used to be young | torian&flynn [vt]

District Six was one of the few places he looked forward to visiting. The seed was planted when he was a child - that he should study and move to Six so he could work among fellow geniuses in universities, because that is where a 'bright mind' belonged. He never had the heart to tell his parents that living in Six sounded boring at best, and intimidating at worst. Now that he was traveling the whole country against his will, he had a change of heart. Six wasn't like One or Two, the lion's dens, with hateful eyes staring at him as if he had committed a crime. Those people didn't think he deserved to live. He had a feeling the people here wouldn't mind his presence.

As expected, his agenda was written for him, so he woke up ready to take on whatever the task list demanded. Tours of hospitals with advanced technology, universities with impressive libraries - he had to admit, he could do a a lot here. His brain itched to dig in, but he only had time to be a semi-professional celebrity puppet. Fidgeting with gadgets didn't make the agenda. He was instructed to look, make comments, but never touch. He got carried away a few times with the professors, who took more interest in him as soon as they realized he knew a thing or two about the physical sciences. His team had to usher him out, reminding him that he had a reservation at a diner. Torian knew better than to complain in public. That was a big no no.

The outfit changes were his least favorite part about the touring. He ended up feeling overdressed or underdressed no matter where he went. It was impossible to predict who would wear their finest clothes to meet a victor, and who would simply treat him like a human being and dress casual. It really wasn't that big of a deal, Torian wasn't a fashion guy. He could shake hands with a man wearing a potato sack and he wouldn't blink twice about it.

He ended up convincing his team to let him show up in a more casual dress shirt. White with a breezy green coat, because he warned them that he would probably spill sauce on himself or something.

"Hey Torian!"

He offered a gentle wave at Flynn, who he assumed would understand Torian more than the average victor (if such a thing existed). He had won at a young age. He probably knew exactly how Torian was feeling. "Hello!" His stomach growled on cue. Guess touring and chatting up professors really had done a number on him.

The diner itself was empty, but the atmosphere was welcoming. It reminded him of diners back home, where he could order a whole pizza and share with his friends.

"A vanilla shake sounds great actually," He squinted at the menu. Pretty decent options. He knew what it actually was, unlike half of the menu in the Capitol. That stuff could get way too fancy sometimes. "I'll eat pretty much anything. Do you have any recommendations?"

When he realized he was halfway through his tour, he breathed a sigh of exhaustion. Only half. He was itching to go home and see his family again. "It's going okay, I think. Mackenzie always has good advice. It's just weird being treated like I'm more important than everyone else. And knowing a lot of people wish I was dead." Because it was true. Many people didn't bother to hide it when they looked at him, and what was he supposed to say? Too bad? Your opinion violates my rights as a human being? Better to stay silent.

Whatever I desire. Odd. Torian couldn't think of anything he wanted delivered to his doorstep. Half the fun was riding his bike to collect what was needed - groceries, books, newspapers. That was his chance to leave the suffocating world of education and explore. Why would he want any of that taken away? Perhaps it would ease the burdens from his parents - they were only getting older, and it would be nice to save a trip or two. But Torian didn't want to fall into that 'spoiled rich' blackhole of no return. He did not want to become something he hated, though the Capitol would surely try. They spoiled him rotten, allowing him to sleep on nothing less than the softness of a cloud, insisting that he never stand up from a table to grab food. He had learned that Victors were basically royalty in real life.

He supposed it was the least they could do after trying to kill him.

He nodded at Flynn's words. A new victor, he didn't even want to think that far ahead. But he was right. "They do say time heals everything." He yearned to be yesterday's news already. Whichever poor soul was after him, they would remove his spotlight. But they would get to return home, and that was something to cherish. Torian promised himself to never take it for granted.

His mouth watered at the idea of The Stacker. Yep, that would definitely keep him full the rest of the trip. He slurped his vanilla shake and nodded again. "I'll have that, thanks." All of the fancy food they had fed him, yet this milkshake was the best thing he had all week. Can't change the palette of a fourteen year old kid.

It was interesting to hear Flynn's pursuit of education. He never kept up with what Victors did, but now he wondered what they all did in their spare time, what jobs they pursued if any. Torian didn't want to change his life so drastically, but he did have plans. A few plans. "My parents made me do it. I didn't want to at first, but I'm good at it. That's how I got such a high score in the Training Center." And his team reminded him many times that those sponsors helped him. They tried to desperately give him credit that he did not want to accept. He felt like a lucky kid, and that was all.

"It's grown on me, and I don't plan to stop, I just don't know what I want to do with it." He could be a doctor, a researcher, a technician. Now that his family would have money, the options would only expand. That did not make things easier.

"What are you trying to be?"