Chapter 3

'Cause what about, what about angels

They will come, they will go and make us special

Three days before the Christmas's Eve, Effie was impatiently waiting for Haymitch, because he had been out for hours and it was getting dark. It was obvious that he could take care of himself, but this didn't diminish her concern.

Twice he'd let her ventured out with him to the Hob, where he had presented Effie to Greasy Sae, who had made no question and got along with the girl, despite her 'Capitol' way. With winter clothes, she was unrecognizable, but they couldn't risk it so for now she couldn't leave the house alone.

Wearing a heavy coat over her simple dress and thick pantyhose, she took a deep breath and opened the door, leaving the house for the first time since she had arrived there, nearly two weeks ago.

The snow wasn't falling as strong as when she had come to the Twelve, but it was still pretty cold as she walked towards the road leading out of the Victor's Village, to the district's square. The streets were deserted, Effie didn't know if it was because there was a curfew or from the cold, and the snow there was dirty with soot.

Despite the poverty of the place, some stores had hung garlands and, in the square poles, there were some traditional Christmas lights from the Capitol. Walking ahead, near a dimly lit alley that would led to the Hob, she saw Haymitch holding two bottles and arguing with a ... Peacekeeper.

Effie held her breath in fear, trying not to panic, but she didn't pass unnoticed by the peacekeeper who turned to her with a horrible smile.

"Now now, what a beautiful girl we have here..." The head of the peacekeepers said, looking at her from head to toe.

Haymitch turned and saw Effie. For a moment his heart almost stopped for fear of what Cray would do to her , before gathering his strength and staying calm like he had done in the games.

When the man stepped toward Effie, Haymitch said calmly:

"She's with me tonight." Cray turned to him, frowning as Effie's eyes widened in shock, but seeing the sign that the blonde sent to her, she tried to stay neutral.

"I don't know why all the girls from this district want the victor. After all, you're nothing but a drunkard boy."

The words made Effie feel anger toward the man. Haymitch could spend a lot of time drinking, but he also helped the Hob's traders and their livelihoods, he was quite talented with manual work, having built a table for her to do her seams and, most important of all, he had given her a roof.

But one look of alert from Haymitch made her stay quiet. The boy was also about to hit the peacekeeper, but that would only make him and especially Effie run straight into trouble. He had learned that a long time ago.

"And what if I want her to go with me?" Cray said, approaching Effie and caressing her cheek with his black gloved fingers, which left a trail of soot on her skin, making her nauseous.

Don't give me up

Don't give me up

"C'mon Cray, she's just a girl, 15 years old..."

"With this body?" The peacekeeper insisted, looking at her body with lust, making Effie tremble in fever and disgust while Haymitch's blood boiled.

Effie Trinker was too young for this, just a girl. His girl. Why Am I thinking like that?

"You still want those last two bottles? Because I'll give them to you, and a few coins." Haymitch offered, handing him the bottles.

If that didn't work... He would have to use force and in the end, kill him to keep them safe. Nothing would touch Effie. It was then, with the image of Effie going with Cray, that Haymitch realized how Effie had become important to him, and he would do anything to keep her safe and... The happiest that she could be next to him. He liked her.

"Not a bad proposal" The old man said, accepting the bottles and then winking at Effie and saying, before leaving: "If you get tired of him, you can come to me gorgeous."

"Haymitch..." She murmured in relief, going to him who grabbed her, shaking her by the shoulders:

"What did you have in your head? Going out and on top of all, alone? Do you know what could have happened to you if I weren't here?"

"Well, I just wanted to get out a bit. And then you were taking too long and I was worried." She tried to justify, angry, getting free from his grip. "If anything happen to you, how would I know? I wouldn't!"

"Hey, nothing will happen to me. You should only be concerned about yourself, okay? You know I can take care of myself." He reassured her, extending his hand toward her and then she accepted it, as he pulled her to his chest, hugging her.

"Thank you..." She mumbled into his chest and to her surprise, he kissed the top of her head, over her cap, allowing a few seconds to absorb her warm and her scent. He was completely lost for her.

When the two parted, Haymitch didn't released her hand and ran his finger over the soot on her cheek, wiping it, and then leading her back to the Victor's Village, saying:

"Let's go home, princess." And she agreed smiling, already used to the nickname. "Greasy Sae gave a bowl of her soup, said I need to feed you better than with just scrambled eggs."

On the night of December 25th, Haymitch found Effie in the living room which was decorated with some old arrangements that she had found in one of the rooms he used as a deposit. The boy had to admit she had made some major changes in the house, not only cleaning it, but making it really look like a home, something that brought comfort to him.

She wore one of the dresses he had brought and over it, she wore a necklace made by hand with some kind of golden grass with tiny hanging roses made by himself and Effie assumed that it could only had been made by Haymitch, since she had found it hanging on her door handle that morning .

She was smiling, talking about the Christmas songs that were scheduled to play that night, but behind the joy, he could see how much that date brought her a bit of sadness at the thought of her family, after all, he had used to feel the same way, but over time he had just got used to it. He just hoped she'd like the surprise he had made for her.

"C'mon princess, put on your coat, we're leaving."

She looked at him in surprise, but then ran to wear her coat, gloves and boots and linked her arm with his as they walked out.

"Where are we going?" She asked curiously, making him roll his eyes.

"Don't be impatient. You'll see soon."

'Cause what about, what about angels

They will come, they will go and make us special

With linked arms, shoulders touching, Haymitch led them to the back garden, which was getting wild for lack of care and to an electric fence leading to a part of the Twelve's wood.

"Be careful with the wires. The fence isn't turned on, but we don't want you with a cut on the Christmas Eve, right?"

Haymitch threw the leather bag he was carrying to the other side of the fence, then helping Effie to go through carefully and soon, the two walked through the dark wood. Despite the darkness scaring her a little, Effie knew she was safe with the boy and looked at the huge trees around them, smelling of flowers and damp earth.

So they reached a small clearing that Haymitch had lit with some Christmas lights and, under a tree trunk on the ground, he had extended a red and decorative towel with a candle and several blankets piled on the side to keep them warm.

When Effie turned to Haymitch, touched, she saw him removing some fruits, warm bread, a small chocolate cake and Greasy's soup, arranging them to hide how embarrassed he was feeling, after all, he had never been someone to make surprises nor to show how he felt, especially after the games, but he wanted to do something special for Effie.

"Haymitch... Thank you." She said, her eyes shining with excitement as she approached the boy who was bent, arranging everything and hugged him from behind, grateful. "I wasn't expecting it."

"Me neither." He admitted, getting straight and putting his hands over hers, which were around his torso. "I decided to do this in the last minute, after you were talking about the Christmas lights. I wanted to do something cool." He admitted, shrugging, yet dull.

He turned to her, seeing a tear slip down her face and he joked:

"C'mon princess, don't cry because I don't want to be blamed if your eyelashes freeze and break." She laughed, brushing her tears with a gloved hand.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad silly, I'm just... happy." She said, thinking how much she liked Haymitch and to be able to enjoy that supper with him and then Haymitch led her to the pile of blankets, sitting her over them and then, kneeling before her.

"You know I'm cranky, rude, I don't like to show my feelings and I won't change, the games have made like this so..." He began, running a hand through his own face and brushing away a few strands of hair and she nodded, curious. "But I like you Effie, even you if annoy the hell out of me sometimes and I'll do my best to your life with me be at least somewhat happy."

And coming from him, it had been one hell of a statement, she thought, her heart beating fast. He was holding his breath, staring at her, nervous, waiting for the girl's reaction who was now the most important part of his life, after the long months of loneliness and angriness.

"Thank you for wanting to make me happy. I don't want you to change, and I will still be me, fashion, talkative, but I like you and want to make you happy." Effie said with a soft smile, looking at him with her blue eyes, full of expectations when the boy then pulled one of the blankets, wrapping it around her body and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

But her wishes were fulfilled when he bent a second time, however slowly and careful, waiting to see if she would jump and run. But seeing her face flushed and her eyes closed, looking forward to the kiss, he took a gloved hand to the corner of her mouth, stroking the spot, with his thumb before lowering his head and capturing her lips in a kiss, which lasted only a few moments, but that made them both glued to each other, she with her arms around his neck and he, with one hand lightly over her breast, the other holding the quilt to her body, causing that strange tingling in their bodies and when Haymitch broke the kiss, she sighed, wanting more.

"We have to eat this soup. Believe me, It'll be inedible cold." He advised, smirking and taking a portion in a bowl to her and then for him.

The rest of the Christmas dinner was spent with the couple delighted with the food and then, exchanging kisses wrapped in blankets and lying in each other's arms, watching the stars above them, Effie laid on his chest with her hands under her chin and Hyamitch, with one hand holding the blankets over them and the other stroking her hip.

Over the makeshift table, Effie had placed the photo of Haymitch's family that she had found two nights before and had used one of the frames that she'd brought from the Capitol to put it in and the boy had shaken his head in gratitude for the gift.

Life could be difficult, having to pretend and hide. Haymitch could be rude and Effie, preppy, but happiness did existed between them, which made them keep going.

It's not about, not about angels

Angels

Song Birdy-Not about angels

The end