A/N hello there! Here's a cute one-shot for ya *raises glass* here's to many more! Enjoy:)
Dancing with differences
The music filled the trains carriage, as Katniss and Peeta swayed awkwardly to it. The way they were moving suggested agony and boredom- much to Effie Trinket's dismay.
"Come now, we have to at least try!" Effie said hopefully, to encourage them.
"But Effie-" Peeta sighed "-it's so hard! The steps are so, so..." The baker struggled for the right words to use; in avoiding to offend the escort.
"-boring." Katniss finished off his sentence for him. Effie rolled her eyes.
"It's not that difficult, 1,2,3,4- simple! Ballroom dancing, easy!" Effie said with a strained smile. It was the one she used when she was getting irritated.
"Can you show us please?!" Katniss pleaded, more out of tiredness than actually wanting to be taught.
Effie sighed but, eventually, nodded her head.
"Yes." Her and Katniss swapped places and she made way to the middle of the room. "Peeta, take one of your hands in mine and hold it up like this- there we go." Effie's smile was becoming more relaxed. "Now put your hand on my waist." Peeta blushed slightly as his big, soft hands found her slim, hourglass shaped waist.
"Perfect!" Effie said, happily. "Now let me show you how to lead, then you can show Katniss, yes?"
Peeta nodded. He found it was best to just obey Effie and go along with what she said, rather than retaliate.
"Good." Effie started moving to the music, keeping her back straight and head up. On the odd occasion, Peeta would step on her toes, making her wince slightly. Once it got too much to bare, Effie stopped.
"I've just realised it's best if I show you with someone else. Then, you can see what the dance looks like from a spectators point of view." Effie prayed this would work, otherwise, they were screwed.
Her heels clacking down the train, Effie searched in vain for a suitable dance partner. Obviously the peacekeepers were out of question. The stylists however...
"Flavius, Venia!" Effie put on her best smile, as she approached the eating stylists. They looked up at her,
"Hello Effie," Flavius said warily, "of what do we owe the pleasure?" Venia winked at her, making Effie gulp. The stylist snorted, laughing.
"I was just wondering, Flavius rather, if you would like to dance with me. Only to show Katniss and Peeta how it's done of course!" Effie let out an airy laugh.
Flavius smiled. "I would love to-"
"Brilliant! We're just in th-"
"But I can't. Me and Venia are arranging and checking up on the latest fashion, making sure our victors are in on the latest trends!" Flavius exclaimed excitedly. Effie sighed and nodded in understanding.
"I would happily dance with you Effie, so long as you're wearing that dress," said Venia with another wink.
Effie grew red. "Oh well, thank-you. Maybe another time." With that Effie travelled further down the train, as fast as she could. They has around 2 hours before they arrived in the Capitol and the victors needed to know how to dance.
She stopped at a room with light seeping from underneath and knocked.
"Come in!" Shouted Portia, she sounded out of breath. Suddenly, Effie found herself thinking this wasn't such a good idea after all.
Cautiously, Effie opened the wooden door. On the inside she found Cinna and Portia, with different fabrics on the floor and the furniture.
"Euphemia, Darling!" Portia mocked, grinning. Effie naturally smiled.
"Portia, you know I don't like you calling me that," Effie said, laughing. Portia laughed again.
"That's why I do it, I live to push your buttons."
"That sounded strange," Cinna entered from the bathroom, evidently trying in vain to rid some liquid material from his hands. Effie smiled.
"You're filth. I was just wondering if one of you could come dance with me? To show Peeta and Katniss- they aren't naturals if afraid to say," Effie was practically pleading now.
"Terribly sorry, Effs." Cinna said sadly. "We have to get these clothes prepared for our victors in time for arriving at the capitol." Portia looked at Effie helplessly.
"That's fine, I understand."
"You could always ask Haymitch," Portia said with a smirk.
Effie's face dropped. She had no choice. Seeing Portia's smug face, Effie asked, "why are you smiling like the Cheshire Cat?"
Portia laughed loudly, "oh just remember your, fancy, for Haymitch at school- remember? When he won the que-"
"-yes thank you. I remember." Effie blushed crimson as Cinna looked quizzical. "I must go now, I'll see you soon, at dinner." Effie shut the door behind her as she walked to Haymitch's room.
As Effie pushed the door to Haymitch's room open, she heard the clatter of bottles being moved out the way. Long gone were the days when she would politely knock, to receive no answer.
In the middle of the bed slumped Haymitch, half empty whiskey bottle in his hands.
"The princess in my bedroom?" Haymitch said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.- his voice told Effie that he wasn't drunk; yet.
"You need to dance with me-" Haymitch snorted "-to show Katniss and Peeta how to do it-they're clueless!" Effie huffed as she threw her arms in the air, exaggerating her point.
"What do I get in return?" Haymitch said, slyly.
"Excuse me?"
Haymitch rolled his eyes at her. "You know, like, a token of your thanks- thought you were all about manners."
"Well yes, but..." Effie was desperate. "Fine. What do you want?!"
Haymitch held up his bottle. "Liquooorrr" he smirked.
"No." Effie was adamant. He wasn't going to waste his life away-
"Then I won't dance." Haymitch shrugged.
"Fine! Fine! Just, we need to dance first. And now, preferably. We arrive in the capitol soon." Effie was rushing, dragging Haymitch to his feet, she stormed both of them down the corridor and into the carriage where Peeta and Katniss were sat.
Said victors were sat on the couch, rubbing their sore feet from Effie's demonstrations. Like soldiers to a general, they stood up automatically when she flounced back in, Haymitch at her heels, in fear of being scolded for something or other.
"Alright then!" The escort looked flustered and hot, as she clapped her hands at the end of her sentence, Effie looked slightly manic. "I brought Haymitch to practice with because everyone else was occupied." She flashed a smile. Haymitch chuckled. "You sure they weren't just avoiding you?" Katniss sniggered.
"No." Effie shot Haymitch a deathly glare. "Let's get started shall we?"
The music was slow and intoxicating. The flowing, light sound which filled the room, was the exact opposite for the actions.
"Haymitch, here." Effie clicked her fingers. Grunting Haymitch sent a pleading look towards the pair watching. They only shrugged and stifled laughs in response.
"Now put your hand in my hand," Haymitch looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "Do it!" Effie practically shouted at him. She was on the edge of reasoning now. He placed his large, calloused hand inside her small, dainty one. Her manicured nails paralleled his dirt covered ones and her soft, creamy skin was an opposite to his dry, olive coloured flesh.
"There." Effie felt slightly satisfied with herself for getting him to do as he was told. Haymitch rolled his eyes on the outside, but inside his brain, he couldn't help but think how nice her hand felt in his. Quickly, he shook that thought from his mind.
"Now with your other hand, place it on my waist." The escort ordered. Coughing, Haymitch obliged placing her hand on her hip. Effie gasped as his fingers brushed her derrière.
"Higher, Higher!" Effie exclaimed. Katniss could be heard snorting with laughter in the background. Peeta nudged her to shush. Haymitch smirked and raised his hand to the small of her back. The smirk was soon wiped off his face when Effie kicked him in the shins.
"Ok- Katniss, Peeta; Haymitch will lead. I want you to watch what he does as we dance, especially you Peeta. It will be your job to lead Katniss at the presidential party." Effie explained.
The mentor and escort moved around the room as much as possible in Effie's tight dress. Shimmering grey eyes met dull blue ones halfway through the dance. Effie found his eyes entrancing, and that she couldn't tear her gaze away from his shiny orbs. She felt her own eyes soften slightly and all the dislike she had felt for this man over the years vanish. In his place, Effie saw the boy she had a crush on all those years ago; cool, confident and handsome. Her mouth was watering, suddenly overcome by a need for his touch.
As if in a blink of an eye, Haymitch found himself close to Effie's make-up clad face. Underneath, however, he could see a few freckles clattered over her straight nose and a light grey circle around her eye's pupil. Before he could stop himself, his adrenaline chemicals urged him to lean in and kiss this woman.
His lips were on hers in a chaste kiss, once again meeting differences. Effie's soft, plush, lip-sticked lips puckered again Haymitch's slightly chapped dry ones. Effie's eyes flew open as soon as it happened, but instantly closed them- opening her mouth slightly, as an invitation for his tongue to enter; however, he pulled away and looked back at the victors.
"And that," he bowed. "Is how you finish off a dance!" With that, Haymitch walked out the room, grabbing his promised alcohol as he left.
Effie was stunned. She struggled to pull a sentence together.
"I...umm... I hope... t-that we... We taught you... For the, d... Dance," she stammered, slowly pulling her fingers up to her lips.
"Oh yes," Peeta smiled. "You told us just enough."