I don't own Hunger Games, wished I did though.

-Hayffiex3

Chapter 1

Blurs of candy pink flock into the sky. Their long, thin beaks dripping with fresh blood. Her blood. Maysilee's blood. He runs, but never seems to get closer. When he finally does, the life in her eyes seem to dim faster than her heart is pumping. He grabs her hand, already finding it cold. He has tears in his eyes that will never fall for his ex-ally. His friend, one that will never see the next day. He then notices that she's mumbling a word. A name: Effie. Effie. Effie. He doesn't recognize the name. The name seems to flee to the back of his mind when she mutters "Save her," with her last breath and becomes unresponsive.

He awoke with a start. He's didn't scream that tonight, his throat didn't seem to hurt. That was an improvement. No matter how much he drank the night before, the horrors sometimes seem to follow him into his dreams, his sleep. Haymitch ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair. His steel-grey eyes shut for a second before he felt the pounding in his skull. Fuck, I seemed to drink enough to get a hangover but not a good night sleep. His thoughts seemed to bring more bad luck. He ran out of those blasted small red pills. The one good thing the Capitol has provided, besides the liquor, has run out. He would have to get some soon. Drinking provided a relief but the after effects are a whole different situation.

It felt like someone was trying to drill a screw into his head. He rubbed his hands over his eyes to get a clearer focused view of his room. The afternoon sun showed his room to be a mess as usual. He'll clean it sooner or later. It wasn't like he had anybody banging on his door every second of the day to have a chat. He rarely ever talks to anyone. Knowing you might have to mentor someone's kid to help them survive the Hunger Games when chances are you'll probably be bringing back a casket instead, puts a real downer in a conversation. So he just steers clear. The only one he talked to is the old victor's wife, Celeste. She was from the seam. Since her husband died, she came by a couple times a week to bring him food and to make sure he was still alive. Her husband left her a sum of money that left her living comfortably.

Haymitch finally decided to get out of bed. He really needed a shower. Celeste usually came over on Mondays. Walking into his bathroom, he finally looked at his reflection. His body seemed to still be in the shape it was when he was sixteen. He was twenty-six. He looked away from the mirror, knowing the haunted look he has on his face was there since he hadn't had a drink yet. Brushing his teeth seemed to be a waste, since he was going to get a flask filled with whiskey right after this, but he still did it because he's not as much of a slob as everyone thinks he was. He finally finished and relieved himself of his bladder and got in the shower. He washed his body quickly, seeing the scars that he still had bothered him even after ten years, killing people and almost dying isn't something you can forget in a couple of years. Wrapping a black towel around his waist, he went into his room and began to get dressed.

Climbing down the stairs quickly to his kitchen, he went to the cupboard to get his drink. Sitting in the big kitchen filled with dirty plates and leftover food didn't seem to bother him as much as it should have. With him and his flask securely in his hand, he couldn't help but think back to the dream. Who the fuck was Effie? It sounded vaguely familiar to him. But what reason did he have to make dream Maysilee say her name, and why would she wanted him to save this Effie. After thinking about the name for a minute he went to open the flask, right when he was about to take his first sip, a knock on the door resounds throughout the house. Haymitch groaned.

"Nobody's here! Leave a note, but don't expect a response." Haymitch yelled. The person who had enough balls to come and knock at his door that early in the morning seemed to get the message, but again when he went to take a shot of his alcohol, the knocking continued. Haymitch knew it wasn't Celeste since as she had a key. He growled out in frustration, he walked to his front door, and yanked it open to see someone he didn't expect: Mayor Undersee. Maysilee's brother in law.

"Uh, hello Haymitch. So nice to see you again." Mayor Undersee said in a polite voice. He didn't hide his distaste for the mess well. But he didn't dwell on it.

"Nice to see you too Undersee. What do I owe for this lovely visit?" Haymitch said sarcastically, wanting to get straight to the point. He did not see a reason to dance around the topic of this unfortunate visit. Mayor Undersee rubbed his neck, feeling pressure was never something he could handle, but it was his job to be under pressure.

"Well the thing is, it's been ten years since the Quarter Quell, and you aren't married yet." Undersee says. Haymitch flinched with the mentioning of his own Hunger Games.

"Yea, so what? Is that a crime nowadays?" He said in an agitated voice. He started to get pissed off that the Mayor wasn't saying the reason he had come all this way for. The flask still in his hand, feeling heavier than it should have been at the moment. He opened the flask to take a couple of gulps.

"Well, you are going to have to get married." The mayor muttered in a low voice. But it didn't stop Haymitch from hearing it with his trained ears. He spat out liquor in the direction of the mayor. A few drops landed on his face. He didn't flinch, knowing that a reaction like that was going to happen. He merely just toke a handkerchief and wiped his face.

"What the fuck you mean I'm going to have to get married?" Haymitch yelled.

"Well, it's a law set by the Capitol-"

Haymitch interrupted. "What law? I didn't hear about this."

"Please just let me explain." He begged. Haymitch started to say something but then decided it would be better to get all the facts straight. Undersee must have planned this, knowing he would have just been waking up and sober at the time, so he just bit his lip and then nodded his consent for him to continue. "Quarter Quell victors have different sets of rules than normal victors have. If you're a victor from the Quarter Quell, you are to be married in a span of ten years, if not a wife is to be reaped for you in honor of the Capitol picking a victor in your reaping. The women who are to be reaped are women who are not yet married after their first eighteen years of life. In the Capitol, this is considered a disgrace. So their names get put into a reaping ball, just like the Hunger Games. But it's to be your wife. There will be two names picked, no one can volunteer. One of these women will be your wife while the other is to condemn her life to working for President Snow as a servant. Well until not needed. Your wife is expected to live with you and be the new escort since you are a Quarter Quell victor, and the current escort is getting to the age of retirement so she would have to be at your side most of the time. You have to fall in love with her, or at least look like you have." At the end of his speech Haymitch started to laugh. Beginning as a chuckle, then it became a full body shaking laugh.

"That is the stupidest shit I have ever heard in my fucking life. Do you know how ridiculous you sound? Oh my god, I can't even believe you said that with a serious face. I would've shit myself saying that to someone." Haymitch continued to laugh. When he noticed that the mayor wasn't laughing with him. His face slowly began to grow serious. "You aren't kidding?" Undersee shook his head.

"Are you fucking me? I give my life away, my family, my friends. Now they want to have me marry one of them? Those prissy Capitol bitches. The ones that only worry about what shoes to wear to match their purse. The ones who have those ridiculous painted rats on their head. She would stick out like a sore thumb. Let alone she won't know what it's like to go hungry. She'll never fit in here. They really want to punish one of their own to this life?" Haymitch yelled. Undersee understood where he was coming from, but it was law, and Haymitch needed to do it whether he liked it or not.

"No, I'm certainly not "fucking you," and please you can't use that excuse, you barely talk to anyone anyway. She may have a better chance at fitting in than you do. You will have to do this. Reaping is tonight. Unfortunately you won't have as much time to let this sink in as you would have liked, or at least to make an escape plan; you'll have to get on a train in a couple of hours. Get dressed, nicely please. I'll get Celeste to help you. Have a good day. Oh and Haymitch…May the odds be ever in your favor." With that Undersee left the house with a quiet chuckle. It wasn't long before Haymitch reacted. He threw everything he could get his hands on. The flask hit the window with a crash. A chair was flung at the wall. The table was flipped over. Dishes were being broken by the force of the telephone being slammed into the sink.

Well what did he really expect? For them to leave him alone? He outsmarted them. Made a fool out of them. They weren't just going to let him live in solitude, no they are going to add the one thing he despised the most into his life. Capitol. He needed something to drink. Finally looking at the mess he had made in his rage, he noticed the broken liquor bottles strewn across the kitchen. FUCKKKKKKK, can life really get worse? He thought while letting out a groan.

"Well who knew a day was to come where Haymitch wasted valuable liquor?" A voice sounded behind him. Haymitch whipped around and flung the knife that was in his hand. Celeste didn't even flinch. The knife whipped right passed her face as she moved just in time. Have been married to a victor gave her certain skills when dealing with them. Like not dying.

"Ugh, not now Celeste." Haymitch grumbled.

"What's wrong with you now?"

"Undersee just came to see me."

"Yes, I saw him when I was coming down the road."

"Did he tell you already?"

"What do mean?"

"I know that you know."

"Alright yes, I know."

"Are you here to get me ready?"

"Yes Haymitch."

"Did you bring anything to drink?"

"Another yes."

"Thank you." Haymitch said, but was disappointed when he saw so little. "You only brought this?"

"Of course, we can't have your new wife seeing you at your worst."

"Please, when I'm drunk, is when I'm at my best."

"True, true. We'll have more on the train than."

"We? You're coming?"

"Yes, since your mother isn't with us, I am to step in."

"Celeste."

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"No problem, now let's get you ready."

Celeste started to help pick out clothes for Haymitch while he drank and watched her. She certainly was like a mother to him. Her brown hair and grey seam eyes showed the wisdom that only a mother would know, but she never did have kids. Not wanting to see them get reaped. But with this sitiuation she was getting the closest thing she had to a son get ready to reap another women into marriage. What an unfortunate situation. At least it didn't equal into death. She set his clothes on the bed and ordered him to take a shower while she went to get ready.

Walking out of the bathroom he finally noticed the clothes she laid out for him. Even though he always looked a mess, he still had clothes that were in style. The Capitol made sure of it. This would be one of the outfits. A light cream colored bottom, paired with a white shirt and a light grey colored vest and suit jacket. All in all he looked good. His…wife was lucky. He would have to get used to saying that. Since one of these women who were to get reaped was going to be one of them. He could hopefully just pick one and drive them crazy enough to divorce him, it wouldn't take that long. Most people didn't like him.

After a half hour of getting ready and another five minutes trying to fix his hair, he left it like it normally was. He really didn't care at all. If he had a choice he would've went in some old jeans and a dirty stained shirt. But he didn't have a choice. Like most of his life. Never a choice. Celeste came back in a cream dress to match him. But not in a weird way, but in a way that it would seem like they were a unit. Than with another bribe of liquor, Celeste got Haymitch onto the train. Capitol people didn't have much patience so of course the train was too fast for his liking. In less than two hours they were at the Capitol and Haymitch wasn't as drunk as he would've liked to be, Celeste was bent on having him be at least semi-decent.

There was a Capitol guard to escort them to where the reaping was going to take place. In a hall in the President's mansion. Of course, life keeps getting worse. Haymitch started to look around. Making plans to see the best way to leave. As if sensing him to try to make a run for it, Celeste grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room. Haymitch turned to glare at her. She just smiled back.

As if on cue, President Snow came to grant them with his presence. Celeste tightened her grip on Haymitch's arm. Not wanting him to do something he would regret, well maybe not regret, but certainly pay for. "Ah Haymitch, so nice to see you on such a special occasion." Snow said.

"You too, President." Haymitch responded gruffly.

"And is this your mother?" Haymitch was ready to kill, but Celeste grabbed his arm even tighter, she responded. "Uh no, I am not his mother. She sadly passed away and I'm just the old victor Clint's wife."

"Ooh, I'm so sorry about your husband. But at least you'll be here on this special occasion."

"Oh yes."

All Haymitch could do not to kill him was look around. They really did out do themselves for this reaping. Well it's not like the districts; they don't have reapings every year. There were diamonds and gold everywhere. This room could have probably fed a whole district for a couple of years. Surprisingly, there were a lot of names in the reaping ball. The women who might be reaped this year were certainly something. Their clothes making them look ridiculous. But there was one that stood out amongst the rest. She was not interacting with anyone. She seemed to looked uncomfortable in her current situation; she didn't want to be there for sure. She wore a tight blue glittery dress that stopped at her knees. It had sleeves until the wrists, but had a slit going down the front of the dress that stopped right below her breast. It hugged every curve she had to offer, and he was not disappointed. She didn't have a wig on which he was grateful for. But she did have a little makeup on, she had what looked like a smoky eye with a nude lip, Haymitch didn't know if that's what you called it but the natural poutiness of her mouth made her very nice to look at. Her hair a light blonde almost white was whisked into a soft bun of curls. Making her plain to others but in his eyes, just made him want her even more. As if sensing someone was looking at her, she looked around until she met his eyes. What shocked him was to seen the glare that was sent his way. What shocked him even more was the icy blues of her eyes with touches of green in them. Instead of pissing him off, it only seemed to excite him in ways he hadn't felt in years. Sure he had one night stands but they never had him feeling like this, and it was started to piss him off. Eventually, he had to look away as it was time to pick the names. He went over to the big clear dome that held the names of all the possible tributes. He took a deep breath.

"First tribute is, Ambrosia Stellar." The girl they walked up was a normal Capitol bitch. A light pink wig with a black boxy dress thing. Her makeup was caked on and didn't look right. But underneath all that he could see she was a decent girl. He hoped the next girl was better. He looked at her once more and turned back to the dome. He really hoped for a better girl. He grabbed the paper that felt the most right. He opened it and read aloud, "Euphemia Trinket." The blonde girl with the eyes looked shocked at Haymitch. But then something registered in his head. Euphemia was a girl he met when he won the games. Looking down at the paper to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, it said the same name.

Euphemia Trinket.

Review, tell me what you think. It's my first story. If I should continue or not. But I'm going to write a oneshot soon, maybe smut, maybe not. Depends, but we know it will be on Haymitch & Effie.

-Hayffiex3