Prompt: i'd prompt a jo!POV fic where she explicitly realizes that haymitch and effie work together and are good for each other. i really love how you write her POV and her observations of haymitch and effie!
Boat Trip
For the thousandth time since the end of the war, Johanna wondered what had prompted her to move to a District where it was impossible to avoid water. Their own fucking backyard was full of water since the Victor Village had been built on the beach and the sound of waves pursued her right into her dreams.
Three years she had been living there and she still couldn't really say she had gotten over her water phobia.
About two years earlier, she had forced herself to get a grip and had jumped into the ocean. Sink or swim. For the longest time she had thought she was going to sink, paralyzed by panic. Then she had started swimming, her survival instincts kicking in. After that, she had made a point of taking a swim every morning, no matter the weather.
She had never gotten over that first second of terror when she immersed herself in water though. Every time, her body froze. Be it on the beach, under the shower or even when she washed her hands.
Every time her skin touched water, she expected the electric shocks.
It had never stopped and it never would and the fact that she had grown better at getting the fear under control didn't mean she was at all at ease with water – which brought the question again: what was she doing there?
The answer came in the shape of a running three year-old boy whose step was secure even though the boat they were currently on was swaying gently with the current. Like his father.
She caught Finn when he tossed himself at her with a happy shriek and hid her smile in the crook of his sun-kissed neck that smelt like its usual mix of salt water and baby. It wouldn't do to let any of the other people on the boat know she softened so much around him. It was bad enough the crazy fish currently steering the boat already knew – not that Annie would ever say anything out loud, she knew better.
She wasn't sure where Katniss and Peeta were because she couldn't see them on the lower deck. They were probably down in the cabin doing whatever – any other couple, she would have suspected them of having a quickie but these two were too well behaved by far for that. As for Haymitch and Trinket… Those two she would probably tease about getting out of sight later.
"Dolphins?" Finn asked hopefully.
The boat wasn't that big. There was a slightly higher deck where Annie was minding the wheel, the only one of the lot of them who could read instruments and steer the helm, a comfortable cabin below, a large front deck and a smaller area at the back. For safety measures, Finn knew he was to remain with an adult at all times, it was the ultimate condition to his going on the boat – there might or might not have been an accident the previous year, because that boy was far too fascinated with the ocean, that had forced Johanna and Annie to jump in the water, both of them unable to breathe at the thought the boy would drown; far chances of that, Finn had been swimming like a fish before he had even properly walked.
She sighed but checked that his bright yellow life jacket was secured, suspiciously glancing around to check none of the Twelve's victors – or escort – had seen it. The coast was still clear, the only witness to what she refused to call motherly concerns was Annie and the woman only smiled at her in a knowing way. Jo rolled her eyes and sneered, prompting Finn to press his small hand on the crease between her eyebrows.
"Boop." he teased.
She had to swallow back her smile again.
Damn but that boy was ruining her.
"Come on." she grumbled. "Let's go see your stupid fishes."
And the best way to do that was on the front deck, clinging to the rail, which Johanna hated. Finn knew no fear and would have climbed on it if she hadn't forced him to remain firmly with his feet on the wooden planks. He scrutinized the horizon while Jo glared at the waves crashing on the hull. Annie wasn't going fast and it was a good day for sailing but she still was wary. She always was when they were on open water.
If she strained her eyes, she could glimpse other boats in the distance, tiny white dots lost in a vast expense of blue. Even the coast and the houses were out of sight by then. From experience, she knew it wouldn't be long before Annie lowered their anchor so they could all enjoy the day together…
After ten minutes of intense staring, it became clear there were none of the dolphins Finn was fascinated with around. With a small pout, the boy let go of the rail and wandered down the deck toward the back of the boat. Johanna followed, attentive to keep a hand on the rail to balance herself. Unlike Finn or his mother, she didn't have sea legs.
They were halfway there when she heard the echo of laughter on the wind. She rolled her eyes when she realized it was Trinket's. A real laugh too, none of the measured giggles she used to let out at parties, a real uncontrolled laugh that came from the belly…
She rounded the corner in time to see the woman with her head tossed back, a hand keeping the large – and flowery – sun hat in place… Haymitch had an arm loosely wrapped around her and was saying something that got lost in the sounds of the wind, the waves and the soft hum of the boat's engine…
They hadn't noticed her or the little boy who, far from being concerned by what they were up to, had grabbed the rail again and was peering out in hope this new spot would let him see a dolphin quicker. Jo leaned against the rail next to him, dividing her attention between Finn and the couple up ahead.
She still felt the same simmering hatred for Trinket she always had but her feelings were a little complicated now, tinted with some respect and a sense of loyalty that she loathed. She supposed it was what happened when you ended up sharing a cell with somebody, when they saw you at your worst, at your most vulnerable… She still hated Trinket for who she was and what she did… But Trinket had also been an ally at a time when she had desperately needed one so she was… invested in her life and she had been worried after the war when Haymitch had left the Capitol and left her behind.
Not that she had ever doubted those two would find their way back together.
If there was one thing she knew it was that Haymitch couldn't stay away. She used to find it sickening now… She wasn't sure. She still didn't get how he could bear to touch her. She was an escort. She was the enemy. She was…
Jo watched as Haymitch tightened his hold until his embrace wasn't that loose. Trinket leaned into his chest more than readily, still chuckling, keeping her head tilted back so she could see him… The smile on the woman's lips was blinding and there was no doubt that she was happy.
Johanna felt a pang of jealousy that faded away when Finn tugged on her tank top to point at something in the distance. She crouched so she could hold on to him – experience had taught her that in his enthusiasm he wasn't above climbing off the boat – while he excitedly babbled about the grey shapes jumping in the distance. They were too far to properly see anything and she wasn't really sure the shapes were dolphins but she let him believe what he wanted. No point in bursting his bubble.
She looked in the others' direction, sure that Finn's excitement would have carried to them but they were so lost in their own world that they hadn't noticed them yet. Haymitch was whispering something in Trinket's ear now and she beamed even more, tossed her free arm around his neck and used that momentum to plant her horrible hat on top of his head… She was laughing again. Haymitch struggled but he couldn't have wanted to escape because Johanna was pretty sure even an old man like him could have broken the hold she had on his neck. Instead of moving away, he moved closer, his lips stretched into something that wasn't quite his typical smirk…
It was hard to tell if Haymitch was happy. He was still his old sarcastic self and while he seemed to have gotten a hand on the drinking, it was hard to tell if he was just keeping up appearances or if it was for good. But there was a new softness on his face, Jo mused, that didn't used to be there. Particularly when he was looking at Trinket.
He loved her, that much she knew – they had all known back in the day, when he was denying even fucking her like it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world – but love didn't always mean being happy. It was the opposite sometimes.
Trinket finally relented and put the hat back on her own head, saying something that got lost in the wind. Jo could only hear the echo of her voice, not make out the particular words – not with Finn babbling in her ear. Haymitch shook his head, answered something that was probably a gibe, and when the former escort wrinkled her nose, he kissed the tip of it.
It was Jo's turn to make a face.
But before she could decide if she wanted to get sick over something that ridiculously cheesy, Haymitch had pecked Trinket's lips.
And before she had time to be properly sick over that the woman deepened the kiss.
Tongues were obviously involved.
With a disgusted scoff, Jo grabbed Finn under the armpits and carried him back toward the cabin's entrance. Fortunately, the boy didn't make a fuss because the dolphins – or would-be dolphins – were gone. However, they clearly interrupted Katniss and Peeta's make-out session.
Finn, oblivious, rushed to Peeta to tell him all about the dolphins.
Katniss quickly jumped away and hurried in the kitchenette area to escape Johanna's scowling. But Johanna's scowl wasn't so easily fled so she followed the girl.
"What's it with the lot of you, brainless?" she complained. "Do you people spend all your time in Twelve sucking faces?"
A flash of anger passed over Katniss' face and then she seemed to realize Jo wasn't targeting them specifically and let out a commiserating groan. "Haymitch and Effie are at it again?"
"They do it often?" she asked. It wasn't the first time Twelve's victors – and escort – came to visit them in Four or that they went to visit them in their District. Everyone knew Haymitch and Trinket were a couple but so far, to Jo, it had all seemed like business as usual, like it used to be before the war. Whatever they were was acknowledged but they weren't that demonstrative about it.
In fact, it might have been the first time Johanna had witnessed an actual kiss that wasn't a peck on the forehead or the cheek.
"When they're not fighting, they're doing… other stuff." Katniss grumbled and then snorted. "I can't tell you the number of times Peeta or I walked into a room and found them kissing or worse. They're mushy. And they don't think they are, that's the worst. When I tell Haymitch to keep a lid on it, he always watches me like he doesn't know what I'm talking about…"
"Mushy how?" Jo frowned.
"You didn't notice?" Katniss seemed secretly pleased to not be the most unobservant for once. She poured herself a glass of water, glancing at her. "They're always touching. Watch them, you'll see. It's not always obvious. Haymitch always has to be touching her. It's like he's scared she'll go away or something." A shadow fell on the Mockingjay's face and her amused decreased. "Though I guess I can understand why." She shrugged and kept talking. "They're always whispering to each other too, having private conversations we don't get to hear. It's also mostly Haymitch. He makes jokes. She elbows him in the stomach."
"So he loves her more than she loves him." Jo decided.
Katniss took a sip of water, a frown on her face. "No. I don't think so. She's better at saying it so he's trying to show her, I guess." She turned back to look at the couch where Peeta had hauled Finn on his knees and was making his stuffed dolphin swim in the air to amuse him. "It's not always easy. Saying it."
"You're not bad together." Jo pointed out.
"We're good." Katniss answered firmly. "And Haymitch and Effie are good too. They're happy. Let them be happy."
Jo lifted both hands defensively as if she was innocent of even thinking about disrupting their time together but Katniss knew her too well and she glared until Johanna sighed and relented. "Fine. I won't say anything about them sucking faces."
"You can tell them to stop doing that." the girl allowed. "Please, tell them to stop doing that. But don't go making comments about her past or anything." She tossed her a glare. "Seriously."
Jo rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't let the kid wander upstairs alone."
She left Finn in Peeta's capable hands and went back upstairs to escape a conversation that was turning too serious for her liking. She didn't like thinking about Haymitch and Effie too long.
Not that she could escape them it seemed because she practically bumped into them as soon as she left the cabin.
They moved away from each other quickly but not quickly enough for Jo not to notice they had been holding hands.
Holding hands.
Haymitch Abernathy.
She didn't even bother trying not to roll her eyes again.
She muttered an excuse about checking on Annie and let them join the others in the cabin.
A better person might have been happy for them but she couldn't. She could accept it but she wasn't sure she could ever approve of it.