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Effie Trinket had just boosted her way inside the sixties themed diner, not unnoticed, though– Haymitch had seen her cross over the town square rapidly and heel-eds steps from behind a coffee jar he served a client seconds ago. It was not enough time for him to prepare and embrace himself for her.
Not that it was something unexpected, no– the woman visited every morning before going to work, without fail, for the last twenty years. She came in, bantered a bit, asked for black coffee – no milk, no sugar, no cream – and they bickered for at least an hour, some days less than that if she was too busy. But he could see in the way she stormed inside, how the corner of her mouth quivered slightly and her fingers kept fidgeting with the hem of her tight skirt.
Haymitch tried his best to not let his eyes fall to her legs, failing. He always failed when it came to her.
“Who do I need to thank for making you so distressed today, princess?” Haymitch smiled, teeth gap greeting her with his neverlasting sarcasm. He promptly got a mug from the shelf and served her steamy coffee, as usual.
Effie rolled eyes, snorting. “G’morning to you too, Haymitch.” She had a gulp of her precious drink and he could see the moment her shoulders relaxed under her lilac blazer and she almost moaned at the sensation of caffeine getting into her system. “Myself, actually! Who always makes the best decision.” Her fingers trailed the trim of the porcelain mug while her mouth spit irony.
“Is this a remark about how we slept together? ‘cuz I ain't taking it-” He started with that always so sweet snark.
It was usual, it was routine. The recurrent clientela did even spare a blink at them, or ears.
A kept laugh was heard, though, from behind Haymitch’s large shoulders. Katniss Everdeen had just left the kitchen with her messy apron and a tray full of pancakes. Haymitch had this program with the local school where they would take some ‘problem-kids’ and give them some kind of purpose, so they would leave school and come down to the caffee. Katniss was one of the four teens that he kept around like his, – absent mother, had to parent her little sister, but dropping school wasn't an option – So he teaches them the ways of life and sometimes, literature, although the math homeworks always ended up as Effie's business.
Effie ignored the man and turned her face to the girl, looming herself on the balcony in front of her. “Good morning dear.” She smiled, Katniss also did, a faint shadow that resembled a smile.
“Morning Effie. Oh, want me to get Birdie from daycare? I'll be out to get Prim anyways,” then, she turned to Haymitch, wearing one of her best smirks, “It is your week, right? I can bring her to you, old man.”
He groaned loudly, “Go serve these pancakes, will you? Fucking gremlin.” So she did, laughing breathly. As she served the tables, Effie looked at her from her shoulder,
“Thank you, my girl. That will help a lot.”
Everdeen didn't answer her, instead, she went to serve another table as she directed her talking to Haymitch, “Also, forgot to mention, Peeta burned the frying pan.”
“The boy did what?” Haymitch shouted, turning away to get into the kitchen and leaving Effie alone with her coffee and her lack of courage.
She could wait, she had a day off from her work in the City Hall and she would use it just being there, sitting on her usual stool inside her usual diner and waiting for universal strength to simply talk to her daughter's father.
The time passed, customers came and went, Katniss and Peeta's shift ended so they went to school, soon Johanna and Finnick would get around, since they got the noon shift for studying in the mornings. Haymitch was truly bugged once she ordered her third mug of coffee.
“Aren’t you supposed to go to yar fancy work or something, woman?” He remarked, cleaning some spilled coffee and leaving the rag hanging on his left shoulder, she only blinked for a second, then smiled.
“No, actually. Today is my day off!” Effie went back to play with her mug instead of drinking from it, so he frowned a brow and towered over the balcony with a suspicious look– she tried not to make clear how her eyes went straight to the way his biceps fought against the cloth of his too tight t-shirt.
“What's wrong?” He asked, she denied with her head, “I know ya got something, tell me.”
“Nothing's wrong! Can’t a woman enjoy her coffee anymore?” She huffed a laugh, taking a sip. Haymitch then snatched her mug, making her yelp in place, “you brute!”
“Ya not having it back until you spill what's going on!”
Effie tried to grab her mug back, supporting her weight on the balcony that separated them, one of her heels got stuck in the stool. Haymitch took it further away, clicking tongue. She huffed in annoyance and defeat, sitting back on and rearranging her casual-corset – if a corset could ever be casual.
“It's Callie-”
“And why didn't you tell me before?” He looked almost distressed, he crossed to the other side of the cafe in big steps, aiming for the ‘closed’ sign by the door,
“Nothing is wro-” Effie tried to stop him, but since her heel was still very much stuck by the stool base, her phrase ended up in a shriek and he had to run back all the way away from the sign to catch her and avoid an awful fall and possible concussion. He took her into his arms, both eyes wide, she panted. Gray storms looking directly at ocean blues. Suddenly they were years back.
Suddenly life was simpler.
She cleaned her throat, fingers gripping slightly at the meat of his arm, “R'you okay, princess?” He helped her to get up, back into a chair, he started kneeling in front of her, the sight making her blush even harder, “Have you sprained your ankle? God these stupid heels-”
“I'm okay, Haymitch. So is Callie Charm.” He looked down at him, eyes suddenly heavy. “It's stupid, just- there will be a renovation at my apartment, and the stupid buffoon of the interior architect that I signed on said that it will take two weeks to be done.” She was yapping too much, but she couldn't seem to stop, words filling her mouth faster than her brain filtered what was important and what would take too much of his time in a wave of heavy British accented letters. “So I was going to ask you if you could get another week with Callie- just, if not that's okay, you have the diner and-” She was moving her hands around, and he caught them both on his,
“You did not make all this fuss about letting me know I’m going to have my baby girl around for more days, r'ya kidding?” He laughed exasperated and breathy, head tombing making his wild blond curls get in front of his eyes, she bit her own lip,
“Sorry I- I didn't want to be a bother, ok?” Her eyes rolled as she crossed arms in front of her chest, looking away, a false nonchalant tone on her tongue.
“First, you are already a bother coming here every-single-day and making fun of me in front of my customers,” He pointed at her, but there was no malice in his words, just a deep fondness. She got his pointed finger in a hand, putting it down,
“It's bad manners to point at people-”
“Second, my daughter will never bother me.” He stated, simple and truthful. She nodded at that, smiling ever so faintly at him, using her hand to keep a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear,
“Thank you, Haymitch.” She smiled at him.
“Your welcome, doll.” He locked eyes with her.
Then, peace was shattered with the much sudden it came in the first place. The bell above the door rang, Haymitch shouted a hoarse “We're closed!”
“Damn boss, that's why we're here!” Johanna clicked her tongue, smiling like she knew all their secrets. Hair dyed in strands of blood-red, pinned up in two buns with a few small braids among them. A big mouthed angsty teen, no family, incredible ability with sports – currently leader of Panem High women's football team. She always had some weird stuff on the cafe's stereo.
Finnick waved from behind here, even when he is feets taller. Live with his grandma, wants to be a professional swimmer. Haymitch cannot stomach the kids' backstory, how he ended up in the program in the first place. He was better now, healing, and always had a sweet remark. He popped his bubble of gum and smiled, “The show is great, lovebirds. Go on, we didn't mean to interrupt.”
Haymitch groaned, from annoyance and because his knee was bitching about the previous stunt of simply kneeling down. He strained his apron, “You both go suit up!” he called out, “and I want to see those homeworks!” He pointed as they passed, Johanna mocking a salute for him and then waving at Efie, who just endeared to be there. Then, the man turned at her, much kinder eyes and low voice, he wore a frown though, “And where you stayin?”
Sh chuckled, unfunny, and grabbed her cellphone. “Oh I still need to book the hotel, I just wanted to talk to you first.” She got up, just as awkward as a teenager.
“Why don't you stay in too?” Haymitch’s tongue was faster than his reserved, ever so grumpy and lonely brain ever could. His own eyes widened as his ears heard his own words, hurried to add, “I know ya’ got yar city money and all but keep it to Callie, hm? No need for fourteen hotel rates, right?” It was his turn to get all awkward and flushed.
He clapped his hands together to simply have them do anything and the sound startled Effie from her transe. She had a surprised smile and actually blinked nonstop, she stuttered a bit, “What? Here? With you?”
“What? Too common and poor for ya, princess?” He almost sounded offended, but he was never able to hide his amusement from her.
“No!” She quickly added, hands shaking negatively in front of her, “Just- your customers?”
“What about them?” He actually sounded confused now,
“What will they say?” Haymitch still looked down to her, unknowingly. She then got into a shushed tone, like a secret was being shared, he actually had to tower down a bit to hear it, “Me, leaving your house all morning! Like a walk of shame or something like that-"
Haymitch actually laughed, direct from his belly, gap toothed and all, “Princess, we have a kid together!”
Effie was getting all fussed again, she hit her feet on the floor, quickly adding her own thoughts above his words, “You know that's not what I meant!”
“Are you ashamed of me, Effie Trinket?” He arched a brow, finding funny how she got all warmed up for a simple bickering–
“No- I love you! It's not what I meant!” She was so riled up the words took seconds more to hit her, but Haymitch got them instantly. She dropped the phone she had in hand on the floor, it bounced once before its battery shattered open.
A quietly whisper was heard between walls and thick uncomfortable tension, “She really said that?” followed by a “Shut the fuck up, Odair!”
Effie gulped into nothing but hot air, panting as her heart took an inhumane rate. He looked at her, through her, opening his mouth to speak no words. the silence purged upon them for more seconds,
“Effs-” He tried, hand going for hers, but it was too hot to accept, too dangerous to commit. She went down, gathering her phone pieces on the floor and her back that must have fallen over when she almost did herself.
“I'm going! Thanks, for understanding it!” She smiled, tone hurried and breathing uneven, she gathered herself, tried to, unable to admit the words she had just said. “See you in the evening!”
And with that she left. Storming over just like she did hours ago inside his cafe. Like she did five years before when her water broke and her first genius idea was to cross the square and storm into the Newcomer's Diner.
Like she did nearly two decades ago, when she had just arrived in town – and he had a single coffee machine and a project of a balcony – when she stormed over inside with a caffeine withdrawal induced migraine and ended up making a whole renew project for his dream diner ‘cause he was cute.
She was a hurricane. And he was doomed.
Now in the middle of the town square, Effie had no idea where to go. She had nothing to do at home, no work for today, Callie still had an hour or so of school and she definitely couldn't just go back into the diner and face the terrific consequences of her own actions.
She passed a heavy hand through the coppery locks of hair, attempting to actually breathe. “Apartment, get the car, get Callie- Oh!” She hurried to her blazer pockets, rescuing the open phone and put the battery back on, “Katniss, call Katniss up, offer her and her little sister a ride home!”
A kid passed by her, walking an awful but still cute dog, he looked weird at her, as if talking to herself wasn't an incredible way of keeping track of to-dos, she barked at him, “What!?” Heavy accent and all.
The walk home was full of false tender smiles and promises to herself that she shouldn't worry – she would go to Haymitch’s, sleep on his couch or something and leave in fourteen days without killing or fucking him, – simple as that. As she got her car, red on the outside and white leather on the seats, they had this livid red embroidery and matching carpets. Some sticker flowers on the pannell and by the airfan. Straight up tuning in the stereo on her favorite station for her ballads, it screamed “If She Knew What She Wants” by The Bangles like an ironic fated moment.
She banged her head against the reel, not hard, not to bruise, just to let herself be frustrated, the horn went off once, and she startled in a deep breath while a hand went for the keys. “Stupid, stupid girl. Why would you say that!” Effie scolded herself through the mirror, leaving the garage of her apartment building as the song went on inside her ears.
The traffic was just bad enough for Effie to get just a bit late by the kids' school, opening the window so she could scream Katniss in. The girl held hands with both children – Prim and Callie, and went for the car. “Hey, ladies! How was the school day?”
She got a grumpy “hmpf, fine, I guess” from Katniss, a “Great, thank you for the ride miss. Trinket” from Little Prim. And a hug from behind so tight from Callie that it almost choked the life out of Effie. She grabbed the little arms, releasing her neck as she turned her head to the backseat, smiling.
“Hey baby! How was school?”
“Professor told me that birdie ate a crayon-” Katniss said with a shrug, when two toddler hands with colorful fingernails flew to her mouth, a shrieking “Don't tell Ma!” echoing.
Once they got home, after dropping the Everdeens, Callie was still fighting against her seatbelt, complaining about being trapped like a caged bird, always a dramatic little one. Effie left the driving seat, opening the door for the kid who looked at her with big pouty lips,
“Oh my love, it's just safety, come on now!” Effie freed her in a single movement, getting her up with an arm and using the other to gather her backpack. Callie Charm hugged her shoulders, cheek pressing against it and drooling over the blazer. Mama perks and all.
“Ma, today is Pa day?” ‘Pa day’ could mean Haymitch’s birthday, every firework she saw – because he gets fireworks on his birthday so all fireworks are Pa days, and obviously the days where she would go to his place for the week.
“Yeah, baby. We are going to Daddy soon, we just need to get our things, okay?” She kissed the small wild frizzy curls of her daughter, lingering it for a while, nuzzling the strawberry smell she loved.
“I miss da’” Callie Charm spoke, a small voice, almost not there. She had her thumb on her lips, probably already dozing off. Effie rearranged Callie in her arms, using it as a way to wake her up.
“I know baby, you're going to see him today.” She kissed her cheeks, smiling at her little girl. “I miss him too.”
The elevator ride was brief but enough for Callie Charm to almost start falling asleep again, she would sleep anywhere – sat, while someone is walking, on a car ride, during the apocalypse. It made Effie smile, it's good to know your child feels safe enough around you to just turn off, God knows it wasn't the case with Effie when she was a kid.
Once inside the apartment, she put the toddler down, and she ran towards her room to grab her shining pink suitcase. She opened it – threw it on the floor – with a thud, starting to grab random pieces of clothing and toys and stuffing inside of it. Effie looked at her with fond affection, chuckling with the view. The sun peeked through her star themed curtains as it went down and made the blonde curls outshine all lights. She was just by the door, letting her full weight onto the doorway, she cleaned her throat trying to catch the kid's attention, whose only looked up with a drooled mouthed smirk,
“Ma! I'm ready to go to Da! Shall we?” She smiled widely, and how could Effie deny anything at her girl.
“Mama is going with you, silly!” She kneeled down there, starting to actually sort the things Callie stuffed inside. “How about I help you with your case and you help me with mine?”
Callie threw her arms into the air, “Yeah!” Her sweet voice echoed, and she went to grab even more clothing pieces and bouffant dresses for her mother to choose. At some point, amidst an ocean of fabric and glitter, Callie Charm decided that playing with her doll house was more interesting than folding, Effie let herself wonder, sighing as the heaviness of motherhood descend upon her shoulder blades, her mind leaving the present for a moment half a decade ago, when she was back at this very floor, and by her side a still grumpy but just as beautiful Haymitch sat by,
He had this wild hair on a loose bun, and kept making her laugh instead of helping with putting the crib together.
She didn't know the moment they had stopped working. Was it her? Was it him? Was it time? Was it Callie?
No, it would never be Callie.
She was, if anything, what stitched them together in a way sheer romance could not. It was almost stronger, that sense of being part of something, of family, – dysfunctional, with many adopted children and too much bickering, but a family.
Effie realized, then, that Callie Charm had never seen what a complete family looks like. Since she was born, they never let themselves be together, for pride or fear none of them knew, but since always Callie had a week with her and a week with Haymitch. Never together.
It started as a deep sudden ache on her chest, like her very own heart was breaking. She gulped, trying to blink the feeling away and the tears from her eyes when the kid stormed over the room, tiny feet stomping against the floor in small jumps, holding one of her makeup pallets she kept on a higher drawer to keep it safe, she was smiling widely and had a weird blush stamp on her right cheek. “Ma! Ma! You canny forget your makeup!”
At that, Effie smiled, exhaling the creep feeling of failing the person she loved the most.
The car ride to the Newcomer's Diner was quick, Effie could have just walked down the street and across the square, but with hers and Callie's bags, not to mention the kid who was tired from crayon-eating at the daycare, it was just convenient. She had just finished parking and Haymitch was already hushing outside, it was late, so only a few customers were having their dinner inside.
The man was beaming, waving at the reflection of his daughter, who was trying to take off the belt, just as excited. “Ma! Help!”
“On my way, Cals-” Effie turned off the engine, pressing the button that would open the back compartment. She loomed over Callie’s seat after opening her door, Haymitch was already picking up their bags out of the vehicle.
“Da!” Her voice lingered, arms stretching at the blonde man who promptly left his hold onto the bags fall over the crosswalk and grabbed his little girl,
"Hello, silly goose!" throwing her up in the air, her giggles storming over the world, into her heart and making Effie melt inside, eyes watering without even realizing as she watched Callie giving Haymitch her eskimo kiss.
He then put her down with a subtly groan about his back, and turned to Effie, there, at that moment, he wasn't that brave scarred man anymore – He was just Haymitch, loving father, never got the chance to be a husband. “Hey princess.”
“Hello Haymitch.” She smiled, genuine and small, and in return he smiled back, corky and funny.
The world stopped for a second, just as time, the cars stopped honking and the wind stopped blowing.
But then, of course, “Ma! Da! Why are ya looking funny?” Wide gray eyes looked up for them, blinking in curiosity. Effie chuckled, taking a strand of hair from her face as the wind kept it hidden, she then holded Callie's small hand, as Haymitch resumed his work with their more than necessary bags.
“Why so much shit for two weeks?” He grumbled, carrying in total four handbags and a suitcase.
She turned her head to him, with an exasperated look. “Haymitch! Language in front of your daughter!”
He grumbled, Callie chuckled, “Shit, Da!” She joked at him, which earned Effie’s favourite eat-shit grin in the world.
“Calliope Charm Abernathy! You can't say bad words, you know that, little girl!” She looked down at her in a scold, the kid was not impressed, looking as innocent as ever.
“Not ‘til ya have at least ten!” He added, nudging Effie with his elbow just slightly, he couldn't do much with hands so full.
Effie hit him, a light slap on his chest, “Not even then! Oh god, you're impossible!” She hurried Callie inside the Diner, eyes not leaving his face, though.
“Well, a bird told me you like me impossible” Haymitch dared to wink at her, and she let out an irritating squeak as she passed by him, joining Callie Charm inside.
They sent Callie Charm upstairs so she could get her stuff into her room and a place for her to sleep on her bed between her army of plushies, Effie stood by, deciding she would help Haymitch with closing the cafe. They kept brushing against each other, aiming for the same goal – a dirty mug, the cleaning rag, the indomitable passion they seemed too cowards to admit.
She cleaned the floor, he admired from afar while tidying the kitchen – she was still in full office outfit, dark tights, all professional skirt, that corset-like top that kept her breasts up just perfectly – and she was simply there, brushing his stupid floor on his stupid diner while their kid's footsteps could be heard from upstairs. He sighed, deeply, the sincere tone from Katniss roaming through his head like a prayer, ‘you could live a hundred lifetimes and never deserve that woman.’
“Effie, it's okay, the floor is shining enough” He smiled at her, suddenly feeling so small.
“Oh, I…” She turned around, a vacant look in those deep ocean eyes, “I didn't realize how silly of me.”
They stared at each other, uncomfortable and raw, the wayback-time-machine hitting them with that image of those young stupid kids they once were. Haymitch was the first to break contact, taking off his apron and turning the lights off. “C'mon, let's get up.” She passed by him, and he guided her upstairs with a faint touch on her lower back.
They checked on Callie Charm first, she was belly down on her princess bed making two Barbies kiss, feet kicking into the air. They decided on not disturbing her storytelling. Back in the living room, Effie took a seat on the raggedy couch, “Can you lend me a pillow?”
He looked down to her, frowning slightly, “Effie, you won't sleep on the couch.” It wasn’t a suggestion, he stated, like it was the simple truth.
“Well…” She looked around, trying to get into his game, to be funny and snarky. “I don't see where else.”
“You get my bed, I get the couch.” He points, then remembers that it isn't polite to, and lets his hand drop.
“What? No! I'm not just staying at your place and taking your bed!”
“Why? ‘cuz it wouldn't be polite?” Haymitch mocks her accent, and she rolls her eyes so hard they almost fall from her pretty head.
“Yeah, Haymitch. And because I actually care about you!” She tried to add, like it would make her the better person somehow, like there was an unsaid need for someone to be.
“If I didn't care about you, princess, I wouldn't have offered you my bed.”
They were now face to face, nose to nose, sharing the same hot hair they exhaled. Effie moved her jaw, taking a deep breath in, unable to meet his eyes.
“Ok, okay, dear. You go to sleep on your own bed and I will sleep in Callie's.”
“Fine.” It was not,
“Fine!” She smiled, unpleasant, and turned to one of her handbags, occupying her trembling hands with catching a set of pajamas.
“But you, doll, get the bathroom first, and take all the time you need!” He stomped his way to the kitchen, his words were sincere, like they just keep fighting over who's nicer and who actually enjoys the other more. Was it hate made from pure love? It was a lovely anger.
She did, though. Effie took her time in the shower, letting the hot water wash all of the tough day. When she finally left the bathroom, wearing a Juicy Couture velvet set, she went back shortly after so she could bathe Callie.
Haymitch offered to help, so she could rest or whatever, she denied, because obviously she did, saying it would be asking for too much. When Effie left, it was with a tired baby in her arms, both smelling like lilacs and home. She said a goodnight at him, and Callie Charm had mumbled something in that line.
The moment Callie actually fell asleep, Effie regretted all that stubbornness that kept her from enjoying a comfortable bed that smelled like Haymitch. The kid was an active sleeper, she turned, and moved, and kicked, and after an hour or so of trying to sleep, the toddler has a nice go to Effie's rib, and she decided that Haymitch’s disappointed look when seeing her on his couch by the morning was actually kinda bearable. She loved her daughter, but she knew the little girl was feral, and not at all a light sleeper.
Effie tried to be quiet, tip-toeing her way out the princess room, closing the door as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake both Callie and Haymitch, whose room was just by the front door.
She was surprised, though, when her eyes fell upon Haymith, in an old band shirt and sweater pants, sitting by the couch with the TV on muted, a bottle of beer in hand. She pouted, biting her cheek like she wanted to actually chew on it, a tear of disappointment ripping through her spine.
Haymitch had a big problem with alcohol back in the days, causing him so many problems within himself and the people around him, maybe that's why he was so pleased with helping those kids, something about helping them with the chances and kindness he never had. He had quit, after Callie Charm, never actually fully sober, just a real man and his lifelong fight with his addiction.
She gathered courage, her voice breaking slightly into the night, “I thought you stopped drinking.” Effie walked slowly, until he was fully visible in the dim light of the TV. He looked at her, barely moving his head.
“I did.” A sad smile, then he turned the label, alcohol free beer or something. “can't blame me for coping, princess, you gave me a hard time today.”
Effie sat down, by his side, folding her legs under her. She hugged a pillow, sniffing lightly. “I'm sorry-”
“You mean it?” He was straight to the point, hungry and desperate. Grey eyes shining at her with hope she couldn't conceive.
“You know I meant it, Haymitch.”
“Then why didn't you say anything sooner?”
“How could I?” She got her tone high, quickly biting her own mouth shut. Her eyes found him, the sky surrounded by grey clouds. She took a deep breath, he waited, “You're the only thing I have. The only actual, real, routine thing I have.” Her eyes watered, sky starting to pour. He frowned, just by seeing her in real distress. “My country? I changed it. My family? They left me before I could leave them. I can find a new house, and I can get into another great job and get a lot of money. There's thousands of possibilities but… there's only one you, one Haymitch. One stupid man that dreamed of having a Diner twenty years ago and that was the first kind person to actually perceive me when I knew nothing about the 4th of July or how it was to be seen.”
He got her hand, finger dancing on her palm, absorbing her words like it was his last meal. Like Jesus himself was going to die and told him to drink his blood or something like that. Haymitch realised she wasn't the one crying, it was him, tears rolling down and falling between them, silent, like those unsaid words she was spilling. She gasped between a deep necessity to cry, and tried to breathe enough to keep talking, that was all she knew how to do, “But Callie…” He whispered to her, a question, a plea.
“Then that night came where I left myself feel and just be and… then Callie. I couldn't fuck this up, Haymitch.” they interlock eyes, and he stopped breathing with an audible hitch. He didn't know it was from the way she was looking at him or from her cursing. “It wasn't just me that would be losing you if I did something stupid, if I was too Euphemia, to British or bitchy… It would be her too…” She then stared into their joined hands, interlocking fingers like a prayer.
“Effie, I'm gonna say this once, and you will listen and do your shit to believe me.” He waited for her, and when she tried to hide her face between the soft strands of blonde, he got her chin between fingers, lifting it enough so he could see how she rested her face on his palm once he cradled it, cleaning the hot tears away, “You, Effie- Euphemia Trinket, and that little girl that has your doey eye, your pouty lips and your witty, are my whole world.” Haymitch chewed on those words, like he meant it – and he did. “You saved my life since that night where you stumbled inside my failure of a business and made yourself home. You, yes, and that little girl, are the woman of my fucked up life, that I honestly think I just started living then, because of you. Because we had her.” He hardened his touch, not violent, never, but in a hot, reassuring way, thumb stroking against wet cheek. “So don't give me this self-pitied speech of how you were afraid of fucking things up, ‘cause that's mine damn job. And yours is to be all optimistic and, how did you say it again? Positivity is…”
“ninety-seven percent of the battle, yes.” They both completed it, chuckling together mid wobbled voices.
They stay like this for a moment, his hand on her face like it was the most precious he has ever touched, and her own on his thigh, keeping herself grounded enough not to crumble. Effie's eyes fell to his mouth, like a silent question, and he intertwined his calloused fingers on her perfumed curls, “Don't make me beg for it, doll.” He joked, not even having the chance of laughing it away as she crushed their mouths together.
It was messy, untrained and steamy. Teeth clashing, tongues dancing and she pulled all her weight onto the hold in his thighs as her knees started cramping from being under her. He tried to break it, for a millisecond, enough to inhale air so he could drown on her longer, but it was enough loss for her to be seeking him out. Haymitch smiled into the kiss, and she melted as his hand left her face to grab a handful of her waist, pulling it to him. She was quick on straddling his hips, a hand grabbing at the couch's back for support as they devoured each other's mouths, like it was routine, like it was meant to be.
Haymitch gave her a gentle pull at her lower lip, which caused a hoarse moan that went straight to his spine and down. He needed her just like he needed air to breathe, as she was the purpose.
Effie rolled down her hips, tempting, drinking his reactions like fine wine, it tasted like desire and salty tears as he groaned into her, mouth falling to her jaw and neck as she added more pressure, creating a rhythm against his crotch, that was muffled by wet kisses and bites on her sensitive skin. He laughed breathly, hazed eyes on her face, “Think I’m too old for playin’ on the couch.” His strong hands curved her body with much admiration, landing on her ass as it grabbed firmly, pushing her up on his hold as he got them off the raggedy furniture, up to the room. She squeals and chuckles like a goddamn teenager, all happy and giddy for her first love. He kissed her again, because he could, because she loved him.
As he dropped her on the soft mattress, she pulled his shirt off, letting it fall free onto the ground. His fingers got to her feet, and she laughed at it, her frizzy hair from all the previous action suiting her like a crown. Haymitch started to pull her own sweatpants off, cautiously so she wouldn't press about him ruining her sets – again, – and she took the job of taking her own upper part, throwing a damn show while on it. Haymitch actually licked his lips as he fully saw her, flushed cheek that fell into her chest, birthmarks enough to map her body and a constellation of freckles, and he wanted to cherish every single one of them. He quickly locked the door, then did as he wished so deeply – trailing kisses along her beautiful face, then, the soft skin of her shoulder and chest, giving the attention she loved to her breasts.
“I had never taken you as a foreplay king,” She once had said, six or seven years ago, on this same bed, wearing his too big of a shirt and lighting a cigarette with a match.
So he ruled by that, sucking and nibbling at her hardening nipple, making her arch so beautifully. He used his thigh to separate her legs, letting his knee pressure against her cunt like he remembered her liking it, and she audibly gasped. Effie’s fingers got a strong hold into his hair, making him follow his way down, closer and closer to her pink laced crotch. “Is all your underwear like this?” He mouthed over her – hot breath against wet cloth.
“Mostly, yeah.”
“Perfect.” Effie could swear he purred at that, kissing and sucking at the skin of her inner thighs as his fingers took the lace off. She pulled a few locks,
“Haymitch I sweat to God if you don't fuckin-” Her empty threat was interrupted as he parted her pussy with two fingers, clearing the way for his tongue to lick heavy at her, flicking at the untouched clit, making her moan loudly. He broke them apart, just enough to bring a hand to cover her mouth – and risked being suffocated by her thighs, as he went back down on her, finally giving attention at the bound of nerves she muffled screamed into his hand for.
He had two fingers in and a drooling mouth when she started arching, thighs shaking furiously and near to strangling him as she clenched around his digits, Haymitch let his hold on her mouth go as he rode her out of the orgasm, now hearing deep pants and small cries. He went back up to her, mouths finding each other midway in a passionate kiss as Effie licked herself from his tongue. She smacked her lips, licking them as they interlocked eyes, “Such a great job, my good man.” Her accent was heavy, full of lust, and it actually made him growl.
He kicked his pants off, ignoring the pile they kept growing on the floor as he crawled to her, taking her lips on a fervent kiss before breaking it apart with a hold on her throat, pressing her against the mattress, she smiled widely at that, biting tongue. “I'm gon’ fuck you now, princess, and you gotta be really quiet, ya’ hear me?” He said in a voice hoarse and low, like a demand, and she nodded in pure agreement as he went down to steal a peck, “Good girl.” a beat, a smirk, “finally, my girl.” and she beamed, brighter as the moon high upon them.
So he positioned himself between her legs, face to face so he could see her as he entered her, and God how gracious she was – mouth parted, breath hitching, eyes melting until he bottomed out, waiting for her to adjust, broken, and quiet as she promised, “Move.” escaped her lips directly to his, and he did, because he liked to be praised, and he adored the way she tried so hard to keep herself from moaning, merging into him. As he picked the pace, slapping a rhythm agaisnt her skin, she hugged his shoulders, pressing him impossibly close and deeper, occupying her mouth against his skin, murmuring soft words, “You're so good, Haymitch-” A muffled moan, a breathy groan, “So fucking perfect, thank you, my love,”
And it fueled him like a starving beast. Her fingers caressing his nape as he drowned in the sensation of being inside her, of her walls clenching every second more against his cock. He licked three fingers, downing them until they reached her swollen clit, working on her second orgasm that came quickly as she was keeping herself from screaming in sensitivity. It drove him to the edge, her smell, her moans, her soft praises against his skin and the sting of her nails on his back, he spilled inside her, making as much as effort than her to keep it quiet.
They both layed down there, panting heavily, crazy hair and sweaty skin. Haymitch laughed, actually laughed, looking at her godly face being lit by the faint light of the moon, she murmured a weak, “What?”
And he kissed her stupid, “I love you too, princess.”
The next morning, Haymitch had already opened the diner when Peeta clocked in, eager to try a new way of baking pancakes he saw online. The boy high-fived a still morning lazy Callie Charm that ate her oatmilk with a sleepy face and wild curls.
Kantniss got there a bit late, something about dropping Primrose at her tech in nursing school, not that Haymitch held it against them, he never did. She was just pouring the coffee on a mug for him when Effie went down the stairs, hurried, dressing heels while walking down the steps. She clicked her phone shut, something about an emergency meeting with the mayor about her new project of urban architecture. She stole the mug of steamy coffee from Haymitch’s hand, offering a kiss in return, “Thank you love,” she smiled at him, noticing how stiff he got with it, she then realized they were not in fact alone, even Callie looked at them with big curious eyes-
“When did that happen?” Katniss sounded confused as ever, at the same time Peeta groane, “fuck no, Johanna was right! I owe her five bucks now!”
Effie laughed nervously, flushed as ever, she then kissed Katniss by her hair, “Well, I would love to explain, children-” then Peeta, by his cheek, “but see, I really need to get going!” then Callie Charm, on the top of her head, “but Haymitch sure can do, right?” Effie said, mid way to the door and putting an effort into getting an earring into its place,
“Yeah, sure, fuck me, I guess.” He groaned, pouring himself another mug, grumpy as always, not being able to disguise his smirk though.
She blew him a kiss, and then left, almost knocking out a customer that was on their way in.
Because life went on, and the cars still honked, and the wind still ruined Effie's hair. But they were trying now, and Callie Charm would have her parents, and that's what really matters.