Draw the Line

"You should not see me like that." Effie's voice reached his ear softly and Haymitch raised his head.

She looked fragile without the mask on her face that held back her emotions. Most of the makeup was gone and Haymitch tried in vain not to look into her eyes. Those radiant blue eyes, with the potential to get lost in them if this were a different world. In a world without the Hunger Games. But she was Capitol, and she was the enemy.

Effie's eyes shone with fear and in the dim light she looked incredibly vulnerable. Haymitch didn't know how he had imagined her without makeup. But now that she was standing in front of him, he couldn't understand why she was putting that stuff on her face in the first place. "I don't understand your problem," he replied, standing up and taking a few steps away from her towards the bathroom. The towel he had just wiped over her face felt wet and heavy in his hands. "You look a lot better without all that stuff."

Effie swallowed and raised her head, her lips pressed together. "You have no idea. You are just not used to anything other than the bare faces of the women in your District."

"Oh, and you think this is pretty?" Haymitch gave her an incredulous look, knowing what the Capitol had done to her head. Brainwashing. "You walk around like clowns and always want more." Effie didn't answer anymore. She stared down at her hands folded in her lap. They were shaking slightly.

He watched her through the mirror of her table and sighed. "We have to take care of Ramon," he finally said after a while of silence. "It certainly wasn't the last time he tried something like that."

Effie nodded without looking at him. Her eyes were focused on the carpet and her thoughts seemed to be somewhere else. "Only how? Ramon is a tribute, and you cannot just lock him in his room."

Haymitch narrowed his eyes at her words. Didn't the Capitol do exactly that? Locking away the people who went against the grain. He looked at her more closely. The usual sparkle in her eyes was gone. The woman in front of him seemed to have little in common with the cheerful, bubbly Effie Trinket. In a strange way, he found it fascinating to see this other side of her. At the same time he had to shake his head at his thoughts. Effie was from the Capitol and her blank face couldn't change that.

"I will talk to the Peacekeepers," she said then, her voice firmer now. She seemed to have made a decision. Almost cautiously, she got up from the bed she had just been sitting on and took a step towards him. "I will inform security tomorrow morning. Before breakfast."

Haymitch nodded and stared at the towel in his hands as he thought. His throat was dry. Too dry. The alcohol high from the Opening Ceremony faded way too quickly. His body was thirsting for a drink. And after everything that had happened today, it wouldn't be particularly difficult for him to fulfill this wish. "I think you have no other choice. But you better lock the door tonight. Who knows what ideas the boy might come up with."

Effie's mouth curled into a small smile as she walked him to the door. "Do not worry, everything will be fine."

Haymitch could practically hear the alarm bells ringing in his head. He shrugged his shoulders demonstratively and stepped out into the hallway. "Don't get any ideas, sweetheart," he remarked as coldly as possible. "I just don't want to be solely responsible for the two of them in case he does end up killing you."

He didn't look at her and yet he could hear Effie sucking in air. And he could feel her entire posture changing behind his back. "Just for your information. I always lock my door," she replied sharply. "And I am pretty sure I would be able to defend myself against him."

He had to laugh at her words. Ramon towered over Effie by more than a head. He was much stronger than her and would have no problem hurting her. And Haymitch wasn't so sure she had the heart to cause physical harm to another person. She didn't seem like that kind of person to him. Or maybe she's just playing tricks on you. Who knows what qualified her for this job.

"Well then, good luck," he scoffed without giving her another look and disappeared around the corner of the hallway. Effie angrily slammed the door behind him.

oOo

Effie would have preferred not to come to dinner at all, but as an escort she had no choice. It was the first evening in the penthouse and the last time that Petunia would join the group. Besides, it was Effie's duty to show up; after all, it was her job.

So she had squeezed herself into a tight-fitting, light green glitter dress with an unmistakably large leather bow at hip height, put on a smooth, platinum blonde wig, and marched out of her room with her head held high. I am Effie Trinket, and I am not afraid of children, she had repeatedly told herself in her thoughts until she had actually believed it.

Effie met Petunia at the elevator. She really needed to talk to her about Ramon and wanted to get her predecessor's advice. In a whisper, she explained the past events to the older woman as they walked down the long hallway into the dining room.

Petunia's gaze remained neutral. She showed no emotion after Effie finished the incident. They sat next to each other at the large mahogany table where the multi-course dinner would be served in a few minutes. "This story must not become public under any circumstances," Petunia began, now looking at Effie intently. " Every single word could harm the boy in the arena, no matter what he actually did."

Effie nodded slowly. She hadn't even thought about that, which now became unpleasantly clear to her. "But I have to call security, otherwise this incident could happen again. He might have more success next time."

Petunia narrowed her eyes. "Even if you alert the Peacekeepers, you run the risk that one of them is untrustworthy. The press is known for not shying away from paying hefty amounts for such confidential information."

Effie's breath caught in her throat, but when she opened her mouth her voice was firm and unwavering. "Are you telling me that I should keep the Peacekeepers out of this?"

"You are the escort of District Twelve now. It is not me anymore, Effie," Petunia remarked in a slightly harsher tone as she rummaged for her hand mirror in her purse. "You have to make this decision yourself. You have to take the risk alone. I can no longer take this burden off your shoulders."

Effie was silent for a moment, thinking about it. But she didn't have time to answer Petunia because Elowen entered the living room at that moment. She had braided her blonde-brown hair into a long braid and was wearing the dress that she had already worn on the day of the Reaping. Effie didn't know what to think of that. Her eyes flickered to Petunia, who pressed her lips together in a repulsive gesture.

"Good evening, Elowen," Effie greeted the girl warmly and waved her to the chair next to her.

Elowen shyly smiled back and hesitantly took a seat on the chair next to Effie, which was so large that it completely engulfed her body. She looked so small and fragile that it took Effie's breath away for a moment. A wave of fear washed over her as she actually wondered for the first time how Elowen was supposed to win these Games.

She must have dropped her mask for a brief moment, because Elowen looked back at her with a flash of concern in her green eyes. Effie caught herself abruptly and patted the girl on the shoulder. "Are you looking forward to seeing yourself on television?" she asked in an attempted happy tone.

Elowen stared at her, almost helplessly. She looked lost, which troubled Effie. She had to enter the arena in less than two weeks. By then, she and Haymitch must have turned her into a warrior. She suppressed a sigh and instead smiled even wider. "Do not worry, we will analyze your performance and do our best to improve your appearance for next time!"

Elowen nodded with a sigh of relief and leaned against the back of the chair. Petunia laughed behind Effie's back. "You do not really think you could improve anything, dear, do you?" she remarked smugly and patted Effie's shoulder. Effie turned to her predecessor and stared at her with wide eyes. How could she say something like that in front of the girl? "I have been trying to improve the situation in Twelve for years," Petunia continued to sigh, good at ignoring Effie's stare. "But no good stylist wants to work with this District. So do not waste your time on this."

"Maybe you just didn't try hard enough," a deep voice suddenly said from across the room. All heads turned towards the hallway to see Haymitch standing in the doorway. He had changed his clothes and was now wearing a simple dark gray shirt, under which his muscles were clearly visible. His eyes were fixed on Petunia, but he didn't seem to really see her at all. Effie noticed the glazed look swimming over his eyes.

As he started to move towards the table, Effie noticed his stagger. Haymitch had been drinking, and probably not just a little. She had only seen him a few hours ago and he was definitely still sober.

The victor sat down across from Effie and was the only one to take the other side of the table. She wondered if he remembered what had happened earlier. A shiver ran through her body as she thought of Ramon. When she looked up, she noticed Haymitch's gaze on her. Their eyes met for a brief moment. It was enough to let Effie know he hadn't forgotten. The look in his eyes was blurry and yet his body was tense. If another confrontation occurred, he would be prepared. In a twisted way, she was grateful for it.

Shortly afterwards dinner was served. Only Petunia chattered away while several Avoxes came with large golden trays to set the table. Effie tried hard to listen to her predecessor, but she kept finding her thoughts wandering to Ramon. She didn't understand why her heart began to beat faster and her palms became wet with sweat every time she thought about the boy. She had to realize that she didn't need to be afraid of him. He was just a stupid boy, nothing more than a tribute. He wouldn't hurt her again. Or would he?

"Effie?" Petunia's voice shrilled in her ear, almost making the young woman jump.

Abruptly, she turned her head in Petunia's direction and stared at her. She felt the blush rising to her cheeks. It was incredibly rude not to listen to Petunia. A woman of her class couldn't allow herself to do that. Effie could almost hear her mother's voice scolding her for her lack of manners. Embarrassed, she lowered her head. "Forgive me, Petunia," she said quietly. "Can you please repeat what you said?"

"Absolutely not," Petunia scolded angrily. "Where are your manners, Effie? With this behavior it will be rather difficult to win sponsors for this group!"

"I apologize," Effie replied glumly, and she felt the lump in her throat rising. Her heart began to beat faster again. What was wrong with her? Everything was fine. She was sitting here in the middle of other people, nothing could happen to her here. Effie took a deep breath and raised her head, realizing she couldn't breathe anymore. Not here and not now! You cannot lose your temper in front of these people! Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. This feeling of panic in her chest was completely alien to her.

"Are you okay, Effie?" Elowen asked in a quiet voice from the left. Effie forced herself to turn her head in the girl's direction. Big green eyes stared back at her.

As she looked at Elowen, Effie suddenly realized how ridiculous her behavior truly was. What did she have to fear? A boy who would like to see her dead. She would be able to handle this. She breathed out and felt the fear slowly fade away. In two weeks, Elowen would be in an arena where she would have to kill twenty-three other teenagers and she didn't seem afraid of it. Instead, she's worried about me.

"I am doing well, my dear," Effie replied quickly and smiled. Across the table, Haymitch's eyes fixed on her. For a second, she met his gaze, almost confused. He raised an eyebrow. She knew her behavior towards him was rude, but she couldn't help but ignore him right now. Besides, raising an eyebrow wasn't actual communication anyway ...

Ramon didn't show up for dinner and Effie wasn't surprised either. She felt relieved, even though she would never have admitted to this rudeness consciously. Ramon was just a tribute, but he was her tribute, and so she had to take care of him as well.

After everyone had satiated their appetites, they moved to the huge couch to watch the replay of the Opening Ceremony. Effie sat down next to Petunia, who moved away from her, almost offended. She was probably still angry about Effie's manners at the dinner table. The young woman made a mental note to apologize to her again in person before she left the Training Center.

Elowen sat down next to Effie and wearily leaned into the soft cushions. "Be attentive for another half hour, then you can go to sleep," Effie whispered to her and gave her an encouraging smile. Elowen nodded, her thin lips forming a hint of a grin.

Haymitch, who had sat down on the couch a little away from the women, watched the scene with increasing unease. Effie became too involved in this girl's life. Elowen would die, Haymitch was sure of that. He could train with her as much as he wanted or give her every possible tip for the arena. She had no winning potential like most from 12. Effie would find out the hard way. He sighed and turned his gaze to the screen where the presenters were opening the broadcast.

Haymitch had pondered Effie's true motives more than once. He couldn't piece it together. She seemed sensitive, kind and compassionate. But she had become part of the Hunger Games, which could only mean that she had a terrible interior. The truth had always been clear to him: She must be a selfish, ignorant and cold person. There was no other explanation. He wouldn't allow any other explanation. And yet you're not being tough enough with her.

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First Thursday update! I hope you liked the chapter! Please let me know :)

Skyllen