𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 - 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝗎𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌

three

CAPITOL

PARADE DAY

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AFTER BRINGING THEIR TRIBUTES TO THE STYLIST'S UPON ARRIVING IN THE CAPTOL, Johanna and August made their way to the victors lounge. A place for victors to talk, and later, during the games to talk to sponsors.

Even sometimes before the games, Sponsors were tumbling around the lounge, but most of the time, they waited until the training days, to have a better look at the odds. Or at least after the parade to get a first impression.

Johanna and August walked over to the bar, ordering a drink. Neither really in the mood to talk to any of the other Victors. But as destiny liked it, they didn't get the silence they wanted, when Finnick Odair approaches them.

"Johanna, August, good to see you." The man greeted them with a bright smile and open arms as he hugged Johanna, and gave Augus'ts shoulder a strong pat. "How have you been?"

Johanna scoffed at the almost dumb question. "Like I wanna drown myself in this glass of bubblegum champagne. What the hell is this shit anyway."

"Nothing you would like to drown yourself in, if you ask me." August replied scoffing at the drink, his eyes mustered Johanna's drink frowning. Finnick chuckled at that, taking the barstool next to Johanna. "Sorry to disappoint, but you won't find anything good here." Finnick mused, amused by the everlasting grumpy mood of the District 7 mentors. It was almost comical to talk to them, because he would never get anything but grumbling and sarcasm out of them.

"Ah, Mags, over here." August looked over to Finnick when he suddenly spoke up. Following his eyeline, he watched the older woman from District 4 approach them at the bar. August smiled warmly at the woman. He always had a soft spot for her, as her kind gestures always reminded him of his late Aunt Rouge.

When he first joined the rangs of the victors in the Capitol, she was one of the first to take care of him, without looking at him like everyone else did. A look of pity. Maybe it was because he and Bishop were allies, and she wanted to thank him for taking care of the boy. But maybe, it was just because she was a genuinely good person who saw his pain and wanted to help.

August got off his chair, helping Mags on the seat next to him. She smiled at him thankful, making August return the smile. "Would you like something to drink, Mags?"

The woman nodded. "Alcohol or just a Water." Mags held up two fingers, and August nodded at her smiling, before calling over the bartender, ordering her a water. Mags could speak, but she preferred not to as she had a hard time doing so.

"August!" The man heard someone call from behind. Turning around he met the eyes of Gloss, a victor who has won the games three years after August, a career. And even though he tried to not like the career districts, it was harder than he thought, considering most of them are actually not total dicks, a hundred percent of the time. They may have been before the games, but that changed afterwards when they saw the real light behind the diamond that the Capitol presented them. The Victor's from District one especially.

Gloss had his hand up waving at the man, which August returned, lifting his hand for a two fingered wave. He turned to Johanna. "I'll be right back." August then looked to Mags on his other side, the soft smile he reserved for her returning. "Are you gonna be okay looking after the kids while I'm gone?"