Katniss&Peeta-Forever&Always

Haymitch? Effie?

DECEMBER 1ST

KATNISS POV

Peeta has gone down to the bakery this morning to see how Iris and Marco are coping by themselves. Peeta isn't going back to work until March so he can help me at home with the triplets.

Willow won't stay quiet if she isn't in mine or Peeta's arms, so I have to carry her while doing the housework. Aster is a very quiet baby and he only cries when he is hungry or needs changing. Rye on the other hand has woken up every night at least three times since he was born, and most of the time he just wants to be held. I love them all so much though, don't get me wrong.

I sit on the couch in the nursery, folding all of the triplets' clothes. I hold Willow on my lap and she leans her head on my chest as she can't fully support her head yet. Willow seems to have an obsession with my braid. She likes to stick the end in her mouth and sometimes grabs it in her little hand and smacks my cheek with the end of my braid which makes her laugh of course and her laugh is really the cutest sound ever. I stopped wearing my hair in a braid so often a few years ago, but ever since Willow found it, I have been wearing my hair in a braid most days for Willow's benefit.

I am walking down the stairs, Willow still in my arms sucking on the end of my braid, when there is a knock at the door. I open the door to find Effie standing there with a big bag from the baby store in the square.

"Hey, Effie." I say. "Come in." I move out of the way and Effie walks in quickly so I can shut

the door, stopping the cold from getting in.

"Hey sweetie!" Effie coos to Willow, stroking her blonde curls lightly.

Effie follows me into the kitchen, where I make us both a hot chocolate.

The boys start to cry upstairs and Effie offers to see to them.

"Do you mind, Effie?" I ask.

"No, not at all! I love my little grandsons." She says, trotting up the stairs. Effie may be wearing less make-up and normal clothes now but she hasn't lost her Capitol accent or extravagant hand gestures.

I take the hot chocolates into the living room and Willow starts to fuss and gurgle.

"What's wrong baby girl?" I coo to her. "Are you tired?"

I sit down on the couch and lay Willow on my chest so she can go to sleep if she wants to.

Effie comes trotting down the stairs with my boys in each of her arms. "I think they want to see what their grandma has bought them."

I didn't know how Effie would react to being called 'grandma' but in all honesty, I think she loves it!

"Yeah, what do you have in the bag?" I ask, laughing.

She lays the boys down on their play mat and opens the large bag. She pulls three soft toys from the bag. She holds up a pink bunny rabbit and says "this one is for little Willow."

It's sort of ironic how I used to hunt rabbits and eat them but those times were hard and we didn't have a choice. Nowadays, I don't hunt because I have been responsible for enough deaths in my lifetime and I'm not one to kill for a sport...

Effie brings out the next toy and it's a green dinosaur. "This is for Rye!" She then brings out the last toy and it's a brown dog. "And this is for Aster."

Recently Effie has been going a little over board with the presents. I know she loves the triplets but she is spending way too much money on presents!

"Thank you so much, Effie! You really need to stop buying so many presents though, I bet it's costing a lot!" I say, gratefully.

"Oh, no. Don't be silly! I love my little grand babies!" Effie says.

Just then Peeta walks through the door. "Hey." I say as he walks over to kiss me. He kisses Willows head lightly, not to wake her as she is fast asleep on my chest.

"Hey, Peeta!" Effie says.

"Hey, Effie. How are you?" He says, sitting next to me on the couch.

"I'm brilliant thank you, Peeta." She says, brightly. "Anyway, Haymitch and I have decided that we will watch the babies for a couple of hours today while you two get some rest."

"Thanks so much, Effie but it's fine don-" Peeta begins but Effie cuts him off.

"No buts! Haymitch and I were saying yesterday how exhausted you both look and we are happy to watch them for a few hours." She says.

'How exhausted you both look.' Ever the charmer Effie.

"Only if you're sure, Effie." I say. I really am exhausted.

"Yes, it's fine! I have toys and stuff at my house so we will bring them to mine." Effie says.

"Thank you so much, Effie!" Peeta says.

Effie takes the triplets over to her house with Haymitch after a long list of instructions from me because I haven't left the triplets with anyone but Peeta before.

Peeta and I are left on the couch, not knowing what to do with ourselves.

"What do we do now?" Peeta laughs.

"I don't know. I feel like we should do something but to be honest I just want to go to bed." I say, laying my head on Peeta's shoulder.

"Come on then. I need sleep!" Peeta says, and we climb the stairs together and lay down under the covers in bed, wrapped in each others arms.

"I miss them!" I say, laughing slightly.

Peeta laughs. "It's only been ten minutes!"

"I know but they're my babies! Although it is nice to have you to myself again for a while." I say, snuggling closer into Peeta's side.

Peeta kisses my head gently and whispers, "I love you, Katniss Mellark."

The small and simple gesture makes me smile. "I love you too, Peeta Mellark."

+++++

When the alarm goes off, I feel so refreshed. I don't think I have felt this good since the triplets were born. I check the clock on the side of the bed at it reads 5.31. The triplets are probably starting to get fussy now as it's time for their feed soon.

I shake Peeta awake and we get changed, then make our way over to Effie's house.

We don't knock because it is an unspoken agreement between us all that we can just walk in to each others houses. Peeta and I walk in and freeze when our eyes focus and we realize what we are witnessing. Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket, kissing. And it's not just a kiss, it's a full make out session.

They must notice our presence because they quickly break apart. "What is going on?" Peeta asks. I'm glad he said something because I don't think I can.

Effie looks at Haymitch as if asking for permission to explain and he nods. "This has been going on for a few months now, and we were going to tell you. But I guess you know now.." Effie says, slightly embarrassed.

"Wow.." I say because it's all I can manage at the moment.

"I'm glad that you're both happy." Peeta says.

"Thank you, we are!" Effie says smiling.

Haymitch and Effie. Who would have thought?

AUTHORS NOTE

HAYFFIE FINALLY!! Sorry for not updating in a while, school has been crazy! Thank you all so much for reading, commenting and voting!

- Megan x

- Twitter - @_hutcherwife

^My twitter used to be @peetasbread7 but I changed my username so it is the same account!!