Original Prompt (effietrinkct): Effie watches Haymitch win his games and secretly roots for him? :3

"- it's pure chance he's made it this far."

Effie Trinket listened as her mother's friends discussed matters of the Games.

These were her first and though her mother had protested fiercely against her watching at such a young age, this was a Quarter Quell and it was special. That was why the entire family and her parent's friends and colleagues and bosses had all been invited around to the house.

Effie felt the sofa dip beside her and turned to face her Uncle Severus.

"Mind if I join you?"

Effie shook her head in reply knowing she didn't really have an option now that he had taken the liberty of a free seat.

The man sighed beside her and took a sip from a bright cerulean drink that looked both appetizing and revolting at the same time to the young girl.

"So who have you got tabs on?"

Effie hesitated. Her friends at school had laughed at her when she told them about rooting for Haymitch Abernathy; they didn't think he could win but she was determined to prove them wrong. Even her family had cast her odd glances when she made her opinion clear. "Uh-"

"Well there's only two to choose from now." He pointed out and Effie watched as the girl from One, Asper Lumin, made her way through the woods, closer and closer to Haymitch.

Effie bit her lip. "Well… I guess I like Haymitch."

"The boy?" her uncle questioned in disbelief. She nodded and he exhaled, calling over his brother.

Effie's father appeared, already merry and on his third or fourth bottle of champagne which was supposed to be for the crowning of the victor.

"You know you're daughters got her heart set on the boy winning?"

Her father smiled fondly and ruffled the girl's blonde curls. "I wish I could say I didn't. She hasn't taken her eyes off him since the Tribute Parade. I do believe my little girls in love."

Both men chuckled heartily and Effie huffed, hating being taunted. They'll all see when he wins.

She smelt the alcohol on her father's breath as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "You know I don't mean it, little dove. I'm only teasing. You love whomever you want."

Effie nodded absent-mindedly, eyes trained back on the screen as he left.

It took a while for Asper to find Haymitch but not once did Effie lose interest. She simply kept hoping and praying and swearing to herself that she would not lose hope in him. Every drop of blood and every blow to the stomach on her part meant he was one step closer to wining – she had to think of it like that and not the other way around.

Soon enough her mother appeared, the frock of teal chiffon and silver rhinestones swaying around her knees as she moved quickly amongst the clumps of people.

"Effie, dear, come along now." She held out her hand and Effie frowned.

"Why? I need to see who wins!" Effie protested sinking further into the sofa.

"You are too young-"

"No! I need to see if he wins!"

Effie struggled as her mother made an attempt to lift her from the sofa and away from the television.

"Marissa-!"

Effie heard her father's voice from across the room.

"Let her see. If she thinks she can handle it, she can handle it. She can't be a child forever."

Her mother obeyed and reluctantly let her go, stepping away and allowing Effie to continue to watch the final battle.

It was terribly bloody and the young girl gasped in horror as Asper's eye was cut from its socket, a pained scream pouring from her mouth as blood curdled with dried mud. She took a blind swing with her axe, hitting Haymitch hard in the stomach. He fell to the ground and dropped his weapon uncaringly at his side looking as if ready to give up at any moment.

"Come on," Effie whispered, urging him on so quietly that no one else could possibly hear her.

Taking a short moment to collect himself, Haymitch kicked one of his legs under Asper's sending her tumbling to the ground and part way down the grassy hill.

Haymitch pulled himself up from the ground and began to stagger upwards, Asper hot on his heels with the bloodied axe still held strongly in hand.

Minutes dragged by as both, having suffered potentially fatal injuries, stumbled up the hill leaving red marks along the grass as they went.

Effie began to grow impatient. Haymitch needed to hurry up and if he didn't hurry up he would die. She knew where he was going; he was trying to get to the cliff face he found, the one that sent stones back over the edge.

It took him a while to, but eventually he made it to the top of the hill where the grass faded into harsh grey rock. The effort of the climb and the extensive amount of blood lost bought him to his knees.

Asper approached, the pursuit apparently having tired her as she stood swaying in front of him for a moment. With a strained shout, she let the axe fly.

Effie's breath caught in her throat as she watched in what seemed like slow motion as the weapon sailed through the air. Not once throughout the entirety of the Games had Asper missed and as the axe came closer and closer to Haymitch, Effie heard corks pop from champagne bottles and glasses clink with others throughout the room. The sound made her upset – they were giving up on him already.

The party stilled however, when the axe flew straight past his head and over the side of the cliff.

Every person in the room knew just what was going to happen next and, of course, so did Haymitch. He fell forward, bleeding out onto the ground as it returned. It spun around and around until it was stopped by bone and, as quickly as that, Asper collapsed. Dead.

The cannon sounded but still no one moved, stunned into silence. Someone began to clap and slowly others followed until the room erupted into furious applause, cheering on the new victor.

Effie ran to her father and threw her arms around his waist, jumping up and down as she did.

"He won daddy! He won! I said he would, and he did!"

He lifted the six year old up to kiss her forehead before settling her on his hip. "Yes. You were right; I should've listened to you before I placed my bets."

Effie giggled. "Maybe next time, daddy."

"Yes, maybe next time I won't look past the underdog."

That night, Effie stayed awake long after her mother had put her to bed thinking of her father's words, the truth behind them and how she would have to remember them for when she met Haymitch.

Luckily for her, he wasn't really one for words.