
"They deserve better." she argued in a hiss, careful not to speak too loud. "All of you do."
He smirked and ran his thumb up and down her neck soothingly.
He had thought he would have to drag her to Thirteen kicking and screaming…
Perhaps it would be easier than planned.