"How is Peeta? I'm so worried Haymitch— about him and Katniss, so how is she?" Effie exclaimed right after he came in.
"Well—" he sat down on their bed. "Peeta is kind of better. Delly Cartwright - his school friend is with him now, helps to remember everything and Peeta recognized her, so that may be a good sign, but he still can't hear anything about Katniss. Even her name makes him go mad. And Katniss herself—" he went silent for a minute. "—terrible actually. Hangs around all district, hides in her "secret places" from everyone, especially me, rebukes me and herself and talks to no one, even to Gale only in canteen sometimes."
"Poor kids—" a tear drop down on ex-escort's cheek. "Do you think everything will turn back as it was?"
"No. It will never be as it was, not now, not later. Never. This revolution changes everyone."
"That's terrify."
"It is, but this is the price of the freedom, sweetheart." he smiled sadly.
"Sometimes I just hate myself because I used to be a part of it. A part of the Capitol, oh, I was so blind—" He did not let her finish.
"Don't. Don't say it. First: It's not your fault. Second: You are who you are. It doesn't matter who you used to be or where you were born, or where did you live. But it matters who you are now." she couldn't say anything but kiss him to show her gratitude.
"Thank you." she whispered pulling away from his lips.
"How do you feel?" he asked after some seconds of silent.
"Good. But I'm just so tired being here alone. That's so silly, whose idea was it, to lock me here?"
"Should I say or you can guess?" he grinned.
"Already did." she bit her bottom lip and looked down. "I wasn't out of here for two weeks and that is good that now I can visit canteen."
"Really!? And you didn't say me?" exclaimed Haymitch with a happy smile on his lips. He was tired of this taboo too, he didn't like eating without her because without her every company was boring.
"I do now" she smiled slyly, stand from her chair and sat on his laps.
"How did you do that?" he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.
"Well, I used my charm to achieve the desired" she laugh.
"Oh, so who is that pity man?"
"Should I say or you can guess?" she mimic him.
"Oh, I think I can guess too. That tiny man with belly, am I right?
"Yes, you are." she nodded.
"Should I be jealous?" he smirked.
"Nah, he is not in my type." Effie said and kissed his lips softly.
"Oh, so who is your type?" he smirked and looked straight in her eyes.
"Hmm... Very rude men in middle age and awful lifestyle, but despite this with very good body, not a bad sense of humour and, what's very important, with beautiful grey eyes."
"Oh, I think I know one man like this".
"Really!? So, who is that? Can I meet him?" Effie laughed.
"Yes, but plus this man, whose name is Haymitch Abernathy, is so sexy and just adorable!"
"What? No, who are you talking about?"
This time they both laugh, but soon Haymitch went silent first and looked at her lips making a decision to kiss her. Effie answered his kiss softly and sweet, but when kiss go deeper, she put her hands on his chest moving away from him.
"Haymitch it's a lunch time" she whispered trying to catch her breath,
"So what? Don't care" he answered trying to kiss her again.
"Please, I can finally go out" she cried and stand up from his laps.
"Damn you, Trinket." he mumbled.
"Abernathy!" she corrected him, rolling her eyes.
"Oups!" - was only thing Haymitch could say, because he truly forgot to tell her the main reason why Coin let her out of the prison that soon.
"What "oups"?" she glanced at him.
"I forgot to tell you. Now everyone know that you are Abernathy."
"What?"
"I mean I had to tell Coin and everyone that you're my wife so they will let you out. I'm sorry, we agreed that we would not tell to anyone but—"
"Oh! Haymitch, it's all right, don't worry. You saved me, so thank you very much." she pressed her lips to his one more time in soft kiss before to take his hand and let him fallow her to the canteen.
"Shit all the places is taken." Haymitch said when they came in and scanned the canteen.
"Let's check— " she wanted to say something but someone's call did not let her finish.
"Effie, Haymitch!" it was Finnick who shouting.
As they turn they heads right they saw Finnick who was calling them to join by his hand.
"Let's go." Haymitch said, so Effie nodded.
As they came closer they saw who was sitting with young man. Annie, Katniss, Johanna, Gale and Finnick were sitting around circled table and arguing about something but when they stop close to the table they all shut their mouths.
"Hey man." Friendly, as always, Finnick shake his hand. "Sit down." he shown at two free places.
"Thanks" Haymitch nod and after make sure that Effie sat on her place, left from Annie's and in front of Johanna, he said: "I will go take our lunch." and one more time before to go looked at everyone who was sitting at this table.
"So, how is it?" Johanna spoke and after some seconds of silent Effie understand that she was talking to her.
"What?" she looked up at the young woman.
"How do you feel after you betray the people who trusted to you?"
"Jo!" Finnick exclaimed.
"What!? Let her answer. I want to know."
"I don't understand what are you talking about" she tried to look away but Johanna tone changed and she shout:
"Don't you dare play with us! I know how you act like a poor stupid Capitol bitch which doesn't know anything. You're playing very well, but you must no know that we catch you.
"Johanna! Stop it!" for this time it was Katniss who tried to shut her.
"Katniss, I hope you don't want to say that she is — " Gale started but she didn't let him finish.
"This is exactly what I want to say."
"Katniss, you know it even better then us, she is the one who—"
"Jo, shut up! This is not a truth." girl was getting angry.
"Oh, really? You can't trick yourself, Everdeen. And point that she is Haymitch's whore does not justifies her!"
"Shut up all of you!" It was Haymitch. When he heard what did they argue about he ran to the table and loudly set the trays on it.
Anger in his eyes disappear when his sight stop on Effie, who was sitting on the bench, she was shaking. Without any thinking he sat on his knees next to her and make her look at him.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Don't listen to them." he whispered blandly. He waited until she nod, stand up from his knees and run an eye over his friends, if he could call them like that now.
"Listen me now. Effie to me is not what you say, Mason. She is my wife. Then, if anyone injure her I will punch this person in the face, doesn't matter if it's a male or female." he looked at Mason again. "And if anyone is not sure about her, then he/she is not sure about me either, so don't you even dare to come close to us. I hope you all get it."
"I agree with Haymitch and if you don't believe to Effie you better go away." Katniss also stand up. "This people— " she looked at her ex-mentor and ex-escort. "—they were with me from the beginning of this. They are my support and like my parents to me. Who always will help and always will care. I wouldn't let anyone of you say something about them." she glanced at Gale and Jo.
"Oh God, we are not in theatre! Sit, fucking, down." Johanna roll her eyes. "We all get it, sit, everyone already staring at you two."
"Good then." As they two sat down Haymitch's hand grab Effie's in try to calm her down.
"I like you." Annie said after sometime, turning her head to Effie. "You remind me of sunshine." she smiled softly.
'Yes. Sure, my sunshine.' Haymitch thought and smiled to Annie with gratitude.
"Thank you." was Effie could say be surprised by her words.
"When did you get married?"
"About two years ago. It was without any ceremony we just baked a bread." Effie was confused.
"Bake a bread?" Finnick asked.
"It's twelve's tradition. To bake a bread and eat a piece of it with one you love and after that you considered as married." Katniss answered.
"Oh, that's interesting." Finnick smiled.
"We have our tradition in fourth too, wouldn't tell you now. You will see it in some weeks."
"What do you mean?" Johanna asked puzzled.
"We talked to Plutarch and Coin and they agree that people now need a happy event, so they allow us to get married! We are getting married!"
I'm sorry for my Grammar and punctuation . Hope you like it, let me know)
