Chapter Text
“Are you going to go sneaking around me like an animal all day?”
Burdock looked up from his wood carving to see the woman walking confidently towards him, heels clicking on the gravel and neon-coloured wig waving in the wind.
“I wasn't watching anyone, Miss Trinket. I'm just out here, doing some woodworking. My wife doesn’t like it in the house.” He lied smoothly, not meeting her gaze. Of course he had been following her - his yearly check-up, to see how Haymitch was doing via his keeper. Since he had elected to stay behind when she left the house, he'd say this year was a bad one. Usually the two would walk into town together, one reluctantly accompanied by the other.
Effie sighed deeply. “Burdock Everdeen. Don't treat me like an idiot.” She pleaded, firm but not angry. “I watch you watching me every reaping. You always sit out on this rock, pretending to be busy with one thing or another so no one will think you're stalking me. But you are, aren't you?” She shook her head.
Burdock sighed, putting down his bow. Of course, the woman would see right through him. He shouldn't have expected anything else. “I am busy. I am making a bow for my girl, she turns 9 in a couple of months.” He explained quietly, distinctly not looking in the direction of Haymitch house nor at the woman he was talking to. The bow he is shaping is small, kid sized, but once finished will be perfect for his little daughter.
Effie groaned, frustrated. It felt for every step forward they took once backwards. She understood he didn’t trust an escort, but she'd still expected a little more from Haymitch's oldest friend. “I know that's not true. Why don't you just go see him? Why do you wait here to see if I look distressed, when you can go see him any day yourself!” She exclaimed, pointing back to the house.
Burdock jumped to his feet, gesturing for her to be quieter. "Effie, stopp!" He said, terrified Haymitch would hear them and come running out. He couldn't let the man know he was spying on him during the reapings, trying to gauge how he was doing from afar. “I don't see him, because last time I saw him he hurt the love of my life! It's too dangerous.” He exclaimed.
Effie blinked, taking a step back from the man. His breath was in her face and what he said frightened her. “He hurt Astrid? When?” She glances back at the house, concerned. Haymitch had never seemed violent to her, or at least not purposefully so. She had a hard time envisioning him hurting a woman he cared so much about.
Burdock waved a hand, trying to dispel her worry and sighing deeply. “A long time ago, it doesn't matter now. But I just…I have a family, Effie. A wife and two little kids. I can't risk my life for Haymitch anymore. Especially if he is not going to try for himself.”
Effie looked down, staring at the half-made wooden object in his hands. What he said made sense, even if it hurt her heart to hear. “What's her name?”
“What?” Burdock looked down at the half-finished bow, equally distracted and confused.
“The girl. Your nine year old daughter.” Effie explained quietly, swallowing. She hadn't known he had children, but should've expected it since she knew he had a wife. “I'm sure Haymitch knows her name but he never mentions you anymore.”
“That's because he asks about us. I know he asked Greasy Say and everyone else at the warehouse for updates on me and Astrid last time he was there.” He sighed, sitting down and starting to work on his project again. “But he knows he damaged our relationship forever, with what he did to Astrid. I can not forgive him, Effie. Not ever.”
Effie sighed, turning around to leave as she could tell she wasn’t getting anywhere. Whatever had once happened, Burdock's trust in Haymitch was forever broken. And though he still care for the man, he was not at a point where he was willing to try and reach out to see if it could be repaired.
“Her name is Katniss”
“What?” Effie turned around, looking at him in confusion as he spoke to her again, looking up from his project to meet her eyes.
“My nine year old. Her name is Katniss.” He explained honestly. “We have a younger one, too. Primrose.” He explained. “I picked the first one, Astrid picked the other one.” He smiled gently.
“That's lovely. They're lovely names.” Effie smile, and she can dare to feel that she means it because neither child is yet of reaping age, not for several years. In that moment, she doesn't have to fear, she can just enjoy it.
Again, she starts to quietly walk away, only to stop herself and turn back. Now, it was she who did not feel she was finished with the conversation. If he was going to be so kind, then so would she. “Burdock?”
“Yes?” His steady gaze hasn’t left her as she started to walk, and he doesn’t look surprised she has turned around to speak to him again.
She squirm, feeling as though he is trying to read her mind, predicting what she will say before she has had the chance to speak.
“Please just try to see him, won't you? He needs you Burdock.” She said, “I try but I'm not here all year round. I…I can only do so much for him during the games.”
Burdock sighed. He knew she ment well but the memory of that rock hitting Astrid in the face still terrified him. “I will try” He promised, waving her away. He could make the promise, but Haymitch would have to be the one to accept his offer. It was easy to make promises you didn't think would be possible to fulfill. “You go now, before you end up late for the reaping.”
Effie nodded, watching him start to pack up. “Good luck.” She says, knowing that he probably knows a child somewhere who needs it on that day. And even if she pretended it didn’t bother her, if picked, she could always cry for that child in private later.
Refusing to look back anymore, she walks down the path and disappears. Vanishes, forgotten until the next reaping day comes rolling around some time far in the future.
It's not really that far, but in that moment, time seems to stretch into infinity.