smut is coming so...M is for reason ;)

Haymitch may seem a bit OOC but I hope I managed to explain well enough why.

If you spot any grammar mistakes, please, let me know!

Enjoy! x

Effie went to Twelve a day before the Reaping. It was late night when she arrived to the District so no one was on the streets. Everything was silent and empty. It was almost scary. Effie knew nothing about the changes in the District and it was just her luck that she didn't meet with any of the Peacekeepers on her way to the Victors' Village. She let out a relieved sigh when she finally spotted Haymitch's house. It was all black, no light snuck through the curtains. Not like Peeta or Katniss' house. It seemed lifeless. She didn't feel herself in safe ever since she just had gotten off the train. Even though it was midsummer a chill ran down on her spine as she was walking up to his porch. What if he got mad at her? He had been telling her to watch her back and not doing anything stupid or thoughtless ever since they first had slept together and he had seen the human under all the crap. A desirable, beautiful woman.

Once she reached his front door, she softly knocked on it, and then entered without waiting for his answer. His door was always open, she knew it well. A weak light came from his living room and the sound of a rattling fire. She walked towards that room and peeked in there. Haymitch was sitting there on the couch, the TV was on but it was muted. He was nursing a bottle of liquor and took a sip every once in a while. He was wearing his usual grey sleeve and sweatpants. She was sure his knife was somewhere close to him.

"Haymitch" she called his name, but it was almost a whisper. He heard it, though. He turned in her direction with disbelieving in his grey eyes.

"Effie" he stood up and placed the bottle on the coffee table next to the couch. He watched as Effie went over to him. He still didn't say or do anything. He still didn't believe she was really there…Not until Effie cupped his face and breathed a kiss on his lips "Are you out of your mind, Princess?! Did all the shit on your head take your brain away?" he gently pushed her away. His hands stayed on her shoulder.

"I just…Just needed to see you before the Reaping" she finally let her mask fall and not playing the strong woman who can handle and bear everything. Her first tears appeared in her blue eyes.

"No, you needed to play with your life! You can't come here just like that, you know it well" he slightly shook her, taking care not to hurt her. Her tears were streaming down on her face, leaving marks on her make-up.

"Haymitch…" she whispered. She touched his face; her long fingers ran through his stubble.

"No Haymitch, Effie! You're risking your life for what? For me! Not worth it, Princess, just not worth it" his voice rose with anger but he immediately lowered it down.

"It is for me" she propped her forehead to his chin. Her hands found their way around his waist. She drew herself closer to him.

"Effie…please, be clever!" Haymitch's hand left her shoulder and rested on her nape "You know what's the cost if Snow finds out what's going on between us"

"Escorts and Victors have always been…" Effie started but Haymitch cut her off.

"Yes, Victors've always been fucking Escorts. For taking revenge on the Capitol for all those things Snow's done over the years. No emotions involved! But we're different, Princess. I won't ask you more. Be careful, be clever, and think! I don't wanna lose more people I care about. Understand?" he carefully wiped her tears off with his thumb, and he kissed her gently on her lips. He bit on her lower lip gently, then asking for entrance with his tongue. Effie opened her mouth, and they lost in a sensitive kiss.

"You care about me then?" Effie asked when they broke apart after air had become a serious need. Her fingers petted his nape. Haymitch buried his face deep in the crook of her neck. Before he would be able to answer her, she already locked his lips with hers. His hands were dancing all over her body.

"How about walk?" the house wasn't the place where they should talk over this. Who knew who was listening their conversation?

"In the moonlight? When did you become a romantic man?" Effie teased him while she was breathing little kisses all along his neck and shoulder.

"When I realized this could be the last night when I can hold you in my arms" his face darkened but when she gently pressed her palm to his cheek, and softly stroked it with her thumb, the clouds disappeared. Effie tiptoed and kissed the spot where her thumb had been just a moment before. She never answered just grabbed his hand and let him guide her to the hallway and headed down to the back door. Although it was almost midnight, the air was still warm. The sweet smell of the wild summer flowers surrounded them. They walked down to the end of the yard, where a little brook ran by. They sat down in the emerald green grass. Effie pressed her body close to Haymitch's. His arm was around her waist, his thumb cared her hipbones every once in awhile. Effie's head rested on his shoulder. Her long, honey blonde locks loosened under her shoulder blades. Haymitch had asked her to take her wig off before they would have left the house. He wanted to spend the night with Effie Trinket, the woman he loved – though he had never told her that, not yet – and not with the Capitol doll. Her dress was surprisingly simple. A rose patterned, light pink summer dress, ended just above her knees and thanked to the V neck on its back, left the smooth skin of her back uncovered.

"Wait a minute, I'll be right back" Haymitch jumped on his feet and disappeared in the dark. Effie looked after him with a puzzled look on her face. He was back in a few minutes, holding a few blankets in his hands. He put and arranged them on the ground. He sat down on them, and Effie sat next to him. His arm sneaked around her waist again and gently he pulled her down then lied down next to her. Effie snuggled up to him. They looked up on the night sky and watched the brightly stars above them. They seemed so peaceful, so breathtakingly beautiful on the endless darkness. Like thousands of little diamonds.

"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you" Effie whispered an old song's lyrics "You can't see such a beautiful thing in the Capitol" she sighed. She had never seen the real stars in the city. Capitol's lights were too bright; they covered the nature's real treasures.

"I do" Haymitch said. His arm tightened around her "Whenever I look at you. Whenever I look in your eyes and see the beauty of the Earth, all the love you've for me and the kids" silence welcomed his words. Effie propped herself on her elbows and kissed him.

"What have I done to you? In a year I turned you in some romantic, mushy guy"

"I just thought you should know" he shrugged "There's a damn good chance that we won't spend more night together. I've fifty percent of the chances to go back that fucking arena. Odds've never been in my favor"

"Don't say it, please!" Effie laid her head back on his chest.

"It's gonna happen in a few hours, Princess. Better to accept it" his fingers played with her hair. He twisted her long locks around his fingers.

"I can't" she breathed "I hate to do this, pulling names out of that pool, sending innocent children to death because someone thought they should be punished for something what happened when they weren't even alive! And tomorrow there will be only three names in those pools. Katniss', Peeta's and yours. My girl's name is going to be reaped by me for sure. She's the only female Victor. The thought of it makes me want to cry. And if I pull your name out, Peeta volunteers, I'm sure of it…and…if I pull Peeta's name, you volunteer…you go back…if you die there, it will be my cross to carry for the rest of my life" her last words lost in sobs "I don't want to lose you, Haymitch! In this awful and cruel time we are living in I can't love you freely, I can't show the world how much I love you, how much I need you but I still belong to you, and I can't imagine a life wherein you aren't there with me" she buried her face in his chest. His sleeve was already ruined by her mascara. It was the first time Effie said those words. They had been together for a year. Twelve's victory had brought them together, but Haymitch knew Effie had fallen for him years earlier. She had been telling him she was in love with him, but she had never admitted it was that deep and serious. She belonged to him. Yes, it was true. So did his feelings for her. He was just afraid to utter those words. The last time he had said those three little words, he had lost everyone he loved. He feared the same would happen to Effie. He feared she would be dead by the end of The 75th Hunger Games. It was ridiculous, though. After all, he was the one who had a serious chance to being sent back to the scene of his nightmares.

He said nothing, just gently rolled her on her back and leaned over her. He knew distracting her with lovemaking wasn't the best solution but at least she was concentrating on something else than the next day. He brushed her locks aside of her face. His finger ran down on the back of her nose and it was followed by his lips. He breathed a butterfly kiss on her forehead, on the top of her nose then on her lips. She slightly opened her mouth to allow his tongue in. Their kiss deepened and got more heated. His hand wandered on her knee and slowly snuck up on her thigh, disappeared under her dress. He drew her closer to him. His lips left hers and trailed down her neck until he reached the valley of her breasts. Effie's back arched as she felt his mouth kissing her breasts through the fabric, getting closer to her nipple. While his mouth was busy with her breasts, he separated her legs with his knee and lied on the top of her. She felt his arousal pressing against her inner thigh. Just where his hand had been minutes ago. She moaned and quickly kicked her heels down then wrapped her legs around his waist.

"You're a little overdressed, Princess" he groaned.

"Just like you"

"I can manage it" he stroked up her dress and pulled it off of her over her head. Once she was lying under him only in her lacey panties, he quickly undressed himself then placed himself back on the top of hers. He gently tossed her panties off. He kissed her along from her center to her breasts.

After he had teased her for a few minutes, he gently entered her. He tried to hold himself back and not allow his animalistic side to do her rough and wild as they usually did. He wanted to calm her down, wanted to make her feel loved. Wanted to prove her nothing bad would happen and everything would be just fine. Even though he knew it was the biggest lie ever. Nothing was right. But he needed to pretend the opposite of it. For Effie's sake. She just started to realize the Capitol's real face. That face Haymitch had known for twenty-five years now. He wanted to make love to her, and not just fuck her. Those times when he had used her for a fuck had been over. He never understood why Effie had let him to use her. Love was strange.

Their rhythm was steady almost slow. Haymitch's thrusts were soft and gentle. He moved in and out her as if she was a fragile doll. He had never thought he would enjoy that kind of slowness but he did. It was more heated, more emotional. His slow moves teased her more, fired her up more. Her whispers and moans were lustful. Her arms were around his neck. His face in the crook of her neck, and he sucked her white skin. He was sure it would leave a mark, but it could be covered by her dress. Her breasts pressed against his chest. His tenderness paid its way and with one last thrust he was lucky enough to push Effie over the edge. She came with the whisper of his name on her lips. It didn't take too much time to follow her. With a final thrust he emptied himself in her.

They didn't move for minutes. Haymitch was flaccid but he was still lying on the top of Effie, and he was still deep in her. His face still rested on her neck. Her arms were still around his neck and her fingers drew lazy circles on his nape.

Effie fell asleep with him in her arms. Haymitch carefully got off of her and covered her with the blankets, then took her in his arms and brought her in the house.

When the sun rose up on the next day, it found the Escort and Mentor of District Twelve cuddling in the bed. Haymitch's arm was resting protectively on Effie's stomach, held her close to him. He was awake and with his other hand he petted her messy, blonde locks.

"I love you, Princess" he whispered in her ear "I hope you know it"

so...reviews?