#effathy

[catwouthats]

Thinking of Haymitch hugging Effie after embarrassing himself in book one.

I know that Katniss says that Effie must hate it because she’s probably tired of Haymitch groping her all the time, but that’s not how I interpret this scene. At least, not this specific touch. The hug, the clinging. He was drunk and embarrassed after the fall in front of the cameras. He didn’t know where he was. When he looked around, the only thing he recognized was Effie. He clung to her.

Effie seemed like she hated it. And perhaps she did. She hated the cameras and how it wasn’t supposed to be. Somebody who cares (or cared) so much about order and her status in the capitol would hate that. In front of the capitol? Really Haymitch, even drunk you shouldn’t make that mistake.

I think they have hugged before, probably after a set of slightly promising tributes died. Not the first tributes Effie had. Haymitch would hate her after her first tributes. Seeing how she was simply disappointed that she wouldn’t get promoted anytime soon. And she wouldn’t have been sad for the promising tributes deaths either. At least, not exactly. Maybe a little sad. A little more hopeless, but still with the everlasting smile on her face. She would probably say something that shows her ignorance with a sense of bare human understanding behind it. The why is always rebellious, even if the speaker doesn’t see that spark. Why did this have to happen, Haymitch? We were so close.

Sensing even a sliver of questioning the capital is a sign you could have a future ally. Haymitch must know that. Even drunk he should still be at least that smart. From then on they probably comfort each other after each loss. Each failing. Only briefly though, as if just because it’s routine at some point. Try. Fail. Hug. Fall in to old habits and immediately try to forget. Repeat. It’s only because they understand each other in a way. A very small, otherwise infinitesimal way outside of the games.