dinner with his devil { f / t }

There’s an annual quota I need to meet of Capitol engagements, I have been slacking a bit, so the overtime grind is on. This year has been unlike any other, but I can’t talk about it. It is all written in invisible ink, and I need to make sure nobody is looking over my shoulder when I am reading it back. What the fuck is my life? How can twelve months be so different? Different faces in the equation. But the trauma can’t shrink. It is there. It has happened and it has left all the scars behind, but scars can be healed.

I have got hands that can heal, and the Capitol wants to use them. There is an opened invite in my studio from the university, a response page left unanswered. Another whiplash moment for this year. Not going to lie, I definitely need a break.

And I am not going to get it at this dinner I have been ordered to go too.

I can count on one hand how many Capitol events I have actually enjoyed, one of them happened not that long ago… It is just so hard to relax at them, even just as something as simple as a dinner. I feel like I must be so rigid, so fake. Like I can’t even crease my shirt or spill some crumbs on my trousers or it will just cause an uproar. They may as well send in an AI version of myself, it will at least all go right.

Moon pats down my shirt and gives me the pep talk before going into the dinner. Something about it being a networking dinner with lots of different business owners, not sure why a victor needs to network. I take the designated seat opposite an old Capitolite, he is one of the big pharma guys so that was definitely set up. There is an empty seat beside me, someone mentioned that another victor will be joining us but never mentioned a name. I hope it is An-…fuck!

It is Theo. Of course, it is Theo. That’s why Moon wouldn’t tell me who it was, they knew I wouldn’t turn up.

I hope there are some ice packs around here. Or even some cream pies. It can’t be Theo 1 – Flynn 0 forever.

Everyone greets Theo when he sits down and I just grit my teeth, looking the opposite way as I grip a bit too tightly onto the soup spoon in front of me.

”before you talk, shut up.” He mutters under his breath but is so obviously loud enough for me to hear. My eyes do somersaults in my head. ”No.” Straight to the point. I guess these wounds have not healed. I slap my hand on the clothed table, vibrating all the empty plates and getting the attention of the big pharma guy sat opposite us.

”Your psyche drug trials sound interesting, I have been reading the results of your company’s latest trial and the results…” Spitefully loud chatter, that is what I am good at. ”I never thought drugs would be able to change people’s personalities, make them less obnoxious. Wonderful work!”

The Capitolite looks proud of himself and a little confused, ”That is not what-.”

”And you Chef Ramlay,” There is a little old celebrity chef lady sitting down with us. We are really at the OAP table tonight , ”I hope you have brought those famous mouth watering creamy cakes for us for dessert!” I have honestly forgotten that he is sat next to me, I hope he is having a good enough time as I am. ”I have heard they are Theo’s favourite!”

Holy shit this is fun. If they drop a bottle or two of wine on the table, I could go all night.

Enjoying this will at least speed the night up. Instead of treading on eggshells, I am smashing every one of them. The faces of the elderly Capitolites at the table are lit up, they are just as thrilled as I am. I best not make them too thrilled; I don’t have the energy to practice my CPR skills on them. Mouth to mouth with wrinkled painted on lips like their’s…eugh!

Theo looks just as thrilled to have the first dish plopped right onto his plate, but he is quick on giving out his on servings. Gay-ner. How original. I really am back at middle school.

I sit back into my chair sighing. Someone is definitely laughing from behind; this placement was planned. Of all the victors they have on offer to play with, none of this was a coincidence. But why do a bunch of old fogies want to dine with mid victors? I hope there is not an after party. Old folk like to hit their pillows early, I hope it is the same for Capitol ones.

”I think you’d benefit from hitting him up too, Horny.” I look at him up and down, sat to the left of me while fiddling with a soup spoon that I point at the pharma man. ”Sildenafil, you should look it up. Helps with dysfunctions…” A cheesy grin puts up a portrait on my face. The next jabs are halted as some kind of broth looking soup dish is placed in front of all of us. There is meat floating around in it too, how appetising.

I stir around the soup in the flashy ceramic bowl, the baker natters in my right ear but I am all more bothered about putting one more up against the guy sat to my left. ”You might want to tuck a napkin into your shirt, it’d be a shame if any of the soup ruined your look.” I slurp up some of the soup from the spoon. Loud and visceral but it is my last torment. This is kind of getting exhausting. It will be a marathon trying to keep this up all evening. That plan of it speeding up the night is already down the drain.

”It is going to be a long night if we keep this up,” I whisper, just loud enough for Theo to hear. ”Just keep talking with them and the night will be over.”