Things change (Haymitch and Effie)

Chapter 7

Things change. (Haymitch and Effie)

Chapter Seven.

I must have fallen asleep, or collapsed into a state of….Shock? Fatigue? Fear? Onto Katniss's sofa, as I was left with only a couple of almost drunken memories. Each time I was stirred awake - for reasons unknown to me - caused me to feel more and more disorientated.

My head would pound and spin, my muscles would ache and even breathing became almost impossible because of the agonising and intense pain. It was unbelievable how the affection and fear can effect a person in so many ways.

I can only remember one conversation clear enough to be able to painfully recall the dialogue.

I had heard someone walking into the same room and Peeta rose from his seating - I could tell by the close rustling.

"How is Effie?" He questioned nervously.

"I think she's going to pull through, she only has three stings….she seems relaxed but I expect she'll be in pain for the next few hours…."

"Is she asleep?" Peeta asked again.

"Yeah, I think so, if she stays like that she should be in less pain….I hope." Katniss replied with shaky vocals.

"What kind of treatment have you used?" There was silence for an extended period of time, and even in my concussed state I could sense the tension.

"The same kind that Rue used on me during the 74th." Katniss sighed.

That's all my memory contained.

Everything else was either blurred, painful to visualise with sharp ringing sounds, or simply non-existent. Whenever I was relatively conscience in any way, I begged myself to move, to become alive again and care for the one I love, the one who's suffering caused my illness, But my body protested, so I was stuck, stuck in a prison of constriction, stuck with a mind that wanted to move, but with a body that simply couldn't.

With every second that passed, the pain and anxiety became worse until it all became unbearable. I threw my eyes open and screwed my face up and winced as the fresh air made the surfaces sting and water. I rammed them shut again, but the stinging intensified.

I threw my body onto the rigid floor, the pain of the impact tortured every inch of my body. I used all my remaining strength to push up from my arms, each second became filled with more and more intense torture, every molecule in my body tore and ripped apart.

As I reached my feet I staggered for a moment - finding support from the nearest, rough wall. I stumbled into the next room and what I saw gave me such a does of shock that I froze and remained rigid with fear. Effie lay on some kind of table - completely motionless. Her top was pulled just beneath her shoulders and three pink, oozing stings lived of the tender skin of her neck.

I backed up against the wall and whimpered at the heartbreaking sight lay before me in the darkness - but it was all too clear. I slid down against the wall and into a painful crouch. Guilt flooded though my limbs like a tsunami, I couldn't help but believe that I had caused this pain of her. I was the one who had taken her into the depths of the meadow, and the guilt I felt created a weight on my shoulders, a weight I found impossible to carry.

I wiped away the wild tears that stung my cheek and sifter my body weight so I was beside Effie. I ran my index finger through her tangled curls - using the sparkling moonlight as a guide. Her eyes remained closed, but the lids still shuffled and twitched as her mind registered my touch.

I smoothed the palm down the small dip in her back. Her smooth skin and clothing felt heavenly against my fingers, and the moon and starlight made her skin glow in radiant ways. That's when her eyes fluttered open, like the wings of a butterfly. The dried edges of her lips curled up into a small - but genuine smile.

"Haymitch…" She groaned. Her voice that had been starved of a Capitol accent since she returned to district Thirteen now sounded gruff with exhaustion and pain. I paced a comforting kiss above her eyebrow and I felt her relax underneath my hand.

"How are you feeling?" I whispered.

"I've been better." She admitted with a slight moan,

"I'm so sorry…" I sighed and looked down as I spoke. Effie lowered her closest arm from the table and she entwined our fingers together.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Haymitch" She said softly.

"But I-"

"-You can try and-" She swallowed hard and took a deep breath that must have left a constant pain in her throat. "-reason with me all you want, but I'll never allow you to take the blame, I'll never believe you allowed this to happen."

I had no words, I just smiled at her, admiring her bravery and caring nature, admiring the way that even though she has been through a torturous life that she can still put her care for other before herself.

"Okay." I said stupidly with a grin. She ran the back of her finger across my stubble cheeks and chin. She struggled to keep her eyes open, each time her eyelids met she looked asleep, almost….dead. I moved closer to her, allowed our noses to brush before gently kissing her lips.

"Effie…-" I sneaked in one more quick kiss. "Effie, I love you….I know I don't say it as much as I should, or at least not as much as you deserve to hear it….I'm not one to pour my heart out…but, I do, and I'm going to make sure that you recover from this, I love you, Effie." She shifted on the table and pulled me in for the most exhilarating kiss either of us had ever experienced.

Our lips pressed us against each other and our tongues carried out a dance that filled every inch of our bodies with an orgasmic sensation.

"I love you too, Haymitch-" She panted "-and thank you, thank you for everything." I stroked her forehead.

"I want you to get some rest."

"What if I don't want to leave you?" I chuckled at this lightly. "Will you stay with me?" She begged sweetly.

"I will." I promised. We kissed again, and soon Effie's eyes closed - just as quickly as they had opened. Even with her horrific stings and sweet-smelling treatment, she was still beautiful and absolutely flawless - the silver light source glowing around her curves.

I looked upon her with adoring eyes, without desire but with tender, romantic knowledge. I watched her breathing pattern - savouring the sound of every successful breath that existed, because with each breath she took, I knew that she was still alive, That the Tracker Jacker venom had not yet taken over her body, and had not yet stolen her precious life.

I constantly believed that she would recover from this, I believed that she'd pull through, as her damaged past would release the strength that she had always contained, the strength that she could use for the rest of her future. The strength that she'd always deserved. But, I failed to remember the one thing that had always tortured e throughout my entire life.

Things can change. I never wanted them to, I never liked change, change was only good if it was for the best. But, there was always something in the back of my mind, in my subconscious that was screaming at me, constantly trying to remind me of this, but, I did what I always did when I couldn't drink away my problem.

I ignored them. But, soon I was about to be reminded of change. Forever.

Author's notes: Hey, sorry that was only short and pretty scruffy, but, I was concussed, but I really hope you enjoyed it. HAYFFIE FOREVER! ;)