„Haymitch! You are literally taking the whole blanket. Do you know how rude that is! I am cold." Effie hisses, grabbing the blanket and pulling it over her, leaving him uncovered.
"Get your own god damn blanket, woman!" he barks, snatching it back while Effie tries to hold on to it for dear life.
The whole situation is absolutely ridiculous. Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and Effie decided that they wanted to have a movie night. At first it was a really good idea, and everyone was happily eating popcorn. But since the sun set and the air became chilly, Haymitch and Effie have been fighting over the same blanket for a good one and a half hours.
It started with them doing It very slowly, snatching it away when the other one was to busy with watching the current movie but after a while it turned into a full-grown argument with lots of barking and snapping at each other. Katniss and Peeta stopped watching just to look at the old grumpy pair sitting in front of them.
"You know I could just go and fetch another one from the attic, right?" Peeta asked, clearly trying to hold back the urge to laugh out loud.
"I know, but she was the one saying no!" Haymitch rants.
"Because it's so much work and unnecessary! If you would just share this stupid thing like a normal human being and not snatch it from me every ten seconds-" Effie snaps but gets cut off midsentence by her own yelp of surprise.
Haymitch yanked her to him and now puts his arm awkwardly around her waist. "There, if you didn't sit that far away, maybe we would be able to share this fucking blanket."
"Language! Honestly how many times do I have to tell you?" she hisses but you can see a faint smile on her lips as she snuggles up to the still annoyed man.
"Can we go on with the movie or are ya'll still not done? You really have to see yourselves. Absolutely hilarious. Just go on and kiss each other already." Katniss says, winking at both of them.
"She's right, you are acting like an old married couple." Peeta laughs and Katniss joins in too.
Haymitch only rolls his eyes and Effie is obviously trying to hide her cheeks, who are turning a crimson shade of red.
"Hahaha. So funny." Haymitch mutters annoyed. "Just go on with the movie and shut up."
They do. The movie goes on and they all sit together, already forgetting the argument, chuckling whenever something funny happens. At some point, late into the night, Effie falls asleep, her head on Haymitch's chest. The kids make a good job to not address it when Haymitch moves a little bit to the side, giving Effie a better angle to sleep on him.
When the movie finally comes to an end Peeta taps Katniss on the shoulder and then points to the other side of the couch. Katniss can't help but smile. Effie still lays on the old man's chest, the only difference being that he, also, fell asleep. His head now resting on Effie's blonde hair and his face almost looking peaceful. Happy.
"They don't even realise how much they have fallen for each other, do they?" Peeta asks Katniss, making sure to speak quietly.
"No. I don't think so." Katniss whispers back. "We should go upstairs and let them have their moment."
Peeta agrees. Quietly they get up, turn the television off and make their way upstairs. As they lay in bed and Peeta pulls her to his side, Katniss still thinks about Haymitch and Effie. Never in a million years would she have ever thought that the two of them would end up together. Peeta mentioned it sometimes, even when they were still in the games, that maybe the escort and mentor had something going on, but Katniss would always laugh that thought away.
Peeta had been right, of course he had been right. The second Effie suddenly stood in front of their door, telling them she now lives with Haymitch for a while, Katniss realized that maybe, yes, there could be something going on between the two of them.
Especially when years later, the blonde woman still lived with him, never mentioning a thought of leaving district twelve ever again. They make each other happy, even if they don't realise it or wont address it. Katniss sees it with her own eyes often enough. Small things. Like when Haymitch brings Effie her morning coffee and their fingers brush together or when they smile at the other when one of them isn't looking.
Sure, they still fight like cats and dogs but that's who they are, isn't it? It would be weird if they didn't argue over what to have for breakfast, which movie to watch or even over a stupid little blanket.