Hayffie Stories - Oneshots (#Wattys2016) (Fanfiction)

You'll Be Okay

She didn't know how to tell him. It wasn't something that she had experienced before, and it definitely wasn't something she wanted to experience alone. Haymitch had always been her mental support throughout the games. Even though most of the time he belittled her and overrun her opinions, he always came through when she needed him most. It had never been a romantic relationship between them; however, she had her wishes. Because she had known him for an elongated amount of time she felt she trusted him with her deepest and darkest of secrets. One night, she had poured all of her heart out to him after a sponsor party. He had listened intensively without ever once interrupting her. She had respected the man who wholly respected her. Their relationship was always mutual, but never to intense. She needed to tell him.

The only problem was that she didn't know how. Haymitch was never the person to deal with this sort of information. Pain was never his strong suit. He lost all of his family when she chose his name at the reaping. Effie always believed it was her fault. All of the names in the clear glass bowl were chosen by her. Just because Snow engendered the Hunger Games didn't mean that she had to participate in the deathly battle. She never understood why she had chosen the occupation of an escort, but something deep down was telling her it was for her own needs. She was always lonely in the Capitol, and she wanted to see what it was like in the Districts. She never knew it would be so much worse. 

She had been noticing symptoms for a couple of months: loss of memory, decreased enthusiasm for her everyday chores, but she pushed it aside thinking it was nothing more than the pure exhaustion and depression from the games. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. She had soon payed a visit to the doctor and realized she was sick.

Very sick.

None of the doctors or nurses knew what was going on with her body, but everyone knew it wasn't good. Her organs were shutting down and her body wasn't responding the way it was supposed to. Katniss and Peeta had commented on her morose state. Haymitch never mentioned it, but she knew that he too had recognized it. 

Effie now stands in her luxurious penthouse staring in the mirror. Her window overlooks the busiest part of the Capitol. Fluorescent lights shine through her window, and distant parties produce muffled music. The darkness of the night is masked by the brilliant lights of the astounding city. Haymitch's room is down the hall from hers, but she doesn't gain the courage to tell him. She stares at her loose blonde curls that are finally let loose due to Capitol standards. Her white night gown flows to her knees and her bare feet touch the feathery white carpet. "I have to tell him" she stammered.

Gaining the courage, she opens the door and makes her way down to Haymitch's apartment. Her heartbeat quickens as she strides down the hallway, and when she finally reaches his door, she knocks lightly. At first she thinks no one heard it because it was so soft, but she is surprised when he answers. "Hey, Eff. What's wrong?" 

She is perplexed by his question. How does he already know something is wrong? She never knew, but from the time she got here she started to cry. Tears stream down her flushed cheeks. She knew this feeling too well, for the past couple of nights she would cry herself to sleep. 

She wanted to stay strong. Haymitch was not the person to cry in front of. She considered him a durable man when it came to emotional situations. That's why he makes a perfect mentor; however, she thought he was too closed off. Never had he once poured out his emotions to her as she had done to him one to many times.

She started sobbing right then and there. She couldn't hold it in. She had been holding it in ever since she got the job as an escort. Haymitch guided her into his apartment and sat her down on his shabby looking, yet comfortable couch.

"H-Haymitch." she had managed to say in between sobs. "I'm sick. I'm really, really sick and I don't know what to do." Her sobs had gotten worse, and Haymitch's head was rested on her shoulder. 

"It's okay. You'll be okay." Is all her said, and surprisingly thats all he had to say to make Effie feel safe.