Happy Birthday Madam Press Secretary

Effie was lying on her sister's brand new bed, lost in a sea of clothes that were waiting to be hanged in the – also brand new – walk-in closet. Granted, it wasn't very proper to have appropriated the bed like that – or even at all, really – but she and Lyssa tended not to stand on ceremony anymore and she felt… tired. They had just finished the tour of the apartment their father had finally found for Lyssa and the boys. After weeks of staying at their parents', Lyssa had been ready to tear her hair out by the roots.

"I know it is small." Lyssa sighed, surveying her bedroom with her hands on her hips. "But what do you think?"

She thought her sister had hired an interior decorator and it showed because as lovely as the place looked, it also had the same impersonal feel her old house used to. But she knew better than say that much out loud.

"It is not that small." she teased. "How much are you paying for this?"

Because real estate being what it was in the heart of the city, she was fairly certain the apartment had cost Lyssa a pretty penny.

"Nothing." her sister admitted, a bit sheepish. "It is one of Father's investments. He was thinking of turning it into office space but… Well, he said I am welcomed to it as long as I wish."

Effie snorted and stared at the ceiling. "I had to buy my own place."

Lyssa was watching her with a small uncertain frown. "Are you… jealous?"

Was she? Not really. The divorce was messy, Rufus was resisting with all the might of his lawyers and his family's influence. Lyssa would never lack for money, her trust fund alone insured that – and neither would Effie for that matter – but the whole stress of the separation, the boys and their endless questions about why their father wasn't around anymore, the very public scandals surrounding her husband that kept looping back as breaking news every time a new element was uncovered…

No, Effie, wasn't jealous because Tadius had gifted Lyssa an apartment – as well as the lawyer's fees, from what she had understood. Besides, Lyssa, she felt, needed to be taken care of. Effie had always been very good at taking care of herself and, truth be told, she would rather have her independence than gifts that could have been thrown back in her face every time she stepped out of line.

She pouted. "He forgot my birthday."

Lyssa's frown softened into understanding. "Father?"

This time, her snort was clearly mocking. "When has Father ever remembered our birthdays? There was a bunch of flowers and a card on my desk this morning. I sent a thank you note to his secretary."

"I had to buy the woman tropical fishes, you know…" Lyssa hummed. "To replace the unfortunate goldfish the boys… Well. She was not happy with me. I did not get a card on my birthday at all."

"But you got an apartment." she pointed out. "And a new car. Don't bother denying it, I saw it when I parked in the garage."

Lyssa made a small face. "He wanted to make me feel better." She waved a dismissive hand. "So, if it isn't Father… Who forgot your birthday?"

Her pout deepened. "Haymitch."

Lyssa gasped, her eyes going wide. "No way."

She let out a long sigh. "He is very stressed because of the dam thing… Five is being a pain in our… behind." She barely caught herself in time. He was a very bad influence on her. "I suspect Coin is also about to make a comeback."

And was maneuvering behind the scene to make their lives very difficult.

Lyssa sat on the edge of the bed, watching her with an understanding look on her face. "Is that why you are dressed like a hobo? You are sulking?"

Effie took offense to that.

She certainly wasn't dressed to impress but her jeans were designers, her black tee-shirt was tucked inside her pants, slightly billowy as was the trend for casual, and her ruby red heels gave the whole thing just the right chic. She had paired the outfit with a high ponytail and expensive large sunglasses. "I am incognito."

Her sister's blue eyes were twinkling with amusement. "It is about as effective as when your President walks around with that monstrous beanie on his head. For your information."

She resisted the very childish urge to stick her tongue out. "It is comfortable. For your information."

"I have never known you to concern yourself with comfortable." Lyssa remarked, standing up to start putting her clothes away again.

Effie debated what she wanted to say and what she wanted to keep to herself and decided against suffering in silence.

So far, her birthday had been lousy. The highlight had been stopping in the office on her way out and finding the flowers her father's secretary had sent. It seemed the old woman was the only one who remembered the date. Her mother hadn't condescended to calling her yet – not that Effie expected her to since she was being blamed for her sister's divorce – Peeta hadn't even sent a text and Haymitch had acted completely clueless even when she had heavily hinted he was forgetting something. If, at least, it had been a work day she could have distracted herself but since it was the week-end and spending the whole day locked in her office hadn't appealed to her, she had accepted her sister's invitation to come visit the new place.

The fact that Lyssa had only barely gasped a happy birthday as an afterthought when Effie had showed up on her doorstep with a box of cupcakes – officially as a housewarming gift but, unofficially, because she deserved some sugar on her birthday and nobody else seemed willing to provide it, dammit – hadn't really helped her mood.

Even Portia, dependable Portia, hadn't texted her and, when she had suggested they met for drinks or dinner, her best friend had claimed she was too busy preparing her next fashion show right then but that they could meet up later in the week.

Effie felt very abandoned.

And it wasn't fun to feel abandoned on your birthday when you were past your mid-thirties.

"I got my period this morning." she announced bitterly. "Happy birthday to me."

Lyssa froze. The pink dress she had been inspecting was immediately tossed aside and she sat right back at the edge of the bed, closer though, grasping her hand. "Oh, honey… You know it hasn't been that long since your started the treatment… The doctor said…"

"I know." she cut her off, blinking off the stupid tears that were burning her eyes and the back of her throat. "I was a few days late. I let myself hope like an idiot."

"Have you told Haymitch?" Lyssa asked, sympathetic.

"Not yet." She sighed. "I was not quite sure if I should lead with that or with the whole forgetting my birthday thing…" She shook her head. "It does not matter."

"Of course, it does." her sister whispered. "I am sorry your birthday has been such a drag so far."

"I thought he was pulling a prank on me at first, you know." she admitted, not quite managing to hide the hurt in her voice. "It is something he would do. Pretend to forget only to surprise me with… something. But I waited all day and… nothing." She swallowed hard. "It does not matter, really. He is a busy man. He has more important things on his mind."

"I am absolutely certain nothing is more important on his mind than you." Lyssa gently corrected.

Effie appreciated the sentiment but she couldn't quite make herself feel it at that moment. Birthdays weren't exactly her favorite things. The weight of passing years, growing older – less beautiful, less attractive, less… – and add to that the disappointment of figuring out she wasn't yet pregnant…

"Portia is too busy for me too." she muttered, pouting like a child again. She knew she was being unfair. More often than not she was the one blowing off her friends because of work. She could understand work emergencies better than anyone else.

"Is she?" Lyssa winced. "Well, then, we will have to do something extra special."

Her phone beeped and she slipped it out of her pocket eagerly, hoping against all hopes it was Haymitch finally remembering… But it wasn't Boggs' number or any of the other bodyguards'.

"Seneca." she deadpanned. "He remembered." She dropped the phone without bothering to type an answer. "Perhaps Mother is right and I should marry him after all."

"Bite your tongue!" Lyssa laughed, shaking her head. "You and me, then. What do you want to do?"

A few years ago, she wouldn't have been able to conceive a quiet birthday. She would have gone out all night, partied until dawn, gotten very drunk and done a certain numbers of unadvised things just to make herself feel alive… Now, though…

"Dinner with the boys and a cartoon?" she suggested, not even bothering to try and put some cheer in her voice.

Lyssa rolled her eyes. "Certainly not. It is your birthday and we will celebrate. I know just the perfect place… It is a darling little restaurant… You will love it."

A restaurant didn't sound too dreadful and it had been ages since she had gone out. "Alright. As long as it isn't too classy and doesn't mind my hobo outfit."

"Oh, no…" Lyssa shook her head again. "You are dressing up. Birthdays are important."

"If they are so important how come you almost forgot mine?" she replied.

"I congratulated you the second I opened the door." Lyssa denied.

"Because you saw the cupcakes." she argued. "Do not lie, Lyssandra. It is unbecoming."

She had an uncanny gift for imitating their mother's voice and they both laughed at how ridiculous it even sounded.

Lyssa rummaged around the clothes thrown on the bed and finally pulled out a darling little red number. "What about this? I never wore it. It is too daring for me but it would look good on you…"

The dress indeed looked brand new and it was exactly the sort of things Effie would buy for herself. It was sexy but not vulgar, form-fitting, with golden embroideries on the bodice…

She was very comfortable in her jeans and tee-shirt but… She had never been able to resist the siren song of soft silk… She sat up and snatched the dress from her sister. "Tossing that sort of wonder on the bed so carelessly is a crime, you know."

She wasn't particularly shy or modest so she changed right where she was while Lyssa looked around for shoes to go with the dress after having determined that the color of her heels would clash with it.

She found a pair of golden stilettos that laced up her calves that would be perfect. They were a touch too big for her because her sister had bigger feet but she could make do…

"Make-up and hair…" Lyssa hummed. "I will call up my prep team."

"No need. It is just us." Effie tried to tell her but her sister wouldn't be denied.

"It is your birthday. My treat!" Lyssa insisted.

Effie didn't fought it for long.

And, truth be told, two hours spent being pampered by a glam squad might have been exactly what she needed. She got her nails done, she let the hair artist cut her hair just an inch – enough that she felt brand new but not enough that she would regret it the next day – and then styled it into a sophisticated hairdo, she let the make-up artist turn her face into a work of art… It barely looked like she was wearing any make-up at all – which of course was the trick because, once he was done, she was also beautiful and glowing.

She was very pleased with the reflection on Lyssa's floor-to-ceiling mirror when they were done. She was dressed to the nines though and that seemed a bit too much for a simple outing to a restaurant with her sister… But when she shared her worries with her, Lyssa said she looked perfect. She was very dressed-up herself.

"Just how classy is this place?" she asked.

"You will see." Lyssa replied with a mysterious smile, pushing her out the door. When they reached her sister's brand new car in the garage – a red sports coupé with slick lines that almost made her whimper with longing and jealousy – Lyssa tossed her the keys. "You drive."

That was a birthday treat she would not refuse.

Gale seemed positively green with envy when he climbed into his own SUV to follow them from afar.

It was almost frustrating to drive such a jewel of a car in the city though. The car was made for open spaces and empty roads, for speed and daredevils antics… The engine actively protested the slow pace traffic imposed.

"Any chance you would let me borrow it for an afternoon in the country?" she almost begged when they stopped at an umpteenth red light.

"As long as you promise not to kill yourself playing pilot rally…" Lyssa retorted with a knowing look.

"I take back what I said earlier, by the way. I am jealous." she hummed. "You can keep the apartment but this car? I am going to insist Father buys me one too… It is only fair."

An amused smile played on her sister's lips but she looked through the window, switching topics. "When are you leaving on holidays again?"

"A little over two weeks." Effie groaned. "I cannot wait. Haymitch still doesn't know where we are going. It will a complete surprise…"

She had promised Haymitch they could get away for a holiday alone this summer and she intended to deliver. Baring any emergency, they would both disappear on a private island close to Four's coast for fourteen blissful days. She had organized everything. There would be a complete lockdown around the island: nothing would be authorized to fly over or sail too close… It meant mobilizing a lot of military boats, specially trained navy Peacekeepers as well as a couple of hovercraft pilots in case of emergency but it also meant they would be allowed complete privacy. They would be allowed fourteen days to pretend they were an absolutely normal couple – bare the billionaire mansion they would be staying in, the surrounding army and the fact either of them could be called back in if it was deemed important…

Haymitch didn't know any of the details yet.

She had worked everything out with Plutarch and Boggs.

She wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"When is the last time you went anywhere on a holiday?" Lyssa teased.

She honestly couldn't remember.

"At this point, I would go anywhere if it meant an hour of uninterrupted time with him, you know…" she confessed. "This year has been… a lot. We need some time together."

"Yes…" Lyssa hummed. "I can understand that."

Effie glanced at her sister, wondering if she was drawing comparisons with her own marriage and…

"Do you think Mother is right?" she whispered before she could stop herself. "Do you think… Do you think we live in a bubble and the moment he is not President anymore it will burst?"

The secrecy was weighting down on him, she knew.

If he could, he would have had her standing with him at every official banquet or ball…

Sometimes, on her less charitable days and despite his claims they could manage to have a child together and keep denying it all, she wondered if the baby wasn't a trap to force her hand into going public…

But he would never do that and she knew it.

Sometimes it was just hard to…

"Effie." Lyssa said seriously, turning in her seat to face her. "There is a ring on your finger. He wants to have a family with you. And he is obviously terribly head over heels for you. It is glaring, you know. The whole country can see it."

"And yet he forgot my birthday." she countered softly.

She didn't want to hold it against him.

She knew he had a lot on his mind. She knew no matter how much he loved her, she had to come second to his job because obviously Panem was more important than she was and, maybe, if she hadn't been so disappointed to have her period that morning, she would have been able to accept it better but… Yes, it made her sad that he had forgotten.

Lyssa hummed but didn't answer, simply pointing at an empty parking spot that Effie, for all her skills behind a wheel, had some problems maneuvering into. It earned her some annoyed honking from other drivers and a smug mocking smile from Gale who had ample time to park his car and come wait on the pavement for them.

"Maybe I should drive on the way back." he offered, once she had finally managed to safely stick the car in the spot.

She shot him a look. "Good try."

"Hey, I do not mind having a driver…" Lyssa joked, looping her arm under hers and dragging her down the street to a restaurant that definitely wasn't a darling little place.

"Where are we going?" Effie asked when it seemed like Lyssa had lost her head and was leading them to Sae's.

"Where do you think?" her sister mocked, pushing the door and steering her inside.

"We will never get a table last minute." she argued.

It was the most exclusive restaurant in Panem.

So exclusive the waiting list was months long.

Even Plutarch had troubles getting a table sometimes and he was one of the most powerful men in the country.

She had never managed to get a reservation and she was the bloody Press Secretary.

"We will see." Lyssa hummed with a secret smile that made Effie frown.

"What are you up to?" she asked, suspicious. "Did you plan this? Oh, please, do not tell me Father and Mother are in here somewhere…"

Because her father would have his entries here, obviously.

He owned the block, he probably even had shares in the restaurant or…

"Mother is being Mother. No chances of her coming out tonight. And Father is on a business trip." Lyssa told her as they approached the maitre d.

Lyssandra didn't even have to say anything.

The man took one look at her and nodded in welcome. "If you would follow me, ladies…"

Effie was a public figure, being recognized wasn't that unnerving anymore but she hadn't expected…

"Lyssa?" she insisted as her sister led her forward through the restaurant, arm still looped around hers. The man led them down a corridor and up a series of stairs… Effie would have started worrying but Gale was right behind them, looking untroubled – most likely in the known…

Her heart beating, Effie was starting to wonder if…

Finally, the man opened a door that clearly led to a private back room where a long table had been dressed and…

"Surprise!" several voices shouted at once.

But Effie could only see the man who looked far too proud of himself, his smug smirk, his twinkling grey eyes…

She wasn't even aware that she was moving until she had crossed half the room. She tossed herself at him, arms locked around his neck, kissing him for all she had worth out of relief and…

He hadn't forgotten after all.

And that meant a lot.

Really, it meant…

Haymitch kissed back like he always did but there was some restrain in it that she only understood once her brain kicked off again and she registered the embarrassed coughing and the amused giggles.

He drew back with a snort, planting a last peck on her lips. "Good thing I handed out NDAs around before you walked in, sweetheart…"

She blinked at him and then looked around the room, screeching in delight when she spotted Portia. Portia screeched right back and they hugged as if they hadn't seen each other in ages even if it had only been two weeks.

"I thought you were working!" she exclaimed.

"Mum was the word." Portia grinned, nodding at the man standing behind Effie. "I'm a patriot. I obey orders when they come from, you know… The President." Effie opened her mouth, not quite sure how she was going to keep denying Haymitch was her boyfriend when she had just kissed the living hell out of him but… Portia winked. "Do not worry, darling. We all signed the papers. And it is about time I met your future husband anyway."

Haymitch snorted, wrapping an arm around Effie's shoulders like he had never ever done in public before. "I like her, sweetheart. She's funny."

"High praise coming from the man I pay taxes to." Portia joked.

She let them bicker, greeting Cinna, and then Plutarch… Katniss and Peeta were both treated to huge hugs too… She planted a kiss on a grumpy Boggs' cheek – because given the number of Peacekeepers lining the walls he couldn't have been too happy with how secure the building was. The mingling brought her back to Haymitch who was chuckling at whatever Lyssa had just told him…

"You did all this?" she asked, tentatively leaning against his side since it seemed everyone in that room was now part of the secret…

"Lyssa helped." He shrugged, his hand landing at the small of her back. "Should have seen your face all day… Too funny, sweetheart…"

She exchanged a fleeting glance with her sister – because clearly it hadn't been that funny for her – but Lyssa held her tongue about that. Instead, she dangled the keys of her new car until Effie automatically held out her palm and then let them drop in her hand.

Her sister smiled. "Father wishes you a happy birthday and advises you that he will not pay for any speed ticket. He also cautions you not to be too rash with it."

Effie's eyes widened. She quickly snatched the keys and cradled them close to her breasts just in case Lyssa tried to take them back. "Are you kidding?"

"What would I do with a sports car?" Lyssa laughed. "I have two little boys, Effie."

"Sports car?" Haymitch asked with a tinge of worry and a good dose of interest.

"You will love it." she promised. "If we can convince Boggs to let us go for a ride…"

Boggs was close enough to be within earshot and did a very good job at pretending he was deaf.

She supposed that meant no.

Well…

They could work on him.

When they sat down for dinner, she took a seat next to Haymitch.

It was refreshing not to have to keep her hands to herself, to be able to touch him if she wanted his attention, to smile at him, to chuckle when he whispered private jokes in her ear… Clearly, he must have found it freeing too because his hand landed on her thigh halfway through the meal and stayed there, a comforting familiar weight.

It would only be for a night, she supposed, because in effect nothing had changed.

Katniss, Peeta and Plutarch – not to mention the Peacekeepers – had all known before and they still kept it for empty rooms and closed doors, but… For one night it was amazing to be able to act as if she was allowed to treat him like her fiancé and not like her head-of-state…

She was embarrassed when they all sang happy birthday when the cake was brought but happy that the cake was all chocolate and strawberries with whipped cream. Her favorite. And clearly a special request from Haymitch…

For how terrible it had started, it turned out to be a great birthday…

Maybe even, she dared to think as she snuggled into his chest in the safety of the car on the way back to the Mansion after dinner, the best birthday.

"I need to tell you something." she whispered as the car passed the gates.

He coiled his hand around her nape, gently kneading away the tension. "Anything to do with the pregnancy tests Peeta stocked in the bathroom's cupboard yesterday?"

There was a slice of excitement in his voice, as if he believed she was about to top his surprise party with something even better…

She almost reconsidered telling him. Perhaps it would be better to wait the next day or…

But she knew his moods and she knew he would start kissing her with intent the moment they would be back in the suite and… It would be even worse to quietly tell him it wasn't a good time when they were alone and he was in the mood for…

"I… It did not work." she confessed. "I realized this morning."

It took him a few moments to puzzle out how she could know given the undisturbed boxes of tests in the cupboard and then he tensed. "Shit, sweetheart… If you'd told me… I meant for today to be good not…"

"Today was great." she promised. "I loved it…"

He scoffed. "So you're telling me you didn't spend the whole day obsessing over it while thinking I was being an ass on top of it?"

She licked her lips and took a deep breath. "You could not have known and I loved my surprise. I just… It would have been perfect if…"

She let her voice trail off.

"Next time, sweetheart." he murmured, pressing a kiss on the top of her head.

It was all they had the time for before someone opened the car door for them. They stepped out and, if Haymitch grabbed her hand during the walk upstairs, they remained silent, both quietly grieving for something that hadn't even taken roots yet.

The Presidential suite was quiet, the lights had been left on in anticipation of their return. She spotted Rascal on the couch and picked him up with a smile. He protested the sleep interruption by battling his rear legs a few times but then seemed to give up and settled in her arms, purring loud. Haymitch snorted but scratched his head when he walked past them.

"I've got something for you." he said nonchalantly.

"You already gave me a lot." she chided but couldn't hide the interest in her voice.

He was the only one who hadn't passed on a gift at the restaurant but she figured he had paid for the private room and the meal and that it had probably not come cheap so…

"Never enough." He shot her his charmer smile, wriggling his eyebrows playfully and she laughed.

When he pulled a carefully wrapped-up gift from its hidden place behind the TV, she released the cat to take it from him, biting down on her bottom lip. "What is it?"

It was roughly the size of a shoe box, although larger. Too heavy to be shoes though.

"Not another sports car, don't get excited." he mocked as she inspected it for a clue. "Who even gives someone a sports car as a birthday gift?"

"Father gave Lyssa an apartment." she pointed out. "I am pretty sure he still owes me quite a few gifts to make us even."

Haymitch shook his head. "Your family is weird, sweetheart."

"You are my family." she replied without thinking.

His face softened and she saw the unchecked affection shining in his eyes.

Clearing her throat, she placed the gift down on the coffee table and kneeled on the creamy rug so she could carefully unwrap it. Haymitch dropped on the couch behind her. She felt the weight of his gaze on her nape, familiar and reassuring all at once.

"It's a jewelry box." he clarified when the wrapping paper and the protective layer of silk that was lining it fell aside.

It was indeed a jewelry box and it was… it was beautiful. The lid was encased with glass, drawings of beautiful butterflies taking flights underneath… She had never seen anything like it. When she opened it, the slightly mechanic notes of an old folklore song started playing… A lullaby, she thought, from his District…

"It's custom made…" he continued nervously when she didn't say anything. "I remembered this little shop in Twelve… Thought you might like it."

She twisted back to look at him, her eyes shining. "I love it." She climbed on his lap and tossed her arms around his neck, squeezing tight. "Thank you. And thank you for tonight. It was perfect." Well, not perfect. It would have been perfect if a fragile life had been growing inside her but… It had been as close to that as could be. "Even if letting me think you forgot my birthday was really mean. I will have to get back at you for your birthday, you realize."

"Looking forward to it, princess…" He chuckled, pressing a series of kisses down the side of her neck. Then he drew back, carefully framing her face in his hands so he could meet her eyes. "You're my everything. You know that, yeah?"

The question was almost hesitant. As if he was scared he didn't tell her or show her enough.

Her smile was slow but in no way tentative. "I love you."

His shoulders tensed and then entirely relaxed. Relieved.

"Happy birthday, Madam Press Secretary." he whispered again, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"Thank you, Sir." she hummed, a little teasingly.

"Minx." he accused.

"Always."

And it was a promise she intended to keep.

Haymitch does try XD I hope you enjoyed the sisterly bonding as well as the surprise! Who saw it coming? Did you like her birthday? Next week, holidays! Hope you're still liking the story! Let me know your thoughts!