Work Text:
“Are you ready?”
Haymitch sighed. “Is anyone ever ready for a quarter quell?” He asks, knowing the question is entirely rhetorical and the answer would always be no.
“You would know.” Effie says, her voice small and dejected. Her eyes go to the floor, not his face, and he knows how much she hates to do that.
“Hey…you were there too.” He steps closer, concerned to see her so put down. Even in awful situations, Effie was always Effie.
Effie feels tears fill her eyes. “Oh Haymitch…I am so sorry…all of this…” She cries, and Haymitch puts his hands around her shoulders, pulling her closer.
“Hey. Sweetie, stop that. Don't cry, you're going to ruin the make-up.” He warns her firmly, giving a weak smile when she looks at him in shock. It was unlike him to mention her make-up, and it caused her to stop just as suddenly as she had started. “Shoulders back, big smiles princess.”
Effie nearly laughed. “That's my line.” She argues, playfully shoving his shoulder.
Haymitch smirks, allowing her to hit his shoulder. “Yeah, well, you needed it.” He notes. “So let me help you.”
Effie sighed deeply again, the moment suddenly gone. She doesn't like thinking about the previous quarter quell any more than she does this one, and yet the memories come filtering in. “It's not your job, Haymitch. I am the escort. I am supposed to carry you. I always have.” She insists, nonetheless leaning onto him.
The first time he had been reaped, she had felt so strong. Convinced she had a victor on her hands and that with her help he'd come back a hero. This time she feels weak, helpless to do anything but watch as things play out the way they wanted to.
She couldn't help him this time.
“I know…but this time is different. This time, let me carry you” He has his nose buried in her wig, carefully kissing her neck. “I'll get you through it.”
“But what if you go in?” Effie whispers, her body trembling as he squeezed her tight and his face in her hair so no one can tell her is kissing her. “I can't see you go in again.”
Ha pause, silence settling as he considers her words. “I won't. You know I won't.”
Effie exhale. “I guess I do.”