The engine was humming and the skies were a clear blue with white fluffy clouds to hide the hovercraft. It was a fine day really yet Effie was huddled rather glumly against the wall. Haymitch's shadow loomed over her.
"Are you sure they won't follow us?" she asked while slowly straightening herself.
"Honestly, I can't assure that we won't be tracked but one thing at a time. Important thing is we're safe for now. We'll figure out our next plan once we land,"
Haymitch had set the coordinates to a district and put the hovercraft in autopilot to check for bugs and tracking devices. He couldn't tell their plan or where they were headed in case there were untraceable bugs. So, he thought to remain quiet until they were somewhere more or less safe. For now, Haymitch was bored and the aura of depression his companion gave off was bothering him more than it should
"Alright, Eff, what's wrong?"
Effie just took a deep breath and shot a glare not to press further. With that, Haymitch understood that she couldn't break down; at least not in front of the kids.
"Okay, let's just go see what the little peas are up to, then,"
They went over to the boys who were having a fun time looking at the window.
"Effie. Haymitch," Gale called out. "We're so high up. I didn't know we would be this high up,"
Effie was glad that the tension between Gale and her were lessened.
"That's what you've been missing out when you were sulking in your seat, dead pea,"
Haymitch had a new nickname for each of them. Gale frowned at him for a second and looked out the window again.
Effie rolled her eyes at Haymitch. "Don't listen to him, Gale. Haymitch is rather fond of nicknames,"
Haymitch simply smirked and turned his attention to Peeta.
"You alright, sweet pea?"
Haymitch saw Peeta still a little pale but he nodded and enjoyed seeing the view, nonetheless. But what concerned him was Katniss. She was hiding inside the box ever since Peeta and Gale have been enjoying the view.
"Green pea?"
He looked inside and found little Katniss' figure inside. Her back was turned so she looked like a small plush toy.
"No more flying, Haymitch. Can't we go down?" the little girl croaked. She barely used his real name and it left a pang in his heart.
"Sweetheart," Haymitch cooed as he turned Katniss to face him.
"Yes?"
Fearful gray eyes framed with paleness and sweat looked up at his own steely ones.
"Listen, it might take a while but hold on, okay?" he told her. "You're a brave girl. You can make it through,"
Katniss twitched her lips but couldn't bear to smile still. Well I tried.
He turned to leave when he felt little arms wrapped around his leg.
"Don't leave yet Uncle Hobo,"
Haymitch rolled his eyes.
"Alright, green pea," he faced Katniss who scooted to her side and patted the empty space beside her in the box.
"Come on Uncle Hobo," she giggled.
Although Haymitch's feet were dangling outside the box while Katniss, who had sat on his belly to give him room, conspired with her weight and the box's hardness to kill his back, there was this strange sort of happiness, peace and contentment he felt in the young vulnerability of his charge. He felt some of the emptiness being filled. Was this what he missed out after he dedicated his life to becoming a near hermit? Was this the feeling fathers had when they first held their daughters? The feeling of protectiveness for their little girl. To let them stay innocent and unmarred by the cruelty of the world. To protect them at all costs?
Before he could even continue his train of thought, his back was reaching its limit and he could feel Katniss breathing steadily.
The girl fell asleep.
He asked Effie to remove the sleeping child from him. She placed Katniss in a blanket on a seat.
"You're quite fond of Katniss," Effie remarked as she helped him get up from the box.
"Yeah, well," Haymitch rubbed his accursed back. "She's a child and I guess she needs affection or something,"
Effie gave him this soft expression, a look of pride.
"Mr. Haymitch," Peeta whined. "I'm tired," Beside him, Gale yawned to emphasize his point.
"I think you, kids, need a nap," Effie called out and walked up to the boys.
Peeta rubbed his eyes and Effie carried him.
"Wha 'bou me?" Gale's eyelids were halfway down and Haymitch came over and carried him as well.
"Eff, I'll take them both and you put blankets in the box so the three of them can stay together,"
Effie nodded and did as told. After arranging the makeshift bed, Haymitch placed the now asleep boys in the bed. Effie took Katniss and placed her between the boys.
After looking at her work, Effie turned to Haymitch and she was face to face with a white sheet.
"Get some sleep too, princess," he simply told her.
"Okay, wake me up when you need to sleep. I can... take watch," Effie said the last bit with apprehension.
"No need,"
"No really. I'll be fine, Haymitch. You don't have to pity me," She remembered the look of guilt and pity on his face when they had retrieved her. "Not again. I'll be-"
His smirk cut her off. "I know you're strong, Effs. I just need to stay awake until we stop. Wouldn't want to wake the kids,"
It took Effie a while to figure out what he meant. She was still a little new from the whole trauma thing yet after her imprisonment, she fully understood the reason of Haymitch's nature. She had the idea but now, she does truly get his demons. Effie just got her own after all.
Haymitch raised his eyebrow, wondering why she's taking so long to respond.
"Okay there?" he asked.
"I'm fine," and she beamed a smile.
Haymitch still looked a little worried but she didn't want to see that face again. Not even the slightest. She bade a soft goodnight to him before sitting on one of the hovercraft seats with the blanket wrapped around her, thinking only of nothing but sleep.
The sunlight glared in Gale's eyes, forcing him to wake from his sleep. His eyelids fluttered open and he saw the metal ceiling of the hovercraft. The next thing he felt was a figure stirring beside him and an arm that fell on his chest. He swept his vision to the side and he felt his cheeks become warm. Katniss was lying on her back with her arms wide open.
"Oh dear," a voice that made Gale's slightly irritated piped. "Katniss moves around-oh," her voice shrilled a little higher. "You're awake, Gale,"
Effie's beaming face blocked the view of the ceiling.
Even though Effie reminded him of a really bad feeling in his chest that his brain seemed to keep secret why, he had deep respect for her when she and Haymitch risked their lives for them. So, he smiled at her.
"You hungry?" she asked him.
Although he wanted to stay next to Katniss forever, Gale nodded and Effie picked Gale up and sat him on one of the hovercraft seats. She handed him a can of beans to which he wrinkled his nose to.
"I'm sorry but it's all we have," Effie told him.
Gale's face was all scrunched up yet his stomach rumbled and he ate a spoonful which made Effie beam. With a spoon in his mouth, he gave her a small smile to thank her.
After a few spoonfuls, Katniss and Peeta awoke nearly simultaneously. Haymitch had come out from another compartment in the hovercraft. Haymitch and Effie had one child each. Haymitch carried Katniss because she seemed oddly attached to him. Effie had Peeta because he was more well-behaved than Katniss.
Anyone looking at them would think they were a normal family. Even little Gale who was staring at them had a similar concept.
And he felt sad and unwanted.
"We're almost there, little peas," Haymitch suddenly announced.
"Princess, strap them and yourself, I'm going to begin flying manually,"
Effie did as told and they were all safely seated in no time.
"Hold on," he called and they all felt like the world was moving.
Haymitch was no expert pilot just a decent flyer. So for long minutes, they had to stomach in their breakfast. Luckily, none of them were easily motion sick. They were close though.
After a sudden crash, everything stood still.
"Okay, passengers, it's safe to unbuckle,"
Effie let herself up, then assisted the kids afterwards. Haymitch joined them after a while and they collected the supplies they had prepared the day before before setting off afoot. The children had wanted to ride the cart again but Haymitch had stood firm that they couldn't ride a cart on bumpy ground. So the children were whining. And Effie punished them to walking instead of being carried.
"Where are we?" Effie asked after miles and miles of walking.
"Outskirts of seven," he quickly replied.
"Why?"
Haymitch rolled his eyes at her constant asking but still answered her anyway.
"We're far enough to be detected from the main district but close enough to our next location,"
"Why am I suddenly getting the feeling I am not liking where we're going," Effie muttered to herself.
"Haymitch Abernathy, would you care to explain why you are bringing what appears to be your girlfriend and your bastard children,"
Haymitch and Effie stood outside a log cabin
"Johanna, she's-"
"It's me, Effie,"
But Johanna Mason's smirk seemed to just grow larger.
"Ha! Finnick and Chaff, you owe me a case of beer. Though..."
There was a stange mix of melancholy and confusion in the air.
"Maybe I'll just ask Annie for it,"
"Excuse me, what?" Effie's features were scrunched in confusion.
"Oh, Finnick, Chaff and I had a bet. Chaff thinks your sexual tension is actually just pure hatred. Finnick thinks you're having a sexual affair. I say you had a secret family," her smirk grew even greater than it did.
Haymitch wanted to tell her that the case of beer goes to Chaff but he didn't want to go on a long argument with Mason's sass that could even out-irritate his. He merely just cut to the chase and explained her everything.
"So, it's our little mockingjay with her boyfriends..." Johanna gestured to Katniss, Peeta and Gale, "...all shrunk down to pocket size and now, the jabberjay and the mockingbird..." she motioned to Effie and Haymitch respectively, "...is on a deadly babysitting duty and you need a place to crash to tuck in your little pretend babies while you spend time planning your own,"
Effie, irritated at Johanna for not having even a single ounce of politeness to invite two very clearly exhausted acquaintances with three six-year-olds, groaned way too openly at the last statement and wanted to protest but Haymitch cut her off.
"Whatever floats your boat, Mason. Just let us stay,"
"Yeah fine whatever. I've been extremely bored these days anyway,"
Johanna waltzed in her home and paused when she felt nothing but air follow her.
"Did Trinket smother you all with her manners that you couldn't understand an invitation?" Johanna asked, injecting as much rudeness as she could. "I allowed you to stay,"
They walked inside rather confusedly and made a beeline for the living room, To Effie's mortification, it was filled with lots of junk that may or may not be trash.
"Well, make yourselves at home," Johanna called from another room.
Haymitch and Effie didn't know how long they were cleaning. It started out with cleaning but they couldn't tell what to throw out or not, so they just cleared the living room and basically piled the stuff in one corner. Katniss, Gale and Peeta helped out gathering stuff too but only the small and children-safe which Effie strictly monitored.
Johanna walked in with a bottle of some alcohol and looked genuinely impressed.
"Thanks," she muttered before lying down on the longer couch and taking a swig from her bottle. Then, she scooted to the back, leaving some space and asked the kids to sit in front of her. They obliged.
"Don't drink in front of the kids, you'll be a bad influence," Effie chided.
Johanna just looked at her with a bored expression and turned to Katniss saying, "Yo little birdie," and shoved the mouth of the bottle beneath Katniss' nose.
Katniss gurgled in disgust.
"See Trinket? Nothing to worry about," Johanna told Effie and gulped down her drink.
Effie exhaled sharply.
"Haymitch," she hissed. "Why of all places did it have to be here? It's enough to be stuck with you. Now, I have to handle her rudeness, too?"
"Rude. Indeed she is," he said a little to loudly which made Effie yelp. "She didn't even offer drinks,"
Johanna raised her eyebrow and gestured to the cabinet. Haymitch was about to head there when Effie held his hand.
"Look, sweetheart, I kinda need it,"
She felt his hands shake a bit.
"Can't it wait a little longer? We have to plan our next move. You know more than I do that we can't stay here long,"
"Leaving so soon?" Johanna pouted at them. "You just got here. Besides, I want to play with the little brats, too," and she was poking Gale's back.
Effie and Haymitch ignored Johanna and went on with their conversation.
"Geez. I'm just gonna take one bottle. We can discuss plans immediately while I drink,"
Haymitch coupled his words with desparate, sleepless eyes. With that, Effie let him go and that received a snort from Johanna.
"Ugh. You guys used to be fun to watch. Now you're all awkward and weird around each other,"
Effie glared at her when Haymitch immediately came back with a bottle in his hand and sat on a recliner. Effie took the smaller couch across him and Johanna remained in her position.
"First thing's first. Johanna, let Effie borrow more... practical clothes. If you can borrow male and children's clothing from various people, please do," it sounded more like an order than a plea.
Effie and Johanna nodded. Johanna was absentmindedly playing with Peeta's hair but she can't help but notice Effie's timidity unless she irritated her. Johanna decided not to say anything though.
"We'll gather supplies and by tomorrow night, we'll find a way to get a new hovercraft and look for another district,"
"And how do we look for a new hovercraft? How do we know that whoever we contact, there won't be spies?" Effie's gaze seemed to unconsciously turn to Johanna.
"Looks like your lady here doesn't trust me," Johanna had stopped twirling Katniss' hair.
Haymitch rolled his eyes.
"I know Jo is hostile, insensitive, a pain and worst of all, lacking proper manners but she's the closest person I could go to and I trust her. I know Katniss would, too, if she could remember,"
Effie still looked at him with doubt, but her exhaustion gave in and she agreed.
"Good. Now Johanna. The kids, Effie and I musn't be seen. So, aside from clothes borrowing, I want you to scout for information that could help us escape. I know I'm asking a lot from you but please. Just one more time," his voice was close to pleading. "Besides, I'll be foraging supplies and guarding for anything sus-"
"Yeah yeah, old man," Johanna cut in. "Quit your begging. I'll do it. Got nothing better to do anyway,"
Haymitch sighed in relief and everyone began to stand up from their seats. Johanna changed to more suitable clothing and brought a few things with her before stopping by the door where everyone was there to see her off. Haymitch told Johanna more details on what information he would require. Johanna said yes to everything like an impatient teenager and she ruffled the hairs of the three curious children. Then, she stood close to Effie.
"When I wasn't able to go to the mission with Katniss, Peeta, Gale and Finnick, I felt horrible. When I learned they lost Finnick, I felt extremely stupid. Now, I owe them. For being weak,"
She looked about finished but Johanna was just collecting herself.
"You lost your fire, candy. You should get it back. You might become a liability,"
With that, she nodded Haymitch goodbye before heading out.
With what was about to come, maybe Johanna should've just stayed.
VERY URGENT AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Snow's Last Gift is 3 years old and well, it's still on its 7th chapter. I'm starting to think I may have overwhelmed myself with writing a multi-chapter story and I don't know if I'm really ready or skillful enough yet to write a multi-chapter while I study such a busy course. I am running out of ideas and am getting writer's block way too often. So I think I may be deleting the story in a few weeks. I need your input, guys. To delete or not to delete? To those who have stuck with the story, I love you for taking time in reading my very nooby story and I wish I could render my services to you longer better but I don't know.
Anyways, despite all that. I would really appreciate criticisms on how to improve my work. I want to be better, whether or not I decide to delete the story.
Much love
~pinkish-red hearts
PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY WOODY HARRELSON (same bday as this fic :P) OUR LOVELY HAYMITCH (although it's too early in some countries but meh). Funny how as soon as I went to school, my classmates were watching Now You See Me xD