Prompt : Coincidently and you have probably already gotten this as a prompt idea but Chaff mentions one time when Brutus gropes Effie and Haymitch almost punches him.

A Gorilla, A Trick And A Fight

Haymitch slumped further on the couch, his expression growing darker and darker with every passing minute.

"They certainly didn't kid on the stuff tonight." Chaff commented next to him, raising his voice to be heard over the loud music.

The party was in full swing and they had indeed taken out the good stuff. Half the room was wasted and the other half was on its way there. Haymitch was pacing himself because the booze was strong and he knew his escort had been drinking. They didn't drink both at once when they were out. It was an unspoken rule but one they clung to. One of them should always be sober enough to do damage control if needed. And it was a pain because alcohol was the only thing that made those parties bearable.

He wasn't entirely sure how drunk she was. Judging from afar, she simply looked tipsy.

"You should be careful, Chaff." Finnick snorted. "Even Haymitch's pacing himself."

"Haymitch's pacing himself 'cause he's too busy making sure his girl doesn't cheat on him." Eleven's victor snickered. "Am I wrong or what, buddy?"

Haymitch didn't lower himself to answering their taunts. He grumbled an indistinct denial and kept his eyes on Trinket who was leaning against a pillar, in a stance that looked casual but was carefully studied, batting her spider-like fake eyelashes for the victor who was invading her space a little more with every passing minute. He didn't know what Brutus was playing at or why she wasn't sending him packing. Flirting with sponsors was all well and good because money but Brutus? They had no use for Brutus.

"What's Two's deal anyway tonight?" he snapped eventually.

Chaff looked over his shoulder in a way that was anything but discreet – not that anyone cared though, they had chosen a couch and armchairs tucked in a corner, far away from the dance floor, and so far they had been left alone.

"Maybe he wants to fuck her." Eleven's victor suggested, nodding to himself. "Can't blame him. I would go for it if I wasn't so sure you would pop my head off for it." Haymitch was glaring before he could stop himself and Chaff lifted his stump in a helpless gesture. "Hey, you can't blame a guy! Granted she doesn't have much up there… But that ass of hers…"

"Yeah, you made your point." he growled.

"Easy, Haymitch." Finnick chuckled. "Nobody is hitting on Effie."

"Except Brutus." Chaff commented, raising his glass in a toast.

"Thought he was fucking his own escort anyway." Haymitch frowned. "Not that I care."

"Of course, you don't care, Haymitch." Four's victor teased with one of his trademark wolfish grins. "If you want the latest gossip, Valeria is leaving next year. He's looking for a replacement."

"Yeah, knowing the guy, he doesn't want a replacement for just escorting duties." Chaff chortled in his glass. "I think he fucked more of them than you and me put together."

Haymitch grew even more sullen. Despite the wife he kept back at home and aside from the appointments the Capitol so kindly made for him, Brutus had a reputation. He slept with every willing woman.

And he couldn't help but think Trinket was a pragmatic person. She was ambitious and she gave herself the means to reach her goals. Spreading her legs for a victor to get a promotion wasn't above her.

And it shouldn't have made him as furious as it did.

"It might be a genuine offer though." Finnick pointed out. "She's the best out there and everyone knows it."

"If it's genuine why does he need to touch her?" Haymitch muttered, his foot tapping the floor in an annoyed rhythm.

Brutus had placed a hand on the pillar over Trinket's head and he was leaning further and further into her space. People were staring at them, gossiping behind their hands, and he knew his escort was aware – she was always aware – but he couldn't figure out what she was playing at.

"He's not touching her." Four's victor countered, laughter in his voice. "Yet."

"Oh, this is gonna be good…" Chaff mumbled with open amusement, pushing the armchair sideways so he could watch both Twelve's escort and Haymitch.

At this point, he didn't even care. He wasn't drunk but he was drunk enough to know he wouldn't just sit there calmly if Two's victor did something stupid like trying anything with his escort. He would stride over there and…

"You can relax." Finnick offered. "He won't get her anyway. I've been requesting her transfer for years. Torello won't allow it. He says it's a shame but she's better employed in Twelve."

"Seeder's been asking for her too." Chaff added thoughtfully before shrugging. "She would beat Viola, that's for sure."

The Head Gamemaker would never promote her because Effie Trinket might have been the only escort since the fiftieth Hunger Games who had managed to get Haymitch under relative control. It was hard work and often made of compromises, threats and briberies but they had a working system. No other escort of his had lasted as long as she had and they certainly hadn't been as efficient. Trinket handled everything from the paperwork to his own job when he couldn't be bothered to do it. She did her best for the kids, she went out of her way to make sure they were camera ready even though that wasn't exactly part of her job. She worked twice as more as the other escorts and all the victors knew it and all the victors wanted her.

And as far as Haymitch was concerned, they could go fuck themselves.

He might pretend he wanted her long gone, but he would fight teeth and nails to keep her in Twelve.

"Some friends, you are." he scoffed. "Trying to steal my escort behind my back. You're welcome to her."

The lie didn't convince anyone and neither Chaff nor Finnick looked guilty.

"There's friendship and there are the Games." Eleven's victor shrugged. "Don't get your knickers into a twist, I don't think she would stop sleeping with you even if one of us snatches her."

"I'm not fucking her." he sighed, taking a sip of the booze that had grown too warm. "How many times…"

"As many as you want." Finnick mocked. "We won't believe you anyway. You know why? Because there is this vein ready to pop on your forehead every time a guy comes too close."

Trinket laughed at whatever Brutus had said, tossing her head back a little, exposing her throat – fake laugh, he automatically noted – and the victor took that as a clear invitation to lean even closer, his free hand settling on her hip and then smoothly drifting…

Haymitch was on his feet and halfway there before his friends could try to hold him back. He was vaguely aware that Finnick had stood up too but by the time Four's victor caught up, he was already standing next to his escort, glowering at Brutus. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Trinket swiftly stepped aside and in between them, keeping a light hand on his chest with a clearly displeased expression.

Brutus' eyes darted from her to Twelve's victor before he lifted his eyebrows. Brutus wasn't the brightest but Haymitch figured it wouldn't have taken anyone long to figure out what was going on there. And there were enough rumors anyway.

"You are drunk." Trinket declared with irritation. "Again. Can't I leave you alone for five minutes, Haymitch?"

"I'm not…" he started protesting only to get interrupted by her annoying high-pitched voice and her glaring.

"Yes, you are." she hissed.

Everyone was staring at them, he realized. Finnick was hovering next to his elbow, ready to stop him if he got it into his head to attack Brutus or to help him take down the oversized gorilla that was Two's victor – that was everyone's guess. Although he could see Enobaria lurking not too far, tossing them increasingly dark looks as she talked with a sponsor.

Haymitch was causing a scene that had no reason to be.

Neither of them wanted people to speculate about why he had reacted the way he had. He didn't want to speculate about why he had reacted the way he had.

"And so what?" he shouted, the words slurring together. "You're gonna count my drinks and tell me when enough's enough?"

"Oh, you are insufferable!" she retorted, loud enough to be heard. "Can't I enjoy some well deserved grown up time for five minutes? I am exhausted from baby-sitting you all day long, Haymitch!"

The argument was an old one and familiar enough that people went back to their business. When he was sure nobody was watching anymore, he stopped shouting and turned an angry gaze to Brutus, suddenly sounding a lot more sober.

"Keep your paws off my escort." he warned.

"I don't want any trouble, Haymitch." Brutus offered mildly because, despite his size, his muscles and his limited intellect, he actually respected Haymitch. A lot of the Careers did. He might be a joke now, but he had won a Quell once upon a time. "We were just talking."

"I don't put my hand on your ass to talk to you, yeah?" he sneered. "You've got no reason to talk to her. She's not going to Two. Find yourself another one."

It was plain to see the other victor was annoyed but he nodded and strode away toward Enobaria. He looked at Finnick first, not quite understanding why the boy looked ready to burst out laughing – until Trinket cleared her throat in a way that meant business.

Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and she looked less than impressed.

"What was that about?" she asked in a calm almost detached voice that was only hiding her annoyance.

"Could ask the same thing." he spat. "What did you let him grope you for?"

"I was actually about to slap his hand away when you barged in." she replied defensively, narrowing her eyes at him. "Why? Should I ask your permission now before allowing men to touch me?" Finnick snickered and her gaze turned to him, chilling enough that he stopped laughing. "I think Chaff would like an account of what just happened. Be a dear and go regal him with your friend's idiotic and unnecessary heroics."

That was a semi-polite way to tell the kid to fuck off.

He waited until Four's victor had obediently scampered away before opening his mouth. "He's a womanizer."

She barely blinked. "I still fail to see how it is any of your business."

He took a step forward, crowding her against the pillar, lowering his voice to a growl. "You know how it's my business."

She pursed her lips, tilting her head to the side like she always did when she thought he was being stupid. "He was simply offering me Valeria's position. She is retiring."

"Yeah, Valeria's position includes fucking him when he needs to scratch an itch." he scorned.

"Language." she hissed, glancing around to make sure nobody was paying attention. "As opposed to sleeping with you when you feel the need to scratch an itch?"

He gritted his teeth. "It's different."

She lifted an eyebrow, her lips twitching with obvious amusement. "I am impatient to learn how exactly it is different."

"I don't expect anything from you." he grumbled. "You know that. It's not like I'm forcing you to sleep with me to keep your job."

"You forcing me to do anything is a laughable notion." she snorted, eyeing him up and down, her annoyance receding. "And for the record, I do not know what you heard but you should know he never put any pressure on Valeria. Their agreement is as mutual as ours is."

"Oh, and he told you that, right?" he snapped. "And you don't think it's just so you will agree to go work for him."

"She did." she corrected. "And we both know I am not leaving for Two anyway. Nobody will let me. I am too good at keeping you in line, unfortunately for me."

"Why were you letting him touching you for then?" he hissed.

"To make people talk, you insufferable idiot." she sighed. "Rumors about us are growing again. I wanted to give them another bone to chew. Thanks to you, that will not go as planned. Truly I don't know why I bother some days."

He made a face but it was quickly replaced by a sulk. "Should have warned me."

"I didn't expect you to interfere like a jealous caveman." she retorted. "A mistake on my part, no doubt. I should have known."

He shrugged, unwilling to admit being in the wrong. "I'm gonna…" He gestured in the vague direction of where his friends were sitting and left before she could say anything else. He flopped back on the couch and grabbed the bottle abandoned on the floor to pour himself more booze.

"Did she chew your head off?" Chaff mocked. "'Cause from here, it looked like she chewed your head off."

"Shut up." he muttered, downing half his glass in one go.

"I'm curious…" Finnick cut in. "You think you can take Brutus in a fight? Because I really thought you were going to punch him."

Could he beat Brutus in a fight? Probably not. But he could land a few good punches before being laid flat on his ass.

"I said shut up." he repeated, the sulk still firmly set on his face.

All he got in answer was laughter.

He couldn't even complain.

He had brought it on himself.