We Didn't Start The Fire
by FanficAllergy & RoseFyre

oOo

Chapter Nineteen: All of Me

oOo

Last Time in We Didn't Start The Fire:

"So now what do we do?" Katniss asks after we leave the office, looking at me.

"I have no idea."

oOo

Our new jobs start immediately, but we don't have much time to concentrate on them because, only a couple of days later, we run into a real problem.

And for once, it's not caused by the three of us.

Effie Trinket comes to our compartment, all atwitter. "You need to do something!"

"Uh, what?" Katniss asks. We're in our room, studying for our new jobs. I have a huge folder of propaganda to go through, while Katniss has a pile of technical manuals and Gale has various weapons schematics. Lavinia is playing with Rain in the other room so we can concentrate on our studies.

Effie wrings her hands. "Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The imbeciles refused to listen to my advice," Effie huffs. "You would think, after working with Haymitch for so many years, I'd know a thing or two." She starts pacing around the room, gesticulating wildly. "But no. Everyone has to adapt to Thirteen, they don't adapt to you."

"Um, not that we disagree with you, but would you mind telling us what exactly happened?" Gale asks, closing his folder.

She stops pacing, standing right in front of us with her hands on her hips. "Haymitch attacked someone."

"What?" we all exclaim.

"Well not on purpose!"

"How do you attack somebody not on purpose?" I ask, confused.

"Haymitch is a Victor!" she cries as if that explains everything.

It doesn't.

"Uh huh…" Gale prompts.

"Victors… have special needs," she says, her tone diplomatic. "They're… delicate. Fragile. They require certain care."

"Look, we're just a bunch of hicks from an outlying district. Just give it to us straight."

"Fine." Effie sighs. "Haymitch sleeps with a knife. Has since he got home from his Games. And if you aren't careful in how you wake him, he can be a little bit… testy. We escorts get training on how to handle these incidents, how to plan for them, how to prepare. I tried to warn Thirteen that Haymitch requires special consideration, that for the safety of himself and others, he should be housed separately from the rest of the main population."

"And I'm guessing he wasn't," I say.

"They shoved him in the barracks! I mean, really!"

"Are they trying to get themselves killed?" Gale asks.

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Effie cries. "But they refused to listen, and now he's in the brig."

"To be fair," Katniss says, "they don't give anyone private quarters. When we first got here, they tried to put us in the barracks."

The woman tilts her head. "But aren't you married? I mean I understand it's a bit unorthodox, but it's not unheard of!"

"Thank you!" Gale exclaims. "Somebody gets it."

Effie looks at all of us. "Would you consider possibly talking to them? Convincing them to let Haymitch go?"

"We should probably talk to Haymitch first, don't you think?" I say.

"Well, why?"

"To find out if he wants us to help him," I answer. "Effie, I understand that you're not from Twelve, but people from the Seam, like Haymitch and Gale and Katniss, they don't like owing. And doing things for them puts them in your debt. And it's better if it's a debt they're willing to take on." I give my two spouses a rueful look. "I've learned that the hard way."

"Oh. But this wouldn't be a debt! You'd just be doing him a favor!"

I shake my head. "It's the same thing."

"Fine," she concedes with a sigh. "We can talk to him first."

District Thirteen's brig is located on one of the upper levels. One thing we've learned since coming here: the more valuable Thirteen considers something, the deeper underground it's housed. That's why the nursery is on one of the lowest floors while the brig is on one of the highest. It's also likely why they protested when we insisted on a room with a window.

It's not hard to get in to see Haymitch; it's not as though he's done something unforgivable like stealing food. It's a little odd what Thirteen considers a capital offense compared to the rest of Panem.

Haymitch is sleeping when we get there.

"Think he's got a knife?" Katniss asks, eyeing the man warily.

"Quite possibly," Effie answers. "It depends on how thoroughly they searched him before bringing him here."

"I ain't sleepin'."

"Well, good. Then you can sit up and talk to us like a normal human being."

The man doesn't move. "Just because I ain't sleepin' doesn't mean I'm not resting my eyes. What do you kids want?"

"That's up to you," Gale says. "Do you want out of here?"

"This ain't the worst place I've slept. Kinda feels a bit homey. Reminds me of my bunk in the Capitol."

We look at Effie.

"There's small bedrooms up by the mentor stations where mentors can go get a few winks while their tribute is still active in the Games. Haymitch used it more than most."

"Carved my name and everything." He opens one bloodshot eye. "Look, Effs, I appreciate you tryin' to spring me, but this is probably for the best. I'm a danger. Maybe if you can talk Coin into lettin' me out to train the kids and puttin' me back here when I'm not on duty, it'd be best for everyone."

Effie stamps her foot. "You stop that right now! Being locked up like a criminal is not good for anyone!"

"No, what's not good for anyone is me shankin' twenty year old kids 'cause my alarm's going off and I'm not waking up." He sits up, scrubbing at his face with his hands. "How's he doing, by the way?"

"The doctors say he'll live. You didn't do any permanent damage."

Haymitch lets out a deep breath. "That's something. It's just… you know I don't sleep well with anyone but you."

"Then maybe that's the solution," I put in.

"What are you talkin' about, boy?" Haymitch demands.

"You said it yourself, you only sleep well with Effie. Why not sleep with Effie?"

"I'd be happy to, kid. Been doin' it for years. But those bunks of theirs ain't really conducive to sleepin' two people."

"So get separate quarters."

"How? They only offer private quarters to married couples."

I smile at him.

The man stares at me in growing horror. "Oh no. You ain't…"

My smile widens into a grin. "I think it's time you made an honest woman of Effie, don't you agree?"

"Damn you kids. I can't marry her."

"Why?"

"She'll get hurt. Snow will-"

"Snow will do what?" I interrupt. "We're in Thirteen."

Haymitch scratches at his stubble. "Huh. Kinda forgot about that. Right. So. Epiphany Trinket, would you do me the honor of, uh, bein' my wife?"

"What kind of proposal is that?" Effie asks, clearly shocked.

"Um… well, shit." Haymitch looks around at the rest of us. "Anyone got any ideas?"

"Personally, I recommend the sickbed confessional, it seems to work for me," Gale suggests.

"I like the actions speak louder than words," Katniss puts in.

"I'm easy," I say.

My wife reaches down and squeezes my hand. "Yes. You were."

I squeeze it back. "It's not about the proposal. It's about the marriage. So long as I'm not required to get down on one knee in front of all of Panem, I'm fine with it. It's just gotta be real."

I look at him. "Haymitch, do you love Effie?"

The man makes a face. "I'm fond of her. Probably more than I should be."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, damn it." He glares at me. "I'm in love with her."

"And you, Effie?"

"Well, when he's not being annoying, he does have some positive features."

"Yes or no?" I press. These two are almost as bad as my spouses.

"Well of course yes! I wouldn't be here if it weren't yes!"

"Then I don't see what the problem is. You guys get married, and boom, you get private quarters. Easy peasy."

"They don't expect you to pop a kid out right away, do they?" Effie asks, wringing her hands.

"I'm not gonna lie to you," Katniss answers, placing a hand on her stomach. "Thirteen is really big on procreation. But they don't force people to have kids." Encourage, yes. But not force.

"Well good, it's not like I can have them now anyways."

All of us look at her with interest.

She rubs her upper arm. "Little Capitol secret."

I guess the Capitol has something stronger than condoms or unreliable herbal remedies. And, of course, they've never shared whatever it is with the districts.

Effie smiles at Haymitch. "Alright. I'll marry you."

He stands up to take her hands through the bars. "Thank you."

With that taken care of and Haymitch allowed out of the brig, we descend into an odd battle of wills between Effie Trinket, Haymitch Abernathy, and Alma Coin.

It's quickly decided that this wedding should be filmed. The marriage between a former Victor, and a popular one at that, and a Capitolite is not only forbidden, but also would be a rallying cry for the districts and those dissenters within the Capitol.

And even that's a fight.

Unsurprisingly, it's Haymitch who balks. "You ain't puttin' me in some monkey suit and makin' me your figurehead. I've been made an example of enough times in my life, I ain't doin' it anymore."

"But it'd be for the good of the country," Coin protests.

"I don't care. I know what Snow does to the loved ones of the people who defy him. I lost my family 'cause of him. I ain't about to lose her."

Effie covers her mouth, blinking rapidly. "Oh Haymitch! That's about the most romantic thing you've ever said to me! If you don't want our marriage to be publicized to the world, I'll understand!"

"Aw, damn it, Effs, that's not what I meant!"

"If it'll help you change your mind, I promise this will be the only time I'll ask this of you," Coin says dryly. "I can't think of anything else you'd do that might be inspiring."

"That's because you ain't seen me drink yet."

"And I hopefully never will. My point still stands. How many Capitolites would give their eyeteeth to marry Finnick Odair or one of his ilk?"

She's got a point. It's interesting that she doesn't make any reference to district people wanting to marry Capitolites, probably because most of us don't have any contact with them.

"We need all of the dissent we can get," Coin continues. "This is going to be a long protracted rebellion, with embers slowly springing to life. Each little bit adds fuel to the flames. We need you to be that fuel."

"Yeah, but you know what happens to fuel, don't ya? It burns up and gets destroyed. I ain't lettin' you destroy the one good thing that's happened to me."

"Haymitch!" Effie exclaims, peppering the man's face with tiny kisses. "I love you too!" She pulls back slightly, still holding his face in her hands. "But I think we should do this. If our love story can inspire thousands, all of the hardships we've gone through would be worth it!"

Haymitch sighs. "Damn it, Eff, is this something you really want?"

"Yes!" she responds with an emphatic nod. "Think about it. When the Capitol sees you and I walking down that aisle, standing underneath that canopy," her voice becomes distant as she imagines her wedding. "We'll have our wrists bound together to symbolize the bonds of our union, then when we light that unity candle and toast that little bit of bread all to the strains of your District Twelve wedding song… just imagine how inspiring it will be! And there we'll be, the center of attention, each of us dressed to the nines in couture that would make Vera Karan jealous, and the cake, why the cake is everything-"

"Hold it. Stop right there. I think you've got the wrong idea of what weddings are like here in Thirteen," Gale says, stepping in.

The woman shakes her head, clearing the vision of her wearing couture from it. "I don't know what you mean."

"Weddings here are a little… abbreviated," I say diplomatically. "Streamlined. Condensed. Here, it's more about the union than the actual ceremony."

"Well put, Peeta," Coin says approvingly.

"Thank you, ma'am." I turn to look at her. "But for the rest of us, the ceremony does matter. Even in Twelve we used to make a day of it, make it a special occasion. Everyone would get dressed up in their best clothes, the bride would rent, or if she was lucky, buy a white dress. The groom would wear something special, often a hand-me-down from his forefathers." I think back to the weddings I've attended. "They'd go to the Justice Building, sign their papers, and then the party'd begin. There'd be music. Dancing. Drinking. At the end of it, everybody would escort the new couple to their brand new house and sing a special toasting song. Then, once they were finally alone, the couple would light a fire in their new house and toast a bit of bread over it. I know that's not your thing here in Thirteen," I acknowledge. "But I'm sure other districts have just as important ceremonies. It'd mean so much to the districts to see that their traditions and customs are being honored and will be remembered and thought about in the new regime."

Coin seems to consider what I've said, leaning back in her chair to regard us with those pale eyes of hers. "That's an interesting point," she says after several heartbeats. "We do want to make sure people understand that we will respect their traditions. I'd like to propose that we include some of Thirteen's, of course."

"You mean they have traditions?" Gale mutters low enough that I wouldn't be able to hear him if I weren't sitting next to him.

"What kind of traditions?" Katniss asks from Gale's other side.

"While we may seem to be a reserved bunch, most couples take extra Reflection time during the first week after their weddings," the president explains. "Many couples use a special pen to sign their paperwork. After the wedding, that pen resides in a place of honor in their quarters."

That explains the ornate pen we saw when Castor and Lavinia got married. As well as the one that somehow ended up in our quarters after our Thirteen wedding. I guess it's good we didn't just throw it out, even if it's not exactly in what one would call 'a place of honor.'

"Why, I still have the pen that my grandfather used when he and my grandmother got married," Coin finishes.

"I'm sure we'd be more than happy to have the special pen," Effie says. "Granted, the wedding song and the toasting aren't part of the typical Capitol traditions, but it's important to Haymitch, so it's important to me."

"I have to admit, Ms. Trinket, that most of the Capitol traditions aren't going to be possible. The cake, for instance. Why, who would we find to bake it?"

I raise my hand. "That's kind of my specialty."

Coin glares at me. "It'd be a waste of resources."

"I can live without the cake," Effie says. "It's okay, Peeta. Thank you. Besides, I must watch my figure. But certainly the unity candle…"

"The air scrubbers are already working overtime to accommodate the increase in population. We don't need to add additional pollutants to the load."

"We could move the wedding outside. Late summer is a lovely time of year!"

"I'm afraid that's strictly forbidden."

"But you're the president. Make an exception!"

"Unfortunately, if I make an exception for you, I'll have to make an exception for all transients. And that's an unreasonable use of resources, even for a propo."

"Can we at least have the toasting?" Effie asks in a small voice.

"What does that entail?"

"Um," Effie turns to Haymitch.

The man kind of shrugs, not really wanting to say anything, so I step in.

"It's basically a piece of bread that the newlywed couple toast over a newly built fire in their house."

"No fires."

"Perhaps we could have it outside for a brief Reflection period?" I suggest. "Not the whole ceremony, but just one little bit. Surely a small fire outdoors wouldn't strain resources too much, and it's my understanding that what someone does during Reflection, as long as it's not against the law, is that person's own business."

"I suppose we can make some accommodation," Coin grudgingly gives in.

"Oh thank you, Madam President," Effie gushes. "It's a little something. And the handfasting shouldn't be too difficult, all we really need is a bit of ribbon or some string or rope would do in a pinch, I suppose."

"I'm sure we can find something," Coin says.

"The Twelve song should be easy as well." She turns to my wife. "Would you do us the honor, Katniss?"

"Of course."

"Um… I do feel that it would be in the rebellion's best interest if our wedding day attire was more in line with what the districts and Capitol expect of a wedding day."

"What do you mean, Ms. Trinket?"

"Well, while gray is a lovely color and blends in beautifully with the surroundings, it's not the most festive of colors." It's an incredibly diplomatic way of saying that Thirteen is drab and dreary and the sameness is depressing. I find myself liking Effie Trinket more and more.

Although from the expression on Coin's face, I suspect she's having the opposite reaction. "Unfortunately, our supplies are very limited and colors aren't considered a necessity. I don't believe we have any colored fabrics."

Gale raises his hand. "We might be able to help there."

oOo

The actual Thirteen wedding is as dreary as ever. They sign the paperwork with me and President Coin as witnesses. Castor films the whole thing at Fulvia's insistence, but I can see the resignation in her eyes. This isn't the inspiring wedding they were looking for. When the last 'i' is dotted and 't' is crossed Haymitch and Effie are officially married. In deference to Thirteen's customs, Haymitch slips the bright green pen into his pocket when they're done. I wonder what they're going to do with it.

Haymitch and Effie decided to take our lead and write vows to each other. However rather than saying them while signing the papers, they've instead chosen to say them during the handfasting and toasting, which take place during a group Reflection period outdoors. It's Coin's concession to the Capitol and Twelve's traditions.

After the Thirteen ceremony finishes, Katniss and Gale lead everyone to a picturesque pool alongside our stream where the handfasting will take place.

President Coin is understandably nervous about the whole thing, glancing at the clear sky, an expression of concern on her face. Initially, she was worried about the fire. But now she's more worried about Effie's dress being spotted from overhead.

The bright pink flounced monstrosity Rory gave Gale as a joke on his birthday last year is surprisingly attractive on the Capitol woman. It's been modified to fit Effie better, but the neon pink still glows in the sunlight. By contrast, Haymitch's washed and darned Capitol clothing, which he arrived in, looks almost ragged.

Messalla steps forward, a strip of bright pink held in his hand. Skillfully, he wraps it around Haymitch and Effie's conjoined hands and ties an ornate knot at the end. Then he intones, "As this thread binds these two hands together, so will the hearts of Haymitch Abernathy and Epiphany Trinket be bound by the bonds of love and matrimony." The words are stilted, almost like Messalla's trying to recite them from memory. "What these two have wrought together, let no man tear asunder." When he's done, he takes a step back.

It's now Haymitch's turn.

Reaching forward with his unbound right hand, he cups Effie's cheek. "You are quite possibly the most annoying, pigheaded, stubborn, annoying woman I have ever met." As a romantic opening line, it's not something I'd pick, but Effie seems moved. Thankfully, Haymitch continues, "I thank the stars every fucking day that I met you and that someone somewhere thought you'd be a good fit for an asshole like me. Y'also got one of the kindest hearts outta anyone I've ever met, and I thank ya for trustin' me with it. I promise to keep it safe."

"Oh Haymitch! You stupid stubborn man!" Effie pulls him forward with her unbound left hand and kisses him enthusiastically. "You are quite possibly the most cantankerous, recalcitrant, misanthropic male I've ever had the misfortune of meeting." She kisses him once more for good measure. "You're also one of the most caring, loving, wonderful creatures in this world. I thank destiny for bringing us together. It was our fate, and every horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad thing in our lives is worth it if I can be with you."

I smile. Their vows, as unconventional as they are, fill me with warmth.

The two love each other so much, but even now are a bit scared to show it. They never once said they loved each other, but their actions, words, and deeds demonstrate that they don't need to say the words. They know how they feel, and despite their dissimilarities and disparate upbringings, they managed to find each other and grew to love and respect each other.

If I didn't have Katniss and Gale, I'd be jealous of the two. But I found my soulmates, or rather, they found me. And I can't imagine my life without them. Despite our rocky beginning, everything we've suffered through will be worth it if I can be with them and our family in the end.

It looks like Haymitch and Effie feel the same. And I couldn't be happier for them.

oOo

AN:
Written: 10/17/15
Revised: 11/8/15
Revised 2: 11/9/15

The title of this song come from John Legend's ballad to his wife Christy Teigen, called "All of Me." While we think of it as an Everlark song, we realized it actually really works for Hayffie. Yep.

We realized after we'd already written over a chapter ahead that we kind of needed to do this. Mostly because of Haymitch. In canon, he had Plutarch going to bat for him and a destroyed district to deal with. Here, Thirteen is more rigid. And thanks to Katniss being an unobservant, unreliable narrator we don't really know much about Haymitch's canon situation other than he didn't do well with the forced detox.

We totally bastardized several wedding traditions for the Capitol marriage. Including both of our own faiths. So yes, we know what we did and what we mutated.

Things We Randomized:

- If Haymitch and Effie were right or left handed (for purposes of handfasting)

Thanks for reading! Let us know what you think!