Our Own "Happy ever after..."
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and no money as been made out of this.
Chapter 7
"Peeta, are you sure you don't know what hapenned?"
They were all in the living room of the Penthouse, waiting for dinner to be served. The blonde boy seemed slightly unconfortable, even if he had been in the company of is Mentor and Escort for sometime now, but it might be thanks to him having been in the presence of the Producers a few minuts ago. Haymitch sat in a harmchair, nursing a drink while Effie passed from one side to the other.
"Relax Trinket. The boy already said he doesn't know." he downed his glass. "Besides, if the girl doesn't want to be bothered, than leave her be."
"That's not how it works!" Effie grabed a glass herself. "What do you think it takes to leave her like this?! She volunteered herself, she isn't weak minded! Something terrible hapenned, I'm sure!"
"Honestly, we have other things to think of."
"Like what, Haymitch?"
"Like their interviwes. Have you thought of how you're gonna make her walk on high heels? Or smile to the crowd o-"
"Fine, fine! I'm going to see if she is better."
"Sit down." Haymitch grabed her wrist preventing from moving further. "We were there just a few minuts ago. Things won't change just because you want. Why don't we wait for Cinna and Portia, ãh?"
Instead of responding, Effie turned to her glass. She knew she had a feeling about this girl, and now she knew she was right. And Haymitch thought she was exagerating! Of course they couldn't talk about it in front of the boy, but he should give her more credit! And there was still the problem of what she heard yeasterday. NO! Forget that Effie! That's none of our business! And then, there were the stylists and not knowing if they are trustworthy.
"Don't sulk, Princess. Ladies don't do that, do they?"
"And gentleman don't point such things out! And I'm not sulking."
"Obviously not."
"Are you being sarcastic?!"
"Goodnight everyone."
The two stylists had finally arrived, interrupting the arguing. Deep down Peeta was worried about Katniss, but these two were just two intense. How the other tributs had been able to deal with them was a mistery. The thing he found the most shocking was the way Effie actually cared for them. All those years thinking she wished to be promoted and leave Twelve, but she really looked to enjoy what she did and to put effort in her work to help them as much as she could. Not in the morbid way. And even if they were constantly fighting, the Escort and Victor from Twelve were actually a good team.
As the elevators door openned, Haymitch let go of Effie's hand. Those two were much smarter and atentive, and having Finick and Chaff making fun of him because of Effie was already enough. Of course he never confirmed anything, afterall, they had a purely fisical relationship. Besides, this year she was more infuriating than ever. Having a feeling doesn't mean anything. She shouldn't be putting so much effort, it will only make things worse.
"Are we all ready? How did it go?" said Cinna as everyone sat down at the table.
"I'll go get Katniss."
Effie walked up stairs straight to the girl's room. She wouldn't give up on her and she wouldn't let her give up. She promessed her sister to bring her back, told her about her familly and whatever had hapenned couldn't be that bad. Who cared if Haymitch thought her feeling was wrong? This girl was speacial and she would prove it.
"Katniss? Dinner is already being served and Cinna and Portia are down stairs too." she knock slihtly on the door. No one responded so she openned it.
The girl was curled in bed and seemed to be ignoring her. Effie sat next to her, not sure what to say.
"Look, whatever it hapenned, it's going to get solved." the girl still didn't move. "Couldn't you hit the mark?"
It was useless to try to make her speak. It obvious she didn't trust her Escort, but maybe she would speak if she was with Haymitch and Cinna. The girl seemed to like them way more than her.
"C'mon. Your sister is counting on you. If you give up now what will they do? I'm sure she is waiting for you to come home." she was about to place a hand on her arm, to try and calm her, but Katniss slapped it away and went to the bathroom.
Effie was left alone in the bedroom, not sure what to do. Should she leave or stay? Had Katniss went to get ready or hide from her? And dinner smelled really nice, she couldn't miss it. It wasn't ladylike at all!
Thankfully she didn't have to decide because her tribute walked past her and out the door, without even glancing her way. How rude! I was only trying to help. I should follow her though.
Dinner was served without any problem. The soup was delicious and for once they weren't fighting. As the main corse was being served, Haymitch couldn't contain his curiosity anymore. But as soon as Katniss said she had shoot an arrow towards the Producers, Effie felt like fainting.
Haymitch kicked her leg under the table not with much force. They would have much more problems than they had predicted. But at least the girl was speacial, just like she said. And she seemed to be much happier by the time they started showing the pontuations.
Even if what he told her was correct in theory, that they wouldn't hurt her familly and that they still needed a female tribute, if the girl kept doing stuff like that this Games might end up badly. He would have to talk to Effie, Cinna and Portia about this. Katniss Everdeen had already atracted attention to her by volunteering herself, and then there had been the flamming armors, and that could've been good to get some sponsors like Trinket was allways saying, and an eleven was excelant, but... this personallity wasn't the ideal. The problem was that the eleven she got would only mark her as a target, because the producers would make sure others wouldn't want to sponsor her.
Finally, Peeta and Katniss retired to bed, as well as the stylists. That left Effie and Haymicth alone.
"I'm going to bed."
"Already, Princess?"
"Yes, I'm really tired. And you saw how much work we have, right?"
"You can say that again."
"Are you staying?"
"Yeah, I promessed Chaff I would meet with him."
"Ok. Goodnight."
"Night."
Haymitch could see that Effie was really tired. More than usual. The beginning of the Games was allways the worst for her, or so she said, but it seemed diferent.
Could she be hiding something from him? She wouldn't do that. That was one of their rules: no lies. Both of them were donne with other people pushing them around. Him, the Capitol, her, her familly. And the Capitol. So they promessed to allways be honest with each other. Even if it meant hurting their feelings. Sure, there were sometimes that he might have taken things a litle to far, but Effie had forgiven him.
When Effie finally reached her room, the first thing she did was to take off her dress. It was unconfortable and too hot to wear.
Then she took off her corset and shoes, and finally washed her face from any make up. She didn't even bothered to put on any clothes.
She grabed a pill from the nighstand and seconds after she swallowd it she was fast assleep. This would be some long Games.
Just like promessed, Haymitch went to meet with Chaff. His friend was at the entrance of the center, talking to some woman. She seemed a litle distraught and worried, but not with Chaff. He was a nice guy, even if sometimes he pushed his luck a litle with woman, but he never hurt them.
Twelve's Victor could hear the woman's voice from where they were. And the weirdest thing was that he knew it from somewhere... Was she a sponsor? It wasn't usual for them to come to the Training Center. Actually, he didn't remember that ever hapenning.
Walking closer to them, he could now hear some of the stuff they were saying.
"Please! I need to give her this. It's veeeeeeeeery important."
"Look, you heard them. No one's alowd inside, including you. I'm trying to be nice, so why don't you just leave. You're getting on my nerves."
"What's wrong?"
Haymitch had finally reached them. He had to admit, that woman was fucking gorgeus. Even with those stupid clothes and make up, it was obvious she was beautifull. And she wasn't wearing a wig either. Her blond shiny hair was pinned on top of her head in a fancy way, with some silver stricks that matched the color of her dress. She was younger than them, with quite the body. She hadn't been toutched by plastic surgery like so many other Capitols. Her looks almost put Effie to shame. Almost.
There also was her personality and behaviour. It was obvious she was from a rich familly. She acted confident, but still friendly, with fiery green eyes.
"I have a very important letter that I have to deliever to someone and it seems I can't do so."
"It's a letter! Why don't you use the mail!?" it was obvious Chaff was loosing his patient, so Haymitch thought it better to interrupt before something bad hapenned.
"Who's that letter to?"
"Euphemia Trincket. And I must deliver this to her most urgently." hearing Effie's full name almost made him laugth. It allways did.
So that's where he knew her from! She was Effie's litle sister. Now he remembered Haymitch felt quite stupid not recognising her. The woman talked a lot about her sister, so he should have been able to do so.
They had met once or twice at a Sponsor's party. She was engadge at the time, so he supposed she was married by now.
"I'm Haymitch Abernathy. I can give her the letter if you want. And then we can all go to bed."
"Only if you promess not to peck." Did she really think a promess meant anything?
"Promessed."
The woman handed him the letter and left. Haymitch and Chaff walked to the couches greeting the Peace Keepers that seemed to be as happy as them for being freed from that woman and sat. Did she honestly thought that if he wanted to know what was written a promess would stop him? Not that he would do it, obviously.
"Why were you even talking to her? Isn't that the Peace Keepers job?"
"First, I was waiting for you when she arrived, and after sometime I got tired of hearing her whinninig. Second, she was danm hot! Did you see those legs?!"
Haymitch stole his friend's botle of wine, laugthing in Chaff's face.
"Do you even realise who she is?"
"I dunno. Guess she might be one of your Escorts friends." Chaff grabed back his wine and took a big gulp.
"She is her sister! You are so screwd once she hears what you've donne!" Haymitch kept laughting, and even some of the Peace Keepers tha were heaing the conversation couldn't contain a smile.
"What!? That was Miranda? The one she is constantly talking about!? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because then this wouldn't be half as fun!"
"I swear that if you tell her..."
"Relax, you know I won't." Twelve's Victor was finally able of getting himself together. "Your boy is good."
"So are both of yours. That girl has some high chances."
"Only until she opens her mouth. I have a lot of work to do this year."
Chaff whistled, showing how surprised he was for seeing Hamitch actually care.
"Thinking of a plan already, oh mighty Quarter Quell Victor?"
"Oh, shut up. Effie is the one saying that she has a 'feeling' about the girl. Effie can be danm crazy when she's in the mood."
"Know a lot about her craziness, do ya?" Chaff was half hiding behind his botle.
"Fuck you." Haymitch punched his arm before he could reply. "I found a nice place to hang out. Took Effie there and she liked it. Wanna go and take a look one of this days?"
"Why not? At least I'll something to do."
Both Victors kept talking and drinking for some more minuts before heading to their respectives floors. Chaff pated Haymitch on the back before entering his. Haymitch felt bad for him when he heard his Escort screaming at him. At least Effie was assleep.
When he finally arrived at the penthouse, he felt divided between going to his own room and Effie's.
One thing was to sleep together after a round of crazy hot sex, another very diferent was to seek her bed while she was already assleep. It was a lot more personnal. But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to care.
Whatever they had would never be 'something' in the world they lived. So why not enjoy the time they spent together? They were getting old, and Effie was already pushing her time as an Escort. Two more years and she would probably be out.
As he entered the bed, he snuggled closer to her. He grabed her waist pulling her against him. For a moment he thought she might wake up, but she only murmured his name.
The idea of her being replaced made him feel... bad? As dificult as it could be to admit, he had grown found of her. Very found. The idea of her being replaced and never seeing her again... He didn't like it. He wanted his Effie there for him. Why couldn't stuff stay like that?! She was not old, she was just... more mature.
Everyone considered her the best Escort without doubt, so maybe they had more than two years... He would have to remember to ask her about it tomorrow. For some reason, he thought he wouldn't be able to live without her.
He closed his eyes, the feeling of her naked body against his skin protecting him from nightmares.
To be continued...
A.N.: Hey dear people! Sorry about the delay, but here it is, chapter seven. Anyway, I hope you liked it. This one was kind of a filler, but a lot of them are going to be soooooo... Tell me about your opinion and any sugestions you might like to make. Love. Adeus.