The tone in Between Lives has always been a little dark and gloomy, so here is something light as a treat :)

Something About Haymitch
(34 years old – 68th Games)

Haymitch leaned against the elevator wall, arms folded across his chest as he eyed Effie with a smirk featured on his face.

She studiously ignored him which only made him reach out to tug the zipper on the side of her dress. He had his hand swatted away with a glare for his efforts.

"That is quite enough. You had your hand up my dress the entire car ride here," she hissed. "Are you not satiated yet?"

"Question is, are you?" he arched an eyebrow with a smug smile. "You enjoyed it."

"Be that as it may, now behave yourself."

"It's an exclusive party. No one's gonna be there except for us and my friends so stop getting your panties in a twist. Oh, wait," he pretended to be shocked by it, "you're not wearing any, are you? Because… here it is."

Haymitch pulled the silk fabric from his jacket pocket where he had stashed it earlier in the car. Effie flushed but gave him as good as she got.

"You like knowing that I am not wearing anything under this dress. Does it leave you hot and bothered?"

With that, she strutted out, chins up high, knowing that he was watching her.

Finnick's newly acquired loft had Effie going 'ohh' and 'ahh' as they boy gave her the tour. Haymitch followed behind at a more languid pace, rolling his eyes every so often at something that had Effie excited. His hand was in the pocket, fingering the silk lace and wondering just which room in Finnick's house he could drag Effie into for a quiet time alone.

"And now, for the room I love best," Finnick declared.

With that maddening smile that had sent half of Panem on its knees, Finnick threw open the door to his own private swimming pool. The ceiling was made of glass which meant that one could lounge by the pool while staring at the night sky, not that it impressed Haymitch much since the Capitol's night sky could never rival District Twelve's.

Truthfully speaking, Haymitch still did not understand why Finnick had to go out of his way to get an apartment here in the Capitol. It would be just like giving it to the Capitol's demand to have him in the city nearly round the clock. Granted, Finnick had assured both Chaff and himself that this penthouse apartment was not meant for any of his appointments and was only intended for him to have someplace to retreat when he was in the Capitol, Haymitch still found this unnecessary. Still, he wouldn't be the first Victor to have a house here.

"This is simply marvellous," Effie exclaimed. "Just imagine the pool parties that you can throw…"

"Yes," Finnick nodded enthusiastically. "Chaff was for the idea altogether."

Haymitch snorted. "Of course, he is. He ain't gonna pass up the chance when there'll be half-naked girls soaking around in that pool."

"You wouldn't? Effie asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Her hand was casually resting on her upper thigh and Haymitch was suddenly reminded of the fact that she was naked underneath that dress. Perhaps they wouldn't need a room. They had never done it in the pool and he wondered how it would feel to fuck her in that pool.

Except there was that one little problem – he didn't know how to swim. As tempting as it would be, he prefer to avoid the place altogether.

"Not interested," he muttered.

Haymitch was just about to move away when he felt himself being pushed from behind. He jerked forward, tried to grab on to something, lost his footing and fell face first into the water.

The first thing Haymitch realised was the sting on his face followed by the sharp pain in both his nostrils as the water rushed in. Haymitch emerged, eyes wide and mouth open, gasping for breath. At the edge, he saw Chaff doubled in half and laughing, and he also saw Effie pulling herself up the metal stairs of the pool.

He must have grabbed her as he was falling.

"You flashed everyone," Chaff guffawed. "You ain't wearing nothing under there and holy shit, sunshine, your wig's all flat on your head."

Effie marched over to where Chaff was and delivered a slap that had Finnick rooted to the spot and staring at them in a stupefied expression.

"Chaff Johnson," Effie thundered. "You're – You're…. This dress is couture! And that is a new suit that I got for Haymitch!"

He could hear Effie screaming at his best friend but he was also profoundly aware of the water rushing in his ears and blood roaring in his veins. His feet couldn't touch solid ground, only the tip of his toes and he was furiously kicking his legs to get somewhere, preferably the end of the pool for leverage to pull himself up. All he was doing was flailing helplessly in the deep end.

How deep is this fucking pool?

"Eff -" he sputtered.

The water was in his eyes and going in his mouth as he tried to call out, and he was panicking. There was no other way to put it but he was panicking at the zero progress he was making.

"Oh relax, I'll send that suit to have it dry clean," Chaff chuckled. "Pull the pole out of your ass. Although, I didn't see any which means it must be far up your ass."

On any other occasion, Haymitch would have told him off for speaking to Effie that way but as it was… he was trying hard to keep his head above water. To make it worse, it seemed as if he was moving far away from the edge.

Was this how he would meet his end, drowning in a pool while his friend and escort bicker because no one actually noticed him.

"He's drowning!" Finnick's sudden cry rang out sharply.

Finally, Haymitch thought, someone noticed.

"What? Oh my – Finnick do something!" Effie hit the boy's arm. "Save him!"

"Oh shit," Chaff exclaimed, turning to where Haymitch was desperately trying to tread water. "What the fuck, Haymitch?"

Finnick had already jumped into the pool and was swimming towards Haymitch. He positioned himself at Haymitch's back and with an arm around his chest, Finnick started swimming back.

"Chaff, you stupid man," Effie rebuked. "You have been friends with him for years and shouldn't you know if he cannot swim?"

"Shut up, Trinket. You're his escort, shouldn't you know?"

"I am not the one to push him inside!"

"I'll kill you," Haymitch glared at Chaff. "I'll fucking kill you."

"Sorry, buddy, I didn't know. It was all in the spirit of having fun, yeah?"

"Fuck you, Chaff," Haymitch heaved a breath, pushing a wet strand of hair away from his face. "There's no fucking sea in Twelve for me to learn to swim."

"Hey," Chaff frowned. "You told me you play in the pond as a kid."

"Which was shallow!"

"Alright, alright," Finnick intervened. "We'll teach Haymitch how to swim. How about that, Haymitch? Consider it repayment for all the time you taught me chess, yes? I'll start you off easy – you got to learn how to float and tread water. You'll never drown if you can keep yourself afloat."

"No," Haymitch pushed himself up.