Chapter 11: The Oncoming Storm

The tension in the house was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Effie was in the kitchen, aggressively sewing the last in an impressive pile of children costumes – Halloween was close and Prim and Katniss had gushed so much about the costumes Effie had made them at school that she had faced a crowd of parents eager to purchase one for their own child – a still steaming mug of tea on the table in front of her. The tea wasn't the only thing that was steaming in that kitchen.

Saying she was furious would have been a nice understatement.

She could hear the faint buzz of the TV in the living-room where Haymitch and Prim were watching cartoons and, if she strained her ears, she could also hear Katniss pacing upstairs in her room, no doubt still fuming too. The weather wasn't helping the general mood either. It was cloudy from a drizzle that didn't show sign of abating any time soon, it was cold and too dark for early afternoon. She was straining her eyes trying to work on that pirate outfit. If it were any other day, she would have relocated to the living-room where there were bigger windows but she didn't want to face Haymitch just yet, not when they had been screaming at each other for a whole hour.

Bickering had been a part of their relationship ever since they had met. But bickering was fun and almost a flirtation. Whatever had happened earlier…

Haymitch had a bad temper but he rarely lost it – for the girls' sake mostly.

She probably should have found the whole thing scary but the angrier he had gotten, the more it had stroked her own fury. The fight had been violent. Haymitch had been defensive and aggressive in turn, clearly triggered by what he perceived to be her threatening meddling…

She batted away the tears of irritation and focused more on the fabric she was sewing.

She had just wanted to help. Yes, she had gotten angry but it was because she was worried not because…

"Effie?"

She raised her head and looked at the blond little girl standing on the kitchen's threshold, clutching her stuffed cat against her chest. She forced herself to smile as if nothing was amiss. Prim had done nothing wrong. "Do you need something, darling?"

Prim looked smaller than usual and certainly more uncertain.

Effie and Haymitch had kept to separate rooms after they had finished yelling but she had glimpsed the child snuggled against her uncle's side on the couch when she had walked past the living-room. She wasn't sure if the girl had been seeking comfort or trying to provide it.

"Are you going to leave?" Prim whispered, her lips wobbling a little.

Effie frowned and immediately put her sewing aside, patting her lap. It didn't take much more to entice Prim to run to her and climb on her knees. The girl hugged her for dear life and she hugged her back, smoothing her loose blond hair back. "What are you talking about? Of course, I am not leaving…"

Although she could now, she supposed. She had made enough during the last couple of weeks to be able to afford a hotel for a few nights… If she had really wanted to leave…

"But you're angry at Katniss…" the girl replied a little reproachfully, her loyalty clearly torn.

"I am not angry with your sister, I am just…" She stopped mid-sentence, took a deep breath and let it out. "I just got scared she would hurt herself."

This was all so stupid…

She had believed Katniss' bow was a toy. She hadn't realized it was an actual bow with actual arrows. The girl had played with it countless times in the weeks Effie had spent with them but it wasn't until that morning that she had noticed it was real and… She had felt like a fool for failing to realize earlier and when she had confiscated the bow and Katniss had run to Haymitch to complain… Well, she had thought Haymitch wasn't aware either because who would allow an eleven year-old girl to play with a weapon? Chaff and Haymitch apparently, that was who.

She had stood her ground even when Haymitch had explained Katniss was responsible enough and was used to it from before – before Haymitch had taken her in, when she had needed to do whatever she needed to do to take care of Prim – and that it wasn't a problem. She had still refused to give the bow back, arguing that Katniss could get hurt, that Prim could accidentally get hurt, refusing to listen when Katniss claimed she never missed a shot… Katniss had gotten upset and had started shouting at her, Effie had refused to give in to the tantrum, Haymitch had taken the girl's side… It had all escalated from there.

She supposed Haymitch had perceived her upsetting Katniss as a threat and had reacted in consequence. Besides, she had questioned his parenting methods because, really, allowing her to play with arrows at her age… Why not give her a gun while he was at it? She had asked that plainly and Haymitch had gotten so angry…

They shouldn't have argued in front of the children, probably.

Katniss had stormed off halfway through – when it had become clear she was not going to get her bow back because Effie refused to say where she had hidden it – but Prim had stood there through it all, shocked and clutching her stuffed cat… Prim was the reason Effie had come back to her senses and had told Haymitch to go take a walk – and there would have been hell to pay about that demand if he hadn't caught sight of the girl too. When he had come back from a brief stroll outside, he had settled on the couch with Prim to watch cartoons without a word for her.

And Effie had retreated to the kitchen to make herself some tea, desperate for a cigarette she wouldn't allow herself.

"I don't want you to go." Prim insisted, pressing her face into her shoulder. "Please."

Distraught to see her so upset, Effie held her tighter, dropping what she hopped to be soothing kisses on top of her head. "I am not going anywhere. I promise."

Not unless Haymitch kicked her out, at least.

Prim was silent for a little while. Effie rocked her gently, propping her cheek against her head.

"Uncle Haymitch is sad." she whispered.

Effie pursed her lips. "Uncle Haymitch is not sad, he is angry because he is being a stubborn old mule. It will pass."

Prim shook her head. "No. He's sad 'cause he thinks you're leaving. I asked him if you were and he said he didn't know." She paused and sighed. "Maybe he's a bit angry too."

"Well, I am not leaving." she insisted. "You can tell him that."

The girl drew back, her piercing blue eyes far too wise for a six year-old. "You should kiss him. He's more happy when you kiss him."

She blinked, forgetting to correct her grammar, taken aback by what she was saying. "How do you know about the kissing?"

They had been very careful to keep that away from little prying eyes. They didn't want to confuse the children.

Prim smiled and it lit up her whole face. She giggled.

That was all the answer she got.

"Oh, this is how it is then, isn't it?" Effie pretended to frown. "You won't answer my questions? Be ready for the consequences…"

Prim was extremely ticklish. In seconds, she was roaring with laughter and shrieking, twisting and wriggling on her lap, trying to escape Effie's fingers…

Predictably enough her screams summoned her overprotective family.

Haymitch reached the kitchen first, grabbing the doorframe to stop himself from actually barging inside, his eyes wide… Katniss' mad dash down the stairs was perfectly audible over the loud sound of Prim's begging for her to stop and when the girl sneaked past her guardian's legs, ready to jump on whoever was hurting her sister, she was out of breath and equally panicked.

They both relaxed at the same time when they realized what was going on.

Effie pretended she wasn't hurt they would think she could make Prim scream in anything but laughter, knowing their reaction stemmed from deeper problems than a lack of trust. The girl eventually wriggled off her lap and scampered to hide behind Haymitch's legs.

"You can't get me now!" Prim taunted, all giggles and delighted hiccups.

"Cannot I?" Effie challenged, standing up to round on them… She met Haymitch's eyes for a moment, searching for something. The anger had faded from his gaze at some point and, even though it was obvious they needed to have a serious discussion, he looked like he always did – if a little sorry. "But perhaps I can get your sister!"

Katniss hadn't been prepared to be dragged into their improvised game and she didn't bolt away in time. She wasn't as ticklish as Prim but Effie's light fingers found their target and the girl was soon laughing and trying to get free from her loose embrace.

Prim was shrieking for Haymitch to help Katniss and then shouted in betrayal when Haymitch turned against her and tickled her…

Effie had never done something that undignified with her own family but she was soon laughing too. At least until Katniss managed to wrestle her on the floor somehow. With an eleven year-old sitting on her stomach, all she could do was twist and turn to escape the probing fingers that were trying to tickle her.

"All on Effie!" Katniss ordered.

"No, no, no!" Effie tried to protest but Prim had already sneaked out of Haymitch's grip and soon her little hands were running down the side of her neck while Katniss took her sides… She shrieked and tried to wriggle away but Katniss' weight pinned her down. Eventually, she found Haymitch's gaze who was standing right there with his arms crossed in front of him, a smirk on his lips… "Aren't you going to help?"

She knew she had made a mistake when his smirk deepened and an amused twinkle appeared in his grey eyes.

"Sure." he said, drawing the syllable out. "I'll help."

Before she knew what was happening, he was crouching next to her legs and his fingers tickled the underside of her knees.

Now, that was cheating.

She howled with laughter, thrashing against the girls to get free because unlike them he knew how to be effective with his tickles… Eventually, Katniss lost her balance and collapsed on the floor next to her, Prim immediately switched targets and jumped on her sister… Effie used the sudden freedom to turn against Haymitch who, realizing the tide had turned, lifted both hands in front of him…

"Now, sweetheart…" he protested but he didn't have time to say anything more, she grabbed him with a war cry and slipped her hands under his sweater to better reach his sides…

He wasn't ticklish at all but she didn't let that stop her. Mostly, she enjoyed the way he wrapped his arms around her in a mock attempt at getting her to stop. It wasn't effective but she didn't think it was meant to be.

The girls seemed to realize she was struggling and jumped in to help. Prim dangled from Haymitch's shoulders, bringing him down, Katniss tugged on his arms to free Effie… The confused battle devolved into a game of getting him to release Effie by any means possible…

He wasn't keen on letting go.

After, once Effie had called a breathless stop to the hostilities, she made hot cocoa for everyone and they drank it in the kitchen. Prim was the only one who looked utterly happy though; Effie, Katniss and Haymitch kept tossing each other awkward looks.

Eventually, Effie decided she needed to be the mature one because, clearly, nobody else was going to be.

She dragged her chair closer to Katniss and gave a gentle tug on the braid she had done herself that morning. "Are you still angry with me?"

The girl pouted, her grey eyes a little uncertain when she glanced at her. "I'm not angry."

"Good." She smiled. "Because I was not angry with you either. I simply got scared. Can you understand that?"

She was aware Haymitch was staring at her, following the conversation with rapt attention, ready to intervene if she upset the girl again.

"Why?" Katniss frowned. "I wasn't gonna shoot you."

Effie licked her lips, trying to choose her words wisely. "Because it is dangerous, darling, and you are too young to be using any sort of weapons. I was not scared you would shoot me." Although now that she thought about it perhaps she should have been. "I was scared you would hurt yourself or your sister."

"But I never miss." Katniss insisted, rolling her eyes as if Effie was being particularly aggravating. "Ask Haymitch. I never miss."

"It only takes one accident." she replied calmly.

The girl was getting agitated again and she tossed Haymitch a pleading look. "But I love shooting! And Uncle Chaff got me the best bow… It's my size and everything!"

"And I am not saying you cannot shoot anymore." Effie argued even though the concession cost her. If she had had her way there wouldn't have been any shooting in the near future. "But perhaps we could find you an archery club?"

"Already looked." Haymitch grumbled. "There aren't any close by." He sighed and turned the mostly empty mug in his hands. "She does know how to shoot, Princess. I've never seen her miss a target. It's safe enough."

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Haymitch. "Safe enough does not cut it for me. Very well, then I insist you practice only under supervision."

"What does that mean?" Prim asked with a frown, confused by the big word.

"It means with an adult present." Effie explained. "With Uncle Haymitch or Uncle Chaff since he enabled this." She made a face and amended. "Or me if they are unavailable. Can you live with that, Katniss?"

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I guess."

"Good." Effie grinned, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders in a side hug. "I truly would hate for anything to happen to you, you know? I am just… I just do not want you to get hurt."

Katniss glared at her for a moment but relented and leaned into the hug a little.

"You're supposed to be mothering Prim, not me." the child muttered under her breath.

"Humor me." Effie requested. "I love you too, I cannot help it."

"Fine." the girl grumbled but she sounded strangely pleased under the irritation and she completely relaxed against her side.

They finished their cocoa in a lighter mood. The girls were talking about playing some board game and Effie wasn't really surprised to see them dash upstairs as soon as Prim had finished her mug.

"Don't run in the house!" she shouted after them – a rule she was unsuccessfully trying to implement. She shook her head and then gathered the empty mugs to drop them in the sink.

She wasn't quite surprised either when she felt tentative hands at her waist. Haymitch's presence always felt massive behind her. He was taller and broader and he just had that kind of presence that commandeered attention. Every time he stood behind her, she felt as if she could melt into him and be assured she would be perfectly safe for the rest of her life.

It was also painfully clear he wasn't sure how to go from there, once she didn't bat his hands away, because he cleared his throat a few times but didn't seem to be able to decide what he wanted to say.

She let him stew for a whole minute before finally putting him out of his misery, making sure her voice was light and cheerful.

"Prim is of the opinion we should kiss and make up." she declared.

She could almost feel his relief like a physical thing. He bowed a little toward her nape with a shaky exhale, his fingers dug a little deeper in her waist…

"She's a clever girl." he commented.

She wanted to keep the banter alive a little longer but he spun her around and, before she could so much as gasp, his lips were on hers. The kiss was soft, almost hesitant, a wordless apology in itself.

She locked her arms around his neck and kiss back a little harder, humming in satisfaction when he opened his mouth to deepen it. The hands on her hips lifted her up so she was sitting on the kitchen's counter. Her legs fell open and he stepped between them, the tips of his fingers running down her thighs in a light caress…

Because they had that sort of luck, they were interrupted by a sharp round of knocking on the back door.

Haymitch drew back with a frown and glared at the door as if it had personally insulted him.

He looked so much like a little boy about to throw a tantrum that she couldn't help some giggles.

"Come in." she called, hopping off the counter, thinking it must be Chaff – Chaff had learned to announce himself when he came into the house or a room they were alone in – but it wasn't and she gasped. "Sae! You should have called! Did you walk all the way here in that weather?" She hurried to the old woman and steered her toward the table so she could sit despite her obvious aggravation at being treated like a fragile old thing. "I would have come and gotten you if you had called! You are drenched!"

She fussed over Sae until the woman had taken off her coat and accepted a towel and a hot cup of tea. All the while, the old woman made faces at Haymitch who helplessly shrugged back at her as if to say it was better to let her have a way.

Still, Effie thought, there was a gleam of approval in the old woman's eyes and for all her grumbling she seemed to enjoy being fussed over.

Effie quite liked her. She was practical, down to earth, and she had sent a lot of customers her way. They had seized each other up the first time they had met and, if she wasn't mistaken, they had recognized a kindred soul in each other.

"You should have called." Haymitch scolded her once Effie had done everything she could to make sure the old woman was comfortable. "I'd have given you a lift."

"I ain't that old that I can't trek all the way here, boy." Sae grumbled. "A little rain won't stop me."

"Well, it should." Effie huffed, clucking her tongue. "What if you get sick?"

Haymitch's expression was a mix of amusement and fondness. "Don't mind her. She's in a mother hen mood today. Should have come an hour ago… You missed quite the fight. She stole Katniss' bow."

Sae frowned. "That girl never misses."

"Yeah, that's what we've all been trying to explain." Haymitch snorted.

Effie pursed her lips and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I will not have my…" She faltered to a stop and cleared her throat. "It is dangerous and the idea of her getting hurt makes me sick. If you could all just understand that…"

Annoyed with Sae for not taking her side, she turned around and rummaged in a cupboard in search of an imaginary thing.

"Like I said…" Haymitch mocked but his tone had softened. "Mother hen."

"The kids can use some of that." Sae declared. "So can you, for that matter. She's a good girl, don't be hard on her, Haymitch. She'll learn our ways soon enough." Effie blinked in surprise and stopped her pretence search to walk back to the table, unable to hide her smile. At last, an ally. Sae was shaking her head at him. "Only you can steal a girl in a wedding dress from the streets and make it work…"

"He did not steal me." Effie protested, sitting down next to him. "If anything I stole him."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You kind of stole the car."

"Yeah, yeah…" Sae dismissed, waving her hand in the air. "Look… I don't know what kind of trouble you were into, girl…" Effie opened her mouth to defend herself but the old woman didn't give her time to talk. "I just know you're good to my boy and you're good to my girls, so I don't care about the rest."

Effie was strangely moved and nudged the cup of tea Sae hadn't yet touched closer to the woman. "It truly was not that much trouble… Nothing outlandish at any rate. I just… I simply could not go through with the wedding and I knew it would be such a huge drama… So I ran away… There is no other big scandal…"

Sae's hands wrapped around the cup. Her fingers were long but slightly knobbly – a worker's hands. "It ain't my business, girl, I mean that. You could be a bank robber, I still wouldn't care… If you're in trouble…"

"She ain't a bank robber, Sae." Haymitch cut in with a small frown. "What are you getting at? Why do you think she's in trouble?"

"Has Hazelle been spreading rumors by any chance?" Effie asked casually. "She truly doesn't like me much."

And the feeling was entirely mutual.

Her youngest daughter was cute, she supposed, but she didn't care for the rest of her brood. Gale was a rude child and the two other boys were hardly any better. As for Hazelle herself, Effie still thought she had her sight on Haymitch.

She wouldn't admit to being jealous because they were not in the same league and Haymitch had made his preference clear but…

"There's a man in town…" Sae reluctantly explained, her eyes darting from Haymitch to Effie. "Been asking lots of questions about Effie, all subtle like. Looked like a cop to me but he showed no badge." The woman reached out and covered her hand. "Didn't tell him anything, girl, but he's been asking around. Won't take him long to figure out you live here…"

Effie frowned and automatically looked at Haymitch. "A cop? Why would a cop…"

He shook his head. "If he didn't flash a badge, he ain't a cop."

"I figure I'd come tell you quickly." Sae said. "In case you need to hide or something…"

"Sae, I am not in trouble with the law." Effie insisted. "That's preposterous."

"Then why is there a strange fellow looking for you?" The woman sounded puzzled.

Effie was too.

"What did he look like?" Haymitch asked.

Sae shrugged. "Nice enough except for all the questions. A bit stiff maybe, like you and Chaff were when you came home…"

"Military?" Haymitch supplied.

"Why would the army be after me?" Effie scoffed. "It is even more ridiculous than me robbing a bank!"

"Might not be after you. Might be after me." Haymitch growled. "Did he ask about the girls? About…"

"No, boy." Sae cut him off quickly, patting his arm. "It was all about Effie. Didn't even say her name but I read between the lines, all right. He said he's looking for a friend who might be in town… Pretty girl, reddish blond hair, blue eyes… Might be staying with a guy… Don't think he knows who she's staying with yet…" Her eyes darted to Effie. "Now, Hazelle played dumb too so maybe thank her next time you see her, girl."

Effie breathed out slowly, feeling uneasy.

"P.I." Haymitch said suddenly, sounding a lot calmer now that he was sure the guy wasn't after him. He stood up, briefly squeezing Effie's shoulder. "Let me call Chaff."

"P.I.?" she repeated. "A private investigator? But why… Oh." She made a face. "Lyssa must have told Mother, after all. I should have known she wouldn't leave well enough alone." She bit down on her bottom lip. "Haymitch, if my mother figures out I am here… I… She will make your life a living hell until I go home… I do not want you to…"

"Don't get worked up just yet." he ordered, tapping a few numbers on his phone. "Let me call Chaff. With any luck, the guy's one of Coin's and he's a friend of ours. We can still control this."

She hoped so.

She really did.

Otherwise…

Well, the life she had been so patiently building might just crumble to dust.

Soooo... Hayffie has different ideas about parenting... What do you think? Effie the bankrobber... The rumors that must be circulating around town... XD Now who's the stranger and will he be a problem? Will people stop cockblocking them? Let me know your thoughts!