Bear had somehow gotten ahold of Effie's glove again and kept it in his bed, barked if Haymitch tried to get it. Haymitch didn't feel like bothering with it, so he let him keep it as his new toy. He refilled the food in Bear's bowl and cleaned the dishes from that morning. He'd be lying if he said his chest didn't ache a little to see her mug, stained with that obnoxious pink lipstick she loved, the plate she had emptied. He looked back at Bear.

"I need to get over it."

Bear was too busy playing with her glove to give a shit, of course. He had another cup of coffee, sat behind his piano and tried to remember how he used to play after the games. He practiced so much then, it only flowed to him naturally now.

He played a few slow songs he remembered, then played some long ones free hand. He then wrote one up, a big, long, beautiful thing that surprised even him.

Effie he scrawled in his nearly illegible handwriting once he was done, his hair falling in his face. He composed a few others, but none of them had the driving force like this one. By the time he was done, he called it a night. The kids would be back Monday and he wanted to finish up that miserable laundry list before they came and destroyed the stuff even more.

"You spoil them." Effie said one night while they were tangled in his bed. He wrapped his hand around hers and brought it to his lips.

"I'm not the one sending them gifts every other day. You think I don't notice?"

"Well, some of it they actually need!" She exclaimed.

"Some, but not most of it." He said, pulling her on top of him. God, he was in love with her and he didn't mind admitting to it. She was clearly quite a bit younger than him and looked even more so. Her natural skin was supple, velvety, she had a little pudge on her tummy that wasn't made from too much liquor or a diet of just bread and potatoes.

She was high maintenance and could be very spoiled. Most of the women he'd been around in the districts were weather beaten, ground down, all hard edges, some downright cruel. Effie wasn't afraid of kindness, of softness, had never really been exposed to a world where those were seen as anything but an asset for a woman to have. She was so foreign to the world he was accustomed to.

He touched himself in the shower. Thought of how soft her skin was, how it felt against his bare chest. Her soft moans, delicate, melodic, breathy, her tongue entering his mouth. She loved those dirty, open mouthed kisses. Swapping spit, tongues entangled, as if it would make her that much closer to him, more parts entwined. She was freaky, and he would have never even expected it.

He came fast, felt even more depressed after. Damn woman.

Eventually, he climbed in his cold bed and braced for another day of life without Effie around to yell at him or force him to go out. He fell asleep quickly.

"Haymitch!"

"What?" Haymitch looked up and Effie was standing over him with their baby girl again, anger written all over her face.

She was doubling, tripling, returning back to one. She held the baby tight against her.

"You are a horrible father. I can't believe you! I can't believe you did this to us!"

He looked down and he was surrounded by empty bottles, crushed cans, smashed glass.

"I hate you!" She cried. "You couldn't even clean up for your own baby. She hasn't done anything to you, Haymitch. She hasn't even hit a year old and you have failed her. You will never hear from her or I ever again. I promise you if you come near us, I will send all of Panem after you."

"Effie. Eff." He tried to stand, to grab for her, but she was too quick and he was far too slow. Everything was fuzzy and nauseating.

"I am so stupid, so very stupid to think I could do this with a district failure. An alcoholic. You have only ever thought of yourself, Haymitch. You never loved me and you certainly don't love her." He heard her say from here and there, not able to see straight. His hands met broken glass and his vision swam.

He shot up in bed, a cold sweat drenching him. He shook, grabbed for his weapon, but there was nothing.

"Effie?" He called. But there was no Effie.

He got up and threw up in the restroom, his hands shaking. He cleaned his teeth and went to go sit with Bear. He wished the kids would hurry up. He liked to sleep over at their house when it got too bad. The puppy crawled in his lap and fell asleep. Haymitch leaned against the puppy's bed and fell asleep right there.

"Haymitch!" Called Katniss, barging into the living room.

"We're back early." Said Peeta. Haymitch sat up foggily, his entire body aching.

"Did you…"

"Don't ask." He mumbled, getting Bear off of him and standing.

"You didn't take up the bottle did you? We left you alone a week, Haymitch." Said Katniss angrily, never one to bother with pleasantries.

"A 'hey, Haymitch, good morning' would be nice, kid. And no, I didn't."

"Then why are you sleeping on the floor?" She asked, dropping a couple of bags on his counter.

"Bad dream."

She gave him a strange look and turned back to Peeta.

"Was Effie here?" Asked Peeta, looking at the vase of wilting flowers on the counter.

"Yeah, you kids just missed her." He said, going through the bags of crap they brought over.

"Aw man, I got her a souvenir." Said Peeta, pulling out the ugliest, most obnoxious pair of painted seashell earrings Haymitch had ever seen in his life.

"God, those are truly fucking horrible, she'd love 'em."

The pair smiled, "We'll mail it to her today or tomorrow."

"You been eating?" Asked Katniss.

"Yes. Good to see you've been reincarnated, mother. How's pa?"

She rolled her eyes, "You look good, Haymitch. Effie must have brought food. In fact… you got any in here?"

She started poking around the kitchen as Peeta began unpacking the stuff they brought.

"No, she didn't. Sorry, sweetheart. If she comes back in my lifetime, I'll let her know. She'll bring an entire goddamn catering team." He said, shaking his head at the idea, biting into a roll. No need for proper breakfasts now that Effie was gone.

"In your lifetime? You upset her?" Asked Peeta.

"I always upset her, you know how that woman gets. But no, it's not because of that. She's just busy over there at the Capitol." He shrugged, not wanting to elaborate.

Katniss scratched Bear on the head and let him out to go to the garden. Haymitch put on a pot of coffee and Peeta nosed around.

"Effie?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at the piano. Haymitch snatched the music book off of the piano.

"How are you even able to read that, boy? I sure can't."

Peeta laughed, "Well, hey, next time Effie calls, I'll let her know you've been thinking about her."

Haymitch shook his head, ate another roll and watched Peeta join Katniss and Bear on their walk. The pair was no doubt talking about him and Effie. He shrugged.

Later on, he started plowing dirt for Peeta to keep his mind off the fact that all he wanted was a drink. Wanted to forget that woman once and for all. He should've never called her up, he hadn't been sober long enough to deal with her leaving.

-

Eight weeks. That's how long it had been without Effie calling him. Every day was hell. He thought it was supposed to get better with time, but the idea of forever without her was getting to be unbearable. Some days he didn't get up, except to let Bear out or feed him, afraid he'd make his way down to one of the bars.

Bear was always with Katniss or Peeta these days, helping out in the garden or hunting. He'd sleep with Haymitch at night, and go hang out with the actual living in the day.

That night, he made a sad piece of toast and watched the army of angry girls come up to his door and knock, undoubtedly about to ask him about Effie for the hundredth time.

"Haymitch!" They called.

He opened the door with a groan.

"Oh look, a band of banshees." He said, looking down at them.

"Is Miss. Effie coming soon?"

"No, but I'll let her know the garden gnome brigade asked about her." He mumbled.

They giggled.

"What's her phone number?" Asked one of the girls.

"Don't know, kid."

"Katniss said you did."

"Katniss has her number." Said Haymitch.

"She said to ask you."

"I don't have it. Katniss was mistaken. Not the first time, won't be the last. Go play."

They groaned, turned away, mumbling about him.

My mama said.. my mama said…

Haymitch shut the door and made some decaf, something Peeta showed him. It was a pointless drink, but it gave him something to drink.

He played a few chords on the piano, watching the little girls giggle as they sat on a couple of big rocks while they pretended to sip from their teacups.

Once it started to get too dark, they made their way back to the Seam. He stayed up late, watching the dog sleep, reading one of his books. It was around 11 when the phone rang.

His phone never rang. His heart leapt.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Haymitch?"

"Effie?"

He could tell two things: she was at a big party and she was drunk. Very drunk.

"Haymitch? I'm at a gala right now." She slurred.

"Okay?" He asked, coldly, his eyebrows knitting together. His first instinct was that something was terribly wrong.

She laughed boisterously at something someone said to her, it was a muffled clusterfuck. His fears were dashed.

"Haymitch. I'm here at this gala and this man… he had hair.. four feet tall. I am not joking, four feet and in the shape of the Capitolium. And I thought I should tell you!"

He stayed silent. He heard another voice. A male voice.

"Oh, it's just my old coworker. Mhm." She said softly, almost inaudibly.

He was half tempted to hang up on her. She was drunk off of her ass and it didn't help she always found a way to piss him off.

"Isn't it just ridiculous, Haymitch?"

"Why are you callin' me, Effie? I'd rather you not call me at all than call me drunk."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't call me at all, woman."

"I've been— I've been busy."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm gonna go." He mumbled.

"Wait. Wait, Haymitch. I miss you. I'm… I'm coming there. Tonight."

"No, you're not. You're drunk."

"Yes, I am and you will let me in or I'll just sleep on your doorstep."

"Guess you'll be sleeping on my doorstep then, princess."

"That's fine, but I am getting on the 12 AM train. I already called a car."

He breathed out, "Sure, Effie."

"Oh, I'm very serious, Haymitch."

He rolled his eyes, gave a curt 'bye', hung up. Yeah. He wasn't gonna get his hopes up. If that were the case, she'd be here in a few hours. He wouldn't bother cleaning up or putting together a bouquet of flowers. What would the point be? She wasn't coming. And even if she did, she wouldn't stay long at all.

It was 5 AM when he heard frantic knocking. He opened the door and it was pouring outside, and there she was. Pretty and stupidly drunk in a fur-lined coat and a loose headscarf. She hugged him tightly and she smelled like liquor and that perfume.

He backed away from her, "What the hell are you doin' here, Effie?"

"I told you I was coming!" She screamed over the rain that was picking up rapidly.

"I didn't want you to come."

"Well, I did. And I'm here to stay. And you can accept that or turn me away and I will stay with Katniss and Peeta until you warm up to the idea. I don't quite care." She slurred.

"You don't have any of your crap."

"It's being shipped in tomorrow." She slurred, wiping under her eyes where mascara was running.

"You're gonna wake up and you're gonna realize where you are and hop on a damn train back to your fancy city. You don't give a goddamn about anyone in this district. You only ever did for show, you never cared about me, about all of those kids, Effie." He was just spewing nonsense now, too angry to be coherent.

"Fuck you! Fuck you, Haymitch!" She screamed, pushing him slightly, taking him aback.

"You're drunk."

"And you're an ass. I have always wanted to tell you that and I'm tired of holding back. You never hold back, so why should I! You are an absolute ass, the worst person I've ever had to work with and you've been so unpleasant to be around since day one. And I love you, Haymitch. I love you. And no one has ever come close to that for me. No one. Not Leander, not any of the other men. I could have anyone and all I do is laugh at disgusting, vile jokes you've said or think about how ridiculous you'd find stuff I do in the Capitol or how hard you can love or how warm and clueless you make me feel. And I feel sick and so scared. This isn't how it was supposed to be for me. None of this."

She was crying, a mess, messier than he had ever seen her in all of the years he had known her. She looked delirious and like she had been drinking all the way there. He breathed out slowly.

"Just come in, drama queen. You're gonna get sick standin' out there, we'll deal with this tomorrow when you're hungover and miserable." He mumbled, taking her purse and coat off of her. She stumbled in, nearly falling over her heels. Luckily, Haymitch had a pretty good grasp on her forearm so she couldn't trip.

"I want to deal with it now, Haymitch." She said angrily.

"Sit down, Effie." He commanded.

She did what he said, but by the time he had put her purse in the guest room, she was snoring on his couch. He thought about carrying her to her bedroom upstairs but decided against it out of fear of waking her. He lifted her head, put a pillow underneath, covered her in a blanket. Luckily, Bear had slept over with Katniss and Peeta and wouldn't wake her.

He fixed her some water and set it next to her. God knows she had done this exact thing for him more than enough.

He ran a finger down a strand of her hair, "Loon."

He went to his room and fell asleep with a book on his chest. When he woke the next morning, Effie was still knocked out on the couch, her arm covering her eyes. She probably wouldn't rise for the next month as drunk as she had gotten.

The kids came in way too loudly, of course. The dog ran ahead of the kids excitedly, jumping up on Haymitch and eventually absolutely losing it when he saw Effie. He was so excited he was whimpering.

"Haymitch!" Sang Katniss loudly, of course she chose today of all days to be lively.

"Hush, girl. We got a hungover bear on the couch. Don't poke it." Warned Haymitch. Katniss and Peeta peered over the couch and laughed at Effie, an eyelash half off, a pillow over her head.

"Sorry." Mouthed Katniss. Effie haphazardly picked up Bear and cuddled him into her chest. The puppy licked her and let her pet him until he fell asleep next to her.

"Making breakfast for her, you want some?" Asked Haymitch, pointing to the eggs and precooked cinnamon rolls from Peeta he was about to heat up.

"Count us out, we already ate," Said Peeta. "Make sure you put foil over those."

"When did she get in?" Asked Katniss, leaning against the counter.

"This morning at about 5 or so. Got drunk and decided to act on it, I guess."

"That's not like her." Said Katniss, watching him with those prodding eyes.

"She missed you." Said Peeta, ever the helpless romantic.

"Yeah, well, I don't see why."

"Probably because you two were alone together for what? 15 years? Something like that." Said Peeta, checking that the foil was tight enough on the rolls.

"Something like that." Repeated Haymitch, taking a sip of his coffee and looking at Effie.

Haymitch shook his head, "Probably got tired of that freak show over there."

"Really. You think Effie would get tired of that." Asked Peeta. Rhetorical question. She'd never tire of that freakshow.

"I don't but it's about the only explanation. And anyways, it's none of you kids' business what us old folks do."

"I'm not old, Haymitch!" Grumbled Effie from the couch.

"Sorry, did I say old? Meant mature." He said, rolling his eyes. She groaned, too tired to bicker, but never too tired to correct Haymitch.

The kids looked amused.

"You kids need to go, anyways. Let her sleep. Take Bear with you. Boy won't leave her alone when she's here. Get me some more of these damn rolls, too. I already know I'm gonna eat the whole tray by noon. You should be proud of yourself, son. You make the best cinnamon rolls on this side of twelve."

Peeta cracked a smile.

"Bye, Eff." The kids called.

"Bye, my darlings. I promise by the next time you see me, I will be in a perfectly normal state."

"Oh, joy." Said Haymitch, raising his mug at the kids. He saw them out then sat at the table reading as Effie fell back to sleep, the cinnamon wafting throughout the house. He was sure the smell of something so sweet would rouse Effie.

Eventually she got up, but it was to haul ass and go puke out all of the acidic contents of her stomach.

"You okay, Eff?" He asked, knocking on the door.

"Go away, Haymitch."

"You need anything?"

"Yes, you to go away.

Then, being that proper purebred Capitol girl, she added, "Please."

He breathed out, went back to making them some plates. He just felt grateful it wasn't him puking this time.

"Haymitch!" She called. He stood and walked over to the door.

"What's up?

"Can you… um… get me something to wear?"

"Your little plan backfiring on you?" He asked, a small smile spreading on his face.

"No. I mean, I guess I could walk around the house naked, but I don't think Katniss or Peeta would like walking in on that."

"Well, I sure would. But it's cold, so I'll get you somethin'… I guess." He got her one of his sweatshirts, some pants he never wore.

She opened the door, her hair wet, her naked body dripping. He was certain she did it on purpose by the catlike smile she gave him.

"We got towels, you know."

She smiled at him, took the clothes and shut the door, he could hear her humming and all he could do was shake his head.

She came out looking in his clothes, "Hey, girl."

She gave him a smile, "Hi."

"You feelin' better?" He asked, handing her her plate.

"No." She looked on the verge of tears.

He smirked at her, holding back a laugh.

"Well, you sure can wear the hell out of a sweatshirt."

"You think so?" She looked down at his top. It was dreadful. A plain grey thing that hit her thighs, but the glimmer in his eyes told a different story.

"Oh, yeah."

They ate in silence mostly, besides Effie's profuse apologies about how she called him drunk and showed up drunk and how she is wearing his clothes hungover.

"I like it." He admitted, not looking at her.

"What?"

"I like the way you look in my clothes. I don't mind that, but don't get used to it."

She smiled down at herself bashfully, "Okay."

"You going back today?" He asked, expecting the worst.

"No. I told you."

"What about your job?"

"I don't know."

"You think everything out, Effie." He said, as if that would snap her out of it. Sure, she thought everything out, but there were times he could recall where she only acted on impulse, which might be much worse.

"You thought this out, right?" He asked.

"What do you think? No. Of course not. I've just… I cry at night when I'm not with you. And it has made my skin absolutely dreadful. I want to be here with you until you tell me to leave."

"Unfortunately, I don't think I have the guts to tell you to leave, girl."

"That's unheard of for you."

He shrugged, raised his eyebrows, "You can be mean as hell."

"I love my job, so maybe I'll ask to go only a few days a week instead of five. They can double up my hours for those days." She said, more to herself than to him.

"Couldn't pay me to go on a train 2 hours for work."

"Yes, well, I love the children and they expect me to be there with them. I can't just… abandon that. I at least have to see the year out."

He watched her try to figure it out in her head. She stood, went to the phone and called the schoolhouse.

"Hello, is Elphaba in? Yes, this is Effie Trinket. Yes."

She looked up at the ceiling, clearly irritated, "Yes, Miss. Peregrine. Yes, I am well aware. Yes. I called because- yes, yep. Mhm. Yes, exactly. I called because I wanted to know if I could switch to part time, preferably a couple of days a week? I'm- yes, Miss. Peregrine. Yes. Yes, well, I am moving and I can't right now. I know. I know. That's the popular belief I suppose. Well, thank you. Yes I can take on more hours. I can do after schools as well. Okay. Thank you, Miss. Peregrine. Oh yes, everything is good. No, him and I aren't… seeing one another anymore. Mhm. I'm sorry. Yes, well, he's single now so perhaps he could go for you. Okay, bye now. Mhm. Yes, I will fill them out when I'm there. Bye, now. Bye, Miss. Peregrine."

She put the phone back and sighed, "Sweet Panem."

"Now you know what it's like talking to you."

"I know I talk a lot," she said, pulling the center out of her cinnamon roll. "But she can certainly talk."

"Must be a Capitol thing." He said.

"Are you mad at me? About not calling you all those weeks? Because you shouldn't be. My life got… it was…"

"It's fine, Effie."

She swallowed, bit her lip, "Haymitch, I-"

"Effie, really. I don't wanna talk about it."

"I'm just… I should've called."

"I know you get wrapped up in the stuff you do over there.. whatever that is." He said, annoyed.

She looked down at her hands, "You're upset."

"Effie, it's fine. You just get rid of me and then come back like you always do."

She stood angrily, "That isn't true! I'm just busy! I'm sorry I have my own life away from here. And I'm here now! Isn't that enough?"

"Guess it'll have to be, sweetheart. Your coming and going is routine at this point. Better not get used to it."

"I am here for good, whether you like it or not!"

And just like that, a knock came at the door before their stupid tiff escalated. He opened it and there were at least 12 bags. He looked back at her.

She smiled at him.