5.

Haymitch picked up the phone only to drop it at the last second more times than he could count that week.

Every morning he saw her in front of the school and she acted perfectly normal – well, normal for her, he still thought she was a little crazy. Sometimes they argued for the sake of arguing, keeping the banter light in front of the kids, sometimes they flirted so shamefully he couldn't have missed the point even if he had wanted to... And he didn't want to. He wanted to call her. He wanted to spend time with her. He just... Wasn't sure how to do that.

He only grew the courage to actually dial her number on the Friday afternoon following the Brave party and he still didn't know what he was going to say. He was still thinking about it when she picked up. There was pop music in the background and a woman laughing nearby, he figured she was at work.

"I... forgot you were working." he stammered without even a proper hello.

"Yes, well... Everyone cannot secretly be rich." she teased. "Although I will have you know I am quite wealthy myself. I used to be a model, you know."

He could believe that without a doubt.

"You're posh, sweetheart, that's the difference." he snorted.

"I know you intend it as snobbish but I will choose to understand it as classy." she declared. "Did you need something, Haymitch?"

"Oh, is that him?" asked a voice he strongly suspected belonged to Cinna in the background. "Took his sweet time, didn't he?"

"Told you he would call!" another woman shouted.

Was she talking about him with her friends? Of course she was talking about him with her friends. That was what women like her did, wasn't it? And it wasn't like he hadn't talked about her at length with Chaff anyway – well, Chaff had talked and he had grumbled.

What was she expecting from him though? Suddenly, it was too much pressure and he chickened out. His eyes fell on the furniture catalogue abandoned on the kitchen counter that he had been browsing earlier because Katniss still didn't have a proper child friendly room. "You're free tomorrow? I'm going to take Katniss to the home furnishing store so she can have a real room... You want to come with? Bring the boy."

There was a pause at the other end of the line during which he could only hear awful pop music.

"I don't have Peeta with me tomorrow." she said.

"Oh." he winced. There were alarm bells ringing in his head. He was making a mess of this, he knew. "Do you want to come anyway? I... We could grab dinner after. With Katniss. She'd like it. 'Cause… You know… She likes eating. And she likes you."

"Do you?" she prompted.

"Do I what?" he frowned.

"Like me." she clarified. "I am trying to figure out if you are really clueless or if you are just not interested."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Honestly? I don't know what I'm doing, sweetheart. I'm winging it."

"And doing an awful job of it." she sighed.

"Look, Effie..." he winced, absolutely ill-at-ease. "I like you. But I'm not good at this. And there's Katniss and... It's been a lot of changes lately."

"Yes, of course." she was quick to offer. "I am sorry, I am not being a very good friend. I will help you tomorrow."

"Thanks." he breathed out, relieved at the prospect of not being left alone to figure out what kind of paint he should buy. "And for the rest... It's not that I don't want to, I just..."

"I understand." she assured him."We will just... Go with the flow, shall we?"

He was happy to nod at that even if she couldn't see him.

He was afraid it would be weird to see her later that day when they picked up the children but she was her usual cheerful safe, greeting the kids with a kiss on the cheek that Katniss had finally stopped rubbing away as soon as Effie wasn't looking. Effie had somehow made it into his niece's routine – the first thing she did when they reached school every day was look for the woman so she could braid her hair.

Katniss wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of spending another Saturday shopping but she perked up a little when he told her she could choose posters to decorate the room. A Brave poster was a given. She was even less thrilled when she discovered the store was a few towns over and would require an hour long drive.

He was still negotiating the following morning when Effie rang the doorbell and he kept on negotiating while the woman wordlessly complied with the request for her to braid the girl's hair. Effie was having fun with all that braiding, he noticed, every day she switched the styles of the braids, sometimes making the whole thing very complicated – much more than it should be in his opinion, given than he was the one having to undo it and untangle it with the hairbrush afterwards.

"Why don't I sit in the back with you, Katniss?" Effie suggested after a few minutes of pointless arguing from the child that they could walk to the store and that she wouldn't get tired because she was a big girl. "You know... In case I get scared? This way you can hold my hand."

She managed to convince the girl she was making her a huge favor in allowing her to sit in the back with her and Katniss climbed in and settled down, immediately holding out her hand for Effie to take and clutching her Mockingjay to her chest with her free arm.

"So you won't be scared." the girl told Effie.

"You work magic." Haymitch declared, making sure Katniss' belt was secured. He was rewarded with a beaming smile.

Working magic apparently also involved singing Disney songs at the top of their lungs and driving him half mad. At least, he supposed, Katniss was too busy singing Colors of the Wind – her latest discovery in the Disney world and her now third favorite after Merida and Mulan but before Ariel because Pocahontas sang, ran through the woods and had dark long hair like hers – to be afraid of spending so much time in the car. There was a lot of giggling on the back seat even though he suspected almost all the giggles came from Effie who declared, as soon as she stepped out of the car, that the girl had a real singing talent.

"Next you're going to say you want to register her in talent shows." he snorted, instinctively catching the kid when she flung herself at him from the car. "Where do you want to start, sweetheart?"

Katniss shrugged and Haymitch didn't have a particular plan in mind aside from getting her basics : a bed that would fit her small size better, a desk or a small table that she could use to draw or do homework or whatever four years old liked to do, a small shelf for the children books quickly accumulating in a pile next to the bed, maybe a new rug...

It turned out going anywhere near a shop with Effie Trinket without a plan in hands was a bad idea.

She declared it simply unacceptable, pulled a notepad and a pen out of her purse, forced him to write list and then charged in that store with more focus and determination than he had seen some men charge into combat situations with.

"She's completely crazy." he told Katniss while Effie secured the help of a sale assistant.

The kid nodded wisely, her hair was tied up in a braid crown around her head and he had no idea how he would even start undoing that. "She's nice."

"Yeah." he agreed. "Crazy but nice."

"And funny." Katniss added. "Up."

He obediently picked her up but she was only satisfied once she was sitting on his shoulders. Effie came back with the sale assistant – whose smile was already strained in anticipation – and the worst afternoon of his life began. He would have bought the first things that caught his eyes that both fulfilled his requirements and Katniss' tastes but that wasn't good enough for Effie. For each new piece of furniture, she asked for price ranges, discounts, satisfaction rates, materials, safety... Before long he had a headache and Katniss regularly sighed that she was bored.

They spent half the afternoon arguing because she was bossy, fussy and absolutely insufferable. She retorted that he was lazy, rude, and had no idea how to properly conduct business. It culminated in a rant about mahogany he surrendered to because she looked half in love with that type of wood. The sale assistant looked ready to burst into tears by the time they finally agreed on what to buy. Then, came the decoration options – and that was even worse but he let Katniss deal with that.

The kid was opinioned and wasn't afraid to go head to head with Effie. When the woman tried to convince her a bright colored rug was better than the plain forest green one the kid had chosen, Katniss simply declared that there was pink on it and she would forever – and ever – hate pink. Effie selected curtains that would go well with the rug – a shade of blue, Katniss approved with a nod.

Haymitch fell back when they started discussing pillows. The girl selected a few and one larger cushion for Buttercup so he could have a place to sleep – he didn't see why that was necessary since the cat was a monster that slept everywhere Haymitch was sure to trip over him.

Finally, they were ready to pay and he didn't know who was more relieved : the sale assistant or himself. They were standing in line, Effie and Katniss were in grand discussion over the possibility of finding Brave or Avengers sheets for the bed when Katniss lifted her arms up like she sometimes did when she was tired and wanted to be carried. Effie picked her up without pausing to think about it and continued talking.

Haymitch didn't comment on it but it was the first time the kid had let someone else but him carried her. Even Chaff hadn't been granted that privilege yet.

"You've got a cute daughter." the sale assistant declared once he was done filling out the forms for the delivery.

Katniss didn't say anything but she wrapped her arms around Effie's neck and rested her head on her shoulder. Haymitch didn't think it was because she was tired. He didn't correct the guy, he didn't see the point. He let Effie mumble an awkward thank you and paid the amount required.

"Alright, next stop: toy store." he declared.

Katniss had behaved well and she deserved a treat, he decided. Besides, he had been meaning to increase her toy collection for a while now. She didn't have a lot.

She looked overwhelmed as soon as they stepped inside. There were too many kids running around, it was too loud and there were entirely too many people.

"I want to go home." she said immediately.

"Soon, sweetheart." he promised. "Just choose a few things first, okay?"

It took some coaxing but she finally accepted to walk the aisles in search of something she would like.

"It's the first time I see a child not demanding to buy everything they see." Effie remarked softly.

Katniss had a firm grip on both of their hands and was craning her neck to look at everything but she never stopped to touch. She eventually settled on a plushy goat that most kids obviously overlooked since the basket display was full of them. She looked at Haymitch hesitantly. "We can call her Lady."

"That's a wonderful choice of name." Effie smiled.

"Pick something else." Haymitch urged her. "You can get three things in all, alright? The goat makes one."

Katniss shuffled on her feet, worrying the stuffed toy between her hands. "But that's a lot of money and my Prim needs the money 'cause she's a baby."

Effie looked at him with a frown, confused, but Haymitch ignored her. He crouched in front of Katniss and tilted her little chin up since she wouldn't look at him.

"You don't worry about the money, alright, sweetheart?" he whispered. "And Prim... Prim doesn't need money where she is now. She's happy. And she wants you to be happy."

Katniss rubbed her eyes and then pressed her face in the side of the goat.

"How about we ask if they have any Merida merchandise?" Effie suggested, more cheerfully than Haymitch suspected she really was. "Come on, darling, you can show me how to hunt for toys. I have it on the best authority that you are a huntress born. Peeta keeps telling me. I am afraid I am quite helpless at hunting."

Katniss peeked over her goat, her eyes were bright and her lips were wobbling but, obviously, Effie's lack of hunting abilities was too grand an offense to go uncommented.

"I'll take you to the woods." the girl offered. "I'll teach you."

Given the small wince, Haymitch doubted Effie planned on going anywhere in the wilderness.

"Wonderful!" Effie squealed nonetheless, managing to sound enthusiastic.

Katniss was not really interested by the toys and followed Effie's nudging toward a board game Peeta liked and some packages with Avengers figurines.

They had spent a lot of time walking the furniture store's alleys thanks to Effie's antics and the outing had lasted longer than he had thought it would. The girl was cranky and tired. She clung to him while he paid for her toys and snatched the goat back from the cashier as soon as possible, burying her face and the stuffed toy in his neck. It wasn't a huge surprise that she declared she wanted Haymitch and only Haymitch to sit with her in the backseat on the ride back.

"I will drive." Effie offered.

"But what if you get scared?" Katniss frowned, holding tight to her Mockingjay and her goat. She crawled on his lap and patted the seat she had just vacated. "You sit here with us. I'll protect you."

A fond smile played on Effie's lips. "That's too kind."

She humored the kid and fumbled with the integrated kid seat so she could sit with them and crept closer when Katniss reached for her from Haymitch's lap. They eventually ended up with their sides pressed against each other and the girl's legs on Effie's lap. He knew the signs and guessed she would fall asleep soon enough, Effie must have recognized them too because she simply placed a hand on the kid's shin and drew random pattern with her thumb. It seemed soothing to look at so he figured it probably was. Katniss' head slowly nodded toward his chest and he adjusted his hold on her to make sure she didn't fall.

"We'll walk back." she mumbled.

"Just sleep, darling." Effie murmured softly, picking up the worn out stuffed bird when it escaped her grip and placing it on the child's lap.

Katniss' breathing slowly evened out but she wasn't completely asleep yet. Effie's head tentatively rested on his shoulder long before the girl shut her eyelids. For a while, they stayed that way. They must have been quite ridiculous from outside, the three of them sitting in the back of a car, taking a little nap.

"Why don't you have one of your own?" he asked, careful to keep his voice low. The question popped out before he could think better of it.

He was expecting the kind of answers most women would give, that she hadn't met the right man or that it wasn't the right time, but knew deep down that there was more to the story than that. He doubted Effie Trinket had ever let anything stop her in her life and that included waiting for the right man. As for the right time... She was so good with Peeta, so good with Katniss... And she looked happy when she was with the kids. He doubted it was a question of timing either.

"I can't." she replied calmly. It was obviously something that still hurt, he heard it in her voice, but also something she had made her peace with a long time ago. "I have Peeta, it is more than enough. Truly." She remained silent for a minute or so. "Prim was her sister, wasn't she? You mentioned a sister..."

"Yeah." he sighed. "She's doing good, considering."

"Are you?" she asked, straightening up to look at him. "You lost them too, I can't imagine..."

"Didn't know them." he shrugged, careful not to disturb the girl. "Never spoke to my sister. She was only my half sister. It's a long story. Not a good one. Never did very good with family. Poor kid drew the short straw ending up with me."

"Don't say that." she chided him. "I have seen you with her, it is actually impressive for someone who has no experience."

"Wouldn't be that impressed if you knew I'm craving a drink every five minutes, Princess." he snorted.

He didn't know what possessed him to confess that.

She had a good poker face, she didn't react at all. "Actually, I would be even more impressed."

It was getting dark and she offered to drive in case Katniss woke up and wanted him. It was late by the time they reached the Seam, later than he had thought it would be.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" he suggested. "There's a dinner not too far from my place. It's not high class but the food's good."

She flashed him a smile in the rear-view mirror. "I am famished."

Waking Katniss up proved to be a challenge but she eventually perked up at the mention of food.

High class really wasn't an adjective that could apply to The Hob. He saw Effie give the dinner a weary glance when she thought he wasn't looking. She seemed so out of place on the small parking lot full of old cars and knocked-over garbage bins that he wondered what he was even doing with her. The short pink dress, the immaculate white coat, the heels... She was so far out of his league, it wasn't even funny.

But then she felt his stare and flashed him a bright smile and his stomach did some impressive jolts…

Katniss wouldn't walk so he carried her inside, ignoring the brief hull in conversations when the little bell signaled their entrance. He hadn't been back to The Hob since he had adopted his niece but he used to be a regular – mainly because when it had been just him, he could never bother to cook.

It was Hazelle's shift and she immediately walked out from behind the counter when she saw him to give him a bear hug, Katniss included.

"Where have you been?" she scolded him. "No news at all for a month and a half! I was starting to worry." He felt Effie tense and take a step closer. He shot her an inquisitive glance but her face was blank and her lips pursed. Hazelle didn't notice though because her eyes fell on the girl in his arms and she frowned. "Katniss?"

Katniss looked up at the sound of her name and her eyes widened when she saw Hazelle. "Is Gale here?"

"What's going on?" Haymitch asked, completely flabbergasted. "You two know each other?"

It turned out Hazelle used to be a neighbor of the Everdeens and that Katniss and her son Gale used to be best friends even though Gale was two years older. She was just as stunned as he was by the coincidence since she had had no idea Haymitch even had a niece.

At the third interjection from Katniss that she was hungry, Effie – who he had completely forgotten in the conundrum – reached for her and declared she would find them a booth and order something for them if another waitress would take care of them. Hazelle took the hint and led them to a table herself, jotting down their order. Katniss, always the carnivore, asked for a steak with fries. Effie ordered a salad.

"Cheap date you have, Haymitch." Hazelle joked without any hostility, simply because the salad was the less expensive thing on the menu.

Effie glared and fussed over Katniss who was still annoyed from having been woken up, disappointed that Gale wasn't there with Hazelle, and was, as a consequence, cranky. When Hazelle finally left, Effie was pouting and the silence wasn't exactly comfortable.

They had spent most of the day arguing but, somehow, it hadn't felt as uncomfortable as this.

"She's an old friend." he felt compelled to explain.

"Yes, I gathered." she retorted with a cold sort of politeness.

Katniss' eyes darted from one to the other. It was plain to see Effie was upset. She was looking through the window, drumming her extremely fake nails on the table, her lips pursed into obvious irritation.

"Gale's my best friend." the girl announced before amending. "With Peeta."

"That's wonderful, dear." Effie answered, forcing some warmth in her voice.

It didn't fool the kid.

Katniss wrinkled her little nose, clearly trying hard to figure out why Effie wasn't her usual boisterous self. Haymitch had a good idea and took pity on his niece.

"Hazelle's really just a friend." he insisted. "She's married, she has kids... There's nothing going on there."

"It is none of my business, is it?" Effie retorted.

"Then quit acting like a bitch about it." he snapped.

If glares could kill, he would have dropped dead.

"Effie's not a dog." Katniss piped in, confused. "Why do you say she's a bitch, Uncle Haymitch?"

Katniss' cluelessness was sometimes cute beyond belief and sometimes simply unwelcomed.

"It is a bad word, darling." Effie explained. "One you should never use and certainly not to talk about a woman. But then again some people are simply rude."

Hazelle chose that moment to reappear with their order. She asked if they wanted anything to drink and Haymitch almost caved and asked for anything alcoholic they might have. One look at Katniss was enough to remind him why that would be a very bad idea.

"I want milk." the kid requested.

"Please and thank you." Effie reminded her gently. "There is no reason for you to become as rude as your uncle."

Hazelle's eyebrows shot up but she remained blissfully silent.

"I want milk, please and thank you." Katniss repeated in a tone that perfectly conveyed how annoyed she was with the whole business.

"You don't see me lecturing your godson about his manners, do you, sweetheart?" Haymitch grumbled.

"That would be because they are flawless, thank you very much." she replied. "And do not think I forgot what you just called me. I expect an apology."

"Don't hold your breath on that." he scoffed. "You started it."

"I started nothing." she denied.

"Okay." Hazelle butted in. "I will come back with your milk, Catnip."

"Catnip?" Effie repeated with a frown.

"That's a nickname Gale came up with because he couldn't say her name properly." the other woman explained, waving it off with a smile. "It stuck."

"Peeta can say my name." Katniss offered, stabbing a fry with her fork, oblivious to the contest she was blindly entering.

"Peeta has always been advanced for his age." Effie commented proudly.

"It's just a cute nickname." Hazelle declared a little briskly, probably vexed by the "advanced" comment.

"Effie does my hair." Katniss continued, patting her head. Some strands had escaped the braid and it didn't look as perfect as it had earlier that afternoon. "It looks like a crown. Not like a queen, like the ones with the leaves on their heads on TV, the ones who wear sheets..."

"Romans?" Effie suggested, glancing at Haymitch. "What did you let her watch?"

"Who are you now? The TV police?" he mumbled. "I watched the history channel sometimes, that's forbidden?"

"I'm a victor!" Katniss exclaimed, delighted with her own ability to remember the word. Then she remembered the subject at hand and, still chewing on one of her fries, she pointed at her head again for Hazelle's benefit. "I like it when Effie does my hair."

"Swallow before speaking, darling." Effie chided her. "No one wants to see what is in your mouth when you talk."

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "She's a kid."

"And thus it is important she learns now." she retorted.

"I will go get the milk." Hazelle repeated and Haymitch had the distinct impression she was happy to be able to escape. He couldn't say he wouldn't have liked the same opportunity.

Watching Effie eat was something. She ate like she did everything else : with method. Her movements were precise and graceful and he didn't seem to be able to keep his eyes off her mouth, mainly because her tongue sometimes poked out to lick at her lips.

"Staring is rude." she commented at some point.

"You ever do anything fun even though it's rude, sweetheart?" he teased.

"What could be fun in staring at me when I am eating?" she scoffed.

"Just enjoying the view." he shrugged.

She hesitated, placing her fork and her knife down before meeting his eyes. "I cannot tell if you mean that as a joke or if it is genuine."

"Fishing for compliments?" he chuckled. "There's not a woman in here that holds a candle to you and you know it."

"Not even Hazelle?" she insisted, lifting a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"She's just a friend, Effie." he sighed.

"She's beautiful." she retorted.

"You're beautifuler." Katniss declared, swallowing the last piece of meat he had cut for her. "I love you best."

Effie was left so speechless she didn't even corrected the kid's grammar.

"See?" he snorted. "Out of the mouths of babes..."

"Oh, shush it!" she blushed.

Still, she was a little more cordial with Hazelle, even when she suggested she and Haymitch should arrange a play-date for Gale and Katniss. Katniss was in a food coma and completely exhausted by when they left the dinner and she was asleep well before they even reached the car. They drove home in silence but there was a small smile on Effie's lips that remained there even when he parked in front of his house.

A glance in the rear-view mirror confirmed Katniss was dead to the world.

"You want to come in?" he asked.

He didn't even know what he had in mind, if it was innocent or...

"It's late." she countered softly. "And I am not sure it is a brilliant idea." He nodded, a little disappointed. She winced. "I should go."

"Wait a minute, okay?" he pressed her. "Just... Wait a minute."

She leaned against her own car while he extracted Katniss from the kid seat and carried her inside. She was in deep slumber so he simply put her on the couch for the time being and covered her with the old woolen blanket that resided permanently on the armchair. He was almost afraid Effie would be gone when he stepped back outside but she was still there, checking her phone. She placed it back in her purse when she saw him approaching.

The wind had knocked her hair loose from the fancy bun she usually kept it in and it curled around her face. She kept tucking the wayward strands behind her ears to keep them out of her eyes. It was getting cold and her nose and cheeks were reddish.

"Haymitch, I have been thinking..." she started as soon as he was in hearing range.

"You don't say." he taunted.

She glared but didn't let herself be swayed from her line of thought. "We argue a lot. Only today we hardly did anything but and I simply do not think... Perhaps it would be best if we remained friends."

"Friends." he repeated, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face. His hand lingered on her cheek, trailed down to her throat.

"We do not seem to agree on anything." she whispered, her eyes riveted to his mouth.

"I think we agree you really want me to kiss you right now." he chuckled, coiling his hand around her nape, his thumb running up and down the side of her neck.

"You really want to kiss me." she corrected.

"You're unbearable and loud and annoying and snobbish and I absolutely hate people like you." he informed her, taking a step closer, effectively pinning her to the side of her car.

"You are rude and inconsiderate of people's feelings, you are indifferent to the point of offensiveness and I find it abhorrent." she hissed, placing her hands on his chest. She didn't push though, she grabbed the lapels of his coat and tugged slightly, but he didn't give in just yet. He stopped stroking the side of her neck with his thumb to place it on her pulse point. Her heart was racing. And so was his.

"You're also very hot." he pointed out.

"Which is my only redeeming quality, I am sure." she scowled, averting her eyes. "I have heard this tune before."

"Doesn't hurt. But I also like that you're caring and completely crazy." he denied. "And bossy. I have a thing for bossy."

"Oh." she said, looking up at him. "Well, I do suppose it wasn't the worst first date I have ever been on."

"I don't really do dates. Or romance." he winced. "I mean... If that's what you want..."

"I think what I want right now is very obvious." she murmured. "And if you don't give it to me, I will just have to take it, won't I?"

"Try." he dared her.

She was not one to back down from a challenge. She leaned in and he drew back until he couldn't take it anymore but, even then, he still escaped her mouth, their lips brushing together in an electrifying chase. His coat was bundled between her fingers, she was pulling him closer, always closer... His hand remained around her nape, his thumb finding her chin and nudging it up... His other hand sneaked under her coat and found her waist, his right leg pushed between hers...

"I'm kind of fucked up." he mumbled against her jaw, still locked in that hopeless chase, trying to make the moment last. "You should know. I'm fucked up, PTSD and all that shit, and I come with a kid who's also a little fucked up."

Her hands left his coat to tangled in his too long hair, angling his head so she could lean her forehead against his.

"I have baggage too." she whispered. "And Peeta and I are a package deal. If that is too much for you..."

"You're too much for me." he snorted. "But I don't think that's a bad thing."

"Good." she grinned.

Her mouth crashed on his and he forgot how to breathe… They fumbled around a little at first. It had been some time since he had last kissed someone and it always took a few seconds of adaptation for a first kiss anyway. Their noses bumped together, he was pressing into her too much... But when she pushed her tongue into his mouth, the kiss became demanding and perfect. He wanted the control back and, for a minute, they kissed like they argued : roughly and forcefully. One of her hands slid down to his face, her nails scarped against the stubble covering his chin. His fingers clenched on her waist but when she sneaked her right hand inside his coat and underneath his shirt, he almost lost it.

His hips jerked forward and she moaned in his mouth.

The sound was too arousing, too perfect. It drove him mad. The answering growl left his throat without his consent or knowledge and he rolled his hips again.

"I... We should..." she gasped against his lips. "Stop... We should... Stop..."

"You should come inside." he replied, leaving a hot trail of kisses from her lips to her throat. He didn't particularly want to do that outside in late fall, against a car. It reminded him too much of his youth and it made it look too much like that meant nothing. He wanted it to mean something.

"I... No. Katniss..." she protested.

"Is asleep." he promised, moving his mouth up again until he reached her ear. He nibble on her earlobe, his tongue toying with her golden earring and she let out a pleading whine. She was sensitive there, he filled that information for later use.

"But not in her bed." she argued. "And this is only our first date and I am a lady. A lady doesn't..." He had moved on to sucking the soft skin at the hollow of her throat and her head fell back against the roof of her car with a thud. "Haymitch."

He didn't know if that was a plea for him to continue or to stop. He doubted she knew herself. His fingers danced on her thigh, a little frustrated by the silky feeling of her tights. He would rip them off given the chance.

"I want to see you come apart." he growled against her throat, his hand finding its way under her dress. "We don't have to do anything else. You don't have to do anything else."

She framed his face with his hands and brought him in a kiss that left him so out of breath he could have sworn he saw stars. She took advantage of his momentary distraction to relocate his hands to more appropriate places before nuzzling his jaw with her nose.

"That will only be more frustrating than rewarding." she whispered. "I want the first time to be for us both. Not tonight though."

He grunted with disappointment at being denied but grudgingly admitted to himself that going slow would probably be for the best.

He kissed her one last time – which turned into several last kisses – and then finally found the strength to step back.

She bit on her bottom lip which didn't help him at all keep his hands to himself."I'll see you on Monday?"

He nodded and watched her climb into her fancy sport car and drive away.

He took a moment to collect himself before going back inside. Katniss was where he had left her and she didn't stir when he carried her to her bed and tucked her in.

He, on the other hand, was restless for the rest of the night.


What did you think of the first date that wasn't a first date? Let me know your thoughts!