Prompt: Could you write something please where effie and lyssa are (on a rare occasion) getting along well for some reason and being vaguely sistery during the games? Maybe they're back at the penthouse one night and haymitch walks in on them hanging out or something? I love her as an OC a lot! I'd love to see more of her :)
I will be very honest, this prompt was the perfect excuse to write a very crack idea I had at the end of summer while listening to music on scuffle. You see the scene in Shrek 2 with the fairy godmother? I would suggest having that ready in the background LMAO Because this is completely what I imagined. Anyway, this is crack, not to take too seriously. It's also long so I'd love a comment! Enjoy!
Larger Than Life
This wasn't happening.
Effie had been repeating the words to herself again and again ever since she had heard the news – from an unsympathetic laughing Seneca no less – and she had been thinking them harder and harder ever since the prep team had invaded her bedroom earlier that night. And yet, there she was, sitting in one of the Games' official limos, absolutely radiant in a flimsy long white evening dress that revealed a good amount of cleavage, a large rigid belt carefully crafted in the form of golden leaves encircling her waist, a long golden jacket hanging from the tips of her shoulders – glued there to give the appearance of casualness… And the limo was slowly but surely getting closer to where they would have to disembark for the red carpet…
And all because a stupid tornado had to go and devastate District Ten – which, granted, might have been more of an inconvenience to District Ten than to her all things considered but still.
"You're gonna freeze out there." Haymitch remarked, in a bored tone, as he peered out the window with an expression of distaste for the huge crowd massed outside of Concert Hall. Or maybe it was because Concert Hall had once upon a time been an arena from the distant times when Hunger Games had been taking place in the city proper. When the building had started falling apart, the government had decided to clean it up and turn it into something that would bring in money.
As it turned out there was a lot of money to be made in renting a huge place to singers and bands.
"Worth it." she declared through clenched teeth, even if she wasn't sure it would be.
The Capitol's climate was regulated but winter was winter and it was definitely chilly outside. She suspected he was right and she would be freezing before the show properly started.
"Then stop bitching already." he grumbled.
"I have not said a word." she snapped.
"Making my point for me, sweetheart." he retorted.
She huffed and pursed her lips, unwilling to admit that she had been less than good company that day. To be fair though, he hadn't been good company ever since she had picked him up at the station. Coming to the city for the Tour was never his idea of a great time but victors' presence was mandatory that year. Since he had already been forced to show up the previous year because of what had been dubbed in the business the Cresta situation, he was less than receptive to the Capitol's great idea to raise money to help District Ten.
Well… If the money had actually gone to the people who had suffered from the tornado, Haymitch might have been a little less reluctant, she supposed, but, like her, he wasn't fooling himself thinking the District citizens would see the color of all the dollars they were collecting. No… The crux of the matter was a lot of livestock had been lost, a lot of the structures were too damaged and had to be rebuilt and most of the equipment was gone… The money would be used to make sure business could go back to usual and that was it.
The humanitarian relief aspect was all for show because people in the Capitol enjoyed convincing themselves they were generous.
There had been multiple charity events already. Selective parties for which tickets had sold at astounding prices, a public bidding for an evening with chosen victors – she had been forced to pull strings to get Haymitch out of that because, no matter how innocent it was supposed to be, she wasn't risking it – countless private initiatives like fashion shows and concerts which profits went to the charity fund for Ten… She had done her part by walking the catwalk for several famous designers already and she and the other escorts had posed for a special calendar that had sold out within a day…
Yes, there had been countless events already and they had been forced to attend a lot of those events but this one, in particular, she would have been happy to skip.
This so wasn't happening…
The limo came to a stop and, a few seconds later, the Avox driver opened the door on Haymitch's side. The screams of the crowd faded to the background as Effie navigated the always delicate business of exiting the car with natural grace without flashing anything she shouldn't flash. Haymitch must have been feeling charitable that night – or he was enjoying the dress' cleavage – because he actually held out his hand to help her out, allowing her to steady herself on her towering golden high heels before letting go to lazily wave at the crowd.
Effie smiled and waved too, posed for pictures, signed a few autographs – nudged Haymitch to do the same – and then, finally, they were at the doors, another limo sliding to a stop at the end of the red carpet… She thought they were home free because journalists rarely bothered with them and since Gamemaker Darish and his brand new young wife had just stepped out of their car, she figured they could slip away but… No such luck.
Emelyn Everhart – because, of course, it had to be Emelyn Everhart – blocked their path with her cameraman and a bright intimate smile for Haymitch that immediately set Effie on edge. That woman – who she refused to call a journalist – never lost an opportunity to remind everyone she had been there and done that.
"Emelyn." She flashed the woman a smile of her own, polite in appearance but with just a hint of too much teeth. "How lovely to see you."
It was all she needed that night really… To see a past one-night-stand of his just as she was about to attend one of the most stressful events of her life.
Haymitch must have somehow sensed that she was plotting ways to get rid of the irritating woman because he stepped just an inch closer to her. "Yeah, Emy, we don't see enough of you… Much better sight than Caesar… Don't tell him I said that."
He added that last part with a wink for the camera. He was just laying on the charm, she knew, probably because she was giving off cold and haughty vibes but…
Hadn't there been enough troubles when he had slept with her years earlier? It had been all over the press the next day. Not only a tasteless review of his performance but details that should never have become public and, really, she had been forced to do so much damage control at the time…
"Haymitch, always a charmer…" Emelyn purred in a disgusting way that had Effie longing to twist her neck. She couldn't believe Haymitch slept with someone that… "Are you eager to see your mother perform, Effie? It has been a while since Elindra has been under the spotlights, right? Are you scared she will outshine you?"
Of course.
It was too much to ask to escape the concert without anyone cornering her on cameras with questions about Elindra's sudden reappearance on the entertainment scene.
"Aw, now…" Haymitch chuckled with his best smile. "You know nobody can ever outshine Effie Trinket…"
It was uttered with just enough humor that people could choose to interpret it as a genuine compliment or sarcasm.
"My mother supports a lot of charities and I am so proud of her altruism." Effie replied before the conversation could turn into an exchange of jokes. Now was not the time for one of their public banter sessions. She wanted the interview over quickly.
The lie didn't even taste bad.
There was nothing altruistic at all about Elindra Trinket performing that night. When Seneca had called her about the idea of putting on a show with a few former celebrities, Elindra had pounced on the offer.
"Can we expect a comeback?" Emelyn insisted. "Elindra has been absent from the screens for so long…"
"I do not believe she is planning to renew with her acting past." she answered, glancing over her shoulder to see Gamemaker Darish was almost upon them. "Please, excuse us, we do not wish to hold up the line."
She ushered Haymitch inside before Emelyn could ask any more questions. Unfortunately, Haymitch had plenty of questions.
He snorted. "I don't know what to ask first…"
"Then ask nothing." she hissed, sparing him a glare as they made their way to the VIP section of the hall. "Do not think I did not notice your flirting either."
"Flirting?" he scoffed. "Wasn't flirting."
She tried not to be too obvious as she shivered but the Concert Hall was open to the air and it was chilly. "We should have designated seats."
At least that was what her sister had indicated when they had talked earlier on the phone… She headed to what she believed to be the right section, smiling and greeting people on the way…
"Wait, wait…" he grumbled, following as close as he could with so many people around them. He actually grabbed her golden jacket but quickly released the fabric when she glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "That shit ain't even warm, princess… Should have brought a coat."
"And look horrid on camera? I do not think so." she retorted. "Ah, here we are…" Their names were on the back of what looked like uncomfortable seats – then again, all the seats in the Concert Hall were famously uncomfortable, there was only so much you could do with a former arena. "Second row. Not too bad. We will have a lot of screen time. Best behavior, Haymitch."
As if the concert wouldn't be stressful enough, the fact that it would be livestreamed was another source of anguish. It meant Haymitch would have to behave for two hours straight and that wasn't always a given.
"Seats right behind Crane?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows as he eyed the names on the empty chairs on the row below them. There were five seats marked Crane and several others reserved to a current secretary of state and another former Head Gamemaker… "How much did that cost you?"
"Nothing." she sighed. "My father booked the tickets. You are my plus one."
It took him almost a minute to work out the implications.
"Tonight ain't mandatory, is it?" he groaned.
Chaff's absence should have clued him in sooner, in her opinion. None of the really important victors were coming either. They were all attending a Games official party at the other side of the city.
"This is not exactly an important event." she admitted. "Mostly, it will be a lot of out of fashion old artists reliving their glory days. The tickets were truly overpriced. Seneca told me it was President Snow's idea, though, so…"
Perhaps President Snow had been feeling nostalgia of late because she could guarantee nothing that would happen that night would be considered anything but embarrassing.
"I could have stayed at the penthouse." He scowled. "You…"
"I needed moral support." she snapped. "And you owe me anyway."
"I owe you?" he scoffed. "Been sniffing hairspray again?"
"You were flirting with Emlyn Everhart." she reminded him, shooting him a look. "I would be careful if I were you or you won't get to take that dress off me tonight."
He pursed his lips in annoyance, his grey eyes swiftly darting down and up her figure. "Won't be able to take off anything cause you're gonna turn to an ice sculpture." She rolled her eyes and pretended she did not see him glance at the other names next to their seats. He groaned. "Flavershym? Seriously?"
"My sister is married to him, if you recall." she chided him through clenched teeth. "Best behavior, Haymitch, I beg of you. Father will be here."
And she had never officially introduced them.
And tonight really wasn't the best night for an introduction.
And yet…
"You could have asked me if you wanted me here." he grumbled, dropping on his reserved seat.
Effie sat down a lot more gracefully and immediately regretted it. The seat was cheap plastic and she could feel how cold it was through the slim fabrics of her jacket and dress. She repressed another shudder. "What would you have said if I had told you I needed you to escort me somewhere?"
"I'd have told you to go fuck yourself but if you had said your mom was gonna star in the show I may have changed my mind." he retorted with a snort. "Didn't know she used to be famous."
"It was short-lived, I assure you." she muttered. "She loves to remind people though. I do hope Emelyn is wrong and this does not herald an attempt at a comeback. She already hit on Father's every last nerve with this show."
From what she had gotten from Lyssa, the Gamemakers had only allotted each artist a small budget for their performance and Elindra had deemed it ridiculous. She used her own money to make her performance 'what it ought to be' – whatever that meant. Effie was scared it augured nothing good.
"Could have told me." he insisted, a little less annoyed and a little more gruff. "If you needed it that much, I'd have come. Don't like being tricked."
She pouted. "Like you did not trick me into wearing that bartender uniform for you last week?"
He smirked, his gaze sparkling with mirth. "Wasn't a trick. I dared you."
Which was the same thing where she was concerned and he knew that.
She wanted to keep the banter going because it was certainly funnier than agonizing on what horrors the night would hold in store but in the end she couldn't stop thinking about what Elindra would do… There had been no detail on that front. Her mother refused to give any hint. And yet Effie was certain it would be… outlandish.
"This is going to be mortifying." she complained, her face crumbling briefly before she got it back under control and schooled her features into her usual cheery self again.
He shrugged. "Maybe not."
"Oh, it will be." a familiar voice confirmed behind her and she bolted to her feet with relief.
"Lyssa!" she exclaimed, happier to see her sister than she had been in a long time. She even hugged her, which made Lyssandra laugh a little.
"Hello, Effie. Haymitch." Lyssa smiled at Twelve's victor, greeting him with a polite nod.
Effie looked around her and frowned a little. The concert hall had filled a lot since they had taken their seats and it wouldn't be long before the show would start. "Where is your husband?"
A flash of irritation passed on her sister's face. "Rufus could not make it unfortunately."
"Oh…" She had too much tact to pry and she had long ago learned not to meddle in her sister's marriage. In no small parts because Rufus liked to grope her and corner her in dark parts of their parents' house. "That is unfortunate."
"If you ask me, he was not keen on being linked to what will probably be the performance of the night." Lyssa sighed, taking her seat next to Effie. She angled her knees toward her so Haymitch could be included in the conversation. "You are a braver man than he is, Haymitch."
Effie's victor snorted. "Wasn't my choice. I go where I'm told."
"Do not make it sound like that." she chided him. "You are not my puppy."
"Ain't I?" he challenged, lifting his eyebrows. "Cause I didn't hear a lot of asking."
Lyssa was tactful enough to pretend to be absorbed by the task of smoothing her pink dress. It was a lovely piece that went very well with her own outfit – well, they had coordinated after all.
"Fine." She pursed her lips. "I apologize. Here, are you happy now?"
"Depends." He lowered his voice and leaned toward her so the words wouldn't float much further than her ear. "You're gonna make it up to me later?"
"Not with that attitude." she replied.
He couldn't have been so angry about having been tricked here because he chuckled as if he was enjoying himself.
"You look great, by the way." he told Lyssa, who blushed and stammered the appropriate thanks. An uncomfortable flash of hot jealousy licked her belly but he didn't seem to notice. "So… What's the plan here? Freezing to death before your mom perform so you can escape it or…"
Effie rolled her eyes again. "Enough with the freezing jokes already. I am trying not to think about how cold it is."
"It is awfully cold." Lyssa groaned. "The things we suffer for beauty…"
"Mother would have killed us if we had worn a coat." she pointed out. "It would ruin her image. She needs her daughters to look perfect tonight – or so I have been informed."
"Certainly." her sister agreed, a little regretfully.
"So, just to be clear… Wearing a coat ain't fashionable or whatever but showing off your tits is okay?" Haymitch teased.
"Haymitch!" she snapped just as Lyssa laughed a 'Shocking!' but they both still looked down to make sure their dresses covered everything – accidents happened. Once certain no breast was poking out of her dress, she not so accidentally bumped her shoulder against his. "Will you behave?"
"Sweetheart, I can see your nipples." he stated more plainly.
She rearranged her thin golden jacket so it draped artistically over her breasts, hiding any unsavory pointy buds from view.
"Can you see mine?" Lyssa whispered, frantically trying to be inconspicuous as she checked herself in her compact mirror.
Effie waited a beat for Haymitch to answer but he was too smart to fall for that trick. He kept his eyes resolutely averted from that area and Effie couldn't help the slight feeling of satisfaction. She had made it very clear a long time ago that her sister was off limits and that she would never ever sleep with him again if he ever gave the smallest hint he was interested in her at all. It seemed that Haymitch could learn sometimes.
She helped her sister fix her dress, biting down on the inside of her cheek to hide her smile.
By the time they were both satisfied with their outfits, the hall was full and the secretary of state and the former Head Gamemaker had taken their spot in the row below. The Cranes and their friends were the last to enter.
Seneca made a beeline for them, dropping a kiss on Effie's cheek and another more proper one on Lyssa's hand. He and Haymitch exchanged a cold nod but it wasn't long before Seneca was grinning again.
"This is going to be a lot of fun." he declared.
"For you , perhaps." Effie huffed. "Oh, hello, Mr Crane. Mrs Crane."
There was a lot of air kisses exchanged. Haymitch stood at her side, rigid and suddenly tense. If the nod he had exchanged with Seneca was barely cordial, the way he looked at Seneca's father couldn't even be considered polite. Oresto Crane had been Head Gamemaker when he had won his Games and there was no love lost between them. For good reasons.
"A bit cold, is it?" Seneca teased when everyone was done exchanging pleasantries, with a loaded look toward her chest.
Haymitch practically growled as Effie arranged her jacket again with another huff.
"Seneca." Oresto Crane snapped without any hint of humor. "Please, try to remember you are a gentleman. Do not behave like one of those District…"
Whatever slur he was going to utter, he swallowed it back when his eyes fell on Haymitch but the sentiment was there all the same.
Haymitch was sneering, Seneca embarrassed, and Effie pursed her lips, more angry than anything. They all retook their seats just as the lights dimmed to nothing.
"I am sorry." she whispered to Haymitch.
"That guy's an asshole." he spat, a touch too loud for comfort. She was fairly sure everyone around them heard him. It was probably the point because when he spoke next, he made sure his voice was lower and wouldn't carry too far. "And if his son ogles you again, maybe this District dog's gonna rip his eyes out and make him eat them…"
In the relative dark, it felt safe enough to briefly place a hand on his thigh. She leaned in a little to purr in his ear. "You know it turns me on when you act all possessive but this is not the place, darling…"
The spotlights suddenly flooded the stage and the audience politely clapped as a formerly famous singer opened the show.
"Where is Father?" Lyssa asked her. "Mother will have his head if he misses her big night…"
"I am sure he will be here." she said without much conviction. It wasn't like their father had never missed an important event because of a work emergency… He had missed her engagement dinner for a business meeting – granted it had been her third engagement and she had broken it two days later so perhaps it wasn't that big a deal and he had guessed that but…
Three performances in, the concert turned out to be as dull as she had dreaded it would be and the only reason she bothered to keep smiling and humming along to the old pop songs was the cameras that captured the audience's every move. Although she wasn't sure who would be watching given that there was an official Game party somewhere and probably a lot more interesting footage from Johanna Mason's Victory Tour on the official channel. She hoped President Snow was having fun with his concert, at least.
"This is torture." Haymitch declared, reaching inside his coat for his flask. She almost scolded him and then decided it wasn't worth the hassle of arguing about it. When he offered it to her after taking a steadying gulp, she only hesitated a second before accepting it. The moonshine brought tears to her eyes and burned her throat but damn was it good to feel a little bit warmer…
"Oh, would you mind?" Lyssa asked, a bit hesitant. "I am freezing…"
Haymitch waved his permission and Effie handed her the flask.
As luck would have it, it was the moment their father chose to finally show up.
"Lyssandra." Tadius hissed, as she coughed, surprised by the violent taste of the moonshine. "What in Panem…" But when he spotted Haymitch, it seemed he answered his own question and dropped it. Still, he eyed Lyssa and Effie with obvious displeasure. "Could the two of you not have dressed sensibly for once? You will both catch your death in this weather."
"Mother made it clear she expected a certain level of refinement that coats would not suit." Effie petulantly explained as the next performer came on stage and launched into a rendition of an overdone break-up song.
"You are late, Father." Lyssa added innocently enough – but it wasn't so innocent though because if Elindra ever found out he hadn't showed up on time…
Not oblivious to the unvoiced threat of blackmail from his eldest daughter, Tadius let go of the argument and Effie handed the flask back to Haymitch, clearing her throat a bit awkwardly. "Father, I do not believe you ever met Mr Abernathy. Haymitch, this is my father, Tadius Trinket."
She half-expected her victor to cause a scene but he surprised her by outstretching a hand – never a given when she introduced him to other Capitols. Tadius shook it firmly and the two men studied each other a beat too long for it to be entirely natural.
Effie spotted Seneca watching them instead of the stage and she narrowed her eyes, leaning forward and effectively putting an end to the two men's weird handshake. "I am so glad you are being properly entertained but you should know payback will come."
Seneca chuckled, apparently untroubled and, without further ado, switched rows so he could slip between her and Lyssa, appropriating himself Rufus' empty seat. Oresto Crane turned around, his face a mask of barely contained anger that disappeared when he spotted Tadius. The two men started chatting, apparently happy to see each other.
"Are they still hoping for a happy announcement from us?" Effie murmured for Seneca's sake. Unfortunately, her sister and Haymitch were both listening and if Lyssa politely chuckled, Haymitch tensed and not so subtly stretched on his seat so he was occupying more space and firmly pressing against her side.
"They will never give that up. They dream of all of us being a big happy family." Seneca shook his head. "You only have to say the word, though, sweetest. I will make a honest woman out of you in a heartbeat." His eyes darted past her and probably met Haymitch's because he made a small face. "Or not."
"Or not." Effie confirmed, shoving both of them in turn as discretely as she could. "Behave. Both of you."
"I hate that guy." Haymitch complained in her ear five minutes later.
"He is my best friend." she retorted.
"A best friends doesn't want to sleep with you." he pointed out.
"You are my best friend too and I really do want to sleep with you." she hummed, making sure to angle her head so no camera could catch sight of her lips. She didn't think anyone would care about a random conversation during a lame concert but lip-reading was a thing and she didn't want to risk it. It would be just like Emelyn Everhart to study her every word so she could have an exclusive and relaunch those nasty rumors about the two of them…
"I hate him." Haymitch insisted, scowling, his mood clearly turning sour. He was sipping from his flask, getting grumpier and grumpier with every mouthful…
"I am not overly fond of Chaff myself." she huffed.
"Chaff's great." he snapped defensively.
She narrowed her eyes. "Chaff would sleep with me in a heartbeat if given the chance."
"No, he wouldn't." he dismissed. "He's just joking. He knows I…" He cut himself off, glanced at the flask he was still holding, scowled harder and put it away inside his coat. "How much longer?"
A good while, she mused, but she still leaned behind Seneca to tap her sister's shoulder. "Do you know when Mother is supposed to sing?"
Lyssa asked their father but he didn't know either. Seneca refused to say anything one way or another. Given how gleeful her friend looked, she was getting more terrified by the minute. It was obvious that, as Head Gamemaker, he had inside information. He probably knew what Elindra had in store.
He was also not in his right mind, that much was obvious to her. Seneca did drugs, that was not a secret, but for him to go out high to something this public… It was odd, even when faced with the prospect of a whole evening in his father's company. She hoped everything was alright and she longed to ask but the setting wasn't exactly conductive to having a private conversation.
And it was so cold…
Effie was leaning more and more against Haymitch's side just because his coat was warm and she was afraid it was looking less and less accidental… She tried to keep it casual but it probably looked like snuggling.
"This is bullshit, sweetheart." Haymitch grumbled, flicking off the big buttons and shrugging the coat off his shoulders. "Here…"
"Mother will kill me when she sees the footage…" she tried to refuse.
"Your lips are turning blue." Seneca argued with a touch of concern. "If you would prefer my coat…"
Haymitch wrapped his around her shoulders before she could accept or refuse with a glare for the Head Gamemaker. She wanted to hand it back, she did, but it was so warm… And it smelt like Haymitch, which was a nice plus. She burrowed into it.
"Oh, thank you!" Lyssa exclaimed on Seneca's other side, accepting their father's coat for herself with obvious relief.
"Well… I look quite ungentlemanly now." Seneca complained.
"Maybe you can try to find a girl who wants a coat and leave us the fuck alone, then." Haymitch deadpanned.
"Haymitch!" Effie hissed, whacking his chest.
Seneca didn't take the bait but he did flash Haymitch a mocking grin. "You are more my type, Abernathy… Would you like my coat?"
It was Effie's turn to scowl, even as she coiled a restrictive hand around Haymitch's wrist. "Now, now… What would Marcus say?"
"That we are not exclusive and I should have as much fun as I wish, sweetest." Seneca replied, refusing to be ruffled.
"Oh, are you still seeing Marcus?" Lyssa piped, obviously just as bored with the show as the three of them were. "How is he?"
As the conversation diverted to Seneca's latest boyfriend – in hushed tones because if Oresto heard a word about that there would be hell to pay – Effie covertly toyed with Haymitch's fingers.
And then, suddenly, the succession of performers stopped and a heavy hush fell on the Concert hall. The spotlights were turned off and Effie frowned even as Haymitch suddenly tensed, on high alert.
"Is there a technical difficulty or…" she asked.
But three notes of piano echoed in the darkness and a familiar voice, amplified by a microphone, rebuked: "C minor. Put it in C minor."
"Please, let it be over fast…" Effie heard her father mutter down the row of seats.
Seneca wriggled his eyebrows at her.
She wondered what exactly he had taken because it was clearly potent and she also wondered if it was too late to borrow some. She needed a happy pill, right then.
That was all she had the time to wonder.
Because then her mother started singing and a single spotlight shone down on her. The first lines of the song were so familiar that Effie groaned.
"What?" Haymitch asked. "Is that your mom? Ain't that bad. At least she can carry a tune…"
"It is my favorite song." she hissed. "She is going to ruin my favorite song forever…"
"She must have picked it as a gift for you!" Lyssa whispered excitedly, leaning over Seneca to grab her hand.
A gift.
Right.
Elindra didn't do that sort of things.
The performance was pretty tame for now, Effie mused as her mother lamented the absence of heros. She was simply singing, radiant in a shimmery red dress – that was far too short and far too skin-tight but, thanks to all the plastic surgery and the diets, Elindra looked exceptionally good for her age… Almost too good actually. It wouldn't do for her mother to actually outshine her.
Of course, as the song picked up a wilder beat, Effie braced herself because…
And there it was… Suddenly the stage exploded with sparks of fire. Elindra started singing harder, clearly giving it all she had to give, swinging her hips, working the crowd…
Truth be told, after the sleep-inducing previous performances, it was no wonder the audience cheered.
Even if, truly, the choir bursting out from a shower of sparks along with a whole troupe of dancers was over the top.
And yet it was nothing compared to the moment Elindra seductively leaned close to a man in the first row.
Or when she climbed on the piano and sprawled there, all languid as the song slowed down again…
And then, of course, the song ended and the piano erupted into flames engulfing her…
The whole hall bolted to their feet to applaud but Effie sat there, torn between being shocked and mortified.
Cameras, she reminded herself and she eventually stood up, joining Seneca who was clapping and whistling like a madman. It must have been really good drugs, she decided.
She shared a look with Lyssa whose smile looked just as fake.
Their father didn't seem to know if he wanted to hide under his seat or simply run away.
Unlike other artists who had sung and run back backstage, Elindra, of course, had to come back for a five minutes long series of bows.
"Kill me now." she begged Haymitch, as an image of them was suddenly projected on one of the giant screens. Seneca immediately waved, Lyssa smiled politely, Tadius looked tense but forced a smile, Effie recovered quickly enough to put on her best escort act… Haymitch clearly didn't want to be excluded from all the fun and slung his arm around her shoulders, waving his hand with far too much energy, like a drunk man.
Effie saw the exact moment her mother spotted the screen because a flash of irritation passed on her face, there and gone in a second, and she doubted it was all about the coats her daughters were wearing. She had told Effie to bring a victor if she could. She hadn't explicitly said a proper one but it had been implied.
She had clearly not meant Haymitch.
Actually, she was pretty sure she was hinting at Finnick.
Eventually, Elindra finally vacated the stage and Effie sat back down with a long sigh.
"So your favorite song's about holding out for a hero?" Haymitch mocked.
"It is a very old song." she retorted defensively. "It is a classic."
"This was amazing." Seneca declared.
"Amazingly embarrassing." Tadius replied, as another former glory took the stage. Tough act to follow though. "Do we need to stay for the rest of the concert, do you think?"
There was such hope in her father's tone that Effie and Lyssa exchanged a look, hesitant. It would not be great optics if they left now…
"There will probably be interviews after…" Effie winced. "Mother will likely want us there…"
"She will." Lyssa confirmed, tilting her head to the side. "However she might like it better if her escort daughter does not steal her thunder? Perhaps it could be considered tactful if you decided to let her have her moment to shine?"
"That means we can get the shit out of here?" Haymitch butted in, looking just as hopeful as her father did.
Effie glanced at Seneca who shrugged. "I am stuck here until the very end. You could make an escape though."
"Fine." she agreed.
Making a discreet escape was easier said than done but they eventually managed to sneak out of the hall and to a side door so they didn't have to face the crowd likely still massed outside.
"It was not that bad." Lyssa said, hugging their father's coat tight to her chest.
"Do you know how much this five minutes performance cost me?" Tadius deadpanned, shaking his head. "You girls will have to help me make it very clear there will be no repeat."
"After such a success?" Effie snorted. "Good luck trying to keep her away from the spotlights." She looped her arm around Haymitch's because he was just awkwardly standing there. "I will never get over the piano thing. Did she have to… to… wriggle on it like that?"
"And I will probably never get the image of my wife cozying up to Secretary Lansy out of my head." Tadius scoffed.
"She lit the piano on fire." Lyssa added as if she still couldn't believe it. "She danced."
The three of them looked at each other in consternation.
Haymitch's laughter interrupted the moment and he lifted his free hand in apology. "You all look like you could use a drink."
Effie was about to berate him but actually… "A drink does sound good. The Training Center is not that far…" She glanced at him. "Do you mind if we come back to the penthouse?"
He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "You want me to hunt down the car?"
"It is only a few streets over. We can walk." Tadius decided before she could answer – and without any consideration for hers or Lyssa's shoes.
They all walked in silence for a while but, five minutes in, Lyssa blurted out "The piano was on fire" as if she still couldn't believe it.
"I do not know why you are so surprised…" Effie commented. "Do you remember that number she had you do for that pageant when you were twelve? The tap-dancing one?"
"Oh my! Do not remind me." Lyssa giggled. "The glitter bomb!"
"That cost me a pretty penny too." Tadius chimed in.
"There was glitter everywhere…" Effie recalled. "The judges…"
"It still was not as bad as that one pageant she had you enrolled in before you went to work for Faun Harwyn."
Effie groaned, happy to see the Games compound appear in the distance. "We are not telling that story. So embarrassing…"
"I wanna hear the embarrassing story." Haymitch protested, clearly very intersted.
"Yes, well…" She cleared her throat and made a small face for Haymitch's sake. "You would not enjoy this one. It involves sixteen year-old me doing a number that could only be called a glorified strip-tease simply because Mother thought it would add some spice."
"I beg your pardon?" Tadius was frowning, looking both disturbed and displeased.
"You did win." Lyssa pointed out.
"Your mom got you to strip for a pageant?" Haymitch scowled, just as not amused as she had predicted. "At sixteen?"
"I was not naked." She sighed. "But it was embarrassing. I did win though, Lyssa is right."
Because the judges had been old men who had enjoyed the spice, as her mother had predicted they would.
"You never told me this." Tadius cut in. "I would never have allowed…"
"Yes, well…" she said quickly. "Mother loves her theatrics."
"Oh my, do you remember my wedding?" Lyssa asked, half-laughing.
"My checkbook certainly does." their father grumbled but he still looked annoyed. "Euphemia, what do you mean by glorified striptease exactly?"
She ignored the question in favor of laughing with Lyssa about the ridiculous additions Elindra had insisted on for her sister's wedding: like the hundred of doves that had been released – and the downpour of bird drops that had followed.
They were still laughing about it when they walked into the Training Center and reached the elevator. Haymitch tapped the penthouse floor's button, looking a bit awkward again.
"A shame Rufus was not present tonight." Tadius remarked, as the numbers flashed up. "I hope he is not ill, Lyssa?"
Lyssandra pursed her lips, her good mood plummeting a little. "We had a fight. Nothing to worry about."
That was not what she had said earlier but she was more likely to admit as such to their father than to her, Effie mused. Tadius and Rufus were close.
She didn't know if their father knew about the numerous extramarital affairs or not. She wasn't sure she would like the answer to that question anyway.
She leaned against Haymitch a little, without really thinking about it, as Tadius gently but firmly reminded Lyssa that Rufus was a good man and that she should perhaps be a bit more understanding – as if Lyssa was not already understanding to the point of naivety.
"Tired?" Haymitch asked, soft enough that it didn't interrupt the others' conversation.
"A little." she admitted but flashed him a wicked grin. "Not too tired, though."
His grey eyes sparkled with mirth at the prospect of what the rest of the night would hold in store.
The elevator chimed and, as they spilled into the penthouse, Lyssa and Tadius curiously glancing around the place they had never seen, Effie reconsidered the wisdom of inviting them there.
Escorts didn't stay at the Center during the Tour usually, even when victors were in residence, and as a consequence, even though she had spent the night more than once since Haymitch had showed up, he had colonized the penthouse that was all his for the duration of his stay in true Haymitch fashion. Clearly, even the Avoxes couldn't keep up with his gift for making a mess.
There were piles of books all around the living-room.
She surveyed the mess and pursed her lips, hands on her hips. "When did you sneak out to buy books?"
She couldn't believe he dared to criticize her shoe collection when she saw him going on book hunts.
"Went with Chaff and Finnick this afternoon." he grumbled. "You were getting dolled up."
She shook her head, frantically trying to put some order, only too aware that her father and her sister would find her hostess skills lacking given the mess and… "Did you have to buy the entire shop?"
He rolled his eyes but before he could make a retort that would, no doubt, not be the nicest, Tadius grabbed one of the books on one of the piles and examined it.
"You read?" her father asked, sounding both surprised and curious.
Haymitch's irritation flared up into defensiveness fast and hard. He shot Tadius a glare. "Ain't entirely illiterate, sorry to disappoint."
Tadius recoiled a little, having not expected the rude retort.
Effie winced and would have cut in but her father recovered first.
"That was poorly worded, I apologize." Tadius graciously offered. "I meant to ask if you enjoyed reading as a hobby. I do not think Effie ever had a friend who enjoyed reading before."
Haymitch didn't seem to know if he ought to believe him or not and Effie could see just how quickly it could all go to hell in a hand backset.
"Father is excessively fond of books." Lyssa offered, effortlessly appeasing tensions as she usually did. "Why, he practically turned his office into a library."
"Haymitch has a lot of books at home." Effie blurted out, trying to rail in the panic. "It is a passion of his."
"Wouldn't say passion." Haymitch muttered but the tension left his shoulders. "Books are kind of a luxury in Twelve so… I stock up when I come to the city."
Tadius studied him for a second, then checked the rest of the books on the pile. "You seem to have diverse interests…"
They struck up a conversation about books and, once she was certain it was going to remain civil, she went to fix cocktails for everyone.
It was nice enough, she decided when she finally relaxed. Mostly, she shared inconsequential gossip with her sister, leaving Tadius and Haymitch to their debate about whatever book they were talking about, until her father stood up, saying he had an early business meeting in the morning and offered his daughters rides back to their respective places.
Lyssa accepted but Effie declined with a vague excuse about having left her own car in the staff's parking lot. She wasn't planning on going home that night, in truth.
And she didn't envy her father the chore of going home to Elindra because Elindra would probably be mad they had sneaked away before the end of the show.
Still, she walked them back to the elevator and, if she was a bit surprised when her father leaned in to kiss her cheek goodbye, she didn't let it show.
"He is a smart man despite his unlucky origins and I understand why you like him." he whispered in her ear. She beamed, not having anticipated the compliment, but before she could truly let it sink, he added: "However, you are not a teenager any longer, Euphemia, and he is not a suitable prospect. Aim higher."
Her smile froze on her lips.
She didn't have time to deny or dismiss her father's remark because he nudged Lyssa in the elevator and they were gone before she could think of a reply.
She retreated to the living-room where Haymitch was pouring himself another drink. He smirked when he saw her, on the line between tipsy and drunk more likely than not.
"I like your dad." he admitted. "Ain't too bad for a Capitol."
She didn't let her smile falter. "High praise coming from you."
He shrugged. "I think he liked me too."
He said it with studied detachment, as if he didn't care one way or another about Tadius' opinion, but there was a tinge of nervousness in his voice that told her he actually cared very much because he was her father and… But that was dangerous thinking and they were not opening that can of worms. Not that night. Not ever.
"You certainly made an impression…" she hummed, shedding the light golden jacket still tapped to her shoulders. "Do you want to help me out of this dress now?"
She didn't need to ask him twice…
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