Prompt: I was reading A Lesson In Lying which was perfect and so very interesting and I'd love to prompt a continuation taking place years later where he realizes that they've met before. Or maybe she kept the napkin or they finally have sex in a black alley. Please please please. And a happy new year to you!

A Lesson In Lying was chapter 308 but I think it can stand alone ;)

I'm not publishing in HADS tomorrow, I will publish an independent hayffie one shot instead so keep an eye out ;)

A Lesson In Flirting

Haymitch escaped to the balcony with a sense of emergency, his glass of whiskey gripped tight in his hand. That party was absolutely tedious and he was suffocating inside.

He had won a decade earlier and it still made no difference.

He hated Games events.

The fresh air was welcomed and he went straight to the stone railing, taking in the sight of the city spread around the old mansion on the hill. As much as he had already hated the Capitol, the view used to be impressive in his youth. Now he felt blasé about the whole thing. At twenty-six, he felt like he was a hundred years old and it took a lot to surprise him nowadays.

"Do you know you gave me your number once?"

He didn't startle but he hadn't noticed her in the shadows against the wall and he immediately straightened up, assessing the threat.

Of course, there was no real threat.

Just a girl in a shimmering black and white dress and a red wig, leaning against the railing, a cigarette wedged between two delicate fingers with red painted nails. Her figure was slim, her legs were endless and her slender neck was tempting. She had full lips and blue eyes and despite the heavy make-up, she was pretty.

"Never give my number, sweetheart." he snorted. "You've got me confused with someone else."

She slowly brought the cigarette to her lips and blew up a puffy cloud of smoke, never taking her eyes away from him. It was a seduction act if he had ever seen one and he found himself amused by it. It was always difficult to give Capitols an age but he decided she was close to twenty. Of age in any case and thus fair game.

"You are Haymitch Abernathy." she said after a minute. "The Second Quarter Quell's victor. Quite elusive at parties. We never met at any of them in any case."

"Did I stood you up?" he mocked, lifting his eyebrows. She took another drag of her cigarette but two could play that game and he took a sip of whiskey, letting his eyes slowly roam all over her, lingering on the cleavage the dress displayed, before openly ogling her legs. "Think I would remember having a date with you. You don't look like the kind of girls I'd forget."

He forgot most of the girls he slept with as soon as the deed was done but she didn't need to be told that, he figured. He hardly ever had to work for it, most women in the Capitols were happy to throw themselves at the Quell's victor, but sometimes he found one that made some good old flirting worth it. He liked a challenge.

"And yet you don't remember giving me your number." she pointed out. "Granted, it was a fake number."

He was drawing a blank so he shrugged. "That sounds more like me. You must have pestered me into giving you something."

"I am half offended you would forget me." she replied, eyes sparkling.

"Only half offended?" he smirked. "So that means I can convince you to let me take you home, right?"

"Shocking." she chuckled, sounding nothing at all like shocked. "Is that how you talk to ladies, Haymitch?"

"You don't give me the lady vibe." he retorted.

Her smile briefly strained and irritation flashed in her eyes. He didn't think she was only half offended now but it only made him roll his eyes. He didn't know why Capitols were so uptight about their ladies and gentlemen personas.

She turned to face the railing, almost completely dismissing him, focused on her cigarette and the view in front of her instead.

He took another sip of whiskey, wondering if it was worth it to push or not. He might get lucky with her, he sensed, she was obviously an old fan.

"So what are you doing out here?" he asked. She lifted a perfectly shaped eyebrow and pointedly flicked off ashes. He didn't buy it. "Other people are smoking inside."

Which was one of the other reasons he had felt the need to step out.

"And being an inconvenience to everyone else, yes, I noticed." she hummed. "I am classier than that."

She did look classier. It was in her every gesture. The way she flicked her cigarette, her bearing… She was… graceful.

"So you weren't ambushing me." he joked. "Won't lie, I'm disappointed."

"I hate to dash your expectations." she chuckled. "I am actually avoiding people, if you must know."

"That's funny." he smirked. "Me too. Why don't we get out of here, sweetheart? I'll buy you a drink."

She tossed him an amused glance. "You are very determined to sleep with me."

"Can't blame a guy for trying." he shrugged, bringing the glass to his lips.

"You were not so determined last time we met." she hummed. "You thought I was a silly high school girl, I surmise."

"Looks like you left high school a while ago." he commented, flashing her his charmer smile.

"Are you implying that I now look old?" she frowned.

He thought back to all those times Seeder had mocked him and accused him of being rusty when it came down to complimenting women.

"You look very good." he scoffed. "Don't need me to tell you that."

"Very good." she repeated flatly.

"Okay." he winced. "I'm digging myself into a hole, here, right?"

"I am old, I suppose." she sighed to herself, crushing the last of her cigarette on the stone railing. "Old enough that Viola is getting the Gauly exclusive contract while I am back to doing commercials."

That part was clearly meant for her own sake. She looked quite thunderous. He didn't know why and he didn't care. All he cared about, truth be told, was knowing if she would let him pick her up or not. Capitols and their shallow lives didn't concern him. Although she did look even hotter when irritated.

All in all, it might be a blessing that Chaff appeared at that moment, looking jolly and drunk. "There you are! We're heading back to town. I've got my eyes on a new bar. You're coming?"

Haymitch hesitated, his eyes darting from his best friend to the girl. "So… You're going to let me take you home or…"

"No." she said, softening that blow with a smug smile. "People have to work harder than that for me to allow them that privilege."

Chaff snorted and Haymitch shrugged.

"Too bad for you." he replied "What's your name again?"

"Euphemia." she answered.

"Another time, Euphemia." he winked, ignoring his friend's roar of laughter and allowing himself to be dragged away from the balcony.

She would be forgotten as soon as he had set his eyes on another woman.

But he dearly hoped there would be another time.