Chapter 13: Spooky Halloween

Effie loved Halloween.

And, given the muffled giggles behind her, so did the children. Peeta kept pressing his hand on his mouth to stop himself from bursting out with laughter.

The four of them scampered down the stairs, excited to show off their costumes – even Katniss looked forward to seeing Haymitch's reaction – and Effie had the vague though that this what was a family should look like. Not the cold silence of her parents' house where no one ever did anything fun together that wasn't a tea party but this, a simple desire to share something.

"Are you ready for us?" she called out.

Haymitch audibly snorted from the living-room and she rolled her eyes. He thought she was being very dramatic over the Halloween thing. He had told her so repeatedly since she had insisted they decorated the house. She had no clue – and no real interest – about how to empty a pumpkin so he had been forced to do it but she thought he had quite enjoyed carving them with the three of them. That had really been fun and she was quite proud of the face she had managed to carve on hers. Of course, she and Prim had then gone overboard on the decoration side of things and, truth be told, the house was covered with black and orange paper garlands, false spider webs and various scary plastic skulls, mice and witches.

Katniss and Haymitch had contemplated the final results afterwards and had then shared a heavy look that perfectly conveyed their thoughts: if that was for Halloween, what would it be at Christmas?

Well, she was planning to go all out for Christmas so…

"Are you ready, Uncle Haymitch?" Prim repeated, almost bouncing in excitement.

This time, he offered a vocal – if amused – answer. "I'm so ready I'm shaking in my boots."

Effie rolled her eyes at the sarcasm but the child didn't notice and sauntered in the living-room, laughing. Effie, Peeta and Katniss followed straight after her.

"What do you think?" Prim asked before he could open his mouth, whirling one way and then the other so he could better admire her costume. "Do I look right?"

"You sure do." he promised, picking her up before she could make herself dizzy. "My little princess…"

"Fairy princess." Prim corrected, with a giggle.

Effie smiled, happy with the dress she had sewed for her. She had used her wedding dress – what was left of it – for the girls' costumes and it did look very good. Prim was a fairy princess, as requested, in a long flowy white dress with a golden crown, wings and a gold wand with a star – that Effie had made out of tinfoil paper and had then painted gold.

As for Katniss… That dress was her masterpiece.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Haymitch frowned. "A bird?"

"She's a princess witch." Prim offered.

"I'm just a witch." Katniss corrected. "Who can turn into a bird. Like in the story."

Effie wasn't sure Haymitch knew what story she was talking about but he nodded as if it made sense. "Spooky."

It was. She had used the material of her wedding dress to make another smaller one and had then dyed it black. She had also sewed black feathers all over it. With her hair all backcombed and the heavy make-up Effie had applied, she did look quite witchy indeed.

He turned toward Peeta and lifted his eyebrows, offering a mock salute. "Aye, aye, captain."

Peeta looked cute enough to eat in his little pirate outfit and Effie smiled when the boy beamed, adjusting the patch on his eyes that, she was certain, would be removed before long – clearly it was bothering him even though he had insisted on having one.

"Good job." he told her, once he had put the girl down and the three children had scampered off to grab the plastic pumpkin-shaped baskets Effie had procured just for that night. "What are you supposed to be, then?"

She looked down at herself, disappointed he hadn't figured it out. She was wearing an orange long-sleeved shirt and a puffy matching skirt with towering black heels and a little green hat pinned on her curl. She pouted. "I am a pumpkin. Where is your costume?"

He snorted. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but adults don't have to wear a costume."

Her pout deepened. "It's Halloween. You need a costume."

He rolled his eyes but his lips stretched into a smirk and he stepped closer to her. She stepped back until she felt the wall behind her, not at all sorry to be trapped.

"Fine." he granted. "I'm going as the guy whose girl thinks it's fine to walk around dressed like a pumpkin even if she's thirty years old."

His hands came to stay on either side of her head, his palms flat on the wall, but she forced herself to keep her mouth pursed.

"It is a shame you hate costumes so much…" she lamented. "There I went and bought a bunny one for later… Not quite appropriate for trick-or-treating, of course, but I though you would enjoy the ears and the tiny little plushy tail…" His face didn't give much away but she caught the spark of interest in his grey eyes, she caught the way they darkened with lust too. "It really is a shame… The costume comes with slit panties too… And did I mention the corset? Because…"

His mouth crashed on hers and she parted her lips readily, wrapping her arms around his waist…

"When you're done sucking faces, we're ready." Katniss' voice announced in the long suffering tone of the child who had caught their parents – or parental figures, she supposed – kissing one too many times.

They had tried to hide from the children but… It wasn't working that well. Not since they had started sleeping together. The problem was that they couldn't keep their hands off each other and stealing kisses every time they could get away with it had become some sort of sport.

Haymitch drew back with a frustrated grunt and tossed a mock glare to the girl who looked definitely unimpressed. "Do you have a radar or something?"

It was true Katniss had a gift for interrupting every time they started kissing or making-out.

Effie pushed him back, not even trying to suppress her smile. "She is right. We should go before all the good candies are out. Katniss, darling, did you make sure Prim had her jacket? It is so chilly I wouldn't want her to…" The sound of the doorbell cut her off and she beamed. "Oh! It must be children!"

She had thought the house was too far from town to get visitors but she had planned ahead just in case. She rushed to the front door, grabbing the bowl of candies – that Haymitch had pilfered from despite her admonishments – on her way. She opened the door, expecting a chorus of 'trick or treat' but found herself face to face with a blond woman in her late thirties who looked just as startled as she was to see another adult.

"Oh, sorry." the woman said. She had a soft voice and tired blue eyes and she was bundled in a duffle coat that seemed a little too much for the weather. Her tone was slightly hesitant too. "You must be Effie? I heard a lot about you."

Effie opened her mouth, unsure what to answer – because she knew the whole town had been talking about her for weeks, she was gossip folder – but before she could say anything more, a canon ball shot past her and straight into the woman. "Mommy!"

The woman crouched down to better hug Prim and pieces finally fell into place.

Effie stepped aside, looking over her shoulder to find Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta hovering hesitantly at the end of the corridor. Haymitch's face had closed into a blank expression that didn't offer much. After a few seconds, Aster Everdeen stood back up, firmly holding Prim's hand and stepped inside, heading toward Katniss with an hesitant smile.

It was clear to Effie she would have loved a hug.

It was also obvious she would not get one.

She closed the door slowly, unable to stop the dread from pooling in her stomach. Her mother hadn't make a move since the whole P.I. thing. Haymitch thought they were good because he had called Plutarch Heavensbee who, after speaking with Effie to make sure she was alright, had promised to convince Elindra to leave well enough alone. So far, they hadn't heard from her but…

Effie knew her mother. If she was determined to get Effie back, she would do something.

Was this her play?

In the weeks she had spent there she hadn't seen Aster once. The woman had expressed zero interest in seeing her children. So for her to show up right then, a few days only after her mother had sent a PI after her…

Effie was terrified she would try to take the children from Haymitch as a ploy to get her to fall in line.

Because she would comply at the smallest threat on the children's safety – and Elindra must know that. Her mother was always making fun of how soft-hearted she was.

She briefly met Haymitch's eyes over the woman's shoulder. He looked away first, back to Katniss who was not so discreetly leaning into his space.

Aster seemed to get the message and stopped moving forward. The smile on her lips wavered. "Hello, Haymitch. I'm sorry to drop by like that, I just thought… I thought I could take the girls trick-and-treating?"

Prim was still holding Aster's hand, clearly happy to see her mother, but even she frowned a little. "But we were going with Uncle Haymitch and Effie… Look, she's a pumpkin."

Aster glanced at her and quickly looked away, probably feeling awkward. "Oh, yes, of course…"

"But you can come with us." Prim declared and then looked up at Effie, biting on her bottom lip. "Right?"

What could Effie do but force a bright smile on her lips. "Of course, darling. Now everyone get their jackets, alright?"

"But it will ruin the costume." Katniss groaned.

"Just in case it gets too cold." Effie insisted. "Haymitch can carry them. If anyone asks why he isn't wearing a costume, we can say he is dressed as a living hat stand."

"Like in Beauty and the Beast." Prim approved, nodding.

"Exactly like in Beauty and the Beast." Effie snorted, flashing Haymitch a more genuine smile.

He rolled his eyes but didn't protest.

"I'm sorry." Aster said, once the kids had run to get their jackets. "I didn't know you'd have plans… Usually you just watch movies and…"

"It's fine, Aster." Haymitch interrupted, a little too briskly. "They're happy you're here." He took a deep breath, made a clear effort to sound less irritated. "It's good you came. It's been a while."

Clearly, the woman took that as chastisement. "I know. I've been trying a new treatment… It wasn't working out."

From what Effie had gathered, it never did work out but she held her tongue.

They set out toward town on foot but the mood wasn't as joyful nor light as it had been before. Prim was the only one who was enjoying herself. She clung to Aster's hand, telling her all about something or other – Buttercup, Effie believed – while the rest of them were deadly silent. Katniss had taken hold of Haymitch's hand even though she wasn't usually that tactile or possessive – she was making a point, Effie mused.

After a while, Peeta shyly slipped his own hand in her own and Effie squeezed it with a smile for the boy who beamed at her. It broke her heart a little. He was such a sweet child, it was a shame his mother was such a witch. As it was, the boy spent more time at their house than he did home and he was clearly starved for affection.

Affection was something that Effie had in spare though.

They stopped at Chaff's house along the way. The door opened and the children yelled trick or treat and Chaff bellowed with a fake pirate laugh that matched his outfit.

"See…" Effie hummed, looping her arm around Haymitch's. "Chaff does not think he is too old for costumes…"

"He just like the hook." Haymitch retorted, nodding at the very real hook that replaced his missing hand. "Had to convince him he couldn't wear it all the time."

Once they had collected Captain Hook – who joined Effie in mercilessly mocking Haymitch for not wearing a costume – they headed back toward town. Chaff and Peeta spent the whole trip playing pirates which Effie found both sweet and funny.

Katniss remained sullen and, at some point, ended up trapped between Haymitch and Effie, holding both of their hands like a much younger child. Her face was set in a scowl and she was so deeply not enjoying herself that, after they had done a few houses, Effie purposefully held her back from the group, pretending one of her feathers was hanging loose. Katniss didn't really care about her costume but she jumped on the excuse to get some distance from the others.

"What's wrong, darling?" Effie asked, leading her to a nearby bench so she could sit down and be at eye level. She immediately regretted it because the bench was made of metal and it was freezing. "Aren't you having fun?"

Katniss' face remained stuck into a sulk as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and Effie had to resist the urge to tell her that she would get wrinkles if she kept that up.

"It was supposed to be like a real family night." the girl finally muttered.

Effie immediately got her meaning and, if she was truly honest, shared her opinion. Nevertheless, she schooled her features in confusion instead. "We are a real family. And now everyone in the family is here to share the fun. Isn't it better that way?"

Katniss watched her as if she wasn't really fooled but looked down at her boots and kicked a wayward pebble. "Prim's happy, I guess."

The understatement that it was all that mattered was clear.

"Your mother just wants to spend some time with you…" she hesitated. "She must miss you very much."

Katniss shrugged. "Then she shouldn't have given us up."

Which was very, very true and not something Effie could easily refute. Or wanted to for that matter.

She spotted Haymitch walking toward their bench and relaxed a little because he was much better at handling Katniss than she was.

"Hey." he said, dropping next to the girl. "What's going on?"

He knew what was going on, Effie guessed, but he wanted Katniss to say it in her own words. Doctor Aurelius always said it was important – or so Haymitch had explained, she had met the doctor only briefly.

"Nothing." Katniss lied, clenching her jaw. Her eyes were glistening but she swallowed hard and crossed her arms over her chest.

Haymitch studied her for a moment then glanced at Effie before looking back at the girl. "How about Effie takes you and Peeta to the meadow? Heard they've got some sort of scary maze up there… Too scary for your sister probably so…"

Katniss' face closed even more and the reason why was obvious.

"Oh, I would be far too scared!" Effie gasped. "It would be better if you took them. I will stay with Aster and Prim. I am sure we will have a lovely time."

Some of the tension left Katniss' shoulders but not all of it.

Haymitch picked up on it though. "Yeah. Sure. I can do the scary maze. Think Peeta will be game?"

"Can we bring Uncle Chaff?" the girl hesitated.

"Hell, yeah." Haymitch scoffed. "If I'm gonna walk through a scary maze, he's gonna do it too."

Katniss glanced at Effie. "And you'll stay with Prim and make sure she's okay?"

It was sad that she didn't trust her own mother to make sure her sister was safe but she supposed it was also understandable. "Of course, darling."

"Alright, then. I guess." Katniss offered with a small shrug but looking a little happier.

Prim, on the other hand, wasn't happier once she was told of the change of plans and while she didn't sulk or try to hold her sister back, she was clearly subdue for the rest of the night. It probably didn't help that Effie was extremely ill-at-ease around Aster and that even though she kept a cheerful chatter, it was mostly one-sided.

When they were close to her house, Aster said her goodnight to Prim, asking her to kiss Katniss for her, and then awkwardly shook Effie's hand.

"I'm sorry I ruined the night." she said, softly enough that the girl wouldn't hear.

At that moment, Effie felt more pity than anger. "You did not. You should come to lunch, sometimes. The children would love to see you more."

"Maybe." Aster offered but it was unconvinced and she supposed it would be weeks before they heard from her again.

It probably wasn't a ploy from Elindra Trinket after all.

Effie and Prim hit another few houses before they joined back with the rest of their group. They dropped Peeta off at the bakery and Chaff wandered off to the bar with a vague excuse about a costume contest…

"He wants to get laid." Haymitch muttered in her ear.

"Yes, thank you." she huffed. "I am not that clueless."

He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her into his side to better whisper in her ear. "I wanna get laid too, bunny."

The mood he was in, she doubted she would even get to put the bunny costume on.

She smiled though and watched the girls as they hopped ahead on the road, swapping candies.

"Don't eat any yet!" she reminded them, worried. "I want to check them all first!"

It might sound overprotective but the stories you heard… She just wanted to be certain they would be safe.

Katniss tossed her a look over her shoulder. She couldn't really tell what the girl was thinking but Haymitch had a pleased smirk on his lips and, once the girl was looking ahead again, he dropped a kiss on her head.

She frowned, confused. "What is it?"

"You're a mother hen." he teased.

"I am not." she scoffed.

"Not a bad thing, sweetheart…" he countered after a moment. "Katniss needs some of that."

She could see the large shape of their house looming in the distance and the girls started running in earnest, laughing as they did so. They followed at a slower pace, mostly because Effie wanted to talk to him about something she didn't want the children to hear.

"She was really upset earlier." she remarked.

"She doesn't really like spending time with Aster." Haymitch sighed. "She won't let her be alone with Prim, though. She's worried she's gonna forget her somewhere or just straight up dump her."

"Would she?" she hesitated.

Haymitch let out a deep breath. "Don't know. The one time she did give them up, it was to me and she did it the proper way but…" He shook his head. "I don't trust her to be alone with the kids either, not really. I usually tag along when she takes them."

"Prim was younger, she does not remember but… Is it good for Katniss to be forced to spend time with her if she does not want to?" she asked.

"Nobody's forcing her…" Haymitch countered, a little harshly, as if she had doubted his parenting skills.

"You just said she feels compelled to go along for Prim's safety." she insisted.

He made a face. "I don't know. She knows she doesn't have to." He shook his head again. "She must really trust you, though. She almost always sticks around when her mother's in charge of Prim… She doesn't always trust me to handle it by myself…"

She felt flattered and proud and a little bit sad too. "She told me she had hoped for a family outing tonight. I think she meant…"

"Us, yeah." he cut her off. "I got that much out of her in the maze." He checked his watch. "You know… It's late but let's have some hot chocolate and watch a movie, yeah? They can eat some of the candies once you've checked to make sure nobody's out to poison our kids."

The last part was added in a teasing tone but she pretended not to notice.

She also tried not to preen too much at that possessive pronoun but it was like a ball of warmth had nestled right against her heart…

What did you think? Did you enjoy Halloween? Let me know your thoughts!