Christmas. For decades district 12 would have never thought of celebrating a day such as Christmas. Now, after the war and a few years of rebuilding, the town finally found its peace and has its first Christmas gathering ever. As Haymitch looks in the crowd of people he can see children running around, parents laughing with mugs of hot chocolate in der hand and couples dancing to the soft music humming in the background.
The smell of cinnamon and many other ones associated with Christmas are in the chilly air. Never would Haymitch have thought that he will one day be celebrating Christmas again. How could he, after all that happened to him and others?
For a moment, the bad memories came back but as he sees the kids dancing together while smiling all the while and Effie standing with her arm hooked in his and head on his shoulder he pushes those thoughts away. Today, there will be no place for the past. He finds himself smiling.
"It's quite lovely, isn't it?" Effie whispers softly. "The music. Families enjoying the night. The kids."
"Sure thing, princess." Haymitch answers honestly, laying his arm around Effie, pulling her to him and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Feel like dancing?"
Effie turns to face him, interest written all over her features. "Are you asking me to dance with you, Haymitch?" she asks, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow while smiling.
"I won't ask again." He smirked back.
"Well, I would never decline such a nice offer." the woman says, already pulling him to the dance floor and smiling over her shoulder.
At a not so crowded part of it they come to a stop, Effie turning to face Haymitch again. The music is slow. Not quite Haymitch's taste of music but still it feels right. Effie locks her arms behind his neck while he places his hands on each side of her hips.
Together they sway to at least three sappy love songs, never leaving each other's gaze and completely ignoring everything else around them.
"You know, I didn't take you for someone who can dance." Effie says at some point, making him chuckle and pulling her closer. Years of working together and attending horrible parties to get sponsors and still after all this time they never danced together.
"You look good, princess." Haymitch whispers in her ear, pressing a kiss right below her earlobe, knowing exactly what that does to her. "Had to hold myself back to not press you against the wall right then and there when you walked down the stairs."
Effie looks stunning. She chose light make up, only a little bit of blush and mascara. Her real hair surrounds her face in waves of gold locks. She wears a simple sweater tucked in a mid-thigh skirt and black tights and a red coat are keeping her warm against the chilly weather.
"Manners." She chides him, giggling all the way while he plants another series of kisses on her neck. She pushes him back a little bit, placing her mouth right next to Haymitch's ear. "If you behave you'll be rewarded when we go home."
That has Haymitch straightening up, looking in her blue eyes with his grey ones. "What kind of reward are we talking about, sweetheart?" Haymitch smirks, trying very hard to keep his voice from showing interest.
"Maybe it has something to do with what I am wearing underneath this." She purrs.
"You're a bloody tease." Haymitch stated, very much using every ounce of his body to stop his blood from running south.
"That's what you love about me." Effie smiles.
Haymitch answers that by closing the gap between their faces, pressing his lips to her soft ones in a slow and gentle kiss.
He never does gentle, and Effie knows what he is trying to express with this kiss. They part and Haymitch wipes away the smudged lip-gloss on Effie's face with his thumb. She rests her head right under his chin and smiles.
"I love you too." She whispers.
Haymitch can't help the warmth spreading in his heart. He once again scans the crowd and sees the kids looking at him, genially happy. Peeta is pointing at Effie, giving a thumbs up while Katniss laughs, throwing her head back.
Haymitch smirks back at them and then focuses back on the woman in his arms. Swaying in their own rhythm he realises he is finally getting better. Sure, there will be bad days in the future, many of them probably, but if all of the others are slowly leaving the past behind, one day he will be able to do so too. Especially with the help of Effie and the kids. His own little family.