#if you found the ‘we have a crush on Effie’ comment disturbing

[effieotto]

The Capiton, Star edition (2286)

1.

i saw someone doing the Capitol Magazine once and i thought it was brilliant, so i did my version. We all agree that Effie was a junior model since a very young age, right? A real real Diva since childhood -the capitol darling, the newest golden apple of Panem

credits of the idea: @sunsets12

[ellanainthetardis]

Prompt: Effie and Chaff actually have a bonding moment

Here you go [X]

Right As Rain

When the elevator doors opened and she heardthe voices coming from the living-room, Effie’s steps faltered. She hadn’texpected the children to be already back from training but a glance at herwatch confirmed that she should have.

She lingered in the hallway, quite certain herarrival had remained undetected. The Quell was taking everything out of her.She had gotten used awfully quickly to being the winning District, to being theone sponsors courted for once, to her job being… easier. All that was gone. She didn’t know what sort of rumors wererunning around because people were very careful not to let her hear but sheknew most sponsors were wary of pledging themselves to Twelve, not matter howmuch the betting books were in their favor.

She spent her days trying and failing to securesome money and she wasn’t reassured by Haymitch’s dismissive promises that hehad some sponsors lined up. They were talking about their victors’ lives andshe wouldn’t leave any of that up to chance. The fact that one of them wouldn’t be coming back this time…

She caught her reflection in the mirror and letout a small sigh. She patted her golden wig and composed herself a cheerfulface, an optimistic one. She wouldneed to march in that living-room and be her flamboyant self, to distract thechildren from their fate, invent a story of two for good measure… Somethingthat would make them exchange a glance and roll their eyes behind her back.

Resolved, she checked her make-up was perfectone last time and then walked toward the living-room – only to stop when sherealized the door leading to the roof was open.

She knew the children often wandered up therebut she was positive they were both in the penthouse. Neither Portia nor Cinnaever went to the roof, which meant…

Without a second thought, she climbed thestairs, eager to have a few minutes alone with Haymitch. They had both been sobusy since the Reaping and she felt so unsettled that…

She froze on the threshold when she realizedthe man leaning against the hip-high wall wasn’t Haymitch.

“Chaff.” she said, taking pain to sound polite.“What are you doing here?”

Any other year, she would have been slightlysuspicious of another mentor spying on them – only slightly because Chaff was often around – but this year… This year,Chaff was a tribute and he had nothingto do on their floor.

“Waiting for Haymitch.” Eleven’s victorshrugged. “He heard the kids coming back. He went to check.”

She pursed her lips, not quite satisfied withthat explanation. “He wouldn’t happen to have gone looking for some liquorwhile he was at it, would he?” She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms infront of her chest. “He is doing verygood on that front and I won’t have youjeopardize his sobriety, I warn you.”

“Ah, love… I’ll miss your affection.” hemocked, nodding at the clutch in her hand. “Care to share one?”

“One what?” she frowned.

Chaff frowned too. “A smoke. That’s why youcame up here, no?”

“Of course.” she smoothly lied.

It wouldn’t have done to let him know she hadhoped for a hug and, perhaps, if they had been feeling adventurous a quickieagainst the wall. She walked closer to where he was standing and fished thebattered cigarette pack from her clutch. She had been resisting the urge tohave one since the whole thing had started anyway.

She glanced at the door a bit guiltily andannoyed to feel that way. Haymitch hated it when she smoked. He also hated itwhen she indulged in sleeping pills – although on that particular subject, hemay have had a point. She found it absolutely irritating that he was allowed tocomment on her own addictions when any remark on her part about his drinkinghabits would end in a screaming match. He kept insisting she shouldn’t wasteher life like that. As if his own was worth less. It infuriated her.

She wedged a cigarette between her lips andpushed the packet closer to Chaff, not quite surprise by his request even if hewasn’t typically a smoker. Chaff had never been shy about trying stuff out. Hesmoked everything that could be smocked, occasionally tried out drugs, andsampled every alcohol he could find. He never did it enough to get addictedthough. She suspected once in his District, he tamed his demons for hisfamily’s sake. But when he was in the city, all bets were off.

It was in part why she resented his friendshipwith Haymitch. Haymitch was clever but there were days when he didn’t know howto stop. Unlike Chaff, he had an addictive personality and a tendency towardself-destruction that scared her more often than not.

She looked around for her lighter with an annoyedcluck of her tongue. The clutch was small and if she had tossed the cigarettesand the mints in there as a habit – because even when she wasn’t planning onsmoking them, she carried them around just in case – she wasn’t sure she hadremembered to take her silver lighter.

A match was cracked next to her and she lookedup in time for the flame to be brought to the cigarette between her lips.

She must have looked surprised enough becauseChaff tossed the match and took the cigarette from his mouth before chuckling.“Don’t look so shocked. Who do you think taught him that move?”

She supposed he was referring to Haymitch’shabit of carrying matches in his pocket. For all his claims that her cigaretteswould kill her and despite the lighter Finnick had gifted her with for herbirthday a long time ago, he had always had a gift for popping out a match whenshe needed one.

Years earlier, when she wasn’t just stress-smokingbut indulging more or less at every party, she used to pretend having forgottenher lighter just so he would lit her cigarette for her. It had always been aform of foreplay. Hands brushing together, heavy looks…

“It isa very good move.” she approved, taking a long drag before slowly blowing outthe smoke. “Do not think it will get you anywhere with me, though.”

Chaff’s laughter boomed out, washed out by thecity’s noises. “Way to kick a dying man in the balls, love.” The reminder thatEleven’s victor would probably be dead in a week time made her look down at hermanicured hand. “Ah, now…” he chided. “Don’t get all sad on me, Trinket. It’snot like we’re best friends.”

“It does not mean I wish you ill.” sheretorted. She wrinkled her nose and took another draft. “Although you willunderstand why I would prefer for one of my victors to win, naturally.”

“Could have been Haymitch.” he remarked,innocently enough. Nothing was hardly ever innocent with Chaff, though. “Luckythe boy volunteered.”

She swallowed hard and forced her voice toremain steady but the trembling fingers that were holding the cigarettebetrayed her.  “I fail to see the luck inthat.” She flashed him a bright smile, flicking ash off. “But I am confidentTwelve will win once more!”

Her cheerfulness was for show more than out ofnecessity. The roof was noisy and what the city’s life didn’t cover, the windand the chimes certainly did. It was why she and Haymitch often sought theroof’s discretion because there were no bugs to be afraid of up there.

It didn’t mean she was ready to lower her guardwith just anyone though. There hadbeen times when she had dropped the act a little for Haymitch’s friends but never completely and never in a period as dangerous as theone they were currently in.

Trust was a luxury on the best days in theCapitol.

And she certainly did not trust Chaff.

He didn’t seem disturbed by that exclamation.He blew out smoke slowly, apparently deep in thoughts.

“You know the thing I kept saying over theyears?” he asked suddenly, as if not quite sure it was the right decision. “Howthe two of you would come to regret getting involved one day?”

“We are not involved.”she huffed. “As we have told you manytimes before. Haymitch and I are just colleagues and…”

“The day is now.” he cut her off.

Terror washed over her but she was good at notletting that control her. She didn’t know if it was a warning or a threat buther default reaction was honed by years of playing the dumb debutante. Her maskof utter confusion was in place even before she could think about how to react.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”she claimed, crushing her cigarette against the stone wall even though itwasn’t finished yet. She needed to retreat inside. To…

“You’ve got a tell-tale sign.” he said,brushing his stump against her cheek. She recoiled. He didn’t seem surprised orvexed by it. “You’re good. Very good.But you’ve got a tell-tale sign. You blink twice when you’re bluffing.”

“I beg your pardon?” she asked flatly, keepingto her escort persona. Playing it dumb was always the best option. Peoplealways expected beautiful women to be dumb.

“You’ve wiped my ass at poker enough times forme to know.” he snorted. “It works with the make-up. People might put it on theeyelashes. Still a dead give-away though. You should work on that.”

She batted her fake feather eyelashes faster inanswer, more flustered than she liked. “Again, I must insist I have noidea what you are talking about, Chaff.”

He stared at her and she stared back.

His jaw was clenched, the stump wasdistractedly tapping the edge of the wall and the cigarette was forgottenbetween his fingers, slowly consuming itself.

“Haymitch insists you’re not stupid.” he saidslowly. “And I’m pretty sure he must be right ‘cause there’s no way he’d be sotaken with an idiot. So, if you’re notstupid, you’ve got an idea what’s going on out there.”

Of course, she did.

Victory Tour had been illuminating as far asthat was concerned. The Districts were in uproar and the Quell was nothing buta reminder that nobody was safe.

It was a dangerous topic to brush under theCapitol’s watch, which was why she had never really taken it up with Haymitch.She didn’t even know what she would have to say about it. She was, after all, avery selfish person. All that mattered to her was that her loved ones weresafe. Her priority was the children, second to that came Haymitch, then herfamily and herself. Panem… Panem came far behind.

She chose to remain silent but it didn’t deterChaff.

“They know you’re sleeping with him.” hecontinued. “And they know he loves you.”

“He does not.”she countered despite her best intentions. The notion was so ridiculous shescoffed. “You are being preposterous. Evenif we were sleeping together… Youmust know it would be all there is to it. He does not love me. He cannot love me. I am everything he loathes.”

She didn’t quite manage to hide the pain in hervoice.

Chaff studied her for a while and then broughtthe cigarette to his lips, never taking his eyes off her. Eventually, he shookhis head. “Maybe you’re stupid afterall.”

“He does notlove me.” she insisted. “He…”

“He’s fuckingmad for you. That’s obvious to anyone with eyes.” Chaff spat. “Never said hewasn’t stupid too though. He’s got his head buried deep in his ass and he’sgonna get it out only when it’s too late. ‘Cause they’ll come after you, love.You know they will.”

What he was implying about Haymitch’s feelingswas far too confusing for her so she focused on the second part of thatstatement. “I do not understand.”

“Sure, you do.” he snorted. “That’s how thegame is played, Trinket. You’ve known that since day one.”

The Capitol targeted family and loved ones toget to someone.

And it had proved to be a particularlyeffective method when Haymitch was concerned.

“He does notlove me.” she repeated in an anxious whisper. Her hands grabbed the cigarettepacket as if they had a mind of their own and she almost ripped it in two inher hurry to grab one. “You do notunderstand. He…”

“Fine.Let’s say he doesn’t.” Chaff cut her off, tossing the match box in herdirection so she could light her new cigarette.  “You’re still gonna be his closest friend outthere. We’re all gonna be dead or safe by that point.”

“Whatpoint?” she snapped, struggling to light the match.

He dismissed that question with a wave of hisstump. “Not important. Just remember this… I’m pretty sure he’s gonna try toget you out too but it might not work out. I don’t know much but I know this:as far as everyone’s concerned you’re expandable. He’s the only one who cares.”

She took a drag and felt only relief once shewas surrounded by the familiar taste and smell of tobacco. “You are making no sense.”

“Hope it’s never gonna make sense to you, to behonest.” Chaff scoffed. “’Cause believe it or not, I don’t wish you illeither.” He tossed the bud of his cigarette on the ground and crushed it underhis shoe. “Thing is, I want you to remember. If it goes to shit, he tried. If itgoes to shit and you die… Well, maybeit’s a comfort for you to know, I don’t know, don’t quite care either… But ifit goes to shit and you make itthrough… Don’t go blaming him for it, yeah? ‘Cause he will have tried.”

Her hands were shaking badly now.

She knew something was in the work, she wasn’toblivious no matter how hard she tried to be. The hushed conversations withCinna and other victors, the mysterious sponsors, the way Haymitch sneaked inher bed and clung to her at night…

She hadn’t asked because it was better if shewas not involved in whatever it was. She wasn’t brave. She would be aliability. She didn’t want to betray him.

“Not sure how this thing will end…” Chaff wenton, more to himself than to her. “Pretty sure I’m never gonna find out ‘causeI’m gonna be dead meat in a few days but… I’m sure of one thing: he’s gonnaneed someone.” He snorted. “Scratch that, he’s gonna need you.” He glanced at her. “You’re gonna take care of my brother, right?I can count on you? Whatever happens, if you make it through, you take care ofhim.”

She should have thought about it given howdisturbing everything he had just disclosed was but she didn’t need to.

“Yes.” she promised. She loved him. She hadloved him for a very long time. It didn’t matter that it was unrequited, shehad made her peace about that a long time ago. She loved him and she took whathe allowed her, how pathetic as it sounded.

“Good.” Chaff nodded, patting her shoulder withhis good hand. “And you never know. Maybe he’s gonna manage to get you out andeverything will be fine. I’m just thinking up worst case scenarios here.”

She snorted sadly, calmer than she ought to be.“You smirk when you bluff. That’s yoursign.”

He chuckled and patted her shoulder once morebefore rubbing his stump against his palm. Another nervous telltale sign shedidn’t mention. “I’ll work on that.”

“Make sure you do.” she whisperedhalf-heartedly.

He nodded once and pocketed her packet ofcigarettes. “You don’t mind, right?” She shook her head no and he walked aroundher toward the exit. “Tell Haymitch I’ll see him tomorrow.”

She didn’t watch him leave. She flicked the ashoff her forgotten cigarette and brought it to her lips mechanically.

She didn’t notice he had stopped on thethreshold until he cleared his throat. His back was turned to her and he didn’tglance back.

“You’re wrong.” he said. “He does. You should know.”

Love her, he meant.  

She didn’t know what to make of that.

Her cigarette was long gone and the sky haddarkened when Haymitch eventually showed up. He frowned when he found her thereinstead of his friend.

“Chaff left.” she stated unnecessarily. Hervoice sounded odd to her own ears, like shattered crystal.

“Yeah, I figured.” He sounded cautious. He wasa bit wary when he walked closer. “Everything’s alright, sweetheart? We werestarting to get worried…” She should have been back in the penthouse at leastan hour ago, she realized. They would be off schedule. They would… She startledwhen he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Easy.What happened?”

For a second, she almost told him everything.

Then she thought better of it.

She leaned against his chest and sighed inrelief when he wrapped his arms around her. She always felt safe in hisembrace. Always.

“Nothing happened.” she said firmly. “I am justtired.”

“Okay.” he accepted with obvious reserve.

“Will you fuckme tonight?” she whispered.

The vulgarity had the intended effect and hesnorted, his hand drifting south. “I’d fuckyou every night. That’s what you’re upset about? Haven’t been paying enoughattention to you?”

He said it in his usual mocking tone, the onehe always used when he felt she was being overly dramatic.

“We should enjoy the little things.” shedecided. “We should have sex every time we can.”

“No objection from me.” he chuckled but quicklysobered up. “You’re sure you’realright, Effie?”

“I am right as rain.” she lied.

This time, her eyelashes remained steady.